Flash Feed

Google has recently upgraded the security protection for iPhone users by introducing a new real-time system for detecting and warning users about unsafe websites in Chrome. This new system replaces the current local list-based system and includes flagging weak and reused passwords, blocking 25% more phishing attempts, and providing real-time protection against risky websites on Chrome for desktop, iOS, and soon Android. The new system uses an asynchronous mechanism to prevent network calls from blocking page loads and degrades the user experience, and it also includes an option to turn it off in the browser settings. Additionally, Google has partnered with Fastly, a CDN and edge computing specialist, to provide an additional layer of privacy by stripping out any identifying information from the browser request. The new system is currently available in Chrome's Standard mode and offers additional protection in Enhanced mode, including AI-based blocking, deep file scans, and protecti...

Microsoft believes that Google's extensive data sets give it an edge in the generative AI market. While others rely on partnerships, Google has vertical integration across all layers of AI development, leveraging its access to YouTube content for training its Large Language Model (LLM), Gemini. Microsoft has invested over $10 billion in OpenAI, which is under antitrust investigation. Encouraging pro-competitive partnerships can prevent companies from becoming vertically integrated and gaining an anticompetitive advantage. Satya Nadella, Microsoft's CEO, considers Google the "default winner" due to their resources and capabilities. Google has the talent, compute, data, silicon, models, and products to lead the AI race, according to Nadella. However, Microsoft has faced criticism for its AI-powered productivity tool for Office and Excel, 365 Copilot, which produces harmful content. Nadella acknowledges that tools to reduce unintended AI issues are not perfect and that t...

The games industry is currently facing challenges such as cost-cutting measures, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. However, the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) is highly anticipated and expected to be a major success, with some analysts predicting it could be the best-selling video game of all time. The game's release is seen as critical for the video game industry, which is currently experiencing a decline in revenue and growth. GTA 6 has the potential to boost the bottom line of companies involved in the video game industry, including retailers like Amazon and GameStop, as well as console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft. The game's success could also lead to increased interest in video games and gaming overall, potentially leading to a renewed growth period for the industry. However, the development of GTA 6 has been marred by reports of crunch and other issues within Rockstar Games, highlighting the challenges faced by developers in the i...

NASA's Perseverance rover has collected 26 of its 43 sample tubes on Mars, with 20 containing rock cores and 2 containing regolith. The rover is currently climbing up a river delta and scientists are planning the next phases of the rover's traverse, including heading to the crater rim for an "incredible diversity" of rocks. NASA is conducting a review of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) architecture, including the schedule and design of the mission, and is expected to release its revised plans by April. The mission is considered a top scientific priority by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and has been planned for decades. The mission has several compelling reasons to bring samples back from Mars, including advancing our understanding of the Red Planet's geological history, potential habitability, and processes that shape planets. Related reads Column: Mars rocks are a science prize the US can't afford to lose Mars Sample Return scien...

Google Meet has introduced face touch-up filters for its web version, allowing users to subtly enhance their appearance before joining meetings. The filters include subtle and smoothing options, which provide natural-looking enhancements without dramatically altering users' appearance. The feature is only available to paid users on certain plans and provides a live preview of the effect before joining a call. Related reads Google Meet introduces face touch-up filters to web version - enhance your looks before joining meetings Google Meet's face touch-up filters come to desktop - The Verge Google Meet introduces face touch-up filters for desktop users

Apple has acquired DarwinAI, a Canadian AI startup, with the goal of integrating the company's technology into its products. DarwinAI is known for its work in making AI systems smaller and faster, and has also worked on AI technology for visually inspecting components during manufacturing. Apple has already integrated dozens of DarwinAI's employees into the company, including co-founder Alexander Wong. The acquisition suggests that Apple is planning to use DarwinAI's technology to add more AI features to its products, particularly in the area of generative AI. While Apple's current use of AI in its products is limited to a few features in iOS 17 and the Apple Vision Pro, the company has hinted at incorporating more AI into its next operating system, iOS 18. Related read Apple Bought an AI Startup: What to Know About Its AI Plans

