Apple ditches plans for Ireland data center
Back in 2015, Apple announced plans to build a new data center in Athenry, Ireland. The small town was an attractive destination for Apple because of West Ireland’s green energy resources, and the company planned to invest as much as $1 billion in its construction. It’s been a while since we last heard about this data center, but more news about the project is surfacing today and it isn’t good. According to Reuters, Apple has decided to can the project altogether. Development on the data center has been delayed by a number of planning appeals, with Ireland’s High Court finally awarding Apple the right to proceed with its plans back in October. When you consider that Apple has intended to build the data center since 2015, those appeals resulted in a long delay that forced the company to consider other options.“Despite our best efforts, delays in the approval process have forced us to make other plans and we will not be able to move forward with the data centre,” Apple said in a statement to Reuters. It seems that Apple will look to build its new data center elsewhere, but the company’s next international move is unclear at this point.Still, Apple is looking at other projects in Ireland. It says it plans to expand its European headquarters, which is located in County Cork, so it isn’t as if Apple is leaving Ireland altogether. It sounds like Ireland’s government is looking into making its planning approval process more streamlined in the future, so that other companies looking to build infrastructure in the country don’t face as many roadblocks as Apple did.AdChoices广告We’ll see if Apple decides to put up another data center elsewhere in Europe in the coming months and years. It already has one in the works in Denmark, which would have been the second data center in Europe after this one in Ireland. Maybe Apple will even decide to construct one in Ireland after these planning laws have had some changes? Time will tell, but for now, the project’s future is essentially non-existent. Story TimelineApple CEO Tim Cook talks business in Ireland, tours facilitiesIreland gave Apple $14.5 billion in illegal tax breaks says European CommissionApple responds to Ireland tax allegations (plus a few Brexit facts)
Story TimelineHere’s how Volkswagen plans to redeem itselfVW dieselgate worsens as EPA adds Porsche and Audi 3.0LVW, Porsche, Audi dieselgate vehicle owners: what you should doNo quick VW dieselgate answer; 40 said under investigationVW accused of killing car to cover emissions crisisVW set to borrow $21bn to pay for dieselgateThe FTC is suing Volkswagen over its diesel ads Volkswagen will offer to buy back every diesel car in the US that cheated emissions standards, a vast and expensive undertaking covering nearly half a million vehicles. The decision is part of a settlement in principle with the US Department of Justice (DoJ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and California Air Resources Board (CARB), announced today, as part of the German automaker’s grand “Dieselgate” mea-culpa for fitting several of its models with cunning bypass devices that helped fake the results during government testing. The so-called “defeat device” was intended to kick in when the car’s systems observed likely testing behaviors, and change the performance settings dramatically to reduce the output of gases like nitrogen oxide (NOx). It worked, too, and to dramatic effect. Testing carried out by independent researchers discovered that the cars actually output as much as 35 times the US emissions limits, when the software wasn’t running to rein in the pollutants. The cheat brought the combined wrath of the US government and various independent lawsuits down on Volkswagen AG, the parent of Volkswagen of America, and today there’s another step closer to reparations. Previously, VW had attempted to placate owners of cars with the 2.0-liter “Clean Diesel” TDI engines with a “Goodwill” program of gift cards and dealership discounts, but that gesture wasn’t enough to satisfy regulators. AdChoices广告Instead, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer confirmed today in the San Francisco District Court, VW will offer to buy back every implicated 2.0 liter car from owners in the country. Those who want to keep their vehicles will be offered a fix instead, and there’s the promise of “substantial compensation” involved too.Exactly what that compensation will be, how much VW will offer for each car, and what the fix will be remains to be seen, with Justice Breyer yet to reveal those details. Some reports pegged a $5,000 payout to each owner as part of the deal, though the judge criticized those responsible for the leaks. If true, it could total an extra $1bn in expenses for Volkswagen. The automaker will also fund efforts that “promote” environmentally-friendly driving and transportation, though again, no details have been shared as to what that will actually involve. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was among a number of activists and clean-energy CEOs that petitioned the CARB in December last year to make Volkswagen’s punishment one that would invest in green initiatives rather than something strictly punitive. One significant concern among owners of dieselgate vehicles is that the driving dynamics of their cars will change significantly – and detrimentally – with fixes applied. That’s because such retroactive repairs will likely limit power and other factors in an attempt to curtail emissions. “Volkswagen is committed to earning back the trust of its customers, dealers, regulators and the American public,” the company said after the hearing had concluded, suggesting that “these agreements in principle are an important step on the road to making things right.” “Volkswagen intends to compensate its customers fully and to remediate any impact on the environment from excess diesel emissions,” the automaker continued. “As noted today in court, customers in the United States do not need to take any action at this time.”Still, that’s not to say the ongoing legal saga is anywhere near over. “The arrangements in the making in the United States will have no legal bearing on proceedings outside of the United States,” Volkswagen AG pointed out today.That means owners of VW and Audi diesels affected by the TDI issue who aren’t based in the US are still yet to hear exactly what will happen to their cars. With an estimated eleven million vehicles using the defeat device, that’s a lot of people still waiting to hear what Volkswagen plans to do. Similarly, “ongoing investigations by the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, and the State Attorneys General are not prejudiced by these agreements in principle,” Volkswagen AG has clarified. The FTC said in March that it would sue Volkswagen for “misleading” advertising in the US. Owners of 3.0 liter TDI cars are also awaiting news of what will happen with their vehicles, since they’re not covered by today’s announcement. Volkswagen submitted a draft proposal covering that engine – which has appeared in select VW, Audi, and Porsche cars – back in February.There’s fallout in the broader auto industry, too, with the EPA having confirmed earlier that it will now be putting diesel cars through more stringent testing. Previously, the organization accepted manufacturer testing and conducted spot-tests to ensure that results were being fairly reported. Earlier estimates suggested Volkswagen AG was preparing a $21bn fund to cover its dieselgate expenses, though there’s no way to know at this stage whether that’s anywhere close to covering the actual costs – nor, whether this newest settlement proposal will be enough to turn around goodwill with customers. 
