https://www.afterdawn.com/ Daily updated technology news en-us Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:40:55 GMT Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:58:41 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/15/android-17-arrives-for-first-non-google-phone-models-as-xiaomi-17-series-gets-the-update https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/15/android-17-arrives-for-first-non-google-phone-models-as-xiaomi-17-series-gets-the-update Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/Xiaomi-logo-phone-box.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Android 17 arrives for first non-Google phone models, as Xiaomi 17 series gets the update" /></p>Google <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/16/android-17-is-ready">released <strong>Android 17</strong> in June 2026</a>. At the same time, naturally, the latest operating system version also became available for download on supported Google Pixel phones. <br/> <br/>But after Google, the race always begins to see which Android manufacturer will be the first to release a major Android update for their own mobile phones. <br/> <br/>This year, the winner was Chinese <strong>Xiaomi</strong>, which <a href="https://www.androidupdatetracker.com/p/xiaomi-17" target="_blank">released</a> <a href="https://www.androidupdatetracker.com/p/xiaomi-17-ultra" target="_blank">today</a> official, stable versions of Android 17 for two of its mobile phone models. <br/> <br/>The company's flagship phones, <a href="https://www.puhelinvertailu.com/puhelin/xiaomi-17">Xiaomi 17</a> and <a href="https://www.puhelinvertailu.com/puhelin/xiaomi-17-ultra">Xiaomi 17 Ultra</a>, were the first to receive the latest Android. <br/> <br/>The update is being rolled out globally and will arrive on phones automatically through an OTA. Visually, the update is very modest, as Xiaomi uses its own, heavily modified user interface on Android, which goes by the name <i>HyperOS</i>. The newly released update is based on the latest Android 17, but still uses the old HyperOS 3 visual style. <br/> <br/>A bigger visual overhaul, in addition to the Android update under the hood, will only come to Xiaomi phones in August, when the company releases the HyperOS 4 user interface.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/15/android-17-arrives-for-first-non-google-phone-models-as-xiaomi-17-series-gets-the-update" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/15/android-17-arrives-for-first-non-google-phone-models-as-xiaomi-17-series-gets-the-update#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:40:55 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/15/android-17-arrives-for-first-non-google-phone-models-as-xiaomi-17-series-gets-the-update#comments 0 Android 17 arrives for first non-Google phone models, as Xiaomi 17 series gets the update https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/letterboxd-is-looking-for-buyers https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/letterboxd-is-looking-for-buyers Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/letterboxd-logo-2026.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Letterboxd is looking for buyers" /></p>One of the world's most well-known movie-focused websites, <strong>Letterboxd</strong>, is reportedly looking for a new owner. <br/> <br/>Letterboxd is especially known as a gathering place for true movie fans, a kind of social media for movies - and for the extensive, in-depth movie reviews created by its users. <br/> <br/>The site was originally founded in 2011, but its founders sold a majority stake in the service in 2023 to a Canadian investment company. <br/> <br/>Now, the said investment company thus wants to convert its investment into cash. <br/> <br/>According to <i>Variety's</i> <a href="https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/letterboxd-sales-talks-netflix-sony-paramount-1236806379/" target="_blank">information</a>, the company is reportedly negotiating with several movie studios about the sale of the service. At least <i>Sony Pictures</i> and <i>Paramount</i> have been mentioned as buyer candidates. <br/> <br/>In addition, <i>The Puck</i> reports that <a href="https://puck.news/ted-sarandos-youtube-panic-inside-netflixs-cheap-content-pivot/" target="_blank">Netflix would also be interested</a> in buying the service. <br/> <br/>In all mentioned cases, a kind of conflict of interest arises for Letterboxd's administrators: would the site's new host want the service to better highlight the parent company's films - or will the service be allowed to continue independently. <br/> <br/>In itself, the dilemma is not unique, as the world's most famous movie review service <i>IMDb</i> has been owned by <i>Amazon</i> for decades. And Amazon, of course, owns both <i>MGM</i> studio and the <i>Amazon Prime</i> streaming service. <br/> <br/>Letterboxd has over 30 million users, and according to The Puck's information, the site's sale price has been estimated at approximately 250 million dollars <i>(approximately 220 million euros)</i>.