Don’t miss out on the latest news in the tech world this week.
1. Meta is Criticized in Canada for Blocking News on Facebook Amid Wildfires
Meta is facing criticism from users and Canadian officials for blocking news links in Canada. The company began blocking news links on August 1 in response to a new law, known as Bill C-18, that requires tech companies to pay news publishers for using their content.
This new law has yet to be enacted, but Meta has said it is blocking news to comply with it.
However, critics argue that the company is blocking access to essential information when people evacuate their homes as wildfires raging in parts of Canada.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, called Meta’s decision “inconceivable” and said it putting profits ahead of people’s safety.
Now, it remains to be seen how this controversy will be resolved. However, the company’s decision to block news links in Canada has highlighted the growing tensions between the new publishers and tech giants.
2. Sing Along To Your Favorite Songs with YouTube Music’s Live Lyrics Feature
Google’s music streaming service, YouTube Music, is rolling out a live lyrics feature for Android and iOS users, as reported by 9To5Google.
This new feature is similar to other music streaming services, like Apple Music and Spotify, which allow users to view the lyrics of the song they are listening to in real-time.
Now, users can open the YouTube Music app and play a song to access the live lyrics feature. The lyrics will appear on the screen, highlighting the currently playing line on screen.
The live lyrics feature is not yet available for all songs on YouTube Music. However, Google says it will work for more songs in the coming weeks.
This new addition of live lyrics is a welcome addition to YouTube Music and can be a helpful feature for those who want to learn the lyrics and sing along to their favorite songs.
This is also an excellent way for YouTube Music to compete with other streaming services.
Overall, adding live lyrics is a positive step for YouTube Music, and the said feature can make the app more enjoyable for users.
3. AMD’s FSR 3 to Launch Soon
AMD has announced that its next-generation FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology, FSR 3, is coming to the market soon.
FSR 3 can double a game’s frame rate without distorting the image quality. It is also open source, and a wide range of GPUs, including those from AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA, will support it.
FSR 3 uses motion vector data from the game to create new frames. After that, this data is used to upscale the previous frame & generate a fresh one that will be indistinguishable from the original.
This is said to be much better than FSR 2 and can achieve better-quality images at lower resolutions.
In addition to this, FSR 3 also includes a new latency reduction feature called Anti-Lag+.
FSR 3 is expected to be released in September 2023 and will be supported by a number of games, including Immortals of the West and Forspoken.
4. Gmail to Add 2FA Challenge for Sensitive Settings
Google announced today that it is going to add a two-factor authentication (2FA) challenge for sensitive settings in Gmail.
If you try to access settings like filters, account forwarding, or IMAP, you will be prompted to enter a code from your phone & your password from now on.
This change makes it more difficult for attackers to gain unauthorized access to Gmail accounts.
The 2FA challenge will be implemented in the coming weeks. You can do it now if you have not already enabled 2FA for your Gmail account.
This can keep your account safe from attackers.
Here are some additional things you can do to protect your Gmail account:
- Use a strong password and change it regularly.
- Be careful about clicking on any unknown links in emails.
- Avoid opening attachments from unknown senders.
- Be aware of phishing scams.
- By following these tips, you can help to keep your Gmail account safe from attack.
5. Meta’s New AI Model Boosts Coding and Debugging for Free
Meta, has introduced a new free AI model, Code Llama to help programmers generate and debug code.
The company believes that both beginners and experienced programmers can use this model.
Code Llama is based on Meta’s Llama 2 language model, released in July.
Code Llama builds on Llama 2 by adding additional features and training data that are specific to coding.
As per Meta, Code Llama is designed to make software development more efficient and accessible.
Code Llama is introduced in three sizes – 7, 13, and 34 billion parameter versions and Meta has also unveiled two specialized variations: Code Llama – Instruct and Code Llama – Python.
To get the latest version of Code LIama, you need to fill out a form, and to run it you need the interface code.
Overall, Code LIama is expected to boost productivity in coding and debugging, but its effectiveness in the real world remains to be seen. Like other AI models, it can also struggle with errors and security vulnerables.
6. Add Macro Capabilities To Your SmartPhones Skyvik Signi X Mobile Camera 20X Macro Affordable Lens Kit
The Skyvik Signi X Mobile Camera 20X macro lens kit is an excellent option for adding macro capabilities to your smartphone without spending much money.
The lens is made of high-quality materials and is designed to be compatible with most smartphones.
It magnifies 20x, enough to capture small objects’ fine details and comes with a carrying case and pouch to keep it safe and clean.
7. Apple Might Release a New iPad Pro in 2024 with an OLED Display and the M3 chip
As reported by Bloomberg, Apple will release a new iPad Pro in 2024 with an OLED display and the M3 chip.
The new iPad Pro will come in two sizes – 11 inches and 13 inches.
The 13-inch model will replace the current 12.9-inch model.
The OLED display is a significant upgrade over the current LCD displays on the iPad Pro.
OLED displays offer more profound blacks, brighter whites, and wider viewing angles than that of LCD displays.
They also consume less power, which could help to extend the battery life of the new iPad Pro.
The M3 chip is expected to be more powerful and efficient than the M2 chip, which is currently in the iPad Pro models.
In addition to the OLED display and M3 chip, the new iPad Pro is rumored to have a revised Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad.
The Magic Keyboard is the one that adds backlit keys, a trackpad, and a USB-C port to the iPad Pro.
The larger trackpad will make it easier to use the iPad Pro for tasks like editing documents and browsing the web.
The new iPad Pro is expected to be released in the spring of 2024. and is expected to be a significant upgrade over the current iPad Pro models and could make the iPad Pro a more compelling option for creative professionals and power users.
Closing Thoughts
You should always stay up-to-date on the latest trends & developments in the tech world. So stay tuned with us to know about more such trending news.