AT&T is moving its 5G cloud network to Microsoft’s Azure

AT&T is enlisting Microsoft to run its next-generation mobile network, a key win in the race by cloud companies to lock down large clients.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/att-is-moving-its-5g-cloud-network-to-microsofts-azure/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Federal targeting of Americans’ records is ‘routine,’ Microsoft exec testifies

Federal law enforcement agencies secretly seek the data of Microsoft customers thousands of times a year, according to congressional testimony Wednesday by a senior executive at the technology company.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/federal-targeting-of-americans-records-is-routine-microsoft-exec-testifies/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Edmunds demystifies advanced driver aids in new vehicles

There’s some hesitancy from the public regarding the future of self-driving cars; a survey by Autolist says that most shoppers are split about whether having self-driving capability on a vehicle makes it safer. Thankfully, real automated driving vehicles are still years away. But considering that nearly every new car on sale today comes standard or […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/edmunds-demystifies-advanced-driver-aids-in-new-vehicles/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

US agency orders automated vehicle makers to report crashes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ordered automakers to report any crashes involving fully autonomous vehicles or partially automated driver assist systems. The order includes Tesla’s Autopilot system.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/us-agency-orders-automated-vehicle-makers-to-report-crashes/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

China’s Didi touts tech spending ahead of Wall St debut

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese ride-hailing service Didi says it lost $5.5 billion over the past three years ahead of its U.S. stock market debut Wednesday but it’s highlighting its global reach and investments in developing electric and self-driving cars. The Beijing-headquartered company operates in 16 countries but almost 90% of the 493 million customers who […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/chinas-didi-touts-tech-spending-ahead-of-wall-st-debut/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Facebook unveils ‘Bulletin,’ a newsletter subscription service

To jump-start Bulletin, a new newsletter service, Facebook spent months recruiting writers across different categories — including sports, entertainment, science and health — paying them upfront to bring their readers to Facebook’s platform.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/facebook-unveils-bulletin-a-newsletter-subscription-service/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Japan’s SoftBank says Pepper robot remains ‘alive’ and well

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology company SoftBank denies it’s pulling the plug on its friendly, talking, bubble-headed Pepper robot. “There is absolutely no change to our Pepper business,” SoftBank Robotics Corp. spokesperson Ai Kitamura said Wednesday. Pepper, introduced seven years ago, is centered around a rentals business, and production is regularly adjusted, the Tokyo-based company […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/japans-softbank-says-pepper-robot-remains-alive-and-well/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Federal agencies need stricter limits on facial recognition to protect privacy, government watchdog says

Some federal agencies had their own facial recognition databases, but most used private companies like Clearview AI and Amazon, which offers a tool called Rekognition. Many couldn't say for sure which systems they had used.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/federal-agencies-need-stricter-limits-on-facial-recognition-to-protect-privacy-government-watchdog-says/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

AP PHOTOS: Nature’s beauty along Hog Bayou

HOG BAYOU, La. (AP) — From above, Hog Bayou is a winding ribbon of silver, its water moving slowly toward wetlands and from there into the Wax Lake Delta. Closer up, you can spot the head of a floating alligator, its length a hint of its size and age. Each inch (2.5 centimeters) between the […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/ap-photos-natures-beauty-along-hog-bayou/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

NASA looks at Louisiana delta system, eyes global forecasts

MIKE ISLAND, La. (AP) — Erosion, sinking land and sea rise from climate change have killed the Louisiana woods where a 41-year-old Native American chief played as a child. Not far away in the Mississippi River delta system, middle-school students can stand on islands that emerged the year they were born. NASA is using high-tech […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/nasa-looks-at-louisiana-delta-system-eyes-global-forecasts/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Pandemic-era Mobile World Congress tech fair kicks off

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A major wireless technology trade fair kicked off in Barcelona on Monday with scaled-back attendance and beefed-up health and safety measures, changes that reflect the new reality for industry conventions in the pandemic era. Mobile World Congress was canceled at the last minute last year because of COVID-19 concerns. Its 2021 […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/mobile-world-congress-tech-fair-pandemic-version-kicks-off/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Facebook wins dismissal of U.S., states’ monopoly lawsuits

The FTC failed to meet the burden for establishing that Facebook has a monopoly in social networking, ruled the judge. But he said the agency could refile the complaint within 30 days.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/facebook-wins-dismissal-of-u-s-states-monopoly-lawsuits/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Judge dismisses FTC antitrust lawsuits against Facebook

