Google settles “Location History” lawsuit with 40 states, will pay $392 million

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Google has settled a privacy lawsuit with a coalition of 40 state attorneys general today. Google agreed to pay $391.5 million for misleading Location History settings the company was running from 2014–2020. Google’s Location History settings have gotten it in trouble with several regulatory bodies. The action began after a 2018…

LG continues diversifying OLED monitor options; lists 27-incher for $1,000

Enlarge / LG’s UltraGear 27GR95QE-B OLED monitor. (credit: LG) LG continues to show a commitment to diversifying OLED monitor options. And that’s particularly exciting when it comes to users seeking smaller sizes and lower prices. The company recently listed a 26.5-inch OLED monitor for $1,000 that offers more speed than most people need but adds…

Android TV will require App Bundles in 2023, should reduce app size by 20%

The Android App Bundle logo. [credit: Google ] Android TV is going to be less storage-greedy in the future. Google has announced that Android’s space-saving app file format, Android App Bundles (AABs), is finally going to be the standard on Android TV. By May 2023—that’s in six months—Google will require all Android TV apps to…

Major tax-filing websites secretly share income data with Meta

Enlarge (credit: Drew Angerer / Staff | Getty Images News) Here to add another layer of dread ahead of the upcoming tax season, The Markup reported that some of the biggest online e-filing services—unbeknownst to millions of users—have been sharing sensitive user financial information with Meta. Some services linked user names and email addresses with…

Danish scientists concoct fat-free whipped cream out of lactic acid bacteria

Enlarge / Pumpkin pie isn’t complete without a dollop of whipped cream. Danish scientists concocted a fat-free analog from bacteria. (credit: Getty Images) The human love affair with whipped cream dates back to at least the 16th century, and it’s a staple of all our favorite holiday desserts. Is that slice of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie…

Disease-resistant super corals can save vulnerable reefs

A coral reef. Deposit Photos Coral reefs are in trouble. Physical destruction from dredging and coastal development, pollution, climate change, and ocean acidification have all contributed to the decline of coral reefs around the world, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Despite these challenges, corals have shown some signs of hope and different genes in…