historic

Europe was happy with the changes in the App Store, but not with those in Google Play. There is a historic fine at stake

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Google is in the crosshairs of the European Commission. A few days ago they announced a new investigation into monopolistic practices with AI summaries, but it is not the only front they have open. The company has already paid historical fines and you face a new one if you don’t make changes to Google Play, your app store. what has happened. They tell it in Reuters. The European Commission is not satisfied with the changes that Google has made to its app store to comply with the Digital Markets Act or DMA. Regulators consider that there are two points that do not comply with the standards: There are technical restrictions that make it difficult for developers to direct users to external channels with better prices. Google continues to charge a commission to the developer even if the user buys the app from its website, with the excuse that they have “facilitated” the purchase. Why is it important. If Google does not make the necessary changes to comply with the DMA, it faces a fine that could amount to 10% of its total revenue. In 2024 they will invoice 350,000 million dollarsso the maximum fine would amount to 35,000 million, the highest to date. Google can still offer to apply changes to avoid paying the fine. The Apple case. The one the Commission is satisfied with is Apple. In fact, they are using your case as an example of what needs to be done. It was not a bed of roses and Apple was fined 500 million euros for not complying with the DMA. Apple had to remove restrictions that prevented redirection to alternative offers. The Epic trial. The European Commission is not the only one that has Google Play in its sights. In the United States, the judge of the Epic vs Google case made a historic decision: Google would have to allow rival stores within the Play Store. Recently Google and Epic reached an agreement through which Google undertakes not to charge commissions of more than 20% on purchases’in-game’ and 9% for the rest. In addition, developers will be able to showcase other payment systems through Play Billing. The agreement must still be approved by the judge, but it seems that Google will have no options but to comply with what both the judge and the EU ask of it. What Google says. The company announced changes in Google Play last August to avoid the fine, is what the Commission now considers insufficient. Google competition lawyer Clare Kelly said the company was “concerned that these could expose Android users to harmful content.” This is the usual position of American companies that are under the scrutiny of the European Commission. Mark Zuckerberg called the DMA “censorship” and there has also been harsh criticism and tariff threats since the Trump administration. Recently, a national security strategy document He claimed that European laws could mean an “erasure of American civilization.” The fruits of the DMA. He overregulation of the European Union is subject to criticism, but It also has a good side. Thanks to the DMA has made USB-C mandatory for all manufacturers, forcing Apple to abandon its proprietary connector. It has also brought us the Universal AirDrop and the changes in the app stores so that we have more freedom when it comes to where to download our apps. Image | Xataka, Pexels In Xataka | Europe wants to protect itself against Huawei, but the energy sector knows something uncomfortable: it cannot move forward without it

Google and Epic Games propose a historic agreement that is an earthquake for the Play Store

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The long and costly legal war between Epic Games and Googlewhich began in 2020, is about to end. Both companies have jointly submitted an agreement proposal and a modified court order which, if approved, not only resolves all its disputes, but also redraws the rules of the Android app store for the coming years. Chronology. To understand why Google has agreed, you have to rewind. After a long trial, a jury ruled in favor of Epic in 2023, declaring that Google’s Play Store operated as an illegal monopoly. Based on that verdict, Judge Donato issued a harsh court order a year later. This forced Google to open its ecosystem and included allowing third-party stores within the Play Store itself. In addition, it prohibited Google from tying its billing system to the store, and allowing developers to link to external payments. Braking attempt. Google immediately appealed, warning that the changes would harm the “security and privacy” of users. On October 18, 2024, the judge granted the Mountain View giant a temporary suspension while the appeal was being resolved. It was just a momentary respite. Surrender. After losing appeals, the US Supreme Court rejected Google’s latest request for a suspension. This reactivated the original court ordergiving the company an imminent deadline that ended on October 22. It had to start dismantling its control over the Android software store. Image by Official GDC on Flickr New agreement. Faced with the obligation to comply with a sentence that it hated, Google has negotiated a lesser evil. This new agreement, which was presented yesterday, replaces the original order with agreed rules that will be in force until June 30, 2032. Tim Sweeney himself, CEO of Epic, rated it X as an “impressive” and “comprehensive solution.” These were the words of Sameer Samat, the president of Android, who also reacted to the news: Together with Epic Games, we have proposed changes for Android and Google Play that focus on expanding developer choice and flexibility, reducing fees, and encouraging greater competition, all while ensuring user safety. If approved, this would resolve our disputes. We hope to continue discussing the issue with the judge on Thursday. The agreement details a new maximum commission structure. Google will not be able to charge more than 20% for in-game purchases that offer advantages (such as loot boxes or improvements). For everything else, the maximum commission will be 9%. On the other hand, the developers they win the right to display their own payment systems with Play Billing. Additionally, they will be able to show different (i.e. cheaper) prices if the user chooses the alternative payment. However, the Big Tech will continue to charge your “service fee”– Even if a developer uses its payment platform, Google reserves the right to charge the service fee (the 20% or 9% mentioned). According to media such as The Vergea Google spokesperson clarified that the developer saves the billing fee (cost of processing the payment), but not the service fee. Global impact. Although the court order is limited to the US, this change to the Android operating system will have a global impact. This opens the door for third-party stores—such as the one that Epic announced with Telefónica— can be installed without any friction. Without forgetting that this pact also prohibits Google (for three years) from making payments to manufacturers or operators to pre-install competing stores or to not place them in specific places on the device. What’s coming now. The agreement is not final: it must be approved by the judge. Both parties have a hearing scheduled for this Thursday, November 6, to discuss the proposal. We’ll see how it ends, but it seems that the final agreement will not be very different from this one. Cover image | Composition with images of Sergey Galyonkin for Flickr and Xataka Android In Xataka | Google has put AI summaries where there used to be links to news. And the media is bleeding

