Tech Bites

Microsoft and Google are eager to advance their efforts in generative artificial intelligence (AI), but they face potential resistance from shareholders due to the escalating costs associated with this pursuit. Despite strong quarterly results, both companies warned of substantial investments in data centres and servers throughout the year to develop cutting-edge AI products, dampening investor optimism about financial gains from generative AI. Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI, involving a commitment of up to $13 billion, propelled it into the forefront of the generative AI race, boosting its share price by over 60 per cent in the past year and surpassing Apple as the world’s largest company. However, investors remain cautious as Microsoft and Google project higher capital expenditures in 2024 for technological infrastructure supporting generative AI. In the final quarter of 2023, Microsoft reported a 20 per cent rise in cloud revenues to $25.9 billion, exceeding analysts’ expec...

During a US Senate hearing, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg issued an apology to families concerning the impact of social media on children. Senators grilled leaders of major social media companies, emphasizing the urgent need for legislation and accusing the companies of having “blood on their hands” for neglecting child protection from increasing threats on their platforms. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham accused Zuckerberg and other companies of having a product “that’s killing people.” “Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands,” said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, referring to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “You have a product that’s killing people.” Zuckerberg testified along with X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and Discord CEO Jason Citron. Senator Dick Durbin, the Judiciary Committee’s Democratic chairman, cited statistics from the National Center for Missing and Expl...

Apple has come out strongly opposing the UK government’s proposed amendments to the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) 2016, which would require pre-approval for new security features introduced by tech firms. The amendments suggest that if the UK Home Office rejects an update, it cannot be released globally, and the public would not be informed. The government aims to update the IPA to balance technological innovation with national security. According to the proposed changes, decisions about lawful access, aimed at protecting the country from threats like child exploitation and terrorism, would be made by democratically accountable entities and approved by Parliament. However, Apple considers this an “unprecedented overreach,” expressing deep concern that the amendments could jeopardize users’ privacy and security. The tech giant argues that if enacted, the UK government could secretly veto new user protections globally, preventing Apple from offering them to customers. Apple had pre...

Neuralink, the brain-machine interface startup founded by Elon Musk, has successfully implanted a brain chip in its first human patient, according to a recent announcement by Musk on the social media platform X. Musk reported that the patient is recovering well, and the initial outcomes of the procedure show promise. The innovative brain implant developed by Neuralink is designed to empower individuals with traumatic injuries to operate computers through their thoughts. In May last year the company secured approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to commence its initial human trials, targeting individuals with quadriplegia resulting from cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Elon Musk revealed that Neuralink’s inaugural product, named “Telepathy,” aims to facilitate control over phones, computers, and a wide range of devices simply by thinking. The initial users of this technology are envisioned to be individuals who have lost the use of...

Searches for Taylor Swift on Elon Musk’s X platform have been temporarily blocked after sexually explicit deepfake images of the pop star surfaced and spread widely across the platform. The incident sheds light on the ongoing challenges social media platforms face in addressing deepfakes—realistic images and audio generated using artificial intelligence, often utilized to depict public figures in compromising situations without their consent. Attempts to search for terms such as “Taylor Swift” or “Taylor AI” on X resulted in an error message over the weekend. This measure aims to restrict access to AI-generated explicit content involving the renowned singer. Joe Benarroch, Head of Business Operations at X, stated that this action is temporary and taken with an abundance of caution to prioritize safety. Notably, Elon Musk acquired X for $44 billion in October 2022, and since then, he has reportedly reduced resources dedicated to content moderation, citing a commitment to free speech ...

Krutrim, an artificial intelligence startup founded by serial entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal, cofounder of Ola Electric, has achieved unicorn status, securing a remarkable $50 million in funding, with Matrix Partners India among the investors. Notably, this accomplishment comes just a month after the introduction of a significant language model by the company. Krutrim, translating to “artificial” in Sanskrit, proudly claims the title of the first Indian AI startup to reach a billion-dollar valuation. In a blog post, the company revealed its plans to expand beyond language models, venturing into the development of data centres. The long-term vision includes the creation of servers and supercomputers dedicated to serving the evolving needs of the AI ecosystem. The race to build large language models in Indian languages, known as Indic LLMs, has intensified among various Indian startups and academic groups. This surge in activity follows the unveiling of OpenAI’s ChatGPT over a year ago...