LG actually kicked off the beta program for Android 9 Pie for the G7 ThinQ last month. But that was limited to Korea with very little word of it going outside the market. It was also around that time that Samsung started its own beta for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, followed by the Galaxy Note 9. That update is now rolling out to the Galaxy S9 in its final form.LG is taking its time to test the update, something that Samsung users might have wished the company did as well. Or at least that’s what we presume. LG posted its planned software updates for the first quarter of 2019 for its more recent flagships. That includes Android 9 Pie for the G7 ThinQ. Nothing for the V40 ThinQ or the G6, though, aside from performance updates.Considering how closely LG and Google have worked in the past and how LG also boasts of its near-vanilla UX, it’s almost disheartening to see it lag behind others in the market. Although some would argue that there are exponentially fewer Nokias or Essentials in the wild, even just the LG G7 ThinQ, which was launched way back in May, should have at least gotten the latest Android by now. Samsung has earned the reputation of being slow with updates, especially major Android ones. It’s a less known dirty secret, however, that its compatriot and rival is actually just as bad. LG often prides itself for being the first to get this or that update but usually only for one specific phone. Its rate nosedives after that and takes just as long, or even longer, to push them out. Case in point, the company has just revealed the LG G7 ThinQ will be getting Android 9 Pie soon, with “soon” being any time between January and March. AdChoices广告
If you drive a recent model from the Ram pickup line, you’ll want to pay special attention to Fiat Chrysler‘s latest safety recall notice. The car maker has announced a voluntary recall program for just over 1 million vehicles that may be affected by a software error that could prevent airbags from deploying when needed. The company’s recall notice posted on its website acknowledges that up to one fatality, two injuries, and two accidents may be related to this issue. Story TimelineRam takes wraps off Texas Ranger concept pickup truckThe 2016 Ram 1500 takes on 3 Pickup Rivals in Full-Size Truck showdown2017 Ram Power Wagon First Drive: Heavy-duty off-road apocalypse escape vehicle The recall is said to apply to 1.02 million truck models from the 2013-2016 Ram 1500 and 2500, and 2014-2016 Ram 3500 lineups in the US. Also recalled are 216,007 pickups in Canada, 21,668 in Mexico, and 21,530 from outside North America. The problems seem to stem from the vehicles’ roll-rate sensing software, which is designed to deploy side-curtain airbags and lock the seat belts in place during a rollover. Chrysler has found that in cases of significant underbody impact, such as the vehicle colliding with a large piece of debris, the software temporarily disables the airbag and seat belt features, preventing them from working if there is an actual rollover.If the software error does occur, it causes a warning light to illuminate; drivers can reset the system by turning the vehicle off and back on, but to permanently fix the issue they’ll need to follow the recall instructions being sent out in the coming weeks. Fortunately it will be a quick fix, with owners simply needing to visit a dealership in order to get updated software installed.AdChoices广告SOURCE Fiat Chrysler
The BMW i3 has been redesigned with new styling, equipment features, and new digital services. Both the i3 and i3s get power from a high-voltage lithium-ion battery that was developed by BMW and has a cell capacity of 94-Ah. The vehicles are fitted with an improved Dynamic Stability Control system that has a revised and faster responding Traction Control system.That change is to give drivers more confidence in all conditions. Just in case i3 drivers want to do some drifting, BMW says that the Dynamic Traction Control will allow mild and safely controllable drifts when grip levels are reduced. The i3 has a synchronous electric motor that makes a max output of 170hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. The power goes to the road via a single speed transmission in the car can reach 60 mph in 7.2 seconds and has a 93 mph top speed. MW has rolled out the latest version of the BMW i3 and the first ever BMW i3s sporty EV. The new i3 and i3s will make their world debuts at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt next month with pricing for the cars announced closer to launch. Both versions of the i3 can be equipped with that cool Range Extender motor to eliminate range anxiety for owners. The i3s gets revised styling including a gloss black finish for the roofline and A-pillars. The i3s is 10mm lower than the normal i3 and has broader gloss black wheel arches and is 40mm wider in track width than the normal i3. This car comes standard with 20-inch alloy wheels that are half an inch wider than previously offered.The i3s has a power output of 184 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. The i3s needs 6.8 second to reach 60 mph and na reach a top speed of 100 mph. The 2-cylinder range extender for all models is designed to feed the battery electricity when needed and extends the overall range for daily use by 87 miles to a maximum of 180 miles. Both cars also have full LED headlights and are also packed with driver tech like parking assistance, active cruise control, and more. We reviewed the 2016 BMW i3 last year, this is the previous generation i3.
