Month: February 2022

The Uruguayan photographer on snapping a sunbather in São Paulo, Brazil After moving from Uruguay to São Paulo, Brazil, during the pandemic, photographer Pablo Albarenga revelled in exploring his new home by bike. It felt like a safe, freeing way to familiarise himself with its vastness; the Brazilian city is the fourth largest in the …

‘The road transforms into a makeshift beach’: Pablo Albarenga’s best phone picture Read More »

With KP Snacks the latest cyber-attack victim, firms must learn to defend themselves against a mounting menace The January snow lay thick on the Moscow ground, as masked officers of the FSB – Russia’s fearsome security agency – prepared to smash down the doors at one of 25 addresses they would raid that day. Their …

How the growing Russian ransomware threat is costing companies dear Read More »

Paul Dowling, Janet Fraser, Rob Doran and Ian Elliott remember playing earlier versions of the game before Wordle’s viral explosion I was amused to read your editorial (2 February) about the internet game Wordle, created by Josh Wardle for his partner and subsequently sold to the New York Times. I used to play this game …

Wordle’s success is based on learning from the past | Letters Read More »

Proposed laws require tech firms to prevent publication of harmful content or face substantial fines Joining digital pile-ons, sending threatening social media posts and deliberately posting hoax bomb threats are among the new criminal offences that could result in jail sentences under proposed online safety laws. Tech firms will also be required to prevent users …

Sending threatening posts among offences in revised online safety bill Read More »

Zuckerberg blames ‘headwinds’ from Apple’s new iOS and changes in privacy for the record drop in value Mark Zuckerberg blamed “headwinds” this week after investors wiped about $220bn off Meta’s market value. One of the biggest blows came from longtime rival Apple. Apple has long marketed itself as a champion of privacy, explicitly positioning itself …

Meta rivalry with Apple inflamed as Facebook parent company share price plummets Read More »

PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4; DotEmuWith its special combos and metres, this frenetic and summery Air Hockey-style game has more in common with Street Fighter than with other sports games Windjammers 2 has a character selection screen cheat code. It’s a simple thing: spin the analogue stick in circles a few times and …

Windjammers 2 review – resuscitated sports game brings back joy of the arcade Read More »

PC, PS4/5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X; Roll7For those feeling worn down by the daily grind, this calming skater with popping pastel colours and a soothing soundtrack is a charming alternative From Ozark to Returnal, Euphoria to Uncut Gems, it increasingly feels like modern entertainment exists solely to stress audiences out. While it’s undeniably …

OlliOlli World review – vibey skater game offers a meditative ride Read More »

Move follows warnings Mark Zuckerberg’s plan for metaverse could lead to increased online harassment Mark Zuckerberg’s virtual reality business is to introduce a mandatory distance between people’s digital avatars after warnings that the social media tycoon’s plans for a metaverse will lead to a new wave of online harassment. Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is …

Meta to bring in mandatory distances between virtual reality avatars Read More »

Hacking of emails at Murdoch company raises fears for safety of journalists’ confidential sources Journalists working for Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp have had their email accounts hacked in what the company believes was an espionage operation linked to China, raising fears for the safety of confidential sources. The cyber-attack affected a limited number of individuals …

News Corp cyber-attack: firm says it believes hack linked to China Read More »

Streaming firm is facing a cocktail of crises, from culture wars to competition concerns He was supposed to be Spotify’s biggest acquisition, one who would transform the music streaming company into a one-stop shop for all kinds of online audio. But controversy over “misinformation” on Joe Rogan’s podcast precipitated a hellish week for the Swedish …

How $1bn push into podcasts led to Spotify’s growing pains Read More »