Odds and Sods • The Register

Bootnotes

Share your 2024 tech forecasts (wrong answers only) to win a terrible sweater

Competition OpenAI led by the Swedish Chef? Musk aims for Mars and hits Venus instead? What are your predictions?

Bootnotes28 Nov 2023 | 70

USB Cart of Death: The wheeled scourge that drove Windows devs to despair

Stout heart a requisite for software engineers in days of yore

Bootnotes25 Nov 2023 | 84

Surface Duo crashes the party as Doctor Who celebrates 60th birthday

Hey Cortana: Why is David Tennant back as the BBC's longest lived space alien?

Bootnotes25 Nov 2023 | 53

Long-term space missions may make liftoff harder for male astronauts

Study suggests galactic cosmic radiation could damage below-the-belt tissues

Bootnotes23 Nov 2023 | 34

Remembering the time Windows accidentally sent Poland to the bottom of the sea

Geopolitics and operating systems are hard

Bootnotes21 Nov 2023 | 30

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean AI's not after you

Brit telco BT's digital boss asks people 'how did horses feel when cars were invented? They didn't complain or go on strike'

Bootnotes14 Nov 2023 | 62

AWS staffer shows off the workplace that used to be a prison

Panopticon design gains new meaning for the all powerful cloud platform

Bootnotes13 Nov 2023 | 13

CEOs of crashed tech upstart Bitwise accused of swindling $100M from investors

Duo paid themselves $600K salaries as the cupboard was emptying

Bootnotes10 Nov 2023 | 13

Mac daddy Woz hospitalized in Mexico over mystery malady

State of Apple co-founder's health is unclear – it could be a stroke or vertigo

Bootnotes09 Nov 2023 | 17

Pentagon seeks government gossips to dish dirt on UFOs

Online form isn't for just anyone, so stow your crackpot theories for now

Bootnotes02 Nov 2023 | 19

Where do people feel most at risk of being pwned? The pub

Pints, pork scratchings, and password-free Wi-Fi: The nearly perfect brew

Bootnotes01 Nov 2023 | 36

Pope tempted by Python! Signs off on coding scheme for kids

In the name of the firewall, the server, and the home page default, amen

Bootnotes28 Oct 2023 | 41

Larry Ale-ison institute invests in Oxford pub linked to Tolkien, CS Lewis

DBAs come in for beer but struggle to find a table, query imaginary world in wardrobe

Bootnotes26 Oct 2023 | 33

Teens take a million metaverse Ryanair flights in Roblox

They do this in their free time

Bootnotes24 Oct 2023 | 41

The problem with Jon Stewart is that Apple appears to have cancelled his show

Planned episodes on China and AI reportedly worried Apple top brass

Bootnotes20 Oct 2023 | 51

You snooze, you lose? It's not quite as simple as that

Actually it might give you a brief edge on those weird morning people

Bootnotes18 Oct 2023 | 14

Never mind SETI and NASA, if your Ring somehow snaps ET, Amazon might give you $1M

Fly light-years to our planet and get the real Earth experience: Privacy invaded by doorbell cam

Bootnotes06 Oct 2023 | 24

You've just spent $400 on a baby monitor. Now you need a subscription

Internet of Stings Once upon a time there was a company called Miku who wasn't making quite enough money...

Bootnotes06 Oct 2023 | 183

EPIC urges watchdog to probe Grindr's data privacy – or alleged lack thereof

Dating app kept sensitive info even after peeps deleted accounts, complaint claims

Bootnotes05 Oct 2023 | 3

Meet Honda's latest electric vehicle: A rideable suitcase

The Motocompacto is a successor to the '81 Motocompo, but with greater ability to deprive its rider of dignity

Bootnotes15 Sep 2023 | 91

Popular

Google Drive misplaces months' worth of customer files

Updated The horror of logging in only to find everything since May has vanished

IT sent the intern to sort out the nasty VP who was too important to bother with backups

Who, Me? Kid escaped from the executive suite without screwing things up

Ransomware-hit British Library: Too open for business, or not open enough?

