US lawmakers urge UK spy court to hold Apple ‘backdoor’ secret hearing in public

Five U.S. lawmakers, including Senator Ron Wyden, urged the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal for a public hearing on Apple’s alleged UK government data access order. The order reportedly demands Apple create a 'backdoor' for accessing customer data worldwide, which Apple has resisted by withdrawing an encryption feature. Two civil rights groups, Liberty and Privacy International, support public hearings, alleging the order infringes on constitutionally protected speech. Google is similarly restricted from discussing potential receipt of such demands according to Wyden’s office.
Tech

Nintendo Switch 2 could be priced at an eye-popping $500

Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 is anticipated to cost between $400 and $500, mainly due to an expensive processor and tariffs. Analysts like Hideki Yasuda and Hiroshi Yamashina provide varying pricing and sales estimates, with predictions of up to 20 million units sold in the first year. Despite its price, excitement surrounds the release due to expected major game titles and high initial inventory. Industry experts forecast it could achieve the biggest console launch in history, surpassing PS5's debut.
Hardware

Trump family is reportedly in talks to acquire stake in Binance’s US arm

Reports indicate the Trump family might invest in Binance.US, following the platform's previous $4.3 billion settlement due to anti-money laundering violations. Binance's founder, Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, was imprisoned for four months in 2023 and paid the fine, continuing as a main shareholder. Zhao, listed by Forbes as the 24th richest person globally, allegedly seeks a presidential pardon from Trump. Zhao denied any discussions claiming otherwise and highlighting the challenge of partnerships due to past legal issues.
Tech

Latest news

Google's Gemini Deep Research is now available to everyone

Google's Gemini Deep Research tool is now accessible to everyone in over 45 languages at no cost. Originally using the Gemini 1.5 Pro model, the feature now runs on the upgraded Gemini 2.0 Flash model, offering detailed and comprehensive reports on complex topics. The new Gemini with personalization feature allows AI responses based on user data from Google apps, with future improvements promising to draw from services like Photos and YouTube. Gemini users can enable this personalization in the settings, with easy opt-out options.
AI

Huawei allegedly 'benefited' from European Parliament bribery scheme

Several arrests have been made concerning an alleged corruption scheme linked to the European Parliament and Huawei. Belgian prosecutors report ongoing investigations into active corruption, forgery, and money laundering aimed at promoting private interests through discreet lobbying. Huawei is accused of benefiting from this scheme involving regular compensation and gifts to officials. The company is cooperating with inquiries while maintaining its commitment to anti-corruption policies.
Tech

AMD calls demand for Radeon 9070 and 9070 XT "unprecedented," says restocking at MSRP is priority number one

AMD has experienced unprecedented demand for its RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards since their March 6 launch, making them difficult to find at MSRP. The RX 9070 XT is priced at $599, with the RX 9070 slightly cheaper at $549 but with 14% lower performance. Despite AMD's promise of 'wide availability,' many retailers like Newegg and Best Buy have sold out at MSRP. AMD's David McAfee emphasizes increasing the supply of Navi 48 to meet gamer demand worldwide.
Hardware

US lawmakers urge UK spy court to hold Apple ‘backdoor’ secret hearing in public

Five U.S. lawmakers, including Senator Ron Wyden, urged the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal for a public hearing on Apple’s alleged UK government data access order. The order reportedly demands Apple create a 'backdoor' for accessing customer data worldwide, which Apple has resisted by withdrawing an encryption feature. Two civil rights groups, Liberty and Privacy International, support public hearings, alleging the order infringes on constitutionally protected speech. Google is similarly restricted from discussing potential receipt of such demands according to Wyden’s office.
Tech

Nintendo Switch 2 could be priced at an eye-popping $500

Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 is anticipated to cost between $400 and $500, mainly due to an expensive processor and tariffs. Analysts like Hideki Yasuda and Hiroshi Yamashina provide varying pricing and sales estimates, with predictions of up to 20 million units sold in the first year. Despite its price, excitement surrounds the release due to expected major game titles and high initial inventory. Industry experts forecast it could achieve the biggest console launch in history, surpassing PS5's debut.
Hardware

Trump family is reportedly in talks to acquire stake in Binance’s US arm

Reports indicate the Trump family might invest in Binance.US, following the platform's previous $4.3 billion settlement due to anti-money laundering violations. Binance's founder, Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, was imprisoned for four months in 2023 and paid the fine, continuing as a main shareholder. Zhao, listed by Forbes as the 24th richest person globally, allegedly seeks a presidential pardon from Trump. Zhao denied any discussions claiming otherwise and highlighting the challenge of partnerships due to past legal issues.
Tech

OpenAI calls DeepSeek ‘state-controlled,’ calls for bans on ‘PRC-produced’ models

