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☆ Andrew Webber's forever war
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-27 | by ( Sam Fellman | Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +38 min

Like others in Chosen Company, Webber had been drawn to Ukraine for reasons he couldn't quite explain. AdvertisementNow, as Webber and his fellow members of Chosen Company got acquainted in the bar, uncertainty hung over the gathering. One showed an assault team clearing a World War I-style bunker, using live rounds. AdvertisementCats are everywhere on the front lines in Ukraine; Webber rescued one from a building under fire. "It seemed like he had stuff he was working on," says O'Leary, the CO of Chosen Company.

Persons: Andrew Webber, Webber chatted, he'd, Webber, Vera, Gwen, DeeDee, He'd, Jovelle Tamayo, she'd, I'm, hadn't, Rhodesian Bush, Dee Dee, David Roller, Sweeney, Tom Mader, Mader, vomited, patting, Andrew, Matthew James When Webber, wasn't, Karla Stephens, Karla, He's, Dubs, would've, Ryan O'Leary, Thomas Waszak, Elizabeth Gil, Fenwick, —, Sayed Zuhoor, Hilarie Atkisson, who's, Joe, O'Leary, Webber wasn't, marveled, Tango, Pervomaiske, Chosen, Wayne Hallatt, Hallatt, Thomas Waszak Wearing, wouldn't, Delta, Lance Lawrence, Lawrence, CeeBee, it's, Webber couldn't, we're, Waszak, Nichole, he's, Sam Fellman, Ryan Pickrell Organizations: White Sox, Chosen Company, Army, Company, corgi, Chosen, French Foreign, Rhodesian, Ranger School, intel, Operating, Taliban, Motorized Infantry Brigade, LinkedIn, Northwestern, Fenwick & West, Big Law, United, Fenwick, Ranger, Volunteers, Delta, AK, 173rd Airborne Brigade, Webber, Business Locations: Ukrainian, Dnipro, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, America, Seattle, Bakhmut, Washington, West Point, West, Georgia, Afghanistan's, Taliban, Kandahar, Fort Benning, Russian, Donetsk, Pervomaiske, Kabul, United States, Afghan, Russia, German, Delta, Kyiv

☆ Blizzard, NetEase deal: ‘World of Warcraft’ and other hit games return to China as dispute ends
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Diksha Madhok | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —China’s gaming giant NetEase will bring back the iconic “World of Warcraft” and other popular video games by Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment to the country, the companies said in a joint statement Wednesday. California-based Blizzard and Hangzhou-based NetEase had ceased their 15-year relationship in 2023 after an acrimonious fallout, leaving millions of fans in China heartbroken. “After a year of negotiations, Blizzard and NetEase are pleased to align on a path forward to once again serve players in mainland China,” the companies said in a post on NetEase Games’ official Weibo account. The new deal will see the return of “World of Warcraft” and “Hearthstone” games to China, as well as other titles in the Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and StarCraft universes, according to the statement. Foreign publishers must work with local partners to offer video games in China.

Persons: NetEase, “, ”, we’ve, William Ding, ’, Phil Spencer Organizations: CNN, Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard, Games, Weibo, Microsoft Gaming, Xbox, Microsoft, Activision, Big Locations: China, California, Hangzhou, Beijing, Big Tech

☆ I'm a US Army sniper in the Arctic, a beast of a place that can chew up even the strongest soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Phillip Cho, a US Army sniper in the 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska. What I've preached for years now is that in order to be a successful sniper in the Arctic, you have to have imagination. We use different procedures in the Arctic versus the jungles of Asia or the deserts of the Middle East. Like other environments, water is a priority. The Arctic can be an insatiable beast and chews up some of the strongest soldiers that I've seen.

