Montana's TikTok Ban Blocked by Federal Judge

Today's Technology News Summary

Montana's TikTok ban has been blocked by a federal judge, putting a halt to the state's attempt to ban downloads of the Chinese-owned app. The ban was signed into law in May and was set to go into effect in January. TikTok challenged the legislation in court, arguing that it was an unconstitutional infringement on its rights. A federal judge granted TikTok's request for a preliminary injunction, stopping the ban from being enforced. This case serves as an important test for the political backlash against TikTok in the US.

Source: Ars Technica

Telegram has announced new updates to its Android and iOS messaging apps. The latest update includes a feature that allows non-paying Telegram users to transcribe voice and video messages, as well as translate audio into other languages. Previously, this feature was only available to Telegram Premium subscribers, but now free users can transcribe up to two messages per week. This update provides more accessibility for Telegram users and could prove useful for certain situations.

Source: The Verge

Broadcom, the company that recently acquired VMware, plans to lay off a significant number of employees. According to filings, 1,267 VMware employees in California will be laid off starting on January 26, and around 600 workers in Washington, Colorado, and Georgia will also be affected. These layoffs come shortly after Broadcom completed its $69 billion acquisition of VMware. The workforce reductions suggest a restructuring of the company's operations.

Source: Techmeme