Startup [1]Nord Quantique has demonstrated that a single piece of hardware [2]can host an error-detecting logical qubit by using two quantum frequencies within one resonator. The breakthrough has the potential to slash the hardware demands for quantum error correction and deliver more compact and efficient quantum computing architectures. Ars Technica reports:

> The company did two experiments with this new hardware. First, it ran multiple rounds of error detection on data stored in the logical qubit, essentially testing its ability to act like a quantum memory and retain the information stored there. Without correcting errors, the system rapidly decayed, with an error probability in each round of measurement of about 12 percent. By the time the system reached the 25th measurement, almost every instance had already encountered an error. The second time through, the company repeated the process, discarding any instances in which an error occurred. In almost every instance, that meant the results were discarded long before they got through two dozen rounds of measurement. But at these later stages, none of the remaining instances were in an erroneous state. That indicates that a successful correction of the errors -- something the team didn't try -- would be able to fix all the detected problems.

>

> Several other companies have already performed experiments in which errors were detected -- and corrected. In a few instances, companies have even performed operations with logical qubits, although these were not sophisticated calculations. Nord Quantique, in contrast, is only showing the operation of a single logical qubit, so it's not even possible to test a two-qubit gate operation using the hardware it has described so far. So simply being able to identify the occurrence of errors is not on the cutting edge. Why is this notable?

>

> All the other companies require multiple hardware qubits to host a single logical qubit. Since building many hardware qubits has been an ongoing challenge, most researchers have plans to minimize the number of hardware qubits needed to support a logical qubit -- some combination of high-quality hardware, a clever error correction scheme, and/or a hardware-specific feature that catches the most common errors. You can view Nord Quantique's approach as being at the extreme end of the spectrum of solutions, where the number of hardware qubits required is simply one. From Nord Quantique's perspective, that's significant because it means that its hardware will ultimately occupy less space and have lower power and cooling requirements than some of its competitors. (Other hardware, like neutral atoms, requires lots of lasers and a high vacuum, so the needs are difficult to compare.) But it also means that, should it become technically difficult to get large numbers of qubits to operate as a coherent whole, Nord Quantique's approach may ultimately help us overcome some of these limits.



[1] https://nordquantique.ca/en

[2] https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/06/startup-puts-a-logical-qubit-in-a-single-piece-of-hardware/

Longtime Slashdot reader [1]sinij shares a report from Car and Driver:

> [Volvo] is [2]debuting a new version of the three-point seatbelt that it believes is a major improvement over the original. The new design will be a smart belt that adapts to each occupant's body and adjusts the belt load accordingly. It uses data from interior and exterior sensors to customize protection based on the road conditions and the specific occupants. The technology will debut on the upcoming EX60 crossover.

>

> According to Volvo, the onboard sensors can accurately detect a passenger's height, weight, body shape, and seating position. Based on real-time data, the belts optimize protection -- increasing belt load for larger passengers or lowering it for smaller passengers. While the technology for customizing protection isn't new -- Volvo's current belts already use three load-limiting profiles- the new belts increase that number to 11. The belts should also get safer over time, too, as they are [3]equipped to receive over-the-air updates .

sinij adds: "Downloading patches for your seat belts from China. What could possibly go wrong?"



[1] https://slashdot.org/~sinij

[2] https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/349551/volvo-cars-introduces-world-first-multi-adaptive-safety-belt-in-the-upcoming-volvo-ex60

[3] https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64970457/volvo-smart-seatbelt-revealed/

The Register's Thomas Claburn reports:

> The Linux Foundation on Friday [1]introduced a new method to distribute WordPress updates and plugins that's [2]not controlled by any one party , in a bid to "stabilize the WordPress ecosystem" after months of infighting. The [3]FAIR Package Manager project is a response to the legal brawl that [4]erupted last year , pitting WordPress co-creator Matthew Mullenweg, his for-profit hosting firm Automattic, and the WordPress Foundation that he controls, against WP Engine, a rival commercial WordPress hosting firm. [...]

