Trevor McNally posts videos of himself opening locks. The former Marine has 7 million followers and nearly 10 million people watched him open a Proven Industries trailer hitch lock in April using a shim cut from an aluminum can. The Florida company responded by filing a federal lawsuit in May charging McNally with eight offenses. Judge Mary Scriven denied the preliminary injunction request in June and found the video was fair use.

McNally's followers [1]then flooded the company with harassment . Proven dismissed the case in July and asked the court to seal the records. The company had initiated litigation over a video that all parties acknowledged was accurate. ArsTechnica adds:

> Judging from the number of times the lawsuit talks about 1) ridicule and 2) harassment, it seems like the case quickly became a personal one for Proven's owner and employees, who felt either mocked or threatened. That's understandable, but being mocked is not illegal and should never have led to a lawsuit or a copyright claim. As for online harassment, it remains a serious and unresolved issue, but launching a personal vendetta -- and on pretty flimsy legal grounds -- against McNally himself was patently unwise. (Doubly so given that McNally had a huge following and had already responded to DMCA takedowns by creating further videos on the subject; this wasn't someone who would simply be intimidated by a lawsuit.)

>

> In the end, Proven's lawsuit likely cost the company serious time and cash -- and generated little but bad publicity.



[1] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/suing-a-popular-youtuber-who-shimmed-a-130-lock-what-could-possibly-go-wrong/

An anonymous reader shares a report:

> The rush to secure electricity has intensified as tech companies look to spend trillions of dollars building data centers. There's an industry that [1]consumes even more power than many tech giants , and it has largely escaped the same scrutiny: suppliers of industrial gases.

>

> Everyday items like toothpaste and life-saving treatments like MRIs are among the countless parts of modern life that hinge on access to gases such as nitrogen, oxygen and helium. Producing and transporting these gases to industrial facilities and hospitals is a highly energy-intensive process. Three companies -- Linde, Air Liquide and Air Products and Chemicals -- control 70% of the $120 billion global market for industrial gases. Their initiatives to rein in electricity use or switch to renewables aren't enough to rapidly cut carbon emissions, according to a new report from the campaign group Action Speaks Louder.

>

> "The scale of the sector's greenhouse gas emissions and electricity use is staggering," said George Harding-Rolls, the group's head of campaigns and one of the authors of the report. Linde's electricity use in 2024 exceeded that of Alphabet's Google and Samsung Electronics as well as oil giant TotalEnergies, while the power use of Air Liquide and Air Products was comparable to that of Shell and Microsoft. Yet unlike fossil fuel and tech companies, these industrial gas companies are far from household names because their customers are the world's largest chemicals, steel and oil companies rather than average consumers.

>

> The industry relies on air-separation units, which use giant compressors to turn air into liquid and then distill it into its many components. These machines are responsible for much of the industry's electricity demand, and their use alone is responsible for 2% of carbon dioxide emissions in China and the US, the world's two largest polluters.



[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-10-31/the-world-s-secret-electricity-superusers-revealed

A top United States regulator plans to [1]unveil a faster approach to approving custom gene-editing treatments , a move designed to unleash a wave of industry investment that will yield cures for patients with rare diseases. From a report:

> Vinay Prasad, who oversees gene therapies at the Food and Drug Administration, said scientific advances, like Crispr, have forced the agency to relax some of its strict rules. As an example, he cited the case of 10-month-old KJ Muldoon, who this year became the first person in history to have his genes custom edited to cure an inherited disease.

>

> "Regulation has to evolve as fast as science evolves," Prasad said in an interview with Bloomberg News. The agency is "going to be extremely flexible and work very fast with the scientists who want to bring these therapies to kids who need it." Prasad plans to publish a paper in early November outlining the FDA's new approach. He predicted it will spark interest in developing treatments for conditions that may affect only a handful of people.



[1] https://financialpost.com/technology/fda-gene-editing-therapy

Google Maps is testing a power saving mode in its latest Android beta release that [1]strips the navigation interface to its bare essentials . The feature transforms the screen into a monochrome display and removes nearly all UI elements during navigation, according to AndroidAuthority.

