Data Privacy Day is a global reminder to safeguard personal information and build a future grounded ... [+] in trust and accountability.gettyData is currency today, and the value of personal information has never been higher. From connected devices to AI-powered tools, the convenience of our digital lives comes at a price: the erosion of privacy.Data Privacy Day, observed annually on January 28, serves as a global reminder of the importance of protecting our personal and proprietary information. But beyond this one day, it calls for a year-round commitment to building a culture of accountability and trust in how we handle and protect data.Why Data Privacy Day Is ImportantData Privacy Day raises awareness about the ways personal information is collected, shared, and used. It has grown into a critical platform for encouraging meaningful discussions among governments, businesses, and individuals about safeguarding privacy rights.With high-profile breaches and escalating cyber threats, Data Privacy Day reminds us to reflect on the strides made in data protection and recognize the challenges ahead, especially in the context of generative AI, cloud computing, and increasingly complex digital ecosystems.To put it in context, in a recent survey of 1,300 tech and data executives around the world, data privacy was cited as the top ranking cause of data infrastructure complexity.MORE FOR YOUCurrent and Trending Issues in Data PrivacySophisticated Cyber ThreatsCybercriminals have become more adept at targeting personal and corporate data. Ransomware, phishing, and AI-driven attacks now dominate the threat landscape.Adrianus Warmenhoven of NordVPN underscores this challenge: Unlike physical assets, personal data can be copied, stolen, damaged, or sold without leaving visible traces, posing serious financial and reputational risks.Generative AI and Data ExposureGenerative AI tools are transforming industries but introducing new privacy risks. As Viswesh Ananthakrishnan of Aurascape warns, Increased adoption of generative AI is exposing sensitive data to third-party AI apps, creating data privacy risks for businesses and their customers.Organizations must enforce rules and monitor interactions with such tools to prevent inadvertent data leaks.Data Brokers and Hidden RisksData brokers continue to exploit gaps in privacy regulation, amassing vast amounts of personal information often without user consent. Daniel Barber, CEO of DataGrail, highlights a startling finding: In a recent audit, we found that only 25% of websites stop tracking technologies when users reject all cookies or choose to opt-out of tracking.This underscores the need for greater transparency and enforcement of privacy rights.Legal and Ethical ChallengesRegulations like GDPR, CCPA, and the EU AI Act have pushed companies to prioritize compliance. However, as Nimrod Partush of CYE notes, Were seeing a pattern reminiscent of the early days of social media: users enthusiastically adopting LLMs and sharing data with little concern for privacy, captivated by the immense value these tools offer.Partush added, This behavior creates a paradoxcompanies are under pressure to safeguard privacy, while users are often willing to trade it for the convenience and power AI delivers.The Ethical and Legal LandscapeThe legal framework for data privacy is growing stronger, but businesses must go beyond compliance. Privacy-by-design approachesembedding privacy into product development and organizational processesare critical. As Lamont Orange, CISO at Cyera, advises, The organizations that treat data privacy as an ongoing commitment will not only stay ahead of new regulations but also build lasting trust with customers.Gagan Gulati, general manager for data services at NetApp, emphasized, "Data Privacy Day reminds us that protecting data goes beyond complianceit's about adopting a mindset of ensuring that your customer's data stays private and you maintain their confidence. With ransomware threats continuing to rise, building cyber resilience is no longer optional; it's essential for defending sensitive data and safeguarding trust."Pathways to a Privacy-Focused Future Empowering IndividualsEducating individuals about best practices in data protection is crucial. Tools like password managers, VPNs, and encrypted messaging apps empower users to take control of their digital footprints. Gary Orenstein of Bitwarden recommends a focus on proactive measures. Integrating privacy-centric tools like VPNs, email alias providers, and secure browsers can reduce exposure to breaches and limit the misuse of personally identifiable information (PII). Building a Culture of AccountabilityBusinesses must foster a culture of accountability. Zero-trust architecture, privacy-enhancing technologies, and regular training can reduce vulnerabilities. Gal Naor, CEO of StorONE, emphasizes, The commitment to safeguarding data reflects the belief that privacy should never be treated as an afterthought but as a fundamental right, backed by technology that delivers uncompromising protection and performance. The Role of AI in PrivacyAI presents both challenges and solutions for privacy. While AI-powered tools can enhance security and identify risks, they also require robust governance. Stephen Manley of Druva points out, Transparency is at the core of data privacy and AI governance, adding, For the next decade, AI will be central to your privacy strategy. The time to start is now.Charting the Future of Data PrivacyData Privacy Day is more than a reminderits a movement toward a privacy-focused future.As the digital landscape grows more complex, a shared commitment from individuals, businesses, and governments is essential. By embracing transparency, innovation, and accountability, we can navigate the challenges ahead and create a safer, more secure digital world for all. Lets make data privacy a cornerstone of the digital eranot just for today, but for the years to come.

