Hashtag Trend April 19 – Senator asks Intuit. Windows Toolbox Malware; and US Army Print Barracks

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Elizabeth Warren blames Intuit for misleading tax filers, the popular Windows Toolbox script is actually malware, and the U.S. military has contracted with a 3D printing company to build a training facility. increase.

Here’s all the tech news that’s currently trending. Welcome to Hashtag Trends. It’s Tuesday, April 19th. I am your host, Samira Balsara.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren is asking TurboTax Software’s parent company Intuit why Americans have to pay to file tax returns. Warren said Intuit used extensive lobbying tactics to prevent Americans from filing tax returns for free and misleading them into paying for services like TurboTax. The controversy surrounds the Free File program, an initiative initiated by the IRS, which allows Americans with annual incomes of less than $ 73,000 to file tax returns for free. In the letter, Warren blamed companies working with the IRS for free filing of fraudulent taxpayers and misleaded filers into paying for services. Her statement follows FTC’s recent proceedings against Intuit over the company’s deceptive marketing practices.

The popular Windows Toolbox script turned out to be a disguised Trojan horse. This script, simply called Windows Toolbox on Github, allowed users to crack Microsoft Office and Windows, or install the Google Play Store on Windows 11, a feature that Microsoft doesn’t officially support yet. The prospect of unleashing the full Android app on Windows 11 has generated a lot of hype, and this tool has been very popular for some time. Unfortunately, the script exploited its popularity to install malware and unwanted browser extensions. The full story of the attack is not clear, but the damage can extend beyond what has already been discovered.

The US military has contracted with a 3D printing company to “print” the barracks to train the army. Within the next 10 months, the military will use Icon’s building printing technology to build three structures. When completed, each building will span 5,700 square feet. This is the largest printed building project ever in the United States. According to a press release, 3D printing technology can help the military reduce labor costs and construction time. And to withstand harsh military use, the building is made of high-strength concrete, Lava Crete.

And now for something a little different. Electric vehicles are becoming more and more powerful, but their range is still an important issue. Battery technology is also advancing rapidly as countries step up their efforts to build their support infrastructure. One such example is Theion technology, a new battery technology that enables small vehicles to reach a range of 900 miles. In addition to the increased energy density, batteries are based on sulfur rather than much more abundant lithium. The higher the availability of raw materials, the lower the price and the better the demands of the booming EV market. Unfortunately, EVs are not the main market for Theion. The company wants to target the aerospace industry first, then consumer products such as smartphones and laptops. That said, the company says EVs are definitely on the roadmap.

Here’s all the tech news that’s currently trending. Hashtag trends are part of the ITWC podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash briefing or Google Home daily briefing. Sign up for the Daily IT Wire Newsletter to get all the important news directly in your inbox every day. It also catches the next episode of Hashtag Tendance, a weekly hashtag trend episode in French that drops every Thursday morning. If you have any suggestions or tips, please contact us in the comments or email. Thank you for listening, this is Samira Balsara.