>

> The Linux Foundation says the FAIR Package Manager, a mechanism for distributing open-source WordPress plugins, "eliminates reliance on any single source for core updates, plugins, themes, and more, unites a fragmented ecosystem by bringing together plugins from any source, and builds security into the supply chain." In other words, it can't be weaponized against the WordPress community because it won't be controlled by any one entity. "The FAIR Package Manager project paves the way for the stability and growth of open source content management, giving contributors and businesses additional options governed by a neutral community," said Jim Zemlin, Executive Director of the Linux Foundation, in a canned press statement. "We look forward to the growth in community and contributions this important project attracts."

>

> The [5]FAIR Package Manager repo explains the software's purpose more succinctly. The software "is a decentralized alternative to the central WordPress.org plugin and theme ecosystem, designed to return control to WordPress hosts and developers. It operates as a drop-in WordPress plugin, seamlessly replacing existing centralized services with a federated, open-source infrastructure." In addition to providing some measure of stability, the Linux Foundation sees the FAIR Package Manager as advancing WordPress' alignment with Europe's General Data Protection Regulation by reducing automatic browser data transmission and telemetry sent to commercial entities, while also supporting modern security practices and strengthening the open source software supply chain.



[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/linux-foundation-announces-the-fair-package-manager-project-for-open-source-content-management-system-stability-302474814.html

[2] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/06/linux_foundation_wordpress_peacemaker/

[3] https://www.linuxfoundation.org/press/linux-foundation-announces-the-fair-package-manager-project-for-open-source-content-management-system-stability

[4] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/01/10/1757231/automattic-slashes-wordpressorg-support-in-battle-with-wp-engine

[5] https://github.com/fairpm

Apple's [1]Worldwide Developers Conference 25 (WWDC) kicks off next week, June 9th, showcasing the company's latest software and new technologies. That includes the next version of iOS, which is rumored to have the most significant design overhaul since the introduction of iOS 7. Here's an overview of what to expect:

> Major Software Redesigns

> Apple plans to shift its operating system naming to [2]reflect the release year , moving from sequential numbers to year-based identifiers. Consequently, the upcoming releases will be labeled as iOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, etc., streamlining the versioning across platforms.

>

> iOS 26 is anticipated to feature a glossy, glass-like interface inspired by visionOS, incorporating translucent elements and rounded buttons. This design language is expected to extend across iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, promoting a cohesive user experience across devices. Core applications like Phone, Safari, and Camera are slated for significant redesigns, too. For instance, Safari may introduce a translucent, "glassy" address bar, aligning with the new visual aesthetics.

>

> While AI is not expected to be the main focus due to Siri's current readiness, some AI-related updates are rumored. The Shortcuts app may gain "Apple Intelligence," enabling users to create shortcuts using natural language. It's also possible that Gemini will be offered as an option for AI functionalities on the iPhone, similar to ChatGPT.

>

> Other App and Feature Updates

> The lock screen might display charging estimates, indicating how long it will take for the phone to fully charge. There's a rumor about bringing live translation features to AirPods. The Messages app could receive automatic translations and call support; the Music app might introduce full-screen animated lock screen art; and Apple Notes may get markdown support. Users may also only need to log into a captive Wi-Fi portal once, and all their devices will automatically be logged in.

>

> Significant updates are expected for Apple Home. There's speculation about the potential announcement of a "HomePad" with a screen, Apple's competitor to devices like the Nest Hub Mini. A new dedicated Apple gaming app is also anticipated to replace Game Center.

If you're expecting new hardware, don't hold your breath. The event is expected to focus primarily on software developments. It may even see discontinued support for several older Intel-based Macs in macOS 26, including models like the 2018 MacBook Pro and the 2019 iMac, as Apple continues its transition towards exclusive support for Apple Silicon devices.

