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A hacking group called "DragonForce" has gained access to Co-op's membership data, the UK retailer and insurance provider shared in a press release. DragonForce actually contacted the BBC directly to confirm that it had the private data of 20 million people. Co-op's statement says the hackers accessed name and contact details, but don't have things like "members passwords, bank or credit card details, transactions or information relating to any members or customers products or services ." The story is a little different for Co-op's employees. According to the BBC, DragonForce was able to produce a database that includes the usernames and passwords of all of Co-op's employees. "We have implemented measures to ensure that we prevent unauthorized access to our systems whilst minimizing disruption for our members, customers, colleagues and partners," Co-op writes. The company also says it's working with the National Cyber Security Centre (NSCS) and the National Crime Agency (NCA) to investigate how the hackers accessed its data in the first place. Co-op's breach is the latest in a string of cyberattacks targeting UK retailers. Marks & Spencer experienced a similar attack in late April that led the company to stop accepting online orders, Reuters reports. The department store Harrods dealt with its own cyberattack a few days later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/hackers-have-gained-access-to-the-membership-data-of-uk-retailer-co-op-195215251.html?src=rss
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NotebookLM, the Google research tool that gained notoriety for its uncanny AI-generated podcasts, is getting an official app on May 20, 2025. You can pre-register for the Android or iOS version of the app right now and have it automatically downloaded to your device on May 20, the first day of Google I/O 2025. Based on the listings in the Play Store and App Store, Google seems intent on keeping all of the core functionality of the web version of NotebookLM intact for its mobile debut. You can upload a variety of different sources (PDFs, website URLs, YouTube videos and copied text) and have NotebookLM, powered by Gemini, do stuff with them. That could be answering specific questions, generating study guides or creating an Audio Overview, the previously-mentioned "podcasts." Google NotebookLM started life as Project Tailwind back at I/O 2023 and has gradually transitioned from research project to real product over time. The service officially launched as NotebookLM in December 2023 and gained Audio Overviews in September 2024. As of April 2025, NotebookLM is now offered in more than 50 languages. Getting an actual app release is the best sign yet the service is here to stay. Critical to its sucess, NotebookLM makes more sense as a tool you can trust than basically any other Gemini product. The service's output is grounded in documents and sources you choose. That means Google's AI is less likely to hallucinate because it's quoting a research study directly, and it's easier to double check its answers because you can view the source directly in NotebookLM. Google has already signaled that I/O 2025 will be Gemini-focused by breaking out Android announcements into their own stream, so there's a good chance NotebookLM won't be the only AI product getting some love on May 20. It remains to be seen whether Google has any ideas as cogent as "an AI that helps you digest long PDFs," though.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/notebooklm-the-acceptable-face-of-google-ai-is-getting-an-app-in-may-182041294.html?src=rss
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The knock-on effects continue for Apple after a blistering ruling from a federal judge earlier this week that ordered the company to stop collecting fees for purchases made outside the App Store. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple was using loopholes to circumvent her own ruling against the company from 2021. Companies are wasting no time streamlining payments outside of Apples walled garden, and Spotify is the latest to make these changes. With the latest update available in the App Store, version 9.0.40, Spotify has added external links for subscription purchases, allowing it to advertise lower prices and different tiers without giving nearly a third of its revenue generated back to Apple from those subscription sales. These changes also lay the groundwork for content-specific microtransactions, like audiobooks, taking place outside the app. Spotify expressed its hope that these changes will create seamless buying opportunities that will directly benefit creators. In a blog post shared on the Spotify website, the company was incensed that it took this long for Apple to comply with the same judges previous order in the landmark Epic Games case dealing with the exact same issue. It reads in part: The fact that we havent been able to deliver these basic services, which were permitted by the judges order four years ago, is absurd. The ruling made it clear that Apple deliberately abused its market power to intentionally harm others and benefit only itself. Epic Games, which kicked all this off with its original court case, celebrated the legal victory by announcing a limited zero-commission policy for games sold through the Epic Games Store. The company also announced EGS Webshops to support out-of-app purchases launching next month. While Apple has said it will comply with the judges ruling, the company also made clear it intends to appeal. Its been a busy week for Apples legal team, as this comes on the heels of a separate ruling Apple faced from a patent dispute in UK courts, where the iPhone maker has been ordered to pay over $500 million in damages to Optis.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/spotify-breaks-free-from-apples-app-store-fees-170617269.html?src=rss
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