Google Is Killing Software Support For Early Nest Thermostats
Google announced it will end software updates and remote control support for the first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats (plus the 2014 European model) starting October 25th. "You will no longer be able to control them remotely from your phone or with
Google Assistant, but can still adjust the temperature and modify schedules directly on the thermostat," the company wrote in a Friday blog post. The Verge reports: In other significant news, Google is flatly stating that it has no plans to release additional Nest thermostats in Europe. "Heating systems in Europe are unique and have a variety of hardware and software requirements that make it challenging to build for the diverse set of homes," the company said. "The Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen, 2015) and Nest Thermostat E (2018) will continue to be sold in Europe while current supplies last." [...]
In a clear attempt to ease customer anger, Google is offering a $130 discount on the fourth-gen Nest Learning Thermostat in the US, $160 off the same device in Canada, and 50 percent savings on the Tado Smart Thermostat X in Europe since the Nest lineup will soon be gone. The original Nest thermostats were released while the company was an independent brand under the leadership of former Apple executive Tony Fadell. Google acquired Nest in 2014 for $3.2 billion.
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Woman who stabbed man, 61, to death in racist attack after calling herself the 'Charles Bronson of Bristol' told care worker she was going to 'get the Jamaican drug dealer' minutes earlier
A woman who stabbed a man to death in a racist and unprovoked attack had asked her care worker that she be sent back to hospital minutes before the killing.
Tearful Michelle Pfeiffer packs on PDA with rarely-seen husband David E Kelley at 'dream come true' ceremony
The 66-year-old Scarface actress was receiving her hands and foot prints at the TCL Theater during the TCM Classic Film Festival. Also with there were celebrity pals Elle and Dakota Fanning.
Chris Eubank Jr's weigh-in farce shows Conor Benn showdown is more of a marketing masterpiece than a bona fide brawl, writes JEFF POWELL
JEFF POWELL: Forget Waterloo, never mind Agincourt, ignore Bannockburn. Eubank Jr versus Benn The Younger, so we are told, is the real British Battle for the Ages.
Amid CVE funding fumble, 'we were mushrooms, kept in the dark,' says board member
What next for US-bankrolled vulnerability tracker? It's edging closer to a more independent, global future
Kent Landfield, a founding member of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program and member of the board, learned through social media that the system he helped create was just hours away from losing funding.…
One of the world's rarest trees, once snacked on by dinosaurs, bears fruit in Britain for the first time after a retired couple planted a sapling bought by their friend on The Shopping Channel
Saplings and cuttings of the endangered tree were sold off around the world, catching the attention of former police officer Pamela Thompson and her retired spinal surgeon husband Alistair.
Chris Eubank Jr FAILS to make weight for Conor Benn fight and is hit with huge $500,000 fine - days after father urged him NOT to take part in 'illegal' bout amid health concerns
By tipping the scales just half an ounce over the 160-pound middleweight limit, Eubank Jnr is now at risk of losing more of his £7million purse if he weighs over 170 pounds on the morning of the fight.
Princess Anne left 'hobbling in pain' with injury after 'incident' at Gatcombe Park Estate during royals' Easter Sunday service
The King's sister was seen hobbling and in pain when she accompanied him to church on Easter Sunday, and was leaning heavily on an umbrella.
Dramatic moment man is dragged from queue to see Pope Francis after he started screaming
A grieving man has been dragged from the hours-long queue to see the body of Pope Francis, after he began screaming.
Stern Celebrity Traitors rules 'revealed' with famous cast 'not getting any special treatment' from the BBC
On Tuesday, the highly-anticipated list of 19 famous faces set to participate in the upcoming BBC series was released.
Government Censorship Comes To Bluesky
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Government censorship has found its way to Bluesky, but there's currently a loophole thanks to how the social network is structured. Earlier this month, Bluesky restricted access to 72 accounts in Turkey at the request of Turkish governmental authorities, according to a recent report by the Freedom of Expression Association. As a result, people in Turkey can no longer see these accounts, and their reach is limited. The report indicates that 59 Bluesky accounts were blocked on the grounds of protecting "national security and public order." Bluesky also made another 13 accounts and at least one post invisible from Turkey.
