July 1, 2024
Tech News Updates Online July 1, 2024
Here’s a compilation of tech news for July 1, 2024:
Big Tech in the Spotlight:
- Financial Powerhouse: A report highlights that Microsoft, Apple, and Nvidia now hold a significant share (over 20%) of the S&P 500’s market capitalization, indicating their immense influence in the stock market [Dawn com].
- EU Scrutiny: The European Union is keeping a watchful eye on AI development deals between tech giants like Microsoft-OpenAI and Google-Samsung, suggesting potential antitrust concerns [The Indian Express].
Innovation and Developments:
- Meta AI in India: Meta opens up access to its AI platform, Meta AI, in India, potentially fostering advancements in AI research within the country [The Indian Express].
- Samsung’s Upcoming Event: Tech enthusiasts are buzzing with anticipation for Samsung’s Unpacked event on July 10th, where they are expected to unveil new devices like the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6 [The Indian Express].
- Mobile Market Updates:
- In India, mobile service providers like Jio, Airtel, and Vi have increased their data plan offerings [The Indian Express].
- Infinix introduces a new AI-powered PC, the Zero Book Ultra, in the Indian market [The Indian Express].
- Rumors suggest a potential “Collections” feature coming for Android smartphones soon [The Indian Express].
- Space Exploration Advancement: NASA unveils a revolutionary augmented reality system designed to streamline spacecraft engineering, marking a big leap in space tech [SciTechDaily].
This is just a snapshot of the day’s tech news. Keep an eye on these sources for more comprehensive coverage: Search More Tech News
- How 2024 made Elon Musk the world’s most powerful unelected man
A timeline of events in the year of Elon Musk shows how omnipresent he has become, how his X feed has become as unavoidable as Donald Trump’s was Hello, and welcome to Techscape. I’ve been pondering screen-time and isolation after I suffered through a recent bout of Covid. Even a few days of seclusion coupled… Read more: How 2024 made Elon Musk the world’s most powerful unelected man - Moment captured when drones collide and fall to ground at Florida holiday event – video
An onlooker filmed the moment when several drones with red and green lights fall out of formation and crash to the ground at a holiday show in Orlando on Saturday. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident after a seven-year-old boy was seriously injured * Seven-year-old boy begins open-heart surgery after being hit in… Read more: Moment captured when drones collide and fall to ground at Florida holiday event – video - How far do Elon Musk and Reform UK share a political vision?
Immigration, culture wars and shrinking the public sector all feature highly on their agendas The get-together last week of Elon Musk, Nigel Farage and Reform UK’s treasurer, Nick Candy, was not just a gathering of Donald Trump fans. It was a meeting of minds. Immigration, culture wars and shrinking the public sector all feature highly… Read more: How far do Elon Musk and Reform UK share a political vision? - OpenAI whistleblower who died was being considered as witness against company
Suchir Balaji, listed in court filing as having ‘relevant documents’ about copyright violation, died on 26 November Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He… Read more: OpenAI whistleblower who died was being considered as witness against company - US judge finds Pegasus spyware maker liable over WhatsApp hack
WhatsApp celebrates victory as judge finds Israeli company NSO Group violated state and federal US hacking laws WhatsApp claimed legal victory over the maker of Pegasus spyware late on Friday. The Israeli company, NSO Group Technologies, was accused in a lawsuit by Meta’s messaging app of infecting and surveilling the phones of 1,400 people over… Read more: US judge finds Pegasus spyware maker liable over WhatsApp hack - Elon Musk showcases grip on Washington by impeding spending bill
The world’s richest man flexed his muscles to tank lawmakers’ first pass at a spending bill – will they fare better in round two? * What is the debt ceiling? Using the power of the social media platform he owns and the threat of spending millions against Republicans in primaries, Elon Musk effectively tanked a… Read more: Elon Musk showcases grip on Washington by impeding spending bill - Supreme court agrees to hear TikTok challenge to law ending its US operations
Court will hear two hours of oral arguments on 10 January and consider the social media app’s challenge to the law The US supreme court said on Wednesday that it would hear TikTok’s challenge to a law that could make the company’s popular video app disappear from the US. In its order on Wednesday, the… Read more: Supreme court agrees to hear TikTok challenge to law ending its US operations - Amazon workers across US gear up to strike this week
Move comes after company fails to meet deadline to begin contract talks with workers in Staten Island, New York Thousands of Amazon workers are gearing up to strike from Thursday, days before Christmas, over the tech giant’s refusal to begin negotiations over a contract. Union locals are preparing members for pickets and actions outside Amazon… Read more: Amazon workers across US gear up to strike this week - TikTok turns to US supreme court in last-ditch bid to avert divest-or-ban law
Firm and parent company ByteDance file request for injunction to halt ban of app used by 170 million Americans TikTok made a last-ditch effort on Monday to continue operating in the United States, asking the US supreme court to temporarily block a law intended to force ByteDance, its China-based parent company, to divest the short-video… Read more: TikTok turns to US supreme court in last-ditch bid to avert divest-or-ban law - ‘Trump has been explicit about revenge’: Asif Kapadia on his new film about the threat to democracy
The man behind Amy and Senna has turned his attention to ‘techno-authoritarianism’ in the genre-defying 2073. He talks to our journalist – one of the movie’s unlikely stars – about the events that fed his dystopian vision It was some time in the early 2000s and Asif Kapadia, already a successful film director, a wunderkind… Read more: ‘Trump has been explicit about revenge’: Asif Kapadia on his new film about the threat to democracy - She didn’t get an apartment because of an AI-generated score – and sued to help others avoid the same fate
Despite a stellar reference from a landlord of 17 years, Mary Louis was rejected after being screened by firm SafeRent Three hundred twenty-four. That was the score Mary Louis was given by an AI-powered tenant screening tool. The software, SafeRent, didn’t explain in its 11-page report how the score was calculated or how it weighed… Read more: She didn’t get an apartment because of an AI-generated score – and sued to help others avoid the same fate - Scottie Pippen and the heady rise of the athlete turned crypto bro
Sports stars are rushing to promote coins and exchanges. But they are stepping into a world of which they often have scant knowledge Scottie Pippen is selling out his NBA legacy again, to be world champion of crypto. In his heyday, the hall of famer was happy to be the Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman.… Read more: Scottie Pippen and the heady rise of the athlete turned crypto bro - TikTok’s annual carbon footprint is likely bigger than Greece’s, study finds
Average user generates greenhouse gases equal to driving an extra 123 miles in gasoline-powered car a year, data shows TikTok’s annual carbon footprint is probably larger than that of Greece, according to a new analysis of the social media platform’s environmental impact, with the average user generating greenhouse gases equivalent to driving an extra 123… Read more: TikTok’s annual carbon footprint is likely bigger than Greece’s, study finds - From X to Bluesky: why are people fleeing Elon Musk’s ‘digital town square’?
