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Google could be about to make it easier to go Incognito on the Google mobile app, according to some evidence in the code.

At the moment, going incognito on the current version of the Google app requires tapping on the profile picture, then onto ‘New Chrome Incognito tab.’ It’s not quite as smooth to start a private session as on a browser, for example.

However, Assemble Debug, as reported by Android Authority, has spotted some code in the latest beta version of the app that includes a dedicated Incognito button directly in the search bar. This would bring private browsing sessions with the touch of a single click.

The feature is reportedly already working for Android Authority but is yet to roll out fully. Some other potential changes include a simpler look for tabs at the bottom of the app, namely by removing text from those tabs. It means users will no longer see terms like Home, Search, or Saved underneath their tab icons.

It’s worth noting that new features found in beta versions don’t always make it to the public. As the name would suggest, beta versions are for testing out potential additions for technical issues and for seeing how beta users respond to them, before releasing them to the general public.

What is Google Incognito browsing?

Incognito browsing is essentially a private browsing session within Google. Any windows or tabs you open after that are part of the same session, which only ends when you close all open Incognito windows.

Operating in Incognito means none of your browsing history, cookies, or site data are saved on your device. You also won’t be signed in to any of your accounts that are saved on your device, making it a convenient way to use a different account for one-off sessions, without logging out of any of your saved ones.

Websites will also see you as a new user and won’t know who you are, so long as you don’t sign in. People who share your device will also not be able to see your browsing history. It’s also available from Google as part of YouTube browsing.

Featured image: Unsplash

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A 23-year-old man from Taiwan was arrested in New York on charges of operating “Incognito Market,” a dark web narcotics e-commerce platform allegedly worth $100 million and spanning globally. Lin was apprehended at John F. Kennedy Airport on May 18.

The complaint and indictment allege that since its inception in October 2020 until its recent closure in March, Incognito Market facilitated over $100 million in narcotics sales. This includes large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamines, globally accessible via the Tor web browser. Lin, under the pseudonym “Pharoah,” reportedly managed all operations, including supervising employees, vendors, and customer interactions, with complete authority over the platform.

Department of Justice on dark web marketplace arrest

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland commented on the arrest, stating, “Drug traffickers who think they can operate outside the law on the dark web are wrong.

“As alleged, Rui-Siang Lin was the architect of Incognito, a $100 million dark web scheme to traffic deadly drugs to the United States and around the world. The long arm of the law extends to the dark web, and we will bring to justice those who try to hide their crimes there,” he added.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York stated, “As alleged, Rui-Siang Lin operated a sophisticated and dangerous online narcotics marketplace through which he profited millions of dollars at the community’s expense.

“The so-called ‘dark web’ is not a safe haven for those who seek to break the law.”

Assistant Director in Charge James Smith of the FBI New York Field Office added, “For nearly four years, Rui-Siang Lin allegedly operated ‘Incognito Market,’ one of the largest online platforms for narcotics sales, conducting $100 million in illicit narcotics transactions and reaped millions of dollars in personal profits.”

Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations New York pointed out, “Rui-Siang Lin’s brazen operation resulted in the illicit sale of over $100 million in narcotics, including those that were mislabeled and later found to include deadly fentanyl.”

Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the DEA’s New York Division also said, “Mr. Lin’s alleged actions of putting profits before public health were not only reckless and dangerous, but unconscionable.”

The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) weighed in through Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead, stressing their ongoing work to disrupt illegal drug sales online which “far too often have tragic consequences.”

What is Incognito Market?

Incognito Market copied legitimate e-commerce sites using branding, advertising, and customer service, whilst operating as a platform for illegal drug transactions. The site allowed anonymous transactions through a unique banking system that authorized cryptocurrency deposits and transfers. Consequently, it ensured the anonymity of buyers and sellers.

In March, Krebs on Security reported that the platform had begun extorting its vendors and buyers, threatening to publish cryptocurrency transactions and chat records of users who refused to pay a fee ranging from $100 to $20,000.

If convicted, Lin faces several charges including a mandatory life sentence for engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, with additional charges for narcotics conspiracy, money laundering, and conspiracy to sell adulterated and misbranded medication.

Featured image: Canva / Ideogram

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YouTube and adblockers have had a back-and-forth battle for years now, but this may now be coming to an end as the video platform crackdown on these browser extensions.

It’s widely reported that people using any form of ad blocker are seeing YouTube videos being skipped right to the end. The video doesn’t even play, but instead jumps to the closing titles immediately.

A Reddit user took to the YouTube board to share the ‘adblock weird behavior,’ and many replied with similar experiences.

New Youtube adblock weird behaviour – video automatically skips to the end
byu/SDHD4K inyoutube

One user said: “Yeah, confirmed, mine is muting the audio (opera adblock). Disabled adblock then it works fine…”

Another said they have “no sound whenever I use ad blocker on YT. You can adjust the volume slider for a second then it goes mute again.”

