LinkedIn Policing ‘AI Slop’; Discord Bows End-toEnd Encryption on Voice and Video Calls; FBI Wants Real-Time Access to License Plate Cans Nationwide; GitHub Breached-3800 Repositories Exfiltrated
Posted: May 20, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, chatgpt, discord, FBI, flock, LinkedIn, security, technology Leave a commentLinkedIn has had more than its share of AI slop. Now, they are moving to reduce the reach of posts that have hallmarks of AI-generated slop. Engadget.com reports that LinkedIn’s changes will target everything from outright engagement bait, to recycled “thought leadership” and other “generic” content that “lacks the authenticity and originality.” The company is also taking aim at posts and comments that have obvious signs of AI construction like “it’s not X, it’s Y,” phrasing. It would be great if Facebook would follow suit. I frequently see lengthy, verbose posts about someone famous or a historical figure that are obviously written by AI. LinkedIn notes that they aren’t going to take down the AI posts, they will just make sure they don’t appear in other users’ recommendations. The posts will still appear on the poster’s wall, and will be viewable by their direct connections and followers. This is really a good move, as LinkedIn positions itself as a more professional platform. Again…I hope other platforms will follow their lead.
The online platform Discord is rolling out end-to-end encryption on all voice and video calls. If you aren’t familiar with Discord, it started as a gamer platform initially, but now has all sorts of communities…creators, businesses, and interest groups in addition to gaming. According to bleepingcomputer.com, Discord claims 690 million registered users and over 200 million monthly active users worldwide. I have some younger family members that have set up their own group of family and friends, and use it to chat and communicate frequently.
In a giant overreach, the FBI wants immediate access to license plate cams nationwide. Talk about casting too wide a net, as the legal expression goes. Arstechnica.com says the feds will pay vendors to help it teach and search of vehicles in near real time. In a statement, the FBI says this is “To evaluate and manage threats to personal safety, property, and law enforcement, the FBI requires professional service firms that can provide License Plate Readers (LPRs) for tracking subjects on roads and highways over the US and its territories.” Flock and Motorola have the cams, and will likely bid on this contract. Flock has deals with over 12,000 cities, towns, counties, and business partners. Some cities have voted to remove the intrusive cams, as they pick up everyone driving past. Motorola sells license plate reader cams that can be installed on busy roadways or even on police cars. Some of the cam data has been handed over to ICE. Flock points out that sharing with the feds is off by default, and that cities and the like have to grant access. They claim that the data from the cams is the property of the agencies that own the cameras. More than ever, Big Brother is Watching!
After an employee device was compromised with what is being called a poisoned VS Code extension, GitHub has confirmed that cybercrime group TeamPCP has exfiltrated around 3800 internal repositories..such as customer enterprises, organizations, and repositories. Thenextweb.com notes that Microsoft-owned GitHub is the world’s largest code-hosting platform. The bad guys want $50,000 or they will leak the proprietary source code and internal organization files. The company moved quickly once it detected the intrusion, isolating the compromised device, removing the extension, and rotating critical credentials within hours. GitHub stressed that the activity involved exfiltration of internal repositories only and that it had found no evidence of impact to customer data, enterprise accounts, or user-hosted repositories. If a platform built on code review and version control can be penetrated through a rogue extension, the implications for less security-mature organizations are sobering.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Apple Announces WWDC, New Features & Watch Ultra; Google I/O News; Musk Loses in OpenAI Suit & Will Appeal; Iran Wants $ From Big Tech to Use Hormuz Undersea Cable
Posted: May 19, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Apple, Artificial Intelligence, chatgpt, Google, iran, llm, openai, technology Leave a commentApple announced their World Wide Developers Conference today. It will start June 8th. Besides that, macrumors.com reports that the next Apple Watch Ultra is getting a new high blood pressure notification feature. It isn’t clear how this differs from the Hypertension Notifications they already have, but whatever it is…is under FDA review, so it might actually be able to give you blood pressure readings. The new feature uses the optical heart-rate sensor to analyze how blood vessels respond to each heartbeat. Apple is still working on blood-glucose monitoring. The actually had this a couple years ago, but the working model is too big to fit into a watch…and they need to shrink it down to fit…so not surprising that it is taking a while.