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Users will be able to stream the Apple event on a wide variety of devices – if you consider a wide variety to be Apple-made devices almost exclusively. Users will be able to use their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using the Safari web browser on iOS 10 or later. Users will also be able to employ a Mac computer using Safari with macOS Sierra 10.12 or later. PC users with Windows 10 will be able to use Microsoft Edge.Users will also be able to watch the event streamed with their Apple TV via AirPlay. Users will need a 2nd-gen or later Apple TV to make this happen, with the latest Apple TV software or tvOS. Users MAY be able to use what Apple describes as “recent versions of Chrome or Firefox” web browsers to view the stream, so long as they’ve got MSE, H.264, and AAC tech in effect. SEE TOO: Apple TV service will only matter to you in one wayThose of you that’ve not watched an Apple event ever – or for a long time – might be shocked to find any support for streaming video outside Safari. This may not be the first time they’ve tested such an extension past the one web browser, but it’s certainly a sign of the times that they’ve allowed additional brands at all.The stream itself will be housed at Apple’s livestream homepage. Here on SlashGear you’ll also be able to catch all the information in easy-to-read segments via our main news feed. We’ll be getting up close and personal with everything Apple’s got on-deck today, be it hardware, software, services, or anything in-between. Live in effect today is an Apple event the likes of which we’ve likely never seen before. Right now we’re looking at the several different ways in which you can watch and experience the Apple event live, including live video from the Steve Jobs Theater, imagery (photos), captured video, and our main news feed in which you’ll find all the news fit to post. This event will begin at 10AM PDT, which is 11AM Mountain Time, 12PM NOON Central Time, and 1PM Eastern Time. Story TimelineAirPower with new AirPods caught hiding on Apple’s siteApple event will focus on subscription services for news, video, and maybe gamesApple teases Monday event with “livestream” of empty Jobs Theater
2019 Acura NSX Gallery Acura’s second-generation NSX tried the impossible: a supercar that was not only usable every day, but without headaches or frustrations along the way. If in the process it sacrificed a little drama in the name of accessibility, the 2019 NSX nudges things back in the right direction. A series of focused changes could pay big dividends to the hybrid coupe. No more power, but it’s still fasterStraight line speed is good, but speed in the corners is arguably even more important. Acura’s stiffness improvements and software recalibrations pay dividends there, and the proof is on the race track. The automaker took the old NSX and this 2019 version to the Suzaka Circuit, known for its particularly challenging corners and turns, to show the difference. AdChoices广告The result was an almost two second improvement between the 2018 NSX and the 2019 NSX. Obviously the degree to which drivers will see that themselves will depend on how twisty the road they take turns out to be, but given the torque vectoring system was already impressive, this is quite the improvement. There are two striking new colorsThe NSX has never exactly been a subtle car, but the potential for turning heads is only getting bigger in the 2019 model year. Acura is adding a brand new paint option, Thermal Orange Pearl, named after the famous race track. It’ll cost you $700 extra, but it’s the eye-searing drama color that the NSX has arguably needed. The same shock of color goes for the inside. For a start, the red cabin option has been extended, to a full red that extends across more of the surfaces. New for 2019, though, is Indigo Blue. That’s a fetching dark blue leather with matching center tunnel and door trim. You might not think bright orange and blue would necessarily go, but Acura proves that assumption wrong. A meaner, sleeker NSXEven if you don’t opt for the attention-seeking orange paint job, the new NSX has some other styling changes which make it stand out. The front grille is now body-color, for instance, and the front grille surround, air intake mesh, and rear bumper outlet mesh now get a high-gloss finish. Similarly, the exterior carbon fiber – like the optional decklid spoiler – is now gloss finish, rather than matte. The result is a car that catches the light in more interesting ways. From the front, the darker V-shape of the grille and lower bumper leaves the 2019 NSX looking lower down to the road and more aggressive. There’s more standard-fit kitAny supercar, by definition, isn’t going to be cheap. Nonetheless the value proposition for the 2019 NSX has improved. On paper it’s $1,500 more than the 2018 car, coming in at $157,000 (plus $1,800 destination) before options. However, some of the boxes you’d previously have had to check off in the dealership are now included as standard. 