Zoom Reverses on AI After Uproar; iPhone 15 Launch Date; Another Amazon Prime Day Coming; Google Search Gets Grammar Checker
Posted: August 8, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentWe had just reported on…and ranted about…Zoom’s new policy allowing them to train AI on your customer data…and smiling mug in video calls. Well now, engadget.com reports that there has been a big enough blowback, that Zoom has decided to reverse the policy…at least for now. It will ask for customer consent to use your video or audio chats to train its AI, however. This will require them to present you with two consent boxes before joining a meeting…the one we have all been checking to join the meeting, and another granting or denying permission to train their AI on your data. It’s not a giant victory, but as we noted in the earlier report, this is your face and voice we are talking about here!
We just had written about a rumor that Apple will be holding the iPhone 15 rollout on Wednesday, September 13th. Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reveals that he’s been told the iPhone will go on sale on September 22nd, and that the event will be either Tuesday September 12th or Wednesday September 13th. This the usual time of year for Apple’s phone event, although they did one as early as the 7th one year, and delayed until October once due to COVID. So if you are an Apple fanboy or fangirl, block out both September 12th and 13th for now…we’ll post the official date as soon as Apple puts out one of their trademark cryptic invites.
Yeah, we just had a Prime Day, and Amazon did do a fall one during the pandemic. Well now, the online giant is planning an additional one in October. Androidpolice.com says it is getting a slight re-branding…it will be called Amazon Prime Big Deal Days. Amazon hasn’t given us an exact date yet, but you can bet when they do, they will hype the hell out of it for weeks…so you won’t be able to miss the date!
Google just introduced a feature that lets you check your grammar right in the search bar. A lot of folks need this. In case you hadn’t noticed that, YOU are probably one of them! Mashable.com reports that you just enter a sentence or phrase into Google Search, followed with the word: “grammar check” or “check grammar” or “grammar checker”. Sometimes these phrases aren’t even needed, but using them will ensure that the tool will pop up. If the phrase entered is correct, Google will present a green check mark. Easy…so use it!
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now
Zoom To Train AI Using Customer Data; TikTok European Users Can Opt Out of Personalized Feeds; Threads Getting Web Version & Search Soon; X Can’t Send Blue Subscribers Revenue Share On Time
Posted: August 7, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentZoom has updated its terms of service, and buried in the new document there is a clause that establishes Zoom’s right to utilize some aspects of customer data for training and tuning its AI, or machine learning models. Not that this is an uncommon occurrence for companies lately, but it indicates that Zoom is jumping into using artificial intelligence with both feet. Cnbc.com reports that ‘the update comes amid growing public debate on the extent to which AI services should be trained on individuals’ data, no matter how aggregated or anonymized it’s said to be. Chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing, along with image-generation tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, are trained on swaths of internet text or images.’ A somewhat disconcerting wrinkle with Zoom is, in my opinion, that they will have hours of video of your face if you don’t block your camera. With all the talk of AI being able to use prior video and audio by actors, voice artists, TV and radio personalities, this is a pretty disconcerting move by Zoom.
The TikTok ‘For You’ page is about to get a little less ‘you.’ According to Mashable.com, users in Europe will be able to opt-out from the personalized algorithm based feed. TikTok is doing this to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act. The DSA requires “very large social media platforms” including TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to give users the option not to receive personalized recommendations. It also mandates that platforms are more transparent about content moderation, so TikTok will inform users about more content moderation decisions than it did previously. The DSA also imposes a ban on advertising targeted at children, so users under 18 will no longer see personalized ads on TikTok.
In the next few weeks, Meta owned Threads will be getting a web version and a search function…two of the most requested features. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement. Engadget.com points out that you can search right now, but the only result os other accounts…you can’t search for posts. The app has already updated with a chronological feed and built-in translations. The app initially rocketed to 100 million users, but then dropped off dramatically. Meta expects a lot of those original accounts to return to the app once the desktop version and search are live.
