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TikTok has released a new transparency report focused on providing specific information regarding detected influence operations that have been removed from its app. In addition to that, the report explains the company’s updated state-affiliated media policy.

 

This report is different from previous transparency reports that TikTok has put out from time to time in compliance with industry requirements. The current report includes details of 15 influence operations that TikTok claims to have disrupted. You can see case-by-case breakdowns of all detected groups along with the magnitude of their “covert operations” between April 1 - April 30, 2024.

 




The details consist of the number of profiles in and total followers of each group, and a brief description of each group’s intent as identified by TikTok. Elaborating on the collective intent of the detected groups, TikTok says that “a majority of these networks were attempting to influence political discourse among their target audience, including in relation to elections.”

TikTok’s Latest Transparency Report Provides Disclosure on Influence Operations of State-Affiliated Groups



Microsoft is working on bringing ‘Windows Volumetric Apps’ to Meta Quest headsets – in other words, extending Windows apps into 3D space.

 


The company revealed the news at its developer conference, the 2024 Build Event. At Build, Microsoft offers comprehensive sessions for developers as well as professionals that help them build awareness about the company’s tools that support new Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 features. 

 

The new Meta x Windows collaboration implies that, soon, owners of the Meta Quest headsets could view 3D apps and digital objects via their wearable gadgets and physically interact with these apps and objects using their hands.

 

A New Windows and Meta Collab is Bringing Windows Volumetric Apps to Meta Quest Headsets



At Microsoft’s recent Surface Event, the company presented all the Copilot Plus PCs, among which, Samsung’s entries included its Galaxy Book4 Edge laptops - a 14-inch one and two 16-inch ones. With that, Samsung has announced a new limited-time deal that offers a free 50-inch TV with a pre order of one of these laptops.

 


The price of the 14-inch Galaxy Book4 Edge starts at $1,349.99. The device is powered by a 12-core 3.4GHz Snapdragon X Elite processor chip with 4.0GHz Dual Core Boost. It offers 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD. The PC features a 14-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 120Hz 2880 x 1800 and up to 500 nits brightness, along with HDR and VRR, and 120 percent of the P3 gamut. It comes with two USB 4 Type-C ports, HDMI 2.1, and a combo audio jack.

Samsung is Offering a Free 50-Inch TV with Pre Order of its Copilot Plus PC


Sonos is currently all about revealing its “most requested product ever,” that is most likely speculated to be its new wireless headphones called the ‘Sonos Ace.’

 

In the emails and social media promotions, the company does not specify the product, but in the form of a timer, it does mention that it will be launched on the 21st of May. Although the Ace headphones were expected to arrive in June, perhaps the description “most requested” hints at the reason for an early release. Moreover, the headphones recently also made their appearance at authorized dealer Schuurman's sale, which makes it all the more easier to believe that it could indeed be the product that’s being hinted at.

Sonos’ “Most Requested Product,” Speculated to be the New Wireless Headphones, is Ready to be Launched



Meta is bringing a new experience to Threads’ web version with customizable feeds stacked in columns.

 

This new interface is currently in testing, so anyone who’s part of the test will be able to add separate columns for things like their favourite searches, tags, accounts, saved posts, and notifications.

 


This integration may sound very similar to TweetDeck that was originally launched as a third-party app to access Twitter (now X), later acquired by X and some time after, turned into a paid service that is now called ‘X Pro.’

Meta is Testing a New Customizable Feed UI on Threads’ Web Version


SteelSeries’ new gaming headset ‘Arctis Nova 5’ is now available for purchase with a dedicated companion app that provides more than 100 game-specific audio presets for Xbox and PlayStation 5 titles.

 

The Arctis Nova 5 headset is priced at $129.99 – which is just slightly pricier than the Arctic Nova 4 wireless headset that was launched last year at $119.99. in exchange for the price increase, you will be able to change audio presets in real time without having to exit a gaming session, and enjoy cross-platform support for Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC, Meta Quest, as well as phones or tablets that support the headset’s USB-C dongle. Most of the headset’s design remains unchanged as compared to the previous Arctis models.

 

Here is What SteelSeries’ New Headset, the ‘Arctis Nova 5,’ is All about



In its latest event, OpenAI revealed that it is launching a desktop app of ChatGPT, a new and faster model ‘GPT-4o,’ and bringing UI changes to ChatGPT on web.