DeepSeekAFP via Getty ImagesChinese AI company DeepSeek made waves in the technology industry with its claims of achieving performance comparable to leading AI models while dramatically reducing training infrastructure requirements.While the news led to a historic sell-off of technology stocks, the implications are far from negative, even for core technology providers like Nvidia. If DeepSeeks claims are true and that hasnt yet been validated the revelations remove the almost insurmountable cost barriers to AI training, opening the door to much broader adoption and competition in the market.The DeepSeek AnnouncementDeepSeek unveiled its DeepSeek-R1 model, which it claims rivals leading AI systems like OpenAIs GPT-4 and Metas Llama. The importance of the news is not on its model and how that may be used, but rather the techniques it employed to build an LLM that is competitive with other leading large language models.According to DeepSeek, its model was trained on just 2,048 Nvidia H800 GPUs, costing approximately $5.58 million a fraction of the infrastructure and cost typically associated with such efforts.By employing advanced techniques such as FP8 precision, modular architecture, and proprietary communication optimizations like DualPipe, DeepSeek has purportedly streamlined AI training to a level previously thought unattainable.MORE FOR YOUDemocratizing AI TrainingOne of the challenges of current AI training techniques is that the resources are prohibitive, requiring investment that's only feasible for the largest hyperscalers. This has led to a cloud-first market dominated by a handful of players.DeepSeeks approach, however, promises to disrupt that model by making AI training accessible to most enterprises. While this might negatively impact companies like OpenAI, it has the potential to broaden the market for nearly everyone else.Despite reducing reliance on high-end GPUs, DeepSeeks approach does not eliminate the need for robust supporting infrastructure. Key infrastructure requirements for AI training, like high-performance storage, low-latency networking, and strong data management frameworks, remain critical:Storage: High-throughput storage systems are essential to manage the large datasets used in AI training.Networking: Advanced networking solutions minimize bottlenecks during model training and ensure efficient communication across nodes.Data Governance: Compliance, security, and checkpointing challenges remain pressing concerns for enterprises adopting AI.DeepSeeks approach enables smaller enterprises to participate in AI development by significantly reducing the hardware and costs required for training. It's a moment that mirrors historic IT transformations, like the transition from mainframes to mini-computers and, ultimately, PCs, where decentralization unlocked new opportunities at every point.If DeepSeeks claims hold, rack-level training clusters may now be possible. This is a tremendous opportunity for storage providers, server OEMs, and networking companies to deliver higher-value products to the enterprise market and take share from the traditional cloud-first AI players.Storage companies like NetApp and Pure Storage and leading server manufacturers like Dell Technologies, HPE, and Lenovo all stand to benefit as the demand for scalable and cost-effective AI infrastructure grows. This is good news for enterprise customers and the market overall.The Impact on NvidiaNvidia's stock price sharply dropped following DeepSeeks announcement, reflecting market fears about potential disruptions to its dominance in the AI GPU market. While DeepSeeks use of mid-tier GPUs like the H800 highlights an alternative path, Nvidia remains well-positioned due to its entrenched ecosystem, which includes its CUDA platform and investments in AI systems like DGX and Mellanox networking solutions.Nvidia built a hedge against its GPU dominance with its robust data center business that extends beyond its GPU offerings. While it doesnt break out specific revenue numbers for networking, software, and services, it doesnt offer hints.In its most recent earnings, the company reported that networking revenue increased 20% year over year, with significant growth in platforms like Spectrum-X, up 3x year over year.Software revenue is annualizing at $1.5 billion, about 4% of its total revenue, and Nvidia expects that to exceed $2 billion by year-end, driven by offerings like NVIDIA AI Enterprise, Omniverse, and AI microservices. Software and services contribute higher-margin revenues, enhancing overall profitability, and shouldnt be impacted by DeepSeeks announcement.Overall, reducing the requirements for AI training has an impact on Nvidias approach to the market, but its one for which the company is prepared:Broader Market Adoption: The democratization of training may expand the overall GPU market, even if individual customers purchase fewer high-end units. Increased demand for mid-tier GPUs like the H800 could offset reduced reliance on flagship models.Resilience Through Ecosystem Control: Nvidias software lock-in, including CUDA, and its investments in system-level solutions like DGX and Mellanox position the company to adapt to changing market dynamics.Strategic Adjustments: Nvidia's ability to manage product flow and pricing and its control over the GPU supply chain ensures its continued