TikTok fans will have rejoiced that despite urgent warnings, their beloved app was only shuttered for a matter of hours on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18-19. But even though it sprang back to life after President Trump said the ban was deferred, neither the Apple App Store nor the Google Play Store have TikTok in their U.S. stores. Whats going on?When will TikTok be downloadable in the App Store again?Getty ImagesIf you can still access the app, you may have scarcely noticed the activity behind the scenes, though it led to an unheard of response from Apple. But if you had deleted the app, you cant get it back and if the app developer has updates it wants you to apply, youre out of luck there, as well. Thats because both Apple and Google are reluctant to offer the app again.Thats because although the President issued an executive order staying the ban for 75 days while a buyer was found, the legislation is still in place and companies like Apple are right to be cautious. Some lawyers say this 75-day extension falls into a gray area.Saurabh Vishnubhakat, a professor at the Cardozo School of Law, says that while a court might tolerate a temporary suspension of enforcement it is less likely to accept a wholesale repudiation of the law, The Guardian reports.MORE FOR YOUThe professor goes on, Although the attorney general is free to declare what they think the law is or what the president thinks the law is it is ultimately for the courts to decide whether the law has actually been violated, he says.After all, if the President changed his mind, he could choose to enforce the statute against select companies, presumably if there was a falling out between tech and commander-in-chief.Some normality has returned, with one app, Marvel Snap, returning to full life, something it achieved by switching to a new publisher "to make sure this never happens again".If the ban were applied, Apple could be in trouble as a $5,000 fine per user they help access TikTok. If just 100,000 App Store users downloaded TikTok, that could potentially mean a fine of $500 million.So, when will the apps be back? I suspect that not until the future of TikTok is clear, perhaps by being sold to another company or some other solution, with App stores dare to reinstate it. Were looking at weeks, if not months, I think.

Artificial Intelligence AI and Legal Systems.gettyIn a twist that perfectly encapsulates the risks of artificial intelligence in the courtroom, on Jan. 10th, a Stanford professor hired as an expert witness in a lawsuit about AI-generated deepfakes had his testimony thrown out after it was revealed that AI itself had hallucinated citations in his court filing. The case, which challenges Minnesotas ban on AI-generated election deepfakes, has now become a cautionary tale about the risks of overreliance on AI-generated information in legal proceedings, Reuters reports.As I previously discussed in an earlier Forbes article, the legal system is grappling with the role of AI in expert testimonybut this case takes the debate to a new level. If even an AI expert fails to verify AI-generated content, how can courts trust AI-assisted evidence?The Case: AI Errors Derail Expert TestimonyThe case in question centers around a Minnesota law banning AI-generated deepfakes designed to influence elections. The state enlisted Jeffrey T. Hancock, a Stanford University professor specializing in communication and AI, to support its argument that such deepfakes pose a legitimate threat to democracy.But in an ironic twist, Hancock admitted that he had used ChatGPT-4o to help draft his expert filing. And thats where things went wrong. The AI hallucinated, a well-documented flaw of generative AI, producing multiple entirely fabricated citations that seemed authoritative but referenced nonexistent sources.MORE FOR YOUOpposing attorneys representing Minnesota State Representative Mary Franson and YouTuber Christopher Kohls, who were challenging the deepfake law on First Amendment grounds, discovered the bogus citations and pointed them out to the judge. This resulted in the judge striking Hancocks testimony from the record, stating that his credibility had been shattered. The Minnesota Attorney Generals office requested to submit a revised filing, but the judge denied the motion.This case exemplifies the core problem with AI-assisted legal analysiswhile AI can accelerate research and streamline documentation, it cannot be blindly trusted.The Irony: An AI Expert Taken Down by AIs FlawsIts hard to overstate the irony here. A leading expert on AI, hired to warn about the dangers of AI-generated misinformation, was himself undone by AI-generated misinformation. His testimony was meant to highlight how AI deepfakes can mislead the public, yet his reliance on an AI tool without verification demonstrated how AI can mislead even trained professionals.As Ive written before, AI has a place in forensic and legal work, but it must be rigorously vetted. There are potential pitfalls of AI-assisted expert testimony. While AI can aid research, it cannot replace human judgment in verifying and validating critical evidence.AI Hallucinations: How They Happen And Why They Matter in CourtAs a digital forensic expert, I see firsthand how AI is changing the way we analyze evidence, but I also understand its limitations. AI