Microsoft Details macOS Vulnerability That Could Bypass SIP

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Microsoft Details macOS Vulnerability That Could Bypass SIP

Microsoft has provided details on a new macOS vulnerability, one that could be used to bypass System Integrity Protection (SIP).

SIP is a key component in macOS security, ensuring the system cannot run unauthorized code or applications. According to Microsoft, a bug in the macOS migration process could be used to bypass SIP altogether.

The company outlined its findings in a blog post:

A new vulnerability, which we refer to as “Migraine” for its involvement with macOS migration, could allow an attacker with root access to automatically bypass System Integrity Protection (SIP) in macOS and perform arbitrary operations on a device.

Microsoft’s entire blog post outlining the steps they took to find and evaluate the vulnerability is a very lengthy read. However, there are several potential ramifications:

• A SIP exploit can be used to create undetectable malware.
• SIP exploits provide a path “for attackers to gain arbitrary kernel code execution.”
• SIP exploits can allow hackers to enable rootkits and bypass anti-tampering measures.
• Such exploits can be used to bypass Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) policies.

Microsoft has already notified Apple, and a fix was included in the May 18, 2023 security update. Needless to say, all users should update immediately.

Microsoft Details macOS Vulnerability That Could Bypass SIP
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FTC’s Ring Settlement Shows Why Companies Don’t Respect User Privacy

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FTC’s Ring Settlement Shows Why Companies Don’t Respect User Privacy

Consumers who wonder why companies don’t respect user privacy should look to the FTC’s settlement with Ring as Exhibit A.

For those that don’t remember, Ring made a slew of privacy missteps that involved abysmal security, hacked cameras, and selling identifiable customer data to third-party companies. In some instances, strangers used hacked cameras to talk to children in customers’ homes. What’s more, there have been instances of Ring employees improperly accessing user videos.

Predictably, the company faced legal action as a result of its negligence, with the FTC announcing a settlement. In a decision that is sure to disappoint many customers, the FTC settled with Ring for a paltry $5.8 million.

Interestingly, the FTC lays out the scope of Ring’s negligence in a blog post, saying the company “gave its employees and hundreds of Ukraine-based third-party contractors up-close-and-personal video access into customers’ bedrooms, their kids’ bedrooms, and other highly personal spaces – including the ability to download, view, and share those videos at will.”

The FTC outlined more of the real-world consequences:

How serious was the invasion of consumers’ privacy? In many cases, bad actors took advantage of the camera’s two-way communication functionality to harass and threaten people whose rooms were monitored by Ring cameras, including kids and older adults. Describing their experiences as terrifying and traumatizing, customers reported numerous instances of menacing behavior emanating from voices invading the sanctity of their homes via Ring:

• An 87-year old woman in an assisted living facility was sexually propositioned and physically threatened;
• Several kids were the object of hackers’ racist slurs;
• A teenager was sexually propositioned;
• Hackers cursed at women in the privacy of their bedrooms;
• A hacker threatened a family with physical harm if they didn’t pay a ransom in Bitcoin; and
• A hacker told a customer they had killed the person’s mother and issued the bone-chilling warning “Tonight you die.”

One Ring employee put it this way: “Unwittingly, we aid and abet those [hackers] who breached the data by not having any mitigations in place.”

After outlining the scope of Ring’s misbehavior, it’s no doubt hard for many to fathom how the settlement could come in at a mere $5.8 million, a sum that is less than a drop in the buck for Ring and its parent company, Amazon.

Until regulators get serious about protecting user privacy by making it too expensive for companies to abuse it, be ready for far more Ring-like scenarios.

FTC’s Ring Settlement Shows Why Companies Don’t Respect User Privacy
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Federal Judge Rules Cell Phone Searches at the Border Require a Warrant

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Federal Judge Rules Cell Phone Searches at the Border Require a Warrant

A federal judge has struck a blow for privacy, ruling that authorities must obtain a warrant before searching cell phones at the border.

The US border has been a legal gray area for years — a zone where the Fourth Amendment doesn’t fully apply — with authorities able to search people’s cell phones, computers, luggage, and other possessions without a warrant.

According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a New York district judge has become the first to rule that cell phone searches at the border require a search warrant:

With United States v. Smith (S.D.N.Y. May 11, 2023), a district court judge in New York made history by being the first court to rule that a warrant is required for a cell phone search at the border, “absent exigent circumstances” (although other district courts have wanted to do so).

The judge in the case relied heavily on the precedent set in the Riley vs California (2014) case, in which the Supreme Court ruled that police need a warrant to search the cell phone of someone they have arrested.

As the EFF explains, much of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Riley case balanced the need for police to search a suspect against the immediate threat posed.

In Riley, the Supreme Court applied a balancing test, weighing the government’s interests in warrantless and suspicionless access to cell phone data following an arrest, against an arrestee’s privacy interests in the depth and breadth of personal information stored on modern cell phones.

In analyzing the government’s interests, the Riley Court considered the traditional reasons for authorizing warrantless searches of an arrestee’s person: to protect officers from an arrestee who might use a weapon against them, and to prevent the destruction of evidence.

The Riley Court found only a weak nexus between digital data and these traditional reasons for warrantless searches of arrestees. The Court reasoned that “data on the phone can endanger no one,” and the probability is small that associates of the arrestee will remotely delete digital data.

The judge in the New York case applied that same reasoning to warrantless border searches.

Just as in Riley, the cell phone likely contains huge quantities of highly sensitive information—including copies of that person’s past communications, records of their physical movements, potential transaction histories, Internet browsing histories, medical details, and more … No traveler would reasonably expect to forfeit privacy interests in all this simply by carrying a cell phone when returning home from an international trip.

The decision is good news for travelers who don’t want to surrender their privacy without good cause.

Federal Judge Rules Cell Phone Searches at the Border Require a Warrant
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The Cannabis Legalization Economy

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The Cannabis Legalization Economy

2023 has seen several major changes to cannabis restrictions that have affected almost half of the states across the U.S. Recreational use of marijuana has been permitted in at least 21 states while almost 40 states accept the use of medical marijuana, including small amounts of THC. Currently just two states do not approve CBD or marijuana use. 

State Legalization is Changing

The nation as a whole is slowly becoming more comfortable with the idea of legal cannabis. More than 50% of states support recreational and medical marijuana while 30% support only medical marijuana and 10% have yet to legalize any kind of legal cannabis. In fact, 44% of Americans live in places that allow access to legal recreational cannabis, such as California and New York. 

States like Utah, Minnesota, and Mississippi allow people to use medical marijuana while only recreational can be used in states like Arizona, Illinois, and Michigan. Idaho and Nebraska have not legalized any form of cannabis. Although hemp-based CBD is federally legal, legislation dictating its status in states is more complicated. 

In terms of CBD legalization by state, 17 of them offer full legalization while 33 states have varying conditions that need to be met. For example, in Alabama, cannabis cannot exceed 0.3% THC while in Tennessee, cannabis can’t exceed 0.9% THC without a medical license. Other restrictions in other states include cannabis-derived CBD oil being legal with a medical cannabis license in Minnesota and allowing hemp-derived cannabis only in Wyoming. 

Expert Opinions

Experts are saying that significant change is not too far away, especially with restrictions on the local or state level. Paul Aremntano, the Deputy Director of NORML, has recognized that most legalization victories have exclusively all been at the local and state level, and he expects the trend to continue in 2023. Tyler McFadden, a Board Member of BOWL PAC, has mentioned that although legalization might not come within this year, we will eventually reach it faster if we’re all doing something about it now instead of waiting for something to happen without taking action ourselves. Cannabis legalization is always being changed with more new decisions coming in the near future. 