Persons: Phillip Cho, Cho, —, It's, I've, Simo Häyhä, We've, We're, Wyatt Moore, fieldcraft, Staff Sergeant Phillip Cho Organizations: 11th Airborne Division, Service, US Army, Operations Command, U.S . Army, 75th Ranger, Pacific Multinational Readiness, Donnelly Training, U.S, Army, Spc, Public Affairs Detachment, Islamic, Staff Locations: Alaska, Finnish, That's, Asia, Base, Greenland, Korea, Iraq, Islamic State

NEW YORK (AP) — Several exclusive Xbox games will be soon making their way to rival consoles, the video gaming brand and its parent company, Microsoft, announced Thursday. In a special edition of the Official Xbox Podcast, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed that four Xbox games will no longer be exclusive. Microsoft has already been moving away from this through its “Game Pass” subscription service that works something like a Netflix for video games. The tech giant's recent acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard allows that service to grow even further. On Thursday, Xbox President Sarah Bond announced that the first Activision Blizzard game on Xbox Game Pass will be Diablo IV, starting March 28.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Spencer, “, ”, Indiana Jones, Sarah Bond, ” Bond Organizations: Microsoft, Bethesda, Netflix, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Windows, Sony Locations: Diablo, Redmond, Washington

☆ Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to step down at the end of the year
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will step down from his role as head of the video game company on Dec. 29, according to an internal memo from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer on Wednesday. The leadership change was expected after Microsoft closed its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October. He first joined the company as Director and CEO of Activision Inc., in February 1991 before serving as CEO of Activision Blizzard beginning in July 2008. In a memo to employees Wednesday, Kotick expressed "gratitude and appreciation" for his time at Activision Blizzard. Thomas Tippl, the vice chairman of Activision Blizzard; Rob Kostich, president of Activision Publishing; Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard Entertainment; and others will report to Matt Booty, the president of Microsoft's Game Content and Studios.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Phil Spencer, Kotick, Bobby —, Spencer, Tony Hawk, Thomas Tippl, Rob Kostich, Mike Ybarra, Matt Booty, Brian Bulatao, Dave McCarthy, — CNBC's Jordan Novet Organizations: Activision, Microsoft Gaming, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Activision Inc, CNBC, Activision Blizzard's, Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard, Gaming, CNBC PRO Locations: U.S, Europe

☆ This PC is infused with real human blood
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Haley Tenore | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Blizzard is giving away a blood-infused PC to one lucky winner, as well as hosting a blood drive. The game studio, which is behind popular games like "Diablo IV" and "Overwatch," is giving away a PC that might be part of a vampire's dream gaming setup: a liquid-cooled PC that's infused with human blood. The blood donations and the blood-infused PC are both a reference to the newest season of "Diablo IV," Season of Blood, which launched on October 17 and features vampire powers. However, you don't have to be 18 or over to enter the giveaway for the blood-infused PC. In 2021, Lil Nas X released a custom pair of Nike Air Max '97s infused with a drop of human blood in each pair.

Persons: Nas X, Tony Hawk, —, Lil Nas, Nike Air Max, MSCHF Organizations: Service, Nvidia, Blizzard, PC, Nike Air

☆ After blockbuster Microsoft deal, gaming giants are still sitting on $45 billion cash hoard
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Public gaming companies currently hold cash and cash equivalents of $45.1 billion, according to a report from venture capital firm Konvoy. Publicly listed gaming companies had a fairly rosy year in 2023, on the whole. The VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF , which seeks to track MVIS Global Video Gaming & eSports Index, has climbed 20% in the year to date, according to Konvoy. Total venture funding into the video games industry in the third quarter of 2023 fell 9% quarter-over-quarter, to $454 million. That was when pandemic lockdowns were in full swing, and people had more time to spend playing video games indoors.

