Tech

EU won’t force publishers to grant dead video games an afterlife

Published

2 days ago

20 June 2026

OFFBEAT

Stop Killing Games campaign suffers setback as European Commission favors industry code of conduct over legal obligation

The Stop Killing Games movement was dealt a blow this week after the European Commission decided not to propose a legal obligation to keep video games playable after they are no longer commercially available.

Users of licensed software that depends on online components may also find this development of interest – more on that later.

The grievance concerns online video games that become unplayable when publishers shut down the servers they run on. Almost 1.3 million grumpy gamers signed a petition calling for publishers to ensure games enjoy an afterlife, leading to a public hearing in the European Parliament.

It’s a contentious issue. On one hand, customers who have purchased a game might feel aggrieved when it is rendered unplayable by a commercial decision. On the other, publishers argue that shutting down services must be an option when a game is no longer commercially viable.

A middle path would be a patch that lets the game run standalone, or releasing software so enthusiasts can host their own.

Ross Scott, founder of the Stop Killing Games movement, told The Register: “The behavior of the Commission seems to go beyond simply disagreeing this is a problem that needs solving. On the contrary, they haven’t clarified how the law views this situation and are trying to pass the ambiguity off to individual nation states. This is a recipe for policy fragmentation, which is under the Commission’s charter to prevent.”

Scott added that the group was not calling for “endless support” for online games. “All we can say is the Commission appears to have an agenda independent of the initiative’s request and their charter.”

Business is not a game

Software shutouts are a depressingly familiar scenario for users. Licensed software can stop working or suffer reduced functionality when online services are lost. A recent example is the impending demise of Microsoft Office 2019 for macOS, which will reach the end of the road in July due to a certificate expiration. If the application cannot reach the licensing servers, users can’t edit or save documents – rendering it mostly useless.

Scott told us the group was focused on video games for the time being because “they have an almost unique place under the law.”

“EU court rulings consider them more than ‘just’ software due to all the copyrighted content contained within them and thus subject to more laws than just those that pertain to software.”

The European Commission cited existing intellectual property protections for creators and publishers as one reason not to propose new rules. It also noted that EU consumer law already provides some safeguards. “Video game providers must inform consumers about the duration and the conditions for terminating the contract before the consumers sign up for the video game,” it said.

Instead, the Commission said it would work with the industry to draw up a code of conduct.

Stop Killing Games posted on X: “This decision is not unexpected. But we were prepared. Hence, we’re pushing forward with @Europarl_EN amending #StopKillingGames to the Digital Fairness Act.”

In other words, the next step is to try to get the group’s suggestions into the Digital Fairness Act, a legislative proposal by the European Commission, which, according to Scott, “coincidentally is an excellent fit for it.” ®

Source link

Tech

‘Tutor’ Who Took Online Tests for 124 Students Jailed for Three Years

Published

7 minutes ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

A private tutor who charged money to take dozens of exams for students and submit coursework for them “has been jailed for three years,” reports the BBC, “after his scam earned him £300,000.”

Shahid Adnan completed assignments and online tests for more than 120 students at Liverpool John Moore’s University, the Crown Prosecution Service said. The 43-year-old, of Lysander Close, Liverpool, was caught in February 2023 after a student handed in a USB drive containing suspicious coursework to Dr Tom Berry of the university’s school of computer science and mathematics. Berry’s checks revealed the drive was used by Adnan with documents linked to a company he set up called Study Sharp Ltd.

Excel spreadsheets containing details of other students, their study modules, coursework due dates, and their personal login credentials were also found. Further checks confirmed suspicions that Adnan was accessing the university’s network to submit fraudulent work and sit examinations on behalf of students… [I]nvestigations led police to believe Adnan may have been doing work for 124 students at universities all over the world.
The BBC also interviewed detective sergeant Adam Dagnall from Merseyside Police’s cybercrime unit, who said Adnan was living a lavish lifestyle “well beyond” his stated occupations as a private tutor and Amazon delivery driver. His bank accounts held more than £2m ($2,645,100 USD).