Given that many Turkish users migrated from X to Bluesky in the hopes of fleeing government censorship, Bluesky's bowing to the Turkish government's demands has raised questions among the community as to whether the social network is as open and decentralized as it claims to be. (Or whether it's "just like Twitter" after all.) However, Bluesky's technical underpinnings currently make bypassing these blocks easier than it would be on a network like X -- even if it's not quite as open as the alternative social network Mastodon, another decentralized X rival.
A Mastodon user could move their account around to different servers to avoid censorship targeted at the original Mastodon instance (server) where they first made posts that attracted the censors. Users on the official Bluesky app can configure their moderation settings but have no way to opt out of the moderation service Bluesky provides. This includes its use of geographic labelers, like the newly added Turkish moderation labeler that handles the censorship of accounts mandated by the Turkish government. (Laurens Hof has a great breakdown of how this all works in more technical detail here on The Fediverse Report.) Simply put, if you're on the official Bluesky app and Bluesky (the company) agrees to censor something in your region, there's no way to opt out of this to see the hidden posts or accounts. Other third-party Bluesky apps, which make up the larger open social web known as the Atmosphere, don't have to follow these same rules. At least, not for now.
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Celebrity Big Brother's Chris Hughes fights back tears as he compares JoJo Siwa to his ex Jesy Nelson - after being the first star to be evicted during the grand final
Celebrity Big Brother star Chris Hughes emotionally compared JoJo Siwa to his ex Jesy Nelson as he reflected on their close friendship.
Top Colleges Are Too Costly Even for Parents Making $300,000
Families earning $300,000 annually -- placing them among America's highest earners -- are increasingly finding themselves unable to afford elite college tuition without taking on substantial debt. Bloomberg's analysis of financial aid data from 50 selective colleges reveals households earning between $100,000 and $300,000 occupy a precarious middle ground: too affluent for meaningful aid but insufficiently wealthy to absorb annual costs approaching $100,000.
The squeeze begins around $150,000 income, where families typically contribute 20% ($30,000) annually toward tuition. At $270,000 income, expected contributions reach $61,000 per year. Most institutions eliminate financial aid entirely at approximately $400,000 income. Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania recently expanded free tuition thresholds to $200,000, acknowledging this middle-class pressure. The changes take effect for 2025-26.
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China steps up its war of words after branding US and Japanese destroyers 'enemy vessels' - as fears mount PLA will carry out D-Day style invasion of Taiwan after months of war games
China has escalated its war of words by branding American and Japanese destroyers as 'enemy vessels.'
How an iPad buried in the banks of the River Thames led to the jailing of a gang who tried to murder one of Britain's most notorious robbers
Buried for five years under an inch of sand on the shores of River Thames, this iPad would lead to the downfall of a gang who carried out a £2.8m heist before becoming hitmen.
Prince Harry was almost set-up with a VERY famous US reality TV star before meeting Meghan Markle, as comedian Katherine Ryan reveals how she tried to play matchmaker
At the time, Harry was single after failed relationships with Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy, and desperate to settle down.
Doctor reveals the 5-second trick he never skips on cruise ships - and says it could save lives
Medical professional Dr Steve Burgess says the simple trick, which takes seconds after boarding a liner, could be a life-saver - but rarely gets mentioned in passenger safety briefings.
Revealed: Katherine Jenkins, Myleene Klass and stars from Traitors and Strictly lead VE Day 80 anniversary celebration at the Royal Albert Hall
The Mail can reveal the mezzo soprano will be among the household names taking to the famous London stage during the two-and-a-half-hour extravaganza saluting war heroes.
Ioan Gruffudd and Bianca Wallace are MARRIED! Couple tie the knot in romantic ceremony two years after his bitter divorce from ex Alice Evans
Ioan Gruffudd and Bianca Wallace have revealed that they are now married.
Pope Francis' coffin is sealed as globe prepares to say farewell to late pontiff, as world leaders and royals jet to Rome for his funeral after 250,000 mourners visited his body over three days
Pope Francis' coffin has been sealed, ahead of his funeral tomorrow morning.