The government has concluded its long-running consultation into stamping out tax and employment rights non-compliance by umbrella companies, meaning the sector is now one step closer to becoming regulated.In its response to the consultation, the government said it would use a two-pronged approach to ensuring IT contractors (and those working in other sectors) receive the employment rights they are entitled to when working through umbrella companies and are taxed correctly for their work.The first prong will see the government legislating to define what umbrella companies are, through an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, which will bring their activities under the watchful eye of the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EASI).This is a move that contracting market stakeholders have called on the government to make for several years, as the EASIs remit includes protecting the rights of employment agency workers.What are umbrella companies?Umbrella companies are frequently used by recruitment agencies and end clients to run the payroll procedures for any contractors and freelance workers they engage.The number of contractors who provide services to end clients through umbrella companies is thought to have soared in recent years, following the introduction of changes to the IR35 tax-avoidance rules in the public and private sector.Under the reworked rules, the end clients are now responsible for determining how the freelance workers they engage should be taxed, whereas previously this was the responsibility of the contractors themselves.In response to these changes, Computer Weekly has unearthed numerous examples of private and public sector organisations that have introduced hiring bans that mean only contractors who work via umbrella companies can be engaged by their organisations.This is because the contractor is considered the umbrellas employee in this setup, which means the end client is no longer responsible for determining how the contractor should be taxed.In a typical contractor-to-end-client supply chain, employment agencies often rely on umbrella companies to manage the payroll for the workers on their books, which is why involving EASI appears to be logical move.On a similar note, the second prong to this umbrella company clampdown will see employment agencies assume responsibility for ensuring the correct amount of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) contributions are paid by their workers when an umbrella company is involved in the labour supply chain.This change was announced in the Autumn Budget 2024, with the government stating that it expects the move to generate 895m in additional tax during the 2026/2027 financial year by making it harder for umbrella companies to engage in tax avoidance-related activities.Where an umbrella company is used in a labour supply chain to engage a worker, the government will bring forward legislation to move the responsibility to account for PAYE from the umbrella company that employs the worker, to the recruitment agency that supplies the worker to the end client, said the government, in its consultation response.Where there is no agency in a labour supply chain, this responsibility will sit with the end client. This will take effect from April 2026.The governments consultation document does, however, acknowledge that some of the steps involved with defining what umbrella companies are, and working out how to regulate them, may not be straightforward.To this point, it confirmed that no consensus was reached by the stakeholders who contributed a total of 75 responses to the consultation about how best to define umbrella companies.A topic where some agreement was reached was on what the substance of umbrella regulations should be.Responses indicated a consensus that the government should concentrate on addressing financial detriments, worker understanding of the umbrella arrangement and ensuring genuine businesses operate in the umbrella market, the consultation document stated.As stated in the document, tax avoidance is widespread within the umbrella company market, with HMRC claiming that 500m was lost to disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes during the 2022 to 2023 tax year, which it said almost all of which was facilitated by umbrella companies.The document added: This tax non-compliance can leave workers facing substantial tax bills and enables non-compliant umbrella companies to undercut their competitors, threatening the viability of those businesses that do the right thing, as well as the functioning of the market itself.It continued: HMRC takes robust action against non-compliant umbrella companies using its compliance powers. However, there is a clear case for strategic action to prevent these forms of non-compliance from occurring at all.Crawford Temple, CEO of independent payment intermediary compliance assessor Professional Passport, said the governments response confirmed much of what was already known about its plans for the umbrella market, as much of it has been foreshadowed.However, it remains to be seen what the true impact of these changes will be, he continued, and more detail on that will come when the draft legislation emerges, which will provide employment agencies with a steer on how much work they will need to do to comply by the April 2026 deadline. The government needs to tread carefully in the implementation of its plans as any loopholes could simply lead to further exploitation of the rules and another boom in non-compliance Crawford Temple Professional PassportOne area he said the government will need to tread carefully is in how it defines umbrella companies. Any definition needs careful consideration as any definition can be re-engineered and could open the doors to further non-compliance, he said. Government needs to tread carefully in the implementation of its plans as any loopholes could simply lead to further exploitation of the rules and another boom in non-compliance.The government first committed to regulating the umbrella sector way back in 2018, so the fact there is tangible progress being made towards this goal is significant, but according to Temple regulation and making agencies accountable for ensuring contractors pay the right tax will only go so far.HMRC needs to step up, and we know that legislation is not the sole answer and must be supported with visible compliance and enforcement, which has been lacking from HMRC in recent years, he added.Meanwhile, Dave Chaplin, CEO of contracting authority ContractorCalculator, said regulation of the sector is long overdue, but the measures being put forward by the government mark a major step forward in the fight to protect workers and tackle tax non-compliance.Shifting PAYE responsibility to agencies and end clients is a game-changer, ensuring taxes are properly collected before rogue umbrella companies can rip-off workers and the exchequer with non-compliant practices, he said.Regulating umbrella companies will finally bring accountability to an industry that has operated unchecked for too long. The fight against tax fraud and unfair deductions isnt over, but these reforms lay the foundation for a fairer labour market.Read more about umbrella companiesWith the umbrella company industry increasingly findingitself under attack from cyber criminals, contracting market stakeholders embark on a fresh round of calls for the industry to be regulated.With thousands of IT contractors set to start working through unregulated umbrellacompanies for the first time when the IR35 reforms take hold in the private sector, concerns are growing about the danger this could pose to their income and tax affairs in years to come.

