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What qualifies a video game as “depressing?” The most obvious answer is that game you simply cannot beat no matter how hard you try, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Instead, we’re looking at games that just have a pall over them, whether it’s directly from story beats or a more subtle vibe given off by the visuals, music or activities the player has to participate in.The games on this list don’t have a lot in common on the surface — there are big-budget action thrillers, smaller independent titles and at least one visual novel / deck-building game. But they can all put you in a somber mood, if that’s what you’re looking for. Next time the rain is pouring down and you’re feeling a bit of melancholy, we have options to keep you company.

Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-depressing-games-120013247.html?src=rss

What qualifies a video game as “depressing?” The most obvious answer is that game you simply cannot beat no matter how hard you try, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Instead, we’re looking at games that just have a pall over them, whether it’s directly from story beats or a more subtle vibe given off by the visuals, music or activities the player has to participate in.

The games on this list don’t have a lot in common on the surface — there are big-budget action thrillers, smaller independent titles and at least one visual novel / deck-building game. But they can all put you in a somber mood, if that’s what you’re looking for. Next time the rain is pouring down and you’re feeling a bit of melancholy, we have options to keep you company.

Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-depressing-games-120013247.html?src=rss

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As is tradition, LG is announcing several of its new OLED monitors before CES 2025 kickoffs in earnest. The new UltraGear GX9 series all feature curved WOLED panels, webOS and an anti-glare, low reflection coating that should make them pleasant to look at wherever your desk is stationed.
LG is positioning the 45GX990A or LG UltraGear OLED Bendable Gaming Monitor as the star of this new lineup. It’s a 45-inch, 5K2K bendable screen that can move “from completely flat to a 900R curvature within seconds,” according to LG. Like the 32-inch UltraGear OLED LG introduced in 2023, this new model has the company’s Dual Mode feature for quickly toggling between resolutions and refresh rates with the push of a button, along with a 0.03ms GtG response time for smoother visuals when you do decide to play games.
LG
If you’d prefer a screen that doesn’t move, the LG UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (45GX950A) gives you the same 45-inches of screen real estate along with a 21:9 format, 5K2K resolution, and ultra slim bezels. LG says the monitor also supports DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI2.1 and USB-C with 90W power delivery, and certified to work with AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync. 
For a smaller (and likely more affordable) option, the LG UltraGear 39GX90SA still gets you a curved display, but in a 39-inch size with a 21:9 aspect ratio. The monitors OLED panel means you’ll get “nuanced colors and deep, dark blacks,” according to LG, and the multiple USB-C ports means you’ll actually be able to connect the 39GX90SA to multiple devices at once. Having a smaller option might be a good thing too — finding extra desk space for last year’s LG 49 UltraGear gaming monitor was one of the biggest problems with it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/lgs-new-ultragear-lineup-includes-a-bendable-5k-oled-010028431.html?src=rss

As is tradition, LG is announcing several of its new OLED monitors before CES 2025 kickoffs in earnest. The new UltraGear GX9 series all feature curved WOLED panels, webOS and an anti-glare, low reflection coating that should make them pleasant to look at wherever your desk is stationed.

LG is positioning the 45GX990A or LG UltraGear OLED Bendable Gaming Monitor as the star of this new lineup. It’s a 45-inch, 5K2K bendable screen that can move “from completely flat to a 900R curvature within seconds,” according to LG. Like the 32-inch UltraGear OLED LG introduced in 2023, this new model has the company’s Dual Mode feature for quickly toggling between resolutions and refresh rates with the push of a button, along with a 0.03ms GtG response time for smoother visuals when you do decide to play games.

If you’d prefer a screen that doesn’t move, the LG UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (45GX950A) gives you the same 45-inches of screen real estate along with a 21:9 format, 5K2K resolution, and ultra slim bezels. LG says the monitor also supports DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI2.1 and USB-C with 90W power delivery, and certified to work with AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync. 

