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Week Summary
Technology
  • Earth has captured a temporary 'second moon,' a small asteroid named 2024 PT5, which will orbit until November 2024.
  • Research indicates that larger AI chatbots are increasingly prone to generating incorrect answers, raising concerns about their reliability.
  • Meta's Chief Technical Officer discussed advancements in AR and VR technologies, particularly focusing on the Orion AR glasses.
  • The author reflects on their experience with Rust, proposing several changes to improve the language's usability and safety features.
  • The Tor Project and Tails OS have merged to enhance their efforts in promoting online anonymity and privacy.
  • OpenAI is undergoing leadership changes, with key executives departing amid discussions about restructuring and the company's future direction.
  • Git-absorb
  • The concept of critical mass explains how significant changes occur when a threshold of acceptance is reached, impacting technology and society.
  • WordPress.org has banned WP Engine from accessing its resources due to ongoing legal disputes, raising concerns about security for WP Engine customers.
  • PostgreSQL 17
  • Hotwire Native is a web-first framework that simplifies mobile app development, allowing developers to reuse HTML and CSS across platforms.
  • Radian Aerospace is progressing on a reusable space plane, completing ground tests and aiming for full-scale flights by 2028.
  • A groundbreaking diabetes treatment using reprogrammed stem cells has enabled a patient to produce insulin independently for over a year.
  • Apple is developing a new home accessory that combines features of the iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod, expected to launch in 2025.
  • SpaceX's Starlink service is set to surpass 4 million subscribers, reflecting rapid growth and significant revenue projections.
  • TinyJS is a lightweight JavaScript library that simplifies dynamic HTML element creation and DOM manipulation for developers.
  • Snap introduces significant improvements to its ad platform for better partner results.

    Snap has announced a series of enhancements to its ad system aimed at providing improved results for all ad partners. This includes new ad formats that use its full-screen display to showcase ad offers and messaging. The platform has also implemented a streamlined app download experience for app advertisers, enabling users to install apps without leaving Snapchat. Snap is offering a new way to bid on click-through conversions within seven days called “7/0 delivery optimization” and is testing an option to bid on the value of purchases driven, not just the quantity of purchases. Additional improvements are covered in the blog post.

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    Snap
    Advertising & Marketing
    Friday, May 24, 2024
  • Snap introduces a real-time image model for AR experiences, enhancing AR content creation with new tools.

    Snap unveiled a real-time, on-device image diffusion model for creating vivid AR experiences and introduced new generative AI tools for AR creators at the Augmented World Expo. These enhancements, which include a new Lens Studio 5.0 with an AI assistant, aim to make AR content creation faster and more efficient with features like realistic ML face effects, 3D asset generation, and character creation using text prompts.

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    SnapLens Studio 5.0AR experiences
  • Snap releases GenAI suite in Lens Studio 5.0, enhancing AR application development.

    Snap has released the GenAI suite in Lens Studio 5.0 - this is a great advancement and is massively useful for developing AR applications.

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    SnapLens Studio 5.0AR
  • Snap to unveil new AR Spectacles with improved tech, remaining developer-focused.

    Snap is reportedly set to unveil a new generation of augmented reality Spectacles featuring improved technology like a wider field of view and better battery life. These glasses remain developer-focused with limited production, reflecting Snap's continued interest in hardware despite previous setbacks.

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    SnapAugmented Reality SpectaclesTechnology
  • Snap's new Spectacles offer a richer, more immersive AR experience for developers.

    Snap's fifth-generation Spectacles have a richer, more immersive display. They feel faster and last longer on a charge. The new Spectacles will not be sold but will be instead distributed to developers making AR lenses for Snapchat. Developers will have to apply for access through Lens Studio, Snap's desktop tool for creating AR software, and pay $99 per month to rent a pair of Spectacles for at least one year. This article takes a look at what it's like to wear the new Spectacles.

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    SnapSpectaclesAR
  • Snapchat introduces AI video-generation tool for creators, competing with OpenAI and Adobe.

    Snapchat has announced a new AI video-generation tool for select creators that enables video creation from text and soon image prompts. The tool, powered by Snap's foundational video models, will be available in beta on the web. Snap aims to compete with companies like OpenAI and Adobe but has not shared output examples yet.

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    SnapAI video-generation toolTechnology
Month Summary
Technology
  • OpenAI is considering a new subscription model for its upcoming AI product, Strawberry, while also restructuring for better financial backing.
  • Telegram founder
  • The startup landscape is shifting towards more tech-intensive ventures, with a focus on specialized research and higher capital requirements.
  • Boom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator aircraft successfully completed its second flight, testing new systems for future supersonic travel.
  • announced the uncrewed return of Boeing's Starliner, with future crewed missions planned for 2025.
  • OpenAI's SearchGPT aims to compete with Google Search by providing AI-driven information retrieval, though it currently faces accuracy issues.
  • Tesla is preparing to unveil its autonomous robotaxi technology at an event in Los Angeles, indicating ongoing challenges in achieving full autonomy.
  • The US Department of Justice is investigating Nvidia for potential antitrust violations related to its AI chip market dominance.
  • Apple plans to use OLED screens in all iPhone 16 models, moving away from Japanese suppliers and introducing new AI features.
  • Amazon S3 has introduced conditional writes to prevent overwriting existing objects, simplifying data updates for developers.
  • Chinese scientists have developed a hydrogel that shows promise in treating osteoarthritis by restoring cartilage lubrication.
  • Nvidia's CEO is working to position the Nvidia as a comprehensive provider for data center needs, amidst growing competition from AMD and Intel.
  • OpenAI
  • Nvidia Blackwell
  • Amazon is set to release a revamped Alexa voice assistant in October, powered by AI models from Anthropic's Claude, and will be offered as a paid subscription service.