When I first started work as a civil servant in 2017, people were quick to talk to me about issues with the way that we funded digital work. I subsequently had the opportunity of experiencing these challenges and reading countless blogs and opinions arguing that reform of funding was the single most important issue to unlock to truly deliver digital government.I disagree. While funding is important, its just one of a number of fundamentals that need to change that together represent something much deeper and more complex to shift than one particular policy or process.In the digital world, IT leaders spent years refining technology and ways of working to become more adaptive and responsive to change. We deploy updates multiple times a day, design modular architectures, leverage APIs, and build platforms that allow for and indeed thrive on constant iteration and improvement.In government, however, we layer these modern approaches onto a system of thinking and doing things designed in the 19th century one built for a more static, predictable world.Successive governments see technology as a silver bullet. Whether its process automation, blockchain or artificial intelligence (AI), they assume that implementing the technology, perhaps with a few tweaks to a process here or there, will be enough to overcome deeply embedded inefficiencies. It wont.In a policy-led environment, we have to start there. The way government creates policy and legislation hinders the ability to deliver modern digital services. The civil service is not set up for, incentivised to, or focused on creating digital solutions to problems. They bake in ambiguity or subjectivity that requires human intervention, which means its not possible to fully automate processes.The system builds in lots of conditionality and complexity which adds cost and time to delivery. Its difficult and slow to iterate and change policy in line with changing needs, even when change is constant. While there is an aspiration to break down silos and work in multidisciplinary teams, it isnt happening fast enough.Government needs to be bolder and compel a different approach to policymaking. There are many approaches they could take here. For example, they could set up a customer experience duty to compel consideration of implementation up front; make it mandatory to create wireframes or prototypes before finalising legislation; or direct 25% of all policymaking work to focus on solving problems through digital, technology and AI.One of the things that surprised me the most going into the civil service was the absence of data something I was used to seeing when working in the private sector.Having come from commercial organisations where the cost and performance of service lines were understood and constantly challenged, I was surprised to see that wasnt the case in government. For lots of reasons it is hard to define where public services start and finish, and difficult to gather and track cost and performance metrics for those services. But that needs to change.If we dont know what a service costs end-to-end or how its performing, how do we know where to invest or where to truly find efficiencies or improve user experiences? If we dont know what a service costs or how its performing, how do we know where to invest, where to find efficiencies or improve user experiences? Gina GillTo incentivise and drive improvement the government needs to get back to basics and understand spend based on the services delivered rather than the capabilities or organisational structures that exist.We need to understand the performance and user experience of those services. And we should tie both future funding and individual performance to the cost, performance and experience of the services that the public and businesses rely on.Its not all about funding, but funding is important. Current funding processes are designed for things like railways and submarines, not modern software development. They are too slow, too rigid, and too bureaucratic.This results in delaying delivery, not properly funding business-as-usual or risk reduction, and stifling innovation and experimentation with new technologies. A recent review of digital funding also found that departments implement the most stringent and onerous version of processes to ensure compliance, rather than taking advantage of measures that are built in to enable flexibility.Government needs a new and separate approach to fund digital work to allow it to deliver faster and pivot quickly, enabling improvements in real time rather than waiting years for a major transformation programme to be set up.As I left, some departments were setting up pilots to test models to enable this. These need to be tested, mandated and embedded quickly. But we can and should go further. Alongside funding, there is a need to focus on incentives and, given the economic climate, on incentives to save money.The biggest financial prizes need departments to be incentivised to work together to unlock them. For example, if the cost of recidivism is upwards of 18bn per year, we need to collectively task the relevant departments, agencies and local authorities to reduce that cost, rather than everyone shaving an arbitrary percentage off the cost of all services.I spent many years in the private sector and public bodies as a commercial leader. Much like with funding approaches, civil servants take the most stringent and onerous approaches to comply with procurement regulations.Rather than putting the outcome first and working out how to compliantly achieve that outcome, compliance is put first and people hope it delivers the right answer. The cost and time taken to procure along with a risk-averse approach to regulation, leads to long-term, rigid contracts limiting the ability to adapt, usually with a handful of large suppliers as only they can afford to take part in lengthy procurement competitions.The government needs a different approach to procurement of digital products and services, led by digital commercial specialists. It needs to mandate the use of the flexibility that exists in frameworks already to compete faster so that departments