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Here's the latest tech news from the last 24 hours:

📈 'LK-99' trend sparks superconductors market frenzy
⚖️ Google's narrowing legal battlefield in antitrust case
💸 SoftBank's $150M claim against IRL for creating fake users
💼 Google's $99 on-campus hotel offer to push hybrid work
🔓 Tesla jailbreak enabled by unpatchable hardware flaw

📈 'LK-99' trend sparks superconductors market frenzyLINK

A team of scientists from South Korea and Virginia claim to have created a superconductor, called LK-99, that can transmit electrical currents without resistance at room temperature, which could result in significant advances in fields like computing and energy.

The claim has led to viral interest and significant stock market activity, particularly for companies with perceived connections to superconductors, though the scientific community remains skeptical and is actively working to verify the findings.

Even if LK-99 is confirmed as a viable room-temperature superconductor, substantial work will be needed to figure out how to implement it into commercial products, underscoring that the technology remains in early stages.

⚖️ Google's narrowing legal battlefield in antitrust caseLINK

Federal Judge Amit Mehta has dismissed certain claims in an antitrust lawsuit against Google, ruling that the plaintiffs, including the Department of Justice, have not proven that Google is maintaining a monopoly by favoring its own products in search results.

The judge also dismissed antitrust allegations related to Android's compatibility, Google Assistant, and certain other aspects of Google's operations.

However, the DOJ can proceed with other arguments in the case, such as claims that Google abuses its power through deals requiring Android manufacturers to pre-load Google apps and make Google the default search engine on their devices.

💸 SoftBank's $150M claim against IRL for creating fake usersLINK

SoftBank is suing defunct social app IRL, which it had previously invested in, alleging fraud and seeking $150 million in damages, after an internal investigation revealed 95% of the app's users were fake.

IRL had claimed significant user numbers, including that it was downloaded by 25% of US teens and was growing at a 400% annual rate, figures SoftBank alleges were misrepresented and inflated using bots and a secret firm to skew data.

IRL is also under investigation by the SEC to ascertain whether the app violated security laws by misleading investors, with SoftBank's complaint implicating IRL CEO Abraham Shafi and several of his family members in the alleged fraud.

💼 Google's $99 on-campus hotel offer to push hybrid workLINK

Google is running a summer promotion allowing full-time staff to book stays at the Bay View campus' hotel for $99 per night to ease the transition to a hybrid workplace, thereby eliminating commuting for those who choose to stay.

While the offer may align with some apartment rental costs, it necessitates employees to pay for their stay, potentially leading to additional costs if they maintain a separate home, and the benefit is limited to those working at the Bay View campus.

This move coincides with increasing pressure from Google on remote workers to return to the office, amidst rising tensions, including a complaint lodged by YouTube contractors alleging the misuse of return-to-office policies to suppress labor organization.

🔓 Tesla jailbreak enabled by unpatchable hardware flawLINK

Researchers from Technische Universität Berlin have reportedly jailbroken Tesla vehicles, unlocking features usually available through in-car purchases, and are set to present their findings at the 2023 Black Hat USA conference.

The jailbreak could potentially allow hackers to access hardware-protected keys used by Tesla for vehicle authentication and decrypt a vehicle's internal storage, gaining access to personal user data.

The vulnerability is tied to an unpatchable flaw in each Tesla's AMD processor, and the researchers used a voltage fault injection attack to manipulate the power flow and gain root privileges, a technique they have previously used to bypass AMD's firmware TPM in PCs.

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Meta's Threads app, led by Mark Zuckerberg, will soon add search functionality and become accessible on the web to improve user engagement and compete with Twitter (now X).LINK

A user named Jeremy Vaught, who had been running the @music Twitter account for 16 years, expressed frustration as X (formerly Twitter) took over the account, rebranding it and offering alternative usernames that he found unappealing. Despite the loss, Vaught still considers Twitter his primary social media platform.LINK

The Meta Quest 3 headset is expected to launch at the Meta Connect conference in September, featuring wireless upgrades and improved hardware.LINK

TikTok introduces new features for European users to comply with EU regulations, including improved content reporting and personalized recommendations.LINK

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