Persons: China's NetEase, hasn't, China's Tencent, Josh Chapman, Redmond, Chapman, Candy Crush, Konvoy's Chapman Organizations: Chesno Publicly, CNBC, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Bandai Namco, Public, Gaming, Esports, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, Netflix, Sony, Activision, U.S, U.K, Markets Authority, Duty, Bandai Namco Entertainment Locations: Konvoy, Washington

The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union. "The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement. Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Activision Blizzard said: "The CMA's official approval is great news for our future with Microsoft, and we look forward to becoming part of the Xbox Team." The European Commission said the new commitments given by Microsoft to the CMA did not interfere with its EU commitments.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Cardell, Ben Barringer, Brad Smith, Activision Blizzard, Paul Sandle, Yadarisa Shabong, Aditya Soni, Foo Yun Chee, Varun H, Kate Holton, Sonali Paul, Jane Merriman, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, LONDON, Activision Blizzard, Sony, Activision, Competition, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Entertainment, Britain, European Union, PlayStation, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, REUTERS, British, Finance, Xbox, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Britain, Cheviot, London, Bengaluru, Foo

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. The deal was blocked in April by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which said it could give the U.S. computing giant a stranglehold over the nascent cloud gaming market. The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union. "The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission opposed the deal but after failing to stop it, the CMA was left standing alone.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Cardell, Ben Barringer, Brad Smith, Activision Blizzard, Paul Sandle, Yadarisa, Foo Yun Chee, Varun H, Kate Holton, Sonali Paul, Jane Merriman Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, CMA, LONDON, Activision Blizzard, Competition, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Entertainment, Britain, European Union, PlayStation, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, British, Finance, Xbox, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Britain, Cheviot, London, Bengaluru, Foo

☆ Microsoft-Activision Blizzard takeover approved as UK removes final hurdle
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —UK antitrust officials have approved Microsoft’s planned takeover of Activision Blizzard, the maker of “Call of Duty” and other hit games, greenlighting one of the biggest tech deals of all time. The Competition and Markets Authority announced Friday that the merger had been cleared after the companies agreed to give up certain cloud gaming rights, removing the final regulatory hurdle to the deal closing. Microsoft (MSFT) unveiled the deal in early 2022, but it was blocked in April by the UK competition regulator. “The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming,” the agency said Friday. Alongside “Call of Duty,” it also produces “World of Warcraft” and “Overwatch.”Microsoft, which sells the Xbox gaming console, offers a popular video game subscription service called Xbox Game Pass, as well as a cloud-based video game streaming service.

Persons: “, Tencent, Brad Smith, “ we’re, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority, CMA, Microsoft, Activision, European Union, Ubisoft Entertainment, Sony, Twitter Locations: Hong Kong

Plus, it will be “productive for the gaming industry as a whole and healthy for competition in the gaming market,” he said. In the meantime, the U.K. regulator was the last major obstacle to the transaction going through. British regulators had initially blocked the transaction over concerns Microsoft could withhold Activision titles from the cloud gaming market. One factor was the EU’s approval, granted after Microsoft promised to automatically license Activision titles royalty-free to cloud gaming platforms. But the CMA's flip-flopping makes the U.K. regulator look “weak and indecisive,” he said.

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Candy, Overwatch —, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Joshua Chapman, ”, Sarah Cardell, Max von Thun, ” von Thun, Matt O’Brien Organizations: —, Activision, Markets, Microsoft, Xbox, Union, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Ubisoft Entertainment, U.K, PlayStation, European Commission, Open Markets, CMA, AP Locations: Konvoy, U.K, Europe, Providence , Rhode Island

☆ How finally closing its Activision purchase will diversify Microsoft's revenue streams
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft (MSFT) closed its landmark acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), according to a company regulatory filing Friday, furthering the Big Tech name's video game ambitions. However, this biggest video game deal ever was completed despite the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) ongoing fight to block it. Activision reported $7.5 billion in revenue for the 2022 fiscal year, in comparison to Microsoft's $212 billion in sales for the same period. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Microsoft submitted a new proposal to U.K. regulators for the takeover of American game publisher Activision Blizzard after its initial proposal was rejected.

