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Amazon will stream WNBA games in 2021 as part of a multi-year deal
Amazon has signed a multi-year deal with the Women's National Basketball Association that will see it stream games live on Prime Video.
Tesla now accepts Bitcoin in the US
As it promised earlier this year, Tesla now accepts payment in Bitcoin, according to Tesla's website and a tweet from CEO Elon Musk.
Facebook is expanding its dedicated news section to more countries
Facebook plans to expand its News section outside the US in the next six to 12 months.
Xiaomi announces an international version of its Mi Band 5
For the first time ever, Xiaomi’s popular, low-cost wearable device Mi Band is officially available for sale outside of China.
Tinder may let you match with users anywhere in the world for free
Tinder plans to test a new Global Mode that will allow users to connect regardless of their location.
FCC proposal would help fight one-ring call scams
The FCC may allow voice service providers to block one-ring robocall scams.
Tinder delays the international debut of its ‘apocalyptic adventure’ show
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tinder has decided not to launch its Swipe Night show internationally this week. Last fall, when the show debuted in the US, Tinder described it as a "first-person, apocalyptic adventure." That hits a little close to home now, and Tinder has apparently realized that this is no time to be trivializing the apocalypse.
UK to levy additional tax on big tech companies beginning April 1st
The UK's two percent tax on large, multinational tech companies goes into effect on April 1st. As much as big tech companies in the US may object, this is not an April Fools' Day joke. Unsurprisingly, the US government strongly objects.
FCC asks telecom companies to help trace international robocalls
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned robocalls from international numbers. Now, it's calling on phone companies to help trace international robocalls back to their "fraudster" sources. Today, the FCC sent letters to seven gateway service providers asking them to help track down robocall sources, prevent apparently illegal traffic originating outside the US and provide more info on how they may be facilitating illegal calls.
Netflix releases worldwide subscriber stats by region for the first time
For the first time, Netflix is reporting its international business operating results by region. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Netflix shared its streaming revenue and membership info for the US and Canada; Europe, Middle East and Africa; Asia-Pacific and Latin America. This change in how Netflix reports its earnings data highlights how important markets outside the US have become -- especially as Netflix faces new competition.
The US and France reportedly reach a deal over 'digital services' tax
The Trump Administration and the French government have supposedly reached a deal that ends a feud over France's tax on tech giants, Bloomberg reports. Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a three percent tax on revenues earned on digital services in France. President Trump threatened a tariff on French wine if the tax went through, sparking a standoff. Trump and Macron reportedly worked through some of their differences at a G7 summit, and today, Macron told reporters, "We have a deal to overcome the difficulties between us."
YouTube may produce more original programming outside the US
YouTube is working on original programming for international markets in an effort to boost paid subscriber numbers, Reuters reports. The company plans to develop shows for customers in France, Germany, Japan and Mexico, adding to series that have already been released in South Korea and India. Susanne Daniels, YouTube's global head of original programming, told Reuters that new productions will include music documentaries, reality series, talk shows and scripted series.
AT&T's international data plans are now a little more reasonable
AT&T's international data roaming packs just became slightly more practical... slightly. The carrier has updated its Passport packages to give you 1GB of data and unlimited texting in a one-time $60 purchase, and 3GB for $120. That's a lot more headroom than before (these prices previously got you a miserly 300MB and 800MB respectively), and might make the difference between Instagramming your trip as it happens versus waiting until you return to your hotel. They can certainly be more affordable than an International Day Pass if you're staying for a couple of weeks.
Saudi Arabia lifts ban on messaging apps like Skype and Snapchat
Saudi Arabia will lift a ban on internet calls at 8PM ET today that had stood since 2013. Services that follow rules set by the country's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) will be allowed to operate, according to a spokesman's statement and tweet (below).
'Hearthstone' tournament has 48 teams vying for $300,000
Blizzard has revealed more details about the Global Games, its new Hearthstone eSports competition format that pits teams, rather than individual players, against each other. The tournament will feature 48 teams, each from a different country, competing in a series of round-robin tournaments online.The top four teams left standing will compete face-to-face in the Global Games Final Tournament later in the year.
Iran censored porn so hard it broke the internet in Hong Kong
If you had trouble visiting explicit websites in the last few days, the fault may have come from an unexpected source: Iran. According to a new report from The Verge, a recent attempt to block pornography websites in the country's borders hampered access in Russia, Hong Kong and other nations in the region. What happened? Apparently, Iran's national telecom abused the honor system.
T-Mobile creates service plan for visitors to the US
Tech-savvy travelers heading out from the US know how to make their (unlocked) smartphones work abroad: buy a pre-paid local SIM and add credits as needed. Sure actual international plans exist, but they're usually more expensive than they're worth. Today, however, T-Mobile's flipping the script by offering a Tourist Plan for visitors to the US. The service, which goes live June 12th, costs $30 and lasts for three weeks, giving visitors unlimited data (LTE up to 2GB, though!), domestic and international texting and 1,000 voice minutes for domestic calls. What's more, T-Mobile's not charging for the SIM card or activation. In all, it's a pretty good deal and cheaper than the company's other prepaid options. So if you were hoping to stay connected and share the minutiae of your US adventures with your followers back home, now you've got a solid option.
Feds indict seven Iranians for hacking banks, NY state dam
Just days after accusing Syrian hackers of a wide range of crimes, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch unsealed an indictment against seven Iranian nationals on Wednesday, charging that the men launched dozens of denial of service attacks against targets beginning in 2011. These included the cybersystems of numerous US banks including JP Morgan, PNC and Capital One, as well as the NYSE and AT&T. They are even accused of trying to take control of a small dam in Rye, NY at one point.
iOS 9.3 brings international WiFi calling to iPhones on AT&T
If you've been waiting for AT&T's WiFi calling service to start working outside the US, you may want to install iOS 9.3 on your iPhone right now. It won't only bring Night Shift to your device, but also the ability to call from other countries without incurring additional charges. So long as the feature has been toggled on in Settings, and you're connected to a WiFi connection, you can make or receive calls abroad even if you barely have coverage. If you dial an international number, though, you'll have to pay your plan's usual rates.
Apple issues voluntary recall for some international AC adapters
Heads up, world travelers. If you have an Apple AC plug adapter or Travel Adapter kit meant for use in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Continental Europe, New Zealand and South Korea, you might want to talk to the folks in Cupertino about getting a replacement. The company just announced a voluntary recall of those adapters — ones that shipped with Macs and iDevices between 2003 and 2015 — because there's a risk their prongs could break and shock someone. Apple says it's aware of 12 such incidents around the world, so check out the company's recall site to see if yours is one of the problematic bunch.