Apple has also updated accessibility features to use Apple Intelligence. VoiceOver, Magnifier, Voice Control and Accessibility reader will all get the beefed up AI help. VoiceOver Image Explorer gives more detailed descriptions to the user….and lets you ask questions about what the camera viewfinder sees. Voice Control has natural language input, so you can describe onscreen elements conversationally. Accessibility Reader has added support for articles with multiple columns, images, and tables. It will also give on-demand summaries to you. This is a wild feature for those few users who have Apple Vision Pro headsets…power wheelchair control. The headset’s precision eye-tracking system can be used to control the chair for users who can’t use a joystick! Expect most of these features in the fall when iOS27 etc roll out.
The Google A/I 2 day developer conference got underway this morning, with a flood of announcements. First off, it’s Gemini 3.5, a new family of models. According to theverge.com, Gemini 3.5 Flash is now the default model for the Gemini app and AI mode in Search. The Pro version will be out next month. A new family of models is also out…Gemini Omni. This will be in the Gemini app, Google Flow, and YouTube Shorts. Omni Flash will be able to generate video clips from prompts that include a variety of inputs including text, photos, video, and audio (unlike Google’s Veo model, which is only text to video). Google also rolled out Spark, their response to the very popular OpenClaw. The always-on agent can write emails, make study guides, and watch for hidden credit card fees. Google AI Studio lets you build Android apps using prompts.
There was more, but in the spirit of a Steve Jobs ‘one more thing,’ Google showed an updated version of its Project Aura smart glasses. The refreshed compute puck has a fingerprint sensor, and has a lanyard so you can wear the puck and the glasses. Continuing on the glasses topic, there were 2 new pairs of Android XR glasses shown off…one from Warby Parker and another from Gentle Monster. Like the base Meta Ray-Bans, these glasses are audio only…no display…so not quite a return of the old Google Glass. Google has also launched Universal Cart. You can add products to it from YouTube, Search, Gemini, and Gmail. Google says this “intelligent shopping cart” works across different merchants and services, like Nike, Target, Walmart, Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Wayfair, and Shopify. So, you could add products from Nike and Target to your Universal Cart and check out from both at the same time. It will also spot and includes perks and loyalty discounts.
As you have no doubt heard, Elon Musk lost his suit against OpenAI yesterday. The jury only took 2 hours to bring the verdict. Cnbc.com notes that the primary issue was that the case was brought too late to make it in under the statute of limitations. Musk had claimed that OpenAI execs had ‘stole a charity’, with the change by the company to allow part of it to go public and be for-profit. It apparently wan’t lost on the jury and the court that Musk has a rival company in xAI, which is a for-profit entity…although it hasn’t turned any profit yet. OpenAI is now planning to move forward with its IPO stock offering this year. Musk is expected to appeal to the Ninth Circuit, as his attorneys say he lost on a technicality. It seems unlikely that the Court will buy that argument since the statute of limitations has long passed.
Not satisfied with trying to extract fees for ships getting through the Strait of Hormuz, now Iran is demanding that Big Tech pay fees for the undersea internet cables in the Strait. Arstechnica.com reports that the Iranians have specifically named Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. They want to extract what they are calling license fees for use and maintenance of the cables. Tech firms are already looking at alternatives. Iran has intimated that they might damage or cut the cables if they don’t get their way. Cables do get damaged anyway, as some ships accidentally drag their anchors, or trawlers using weighted fishing nets do damage as they fish the sea floor. Te4ch companies are looking to bypass this extortion by using over land fiber optic cables. With huge data centers planned in the Middle East, more of those will need to be run, and soon.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Amazon-Class Action Over No Tariff Refunds; Upgraded Siri May Launch in Beta; Next Wearable May Be Hairclip; Meta-Virtual Writing Coming to Meta-Ray Bans
Posted: May 18, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Amazon, Apple, Artificial Intelligence, Google, News, Tariffs, Tech, technology Leave a commentA class action suit is going after Amazon, demanding that the online giant refund money to users that was collected under the now held illegal Trump tariffs. Engadget.com reports that the suit…which was filed Friday in Seattle, accuses Amazon of profiting from “hundreds of millions of dollars in unlawful tariff costs.” Amazon is legally entitled to recover the costs after the Supreme Court decision ruling the taxes illegal. As of last week, companies started to receive money back from the US government. The suit says Amazon hasn’t engaged in this refund process, since it’s looking to “curry favor with Trump by allowing the federal government to retain the funds.” The suit continues, saying “Amazon has not returned any portion of those costs it passed on to consumers, and it has no intention of doing so. It has, in short, generated and retained a windfall from unlawful government action, and consumers — not Amazon — are the ones left paying for it.” Shipping companies such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL have already stated the process of getting refunds, and will pass the proceeds on to affected users.
