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Sales of slumber-related products have soared during lockdown There are breathing robots versed in “thousands of years of Buddhist breathing techniques” that claim to soothe you to sleep. Then there are weighted blankets that press around 10% of your body weight down as you snooze. And there are apps, such as supermodel Natalia Vodianova’s Loóna, …

From posh blankets to aural apps: the firms cashing in on the demand for sleep aids Read More »

(Graceful Decay; Annapurna Interactive; PC, PS4/5)This simple girl-meets-boy story plays out in a series of abstract dioramas, each one bigger than the next Maquette opens with a conversation between two strangers in a San Francisco coffee shop, a flirty interaction sparked over a sketchbook. Romance soon follows and the game – the latest from the …

Maquette review – exhilarating worlds within worlds Read More »

Measure would allow developers to use own payment systems as tide turns against industry that has been largely unregulated A controversial Arizona bill that addresses the fees technology companies like Apple and Google charge app developers is raising new antitrust challenges for embattled US tech giants. The bill – which passed the Arizona state house …

Apple and Google face new antitrust battle over Arizona app store bill Read More »

Stoking panic about China’s dominance is just another way for western technology giants to avoid scrutiny and gain power This week the American National Security Commission on artificial intelligence released its final report. Cursory inspection of its 756 pages suggests that it’s just another standard product of the military-industrial complex that so worried President Eisenhower …

Fear itself is the real threat to democracy, not tall tales of Chinese AI | John Naughton Read More »

Till-free convenience is all very well until the bill eventually arrives at home I may be a retail misanthrope, but are the till-free Amazon Fresh shops a depersonalised step too far? At first sight, the basic concept (wander in, wander out, get charged later) looks tailor-made for me. I already don’t need much shopping “face …

The ‘soulless corporation’ look – yes, it’s Amazon on the high street | Barbara Ellen Read More »

In Beat Saber, you slice away at big squares that come rushing at you – it’s like colouring in and partying at the same time When somebody suggested Beat Saber to me, I wasn’t interested. First, it looks rather intimidating from the demo videos: you’re inside a virtual reality headset, with a controller in each …

Fit in my 40s: a virtual rave with sabers and songs – what’s not to like? | Zoe Williams Read More »

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission indicates it suspects company policies may fuel broad discrimination A US agency investigating Facebook for racial bias in hiring and promotions has designated its inquiry as “systemic”, meaning it suspects company policies may be contributing to widespread discrimination. Attorneys for three job applicants and a manager who claim the company discriminated …

Facebook faces US investigation for ‘systemic’ racial bias in hiring Read More »

Foreign Office tells those involved in pitching tenders their personal data has been compromised Hackers have obtained sensitive documents relating to British aid projects, including details related to projects funded by a secretive national security fund. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and experts from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), an arm of …

Hackers obtain sensitive data on UK aid projects overseas Read More »

Visual effects artist Christopher Ume reveals he made TikTok fakes with help from Cruise impersonator Joining TikTok has become something of a trend for Hollywood celebrities stuck at home like everyone else. So it wasn’t necessarily surprising to see Tom Cruise on the app, sharing videos of himself playing golf and pratfalling around the house. …

‘I don’t want to upset people’: Tom Cruise deepfake creator speaks out Read More »

PC; Q-Games Its mix of planetary scavenging, alien-hunting and funky artwork ought to be a smash, but sluggish mechanics and onerous mission demands diminish the fun A space rescue adventure from Kyoto’s inimitable Q-Games, PixelJunk Raiders has the bones of a great action game. Its mix of planetary exploration, scavenging and alien-killing is unusual enough …

PixelJunk Raiders review – space adventure carries too much baggage Read More »