News

Google is shutting down Google Plus after data leaks

Ten months to migrate your data

Published

October 9, 2018

Luigi Leonardo

When was the last time you managed your Google Plus account? If you’ve touched it within the last six months, one thousand points to you.

Among all of the major social networks alive today, Google’s struggling contender has not enjoyed the same popularity as Facebook or Twitter. Undoubtedly, Google Plus lives on borrowed time.

Now, a massive cover-up has placed the inevitable final nail on the platform’s coffin. Reported by the Wall Street Journal, Google suffered an enormous data breach. The blunder exposed hundreds of thousands of Google Plus accounts to outside access. However, instead of telling its users, Google chose to hide it from everyone, citing the lack of tangible damage.

According to the report, Google CEO Sundar Pichai was in on the deception. Google chose to avoid the same fate that befell Facebook after the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Following the exposé, Google announced that the company will shut down Google Plus’ consumer version. The move attempts to make amends for the breach and the succeeding deception.

Further, Google has admitted that the platform never took off. In a blog post, the company bared that 90 percent of its users spend less than five seconds on Google Plus.

Within ten months, the company will cease consumer operations for the social network. Instead, Google will pool its resources for Enterprise users of Google Plus. Despite the lack of consumers, companies still rely on the service for corporate communication. As such, Google will tailor the platform for corporate use, adding in more specialized features.

Regardless of Google’s deception, total deletion is a more strategic move to prevent further damage. At the very least, the move affects a minuscule portion of the company’s user base.

However, if you’re one of the paltry few who maintains a kicking Google Plus account, it’s time to migrate your data into a bigger (and hopefully, more secure) social network.

News

Nothing will launch the Phone (4b) next month

It will feature an all-new design.

Published

June 24, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Earlier this week, Nothing confirmed that CMF will no longer get a new smartphone later this year. However, the company also teased that a new model is still coming to Nothing itself. The initial tease did not include a model name or an image, thereby shrouding the new phone in mystery. Now, the mystery is gone as Nothing has definitively confirmed what’s coming: the Nothing (4b).

Nope, that’s not a typo. Nothing is following up the Phone (4a) series with the Phone (4b).

On X, Nothing teased the upcoming smartphone with a rough sketch of the model. Surrounded by designs from the Phone (4a) series, the Phone (4b)’s design shakes things up by introducing the usual wide camera island but affixing only a small vertical camera setup on the left side.

Meanwhile, a smaller pill-shaped cutout likely houses the phone’s LED flashes. Finally, a light strip on the lower right of the island will probably feature the model’s lighting element.

The Nothing (4b)’s launch is just over the horizon. The company has confirmed that the model will launch on July 7.

This is likely Nothing’s last ace up its sleeve this year. Earlier this year, Carl Pei already confirmed that the flagship-level Phone (4) will not arrive until next year.

Apps

Meta is reportedly experimenting on a gambling app

Users can spend virtual points on Arena.

Published

June 24, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Meta does not have the most stellar of reputations. Despite offering the world’s most popular social media platforms, the company, through its various experiments throughout the years, continuously proves that it has other priorities than just providing the best for its users. Today, another reported experiment wants to take Meta to a new market that its users might fall into: the prediction market.

If you haven’t heard of the prediction market, consider yourself lucky. These apps, such as Kalshi, are basically just gambling platforms without the glitz of playing cards or the rigor of the stock market. Users gamble on mundane circumstances like the weather and more serious ones like war.

Today, as reported by The New York Times, Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly asking Meta to develop a prediction app of its own. Interestingly, the experimental app, supposedly called Arena, will use virtual points, rather than real money. However, Meta has not ruled out real money — and hence, real gambling — in the future.

Meta is entering the industry at an extremely volatile time. The world is starting to crack down on prediction markets. Some users, for example, have been accused of using insider information to get easy wins on these platforms. Some markets have also accused these platforms of subverting anti-gambling laws.

Gaming

Steam Machine was supposed to be much, much cheaper

Was the price increase justified?

Published

June 23, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Steam Machine is the most anticipated gaming device this year. Valve’s upcoming machine aims to deliver a PC gaming experience in a convenient package. Today, the price of the Steam Machine was finally unveiled, and it’s a doozy. But did you know that it was supposed to be much, much cheaper?

Now, we already know that the Steam Machine was cheaper before, but we didn’t really know how much cheaper. Speaking to IGN, Valve essentially confirmed the Machine followed the same price hikes as the Steam Deck, which experienced an increase of over US$ 200.

After doing a bit of algebra, it can be assumed that the Steam Machine was supposed to start at around US$ 750. That’s a huge jump, considering that the more expensive variant currently costs almost US$ 1,500, almost double the price of the original.

Unfortunately, that’s just how the industry works these days. Because of the ongoing RAM crisis, several manufacturers have already confirmed price hikes happening throughout the year. Apple, most recently, announced that price increases might come soon because of the untenability of shouldering the costs themselves.

It gets worse for the Machine, though. Despite being expensive, the price tag doesn’t really reflect the specs you’re getting. You can certainly grab a gaming laptop with better specs for around the same (or even a smaller) price tag, especially considering that Valve’s console-but-not-really-a-console doesn’t come with peripherals yet.