Musk’s platform has lost 2.7 million active US users in two months, while its rival has gained 2.5 million A mass departure from Elon Musk’s X has led to the site losing about 2.7 million active Apple and Android users in the US in two months, with its rival social media platform Bluesky gaining nearly… Read more: From X to Bluesky: why are people fleeing Elon Musk’s ‘digital town square’? - Marvel Rivals review – discomfitingly slick hero shooter makes you worry about gaming’s future
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox; NetEase Games It’s Overwatch with Marvel characters, and it’s well-made and fun to play – but Marvel Rivals is also so devoid of new ideas that it leaves a nasty aftertaste The history of video games is, to an extent, a history of subtle iterations of other people’s ideas. The interstellar… Read more: Marvel Rivals review – discomfitingly slick hero shooter makes you worry about gaming’s future - Google unveils ‘mindboggling’ quantum computing chip
Chip takes minutes to complete tasks that would otherwise take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years It measures just 4cm squared but it possesses almost inconceivable speed. Google has built a computing chip that takes just five minutes to complete tasks that would take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years for some of the world’s fastest conventional computers to complete. Continue reading…http://dlvr.it/TGh7kT - Lord of the ringtones: Nokia celebrates pop-culture status by opening design archive
The mobile phones we loved then lost are honoured by an online archive which reveals history of bestselling brand “Everyone remembers their first Nokia,” says Mark Mason, who joined the telecoms company’s design team back in its 1990s heyday. “When you say the name, it evokes a memory.” This is not as hyperbolic as it… Read more: Lord of the ringtones: Nokia celebrates pop-culture status by opening design archive - Tesla sales in Australia are sliding for the first time. Is it stiff competition or the Musk factor?
Sales of Elon Musk-owned carmaker have chalked up an annual drop of nearly 21%, as the overall EV sector growth weakens * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Elon Musk may be riding high in the US with Donald Trump just weeks away from taking office, but fortunes of his… Read more: Tesla sales in Australia are sliding for the first time. Is it stiff competition or the Musk factor? - Bezos says he is ‘very optimistic’ about Trump’s plan to roll back regulations
Amazon billionaire known for previously frosty relations with president-elect signals willingness to collaborate Amazon’s billionaire founder, Jeff Bezos, is the latest tech mogul to offer a new wave of support for Donald Trump’s incoming presidency, endorsing the former president’s plans to reduce government regulation and signalling a willingness to collaborate. Speaking at the New York… Read more: Bezos says he is ‘very optimistic’ about Trump’s plan to roll back regulations - The 8 best video doorbells tried and tested – and Ring isn’t top
Whether you want to bolster your home’s security or simply make sure you know when someone is at the door, the latest generation of smart doorbells will help put your mind at ease Doorbells have evolved. Today, they watch us as we approach, let the people inside the home know we’re coming sooner than our… Read more: The 8 best video doorbells tried and tested – and Ring isn’t top - ChatGPT’s refusal to acknowledge ‘David Mayer’ down to glitch, says OpenAI
Name was mistakenly flagged and prevented from appearing in responses, says OpenAI Last weekend the name was all over the internet – just not on ChatGPT. David Mayer became famous for a moment on social media because the popular chatbot appeared to want nothing to do with him. Continue reading…http://dlvr.it/TGYxdF - Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger retires amid chipmaker’s struggles
David Zinsner and Michelle Johnson Holthaus named interim co-CEOs of company fighting to keep up with rivals The Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has retired, with David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus named as interim co-CEOs. Though demand for semiconductor chips has never been higher or more lucrative, Intel has struggled to match the success of… Read more: Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger retires amid chipmaker’s struggles - Australia is connected to the world by cables no thicker than a garden hose – and at risk from sharks, accidents and sabotage
In November, two Baltic Sea cables were damaged and experts say Australia’s cables are not immune from threats. How worried should we be? More than 1m kilometres of cables snake along the world’s ocean floor, ferrying data between distant lands. Fibre-optic filaments whisk emails, Netflix and military secrets through deep water, where the cord –… Read more: Australia is connected to the world by cables no thicker than a garden hose – and at risk from sharks, accidents and sabotage - Why I regret using 23andMe: I gave up my DNA just to find out I’m British
I gave away my genetic information to a now imploding company for results that inspired nothing but ambivalence 23andMe is facing implosion. As the once-promising genetic testing company flounders – losing 98% of its $6bn value, all its independent board members, nearly half its staff – many of its 15 million customers are scrambling to… Read more: Why I regret using 23andMe: I gave up my DNA just to find out I’m British - Alder Hey children’s hospital explores ‘data breach’ after ransomware claims
Screenshots purporting to be from systems of Liverpool NHS health facility have been posted on dark web A ransomware gang claims to have stolen data from the Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool, allegedly including patient records. The INC Ransom group said it had published screenshots of data on the dark web that contained the… Read more: Alder Hey children’s hospital explores ‘data breach’ after ransomware claims - ‘Stay true to yourself and hit post’: a flashy, absurd night at Australia’s TikTok awards
More than 3m votes were cast for this year’s awards, which went heavy on T-shirt guns and brand activations, but stayed quiet on the government’s proposed social media ban Between them, the Australian online personalities who took the stage at the annual TikTok awards on Wednesday have more than 100 million followers – but if… Read more: ‘Stay true to yourself and hit post’: a flashy, absurd night at Australia’s TikTok awards - The best robot vacuums to keep your home clean and dust free, tested by our expert