X, the app formerly known as Twitter, apparently hasn’t been able to make promised ad revenue-sharing payouts on time. Theverge.com reports that the Musk-owned platform is blaming the volume of people signing up. Considering that they still haven’t paid severance claimed due by laid off employees, the late paying shouldn’t be a surprise. On top of this, Musk posted that he would pay the legal bills of any subscriber who posted something and got fired due to that post on X. A few talking head attorneys on TV have said that may qualify as a binding contract…and a pretty wide open one. That said, with his history of paying people, I wouldn’t hold my breath on anyone getting their legal fees paid!
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now!
Apple Watch Colors; Russian Hackers Used Teams; YouTube Tests AI Feature- Summarizes Videos; IRS Will Digitize All Tax Docs by 2025
Posted: August 3, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentA lot of rumors have been out for months about the iPhone 15 series about to be revealed, but not as much on the Watch has been floating around. Now, 9to5mac.com reports that there may be a couple new colors. For Watch Series 9, there may be a new ‘pink’ option…we should dub that the Barbie Watch perhaps! The Apple Watch Ultra 2 will allegedly be available in a new black titanium color. These rumors came from ShrimpApplePro on Twitter (now X). Shrimp has leaked accurate info before. We do know the Watch will finally get a new, better processor. That comes from Bloomberg. The Watch hasn’t had processor upgrade since version 6, so by version 9, it is more than due for one.
Russian hackers apparently posed as tech support for Microsoft Teams and were able to compromise dozens of global organizations…including government agencies! According to TechCrunch,com, Microsoft security researchers said on Wednesday that the “highly targeted” social engineering campaign was carried out by a Russian state-sponsored hacking group tracked by Microsoft as “Midnight Blizzard,” but more commonly known as APT29 or Cozy Bear. The group, which was linked to the infamous SolarWinds attack in 2020, is part of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, according to U.S. and U.K. law enforcement agencies. The attacks started in late May. They sent message requests trying to get users to grant approval for multi-factor authentication, to gain access to user accounts. Microsoft says it has mitigated the damage, but is still investigating.
YouTube is test driving a tool that will automatically generate video summaries using AI. Mashable.com notes that the summaries “do not replace video descriptions (which are written by creators!)”. What the short descriptions are intended for is to make it easier for you to read a quick summary about a video and decide if it’s something you want to commit to watching. YouTube also just announced testing of feature that lets mobile users create Shorts featuring comments posted on videos…can you say imitating TikTok?
Crawling their way into this century, the IRS, which has notoriously old and creaky computer systems…probably some still running Cobol or Fortran…says it will allow taxpayers to go 100% paperless for the upcoming 2024 filing season. Not only that, but Arstechnica.com reports that by 2025, the feds will still accept paper documents but will immediately digitize them, which they say will “cut processing times in half” and “expedite refunds by several weeks.” The IRS still receives some 76 million paper returns and 125 million pieces of correspondence, notice responses, and non-tax forms a year, so digitizing will accelerate things for taxpayers considerably. The digitizing should also help the feds to audit wealthy tax evaders….it will be something if they can get those folks to pay their fair share.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
X (Twitter) Now Allowing Hiding of Checkmarks; Amazon Makes Fresh Deliveries Available to Non-Prime Members; Meta in EU Has to Get User Consent for Targeted Ads; Discord on Xbox to Allow Streaming Your Gameplay
Posted: August 2, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThe app formerly known as Twitter, now X, has started letting paid users hide their verification checkmarks. Techcrunch.com reports that even if you hide it, the platform warns on a help page that it might be visible some places and quote ‘some features could still reveal you have an active subscription.’ X goes on to say some features may not be available while your checkmark is hidden. So basically, pay Elon $8 a month, then hide that fact to go stealth…or because you’re embarrassed.
Amazon is now letting non-Prime members order grocery deliveries from its Fresh stores. As of today, customers in Boston, Dallas, San Francisco, and 9 other US cities can order online from Amazon Fresh stores and warehouses. According to Bloomberg, Amazon plans to roll out the ability to order for non-Prime users by the end of the year. Up to now, you have had to pony up the $139 a year for a Prime membership to order. Non-Prime users won’t have some of the same benefits as Prime subscribers, however. They’ll still have to pay anywhere from $7.95 to $13.95 for grocery delivery fees, which is about $4 more than the typical fee for Prime members.