hallucinations happen when a model like ChatGPT generates plausible but entirely fabricated information, often because:AI prioritizes coherence over accuracy It generates responses that "sound right" rather than ensuring factual correctness.Lack of real-world validation AI models dont "fact-check" against real legal databases unless specifically trained to do so.Echo chamber effect AI sometimes reinforces existing patterns in data without distinguishing between verified facts and speculative content.In legal cases, AI hallucinations can have serious consequences:False citations: As seen in this case, AI-generated legal citations may reference cases or statutes that dont exist, misleading attorneys and courts.Fabricated forensic evidence: If forensic experts rely on AI-generated reports without validation, they risk introducing inaccurate evidence into courtrooms.Erosion of credibility: Once AI-generated errors are exposed, all expert testimonyeven the verified portionsbecomes suspect.The Dangers: AI And Expert TestimonyThe Minnesota case is not an isolated incident. Courts are seeing more AI-generated documents, expert reports, and filings that contain hallucinated legal references or misleading data analysis. In forensic science, AI is being used to analyze crime scene evidence, authenticate digital images, and even predict criminal behaviorbut if experts fail to double-check AIs findings, they could corrupt the entire legal process.As a forensic expert, I stress this in every case: AI should assist, not replace human judgment. We must:Verify every AI-generated claim Every citation, forensic analysis or data point must be independently confirmed before submission to the court.Educate legal professionals on AIs limitations Judges, attorneys and forensic experts need AI literacy training to recognize potential errors.Demand transparency in AI-assisted evidence Courts should consider requiring a clear disclosures when AI is used in legal arguments or expert testimony, and in what capacity.Courts Must Be Wary of AI "Assistance"This case should be a wake-up call for attorneys, expert witnesses and judges alike. AI can be a valuable tool, but it cannot be blindly trusted in legal proceedings. The risks of unverified AI-generated information are too great, and the consequenceswhether wrongful convictions or thrown-out testimonyare too severe.As AI continues to permeate forensic investigations and courtroom proceedings, legal professionals must take responsibility for ensuring accuracy. This means rigorous fact-checking, verification, and transparencyprinciples that are fundamental to both forensic science and the rule of law. If even an AI expert can be fooled by AI hallucinations, courts must tread carefully when integrating artificial intelligence into the justice system.

Read Local: Bookshop.org has launched a new e-reading platform aimed at supporting third-party booksellers. The platform, which debuted five years ago with the goal of helping independent bookstores, is now extending that mission to the eBook market, despite Amazon's overwhelming dominance. According to recent data from research firm IBISWorld, Amazon controls over 80 percent of all online (e)book sales. The retail giant also owns the highly popular Kindle platform, making it even harder for readers to choose smaller, independent alternatives."No matter how much you love your local bookstore," Bookshop founder Andy Hunter said, "if you want to read an e-book, you have to go to Amazon" or any other online platform. eBooks are now a significant revenue source for publishers and writers, and they could also benefit independent bookstores if readers are willing to practice a form of "socially-conscious consumerism."Bookshop.org's new offering for eBook enthusiasts includes enhanced reading tools and the ability to purchase eBooks from local sellers. Readers can acquire their digital books in the same way they buy physical ones by choosing a specific local bookstore to support or allowing Bookshop to distribute the funds across all participating sellers.Once purchased, eBooks can be read using a dedicated mobile app on iOS or Android devices, with a web-based option available for desktop readers. However, Bookshop notes that the "full" reading experience, which includes advanced features like bookmarks, highlights, annotations, font and typeface customization, text search, and device syncing, is only accessible via the mobile app.Since its inception, Bookshop has raised over $35 million to support independent bookstores, according to official figures. Founder Andy Hunter explained that while there is no "real way" to make the eBook service profitable, profitability isn't the focus in this case. Bookshop's mission is to help smaller bookstores not just survive, but thrive, in an increasingly digital world. // Related StoriesAmazon's eBook service undoubtedly offers a seamless reading experience, and it is likely to remain dominant in the near future. However, Hunter and Bookshop are determined to offer an alternative.There's "no reason on Earth to give a billionaire your $9.99 for your e-book," Hunter said, criticizing the growing influence of Silicon Valley oligarchs. "It doesn't have to be this way. We can invest in, we can support our local community even when we're reading digital books," the entrepreneur added.

