Topic: streaming wars
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Rate Your Favorite Shows and Movies on HBO Max
HBO Max has introduced an interactive rating feature with options "Love," "Like," or "Not For Me" to personalize content recommendations and curate sections like "Because You Love." The feature, tested extensively last year, mirrors competitors like Netflix and is accessible across all platforms ...
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Netflix Bets Big on Video Podcasts
Netflix is adding video podcasts to its platform through partnerships with Spotify’s podcast studio and The Ringer, featuring 16 series including popular sports and entertainment titles. The podcasts will stream without Netflix-inserted ads, though original ads from Spotify remain, and the servic...
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Disney's Price Hike Couldn't Have Come at a Worse Time
Disney is raising prices for its Disney Plus streaming service amid a significant public relations crisis that has alienated viewers across the political spectrum. The controversy began when Disney suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show due to political pressure, sparking backlash and a reversal that dama...
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Meta Quest Unveils All-in-One Movie & TV Streaming Hub
Meta has launched Horizon TV, a unified streaming hub for its Quest headset that integrates major platforms like Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Hulu to simplify content discovery in VR. The new interface features personalized suggestions and organized categories, with partnerships including Univer...
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Roku's New AI Assistant Answers Questions About Your Shows
Roku is enhancing its voice assistant with advanced AI, enabling detailed conversational queries about entertainment and providing on-screen text responses with relevant content links. The update reflects a broader industry trend, with competitors like Amazon and Netflix also integrating AI-drive...
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Google's Discover Feed Now Includes X and Instagram Posts
Google Discover is expanding to include content from social networks like YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and X, making the feed more dynamic and personalized. Users will gain greater control over their feed, including the ability to follow specific creators or publishers and preview content before ch...
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Amazon's NFL Thursday Night Football Gets an AI Upgrade
Amazon is introducing AI-powered features like Pocket Health for its Thursday Night Football coverage to provide real-time, interactive insights during live NFL games. New End of Game AI tools for the 2025 season will heighten suspense by evaluating possession scenarios and predicting comeback po...
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Amazon's 'Help Me Decide' Button Uses AI to Simplify Shopping
Amazon has launched a "Help me decide" AI feature that uses personal shopping data like browsing history and past purchases to recommend tailored products when comparing similar items. This tool is part of Amazon's broader AI integration in shopping, which includes assistants like Rufus, AI-gener...
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DirecTV to Launch AI-Powered Screensaver Ads
DirecTV is launching an AI-driven screensaver that turns idle screens into personalized, interactive shopping environments, developed with Glance for Gemini devices. The feature allows users to insert their likeness into AI-generated scenes via a QR code and mobile app, with customization through...
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Apple's Next-Gen Vision Pro Spotted in Regulatory Filing
A regulatory filing confirms Apple is developing a next-generation Vision Pro headset, maintaining Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and identified by model number A3416. The new model may feature an M5 processor for better performance and a redesigned head strap to improve comfort, with a potential release ...
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Amazon's 2025 Event: Top 8 Reveals You Need to See
Amazon unveiled a major refresh of its hardware ecosystem, featuring smarter devices with enhanced AI capabilities, including upgraded Echo Show smart displays with improved cameras and the new Alexa Plus assistant. The company introduced premium audio options like the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studi...
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Elon Musk Pressures Netflix to Drop Woke Content
Elon Musk has publicly canceled his Netflix subscription and urged others to do the same, criticizing the platform for including transgender characters in shows like *Dead End: Paranormal Park* and labeling the content as harmful for children. His actions are part of a broader movement by right-w...
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Microsoft Photos to Automatically Organize Your Images
Microsoft is testing a new AI feature for the Windows 11 Photos app that automatically organizes photos into folders, initially available to Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs. The AI sorts images by visual content, grouping receipts, screenshots, identity documents, and handwritten notes into categori...
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I Tried the Free Ad-Supported Telly TV for 3 Months
Telly offers a free 55-inch television with a secondary screen that displays constant ads, news, and widgets, which cannot be turned off and requires users to accept ongoing promotions in exchange for the device. The TV collects personal data, including viewing habits and room occupancy, raising ...
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Bang & Olufsen's New Earbuds Cost More Than an iPhone
Bang & Olufsen's Beo Grace earbuds are priced at $1,500, targeting the ultra-luxury market with a flashy aluminum design and advanced active noise cancellation. They feature 12mm titanium drivers, Dolby Atmos support, and innovative NearTap technology for touch-free volume control, but offer only...
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Steam Game Pulled After $150K Crypto Heist
A malicious game called BlockBlasters was removed from Steam after being exposed as a cryptodrainer that stole over $150,000 from players' cryptocurrency wallets. The game initially appeared legitimate with positive reviews but secretly integrated the cryptodrainer in an August update, with a Lat...
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EchoStar Sells $17B Satellite Spectrum to SpaceX in Landmark Deal
EchoStar has sold $17 billion in wireless spectrum licenses to SpaceX to enhance satellite-based cellular connectivity, including next-generation Starlink services. The sale, along with a previous $23 billion transaction, is expected to resolve an FCC inquiry into EchoStar's spectrum usage, promp...
