Month: May 2024
Rates Climb for Home Loan Borrowers: Mortgage Rates for May 31, 2024 – CNET
A few major mortgage rates are moving up. Here’s what to expect if you’re in the market for a home loan.
A few major mortgage rates are moving up. Here’s what to expect if you’re in the market for a home loan.
This week in Dutch tech
Friday is finally here and so is this week’s round-up of tech news from the Netherlands. We’ve had seven dynamic days of digital developments. From banking hacks and Booking fakes to malware and memes, the end of May’s been action-packed. Here’s our pick of the hottest stories, startups, and speeches. What we’re writing ESA satellite launches Dutch tech into space to study climate change Netherlands, France, and Germany lead ‘largest ever’ botnet sting What we’re reading Geert Wilders deepfake slips through Meta and X filters (BNR) Booking is misleading customers with fake discounts, incomplete prices, consumers association says (NL Times)…This story continues at The Next Web
Friday is finally here and so is this week’s round-up of tech news from the Netherlands. We’ve had seven dynamic days of digital developments. From banking hacks and Booking fakes to malware and memes, the end of May’s been action-packed. Here’s our pick of the hottest stories, startups, and speeches. What we’re writing ESA satellite launches Dutch tech into space to study climate change Netherlands, France, and Germany lead ‘largest ever’ botnet sting What we’re reading Geert Wilders deepfake slips through Meta and X filters (BNR) Booking is misleading customers with fake discounts, incomplete prices, consumers association says (NL Times)…
This story continues at The Next Web
Google’s Pixel Buds Pro are on sale for $130 right now
The Google Pixel Buds Pro are one of our favorite wireless earbuds on the market, but they don’t come cheap. However, they’re currently down to $130 from $200 — the best deal we’ve seen all year. You can access the discount on Wellbots with the checkout code ENGPIX70.
The Google Pixel Buds Pro came out in the summer of 2022, but they’re still one of the best earbuds on the market. We gave them an 87 in our review thanks to features like their excellent active noise cancellation (ANC) and a powerful, punchy bass. You can use ANC and transparency mode or turn both off completely. That bass is part of an overall impressive sound quality that extends across musical genres. Plus, they last about 11 hours without ANC or seven hours with it and their case offers wireless charging.
The earbuds are also a great option if you have an Android phone. They allow you to switch easily between paired devices, use Google Assistant without touching any buttons and access a “conversation detection” mode that turns off ANC and your music if you start talking. All of these functions work natively on Google’s Pixel phones but are available on other Android devices with the Pixel Buds app.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-buds-pro-are-on-sale-for-130-right-now-130025253.html?src=rss
The Google Pixel Buds Pro are one of our favorite wireless earbuds on the market, but they don’t come cheap. However, they’re currently down to $130 from $200 — the best deal we’ve seen all year. You can access the discount on Wellbots with the checkout code ENGPIX70.
The Google Pixel Buds Pro came out in the summer of 2022, but they’re still one of the best earbuds on the market. We gave them an 87 in our review thanks to features like their excellent active noise cancellation (ANC) and a powerful, punchy bass. You can use ANC and transparency mode or turn both off completely. That bass is part of an overall impressive sound quality that extends across musical genres. Plus, they last about 11 hours without ANC or seven hours with it and their case offers wireless charging.
The earbuds are also a great option if you have an Android phone. They allow you to switch easily between paired devices, use Google Assistant without touching any buttons and access a “conversation detection” mode that turns off ANC and your music if you start talking. All of these functions work natively on Google’s Pixel phones but are available on other Android devices with the Pixel Buds app.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-buds-pro-are-on-sale-for-130-right-now-130025253.html?src=rss
Tesla recalls over 125,000 vehicles to fix seat belt issues
Tesla is no stranger to safety issue recalls, and now there’s another to add to its list. The company is recalling 125,227 vehicles due to a problem with the seat belt warning system, Reuters reports. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the driver could be unbuckled, and the warning light and chime still might not activate. This malfunction violates federal safety requirements and could increase a person’s injury risk.
The affected models span the last decade, comprising some of the 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. To fix the issue, Tesla will change the sensor from depending on seat weight to whether the buckle is plugged in and the car is turned on. An over-the-air update should begin in June.
Tesla notably recalled over two million vehicles in December following Autopilot safety issues and a two-year NHTSA investigation. More recalls followed earlier this year: In January, Tesla recalled 200,000 Model S, X and Y vehicles from 2023 due to a software issue that prevented the backup camera from working when the car is in reverse (so the exact time it’s needed). The included vehicles comprised over 10 percent of the company’s 2023 output. Tesla also recalled 3,878 Cybertrucks in April after discovering that an accelerator pad could get loose. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-recalls-over-125000-vehicles-to-fix-seat-belt-issues-121546942.html?src=rss
Tesla is no stranger to safety issue recalls, and now there’s another to add to its list. The company is recalling 125,227 vehicles due to a problem with the seat belt warning system, Reuters reports. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the driver could be unbuckled, and the warning light and chime still might not activate. This malfunction violates federal safety requirements and could increase a person’s injury risk.
The affected models span the last decade, comprising some of the 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. To fix the issue, Tesla will change the sensor from depending on seat weight to whether the buckle is plugged in and the car is turned on. An over-the-air update should begin in June.
