tech news

Gmail now pushing Enhanced Safe Browsing

If you recently accessed Gmail on your web browser, most likely, you saw a popup that said, “Enhanced Safe Browsing.” The notification can be delayed or ignored, but it could have caught your attention. Who, after all, would not want to use the internet safely in these days of rising cyber fraud?

Users get a quicker experience and greater proactive security from unsafe websites, downloads, as well as extensions, according to Google, when “Enhanced Safe Browsing” is enabled. It automatically enhances the safety of Gmail along with Google Chrome.

More people are now noticing the prompt, which only recently began to roll out. According to Google, activating Enhanced Safe Browsing would offer “real-time” safety checks and alert individuals about potentially harmful websites, programs, and extensions.

Additionally, it appears to enhance Google’s capacity to identify and shield from malware as well as phishing for both you and others who are browsing the web. In addition, Google says that its applications provide greater protection against harmful connections.

Users must access their Google accounts, choose security from the left-hand menu, scroll down to discover Enhanced Safe Browsing for Your Gmail Account, and then choose whether or not to activate it.

Also Read: Microsoft signs agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation

Google says that the change may not become active for a maximum of 24 hours.

The timing of Google’s change coincides with an increase in online fraud. Due to the quick growth of free-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) generative sites, email fraudsters, including those using Gmail, might discover it much simpler to craft plausible email hoaxes. Even though “Enhanced Safe Browsing” may contain many perks, google is also storing data to safely guard privacy.

The official FAQ notes:

“To help protect your account and data, Enhanced Safe Browsing for your account checks for risks: URLs, Downloads, Browser extensions, System information, and Small sample of pages.”
Source: indiatoday.in

To preserve privacy, Google has recommended masking acquired data after a brief interval.

However, CNET, citing a Princeton and Stanford Universities study, notes that “anonymized data, including search histories, can be linked to social media profiles using publicly available data.”
Source: indiatoday.in

Emerging programmers could be harmed by the functionality since they could be required to wait for the company’s credible certification. This is a result of the company’s recent adoption of strict dev program regulations. Days of waiting time could be detrimental to new developers.

Suhani Jain

I am a student pursuing my bachelor’s in information technology. I have a interest in writing so, I am working a freelance content writer because I enjoy writing. I also write poetries. I believe in the quote by anne frank “paper has more patience than person

Microsoft signs agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation

Microsoft stated on Sunday that Sony and Microsoft have reached a legally enforceable agreement that would keep Call of Duty available on PlayStation gaming platforms when the Activision Blizzard purchase is completed.

“We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said on Twitter Sunday.
Source: cnbc.com

The Call of Duty series, which is the most popular, is produced by Activision. If an Activision merger was authorized, regulators from every corner of the world have raised serious concerns about Microsoft’s potential dominance of the gaming industry.

Concerns that Microsoft might be allowed to develop games “private” to its systems and eliminate Sony from rivalry arose from the simple fact that Microsoft produces the Xbox, which is directly competing with Sony’s PlayStation.

Even though Microsoft and Sony aren’t specifying the term of the arrangement, the pact helps to some extent to allay such worries. A Microsoft representative said the agreement was set up for the long haul. Similar agreements have already been made by the business.

Also Read: Roblox beta comes to Meta’s Quest VR headsets

Jim Ryan, the chief executive officer of Sony’s interactive entertainment section, has expressed worries about anti-competitive conduct. Ryan, whose holdings comprise PlayStation, stated he believed that the suggested Activision Blizzard purchase would hurt competitiveness in the videogame industry recorded in a videotape in June.

Brad Smith, vice president of Microsoft, stated on Twitter on Sunday that regardless of when a prospective merger closes,

Microsoft “will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before.”
Source: cnbc.com

The merger may not go through, but Microsoft and Activision’s chances are much stronger now that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) won’t be able to temporarily postpone the transaction. In July, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit in the federal court of San Francisco to block the transaction but was unable to persuade the jury that the merger would represent a significant anti-competitive threat.

The agreement was approved by the European Union’s regulatory bodies in May. The UK’s Competition and Markets Agency, which is which has compelled divestitures and halted other tech transactions, declared on Wednesday that it was ready to speak with Microsoft about the conditions of the transaction.

Suhani Jain

Elon Musk launches AI firm xAI as he looks to take on OpenAI

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Sandhya Gupta

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, has introduced his highly anticipated artificial intelligence startup called xAI.