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/letterboxd-is-looking-for-buyers" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/letterboxd-is-looking-for-buyers#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:05:52 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/letterboxd-is-looking-for-buyers#comments 0 Letterboxd is looking for buyers https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/samsung-forces-users-to-hand-their-health-data-for-ai-training https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/samsung-forces-users-to-hand-their-health-data-for-ai-training Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/samsung-logo-large-conference.JPG" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Samsung forces users to hand their health data for AI training" /></p>Korean giant <strong>Samsung</strong> has apparently put some of its users in front of a rather unpleasant choice. <br/> <br/>According to <a href="https://www.howtogeek.com/samsung-health-requires-ai-training-consent/" target="_blank">information</a> obtained by the <i>How-to-Geek</i> website, a new checkbox has appeared for some users of Samsung's health and wellness application, <strong>Samsung Health</strong>. <br/> <br/>This view asks users to agree that <b>Samsung may use the user's health data for training its AI model</b>. <br/> <br/>What makes the choice particularly problematic is that refusal is not really possible: if the option is not accepted, Samsung Health will stop synchronizing data with the user's Samsung account, meaning the collected data will simply be completely destroyed. <br/> <br/>The company would likely use user data to develop smart, AI-based health applications, i.e., solutions somewhat similar to Garmin's subscription-based Connect+ or Google's new subscription-based Google Health Premium. <br/> <br/>But the mandatory surrender of health data for AI use, without a real possibility to refuse the choice, sounds like it smells like it might violate several laws in the European Union - even if the data were completely anonymized. Elsewhere in the world, the practice is likely legal - albeit one that causes a lot of bad blood among users.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/samsung-forces-users-to-hand-their-health-data-for-ai-training" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/samsung-forces-users-to-hand-their-health-data-for-ai-training#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:03:06 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/13/samsung-forces-users-to-hand-their-health-data-for-ai-training#comments 0 Samsung forces users to hand their health data for AI training https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/08/video-game-archivists-piracy-is-the-only-real-way-to-preserve-video-game-history https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/08/video-game-archivists-piracy-is-the-only-real-way-to-preserve-video-game-history Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/gamer-infant-cartoon.png" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Video game archivists: Piracy is the only real way to preserve video game history" /></p>The enormous cultural significance of video games only began to be fully understood sometime in the early 2010s, even though the monetary value of video games has long since surpassed art forms considered 'traditional culture,' such as music and movies. <br/> <br/>But preserving, archiving, and curating games for future generations has become almost impossible in the last twenty years, states one of the largest foundations saving video games for posterity, <strong>Video Game History Foundation</strong>. <br/> <br/>Many players perceive the problem to be that games are no longer sold as physical copies - and recently, for example, <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/production-of-physical-playstation-games-to-end-in-2028">Sony announced it would completely cease the production of physical PlayStation game discs</a>. <br/> <br/>But the problem is actually more complex. <br/> <br/>According to the foundation's statement, the biggest problem is that almost all games nowadays require a connection to the game publisher's servers. Often, the game doesn't even work without an internet connection, but even more common is that updates are released for the game over the network, which are required for the game to function. <br/> <br/>The foundation describes the problem by saying that they cannot possibly rely on simply buying a physical copy of <b><i>GTA VI</i></b> and stashing it in a corner of a warehouse for the preservation of game history. In fifty years, the game will very likely not launch at all, as the servers it requires will have been decommissioned and shut down decades earlier. <br/> <br/>Furthermore, a game purchased as a physical disc does not reflect the true, preservable game, because it lacks the updates released for the game - meaning that from the perspective of preserving history, even a physical copy of the game does not correspond to past reality. <br/> <br/>The harsh summary is that the organization currently has no legal ways to save games released today for future generations to admire; instead, piracy is becoming the best friend of museums and archives preserving history in this regard. <br/> <br/><center><blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:32mfz7eoqf5l5nnhahsgoijf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpm6s7tqak2i" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreifaejku37qxaz3i46zj2hruv3c3smltaounmx3obpc2jtjazonnl4" data-bluesky-embed-color-mode="system"><p lang="en">Apologies, we for got the alt text! Here it is.