For a smaller (and likely more affordable) option, the LG UltraGear 39GX90SA still gets you a curved display, but in a 39-inch size with a 21:9 aspect ratio. The monitors OLED panel means you’ll get “nuanced colors and deep, dark blacks,” according to LG, and the multiple USB-C ports means you’ll actually be able to connect the 39GX90SA to multiple devices at once. Having a smaller option might be a good thing too — finding extra desk space for last year’s LG 49 UltraGear gaming monitor was one of the biggest problems with it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/lgs-new-ultragear-lineup-includes-a-bendable-5k-oled-010028431.html?src=rss

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Hackers were reportedly able to modify several Chrome extensions with malicious code this month after gaining access to admin accounts through a phishing campaign. The cybersecurity company Cyberhaven shared in a blog post this weekend that its Chrome extension was compromised on December 24 in an attack that appeared to be “targeting logins to specific social media advertising and AI platforms.” A few other extensions were hit as well, going back to mid-December, Reuters reported. According to Nudge Security’s Jaime Blasco, that includes ParrotTalks, Uvoice and VPNCity.
Cyberhaven notified its customers on December 26 in an email seen by TechCrunch, which advised them to revoke and rotate their passwords and other credentials. The company’s initial investigation of the incident found that the malicious extension targeted Facebook Ads users, with a goal of stealing data such as access tokens, user IDs and other account information, along with cookies. The code also added a mouse click listener. “After successfully sending all the data to the [Command & Control] server, the Facebook user ID is saved to browser storage,” Cyberhaven said in its analysis. “That user ID is then used in mouse click events to help attackers with 2FA on their side if that was needed.”
Cyberhaven said it first detected the breach on December 25 and was able to remove the malicious version of the extension within an hour. It’s since pushed out a clean version.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/hackers-injected-malicious-code-into-several-chrome-extensions-in-recent-attack-220648155.html?src=rss

Hackers were reportedly able to modify several Chrome extensions with malicious code this month after gaining access to admin accounts through a phishing campaign. The cybersecurity company Cyberhaven shared in a blog post this weekend that its Chrome extension was compromised on December 24 in an attack that appeared to be “targeting logins to specific social media advertising and AI platforms.” A few other extensions were hit as well, going back to mid-December, Reuters reported. According to Nudge Security’s Jaime Blasco, that includes ParrotTalks, Uvoice and VPNCity.

Cyberhaven notified its customers on December 26 in an email seen by TechCrunch, which advised them to revoke and rotate their passwords and other credentials. The company’s initial investigation of the incident found that the malicious extension targeted Facebook Ads users, with a goal of stealing data such as access tokens, user IDs and other account information, along with cookies. The code also added a mouse click listener. “After successfully sending all the data to the [Command & Control] server, the Facebook user ID is saved to browser storage,” Cyberhaven said in its analysis. “That user ID is then used in mouse click events to help attackers with 2FA on their side if that was needed.”

Cyberhaven said it first detected the breach on December 25 and was able to remove the malicious version of the extension within an hour. It’s since pushed out a clean version.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/hackers-injected-malicious-code-into-several-chrome-extensions-in-recent-attack-220648155.html?src=rss

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Marvel just dropped the first trailer for its upcoming animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which will bring us back to Peter Parker’s early days as a high school superhero. The art leans into a classic comic book style, and it looks like the story itself will be a departure from the MCU version of things, in contrast to how the show was initially described back in 2021 when it was first announced. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will have 10 episodes, and debuts on Disney+ on January 29.

Peter Parker is voiced by Hudson Thames. The cast also includes Colman Domingo as Norman Osborn, who we see in the trailer stepping in as Spider-Man’s mentor, along with Zeno Robinson (Harry Osborn), Grace Song (Nico Minoru) and Charlie Cox (Daredevil). Hugh Dancy voices Otto Octavius aka Doctor Octopus. The animated series was first teased at Disney+ Day three years ago under a different name, Spider-Man: Freshman Year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/check-out-the-first-full-trailer-for-your-friendly-neighborhood-spider-man-190300960.html?src=rss

Marvel just dropped the first trailer for its upcoming animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which will bring us back to Peter Parker’s early days as a high school superhero. The art leans into a classic comic book style, and it looks like the story itself will be a departure from the MCU version of things, in contrast to how the show was initially described back in 2021 when it was first announced. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will have 10 episodes, and debuts on Disney+ on January 29.