Ad-blocks are extensions that have become very popular over the last few years as they remove any intrusive advertisements across multiple platforms.

The American online video sharing platform uses adverts to generate income for the company and its content creators.

Team YouTube gave a warning to ad block users last month

While YouTube hasn’t come out with any information around this new skipping phenomenon for those attempting to watch with ad block, they did say they were tightening enforcement in April.

An ‘Enforcement on Third Party Apps’ article was posted on the website’s community page which directly mentioned ‘strengthening’ enforcement on third-party apps that violate the platform’s Terms of Service.

The post read: “Viewers who are using these third-party apps may experience buffering issues or see the error ‘The following content is not available on this app’ when trying to watch a video.

“We want to emphasize that our terms don’t allow third-party apps to turn off ads because that prevents the creator from being rewarded for viewership, and Ads on YouTube help support creators and let billions of people around the world use the streaming service.”

Instead of using other software, the Google-owned company said that the only way to have an entirely ad-free experience is by purchasing a YouTube Premium membership.

This allows users to watch without any intrusions and videos can be downloaded to be watched offline too, but there’s a cost of $13.99 a month for the privilege.

Photo by Leon Bublitz on Unsplash

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If you no longer want to use Microsoft Edge, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to uninstall it.

Edge is Microsoft’s own browser, boasting an estimated 263 million people using it as of December 2023, approximately 4.97% of the world’s population. While this pales in comparison to Google Chrome (3.45 billion users), it still easily beats out Mozilla’s Firefox (178 million users).

The browser’s USP is largely speed, with Microsoft showcasing its lightweight structure. Unsurprisingly, Edge matches well with Microsoft laptops and other products. As Microsoft expands into AI with the growth of Azure, more AI functionality has also been built into the browser.

While seemingly moderately popular, you might want to stop using Microsoft Edge – especially with recent reports of the browser grabbing data from Google Chrome. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to uninstall Microsoft Edge from your device.

Why can’t I uninstall Microsoft Edge?

If you are using a Windows system, you will not be able to uninstall Microsoft Edge. This is because, according to an official forum answer, Windows supports applications that rely on the web platform, meaning that the default web browser (Edge) is an essential component of the operating system and therefore cannot be uninstalled. 

That doesn’t mean you have to use it, however. You can easily download another browser of your choice to use instead, but Edge will need to remain on your device permanently. While there are some unofficial ways around this and forcibly removing the browser from the system, safety and performance updates often come via Edge, meaning Windows systems can become unstable after a while if Edge is no longer there. It could also lead to issues with built-in programs, like the Photos app, the Media Player, and File Explorer, if you use those.

How to uninstall Microsoft Edge

If you’re not a Windows user, then you can easily uninstall Edge, as you have elected to download it at some point and it is not a necessary part of your operating system.

Navigate to wherever you can find all of your apps on your device, or simply search your device for Microsoft Edge. Right-click on Edge and click on ‘Uninstall’. A confirmation prompt will appear and you will need to click on the affirmative options. Microsoft Edge will then be uninstalled from your device.

If you might ever want to reinstall Microsoft Edge, make sure to login to your Microsoft account within the browser and sync your data. That will mean that if you redownload the browser, you will be able to log into your Microsoft account and pick up where you left off on Edge.

How to remove Edge as your default browser

One way to stop using Microsoft Edge as a Windows user, even if you can’t fully remove it from your device, is to remove it as your default browser. Before you start, you’ll need to have another browser installed. There are various browsers to pick from, with Google Chrome being the main competitor, DuckDuckGo offering privacy features, and Ecosia promising environmental initiatives.

Once you have your preferred browser downloaded and working, click the ‘Start’ button and navigate to ‘Settings’ from the main menu. Head to the ‘Apps’ section, then to ‘Default apps’ on the left-hand side, and then to ‘Web browser’.

A list of available browsers should then show up, including your newly selected top pick. Click on that browser, make sure Edge is no longer selected, and then close the Settings.

Now, when you click on links or anything else that automatically takes you through to your browser, it will take you to your chosen browser, rather than Microsoft Edge. Effectively, this means you can stop using Edge altogether, even if the program stays in the background of your device for updating purposes.

How do I disable Microsoft Edge?

On some devices, despite moving away from Edge as a default browser, you might notice that it’s running in the background. This could be because it’s performing updates or other work behind the scenes, but there is a way to stop this if it’s draining your CPU or impacting your device’s performance.

Open up Microsoft Edge and navigate to the ellipses (…) in the top right to open ‘Settings and more’. From here, head to ‘Systems and performance’ and scroll to ‘Continue running background extensions and apps where Microsoft Edge is closed’ and toggle it off.

Now, when the browser is closed, it won’t be running in the background. This does mean that you might need to manually open it to maintain performance on your device. As noted above, many Windows OS updates and newer versions of apps require Edge to stay up to date, so if you notice issues with the Windows system, it could be worth opening up Edge and seeing if any updates come through before troubleshooting other problems.

