Apple Music users encountering grayed-out songs are often dealing with either an offline device or a track that has been pulled from the catalog due to licensing changes, according to a troubleshooting guide. The music industry's territorial licensing system means labels and artists can remove songs or restrict them by region, leaving no option for users or Apple to restore access. The guide recommends checking a track's Cloud Status in Apple Music or iTunes, which flags songs as 'No Longer Available,' showing a sync exclamation mark, or 'Waiting' if syncing is incomplete.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-22
While author-driven and publisher lawsuits against AI companies continue, major publishers including HarperCollins, Wiley, and Penguin Random House are also striking licensing agreements and partnerships with AI firms like Google. HarperCollins signed a $5,000-per-title AI training deal in 2024, and Wiley reported $49 million in AI licensing revenue for fiscal 2026, alongside collaborations with Amazon, Microsoft, and Anthropic. A 2025 industry survey found 63% of publishing professionals now use AI internally for tasks like royalty statements and proofreading.
news.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-21
A widely shared essay contends that open-source software will never be reliably funded because it behaves like the 'dove' strategy in an evolutionary game theory model, always losing ground to proprietary 'hawk' competitors who withhold code for profit. The author, after years of mulling the problem, proposes creating registries that could compel companies benefiting from free software to pay into it, rather than relying on voluntary donations or goodwill.
seldo.com
· 2026-09-20
A serial founder who has launched over 100 companies across 25 jurisdictions recounts how replicating a home-market product and website for a China expansion led to failure. Drawing on that experience, he outlines a three-step approach: validate market demand before incorporating, test the true cost structure before committing capital, and build a disciplined roadmap with clear entry metrics before spending on legal setup.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-17
Universal Music Group and ElevenLabs unveiled a multi-year licensing agreement and broader partnership to build a new AI-powered music platform, separate from ElevenLabs' existing ElevenMusic tool. The unreleased platform will let fans create remixes, mashups, new track interpretations and personalized vocal experiences using catalog from participating UMG artists, who will be compensated under the deal.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-10
Universal Music Group announced a multi-year licensing deal with ElevenLabs to build an AI-powered platform letting users create remixes and reinterpretations of songs from UMG's catalog. The companies say the partnership will expand over time to include additional AI products and fan experiences beyond the initial platform. This new offering will operate separately from ElevenLabs' existing Music API and ElevenMusic tools.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-10
A new economic analysis argues that automation can damage workers psychologically even when it doesn't cost them their jobs. Employees derive meaning not just from producing output but from knowing that output depends on their own effort, and a credible machine substitute undermines that sense of indispensability even if the human worker stays employed. The researchers show this dynamic can raise wages when compensation adjusts fully, or force workers to absorb the loss when it doesn't.
nber.org
· 2026-09-07
HDMI cables are now standardized into three official bandwidth tiers: Premium High Speed (18Gbps), Ultra High Speed (48Gbps) and the new Ultra96 (up to 96Gbps), per rules from the HDMI Licensing Administrator that ban using version numbers alone in marketing. Most 4K streaming only needs the 18Gbps tier, while 4K/120Hz gaming requires Ultra High Speed, and Ultra96 is reserved for extreme formats like uncompressed 4K/240Hz or 8K/60Hz. Buyers are advised to check the certification label and QR code on packaging rather than relying on price or brand name.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-01
The webcomic XKCD published a strip poking fun at the logic and rhetoric surrounding international trade and tariffs. As with all XKCD content, the comic is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial license, allowing free sharing but not commercial resale.
xkcd.com
· 2026-08-27
GoKawiil