Appeals Court Pauses Apple Watch Ban; NY Times Sues OpenAI & Microsoft -Copyright Infringement; Amazon Prime Video Gets Ads in January; Get Instant $7500 EV Credit at over 7,000 Car Dealers Now
Posted: December 27, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Microsoft, News, openai, technology Leave a commentEven though the Biden Administration didn’t intervene and stop the International Trade Commission ban on current Apple Watch model sales, a court has. Reuters.com reports that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has granted Apple’s emergency request to halt the order after Apple appealed the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) decision that it had infringed Masimo’s patents over blood oxygen monitoring. Masimo didn’t have an immediate response to the court’s move. The court is considering a longer term pause requested by Apple, and the ITC has until January 10th to respond.
Meanwhile, in another legal move affecting tech companies, the New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. According to theverge.com, the times claims the two companies built their AI models by “copying and using millions” of the publication’s articles and now “directly compete” with its content as a result. the Times alleges OpenAI and Microsoft’s large language models (LLMs), which power ChatGPT and Copilot, “can generate output that recites Times content verbatim, closely summarizes it, and mimics its expressive style.” The Times alleges that this damages its relationship with readers and deprives it of revenue.
We reported this in September, but just a heads up as the time approaches. Amazon Prime Video will begin showing ads alongside content unless customers pay an additional fee starting in January 2024. Amazon has supposedly sent out a reminder video to Prime Members, although I haven’t gotten one yet. At any rate, 9to5google.com notes that you will need to fork over an extra $2.99 a month to the online giant if you want to avoid betting bombarded by what Amazon calls ‘limited advertisements.’
Federal tax credits have been around for a while to help cut the expense of electric vehicles, but there has been that pesky catch…you had to wait for tax time to get the money. In fact, if you bought an EV last April, you could be waiting until April 2024 for the tax credit. Now, as bgr.com reports, there are some 7,000 car dealers that have signed up for a program to get you the credit immediately…right off the price of the car. It’s either $7500 for many new EVs, and $3500 for used.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
US Apple Watch Ban Stands-For Now; Microsoft Copilot AI-Dedicated Android App; AI Could Enable Human-Critter Communication; GTA 5 Source Code Leaked
Posted: December 26, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Apple, copilot, Microsoft, technology Leave a commentThe White House refused to ride to the rescue of Apple in its squabble with Masimo over patents the latter claims Apple has infringed upon in its Apple Watches. The International Trade Commission had banned the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US, effective Christmas Day. The Biden administration declined to veto the ban this morning. Apple is appealing the ITC decision, saying in a statement “We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.” The patents revolve around blood oxygen saturation tech. Note that the ban only affects Apple stores in the US and their website…so if you really, really want a new Apple Watch, you can pick one up at Best Buy, Target, or other retailers while supplies last. Apple as of last week had been furiously pursuing a software workaround, but no word today if that has been accomplished, or if it will be enough to satisfy the ITC. Another alternative is Apple settling with Masimo. You can be sure that Cupertino will do something, as they don’t want the Watch models to be off the market for long.
Microsoft Copilot is has its own Android app now. According to 9to5google.com, Microsoft Copilot for Android launched onto the Play Store within the past week and but not yet available on iOS. WindowsLatest, citing sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans, claims that an iOS version is “nearly ready” and will launch soon. The new app, unlike Bing, focuses solely on delivering access to Microsoft’s AI chat assistant. On downloading the app, users are able to jump right into the experience with no Microsoft login required.
A nonprofit called Earth Species Project, or ESP, is on a trajectory to talk with animals. Geekwire.com says that ESP is working with more than 40 research efforts around the globe, using machine learning and artificial intelligence to help scientists understand animal communications in pursuit of saving imperiled species. The organization recently received $1.2 million in funding from the Seattle-based Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to support its work. Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who passed away in 2018, was interested in both protecting wildlife and AI research.
