As we await a judge's ruling on the penalties that will be applied to Google following the landmark court ruling that the company had maintained an illegal monopoly in online search, we're learning more about Apple's role in what might come next.Google has long provided the default search engine in Safari, Apple's web browser, paying Apple a percentage of the revenue generated by Google searches originating on Apple iPhones, iPads, Macs and other devices -- an arrangement that in 2022 amounted to $20 billion, according to acourt declaration filedon Dec. 23 by Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services.A change to that relationship is one potential outcome of the Google antitrust case.But in his declaration, Cue took issue with proposed remedies that he said would interfere with Apple's ability to deliver products that best serve its users."From what I understand, plaintiffs' proposed remedies assume that, without a revenue sharing agreement or other commercial terms with Google, Apple would develop its own search engine or enter the Search Text Ad market," Cue wrote. "Apple witnesses can offer testimony and evidence explaining why that assumption is wrong."Cue gave three main reasons why Apple wouldn't want to make a search engine. First, it would divert Apple's attention, money and employees away from Apple's core products. Second, because of advances in AI, the search engine market is evolving too quickly and it would be too economically risky to jump in the pool at this stage. Third, he, wrote, Apple doesn't have enough of the right talent or infrastructure to compete in the advertising business.The logic makes sense. Microsoft has spent somewhere between $80 billion and $100 billion on Bing, only to capture about 10% of the market while Google commands the other 90%. It took Bing six years to turn its first profit.It will be a while yet before the matter is resolved. A two-week remedies trial is scheduled for April.The Department of Justice, which brought the antitrust case against Google, has made a number of recommendations for creating a more level playing field in search -- including an end to the the agreements Google has with companies like Apple and Samsung to favor its search engine on their phones. Cue said that if the court stops Google's payments, that would give Apple "two unacceptable choices." It would have to give Google access to Apple's user base for free or Apple would have to remove Google search from Safari and seek deals elsewhere, even if Apple users prefer Google search. Cue asked the court to let Apple testify to ensure that remedies for Google's monopoly don't hurt other companies.The Justice Department's recommendations also includeGoogle selling off its Chrome browser and its Android phone operating system.Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for further comment.

In BriefPosted:10:31 AM PST December 27, 2024Image Credits:Michaela Vatcheva/Bloomberg / Getty ImagesLyft says San Francisco overcharged it $100M in taxesLyft is suing the city of San Francisco, claiming the city unfairly charged the ride-hailing company over $100 million in taxes, Bloomberg reports. The lawsuit alleges that, over the course of five years, San Francisco unfairly labeled money earned by Lyft drivers as company revenue.In the complaint, Lyft maintains that its drivers are its customers, not employees. Accordingly, Lyft recognizes revenue from rideshare as being comprised of fees paid to Lyft by drivers, not charges paid by riders to drivers, the complaint reads.The lawsuit is just the latest chapter in a yearslong debate over how gig economy apps should classify drivers. Last summer, Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash notched a win after the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 22, which allows the companies to classify drivers as independent contractors, meaning the companies do not have to provide drivers with full employee benefits.Topics

LG may have the earliest big press conference of CES, but the Korean electronics giant still cant help announcing a bunch of products ahead of the show. As ever, the pile of news is a mixed bag with a few interesting additions. These plant lamps undoubtedly qualify as the latter.Details on the products including pricing and availability are scarce prior to LGs January 6 presser. The company has revealed two different configurations: Theres the modern floor-standing lamp design and a new indoor gardening appliance featuring a nature-inspired side table design. The products are aimed at integrating house plant care into what is essentially living room furniture.Image Credits:LGThe lamp design features an LED grow light and a 1.5-gallon tank for watering cycles. Those can be programmed by way of LGs ThinQ app, keeping the plant hydrated when users are out of town for up to a week.Theres less info about the appliance system, though LG notes, This compact, multifunctional model provides an easy, enjoyable home gardening experience and demonstrates LGs continuing commitment to providing compelling choices for various tastes and lifestyles.The product will join some existing plant tech from LG, including the Tiiun grow system introduced in 2022.

Researchers at the University of Leeds recently demonstrated a framework for a quadruped robot with a design inspired by the biomechanics of four-legged animals. The versatile robot is able to navigate complex environments, maintain stability on uneven ground, and recover after a fall all without the use of extra-perceptive sensors. 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Clusters of GPU chips in coming years will have to connect over distances longer than a mile, says the CEO of this fiber-optics firm.

