Former Xbox exclusive, Immortality, is soon to be made available to PlayStation 5 gamers, as reported by GamingBible.

Immortality is an interactive horror that centers around model-turned-actress Marissa Marcel. She goes missing after appearing in three films, all of which are never released, and it’s down to the player to solve the mystery of her disappearance by digging into her forgotten works. It’s almost like a horror meets murder mystery type title, and it’s received rave reviews since its release.

The game was applauded by the mainstream press also. Guardian’s review in 2022 said: “Very occasionally, a game comes along that is so entirely unlike anything you’ve ever played that it becomes an obsession.

“It is something that never existed before: a video game that is also three feature-length films, wrapped around a mystery so compelling that I couldn’t concentrate on anything else for days.

“It is so delicate and complex that it’s difficult to figure out how it even works.”

How was Immortality made?

The three films within Immortality include 10 hours of footage. The lead actor who plays Marissa Marcel, Manon Gage, appears in them all and said in an interview with the Guardian: “Marissa in each of the three movies, and I thought, this scope is incredible – what are we doing here? How is this a video game?

“The script was 400 pages long, and some of the best writing I’d read in years. You don’t read writing that’s this good, honestly, especially as a relative newcomer… I was enamored from the start.”

Once filming stopped, game developers, Half Mermaid, then went through every single frame, one by one, adding specific details of the footage to the game’s database, which would eventually allow players to click on details such as doorknobs, plants, and different actors to help piece together what they were viewing and eventually solve the mystery.

The game plays out differently depending on the choices you make as you go through all the different scenarios and review all the footage and evidence you uncover.

When will Immortality be released on PlayStation?

The single-player game was originally launched in 2022 on Windows, Xbox Series X/S, and mobile devices, but will make the jump to the popular Sony console on January 23.

It will cost gamers $19.99.

Featured Image: Photo by Kerde Severin on Unsplash

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The emergence and rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has intrigued, excited and alarmed people in equal measure.

Some believe it to be an inevitable evolution of technology that will make life easier for people in all areas of life, others claim it will eventually lead to mass unemployment as it becomes more advanced and begins to replace workers. There’s evidence to suggest both scenarios are credible, but analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) claims there can be a happy medium in the not-too-distant future.

The report points to the strength of global markets and economies and how their standing will relate to the ability to experience, adapt to or suffer from the growth of AI and its inevitable introduction to more labor-intensive workplaces.

Will AI take our jobs?

Almost 40% of global employment is already exposed to AI but, as IMF’s report points out, while previous introductions of new technology to the workplace have seen economies adapt and benefit quickly, AI is a completely different beast because of its ability to impact high-skilled jobs. The report goes on to claim that “as a result, advanced economies face greater risks from AI – but also more opportunities to leverage its benefits – compared with emerging marketing and developing economies.”

It claims around 60% of jobs in advanced economies may be impacted by AI. It’s believed that roughly half of those jobs will benefit from AI integration, while the other half will be at risk of succumbing to AI-powered technology that aims to execute key tasks currently performed by humans. In short, it may replace humans altogether, but only in the most extreme cases so don’t panic.

On the flip side, emerging markets and low-income economies will see their workforce impacted by just 40% and 26% respectively, suggesting there will be fewer immediate interruptions by AI in these areas. However, this is mostly down to these countries not yet having the infrastructure and skilled workforce to take full advantage of AI’s benefits.

How can we stop AI from replacing humans?

IMF’s report stresses the need for countries to act quickly to implement specific policies surrounding the use of AI in specific markets. It has developed an AI Preparedness Index that measures readiness in areas such as digital infrastructure, human capital and labor market policies, innovation and economic integration, regulation and ethics.

This assesses areas such as years of schooling and job-market mobility, as well as the adaptability of digital business models of a country’s legal framework and the presence of strong governance for effective enforcement.

IMF used the index to assess the readiness of 125 countries, with the findings showing that weather economies tend to be better equipped for AI adoption than low-income countries. It’s therefore claimed that stronger economies should embrace and prioritize AI innovation while developing regulatory frameworks, which will help “cultivate a safe and responsible AI environment, helping maintain public trust.”

Featured Image: Image by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

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The makers of Escape from Tarkov have announced it has banned over 11,000 players who have been found to be cheating over the last fortnight.

Battlestate Games said in an X post that it made the move with the support of anti-cheat service provider BattlEye, which is related to anti-cheat measures in games such as Rainbow 6 Siege and PUBG.

Escape from Tarkov is one of the most popular games in the extraction shooter genre. Gamers are cast as scavengers in the lawless city of Tarkov and compete with both NPC enemies and other players to escape zones via collecting as much loot as possible. Its focus on realism and high-stakes gameplay means it is an attractive proposition for cheaters and hackers.