Source link

Tech

Startup led by Microsoft veterans debuts the first real-time carbon tracker for AI workloads

Published

22 minutes ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Neuralwatt’s co-founders: CEO Chad Gibson, left, and Scott Chamberlin, chief technology officer. (LinkedIn Photos)

Neuralwatt, a Seattle-based startup launched by two Microsoft veterans, has released what appears to be the first tool for calculating, in real time, the carbon emissions of individual AI requests — everything from asking a bot to edit a high school essay to deploying an autonomous AI agent for a complex coding assignment.

The co-founders hope the data will unlock more planet-friendly operations and give AI developers something to feel optimistic about, even as public anxiety grows over data centers’ energy, water and utility bill impacts.

There’s a lot of worry that AI requires “a data center in every neighborhood,” said Chad Gibson, Neuralwatt’s co-founder and CEO. While new facilities will be built, he added, existing ones and their energy sources could be used much more efficiently.

The startup estimates that if AI growth continues at its current pace, and with the current approach to energy use, the technology could generate 24 million to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year by 2030 — volumes equivalent to adding millions of gas-powered cars to the road.

Neuralwatt aims to help avoid that outcome. The carbon intensity of grid power varies throughout the day and across regions, depending on its source and how much demand there is. The company’s platform captures a carbon intensity snapshot each time an AI function — or “inference,” in tech jargon — runs, giving customers insight into the emissions tied to that specific task.

The Neuralwatt dashboard with carbon emissions displayed. (Neuralwatt Image)

Just as cloud users have come to expect emissions data linked to their usage, Gibson said companies running AI workloads will soon expect the same. “We believe that is going to be the future.”

The data is increasingly important for companies that will need to comply with Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and for other organizations disclosing the full range of their carbon emissions.

Neuralwatt offers three products, all of which integrate the carbon-impact metrics: Neuralwatt Cloud, which provides AI services from leased data centers with energy-based pricing; Neuralwatt Deploy, which identifies underused data centers for AI customers to tap into; and Neuralwatt Optimize, which lets data center managers subtly adjust operations in real time to improve efficiency.

Its customers include Parasail, an AI inference startup; ZutaCore, which makes chip-cooling technology; and Crusoe Cloud.

Gibson launched Neuralwatt in December 2024 with Scott Chamberlin, who serves as chief technologist. Both spent more than two decades at Microsoft, with Gibson departing in 2019 and Chamberlin in 2022. The two overlapped while working on the company’s now-defunct Zune media player.

After leaving Microsoft, Gibson took an entrepreneurial path, becoming a limited partner at Seattle investment firm Flying Fish and an angel investor with Alliance of Angels. Chamberlin, whose final Microsoft role was sustainability lead for Windows, moved to Intel to lead its green software strategy.

Neuralwatt joined the Climate Collective accelerator in 2025 and received a grant to support its work, then was selected this year for the Plug and Play accelerator. The startup is also part of the Nvidia Inception and Microsoft for Startups programs, which provide access to hardware and services.

Last summer, the company received an undisclosed pre-seed investment from Powerhouse Ventures, Avesta Fund and Remarkable Ventures. The team has four employees and three advisors.

Source link

Tech

AirPods Pro 3 Drop to $169 at Amazon Ahead of Prime Day

Published

35 minutes ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

After selling out last week, Amazon has replenished AirPods Pro 3 inventory, while retaining the record low price of $169.

Amazon’s best AirPods Pro 3 deal has returned as Prime Day approaches. Grab an $80 discount, which matches the lowest price on record for the earbuds. Considering inventory sold out when the deal was last available, it’s worth snapping up the savings now to avoid a possible stockout when Prime Day starts on June 23.

Buy AirPods Pro 3 for $169

If you’re looking for over-ear headphones, you can also pick up Apple’s 2026 release, the AirPods Max 2, for $449 with Amazon’s early Prime Day deal.

Today’s best AirPods deals

If you’ve got another device on your wish list, be sure to check out our Apple Price Guides for the latest discounts on hundreds of Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch models.