Peter Parker is voiced by Hudson Thames. The cast also includes Colman Domingo as Norman Osborn, who we see in the trailer stepping in as Spider-Man’s mentor, along with Zeno Robinson (Harry Osborn), Grace Song (Nico Minoru) and Charlie Cox (Daredevil). Hugh Dancy voices Otto Octavius aka Doctor Octopus. The animated series was first teased at Disney+ Day three years ago under a different name, Spider-Man: Freshman Year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/check-out-the-first-full-trailer-for-your-friendly-neighborhood-spider-man-190300960.html?src=rss

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A set of new requirements proposed by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights could bring healthcare organizations up to par with modern cybersecurity practices. The proposal, posted to the Federal Register on Friday, includes requirements for multifactor authentication, data encryption and routine scans for vulnerabilities and breaches. It would also make the use of anti-malware protection mandatory for systems handling sensitive information, along with network segmentation, the implementation of separate controls for data backup and recovery, and yearly audits to check for compliance.
HHS also shared a fact sheet outlining the proposal, which would update the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule. A 60-day public comment period is expected to open soon. In a press briefing, US deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology Anne Neuberger said the plan would cost $9 billion in the first year to execute, and $6 billion over the subsequent four years, Reuters reports. The proposal comes in light of a marked increase in large-scale breaches over the past few years. Just this year, the healthcare industry was hit by multiple major cyberattacks, including hacks into Ascension and UnitedHealth systems that caused disruptions at hospitals, doctors’ offices and pharmacies.
“From 2018-2023, reports of large breaches increased by 102 percent, and the number of individuals affected by such breaches increased by 1002 percent, primarily because of increases in hacking and ransomware attacks,” according to the Office for Civil Rights. “In 2023, over 167 million individuals were affected by large breaches — a new record.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/healthcare-organizations-in-the-us-may-soon-get-a-cybersecurity-overhaul-220933165.html?src=rss

A set of new requirements proposed by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights could bring healthcare organizations up to par with modern cybersecurity practices. The proposal, posted to the Federal Register on Friday, includes requirements for multifactor authentication, data encryption and routine scans for vulnerabilities and breaches. It would also make the use of anti-malware protection mandatory for systems handling sensitive information, along with network segmentation, the implementation of separate controls for data backup and recovery, and yearly audits to check for compliance.

HHS also shared a fact sheet outlining the proposal, which would update the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule. A 60-day public comment period is expected to open soon. In a press briefing, US deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology Anne Neuberger said the plan would cost $9 billion in the first year to execute, and $6 billion over the subsequent four years, Reuters reports. The proposal comes in light of a marked increase in large-scale breaches over the past few years. Just this year, the healthcare industry was hit by multiple major cyberattacks, including hacks into Ascension and UnitedHealth systems that caused disruptions at hospitals, doctors’ offices and pharmacies.

“From 2018-2023, reports of large breaches increased by 102 percent, and the number of individuals affected by such breaches increased by 1002 percent, primarily because of increases in hacking and ransomware attacks,” according to the Office for Civil Rights. “In 2023, over 167 million individuals were affected by large breaches — a new record.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/healthcare-organizations-in-the-us-may-soon-get-a-cybersecurity-overhaul-220933165.html?src=rss

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NASA said on Friday that it received a signal from the Parker Solar Probe confirming that the spacecraft had survived its closest ever flyby of the sun. The approach took it just 3.8 million miles from the surface, passing within the sun’s corona and allowing for unprecedented data collection in the vicinity of a star. A few million miles might seem like a pretty great distance, but to put things in perspective, NASA explains, “If the solar system was scaled down with the distance between the sun and Earth the length of a football field, Parker Solar Probe would be just four yards from the end zone.”

