On Friday, the Federal Communications Commission added Russia’s Kaspersky Lab to its “Covered List,” labeling the cybersecurity firm an “unacceptable” national security risk to the US. The move marks the first time the agency has blacklisted a Russian …
Apple reportedly hasn’t complied with a Dutch order to open app payment options
Back in January, the Netherlands ordered Apple to allow locally available dating apps to use third-party systems to collect payments. The company had until January 15th to comply with the ruling or face fines. According to Reuters, the company has yet …
Uber secures 30-month London taxi license
Following a years-long dispute with the city’s transit regulator, Uber has earned a 30-month license to continue operating in London, Transport for London (TfL) said on Saturday. “Uber has been granted a London private hire vehicle operator’s license for a period of two and a half years,” a TfL spokesperson told CNBC.
We’re delighted to announce @TfL has granted Uber a new 30 month licence in London. TfL rightly holds our industry to the highest regulatory and safety standards and we are pleased to have met their high bar.
— Uber UK (@UberUK) March 26, 2022
Uber’s dispute with TfL dates back to 2017 when the agency said the company wasn’t “fit and proper” to operate in the city and went on to revoke its taxi license. Among other issues, TfL said Uber had failed to properly conduct driver background checks and report serious criminal offenses. Uber appealed that decision. And while a court went on to grant it 15 months to clean up its act, TfL eventually revoked the company’s license again in 2019, noting at the time it had shown a “pattern of failures” in the past. Subsequently, Uber won another court decision in 2020 that gave it a new 18-month license that came with conditions designed to monitor its adherence to local regulations.
On Twitter, Uber said it was “delighted” by TfL’s decision, noting the agency “rightly holds our industry to the highest regulatory and safety standards,” and that it was “pleased to have met their high bar.” But not everyone is happy about the decision.
ADCU statement on @SadiqKhan‘s decision to license Uber as ‘fit and proper’ despite the failure of the Silicon Valley/Amsterdam based company to comply with the Supreme Court ruling on worker rights. pic.twitter.com/bKfFyAsL0k
— ADCU (@ADCUnion) March 26, 2022
“This is yet another tragically missed opportunity for [London Mayor] Sadiq Khan to make worker rights a condition of license for Uber to finally bring an end to the abuse of 100,000 gig workers licensed by Transport for London,” the App Drivers and Couriers Union said following the announcement. The group accused the company of failing to comply with a UK Supreme Court ruling from law year that said the company should treat its drivers as workers.
Apple’s latest AirPods are on sale for $150 right now
Apple’s third-generation AirPods may only be a few months old, but you can purchase them right now for 16 percent off their suggested retail price. Amazon has discounted the company’s latest earbuds to $149.98. That’s only $10 more than their all-time low of $140.
Buy AirPods (3rd gen) at Amazon – $150
While you could buy Apple’s second-generation AirPods for less money, we think the new model is a better purchase for most people. We gave Apple’s latest earbuds a score of 88, noting they were “better in nearly every way” from their predecessor. They feature a new design that we found a lot more comfortable. Sound quality is likewise improved with the third-generation AirPods capable of delivering rich bass. Battery life was another highlight, with the included charging case providing up to 30 hours of listening time. Apple’s H1 chip enables a handful of handy features, including hands-free Siri, support for spatial audio with head tracking and seamless pairing with Apple devices.
Of course, they’re not perfect. Their one-size-fits-all design won’t be for everyone, and they don’t come with active noise cancellation, a feature that would make them ideal for commuting. Still, if you own an iPhone, it’s hard to go wrong with the third-generation AirPods.
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Dell XPS 15 and 17 laptops are now available with 12th-gen Intel chips
It’s a refresh those with an eye on Dell’s XPS 15 and XPS 17 laptops have waiting to get their hands on for a while, and it’s now available. Starting today, you can configure both computers with Intel’s latest 12th-generation Core H-series CPUs. Announ…
Google will test alternatives to its Play Store billing system, starting with Spotify
As part of a program that could have far-reaching consequences for the tech industry, Google is launching a pilot to test third-party billing systems in Android and across its wider ecosystem. The company announced on Wednesday it plans to conduct the …
Apple’s digital car keys now work with some Hyundai vehicles
Since launching in 2020, Apple’s digital car key feature has only been available on a handful of BMW models. In January, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed the feature would expand to include select vehicles from Hyundai brands like Genesis “by the summer…
‘EA Sports PGA Tour’ is delayed by a year
Golf fans will have to wait another full year to play EA’s next PGA Tour game, with the publisher announcing a delay this week. When it first revealed it was returning to golf games last March, EA said its plan was to release EA Sports PGA Tour sometim…
Spotify will reportedly integrate live audio into its main app
In addition to music and podcasts, Spotify may soon offer live audio within its primary streaming app. According to Bloomberg, the company plans to integrate Greenroom into its mainline app. In the process, Spotify will reportedly also rename the platf…
An NFL football game is coming to Meta Quest and PlayStation VR
The NFL is making its first-ever VR game. And rather than work with longtime partner Electronic Arts on the project, the league is partnering with StatusPro, a startup that uses real-time player data to “create authentic extended reality experiences.&q…