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☆ 10 Things in Tech: Digital nomad regrets, a longevity researcher’s morning routine, and sun activity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In case you missed it: This is the last week of 10 Things in Tech. The EV company only has six gigafactories across the world: Fremont, California; Sparks, Nevada; Berlin; Shanghai; Austin, Texas; and Buffalo, New York. Each location is outfitted with solar panels, and Musk claims 100 gigafactories could supply the world with all of its energy. My colleague Graham Rapier takes us into the world of Tesla's gigafactories and breaks down what their futures could look like. In a world of remote work, they're trying to pay people the least amount of money to get work done (think freelancers and contractors).

Persons: I'm, Siu, let's, Elon Musk, Graham Rapier, gigafactories, Tyler Le, Allbirds, M0.0nshot, Gigi Chow, Elon Musk's, Walter Isaacson, it's, David Sinclair, Lewis Joly, cardiologists, Eid Mubarak, Diamond Naga Siu, Alistair Barr, Hallam Bullock Organizations: it's, EV, Employers, Paris Air, Storm Shadow, Interactive Entertainment, Tencent Locations: Tech, Fremont , California, Sparks , Nevada, Berlin, Shanghai, Austin , Texas, Buffalo , New York, Silicon, San Francisco, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Harvard, Le Bourget, Paris, France, Ukraine, New York, Florida, Barcelona, Spain, San Diego, Silicon Valley, London

☆ Microsoft attempts to pick apart US legal argument against deal to buy Activision
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Greg Bensinger | Thomson Reuters | Greg Bensinger Joined Reuters As A Technology Correspondent In Focusing On The World'S Largest Technology Companies. He Was Previously A Member Of The New York Times Editorial Board | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has asked a federal judge to stop the transaction temporarily in order to allow the agency's in-house judge to decide if it can go forward. If the deal goes through, Microsoft has pledged to provide the game to Switch for 10 years. Microsoft attorney Beth Wilkinson pressed Lee in an effort to poke holes in his analysis of the deal, pointing out limitations of his economic modeling. Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, a federal judge in San Francisco who will decide the case, said little on Tuesday. Reporting by Greg Bensinger in San Francisco Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Microsoft's, Robin Lee, Lee, Beth Wilkinson, Wilkinson, “, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Greg Bensinger, Diane Bartz, Matthew Lewis Organizations: FRANCISCO, Activision, Harvard, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Xbox, FTC, Nintendo, Sony Group, Britain's, Markets Authority, Thomson Locations: Redmond, Washington, San Francisco, United States

☆ Bets on A.I. and innovation help this tech-focused T. Rowe Price fund outperform the market
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Since joining investment management firm in 2000, Allen's worked his way up the corporate ladder, taking the helm as portfolio manager of the T. Rowe Price Science & Technology (PRSCX) fund in 2009. In the wake of the latest artificial intelligence boom that's driven up last year's beaten-up technology stocks, it's skyrocketed nearly 38% in 2023. Longer-term, the fund, with a 0.84% expense ratio, offers 10- and 15-year trailing returns of more than 16% and about 13%, respectively. This year, Allen has benefited from a spectacular run-up in technology stocks, fueled by a mania for all things tied to artificial intelligence. "It's really important to learn over time when things go well and especially when things don't go well," Allen said.

Persons: Ken Allen, Rowe Price, Allen's, Allen, Salesforce, it's, Morningstar, I've Organizations: Colby College, Rowe Price Science & Technology, PRSCX, Apple, Netflix, Nvidia, Devices, Microsoft, Zalando, Amazon, Meta, Accenture, Mastercard, Texas, Texas Instruments Locations: Maine, Baltimore, Salesforce, Zalando, buybacks

☆ Microsoft says it looked at acquiring Zynga but opted to go bigger with Activision
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Zynga was originally for the Facebook hit social game FarmVille, before eventually expanding into mobile games, largely through acquisitions. Prior to the Microsoft offer, Activision met with a financial firm to work on topping Take-Two's purchase of Zynga, CNBC reported at the time. Spencer didn't say when Microsoft was in talks with Zynga, and the company wouldn't provide further comment. Spencer said that after the company went to Zynga, he worked with Microsoft finance chief Amy Hood to look for mobile opportunities. Activision grew its portfolio of mobile games with the 2016 acquisition of King, publisher of Candy Crush Saga.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Justin Sullivan, Spencer, Spencer didn't, Tencent, Amy Hood, King, Candy Organizations: FRANCISCO, Microsoft, Activision, FTC, Activision Blizzard, Zynga, Federal Trade Commission, Facebook, FarmVille, CNBC, Sony, Apple Locations: CALIFORNIA, San Francisco , California, San Francisco

