Hasta La Gadget!

Google Gemini is adding nannying to its chatbot skillset. According to a New York Times report, Google will make Gemini available to users under 13, so long as they’re under a parent-managed Google account using Family Link. In an email sent to parents, Google said that kids will get access to Gemini to “ask questions, get homework help and make up stories.” This expanded availability will come with guardrails for its new user base, Google spokesperson Karl Ryan told NYTimes, adding that it would prevent Gemini from offering up unsafe content to kids.

In the email, Google acknowledged that “Gemini can make mistakes” and recommended that parents teach their kids how to fact-check Gemini’s responses. Along with double-checking, Google suggested reminding younger users that Gemini isn’t human and to not enter any sensitive or personal data into conversations. Even with those measures, the email still warned that children could “encounter content you don’t want to see.”

With the staggering pace of AI chatbot adoption, concerns about underage users have been bubbling up to the surface thanks to instances of factually incorrect or suggestive responses. In a report published last week, Common Sense Media warned that AI chatbots were “encouraging harmful behaviors, providing inappropriate content, and potentially exacerbating mental health conditions” for users under 18. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Meta’s AI chatbots were able to engage in sexual conversations with minors. On top of dodging unsafe conversations, Google said it won’t use any data from its younger Gemini users to train its AI models. For now, Google said it’s gradually rolling out access to Gemini for supervised accounts.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/kids-under-13-will-soon-get-supervised-access-to-google-gemini-164017036.html?src=rss

A fragment of a long-abandoned Soviet spacecraft is expected to make an uncontrolled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere around May 10, 2025. The object is the descent module from Kosmos 482, a space probe launched in 1972 as part of the Soviet Union’s ambitious Venera program, which aimed to explore the surface of Venus.

However, due to a malfunction in the upper stage of the Soyuz rocket during launch, Kosmos 482 failed to achieve the necessary velocity to escape Earth’s gravity. Instead of heading toward Venus, it was trapped in an elliptical orbit around Earth.

The probe, a twin of the successful Venera 8 spacecraft, was built to withstand the extreme conditions of Venus’s atmosphere, including high temperatures and pressures.

“Nave espacial Venera 8” by Lavochkin / Roscosmos is marked with CC0 1.0.

Venera 8 ultimately landed on Venus and transmitted data for just over 50 minutes before being destroyed by the planet’s harsh environment. Kosmos 482, by contrast, split into two major parts after its failed mission: the main spacecraft body, which reentered Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated in 1981, and the highly durable descent module, which has remained in orbit for more than five decades.

Now, after 53 years in space, this 495-kilogram (1,091-pound), one-meter-wide descent module is predicted to reenter Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of around 242 kilometers per hour (150 mph). According to Marco Langbroek, a lecturer in space situational awareness at Delft Technical University, the module’s reinforced design may allow it to survive reentry largely intact, posing a non-zero impact risk. He likens the potential danger to that of a small meteorite striking Earth.

Due to its orbital inclination of 52 degrees, the module could land anywhere between 52°N and 52°S latitude. This wide band covers large portions of the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. However, with oceans covering over 70% of the planet’s surface, the most probable outcome is a splashdown in water. Still, until its descent path becomes clearer, the precise time and location of impact remain uncertain.

Satellite trackers and space situational awareness experts are closely monitoring the object’s trajectory. More accurate reentry predictions will emerge as the spacecraft continues its slow descent. The case underscores the long-lasting presence of space debris and the occasional risks posed by relics from the early era of space exploration.

Soviet Kosmos 482 Spacecraft Set For Uncontrolled Reentry

, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Google’s annual I/O developer conference is coming on May 20, and for the first time, there’s two major events you’ll want to watch to stay on top of all the updates the company’s making to its software platforms. I/O 2025 kicks off on May 20, and a week earlier on May 13, there’s also The Android Show: I/O Edition, a dedicated showcase for the Android ecosystem.

The Android Show: I/O Edition airs on May 13 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. Android is developed partially in the open, so there’s already some indication of what could be coming with Android 16. So far, that’s a visual redesign of some of the operating system’s core features, like the notification shade, a take on Apple’s Live Activities for tracking ongoing events and possibly a Samsung DeX-like “Desktop Mode” for Android phones.

