Technology

Google has lost yet another huge monopoly case — and the search giant is still facing another antitrust-related trial later this month. On top of that, the company just received an antitrust cease-and-desist order from Japan's Fair Trade Commission, which follows an antitrust fine upheld in 2024 by the European Union.

On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws and illegally monopolized the online ad tech industry. In 2023, Google made $237.9 billion from advertising revenue, far more than competitors like Microsoft and Baidu. The Justice Department and a group of states joined together to sue Google in this case.

The ruling states, “Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising.”

After U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema's ruling, it is likely that the U.S. Department of Justice will force the Alphabet-owned search company to sell off its Google Ad Manager, including its publisher ad server and its ad exchange. The DOJ has recommended such action prior to the court ruling.

“We won half of this case and we will appeal the other half," Google Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Lee-Anne Mulholland said in a statement provided to Mashable. "The Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick, don’t harm competition. We disagree with the Court’s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple, affordable and effective.”

During the three-week-long trial, the DOJ argued that Google monopolized the industry by buying up competitors and locking its publishers and advertisers into using its products. Google argued that it provided a more affordable solution to its customers than more expensive competitors.

“Google’s monopolies allow it to soak up excessive profits, leaving less for the workers and businesses whose livelihoods depend on online advertising,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Everyone from major news organizations to small independent bloggers has taken a financial hit because of Google’s conduct, making it harder to continue to offer free, high-quality content online for everyone."

Attorney General James was part of a coalition of attorneys general from 17 states, who joined the DOJ in this antitrust lawsuit against Google.

"Today we won a major victory after a court found Google violated the law when it used its power and influence to limit competition," Attorney General James continued. "I look forward to continuing this case to deliver real change and restore competition to online advertising platforms that workers and businesses across the country rely on.”

Google's online advertising technology, which connects publishers and advertisers, accounts for around 12 percent of Alphabet's business. Spinning off Google Ad Manager would not affect the company too much, as the bulk of the search company's revenue comes from ads served on its own platforms like Google Search and YouTube. In fact, Google previously looked into selling off part of its ad tech business as a result of EU antitrust regulations, as Reuters reported last year.

This marks the second time Google has lost a big antitrust case in less than a year. 

In August 2024, a U.S. judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws with its agreement with Apple, which saw the search giant pay the iPhone maker $20 billion per year in exchange for Google Search being the default search product on iOS.

Later this month, a trial will be held to determine what Google will need to do as a result of that antitrust trial. The DOJ has recommended that Google sell off its web browser Google Chrome. The DOJ has also recommended that if this does not remedy Google's monopoly of the industry, then Google may have to sell off its mobile operating system Android.

UPDATE: Apr. 17, 2025, 4:28 p.m. EDT This piece has been updated to include a statement from Google and a statement from New York Attorney General Letitia James.

AI has become a useful resource for studying thanks to its capability of reinterpreting text and sources. And if you've grown to use AI for your study sessions, Google's Gemini Advanced tier is now free for you.

As expected–and literally announced by Google yesterday–the next Android 16 Beta has been released. This is the fourth beta, and it marks the end of the Android 16 beta schedule. Like last month, this version focuses on stability, as well as the newly launched Pixel 9a.

Most people know that black holes are kind of scary. Admittedly, that's true, but black holes are so much more than that. They are truly fascinating wonders, from how they form, their many types, and even how they die. Every aspect of black holes is mind-boggling if you know the truth about them.

Those who want a good keyboard for work and games should check out the Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL mechanical gaming keyboard. It's going for $119.99 on Amazon, down from the usual price of $159.99. It's also only been this price once before.

Technically, everything with a battery in it is a potential fire hazard—so when a specific set of batteries starts catching on fire, it's a cause of worry. Now, a bunch of Casely batteries are catching on fire, so the company is issuing a recall on almost half a million units.

Google’s Gemini Live, the AI feature that lets people have natural conversations with its AI assistant, is rolling out to more people. Initially, the feature was only available for Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 users, but it will soon be available to all Android devices.

Nintendo has removed all mentions of the Switch 2's VRR functionality from its North American and Japanese websites. This seems to suggest that the Switch 2 will not support VRR at launch, though Nintendo has yet to comment on the situation.

While I'm unsure how fun it'll be to lean over my coffee table to play Switch 2 games with a Joy-Con mouse, built-in mouse support on a portable console certainly lends itself to experimentation. After all, a mouse is far more precise than a joystick or D-pad.