The source code for Grand Theft Auto 5 was reportedly leaked on Christmas Eve, a little over a year after hackers hacked Rockstar games and stole corporate data. Bleepingcomputer.com reports that links to the code were shared over a number of channels, including Discord, a Telegram channel, and a dark web website. On Telegram, the channel owner known as ‘Phil’ posted links to the stolen source code, sharing a screenshot of one of the folders. The work of the Lapsus$ hackers has been successful enough against not only Rockstar, but also Uber, Microsoft, Okta, Nvidia, Mercado Libre, T-Mobile, Ubisoft, Vodafone, and Samsung, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Safety Review Board decided to analyze their tactics and share recommendations for preventing similar attacks in the future.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
New Samsung Galaxy Leak; Apple to Launch Vision Pro in February; Consumer Reports-Tesla Autopilot Fix ‘Insufficient’; UK Court Rules Only Humans Can Invent-Sorry, AI
Posted: December 21, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, apple-vision-pro, AR, technology, VR Leave a commentA leaked teaser countdown has given us the date for the latest Galaxy Unpacked from Samsung…the date is January 18th, and time 10 am Pacific. 9to5google.com reports that the leak came from known leaker Evan Blass on X…which BTW was having serious issues today. The leak has an icon that looks very similar to the Google Bard Logo, so we can expect plenty of AI…besides the logo, a place in the video shows ‘Galaxy AI is coming’ blasted across the screen. As for the Actual Galaxy S24 phones, there isn’t anything else in the teaser video that we didn’t already know…but we do know now that we will be getting the phones a little earlier in 2024 with this Unpacked event on January 18th.
Last summer, Apple said it would launch its Vision Pro headset ‘early next year.’ According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, it could be very early…like February. Gurman says not to expect an additional launch event..as the $3499 gadget will be in limited supply, but it is a major undertaking for Apple, as it also involves the launch of their new VisionOS software as well as the devices. The latest version of iOS, which is 17.2, enables the iPhone 15 Pro to capture 3D-encoded spatial videos in 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second, and you’ll need a headset to play them back in full detail. What would that headset be? Why, the almost $3500 Vision Pro. If you wear glasses and want the custom lenses…that will add even more to your tab. It looks like a great mixed reality headset for early adaptors who have the deep pockets to buy it.
Tesla’s planned over the air Autopilot recall for some two million vehicles has been called ‘insufficient’ by Consumer Reports, after preliminary testing. Techcrunch.com says that Kelly Funkhouser, the nonprofit organization’s associate director of vehicle technology, tells TechCrunch she discovered it’s still possible to cover the cabin camera while using Autopilot, meaning drivers can neutralize one of the two main ways the car monitors if they are paying attention to the road. Not only that…Funkhouser says she did not notice any differences when activating or using Autopilot’s flagship feature, Autosteer, outside of the controlled-access highways where Tesla says the software is designed to be used.
Well, it’s good to have this settled…at least in the United Kingdom and for now. Thenextweb.com reports that the UK’s top court has ruled that AI cannot be named on a patent as the inventor of a new idea or product. The judgment states “We conclude that an ‘inventor’ must be a natural person. Only a person can devise an invention.” The case involved has been winding through the court system since 2018. A little good news…until our AI and robot overlords reverse it some day!
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
TomTom & Microsoft In-Vehicle AI Voice Assistant; FTC Bans Rite Aid from Facial Surveillance System; Playstation 5 Sales over 50 Million; Tesla Blamed Drivers for Parts Failures
Posted: December 20, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, azure, microsoft-365, technology, Tesla Leave a commentTomTom has partnered with Microsoft to develop an AI voice assistant for vehicles. Thenextweb.com reports that the automotive assistant enables voice interaction with location search, infotainment, and vehicle command systems. This means that drivers can “converse” with the vehicle, ask questions about navigation directions or route stops, and use voice control to regulate the temperature, for instance, or open the windows and change radio stations. The assistant works across multiple Microsoft products, including its Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Kubernetes Services, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Cognitive Services. It’s already built into TomTom’s Digital Cockpit, the company’s own in-vehicle infotainment platform, but can also be integrated into other automotive infotainment systems.
The Federal Trade Commission has banned Rite Aid from using facial surveillance systems for 5 years. According to engadget.com, this comes as part of a settlement with the FTC, which had accused Rite Aid of “reckless use of facial surveillance systems.” The FTC said in its complaint that the drugstore chain deployed an artificial intelligence-powered facial recognition technology from 2012 to 2020 to identify customers who may have previously shoplifted or have engaged in problematic behavior. Apparently, the company had created a database with “tens of thousands” of customer images, along with their names, dates of birth and alleged crimes. Those photos were of poor quality, taken by its security cameras, employees’ phones and even from news stories. As a result, the system generated thousands of false-positive alerts.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 has passed a big milestone…as of today, the company has announced that it has sold over 50 million of the gaming consoles since it launched in late 2020. Theverge.com notes that as recently as last July, they had sold 40 million, so sales are really picking up. Supply chain issues had held back sales for a while, but Sony says this is the first holiday season where anyone who wants to buy a PS5 can get hold of one. Even with supply chain issues, the PS5 hit 50 million in only one week less that the PS4 did. Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch sales dipped 18% this year, and Xbox sales were off 15%.