Research is showing that seven more states might approve recreational marijuana within the next seven years. The possible states are South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Ohio. The time it takes between medical and recreational cannabis approval is shortening as well with the most recent time period being 1,463 days in Massachusetts in 2012. This is a significant improvement from California’s 7,308 day-approval period in 1996. 

In Conclusion

Federal regulations have been changing in recent years as well. In 2022, at least 50 federal bills have been presented. President Biden sent out an executive order excusing offenders convicted of just possessing marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act if they did not cause any violence. There has also been more activity around the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Cannabis Opportunity Act (CAOA), and Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE) that could result in even more significant changes on cannabis policies as prohibitive legislation continues to weaken.

Source: BestCBDOils.org

The Cannabis Legalization Economy
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Microsoft’s Appeal of the UK’s Activision Decision Set for July

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Microsoft’s Appeal of the UK’s Activision Decision Set for July

Microsoft is appealing the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority decision to block its Activision Blizzard acquisition, with the hearing set for July.

Microsoft entered an agreement to purchase Activision for $68.7 billion in early 2022. The deal met immediate regulatory scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic, and Microsoft has been trying to assuage regulators’ concerns ever since.

The company won EU approval in mid-May of this year, but the UK’s CMA already voted to block the deal in late April. According to The Verge, Microsoft has filed an appeal, with the hearing set for the week of July 24.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, the odds are not in its favor.

“Essentially, there has never been a successful appeal in the UK on an antitrust decision,” Aaron Glick, a merger arbitrage strategist at TD Cowen, told Bloomberg when the CMA handed down its decision. “There does not appear to be a path forward for Microsoft.”

Microsoft’s Appeal of the UK’s Activision Decision Set for July
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OpenAI CEO Signs Open Letter Warning of AI-Caused ‘Extinction’

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OpenAI CEO Signs Open Letter Warning of AI-Caused ‘Extinction’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has signed an open letter warning of the dangers AI poses, including the extinction of humanity.

Despite being the CEO of the world’s leading artificial intelligence firm, Altman has been vocal regarding his concerns about the very tech his company is pioneering. In fact, in his recent testimony before Congress, Altman was very frank about his concerns.

“If this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong,” Altman said via The Washington Post.

Altman was vocal about his desire to see the AI field regulated, even proposing meaningful steps Congress could take, a position that earned the respect of lawmakers.

“Sam Altman is night and day compared to other CEOs,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal. “Not just in the words and the rhetoric but in actual actions and his willingness to participate and commit to specific action.”

Altman has followed up that testimony by signing a one-sentence open letter by the Center for AI Safety, warning of the risks the technology poses.

Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.

With the likes of Altman backing AI regulation, it’s a safe bet such regulation will happen sooner rather than later.

OpenAI CEO Signs Open Letter Warning of AI-Caused ‘Extinction’
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Nvidia Is the First $1Trillion Chipmaker

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Nvidia Is the First $1Trillion Chipmaker

Nvidia has crossed a major milestone, becoming the first chipmaker to join the $1 trillion club.

According to Reuters, Nvidia joined the $1 trillion club Tuesday, making it the first chipmaker to do so. It joins the ranks of Apple and Microsoft.

Notably, Nvidia’s fortunes come at a time when Intel is increasingly under criticism for failing to deliver on CEO Pat Gelsinger’s vision to turn the company around, allowing it to be surpassed by younger rivals. Meanwhile, Nvidia is benefiting from the burgeoning AI market, as well as partnerships with other firms.

Nvidia Is the First $1Trillion Chipmaker
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Intel’s Turnaround, and Pat Gelsinger’s Legacy, Is In Jeopardy

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Intel’s Turnaround, and Pat Gelsinger’s Legacy, Is In Jeopardy

Intel’s turnaround is not exactly going as planned, jeopardizing its future and CEO Pat Gelsinger’s legacy as the architect of the company’s plan.

Once the world’s top chipmaking company, Intel has been eclipsed in recent years by its rivals, both old and new. TSMC has gained the technological upper hand, AMD is taking business from Intel’s strongholds, and Nvidia’s value is skyrocketing, surpassing Intel.

As The Wall Street Journal’s Asa Fitch reports, as bad as those issues appear, Intel’s problems run deeper and are putting its turnaround in jeopardy.

Intel is in a unique position in the semiconductor industry, one of the only companies that both design and manufactures chips. When he returned to the company and took over the role of CEO, Gelsinger minced no words about why Intel’s fortunes had turned, saying previous leaders lost the company’s “maniacal” focus on manufacturing.

Intel’s Foundry Efforts

Since his return, Gelsinger has doubled down on manufacturing, spending billions to revitalize Intel’s own manufacturing and carve out a foundry business manufacturing chips for other companies, including Intel’s competitors.

Unfortunately, as Fitch points out, those efforts have yet to pay off. In fact, Intel’s efforts to get into the foundry business have been plagued by one setback after another. Intel was working to acquire both Qualcomm and Tesla as customers but failed to secure either. Qualcomm decided against the deal as a result of Intel’s technical missteps, and Tesla went with other options because Intel couldn’t provide the same level of chip design services that other foundries offer.

Ultimately, many of Intel’s problems breaking into the foundry business may stem from a fundamental cultural issue.

“Foundry is a service business,” Gelsinger reportedly said in an interview. “That isn’t the culture that Intel’s had.”

Long on Promise, Short on Delivery

That hasn’t stopped Gelsinger from making ambitious claims about the company’s future. In fact, just over a year ago, Gelsinger took aim at AMD, proclaiming that its days of challenging Intel were over.

“Alder Lake, all of sudden, boom! We are back in the game! AMD in the rearview mirror in clients, and never again will they be in the windshield,” Gelsinger said.

Similarly, Gelsinger has alternated between mocking Apple’s chip design efforts and saying he would like to gain them as a foundry customer.

“We have to deliver better products to the PC ecosystem than any possible thing that a lifestyle company in Cupertino,” he said shortly before taking over as CEO. “We have to be that good, in the future.”

“Apple is a customer, and I hope to make them a big foundry customer because today they’re wholly dependent on Taiwan Semiconductor,” he said just a couple of months later. “We want to present great options for them to leverage our foundry services, as well, just like we’re working with Qualcomm and Microsoft to leverage our foundry. We’re going to be delivering great technology, some things that can’t be done anywhere else in the world.”

Despite the bold talk, Intel’s fortunes have continued to sink under Gelsinger’s leadership. In fact, the company recently reported its worst quarterly loss in company history and has undergone multiple rounds of layoffs.

Moving Forward

While some believe Intel’s position as a chip designer and manufacturer gives the company a competitive advantage, it can also be argued that it leads to a company with a divided focus, where its investments and even its culture are at odds with itself.

There’s a reason many of the industry’s most successful companies focus on either fabrication or design. To the degree that Intel succeeds or fails in its efforts will reestablish it as the leading semiconductor company in the world or a dinosaur from a bygone era.

Either way, at some point, Gelsinger will have to deliver the goods or risk Intel fading into obscurity and taking his legacy with it.

Intel’s Turnaround, and Pat Gelsinger’s Legacy, Is In Jeopardy
Matt Milano

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PSA: Delete ‘iRecorder — Screen Recorder’ Android App

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PSA: Delete ‘iRecorder — Screen Recorder’ Android App

Popular Android app “iRecorder — Screen Recorder” was caught stealing users’ information months after being approved on the Play Store.

