Germany’s antitrust watchdog questions the future of behavioral advertising
Germany’s antitrust watchdog made some interesting comments vis-a-vis the programmatic advertising market yesterday — which question the appropriateness and sustainability of the (still dominant) tracking-and-profiling ad targeting business model.
In a statement accompanying publication of a sectoral report (the full report is here in German), the Federal Cartel Office’s (FCO) president, Andreas Mundt, wrote:
We should seriously ask ourselves whether we want to have virtually ‘transparent’ inter
Meta announces over 20 new games for Quest headsets
In addition to news of a $499 Quest 3 headset arriving this fall, Meta today announced over 15 new titles for Quest VR headsets at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase today. The games include “Stranger Things VR,” a new version of “NFL Pro Era,” “Assassin’s Creed: Nexus VR” and “Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord.”
The company is partnering with multiple game studios to bring different kinds of games to the Quest platform. A VR take on SEGA’s classic 1999 arcade game “Samba de Amigo” is releasing s
Ceibo unearths $30M Series B to extract more copper out of existing mines
When it comes time to fret about minerals critical to the energy transition, lithium, cobalt, and nickel may get all the attention, but another metal is keeping plenty of analysts up at night.
Though those other minerals are key ingredients for batteries, copper is used across every sector that will be touched by electrification. Transmission wires, electric motors, inverters, and battery packs all rely on the 29th element.
“There’s no energy transition, no decarbonization without some critical
'GTA 6' Leak Hints at a Surprising Cost-Cutting Measure
Grand Theft Auto 6 is on track to become even more successful than its groundbreaking predecessor, but that could change if the online component falls short of fans’ expectations. A recent leak hints that Take-Two could be considering a surprising cust-cutting measure for the latest game in the GTA franchise.On GTA Forums, leaker Tez2 reported that Take-Two rejected a proposal for dedicated servers a few years ago because it was “cost-prohibitive.” Tez2 also noted that “explosion shenanigans” mi
Compensating for grid fluctuations with bivalent furnaces
<div>Due to the high energy consumption of melting and holding furnaces, the price of the energy source used represents a significant cost factor in the production of castings. The price of electricity fluctuates significantly over the course of the day. This can be explained, for example, by the varying utilization of the power grid or the volatile feed-in of energy from renewable resources.</div>
Optimizing production processes through modularization
Improved speed, precision and flexibility—it is important to take advantage of every possible opportunity in optimizing production. To this end, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS have developed SURFinpro, a solution that uses artificial intelligence and optical measurement technology to detect, classify and visualize defects in real time, and report them to the plant carrying out the production. The experts will be presenting their system from June 27 t
Researchers improve the solubility of redox molecules for enhanced energy storage systems
<div>Dominant battery technologies using flammable, toxic, unsustainable, and expensive energy sources are a major contributor to climate change. Switching from fossil fuels to cleaner and environmentally friendly energy sources is thus crucial to curtail the impacts of climate change. This transition can be supported by improving the efficiency of energy storage systems for safer and stable operations, sustainability, high energy/ power density.</div>
Reducing climate-damaging emissions with lightweight drive shafts
<div>Lightweight design is essential for sustainable mobility. Drive shafts made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) with a thermosetting matrix, for example, can reduce climate-damaging emissions. Nevertheless, the lightweight design and resource-saving potential of these shafts has not been completely realized yet.</div>
Kaspersky says attackers hacked staff iPhones with unknown malware
The Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky said that hackers working for a government targeted its employees’ iPhones with unknown malware.
