Autor: Alex

### Google's Gemini AI Pauses Image Creation After Controversy Google's Gemini AI, surpassing Chat-GPT in prowess with its extensive understanding of video and its ability to evaluate entire books within seconds to provide accurate answers to specific questions, has made significant strides in artificial intelligence development. This rapid progress by the search engine giant has impressed many over the recent weeks. However, as the weekend approached, controversy surrounding its integrated image generator led to a temporary pause in its image creation capabilities. The image generator, designed to respond to user inputs with varied results, aimed to depict diversity in its outputs. For instance, if asked to generate a photorealistic snapshot of an ice cream parlor at the North Pole, the AI was programmed to produce images featuring men, women, and…

# Apple's MacBook Pro with M3 Chip Now Available at a Discount in the Refurb Store Apple enthusiasts and tech bargain hunters, take note: the MacBook Pro featuring the M3 chip has made its way to Apple's own Refurb Store, offering significant price reductions. Currently, various 14-inch models are listed, with prices ranging between 1,699 euros to 2,669 euros. This development provides an excellent opportunity for individuals seeking the performance of Apple's latest technology without paying the full price for a brand-new model. ### Affordable Tech with High-End Features The most affordable option available in the Refurb Store is the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 processor, priced at 1,699 euros. This configuration includes an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, coupled with 8 GB of RAM and a sizable…

# Swift Embarks on Google Summer of Code 2024 Journey! We're thrilled to share the exciting news that Swift is set to participate in the Google Summer of Code 2024! This marks another year of engaging contributions and innovative projects from enthusiastic participants in the vibrant world of open source development. ### What is Google Summer of Code? Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is a prestigious annual event designed to inspire and guide newcomers into the open source community. It offers a unique opportunity for participants, who are often students but not limited to, to gain real-world software development experience while contributing to various open source projects. Swift’s journey with GSoC began in 2018, and over the years, we’ve seen a plethora of successful projects that have significantly enriched the…

**Apple Vision Pro Owners Report Cracked Front Glass: A Growing Concern** In the ever-evolving world of technology, Apple's innovative products often lead the conversation. However, recent reports surrounding the Apple Vision Pro have raised concerns among its users in the United States. According to a collection of reports compiled by the blog AppleInsider, several owners of the Apple Vision Pro are experiencing nearly identical damage to their devices – the front glass appears to be cracking spontaneously. **The Nature of the Cracks** Users describe the damage as if the curved front of the glasses is splitting in the middle, with cracks emerging without any apparent mechanical impact. Some have reported the glass breaking overnight while the glasses were safely stored in their protective cases. The extent of the damage varies;…

### eBay Tech Sale: Special Discounts on Apple Pencil and AirPods Pro 2 Are you searching for a bargain on the Apple Pencil? eBay might have just what you're looking for. In a recent deal spotlighted by Saturn, the Apple Pencil USB-C is available for just €85.50, while the first-generation Apple Pencil is going for €89.10. However, there are a couple of crucial points to note about this offer, which we’ll explore further down. Unpredictability surrounds the duration of these deals and the stock levels. Since this morning, we've noticed that the quantity of available units remains largely static, albeit with occasional fluctuations both up and down. Additionally, to capitalize on these deals, you must apply the promo code TECHNIK24 at checkout. This activates an extra 10 percent discount, bringing…

### Avast Security Software Caught Selling User Data Avast, a well-known provider of antivirus and security software, also offers protection programs for Mac. The necessity and extent of such software's usefulness can be debated—especially considering macOS's array of built-in, effective security mechanisms. However, those considering an additional layer of security should think twice about using Avast.  In a report by security magazine BleepingComputer, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has found that Avast collected, stored, and sold the browser data of millions of users without their knowledge or consent. More controversially, the Avast products used for data collection were marketed as tools to protect users' data against such privacy breaches. ### FTC Condemns Avast's Exceptionally Brazen Practices FTC Chair, Lina M. Khan, expressed concern over Avast's misleading practices.…

### Philips Hue to Introduce Bridge Backups and Multi-Bridge Management Philips Hue, a market-leading name in smart lighting, is gearing up to roll out significant improvements to its system this year. Topping the list of enhancements is an overhaul in the handling of Hue Bridges, introducing not only a much-anticipated backup function but also the ability to manage multiple Bridges within a single Philips Hue ecosystem. Since the beginning of the year, buzz has been building around Philips Hue’s plans to finally offer a means for users to create backup copies of their Bridge configurations. This forthcoming feature is a game-changer, enabling users to easily restore their original Hue hub setup in the event of hardware failure due to defects, or even software glitches. Previously, users facing such issues had…

### Dock Exposé 3: Elevate Your Mac Productivity with Targeted App Window Selection Dock Exposé has recently launched its third iteration, bringing with it a series of under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes—though without adding to its existing feature set. For Mac users who strive for efficiency in their workflow, Dock Exposé serves as a compelling productivity tool, albeit one that may not seamlessly fit into every work environment. #### What is Dock Exposé? Dock Exposé offers an enhanced navigation experience on macOS by allowing users to directly access open windows across different applications via the macOS Dock. This approach extends the functionality of Apple's native Exposé feature, which is designed to help users manage their open application windows with ease. At its core, Apple’s Exposé feature enables users to view…

### Linkeeper 2.0: A Major Overhaul for the Versatile Bookmark Manager Last summer, we were introduced to Linkeeper, a versatile Mac application dedicated to managing web bookmarks independently of the browser you use. Fast forward to today, the developer has unveiled version 2.0, showcasing an impressive list of improvements and added features. #### Linkeeper: A Quick Recap For those who might not remember, Linkeeper specializes in handling bookmarks. What sets it apart is its ability to work across different applications, allowing users to organize their web bookmarks into custom categories. These can be visually presented with attractive previews and opened in your default web browser with just a click. #### A Complete Redesign with SwiftUI Version 2.0 of Linkeeper has seen a complete overhaul, redeveloped from the ground up using…

**CrossOver 24 Enhances Mac's Gaming Experience with More Windows Games Support** In the realm of technology, gaming enthusiasts who swear by their Macs often find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to accessing a broad spectrum of Windows-exclusive games. This week, we shed light on Porting Kit, a dedicated tool aiming to bridge this very gap by facilitating Windows games on Mac, build upon Wineskin, an offshoot of the Wine runtime environment, now hitting the shelves with its 9th iteration. Wine, in turn, lays the groundwork for the commercial project known as CrossOver, engineered by the UK-based developers at Codeweavers, which has just rolled out its 24th version. CrossOver embarks on the mission of making a wide array of Windows applications accessible on Mac, circumventing the need for a…