Cybersecurity firm ESET discovered that malicious code was introduced into iRecorder nearly a year after it was initially approved for listing in Google’s Play Store. During that time, the app was downloaded nearly 50,000 times.

According to TechCrunch, ESET says the app was uploading “a minute of ambient audio from the device’s microphone every 15 minutes, as well as exfiltrate documents, web pages and media files from the user’s phone.”

The malicious code was able to sneak past Google because audio recording is inherently part of a screen recording app. As a result, the update containing the malicious code didn’t immediately raise any red flags. Such an attack is incredibly rare, according to ESET’s Lukas Stefanko:

It is rare for a developer to upload a legitimate app, wait almost a year, and then update it with malicious code. The malicious code that was added to the clean version of iRecorder is based on the open-source AhMyth Android RAT (remote access trojan) and has been customized into what we named AhRat.

TechCrunch says it’s still not clear who is responsible for the malware update. It’s possible the developer is responsible and was playing the long game to get the app approved and installed on as many devices as possible before turning it into malware. It’s also possible a malicious actor may have compromised the developer’s code base and uploaded the malicious version.

The incident underscores the growing challenges with monitoring the millions of apps that are available for mobile platforms and ensuring they are safe for users.

In the meantime, iRecorder has been removed from the Play Store, but all users who still have it installed should delete it immediately.

PSA: Delete ‘iRecorder — Screen Recorder’ Android App
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Planning to Use ChatGPT to Write Your Resume? Think Again.

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Planning to Use ChatGPT to Write Your Resume? Think Again.

Some of the job markets news entrants are using ChatGPT to write their resumes, but many HR professionals say it’s a deal-breaker.

ChatGPT and other AI platforms are poised to revolutionize multiple industries. Software development and content creation, in particular, are especially susceptible to AI disruption.

According to iCIMS’ eighth annual “Class of” report, college graduates are entering a job market that poses significant challenges compared to years past.

“This is the first class born in the millennium to hit the workforce, and they are doing so amid a challenging macroeconomic environment with the noise of layoffs after spending the majority of their college years in a pandemic. It’s no wonder they crave stability from their employers,” said Laura Coccaro, chief people officer, iCIMS. “While these concerns are valid, it’s not all doom and gloom. Our data shows employers are hiring for entry-level roles at a steady rate, and more than half of HR pros surveyed plan to increase entry-level hiring this year. While ‘dream jobs’ may look a little different today, many are out there and within reach.”

According to the company’s research, many graduates are relying on ChatGPT to write their resumes, but they may not be seeing the desired result.

The buzz of AI and ChatGPT is seeping into the job application process – for better or worse. Almost half (47%) of college seniors are interested in using ChatGPT or other AI bots to write their resumes or cover letters, and 25% of Gen Z already use an AI bot to help write their resumes or cover letters. But they should proceed with caution, as nearly 40% of HR professionals say using ChatGPT/AI bots during the hiring process is a definite deal breaker.

The iCIMS Class of 2023 report is available for download here, and includes a wealth of additional insights.

Planning to Use ChatGPT to Write Your Resume? Think Again.
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Lindy.ai’s CEO Explains His 180-Degree Change on Remote Work

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Lindy.ai’s CEO Explains His 180-Degree Change on Remote Work

Lindy CEO Flo Crivello has penned a blog post lamenting his decision to do a 180-degree on remote work.

Crivello spoke positively about the benefits of remote work, especially in the context of people’s lifestyles.

Remote is more comfortable from a lifestyle standpoint. You save on commute, have your own office, can work from anywhere, and get more flexibility on your schedule (especially important for folks with families).

Nonetheless, despite the benefits, Crivello says the challenges of remote work are simply too big to overcome. Specifically, the CEO says remote work “raises coordination costs.”

• It’s harder to get a hold of each other, as we’re not online at the same time. “I’ll talk about it when I see him tomorrow” — these delays compound in a huge way.
• So most interactions are async, leading to lower bandwidth, more context switching, and more things falling through the cracks.
• Even sync chats aren’t as good. People can’t interrupt each other or have sidebars, and there are bugs with video, audio, screenshare, etc… These frictions compound too.
• This causes us to be less aligned. We’re only a few engineers right now, and yet people feel out of the loop on who’s building what.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of this misalignment. We in tech are building pure thought-stuff — the things we build are like icebergs, 99% invisible. The quality of our work is a function of the alignment of our mental models about the stuff below that water line. And remote makes it harder to reach that alignment.

Crivello goes to quote Marc Andreessen’s 2007 blog in which he extols the benefits of people living and working in the center of their industry. Interestingly, however, Crivello fails to quote Andreessen’s more recent comments in which he says remote work could be a societal turning point.

“It’s potentially an earthquake,” Andreessen said in mid-2022. “It’s potentially one of those things that in a hundred years, people could look back and say, ‘That was a real turning point for how society developed.’”

Lindy.ai’s CEO Explains His 180-Degree Change on Remote Work
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MediaTek and Nvidia Confirm Automotive Tech Partnership

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MediaTek and Nvidia Confirm Automotive Tech Partnership

MediaTek and Nvidia have confirmed they are partnering to produce advanced automotive infotainment systems.

MediaTek has been pivoting to AI and automotive chips amid weak demand in the consumer PC market. The company was rumored to be working with Nvidia, with plans to include the latter’s GPUs in its SoCs.

According to Reuters, the two companies announced a partnership at the Computex trade show in Taipei, confirming MediaTek’s plans to incorporate Nvidia’s GPUs. The infotainment systems will be able to assist drivers, thanks to AI, as well as play videos and games.

“The automotive industry needs strong companies that can work with the industry for decades at a time,” said Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang.

“The quality, strength and positions of our two companies could give the automotive industry partners that they can build their companies on,” he said, saying the resulting chips could power “every single segment of a car.”

As automakers transition to electric vehicle, the need for chips within the industry has skyrocketed. The industry’s needs provide an opportunity for both companies to make up for lost business. In addition to a slumping PC market, the demand for GPUs has plummeted as a result of the crypto market’s crash.

“In this very demanding environment, we are not reducing people,” CEO Rick Tsai said in the company’s last earnings call. “We’re not increasing either. The critical thing is to allocate those precious resources.”

“We’re confident that we will be able to provide the capability to our customers,” Tsai added, speaking about the AI chip market.

MediaTek and Nvidia Confirm Automotive Tech Partnership
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Nvidia CEO: Thanks to AI, ‘Everyone Is a Programmer Now’

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Nvidia CEO: Thanks to AI, ‘Everyone Is a Programmer Now’

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era for programming, one where “everyone is a programmer.”

AI is poised to revolutionize multiple industries, but perhaps few are set to be transformed as much as programming and software development. Multiple companies are working to improve AI’s efficacy as a programming assistant, but Huang says the potential goes far beyond that.

“There’s no question we’re in a new computing era,” he said in a speech at the Computex forum in Taipei, according to Reuters.

“Every single computing era you could do different things that weren’t possible before, and artificial intelligence certainly qualifies,” Huang added.

“The programming barrier is incredibly low. We have closed the digital divide. Everyone is a programmer now – you just have to say something to the computer,” he said.

“The rate of progress, because it’s so easy to use, is the reason why it’s growing so fast. This is going to touch literally every single industry.”