In context: Broadcom's management of VMware since the acquisition has led to widespread dissatisfaction among customers, with many considering reducing or eliminating their ties with the company. The pressure is mounting for customers to either commit to a VMware subscription, forgo VMware support, or transition away from VMware technologies entirely. In the wake of Broadcom's acquisition of VMware in late 2023, a growing number of customers have expressed discontent with the virtualization giant's new direction. The changes implemented by Broadcom have left many organizations at a crossroads, facing difficult decisions about their IT infrastructure.Ars Technica spoke with an IT vendor manager from a global food manufacturing company with approximately 5,500 employees. The manager, who requested anonymity due to privacy concerns, has been using VMware's vSphere since the early 2000s. "We love it," the manager told Ars Technica. "It's hard for us to figure out how we can live without it, but we're going to."The food manufacturer relies heavily on VMware, with about 300 virtual machines and every company application running on top of VMware. However, their five-year enterprise agreement expired in December, leaving them ineligible for VMware support unless they purchase a subscription. The IT manager revealed that costs associated with running vSphere are set to increase fourfold, largely due to Broadcom bundling unwanted VMware products together. "They wouldn't sell us what we need," the manager explained.The issue of support and pricing is not unique to this company. Martin Biggs, VP and managing director of strategic initiatives and EMEA at Spinnaker, a company now offering software maintenance support for VMware, told Ars Technica that organizations are reporting price increases of three to six times on average. The largest price hike Spinnaker has encountered is a reported twentyfold increase.While Broadcom has started offering some discounts reducing price increases from seven- or eightfold to three- or fourfold in some cases concerns persist. Michael Warrilow, a Gartner VP analyst, told The Register that Broadcom may raise VMware prices even further in the future. He also highlighted Broadcom's preference for two- or three-year subscriptions, which could leave customers facing even steeper costs sooner than anticipated. // Related StoriesRecent reports and discussions on Reddit suggest that customers are being pressured into three-year VMware subscriptions.Support has become a critical issue for many customers. The food manufacturer's IT manager reported that after Broadcom's acquisition, they were no longer able to contact VMware directly for support. Instead, they were directed to IT distributor Ingram Micro, with response times stretching to a week or longer. This change came after Broadcom informed the company it wasn't large enough to receive direct support.The diagram above showcases an integration of VMware and Citrix XenDesktop for virtual desktop provisioning and application management across various types of endpoint devices.Migrating away from VMware is not the easy option as it has many challenges. A January Gartner research note estimated that large-scale migrations, involving 2,000 or more VMs, could take 18 to 48 months. Even for midsize enterprises, untangling dependencies on VMware's server virtualization platform could take at least two years.For the food manufacturer, the biggest hurdle in moving away from VMware is internal rather than technical. "We just don't have enough internal resources and timing," the manager told Ars Technica. "That's what I'm worried about. This is going to take a lot of time internally to go through this whole process, and we're shorthanded as it is. It's such a big, heavy lift for us, and we're also very risk averse, so swapping out that piece of technology in our infrastructure is risky."The executive added: "We loved VMware. And then when Broadcom bought 'em, we hated 'em."In response to these complaints, Broadcom directed inquiries to a blog post by CEO Hock Tan outlining the company's VMware strategy. In the post, Tan claimed that Broadcom is "flexible and open" regarding subscriptions, stating, "Customers have choice when deciding the length of their subscriptions, whether they purchase directly from us at Broadcom or through channel partners. Either way, we will structure contract durations in alignment with our customers' journeys."However, despite Broadcom's assurances, a VMware customer contacted by Ars Technica confirmed the claims made in recent Reddit posts about being pressured into three-year commitments.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsWill it or wont it?Trusted sourcesSomeone is wrongThe judge rulesThats it, I dont care anymore. The speculation surrounding whether the forthcoming Apple iPhone SE 4 will have a notch at the top of its screen, or adopt the Dynamic Island format introduced on the Apple iPhone 14 series, has reached such a ridiculous point, I no longer want to hear about it until the phone is officially revealed.Lets talk about it.Recommended VideosWhat has got me to breaking point? Its the repeated flip-flopping. One day a report comes out saying the phone will have a notch, and the next theres another report claiming itll have the Dynamic Island. It wouldnt be so bad if it was just two reports spaced by weeks or even months, but instead, its multiple reports coming in the space of days, and over a long period of time.RelatedBased on what has been reported to me, the iPhone SE could have a design very similar to that of the current iPhone 16 still in development. The new iPhone SE will most likely have a single camera instead of the double one of the iPhone 16 models, otherwise it seems that the pic.twitter.com/Z1Gio4nBRu Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) February 8, 2024Let me illustrate it for you. It all traces back to February 2024, when the 4th generation iPhone SE was linked with the iPhone 16s shape and with the iPhone XRs dimensions, and the claim was that it would include a pill-shape cutout for the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen. Fast forward to January 28, 2025, after a whole lot of speculation on both sides of the fence, and were told the iPhone SE 4 will have a notch.Notch like iPhone 14 is correct Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) January 28, 2025Over a year weve seen multiple conflicting reports and various images and videos, each not really confirming the situation one way or the other, but appearing adamant their conclusion was the correct one. Once 2025 hit, talk of the notch