Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

Meta is reportedly developing a search engine for its chatbot

Posted on by

Stung from the hit it took from an Apple privacy feature three years ago, Meta is reportedly looking to decrease its dependence on Google and Microsoft. The Information said on Monday that Meta is developing a search engine for its chatbot. The company also recently partnered with Reuters to help its AI answer news-related questions.

Meta has reportedly been working on indexing the web for at least eight months. The company’s goal is said to be to integrate the indexes into Meta AI, giving the chatbot an alternative to Google Search and Microsoft Bing. Meta publicly disclosed its web crawler tech this summer, only saying it was for “training AI models or improving products” without stating outright that it was building a search backend. Senior engineering manager Xueyuan Su is reportedly leading the search engine project.

The Information says the move directly results from dependence on other Big Tech companies that have “stung” the company in the past, like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT). Meta previously said the iPhone privacy feature introduced in 2021 would cost over $10 billion in lost ad revenue. (It was so concerned about the feature it was sued for allegedly evading its rules.)

The thinking is that CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants Meta to be as autonomous as possible to avoid a repeat of that if Google or Microsoft were to cut off its access to web searches. It’s unknown if Meta currently pays either company for that access.

Engadget reached out to Meta for comment. We’ll update this story if we hear back.

The company’s AI investments appear to be paying off. Zuckerberg posted on Threads in August that Meta AI has over 185 million weekly active users and more than 400 million monthly. “Growing quickly, and we haven’t even rolled out in UK, Brazil, or EU yet,” the Facebook founder wrote. OpenAI said early this month that ChatGPT had 250 million weekly users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-is-reportedly-developing-a-search-engine-for-its-chatbot-172505704.html?src=rss

Meta is reportedly developing a search engine for its chatbot

Posted on by

Stung from the hit it took from an Apple privacy feature three years ago, Meta is reportedly looking to decrease its dependence on Google and Microsoft. The Information said on Monday that Meta is developing a search engine for its chatbot. The company also recently partnered with Reuters to help its AI answer news-related questions.

Meta has reportedly been working on indexing the web for at least eight months. The company’s goal is said to be to integrate the indexes into Meta AI, giving the chatbot an alternative to Google Search and Microsoft Bing. Meta publicly disclosed its web crawler tech this summer, only saying it was for “training AI models or improving products” without stating outright that it was building a search backend. Senior engineering manager Xueyuan Su is reportedly leading the search engine project.

The Information says the move directly results from dependence on other Big Tech companies that have “stung” the company in the past, like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT). Meta previously said the iPhone privacy feature introduced in 2021 would cost over $10 billion in lost ad revenue. (It was so concerned about the feature it was sued for allegedly evading its rules.)

The thinking is that CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants Meta to be as autonomous as possible to avoid a repeat of that if Google or Microsoft were to cut off its access to web searches. It’s unknown if Meta currently pays either company for that access.

Engadget reached out to Meta for comment. We’ll update this story if we hear back.

The company’s AI investments appear to be paying off. Zuckerberg posted on Threads in August that Meta AI has over 185 million weekly active users and more than 400 million monthly. “Growing quickly, and we haven’t even rolled out in UK, Brazil, or EU yet,” the Facebook founder wrote. OpenAI said early this month that ChatGPT had 250 million weekly users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-is-reportedly-developing-a-search-engine-for-its-chatbot-172505704.html?src=rss

Google is expanding AI Overviews in Search to more than 100 countries

Posted on by

In a blog post today, Google said it will make AI Overviews in Google Search available to users living in more than 100 countries. Google says people like AI Overviews, so the company plans to reach 1 billion users each month. Additionally, Google is expanding language support — now, users in any country where AI Overviews can get them in any available language. For example users in Japan are no longer limited to Japanese. 

If you aren’t familiar with AI Overviews by now, it’s a feature found in Google Search. Google’s Gemini AI model will generate a summary for most things people search for, or at least when Google's systems detect a query where generative AI can be useful. This summary appears at the top of the page. Besides answering questions, it can also act as a meal planner, vacation organizer and brainstorming tool, among many other things.

This update follows several released over the last few months since the introduction of AI Overviews in May. The most recent update before this one allowed users to visit websites by clicking on links within the AI Overview text. Google says that this has resulted in a traffic increase to “supporting websites.” However, some publishers and sites fear that the overviews are destroying their traffic by being the first thing people see.

News like this isn’t surprising, as Google has been stuffing as much AI into Search as it can. AI Overviews have also generated some controversy after the AI gave people inaccurate information for searches — for example, it recommended putting glue on pizza for a bit. In response to those issues, Google put some protections and guardrails on AI overviews to avoid similar strange issues.

