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FCC wants to fine CBS for using fake emergency alert in 'Young Sheldon'
The Federal Communications Commission is cracking down on the use of emergency alerts unless there's a legitimate crisis. Its latest target is a Young Sheldon episode broadcast in April 2018. CBS said "sound producers modified a version of the EAS [emergency alert system] codes and Attention Signal downloaded from YouTube," which the FCC claims "resembled actual EAS tones."
FEMA's next Emergency Alert System test leaves internet devices out
Federal agencies are once again poised to test emergency alerts, but this time it's all about where you won't see them. The FCC and FEMA are conducting their fifth nationwide Emergency Alert System test on August 7th at 2:20PM ET, but only on TV and radios. They want to gauge the preparedness of the alerting system when there's no internet access -- important if a crisis knocks out data but not power.
False alarm: Emergency alert in Hawaii claims 'missile inbound'
A few minutes ago, phones across Hawaii received the above emergency alert about a "ballistic missile threat inbound," but according to state officials, it isn't true. US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii's governor David Ige and the state's Hawaii Emergency Management Agency all chimed in on Twitter to confirm the alert is false. It took 38 minutes before a second alert reached phones, confirming that the first one was a mistake. Honolulu police confirmed in a post that "State Warning Point has issued a Missile Alert in ERROR!," while Buzzfeed reporter Amber Jamieson tweets that one EMA employee said it was a part of a drill. US Senator from Hawaii Brian Schatz said the "inexcusable" alert "was a false alarm based on a human error" while the National Weather Service called it a "test message."
Alt-week 27.10.12: ancient texts, super-Earths and special-ops mice
Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. If, like us, you struggle to read the front of the Corn Flakes box of a morning, you likely gave up any hope of cracking ancient codes long ago. If you didn't, however, then your time might be now -- as one of the oldest scripts know to man is still up for grabs. Prefer just to observe? No problem, as we've got super-Earth-searching satellites, military mice and vertical farms, all for your viewing reading pleasure. If you hadn't guessed already, this is alt-week
FEMA and National Weather Service launch Wireless Emergency Alert System
While it's a little later than expected, the free SMS emergency notification system has now gone live. Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) messages will be delivered to cell towers in affected areas, which will then broadcast them to all compatible devices in their range. While the system is looking to cover over 97 percent of the country, it's being gradually rolled out across carriers. Sprint and Verizon are both apparently ready for action and while we haven't heard about the status of T-Mobile or AT&T, the National Weather Service has stated that hundreds of smaller carriers haven't yet enabled the broadcasts. However, not all phones -- especially the more elderly bricks still in circulation -- will work with the system. To check whether your weighty cellular still passes muster, hit up the compatible device list at the CTIA link below.
LG's Mobile DTV tech used in Tweet-TV and emergency alert systems
Among other things, LG is broadening the capabilities of Mobile DTV here at CES, with a social media aspect in particular striking us as particularly helpful / wacky. Tweet-TV, as it's called, brings together public comments about specific broadcasts and retransmits them for all viewers to see. We're told that viewers engaged with Tweet-TV would be able to interact with program content and submit their comments on programs. The broadcaster consolidates the real-time comments and transmits those short messages with the video and audio, enabling a transparent conversational overlay; in essence, the Mobile DTV application enables viewers to carry on an open discussion of program content or reply to questions that could be part of an "audience quiz." The program's also being used to display pertinent information on digital signage, not to mention an M-EAS project that'll use Mobile DTV to get emergency alerts to those with compatible equipment. Head on past the break for the rest of the details -- sadly, there's no real information on how soon Mobile DTV will be spreading to your neck of the woods.
Sprint plans Emergency Alert messaging system in New York City, claims this is only a test
Know those emergency alerts that always seem to crop up when your sports team of choice is about to score a crucial goal? Yeah, well they're headed to a Sprint phone near you, signature auditory tone and all. After successfully testing the service in San Diego last fall, the carrier's gearing up for round two of the FCC and Mayor Bloomberg-approved system in New York City later this year, issuing FEMA alerts from the President, National Weather Service and local emergency operators to over a dozen compliant Android phones. If you're sporting a compatible handset, you can opt-in for the service by either dialing ##CMAS## or selecting the appropriate settings prompt, after which you'll receive geographically-specific texts of up to 90 characters. And don't worry about dismissing these warning messages as any 'ol SMS or racking up additional fees, they'll arrive free-of-charge bearing a unique "vibration cadence" and inbox icon. Curious to see if your phone's made the cut? The skip on past the break for the official PR.
