Training a software program

Training a software program to play an ancient Chinese board game helped Google's DeepMind move artificial intelligence forward.Video provided by Newsy Newslook

US Supreme Court approves expanded hacking powers

The US Supreme Court has approved a rule change that could allow law enforcement to remotely search computers around the world.

Previously, magistrate judges could order searches only within the jurisdiction of their court, often limited to a few counties.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) said the change was necessary to modernise the law for the digital age.

But digital rights groups say the move expands the FBI's hacking authority.

The DoJ wants judges to be able to issue remote search warrants for computers located anywhere that the United States claims jurisdiction, which could include other countries.

A remote search typically involves trying to access a suspect's computer over the internet to explore the data contained on it.

It has pushed for a change in the rules since 2013, arguing that criminals can mask their location and identity online making it difficult to determine which jurisdiction a computer is located in.

'Only mechanism available'

"Criminals now have ready access to sophisticated anonymising technologies to conceal their identity while they engage in crime over the internet," said DoJ spokesman Peter Carr.

"The use of remote searches is often the only mechanism available to law enforcement to identify and apprehend them.

"The amendment makes explicit that it does not change the traditional rules governing probable cause and notice."

It said the change would not give law enforcement any new authority not already permitted by law.

However, groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have warned that the change could expand the FBI's ability to conduct mass hacks on computer networks.

'Thousands of millions of computers'

"Such a monumental change in the law should not be snuck by Congress under the guise of a procedural rule," said Neema Singh Guliani of the ACLU.

In 2015, search giant Google also opposed the change, which, it said, "threatens to undermine the privacy rights and computer security of internet users".

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said the change had "significant consequences for Americans' privacy", and said he would seek to reverse the decision.

"Under the proposed rules, the government would now be able to obtain a single warrant to access and search thousands or millions of computers at once; and the vast majority of the affected computers would belong to the victims, not the perpetrators, of a cybercrime," he said in a statement.

Congress can still opt to reject or modify the changes to the federal rules of criminal procedure - but if it does not act by 1 December the change will take effect.

Google CEO: 'Devices' will be things of the past

Pichai's letter touched on numerous priorities for Google, from improving search in the mobile age to the intensifying focus on cloud computing to compete with Amazon and Microsoft. But the overriding theme was the power of artificial intelligence.

Essentially Google envisions a super-smart assistant who will supply information to help with everyday tasks no matter what screen you are using, be it a phone, a watch or the dashboard in your car.

"You should be able to move seamlessly across Google services in a natural way, and get assistance that understands your context, situation, and needs— all while respecting your privacy and protecting your data," Pichai wrote in the letter.

Jackdaw Research analyst Jan Dawson says Google is playing up its role in the new way people will interact with technology, from focusing on one device to moving between a plethora of devices to access information in the cloud.

Google is also playing down the role it does not play, Dawson said. "Google is fundamentally not a device company, but there are at least half a dozen other references to devices in the letter and it's clear that devices are going to continue to have a fundamental role in our futures," he said.

This marks the first time anyone other than founders Larry Page and Sergey Brinhas penned the annual letter outlining Google's mission.

Page and Brin wrote their first founders' letter in 2004 in which they famously warned: "Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one."

The hand-off comes after last summer's sweeping reorganization that formed the parent company Alphabet and put Pichai in charge of Google. The new corporate structure was created to make the technology giant more innovative by separating Google's dominant search and advertising business from "moonshots" such as driverless cars and speedy Internet access.

"Since the majority of our big bets are in Google, I wanted to give him most of the bully-pulpit to reflect on Google’s accomplishments and share his vision,” Page wrote in an introduction.

Pichai picked up the founders' mantle, embracing Google's longstanding mission "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

"For us, technology is not about the devices or the products we build. Those aren't the end-goals," Pichai wrote in the letter posted Thursday. "Technology is a democratizing force, empowering people through information. Google is an information company. It was when it was founded, and it is today."

Why Seagate Technology PLC Stock Tumbled Today

The hard drive company is facing a weak demand environment, which wiped out its profits during the third quarter.

What: Shares of hard disk drive manufacturer Seagate Technology (NASDAQ:STX) tumbled on Friday following the company's fiscal third-quarter report. Seagate's earnings came in well below analyst expectations, driven by a steep drop in revenue and a less-steep drop in expenses. At 10:45 a.m. ET the stock was down about 15%.

So what: Seagate reported quarterly revenue of $2.6 billion, down 22.1% year over year and in line with analyst expectations. A weak PC market, which saw shipments slump 11.5% during the first calendar quarter, as well as the growing attractiveness of solid state drives, drove down demand for Seagate's products.

Seagate reported non-GAAP EPS of $0.22, down from $1.08 during the prior-year period and $0.15 below the average analyst estimate. On a GAAP basis, Seagate reported a loss of $0.07 per share, down from a gain of $0.88 per share during the prior-year period. Total expenses declined by 14% year over year, far slower than revenue, while Seagate's GAAP gross margin tumbled to 20.2%, down from 28.7% during the same period last year.

Now what: Despite the weak results, Seagate maintained its generous quarterly dividend of $0.63 per share. CEO Steve Luczo pointed to the long-term picture. "Our quarterly results fell short of our expectations as a result of several near-term demand factors. Despite these challenges, we believe we have the product portfolio, technology roadmap and operational leverage to ensure we are well-positioned for long-term success. Accordingly, we are aggressively working to position Seagate to respond to new demand levels and are committed to ongoing financial discipline."

For the fourth quarter, Seagate expects revenue to decline to $2.3 billion, representing a 21.4% year-over-year drop. Analysts expected revenue of $2.61 billion. With a very challenging environment for Seagate erasing the company's profits, and with no relief expected anytime soon, investors are running away from the hard drive manufacturer.

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