Big quote: The ongoing antitrust trial against Google has placed the search giant's Chrome web browser at the center of a heated debate over the future of internet search and competition. During testimony on Wednesday, Gabriel Weinberg, CEO of rival (but much smaller) search engine DuckDuckGo, told the court that Chrome could fetch a sale price of up to $50 billion if regulators force Google to divest the popular browser. Weinberg described his estimate as a "back-of-the-envelope" calculation, based on Chrome's vast user base and global reach – a figure that far exceeds previous estimates, such as the $20 billion valuation offered by Bloomberg analyst Mandeep Singh last November. Weinberg added that such a price tag would be well beyond DuckDuckGo's financial capabilities, remarking, "That's out of DuckDuckGo's price range." Nevertheless, he confirmed that DuckDuckGo would be interested in acquiring Chrome if cost were not a barrier, underscoring the browser's strategic value in the search ecosystem. The trial, overseen by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, follows his earlier ruling that Google illegally maintained a search monopoly – partly through default agreements and preferential payments to partners like Apple. The Department of Justice, joined by a coalition of states, is now seeking remedies that could include forcing Google to sell Chrome in order to foster greater competition in the search market. Interest in Chrome extends beyond DuckDuckGo. Executives from OpenAI and Perplexity have also testified that they would consider acquiring the browser if it were put up for sale as a result of the court's decision. Nick Turley, Head of Product at OpenAI, argued that deeper integration between Chrome and OpenAI's technology could create a more seamless, AI-first experience for users. Turley revealed that OpenAI had previously approached Google about a partnership to power ChatGPT with Google's search API, but the request was declined last August – leaving OpenAI to rely on Microsoft's Bing for search results. // Related Stories Perplexity's Chief Business Officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, echoed the sentiment, stating that his company would be eager to enter into a distribution agreement or even acquire Chrome if it became independent from Google. He described the difficulties smaller companies face in competing with Google's entrenched distribution channels and revenue-sharing agreements, which he characterized as the "root cause" of Google's dominance. As the trial continues, the future of Chrome remains uncertain. Google is not offering Chrome for sale voluntarily and is expected to appeal any ruling that mandates its divestment. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for the balance of power in internet search, digital advertising, and the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.

Slate Automotive, a new American EV startup, has just unveiled its first vehicle: a radically minimalist electric truck that can convert into a five-seat SUV. Dubbed the “Blank Slate,” the EV made its debut this week, instantly turning heads not just for its versatility but for its incredibly low price—starting under $20,000 after federal tax incentives. Unlike Tesla and Lucid, which launched with high-priced luxury models, Slate wants to flip the model: start cheap, scale up. Recommended Videos At its core, the Slate Truck is a utilitarian, two-seat electric pickup designed for simplicity and affordability. But what sets it apart is its transformative potential. Thanks to a modular accessory system, the truck can be upgraded over time—including a kit that adds a rear seat, roll cage, airbags, and SUV body panels. This means buyers can start with a minimalist pickup and evolve it into a family-friendly SUV—either themselves or through Slate’s growing network of service partners. Related Customization is central to Slate’s vision. Owners will be able to choose from over 100 accessories at launch, ranging from vinyl wraps and Bluetooth-ready audio systems to larger battery packs and off-road upgrades. The company encourages a DIY approach, offering tools and tutorials through “Slate University” to empower users to modify and maintain their own vehicles. Powering the truck is a 52.7-kWh battery for up to 150 miles of range, or an optional 84.3-kWh pack targeting 240 miles. Fast-charging capabilities and Tesla’s NACS port come standard. The vehicle is rear-wheel-drive and delivers around 200 horsepower—enough for urban commuting and light-duty hauling. What enables the low price is Slate’s stripped-down approach to manufacturing. There’s no paint shop, no stamping, and only one trim level—everything else is modular. The vehicle features steel wheels, crank windows, and a rugged plastic body designed to take a beating and still look good. It’s a rejection of the tech-saturated, high-cost vehicles dominating today’s market. Despite the minimalist specs, Slate isn’t skimping on safety. The truck is engineered to meet top crash test ratings and comes equipped with up to eight airbags, active emergency braking, and forward collision warning. Backing this ambitious approach is significant investor support—including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. That backing, combined with a simplified production model, positions Slate to scale quickly once production begins in 2026. Reservations are now open for $50 at slate.auto, with deliveries expected in late 2026. Whether Americans are ready for a stripped-down, shape-shifting EV remains to be seen, but Slate’s bet on affordability and customization could make it one of the most disruptive entries in the EV market to date. Editors’ Recommendations

The Netflix series returns with a celebration of Thomas Keller, José Andrés, Jamie Oliver and Alice Waters, all of whom share a devotion to elevating eaters’ expectations.