relevance despite emerging competition.What About Broadcom and Marvell?The stock market reacted negatively to the news, pummeling the share price of custom silicon companies like Broadcom and Marvell. DeepSeeks approach, however, may prove to be a net positive for these companies.Marvell and Broadcom each see significant revenue in delivering custom silicon to public cloud providers. DeepSeeks announcement, focused on AI training, should have minimal impact on this business. The need for accelerators for inference, where much of this work is focused, remains unchanged. Likewise, the custom silicon revenue of both is heavily influenced by non-AI projects like custom Arm-based processors for the CSPs.The demand for low-latency, high-throughput networking solutions remains essential in DeepSeeks framework. Broadcoms dominance in Ethernet and InfiniBand and Marvell's strength in energy-efficient and high-bandwidth interconnects position both companies to benefit from the need for advanced interconnects in decentralized AI training environments.For both Broadcom and Marvell, DeepSeeks innovation represents less of a disruption and more of a realignment of market dynamics:Increased Demand for Networking: DeepSeek's modular, distributed AI training will likely drive demand for efficient networking solutions, benefiting both companies.Expansion Beyond Hyperscalers: Broadening AI training beyond major cloud providers introduces new customers requiring scaled-down yet high-performance infrastructure. This aligns with both Broadcoms and Marvells strategies.Limited Downside: Unlike GPU vendors, whose margins might compress with reduced high-end hardware demand, Broadcom and Marvells products remain critical to AI workflows, positioning them as net beneficiaries of a more decentralized AI market.Analysts TakeIf reproducable, DeepSeek's claims will drive a shift in the AI training landscape by lowering costs and democratizing access to advanced model training. While this disrupts traditional reliance on hyperscalers, it introduces opportunities for infrastructure providers and enterprises to innovate.While DeepSeeks methods may directly threaten companies like OpenAI and force companies like Nvidia to evolve, the overall net impact on the IT industry is positive. Enterprise server, storage, and networking providers will all benefit, as will companies like IBM, which is driving the enterprise-safe AI agenda.For Nvidia, the news reinforces the need to adapt to evolving market dynamics by leveraging its ecosystem and diversifying its product offerings. Though margins on flagship GPUs may be pressured, the overall expansion of the AI market and its successful diversification into system-level and software-driven differentiation will likely sustain its long-term growth.Ultimately, the broader implications of DeepSeeks announcement highlight the ongoing evolution of AI infrastructure, emphasizing efficiency, accessibility, and decentralization. Stakeholders across the ecosystem should prepare for an increasingly dynamic and competitive market. The next phase of AI infrastructure will emphasize efficiency, accessibility, and innovation, reshaping how businesses approach artificial intelligence.Disclosure: Steve McDowell is an industry analyst, and NAND Research is an industry analyst firm, that engages in, or has engaged in, research, analysis and advisory services with many technology companies; the author has provided paid services to every company named in this article except for DeepSeek and OpenAI in the past and may again in the future. Oracle provided technical fact-checking for this article. Mr. McDowell does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (R), speaks as President Donald Trump watches at a news conference announcing A.I. investments at the White House in Washington, DC on Jan. 21, 2025.Getty Images2025 Getty ImagesBy Philip ElliottJanuary 28, 2025 2:16 PM ESTThis article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox.Stop me if youve heard this one: a tech tool owned by a foreign adversary is thrusting its tentacles into the devices in tens of millions of Americans pockets, giving its owners the chance to harvest vast amounts of data about them while shaping how they interpret the world around them, either real or imagined. Pretty bold, huh?That was, in essence, why the U.S. Supreme Court just this month unanimously upheld a law effectively banning TikTokbecause Congress saw it as a national security risk that stood to benefit China. Given the challenges coming from Beijing, justices said Washington was within its power to deny it one of its strongest toeholds out of concern that it could be used to surveil Americans, steal their secrets, and feed them a stream of propaganda useful to Chinas big-picture goals. (For its part, the China-based parent company ByteDance has rejected U.S. fears about nefarious uses for its TikTok.) So Congress told tech companies like Apple and Google they would run afoul of U.S. law if they kept providing Americans access to the app and its updates if TikTok remained under Chinese ownership.Yet TikTok is still available in the U.S. in some sort of Kafkaesque legal limbo because President Trump refuses to enforce the law on the books. That unusual situation is about to get more complicated, now that a second app that poses a similar