Meta has knuckled under from pressure by the European Union and will seek user consent for targeted ads. Thenextweb.com says that the platform will soon offer EU users the chance to opt in for the ads. Since April, EU users have been able to opt out, but that took filling out a lengthy form on its help pages. Opt in would give users protection by default. Note that this won’t affect generalized ads based on broader demographic data, but will prevent ones based on for example, the videos you watch or posts you share.
Microsoft has improved Xbox and Discord integration. Xbox users will soon be able to stream their gameplay from a console to Discord users, allowing friends to watch them play games, or even offer advice for boss battles or solving problems. Theverge.com reports that the new feature is starting to roll out to Xbox Insiders and should be available to all users in the next few months. it’s all built into the Parties & Chats section of the dashboard. A new “stream your game” option will appear once you’re connected to a Discord server, with settings to customize the stream. Unfortunately, this is only a one-way stream, so you still won’t be able to view streams from friends who are broadcasting on Discord.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Twitter (X) Sues Nonprofit; Google to ‘Supercharge’ Assistant with AI; Samsung’s Apparently Humongous SmartTags; Nintendo Aims for Next Gen Console in 2024
Posted: August 1, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentElon Musk’s X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, has sued the Center for Countering Digital Hate, according to Bloomberg. The Musk company had sent a threatening letter to the nonprofit on July 20th, after the Center published a research article in June asserting that X allowed explicitly racist and homophobic posts despite policies to the contrary, even after they’d been reported. X responded that the CCDH used poor methodology, and failed to study all 500 million posts on the service each day. It also maintained that the Center was taking funding from competitors or foreign governments as part of an “ulterior agenda,” according to The New York Times. In a letter published earlier today, the CCDH countered Twitter’s earlier allegations. It noted that it never claimed to be conducting a comprehensive study, and documented the methodology it did use. It wrote that X didn’t provide any specific examples, and said it doesn’t accept funding from companies or governments.
Google is working on ‘supercharging’ its assistant with power from large language model tech, or LLM. This is essentially another way of saying AI. 9to5google.com reports that Google is saying it recognizes the “strong desire for assistive, conversational technology that can improve their lives” from end users. Google further says it is ‘deeply committed to Assistant, and quote “we are optimistic about its bright future ahead.”
Samsung didn’t show its Galaxy SmartTag 2 at their recent event, but some information has been spotted at the FCC. Arstechnica.com says it isn’t a square shaped Tile clone like version one, but a flat, pill-shaped gadget with a HUGE key ring hole at the top. It looks from the diagram like a cigar cutter. How huge is the key ring hole? Nearly the size of an Apple AirTag…which makes the SmartTag 2 practically double the size of an AirTag. Just like the Galaxy SmartTag+, this device will come with UWB (ultra-wideband) tracking, which will help locate the device when it’s nearby. When it’s far away, you will rely on the device’s smartphone network. As far as a launch for the SmartTag 2, no date has been rumored or confirmed so far.
It is looking like Nintendo will be unveiling its next-gen console in the second half of 2024. Development kits are now with key partner studios, according to some sources. Videogameschronicle.com reports that details are limited, but that the next-gen console could launch with an LCD screen, not the more upscale OLED, and that it will be able to be used in portable mode. The cheaper screen is purely to keep costs down. The unit will reportedly also accept physical games via a cartridge slot.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Over Half Amazon Deliveries Same or Next Day Many Places; iPads May Get Smaller Bezels Like iPhone 15; Public Companies Must Report Data Breaches in 4 Days; New Method to Protect Against AI Photo Fakes
Posted: July 31, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentIf you live in one of the top 60 metro areas, which is a lot of the population of the US, Amazon says you are getting over half your deliveries from them same-day or next day. According to geekwire.com, Amazon says it has achieved its fastest delivery speeds on record after overhauling its U.S. operations to put more items closer to customers. Amazon also makes the claim that it was able to hit the new delivery milestone while improving safety. That bit hasn’t been independently verified. The company says that they really didn’t get the better delivery times by making workers work faster…it really was positioning the items closer to customers that did the trick.
Just as a lot of Apple watchers are getting excited about the upcoming iPhone 15’s getting smaller bezels around the screens, and the Pro models getting titanium for lighter weight, comes this. Macrumors.com reports that Apple also plans to reduce iPad bezel sizes. Apple is using a process first used on Apple watches called LIPO…NO, not liposuction…it stands for Low-injection pressure-over molding. With that kind of a tongue twister, you can see why they call it LIPO. So far, no word if the thinner bezels will make it to iPads yet this year, or in 2024.