Featured image: Unsplash

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Imagine an online community that combines user contributions, editing and fact checking like Wikipedia, with automated data extraction like Google and complex artificial intelligence to create a rich description of the world around us that is continually refined over time. That’s what well-backed data startup Factual is aiming to create and every time I learn more about it, I fantasize about getting in and contributing to that community just like early contributors to Wikipedia did.

While Wikipedia is a huge destination site, however, Factual is a data service that will be used as a platform by other sites that want to borrow the data it has captured and refined about places, people and things in the real world. Founder Gil Elbaz, one of the inventors of the technology that became Google’s advertising platform and the leader who raised money from red hot investors Andreesen Horowitz for Factual, did a fascinating interview with GPS Business News this morning where we learned more about the technology behind his site.

Elbaz tells interviewer Ludovic Privat that any partner site or individual can submit a data set, a data point or an opinion about a data point.

“So if you go to one of our tables and double click into a cell, you’ll find a rich history of opinions about what, for example, is the right phone number for a business. Then it’s our job to examine all these opinions and look for some sort of consensus or pattern that leads us to believe that one of them is right and one is wrong.

“The job of cleaning this data, looking for spammy submissions, analyzing the sources or users that are submitting this data and then trying to boil it down into the right answer requires a lot of technology…It also comes from a sophisticated machine-learning stack that can leverage a significant proportion of the web and use various natural language technologies to structure unstructured or semi-structured data that’s on the web and pull facts from the web to validate them.

“It is a living, breathing database in the sense that our partners and end-users can access our write-to API and correct things in the database in real-time and our developers have real-time access to these corrections.”

Elbaz says the company is incentivizing partners to participate in the refinement of the data, including through a program where users of the data can opt-in to sharing any improvements they make back with Factual. The company announced partnerships with Facebook Places and the wildly popular social game MyTown by Booyah, earlier this month.

We first wrote about Factual in September and I’ve been excited about it ever since. The company’s location data seems to be getting good reviews from data consumers, but there are clearly sets that need cleaning up, too.

Have you spent any time on Factual? What’s your assessment of the site’s viability? The company has assembled a very strong team, but it’s in a crowded market, too. If it can build a community of human editors, business users willing to write-back changes to its data set and strong technology to do the bulk of the heavy lifting and judgement calls on credibility, we may find the web using Factual to describe the world much like users use Wikipedia today to discuss and learn about it. That would be an exciting platform.

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Smaller browser companies are starting to grab market share in Europe following the EU legislation that forced Google, Microsoft, and Apple to make it easier for people to switch to rivals.

The new EU Digital Markets Act suggests services should not be designated as gatekeepers, with the giants in the industry now required to allow third-party apps or app store providers to access their platforms. Users should also be able to easily change between them.

As mobile devices that run Android come with Chrome browser as a default and iPhones with Safari, these browsers are two that have long dominated.

According to Reuters, other companies are starting to reap the benefits of the legislation. Aloha Browser has said users in the EU jumped 250% in March.

Aloha markets itself as a privacy-focused alternative to the browsers owned by big tech. Instead of earning its money through selling ads by tracking users, it works on a subscription basis and has amassed 10 million monthly average users.

The CEO of the Cyprus-based company, Andrew Frost Moroz, said: “Before, EU was our number four market, right now it’s number two…”

Norway’s Vivaldi, Germany’s Ecosia, and the U.S. based Brave have seen an increase in numbers since the legislation was formally passed too.

Others like DuckDuckGo and Opera are seeing growth, but say the choice screen rollout hasn’t yet been fully completed.

“We are experiencing record user numbers in the EU right now,” said the vice president at Opera Jan Standal.

What is the EU Digital Markets Act?

The regulations under this legislation came into force at the beginning of March. The aim is to promote competition in the technology sector and attempt to weaken the market dominance of companies such as Apple and Google.

The EU Commission was reported to have made a “thorough assessment of all arguments, taking into account input by relevant stakeholders,” without disclosing details of the cases presented by the companies involved.

Any failure to comply with the rules could result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s worldwide annual turnover or up to 20% for repeated breaches, as well as periodic penalty fines of up to 5% in average daily turnover.

Featured Image: Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash

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Update: The answer to the question in the headline seems to be no, for now.

Following Egypt’s severing of its main ISP connections to the Internet, Syria has now reportedly done the same. Possibly anticipating the political wildfire that has leapt from Tunis to Algeria to Libya and now to Egypt, authorities may be trying a preemptive block.

Syria certainly is a candidate for revolt: One of the real tyrants in the Arab world, it possesses an outsized security apparatus, little in the way of citizen rights, a smart, young population and a fear of the Internet.

Other sources, including Reuters, claim the Internet in Syria has not been cut off at the ISP level. Instead, the country is said to have tightened its already restrictive Internet rules, banning programs like Nimbuzz and eBuddy that allow access to Facebook Chat via mobile phones. Many services are already banned but access is often gained via proxies.