Our writer trialled the most powerful robot vacuums – some of which even mop your floors – and these are the ones he rates Robot vacuum cleaners take the drudge work out of cleaning your floors and carpets. No more tiresome weekly stints of vacuuming, and no more last-minute panic sessions when you have visitors… Read more: The best robot vacuums to keep your home clean and dust free, tested by our expert - ‘Hatsune Miku has a special part in my heart’: the 16-year-old pop sensation who does not exist
Miku is a ‘Vocaloid’ – a holographic avatar that represents a digital bank of vocal samples – and performs sellout tours for thousands of very real mega-fans * Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Countless flowing green wigs risked spontaneous combustion on a 36-degree Melbourne evening as thousands of J-pop fans queued outside John… Read more: ‘Hatsune Miku has a special part in my heart’: the 16-year-old pop sensation who does not exist - Passwords are giving way to better security methods – until those are hacked too, that is
It’s a war that will never end. But for small-business owners, it’s all about managing risk while reaping rewards We humans are simply too dumb to use passwords. A recent study from password manager NordPass found that “secret” was the most commonly used password in 2024. That was followed by “123456” and “password”. So let’s… Read more: Passwords are giving way to better security methods – until those are hacked too, that is - I’ve joined Bluesky and it feels like a breath of fresh air – in some ways… | John Naughton
The flourishing new platform may be like Twitter once was. The problem is the limited algorithmic scope of all social media As I write, there’s a window on my laptop screen that is providing a live view of a stampede. It’s logging the numbers of people joining the social network Bluesky. At the moment, the… Read more: I’ve joined Bluesky and it feels like a breath of fresh air – in some ways… | John Naughton - Wire cutters: how the world’s vital undersea data cables are being targeted
Carrying 99% of the world’s international telecommunications, the vulnerable lines are drawing nefarious interest The lead-clad telegraphic cable seemed to weigh tons, according to Lt Cameron Winslow of the US navy, and the weather wasn’t helping their attempts to lift it up from the seabed and sever it. “The rough water knocked the heavy boats… Read more: Wire cutters: how the world’s vital undersea data cables are being targeted - Deus in machina: Swiss church installs AI-powered Jesus
Peter’s chapel in Lucerne swaps out its priest to set up a computer and cables in confessional booth The small, unadorned church has long ranked as the oldest in the Swiss city of Lucerne. But Peter’s chapel has become synonymous with all that is new after it installed an AI-powered Jesus capable of dialoguing in… Read more: Deus in machina: Swiss church installs AI-powered Jesus - Opt out: how to stop tech companies spying on your phone as Trump promises mass deportations
There are no federal privacy regulations to protect your information – here’s how you can do it yourself Welcome to Opt Out, a semi-regular column in which we help you navigate your online privacy and show you how to say no to surveillance. The last column covered how to talk to your family about not… Read more: Opt out: how to stop tech companies spying on your phone as Trump promises mass deportations - US justice department plans to push Google to sell off Chrome browser
Authorities seek to dismantle monopoly on search market and also want action related to AI and Android * Business live – latest updates US justice department officials plan to ask a judge to force Google to sell off its Chrome browser to dismantle the monopoly it has over the internet search market, in a major… Read more: US justice department plans to push Google to sell off Chrome browser - John Oliver on potential US TikTok ban: ‘May not be necessary, but it isn’t sufficient’
Last Week Tonight host looks into looming US ban over privacy concerns and fear of its Chinese parent company On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver looked into the looming US ban of TikTok, the “social media app many are addicted to thanks to its cooking tutorials and dances that are impossible for anyone born before… Read more: John Oliver on potential US TikTok ban: ‘May not be necessary, but it isn’t sufficient’ - People everywhere are head down, lost in the oblivion of infinite scroll. Just stop and let the moment breathe | Justine Toh
The pull of our feeds reduces our capacity to be present. Practising relaxed attentiveness – or prayer – can bring us back to what really matters * Making sense of it is a column about spirituality and how it can be used to navigate everyday life The next time a waiter takes my order, I’ll… Read more: People everywhere are head down, lost in the oblivion of infinite scroll. Just stop and let the moment breathe | Justine Toh - ‘A fork in the road’: laundry-sorting robot spurs AI hopes and fears at Europe’s biggest tech event
Humanoid called Digit fuelled boosterism at Web Summit, but also raised concerns about jobs, safety and climate This year’s Web Summit, in Lisbon, was all about artificial intelligence – and a robot sorting laundry. Digit, a humanoid built by the US firm Agility Robotics, demonstrated how far AI has come in a few years by… Read more: ‘A fork in the road’: laundry-sorting robot spurs AI hopes and fears at Europe’s biggest tech event - ‘Smart’ devices have serious downsides | Letter
Dr Jan Udris notes the catastrophic contribution to global warming, and says the more complex technology is, the more likely it is to go wrong Victoria Turk (As a jaded tech journalist, I’m in a battle to keep ‘smart’ devices out of my home – despite my partner’s efforts, 9 November) makes an important point about… Read more: ‘Smart’ devices have serious downsides | Letter - Guardian will no longer post on Elon Musk’s X from its official accounts
Platform’s coverage of US election crystallised longstanding concerns about its content, says Guardian * Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X The Guardian has announced it will no longer post content on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, from its official accounts. In an announcement to readers, the news organisation said it considered… Read more: Guardian will no longer post on Elon Musk’s X from its official accounts - Genetic testing firm 23andMe cuts 40% of its workforce amid financial struggles