4-way power sports seats are now standard-fit, though the original manual sports seats can be had as a no-cost swap. Navigation is standard now, too, as is the ELS Studio premium audio system. Aluminum sports pedals have been included, and nervous drivers will be pleased to hear that proximity sensors are now standard, too. Altogether, Acura says, you’re looking at $4,700 worth of options that are now fitted on every 2019 NSX.Wrap-upGoing fast and looking sexy are certainly two of the key drivers for supercar owners, but having something rare is arguably just as important. On that front, the Acura NSX might just be one of the most appealing supercars out there. The automaker says that, in the 2017 and 2018 model years combined, it has sold fewer than 2,000 of the second-gen cars. Of that, almost 1,000 were in the US. If you’re looking for a legitimately impressive rarity, your closest Acura dealership probably should be your next port of call. A stiffer, more responsive NSXThe new NSX doesn’t get any extra power: arguably there’s no need for it, with 573 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque from the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD drivetrain. That combines a twin-turbocharged V6 gas engine with three electric motors – one for the rear axle, and one each for the front wheels – for true torque vectoring. What’s changed for the 2019 model year is how the car around that drivetrain is constructed. Acura started with larger front and rear stabilizer bars, which had the effect of increasing the car’s stiffness by 26-percent and 19-percent respectively. Then it made the rear tow link bushings 21-percent stiffer, and the rear hub 6-percent more rigid. Combined with revamped hybrid software, tweaks to the magnetorheological dampers, power steering, and other systems, the result is a car with more readily-controlled – and indeed provoked – understeer and oversteer at the limit, not to mention a car that’s more playful in general. Story Timeline2017 Acura NSX First DriveThis all-electric Acura NSX concept plans to beast Pikes Peak2019 Acura NSX gets stiffer, feistier and more striking
Amazon is attempting to make warehouse work’fun’ via the launch of video games for employees. The games are described as an experiment tied to each worker’s performance, rewarding them with points and/or progress whenever they retrieve a product and fulfill an order. The games are optional for warehouse workers, and are currently only available in ‘a handful’ of facilities. Story TimelineWalmart aims at Amazon with no cost NextDay deliveryThe new $50 Amazon Fire 7 tablet: Is it a good deal? [Update!]Amazon plans warehouses dedicated to hazardous materials Details on the warehouse game experiment come from The Washington Post, which reports that Amazon developed the games itself to be displayed on small employee workstation displays. Workers opt-in to play the games, one of which is described as being like ‘Tetris, but with real boxes.’The game works by rewarding players with points whenever they pick up a real-world box and put it into a bin. Each action is registered by the game, which enables players to compete against each other, as well as facilitating competitions between entire floors and teams. Players may receive badges and various ‘goodies’ in addition to points for participating.The experiment represents the ‘gamification’ of work, referring to a platform that gives users a mission and reward for completing real-world tasks. Similar methods have been used to encourage physical activity among children and reward individuals for achieving their personal goals. The system may prove useful for addressing boredom that results from tedious, repetitive warehouse work, too.Questions remain over how enjoyable employees may find these games — and, even if they are fun at first, how long the workers will persist with using them before they, too, become just another boring element of the typical work day. Critics have likewise questioned whether the games will be used to prod warehouse workers into completing a greater number of tasks at a faster pace, potentially opening the door for burnout. Players who compete with co-worker may feel stress if they see those individuals achieving more points.However, some employees speaking anonymously to WaPo claim the games have helped them deal with boredom on the job. It’s unclear whether Amazon has immediate plans to bring the games to additional facilities.