I asked Ammar Abdulhamid, a fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution and Syrian dissident about what’s happening. Ammar follows movements in Syria closely and is in contact with people inside the country.

“I am still talking to ppl on Facebook, so it doesn’t seem to be true, but it could still happen.”

Like all wholesale shut-offs, if this is happening, it is happening in bits and pieces as the government severs ISPs or sites from their routers.

We’ll update this story as we get more information.

Damascus photo by N. Macca | other sources: Huffington Post

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Reddit is seeking a valuation of up to $6.4 billion in its upcoming flotation on the New York Stock Exchange.

The social media platform’s IPO is inching closer. The launch, under the ticker RDDT, is expected by the end of this month, making it one of the most-anticipated listings in recent times.

Reddit is a San Francisco-based mega-website that combines elements of social media, message boards, and news aggregation. It was founded in June 2005 by Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian, who sold the platform to Condé Nast the following year. Huffman left the company in 2009 before returning as CEO in 2015.

The company wants to sell around 22 million shares, priced between $31 and $34 each, raising up to $748 million in the process, as detailed in a corporate filing posted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.

Background to Reddit IPO

A March IPO launch was mooted back in January, and now that is coming to fruition. The offering has been in the making for two years and is considered a major test of the market for new listings.

Reddit plans to invite users and moderators to the party, with 1.76m shares set aside (8% of the IPO) for those who have built up the platform to this point, as well as board members and their family and friends.

The mega-site is said to have 100,000 active communities, with 500 million unique visitors hosted in December 2023 alone.

Its recent prospectus detailed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s holding of 8.7% of the company’s share stock, making him the third-largest shareholder of Reddit. This puts him in a position to profit significantly from the IPO. Still, further to that, it questions the platform’s future direction with such a prominent link to one of the leading figures in artificial intelligence (AI).

The prospectus included Reddit’s plans to utilize opportunities presented by AI. Still, some have questioned at what cost with a general user expressing fears on the future direction of travel for the site, with concerns going public will irrevocably change the platform.

“When the most important customers shift from (users) to shareholders, the product always (suffers).

“It becomes ‘what can we do this quarter to squeak out an additional point of revenue,’ instead of ‘how can we make this product better’.”

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Microsoft Edge has reportedly pulled its latest update, as users experience significant issues with the web browser.

The most recent update to long-term Google Chrome competitor Microsoft Edge (122.0.2365.63) has seemingly broken the browser, with many users reporting that the browser is virtually unusable. Following the update, the bug appeared, meaning Edge couldn’t load websites, producing an error message that ‘this page is having a problem’ or that there is ‘not enough memory to open this page.’

It didn’t just affect webpages but also some “in-Edge” features, including the Settings panel, bookmarks, or even just a new tab. This left the browser almost entirely unusable. For those whose browsers update automatically, it’s left them without access to Edge’s services without any warning.

Some users find a fix for the browser issues

Luckily, some users think they’ve found a fix, as reported by Tech Radar. However, it only really helps those who haven’t experienced the glitch yet, as it involves accessing Settings that are currently inaccessible — thanks to the bug.

If you’re in that lucky group, open Edge’s Settings, go to ‘Privacy, search and services,’ then scroll down to the Security box (nearly at the bottom), find the ‘Enhance your security on the web’ option, then turn it off. This should mean you don’t experience the same issues.

However, some users have stated that this fix didn’t prevent the issue. What’s more, there’s a reason that Edge’s enhanced security is applied as standard – for security. Turning it off leaves browsers potentially vulnerable to malicious actors online.

Bleeping Computer also reports that Microsoft has rolled back the recent update, presumably to patch the bug. That means when the update is re-released, it will be bug-free and revert people’s browsers back to complete working condition. There’s no word from Microsoft when to expect this at the time of writing.

Featured image: Unsplash

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Twitch has confirmed an increase in the cost of channel subscriptions for the first time with the price hikes set to apply from next month.

The Amazon-owned streaming platform released a blog post on Tuesday 20 February detailing the reasons for the change, the first-ever time subs have been raised.

By the end of next month, Tier 1 subscriptions will increase in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, whilst Turkish customers will see higher costs across all three tiers.

There has also been an indication of a price rise to follow in the United States although nothing has been confirmed at present.

Mike Minton, Chief Monetization Officer stated: “Twitch streamers rely on our monetization tools to reach their goals and build their communities. Subscriptions are one of the most important ways that viewers support their favorite channels,” he said.

“We have not increased channel sub prices since their inception, and many markets saw reduced prices in 2021. This year we are updating prices in several countries to help streamer revenue keep pace with rising costs and reflect local currency fluctuations.”

Starting March 28, we’re updating sub and gift prices on web in Australia, Canada, the UK, and Turkey.

We’ll be live today, Feb 20 at 10am PT on Twitch to discuss the change and You can learn more about the decision and details in our blog post:https://t.co/ejkPzMXVgK

— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) February 20, 2024

The company advised existing subscriptions will automatically renew at the new rate, with users to be emailed about the upcoming change.