Users discovered code strings in version 25.44.03.824313610 indicating the mode activates through the phone's physical power button rather than through any in-app menu. The stripped-down interface eliminates standard map labels and appears to omit even the name of the upcoming street where drivers need to turn. The mode supports walking, driving, and two-wheeler directions but currently cannot be used in landscape orientation.



[1] https://www.androidauthority.com/google-maps-power-saving-3611409/

An anonymous reader shares a report:

> Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [1]does not let people decline to be scanned by its new facial recognition app , which the agency uses to verify a person's identity and their immigration status, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document obtained by 404 Media. The document also says any face photos taken by the app, called Mobile Fortify, will be stored for 15 years, including those of U.S. citizens.

>

> The document provides new details about the technology behind Mobile Fortify, how the data it collects is processed and stored, and DHS's rationale for using it. On Wednesday 404 Media reported that both ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are scanning peoples' faces in the streets to verify citizenship.

>

> "ICE does not provide the opportunity for individuals to decline or consent to the collection and use of biometric data/photograph collection," the document, called a Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA), says. A PTA is a document that DHS creates in the process of deploying new technology or updating existing capabilities. It is supposed to be used by DHS's internal privacy offices to determine and describe the privacy risks of a certain piece of tech. "CBP and ICE Privacy are jointly submitting this new mobile app PTA for the ICE Mobile Fortify Mobile App (Mobile Fortify app), a mobile application developed by CBP and made accessible to ICE agents and officers operating in the field," the document, dated February, reads. 404 Media obtained the document (which you can see here) via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with CBP.



[1] https://www.404media.co/you-cant-refuse-to-be-scanned-by-ices-facial-recognition-app-dhs-document-says/

ArsTechnica:

> When graphic design platform-provider Canva [1]bought the Affinity image-editing and publishing apps early last year, we had some major questions about how the companies' priorities and products would mesh. How would Canva serve the users who preferred Affinity's perpetually licensed apps to Adobe's subscription-only software suite? And how would Affinity's strong stance against generative AI be reconciled with Canva's embrace of those technologies.

>

> This week, Canva [2]gave us definitive answers to all of those questions : a brand-new unified Affinity app that melds the Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps into a single piece of software called "Affinity by Canva" that is free to use with a Canva user account, but which gates generative AI features behind Canva's existing paid subscription plans ($120 a year for individuals).

>

> This does seem like mostly good news, in the near to mid term, for existing Affinity app users who admired Affinity's anti-AI stance: All three apps' core features are free to use, and the stuff you're being asked to pay for is stuff you mostly don't want anyway. But it may come as unwelcome news for those who like the predictability of pay-once-own-forever software or are nervous about where Canva might draw the line between "free" and "premium" features down the line.

>

> [...] There's now a dedicated page for the older versions of the Affinity apps, and an FAQ at the bottom of that page answers several questions about the fate of those apps. Affinity and Canva say they will continue to keep the activation servers and downloads for all Affinity v1 and v2 apps online for the foreseeable future, giving people who already own the existing apps a way to keep using the versions they're comfortable with. Users can opt to link their Serif Affinity store accounts to their new Canva accounts to access the old downloads without juggling multiple accounts. But those older versions of the apps "won't receive future updates" and won't be able to open files created in the new Canva-branded Affinity app.



[1] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/03/26/2013227/canva-acquires-affinity-to-fill-the-adobe-sized-holes-in-its-design-suite

[2] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/canvas-new-affinity-app-is-free-to-use-but-locks-ai-features-behind-a-subscription/

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says the company's latest big round of layoffs -- [1]about 14,000 corporate jobs -- wasn't triggered by financial strain or AI replacing workers, but [2]rather a push to stay nimble . From a report:

> Speaking with analysts on Amazon's quarterly earnings call Thursday, Jassy said the decision stemmed from a belief that the company had grown too big and too layered. "The announcement that we made a few days ago was not really financially driven, and it's not even really AI-driven -- not right now, at least," he said. "Really, it's culture."

