This week marked Google’s major hardware showcase, with an array of announcements from the tech giant’s most anticipated event. The unveiling included Google’s latest Pixel 9 phone series, introducing the premium $1,799 Pixel 9 Fold Pro; sophisticated AI-driven photo editing features; and the debut of Pixel Buds Pro 2, equipped with Gemini AI technology. Additionally, Google introduced Gemini Live, a conversational AI voice assistant poised to rival OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode, despite encountering some glitches during its live demonstration.
Epic Games unveiled its alternative iOS app store within the European Union. The store’s initial lineup features popular games such as Fortnite, Rocket League, Sideswipe, and Fall Guys, collaborating with developers for future Epic Games Store releases. The reintroduction of Fortnite to iOS marks a significant return over four years after Apple’s initial removal, following extensive legal disputes and regulatory shifts prompted by the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
X initiated the beta launch of Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini, boasting enhanced reasoning capabilities. The innovative Grok AI model now supports image generation on X, though currently limited to the platform’s Premium and Premium+ subscribers. Unlike comparable offerings, Grok’s image creation feature lacks restrictions against producing political figure images — a loophole many users are exploiting.
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News
The honor for “most epic fail” was awarded to…: CrowdStrike gracefully accepted the Most Epic Fail award at Def Con’s Pwnie Awards, following a software update mishap that led to a worldwide IT crisis. They took it in stride. Discover more
Waymo expands its driverless robotaxi service to freeways: Waymo is advancing its autonomous robotaxi services to include freeway travel in the San Francisco Bay Area, having received approval to charge for these autonomous freeway journeys from California regulators. Explore further
Celebrating two decades of Google Maps alternatives: OpenStreetMap, a platform powered by a collaborative community, just turned 20. It offers companies and developers a less reliant alternative on proprietary mapping products like Google’s. Learn more
Exploring productivity outside Big Tech: For those aiming to maintain productivity with less reliance on major tech firms, we’ve compiled a list of open-source alternatives to well-known productivity tools such as Calendly, Zoom, and Substack. Dive deeper
The FBI targets Radar: The FBI has successfully seized servers associated with the Radar ransomware and extortion group (also known as Dispossessor), marking a significant victory in the continuous battle against ransomware threats. Read more
Score app discontinuation: Early in August, the dating application tailored for individuals with high credit scores was discontinued, TechCrunch was informed. Initially intended as a temporary service, user engagement led to a six-month operation before its closure. Find out more
Apple confronts Patreon: Apple issued a warning to Patreon regarding its App Store removal if the platform continued using unapproved third-party billing methods or disabling transactions on iOS devices, bypassing Apple’s in-app purchases for subscription services. Discover details
Digital IDs gain support in California: California residents will soon be able to digitally store their driver’s licenses or state IDs on their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet apps, as the state moves toward implementing digital ID support in the forthcoming months. Learn more
Byju’s receives a judicial setback: The Supreme Court of India has temporarily halted a tribunal decision that paused insolvency proceedings against Byju’s, offering a reprieve to U.S. creditors seeking to recuperate $1 billion from the faltering edtech powerhouse. Read further
Monetizing content on Telegram: Telegram introduced new monetization features for content creators, including monthly subscriptions purchasable with the platform’s digital currency, providing access to exclusive content. Explore more
A misstep by Palo Alto Networks: After attracting criticism for a trade show incident involving women wearing lampshades on their heads, Palo Alto Networks’ CEO Nikesh Arora apologized on LinkedIn, stating the incident was not reflective of the company’s values. Read the apology
Analysis
How AI is reshaping art: The capacity of the most advanced AI models for impressive demonstrations is uncontested, but will they truly revolutionize the creation of movies and TV? A discussion at SIGGRAPH delved into how generative AI and analogous technologies could alter present-day media production. Though industry professionals predict immediate benefits for filmmaking, they also foresee a possible transformation of the medium in the foreseeable future. Discover more
A tribute to CrowdTangle: In the wake of Meta ceasing operations of CrowdTangle, a valuable tool in tracing disinformation across Facebook and Instagram, journalists, academics, and political figures express their grievances. Its successor, deemed less capable and less accessible, has led to widespread concern over the decision, particularly with a contentious U.S. election on the horizon, compounded by the challenges of AI and misinformation. Explore further
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