ChatGPT Can Use Web for You; Android 16 Beta-iOS Type Live Notifications; Subaru Patched Security Flaw-Millions Could be Unlocked & Started Remotely; Apple Music-Artists Get Twice the Pay of Spotify

Posted: January 23, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

OpenAI is letting some users use a new ChatGPT feature that uses the AI to browse the web for the users…letting it book trips, buy groceries, bargain hunt, and do some other online chores. Wired.com reports that the new tool is dubbed ‘Operator,’ and it is one of the ubiquitous AI ‘agents’ that everyone in AI is pumping out. Operator comes on the heels of similar AI agents from Google and Anthropic. Salesforce has also lately been touting its agents to help salespeople, advertising on multiple billboards in San Francisco. Agents are considered a step beyond chatbots. Still, they are quite limited in what they can do…and basically only automate tasks that can normally be done with regular software. That considered, it makes me quite skeptical that AI will surpass humans by 2027, or even 2030. The hype seems to be far outstripping reality. 

The first public beta of Android 16 is out, and with it come iOS style live notifications on the lock screen…very much like Live Activities on Apple’s iOS. According to techcrunch.com, another new feature is Advanced Professional Video…a codec for high quality video recording. They claim that the new APV will give users what they call a ‘perceptually’ lossless quality, closer to raw footage. Besides these changes, Android 16 has improvements for accessibility. Apple has been a leader in this area for years, it will be nice to see better accessibility features on Android phones. 

Subaru has patched a security hole that had allowed millions of vehicles to be unlocked and started via an easily-hacked employee web portal. Engadget.com says after gaining access, crooks could remotely control a test vehicle and see a year’s worth of location data. The hack worked over Subaru’s Starlink suite of connectivity features….by the way, no relation to the SpaceX satellite internet service with exactly the same name. The vehicle tested with the hack was a 2023 Subaru Impreza. Security researchers found they could access ‘pretty much any Subaru in the United States, Canada, or Japan.’ This according to researcher Sam Curry. He could also query and retrieve personal info on any customer…emergency contacts, authorized users, home address, last 4 digits of their credit card, and vehicle PIN. Let’s hope that after this, it moves not only Subaru, but other vehicle makers to tighten the security on their back ends that allow employees to access car and owner info. 

Spotify remains the cheapskate streaming service, paying artists less than the others…in fact paying half what Apple pays artists. Bgr.com notes that of the big streaming platforms, actually Amazon pays the best…followed by Apple Music and YouTube. The largest platform, Spotify, pays less than half what Apple Music does! According to Duetti, Amazon pays royalties at the rate of $8.80 per 1,000 streams (as of 2024), while Apple Music pays $6.20 per 1,000, YouTube forks over $4.80, and Spotify pays a scrooge-like $3.00 per 1,000 streams. It should be noted that Amazon Music is bundled with Prime memberships. One reason for Spotify’s lower payments is its Discovery Mode program, which is supposed to let indie artiest see more discoverable through the Spotify algorithm. the rub is, they have to accept a 30% reduction in payouts. Currently, over 26% of artists opt into that program. Although Spotify has called Duetti’s report ‘ridiculous and unfounded.’ The numbers do square with those I have seen from a copyright attorney and musician who practices in this area, so I’m saying they are accurate and that Spotify ought to step up.

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

Spotify Hiking US Prices Again; New Breakthrough May Allow 1 Minute Charging; X Formally Allows Adult Content; Instagram Confirms Testing Unskippable Ads

Posted: June 3, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s only been a year since Spotify bumped up prices for Spotify Premium in the US…and oops…they’re doing it again! Theverge.com reports that Premium is being increased a buck to $11.99 a month. Spotify Duo is going up two bucks from $14.99 to $16.99 a month. Family will go from $16.99 a month to socking you for $19.99 a month. In an email, Spotify says this is needed “So that we can continue to invest in and innovate on our product features and bring users the best experience.” Also so they can make more money. 

In an amazing study which just appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at University of Colorado Boulder have discovered a new cutting-edge technique that could make it possible to charge devices almost instantaneously. This would make charging phones, laptops, and even electric cars much more efficient and convenient. The foundation of the new technique is based on new insights into how ions move through supercapacitors. According to bgr.com, the key is to make moving ions more efficient. This allows charging a phone battery from dead to 100% in a minute or less! The scientists made a discovery that modifies the Kirchoff circuit law, which has been the rule for 175 years. It’s a bit dense to get into, but they say that the discovery may be the ‘missing link’ they have been looking for. With phones and electric vehicles that could be charged in a minute or less, it would be a whole new world! Let’s hope this gets from lab to general use soon!