<br><br><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:32mfz7eoqf5l5nnhahsgoijf/post/3mpm6s7tqak2i?ref_src=embed">[image or embed]</a></p>-- Video Game History Foundation (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:32mfz7eoqf5l5nnhahsgoijf?ref_src=embed">@gamehistoryorg.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:32mfz7eoqf5l5nnhahsgoijf/post/3mpm6s7tqak2i?ref_src=embed">July 1, 2026 at 9:52 PM</a></blockquote><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center> <br/> <br/>The foundation particularly blames the lobbying organization for American game companies, the <strong>Entertainment Software Association</strong>, for not even agreeing to discuss with museums and archives to find a sustainable and legal archiving method. <br/> <br/>A citizen initiative driven in the European Union was also strongly connected to the same topic. <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/17/eu-rejected-stop-killing-games-initiative">However, the European Union rejected the <i>Stop Killing Games</i> citizen initiative</a>, which would have demanded that games remain playable forever, at least in some form.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/08/video-game-archivists-piracy-is-the-only-real-way-to-preserve-video-game-history" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/08/video-game-archivists-piracy-is-the-only-real-way-to-preserve-video-game-history#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Wed, 8 Jul 2026 19:10:53 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/08/video-game-archivists-piracy-is-the-only-real-way-to-preserve-video-game-history#comments 0 Video game archivists: Piracy is the only real way to preserve video game history https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/comcast-buys-britains-itv https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/comcast-buys-britains-itv Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/itv-logo-2022.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Comcast buys Britain&apos;s ITV" /></p>American telecommunications and media giant <strong>Comcast</strong>, through its already owned subsidiary <strong>Sky</strong>, is acquiring Britain's oldest TV channel, <strong>ITV</strong>. <br/> <br/><i>Reuters</i> <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/uks-itv-sell-media-entertainment-unit-comcasts-sky-21-billion-2026-07-06/" target="_blank">information</a> states that Sky will pay £1.6 billion pounds <i>(apprx. �1.9 billion euros / $2.3 billion)</i> for ITV's television channels and streaming services. <br/> <br/>Founded in 1955, ITV, originally <i>Independent Television</i>, has long been Britain's largest commercial TV channel. The company holds a nationwide license for three TV channels in the UK, and also has channels visible exclusively on cable and satellite networks in Britain. <br/> <br/>Thanks to the deal, Sky, which originally started as satellite channels, will gain more viewers in Britain, especially in households that are not satellite or cable television viewers. <br/> <br/>According to <i>BBC</i> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2wwgeg041o" target="_blank">information</a>, ITV's program production unit, <i>ITV Studios</i>, is not part of the deal and will continue as an independent company. <br/> <br/>ITV's channels will continue to be available for free viewing until at least 2034, as the terms of ITV's current TV broadcasting license will remain valid even after the acquisition. <br/> <br/>The companies justify the acquisition by stating that traditional television channels no longer primarily compete with each other, but rather fight for people's time, especially against <i>YouTube</i> and <i>Netflix</i>.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/comcast-buys-britains-itv" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/comcast-buys-britains-itv#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Mon, 6 Jul 2026 18:19:53 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/comcast-buys-britains-itv#comments 0 Comcast buys Britain's ITV https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/nintendo-to-stop-selling-original-switch-in-europe https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/nintendo-to-stop-selling-original-switch-in-europe Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/nintendo-switch-console.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Nintendo to stop selling original Switch in Europe" /></p><strong>Nintendo</strong> has announced that it will completely cease sales of the original <strong>Nintendo Switch</strong> and all its versions in Europe. <br/> <br/>The reason for the changes is <strong>European Union</strong> legislation coming into force in 2027, which requires that the battery of the device can be easily replaced in several product categories. This <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj/eng" target="_blank">directive extending the lifespan of products</a> was already approved in 2023, meaning a transition period of approximately four years has been given. <br/> <br/>The legislation comes into force in spring 2027, but it does not apply to, for example, waterproof products - meaning