use that flexibility - using benchmarks and setting standards for what good looks like. Departments must contract in a more modular and flexible way, allowing for course correction, scaling and innovation from the outset.There is also an opportunity to contribute to growth by creating a GovTech ecosystem, such as Scotlands CivTech programme.Last but not least, there are many things written about the shortage of digital and data skills. What I want to talk about instead is digital understanding outside of the governments digital and data profession which, while improving, is still a long way from where it needs to be.The recent State of digital government report found that digital is not seen as a valued skillset at a time government is looking to technology to play a core part in making service delivery better and more efficient.We should expect senior leaders in the civil service to be able to run digital businesses - which is effectively what many of them now do - and equip them to do so well. We need to embed different expectations in job descriptions, recruitment processes, learning and development, and performance approaches for all senior leaders.Small interventions are not enough to develop leaders that have skills and confidence to lead government in a digital age. A more holistic approach is needed that immerses leaders in digital and enables them to qualify to lead the change government needs.These challenges arent easy to solve, but lots of the building blocks are in place, from understanding the issues to some parts of solutions in departments and agencies.To create a digital government, technology is not the only thing that needs to be responsive - the entire system of government needs to be designed for adaptability.The question is - are we ready to embed this thinking at the heart of how government operates? If we dont do it now, will we ever?Gina Gill was chief digital information officer at the Ministry of Justice from 2021 to 2024, and subsequently executive director of the Central Digital and Data Office, until leaving the civil service in February 2025.Read more about digital governmentLabour announces plans to overhaul digital government - The Government Digital Service will be expanded along with changes to the way technology is funded, built and delivered across the public sector, as Labour aims for improvements previous administrations struggled to achieve.Rewiring Whitehall: The next steps in digital government - Theres a new government in place with fresh impetus to accelerate the digital transformation of public services, but whats going to be different, better and more successful this time around?Digital transformation - the missing government mission? Not for the first time, an incoming government has an enormous opportunity to improve public services through digital transformation - but whoever wins the general election will need to learn the lessons of the past.

The website does a great job 'talking about, reviewing, and keeping up to date with open source operating systems.' Here's why Distrowatch is often misunderstood.

ZDNET's key takeaways The OnePlus Pad 2 is the company's latest Android tablet with a premium design and flagship specs for $550. It's compatible with a keyboard and pen that OnePlus sells separately, so you can turn it into an Android-powered laptop. While the multitasking features are excellent, and the Pad 2 checks all the boxes when it comes to entertainment, it still suffers from the pitfalls of using Android on a big screen. more buying choices OnePlus is offering a great new deal on the OnePlus Pad 2. By entering the code "LUCKY25" at checkout, you slash $70 off the tablet's price tag, dropping it to $480. You also get a free gift of your choosing: either the OnePlus Stylo 2 or the OnePlus Folio Case 2.The Android tablet market has been in a weird place for a while. Companies either position them as regular iPad alternatives or try to add advanced productivity features to compete with the iPad Pro and Surface Pro. We've even seen tablets that turn into smart displays, such as the Google Pixel Tablet.Also:This ultraportable Android tablet has set a new bar for me - and it's not a Samsung or GoogleThere are many ideas about what an Android tablet can be. The new OnePlus Pad 2 combines some of these ideas while remaining moderately priced. With specs from the latest flagship smartphones, an aluminum design, quality speakers, and pogo pins for a keyboard, it aims to be both your next laptop and your go-to device for watching movies. details View at OnePlus I'll give it to OnePlus; it crafted a beautiful device. The Pad 2 sports a high-end aluminum enclosure that feels as premium as you'd expect. It's sturdy, ice-cold when you pick it up in the morning and feels like it's worth twice as much. It's also impressively thin at 6.49mm and weighs just over a pound.Also: I finally found an Android tablet with a large screen that lasts - and it comes with free earbudsThe speaker grilles are on both sides for stereo audio, and the pogo pins for the accompanying keyboard are on the bottom. OnePlus included a prominent camera bump on the back of the tablet, a brand identifier seen on most modern OnePlus smartphones. The company even says its smartwatch lineup was inspired by it. Inside the bump is a 13MP camera, which is best suited for scanning documents or QR codes -- not for replacing your smartphone camera. Max Buondonno/ZDNETThe display is quite good for an LCD. It measures 11.61 inches diagonally and features a 2800x2000 resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and 900 nits of brightness. OnePlus did a nice job calibrating the colors to appear accurate and properly saturated, making everything from movies to games look great. While I still think Apple offers the best LCDs on any tablet -- the iPad Air is a perfect example -- OnePlus comes in a close second.If you're enjoying that good-looking screen and forgot your headphones, the speakers will serve you well. OnePlus added a couple of extra speakers to the Pad 2 compared to the previous version, and they sound really good. Audio quality is full, gets really loud, and has plenty of rumbling bass for such a thin device. I played plenty of music on the tablet, and it all sounded great.Also:The new iPad Air with M3 is here - with an updated Magic Keyboard to matchThe OnePlus Pad 2 delivers flagship performance. Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it offers blazing-fast speeds, smooth animations, and hiccup-free gaming thanks to OnePlus' HyperBoosted optimizations. I've yet to encounter anything that slows it down, ensuring it's powerful enough for today and years to come. The chipset is paired with 12GB of RAM, so you won't have to worry about apps crashing in the background.I'm also happy to report that battery life is a non-issue. It's hard to mess up battery life on tablets since their large sizes can accommodate big batteries, and that's what OnePlus has done here. The Pad 2 ships with a huge 9,510mAh battery that can easily last multiple days if you use it lightly, or about a day and a half with mixed to heavy usage (e.g., watching a couple movies or TV shows, playing some games, and sorting through my inbox all day).In classic OnePlus fashion, fast charging is also included on the Pad 2. The tablet comes with a 67W SuperVOOC charger in the box that juices it back up from zero to 100 percent in around an hour and a half, which is great considering the size of the battery. Max Buondonno/ZDNETOnePlus has done a lot of work to make multitasking easier. Through OxygenOS on top of Android 14, the Pad 2 supports Open Canvas, which originally debuted on the OnePlus Open last year. This set of software features lets you multitask like a champ. You can run three apps at the same time in a shifting tile-like layout, pull up more apps through the dock or floating app drawer, drag and drop files between apps, and more. It's the most useful multitasking system I've ever used on an Android tablet.Also: Want free ebooks? These 10 sites offer thousands of optionsOnePlus also includes special settings for optimizing apps that might not include tablet layouts by default. Of course, your mileage will vary, and some apps don't work well with these shoehorned layouts, but it's at least handy if a simple app like a calendar or to-do list needs to be expanded to fill the entire screen.What'll be most useful to OnePlus smartphone users is the tight integration between them and the Pad 2. OnePlus allows you to place calls, send texts, sync your clipboard and notifications, and even remotely use apps installed on your phone right from the tablet. This obviously only applies to the few people who have invested in OnePlus' ecosystem, but it's a nice bonus nonetheless. Max Buondonno/ZDNETOnePlus sent me the $150 Smart Keyboard and $40 Folio Case 2 to round out the multitasking experience, and I have to say, they're quite good. The keyboard offers a lot of travel and is reliably responsive thanks to those pogo pins, and the case adds some extra protection to your tablet. The $99 OnePlus Stylo 2 was also in the box, and it's equally good.Also:I tested Asus' dual-screen laptop, and it sparked my creativity in the best wayGoogle has done a lot of work over the years to make Android on tablets a more pleasurable experience, but many apps still need to catch up to their iPadOS counterparts. Some are well-optimized for tablet layouts, while others insist on showing up as blown-up phone apps. Some are missing features, capabilities, and even a Play Store listing. Even Chrome refuses to load the desktop version of Google Search consistently, which is a royal pain when you're trying to get work done. Max Buondonno/ZDNETIt's also really tough trying to do laptop things with the Pad 2. If you want to edit a video or touch up some photos, you're limited to the underbaked UIs and app layouts. In some cases, I would much rather use Lightroom on my Android phone than on my tablet.One final note on software: OnePlus says the Pad 2 will receive three major OS upgrades and four years' worth of security updates, which isn't too shabby given the price.ZDNET's buying adviceIt's easy to say who should buy the OnePlus Pad 2 and who shouldn't. If you want a multimedia device with powerful performance, a nice screen, long battery life, and great speakers -- and you don't mind that it runs Android -- the Pad 2 is an excellent choice.If, however, you want a tablet that can turn into a laptop, you should consider more premium options like the iPad Pro and Surface Pro. Regardless, at $549, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a fantastic tablet that delivers on various fronts, and the company continues to offer competitive trade-in and bundling deals to help you round out the experience for less money.This article was originally published on August 2, 2024, and was updated on March 5, 2025.Featured reviews

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 31: U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters after signing an ... [+] executive order, "Unleashing prosperity through deregulation," in the Oval Office on January 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump spoke to reporters about tariffs against China, Canada and Mexico and how the newly confirmed Interior Secretary Doug Burghum will coordinate with the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Getty ImagesPresident Trump has imposed significant tariffs on top trading partners. This includes a 25% duty on goods from Canada and Mexico as well as an increase to 20% on Chinese goods. The Presidents rationale for targeting Canada and Mexico is their alleged failure to take sufficient action to curb the fentanyl crisis at the border. Additionally, he asserts that the United States is being exploited by its trade partnersThis will impact all industries with a recent article noting that vehicle prices may increase $3000. Healthcare is no different.Tariffs will either increase healthcare costs or decrease healthcare availability.What Are Tariffs?Tariffs are taxes levied by governments on imported goods, typically a percentage of their value. The incidence of this tax, who pays it, often (but not always) trickles down to consumers via higher prices or less