When Elon Musk renamed Twitter ‘X,’ there was a certain amount of ribbing about that making it sound like a porn site. Well now, it is moving a little bit in that direction. Arstechnica.com notes that there have been some not safe for work communities on the platform for some time, and now X has added clauses to its rules, formally allowing users to post adult and graphic content on the platform — with a few caveats. Users can now post consensually-produced NSFW content as long as it is prominently labeled as such. The new rules also cover AI-generated videos and images. About 13% of posts on the platform in 2022 contained adult content, according to a Reuters report in 2022 that cited internal company documents. Adult content on X has seemingly gone up since then, especially as porn bots have proliferated on the platform.

Instagram has confirmed that it is testing out unskippable ads. Techcrunch.com reports that the new ad breaks will show a countdown timer that stops your browsing on the app until you have viewed the ad. This will be something of a copycat function to YouTube’s….where you have and ad roll before your video with the little timer in the corner and ‘skip’ appears when you can finally view the video you wanted to watch. Instagram declined to say where in the Instagram app the ad breaks show and whether the company was testing the feature globally. The screenshots, however, show the ad breaks appearing in the app’s Feed while watching video posts. It’s not clear at this time if Instagram creators will have any control over these ads’ appearance. So far, it is just a test…but you might as well brace for it…it will be coming.

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

Britain Already Scrutinizing Microsoft’s New AI Recall Feature; Amazon Alexa Getting Big AI Upgrade-But for a Fee; Spotify Rolling Out its Own Font; Humane for Sale After Smart Pin Flop

Posted: May 22, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Microsoft just announced to great fanfare the new AI Recall feature that will be spotlighted in their new generation of tablets and laptops. According to gizmodo.com, Recall, uses AI to build a “photographic memory” of a user’s laptop activity that they can then search. In other words, Recall constantly takes screenshots of a user’s activity on the computer, whether they’re searching for new recipes online, watching videos, or using apps. This could be good or creepy…your choice…but now, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has told BBC it is reaching out to Microsoft for more info. An ICO spokesperson told the Beebe that companies must “rigorously assess and mitigate risks to peoples’ rights and freedoms” before launching new products, especially those that are potentially invasive. I’d say that a system that records every single thing you do on your computer probably qualifies as invasive!

Amazon is readying a big AI upgrade to Alexa. This will probably be nice to have, as all of the assistants need to get better….looking at you, Siri. If you can’t wait to try it, here’s a little fly in the ointment…Amazon is going to charge a separate subscription on top of the $139 it already whacks you for to be a Prime member. CNBC reports that Amazon has refused to comment on the additional fee so far. If you want to give it a test drive for free while it’s still being tested, you can tell your Echo unit “Alexa, let’s chat,’ and Amazon will notify you when you can access the preview. With Google already getting its Gemini AI assistant out, and Apple about to upgrade Siri with AI at WWDC in June, the race is on to get to smarter…or at least less stupid…assistants. 

Spotify now has its own bespoke typeface…and it is rolling out today. The platform thinks Spotify Mix will improve the experience for your eyeballs. Why call a font ‘Mix?’ Well, theverge.com says Spotify is claiming the name is an homage to the “dynamic and evolving nature of audio culture over the years.” Spotify says “We subtly incorporated the shapes of sound waves to evoke a rhythmic feel. The combination of sharp angles and smooth curves gives the typeface a distinctive character that feels quintessentially Spotify.” Why do I feel like an ad agency wrote that? Although Apple used the Chicago font years ago, even mighty Apple has stooped to using fonts used by we mortal users.

You may recall the hype and fanfare around the AI Pin from startup Humane. It was a pin you could query and get answers via AI, and it even projected some on to your hand. The little jewel ran $700 plus $24 a month for a subscription. Well, TechCrunch.com notes that Humane has now put itself on the block for between $750 million and a billion. Not bad for a company that had raised $230 million from some big tech hitters, and got so much buzz…then laid a big ostrich-sized egg with the pin. Besides being pricy and in search of a market, the pin allegedly had overheating and battery life issues. Need a big write-off right now, and looking for a hip sounding company with a failed product…here’s your chance!

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

Spotify Paywalls Lyrics; TikTok & Universal Music Group Finally Cut Deal; Google Payed Apple $20 Billion to Get Default Search Engine Spot; Amazon CEO Anti-Union Remarks Broke Federal Laws

Posted: May 2, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Spotify has come up with a new way to wring cash from free users by pushing them into a paid subscription…they are locking lyrics up behind a paywall. Techcrunch.com reports that there has been a flood of angry posts by users on Reddit complaining about the new paywall. Spotify hasn’t come out and admitted it, but did put out a statement saying that their features can vary over time, between markets, and across devices. It may be that if there is enough blowback, they will claim this was just a test, and open up lyrics to free users again. Meanwhile, you will see a message that says ‘Enjoy lyrics on Spotify Premium.’ 

