Sunday, November 24
Google announced the Magic Compose feature for Messages at the I/O 2023. The company started rolling out the feature initially in the US and now it is expanding it to more regions. The Magic Compose feature is now rolling out to several regions other than the US, including France and UK. The feature is currently available only in English on Android devices. It is a contextual response feature that curates up to 20 last messages along with emojis, reactions, and URLs to generate relevant suggestions. Users can choose from various message styles like Remix, Excited, Chill, Shakespeare, Lyrical, Formal, or Short.
Social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) experienced a widespread outage, leaving millions of users unable to tweet or access their timelines. The outage, which started around 11 am IST, affected both web and mobile apps. Users reported encountering error messages and a completely blank "For You" and "Following" feed. Downdetector confirmed the widespread nature of the issue based on a surge in user reports. Despite occasional past outages, the global scale and lack of immediate resolution have raised user concerns. X has not provided updates, leaving users anxiously awaiting a return to normalcy.
Vodafone-Idea (Vi) silently introduces a new prepaid plan priced at Rs 202, aimed at offering OTT benefits with VI Movies & TV Pro subscription for 1 month. The plan includes access to around 13+ OTT services such as SonyLiv, Zee5, Disney+Hotstar, SunNXT, and Hungama. Users can recharge their Vi number with this plan and must have an active base plan. This plan is Vi's attempt to attract and retain customers by providing affordable OTT benefits.
This article discusses the online grocery shopping trend during the pandemic. It mentions the high number of orders on Swiggy Instamart, with one customer from Jaipur placing 67 orders in a day. The largest single order worth Rs 31,748 was placed by a customer from Chennai. Delhiites showed a preference for indulgence, with one order consisting of 99 items. The most commonly ordered essentials were onions, tomatoes, and coriander. Grooming essentials and air purifiers were also popular. Bangalore emerged as the top city for mango orders. There was a surge in condom orders in September. Makhana was the most popular snack. Delivery partners covered a significant distance. Delhi had the fastest delivery time for instant noodles.
Apple is pausing the sale of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the US due to a dispute with Masimo over the SpO2 sensor. The International Trade Commission (ITC) has imposed a ban on these smartwatches. The last day to purchase these models is December 21 online and December 24 in retail stores. The ban does not affect the Apple Watch SE, and it is only applicable in the US. Apple is exploring legal and technical options to ensure availability to customers.
Internet disruption in Pakistan: Netblocks reports nationwide internet disruption ahead of PTI's virtual power show on social media platforms in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. Users complain of difficulty accessing platforms and slow internet services. Former PTI leader Taimur Jhagra notes internet issues coinciding with online rally. YouTube and Ufone4G affected, millions of subscribers and businesses impacted. Pakistan ranked third in the world for internet restrictions. No statement from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) yet.
OpenAI suspends ByteDance's account for using GPT to train its own AI model, violating OpenAI and Microsoft's terms. ByteDance secretly used GPT-generated data to develop its own competing large language model (LLM). OpenAI's terms prohibit using Output to develop AI models that compete with their products but allow categorization or organization models. ByteDance relied on the OpenAI API, purchased through Microsoft, to develop its foundational LLM called Project Seed. OpenAI has suspended ByteDance's account and will investigate further to ensure policy compliance.
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) successfully completed Phase I of placement, witnessing a record number of offers. The median salary of all the offers made was over Rs 19 lakh. The placement process prioritized equity and inclusivity, with over 55% of placed students coming from socially and economically challenging backgrounds. IIT Madras has placed about 50% of the students so far and invites organizations to engage with the Placement and Internship office for Phase II at the Career Pathway Centre.
Jeff Bezos stepped down as Amazon's CEO in 2021 to focus on his rocket company, Blue Origin. In an interview on the "Lex Fridman Podcast," Bezos revealed that he made the decision to prioritize Blue Origin's progress and give it his full attention. He acknowledged the need for more urgency in the work at Blue Origin and expressed his commitment to fulfilling his obligations to Amazon's stakeholders.
Poco C65 is launched as the new affordable smartphone in India. The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek chipset and sports an HD+ display. It is backed by a 5,000 mAh battery. Poco C65 comes in three variants — 4GB+128GB, 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB and will be available at an introductory price of Rs 8,999, Rs 9,499 and Rs 10,999, respectively.