Opinion Unique institutions need unique security. Instead, they're fobbed off with the same old, same old

Microsoft opens sources ThreadX under MIT license

The 'Azure RTOS' used in millions of Raspberry Pis is now FOSS

Data-destroying defect found after OpenZFS 2.2.0 release

Updated Earlier and later versions may be affected – worth your while reading the advisories

DevTernity conference collapses amid claims women speakers were faked

Anna? Oh, she was just a demo persona, says organizer

Tesla sues Swedish government after worker rebellion cripples car biz

Updated Sparks fly as Elon's Musketeers sue for license plate liberation

Leader of pro-Russia DDoS crew Killnet 'unmasked' by Russian state media

Infosec in Brief Also: NXP China attack, Australia can't deliver on ransom payment ban (yet), and Justin Sun's very bad month

AWS plays with Fire TV Cube, turns it into a thin client for cloudy desktops

re:Invent $195 a pop, delivered, pre-provisioned ready to stream desktops or apps

Videoconferencing fatigue is real, study finds

Your brain and heart do not enjoy Zooming, Teamsing, or Webexing

MORE
STORIES

Long-lost 1977 Star Wars X-Wing prop discovered – lock s-foils in bid position

Hundreds more iconic props set to go on sale from collection of late Hollywood model maker Greg Jein

Bootnotes12 Sep 2023 | 28

Grant Shapps named UK defense supremo in latest 'tech-savvy' Tory tale

Comment He praised Apple for its 'open source' tech – now he'll oversee AI use to defend Britain from its foes

Bootnotes31 Aug 2023 | 98

Let's give these quadruped robot dogs next-gen XM7 rifles, says US Army

Black Mirror? Never heard of it

Bootnotes30 Aug 2023 | 34

IBM shows off its sense of humor in not-so-funny letter leak

Internal memos detail discontinued Dad-joke products

Bootnotes23 Aug 2023 | 55

North Korea's neighbors issue warnings ahead of attempted 'satellite' launch

The last one splashed down badly, but this is no laughing matter – Japan's PM thinks it could be a missile

Bootnotes22 Aug 2023 | 9

Need a decent dining spot in Ottawa? Microsoft suggested a food bank

Azure giant blames human error, not AI – up to you to swallow that

Bootnotes18 Aug 2023 | 27

Cage match: Zuck finally realizes Elon is full of twit

How can a billionaire in his 50s be this much of a dweeb?

Bootnotes14 Aug 2023 | 50

Official science: People do less, make more mistakes on Friday afternoons

Why 'dont deploy on Frday' is a thnng

Bootnotes04 Aug 2023 | 63

US Air Force burns more money on electric flying taxis

Waiting on that thumbs up from the FAA

Bootnotes31 Jul 2023 | 14

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's pop artifact stash now heads to a museum

Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix's guitars, Vader's helmet, Captain Kirk's chair, and more

Bootnotes29 Jul 2023 | 15

On the record: Apple bags patent for iDevice to play LPs

From Norman Cook to Tim Cook

Bootnotes28 Jul 2023 | 81

Chipotle welcomes you to the age of robot guacamole

Avocado prep time could be cut in half, but it still won't change the price

Bootnotes13 Jul 2023 | 15

Lamborghini's last remaining pure gas guzzlers are all spoken for

Don't panic – you can still get a hybrid, with a V12 engine naturally

Bootnotes06 Jul 2023 | 156

Forget these apps and AI, where's my flying car? Ah, here's one with an FAA license