The “foodies” have turned the historic centers of Italy into hell, so the cities are getting serious

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Italy is at war. In a not so particular one that it shares with other countries and cities: the battle to stop mass tourism. He is trying with all his might through higher rates, entrance fees that they folded After initial success, a veto key boxes and even taxes on tourist dogs. Now, several cities have agreed on one thing: stop the ‘foodies’. As? Prohibiting the opening of new restaurants in historic centers. In short. Going through the historic center of any Italian city is like entering a culinary amusement park. There is not only restaurants wherever you lookbut these constitute a fair in which eye-catching posters appealing to tradition and artisans who prepare fresh pasta in front of the windows of the premises, like circus animals, are a constant. Now, cities like Rome, Turin, Florence, Palermo and Bologna have launched restrictions when opening new restaurants in their historic centers. Displacing the population. Although Italians love their traditional cuisine as much as anyone, they are getting tired of their city centers becoming theme parks. There are especially bleeding streets, like Via Maqueda in Palermo or Via del Pellegrino in Rome (to a lesser extent), which are basically a succession of premises. As he comments The New York Timeshundreds of new restaurants have opened over the last decade in just a few streets of those tourist spots, establishments that dress in tradition, but are not and displace the local population far from their homes. It is something that is seen in many other cities in the world in which the tourism is doing that the price of land rises in very specific points, also that of rents, and the locals see how traditional businesses disappear while others linked to that consumerism flourish. “We must protect the center”. In the case of Italy, the aim is to fight against gastronomic gentrification, which is replacing historical markets and local stores with businesses aimed at mass tourists, and they also want to protect the authenticity and daily life of citizens. But we also want to preserve tradition and diversity compared to more homogeneous or franchised models. Luisa Guidone, Councilor for Commerce of Bologna, comment that “the center must be protected, maintaining the mix of existing stores that allow citizens to have their daily experience when shopping.” Everyone makes their war. As we say, the prohibition or limitation on opening premises is not part of a national initiative, but rather of each municipality. In Palermo, new restaurant licenses have been expressly prohibited in emblematic areas such as Via Maqueda. In Florence, no new openings of bars, restaurants or any food establishments in more than 50 streets in the center and some peripheral ones. In the aforementioned Bologna, until June 2028, new projects aimed at commercial activities that want to open in the historic center and in Rome or Turin will be carefully studied. more of the same (especially around the Vatican). Then, there are exceptions. For example, Florence allows you to open establishments such as art galleries, bookstores or crafts, anyone that is not focused on mass hospitality. Not just food. But this goes beyond gastronomic gentrification. In it Corriete di Bologna we can read that the restrictions They imply that, until 2028, it will be prohibited to open new money exchange stores, call centers (which are telephone centers, Internet connection points and money transfer points) in the historic center, as well as “buy gold” or automatic cash machines.slot machine‘. Debate. Now, promoting something like this is complicated when tourism represents almost 12% of the Italian economy and the gastronomic tourism It is an important source of income. In fact, in the NYP article they include statements from tourists who only want to eat. Also those responsible for FIPE, the Italian Federation of Food and Tourism Companies, who point out that “sometimes, the Coliseum is an excuse for an American among a cacio e pepe and one amatriciana“In addition, it is criticized that each city is waging war on its own and there is no law promoted at the national level. In any case, as we said at the beginning, it is evident that Italy has a problem with this mass tourism that is displacing the population that really lives in those cities. Traditional businesses have closed or have been converted, going from selling useful foods for citizens to traditional dishes wrapped in a striking way for tourists. And finding the balance seems tremendously complicated. Images | Anna Church, Maxime Steckle, Matej Buchla In Xataka | “Fodechinchos free”: in a bar in Galicia, tourismphobia is being redirected against Spaniards from other regions