Maria Diaz/ZDNETWhat's the deal?The Eufy Security Floodlight Cam E340 is on sale for $150, saving you 32%.Why this deal is ZDNET-recommendedThe Floodlight Cam E340 from Eufy Security, which I've been testing over the past five months, is one of the four newest security cameras that the company recently launched. It's equipped with an ultrawide and telephoto lens for capturing more distant subjects, and the camera works really hard. At times, too hard. Let me explain. details View at Amazon First, some housekeeping: The Eufy Security Floodlight Cam E340's wide-angle camera captures 3K-resolution video, while the telephoto camera records up to 2K resolution and can capture details up to 50 feet away.To test the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340, I replaced one of my backyard floodlights, which was already in the ideal position for surveillance. My husband and I turn on these lights each time we take the dog out at night or whenever we hang out on that side of the yard where the grill is. The lights got a lot of use, and replacing them with a floodlight camera was a no-brainer.Also: This Pro-level Ring Spotlight Cam is better than I expectedWe had previously set up aWyze Camand then the Arlo Pro 5S on the larger side of the yard, but until the Eufy Floodlight E340 came in, we hadn't found a solution that covered the whole space. A sped-up video showing how the Eufy Security Floodlight Cam E340 tracks motion. Maria Diaz/ZDNETSetting up the Floodlight Camera E340 was as easy as replacing an outdoor lighting fixture, especially since we were installing it with existing wiring. This camera requires a wired installation to work, so if you don't have existing wiring where you want to put the floodlight, you'd need to run electrical wires to that spot.Once the camera was installed, the rest of the installation process ran through the Eufy Security app. We already have a Eufy HomeBase 3 at home, a local storage and hub for this camera, but if this is your first Eufy camera, you'll need to buy one to work with the floodlight.Review: EufyCam 3 and HomeBase 3: Why I'm not getting rid of these cameras yetBecause it's connected to power and can be set up with expandable storage, it's possible for this floodlight camera to record 24/7, though you can also choose to record events only. Recordings can be stored on the HomeBase S380 or a microSD card of up to 128GB. With the HomeBase, you can expand the SSD support up to 16TB, which makes a big difference. The HomeBase 3 is the newest smart home hub for Eufy Security devices. Maria Diaz/ZDNETBy far, the most impressive feature of this camera is the level of coverage and image quality. Our yard extends into the woods, which can be pitch black at night. But even with the camera rigged up on my second floor and over 30 feet away from the fence, you can still clearly see details in the wooded areas, no matter the time of day.Also: This smart security camera impressed me in the most unexpected wayDay or night, I can see if a squirrel is bopping along the fence or a deer is strolling in the woods, and I expect a similar level of detail if there's ever an intruder in the distance. The camera tracks movement very well, keeping subjects in the frame as they move around different areas, which is essential for a large yard. Maria Diaz/ZDNETThe one downside to the Floodlight Cam E340, which I alluded to before, is that it used to get too many false alerts for human detection. "Is this a person?" No, Eufy, that lawn chair on the deck is not a person, as I've told you ten times already today.The HomeBase 3 uses AI to detect humans, learn to recognize individuals and detect vehicles, pets, and any other moving objects.Also: I've tried many smart locks, but the one I keep on my door is $150 on AmazonThe Floodlight Cam E340 unit I tested erroneously detected a human on our deck and a mulch path as often as every two minutes when no one was there; it's amazing if you believe in ghosts! The excessive amount of alerts was enough for me to see a noticeable dip in battery life on my iPhone and Apple Watch. And I'm sure my elderly neighbors don't appreciate the human detection alarm going off at 7:15 a.m. Saturday morning. The notifications (left) of human detection every two minutes and a screenshot of the detected "human" on the right. Maria Diaz/ZDNETI've been tackling the issue by reporting the erroneous detections via the Eufy Security app, which we've occasionally done to discourage the camera from misunderstanding what's human. More effectively, I reduced the sensitivity of the motion detection feature to the lowest available, which yielded roughly one false alert every hour rather than every two minutes. It made a big difference.There's also an option to silence the notifications temporarily while still recording events, but this detracts from the purpose of a surveillance camera.Also: I tested this $40 security camera from Amazon and it now has a place in my homeI'm happy to report that, while this wasn't a dealbreaker for me, the Floodlight Cam E340 cleaned up its act, whether via over-the-air firmware updates or by "learning" from my reports. I now keep the E340 with a medium level of motion