Technology

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Enterprise software major Salesforce on Thursday rolled out 'Slack AI', which uses a company's conversational data to help users work faster and smarter -- to all paid customers with expanded language support.

Slack AI is now available in English, Spanish, and Japanese, with additional language support coming soon. It is priced at $10 per user per month for Slack Pro and Business+ plans, according to the company.

"From large enterprises to small businesses, customers use Slack AI to prioritise exactly what they need to know, when they need to know it," the company said.

Slack AI now also includes a new 'recap' feature that delivers a daily morning digest containing summaries of channels a user wants to follow but can't always make immediate time for.

In other features, it includes a 'search answers' feature that delivers personalised, intelligent responses to conversational questions and a 'conversation summaries' feature that generates highlights from accessible channels and threads.

In addition, the company said that the in-development Slack AI's search and summarisation capabilities will tap into new data sources, including files, Slack apps, canvases, and clips -- in order to enhance the breadth and depth of context that Slack AI can access.

--IANS

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San Francisco, March 16 (IANS) Elon Musk on Saturday said that the huge starship Starship rocket, that aims to help land astronauts on the Moon in 2026, will be on Mars within five years.

Musk's aerospace company SpaceX this week successfully launched the third test flight of its 400-foot-tall Starship rocket, along with the Heavy booster.

“Starship will be on Mars within 5 years,” the billionaire posted on X. The Tesla CEO also posted some images of the Starship rocket, saying “wild that this is a real picture”.

“Pretty much anything that you can do on the ground should be done on the ground. But for warming up Mars, reflectors made on Phobos & Deimos (Mars' two moons) could be a good way to go,” he further said.

Starship is the world's most powerful rocket and will be used to send humans to the Moon and then eventually to Mars.

Starship consists of a giant first-stage booster called Super Heavy and a 50 metres upper-stage spacecraft known as Starship.

Musk eventually plans to shift at least one million people to Mars. "We are mapping out a game plan to get a million people to Mars," Musk wrote in a recent post on X.

"Civilisation only passes the single-planet Great Filter when Mars can survive even if Earth supply ships stop coming," he added. "One day, a trip to Mars will be like a flight across the country”. He also aims to build a base on the Moon.

"Humanity should have a moon base, cities on Mars and be out there among the stars," the X owner said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) In the ever-evolving landscape of smartphone design, aesthetics and colour schemes have transitioned from mere embellishments to fundamental requirements. The intimate relationship we share with our devices, often spanning over a year, means that design impacts not just visual appeal, but also tactile experience and emotional resonance.

Brands like realme strive to foster this personal connection through innovative design. However, as designs become increasingly homogenized, the challenge lies in achieving breakthroughs that continue to redefine the user-device bond.

For realme, how a phone looks and feels is just as important as what it can do. This belief shows in every product they make. Always aiming to do more with design, within the mid-premium price range, realme takes product design to new levels. The brand’s latest offering, the NARZO 70 Pro 5G boasts a range of impressive design features that set it apart in the competitive smartphone market.

One of the standout features is the DuoTouch Glass Design. This unique design approach combines a smooth and matte finish, offering a dual touch sensation that adds to the phone's aesthetic appeal. The sleek and modern design, inspired by North European dome architectural design, follows the golden section principle for balanced proportions, making it not just a powerful device, but also a stylish accessory.

Moving onto the functional aspects, the DuoTouch Glass Design isn't just about aesthetics. The back of the phone is crafted from glass, a material known for its superior heat dissipation properties compared to other commonly used materials like plastic or leather. This ensures that the phone stays cool even during intense usage, enhancing user comfort and device performance.

Further enhancing this cooling function is the largest VC (Vapour Chamber) cooling area in its segment incorporated into the NARZO 70 Pro 5G. This feature works in tandem with the glass back to ensure optimal performance at all times. In essence, the NARZO 70 Pro 5G beautifully marries form and function, offering users a device that is as pleasing to look at and hold as it is efficient in performance.

Finally, the NARZO 70 Pro 5G features an in-display fingerprint scanner. This design choice ensures a seamless and uninterrupted exterior while providing users with a quick and secure way to access their device.

NARZO 70 Pro's design is a harmonious blend of form and function, offering users a device that is as pleasing to hold and use as it is to look at. This device is a testament to the brand's commitment to pushing design boundaries while maintaining functionality. With its innovative features, including the unique DuoTouch Glass Design, it exemplifies how smartphones can be both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.

The NARZO 70 Pro 5G truly embodies realme's mission to foster a personal connection between users and their devices, setting a new standard in the mid-premium smartphone market. Keep an eye out for more updates on this disruptive device.

--IANS

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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

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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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