Girona has managed to decongest its historic center copying a trick of Barcelona: erase from Google Maps

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Girona has made Google and Waze modify the routes that took cars, especially tourists, to cross the old town of their city known as Barri Vell. This historical area has the Restricted circulationwith priority for pedestrians and limited access to residents and businesses. For Avoid excess traffic and preserve the pedestrian character of the center, the City Council asked the managers of those browsers to prioritize alternative tours and clearly mark the restrictions of access to the area. Atasque between 2,000 years of history Before, Google Maps and Waze guided To many drivers inside the Barri Vell to take shortcuts, especially tourists who trusted the GPS to move around the city. The problem is that, like most historical centers, this generated Unduse circulation in narrow and cobbled streets that are not designed for road traffic and hindered the circulation of neighbors. Such and as they highlight in The newspaper, In Barri Vell the circulation is restricted and special authorization is required to access even for distribution and service vehicles that are subjected to an access time control to prioritize the pedestrian use of the monumental center with more than 2,000 years of history. “We have been working to guarantee pacification at Barri Vell and the priority for pedestrians to be the seal of the city,” wrote Lluc Salellas, mayor of Girona In his X profile. Touch the photo to go to the original message The municipal idea for decongestion The Gironés City Council sent letters to Google and Waze to request that Barri Vell be eliminated as a recommended route to avoid the passage of tourist cars in this area. This management took several months, but finally was effective and GPS applications stopped proposing the historic center as a shortcut for the internal displacements of the city. In addition, the municipal team works so that the information shown in the browsers be as accurate as possibleclearly indicating the places where tourists They can park outside the historic center and preventing vehicles from being reserved where the spaces for loading and discharge are reserved. “We have made Google and Waze clearly mark that Barri Vell is an area with restricted circulation; and therefore, do not send tourists’ cars so easily,” explained Mayor Salellas to The newspaper.es. Girona is not the only one that has “erased” Google Girona It is not the only city that has asked Google to modify the information it gives to its users to redirect tourism flows and reorder the traffic of its streets. Barcelona City Council applied a similar measure To decongest the accesses to Park Güell, one of its most visited tourist places, eliminating from Google Maps one of the bus lines that went up to the park. This action sought to avoid the saturation of tourists and prioritize the service for the use of their neighbors, freeing them from the saturation of thousands of tourists who visit Gaudí’s work every day. In Holland, a small town managed to make fun of Google Maps To decongest its streets coordinating their neighbors to send false reports of cut streets. That caused the GPS to redirect traffic to alternative routes by freeing its neighbors from excess traffic. In all cases, this coordinated strategy with GPS applications has managed to reduce mass tourism in the most sensitive areas of cities, demonstrating how technological ones can influence tourist flows. In Xataka | One day, all Germans in Germany appeared closed on Google Maps. The problem is that nobody knows why Image | Unspash (Brandon Gurney, Priscilla du Preez)

The historic Sony scandal that ended in the courts

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In the mid -2000s, buying records was still common. Insert them on the computer was part of the day to day, especially to listen to music or pass it to the player. But what seemed like a harmless action ended up being the entrance door to one of the biggest computer security scandals in the domestic sphere. The most disconcerting is that it did not come from a cybercrime, but from one of the most powerful music companies in the world. In the new episode of Xataka presents published on YouTubeone of our colleagues reconstructs the case of Sony BMG rootkit, a failed attempt to stop piracy that ended up violating the safety of thousands of computers. “When you put the album on your computer, the program was installed in secret and stored in a hidden folder so that you did not suppose its existence or noticese that I was doing things in the team.” The key was in the concept “rootkit”, a technique normally associated with the most sophisticated malware. “A rootkit is a program that is installed on your computer and that can execute Administrator permits. Come on, a type of malware designed to have access to your operating system, hide your own activity and access the device remote control. ”Sony hid that rootkit deliberately. On October 31, 2005, cybersecurity expert Mark Russinovich published on his blog that he had discovered “a spy program that secretly settled on his computer.” He explained that this software “was used to spy on users, their listening habits, share that information with Sony and prevent third -party audio programs from reading the album.” And not only that: “He had realized that there was no way to uninstall him, that he could damage the equipment of the users,” but hid even more problems that we will discover in the video. When the uninstalians appeared on the scene, things did not necessarily go better. There was a problem: if you filled a form to download the program that would allegedly free you from Sony’s rootkit nightmare, your browser could be exposed. “If you later entered other websites, from any of them They could access your computer”Explains our partner. The case ended in the courts and, of course, reached a huge media impact. What happened to the Japanese giant? Did you end up paying the consequences? And what happened to the affected users? You will find all this in the video. So we invite you to give the play to know the full story, because the risks do not always come from suspicious downloads, but from legitimate sources. And if you are interested in other stories about cybersecurity, we invite you to Read the article and watch the video about Bonzibuddythe spyware camouflaged in Windows, as well as When we should change all our passwords and if It is useful to have antivirus today. Images | Arthur a In Xataka | Claude 4 raises a future of the capable of blackmailing and creating biological weapons. Even Anthropic is worried