ChatGPT works a little differently in the desktop app. When you open it on your desktop next to a program, ChatGPT can answer any queries related to whatever is displayed on your screen. To ask questions, you can use the Option + Space keyboard shortcut, as well as take and share screenshots with the app to obtain ChatGPT’s response. Currently, the app’s availability is only limited to ChatGPT Plus users, but it will be expanded to all users with a broader rollout in the coming weeks.

 

OpenAI Announces a New ChatGPT Desktop App for MacOS



For the past couple of years, Microsoft has been considering launching an Xbox mobile gaming store, and the company’s plans are finally turning into reality. Microsoft first hinted at a “next-generation store” back in 2022. It was now revealed at the Bloomberg Technology Summit today that the Xbox mobile gaming store is set to be launched in July of this year.

 

Microsoft’s main intent behind creating the Xbox mobile store was to provide a combined gaming and store experience that is independent of a single ecosystem. The company argues that no other gaming platform and store experience has yet been able to achieve that.

 

Speaking about the launch, Xbox president Sarah Bond mentioned that Microsoft is going to begin by bringing its own first-party portfolio to the Xbox mobile store. To offer a more accessible experience beyond the policies of “closed ecosystem stores”, Bond added, the company will begin by offering the experience on web.

 

Microsoft is Launching an Xbox Mobile Gaming Store in July



Motorola has redesigned its Moto G Stylus 5G phone and upgraded it with wireless charging, bigger screen, a better-working stylus and more.

 

The phone is priced at $399 and features a 6.7 inch screen and a1080p panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate. Its 5000mAh battery is compatible with 30W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.

 

The upgraded Stylus 5G is powered by the same Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset as in last year’s model, with the exception of more RAM space which has gone up to 8GB from 6GB.

Motorola’s 2024 Moto G Stylus 5G Phone Looks and Works Better than the Previous Model



The Biden Administration is looking into funding opportunities with the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act, for companies involved in the research and manufacturing of semiconductors and digital twins. 

 

The digital twin technology is a relatively new research initiative that simulates physical chips that mimic the real version, creating a visual representation of how a chip is likely to react to a boost in power or a different data configuration. The technology helps researchers test out new processors before starting their manufacturing process. 

 

The Biden administration thus wants to fund companies across the US working on digital twins for semiconductors. Emphasizing on the importance of the technology in a press release, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo added that the country needs to invest in the understanding of ability of digital twins and semiconductors.

US Government Expresses Interest in Funding Semiconductor Companies across the Country



Instagram has introduced a bunch of new interactive Story stickers. One of them is called ‘Reveal,’ and it is intelligently created to boost DM conversations, which Instagram has lately been focusing more on.



The Reveal sticker blurs the content of the Story which can be viewed only if the viewer DMs the user. This is really going to help creator accounts that can rely on the feature to boost their DM inflow.

 

Check Out Instagram’s Latest Interactive Stickers for Stories



Microsoft is officially rolling out Passkeys to users of Windows, Android, and iOS. The functionality, a replacement of traditional password, was first launched by Microsoft for Windows last year.

 

Passkeys have been readily adopted by companies like Apple, Google, and others with the purpose of making it easy to sign into Gmail, iCloud, and other services. With Microsoft’s Passkeys, you can sign into a Microsoft account on an app or website, without having to type out a password.

 

To sign in with a Microsoft Passkey using a device, you can choose your personal authentication method like your face, fingerprint, PIN, or a security key. When you create your Passkey, two different keys are generated: one that is stored by the Microsoft website / app, and another being a private key that is stored on your device used for the authentication.

Microsoft is Bringing Passkeys to All Consumer Accounts



Getting into the gaming business is a strategy digital content platforms tend to adopt for two reasons: one, as a way of keeping old users engaged with the platform and attracting new users; and two, for increasing revenue. LinkedIn has recently become one of these platforms too, with the launch of its own puzzle games.

 

The games are: ‘Pinpoint,’ ‘Crossclimb,’ and ‘Queens,’ and they are all available on LinkedIn on desktop as well as mobile. Each of these games can be played once in a day. They also show metrics like high score, daily streak, leaderboards, and people you know that have played them.

 

LinkedIn is Bringing Some Fun to its Platform with the Addition of Three Puzzle Games



Bumble has revamped its app, leading to a new feature called ‘Opening Move,’ newly added ‘dating intention’ badges, and more.