After a couple years’ delay, the new, improved Siri may just launch in beta. Apple’s WWDC is coming up very soon, and the new Siri will certainly be an important component. According to appleinsider.com, the beta version will be able to be switched off, so you can use good old…make that bad old…regular Siri. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the on-off button will be part of the iOS 27 release initially. Earlier this year, we reported that Apple was partnering with Google to use Gemini to bulk up the sorry Siri. Apparently, it is taking more time to get this done. I have ranted enough here about how terrible Siri is compared to Google, Alexa, and other assistants…so I suppose I will turn new Siri on…even in beta, it can’t be worse than what Apple has now.
It’s just sometimes fun to cover some of the hairbrained ideas that turn into improbable devices. This is one of those. Androidpolice.com says that a startup called Computer Angel has a prototype of a new wearable. It’s less obtrusive at capturing video than Meta’s Ray-Bans or the defunct Google Glass. Are you ready? It’s the DC Mini hair clip camera. While this looks to be a way to bring tech to more women…which is great…it is a long way from being anything but dorky. The hair clip camera is about a half inch thick, and 3 inches long. It not only looks silly, but with that size, it probably will be sliding down the hair constantly, and will need to be moved back in place. It is being sold as a ’stylish alternative to smart glasses.’ Well, no. It’s a dorky alternative. The startup is touting is as a storytelling device, to document your life…so-called personal vlogging. We’ll let you know if this thing makes it out of development. Computer Angel feels like it will be a big hit in China.
New features are rolling out to all users of Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.They have been available in a developer preview. Theverge.com reports that you will now be able to write messages with just hand gestures. You do need to use the included so-called ‘neural’ wist band. Another feature being dropped is what Meta calls ‘Display Recording. With that, you’ll be able to capture a video that combines what you’re seeing in the lens display, what you see in the real world, and the audio around you. Walking directions are now available “throughout the entire US” and in “major international cities like London, Paris, Rome, and more.” And live captions will be available on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and with voice messages in Instagram DMs.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
WhatsApp Gets ‘Incognito’ Chat; Googlebook Will Replace Chromebook-Some Chromebooks Updatable Though; Apple-Many Changes for Next iPhone Camera; Heat Pump Startup from Former Tesla Exec
Posted: May 13, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Apple, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Google, googlebook, Tech, technology, WhatsApp Leave a commentWhatsApp is getting an AI chat function dubbed Incognito Chat, which will allow users to converse privately with Meta AI…Meta itself won’t be able to access the questions or answers. Wired.com reports that the new feature is based on WhatsApp’s Private Processing scheme that already undergirds WhatsApp’s present AI features. Meta says the intent of Incognito Chat is to offer AI integration that does not conflict with the communication platform’s commitment to end-to-end encryption, the privacy scheme in which only direct participants in a conversation can read messages or hear a call. Incognito chats are ephemeral by default and will disappear once your conversation is over. With more than 3 billion users around the world, Incognito Chat may offer many people their first opportunity to interact with an AI chatbot. So the fact that it is built to be privacy preserving is significant.
During The Android Show today, Google clarified that the Googlebook will essentially replace Chromebooks. According to 9to5google.com, Google has confirmed that Chromebooks will continue to be updated throughout their lifespans, while some machines will be eligible to move to the experience found on Googlebooks. It’s always good to find out that your old machine won’t become a boat anchor right away. While not giving specifics about models, Google said ‘many’ Chromebooks will be eligible to get the Googlebook experience. The Googlebook will apparently be positioned as a more premium line of hardware. Of course, the first ones to be released will be the ‘super premium’ models.