Story TimelineSamsung Galaxy Home Bixby smart speaker HomePod-rival previewedSamsung’s Galaxy Home will live or die by AISamsung puts voice at the heart of the Smart Home Samsung isn’t giving up on its Bixby-powered smart speaker, with the company insisting that the Galaxy Home is still going to launch – albeit a little later than initially intended. The eye-catching speaker – which has been variously compared to an Alien egg, kettledrum, and a fancy essential oils vaporizer, among other things – was first previewed all the way back in August 2018. Shown alongside the Galaxy Note 9 smartphone, the Galaxy Home was to be Samsung’s retort to Amazon’s Echo speakers and Google’s Home speakers, along with Apple’s HomePod. Rather than run Alexa or the Google Assistant, however, the Galaxy Home relies on Samsung’s own AI tech, Bixby. That would mean features like voice-controlled music, getting answers to questions, and controlling messaging and calls through a user’s smartphone, among other talents. Rather than opt for a small, discrete design like a Google Home, however, Samsung opted for a more conspicuous form-factor. The cauldron-like Galaxy Home would use premium materials for its gleaming metal legs, and have a control panel on its flat upper surface. Initially, when pressed, Samsung execs suggested the Galaxy Home should launch by April 2019. That came and went, only for a more nebulous release window in the first half of the year. That, too, is now going to be missed. AdChoices广告“The Galaxy Home speaker, which will be the center of Samsung’s home appliances, is planned to be launched in mid-second half of the year,” Samsung Electronics’ CEO of consumer electronics Kim Kyun-Suk told The Korea Herald this week. Insiders at the company suggest that means Q3 2019. Ironically, it could be beat to market by another Bixby-powered smart speaker. What looked to be a Samsung Galaxy Home Mini speaker was spotted in pre-launch testing last month, a smaller – and likely more affordable – version of the larger Galaxy Home. Distilling the core AI functionality into cheaper models has been a potent strategy for Amazon and Google, which offer Echo Dot and Google Home Mini smart speakers that sacrifice audio quality for a lower price point. What remains to be seen is how the market feels about a Bixby powered smart speaker, and whether anyone but the most committed of Samsung fans actually wants such a device. Samsung is positioning the Galaxy Home as the voice-controlled centerpiece of a smart home dominated by its own entertainment, tech, and appliance products, integrating with everything from connected refrigerators through to phones and tablets. 
The Raspberry Pi 4 makes giant leaps that almost make it a usable ARM-based desktop single-board computer, at least on paper. In practice, however, those may have been leaps of faith that the RPi Foundation is also asking new owners to make. With great power comes great responsibility, as the cliche goes, but in the Raspberry Pi 4’s case, that comes with not so small sacrifices instead, including one that could prove to be dangerous for users. The RPi 4 is the most powerful Raspberry Pi ever. While it may not match some SBCs that are specifically designed for power, the jump to a quad-core CPU and 4 GB RAM max does raise its profile a bit. That, however, does mean that the RPi 4 also generates a lot more heat than any other RPi before it.Unfortunately, it seems that the old board design may no longer be able to handle the heat. Developer Jeff Geerling noted how the board can get hot quickly even during idle periods, partly due to the USB-C port which also generates more heat than the previous micro USB power source. All that heat means that the RPi 4 can throttle quickly and might be too hot to hold even.It’s not a lost cause though, even if the Foundation’s official RPi 4 case turns it into what Geerling describes as a plastic oven. Installing fans, not just a heatsink, could alleviate those issues. That does mean, however, that a fan is now more than just an optional accessory.AdChoices广告The RPi 4 recently received criticism for its non-standard implementation of the USB-C spec, which has resulted in incompatibility with spec-compliant cables and chargers. Co-founder Eben Upton promised to fix the USB-C issue but it’s hard to imagine how the thermal problem can be fixed without a significant redesign of the board and breaking compatibility with previous designs.
