Tech News

1. Nintendo Switch 2 Launch:

   • Nintendo is set to launch the Switch 2 on June 5 with a 7.9-inch LCD screen, 1080p resolution, HDR support, 120Hz refresh rate, 256GB internal storage, and 4K/60fps output when docked, priced at $450. 👉 theverge.com
   • The Nintendo Switch 2 will feature magnetic Joy-Cons, a new Pro Controller with added buttons, mouse support and GameChat. 👉 betanews.com
   • The Nintendo Switch 2 will be priced at $450 for the console alone, or $500 in a bundle with Mario Kart World. 👉 theverge.com
   • Nintendo will limit Switch 2 preorders to Switch 1 owners with an active Nintendo Online membership, prioritising those with more playtime, as a plan to challenge scalpers. 👉 x.com
   • Some Switch 2 games will require a download, using game cards only for license checks. 👉 x.com
   • The Nintendo Switch 2 will support 120fps and up to 4K resolution when docked. 👉 ign.com
   • Nintendo will add GameCube games to the Switch 2's library for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members, including "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker," "Soul Calibur II," and "F-Zero GX". 👉 venturebeat.com
   • The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch with a camera accessory and introduce a "Game Share" feature for local game sharing. 👉 engadget.com
   • Nintendo is upgrading Zelda games with Switch 2 Editions and launching a camera accessory for video chats. 👉 theverge.com
   • The Switch 2 is competing with handheld gaming PCs in one unexpected way. 👉 laptopmag.com
   • Nintendo details GameChat, a new online feature for Switch 2. 👉 x.com
   • The Switch 2 Pro Controller will be the “pinnacle of all controllers”, and it's also more expensive. 👉 gamereactor.eu

2. Tariffs and Trade:

   • Tech stocks are falling after President Trump announced new tariffs. 👉 cnbc.com
   • Apple shares drop following Trump's announcement that the US will impose tariffs of 46% on Vietnam, 26% on India, and an additional 34% on China. 👉 nytimes.com^$
   • The White House will end “de minimis” exemptions for packages under $800 from China and Hong Kong on May 2, affecting Temu, Shein, and other marketplaces. 👉 bloomberg.com^$

3. Data Breaches and Security Incidents:

   • A flaw in Verizon's Call Filter API exposed customers' incoming call history. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • Royal Mail is investigating claims of a security breach after a threat actor leaked over 144GB of stolen data. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • Genetic data site openSNP will close and delete data over privacy concerns. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • A vast pedophile network, KidFlix, was shut down in Europol's largest CSAM operation. 👉 arstechnica.com
   • The European Commission intends to join the debate about lawful access to data and end-to-end encryption. 👉 therecord.media

4. Artificial Intelligence:

   • Google fixed a Cloud Run vulnerability that could have allowed unauthorized image access. 👉 thehackernews.com
   • Anthropic is launching a new Claude for Education tier for colleges, with Learning Mode. 👉 techcrunch.com
   • Microsoft CTO predicts that AI will generate 95% of code within five years. 👉 moneycontrol.com
   • An AI system has figured out how to collect diamonds in Minecraft without being shown how to play. 👉 nature.com
   • New online scam operations across Southeast Asia are adapting AI. 👉 edition.cnn.com
   • An AI system has for the first time figured out how to collect diamonds in the hugely popular video game Minecraft without being shown how to play. 👉 nature.com
   • A new AI model can forecast wildfire activity by tracking fuel, not just fire risk. 👉 winbuzzer.com
   • The Wikimedia Foundation reports its bandwidth costs have gone up 50% since Jan 2024 due to AI crawlers. 👉 diff.wikimedia.org

5. Cybersecurity Tools and Vulnerabilities:

   • GitHub expands security tools after 39 million secrets leaked in 2024. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • Cisco warns of a CSLU backdoor admin account used in attacks. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • A new Windows 11 trick lets users bypass the Microsoft Account requirement. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • A wave of Palo Alto Global Protect scans originates from nearly 24,000 IPs. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • Apple backports zero-day patches to older iPhones and Macs. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • Europol has shut down one of the largest dark web pedophile networks in the world. 👉 arstechnica.com

6. Financial and Business News:

   • Amazon has put in a last-minute bid to acquire all of TikTok. 👉 nytimes.com^$
   • Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Luna introduced bipartisan legislation to cap credit card interest rates at 10% annually. 👉 businessinsider.com^$
   • The FBI searched two homes of Indiana University data privacy professor Xiaofeng Wang. 👉 wired.com
   • A study reveals why credit card interest rates remain stubbornly high. 👉 news.slashdot.org
   • India is set for a surge in tech startup IPOs valued at around $100 billion by 2027. 👉 financialexpress.com

