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New York is reviewing its voting infrastructure to avoid hacks
Amid the growing investigation into Russia's interference in the US Presidential election, New York is taking the initiative to check whether anybody meddled with its voting machines. Governor Cuomo has tasked the state's Cyber Security Advisory Board to both investigate potential incursions and review the state's entire voting infrastructure to suss out weak points that hackers might attack in the future.
New York joins the growing list of self-driving car testbeds
The Empire State and its bustling metropolis are ready to get in on the autonomous vehicle party. According to an announcement from Governor Andrew Cuomo, the New York Department of Motor Vehicles is now taking applications from companies that wish to test self-driving tech on the state's public roads.
FCC approves $170 million for New York broadband rollout
The FCC's first action under new Chairman Ajit Pai will direct up to $170 million in federal funding to help ease the digital divide in New York State. The commission voted Thursday to approve the funds as part of the Connect America program, which is designed to invest in broadband deployment and infrastructure in rural and underserved areas.
Tesla and Panasonic to build solar panels for PowerWall systems
Tesla has entered a deal with Panasonic to manufacture solar panels at the new SolarCity facility in Buffalo, NY. However, the deal is non-binding and depends on shareholder approval of Tesla's $2.6 billion acquisition of SolarCity. In its blog, Tesla says it will sell the photovoltaic modules as part of a "solar energy system that will work seamlessly with Powerwall and Powerpack, Tesla's energy storage products."
A 45-year-old New York law is holding up autonomous vehicles
In New York state, legislators are worried a law from 1971 could be a roadblock for autonomous vehicles in the near future. As the New York Daily News reports, the state is the only one in the country that requires drivers to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel while driving. Obviously, this could be a problem for self-driving cars, since they don't have hands.
New York's Attorney General probing state broadband speeds
For an industry obsessed with accuracy, it seems hilarious that the broadband speeds that you pay for are so vague and ill-defined in reality. It's a situation that has angered New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (pictured), so he's launching a statewide probe into users internet speeds. Reuters is reporting that the official is targeting the state's big three providers, Verizon, Cablevision and Time Warner to see if, as he says, "many of us may be paying for one thing and getting another." The three firms have all been sent letters asking them to provide all disclosures made to customers about speed, as well as the details of any internal testing that they carry out.
NY State to launch a patient portal that gives residents access to health records
If you've ever wished you had more immediate access to your health records beyond just asking your doctor for a copy, then you might want to consider a move to New York State. Dr. Nirav Shah, NY state's commissioner of health, has announced that New York will be the first state in the country to launch a new patient portal that'll give you access to your health records from the comfort of your home. Created by Mana Health and the New York eHealth Collaborative, the portal will incorporate information from the Statewide Health Information of New York (SHIN-NY) plus the state's All Payer Database. Shah also promises that all data will be interoperable so that records from different doctor's IT systems will play nice together. You won't just be able to view them either; Shah says that said data can also be plugged into third-party apps and services in case you want to manage your health in more detail.
Sprint forced to defend $300 million New York State tax fraud case
Sprint's bid to dismiss a $300 million tax suit filed by New York's attorney general has been denied by the state's supreme court, according to Bloomberg. The judge in the case decided the claims "satisfactorily allege that Sprint knowingly submitted false monthly tax statements," and that a hearing will take place later this month. The so-called whistle-blower lawsuit arose in 2011 after Sprint believed it could withhold up to 25 percent of the taxes it was supposed to collect on fixed-rate wireless contracts. For its part, the state claimed it illegally treated them as nontaxable, adding that operators like AT&T and Verizon "correctly paid" them. The carrier said it intended to file an appeal, adding that New Yorkers, "who already pay some of the highest wireless taxes in the country," are being forced to "pay even more." Of course, given the recent merger approval by shareholders, Sprint's headache could soon become Softbank's, too.
Intel settles antitrust lawsuit with New York attorney general, pays hardly anything
Intel's three-year tussle with the state of New York finally came to an end yesterday, with a settlement of relatively harmless proportion. Under the arrangement, Intel will have to shell out a mere $6.5 million to resolve a 2009 antitrust lawsuit filed by then-attorney general Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo, who has since ascended to the seat of governor, had accused the chipmaker of intimidating PC manufacturers and handing out billion-dollar kickbacks, as part of what he called a "systematic worldwide campaign" to assert its market dominance. The case has since been helmed by Cuomo's successor, current attorney general Eric Schneiderman, but its sails lost a lot of wind when U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark barred the state from seeking triple damages, limiting its claims to a three-year period, rather than the four-to-six that the state had been pursuing. As a result, Intel suffered only the slightest of financial blows.According to Reuters, the $6.5 million sum represents just five hours worth of profit for the company, which reported a net income of nearly $13 billion last year. Intel was pleased with the news, pointing out that the agreement doesn't require it to admit any wrongdoing. Schneiderman, on the other hand, seemed notably less enthusiastic, with office spokeswoman Jennifer Givner telling reporters that the state's lawyers still think they have a case against Intel, but "in light of the court's decision believe that no purpose is served by pursuing the matter further."
Beacon Power completing construction of 20-megawatt flywheel plant, the world's largest
Remember Beacon Power, that startup using 2,800-pound flywheels to cut noxious emissions? Well, three years later, the company is wrapping up construction of its first plant, a 20-megawatt operation that just happens to be the world's largest. The Stephentown, NY facility is home to 200 of these flywheels, which store and output energy as needed, essentially matching the power supply with the demands of the grid. The result, the company promises, is reduced energy waste and stable electrical frequencies hovering around 60Hz. And while the plant's already up and running at 18 megawatts, it won't be until later this month that Beacon finishes building it out so that it reaches its full capacity. Full PR and champagne-popping celebration plans after the break. %Gallery-125247%
NY state inserts RFIDs into licenses; citizens next?
What can we say about RFIDs that hasn't already made you afraid? Your passport? Clonable. Your work ID and "secure" credit cards? Yeah, those too. Not scary enough? How about every adult New Yorker walking around with one in their back pocket? It's just a matter of time, as the Empire State's clearly enhanced drivers licenses (says so right on 'em) are now hitting the streets. For $30 on a new one, or $10 if you're looking to upgrade, you can get yourself a radio-wave emitting ID, enabling you to cross the border into Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean sans-passport. Don't worry, the cards won't be broadcasting any personal information -- just a unique code that the government can use to track your every movement.[Via Crave]