In a pioneering move, ViewSonic has introduced the world’s first line of projectors specifically crafted for Xbox enthusiasts. The X1-4K and the short throw X2-4K LED projectors promise an unparalleled gaming experience, supporting 1440p at 120Hz. With an emphasis on delivering detailed and immersive visuals, these projectors cater to gamers seeking top-notch performance. The X1-4K and X2-4K LED projectors showcase 4K UHD visuals on a colossal 100-inch screen, ensuring a cinematic gaming atmosphere. Boasting theatre-level sound, courtesy of Harman Kardon speakers, these projectors aim to redefine gaming audio-visuals. ViewSonic asserts that these projectors are meticulously designed to elevate gaming to new heights of excitement and realism. Featuring cutting-edge technology, gamers can now immerse themselves in high-quality visuals with faster refresh rates and enhanced clarity. Key Specifications The X1-4K and X2-4K LED projectors are tailored to enhance the Xbox gaming experienc...

Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, has expressed concerns about the potential of being removed from his position at the company due to his relatively small stake of approximately 12 per cent. During an earnings call, Musk mentioned the influence of shareholder advisory firms like Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services, jokingly referring to them as “ISIS” due to their unconventional ideas. Musk highlighted the possibility of increasing his stake to at least 25 per cent by exploring options such as creating a dual class of shares, similar to Meta Platforms. This revelation follows Musk’s recent appeal to Tesla’s board for a significant stock award and his sale of nearly $40 billion in Tesla stock to cover taxes and fund his acquisition of the social media platform Twitter, renamed X. During the earnings call, Musk shifted the discussion toward Tesla’s potential in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, expressing his commitment to these fields. He stated that without a minimum ...

The stock value of Tesla saw a significant dip of just over 12% on Thursday following remarks by CEO Elon Musk highlighting the challenges posed by Chinese electric-car manufacturers, whom he referred to as “the most competitive car companies in the world.” During Tesla’s earnings call on Wednesday, Musk praised Chinese carmakers such as BYD, Geely, and SAIC, emphasizing their excellence and warning that, without trade barriers, they could potentially outshine most other global car companies. Musk’s remarks contributed to a substantial decrease in Tesla’s market capitalization, which plummeted by $82 billion on Thursday. In addition to Musk’s comments on the Chinese market, lower sales projections for 2024 and uncertainty regarding potential interest rate adjustments by the Federal Reserve further impacted Tesla’s market value. The stock traded around $182 on Thursday afternoon, marking a 27% decline year-to-date. Earlier this month, Tesla lost its position as the world’s largest ...

India has awarded its third highest civilian honour, the Padma Chushan to Taiwan’s Liu Young-way, the Chief Executive Officer of Foxconn, in a move that will send a very strong message to the Communist Party of China. The 66-year-old Liu is set to receive the accolade in a ceremony later this year, with the presentation to be made by the President of India. The announcement of the 132 recipients across various Padma categories was made on the eve of India’s Republic Day. This recognition comes amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to attract foreign investments and position India as the next manufacturing hub in Asia. It aligns with the broader context of global initiatives to shift supply chains away from China, led by the United States and its allies. Liu Young-way had previously visited New Delhi and held discussions with Prime Minister Modi in March. Foxconn, in a statement, expressed its commitment to building an ecosystem in India, fostering collaboration and growth amon...

