News of the Cyber World

[kyonides]

US Government sued Google

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54619148

The US government has filed charges against Google, accusing the company of violating competition law to preserve its monopoly over internet searches and online advertising.
Google called the case "deeply flawed".
"People use Google because they choose to - not because they're forced to or because they can't find alternatives," it said.

We've learned how many people view Google, Apple, Amazon, MS, Facebook and Twitter as major players in the technological field. How many times have people accused them of monopolizing the market?

Nope, I wasn't talking about a videogame featuring a tyrant with an apple for a head here but that also makes sense now.

Why would the US care about Google's business practices?

The charges, filed in federal court, were brought by the US Department of Justice and 11 other states. The lawsuit focuses on the billions of dollars Google pays each year to ensure its search engine is installed as the default option on browsers and devices such as mobile phones.
Officials said those deals have helped secure Google's place as the "gatekeeper" to the internet, allowing it to own or control the distribution channels for about 80% of search queries in the US.
"General search engine competitors are denied vital distribution, scale, and product recognition - ensuring they have no real chance to challenge Google."
The suit said the deals have hurt the public by damaging search quality in terms of privacy and data protection, reducing choice and thwarting innovation.

OK, this makes a hell lot of sense now. If you've pretty much bought manufacturers out there, why would they be ever interested in preinstalling Bing or Amazon or even DuckDuckGo?

Check out what one of the experts think on this move.

Sally Hubbard, who works for the Open Markets Institute, a Washington think tank that has long pushed for more aggressive action against big tech firms, said focusing on Google's search distribution deals was one of the easiest legal cases to make against the company.

So is there a chance US government will actually win the lawsuit? Interesting... It's probable other states will join the lawsuit or file their own later on.
Let's keep in mind that the European Commission has demanded that Google should pay €8.2 billions or $9.5 billions in fines.

Use your cellphone on the Moon

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020...ar-surface

The Finnish equipment manufacturer said it was selected by Nasa to deploy an “ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened” wireless 4G network on the lunar surface, as part of the US space agency’s plan to establish a long-term human presence on the moon by 2030.
The $14.1m contract, awarded to Nokia’s US subsidiary, is part of Nasa’s Artemis programme which aims to send the first woman, and next man, to the moon by 2024.
Nokia’s network equipment will be installed remotely on the moon’s surface using a lunar hopper built by Intuitive Machines in late 2022, Nokia said.

They claim it will be configured automatically upon deployment.



It will allow astronauts to command and control functions, remotely control lunar rovers, get real time navigation and even streaming HD video!

Initially they will deploy a 4G system, hoping to upgrade it later on.

NASA will also spent another $370 millions in other top notch technologies that might let people finally live on the moon.