threat to U.S. security interests this week hit the top of Apples downloads. DeepSeek, a challenger to OpenAIs ChatGPT, sure seems to pose a lot of the same threats that national security hawks have argued a Chinese-owned platform for viral videos does. Unlike TikTok, DeepSeek is pretty upfront that its sending users data to servers in China. So itll be heading toward the same fate as TikTok, right?Forgive me while I suppress this chuckle.The joke, of course, is that much of Washington started this week waiting to see if the new President would glower at the hot new app from China. Equally as plausible, Trump could be convinced that DeepSeek was a welcome addition to the app stores that came to market on his watch. After all, he praised its blockbuster debut as a positive development when he met with House Republicans on Monday.Maybe a wait-and-see pose is the sage new default from Congress, K Street, the think-tank universe, and the corporate headquarters policy shops. Its like the off-color joke at a dinner party; no one wants to be the first to smirk or to scold, especially when someone as mercurial asTrump is the lone arbiter. Remember: TikTok started off a subject of Trumps ire, with him calling for its ban during his first stay in the White House. But when he realized it could be used to offset Facebook, which he blamed for his 2020 loss, he switched his footing in the most predictable of ways. It wasnt that the tech giants were recklessly spreading disinformation, it was that they were potentially favoring liberal disinformation over the MAGA-ified kind.In his telling, Trump saved TikTok for its 170 million users in the United States last week with an order that it be given a 75-day reprieve from the divestment law while it considers a sale to a non-Chinese holder. Legal experts say this is probably outside of Trumps power but not beyond his abilityat least for a whilegiven that his administration can choose which laws get priority enforcement and which might slide a beat.The DeepSeek example is less clear as to how much Trump might be able to puff up his chesteither in embracing it or expelling it. Trump has already made a grand show of his interest in America dominating China in the A.I. space. He used his first full day back in the White House to showcase a joint venture featuring OpenAI that could invest up to $500 billion on building power plants and data centers needed to fuel the fast-growing artificial intelligence footprint. That confidence proved way off the mark. Days later, DeepSeek was getting global attention for a product that rivals widely available offerings from Google and OpenAI, and they threw it together faster than their rivals and on the cheap with open-source coding.The sudden surge for DeepSeek similarly caught Trump as surprised, although the Presidents first comments about it on Monday carried their typical non-specific nature. The release of DeepSeek A.I. from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser focused on competing, Trump said."I've been reading about China and some of the companies in China, one in particular coming up with a faster method of A.I. and much less expensive method, and that's good because you don't have to spend as much money, he also said.Others in his party were more direct about their concerns in a way that echoed those made much of last year about TikTok.DeepSeeka new A.I model controlled by the Chinese Communist Partyopenly erases the CCPs history of atrocities and oppression, said Rep. John Moolenaar, the Michigan Republican who leads the Houses China panel. The U.S. cannot allow CCP models such as DeepSeek to risk our national security and leverage our technology to advance their A.I. ambitions.But many of the efforts to surpass Chinese advances on A.I. date to a Biden-era sanctions regime that sought to keep China lagging by restricting access to U.S.-made semiconductor chips that were seen as necessary for any real advances. That hurdle forced Chinese engineers like those at DeepSeek to find workarounds, and they did so in ways that are leaving U.S. tech wonks both impressed and nervous.The rise of DeepSeek and its potential to upend long-held assumptions about others A.I. capacitiesand costs, both fiscal and geopoliticalsent markets spiraling as the week began. Chip maker Nvidia lost $600 billion of its market value. Early trading Tuesday showed the tech giants rebounding slightly. If China could do this without vaunted Nvidia chips, maybe investors put too much faith in that firm. (The company counters that DeepSeek still required their chips, which it had hoarded before the new rules snapped into place.)Other firms with big footprints in D.C. and ambitions in Silicon Valley for their own A.I. systems were similarly watching to see what this means for their products. The likes of Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta, Amazon, and OpenAIs patron Microsoft all are left wondering if the ground beneath them has shifted for a technology that might define the next economy.Beyond Wall Street, the development drew fresh questions for the wonks in Washington about the American supremacy on machine learning, risks to privacy, and the very premise of truth. As with TikTok, there is a huge potential audience that derives its content consumptionsome would mistake it for newsthrough the filter