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of state attorneys general, dealing a significant blow to attempts by regulators to rein in tech giants. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled Monday that the lawsuits were “legally insufficient” and didn’t provide […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/judge-dismisses-ftc-antitrust-lawsuits-against-facebook/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

US judge: Rep. Boebert can block people on personal Twitter

DENVER (AP) — A federal judge ruled last week that Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert does not have to unblock a former Democratic Colorado state lawmaker from her personal Twitter account. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico said in his decision Thursday that Boebert, who represents the state’s 3rd Congressional District, did not violate […]

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Big Tech’s car obsession is all about taking eyes off the road

For technology behemoths, including Apple, Google and Amazon, that are diving into self-driving tech or have grand plans for their own cars, that push isn’t just about breaking into a new market — it’s about defending valuable turf.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/big-techs-car-obsession-is-all-about-taking-eyes-off-the-road/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

The internet eats up less energy than you might think

The giant tech companies with their power-hungry, football-field-size data centers are not the environmental villains they are sometimes portrayed to be on social media and elsewhere, according to a new analysis.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/the-internet-eats-up-less-energy-than-you-might-think/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

The inequality of the GoFundMe economy | Commentary

Turning to the internet for financial help didn’t work very well in a pandemic, according to new research. Online charity drives help some in need, but don’t expect them to fill the gaps in the social safety net, writes Shira Ovide.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/the-inequality-of-the-gofundme-economy-commentary/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Five things to know about Microsoft’s Windows 11

Microsoft recently announced a slew of changes for the next version of the software that runs PCs and laptops in homes, office and schools. Here are five things everyone should know about Windows 11.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/five-things-to-know-about-microsofts-windows-11/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How can I make the transition to a new computer easy and convenient?

Patrick Marshall answers your tech questions. This week's topics cover a program designed to make data transfers to a new computer easy, and a popup message indicating that an Outlook file has reached maximum size.

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Harness tech to your advantage in the new hybrid workplace

With people splitting work hours between office and home, it can be a challenge to figure out what tools to use in which situation. Tech writer Brian X. Chen offers a guide to how that might play out.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/turn-tech-to-your-advantage-in-the-new-hybrid-workplace/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

NBA star Steph Curry’s new firm invests in Seattle pay-equity company

NBA star Stephen Curry has started a new early-stage investment firm, and is kicking things off by putting money into Seattle-based pay-equity company Syndio, which makes anti-bias software.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/nba-star-steph-currys-new-firm-invests-in-seattle-pay-equity-company/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Break them up? 5 ways Congress is trying to rein in Big Tech

WASHINGTON (AP) — Groundbreaking legislation is advancing in Congress that would curb the market power of tech giants Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple and could force them to untie their dominant platforms from their other lines of business. Hostility toward Big Tech has grown in recent years with the belief that its size and swagger […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/break-them-up-5-ways-congress-is-trying-to-rein-in-big-tech/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Widow says antivirus pioneer John McAfee was not suicidal

SANT ESTEVE SESROVIRES, Spain (AP) — The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, said Friday that her husband was not suicidal when she last spoke to him hours before he was found dead. Authorities in Spain are conducting an […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/widow-says-antivirus-pioneer-john-mcafee-was-not-suicidal/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Big Tech antitrust bills pass first major hurdle in House, even as opposition grows

A total of six bills targeting the far-reaching power of Big Tech were considered by the House Judiciary Committee in 29 hours. All were approved, the last one — the one with perhaps the broadest implications for tech giants — on a 21-20 vote.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/big-tech-antitrust-bills-pass-first-major-hurdle-in-house-even-as-opposition-grows/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Japan’s Toshiba wins approval for board, despite controversy

TOKYO (AP) — Battered Japanese nuclear and electronics giant Toshiba Corp. faced off with shareholders Friday, seeking to shake off serious questions about governance at the once revered brand. After a meeting lasting nearly three hours, Tokyo-based Toshiba won shareholder approval for its 11 representative directors. The company had removed two nominations in a last-minute […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/japans-toshiba-wins-approval-for-board-despite-controversy/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Google delays phaseout of tracking tech by nearly 2 years

Google will delay by nearly two years the phaseout of Chrome web browser technology that tracks users for ad purposes, saying that it needs more time to develop a replacement system.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/google-delays-plan-to-phase-out-chrome-ad-tracking-tech/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson will fly to space at their own risk. Does that make it right for everyone?