Huang is not the first to tout AI’s potential in the software development industry. Matt Welsh, CEO of Fixie.ai, has made a similar prediction:

I believe the conventional idea of “writing a program” is headed for extinction, and indeed, for all but very specialized applications, most software, as we know it, will be replaced by AI systems that are trained rather than programmed. In situations where one needs a “simple” program (after all, not everything should require a model of hundreds of billions of parameters running on a cluster of GPUs), those programs will, themselves, be generated by an AI rather than coded by hand.

Despite Huang and Welsh’s optimism, AI still has a ways to go before it achieves its full potential. In fact, a recent study has shown that using AI coding assistants actually leads to less secure code.

Nvidia CEO: Thanks to AI, ‘Everyone Is a Programmer Now’
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QA Automation: Delivering High-Quality Products with Increased Efficiency

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QA Automation: Delivering High-Quality Products with Increased Efficiency

Quality assurance (QA) plays a critical role in ensuring that software products meet customer requirements and are free from defects. However, traditional manual testing methods can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and error-prone. To address these challenges, companies are increasingly turning to QA test automation as a means to deliver high-quality products with increased efficiency.

Automated testing allows companies to quickly and accurately test software products, ensuring that they meet customer requirements and are free from defects. By automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks, developers can focus on higher-level tasks such as improving the user experience and developing new features.

The Benefits of QA Automation

QA automation has numerous benefits, including increased speed and accuracy of testing, improved test coverage, and reduced costs. Automated testing tools enable companies to test software products faster and more accurately, while reducing the number of defects that make it into production.

Automated testing also improves test coverage by allowing developers to test a broader range of scenarios than would be possible with manual testing. By reducing the number of defects that make it into production, companies can reduce the cost of fixing defects, as well as the cost of maintaining and supporting software products.

Implementing QA Automation

Implementing QA automation requires careful planning and execution. Companies need to select the right tools, set up the test environment, and develop the automated test scripts. It is also crucial to establish a collaborative relationship between the development and QA teams to ensure that the implementation is successful.

Selecting the right tools is critical to the success of QA automation. Companies need to consider factors such as the ease of use, the level of integration with other tools, and the availability of support and training. It is also essential to set up the test environment properly, ensuring that it accurately reflects the production environment.

Developing the automated test scripts requires a deep understanding of the software product, as well as the testing requirements. The test scripts need to be carefully designed and maintained to ensure that they are accurate and up-to-date.

Best Practices for QA Automation

To ensure the success of QA automation, companies need to follow best practices such as selecting the right test cases for automation, maintaining a robust test suite, and regularly updating and maintaining automated test scripts.

Selecting the right test cases for automation is critical to the success of QA automation. Companies need to identify the test cases that are the most time-consuming, error-prone, and repetitive. By automating these test cases, developers can save time and reduce the risk of defects.

Maintaining a robust test suite is essential to the success of QA automation. The test suite needs to be regularly updated and maintained to ensure that it accurately reflects the current state of the software product. Companies also need to ensure that the test suite is well-organized and easy to use.

Continuous integration and continuous testing are critical to the success of QA automation. By continuously testing software products throughout the development process, companies can identify defects early and reduce the cost of fixing defects.

Challenges in QA Automation

Despite the numerous benefits of QA automation, there are also challenges that companies need to be aware of. Some of the challenges include maintaining test scripts, handling dynamic UI elements, and dealing with the complexities of integration testing.

Maintaining test scripts can be a time-consuming and challenging task, especially when software products are updated frequently. Companies need to establish processes for updating and maintaining test scripts to ensure that they accurately reflect the current state of the software product.

Handling dynamic UI elements can also be challenging, as these elements can change frequently and unpredictably. Companies need to develop strategies for handling dynamic UI elements to ensure that automated tests remain accurate and up-to-date.

Integration testing can be a complex task in QA automation. It involves testing the interactions between different components and systems to ensure that they work together seamlessly. However, it is crucial for delivering a high-quality product, as integration issues can result in serious defects and user dissatisfaction. To overcome the challenges of integration testing, companies should adopt a comprehensive approach that includes automated testing, manual testing, and cross-functional collaboration. Continuous testing and continuous integration can also help to identify and resolve integration issues early in the development process, improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of QA automation.

The Role of AI and Machine Learning in QA Automation

QA automation has traditionally relied on human operators to develop and execute test cases. However, with the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), automation can be taken to the next level. The integration of AI and ML into QA automation can help to improve test accuracy and reduce false positives. It can also help automate more complex testing scenarios, such as security testing.

The Potential of AI and ML in QA Automation

AI and ML have the potential to revolutionize QA automation. By leveraging these technologies, testing can be made more efficient and effective. AI algorithms can analyze large amounts of data to identify patterns and insights, while ML algorithms can learn from experience and improve over time. This can lead to more accurate testing, reduced testing time, and increased test coverage.

Automating Complex Testing Scenarios

Security testing is a critical component of software testing. However, it can be a challenging task, requiring expertise in the domain and knowledge of the latest threats and vulnerabilities. By using AI and ML, security testing can be automated, reducing the workload on human testers and improving the accuracy and coverage of the tests.

QA Automation in Agile and DevOps Environments

Agile and DevOps have become the standard development methodologies in recent years. These methodologies prioritize speed and collaboration, and they rely heavily on automation. QA automation plays a critical role in these methodologies by enabling faster and more frequent releases. It fits into the continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline, allowing testing to be integrated into the development process.

The Importance of Test Automation

Test automation is essential for successful Agile and DevOps methodologies. It allows for faster feedback and quicker identification of defects. Automated tests can be executed quickly and repeatedly, providing confidence in the quality of the software. Test automation enables developers to focus on higher-level tasks, such as designing new features and improving the user experience.

Conclusion and Future Directions of QA Automation

In conclusion, QA automation is a critical component of modern software development. With the advancements in AI and ML, it has the potential to become even more efficient and effective. Cloud-based testing is also becoming more prevalent, enabling testing to be performed remotely and on-demand. As QA automation continues to evolve, it is likely that it will become even more intelligent and efficient, helping companies to deliver high-quality products with increased efficiency.

QA Automation: Delivering High-Quality Products with Increased Efficiency
Brian Wallace

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JPMorgan Wants to Apply AI to Investment Advice

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JPMorgan Wants to Apply AI to Investment Advice

JPMorgan is getting in on the AI game, with plans to develop a ChatGPT-like AI that will help customers with their investments.

According to CNBC, JPMorgan has filed for a trademark for “IndexGPT.” The application says IndexGPT will rely on “cloud computing software using artificial intelligence” for “analyzing and selecting securities tailored to customer needs.”

Some experts believe JPMorgan could be on the verge of revolutionizing the investment industry.

“This is a real indication they might have a potential product to launch in the near future,” trademark attorney Josh Gerben told CNBC.

“Companies like JPMorgan don’t just file trademarks for the fun of it,” he said. The filing includes “a sworn statement from a corporate officer essentially saying, ‘Yes, we plan on using this trademark.’”

“It’s an A.I. program to select financial securities,” Gerben added. “This sounds to me like they’re trying to put my financial advisor out of business.”

ChatGPT revolutionized the AI field, capturing people’s imagination and forcing industries to face the reality that AI is evolving fast enough to have a meaningful impact. If JPMorgan is successful, it could usher in a whole new era for finance and investing.

JPMorgan Wants to Apply AI to Investment Advice
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Fedora KDE Will Drop X11 In Favor of Wayland

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Fedora KDE Will Drop X11 In Favor of Wayland

Fedora’s KDE spin is taking a major step forward, planning to drop X11 altogether in favor of Wayland.

