PCWorld’s year-end review paints a bleak picture for Microsoft in 2025. From a major Xbox Game Pass price hike to widespread “AI exhaustion,” the tech giant struggled to find a single clear win with users and critics.
Persistent inflation and high interest rates are squeezing small businesses. In response, B2B software platforms are embedding financial tools like working capital loans directly into their workflows to keep cash flowing.
Following Apple’s announcement of App Store changes for Japan, AltStore PAL is already available for download. The sideloading platform is celebrating its first international expansion outside the EU with a free month of Patreon access for users.
DuckDuckGo has launched a new AI image generator as part of its duck.ai platform. The tool is free with daily limits and emphasizes user privacy by anonymizing prompts and storing images locally.
Meta is experimenting with charging for link sharing on Facebook. Users in professional mode or running Pages are limited to two links unless they subscribe to Meta Verified, which starts at $14.99 per month. This test signals a push to monetize content distribution itself.
OpenAI has launched a new AI Academy for News Organizations. The initiative offers training and guidance for newsrooms to use AI tools, even as the company faces lawsuits from publishers over copyright.
Apple completed its acquisition of Pixelmator Pro in February 2025. Nearly a year later, users are complaining about vague, infrequent updates, sparking fears the app is being neglected. The app’s future under Apple’s ownership is now in question.
Amazon is quietly launching alexa.com, a web portal for its Alexa+ AI service. It lets users type to Alexa, manage reminders, files, and smart home devices from a browser, filling a major gap in Amazon’s consumer AI strategy.
MITRE has expanded its D3FEND cybersecurity ontology to include operational technology. This provides a structured framework for securing industrial control systems and other cyber-physical assets that are increasingly networked. It’s a move to bring much-needed standardization to a historically fra
OpenAI is now accepting submissions from any developer for its ChatGPT App Directory, opening its platform to a wave of new interactive apps. Approved apps will start rolling out to users in early 2026, transforming ChatGPT from a chatbot into an app hub.