of a Chinese algorithm. And it is coming about by Americans acting on their own without any real foreign coercion.Like TikTok, DeepSeek seems to have built in a censorship trigger to block criticism of China and its government. Lets talk about something else, DeepSeeks chatbot said when asked to describe the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Similarly, it carried the Chinese governments positions on Taiwan, Tibet, and the South China Sea. Its not that far off from what Republicans are trying to accomplish in whitewashing the violence on Jan. 6, 2021.On the most basic level, the quandary comes down to this: is there anything to be done if Americans voluntarily engage with a foreign-owned tech platform that can skew perceptions in ways that may well end up being simultaneously counter to facts and self-interest? And if the man in the Oval Office is the enabler of such apps and instructs the Attorney General to ignore a law the Supreme Court upheld just this month, is there anything to be done?Soand, again, stop me if youve heard this oneRepublicans in Washington who profess to be hawks on a rising China are going to sit back and take the cues from Trump, at least for the moment. The ban on TikTok is one he sought and is now ignoring. Trumps whims stand to supersede the decades of calculus that have defined the last two true superpowers. It did not take a clever chatbot to come up with this absurdist set-up.Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter.More Must-Reads from TIMEL.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5C of WarmingBehind the Scenes of The White Lotus Season ThreeHow Trump 2.0 Is Already Sowing ConfusionBad Bunny On Heartbreak and New AlbumHow to Get Better at Doing Things AloneWere Lucky to Have Been Alive in the Age of David LynchThe Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise HarderColumn: All Those Presidential Pardons Give Mercy a Bad NameWrite to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com

Key TakeawaysPerplexity AI has submitted a revised proposal for acquiring TikToks US business after feedback from the Trump administration.The new arrangement will allow the US government to own 50% of the new entity,A $300 million IPO can be expected following the formation of the new entity.Perplexity AI, the billion-dollar AI company thats competing with OpenAI and Google for a piece of TikTok, has revised its merger proposal with ByteDance. It now proposes to create a new US holding company called NewCo that will combine the two entities, TikTok US and Perplexity AI. The US government could own up to 50% of the said entity following an IPO.In this merger, ByteDance would offer TikTok US (without its recommendation algorithm, though) for a stake in the new company. On the other hand, Perplexity AI would offer its own equity, meaning its investors would receive shares in the new US holdingcompany.Tiktoks current owner, Chinese company ByteDance will retain ownership under this arrangement and the US government will receive its stake after making an initial public offering of at least $300 million.In the first bid, Perplexity AI wanted to form a new entity containing partners from TikTok US, Perplexity, and other equity partners. However, following feedback from the Trump administration, this arrangement was changed.A Viable Attempt to Let TikTok Stay in the U.S.Last weekend, TikTok was taken down as a law was passed requiring ByteDance to either sell the app or have it banned in the US. The app was temporarily restored when Trump suggested that an American stakeholder purchase TikTok, with plans to sell a 50% stake to the U.S. government.The Ban on TikTok shook the American youth to its core as it was not just a social media app but the primary platform for several content creators in the country, and losing it felt like losing both a community they had worked hard to build, and their primary source of income at once.While ByteDance isnt ready to sell the platform entirely, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed gratitude for Trumps commitment to finding a solution for TikToks future in the U.S.The proposal allows most of ByteDances existing investors to retain their equity in the new entity. It also brings more video content to Perplexity AI, if the AI company becomes a partner in the merger, making it a win-win situation for both parties.There were reports that the White House wanted to get Oracle into the deal since it already provides infra to TikTok in the US. However, Trump denied such claims.He has announced that the future of TikTok in the US will be known for certain within the next 30 days.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Krishi is an eager Tech Journalist and content writer for both B2B and B2C, with a focus on making the process of purchasing software easier for businesses and enhancing their online presence and SEO. Krishi has a special skill set in writing about technology news, creating educational content on customer relationship management (CRM) software, and recommending project management tools that can help small businesses increase their revenue. Alongside his writing and blogging work, Krishi's other hobbies include studying the financial markets and cricket. View all articles by Krishi Chowdhary Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.