Google Gemini 2.5 Flash, its hybrid reasoning model, is now available in preview for the standalone Gemini app.

On Thursday, the company rolled out an "early version" of the model with updated reasoning capabilities. It can also better determine how much processing power or "thinking" to apply to each request. The Gemini 2.5 Flash model is also available on Google AI Studio and Vertex AI with controls for developers to manually turn off its reasoning compute and budget the amount of compute applied to tasks, therefore having more control over the amount of tokens they spend.

Gemini 2.5 Flash is part of the Gemini 2.5 family of models launched earlier this month and also includes Gemini 2.5 Pro. In the Google model naming convention, Flash is the smaller, more cost-efficient version of Pro and is best for everyday tasks. But both siblings in the Gemini 2.5 model family have integrated reasoning skills, which are automatically applied based on the task. Long gone are the days when Google's models lagged embarrassingly behind OpenAI's models (back when Gemini was still called Bard). Gemini 2.5 Pro currently tops the LMArena AI leaderboard, with the Gemini Flash version not far behind.

That's not to say OpenAI is resting on its laurels. Yesterday, it launched o3 and o4-mini, the latest versions of its reasoning models that can now harness all of the tools available in ChatGPT (searching the web, image recognition, Python compatibility). It's become commonplace for the two companies to ship similar products within 24 to 48 hours of each other, inevitably drawing comparisons and entrenching its fierce rivalry. On that note, GPT-4.5 Preview, its last non chain-of-thought model, is in second place on the LMArena leaderboard.

Now that Gemini 2.5 Flash is available to try out (albeit in preview mode), it's time for users to see how it stacks up to OpenAI's o-series models.

A major data breach at Laboratory Services Cooperative (LSC), a medical non-profit, compromised sensitive information of 1.6 million people.

LSC provides lab testing services to a number of Planned Parenthood centers and has warned that folks who've visited those centers could've been affected.

"If you, or someone whose healthcare bills you pay for, visited one of these centers and had lab tests done or were referred for lab tests, your information might be part of this incident," LSC wrote in a recent press release about the incident.

SEE ALSO: Here’s what to do if you give your information to a scammer

"Please be advised that this incident did not involve all Planned Parenthood centers. It specifically may have impacted only those centers that received lab testing services from LSC."

LSC has a dedicated site for FAQs on the data breach incident, including states where it works with Planned Parenthood. The breached data differs from person to person, but LSC wrote a number of things — like medical info — could be affected.

In the press release, LSC noted that data such as this could have been exposed in the breach:

• Medical/Clinical Information: This may include information such as date(s) of service, diagnoses, treatment, medical record number, lab results, patient/accession number, provider name, treatment location, and related-care details.

• Health Insurance Information: This may encompass plan name, plan type, insurance companies, and member/group ID numbers.

• Billing, Claims, and Payment Data: This could involve claim numbers, billing details, bank account details (including bank name, account number, and routing number), billing codes, payment card details, balance details, and similar banking and financial information.

• Additional Identifiers: This may include Social Security Number, driver's license or state ID number, passport number, date of birth, demographic data, student ID number, and other forms of government identifiers.

LSC said it was offering "free credit monitoring and medical identity protection services" to people who believe their information may have been compromised. If you suspect you’re affected, you can find more information at LSC's site.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just A$24 (through April 27) and upgrade your PC with advanced security and productivity tools.

What you get with your lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro:

• Enjoy a lifetime license with no recurring fees or subscriptions

• Work smarter with snap layouts, virtual desktops, and improved voice typing

• Protect your data with biometric login, Smart App Control, and BitLocker encryption

• Stay on top of tasks with AI-powered Copilot for instant answers and smart actions

• Enhance gaming and graphics with DirectX 12 Ultimate

• Access pro-level tools like Azure AD, Hyper-V, and Windows Sandbox

• Install on two devices and receive an instant redemption code via email

Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro on sale for just A$24 and upgrade your PC with powerful features for work, security, and entertainment.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: InterPlein Microsoft Windows 11 Pro AU$24
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Another week, another round of rumors about a foldable iPhone.

While new Apple iPhone "leaks" arrive on a near-weekly basis, evidence is growing that a folding iPhone is coming soon, now bolstered by new reports about its camera and use of Touch ID.

