Happy Monday, hope you had a great weekend. Here are five things from the tech world we missed.
1. 3D-printed numberplate crime
The ABC is warning that crime targeting unsuspecting motorists is on the rise and a pesky 3D printer is to blame. According to the report, numberplates are being cloned with hi-tech 3D printers, crimes that are linked to a range of other crimes, ranging from robbery to petrol drive-offs. Many victims don’t know their plates have been cloned until they are accused of an offence (like a fine or even an arrest) and as a result, police are urging people not to post their numberplates online to help prevent fraud.
2. Twitter is hungry for money
Over in Twitterland and after banning third-party Twitter apps like Tweetbot, Twitterrific and Echofon, Twitter then decided developers would need to sign up for ‘paid basic tier’ access to the platform’s API. Now, per The Verge, Elon Musk says bots with ‘good content’ can use Twitter’s API for free. Speaking of paying to use the service, Twitter also wants to cash in on businesses on the platform by charging them $1,000 per month to keep their gold checkmarks, according to a report from The Information. Twitter is also facing another lawsuit over unpaid bills.
Responding to feedback, Twitter will enable a light, write-only API for bots providing good content that is free
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2023
3. U.S. military shoots down suspected spy balloon
As of Saturday, the giant white balloon that U.S. authorities claimed was sent over by China to spy on the country is no more. Amid growing calls to shoot down the alleged spy balloon, the U.S. military did just that and used Air Force fighter jets to dispose of it while it travelled 60,000 feet off the Carolina coastline, the Associated Press reported. Videos of the takedown posted on social media show two fighter jets heading towards the balloon in the sky followed by an explosion and a trail of smoke. Bits of debris can also be seen.
4. An ultra iPhone 15
Apple oracle Mark Gurman has detailed a new iPhone, an iPhone Ultra, with his entry in Bloomberg’s ‘Power On’ newsletter this weekend saying that Apple has considered the possibility of adding a third option to its Pro range. Instead of rebranding the Pro Max, Apple instead “could add an even higher-end iPhone above both Pro models”.
Power On: Apple says consumers are willing to “stretch” to get the best iPhone possible. So the company is working towards an even higher-end Ultra model for as early as 2024 in addition to adding more exclusive features to the Pro Max. https://t.co/mSVCEosOE8
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 5, 2023
5. Italy issues cyber warning
According to Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN), thousands of computer servers around the world have been targeted by a ransomware hacking attack. The ACN is warning organisations to take action to protect their systems as a result. In a report from Reuters, we learn the hacking attack sought to exploit a software vulnerability, on a massive scale. Italy’s ANSA news agency, citing the ACN, reported that servers had been compromised in other European countries such as France and Finland as well as the United States and Canada.
BONUS ITEM: Wise words from the OG tech bro.
Have a great week.