In a nutshell: Retro Remake is now accepting pre-orders for the SuperStation One, an open-source FPGA clone of Sony's PS One console (itself, a redesigned version of the original PlayStation). Billed as the world's first affordable FPGA console, the SuperStation One closely resembles what you'd image an official PS One remake to look like. The front features a pair of controller ports and memory card slots that support original hardware, along with a USB Type-A port. Power and menu buttons are located on top of the console. Around back, you'll find USB-C power, two more USB Type-A ports, an HDMI port, a DIN10 connector, a VGA port, an analog audio jack and an Ethernet port. Component connections are located on the right side, opposite composite and a digital audio port on the left.As for internals, the Cyclone V FPG is paired with 128MB of BGA SDRAM and a 24-Bit ADV7125 Video DAC. There is also built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as an NFC reader with support for Zaparoo to simplify game loading. Retro Remake even boasts support for active or passive cooling, but details on this are limited right now.The retro machine is meant to play PlayStation games, but since the hardware supports the MiSTer FPGA platform, you can simply load up a core and play games from other platforms like the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn.One key feature that is noticeably absent is a disc drive. Retro Remake is working on an optional accessory called the SuperDock that mounts under the console and adds a tray-loading optical drive, an internal m.2 2282 slot, and four additional USB Type-A ports.The SuperStation One is available to pre-order now starting at $179.99 in your choice of classic grey, black, or transparent blue (a Founder's Edition for $149.99 has already sold out). A $5 deposit will also get your name on the list for the SuperDock, which is expected to cost around $40.The first wave of units are expected to ship by the fourth quarter of 2025. // Related Stories

The big picture: Though Pebble has long ceased to exist as a functioning commercial entity, the brand continues to enjoy a loyal following and a vibrant online community. Enthusiasts have spent years restoring and maintaining functionality for Pebble devices, and now they even have access to the original OS code to support their efforts. Google has announced that PebbleOS is now available for download under an open-source license, signaling its support for volunteers who continue to maintain Pebble devices. In a surprising twist, Pebble Technology's original founder has also confirmed his interest in re-entering the "Pebble game" sooner rather than later.Google highlighted Pebble's remarkable journey, which began in 2012 with an extraordinarily successful Kickstarter campaign. Over four years, Pebble sold more than two million smartwatches before being acquired by Fitbit. The Pebble brand ultimately became part of Google's intellectual property portfolio after the company acquired Fitbit."Despite the Pebble hardware and software support being discontinued eight years ago, Pebble still has thousands of dedicated fans," Google stated. Volunteers from the Rebble project have worked tirelessly to restore much of Pebble's functionality through custom web services, even though they lacked access to the original PebbleOS source code until now.With Pebble's software framework now (mostly) restored, Google is optimistic that the Rebble community and other Pebble enthusiasts will continue to support the technology. However, the open-source repository still lacks key components such as chipset support and Bluetooth functionality, as these rely on proprietary code that could not be released on GitHub.Despite these limitations, core smartwatch features like notifications, media controls, fitness tracking, and support for custom apps should remain functional. Reviving PebbleOS as a fully-fledged smartwatch platform will require significant effort, but Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky has already pledged to fund that endeavor. // Related StoriesMigicovsky, who still wears his original Pebble watch, noted that the device continues to work despite not receiving a software update since December 2016. He emphasized that Pebble got many things right from the beginning, including a reliable e-paper display, impressive battery life, a straightforward user interface, and unparalleled customization options.Looking ahead, Migicovsky has announced plans to bring Pebble back, including developing a modernized version of PebbleOS and designing new Pebble watches. However, the wearables market has evolved dramatically over the past decade, and it remains to be seen whether consumers will be willing to trade their current Android smartwatches for a revamped Pebble device.