Tesla notably recalled over two million vehicles in December following Autopilot safety issues and a two-year NHTSA investigation. More recalls followed earlier this year: In January, Tesla recalled 200,000 Model S, X and Y vehicles from 2023 due to a software issue that prevented the backup camera from working when the car is in reverse (so the exact time it’s needed). The included vehicles comprised over 10 percent of the company’s 2023 output. Tesla also recalled 3,878 Cybertrucks in April after discovering that an accelerator pad could get loose.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-recalls-over-125000-vehicles-to-fix-seat-belt-issues-121546942.html?src=rss
Homeowners Face Higher Refi Rates: Mortgage Refinance Rates on May 31, 2024 – CNET
Multiple important refinance rates increased this week, so it might be worth waiting.
Multiple important refinance rates increased this week, so it might be worth waiting.
Elon Musk ‘considered for Donald Trump White House role’
Donald Trump is reportedly considering a White House advisory role for Elon Musk should he win another term and become… Continue reading Elon Musk ‘considered for Donald Trump White House role’
The post Elon Musk ‘considered for Donald Trump White House role’ appeared first on ReadWrite.
Donald Trump is reportedly considering a White House advisory role for Elon Musk should he win another term and become President of the United States once more.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the billionaires have discussed a possible role for the Tesla CEO and are said to have spoken over several phone calls after connecting at the estate of businessman and investor Nelson Pelz.
In March, the CEO of Tesla said he wouldn’t be donating money to either Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic President Joe Biden in this year’s election.
This came after Trump had met with Musk and other wealthy individuals to seek a cash infusion for his campaign.
Musk took to his social media platform X to say: “Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President.”
Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2024
The report says the Tesla CEO reportedly told Trump he plans to host gatherings to dissuade wealthy and powerful allies from supporting Joe Biden in November.
While the pair hasn’t always had a harmonious relationship with digs being thrown at each other in previous years, the relations seem to have softened in recent times.
Elon Musk reinstated the Republican candidate’s Twitter/X account and has even asked him to be more active on the platform.
Musk and Trump have had meetings before. In March it was believed the pair had met to discuss if Musk would purchase the former President’s Truth Social network.
Could Donald Trump become president again?
This report was published on Wednesday, just two days before Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
He is now due to be sentenced on 11 July. The historic case is the first time a former or serving US president has been convicted of a crime.
His team says they are planning to appeal against the verdicts which could delay the sentencing, with some experts suggesting this could take place after the presidential election.
Despite the convictions, he is still able to run for the presidency in the November 5 elections.
Featured Image: Via Midjourney
The post Elon Musk ‘considered for Donald Trump White House role’ appeared first on ReadWrite.
Apple is reportedly overhauling Siri with AI for improved voice controls
Apple is working on a version of its Siri voice assistant that will use advanced AI powered by large language models (LLMs), Bloomberg has reported. The technology will allow users to perform specific app functions with their voices, such as opening documents, sending emails and more.
The new version of Siri will only work on Apple’s own apps to start with. It won’t arrive with iOS 18 but may be released subsequently as an update early next year, the report states.
The assistant will be able to analyze your phone’s activity and automatically enable Siri-controlled features. It’ll support “hundreds” of commands but will only be able to process one at a time at first, according to the article. Later, Siri will support multiple tasks in a single request.
At first, supported commands would include sending or deleting emails, opening a specific site in Apple News, emailing a web link or asking for an article summary. Once multiple commands are enabled, it’ll be able to summarize a recorded meeting then text it to a colleague, all in one request. “Or, an iPhone could theoretically be asked to crop a picture and then email it to a friend,” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote.
It’s unclear which LLM Apple will use to power this version of Siri, but the company reportedly just reached a deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18. At the same time, Apple may also be negotiating with Google to integrate Gemini AI into search on iPhones. Apple will reportedly handle many AI requests on-device, while using the cloud for more complex commands.
Apple is expected to focus on AI for its WWDC 2024 conference that runs from June 10 to June 14. At that point, it may reveal that it reached a deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18. We may also see AI-powered features like voice memo transcriptions and summaries, website recaps, automated message replies and more. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-is-reportedly-overhauling-siri-with-ai-for-improved-voice-controls-120033411.html?src=rss
Apple is working on a version of its Siri voice assistant that will use advanced AI powered by large language models (LLMs), Bloomberg has reported. The technology will allow users to perform specific app functions with their voices, such as opening documents, sending emails and more.
The new version of Siri will only work on Apple’s own apps to start with. It won’t arrive with iOS 18 but may be released subsequently as an update early next year, the report states.
The assistant will be able to analyze your phone’s activity and automatically enable Siri-controlled features. It’ll support “hundreds” of commands but will only be able to process one at a time at first, according to the article. Later, Siri will support multiple tasks in a single request.
At first, supported commands would include sending or deleting emails, opening a specific site in Apple News, emailing a web link or asking for an article summary. Once multiple commands are enabled, it’ll be able to summarize a recorded meeting then text it to a colleague, all in one request. “Or, an iPhone could theoretically be asked to crop a picture and then email it to a friend,” Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman wrote.
It’s unclear which LLM Apple will use to power this version of Siri, but the company reportedly just reached a deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18. At the same time, Apple may also be negotiating with Google to integrate Gemini AI into search on iPhones. Apple will reportedly handle many AI requests on-device, while using the cloud for more complex commands.
Apple is expected to focus on AI for its WWDC 2024 conference that runs from June 10 to June 14. At that point, it may reveal that it reached a deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18. We may also see AI-powered features like voice memo transcriptions and summaries, website recaps, automated message replies and more.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-is-reportedly-overhauling-siri-with-ai-for-improved-voice-controls-120033411.html?src=rss