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Articles by Alex Smith
February 2024
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JP Morgan Looking Forward to Testing ‘Immersive Training Applications’ of Metaverse
The world of banking is gearing up to explore the use cases of up-and-coming technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the metaverse to benefit their present working conditions. JP Morgan, for instance, is excitedly looking to try out immersive training applications for new bank staff members, all through the metaverse technology.
The Crew Motorfest’s new Hoonigan collaboration will add 24 cars, new challenges, and more
Ubisoft has announced that The Crew Motorfest is partnering with motorsports brand Hoonigan for Season Two. For the start of the season – which is set to begin on December 6 – the collaboration will introduce new content crafted together with Hoonigan, including a new Gymkhana-inspired playground added to the game’s map that players can discover, alongside new challenges, races, and more.
Meta and IBM create industrywide AI Alliance with a focus on open source models
AI development and concerns about its safety continue to grow at a rapid pace with little regulation in place. The latest industry-based solution to this comes courtesy of IBM and Meta, which have announced the creation of the AI Alliance.
Budget OnePlus phones could get a camera zoom boost
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority TL;DR Camera specs for upcoming OPPO, OnePlus, and/or Realme phones have apparently leaked online. The specs suggest that mid-range phones from these brands could gain telephoto and periscope cameras. OnePlus has just launched the OnePlus 12 in China, and it’s only the second OnePlus phone to offer a periscope camera, following in the footsteps of the OnePlus Open.
Canadians can now buy tickets via Ticketmaster through TikTok
TikTok’s Ticketmaster partnership, which first launched in the U.S. last year, is now rolling out in Canada. The platform is expanding the ticketing partnership in over 20 new markets. The integration allows Canadian users to buy tickets for live events directly from within TikTok. The feature also allows verified artists to promote their upcoming shows and embed links to purchase tickets within their TikTok videos.
Meta: Mark Zuckerberg sells his shares of Meta, here’s how much the CEO made
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has sold his share of Meta stocks for the first time in two years. In November, entities for Zuckerberg’s charitable and political giving, as well as his trust, sold about 682,000 shares worth almost $185 million through trading plans, as disclosed in the regulatory filings. Meta has seen a surge of 172% in its stock value this year, up until the end of November.
True Samsung fans can now snatch the awesome Galaxy S23 Fan Edition with a sweet discount on Amazon
You are an absolute Samsung fan looking for a new awesome Galaxy phone but don’t want to shell out huge amounts of cash on Samsung’s top-of-the-line Galaxy S23 Ultra?
The new Astro A50 X headset switches between your consoles and PC using HDMI passthrough
Logitech’s Astro gaming brand has a new flagship gaming headset that costs more than some whole-ass consoles, and it’s designed to simultaneously play nice across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X / S, and PC with a single button press. But the $379.99 Astro A50 X doesn’t do all of this with simply plebeian technology like Bluetooth.
Nothing Teases “Something” New Coming This Week; Could Be the Rumoured Phone 2a
Nothing Phone 2 was the brand’s latest smartphone launch, but we have recently seen a new handset appear in the rumour mill. Tagged as the Nothing Phone 2a, it is expected to be a more affordable option of the Nothing Phone 2, which was launched as a premium phone and recently received a price cut. Despite the leaks and rumours, little is known about this upcoming smartphone from Nothing. However, as expected from the brand, the teasers have begun to drop.
Google’s Instrument Playground offers a taste of an AI-generated musical future
Google has opened the gates to its latest experimental AI called Instrument Playground which allows people to generate 20-second music tracks with a single text prompt. If that description sounds familiar to you, that’s because other companies have something similar like Meta with MusicGen. Google’s version adds two unique twists. First, it’s claimed to be capable of emulating over 100 instruments from around the world.
December’s Android Security Bulletin is here, but no update for Pixels yet
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google has published the December 2023 Android Security Bulletin, detailing all the security fixes available in patch levels 2023-12-05 and 2023-12-01. The corresponding security patch update for Pixels is not live yet, though. The security patches are expected to be included in the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop, which will be released sometime this week.
The cheapest Tesla car won’t qualify for full federal tax credit starting January 1
With the Biden administration’s continued attempt to limit Chinese battery components in US electric vehicles, Tesla has now announced that two of its models won’t qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit as of January 1, 2024. As pointed out by our sister site TechCrunch, Tesla’s website currently has a top banner claiming that tax credit “reductions likely for certain vehicles in 2024,” urging customers to “take delivery by 12/31” in order to qualify for the full claim.