A Reuters review of Tesla documents has found that tens of thousands of owners have been the victims of premature failures of suspension or steering parts. Internally, Tesla engineers called part ‘flaws’ and ‘failures,’ yet the company has denied some of the suspension and steering problems in statements to U.S. regulators and the public– and, according to Tesla records, sought to shift some of the resulting repair costs to customers. The company has alleged that owners abused the cars. The automaker charged customers with out-of-warranty cars to replace parts that Tesla engineers internally called flawed or that they knew had high failure rates. Engineers ordered repeated redesigns for several parts and discussed seeking money back from suppliers because of the defects. Unsurprisingly, neither Tesla nor top executive Elon Musk responded to detailed questions for this article by Reuters.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technfied’ for now.
Update: Apple Trying to Avoid Watch Ban in US; Google Tab Over Epic Court Loss-$700 Million; Breakthrough Towards Making Artificial DNA; Tesla Driver Owes $23 Grand Restitution From Crash
Posted: December 19, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple, Google, iPhone, technology Leave a commentApple software engineers are working overtime on a possible software solution to get around the pending International Trade Commission ban on the Apple Watch that will go into effect on Christmas. Appleinsider.com reports that Apple believes a last minute software update may be able to circumvent the patents they have been accused of violating from Masimo. Without the update or other change, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will be unavailable after Christmas in the US. For its part, Masimo claims that the patent violations can only be resolved with hardware alterations in a future Watch Model. Apple thinks a software update will satisfy US Customs.
We reported earlier that Epic Games won a suit claiming Google has an illegal monopoly with its Play Store. According to theverge.com, all 50 state attorneys general settled a similar lawsuit in September, and now we know what Google’s tab is. Google will cough up $700 million and make several small concessions to the way they operate the Play store in the US. So for a brief moment in time, it will become the Google PAY store. The biggest change? Google will need to let developers steer consumers away from the Google Play Store for several years, if this settlement is approved.
A group of scientists have figured out how to create truly artificial DNA. Bgr.com notes that the study published in Nature Communications indicates that this may enable the tech to create new medicines for certain diseases by creating DNA with new nucleotides that can create custom proteins. The scientists were led by Dong Wang Ph.D. Wang helped lead the study alongside Steven A. Benner, Ph.D., and Dmitry Lyumkis, Ph.D.. Together, the three authors have shown that you can not only create artificial DNA but that the artificial nucleotides may also be able to help create custom proteins we could use to target specific diseases that are hard to combat.
A Tesla driver from LA owes over $23,000 in restitution for killing two people in a crash in 2019. The AP says he pleaded no contest to two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Despite facing more than seven years behind bars, a judge sentenced him to probation in June. Kevin Riad is a limo driver who was behind the wheel of a Tesla that ran a red light while on Autopilot and hit another car in an intersection. Coincidentally, the judgment against Riad came the same day that a recall was announced for most Tesla cars over Autopilot.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Apple Stops Watch Sales-Patent Dispute; EU Investigating X Over Israeli-Hamas War Content; Britain’s NHS to Deliver Med Supplies via Drone; Tesla Model 3 May Sues $7500 Credit-New Battery Rules
Posted: December 18, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: business, Drone, Drones, News, technology Leave a commentA long simmering patent dispute is stopping Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 sales later this week. 9to5mac.com reports the action is coming due to an ITC ruling over the dispute between Apple and Masimo, a medical tech company about the Apple Watch’s blood oxygen sensor tech. The International
Trade Commission announced its ruling in October, upholding a judge’s decision from January. This sent the case to the Biden administration for a 60-day Presidential Review Period. During this process, President Biden could veto the ruling, although this has not yet occurred. The Presidential Review Period expires on December 25, and Apple is making this announcement today to “preemptively” take steps to comply with the ITC’s decision. Existing Apple Watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models, and older models with blood oxygen sensors which have already been sold will not be affected.
The European Union has started a formal Digital Services Act investigation into X, with regulators saying the platform may have broken the EU’s rules. The major issue is quote “the dissemination of illegal content in the context of Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel.” According to theverge.com, the commission said it will look at X’s attempts to counter the spread of illegal content on its platform and will examine X’s efforts to stop “information manipulation” via its Community Notes system and other policies. It’s also looking into matters beyond content moderation, including “deceptive design” relating to “the so-called Blue checks,” advertising transparency, and data access for researchers.