Comcast's got problems Comcast president bemoans broadband customer losses: “We are not winning” Exec says lack of "price transparency and predictability" drove customers away. Jon Brodkin – Apr 24, 2025 5:08 pm | 61 Credit: Getty Images | Cheng Xin Credit: Getty Images | Cheng Xin Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Comcast executives apparently realized something that customers have known and complained about for years: The Internet provider's prices aren't transparent enough and rise too frequently. This might not have mattered much to cable executives as long as the total number of subscribers met their targets. But after reporting a net loss of 183,000 residential broadband customers in Q1 2025, Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said the company isn't "winning in the marketplace" during an earnings call today. The Q1 2025 customer loss was over three times larger than the net loss in Q1 2024. While customers often have few viable options for broadband and the availability of alternatives varies widely by location, Comcast faces competition from fiber and fixed wireless ISPs. "In this intensely competitive environment, we are not winning in the marketplace in a way that is commensurate with the strength of the network and connectivity products that I just described," Cavanagh said. "[Cable division CEO] Dave [Watson] and his team have worked hard to understand the reasons for this disconnect and have identified two primary causes. One is price transparency and predictability and the other is the level of ease of doing business with us. The good news is that both are fixable and we are already underway with execution plans to address these challenges." The 183,000-subscriber loss lowered Comcast's residential Internet subscribers to 29.19 million. Comcast also reported a first-quarter drop of 17,000 business broadband subscribers, lowering that category's total to 2.45 million. Comcast's stock price fell 3.7 percent today even though its overall profit beat analyst expectations and domestic broadband revenue rose 1.7 percent year over year to $6.56 billion—a sign that Comcast is extracting more money from customers on average. "Analysts peppered Comcast executives with questions on Thursday regarding its Xfinity-branded broadband and mobile, and how the company will pivot the business," CNBC wrote. “We are simplifying our pricing” Cavanagh said that Comcast plans to make changes in marketing and operations "with the highest urgency." This means that "we are simplifying our pricing construct to make our price-to-value proposition clearer to consumers across all broadband segments," he said. Comcast last week announced a five-year price guarantee for broadband customers who sign up for a new package. Comcast said customers will get a "simple monthly price starting as low as $55 per month," without having to enter a contract, giving them "freedom and flexibility to cancel at any time without penalty." The five-year guarantee also comes with one year of Xfinity Mobile at no charge, Comcast said. The price guarantee is for new residential broadband customers only. The fine print notes that taxes and fees are extra and "subject to change" during the five-year period. A CNET article said the prices for plans with a five-year lock range from $55 to $105, which is higher than the 12-month promotional prices for the same plans. But the price rises significantly after the promotional period, so the five-year lock should be a better deal in the long term. Additional offers are in the works, Cavanagh said. "We are not done. Providing more value to our customers with less complexity and friction is a top priority and you will see our go-to-market approach continue to evolve over the coming months," he said. Comcast investors shouldn't expect an immediate turnaround, though. "We anticipate that it will take several quarters for our new approach to gain traction and impact the business in a meaningful way," Cavanagh said. Mobile rises, video falls Many Comcast customer complaints center on unexpected price increases. Comcast's FAQ on price changes advises customers facing price increases that their bills rose because Comcast needs to invest in network upgrades, and that even promotional prices can rise because of changes to fees that are in addition to the base price. Comcast is also focused on growing the number of subscribers in its mobile business, Cavanagh said. Comcast added 323,000 mobile lines in the first quarter, raising its total to 8.15 million. Comcast offers wireless connectivity through the Verizon network and markets mobile service in bundles with home Internet. Comcast lost 427,000 video customers in the first quarter, dropping the total to 12.1 million and continuing a long downward trend. While Comcast seems more focused on reversing the broadband customer losses, the lack of pricing transparency can be even more frustrating for Comcast's cable TV users. Comcast and other TV providers have for many years tacked on Broadcast TV and Regional Sports Network fees that make a customer's bill much higher than the advertised price. The Federal Communications Commission voted last year to require cable and satellite TV companies to start advertising "all-in" prices instead of using hidden fees to conceal the full cost of video service. But that rule could be put on the chopping block as the new FCC leadership plans to eliminate many regulations, and the cable lobby identified the rule as one that should be axed. Jon Brodkin Senior IT Reporter Jon Brodkin Senior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 61 Comments

