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Fortnite maker Epic to pay $520M for privacy, e-commerce abuses

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The maker of the popular Fortnite video game will pay $520 million in penalties and refunds to settle complaints revolving around children’s privacy and its payment methods that tricked players into making unintended purchases, U.S. federal regulators said Monday.

The Federal Trade Commission reached the settlements to resolve two cases against Epic Games Inc., which has parlayed Fortnite’s success in the past five years to become a video game powerhouse.

The $520 million covered in the settlement consists of $245 million in customer refunds and a $275 million fine for collecting personal information on Fortnite players under the age of 13 without informing their parents or getting their consent. It’s the biggest penalty ever imposed for breaking an FTC rule.

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“Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement.

Even before the settlement was announced, Epic said in a statement it had already rolled out a series of changes “to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide for others in our industry.” The Cary, North Carolina, company also asserted that it no longer engages in the practices flagged by the FTC.

The Federal Trade Commission building in Washington pictured on Jan. 28, 2015.
The Federal Trade Commission building in Washington pictured on Jan. 28, 2015. Photo by Alex Brandon /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The $245 million in customer refunds will go to players who fell victim to so-called “dark patterns” and billing practices. Dark patterns are deceptive online techniques used to nudge users into doing things they didn’t intend to do.

In this case, “Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration led players to incur unwanted charges based on the press of a single button,” the FTC said.

Players could, for example, be charged while trying to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing a nearby button when simply trying to preview an item, it said.

“These tactics led to hundreds of millions of dollars in unauthorized charges for consumers,” the FTC said.

Epic said it agreed to the FTC settlement because it wants “to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our players.”

“No developer creates a game with the intention of ending up here,” Epic said.

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During the past two years, Epic also has been locked in a high-profile legal battle with Apple in an attempt to dismantle the barriers protecting the iPhone app store, which has emerged as one of the world’s biggest e-commerce hubs during the past 14 years. After Epic introduced a different payment system within its Fortnite app in August 2020, Apple ousted the video from the app store, triggering a lawsuit that went to trial last year.

A federal judge ruled largely in Apple’s favor, partly because she embraced the iPhone maker’s contention that its exclusive control of the app store helped protect the security and privacy of consumers. The ruling is currently under appeal, with a decision expected at some point next year.

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Motorola's Edge 50 Phone Line Has Moto AI, 125-Watt Charging – CNET

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Motorola’s debuting three new flagship phones for its Edge line Tuesday, all of which spotlight artificial intelligence features meant for improving photography.

The Motorola Edge 50 line comes in three tiers, headlined by the Edge 50 Ultra, a midlevel Edge 50 Pro and a base level Edge 50 Fusion.

While these three Moto Edge 50 phones are lined up for an international release, Motorola says that new US-bound Motorola Edge phones will arrive later this year. Motorola used a similar release strategy last year, when 2023’s Motorola Edge and Motorola Edge Plus came to the US with slight modifications to the Motorola Edge 40 line that released in other territories.

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The three Moto Edge 50 phones debut Moto AI, which is Motorola’s own take on bringing artificial intelligence features to its latest line of phones. It follows generative AI features we’ve seen from Samsung with Galaxy AI and Google with its various AI features provided to the Pixel 8. At this time, Motorola says Moto AI will be sprinkled throughout the phone’s operating system, but it emphasized a Photo Enhancement Engine that will use AI to apply settings from multiple shooting modes in order to process photos. AI is also powering on-device search and tools for generating decorative themes.

Watch this: Motorola’s Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist

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The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion. The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion.

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion is the base level phone in the line, starting at 399 euro.

Motorola

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion starts at a much cheaper 399 euros (converts to roughly $425) and has a 6.7-inch OLED display running at a 120Hz refresh rate. Its 50-megapixel main camera is paired with a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, while a 32-megapixel selfie camera is placed on the front. The phone will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7S Gen 2 processor and comes in forest blue, hot pink and marshmallow blue. The hot pink model comes in a vegan suede material, while marshmallow blue will ship in vegan leather.