sensitivity and don't get any false alerts.ZDNET's buying adviceMy experience with the Eufy Security Floodlight Cam E340 has overall been positive. I love seeing my yard in 3K resolution and getting an awe-inspiring level of detail from so far away. The 2,000lm brightness alone competes with some best-selling PAR38 bulbs, and it can be set to ambient lighting on a schedule or automatically from dusk to dawn.At $170, you get a lot of bang for your buck with a system you never have to pay monthly fees on, charge, or replace batteries. It also includes a motion-tracking duo of high-resolution cameras. If you don't want to spend extra on the HomeBase S380, you can add up to 128GB of storage to the camera on a microSD card.Since Eufy Security fixed my one issue with the human detection alerts, the Floodlight Cam E340 has become the best outdoor security camera I've ever tested, bar none.Featured reviews

New WHO report says cause of mystery illness in the Congo probably is common respiratory viruses ... [+] exacerbated by malnutrition and malaria. (Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe mystery disease affecting people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo most likely is caused by a respiratory virus exacerbated by malaria and malnutrition, according to a report released by the WHO on Friday. This assessment contrasts with earlier reports that the illness previously called disease X resulted from severe malaria. The current report, however, is in line with the hypothesis put forth by the Africa CDC that the illness could be caused by a viral infection on a background of malaria and malnutrition.Laboratory tests showed that 64 out of 89 samples (72%) obtained from patients were positive for common respiratory viruses. Most commonly, these samples were positive for influenza A virus, rhinoviruses, or SARS-CoV-2 virus, the pathogen that causes Covid-19. Over 60% of the samples analyzed were positive for malaria. Malaria, typically caused by Plasmodium falciparum, is quite common in the DRC, with approximately 12% of all cases and deaths worldwide occurring within this country. The malarial burden is especially high in children.The WHO report also provides an update on the current disease situation. 891 cases and 48 deaths have been reported. The disease burden remains highest among children, with roughly half of all reported cases and deaths occurring in children under the age of five. In adults, 66% of cases have occurred in women. WHO officials speculate that this gender difference may result from differential household transmission dynamics that reflect an increased role of mothers caring for sick children. The cases remain limited to the Kwango Province.The severity of the disease in children almost assuredly is exacerbated by malnutrition. The WHO report states that, the affected area experienced deterioration in food security in recent months, with increasing levels of acute malnutrition. The report also states that roughly 4.5 million children under the age of five in the DRC, are facing or expected to face acute malnutrition. Additionally, over three and a half million pregnant or breastfeeding women may experience severe malnutrition. This level of food insecurity will lead to worsening outcomes for a host of infectious diseases.The WHO report concludes by concluding that the risk to the local community is high. The national, regional, and global risks, in contrast, are low.Although the report provides strong evidence that the mystery disease can be tied to common respiratory viruses, more work needs to be done. Samples from only a limited number of the patients have been analyzed. Increased surveillance in the area and increased testing must continue. Additionally, the report highlights the myriad factors that can influence the severity of infectious diseases. The currently available information suggests that this disease is not caused by a novel pathogen. Rather, the evidence shows us the increased burden that known pathogens can have among vulnerable populations.MORE FOR YOU

Giving up on your goals is often viewed as a sign of weakness. However, letting go of goals that no ... [+] longer serve you could be the key to true happiness.gettyHave you ever started questioning a long-term goal, and whether its time to stop pursuing it? Maybe you find yourself clinging to a goal or vision thats slowly draining your spirit, hoping that things will magically turn around if you push a little harder. But what if letting go is the bravest thing you can do?The pursuit of goals is deeply woven into our cultural narrative of success. Were taught that persistence is a virtue and that we should never give up. Social media is also littered with pop psychology content telling us to fight through the pain, or that success is on the other side of the next uphill battle.However, knowing when to walk away may be the key to real personal growth. This is not to say that your dreams are invalid, but sometimes, realizing that a goal is unrealistic or damaging might be your ticket to long-term peace of mind.Here are three ways to tell that its time to give up on a goal, according to research.1. When Your Goal Is Motivated