The 13 nominations for ‘Emilia Pérez’ are another historic triumph for Netflix. But a hugely controversial one

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‘Emilia Pérez’, the film by Jacques Audiard that tells the personal journey of the head of a Mexican cartel who undergoes a gender change operation, is the production with more nominations this year for the Oscarsa total of 13. It thus surpasses other rivals that were believed to be equal or even above, such as ‘The Brutalist’ or ‘Wicked’, with 10 nominations each. However, this film produced by Netflix does not come without controversy, something that at the moment does not seem to be affecting his career. The nomination count. In its 13 nominations there are main categories such as Best Film, Best Lead Actress (Karla Sofía Gascón), Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña), Best Cinematography, Best Direction or Best Adapted Screenplay. The rest are divided between Best Editing, Best International Film, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Music and Best Sound. Significantly, despite the 13 nominations, it cannot win more than 12 awards, since in Best Original Song it opts for two songs, of which it can win a maximum of one. Another triumph for Netflix. Although it is no longer new, once again Netflix has won more nominations than any other Hollywood production company, traditional or newcomer to the industry. There are a total of 18 nominations for the platform, since those for ‘Emilia Pérez’ are joined by ‘The Only Woman in the Orchestra’ for Best Documentary Short, ‘Anuja’ for Best Live Action Short, ‘María Callas’ for Best photography, ‘Six Triple Eight’ for Best Song and ‘Wallace and Gromit: Revenge Served with Feathers’ for Best Animated Film. It is not a new situation for Netflix, which has been every year since 2020 the most nominated studiowith a high so far of 36 nominations in 2021. Controversial AI. During its time at the Cannes Festival (where it won the Jury Prize and Best Actress for its female cast), the film was unanimously acclaimed, but after three also very celebrated awards at the Golden Globesthe film hit theaters, and the controversy began. The first protests were for the use of AI: similarly to how has happened with ‘The Brutalist‘ with her dialogues in Hungarian, ‘Emilia Pérez’ has used the Respeecher program to get Karla Sofía Gascón to sing outside her vocal range, and also to touch up the Spanish accents of Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez. But that has only been the beginning. trans rejection Despite the visibility of Karla Sofía Gascón being the first openly trans actress to be nominated, as she was the first to win at Cannes, and also the first nominated at the Golden Globes, the transgender community has criticized the film for its vision. schematic and Manichaean that it presents. It has been said that the vision of transsexuality is made from a completely CIS perspective, creating a film focused on trans problems but with only a transgender interpreter. The activist and philosopher Paul B. Preciado, for example, asked “to European binary cinema to stop using our trans bodies to plant their amusement parks.” Unreal Mexico. However, the en bloc rejection occurred when the film reached Mexico, where it premiered in January and where the issue of drug cartels is especially sensitive. The country’s media have criticized her almost unanimously. The popular Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez has defined Selena Gómez’s performance as “indefensible”, being one of the most ridiculed aspects of the film on the internet. In general, the vision that is not very empathetic towards the victims, but very compassionate towards the criminal protagonist, has also been highly criticized. Header | Netflix In Xataka | Netflix breaks subscriber records, but stops reporting its numbers. The reason: it can’t grow any more

How many goals does Cristiano Ronaldo have left to reach the historic figure of 1,000 goals in professional football?

