NFTs and games that use blockchain technology have been banned from Valve's digital distribution service, Steam, while Epic says it's open to including them on its platform.
Driving the news:As noted by a developer working on blockchain gaming title "Age of Rust," Steam began notifying creators it would be kicking all blockchain games from its platform.
Apple on Monday announced an updated MacBook Pro lineup featuring higher-performance chips, faster screen refresh rates and the return of MagSafe magnetic charging cords. It also introduced redesigned AirPods wireless headphones that feature a new, water-resistant design and spatial audio.
Why it matters: The move is the latest step in shifting the Mac from Intel chips to Apple-designed processors.
Organizations, even some of those focused on getting more people of color and women into technology, say it is past time to focus on the institutional racism and sexism that awaits those women and people of color who do enter the field.
Why it matters: Just getting a more diverse group of college graduates joining tech won't help if harassment and discrimination continue to push qualified people out of the field.
The House Antitrust Subcommittee, in a letter released Monday, questioned if Amazon misled or lied to Congress through testimony from the company's top executives — including former CEO Jeff Bezos — regarding its business practices.
Why it matters: Reuters published a report last week detailing how the e-commerce giant's India branch manufactured knockoffs of popular goods and manipulated search results to advertise its own items over the original product.
Pique Action, a new media company launching today, is betting that short form "micro-documentaries" that tell stories about people working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will help to counteract our doom-scrolling tendencies.
Why it matters: The media organization, launched by film veteran Kip Pastor (whose credits include "In Organic We Trust," and "Sickhouse," the first film shot and distributed on SnapChat) and social media strategist Tyler Steinhardt, plans to distribute positive stories about climate solutions through social media platforms like SnapChat, Youtube, TikTok and Twitter.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the country’s largest local broadcast companies, said Monday that it had fallen victim to a cyberattack that left some servers and workstations "encrypted with ransomware."
Why it matters: The incident comes just days after Cox Media Group, another local broadcast company, acknowledged a that cyberattack it experienced this past summer was ransomware.
When it comes to Intel's recent manufacturing problems, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger places the blame squarely on his predecessors — many of whom he notes were not engineers deeply steeped in chip technology, as he is.
Why it matters: Gelsinger has announced a broad plan to reinvigorate Intel by doubling down on manufacturing. However, the strategy depends on the venerable semiconductor giant recovering from recent stumbles.
Internet companies are leaning into new services that add a social component to the otherwise isolated experience of staying home in front of a screen.
Why it matters: These options for virtual watch parties, virtual concerts and communal gaming often rely on smart TVs — turning the living room back into a place to socialize with friends, even if they're not actually there.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger is putting the pressure on the U.S. government to help subsidize chip manufacturing, insisting the current reliance on plants in Taiwan and Korea as "geopolitically unstable."
Why it matters: There is bipartisan support for funding the domestic semiconductor industry, but Congress has yet to sign the check. The Senate has passed the CHIPS Act that includes $52 billion in semiconductor investment, but it has yet to pass the House.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger hasn't given up on the idea of the Mac once again using Intel chips, but he acknowledges it will probably be years before he gets that chance.
In the meantime, he is focused on powering Windows machines that give Apple CEO Tim Cook a run for his money.
Why it matters: In getting pushed out of the Mac, Intel not only lost a customer but picked up a new rival.
Older brands, trends and technologies are making a comeback as younger consumers desperately chase slower, less chaotic times.
The big picture: TikTok's algorithm makes it easy for flashback items to resurface and quickly go viral both on its platform and eventually on other social networks.
