Tech/Gear

The cameras that scan your car on your commute to work have quietly become one of the most widespread surveillance tools in America. They record vehicle sightings, feed searchable databases and, when agencies choose to share data, can connect searches across jurisdictional lines. Recent courts have upheld the particular ALPR networks before them, but they have left open whether a denser, more revealing system could cross the constitutional line.What are ALPRs? Automated license […]

Ask a robot to put a coffee mug in the cabinet, and you quickly see how complicated an ordinary chore can become. You know where the mug belongs. You can step around a chair, avoid the clutter on the counter and open the right cabinet without giving it much thought. A robot has to work through every part of that process.That helps explain why today's robots can look impressive during […]

Most of us tap Update Now and move on. However, a lot happens before that security patch reaches your phone or computer. Researchers must find the flaw. Someone needs to confirm it. Then the developer has to create a fix that will not cause a new problem.Now, artificial intelligence can uncover software weaknesses much faster. That sounds promising, but it can also create a flood of vulnerability reports. Worse, attackers […]

You open your inbox and see a message about updated security policies. Nothing about it screams scam. The email looks polished, the wording sounds official and the button promises a quick way to review the changes. That is exactly what makes it dangerous.LastPass is warning users about a newly identified phishing campaign that uses lookalike domains and a fake DocuSign page to lure people into downloading suspicious software.The good news […]

Watching a diving bird vanish beneath the water can feel almost unreal. One moment it cruises through the sky. Seconds later, it swims after prey before returning to the air. Around 100 bird species can move between those two environments. Engineers have found that natural ability incredibly difficult to recreate at a small scale.Now, researchers at MIT and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, known as EPFL, have built […]

A polished installer can make risky software feel routine. You see a familiar Mac window, follow the directions and enter your password when asked. By then, the app may already be working against you.Security researchers at Jamf Threat Labs have uncovered CrashStealer, a new Mac information stealer that impersonates Apple's crash-reporting software. Jamf first tracked the malware in May 2026 while it appeared to be under development. By early July, […]

A colorful shark painted on your hand might look like a temporary tattoo. However, the design could also monitor the electrical activity of your heart. Penn State engineers have developed a paint-on electronic tattoo made from conductive ink. Researchers apply the ink directly to the skin, where it dries into a working electrode.The team can add food dye to create almost any color or design. Therefore, a medical sensor could […]

Your phone rings, and the caller sounds official. They say your bank account or government service needs immediate verification. A link arrives moments later. The page looks like Google Play, and the caller tells you to install an app to fix the problem. Then the app asks you to turn on Accessibility access, a powerful Android permission that can let an app read the screen and control taps.That approval can […]

Amazon Leo satellite internet is getting closer to turning on service for customers. Amazon launched 29 more satellites into low Earth orbit on July 2, bringing its deployed total to 396 satellites, according to Amazon's latest mission update. That launch gives Amazon enough satellites for an initial service rollout later this year. However, the newest satellites still need to move into their assigned operating positions before they can support customers.That […]