News of the modest rise does not come as a surprise, following Twitch CEO Dan Clancy’s remarks last month that the service was not profitable, just days after job cuts were confirmed, affecting around 500 people.

On losing 35% of the platform’s workforce, the CEO commented:

“In terms of making the decision, we need to ensure Twitch is the right size so we can be here for a long time.”

“We have a very important mission. It’s critical Twitch is not just here today, tomorrow, but 50 years, 100 years from now. Our job is to run Twitch in a manner to ensure its prosperity and that it can be here for the communities you’ve built.”

Sustainable business

The communication from Twitch intimated there would be no planned increases in the price of Tier 2 or Tier 3 subscriptions or gift subs in Australia, Canada, or the UK.

“Subscriptions are one of the most reliable ways viewers can support the streamers they love,” added Minton.

“We are increasing subscription prices to drive more revenue to our streamers and help make streaming a more sustainable business for them.”

There was a hint of further price changes for other countries later in 2024, including the US. In a recent Twitch stream, with Minton present, a question was put to him regarding increased costs for American subscribers.

“Let me say it this way: probably yes,” he replied. “Exactly what it will be is maybe still an open question.”

How much will a Twitch subscription increase?

Tier 1

United Kingdom

Current Price – £3.99

New Price – £4.99

Australia

Current Price – A$7.99

New Price – A$8.99

Canada

Current Price – C$6.99

New Price – C$7.99

Turkey

Tier 1: 

Current Price – TRY9.90

New Price – TRY43.90

Tier 2:

Current Price – TRY19.99

New Price – TRY87.90

Tier 3:

Current Price – TRY49.99

New Price – TRY215.90

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Safer Internet Day is an internationally-observed event designed to promote safer and more responsible internet use among young people. It’s observed every year on February 6 and has been around since 2004.

The theme for 2024’s Safer Internet Day is “inspiring change, making a difference, managing influence, and navigating change online.”

Why does it matter?

This year’s Safer Internet Day comes at a critical time for internet safety around the world.

The UK’s Online Safety Act, which puts the onus on tech companies to protect children from inappropriate legal content, became a law in October 2023 — but there are concerns that it doesn’t go far enough.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were recently convicted of the murder of Brianna Ghey, a young transgender teen. Both 15 at the time, the killers were able to access torture content on the dark web. This led to Esther Ghey, Brianna’s mother, launching a petition to ban social media apps from minors’ phones, as well as making mobile companies more legally responsible for children’s online welfare.

Simultaneous to this, over in the US, the Senate held a hearing with a number of the Big Tech CEOs regarding children’s online safety.

During the emotionally charged hearing, the CEOs of platforms like TikTok, Snap, X, Discord, and we won’t soon forget the dressing-down of Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), who was told he has “blood on [his/their] hands” because of their purported inaction in the face of the exploitation, bullying, grooming, and other harmful content young people are exposed to online.

This hearing was part of ongoing conversations about the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and tougher laws around internet safety in general. In short, the proposed law purports to protect young people from ads and other content that promote eating disorders, self-harm, violence, and suicide.

Featured Image: Photo by Thomas Park on Unsplash

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Remember cached links? They were underlined in green text reading “Cached” next to the main link when you searched for something on Google.

Granted, they weren’t an essential part of searching online but they were useful at providing a snapshot of a webpage’s content if the live site was unavailable or changed.

Well, they’re gone now.

Google has confirmed the removal of cache links from search results due to improved reliability of the internet.

In a previous era when you weren’t sure if your internet page would load, Google cache would have you covered, and it also enabled access to sites or info that could be blocked in a particular region.

Search Engine Land‘s Barry Schwartz reported initially on cache links not appearing in the search results last week, resulting in a question to Danny Sullivan, Google’s Public Liaison for Search.

Schwartz queried whether this was a permanent change, as below.

Hey, catching up. Yes, it's been removed. I know, it's sad. I'm sad too. It's one of our oldest features. But it was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldn't depend on a page loading. These days, things have greatly improved. So, it was decided to…

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 1, 2024

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A new app called Arc Search aims to combine web browsing, search, and AI capabilities into one service.

Developed by The Browser Company, creators of the Arc web browser, Arc Search seeks to reinvent the search engine experience by automatically generating custom webpages with summarized information on any topic.

Rather than showing a list of blue links, Arc Search uses AI to scan multiple websites, extracting key details to build a unique mini site with bullets, stats, context, and links related to the search query. For example, asking “What happened in the Chiefs game?” prompts Arc to scan sports sites, Twitter, and news outlets, returning a custom page with the final score, key plays, player details and more on the AFC championship.

a little Sunday surprise for you…

meet @browsercompany's 2nd product:

Arc Search

it's a default browser for your iPhone
…that BROWSES FOR YOU

the origin story is a bit unusual so I wanted to give you the full backstory: pic.twitter.com/pkVQJYN0QQ

— Josh Miller (@joshm) January 28, 2024

“Arc Search browses the web for you and then builds you the webpage you wanted. That’s the idea, anyway,” explains The Verge.