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Claude AI Now Remembers Your Past Conversations Automatically
Anthropic has upgraded Claude AI with an automatic memory feature for Team and Enterprise users, allowing it to recall past conversations and integrate user preferences without manual prompts. Users have full control over the memory function, with options to review, modify, or disable stored info...
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Meta's VR Smart TV: The Future of Home Entertainment
Meta's Horizon TV app transforms home entertainment by bringing a familiar smart TV interface into virtual reality, aiming to attract audiences beyond traditional gamers and make VR a mainstream platform. The app features content from partners like Amazon Prime Video and YouTube but lacks major s...
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Apple's Siri May Get an AI Upgrade Powered by Google
Apple is developing a major AI upgrade for Siri, potentially using Google's Gemini technology, to enhance its capabilities and compete in the digital assistant market. The upgrade will transform Siri into a more proactive tool with features like web content summarization, using a multi-layered ar...
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Twitch Streamer Gives Birth Live With CEO in Chat
Twitch streamer Fandy live-streamed her childbirth, attracting over 50,000 viewers and attention from Twitch CEO Dan Clancy, who endorsed the event by participating in the chat. The broadcast marked a shift from her usual gaming content, redefining live-streaming boundaries by turning a deeply pe...
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Apple Announces iPadOS 26 Release Date
iPadOS 26 will launch on September 15, introducing new features aimed at boosting productivity and redefining the tablet experience. The update includes a new windowing system for desktop-like multitasking and a fresh Liquid Glass design language for a modern interface. Enhancements include a red...
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iOS Beta Suggests Notifications for Third-Party Watches
Evidence in iOS 26.1 beta suggests Apple is developing a native "notification forwarding" feature to allow iPhone alerts on non-Apple wearables, a function currently limited to the Apple Watch. The feature is likely a response to the EU's Digital Markets Act, which pressures Apple to improve inte...
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TikTok's US Deal Faces Up to a Month More of Negotiations
The timeline for finalizing TikTok's US operations deal has been extended by up to an additional month, with Oracle continuing as the cloud partner to ensure US user data remains on American servers. A framework deal has been reached, requiring TikTok to separate from its Chinese parent company B...
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Nintendo Wins $2M Lawsuit Against Switch Modder for Piracy
Nintendo won a $2 million legal victory against a modder for selling hardware that enabled piracy on Switch consoles. The court permanently banned the defendant from modifying consoles or distributing circumvention tools, citing mass copyright infringement. This ruling is part of Nintendo's broad...
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Google Fined $425M in Landmark Privacy Violation Case
A federal jury ordered Google to pay $425 million for continuing to collect user data even after individuals disabled tracking features, marking one of the largest penalties for digital privacy violations. The class action lawsuit, representing about 98 million users, accused Google of unlawfully...
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Pornhub Settles CSAM Allegations for $5 Million
Pornhub and its parent company Aylo have agreed to a $5 million settlement with the FTC and Utah over allegations of enabling illegal content distribution, including child sexual abuse material and nonconsensual videos. The platform was found to have inadequate content moderation, such as delayin...
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Uber Eats Now Delivers Tech from Best Buy
Uber Eats has partnered with Best Buy to offer electronics delivery, allowing customers to order items like headphones and laptops through the app. Over 800 Best Buy locations in North America are participating, expanding the retailer's delivery options alongside services like Instacart and DoorD...
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Apple's Executive Shake-Up Continues
Apple is undergoing a major executive reshuffle due to Jeff Williams' upcoming retirement, with Eddy Cue taking over health and fitness teams to develop a new subscription service. Craig Federighi will now lead the watchOS division and John Ternus will manage Apple Watch hardware engineering as p...
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Google pulls ICE-tracking app after Apple ban
Google removed the Red Dot app from the Play Store, following Apple's lead in taking down similar ICE-tracking tools, citing policies against sharing location data of vulnerable groups. Apple removed the ICEBlock app after pressure from the Department of Justice, which argued it endangered ICE ag...
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OpenAI's Sora Surpasses 1 Million Downloads
Sora, OpenAI's social AI video app, achieved over one million downloads in under five days, outpacing ChatGPT's initial adoption despite being invite-only and launching on iOS in the U.S. and Canada. The app features a "cameos" function for personalizing videos and has generated a mix of memes, d...
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Microsoft Edge's Copilot Mode Unlocks Advanced AI Tools
Microsoft has launched Copilot Mode for Edge, integrating AI into the browser to transform the new tab page into a conversational interface for queries, searches, and navigation. The AI assistant can access and analyze all open tabs to summarize content or compare products, but its automated feat...
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US and China Near Breakthrough TikTok Agreement
A framework agreement has been reached to transfer control of TikTok from its Chinese parent company to U.S.-controlled ownership, addressing national security concerns. The deal, to be finalized by President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, follows months of negotiations and repeated dead...
