The Morning After: Tesla turns a profit
And AT&T's mobile 5G network is close to launching.
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.
We have some good news for Hubble, but bad news for folks hoping to use their third-party wireless charger with a Pixel 3. Also, MIT asked millions of people about the "trolley problem" to find out how they think self-driving cars should work.
NASA fixes Hubble gyroscope by turning it off and on again
One of the Hubble telescope's gyroscopes conked out in early October, and while there was a backup, it didn't work as expected -- rotating too fast and generally screwing things up. NASA has since been able to fix its issues by implementing an age-old fix for malfunctioning electronics: turning it off and on again. Well, it was slightly more complicated than that, but the good news is that it's up and running again.
Sign up for a daily newsletter of the most important stories in tech.
Pixel 3's fast wireless charging only works with certified devices
Google confirmed that the Pixel 3 phones will only reach 5W charging speeds on most wireless chargers. For faster 10W power transfer, the charger will need to be certified in its "Made for Google" program, which currently applies to the official Pixel stand and an upcoming device from Belkin. According to Google, "we're working with our partners... to get fast 10W chargers certified for use with Pixel 3."
Tim Cook calls for GDPR-style privacy laws in the US
At a privacy conference in Brussels, Apple CEO and long-time data-privacy advocate Tim Cook has called for new digital-privacy laws in the US. He said that personal information was being "weaponized against us with military efficiency" and in a way that doesn't just affect individuals but whole sections of society.
Massive ad scam stole millions through Android apps
A BuzzFeed News report laid bare the huge scale of an advertising fraud scheme, where scammers purchased established Android apps and then mixed in fraudulent traffic with legit users to steal hundreds of millions in ad dollars. According to Google, "The majority of impacted advertiser spend was from invalid traffic on inventory from non-Google, third-party ad networks."
Tesla turns a profit in Q3 despite Musk
Despite turmoil initiated by its founder and CEO, Tesla was able to turn a profit in Q3 -- only the third time that's happened since it became a publicly traded company. On an earnings call with investors and analysts, Elon Musk looked toward the future, saying a prototype for the Model Y crossover is moving into production and is on track for release in 2020.
But wait, there's more...
Samsung exec: We're working on laptops with foldable screens, too
What's coming to Netflix in November: 'House of Cards' and 'Narcos'
MIT survey: People want self-driving cars to prioritize young lives over the elderly
GM's self-driving car reportedly has trouble recognizing pedestrians
The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't Subscribe.
Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.
Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.