Amazon to pay $30.8M on claims it violated privacy of kids, Ring owners

Amazon agreed to pay $30.8 million to resolve two cases brought by the Federal Trade Commission Wednesday related to privacy lapses by its smart devices.

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FTC charges Amazon with privacy violations over Alexa and Ring cameras

Amazon will pay more than $30 million to settle alleged privacy violations involving its voice assistant Alexa and its doorbell camera Ring.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ftc-charges-amazon-with-privacy-violations-over-alexa-and-ring-cameras/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Nintendo Live 2023 coming to Seattle; here’s how to register for free ticket raffle

The family-friendly event featuring game tournaments, character meet-and-greets and more is coming to the U.S. for the first time.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/events/nintendo-live-coming-to-seattle-heres-how-to-register-for-free-ticket-raffle/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Intel cedes spotlight at global tech gala to AI darling Nvidia

Intel, long synonymous with the fastest processors, has seen its all-purpose chips overshadowed by Nvidia's more specialized, parallel-processing architecture.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/intel-cedes-spotlight-at-global-tech-gala-to-ai-darling-nvidia/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

US, Europe working on voluntary AI code of conduct as calls grow for regulation

The United States and Europe are drawing up a voluntary code of conduct for artificial intelligence, with a draft expected in weeks.

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Twitter may be worth one-third what Musk paid for it last fall as Fidelity marks down investment

Twitter may now be worth one-third of what Elon Musk paid for the social media platform just seven months ago.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/twitter-may-be-worth-one-third-what-musk-paid-for-it-last-fall-as-fidelity-marks-down-investment/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

China warns of artificial intelligence risks, calls for beefed-up national security measures

China's ruling Communist Party is calling for beefed-up national security measures, highlighting risks from artificial intelligence.

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Twitter NYC cleaning workers sue over firings they say spoiled ‘Christmas holidays’

Eleven former Twitter cleaning workers at its New York City offices are suing the company, saying they are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back pay and damages after abruptly being fired in December.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/twitter-nyc-cleaning-workers-sue-over-firings-they-say-spoiled-christmas-holidays/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

What’s to know about the Texas prison where Elizabeth Holmes is starting her 11-year sentence?

Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has reported to a federal prison in Texas — marking the start of her 11-year sentence for overseeing a notorious blood testing hoax.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/whats-to-know-about-the-texas-prison-where-elizabeth-holmes-is-starting-her-11-year-sentence/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

AI Poses ‘Risk of Extinction,’ Industry Leaders Warn

Recent advancements in so-called large language models have raised fears that AI could soon be used to spread misinformation and propaganda, or that it could eliminate millions of white-collar jobs.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ai-poses-risk-of-extinction-industry-leaders-warn/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Chipmaker Nvidia joins exclusive club of companies with a $1 trillion market capitalization

Nvidia has joined the exclusive club of companies with a $1 trillion market capitalization as the chipmaker benefits from the growing use of artificial intelligence.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/chipmaker-nvidia-joins-exclusive-club-of-companies-with-a-1-trillion-market-capitalization/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

The day has arrived for Elizabeth Holmes to report to a Texas prison

Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes on Tuesday will report to a federal prison where she has been sentenced to spend the next 11 years.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/the-day-has-arrived-for-elizabeth-holmes-to-report-to-a-texas-prison/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Hearing aids are changing. Their users are, too.

As more young people risk hearing loss, over-the-counter hearing aids are providing new options, but also confusing choices.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/hearing-aids-are-changing-their-users-are-too/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Sony gears up for eventual rebound in smartphone camera demand

Sony plans to buy more land near its image sensor factory in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture to expand its share in the business of powering camera smartphones.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/sony-gears-up-for-eventual-rebound-in-smartphone-camera-demand/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Vatican singles out bishops in urging reflective not reactive social media use

The Vatican is urging the Catholic faithful, and especially bishops, to be “reflective, not reactive” on social media.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/vatican-singles-out-bishops-in-urging-reflective-not-reactive-social-media-use/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Drought-struck Barcelona quenches thirst with costly desalination

Europe's largest desalination plant for drinking water had largely remained idle since its construction near Barcelona over a decade ago.

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What to stream this week: Foo Fighters, ‘The Idol,’ LeBron James and ‘American Gladiators’ doc

This week’s new entertainment releases include an album from Foo Fighters and some lost songs by the late Kenny Rogers, a new gritty HBO series from “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson called “The Idol” starring Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/what-to-stream-this-week-foo-fighters-the-idol-lebron-james-and-american-gladiators-doc/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

North Korea notifies neighboring Japan it plans to launch satellite in coming days

North Korea has notified neighboring that it plans to launch a satellite in coming days, which may be an attempt to put a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/north-korea-tells-neighboring-japan-it-plans-to-launch-satellite-in-coming-days/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

What to know about limiting your child’s screen time

Concerned parents have many tools, including free software from Apple and Google, to actively oversee how children use their tech.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/what-to-know-about-limiting-your-childs-screen-time/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

How the U.S. and Europe compare in mandating an electric vehicle future

Automakers selling in the United States will face exorbitant federal fines from regulatory bodies by 2026 if they do not meet electric vehicle sales targets.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/how-the-u-s-and-europe-compare-in-mandating-an-electric-vehicle-future/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Backing up to the cloud vs. external drives | Q&A with Patrick Marshall

The cloud isn't a practical way to back up large files even if you have a relatively fast internet connection.

