Tech
Twitter Threatens Lawsuit Against Anti-Hate Speech Group
A group monitoring and researching hate speech online has received a letter from Twitter threatening to sue them after a recent report of theirs blaming the company for inaction. The Center for Countering Digital Hate claims that it got the letter on July 20th, accusing them of being biased and not providing research with supported data.
Microsoft Teams adds spatial audio for more immersive conference calls
/ You can use your PC’s speakers or a wired headset, but Bluetooth earbuds and headphones are a no go (for now). a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>Spatial audio is meant to make conference calls sound closer to real-life conversations.
The incandescent light bulb still isn’t dead — but ‘normal’ ones are now truly banned
Tech/ Policy / 45 lumens per watt is now the bar. a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>An incandescent light bulb, next to an LED bulb.
Everything we know about Apple’s Vision Pro headset
People have been speculating about Apple’s entry into the world of virtual and augmented reality headsets for the better part of a decade, and at WWDC 2023, it finally revealed Vision Pro. The new headset runs visionOS, uses two Apple Silicon chips (M2 Ultra and R1), and can be used for up to two hours with a tethered battery pack or for as long as you want if it’s plugged in. It also uses “natural control” with hand and eye tracking as well as voice commands. The Vision Pro headset will arrive “early next year” in the US, and Apple is pricing it at $3,499 to start. Apple had never officially confirmed that it was working on the headset, but over the years, there were all kinds of rumors about what it might make. Now we know the truth about Vision Pro, a mixed reality device capable of bot...
NASA Is Launching a Free Streaming Service
NASA has officially announced its free streaming service, NASA+.The agency revealed that NASA+ will be available for iOS, Android, web and a majority of streaming boxes such as Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV, while its content will include the agency's Emmy award-winning live coverage and brand new original video series. "From exoplanet research to better understanding Earth's climate and the influence of the Sun on our planet along with exploration of the solar system, our new science and flagship websites, as well as forthcoming NASA+ videos, showcases our discovery programs in an interdisciplinary and crosscutting way, ultimately building stronger connections with our visitors and viewers," Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, shared."Our visio...
Instagram Is Testing Out Labels for Posts Generated by AI
Last month, Meta followed companies like Google and OpenAI by debuting its own AI model, Llama 2. Developed alongside Microsoft, the generalized model is open source and allows developers to use it to create chatbots, image generators and other applications.The company is now considering the likelihood that the output of its AI will eventually end up on social media and may want creators to flag this.According to screenshots of Instagram posted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, the app is testing out a feature that will flag a photo as “generated by Meta AI.”The label simply indicates that generative AI was used to produce the image. Per the screenshot, Meta notes that “content created with AI is typically labeled so that it can be easily identified.”The move arrives amid widespread ...
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is coming to PS4 and Xbox One
/ The game launched first on Sony and Microsoft’s newer consoles, but now it’s on the way for older hardware.
Facebook and Instagram start blocking news in Canada
/ Meta is protesting a Canadian law obliging it to negotiate with and pay news publishers for their content by blocking news links shared on its platforms. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Nick Barclay / The Verge Meta has begun blocking all news content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada, a change it expects all users in the country to see within “the next few weeks.” That’s in response to the country’s Online News Act, which would require tech companies like Meta and Google to negotiate with and pay publishers for their news content. The blocks don’t just apply to news pu...
Lotus Cars Partners with KEF for Limited Edition LS60 Speaker Set
Renowned British car maker Lotus Cars has teamed up with British audio solutions company KEF to produce a limited edition run of Lotus-branded LS60 Wireless speakers -- one of the brand's most powerful home audio offerings.Founded in Maidstone, Kent in 1961, KEF has continued its aim of producing high-end audio products that look as good as they sound. Some of its most popular offerings include HiFi speakers, subwoofers, architecture speakers, wireless speakers and headphones.As for the KEF LS60 Wireless Lotus Edition, the brand has opted for a very scaled-back approach and subtle branding elements. Details include a finish in an iconic British racing green, often found on Lotus vehicles, as well as subtle lettering in gold at the front reading "Lotus NYO" and "Lotus Edition" in green at t...
Uber Reports Operating Profit for First Time in Company History
Uber has shared its second-quarter earnings for 2023, including, for the first time ever, its quarterly operating profit. The company published the earnings on Tuesday morning, clocking a net income of $394 million USD.From the same time last year, Uber brought in an additional $1 billion USD. This number was up $588 million USD from its first quarter of 2023.The company's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that “cost discipline” helped to drive the increase in net income, reporting that there was a 22% increase in trips taken, equating to about 25 million per day for the quarter.Uber also pointed to new business initiatives, such as the growth of its Uber One subscription plan in new regions. For $9.99 USD a month, offers discounted rides, priority service and no delivery fee on food via Uber Eat...
Apple has joined Pixar’s push to standardize 3D content creation
/ Apple’s participation in the Alliance for OpenUSD alongside Nvidia, Adobe, and Autodesk should provide visionOS developers with a more robust set of 3D tools. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: JigSpace Apple, Adobe, Pixar, Nvidia, and Autodesk are teaming up to promote open standards for the creation of 3D content. In a press release, the companies announced the formation of the Alliance for OpenUSD, which will drive the “standardization, development, evolution, and growth” of Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD) technology. Pixar describes USD as the “first open-sourc...
Facebook moderation is lacking for gender-based violence
/ A loophole within Meta’s bullying and harassment policy enabled a Facebook post depicting a victim of domestic violence to remain on the platform for almost two years. a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>The board wants Meta to patch up the policy loopholes that allowed content promoting gender-based violence to slip through moderation.