Sources:

[3]Apple WWDC 2025 Rumors and Predictions! (Waveform)

[4]WWDC 2025 Overview (MacRumors)

[5]WWDC 2025: What to expect from this year's conference (TechCrunch)

[6]What to expect from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next week (Ars Technica)

[7]Apple's WWDC 2025: How to Watch and What to Expect (Wired)



[1] https://developer.apple.com/wwdc25/

[2] https://apple.slashdot.org/story/25/05/28/1953246/apple-will-announce-ios-26-at-wwdc-not-ios-19

[3] https://www.youtube.com/@WaveformClips

[4] https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/wwdc/

[5] https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/06/wwdc-2025-what-to-expect-from-this-years-conference/

[6] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/06/what-to-expect-from-apples-worldwide-developers-conference-next-week/

[7] https://www.wired.com/story/apple-wwdc-2025-how-to-watch-what-to-expect/

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica:

> In 2019, we told you about a new [1]interactive digital "murder map " of London compiled by University of Cambridge criminologist Manuel Eisner. Drawing on data catalogued in the city coroners' rolls, the map showed the approximate location of 142 homicide cases in late medieval London. The Medieval Murder Maps project has since expanded to include maps of York and Oxford homicides, as well as podcast episodes focusing on individual cases. It's easy to lose oneself down the rabbit hole of medieval murder for hours, filtering the killings by year, choice of weapon, and location. Think of it as a kind of 14th-century version of Clue: It was the noblewoman's hired assassins armed with daggers in the streets of Cheapside near St. Paul's Cathedral. And that's just [2]the juiciest of the various cases described in a new paper [3]published in the journal Criminal Law Forum .

>

> The noblewoman was Ela Fitzpayne, wife of a knight named Sir Robert Fitzpayne, lord of Stogursey. The victim was a priest and her erstwhile lover, John Forde, who was stabbed to death in the streets of Cheapside on May 3, 1337. "We are looking at a murder commissioned by a leading figure of the English aristocracy," [4]said University of Cambridge criminologist Manuel Eisner , who heads the Medieval Murder Maps project. "It is planned and cold-blooded, with a family member and close associates carrying it out, all of which suggests a revenge motive." Members of the mapping project geocoded all the cases after determining approximate locations for the crime scenes. Written in Latin, the coroners' rolls are records of sudden or suspicious deaths as investigated by a jury of local men, called together by the coroner to establish facts and reach a verdict. Those records contain such relevant information as where the body was found and by whom; the nature of the wounds; the jury's verdict on cause of death; the weapon used and how much it was worth; the time, location, and witness accounts; whether the perpetrator was arrested, escaped, or sought sanctuary; and any legal measures taken.

The full historical context, analytical depth, and social commentary can be read in the [5]the paper .

Interestingly, Eisner "extended their spatial analysis to include homicides committed in York and London in the 14th century with similar conclusions," writes Ars' Jennifer Ouellette. Most murders often occurred in public places, usually on weekends, with knives and swords as primary weapons. Oxford had a significantly elevated violence rate compared to London and York, "suggestive of high levels of social disorganization and impunity."

London, meanwhile, showed distinct clusters of homicides, "which reflect differences in economic and social functions," the authors wrote. "In all three cities, some homicides were committed in spaces of high visibility and symbolic significance."



[1] https://www.vrc.crim.cam.ac.uk/vrcresearch/london-medieval-murder-map

[2] https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/06/cold-case-files-the-medieval-murder-of-a-troublesome-priest/

[3] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10609-025-09512-7?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR_BOOKS_ECOM_GL_PBOK_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&utm_content=textlink&utm_term=PID100017430&CJEVENT=9194da65431b11f083eb00a50a1cb827

[4] https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1085953?

[5] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10609-025-09512-7

An anonymous reader quotes a report from OregonLive:

> Together, the four founders of Beaverton startup [1]AheadComputing spent nearly a century at Intel. They were among Intel's top chip architects, working years in advance to develop new generations of microprocessors to power the computers of the future. Now they're on their own, flying without a net, [2]building a new class of microprocessor on an entirely different architecture from Intel's . Founded a year ago, AheadComputing is trying to prove there's a better way to design computer chips.

>

> "AheadComputing is doing the biggest, baddest CPU in the world," said Debbie Marr, the company's CEO. [...] AheadComputing is betting on an open architecture called RISC-V -- RISC stands for "reduced instruction set computer." The idea is to craft a streamlined microprocessor that works more efficiently by doing fewer things, and doing them better than conventional processors. For AheadComputing's founders and 80 employees, many of them also Intel alumni, it's a major break from the kind of work they've been doing all their careers. They've left a company with more than 100,000 workers to start a business with fewer than 100.

