Hackers failed to sell stolen EA data, Apple ejects anti-vaxxer dating app from its app store, and Amazon’s new soap dispenser wants to help you wash your hands properly.
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It’s all the tech news that’s trending right now, welcome to Hashtag Trending! It’s Tuesday, August 3rd, and I’m your host, Tom Li.
Hackers hoping to get a nice payday from the stolen Electronic Arts (EA) data last month had their dreams dashed when no one wanted to pay for it. The hackers, who stole 780GB of source code from EA’s internal repository, tried to sell the data for a whopping $28 million on a hacker forum last month. Unfortunately for them, the data was mostly source code that wasn’t very meaningful to other cybercrime groups, who valued sensitive personal information rather than source code for games. The hackers then turned around and tried to extort EA, but the company wouldn’t budge. Frustrated, they decided to release the entire data dump on a public forum. But EA isn’t worried and assured its customers that it would have no impact on its business functions.
Tinder and various other dating platforms now give a cool badge for people who have received the Covid 19 vaccine. Unfortunately, the anti-vax crowd isn’t pleased that they’ve been left out. Thus, they created Unjected, a dating app exclusively for anti-vaxxers and published it on Apple’s App Store. The app was short-lived, however, as Apple pretty much rejected it immediately. Its users once again voiced their dismay, calling the move similar to heavy censorship.
The Covid pandemic highlighted the need for good hygiene, and one of the most effective ways to reduce transmission is to wash your hands. While many of us sing a tune in our heads to make sure we’ve washed our hands for 20 seconds, Amazon wants to make sure that you count properly by releasing a smart soap dispenser. The dispenser has a light atop that counts down to 20 to ensure a consistent wash every time. Its $55 asking price is a little steep, but if you think it will be helpful, leave a comment on ITWC and tell us why.
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 Briefing 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 Friday at 3 pm. Thanks for listening, I’m Tom Li.
