Technologies

Remember That TikTok Ban? This Week’s Deadline Brings Talk of a Deal

The Trump administration waxes optimistic once again about getting to a long-delayed resolution for TikTok in the US.

The Trump administration is working on a deal with China to determine TikTok’s fate, which could be finalized by the end of this week, according to reports citing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that US and Chinese teams this week discussed a plan in which TikTok’s US operations would be controlled by an investor consortium that includes software giant Oracle. US users would move to a new app that TikTok is testing and that would recreate content-recommendation algorithms for the app. The Journal noted that details of the deal have yet to be finalized and could be subject to change.

President Trump has plans to talk on Friday with China’s President Xi Jinping about the fate of the Chinese-owned social media platform, reports said. Bessent said Monday that the two countries have reached a preliminary deal and «commercial terms have been agreed upon.»

The key question is whether ownership of TikTok will transfer to a US-based company. The platform could shut down temporarily in the US, as it has before, in accordance with a federal law passed last year in response to national security and privacy considerations. That law requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the social media service to a US-based company or essentially be off limits in the US. The initial deadline, set for January, has already been extended three times as Trump has teased progress on the matter.

Neither TikTok nor the Treasury Department responded to requests for comment.

An agreement over TikTok has been complicated by ongoing trade warring between the US and China and a new ruling against US-based Nvidia. China claims Nvidia has violated anti-monopoly laws in that country.

Skepticism about a TikTok deal

Even with the administration’s suggestion that a deal is imminent, it’s possible that TikTok’s future could remain in limbo even longer.

«I have seen the TikTok negotiations stall and shift so many times that I am not holding my breath on a deal being completed this week,» said Star Kashman, founder of Cyber Law Firm, who’s been following the TikTok saga. «Every time we hear about progress or a framework getting reached, some external complication throws the whole negotiation back into limbo.»

Tariffs and the Nvidia claims have further complicated what was already a complex negotiation over TikTok, she said. «It is likely that too much is already at play, including ByteDance’s potential obligations to the Chinese government, national security concerns, and privacy issues, as well as the desire to keep TikTok’s addictive algorithm, without isolating and segregating US users.»

Kashman said that none of the parties have been transparent about what would happen to TikTok under US ownership, including addressing reports that a US-only TIkTok app would be offered.

Negotiation factors

If a deal is reached to keep TikTok available in the US, it could be just the start of wrangling over the platform’s future, said one expert on US-China relations.

«The Chinese generally look at the signing of a deal as the beginning of negotiations, not the end,» said Usha Haley, Barton Distinguished Chair in International Business at Wichita State University. «So the devil will be in the details as they unfold over several years.»

Haley said that any deal would be subject to congressional scrutiny and could set a precedent for how future foreign-based apps operate in the US.

The Trump administration would likely insist on US-based storage of TikTok data, independent oversight and insulation from Chinese legal and political demands, while China’s government would want to protect its tech champion and maintain cultural influence, she said.

Whatever requirements the US imposes, Haley said, China might still find a way to maintain some control over TikTok by «keeping some possibly secret doors and trapdoors open for intervention in the future, if needed.»

Technologies

Wyze’s New Palm Lock Recognizes the Veins in Your Hand

The biometric lock also includes a numbered keypad, Wi-Fi controls and a mechanical lock and key.

Wyze’s latest home security product locks your home and turns you into the key. The Palm Lock features hand-scanning biometric technology that can read the unique pattern of veins underneath your skin to unlock the door.

The new smart lock mechanism works by having homeowners hover their hand in front of the reader to disengage the Palm Lock. Wyze says this technology will be quicker to use than fingerprint scanners.

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The company’s co-founder and CMO, Dave Crosby, likened the process to creating a «secret handshake with [your] front door.» You must upload separate vein scans if you have multiple people in your house. No two «secret handshakes» are the same. Any biometric data is stored on-device, and Wyze says your palm print isn’t uploaded to the app or the cloud.

If you’re skeptical about locking up using only the veins in your hand, the Palm Lock includes other methods of entry. If it can’t read your palm for whatever reason, you won’t necessarily be locked out of your house.

Users can unlock the Palm Lock through Wi-Fi controls on the Wyze app or the old-fashioned way, with a physical key. Homeowners can also generate limited-time codes that guests can punch on the numbered keypad, giving visitor access a built-in expiration date.

The lock works in tandem with any Wyze video doorbells you already have.

The lock has a built-in gyroscope that automatically locks the door when it detects it being closed, and an alarm will also go off if you leave the door ajar. The Palm Lock interfaces with common voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Wyze says its batteries last for up to six months. If the lock’s batteries die, a USB-C charging port will bring the Palm Lock back to life until you can swap them out.

The Wyze Palm Lock is available now on Wyze’s website for $130.

Technologies

Costco Recalls Prosecco That Could Shatter, Even Without Being Touched

The retail warehouse chain has issued specific instructions on how to dispose of the bottles.

If you recently purchased a bottle of prosecco at Costco, check the brand immediately. The massive warehouse-club retail chain has issued a recall for certain bottles of its Kirkland Signature Prosecco Valdobbiadene, reporting that the bottles could shatter without even being touched.

Costco sent a letter to customers who bought the product between April 25 and Aug. 25 this year in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

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The letter asks customers not to return the bottle to Costco stores, but instead bring the letter into a store for a refund. For safety reasons, Costco says you should wrap unopened bottles in paper towels and place them in a plastic bag before putting that bag in the garbage.

The company did not say if any consumers have been injured by the bottles. A representative for Costco did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Sept. 17, #829

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Sept. 17, #829.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a fun mix. I especially liked the purple category, since I have fond memories of watching all four of those answers. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: They wave or spin around.

Green group hint: On second thought…

Blue group hint: Shove it in there.

Purple group hint: TV for tots.