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Apple has been working on self-driving cars for who knows how long now. They admitted that they're working on self-driving car tech over two years ago, but now there seems to be a setback.

According to CNBC, and confirmed by Apple, the tech giant has dismissed a significant portion of its employees from Project Titan. More than 200 employees no longer work for the secretive self-driving initiative inside Apple.

According to Apple these employees have been reassigned to other duties in other machine learning efforts that need the manpower. Even though 200 employees is indeed a substantial amount of workforce, it doesn't mean that Project Titan is dead.

Apple says they still "believe there is a huge opportunity with autonomous systems" and that Apple can be part of it.

Recent reports have uncovered that Apple is slowing down hiring, likely due to lower than expected iPhone sales.

Project Titan is lead by Apple veteran Bob Mansfield as well as former Tesla boss Doug Field who was recruited last fall. No changes to leading positions inside Project Titan have been reported.

Google is planning major changes to its web browser, Google Chrome, later this year. Some of the more important changes have to do with how ad blocking software works within the browser.

The company, known nowadays as the leading online ad distributor, is going prohibit specific type of extensions to ensure user privacy. This, however, also affects some ad blockers, like uBlock Origin, Motherboard reports.

While the update is going to allow some, like AdBlock Plus, to still function, other filtering methods will be broken by the Chrome update.

More specifically methods like the dynamic blocking of uBlock Origin with webRequest API is no longer allowed. The proper way to do this in future Chrome versions is via declarativeNetRequest API.

Google claims that Chromium project's Manifest v3 update is part of their effort to help users with the privacy and control of their browser. It seems convenient, though, that it happens to break some of the ad blockers.

Google obviously makes bulk of its revenue via ads, which is at odds with ad blockers. Google has introduces its own ad blocking feature to Chrome in order for users to have a way to get rid of the most egregious adverts.

AfterDawn will celebrate its 20th birthday this year. As you might imagine, 20 years in Internet business means that we have changed our site's concept, services and focus quite a few times over these years. Now, it is time to shut down one of those old services.

Originally, when we launched AfterDawn back in June 1999, one of our goals was to provide information about MP3 technology, including guides on how to use it and also to support indie artists without record label contracts. To achieve this, we set up a news section, guide section and also a section for indie artists to distribute their music through our site, for free.

This royalty-free MP3 service was at the very core of AfterDawn during our first years. But very soon it became clear that the most sought-after content was about MP3 technology and guides related to it. With the arrival of the Millennium, MP3 had become a mainstream topic. To tap into this trend, we launched our own MP3 search engine that allowed users to search through various MP3 services, FTP sites and more. Very quickly, we decided to move the MP3 search engine to its own domain, and thus, MP3Lizard.com had born.

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Meizu has unveiled a new flagship smartphone that is unlike anything we've seen before.

Minimalist design is obviously the thing these days, and companies everywhere are removing external fingerprint sensors, ports and buttons from their phones, but Meizu Zero has it turned up to eleven.

Meizu's new phone features a 5.99 inch OLED screen and a dual camera setup in the back, but the most striking feature is that there are no buttons and no headphone jack or speaker grills. In fact, there isn't a single hole in the phone except for a tiny pinpoint-sized hole for the microphone and another one for hard reset.

This means that the phone obviously supports wireless charging, with 18 watt energy transfer, and the sound is created by the display with what the company calls mSound 2.0 technology, unless you want to use wireless headphones. There's even no SIM tray.

Obviously having barely any holes in the design makes it very easy to make the phone waterproof, so to no surprise Meizu Zero is IP68 certified.

It's a radical move, or as Apple calls it, "brave", to not include any I/O or charging ports, rely on eSIM, and not have traditional speakers, all at the same time.

According to new report, Apple is going to no longer use LCD displays in any of its new iPhones.

Apple is said to move all its smartphones to OLED panels, which are considered to be better in many respects.

Due to Apple's decision, Japan Display, the supplier of the panels for iPhone XR and others, will have to seek a bailout from foreign investors.

According to WSJ, Japan Display is in talks with TPK Holding Co. from Taiwan and Silk Road Fund controlled by Chinese government worth as much as 30% stake in the company.

Over half of Japan Display's orders have been recently from Apple. Bad outlook for the iPhone, especially iPhone XR, just has turned into an even worse situation, as Apple seems to rely solely on OLED panels in all its future iPhones.

