Tech News Weekly 338: Would You Pay for a GenAI Alexa?

Ukranian Bot Farms, LA Public Health Dept. Phished MS Recall and Apple AI Congress grills Microsoft boss Brad Smith after 'cascade' of security errors Microsoft Refused to Fix Flaw Years Before SolarWinds Hack Exclusive: MediaTek designs Arm-based chip for Microsoft's AI laptops Apple set to be first Big Tech group to face charges under EU digital law Apple, Meta set to face EU charges under landmark tech rules, sources say Malicious VSCode extensions with millions of installs discovered Successful phishing attack at LA County Department of Public Health exposes PID of 200k + people Bot Farm that attacked Ukrainian phones is shut down Nokia CEO makes world's first 'immersive' phone call Elon Musk drops suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman Talking about Mark Zuckerberg The Stanford Internet Observatory is being dismantled T-Mobile users thought they had a lifetime price lock—guess what happened next Games that the panel members are playing Lynn Conway, a true pioneer, passes away at 86 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Daniel Rubino, Devindra Hardawar, and Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ziprecruiter.com/twit mintmobile.com/twit IntouchCX.com/twit panoptica.app bitwarden.com/twit

Apple & Meta will likely face charges for failing to comply with EU rules. Can you play Apple Spatial audio files outside of Apple Music? How can you start learning how to program and develop an application? Plus, Rod Pyle talks about the Boeing Starliner launch, and Chris Marquardt goes over the past month's photo assignment of Minimalist! Apple WWDC24, Apple Intelligence, and RCS coming to iPhone. Apple, Meta set to face EU charges under landmark tech rules, sources say. Matthew calls in, asking if upgrading his network from 2.4GHz to 5GHz is worth it. Chris wants to know how to play his Apple Spatial audio files in other applications outside of Apple Music. Rod Pyle talks about the Boeing Starliner launch, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch, and China's Chang'e 6 mission. Kevin likes having everything on his Mac open up in one Finder window with multiple tabs. How can Kevin keep Finder from opening links he clicks on in iMessage on his Mac to opening in the same Finder window where he has his multiple tabs? Henry emails Leo and Mikah, wondering where he can go to start programming an app he has an idea for. After upgrading to Mac OS Sonoma, Steve gets a notification that "Steve's iPhone microphone is not available." He wants to know why he's constantly getting this notification and how to stop it? Randy writes that they have a music collection on Apple Music, but he wants to save those files on his iPhone in the Apple Music app without constantly paying for a subscription. Is there a way for Randy to do this? Chris Marquardt goes over the Minimalist photo assignment and assigns the next assignment! Patrick calls in with a problem about why, when he's sending text messages on his iPhone through iMessage, the messages go from the Apple standard blue bubbles to green bubbles randomly at times. Patrick also wonders why his Apple Watch is receiving notifications inconsistently from apps like iMessage and WhatsApp. Hosts: Leo Laporte and Mikah Sargent Guests: Rod Pyle and Chris Marquardt Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/ask-the-tech-guys/episodes/2029 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/shows/all-twittv-shows Sponsors: ZipRecruiter.com/Twit eufy.com

We're excited for Linux laptops, the Rocket Accelerator for Rokchips, and a new programming language for Bash scripts. Then there's the extensible scheduler coming to 6.11 because Torvalds says so, NVIDIA making a move on the upstream kernel, and a bit of a change for ChromeOS. For tips, we have the quake terminal, a tmux environment variable, and an automount command to pick up your missing mounts. See the show notes at https://bit.ly/4esmR1N and enjoy! Host: Jonathan Bennett Co-Hosts: Rob Campbell and David Ruggles Want access to the video version and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

We see the sun every day as it rises and sets... it's one of the few constants in life. But it's a very dynamic body, throwing minor temper tantrums regularly. As it happens, we're at the peak of its 11-year cycle of activity and there's a lot going on! Dr. Alex Young, the Associate Director for Science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, joins us to talk about the sun, solar activity cycles, the recent solar storms that have given us auroras and some communications blackouts, the science from the Parker solar probe, and much more. Don't take the friendly Mr. Sun for granted--join us for this fascinating episode! Headlines: NASA's accidental broadcast: A simulated medical emergency on the International Space Station was mistakenly aired for 8 minutes, causing brief panic before clarification. Spacewalk canceled: Just before a planned spacewalk, NASA canceled the event citing spacesuit discomfort, with few details provided. Voyager 1 update: The spacecraft is now sending back data from all four of its working instruments, a remarkable feat for the 47-year-old probe. Remembering Bill Anders: The Apollo 8 astronaut, known for the iconic Earthrise photo, passed away at 90 after a private plane crash. Main Topic - Our Friendly Mr. Sun: Heliophysics defined: Dr. Young explains that heliophysics studies the sun's atmosphere and its interactions with Earth and the solar system. Solar activity cycle: Currently near solar maximum, the sun is exhibiting increased sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections. Space weather impacts: Solar activity can affect technology, causing communication disruptions, satellite damage, and even power grid outages. Solar observation: A variety of spacecraft monitor the sun, including NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and NOAA's GOES satellites. Parker Solar Probe: This groundbreaking mission is providing unprecedented data about the sun's corona and solar wind. Solar magnetic field: The sun's magnetic field flips every ~11 years, which can lead to increased solar activity during the transition. Carrington Event: This 1859 solar storm remains the benchmark for extreme space weather, causing telegraph systems to catch fire. Sun in pop culture: Rod, Tariq, and Dr. Alex Young discuss depictions of the sun in science fiction, separating fact from fiction. Solar research: Dr. Young shares his current work on the statistics of large solar events and improving science communication. Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: C. Alex Young Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Amazon's Alexa could have been in a prime position to dominate AI. Why AI detection tools for detecting AI written content are hurting writers. What was announced at WWDC earlier this week? And how security cameras getting smarter with AI is a good thing. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy talks about how over a dozen employees who worked on Amazon's Alexa had a good chance to dominate the AI space and blew that chance. Mikah Sargent talks about how, with the rise of AI being used to perform writing tasks and tools being utilized to detect AI-generated work, writers are still getting stuck in the crossfire and are losing their jobs due to false accusations. After leading the show last week, Dan Moren stops by again to chat about the major announcements at Apple's WWDC24. And finally, why security cameras getting smarter with AI capabilities is a good thing for households? Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Guest: Dan Moren Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: wix.com/studio cachefly.com/twit