Source link

Tech

Apple’s Foldable iPhone Ultra Comes Into Clearer View Through Recent Leaks

Published

49 minutes ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

iPhone Ultra Rumors Leak June 2026
Recent video renders from a well known Apple leaker along with strings found in the first iOS 27 developer beta have supplied the clearest picture so far of the foldable iPhone Ultra that Apple has in development. Multiple reports now refer to this model as the iPhone Ultra and describe it as the new flagship that will sit above the regular Pro versions in the fall lineup.

Jon Prosser shared a video and detailed renders of the device on Front Page Tech (FPT), showing it both closed and completely open. Closed, it has a bulky profile, thicker than today’s iPhones, but when you open it, it turns into a larger size that begs to be used as a little tablet. The titanium edges provide the robustness that allows many users to bypass the case altogether.

Sale

Apple iPad 11-inch: A16 chip, 11-inch Model, Liquid Retina Display, 128GB, Wi-Fi 6, 12MP Front/12MP Back…

WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast…
PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad…
11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone…

When you open it up, the smartphone is only 4.5 millimeters thick, which is thinner than the current iPhone Air, and the outer screen measures roughly 5.4 inches with a larger aspect ratio for quick glances and basic interactivity while folded up. According to the renders, the internal display can reach 7.7 inches and has a form similar to an iPad mini, which is ideal for supporting more expanded app layouts. Apparently, the main screen will be crease-free thanks to some sophisticated hinge design work.

Foldable iPhone Ultra Rumors Leak June 2026
In terms of camera controls, there is a large physical button that is easy to reach no matter how you hold the device. The back optics consist of two 48 megapixel lenses for standard and extra wide photos, but there is no telephoto module in this design. The front cameras are paired, with hole punch positions on each display allowing you to take selfies from either side.

Foldable iPhone Ultra Rumors Leak June 2026
Touch ID is returning, via the power button, since, let’s be honest, there isn’t enough place for Face ID in this slim design. Power comes from an A20 Pro processor built on a 2 nanometer process, along with a large 12GB of RAM to handle any demanding tasks or future software features you may throw at it. Apple has also included its own C2 cellular modem into the gadget to manage communications, including satellite hookups.

Foldable iPhone Ultra Rumors Leak June 2026
Looking at the iOS 27 beta code, you can see that Apple has planned for fold state and angle degrees, allowing the program to change the interface when the phone opens and closes. During WWDC, Apple advised developers to prepare their programs for shifting screen sizes and orientations, rather than set layout. Split screen multitasking will make its debut on this model, and it will be limited to this model at first, as it will provide owners a productivity advantage over other iPhone users.

Foldable iPhone Ultra Rumors Leak June 2026
Pricing wise, reports suggest that the smallest storage option will cost $1999, making it the most costly iPhone yet. Right now, it appears like we may expect a September announcement alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max variants, however availability may be limited at initially due to manufacturing difficulties. According to reports, Apple has finalized the specifications and is now in the production ramp up stage, so the autumn release date remains on track, despite early fears about delays.

Source link

Tech

Half of London’s businesses say workforce are not equipped to meet organizational requirements in the age of AI

Published

1 hour ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Significant skill shortages have more than tripled since last year
Workers are even lacking in basic digital literacy and skills
Four in five London companies are increasing training investment

In a survey of more than 2,000 London business leaders, one in two believe their workforce doesn’t currently have the skills required to meet their AI adoption needs.

Though this is a decrease compared with 63% last year, it still leaves half of companies struggling to keep pace with AI.

Source link

Tech

Amazon Won’t Release Sam Altman Biopic Focused On OpenAI’s 2023 Leadership Crisis

Published

1 hour ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Apropos of nothing, in February, Amazon invested $50 billion in OpenAI.

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Amazon MGM Studios has reportedly dropped the Sam Altman biopic Artificial, even though it’s nearly finished, after the company deepened its partnership with OpenAI. According to Variety, the film directed by Luca Guadagnino has already had several test screenings that enjoyed positive reception. Amazon had a copy of all iterations of the script even before Guadagnino joined the project, so it knew what kind of film it was greenlighting and even fast-tracking last year.