The team behind xAI consists of engineers from major U.S. technology firms, which Musk aims to challenge in his quest to create an alternative to ChatGPT. Musk, already serving as the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and the owner of Twitter, has been vocal about his concerns regarding AI and has advocated for its regulation.

He has expressed worries about the potential “civilizational destruction” that AI could bring. In a recent Twitter Spaces event, Musk outlined his strategy for developing a safer AI. Instead of directly programming morality into the AI, xAI plans to create an AI that is “maximally curious.”

According to Musk, AI should strive to understand the true nature of the universe, as this approach is crucial for ensuring AI safety. He believes that an AI that is focused on humanity is more interesting and beneficial than one that is not. Musk also predicted that superintelligence, which refers to AI surpassing human intelligence, will emerge within the next five to six years.

Also Read: Meta now lets you make video calls using a cartoon avatar

While Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI, the company responsible for ChatGPT, he stepped down from the board in 2018. Interestingly, Microsoft is one of the investors in OpenAI. The xAI website announced an upcoming Twitter Spaces event scheduled for July 14.

The xAI team comprises experienced engineers and researchers, including individuals such as Igor Babuschkin, formerly of Google’s DeepMind; Tony Wu, who previously worked at Google; Christian Szegedy, a former research scientist at Google; and Greg Yang, previously associated with Microsoft.

In March, Musk registered X.AI Corp as a separate company in Nevada, where he serves as the sole director and is accompanied by Jared Birchall, the managing director of Musk’s family office, as the secretary.

Musk had previously mentioned his intention to develop TruthGPT, an AI-focused on seeking maximum truth to rival Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing AI, both of which aim to comprehend the nature of the universe.

Generative AI gained significant attention with the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which preceded the introduction of Bard and Bing AI. Dan Hendricks, the director of the Center for AI Safety, will provide guidance to the xAI team, focusing on AI risks.

Although xAI is a distinct company from X Corp, it plans to collaborate closely with Twitter, Tesla, and other companies, as mentioned on its website. xAI is currently seeking skilled engineers and researchers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Meta now lets you make video calls using a cartoon avatar

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Suhani Jain

Users of Messenger and Instagram may now answer as well as initiate video calls using their avatars, according to a recent announcement by Meta. The business claims that customers will be able to participate in video chats even when they are not ready for screen time due to the latest capability.

As a consequence, you and your peers may converse and stare at each other on an animated video conference without really seeing one another.

“We’ve all been there: A call comes in but your hair looks like a hot mess,” Meta wrote in a blog post. “Or you’ve just been bawling your eyes out while re-watching From Scratch. Sometimes, we’re just not camera-ready. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a third option between camera-off and camera-on to let you feel a little more present on the call? Cue your Meta Avatar.”
Source: techcrunch.com

For those who prefer not to show their faces during some video calls, the concept of making real-time conversations behind your avatar may be an enjoyable twist. Furthermore, when you might simply make a phone call to a colleague or loved one, it could seem a little strange and disturbing to interact that way.

Android, as well as iOS, have access to the new features.

The announcement made yesterday included some further details on avatars that Meta provided. The business said that it is developing a simpler method of creating characters on WhatsApp and Facebook where you’ll be able to snap a live picture and get an avatar suggestion based on your selfie. You can select one of these alternatives and further customize it to best reflect your personality.

Also Read: Meta’s Threads Is Here. What It Is and How to Use It

Additionally, Meta stated that animated character stickers may now be shared in Fb comments, Instagram 1 on 1 conversation threads, Story posts on Instagram, and Facebook Reels as well. You can share stickers that depict your avatar performing specific behaviors, such as dancing or slowly clapping.

Meta is also introducing stickers that will let users’ avatars interact with those of their friends. Now that you may tag a few people in Facebook Stories, your avatars will co-appear in a sticker with those of your pals. With the new “Social Stickers” feature, you may share stickers with only one buddy in 1:1 conversation threads.

“No one wants to look like a cake pop, and now, you don’t have to,” the company wrote in the blog post. “We’re standardizing the look of our avatars across all our platforms, so the way you show up in VR will match how you show up on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. Not only does that mean your avatar will look a little more realistic, it also means you’ll be better able to show off your ’fits since the focus won’t be drawn to your comically oversized noggin.”
Source: techcrunch.com

Suhani Jain

Uber, DoorDash sue New York City over minimum wage law

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Suhani Jain

A recent minimum wage law that Uber, DoorDash, along with Grubhub believe would harm the delivery business is being challenged in court by the city of New York.

A law approved by Eric Adams this past month mandates that delivery employees in New York City start receiving a minimum pay of around eighteen dollars per hour on July 12. Although several advocacy organizations welcomed the decision, the delivery services contend that the employees who are regarded as independent contractors are going to suffer.

