Google Bans Android TV Box Maker-Botnet; Apple Music Will Let You Record Your Karaoke; Anthropic-Working on System to Prove AI Model Identity; BYD Flagship EV Sells 4,000 Units in 19 Days

Google has frozen out a certified partner after discovering that a botnet had been running on some 1.3 million Android TV boxes. Thenextweb.com reports that Google says the device maker, Videostrong Technology out of China, built the box on purpose to be able to run the botnet. They built in a back door, and sold access to criminal associates. Google has cut ties with Videostrong, banned them, and banned any future subsidiaries or affiliates from building certified Android devices or supplying software to other certified makers. Google said it saw Videostrong’s operators take live screenshots, inject keystrokes and copy account details and system logs. The backdoor could map the home network a box sits on. LG said in September that its smart TVs scan home networks and that every smart TV does. Most of the boxes were in Germany and the UK. Most infected devices were set-top boxes. The backdoor also turned up on telehealth devices, karaoke machines and digital signage.

Apple is going to release a new feature for Apple Music that will let you record yourself singing karaoke without having to use another app. According to Engadget.com, the feature is an extension of one called ‘Sing’ that Apple rolled out in 2022 that let you take over the vocal in songs. The new version, ‘Selfie Sing,’ will be out with iOs 27.3 (that version is in beta right now.) The new version will let you record videos of yourself singing to music while the lyrics to the songs scrolls up on the screen in real time. The feature comes with its own playlist, however, and isn’t supported by the service’s whole catalog. Just choose a song and then enable the camera to start recording. You can add effects to your voice or change its volume — your options include Megaphone, Echo, Concert Hall and Studio — if you wish before saving or sharing the video with your friends.

Anthropic, the makers of Claude AI, is working on an open source system that will verify which AI model produced a given output. Techcrunch.com says the system is called FlashProve. It is supposed to give cryptographic proof about which model produced something. The idea is to stop imposters who are  attempting to disguise one model as another, even when the impostor is the lab that built and runs the model. In particular, the researchers note that the system could be used to prevent an AI company from secretly swapping in a cheaper model to cut costs, or a more expensive model to inflate its performance results.

Chinese EV maker BYD sold over 300,000 vehicles last month…more EV units than the US sold in the entire third quarter. One big selling point….new, longer-range batteries. Electrek.co notes that BYD released their new flagship on October 13th…and sold 4,000 of them in just 19 days. The car…even though it’s their top model…has a base price in China of just $35,000 and it has a range of 626 miles on a charge. A full charge just takes 9 minutes!! As has been noted by plenty of folks in the auto industry…if they are ever allowed to sell in the US, Tesla and the Big 3 automakers are in for a rout when it comes to EVs. I watched a video of another BYD car earlier this year. The features blow all US cars into the weeds.

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