But according to the game’s official X page, the developers are doing everything they can to keep Escape from Tarkov a clean and fair playing field for everyone by banning 11,000 players between December 27 and January 12.

From December 27 to January 12 with the support of BattlEye anti-cheat more than 11000 cheaters have been banned in Escape from Tarkov.https://t.co/2v6UQvKypI#EscapefromTarkov

— Escape from Tarkov (@tarkov) January 12, 2024

The spreadsheet provided in the post is a full list of the users who have received bans, although some critics believe the vagueness of details in the banning of said players points to merely attempting to keep angry players happy instead of making a genuine attempt to make the game more secure.

Does Escape from Tarkov have a cheating problem?

The fact 11,000 players have been banned suggests it’s an ongoing problem for Battlestate Games but whether there is work being done behind the scenes to help nullify the issue remains to be seen.

In February last year, GameRant reported that an investigation into cheaters found that 60% of matches featured cheaters. A month later, it was announced 4,000 cheaters had been banned. The fact another 11,000 have been banned less than a year later points to it being a long-term issue for the developers and perhaps even the gaming industry in general.

And as critics are quite fairly pointing out, the omittance of specifics in the spreadsheet, such as the cheats being detected, doesn’t necessarily mean bans lead to a long-term fix.

Battlestate’s 2024 plans for Escape from Tarkov may now heavily rely on their ongoing attempts to reduce cheating.

Featured Image: Escape from Tarkov

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Apple has made the rare move to cut prices of its iPhone 15 models in China by around 5%.

As reported by Reuters, the promotion on its Chinese website, which is being dubbed a ‘Lunar New Year Event,’ will last between January 18 and January 21 and comes after reports of a 30% drop in sales in China in the first week of 2024.

The US tech giant is under pressure to increase sales globally, particularly in China as competition from the likes of Huawei begins to regain market share in the region. It is the first time Apple has offered discounted prices in any of their markets for many years, while online retailers in the country have been cutting prices of iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models by as much as 16% since the turn of the year.

When the California-based company launched its iPhone 15 range in September last year, it surprised many by not raising prices. This is believed to be in response to an ongoing reluctance amongst iPhone users to upgrade their handsets as regularly as they used to. However, it appears that hasn’t had a positive effect on sales as Apple continues to see declining sales.

Senior vice president of market research business Canalys, Nicole Peng, told Reuters: “It is clear that Huawei is making a comeback.

“Some Chinese consumers may return to using Huawei as driven by patriotism.

Another blow for Apple in China?

While Apple is masking this as a holiday sale in China, it is hard not to see this as an attempt to arrest the slide of sales in the region to claw back lost market share to growing competitors.

It saw its share of the global smartphone market drop to 17.7% in the final quarter of 2023, which is well below its peak of 24.1% just 12 months earlier.

Canalys now expects Apple sales in 2024 to remain flat globally, while its decline in China will remain.

This also comes as Apple’s standing as the world’s most valuable company was put at risk last week as Microsoft’s market cap grew to within £100 billion of the tech giant.

Featured Image: Photo by Amanz on Unsplash

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Xbox fans are urging fellow console users to cash in on Microsoft’s free store credit system, with speculation mounting that it will eventually be discontinued, as reported by GamingBible.

On a popular subreddit for Xbox Series X fans, users have noticed that the service has been in rapid decline despite there currently being no evidence that Microsoft intends to close it down.

By signing up for Microsoft rewards, gamers are given access to a service called Rewards With XBox, which allows you to earn points by buying and playing specific games. Once you’ve collected enough points, you can trade them in for products like Xbox Game Pass membership, raffle entries, competition entries, and free store credit.

It’s a similar service provided by the likes of Playstation and Steam, where it’s relatively easy for gamers to earn redeemable points simply by playing their favorite games.

However, Xbox gamers are expressing their concern on Reddit that the quality of the Microsoft rewards service is rapidly diminishing, leading to questions surrounding its future.

It comes after it was reported earlier this month that Microsoft had made significant changes to Xbox Game Pass quests, making it harder for gamers to earn Microsoft Rewards points. That might explain why some gamers are experiencing what they believe to be a rapidly declining service.

What are Xbox fans saying about Microsoft’s rewards service?

One gamer said: “It’s literally trash now. I used to take a couple of mins, and now it barely works. They know exactly what they are doing.”

“It’ll soon be time to cash out,” said another, while one gamer admitted their frustration by saying, “I’ve enjoyed grabbing every point each month. That easily adds up to a $10 gift card with about 1700 points left over. Not going to cause me to unsubscribe, but that sucks.”