Also: No comment on that choice of name for a wee leccy chopper

Bootnotes29 Jun 2023 | 67

If you want a big brain, make a habit out of daytime naps

You are getting sleepy… very sleepy

Bootnotes26 Jun 2023 | 41

Mark Zuckerberg would kick Elon Musk's ass, experts say

Comment The two claim to be headed for a smackdown over copycat services

Bootnotes22 Jun 2023 | 70

Restaurant hired 'priest' to extract workplace confessions from staff

With now $150K to pay out, that's what we call fine dining

Bootnotes21 Jun 2023 | 38

Elon Musk's Twitter moves were 'reaffirming' says Reddit boss amid API changes

Comment From 'we are not Elon' to 'Elon was right' in a matter of days

Bootnotes19 Jun 2023 | 161

North Korean spy satellite launch ends in sea smash

Rather than herald exciting success of best-ever lift-off, state media confirms fiasco. Consider us surprised

Bootnotes31 May 2023 | 10

Cisco: Don't use 'blind spot' – and do use 'feed two birds with one scone'

Switchzilla takes a stab at inclusive language. Sorry, that should be 'makes a first pass'

Bootnotes10 May 2023 | 219

Of course Russia's ex-space boss doubts US set foot on the Moon

'How did NASA do what they did in the 60s what they cannot do now?'

Bootnotes09 May 2023 | 112

Pornhub walls off Utah in age-verification law protest

Dare we say that's a master stroke

Bootnotes03 May 2023 | 74

CEO sorry after telling staff to 'leave pity city' over bonuses

Video Put the $26 million in the bag

Bootnotes21 Apr 2023 | 88

NYC Mayor: Robo-pup 'out of the pound' and back to police work

Video Please don't pair it with ChatGPT, please don't pair it with ChatGPT

Bootnotes12 Apr 2023 | 17

Tupperware looking less airtight than you'd think

The party could be over soon

Bootnotes11 Apr 2023 | 59

Thieves smash hole in wall to nab $500K in Apple iKit

Pic So, like, three iPhones and a Mac keyboard

Bootnotes07 Apr 2023 | 41

Pentagon whistleblower Ellsberg given months to live

Comment The man leaking vital data before it was fashionable

Bootnotes13 Mar 2023 | 18

Adidas grapples with $1.3B in unsold Yeezy sneakers after breaking up with Kanye West

This is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket case

Bootnotes09 Mar 2023 | 92

Havana Syndrome definitely (maybe) not caused by brain-scrambling energy weapons

Pre-existing mental health issues and the stress of working in Cuba are more likely culprits

Bootnotes02 Mar 2023 | 36

Take the blue pill: Keanu Reeves has had enough of AI baloney

Opinion Neo continues to rage against the machines decades after The Matrix

Bootnotes15 Feb 2023 | 66

That's not a TP-Link access point, it's a… vacuum?

You might say this thing sucks

Bootnotes11 Feb 2023 | 29

Three seconds of audio could end up costing Fox $500,000

And that, kids, is why we don't play the Emergency Alert System tone on TV

Bootnotes27 Jan 2023 | 180

Scientists conclude cats only have three personalities after YouTube clip binge

Insight could lead to better conflict resolution between our feline overlords

Bootnotes27 Jan 2023 | 90

Iterable co-founder claims he was ousted because of racial discrimination, not LSD use

While Justin Zhu admits to micro-dosing, he alleges that his ethnicity was an issue for investors

Bootnotes29 Nov 2022 | 14

Twitter refugees seek asylum in an unusual place: The Matt Hancock app

Move over, Mastodon – bungling UK politician's platform finds thousands of new users amid Elon Musk chaos

Bootnotes17 Nov 2022 | 32

Looking for a holiday DIY project? Build your own pen-plotter, for under $15

Ubuntu Summit BrachioGraph: 'The cheapest, simplest possible pen-plotter'

Bootnotes14 Nov 2022 | 19

KFC bot urges Germans to mark Kristallnacht with cheesy chicken

Tasteless food chain claims 'semi-automated' process skipped internal review process