☆ Microsoft faces off against US government over Activision deal, with top execs set to testify
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It will also impact enormously popular gaming franchises such as “Call of Duty” and “World of Warcraft,” which Activision owns and would be transferred to Microsoft under the deal. Also testifying will be the top financial executives from both companies; senior leaders from Microsoft’s Xbox division; the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer; and a vocal critic of the deal, Sony gaming CEO Jim Ryan. The clash comes as Microsoft and Activision face down a contractual July 18 deadline to consummate the deal. A crucial moment for Microsoft and the FTCThe FTC lawsuit has put Microsoft under the harshest antitrust scrutiny in the US in more than two decades. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick and Sony Gaming CEO Jim Ryan are all expected to testify.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Jim Ryan, Satya Nadella, Bobby Kotick, Drew Angerer, Kevin Dietsch, Alex Wong, “, Lina Khan, Khan, Meta Organizations: CNN, Microsoft, Activision, Xbox, Microsoft Gaming, Sony, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Sony Gaming, New, Nintendo, Nvidia, European Union, Facebook, Meta Locations: New Zealand, European, United States

☆ What is OceanGate? Meet the company that made a business out of risky deep-sea tours of the Titanic shipwreck.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The company has attracted renewed scrutiny since its submersible vessel, Titan, went missing Sunday. In 2018, OceanGate faced a lawsuit from former employee David Lochridge, who said he warned about quality and safety issues related to the Titan vessel. The Titanic shipwreck expeditionsOceanGate has been conducting expeditions of the Titanic ship wreckage since 2021, according to the company's website. When reached for comment, a spokesperson for OceanGate told Insider the company was "unable to provide any additional information at this time." What is the OceanGate Titan?

Persons: OceanGate, Rush, David Pogue, David Lochridge, Pogue, Peter Girguis, Mike Reiss, Reiss Organizations: Stockton Rush, Rush, Morning, OceanGate Expeditions, Titanic, Smithsonian Magazine, Princeton University, McDonnell Douglas Corporation, University of California, The Seattle Times, Smithsonian, CBS, Titan, US Navy, BBC Locations: Everett , Washington, Pitchbook, St, John's, Newfoundland, OceanGate, Harvard

☆ FTC to argue Microsoft's deal to buy Activision should be paused
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday will argue in federal court for a preliminary injunction to temporarily block Microsoft's acquisition of videogame maker Activision Blizzard, stopping the deal from closing before the government's case against the deal is heard. But if the court pauses the deal, Microsoft and Activision will have to agree to extend it past a July 18 termination date built into their original agreement. The FTC fears that without action by the federal court, the combined firm "could alter Activision's operations and business plans" and could allow Microsoft to access sensitive business information. Resolving the U.S. lawsuit is one of several key antitrust battles Microsoft and Activision have fought around the world to get the deal finalized. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Activision CEO Bobby Kotick are among the witnesses planned for a five-day evidentiary hearing.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Bobby Kotick, Chris Sanders, Leslie Adler Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Activision, Microsoft, Microsoft Corp, Activision Blizzard Inc, FTC, EU, Nintendo, Sony Group, Sony, Thomson Locations: San Francisco

☆ Microsoft Says It Could Abandon Activision Deal if Judge Delays It
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Kellen Browning | David Mccabe | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

On Wednesday, it sued Amazon over allegations that the company tricked users into signing up for its Prime subscription service. has had setbacks: Its challenge to Meta’s purchase of a virtual reality start-up fell apart this year after a judge declined to stop the deal from closing. But that court does not have the legal authority to stop the deal. asked the federal court to step in this month, saying it feared Microsoft would try to complete the deal despite the legal challenges. would be a sign that its broader challenge has legs, and could put new pressure on Microsoft and Activision to reconsider the multibillion-dollar corporate marriage.

Persons: Wilkinson, ”, Jim Ryan, Meta, Microsoft’s, Corley’s Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Nintendo, Nvidia, PlayStation, Sony, Amazon

"We know you've wanted more storage with Xbox Series S," Xbox chief executive Phil Spencer said during the company's summer gaming showcase. Xbox Series X and Series S have been the fastest-selling generation of Xbox consoles to date, thanks in part to the affordable price of the Series S. If you're hoping to get your hands on the new 1TB Xbox Series S, we've got you covered with full details on how to preorder one now. Where to preorder the Xbox Series S 1TB Carbon Black modelThe Carbon Black 1TB Xbox Series S will be released on September 1, and preorders are available now for $350 at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Newegg, GameStop, and the Microsoft Store. Is the 1TB Xbox Series S different from the original Xbox Series S? The new Xbox Series S 1TB edition features double the storage space of the original Xbox Series S released in 2020.