Rockstar drops GTA VI trailer early following several leaks
The time has arrived — it’s just here slightly earlier than expected. Ahead of its official scheduled reveal on December 5th, Rockstar has revealed the first Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) trailer following a barrage of leaks. To say the game’s official reveal is anticipated is an understatement. While it’s difficult to fully grasp GTA VI based on its brief trailer, the game takes place in Vice City, Rockstar’s take on Miami (the same city from 2002’s GTA Vice City).
Gta 6 Trailer: The first GTA VI trailer gives a sneak peek at the Vice City’s ‘Bonnie and Clyde’
The GTA VI trailer dropped a day early after it leaked earlier today. Though it is not early, it has been a little over a decade since the last installment of Grand Theft Auto, GTA V. The wait will be longer than ever, as GTA VI is set to release in 2025, so the wait continues.
Galaxy S25 Ultra could feature 1-inch ISOCELL image sensor; Sony sensors coming to S25, S25+
Revegnus expects that the 200MP ISOCELL image sensor that Samsung is working on for its 2025 top-of-the-line flagship phone will be 1-inch with 0.8µm pixels, dual-pixel autofocus, and in-sensor crop zoom.
The UK tries, once again, to age-gate pornography
UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has laid out how porn sites could verify users’ ages under the newly passed Online Safety Act. Although the law gives sites the choice of how they keep out underage users, the regulator is publishing a list of measures they’ll be able to use to comply.
GTA 6 Trailer Out Now; Will Be Available in 2025, Platforms Confirmed
GTA 6 trailer has been officially released. The trailer was initially scheduled to go live on December 5 at 9am ET (7:30pm IST). However, it was released 15 hours ahead of schedule following a leak. Grand Theft Auto 5 was introduced in September 2013. Therefore, the anticipation surrounding the GTA 6 trailer, after 10 years of the game’s last release, was already soaring. The leak and thereby the preponed release of the game’s trailer has sent enthusiasts into a frenzy.
Quordle today – hints and answers for Tuesday, December 5 (game #680) - TechCodex
It’s time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I’m still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it’s fun, but also difficult.
Can Alexa call 911? How to set up Alexa for emergencies
Amazon wants people to think of Alexa devices as a one-stop-shop for communication. You can make outgoing phone calls on its Echo speakers, and if you have an Echo Show, there are multiple video calling options. But will Alexa dial 911 for you in an emergency? QUICK ANSWER You can’t ask Alexa to dial 911 or other emergency services directly, unless you have an Echo Connect hooked up to a landline phone.
Rockstar just released a trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI
Rockstar has released the trailer of Grand Theft Auto VI, the next game in the blockbuster video game franchise a day earlier than expected. You can watch it here: It’s been a decade since Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto V. While fans have been more than able to keep themselves busy with GTA Online and a few re-releases, they’ve been waiting patiently (or impatiently) for more single-player action.
KISS immortalizes themselves with new preforming digital avatars
It goes without saying that KISS is one of, if not the greatest rock n roll bands of all time. Now, after the conclusion of the ‘End of the Road World Tour,’ the band is ushering in a new era that is a lot more digital than just streaming their music online.
Optical Fiber Cable: HFCL wins Rs 67 crore order to supply optical fiber cable
HFCL Limited, India’s leading technology enterprise offering communication network solutions for telcos, railways, and defence sectors has announced its new order win worth Rs 67 crore for supply of Optical Fiber Cables, from a leading domestic telecom service provider in India. The timeline to execute this order is by April, 2024 wherein HFCL will be supplying multiple types of Optical Fiber Cables as per customer specifications during this time period.
The Nothing CMF watch app was also discovered to have security flaws
The Nothing Phone (1) and (2) have been praised in the past for having clean — almost stock Android-ish — software with great home screen customization, and that has been the case since the company’s first foray into the smartphone OEM arena. However, as promising as that has been, the company hasn’t had a great month when it comes to security. Following the Nothing Chats debacle that unleashed an avalanche of issues for the company, Nothing faces yet another security challenge.
The 32 best gifts under $100
Here’s a fun fact: Apple’s wired earbuds still feature some of the best-sounding mics you can get for taking phone calls outside of a professional microphone. What’s more, they’re now available with one of three connectors — 3.5mm, Lightning, or USB-C — meaning your giftee will never have to worry about them dying midway through an important conversation.
WhatsApp Working on Feature That Lets Android Users Share Status Updates to Instagram: Report
WhatsApp recently rolled out a new Secret Code feature for locked chats which, as the name implies, allows users to hide locked chats behind a secret code. The platform has also been reported to work on a bunch of new features. WhatsApp is said to be reintroducing the “View Once” photos and videos feature to the WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp desktop versions. It is also reportedly working on a ‘search by username’ feature, similar to the one available on Telegram.