virtually all modern mobile phones and, for instance, electric toothbrushes are excluded from the law. <br/> <br/>But since the Nintendo Switch is not waterproof, Nintendo would have had to release a new version of the Switch specifically for Europe to be able to sell it even after spring 2027. <br/> <br/>The original <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2017/03/07/switch-is-selling-faster-any-any-nintendo-console-before-it">Switch went on sale in Europe in 2017</a>, so Nintendo evidently concluded that it was no longer worth making a new version of a decade-old game console solely for Europe. <br/> <br/>According to Nintendo's <a href="https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Support/Nintendo-Switch-2/Information-about-upcoming-battery-related-revisions-to-some-Nintendo-products-3132901.html" target="_blank">statement</a>, it will cease shipments of the original Switch to European retailers in February-March 2027, and at the same time, it will also stop selling the console through its own online store in Europe. Sales of the Switch will continue elsewhere in the world after that. <br/> <br/>In addition, retailers are free to sell off Switches in their inventory even after the deadline, but Nintendo will no longer supply them for sale. <br/> <br/>At the same time, a completely new version of the <strong>Nintendo Switch 2</strong> will also be released, which, in turn, complies with the new EU laws, meaning its batteries can be replaced by the user. Similarly, versions of the Switch 2's controllers, or <i>Joy-Cons</i>, will be released in Europe with easily replaceable batteries for the consumer. <br/> <br/>Old Switches will naturally continue to function even after the legislation comes into force - meaning the law only applies to new products. <br/> <br/>It should also be mentioned that, concurrently with the original Switch, Nintendo will also cease sales of the <b>Pokemon Go Plus+</b> accessory in Europe.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/nintendo-to-stop-selling-original-switch-in-europe" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/nintendo-to-stop-selling-original-switch-in-europe#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Mon, 6 Jul 2026 18:14:15 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/06/nintendo-to-stop-selling-original-switch-in-europe#comments 0 Nintendo to stop selling original Switch in Europe https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/netflix-to-require-login-for-each-profile https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/netflix-to-require-login-for-each-profile Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/netflix-2016-short-logo.png" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Netflix policy change: Every family member must create their own login, with unique email address" /></p><strong>Netflix</strong> has significantly changed its terms of use regarding <b>family member profiles</b>. <br/> <br/>Until now, Netflix has been accessed using the login credentials of the account administrator who pays the monthly fee, and then simply selecting which profile to use. <br/> <br/>So, a family has had one account, under which each family member might have their own profile. <br/> <br/>But now Netflix has <a href="https://cordcuttersnews.com/a-big-change-is-coming-to-netflix/" target="_blank">changed its policy</a> so that each profile must also be linked to its own, separate email address. However, this requirement does not apply to accounts marked as children's accounts, which are also age-restricted in terms of content. <br/> <br/>After the change, if a family member wants to watch Netflix with their own profile, they must log in using their own email address. For example, on a four-person family's living room TV, each of the four family members must log in with their email address to their own profile to access it at all. <br/> <br/>The change will come into effect gradually, but the first family member accounts have already required an email address to be linked to them starting June 15. <br/> <br/>Online, it is <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/1uezemw/bye_bye_profiles_on_netflix_so_shady_sheesh/" target="_blank">speculated</a> that with more strictly identified user profiles, Netflix can create more precise advertising profiles of its users. <br/> <br/>The company began offering a cheaper, ad-supported version of Netflix in selected countries in 2022, and since then, the partially ad-funded, cheaper Netflix has become a massively popular. <br/> <br/>Particularly upset by the change are users who watch Netflix alone but have created multiple profiles on the service to get different recommendations for various genres: now they have to come up with a new email address for each profile and log into each profile separately. <br/> <br/>On the other hand, the update means that the main user's email address and login details are <i>(apparently)</i> no longer needed at all if, for example, a family teenager wants to log into Netflix only with their own profile, perhaps from their own tablet.