>

> Jassy's comments are his first public explanation of the layoffs, which reportedly could ultimately total as many as 30,000 people -- and would be the largest workforce reduction in Amazon's history. The news this week prompted speculation that the cuts were tied to automation or AI-related restructuring. Earlier this year, Jassy wrote in a memo to employees that he expected Amazon's total corporate workforce to shrink over time due to efficiency gains from AI. But his comments Thursday framed the layoffs as a cultural reset aimed at keeping the company fast-moving amid what he called "the technology transformation happening right now."



[1] https://slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/0932258/amazon-says-it-will-cut-14000-corporate-roles-to-remove-layers

[2] https://www.geekwire.com/2025/its-culture-amazon-ceo-says-massive-corporate-layoffs-were-about-agility-not-ai-or-cost-cutting/

An anonymous reader shares a report:

> Adobe brought together 10,000 marketers, filmmakers and content creators to its annual conference this week to persuade them that the company's software products are adapting to AI and remain the best tools for their work. But it's Adobe's investors, rather than its users, [1]who are the most skeptical that generative AI technology won't disrupt the company's business as the top seller of software for creative professionals.

>

> Despite a strong strategy, Adobe is "at risk of structural AI-driven competitive and pricing pressure," wrote Tyler Radke, an analyst at Citigroup. The company's shares have lost about a quarter of their value this year as AI tools like Google's video-generating model Veo have gained steam. In an interview with Bloomberg Television earlier this week, Adobe Chief Executive Officer Shantanu Narayen said the company is undervalued as the market is focused on semiconductors and the training of AI models.



[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/artificial-intelligence/adobe-struggles-to-assure-investors-that-it-can-thrive-in-ai-era/ar-AA1PzcRV

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Guardian:

> Australian scientists have developed roof coatings that [1]can passively cool surfaces up to 6C below ambient temperature , as well as extract water from the atmosphere, which they say could reduce indoor temperatures during extreme heat events. One coating made from a porous film, which can be painted on to existing roofs, works by reflecting 96% of incoming solar radiation, rather than absorbing the sun's energy. It also has a high thermal emittance, meaning it effectively dissipates heat to outer space when the sky is clear. Its properties are known as passive radiative cooling. [...]

>

> In a study, published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, the researchers tested a prototype for six months on the roof of the Sydney Nanoscience Hub, pairing the cool paint with a UV-resistant topcoat that encouraged dew droplets to roll down into a receptacle. As much as 390 milliliters per sq meter per day could be collected for about a third of the year, the scientists found. Based on that water capture rate, an average Australian roof -- about 200 sq meters -- could provide up to 70 liters on days favorable for collecting dew, they estimate. [...]

>

> In well-insulated buildings, a 6C decrease in roof temperature "might result in a smaller fraction of that cooling being reflected in the top level of the house," [said the study's lead author, Prof Chiara Neto of the University of Sydney], but greater temperature reductions would be expected in most Australian houses, "where insulation is quite poor." She said the coating could also help reduce the urban heat island effect, in which hard surfaces absorb more heat than natural surfaces, resulting in urban centers being 1C to 13C warmer than rural areas.

The researchers found that the prototype coating was comprised of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene), which is used in the building industry but was "not a scalable technology going forward" due to its environmental issues. However, they are now commercializing a water-based paint with similar performance that is affordable and environmentally safer, costing about the same as standard premium paints.



[1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/31/scientists-invent-roof-coating-reduce-indoor-temperatures-hot-days

[1]schwit1 shares a report from Behind the Black:

> SpaceX is going to land this spaceship manned on the Moon, [2]whether or not NASA's SLS and Orion are ready . And even if those expensive, cumbersome, and poorly designed boondoggles are ready for those first two Artemis landings, SpaceX is likely to quickly outmatch them with numerous other private missions to the Moon, outside of NASA. It has the funds to do it, and it knows it has the customers willing to buy the flights.

The news comes from a [3]detailed update SpaceX released today on the Starship lunar lander. Here's the section where SpaceX "made it clear that it sees Starship and Superheavy as its own space effort, irrelevant of NASA":

> "To return Americans to the Moon, SpaceX aligned Starship development along two paths: development of the core Starship system and supporting infrastructure, including production facilities, test facilities, and launch sites -- which SpaceX is self-funding representing over 90% of system costs -- and development of the HLS-specific Starship configuration, which leverages and modifies the core vehicle capability to support NASA's requirements for landing crew on and returning them from the Moon. SpaceX is working under a fixed-price contract with NASA, ensuring that the company is only paid after the successful completion of progress milestones, and American taxpayers are not on the hook for increased SpaceX costs. SpaceX provides significant insight to NASA at every stage of the development process along both paths, including access to flight data from missions not funded under the HLS contract.

