Debate Over Pricing and Availability of Apple Intelligence

April 23, 2025, 10:20 am more...

Amid Apple’s highly anticipated unveiling of its AI suite, industry observers are split. Some argue that a paywall on Apple Intelligence is justified given its innovative features, while skeptics question rollout delays and true value; the mixed reactions underscore the pressure on Apple to deliver on its bold promises.

bgr.com / Apple Intelligence can’t be that bad if people say they want to pay for it

androidheadlines.com / Apple Faces Scrutiny Over Apple Intelligence Availability Claims

permalink / 2 stories from 2 sources in 6 days ago #apple #technology #saas #mobile #iphone +

Andor Season 2 ignites fresh Star Wars discourse on Disney+

April 21, 2025, 1:20 pm more...

Critics are delving deep into the renewed narrative of Star Wars with the second season of Andor, which returns on Disney+ with a bold new vision. The season is being lauded for its rebellious spirit and fresh take on iconic themes, setting the stage for robust discussion among longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Bluesky: @gizmodo.com

cnet.com / 'Andor' Season 2 Premiere: When to Watch the Star Wars Series

gizmodo.com / Report: Lost‘s Carlton Cuse Is Working on a Mysterious Star Wars Show

gizmodo.com / Everything We Saw at Star Wars Celebration Japan

permalink / 7 stories from 4 sources in 8 days ago #software #gaming #saas #techpolicy #digitalmarketing +

FTC targets Uber’s shady subscription tactics

April 21, 2025, 1:20 pm more...

The Federal Trade Commission has taken aim at Uber for allegedly tricking subscribers into recurring charges by enrolling customers and making cancellations a labyrinthine process. Multiple lawsuits allege deceptive billing practices centered on the Uber One subscription, prompting legal action that puts a spotlight on the company’s customer safeguards.

Reddit: r/politics, r/technews, r/technology

Bluesky: @gizmodo.com

gizmodo.com / FTC Says Uber Enrolled People Into Its Subscription Service Without Consent

www.ft.com/ / FTC sues Uber over ‘deceptive’ subscription service - Financial Times

techcrunch.com / Feds accuse Uber of charging customers for subscriptions without consent

theinformation.com / FTC Sues Uber, Alleging Deceptive Billing Practices - The Information

permalink / 11 stories from 9 sources in 8 days ago #fintech #ecommerce #dataprivacy #techpolicy #infosec +

Airbnb reveals full pricing to boost user transparency

April 21, 2025, 11:20 am more...

Airbnb has eliminated hidden fees by displaying the total cost of bookings upfront, a change designed to comply with FTC rules and win back customer trust. Travelers can now see exactly what they’ll pay from the start, sparing them the old “surprise‐at–checkout” routine.

Bluesky: @gizmodo.com

gizmodo.com / Airbnb to Show Full Price by Default Thanks to Biden-Era Rule

theverge.com / Airbnb now shows the full price of your stay by default

bloomberg.com/technology / Airbnb to Show Fees in Price Display to Comply With FTC Rule - Bloomberg.com

permalink / 5 stories from 5 sources in 8 days ago #software #innovation #ecommerce #digitaltransformation #mobile +

DOJ Antitrust Trial Challenges Google’s Market Dominance Amid Regulatory Fireworks

April 21, 2025, 8:20 am more...

A three‐week antitrust trial has commenced, as prosecutors target Google’s alleged monopolistic practices surrounding Chrome sales and search dominance. Charged with potentially disrupting a $264 billion ad empire, the tech giant now finds itself in a classic David-versus-Goliath courtroom showdown. With legal teams exchanging sharp repartee, the trial is set to test whether even Silicon Valley behemoths can withstand relentless regulatory scrutiny.

Bluesky: @arstechnica.com

cnbc.com / Google says DOJ's proposal for breakup would harm U.S. in 'global race with China'

theverge.com / Money, Chrome, and ChatGPT: The high stakes of Google’s monopoly trial

wsj.com / Justice Department Urges Tough Action to Break Google’s Search Dominance

permalink / 10 stories from 9 sources in 8 days ago #cloud #saas #dataprivacy #techpolicy #fang +

Mortgage Rates Update: Cooling Trends for Homebuyers and Refinancing

April 21, 2025, 6:20 am more...

Home loan seekers received a double dose of market relief on April 21, 2025, as both standard mortgage rates and refinance rates showed noticeable dips. The trend suggests that borrowers might benefit from lower financing costs while traditional lenders try to decipher whether these decreases are a fleeting anomaly or a sustainable shift. As potential buyers revel in the temporary break from high rates, industry experts inject a wry observation on whether the market’s ‘cool down’ is a calm before the storm or just another twist in the ongoing rate rollercoaster.

zerohedge.com / Miami Housing Market Hit By "Breathtaking" Collapse In Demand

cnet.com / ARMs Were Risky During the Housing Crisis. Will They Become Popular Again?

cnet.com / Mortgages Cool Off for Homeseekers: Mortgage Rates on April 21, 2025

permalink / 4 stories from 2 sources in 8 days ago #bigdata #automation #fintech #analytics #digitaltransformation +

Trump’s Tariff Measures Spark Strong China, JPMorgan, South Korea Reactions

April 20, 2025, 11:20 pm more...