The probe’s current orbit takes it closest to the sun about every three months. It’ll swing back around for two more close flybys in 2025, on March 22 and June 19. The probe is expected to transmit the data from its latest close approach soon, once it’s in a better location to do so. “The data that will come down from the spacecraft will be fresh information about a place that we, as humanity, have never been,” said Joe Westlake, the director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. “It’s an amazing accomplishment.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/parker-solar-probe-survived-its-close-approach-to-the-sun-and-will-make-two-more-in-2025-180350510.html?src=rss

NASA said on Friday that it received a signal from the Parker Solar Probe confirming that the spacecraft had survived its closest ever flyby of the sun. The approach took it just 3.8 million miles from the surface, passing within the sun’s corona and allowing for unprecedented data collection in the vicinity of a star. A few million miles might seem like a pretty great distance, but to put things in perspective, NASA explains, “If the solar system was scaled down with the distance between the sun and Earth the length of a football field, Parker Solar Probe would be just four yards from the end zone.”

The probe’s current orbit takes it closest to the sun about every three months. It’ll swing back around for two more close flybys in 2025, on March 22 and June 19. The probe is expected to transmit the data from its latest close approach soon, once it’s in a better location to do so. “The data that will come down from the spacecraft will be fresh information about a place that we, as humanity, have never been,” said Joe Westlake, the director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. “It’s an amazing accomplishment.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/parker-solar-probe-survived-its-close-approach-to-the-sun-and-will-make-two-more-in-2025-180350510.html?src=rss

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Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle is now ready for its first flight. The company has conducted — and successfully completed — a wet dress rehearsal or a full run-through of the rocket’s launch countdown. As The New York Times reports, Blue Origin had to attempt the countdown several times over a few hours, but the company managed to ignite and fire New Glenn’s seven engines for 24 seconds in the end. 
New Glenn’s tanks were filled with fuel and the rocket was fitted with a 45,000-pound payload mass simulator as if it truly was heading to space. Blue Origin says this is the first time it operated the vehicle as an integrated system, with New Glenn SVP Jarrett Jones calling the test’s completion a “monumental milestone.” The Federal Aviation Administration has also granted the company a launch license for New Glenn, which means it’s now truly ready to go.
The company describes New Glenn as a “giant, reusable rocket built for bigger things.” It also said that it was “engineered with the safety and redundancy required to fly humans,” though its inaugural flight will be uncrewed. Its first flight was supposed to take place in October carrying two NASA satellites heading to Mars, but it had to be scrapped because the rocket wasn’t ready by then. New Glenn will now fly for the first time with the company’s Blue Ring Pathfinder, part of its Blue Ring platform that will offer spacecraft services to clients like the Pentagon, instead. While Blue Origin didn’t announce a new launch date for the rocket, it’s expected to be the company’s first flight for 2025 and could take place as early as January 6. 

Next stop launch pic.twitter.com/GQFz4XxEt5— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) December 28, 2024

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/blue-origins-new-glenn-rocket-completes-final-test-for-its-first-flight-140049935.html?src=rss

Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle is now ready for its first flight. The company has conducted — and successfully completed — a wet dress rehearsal or a full run-through of the rocket’s launch countdown. As The New York Times reports, Blue Origin had to attempt the countdown several times over a few hours, but the company managed to ignite and fire New Glenn’s seven engines for 24 seconds in the end. 

New Glenn’s tanks were filled with fuel and the rocket was fitted with a 45,000-pound payload mass simulator as if it truly was heading to space. Blue Origin says this is the first time it operated the vehicle as an integrated system, with New Glenn SVP Jarrett Jones calling the test’s completion a “monumental milestone.” The Federal Aviation Administration has also granted the company a launch license for New Glenn, which means it’s now truly ready to go.

The company describes New Glenn as a “giant, reusable rocket built for bigger things.” It also said that it was “engineered with the safety and redundancy required to fly humans,” though its inaugural flight will be uncrewed. Its first flight was supposed to take place in October carrying two NASA satellites heading to Mars, but it had to be scrapped because the rocket wasn’t ready by then. New Glenn will now fly for the first time with the company’s Blue Ring Pathfinder, part of its Blue Ring platform that will offer spacecraft services to clients like the Pentagon, instead. While Blue Origin didn’t announce a new launch date for the rocket, it’s expected to be the company’s first flight for 2025 and could take place as early as January 6. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/blue-origins-new-glenn-rocket-completes-final-test-for-its-first-flight-140049935.html?src=rss

