Uber receipts are crashing Microsoft Outlook

You might not want to check your Uber trip emails at your work computer in the near future. BleepingComputernotes Microsoft has identified a formatting bug that freezes Outlook whenever you open some messages with complex tables, including Uber receipts. The glitch crashes Word, too. The problem began with a recent standard release (Current Channel Version 2206 Build 15330.20196 or newer), but existing beta and Current Channel Preview versions also suffer.

The company has already developed a fix that will reach beta users “shortly,” and should reach everyone through a patch arriving August 9th. If you can’t wait that long and would rather not check your mail on the web, you can revert to the earlier version in Windows by running Command Prompt instructions in Microsoft’s support document (linked above).

This isn’t the first significant Outlook bug of the year. Microsoft fixed search bugs in January and July. However, those didn’t bring the email client to a screeching halt — this is a flaw you’re more likely to notice, particularly if you rely on Uber for business travel.

Twitter trial against Elon Musk begins October 17th

Twitter now has an exact start date for its trial against Elon Musk over his attempt to withdraw from his $44 billion purchase offer. The Vergenotes Delaware Court of Chancery Judge Kathaleen McCormick has scheduled the lawsuit’s trial for October 17th. The courtroom showdown will last the promised five days, wrapping up on October 21st.

The timing represents a slight compromise. Twitter had pressed for a four-day trial starting in September. The social media firm’s shareholder vote on the takeover is slated for September 13th. Musk’s attorneys wanted to push the trial to February 2023, arguing that they needed more time to collect and interpret data on Twitter’s volume of fake accounts and bots.

The move ultimately favors Twitter. It only has to wait a few months for a ruling. If Musk’s team isn’t finished combing through data by October, the company may also strengthen its argument that the Tesla chief rushed his offer and doesn’t have enough information to level accusations of deceit. That, in turn, may let Twitter either force completion of the deal or demand compensation for a broken agreement.

Senate bill aims to restore net neutrality, including throttling safeguards

Politicians are making another attempt to restore net neutrality rules. Democrat Senators Ed Markey and Ron Wyden have introduced a Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act that would classify broadband internet as a telecom service under Title II of the Communications Act. The move would let the FCC restore net neutrality protections repealed by the Ajit Pai-era Commission in December 2017, including safeguards against blocking, throttling and paid prioritization for data traffic.

The bill would also help the FCC institute policies that improve accessibility, safety and “close the digital divide,” according to Markey’s statement. Another 28 senators, including independent Bernie Sanders and prominent Democrats like Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, are co-sponsors. California Representative Doris Matsui is sponsoring an equivalent bill in the house. The measure has the endorsement of civil rights and activist groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Democrats have tried to revive net neutrality before with efforts like 2019’s Save the Internet Act. As Markey explained to The Register, though, they’re trying a different strategy. The new bill is purposefully short at just two pages long — that brevity gives the FCC the regulatory power to adapt to the “changing nature of the internet,” the senator said. Previous attempts tried to enshrine specific rules in law.

The Act’s survival is far from certain, though. It needs to advance beyond a Senate committee, and Congress will go into recess during August. A Senate vote might not succeed unless Democrats can pass the 60-vote threshold needed to avoid a filibuster, and the House bill isn’t guaranteed to pass if it comes up for a vote after the November midterm elections.

The FCC isn’t guaranteed to resurrect net neutrality even if the bill becomes law, for that matter. The Commission is currently deadlocked with two Democrats and two Republicans. Nominee Gigi Sohn still hasn’t been confirmed. An FCC vote on neutrality-related policy changes could easily fail, even though the agency would have the authority (and effectively the obligation) to reinstitute consumer protections.

Nike Training Club adds adaptive workouts to make exercise more accessible

Nike wants to make fitness apps accessible to more people with disabilities. The athletics gear maker has introduced adaptive workouts to the Nike Training Club app (available for Android and iOS) that you can perform whether or not you have a disability. The seven classes in this set target a wide range of movement and equipment, ranging from upper-body strength training with dumbbells to yoga.

A Nike athlete with limb loss, Amy Bream, leads all the classes. You’ll also find guidance from an adaptive training-focused physical therapist. Training Club already offers an exercise program for expecting and recent mothers.

The company isn’t alone in making these apps more accessible. Apple added Fitness+ workouts for pregnant people and seniors last year and has Apple Watch wheelchair workout tracking, for instance. Still, Nike’s move is an important step that could bring exercise apps to a wider audience.  

House passes CHIPS Act, preparing semiconductor bill to become law

Legislation aimed at boosting US chip production has cleared its last major hurdle. The House of Representatives has passed the CHIPS and Science Act in a 243-187-1 vote, leaving just the reconciliation process and President Biden’s signature before the bill becomes law. The equivalent Senate measure passed 64-33 in a vote one day earlier.

The Act is a dialed-down version of previous bills, but promises significant help for American semiconductor manufacturing. It offers more than $52 billion for US chipmakers as well as tax credits for domestic factories. In a statement, the President claimed the bill would lower product costs, create “high-paying” jobs and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign chip sources.

Earlier approaches drew objections from both sides of Congress. Republicans were concerned the reconciliation bill would include unrelated climate, health and tax elements. They also said it risked funding Chinese manufacturing. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, has expressed concerns the bill might reward chip manufacturers already rolling in cash, and was the only non-Republican in the Senate to vote against it.