The tariffs imposed by President Trump have ignited a storm of cross-border criticism and unexpected economic forecasts. China’s Ministry of Commerce lambasts the US for “abusing tariffs” and bullying its way through trade, while JPMorgan issues a dire warning that these measures could send tax rates soaring—even if they fend off recessionary threats. Adding further irony, South Korean firms are uncovering loopholes in “Made in Korea” labels to dodge the new costs, highlighting a tangled web of unintended consequences from a policy meant to rein in global trade.

zerohedge.com / China's Oil Supertankers Slammed With $5.2 Million Fee Per U.S. Port Call

reuters.com/business / Netflix gains as rosy forecast calms investor nerves amid tariff fears - Reuters

appleinsider.com / EU insists Trump won't make it back off Apple

cnbc.com / The biggest questions facing Big Tech ahead of earnings

cnet.com / Tariffs Are Scary. Should You Buy Now or Save the Money? This Expert Says It Depends

reuters.com/business / Investors pour into European equity funds, flee U.S. on tariff woes - Reuters

zerohedge.com / US Stock Futures, Dollar, Treasuries Tumble On Powell Punt Panic; Gold, Bitcoin Soar

permalink / 21 stories from 8 sources in 9 days ago #bigdata #fintech #analytics #techpolicy #china +

Google Releases Gemini 2.5 Flash Update

April 18, 2025, 6:20 am more...

Google has unveiled an early preview of its Gemini 2.5 Flash, a refined version of its lightweight AI model that offers both rapid processing speed and improved reasoning capabilities. Building on earlier versions like Gemini 2.0 Flash, this update is designed to deliver heightened performance when fast responses are needed, while also providing sophisticated analytical functions for more complex tasks. The release underscores Google’s strategic efforts in expanding its competitive edge in the advanced artificial intelligence landscape.

Reddit: r/Bard

bgr.com / Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google’s most powerful AI, is available to students for free

venturebeat.com / From ‘catch up’ to ‘catch us’: How Google quietly took the lead in enterprise AI

androidheadlines.com / It's time for developers to have fun with Gemini 2.5 Flash

winbuzzer.com / Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro AI Safety Report Arrives Late as a “Preview” with Meager Details

permalink / 11 stories from 9 sources in 11 days ago #ai #cloud #software #innovation #ml +

Netflix Q1 Earnings Surpass Expectations Amid Board Transition

April 17, 2025, 4:20 pm more...

In the wake of its Q1 earnings report, Netflix is being spotlighted for robust revenue growth following a recent price hike. Coverage underscores the company’s strong financial performance and highlights a strategic board transition with co-founder Reed Hastings shifting roles. Pre-earnings analyses and post-earnings reviews discuss Netflix’s impressive figures and investor sentiment, positioning the streaming giant as a defensive play amid market turbulence and increasing competitive pressures.

Bluesky: @verge-poster.bsky.social

techinasia.com / Netflix defies tech slump, eyes $1t valuation by 2030

theverge.com / Netflix revenue rises to $10.5 billion following price hike

theinformation.com / Netflix Posts Strong Q1 as Reed Hastings Transitions to New Board Role - The Information

permalink / 5 stories from 5 sources in 12 days ago #cloud #software #gaming #digitalmarketing #meta +

Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Feature Launch Announcement

April 17, 2025, 3:20 pm more...

Two submissions cover the same product update from Google’s Gemini AI family. Both stories, using an identical title, detail the rollout of the Gemini 2.5 Flash feature within the Gemini app, emphasizing enhanced performance and functionality. The duplicate coverage reinforces the importance of this update in broadening Google’s AI capabilities and improving user experience, confirming the feature’s availability and signaling its significance in Google’s evolving AI ecosystem.

Reddit: r/singularity, r/RooCode

Bluesky: @nic221.bsky.social, @simonwillison.net, @simon.fedi.simonwillison.net.ap.brid.gy, @arstechnica.com, @technologyreview.com

techinasia.com / OpenAI launches Flex API to cut costs for low-priority AI tasks

venturebeat.com / Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash introduces ‘thinking budgets’ that cut AI costs by 600% when turned down

simonwillison.net / Start building with Gemini 2.5 Flash

arstechnica.com / Gemini 2.5 Flash comes to the Gemini app as Google seeks improve “dynamic thinking”

permalink / 12 stories from 7 sources in 12 days ago #ai #software #innovation #ml #mobile +