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President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay the law that could ban TikTok until after his inauguration. In an amicus brief, Trump’s attorney D. John Sauer wrote that the future president wants the opportunity to find a solution to the problem “through political means.”
The law requiring a ban or sale of TikTok is set to take effect on January 19, 2025, just one day before Trump’s inauguration. The brief calls the ban date “unfortunately timed”and argues the incoming president should have more time to work on a deal with TikTok. TikTok’s legal team cited a similar concern in its requests for a delay of the ban. The brief also cites Trump’s “dealmaking” experience and his social media platform Truth Social.
“President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government–concerns which President Trump himself has acknowledged,” Sauer writes.
Trump’s stance on a TikTok is much different from the one he took in his first term, when he pursued a ban of the app in 2020. He also floated the idea that Microsoft could “work out a deal, an appropriate deal, so the Treasury of the United States gets a lot of money” without explaining exactly how such a deal would work.
President Trump reversed his opinion on a TikTok ban during his second campaign. He told CNBC’s Squawk Box in March that banning TikTok would “make Facebook bigger and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people, along with a lot of the media.”
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the ban on January 10.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/donald-trump-asks-the-supreme-court-to-delay-the-tiktok-ban-235703094.html?src=rss

President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay the law that could ban TikTok until after his inauguration. In an amicus brief, Trump’s attorney D. John Sauer wrote that the future president wants the opportunity to find a solution to the problem “through political means.”

The law requiring a ban or sale of TikTok is set to take effect on January 19, 2025, just one day before Trump’s inauguration. The brief calls the ban date “unfortunately timed”and argues the incoming president should have more time to work on a deal with TikTok. TikTok’s legal team cited a similar concern in its requests for a delay of the ban. The brief also cites Trump’s “dealmaking” experience and his social media platform Truth Social.

“President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government–concerns which President Trump himself has acknowledged,” Sauer writes.

Trump’s stance on a TikTok is much different from the one he took in his first term, when he pursued a ban of the app in 2020. He also floated the idea that Microsoft could “work out a deal, an appropriate deal, so the Treasury of the United States gets a lot of money” without explaining exactly how such a deal would work.

President Trump reversed his opinion on a TikTok ban during his second campaign. He told CNBC’s Squawk Box in March that banning TikTok would “make Facebook bigger and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people, along with a lot of the media.”

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the ban on January 10.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/donald-trump-asks-the-supreme-court-to-delay-the-tiktok-ban-235703094.html?src=rss

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2023 was the hottest year on record. This past year is on track to beating it and it caused more problems this past year than just spiking thermometers.
The World Weather Attribution (WWA) released its annual “Extreme Weather” report showing how the record-breaking 34.34 Fahrenheit increase in man-made warming from the past year caused “unrelenting heatwaves, drought, wildfire, storms and floods.” The WWA estimates that climate change was responsible for at least 3,700 deaths and 26 weather events in 2024 that led to “the displacement of millions.”
The report recorded a total of 219 events from 2024 that met its “trigger criteria” for identifying impactful weather events. Many of the events were influenced by the natural climate pattern known as El Niño (which has only become stronger under the effects of climate change) but the WWA studies “found that climate change played a bigger role than El Niño in fueling these events, including the historic drought in the Amazon.”
Climate change added on an average 41 additional dangerous heat days and fueled record-breaking rain and flooding across the globe. A study of 16 floods found all but one of them were caused by warming atmospheres that retained more moisture leading to heavier rainfall. These climate conditions can also fuel bigger and deadlier hurricanes and typhoons such as the Helene, the Category 4 Hurricane that hit America in September. North Carolina’s Office of State Budget and Management estimates that Helene caused $53.8 billion in damage in its state alone.
Two of the world’s most important ecosystems were also “hit hard by climate change in 2024,” according to the WWA report. The Amazon rainforest and the Pantanal Wetland, the largest tropical wetland in the world, experienced severe droughts and wildfires that created “huge biodiversity loss” in the past year.
Both areas are critical for maintaining the strength of the Earth’s ecosystems, climate and economies. The Amazon’s plant life removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and releases water into the atmosphere that helps control the climate and circulate ocean currents. The Pantanal Wetland houses tens of thousands of species of wildlife and provides much needed flood control for the region and creates global economic activity for cattle ranching and soy production, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The WWA’s report set some critical resolutions for 2025 to combat the rising influence of climate change. The report calls for a “faster shift” away from fossil fuel usage, improvements in early warning systems for extreme weather events, a greater focus on reporting of heat related deaths and financing for developing countries and regions hit hardest by the effects of climate change.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/2024-is-on-its-way-to-being-the-hottest-year-ever-211524257.html?src=rss

2023 was the hottest year on record. This past year is on track to beating it and it caused more problems this past year than just spiking thermometers.