Via 9To5Mac, Korean blog yeux1122, which covers chatter from Chinese social media site Weibo, reported that Apple's foldable iPhone will have a punch-hole camera design on its external display. The blog also shared that the internal display will be 7.76 inches with a 2713 x 1920p resolution, and the external display will be 5.49 inches with a 2088 x 1422p resolution. This is similar to the design of Samsung's flagship foldable, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

SEE ALSO: How much would the mythical made-in-the-U.S. iPhone cost?

The punch-hole camera on the external display strengthens last month's report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the foldable iPhone will use a Touch ID side button like the iPad Air instead of Face ID, which is what every iPhone since the iPhone X has used. Touch ID unlocks the phone with a fingerprint sensor, whereas Face ID unlocks the phone with biometric facial recognition.

Kuo said the foldable iPhone will opt for a Touch ID "due to thickness and internal space constraints," meaning a Face ID sensor might not fit in the foldable display. For the record, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, Apple's main competitors in the foldable category, have facial recognition unlocking, although users have also said it doesn't work very well.

If this is true for the foldable iPhone, then this would also mean it won't have the pilled-shaped Dynamic Island on the display for quick access to apps.

Rumors of foldable iPhones and iPads have circulated for years now, only for Apple users to be disappointed by their absence in the iPhone product cycle. But this time, all signs point to... maybe. If it happens, a foldable iPhone might come as soon as late 2026, a date backed by Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who both have good reputations for their insider intel.

As always, take these rumors with a grain of salt, but such specific details about the foldable iPhone's design might point to a launch coming soon.

SAVE $39.01: As of April 17, get a refurbished Nintendo Switch OLED Model with White Joy-Con at Woot for $249.99, down from its usual price of $289.99. That's a discount of 18%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Nintendo Switch OLED Model (refurbished) $249.99 at Woot
$289 Save $39.01 Get Deal

The Nintendo Switch 2 is on the horizon, but the original Switch is still a great console that's worth investing in. It has a huge library of games, many of which are still just as fresh as they were the day they released, including tons of titles featuring Nintendo mascot characters like Mario, Yoshi, and more. There's a bit of confusion in the air about when you'll be able to pre-order a new Switch 2, so if you're curious about the first generation, now's the time to get one at Woot.

As of April 17, get a refurbished Nintendo Switch OLED Model with White Joy-Con at Woot for $249.99, down from the refurb price of $289.99 at Amazon, and $342.99 for a new model. That's a discount of 24% off the new price. It comes with a limited 30-day Woot warranty and has been factory reconditioned by the company, so keep that in mind when purchasing.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder date just days away, per leak

This large and in charge Switch comes with a brighter, 7-inch OLED screen that's much more crisp and colorful than the old Switch. It also has a wide adjustable stand that's sturdier than the original console's, with enhanced audio that comes through in both handheld and tabletop modes. And with 64GB of internal storage, you can save a few smaller games from the Nintendo Switch eShop without adding a microSD card.

Beyond those upgrades, this is the same old Switch with tons of games to play for all types of players. It's perfect for at home or on the go play since you can dock it or play in handheld mode, and despite this being its final year as the only handheld in town from Nintendo, it's still worth every penny. Grab yours before the Switch 2 lands and catch up.

If you haven't already updated your iPhone to the latest iOS, then we highly recommend that you do so now.

On Wednesday, April 16, Apple released iOS 18.4.1. The latest update to Apple's mobile operating system fixes not just one, but two zero-day vulnerabilities that have already been exploited by hackers.

"Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on iOS," the company said in a statement posted on its website about each of the two exploits.

According to Apple, the two vulnerabilities impact Core Audio (CVE-2025-31200) and Return Pointer Authentication Code, also known as RPAC (CVE-2025-31201).

Core Audio is an API that Apple uses to process sound on Apple's operating systems. The CVE-2025-31200 exploit basically allowed a bad actor to execute code on the device when attempting to process an audio stream in a "maliciously crafted media file."

Return Pointer Authentication Code is an iOS security feature that aims to stop an attacker from manipulating existing code for malicious purposes. The CVE-2025-31201 exploit enables a threat actor with "arbitrary read and write capability" to bypass this Pointer Authentication security measure.

In addition to the iPhone, these vulnerabilities also affect a slew of other Apple devices, such as certain models of the iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, and Macs running macOS Sequoia. Apple has now released updates to each device's respective operating systems to fix the exploits.