“Going completely car-free can cut personal emissions by 30 per cent.”Richard Baker/In Pictures/Getty Images I have been doing a lot of work recently on how narrow corporate interests are a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to making the changes necessary to stop the destruction of the environment. A few weeks back, I reviewed A Climate of Truth by Mike Berners-Lee, which makes a powerful case that dishonesty and obfuscation by climate-trashing industries are a major cause of environmental destruction. It reminded me of an interview I did a few years ago with Harvard science historian Naomi Oreskes, who has spent…

Lip-Bu Tan is trying to engineer a turnaround at Intel. Dibyanshu Sarkar for AFP via Getty Images 2025-04-25T06:04:28Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Intel's CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, announced layoffs and a stricter RTO mandate in a Thursday memo. The company also reported flat revenue and a significant loss. Its stock was down after hours. Other tech companies are similarly directing employees to focus on efficiency. Intel's new CEO promised big changes within weeks of taking over the chipmaker. Now, he's laying out steps that echo how Big Tech companies have changed their workforces.In a Thursday memo to employees posted on the company's website, Lip-Bu Tan detailed his plan for the company's culture: more time in the office, less admin, and leaner"The most important KPI for many managers at Intel has been the size of their teams. Going forward, this will not be the case," Tan wrote, referring to key performance indicators. "The best leaders get the most done with the fewest people."Tan said the company will lay off employees over the next few months, starting this quarter. It is not clear how much Intel plans to reduce its head count. As of December, the company employed 108,900 full-time people, a decrease of more than 12% from the previous year, after a round of cuts under the prior CEO.Tan said that by September, the company will mandate four days in the office, up from three days now. He's making the company's goal framework, called OKRs, optional, and cutting down on administrative tasks.The CEO also took aim at meetings, which have long been a pet peeve of top executives, including JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon."I am instructing our leaders to eliminate unnecessary meetings and significantly reduce the number of meeting attendees. Too much valuable time is being wasted," he said.Tan, an electronics veteran, took over as Intel's CEO last month. His appointment comes after former CEO Pat Gelsinger's sudden departure in December and during a tumultuous time for the once-dominant chipmaker, which has been struggling to compete with Nvidia and Taiwanese players.On Thursday, Intel reported its first-quarter earnings. Its revenue was $12.7 billion — flat compared to last year — and it reported a loss of $800 million.Intel's stock fell 5% after hours on Thursday because of weaker-than-expected earnings guidance for the second quarter. Intel's stock is down nearly 39% over the last year.Intel did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider 'Lean, fast, and agile'Tan's 'do more with less' memo reflects a broader cultural crackdown across tech.Younger companies like Meta, Google, Amazon, and TikTok are rethinking a US tech culture known for pandemic-eraIntel also joins the rest of Big Tech in embracing the "great flattening." Companies, including Meta, have cut middle-level management in favor of more streamlined teams and fewer tiers of hierarchy, which they think should lead to less bureaucracy.Across the industry, free massages and pet day care services have been replaced with memos filled with words such as "efficiency" and "scrappiness and frugality." Tan, too, in his letter wrote: "Our competitors are lean, fast and agile — and that's what we must become to improve our execution."Tan's note echoes memos that the CEOs of Amazon and Shopify sent to their employees."We want to operate like the world's largest startup," Amazon's Andy Jassy wrote in a September letter. "That means having a passion for constantly inventing for customers, strong urgency (for most big opportunities, it's a race!), high ownership, fast decision-making, scrappiness and frugality, deeply-connected collaboration."In a memo to employees that Shopify's Toby Lütke shared on social media earlier this month, he wrote: "In a company growing 20-40% year over year, you must improve by at least that every year just to re-qualify." Recommended video