Microsoft has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing a market capitalisation of $3 trillion, joining its longtime rival Apple as only the second company in history to reach this valuation. The news, announced on Tuesday, follows closely on the heels of Microsoft briefly overtaking Apple as the world’s most valuable company just two weeks ago. The decades-long competition between Microsoft and Apple has seen them jockeying for the top spot in corporate America. Microsoft’s recent surge, led by CEO Satya Nadella, reflects a remarkable turnaround for the tech giant. In fact, since taking over as CEO, Nadella, has overseen Microsoft’s stock go up by 1006 per cent In the early 2000s, Microsoft faced challenges as Apple gained prominence with successful products like the iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. However, under Nadella’s leadership since 2014, Microsoft has experienced a resurgence, reclaiming its position at the forefront of the industry. Nadella’s strategic initiatives, i...

Tesla’s aggressive strategy of slashing prices to boost sales, coupled with the expenses associated with bringing the Cybertruck into production and other research and development (R&D) costs, has reportedly strained profits in the fourth quarter, according to the latest earnings report released on Wednesday. Despite achieving a remarkable milestone by delivering a record 1.8 million electric vehicles (EVs) in 2023, Tesla’s financial growth did not mirror its sales success. The widening gap in profits can be attributed to the company’s deliberate price cuts aimed at stimulating sales and increased expenditures related to upcoming products. In the Q4 and annual earnings release, Tesla issued a cautionary note, stating that it is currently “between two major growth waves.” While the Model Y and Model 3 have contributed significantly to the company’s success in recent years, Tesla anticipates a potentially lower growth in vehicle sales in 2024 as it gears up to launch a new vehicle ...

A team of Japanese scientists has achieved a remarkable breakthrough by capturing real-time footage that showcases plants communicating with each other. The discovery, reported by Science Alert, reveals that plants release a fine mist of airborne compounds, similar to smells, to warn nearby plants of potential dangers. The video, recorded by molecular biologist Masatsugu Toyota and his team from Saitama University, demonstrates how plants both receive and respond to these aerial alarms. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. The research team, including PhD student Yuri Aratani and postdoctoral researcher Takuya Uemura, observed how undamaged plants responded to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by neighbouring plants under threat, such as those damaged by insects. If #plants could talk, they’d do so thru chemical signals about predators (aphids, caterpillars, gardeners with shears/pesticides…). Plants CAN talk (which we’ve known), but molecular...

Pros: – M3’s powerful punch handles popular games at high settings. – Unbelievable battery life for uninterrupted gaming sessions. – Cloud gaming and emulation expand game library possibilities. – Thin and light design, perfect for the mobile gamer. Cons: – Still not quite a dedicated gaming laptop in terms of raw power. – Limited native MacOS game library. – Emulation performance can vary depending on the game. For years, MacBooks have been ostracized from the hardcore gaming scene. Underpowered graphics cards, limited compatibility, and a notorious lack of developer love conspired to keep Apple’s laptops firmly in the productivity camp. However, with the arrival of the Apple M3 MacBook Pro, equipped with the revolutionary M3 chip boasting an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, Apple throws down the gauntlet. Can this seemingly sleek machine finally crack the gaming fortress? We spent weeks battling goblins, racing through neon landscapes, and conquering strategy empires to find o...

Even though it has been just days since we started to put the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra through its paces, Samsung’s newest flagship has already impressed us. While of course, it comes with some of the best specs and hardware that money can buy, this year around, its all about the ton of new AI features that Samsung is launching as part of its Galaxy AI. Contrary to most other tech manufacturing companies who are jumping on the AI bandwagon to cash in on the latest tech buzzword, Galaxy AI brings a ton of noteworthy changes and features to the table. Samsung says that their new AI features mean that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a new way to think about a smartphone, and what a device as personal as the smartphone can do. For once, this may not be mere marketing fluff, but have some truth to it. We’ve had the chance to spend some time on the phone, and here are our first thoughts and impressions. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra First Impressions: The design Even though the design ...

