Time has joined a growing number of publications to sign a licensing deal with OpenAI. The ChatGPT creator will legally be able to train its large language models on 101 years worth of the storied publication's journalism, as Axios first reported.
OpenAI will also have access to real-time content from Time, with the apparent aim of answering user queries about breaking news. In return, OpenAI will cite Time and link back to source material on the publication's website.
Perhaps Time will get a monetary kickback too, like other publishers that have shuffled over to OpenAI with a ragged cap in hand and an eye on one a new revenue source for struggling media companies. The Atlantic, Vox Media, Wall Street Journal publisher News Corp, the Financial Times, People magazine publisher Dotdash Meredith and the AP have also been enticed by some snake oil bank deposits from OpenAI.
Time says the agreement builds on its "commitment to expanding global access to accurate and trusted information." It dropped its website paywall last year for the same reason.
The magazine, which is now published on a biweekly basis after being hit hard by the impact of the internet on print advertising, says it will have access to OpenAI's tech to "develop new products for its audiences." Time will also "provide vital feedback and share practical applications to refine and enhance the delivery of journalism in ChatGPT and other OpenAI products and shape the future of news experiences."
Some notable publishers have so far refused to bend the knee to OpenAI. The New York Times, theChicago Tribune, New York Daily News and others have sued the company and its partner Microsoft for copyright infringement, alleging that they trained AI chatbots on those publications' work without permission.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/time-strikes-a-deal-to-funnel-101-years-of-journalism-into-openais-gaping-maw-144058426.html?src=rss
The company released its Galaxy S24 devices earlier this year after its first Unpacked of 2024, so it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see new versions of the traditional smartphone format here (perhaps save for Olympics-branded models given Samsung's sponsorship of that event). However, there’s a decent chance that Samsung will show off its latest set of foldables. Rumors are suggesting that it’s ready to reveal a new smartwatch too. And then there’s the small matter of the smart ring that Samsung has been teasing this year.
What we expect from Samsung Unpacked July 2024
Samsung Galaxy Ring
Samsung’s smart ring is its most intriguing upcoming device. It’s a brand-new product category for the company, though Samsung has been preparing for it by refining its health and wellness tech in its other devices over the last few years.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is slated to arrive “in or around August,” according to the company itself, so it would be more of a surprise if the device didn’t appear at Unpacked. After first teasing the wearable during January’s Unpacked, Samsung revealed more details about it in February. The Galaxy Ring will be available in three colors — platinum silver, gold and ceramic black — and multiple sizes.
The ring will measure heart rate, movement and breathing to help track your sleep. It’s expected to support fertility tracking too. The Galaxy Ring will also be able to pair with a Galaxy Watch, so if you wear both, you’re likely to get more accurate health data.
Samsung
Naturally, the Galaxy Ring will be compatible with Galaxy phones but Samsung is aiming to make it work with other Android handsets. As of February, iOS compatibility was to be determined, so perhaps rival device Oura will remain the go-to choice for many iPhone users. For what it's worth, some of the company's smartwatches are compatible with certain iPhones and non-Samsung Android phones.
Samsung has yet to reveal the exact release date and pricing for the Galaxy Ring. However, that information is almost certainly going to be announced at Unpacked.
Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6
It’s probably the right time for Samsung to roll out new foldables as we move into the back half of the year and (don’t say it out loud because summer has just started in the northern hemisphere) the holiday shopping season. We may very well see the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and and Galaxy Z Flip 6 at Unpacked.
The updates are expected to be relatively minor. Rumors suggest the Z Flip 6 will get a modest battery capacity increase to 4,000 mAh, an option to increase the RAM to 12GB and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Camera upgrades also seem likely, with Samsung said to be bringing the same 50MP camera seen in the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S24 to the Z Flip 6.
As for the flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, that's expected to have the same size screen and thickness as last year's model. The cover screen may adopt Corning Gorilla Armor for improved durability along with anti-reflective tech.
