Month: July 2024
Bill Gates-backed Type One Energy lands massive seed extension to commercialize fusion power
The startup is betting it can bring its fusion technology to market at a breakneck pace by leaning heavily on partners.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
The startup is betting it can bring its fusion technology to market at a breakneck pace by leaning heavily on partners.
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
The Morning After: Mark Zuckerberg is surprisingly angry about closed platforms
In a fireside chat on Monday between NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the SIGGRAPH 2024, the latter dropped the f-bomb. After exchanging leather jackets (apparently two billionaires can’t get custom-made jackets that fit), the two talked about the future of AI, chatbots and open large language models.
Zuckerberg launched into a lengthy rant about his frustrations with “closed” ecosystems, like Apple’s App Store. None of that is new — the Meta founder has been feuding with Apple for years.
Zuckerberg, decked out in the aforementioned leather jacket and chain, said: “There have been too many things that I’ve tried to build and have been told ‘nah, you can’t really build that’ by the platform provider that, at some level, I’m just like, ‘nah, fuck that.’”
It’s the latest public step along his rebrand/ midlife crisis/bit of both. MMA training, “Carthage must die” tees and rebellious banter all have more than a whiff of Succession’s Kendall Roy.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
Border agents can’t search cellphones of NYC visitors without a warrant, court rules
Instagram creators can now make AI doppelgangers to chat with their followers
Google’s first cross-device sharing features for Android now rolling out
You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
Apple Intelligence is here, as part of the iOS 18.1 developer beta
But not all the features.
It’s always fun to do a 180 on a newsletter from the day before. Apple’s long-awaited take on artificial intelligence is, well, rolling out. Whoops.
The developer betas for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 just dropped, and they include some of the first Apple Intelligence features. If you have Apple developer accounts, you can update software and go into settings to see a new option for Apple Intelligence. There, you’ll have to join a waitlist, but it shouldn’t take longer than a few hours.
The update includes writing tools for proofreading, rewriting or summarizing text. You’ll also gain the ability to create Memories in the redesigned Photos app, as well as transcribe live calls in the Phone app. Features not yet available are Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, Cleanup in Photos and upgraded Siri.
Continue reading.
Samsung Galaxy Flip 6 review
A slightly better foldable for everyone
Engadget
Now there’s more foldable competition than ever, how does Samsung’s latest flip-phone fare? While Z Flip 6’s design has remained largely the same, Samsung made several under-the-hood upgrades this year, with improved battery life and cameras. It makes the best case yet for mainstream foldables, but the company could do more, especially in using the secondary front screen. That said, the new AI features are a lot of fun.
Continue reading.
Sony made an adorable Astro Bot PS5 controller
The touchpad has eyes.
Sony
Sony announced a themed PS5 DualSense controller to coincide with its incoming Astro Bot game. The game, like the VR title before it, taps into all the tricks and features of the DualSense controller, so the collab is a no-brainer in a lot of ways. It costs $80 and ships September 6, the same day as the game.
Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-mark-zuckerberg-is-surprisingly-angry-about-closed-platforms-115711926.html?src=rss
In a fireside chat on Monday between NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the SIGGRAPH 2024, the latter dropped the f-bomb. After exchanging leather jackets (apparently two billionaires can’t get custom-made jackets that fit), the two talked about the future of AI, chatbots and open large language models.
Zuckerberg launched into a lengthy rant about his frustrations with “closed” ecosystems, like Apple’s App Store. None of that is new — the Meta founder has been feuding with Apple for years.
Zuckerberg, decked out in the aforementioned leather jacket and chain, said: “There have been too many things that I’ve tried to build and have been told ‘nah, you can’t really build that’ by the platform provider that, at some level, I’m just like, ‘nah, fuck that.’”
It’s the latest public step along his rebrand/ midlife crisis/bit of both. MMA training, “Carthage must die” tees and rebellious banter all have more than a whiff of Succession’s Kendall Roy.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
Border agents can’t search cellphones of NYC visitors without a warrant, court rules
Instagram creators can now make AI doppelgangers to chat with their followers
Google’s first cross-device sharing features for Android now rolling out
You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
Apple Intelligence is here, as part of the iOS 18.1 developer beta
But not all the features.