On Monday, Kaspersky announced the alleged cyberattack, and published a technical report analyzing it, where the company admitted its analysis is not yet complete. The company said that the hackers, whom at this point are unknown, delivered the malware with a zero-click exploit via an iMessage attachment, and that all the events happened within a one to thr
Fisker’s Ocean Extreme SUV Is Officially One of the Longest-Range EVs You Can Buy
We have a new range king in the U.S. — at least for now. Fisker received the official EPA range for its Ocean Extreme SUV, coming in at an estimated 360 miles. That range puts it above other long-range SUV EVs, including the Tesla Model X, the Rivian R1S, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.Fisker says the Ocean Extreme SUV is now the longest-range SUV under $200,000 that’s sold in the U.S. The estimated range alone might attract potential buyers looking for an EV with the best possible specs, but the O
'Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' Lynel Locations and How to Beat Them Easily
There’s plenty to see and do in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Along your journey, you might’ve encountered a deadly Lynel, a creature that resembles a mix between a lion and a centaur. These foes are extremely dangerous and, if you're unprepared, can take you down in just a couple of swipes. There are over 30 of them in the game and each of them yields useful materials that can be Fused to create powerful weapons. But where can you find these creatures and what are the best ways to
Verizon’s +Play is the first to bundle Netflix and Paramount+ with Showtime
Verizon announced Thursday a new streaming bundle through its +Play subscription-aggregation hub that will combine Netflix’s premium plan and Paramount’s upcoming merged streaming service, Paramount+ with Showtime. This marks the first time that rivals Netflix and Paramount+ have been offered in a bundle together.
The limited-time deal will cost $25.99 per month– a 19% discount on the regular price of the two services. Netflix Premium is usually $19.99 per month. When Paramount+ with Showtime la
Ancient technology that was centuries ahead of its time
<div><img src="https://www.freethink.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/zach-dyson-dv8cvBlQcJI-unsplash-e1685347338795.jpg?w=1067&h=600&crop=1">These forward-thinking inventions are often called "ahead of their time." They are reflections of the ingenuity of their civilizations.</div>
Pursuing metal fuel for carbon-free energy on Earth and the moon
<div>Everything burns. Given the right environment, all matter can burn by adding oxygen, but finding the right mix and generating enough heat makes some materials combust more easily than others. Researchers interested in knowing more about a type of fire called discrete burning used ESA's microgravity experiment facilities to investigate.</div>
New open data resource for studying video game play and its effects on well-being
<div>In the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of Oxford and Tilburg University have collaborated with game developer FuturLab to create a unique open online data resource to study the effects of playing video games on the well-being of players.</div>
WordPress.com challenges Substack with launch of paid newsletters
WordPress.com is taking on Substack and others with today’s news that its Newsletter product will now support paid subscriptions and premium content. First launched in December, WordPress.com Newsletter allows writers to automatically send out posts via email to connect directly with their audience, while still being able to leverage WordPress.com’s other capabilities. Writers can opt to use the feature solely for newsletters or they could add the option to their blog to cater to readers who wan
Google Play Books adds new practice feature to help kids learn how to read
Google Play Book is getting a new feature that is designed to help new readers independently improve their vocabulary and comprehension skills. Google announced today that the new feature, called “Reading Practice,” is available in the United States on the on the Google Play Books Android app and in Google Kids Space. The tools are intended for children between the ages of 0-8.
With Reading Practice, early readers can track their reading position, as text is highlighted as they read out loud. If
Simulation study investigates energy-saving dimmer switch for streetlighting
<div>A new approach to reducing the energy costs of streetlighting without compromising the safety and activities of pedestrians and drivers in towns and cities is discussed by researchers from India in the International Journal of Ad Hoc and Ubiquitous Computing.</div>
Newborn baby inspires sensor design that simulates human touch
<div>As we move into a world where human-machine interactions are becoming more prominent, pressure sensors that are able to analyze and simulate human touch are likely to grow in demand.</div>
Pushing Boundaries: Smaller, Lighter Space-Based Imaging Spectrometers With High Spectral Resolution
<div><img width="373" height="210" src="https://scitechdaily.com/images/Satellite-Laser-Illustration-373x210.jpg" class="attachment-cp-thumb-xl size-cp-thumb-xl wp-post-image" alt="Satellite Laser Illustration" decoding="async" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><p>NASA researchers have created a new, lightweight, and cost-effective imaging spectrometer for space use. These designs deliver high-resolution spectroscopy in a compact form, potentially expanding...</p></div>