It looks like iOS 27 may completely overhaul Apple’s Camera app. engadget.com notes that well-known analyst Mark Gurman from Bloomberg says the updated app would make it more customizable and offer pro and hobbyist users more control over the image output of Apple’s phones. Apple is also adding new grid and level features while you’re capturing images and moving the toggle that lets you see all your available controls from the top right of the Camera app to the right of the shutter button. Siri’s changes are equally massive. Besides being smarter, the AI assistant’s glowing animation is moving from the border of iPhones, to a new home in the Dynamic Island as part of Apple’s planned updates. Users will also be able to type requests or searches through a new ”Search or Ask” interface that’s replacing iOS’ existing Spotlight Search.
A former exec from Tesla has started a heat pump startup. TechCrunch.com reports that the firm is called Sadi Thermal Machines and it actually started in stealth in the summer of 2025 in Scotts Valley, Ca. Drew Baglino is the CEO. He holds patents for a thermal management system that operates two coolant loops for cars…one cools the battery and another the drivetrain. The auto system is about the size of a suitcase. Baglino notes that making a heat pump for homes is easier than for a car because the vehicle “Is so constrained on mass and volume and energy.” A heat pump that can handle both HVAC and water heating in one unit is anticipated from the startup. Baglino said “We have learned a lot about how to make capable and reliable heat pumps that work in all environmental conditions and are excited about the idea of working on that problem one day. Let me put it that way, it’s definitely aligned with our mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy.”
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Google Announces Gemini-Powered Googlebooks; Amazon Begins 30 Minute Delivery; Sony Wearable AC Takes it Up a Notch; eBay Rejects Gamestop $58 Billion Offer
Posted: May 12, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Android, Artificial Intelligence, Tech, technology Leave a commentIt wasn’t long ago that Apple surprised us with the Neo, their new laptop in the mid priced segment. Now, at I/O, Google has dropped Googlebooks. 9to5google.com notes that the new laptops are a new category which Google claims will take the best of Android and ChromeOS. The GoogleBooks are packed with Gemini AI features. Google said they are intended to give users “personal and proactive help when and where you need it.”
Magic Pointer lets you “Select anything to ask Gemini.” After wiggling the cursor, pointing at something will show “quick, contextual suggestions.” It also lets you add anything on your screen to a Gemini prompt. There is also Create My Widget. Also coming to phones, this generative UI capability lets you place custom pieces of information on your desktop. It draws from the web and your Gmail, Calendar, and other Google apps. There’s a guided creation process or the ability to enter a prompt. Besides these features, Google showed off how GoogleBooks with fit with your Android Phone. Cast my apps lets you access any application on your phone on the laptop’s bigger screen. Quick Access enables you to retrieve files no matter where they are stored. The file browser on Googlebooks lets you browse the files on your phone and insert from your laptop. Look for the first GoogleBooks to be out this fall. More details and pricing will be available then.
Amazon has rolled out 30 minute delivery. TechCrunch.com says the service is called ‘Amazon Now,’ and it is initially available in dozens of US cities. For starters, thousands of items including fresh groceries, household supplies, and other items will be yours in about 30 minutes in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Seattle, and is expanding to Austin, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Oklahoma City, and Phoenix. By year-end, Amazon expects to bring the service to tens of millions of customers in these and other cities, as the rollout continues across the U.S. Eligible items will be marked ’30 minute delivery’ on Amazon’s website and in the app.
Don’t sweat it…literally. Sony has improved its wearable Reon personal cooling device that first came out in 2017 in Asia. According to engadget.com, the upgraded unit is not just a wearable fan attached to your neck. Sony claims the Reon works via the Peltier effect. The device sits at the base of your neck, with an electrically cooled metal plate delivering lower temperatures at the ideal place for your circulatory system, like a tiny ice pack with a USB-C port. The new version offers more comfort and better battery life, and now gives you a 3.6 degree increase in cooling. It will run for up to 10 yours on the second highest cooling setting. The Reon Pocket Pro Plus comes with its own accessory, too, a second-gen Pocket Tag that’s smaller than its predecessor and monitors ambient temperature and humidity. It isn’t available in the US yet, but runs £199 in the UK and €220 elsewhere in Europe. It should be out in the US before it gets really hot this summer.
eBay has rejected GameStop’s $56 billion dollar offer. Arstechnica.com reports that eBay said in a letter quote ‘Your proposal is neither credible nor attractive.’ GameStop made the surprising offer last week. eBay’s rejection “could lead to a hostile bid” because GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen has “said he was willing to take the offer directly to eBay shareholders, possibly by calling a special meeting.”
