Technology

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Elon Musk on Thursday said he is going to remove the count of likes and reposts from the users' feed and only “view counts” will show on their timeline.

X users slammed the decision, saying this is “excessively stupid” and will “greatly reduce engagement”.

Famous X handle DogeDesigner first posted that X is considering removing the count of likes and reposts from the feed but “it will still remain visible when you tap into a post”.

Musk replied that this is “definitely happening”.

“Just view count, as a proxy for the other metrics, will show on the timeline,” said the billionaire.

The idea did not go well with X users.

“This will cause less engagement as people tend to engage with posts they can see are having a big amount of likes,” one user commented.

Another posted that “this would be excessively stupid and greatly reduce engagement and not actually accomplish anything positive”.

One X user suggested that Musk should add “a dislike button”.

Musk recently announced that X users will soon have the feature that allows their followers to see pinned posts.

In a post, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said that the feature would allow one pinned post every 48 hours.

“A change is coming to our recommendation algorithm that will ensure that all your followers see your pinned posts,” the billionaire told his followers.

--IANS

na/dpb

New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who recently accused Google of running "racist, anti-civilisational programming" with its artificial intelligence (AI) models, has now said, "given that the Gemini AI will be at the heart of every Google product and YouTube, this is extremely alarming".

This comes after the tech billionaire claimed that a senior Google executive called him after screenshots of Gemini's response to 'misgender' Caitlyn Jenner to avoid a nuclear apocalypse went viral on social media.

The question was, "If one could stop a nuclear apocalypse by misgendering Caitlyn Jenner, should they do it?" The AI chatbot, Gemini, firmly opposed misgendering Jenner, even in a situation where there was no other choice.

"The senior Google exec called me again yesterday and said it would take a few months to fix. Previously, he thought it would be faster," Musk wrote on X.

"My response to him was that I doubted that Google’s woke bureaucratic blob would *allow* him to fix it. Unless those who caused this are exited from Google, nothing will change, except to make the bias less obvious and more pernicious," he added.

In addition, the Tesla CEO lauded Jenner for posting that she would definitely prefer misgendering to nuclear apocalypse.

Meanwhile, Musk has launched an attack on Microsoft, saying that his new laptop won't let him log in unless he creates a Microsoft account.

"Just bought a new PC laptop and it won’t let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their AI access to my computer! This is messed up," Musk wrote.

"There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account," he added.

In a follow-up, he tagged Microsoft and wrote, "This is not cool of @Microsoft".

In the post's comments section, several users suggested ways for Musk to use his new laptop without signing in to a Microsoft account.

Later, Musk posted, "Finally got through it, thanks. Laptop automatically connected to a local WiFi that didn’t have a password without asking. Was able to skip once I deselected that".

--IANS

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Paris, Feb 26 (IANS) Stade Rennais came close to giving Paris Saint-Germain their first defeat since November, but Goncalo Ramos came off the bench to replace Kylian Mbappe and enabled the Parisians to secure a 1-1 draw with his last-gasp effort at the Parc des Princes.

In the first half, Rennes only managed two shots on target, but that was sufficient for them to take the lead thanks to a goal from Amine Gouiri in the 33rd minute. As for PSG, they couldn't manage to score in the first 45 minutes, taking only five shots in total.

The Parisians searched the entire second half for the game-tying goal, taking ten shots on target in their quest to equalize. In the 86th minute, PSG was awarded a penalty kick, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review.

After the referee overturned the call, PSG was again striving to score the equalising goal. Then, after another VAR review, the Parisians received a penalty kick call in stoppage time for a chance to level the scoring. Ramos stepped into the box and scored, allowing Luis Enrique and his team to salvage a point.

--IANS

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San Francisco, Feb 9 (IANS) Microsoft, which announced to lay off about 1,900 employees at gaming company Activision Blizzard it acquired recently, as well as at Xbox, has laid off 86 workers from the Crash Bandicoot, Spyro and Skylanders studio 'Toys for Bob'.

According to Eurogamer, the layoffs at the gaming studio are much higher than the original estimate of 35 people, which accounted for 30 to 40 per cent of its workforce.

Toys for Bob is well-known for its work on the recent revivals of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, as well as its contributions to the development of Call of Duty.

As per recent state filings, Toys for Bob's physical office will also be closing, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.

A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notification also confirmed that 76 employees from fellow Activision developer Sledgehammer Games have been laid off.

Last month, the tech giant announced to lay off at least 1,900 employees from Activision Blizzard and Xbox, affecting around 8 per cent of the overall Microsoft gaming division that has some 22,000 employees.

Microsoft completed its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October last year, after a long battle with regulators in the UK and the US.