available goods. The new tariffs seek to shield domestic industries or penalize trade partners. Used historically for revenue or trade balance adjustments, tariffs remain contentious, sparking debates over their efficacy and consumer impact. The challenge is that domestic industries can increase prices or be forced to shift to less efficient production. More recently, another challenge is that delivery of goods has become a global enterprise.The Potential Positives Of TariffsThere is a potential for increased domestic development of product lines with reduced international dependence. Scarcity breads ingenuity. Tariffs have the possibility in the long-run to develop resilience within the United States healthcare market. By raising import costs, tariffs incentivize domestic production of critical medical goods, reducing dependence on foreign supply chains. For instance, the 2022 intravenous contrast shortagetriggered by Chinas COVID-19 lockdowns slashing iodinated contrast media exportsleft U.S. hospitals scrambling, delaying scans and in some cases treatments. IV contrast is often needed to diagnose things like cancers or infections. The argument from tariff supporters is that it could create jobs and enhance national security. It could also serve as a short-term tool in negotiations for better trade rates.Three Negative Impacts of Tariffs On HealthcareTariffs will increase healthcare costs which will then be passed on to patients in one of two ways either increased cost or decreased care. Higher healthcare costs could disproportionately hit low-income and chronically ill patients reliant on affordable imports. The American Hospital Association is advocating with the Advanced Medical Technology Association to obtain an exemption for healthcare goods. 1) Increased Cost Of Generic DrugsThe additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports will elevate costs for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), many of which are sourced from China. This generally doesnt impact branded medications but generics, which will see a supply chain price increase which is almost certainly passed down to the consumer in some fashion or another. For example, generic antibiotics like amoxicillin or common steroids like hydrocortisone rely heavily on Chinese APIs. This could raise patient out-of-pocket costs or strain hospital budgets, potentially reducing access to essential medications. It will be interesting to see if companies are able to shift their API to countries not impacted by the tariffs that may have more quality oversight. Will this spawn a new era of United States development? Is that an efficient pivot?2) Higher Prices For Medical Devices69% of U.S.-marketed medical devices are manufactured entirely outside of the U.S., according to Medical Device Network.The AHA notes a large amount of sourcing of everyday medical supplies from blood pressure cuffs to sterile drapes coming from China. The bigger challenge may actually come in the 25% tariff on Mexican imports. Mexico has grown rapidly in medical device manufacturing with its lower wages and lower manufacturing costs. Mexico is seventh in the world for medical exporting and is the top exporter of medical goods to the United States. This includes everything from ultrasound machines to infusion pumps. Maquiladora zones are thriving with Mexico creating $13.7 billion in healthcare exports.This supply chain impact will put pressure on your private physician, hospital and surgery centers which will be passed on to patients and insurers.3) Economic Contraction Will Reduce Healthcare FundingThe tariffs imposed on Mexico, Canada, and China are expected to contract the economy, indirectly undermining healthcare delivery. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlantas GDPNow model now predicts a 2.8% decline in GDP for Q1 2025 due to reduced trade and investment. Currently, 143.3 million individuals receive their health insurance or subsidies for health coverage through the government, accounting for approximately 45% of total healthcare spending, with private businesses covering the remainder. An economic downturn will inevitably lead to a decline in healthcare delivery.Why Economists Dislike Tariffs, A Technical DiscussionNobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman famously urged society to evaluate programs based on their outcomes rather than their intentions.Thats why most economists dislike things like the minimum wage, tariffs and the corporate income tax.How Do Tariffs Work And How Do Trade Wars Actually Happen?Lets say Timmy loves candy bars, and his parents give him $1 a day to buy one after school. Its the highlight of his day.Timmy lives in Chocolate Town, a city with a large labor force and ample space, making it highly efficient at producing labor-intensive, intricate and handmade chocolate candy bars. Just next door is Candyland, a town rich in capital and technology. Candyland specializes in manufacturing machine-made chocolate candy bars in a wide variety of flavors with remarkable efficiency.According to the Heckscher-Ohlin model in economics, each city should specialize in goods that leverage its plentiful resourcesChocolate Town can focus on handmade candy bars and Candyland on machine-made onesand engage in free trade to exploit their comparative advantage.Despite living in Chocolate Town, Timmy loves the diverse selection of chocolate candy produced in Candyland. As a result, he typically chooses a different flavor of machine-made candy each daysome days opting for peanut butter, other days enjoying coconut, and so on.However, Chocolate Town just imposed a tariffan import taxon Candylands machine-made candy bars, raising their price in Chocolate Towns market. This protectionist measure aims to shield Chocolate Towns local candy producers from unfair competition. As a result, Timmy, who only has $1 and who prefers the machine-made bars, is stuck buying handmade ones produced locally, reducing his consumer choice and potentially increasing his costs.In response, Candyland retaliates with a counter-tariff on Chocolate Towns handmade candy bars, igniting a trade war. This