Author: alex

YouTube may reinstate channels banned for COVID‑19 and election misinformationAlphabet (Google/YouTube) has told the House Judiciary Committee that senior Biden administration officials repeatedly pressured the company to remove COVID‑19 content that did not violate YouTube policies at the time. In a letter sent via counsel, Alphabet called the administration's actions "unacceptable and wrong."YouTube says it will offer a path to reinstatement for creators whose channels were banned under now-removed guidelines for COVID‑19 and election‑integrity content, but the company has not shared details on how that process will work. Notable channels previously banned include Steve Bannon's War Room, Dan Bongino's channel, and Children's Health Defense.The company also expressed First Amendment concerns and warned that EU rules like the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act could chill free expression.What we know:Alphabet…

Costco reportedly stops selling Xbox consoles online (US & UK) Reports indicate Costco has removed Xbox consoles, accessories and related games from its US and UK websites. Some users also report a shortage of Xbox products in physical Costco stores, while sections for PlayStation and Nintendo remain active and stocked. What we know Costco’s online listings for Xbox consoles and related products appear to have been removed across US and UK sites. PlayStation (PS5) and Nintendo (Switch) pages are still listed and selling hardware, accessories and games. There is no official statement from Costco yet explaining the removals. Why this might be happening Observers speculate this could relate to Xbox’s weaker sales this generation — the PlayStation 5 has sold nearly 80 million units while Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S is…

How to cancel Disney+ (price increase & pause options) Disney+ has announced another price increase. If the higher cost (or other reasons) means you want to stop your subscription, here’s a clear guide to canceling, pausing, and what happens next. Cancel directly (web or mobile) Log in to your Disney+ account. Select your Profile → Account → Subscription → Disney+ subscription → Cancel Subscription. Cancel via third-party billing (Apple, Google, Amazon, carriers) If you’re billed by Apple, Google, Amazon, or your wireless/TV provider, cancel with that provider — they handle payments. Apple (iPhone/iPad) Settings → tap your name → Subscriptions → select Disney+ → Cancel. Google (Play Store) Open Google Play (web), ensure you’re signed in → Account icon → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions → select Disney+ → Manage…

Sony Franchise Rewards — "Ghost Rewards" (Ghost of Tsushima) Sony has launched a new "Franchise Rewards" program that ties exclusive physical merchandise to in-game trophies. The program debuts with "Ghost Rewards" for Ghost of Tsushima. What’s offered Platinum ("Living Legend") — access to buy a commemorative mask pin ($25) Gold ("Mono No Aware") — access to buy a custom t-shirt (~$30) Important: "Reward" = access to purchase the merch. You must log into your PlayStation account on the Franchise Rewards site and pay for the item to receive it. Reported claim deadline for eligibility is December 31, 2025 (check official PlayStation channels for any updates). How this compares This replaces Sony’s previous PlayStation Stars approach with a physical-merch model similar to Bungie Rewards for Destiny, where completing in-game activities unlocks…

How People Use ChatGPT — NBER large-scale study (w34255) A new NBER working paper (No. 34255), produced in collaboration with researchers from OpenAI and Harvard, analyzes a representative sample of about 1.5 million anonymized ChatGPT conversations to understand how people use the model in everyday life and at work. Quick summary Dataset: ~1.5 million anonymized conversations (representative sample). Main use cases: practical guidance (tutoring/how‑to/idea generation), information‑seeking (research, facts, recipes), and writing tasks (drafting, editing, summarizing, translating). Work vs. non‑work: Over 70% of use was non‑work related by July 2025; writing dominates work tasks (~30% of total usage). Interaction types classified as "Asking" (~49%), "Doing" (~40%), and "Expressing" (~11%). Economic implications: substantial decision‑support value, especially in knowledge‑intensive tasks; faster uptake in lower‑income countries and narrowing gender gaps among users. Method &…