>

> "Every person in this room," Marr said, looking across a conference table at her colleagues, "we could have stayed at Intel. We could have continued to do very exciting things at Intel." They decided they had a better chance at leading a revolution in semiconductor technology at a startup than at a big, established company like Intel. And AheadComputing could be at the forefront of renewal in Oregon's semiconductor ecosystem. "We see this opportunity, this light," Marr said. "We took our chances."

It'll be years before AheadComputing's designs are on the market, but the company "envisions its chips will someday power PCs, laptops and data centers," reports OregonLive. "Possible clients could include Google, Amazon, Samsung or other large computing companies."



[1] https://www.aheadcomputing.com/

[2] https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2025/06/top-researchers-leave-intel-to-build-startup-with-the-biggest-baddest-cpu.html

[1]alternative_right shares a report:

> New York state lawmakers [2]voted to stop the NYPD's attempt to block its radio communications from the public Thursday , with the bill expected to head to Gov. Kathy Hochul's desk. The " [3]Keep Police Radio Public Act " passed both the state Senate and state Assembly, with a sponsor of the legislation arguing the proposal strikes the "proper balance" in the battle between transparency and sensitive information.

>

> "Preserving access to police radio is critical for a free press and to preserve the freedoms and protections afforded by the public availability of this information," state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) said in a statement. "As encrypted radio usage grows, my proposal strikes the proper balance between legitimate law enforcement needs and the rights and interests of New Yorkers."

>

> The bill, which was sponsored in the Assembly by lawmaker Karines Reyes (D-Bronx), is meant to make real-time police radio communications accessible to emergency services organizations and reporters. "Sensitive information" would still be kept private, according to the legislation.

In late 2023, the NYPD began encrypting its radio communications to increase officer safety and "protect the privacy interests of victims and witnesses." However, it led to outcry from press advocates and local officials concerned about reduced transparency and limited access to real-time information.

A bill to address the issue has passed both chambers of New York's legislature, but Governor Hochul has not yet indicated whether she will sign it.



[1] https://slashdot.org/~alternative_right

[2] https://nypost.com/2025/06/05/us-news/new-york-state-lawmakers-vote-to-stop-nypds-attempt-to-block-radio-communications-from-public/

[3] https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3516

[1]Mirnotoriety shares a report from the Independent:

> Downing Street is exploring a proposal to [2]introduce digital ID cards for every adult in Britain in a move to tackle the UK's illegal migration crisis, according to reports. The new "BritCard" would be used to check on an individual's right to live and work in Britain, with senior No 10 figures examining the proposal, The Times has [3]reported .

>

> The card, stored on a smartphone, would reportedly be linked to government records and could check entitlements to benefits and monitor welfare fraud. [...] ... it would cost up to 400 million pounds to build the system and around 10 million pounds a year to administer as a free-to-use phone app.



[1] https://slashdot.org/~Mirnotoriety

[2] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/downing-street-id-card-proposal-uk-britain-b2764803.html

[3] https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/no-10-examines-plan-for-digital-id-cards-to-cut-illegal-migration-3fqst2dl5

An anonymous reader quotes a report from BleepingComputer:

> The FBI is warning that the BADBOX 2.0 malware campaign has [1]infected over 1 million home Internet-connected devices , converting consumer electronics into residential proxies that are used for malicious activity. The BADBOX botnet is commonly found on Chinese Android-based smart TVs, streaming boxes, projectors, tablets, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. "The BADBOX 2.0 botnet consists of millions of infected devices and maintains numerous backdoors to proxy services that cyber criminal actors exploit by either selling or providing free access to compromised home networks to be used for various criminal activity," [2]warns the FBI .

>

> These devices come preloaded with the BADBOX 2.0 malware botnet or become infected after installing firmware updates and through malicious Android applications that sneak onto Google Play and third-party app stores. "Cyber criminals gain unauthorized access to home networks by either configuring the product with malicious software prior to the users purchase or infecting the device as it downloads required applications that contain backdoors, usually during the set-up process," explains the FBI. "Once these compromised IoT devices are connected to home networks, the infected devices are susceptible to becoming part of the BADBOX 2.0 botnet and residential proxy services4 known to be used for malicious activity."

