Tech Newsletter
April 16-22, 2023
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Microsoft is increasing ads in Windows 11
The company wrote that its latest Windows 11 preview build will have even more ‘badging’ on the Start menu for Microsoft 365 and OneDrive. The update before this already added advertisements for OneDrive cloud backups for some users in the start menu. The Windows start menu is now becoming like those websites with giant banner ads everywhere. Users can currently disable these ads by navigating through Windows settings, but if these ads go live, most regular users won’t have the knowhow to disable them. Microsoft has not made the option to disable the ads clear in any of its messaging so far. The update preview is not all doom and gloom. For one, Microsoft added a gallery in file explorer to easily see photos that you have saved on your computer. The update is also said to bring bug fixes.
Bing may become the default search engine
Google has been the leading search engine for decades. In the desktop market, they have been holding a 80% plus market share. The recent surge in AI Chatbots, such as ChatGPT, have caused Google to start to lose market share. After ChatGPT-powered Bing was recently launched, Google is having a tough time. Now, even Samsung is considering moving to Bing on its Galaxy phones and tablets. Samsung’s preference for Bing comes from the GPT powered Chat feature. For now, Bing chat has been outperforming Google’s Bard in almost every way. Of course, preinstalled search deals are more about cash than quality. Google pays billions every year to be the default search engine on popular products with deals framed as either "revenue sharing" or "traffic acquisition fees." Google reportedly pays as much as $3.5 billion per year to be the default search on Samsung phones, while it pays Apple $20 billion per year to be the default search on iOS and macOS. If Samsung switched to Bing, it wouldn't be the first time. In 2010 some models of the Galaxy S II shipped with Bing as the only search engine, and it wasn't easy to change back to Google. Back then, Bing was new and ambitious and was attempting to beat Google's market share, but after years of not gaining any traction, it feels like that ship has sailed at Microsoft.
AT&T launches a medical radar tracking device
AT&T has teamed up with medical sensor manufacturer Cherish Health to create a claimed “industry first” radar device capable of detecting emergency conditions and monitoring people who are at risk of falling. It can do this across multiple rooms throughout the home, even through walls. Dubbed the Cherish Serenity, the device uses a combination of AT&T cellular connectivity and Cherish’s radar and AI technology to detect body position, movement, and biometrics without requiring cameras or wearable trackers. The main reason that this was made was to improve the privacy of those who use it. But, I don’t see how something that can pinpoint your position through walls is better than having a tracker that can do the same thing.
Microsoft reportedly developing its own chips for AI
The AI race has tech companies scrambling for Nvidia GPUs and Microsoft reportedly accelerating its own on in-house AI chips. Nvidia is the key supplier of AI server chips right now, with companies racing to buy up these chips and estimates suggesting OpenAI will need more than 30,000 of Nvidia’s A100 GPUs for the commercialization of ChatGPT. Nvidia’s latest H100 GPUs are selling for more than $40,000 on eBay, illustrating the demand for high-end chips that can help deploy AI software. If Microsoft is working on its own AI chips, it would be the latest in a line of tech giants. Amazon, Google, and Meta also have their own in-house chips for AI, but many companies are still relying on Nvidia chips to power the latest large language models.
Some Google employees do not like Bard
In an effort to keep up with rivals Microsoft and OpenAI, Google rushed its own chatbot, Bard. A new report shows employees begged the company not to launch the product. Google employees repeatedly criticized Bard in internal messages, labeling the system “a pathological liar”. That’s according to a report from Bloomberg citing discussions with 18 current and former Google workers as well as screenshots of internal messages. Google has apparently sidelined ethical concerns in an effort to keep up with rivals like Microsoft and OpenAI. The company frequently touts its safety and ethics work in AI but has long been criticized for prioritizing business instead. In tests comparing the ability of Bard, Bing Chat, and ChatGPT, Bard was found to be consistently less useful and accurate than its rivals.
Masimo alleges Apple stole their trade secrets
Way back in 2013, Apple reportedly contacted medical tech company Masimo, as it was interested in forming a “working relationship” with the company. Following meetings in which details of Masimo’s pulse oximeter technology was discussed, Apple is said to have begun poaching the company’s staff. Earlier this year a court ruled that Apple had indeed infringed one of the ten patents. Apple has done this so many times that it has earned its own name, Sherlocking. The origins of the name was the most famous instance. Before Spotlight—Apple’s built-in search feature—there was a different built-in search feature named Sherlock. Sherlock was part of Mac OS 8 and 9, and allowed users to search for files and contacts. When Mac OS X came around, Sherlock was extended to incorporate some basic web functionality. Later, a developer named Dan Wood built a companion app to Sherlock that expanded its functionality and named it Watson. Watson became very popular, and stayed that way right until Apple released Mac OS X 10.2 with Sherlock 3. In that release, Apple added just about everything Watson could do to Sherlock’s own interface, which effectively killed Watson. While that was the most famous example, some other would include: BlueMail had a sign in with Apple feature, which Apple stole and later demoted BlueMail in search results. The company AliveCor made an ECG accessory for the Apple Watch, but when Apple added an ECG to their watch, they changed its operating system in a way that AliveCor’s hardware and software integration no longer worked with the watch. Finally, the FlickType keyboard was an on-screen keyboard for the Apple Watch, but Apple banned the app. About a few months later, Apple announced on stage that their new Series 7 Watch would have a never before seen feature, an on-screen keyboard.
Elon Musk threatens to sue Microsoft
Twitter boss Elon Musk has threatened to sue Microsoft as he accused the technology giant of using data from his social media company without permission. In a tweet, he said "They trained illegally using Twitter data. Lawsuit time,". He did not provide further details or evidence to support the claim. In February, Twitter started charging for the data it collects from "hundreds of millions" of users, with a basic plan starting at $100 a month. After this, Microsoft stated their ad program will no longer support Twitter due to API costs. Xbox also disables the ability to share game clips directly to Twitter from consoles and the Windows Game Bar. Since Musk has bought the platform for $44 billion, it is estimated that the company has lost over $20 billion. It is easy to see why.
Still needing a domain name
I am currently working on a website, preview would be on a YouTube channel that I am also working on. Linked here. If you have the time, please brainstorm ideas on a domain name for the website. Enter your ideas through the link in the banner ad. I will be accepting responses for two weeks and after that, I will hold a community vote with the ideas submitted and some that I came up with. Also, please give me some ideas for the YouTube channel using the contact button at the bottom of the page.
Video versions of Consumer Reviews articles are coming
I would like to expand my Tech Newsletter and my reviews to YouTube. For the video version of this Newsletter, I will be summarizing the topics instead of just reading what I have written. The time of release is to be determined, but I would like to have it before Sunday. No promises.
Have a Great Day!
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