X11 is the window display protocol that Linux distributions have used for years. Despite Wayland being touted as its replacement and gradually taking on that role, X11 is still the default on many distros. Fedora is one of the distros to move to Wayland as its default, but the distro will soon take it even further.

According to Linuxiac, Fedora’s KDE spin maintainers are planning to drop support for X11 once KDE Plasma 6 is released.

The move makes sense, especially for Fedora. The distro is well-known for being cutting-edge, often pushing Linux forward by embracing and improving technologies before many others do.

X11 is no longer actively developed, while Wayland’s development is progressing at a solid pace. Despite some rough edges, Wayland is improving rapidly enough that it should soon be the default on the majority of distros.

Fedora KDE Will Drop X11 In Favor of Wayland
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Almost Every State Sues Accused Robocall Company

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Almost Every State Sues Accused Robocall Company

Almost every state in the US has sued Avid Telecom, accusing the company of making more than 7.5 billion robocalls.

According to CBS News, the attorneys general of 48 states and the District of Columbia have joined in the suit against Avid Telecom. The company is accused of ignoring the National Do Not Call Registry, making 7.5 billion calls to people on the registry.

“Defendants chose profit over running a business that conforms to state and federal law,” the lawsuit alleged. “Defendants could have chosen to implement effective and meaningful procedures to prevent—or even significantly mitigate—the perpetration of illegal behavior onto and across Avid Telecom’s network but chose not to do so,” the lawsuit said.

The company has fired back saying it has stayed within the law.

“While the company always prefers to work with regulators and law enforcement to address issues of concern, as necessary, the company will defend itself vigorously and vindicate its rights and reputation through the legal process,” Neil Ende, Avid Telecom’s outside legal counsel, said.

“Contrary to the allegations in the complaint, Avid Telecom operates in a manner that is compliant with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations,” Ende added. “The company has never been found by any court or regulatory authority to have transmitted unlawful traffic and it is prepared to meet with the Attorneys General, as it has on many occasions in the past, to further demonstrate its good faith and lawful conduct.”

The attorneys general disagreed, saying the accused was guilty of harassment, threats, and scams.

“Every day, countless Arizona consumers are harassed and annoyed by a relentless barrage of unwanted robocalls – and in some instances these illegal calls threaten consumers with lawsuits and arrest,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a press release. “More disturbingly, many of these calls are scams designed to pressure frightened consumers, often senior citizens, into handing over their hard-earned money.”

Almost Every State Sues Accused Robocall Company
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Intelligent Document Processing: AI Business Transformation

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Intelligent Document Processing: AI Business Transformation

Intelligent document processing (IDP) represents an AI-fueled breakthrough gaining substantial momentum across a broad range of industries.  In an era of increasing digitalization, businesses are embracing IDP as a revolutionary tool for the automation of vast amounts of unstructured data processing.

What is Intelligent Document Processing?

IDP leverages a combination of machine learning, deep learning, and expert systems to meticulously analyze, categorize, and extract meaningful data from unstructured documents, such as invoices and contracts.  Today, we unravel the components of artificial intelligence (AI) that empower IDP and demonstrate the transformative potential of these technologies in business scenarios, with real estate predictive algorithms as our focal example.

Our journey begins by unraveling the concept of advanced document understanding.  A natural evolution from first-generation IDP, advanced document understanding represents the next frontier in AI application.  It employs the power of AI to learn from past experiences and to comprehend and respond to a variety of prompts, ranging from written instructions to complex mathematical problems and image analysis.

Examining AI Models

The realm of AI is brimming with diverse models:  dynamic content suggestions on social media platforms, self-driving vehicles like Autox and Motional, and Generative AI, such as ChatGPT.  Each of these models reflects the breadth and depth of AI’s influence.

Three central categories of AI come together to create advanced document understanding:  machine learning, deep learning, and expert systems.  Machine learning enables systems to learn from data and experiences without explicit programming.  Deep learning deals with complex patterns and datasets, and expert systems mimic human-like decision-making.  Each category plays a crucial role in forming a holistic AI ecosystem.  The intersection of these technologies offers a transformative solution, as exemplified by the Zillow Zestimate tool.

The world anticipates a surge in AI expenditure, set to exceed $500 billion in 2023.  Multiple AI applications fall under this umbrella, including generative AI, predictive analytics, natural language processing, and computer vision.  These capabilities drive pivotal business operations such as service optimization, new AI product development, and customer analytics.

To navigate the AI landscape effectively, it is essential to understand several key terms:  machine learning, application programming interfaces, data extraction, JavaScript object notation, and optical character recognition.  Understanding these terms elucidates AI’s enormous potential in enhancing efficiency, speed, quality, and talent management in business and government operations.

AI in Business Operations

To effectively integrate AI into operations, businesses should define their needs, set near-term goals, evaluate their capabilities, prepare their data, and start small.  The efficacy of advanced document understanding is best exemplified by Lazarus AI’s RikAI platform.  This next-generation IDP tool outperforms its peers with its extraordinary performance, simple integration, and ability to process data from any document, irrespective of type, format, or language.

RikAI proves its superiority over other platforms, addressing many of the common customer requirements that challenge previous-generation IDP tools, including processing handwriting, eliminating the need for template building, and avoiding accuracy loss when new document layouts are introduced.  Moreover, it offers impressive price-performance for signatures and checkboxes, interpreting typed text with 99.9% accuracy and handwriting with 92% accuracy.

Conclusion

The emergence of advanced document understanding represents a giant leap in the evolution of AI.  As businesses and governments integrate AI into daily operations, it becomes imperative to harness the potential of next-gen IDP for maximizing value and empowering business transformations.  Advanced document understanding, as embodied by RikAI, offers an exciting glimpse into the future of AI-enabled business operations.

Intelligent Document Processing: AI Business Transformation
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YTTV NFL Sunday Ticket Holders Get Unlimited Simultaneous Streams

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YTTV NFL Sunday Ticket Holders Get Unlimited Simultaneous Streams

YouTube TV has given NFL Sunday Ticket holders a major upgrade, with the ability to watch unlimited simultaneous streams.

YTTV has been expanding support for multiple simultaneous streams, but the company just tweeted about its big upgrade for NFL Sunday Ticket holders.

This just in! We’ve heard your feedback about @NFL Sunday Ticket streaming limits and we’re excited to share that we’re including unlimited simultaneous streams at home for @NFL Sunday Ticket content, on both YouTube TV and @YouTube.

Multiple simultaneous streams was once one of FuboTV’s claims to fame. Since rolling the feature out, YTTV has cemented its position as the best streaming option on the market for most users.

YTTV NFL Sunday Ticket Holders Get Unlimited Simultaneous Streams
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WhatsApp Is Working on Streamlined Group Message Settings

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WhatsApp Is Working on Streamlined Group Message Settings

WhatsApp is working on streamlining group message settings in an effort to improve the user experience.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is testing a new interface for group messaging settings, rolling it out in a new beta version.

WABetaInfo provided detailed info and screenshot in their report:

WhatsApp keeps working on improving the user interface of the Android app. After releasing a tweaked interface with the bottom navigation bar to some beta testers after installing the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.10.6 and WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.11.6 updates, we discovered that WhatsApp is introducing another tweaked interface for a certain section of the app. In fact, after installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.11.11 update, some beta users may experiment with redesigned group settings:

WhatsApp Group Message Settings – Credit WABetaInfo

As you can see in this screenshot, the new interface is clearer and intuitive. Instead of opening an additional window every time an option is selected, it is possible to enable or disable it directly from this screen by toggling the switch, resulting in a time-saving. In addition, group administrators can decide whether to allow or disallow other participants to add people to the group with the new update.

