Corning facing EU antitrust suit over Gorilla Glass seals

Corning’s Gorilla Glass is found in countless tech products, from smartphones and wearables to automobile windshields, and the European Commission has an inkling its success is due in part to the US-based business cutting anticompetitive deals. The EC announced a formal antitrust investigation into Corning yesterday, accusing the company of abusing its dominant position as Read more about Corning facing EU antitrust suit over Gorilla Glass seals[…]

Adobe’s Procreate-like Digital Painting App Is Now Free for Everyone – and offers AI options

Adobe tools like Photoshop and Illustrator are household names for creative professionals on Mac and PC (though Affinity is trying hard to steal those paying customers). But now, Adobe is gunning for the tablet drawing and painting market by making its Fresco digital painting app completely free. While Photoshop and Illustrator are on iPad, Procreate Read more about Adobe’s Procreate-like Digital Painting App Is Now Free for Everyone – and offers AI options[…]

Research shows how corporate social responsibility messaging can backfire

It’s lately been considered good business for companies to show they are responsible corporate citizens. Google touts its solar-powered data centers. Apple talks about its use of recycled materials. Walmart describes its support for local communities. But these narratives, according to new research by Haas Associate Professor Tim McQuade, have some downsides. With Emanuele Colonnelli Read more about Research shows how corporate social responsibility messaging can backfire[…]

FIDO Alliance Publishes Draft Working Specifications for Passkeys, invites feedback

The FIDO Alliance has published a working draft of a new set of specifications for secure credential exchange that, when standardized and implemented by credential providers, will enable users to securely move passkeys and all other credentials across providers. The specifications are the result of commitment and collaboration amongst members of the FIDO Alliance’s Credential Read more about FIDO Alliance Publishes Draft Working Specifications for Passkeys, invites feedback[…]

Developers Now Required to Share Phone Number and Address on EU App Store to Meet ‘Trader’ Requirement

Apple today reminded developers that the EU trader requirement in the European Union is now being enforced. Developers who distribute apps in the EU will now need to share information that includes address, phone number, and email address on the EU App Store. Submitting updates for apps on the ‌App Store‌ in the European Union Read more about Developers Now Required to Share Phone Number and Address on EU App Store to Meet ‘Trader’ Requirement[…]

Study: Disappointment, not hatred probably driving polarization in the states

A new study is redefining how we understand affective polarization. The study proposes that disappointment, rather than hatred, may be the dominant emotion driving the growing divide between ideological groups. The findings are published in the journal Cognition and Emotion. The team was led by Ph.D. student Mabelle Kretchner from the Department of Psychology at Read more about Study: Disappointment, not hatred probably driving polarization in the states[…]

Chinese 3x ISP hack shows why world is right about security backdoors and politicians and security people who want them are idiots

It was revealed this weekend that Chinese hackers managed to access systems run by three of the largest internet service providers (ISPs) in the US. What’s notable about the attack is that it compromised security backdoors deliberately created to allow for wiretaps by US law enforcement … […] Apple famously refused the FBI’s request to Read more about Chinese 3x ISP hack shows why world is right about security backdoors and politicians and security people who want them are idiots[…]

Epic judge orders Google to let rivals set up app stores

A US court has ordered Google to refrain from a wide variety of business practices the web giant uses to bolster its Play Store, as a consequence of its December 2023 antitrust defeat against Epic Games. In that case, Epic argued that Google’s Play Store rules and contractual agreements with developers and partners violated the Read more about Epic judge orders Google to let rivals set up app stores[…]

Mazda’s $10 Subscription For Remote Start Sparks Backlash After Killing Open Source Option

Mazda recently surprised customers by requiring them to sign up for a subscription in order to keep certain services. Now, notable right-to-repair advocate Louis Rossmann is calling out the brand. He points to several moves by Mazda as reasons for his anger toward them. However, it turns out that customers might still have a workaround. Read more about Mazda’s $10 Subscription For Remote Start Sparks Backlash After Killing Open Source Option[…]

String Theorists Accidentally Find a New Formula for Pi

[…] most recently in January 2024, when physicists Arnab Priya Saha and Aninda Sinha of the Indian Institute of Science presented a completely new formula for calculating it, which they later published in Physical Review Letters. Saha and Sinha are not mathematicians. They were not even looking for a novel pi equation. Rather, these two Read more about String Theorists Accidentally Find a New Formula for Pi[…]

Only 5 years too late: British regulators to examine Big Tech’s digital wallets – and where is the EU?

British regulators said on Monday they were looking into the soaring use of digital wallets offered by Big Tech firms, including whether there are any competition, consumer protection or market integrity concerns. The Financial Conduct Authority and Payments Systems Regulator is seeking views on the benefits and risks, and will assess the impact digital wallets, Read more about Only 5 years too late: British regulators to examine Big Tech’s digital wallets – and where is the EU?[…]

Nike Is Killing the App for Its 5 year old $350 Self-Tying Sneakers

In 2019, Nike got closer than ever to its dream of popularizing self-tying sneakers by releasing the Adapt BB. Using Bluetooth, the sneakers paired to the Adapt app that let users do things like tighten or loosen the shoes’ laces and control its LED lights. However, Nike has announced that it’s “retiring” the app on Read more about Nike Is Killing the App for Its 5 year old $350 Self-Tying Sneakers[…]

Microsoft Account to local account conversion guide erased from official Windows 11 guide

