DOJ calls Apple’s privacy justifications an ‘elastic shield’ for financial gains

The U.S. Department of Justice sued Apple Thursday over monopolistic practices. The complaint accuses Apple of moulding its privacy and security practices in ways that benefits the company financially. One quote particularly jumps out where the DOJ calls Apple’s privacy and security justification an “elastic shield”: “Apple deploys privacy and security justifications as an elastic […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on DOJ calls Apple’s privacy justifications an ‘elastic shield’ for financial gains

WhatsApp now lets you pin up to three messages

WhatsApp announced Thursday that users can now pin up to three messages in a chat to access them easily. Until now, users could pin only one message on top of a conversation with a contact or a group. Both Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and WhatsApp head Will Cathcart announced this feature on their respective WhatsApp […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on WhatsApp now lets you pin up to three messages

LEGO Fortnite players can now build their own islands

The LEGO Group and Epic Games have announced that Fortnite players can build their own brick-based islands.
The news comes as they both took the stage at the 2024 Game Developers Conference (GDC) unveiling that LEGO items are now available in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) and Fortnite Creative.
LEGO in Fortnite
Starting off the creative process are four template islands that players can use as a blank canvas to apply their own builds. The pair also announced on the GDC floor that three more islands will be released:

LEGO Prop Hunt – builds on popular ‘Prop Hunt’ mechanics to create zany LEGO fun for you and other players within the expanse of a wacky shopping mall!
LEGO Battle Arena – allows gamers to become the next Spinjitzu master! You can enroll in special training at the LEGO NINJAGO Dojo with Lloyd and the Masters of Spinjitzu, where you can compete against other trainees, hone your skills, and prove yourself.
LEGO Cat Island Adventure – a playful game all about meeting and nurturing your relationship with a friendly cat on an island and spending time together. Players need to complete tasks to keep their cats happy, and they’ll let you know if they are not!

The announcement video shows players making worlds with an assortment of items in the UEFN:

Kari Vinther Nielsen, Head of Play & Creator Growth at LEGO GAME said: “We want kids and families to be able to enjoy a whole host of fun and engaging play experiences within Fortnite, and the potential this news offers for creators is incredibly exciting – we can’t wait to see what everyone builds and how much the community enjoys the creations.”
Interestingly those creators who take part in the Fortnite Island Creator Program will be able to benefit from the amount of play and interaction that users have with their creations. The official program site page states that “engagement payouts proportionally distribute 40% of the net revenue from Fortnite’s Item Shop and most real-money purchases each month among eligible island publishers, including Epic, based on player activity in Fortnite.”
Since the launch of LEGO Fortnite, which we covered, in December 2023 the partnership between Epic and the Scandinavian toy giant has only gotten stronger. The Battle Royale game has seamlessly synergized with the LEGO creative approach and subsequently announced Building Kits in the game’s latest update, which can be snapped up as in-game purchases via the Fortnite currency, V Bucks.
The relationship between both global gaming companies is blossoming, with Vinther Neilsen saying that today’s announcement “is a hugely important step in us democratizing creativity and putting the power of the LEGO brand into creators’ hands like never before .”
Image: LEGO.
The post LEGO Fortnite players can now build their own islands appeared first on ReadWrite.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on LEGO Fortnite players can now build their own islands

World Fund closes first €300M climate tech fund, seeking to follow on and back hardware

After a three-year fund-raise, World Fund has finally closed a €300 million first fund, €50 million short of it’s target in 2021, but still a considerable number given a background of war and economic uncertainty. The VC originally emerged from the founders of the Ecosia independent search engine, where search enquiries funded the planting of […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on World Fund closes first €300M climate tech fund, seeking to follow on and back hardware

The Antitrust Case Against Apple Argues It Has a Stranglehold on the Future

The Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against Apple says the company’s grip on iPhone users and developers is blocking future innovation in tech.

Posted in Business | Tagged | Comments Off on The Antitrust Case Against Apple Argues It Has a Stranglehold on the Future

One Man’s Army of Streaming Bots Reveals a Whole Industry’s Problem

A rare case in Danish court shows how automated clicks and fake accounts can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars on Apple Music and Spotify. Experts say it’s the tip of the iceberg.