Company says it will cut about 200 employees as value plummets in aftermath of huge data breach The genetic testing firm 23andMe said on Monday it would cut about 40%, or 200 employees, from its workforce and discontinue further development of all its therapies as part of a restructuring program. “We are taking these difficult… Read more: Genetic testing firm 23andMe cuts 40% of its workforce amid financial struggles - FTX sues Binance and its former CEO for $1.8bn
Collapsed cryptocurrency company says $1.8bn was ‘fraudulently transferred’ to Binance and its executives The collapsed cryptocurrency company FTX is suing Binance and its former CEO Changpeng Zhao, alleging that $1.8bn was “fraudulently transferred” by FTX management to Binance and its executives. The lawsuit relates to Binance’s sale of its stake in Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX, which… Read more: FTX sues Binance and its former CEO for $1.8bn - How a second Trump term could further enrich Elon Musk: ‘There will be some quid pro quo’
Experts say new government could blunt regulation and appoint officials sympathetic to Musk’s brood of companies Donald Trump owes his decisive 2024 presidential victory in no small part to the enthusiastic support of the world’s richest man. In the months leading up to the election, Elon Musk put his full weight behind the Maga movement,… Read more: How a second Trump term could further enrich Elon Musk: ‘There will be some quid pro quo’ - How Elon Musk became Donald Trump’s shadow vice-president
The world’s richest man has risen to become the second most powerful man in US politics. None of it was accidental As Donald Trump watched election results roll in from a party at his Mar-a-Lago compound, Elon Musk sat arm’s length away, basking in the impending victory he had helped secure. In less than five… Read more: How Elon Musk became Donald Trump’s shadow vice-president - What a second Trump presidency means for big US tech firms
Instant boom enjoyed by some sectors belies complex decisions to be made on AI, monopolies and social media When the US election result pushed shares in the artificial intelligence chip giant Nvidia to a record high and did the same to the price of bitcoin cryptocurrency, the market gave its verdict on what Trump redux… Read more: What a second Trump presidency means for big US tech firms - Silicon Valley’s right wing notches victories nationwide and at home
Tech elites scored local and national wins after backing Donald Trump and conservative California ballot measures * US election after Trump win – live updates While Elon Musk spent election night alongside Donald Trump celebrating their decisive victory at Mar-a-Lago, Silicon Valley figures who were invested, quite literally, in the outcome of Tuesday night’s election… Read more: Silicon Valley’s right wing notches victories nationwide and at home - Facebook asks US supreme court to dismiss fraud suit over Cambridge Analytica scandal
Securities fraud lawsuit brought by shareholders accuses the social media platform of misleading them about misuse of user data The US supreme court grappled on Wednesday with a bid by Meta’s Facebook to scuttle a federal securities fraud lawsuit brought by shareholders who accused the social media platform of misleading them about the misuse of… Read more: Facebook asks US supreme court to dismiss fraud suit over Cambridge Analytica scandal - Is your air fryer spying on you? Concerns over ‘excessive’ surveillance in smart devices
UK consumer group Which? finds some everyday items including watches and speakers are ‘stuffed with trackers’ Air fryers that gather your personal data and audio speakers “stuffed with trackers” are among examples of smart devices engaged in “excessive” surveillance, according to the consumer group Which? The organisation tested three air fryers, increasingly a staple of… Read more: Is your air fryer spying on you? Concerns over ‘excessive’ surveillance in smart devices - Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review: totally maxed out
Even bigger titanium superphone packs very long battery life and great camera but Apple Intelligence isn’t killer feature The iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple’s latest superphone, with a massive screen, the fastest chip and the most advanced cameras on an iPhone, ready to be your entertainment powerhouse, if you can squeeze it into a… Read more: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review: totally maxed out - ‘What a privilege … ’ trend catches on as gratitude makes social media comeback
Posts lauding anything from running in the rain to tiredness and a comfy bed are springing up on Instagram and TikTok “What a privilege it is to run in the rain. What a privilege it is to have a house I need to clean.” Social media is usually criticised for being a toxic space, but… Read more: ‘What a privilege … ’ trend catches on as gratitude makes social media comeback - Apple reports robust demand for iPhone 16 even as overall sales in China slow
Company reports $94.9bn in revenue, slightly beating Wall Street projections in first look at demand for its new phone Apple reported strong demand for the iPhone 16 in its quarterly earnings report on Thursday, though overall sales in China slightly decreased year-over-year. The company reported $94.9bn in revenue, up 6% year-over-year, and $1.64 in earnings… Read more: Apple reports robust demand for iPhone 16 even as overall sales in China slow - Judge orders Elon Musk to appear in Philadelphia court over $1m giveaways
District attorney says awards to registered voters from billionaire’s pro-Trump America Pac are an ‘illegal lottery’ A judge ordered all parties, including Elon Musk, to attend a court hearing in Philadelphia on Thursday in a lawsuit seeking to stop a political action committee controlled by the billionaire from awarding $1m to registered US voters in… Read more: Judge orders Elon Musk to appear in Philadelphia court over $1m giveaways - 10 years of the long read: Why Silicon Valley billionaires are prepping for the apocalypse in New Zealand (2018) – podcast
As the Long Read turns 10 we are raiding the archives to bring you a favourite piece from each year since 2014, with new introductions from the authors. This week from 2018: How an extreme libertarian tract predicting the collapse of liberal democracies – written by Jacob Rees-Mogg’s father – inspired the likes of Peter… Read more: 10 years of the long read: Why Silicon Valley billionaires are prepping for the apocalypse in New Zealand (2018) – podcast - Jeff Bezos defends decision to end Washington Post endorsements