There's still a tiny silver lining in that Apple will still have iPads and Mac products, likely for years, that will use cheaper IPS LCD panels.

Google started the year pretty generously, at least if you ask Wikimedia. The search giant has given millions in a handout to the online encyclopedia.

The non-profit Wikimedia, most known for the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, has received another $3.1 million contribution from Google, the company has announced at the World Economic Forum.

This isn't the first time Google is helping Wikimedia keep the boat afloat. Now the contributions total $7.5 million in the past decade, Wired reports.

Furthermore, Google is allowing Wikimedia to use some of its AI and machine learning tools for free, which might be invaluable.

One third of the $3.1 million will go into sustaining current operations while the rest, around $2 million, are meant for long-term viability.

Early in the game, Google tried to compete against Wikipedia with their own service, dubbed Knol, in which entries were made by hired professionals instead of the volunteers from the greater public.

Google uses Wikipedia in many of its products, so the donation isn't, of course, solely selfless.

Netflix has become a member of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the first Internet-based service to join the trade group.

By joining the MPAA, Netflix is now part of the same trade group as the old Hollywood guard including Disney, Paramount, Sony, Fox, Universal, and Warner Bros. It is another major step for Netflix as it establishes itself as a serious producer of content rather than a service streaming only others' content.

"On behalf of the MPAA and its member companies, I am delighted to welcome Netflix as a partner," said MPAA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin.

"All of our members are committed to pushing the film and television industry forward, in both how we tell stories and how we reach audiences. Adding Netflix will allow us to even more effectively advocate for the global community of creative storytellers, and I look forward to seeing what we can all achieve together."

Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer, said that joining the MPAA further exemplifies its commitment to ensuring the vibrancy of creative industries and the many talented people who work in them all over the world.

"We look forward to supporting the association team and their important efforts."

Spotify's latest app allows users to mute and block artists they don't want to hear while using the music streaming service.

With its latest mobile app update, you can quite easily make sure that you won't run into music by artists you cannot stand anymore. You just have to go to that artist's Spotify page and tap on the three dots in the top right corner, then choose "Don't play this artist."

If all goes well, the app will confirm with a message stating, "Ok, we won't play music from this artist."

The block will apply to all of that artist's own music, but will not include tracks they are guest featured on as of now. Once the block is enabled, you won't hear from that artist from a library, a playlist, chart list or a radio station on the service.

Spotify had previously removed controversial artists from curated playlists but backtracked on the decision after backlash from record companies and artists. It would appear Spotify would rather leave blocking up to users to do themselves if they wish!

Source: www.thurrott.com

The European Union's controversial copyright reforms came to a stall this week after member states failed to agree to the changes.

A meeting had been scheduled for Monday between European Commission officials, member state representatives, and MEPs but was canceled after member states rebuffed the latest directive. That happened on Friday when eleven countries opposed the latest draft as had been written up by Romania.

At the core of the objections are the notorious Article 11 and Article 13. In summary, Article 11 could see search engines and social media platforms forced to pay publishers for snippets of content and links - a so-called "link tax." Article 13 mandates the use of content upload filters similar to YouTube's Content ID in order to prevent copyright infringement.

The changes have been strongly opposed by web giants like Google and Facebook, who argue that they are likely to harm creators. Digital rights' activists and web entrepreneurs argued that the filtering required by Article 13 is beyond the resources of smaller web firms and start-ups. There are also concerns that content that should not be filtered out for copyright purposes, such as memes, could be affected by content upload filters.

Microsoft is working on some voice assistant changes, as is evident from recently revealing that search bar and Cortana are going to be separated in Windows 10.

There's much more happening behind the scenes, though. Not long ago, Cortana boss Javier Soltero left Microsoft, and perhaps that was beginning of the end for Microsoft's Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant competitor.

Now Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella no longer wants to consider Cortana directly opposite to Alexa and Assistant. According to Nadella, it is more important that Cortana is a service that works on all platforms and supports all kinds of devices, and more importantly even support the other assistants.

Nadella's thought of not competing but complimenting other assistants might be beautiful, but why would Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa user ever want to, or have to, use Cortana on their own platforms?

It does sound a little like Microsoft just threw in the towel because they couldn't or don't want to compete in hardware like the smart speakers.

