
BigTech platforms Google and Facebook were hit with a series of antitrust lawsuits by the US federal government and states on charges they are operating monopolies and abusing their power.
Below is the status of the cases, as well as government probes of Apple and Amazon in their current states
In a defeat, Judge James Boasberg said the Federal Trade Commission, which had sued Facebook in December asking that Facebook be forced to sell WhatsApp and Instagram, failed to show that Facebook had monopoly power in the social-networking market, among other problems. However, the FTC could file a new complaint by July 29.
He threw out a related state lawsuit entirely, saying that the attorney's general had waited too long. They are looking at their options.
The US Justice Department sued Google in October, accusing the $1 trillion company of illegally using its market muscle to hobble rivals. A trial date was set for September 12, 2023.
A lawsuit by 38 US states and territories accuses Google of abusing its market power to try to make its search engine as dominant inside cars, TVs, and speakers as it is in phones. This was consolidated with the federal lawsuit for purposes of discovery.
Texas, backed by other states, filed a separate lawsuit against Google, accusing it of breaking antitrust law in how it runs its online advertising business.
Dozens of state attorneys general sued Google on July 7, alleging that it bought off competitors and used restrictive contracts to unlawfully maintain a monopoly for its app store on Android phones.
This probe, revealed in June 2019, appears to focus on Apple's app store. Some app developers have accused Apple of introducing new products very similar to existing apps created by other developers and sold in the Apple Store, and then trying to banish the older apps from the store because they compete with Apple's new product. Apple says it seeks to have only the highest-quality apps in the app store.
In July 2019, the Justice Department said it was expanding its Big Tech probes to include "search, social media, and some retail services online", an apparent reference to Facebook and Amazon.
In its investigation of Amazon, the FTC is likely looking at the inherent conflict of interest of Amazon competing with small sellers on its marketplace platform, including allegations that it used information from sellers on its platform to decide what products it would introduce.
USB Kill, a USB device is able to fry and damage your computer, mobile phone, router, etc. This device is quite dangerous and can kill electronics the moment it is inserted into an available port. By now people should know that they should not put unknown USB sticks into their devices because of potential virus and malware threats but this raises using unknown sticks to a whole new level.
Kill kits are not really new to the market, they have existed before but lately, technology really progressed and the latest USB sticks are really good, their success rate is around 95% which is pretty high and should not be taken lightly.
The second thing that you really should not play with strange USB sticks is that they dropped in price really hard, although top Kill kits will still go as high as around 300 USD, there are really cheap ones lurking in Ali Express that are just 6 USD!!! that makes them affordable devices for the mass market.
The device is made to take energy and current from the port it is plugged in, multiply it and release its charge back into the device, successfully frying some components immediately. Some more professional Kill sticks can even fry devices even when the device itself is not powered and can be even started remotely.
The point of this article is to make you aware that you should not in any kind of circumstances use and plug-in USB sticks into your devices that you do not know where they come from, especially from the mail!!
Steam Autumn sale is still raging and other storefronts like EPIC and GOG have also had their go, and as the year slowly closes we reflect on the best games released this year.
The games presented are not in any particular order and as sales are still raging pick one for you for a good time.
If you are into formula racing this new manager is something we will wholeheartedly recommend. How it has been a very long time since a good F1 manager has been released this one is breath of fresh air. Masterfully done and fun to play, also licensed with real teams and cars get it here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1708520/F1_Manager_2022/
I like cats, but this game is on another level from its competitors. Unique approach, great storyline, and of course orange cat as the main character! Set in a cyberpunk environment following the story of some unfortunate androids you can do most cat things like playing in boxes, etc but essentially the game is a puzzle platformer which in my opinion is a great thing. Meow your things and get the game while it is discounted: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1332010/Stray/
Mirror's Edge was the very unique game when it was released introducing parkour into the gaming world, and Neon white brings it one level up. With competitive parkour FPS gameplay this game is great for killing some time and competing with your friends but most of all it is fun to play experience. Get it here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1533420/Neon_White/
Shredder's revenge is a love letter to classic beat-them-up games found in old dusty arcades back in old times. Fast frenzy action, pixel art graphics, and tons of fun!!! Get it now and start partying like it was 1980: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1361510/Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles_Shredders_Revenge/
This game needs to be experienced in order to fully grasp its magnitude and quirkiness. From the creators of borderlands comes a new IP fusion of fantasy, guns, and crazy ideas all wrapped into an action RPG looter shooter with a recognizable borderlands style of graphics. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1286680/Tiny_Tinas_Wonderlands/
Winner of multiple awards, Norco is a classic point-and-click adventure game with a great sci-fi story with a lot of environmental focus. Story and atmosphere are the main selling points for the game and if you enjoy good stories with interesting characters give this one a go: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1221250/NORCO/
Expansion for Massive multiplayer online roleplaying game brings so much to the table that we just could not oversee it and place it aside. Technically not full standing game since it is the expansion it still delivers on many fronts and since it is supposedly the last expansion now is the best time to pick it up and give a final fantasy 14 a go: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1592500/FINAL_FANTASY_XIV_Endwalker/
Of course, the list would not be complete if we did not include Elden ring, a great example of how a difficult but well-executed game can go over and beyond. With a story on par with great epics and compact as in dark souls, this title will provide you with many hours of gameplay and content. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1245620/ELDEN_RING/
Device Manager Error Code 31 pops up when Windows prevents the driver for a particular hardware device from loading. The error code 31 is almost always presented in the following format:
“This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device.” Code 31
This error can occur with any hardware device; however, in most cases, it occurs with Ethernet cards. The good news is that it belongs in the easy-to-resolve category. So repairing it should not be difficult.