SAVE $70: The Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) is on sale at Amazon for $329, down from the list price of $399. That's an 18% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329 at Amazon
$399 Save $70 Get Deal

The future of tech prices is questionable with news about tariff policies changing often. Instead of wondering what'll happen to prices next week, lock in a solid price on a super functional smart watch today thanks to a great Amazon sale price.

As of April 17, the Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) is on sale at Amazon for $329, marked down from the normal list price of $399. That's a savings of $70 from an 18% discount.

One of the most common complaints about the Apple Watch is its battery life, and Apple took that into account when designing the Apple Watch Series 10. The brand mentions this model can get up to 18 hours of battery life and it comes with fast charging. Apple says the charging feature takes the watch from 0 to 80% battery in just 30 minutes.

Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder reviewed the Apple Watch Series 10 and found it got back up to 80% in 40 minutes. But he mentioned it's not likely you'd let the watch get all the way down to dead, so he charged from 20 to 80% and found it took about 25 minutes. "This means that you can essentially charge your Watch as you brush your teeth or make coffee in the morning," wrote Schroeder.

SEE ALSO: Here's how to get a 10% discount on Apple accessories, including AirPods

In terms of design, this is the thinnest Apple Watch while also boasting the largest screen. "The new, wide-angle OLED tech Apple is using really does improve visibility when glancing the watch from the side, which, for me, is most of the time, so that's a nice touch," Schroeder mentioned in his review.

Apple also added a few other noteworthy features with the Series 10 like the Translate app and sleep apnea detection. The Vitals app is also snazzy, allowing users to take an EKG at anytime and get notifications about high, low, or irregular heart rates.

If you're thinking about upgrading your smart watch before summer, today's deal at Amazon shaves $70 off the price of the Apple Watch Series 10. You'll be getting advanced fitness tracking, quicker charging, and water resistance in a tracker that synchs perfectly to your iPhone.

SAVE $55: As of April 17, get the Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD for $129.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $184.99. That's a discount of 30%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD $129.99 at Amazon
$184.99 Save $55 Get Deal

If you're someone who stores a lot of things on your computer, whether that's video games, photos, videos, or other files, you know the unique frustration of suddenly running out of space. Some computers, like laptops, aren't easily expanded with additional storage, but most are, and if you're looking for an affordable SSD to give you more breathing room, Amazon has you covered. This deal on a Samsung SSD might be just the thing to give you more storage power.

As of April 17, get the Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD for $129.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $184.99. That's $55 off and a discount of 30%.

This 2TB internal SSD needs to be installed in your PC, but it will give you read/write speeds up to 7,250/6,300 MB/s, which is great for large file transfers, game installs, downloading big files, and generally speeding things up when it comes to moving data around. Of course, the size is nothing to sneeze at. You can use 2TB to store plenty of games and other items on your PC, even with today's large file sizes.

The SSD itself is meant to work quickly without overheating as well, and it's optimized to support the latest PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 standards, so you get better overall performance. Plus, it will stay up to date on its own with Samsung's Magician software, so you don't have to worry about doing it manually. If you need more space or a faster SSD, this is a great option at a price you won't have to take out a second mortgage to afford.

It's a fantastic day to be a Marvel fan, because Marvel Studios has released the first full-length trailer for the highly anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps.

This retro-futuristic venture into the MCU wastes no time in reacquainting us with Marvel's First Family or their well-trodden backstory, with the trailer opening with a Fantastic Four crash course from talk show host Ted Gilbert (Mark Gatiss).

SEE ALSO: Watch: 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' teaser: Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and company power up

"We all know the story," he says. (And after several Fantastic Four films and reboots, we really do.) "Four brave astronauts head up into space and come back forever changed."

These astronauts are, of course, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn). Each returned to Earth with new superpowers. Reed is now the extra-stretchy Mr. Fantastic, while Sue can wield forcefields and turn invisible, earning her the moniker of Invisible Woman. Ben, aka the Thing, developed super strength and invulnerability, and hothead Johnny burns up as the Human Torch.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailer showcases all these power sets, but more importantly, it spends time fleshing out the characters' family dynamic, from Ben praising robot H.E.R.B.I.E.'s cooking to Johnny accidentally figuring out that Sue and Reed are expecting a child.

