Hasta La Gadget!

The Los Angeles Unified School District is navigating a ransomware attack on its information technology systems. The cyberattack originated over Labor Day weekend, starting on September 3rd, though it hasn’t disrupted school operations and classes are scheduled as usual. The district says in-school safety and emergency systems weren’t affected by the attack, nor were employee payroll and health care networks.

LAUSD officials are already working with the Department of Education, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to uncover the source of the attack, and they’ve implemented protocols to protect email and other internal IT applications. The district says that while investigations into the attack are ongoing, some business operations may be delayed, but transportation, food and Beyond the Bell services won’t be affected.

“Los Angeles Unified is immediately establishing a plan of action, informed by top public and private sector technology and cyber security professionals, to determine additional protections for the District, and to provide an independent opinion on system-wide protective measures,” officials said.

The district says it will establish an independent information technology task force that will develop recommendations for schools within 90 days, reorganize its departments to better safeguard its IT systems, and establish advisers to oversee cybersecurity best practices, among other responses. LAUSD officials said they will provide updates on the cyberattack as investigations progress, and you can find these on Twitter.

The Spy Kids reboot has finished filming. Get another look at Disney’s rapidly-incoming Pinocchio remake. Terry Silver wants you to be a winner in a new Cobra Kai teaser. Plus, what’s coming on House of the Dragon, and Rick and Morty gets its shill on ahead of the new season. Spoilers now!

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In a few weeks’ time, stablecoin holders on Binance will find their crypto doesn’t carry the same name, or the same price, as it had previously. The exchange effectively told its users it’ll be digging its long, thin fingers into each of their wallets, taking out their old crypto, and replacing it with their own,…

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Finding a PlayStation 5 may be as difficult as ever, but that’s not stopping Sony from adding more customization options for those who already own the console. This fall, the company will release the Gray Camouflage collection. It consists of a new set of plates for the console, as well as a matching DualSense controller and Pulse headset.

“The PlayStation design team reimagined our camouflage pattern to reflect a fresher, more contemporary feel. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the iconic PlayStation Shapes have been subtly incorporated into the pattern,” Sony says of the new design.

Preorders for collection open on September 15th. The plates and DualSense controller will arrive on October 14th, with the Pulse headset heading to store shelves sometime in December. Sony did not announce pricing for the new accessories. They come after the company recently said it was increasing the price of the PS5 across much of the globe.

Sony has unveiled an unusual mirrorless camera that essentially marries the FX6 cinema camera‘s tech with remote-controlled robotics. Called the FR7, it’s the “world’s first” pan-tilt-zoom full-frame interchangeable-lens camera with pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) robotic technology, according to the company. 

Priced at nearly $10,000 without a lens, it’s designed for professional productions including reality shows, concerts, dramas, music videos and more. For instance, it could be mounted on dolly tracks, a crane or a tripod and remotely follow subjects around without getting in the way. It could also be fixed to a vehicle, with the pan-tilt-zoom capabilities giving the director more interesting angles and shots.

Sony

The large sensor allows for a more cinematic image than typical robotic TV cameras, too. “The cinematic look and feel is rapidly becoming the norm in broadcasting and live production as it opens up new ways to tell a narrative,” said Sony Electronics VP Yang Chen. “In parallel, over the last 2 years, we’ve seen a steep rise in content created remotely or in small locations where access is difficult.”

The FR7 looks a bit like Sony cut the back off an FX6, leaving the mount and small body fixed to a compact motorized system. It’s designed to smoothly pan and tilt at speeds ranging from .02 to a rapid 60 degrees per second, while moving from plus or minus 170 degrees (pan) and -30 to 195 degrees (tilt). You can store up to 100 camera presents and control it using a web app or the optional $2,625 RM-IP500 remote controller. 

The 10.3-megapixel sensor is an unusual choice, as it may not be suitable for some high-end productions due to the 4K resolution limit. However, it does offer 4K recording at up to 120 fps or 1080p at 240fps. On top of that, it has a native ISO range up to 409,600 with 15+ stops of dynamic range, making it suitable for shooting in low light. It also comes with S-Log3 gamma, wide S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine color spaces for HDR and enhanced color grading capabilities.

Sony

It offers the same autofocus capabilities as the FX6, including Fast Hybrid AF, Real-time Eye AF and Real-time Tracking, with touch focus available via the web app. Sony promises fast and accurate eye-detect AF, which will be key for things like reality shows or live streaming with no physical operator. It also comes with a built-in electronic variable ND filter, dual SD/CFexpress Type A slots, an ethernet port for remote control (and power) and SDI/HDMI video outputs. 

The FR7 costs $9,700 without a lens, or $12,200 with Sony’s FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 cinema lens. It’s set to go on preorder in the US on September 7th and Sony will show it off at IBC 2022 in Amsterdam later this week.