Comment on IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel warns Chicagoans about ‘the exponential growth of tax scams’

Meta has recorded a higher-than-anticipated profit of $13.5 billion for the second quarter of 2024.  The financial results for the period covering April through June this year sent the company share price upward by around 7% following publication on Wednesday. Revenue for the same period was posted at $39 billion, a 22% increase over the same period last year, exceeding market expectations.  Meta founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg commented on the results, backing the performance of Meta AI to underpin further growth when he said, “We had a strong quarter, and Meta AI is on track to be the most used AI assistant in the world by the end of the year.” Zuckerberg added, “We’ve released the first frontier-level open source AI model, we continue to see good traction with our Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, and we’re driving good growth across our apps.” The parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp set revenue expectations for the third quarter to fall between $38.5 billion and $41 billion. Zuckerberg promotes open source for AI growth Meta will be relatively happy with its returns, especially given the contrasting fortunes of its rival big tech companies, such as Microsoft and Google.  At Microsoft, shares dropped by around 8% on Tuesday as its Azure cloud computing enterprise recorded sluggish growth, despite a rise of 15% year on year.

AYANEO is fast becoming one of the biggest players in the handheld gaming space, pumping out more high-end consoles than most of the competition out there. However, instead of solely taking on the Steam Deck, the company is also pandering to retro gamers with devices that really hit the nostalgic nail on the head. Part of the retro lineup is the Pocket MICRO, a reimagining of the classic Nintendo Game Boy Micro with some nice modern upgrades. It features a 3.5 inch 960 x 640 borderless IPS screen housed in a premium CNC aluminum alloy, mimicking the similar setup of the Game Boy but just with a better overall look and feel. There’s more inputs too, giving the user the up to date A B X Y configuration coupled with a full set of shoulder buttons, and even two analogue sticks alongside the traditional directional pad. As for the internals, it boasts a Helio G99 processor and 2,600mAH battery which AYANEO states will give you up to 6 hours play time, pretty impressive all things considered. For how ‘micro’ it really is, no it’s not as small as the original it takes inspiration from. The Pocket MICRO will indeed fit into most pockets but it is 5 cm wider than Nintendo’s version. This isn’t overly different but could make the difference depending on how you want to carry it around. If you like the sound of this small but mighty device, you can place a pre-order right now to secure the “early bird” price but this varies depending on which model you want. There are three tiers to pick from – 6G+128G in Magic Black or Soul Red for $190, 8GB+256GB in Magic Black or Soul Red for $220, and 8GB+256GB in Retro Gray for $250. Moreover, if you do put an order in while those early bird prices are live, you’ll also net yourself a gift box containing an Enamel Mug, Portable Storage Bag, Portable Stand, Tempered Film Screen Protector, Joystick Cap, and Stickers. If the above has piqued your interest, we would suggest getting an order in now since you do get those extra goodies and a discount on the standard price. The post AYANEO’s new tiny handheld takes you back to the days of the Game Boy Micro appeared first on ReadWrite.

Discord enthusiasts are set to benefit from new updates which will be rolled out to Xbox users.  The new functionality is coming to Xbox Series X, Series S, and Xbox One operating systems and they will add features to the communication service.  A company press release detailed the news, with the most prominent update set to allow Xbox users to watch their friends’ streams directly on Xbox consoles, whether or not they have opted to stream their session on any platform.  To use this feature, users should navigate to the conversation members list within the Xbox guide.

EA FC 25 introduces a plethora of new additions to the franchise with the likes of Rush, FC IQ, and tweaks to modes you know and love. One gameplay feature that’s going to be either hit or miss with the player base is Professional Fouls, something that will certainly make or break intense matches. Below, we’ll explain exactly what Professional Fouls are as well as how to do one so you can use one when the time is right. What are Professional Fouls in EA FC 25? A Professional Foul is essentially a foul that you commit to stop the attack of the opponent, ensuring they don’t advance and score a goal. These break up the play, allowing you and your team to get a breather, maybe getting some new tactics going also. While these might sound extremely appealing, the caveat is that you will get an instant yellow card for doing so. This could be worth the trade-off but always check the player you’re controlling hasn’t been cautioned already since they’ll be heading down the tunnel early if a card has brandished to them previously. How to do a Professional Foul in EA FC 25 If you want to use a Professional Fouls to your advantage, you’ll need to know how to do one. Thankfully, it’s not that hard but remember, you will receive an instant yellow card when you execute it successfully. To perform a Professional Foul in EA FC 25, press R1+X or RB+A and the player closest to the opponent with the ball will simply bring them down, making the referee stop the game. Usually, this will be a shirt pull, just like you’d see in real life to ensure it’s only a yellow card given and not a red, but there are occasions when your player will go in with their feet, so keep that in mind. Other EA FC 25 articles you may like How to do the Jude Bellingham celebration in EA FC 25 All new and returning licensed leagues and competitions in EA FC 25 How to play EA FC 25 before launch: Early Access explained EA FC 25 pre-order bonuses: What do you get for securing your copy early? All new EA FC 25 skill moves The post EA FC 25 Professional Fouls explained and how to do them appeared first on ReadWrite.

1989 is a year that can be remembered for many things. The fall of the Soviet Union, Tim Berners Lee inventing the World Wide Web, the bringing down of the Berlin Wall, and even (these days) the birth of Taylor Swift. Who would have thought I would be here reminiscing about the news of an old classic 1989 shoot ‘em-up from one of the most popular developers of the time, Rainbow Arts some 35 years later? Just to prove that stupid game names are not a new phenomenon today we will be looking at the announcement of X-Out Resurfaced.

Nintendo’s Mega Multiplayer Festival kicked off Aug. 1 and the console maker is using the month to offer players several incentives to play their favorite games on the system, chief among that two free months of Nintendo Switch Online membership. Anyone who buys a yearlong membership to Nintendo Switch Online, which is necessary to play multiplayer on the console, will get another two months tacked on to that subscription at no extra cost. That offer is good for all levels of Nintendo Switch Online membership — standard, the Expansion Pass, plus family plans. Later on, Nintendo will offer bonuses on Gold Points, which are a promotional currency that buyers get when they buy something from the Nintendo eShop marketplace.