The three phones will start shipping in the coming weeks, starting with European and Latin American markets before coming to Asia and Oceania.

The Moto Buds Plus will get a US release and cost $130.

Motorola

The Motorola Buds Plus are also unveiled alongside the Edge 50 line, but these earbuds will get a US release as they hit stores starting Tuesday. Similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro, the Moto Buds place support head tracking when paired up with a Motorola phone. The buds include a triple-mic system for noise suppression and a CrystalTalk AI feature meant for helping clear up voice calls while in noisy environments. The Moto Buds Plus will come in Forest Green and cost $130 in the US.

Moto G Power 5G Looks Good in Vegan ‘Leather’ and Lilac

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Editors’ note: CNET used an AI engine to help create several dozen stories, which are labeled accordingly. The note you’re reading is attached to articles that deal substantively with the topic of AI but are created entirely by our expert editors and writers. For more, see our AI policy.

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Manitou a bi Bii daziigae video shortlisted for Archiboo Awards 2024 – Diamond Schmitt

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April 16, 2024 <!– Download PDF copy reference for update later –>

The video Manitou a bi Bii daziigae: Innovation Powered by the Sun has been shortlisted for the 2024 Archiboo Awards in the Best Short Clip category following an assessment of international entries.

The Best Short Clip nominees are recognized for the clever ways in which architects and consultants have used video up to two minutes and thirty seconds in length to showcase their work.

Manitou a bi Bii daziigae connects students with education and industry professionals in ways that facilitate social innovation, enterprise, and pioneering research. This video gives a glimpse into the beauty and flexibility of this highly sustainable, light filled centre for innovation.

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The Archiboo Awards program is presented annually. It recognizes the creative ways that architecture is being communicated throughout the world, connecting design, communication, and digital technologies. Winners will be announced on May 22, 2024.

See the full shortlist of Best Short Clip nominees here.

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New Realme P1 Pro brings a flagship design to a midrange phone – Android Central

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Realme brings 120Hz refresh rate displays to its latest budget phones in India.

(Image credit: Realme)

What you need to know

  • Realme announces two new affordable Android phones to India under the “P Series.”
  • Dubbed Realme P1 and P1 Pro, they equip 120Hz displays, and the Pro model features a curved screen.
  • The Realme P1 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, and the standard model equips a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC.

Curved displays on smartphones have been a luxury for consumers as most are generally seen on flagship phones. However, Realme P1 Pro, priced under Rs 22,000 ($265), includes a curved display at a more affordable price. 

The company has announced the new P1 series with Realme P1 and the P1 Pro models in India. The latter sports a 6.7-inch curved screen that further has Full HD+ resolution and a higher 120Hz refresh rate. The Pro model is powered by a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 octa-core CPU and Adreno 710 GPU.

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The device looks stunning, especially for the segment it is catered to; it has a giant circular camera module on the rear, and accompanying it are striking new Phoenix Red and Parrot Blue colorways. Although the camera visor looks rather large, it only features two sensors: a primary 50MP camera accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens. The device relies on a 16MP lens for selfies.

The Realme P1 Pro ships Android 14 with Realme UI 5.0 running on top of it. Keeping the lights on is a 5,000mAh battery capacity with support for 45W SuperVOOC charging.

Realme P1

(Image credit: Realme)

Meanwhile, the standard Realme P1 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset equipped with a 120Hz refresh panel and priced under Rs 16,000 (~$200), falling under the cheaper Android phone segment. It also has a 50MP primary camera and a 16MP selfie camera.

The device’s color options look toned down compared to those of its sibling; however, the colors look attractive. There is a 5,000mAh battery capacity powering the device, and it supports 45W super fast charging. Additionally, it supports reverse charging.

The Realme P1 Pro is priced at Rs 21,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant and Rs 22,999 for the larger 256GB variant. The standard Realme P1 costs Rs 15,999 for the 6GB+128GB variant and Rs 18,999 for the 8GB+256GB model. It also sports the Phoenix Red color alongside Peacock Green.

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