“We have the utmost respect and admiration for Luca Guadagnino as an award-winning filmmaker — not to mention a longstanding relationship that we hope to continue,” a spokesperson told the publication. “We believe that Artificial will be better served if it were released by a different studio and are working closely with the filmmaking team to find the film a new home.”

Five months after reports came out that Amazon was developing a film about Sam Altman, OpenAI signed a $38 billion multi-year cloud contract with Amazon. It gives OpenAI access to “thousands” of NVIDIA GB200 and GB300 GPUs through Amazon Web Services for inference and training its next-generation models. In February this year, the companies expanded their partnership. Amazon invested $50 billion into OpenAI, and they closed another deal for AWS to run OpenAI models for enterprise customers.

Artificial revolves around Altman’s controversial firing and reinstatement as CEO of OpenAI back in 2023. It stars Andrew Garfield as Altman, along with Monica Barbaro as former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati who served as interim CEO at the time, as well as Yura Borisov as former OpenAI chief scientist and board member Ilya Sutskever. Ike Barinholtz will portray Elon Musk, who was one of OpenAI’s earliest funders and is now embroiled in a legal battle against it. Variety says the film portrayed Altman and Musk as the least sympathetic characters in the story. The film had already been screened for other companies, but it’s not clear yet which studio fancies painting the head of OpenAI in a negative light.

Source link

Tech

Irish sports-tech platform Hexis raises $2.1m in seed funding round

Published

2 hours ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

According to the organisation, the money raised will be put towards supporting further product development and scaling.

Hexis, an Irish start-up developing a personalised nutrition app, has raised $2.1m in a seed funding round led by Apex Capital. The round also received support from Enterprise Ireland, ScaleX Investments and Sheffield United’s leading goal scorer, Patrick Bamford.

Established in Dublin and founded by Dr David Dunne, Dr Xiaoxi Yan and Dr Sam Impey, Hexis provides a nutrition operating system for athletes. The company integrates software, wearable tech and fitness tracking platforms to turn personalised workout data into a tailored nutrition strategy, depending on the users goals, lifestyle and training.

Reportedly, Hexis works with nearly 40pc of Tour de France riders and 50pc of Premier League clubs and has ambitions to broaden its geographic reach by focusing on the US market. Hexis intends to use the funds raised to support product development and scaling.

Commenting on the announcement, Dunne, who is also the company’s CEO, said: “Our vision at Hexis is to be the global nutrition operating system for human performance. Wearables and training platforms have transformed how athletes understand their training and recovery, but nutrition, the fuel behind both, has lagged behind and remained the missing layer.

“Hexis is ready to complete the picture and make nutrition your smartest training tool. This round allows us to go further, deepening our impact across professional sport while laying the foundations to bring truly personalised, periodised nutrition to every athlete, at every level. That has always been the ambition. We are now in a position to deliver it.”

Keith Brock, the head of Enterprise Ireland’s sports technology portfolio, said: “Enterprise Ireland is proud to back Hexis as it scales its performance nutrition platform from elite sport into the wider consumer market. Our investment reflects real confidence in the science, the founding team and the global ambition behind the business, which already supports professional teams across four continents.

“Supporting companies like Hexis sits at the heart of our strategy of helping ambitious Irish firms scale and compete internationally, and it underlines the growing strength of Ireland’s sports-tech sector.”

In late 2025, Hexis took home the Grand Prix award at the 2025 National Startup Awards. As well as being named the overall winner, Hexis also won the top prize in the tech start-up category, performing well alongside other companies such as Haon Life Sciences, Silicate Carbon and Glitch.

Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

Source link

Tech

Best Early Prime Day Apple Watch Series 11 Deals From $279

Published

2 hours ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Save $120 to $200 on the Apple Watch Series 11 with new early Prime Day deals, as Amazon drops prices on numerous styles.