>

> Once infected, the devices connect to the attacker's command and control (C2) servers, where they receive commands to execute on the compromised devices, such as [routing malicious traffic through residential IPs to obscure cybercriminal activity, performing background ad fraud to generate revenue, and launching credential-stuffing attacks using stolen login data]. Over the years, the malware botnet continued expanding until 2024, when Germany's cybersecurity agency disrupted the botnet in the country by sinkholing the communication between infected devices and the attacker's infrastructure, effectively rendering the malware useless. However, that did not stop the threat actors, with researchers saying they found the malware installed on 192,000 devices a week later. Even more concerning, the malware was found on more mainstream brands, like Yandex TVs and Hisense smartphones. Unfortunately, despite the previous disruption, the botnet continued to grow, with HUMAN's Satori Threat Intelligence stating that over 1 million consumer devices had become infected by March 2025. This new larger botnet is now being called BADBOX 2.0 to indicate a new tracking of the malware campaign.

"This scheme impacted more than 1 million consumer devices. Devices connected to the BADBOX 2.0 operation included lower-price-point, 'off brand,' uncertified tablets, connected TV (CTV) boxes, digital projectors, and more," [3]explains HUMAN .

"The infected devices are Android Open Source Project devices, not Android TV OS devices or Play Protect certified Android devices. All of these devices are manufactured in mainland China and shipped globally; indeed, HUMAN observed BADBOX 2.0-associated traffic from 222 countries and territories worldwide."



[1] https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/fbi-badbox-20-android-malware-infects-millions-of-consumer-devices/

[2] https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250605#fn2

[3] http://www.humansecurity.com/learn/blog/satori-threat-intelligence-disruption-badbox-2-0/

Chinese student enrollment at American universities has dropped to 277,000 in the 2023-24 academic year, down from a peak of 372,000 in 2019-20, according to data in a new report examining [1]shifting global education patterns . The decline accelerated following the State Department's May 28th announcement of an "aggressive" campaign to revoke visas for Chinese students in "critical fields" of science and engineering, as well as those with unspecified Communist Party "connections."

The trend reflects broader economic and geopolitical pressures beyond visa restrictions. Chinese families increasingly view American education as too expensive amid China's economic downturn and property market decline, while domestic employers have grown suspicious of foreign-educated graduates. Meanwhile, Chinese students are choosing alternatives including Britain, which hosted nearly 150,000 Chinese students in 2023-24, and regional destinations like Japan, where Chinese enrollment increased to 115,000 in 2023 from under 100,000 in 2019.



[1] https://www.economist.com/china/2025/06/05/chinese-students-want-an-american-education-less-than-they-used-to

Apple will lose the ability to collect commissions on external iOS purchases in Europe starting June 23, following a European Commission ruling that [1]hinges on the grammatical interpretation of a single comma in the Digital Markets Act . The dispute centers on Article 5.4, which requires gatekeepers to allow business users "free of charge, to communicate and promote offers, including under different conditions [...], and to conclude contracts with those end users."

Apple contends that "free of charge" applies only to communication and promotion activities, not contract conclusion, allowing the company to maintain its commission structure on external transactions. The European Commission interprets the comma before "and to conclude contracts" as creating an enumeration where the free-of-charge requirement applies to all listed activities, including purchases made outside Apple's payment system.

Under the new ruling, Apple can collect commissions only on the first external transaction between users and developers, with all subsequent purchases and auto-renewed subscriptions exempt from fees. The company faces daily penalties of up to $53.5 million for non-compliance and has already been fined $570 million. Apple's internal forecasts estimate potential annual losses of "hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars" in the US alone, though Europe demands stricter changes than those projections assumed.



[1] https://cafetechinenglish.substack.com/p/a-simple-comma-will-cost-apple-billion

An anonymous reader shares a report:

> There are more than 1,000 technology unicorns, meaning venture-backed companies worth $1 billion or more, but at least one in 5 are [1]likely to fail , said Rich Wong, a partner at venture capital firm Accel Partners. "I think maybe out of that thousand, 20% fully die. The end," Wong said on Thursday at the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco.

