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Microsoft is officially getting rid of Skype as of May 5 and encouraging its users to pick Teams once and for all. In its announcement, the company stated that the move will allow it to "streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs." Microsoft is also far from subtle in its push for Teams and included step-by-step instructions for migrating over. All users need to do is log in with their Skype credentials and their chats and contacts should appear. Teams and Skype users will be able to communicate with each other until the latter shuts down. Microsoft also published an entire YouTube video illustrating how to transition user data. However, anyone who doesn't want to move to Teams can choose to export all of their data and history before May 5. The news is hardly surprising given recent moves such as removing credits and phone numbers from Skype in favor of subscriptions. XDA initially reported the possibility of Skype shutting down, with a Skype for Windows code preview reading, "Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams." New users won't be able to access paid Skype features, while current subscribers can use credits and their plan through the end of their renewal period. Skype launched over two decades ago in 2003. Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011 right around the time myself and everyone I knew was desperately searching for a strong enough Wi-Fi connection in their home to talk with friends (yes, really tough situation here) and before video chats became the norm at work. While Skype doesn't really have much to differentiate it in a world filled with the likes of Zoom, FaceTime and, yes, Teams, it's still hard to say goodbye to a service that provided such excitement and connection. Skype felt like a new era of communication and it will be missed. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/skype-will-take-its-final-curtain-and-video-call-may-5-144256172.html?src=rss
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Meme coins are not securities and, hence, aren't subject to federal laws regulating the financial instruments, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The agency has issued its official stance on meme coins, comparing them to collectibles, since their value is "derived from speculative trading and the collective sentiment of the market." Meme coins do not fit the definition of securities under the law, SEC said, because they do "not generate a yield or convey rights to future income, profits, or assets of a business." People who purchase them are also not considered to be investing in an enterprise, which means they're not "investment contracts" that are classified as securities. As such, people who sell and offer meme coins do not have to register their transactions with the commission under the Securities Act. Buyers are not protected by securities laws as a result, though that doesn't automatically mean that scammers can use them to dupe people without repercussions. Any fraudulent transaction involving meme coins could still be subject to enforcement action under other federal and state laws. The Trump administration's Securities and Exchange Commission has been showing signs of being friendlier towards the cryptocurrency industry ever since he took office. Just within this month, the SEC agreed to end an enforcement case that accused Coinbase of illegally running an unregistered securities exchange. The commission also dropped an investigation into Robinhood, which faced charges of violating securities laws with its crypto listings and sales. Even though the commission will not be regulating meme coins, it says it will still evaluate the "economic realities" of the presumably suspicious transactions they're involved in. Meme coins must be crypto assets "inspired by internet memes, characters, current events, or trends" purchased for "entertainment, social interaction, and cultural purposes" and whose value is "driven primarily by market demand and speculation." They typically have "limited or no use or functionality," the commission wrote, and "experience significant market price volatility." Crypto assets labeled as "meme coins" in an effort to evade regulations will still be considered as securities if they don't fit that definition. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/sec-says-meme-coins-are-not-subject-to-federal-securities-laws-140032772.html?src=rss
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Anyone who has rode the New York City subway can tell you that it has a lot of problems, from strange noises to flammable debris on the tracks. Now, as is the solution for everything these days, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is testing how AI could improve the repair process with the help of six Google Pixel phones. In this case, the Google Pixel phones rode on four different subway cars between last September and January. The experiment, conducted in partnership with Google Public Sector, used the phone's accelerometers, magnetometers and microphones to pick up on any worrisome noises. This data was thn sent to cloud-based systems that generated predictive insights using machine learning algorithms. The tech, known by Google as TrackInspect, found 92 percent of the defect locations that inspectors located. "By being able to detect early defects in the rails, it saves not just money but also time for both crew members and riders" New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow stated in a release. "This innovative program which is the first of its kind uses AI technology to not only make the ride smoother for customers but also make track inspectors jobs safer by equipping them with more advanced tools." Typically, inspectors walk all 665 miles of the subway tracks to find any issues, along with sensor-laden train geometry cars" picking up data three times a year. During the experiment, inspectors checked out any locations highlighted and confirmed whether there was a defect. They could also ask questions about maintenance and protocols through the tools generative AI system. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/mta-strapped-google-pixels-to-subway-cars-to-spot-track-defects-133046252.html?src=rss
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