At present, drivers receive a base wage plus a gratuity from every client for each journey. According to the new minimum wage law, delivery services have to pay drivers $17.96 every hour they are actively using the app or around fifty cents for each minute of each trip.

Also Read: Apple opens store on China’s WeChat platform

In a message to the Dept. of Consumer and Worker Protection, the organization in charge of determining the minimum salary, DoorDash warned that establishing this minimum might undermine the flexible nature of delivery employment, which serves as one of the primary reasons why numerous individuals depend on the gig economy.

And some motorists concur. Two decades of delivery experience have led Alberto Mendes to conclude that the legislation offers delivery businesses more freedom to choose the schedules of their employees.

“They shouldn’t have done this,” Mendes told Insider. “Now they’ll make us work whenever they want. Even though we’re not employees, they’re going to schedule us.”
Source: businessinsider.in

However, a lot of drivers, notably the labor union Los Deliveristas Unidos, fought for minimum pay and supported recent rules that let couriers use restaurant facilities and establish delivery boundaries. To pay for the expenses of gig employment, such as car repair, petrol, tolls, and injuries, they support greater remuneration. According to a city report from 2022, workplace injuries among delivery personnel are common.

Also Read: Google’s medical AI chatbot is reportedly being tested in hospitals

A DoorDash spokesperson gave Insider the following comment: “Bad policies cannot go unchallenged, and we will not stand by and let the harmful impacts of this earnings standard on New York City customers, merchants, and the delivery workers it was intended to support go unchecked.”
Source: businessinsider.in

From New York City, the press statement claims that the average hourly wage for food delivery employees is presently $7.09. The city employs over 60,000 individuals who transport food, as stated by the municipal administration.

Suhani Jain

Google’s medical AI chatbot is reportedly being tested in hospitals

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Sandhya Gupta

In a groundbreaking move, several hospitals, including the prestigious Mayo Clinic, have commenced trial runs of Google’s Med-PaLM 2, an AI chatbot that is widely anticipated to bring about a seismic shift in the healthcare industry.

Med-PaLM 2 represents an enhanced version of PaLM2, the language model announced by the tech giant at this year’s Google I/O. PaLM 2 serves as the foundational framework for Google’s AI tool, Bard.

According to internal emails obtained by The Wall Street Journal, Google is confident that Med-PaLM 2 will provide superior medical advice due to its extensive exposure to questions and answers derived from medical licensing exams. This meticulous training ensures that the AI chatbot possesses a comprehensive understanding of medical knowledge.

Insiders familiar with the matter divulged that Google has been conducting tests of the new system in collaboration with various hospitals, including the esteemed research institution, Mayo Clinic, since April.

During that time, Google reportedly shared with its employees a statement from a researcher involved in the project, highlighting the potential value of a trusted medical assistant model in regions where access to doctors is limited.

Also Read: Apple opens store on China’s WeChat platform

The exact timeline for wider implementation of the program in hospitals and medical research institutions remains unclear. A senior researcher intimately involved in the project emphasized that Google is still in the early stages of developing this innovative product.

The advent of Med-PaLM 2 marks a significant milestone in the integration of artificial intelligence into healthcare. Leveraging the vast capabilities of language modeling, this advanced chatbot has the potential to revolutionize patient care, medical diagnostics, and treatment recommendations.

By harnessing the power of AI, Med-PaLM 2 can analyze vast amounts of medical data, rapidly process complex information, and generate tailored responses to inquiries. Its ability to draw from a vast pool of medical licensing exam questions and answers ensures a strong foundation in evidence-based medical knowledge.

The collaboration with renowned healthcare institutions, such as Mayo Clinic, highlights the commitment of both Google and the medical community to explore and embrace innovative technologies. Through rigorous testing and evaluation, the effectiveness, accuracy, and safety of Med-PaLM 2 can be thoroughly assessed, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of medical practice.

While the development and widespread adoption of Med-PaLM 2 may take time, the potential benefits it offers are immense. In addition to assisting healthcare professionals in providing comprehensive and timely medical advice, this AI chatbot has the potential to bridge the gap in access to medical expertise in regions with limited resources.

As Google continues to refine and expand the capabilities of Med-PaLM 2, the future of healthcare stands on the precipice of a transformative era. The integration of advanced AI technologies into clinical practice holds the promise of improved patient outcomes, enhanced healthcare delivery, and increased accessibility to medical knowledge for all.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Follow Us