>

> Both pathways are necessary and made possible by SpaceX's substantial self-investments to enable the high-rate production, launch, and test of Starship for missions to the Moon and other purposes. Starship will bring the United States back to the Moon before any other nation and it will enable sustainable lunar operations by being fully and rapidly reusable, cost-effective, and capable of high frequency lunar missions with more than 100 tons of cargo capacity."



[1] https://slashdot.org/~schwit1

[2] https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/essays-and-commentaries/spacex-starship-will-be-going-to-the-moon-with-or-without-nasa/

[3] https://www.spacex.com/updates#moon-and-beyond

[1]alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org:

> It is known in the scientific community that if you have a self-sustained oscillation, such as an arteriole, and you add an external stimulus at a similar but not identical frequency, you can lock the two, meaning you can shift the frequency of the oscillator to that of the external stimulus. In fact, it has been shown that if you connect two clocks, they will eventually synchronize their ticking. Distinguished Professor of Physics and Neurobiology David Kleinfeld found that if he applied an external stimulus to a neuron, the entire vasculature would lock at the same frequency. However, if he stimulated two sets of neurons at two different frequencies, something unexpected happened: [2]some arterioles would lock at one frequency and others would lock at another frequency, forming a staircase effect .

>

> Searching for an explanation, Kleinfeld enlisted the help of his colleague, Professor of Physics Massimo Vergassola, who specializes in understanding the physics of living systems, and then recruited Ecole Normale Superieure graduate student Marie Sellier-Prono and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Complex Systems Massimo Cencini. Together, the researchers found they could use a classical model of coupled oscillators with an intestinal twist. The gut oscillates naturally due to peristalsis -- the contracting and relaxing of muscles in the digestive tract -- and provided a simplified model over the complex network of blood vessels in the brain. The intestine is unidirectional, meaning frequencies shift in one direction in a gradient from higher to lower. This is what enables food to move in one direction from the beginning of the small intestine to the end of the large intestine.

>

> "Coupled oscillators talk to each other and each section of the intestine is an oscillator that talks to the other sections near it," stated Vergassola. "Normally, coupled oscillators are studied in a homogeneous setting, meaning all the oscillators are at more or less similar frequencies. In our case, the oscillators were more varied, just as in the intestine and the brain." In studying the coupled oscillators in the gut, past researchers observed that there is indeed a staircase effect where similar frequencies lock onto those around it, allowing for the rhythmic movement of food through the digestive tract. But the height of the rises or breaks, the length of the stair runs or frequencies, and the conditions under which the staircase phenomenon occurred -- essential features of biological systems -- was something which had not been determined until now.

The findings have been [3]published in the journal Physical Review Letters .



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

[2] https://phys.org/news/2025-10-chorus-synchronized-frequencies-digest-food.html

[3] https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/8njd-qd14

An anonymous reader quotes a report from 404 Media:

> Someone recently managed to get on a Microsoft Teams call with representatives from phone hacking company Cellebrite, and then [1]leaked a screenshot of the company's capabilities against many Google Pixel phones, according to a forum post about the leak and 404 Media's review of the material. The leak follows others obtained and verified by 404 Media over the last 18 months. Those leaks [2]impacted both Cellebrite [3]and its competitor Grayshift , now owned by Magnet Forensics. Both companies constantly hunt for techniques to unlock phones law enforcement have physical access to.

>

> "You can Teams meeting with them. They tell everything. Still cannot extract esim on Pixel. Ask anything," a user called rogueFed [4]wrote on the GrapheneOS forum on Wednesday , speaking about what they learned about Cellebrite capabilities. GrapheneOS is a security- and privacy-focused Android-based operating system. rogueFed then posted two screenshots of the Microsoft Teams call. The first was a Cellebrite Support Matrix, which lays out whether the company's tech can, or can't, unlock certain phones and under what conditions. The second screenshot was of a Cellebrite employee. According to another of rogueFed's posts, the meeting took place in October. The meeting appears to have been a sales call. The employee is a "pre sales expert," according to a profile available online.