Now that several companies are signing up wealthy people for flights to space, some in Congress say it may be time for the Federal Aviation Administration to more closely regulate the commercial space industry.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/richard-branson-and-jeff-bezos-will-fly-to-space-at-their-own-risk-does-that-make-it-right-for-everyone/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Affidavit: FBI feared Pennsylvania would seize fabled gold

An FBI agent applied for a federal warrant in 2018 to seize a cache of gold that he said had been “stolen during the Civil War” while en route to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, and was “now concealed in an underground cave” in northwestern Pennsylvania, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. The newly unsealed […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/affidavit-fbi-feared-pennsylvania-would-seize-fabled-gold/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

BuzzFeed to become a publicly traded company

NEW YORK (AP) — BuzzFeed will become a publicly traded company with an implied value of $1.5 billion through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company. The company, founded by Jonah Peretti in 2006 and initially known for listicles and online quizzes, has established itself as a serious contender in the news business, this […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/buzzfeed-to-become-a-publicly-traded-company/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Rembrandt’s huge ‘Night Watch’ gets bigger thanks to AI

Researchers and restorers who have painstakingly pored over the work for nearly two years using a battery of high tech scanners, X-rays and digital photography combined the vast amount of data they generated with the copy to recreate and print the missing strips.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/rembrandts-huge-night-watch-gets-bigger-thanks-to-ai/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Dutch group launches data harvesting claim against TikTok

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch consumer group is launching a 1.5 billion euro ($1.8 billion) claim against TikTok over what it alleges is unlawful harvesting of personal data from users of the popular video sharing platform. The Consumentenbond and a foundation called Take Back Your Privacy demanded Thursday that TikTok pay damages to […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/dutch-group-launches-data-harvesting-claim-against-tiktok/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Lawyer says death of McAfee surprised the US mogul’s family

MADRID (AP) — Authorities in Spain say that a judge has ordered an autopsy on the remains of John McAfee, the gun-loving antivirus pioneer, cryptocurrency promoter and occasional politician who died in a cell pending extradition to the United States for allegedly evading millions in unpaid taxes. A court spokeswoman for the Catalonia region said […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/lawyer-says-death-of-mcafee-surprised-the-us-moguls-family/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

John McAfee, software pioneer turned fugitive, dead at 75

John McAfee, the outlandish security software pioneer who tried to live life as a hedonistic outsider while running from a host of legal troubles, was found dead in his jail cell near Barcelona on Wednesday. His death came just hours after a Spanish court announced that it had approved his extradition to the United States […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/john-mcafee-software-pioneer-turned-fugitive-dead-at-75-2/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

John McAfee, software pioneer turned fugitive, dead at 75

John McAfee, the outlandish security software pioneer who tried to live life as a hedonistic outsider while running from a host of legal troubles, was found dead in his jail cell near Barcelona on Wednesday. His death came just hours after a Spanish court announced that it had approved his extradition to the United States […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/john-mcafee-software-pioneer-turned-fugitive-dead-at-75/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

House lawmakers are considering 6 bills aimed at Big Tech

A committee took its first vote in the early afternoon, advancing a bill that would increase the money companies pay government agencies when getting some mergers approved.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/house-lawmakers-are-considering-6-bills-aimed-at-big-tech/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Antivirus pioneer John McAfee found dead in Spanish prison

John McAfee, the creator of the McAfee antivirus software, has been found dead in his cell in a Spanish jail. Hours earlier, a Spanish court issued a preliminary ruling in favor of his extradition to the United States to face tax-related criminal charges.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/spanish-court-oks-extradition-of-mcafee-to-the-u-s/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Teamsters aims to step up efforts to unionize Amazon workers

NEW YORK (AP) — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a union that represents 1.4 million delivery workers, is setting its sights on Amazon. On Thursday, it will vote on whether to make organizing Amazon workers its main priority. The Teamsters accuse the nation’s second-largest private employer of exploiting employees by paying them low wages, pushing […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/teamsters-aims-to-step-up-efforts-to-unionize-amazon-workers/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Justices rule for cursing cheerleader over Snapchat post

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a Pennsylvania public school wrongly suspended a cheerleader over a vulgar social media post. The court voted 8-1 in favor of Brandi Levy, who was a 14-year-old high school freshman when she expressed her disappointment over not making the varsity cheerleading team on Snapchat with a […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/justices-rule-for-cursing-cheerleader-over-snapchat-post/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Tech giants, fearful of proposals to curb them, blitz lawmakers with lobbying

