Technology

Internet backbone provider shuts off service in Russia

Published

2 years ago

March 7, 2022

Internet backbone provider shuts off service in Russia

Cogent Communications, an web spine supplier that routes knowledge throughout intercontinental connections, has lower ties with Russian clients over its invasion of Ukraine, as first reported by The Washington Publish. The US-based firm is likely one of the world’s largest web spine suppliers and serves clients in 50 nations, together with a variety of high-profile Russian corporations.

In a letter to Russian clients obtained by The Publish, Cogent cited “financial sanctions” and “the more and more unsure safety state of affairs” because the motives behind its complete shutdown within the nation. Cogent equally informed The Verge that it “terminated its contracts” with Russian clients in compliance with the European Union’s transfer to ban Russian state-backed media shops.

As Doug Madory, an web analyst at community monitoring firm Kentik factors out, among the firm’s most outstanding Russian clients embrace the state-backed telecom big Rostelecom, Russian search engine Yandex, and two of Russia’s largest cellular carriers: MegaFon and VEON.

Unplugging Russia from Cogent’s world community will seemingly lead to slower connectivity, however gained’t fully disconnect Russians from the web, Madory notes. Site visitors from Cogent’s former clients will as an alternative fall again on different spine suppliers within the nation, doubtlessly leading to community congestion. There isn’t any indication as as to if different web spine suppliers can even droop companies in Russia.

WTF Cogent? Reducing Russians off from web entry cuts them from off from sources of impartial information and the power to arrange anti-war protests. Do not do Putin’s soiled work for him. https://t.co/uqbgOFYWX9
— Eva (@evacide) March 4, 2022
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Digital rights activists have criticized Cogent’s resolution to disconnect itself from Russia, arguing that it might stop Russian civilians from accessing credible details about the invasion. “Reducing Russians off from web entry cuts them off from sources of impartial information and the power to arrange anti-war protests,” Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity on the digital rights group Digital Frontier Basis, said on Twitter.

Nevertheless, Cogent CEO Dave Schaeffer informed The Publish that Cogent’s transfer isn’t meant to “harm anybody,” and the corporate doesn’t need to maintain Russian civilians from accessing the web. Cogent’s aim is to stop the Russian authorities from utilizing the corporate’s networks for cyberattacks and propaganda, The Publish experiences.

The Russian authorities has already made it harder for Russians to realize entry to information sources and social platforms. On Friday, it handed a brand new legislation banning “pretend information,” and blocked entry to Fb fully. The nation has additionally restricted entry to Twitter and threatened to dam Wikipedia over “false messages” in regards to the struggle in Ukraine.

Technology

Sub.club is here to help the fediverse make money

Published

5 hours ago

September 1, 2024

Press Room

Sub.club is here to help the fediverse make money

The fediverse has the potential to help create enduring and interoperable social networks. But many creators and businesses rely on bigger, closed platforms because they offer direct ways to make money from their audiences, which is hard to do in the fediverse right now.

Sub.club is trying to solve that.

The idea is that this will let users on ActivityPub-based platforms like Mastodon easily offer paid subscriptions and premium content while taking a 6 percent cut in addition to payment processing fees. It could solve a big problem with the fediverse right now: it’s not easy to make a living on it unless you direct your followers back to existing platforms like Patreon that are closed off and require users to visit a particular site or app to get much of the content.

Bringing money into the fediverse ecosystem and having a way for creators to get paid could be an important building block, Bart Decrem, one of the founders of sub.club, tells The Verge. “So we think this work is super important for all of us that believe in the promise of the internet.”

That could be especially true if the fediverse is successful to the point where it creates what sub.club adviser Anuj Ahooja calls “one last network effect.” That would be the idea of everyone joining fediverse platforms built on an open protocol where it’s possible to interact online with the option to move from network to network and platform to platform at will. “From there, you can drive so much innovation around social media,” Ahooja says.

While X is still culturally relevant enough that it was the first place where Joe Biden’s campaign posted the news that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, many people got the news on other platforms as it splashed across Instagram, TikTok, Discord, and Whatsapp. I’m not sure everyone is going to coalesce in one place or that they even want to, and profiles you can take with you could be a part of that.

Currently, sub.club is only available for Mastodon users, and depending on how you use Mastodon, you might run into the service in different ways. On Mastodon web clients, creators can point people to a subscription page.

In clients that include a rich experience for the subscriptions — right now, that’s Mammoth, which is made by the same developer team, and Ice Cubes — creators can add a subscribe button that appears at the top of their profile that takes users to a subscription webpage.

As a creator, making the post your subscribers will see takes an extra step: you have to DM your sub.club account. Then, people who subscribe to your posts will see that post in their following feeds.

Sub.club doesn’t just want to push creators to only use its services; instead, the team envisions building “a subscribe button that integrates with other paid subscription products,” Ahooja says. That’s why it’s launching as a developer preview; “if you’re going to build something, build it in a way that’s standard and portable across multiple services,” according to Ahooja.

It’s also created an API that can build premium bots, according to this FAQ, so you could, for example, set up a silly bot that adds animals to photos.

Sometime this fall, sub.club also plans to let Mastodon server admins use the tool to help fund maintenance instead of asking users for support through platforms like Patreon or Ko-Fi.

“There’s a lot of free labor that runs the fediverse right now,” Ahooja says. “So let’s make sure people are getting compensated.”

