Wednesday, August 30, 2023

How to install WhatsApp on Macs

WhatsApp has introduced a new app for Mac, allowing users to make video calls with up to eight people and audio calls with up to 32 people. The app can be downloaded from WhatsApp's website and will soon be available on the Apple App Store. It offers features such as file sharing and a larger chat history view. The article also provides step-by-step instructions on how to install and log into WhatsApp on macOS devices. https://ift.tt/EpaJeMS

A look at the wave of child safety legislation in the US to age gate minors' access to the internet, backed by Republicans and Democrats alike (Makena Kelly/The Verge)

Makena Kelly / The Verge:
A look at the wave of child safety legislation in the US to age gate minors' access to the internet, backed by Republicans and Democrats alike  —  By the end of this month, porn will get a lot harder to watch in Texas.  Instead of clicking a button or entering a date of birth to access Pornhub …



Huawei quietly launches the ~$960 Mate 60 Pro, giving no advance notice and releasing no ads; some investors speculate that Huawei used its own 5G chip (Reuters)

Reuters:
Huawei quietly launches the ~$960 Mate 60 Pro, giving no advance notice and releasing no ads; some investors speculate that Huawei used its own 5G chip  —  Chinese chip stocks rallied on Wednesday following Huawei Technologies' (HWT.UL) launch of its new Mate 60 Pro phone …



Google is testing watermark to identify AI-generated images: Here’s how it works, what it means for users, and more

Google's AI arm, DeepMind, is testing a digital watermark called SynthID to combat disinformation. The watermark is embedded into AI-generated images, allowing for identification purposes. It has three confidence levels: "Digital watermark detected," "Digital watermark not detected," and "Digital watermark possibly detected." SynthID combines watermarking and identification using metadata and deep learning models. Unlike traditional watermarks, SynthID remains detectable even after modifications. The goal is to reduce misinformation by helping users determine if an image is real or fake. https://ift.tt/7kldYDt

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Apollo.io, which offers sales and marketing tools used by 500K+ firms, raised $100M led by Bain at a $1.6B valuation, up from ~$900M after raising $110M in 2022 (Katie Roof/Bloomberg)

Katie Roof / Bloomberg:
Apollo.io, which offers sales and marketing tools used by 500K+ firms, raised $100M led by Bain at a $1.6B valuation, up from ~$900M after raising $110M in 2022  —  - $100 million investment led by Bain Capital Ventures  — Apollo's clients include Stripe, DocuSign, Utah Jazz



Philips expands local manufacturing in line with ‘Make in India’ initiative

Philips has announced the expansion of its Personal Health product categories in India, in line with the country's 'Make in India' initiative. The consumer electronics brand will now produce 'Mother and Childcare' products in addition to its existing female and male grooming products. The expansion aims to cater to local consumers and tackle product counterfeiting. Philips also unveiled new products including the Beard Trimmer Series 1000 and the Hair Straightening Brush. https://ift.tt/ceJ9PKH

LTIMindtree partners with CAST AI to help businesses optimize cloud investments

LTIMindtree has partnered with CAST AI to help companies save over 60% on cloud costs during the process of modernizing legacy applications for cloud migration. The collaboration combines LTIMindtree's Infinity platform with CAST AI's cloud cost optimization platform, providing enterprises with a comprehensive view of their cloud portfolio. The partnership aims to optimize Kubernetes management and costs in both single and multi-cloud environments, automating 100% of cloud-native infrastructure and reducing costs for customers. https://ift.tt/sgu3Lvb

Philips launches Hair Straightening Brush, Beard Trimmer Series 1000, and Avent Bottle Steriliser

Healthcare technology brand Philips has announced the expansion of its product portfolio in India. The company has launched the Beard Trimmer Series 1000, Hair Straightening Brush, and Avent Bottle Steriliser. These new products are manufactured locally and target India's Gen Z and millennial customers. The Beard Trimmer is priced at Rs 945, the Hair Straightening Brush at Rs 3,199, and the Avent Bottle Steriliser at Rs 4,499. The products are available for purchase on Philips' official website and other e-commerce platforms. Philips aims to support the Indian market by diversifying its offerings. https://ift.tt/ANOIydg