Posted in Business | Tagged | Comments Off on One Man’s Army of Streaming Bots Reveals a Whole Industry’s Problem

Here’s how Microsoft is providing a ‘good outcome’ for Inflection AI VCs, as Reid Hoffman promised

Exactly how much Microsoft is paying all the investors of Inflection AI as part its oddly structured deal to abscond with the cofounders, much of the staff, and the rights to use the tech hasn’t been publicly revealed. And Microsoft declined comment when asked. But unnamed sources tell the Information that it’s plunking out approximately […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on Here’s how Microsoft is providing a ‘good outcome’ for Inflection AI VCs, as Reid Hoffman promised

Wing Venture’s Sara Choi will dig into pitching VCs at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024

Crafting the perfect venture capital pitch is so simple that there’s an industry of consultants to help founders get their decks in order. TechCrunch has a long-running series of Pitch Deck Teardowns to help founders, and you can find an infinite number of Twitter threads on the subject. Easy, right? If only it were so. […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on Wing Venture’s Sara Choi will dig into pitching VCs at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024

DOJ’s Apple antitrust case neatly aligns with EU on one key point: NFC and mobile payments

As Apple faces down the barrel of a U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit, one might assume that references to the Cupertino company’s existing anti-competitive headwinds in Europe would be peppered liberally throughout the DOJ’s complaint — just for a little extra context and moral support, if nothing else. But Europe is barely even […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on DOJ’s Apple antitrust case neatly aligns with EU on one key point: NFC and mobile payments

Microsoft focuses on Copilot as new AI Surface products revealed

Microsoft has unveiled a slew of AI-integrated products, including the new Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, with its chatbot, Copilot, taking center stage.
The tech giant has been stepping up its game in the field of AI, with Copilot at the forefront of its innovations.
During Thursday’s livestream (March 21), Microsoft highlighted Copilot’s features, most notably its expanding capabilities in performing Windows system tasks for its users.

We’re excited to announce our first Microsoft @surface AI PCs built exclusively for business: Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6. Built with @intel® Core Ultra processors and @Windows 11—both bringing the Copilot experience to life: https://t.co/9GAYcuKjQw #Technology
— Microsoft 365 (@Microsoft365) March 21, 2024

Microsoft’s senior director for Windows Enterprise, Melissa Grant, said: “Windows 11 and Windows 365 promise a new era of AI productivity.
“Our goal is to empower employees to work more efficiently and creatively and make the most of their productive time.”
On Windows 11, users will be able to switch between “Work” and “Web” modes using the Copilot toggle. The Work button brings Copilot’s Microsoft 365 capabilities into the Windows interface.
Grant added that the aim of the new technology is to enable Windows to “deliver technology that puts you on a path to becoming an AI-centered organization.”
Microsoft is also investing in cloud PCs provided via Windows 365, using them as a platform for Copilot. The application used to access these cloud PCs is fittingly called the Windows app. Microsoft reports that since its preview release at Microsoft Ignite 2023 in November, the Windows App has accumulated over three million active usage hours.
The Washington-based corporation is optimistic that its Copilot AI companion will significantly save time and reduce stress in workplace environments.
Microsoft’s first AI PCs
The Surface Pro 10 is said to deliver the most advanced Copilot features in a portable design for mobile workers, whereas the Surface Laptop 6 combines the computational power typical of a desktop PC with the convenience of a lightweight laptop.
Users will get the chance to personalize the device for themselves, optimize power performance to extend battery life, and receive suggested performance enhancements and troubleshooting tips from Copilot.
The AI enhancements for Windows 365 will also help to increase device and organizational security through single sign-on, encryption of cloud PCs, and capabilities for zero-trust access.
The Pro 10 now uses a neural processing unit (NPU) that is the powerhouse behind all of the latest integrated Copilot AI features. This frees up capacity on the main processor to handle the tasks that matter.
It also features advanced inking technology, reportedly helping to organize notes into structured documents using Copilot. This comes with Copilot suggestions designed to refine workflow and enhance productivity.
The Pro 10 is said to offer the largest field-of-view camera on a tablet, providing 140 degrees of HD video angle along with AI-powered auto-framing.
Featured image: Microsoft / Canva
The post Microsoft focuses on Copilot as new AI Surface products revealed appeared first on ReadWrite.

Posted in Tech | Tagged | Comments Off on Microsoft focuses on Copilot as new AI Surface products revealed