In a surprising turn of events, MrBeast, the renowned YouTuber, has disclosed that he raked in over $250,000 (£197,000) by posting a video on X, formerly known as Twitter. This revelation comes after MrBeast had previously dismissed the idea of posting on the platform due to perceived low advertising revenue for creators. The video in question, an old upload, garnered an impressive 155 million views, sparking interest in the social media platform’s potential amidst its business challenges. Elon Musk, the owner of X, has been grappling with strategies to boost user engagement since acquiring the platform in October 2022, including revenue-sharing initiatives with high-profile creators. MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, had initially expressed scepticism, stating that even a “billion views” wouldn’t justify posting videos on X. However, a recent video led him to test the waters, resulting in a substantial windfall from the unexpected success of the video. Addressing his fol...

Pros – Excellent build quality, sleek and stylish design – LTE option, expandable storage up to 1 TB – Large and sharp display with 90 Hz refresh rate – Pleasant sound output with Dolby Atmos – Good battery backup, decently fast charging – Oxygen OS for Pad is well thought out Cons – Could have opted for a 5G compliant SoC – Not suitable for gaming – Below-par camera output – Does not support OnePlus keyboard and stylus Rating: 3.75/5 Price: Rs 19,999 to Rs 23,999 In 2023, OnePlus made highly successful forays into two categories – tablets and convertible tablets (commonly known as foldable phones). We won’t talk about the OnePlus Open in this article but the OnePlus Pad was a fantastic product with a powerful processor, excellent display and provision for add-ons like the magnetic keyboard and Stylo (stylus) that accentuated its utility value beyond content consumption and entertainment. Image Credit: Firstpost | Ameya Dalvi While not overpriced, it wasn’t exactly ...

Apple has settled a Russian fine of 1.2 billion roubles ($13.65 million), according to Russia’s FAS antitrust agency. The fine was imposed due to allegations of Apple abusing its dominant market position in relation to in-app payments, as per a report by Reuters. Apple had previously expressed a “respectful disagreement” with the FAS ruling, contending that the distribution of apps through its iOS operating system did not unfairly favour its products. Russia’s anti-monopoly watchdog, FAS, announced on Monday that it received the payment following a November ruling. The ruling found Apple guilty of preventing app developers from informing customers that they could make purchases outside of the App Store. The payment will contribute directly to the Russian budget, supporting the government’s financial needs amid increased defense spending related to the conflict in Ukraine. This dispute between Apple and Russia’s competition regulator predates the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022...

In a noteworthy development, two scientists working on major projects at Google DeepMind, the artificial intelligence division of Alphabet, are reportedly in discussions with investors to setup a new AI startup in Paris, as reported by Bloomberg. Sources familiar with the matter told Bloombrg that Laurent Sifre and Karl Tuyls, both scientists at DeepMind, have engaged in discussions with potential investors to secure funding that could surpass EUR 200 million, a substantial amount even in the thriving field of AI. While the venture is currently known as Holistic, the scientists have not officially commented on the matter despite multiple requests. A DeepMind representative has declined to provide any insights into the potential startup plans. Notably, Sifre and Tuyls, who are regarded as leaders in their field, have reportedly given notice to leave DeepMind. Laurent Sifre gained recognition as a co-author of the groundbreaking 2016 DeepMind research on Go, where a computer system s...

Pros: – Good sound output after EQ tweaks – Excellent ANC for the segment – Sound and controls can be customised through app – Lightweight, comfortable in-ear fit – Wear detection, IPX5 splash resistance – Good battery backup, fast charging – Decent call quality Cons: – Default sound and presets are below par – Average Transparency mode – No dual-pairing support – Battery backup with ANC on needs improvement Price: Rs 3,699 Rating: 3.8/5 The Realme Buds Air series of TWS earphones has consistently earned our recommendations over the years. The Buds Air 2 and Buds Air 3 in particular impressed us with their features and performance. While the sound quality has been good for both, the former offered functional active noise cancellation (ANC) at close to Rs 3,000 back then, while the latter bragged of the best ANC in the sub-5K segment, which was hard to surpass till a few months ago. Image Credit: Firstpost | Ameya Dalvi So what changed a few months back? Well, Realm...