Techmeme: Google to proceed with its plan to limit current ad blocking capabilities for Chrome extensions, leaving the current capabilities available only to enterprises (Kyle Bradshaw/9to5Google)

Top News

Nick Summers / Engadget:

Microsoft is bringing its Xbox Game Pass subscription service to Windows 10 PCs with a “curated library” of more than 100 titles; details to be revealed at E3 — PC players, rejoice: Microsoft is bringing its previously-Xbox exclusive subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, to Windows 10.

More: Xbox Wire, The Verge, The Verge, Windows Central, Windows Central, GeekWire, Thurrott, PCWorld, Windows Central, VentureBeat, CNET, Ars Technica, Destructoid, GameSpot, WinBuzzer, Siliconera, BGR, KnowTechie, SlashGear, Geek.com, Neowin, OnMSFT.com, TechSpot, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, IGN, Bloomberg, MSPoweruser, VG247, Blue's News, Polygon, 9to5Toys, and Gamasutra

Tweets: @hdkirin, @benjisales, and @kdinjenzen

Sam Meredith / CNBC:

An open letter signed by 47 companies including Apple, Google, and WhatsApp condemns UK GCHQ proposal to eavesdrop on encrypted messages — KEY POINTS — In an open letter to GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters), 47 signatories including Apple, Google and WhatsApp have jointly urged …

More: CyberScoop, ZDNet, The Guardian, Lawfare, Android Authority, TechCrunch, AppleInsider, Fortune, BBC, 9to5Mac, Mashable, CNET, The Register, VentureBeat, Neowin, Telecoms.com, Firstpost Tech, CNN, iPhone in Canada Blog, Cult of Mac, Engadget, Business Insider, Forbes, MacRumors, The Verge, and MacDailyNews

Tweets: @alexhern, @thebitfi, @rossamcmahon, @libertyhq, @themclg, and @bricksilk

Kyle Bradshaw / 9to5Google:

Google to proceed with its plan to limit current ad blocking capabilities for Chrome extensions, leaving the current capabilities available only to enterprises — Back in January, Google announced a proposed change to Chrome's extensions system, called Manifest V3, that would stop current ad blockers from working efficiently.

More: ZDNet, CNET, Engadget, Coding Horror, The Register, gHacks Technology News, Beyond Search, Geek News Central, Android Police, MSPoweruser, and BleepingComputer

Tweets: @fugueish, @beirutspring, @marypcbuk, @jason_kint, @denniscode, @gwillem, @nitot, @pjf, @seldo, @evacide, @alicetiara, @___discovery, @privacymatters, @codinghorror, @ohmdee, and @counternotions. Thanks:@cremnob

Lindsey O'Donnell / Threatpost:

Restaurant chain Checkers says hackers breached its systems to install malware on PoS systems across 102 of its locations between December 2015 and April 2019 — The popular Checkers and Rally's drive-through restaurant chain was attacked by Point of Sale (POS) malware impacting 15 percent of its stores across the U.S.

More: Checkers Drive-In, BleepingComputer, Tampa Bay Times, SecurityWeek, and ZDNet. Tweets: @mgsiegler

Jay Greene / Washington Post:

Salesforce changes its acceptable-use policy to bar gun-selling retailers from using its software if they sell military-style rifles — Business-software giant Salesforce instituted a new policy barring retail customers from using its technology to sell semiautomatic weapons and some other firearms.

More: Gizmodo, The Verge, CNBC, Seeking Alpha, and CryptoNinjas. Tweets: @yoda

Bloomberg:

Source: DOJ is still discussing merger approval with T-Mobile and Sprint, but is demanding concessions to allow a fourth national wireless carrier to emerge — - Antitrust officials seek additional carrier with own network — T-Mobile mulling possible fixes to satisfy Justice Department

More: USA Today, Android Authority, Gizmodo, CNET, Android Central, The Verge, FierceWireless, Neowin, Engadget, VOIP IP Telephony, Cult of Mac, Telecoms.com, Android Police, SlashGear, AppleInsider, TmoNews, GeekWire, 9to5Mac, and Seeking Alpha

Tweets: @modestproposal1, @msnabilaahmed, @whatthebit, @saschasegan, and @business

Julia Alexander / The Verge:

The YouTube channel of Indian music production company T-Series becomes the first to cross 100M subscribers — Beating PewDiePie in the process — T-Series is the first YouTube channel to reach more than 100 million subscribers after months of racing to the top.

