Category: Uncategorized

Amazon to pay $2.5 billion to settle FTC lawsuit over Prime enrollmentsAmazon has agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after being accused of using deceptive design to enroll millions in Prime and making cancellations difficult. The settlement was announced shortly after a jury trial began in Seattle.Key pointsTotal settlement: $2.5 billionBreakdown: $1 billion civil penalty to the FTC; $1.5 billion in refunds to roughly 35 million affected customers (payments up to about $51 each)Allegations: Use of “dark patterns” and confusing checkout flows that led to unintended Prime enrollments and made opt-out/cancellation intentionally hardCase timeline: Lawsuit originally filed in 2023; settlement came as the Seattle trial was commencingWhat this meansThe FTC called the agreement historic, signaling stronger enforcement against manipulative subscription designs. Consumers impacted…

Microsoft blocks Israel’s Unit 8200 from Azure over alleged mass surveillance of Palestinians According to multiple reports, Microsoft has revoked and disabled certain Azure services used by an Israeli military intelligence unit (reported as Unit 8200) after discovering the unit had stored a large cache of intercepted Palestinian civilian phone calls on Microsoft’s cloud. Microsoft vice-chair Brad Smith said the company had "ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel ministry of defense," adding: "We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians." Microsoft said the move followed an external inquiry into the agency’s use of Azure and came amid pressure from employees and investors. Key points Reports say millions of Palestinian calls from Gaza and the West Bank were collected and stored…

Microsoft reverses Windows 10 ESU restrictions in the EEA Microsoft has backtracked on restrictions it placed on the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for users in the European Economic Area (EEA) after complaints from consumer rights group Euroconsumers. Originally, Microsoft tied certain ESU enrollment options to a Microsoft account and cloud backup, or to spending Microsoft Rewards points — effectively limiting free access for some users. Following pressure, Microsoft updated the enrollment process in the EEA "to ensure it meets local expectations and delivers a secure, streamlined experience," according to a company spokesperson quoted in reporting. What changed In the EEA, ESU enrollment no longer requires a Microsoft account or mandatory cloud backup enrollment. European users can receive critical security updates past Windows 10’s official end of support…

Nintendo to open its first-ever UK pop-up store in London Nintendo will open a limited-time pop-up store in London this fall — its first in the UK. The store will run from October 22 to November 16, 2025 on the ground floor of Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush. What to expect Official Nintendo merchandise across iconic franchises including Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong and more. Apparel and collectibles such as keyrings, pins, bags and other accessories. Similar merchandise selection to Nintendo’s official stores in Tokyo, Kyoto and its permanent US locations. Entry & reservations Opening-week entry (Oct 22–26) will be by reservation only. Tickets go live on October 7, 2025. From October 27 onward the store will operate on a first-come, first-served basis — expect…

GSA Approves xAI’s Grok for Federal Use Under OneGov Deal The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has reached an agreement with Elon Musk’s xAI to make Grok available to federal agencies under the OneGov procurement initiative. Key details Models: Grok 4 and Grok 4 Fast Price: $0.42 per organization Duration: 18-month OneGov contract (through March 2027) Support: xAI will provide dedicated engineers to help agencies implement Grok and offer upgrade paths for expanded features and rate limits This deal is part of the Trump administration’s OneGov AI push to accelerate federal AI adoption. xAI joins other AI vendors approved for government use, including Anthropic and OpenAI. Context and concerns The agreement comes despite public controversies around Grok’s recent outputs, which reportedly included conspiracy-focused and antisemitic content in some interactions. The…