Growing up in rural Tennessee, power outages were frequent and sometimes fun. With no TV or lights, we played boardgames by candlelight or played outside if the storm stopped. But because my family also ran a restaurant out of our house, sometimes the food in the fridges spoiled, leading to thousands of dollars worth of lost groceries. It never occurred to me so many years ago that a big battery could one day solve this problem. As extreme weather worsens due to climate change, leading millions more to experience debilitating blackouts, the home battery industry is booming. Home batteries are not like the AAA batteries that go in your TV remote control. They’re big, high-capacity lithium-ion workhorses designed to power multiple devices and appliances in the event of a power outage. The amount of energy that can be stored in residential batteries, which is measured in gigawatt hours (GWh), grew by a record 54 percent from 2023 to 2024, according to a new report on energy storage in the United States. It’s now enough to power up to 1 million homes. Growth is even bigger in Europe. Many home batteries are being used to store energy from solar panels, but there’s a burgeoning market for backup batteries that can keep essential appliances, like refrigerators, running during a power outage. Some of these batteries are also smart enough to charge up when energy is cheap and then discharge when it’s expensive to save on utility bills. We’re also starting to see appliances with built-in batteries that make them more efficient and effective.Solving the lost groceries problem is only the beginning. As more people add battery capacity to their homes, the power grid can become more resilient to spikes in energy usage and bring down costs for everyone. While the number of battery-powered houses still make up a minority of all the homes in the US, home batteries are becoming more affordable and accessible, giving the average American household the chance to take advantage of what an electrified future has to offer.One of the more interesting home batteries I’ve come across is made by BioLite, a Brooklyn, New York-based company that got its start building camp stoves that can charge your phone. Backup by BioLite is a home battery specifically designed for the dead fridge problem, or any other dead appliances. The primary unit is a slim battery pack that can fit behind your refrigerator or sit on top of it. It plugs into a standard wall outlet and doesn’t require a contractor or any rewiring to install. Just plug your fridge and any other devices into the Backup’s power strip, and it’s ready to take over in the event of an outage. One $2,000 Backup battery gets you 15 to 30 hours of power, and if you daisy-chain several batteries together, you can get a few days worth of power. “This is not meant to be a niche product for the bleeding-edge solar battery storage expert,” Erica Rosen, BioLite’s vice president of marketing told me when I visited BioLite’s headquarters in March. “This is for folks who are, like, ‘I just threw out $400 worth of groceries. I can never do this again.’”That example hit home for me. But it’s not actually what I think is most useful about the capabilities of home batteries. For people who pay attention to their power bills, Backup and other home batteries make it easier to take advantage of the time-of-use pricing some utilities offer, which makes electricity cheaper during low demand hours and higher when demand is high. Backup, for example, works with an app that lets you schedule the battery to kick in during high demand hours; BioLite is planning to eventually update the app so that this feature works automatically.Plugging solar panels into these batteries gives you even more autonomy over your energy sources. Once you’re actually generating electricity, you can fill up your home batteries without drawing from the grid at all. If there’s an outage, the panels can keep those batteries charged when the sun’s out. If your utility offers it, you can also take advantage of something called net metering, which enables you to sell some of that stored energy back to the grid during peak demand. RelatedIf battery-powered living sounds appealing to you, there are now even more creative ways to ease into it. A company called Copper started selling its battery-equipped stoves this year. The $6,000 Copper Charlie is an electric induction range with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery inside that’s programmed to charge when electricity is cheapest. The range plugs into a regular wall outlet — other inductions require a 240-volt outlet that not all homes have — and the battery supplies enough power for everyday cooking. It also kicks in during power outages so that you can keep cooking if the lights go out. The battery also gives the oven a boost, so that preheating is faster. There is, nevertheless, something unstoppable about the home battery revolution.This is just the first of many battery-assisted appliances that Copper plans to make, according to Weldon Kennedy, the company’s co-founder and chief marketing officer. It’s not hard to imagine how the same basic backup features of the Charlie stove could work in a hot water heater or a washer-dryer. These kinds of appliances require a large amount of energy all at once and then sit idle for hours at a time. It makes great sense to charge them up when energy is cheap and then discharge that stored energy later.