This idea in itself isn’t new. Tech evangelicals have been prophesizing this would be the direction of travel for search since ChatGPT exploded into the public consciousness at the end of 2022.

The “Browse for me” feature that enables this AI-powered search is still in the early stages, but shows significant potential to change how people find information online.

Arc Search also represents a shift in strategy for The Browser Company, which up until now focused mostly on developing a cross-platform web browser called Arc. With a new mobile app and expanded AI capabilities, the company is now working to sync Arc across devices while bringing more automation and personalization to web exploration.

Where can I try Arc?

The app is currently only available on Apple’s iOS but there are rumors it will soon be coming to Android.

There are still open questions about how Arc Search will attribute content sources, respect publisher relationships, handle personalization and address other AI concerns. However, the app provides a compelling vision for the future of mobile search and browsing.

Arc Search is a free download, providing The Browser Company opportunities to court mobile users at scale to hone its AI models. As rival tech giants like Google race to imbue their products with more AI smarts, Arc Search presents a scrappy alternative reimagining one of computing’s most essential functions – the search bar.

Featured image: Arc

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Three and Vodafone’s proposed merger is being called into question as the competition watchdog, the Computer and Markets Authority (CMA), begins its investigation into the possible repercussions of the merger for consumers.

Vodafone and Three are the third and fourth largest mobile network operators in the UK, respectively. Vodafone has 18.2 million subscribers as of November 2023, while Three has 10.3 million as of May 2023.

The Vodafone and Three merger is being investigated

The union was first announced back in June, with the two companies agreeing to invest £11 billion ($13.9 billion) into 5G infrastructure in the UK over the next decade. The agreement between Vodafone Group and CK Hutchinson Group (Three owner) was split with Vodafone owning 51% of the merged company and Three owning 49% of it.

“The merger is great for customers, great for the country, and great for competition,” Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group Chief Executive, said in a statement at the time. “It’s transformative as it will create a best-in-class – indeed best in Europe – 5G network, offering customers a superior experience.”

By 2030, the merger, tentatively called MergeCo, is expected to bring £5 billion per year ($6.35 billion) in economic benefit, according to representatives for Vodafone Group and CK Hutchinson Group.

Phase 1 of the CMA investigation into the merger will take 40 days. During this 40-day period, the CMA will aim to ascertain whether the merger of these two phone giants will lead to a “substantial lessening of competition.” If watchdog officials do indeed find this, they may commence Phase 2 of the investigation process.

Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA, said the following in a statement: “This deal would bring together two of the major players in the UK telecommunications market, which is critical to millions of everyday customers, businesses and the wider economy. The CMA will assess how the tie-up between rival networks could impact competition before deciding next steps.”

Featured image: Photo by John Michael Wilyat on Unsplash.

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Brave Software has released a new version of Brave Browser, which includes strict improvements on fingerprinting protection and HTTPS everywhere, as reported by ghacks.net.

The Chromium-based web browser’s version 1.62 is available now and should be installed on most systems automatically, or users can install the update manually by going to Menu > Help > About Brave. Version 1.62.153 should be displayed on desktop devices after the update.

Brave Software had announced earlier this week that they were removing strict fingerprinting protection from their browser as it was causing regular web incompatibilities. This latest update continues to protect against fingerprinting, just not as aggressively as before, which should make for a more stable browser for users. ‘Fingerprinting’ is the process of gathering specific information about a system or network to create a unique profile of a piece of software, network protocols, operating systems or hardware devices.

Version 1.62 also ditched HTTPS Everywhere, which is a security measure for websites that ensures complete safety for users from online threats, but its removal is not believed to have consequences for Brave Browser users.

What other changes can be found in Brave Browser 1.62?

Other updates in this latest version include changes to the News feature, with articles now opening in new tabs by default as well as users being taken back to their scroll position in the news feed after opening and closing articles. You can access this feature right away by going to chrome://flags#brave-news-feed-update and then setting the experimental flag to ‘Enabled.’

Meanwhile, the implementation of Tor has seen some changes, most notably a brand new setting, enabled by default, to only resolve .onion addresses in Tor windows.

However, the main changes in 1.62 are to Web3 and AI. Brave Leo, which is the integrated AI introduced in version 1.60 has received several updates. The main change here is the ability to react to page content changes during conversations, new context indicators and the formatting of code responses.

What is Brave Browser?

Brave is a browser that is focused on keeping internet users safe at all times. It blocks trackers and ads on all websites visited, which ensures privacy for its users. It is essentially an ad-blocker, incognito window, private search and VPN rolled into one browser.

All of these perks, Brave says on its website, mean “faster page load, better battery life, even mobile data savings.”

Featured Image: Brave Software

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Google has released the newest update to its Chrome web browser and it boasts some new AI features and several important security patches, reports ghacks.net.

