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Thursday, November 01, 2018

The new MacBook Air hands-on: More pixels, fewer ports - CNET





"Sarah Tew/CNET

The overall design and usability, and the jump from fifth-gen Intel processors to eighth-gen ones, certainly makes this well more than $200 better than the old MacBook Air. But it also moves to being that much more of a stretch for many would-be owners.  
Fortunately, that old-school Air is still available, at least for now, just as the old 13-inch MacBook Pro was for more than a year after the newest design debuted in 2016. If you're firm in your need for USB-A or HDMI ports, or an island-style keyboard, pick one up now, because no one knows how long it's going to last. But note that based on the past several years of concerns we've had about the low-res screen, thick bezel and outdated CPU, it's hard to recommend that classic model right now.  
We hope to test and fully review the new MacBook Air soon, so stay tuned for our benchmark results and full review"


The new MacBook Air hands-on: More pixels, fewer ports - CNET

Sunday, October 28, 2018

MIRRORLESS WARS: Life & death for camera makers

Brian Kemp Leaked Audio About Georgia Voting Concerns Raises Questions. – Rolling Stone - #ResistanceIsNotFutile This is another evil neo-fascist.



Brian Kemp Leaked Audio About Georgia Voting Concerns Raises Questions – Rolling Stone

Copyright Office rules in favor of your right to repair your own phone - CNET

109-iphone-xr-review



"Tinkerers will now have an easier time modifying and repairing electronic devices.

On Thursday, the US Copyright Office made some big changes to the legal exemptions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The changes will enable the repair community to legally fix, hack or modify people's electronic devices. The new rules go into effect Sunday.
The Library of Congress is tasked with reviewing the DMCA every three years. The law was originally written to protect the movie industry from piracy. During the review process, the library spells out explicit exemptions, and this year it made several new exemptions to Section 1201.
According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Section 1201 made it illegal "to circumvent the computer code that prevents copying or modifying in most software-controlled products -- which nowadays includes everything from refrigerators and baby monitors to tractors and smart speakers." Some companies use copyrighted software or so-called digital locks to prevent consumers or independent repair people from making changes to devices.
iFixit founder Kyle Wiens, who petitioned the Library of Congress in April, explained in a blog post that under the new exemptions:
  • You can jailbreak voice assistant devices, such as Alexa-enabled gadgets.
  • You can unlock new phones, not just used ones. Recyclers sometimes get unopened phones.
  • It's now legal to repair pretty much any kind of home device, such as smartphones, home appliances and home systems.
  • You can modify software on motorized land vehicles, like tractors.
  • Third-parties can repair devices on behalf of the owner.
  • This is good news for tinkerers, but some petitions weren't granted, according to Wiens. You still can't repair game consoles, such as the PS4 and Xbox One, on your own. Products that don't fall under smartphones, home appliances or home systems, like boats and airplanes, also can't legally be repaired by owners or third-parties."


Copyright Office rules in favor of your right to repair your own phone - CNET