After resignations and loss of subscribers, billionaire owner pens piece saying endorsements create ‘perception of bias’ Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of the Washington Post, has penned a column in his own newspaper defending the decision not to endorse a candidate in the US presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, widely seen as… Read more: Jeff Bezos defends decision to end Washington Post endorsements - Chinese hackers collected audio from a Trump campaign adviser’s calls – report
The Washington Post reports Chinese state-affiliated hackers intercepted audio and texts from unnamed adviser Chinese state-affiliated hackers intercepted audio from the phone calls of US political figures, including an unnamed campaign adviser of Donald Trump, the Washington Post reported Sunday. Various media outlets reported on Friday that the Trump campaign was made aware last week… Read more: Chinese hackers collected audio from a Trump campaign adviser’s calls – report - Zuckerberg Augustus: Meta’s emperor rebrands in new clothes
Mark Zuckerberg’s new revamp is a far cry from the zip-up hoodies and suits emblematic of earlier eras of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg is revamping his public image with new threads. With a trio of bold shirts worn in recent appearances, he’s communicating that he came, he saw, he conquered and he will win again at… Read more: Zuckerberg Augustus: Meta’s emperor rebrands in new clothes - Justice department charges Iranian operatives in Trump campaign hack
Hackers were trying to undermine Trump’s campaign as Republican nominee for president, says Merrick Garland The US justice department unsealed criminal charges on Friday against three Iranian operatives suspected of hacking Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and disseminating stolen information to media organizations. The US attorney general, Merrick Garland, said on Friday afternoon that hackers were… Read more: Justice department charges Iranian operatives in Trump campaign hack - Why is OpenAI planning to become a for-profit business and does it matter?
Company plans announced as it reckons with departure of senior executives and seeks huge investment * OpenAI planning to become for-profit company, say reports OpenAI, the developer of the groundbreaking ChatGPT chatbot, is preparing to overhaul its corporate structure and become a for-profit business. The startup’s chief executive, Sam Altman, acknowledged on Thursday that it… Read more: Why is OpenAI planning to become a for-profit business and does it matter? - OpenAI CTO Mira Murati says she’s leaving firm to do her ‘own exploration’
Chief technology officer had taken over the ChatGPT maker when its board ousted CEO Sam Altman in November In a surprise move, OpenAI’s chief technology officer announced on Wednesday that she would soon leave the company after six and a half years. In a note shared with the company and then posted to Twitter/X, Mira… Read more: OpenAI CTO Mira Murati says she’s leaving firm to do her ‘own exploration’ - CrowdStrike apologizes for global IT outage in congressional testimony
Faulty update from cybersecurity company grounded hospitals, airports and payment systems in July A CrowdStrike senior executive apologized for causing a global software outage that ground the operations of hospitals, airports, payment systems and personal computers around the world to a halt in July. Adam Meyers, senior vice-president for counter-adversary operations at CrowdStrike, testified before… Read more: CrowdStrike apologizes for global IT outage in congressional testimony - ‘It’s not a solution for teen girls like me’: Instagram’s new under-18 rules met with skepticism
Meta’s changes include making teen accounts private and ‘limiting sensitive content’. Many say it’s not enough Sevey Morton first got an Instagram account when she was 10 years old. She used it to keep up with friends, but also to follow pop culture trends. Now 16, the San Diego high schooler says all the airbrushed… Read more: ‘It’s not a solution for teen girls like me’: Instagram’s new under-18 rules met with skepticism - Drones carrying fireworks: why the world’s most famous gunpowder artist is collaborating with AI
For his explosion event in Los Angeles, Cai Guo-Qiang built his own version of ChatGPT and employed a drone army to answer the question: what is the fate of humanity and AI? For decades, Cai Guo-Qiang has been the world’s foremost fine artist of explosions. He is famous for his massive fireworks displays, from his… Read more: Drones carrying fireworks: why the world’s most famous gunpowder artist is collaborating with AI - Elon Musk backs down in his fight with Brazilian judges to restore X
The platform agrees to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, pays fines and takes down user accounts that the court had ordered removed Elon Musk fought the law. The law appears to have won. X, Musk’s social media platform, has backed down in its fight with the Brazilian judiciary, after complying with court orders that… Read more: Elon Musk backs down in his fight with Brazilian judges to restore X - How a digital detox day could help people take control of downtime
Offline Club’s first global event on Sunday will begin with tips on how to be phone-free for 24 hours every week Haunted by a pile of unread books? Or taunted by climbing equipment lurking in the cupboard? If you are one of the UK adults who spends on average five hours a day looking at… Read more: How a digital detox day could help people take control of downtime - Social media and online video firms are conducting ‘vast surveillance’ on users, FTC finds
Agency accuses Meta, Google, TikTok and other companies of sharing troves of user information with third-parties Social media and online video companies are collecting huge troves of your personal information on and off their websites or apps and sharing it with a wide range of third-party entities, a new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff report… Read more: Social media and online video firms are conducting ‘vast surveillance’ on users, FTC finds - What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates review – has Tom Hanks really joined his secret lizard society?
