EU Orders Apple to Open Access to iOS Notifications; Nvidia Bows Two ‘Personal’ AI Supercomputers; Pixel 9a Released-Midrange Phone for $499; Court Rules that AI Can’t be Author for Copyright

The European Union is hitting Apple again with its Digital Markets Act. This time, they are calling for Apple to open up iOS connectivity features. 9to5mac.com reports that that means allowing connected devices, like third-party smartwatches, full access to the iOS notification system, as well as background execution privileges, just like how the Apple Watch works with the iPhone. Headphone makers will be given access to system features that support AirPods, like proximity auto-pairing and automatic audio switching. Other kinds of connected devices must also be able to make equivalent features to system services like AirDrop and AirPlay. Apple has expressed its disappointment with the demands, and will no doubt appeal. 

Nvidia unveiled two ‘personal AI supercomputers’ yesterday ate their conference. According to bgr.com, both are powered by Nvidia’s Grace Blackwell platform. They are called the DGX Spark and DGX Station, and are intended to give AI developers, researchers, and students the ability to prototype, fine-tune, and run large language models on desktops. The Spark is about the size of an Apple M4 Mac Mini. The station is larger and they claim it “brings data-center-level performance to desktops for AI development.” The Spark is available for order now starting at $3999 at Nvidia.com, and should be delivered this summer. You can get an Asus version for a grand less…it’s called the Ascent GX10 supercomputer. The more powerful Station will be out in late 2025, and Nvidia says there will be versions from Asus, Dell, HP, and others. 

Without a lot of fanfare, and amazingly…no real leaks…Google has rolled out the Pixel 9A, a midrange phone that starts at $499…less than the Apple alleged ‘budget’ phone. Theverge.com notes that the 9A has no camera bump, a bigger screen at 6.3 inches, faster Tensor G4 processor, and better water resistance…but that Google held the price point. The Google phone has 2 cams instead of Apple’s one on the back, and did we mention flush…no bump? No firm date yet, but the Pixel 9A should be available in April.

A three judge panel at the District Of Columbia Court of Appeals has ruled unanimously that AI software can’t be granted authorship. Arstechnica.com reports that the court found in favor of the Copyright office…copyright law “requires all work to be authored in the first instance by a human being,” Judge Patricia Millett wrote in her opinion. A computer scientist named Stephen Thaler says he will fight on, going to the Supreme Court. One key issue: the duration of copyright is typically limited to “the author’s lifespan or to a period that approximates how long a human might live,” Justice Millett wrote. “Of course, machines do not have ‘lives,’ nor is the length of their operability generally measured in the same terms as a human life.” The judge did dis the character Data in Star Trek, noting that he may have intelligence comparable to a human, but that his poetry might be worse than that coming from ChatGPT. Of course, the bad poem supposedly written by Data was actually composed by a script writer.

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