Persons: Victoria Graham, Jim Cramer, Jim, Tony Hawk, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Big Tech, Activision, pushback, Markets, CMA, Ubisoft, Federal Trade Commission's, CNBC, FTC, Xbox, Nurphoto, Getty Locations: U.S, OpenAI

☆ Microsoft closes $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard after lengthy regulatory review
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a blog post . Microsoft has closed its $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard , according to a regulatory filing by the company Friday. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will stay on as CEO through the end of the year. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who took the helm in 2014, is aiming to diversify the company's business beyond its core areas such as operating systems and productivity software. WATCH: Microsoft deal with Activision Blizzard set to clear final hurdle

Persons: Phil Spencer, Tony Hawk, It's, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, pushback, Victoria Graham, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Activision, Blizzard, Microsoft, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, European Commission, Markets, Economic, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo, Sony, Nvidia, San, U.S, Appeals, Circuit, Ubisoft, FTC Locations: U.S, San Francisco federal

☆ Microsoft could buy Activision Blizzard by the end of the week. Here's what that means for 'Call of Duty.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Activision President Rob Kostich said he thinks the deal will make "Call of Duty" better. "This deal is good for the industry," Kostich told Games Beat. AdvertisementAdvertisementActivision Blizzard's president thinks that Microsoft could make the "Call of Duty" franchise even better. The UK Competition and Markets Authority previously blocked Microsoft's attempts to buy Activision Blizzard, causing Microsoft to reorganize the deal. "As we've said previously, this deal is good for the industry and will bring more games to more players," Kostich told Games Beat.

Persons: Rob Kostich, Kostich, —, we've, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Service, Markets, Ubisoft, Cloud Gaming, Sunday

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. "While the CMA has identified limited residual concerns with the new deal, Microsoft has put forward remedies which the CMA has provisionally concluded should address these issues," the regulator said. The European Union waved the deal through in May after accepting Microsoft's commitments to license Activision's games to other platforms, the same remedies that Britain had rejected. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission also opposes the deal, but it has failed in its attempts to stop it. The CMA said there were "residual concerns" around the Ubisoft deal, but Microsoft has offered remedies to ensure the terms of the sale were enforceable by the regulator.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Brad Smith, Sarah Cardell, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Yadarisa, Paul Sandle, Varun H, Jason Neely, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, Ubisoft UK's CMA, CMA, Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft Entertainment, Competition, Markets Authority, Ubisoft, Union, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Thomson Locations: U.S, Britain, Bengaluru, London

☆ Microsoft's $68.7 billion Activision acquisition clears key hurdle after UK regulator provisionally approves deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The CMA provisionally greenlit Microsoft's acquisition of the "Call of Duty" developer. It comes after a lengthy period in which the deal was threatened because of competition concerns. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. The CMA will conduct a consultation until October 6, before the acquisition agreement expires on October 18. Activision said in a statement issued to Insider, "The CMA's preliminary approval is great news for our future with Microsoft."

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Sarah Cardell, Brad Smith, We're Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, CMA, Service, Activision, Markets, Ubisoft, Cloud Gaming Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Investing in Space: Beyond the battlefield
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Morgan Brennan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. "Defense happens to be our largest customer and market that we serve, but we make systems that go beyond in terms of applications, to more product lines or capabilities have very direct implications to space," Nawabi said on CNBC's "Manifest Space" podcast. It's best known perhaps for the design and development of the Mars Ingenuity helicopter with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Recently, however, Ingenuity conducted its 57th flight, surpassing 100 minutes of total Mars flight time. The lessons learned from this endeavor will also apparently bolster the emerging space robotics business.

Persons: CNBC's Michael Sheetz, Morgan Brennan, Michael Sheetz, AeroVironment, Wahid Nawabi, Nawabi, There's Organizations: CNBC, Revenue, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA, Softbank, Airbus, FAA Locations: Ukraine, Simi Valley, Calif

But the Logitech G305 Lightspeed is proof that you can find a great entry-level mouse for a lot less. Here's why it's the best wireless gaming mouse you can buy on a budget. Great Price Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse The Logitech G305 Lightspeed is an excellent choice for entry-level users, casual gamers, and those shopping on a budget. Simple yet mighty, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed is a solid investment for casual gamers and beginners alike. Sarah Saril/InsiderThe Logitech G305 Lightspeed is a great purchase for entry-level users, casual gamers, and budget-minded shoppers.