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As Elizabeth Holmes heads to prison for fraud, questions remain about her motives

As Elizabeth Holmes prepares to report to prison next week, the criminal case that laid bare the blood-testing scam at the heart of her Theranos startup is entering its final phase.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/as-elizabeth-holmes-heads-to-prison-for-fraud-questions-remain-about-her-motives/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Mechanical sails? Batteries? Shippers forming ‘green corridors’ to fast-track cleaner technologies

Water transport is a cost-efficient way of moving goods and people — but it emits lots of greenhouse gases.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/mechanical-sails-batteries-shippers-forming-green-corridors-to-fast-track-cleaner-technologies/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

EU official says Twitter abandons bloc’s code of practice on disinformation

A top European Union official says Twitter has dropped out of the bloc's voluntary agreement to combat online disinformation.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/eu-official-says-twitter-abandons-blocs-code-of-practice-on-disinformation/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

A $189 airport travel hack is no longer working very well

Clear Secure had promised a speedy way through airport security, but its success may be partly responsible for complaints of lines backing up and wait times longer than at TSA.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/a-189-airport-travel-hack-is-no-longer-working-very-well/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Breaking up is hard to do: Decoupling the West from China

The trade war with China is heating up. Is a rupture inevitable? How would a disruption in trade with China affect Washington state? Jon Talton looks at the challenges.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do-decoupling-the-west-from-china/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Court says Hugh Grant’s lawsuit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun tabloid can go to trial

A London court has rejected an attempt by the publisher of The Sun newspaper to throw out a lawsuit by actor Hugh Grant alleging that journalists and investigators it hired illegally snooped on him.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/court-says-hugh-grants-lawsuit-alleging-illegal-snooping-by-the-sun-tabloid-can-go-to-trial/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

US, Chinese trade officials express concern about each other’s restrictions

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, have expressed concern about policies of each other’s governments following Chinese raids on consulting firms and U.S. restrictions on exports of semiconductor technology.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/us-chinese-trade-officials-express-concern-about-each-others-restrictions/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Hyundai and LG announce $4.3 billion plant in Georgia to build batteries for electric vehicles

Hyundai and LG Energy Systems say they will build a $4.3 billion electric battery plant in Georgia.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/hyundai-and-lg-announce-4-3-billion-plant-in-georgia-to-build-batteries-for-electric-vehicles/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Ford electric vehicle owners to get access to Tesla Supercharger network starting next year

All of Ford‘s current and future electric vehicles will have access to about 12,000 Tesla Supercharger stations in the U.S. and Canada starting next year.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ford-electric-vehicle-owners-to-get-access-to-tesla-supercharger-network-starting-next-year/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

AI demand lifts Nvidia toward trillion-dollar valuation

Nvidia’s shares have more than doubled in 2023 even as concerns of a budding microchip war between the U.S. and China hangs over the sector.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ai-demand-lifts-nvidia-toward-trillion-dollar-valuation/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Cyprus making extra efforts to ensure air safety amid Turkish warplane incursions

Cyprus authorities say they’re taking extra efforts to ensure flight safety isn’t compromised from Turkish warplanes and military drones flying inside Cypriot-monitored airspace without filing either flight plans or communicating with air traffic control.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/cyprus-making-extra-efforts-to-ensure-air-safety-amid-turkish-warplane-incursions/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Awkward silence: Ron DeSantis’ bold Twitter gambit that flopped

It was the announcement not heard ’round the world. Ron DeSantis plotted to open his presidential campaign Wednesday evening with a pioneering social media gambit, introducing himself during an audio-only Twitter forum with Elon Musk.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/awkward-silence-ron-desantis-bold-twitter-gambit-that-flopped/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Which car makers offer hands-free driving systems for 2023?

Fully autonomous or self-driving cars are the future of transportation, but they’re still a ways away.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/edmunds-who-offers-hands-free-driving-systems-for-2023/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Elon Musk’s ‘historic’ Twitter event with Ron DeSantis struggles with technical glitches

Elon Musk’s Twitter Spaces event with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis started off with technical glitches the Twitter owner said was due to “straining” servers because so many people were trying to listen to the audio-only event.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/elon-musks-historic-twitter-event-with-ron-desantis-struggles-with-technical-glitches/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Chinese malware hits systems on Guam. Is Taiwan the real target?