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) released its annual “Extreme Weather” report showing how the record-breaking 34.34 Fahrenheit increase in man-made warming from the past year caused “unrelenting heatwaves, drought, wildfire, storms and floods.” The WWA estimates that climate change was responsible for at least 3,700 deaths and 26 weather events in 2024 that led to “the displacement of millions.”

The report recorded a total of 219 events from 2024 that met its “trigger criteria” for identifying impactful weather events. Many of the events were influenced by the natural climate pattern known as El Niño (which has only become stronger under the effects of climate change) but the WWA studies “found that climate change played a bigger role than El Niño in fueling these events, including the historic drought in the Amazon.”

Climate change added on an average 41 additional dangerous heat days and fueled record-breaking rain and flooding across the globe. A study of 16 floods found all but one of them were caused by warming atmospheres that retained more moisture leading to heavier rainfall. These climate conditions can also fuel bigger and deadlier hurricanes and typhoons such as the Helene, the Category 4 Hurricane that hit America in September. North Carolina’s Office of State Budget and Management estimates that Helene caused $53.8 billion in damage in its state alone.

Two of the world’s most important ecosystems were also “hit hard by climate change in 2024,” according to the WWA report. The Amazon rainforest and the Pantanal Wetland, the largest tropical wetland in the world, experienced severe droughts and wildfires that created “huge biodiversity loss” in the past year.

Both areas are critical for maintaining the strength of the Earth’s ecosystems, climate and economies. The Amazon’s plant life removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and releases water into the atmosphere that helps control the climate and circulate ocean currents. The Pantanal Wetland houses tens of thousands of species of wildlife and provides much needed flood control for the region and creates global economic activity for cattle ranching and soy production, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The WWA’s report set some critical resolutions for 2025 to combat the rising influence of climate change. The report calls for a “faster shift” away from fossil fuel usage, improvements in early warning systems for extreme weather events, a greater focus on reporting of heat related deaths and financing for developing countries and regions hit hardest by the effects of climate change.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/2024-is-on-its-way-to-being-the-hottest-year-ever-211524257.html?src=rss

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly investigating Microsoft like it’s 1998. In the waning days of the Biden administration, outgoing chair Lina Khan’s probe is said to be picking up steam, according to ProPublica. The FTC is particularly concerned with Microsoft’s bundling of ubiquitous Office products with cybersecurity and cloud computing services. That includes a deal to upgrade government bundles for a limited time, which essentially had the effect of using a government cybersecurity crisis to sell more licenses.
It adds more detail to reports from Bloomberg and the Financial Times in November about an FTC probe into the Windows maker. The publications said Microsoft’s competitors complained that its bundling of its popular software with cloud services made it harder to compete. ProPublica says FTC attorneys have recently interviewed and scheduled meetings with Microsoft’s competitors.
Microsoft confirmed to ProPublica that the FTC issued a civil investigative demand (essentially a subpoena), forcing the company to hand over information related to the case. A Microsoft spokesperson told the publication — without providing on-the-record examples — that the FTC document is “broad, wide ranging, and requests things that are out of the realm of possibility to even be logical.”
The investigation follows a separate ProPublica report from November about how Microsoft appeared to exploit a series of cyberattacks to sell more licenses to the US government. Following a meeting with President Biden in the summer of 2021, the company was said to have offered to upgrade the government’s existing bundles (including Windows and its Office suite) to a more expensive version that added its advanced cybersecurity products. Microsoft also sent consultants to install the upgrades and train employees to use them.
Many divisions of the US government accepted — including all of the Defense Department’s military services — and then began paying for the more expensive bundles after the trial ended. (The hassle of switching to a different cybersecurity product after the trial ended practically guaranteed that would be the case.) ProPublica’s account essentially paints Microsoft as exploiting a cybersecurity crisis to expand sales and pad its bottom line. Just late-stage capitalism things, y’all.
Microsoft
Ironically, the sales tactic resulted from security lapses from — you guessed it — Microsoft. Biden’s request from Big Tech leaders to boost government cybersecurity followed the SolarWinds attack that exploited a vulnerability in a Microsoft identity service. The company reportedly knew the app contained a “security nightmare” that let hackers spoof legitimate employees and probe sensitive information without raising suspicion. But patching the flaw would add friction to government logins when the company was competing for US contracts. Microsoft reportedly opted to stay mum instead of risk losing business.
According to experts who spoke to ProPublica, the government trial sales scheme could have violated regulations on contracting and competition. The publication reported that even Microsoft’s attorneys worried the deal would spark antitrust concerns.
If this sounds familiar, it echoes the government’s 1998 antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft. Bundling was also a star of that show, with the FTC accusing the company of engaging in anticompetitive practices by including Internet Explorer with Windows, a move viewed in those early days of the internet as stifling rivals like Netscape.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-ftcs-microsoft-antitrust-probe-reportedly-focuses-on-software-bundling-193545163.html?src=rss

