May 20, 2024
Tech News
Sonos is set to reveal its “most requested product ever” on May 21st, speculated to be the Sonos Ace wireless headphones. The launch appears to be happening sooner than the expected June release. This announcement comes amidst some dissatisfaction with the rollout of a new app lacking certain features. Sonos is also preparing to release the Roam 2 speaker, rumored for June, and is speculated to be working on a TV streaming device and a new soundbar for later releases.
Melinda French Gates has resigned from the philanthropy organization she co-ran with Bill Gates, planning to use an additional $12.5 billion to support women and families. Her efforts aim to address the tech industry’s “brilliant jerk” culture that disproportionately affects women, causing many to leave the field. Through her organization, Pivotal Ventures, French Gates has been investing in women-led startups, advocating for family leave policies, and supporting diversity in tech and AI.
Google and Apple are introducing new features to combat smartphone theft and protect personal data. Google’s updates include making factory resets more difficult without the owner’s account details, creating a “Private Space” for sensitive apps, and using AI to detect and respond to theft by locking the device. Apple has also updated iOS with “Stolen Device Protection” and made factory resets without an access code impossible.
Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) has established the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety (CATOS) with a US$37 million investment over five years. CATOS aims to develop technology solutions to detect harmful online content and protect users from misinformation, disinformation, and deepfakes. The center will collaborate with various partners, including Adobe and CheckMate, to foster a safer online ecosystem.
Blue Origin successfully conducted its first crewed space flight since 2022, sending six space tourists into brief weightlessness. The mission, NS-25, marked the company’s return to crewed flights after a pause due to a booster malfunction in a previous uncrewed flight. Among the passengers was Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate, who had never been to space before. The flight demonstrated Blue Origin’s continued commitment to space tourism.
Tech Explained
Wireless Headphones – Wireless headphones are headphones that connect to a device, such as a smartphone or computer, without the need for a physical cable. They use Bluetooth technology to transmit audio signals wirelessly.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) – AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding.
Deepfakes – Deepfakes are synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else’s likeness using artificial neural networks. These can be used to create fake news or misinformation.
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