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 Epic Games is not going to bring Fortnite to iOS in Japan as promised because of the fees imposed by Apple's new App Store rules, ?Epic Games? CEO Tim Sweeney said on social media. Sweeney complained that Apple did not comply with Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act "honestly" and instead "launched another travesty of obstruction and lawbreaking in gross disrespect to the government and people of Japan."
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 Apple Maps no longer offers a Flyover feature that provides users with automated tours of notable landmarks in major cities. The Flyover option appears to have been nixed around when iOS 26 launched, but its removal went largely unnoticed.
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 Just a day after Apple announced alternative app marketplace support for iOS users in Japan, AltStore PAL has launched in the country.
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The new features lets your Ring doorbell greet and chat with visitors at your front door.
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Several LG smart TV owners, including some Engadget staff, were surprised to find what looked like an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app suddenly installed on their devices earlier this week. After all the raised eyebrows, a representative from LG has reached out to say that the company "will take steps to allow users to delete the shortcut icon if they wish."
According to the spokesperson, the Copilot icon is a shortcut for launching the AI chatbot in the TV's web browser rather than an application embedded in the appliance. We've asked for more specifics about when people will be able to get rid of the Copilot prompt, but have not received a response at this time.
Apparently we're still learning the lessons of U2's notorious iTunes album giveaway. It might seem like free additions would be something people would enjoy, but it turns out customers want to choose which services they use. Particularly when smart TVs don't have the best track record on privacy, the surprise appearance of an AI chatbot wasn't likely to be well received.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/lg-will-let-you-delete-the-previously-unremovable-microsoft-copilot-shortcut-on-its-smart-tvs-215352944.html?src=rss
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 Amazon today has dropped the price of the new M5 MacBook Pro to $1,349.99, down from $1,599.00. This is the 10-Core model with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, and it's a match of the all-time low price on the M5 MacBook Pro.
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You can add Japan to the list of regions where Apple has been forced to do something it would rather not: open up the App Store. On Thursday, the company announced changes to iOS in Japan to comply with the nation's Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA). The tighter regulations for Apple and Google, which overlap with Europe's, took effect today. Users in the US and elsewhere won't see any of these changes.
Apple's changes in iOS 26.2 in Japan revolve around alternative app stores, payments outside the App Store and browser choice. The company worked with Japanese regulators on new
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 While it appears that the iMac will not be updated in 2025, rumors indicate that Apple is planning some big changes for the all-in-one desktop computer.
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We've spent the year testing kitchen gear, gadgets, tools and appliances. Here are CNET's top gifts for the home cook on your holiday list.
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Participants in the Android Beta Program get first dibs on the next update, which is set to land in official form next year
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Amazon is in discussions with OpenAI to invest $10 billion in the company while supplying more of its AI chips and cloud computing services, according to The Financial Times. The deal would push OpenAI's valuation over $500 billion but is likely to raise more questions about the company's circular investment agreements involving chips and data centers.
The two companies are also in talks about the possibility of OpenAI helping Amazon with its online marketplace, similar to deals it has made with Etsy, Shopify and Instacart. However, any agreement still wouldn't allow Amazon to market OpenAI's most advanced models on its developer cloud platform, as Microsoft holds the exclusive rights to those until the 2030s.
OpenAI recently restructured its agreement with Microsoft to allow it to use data center capacity from other suppliers. Around the same time, it made a string of deals with NVIDIA, Oracle, AMD and others to build out data center capacity and acquire or rent AI chips.
The new deal would require OpenAI to use Amazon's Trainium AI chips and rent more data center capacity from Amazon Web Services (AWS). That's on top of the $38 billion that OpenAI has already committed to renting servers from AWS over the next seven years.
These deals have sounded alarms among investors considering their circular nature. In many of those, including this latest Amazon deal, OpenAI is taking investment m
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Thunderbird for Android Beta allows you to access and test the full range of Thunderbird features on your Android device. Now, you can enjoy the same powerful email management and productivity tools on the go, making it easier to stay connected and organized using your smart device. [License: Open Source | Requires:
Android | Size: 14 MB ]
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 Apple's AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $69.99 today on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. Prime members can get the accessory delivered today in many locations, while free shipping options put it arriving in time for Christmas, around Saturday, December 20.
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Conventional power strips suck because they have lined-up outlets, meaning your chunkier plugs and adapters get in the way of each other and sometimes even cover up neighboring outlets. But with this one, the six AC outlets are spaced out and oriented away from each so your plugs never collide or overlap. That's plenty for all your devices, monitors, PCs, accessories, and whatever else needs tethered power.
But what takes this power strip a step further is the inclusion of two USB-A and two USB-C ports along the bottom edge, allowing you to charge your phones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, etc. without taking up valuable AC outlet vacancies. (The USB-C ports deliver up to 20W and the USB-A ports up to 12W, so they aren't blazingly fast but fast enough.)
Other nice details include the 5-foot power cable so you can position this almost anywhere, the flat profile plug that easily reaches behind furniture, and a built-in 8-point safety system to protect your devices from surges, short circuits, excess heat, overloads, fires, and more.
This is a pretty crazy get for just $19.99, allowing you to streamline your charging station setup for years to come. Get this 10-in-1 Anker power strip on sale while you can before this deal expires!
Save on Anker's 10-in-
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Who doesn't love Google Maps? The Maps Android app helps those of us with oatmeal for brains find our way anywhere, without having to fire any neurons or exercise any synapses. It even helps us find places to pick up tasty cuisine — like, uh, oatmeal (yum!).
But there's much more to Google Maps than meets the eye — and odds are, you aren't taking advantage of at least a few handy hidden features lurking within the Maps Android app. With Android 15 right around the corner and more shiny new Googley goodies showing up by the day lately, I thought it'd be a fine time to dive deep into this ever-evolving Android anchor and think through some of its more off-the-beaten-path advanced options.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Image Credit: Eric Zeman/ Android AuthorityThe January OTA pack for Google Pixel 6 ("oropiole") and Google Pixel 6 Pro ("raven") has started rolling out. The software update brings fixes from December and January that should help Pixel 6 series smartphones run at full speed after numerous bugs and problems seemed to affect the functionality.
Google has revealed that the January software update for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro is now available as factory images and full OTA images via the Google Play services website (12.0.0 (SQ1D.220105.007), Jan 2022 - specific device/images links can be found in "sources" below). Those who prefer to wait for the OTA package to ar
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