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly investigating Microsoft like it’s 1998. In the waning days of the Biden administration, outgoing chair Lina Khan’s probe is said to be picking up steam, according to ProPublica. The FTC is particularly concerned with Microsoft’s bundling of ubiquitous Office products with cybersecurity and cloud computing services. That includes a deal to upgrade government bundles for a limited time, which essentially had the effect of using a government cybersecurity crisis to sell more licenses.

It adds more detail to reports from Bloomberg and the Financial Times in November about an FTC probe into the Windows maker. The publications said Microsoft’s competitors complained that its bundling of its popular software with cloud services made it harder to compete. ProPublica says FTC attorneys have recently interviewed and scheduled meetings with Microsoft’s competitors.

Microsoft confirmed to ProPublica that the FTC issued a civil investigative demand (essentially a subpoena), forcing the company to hand over information related to the case. A Microsoft spokesperson told the publication — without providing on-the-record examples — that the FTC document is “broad, wide ranging, and requests things that are out of the realm of possibility to even be logical.”

The investigation follows a separate ProPublica report from November about how Microsoft appeared to exploit a series of cyberattacks to sell more licenses to the US government. Following a meeting with President Biden in the summer of 2021, the company was said to have offered to upgrade the government’s existing bundles (including Windows and its Office suite) to a more expensive version that added its advanced cybersecurity products. Microsoft also sent consultants to install the upgrades and train employees to use them.

Many divisions of the US government accepted — including all of the Defense Department’s military services — and then began paying for the more expensive bundles after the trial ended. (The hassle of switching to a different cybersecurity product after the trial ended practically guaranteed that would be the case.) ProPublica’s account essentially paints Microsoft as exploiting a cybersecurity crisis to expand sales and pad its bottom line. Just late-stage capitalism things, y’all.

Ironically, the sales tactic resulted from security lapses from — you guessed it — Microsoft. Biden’s request from Big Tech leaders to boost government cybersecurity followed the SolarWinds attack that exploited a vulnerability in a Microsoft identity service. The company reportedly knew the app contained a “security nightmare” that let hackers spoof legitimate employees and probe sensitive information without raising suspicion. But patching the flaw would add friction to government logins when the company was competing for US contracts. Microsoft reportedly opted to stay mum instead of risk losing business.

According to experts who spoke to ProPublica, the government trial sales scheme could have violated regulations on contracting and competition. The publication reported that even Microsoft’s attorneys worried the deal would spark antitrust concerns.

If this sounds familiar, it echoes the government’s 1998 antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft. Bundling was also a star of that show, with the FTC accusing the company of engaging in anticompetitive practices by including Internet Explorer with Windows, a move viewed in those early days of the internet as stifling rivals like Netscape.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-ftcs-microsoft-antitrust-probe-reportedly-focuses-on-software-bundling-193545163.html?src=rss

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