The UK’s National Health Service is launching a drone delivery program across 30 medical facilities in the north of the country. Thenextweb.com says the aim is to cut costs, while improving service to hundreds of thousands of patients. The Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been experimenting with autonomous drone deliveries for a while now, in partnership with UK-based Apian. While the healthcare trust’s drone trials have been pretty small-scale to date, it just teamed up with San Francisco-based Zipline — the world’s largest autonomous drone delivery company. Zipline’s fixed-wing drones can travel up to130 miles and parachute packages onto hospital landing zones.
Tesla’s model 3 is about to lose the $7500 federal subsidy the first of the year. Arstechnica.com reports that this is due to the new battery rules that came with the IRS clean vehicle tax credit starting in 2024. The Model 3 Performance may retain elgiblity. An additional wrinkle that comes to into effect involves materials from so-called ‘foreign entities of concern.’ One of those is China. Tesla isn’t the only maker to get a cut in subsidy….Ford thinks the Mustang Mach-E will lose its $3750 tax credit the first of the year, too.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Techified’ for now.
Amazon Reveal About Project Kuiper Satellites; Threads Launches in Europe; Cruise Lays off 24% of Workforce; Humana Using AI Tool With 90% Error Rate to Deny Coverage
Posted: December 14, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Satellite, space, SpaceX, starlink Leave a commentIt has been speculated about, and now Amazon has admitted that its Project Kuiper satellites will communicate with each other via laser-based links. According to geekwire.com, the system has already been successfully tested in orbit. The laser satellite- to-satellite communication moves data much more quickly than when data has to be sent to ground stations, and then back up to other satellites. Amazon is calling it something akin to a mesh network in space. Amazon is using infrared lasers to make the links, and says that the tests produced a 100% success rate. They plan to launch about half their satellites, some 1600 of them, by 2026. It is a lot more satellites in low orbit, but nice to see something competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Threads is finally available in the European Union. CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted the announcement: “Today we’re opening Threads to more countries in Europe.” The service was already available in the US and over 100 other countries worldwide, including the UK. Theverge.com reports that this will open up the service to almost half billion more people. Meta users in the EU will be able to browse Threads without needing a profile…which was an issue holding up its availability in the EU. Actually posting or interacting with content will still require an Instagram account, though.
The fallout continues after a crash in San Francisco where a Cruise self-driving vehicle dragged a pedestrian as it tried to pull over after the collision. After getting banned from San Francisco streets and the launch of investigations, engadget.com notes that Cruise had canned 9 executives earlier this week. Now, the company is laying off 24% of its workforce…some 900 employees. An email says the layoffs primarily target non-engineering roles, including field workers, commercial operations, and corporate staffing. The layoffs weren’t a total shock as GM CEO Mary Barra had called for cuts of millions of dollars last month.
A suit was filed this week claiming that Humana is using an AI model with a 90% error rate to override doctors’ medical judgment and wrongfully deny care to elderly people on the company’s Medicare Advantage plans. Arstechnica.com reports that it is the 2nd suit field over an insurers use of the artificial intelligence tool nH Predict from NaviHealth. A suit is also proceeding against United Health…also asserting that they are using the nH Predict AI to wrongfully deny care. Until AI gets much, much more accurate…and doesn’t ‘hallucinate,’ as the current jargon says…a nice way of saying that the AI doesn’t just make stuff up, there will be more of this. AI needs to be more like 98% right all the time, not 90% wrong!
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Techinified’ for now.
Threads Is Getting Fact-Checking; Apple Is Adding More Stolen Device Protection; Google Workspace Enables Name Pronunciation So Folks Don’t Mangle Your Name; Meta Ray-Bans Gets AI That Sees What You See
Posted: December 13, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentIn some good news as Threads continues to grow and get more users, Meta has announced they will be adding more moderation to user-generated content. Engadget.com reports that Threads is going to “match fact-check ratings from Facebook or Instagram to Threads.” Currently, fact-checkers can’t rate content on Threads, so instead when something gets flagged as being false on Instagram or Facebook, a fact-checker’s ratings will also roll over onto the app. The fact checking should be live early next year. Meta said third-party fact-checking partners will flag and review the content that circulates on Threads. The app’s users will be given the choice to increase, lower or maintain the default level of “demotions on fact-checked content” in personal feeds. Meta says if a user decides to see less sensitive content on Instagram, those settings will roll over into their Threads view.
