Nebraska Enacts Law to Limit Children's Online Engagement and Enhance Privacy
Nebraska has passed a law targeting social media features that extend children's online time, requiring chronological feeds, time limits, and stronger privacy for minors. The law, effective January 2026, faces opposition from tech groups citing legal and privacy concerns.
Top Wireless Controllers for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 in 2024
This 2024 guide reviews the best wireless controllers for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, emphasizing comfort, Bluetooth connectivity, build quality, and features. Options include the official Switch Pro Controller, GuliKit KingKong 3 series, Hori Split Pad Pro, and 8BitDo models. Third-party controllers may lack HD rumble and NFC support. The guide also covers an adapter for using other Bluetooth controllers with Switch. Despite the new Switch 2, original Switch controllers remain compatible. It helps gamers pick the ideal controller for TV or handheld mode and multi-platform use.
Biggest Startup Funding Rounds This Week: AI Dominates with Billion-Dollar Boosts and Significant Biotech Investments
This week saw major funding rounds in the startup world, particularly in AI and biotech. Grammarly raised $1 billion, and Neuralink secured $600 million, underscoring growing investment enthusiasm in AI and biomedical sectors.
ZeniMax QA Workers Secure Tentative Contract Agreement with Microsoft
ZeniMax's QA workers, part of the ZeniMax Workers United-CWA union, reached a tentative contract agreement with Microsoft, marking a significant victory in video game industry unionization. The contract includes wage increases, dismissal protections, and crediting guidelines, with a ratification vote planned for late June. This milestone sets a precedent for future negotiations in the industry, especially within Microsoft.
Ex-Polygon Writers Launch Big Friendly Guide, a New Video Game Guides Website
Ex-Polygon writers Ryan Gilliam and Jeffrey Parkin have started Big Friendly Guide, a new website offering free video game guides. They plan to build a supportive community with Patreon and podcasts, focusing on passion rather than profit, following Polygon's sale and layoffs.
NYT Reveals Elon Musk's Extensive Drug Use in 2024
The New York Times reports that Elon Musk's drug use in 2024, particularly ketamine, was significantly more frequent and serious than previously acknowledged, raising concerns among associates and during his tenure at DOGE and Tesla. Advanced warnings of drug tests and the use of multiple substances were also highlighted.
Netflix's 'You' Holds Top Spot for Two Weeks in Streaming Ratings; 'The Four Seasons' Debuts at No. 2
For the week of April 28, Netflix's 'You' continues to dominate streaming ratings by holding the number one spot for two weeks straight. Additionally, Netflix's new series 'The Four Seasons' debuted successfully, ranking second in the streaming charts.
From Advocating AI Regulation to Championing AI Investment: Sam Altman's Shift
Sam Altman has shifted his stance from promoting AI regulations to encouraging investment in OpenAI to outpace China in AI advancements, signaling a strategic change in his approach to AI policy.
Unlocking Europe's Potential with Geothermal Energy: A Call to Action
Europe is rapidly moving away from fossil fuels, focusing on electrification and renewables like solar and wind. However, geothermal energy—a stable, clean, and local energy source—remains vastly underutilized, accounting for only 0.2% of power generation in 2024. Recent blackouts underscore the need for reliable, around-the-clock energy sources. Embracing geothermal energy is crucial for Europe to achieve energy security and sustainable decarbonization.
Meta's Relaxed Content Policies Lead to Fewer Mistaken Takedowns
Meta's decision to loosen its content enforcement policies on Facebook and Instagram has resulted in fewer erroneous takedowns of content. Importantly, this change did not lead to a significant increase in harmful content exposure for users, suggesting a more balanced approach to content moderation.
Elon Musk Announces Departure from Political Involvement
Elon Musk is distancing himself from politics as his term as a Special Government Employee ends. Previously involved with President Trump and political dealings, Musk states he spent too much time on political matters and is now stepping back, although some doubts about his exit remain.
Life360 Enhances Integration with Tile Trackers for Seamless Family Safety
Life360 has integrated Tile's Bluetooth trackers fully into its app, allowing setup and management without the Tile app. New features like push notifications and location history are now exclusive to Life360. The app combines family safety, real-time location tracking, crash detection, and roadside assistance. Life360 reorganized its paid plans, adding features like SOS Alerts to the Silver tier. Data sharing with analytics partners continues under privacy guidelines.
Amazon's New ZeroOne Team Led by Xbox Co-founder J Allard to Develop Innovative Smart Home Devices
Amazon's ZeroOne team, led by Xbox co-founder J Allard, is focused on creating breakthrough smart home devices. With job listings targeting applied science and marketing experts, the team aims to innovate within Amazon's Alexa ecosystem. Details on product releases are not yet available.
US Visa Restrictions on Chinese Students Threaten AI Research Progress
The US is aggressively revoking visas for Chinese students and has stopped all student visa interviews. Experts warn this could weaken US dominance in STEM research, particularly in AI, potentially hampering critical technological advancements.
Tesla's Robotaxi Launch in Austin: What We Know and What Remains Unclear
Tesla’s robotaxi service is set to launch soon in Austin with limited vehicles and invite-only access. Despite CEO Elon Musk’s claims of successful driverless tests, details about safety and operation remain vague. Tesla's approach differs from competitors like Waymo, raising concerns about transparency and public trust. Regulatory scrutiny and the company’s damaged reputation add further challenges to the service’s success.
Artificial Intelligence's Energy Demand May Outpace Bitcoin by 2025
Artificial intelligence could use nearly half of global data center electricity by 2025, surpassing Bitcoin's energy consumption. Despite efficiency improvements, AI's power demand is rapidly growing, raising environmental concerns. This analysis, by researcher Alex de Vries-Gao, highlights the urgent need for increased scrutiny of AI's energy use.
YouTube Introduces Lens Feature to Search Items in Shorts Videos
YouTube is adding a Lens feature to Shorts that lets users search for objects, animals, plants, and landmarks seen in videos. By tapping the Lens button in the mobile app, users can highlight items to get visual matches and additional info without leaving the video. The feature is launching in beta soon, with no ads or facial recognition involved.
Instagram Expands Photo Aspect Ratio to 3:4 for More Natural Display
Instagram now supports 3:4 aspect ratio photos, allowing images to appear as originally captured without cropping. The update works with single-photo and carousel posts, complementing previous changes favoring vertical formats.
How to Secure a Nintendo Switch 2 Console on Launch Day
The Nintendo Switch 2 preorder launch faced high demand and limited stock at major retailers, with consoles available in a standard version and a Mario Kart World bundle. Interested buyers should register accounts, use retailer apps, and monitor notifications to improve chances of purchase. Nintendo offers reservation invites through its My Nintendo Store but delivery by launch day on June 5th isn't guaranteed. Several retailers will have limited inventory online and in-store on release day.
Grammarly Secures $1 Billion Funding from General Catalyst to Support Expansion and Acquisitions
Grammarly, an AI-powered writing assistant company, has raised $1 billion from investor General Catalyst to support its expansion and acquisition plans, highlighting the company's growth trajectory in the tech sector.