>

> The Support Matrix is focused on modern Google Pixel devices, including the Pixel 9 series. The screenshot does not include details on the Pixel 10, which is Google's latest device. It discusses Cellebrite's capabilities regarding 'before first unlock', or BFU, when a piece of phone unlocking tech tries to open a device before someone has typed in the phone's passcode for the first time since being turned on. It also shows Cellebrite's capabilities against after first unlock, or AFU, devices. The Support Matrix also shows Cellebrite's capabilities against Pixel devices running GrapheneOS, with some differences between phones running that operating system and stock Android. Cellebrite does support, for example, Pixel 9 devices BFU. Meanwhile the screenshot indicates Cellebrite cannot unlock Pixel 9 devices running GrapheneOS BFU. In their forum post, rogueFed wrote that the "meeting focused specific on GrapheneOS bypass capability." They added "very fresh info more coming."



[1] https://www.404media.co/someone-snuck-into-a-cellebrite-microsoft-teams-call-and-leaked-phone-unlocking-details/

[2] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/07/17/1845249/leaked-docs-show-what-phones-cellebrite-can-and-cant-unlock

[3] https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/24/11/30/2359220/leaked-documents-show-what-phones-secretive-tech-graykey-can-unlock

[4] https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/27698-new-cellebrite-capability-obtained-in-teams-meeting?ref=404media.co

Google and Magic Leap have extended [1]their partnership for another three years to develop Android XR glasses. They also showed off a new prototype concept that [2]combines Google's Raxium microLED light engine with Magic Leap's AR optics , resulting in a lightweight, stylish pair of glasses that blends real-world vision with multimodal AI. 9to5Google reports:

> As noted by [3]Android Central , a [4]press release shared by Magic Leap adds some further technical details. This includes mentioning that Google's "Raxium microLED light engine" integrates with Magic Leap's tech to bring "digital content seamlessly into the world." As pictured above, the "display" portion of the lens is visible at some angles, but it's largely impossible to see.

>

> Magic Leap and Google will show an AI glasses prototype at FII that will serve as a prototype and reference design for the Android XR ecosystem. The demo shows how Magic Leap's technology, integrated with Google's Raxium microLED light engine, brings digital content seamlessly into the world. The prototypes worn on stage illustrate how comfortable, stylish smart eyewear is possible and the video showed the potential for users to stay present in the real world while tapping into the knowledge and functionality of multimodal AI.

>

> During [5]the presentation , text on the nearby screens suggests that Magic Leap is mainly working with Google on the technology here, rather than bringing its own glasses to market. Magic Leap further hints at this in its press release, calling itself "an AR ecosystem partner" focused on "supporting global technology leaders that want to enter the AR market and accelerate the production of AR glasses."



[1] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/05/30/145231/google-ar-startup-magic-leap-strike-partnership-deal

[2] https://9to5google.com/2025/10/30/google-android-xr-glasses-extended-magic-leap-deal/

[3] https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/magic-leap-is-working-with-google-to-make-prototype-android-xr-glasses

[4] https://www.magicleap.com/newsroom/magic-leap-showcases-ar-expertise-in-glasses-prototype-extends-google-partnership

[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV9J9-LQ9NU

[1]alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org:

> Today's cutting-edge theory -- quantum gravity -- suggests that even space and time aren't fundamental. They emerge from something deeper: pure information. This information exists in what physicists call a Platonic realm -- a mathematical foundation more real than the physical universe we experience. It's from this realm that space and time themselves emerge. "The fundamental laws of physics cannot be contained within space and time, because they generate them. It has long been hoped, however, that a truly fundamental theory of everything could eventually describe all physical phenomena through computations grounded in these laws. Yet we have [2]demonstrated that this is not possible . A complete and consistent description of reality requires something deeper -- a form of understanding known as non-algorithmic understanding."