The new group message settings will be a welcome improvement for users.

WhatsApp Is Working on Streamlined Group Message Settings
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T-Mobile CEO: Tech Leaders and Employees ‘Gotta Get Back to the Offices’

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T-Mobile CEO: Tech Leaders and Employees ‘Gotta Get Back to the Offices’

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert minced no words about his views of remote vs in-office work, saying, “y’all gotta get back to the offices.”

Remote work continues to be a source of contention in many businesses, with workers reluctant to return to the office after the pandemic changed the workplace and make remote work the new normal. Companies have been increasingly issuing RTO mandates, often reneging on previous promises that remote work would continue indefinitely.

Sievert, speaking Technology Alliance‘s 2023 State of Technology luncheon in Seattle made clear where he stands on the matter, aiming his comments not just at T-Mobile, but at all tech businesses in the Seattle area.

“It’s your responsibility to lead the way and get back in there,” he said, via GeekWire.

“I’ll say a few unpopular things” he added. “First of all, y’all gotta get back to the offices.”

Sievert said in-person work was a critical component in supporting the local economy.

“So we’ve got to get our people back at the offices, particularly in downtown Seattle,” Sievert continued. “Our government has to do their part, too. It’s not just the private sector. The public has to do their part, as well.”

As GeekWire points out, Sievert said he believes younger workers are more willing to come back to the office if they know they will be mentored and trained by the more experienced workers, workers that are more reluctant to return at all.

“It’s the people who are 10-15 years into their career, in their mid 30s and 40s, who have been most stubborn about coming back,” he said. “We’re not going to get the young people back unless the mentors are already there.”

Sievert’s comments were met with a mixed response, an indication of just how divisive the topic really is.

T-Mobile CEO: Tech Leaders and Employees ‘Gotta Get Back to the Offices’
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Ford Teams Up With Tesla to Use Its Supercharger Network

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Ford Teams Up With Tesla to Use Its Supercharger Network

The two biggest rivals in the US electric vehicle market are teaming up, with Ford planning to use Tesla’s charging network.

One of the biggest challenges for EV makers is providing a charging network. Tesla has one of the biggest in the US, and Ford has struck a deal for its customers to have access to all 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in both current and future EVs. While current vehicles will need an adapter, beginning in 2025, Ford offer vehicles with the North American Charging Standard (NACS), thereby eliminating the need for an adapter.

“This is great news for our customers who will have unprecedented access to the largest network of fast-chargers in the U.S. and Canada with 12,000+ Tesla Superchargers plus 10,000+ fast-chargers already in the BlueOval Charge Network,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “Widespread access to fast-charging is absolutely vital to our growth as an EV brand, and this breakthrough agreement comes as we are ramping up production of our popular Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning, and preparing to launch a series of next-generation EVs starting in 2025.”

“We’ve spent the last 10 years building an industry-leading Charging Network that enables freedom to travel and provides charging confidence for our Tesla owners,” Added Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s senior director of charging infrastructure. “We’re excited to deliver on our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy by welcoming Ford owners, and other electric vehicles who adopt NACS, to our thousands of Superchargers across North America.”

Ford is determined to become the number one EV maker in the US, with its Mustang Mach-E recently surpassing the Tesla Model 3 in Consumer Reports reviews. Partnering with its rival for charging infrastructure is a smart move that should help Ford make major inroads.

Ford Teams Up With Tesla to Use Its Supercharger Network
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Maximizing Sales and Revenue with Client Relationship Management Software

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Maximizing Sales and Revenue with Client Relationship Management Software

There’s a set of tools designed to help organizations manage the interactions they have with their clients and prospects. This operation management system enables businesses to collect, store and analyze client data from every aspect. The sales, marketing and client service are synced and translated to produce key points for client relationship management. This software can maximize sales and revenue. Let’s get a better understanding of what this can do for you. 

Understanding the client

For the growth of the business and to stay ahead of the competition, it is important to not only know your clients, but to understand them. Understanding the preferences, needs and desires can be the building or breaking of a business and long term relationships is what you are looking for. Having an operation management system like Planfix can do just that.  

Client relationship management software or CRM in short, helps companies analyze data. This data comes from client interactions and can narrow down consumer preferences. With this information at hand you can understand trends and product or service offerings that might help you steer your company in the direction where growth is imminent.       

Building Relationships with clients

It is important to interact with clients in an individual manner, it doesn’t help sending out a general info brochure that is meant for everyone. It should be specific to that person’s needs and wants, you should know the trends and then personalize for specifics. Bombarding your clients with general hogwash is not going to get them to buy or use your service, but if it’s something that an individual is interested in, now that changes everything. 

Client segmentation is an important part of a successful marketing strategy. CRM software, an excellent example of it is Planfix, helps businesses divide clients into sections based on various factors, including demographics, behavior, preferences, and more. All these factors can support your business and decision making becomes easier with streamlined functionality.

Streamlining Sales Processes

To use the CRM software for sales pipeline management is not only a nice to have, but a must for every business aiming for huge growth. This operation management system software helps sales teams manage the leads from start to finish and also provides high accuracy insight into performance or improvement areas for your business. 

The CRM software provides for follow up processing to maintain strong relationships with clients. The processes analyze data, track client interactions and automate communication to make it more personal for each client in a timely manner. 

Upselling and Cross-selling

The use of forecasting with CRM software can help businesses predict sales and increase revenue by analyzing data and trends from client interactions. Teams can make informed decisions when developing strategies and direction for upselling and cross-selling. Targeted promotions and well devised marketing campaigns are now much easier to achieve with CRM software doing most of the work. 

Collaborating with Teams and Partners

Integrating CRM software with other applications can streamline business processes in a functional and positive way. If for instance used with marketing automation software, the process can help automate lead nurturing and improve sales conversions. This can lead to increased efficiency, improved coordination and more detailed relationships with partners and clients. The use of CRM software can give you valuable insights into interactions and help identify where improvement is needed.

It is of utmost importance to have effective communication and collaboration with partners and teams for success when making sales. The software can track accountability ensuring that all parties involved hold up their part, all are held responsible for their own actions and contributions to the overall success of the business.

Tracking and Analyzing Sales Data

CRM software is a powerful tool used for sales performance improvement and client engagement. It has advanced features like lead tracking, sales forecasting and performance analytics and are only an advantage to your business. 

The importance of tracking metrics and KPIs is a necessary part for any high-end business for ultimate performance by helping in achieving their goals. This is done by regular monitoring to identify areas of improvement and ultimately you can make data driven decisions to keep performance up. 

By analyzing client behavior concerning purchase patterns, businesses can optimize sales revenue by implementing target marketing strategies and adjusting to find new opportunities for upselling and cross-selling. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, making use of CRM software can be one of the best decisions you make for your bottom line. With the world of technology at your fingertips and the massive benefits that follow CRM software, you are bound to see the result in an increase in sales and revenue. With successful implementation of CRM technology like Planfix, there will be a notable difference and a return on investment can be seen soon after implementation. 

Maximizing Sales and Revenue with Client Relationship Management Software
Brian Wallace

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United Airlines Taps iPhone App to Improve Customer Experience

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United Airlines Taps iPhone App to Improve Customer Experience

United Airlines is turning to its Live Activities iPhone app to help improve the customer experience and give users more information.