Correction, October 28 2024, 1:30PM ET: This story originally stated that Google was adding local language support to AI Overviews. That feature was already available, so we've clarified that any supported language can be displayed in any country where AI Overviews are available. We apologize for the error.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-is-expanding-ai-overviews-in-search-to-more-than-100-countries-170925933.html?src=rss

Early Black Friday deals from Amazon include the Echo Show 5 for only $50

Posted on by

It may still be October, but Black Friday deals have already started coming down the pike. Case in point? The Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display is available for just $50. This early Black Friday deal knocks 44 percent off the price, bringing it down to what we saw on Prime Day.

This sale is for the most recent version of the device, which was originally released last year. The 3rd Gen Echo Show 5 easily made our list of the best smart displays. We said that “it doubles as a stellar alarm clock.” There’s an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen, a tap-to-snooze feature and a sunrise alarm.

While others may decry the diminutive 5.5-inch screen size, when compared to rivals, we actually found it to be useful. The small form factor allows the display to easily squeeze on a busy nightstand or a dresser.

The Show 5 does have a camera, which is great for video calls but not so great for privacy. After all, this thing was made to sit by your bedside. It does, however, ship with a physical camera cover for the privacy-conscious. The only other downside is that the sound quality here isn’t quite as robust as the larger models. Still, this is a whole lot of smart display for $50.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/early-black-friday-deals-from-amazon-include-the-echo-show-5-for-only-50-163548076.html?src=rss

Early Black Friday deals from Amazon include the Echo Show 5 for only $50

Posted on by

It may still be October, but Black Friday deals have already started coming down the pike. Case in point? The Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display is available for just $50. This early Black Friday deal knocks 44 percent off the price, bringing it down to what we saw on Prime Day.

This sale is for the most recent version of the device, which was originally released last year. The 3rd Gen Echo Show 5 easily made our list of the best smart displays. We said that “it doubles as a stellar alarm clock.” There’s an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen, a tap-to-snooze feature and a sunrise alarm.

While others may decry the diminutive 5.5-inch screen size, when compared to rivals, we actually found it to be useful. The small form factor allows the display to easily squeeze on a busy nightstand or a dresser.

The Show 5 does have a camera, which is great for video calls but not so great for privacy. After all, this thing was made to sit by your bedside. It does, however, ship with a physical camera cover for the privacy-conscious. The only other downside is that the sound quality here isn’t quite as robust as the larger models. Still, this is a whole lot of smart display for $50.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/early-black-friday-deals-from-amazon-include-the-echo-show-5-for-only-50-163548076.html?src=rss

Apple Intelligence is now available with iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1

Posted on by

The wait is finally over. Apple Intelligence is making its proper debut with the public releases of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 today. Typically, point-one versions of Apple operating systems add minor features and fix bugs, but this year it brings a major update since Apple Intelligence features weren't quite ready in time for the rollout of iOS 18. Considering the new iPhone 16 series was touted as "built for Apple Intelligence," but launched without the features they were built for, this release has been long in the making. Those with older devices are likely to find iOS 18.1 to be less dramatic of an update, since the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the only previous-generation iPhones that will support Apple Intelligence. 

You'll know you can use Apple Intelligence when you get a notification from the company. The initial generative AI features you can check out include writing tools like proofreading and rewriting, as well as text summaries.

There are live transcriptions available for phone calls and audio in the Notes app. Apple can helpfully generate summaries of these transcriptions. In addition, Apple can reorganize your photos and videos around memorable events such as trips and special events in the overhauled Photos app. You can create your own Memories in the app as well.

The beginnings of a Siri overhaul are here too. You can now type requests and questions to the previously voice-only assistant. If you still prefer speaking to it, Siri should be able to understand requests if you stutter or interrupt yourself. The Siri UI has been tweaked, as you'll see a glowing border around the screen when you activate it. However, you'll need to wait a bit longer for other Siri-driven features, such as the assistant's ability to have a better understanding of your personal context.

Apple Intelligence is currently available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 lineup. M-series iPads and Macs also support Apple Intelligence, as does the new A17 Pro-powered iPad mini.

Bear in mind that access is currently limited to those who set their device and Siri language set to US English. Apple Intelligence will start to become available in more countries and languages in December. Apple doesn't plan to broadly offer the AI tools in the European Union or Chinese mainland right away due to regulatory issues, though as of September it was in talks with officials in both markets to make Apple Intelligence available there.

In addition to Apple Intelligence, iOS 18.1 adds support for other new features, such as a hearing test and the ability to use AirPods Pro as over-the-counter hearing aids. It should be easier to change the mail email address that's linked to your Apple Account as well.