Meanwhile, another user explained their frustration at not taking advantage when the service was in its pomp: “I’m ashamed of myself for never taking advantage of the rewards when I was a jobless teen.”

Featured Image: Photo by Oliver Beer on Unsplash

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Amazon has become the first to add support for Matter casting, of which they are co-founders, to help users control TVs and streaming devices directly from a connected app, reports The Verge.

In an announcement at CES this week, the online retail and tech giant confirmed that Matter casting support will come to its Prime Video app so users can cast content to other Amazon hardware devices.

It is now available for the Echo Show 15, which is Amazon’s largest smart display, and also a Fire TV, but the company says support will soon be coming to Fire TVs, including Panasonic TVs with Fire TV built-in.

To use this feature, you simply open your Prime Video app on your phone or tablet, tap the cast button, and alongside the other casting options, you will now see the Echo Show 15 as a casting choice if you have one. More apps will be added for support in the coming year, including Plex, Sling TV, Starz, ZDF, and Pluto TV.

Amazon principle engineer Chris DeCenzo told The Verge: “We’ve been developing this over a few years, and we want to put Matter casting everywhere.”

What is Matter Casting?

Matter casting works in the same way as Apple’s AirPlay or Google’s Chromecast. Still, its primary USP is that it will be available to every app or hardware maker and will not be limited to a specific OS or exclusive partnerships.

Its goal is to essentially link all devices from all manufacturers via app-to-app communication and even voice control. It would allow users to control their televisions – changing the channels and volume and controlling inputs and outputs, for example – as well as other controllable devices within their homes, such as doorbells, lights, and heating, all via one protocol that allows all products to communicate using the same language.

This removes the current pain points consumers experience when using a variety of products from different manufacturers. For example, you can only cast Apple TV via Apple Airplay — and you can only check your Ring doorbell via Amazon devices or your smartphone or tablet. Matter aims to remove device-restricted casting and usage by linking everything together as one, meaning you could check your Ring doorbell on your smart TV, should you want to.

However, while Apple and Google have their own casting capabilities, there are currently no signs that they intend to implement Matter into their products.

De Cenzo told The Verge that it would be better for the entire industry if these companies were to get on board. “We believe in open standards because it simplifies things for developers,” he said.

Featured Image: Photo by Sean D on Unsplash

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Microsoft is edging closer to becoming the world’s most valuable company.

Apple currently leads the way with a market cap of $2.89 trillion, although its rivals are closing in with a market cap of $2.79 trillion. That’s despite Apple gaining a larger gain over the last 30 days, having grown by $68.2 billion compared to Microsoft’s $51.7 billion.

Microsoft has been heavily investing in AI of late, most recently teaming up with Siemens to drive cross-industry adoption for artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, Apple has experienced a 30% drop in sales in China – their third-largest market – in the first week of 2024.

There is still a $100 billion difference in valuation between the two companies but that’s relatively small when you consider how much each company has moved in value over the last month.

It does appear, at first glance, that Apple will hold off Microsoft for some time, though. Today (January 9) they are seeing a 2.42% increase in share price, as opposed to Microsoft’s 1.89%. This may be down to January 8’s announcement that Apple’s Vision Pro will hit stores in February, with pre-orders set to open on January 19.

However, both companies have experienced a decline in share price over the last 30 days, the only two to do so in the stock market in the top 13 most valuable companies in the world.

There is only one other company in the world that can boast a market cap of more than $2 trillion, which is oil giant Saudi Aramco.

How do Apple and Microsoft compare to others in the stock market?

Fellow tech giants Google ($1.75 trillion), Amazon ($1.54 trillion) and Meta ($921.7 billion) are some way behind the aforementioned juggernauts of the tech industry when it comes to market cap.

Meanwhile, Walmart lead the way for pure revenue with $638.8 billion, followed closely by Amazon with $554 billion. In comparison, Apple’s revenue stands at $383.3 billion and Microsoft only brings in over $218 billion.

Featured Image: Photo by Matthew Manuel on Unsplash

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The boss of gambling giant Bet365, Denise Coates, was paid around £221 million during its last financial year, taking her earnings over the last four years to over £1 billion.

As reported by the BBC, Ms Coates’ salary saw a £7 million increase on the previous year, which has been outlined in Bet365’s accounts for the year to March 2023. This does not include the £50 million she will have received in dividends.

In 2020, Ms Coates’ yearly salary peaked at £421 million, excluding dividends, meaning her earnings over the past four years have reached at least £1.1 billion.

It is being described by campaign groups, such as the High Pay Centre, as unfair and unproportionate. Luke Hildyard, executive director of the High Pay Centre, told the BBC: “Ultimately, Britain’s prosperity depends on how the wealth our economy generates is shared.