Persons: you've, Phil Spencer, we've Organizations: Microsoft, Xbox, GameStop, Target, AA, Seagate, Amazon

☆ Microsoft, Activision CEOs on witness list for hearing on FTC bid to block merger
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The FTC is seeking a preliminary injunction to block Microsoft from completing its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The FTC has argued the transaction would give Microsoft's video game console Xbox exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo (7974.T) consoles and Sony Group Corp's (6758.T) PlayStation out in the cold. Microsoft's bid to acquire the "Call of Duty" video game maker was approved by the EU in May, but British competition authorities blocked the takeover in April. The FTC is calling Nadella to testify about the video game industry, Microsoft Gaming’s strategy and business and the planned Activision acquisition, while Microsoft is calling him to testify about similar topics. Also testifying are two executives from Nvidia Corp.Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Microsoft Gaming CFO Tim Stuart are also scheduled to testify, as are a number of expert witnesses.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Bobby Kotick, Nadella, James Ryan, Dov Zimring, Amy Hood, Phil Spencer, Tim Stuart, David Shepardson, Chris Reese Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Federal Trade, FTC, Activision, Nintendo, Sony Group, EU, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Google, Nvidia Corp, Thomson

☆ Diablo IV crosses $666 million in sales in five days, a record for Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Activision Blizzard's new Diablo video game broke $666 million in global sales in the span of five days, the company said Wednesday. Diablo IV, which launched June 6, has become Activision subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment's fastest-selling game ever, the company added. Microsoft dominates the space, and with a possible Activision acquisition, it would be able to make popular franchises beyond Diablo exclusive to Microsoft's cloud platform, the CMA said. Diablo IV isn't available on Game Pass, an Activision executive said in March. The sales record, while record breaking for Blizzard, is not an industry record.

Persons: Diablo Organizations: Activision, Blizzard, Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, FTC, Authority, CMA, Marquee, Electronic Arts, FIFA, Madden Locations: California

☆ US FTC asks court to block Microsoft acquisition of Activision
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

June 12 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission asked a court to temporarily block Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) on Monday, seeking to halt the deal from closing before the government's case against the $69 billion deal is heard. The FTC said Microsoft and Activision had signaled the deal could close as soon as Friday and asked a federal judge to block any final agreement before 11:59 p.m ET June 15. Shares in Microsoft closed up 1.5% Monday, while Activision fell 0.8%. "We welcome the opportunity to present our case in federal court," said Microsoft president Brad Smith in a statement. When announcing the deal in January 2022, Microsoft said they expected it would close in their 2023 fiscal year, which ends in June.

Persons: Brad Smith, Joe Biden, Rami Ayyub, David Shepardson, Doina Chiacu, Nick Zieminski, Conor Humphries, Anna Driver Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, FTC, Activision, Nintendo, Sony Group, EU, Sony, U.S, Thomson Locations: Washington

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Amazon's AI scramble
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Hallam Bullock | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The OpenAI CEO says he is losing sleep over the fear that "we already have done something really bad by launching ChatGPT." When ChatGPT launched, Amazon managers asked staff for ideas on how to leverage the chatbot at work. "Amazon must be really scared about being late on all of this," an Amazon employee told Insider. Odds and ends:Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, showed off his guitar skills at Apple's WWDC conference this year. During the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, stole the show with a guitar solo.

Persons: Hallam Bullock, Victor Frankenstein, Sam Altman, ChatGPT, Eugene Kim, Insider's Ben Bergman, We've, we've, Thrasio, doesn't, Read, Craig Federighi, Apple’s, Apple's, Dad, Jack Sommers Organizations: Amazon, ChatGPT, Getty, Elon, SpaceX, SpaceX's Starlink, Tech, LA Tech, The Washington Post, Netflix, Apple, Conference Locations: London

☆ Microsoft is facing another hurdle in closing a $70 billion deal to buy Activision Blizzard: a new FTC lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The FTC just filed a new lawsuit to seek to stop Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard. Microsoft has been trying to win the OK from global regulators for the nearly $70 billion purchase. This suit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, seeks to stop the deal from closing. "We welcome the opportunity to present our case in federal court," Brad Smith, Microsoft's vice chair and president, said in a statement Monday. "By filing in federal court to enjoin the transaction, the FTC is showing that it won't back down in the face of Microsoft's escalatory tactics."

