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New York rolls out first digital COVID-19 vaccine passports in the US
New York state has launched the US' first vaccine passports in the form of the mostly digital Excelsior Pass, but it's bound to stir ethical debates.
Encrypted Text: Rogues rotations by the numbers
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Encrypted Text for assassination, combat and subtlety rogues. Chase Christian will be your guide to the world of shadows every Wednesday. Feel free to email me with any questions or article suggestions you'd like to see covered here. The task of giving rogues three unique specs is incredibly difficult. Our class design doesn't allow for much flexibility in our mechanics. Assassination, combat, and subtlety all rely on the same energy bar and the same combo points to get the job done. The cyclical rotation of generators and finishers is always going to make up the core of our button presses. Rogue spec diversity is maintained by three main tenets: differing finishers, interesting cooldowns, and a unique generator mechanic. All rogues will be using Shadow Blades as often as possible and Feint to reduce their damage taken. The utility abilities of the class have been consolidated, and the variance in how we deal our damage is what's left to separate each spec.
BBC to launch subscription iPad player in the US
The BBC's iPlayer was made Mac compatible in 2008. Now, The Financial Times (FT) is reporting (subscription required) that the network intends to make the on-demand service available to iPads, using a subscription model. Don't hold your breath while you wait, however. BBC Worldwide said that this isn't going to happen until "the middle of next year," and even then only in "certain target markets." Additionally, no word on pricing was available, though there will be ad-supported free sections as well as paid content. The iPlayer, which lets users stream BBC programs for a limited time after their original air date, has been extremely popular in the UK. It was pushing out 100 million downloads per month at the beginning of 2010. One can only hope it won't be limited to BBC America content when launched in the States. Personally, I find myself watching more and more TV and movies with my iPad via Netflix and Hulu Plus. I'm not ready to cut the cable yet, but the idea is getting more attractive all the time.
USB Electronic Key Impressioner could help you be gone in 60 milliseconds
If you're stealing a car these days, there's a good chance you're not bothering to actually pick the locks, but if you are, your job is about to get a little easier. A device called the Electronic Key Impressioner is inserted into a car door and scans the position of the tumblers inside. It feeds information back to a PC over USB which then, when told the car's model, can provide the necessary information to cut the perfect key on the first attempt. Right now it only works on Fords with simple metal keys (like, say, a 1967 Shelby GT500), but the hope is to expand the device to support other manufacturers and, possibly, electronic keys in the future. It will be available to locksmiths and authorized security professionals in 2010. Sorry, Nick, you'll have to find another way to get into Eleanor.
