Microsoft Can’t Hide

Summary

The European Commission has charged Microsoft with antitrust violations for bundling Teams with Office, potentially facing hefty fines. Apple's self-service diagnostics expansion and repairability improvements are highlighted, alongside the Internet Archive's eBook delisting due to copyright issues. Paramount Global's removal of the MTV News website and AI companies' privacy policy alterations for data collection are discussed. Sandbox is promoted for email organization, while security concerns over polyfill.io and advancements in AI without matrix multiplication are mentioned. A 3D augmented reality windshield prototype and robot skin technology round off the tech news.

Takeaways

• 📜 The European Commission has charged Microsoft with antitrust violations for bundling Teams with Microsoft Office, potentially giving it an unfair advantage over competitors.
• 🔍 An investigation into Microsoft was initiated in response to a complaint from Slack, alleging that Microsoft was using its market dominance to suppress competition.
• 💡 Microsoft may face fines up to 10% of its global revenue under the Digital Markets Act, although no company has received the full penalty yet.
• 🛠️ Apple is facing a potential $38 billion fine over their App Store policies and has improved self-service diagnostics tools for repairability in Europe.
• 🚫 The Internet Archive has delisted half a million eBooks from the Open Library project following a copyright infringement lawsuit, which could impact digital lending programs across the U.S.
• 🗞️ Paramount Global has taken down the MTV News website, erasing decades of digital journalism, with the public now needing to rely on independent archives.
• 🤖 A New York Times report highlights AI companies changing privacy policies to collect more user data for AI training, raising concerns about user privacy.
• 🤖 Reddit has warned companies that their bots ignoring its robots exclusion protocol may be blocked, indicating a need for respect for web crawling etiquette.
• 🎨 YouTuber Sasha Yansin criticized Adobe's privacy policy changes, arguing that companies should not own the creative works made by their tools.
• 🛑 Security research group Sans sec has warned thousands of websites to stop using polyfill.io due to malware issues after it was sold to a Chinese company.
• 🧠 Researchers from China and California claim to have developed a large language model that performs comparably to GPT-2 without using matrix multiplication, which could impact the GPU market and environmental sustainability.

Q & A

Why has the European Commission charged Microsoft with violating EU antitrust rules?

The European Commission has charged Microsoft with violating EU antitrust rules by bundling Teams with Microsoft Office, which is seen as granting the software an unfair distribution advantage over its competitors. Additionally, there are concerns about Microsoft creating an intentional interoperability gap that makes it harder for rival communication apps to communicate with Microsoft software.

What could be the potential consequences for Microsoft if found guilty under the Digital Markets Act?

If found guilty under the Digital Markets Act, Microsoft could face fines of up to 10% of its global revenue. However, no company has yet been hit with the full penalty, and it appears the EU is more focused on forcing reform than extracting cash.

What recent changes has Apple made regarding repairability and third-party replacement parts?

Apple has expanded its self-service diagnostics tools to Europe and published a white paper claiming they will be making features like True Tone and Battery Health Data available for third-party replacement parts later this year.

What is the significance of the Internet Archive's decision to delist around half a million eBooks from the Open Library project?

The delisting is significant as it represents a devastating loss for the Internet Archive and could set a precedent that could be devastating for libraries across the United States whose digital lending programs depend on the same interpretation of US copyright laws.

What is the controversy surrounding Paramount Global's decision to pull the MTV News website offline?

The controversy lies in the deletion of a decades-long digital archive of journalism. The public can now only access this past reporting through independent archives like the Wayback Machine, which is run by the Internet Archive.

Why did YouTuber Sasha Yansin cancel his Adobe subscription?

Sasha Yansin canceled his Adobe subscription in response to changes in Adobe's privacy policy. He argues that a company should not own the creative output of its customers, comparing it to a paintbrush seller claiming ownership of a painting made with it.

What is the issue with the open source web service polyfill.io as reported by security research group Sans sec?

Sans sec has urged thousands of websites to stop using polyfill.io because it has been serving malware to visitors after being sold to a Chinese company called Funnel. The service is no longer necessary for most websites, providing multiple reasons to discontinue its use.

What is the potential impact of the new research claiming to have created a large language model that performs as well as GPT-2 without using matrix multiplication?

If this method can be scaled up, it could have a drastic impact on both the GPU market and potentially the environment, as it suggests a way to achieve similar performance without the need for extensive computational resources.

What is the innovative feature of the new prototype from Distance Technologies that turns a car's windshield into a 3D augmented reality display?

The prototype uses an LCD panel to project an image onto a glass windshield with a reflective coating. It also incorporates eye-tracking and a parallax barrier that can display a slightly different image for each eye, creating a 3D augmented reality experience.

What vulnerability was discovered in the Rabbit R1 handheld AI device, and how did the company respond?

A vulnerability was discovered that allowed anyone to access every response the device ever gave or to brick the device. Despite knowing about it, Rabbit did nothing initially. The vulnerability was only fixed after it was highlighted by a hacker collective and YouTuber Coffeezilla, who also revealed another, more dangerous vulnerability.

What is the significance of the Tokyo University scientists' discovery of attaching living skin to robot faces?

The discovery could lead to android robots with convincing self-healing skin that allows for more realistic facial expressions, potentially advancing the field of robotics and android design.