TECHNOLOGY
EA halts sales of games in Russia, Belarus
On Wednesday, the company said it was removing Russian teams from its FIFA and NHL games, but Friday's actions go a significant step further, reports The Verge. "We have made the decision to stop sales of our games and content, including virtual currency bundles, in Russia and Belarus while this conflict continues, EA added in a blog post.
Nintendo temporarily puts its Russian eShop into maintenance mode
According to The Verge, it appears to mean that players in the country cannot buy digital games from the store. "Due to the fact that the payment service used in Nintendo eShop has suspended the processing of payments in rubles, Nintendo eShop in Russia is temporarily placed into maintenance mode," according to a Google-translated version of the message.
Microsoft suspends new sales of products, services in Russia
Horrified, angered and saddened by the images and news coming from the war in Ukraine, Microsoft has announced to suspend all new sales of its products and services in Russia. Brad Smith, President and Vice Chair of Microsoft, said that the company condemns the unjustified, unprovoked and unlawful invasion by Russia.
Snapchat turns off public 'heatmap' for Ukraine
Snapchat has announced that it is temporarily turning off its "heat map" feature for Ukraine, so the app no longer shows how many snaps are being taken in particular locations. The company said that the move is "a safety precaution" and that there will still be a curated public feed of snaps submitted by Ukrainians, reports The Verge.
Nvidia data breach exposes data of 71,000 employees: Report
The data breach at graphics chip maker Nvidia has reportedly exposed emails and hashes belonging to at least 71,000 employees. The 'Have I Been Pwned' website suggests that the hack includes a massive 71,000 employee emails and hashes that may have allowed the hackers to crack their passwords.
Apple Maps now displays Crimea as part of Ukraine outside Russia
Apple Maps and Weathers apps are now showing Crimea as part of Ukraine for users outside of Russia, the media reported. Earlier, Apple apps refused to record Crimea as part of any country when accessed in most places, reports Mashable.
Microsoft to bring mouse, keyboard support on Xbox Cloud Gaming
Tech giant Microsoft is working to bring mouse and keyboard integration to Xbox Cloud Gaming, with platform-level support currently in development for the service. The move will provide a new choice of peripheral to experience Xbox titles via cloud streaming, accompanying the existing touch controls, prominent among mobile users, reports Windows Central.
Global smartwatch market reaches 127.5 mn units in 2021: Report
The global smartwatch market reached 127.5 million units in 2021, with shipments of 42.4 million in the fourth quarter, says a new report. According to market research firm Counterpoint, while Apple's Watch 7 series launch had been delayed to the fourth quarter, Samsung has boosted its market position in 2021 with the successful launch of the Galaxy Watch 4 series.
Google tests darker 'dark mode' for its Android app
Tech giant Google is testing a darker dark mode for its Android search app, media reports say. The new shade still is not the same as the one presented in Google's test of a pitch-black dark mode on desktops last month, reports The Verge.
Reddit blocks all links to Russian state media, bans ads
Online discussion forum 'Reddit' has categorically banned its users globally from posting links to Russian state-sponsored media outlets, including RT and Sputnik, as well as Russian advertisements on its platform. Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Twitter, YouTube and several other tech platforms have already banned RT and Sputnik in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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