U.S. intelligence agencies and Microsoft have detected a mysterious computer code that has been popping up in telecommunications systems in Guam and elsewhere in the United States.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/chinese-malware-hits-systems-on-guam-is-taiwan-the-real-target/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

In transition from HBO Max to Max, writer and director credits got lost

The streaming service Max may only be hours into its rollout, but it’s already under fire by Hollywood’s top guilds for the way it credits writers and directors.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/in-transition-from-hbo-max-to-max-writer-and-director-credits-got-lost/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

China defends ban on US chipmaker Micron, accuses Washington of ‘economic coercion’

The Chinese government has defended its ban on products from U.S. memory chipmaker Micron Technology Inc. in some computer systems after Washington expressed concern.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/china-defends-ban-on-us-chipmaker-micron-accuses-washington-of-economic-coercion/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Microsoft to bring Copilot, an AI personal assistant, to Windows

The Windows Copilot will be available in a taskbar for users. Once open, the Copilot will “stay consistent across your apps, programs and windows.”

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-to-bring-copilot-an-ai-personal-assistant-to-windows/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Netflix to charge an additional $8 month for viewers living outside US subscribers’ households

Netflix has outlined how it intends to crack down on the rampant sharing of account passwords in the U.S. It's an attempt to reel in more subscribers to its video streaming service amid a slowdown in growth.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/netflix-to-charge-an-additional-8-month-for-viewers-living-outside-us-subscribers-households/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Meta sells Giphy for $53M to Shutterstock after UK blocked GIF platform purchase

Shutterstock said Tuesday it’s buying Giphy from Meta Platforms for $53 million, in the final step to unwind the deal blocked by British regulators, who prevented the Facebook owner from purchasing the GIF-sharing platform over competition concerns.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/meta-sells-giphy-for-53m-to-shutterstock-after-uk-blocked-gif-platform-purchase/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Ford decides to keep AM radio on 2024 models, will restore AM on two electric vehicles from 2023

Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ford-decides-to-keep-am-radio-on-2024-models-will-restore-am-on-two-electric-vehicles-from-2023/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Waymo, Uber set aside past rift over self-driving car technology to team up on robotaxis in Phoenix

Self-driving car pioneer Waymo is teaming up with ride-hailing leader Uber in the Phoenix area to transport passengers and deliver food in robotic cars that triggered a bitter technological dispute between the two companies.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/waymo-uber-set-aside-past-rift-over-self-driving-car-technology-to-team-up-on-robotaxis-in-phoenix/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Car seats and baby formula are regulated. Is social media next?

The U_S_ Surgeon General is warning there is not enough evidence to show that social media is safe for young people — and is calling on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now.”.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/car-seats-and-baby-formula-are-regulated-is-social-media-next/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

The cyber gulag: How Russia tracks, censors and controls its citizens

It's becoming increasingly difficult for Russians to escape government scrutiny.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/the-cyber-gulag-how-russia-tracks-censors-and-controls-its-citizens/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

FACT FOCUS: Fake image of Pentagon explosion briefly sends jitters through stock market

A fake image purportedly showing an explosion near the Pentagon has been widely shared on social media, sending a brief shiver through the stock market.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/fact-focus-fake-image-of-pentagon-explosion-briefly-sends-jitters-through-stock-market/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

TikTok files lawsuit to overturn Montana’s 1st-in-nation ban on the video sharing app

Social media company TikTok has filed a lawsuit to overturn Montana’s first-in-the-nation ban on the video sharing app.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/tiktok-files-lawsuit-to-overturn-montanas-1st-in-nation-ban-on-the-video-sharing-app/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

A quantum leap forward: University of Chicago gets $150 million from Google, IBM to build world’s most powerful supercomputer

The University of Chicago’s computing ambitions took a quantum leap forward Sunday with a commitment of $150 million in funding from IBM and Google to build the world’s most powerful computer. The partnership with the University of Tokyo, announced at the G7 summit in Japan, will seek to create the first quantum supercomputer, building up the technology over the next decade to a processing ...

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/a-quantum-leap-forward-university-of-chicago-gets-150-million-from-google-ibm-to-build-worlds-most-powerful-supercomputer/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

For Gen Z, playing an influencer on TikTok comes naturally

Many of this generation are increasingly posting on social media in the manner of professional influencers, regardless of their follower counts.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/for-gen-z-playing-an-influencer-on-tiktok-comes-naturally/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology

Venmo to be officially available for teenagers, although many use it already

Venmo will officially allow teenagers to open an account with their parents' permission, expanding to a demographic that is likely to embrace it almost immediately.

source https://www.seattletimes.com/business/venmo-to-be-officially-available-for-teenagers-although-many-use-it-already/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_technology