Kulturpass wird eingestellt: Zugriff nur noch bis 30. November 2025 Die Bundesregierung hat offiziell beschlossen, den Kulturpass für 18‑Jährige einzustellen. Das Programm, das 2023 eingeführt wurde und jungen Menschen ein Kulturbudget (zuletzt 100 €) für Veranstaltungen, Museen, Bücher und mehr zur Verfügung stellte, läuft zum Jahresende 2025 aus. Wichtige Punkte: Die Nutzung bereits freigeschalteter Budgets ist bis zum 30. November 2025 möglich. Bestellungen müssen bis spätestens 15. Dezember 2025 abgeholt werden. Die Bundesregierung verweist auf eine Einschätzung des Bundesrechnungshofs, wonach die nationale Finanzierung verfassungswidrig sein könnte, da Kultur Ländersache sei. Der Kulturpass wurde 2023 gestartet und hatte anfangs ein Budget von 200 €, zuletzt 100 €. Kritikpunkte: geringe Nutzung, hohe IT‑Kosten (über 30 Mio. €) und verfassungsrechtliche Bedenken. Reaktionen: Die Bundesschülerkonferenz zeigte sich enttäuscht und kritisierte das Aus des Programms…

Amazon to pay $2.5 billion to settle FTC claims over unwanted Prime enrollments The Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement requiring Amazon to pay a $1 billion civil penalty to the FTC and $1.5 billion to refund customers after alleging Amazon enrolled roughly 35 million customers into Amazon Prime without proper consent and made cancellations difficult through deceptive interface designs. Key settlement terms $1 billion civil penalty to the FTC (largest civil penalty in an FTC breach case). $1.5 billion in consumer redress to provide refunds for affected customers (estimated ~35 million people). Amazon must stop using deceptive "dark patterns" in the Prime sign-up and cancellation flows — for example, removing misleading options such as a button reading "No, I don’t want Free Shipping" during cancellation. Amazon must provide clearer…

Insta360 Wave: AI conference speakerphone with 8-mic array Insta360 has launched the Wave, a conference speakerphone focused on clean voice transmission, easy use and AI-powered transcription. The device integrates eight microphones to capture speech from up to ~5 meters (approx. 16 feet) and uses automatic gain control plus AI noise reduction to keep quiet voices and background noise under control. The speaker is aimed at improving remote and hybrid meetings with built-in meeting intelligence. Key specs Microphones: 8-microphone 3D array Pickup range: up to ~5 m / 16 ft Audio: Hi‑Fi capture; AI noise cancellation removing many common noises Features: Automatic gain control, AI transcription and meeting assistant features Design: Levitating speakerphone-style form factor Connectivity: Likely USB/Bluetooth (typical for speakerphones); check official page for exact ports Price, availability & subscription…

xAI sues OpenAI over alleged trade-secret theft Elon Musk’s xAI has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in California federal court, alleging that the ChatGPT maker stole trade secrets by hiring former xAI employees who allegedly took proprietary code and operational know‑how. Key claims xAI alleges former engineer Xuechen Li took confidential data before joining OpenAI and has filed a separate suit against him. The complaint names another ex-xAI engineer, Jimmy Fraiture, accused of copying source code and transferring it to personal devices prior to joining OpenAI. xAI also claims a senior finance executive brought proprietary “rapid data‑center deployment” methods to OpenAI. xAI’s lawyers describe the conduct as part of a “broader and deeply troubling pattern” of trade-secret misappropriation and unfair competition. Context OpenAI has not yet commented publicly on the…

Nothing Spins Off CMF into India‑Headquartered Subsidiary Tech company Nothing is spinning off its budget CMF brand into an independent subsidiary headquartered in India for manufacturing and R&D, in partnership with Indian ODM Optiemus. The move is expected to create over 1,800 jobs and focuses on affordable devices (primarily under $200). Key points Headquarters for manufacturing & R&D: India Partner: Optiemus (Indian ODM / telecom partner) Jobs: 1,800+ projected Product focus: Budget-friendly devices (earbuds, smartwatch, smartphones) priced largely under $200 Funding context: Nothing recently raised $200M in a funding round; a separate ~$100M JV/investment has been reported for the CMF spin-off Background CMF by Nothing launched in 2023 with earbuds and a smartwatch, and has since expanded into smartphones. India represents a strong market for Nothing — the brand has…