The Morning After: Monday, May 15th 2017
Return of the DVD kiosk.
Good morning. It's 2017, and Redbox is setting up more DVD rental kiosks. It's 2017 and we're discussing a new Windows XP patch that's battling a very invasive cyberattack. Meanwhile, Clippy is inspiring Microsoft's Story Remix video-editing app. Oh, Clippy.
Redbox bets DVD rental kiosks are making a comeback
Redbox CEO Galen Smith has revealed that company plans to add a total of 1,500 new DVD kiosks across the US, and will add even more of them in 2018. Redbox is aware of the existence of the internet, but this is apparently a smarter use of resources. Redbox has pulled thousands of kiosks in the past four years, but those were all "underperforming" machines. The new hardware is supposedly going to locations where they're more likely to turn a profit.
Microsoft blasts spy agencies for hoarding security exploits
As Microsoft attempts to get a handle on "WannaCry" (aka "WannaCrypt") ransomware wreaking havoc on computers worldwide, President Brad Smith has posted a response to the attack that roasts the NSA, CIA and other intelligence agencies for hogging security vulnerabilities instead of disclosing them so they could be fixed. There's an "emerging pattern" of these stockpiles leaking out, he says, and they cause "widespread damage" when that happens. Users worldwide, including the UK's National Health Service, suffered a hit from the ransomware, which is already evolving as researchers try to squash it.
A redesigned iPad may arrive next month at WWDC
While Apple's WWDC has surprises beyond developer-centric updates and tools, this year those could include a refashioned 10.5-inch iPad. Analyst sources and rumors focus on the screen, which may feature much slender bezels -- much like what we're hearing when it comes to the next iPhone.
Lyft and Alphabet's Waymo team-up on self-driving cars
Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company, and Lyft have forged a deal to work together on self-driving cars, both in development and for test projects. The exact terms aren't clear, but Waymo tells the New York Times that it's about helping autonomous tech "reach more people, in more places." For Lyft, meanwhile, it's about getting access to the "best self-driving technology."