7. Company Updates:

   • Google is rolling out easy end-to-end encryption for Gmail business users. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • Microsoft is pushing businesses to shift from perpetual Office licenses to Microsoft 365 subscriptions. 👉 techcommunity.microsoft.com^$
   • Bill Gates has released the original Altair BASIC source code he co-wrote with Paul Allen to mark Microsoft's 50th anniversary. 👉 thurrott.com
   • Zelle is shutting down its stand-alone app. 👉 techcrunch.com
   • VMware Workstation auto-updates are broken after a Broadcom URL redirect. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com

8. Malware and Exploits:

   • A new version of the Triada trojan has been discovered preinstalled on thousands of new Android devices. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • The financially motivated threat actor FIN7 has been linked to a Python-based backdoor called Anubis. 👉 thehackernews.com
   • A new sophisticated phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platform called Lucid has targeted 169 entities in 88 countries using iMessage and Rich Communication Services (RCS) smishing for Android. 👉 thehackernews.com
   • A wave of Palo Alto Global Protect scans originates from nearly 24,000 IPs. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com
   • A new malware loader called Hijack Loader has been discovered. 👉 thehackernews.com

9. Personnel Changes:

   • Google is replacing Sissie Hsiao, leader of its consumer AI apps, with Josh Woodward. 👉 semafor.com
   • Sources say that President Trump told his inner circle that Elon Musk will step back in the coming weeks. 👉 politico.com

10. Cybersecurity Legislation:

    • The Trump administration's looming tariff hikes are set to impose an oil crisis-like shock to the economy that shrinks its productive capacity — boosting both prices and unemployment. 👉 bloomberg.com^$
    • Trump is closing de minimis exemptions to combat China's role in America's synthetic opioid crisis. 👉 whitehouse.gov

11. Google's AI Initiatives:

    • Google Fixed Cloud Run Vulnerability Allowing Unauthorized Image Access via IAM Misuse. 👉 thehackernews.com
    • Google is replacing Sissie Hsiao, leader of its consumer AI apps, including Gemini, with Josh Woodward, who leads Google Labs and oversaw NotebookLM's launch. 👉 semafor.com
    • Google unveils a NotebookLM “Discover sources” feature, which searches the web and recommends up to 10 sources for users to add to their notebooks. 👉 9to5google.com

12. UFC and Meta Partnership:

    • The UFC has signed a multimillion-dollar, multiyear sponsorship deal with Meta. 👉 cnbc.com

13. Trump's Actions and Policies:

    • Trump pardoned BitMEX owner HDR Global Trading, which had pleaded guilty and was fined $100M for money laundering. 👉 theintercept.com
    • President Trump has told his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping back in the coming weeks. 👉 politico.com
    • Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has visited the White House three times since the start of Trump's second term. 👉 wsj.com^$

14. Qualcomm Acquisitions:

    • Qualcomm acquires the generative AI division of Vietnamese startup VinAI. 👉 techcrunch.com

15. Financial Troubles in Crypto:

    • Bybit shuts down its NFT marketplace, following a similar decision by NFT marketplace X2Y2. 👉 cointelegraph.com
    • Justin Sun bailed out Techteryx's TrueUSD after $456M in reserves were stuck in limbo. 👉 coindesk.com
    • FDUSD stablecoin depegged 9% after Justin Sun raised concerns over First Digital Trust's solvency. 👉 theblock.co

16. Adobe Premiere Pro Update: - Adobe updates Premiere Pro with AI-powered features like Generative Extend. 👉 theverge.com

17. Automattic Layoffs:

    • WordPress maker Automattic lays off 16% of staff. 👉 techcrunch.com

18. Other:

    • European researchers deploy Probability of Fire, a new AI-powered model they say could outperform the conventional danger forecasts used by wildfire trackers. 👉 t.co
    • Cybercriminals are selling access to Chinese surveillance cameras. 👉 threatpost.com
    • An Outlaw group uses SSH brute-force to deploy cryptojacking malware on Linux servers. 👉 thehackernews.com
    • The White House says Elon Musk will stay until DOGE work is complete following reports of leaving. 👉 usatoday.com
    • Exposed PostgreSQL instances are the target of an ongoing campaign designed to gain unauthorized access and deploy cryptocurrency miners. 👉 thehackernews.com
    • TKO Strikes Multiyear Deal With Meta for Fan Engagement. 👉 sportico.com
    • AppLovin has made a bid for TikTok and talked to casino magnate Steve Wynn about backing it. 👉 wsj.com^$
    • Tech company approaches Steve Wynn about financing TikTok deal. 👉 reviewjournal.com

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