To resolve error code 31 on your system, try the methods given below. We have listed down some of the most effective and easy-to-perform DIY methods for fixing Device Manager code 31 on your PC.
This simply means to return the driver back to its previous state - to the version last installed. Try this method to resolve error code 31. This is probably the easiest way to return your PC to its previous working state.
However, by doing so, you will not be able to update your drivers and run new driver versions on your system. In other words, this is a temporary method to fix this issue.
You may still want to try other methods given below to ensure you have the latest drivers installed on your system.
You can roll back the driver to its previous version by accessing the Driver Rollback feature located in the driver settings within the Device Manager. Or another way to perform a rollback is to use the Windows System Restore Utility.
It is a recovery tool built-in the new Windows versions. To access it, simply go to the start menu and type System Restore Utility in the search menu.
Access it and pick a point in the past, also referred to as the restore point, to return your PC to its previous state before the error code 31 occurred.
However, to resolve the problem permanently, try method 2.
Error code 31, as discussed above, may occur due to outdated, misconfigured, or corrupted drivers. Whatever the reason may be, to ensure the proper functioning of your hardware device, it is important to update the drivers on your system frequently.
To start driver updates, first, it is important to find out and identify problematic drivers. You need to identify the drivers that are corrupt, misconfigured, and outdated. For this, go to the Device Manager and then look for devices with yellow exclamation marks.
The yellow exclamation marks next to the devices show that these device drivers are problematic. Once you’ve identified the problematic drivers, simply update them by finding the latest and compatible versions on the manufacturer’s website.
This process is time-consuming and can be frustrating at times, especially when doing it for the first time.
Also, once you’ve updated the drivers, you need to update them from time to time to ensure they don’t get outdated, or else you will have to encounter Device Manager error codes again.
Method 3 - Download DriverFIX to Update Drivers Automatically
To avoid the hassle and stress involved in updating drivers manually, it is advisable to download and install DriverFIX.
DriverFIX is a smart, innovative, and feature-filled software embedded with an intelligent algorithm that quickly detects problematic drivers, matches them with the latest and compatible versions, and updates them immediately and automatically in just a few seconds and a couple of clicks.
It’s as simple as it can be. Furthermore, with this software installed on your PC, you don’t have to stress and worry about when your drivers need to be updated again.
DriverFIX ensures all drivers are continuously and regularly updated before they become outdated.
Click here to download DriverFIX to repair Device Manager error code 31 and update drivers automatically and regularly.
Error Code 0x800703e3 is an error that arises on Windows 10, as well as on many of the past versions of the Windows operating system, dating back to Windows 7. It is an error that is associated with a number of different causes, and therefore, there are many different ways to attempt to resolve the error.
Common symptoms include:
In most cases, users experience Error Code 0x800703e3 when they attempt to install new software or upgrade their programs and operating systems on their Windows machine. Error Code 0x800703e3 is fairly simple to fix and many of the methods used do not require advanced computer skills or knowledge. However, if you have any difficulty in implementing the steps below on your device, it is recommended that you contact a qualified computer repair technician to assist you.
As there are many different things that can cause Error Code 0x800703e3 to appear on your Windows device, there are many methods that you can use to attempt to resolve the error. While many of these are easy to complete for basic users, some of the methods below require familiarity with advanced computing techniques. If you have trouble using the methods below, contact a qualified Windows repair technician.
Here are the top ways to resolve Error Code 0x800703e3:
The best place to start in resolving Error Code 0x800703e3 is to open up your settings for your drivers and check to see if any updates are necessary. After updating your drivers, it is important to restart your computer to allow any changes to take effect.
Secondarily, you can also run the Windows Registry Repair tool to see if there are any system files in your library that can be fixed, removed, or added automatically by the repair wizard. Again, it is important that you restart your computer after the tool has finished its scan and repair process to ensure that all necessary changes become fully active and recognized by the system.
If it has been a while since you last updated your software and operating system, open up the settings for your system updates. Always restart your computer after a system update has been completed to allow the necessary changes to take effect.
Remember that it is important to regularly update both your Windows operating system and your programs to ensure that there is not a backlog of updates to be completed. This can help to keep your computer in optimum health and eliminate future errors during installations and standard operation of your computer.
In some cases, the best way to address Error Code 0x800703e3 is to reinstall the Windows operating system on your machine. If the core issue of the error is that there is a missing or damaged system file, this is the best way to address the problem quickly and efficiently. Before you attempt to reinstall the Windows operating on your machine, make sure that all of your programs and information have been backed up in a secure manner so that you can restore these items after the installation is complete.
If you just began to experience the error after installing a new program, try removing the new program from your machine using the “uninstall” process, then restart your computer.
If you have any difficulty in completing the above methods on your own or if the problem has not been fully resolved using these methods, get in touch with a certified Windows technician who can help you to fix the issues at hand and get your computer up and running again.