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Cristiano Ronaldois reaffirmed in each match as a living football legendcontinues to expand his legacy with each game he plays. With 39 yearsthe Portuguese shows no signs of slowing down and is now just 81 goals of reaching an unprecedented milestone: scoring 1,000 goals in his professional career. At the recent meeting of Al Nassr against him Al KhaleejCristiano Ronaldo scored a new double that helped his team win 3-1 on the scoreboard. This result not only allowed his team to climb to third place in the Saudi League with 32 points, but also consolidated his position in the race for the title of top scorer of the season. With these two goals, the Portuguese star reached the figures of 918 and 919 goals in his professional career. He currently leads the Saudi league’s scoring charts with 13 goals this season, surpassing Al Hilal forward, Aleksandar Mitrovic. Furthermore, Ronaldo has already accumulated more than 100 direct goal contributions (83 goals and 18 assists) since his arrival at Al Nassr at the beginning of the 2022-23 season after leaving Manchester United, in his second stage at the English club. Cristiano Ronaldo’s career in professional football is an example of consistency and dedication. His goals are distributed in multiple competitions and top-level clubs: Manchester United: 145 goals in his two stages at the English club. real Madrid: 450 goals, making him the team’s all-time top scorer. Juventus: 101 goals in three seasons. Al Nassr: 83 goals to date. Portugal national team: More than 120 goals, being the top scorer in the history of national teams. Ronaldo has also scored in international competitions such as the Champions League, where he holds the record for all-time top scorer with 140 goals. New contract in Saudi Arabia The current contract of Cristiano Ronaldo with Al Nassr It ends at the end of this season, but there is already speculation about a renewal until 2026. According to published information, this extension would include a record millionaire salary. This stratospheric salary makes him one of the highest paid players in the worldwith a annual income of around 183 million eurosThat is, 15.25 million a month, 3.8 a week and 550,000 a day, which continues to place him at the highest salary of footballers around the world. In addition to his achievements on the field, Ronaldo has played a crucial role in promoting the Saudi League globally. Has participated in country tourism campaigns and has been a visible figure at prominent sporting events, reflecting his influence beyond football. The road to 1,000 goals Although the number of 1,000 goals seems ambitious, Ronaldo is in a privileged position to achieve it. His extraordinary ability to stay in shapehis competitive hunger and his ability to adapt to different styles of play have allowed him to extend his career at a very high level. At 39 years old, Ronaldo continues to be decisive on the field of play. His recent statement in Globe Soccer Awards underlines his commitment to the Saudi league: “It is difficult to be a champion here. This year, Al Hilal is better, and Al Ittihad leads the league. But I’ve been a champion everywhere I’ve played, and I think I’ll be a champion here too.”. These words reflect his confidence in winning more titles while continuing to add goals to his personal tally. Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal with Al-Nassr EUROPA PRESS Despite their individual successes, Al Nassr faces a significant challenge competing with clubs such as Al Hilal and Al Ittihadwho lead the classification. Victory in the Saudi League would be a major achievement for Ronaldo, who has so far won one title with the club: the Arab Club Championship 2023. Meanwhile, the arrival of other international stars such as Neymar, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté has raised the competitive level of the league. This trend, fueled by the arrival of Ronaldo, has placed the Saudi League on the map of world football. If Ronaldo maintains his current scoring pace, he may achieve this historic milestone before ending his contract with Al Nassr. With a average of more than 30 goals per seasonthe forward could reach 1,000 goals in the next two years, further cementing his place in football history. Cristiano Ronaldo continues to show that there are no limits to his ambition. Reaching 1,000 goals would not only be a personal achievement, but also a testament to his impact on the sport. The countdown has begun, and the world of football will be watching every step you take in your search for this unique record.

Two deaths reported in Houston caused by the historic winter storm

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Houston authorities reported that Two deaths have been recorded that may have been caused by low temperatures caused by the historic winter storm hitting the southeastern United States. Ed Gonzalez, Harris County Sheriff, reported through his count of that on the morning of January 20 A man was found dead behind an apartment complex from 12355, Antoine Drive, northwest of the county. According to the sheriff, there were no signs that it was an intentional death, so we believe that the frost could have contributed to this death. Later, González reported that andThey found another deceased person in the parking lot of a restaurant at 307 South Fry Rd. It is another man, possibly a homeless person. It is believed that he could have died due to the low temperatures. A historic snowstorm has been sweeping across the Gulf Coast, moving from the east through the south, since early this week. More than 2,000 flights were canceled Tuesday across the United States and Autoports remained closed in Houston due to the storm, that produced debilitating travel conditions and power outages across the region, officials warned Near Beaumont, Texas, more than 5 inches of snow was recorded Tuesday, the most that city has seen in more than 100 years. One hypothermia-related death was reported in Georgia, according to James Stallings, director of the Georgia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. Keep reading:• Winter storm causes historic snowfall in Florida Panhandle• More than 2,000 flights canceled due to historic snowstorm that hits the southern US• Winter storms hit Northeast, delaying holiday weekend travel

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