GTA 6 trailer revealed by Rockstar Games with 2025 release date
At long last, Rockstar Games has revealed the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, more than 21 months after the developer officially announced the game’s development – and notably a day earlier than it was supposed to be revealed. Fans have finally been given their first official glimpse of the game protagonist, Lucia, as well as the classic fan-favorite GTA location, Vice City, in full unadulterated and glorious detail.
Audio giant Rode acquires rival Mackie to expand its focus on creators
Audio device leader Rode just acquired rival company Mackie, creating something of a pro audio and streaming powerhouse. Rode used to exclusively deal with pro-level audio devices, like condenser microphones, but has since turned its eye to the growing streaming market. To that end, products like Rode’s PSA1+ boom arm have become fixtures with popular live streamers. Mackie has taken a similar route.
Google is starting to roll out Photomoji feature for its Messages app
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Photomoji is now starting to roll out for Google Messages. The Messages app will alert you that the feature is available with a circular badge on top of the emoji button. The feature has yet to roll out widely to all beta program users. Last week, Google announced a few new features that would be coming to one of the best messaging apps on Android. Among those features was image clipping functionality, similar to what Apple and Samsung offer.
Competition Bureau probing Rogers’ ‘Infinite’ plans, carrier ordered to produce documents
Canada’s Federal Court has ordered Rogers to provide the Competition Bureau with documents as part of its inquiry into the company’s ‘Infinite’ plans. According to the Globe and Mail, the bureau started an inquiry in April, which was recently revealed when it asked the court to compel Rogers to produce records and information related to the inquiry.
Spark Go: Tecno launches Spark Go 2024 with 90Hz display, dual speaker and fingerprint scanner at an introductory price of Rs 6,699
Tecno has announced its entry-level smartphone — Spark Go 2024 — in India. The new handset comes as an affordable offering from the company and the main highlights of the phone are 90Hz refresh rate display, fingerprint sensor, DTS-supported dual speakers, 5000mAh battery and more. Tecno Spark Go 2024: Price and availability Tecno SparkGo 2024 is available in three variants — 3GB +64GB, 8GB+64GB, and 8GB+128GB.Techno has currently announced the price of the base variant as Rs 6,699.
Google Messages begins to roll out a redesigned split-level text field with shortcuts
In addition to the many new features coming to Google Messages soon in honor of RCS surpassing one billion monthly active users, the app is also preparing to unveil an update to its text field, introducing a dedicated shortcuts bar and a left-aligned layout. Previously, the RCS/text message field occupied the right two-thirds of the screen, with key functions like “plus,” gallery, and Magic Compose disappearing as you typed.
Tesla warns that the Model 3 is about to lose half of its tax credit in the US
A federal tax credit funded through the Inflation Reduction Act can currently shave up to $7,500 off the price of Tesla’s Model 3, but that’s about to drop in half. The tax credit will fall to $3,750 by January 1st, 2024 for the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive and Model 3 Long Range, the company warned. Elon Musk’s company made the announcement via a banner on Tesla’s website, TechCrunch reports. Starting at around $36,000, the Model 3 comes with the lowest cost of any Tesla vehicle.
Digital Pound Benefit Assessment Conducted in UK as CBDC Rollout Comes Close
The UK is pacing up its efforts to understand the possible outcomes of rolling out a digital Pound CBDC. On the order of the UK Parliamentary Committee and the House of Commons, the Bank of England and the UK Treasury have analysed the benefits that could entail the launch of this CBDC. The reason is that Britain is trying to avoid excessive expenditure on CBDC pilot and trials. The Bank of England (BoE) has begun its due consideration on CBDC.
New Chrome update shows you which sites are slowing down your PC, and it’s about time
A new addition to the desktop Chrome browser lets you to see each tab’s memory usage, which could help you track down which sites are slowing down your laptop. Following the introduction of Google Chrome’s new Memory Saver mode earlier this year, Google has now rolled out a feature that reports memory usage on individual tabs when you hover over them in your browser.
Nothing’s iMessage app wasn’t its only security lapse (Update: Statement)
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Nothing’s CMF Watch app encrypted emails and passwords suboptimally, allegedly allowing for decryption using the same decryption keys. The issue was partially fixed, as the encryption method of the passwords was updated, but not that of emails. Nothing claims it is currently working to resolve the issues. Update, December 4, 2023 (12:45 PM ET): Nothing has now provided a comment to Android Authority about the issues.