“Pouring hundreds of millions of pounds more on top of billionaire fortunes every year isn’t a good way to maximise living standards and it over-values the contribution that the super-rich have made.”

Ms Coates’ recent pay rise comes despite the company reporting significant losses in the same financial year. The latest accounts reported the gambling giant’s revenues at £3.4 billion in the year to March 2023, which was up from £2.8 billion the year before. Such an increase in revenues can be attributed to a boost in activity during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

However, Bet365 also reported a pre-tax loss of £72.6 million compared to the £49.8 million profit they achieved in the 12 months prior. The company cites a “significant increase in costs” due to launching operations in the US and Canada as the primary reason behind the loss.

Who is Bet365 boss Denise Coates?

Ms Coates, who is believed to be one of Britain’s richest women, founded the Bet365 website in a portable building in a Stoke-on-Trent car park over 20 years ago and has since been the driving force behind its rise to becoming one of the largest online gambling companies in the world.

Her father and brother are joint chairmen of Stoke City Football Club, but it is Bet365 which is the primary driver of the family’s wealth.

Before launching Bet365, Ms Coates became managing director of her family’s chain of betting shops at the age of 22, and has since been instrumental in growing the group to becoming the largest private sector employer in Stoke.

According to the Sunday Times Tax List, the Coates family has paid £460.2 million to HM Revenue and Customs.

Featured Image: Photo by Colin Watts on Unsplash

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AI Robotics company, Figure AI, has revealed significant progress in achieving its mission to “expand human capabilities through advanced AI” by demonstrating how its artificial intelligence (AI) performs a vital human task: making coffee.

The American firm’s research and development work focuses on training robots to perform everyday tasks that humans do both at home and in the workplace. Figure claims there are 10 million “unfilled” jobs in the US in sectors like logistics, retail and transportation which robot workers could fill in the future.

While robotic workers at scale as a while of yet, the company is making steps in the right direction.

Figure AI founder, Brett Adcock, has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that its robot, Figure-01, has successfully learned how to make coffee. While that doesn’t seem too impressive at the surface level, Adcock goes on to explain that the reason this is such a groundbreaking achievement is that “if you can get human data for an application (making coffee, folding laundry, warehouse work, etc) you can then train an AI system end-to-end on Figure-01.

“There is a patch to scale at every use case.”

In the video Adcock posted to X, it’s claimed it took 10 hours to train Figure-01 how to use a coffee machine to make a cup of coffee, including putting the coffee pod in and pressing the button to start brewing. It’s prompted to do so simply by being asked ‘can you make me a cup of coffee?’

It then goes on to show how Figure-01 also learned how to correct its mistakes in the process, like placing the coffee pod into the machine incorrectly.

Figure-01 has learned to make coffee

Our AI learned this after watching humans make coffee

This is end-to-end AI: our neural networks are taking video in, trajectories out

Join us to train our robot fleet: https://t.co/egQy3iz3Kypic.twitter.com/Y0ksEoHZsW

— Brett Adcock (@adcock_brett) January 7, 2024

Who is Figure AI?

As the debate surrounding the ethical dilemmas of AI rumbles on, Figure AI’s founder, Adcock, aims to use AI purely for the benefit of humanity. In what is labeled the “Master Plan” on the business’ website, Adcock writes: “I believe that positively affecting the future of humanity is the moral priority of our time.

“In the coming age we will see greater advancements in AI and Robotics, and by contributing in the early stages, we can set the course for a positive AI future for humanity.”

The company sees a real possibility that in the future, AI-powered robots that can “learn, reason and interact with their environments will eventually be capable of performing tasks better than humans.” They go on to say that they see a future where humanoids will revolutionize a variety of industries, from caring for the elderly to “building new worlds on other planets.”

Don’t get too excited yet. We’re not going to see robot workers on Mars for some time.  Figure AI admits that in the early stages, their applications will be in industries on Earth where labor shortages are highest.

But if you’re worried that these humanoids will eventually put you out of a job altogether, the company reassures everyone by confirming “our focus is on providing resources for jobs that humans don’t want to perform.”

Featured Image: Figure AI, via X

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UK regulator Ofcom is on the hiring offensive as it continues to poach executives from the likes of Meta, Google and Microsoft.

A report by the Financial Times claims a newly created team of close to 350 people will be dedicated to tackling online safety, and it intends to hire 100 more throughout 2024.

The media watchdog was handed fresh powers to oversee some of the largest companies in the world when the Online Safety Act (OSA) became law in the UK last October. The law hands Ofcom the power to hold both large and small platforms responsible for any illegal material, such as terror-related content and child pornography, as well as the duty to protect minors online.

