Mobile games break rules on loot boxes, Nintendo Switch 2 design leaked
The most popular mobile games in the UK are being advertised without disclosing they contain loot boxes – random in-game purchases which critics say are “exploitative” and “foster addiction”. The regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), says it bans and removes ads which fail to make the clear whether or not a game contains a loot box. But a BBC investigation found only two of the top 45 highest-grossing games on the Google Play store actually followed those rules. Dr Jane Rigbye, chief executive of Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (Ygam), called the findings “deeply concerning”. BBC
“The fastest turnaround in the recent history of automotive” read one of the captions on a recent Renault Group video reflecting on the first 1000 days of its ‘Renaulution’ turnaround plan. It’s not hyperbole either: Renault has gone from loss making in 2020 from just under 3 million sales to having an enviable 7.9% operating margin from 2.2m sales in 2023. Fabrice Cambolive, the Renault brand CEO, is currently overseeing the launch of the flagbearer of the Renaulution project: the reborn 5. Making such desirable EVs are crucial in helping “break the glass roof” on EV sales, according to Cambolive. Autocar
WhatsApp has shaken things up with a major change to its chat feature, but not everyone is happy. Previously the popular app showed a ‘Typing’ sign at the top of chats to show the other person was getting ready to fire over a reply. But WhatsApp’s three billion users are starting to notice this is no longer the case. After capitalising the word earlier this year, the messaging platform has scrapped it entirely. Instead, there are now three dancing dots at the bottom of the screen, which indicate the same thing. Metro
A design for the Nintendo Switch 2 has leaked, and fans don’t seem all that impressed. It’s no surprise, the leaks that appeared on Reddit, shows very few changes between this anticipated console and the Switch OLED model. From the looks of this, I hope it’s an old concept, as it looks like nothing has really changed since the OLED Switch. While many could argue the Nintendo Switch design is great and needs no major changes, one Redditor points out some major issues with Nintendo’s handheld. “Switch ergonomics, USB placement […] are bad,” said Ragnarok992. Gaming Bible
A British car enthusiast brought the very first Tesla Cybertruck into the UK but it didn’t take long before he ran into a problem. The Cybertruck had been bought in California three months earlier and its owner spent a lot of time and money getting the whopper of the EV into Europe. That owner then decided to sell the Cybertruck and it was snapped up by certified car lover Yianni Charalambous. The car turned a lot of heads on UK roads, but it also came with its fair share of problems. The Cybertruck is simply not designed to take on European roads.
Working from home presents the perfect opportunity to get on with those nagging chores, such as putting on a load of laundry or painting your nails. Others take a much more relaxed approach to home-working. More than 80pc of hybrid workers watch television while doing their day job – for an average of two hours a day, according to a survey by TonerGiant. One in 10 workers in Britain say they regularly take a nap when working from home, according to a survey by Reign Storm, an energy drink company. Telegraph
Millions of O2 customers will have suspected scam and nuisance calls flagged before they even pick up the phone, thanks to a free AI-powered feature that has just launched. Known as Call Defence, the service uses Adaptive AI to analyse call number behaviour in real-time and determine whether it could be a scam or spam call. Customers are then alerted to any risk before picking up, helping them to decide whether they want to answer or not. O2 claims it is the first and only UK mobile operator to provide this service to customers at no extra cost. Tech Digest