Persons: Brad Smith, Matt Kent Organizations: FTC, Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Activision, Morning, Federal Trade Commission, Sony, PlayStation, Nintendo, UK's, Public Citizen, Public Locations: San Francisco, China, Japan, Brazil, South Korea

The Federal Trade Commission on Monday applied for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction seeking to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard before the deal's July 18 deadline. If the deal falls apart, Microsoft might wind up owing Activision Blizzard a termination fee worth up to $3 billion. The FTC sued to block the acquisition in December 2022, choosing to bring the case before its internal administrative law judge. A hearing on the FTC's case will begin on Aug. 2, the agency said in Monday's filing. Regulators had originally felt that Microsoft might be able to prevent other companies from distributing Activision Blizzard games on other consoles other than Microsoft's Xbox.

Persons: Satya Nadella, it's, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Smith, Jeremy Hunt, Jim Ryan, Lulu Cheng Meservey Organizations: Microsoft Corp, Bloomberg, Economic, Federal Trade Commission, Activision Blizzard, CNBC, FTC, Microsoft, Activision, Sony, Xbox, Competition, Markets Authority, Regulators, Sony PlayStation, Sony Interactive Locations: Davos, Switzerland, U.S

☆ US FTC seeks court order to block Microsoft acquisition of Activision -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will seek a court order to block Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O), a source familiar with a planned court filing said on Monday. Shares in Microsoft rose 0.8% Monday, while Activision fell 0.5%. The FTC plans to make the filing seeking the order in the Northern District of California, the source said. "We welcome the opportunity to present our case in federal court," said Microsoft president Brad Smith in a statement. But antitrust experts say the FTC faces an uphill battle to convince a judge to block the deal because of the voluntary concessions offered by Microsoft to allay fears it could dominate the gaming market.

Persons: Brad Smith, Joe Biden, Rami Ayyub, David Shepardson, Doina Chiacu, Nick Zieminski, Conor Humphries Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, FTC, Activision, Nintendo, Sony Group, EU, Northern District of, Sony, U.S, Thomson Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, Washington

☆ CD Projekt to launch Cyberpunk 2077 expansion on Sept. 26
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GDANSK, June 11 (Reuters) - Poland's biggest video game producer CD Projekt (CDR.WA) will release a highly-anticipated expansion to its flagship game Cyberpunk 2077 called "Phantom Liberty" on Sept. 26, the company announced during the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday. The release will be CD Projekt's first major premiere since the bug-ridden launch of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020. The trailer for the upcoming expansion was announced by Keanu Reeves, who will be back in the role of Johnny Silverhand. The expansion is the last project to be developed on CD Projekt's own technology RED Engine, with the company switching to external Unreal Engine for its upcoming developments. In September CD Projekt announced it had sold 20 million copies of Cyberpunk 2077.

Persons: Keanu Reeves, Johnny Silverhand, Idris Elba, Solomon Reed, Adrianna Ebert, Andrew Cawthorne, Jan Harvey Organizations: Xbox, Thomson Locations: GDANSK

We'll also guide you step-by-step on how to use a VPN to watch UFC 289 no matter where you are. How to watch UFC 289 in the USUS viewers can watch the main event of UFC 289 on ESPN+ tonight at 10 p.m. In Canada, UFC 289 will be available as a pay-per-view though several TV providers as well as directly via UFC Fight Pass. Here's the fight card for UFC 289: Nunes vs. AldanaESPNEarly Prelims — 7 p.m. ET on UFC Fight PassDavid Dvorak vs. Stephen Erceg (Flyweight)Diana Belbita vs. Maria Oliveira (Women's strawweight)Prelims — 8 p.m.

Persons: Amanda Nunes, Irene Aldana, We'll, Miesha, Julianna Peña, Nunes, Peña, ExpressVPN, Aldana, David Dvorak, Stephen Erceg, Diana Belbita, Maria Oliveira, Women's, Chris Curtis, Miranda Maverick, Jasmine Jasudavicius, Aiemann, Kyle Nelson, Blake Bilder, Charles Oliveira, Beneil, Mike Malott, Adam Fugitt, Dan, Nate Landwehr, Marc, Andre Barriault, Eryk Anders Organizations: UFC, Rogers Arena, ESPN, BT, Miesha Tate, Amazon, Apple, PlayStation, Samsung, BT Sport, Express, Aldana ESPN Locations: Vancouver, Canada

☆ Stop comparing Zuck and Cook's headsets. They're built around sharply different visions of the future.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple revealed its new headset, the Vision Pro, at its developer conference. But this comparison forgets that the two headsets are built around differing visions of future. Apple this week revealed its new Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, and comparisons were instantly drawn with Meta's own Quest headset. Then the price of Apple's headset, at $3,499, has been compared with the $500 cost of the Quest headset. Apple didn't mention the metaverse once when it unveiled the Vision Pro at WWDC, and barely mentioned gaming.

