Tag Archives: forced

My Minor Frustration: How Forced Software Updates Amplify Aggravation | Technology

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I was about to set off on an adventurous few hours when we encountered a moment to pause. It wasn’t a major issue—no flat tires or broken handles—just that my map application no longer connects to the music player on my phone. The recent “update” stripped away features, altered the music interface, and removed my ability to track my location on the map simultaneously.

This is what usually complicates my existence in an automated world. The promise of mandatory software updates is to enhance the applications and software we rely on daily, making them more user-friendly and secure. However, in many cases, these updates completely alter the technologies we’ve come to appreciate.

I had finally adjusted to how my device functioned, but did I truly feel secure knowing that the controls could suddenly shift at any time? Sorry—it’s a whole new ball game now! What about those features I relied on frequently, like community-generated subtitles on YouTube and the option to view historical statistics? Apologies, but those have either vanished entirely or are now hidden behind a paywall. This situation breeds paranoia. I’ve found myself immersed in a Reddit thread populated with individuals convinced that the latest operating system updates are reducing their phone’s battery life significantly. Did this actually happen? Who can tell?


This is one reason I feel uneasy about “smart” appliances. While Hollywood portrayals of hackers and robot revolts aren’t particularly terrifying, I’m more concerned about disruptive updates, vanishing features, or unnecessary enhancements. I worry that anonymous developers, miles away, could make a simple change that degrades their apps and software overnight. Half of my computer’s programs are cluttered with the latest AI gimmickry. Just wait until manufacturers of household items decide they need to join in too.

Do you tolerate products that have diminished in quality over time simply because the manufacturer decided so, rather than normal wear and tear? A hammer that inexplicably removed the nail puller unless you pay for a ridiculous new subscription? Shouldn’t you also have a faucet that consistently delivers hot water, instead of being arbitrarily limited by the creator’s whims? It really shouldn’t be like that.

I’ve learned to cope without a map and a connected audio controller. Yet, I still feel the impact. Perhaps it serves as a constant reminder that living a more simplified life, detached from the relentless updates of faceless corporations, is not such a terrible fate.

Source: www.theguardian.com

NASA astronauts forced to cancel first launch with Boeing again

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NASA and Boeing have had to once again cancel the first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was set to take off from Cape Canaveral Space Station in Florida at 12:25 p.m. ET on Saturday, carrying NASA astronauts Barry “Batch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the International Space Station, marking the spacecraft’s inaugural crewed test flight.

Unfortunately, the launch attempt was aborted with just minutes remaining in the countdown, adding to Boeing’s challenges after years of delays and cost overruns in its Starliner program.

The crewed test flight by Boeing was a crucial milestone to demonstrate the safe transportation of astronauts to the space station with Starliner. A successful mission could lead to Boeing being authorized by NASA to conduct regular flights to the space station, providing NASA with an alternative to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are scheduled to board a Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for a crewed flight test launch on Saturday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA via Getty Images

Boeing’s previous launch on May 6 had also been halted with about two hours left in the countdown due to a valve issue on the spacecraft’s Atlas V rocket. Subsequently, a helium leak was found in Starliner’s propulsion system, causing further delays to the crucial test flight.

Although the rocket’s valve was replaced, the helium leak was determined not to pose a risk to the crew or spacecraft. It was not fixed before the scheduled flight on Saturday, as stated by mission controllers in a press conference the previous week.

Both SpaceX and Boeing were involved in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, launching new spacecraft to transport astronauts to low Earth orbit after the retirement of NASA’s space shuttle fleet more than a decade ago.

However, Boeing has fallen significantly behind SpaceX, which has been conducting crewed missions to the space station for NASA since 2020.

The issue on Saturday was not the first challenge encountered by Starliner. During its initial uncrewed flight in 2019, software problems forced an early termination of the flight before attempting to dock with the space station. Subsequent attempts were delayed due to a fuel valve issue, with a successful uncrewed flight to the space station only achieved in 2022.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Dennis Chou

Denise Chou is an NBC News Science reporter specializing in general science and climate change.

Marissa Parra Contributed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

TikTok vows to resist US bans and forced sales following bill approval | Ticktock

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TikTok has announced its intention to challenge any ban or requirement for the app’s sale in the United States through legal means, following the passing of a bill by the House of Representatives that targets the popular video platform.

Uncertainty looms over the company’s future in the United States after lawmakers in Washington approved a bill that would mandate the sale of a stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban.

The bill, part of a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, was passed by the House with a vote of 360-58 on Saturday and will now be presented to the Senate for further consideration. President Joe Biden has expressed his support for the bill.

Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s head of public policy for the Americas, informed employees via a memo after the vote that the bill is deemed unconstitutional, and TikTok intends to challenge it in court.

Beckerman stated in the memo, initially reported by a technology news website, that the bill infringes on the First Amendment, which safeguards free speech rights, and vowed to pursue legal action once the bill is signed into law.

Arguments on the basis of the First Amendment have previously worked in TikTok’s favor in the U.S. In a ruling last year, a district judge in Montana blocked a state ban on TikTok, citing violations of users’ free speech rights. The judge found that the ban exceeded the state’s authority and violated constitutional rights.

TikTok has faced scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and other Western officials, including those in the UK, over concerns that user data could be accessed by the Chinese government. While TikTok denies such requests from Beijing, critics fear ByteDance may be compelled to share data with Chinese security services under the country’s laws.

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TikTok is yet to provide a comment on the matter.

Source: www.theguardian.com