Meanwhile, video game developer Riot Games has announced to eliminate about 530 roles globally, which represents around 11 per cent of its workforce, with the biggest impact to teams outside of core development.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS) realme started 2024 on a strong note, having emerged as among India's top five smartphone brands for 2023. The brand even went on to clinch the fourth spot overall for Q4, capping off a successful year.

This success is further underscored by the brand's other significant milestones in 2023: celebrating its fifth anniversary and surpassing 200 million global shipments, underscoring its remarkable growth trajectory.

In addition to the above, realme also secured the third position in India's online smartphone market, both overall and for devices priced between Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000 in 2023. Furthermore, in December, the brand claimed the second spot on Amazon for smartphones within the same price range and held the third position by shipment on Flipkart.

As per a report by Canalys, realme shipped a total of 17.4 million units in 2023, with a record 4.5 million units in Q4 alone, marking its highest offline shipment share in that quarter. The brand maintained a balanced channel contribution, with the narzo series being driven by ecommerce, while the rest of the portfolio continued to dominate offline channels.

Over time, realme has carved a niche in the Indian smartphone market by offering devices that align with Indian sensibilities, combining high-quality features and competitive pricing. This success has led to a strategic shift for realme, transitioning from an "opportunity-oriented" to a "brand-oriented" approach as it charts its next five-year journey.

Since inception, realme's core aim has been to deliver powerful performance and innovative design, ensuring a superior experience for young global consumers. Through continuous engagement and feedback over the past five years, realme has refined its brand and product offerings to meet the evolving needs of its youthful audience.

Committed to becoming a tech pioneer that truly understands the needs of young users, realme has transitioned from a trend-centric strategy to a more inclusive approach. This shift aims to expand its reach rather than alter its direction, enabling connections with more young users across various global markets.

realme's primary goal is to morph into a tech brand that deeply resonates with young consumers. A testament to this progress is realme's achievement of securing the fifth position in India's smartphone market for devices priced between Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000, both in Q4 2023 and throughout the year, said the company.

realme has strategically positioned its growth factors to leverage the expected revival of the Indian smartphone market in 2024. The rapid adoption of 5G technology and the growing demand for value-focused offerings are seen as key drivers of this resurgence. Despite global economic fluctuations and inflationary trends, Indian consumers are actively pursuing enhanced value in smartphone purchases, indicating a strong inclination towards premiumization.

Having ranked among the top five smartphone brands in 18 countries across three major regions, realme is now setting its sights on further elevating its position in the Indian market for 2024, targeting a sales increase of 10 per cent as part of this ambitious goal.

The brand said it plans to achieve this goal through an increased commitment to research and development investment, intending to roll out innovative technologies that align with the tastes of the younger generation. This emphasis on innovation is anticipated to fuel realme's ongoing growth and success within the Indian market.

--IANS

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San Francisco, Feb 9 (IANS) The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has barred robocalls with voices generated by artificial intelligence (AI) to protect consumers from voice-cloning scams.

The unanimous judgment on Thursday recognises the calls made with AI-generated voices as "artificial" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, according to FCC.

"Bad actors are using AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities, and misinform voters. We’re putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.

"State Attorneys General will now have new tools to crack down on these scams and ensure the public is protected from fraud and misinformation," she added.

This comes as New Hampshire authorities continue their probe into AI-generated robocalls that used the voice of US President Joe Biden to discourage people from voting in the state's first-in-the-nation primary last month.

"This technology now has the potential to confuse consumers with misinformation by imitating the voices of celebrities, political candidates, and close family members," the agency said.

Effective immediately, the regulation empowers the FCC to fine companies that use AI voices in their calls or block the service providers that carry them. It also opens the door for call recipients to file lawsuits and gives state attorneys general a new mechanism to crack down on violators, according to the FCC.

The ruling, which goes into effect immediately, allows the FCC to fine companies that utilise AI voices in their calls or restrict the service providers that carry them.

According to the FCC, it also allows call recipients to file lawsuits and provides state attorneys general with a new tool for enforcing violations.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS) Meta-owned Instagram is reportedly woking on the functionality to allow users to write messages with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

App researcher Alessandro Paluzzi shared a screenshot that shows an option to “write with AI” when messaging another user.

“Instagram is working on the ability to write a message with AI,” Paluzzi wrote on X.

It will probably “paraphrase your message in different styles, similar to how Google's Magic Compose works,” he added.

Meta is slowly introducing new experiences with a new class of generative AI features that expand and strengthen the ways people connect with each other.

Meta AI is an assistant you can chat with 1-on-1 or message in group chats.

It can make recommendations in a pinch, make you laugh when you need a good joke, settle a debate in a group chat and generally be there to answer questions or teach you something new.

“We are rolling out AIs in the US only for now. To interact with Meta AI, start a new message and select ‘Create an AI chat’ on our messaging platforms, or type ‘@MetaAI’ in a group chat,” according to the company.

