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Lawsuits Challenge Texas' App Store Age-Verification Law Texas' newly enacted App Store Accountability Act, which requires age verification before downloading apps or making in-app purchases and forces parental consent for underage users, is already facing legal challenges. The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and a student group called Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) have filed separate lawsuits claiming the law violates the First Amendment and places undue burdens on developers. The law is scheduled to take effect on New Year's Day. Plaintiffs argue the statute restricts access to lawful content, compels speech by requiring developers to "age-rate" apps for different audiences, and raises privacy concerns by necessitating identity verification (potentially including government IDs). CCIA, whose members include major tech companies, asserts the law "prevents users from seeing" lawful…

US Judge Bars NSO from Targeting WhatsApp, Narrows Damages in Meta Suit US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton has cut damages awarded to Meta from $167 million to $4 million in its 2019 suit against the Israeli spyware firm NSO Group, but issued a permanent injunction preventing NSO from targeting WhatsApp. The ruling follows allegations that NSO used its Pegasus spyware to spy on journalists, activists and others by exploiting WhatsApp vulnerabilities. Hamilton reduced monetary damages citing proportionality rules, yet concluded an injunction was necessary to prevent future violations given the “undetectable nature” of the defendants' technology. She also ordered NSO to delete and destroy computer code related to Meta's platforms as part of the injunction. Meta alleged Pegasus could infect devices via malicious WhatsApp messages or even missed calls. The…

Google officially retires Privacy Sandbox — what this means for cookies and ads Google has announced it is sunsetting the Privacy Sandbox initiative, saying remaining Sandbox technologies had "low levels of adoption." The company will continue work on privacy across Chrome, Android and the web, but will retire the Privacy Sandbox branding and associated tech. Launched in 2019, Privacy Sandbox aimed to replace third-party cookies with privacy-preserving APIs to enable personalized advertising without sharing identifying user data. Over the years the initiative faced repeated delays, regulatory scrutiny from the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the US Department of Justice, and ultimately low uptake from the ecosystem. Why it’s ending: Google cited low adoption of Sandbox technologies and ongoing challenges including regulatory concerns. Where cookies stand: Google previously delayed and…

ESR launches MagSafe car mount with Qi2.2 (up to 25W) Accessory maker ESR has released a new MagSafe-compatible car mount with inductive charging, now supporting the Qi2.2 standard and offering up to 25 watts of wireless power for compatible recent iPhone models. The company is also offering a limited discount — use code YS9QNRAT to save €12. This model aims at users of current iPhones that can take advantage of higher wireless charging speeds. As with most wireless car chargers, actual performance depends on your phone model, case thickness, ambient temperature and whether the device supports the higher Qi2.2 charging profile. Charging standard: Qi2.2 (enables higher wireless power delivery) Max output: Up to 25W for compatible phones Discount: Code YS9QNRAT reduces price by €12 If you want to check availability…

Monarch Money: 50% off annual plans for new users Monarch Money is currently running a promotion offering 50% off its annual plan for new subscribers when you use the code MONARCHVIP at checkout. The discount cuts the typical $100 yearly fee to $50, but it’s available only to new users and must be redeemed via the web (the code won’t work inside the Monarch mobile app). The app is known for its customization and granular financial tracking — features that some users find worth the setup time. On the main dashboard you can view net worth, recent transactions, month-to-month spending comparisons, income, upcoming bills, investment snapshots and goals. There’s also a detailed month-in-review page to help you analyze trends. Discount details: Use code MONARCHVIP at web checkout; new users only;…

Indie Games Roundup: Steam Next Fest, DropShot, Final Sentence & Big October Launches Steam Next Fest is underway, bringing a flood of demos from small studios and solo developers. Highlights include Aerial_Knights new skydiving FPS DropShot and Final Sentence, a chaotic 100-player typing battle royale. There are also fresh releases, free updates, and several notable indie launches arriving later this month and in November. Next Fest remains one of the best ways to sample upcoming indie projects quickly. Many of the demos mentioned below are playable for a limited time via Steam Next Fest — check the event page to try them out. Explore Steam Next Fest Quick highlights DropShot (Aerial_Knight) — A stylish, fast-paced skydiving first-person shooter where players race to the ground while shooting opponents. Final Sentence —…

Aqara G100: Affordable Wi‑Fi Camera with Apple Home Compatibility Aqara's G100 is a recently released Wi‑Fi camera designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Early impressions highlight easy setup, good image quality, and native compatibility with Apple Home — all at a notably low price point. That combination is what prompted a closer look at the model. Key features reported about the G100 include: Wi‑Fi connectivity for flexible placement (no hub required for basic use). Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation with weather-resistant design. Simple setup and stable image quality for everyday monitoring. Apple Home (HomeKit) compatibility, making it attractive to iPhone and HomeKit users. Competitive, budget-friendly pricing. Setup and compatibility: Reviewers note the camera is easy to install and integrates with Apple Home, allowing users to add it directly…

Report: SpaceX Starshield Satellites May Be Transmitting on Unauthorized Frequencies New reporting indicates that SpaceX's Starshield satellites — a classified, government-facing variant of the Starlink network — may be transmitting on frequencies normally reserved for uplinks from Earth to satellites. Amateur tracker Scott Tilley observed signals that appear to come from Starshield hardware on those uplink bands, which would be inconsistent with international coordination rules. These frequency allocations are coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to prevent radio-frequency interference between satellites and ground stations. Using uplink frequencies for downlink transmissions could, in theory, cause nearby satellites to receive interference or miss commands from ground control, though no confirmed operational problems have been publicly reported so far. Who reported it: Amateur satellite tracker Scott Tilley, as covered by news outlets.…

Meta rolls out opt-in AI camera-roll suggestions in US & Canada Meta has begun offering a new Facebook feature in the United States and Canada that scans users' phone photo libraries (with permission) to surface AI-powered collages, recaps and simple edits. The tool is designed to help people find "hidden gems"—for example, creating a vacation collage or a graduation recap—by automatically suggesting shareable ideas based on time, location and themes. The feature is strictly opt-in. If you grant permission, Facebook will select media from your camera roll and upload it to Meta's cloud on an ongoing basis to generate suggestions. According to Meta, those suggestions are private to you until you choose to share them in Stories or Feed. How it works: After you opt in, Facebook scans your library…

Ring partners with Flock Safety to let law enforcement request doorbell footage — privacy concerns arise Amazon-owned Ring has announced a partnership with surveillance company Flock Safety that allows public safety agencies using Flock's Nova platform or FlockOS to submit requests for footage from Ring customers via Ring’s "Community Requests" program. The process is described as optional and anonymized: agencies must provide a specific location, timeframe, a unique investigation code, and details of the incident before requests are passed to relevant users. Ring says the request flow keeps user identities private and that camera owners choose whether to share footage. The move marks a pivot back toward working with law enforcement after several years of distancing, and comes amid other shifts at Ring — including founder Jamie Siminoff’s return to…