"We have demonstrated that it is impossible to describe all aspects of physical reality using a computational theory of quantum gravity," says Dr. Faizal. "Therefore, no physically complete and consistent theory of everything can be derived from computation alone. Rather, it requires a non-algorithmic understanding, which is more fundamental than the computational laws of quantum gravity and therefore more fundamental than spacetime itself."

"Drawing on mathematical theorems related to incompleteness and indefinability, we demonstrate that a fully consistent and complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone," explains Dr. Mir Faizal, Adjunct Professor with UBC Okanagan's Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science. "It requires non-algorithmic understanding, which by definition is beyond algorithmic computation and therefore cannot be simulated. Hence, this universe cannot be a simulation."

The findings have been [3]published in the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics .



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

[2] https://phys.org/news/2025-10-mathematical-proof-debunks-idea-universe.html

[3] https://jhap.du.ac.ir/article_488.html

PC Mag's Michael Kan writes:

> A "Keep Android Open" campaign is [1]pushing back on new rules from Google that will [2]reportedly block users from sideloading apps on Android phones. It's unclear who's running the campaign, but a [3]blog post on the free Android app store F-Droid is directing users to visit the campaign's [4]website , which urges the public to lobby government regulators to intervene and stop the upcoming restrictions. "Developers should have the right to create and distribute software without submitting to unnecessary corporate surveillance," reads an open letter posted to the site. [...]

>

> Google has described the upcoming change as akin to requiring app developers to go through "an ID check at the airport." However, F-Droid condemned the new requirement as anti-consumer choice. "If you own a computer, you should have the right to run whatever programs you want on it," it says. Additionally, the rules threaten third-party app distribution on F-Droid, which operates as a "free/open-source app distribution" model.

>

> In its blog post, F-Droid warns about the impact on users and Android app developers. "You, the creator, can no longer develop an app and share it directly with your friends, family, and community without first seeking Google's approval," the app store says. "Over half of all humankind uses an Android smartphone," the blog post adds. "Google does not own your phone. You own your phone. You have the right to decide who to trust, and where you can get your software from."



[1] https://www.pcmag.com/news/keep-android-open-campaign-pushes-back-on-googles-sideloading-restrictions

[2] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/08/25/1716213/google-to-require-identity-verification-for-all-android-app-developers-by-2027

[3] https://f-droid.org/2025/10/28/sideloading.html

[4] https://keepandroidopen.org/

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Guardian:

> When Google and Amazon negotiated a major $1.2 billion cloud-computing deal in 2021, their customer -- the Israeli government -- had an unusual demand: [1]agree to use a secret code as part of an arrangement that would become known as the "winking mechanism ." The demand, which would require Google and Amazon to effectively sidestep legal obligations in countries around the world, was born out of Israel's concerns that data it moves into the global corporations' cloud platforms could end up in the hands of foreign law enforcement authorities.

>

> Like other big tech companies, Google and Amazon's cloud businesses routinely comply with requests from police, prosecutors and security services to hand over customer data to assist investigations. This process is often cloaked in secrecy. The companies are frequently gagged from alerting the affected customer their information has been turned over. This is either because the law enforcement agency has the power to demand this or a court has ordered them to stay silent. For Israel, losing control of its data to authorities overseas was a significant concern. So to deal with the threat, officials created a secret warning system: the companies must send signals hidden in payments to the Israeli government, tipping it off when it has disclosed Israeli data to foreign courts or investigators.

>

> To clinch the lucrative contract, Google and Amazon agreed to the so-called winking mechanism, according to leaked documents seen by the Guardian, as part of a joint investigation with Israeli-Palestinian publication [2]+972 Magazine and Hebrew-language outlet [3]Local Call . Based on the documents and descriptions of the contract by Israeli officials, the investigation reveals how the companies bowed to a series of stringent and unorthodox "controls" contained within the 2021 deal, known as [4]Project Nimbus . Both Google and Amazon's cloud businesses have denied evading any legal obligations.