After Taylor Swift went direct with TikTok, and got her music back on the platform (no doubt for some serious bucks), Universal Music Group has finally cut a so-called ‘multi-dimensional’ deal with TikTok that will see its entire roster of artists…including Swift…to the platform. According to theverge.com, the deal includes ‘new monetization opportunities’ that flow from TikTok’s growing e-commerce capabilities. 

Google spent a whopping $20 billion on holding the default search engine spot with Apple in 2022. Appleinsider.com says this nugget came out of the continuing antitrust suit against Alphabet that the DOJ is prosecuting. Some tech watchers had estimated that such a princely amount was being paid to Cupertino, and now it’s a fact. In 2020, the revenue from Google for search engine status amounted to 17.5% of Apple’s total operating income! Apparently, Microsoft had tried to displace Google with its Bing product by offering Apple 90% of its ad revenue…and even offered to sell Bing to Apple in 2020! Closing arguments for the case are today and tomorrow, but we likely won’t see a decision for months. 

A federal labor judge has ruled that Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s anti-union remarks in 2022 violated federal labor laws. Engadget.com reports that the Amazon chief said if employees voted for and joined a union, they would become less empowered and could expect things to become “much slower” and “more bureaucratic.” He added, “If you see something on the line that you think could be better for your team or you or your customers, you can’t just go to your manager and say, ‘Let’s change it.’”

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

New & Used EV Prices Dip 20%; Macs Getting AI Centric M4 Chips; British Version of DARPA Building AI Gatekeepers; Taylor Swift Music Back on TikTok

Posted: April 11, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

If you are in the market, or thinking about getting in the market for an EV, the timing may be good for you. Inventories of both new and used EVs are up and that is putting pressure on prices. Online searches for EVs on cars.com are up 14.9 percent year over year. Arstechnica.com reports that inventory of electrics is 107% more than a year ago, and they are staying on lots over 90 days. Dealers and manufacturers like to just see a 60 day inventory. The average selling price of a new EV…again according to cars.com is now down 4.3% from this time last year to $63,806…still pricy, but moving in the right direction. Of note…the data doesn’t include new Tesla sales, as they have no dealer network. Looking at used EVs…the prices of those have dipped a bit over 20% since last year…the average selling price is now $36,429. Now, if new EVs or even the used ones would hit that buyer sweet spot of $32,000…you might see a real burst of EV buying.

In the continuing race for faster, better, more powerful chips, plus the push to make AI ubiquitous, Apple will start refreshing its Macs with M4 chips late this year. According to macrumors.com, the new chips will focus on improving performance for artificial intelligence capabilities. As with the current batch, there will be low, medium, and high powered chips in the M4 line. The new chips will still be 3 nanometer chips, but prime Apple maker TSMC says they have improved the process to give better performance and power efficiency. After the M4’s, we may see the move to 2 nanometer chips. 

The British version of DARPA…you know DARPA, the Pentagon advanced science folks that invented Darpanet, which became the internet…have rolled out what they are calling a Gatekeeper for AI. Thenextweb.com says it’s a digital sentinel that will ensure that other AI agents only operated within the guardrails set for a specific application. The Advanced Research and Invention Agency, or ARIA, will pour 59 million pounds into the system. They hope to soon be demonstrating a proof of concept for the plan, which includes electricity grid balancing and supply chain management. If effective, the project could safeguard high-stakes AI applications, such as improving critical infrastructure or optimizing clinical trials.

Not exactly tech, but of interest…Taylor Swift’s music has returned to TikTok after a 10 week lapse due to a licensing fight between the platform and Universal Music Group. Variety.com reports that the tunes were back this morning. This all happens just in front of the release of her next album ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ which drops April 19th. UMG had accused TikTok of trying to ‘bully’ the music company into a deal worth less that the prior agreement…which of course TikTok disputes. At any rates it looks like the platform cut a separate deal with Swift, who owns her masters and would be able to make her own deal…though her music is distributed by UMG. Swifties, rejoice! I will show some uncharacteristic restraint, and refrain from telling a Swifty…a Tom Swift joke here.