It’s always fun to do a 180 on a newsletter from the day before. Apple’s long-awaited take on artificial intelligence is, well, rolling out. Whoops.
The developer betas for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 just dropped, and they include some of the first Apple Intelligence features. If you have Apple developer accounts, you can update software and go into settings to see a new option for Apple Intelligence. There, you’ll have to join a waitlist, but it shouldn’t take longer than a few hours.
The update includes writing tools for proofreading, rewriting or summarizing text. You’ll also gain the ability to create Memories in the redesigned Photos app, as well as transcribe live calls in the Phone app. Features not yet available are Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, Cleanup in Photos and upgraded Siri.
Samsung Galaxy Flip 6 review
A slightly better foldable for everyone
Now there’s more foldable competition than ever, how does Samsung’s latest flip-phone fare? While Z Flip 6’s design has remained largely the same, Samsung made several under-the-hood upgrades this year, with improved battery life and cameras. It makes the best case yet for mainstream foldables, but the company could do more, especially in using the secondary front screen. That said, the new AI features are a lot of fun.
Sony made an adorable Astro Bot PS5 controller
The touchpad has eyes.
Sony announced a themed PS5 DualSense controller to coincide with its incoming Astro Bot game. The game, like the VR title before it, taps into all the tricks and features of the DualSense controller, so the collab is a no-brainer in a lot of ways. It costs $80 and ships September 6, the same day as the game.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-mark-zuckerberg-is-surprisingly-angry-about-closed-platforms-115711926.html?src=rss
Some iPhone SE 4 OLED Panels to Be Supplied by LG Display
Apple supplier LG Display is expected to be the secondary vendor for the OLED panels that will feature on next year’s fourth-generation iPhone SE models, reports The Elec.
The fourth-generation iPhone SE is rumored to feature an iPhone 14-like design with an OLED display, Face ID instead of Touch ID, a USB-C port, an Action button, and an all-screen look that does away with the Home Button. The device’s display is expected to grow in size from 4.7 inches to 6.06 inches and use OLED for the first time.
BOE will be the primary supplier of the OLED panels, with LG Display providing backup, according to today’s report. In previous years, Apple has solely tasked China-based BOE to supply LCD-based iPhone SE panels. But BOE has struggled before with yield issues for OLED iPhone panels, so bringing LG Display into the picture as a secondary supplier could be Apple’s way of having a security blanket in case of future problems.
The panel prices for the iPhone SE 4 are said to be a lot lower than suppliers charge for the OLED displays used in the iPhone 15, since the panels for the SE will use legacy parts identical to those used in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, so the suppliers won’t need to make new investments in R&D. Display manufacturers are believed to have been bidding to supply the panels since at least last August. Mass production of the device will reportedly begin in October of this year, with the iPhone SE 4 expected to arrive in spring 2025.Related Roundup: iPhone SEBuyer’s Guide: iPhone SE (Don’t Buy)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, “Some iPhone SE 4 OLED Panels to Be Supplied by LG Display” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple supplier LG Display is expected to be the secondary vendor for the OLED panels that will feature on next year’s fourth-generation iPhone SE models, reports The Elec.
The fourth-generation iPhone SE is rumored to feature an iPhone 14-like design with an OLED display, Face ID instead of Touch ID, a USB-C port, an Action button, and an all-screen look that does away with the Home Button. The device’s display is expected to grow in size from 4.7 inches to 6.06 inches and use OLED for the first time.
BOE will be the primary supplier of the OLED panels, with LG Display providing backup, according to today’s report. In previous years, Apple has solely tasked China-based BOE to supply LCD-based iPhone SE panels. But BOE has struggled before with yield issues for OLED iPhone panels, so bringing LG Display into the picture as a secondary supplier could be Apple’s way of having a security blanket in case of future problems.
The panel prices for the iPhone SE 4 are said to be a lot lower than suppliers charge for the OLED displays used in the iPhone 15, since the panels for the SE will use legacy parts identical to those used in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, so the suppliers won’t need to make new investments in R&D. Display manufacturers are believed to have been bidding to supply the panels since at least last August. Mass production of the device will reportedly begin in October of this year, with the iPhone SE 4 expected to arrive in spring 2025.