Amazon’s early Prime Day Apple Watch sale includes discounts across the entire wearable line, but we’re pleased to see the Apple Watch Series 11 has received a steeper price drop today, bringing the wearable down to $279. Save $120 to $200 on numerous styles, including 46mm case options and GPS + Cellular models.

Buy Apple Watch S11 from $279

You can find a detailed breakdown of the lowest prices across dozens of styles in our Apple Watch Price Guide, with highlights from the early Prime Day sale below.

42mm Apple Watch Series 11 sale

42mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS (Aluminum Case, Sport Band): $279 ($120 off)

42mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + Cellular (Aluminum Case, Sport Band): $379 ($120 off)

42mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + Cellular (Titanium Case, Sport Band): $514.97 ($185 off)

42mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + Cellular (Titanium Case, Milanese Loop Band): $609 ($140 off)

46mm Apple Watch Series 11 markdowns

46mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS (Aluminum Case, Sport Band): $309 ($120 off)

46mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + Cellular (Aluminum Case, Sport Band): $399 ($130 off)

46mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + Cellular (Titanium Case, Sport Band): $549.97 ($200 off)

46mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + Cellular (Titanium Case, Milanese Loop Band): $639 ($160 off)

Apple Watch SE 3 from $199 & Ultra 3 $150 off

Source link

Tech

Irish sports tech platform Hexis raises $2.1m in seed funding round

Published

2 hours ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

According to the organisation, the money raised will be put towards supporting further product development and scaling.

Hexis, a personalised nutrition app, has raised $2.1M in a seed funding round led by Apex Capital. The round also received support from Enterprise Ireland, ScaleX Investments and Sheffield United’s leading goal scorer, Patrick Bamford.

Established in Dublin and founded by David Dunne, Xiaoxi Yan and Sam Impey, Hexis provides a nutrition operating system for athletes. The company integrates software, wearable tech and fitness tracking platforms to turn personalised workout data into a tailored fitness strategy, depending on the users goals, lifestyle and training methods.

Commenting on the announcement, David Dunne, who is also the company’s CEO, said, “Our vision at Hexis is to be the global nutrition operating system for human performance. Wearables and training platforms have transformed how athletes understand their training and recovery, but nutrition, the fuel behind both, has lagged behind and remained the missing layer.

Keith Brock, the head of Enterprise Ireland’s sports technology portfolio said, “Enterprise Ireland is proud to back Hexis as it scales its performance nutrition platform from elite sport into the wider consumer market. Our investment reflects real confidence in the science, the founding team and the global ambition behind the business, which already supports professional teams across four continents.

‘Supporting companies like Hexis sits at the heart of our strategy of helping ambitious Irish firms scale and compete internationally, and it underlines the growing strength of Ireland’s sports tech sector.”

In late 2025, Hexis took home the Grand Prix award at the 2025 National Startup Awards. As well as being named the overall winner, Hexis also won the top prize in the tech start-up category, performing well alongside other companies, such as Haon Life Sciences, Silicate Carbon and Glitch.

Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

Source link

Tech

Podcast: T10 Bespoke In-Ear Computers at AXPONA 2026

Published

2 hours ago

22 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Recorded from the show floor at AXPONA 2026, our Podcast Producer, Mitch Anderson sits down with Bear Clark (aka Hi-Fi Bear) to try out T10 Bespoke In-Ear Computers for the first time. Find out all about “the world’s smallest, smartest, and lightest HiFi listening instrument” and why it’s unlike any wireless earbud on the market. Not only is each set hand-crafted by Hi-Fi Bear himself, but they can be custom made just for you!

Plus there’s still a limited number of raffle tickets available for a chance to win the eCoustics Special Edition T10 Bespoke In-ear Computers featured in this episode. Learn more about our raffle here.

Sponsors: Thank you SVS for sponsoring this episode, along with Audeze for supplying all guests LCD-S20 Headphones, and Loewe and T10 Bespoke for sharing lounge space at AXPONA 2026.

This episode was recorded on April 12, 2026 (the third day of AXPONA 2026).