Dana Wollman, executive editor at Engadget, discusses the Apple HomePod's bizarre new issue of leaving white rings on wooden furniture. Wollman also talks Skype's security flaw and Huawei's latest problems getting into the U.S. phone market.
Wollman explains no one knows why the HomePod is leaving white rings on wooden furniture, and while Apple has acknowledged the issue, the company is just expecting users to deal with it.
Wollman also touches on Skype's major security flaw, explaining Microsoft isn't planning on sending out an update. Microsoft is expected to rebuild Skype from the ground up.
Recently, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee that Huawei phones pose a threat to U.S. security because of the company's connections to the Chinese government. Wollman says this is just the latest setback for Huawei, which once had carrier deals with both AT&T and Verizon. Wollman doesn't see how Huawei will ever break into the American market now.
Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have introduced a new bill to afford greater protection to minors on social media. The genesis of the Kids Online Safety Act came from a Facebook whistleblower case exposing the harm apps can have on the mental health of young girls.
Ride share competitors Uber and Lyft both posted their fourth quarter earnings days apart from each other. Both companies have been trying to get back on their feet after taking some pandemic-related hits, but the Omicron variant had other ideas as the year came to a close, with each company taking a hit in ridership in December. Lance Ippolito, head trader at The Future of Wealth explains how Uber and Lyft measured up this earnings period and why Uber may still have an edge over the competition.
Parallel Systems has been selected to receive $4.5 million from the Department of Energy for an advanced testing program of its autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles. The startup, which has raised more than $53 million to date, was founded by former SpaceX engineers to reimagine the rail system by creating a more efficient, decarbonized freight network. Matt Soule, Co-founder & CEO of Parallel Systems, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what the company hopes to achieve.