Technology

California's first electric train could be what’s coming to your city

Published

5 hours ago

September 1, 2024

Press Room

California's first electric train could be what’s coming to your city

All aboard. California’s transportation landscape is getting a major upgrade as Caltrain, the oldest continuously operated railroad in the West, ushers in a new age of electric trains.

This isn’t just any old train ride. It’s a journey into the future of public transit.

Electric train (Caltrain)

Caltrain’s electric debut

Picture this. It’s a sunny day in San Francisco, and a sleek, modern train pulls into the station. But there’s something different about this one. No diesel fumes, no rumbling engine. Just a quiet hum of electricity. That’s right, folks. After nearly a decade of construction and 160 years of history, Caltrain is going electric.

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On a momentous day, Caltrain was joined by federal, state and local officials, along with transportation, business and labor leaders, to celebrate the inaugural electric train ride. This VIP tour allowed participants to experience firsthand the cutting-edge electric fleet that represents a landmark shift toward a faster, more frequent and environmentally friendly public transportation network along the San Francisco Peninsula.

The first regular electric train service kicked off Aug. 11. More electric trains will be introduced each week until the full electrified service launches Sept. 21.

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Inaugural electric train ride (Caltrain)

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What’s the big deal?

You might be wondering, “So what? It’s just a train, right?” Wrong! This is a game-changer. These new electric trains can zip between San Francisco and San Jose in under an hour. Plus, they’re increasing service by 20% because they can speed up and slow down faster than their diesel counterparts. This means more robust and flexible access to cities throughout the rail system, with 16 stations seeing trains every 15-20 minutes during peak hours and all stations receiving service every 30 minutes on weekends.

Comfort is king on these new trains. They come equipped with Wi-Fi, digital onboard displays, power outlets at every seat, improved climate control, baby-changing tables in the bathrooms and expanded storage under the cantilevered seats.

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Electric train fleet (Caltrain)

THIS FLYING ELECTRIC VEHICLE BREAKS RECORD WITH 523-MILE NONSTOP FLIGHT

Reducing emissions for a cleaner future

By switching from diesel to electric, Caltrain is cutting a whopping 250,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. That’s like taking 55,000 cars off the road each year. This transition not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also improves air quality and relieves traffic congestion, contributing to ambitious regional and state climate action goals.

Electric train fleet (Caltrain)

GIANT BATTERY-POWERED DUMP TRUCK DUMPS DIESEL FOR ELECTRIC

A boost for the economy and community

The Caltrain Electrification Project isn’t just about transportation. It’s also a significant economic driver. The project has created 33,000 jobs across 36 states, fueling economic growth and innovation within local communities and nationwide. This collaborative effort to manufacture the electric trains and infrastructure underscores a commitment to sustainability and job creation.

Moreover, the electrification project advances equity along the corridor by reducing noise and air pollution while increasing access and service for equity-priority communities by 26%. It’s a win-win for both the environment and the community.

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Electric train fleet (Caltrain)

THE BEST TRAVEL GEAR FOR 2024

Paving the way for a sustainable tomorrow

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg summed it up perfectly.

“The future of California’s rail systems will be powered by clean, renewable energy,” setting a standard for other rail systems to follow in the effort to reduce carbon pollution across the country, he said.

With enhanced amenities, increased service frequency and a commitment to sustainability, these trains are set to transform the daily travel experience. So, whether you’re a commuter or a curious traveler, now is the perfect time to hop on board and witness the future of transit in action.

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Electric trains (Caltrain)

Kurt’s key takeaways

As we stand on the brink of this new era in public transportation, the launch of California’s first electric train marks a significant milestone not just for Caltrain, but for the entire Bay Area. This transition to electric service promises not only faster and more reliable commutes but also a cleaner environment, reduced emissions and improvement in air quality for generations to come.

What features or improvements would you like to see in future public transit initiatives to enhance your commuting experience? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Trailers of the week: Sonic 3, Napoleon, and Agatha All Along

Published

14 hours ago

September 1, 2024

Press Room

Trailers of the week: Sonic 3, Napoleon, and Agatha All Along

This week brought a few noteworthy movie and TV trailers — the big one being Sonic the Hedgehog 3. And while I won’t include them here, you should check out some of the trailers included with our coverage of the most recent Nintendo Direct (shoutout to the Nintendo DS Castlevania games collection).

It’s clear that summer is winding down, and so are the big blockbusters. Things will liven up a bit with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice next week, but things are looking quiet for a little bit after that.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 finally brings Sonic’s big nemesis, Shadow, into the mix, played by Keanu Reeves. The trailer only gave a bit of Reeves’ voice but makes up for it with lots of Jim Carrey’s disheveled and depressed Dr. Robotnik and Gerald Robotnik (also played by Carrey). The movie hits theaters on December 25th.

Marvel’s Agatha All Along, the Disney Plus series that follows Kathryn Hahn’s WandaVision villain, will begin streaming soon on September 18th. While the show is looking like it’ll have plenty of comedy, this week’s trailer makes it clear there will be plenty of drama, too.

A new Wallace & Gromit movie means more stop-motion animation, which is something I’ll never get tired of. In this movie, which will hit Netflix in the US this winter, Wallace invents a smart home device (which is a garden gnome) named Norbot. Things go awry when Norbot is surreptitiously controlled by Feathers McGraw, a villain in the Wallace & Gromit world.

Apple released a director’s cut of Ridley Scott’s Napoleon this week on Apple TV Plus. With 48 minutes of extra footage, it sounds like there’s plenty more to watch if you don’t plan on spending Labor Day weekend standing by a barbecue grill.