Chrome 121 is now available to users but the two main feature updates are only limited to a specific set of users at present, with no specific timeframe on when all users will have access to the new AI functionality.

The security fixes, though, are available to everyone who updates their Chrome browser to Chrome 121. This update includes patches for 17 different security issues, although Google hasn’t listed them all on the official Chrome Release Blog. There are no critical issues in this update but there are fixes to use after free in WebAudio and inappropriate implementations in Downloads and Accessibility.

The two new AI features are Tab Organizer and AI theme creations.

How can I get Google Chrome 121?

Most Chrome installations will automatically receive the update but for those who aren’t willing to wait, you can click Menu > Help > About Google Chrome or go to chrome://settings/help directly to run a manual update. This will allow Chrome to download and install updates automatically, but a restart of the browser is always required.

Once the update is installed, you should see one of the following versions listed on the About Chrome page:

• Chrome for Mac and Linux: 121.0.6167.85
• Chrome for Windows: 121.0.6167.85 or 121.0.6167.86

What are Google Chrome 121’s new AI features?

The two main new features included in Chrome 121 are the introduction of Tab Organizer and theme creations, both of which are AI-based tools. They are two of the three AI tools Google revealed in The Keyword blog. The third – a tool that helps users draft copy for things such as product reviews, RSVPs and web inquiries – appears to remain in the queue for now.

Google Chrome Tab Organizer

This tool suggests tab groups in the browser based on URLs and the titles of websites and is limited to small group of signed-in users in the US for the time being. If it is available, users can simply right-click on a tab and select ‘Organize similar tabs’ to let the AI do its thing by suggesting open tabs that it believes would make up a group. Users must still manually create the group, but that requires simply clicking ‘create group’ in the tab organizer.

Users can also configure the Tab Organizer settings to control the feature in future Chrome versions.

AI Theme Creation

This feature adds AI theme creations to the browser and is also currently available to limited signed-in users in the US.

To use, simply select the Customize Chrome link on the browser’s New Tab page. Once loaded, choose Change theme > Create with AI. From here you can select a subject, mood, style and color to generate a set of themes.

Users can also configure the Create Theme settings to control the feature in future Chrome versions.

What other changes are in Chrome 121?

There are some smaller changes for users to enjoy in Chrome 121.

• The Side Panel icon has been removed from the main toolbar.
• Google’s third-party cookie depreciation continues, with around 1% of Chrome users now having third-party cookies disabled already.
• Users are now able to view clicked links on supported web apps if they’re supported. Chrome displays a chip in the address bar to suggest switching to the installed app.
• Standard Safe Browsing may now prompt users for the password of an encrypted archive. Google says the password is used locally and is not shared with Google directly.

Featured Image: Photo by Growtika on Unsplash

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Apple is estimated to have sold around 180, 000 Vision Pro headsets on the first pre-order weekend, according to an analyst.

As reported by End Gadget, this early indication reflects a slow start for the mixed-reality entertainment device but it is still in its very early stages.

Based on pre-order inventory and shipping time information, Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted the trillion-dollar company has taken between 160,000 and 180,000 orders for its new launch.

The report suggests this figure dwarfed the initial production figures but overall it is still a drop in the ocean compared to Apple’s reported 1.2 billion active users.

Early Obstacles for Apple’s Vision Pro

Kuo pointed out shipping times have remained unchanged for those who have bought the new headset, which can be a sign of lesser demand if it is not pushed back.

“The inability to sustain a steady increase in pre-order demand is a major concern and also confirms earlier concerns about whether the intensity of demand can be sustained,” wrote Kuo, who works for investment research firm TF International Securities.

The Vision Pro is expected to have its full release around June, so Apple will be keen to build momentum and exposure for the product building up to that point.

It has to be said that the Vision Pro will not be for everyone, especially with its heavy price tag. At an entry point of $3,499, the new device could become a niche product that will present its challenges. Apple will need to ensure it is capable of selling enough units, but one option will be to release a cheaper model.

Vision Pro has also been beset with a snub from YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify with those platforms confirming they will not be launching a dedicated app for the new Apple headset. Instead, users will need to use a web browser to avail of their services.

Apple is rolling out a 25-minute demo service on the Vision Pro in its stores which will be accepted by its hardcore fans but will the wider consumer base have the appetite as well as the means to take a bite at this latest production?

An interesting few months lie ahead for the full launch of Apple Vision Pro.

Featured Image: Apple

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Rumble, the online video-hosting platform that claims to be a free speech YouTube alternative, is reportedly under investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

According to WIRED, the SEC confirmed the investigation after a public records request by the news organization in November. It had denied the request on the grounds that an “active and ongoing” inquiry was taking place in relation to the company. The response follows claims made against the company including that it allegedly inflated certain metrics, which Rumble denies.