File sharing and remote desktop are 2 apps that have existed in Windows for a long time, but some of the changes in Windows 11 left some legacy features non-operational. This week, Paul shows us some workarounds and how to get these apps working again in Windows 11. Host: Paul Thurrott Want access to the video version and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

In this episode of Hands-On Mac, Mikah Sargent tackles the challenge of preventing your Mac from falling asleep during critical tasks. He begins by introducing the built-in "caffeinate" command in macOS, providing a step-by-step guide on how to use it to keep your Mac awake. Mikah explains the limitations of "caffeinate," such as its inconsistent performance and lack of advanced features. He then introduces Amphetamine, a robust third-party application available for free on the Mac App Store. Mikah provides a detailed walkthrough of Amphetamine's features, including its ability to start sessions that prevent sleep based on various criteria: indefinitely, for a set time, while specific apps are running, or during downloads. He explores the app's customization options, such as quick settings, session defaults, triggers, and hotkeys, highlighting how these features offer more control and flexibility compared to the "caffeinate" command. Mikah discusses practical use cases for Amphetamine, like ensuring your Mac stays awake during long downloads, presentations, or video calls. The episode concludes with Mikah emphasizing the benefits of using Amphetamine to manage your Mac's sleep behavior more effectively and encouraging listeners to try the app for themselves. Amphetamine - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704?mt=12 Host: Mikah Sargent Want access to the video version and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

The Society for Information Display hosts an annual conference called Display Week to showcase the bleeding edge of display technology. This year's gathering focused on electroluminescent quantum dots, which is The Next Big Thing. This is a super-geeky episode, so strap on your propeller hats! Host: Scott Wilkinson Want access to the video version and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard dive deep into the core features of the highly anticipated iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, fresh off the heels of Apple's WWDC keynote. The duo explores the major changes and improvements users can expect, from the redesigned Messages and Photos apps to the enhanced customization options for the home screen and Control Center. Rosemary also shares her insights on the upcoming changes to the Shortcuts app in the Shortcuts Corner segment. iOS 18 and iPadOS 18: Messages app improvements: scheduled messages, text formatting, animated effects, and RCS support Phone app updates: T9 search and the ability to record and transcribe calls Home screen customization: large icons, free placement of apps, and tinted icons Control Center enhancements: widget-like functionality and customizable pages Photos app redesign: new carousel view, collections, memories, and AI-powered features Mail app updates: categorization, grouping emails, and design changes (coming later) Siri improvements: seamless switching between typing and talking, and enhanced understanding Privacy and security updates: limiting app access to contacts, local networks, and Bluetooth devices Minor updates to the Health, Fitness, Reminders, and Calendar apps Shortcuts Corner: App Intents: the magic behind Shortcuts, driving many of the new features Redesigned Shortcuts app UI: improved organization and faster loading times Enhanced scripting actions: checking device type and adding multiple conditions to an "if" action Shortcuts in Control Center and on the lock screen for quick access Simplified Home app actions for controlling accessories New Reminders actions: opening specific lists, pinning/unpinning lists Books app actions: navigating pages, opening specific views, and controlling page scrolling Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard Want access to the video version and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. You can also contribute to iOS Today by sending an email to [email protected].

Apple Introduces Image Playground - a new AI image tool Elon Musk drops suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman Hallucination is Inevitable Nokia CEO makes world's first 'immersive' phone call Mike Lynch: Autonomy co-founder cleared of fraud in US trial New York passes legislation that would ban 'addictive' social media algorithms for kids Judge rather than jury will render verdict in upcoming antitrust trial Joey Chestnut is out of 2024 Nathan's hot dog eating contest in beef over vegan franks There's an AI Candidate Running for Parliament in the UK No, a Remote Amazon Tribe Did Not Get Addicted to Porn Elon Musk's Boundary-Blurring Relationships With Women at SpaceX Sony Buys Alamo Drafthouse Movie-Theater Chain Ren Faire on HBO - all 3 parts out now! "The most difficult recipe" damnit TikTok cottage cheese search NotebookLM goes global with Slides support and better ways to fact-check 12 useful features Google just announced for Pixel phones, watches, and tablets Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit fastmail.com/twit