>

> The estimate reinforces what's become a grim calculus for many companies. Tech start-up valuations soared during the 2021 pandemic boom -- before crashing back to earth, as interest rates rose and venture capital investments fell. Of the companies that don't fail, about half will be stuck -- muddling along without being able to grow bigger or go public, Wong said. Some of those may "ultimately have reality set in," and sell themselves for lower prices than once seemed feasible. Others, not quite failing, "will be a bit zombie-ish and grind on," he said.



[1] https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/758115

David Sacks, President Trump's AI policy advisor, has dismissed the prospect of implementing a universal basic income program, declaring " [1]it's not going to happen " during his tenure. He said:

> The future of AI has become a Rorschach test where everyone sees what they want. The Left envisions a post-economic order in which people stop working and instead receive government benefits. In other words, everyone on welfare. This is their fantasy; it's not going to happen."



[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-ai-czar-david-sacks-universal-basic-income-ai-jobs-2025-6

An anonymous reader quotes a report from KrebsOnSecurity:

> Ukraine has seen nearly one-fifth of its Internet space come under Russian control or sold to Internet address brokers since February 2022, a new study finds. The analysis indicates large chunks of Ukrainian Internet address space are [1]now in the hands of shadowy proxy and anonymity services that are nested at some of America's largest Internet service providers (ISPs). The findings come in a report that examines how the Russian invasion has affected Ukraine's domestic supply of Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) addresses. Researchers at Kentik, a company that measures the performance of Internet networks, found that while a majority of ISPs in Ukraine haven't changed their infrastructure much since the war began in 2022, others have resorted to selling swathes of their valuable IPv4 address space just to keep the lights on.

>

> For example, Ukraine's incumbent ISP Ukrtelecom is now routing just 29 percent of the IPv4 address ranges that the company controlled at the start of the war, Kentik found. Although much of that former IP space remains dormant, Ukrtelecom told Kentik's Doug Madory they were forced to sell many of their address blocks "to secure financial stability and continue delivering essential services." "Leasing out a portion of our IPv4 resources allowed us to mitigate some of the extraordinary challenges we have been facing since the full-scale invasion began," Ukrtelecom told Madory.

>

> Madory found much of the IPv4 space previously allocated to Ukrtelecom is now scattered to more than 100 providers globally, particularly at three large American ISPs -- Amazon (AS16509), AT&T (AS7018), and Cogent (AS174). Another Ukrainian Internet provider -- LVS (AS43310) -- in 2022 was routing approximately 6,000 IPv4 addresses across the nation. Kentik learned that by November 2022, much of that address space had been parceled out to over a dozen different locations, with the bulk of it being announced at AT&T. Ditto for the Ukrainian ISP TVCOM, which currently routes nearly 15,000 fewer IPv4 addresses than it did at the start of the war. Madory said most of those addresses have been scattered to 37 other networks outside of Eastern Europe, including Amazon, AT&T, and Microsoft.



[1] https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/06/proxy-services-feast-on-ukraines-ip-address-exodus/

Ars Technica's Kyle Orland reports:

> Last month, ahead of the launch of the Switch 2 and [1]its GameChat communication features , Nintendo [2]updated its [3]privacy policy to note that the company "may also monitor and record your video and audio interactions with other users." Now that the Switch 2 has officially launched, we have a clearer understanding of how the console handles audio and video recorded during GameChat sessions, as well as when that footage may be sent to Nintendo or shared with partners, including law enforcement. Before using GameChat on Switch 2 for the first time, you must consent to a set of GameChat Terms displayed on the system itself. These terms warn that chat content is "recorded and stored temporarily" both on your system and the system of those you chat with. But those stored recordings are only shared with Nintendo if a user reports a violation of [4]Nintendo's Community Guidelines , the company writes.

>

> That reporting feature lets a user "review a recording of the last three minutes of the latest three GameChat sessions" to highlight a particular section for review, suggesting that chat sessions are not being captured and stored in full. The terms also lay out that "these recordings are available only if the report is submitted within 24 hours," suggesting that recordings are deleted from local storage after a full day. If a report is submitted to Nintendo, the company warns that it "may disclose certain information to third parties, such as authorities, courts, lawyers, or subcontractors reviewing the reported chats." If you don't consent to the potential for such recording and sharing, you're prevented from using GameChat altogether.