Bootnotes11 Nov 2022 | 87

All of the norths are about to align over Britain

Magnetic north is on a walkabout, and your OCD will benefit

Bootnotes04 Nov 2022 | 111

New measurement alert: Liz Truss inspires new Register standard

Reg Standards Bureau We didn't have a time unit. That... is... a... disgrace

Bootnotes21 Oct 2022 | 159

Team Interpol: Metaverse Police

Attempted revival of virtual reality is only just beginning and already the cops just want to take a look around

Bootnotes21 Oct 2022 | 18

Liz Truss ousted as UK prime minister, outlived by online lettuce

What connects a decaying salad vegetable with something called 'the 1922 Committee'? Enter the wonderful and frightening world of British politics

Bootnotes20 Oct 2022 | 371

Artist formerly known as Kanye reveals Parler trick: Buying the far-right haven

Used to tweeting? Get ready for Yeeting

Bootnotes17 Oct 2022 | 77

Now you can't even scale Mount Everest without a drone buzzing overhead

Video No chance of any peace, not even at 8,900 metres

Bootnotes14 Oct 2022 | 17

This maglev turntable costs more than an average luxury electric car

At $74k, this gear is an odd pitch for TEAC's time to shine again

Bootnotes11 Oct 2022 | 127

Airbus auctions off bits from retired A380 superjumbo jet

Souvenirs, novelties, party tricks. Your chance to snag a piece of the largest passenger jet in the world

Bootnotes04 Oct 2022 | 18

This rumor needs to Die Hard: Bruce Willis denies selling face to deepfake biz

Superstar is still exclusively a meat popsicle

Bootnotes04 Oct 2022 | 16

NSA super-leaker Edward Snowden granted Russian citizenship

He always wanted to fight in the military – are his draft papers on the way?

Bootnotes26 Sep 2022 | 77

Billionaire CEO tells Googlers 'we shouldn’t always equate fun with money'

Updated A day in the G is like a day on the farm. Every meal a banquet. Every code checkout a parade. I love the G

Bootnotes23 Sep 2022 | 42

Amazon accused of singling out, harassing union organizers

Bosses' bad behavior may, just may, have derailed crucial warehouse vote

Bootnotes23 Sep 2022 | 42

Meta, Google learn the art of the quiet layoff

You're not being fired, we're just unable to facilitate your sustained employment

Bootnotes21 Sep 2022 | 87

Heart now pledges 30-seat hybrid electric commercial flights by 2028

We've heard something like this before ... Boss suggests earlier design wasn't that useful to industry

Bootnotes16 Sep 2022 | 75

Anti-Metaverse package 'explosion' at college VR lab probed by investigators

Blast, manifesto railing against Zuck and AI may be an artifical reality

Bootnotes14 Sep 2022 | 21

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs memorialized with online archive of emails, guff

Comment Top tip: Skip the memos with cancer advice

Bootnotes09 Sep 2022 | 23

Indian tech minister picks a fight with Wikipedia over cricketer's dropped catch

Also separatism, nationalism, and whether Big Tech does enough to police user-generated content

Bootnotes06 Sep 2022 | 17

DeFi venture OptiFi permanently locks up $661,000 of assets in code snafu

Look who misunderstood the consequences a Solana close command

Bootnotes02 Sep 2022 | 22

Braking news: Cops slammed for spamming Waze to slow drivers down

You're under app-vest

Bootnotes01 Sep 2022 | 188

Tesla owner gets key fob chip implanted in his hand

Embedded electronics workaround for his phone's 'aggressive' power management

Bootnotes24 Aug 2022 | 88

Elon Musk 'buying Manchester United' football club

Results are rubbish on Earth, but Mars United could be undisputed champions

Bootnotes17 Aug 2022 | 54

China-linked fake news site shows disinformation on the rise

Beijing-backed PR firm is behind at least 72 ersatz web titles, Mandiant says

Bootnotes05 Aug 2022 | 32

Enough with the notifications! Focus Assist will shut them u… 'But I'm too important!'