This article, “Some iPhone SE 4 OLED Panels to Be Supplied by LG Display” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Canva adds a new generative AI platform to its growing creative empire
Canva welcomes Leonardo.ai to its design app portfolio. | Image: Leonardo.ai
Canva has announced plans to acquire Leonardo.ai, an Australian generative AI content and research startup, as part of its goal to build a “world-class suite of visual AI tools.” While financial terms haven’t been disclosed, the deal will see Canva gain access to Leonardo.ai’s lineup of user-customizable text-to-image and text-to-video generators.
In Canva‘s announcement, company co-founder Cameron Adams says Leonardo.ai will “continue to develop its web platform” as a separate product offering, much like the Affinity creative software suite Canva acquired in March. Leonardo.ai’s technology and Phoenix foundation model will also be “rapidly” integrated into Canva’s existing suite of Magic Studio products, such as the Magic Media image and video generator.
Image: Canva / Leonardio.ai
Here’s an example image that Canva says was generated using a Leonardo.ai model.
Canva has made efforts to diversify its platform with more office suite-like tools of late, but the visual design and communications platform remains one of the biggest competitors to Adobe’s lineup of creative software products. Where the Affinity acquisition may help Canva to compete against Adobe software like Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, Leonardo.ai could be similarly poised as an alternative to Adobe’s Firefly generative AI models.
Leonardo.ai told TechCrunch that its models are trained using “licensed, synthetic, and publicly available/open source data,” which is vaguer than Adobe’s training disclosure for Firefly. Despite this, Adobe suffered backlash to a recent policy update that forced it to explicitly state that user data wouldn’t be used to train the company’s generative AI models. Canva has an opportunity to position itself as a growing alternative, but it needs to tread carefully to avoid any Adobe-like scrutiny from creators who hold similar reservations about generative AI.
Canva welcomes Leonardo.ai to its design app portfolio. | Image: Leonardo.ai
Canva has announced plans to acquire Leonardo.ai, an Australian generative AI content and research startup, as part of its goal to build a “world-class suite of visual AI tools.” While financial terms haven’t been disclosed, the deal will see Canva gain access to Leonardo.ai’s lineup of user-customizable text-to-image and text-to-video generators.
In Canva‘s announcement, company co-founder Cameron Adams says Leonardo.ai will “continue to develop its web platform” as a separate product offering, much like the Affinity creative software suite Canva acquired in March. Leonardo.ai’s technology and Phoenix foundation model will also be “rapidly” integrated into Canva’s existing suite of Magic Studio products, such as the Magic Media image and video generator.
Image: Canva / Leonardio.ai
Here’s an example image that Canva says was generated using a Leonardo.ai model.
Canva has made efforts to diversify its platform with more office suite-like tools of late, but the visual design and communications platform remains one of the biggest competitors to Adobe’s lineup of creative software products. Where the Affinity acquisition may help Canva to compete against Adobe software like Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, Leonardo.ai could be similarly poised as an alternative to Adobe’s Firefly generative AI models.
Leonardo.ai told TechCrunch that its models are trained using “licensed, synthetic, and publicly available/open source data,” which is vaguer than Adobe’s training disclosure for Firefly. Despite this, Adobe suffered backlash to a recent policy update that forced it to explicitly state that user data wouldn’t be used to train the company’s generative AI models. Canva has an opportunity to position itself as a growing alternative, but it needs to tread carefully to avoid any Adobe-like scrutiny from creators who hold similar reservations about generative AI.
Chrome could revolutionize search on PC with a big Google Lens upgrade that lets you Circle to Search images
Incoming Chrome feature is a major one that might change the way you search on a Windows 11 PC, Mac or Chromebook.
Google Chrome on the desktop is going to get the equivalent of the popular Circle to Search feature on mobiles, and the ability, powered by Google Lens, should arrive in the browser soon.