A look at Disney's shifting India strategy, after the unit reported a $41.5M loss on $390M revenue in the year to March 2022, including free cricket on mobile (Reuters)

Reuters:
A look at Disney's shifting India strategy, after the unit reported a $41.5M loss on $390M revenue in the year to March 2022, including free cricket on mobile  —  Walt Disney (DIS.N) is attempting to revive the fortunes of its streaming business in India by offering free cricket on smartphones …



Swedish payments company Trustly acquires French recurring payments service SlimPay, sources say for €70M; Trustly shelved IPO plans in 2021 (Aisha S Gani/Bloomberg)

Aisha S Gani / Bloomberg:
Swedish payments company Trustly acquires French recurring payments service SlimPay, sources say for €70M; Trustly shelved IPO plans in 2021  —  Swedish payments firm Trustly has acquired the French recurring payments platform SlimPay as it continues its Europe-wide expansion.



Samsung partners with LG and Vestel to enable seamless control of smart appliances across brands

Samsung has partnered with LG electronics and Vestel to allow consumers to control third-party smart appliances using their preferred app. This collaboration will enable Cloud-to-Cloud interoperability between home appliances and HVAC systems, bringing benefits such as energy savings. The functionality will be available in eight countries, including the UK, US, and Germany. Users can control their smart appliances through apps like SmartThings, LG's ThinQ, and Vestel's VeeZy by updating their mobile app. Samsung believes this partnership will help the smart home market achieve new levels of scale and provide consumers with enhanced digital services. https://ift.tt/hpqSdeC

Monday, August 28, 2023

UK's National Air Traffic Services is experiencing network-wide computer failure, as hundreds of flights in and out of the country have been delayed (Gwyn Topham/The Guardian)

Gwyn Topham / The Guardian:
UK's National Air Traffic Services is experiencing network-wide computer failure, as hundreds of flights in and out of the country have been delayed  —  Some regional routes operating but few planes took off from Heathrow and inbound flights have been held  —  Hundreds of flights …



Nothing Phone (1) receiving NothingOS 2.0 update: All the details

Nothing is rolling out the Android 13-based Nothing OS 2.0.2 update for the Nothing Phone 1. The update includes features like lock screen and home screen widgets, App Lock, Cloned Apps, and an updated home screen customization. Additionally, Nothing has collaborated with Swedish House Mafia to create an exclusive sound pack for both Phone 1 and Phone 2 users, which can be customized using the Glyph Composer app. Users can also download House Mafia custom ringtones for their phones. https://ift.tt/Ckya5i2

Chinese EV giant BYD's electronics unit strikes a deal with US-based Jabil to buy the key Apple supplier's manufacturing business in China for ~$2.2B (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg:
Chinese EV giant BYD's electronics unit strikes a deal with US-based Jabil to buy the key Apple supplier's manufacturing business in China for ~$2.2B  —  - US firm Jabil joins tech companies reducing exposure to China  —  The electronics arm of electric-vehicle maker BYD Co. agreed …



UPS launches its first technology center in India

UPS has opened its first technology centre in Chennai, India, with a focus on innovation to improve customer experience. The centre was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, and is led by Dr. Subramani Ramakrishan. UPS has already hired 100 professionals in Chennai and plans to hire up to 1,000 by 2025 across India. The company aims to leverage advanced technologies such as AI, automation, and robotics to enhance its logistics capabilities in the fast-growing Indian market. https://ift.tt/l2E4MrX

Inside Naver's 1784, a 36-level office tower in Seoul, which has ~4,500 employees working with 120 robots and serves as a testbed for various AI technologies (Saritha Rai/Bloomberg)

Saritha Rai / Bloomberg : Inside Naver's 1784, a 36-level office tower in Seoul, which has ~4,500 employees working with 120 robots a...