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‘That is not acceptable’: Judge orders Google to make rival app store installs easier
A US judge has ordered Google to remove several barriers that make it harder for Android users to find and install rival app stores through Google Play. The ruling is part of the long-running Epic Games antitrust case and matters because it seeks to make Android app distribution more competitive after a jury found Google…
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Microsoft’s Clippy-like Mico character is no longer the face of Copilot
Microsoft is removing Mico, the animated yellow avatar used in Copilot’s voice mode, less than a year after its launch. The move marks another retreat from a prominent Microsoft virtual assistant character and forms part of wider changes to Copilot’s product strategy and leadership. Mico was introduced in October 2025 to give Copilot a more…
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Burnham hails importance of local businesses as he issues update on support plans
Andy Burnham said the Government will consult small businesses on further support, as he reiterated that independent firms are central to local communities. The proposed engagement is intended to strengthen cooperation with small businesses and help them plan for the longer term, with ministers linking the approach to job creation and growth. The Government has…
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Flock revises privacy policies following backlash
{beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story Flock updates privacy policies amid backlash Flock Safety will implement new privacy and data retention policies as pressure grows on the automated license plate operator to prevent its technology from being abused or used to conduct mass surveillance. © Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The company announced Thursday…
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Netflix shuts Oxenfree studio Night School after Unhinged launch
Netflix has closed Night School Studio, the developer behind the Oxenfree games, despite recently describing its latest release, Unhinged, as one of its most successful cloud-gaming debuts. The decision further reduces Netflix’s in-house games operation and indicates that a positively received launch did not secure the studio’s future. Netflix acquired Night School in 2021 as…
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This AI Startup Made a 24-Hour AI News Channel. Who Wants This?
Mirage, the AI company behind the Captions video-editing app, ran a 24-hour livestreamed news experiment featuring entirely AI-generated anchors. The project tested whether audiences might accept a cable-news-style format in which the presentation, hosts and interviews were artificial, while the underlying stories came from licensed Reuters reporting; it also served to promote Mirage’s Avatar X…
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‘Genshin Impact’s Latest Update Takes a Jab at Donald Trump Reflecting Pool Drama
Genshin Impact’s version 7.0 includes an in-game bulletin-board post widely interpreted as a parody of Donald Trump and controversy surrounding repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Written by the fictional Grand Duke Diomid Turzov, it depicts a ruler whose poorly conceived fountain repairs worsen the problem before he blames supposed vandals and promises a…
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Naive SNP ‘dismiss security warning over China’ as they push for controversial wind turbine project to go ahead
The SNP has been criticised by security experts after First Minister John Swinney called for a Chinese developer’s proposed wind-turbine factory near Inverness to be reconsidered. The project was blocked by the UK Government on national-security grounds, making the dispute significant because it highlights tensions between renewable-energy investment, devolved politics and concerns over Chinese involvement…
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Microsoft’s dueling Copilot apps have combined into a single entity
Consumer and work experiences converge, while a few features face the chop
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Netflix Shuts Down Studio Behind ‘Unhinged’ Game 6 Weeks After Release
Netflix is closing Night School Studio, the developer of horror game ‘Unhinged’, just six weeks after the game’s release, alongside Helsinki-based studio Moonloot. The decision highlights continued changes to Netflix’s games operation as it concentrates its investment on selected types of games and expands play on television screens. Netflix acquired Night School in 2021, while…