The CHIPS and Science Act isn’t expected to affect production in the short term. It will take companies years to build new factories and otherwise upgrade facilities to tackle chip shortages and improve manufacturing independence. If things play out as its supporters imagine, however, CHIPS will hopefully decrease the severity of future supply chain crunches.

AMD accidentally reveals its first Ryzen 7000 desktop processors

You don’t have to wait until the fall to have an idea of what AMD’s Ryzen 7000 desktop CPUs will be like — the company has unintentionally provided clues of its own. Videocardz and Gizmodo note AMD’s resource page contained a since-removed list of early Ryzen 7000 processor models. The focus is primarily on higher-end chips, including two Ryzen 9 variants (the 7900X and 7950X), one Ryzen 7 (the 7700X) and a Ryzen 5 model (the 7600X). There’s no Ryzen 3 chips, although that last part isn’t shocking when AMD has historically focused on enthusiast parts in the early stages of CPU rollouts.

The list didn’t include technical details. In its Computex demo, however, AMD showed a 16-core CPU that reached a 5.5GHz clock speed. That might represent the Ryzen 9 7950X. All of the 7000 series will be based on a new Zen 4 architecture that delivers twice the Level 2 cache per core, maximum boost speeds above 5GHz, AI acceleration and support for technologies like DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0. You’ll need an AM5-compatible motherboard to make the leap, but AMD is promising a 15 percent or higher increase in single-threaded performance.

It’s still unclear when the Ryzen 7000 desktop line will ship, or how much it will cost. You’ll also have to wait longer if you’re hoping for high-end laptop CPUs, as AMD won’t deliver Dragon Range until 2023. Even so, the teaser gives you an idea of what to expect when Zen 4 finally reaches stores. AMD isn’t reinventing its product strategy, so you can plan your PC upgrade accordingly.

Senate committee chair grills Apple, Google over protection against crypto app scams

Crypto scams remain a serious problem, and a key senator wants to make sure app store operators are cracking down. Senate banking committee chair Sen. Sherrod Brown has sent letters to the CEOs of Apple and Google requesting answers on their protections against cryptocurrency app fraud. The politician wanted details of their app approval and reporting processes, user alerts for fraudulent activity, coordination with rival stores and monitoring for apps that transform into phishing scams.

We’ve asked Apple and Google for comment. Brown gave the executives until August 10th to provide responses to the letters.

Both tech firms provide at least some screening for bogus crypto apps. Apple’s App Store review guidelines forbid scam apps, including bait-and-switch tactics. Google is less targeted with its Play Store policies, but bars apps that enable illegal activity or “dishonest behavior.” Both companies let you report suspicious apps. They haven’t historically sent direct scam alerts, however, and aren’t known to actively monitor apps in case they launch phishing scams.

Whatever the stances, Brown saw effective safeguards as important. The FBI recently warned that app-based cryptocurrency fraud has already led to losses of $42.7 million. It was “imperative” that shops protect investors against this damage, the senator said.

There’s no certainty that the requests will translate to legislation requiring stricter anti-fraud systems. The committee request could clarify the stances of Apple and Google on the subject, though, and might increase the pressure to take further action. At the least, it’s a reminder that an app’s presence on the App Store or Google Play isn’t a guarantee it will be trustworthy.

Senate deal would revive EV tax credits for GM, Tesla and Toyota

Automakers might just get the EV tax credit extension they’ve been hoping for. Bloomberg and InsideEVs claim Senators Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin have reached an agreement on the Inflation Reduction Act that would replace the 200,000-unit cap on federal EV tax credits with a system that would restore those perks for GM, Tesla and Toyota. According to Bloomberg‘s sources, the new approach is a compromise that would switch to price- and income-based limits, drop union manufacturing requirements and offer credits for used EVs.

The Act would provide up to $7,500 in credits for electric SUVs, trucks and vans priced up to $80,000, while cars would have to cost $55,000 or less. Individuals would have to earn no more than $150,000 per year, while couples could make up to $300,000 with the credit intact. You would reportedly get up to a $4,000 credit for buying a used EV, although the income ceiling is said to be much lower. Crucially, the credit could be offered at the point of sale (such as online or a dealership) rather than as a tax refund — you’d get your savings much sooner.

Although the agreement is expected to drop the union production requirement, there would still be incentives for domestic manufacturing. Although the exact terms aren’t clear, EVs would have to be built in North America and source many materials from the region. This would mainly represent a concession to Canada, which balked at earlier proposed legislation that would have required US-only assembly. Canadian factories produce US-destined cars for multiple major brands.

The Schumer-Manchin pact is also poised to revive some of the Biden administration’s environmental strategy, including its hopes of zero-emissions vehicles representing half of new sales by 2030. It’s expected to include $369 billion in climate and energy spending, Bloomberg said. Manchin had objected to the past proposal, in part because he felt the union requirement would favor incumbent American brands like Ford and GM while disadvantaging rivals like Tesla. 

More details of the deal are still to come, and there’s a chance the terms could change. If the Inflation Reduction Act passes as claimed, though, it could significantly alter the automotive landscape. GM, Tesla and Toyota could effectively lower the prices of their EVs and offset recent hikes, while Nissan and other marques wouldn’t have to worry about hitting a unit cap in the first place. The move could also spark life in the used EV market by offering a clearer financial incentive versus buying new. Simply put, EVs could become more accessible even without lower-cost models in the pipeline.