Meta Mimics Apple, AI Roundup, Big Phone Reveals, + More!

[JakobRush]

 

NEWS SOURCES:

 

META’S VISION

Vision Pro official launch

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/02/02/apple-vision-pro-launch-day/

https://youtu.be/aJ8lLdo6x_8 @0:13

$3500 because it’s “tomorrow’s technology today” https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/02/tim-cook-vision-pro-interview/

Didn’t explain why Personas look bad and Meta’s avatars look so much better

https://youtu.be/GkPw6ScHyb4?t=1673 @27:52

https://youtu.be/MVYrJJNdrEg?t=117 @1:56

Meta tried to piggyback with announcement https://www.meta.com/blog/quest/v62-software-update-spatial-video-playback-gamepad-support-browswer/

Quest 2, 3, and Pro support spatial video https://www.zdnet.com/article/meta-quest-headsets-now-support-spatial-video-playback-ahead-of-vision-pro-launch/

gamepad support in Quest Browser for cloud gaming https://lmg.gg/YGoyM

Also more pinch gestures https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/vr-ar/forget-apple-vision-pro-the-meta-quest-3-is-getting-spatial-videos-and-new-pinch-gestures

“Opening the universal menu will require a pinch and release gesture, while pinching and holding recenters the headset view.” https://lmg.gg/Nxq47 (Tom’s Guide)

Apollo for Reddit dev makes YouTube Vision Pro app

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/juno-for-youtube/id6476961640

 

HIGH ON THEIR OWN AI

Google Bard can generate images now

https://www.cnet.com/tech/with-image-generation-bard-ai-shows-it-has-something-to-prove/

https://searchengineland.com/google-bard-adds-image-generation-437077

thinks it looks like this https://lmg.gg/xHXhR

Maps gets generative AI chat https://mobilesyrup.com/2024/02/02/google-is-saucing-maps-up-with-generative-ai/

https://blog.google/products/maps/google-maps-generative-ai-local-guides/

https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/original_videos/Google_Maps_Generative_AI_-_Vintage_Vibe.mp4

https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/original_videos/V2_Tight_Frame.mp4

Amazon Rufus https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-rufus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXkDMBNCoFo

product names https://futurism.com/amazon-products-ai-generated

Meanwhile Apple will show GenAI “later this year”

https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/02/01/cook-incredibly-excited-about-generative-ai-coming-to-apple-gear-later-in-2024

follows news of Apple testing running AI models locally on iPhones https://arstechnica.com/apple/2024/01/apple-aims-to-run-ai-models-directly-on-iphones-other-devices/

 

NEW PHONES, WHO DIS?

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra reviews mixed

https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-and-s24-review-a-taste-of-generative-ai-in-everyday-use-160041639.html

Don’t like S24+ https://www.xda-developers.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-plus-review/

S24 and AI features are good https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/shopping/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-smartphone-review-testing-1235806416/

But don’t like lack of zoom https://www.androidpolice.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-good-phone-no-love/

No 10x periscope anymore https://lmg.gg/3ZqEZ (Android Police)

Nothing surprise-announces Nothing Phone (2a) budget phone

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2024/02/01/nothing-suddenly-announces-surprise-new-iphone-challenger-on-its-way/?sh=7c72700d4400

Announced in community update https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzhjD6B9Sk4

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Nothing-Phone-2a-arriving-later-this-month-to-rival-the-Google-Pixel-8a-and-as-clear-upgrade-over-Nothing-Phone-1.799079.0.html

Rumored for since December https://www.notebookcheck.net/Nothing-outlines-Nothing-to-see-event-following-Nothing-Phone-2a-rumours.782604.0.html

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/nothing-phone-2a-official-confirmation-upgrades-leaks-news/

 

 

QUICK BITS

 

PRETTY FLY FOR A WI-FI

City-wide Wi-Fi may be possible via HaLow devices

https://www.pcgamer.com/city-wide-wi-fi-networks-spanning-literal-miles-could-soon-be-possible-thanks-to-halow-devices/

https://youtu.be/2xlUijXucoM

https://www.tomshardware.com/networking/super-long-range-wi-fi-works-at-a-range-of-18-miles-halow-standard-aces-a-real-world-test-despite-high-interference

 

THE RABBLE-BROWSER

The Browser Company adds more interesting AI-powered features

Instant Links https://youtu.be/WIeJF3kL5ng @1:57

Live Folders @10:53

Browse For Me – launched on iOS this week, coming to desktop browser too @5:21

https://lifehacker.com/tech/why-arc-search-may-be-the-future-of-the-internet

Hates Google’s ad business I guess https://gizmodo.com/arc-ai-browser-google-search-new-features-instant-links-1851219967

 

ROBO JOE NO MO

FCC to declare AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal under existing law

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/02/fcc-to-declare-ai-generated-voices-in-robocalls-illegal-under-existing-law/

https://deadline.com/2024/01/fcc-robocalls-artifical-intelligence-1235810075/

Joe Biden AI robocall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCs_zFbkf0M

https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/02/fcc_ai_robocall/

 

I’M ON VOCATION

Japan making residency visa for digital nomads

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-immigration/Japan-to-introduce-six-month-residency-visa-for-digital-nomads

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/02/02/japan/society/digital-nomad-visa-march/

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/02/0ef1b51f2677-japan-to-allow-longer-stays-for-digital-nomads-to-boost-consumption.html

 

AI SEE, AI DO

AI trained on a baby’s experiences yields clues to how we learn language

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoRUtEd2pKd2NUWkNoSHM1THF6NUIwU3FTZ0FQAQ?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/ai-autonomously-learns-language-through-the-experience-of-a-single-child-in-groundbreaking-study-221166

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adi1374

https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/01/1087527/baby-ai-language-camera/