“Because you don’t have these giant spikes in energy use across the electrical grid at, say, six o’clock when everyone turns on their electric stove,” Kennedy told me. “It just makes the whole system better.”None of this comes cheap. The Copper Charlie range and Backup by BioLite are four-figure investments. There are other companies in the space, too, but they’re just as expensive. Impulse makes a battery-equipped stovetop that also costs $6,000, and Jackery sells a home backup battery for $3,500 and up. You can find even more expensive and extensive home battery systems from companies like Tesla, Anker, and Bluetti. There are some government subsidy programs available to offset those high costs, but on a federal level at least, it’s not clear if the Trump administration will keep them in place.There is, nevertheless, something unstoppable about the home battery revolution. As certain solutions get cheaper and easier to use, like Biolite’s Backup, other options are becoming more appealing. Electric vehicles, after all, are basically big batteries on wheels, and a growing number of automakers are enabling bidirectional charging, which lets your vehicle power your home or send power back to the grid. GM is even working with some utility companies to help its car owners buy the equipment necessary to turn their EVs into home batteries. Still, with the Trump administration downright hostile to clean energy, the US is lagging behind Europe and China in adopting more battery power. But the cost of battery production is falling fast, and we should expect to see batteries show up in more home appliances in the near future. After all, just one big battery could save you a fridge-full of groceries in the next power outage, and that outage is definitely coming. Climate change is making weather more extreme and unpredictable, which means it’s more essential than ever to be prepared for anything.A version of this story was also published in the User Friendly newsletter. Sign up here so you don’t miss the next one!See More:

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House K/T / tombow architectsSave this picture!© Norihito Yamauchi Architects: tombow architects Area Area of this architecture project Area:  109 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2024 Photographs Photographs:Norihito Yamauchi Lead Architect: Yusuke Kobayashi More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. This is a renovation project of a 45-year-old detached house on a sloping site in the Tama Hills. This renovation will maximize the spatial appeal of the existing building without changing the overall form and layout of the building. The building will be developed to provide living space for a family of four and the designer's own studio. Most boundaries that divide spaces are defined by partitions that separate rooms and connect them with openings and fixtures.Save this picture!Save this picture!Before the renovation, the plan of this building was similarly solved, with each room having a one-to-one relationship with the south-facing view and the courtyard terrace. Therefore, the idea was to edit the boundaries of the space and redefine the entire house, while keeping the arrangement and shape of the rooms as they were.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!First, to make the most of the existing building's U-shape, the partitions between the living room, dining room, and hallway were repositioned to allow views, light, and air to flow around the courtyard. Next, a new entrance to the studio and exit to the courtyard were built on the first floor, and a stairwell was built in the basement to serve as a flow line to the studio. A visual connection from the outside to the inside was created.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!When editing the boundary surfaces, the focus is not only on walls and openings, but also on fixtures, furniture, stairs, materials, structural members, and other elements related to the boundary surfaces. All these elements are treated equally and reconstructed regardless of their size or whether they are old or new boundaries. The overlapping of objects on the site gives a greater sense of relationship to the surroundings, transforming the entire house into a space that seems to be an integral part of the sloping terrain.Save this picture!We expect that this architecture, which is connected to the outside world without stopping the time that the building has passed through, will continue to change in the future, using the newly acquired boundary surface as a clue.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less About this officetombow architectsOffice••• Published on April 25, 2025Cite: "House K/T / tombow architects" 25 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1029417/house-k-t-tombow-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Learn how to create amazing gradients using the divide function in Unreal Engine! This quick tutorial shows you the before and after effects of applying this technique to your VFX materials. Perfect for beginners and pros alike!#UnrealEngine #VFX #GameDev #Tutorial #UE5