The law was passed following an emotive journey through parliament as bereaved parents of children who turned to suicide after consuming harmful content online, urged politicians to be quicker in holding companies to account.

Ofcom has moved quickly to take advantage of such new powers by quickly assembling a team of executives who have worked for the companies it now seeks to regulate, and it recognizes the responsibility it now has to society to ensure it meets the expectations of its new capabilities as a regulator.

Chief Executive of Ofcom, Melanie Dawes, said: “The expectations are very high, but it is as quick as I’ve ever seen a regulator act. Nothing is ever fast enough.”

How will Ofcom enforce the Online Safety Act?

The regulator has already published lengthy codes of conduct and documents that provide detailed guidance to platforms, which they hope will encourage compliance before they can formally enforce their new powers over the next two years.

It will then have the power to fine companies who fall foul of the rules up to 10% of their annual global turnover and also pursue criminal charges against senior managers who fail in their duty of care.

It is estimated that implementing OSA will cost £166 million by 2025, with £56 million of that being spent by April this year.

While these new powers will likely lead to some legal challenges by companies, the OSA is already attracting executives to Ofcom from some of the largest businesses in the world. It has already led to fears that messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, may be forced to leave the UK market over the law’s encryption demands, with the OSA essentially handing itself the power to access and read encrypted messages to help detect illegal content.

Ofcom’s new director of online safety, Jessica Zucker, who previously led Meta‘s misinformation policy team in Europe, has explained that job cuts in the tech industry over the past two years have led to “overwhelming” interest in roles at Ofcom.

“Those still motivated by online safety and proportionality see Ofcom as the alternative,” she said. “You could do it for one company, or you can do it for an entire industry.”

Featured Image: Photo of Ofcom Chief Executive, Melanie Dawes, by Ofcom

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Almost 2,000 employees are due to be laid off by gaming software developer, Unity, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

A securities filing on Monday (Jan 8.) outlined plans to let go around 1,800 workers, which equates to roughly 25% of the company’s entire workforce.

The San Francisco-based business cites the reasons behind the decision as a way to restructure and refocus on its core business, with the overall aim to return to profitability. This follows a troubling time for Unity after it upset developers by introducing and then partially u-turning on a questionable runtime fee for its game engine.

In a message to shareholders, Unity says it aims to emerge from the restructuring as a “leaner, more agile and faster-growing company.”

In September last year, the company rolled out significant concessions to its pricing model for developers following backlash over its plans to charge developers for gaming installations. That move led to the resignation of CEO John Riccitello, with former IBM president James Whitehurst stepping in to serve as interim president and CEO ever since.

These most recent cuts are in addition to more than 1,100 jobs being removed since 2021, the most recent being 265 workers being fired last November in what was being described as a “reset.” There have also been 14 office closures globally.

Unity isn’t alone in the gaming industry cuts

Despite reporting record profits for 2022, Unity has missed revenue target forecasts over the last three quarters, leading to its latest move to restructure the business.

However, Unity is not alone in what appears to be a turbulent time for the industry’s biggest companies. In Engadget’s 2023 video game roundup, it was reported that the likes of Embracer Group, Square Enix Montreal and Gearbox Software had laid off more than 900 employees.

In addition, big players such as Sony, Sega and Electronic Arts cut almost 1,500 workers between them, with EA’s layoffs in particular equating to 6% of its overall workforce and Hasbro laid off 1,100 workers from its Wizards Of The Coast subsidiary just before Christmas. Meanwhile, on Jan. 9 language learning app, DuoLingo, announced it was cutting back on contractors in a switch to AI.

Featured Image: Unity

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Apple has announced the Vision Pro will be available to purchase in US stores from February 2, with pre-orders beginning on January 19.

The tech giant first revealed the Vision Pro headset in June last year, with Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, saying, “The era of spatial computing has arrived.”

In their most recent announcement, Apple claims Vision Pro “seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world and unlocks powerful spatial experiences in visionOS, controlled by the most natural and intuitive inputs possible.”

It is the latest innovative product by Apple that looks to break down barriers of what’s possible with technology while also adding convenience to its users. The California-based company explains that users can interact with the product’s OS by using their eyes, hands and voice, with more than 1 million compatible apps already existing in current iOS and iPadOS app stores.

“Intuitive gestures allow users to interact with apps by simply looking at them, tapping their fingers to select, flicking their wrist to scroll or using a virtual keyboard or dictation to type,” the announcement says.

The Vision Pro can also be used for FaceTime calls, which Apple says “takes advantage of the space around the user so that everyone on a call appears life-size,” which sounds like it will feel like you’re actually in the room with the person you’re Facetiming, presumably only if you’re both using the Vision Pro.

