The Morning After: How to claim your cut of Meta's $725 million class action settlement
US users have to claim before August 25th.
A federal judge recently gave initial approval to a $725 million settlement between Meta and Facebook users alleging the company shared their personal data without proper consent. If you used Facebook between May 2007 and December 2022 and lived in the US during that time, you’re eligible to get cash from the settlement. It’s not going to be life-changing money, though. Given the number of users, expect to get a few dollars.
The claim form recommends adding “confirmation@facebookuserprivacysettlement.com” to your contact list to ensure any important correspondence doesn’t end up in your spam folder – even though that sounds utterly like a spam email account.
– Mat Smith
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Tesla's latest price cut brings Model 3 pricing below $40,000
This is the automaker's sixth price cut for the year.
Tesla has slashed its electric vehicles' prices for the sixth time this year, on the eve of its next earnings report. It has quietly lowered the price for the Model 3, so the rear-wheel drive variant now starts at $39,990, $2,000 less than buyers paid for it earlier this month.
Earlier this year, Tesla cut prices drastically across its lineup, with some models dropping by up to 20 percent. As Tesla notes on its website, the rear-wheel drive model now only qualifies for $3,750 in tax credits after the government's change in guidelines took effect on April 18th. Tesla's other cars are still eligible for the full $7,500 tax credits, including Model Y vehicles, which also got a price cut.
Google Fi adds a one-week eSIM trial and Wireless to its name
The Simply Unlimited plan now includes cellular connectivity for some smartwatches.
Google Fi has announced a series of updates and a name change. From now on, the mobile virtual network operator will be Google Fi Wireless. And if you have an eSIM-compatible device, you'll be able to test out Google Fi Wireless at no cost in the seven-day free trial. Google started the trial last month, and it's now available more broadly. If you don't cancel the Google Fi Wireless trial within a week, you'll join the Simply Unlimited plan (which you'll still be able to quit at any time).
Google might announce a foldable Pixel phone at I/O next month
The Pixel Fold may ship in June for $1,700.
CNBC claims the Pixel Fold will be announced at the I/O conference on May 10th and ship in June. The device will reportedly cost around $1,700 and be in a similar form factor to the Galaxy Z Fold series, unfolding like a book, not like a flip phone. The Pixel Fold will have a 5.8-inch external screen and 7.6-inch folding display and claims the "most durable hinge" of any foldable, according to the report. Google apparently says it’ll pack a larger battery that lasts up to 24 hours in normal use.
An AI-generated song featuring Drake and The Weeknd pulled from streaming platforms
Universal Music Group says the song violates copyright.
Over the weekend, a song called “Heart on My Sleeve” went viral for featuring AI-generated voices that do a pretty good job of mimicking Drake and The Weeknd singing about a recent breakup. On Monday, Apple Music and Spotify pulled the track following a complaint from Universal Music Group, the label that represents the real-life versions of the two Toronto-born artists. A day later, YouTube, Amazon, SoundCloud, Tidal, Deezer and TikTok did the same. In a statement, Universal Music Group argued the training of a generative AI using the voices of Drake and The Weeknd was “a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law."