OpenAI describes DeepSeek as a 'state-subsidized' and 'state-controlled' AI lab from China, advocating for banning its models to mitigate security risks. Their policy proposal submitted to the Trump administration argues DeepSeek's compliance with Chinese laws poses a risk of IP theft and data demands. Unclear classification of DeepSeek's models and allegations suggest heightened tension between OpenAI and DeepSeek. Despite no clear link to the Chinese government, China's interest surfaces as DeepSeek's founder meets Xi Jinping.
Tech

Anti-aging zealot Bryan Johnson wants to start ‘foodome sequencing’

Bryan Johnson, known for his focus on anti-aging, aims to sequence 20% of the U.S. food supply, enhancing dietary safety by identifying contaminants. He announced this initiative at SXSW, emphasizing the difficulty of obtaining clean food and encouraging public support through a donation-based testing system. Despite online criticism, Johnson promotes aligning AI with life-preservation goals as part of his broader 'Don't Die' philosophy. Although met with skepticism, his protocols and product endorsements highlight his commitment to healthier lifestyles and longevity.
Tech

Microsoft is making TypeScript 10x faster with native implementation in Go

Microsoft enhances TypeScript with Go language, improving speed by tenfold. Anders Hejlsberg leads the performance boost effort by porting TypeScript's compiler to Go, aiding all major editors with better handling of large projects. Performance gains range from 9.1x to 13.5x, showcasing significant enhancements. TypeScript 7.0 will run parallel to existing versions, ensuring developer needs are met smoothly.
Tech

Sesame, the startup behind the viral virtual assistant Maya, releases its base AI model

AI company Sesame has released CSM-1B, a 1 billion parameter model behind virtual assistant Maya. This model employs residual vector quantization (RVQ) and has some multilingual capabilities. Co-founded by Oculus co-creator Brendan Iribe, Sesame lacks stringent safeguards against misuse. The firm is supported by Andreessen Horowitz, Spark Capital, and Matrix Partners and is also developing AI-enhanced glasses.
AI

Half-Life 2 RTX demo arrives March 18, RTX Remix modding suite leaves beta

Nvidia announced a March 18 release for the Half-Life 2 RTX demo which showcases their RTX Remix modding suite. This suite introduces DLSS 4, RTX IO, and a unique ray tracing approach including 30x more detailed character models. New features such as RTX Skin and Neural Radiance Cache enhance visual depth and performance. The demo will demonstrate these abilities in specific game chapters, available for free to Half-Life 2 owners.
Gaming

See Brad Pitt behind the wheel in the trailer for 'F1'

Brad Pitt stars in Apple's F1 movie, releasing internationally on June 25, and in U.S. theaters and IMAX on June 27. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film features an all-star cast including Javier Bardem and Damson Idris, with a screenplay by Ehren Kruger and music by Hans Zimmer. It blends Hollywood glamour with real Formula 1 elements, despite being fictional. The trailer reflects a high-end production, reflective of F1's lavish world, similar to Netflix's F1 series.
Entertainment

‘Stranger Things’ Star Sadie Sink Joins Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man 4’

Sadie Sink, known for her role in 'Stranger Things,' will join Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's 'Spider-Man 4.' Although the character she will play is not confirmed, there is speculation she might portray Jean Grey. Destin Daniel Cretton will direct the film, taking over from Jon Watts. 'Spider-Man 4' is set to release on July 31, 2026.
Entertainment

Solar power sets record in the US with 50 GW added, meanwhile Big Tech bets on nuclear

The US set a record by adding 50 GW of solar power, enough to power 8.5 million homes. Simultaneously, tech companies Amazon, Google, and Meta aim to triple nuclear capacity by 2050. In Texas, 11.6 GW of solar was installed, and 13 states added over 1 GW. Challenges for solar include policy issues and possible $250 billion investment loss.
Tech

Samsung will cut its Galaxy Store commission to 80/20 for games

Samsung announced a reduction in its commission for game apps on the Galaxy Store from 30% to 20% ahead of the Game Developers Conference. This strategic move positions Samsung to better compete with Google's Play Store, which enforces a 70/30 split but offers a 15% cut for the first $1 million developers earn. Despite the Galaxy Store's smaller market size compared to Google's, this change could attract more game developers to benefit from greater earnings. The new revenue-sharing model takes effect on May 15, 2025, promising improved profitability for developers using Samsung's ecosystem.
Tech

Apple Mac Studio M4 Max review: A creative powerhouse

Apple's Mac Studio M4 Max boasts impressive performance with a 14-core CPU and 32-core GPU, designed for creators. Despite its minimal design, it offers a robust set of ports including Thunderbolt 5 and USB-C. The M4 Max model delivers smooth video editing experiences, easily handling 4K, 6K, and even single-layer 8K formats. Steve Dent notes that while upgrades are pricey, the Mac Studio remains solid value for content professionals.
Hardware
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