By The Wrong ReasonsDespite what we like to believe, pursuing a goal is far more complex than simple persistence. Personal differences or life circumstances can make a goal that is easy for some people extremely hard to obtain for others. And, when a goal doesnt align with your core values and needs, its hard to stay motivated.MORE FOR YOUTake weight loss, for example. While some people may see results by reducing their calorie intake and increasing movement, others might not be so lucky. Health conditions including mental health challenges, personal circumstances and physical limitations can significantly intensify the challenges of weight loss, turning it into a far more difficult journey for some. These challenges can transform a straightforward goal into a source of mental frustration.Additionally, being motivated to lose weight as a result of diet culture or fears of social judgement may not be as effective as approaching a goal from a self-compassionate space. However, if you learn not to impose rigid food rules on yourself and allow yourself to do the kind of movement that is accessible and enjoyable to you, youll likely find that your goal is much more sustainable in the long run, rather than being driven by insecurity, which takes a toll on mental health and physical ability.A classic study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology also reveals that goals driven by fear or external pressures can significantly hinder inner motivation. It is essential to recognize that goals dont always come from a positive place.Sometimes, we pursue achievements not for personal growth, but to prove others wrong or to quiet our own fears of failure. This can impede emotional well-being and trap individuals in destructive pursuit patterns.Think of the ambitious professional who believes their entire self-worth is tied to career achievement. This mindset transforms goals from sources of inspiration into mental prisons. The chronic stress associated with such pursuits can lead to burnout, decreased life satisfaction and potential long-term mental health challenges.So, its essential to discern what goals are right for us, while reflecting on whether the reasons were pursuing them benefit or harm us.2. When Your Goal No Longer Resonates With YouPeoples goal orientations can significantly change over time. What once seemed crucial may become irrelevant as personal values and life circumstances evolve. If you think about it, its only natural for most of us to change our goals over time.For instance, by the age of 35, youll likely outgrow wanting to date your teenage celebrity crush like you did at 15, shaped by life experiences and maturity. Disengagement from an unattainable goal is not a sign of failure, but a sophisticated form of adaptive behavior.Research from Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that individuals who can effectively disengage from unproductive goals and redirect their energy to alternative goals exhibit higher levels of psychological well-being.Additionally, continued pursuit becomes counterproductive when a goal no longer resonates with your core values or provides meaning. Personal growth comes from regularly reevaluating what fulfils you and adjusting your goals accordingly.3. When Goal Pursuit Has Exhausted Your ResourcesWhen it comes to goal setting, its also important to evaluate the resources at your disposal. Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology highlights how resource depletion significantly affects individual performance and well-being, particularly in pursuing work-related goals.Other life goals are no different. A lack of resourcesboth internally and externallycan lead to mental exhaustion, especially when you try to achieve something unrealistic. While some resources can be bought or obtained, it is important to be able to admit when you lack the necessary support to achieve what you want.The human capacity for sustained effort is not infinite. Such continuous goal pursuit can lead to cognitive burnout. It can feel like you are on a never-ending hamster wheel, trying and failing to do the same thing over and over again.Again, embracing flexibility isnt a weakness but a sign of intelligence when setting life goals. By learning to let go of goals that no longer serve you, you may open doors to unexpected opportunities and pursuits that do.Despite what we are constantly told, true success isnt about relentless persistence. Its about having the wisdom to recognize when a path no longer leads where you want to goand that perhaps theres a better one waiting for you.Is pursuing your lifes ambition causing you mental strain? Take this quiz to find out: Brain Fog Scale