Perhaps Microsoft does have some tricks up its sleeve on how to differentiate Cortana from the rest. Microsoft does have strong partnership with Amazon, so maybe it can warm Google up to some kind of collaboration.

The world's leading music streaming service has managed to keep itself on a narrow path not expanding the scope of the operation beyond simple streaming service, and perhaps that is what's responsible for the company's continuing success in entertainment.

However, profits aren't exactly piling in, and there are signs that Spotify needs some innovation to reinvent itself.

The service has recently adopted Google Maps support, expanded more to podcasts, allowed Connect feature for free users, and more.

One thing Spotify hasn't expanded to is hardware, but that is about to change, according to reports by the Financial Times.

FT reports that Spotify is preparing a hardware launch, the first for the company, later this year. The device is said to be a music player for your car.

Screenshots or screen captures are an essential tools of any proper operating system. Every now and then you'll have to copy something on your screen for later use, and screenshots are the easiest and most versatile way to save important information or pictures.

Windows 10 of course offers screenshots out of the box, but there's more to it nowadays than just the Print Screen (PrtScn, PrtSc, PrintScr, etc) button. Here are a handful different ways you can take advantage of Windows 10's screenshot functions.

1) Perhaps the most known screenshot function in Windows is pressing simply the Print Screen button (sometimes with the addition of Function (fn) button) on your keyboard. This saves the entire, current, desktop view to the clipboard. You can then paste the picture to programs like Paint, and edit it as you see fit.

2) By pressing both Windows button and Print Screen simultaneously you can save the view as is to your computer's hard drive without having to edit or name it. Pictures are automatically saved to your Screenshots folder under Pictures.

3) You can take a screenshot of a single window by selecting the windows and pressing Alt and Print Screen buttons simultaneously. The picture of the windows is saved on your clipboard where you can paste it to your preferred graphics editor.

Microsoft has finally said out loud what everyone else knew already: Windows 10 Mobile operating system is dead.

Company tells in its support pages that the support for last remaining Windows-based mobile phone operating system, Windows 10 Mobile, will cease on 10th of December, 2019. After that point, there wont be any security updates or patches to the operating system.

Microsoft also tells that those still using the Windows phones should switch to either Android or iPhone before the said date.

Company itself has already moved on, having ceased the active development of the Windows Mobile back in October, 2017. Since then, Microsoft has released tons of apps for both, Android and iOS, with great success. Both, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, both have been downloaded more than 500 million times on Google Play.

According to Microsoft, existing customers can continue to use their phones even after the December deadline, but with caution, as the security problems wont be patched anymore. It is unclear whether the app store for Windows Mobile stays online after the deadline.

Netflix has revealed new financials and other statistics during their fourth quarter earnings report, and by the looks of it Reed Hastings can continue smiling.

User base grew massively over the last year, especially outside the United States. Netflix added 33 million new subscribers last year, and an estimate-beating 8.8 million in the last quarter alone.

The company's smash hit feature film Bird Box was watched over 80 million times.

Even with the impressive growth numbers, Netflix slightly missed the revenue target, and that seemed to put the tiniest of dents to stock price.

One of the more interesting statements in the earnings report is where Netflix mentioned that the toughest competition comes from not other streaming TV services but video games.

"We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO," Netflix says. The streaming giant isn't worried about closest competitors in the TV and movie space, instead it has to share much more of people's time with interactive entertainment.

Netflix has already tried one type of answer to this challenge. Recently it released a new type of interactive movie, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, which is a hybrid of video games and movies.

Late last year European Parliament voted for a new copyright directive which would have massive implications to both EU citizens as well as technology companies when it comes to sharing information online.

One company that has been very vocal about the shortcomings of the new laws, especially Article 11 and Article 13 within the directive, is Google. The search giant would have to start paying license fees to share pictures, summaries, or even headlines of linked news stories.

To further make the point, Google has provided Search Engine Land screenshots to illustrate how ridiculous the proposed laws are.

The picture is perhaps the most extreme example since companies could, for example, agree to provide some information in order to improve their ranking in search. What that world would look like, no one knows as of yet.

EU directive is currently in the final stages of drafting after which it needs to be ratified by the member states. Alongside Google and other tech giants digital rights groups such as the EFF have expressed their concerns over Article 11 and Article 13.