As 9 to 5 Google reports, on a Chromebook, the feature will be activated by clicking on a Google Lens icon in the URL bar of the Chrome browser, but it’ll be a bit more hidden on Windows 11 or macOS. Outside of ChromeOS, you’ll need to head into the Chrome menu and select ‘Search with Google Lens.’
Whichever route you take, once you fire up the feature, you can highlight something on a web page that you want to search for (using a resizable box), whether that’s an element of a picture or video.
The image search results will then swiftly be presented to you in a sidebar in the same tab as the web page.
(Image credit: Konstantin Savusia / Shutterstock.com)
Analysis: A very welcome polish for Chrome
This is a relatively small change in some respects – the addition of just a small icon, or a menu option in Windows/Mac – but it’s one that could have a major impact on how you search using Google Chrome.
Whatever you’re looking at in your desktop browser, if you’re curious about something you spot in, say, the background of a video – “what’s that car?” for example – you can simply pause the clip, fire up Search with Google Lens, swiftly highlight said car, and boom, you’re (hopefully) fully informed about the vehicle. (And you can use the search box in the side panel to further explore details on it, if you wish).
This is a really smart change in our books, but it’s not here just yet. As 9 to 5 Google observes, after being hidden in development for some time, the feature is now live in the recent Chrome 128 beta (and ChromeOS beta too). With the functionality also written up in the ‘what’s new’ in Chrome page, the expectation is that this Google Lens search option is set to debut shortly.
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You Can Get the Amazon Echo Pop for $18, Which Is as Cheap as It Was for Prime Day
This tiny smart speaker has plenty of punch, and is a great deal at over half off.
This tiny smart speaker has plenty of punch, and is a great deal at over half off.
iOS 17.6 has landed, complete with a new ‘Catch Up’ feature for sports fans
iOS 17.6 and iPad 17.6 bring bug fixes, security updates, and a highlights reel for MLS games.
Apple has just rolled out two new versions of iOS – the iOS 18.1 developer beta, which includes some highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features, and iOS 17.6.
The latter is what we’ll look at here, and while it’s the less exciting of the two software updates, it’s also by far the safest one to download, since it’s not a beta.
In fact, iOS 17.6 includes bug fixes and security updates, so if anything, it should make your phone more stable and secure.
Those bug fixes and security updates are arguably the most important part of this update, and the main reason you should download it. But iOS 17.6 does also contain a neat new feature in the form of ‘Catch Up’.
Late to the game
Catch Up – as spotted by 9to5Mac – allows viewers of sports games on Apple TV to catch up on anything they missed if they start watching part way through. It does this by showing a series of clips of highlights from the game so far.
Of course, it’s optional whether you watch these, but you’ll be given the opportunity to do so when joining an in-progress game, or you can pull these highlights up at any time from the video player controls menu.
(Image credit: Apple)
Currently, Catch Up appears to only be available as part of the Major League Soccer season pass, but there’s every chance that the new feature will be offered for other sports in the future, too.
To download iOS 17.6 on your iPhone, head to Settings > General > Software Update. A similar update, iPadOS 17.6, is also now available for iPad owners. If your device currently runs any version of iOS 17 or iPadOS 17, then you’ll be eligible for these new updates.
In any case, iOS 17.6 is worth grabbing even if you don’t care about Catch Up, principally for the aforementioned bug and security patches, but if you’re hoping for more new features, then you might have to wait for iOS 18, which is likely to exit beta in or around September.
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New York subway AI scanners met with skepticism from locals and civil liberties advocates
AI-powered scanners in New York have received a mixed response from New Yorkers as a potential lawsuit looms. Launched on… Continue reading New York subway AI scanners met with skepticism from locals and civil liberties advocates
The post New York subway AI scanners met with skepticism from locals and civil liberties advocates appeared first on ReadWrite.
AI-powered scanners in New York have received a mixed response from New Yorkers as a potential lawsuit looms.
Launched on Friday, July 26, a pilot program in New York involved using AI-powered scanners to prevent people from taking weapons into the subway system. However, some New Yorkers are critical of the idea, including civil rights advocates who claim that the searches are unconstitutional.