Rumored specifications for a potential Sony PS5 Pro and PlayStation 5 System-on-a-Chip Revision (PSSR) console. A custom APU with improved GPU performance, clocked at 2.18 GHz for FP32 calculations and 2.45 GHz for 8-bit integers. A GPU with 60 out of 64 available Compute Units, enabling machine-enhanced super resolution technology. Comparison to FSR2 (Fidelity Super Resolution) in terms of image quality, with the added advantage of dynamic input resolution and support for up to 8K output in the future. Related read Sony PlayStation 5 Pro teased with PSSR (Spectral Super Resolution) support

YouTube is redesigning its TV app, which aims to provide a more engaging experience for users while watching videos on a TV screen. The redesign includes a new video player that allows users to access features such as shopping, comments, and video descriptions without leaving the video player. The redesign will roll out to users over the coming weeks on the YouTube app on TVs. The redesign is intended to make it easier for users to interact with YouTube's features while continuing to watch their video without any distractions. Related reads YouTube's redesigned TV app focuses on everything but video YouTube is revamping its TV app to make videos feel way more interactive YouTube TV also getting video player redesign with side-by-side sports scores YouTube and YouTube TV's latest upgrade focuses on the most important thing — watching videos The YouTube App on Your TV Is Getting a Facelift - Lifehacker

WhatsApp is introducing an improved app lock feature in its latest beta for Android devices. The new feature will accept alternative unique identifiers, such as passcodes, in addition to biometric authentication. This change allows devices without biometric sensors to use the app lock feature, making it more accessible to a wider range of users. Additionally, WhatsApp is increasing the limit of how many chats can be pinned at once, moving the limit from three to five. The company is also testing a new in-app label to indicate when a chat room has end-to-end encryption (E2EE). The label will appear underneath the contact and group name and serve as a visual confirmation that outside forces cannot read what is being discussed or listen to phone calls. Finally, the EU passed the Digital Markets Act in 2022, which implemented new rules forcing major messaging platforms to allow communication with third-party services, and WhatsApp published a report on its Engineering at Meta blog detailin...

Google is developing a new feature for Android devices called "Powered Off Finding," which will allow compatible phones to be located even when they are turned off. This feature will use Bluetooth beacons to broadcast the device's location to other Android devices in the Find My Device network. The Pixel 9 series is expected to be the first compatible handset, followed by the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. However, older devices such as the Pixel 7 series and the Pixel Fold are unlikely to support this feature due to missing hardware or software components. The feature is expected to be rolled out in the future for devices that miss the necessary hardware or software components. Related reads Android 15 could help you find lost devices even when they're offline Even the Pixel 8 could get Android 15's powered-off finding features Android 15 is about to give Pixel 8 phones a major upgrade Android 15 could allow devices to be tracked even when switched off - Android Centr...

NASA's current supercomputers are outdated and underpowered, with many using 18,000 CPUs and only 48 GPUs. The agency's HEC operations are not centrally managed, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of a cohesive strategy for using on-premises versus cloud computing resources. The audit found that the security controls for the HEC infrastructure are often bypassed or not implemented, increasing the risk of cyber attacks. Transitioning to GPUs and code modernization is essential for meeting NASA's current and future needs, as GPUs offer significantly higher computational capabilities for workloads involving parallel processing. NASA needs to refocus its efforts on supercomputing to keep pace in space exploration. The agency's current supercomputing capabilities are overburdened and vulnerable. Decentralized management of high-performance computing (HEC) assets hinders the agency's ability to efficiently allocate resources and adapt to changing mission needs. The agen...

Salt Security has discovered critical security flaws in ChatGPT plugins that could allow attackers to access users' third-party accounts and sensitive data. The vulnerabilities were found in the plugin functionality of ChatGPT, which allows the AI chatbot to interact with external services. The flaws could introduce a new attack vector and enable threat actors to gain control of users' accounts on third-party websites and access to personally identifiable information (PII) and other sensitive user data stored within third-party applications. The discovery highlights the importance of protecting the plugins within generative AI tools to prevent attackers from accessing critical business assets and executing account takeovers. The Salt Labs team identified three distinct types of vulnerabilities in their investigation within the ChatGPT plugins, including a flaw within ChatGPT itself, a vulnerability in PluginLab (pluginlab.ai), and susceptibility to OAuth redirection manipulatio...