>

> Nintendo is extremely clear that the purpose of its recording and review system is "to protect GameChat users, especially minors" and "to support our ability to uphold our Community Guidelines." This kind of human moderator review of chats is pretty common in the gaming world and can even apply to voice recordings made by various smart home assistants. [...] Overall, the time-limited, local-unless-reported recordings Nintendo makes here seem like a minimal intrusion on the average GameChat user's privacy. Still, if you're paranoid about Nintendo potentially seeing and hearing what's going on in your living room, it's good to at least be aware of it.



[1] https://www.nintendo.com/us/nintendo-direct/4-2-2025/?srsltid=AfmBOoq4lO9Wy0Xw7sZNqZZ5EOZdbQx4WmPAzCLvzfGu_Rcna0D9bbn4

[2] https://www.nintendo.com/us/privacy-policy/whats-changed/

[3] https://www.nintendo.com/us/privacy-policy/

[4] https://www.nintendo.com/us/community-guidelines/?srsltid=AfmBOoq-mAHbzdcIN7q8kBPONxq-dm5WM2_fFDG_ec16SRZc0dWkz-Xr

UK tech job openings have [1]surged 21% to pre-pandemic levels , driven largely by a 200% spike in demand for AI skills. London accounted for 80% of the AI-related postings. The Register reports:

> Accenture collected data from LinkedIn in the first and second week of February 2025, and supplemented the results with a survey of more than 4,000 respondents conducted by research firm YouGov between July and August 2024. The research found a 53 percent annual increase in those describing themselves as having tech skills, amounting to 1.69 million people reporting skills in disciplines including cyber, data, and robotics. [...]

>

> The research found that London-based companies said they would allocate a fifth of their tech budgets to AI this year, compared to 13 percent who said the same and were based in North East England, Scotland, and Wales. Growth in revenue per employee increased during the period when LLMs emerged, from 7 percent annually between 2018 and 2022 to 27 percent between 2018 and 2024. Meanwhile, growth in the same measure fell slightly in industries less affected by AI, such as mining and hospitality, the researchers said.



[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/05/accenture_uk_tech_vacancies/

Intel has implemented a strict new policy [1]requiring all new projects to demonstrate at least a 50% gross margin to move forward . CEO Lip-Bu Tan [2]explained Intel's new risk-averse policy as "something that we probably should have had before," later clarifying that the number is a figure the company is aspiring toward internally. Tom's Hardware reports:

> Tan is reportedly "laser focused on the fact that we need to get our gross margins back up above 50%." To accomplish this, Tan is also said to be investigating and potentially cancelling or changing unprofitable deals with other companies. Intel's margins have slipped to new lows for the company in recent months. MacroTrends reports Intel's trailing 12 months gross margin for Q1 2025 was as low as 31.67%. Intel's gross margins had hovered around the 60% mark for the ten years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, falling beneath 50% in Q2 2022 and continuing to steadily fall ever since.

>

> Holthaus predicts a "tug-of-war" to ensue within Intel in the coming months as engineers and executives reckon with being forced between a rock and a hard place. "We need to be building products that... fit the right competitive landscape and requirements of our customers, but also have the right cost structure in place. It really requires us to do both." [...] Tan is also quoted as wanting to turn Intel into an "engineering-focused company" again under his leadership. To reach this, Tan has committed to investing in recruiting and retaining top talent; "I believe Intel has lost some of this talent over the years; I want to create a culture of innovation empowerment." Maintaining a culture of empowering innovation and top talent seems, on its face, at odds with layoffs and a lock on projects not projected to gross 50% margins, but Tan seemingly has Intel investors on his side in these pursuits.