Other features include users experiencing their favorite memories in the Photos app in “entirely new ways,” watching entertainment using the Vision Pro’s ultra-high-resolution displays that deliver more pixels than a 4K TV for each eye, and gaming, including more than 250 titles on Apple Arcade.

How much does Apple Vision Pro cost?

The technology and the product look incredible, almost futuristic, so it is no surprise that Apple has announced a price point of $3,499, while prescription lenses will cost an extra $149. Reading lenses are $99.

For your money, you get 256GB of storage, a Solo Knit Band, Dual Lopp Band, Light Seal, two Light Seal Cushions, an Apple Vision Pro Cover, Polishing Cloth, Battery, USB-C cable and USB-C Power Adapter.

Featured Image: Apple

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New York State Senator, Joseph Addabbo, has reintroduced a bill that proposes the legalization of iGaming, reports Gambling News.

Online gambling is legal in several US states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia, while Rhode Island is also expected to join the list in April.

Addabbo’s proposal includes the legalization of online lotteries, such as Mega Millions and Powerball, while it also includes online table games and slots. The State Sen. has been a long-term supporter of online gambling in the state, citing the revenue it brings as vital to financing key services, such as education. He previously supported the legalization of sports betting in New York, which allows for both online and retail wagering.

In an opinion piece in December last year, he confirmed the new proposal to authorize iGaming and iLottery in New York would use the same framework already in place for mobile sports betting.

The introduction of iGaming to the bill will heavily increase tax revenue for the Empire State, which already stands at around $1 billion annually. This new proposal outlines a 30.5% tax on operators that wish to offer online gambling services, while there would also be a $2 million one-time fee to gain a license.

If Governor Kathy Hochul approves the proposal and signs it into law, it’s estimated that New York would benefit from an additional $1 billion boost in revenue each year.

‘New York needs the tax revenue’

The revenue gained from a regulated iGaming market would heavily benefit the state’s  Lottery Fund, which provides important finances to education across New York.

In his opinion piece, Addabbo admits that the state faces a “looming budget deficit,” and pointed to hundreds of millions of dollars spent on iGaming in the state leaving to fill the pockets of illegal gambling operators. He argues that by keeping that money in New York, public schools and educational programs would be the key beneficiaries.

The budget deficit he speaks of is believed to be in the region of $4.3 billion for 2024, rising to $8 billion by 2025, so the estimated $1 billion raised by a regulated iGaming market would go someway in reducing that if a bill is passed into law.

Featured Image: Photo by Benjamín Gremler on Unsplash

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The first week of 2024 has seen a steep decline in Apple iPhone sales in China, according to analysts.

The 30% drop has come despite ongoing discounting across iPhone’s range of models throughout the Chinese online marketplace. Reuters reports that there has been a 16% price drop on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models already this year, but that has done nothing to arrest an ongoing decline in sales in what is its third-largest market, behind the US and Europe.

This points towards ongoing competitive pressures from Android brands such as China-based Huawei, which launched a new range of Mate 60 phones last year.

For Apple, this latest decline comes off the back of a 3% year-on-year drop in sales in China in 2023. Jefferies researchers estimate that decline to equate to a 0.4% decrease in the tech giant’s market share. In comparison, Huwaei enjoyed a 6% increase in the Chinese smartphone market in the final quarter of 2023.

The investment bank now claim Apple is expected to face more competitive pressure from Chinese rivals throughout 2024, with shipment volumes decreasing steadily while Huawei’s market share continues to grow.

Huawei’s Mate 60 series is being described as the company’s route back into the high-end smartphone market, with an estimated 64 million handsets being shipped worldwide this year. That would be up significantly from its estimated 35 million shipped in 2023.

What is Apple’s global market share?

While the California-based tech giant remains the UK’s leading smartphone provider, with a reported market share of between 49.9% and 56.1% in 2022 and 2023, they are not currently the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer.

According to statista.com, Apple claimed 17.7% of the smartphone market in the third quarter of 2023, which was slightly lower than Samsung’s majority market share of 19.7%.

At its peak, iPhone’s largest market share – based on global shipment volumes – reached 24.1% back in the final quarter of 2022, which followed the much-anticipated release of their iPhone 14 range.

However, the fact the iPhone 15 release in 2023 does not yet appear to have had the same impact on the company’s market share may be of concern to some inside Apple HQ.

Featured Image: Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash

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SpaceX has launched its first set of direct-to-cell Starlink satellites that intend to provide “mobile connectivity anywhere on Earth.”

The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the new satellites will be “a great solution for locations with no cellular connectivity” but warned that due to only supporting less than 7 MB per beam, connectivity is not yet “meaningfully competitive with existing terrestrial cellular networks.”