In good news for consumers…or at least less bad news, the Securities and Exchange Commission has issued new rules that require public companies to report data breaches within 2 days. Mashable.com says that SEC ruling goes on to say that the four-day rule can be delayed if the U.S. Attorney General decides that sharing the cybersecurity incident “would pose a substantial risk to national security or public safety.” In Europe, companies now have 3 days to report breaches.
A growing problem has been fake photos and videos…so-called ‘deep fakes.’ Now researchers at MIT have come up with a way to make deepfakes harder. Bgr.com reports its software called PhotoGuard. It changes certain pixels in an image, making it impossible for the AI to see them. The pic won’t change for us humans. Let’s hope that Android and Apple’s iOS adapt this to protect people. Here’s a link to the video that shows how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTC59Q6ZDNM&t=2s
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
iPhone 15 Pro Prices; Facebook Notches 3 Billion Users; Way Rolls Back Truck Efforts; Tesla Under Investigation from Cal AG
Posted: July 27, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentWe have heard rumors for months that Apple will probably bump up the price of the iPhone Pro models when the 15 comes out. Macrumors.com reports that an analyst at Barclays Bank in Britain thinks he has the numbers after talking to supply chain companies in Asia. Tim Long says look for the iPhone Pro Max to be $1299 up from $1099, and the 15 Pro to go up a hundred from $999 to $1099. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will not have price boosts, so should be $799 and $899 respectively. The Pro Max is expected to have a periscope telephoto zoom lens that will give it 5-6 power optical zoom without the blur you get from electronic zoom. The materials for the periscope lens alone is adding $50 to the cost of the phone. Of course, Apple could surprise us, and eat part of the cost, so the phone would only go up $100. We’ll know in mid September at any rate.
Meta reported a good quarter, with 11% growth in revenue at $32 billion, and a 16% increase in net income for a $7.8 billion haul. That’s all great, but the company hit a really huge milestone with Facebook…passing 3 billion users for the first time…and for the first time for any social media app. The monthly user base has bee flat at Facebook for some time, but showed a 3% growth. Meta’s other apps grew by more…Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger all grew by 6% year over year. The Threads app just came out so it isn’t included in the numbers as yet.
Waymo is rolling back its driverless trucking efforts, in a move to focus on ride hailing. Engadget.com says Waymo s claiming ‘significant’ growth for demand for its robot axis in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. The Alphabet-owned brand still plans to work with Daimler on self-driving semi trucks, which they started testing on in 2017.
The California Attorney General’s office is investigating Tesla. CNBC reports that the government is seeking information from customers and former employees about Autopilot safety issues and false advertising complaints. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has been investigating Tesla’s driver assistance systems for years and has formally accused the company of deceptive practices in marketing its Autopilot and FSD technology. The AG’s office declined comment, noting that they don’t discuss current investigations.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Unpacking Samsung Unpacked
Posted: July 26, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentSamsung’s Unpacked happened early today US time live from Korea. Of note, androidpolice.com reports that the reservation offer has returned. Sign up today and get $50 off any purchase. You don’t even have to put money down…just input your email. When you do preorder later this month, you get the $50 off. Easy. What about the phones and the rest? Well, ask expected the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 were rolled out. The biggest news is both got a bump in specifications, but more noticeable to everyone is the new ‘double rail Flex Hinge system. The new hinge design folds flat without a gap when closed. Also due to the new hinge, the screen doesn’t get crushed into a hard crease that shows up when you use it. The Fold is still a hefty phone…something like double the weight and thickness of a normal phone. It will still set you back $1799 before the $50 discount.
The Z Flip 5 is a normal sized phone when open, and a smaller square when closed. This year, though, the outside screen is more useful, with the ability to use widgets, and even apps with the so-called ‘lab’ feature…which can run tiny square versions of six apps. They are Google Messages, Samsung Messages, WhatsApp, Google Maps, Netflix, and YouTube. It is possible to pull up a keyboard, but only the Samsung keyboard. The phone does have a pretty small battery to run that 6.7 inch inner display. It’s $999.