This Capitol Hill news roundup includes reports about new health law budget numbers, and about how the GOP — if it gained control of the Senate — would focus on health care cost control rather than coverage expansion. Also in the news, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is proceeding with his questions about nonprofit hospitals and charity care. Finally, an ethics panel inquiry regarding a Nevada lawmaker moves forward. Kaiser Health News: Capsules: CBO To Release New Budget Numbers For Health Law Week Of July 23The Congressional Budget Office will release its estimate of the federal budgetary impact of the Supreme Court health law ruling the week of July 23, according to a blog post by CBO Director Doug Elmendorf (Werber Serafini, 7/9).Modern Healthcare: GOP Would Push Cost Control Instead Of Wider Coverage, Lawmaker SaysSen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), ranking member on the Finance Committee, said if Republicans gain control of the chamber next year, their efforts to replace the health care overhaul will focus on cost control, instead of coverage expansions. Hatch is in position to lead the committee with primary jurisdiction over federal health policy if Republicans retake the Senate, which Republicans would do if they net only four Democratic-held seats (Daly, 7/9).CQ HealthBeat: Grassley Turning Up Heat On Nonprofit Hospitals To Deliver Charity CareSen. Charles E. Grassley is closing in on his goal of making nonprofit hospitals demonstrate what they do to deserve tax-exempt status, after years of butting heads with the American Hospital Association over whether the facilities should be required to deliver more free or discounted care to low-income Americans. Rules now being written by the IRS require nonprofits to be more specific about what community benefits they provide and to ensure that low-income patients know whether or not they are eligible for free or discounted care. The rules are a watered-down version of what Grassley, R-Iowa, really wants: a requirement that nonprofits deliver charity care equal to a set percentage of their revenue. But delivering more charity care is among the ways of complying with the rules, although not the only way, and nonprofit hospitals will no longer be able to be vague about what community benefits they provide (Reichard, 7/9).The New York Times: Panel Seated In Ethics Inquiry Into Nevada Lawmaker[Democratic Rep. Shelley] Berkley has been accused of wrongly intervening with Medicare officials in 2008 after they threatened to close a troubled kidney transplant center in Las Vegas where her husband’s kidney-care practice served as consulting physicians (Lipton, 7/9). New CBO Numbers On Health Law Expected Soon, A GOP-Led Senate Would Focus On Cost Control This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
The government report says the failure to report medical errors hampers providers’ ability to identify and fix preventable problems. Meanwhile, new Medicare data shows hospitals are making little progress in reducing preventable readmissions.USA Today: HHS: Hospitals Ignoring Requirements To Report ErrorsHospitals are ignoring state regulations that require them to report cases in which medical care harmed a patient, making it almost impossible for health care providers to identify and fix preventable problems, a report to be released today by the Department of Health and Human Services inspector general shows (Kennedy, 7/20).Kaiser Health News: Hospitals’ Readmissions Rates Not BudgingThe nation’s hospitals are making little headway in reducing the frequency at which patients are readmitted despite a campaign by the government and the threat of financial penalties, according to Medicare data released Thursday (Rau, 7/19). Also, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has updated its Nursing Home Compare and Hospital Compare websites – Boston Globe: Federal Websites Updated With Data On Hospital Imaging, Use Of Antipsychotics In Nursing HomesFederal regulators Thursday unveiled long-awaited updates to websites that allow consumers to search more detailed information about thousands of hospitals and nursing homes across the country. The revisions to the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Nursing Home Compare and Hospital Compare sites include measures that show potential health risks of imaging services in hospitals, detailed findings from nursing home inspections, and specifics about each nursing home’s use of antipsychotic medications (Lazar, 7/19).CQ Healthbeat: Medicare Updates Hospital, Nursing Home Information SitesThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have rolled out two redesigned websites officials said will make it easier for people to find the information they need to decide which hospital or nursing home they should go to… One site is dedicated to information about hospitals, the other focuses on nursing home information. According to CMS, both sites contain important data on how well these facilities perform on quality measures — such as the frequency of infections that develop in the hospital, how often patients have to be readmitted to the hospital, and the percentage of nursing residents who report having moderate to severe pain while staying in the nursing homes (Staff, 7/19).Modern Healthcare: CMS Updates Hospital Compare, Nursing Home Compare WebsitesThe CMS announced it has updated its Hospital Compare and Nursing Home Compare consumer websites with new quality measures, easier-to-use navigation and mobile-ready capabilities. Hospital Compare, which the CMS says has drawn more than 1.2 million visitors so far this year, now includes hospital-specific data on two new quality measures related to hospitals’ use of imaging: outpatients who received cardiac imaging stress tests before low-risk outpatient surgery, and outpatients with brain CT scans who got a sinus CT scan at the same time (McKinney, 7/19). HHS Report: Hospitals Fall Short In Meeting Error Reporting Requirements This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. House Follows Senate And Passes Bill To Avert ‘Fiscal Cliff’ The measure, which awaits the president’s signature, puts off large cuts in federal spending and increases taxes. But it delays efforts to revamp entitlement programs.The New York Times: Amid Pressure, House Passes Fiscal DealEnding a climactic fiscal showdown in the final hours of the 112th Congress, the House late Tuesday passed and sent to President