This essentially means that while the new satellites help fulfill Musk‘s goal of delivering internet access to people around the world who don’t have direct access to high-speed internet, they are not yet a suitable alternative to your everyday network usage.

This will allow for mobile phone connectivity anywhere on Earth.

Note, this only supports ~7Mb per beam and the beams are very big, so while this is a great solution for locations with no cellular connectivity, it is not meaningfully competitive with existing terrestrial… https://t.co/ymHpw8XBHl

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 3, 2024

According to Starlink‘s website, their satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities enable ubiquitous access to texting, calling, and browsing wherever you may be on land, lakes, or coastal waters. Direct-to-cell connectivity will work with all existing LTE (4G mobile connection) phones “wherever you can see the sky.” No hardware or firmware updates are required.

Starlink describes its satellite network as a “cellphone tower in space” and promises network integration similar to a standard partner.

SpaceX has initially launched the direct-to-cell satellites on its Falcon 9 rocket before Starship will take over. The satellites will then immediately “connect over laser backhaul” to the Starlink constellation, which will result in global connectivity, even in the most rural of areas on the planet.

Starlink has grown a network of roughly 5,000 satellites since 2019, becoming the world’s largest satellite operator in the world. In November last year, Musk announced the company had achieved cash-flow breakeven, as reported by Reuters, which comes after he announced in 2021 he planned to take the business public once its cash flow was predictable.

When will Starlink’s direct-to-cell be available?

The Washington-based company has set out a timeline for when it expects each feature to be functional following the launch of its new satellites.

It expects texting capabilities to be working this year, while voice, data, and roaming are due in 2025.

Featured Image: SpaceX, via X

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Bitcoin experienced an 8% slump on Wednesday (Jan.3) after $400m was liquidated in the space of just two hours.

The fall follows a spike on January 1, as skepticism surrounding the anticipated approval of a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) increases. It’s now being claimed by options analyst GreeksLive on X that “the likelihood of the ETF’s passage becomes less and less likely, and the market saw a stalemate.”

The new bitcoin ETF was reportedly set to be approved as soon as “Tuesday or Wednesday” this week, according to Reuters a week ago.

It is now believed the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will reject all fresh ETF proposals in January, according to financial services company Matrixport.

They go on to predict a 20% price drop.

Matrix on Target projects a January rejection for Bitcoin Spot ETFs by the SEC, cautioning traders to hedge long exposure. With #SEC Chair Gensler’s skepticism towards #crypto, a potential -20% #Bitcoin price drop is anticipated upon #ETF denial, though a positive end-of-2024… pic.twitter.com/IgaMhBJtiP

— Matrixport (@realMatrixport) January 3, 2024

Bitcoin opened Wednesday at $45,500 but soon dropped to $40,550. It has since recovered to $42,200 but is still somewhat short of the $45,872 it reached on Tuesday morning. At its peak, bitcoin rose to $64,400 in November 2021.

The cryptocurrency experienced a tumultuous 2023, with the first three quarters of the year seeing its price hovering around the low to mid-twenty thousand before enjoying something of a spike in the final quarter, peaking at around $44,000 in December.

What are Bitcoin ETFs?

A bitcoin ETF is a fund that primarily invests in assets relating to bitcoin as its original entity. They sell shares on the open market and use those investments to build a portfolio based on a market index. They work in a similar way to mutual funds but instead trade directly on the stock exchange.

These ETF’s do not own Bitcoin but instead own companies and other ETFs that are linked to it.

Owning a Bitcoin ETF can be more expensive than owning it in an exchange. This is because exchanges typically charge one-time fees per transaction to buy and sell cryptocurrency, whereas ETFs charge a yearly fee, called an expense ratio fee.

Featured Image: Photo by Yiğit Ali Atasoy on Unsplash

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Using AI chatbots has become a lot more personal with the release of a new, albeit creepy-looking, AI head.

The company behind the product, WeHead, has repackaged what had initially intended to be a spatial video device that allows 3D video calls into something that gives AI chatbots a more human touch.

The AI head, which sits on your desk, is made up of four displays and mimics a real person who you can interact with and ask questions. WeHead says it can be used as an educator, caregiver, AI companion, personalized news host, and digital clones of celebrities and people you love. They say, “WeHead GPT has embodied LLM that helps you with brainstorming, decision making and self-reflection”

This latest invention does little to allay fears that AI is on an unstoppable journey toward replacing humans, although the demo below shows that this advancement in AI-related tech is still very much in its early stages.

However, with the rate at which AI is advancing in the real world, there’s very little reason to believe this is where this level of tech ends. With the more recent introduction of custom GPTs, an AI head has the potential to become anything a human wants it to be with the right prompts.