The Microsoft founder’s look at the challenges of AI might lack depth, but he does discover some chilling truths – including very odd conspiracy theories about himself “In 2022 AI woke up.” “We are building something – wisely or not – way smarter than us”. Continue reading…http://dlvr.it/TDN7tb - Dear Airbnb: who is ‘Rachel’, and how has she taken over my booking?
When I got a confirmation email addressed to the wrong name. I suspected an error and cancelled. Then £500 was taken from my account Eight months ago, I booked an Airbnb on my new iPhone. The confirmation congratulated someone called Rachel on the booking. I realised Airbnb tech had somehow logged me in to a… Read more: Dear Airbnb: who is ‘Rachel’, and how has she taken over my booking? - Hunched over my smartphone while my family slept, I knew I had to break my addiction. But how? | Will Clempner
The modern world just isn’t set up for non-smartphone users, but after a few faltering steps away from mine, my life changed My 16th birthday was a big deal. Not only was I allowed to throw a party at my dad’s, I was also given a brand new mobile phone. I was giddy. Back in… Read more: Hunched over my smartphone while my family slept, I knew I had to break my addiction. But how? | Will Clempner - Samsung Electronics workers to extend strike indefinitely
Tech News Campaign for better pay and benefits ramped up, says union representing about 30,000 staff in South Korea Thousands of workers in South Korea have pledged to extend the first-ever strike at Samsung Electronics indefinitely, ramping up a campaign for better pay and benefits at one of the world’s largest smartphone and AI chip… Read more: Samsung Electronics workers to extend strike indefinitely - Samsung Electronics workers to extend strike indefinitelyTech News Campaign for better pay and benefits ramped up, says union representing about 30,000 staff in South Korea Thousands of workers in South Korea have pledged to extend the first-ever strike at Samsung Electronics indefinitely, ramping up a campaign for better pay and benefits at one of the world’s largest smartphone and AI chip… Read more: Samsung Electronics workers to extend strike indefinitely
- Chinese developers scramble as OpenAI blocks access in China
Tech News US firm’s move, amid Beijing-Washington tensions, sparks rush to lure users to homegrown models At the World AI Conference in Shanghai last week, one of China’s leading artificial intelligence companies, SenseTime, unveiled its latest model, SenseNova 5.5. The model showed off its ability to identify and describe a stuffed toy puppy (wearing a… Read more: Chinese developers scramble as OpenAI blocks access in China - Game over for Kotaku, Lifehacker and Gizmodo. Is this truly the end of Australian gaming journalism? | Jackson Ryan
Tech News The three brands licensed by Nine’s Pedestrian Group that kickstarted my career might be gone but as long as there’s appetite for video game content there’s hope In 2006 I was fired from my job at EB Games. It was, with the benefit of hindsight, a well-earned dismissal. One Sunday I’d set up… Read more: Game over for Kotaku, Lifehacker and Gizmodo. Is this truly the end of Australian gaming journalism? | Jackson Ryan - Meta claims news is not an antidote to misinformation on its platforms
Tech News Company says it has ‘never thought about news’ as a way to counter misleading content on Facebook and Instagram despite evidence to the contrary * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Meta has claimed news is… Read more: Meta claims news is not an antidote to misinformation on its platforms - Surface Pro 11 review: Microsoft’s big Arm leap almost pays off
Tech News Dumping Intel for Qualcomm chips delivers big boost in speed but not battery life and breaks some apps Microsoft’s latest Surface tablet promises to be a generational upgrade that goes beyond just being faster, quieter and more efficient – all down to a change in the type of processor at its heart. The… Read more: Surface Pro 11 review: Microsoft’s big Arm leap almost pays off - Samsung Electronics workers to extend strike indefinitely
Campaign for better pay and benefits ramped up, says union representing about 30,000 staff in South Korea Thousands of workers in South Korea have pledged to extend the first-ever strike at Samsung Electronics indefinitely, ramping up a campaign for better pay and benefits at one of the world’s largest smartphone and AI chip makers. A… Read more: Samsung Electronics workers to extend strike indefinitely - Meta claims news is not an antidote to misinformation on its platforms
Company says it has ‘never thought about news’ as a way to counter misleading content on Facebook and Instagram despite evidence to the contrary * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Meta has claimed news is not the… Read more: Meta claims news is not an antidote to misinformation on its platforms - Game over for Kotaku, Lifehacker and Gizmodo. Is this truly the end of Australian gaming journalism? | Jackson Ryan
The three brands licensed by Nine’s Pedestrian Group that kickstarted my career might be gone but as long as there’s appetite for video game content there’s hope In 2006 I was fired from my job at EB Games. It was, with the benefit of hindsight, a well-earned dismissal. One Sunday I’d set up a camera… Read more: Game over for Kotaku, Lifehacker and Gizmodo. Is this truly the end of Australian gaming journalism? | Jackson Ryan - Chinese developers scramble as OpenAI blocks access in China
US firm’s move, amid Beijing-Washington tensions, sparks rush to lure users to homegrown models At the World AI Conference in Shanghai last week, one of China’s leading artificial intelligence companies, SenseTime, unveiled its latest model, SenseNova 5.5. The model showed off its ability to identify and describe a stuffed toy puppy (wearing a SenseTime cap),… Read more: Chinese developers scramble as OpenAI blocks access in China - Surface Pro 11 review: Microsoft’s big Arm leap almost pays off