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 makes all the same mistakes but faster
I reviewed the first Surface Laptop Studio (SLS) back in 2021 and walked away confused about what the device aimed to accomplish. Unfortunately, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 maintains that confusion and supplements it with better internals. Sure, the SLS2 is faster than the original SLS, but beyond that, it’s just as bizarre a device that remains tough to recommend.
WhatsApp now lets iOS users share media in original quality
WhatsApp isn’t known for the quality of media files people share between them, in fact, the opposite. Although an update rolled out last summer added the option to share videos and photos in HD format, WhatsApp users still can’t send media files in the original quality. However, that’s about to change, as the app is now getting a new update that allows WhatsApp users to send media files like photos and videos in original quality.
ONDC announces ‘Build for Bharat’ initiative for startups: Prizes and more
The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), in collaboration with Google Cloud India, Antler in India, Paytm, Protean and Startup India has announced ‘Build for Bharat’ initiative. The initiative aims to tackle diverse challenges in digital commerce, promoting industry innovation to develop practical solutions in this space.
MacBook Pro 14-inch M3 review: Hard not to recommend
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The Google Pixel Watch 2 is selling for its lowest price of $299.99
The holiday sales festivities have yielded some deep discounts on the original Pixel Watch (dropping it to $199.99), making it a solid deal for Google’s freshman smartwatch. But now, there’s also a great deal on the newer, better Pixel Watch 2. You can get Google’s Pixel Watch 2 for its lowest price to date of $299.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, or Target.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Map Leaks Are Reportedly From a Rockstar Employee’s Son
Just a day away from getting our first look at Grand Theft Auto 6, a leak has surfaced that claims to show footage from the upcoming game. As per GTABase.com on Twitter, TikTok account ‘azzarossi’ posted a video showing a quick panoramic view and scale of the alleged location GTA 6 is based in — a fictionalised version of Miami aka Vice City. The video also shows a Pißwasser billboard, an in-game beer brand that’s been ever-present in GTA games.
Missed Black Friday deals? Don’t worry – the iPad we recommend most is still on sale - TechCodex
If you’re in the market for a new iPad this Christmas, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that Apple’s next-generation iPads – which were widely tipped to arrive back in October this year – are now not expected to land until March 2024, and so the pool of iPads to choose from this festive season is notably smaller than it otherwise could’ve been. The good news, however, is three-fold.
Strava gets WhatsApp-like in-app messaging feature
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Strava has launched its own in-app messaging platform called Strava Messaging. The feature allows users to start individual or group chats. Soon, users will also be able to share images, posts, events, and more using the messaging service. Popular fitness app Strava is getting a new messaging feature.
The cost of generating AI images
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and AI startup Hugging Face collaborated to see the carbon footprint of all those whimsical AI images we’ve generated over the last few years. They discovered that creating an image using artificial intelligence uses the same energy as charging a smartphone. Generating text, whether a conversation with a chatbot or cleaning up an essay, predictably requires much less energy.
Sealed with a ‘digital’ kiss: How this rock band’s farewell concert is not their last
Kiss, the legendary rock band performing for over half a century, is transitioning from the physical world to the digital realm. The rock band played their farewell concert, “The End of the Road, ”the final one this time, in New York over the weekend.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra battery specs and charging capabilities unveiled in a recent leak
Not too long back, Xiaomi launched its Xiaomi 14 series, hitting over a million units sold in China within a week. Armed with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and a bunch of AI goodies, the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro are eyeing the upcoming Galaxy S24 series. Now, there’s a buzz about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra joining the party.One of the most renowned tipsters from China, Digital Chat Station (via Android Headlines), spilled the beans on some of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s specs.
Fire TV Stick owners get annoying Amazon upgrade – yours could be next - TechCodex
A big change is coming to Fire TV devices with Amazon launching annoying full-screen adverts on its popular platform. Some users have already found their TVs are taken over by these giant commercials which automatically start playing the moment things are switched on. The update, which was first spotted by CordCutterNews, appears to be rolling out slowly to users who own devices that were made after 2016.
Spotify lays off 17 percent of workforce in latest round of job cuts
Spotify is laying off 17 percent of its employees in an attempt to cut costs, its CEO Daniel Ek announced to staff today. Based on its total headcount of 9,241 revealed during its last earnings release, the cuts are expected to impact over 1,500 people. In a memo sent to staff, Ek said slowing economic growth and rising costs were to blame for the cuts, which he said would make Spotify a leaner company.
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