According to TheStreet, beginning this month, customers will be able to use the Live Activities app to get real-time updates on boarding information, departure times, seat information, and more.

“We’re seeing soaring demand for travel this summer, and Live Activities puts all the flight information you need right at your fingertips, whether your iPhone is locked or you’re doing something else like checking email, listening to music or texting friends,” said Linda Jojo, chief customer officer for United in a statement. “This new feature is another way United is leveraging technology to improve our customers’ travel journey. It’s going to save passengers a lot of time, and we think they’re going to love it, especially during a busy travel season.”

Anything that takes the hassle out of flying is a win for travelers, even if it’s just more readily accessible information.

United Airlines Taps iPhone App to Improve Customer Experience
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Anne Boden, Founder of Starling Bank, Is Stepping Aside As CEO

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Anne Boden, Founder of Starling Bank, Is Stepping Aside As CEO

Anne Boden has served as CEO of Starling Bank since founding it in 2014, but has now announced she is stepping down.

Starling Bank is a neobank or one that is 100% online, with no physical branch locations. Under Boden’s leadership, the bank has some 3.6 million customers, holds £10.6 billion in deposits, and is in its second year of profitability.

Boden credits the bank’s success to the emphasis on being more than just a business, focusing on “the social good.”

I believe the best businesses are committed to pursuing the social good. At Starling we are constantly homing in on what makes us such an essential part of our customers’ lives, resulting in us being more efficient and making our customers more efficient in managing their everyday money. We are working hard each day to become a better fit for our customers; I suppose we will fit together as Lego bricks.

Boden says she will remain on the Board of Directors, “popping up now and then with my perspectives on banking, technology and, of course, Starling.”

In the meantime, COO John Mountain will be taking over as Interim CEO, having joined Boden at Starling Bank in 2015.

Anne Boden, Founder of Starling Bank, Is Stepping Aside As CEO
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Microsoft’s Surface Pro X Cameras Have Gone AWOL

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Microsoft’s Surface Pro X Cameras Have Gone AWOL

Users of Microsoft’s Surface Pro X have had a frustrating few days, with the cameras on those devices no longer working.

First spotted by The Verge, users have taken to Reddit and Microsoft’s own support forums to complain of issues with the Surface Pro X camera not working. The Verge was able to verify the issue, receiving this message when trying to use the camera on their own device:

0xA00F4271(0x80004005)

A Microsoft rep has responded to the support forum posts with the following message:

We are aware that customers using Surface Pro X are currently having issues using the built-in cameras, and we are actively investigating. Thank you for reporting this issue.

As The Verge points out, the timing is unfortunate for Microsoft. The company is in the middle of its Build developer conference. Having its flagship Arm-powered tablet not working properly is not a good look.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro X Cameras Have Gone AWOL
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Google Is Ending Chrome Translate for Older Versions of Chrome

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Google Is Ending Chrome Translate for Older Versions of Chrome

Google is shutting off one of Chrome’s most popular and useful features in older versions of the browser.

According to a blog post by the Chrome Support Manager, Google is disabling Translate in older versions of the browser, specifically version M95 and older.

We have started the process of turning off the built-in Translate feature in older versions of Chrome. If you are on an older version of Chrome, you may begin to see the error message “This page could not be translated”.

To continue to use Chrome Translate, please update your browser to Chrome version M96 or newer. If you are unable to update your device to version M96 or newer, you will not be able to use Chrome’s built-in Translate feature on that device any longer.

Users can still use Google Translate via the web if updating to a newer version of Chrome is not an option.

Google Is Ending Chrome Translate for Older Versions of Chrome
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France Bans Short Flights Over Environmental Concerns

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France Bans Short Flights Over Environmental Concerns

France has taken a step to address climate change, banning short-haul domestic flights where travel by train is a viable option.

According to BBC News, the law bans any domestic flights covering travel that could be completed in under two-and-a-half hours by train. The new law is significantly less aggressive than the original proposal, which would have banned flights that could be replaced by a four-hour or less train ride.

Critics are saying the final legislation is more symbolic than anything, and doesn’t address the real issues.

“On average, the plane emits 77 times more CO2 per passenger than the train on these routes, even though the train is cheaper and the time lost is limited to 40 minutes,” said French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir. The group had called on lawmakers to uphold the original four-hour proposal.

The group also called for “safeguards that [French national railway] SNCF will not seize the opportunity to artificially inflate its prices or degrade the quality of rail service”.

As BBC News points out, the airline industry is still suffering the effects of the pandemic, with flights still down from pre-pandemic levels. The government was likely concerned about passing overly restrictive measures on an industry that is still trying to recover.

France Bans Short Flights Over Environmental Concerns
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Google Extends Bug Bounty to Its First-Party Android Apps

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Google Extends Bug Bounty to Its First-Party Android Apps

Google is extending its bug bounty program to include first-party Android apps, paying high prices for discovered vulnerabilities.

Bug bounties are a popular way for companies to find and fix vulnerabilities and security issues, relying on researchers and users to report bugs they discover. Depending on the company, bounties can be significant enough that some researchers make their entire livelihood from finding bugs.

Journalist Mishaal Rahman was the first to spot Google’s new program for its first-party Android apps.

Journalist Mishaal Rahman was the first to spot Google’s new program for its first-party Android apps:

Google has added a new Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP) called the Mobile VRP that focuses on its first-party Android apps.

Security researchers that disclose qualifying vulnerabilities impacting Android apps developed or maintained by Google can be rewarded depending on the type of vulnerability, the scenario in which the vulnerability can be exploited, and the importance of the app that’s affected.

The company outlined its goals in a blog post:

Google’s Mobile Vulnerability Rewards Program (Mobile VRP) focuses on first-party Android applications developed or maintained by Google.

The Mobile VRP recognizes the contributions and hard work of researchers who help Google improve the security posture of our first-party Android applications.

The goal of the program is to mitigate vulnerabilities in first-party Android applications, and thus keep users and their data safe.

Google’s payouts are quite generous, especially for Tier 1 apps which include Gmail, Google Cloud, Google Chrome, Google Play Services, Chrome Remote Desktop, and AGSA. The smallest payout comes in at $600, and scales up to $30,000 for arbitrary code execution that requires no user interaction.

Google Extends Bug Bounty to Its First-Party Android Apps
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Bill Gates: Company That Cracks AI Assistants Will Reshape Industry

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Bill Gates: Company That Cracks AI Assistants Will Reshape Industry

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has weighed in on AI, saying the company that launches the first real AI personal assistant will disrupt the industry.

Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, and others are racing to develop true artificial intelligence. Microsoft, in particular, sees AI as a way to disrupt the search industry and cut into Google’s dominance.

Gates sees AI’s potential as reaching far beyond that, potentially ending people’s need for search engine sites altogether.

“Whoever wins the personal agent, that’s the big thing, because you will never go to a search site again, you will never go to a productivity site, you’ll never go to Amazon again,” he said, according to CNBC.

“I’d be disappointed if Microsoft didn’t come in there,” Gates said. “But I’m impressed with a couple of startups, including Inflection,”

Gates says he believes its 50-50 whether the next big AI will be developed by a startup or a Big Tech company.

His thoughts echo those of a Google engineer who recently warned that Google and Microsoft could get outmaneuvered by a startup and ultimately lose the AI wars.