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/netflix-to-require-login-for-each-profile" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/netflix-to-require-login-for-each-profile#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Thu, 2 Jul 2026 20:40:18 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/netflix-to-require-login-for-each-profile#comments 0 Netflix policy change: Every family member must create their own login, with unique email address https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/google-has-too-few-data-centers-was-forced-to-limit-meta-ai-usage https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/google-has-too-few-data-centers-was-forced-to-limit-meta-ai-usage Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/Google-Gemini.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Google has too few data centers? Was forced to limit a major paying customer" /></p>All over the world there is a buzz about how data centers are constantly popping up more and more. <br/> <br/>But is there really demand for all the computing power being built into data centers? <br/> <br/>Well, it seems that there is. At least based on the fact that <i>Financial Times</i> <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/c5d52f72-71ef-40bc-bad3-61afdba8b78" target="_blank">reports</a> <i>(paywall)</i> that <strong>Google</strong> has significantly restricted one of its biggest paying customers from using AI, because Google simply didn't have enough AI computing capacity available. <br/> <br/>The big customer here is <strong>Meta</strong>, i.e., the parent company of <i>Facebook</i> and <i>Instagram</i>. <br/> <br/>Meta uses Google's Gemini AI models specifically in internal product development, and not so much for the operation of user-facing elements. In addition to product development, Meta is reported to use Gemini, among other things, as an aid for Facebook moderation and as a tool for detecting social media scam attempts. <br/> <br/>Meta also has its own AI models, under the <i>llama</i> brand, but Google's Gemini has proven to be a more functional tool in many of Meta's AI use cases. <br/> <br/>Due to the usage restrictions set by Google, several of Meta's projects are already reported to have been delayed from their planned schedules.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/google-has-too-few-data-centers-was-forced-to-limit-meta-ai-usage" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/google-has-too-few-data-centers-was-forced-to-limit-meta-ai-usage#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Thu, 2 Jul 2026 20:30:19 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/02/google-has-too-few-data-centers-was-forced-to-limit-meta-ai-usage#comments 0 Google has too few data centers? Was forced to limit a major paying customer https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/production-of-physical-playstation-games-to-end-in-2028 https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/production-of-physical-playstation-games-to-end-in-2028 Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/PlayStation-5-crop.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Production of physical PlayStation games to end in 2028" /></p><strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment</strong> has announced that the production of physical game discs for all new games released on <strong>PlayStation</strong> consoles will cease in January 2028. <br/> <br/>After this date, new games will be released only in digital form on the PlayStation Store and by retailers in digital formats. <br/> <br/>Sony's Senior Director of Content Communications, <b>Sid Shuman</b>, justifies the decision in a <a href="https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/01/physical-disc-production-ending-in-january-2028-for-new-games-releasing-on-playstation-consoles/" target="_blank">statement</a> by citing changed consumer habits and stating that the general demand for digital media has clearly surpassed physical discs. By making this transition, the company aims to adapt to how the majority of the community now wants to acquire and play their games. <br/> <br/>The change does not affect games that have been released or will be released in disc format before the announced deadline. <br/> <br/>When physical discs are removed from the selection at the beginning of 2028, players will be permanently forced into a digital ecosystem where the lifecycle of a purchased game is even less at the player's discretion, as game publishers can remove their titles from PlayStation store, even for players that have purchased the game.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/production-of-physical-playstation-games-to-end-in-2028" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/production-of-physical-playstation-games-to-end-in-2028#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Wed, 1 Jul 2026 19:19:47 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/production-of-physical-playstation-games-to-end-in-2028#comments 0 Production of physical PlayStation games to end in 2028 https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/united-states-bans-polestar-car-sales https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/united-states-bans-polestar-car-sales Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/Polestar-2-Vivaldi-1.