Netflix and Disney+ subscribers may have to pay a license fee to fund the BBC
The UK government is considering introducing an additional tax for subscribers of streaming services such as Disney+ and Netflix. The money raised in this way could be used to help fund the BBC, which has been struggling financially for some time.
Several ideas are being floated to try to top up the coffers of the public service broadcaster which is largely funded through the television license fee. With the license fee already somewhat controversial, the idea of charging users of non-BBC related streaming services is likely to provoke angry reactions.
Sony appoints Hideaki Nishino as new PlayStation CEO effective April 2025
Big changes are coming to PlayStation, and Sony just made it official. Hideaki Nishino will take over as President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) starting April 1, 2025. This move isn’t exactly out of left field -- Sony hinted at a shift back in May 2024 when it split SIE into two business groups. Nishino got put in charge of the Platform Business Group, while Hermen Hulst took over the Studio Business Group. Now, Nishino is getting the top job, with Hulst still running first-party game development and reporting to him.
Meanwhile, Hiroki Totoki is stepping down as Chairman of SIE, but don’t worry -- he’s not going anywhere. He’s still the President, COO, and CFO of Sony Group Corporation. Lin Tao, currently an SVP handling finance, strategy, and development at SIE, is also moving up. She’s taking over as CFO of Sony Group Corporation, though Sony hasn’t said who will replace her at SIE just yet.
Celebrating Data Privacy Day: Ensuring ethical agentic AI in our daily interactions
Both AI agents and agentic AI are becoming increasingly powerful and prevalent. With AI agents, we can automate simple tasks and save time in our everyday lives. With agentic AI, businesses can automate complex enterprise processes. Widespread AI use is an inevitability, and the question going forward is not if we’ll use the technology but how well.
In a world where AI takes on more responsibility, we need to know how to measure its effectiveness. Metrics like the number of human hours saved or the costs reduced are, of course, important. But we also need to consider things like how ethically and securely our AI solutions operate. This is true when adopting third-party solutions and when training AI in house.
Enterprises consider ditching Oracle Java over cost worries
The percentage of organizations considering alternatives to Oracle Java has jumped significantly from 72 percent in 2023 to 88 percent today.
The Azul 2025 State of Java Survey and Report finds 99 percent of enterprises are using Java. The top reasons given for considering a migration away from Oracle Java include cost (42 percent), preference for open-source (40 percent), Oracle sales tactics (37 percent), uncertainty created by ongoing changes to pricing and licensing (36 percent), and restrictive Oracle policies (33 percent).
System76 Meerkat mini PC, upgraded with Intel Core Ultra, is perfect for Linux, Windows 11, and Plex servers
System76’s Meerkat mini PC has long been a go-to for Linux enthusiasts, and its latest upgrade with Intel Core Ultra processors makes it even more exciting. While I haven’t had the chance to get my hands on one yet, the specs and features suggest this upgraded compact PC is well-suited for a wide range of tasks, including running Linux, serving as a Plex server, or even handling Windows 11.
The Meerkat now supports up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which offers 16 cores -- a jump from the 12 cores in its predecessor. System76 also upgraded the RAM, now 62 percent faster, promising better performance for multitasking and resource-intensive applications like 3D printing or virtualization. Designed primarily for Linux, it comes preloaded with either Pop!_OS or Ubuntu, but it also has the capability to run Windows 11 for those who need it.
Owlet360 pairs with Dream Sock to give parents real-time baby health insights
Owlet has launched a new subscription service called Owlet360, designed to help parents get a clearer picture of their baby’s health and development. While the core safety features, such as live vitals monitoring and real-time alerts, remain free, Owlet360 goes beyond by offering tools to track trends, compare data, and provide deeper context about a baby’s well-being.
Let’s face it, parenting today is a lot different than it was back in the day. Boomers? They’d toss the baby in a crib, shut the door, and hope for the best. It was survival of the fittest back then. But today’s parents? They’ve got technology on their side. And Owlet360 is here to make parenting a little less stressful and a lot more informed.
