According to Tech Digest, Amazon has begun a global rollout to block unauthorized apps on Fire TV Sticks, targeting modified devices used for illegal streaming. Shein has permanently banned all sex doll sales worldwide after French authorities raised concerns about products with “childlike appearance.” Michael Burry, the investor depicted in The Big Short, has placed a $1.1bn bet against AI stocks Nvidia and Palantir. The UK government has spent over £3.35bn on AI contracts since 2018, including a £1bn Met Office deal with Microsoft. New UK laws will criminalize pornography featuring strangulation, while Eufy has launched its solar-powered EufyCam S4 with 360° coverage and facial recognition.
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Amazon’s Piracy Problem
Here’s the thing about Amazon’s Fire TV crackdown – this isn’t just about blocking a few apps. They’re going after an entire ecosystem of “fully loaded” devices that have become incredibly popular for accessing pirated content. The sideloading workaround has been the backbone of this underground market for years. And now Amazon’s closing that loophole completely.
But why now? Basically, when your streaming hardware becomes synonymous with piracy, that’s bad for business relationships with legitimate content providers. Amazon’s making a calculated move to protect their position in the legitimate streaming wars. They can’t have their own hardware being the preferred tool for circumventing paid services.
The AI Bet That’s Making Waves
Michael Burry’s $1.1bn bet against Nvidia and Palantir is the kind of move that gets everyone’s attention. This is the guy who correctly predicted the 2008 housing collapse. So when he puts nearly a billion pounds against the two companies that have become AI darlings, people notice.
Is this the canary in the coal mine for the AI bubble? Look, Nvidia’s stock has been on an absolute tear, driven by insane demand for their AI chips. But Burry’s essentially betting that current valuations can’t be sustained. The timing’s interesting too – just as the UK government reveals it’s spent £3.35bn on AI, including that massive £1bn Met Office supercomputer deal with Microsoft.
Regulatory Winds Changing
Meanwhile, the UK’s moving forward with some pretty significant content regulations. Making choking porn illegal represents a major shift in how platforms will need to moderate content. And extending the prosecution window for intimate image abuse from six months to three years? That’s huge for victims who often need more time to come forward.
Shein’s quick ban on sex dolls shows how consumer watchdogs are getting more aggressive about platform responsibility. When a French regulator calls out “childlike appearance” products, companies are learning they need to act fast. The days of looking the other way on questionable content are ending.
Where Innovation’s Actually Happening
While everyone’s obsessed with AI, Eufy’s quietly releasing some genuinely clever smart home tech. Their new EufyCam S4 being solar-powered with 360° coverage? That’s solving real problems – no wiring, continuous power, and comprehensive monitoring. Sometimes the most impactful tech isn’t the flashy AI stuff but the practical innovations that just work better.
So we’ve got Amazon cleaning house, regulators cracking down, and a famous skeptic betting against the AI hype train. Meanwhile, practical smart home tech keeps evolving. It’s a reminder that while everyone chases the next big thing, there’s still plenty happening in the here and now.