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iOS 26 Launches with Apple's Liquid Glass Redesign
iOS 26 introduces the Liquid Glass interface, offering a translucent, fluid redesign that refreshes the iPhone's look while maintaining usability. New AI-powered Live Translation works across apps like Messages and FaceTime, and a call screening tool helps manage unknown contacts. Enhanced group ...
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ChatGPT to Enable Adult-Only Intimate Conversations, Says Sam Altman
OpenAI will allow age-verified adult users to engage in adult-oriented conversations, including erotica, as part of a policy shift to treat adults like adults, with implementation planned for December. The company is reintroducing a more personable ChatGPT version to address user feedback that re...
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Google's New AI Browses the Web Like a Human
Google has launched Gemini 2.5 Computer Use, an AI model that mimics human web browsing to automate interactions with websites lacking API access, such as completing online forms. This technology excels in user interface testing and digital navigation, building on prior agent-driven projects like...
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Imgur Blocks UK Users in Surprise Geo-Ban
Imgur has blocked all access for UK users, preventing them from logging in, viewing, or uploading content as of September 30, 2025, following a warning from the UK's data protection authority. The UK's Information Commissioner’s Office is investigating Imgur over its handling of children's data a...
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Google's New Gradient 'G' Logo Is Rolling Out Worldwide
Google has launched a new gradient "G" logo, its first major visual identity update in ten years, replacing the 2015 multicolored design with a unified, vibrant gradient that aligns with its Gemini branding. The redesign symbolizes Google's evolution in the AI landscape, using a blended color sch...
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Proton Mail Now Works Offline
The Proton Mail app now allows users to fully manage their encrypted inbox offline, enabling them to read, write, and compose emails without an internet connection, with automatic synchronization once connectivity is restored. A redesigned layout moves the Compose button to the bottom of the scre...
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Vimeo Acquired by Bending Spoons in $1.38 Billion Deal
Vimeo has been acquired by European software company Bending Spoons for $1.38 billion, expanding Bending Spoons' portfolio. Vimeo has pivoted toward enterprise clients and creators, integrating AI tools and increasing hosting fees under CEO Philip Moyer. The acquisition follows Vimeo's recent 10%...
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Apple Brings Health Features to Older Watch Models
Apple is expanding health features like hypertension alerts and Sleep Score to older Apple Watch models via watchOS 26, reducing the need for new hardware. The hypertension detection system uses existing sensors to monitor blood vessel response and will alert users to potential high blood pressur...
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Google: Open Web in "Rapid Decline"
Google's court filing admits the open web is in rapid decline, contradicting its public statements about a healthy online ecosystem. The company argues against breaking up its ad tech business, warning it would harm publishers reliant on advertising revenue. Despite public claims that AI search t...
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Verizon Lite Internet Expands Coverage to Rural Areas
Verizon has launched a new Lite home internet plan for rural and underserved areas, offering up to 25Mbps download speeds for basic online use at a standard price of $60 per month. The plan includes significant discounts for existing Verizon mobile customers, with bundled savings, autopay, and pr...
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Meta Shifts Focus, Downsizes AI Research Team
Meta is cutting about 600 jobs in its Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) unit and shifting focus to its new superintelligence team, TBD Lab, to prioritize advanced AI initiatives. The layoffs follow a period of aggressive hiring and a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, with the company now restruc...
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Gmail's AI Finds Your Perfect Meeting Time
Google has introduced "Help me schedule," a new AI feature in Gmail that uses Gemini AI to automatically suggest available meeting times based on your calendar and email content. The tool activates when composing an email about scheduling, allowing users to insert proposed time slots with one cli...
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Threads Launches Communities to Organize Your Interests
Threads has launched a global Communities feature for web and mobile, enabling users to connect over shared interests like sports, entertainment, and technology in dedicated spaces. Joining a community labels your profile and integrates posts into your feeds, combining exclusive group content wit...
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Microsoft's Windows XP Crocs Are Finally Here
Microsoft has released limited-edition Windows XP Crocs as part of its 50th-anniversary celebration, featuring nostalgic designs like the "Bliss" wallpaper and charms of Clippy and Internet Explorer. The Crocs are available exclusively through a giveaway on Microsoft's Instagram, requiring partic...
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Amazon's Project Kuiper Signs First Airline Deal for Satellite Internet
Amazon's Project Kuiper has secured its first airline partnership with JetBlue to provide high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi starting in 2027, positioning it to compete with SpaceX's Starlink. The project has launched over 100 satellites as part of its planned 3,200-satellite constellation, though it sti...
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Ecovacs Robovac Cleans Nonstop with Rapid Charging
The Ecovacs Deebot X11 Omnicyclone features a GaN-based fast charging system that allows it to recharge quickly during mop rinses, enabling uninterrupted cleaning sessions. It offers strong suction power of 19,500Pa, an upgraded roller mop for deep cleaning, and a 4WD system that navigates variou...
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Google's New Android Look Expands to More Pixel Phones
Google's Material 3 Expressive design update expands to Pixel 6 series and newer models, introducing a more customizable and playful interface with features like personalized call screens. The update enhances Pixel Buds Pro 2 with Adaptive Audio, hearing protection, and gesture-based call control...
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