escalation further distorts trade, forcing both cities to produce goods outside their comparative advantages.Chocolate Town, despite lacking the necessary capital stock, may attempt to manufacture machine-made candy bars despite having little experience operating the intricate candy-making machines. Although it has spent years perfecting world-class handmade chocolate bars, it now struggles to produce 31 different flavors using unfamiliar machinery.Meanwhile, Candyland faces its own challenges as it attempts to produce handmade candy bars despite its shortage of skilled labor. Its workforce, accustomed to operating complex candy-making machines, now finds itself manually squirting caramel into designer chocolatesan inefficient and unfamiliar process.This misallocation of resources results in productive inefficiency and a deadweight lossa reduction in overall economic welfare that benefits neither producers nor consumers.In the end, Timmy now has to ask his parents for $1.25 for a candy bar and struggles to find the one he likes.Tariffs In Healthcare EconomicsBack to healthcare, tariffs distort intertemporal resource allocation, elevating input costs (e.g., Chinese pharmaceutical ingredients) and triggering supply-side inflation. This parallels the minimum wage critique: both policies impose artificial price floors, reducing market-clearing transactions and welfare.History Provides A Cautionary Tariff TaleThe Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 levied tariffs averaging 20% on over 20,000 imported goods, intended to shield U.S. farmers and manufacturers during the Great Depression. Instead, it most likely made the depression worse. Douglas Irwins book is a fantastic read on the issue. Global trade plummeted as nations like Canada and Britain retaliated with their own tariffs, slashing United States exports by 67% from 1929 to 1933. The agricultural sector, expecting relief, saw crop prices collapse. More importantly, if your a politician, its one of the factors that led to increasing animosity toward then President Herbert Hoover.

Apple's new iPhone 16e s (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)VCG via Getty ImagesIt is official, the iPhone 16e has no parts pairing. In one generation Apple has gone from some of the worst and stifling repair practices on the market, to setting industry examples. All it took was a (not so) little push.A teardown by iFixit confirmed that components can be swapped between different iPhone 16e models without losing software features. For the uninitiated, this is a practice known as parts pairing that Apple has employed across several devices in its roster for years.For example, it isnt possible to take a genuine iPhone 15 battery from one phone and place it into another without losing some features (such as battery health data) because the part hasnt been authenticated by Apple.Repair specialists have long rallied against this because it adds complicated and expensive steps to fixing hardware that you, the consumer, supposedly owns. Apple reversed its parts pairing policy last April in a landmark win for consumers and the pro-repair community who fought for it.In that announcement the company didnt mention that its hand had been forced by legislation from the EU and a particularly aggressive Right to Repair bill in Oregon, which explicitly banned parts pairing. But it is hard to ignore the timing. Oregons legislation came into effect on January 1st 2025, three months after the iPhone 16 release.The iPhone 16e isnt just free of parts pairing, its also more repairable across the board. The new electrically released adhesive makes removing the battery easier because it can be done with a jolt of electricity rather than fumbling with sticky strips, which can snap before the battery is released.Apples new battery technology could be a result of the EU's push for more easily replaceable batteries, as reflected in the 2023 EU Batteries Regulation, which comes into full effect in 2027.However, a separate piece of legislation, the EU Ecodesign regulation, offers two options for manufacturers. Either make batteries easily replaceable by the end-user, or ensure the devices battery retains at least 83% of its capacity after 500 full charge cycles. Right to Repair Europe has described this as an exemption and a huge missed opportunity to make all smartphone and tablet batteries removable and replaceable by end-users.The iPhone 16e Release Bodes Well For The iPhone 17Apple could argue that its phones fit that exemption considering they are IP68 rated and the company has claimed recent iPhone batteries can hold 80% of their original capacity at 1000 charges.Regardless, the company has made the iPhone 16 battery easier to remove through the new electrically released adhesive technology in the base iPhone 16, iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 Plus models. At the same time, improving the adhesive strips in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Either Apple received some legal advice that it would lose an argument that its phones are exempt from the EUs battery design laws, or it made the change because it is good PR that also complies with the law. Either way, the result is welcome.iFixit points out theres still work to do, though. The USB-C charging port now comes with a repair manual for the first time, unfortunately, its not easy to repair. Youve basically got to strip the case of components before you can get to the charging port. Charging ports are important components when it comes to repair, because they take a lot of daily wear and tear. Its wild to bury such an important part under essentially every other component, but now at least Apple spells out the process, the site explains.Improved reparability and the absence of parts pairing in the iPhone 16e shows Apple is sticking with its new repair friendly policy, even though its hand had to be forced. Completing a stunning turnaround in a single generation. This bodes well for the iPhone 17, which could make more repair friendly improvements and potentially use the new battery removal system on all iPhones and not just the base models.