I/O 2025 starts on May 20 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT with Google’s keynote, typically a series of updates on Android, Search, Google Workspace and Gemini. It’s worth noting: Google typically doesn’t set aside separate time for Android announcements. The company said there will be some Android news at I/O, but the safe bet is that Gemini will be the star. We expect Google to share Gemini updates, along with Android XR news and maybe further demonstrations of experimental projects like Project Astra.

Google’s I/O keynote will be available to watch on Google’s YouTube channel and right here once the livestream is up on May 20 at 1PM ET. 

The Android Show: I/O Edition will air on Google’s Android YouTube channel on May 13 at 1PM ET, and since it appears to be pre-recorded, we’ve already embedded it above.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/how-to-watch-google-io-2025-and-the-android-show-213327054.html?src=rss

After several years of legal disputes, Fortnite is set to return to the U.S. App Store next week. The decision follows a recent court ruling in favor of Epic Games, ending a long-standing standoff between the game developer and Apple over in-app payment systems and platform policies.

The dispute began in August 2020, when Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store. This action came after Epic Games introduced its own direct payment system within the app, bypassing Apple’s 30% commission fee—something Apple considers a violation of its App Store policies. Since then, the two companies have been locked in a legal battle, with significant developments on both sides over the years.

On April 30, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Fortnite will return to the U.S. App Store following a legal victory in a California court. The court found that Apple had acted in bad faith and engaged in anticompetitive behavior, particularly in relation to how it handles online transactions on its platform.

We will return Fortnite to the US iOS App Store next week.

Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic. https://t.co/bIRTePm0Tv

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) April 30, 2025

The court order stated: “For the reasons set forth herein, the Court finds that Apple willfully violated the injunction issued by this Court in 2021, which aims to restrict and prohibit Apple’s anticompetitive pricing and conduct. Apple’s continued efforts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated.”

This marks a significant shift in a legal saga that began with Apple securing a partial win in 2021. Now, the latest decision favors Epic Games, though both companies may still revisit the courtroom as additional proceedings unfold.

Earlier this year, Epic had already signaled a comeback, stating in March that Fortnite would return to iOS in July. However, with this new ruling, the timeline has been moved forward, and US iOS users can expect the game to reappear as early as next week.

This decision could have broader implications for App Store policies and developer rights, as it challenges Apple’s long-standing control over in-app payments and opens the door for more flexible models going forward.

Fortnite Returning To US App Store After Epic Games Wins Legal Battle Against Apple

, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Google’s annual I/O developer conference is coming on May 20, and for the first time, there’s two major events you’ll want to watch to stay on top of all the updates the company’s making to its software platforms. I/O 2025 kicks off on May 20, and a week earlier on May 13, there’s also The Android Show: I/O Edition, a dedicated showcase for the Android ecosystem.

The Android Show: I/O Edition airs on May 13 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. Android is developed partially in the open, so there’s already some indication of what could be coming with Android 16. So far, that’s a visual redesign of some of the operating system’s core features, like the notification shade, a take on Apple’s Live Activities for tracking ongoing events and possibly a Samsung DeX-like “Desktop Mode” for Android phones.

I/O 2025 starts on May 20 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT with Google’s keynote, typically a series of updates on Android, Search, Google Workspace and Gemini. It’s worth noting: Google typically doesn’t set aside separate time for Android announcements. The company said there will be some Android news at I/O, but the safe bet is that Gemini will be the star. We expect Google to share Gemini updates, along with Android XR news and maybe further demonstrations of experimental projects like Project Astra.

Google’s I/O keynote will be available to watch on Google’s YouTube channel and right here once the livestream is up on May 20 at 1PM ET. 

The Android Show: I/O Edition will air on Google’s Android YouTube channel on May 13 at 1PM ET, and since it appears to be pre-recorded, we’ve already embedded it above.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/how-to-watch-google-io-2025-and-the-android-show-213327054.html?src=rss