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Amazon's Starlink Rival Struggles To Ramp Up Satellite Production
Amazon's internet-from-space venture is struggling to ramp up production, jeopardizing its ability to meet a government deadline to have more than 1,600 satellites in orbit by next summer. From a report: Project Kuiper has completed just a few dozen satellites so far, more than a year into its manufacturing program, according to three people familiar with the situation. The slow pace, combined with rocket launch delays, means the company will probably have to seek an extension from the Federal Communications Commission, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential matters.
The agency, which has oversight of transmissions from space, expects the company to have half its planned constellation of 3,236 satellites operating by the end of July 2026. To meet that requirement, Amazon would have to at least quadruple the current rate of production, which has yet to consistently reach one satellite a day, two of the people said.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Tern Coffee and Tea coming to Brunswick
The store is opening in the former Maine Street home of Vinylhaven.
Apple and Meta attack 'unfair' €700m EU fines
The tech giants have reacted with fury, accusing the EU of unfairly pursuing US companies.
Apple and Meta attack 'unfair' €700m EU fines
The tech giants have reacted with fury, accusing the EU of unfairly pursuing US companies.
Soakology to close after 20 years on Congress Street
May 11 is the last day for the foot-soaking spa and tea lounge.
On YouTube's 20th Anniversary, the Platform Says Over 20 Trillion Videos Have Been Uploaded
On its 20th anniversary, YouTube now says that since YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim's video -- "Me at the zoo" -- was posted, more than 20 trillion videos have been uploaded. From a report: The video behemoth dropped a number of jaw-dropping stats Wednesday, along with significant updates to its TV experience, which has become a strategic priority for the platform, all connected to its anniversary. YouTube says that as of March 2025, more than 20 million videos are uploaded every single day, and that in 2024 users posted more than 100 million comments on videos, on average, every day.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
UBS and Gartner Trim Smartphone, PC Forecasts Amid Tariff Fears
Analysts at UBS and Gartner have significantly reduced their growth forecasts for global PC and smartphone markets as a result of mounting pressures from trade tariffs and broader macroeconomic uncertainties that are expected to impact consumer demand through 2026. From a report: In a pair of research reports sent to their clients on Wednesday, UBS and Gartner revised down their global PC shipments forecast for 2025 and 2026 from previous estimates of 5% and 4% growth to just 2% for both years, citing the potential impact of trade policy and macroeconomic headwinds. The investment bank and Gartner also cut their global smartphone shipment growth forecast for 2025 to 1% (1,235 million units) from 2%, while reducing its 2026 projection from 1% growth to flat at 1,235 million units.
The outlook is particularly grim for the US market, which accounts for 24% of global PC units and 31% of global PC value. UBS expects the region to be disproportionately affected by tariff measures, projecting US PC demand could decline by 1.1% in 2025 before registering a modest 0.8% recovery in 2026, significantly underperforming compared to the mid-single-digit growth forecasts for other regions.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
WhatsApp defends 'optional' AI tool that cannot be turned off
While Meta says the AI chatbot is a "good thing", some users have shared their frustrations.
WhatsApp defends 'optional' AI tool that cannot be turned off
While Meta says the AI chatbot is a "good thing", some users have shared their frustrations.
Deep-Sea Fishers Fight for Wi-Fi
Indonesian migrant fishermen working in Taiwan's distant-water fishing fleet are trapped in brutal conditions that strip away basic human communication. Sailors spend up to 10 months at sea, working 22-hour days with no internet access, unable to contact families or report workplace hazards. A coalition of labor rights groups, 404 Media, is pushing to mandate Wi-Fi on ships, challenging an industry that intentionally isolates workers and prevents them from seeking help or organizing.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
WobKey Rainy 75 Review: A Great Budget Mechanical Keyboard
Budget mechanical keyboards just keep getting better.
Morel Biggie Bluetooth Speaker Review
Maximum bass and minimal features make for a beguiling mix from this beautifully made Bluetooth speaker.
The Tariffs Are Coming for Baby Products
“These tariffs are essentially a baby tax on already-struggling families,” says one CEO of a baby registry company.
Shopify Must Face Data Privacy Lawsuit In US
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: A U.S. appeals court on Monday revived a proposed data privacy class action against Shopify, a decision that could make it easier for American courts to assert jurisdiction over internet-based platforms. In a 10-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said the Canadian e-commerce company can be sued in California for collecting personal identifying data from people who make purchases on websites of retailers from that state.
Brandon Briskin, a California resident, said Shopify installed tracking software known as cookies on his iPhone without his consent when he bought athletic wear from the retailer I Am Becoming, and used his data to create a profile it could sell to other merchants. Shopify said it should not be sued in California because it operates nationwide and did not aim its conduct toward that state. The Ottawa-based company said Briskin could sue in Delaware, New York or Canada. A lower court judge and a three-judge 9th Circuit panel had agreed the case should be dismissed, but the full appeals court said Shopify "expressly aimed" its conduct toward California.
"Shopify deliberately reached out ... by knowingly installing tracking software onto unsuspecting Californians' phones so that it could later sell the data it obtained, in a manner that was neither random, isolated, or fortuitous," Circuit Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw wrote for the majority. A spokesman for Shopify said the decision "attacks the basics of how the internet works," and drags entrepreneurs who run online businesses into distant courtrooms regardless of where they operate. Shopify's next legal steps are unclear.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
5 Best Smart Locks (2025), Tested and Reviewed
Upgrade your locks with fingerprint-scanning or a keypad, whether it’s at the front door or a sliding glass entryway.
13 Best Mattresses Online—We Slept on Them for At Least a Week (2025)
WIRED has tested hundreds of bed-in-a-box mattresses for a week each. Our top pick, the Helix Midnight Luxe hybrid, is the best bed you can buy online.
ChatGPT-maker wants to buy Google Chrome
An OpenAI executive told a US judge the company would be interested in buying the popular browser.
ChatGPT-maker wants to buy Google Chrome
An OpenAI executive told a US judge the company would be interested in buying the popular browser.
ChatGPT-maker wants to buy Google Chrome
An OpenAI executive told a US judge the company would be interested in buying the popular browser.
Musk to reduce Doge role after Tesla profits plunge
The tech boss says he intends to spend only one to two days a week on Trump administration matters.
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