Tesla is increasing the cost of its full self-driving (FSD) feature, a new type of air conditioner cools without using electricity, and hackers are eyeing cookie sessions to trick multi-factor authentication.
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That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now, welcome to Hashtag Trending. It’s Monday, August 22, and I’m your host, Tom Li.
Tesla is increasing the upfront cost of its full self-driving feature to $15,000, a $3,000 increase over the previous price. The news was announced by Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Twitter, who’s still entwined with legal issues in the acquisition of the social media platform. As Engadget noted, the company will honour the current $12,000 price if the order has already been made. Any Tesla vehicle with FSD computer 3.0 or above is eligible for the upgrade, which will unlock features like advanced active guidance and assisted driving. It’s not yet clear if the subscription for full self-driving will also receive a proportional price increase.
Source: Engadget
One company has created an air conditioner that uses no electricity. The Kensho, developed and patented in Israel, uses liquid nitrogen to keep the room cool. The unit produces a gentle breeze at -10C without using a fan. Instead, it relies on the pressure generated when nitrogen converts from its liquid to gas state. Not only does Kensho cut down on energy use, but the only byproduct is just nitrogen, which makes up around 70 per cent of outdoor air. And because there are no electrical parts, it’s completely silent. There is a catch, however, and that is the nitrogen would need to be replaced every seven to 10 days, essentially turning it into a subscription. The Kensho will debut at six restaurants in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is expected to cost the same as a conventional AC unit.
Source: NoCamels
In the latest development in the cat and mouse cybersecurity game, hackers are stealing cookie sessions to bypass multi-factor authentication. The markets for cloning web sessions or spoofing logins are on the rise, which are attracting unscrupulous actors. Because popular browsers store cookie settings in a specific file location on the user’s device, the attacks to extract them can be scripted. Then there are the tried-and-true phishing attacks still prevalent in the industry. To protect themselves, tech publication eSecurity Planet recommends disabling the built-in password-saving functions without a master password. Deleting cookies frequently also helps.
Source: eSecurity Planet
A startup is turning recycled plastic into houses. Azure, the Los-Angeles based startup is using recycled plastic to 3D print prefab homes. In using discarded plastic, Azure says that its dwellings can be made 30 per cent cheaper and 70 per cent faster than conventional methods. The demo units also look much livelier and more modern than those made of concrete, featuring transparent sidewalls, and multi-tone, smooth panels. Right now, Azure is only sourcing post-industrial plastic, but it’s hoping to integrate post-consumer plastic into its future houses.
Source: Business Insider
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash briefings or your Google Home daily briefing. Make sure to sign up for our Daily IT Wire newsletter to get all the news that matters directly in your inbox every day. Also, catch the next episode of Hashtag Tendances, our weekly Hashtag Trending episode in French, which drops every Thursday morning. If you have a suggestion or a tip, drop us a line in the comments or via email. Thank you for listening, I’m Tom Li.