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="United States bans Polestar car sales" /></p>The Bureau of Industry and Security, under the <b>U.S. Department of Commerce</b> <i>(The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security)</i>, has <a href="https://www.autoevolution.com/news/polestar-banned-from-selling-cars-in-the-us-starting-with-model-year-2027-272042.html" target="_blank">banned</a> the sale of new car models from <strong>Polestar</strong> in the United States. <br/> <br/>The ban applies to 2027 models and newer Polestar models, meaning it does not apply to the company's current, already introduced car models. <br/> <br/>The ban is justified by the <i>Connected Vehicle</i> rule, which prohibits the sale of cars whose information systems or driving systems are in some way connected to countries designated as hostile by the United States, such as China or Russia. <br/> <br/>Polestar is a car brand wholly owned by Chinese <strong>Geely</strong>, which was born as a sister brand to <strong>Volvo</strong>, also owned by Geely, into the electric car business in 2010 <i>(before that, the Polestar brand has a long history alongside Volvo)</i>. <br/> <br/>What is confusing about the decision is that cars sold under the Volvo brand <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/volvo-cars-wins-us-approval-keep-importing-vehicles-with-connected-car-2026-05-26/" target="_blank">can still be sold</a> in the United States in the future. Restrictions on cars connected to China were already created during Biden's presidency and were originally designed to come into force starting from 2027. <br/> <br/>Polestar intends to gradually cease its U.S. operations entirely and focus on Europe, which is already its largest market.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/united-states-bans-polestar-car-sales" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/united-states-bans-polestar-car-sales#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Wed, 1 Jul 2026 16:25:08 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/united-states-bans-polestar-car-sales#comments 0 United States bans Polestar car sales https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/windows-10-support-extended-to-2027 https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/windows-10-support-extended-to-2027 Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/Windows-11-laptop-pc.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Microsoft relented: Windows 10 support extended to 2027 - For free" /></p><strong>Microsoft</strong> is between a rock and a hard place. The company has already officially discontinued the regular support period for the hugely popular <strong>Windows 10</strong> operating system. <br/> <br/>But when the transition to Windows 11 seemed to falter in 2025, the company promised even regular users a workaround: Windows 10's support period could be extended until October 2026 if <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/extended-security-updates" target="_blank">one committed to Microsoft's terms for additional support</a>. <br/> <br/>Now that October 2026 deadline is already looming in the near future and Windows 10's <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/windows-version-market-share/desktop/worldwide/" target="_blank">share of all Windows users is still at 26 percent</a>. <br/> <br/>From the users' perspective, the transition to Windows 11 is complicated by the fact that Windows 11 is the first Windows in decades to significantly tighten the operating system's hardware requirements. A large portion of Windows 10 computers therefore cannot be updated to Windows 11 without workarounds, even if the user wanted to update the operating system. <br/> <br/>At the same time, the prices of computer components have started to rise dramatically, which is mainly due to the tremendous growth of artificial intelligence. This means people also cannot afford to buy new computers. <br/> <br/>Now the company has humbled itself and <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2025/06/24/stay-secure-with-windows-11-copilot-pcs-and-windows-365-before-support-ends-for-windows-10" target="_blank">decided to extend</a> the duration of Windows 10's free, extended support period until October 12, 2027. <br/> <br/>The company naturally hopes that the additional year will be enough to push the remaining reluctant Windows 10 users towards Windows 11.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/windows-10-support-extended-to-2027" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/windows-10-support-extended-to-2027#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Wed, 1 Jul 2026 05:15:00 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/07/01/windows-10-support-extended-to-2027#comments 0 Microsoft relented: Windows 10 support extended to 2027 - For free https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/finland-shuts-down-its-landline-phone-network https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/finland-shuts-down-its-landline-phone-network Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/Poytapuhelin-kirjat-poyta-ai.png" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Finland shuts down its landline phone network" /></p><strong>Finland's</strong> landline network will be permanently discontinued on June 30, 2026, when a major operator, <strong>Elisa</strong> shuts down its landline network. <br/> <br/>Already earlier other major operators, <i>Telia</i> <i>(back