The Evolv scanner uses AI to search for guns and knives and was on display at a subway station in lower Manhattan. Mayor Eric Adams announced a three-day trial, calling the newly installed scanner “good technology.”
“Would I rather that we don’t have to be scanned? Yes,” Adams added. “But if you would speak to the average subway rider, they would state that they don’t want guns on their subway system, and if it means using scanners, then bring the scanners on.”
The scanners are still in an experimental phase but have been used before at baseball stadiums and other venues. In this pilot scheme, a small number of New York subway stations will have scanners employed, with only a select number of riders asked to step through them. New York has not yet signed a full contract with Evolv, with Adams highlighting that other companies are welcome to pitch their own gun-detection solutions.
When the six-foot-tall scanners detect a weapon, an alert is sent to a tablet monitored by a pair of NYPD officers. While everyday items like phones and laptops shouldn’t set off the scanner, Fortune reported that a reporter’s iPad set them off on launch day.
How have New York locals reacted to the scanners?
Civil liberties advocates have been quick to protest the AI scanners, with both the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Aid Society claiming that they would sue the city if the technology is rolled out widely. It’s claimed that the technology violates the constitutional rights of riders.
“City officials have admitted that these scanners are primarily to combat some riders’ ‘perceptions’ that they are unsafe on the subway — this is not a justifiable basis to violate the Constitution,” NYCLU attorney Daniel Lambright told Fortune.
Evolv CEO Peter George has even stated that the New York subway is “not a great use-case” for the technology, as reported by the Daily News. What’s more, the company has also faced many lawsuits and federal investigations in recent years, telling investors last year that it was contacted by the Federal Trade Commission. This includes a class-action lawsuit that accuses Evolv executives of overstating the devices’ capabilities.
Another concern stems from risks around AI safety, with leading AI companies themselves highlighting concerns around safety in artificial intelligence. If such models fail when it comes to detecting real-world weapons, this could quickly lead to dangerous situations.
Logically, for the scanners to be effective, they would need to be installed at every subway entrance, which would presumably result in a hefty cost for the city. It remains to be seen what comes from this pilot scheme and its effectiveness.
This isn’t the first time that the NYPD has employed AI in the subway system, also using learning models to catch fare evaders in 2023.
Featured image: Unsplash
The post New York subway AI scanners met with skepticism from locals and civil liberties advocates appeared first on ReadWrite.
Instagram AI starts letting people create versions of themselves
Instagram is rolling out AI Studio, a feature that allows users to create AI versions of themselves to share online.… Continue reading Instagram AI starts letting people create versions of themselves
The post Instagram AI starts letting people create versions of themselves appeared first on ReadWrite.
Instagram is rolling out AI Studio, a feature that allows users to create AI versions of themselves to share online.
Starting with a gradual rollout in the US, Instagram Creators will soon be able to create and share AI characters, including digital versions of themselves, parent company, Meta announced on Sunday.
There is a range of prompt templates or you can start from scratch to create an AI character based on various interests and hobbies.
Some early examples that Instagram has shared in action include a foodie character that offers tips for embracing local dining habits while traveling; a pro photographer with lens tips, and a dog that tells people positive affirmations.
Creators could also use these AI versions of themselves to answer common questions, reply to DMs, or promote certain types of content, like linking to favored brands and past posts. You can specify topics to avoid or focus on via the professional dashboard in the Instagram app and define who the AI replies to. Those responses will be clearly labeled as being from AI when received by followers.
How to use Instagram’s AI Studio
AI Studio is already available to some users in the United States via the desktop version or the Instagram app. In the app, you need to start a new message and then click ‘Create an AI chat.’ If that option isn’t there, it might not be available to you as a feature just yet.
Either starting with a given prompt or from scratch, creators can customize the AI character’s name, personality, tone, avatar, and tagline. Meta has created a step-by-step guide with details on how to get the most out of the new AI-powered feature. Once live, you can continue to fine-tune the character in the backend even after it’s started to interact with followers.
It remains to be seen whether this new feature will be better received than Meta’s past AI offering, which drew criticism for being ‘useless.’
Featured image: Meta
The post Instagram AI starts letting people create versions of themselves appeared first on ReadWrite.