and Dynamic Island reached fever pitch, with snippets of code apparently showing the Dynamic Island, and the source of the original rumor that started it all now saying the phone will have a notch. I know this is how the rumor mill works, but rarely is there such division.iPhone SE 4 mockup render Front Page Tech / Jon ProsserIts not like the reports are solely coming from anonymous sources, or can be marked down as idle speculation by fans. Most come from trusted industry watchers, known insiders, or individuals in the business of leaking details about unreleased devices, and with a good track record for accuracy. This makes it all even more infuriating because Id usually trust these sources, yet something is clearly amiss here.New iPhone models are always hotly anticipated, but the iPhone SE 4 seems to have risen above Apples previous SE models in terms of the buzz around it, and its surprising to see most of the talk centered on one aspect, and the opinions so opposite. Whats got phone pundits so sweaty and eager to chime in? The Dynamic Island is a delightful way to add functionality to the necessary cutout at the top of the screen and would be a big update for the SE line. However, its not what Id call transformative, and if it wasnt there I doubt Id really miss it.Apple iPhone X Julian Chokkattu / Digital TrendsThe notch looks old and has been controversial ever since it made its first appearance on the Essential Phone in 2017 and subsequently on the iPhone X in the same year. Few like the design, a lot hate the design, but most just tolerate it. Today it can be seen as an outdated way of dealing with the multiple cameras and sensors required on the front of our phones, and not an especially attractive one. No one wants the notch, but many expect the notch.Apple iPhone SE (2022) Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsWhat all this means is that the situation could go either way, and thats the impression weve been given by the endless speculation over the last 12 months too. It also means someone out there is wrong.The iPhone SE 4, or iPhone 16E depending on what Apple decides to call its next budget model, either has a notch or the Dynamic Island. It cant have both. Or can it? The Dynamic Island is really a hardware and software solution, enlarging the usable space around the pill-shaped cutout at the top of the iPhones screen for features like Live Activities. A notch shapes the screen around a cutout at the top of the device, and the software ignores it entirely. Apple could adapt the Dynamic Island for use with a notch, if the SE 4 ends up using one, technically making everyone right.Though possible, its probably unlikely. We must remember the iPhone SE 4 is Apples budget device, and compromises have to be made to keep the cost down. Using up supplies of notched screens would be one way to do it. On the other hand, the Dynamic Island would bring the iPhone SE 4 in-line with the iPhone 16s design (and presumably, the iPhone 17, but the Dynamic Island seems to be clouding that model too), and adapting the notch to include some of the Dynamic Islands functionality in iOS would give the SE 4 a modern feature to increase value.Nothing suggesting the iPhone SE 4s screen will do any of this has been seen in code for beta versions of iOS though, so its just speculation on my part.iPhone 12 Mini Andrew Martonik / Digital TrendsThe fact Im adding my own speculation to the speculation, which cant agree on the situation anyway, only makes me more angry about the whole thing. The will-it, wont-it back-and-forth about the iPhone SE 4s screen has reached the point where nothing new should be added to the conversation unless it has conclusive proof to back it up.Whether thats a leaked image of the actual device and not a render or mockup based on code, or Apple officially revealing it during an event, it doesnt matter. No more speculation, please. Weve seen and heard the arguments from both sides and now all thats left is for the judge to rule. Im the judge here, and Im throwing the whole thing out because the entire case is based on hearsay.I dont care what the iPhone SE 4s screen looks like anymore, or if it will feature the Dynamic Island or not, and I wont until Apple shows me.Editors Recommendations

Christopher Nolan loves to cast actors hes previously worked with on his new projects. The trend will continue for The Odyssey,as Benny Safdie is the latest actor to join the cast.Per The Hollywood Reporter, Safdie joins the all-star cast ofThe Odyssey, which includesMatt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyongo, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal. No character details have been revealed.Recommended VideosSafdie played Edward Teller in Nolans Oscar-winning drama, Oppenheimer. Safdie recently completed filming his role onHappy Gilmore 2. Safdies solo directorial debut, The Smashing Machine, will be released later this year by A24. The sports biopic stars Dwayne Johnson as former MMA fighter Mark Kerr.Please enable Javascript to view this contentAfter much speculation, Universal Pictures announced last month that Nolans next movie will be an adaptation of The Odyssey, based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer. Not to be confused with Homers other poem,The Iliad, The Odysseydepicts Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his treacherous journey home after the Trojan War. The epic poem is one of the seminal works in Greek mythology, as Odysseus encounters iconic creatures such as sirens, centaurs, and the Cyclops Polyphemus.Christopher Nolans next film The Odyssey is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homers foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhereon July 17, 2026. Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) December 23, 2024The Odysseyis slated to begin filming in late February. Per Variety, Nolan plans to shoot off the coast of Sicily on the island of Favignana, known as goat island, the likely place where Homer pictured Odysseus landing in the story. Sicilys Eolian Islands are rumored to be another location where Nolan will film. Nolan will utilize new IMAX technology throughout the shoot.The Odysseyreportedly has a budget of $250 million, the most expensive movie of Nolans career.The Odysseyopens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.Editors Recommendations

Revenue grows to $48.4 billion, helping fuel the chief executives bets on augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

Microsoft reported that its flagship cloud computing business experienced a slowdown in growth amid constraints on data center supply.

