The San Francisco start-up claims that its Chinese rival may have used data generated by OpenAI technologies to build new systems.

As Mark Zuckerberg and other tech titans have embraced President Trump and muffled internal dissent at their companies, their mostly left-leaning employees have objected with subtle acts of defiance.

MacworldThis amazing Anker power bank is perfectly capable of charging your phone or laptop on the go. Even better, its 40% off, so you can get one for $90 from Amazon.The Anker 737 power bank is a 24,000mAh behemoth that can take your phone from 0 to 100 percent at least four times over and your laptop once. This huge capacity earns this power bank a permanent spot in your bag because you wont want to leave your house without it. Its heavy, of course, but since it has a fairly slim design, itll be able to fit in any pocket.The power bank is also fairly speedy, allowing charges of up to 140W. That means that with the type-C cable that comes in the package, youll be able to recharge any device quickly. This Anker model comes with three ports, two of them type-C and one USB-A. Its the type-C ports that will deliver those amazing top output values.You can also check exactly how much battery is left in the power bank through the digital display on its side, which also shows which ports are in use as well as the assigned charging output.This Amazon deal is a great opportunity to order yourself a powerful battery for your gadgets since its only $60 off right now.Quick recharge on the goBuy now at Amazon

When officials working for the incoming Trump administration decided they wanted to email the entire federal workforce last week, they didnt hang about.Far from it: A new private class action lawsuit brought by two anonymous US executive branch employees alleges that they simply turned up at the HQ of the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which handles HR, and demanded to plug in their email server and get going as soon as possible.The one person who could have refused authorization for such a move Melvin Brown II, who took control of the agencys IT systems only a week before had already been sidelined.The suit was filed after OPM sent two test emails to an estimated 2.3 million federal employees in a way that, the suit alleges, broke the E-Government Act of 2002 and was inherently insecure. Those rules require that a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) be carried out first.The day after the suit was filed, the OPM sent another email to federal employees, inviting them to resign.In addition to its allegations of using an insecure email server, the suit claimed that the person who received the data from the email campaign was a non-OPM employee connected to Elon Musk, raising questions about how any personally identifiable information (PII) arising from it will be stored and secured and whether normal security and procurement protocols were flouted.Phishing testOn the other side of this campaign were employees who rarely receive mass emails from the OPMs HR department in a system that normally channels communications through individual agencies.That might explain why some employees were confused by the unexpected contacts. The first email, which arrived on January 24 from an OPM hr@opm.gov email address, stated that it was testing a new distribution and response list designed to allow direct OPM communication with employees. Employees were asked to reply yes to the message and asked to visit an OPM website announcing the test.On January 26 a second email from the same address arrived in inboxes, again asking employees to reply yes even if they had already replied to the first email test. With no sense of irony, the message warned employees to be wary of unknown emails:As a reminder, always check the From address to confirm that an email is from a legitimate government account and be careful about clicking on links, even when the email originates from the government.Some employees took them at their word, posting suspicions on Reddit that the emails might be part of a phishing attack or test. It was also noticed that the emails werent digitally signed, a standard way of authenticating a sending email server.This is EXACTLY how to design a phishing email. Is this a joke? Is this an active cybersecurity operation by a bad actor???, read one comment.Walked right inThe employee lawsuit alleges that last weeks emails were part of a wider and hastily assembled campaign to collect data on government employees.As part of that, it references a message posted to Reddit by a someone claiming to be an OPM employee with knowledge of the matter, saying that lists compiled from email replies were to be sent to Amanda Scales, an employee who works for Elon Musk and not the OPM.Someone literally walked into our building and plugged in an email server to our network to make it appear that emails were coming from OPM. Its been the one sending those various test messages youve all seen. We think theyre building a massive email list of all federal employees to generate mass RIF notices down the road, said a Reddit post referring to reductions in force (layoffs), according to the lawsuit.Not coincidentally perhaps, this week the OPM emailed a controversial deferred resignation offer to all federal employees offering eight months of pay and benefits for anyone who agrees within seven days to resign their positions.Type the word Resign into the Subject line of the email. Hit Send, it read. The notice was entitled Fork in the Road, perhaps a reference to an artwork of the same name Musk commissioned in 2022.OPM breachThe OPM, of course, has form when it comes to data security. In 2015, it detected a huge data breach affecting 22.1 million employee records, including PII such as social security numbers. That led to Congressional hearings and several government reports that identified a depressing list of underlying causes.But with this history in mind, the idea that an unknown party could simply plug their email server into the OPM network without security vetting of either the server itself or its data collection and storage routines will astonish anyone in cybersecurity.The incident suggests a culture where speed and shock matters above all. Its not clear how many employees were forewarned that the emails might turn up but asking employees to reply to an email or click on a link is lax in an era of phishing attacks. Thats before considering the possibility that the email server or its data might itself be targeted.The OPM did not immediately respond to questions sent to the hr@opm.gov email address.