[1] https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/intel-draws-a-line-in-the-sand-to-boost-gross-margins-new-products-must-deliver-50-percent-to-get-the-green-light

[2] https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/intel-at-bank-of-america-conference-strategic-shifts-and-ai-focus-93CH-4079356

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CBC:

> A consumer organization filed a complaint with the European Commission on Thursday against online fast-fashion retailer Shein over its use of "dark patterns," which are tactics designed to make people buy more on its app and website. Pop-ups urging customers not to leave the app or risk losing promotions, countdown timers that create time pressure to complete a purchase and the infinite scroll on its app are among the methods Shein uses that [1]could be considered "aggressive commercial practices ," wrote BEUC, a pan-European consumer group, in a report.

>

> The BEUC also detailed Shein's use of frequent notifications, with one phone receiving 12 notifications from the app in a single day. "For fast fashion you need to have volume, you need to have mass consumption, and these dark patterns are designed to stimulate mass consumption," said Agustin Reyna, director general of BEUC, in an interview. "For us, to be satisfactory they need to get rid of these dark patterns, but the question is whether they will have enough incentive to do so, knowing the potential impact it can have on the volume of purchases." [...]

>

> The BEUC also targeted the online discount platform Temu, a Shein rival, in a previous complaint. Both platforms have surged in popularity in Europe, partly helped by apps that encourage shoppers to engage with games and stand to win discounts and free products. [...] The BEUC noted that dark patterns are widely used by mass-market clothing retailers and called on the consumer protection network to include other retailers in its investigation. It said 25 of its member organizations in 21 countries, including France, Germany and Spain, joined in the grievance filed with the commission and with the European consumer protection network.

Temu and Shein have their own issues in the United States. Following the [2]recent closure of the de minimis loophole, use of the two Chinese platforms have slowed significantly. "Temu's U.S. daily active users (DAUs) [3]dropped 52% in May versus March , before Trump's tariffs were announced, while those at rival Shein were down 25%," reports CNBC, citing data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

"The declines were also reflected in both platforms' Apple App Store rankings. Temu averaged a rank of 132 in May 2025, down from an average top 3 ranking a year ago, while Shein averaged a rank of 60 last month versus a top 10 ranking the year prior, the data showed."



[1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/shein-eu-consumer-group-complaint-dark-pattern-1.7552989

[2] https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/05/02/2121218/temu-to-stop-selling-goods-from-china-directly-to-us-customers

[3] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/05/shein-temu-see-us-demand-plunge-on-de-minimis-trade-loophole-closure.html

Circle Internet Group [1]surged 168% in its NYSE debut , raising nearly $1.1 billion after pricing its IPO at $31 and opening at $69. "At one point, shares traded as high as $103.75," notes CNBC. From the report:

> The New York-based company priced its IPO late Wednesday far above this week's expected range of $27 to $28, and an initial range last week of between $24 and $26, valuing the company at some $6.8 billion before trading began. Trading volume by the end of the session was about 46 million, far exceeding the number of freely floating shares available for trading.

>

> Circle joins Coinbase, Mara Holdings and Riot Platforms as one of the few pure-play crypto companies to list in the U.S. This marks the company's second attempt at going public. A prior merger with a special purpose acquisition company collapsed in late 2022 amid regulatory challenges.

"To realize our vision, we needed to forge relationships with governments, we needed to work with policymakers ... because if you want this to work for mainstream, it's got to work in mainstream society and you need to have those rules of the road," CEO Jeremy Allaire told CNBC's "Money Movers" on Thursday. "We've been one of the most licensed, regulated, compliant, transparent companies in the entire history of this industry, and that's served us well."



[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/05/stablecoin-issuer-circle-soars-in-nyse-debut-after-pricing-ipo-above-expected-range.html

Anthropic cut AI coding assistant Windsurf's direct access to its Claude models after media reported that rival OpenAI [1]plans to acquire the startup for $3 billion . Anthropic co-founder Jared Kaplan told TechCrunch that " [2]it would be odd for us to be selling Claude to OpenAI ," explaining the decision to cut access to Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Claude 3.7 Sonnet models.



[1] https://slashdot.org/story/25/05/06/0152211/openai-reaches-agreement-to-buy-startup-windsurf-for-3-billion

[2] https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/05/anthropic-co-founder-on-cutting-access-to-windsurf-it-would-be-odd-for-us-to-sell-claude-to-openai/