Bill Gates: Company That Cracks AI Assistants Will Reshape Industry
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Apple Takes Page From Google, iPhone to Double As Smart Display

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Apple Takes Page From Google, iPhone to Double As Smart Display

Apple appears to be taking a page from Google’s playbook, with plans to allow iPhones running iOS 17 to act as smart displays while locked.

The information comes courtesy of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who says iOS 17 will include new display features to make iPhones show helpful information when they are locked. The goal is make the devices more useful, essentially being able to double as a smart display.

The view will appear when an iPhone is locked and positioned horizontally, operating similarly to dedicated displays offered by Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Amazon.com Inc., according to people familiar with the project. The idea is to make iPhones more useful when they’re, for example, lying on a person’s desk or nightstand.

The move is similar to steps Google took with its recently unveiled Pixel Tablet. The tablet is sold with a stand that allows it to act as a smart display when docked.

Apple Takes Page From Google, iPhone to Double As Smart Display
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Linux Distro Reviews: Pop!_OS

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Linux Distro Reviews: Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS is something of a unicorn in the Linux world, a distro that a hardware maker develops in an effort to offer a fully integrated experience.

For the rest of this review, I will refer to Pop!_OS as Pop OS or merely Pop. The distro has many positives, but how it is spelled is not one of them. With that out of the way, let’s delve into what makes Pop OS so special.

Cosmic DE Floating Panels – Credit System76

Background

Pop OS is developed by System76, a company based in Colorado that specializes in Linux-compatible computers. Every component is chosen for maximum compatibility, eliminating the issues some users experience when switching from Windows to Linux.

Pop is based on Ubuntu, which gives it access to the largest repository of software in the Linux world. If a developer is going to target any family of Linux distros, Ubuntu is going to be the first.

This also means that many of the online tutorials and help pages will work with Pop as well.

While Pop uses Ubuntu as its base, it makes a couple of decisions that are quite a departure from Ubuntu’s default setup.

• First and foremost, Pop is a semi-rolling release. System76 updates the Linux kernel, Mesa drivers, and some applications much more rapidly than Ubuntu. It’s not uncommon for the kernel in Pop to be only a version or two behind Arch or openSUSE Tumbleweed.
• Unlike Ubuntu, Pop includes Flatpak instead Ubuntu’s Snap. When combined with Pop’s already semi-rolling nature, using Flatpak can help a user keep their system and applications as up-to-date and fresh as possible.
• Pop includes its own system76-scheduler that automatically diverts resources to the active window. This helps improve responsiveness and performance compared to other environments.

Cosmic Desktop Environment and Tiling Windows

One of the defining characteristics of Pop OS is its Cosmic DE. In its current incarnation, Cosmic is based on the popular Gnome DE. In many users’ eyes, however, Cosmic addresses many of the criticisms of Gnome, adding back many of the everyday features that Gnome developers seem intent on removing.

A hallmark feature of Cosmic is window tiling. Borrowing a page from dedicated window tiling managers, Cosmic’s tiling extension offers the best of both worlds. A user can switch from free-floating windows to neatly tiled ones with a simple keystroke.

Pop OS Auto Tiling

Cosmic’s bottom panel can be configured to look like the dock in macOS or the panel in Windows.

As good as Cosmic is in its current form, System76 is currently rewriting it using the Rust programming language and ending its dependence on Gnome. The decision comes after a very public spat between the System76 and Gnome developers. The Gnome Foundation is well known for being very opinionated about how the DE should function, and the System76 developers got tired of having to rebuild their custom extensions after every Gnome update and generally being at the mercy of Gnome’s choices.

System76 has released a series of updates on the progress of the Rust-based Cosmic DE, and the progress is impressive. The company is focusing on making Cosmic customizable, something that has always been a weak point for Gnome.

Rebuilding Cosmic in Rust is also leading to significant performance gains, thanks to the features and benefits Rust brings to the table.

Release Schedule

When Pop first appeared on the scene, it followed the same release schedule as Ubuntu, releasing a long-term support (LTS) release every two years and interim releases every six months.

System76’s CEO has said that once Cosmis is finished, the company plans to switch to a yearly release cycle. This will keep the underlying base a little fresher than Ubuntu LTS’ two-year cycle but more stable than the six-month interim releases.

While Sytem76 is working on Cosmic, however, the company has kept Pop on the last Ubuntu LTS release, version 22.04. With five years of support, keeping Pop on the LTS base allows the company to focus development time and effort on Cosmic rather than rebasing on the latest Ubuntu.

Rust-Based Cosmic – Credit System76

System76 has said the next version of Pop will be released in 2024, along with the initial release of the Cosmic DE. While the company has not been specific about when in 2024 the next release will be, it would make sense for it to coincide with the release of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. This will give System76 another solid base for the next version of Pop, giving them the ability to focus on any bug fixes and improvements that may be needed once Cosmic is released to the public.

Additional Standout Features

In addition to everything already discussed, Pop has a couple of additional standout features:

• At the time of writing, Pop is the only distro that has full-disk encryption selected by default in the installer.
• Pop includes a recovery partition that has an up-to-date copy of the OS. This is an amazing feature that I wish other distros copied, as it provides an easy way to boot up and restore an install that has broken for some reason (such as too much tinkering, a flawed update, etc.)

What Pop OS Does Very Well

Pop OS is a distro that has a very specific focus: desktop users. While Canonical’s Ubuntu makes its money in the server market, much like Red Hat and SUSE, Pop is aimed squarely at the desktop market.

As part of that focus, the System76 developers have a good read on what their users want and need and are doing an excellent job delivering it.

Pop also goes a long way toward undoing some of Ubuntu’s unpopular decisions, especially regarding Flatpak and Snap.

Pop also gives users with the latest and greatest hardware the ability to run some of the newest kernels and graphics drivers — thereby eking out the best performance — but without the paper cuts that often come with running a full rolling-release distro like Arch or openSUSE Tumbleweed.

Finally, Pop’s upcoming Rust-based Cosmic looks to be an amazing DE, one that could eventually replace Xfce as the third-most-popular choice and possibly even challenge Gnome and KDE.

What Pop Doesn’t Do Well

There are a couple of things that Pop doesn’t do or doesn’t do well:

• No Secure Boot. There are Linux fanboys that will say Secure Boot is a Microsoft plot to limit what OS you can install on your machine, but that is simply not true. The Linus Torvalds, the Debian developers, and many others in the Linux community have acknowledged that Secure Boot can be an important step in securing your machine. It may not be as effective as Microsoft would like, but it is an important step nonetheless. In its current form, Pop does not support Secure Boot out of the box, but the developers have said they may add support once Cosmic is finished.
• The Pop Shop is horrible. There was a point in time when the Pop Shop, which is a fork of the software center in Elementary OS, was a decent software center. Unfortunately, that cannot be said anymore. The Pop Shop is slow, buggy, and prone to crashes. When starting it up, you have to wait a few seconds for it to finish loading. If you don’t and immediately begin searching, it will almost always crash. Similarly, clicking the “Install” button doesn’t display any kind of progress bar. Instead, you have to go back to the search results page to see a progress bar for the app you’re installing. The developers have said they’re working on a new version of the Pop Shop, but the current one is hands down the worst software center of any distro or DE I have tried.

Again, to be clear, both of these issues will likely be addressed once Cosmic is finished.

Final Thoughts

Pop OS is one of my absolute favorite Linux distros on the market, and it’s hard not to recommend it to new users and experienced veterans alike.

Rating

4.5 out of 5 stars

Linux Distro Reviews: Pop!_OS
Matt Milano

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