Google Chrome Gets AI Features; Apple’s Fabled Car Now Due in 2028; Netflix is Dropping Cheapest Ad-Free Plan; Amazon Ring Will Now Require Warrant for Cops to Get Footage

New AI features are coming to Google Chrome on both Windows and Mac. TechCrunch.com reports that they include a way to organize tabs, customize your theme, and get help writing things on the web…things like forum posts, online reviews, and more. A lot of this has been available on Google’s SGE, or Search Generative Experience, their experimental AI search experience. The still experimental feature for writing should be accessible next month in that Chrome release…just right click on a text box or field on the web, then choose ‘help me write.’ You need to write the first few words, then the AI will begin to help out. 

Actually, I can’t believe I’m writing about this again…talk about vaporware! Yes, Project Titan, the fabled Apple car…which has been on-again, off-again since 2015. 9to5mac.com notes that there have been numerous execs that have left and been replaced, to say nothing of staff churn. Starting a brand new car company is insanely hard…and we’re talking an autonomous EV on top of that. It appears at this point that the possible 2028 vehicle will be a Level 2+ system….originally, Apple was shooting for Level 4. Bloomberg reports that it is possible that Apple could upgrade the system over time with software. Even for famously secretive Apple, it’s a big tell about how rough Project Titan is going that there has never been a prototype spotted in disguise running around on any roadways. Did Apple bite off more than they can chew with the autonomous EV project? We may know by 2028…unless they kick the can down the road again.

Current members of Netflix have been able to keep their ad-free basic subscription plan at $11.99 a month up to now, but that is going to start changing. Theverge.com says company execs told investors in an earnings report that it will be retiring the plan in some countries…starting with Canada and the UK second quarter. That will leave you paying $15.49 a month if you want Netflix’s cheapest ad-free plan. The cheapie ad-supported basic plan remains at $6.99, and the ad-free premium plan is still $22.99 a month. Netflix has also signed a 10 year deal with WWE’s Monday Night Raw.

There have been complaints over the years including from civil liberties groups and some politicians about police obtaining footage from users’ Ring Doorbell cams without their permission or knowledge. That is about to change. Bloomberg reports that starting next week, Amazon will disable its Request for Assistance tool, which  had allowed law enforcement to seek footage from users on a voluntary basis, Eric Kuhn, who runs Ring’s Neighbors app, said in a blog post on Wednesday. Police and fire departments will have to seek a warrant to request footage from users or show the company evidence of an ongoing emergency.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.