Obama legislation to avert big income tax increases on most Americans and prevent large cuts in spending for the Pentagon and other government programs. … In approving the measure after days of legislative intrigue, Congress concluded its final and most pitched fight over fiscal policy, the culmination of two years of battles over taxes, the federal debt, spending and what to do to slow the growth in popular social programs like Medicare (Steinhauer, 1/1).The Wall Street Journal: Congress Passes Cliff Deal But the compromise bill, which blocked most impending tax increases and postponed spending cuts largely by raising taxes on upper-income Americans, left a host of issues unresolved and guaranteed continued budget clashes between the parties. … At the same time, the bill defers some of America’s toughest spending problems—in particular the ballooning cost of health care—and it doesn’t come close to the kind of $4 trillion deficit-reduction deal the country’s leaders had hoped to negotiate (Hook, Boles and Hughes, 1/2).USA Today: Divided GOP House Approves Senate ‘Fiscal Cliff’ PlanA divided Republican House passed the Senate’s “fiscal cliff” agreement Tuesday night, following a tense day of GOP protests that the plan does not do enough to rein in federal spending. … Spending cuts totaling $24 billion over two months aimed at the Pentagon and domestic programs would be deferred. That would allow the White House and lawmakers time to regroup before plunging very quickly into a new round of budget brinkmanship certain to revolve around Republican calls to rein in the cost of Medicare and other government benefit programs (Davis and Jackson, 1/2).Los Angeles Times: ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Plan Clears House With GOP DividedSpeaking at the White House before leaving to rejoin his family on vacation in Hawaii, Obama called the compromise “just one step in the broader effort” to reduce the deficit, and specifically pointed to spending on Medicare for an aging population as the major force driving the red ink. “I am very open to compromise,” he said. But, he added, “we can’t simply cut our way to prosperity” (Mascaro and Hennessey, 1/1).Politico: The Fiscal Cliff Deal That Almost Wasn’tBut the failure to address several big issues sets up another fiscal showdown in late February, when the two-month delay in the sequester coincides with the deadline to raise the country’s $16.4 trillion debt limit. The pact also does little to reduce trillion-dollar-plus deficits, shore up entitlement programs, overhaul the tax code or stimulate the U.S. economy — the casualty of a polarized political culture that scorns compromise (Bresnahan, Budoff Brown, Raju and Sherman, 1/2).The Associated Press: Congress OKs Cliff Deal, Signaling Future Fights”Now the focus turns to spending” and overhauling the tax code, [Speaker John] Boehner said in a written statement after the vote. He said the GOP will fight for “significant spending cuts and reforms to the entitlement programs that are driving our country deeper and deeper into debt,” a reference to costly benefit programs like Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid (Fram 1/2).
White House Takes Aim At Latinos, Young People With Health Law Outreach Efforts Both populations are key to the success of new online health insurance marketplaces, which will begin enrolling people on Oct. 1 for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1.Kaiser Health News: Latino Enrollment Key To Success Of Health Law MarketplacesJust as Latinos were crucial to President Barack Obama’s re-election success in 2012, they are now key to the success of his health law. And the administration is doing everything it can to make sure that Latinos, like the Velandias, enroll. The administration announced this week that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will be making the rounds on Spanish-language media outlets to discuss the health law and unveiled the newly revamped CuidadoDeSalud.gov, the Spanish version of HealthCare.gov (Gold, 6/25).The Hill: Seeking To Woo Youths, White House Attempts To Make ObamaCare CoolAdministration officials have a daunting task in the weeks ahead: making ObamaCare “cool.” Marketing experts say a hip branding effort is what’s needed to draw people into the new health insurance exchanges … (Viebeck, 6/26).Meanwhile, officials are attempting to apply some of the lessons learned from the 2006 rollout of Medicare Part D — Politico: Medicare Part D Offers Lessons For ObamacareThree months before Obamacare goes prime time, health care vets are looking for lessons from another once politically volatile expansion of coverage: the Medicare prescription drug program. Just as Obama administration officials have warned about “glitches” and “hiccups” in the rollout of the health care law, similar bumps emerged around the 2006 launch of the now-popular Part D program, those in charge of its implementation say (Millman, 6/26). This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. A selection of health policy news from Iowa, Texas, Virginia, Georgia and Kansas.Des Moines Register: Brandstad Asks Feds To Approve ‘Iowa-Based’ Health Care PlanGov. Terry Branstad filed a waiver request with federal officials on Friday, seeking expedited approval for a statewide program to expand access to health care for thousands of lower-income Iowans. “Our plan passed with bipartisan support and is designed to increase access, drive personal health ownership, and reform our health care delivery program to pay for quality, not quantity, of health care delivered,” Branstad (a Republican) said in a letter to Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Petroski, 8/23).Texas Tribune: Lawmakers Alter Texas Health PoliciesState lawmakers approved a wide range of measures in the 83rd legislative session that will affect Texans’ medical care. Use this interactive to take a look at 31 ways those laws will change Texas health policy (Aaronson, 8/26).The Washington Post: Reston Firm Helps Health Care Providers ID High-Risk PatientsIn health care, not all patients are equal. Some need costly treatment while others are relatively healthy, so providers must often decide who requires more attention and resources (Ravindranath, 8/25).Georgia Health News: Lawmakers Try To Ease Burden Of Alzheimer’s”It’s about people,” said U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, a Georgia Democrat. Johnson was referring to proposed legislation (H.R. 1507) to provide enhanced services for those affected by dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. It’s the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education Act, also known as the HOPE Act (Kanne, 8/25).Kansas Health Institute: Cabinet Secretaries Express Support For Suicide Prevention EffortsKansas officials on Friday vowed to bolster support for suicide prevention and awareness efforts going on throughout the state. Suicide, they said, should be viewed as a public health issue that warrants open discussion (Ranney, 8/23). State Highlights: Iowa Asks For Federal Waiver For State Health Coverage Plan