Persons: Nich Carlson, Apple, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Zuckerberg's, Zuckerberg, Alex Heath, Ben Thompson Organizations: Apple, Vision, Morning, Vision Pro

☆ Microsoft Settles Charges Over Data Collection on Children Using Xbox
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( John D. Mckinnon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: microsoft

☆ How a 39-year-old engineer spends her $169,000 paycheck: Xbox, therapy, coffee, and skincare
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Vartika Puranik | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She said her video game subscription is one thing she'd never cut back on — even during a recession. My career kicked off 17 years ago at a Los Angeles startup and I've been working as an engineer ever since. Since recessions are uncontrollable, I tend not to stress about the possibility of one, but there are things I'll always spend money on no matter what. Coffee subscriptionI have a coffee subscription to pump me up in the morning. So I pay $50 a month for my coffee subscription.

Persons: Elissa Voris, Voris, —, Dolby, I'm, it's, I'd, Logan Organizations: Dolby, Service, Costco, Apple, CPA Locations: —, Enumclaw , Washington, Los Angeles, mlogan

☆ I make $169,000 a year and these are the 7 things I'll keep splurging on even during an economic slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Vartika Puranik | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Voris earns enough income to pay her bills and have extra money for things she enjoys. She said her video game subscription is one thing she'd never cut back on — even during a recession. Since recessions are uncontrollable, I tend not to stress about the possibility of one, but there are things I'll always spend money on no matter what. Coffee subscriptionI have a coffee subscription to pump me up in the morning. If a recession ever hits and forces me to alter my spending, I'd cut back on things based on its aftermath.

Persons: Elissa Voris, Voris, —, Dolby, it's, I'd, Logan Organizations: Dolby, Service, Costco, Apple, CPA Locations: —, Enumclaw , Washington, Los Angeles, mlogan

☆ Microsoft to pay $20 million to settle Xbox Live privacy allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Microsoft will pay $20 million to settle US government allegations that the tech giant violated children’s privacy by illegally collecting their personal information through its Xbox Live gaming service. Microsoft also allegedly kept for years the personal information of millions of people, including children, who started creating accounts with Xbox Live but who never completed the sign-up process. For example, Xbox Live’s default settings restrict who children can interact with on the service, the FTC said. In agreeing to settle the claims, Microsoft committed to several additional measures beyond the financial penalty. Microsoft agreed to delete any personal information it collects from kids if they don’t complete the account registration process.

Persons: “, Microsoft’s Organizations: Washington CNN, Microsoft, Xbox, Federal Trade Commission, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, COPPA, Activision, European Union, US Locations: European

☆ 3 reasons why Tim Cook could create a multibillion-dollar entertainment industry with Apple's new headset
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Julie Bort | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

My daughter uses her VR headset to smash boxes with a saber, weave around obstacle courses, dance, and kill zombies. Even so, I can't wait to try Apple's Vision Pro headset and I'm hoping, despite the $3,500 price, that it will be the headset for me. Apple CEO Tim Cook has a chance to bring me and millions of other people who aren't gamers, into an exciting new world. It has already released 100 of its own arcade games for the Vision Pro headset and announced a partnership with Disney. Apple's partnership with Disney for the Vision Pro is a good example.

Persons: I'm, hasn't, it's, Tim Cook, Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Cook Organizations: Apple, PlayStation, Meta, Microsoft, Vision, Disney, Hololens Locations: Africa, India, Paris

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) will pay $20 million to settle U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that the tech company illegally collected personal information from children without their parents' consent, the FTC said on Monday. The order requires Microsoft to take steps to improve privacy protections for child users of its Xbox system. It will extend COPPA protections to third-party gaming publishers with whom Microsoft shares children's data, the FTC said. "Our proposed order makes it easier for parents to protect their children's privacy on Xbox, and limits what information Microsoft can collect and retain about kids," said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. The law requires online services and websites directed to children under 13 to notify parents about the personal information they collect and to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting and using any personal information collected from children.

Persons: Samuel Levine, Levine, Kanishka Singh, Jacqueline Wong, Sonali Paul Organizations: Microsoft, Federal Trade Commission, Children's, FTC, Consumer, COPPA, Thomson Locations: FTC's, Washington

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