It doesn't seem that the cameras will be upgraded, while there may only be a very small increase to battery capacity. It's a safe bet that there will be a chipset upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, though.
Meanwhile, one leak has suggested that both devices are getting a $100 increase compared with last year's models. We'll need to wait until Unpacked to find out for sure whether that's the case.
There has also been some chatter around a more premium Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra, as well as slim versions of both foldable formats. However, these may arrive alongside the Galaxy S25 lineup in early 2025. If they appear at the July Unpacked event, it's likely to be a tease at most.
Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch Ultra
Galaxy Watch 7 listings popped up early on some online stores, so we'll probably see that wearable show up at Unpacked too. It's expected to have a 3nm chipset that could improve power efficiency and performance. The health sensors are likely to get an upgrade too.
This being 2024, there will naturally be some AI-powered features. A listing detailed AI-powered sleep, exercise and communications features, including a smart reply function for the latter.
That's not all, though, as there are indications that a Galaxy Watch Ultra is on the way too. A number of leaked images suggest it'll be chunkier than standard Galaxy Watch models. The device is expected to have a rectangular design with a round watch face. Most intriguingly, the Galaxy Watch Ultra could have a digital crown-style dial and button combination on the side instead of a rotating bezel for navigation.
Rumors peg the price at $700, which would be far more expensive than other Galaxy Watch devices. Here's hoping Samsung has packed enough features in there to make it worthwhile.
Official Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra & Galaxy Ring Charger renders
Literally, almost all things about the Samsung Unpacked have been leaked as always pic.twitter.com/EXFZOnWRV1
It's been a couple of years since the last Galaxy Buds models (not counting last year's FE variant), so those are due for an upgrade. It's likely that we'll see both Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro at Unpacked on July 10.
The two models will be available in silver and white colorways and have an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance, along with SmartThings Find support, according to Android Headlines.
As with the Buds 2 Pro, it's expected that the Buds 3 Pro will have a two-way speaker designed to deliver richer audio, while the regular Buds 3 will have a one-way speaker. The higher-end model is also said to offer adaptive noise control, blade lights and ambient sound. Buds 3 Pro are also expected to deliver longer battery life than the more budget-friendly model, though both are believed to have active noise cancellation.
There's one other big anticipated change as word on the street indicates Samsung is set to mimic Apple's AirPods by adopting a stem design. Whether you're a fan of that format or not, there's one clear advantage of the stem: it places the microphone a little closer to your mouth, which should improve call quality. For what it's worth, when Samsung revealed the Galaxy Buds Live in 2020, it said those lacked an "awkward stem."
Galaxy Reserve pre-order deals
Like it's been doing in recent years, Samsung has already made it possible to reserve "one of the next generation of Galaxy devices on Samsung.com." That'll make you eligible for "instant Samsung Credit" of $50 and "up to $1,500 in savings when they pre-order." Of course, this doesn't tell us much about what to officially expect from the company, but it's a sign there'll be at least something to reserve, right?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/what-we-expect-from-samsung-unpacked-2024-including-galaxy-hardware-143014067.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day 2024 is not quite here yet. You'll need to hang on until mid-July for that two-day extravaganza. But there are still some fresh deals on Amazon that are only available to Prime members. If you're in the market for a tablet or two to keep youngsters in your life occupied for a while, you're in luck — Fire HD Kids Pro tablets are on sale. The Fire HD 8 Kids Pro has dropped to $70 for Prime subscribers. That's a discount of $80 and a record low price.
If you, or the child in your life you'd be buying this for, would prefer a tablet with a larger screen, you can opt for the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro. That's also dropped to a record low. Prime members can snag that 10-inch model for $110, which is an identical $80 price cut (albeit a bit less in percentage terms).
The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is our pick for the best tablet for kids. It comes with a so-called kid-proof case and a promise from Amazon that the company will replace it for free if a youngster breaks it.
While the base model only comes with 32GB of onboard storage, you can easily expand that with up to a 1TB microSD card — perfect for loading the tablet up with a kid's favorite movies and TV shows before a long trip. The 1080p display is nothing to sniff at either.
The tablet also comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ (usually $5 per month for Prime members). This includes access to more than 20,000 games, books and apps for kids. Meanwhile, parents and guardians can manage use of the tablet through a dashboard. They can set up content filters, time limits and even education goals.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-fire-hd-kids-pro-tablets-are-up-to-53-percent-off-in-an-early-prime-day-deal-150504517.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day 2024 is nearly here, but there are already a bunch of solid early Prime Day deals available on tech products in the lead-up. Bose items are among the deals: you can grab this quality set of active noise cancelling (ANC) wireless earbuds for $100 off. The Bose QuietComfort II buds typically retail for $279, but it's available in two colorways for $179. That marks an all-time-low price for these earbuds.
Admittedly, this isn't the latest set of ANC earbuds in Bose's lineup. The most recent model, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, is among our picks for the best wireless earbuds. However, a set of those costs $299. The QuietComfort II buds offer similar features at what's currently a significantly lower price in this early Prime Day deal, though it's an older model.
At the time of Engadget's review in September 2022, senior reporter Billy Steele declared that the QuietComfort II was the top choice for anyone seeking earbuds with top-of-the-line noise blocking (our current recommendation for the best ANC earbuds is the QuietComfort Ultra, as it happens). The QuietComfort II's ANC capabilities are better than on the original model, while Bose made improvements to the audio quality and ambient sound mode. The buds personalize ANC and audio performance for your ears too.
On the downside, six hours of battery life is a little on the low side (even by 2022 standards). The lack of useful, increasingly common features such as multipoint pairing and wireless charging proved disappointing too. Still, if you're looking for a set of earbuds that do a strong job of blocking out background noise without breaking the bank, the Bose QuietComfort II is by and large a terrific option.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/early-prime-day-deals-discount-the-bose-quietcomfort-ii-earbuds-to-a-record-low-price-on-amazon-141044394.html?src=rss
Another notable game is set to vanish from digital storefronts. Developer Playground Games says Forza Horizon 4will be delisted from the Microsoft Store and Steam on December 15, making it no longer available for digital purchase on either Xbox or PC. You may still be able to snap up a physical copy.
Xbox will run frequent sales on the game on both storefronts until the delisting. The standard edition is currently 80 percent off on Steam ($12). Forza Horizon 4 will go on sale on the Microsoft Store on July 14.
Playground says the delisting is due to licensing agreements expiring. Forza Horizon 4 has digital versions of a ton of real-life cars as well as many licensed songs. It's a pity that it's being removed from sale — especially given Xbox's stated commitment to game preservation and that Forza Horizon 4 was well-received — but unless developers are able to snag licenses for deeply integrated aspects of their games in perpetuity, delisting is a sad inevitability. All the more reason to dive into the excellent sequel, Forza Horizon 5, if you haven't already.
The studio, which is busy working on Fable these days, has also announced that Forza Horizon 4's Festival Playlists are winding down. The last one will commence on July 25 when Series 77 goes live and it will end on August 22. This will be your last chance to earn achievements that are linked to the Festival Playlist. After Series 77 ends, it won't be possible to do anything on the playlist tab, other than to view the festival playlist history. Daily and weekly challenges will still be available, though.
All of the Forza Horizon 4 DLC, including a neat Lego one, has been delisted already, but there's some good news if you bought any of the expansions and you were playing the open-world racing title via Game Pass. If you had an active and fully paid (i.e. not discounted) Xbox Game Pass subscription on June 25 and you had purchased Forza Horizon 4 DLC, you'll receive a token that you can redeem for the base game. Playground notes that it might take a while for your code to hit your Xbox Message Center, but you'll have until June 25, 2026 to redeem it.
There's one other shimmer of light in the darkness here as the game's servers will remain online for the foreseeable future. As such, other than Festival Playlists, Forza Horizon 4 will remain playable as normal, including online multiplayer modes.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/forza-horizon-4-will-be-pulled-from-digital-stores-and-game-pass-in-december-134510642.html?src=rss
Verizon has agreed to pay a $1.05 million penalty to settle a Federal Communications Commission investigation into whether the company broke the agency's rules after a 911 outage. Over a period of one hour and 44 minutes in December 2022, the outage prevented hundreds of emergency calls from going through in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, the FCC said.
The agency added that the outage was akin to one that occurred two months earlier. Although Verizon carried out mitigation efforts to help prevent similar outages to the one in October 2022, "certain failures recurred," according to the FCC. As part of the settlement, Verizon has committed to implementing a compliance plan to make sure it abides by the FCC's 911 rules and to adhere to best practices, which include risk assessments and security-related measures.
“When you call 911 in an emergency, it’s critical that your call goes through,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Today’s action is part of the FCC’s ongoing effort to ensure that the public has reliable communications, including access to 911.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/verizon-will-pay-a-1-million-fine-to-settle-a-911-outage-investigation-123052358.html?src=rss
Ultimate Ears is expanding its lineup of portable Bluetooth speakers with the Everboom. This one should be pretty safe to take with you on your wildest adventures, as it has a rugged design and an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating. It can even float, so you can bring it with you into the pool or lake. There's also an Outdoor Boost button, which you can press to bump up the bass and optimize the audio for the great outdoors.
The oval-shaped Everboom, which is essentially a smaller version of UE's Epicboom, offers 360-degree audio and a 180-foot Bluetooth range. UE says the battery will run for up to 20 hours before you need to recharge it via USB-C. In addition, there's one-touch NFC connectivity that works with compatible smartphones running at least Android 8. UE says that this will allow you to quickly switch between several people's playlists when multiple phones are connected — perfect for a campfire singalong.
Ultimate Ears
Meanwhile, the Logitech-owned brand has updated its Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom speakers with USB-C charging ports and new colorways that are made entirely from post-consumer recycled fabric. The Boom 4 and Megaboom 4 are built with a larger proportion of recycled materials than previous models and have "enhanced deep bass radiators to unlock an even bigger sound," UE says. As for the Wonderboom 4, that introduces a podcast mode — the previous model is one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers.
In addition, UE is introducing a new feature for all speakers that work with its Boom app. With Megaphone, users can speak into their phone and project their voice through the speaker.
The Everboom and refreshed speakers are all available in North America starting today and are set to hit Australia, New Zealand and Europe in the coming months. The $250 Everboom comes in Charcoal Black, Azure Blue, Enchanting Lilac or Raspberry Red. You can pick up the Wonderboom 4 in an Active Black, Hyper Pink, Cobalt Blue or Joyous Bright colorway for $100. As for the $150 Boom 4 and $200 Megaboom 4, those are available in Active Black, Cobalt Blue, Raspberry Red and Enchanting Lilac.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ues-everboom-speaker-is-a-smaller-floatable-version-of-its-epicboom-070124605.html?src=rss
Like other browser makers, Mozilla is looking to bring more AI features into Firefox. The organization's latest effort is an experimental one for the Nightly build of the browser. Starting this week, you'll be able to add ChatGPT, Google Gemini, HuggingChat or Le Chat Mistral to the sidebar. Highlight some text on the web and you can right click to ask your preferred chatbot to summarize the information, simplify the language or test your memory and knowledge of the excerpt.
Mozilla says any chatbot use is entirely optional and none of them are integrated into Firefox's core functions. If you'd like to try one in Firefox, you'll need the experimental Nightly version of the browser (note that Mozilla describes this as a "unstable testing and development platform," so exercise caution). Go to Settings > Nightly Experiments and switch on the AI Chatbot Integration option, then pick a chatbot.
To add the chatbot to your sidebar permanently, select Customize toolbar after right clicking on the toolbar. After that, you should drag the sidebar icon to your toolbar.
Mozilla is pitching this as a way for you to try out chatbots and see which one works best for you (or find out if you want to use one at all). "All of these models are still being developed and improved," the organization noted in a blog post. "None are perfect, and they’re each good at some things and not at others." Mozilla added that it will refine the chatbot experience before bringing it to the beta and release builds of Firefox.
The organization is following several other browser makers in bringing chatbots to their products. Of course, Microsoft and Google have brought Copilot and Gemini to Edge and Chrome, respectively. The likes of Opera and DuckDuckGo have waded into these waters too.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/firefox-starts-letting-you-use-ai-chatbots-in-the-sidebar-144218734.html?src=rss
One of the more compelling features Apple showed off for macOS at Worldwide Developers Conference 2024 earlier this month is the ability to mirror your iPhone to your desktop. Brave souls who don't mind installing developer betas on their devices can now check that out for themselves, as it's available in the latest iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia builds.
The first public betas of both operating systems are expected to arrive in July, but it's unclear whether the feature will be available in those at the outset. Folks in the EU will also have to wait longer to try the feature as Apple is delaying the rollout of iPhone mirroring, Apple Intelligence and SharePlay Screen Sharing. The company has pinned the blame on potential Digital Markets Act compliance concerns and how that "could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security."
Still, if you can't wait to check this out and you have a developer account with Apple, you can install the betas now (bearing in mind the usual risks that come with beta versions of operating systems). If you do, you'll be able to control your iPhone from your Mac while the former remains locked and in StandBy mode. You'll also get notifications from your iOS apps on your desktop.
Naturally, you'll need to be signed into the same Apple Account on both devices for this to work. You'll need to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on too.
The virtual iPhone will run at 60 fps. It will typically operate in vertical mode unless you launch a game that runs horizontally, in which case it will flip to its side. Mirroring is said to use about the same amount of battery life as physically using your iPhone. If you unlock your handset, the mirroring window on your Mac will close instantly.
Apple has some other iPhone mirroring features planned for the future, such as the ability to drag and drop files and other things between your phone and Mac. This is expected to include support for third-party apps.
Per the iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia developer beta release notes, there are some known issues when it comes to the iPhone mirroring feature. For instance, you may not be able to launch lock screen apps or use Universal Clipboard on your iPhone while it's enabled, but those are bugs Apple will be attempting to iron out. It's also worth noting that it won't be possible (at least at first) to mirror your iPhone while mirroring your mac on Apple Vision Pro.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-latest-os-betas-enable-iphone-mirroring-on-mac-133017417.html?src=rss
Audio gear maker JLab has revealed its latest set of budget-friendly sport earbuds. The JBuds Sport ANC 4 are said to deliver over 14 hours of listening time on a single charge, with the charging case adding an extra 47 hours if active noise cancellation (ANC) is switched off — so over 60 hours in total. With ANC on, you’ll get over 40 hours of use before having to juice up the USB-C charging case, JLab says.
The earbuds have many of the features you'd expect, including multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, an IP66 rating for sweat resistance, sound customization through an app and a few different gel tips to help you get the right fit. They employ a hook design to help keep them securely in your ears too.
JLab
There are some new features as well. One is called Hybrid Active Noise Cancelation. There are three noise control modes and "optimal noise reduction for up to 25 dB," JLab says. The idea here is to help you stay more aware of your surroundings during outdoor workouts or to filter out noise in loud gyms.
Another first for JLab is the introduction of combo swipe and touch controls. Along with controlling media playback, you can use these to cycle between three equalizer presets. Last but not least, the earbuds support Google Fast Pair and Find My Device for Android.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jlabs-new-70-sport-earbuds-let-you-change-equalizer-presets-with-a-few-taps-130100674.html?src=rss