Apple introduced its latest iPhones, including the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and the iPhone X, featuring wireless charging and facial recognition. Google purchased a portion of HTC for $1.1 billion to bolster its smartphone business and is contesting a €2.4 billion EU fine for allegedly favoring its shopping service in search results. Slack's valuation reached $5.1 billion after a $250 million investment, primarily from SoftBank's Vision Fund. Bitcoin's value recovered to $4,000 after a significant drop due to the Chinese government's crackdown on bitcoin exchanges.

The article discusses the ongoing disputes between tech giants Amazon and Google, which have resulted in a lack of YouTube support on Amazon Fire TV devices. It also touches on Facebook's efforts to become more child-friendly and YouTube's initiative to clean up its platform. Additionally, the article mentions the persistent news around bitcoin, suggesting that it remains a topic of interest in the current week. The focus is on the tech industry's latest developments and the conflicts between major companies, as well as the broader implications for users and the market.

The article provides an overview of the highlights from the Bitcoin2014 conference, which took place in Amsterdam on May 16th and 17th, 2014. The conference was a significant event for those interested in cryptocurrency, technology, and finance, bringing together enthusiasts, experts, and industry leaders to discuss the future of Bitcoin and its impact on the global financial landscape. The article likely covers key speeches, panel discussions, and announcements made during the conference, although specific details are not provided in the text snippet.

A panel at London's O2 venue, comprising bitcoin enthusiasts and sceptics, discussed various aspects of cryptocurrency, including security, education, and regulation. The event, titled 'How Bitcoin Can Fight Back Against the Hackers and Recent Setbacks', was co-organised by CoinScrum, Firestartr.co, and HardBTC.org. Despite technical issues and a reduced panel size, Chris Ellis, Ben Dyson, Gautam Dhillon, and Simon Dixon covered topics from security concerns in the wake of the Mt. Gox incident to the responsibilities of entrepreneurs in increasing bitcoin adoption. The debate also touched on the nature of bitcoin as a prototype and the potential for a multitude of cryptocurrencies to exist.