Both phones are available for preorder and ship August 11th.
The Galaxy Watch 6 isn’t a dramatic upgrade from the 5, but does sport a cleaner design. The screen now lies flus with the lugs, and the screen is 20% larger than the former model, due to a smaller bezel. The panels are sharper and brighter than on the 5, and you can adjust the brightness of the always on display. Engadget.com says the Watch 6 has an updated processor and bigger battery. Samsung says you can get 8 hours of use on an 8 minute fast charge.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Tehnified’ for now.
TikTok Adds Text Posts, Threads Rolls out ‘Following’ Feed; ChatGPT Now Available on Android; Apple Hit With Billion Dollar Brit Class Action
Posted: July 25, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentWith chaos at what used to be Twitter, and is now being called ‘X’…at least by Elon Musk…TikTok has announced a new text-based format for posts. According to Mashable, the text posting option will be in addition to formats for posting photos, videos. and live streams. On the camera page, you can choose text ask an option, type it, then customize with sound, stickers, backgrounds, and more. It appears to allow up to 1,000 characters.
Not to be outdone, Meta’s Threads app is rolling out a ‘following’ feed…one of the most requested features. According to TechCrunch.com, it is a gradual roll-out, so even if you update the app, you may not see it right away. I updated earlier today, and still don’t have the ‘following’ feed, but some accounts I follow already have it. Mark Zuckerberg said Threads is adding translations, too…and posted ‘More to come’ on his Instagram channel.
ChatGPT is now available on Android. Engadget.com says that like the iOS version, you can talk to the generative AI to get advice, answers, and other responses. ChatGPT subscribers can also switch between the standard….or GPT 3.5 to the GPT-4 language model at will. You need to be running at least Android 6.0 to use the ChatGPT app.
Apple has been hit with a billion dollar class action suit on behalf of some 1500 developers in the United Kingdom over App Store fees. Macrumors.com reports that the suit accuses Apple of abusing a dominant position by charging a 15% to 30% fee on in-app sales in the App Store, a policy that has been criticized by antitrust regulators in other countries. It also argues UK consumers are missing out because developers are being deprived of money that could be spent on research and development to help drive app innovation. It is an opt out suit, so developers in the UK don’t have to register to be included.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Apple May Hike Prices of iPhone Pros; Twitter Officially Becomes ‘X’; Spotify’s 1st US Price Hike for Premium; TSMC Delays Chip Production in Arizona
Posted: July 24, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentApple is apparently thinking of bumping the prices of the iPhone 15 Pros…but not the iPhone 15s. Bloomberg.com reports that Apple has ordered about 85 million new iPhone 15s, which is nearly as many as last year…so their expectation is that demand will be strong. Most think they will bump the phones by $100 to $1099 and $1199 respectively. The Pro models are expected to have titanium frames for lighter weight, smaller bezels, and the Pro Max is allegedly getting a periscope telephoto lens for a better optical zoom.
It’s been rumored, and happened this morning….Elon Musk has killed off the bird and changed Twitter to ‘X,’ complete with an X logo. No word if we are going to have to start calling Tweets exes now! According to techcrunch.com, x.com redirects now to twitter.com. Musk said the company will eventually “bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.” Musk the super genius apparently never got the memo on rebranding, and doesn’t remember ‘New Coke’ or Crystal Pepsi. A number of long time users with big followings on Twitter are thinking of jumping ship now instead of waiting a bit longer.
Spotify is going to bump up the price of its Premium subscription plan in the US. Theverge.com notes that the price is likely to go up by a dollar, meaning it will cost $10.99 a month when the change goes into effect…most likely this week. Premium has been $9.99 since it launched in the US 12 years ago.
TSMC won’t be starting to produce chips in Arizona quite as soon as previously promised. Engadget.com says the company doesn’t have enough skilled workers to complete construction right now and they have pushed back production from 2024 to 2025. The firm intends to make the 4-nanometer chips in Phoenix when the plant is done. Apparently, TSMC is thinking about loaning technicians from its home country of Taiwan to help complete the project. TSMC is the major chip supplier for Apple. Future iPhones with 4-nanometer and 3-nanometer chips will be supplied by the Arizona plant.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
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