Executives, lobbyists, and more than a dozen groups paid by Big Tech have tried to head off bipartisan support for six bills meant to undo the dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/tech-giants-fearful-of-proposals-to-curb-them-blitz-lawmakers-with-lobbying/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

From Biden to Congress, Big Tech is under mounting pressure

WASHINGTON (AP) — Without speaking a word or scratching a pen across paper, President Joe Biden drove up the pressure on Big Tech companies already smarting under federal and congressional investigations, epic antitrust lawsuits and near-constant condemnation from politicians of both parties. Biden last week elevated a fierce critic of Big Tech, antitrust legal scholar […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/from-biden-to-congress-big-tech-is-under-mounting-pressure/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Microsoft rises to join Apple in exclusive $2 trillion club

Microsoft shares rose as much as 1.2% on Tuesday, enough for the Redmond-based software company to briefly join Apple as one of only two U.S. companies to reach a $2 trillion market value.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-rises-to-join-apple-in-exclusive-2-trillion-club/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Bellevue youth plan international hackathon for education technology

The Bellevue-based, student-driven nonprofit Mission InspirEd is planning a weekend-long hackathon, challenging youth to create hardware or software designed to empower their communities through education.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/bellevue-youth-plan-international-hackathon-for-education-technology/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

EU’s Google ad tech probe part of bloc’s antitrust crackdown

LONDON (AP) — The European Union’s move on Tuesday to investigate Google over alleged antitrust behavior in the digital ad tech sector is the bloc’s latest crackdown on U.S. tech giants. Here’s a look at enforcement actions taken by the EU’s competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, in recent years. ___ GOOGLE June 2021: The EU commission […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/eus-google-ad-tech-probe-part-of-blocs-antitrust-crackdown/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How Big Tech created a data ‘treasure trove’ for police

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — When U.S. law enforcement officials need to cast a wide net for information, they’re increasingly turning to the vast digital ponds of personal data created by Big Tech companies via the devices and online services that have hooked billions of people around the world. Data compiled by four of the biggest […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/how-big-tech-created-a-data-treasure-trove-for-police/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

GameStop raises almost $1.13B in latest stock offering

GameStop raised more than $1 billion in its latest stock sale, capitalizing on a newly arrived and fervent army of online investors. The video game retailer has taken center stage among a handful of companies that have come to be known this year as meme stocks. The phenomenon has pitted smaller investors who snap up […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/gamestop-raises-almost-1-13b-in-latest-stock-offering/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Polish intelligence agencies link cyberattack to Russia

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s government said Tuesday it has evidence linking a recent cyber attack on thousands of email and social media accounts of politicians, public figures and other Poles to Russia’s secret services. The spokesman for the minister who coordinates Poland’s intelligence agencies, Stanislaw Zaryn, claimed the attack was part of a campaign […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/polish-intelligence-agencies-link-cyberattack-to-russia/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

EU investigates Google’s conduct in digital ad tech sector

LONDON (AP) — European Union regulators have launched a fresh antitrust investigation of Google, this time over whether the U.S. tech giant is stifling competition in digital advertising technology. The European Commission said Tuesday that it has opened a formal investigation into whether Google violated the bloc’s competition rules by favoring its own online display […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/eu-investigates-googles-conduct-in-digital-ad-tech-sector/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Albania holds 1st wind power tender to diversify energy base

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania launched a tender Monday for its first onshore wind power program, trying to diversify its water-based energy production. Albania produces more than 99% of its energy from hydropower, with the main plants located on northern Drini River. That has made the country vulnerable to seasonal changes in hydrology and dependent […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/albania-holds-1st-wind-power-tender-to-diversify-energy-base/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Spielberg’s Amblin to make several films a year for Netflix

NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Spielberg, a filmmaker synonymous with big-screen enchantment, has set a new deal with Netflix in which his production company, Amblin Partners, will make multiple feature films per year for the streaming giant. The partnership, one long courted by Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer, is a major get for the […]

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/spielbergs-amblin-to-make-several-films-a-year-for-netflix/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Internal Amazon documents shed light on how company pressures out 6% of office workers

Amazon systematically attempts to channel 6% of its office employees out of the company each year, a target for Amazon calls "unregretted attrition." Critics say the system resembles the controversial "stack ranking" practice many companies have abandoned.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/internal-amazon-documents-shed-light-on-how-company-pressures-out-6-of-office-workers/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology