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Author: Sanjay Patil

Sanjay Patil is a ReturnByte journalist who writes about technology. Follow him on Twitter at @sanjaypatil
Families of Parkland shooting victims are using AI to create messages in their loved ones. (Pexels) News 

Lawmakers who support the National Rifle Association receive messages from AI-generated voices of gun victims.

Sanjay Patil

On Wednesday, federal lawmakers who are against stricter gun regulations received phone calls in the voice of Joaquin “Guac” Oliver, a victim of the Parkland high school shooting in 2018. Along with the families of five other gun violence victims, they are utilizing artificial intelligence to generate messages in their loved ones’ voices. These messages are then being sent via robocalls to senators and House members who support the National Rifle Association and resist stronger gun laws. The protest is being coordinated through The Shotline website, allowing visitors to choose…

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Know all about ESA’s asteroid strike preparations and role that Asteroid Apophis will play. (Pixabay) Space 

Learn how Apophis will play a significant role as ESA prepares for an asteroid impact.

Sanjay Patil

Ten years ago, the Chelyabinsk asteroid collided with the Earth in Russia’s Ural region. Exploding above the city, it caused a shockwave that affected 1500 individuals and destroyed over 7300 buildings. This event not only instilled fear but also prompted space agencies to reassess their strategies and develop contingency plans for potential future occurrences with even more severe consequences. The fear of asteroid impacts persists due to the historical extinction of dinosaurs millions of years ago. In response, the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space established two…

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Cisco could be the latest tech giant that is hoping to focus on high-growth areas which means people will likely lose their jobs. News 

Cisco May Cut Thousands of Jobs as Tech Layoffs Persist

Sanjay Patil

Cisco is reportedly poised to cut “thousands” of jobs next week as the company focuses on “high-growth areas.” Cisco is expected to report its second-quarter 2024 results on February 14, and the layoff announcement is likely to be made during the results, reports Reuters. Cisco did not comment on potential layoffs. Cisco last year laid off nearly 4,000 workers as the company moved to “rebalance” and cut costs. According to the reports, the number of personnel of the network company was a total of 84,900 in the fiscal year 2023.…

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Discover unknown features of Tinder and Bumble for effortless Valentine's Day dating. From love styles to safety tools, enhance your online experience. News 

Uncover hidden features of Tinder and Bumble to enhance your Valentine’s Day dating experience

Sanjay Patil,

With Valentine’s Day approaching, there is no better moment to explore the realm of online dating. In today’s technological era, platforms such as Tinder and Bumble have become popular choices for individuals seeking love, companionship, or even a casual encounter. Regardless of whether you are an experienced online dater or a newcomer, we have discovered some hidden features of Tinder and Bumble that could elevate your Valentine’s Day journey. Unknown features of Tinder: 1. Love Styles: Tinder’s Love Style feature allows users to express their preferred ways of giving and…

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This image released by Prime shows Jennifer Lopez in a scene from "This Is Me...Now: A Love Story." (AP) News 

Young Sheldon, Amy Schumer, Oppenheimer, and Jennifer Lopez set to release on OTT platforms next week.

Sanjay Patil

Get ready for an exciting week of OTT releases as Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” makes its debut on Peacock, accompanied by a captivating documentary and album from Jennifer Lopez. These highly anticipated additions to the world of television, movies, music, and games will soon be available on your preferred device. Also among streaming offerings selected by Associated Press entertainment reporters: “Young Sheldon,” returning for its seventh and final season, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the power of the gospel in a two-part PBS documentary, and Ubisoft’s pirate-themed video game Skull…

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French YouTuber CYRILmp4's real-life recreation of the GTA 6 trailer captivates online audiences. (Rockstar Games) News 

Real-life recreation of GTA 6 trailer by YouTuber becomes viral sensation, breaks records

Sanjay Patil

The gaming community was filled with excitement in December 2023 when the highly anticipated trailer for GTA 6 was finally unveiled. This short preview instantly captured the attention of global audiences, breaking YouTube’s viewership record and igniting widespread online conversations. The discussion surrounding the trailer ranged from revealing Easter eggs and comparisons to previous installments in the series, to speculating on the content of the upcoming sequel. In particular, the developer Rockstar earned widespread acclaim for the careful depiction of Florida in the game world of GTA. Among the numerous…

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Apple could be working on an “underwater mode" for future iPhone model as revealed in a recently filed patent application. News 

Here’s How Future iPhone Models Could Enable Underwater Diving

Sanjay Patil,

We have been seeing smartphone OEMs offering waterproof smartphones for quite some time now. However, it is important to note that they are not waterproof and you cannot participate in adventure activities such as underwater diving. Be it Apple, Samsung, or any other leading smartphone manufacturer, none offer a warranty against liquid damage of any kind. But what if a brand like Apple works on this capability? Yes, this is exactly what Apple could be working on based on the iPhone maker’s patent. Advertised as “underwater mode”, the feature is…

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After phone neck, phone knee has risen as a big worry. Check out what the new study says about the overuse of phones. (Pexels) News 

New study reveals a new health concern: phone knee, forget phone neck!

Sanjay Patil

In today’s world, electronic devices have become an integral part of our daily lives, with our phones being the most relied upon for personal and professional tasks. However, this excessive dependence on smartphones is proving to be detrimental to our physical and mental health. While we are familiar with the concept of “phone neck,” a recent study has now highlighted the emergence of “phone knee” problems. The study reveals a surprising link between excessive phone use and persistent knee and joint pain. Experts suggest that this pain is directly associated…

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Meta's Oversight Board has determined Facebook video wrongfully suggesting that U.S. President Joe Biden is a pedophile does not violate the company's current rules. News 

Meta’s Oversight Board Struggles to Define Clear Rules for Deepfakes

Sanjay Patil,

NEW YORK: Meta’s oversight board has ruled that a Facebook video falsely claiming US President Joe Biden is a pedophile does not violate the company’s current rules, although it considers those rules “inconsistent” and too narrowly focused on content generated by artificial intelligence. The Meta-funded but independent board took up the Biden video case in October in response to a user complaint about an altered seven-second video of the president posted on Meta’s flagship social network. Its ruling on Monday is the first to address Meta’s “manipulated media” policy, which…

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Multiple AI tools now exist that people can use to enhance efficiency and simplify tasks, which previously required a significant investment of time and money. News 

Discover 4 Free Tools to Streamline Your Digital Life with Practical Applications of AI

Sanjay Patil,

Generative AI has been the talk of Silicon Valley ever since OpenAI released ChatGPT, based on GPT-3.5 LLM. Since then, tech companies have been working hard and fast to enter this rapidly evolving space. Not only have giants like Google, Microsoft, and Meta embraced it, they’ve also started making these tools widely available in consumer products like smartphones. For example, OpenAI has already introduced an iOS and Android app for ChatGPT, while Google has integrated its Gemini AI model into the Pixel 8 range. At the same time, there are…

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Joe Rogan has developed a huge audience who listen to his long, wide-ranging interviews with a variety of guests, including comedians, athletes, scientists and conspiracy theorists. (AP) News 

Joe Rogan, a podcast host known for controversy, secures a lucrative contract with Spotify worth a potential $250 million.

Sanjay Patil

Controversial podcast host Joe Rogan has recently entered into a new multi-year partnership agreement with Spotify. As a result, his highly popular show will soon be accessible on other platforms such as YouTube and Apple Podcasts, in addition to Spotify. Spotify announced the renewed partnership on the company’s corporate blog on Friday. Under a previous multi-million dollar deal, “The Joe Rogan Experience” had been a Spotify exclusive since 2020. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the new deal on Friday, estimated the new deal to be worth up to…

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Rufus was launched on Thursday to “a small subset of customers” who use Amazon’s mobile app, (Amazon) AI 

Discover what Amazon’s new AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus can do, from answering questions to conducting comparisons

Sanjay Patil,

Amazon has announced the introduction of Rufus, an AI-powered shopping assistant, as part of its ongoing efforts to integrate AI technology into its range of products and services. This comes after reports emerged that the company was planning to enhance its voice assistant, Alexa, with personalized AI technology and introduce a new subscription model called Alexa Plus. What is Rufus? According to Bloomberg, Amazon is adding an AI shopping companion to its retail store to help shoppers compare and find answers to queries that are more complex than keyword searches.…

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Nothing says it's their third phone, and what could be a budget option, the Phone 2a, is official, but there's a lot to be revealed about it. Read on to know what it may offer. News 

Launch of Nothing Phone 2a Officially Confirmed to be Imminent

Sanjay Patil

After months of speculation and leaks about the Nothing Phone 2a, the London-based startup founded by Carl Pei has come forward to acknowledge the existence of said device, but has yet to reveal a release date. This information came to light after Nothing revealed the same on X (formerly Twitter): “See the world with new eyes, the phone (2a) is coming,” Nothing posted. Moreover, the company has even added a new page to its official website that conveys the same message, but without the said release window. See the world…

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Paytm issues FASTag for cars via its Payments Bank but soon the company will be restricted from operating its own service. News 

To avoid fines, Paytm users may need to purchase a new FASTag before February 29.

Sanjay Patil

If you use Paytm’s FASTag to pay tolls, you need to purchase a new FASTag from another bank before 29 February 2024. Each FASTag has a unique UPI and for Paytm FASTag users, this UPI is directly linked to the Paytm payment bank. Now that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ordered Paytm Payments Bank to stop customer transactions, it effectively means you won’t be able to reload your Paytm FASTag after February 29. And if the FASTag doesn’t work, the vehicle owners have to pay a double fee. toll…

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YouTube and Facebook maintain dominance, but TikTok's rapid growth shines in the latest Pew survey on US social media use among adults. (Pexels) News 

Pew reports TikTok as the fastest-growing social platform, despite YouTube’s continued dominance.

Sanjay Patil,

According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted from May 19 to September 5, 2023, the digital platform landscape is undergoing significant changes. Although YouTube and Facebook continue to be the most popular platforms, TikTok has rapidly gained traction and is now the fastest-growing social platform, with over a third of adults surveyed using it. YouTube maintains a significant lead as the most used platform, with 83 percent of respondents reporting using it, according to the survey. Facebook follows closely behind, with 68 percent of users reporting…

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Chinese hackers targetting US critical infrastructure, FBI director warns (Pixabay) News 

FBI director warns that Chinese hackers are resolute in causing chaos to US critical infrastructure.

Sanjay Patil

During a recent testimony to House lawmakers, FBI Director Chris Wray issued a new cautionary statement regarding China’s global aspirations, revealing that Chinese government hackers are actively focusing on vital infrastructure such as water treatment plants, the electrical grid, and transportation systems within the United States. Underscoring the threat, the Justice Department and FBI announced just before the hearing that they had disrupted a botnet of hundreds of small office and home routers owned by private US citizens and businesses that have been hijacked by Chinese state hackers to cover…

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After Google, Microsoft, and others, PayPal has become the latest entrant in the tech layoffs scene of 2024, announcing the layoff of 2,500 employees globally News 

PayPal Takes Measures to ‘Right Size’ by Laying Off 2,500 Employees in Ongoing Tech Layoffs

Sanjay Patil

As January draws to a close, we’ve seen several layoffs affecting a number of tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, and eBay. Continuing this trend, PayPal, a major player in the payments industry, has announced that it will cut 2,500 jobs, representing 9% of its global workforce. According to the company’s CEO, Alex Chriss, this decision aims to enhance focus and “right-size” the business. Affected employees should receive notifications by the end of the week. In particular, these layoffs affect both current personnel and positions that the tech giant originally planned…

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Know what tech czars expect from the Interim Budget 2024-25 that will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. (ANI) News 

Tech czars’ expectations from the Modi government in the Interim Budget 2024-25

Sanjay Patil

The upcoming Interim Budget 2024-25, to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, will continue to prioritize technology as a driving force behind India’s economic growth. With the rise of digitalization and the concept of Digital India, as well as the increasing prominence of artificial intelligence-enabled tools, significant and lasting changes are anticipated. It is worth noting that the full budget will be presented after the general elections, in the presence of the new government. In the previous year, the Union Budget placed a strong emphasis on…

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Amazon and robot vacuum maker iRobot said Monday they would end their plans to merge in the face of opposition from EU antitrust regulators. News 

iRobot Acquisition by Amazon Cancelled Due to Regulatory Concerns

Sanjay Patil

WASHINGTON: Amazon and robot vacuum cleaner maker iRobot on Monday said they are ending their merger plan amid opposition from EU competition authorities. iRobot announced a major restructuring plan to cut costs and said it would cut about 31 percent of its workforce, or 350 jobs. The company also said that founder Colin Angle has stepped down as CEO. Angle said that given the current challenges, he and the board “mutually decided that iRobot would be better served by a new leader with turnaround experience.” Amazon said its proposed $1.4…

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Fossil was one of the first traditional watchmakers to enter the Android smartwatch scene, but it is now sunsetting its smartwatch category. Here's why. Gadgets 

Fossil Decides to Discontinue Smartwatch Production

Sanjay Patil

Fossil has announced that it will stop making smartwatches going forward as it looks to double down on its “core segments”. For the uninitiated, Fossil has been making Wear OS smartwatches for quite some time in addition to regular watches, and was one of the first OEMs to launch the first batch of Android Wear watches. In a statement shared with The Verge, Fossil CEO Jeff Boyer said, “As the smartwatch world has evolved significantly over the past few years, we have made a strategic decision to exit the smartwatch…

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