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NASA approves Blue Origin's New Glenn for future uncrewed missions
NASA has approved Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy lift rocket for future unmanned scientific and exploration missions, even though the 310 foot reusable booster has yet to fly.
Google will likely win EU approval for its $2.1 billion Fitbit deal
Google is reportedly on track to win EU antitrust approval for its $2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit.
NASA will license its FDA-approved ventilator to manufacturers for free
A high-pressure ventilator developed by NASA engineers and designed to treat COVID-19 has received FDA approval via a fast-tracked emergency use authorization.
Swarm gets regulatory approval to sell its satellite hardware
This has been a years-long process, during which time Swarm violated FCC rules and was forced to pay a $900,000 penalty. In 2017, the FCC denied Swarm’s application to launch its satellites, saying they could pose a safety hazard to other spacecraft.
Kenyan government finally approves Loon’s internet-delivery balloons
Alphabet's internet-delivery balloon service, Loon, has finally received approval from the Kenyan government. To help improve communication during the coronavirus pandemic, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta fast-tracked the regulatory approval Loon and its partner, Telkom Kenya, were waiting on. Loon expects to begin providing service to remote areas of Kenya in the "near future."
FCC formally approves the T-Mobile-Sprint merger
Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) formally approved the T-Mobile-Sprint merger. The decision comes after a drawn-out, and at times contentious, review of T-Mobile's $26.5 billion bid to merge with Sprint.
The FCC voted to approve the T-Mobile-Sprint merger
Today, the FCC formally approved the contested T-Mobile and Sprint merger, The Verge reports. But commissioners are still speaking out. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks released statements explaining their decisions to vote against the transaction.
FCC approves Nexstar’s $6.4 billion acquisition of Tribune Media
The long, drawn out saga over Tribune Media Company's fate could soon come to an end. Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the sale of Tribune to Nexstar Media Group. The $6.4 billion deal will create the nation's largest local TV broadcaster and local media company, Nexstar said previously.
Daimler and Bosch inch closer to fully automated, self-driving valet service
Daimler has plans for self-driving trucks, autonomous taxis and cars that drive themselves on the autobahn. Now, it's moving forward with its vision to bring fully automated, driverless parking to the Mercedes-Benz Museum parking garage in Stuttgart, Germany. The system, a joint effort with Bosch, will allow visitors to park their autonomous vehicles with a few taps of an app.
China's first video game approvals in months don't include Tencent
A week after China approved its first batch of video games in nine months, the list is finally available... and who's not included may be more notable than who is. The country's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television has announced that 80 online games made the cut, but industry giant Tencent wasn't part of that initial mix. It's not certain why regulators didn't greenlight Tencent games, although China recently instituted an ethics committee that would ensure games don't promote addiction, short-sightedness and some forms of sex and violence.
FDA says unapproved 'designer vagina' treatments are dangerous
Cellulite, thigh gaps, hip dips... women have no end of supposed physical "flaws" to worry about, and in recent times this remit has expanded to include the state of their vaginas, too. The internet is awash with products designed to improve a woman's "intimate health", but now the FDA has found that these treatments and procedures -- which claim to tighten muscles, increase lubrication, boost sexual pleasure or just "neaten things up" -- are not only unapproved, but are causing serious injuries to the women undertaking them.
Starting today, it will be a lot harder to vape if you're under 18
In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to regulate e-cigarettes like it does regular tobacco products. Today, those changes go into effect. First, the new regulations make it illegal to sell e-cigarettes and other vaping supplies to anyone under the age of 18. As we reported when the FDA first revealed its plans, the age limit was already being enforced in some places, but now it's the rule nationwide. Retailers will be required to ask for identification from any customer who appears to be under the age of 27 and are prohibited from providing free samples to minors.
CRISPR gene-editing approved for first human trials
A federal ethics and biosafety panel has approved the first ever human trials of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania aim to modify the immune system "T cells" in patients, helping them better fight off several kinds of cancer. The work will be funded by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, founded earlier this year by tech billionaire Sean Parker. While the federal ethics panel nod was a big hurdle, researchers still need approval from the FDA and the hospitals conducting the studies before they can start.
