April 21, 2024
Tech News
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that could lead to a ban on TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests it. This bill, part of a larger foreign aid package, passed with a vote of 360-58 and seeks to address concerns over TikTok’s potential national security risks. The package also includes military aid to Ukraine and Israel, and humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Senate is expected to consider the proposal swiftly due to the urgency of the funds. The bill extends the timeline for ByteDance to divest TikTok up to a year to avoid a ban.
Home Assistant announced its transition to a mainstream consumer product with a new ownership structure under the Open Home Foundation. This non-profit aims to counter Big Tech influence by focusing on privacy, choice, and sustainability in the smart home sector. Home Assistant, known for its local control and compatibility with various gadgets, plans to expand its “Works With Home Assistant” program and introduce new products, including a smart home hub and voice control hardware device. The foundation’s creation marks a significant step towards growing Home Assistant while staying true to its open-source ideals.
The European Union’s privacy watchdog has recommended that Meta Platforms, and other large online platforms, should offer users the option to use their services without targeted advertising. This comes in response to Meta’s paid ad-free service in Europe, which has been criticized for potentially setting a precedent for a ‘pay for privacy’ model. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) suggests that companies should consider offering a free alternative without behavioral advertising to comply with EU privacy rules.
IHH Healthcare, one of Asia’s largest healthcare networks, has migrated its core workloads to the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer to improve operational efficiency and patient outcomes. This migration is part of IHH’s strategy to leverage modern technology for better healthcare services, allowing for unified digital ecosystems, enhanced data analytics capabilities, and compliance with local regulatory requirements.
“Princess Peach: Showtime!” is a new video game that features Princess Peach in her own adventure for the first time since 2005. In the game, Peach must save the Sparkle Theater from Madame Grape and her Sour Bunch by unlocking and mastering various roles, each with unique gameplay mechanics. The game offers a mix of action, puzzles, and platforming across more than 30 levels, showcasing Peach’s versatility beyond her traditional supporting role in the Mario franchise.
Tech Explained
National Security – National security refers to the protection of a nation’s sovereignty, territory, and citizens from external threats or dangers.
Open-source – Open-source software is a type of computer software in which the source code is made available to the public for use, modification, and distribution.
Targeted Advertising – Targeted advertising is a form of online advertising that focuses on delivering ads to specific groups of people based on their demographics, interests, or behavior.
Cloud Migration – Cloud migration involves moving data, applications, or other business elements from an organization’s on-premises infrastructure to the cloud. This process aims to improve scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.
Video Game – A video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a two- or three-dimensional display device.
