Technologies

Epic’s battle with Apple takes a turn as 35 states throw support behind Fortnite maker

Others including Microsoft and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have also filed amicus briefs in support of Epic’s appeal in the Fortnite case.

A group of 35 states, along with Microsoft, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other organizations, have thrown their support behind Epic Games in the Fortnite maker’s legal battle with Apple. In a brief filed Thursday with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, attorneys general for the states argued that the court should overturn the earlier ruling that Apple’s control over its App Store doesn’t violate antitrust laws.

«Apple’s conduct has harmed and is harming mobile app developers and millions of citizens,» they wrote in the brief.

Apple and Epic have been locked in a court fight over how much control the iPhone maker should have over its App Store. Last year, Epic unsuccessfully argued to a US District Judge in California that Apple should be forced to allow app developers more freedom in how they offer apps to iPhone and iPad owners. However, the judge said Apple’s rules against allowing developers to direct users to other payment systems was anti-competitive, and issued an injunction to allow developers to do so in their apps.

In December, Apple scored another win when the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed to delay that injunction. Apple now has until its appeals process with Epic concludes, which could take years.

Critics of Apple, meanwhile, continue to make their case.

«Apple continues to monopolize app-distribution and in-app payment solutions for iPhones, stifle competition, and amass supracompetitive profits within the almost trillion-dollar-a-year smartphone industry,» the attorneys general wrote in the brief.

Apple said it expects Epic’s challenge will fail.

«We’re optimistic that the ruling will be affirmed on appeal,» said an Apple spokesperson in an emailed statement on Friday. «We remain committed to ensuring the App Store is a safe and trusted marketplace for consumers and a great opportunity for developers.»

In total, 10 briefs were filed in the case on Thursday. Microsoft argued that ruling in favor of the iPhone maker could let the company leverage its «control of iOS to foreclose competition» in adjacent markets.

«If Apple is allowed to step between any company with online services and users of iPhones, few areas of the vast mobile economy will be safe from Apple’s interference and eventual dominance,» wrote Microsoft.

The US Department of Justice, which also filed a brief, declined to take a position on the merits of Epic’s and Apple’s arguments, but said the district court «committed several legal errors that could imperil effective antitrust enforcement, especially in the digital economy.» The DOJ specifically called out the court’s interpretation of the Sherman Act, a key US antitrust law passed in 1890, saying it was read «narrowly and wrongly.»

Epic Games declined to comment on the briefs.

Technologies

Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply

One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.

On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.

You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.

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Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.

«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»

How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook

According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:

Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
Use filters for job type, category and distance.
Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.

Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.

The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.

Technologies

Tesla Has a New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: How Much They Cost

The new, stripped-back versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have a more affordable starting price.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Catch all.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.