More: Business Insider. Tweets: @tseries and @youtube

Parmy Olson / Wall Street Journal:

Sources: VR startup Leap Motion, which helped pioneer gesture tracking, to sell itself to UltraHaptics for ~$30M, about a 10th of its valuation a few years ago — San Francisco startup, which develops and licenses gesture-tracking technology, had in the past been eyed by Apple

More: The Verge and VentureBeat. Tweets: @wsjtech

Ryan McMorrow / Agence France-Presse:

Investigation finds Huawei has received ~$1.6B in Chinese government grants over past ten years, heavily subsidized land, and favorable export financing terms — Huawei has been a major beneficiary of Chinese state subsidies and grants — A replica of the Palace of Versailles …

Tweets: @rwmcmorrow, @akannampilly, @dravirmani, and @paulmozur

Steven Melendez / Fast Company:

The popular password management startup Dashlane raises $110M Series D led by Sequoia Capital — Dashlane, the popular password management service, has closed a $110-million Series D funding round and hired a new chief marketing officer: Joy Howard, who is currently CMO at Lyft and will join Dashlane in August.

More: TechCrunch

Davey Alba / BuzzFeed News:

Facial recognition tech will be tested in a US public school district for the first time starting June 3 in NY, will track people barred from school buildings — Testing of the Aegis system begins in the Lockport City School District next week. It will track sex offenders …

More: CNET, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, Engadget, WKBW-TV, and The Hill

Tweets: @kaimandante, @daveyalba, @daveyalba, @buzzfeednews, @adrjeffries, and @mat

Adi Robertson / The Verge:

Google now requires Play Store app developers to disclose the odds of receiving items in loot boxes, bringing its policy in line with Apple's App Store — Google now requires Play Store app developers to disclose the odds of receiving items in loot boxes, among several other changes aimed at making its app store more kid-friendly.

More: Android Police, Engadget, GamesIndustry.biz, and Firstpost Tech

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Google introduces new policies to protect children and families downloading apps on Google Play, including mandating developers comply with content and ad rules

More: Android Developers Blog, Engadget, 9to5Google, KnowTechie, Mashable, Pocket Gamer.biz, Inquirer, The Verge, and Gizmodo. Tweets: @googleplaydev

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Hulu says 70% of its 82M viewers are on the $5.99-per-month ad-supported plan, which generated $1.5B in ad revenue in 2018 — Hulu sells an ad-free version of its streaming service, just like Netflix. But the majority of Hulu subscribers are on the $5.99-per-month ad-supported plan …

More: Latest Streaming & … and Tubefilter

Tweets: @charlesarthur, @xpangler, and @pkafka

See also Mediagazer

Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:

Firefly, which runs targeted, geofenced ads via smart screens on ride-sharing cars in SF and LA, raises $30M Series A as its starts working with taxis in NYC — Firefly, a startup that allows ridehail drivers to make money from advertising, has raised $30 million in Series A funding.

More: AdExchanger, VentureBeat, and Forbes. Tweets: @benbajarin

Jeremy Horwitz / VentureBeat:

In-flight internet provider Gogo says it plans to deploy in-flight 5G in 2021 that will service smaller aircraft on routes in the contiguous US and Canada — In-flight internet provider Gogo plans to deploy an air-to-ground 5G network for aviation, the company said today …

More: Engadget, Gogo Press Room, The Verge, TechSpot, iPhone in Canada Blog, SlashGear, CNET, ZDNet, and The Points Guy

Tweets: @trengriffin and @trengriffin

Paul Gillin / SiliconANGLE:

Big data analytics vendor MapR cuts 122 jobs, may shut down Santa Clara HQ after potential investor pulls out after “extremely poor results” in the last quarter — MapR Technologies Inc., one of the troika of unicorn startups that emerged from the early days of the big-data movement …

More: Silicon Valley Business … and Business Insider. Thanks:@robhof

Brian Dowling / Xconomy:

Insight Partners buys a majority share in Boston-based threat intelligence company Recorded Future for $780M, the highest ever price for a threat intel firm — Recorded Future is being acquired by tech investor Insight Partners in a $780 million all-cash deal, the cyber-threat intelligence company announced this morning.

More: TechCrunch, Axios, and PE Hub Blog

Tweets: @techjournalist, @pearlf, and @gthuang. Thanks:@gthuang

C. J. Hughes / New York Times:

Enormous arenas are being built with esports in mind, such as the $10M Esports Stadium Arlington in Texas and the planned $50M Fusion Arena in Philadelphia — To provide fans with a richer experience, developers are creating arenas that are designed for pro gaming.

Tweets: @alliedesports, @dealbook, and @dealbook

Bloomberg:

NXP Semiconductors to buy Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity business of Marvell Technology Group in an all-cash deal valued at $1.76B — - Assets generated about $300 million in revenue in 2019 — First major deal for NXP since failed takeover by Qualcomm

Media Policy Project:

A German regulatory proposal aims to ensure content diversity and non-discrimination on streaming platforms and sites like YouTube via algorithm transparency — Tighter regulation of social media and other online services in now under discussion in several European countries …

IDC:

Global wearables shipments reached 49.6M units in Q1 2019, up 55.2% YoY as ear-worn devices grew 135.1%; Huawei grew 282.2%, Samsung 151.6%, and Apple 49.5% — Global shipments of wearable devices reached 49.6 million units during the first quarter of 2019 (1Q19), up 55.2% …

More: VentureBeat

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