You'll need to wait a bit longer for other promised Apple Intelligence features. The company released the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 developer betas last week. Along with additional writing tools, the betas include Genmoji (a custom emoji generator), Image Playground (animated- and illustrated-style image generation), the Google Lens-like Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT integration.

As for those who want to use Apple Intelligence in other countries and languages, Apple says that it is adding support for localized English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK in December. A bigger update in April will expand language support beyond English — Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese are among the new languages that'll be supported. Apple also says that unspecified "other languages" will be added, as well. 

  1. Open the "Settings" app and tap "General."

  2. Tap "Software Update."

  3. Your phone will load the latest software update available. From there, you can either tap "update now" or "update tonight."

  4. Enter your iPhone's passcode to start the update.

Update, October 28 2024, 12:15PM ET: This story was updated with notes on how to update your iPhone to iOS 18.1.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-starts-rolling-out-with-ios-181-and-macos-151-151023619.html?src=rss

The iMac gets an M4 refresh for faster Apple Intelligence

Posted on by

Apple’s new iMac is here. The 2024 model hasn’t changed much on the outside (save for new colorways), but it’s now updated with the latest Apple silicon. The new model has the same display and colorful designs as previous models, though there's a new nano-texture glass screen option that reduces glare and reflections. The M4 chip inside gives it a speed boost and a more powerful neural engine for the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia.

Apple says the M4 inside the new iMac makes the computer 1.7 times faster for daily productivity and up to 2.1 faster for more demanding tasks (i.e. gaming and photo editing) than the M1-powered model. The latest iMac now starts with 16GB of RAM — up from the 8GB of base RAM in earlier iMacs. This can be expanded up to 24GB or 32GB. The storage options also stand pat: The base model has 256GB, with 512GB, 1TB and 2TB options available.

The M4 iMac has the same aluminum unibody design and 24-inch 4.5K Retina display found in every iMac from the past three years. However, there are fun new colors to choose from. The new iMac is available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple and blue, as well as silver. The colors are bolder on the rear, but more muted on the front so they're less distracting. 

Apple has brought in a new 12MP Center Stage camera that includes support for Apple's Desk View feature. There's once again Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support.

There are some key configuration differences to take note of. The base model still has only two Thunderbolt USB-C ports. For the first time, all four USB-C ports on the pricier options (with a 10-core CPU and GPU) are Thunderbolt 4-compatible. In addition, you'll only be able to upgrade to 32GB of RAM if you have the more powerful chipset and at least 512GB of storage. The nano-texture display is not available on the base model, which will support one external display, while higher-end versions can handle two.

On the sustainability front, the iMac's packaging is entirely fiber-based. This is part of Apple's plan roadmap to eliminate plastic form its packaging by next year.

Alongside the new iMac, Apple finally updated its desktop accessories to ditch the old Lightning standard. With the new Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse the company has switched over to USB-C. These are available in colors that match the iMac looks.

The M4 iMac will be available on November 8, starting at the same $1,299 as its predecessor. The base model has an eight-core CPU, an eight-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It comes with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad. More expensive configurations include a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Pre-orders start today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-imac-gets-an-m4-refresh-for-faster-apple-intelligence-151251449.html?src=rss

The iMac gets an M4 refresh for faster Apple Intelligence

Posted on by

Apple’s new iMac is here. The 2024 model hasn’t changed much on the outside (save for new colorways), but it’s now updated with the latest Apple silicon. The new model has the same display and colorful designs as previous models, though there's a new nano-texture glass screen option that reduces glare and reflections. The M4 chip inside gives it a speed boost and a more powerful neural engine for the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia.

Apple says the M4 inside the new iMac makes the computer 1.7 times faster for daily productivity and up to 2.1 faster for more demanding tasks (i.e. gaming and photo editing) than the M1-powered model. The latest iMac now starts with 16GB of RAM — up from the 8GB of base RAM in earlier iMacs. This can be expanded up to 24GB or 32GB. The storage options also stand pat: The base model has 256GB, with 512GB, 1TB and 2TB options available.

The M4 iMac has the same aluminum unibody design and 24-inch 4.5K Retina display found in every iMac from the past three years. However, there are fun new colors to choose from. The new iMac is available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple and blue, as well as silver. The colors are bolder on the rear, but more muted on the front so they're less distracting. 

Apple has brought in a new 12MP Center Stage camera that includes support for Apple's Desk View feature. There's once again Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support.

There are some key configuration differences to take note of. The base model still has only two Thunderbolt USB-C ports. For the first time, all four USB-C ports on the pricier options (with a 10-core CPU and GPU) are Thunderbolt 4-compatible. In addition, you'll only be able to upgrade to 32GB of RAM if you have the more powerful chipset and at least 512GB of storage. The nano-texture display is not available on the base model, which will support one external display, while higher-end versions can handle two.

On the sustainability front, the iMac's packaging is entirely fiber-based. This is part of Apple's plan roadmap to eliminate plastic form its packaging by next year.

Alongside the new iMac, Apple finally updated its desktop accessories to ditch the old Lightning standard. With the new Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse the company has switched over to USB-C. These are available in colors that match the iMac looks.

The M4 iMac will be available on November 8, starting at the same $1,299 as its predecessor. The base model has an eight-core CPU, an eight-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It comes with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad. More expensive configurations include a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Pre-orders start today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-imac-gets-an-m4-refresh-for-faster-apple-intelligence-151251449.html?src=rss

The iPhone 16 is banned from sale in Indonesia after Apple fails to invest enough locally

Posted on by

The iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10 and other devices Apple announced this fall are banned from sale in Indonesia. That's because Apple has failed to meet its local investment commitments by around $15 million.

It's said to have invested 1.48 trillion ($94 million) of the 1.71 trillion rupiah ($109 million) it pledged to plow into local sourcing and/or infrastructure to meet Indonesia's requirements. Due to Apple not meeting the investment threshold, the Ministry of Industry has not issued the certifications that are required for Apple's latest products to be sold there. The ban doesn't impact older Apple devices, which the company can still sell in the country.

Under Indonesia’s local content rules, certain devices sold there have to contain at least 40 percent "domestic content." This can be reached by, for instance, using materials sourced in the country, having manufacturing plants or employing local workers. Apple has established four developer academies in Indonesia and, as of earlier this year, it was looking at setting up a manufacturing facility there. Samsung and Xiaomi are among the smartphone makers that now have factories in the nation.

By not investing the remaining $15 million needed to meet the threshold, Apple can't sell its latest products in Southeast Asia's largest economy, which may prove to be shortsighted. While it's hardly the most popular smartphone brand in Indonesia (it's not in the top six, Bloomberg notes), Apple has room to grow there. Indonesia is said to have a $1 trillion economy and a youthful population that's becoming increasingly tech-savvy. The government has also reported that there are 350 million active mobile phones in the country, which has a population of 270 million.

According to officials, there are around 9,000 iPhone 16 units in Indonesia. These have been mailed to the country or brought in by crew and passengers by hand. Bloomberg reports that personal use of the phones is permitted, but they can't be resold. Since 2020, any mobile phones that are bought overseas and brought in are subject to a tax and have to be registered with the Indonesian government.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-iphone-16-is-banned-from-sale-in-indonesia-after-apple-fails-to-invest-enough-locally-133907141.html?src=rss

The iPhone 16 is banned from sale in Indonesia after Apple fails to invest enough locally

Posted on by

The iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10 and other devices Apple announced this fall are banned from sale in Indonesia. That's because Apple has failed to meet its local investment commitments by around $15 million.

It's said to have invested 1.48 trillion ($94 million) of the 1.71 trillion rupiah ($109 million) it pledged to plow into local sourcing and/or infrastructure to meet Indonesia's requirements. Due to Apple not meeting the investment threshold, the Ministry of Industry has not issued the certifications that are required for Apple's latest products to be sold there. The ban doesn't impact older Apple devices, which the company can still sell in the country.

Under Indonesia’s local content rules, certain devices sold there have to contain at least 40 percent "domestic content." This can be reached by, for instance, using materials sourced in the country, having manufacturing plants or employing local workers. Apple has established four developer academies in Indonesia and, as of earlier this year, it was looking at setting up a manufacturing facility there. Samsung and Xiaomi are among the smartphone makers that now have factories in the nation.

By not investing the remaining $15 million needed to meet the threshold, Apple can't sell its latest products in Southeast Asia's largest economy, which may prove to be shortsighted. While it's hardly the most popular smartphone brand in Indonesia (it's not in the top six, Bloomberg notes), Apple has room to grow there. Indonesia is said to have a $1 trillion economy and a youthful population that's becoming increasingly tech-savvy. The government has also reported that there are 350 million active mobile phones in the country, which has a population of 270 million.

According to officials, there are around 9,000 iPhone 16 units in Indonesia. These have been mailed to the country or brought in by crew and passengers by hand. Bloomberg reports that personal use of the phones is permitted, but they can't be resold. Since 2020, any mobile phones that are bought overseas and brought in are subject to a tax and have to be registered with the Indonesian government.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-iphone-16-is-banned-from-sale-in-indonesia-after-apple-fails-to-invest-enough-locally-133907141.html?src=rss