Dumping Intel for Qualcomm chips delivers big boost in speed but not battery life and breaks some apps Microsoft’s latest Surface tablet promises to be a generational upgrade that goes beyond just being faster, quieter and more efficient – all down to a change in the type of processor at its heart. The Surface Pro… Read more: Surface Pro 11 review: Microsoft’s big Arm leap almost pays off - Tesla won’t free up use of its batteries, leaving owners unable to reap full benefits
Tech News Exclusive: Experts say Tesla should be excluded from rebates for disabling function on its batteries in Australia that would let users alter power usage remotely * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Australian owners of Tesla… Read more: Tesla won’t free up use of its batteries, leaving owners unable to reap full benefits - Real criminals, fake victims: how chatbots are being deployed in the global fight against phone scammers
Tech News New scambaiting AI technology Apate aims to keep scammers on the line while collecting data that could help disrupt their business model * Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast A scammer calls, and asks for a passcode. Malcolm, an elderly man with an English accent, is… Read more: Real criminals, fake victims: how chatbots are being deployed in the global fight against phone scammers - James Muldoon, Mark Graham and Callum Cant: ‘AI feeds off the work of human beings’
Tech News The Fairwork trio talk about their new book on the ‘extraction machine’, exposing the repetitive labour, often in terrible conditions, that big tech is using to create artificial intelligence * Meet Mercy and Anita – the African workers driving the AI revolution, for just over a dollar an hour James Muldoon is a… Read more: James Muldoon, Mark Graham and Callum Cant: ‘AI feeds off the work of human beings’ - ‘The collie was trying to herd the lamb – but failing’: Mark Aitken’s best phone picture
Tech News The New Zealand-born photographer was planning to take a portrait of a farm owner when two animals caught his eye For the last two years, Mark Aitken has been working on a photo series in Lapland. “It’s called Presence of Absence,” he says, “and it explores the liminal and sometimes uncanny boundaries between life… Read more: ‘The collie was trying to herd the lamb – but failing’: Mark Aitken’s best phone picture - Hackers leak alleged Taylor Swift ticket data to extort Ticketmaster
Tech News Hackers claim they obtained barcode data for hundreds of thousands of tickets to Eras tour and demand millions in ransom Hackers claimed this week that they had obtained barcode data for hundreds of thousands of tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, demanding that Ticketmaster pay millions in ransom money or they would leak… Read more: Hackers leak alleged Taylor Swift ticket data to extort Ticketmaster - Hackers leak alleged Taylor Swift ticket data to extort Ticketmaster
Tech News Hackers claim they obtained barcode data for hundreds of thousands of tickets to Eras tour and demand millions in ransom Hackers claimed this week that they had obtained barcode data for hundreds of thousands of tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, demanding that Ticketmaster pay millions in ransom money or they would leak… Read more: Hackers leak alleged Taylor Swift ticket data to extort Ticketmaster - Tesla won’t free up use of its batteries, leaving owners unable to reap full benefits
Exclusive: Experts say Tesla should be excluded from rebates for disabling function on its batteries in Australia that would let users alter power usage remotely * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Australian owners of Tesla batteries could… Read more: Tesla won’t free up use of its batteries, leaving owners unable to reap full benefits - Real criminals, fake victims: how chatbots are being deployed in the global fight against phone scammers
New scambaiting AI technology Apate aims to keep scammers on the line while collecting data that could help disrupt their business model * Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast A scammer calls, and asks for a passcode. Malcolm, an elderly man with an English accent, is confused. “What’s… Read more: Real criminals, fake victims: how chatbots are being deployed in the global fight against phone scammers - James Muldoon, Mark Graham and Callum Cant: ‘AI feeds off the work of human beings’
The Fairwork trio talk about their new book on the ‘extraction machine’, exposing the repetitive labour, often in terrible conditions, that big tech is using to create artificial intelligence * Meet Mercy and Anita – the African workers driving the AI revolution, for just over a dollar an hour James Muldoon is a reader in… Read more: James Muldoon, Mark Graham and Callum Cant: ‘AI feeds off the work of human beings’ - ‘The collie was trying to herd the lamb – but failing’: Mark Aitken’s best phone picture
The New Zealand-born photographer was planning to take a portrait of a farm owner when two animals caught his eye For the last two years, Mark Aitken has been working on a photo series in Lapland. “It’s called Presence of Absence,” he says, “and it explores the liminal and sometimes uncanny boundaries between life and death… Read more: ‘The collie was trying to herd the lamb – but failing’: Mark Aitken’s best phone picture - Hackers leak alleged Taylor Swift ticket data to extort Ticketmaster
