Tech
- El Pais
The reinvention of Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook founder turns 40 eager to leave labels aside
informed Summary
- Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg turned 40 on May 14, a milestone that comes amid a well-documented midlife crisis. Despite his wealth, estimated at $177 billion, and a large, stable family, Zuckerberg is grappling with the impact of his social networks on global society, including issues such as lack of privacy, fake news, and harm to children.
Tech5 min read - TIME
Gen AI has already taken the world by storm. Just wait until it gets a quantum boost
informed Summary
- Quantum computing, which uses multivariant "qubits" instead of traditional binary "bits", could significantly boost the capabilities of artificial intelligence, according to Lawrence Gasman, founder of Inside Quantum Technology. Quantum computing's ability to process large amounts of information could enhance generative AI, which is already transforming work, education and entertainment.
Tech5 min read - AP News
Technology crushing human creativity? Apple's new iPad ad has struck a nerve online
informed Summary
- Apple has faced criticism for a new ad promoting its iPad Pro, which shows a hydraulic press crushing various creative instruments, from a piano to a camera, resulting in a new iPad Pro. Critics have called the ad tone-deaf and disturbing, suggesting it represents technology crushing nostalgia and the human experience.
Tech2 min read - TIME
Why Big Tech may never recover in China
informed Summary
- The tech sector has experienced a major boom, boosting the market value of firms like Nvidia, Meta and Amazon. However, Chinese tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent have seen their market capitalization slump.
Tech3 min read - El Pais
The day Google started to get worse: ‘We are getting too close to money’
informed Summary
- An internal email chain from 2019 has revealed concerns among Google executives about the company's focus on growth, specifically increasing the number of searches to boost ad revenue. The emails were made public during the course of monopoly case brought against Google by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tech5 min read - El Pais
Tech companies break earnings records despite regulatory battle
informed Summary
- Despite regulatory pressure and accusations of monopolistic practices, tech giants such as Alphabet, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Nvidia continue to grow, with their profits increasing by 38% in the first quarter to more than $92 billion. These companies have a combined stock market value of $13 billion and have reached all-time trading highs.
Tech4 min read - The Verge
When notifications pick the wrong time to remind us of something
informed Summary
- Joanna Nelius, a reporter at The Verge, says she has becoming frustrated by intrusive notifications and promotional emails, particularly those that use personal memories or sensitive information to attract attention.
Tech3 min read - The Verge
The teens making friends with AI chatbots
informed Summary
- Character.AI, an AI chatbot service launched in 2022 by two former Google Brain employees, attracts 3.5 million daily users who spend an average of two hours a day using or designing the platform’s AI-powered chatbots. The platform's user base is primarily made up of young people, many of whom are teenagers.
Tech8 min read - El Pais
Digital body language: How non-verbal communication works on social media
informed Summary
- Digital body language (DBL) is a form of non-verbal communication that has evolved with the rise of digital media and includes signals such as frequency, response time, and message length. Emojis are also a significant part of DBL, adding context and emotion to written communication.
Tech4 min read - Sky News
Google appears to add 'audio emoji' feature - including a fart button
informed Summary
- Google is reportedly testing "audio emojis" for its Pixel phone users, allowing them to send sound reactions during a call.
Tech2 min read - Neue Zürcher Zeitung
How China uses the personal data it steals
informed Summary
- The U.K. government has attributed a cyberattack on the British Electoral Commission -- which resulted in the theft of all voters' personal information -- to a group linked to the Chinese state. The attack has raised concerns about potential Chinese influence on U.K. elections.
Tech6 min read - El Pais
Is the US really going to ban TikTok?
informed Summary
- The U.S. has given ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, nine months to either sell the app or shut it down. TikTok has called the new law a ban and plans to challenge it in court.
Tech5 min read - The Verge
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius on why EVs are still the future
informed Summary
- Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius has discussed the company's electrification efforts, including the launch of an electric version of the G-Wagen, the G580 with EQ technology. The vehicle will cost more than $150,000 for the basic model.
Tech43 min read - The Verge
The walls of Apple’s garden are tumbling down
informed Summary
- The iPhone, once a revolutionary product, has become a commonplace tool, with upgrades feeling more like a necessity than an exciting event. This shift in perception is a problem for Apple because the company's fortunes largely rest on iPhone sales.
Tech8 min read - The Verge
Microsoft needs to win back trust
informed Summary
- Microsoft has been facing a series of high-profile security incidents, including attacks from Russian state-sponsored hackers known as Nobelium or Midnight Blizzard. They were able to spy on the email accounts of some of Microsoft’s senior leadership team and steal source code.
Tech4 min read - TIME
Inside Google’s plans to combat election misinformation
informed Summary
- Google's internal Jigsaw unit is launching a series of animated videos to educate voters about online manipulation techniques ahead of the European Union’s June parliamentary elections. The initiative, described as "preventative debunking" or "prebunking," aims to help people recognize common manipulation techniques such as scapegoating or polarization.
Tech4 min read - TIME
Cyberchondria is the new hypochondria
informed Summary
- Caroline Crampton, a cancer survivor, discusses her experience with "cyberchondria", a term coined in the early 2000s to describe health anxiety that escalates as a result of information found online.
Tech5 min read - CNN
The Mona Lisa rapping? New Microsoft AI animates faces from photos
informed Summary
- Microsoft has developed an AI model, VASA-1, that can animate a still image of a face to sync with an audio clip, creating a realistic video of the person speaking. The technology can be used with photorealistic faces, cartoons, or artwork.
Tech2 min read - AP News
A coffee roastery in Finland has launched an AI-generated blend. The results were surprising
informed Summary
- Finnish artisan roastery Kaffa Roastery has introduced a coffee blend developed by artificial intelligence in a trial aimed at easing the workload in the traditionally manual sector.
Tech2 min read - The Verge
Meta’s battle with ChatGPT begins now
informed Summary
- Meta is integrating its AI assistant into the search boxes of Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger, and it will also start appearing in the main Facebook feed. The assistant is now accessible via a standalone website at Meta.ai.
Tech5 min read
