John Lister

Is it possible to replace a smartphone with a 'AI pin'? One manufacturer seems to think so. The device works by using both the pin (worn on a shirt) and one's own hand to navigate menus, all the while viewing an image. Think of it like Star Trek the ... Next Generation's badge intercom, but with more features. The AI Pin from Humane is a weird device to say the least. One description uses the unlikely phrase "wearable projector," though it also includes other features commonly associated with smartphones. It looks to be about two inches square and weighs just under two ounces. It's mainly flat ... (view more)

Google is leading a bid to force Apple to make its iMessage tool more compatible with other services. It could have a wider effect on tech competition as a whole. In the past, most messaging tools used SMS (Short Messaging Service) which sent text ... messages over the cellular network. These are either paid for individually by the user, or taken out of a monthly allowance that's separate to cellular data services. Most phones now have one or more services that let users send messages via cellular data and the Internet. As well as not using up SMS allowances, such messaging tools also allow ... (view more)

A Google-owned map tool will now warn drivers about known accident hotspots. But the information might not be all that useful for now. The new feature is in Waze, a GPS navigation tool that began in 2006, with Google buying it out in 2013. It's ... original selling point was that it combined data from multiple users to spot where they were driving slower than expected, indicating congestion. It then adjusted its recommendations for the quickest routes. Although Google owns Waze, it still operates as a separate service. That lets Google use it as a smaller scale test ground for features that might ... (view more)

Apple is facing a billion dollar penalty for allegedly slowing down iPhones to extend battery life. It's failed in a bid to stop a trial in a class action case. The lawsuit alleges that Apple issued an iOS update that intentionally made apps run ... slower. Apple says it did so to extend battery life and to avoid batteries draining so quickly that the phone unexpectedly shut down. In some cases phones ran 58 percent slower. However, the man bringing the case claims this harmed consumers by misleading them into thinking their handsets were slowing down 'naturally'. The lawsuit alleges consumers ... (view more)

This year's major update to Windows 11 is now available. The word "major" is doing some heavy lifting on this occasion. Users can now manually install the 23H2 update, which will roll out to all users through automatic updates in the next few ... months. While Microsoft issues regular bug fixes and security updates, the "H2" update is the main way it issues new features. The update, released in the second half of each year (H2) effectively counts as a new version of Windows. Once installed, it resets the support calendar and guarantees another 24 months of support from Microsoft. AI Goes ... (view more)

The FCC is to give more than $18 billion to broadband companies to expand rural provision. The subsidies will cover the next 15 years. The funding is part of the "Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model." It's based on the rationale that ... broadband access benefits society, but that private businesses don't consider it financially worthwhile to build networks in rural areas. That's because these locations require more cabling but with fewer potential customers. The FCC has consistently reasoned that it's more efficient to subsidize private broadband carriers to expand their networks, ... (view more)

A proposed new smartphone would include two physical switches to control privacy. The Murena 2 would run Android apps, but use its own operating system. The makers have reached a (very low) funding goal on the Kickstarter site with around 450 sales ... at the time of writing. That theoretically means the project can go ahead, though without any legal guarantee it will do so. The main selling point of the phone is a privacy-focused design, which the makers say is to tackle data being collected on Android and iPhones even when the owner isn't actively using the handset. The most eye-catching part ... (view more)

Google is adding new tools to make it easier to check if an image is credible and as it appears. But the move has highlighted the irony of Google's own involvement in "generative" artificial intelligence. The tools include several additions to ... Google's own search results, along with a dedicated tool for checking any image found online. The search tools have been in testing and are now rolling out to all users, starting with English language searches in the US. They are wrapped up in a featured called "About this image". This will accompany images with information including if and when they ... (view more)

Most popular mobile apps request system permissions that aren't necessary for their stated functions, according to a new study. In some cases, an app requested more unnecessary functions than necessary ones. The figures come from NordVPN, which ... examined the five most popular apps in 18 common categories. They repeated the exercise for both Android and iOS, making a combined total of 103 different apps. (Source: nordvpn.com ) Both mobile operating systems now use a permissions system that means apps must request specific permission for different types of access to a phone's data and components ... (view more)

Major websites are joining together to fight fake online reviews. The "global Coalition for Trusted Reviews" will share information and best practices to "stop fake reviews at the source." The partnership follows a conference last year that included ... business, government and academic experts. The idea now is for businesses to work together rather than rely on legislation. The BBC cites a recent report suggesting 15 percent of reviews of common consumer products are likely fake. It also notes that both the United States and United Kingdom are considering laws targeting fake reviews. However, ... (view more)