Microsoft has been pushing hard for its users to sign into Windows with a Microsoft Account. The newest Windows 11 installer removed the easy bypass to the requirement that you make an account or login with your existing account. If you didn’t install Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account and now want to stop sending Read more about Microsoft Account to local account conversion guide erased from official Windows 11 guide[…]

EU delays decision over continuous spying on all your devices *cough* scanning encrypted messages for kiddie porn

European Union officials have delayed talks over proposed legislation that could lead to messaging services having to scan photos and links to detect possible child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Were the proposal to become law, it may require the likes of WhatsApp, Messenger and Signal to scan all images that users upload — which would Read more about EU delays decision over continuous spying on all your devices *cough* scanning encrypted messages for kiddie porn[…]

Signal, MEPs urge EU Council to drop law that puts a spy on everyone’s devices

On Thursday, the EU Council is scheduled to vote on a legislative proposal that would attempt to protect children online by disallowing confidential communication. The vote had been set for Wednesday but got pushed back [PDF]. Known to detractors as Chat Control, the proposal seeks to prevent the online dissemination of child sexual abuse material Read more about Signal, MEPs urge EU Council to drop law that puts a spy on everyone’s devices[…]

Wi-Fi Routers are like an trackers available to everyone

Apple and the satellite-based broadband service Starlink each recently took steps to address new research into the potential security and privacy implications of how their services geo-locate devices. Researchers from the University of Maryland say they relied on publicly available data from Apple to track the location of billions of devices globally — including non-Apple Read more about Wi-Fi Routers are like an trackers available to everyone[…]

US / EU NATO Expenditure – is the balance really so lopsided?

The visualisation of US vs EU spending on NATO going the rounds is pretty suspect: The Blue area contains not just the USA, but also Canada. The US defence budget is incorrect. It fails to take into account that the US is a global player with ambitions and commitments beyond NATO. It doesn’t show that Read more about US / EU NATO Expenditure – is the balance really so lopsided?[…]

Samsung Requires Independent Repair Shops to Share Customer Data, Snitch on People and destroy phones Using Aftermarket Parts, Leaked Contract Shows

In exchange for selling them repair parts, Samsung requires independent repair shops to give Samsung the name, contact information, phone identifier, and customer complaint details of everyone who gets their phone repaired at these shops, according to a contract obtained by 404 Media. Stunningly, it also requires these nominally independent shops to “immediately disassemble” any Read more about Samsung Requires Independent Repair Shops to Share Customer Data, Snitch on People and destroy phones Using Aftermarket Parts, Leaked Contract Shows[…]

Adobe threatens to sue Nintendo emulator Delta for its look-alike logo

Delta, an emulator that can play Nintendo games, had to change its logo after Adobe threatened legal action. You’d think it would face trouble from Nintendo, seeing as it has been going after emulators these days, but no. It’s Adobe who’s going after the developer, which told TechCrunch that it first received an email from Read more about Adobe threatens to sue Nintendo emulator Delta for its look-alike logo[…]

Patent troll hits Microsoft with $242 million US verdict in Cortana lawsuit

Microsoft (MSFT.O) must pay patent owner IPA Technologies $242 million, a federal jury in Delaware said on Friday after determining that Microsoft’s Cortana virtual-assistant software infringed an IPA patent. The jury agreed with IPA after a week-long trial that Microsoft’s voice-recognition technology violates IPA’s patent rights in computer-communications software. IPA is a subsidiary of patent-licensing Read more about Patent troll hits Microsoft with $242 million US verdict in Cortana lawsuit[…]

Helldivers 2 PC players suddenly have to link to a PSN account and they’re not being chill about it

Nintendo sent a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice for over 8,000 GitHub repositories hosting code from the Yuzu Switch emulator, which the Zelda maker previously described as enabling “piracy at a colossal scale.” The sweeping takedown comes two months after Yuzu’s creators quickly settled a lawsuit with Nintendo and its notoriously trigger-happy legal team Read more about Helldivers 2 PC players suddenly have to link to a PSN account and they’re not being chill about it[…]

Nintendo blitzes GitHub with over 8,000 emulator-related DMCA takedowns

Nintendo sent a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice for over 8,000 GitHub repositories hosting code from the Yuzu Switch emulator, which the Zelda maker previously described as enabling “piracy at a colossal scale.” The sweeping takedown comes two months after Yuzu’s creators quickly settled a lawsuit with Nintendo and its notoriously trigger-happy legal team Read more about Nintendo blitzes GitHub with over 8,000 emulator-related DMCA takedowns[…]

EU’s new right-to-repair rules force companies to repair out-of-warranty devices

Devices sold in Europe already offer minimum two-year warranties, but the new rules impose additional requirements. If a device is repaired under warranty, the customer must be given a choice between a replacement or a repair. If they choose the latter, the warranty is to be extended by a year. Once it expires, companies are Read more about EU’s new right-to-repair rules force companies to repair out-of-warranty devices[…]

Project Ghostbusters: Facebook Accused of Using Your Phone to Wiretap Snapchat, Youtube, Amazon through Onavo VPN

Court filings unsealed last week allege Meta created an internal effort to spy on Snapchat in a secret initiative called “Project Ghostbusters.” Meta did so through Onavo, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service the company offered between 2016 and 2019 that, ultimately, wasn’t private at all. “Whenever someone asks a question about Snapchat, the answer Read more about Project Ghostbusters: Facebook Accused of Using Your Phone to Wiretap Snapchat, Youtube, Amazon through Onavo VPN[…]