Following the announcement, founder Chris Pavlovski posted on X that the “report is bogus.” He said the company had proof in the form of Google Analytics to track monthly active users and criticized the move as a tactic “to get investors to sell the stock so that the short seller profits.”

The playbook to try and destroy $RUM (Rumble)

A short seller creates a bogus report and sends it to the SEC. The SEC investigates the bogus report. Then the short seller talks to the media to get a story about how the SEC is investigating the report that started with him. The…

— Chris Pavlovski (@chrispavlovski) January 8, 2024

“This is just the start, they’re coming for us in 2024. They can’t stand Rumble’s mission, but they are going to learn quickly how hard we punch back,” he added while stating he was exploring legal options to “hold short sellers accountable.”

The SEC, however, noted that the probe did not necessarily mean “any violations of law have occurred with respect to any person, entity, or security.” As a result, the exact nature of the investigation is unclear.

Melinda Hardy, the SEC’s assistant general counsel for litigation and administrative practice, confirmed the investigation in a letter sent on January 8th. Hardy further explained that releasing the documents could potentially harm the ongoing and active proceedings. She noted that this could happen because individuals and entities involved in the investigation might fabricate evidence, tamper with witness testimony, or destroy or modify relevant documents.

What has Rumble said?

Rumble spokesperson Rory Rumore responded to the allegations saying the company provided information to the SEC voluntarily and cautioned against anyone from jumping to false conclusions.

Rumble’s legal challenges

It is not the first time Rumble has become involved with legal matters. In November, the platform filed a lawsuit against two people connected to Media Matters. Rumble’s court filings state that two individuals who ran ‘Check My Ads’ created fake profiles, sought out objectionable user-uploaded videos, and refreshed the pages multiple times until they could capture screenshots showing ads from high-profile brands next to the offending content. This data was subsequently utilized by Media Matters in a campaign urging major brands to steer clear of Rumble.

Who are Rumble’s investors?

The video network is backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, which became a publicly traded company in 2022. “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. Vance is also an investor, along with Colt Ventures, the family office of Dallas investor and former Trump adviser Darren Blanton. Its valuation currently exceeds $1.2 billion.

The platform was founded in 2013 by the Canadian entrepreneur, and posits itself as an alternative to “cancel culture.” In a statement on the website, Pavlovski wrote: “We are a movement that does not stifle, censor, or punish creativity and freedom of expression. We believe everyone benefits when they have access to more ideas and diverse opinions.”

Featured Image: Canva / Rumble / U.S. Government

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Logan Paul announced in an X post that he has “personally committed” to a $2.3 million to buy back eggs associated with the failed non-fungible token (NFT) game CryptoZoo. However, anyone who gets a buy-back in this way is agreeing not to participate in any legal action against Paul, including the class action lawsuit he is currently subject to.

The time frame to claim buybacks lasts until Feb 8. Paul is providing claimants 0.1 Ethereum (ETH) for each eligible returned NFT, which some might see as better than nothing. It’s about the equivalent of $224. However, it’s a lot less than they might be eligible for if the class action lawsuit against Paul succeeds.

The ground-level buy-in for CryptoZoo consisted of ‘Base Animals’ or ‘Base Eggs’, NFTs that would eventually be used in-game for breeding and other activities. The game, which was announced on YouTube in August 2021, was meant to be a “really fun game that makes you money,” but was never completed.

Today, I am incredibly happy to announce that I am delivering on my promise to buy back Base Egg and Base Animal CryptoZoo NFTs for their original purchase price. This buy-back program is being carried out at https://t.co/XIQzLAGKiG. Claims can be submitted through this site… pic.twitter.com/VMPDHvdXkq

— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) January 4, 2024

Base Eggs and Base Animals frequently cost over 1 ETH each (over $2200). The buy-back amount being offered by Paul is a fraction of that. Paired with the terms and conditions of the refund stating that claimants “are waiving any actual or anticipated claims against Paul”, there is speculation that he is trying to minimize his losses.

Logan Paul faces class action lawsuit over CryptoZoo

Class action lawsuit damages can include full refunds of what the buyer initially lost, plus damages and fees. “Paul may be betting (or at least hoping) that enough people who would otherwise be potential class members will take him up on this offer and drastically reduce his potential exposure in the pending case by doing so,” said Rob Freund, a lawyer who spoke to TechCrunch about this issue. “That would let him angle for a much more favorable settlement.”

The social media influencer and professional wrestler has this week filed a counterclaim to the class action suit, alleging that two of the people who also worked on the game are “con artists” who “sabotaged” CryptoZoo. He has made the full counterclaim document public.

Paul claims that he never made any money off CryptoZoo; “In fact, the opposite is true, because I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to make it happen,” he said on X, going on to say that the game will never be released. “I personally spent $400,000 to have it developed and after its completion in early 2023 & some further diligence, unfortunately, there are too many regulatory hurdles that would need to be cleared that I did not originally understand and would ultimately delay this buy-back even further.”

Featured image credit: Erik Drost via Wikimedia Commons and @CryptoZooCo

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