Hackers claim they obtained barcode data for hundreds of thousands of tickets to Eras tour and demand millions in ransom Hackers claimed this week that they had obtained barcode data for hundreds of thousands of tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, demanding that Ticketmaster pay millions in ransom money or they would leak the information… Read more: Hackers leak alleged Taylor Swift ticket data to extort Ticketmaster - Yes, research shows teenagers’ screen time is shocking – but smartphone bans aren’t the answer | Devi Sridhar
Tech News Schools, parents and even governments need to set boundaries, without demonising devices that bring many benefits A few weeks ago I was scrolling through social media, and Andy Murray (I am one of his 2 million followers) posted a graphic showing the average number of hours a teen in the US spends per… Read more: Yes, research shows teenagers’ screen time is shocking – but smartphone bans aren’t the answer | Devi Sridhar - Kien, the most-delayed video game in history, released after 22 years
Tech News The makers of Italian action game have endured the longest development journey in history. Their game is now finally out – on the long-discontinued Game Boy Advance In 2002, a group of five Italians made the local news: they were going to be the first company in the country to develop a game… Read more: Kien, the most-delayed video game in history, released after 22 years - Best podcasts of the week: Tennis ace Venus Williams serves up a show all about art
Tech News In this week’s newsletter: The seven-time grand slam winner and patron of the arts hosts a new series, Widening the Lens. Plus: five of the best podcasts about the single life • Don’t get Hear Here delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Widening the Lens: Photography, Ecology, and the Contemporary Landscape Widely… Read more: Best podcasts of the week: Tennis ace Venus Williams serves up a show all about art - Can the climate survive the insatiable energy demands of the AI arms race?
Tech News New computing infrastructure means big tech is likely to miss emissions targets but they can’t afford to get left behind in a winner takes all market The artificial intelligence boom has driven big tech share prices to fresh highs, but at the cost of the sector’s climate aspirations. Google admitted on Tuesday that… Read more: Can the climate survive the insatiable energy demands of the AI arms race? - Claude 3.5 suggests AI’s looming ubiquity could be a good thing
Tech News In this week’s newsletter: If you don’t like chatbots popping up everywhere, get ready to be peeved. But the latest version of Anthropic’s shows AI is becoming more useful – and, crucially, affordable The frontier of AI just got pushed a little further forward. On Friday, Anthropic, the AI lab set up by… Read more: Claude 3.5 suggests AI’s looming ubiquity could be a good thing - Yes, research shows teenagers’ screen time is shocking – but smartphone bans aren’t the answer | Devi Sridhar
Schools, parents and even governments need to set boundaries, without demonising devices that bring many benefits A few weeks ago I was scrolling through social media, and Andy Murray (I am one of his 2 million followers) posted a graphic showing the average number of hours a teen in the US spends per day on… Read more: Yes, research shows teenagers’ screen time is shocking – but smartphone bans aren’t the answer | Devi Sridhar - Kien, the most-delayed video game in history, released after 22 years
The makers of Italian action game have endured the longest development journey in history. Their game is now finally out – on the long-discontinued Game Boy Advance In 2002, a group of five Italians made the local news: they were going to be the first company in the country to develop a game for Nintendo’s… Read more: Kien, the most-delayed video game in history, released after 22 years - Best podcasts of the week: Tennis ace Venus Williams serves up a show all about art
In this week’s newsletter: The seven-time grand slam winner and patron of the arts hosts a new series, Widening the Lens. Plus: five of the best podcasts about the single life • Don’t get Hear Here delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Widening the Lens: Photography, Ecology, and the Contemporary Landscape Widely available, all… Read more: Best podcasts of the week: Tennis ace Venus Williams serves up a show all about art - Can the climate survive the insatiable energy demands of the AI arms race?
New computing infrastructure means big tech is likely to miss emissions targets but they can’t afford to get left behind in a winner takes all market The artificial intelligence boom has driven big tech share prices to fresh highs, but at the cost of the sector’s climate aspirations. Google admitted on Tuesday that the technology… Read more: Can the climate survive the insatiable energy demands of the AI arms race? - Claude 3.5 suggests AI’s looming ubiquity could be a good thing
In this week’s newsletter: If you don’t like chatbots popping up everywhere, get ready to be peeved. But the latest version of Anthropic’s shows AI is becoming more useful – and, crucially, affordable The frontier of AI just got pushed a little further forward. On Friday, Anthropic, the AI lab set up by a team… Read more: Claude 3.5 suggests AI’s looming ubiquity could be a good thing - Google’s emissions climb nearly 50% in five years due to AI energy demand
Tech giant’s goal of reducing climate footprint at risk as it grows increasingly reliant on energy-hungry data centres Google’s goal of reducing its climate footprint is in jeopardy as it relies on more and more energy-hungry data centres to power its new artificial intelligence products. The tech giant revealed Tuesday that its greenhouse gas emissions… Read more: Google’s emissions climb nearly 50% in five years due to AI energy demand