A new security feature has shown up in the latest beta of Apple’s iOS, version 17.3. According to macrumors.com, it’s ’Stolen Device Protection,’ and it will add another layer of protection for people who have their phone stolen, and the thief also has the passcode. Bad guys can just eye people in public places, and can watch for you to enter your passcode, then grab the phone and they have…as a lot of people feel…your ‘entire digital life.’ With Stolen Device Protection, either Face ID or Touch ID will be required for additional actions, like looking at passwords or passkeys stored in iCloud Keychain…or for actions like applying for a new Apple Card, turning off Lost Mode, erasing content or settings, or using payment methods stored in Safari. The feature will kick in when you are in a location you don’t normally visit…a slight hassle, but nice to protect your info. When iOS 17.3 is released to the public, Apple says it will share additional info on how to use Stolen Device Protection to secure your devices.
If people are always mangling your name when they meet you or chat on the phone or over video, Google has added a feature that should help. It’s a new part of Google Workspace apps…including Google Docs and Gmail. On your profile card next to your name is a circle with an arrow in it. When they click on that, it will play back a recording of your name being pronounced. Zdnet.com says the feature is on by default. Some other workplace apps, like Microsoft’s LinkedIn and also Slack already have a pronunciation feature. Nice to have, since clobbering a person’s name right out of the box makes a lousy first impression.
Meta has added some AI tech to its Ray-Ban glasses to assist you with what you are looking at. Cnet.com reports that this might include ingredients on a package for example. You can look at the package and ask about an ingredient…like caffeine in tea, and the AI will tell you if it has it and how much. It is somewhat less than instant at this point…the glasses take a picture of the item then it is a few more seconds before you get an answer from the AI about your query. Be aware that at this point the AI can…as they say…hallucinate. In other words, it makes some stuff up! This is an ongoing problem with all generative AI that developers say will be solved…at some point, anyway.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Beeper Mini’s Android iMessage App is Back; TikTok-1st Non-Game App to hit $10 Billion; FTC Scrutinizing Microsoft OpenAI Investment; Google Working on Editing Support for Google Messages
Posted: December 11, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentAfter rolling out its app for using Apple’s iMessage over Android, suddenly last week the Beeper Mini app was apparently quickly killed by Apple. Apple had said in a post that the app was basically faking credentials to get in. Now, 9to5google.com reports that Beeper Mini is back. Right now, it has to be side-loaded as it is still under review by the Play store. The update removes phone number support and leaves users to continue with iMessage using their Apple ID. For a lot of users, this is still a bummer, as they probably don’t have an Apple ID if they are all-Android. Beeper is working on a way of using your phone number again, without having Apple swat them down. Some good news though…the app is now free to use for the time being, instead of charging a $2 per month subscription. Apple’s position is unchanged…anything they deem to compromise user privacy and security will be blocked. For its part, Beeper says the app doesn’t compromise either…and it gives Android users that precious blue bubble in chats, instead of the green one Apple assigns to all non-iMessage messages on its platform.
TikTok has passed a real milestone. The app had hit a billion monthly active uses back in 2021, and now has become the first non-game mobile app to generate $10 billion in consumer spending across the Apple App Store and Google Play Store combined. According to TechCrunch.com, the data was pulled together by app intelligence provider data.ai. The only other apps to have achieved this are all games, including Candy Crush Saga from King/Activision Blizzard, the top earner at over $12 billion, plus Tencent’s Honor of Kings, XFLAG/Mixi’s Monster Strike and Supercell’s Clash of Clans.
Apparently it’s not just regulators in the UK that are looking into Microsoft’s some $13 billion investment in OpenAI. Now, engadget.com says the FTC here in the US is also making a preliminary inquiry. It should be noted that this isn’t a formal investigation yet. A bit of a fly in the ointment for government investigations…OpenAI is a non-profit, and transactions involving non-corporate entities aren’t required by law to be reported. Of course, OpenAI has established a for-profit..basically subsidiary, so the structure will be a bit of a challenge for the FTC and other governing agencies. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority press release noted that “The CMA will review whether the partnership has resulted in an acquisition of control — that is, where it results in one party having material influence, de facto control or more than 50% of the voting rights over another entity.” Does Microsoft have such de facto control with its investment and two new board seats? Stay tuned.
Apple brought text editing support to iMessage with iOS 16….if you are quick…and now, Google is working on doing the same for Google Messages. Bgr.com reports that code has been spotted that points to editing support showing up soon. It’s a real boon to be able to quickly jump in and edit a typo or goof if you are quick on iMessage…beats the hell out of having to type an additional message correcting what you just sent. Since iMessage got editing, WhatsApp got it, and it is coming soon to Facebook Messenger, too. None of this matters for those who don’t care about bit about capitalization or punctuation, or who are cool with sending out typo and error-laden texts…but for those of us who are a bit more particular about what we send off into the ether, Google Message editing will be great to have.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Techinfied’ for now.
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