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" If youve been in the market for a new Android phone but arent sure which brand or model to go with, perhaps a little push toward a sale could help seal the deal. As a matter of fact, while looking through phone deals earlier today, we came across a fantastic offer on a top-rated Samsung phone:For a limited time, when you preorder the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB, unlocked) through Samsung, youll only pay $1,300 for the device (the MSRP is $1,420) and can apply up to $900 in transaction credit when you trade in an eligible device. The S25 Ultra officially hits shelves on February 7.Available in Titanium Jetblack, Titanium Jadegreen, and Titanium Pinkgold, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the most powerful mobile devices Samsung has ever produced. Featuring new and improved Galaxy AI, the S25 Ultra introduces new features like Now Brief, an at a glance snapshot of headlines, reminders, weather info, and other AI-curated content that youll receive up to three times per day. The S25 Ultra also boasts an improved design with easier handling and a more comfortable grip.RelatedWith its octa-core processor, speedy and seamless One UI 7, and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, the S25 Ultra delivers impeccable performance, fast load times, and top-notch photography and videography, thanks to Samsungs multi-lens camera that supports up to 200MP. Youll also be treated to a glorious-looking 6.9-inch AMOLED screen that pushes up to 3120 x 1440 resolution.Were not sure how long this Samsung promo is going to stick around, so if youve been waiting for one of the best Samsung Galaxy deals you can find, rest assured, it doesnt get much better than this! Save $120 and get up to $900 in trade-in credit when you order the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB, unlocked) through Samsung. We also suggest taking a look at our list of the best Samsung deals.Editors Recommendations

There are plenty of different reasons to want to turn on closed captions on your PlayStation 5. Whether you're hard of hearing, or you simply like to read what's happening on screen, closed captions are a wonderful accessibility addition to Sony's console. Here's a step-by-step process for turning them on.Recommended VideosDifficultyEasyDuration5 minutesTriyansh Gill on Unsplash / UnsplashedWhen you're ready to turn on closed captions on your PS5, follow the below instructions.Step 1: Open Settings via the little gear in the top right corner of your PS5 home screen.Step 2: Click Accessibility.RelatedStep 3: Select Closed Captions.Step 4: Toggle Display Closed Captions to the On setting.Step 5: Below this, you can choose Closed Captions Settings to customize your closed captions to meet any specific needs or preferences.Editors Recommendations

Health care pause States say theyve been shut out of Medicaid amid Trump funding freeze The freeze is said to ensure funds don't support "Marxist equity, transgenderism." Beth Mole Jan 28, 2025 2:56 pm | 43 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services office, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, stands in Woodlawn, Maryland, U.S., on Dec. 28, 2010. Credit: Getty | Jay Mallin The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services office, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, stands in Woodlawn, Maryland, U.S., on Dec. 28, 2010. Credit: Getty | Jay Mallin Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAmid the Trump administration's abrupt, wide-scale freeze on federal funding, states are reporting that they've lost access to Medicaid, a program jointly funded by the federal government and states to provide comprehensive health coverage and care to tens of millions of low-income adults and children in the US.The funding freeze was announced in a memo dated January 27 from Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, and was first reported Monday evening by independent journalist Marisa Kabas. The freeze is intended to prevent "use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies," Vaeth wrote. The memo ordered federal agencies to complete a comprehensive analysis of all federal financial assistance programs to ensure they align with the president's policies and requirements."In the interim, to the extent permissible under applicable law, Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders..." Vaeth wrote.Illinois was the first state to report that it has lost access to Medicaid. According to the Chicago Sun Times, Gov. JB Pritzker's office expected the freeze to go into effect at 5 pm Eastern Time today but found the state locked out this morning. The Times noted that Medicaid covered about 3.9 million people in Illinois in 2023, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities.In a post Tuesday afternoon on the social media platform Bluesky, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) reported that all 50 states have since lost access. "My staff has confirmed reports that Medicaid portals are down in all 50 states following last night's federal funding freeze," Wyden wrote. "This is a blatant attempt to rip away health care from millions of Americans overnight and will get people killed."Around the same time, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) posted on social media site X that his state, too, had lost access. "Can confirm. Connecticuts Medicaid payment system has been turned off," he wrote. "Doctors and