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Google Says AI Came Up with Zero Day Exploit; Apple-iOS 26.5 with End to End Encryption with Android is Out; Apple Tests Cam Equipped AirPods; TikTok Launches Ad-Free UK Subscriptions
Posted: May 11, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, security, technology Leave a commentHere’s another downside to AI, I’m afraid. Engadget.com reports that Google has announced the first-ever discovery of a zero-day exploit made with AI. Zero-day vulnerabilities are often the most dangerous since they’re unknown to the targets, leaving them with zero days to prepare for the attack. Google said in the report the threat actor was planning to use it in a “mass exploitation event,” but its proactive discovery “may have prevented its use.” Google added that it doesn’t believe its own Gemini models were used, but still has “high confidence” an AI model was part of discovering the vulnerability and weaponizing an exploit. Google and Anthropic have been building measure stores try to prevent their models from creating ‘high severity vulnerabilities.’
Apple has unleashed iOS 26.5 now, as well as iPadOS 26.5, which give the promised end-to-end encryption RCS with Android phones. According to Macrumors.com, the feature has to be carrier-supported, and the Android phone will need to support the feature. If so, we finally get the end-to-end encryption of our texts. Those encrypted texts will have a little padlock symbol like you see on encrypted browsers. Also in iOS 26.5…the map app will be getting ads this summer. Apple also is including a Pride Luminance wallpaper that matches the Apple Watch face and band.
In other Apple news, Cupertino is doing late stage development testing on AirPods that are equipped with cameras. The cams aren’t for pictures or video like in the variety of smart glasses, but to see the space surrounding a user and provide information.
TikTok has launched an ad-free subscription plan in the United Kingdom. Techcrunch.com notes that it runs 3.99 Pounds per month…about $5.44 monthly. It is available for users that are over 18. It is not only ad free, but TikTok claims your data won’t be used for advertising purposes. Call me a skeptic on that…I bet TikTok sells your data to others and they will use it to target marketing to you. The no ad use clears the UK’s General Data Protection Regulation. Third party brokers will still get their hands on your data. So far, no word on if or when the ad-free paid subscription will come to the US.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
Google AI Searches Will Quote Reddit; Apple Settles for $250 Million Over Siri AI Delay; Pennsylvania Sues Character.AI-Chatbots Posing as Doctors; Tech Biggies Bet Big Money on Ocean Based AI Data Centers
Posted: May 6, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, chatgpt, technology, writing Leave a commentNow, more than ever, when you do a Google search…scroll down and look for ACTUAL sources! Theverge.com is reporting that Google AI with Gemini…the first thing you see now with a Google search…will give you the usual summary, but will also give ‘a preview of perspectives’ from firsthand sources like social media, Reddit, and other web forums, effectively linking your search queries with online conversations around similar topics. I don’t know about you, but I would trust information from the Mayo Clinic about a medical issue over some Redditor’s opinion! By building these features into its AI Search tools, Google is trying to encourage more users to try them instead of manually hunting through traditional web results in Google Search. Google says it’s also adding additional context to these new AI response links, such as the creator’s name, handle, or community name, to make those conversational sources easier to quickly identify. These firsthand sources are presented as “Expert Advice” in AI-powered Search results, and can point users to specific, specialized forums and subreddits they may wish to explore further. Again…go with the actual experts…doctors, lawyers, and other highly educated people rather than some individuals on social media when you are Googling an important topic. If you want an opinion on some musical act or sports team, then go for it and rely on social media!
Apple is settling a class action suit over its marketing of AI features before the launch of iPhone 16. According to techcrunch.com, the suit alleged that Apple exaggerated the breadth of features Apple Intelligence would bring, which included a significantly upgraded version of its assistant, Siri. We all know now that Siri is as dumb as ever…and in fact, Apple has partnered with Google to beef up Siri with Google’s Gemini AI. Apple will have to pay out $250 million, which won’t exactly dent their massive cash flow and valuation…but it is embarrassing to one of the worlds’s biggest corporations…and one that has prided itself about being more user friendly and on delivering more than expected normally.