F. Murray Abraham gives a riveting performance in Krapps Last Tape, one of three one-acts by Samuel Beckett in a potently succinct production by the New York company.

Remote work The long-planned return of two astronauts from space is now a political issue This is all pretty bonkers for a lot of reasons. Eric Berger Jan 29, 2025 4:29 pm | 54 NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams wave to their families, friends, and NASA officials on their way to the launch pad June 5 to board Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams wave to their families, friends, and NASA officials on their way to the launch pad June 5 to board Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreOn Thursday NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are scheduled to don spacesuits to exit the International Space Station. However, despite a plea from President Trump to bring them home as soon as possible, the pair won't be coming home just yet. This will be a routine spacewalk outside the space station.In the meantime, NASA is struggling to contain the fallout from what appears to be a disingenuous political effort by Trump to shame the space agency and Biden administration for the fact that Williams and Wilmore, nearly eight months after they launched into orbit on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, are still there.The brouhaha began on Tuesday evening when SpaceX founder and Trump confidant Elon Musk posted on X that the president had asked SpaceX to bring the two "stranded" astronauts back to Earth. Musk added that SpaceX would do so, and, "Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long."A few hours later, Trump himself weighed in, saying, "I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to 'go get' the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. They have been waiting for many months on Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck."This is off-nominalNow this is all pretty bonkers for a lot of reasons, but here are two of the biggest ones. First, Williams and Wilmore are not stranded. Their ride home, the Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft, has been docked to the station since September. They can come home at any time. In that sense, SpaceX has already "rescued" the two former Starliner astronauts.Second, the pair was due to come back in late Februarymere weeks from nowbefore an issue with a Crew Dragon spacecraft delayed the launch of the Crew-10 mission. This pushed the Crew-10 launch until late March, and because NASA wants a few days for a handover in orbit, this moved the return of Crew 9with Williams and Wilmore on boardto early April.So, to summarize, any talk about needing to "go and get" Williams and Wilmore in space is folderol. NASA had been planning, literally for months, to bring the crew home in February. Then a problem with a SpaceX vehicle delayed that return until April.NASA, which is part of the executive branch of the government, has been doing its best to hew to the requirements of the new Trump administration. However, in a statement released Wednesday, it seems clear the agency does not want to touch this issue with a 10-foot robotic arm."NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agencys SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore as soon as practical, while also preparing for the launch of Crew-10 to complete a handover between expeditions," spokesperson Cheryl Warner said.Screaming in spaceIt's unclear precisely what prompted Trump and Musk to bring this issue up, but it is possible the new administration wanted a near-term "win" in space. Since SpaceX was already slated to bring the crew back in April, someone must have decided it was clever to blame the Biden administration for the Starliner predicament, frame the astronauts as "stranded," and make Trump and Musk look like their saviors.Let's be clear: SpaceX and Crew Dragon currently offer NASA's only means of getting astronauts reliably to and from the International Space Station. This is, massively, to their credit. But for all of the bravado from Musk and Trump on this issue, the most likely outcome is that they're just going to follow the plans NASA has had in place for months.This plan, by the way, was never political. Last summer, as NASA debated internally about whether to fly Williams and Wilmore home on Starlinerwhich experienced some propulsion issues en route to the space station in June 2024I plumbed a lot of sources to determine whether the White House had intervened in the decision. After all, Vice President Kamala Harris led the National Space Council, and it would not look good to lose a crew with the impending election. During the course of that reporting I never found any evidence that the decision went above the head of NASA chief Bill Nelson.So the return of Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore has never been a political storyuntil this week. And it's a good thing that the two will be in space tomorrow because, as attested to in the tagline for the movie Alien, in space, no one can hear you scream.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. 54 Comments