hospitals cannot get paid. Discussions ongoing about whether services can continue."As of October 2024, Medicaid provided health coverage to over 79 million people across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Of those, over 37 million (47 percent) were childrenenrolled in either Medicaid's Childrens Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) or enrolled in the Medicaid program.According to a 2023 analysis by KFF, Medicaid provides a critical safety net to a significant swath of Americans. In 2021, Medicaid covered 1 in 4 children, and 8 in 10 children in poverty. It covered 1 in 6 adults and about half of adults in poverty. Medicaid paid for 41 percent of births in the US, covered nearly half of all children with special health care needs, and supported 5 in 8 nursing home residents.According to Reuters, the White House has said that mandatory programs such as Medicaid and SNAP food assistance would be exempt from the freeze. In a briefing Tuesday, reporters asked White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt about whether Medicaid was cut off as part of a funding pause and whether she could guarantee that individuals on Medicaid would not be affected. Leavitt responded: "I'll check back on that and get back to you."Beth MoleSenior Health ReporterBeth MoleSenior Health Reporter Beth is Ars Technicas Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 43 Comments

Breaking barriers For the first time, a privately developed aircraft has flown faster than sound There appears to be plenty of demand in the commercial air travel industry. Eric Berger Jan 28, 2025 2:47 pm | 16 Boom Supersonic makes aviation history as XB-1 breaks the sound barrier. Credit: Boom Supersonic Boom Supersonic makes aviation history as XB-1 breaks the sound barrier. Credit: Boom Supersonic Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreHigh above a barren California desert on Tuesday, a privately developed aircraft broke the sound barrier for the first time when Boom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator reached Mach 1.122.Piloted by a former US Navy aviator, Tristan Geppetto Brandenburg, the XB-1 vehicle broke the supersonic barrier on three separate occasions before safely landing back at Mojave Air & Space Port, where it had taken off half an hour earlier. It marked a triumphant moment for Boom, which was founded a decade ago to commercialize supersonic air travel."A small band of talented and dedicated engineers has accomplished what previously took governments and billions of dollars," said Boom Supersonic's founder and chief executive, Blake Scholl, in a statement.A stepping stoneThis prototype vehicle is a one-third scale technology demonstrator for a commercial aircraft the company is developing, called Overture. Planned specifications for this supersonic airliner include a cruising speed of Mach 1.7 and a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. It is intended to have a maximum range of 4,500 miles (7,200 km) and carry 55 passengers.Commercial companies are attempting to revive an era of supersonic travel that came and went decades ago. The French and British governments jointly developed the Concorde aircraft in the 1960s, and the Soviet Union developed the Tupolev supersonic aircraft around the same time. Neither was economically successful, and the technology was set aside in the early 2000s.A new generation of companies, including Boom Supersonic, are aiming to meld new ideas, technology, and a commercial approach to develop more cost-effective travel at supersonic speeds. The significance of Tuesday's flight is that it marks the first time one of these companies has built and flown its own vehicle above the speed of sound.Now, on to the real thingAlthough this is an important and notable stepthis flight was the culmination of 11 successful test flights of the XB-1 since March 2024it is only a step along the path toward development and operation of a commercially successful supersonic aircraft. Now Boom must build the real thing.The company said the XB-1 demonstrator validates many of the key technologies that will be incorporated into Overture, including carbon-fiber composites, digital stability augmentation, and supersonic intakes. However, Overture will feature a different propulsion system named Symphony. The company is working with several partners, including Florida Turbine Technologies for engine design, GE Additive for additive technology design consulting, and StandardAero for maintenance to develop the engine.There appears to be plenty of demand in the commercial air travel industry for a company that can develop and deliver supersonic aircraft to the market.Boom Supersonic said it has taken 130 orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines for the Overture aircraft. In 2024, Boom said it completed construction on the Overture "Superfactory" in Greensboro, North Carolina, which will scale to produce 66 Overture aircraft per year. Boom is hoping to start delivering on those orders before the end of the decade.Eric BergerSenior Space EditorEric BergerSenior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 16 Comments