The CBS news magazine aired a segment Sunday that looked into why the drugs cost so much and whether they’re really more effective than less-expensive alternatives.CBS ’60 Minutes’: The Cost Of Cancer DrugsCancer is so pervasive that it touches virtually every family in this country. More than one out of three Americans will be diagnosed with some form of it in their lifetime. And as anyone who’s been through it knows, the shock and anxiety of the diagnosis is followed by a second jolt: the high price of cancer drugs. They are so astronomical that a growing number of patients can’t afford their co-pay, the percentage of their drug bill they have to pay out-of-pocket. This has led to a revolt against the drug companies led by some of the most prominent cancer doctors in the country (Stahl, 8/5). This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. ’60 Minutes’ Examines ‘Astronomical Price’ Of Many Cancer Drugs
Oppo has announced the pricing for its flagship range of Reno phones and it sets the range up for a fight with the recently announced OnePlus 7 Pro and the upcoming Honor 20 Pro. The range includes the Reno, Reno 10x Zoom and Reno 5G.The Oppo Reno will be priced at £449 while the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom is set to go on sale for £699. The handsets will be available to order from May 21 with the release dates set for June 5 and June 12 respectively. Both phones come in two gradient colour designs – Ocean Green and Jet Black. The Oppo Reno 5G price and release date were not announced but we do know it will only be available from EE in Ocean Green.The competition is stiff for the companies fighting it out below the industry’s premium brands like Apple and Samsung. The Oppo Reno range price appears deliberately aimed at taking on its rivals in that category. The Oppo Reno is priced the same as the standard OnePlus 7 while the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom comes in just £50 more than the OnePlus 7 Pro. The Honor 20 Pro looks set to undercut both brands with its upcoming phone expected to be priced below £500, however we’re still waiting for the price of this phone to be revealed.Related: Best Android phonesThe Oppo Reno 10x Zoom appears extremely similar to the OnePlus 7 Pro, at least on paper. The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom may be looking to justify the £50 extra through its audio technology. Oppo recently revealed a partnership with Nokia to use its OVO Audio tech. The technology allows for the capturing of immersive audio using three internal microphones as well as native software to edit the audio.The European launch of the Oppo Reno range happened last month. The event saw the Chinese manufacturer reveal its flagship phones that would be headed to Europe. We’d also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies – we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy. Show More Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend. We use industry standard tests to evaluate products in order to assess them properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. Trusted Reviews may get a commission if you buy through our links. Tell us what you think. Sign up for the Mobile NewsletterSign Up Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from Goodtoknow and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Show More Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend, using industry standard tests to evaluate products. We’ll always tell you what we find. We may get a commission if you buy via our price links.Tell us what you think – email the Editor This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Microsoft has announced a new ‘Pro’ version of its IntelliMouse mouse, which targets PC gamers, while offering superior performance and greater customisation.The new IntelliMouse Pro is described by Microsoft as a “best in class, gaming ready mouse,” that’s also great for work. Compared to the last major update, the 2017 Classic IntelliMouse, Microsoft says it has upgraded the tracking sensor “to capture everything from the smallest flicks to the largest gestures with greater speed.” That sensor now supports up to 16,000 DPI and a 12,000 fps refresh rate.Related: Best Gaming Mouse 2019The company is offering the new mouse in black and white and says subtle design updates are inspired by the shadow and gradients features on Xbox accessories. Microsoft is also enabling PC gamers to customise their taillight to match some of their other accessories.Elsewhere, Microsoft says: “It features improved key actuation, a textured finish and a braided cable to stand up to the most demanding users. Its buttons feel more responsive and are more reliable than ever and are easy to customize in the Windows Mouse and Keyboard Center.”“The fundamentals of the IntelliMouse all remain. You’ll appreciate the ergonomic design that has been a vital part of every IntelliMouse. With its wired design, you’ll never wait for it to pair or need to search for a dongle before getting down to work or play. The Pro IntelliMouse is easy to maneuver, with carefully calculated weight, stability and control.”The first IntelliMouse was first launched back in 1996, with Microsoft claiming it to be a game changer as an every day mouse. In a blog post today, the company says the mouse has outlasted most of the products launched in that era.It’s available to buy in the United States and Canada today and will come to Europe form July. The US price is $59.99, but there’s no confirmation of the UK price yet. Sign up for the Mobile NewsletterSign Up Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from Goodtoknow and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time. We’d also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies – we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy.