Author Archives: Will Shanklin

The UK’s antitrust regulator will formally investigate Alphabet’s $2.3 billion Anthropic investment

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The UK’s competition regulator is probing Alphabet’s investment in AI startup Anthropic. After opening public comments this summer, the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) said on Thursday it has “sufficient information” to begin an initial investigation into whether Alphabet’s reported $2.3 billion investment in the Claude AI chatbot maker harms competition in UK markets.

The CMA breaks its merger probes into two stages: a preliminary scan to determine whether there’s enough evidence to dig deeper and an optional second phase where the government gathers as much evidence as possible. After the second stage, it ultimately decides on a regulatory outcome.

The probe will formally kick off on Friday. By December 19, the CMA will choose whether to move to a phase 2 investigation.

Google told Engadget that Anthropic isn’t locked into its cloud services. “Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don't demand exclusive tech rights.” Engadget also reached out to the CMA for comment, and we’ll update this story if we hear back.

TechCrunch notes that Alphabet reportedly invested $300 million in Anthropic in early 2023. Later that year, it was said to back the AI startup with an additional $2 billion. Situations like this can be classified as a “quasi-merger,” where deep-pocketed tech companies essentially take control of emerging startups through strategic investments and hiring founders and technical workers.

Amazon has invested even more in Anthropic: a whopping $4 billion. After an initial public comment period, the CMA declined to investigate that investment last month. The CMA said Amazon avoided Alphabet’s fate at least in part because of its current rules: Anthropic’s UK turnover didn’t exceed £70 million, and the two parties didn’t combine to account for 25 percent or more of the region’s supply (in this case, AI LLMs and chatbots).

Although the CMA hasn’t specified, something in Alphabet’s $2.3 billion Anthropic investment constituted a deeper dive. Of course, Google’s Gemini competes with Claude, and both companies make large language models they provide to small businesses and enterprise customers.

Update, October 25, 2024, 11:10AM ET: This story has been updated to add a quote from a Google representative.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-uks-antitrust-regulator-will-formally-investigate-alphabets-23-billion-anthropic-investment-171043846.html?src=rss

iOS 18.2 has a child safety feature that can blur nude content and report it to Apple

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In iOS 18.2, Apple is adding a new feature that resurrects some of the intent behind its halted CSAM scanning plans — this time, without breaking end-to-end encryption or providing government backdoors. Rolling out first in Australia, the company’s expansion of its Communication Safety feature uses on-device machine learning to detect and blur nude content, adding warnings and requiring confirmation before users can proceed. If the child is under 13, they can’t continue without entering the device’s Screen Time passcode.

If the device’s onboard machine learning detects nude content, the feature automatically blurs the photo or video, displays a warning that the content may be sensitive and offers ways to get help. The choices include leaving the conversation or group thread, blocking the person and accessing online safety resources.

The feature also displays a message that reassures the child that it’s okay not to view the content or leave the chat. There’s also an option to message a parent or guardian. If the child is 13 or older, they can still confirm they want to continue after receiving those warnings — with a repeat of the reminders that it’s okay to opt out and that further help is available. According to The Guardian, it also includes an option to report the images and videos to Apple.

Two screens showing a new iPhone child safety feature.
Apple

The feature analyzes photos and videos on iPhone and iPad in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters (in the Phone or Contacts app) and FaceTime video messages. In addition, it will scan “some third-party apps” if the child selects a photo or video to share with them.

The supported apps vary slightly on other devices. On Mac, it scans messages and some third-party apps if users choose content to share through them. On the Apple Watch, it covers Messages, Contact Posters and FaceTime video messages. Finally, on Vision Pro, the feature scans Messages, AirDrop and some third-party apps (under the same conditions mentioned above).

The feature requires iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia or visionOS 2.

The Guardian reports that Apple plans to expand it globally after the Australia trial. The company likely chose the land Down Under for a specific reason: The country is set to roll out new regulations that require Big Tech to police child abuse and terror content. As part of the new rules, Australia agreed to add the clause that it was only mandated “where technically feasible,” omitting a requirement to break end-to-end encryption and compromise security. Companies will need to comply by the end of the year.

User privacy and security were at the heart of the controversy over Apple’s infamous attempt to police CSAM. In 2021, it prepared to adopt a system that would scan for images of online sexual abuse, which would then be sent to human reviewers. (It came as something of a shock after Apple’s history of standing up to the FBI over its attempts to unlock an iPhone belonging to a terrorist.) Privacy and security experts argued that the feature would open a backdoor for authoritarian regimes to spy on their citizens in situations without any exploitative material. The following year, Apple abandoned the feature, leading (indirectly) to the more balanced child-safety feature announced today.

Once it rolls out globally, you can activate the feature under Settings > Screen Time > Communication Safety, and toggle the option on. That section has been activated by default since iOS 17.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/ios-182-has-a-child-safety-feature-that-can-blur-nude-content-and-report-it-to-apple-194614810.html?src=rss

The UK’s antitrust regulator will formally investigate Alphabet’s $2.3 billion Anthropic investment

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The UK’s competition regulator is probing Alphabet’s investment in AI startup Anthropic. After opening public comments this summer, the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) said on Thursday it has “sufficient information” to begin an initial investigation into whether Alphabet’s reported $2.3 billion investment in the Claude AI chatbot maker harms competition in UK markets.

The CMA breaks its merger probes into two stages: a preliminary scan to determine whether there’s enough evidence to dig deeper and an optional second phase where the government gathers as much evidence as possible. After the second stage, it ultimately decides on a regulatory outcome.

The probe will formally kick off on Friday. By December 19, the CMA will choose whether to move to a phase 2 investigation.

Google told Engadget that Anthropic isn’t locked into its cloud services. “Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don't demand exclusive tech rights.” Engadget also reached out to the CMA for comment, and we’ll update this story if we hear back.

TechCrunch notes that Alphabet reportedly invested $300 million in Anthropic in early 2023. Later that year, it was said to back the AI startup with an additional $2 billion. Situations like this can be classified as a “quasi-merger,” where deep-pocketed tech companies essentially take control of emerging startups through strategic investments and hiring founders and technical workers.

Amazon has invested even more in Anthropic: a whopping $4 billion. After an initial public comment period, the CMA declined to investigate that investment last month. The CMA said Amazon avoided Alphabet’s fate at least in part because of its current rules: Anthropic’s UK turnover didn’t exceed £70 million, and the two parties didn’t combine to account for 25 percent or more of the region’s supply (in this case, AI LLMs and chatbots).

Although the CMA hasn’t specified, something in Alphabet’s $2.3 billion Anthropic investment constituted a deeper dive. Of course, Google’s Gemini competes with Claude, and both companies make large language models they provide to small businesses and enterprise customers.

Update, October 25, 2024, 11:10AM ET: This story has been updated to add a quote from a Google representative.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-uks-antitrust-regulator-will-formally-investigate-alphabets-23-billion-anthropic-investment-171043846.html?src=rss

The FCC will review the broadband industry’s lousy customer support

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The FCC has fixed its watchful eye on the often lousy customer service we get from telecom providers. The agency said on Wednesday it’s opening a formal proceeding to review the customer support from cable, broadband, satellite TV and home voice service providers.

The review will cover customers' friction points when contacting telecom industry providers. These include hard-to-cancel subscriptions, getting stuck in “doom loops” when trying to reach a human, sneaky automatic renewals and shoddy accessibility options for folks with disabilities.

“We can and should expect consistent, transparent, and helpful customer service from the communications companies that provide so many services that are so vital in our day-to-day lives,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote in a press release announcing the inquiry. “No one should get stuck in a doom loop trying to cancel a subscription or just get a human being to help resolve their service problems.”

The FCC wants to simplify customer cancelation options, requiring providers to offer more choices and transparent disclosures at the point of sale and on bills. In addition, it hopes to mandate explicit customer consent before automatically renewing services and helping customers get easier access to live reps without bouncing through endless phone trees. It also aims to improve the accessibility of customer service resources for people with disabilities.

Other finer points on the agenda include extending current regulations for cable operator installation, outage and service call rules to include satellite TV, voice and broadband services. Finally, it wants “current cable operator customer service requirements to reflect marketplace and technology changes.”

The Commission adopted the Notice of Inquiry with a 3-2 vote “with the majority highlighting the importance of customer support.” For starters, the FCC will build a public record of where these customer service points stand today and what specific regulations it could adopt to make things smoother for families and businesses.

The inquiry is part of a larger effort to crack down on everyday headaches that waste time and money. Earlier this month, the FCC launched an inquiry into the broadband industry’s nonsensical, profit-grabbing data caps. This summer, Verizon paid a $1 million fine to settle an investigation into a 2022 outage that prevented hundreds of emergency calls from going through. Meanwhile, the FTC recently ratified its “click-to-cancel” rule, making ending subscriptions easier.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-fcc-will-review-the-broadband-industrys-lousy-customer-support-204329886.html?src=rss

Ecobee smart home users can now unlock Yale and August smart locks from its app

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Ecobee is integrating smart locks into its app. The company doesn’t make smart locks of its own, but you can now control Wi-Fi-enabled ones from Yale and August using the Ecobee app. The feature could prevent you from switching apps to let someone who rings your smart doorbell in. However, it’s locked behind a subscription, so user convenience isn’t the only motive here.

The integration adds an “unlock” button from the Ecobee app’s live view. So, you can let visitors in from the same screen where you confirm it’s someone you want coming inside. (Handy!) The Ecobee app also allows you to lock your doors automatically when you arm your security system. (Also handy!)

Less handy: You’ll need to pay up to enjoy these perks because the feature is locked (ahem) behind Ecobee’s Smart Security system. The premium service costs $5 monthly or $50 annually. And as The Verge notes, it won’t let you unlock your August or Yale devices from Ecobee’s smart thermostats.

This could be a convenient perk if you’re already paying for Ecobee’s subscription service. If not, you’ll have to ask yourself if it’s worth a premium to avoid the oh-so-grueling task of pulling up your phone’s app switcher to jump to another smart-home app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ecobee-smart-home-users-can-now-unlock-yale-and-august-smart-locks-from-its-app-201700926.html?src=rss

Stable Diffusion 3.5 follows your prompts more closely and generates more diverse people

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Stable Diffusion, an open-source alternative to AI image generators like Midjourney and DALL-E, has been updated to version 3.5. The new model tries to right some of the wrongs (which may be an understatement) of the widely panned Stable Diffusion 3 Medium. Stability AI says the 3.5 model adheres to prompts better than other image generators and competes with much larger models in output quality. In addition, it’s tuned for a greater diversity of styles, skin tones and features without needing to be prompted to do so explicitly.

The new model comes in three flavors. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large is the most powerful of the trio, with the highest quality of the bunch, while leading the industry in prompt adherence. Stability AI says the model is suitable for professional uses at 1 MP resolution.

Meanwhile, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large Turbo is a “distilled” version of the larger model, focusing more on efficiency than maximum quality. Stability AI says the Turbo variant still produces “high-quality images with exceptional prompt adherence” in four steps.

Finally, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium (2.5 billion parameters) is designed to run on consumer hardware, balancing quality with simplicity. With its greater ease of customization, the model can generate images between 0.25 and 2 megapixel resolution. However, unlike the first two models, which are available now, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium doesn’t arrive until October 29.

The new trio follows the botched Stable Diffusion 3 Medium in June. The company admitted that the release “didn’t fully meet our standards or our communities’ expectations,” as it produced some laughably grotesque body horror in response to prompts that asked for no such thing. Stability AI’s repeated mentions of exceptional prompt adherence in today’s announcement are likely no coincidence.

Although Stability AI only briefly mentioned it in its announcement blog post, the 3.5 series has new filters to better reflect human diversity. The company describes the new models’ human outputs as “representative of the world, not just one type of person, with different skin tones and features, without the need for extensive prompting.”

Let’s hope it’s sophisticated enough to account for subtleties and historical sensitivities, unlike Google’s debacle from earlier this year. Unprompted to do so, Gemini produced collections of egregiously inaccurate historical “photos,” like ethnically diverse Nazis and US Founding Fathers. The backlash was so intense that Google didn’t reincorporate human generations until six months later.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/stable-diffusion-35-follows-your-prompts-more-closely-and-generates-more-diverse-people-184022965.html?src=rss

The next-gen Roomba Essential robovacs have self-emptying docks and double the suction

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Only six months after iRobot launched its budget-friendly Essential robot vacuums, the lineup already has two new models. The Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Roomba Vac 2 Essential “double the cleaning power” of their predecessors and bring self-emptying dust bins to the series for the first time.

The Roomba Combo 2 Essential ($425) combines vacuuming and mopping capabilities, while the Vac 2 Essential ($400) is a vacuuming-only model for those without tile or hardwood floors. Both have 100 percent stronger suction than the first Essential vacs. The latter already had 20 times the suction power of the Roomba 600 series it replaced on the low end of iRobot’s product line.

Both machines have self-emptying capabilities, spitting dirt and debris into self-sealing bags inside the docking station. The bags can hold up to 60 days of dirt before you need to change them. The vacuums have four levels of suction power, a multi-surface bristle brush and an edge-sweeping brush.

The Roomba Combo 2 Essential mopping a floor in front of a couch.
iRobot

The Roomba Combo 2 Essential has the cheaper model’s vacuuming capabilities while adding mopping with three levels of water dispensing. For only $25 over the vacuum-only model, this one seems like the obvious choice unless your home is fully carpeted.

One thing higher-end models offer that these don’t is advanced navigation with LiDAR. Instead, budget models like these move in simple (but still effective) neat rows.

The Roomba Combo 2 Essential is now available in North America for $425 on iRobot’s website and at third-party retailers. The vacuum-only Vac 2 Essential costs $400 and is sold at select retailers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/the-next-gen-roomba-essential-robovacs-have-self-emptying-docks-and-double-the-suction-164014213.html?src=rss

Amazon is rebooting its live-action adaptation of the God of War reboot

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Amazon is reshuffling the deck with its God of War series. After the success of Fallout, it wants its next Prime Video gaming adaptation to live up to those lofty expectations — and it’s apparently willing to start fresh to do so. Deadline first reported on Thursday that the series showrunner and two executive producers have left the project as the streamer recalibrates “to move in a different creative direction.”

Showrunner and executive producer Rafe Judkins (Wheel of Time) and executive producers Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby (Children of Men and Iron Man) are no longer involved with the project. Amazon and Sony reportedly praised their screenplays, which suggests the shakeup is more about wanting a fresh take than quality concerns. According to Variety, Amazon plans to hire a new showrunner and put together a new writers’ room to take another stab at a live-action Kratos.

Kratos and Atreus in a still from God of War. Atreus sits in a boat while Kratos looks grimdark.
Sony / Santa Monica Studio

The series is an adaptation of the 2018 franchise reboot that shifted the action from Greek to Norse mythology. Amazon’s description should sound familiar to anyone who played the game:

“When his beloved wife dies, Kratos sets off on a dangerous journey with his estranged son to spread her ashes from the highest peak — his wife’s final wish.[The quest] will test the bonds between father and son, and force Kratos to battle new gods and monsters for the fate of the world.”