Persons: I've, Price, Sarah Saril Organizations: Logitech, G305, Price Logitech, Lightspeed, Amazon, AA, Logitech G305 Wireless, Team Fortress

Microsoft announced the biggest gaming deal in history in early 2022, but the acquisition was blocked by Britain's competition regulator, which was concerned the U.S. computing giant would gain too much control of the nascent cloud gaming market. Under the restructured deal, Microsoft will not be able to release Activision games like "Overwatch" and "Diablo" exclusively on its own cloud streaming service — Xbox Cloud Gaming – or to exclusively control the licensing terms for rival services. Instead, French gaming rival Ubisoft will acquire the cloud streaming rights for Activision's existing PC and console games, and any new games released by Activision in the next 15 years. A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, January 25, 2023. Microsoft said Ubisoft would acquire the rights through a one-off payment and a market-based wholesale pricing mechanism, including an option that supports pricing based on usage.

Persons: Tom Smith, there's, Gonzalo Fuentes, Alex Haffner, Fladgate, Sarah Cardell, Yadarisa, Kate Holton, Foo Yun Chee, Barbara Lewis, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, Activision, Ubisoft Deal, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Markets Authority, European Commission, Geradin Partners, Big Tech, Reuters, REUTERS, European Union . Competition, Federal Trade Commission, European, European Union, Sony, U.S, Thomson Locations: New York, Paris, U.S, Europe, Brussels, EU, Issy, France, British, United States, Bengaluru, London

☆ Microsoft gives ground on streaming in bid to remove UK block on Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Microsoft has made a major concession to UK authorities in a bid to remove the last remaining regulatory obstacle to its huge takeover of Activision Blizzard. The restructured deal, announced by the UK Competition and Markets Authority Tuesday, follows a decision by the CMA to block the acquisition on its original terms. A US federal court also said in July that it would not block the deal from closing. The transaction was valued at $69 billion at the time, making it one of the tech industry’s largest deals. Activision Blizzard is one of the world’s biggest video game developers, producing games such as “Candy Crush,” “Call of Duty,” “World of Warcraft” and “Overwatch.”

Persons: Sarah Cardell, ” Cardell, Candy, ” Organizations: London CNN, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, European Union, Ubisoft Entertainment, UK Competition, Markets, CMA, Ubisoft —, Economic, Ubisoft, Activision Locations: United Kingdom, Paris

How to play games on a ChromebookCompared to Macs and PCs, Chromebooks don't come with many apps pre-installed. But you can use two of your Chromebook's native apps — Google Chrome and the Google Play Store — to find and play loads of games. And similarly, the best way to play games on your Chromebook is through your browser. This is the best way to play new, high-end games on a Chromebook. Use the Google Play Store to play Android appsMost Chromebooks have a dedicated Google Play Store app which lets you download and play almost any Android app.

Persons: you'd, Chromebooks, William Antonelli, it's Organizations: GE, Google, Nvidia, Forza, Microsoft, Luna, Internet, Konami Digital Entertainment, Chromebooks, Linux, Steam Locations: Minecraft

Here's a stellar gaming laptop deal for anyone seeking portable gaming power on a budget. Best Buy has shaved $350 off an entry-level Dell G15. An ideal gaming laptop for newcomers or casual gamersDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price Dell G15 Gaming Laptop (Ryzen 5, RTX 3050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) Designed for gamers, the G15 has a large 15.6-inch screen for a more immersive on-the-go experience, and it's $350 off from Best Buy. The resulting $600 price is a steal considering the Ryzen 5 CPU and RTX 3050 GPU inside.

