Microsoft and Nintendo deluged fans over the last two days with showcases focusing on indie games about everything from farming in mech suits to boyfriends that turn into weapons.
Why it matters: These showcases reinforce the idea that there are great reasons to play an Xbox or Switch beyond whatever heavily-marketed mega-games are on the release schedule.
A bipartisan trio of senators led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) unveiled legislation Wednesday that would upend Google and Apple's control over their mobile app stores in a bid to inject more competition into the sector.
Why it matters: The bill's provisions would be a win for those app makers who have complained about how Google and Apple operate their app stores.
Samsung has introduced two new foldable phones as well as a major overhaul of its watch lineup at an online event Wednesday.
The big picture: Samsung may seem to be shaking things up this year by skipping a new Galaxy Note and using its fall event to launch new foldable phones. But it's actually returning to the early days of the Note, when its mainstream smartphone would launch early in the year and more experimental devices would roll out in the fall.
YouTube suspended Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) for seven days on Tuesday over a video claiming that cloth masks are not effective in fighting COVID-19, CNN reports.
Driving the news: "This resulted in a first strike on the channel, which means it can't upload content for a week, per our longstanding three strikes policy," a YouTube spokesperson told CNN.
This is THOR, Verizon's Tactical Humanitarian Operations Response vehicle, which the communications giant calls a 5G-enabled Swiss Army Knife on wheels.
Why it matters: It's a prototype of a vehicle that the Verizon Response Team — which handles major emergencies — could send to a disaster zone like a wildfire or hurricane to establish communications when other networks are down. It enables emergency responders from multiple agencies to communicate more easily.
Details: Built on a modified Ford F650 chassis, THOR can provide its own mobile network, along with commercial satellite options and radio communications.
It can be operated remotely from a tablet and comes with a drone that can fly ahead to provide aerial views for situational awareness.
Fun fact: Verizon's Response Team has a menagerie of field equipment they call The Barnyard: COWs (Cell On Wheels), COLTs (Cell On Light Trucks), CROWs (Cellular Repeater On Wheels) and GOATs (Generator On A Trailer).
Media that were once free or easily accessible — including news websites, podcasts, TV shows and games — rushed to get behind paywalls during the pandemic.
Why it matters: This accelerating trend is carving the internet into many niche audiences, Balkanizing our collective media diets.
Two new AI models out this week show the power of artificial intelligence to read text, write it — and even convert it into computer code.
Why it matters: Natural language processing (NLP) is one of the most exciting areas in AI research, with major implications for how we'll communicate and work in the years ahead.
BitMEX, a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange, has agreed to pay $100 million to settle charges by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network that it unlawfully operated in the United States.
Why it matters: U.S. regulators are cracking down on the cryptocurrency industry as new innovations like derivatives exchanges, "decentralized finance" protocols and others boom.
China's regulatory shakeup is causing even one of its biggest believers —SoftBank — to take pause.
Driving the news: "We don't have any doubts about the potential of China but again, new rules are being implemented, so until it gets settled, we want to wait and see," SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son told analysts during the company's quarterly earnings presentation.
SOC Investment Group says that Activision Blizzard's recent promises to improve its culture do not go "nearly far enough to address the deep and widespread issues with equity, inclusion, and human capital management" that the company is facing.
Why it matters: In addition to being an Activision Blizzard shareholder, SOC advocates for ethical business practices and is outspoken on topics like pay gaps between executives and workers.
Google and YouTube are introducing new safety protections for users under 18, according to company blog posts Tuesday.
Why it matters: Google joins Facebook-owned Instagram in changing privacy and advertising policies for younger users as regulators across the globe scrutinize how Big Tech affects children.
Salesforce is the latest tech giant to venture into video streaming with the launch of a new service aimed at business professionals called Salesforce+, the company's chief marketing officer Sarah Franklin tells Axios.
Why it matters: The service is part of a greater effort to transition Salesforce's marketing approach from paid customer acquisition to owned and operated media.
The White House-backed infrastructure bill now moving toward Senate approval divvies up $65 billion in broadband funding in ways that largely please the big cable and telecom companies.
The big picture: President Biden's spending blueprints and talking points stoked alarm in the industry over the prospect of price regulation or government-backed networks, but the legislation that's moving forward is much more to its liking.
Primetime ratings for the Tokyo Olympic Games were down 42% from the 2016 Games, according to data from NBCUniversal.
Why it matters: It's an undeniable proof point that the decline of traditional television is happening faster than initially expected. It also points to the ways media diets and interests have become more polarized and divided in the digital era.
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