[1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/29/google-amazon-israel-contract-secret-code

[2] https://www.972mag.com/project-nimbus-contract-google-amazon-israel/

[3] https://www.mekomit.co.il/ps/157869/

[4] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/04/17/0014253/google-workers-protest-cloud-contract-with-israels-government

Universal Music Group has [1]settled its copyright lawsuit with AI music startup Udio and struck a licensing deal to launch a new AI-powered music platform next year. The Verge reports:

> The deal includes some form of compensation and "will provide further revenue opportunities for UMG artists and songwriters," Universal [2]says . Udio, the company behind "BBL Drizzy," will launch the platform as a subscription service next year. Universal, alongside other industry giants Sony and Warner, sued Udio and another startup Suno for "en masse" copyright infringement last year.

>

> Universal -- whose roster includes some of the world's biggest performers like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Ariana Grande -- says the new tool will "transform the user engagement experience" and let creators customize, stream, and share music. There's no indication of how much it will cost yet. Udio's existing music maker, which lets you create new songs with a few words, will remain available during the transition, though content will be held "within a walled garden" and security measures like fingerprinting will be added.



[1] https://www.theverge.com/news/809882/universal-music-udio-settlement

[2] https://www.universalmusic.com/universal-music-group-and-udio-announce-udios-first-strategic-agreements-for-new-licensed-ai-music-creation-platform/

OpenAI is reportedly preparing for a massive IPO that [1]could value the company at up to $1 trillion . It follows a [2]recent corporate restructuring that loosened its dependence on Microsoft and aligned its nonprofit foundation with financial success. Reuters reports:

> OpenAI is considering filing with securities regulators as soon as the second half of 2026, some of the people said. In preliminary discussions, the company has looked at raising $60 billion at the low end and likely more, the people said. They cautioned that talks are early and plans -- including the figures and timing - could change depending on business growth and market conditions. Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has told some associates the company is aiming for a 2027 listing, the people said. But some advisers predict it could come even sooner, around late 2026.

>

> [...] An IPO would open the door to more efficient capital raising and enable larger acquisitions using public stock, helping to finance CEO Sam Altman's plans to pour [3]trillions of dollars into AI infrastructure , according to people familiar with the company's thinking. With an annualized revenue run rate expected to reach about $20 billion by year-end, losses are also mounting inside the $500 billion company, the people said. During a livestream on Tuesday, Altman addressed the possibility of going public. "I think it's fair to say it is the most likely path for us, given the capital needs that we'll have," he said.



[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/openai-lays-groundwork-juggernaut-ipo-up-1-trillion-valuation-2025-10-29/

[2] https://slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/149254/openai-finalizes-corporate-restructuring-gives-microsoft-27-stake-and-technology-access-until-2032

[3] https://slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/1848223/openai-wants-to-get-to-1-trillion-a-year-in-infrastructure-spend-sam-altman-says

A critical security flaw in Chromium's Blink rendering engine can crash billions of browsers within seconds. Security researcher Jose Pino discovered the vulnerability and created a proof-of-concept exploit called Brash to demonstrate the bug affecting Chrome, Edge, OpenAI's ChatGPT Atlas, Brave, Vivaldi, Arc, Dia, Opera and Perplexity Comet.

The flaw, reports The Register, [1]exploits the absence of rate limiting on document.title API updates in Chromium versions 143.0.7483.0 and later. The attack injects millions of DOM mutations per second and saturates the main thread. When The Register tested the code on Edge, the browser crashed and the Windows machine locked up after about 30 seconds while consuming 18GB of RAM in one tab. Pino disclosed the bug to the Chromium security team on August 28 and followed up on August 30 but received no response. Google said it is looking into the issue.



[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/29/brash_dos_attack_crashes_chromium/

AI "cheating" app Cluely's CEO and cofounder, Chungin "Roy" Lee, said most startups flop [1]because their products don't get seen . From a report:

> "Engineers just cannot make good content," Lee said during a Wednesday interview at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 "There's a bunch of shallow replicas, but I challenge you to find one video you think is like, 'Yo, this is as tough as Cluely,'" he told TechCrunch.

>

> Every startup needs to focus more on distribution. And most startups flop because they fail to get seen, even if they have product-market fit, Lee said. Cluely launched earlier this year as a tool to help software engineers cheat on their job interviews, among other use cases. The startup earlier this year posted a tongue-in-cheek video of Lee trying to use Cluely to impress a woman on a date, which went viral.



[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/cluely-cofounder-chungin-roy-lee-engineer-viral-content-2025-10