Key TakeawaysMozilla faced backlash after updating Firefoxs Terms of Use, which initially suggested the company could exploit user data under a broad license.Concerns grew when users noticed that Mozilla had removed a key statement from its Privacy Notice and FAQ, which previously assured them that Firefox did not sell personal data.In response, Mozilla admitted to poor wording, revised the terms, and clarified that it does not sell or claim ownership of user data.Mozilla rolled out new Terms of Use for Firefox and updated its Privacy Notice last week. However, the changes were not received well by the users, to say the least. A strong backlash from netizens started on social media soon after the update, as the new T&Cs raised concerns about how the company would use customer data.For starters, the Terms of Use initially stated that by uploading information on the platform, you can grant the company a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that information. The phrase use that information could mean that the company is imposing its own ownership on the data that users put there.What looked like a mere issue of wrong wording started a wave of concern among users, and the case went further downhill when users realized that the updated Privacy Notice and FAQ section no longer stated that the company isnt selling your data to advertisers.Earlier,the privacy notice read, The Firefox Browser is the only major browser backed by a not-for-profit that doesnt sell your personal data to advertisers while helping you protect your personal information, but it was then updated to exclude that doesnt sell your personal data to advertisers.Additionally, the FAQ Is Firefox Free? previously stated that it doesnt sell personal data. However, the statement about it not selling personal data is gone. The rest of the answer remains the same in the updated version: Yep! The Firefox browser is free. Super free, actually. No hidden costs or anything. You dont pay anything to use it.These policy changes come shortly after the company underwent major management changes in December, with new executives stepping in.Firefoxs Response to the BacklashAjit Varma, vice president of Firefox Product, accepted the mistake on their part. Weve been listening to some of our communitys concerns with parts of the TOU, specifically about licensing. Our intent was just to be as clear as possible about how we make Firefox work, but in doing so, we also created some confusion and concern Mozilla in a blog postMozilla added context to the controversial statement in its updated Terms of Service clause. It clarified that the said license does not give any data ownership to Firefox but only permission to use the information for making the platform useful for searching and enabling basic functionalities of Firefox.Ajit also addressed the users concerns by reassuring that the platform did not actually begin selling data anywhere. The only reason the terms were revised was because some jurisdictions define sell more broadly than most people would usually understand that word.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Vlad is Techreport's in-house Executive Editor. With over a decade of experience in tech content, he's passionate about computer hardware, an advocate of online privacy, and strongly believes in the open-source, scarce-money nature of cryptocurrency. When hes not working, hes traveling with his partner and their cat, learning Python, or reading good books. He never owned a PC he did not build. View all articles by Vlad Melnic 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.

Key TakeawaysThe Reading Cooperative Bank (RCB) was recently hit by a phishing attack that exposed the personal data of more than 24,041 customers.The attack happened somewhere between August 2024 and January 2025. The exact date remains unknown as of now.According to investigations, the attack originated from a phishing email that was sent to an employee.A billion-dollar bank, the Reading Cooperative Bank (RCB), has been hit by a cyberattack, which has put over 24,041 of its customers at risk.A report was filed with the Office of the Maine Attorney General by RCB, which believes that the attack took place sometime between August 2024 and January 2025.What Exactly Happened?The investigation is still ongoing, but so far it seems like an employee of the RCB received a phishing email. And as it goes with phishing attacks, the sender of the email appeared to be from a known organization with whom the bank regularly does business; hence, the employee was not suspicious.Clicking on that phishing email then gave the attacker access to the companys internal network. Typical phishing!This has resulted in a lot of sensitive information, such as names and other personally identifiable information, of affected customers being compromised.The bank has been mostly quiet about the incident as investigations run their due course. But they did implement additional security measures.We are working closely with our internal and external experts to further enhance the security of our systems RCBAs for the customers, they need to wait for further updates from the bank. In the meantime, they can either freeze their account or call a fraud alert on their credit file.The Rising Instances of Cyberattacks in the Banking IndustryCyberattacks have been on the rise since 2020, and the banking industry has been one of its biggest victims, given the nature of their business. In fact, as per a 2024-2025 survey, more than one-fifth of the cyber attacks that happen are targeted towards banks and financial institutions.Attacks on banks are much more disastrous compared to others because the money of common citizens is also at stake, some of whom might not be able to bear the brunt of such an attack.The solution is simple, though. People need to be educated about the different ways scammers might try to trick them.For instance, in this case, it was a phishing email, which is honestly one of the oldest types of cyberattacks. Banks and other companies should invest in better security infrastructure and constant monitoring and reduce their reliance on third parties. Plus, even if they do invest in outside security, they should vet them first. Lastly, the government also needs to step up its game in apprehending such criminals.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Alpa is a senior editor with a wealth of experience in alternative finance, fintech, cryptocurrency, app security software, and the medical industry. She's currently an in-house managing editor with the Techreport team.Alpa is passionate about breaking down complex topics and sharing informative content that provides value. View all articles by Alpa Somaiya 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.