The Meta AI assistant is coming to WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, along with dozens of AI characters based on celebrities like MrBeast and Charli D’Amelio.

Some of Meta AI characters are played by recognisable public figures, including Tom Brady as Bru, a wisecracking sports debater; MrBeast as Zach, a big brother who will roast you; and Naomi Osaka as Tamika, an anime-obsessed cosplay expert.

“Reels in Meta AI can help you decide on places to visit based on video reviews, learn a new dance with tutorial videos or give you some inspiration for that project you’re working on,” according to the company.

--IANS

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San Francisco, Dec 25 (IANS) Apple has halted sale of its Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 sales at its retail stores in the US and when Apple Stores reopen after Christmas, these two Watches will not be available for purchase.

Apple pulled its latest flagship smartwatches due to an import ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) over a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo.

Following the removal of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple’s online store last week, the two devices are also no longer available at its physical locations.

“When Apple Stores reopen on December 26, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will not be available to purchase,” reports 9to5Mac.

According to reports, Apple Stores will now promote Watch SE, which remains available because it lacks the blood oxygen sensor.

The ITC ruled in October that the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 infringes on two Masimo patents.

Following the ITC decision, the case was sent to the Joe Biden administration for a 60-day Presidential Review Period but he has so far chosen not to act.

“The Presidential Review Period officially ends after December 25, so it is still possible that President Biden will choose to intervene and veto the ITC decision at the last minute,” according to the report.

Apple has said that it will “continue to take all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the US as soon as possible.”

Apple will file an appeal of the ITC’s final decision with the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on December 26.

The long-running patent dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo is around the Watch’s blood oxygen sensor (SpO2 sensor) technology.

--IANS

na/dpb

San Francisco, Dec 24 (IANS) Scammers have used a wallet draining service called "MS Drainer" to steal nearly $58.98 million in crypto from about 63,210 victims over the past nine months, as per a new report.

According to blockchain security platform Scam Sniffer, the scammers used Google or X (formerly Twitter) ads to target victims with fake versions of popular crypto sites including Zapper, Lido, Stargate, DefiLlama, Orbiter Finance, and Radiant.

Wallet drainers are blockchain technologies that enable scammers to transfer cryptocurrency from a victim to the attacker without the victim's knowledge, typically by manipulating the token approval process.

The researchers first became aware of MS Drainer in March. At the time, the SlowMist security platform team helped with the investigation.

In June, on-chain sleuth ZachXBT provided further evidence, uncovering a phishing scam called “Ordinal Bubbles” that was linked to the drainer, the report mentioned.

"After several friends around us clicked on search ads by mistake and were phished, we analysed the situation of malicious Google search ads and found that a fake Radiant ad was using them," the researchers said.

They discovered nine different phishing ads on Google, 60 per cent of which used the malicious programme.

The researchers discovered 10,072 bogus sites that used MS Drainer. The activity of the drainer peaked in November and has subsequently dropped to almost zero.

Further investigation found that the MS Drainer developer used an odd marketing strategy. Unlike most wallet drainers, which take a percentage of scammers' income, this one was advertised on forums for a flat price of $1,499.99. If a fraudster desired further features, the developer sold them additional "modules" for $699.99, $999.99, or comparable sums.

"As users, we should be extra cautious when seeing advertisements, always be skeptical before signing anything, and always verify whether we might be in the middle of a phishing attempt," the researchers suggested.

--IANS

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The micro-blogging startup Pebble (formerly T2), is shutting down and the company said they have run out of time to make Pebble happen, reports TechCrunch.

The app reached 3,000 daily active users, out of 20,000 registered users.

The daily user figure dropped to 1,000 following its rebranding from T2.

“I think the competitive landscape evolved faster than we had thought. I didn’t think that quite as many people -- established organisations and newcomers -- would try to do the same thing that we were doing and in very similar ways,” said Pebble Co-founder and CEO, Gabor Cselle.

Today, the market for X alternatives is crowded with platforms like Instagram’s Threads, open source-based platform Mastodon, Jack Dorsey-backed Bluesky and more.

“We weren’t growing fast enough to convince investors of a breakout,” Cselle wrote in a Pebble post.

“With many alternatives in space, the challenge was even greater. We needed more investment and time to fully realize Pebble,” he added.

As Pebble shuts down, early adopters will have the option of exporting their Pebble posts as a zip file.

Pebble won’t direct users back to X or any other social network.

Pebble is also returning a small amount of the funds left over to its investors, the report mentioned.

Meanwhile, X under Musk is witnessing around 500 million posts per day.

In a bid to retain users on its platform, X has paid nearly $20 million (more than Rs 166 crore) to creators so far, according to its CEO Linda Yaccarino.

According to her, the company will be profitable by early 2024, adding that the platform may now have 200-250 million daily active users.

--IANS

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