Chrome Looking to Add AI Features; Disney+, Hulu, & Max Bundle May Cut into Netflix; Apple Vision Pro Used for Keyhole Surgery; Dell Reveals Big Data Breach

AI continues to be the buzzy area of tech that seems to be drowning out all other advancements at the moment. Now, 9to5google.com reports that Google Chrome…which already has 3 generative AI features out in the wild…is planning to bring the tech into Chrome even more. They are touting it as being able to make ‘typical actions you do every day—using tabs, using Search, writing in forms, reading webpages—a little easier.’ A spokesperson didn’t elaborate on the using search or reading webpages, which is a bit tantalizing…or maybe scary…depending on how accurate the AI turns out to be. Of course, there is ‘Help Me Write,’ which every single platform is pushing right now. If this appeals to you, great. If you have writer’s block, all the better. For now, some of us…myself included…know what we want to write and how we want it to come out on the page, and further, over audio and video. 

Here’s a bundle that may give Netflix something of a run for its money in streaming. Disney and Warner Brothers Discovery have announced a Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle. According to bgr.com the package that will be available for purchase from any of those platforms’ individual websites, and in both ad-free and ad-supported versions. This will give cord cutters a huge selection of great entertainment channels all in one place: ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight, and Warner Bros. I would say the lede is buried in this announcement, but actually it isn’t IN the announcement…what’s the price? Well, they haven’t disclosed that yet…and that will be key to the success of this massive bundle. 

When it was first rolled out, I noted in one of these reports that I really thought Apple would be happy with the Vision Pro headsets if just early adopters and industry bought the devices. Now, a truly pro use indicates that we may be seeing more of that. It isn’t remotely a mass market, but Apple has so much money and such a range of devices, they can afford to wait for the mass market…probably until a lower price Vision Pro comes out. Appleinsider.com says that the headset is being adopted by surgeons now to perform operations on patients. In India, the headset has been used to perform more than 30 procedure so far. The doctors are using it to perform laparoscopic surgeries…sometimes called ‘Keyhole’ surgeries. Instead of watching a camera inserted into the patient, the docs see it on the Vision Pro. They are saying the response time is instantaneous. More and more pro use of the $3500 Vision Pro will just help drive users to want to buy whatever Apple calls the cheaper version, which I expect to see within a couple years. 

It seems like these have gotten to be so frequent as to make us numb, but people have to stay concerned and vigilant. Yes, it’s another data breach. Dell has just disclosed one that is more creepy than most. TechCrunch.com reports that this breach includes customers’ names and physical addresses! It also includes “Dell hardware and order information, including service tag, item description, date of order and related warranty information.” If it is a consolation, at least there weren’t any email addresses, phone numbers, or financial or payment info. Dell doesn’t believe this is a ‘significant risk’ to customers. Well, only physical safety…I guess to computer companies, that seems peripheral compared to electric information.

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