This is a scary thing to write and tell you about…Pennsylvania is suing AI startup Character.AI for offering chatbots that pretend to be licensed doctors. Governor Josh Shapiro announced the lawsuit on Tuesday, and Pennsylvania and its Board of Medicine are seeking an injunction that would force Character.AI to stop violating a state law governing the practice of medicine. Engadget.com notes that other states, including Texas, have investigations going concerning Character.AI and chatbots they host that masquerade as mental health professionals. The difference in the Pennsylvania suit is that it is aimed at the willingness of the company’s chatbots to claim to have a medical license, even going so far as offering a fake license number. This is chilling…just do what you need to do to see a real, in the flesh doctor. It’s great to have quick access and get medical help on demand…bur at this point, a chatbot is no substitute for a real doctor. The same goes for any other professional…you are much better off seeing a real psychologist, dentist, or attorney. Maybe a few hundred years from now, we will have robot doctors like in Star Wars attaching robot hands like Luke Skywalker got…but for the present time…see a human!
I can see pros and cons to this, but some powers in Silicon Valley like Peter Thiel…who started Palantir…are dumping big money…like a couple hundred million so far…into building AI data centers utilizing wave power in the middle of the world’s oceans. Arstechnica.com reports that $140 million has been pumped into a company called Panthalassa to build a pilot manufacturing plant near Portland, Oregon. Instead of sending renewable energy to a land-based data center, the floating nodes would directly power onboard AI chips and transmit inference tokens representing the AI models’ outputs to customers worldwide via satellite link. It doesn’t sound like much downside, but keep in mind that Panthalassa says in a statement “Ocean-based compute might offer a massive cooling advantage because the ambient temperature is so low. Land-based data centers use a lot of electricity and fresh water for cooling.” Obviously, a handful of these floating data centers would be no issue…but hundreds or thousands could warm the ocean just enough to effect climate change. Big tech is also looking to space for AI data centers…with the ultra low temperatures there for cooling plus lots of continuous solar power, there may be little down side. Lag time getting signals back to earth and the difficulty of repairs are the only two I can think of off hand.
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ’Technified’ for now.
Google, Microsoft, & xAI Will Give US Government Early Model Access; Walmart Gemini-Powered Smart Speaker; Apple Looks to Intel & Samsung for US Processor Manufacturing; iOS 26.5—End to End Encryption for iPhone to Android Texts
Posted: May 5, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Apple, Artificial Intelligence, Google, Tech, technology, Walmart Leave a commentJust as the White House was making noise about tightening oversight on the AI companies, several have signed agreements to provide the US government with advance access to their AI systems. Engadget.com reports that the Commerce Department Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) will evaluate new models the companies develop. CAISI director Chris Fall said in a statement that “Independent, rigorous measurement science is essential to understanding frontier AI and its national security implications.” It continued “These expanded industry collaborations help us scale our work in the public interest at a critical moment.” The deal reportedly calls for Google, Microsoft and xAI to provide their models to CAISI with reduced or even disabled safeguards in order for the organization to probe them for national security-related capabilities and risks. Let’s hope the government folks are on top of large language models enough to be up to the job!
It’s a little funkier looking that Google’s own, but Walmart is coming out with a Gemini powered smart speaker. It’s charcoal and somewhat cone shaped, with fabric sides and physical buttons on top. According to androidpolice.com, there isn’t a release date yet, or a price…but it is a safe guess that it will be cheaper than Google’s own Home Speaker, which sells for $99.99, or the hapless Apple HomePod Mini with Siri at $99. The little Walmart speaker has WiFi and bluetooth, and a 10 watt amp. It may be a bit less flashy than the Google speaker, which comes in 4 colors…but with the same Gemini power, it should be a big hit for Walmart.
Apple is apparently in early talks with Intel about using its chip-making services, and Apple brass has also visited a Samsung chip plant being built in Texas. Macrumors.com notes that up to now, main processors have been built for Apple by Taiwan Semiconductor…TSMC. Apple is said to be seeking potential additional suppliers beyond TSMC as a way to avoid recent shortages almost entirely driven by the current build-out of AI data centers. Neither Intel nor Samsung can reliably provide the kind of production and scale that TSMC offers, so it’s not clear how much, if anything, will come out of the discussions. Apple has already worked with TSMC to help expand its plant in Phoenix, which is now producing a limited number of chips for Apple and expects to make 100 million chips for the company in 2026.