A sponge-filled syringe could save you from bleeding out
RevMedx's sponge-filled syringe, the XSTAT 30, was approved for military use in treating gunshot wounds last year. Now, the FDA says paramedics and other first responders can use the device to treat civilian injuries as well. The syringe is filled with tiny sponges that are designed to control severe bleeding from wounds in places a tourniquet can't be used. Each syringe contains 92 compressed sponges that expand to fill the wound to block blood flow for up to four hours.
Your doctor may soon check your heart with a smartphone
The stethoscope, invented 200 years ago because a French doctor was too embarrassed to put his ear directly against a woman's chest, is finally getting a digital upgrade. A device called the Eko Core, which attaches to a regular stethoscope, has just been approved for medical use by the US FDA. It amplifies and records the sound signals transmitted by the ubiquitous medical devices, then sends the sound waves wirelessly to an iPhone app. From there, doctors can record the waveform and either listen to it later or compare it to a future visit to test the effects of a treatment. It will also be handy as a teaching too for medical students.
Google is cracking down on bad Android TV apps
Google has never approved Play Store apps like Apple does, but now says it'll review Android TV apps "for usability... and other quality guidelines." That's a big departure from its previous policy -- Google only pulled apps retroactively from Play if there was an issue. But as Android Police pointed out, it will now test apps to ensure they work on a D-pad or Gamepad, which implies some may not have played well with those controllers. The timing also coincides with the launch of the Nexus Player, meaning Mountain View may be trying to avoid a Google TV-like debacle with Android TV. If you're concerned about further app Orwellism, there's no sign it'll do the same for the rest of the Android ecosystem.
Employee reviews blast Carbine Studios management
Whenever you hear of a studio laying off 60 people, you have to think things aren't going well. Sometimes it's a matter of bad luck and circumstance, but sometimes it's a case of bad management and poor decisions. Current and former employees of Carbine Studios attribute it to the latter, with the company holding a 41% rating on Glassdoor.com as reported by The Escapist. The reviews uniformly emphasize that WildStar is an excellent game, but they also point out universal flaws with management, decision-making, and communication. Several employee reviews characterize the studio as a "boy's club" with only the top decision-makers given leeway. There are also criticisms of the studio's overall implementation of strategies and willingness to adapt. As the reviews come from both present and former employees, the negativity speaks to some underlying problems at the studio and certainly does little to alleviate the sense of general anxiety for players regarding the state of the game.
EU officially approves Facebook's purchase of WhatsApp
US regulators may have given Facebook's $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp the thumbs-up some time ago, but the social network was still waiting for the EU to do the same. Now, thankfully, approval has been handed down from European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, who says that, thanks to the presence of healthy rivals like Line, Viber and iMessage, the deal won't hamper competition in the messaging market. Zuckberg and Co. had to agree to protect user privacy in the States before getting the official go-ahead, and in Europe antitrust watchdogs sent questionnaires to the competition in order to gauge the impact on the messaging game before deciding. In May, Facebook looked into getting the European Commission involved to bypass the holdup of waiting on each country to okay the deal. Of course, there's a lot of sexting to take into account across the pond, so officials had to be careful with the due diligence.
Apple officially brings Beats into the fold
A smidge over two months after Apple announced its plan to nab Dr. Dre's headphone and music streaming interests, the folks in Cupertino have officially welcomed Beats to the family. The US government didn't seem to take issue with the purchase, giving the final stamp of approval. Both sides have also posted statements on their respective sites celebrating the union that's now a done deal. The $3 billion dollar purchase of the Beats brand brings not only popular audio devices and a personalized streaming service into Apple's fold, but also the talents of CEO Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre and music head Ian Rogers to the table for future projects. In the meantime, if you're looking to purchase from Beats, it has moved sales to the new owner's online store.
Europe approves Apple's $3 billion takeover of Beats
Apple is officially a step closer to owning Beats, as the $3 billion merger has just been cleared in Europe. The EU commission ruled that the merger "did not raise concerns because the combined (headphone) market share of Apple and Beats Electronics is low." That might sound like an odd thing to say about Apple, but the EU pointed out that after buying Beats, it would still have Bose, Sennheiser, Sony and other competitors in the sector. As a result, Apple/Beats would be far from a headphone monopoly, which was the EU's main concern. The purchase still has to be cleared in the US, but most pundits think regulators there will toe a similar line. Apple has a new headache, though: one of those competitors, Bose, has just sued it over its noise-cancelling patents.