in 2019)</i> and <i>DNA</i> <i>(at the beginning of 2026)</i> did the same. <br/> <br/>In Finland, telephone subscriptions were introduced already in the 1880s, meaning the landline network accumulated about 140 years of history in the country. <br/> <br/>The golden age of landline phones proved to be the first half of the 1990s, during the time just before mobile phones became more widely used - and at a time when BBS services using modems were experiencing their golden age. <br/> <br/>After the mid-1990s, the popularity of landline phones has steadily declined. First, the change was seen in young people moving out on their own no longer acquiring landline subscriptions for their homes, and later, older generations also began to give them up as mobile phones replaced landlines. <br/> <br/>According to Elisa, at the turn of the year, it had only a few thousand landline customers left, and new subscriptions have not been sold for years.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/finland-shuts-down-its-landline-phone-network" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/finland-shuts-down-its-landline-phone-network#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:10:35 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/finland-shuts-down-its-landline-phone-network#comments 0 Finland shuts down its landline phone network https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/tidal-stops-paying-for-ai-music https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/tidal-stops-paying-for-ai-music Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/tidal-logo-colored-2026.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Tidal stops paying AI music creators" /></p>The American music streaming service <strong>Tidal</strong> has tightened its rules regarding <strong>AI-generated music</strong>. <br/> <br/>The service will completely stop paying royalties for songs that have been made entirely with artificial intelligence. <br/> <br/>AI-generated songs can still be added to Tidal and will not be removed, but their creators <a href="https://tidal.com/ai-policy" target="_blank">will no longer be paid</a>. <br/> <br/>However, it is good to note that only 100% AI-generated songs fall into this category. This means that even with a small human contribution, songs will continue to be eligible for royalties from Tidal. <br/> <br/>At the same time, completely 100% AI-generated songs will henceforth be clearly marked with an AI label on Tidal. The identification is based on recognition algorithms, so music creators will likely have the opportunity to appeal songs incorrectly marked as AI-generated. <br/> <br/>Moving forward, Tidal hopes that as its algorithm develops, it could implement a similar practice for songs that are estimated to be "significantly" AI-generated. <br/> <br/>The practice is stricter than that of the French service <strong>Deezer</strong>, which actively removes AI-generated songs from its recommendation lists and search results.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/tidal-stops-paying-for-ai-music" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/tidal-stops-paying-for-ai-music#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:53:18 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/30/tidal-stops-paying-for-ai-music#comments 0 Tidal stops paying AI music creators https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/25/xbox-price-rises-significantly-globally https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/25/xbox-price-rises-significantly-globally Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/xbox-series-x-and-s.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Xbox price rises significantly - globally" /></p>Not even <strong>Microsoft</strong> is immune to the shockingly rapid increase in memory prices plaguing the tech world. <br/> <br/>The company announced today that it will significantly raise the prices of <strong>Xbox Series X</strong> and <strong>Xbox Series S</strong> gaming consoles from the beginning of August. At the same time, the 2 terabyte model will be completely removed from the Xbox lineup, and consumers are being encouraged to acquire Xboxes either refurbished or on installment. <br/> <br/>In the United States, prices will rise as follows: <br/><ul><li>Xbox Series S 512 GB | $499 (previously $399)</li><li>Xbox Series S 1 TB | $599 (previously $449)</li><li>Xbox Series X Digital 1 TB | $749 (previously $599)</li><li>Xbox Series X 1 TB | $799 (previously $649)</li></ul> <br/> <br/>For Europe, Microsoft has not confirmed exact prices, but a similar pattern likely applies here too, meaning that models with half a terabyte of storage will likely increase by one hundred euros, and models with one terabyte of storage will increase by 150 euros. <br/> <br/>The company, however, reminds in its <a href="https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/06/25/xbox-console-price-update/" target="_blank">statement</a> that even with the new, higher price, Xbox Series S is still the most affordable way to play certain top games. <br/> <br/>And in that, Microsoft is indeed right, as Sony had to significantly raise the prices of Playstation 5 already in the spring. Also, the long-awaited <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/23/valve-steam-machine-price">Steam