PSA: FEMA to test nationwide Emergency Alert System today, emphasis on 'test'
Don't freak out or anything, but at 2 PM EST today, the US government will sound a nationwide alarm. Barring a coincidence of cataclysmic proportion, however, it will only be a test. It's all part of FEMA and the FCC's Emergency Alert System (EAS), which is slated to be tried out on a nationwide level for the very first time. If, like us, you've spent a healthy portion of your life sitting in front of the TV, you're probably familiar with those monthly local alerts that tend to flash across the screen smack dab in the middle of a Saved by the Bell rerun. That's basically what's gonna happen today across the nation's television and radio networks. Some TV viewers will hear that familiar "this is a test" message during the trial, though most will simply see the word "test" run across their screens. The EAS would allow the president to disseminate information to the public in times of real emergency, which is why the government is so eager to make sure it actually works. All told, it'll last about 30 seconds, so plan your End of the World party accordingly. For more details, hit up the source links below.
Google warming up to enterprise support in Android this year
Of Android's weaknesses that prevent it from seeing wider-scale acceptance, its lack of any native enterprise-friendly features has to rank high on the list; sure, HTC and others have taken baby steps to smooth that situation over, but it's going to take a more deep-rooted effort from the OHA proper to fully support policies and those other totally boring security features that make corporate IT managers swoon. Without going into too much detail, Android patron saint Andy Rubin is now saying that business-specific capabilities will be baked into the platform's trunk this year -- though he cautions that the timing for manufacturers to pick up that code and include it in retail devices is totally out of his control (in other words, you realistically shouldn't expect them this year). With Google, Palm, and Apple all gradually making headway into the suitspace -- yes, we just made that word up -- we're guessing RIM's gotta be feeling a little heat. [Via mocoNews]
Exchange support coming to Sidekick LX 2009 today for $4.99 a month
If you're a kid stuck in a grown-up's body, there's a good chance you're pining after a Sidekick -- you know, just like the kind you had back in the day when you listened to Blink 182 and loitered on your skateboard around the plaza in front of the office building that has since enslaved you. Problem is, Sidekicks have never really been work-friendly devices -- owing in part to their utter shunning of Exchange -- which means you get stuck with a BlackBerry and an incessant desire to swivel the display. It's kind of sad, really, and passers-by think you've gone mad as you sit on the park bench pressing your thumb desperately against a screen that will never, ever rotate, no matter how fricking hard you press. It's cool, though, T-Mobile's got your back: enter Sidekick Sync, an app that was promised when the Sidekick LX 2009 was launched and is finally available. It'll be hitting the phone's Download Catalog starting this afternoon, offering push email, attachment viewing, calendar and contact sync, and pretty much every other Exchange feature that strips you of your youthful innocence. For the pleasure of avoiding RIM's powerful grasp, you'll pay $4.99 a month -- but can you really put a price on being able to wear DC apparel at the age of 30?
Ford patent describes the digital backseat driver you never wanted
We're a long way from Ford and Microsoft's EVA and her soothingly monotone stream of helpfulness, but it seems Ford is already prepping her for a dose of... feeling. The company has filed a patent called "Emotive Text-to-Speech System and Method" describing a system that can not only simulate emotion when reading out directions and describing traffic problems, but could also detect the emotion of the operator of the car and interact with them in ways designed to, oh, soothe a little road rage. The avatar is said to "appear to become frustrated" if the driver is a lead-foot, and may say "Your driving is hurting my fuel efficiency." Or, if a driver is going too fast, the dash-bound assistant could turn blue, ask what's wrong, and suggest a more direct route to their destination. It all sounds terrifically annoying, and we can only hope this disembodied nag will be a little easier to deactivate than 2001's HAL -- and a little less prone to singing, too.[Via Autoblog]
