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Microsoft has spent more than $76 billion acquiring game studios and publishers over the past few years in an attempt to turn Xbox into a Netflix-like subscription platform, and the result is that nobody -- possibly not even Microsoft -- can clearly articulate what Xbox actually is anymore, The Verge writes. The brand started as a powerful video game console, but Game Pass and cloud gaming pushed it toward a hazier identity: the "This is an Xbox" ad campaign tried to redefine it as any device that could play Xbox games, whether a PC, a smart TV, a phone, or a Windows handheld. Microsoft then went further and started publishing its biggest franchises on PlayStation, making it one of the largest third-party publishers on a rival's platform. Phil Spencer, who led the division for over a decade and drove the subscription pivot, announced his retirement last week, and incoming CEO Asha Sharma has pledged "the return of Xbox" -- though her memo also talks about expanding across PC, mobile, and cloud, which sounds a lot like the status quo.

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Discord is attempting to distance itself from the age verification provider Persona following a steady stream of user backlash. From a report: In an emailed statement to The Verge, Discord's head of product policy, Savannah Badalich, confirms the company "ran a limited test of Persona in the UK where age assurance had previously launched and that test has since concluded." After Discord announced plans to implement age verification globally starting next month, users across social media accused Discord of "lying" about how it plans on handling face scans and ID uploads. Much of the criticism was directed toward Discord's partnership with Persona, an age verification provider also used by Reddit and Roblox.

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8 quick tweaks that make a Linux desktop harder to break  How-To Geek

Mobileye Global Integrates Elektrobit's EB Corbos Linux For Safety Applications Into Mobileye Drive  Nasdaq

Mobileye Global Integrates Elektrobit's EB Corbos Linux For Safety Applications Into Mobileye Drive  Nasdaq

This impressive Linux distro can bring your spare PC back to life  ZDNET

An overview of Google’s new data center and collaboration with Xcel Energy in Pine Island, Minnesota.An overview of Google’s new data center and collaboration with Xcel Energy in Pine Island, Minnesota.

ProducerAI is joining Google Labs to help creatives grow, learn and make the music they imagine.ProducerAI is joining Google Labs to help creatives grow, learn and make the music they imagine.

Russia has opened an investigation into Telegram founder Pavel Durov for "abetting terrorist activities," [non-paywalled source] in the latest sign that his uneasy relationship with the Kremlin has broken down. From a report: Two Russian newspapers, including the state-run Rossiiskaya Gazeta and Kremlin-friendly tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda, alleged on Tuesday that the messaging app had become a tool of western and Ukrainian intelligence services. The articles, credited to materials from Russia's FSB security service, accused Telegram of enabling attacks in Russia and said that Durov's "actions ... are under criminal investigation." Russia has restricted Telegram's functions, accusing it of flouting the law and is seeking to divert users towards Max, a state-run rival messenger. The steps escalate pressure on a platform that remains deeply embedded in Russian public life.

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Why Linux still isn't ready for your laptop in 2026  How-To Geek

Open-source safety software to power Mobileye self-driving taxis  Stock Titan

Clonezilla Live 3.3.1 Released with Linux Kernel 6.18  Linuxiac

Firefox is about to drop support for older Windows versions - says if you can't upgrade, then switch to Linux  PC Guide

Firefox 148 introduces granular AI controls and a global "AI kill switch" that allows users to disable or selectively manage the browser's AI features. Phoronix reports: Among the AI features that can be toggled individually are around translations, image alt text in the Firefox PDF viewer, tab group suggestions, key points in link previews, and AI chatbot providers in the sidebar. Firefox 148 also brings Firefox for Android, support for the Trusted Types API, CSS shape() function support, Sanitizer API support, WebGPU enhancements, and a variety of other changes. Developer chances can be found at developer.mozilla.org. Binaries are available from ftp.mozilla.org.

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I'm still using this 30-year-old Linux backup tool, and you should too  How-To Geek

An overview of Google’s new data center and agreements to support local energy resilience in Wilbarger County.

Elektrobit integrates safety-certified Linux OS into Mobileye Drive Level-4 platform  ET Auto

Intel Formally Ends Four Of Their Go Language Open-Source Projects  Phoronix

Nvidia is looking for Linux driver engineers specifically to improve Vulkan and Proton support on its GPUs  PC Guide

Nvidia is looking for Linux driver engineers specifically to improve Vulkan and Proton support on its GPUs  PC Guide