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

House Passes Bill to Ban TikTok; Spotify Adds Music Vids; EU Parliament Passes AI Act; Amazon’s New AI Feature Lets Sellers Generate Product Listings

Posted: March 13, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

A big showdown is looming closer as the House has passed a bill that will ban TikTok in the US unless the app separates from its parent company in China, ByteDance. Theverge.com reports that the bill had a big bipartisan majority…it passed 352 to 65, with one member voting present. It now moves on to the Senate…where passage is not assured. President Biden has said he will sign it if it reaches his desk. Before getting to the House floor, the bill came out of the Energy and Commerce Committee on a 50 to 0 vote. TikTok claims it doesn’t store US user info in China, but the lawmakers aren’t buying that. ByteDance does have connections with the Chinese army and government, which has concerned US policy makers for years. Not everyone is thrilled with a ban of the platform…in addition to influencers, there are a number of businesses who have testified that a ban would wipe out their business. 

In an earth-shaking move, Spotify has added music videos in 11 countries…although not the US. So…Spotify is rolling out a beta of MTV…what an original concept! Snark aside, according to engadget.com, they will offer thousands of music videos across a wide range of genres and artists. To watch a video, users can just click ‘switch to video’ right on the now playing screen. The video will automatically start at the beginning, but users can switch back to audio at any time. 

The European Union Parliament has voted to adopt the AI Act, which they claim is ‘the world’s first comprehensive AI Law.’ Techcrunch.com says the vote was 523 to 46. The new law attempts to set up a risk-based framework for AI; applying various rules and requirements depending on the level of risk attached to the use-case. It covers prohibited use case, as well as non-compliance penalties…which can reach as much as 7% of global annual turnover. The EU legislators note that there will be additional laws needed in the future, as AI evolves in order to ensure that humans are on control and protected. 

Amazon is rolling out an AI feature that lets sellers generate new product listings from their existing web sites. Geekwire.com reports that Amazon will offer sellers the ability to quickly create new product listings using generative AI by providing a URL for their existing direct-to-consumer websites. Previous generative AI features released by Amazon include the ability to fill out a product listing starting with a few words, and to upload an image to automatically generate a product title, description, and attributes. More than 100,000 Amazon sellers have adopted generative AI tools for listing products, according to Amazon.

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

Facebook Keyword Snooze; Apple Content Bundle; Google Duplex; Amazon Delivery Entrepreneurs

Posted: June 28, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facebook is trying out a useful feature to add to their 30 day snooze feature. Instead of snoozing accounts that annoy you, you can snooze by keyword to fight spoilers for sports events, movies, and even triggers…like the names of politicians you may be fed up with seeing posts about. The test drive of this feature is rolling out this week to a small number of users, who will be able to make such things go away for 30 days in their news feeds and groups. Techcrunch.com reports you go to a post in your feed with the subject, then hit the dropdown and look for the word you want to snooze…say for example ‘World Cup.’ Facebook says requests for the feature kept coming up in interviews with users, so they’re giving it a test run.

Apple is reported to be working on a big bundle of services including original TV content, Apple Music, and news. Macrumors.com says Apple has ordered multiple original shows, so won’t continue to offer all of them for free like Carpool Karaoke on Apple Music. The news and digital magazines from Texture will also be included in the service along with Apple Music…all for one price. Apple will continue to offer all of the services a la carte, too. The original TV series are expected to roll out next March, and it’s likely the bundled service will debut at that time, too. Pricing is apparently still up in the air, but top tier Netflix is about $14, so a good guess would be something like $25 a month for the 4 bundled services. 

Yesterday, Google gave some journalists the chance to demo their Duplex intelligent assistant. The AI with the human-like voice and delivery had been debuted earlier with a call to make a hair appointment at a beauty shop. According to theverge.com, this demo had reporters (actually at a restaurant in Mountain View) call a restaurant and try to book a reservation. Google says they will be expanding tests for the AI system in coming weeks with a group of ‘trusted tester users.’ The larger test will be with businesses Google has already partnered with. The test calls are limited to holiday hours, booking a restaurant reservation, and hair appointments, the only 3 domains Duplex has been trained for so far. As a backup, Google does have a bank of human operators standing by for when Duplex inevitably goes sideways.

Amazon has rolled out…in home town Seattle at first…a new delivery program, staffed by entrepreneurs decked out in Prime branded vans and uniforms. Geekwire.com notes that Amazon has already been using this type of ‘last mile’ service to supplement the post office, UPS, and FedEx, but those have been plain white vans and only in some cases, an Amazon branded safety vest. This new program lets entrepreneurs own a delivery fleet of up to 40 vehicles and field staff of up to 100 employees. Amazon requires them to offer healthcare, paid time off, and competitive wages. The online giant said entrepreneurs can get started with as low as $10,000 and earn up to $300,000 annually in profit.