In other Apple news, iOs 26.5 is getting end-to-end encryption from iPhones to Android RCS messages…FINALLY…Macrumors.com reports. The feature is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time, and for conversations to be encrypted, both the receiver and the sender must use a carrier that supports the latest version of RCS. End-to-end encryption is on by default, and there is a toggle for it in the Messages section of the Settings app. Encrypted messages are denoted with a small lock symbol like on you browser. This is some good news, and not to beat a dead horse, but it’s about time, Apple!
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technifiedl’ for now.
Gamestop Offer to Buy eBay; Musk Tried to Settle with OpenAI; An AI LLM Beat ER Docs Diagnosing Patients; You Can’t Ask Jeeves Anymore-Ask Closes
Posted: May 4, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, chatgpt, openai, technology Leave a commentIn something of a David and Goliath move, Gamestop…through its parent company…has made a $56 billion dollar bid to acquire eBay. Gizmodo.com reports that GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen told The Wall Street Journal that together the two companies “could be a legit competitor to Amazon.” He added, “EBay should be worth—and will be worth—a lot more money. I’m thinking about turning eBay into something worth hundreds of billions of dollars.” Cohen sent a letter to eBay Chairman Paul Pressler on Sunday offering to buy the company for $125 per share in a deal split between cash and GameStop stock. Part of the pitch includes GameStop’s some 1600 storefronts as a network of authentication and fulfillment sites. The employees of the stores, who already inspected and grade gaming hardware and trading cards…could also verify collectables sold on eBay according to Cohen. The stores could be drop off and shipping centers for sellers. eBay has said it is looking over the offer. Cohen does have a track record. Before Gamestop, he started the online pet food site Chewy.
While the so-called Musk vs. Altman & Brockman trial continues in Oakland, it has now come out that Elon Musk texted OpenAI’s Greg Brockman two days before the trial was set to start, to determine his interest in settling the case. According to cnbc.com, this text was just disclosed in a filing late Sunday. Apparently, “When Mr. Brockman responded with a suggestion that both sides drop their respective claims, Mr. Musk shot back: ‘By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be,'” the filing says. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, sued the company, Brockman and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in 2024, alleging they went back on their commitment to keep the artificial intelligence company a nonprofit and to follow its charitable mission. It probably isn’t helpful at this point that Musk has xAI, which is a competitor with OpenAI. xAI is part of Musk’s SpaceX rocket company, which is not a nonprofit, either.
Researchers at Harvard and Boston’s Beth Israel have tested a special advanced large language model AI against a couple of attending doctors in their performance diagnosing emergency room patients that come in at the triage stage. Gizmodo.com says the AI model…based on OpenAI’s first so-called ‘reasoning’ model o1-preview…got the correct diagnosis in 67.1% of 75 actual emergency cases, while two actual human doctors only hit 55.3% and 50% accuracy respectively. The diagnoses were what the researchers called ‘exact or very close’ diagnostic accuracy. The co-author of the study, Arjun Manrai, said “I don’t think our findings mean that AI replaces doctors, despite what some companies are likely to say.” Manrai did, however, describe the team’s results as evidence of a “really profound change in technology that will reshape medicine,” one that would require rigorous testing to verify their utility in actually making patient outcomes better.
Sometimes a business fades away, and you are surprised that it was still around. That’s how it seems to me with Ask.com. I can remember being at a radio station in the 90’s when Ask Jeeves…as it was known then…sent around a guy in a full butler tuxedo to promote the service. In fact, I may still have a Jeeves water bottle somewhere. At any rate, techcrunch.com is reporting that Ask.com, as it came to be known, is closing down. It is striking to me that they made it some 30 years and change. I don’t really know anyone who used Ask.com, and didn’t just Google things they had questions about. Now, we are at a point where Ai chatbots are spreading like weeds in your garden, and there are even AI powered robots on the horizon. Maybe they can be dressed up like butlers…’AI Alfred, get the Batmobile ready for me!’
I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.
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