A third of companies don't know who is managing their AI risks
While 51 percent of organizations rely on their security teams to manage AI risks, 33 percent say that they either lack a dedicated role or are unsure who holds responsibility for AI risk management.
A new report from Wing Security and the Cloud Security Alliance also highlights that only 44 percent of organizations prioritize protecting all their sanctioned applications, while a mere 17 percent include unsanctioned ones as a priority.
Cloud and hybrid environments present weak spots for ransomware attackers
The increased connectivity of business systems and devices is making it harder for organizations to defend against ransomware attacks according to a new report.
The study from Illumio, with research conducted by the Ponemon Institute, shows organizations perceive the cloud and endpoints as being the most vulnerable, and 34 percent say a lack of visibility across hybrid environments makes it difficult to respond to ransomware attacks.
Data breaches are top privacy concern for consumers
Fears of a data breach dominate consumer concerns, with 64 percent naming breaches as their top privacy worry.
A new report, based on responses from almost 2,500 people around the world, released by Acronis to mark this year's Data Privacy Day, shows that in spite of heightened awareness 25 percent of respondents have experienced data theft or loss and 12 percent remain unsure if they've been breached, underlining the hidden nature of many cyberattacks.
Google gives Pebble smartwatches a second life with GitHub source code release
In an unexpected yet exciting move, Google has released the source code for the Pebble smartwatch operating system on GitHub. This release is a big deal for the Pebble faithful, especially the Rebble community, which has worked tirelessly to keep these iconic wearables functional since Pebble closed up shop back in 2016.
Pebble’s story is one of innovation and community. The brand shot to fame through its record-breaking Kickstarter campaigns, with its first project becoming the most-funded on the platform at the time. Its follow-up, Pebble Time, also smashed records and still holds the spot as the second-most-funded Kickstarter project ever.
Google Maps will honor President Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Denali to Mount McKinley
One of Donald Trump’s first pledges after being sworn in as the 47th president of the USA was to rename both the Gulf of Mexico and Denali. This was very quickly acted upon when he signed a slew of executive orders -- something the White House described as “honoring American greatness”.
Seen variously as controversial, symbolic, patriotic, confrontational and more, the changes of the names have sparked global debate. One question that has been raised a lot over the last week has been whether the likes of Apple Maps and Google Maps will implement the changes as well -- although not globally.
Microsoft reminds admins about the upcoming deprecation of WSUS driver synchronization
Having previously announced its intention to terminate the option to perform driver synchronization updates via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Microsoft has issued a reminder to users as the deadline draws closer.
There is still time to prepare for the demise of WSUS driver synchronization, but the clock is definitely ticking. With the end just weeks away, Microsoft has not only reminded admins that they need to take action but also suggested alternatives.
DeepSeek -- the Chinese AI that sparked a stock market panic
Today has seen millions of dollars wiped off US market tech stocks by the launch of DeepSeek, the latest Chinese AI that threatens US dominance in the sector.
This is partly because DeepSeek can run on much less powerful hardware than rivals such as OpenAI's o1. DeepSeek also says that its v3 model, released in December, cost less than $6 million to train, less than a tenth of what Meta spent on its most recent system.
Critical infrastructure security incidents up over 600 percent since 2022
Reported security incidents in critical infrastructure worldwide have grown by 668 percent since 2022 according to a new report from Forescout.
There have been 10 percent more incidents for critical infrastructure sectors than in 2023 and more than half of all incidents (57 percent) affected critical infrastructure sectors. Network infrastructure devices (routers, firewalls, VPNs, etc.) are the second largest category and increased from three percent (2022) to 11 percent (2023) and now 14 percent (2024).
Software-as-a-Service breaches surge 300 percent
A new report from Obsidian Security reveals an unprecedented 300 percent year-on-year increase in SaaS breaches between September 2023 and 2024.
This surge comes as organizations increasingly rely on SaaS applications with current spend on SaaS in the hundreds of billions, or approximately $8,700 per employee for tools such as Workday, Google Workspace, ServiceNow, and Office 365.
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