Choose your answer and the correct choice will be revealed. Correct Answer:40+ billionHere's the story behind itIn 1984, the Internet had just 1,000 connected devices. By 1992, less than a decade later, that number had surged to 1 million. The rapid expansion continued, reaching 50 million by 1998, 1 billion in 2009, and an astonishing 10 billion by 2020. Today, in 2025, the number of connected devices has skyrocketed beyond 40 billion, further solidifying the dominance of the "Internet of Things" in everyday life.According to research firms such as Statista and IoT Analytics, the global IoT market has continued to expand at an unprecedented rate. In 2024 alone, over 5 billion new IoT devices were brought online, spanning industries such as healthcare, transportation, smart homes, and industrial automation. Market estimates suggest that by 2030, the number of connected devices could exceed 75 billion, fueled by advancements in 5G, AI, and edge computing.Forecasts from major technology firms vary, but there is consensus on continued explosive growth. Cisco, for instance, projects over 50 billion devices by 2030, while Ericsson estimates 48 billion by the same year.While past estimates such as Intel's ambitious 2016 prediction of 200 billion IoT devices by 2020 proved overly optimistic, today's forecasts are backed by more accurate data and real-world adoption trends.With so many IoT devices flooding the market, the impact is massive. On one hand, it promises unprecedented levels of automation, efficiency, and connectivity in everything from smart cities to precision agriculture. But there's also a downside: cybersecurity and privacy risks are bigger than ever. Keeping these networks safe means stronger regulations, smarter security systems, and more collaboration across industries to stay ahead of potential threats.As we push further into this hyper-connected world, the focus is shifting. It's no longer just about adding more devices it's about making networks faster, reducing power consumption, and ensuring ecosystems stay secure and reliable. What started as a small network of computers has now exploded into a massive, interconnected system that's shaping the future of technology, business, and everyday life.

In a nutshell: This year's MacBook Air looks nearly identical to its predecessor on the outside, but prospective buyers will benefit from better performance, a higher memory ceiling, and a slightly lower price. The main improvement is the introduction of Apple's M4 processor to the Air line, which focuses primarily on enhanced AI performance. The new MacBook Air equipped with Apple's latest M4 processor is now available for pre-order in 13-inch and 15-inch configurations, starting at $999 $100 less than last year's model or $899 for students. It will be available beginning March 12.The M4, which debuted in the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac last year, is the highlight of this update. It retains the core features of the M3, which arrived for the MacBook Air last year, but increases the CPU core count from eight to ten by adding two extra efficiency cores.With 38 TOPS of NPU performance, the M4 is Apple's leading chip in the AI PC race against Intel's new Core Ultra series and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors. Apple's AI suite includes an image generator, notification summaries, a proofreader, enhanced organization tools, and more, though consumer interest has been tepid so far.While the M4 MacBook Air offers only modest performance gains over last year's model, users still relying on the M1 edition from 2020 may see performance double in most tasks (Apple's benchmarks). Compared to the last Intel-based MacBook Air released that same year, Apple claims the M4 version delivers a massive 23x uplift.Another notable addition is a new 12-megapixel camera that supports Center Stage, which keeps the frame focused on the user during calls and meetings. The Desk View feature allows the camera to capture both the user's face and their desk simultaneously. // Related StoriesOtherwise, the M4 MacBook Air's design remains nearly identical to its predecessor. The base storage configuration is still 256GB (in the $999 model, with subsequent expensive upgrades for a larger SSD), though the highest-tier model now supports up to 32GB of RAM, likely to accommodate Apple Intelligence.Apple also announced a new Mac Studio, arriving next week, which introduces the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips. These new processors introduce significant increases in RAM capacity and core counts over the previous M2 Max and M2 Ultra models. Additionally, the maximum storage option now expands to 16TB. All four Thunderbolt ports have been upgraded to Thunderbolt 5, and the M3 Ultra model adds two additional ports. Pricing starts at $1,999, with availability beginning the same day as the new MacBook Air.