Amazon Studios is co-producing the series alongside Sony Pictures Television. According to Deadline, Santa Monica Studio creative director Cory Barlog is staying on as an executive producer. Also reportedly remaining are PlayStation Productions’ Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan, as well as Santa Monica Studio’s Yumi Yang and Vertigo’s Roy Lee.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazon-is-rebooting-its-live-action-adaptation-of-the-god-of-war-reboot-203305237.html?src=rss

The FCC will soon require all hearing aids and phones to work together

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On Thursday, the FCC approved new regulations requiring all phone makers to make their handsets compatible with hearing aids. With the number of Americans 65 and older expected to balloon by nearly 50 percent by 2050, the rules will ensure those with hearing loss don’t have to worry about which phones will work with their hearing aids.

“Under the new rules, after a transition period, Americans with hearing loss will no longer be limited in their choice of technologies, features, and prices available in the mobile handset marketplace,” the FCC wrote in a press release.

On the flip side, the FCC also passed a requirement for hearing aid makers that effectively bans proprietary Bluetooth coupling standards in the assistive devices. So, phones must be compatible with hearing aids — and vice versa. The rule even applies to the recently approved over-the-counter hearing aids, which now include AirPods Pro 2.

Other changes include requiring all new mobile handsets sold in the US to let users raise the volume without introducing distortion. In addition, the FCC now mandates that cell phones’ point-of-sale labels clarify hearing aid compatibility and whether the handsets meet Bluetooth or telecoil coupling requirements.

The FCC worked with a consortium of cell carriers, phone makers and researchers to draft and adopt the rules. “Establishing a 100% hearing aid compatibility requirement for all mobile handsets was made possible by the collaborative efforts of members of the Hearing Aid Compatibility Task Force — an independent organization of wireless service providers, handset manufacturers, research institutions and advocates for those with hearing loss,” the Commission wrote. “Members of the Task Force worked together over a period of years to reach a consensus on how the Commission could achieve its objective of requiring 100% of all mobile handsets to be hearing aid compatible.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-fcc-will-soon-require-all-hearing-aids-and-phones-to-work-together-190003074.html?src=rss

The Annapurna-published cycling adventure Ghost Bike is now Wheel World

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Ghost Bike is dead; long live Wheel World. The scenic cycling adventure from the creators of Nidhogg was revealed in 2023 with a darker storyline. After design pivots to “make it more fun to play” (always a good idea!), the new naming convention matches its lighter tone. Initially slated for this year, the Annapurna-published game will now arrive in early 2025.

Wheel World is developer Messhof’s first 3D game and its first with a big team. The studio made its bones with Nidhogg, a side-scrolling sword-fighting game with old-school Atari-style graphics. With Wheel World, the team shifts gears (sorry) to a gorgeous cel-shaded art style. Unlike Messhof’s previous titles, this one will have a narrative — with characters and dialog boxes!

Messhof explained its rebranding in a press release. “[Ghost Bike] was a game about dying on a bike after being hit by a car and ending up in a cycling valhalla,” Messhof’s Mark Essen and Kristy Norindr wrote. “While it wasn’t directly based on real world ghost bikes (those white bikes memorializing cyclists killed by drivers), there was enough overlap to feel like the name was justified and the associations would be a positive one from both directions. But as things changed in the gameplay (to make it more fun to play), and thus the story (especially in tone) it fit less and less.” Wheel World, it is.

Gameplay screen from the upcoming Wheel World. A person racing other cyclists.
Messhof / Annapurna

You play as Kat, a young cyclist determined to “save Wheel World from total collapse.” Its gameplay combines racing, bike upgrades, recovering stolen parts and ultimately performing “The Great Shift ritual” to save the world.

The trailer also showcases a roaming mode for times when you want a relaxing gaming experience. An original soundtrack from the electronic label Italians Do It Better helps you chill out while cruising the beautifully cel-shaded countryside.

When it arrives in early 2025, Wheel World will be on Game Pass on day one. In addition to the Xbox Series X/S, it will also be available on PS5 and PC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-annapurna-published-cycling-adventure-ghost-bike-is-now-wheel-world-173009766.html?src=rss