 

Opening Move is specifically meant to give women a kickstart to their conversations with their matches. The feature provides a list of prewritten prompts that you can choose from and even add your own prompts to, that the app will send to all your matches in a new conversation. Some of these prompts are questions like ‘Who’s your dream dinner party guest (real or fictional)?’ and ‘What do you like about my profile?’ If and when the match responds, you can decide whether or not you want to continue the conversation. In case no move is made, the conversation will expire after 24 hours.

 


Bumble’s Redesigned App has an ‘Opening Move’ Feature that Sends Prewritten Prompts to Matches



ChatGPT has been updated with a new ‘Memory’ feature exclusively for ChatGPT Plus subscribers, that can permanently store details about users, such as their personal information, queries, prompts, and other customizations. The feature was first rolled out to a limited number of people in February of 2024.

 

The Memory feature functions in two ways: one by being asked by the user to remember specific information, and the other by self-learning from conversations, which is akin to how algorithmic systems work in apps. Once ChatGPT saves the information, it can make conversations with users more customizable without needing any reminders.

ChatGPT’s Latest Feature Remembers Users’ Information to Make Conversations More Personalized



Google is testing a new AI bot that makes conversations with people using their speech as input. The model was developed for the purpose of helping people practise a new language.

 

Google rolled out this conversational AI bot back in October of last year, but it was underdeveloped at the time as its capability was limited to providing feedback on spoken sentences. In the latest updated version, the bot can now help users practice having ongoing conversations in the language they are learning; although it currently only supports conversations in English.

Google Brings Out its Conversational AI Bot in Search Labs



Drawing tablet manufacturing company Wacom has recently announced its first OLED drawing tablet “Movink 13.” Walcom claims Movink is its thinnest and lightest portable display drawing tablet yet.

 

Movink is available for purchase on Wacom’s website, priced at $750. It comes with a full HD 13.3-inch Samsung OLED display. As compared to Wacom’s LED-based offerings, the OLED is more advantageous due to the absence of a backlight, which results in lack of light leakage and excess heat. The OLED display also adds to a more compact form of the tablet.

 

When it comes to Movink’s weight, it is only 420 grams, which makes it 55% lighter than the Wacom One 13 touch, which is a similar size; and even lighter than Apple’s existing iPad Pro model that is almost the same thickness. Movink’s thickness ranges between 4–6.6mm, which is 66% thinner than the Wacom One 13 touch.

 


The tablet’s cable system is simple: a single USB-C to USB-C cable that works for power as well as connectivity. It is also equipped with an additional USB-C port, in case further power is required. Movink 13 features two customizable built-in buttons, each on either side of the device, for functions like toggling touch on and off.  

Wacom’s First Ever OLED-Based Drawing Tablet is Out Now for $750



New rules established by the Department of Transportation (DOT) assert that airlines will soon need to instantly refund passengers upon flight cancelations, delays, or making significant changes; regardless of the reasons.

 

The refund, DOT states, will be required to be done in the form of cash or the original form of payment, and not vouchers. Passengers could also be offered alternatives such as travel credit, other transportation options, or another flight offered by the airline.

 

DOT highlights “significant changes” as some specific situations, in which cases passengers will be expected to be refunded. These scenarios can be, for instance, changes in the flight’s arrival or departure time by three or more hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights, or a change in the departure or arrival airport.

DOT Announces New Refund Policies for Airlines that Ensure Full Refund for Cancelled and Delayed Flights



Meta’s RayBan smart glasses are getting new updates including support for video calling and Apple Music, a new cat-eye frame style, and an official beta roll out of the multimodal AI assistant.

 


In addition to these, there are some new minor updates for the existing Wayfarer and Headliner models. Besides both the models getting new colors, the Headliner will also have a new low-bridge fit for people who struggle with their glasses slipping down their face.

Meta is Bringing Video Call Support and Other Features to its RayBan Smart Glasses



As its latest major move in the world of AI, tech giant Meta has added its AI chatbot on all of its platforms: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger (minus Threads). The chatbot is available on each of these apps as a dedicated search bar.

 

Meta’s AI chatbot is powered by the company’s Llama 3 model – Meta’s most powerful AI model yet (even better than ChatGPT), and which it claims to be “the most intelligent AI assistant” that can be used for free. This should automatically make Meta’s integrated AI chatbot one of the best AI assistants out there too.

 

Meta’s Advanced AI Assistant Makes its Way to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger

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