Machine console</a> proved to be clearly more expensive than originally planned. <br/> <br/>When talking about the memory crisis, it's good to remember that "memory" in this context refers to both the operating memory <i>(RAM)</i> of devices and the NAND memories used by SSDs and, for example, phones for storage. The prices of both have skyrocketed with the enormous growth of AI companies: AI companies are frantically building data centers around the world and the servers in them require vast amounts of memory and storage. This huge demand then drives up component prices for all other players - such as companies manufacturing game consoles. <br/> <br/>The prices of gaming PCs have already completely soared beyond the reach of ordinary consumers as a result of the memory crisis, and now it seems that gaming consoles are also rapidly becoming more expensive.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/25/xbox-price-rises-significantly-globally" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/25/xbox-price-rises-significantly-globally#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:51:44 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/25/xbox-price-rises-significantly-globally#comments 0 Xbox price rises significantly - globally https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/23/matter-updated-to-version-1-6 https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/23/matter-updated-to-version-1-6 Petteri Pyyny <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn.afterdawn.fi/news/600x400/matter-logo.jpg" hspace="0" vspace="0" border=0 alt="Matter updated to version 1.6 - Device setup is now easier with NFC" /></p><b>Connectivity Standards Alliance</b> (CSA) <a href="https://csa-iot.org/newsroom/matter-1-6-enables-more-intuitive-setup-multi-ecosystem-experiences-and-context-driven-control/" target="_blank">has released</a> a new version 1.6 of the <b>Matter</b> standard. The new update has already been made available to device manufacturers and platform developers, and this time it focuses on improving the user experience, installation, and interoperability between different systems for existing devices, rather than new device groups. <br/> <br/>The biggest and most practical innovation concerns device commissioning, which introduces new NFC-based pairing. Until now, adding devices has often required scanning QR codes and utilizing a Bluetooth connection, but in the future, a Matter device can be set up simply by tapping it with a smartphone. <br/> <br/>Thanks to two-way NFC communication, a device can be integrated into a smart home even before it is powered on. In practice, this means that, for example, a smart bulb can be paired before it is placed in a ceiling fixture, or a wall switch before the power is turned on. <br/> <br/>Another significant improvement relates to sharing devices between different ecosystems. The new Joint Fabric technology expands the previous Multi-Admin functionality by allowing multiple different controllers to manage one shared Matter network through a centralized data repository. <br/> <br/>From the device's perspective, this consumes fewer resources, as it is counted as only one network resource in the device's memory capacity. For the consumer, this means that devices are directly accessible and controllable from any app preferred by the family, without separate installation processes for each platform. <br/> <br/>Smart thermostats also gain new intelligence in the update in the form of the Thermostat Suggestions feature. <br/> <br/>Currently, smart home systems may send direct commands to thermostats without considering the user's situation or other settings. <br/> <br/>In the future, instead of direct commands, systems will send time-bound recommendations, which the thermostat will compare against the user's own presets and prevailing environmental conditions before taking action. For example, if a user has just manually adjusted the temperature from the device or via another app, the thermostat will be able to recognize the situation, reject the change suggestion made by background automation, and send an explanation to the system as to why the command was not followed. <br/> <br/>Security sensors will be able to share their event history in real-time, providing a better overall picture of home events. Additionally, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will be able to notify the system if they have been physically removed from their wall or ceiling mounts. On the cybersecurity side, certificate revocation lists have been divided into smaller segments, making the system lighter and easier to update as the number of devices grows. <br/> <br/>As with previous Matter releases, the timeline for new features reaching consumers depends entirely on device manufacturers and smart home platform developers.<p><a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/23/matter-updated-to-version-1-6" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/23/matter-updated-to-version-1-6#comments" title="View user comments on this article">Comments</a></p><hr /> Tue, 23 Jun 2026 20:22:37 GMT https://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2026/06/23/matter-updated-to-version-1-6#comments 0 Matter updated to version 1.6 - Device setup is now easier with NFC