20th Century FoxTable of ContentsTable of ContentsA Dogs Way Home (2019)Breaking (2022)Alien 3 (1992)Welcome to the final weekend of 2024. This is the home stretch, and the hiatus between holidays as we countdown to New Years Day. Chances are, youve probably seen Nosferatu, Wicked, or A Complete Unknownby now. If thats true, and you need something else to watch, dont fret. Luckily, Hulu has a newly arrived drama to help you pass the time, as well as two other films that are exiting soon.Our picks for the three great Hulu movies that you need to stream this weekend include a heartwarming animal film, a gut-punch of a drama based on a true story, and an underrated sci-fi action flick.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedSony PicturesSince this is the holiday season, its only fitting to start this weeks list with a family-friendly flick. A Dogs Way Home follows the story of a pit bull named Bella (whose inner voice is provided by Bryce Dallas Howard). Bella doesnt look like a typical pooch of her breed, and she was lovingly raised by a cat before she was adopted by Lucas Ray (Jonah Hauer-King) and his mother, Terri (Ashley Judd).When an overzealous animal control officer, Chuck Millits (John Cassini), threatens to impound Bella and have her put down, Lucas sends her to live with his relatives 400 miles away. But since Bella is unwilling to be parted from her owner, she embarks on a long and dangerous journey home that will take her years to complete. This film is leaving Hulu on December 31, so catch it while you can.Watch A Dogs Way Home on Hulu.Bleecker StreetBreaking is a new arrival on Hulu that flew under the radar when it was released in 2022. This film is based on a true story about Brian Brown-Easley (John Boyega), a Marine who took a bank hostage in 2017 by claiming that he had a bomb in his backpack. Brown-Easley isnt a typical robber, because hes not out to steal from the bank. He wants what hes owed from his VA check and he feels the need to share his story with the world.Brown-Easley suffers from PTSD, which played a role in setting up this desperate situation. While holding bank tellers Estel (Nicole Beharie) and Rosa (Selena Leyva) hostage, Brown-Easley is contacted by police negotiator Eli Bernard (Michael K. Williams), a man who shares his military background. But even with a sympathetic ear on the other line, Brown-Easleys story seems destined to end badly for him.Watch Breaking on Hulu.20th Century StudiosLooks like the xenomorph caught Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) under the mistletoe again. There are no holiday references in Alien 3, but since this film is also leaving Hulu at the end of the month, its worth revisiting David Finchers feature film debut. In the aftermath of Aliens, Ripley is despondent to learn that she is once again the only survivor after her ship crashes on a remote prison outpost.Game of Thrones Charles Dance co-stars as the prison doctor, Jonathan Clemens, while Charles S. Duttons Leonard Dillon acts as a spiritual guide for the all-male prison. Ripleys presence is disruptive to the men, but not as much as the lingering Facehugger alien that survived the same crash that brought her to the outpost. Once the Facehugger implants an egg in a dog, Ripley and the prisoners are trapped with the creature. And they dont have any weapons they can use against it.Watch Alien 3 on Hulu.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsBeau is Afraid (2023)King of New York (1990)Bottoms (2023)The holiday season is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the busiest for Amazon as a company. While most people know the company primarily for its massive online marketplace, it also has a pretty impressive library to peruse.If youre looking for a great movie to watch this weekend, weve pulled out three titles from Prime Video that you might not realize are worth your time. Whatever youre looking for, you can hopefully find it in one of the three titles below.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu,the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedBeau Is Afraid | Official Trailer 2 HD | A24Ari Aster has made a number of generally surreal movies, butBeau is Afraidis undeniably the strangest. The movie stars Joaquin Phoenix as a paranoid loner who takes a strange and quixotic journey home to visit his mother.The movies penchant for flights of fancy can be alienating, butBeau is Afraidis unafraid to burrow deeply into the anxieties of its central character from the second it starts. Few movies in the past decade are more likely to induce a panic attack, and while that may not sound like high praise, it absolutely is.You can watchBeau Is Afraidon Amazon Prime Video.King of New York US Trailer (Abel Ferrara, 1990)Its easy today to think that Christopher Walken was only ever a comedic figure. All you need to do to dispel yourself of that notion, though, is watch a movie likeKing of New York. In the film, Walken plays a drug lord who, after being let out of prison, is determined to reconquer the territory he once held.His goal, which is to give the money he consolidates to those who most need it, adds a fascinating wrinkle to this crime thriller, even as he comes to understand that donating his dirty money and getting out of the game is not as simple as he suspected.You can watchKing of New Yorkon Amazon Prime Video.BOTTOMS | Official Red Band TrailerOne of the great comedies of the 2020s, BottomsAlthough the movies final act may or may not leave you satisfied, its impossible to deny the movies sheer entertainment value, and the fact that it works far more often than it doesnt.You can watchBottomson Amazon Prime Video.Editors Recommendations