Something for the Weekend An app will always find a way to interrupt what you’re doing

Bootnotes05 Aug 2022 | 225

Anti-piracy messaging may just encourage more piracy

Behavioral economics study suggests rights holders don't understand psychology

Bootnotes02 Aug 2022 | 88

Bad news, older tech workers: Job advert language works against you

And there's a study now to prove it – science!

Bootnotes02 Aug 2022 | 233

I paid for it, that makes it mine. Doesn’t it? No – and it never did

Something for the Weekend A new generation learns the hard way that everything is ephemeral

Bootnotes29 Jul 2022 | 290

Martin Shkreli, out of prison for running a Ponzi scheme, now pushes Web3 thing

His latest project, Druglike, most definitely isn't in the pharmaceutical business, from which he's been banned

Bootnotes26 Jul 2022 | 34

Being declared dead is automated, so why is resurrection such a nightmare?

Something for the Weekend Death becomes you swiftly but it’s messy making your way back

Bootnotes15 Jul 2022 | 134

China is trolling rare-earth miners online and the Pentagon isn't happy

Beijing-linked Dragonbridge flames biz building Texas plant for Uncle Sam

Bootnotes28 Jun 2022 | 41

Behold this drone-dropping rifle with two-mile range

Confuses rather than destroys unmanned aerials to better bring back intel, says Ukrainian designer

Bootnotes27 Jun 2022 | 39

UK Home Office signs order to extradite Julian Assange to US

WikiLeaker-in-chief to appeal Priti Patel's decision

Bootnotes17 Jun 2022 | 77

I was fired for blowing the whistle on cult's status in Google unit, says contractor

The internet giant, a doomsday religious sect, and a lawsuit in Silicon Valley

Bootnotes16 Jun 2022 | 40

Musk can't tweet about Tesla without lawyer approval – and he's still fighting to end that

By free speech, he means freedom to flip the bird at the SEC

Bootnotes15 Jun 2022 | 48

No more fossil fuel or nukes? In the future we will generate power with magic dust

Something for the Weekend Don’t cross the streams! Why? It would be bad. What do you mean 'bad'?

Bootnotes10 Jun 2022 | 110

Farewell to two pivotal figures: The founder of Inmos, and the co-creator of MIME

Obituary Iann Barron and Ned Freed were key innovators in computer comms

Bootnotes07 Jun 2022 | 18

OpenSea staffer charged with insider-trading of NFTs

From Non-Fungible Tokens to No Freedom, Twit, if convicted

Bootnotes02 Jun 2022 | 17

Tech hiring freeze doesn't mean people won't leave

Comment Work culture is irrevocably changed. Businesses that don't see that are in for a rough ride

Bootnotes02 Jun 2022 | 65

Elon Musk orders Tesla execs back to the office

Bosses can always work from home – after they've done a minimum of 40 hours a week on site

Bootnotes01 Jun 2022 | 156

Drone ship carrying yet more drones launches in China

Zhuhai Cloud will carry 50 flying and diving machines it can control with minimal human assistance

Bootnotes29 May 2022 | 29

Declassified and released: More secret files on US govt's emergency doomsday powers

Nuke incoming? Quick break out the plans for rationing, censorship, property seizures, and more

Bootnotes28 May 2022 | 120

Spam is back with a vengeance. Luckily we can't read any of it

Something for the Weekend It's a shame still nothing can be done about all the false positives, though

Bootnotes27 May 2022 | 102

New York City rips out last city-owned public payphones

Y'know, those large cellphones fixed in place that you share with everyone and have to put coins in. Y'know, those metal disks representing...

Bootnotes26 May 2022 | 33

Failed gambler? How about an algorithm that predicts the future

Something for the Weekend Hopefully an end to '... and you'll never guess what happened next!'

Bootnotes20 May 2022 | 76

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