How much does it cost?

Anyone interested in taking their AI chatbot experience to the next, more personal, level will also have to pay handsomely for the privilege. It costs $4,950 to own outright and $199 a month to rent.

The Silicon Valley firm is also offering the product out to businesses and developers to test as ‘early adopters.’ These testing programs involve having the WeHead for three months at no cost, although they do admit they will collect audio and video data of interactions during that time. The product’s designers promise that data is protected and “will not be used to advertise or promote WeHead to the general public.”

Featured Image: WeHead

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Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) has blocked access to over 800,000 forms of gambling-related online content, reports Gambling Insider.

Gambling – casinos, poker rooms, sports betting and bingo – has been banned in the country since 1974, but it continues to see gambling-related sites accepting Indonesian registrations globally.

Kominfo is led by Budi Arie Setiadi, who was appointed in May 2023 and is responsible for internet censorship, information affairs and communications across Indonesia. In less than 12 months since Setiadi’s appointment, he has overseen the prevention and removal of 805,923 forms of gambling content previously accessible in the country.

Such a feat has been achieved by working closely with the Financial Services Authority, telecommunications companies and internet service providers, with IP addresses, websites and payment methods all being blocked.

“This achievement is equivalent to the accumulation of online gambling content blocking that has been carried out over the previous five years,” Setiadi said.

The length at which the Indonesian authorities have gone in an attempt to rid online gambling from the country is evident in the breakdown of where restrictions have taken place. Almost 600,000 websites and IPs, over 170,000 Meta platforms, close to 30,000 file-sharing platforms and 15 TikTok accounts are among those who have been blocked from the Indonesian market as a result of this latest crackdown.

Indonesia’s Gambling Ban

While there is ongoing growth in online gambling throughout Asia, Indonesia remains steadfast in its approach to ensuring gambling of any kind remains strictly prohibited throughout its 34 different provinces.

Gambling in Indonesia has been illegal since 1974, but it was announced in 2012 that plans were in place to make all types of online gambling illegal, which was in reaction to large volumes of Rupiah – Indonesia’s national currency – were being gambled online during the European Football Championships in 2012. Those plans are beginning to come to fruition.

Indonesia’s strict Islamic Law is a key reason behind the country’s decision not to capitalize on Asia’s growing gambling industry, which is believed to be worth nearly $80 billion, according to Gambling.com.

Featured Image: Photo by Bisma Mahendra on Unsplash

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Facebook has launched a new ‘Link History’ tool that allows users to record the links they click on.

New tech and privacy regulations have been clamping down on so-called data harvesting from companies such as Meta – which owns Facebook – Google and Apple. This new tool, turned on by default, is seemingly a move to continue tracking users’ behavior, both on and off their platforms. This data will subsequently be used for targeted ads.

Meta was fined by EU regulators last year for effectively forcing users to consent to targeted ads, meaning their products were off-limits to anyone who didn’t agree to their activity being tracked and data being shared with advertisers.

The social media giant’s new ‘Link History’ tool seeks to address that by giving users the ability to opt out of having their link clicks recorded. However, the feature only currently appears to be active on Facebook’s app, meaning it’s currently unclear whether using Facebook on a computer or directly within a web browser protects users from having their links tracked.

Facebook has always kept a record of links users click on, only now they’re simply giving users visibility of that data. It’s not clear whether opting out of Link History means users are also opting out of having their online activity tracked regardless. Facebook does say, though, that “when you allow link history, we may use your information to improve your ads across Meta technologies.”

Meta uses all of their products, including Instagram and WhatsApp, to track what users are doing away from their owned and operated platforms. Millions of companies around the world who want to advertise on Meta’s platforms must add a tracking tool called ‘Meta Pixel’ to their websites. This essentially allows Meta to keep a close eye on the user’s online behavior at all times, with that data then being used to serve targeted or personalized ads to users when they return to Meta-owned products.

The new Link History tool isn’t available globally yet, with it being rolled out “over time.”

How to turn your Facebook link history off

Facebook’s Link History tool is only accessible via the Facebook app. If you have this tool turned on, Facebook say “any links that you’ve tapped inside of Facebook and visited in Facebook’s Mobile Browser will be saved here for 30 days.

To turn link history off, you need to click any link inside of the Facebook app to open Facebook’s Mobile browser. From there, you can tap the three dots in the bottom right of the screen and then select ‘Browser Settings.’

Then, simply toggle off ‘Allow Link History’ and click ‘Allow’ to confirm your changes.

Facebook says it will delete a user’s link history within 90 days of the setting being turned off.

Featured Image: Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

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