But of course, every superhero movie needs a villain, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is working with two of Marvel's biggest baddies. First up is the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), who glides down to Earth with some awful news. "Your planet is now marked for death," she declares.

Why? Because the planet-eating Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is on his way. The trailer shows off a glimpse of his gargantuan shadow looming over Manhattan, along with his boots stomping through the streets of New York. Looks like the Fantastic Four have their work cut out for them.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters July 25.

Instagram just launched Blend, a a new feature that lets users create a private feed of recommended Reels in their DMs. The use-case here is kind of confusing, but it has potential to be useful for users who want to get to know their friends and lovers' algorithms better — an inclination so disturbing in nature that it might actually be real.

You could compare it to Spotify Blend playlists — which are great to have in the background of a hang or to discover commonalities with other users — but for scrolling through Instagram Reels in silence next to each other. It could also help make the Reels scrolling experience more collaborative and less lonely. If the feature does nothing else, it will likely keep users logged on for longer; a W for Instagram.

The feature has been in development since at least March 2024, and was being tested with some users in March. It'll work in one-on-one DMs or on group chats.

"We want Instagram to be a place where people connect over creativity, and this is one more way to do that. It’s a really fun way to not only share your interests, but to learn a little bit about your friends’ interests… and then you can actually start conversations about that content that you discover," Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a Reel.

View this post on Instagram How to use Instagram Blend Total Time

• One minute

What You Need

• Instagram app

Step 1: Open a DM and tap Blend

The Blend icon should show up at the top right of a conversation.

Credit: Instagram

Step 2: Tap "Invite"

Once you accept or start a Blend, you and your chat will be able to scroll through suggested Reels. When you or a friend reacts to Reels in the Blend using the reply bar, it will send that to the chat to keep your convo going.

Credit: Instagram

Step 3: Scroll away

Once at least one other person accepts the invitation, the Blend will begin. It will refresh every day.

Credit: Instagram

SAVE 10% ON APPLE ACCESSORIES: Trade-in an eligible Apple device when shopping in-store to save 10% on your purchase of a new Apple accessory including AirPods 4 and the Apple Pencil.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Save 10% on new Apple accessories when shopping in-store bring in old Apple devices for recycling to save Get Deal

The Apple family is well connected. They play well together, like synching your Apple Watch to your iPhone or using an Apple AirTag in your checked luggage on summer vacation. If you're part of the Apple crew and could use some new accessories, Apple is offering a discount in honor of Earth Day.

Apple is giving in-store shoppers a 10% discount on select Apple accessories when you bring in an eligible Apple device for recycling. Shop now through May 17 to get the discount and keep in mind you'll need to shop in-store at Apple to score the discount.

As we all sit wondering how fluctuating tariffs will impact the price of tech, we're all about finding unique ways to save on gadgets. One way is to take advantage of deals like this Apple recycling program.

In honor of Earth Day, Apple is offering a special incentive for recycling your old devices. Thanks to this deal, you can bring in your old iPhone, iPod, AirPort, or others to snag a 10% discount on new Apple accessories. The list of eligible accessories includes attractive options like a new AirTag to get ready for summer vacation or a new Apple Watch band. You could also upgrade to the AirPods 4 at 10% off thanks to this deal.

Apple mentions this promo is part of the brand's 2025 Earth Day program, falling in line with the tech giant's goal to become more environmentally friendly.

Here are the details about what Apple devices are eligible for recycling in-store and which Apple accessories qualify for the 10% discount. Keep in mind you'll need to recycle the old device and purchase the accessory during the same transaction to score the savings.

Eligible Apple devices for recycling

• AirPods

• AirPort

• AirTag

• Apple TV

• Computers

• Displays

• Hard Drives & Storage

• Headphones & Speakers

• HomePod

• iPod

• Mice & Keyboards

• Networking

• Printers & Scanners

• Smartphones

• Tablets

• Watches

Apple accessories eligible for the 10% discount

• Apple-branded adapters

• Apple AirPods 4

• Apple AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation

• Apple AirTag (1-pack)

• Apple AirTag (4-pack)

• Apple Pencil

• Apple TV 4K

• Apple-branded Apple Watch bands

• Apple-branded cables

• Apple-branded chargers

• Apple HomePod mini

• Apple-branded iPad cases

• Apple-branded iPhone cases

• Apple Magic Keyboard (excluding Magic Keyboard for iPad)

• Apple Magic Mouse

• Apple Magic Trackpad