Author: alex

TikTok Lets Users Send Voice Notes, Images & Videos in DMs TikTok is expanding its messaging tools. According to reports from TechCrunch and other outlets, TikTok will soon allow users to send voice notes, images and videos in direct messages and group chats. Voice notes: Up to 60 seconds. Media attachments: Up to 9 images or videos per message, from camera or phone library. Safety & age rules: Messaging is only available to users 16 and older. Images with nudity are auto-detected and blocked for users aged 16–18; users 18+ can toggle this detection on/off. Rollout: Features will roll out globally in the next few weeks. TikTok has been gradually enhancing messaging — it added group chats for up to 32 people last year and introduced the Footnotes feature this…

Meta explores using competitors' AI models to boost Meta AI Recent reports indicate Meta is considering integrating competitors' models — including Google Gemini, OpenAI models and Anthropic — to power or supplement Meta AI and features across its apps. Meta says it is taking an "all-of-the-above" approach: partnering with other companies while continuing to build its own Llama models. The use of external models appears intended as a temporary measure to accelerate improvements to Meta's in-house models and stay competitive. Key points Meta’s Superintelligence Lab has reportedly discussed adding Google Gemini into Meta AI to improve conversational search responses. Meta has also reportedly explored using OpenAI models and already gives employees access to Anthropic’s models for internal tools like a coding assistant. Meta frames this as a short-term strategy to…

xAI sues former employee over alleged theft of Grok trade secrets Elon Musk's AI startup xAI has filed a lawsuit alleging that former employee Xuechen Li stole confidential materials and trade secrets related to Grok before joining OpenAI. The complaint claims Li copied documents from an xAI laptop to at least one personal device and took "cutting-edge AI technologies with features superior to those offered by ChatGPT and other competing products." According to the suit, the stolen information could give rivals a major advantage and save competitors "billions in R&D dollars and years of engineering effort." xAI also alleges Li tried to conceal his actions by renaming and compressing files and deleting browser history. The complaint says Li requested xAI buy back company shares worth roughly $7 million — part…

Meta reportedly hosted unauthorized celebrity AI chatbots — summary & context Summary: Reports indicate that Meta allowed AI chatbots impersonating celebrities to run on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Allegedly affected names include Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson. Some chatbots reportedly insisted they were the real celebrities, made sexual advances, and at least one allowed a tester to generate a lifelike shirtless image of an underage celebrity. Meta removed several bots and said the issue stemmed from failures to enforce its policies. Key details Platforms: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp. Examples: Chatbots allegedly based on Taylor Swift reportedly acted flirtatiously; testers reported bots claiming to be the real person. Safety concerns: At least one bot reportedly enabled generation of an explicit image of an underage celebrity. Scope: Reports say…

Sonos Labor Day / Back‑to‑School Sale: Era 100 for $179, Sonos Ace for $299 Sonos is running Labor Day / back‑to‑school discounts on several products. Highlights: Sonos Era 100 — now $179 (was $199). A strong midrange smart speaker with Trueplay tuning, built‑in mics, Wi‑Fi & Bluetooth support, and line‑in. Sonos Ace headphones — now $299 (was $399). Over‑ear headphones with advanced spatial audio features like TrueCinema when paired with Sonos soundbars. These sale prices are available both on Sonos’ official store and on Amazon (links below include our Amazon affiliate tag): Buy Sonos Era 100 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Sonos+Era+100&tag=f1rede-20 Buy Sonos Ace on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Sonos+Ace&tag=f1rede-20 Sonos official Era 100 page: https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/era-100 Why buy the Era 100? The Era 100 replaces the Sonos One as the company’s midrange smart speaker. It…

Dyson Labor Day Sale — Top Picks & Details Dyson’s Labor Day deals bring deep discounts: the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum is listed at $500 (about 50% off) and the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine cordless stick at $800. Below are quick highlights, pros/cons, and where to buy. Key Deals Dyson 360 Vis Nav — $500 (50% off). High suction power; excellent at pulling pet fur and carpet debris. Includes camera-based obstacle avoidance and LED lighting. Note: no self-empty dock and not a mop. Dyson V15s Detect Submarine — $800 (about $200 off). Cordless stick with HEPA filtration and advanced wet-cleaning capabilities; versatile for carpets and hard floors. Why it matters The 360 Vis Nav impressed reviewers for having some of the strongest suction among robovacs we’ve tested, effectively…

Labor Day Deals: 2025 MacBook Air M4 — Record-Low Prices on Amazon Labor Day brought rare price cuts to the 2025 MacBook Air M4 on Amazon. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, these are the standout offers we confirmed: 13-inch MacBook Air M4 — 16GB / 256GB: $799 (was $999) 13-inch MacBook Air M4 — 16GB / 512GB: $999 (was $1,199) 15-inch MacBook Air M4 — base / 16GB / 256GB: $999 (was $1,199) 15-inch MacBook Air M4 — 16GB / 512GB: $1,199 (was $1,399) Why these MacBook Air M4 models are worth considering Apple M4 chip — faster than previous Air models Long battery life — roughly 18+ hours of HD video playback Thin and light: 13" ≈ 2.7 lb; 15" ≈ 3.2 lb 2025 redesign keeps them very…

US government takes ~9.9% stake in Intel; CHIPS Act requirements waived Summary: The U.S. government has converted $5.7 billion of previously earmarked CHIPS Act funds into Intel common stock, resulting in roughly a 9.9% equity stake. In connection with that action, most CHIPS Act milestone and cash‑flow sharing requirements tied to those funds have been waived. The government’s total involvement in Intel now stands at about $11.1 billion when including earlier grants and program awards. Key facts Stake & funds: ~$5.7B converted into equity (~9.9% stake). Total government involvement ≈ $11.1B (includes other awards). Milestones waived: Intel is no longer required to meet certain CHIPS Act project milestones or share a portion of cumulative cash flow from projects with the Commerce Department. Remaining restrictions: Funds cannot be used for dividends…

Apple AirTag 4‑Pack: $70 on Amazon (Labor Day deal) Amazon is offering the Apple AirTag 4‑pack for $70 as part of Labor Day sales — one of the lowest prices we've seen outside Black Friday and Prime Day. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, this is a useful discount to consider. Why AirTags are handy Ultra-wideband (UWB): Precise, directional tracking with iPhones released in the last ~5 years. Find My network: Uses millions of Apple devices to help locate items over long distances. Compact design: Coin-sized and easy to hide in bags or wallets. Loud chime: Force an AirTag to play a sound to help locate items nearby. Drawbacks No built-in keyring — you’ll need to buy a loop or holder separately. Works best with Apple devices; Android users…

Review roundup: Pixel 10 Pro / Pro XL, Pixel 10, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen), Sony RX1R III Fall flagship season is here. Recent reviews highlight AI-focused Pixel phones, updated noise-cancelling earbuds from Bose, and a new compact from Sony. Below are concise takeaways and links to purchase/search pages. Google Pixel 10 Pro & Pro XL Summary: Reviewers call these Google’s "smartest" phones yet, thanks to AI features like Magic Cue, iterative hardware improvements, and a polished design. If you value AI-driven software enhancements, these are worth considering. Release date / availability: Announced/available in late August 2025. Buy / learn more: Search Pixel 10 Pro on Amazon Google Pixel 10 Summary: A solid base flagship — better camera, more power, and Qi2 support. Great value for most users who…