iOS 26.1 Beta 1: Languages, Music & Photos Tweaks, Security Improvements Apple has released the first developer beta of iOS 26.1 (Sept 22, 2025). This update focuses on expanded language support for Apple Intelligence and AirPods Live Translation, UI improvements in Apple Music and Photos, and system security changes. Key changes Apple Intelligence: Adds support for Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPods Live Translation: New languages including Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Mandarin (Traditional & Simplified). Apple Music: Swipe on the song title to switch tracks. Photos: Improved video scrubbing slider for easier navigation. Phone keypad: New “Liquid Glass” number design. Calendar: Multi-calendar events now show full-color backgrounds. Security: "Rapid Security Updates" renamed to Background Security Improvement, enhancing pre-installation of security improvements and system files.…

Disney+ price hikes come Oct 21 — here’s what changes Disney will raise US prices for several Disney+ plans and bundles effective October 21. Standalone and bundle increases range from $2–$3 per month. Key price changes Disney+ (with ads): $12/month (+$2) Disney+ Premium (ad-free): $19/month (+$3) Disney+ & Hulu (with ads): $13/month (was $11, +$2) Disney+, Hulu & ESPN Select (with ads): $20/month (was $17, +$3) Disney+, Hulu & ESPN Select Premium (ad-free): $30/month (was $27, +$3) Disney+ Premium (ad-free), Hulu & ESPN Select (with ads) — legacy plan: $25/month (was $22, +$3) Disney+, Hulu & HBO Max Basic (with ads): $20/month (was $17, +$3) Disney+ Premium, Hulu Premium & HBO Max (no ads): $33/month (was $30, +$3) Some plans and bundles are unchanged for now (ad-free Hulu Premium, certain…

Riot’s 2XKO Fighting Game — What We Know (Update) Riot Games’ long-anticipated fighting game 2XKO (formerly Project L) recently had a developer update showcasing gameplay, characters and a pronunciation guide. Below is a concise summary of confirmed facts and corrections to some circulating claims. Confirmed Name: 2XKO (pronounced “two-ex-k-oh”). Gameplay: 2v2 tag-based fighting game set in the League of Legends universe — reminiscent of tag fighters like Marvel vs. Capcom. Platform plan: Riot has signaled a broader console release for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S; official full release targeted in 2025 per Riot communications. Official sources: Riot’s 2XKO site and announcement/trailer are the best primary references: https://2xko.riotgames.com/en-us/ Official trailer / gameplay Claims to correct / unconfirmed claims PC Early Access on October 7: Not confirmed by Riot. Official communications point…

Secret Service seizes SIM-server network in NYC capable of disabling cell service The U.S. Secret Service announced the seizure of a sophisticated network of SIM servers in the New York City area. According to reporting, the operation uncovered over 300 SIM servers and roughly 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites. The network reportedly had capabilities including jamming cell towers, conducting distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and enabling encrypted communications. An early analysis suggested the network could send up to 30 million anonymous text messages per minute. Key details Date disclosed: Reported ahead of the UN General Assembly Scope: 300+ SIM servers; ~100,000 SIM cards; devices concentrated within a ~35-mile radius Capabilities: Tower jamming, DDoS, encrypted comms; possible eavesdropping Quotes: "This network had the potential to disable cell phone towers and essentially…

Apple expands Tap to Pay on iPhone across five more European countries Apple has rolled out Tap to Pay on iPhone for merchants in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Monaco and Norway. The feature lets businesses accept in-person contactless payments using only an iPhone and an approved third-party iOS app — no extra hardware required. Platforms enabled at launch (selected) Estonia: SumUp, Revolut Latvia: SumUp Lithuania: SumUp, Revolut Monaco: Adyen, BNP Paribas Norway: Adyen, Nexi, PayPal, Stripe, SumUp, Surfboard Payments, Viva.com (includes BankAxept via Surfboard) Merchants using these supported platforms can accept Apple Pay as well as contactless credit and debit cards. Every Tap to Pay transaction is encrypted and processed using Apple’s Secure Element, a dedicated chip for storing sensitive payment data. Platforms must have a commercial agreement with Apple to…