Two years after participating in a groundbreaking four-day work week experiment, 200 companies in the UK have chosen to adopt the policy permanently, marking a significant shift in workplace norms.By continuing the policy, as many as 5,000 employees at those companies will work one day less a week with no reduction in pay.The pilot program was conducted by the nonprofit4 Day Week Global, theUKs 4 Day Week CampaignandAutonomy, a think tank. It guided the companies and their workers through a six-month test of a 32-hour, four-day week. Includinga previous studyof companies in US and Ireland.Boston College Professor Juliet Schor, the lead researcher in the 4-Day Work Week study, said she was not surprised the companies continued their truncated schedules, as almost all of the firms in the study reported positive results.They are continuing because it is successful, Schor said. There are a few reasons for this. Employee well-being goes up a lot. Self-reported productivity goes up even more. So, the companies are getting happier, healthier employees who are typically as productive (or more) than on a five-day schedule.The companies that participated in the UK experiment and chose to continue include charities, marketing and technology firms.Many US and Canadian companies have also adopted four-day work weeks, Schor said. Companies worldwide, including in Ireland, Australia, NZ, Germany, Portugal, and Brazil, have seen similar positive results from trials.A number of new countries are planning trials and research, as well. Italian, Nordic, French and Belgian trials are already in process, according to Schor. And I think there are a few more that people are trying to organize, she said.In the US, the concept of a four-day workweek is also beginning to germinate. A 2024 Harris Poll for the American Psychological Association found that 81% of 2,027 employed adults believe they could be as effective working four days a week and 67% think a four-day work week will become the norm in the US during their lifetime.Additionally, the study found the percentage of US employers offering four-day work weeks rose from 14% in 2022 to 22% last year.Joe Ryle, campaign director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, argues that the traditional 9-to-5, five-day work week, introduced by Henry Ford in 1926 and the office norm by the mid-20th century, is outdated. Initially, the five-day, 40-hour schedule was seen as a balance between productivity and leisure. However, over time, many have criticized it, calling for more flexibility and better work-life balance.We are long overdue an update, Ryle said. As hundreds of British companies and one local council have already shown, a four-day week with no loss of pay can be a win-win for both workers and employers. With 50% more free time, a four-day week gives people the freedom to live happier, more fulfilling lives.A survey by UK-based Spark Market Research found that 78% of 18- to 34-year-olds expect a four-day workweek to become common in the next five years, while 65% oppose a return to traditional full-time office work.This group also say[s] that mental health and improving their overall wellbeing are their top priorities, so a four-day week is a really meaningful benefit and a key enabler of their overall quality of life, said Lynsey Carolan, managing director of Spark Market Research.

Fewer iPhone buyers are paying for extra storage, signaling a shift toward cloud reliance that could shake up one of Apple's most profitable upsells.iPhone 15 modelsApple has long relied on iPhone storage upgrades as a revenue driver. The strategy is simple offer a base storage option that's "good enough" while enticing users with pricier upgrades.But recent data suggests that fewer people are biting. According to a Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) report, storage upgrades have dropped across the board for the latest iPhone models, signaling a shift in consumer behavior. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Starting Wednesday, fans in over 100 countries can sign up for Apple's MLS Season Pass so they don't miss a second of the 2025 soccer season.2025 marks Major League Soccer's 30th anniversary season, and Apple TV is gearing up to bring you every single game. It also marks the third year of Apple's 10-year partnership with Major League Soccer."MLS Season Pass delivers fans exactly what they want, connecting them with the game they love across all of their devices, with no blackouts," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services."Heading into our third year with MLS, we're excited to continue elevating the fan experience and can't wait for the season to begin." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Snhetta has released details of a new two-site soccer training facility proposed for the Norwegian national team outside of Oslo. Each features CLT wood with wood facades and will utilize rooftop solar energy harvesting technology.The firm says its proposal "center[s] around creating a distinctive and inclusive landmark. While the Ski proposal especially draws inspiration from the traditional Norwegian Long House, both designs represent the Nordic values of unity, openness, and shared growtha foundation for developing talent and connecting elite players with the wider football community."'Ski' from Snhetta. Image rendering by Ramka.co, courtesy of Snhetta'Asker' from Snhetta. Image rendering by Ramka.co, courtesy of Snhetta'Asker' from Snhetta. Image rendering by Ramka.co, courtesy of Snhetta'Ski' from Snhetta. Image rendering by Ramka.co, courtesy of Snhetta

The four winners of the 2024 Robert L. Wesley Award have been announced by the SOM Foundation. The $10,000 scholarship, established in 2020 in honor of the firm's first Black partner, includes a yearlong mentorship for BIPOC students.The award winners are:Ferras Coulibaly of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, School of ArchitectureErin Kurtycz of the University of Michigan, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban PlanningBeni Lawson of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, School of ArchitectureSalma Rodriguez of Texas Tech University, Huckabee College of Architecture

The third DLC for Atomic Heart, titled Enchantment Under the Sea, is out now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Taking place directly after the events of Trapped in Limbo, the DLC kicks things off by having protagonist Major P-3 alongside the consciousness of the Twins. Check out the launch trailer for the DLC below.Enchantment Under the Sea features a brand new setting in the form of an expansive underwater complex, full of new characters as well as new types of enemies that will attempt to test your prowess with the games combat system. The DLC also brings with it two new glove skills to play with: Whip and Blaze.With a more linear level design, the DLC places a heavier emphasis on some of its puzzles, which also make use of the new Whip power. The Whip lets you essentially grapple around for traversal, as well as to and from enemies during combat. The Blaze power, on the other hand, acts like a fireball, allowing you to clear obstacles while exploring or set enemies on fire.Atomic Heart: Enchantment Under the Sea is available individually, as well as through the Gold and Premium Editions of Atomic Heart. With this release, there is now one more DLC planned for the title. For more details on Enchantment Under the Sea, check out our review.