BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Apple Endorses New AVIF Photos for a Faster Web on iOS 16
JPEG has had a good run, but it's ancient by tech industry standards. Apple's Safari web browser will be able to display AVIF image files when the iOS 16 and MacOS Ventura operating systems reach devices this fall, part of an industry effort to speed up the web by shrinking file sizes. The AVIF file format, which has already been embraced by Google's Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox browsers, reduc ... Read more
2022-07-19 20:25:16
Apple sued over Apple Pay payment system
Apple has been hit with a lawsuit in the US over Apple Pay. The tech giant is being accused of using its market power in the mobile phone industry to fend off competition from other payment card issuers. The class-action complaint was filed in a federal court in California by Affinity Credit Union, an Iowa-based chartered credit union. Apple did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for ... Read more
2022-07-19 20:23:35
Does the Newest M2 MacBook Air Leave Room for the iPad?
Apple's Mac lineup keeps getting more polished, but the iPad remains a slowly evolving question mark. With the latest M2-equipped, redesigned MacBook Air, Apple looks like it's delivered a completely useful and highly functional laptop. The Mac line, which once looked like it was slipping into irrelevance, feels stronger than ever. This seems like a good time to buy one, except for one big questi ... Read more
2022-07-19 03:32:21
Meta's Forced Sale of Giphy Is Stopped by UK Court
Following Meta's blocked acquisition of the gif database, a UK judge rejected a competition watchdog's demand that the company sell Giphy. A UK judge rejected a demand by the Competition and Markets Authority that Meta sell Giphy, Bloomberg reported Monday. The ruling follows the CMA blocking the Facebook parent company's acquisition of the gif database last year, due to concerns that it would ha ... Read more
2022-07-19 03:31:55
Amazon targets 10,000 fake review Facebook groups
Amazon is taking legal action against the administrators of more than 10,000 Facebook groups, the BBC has learned. It says the groups are generating fake reviews on Amazon marketplaces in the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. The tech giant says the groups offer money or free goods in exchange for reviews being posted on Amazon. One of the groups, removed earlier this year by Fa ... Read more
2022-07-19 03:29:48
Twitter Claps Back at Musk's Attempt to Delay Trial Over $44B Deal
Twitter is fighting billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to delay a trial over his attempt to end a $44 billion deal to purchase the influential social network. Last week, Twitter sued Musk to force him to complete the purchase. The company also urged a judge to speed up the legal process by holding a four-day trial in September. Musk's lawyers, though, want the trial to happen on Feb. 23 or later. ... Read more
2022-07-18 20:54:47
Apple Sued Over Access to Mobile Wallet Tech for Apple Pay
An antitrust lawsuit alleges Apple makes around $1 billion annually in fees, partially by ensuring its own mobile wallet app is the only one that can be used for Apple Pay. Apple is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that it has been restricting access to its NFC technology and making billions of dollars in profits as a result. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of financial institutions and cr ... Read more
2022-07-18 20:54:32
I'm an Apple Fitness Plus Addict Without an Apple Watch
Commentary: Apple's platform has transformed my relationship with exercise, but the focus on Watch metrics is out of sync with my fitness goals. As I pointed my skis down the slope on the first run down the mountain, I braced for the familiar gnawing ache to grip my thighs. But even though this was my first time skiing in seven years and the first time I'd hit the slopes since entering my 30s, th ... Read more
2022-07-18 20:54:10
Do You Need to Buy a 5G Phone in 2022? It's Complicated
The answer depends on your budget, which carrier you have and how long you plan to hold onto your new phone. Access to 5G used to come at a high cost just a few years ago. Now, the technology is standard in most new smartphones and is available in devices that can cost less than $300. But there are times when you might be wonder whether 5G is a necessary feature in a phone. Maybe you're getting ... Read more
2022-07-18 20:52:21
Microsoft launches simulator to train drone AI systems
Microsoft has launched a platform to train the artificial intelligence (AI) systems of autonomous aircraft. Project AirSim is, in effect, a flight simulator for drones, which companies can use to train and develop software controlling them. It makes it possible for test flights in places that would be too risky in reality, such as near power lines. And it means, Microsoft says, that millions of ... Read more
2022-07-18 20:48:55