Persons: Price Organizations: AMD, Apex, Bluetooth Locations: CounterStrike

☆ Is A.I. the Greatest Technology Ever for Making Dumb Jokes?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

Via Janelle Shane AI Weirdness Generated by A.I. Optimists cite scientific advances and other examples of human intelligence and machine intelligence augmenting each other, robots and people walking hand in hand toward the singularity. possibilities on a two-dimensional plot, where one axis runs from “machine stupidity” to “machine intelligence” and the other from “human stupidity to human intelligence.” Scientific leaps — like physicists’ developing A.I. Machine Intelligence, Human Stupidity Not just any A.I.-generated post deserves to be charted in the Funposting Zone. After all, the machines can keep improving, and human stupidity — the engine of many of history’s best jokes — isn’t going anywhere.

Persons: Overwatch, Spambots, ., Will Smith, Joe Rogan, Harry Potter, Balenciaga, Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin, ’, Janelle Shane, Janelle Shane ChatGPT’s, ChatGPT’s, Barack Obama’s, “, Arik Ahmed, Ahmed, ” Ahmed, ” Mr, Donald J, Joe ”, —, Pope Francis, I’d, ”, “ Will Smith, Elon Musk, Jordan Peterson, ” —, I’m, Harry Potter ”, Mustard, Roddy Ricch, ChatGPT, DALL, Shane, Bing Organizations: A.I, Biology, Balenciaga, Adobe, . Machine Intelligence, Colorado State Fair, Heath, Microsoft Locations: Rome, Ancient Rome, Silicon, dystopia, Funposting, Reddit, Minecraft

☆ The biggest takeaways from Microsoft's courtroom showdown with the FTC over Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +21 min

The impulse to expand Microsoft's gaming business on mobile devices at least in part inspired the Activision acquisition. The impulse to expand Microsoft's gaming business on mobile devices at least in part inspired the Activision acquisition. Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, wasn't happy with a Microsoft-generated list of Activision Blizzard games that would remain accessible on the PlayStation after the acquisition closes. Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, wasn't happy with a Microsoft-generated list of Activision Blizzard games that would remain accessible on the PlayStation after the acquisition closes. Activision Blizzard and Microsoft have agreed to terminate the deal if it's not done by July 18.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Phil Spencer, Spencer, James Weingarten, Weingarten, Jim Ryan, Sony, Ryan, Amy Hood, Bobby Kotick, Sarah Bond, Kotick, Amazon Weingarten, Bond, Tim Stuart, Nadella, Bernstein, Mark Moerdler, Hood, Stuart, it's, Jacqueline Scott Corley, she'll Organizations: Northern, Northern District of, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Sony, PlayStation, Mobile, Activision, Xbox, Zynga, Sega Sammy, Nintendo, Enix, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Management, Sony Group, Amazon, Microsoft's Xbox, Bernstein Research, Symantec, Sony PlayStation Locations: U.S, Northern District, Northern District of California, San Francisco, cybersecurity, United Kingdom, FarmVille, Asia, Japan, Tokyo

☆ Photos from Ukraine's offensive show how US Bradley IFVs are kicking butt even when they get blasted by Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Kieran Corcoran | Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An official described how a Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle took a direct hit but kept going. Tough vehicles like the Bradley are stronger than Ukraine's own equipment, and may give it an edge. A damaged Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle in a photo shared by a Ukrainian official. A group of Ukrainian soldiers in front of a Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, seemingly taken before it was damaged. It's unclear whether this was the same Bradley Maliar mentioned.

Persons: Bradley, —, Hanna Maliar, Maliar, Bradley IFVs, Mia Jankowicz, Peter Chiarelli, Chiarelli, Bradley Maliar, Anton Borshch Organizations: Bradley Infantry Fighting, Service, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Russia, Ukraine's 47th Mechanized Brigade, Russian Grad, Observers, US Army, NBC News, NBC, Ukrainian Locations: Ukraine, Ukraine's, Russian, Soviet, Russia, Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukrainian

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