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Devra Lee

Disclaimer: This content was written by Devra Lee for general informational and entertainment purposes only. This service is to provide astrological information that has been researched, recorded, and observed by the author.

Horoscope of the Day, Wednesday, August 14th

Google’s new Pixel 9 lineup of phones will be different from all other Android phones in one big way: The default assistant on these devices will be Gemini, Google’s AI-powered chatbot, not Google Assistant. “On mobile, Gemini is an evolution of the Assistant,” Sissie Hsiao, Google’s vice president and general manager of Gemini Experiences, told Engadget in an interview. “Users can go back to the classic Google Assistant, but this is the new Assistant now.”

Gemini, Google's AI-powered chatbot, is the default assistant on Pixel 9 phones

Google has a post up on its security blog that is half advertisement and half PSA-style announcement for Android users: go into your settings and turn off the "Allow 2G" toggle. This option, added in Android 12 back in 2021, does exactly what it sounds like: it turns off support for 2G cellular networking. Why would you want to do that? Because attackers are using the insecure 2G protocol to spoof phone numbers and send SMS spam.

Google Sounds Urgent Warning To Kill This Setting On Your Android Phone

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J. Souza

Once a staple on cruise ships, libraries are becoming a relic of the past, particularly on Carnival Cruise Line vessels. The cruise line has confirmed that it no longer includes libraries in the design of new ships, a decision that has sparked both disappointment and understanding among passengers.

Why is Carnival Quietly Phasing Out a Popular Ship Amenity?

24/7 Wall St.

: Perplexity, an AI company, raised $250 million to build a better search engine than Google. AI’s potential could challenge Google’s long-standing dominance. A non-political, effective alternative may attract users and threaten Google’s market share. Also: With AI stocks taking a step back, it’s the perfect time to load up on ‘The Next Nvidia’ […]
The post A $250 Million Cannon Is Pointed At Google appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

A $250 Million Cannon Is Pointed At Google

At today’s Made By Google Event, Google unveiled new AI integration to Android OS that lets users accomplish tasks just by talking. Google is one of the companies at the forefront of pushing AI into the casual tech user’s daily life. At today’s event, Google heavily featured new updates to Gemini that allows users to complete tasks conversationally.

Google’s Goal to Make Gemini AI ‘Helpful for Everyone’ Is Ambitious

The Lens

This year’s area of low oxygen in the Gulf of Mexico is larger than average, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Thursday. The “dead zone” is approximately 6,705 square miles , as measured last week. Within NOAA’s 38 years of measuring the dead zone, this year’s assessment marks the 12th-largest area of low to no oxygen, which can kill fish and marine life.

Gulf ‘dead zone’ larger than average, larger than expected for 2024, scientists announce

In a strategic maneuver to stay in the race with OpenAI and other AI innovators, Google has decided to integrate Gemini more deeply into its ecosystem, promising users an enhanced, more intuitive, and more efficient voice assistant experience. If you're accustomed to using Google Assistant, prepare for Gemini AI to be your new voice companion. (But you can still use Google Assistant.)

Gemini to replace Google Assistant as Android's default - but you still have options

Singapore – UXLINK is excited to announce the launch of its cutting-edge chain abstraction stack, designed to revolutionize how developers and users interact with blockchain technology. UXLINK’s next-gen chain is an omni-chain infrastructure that empowers builders to create applications capable of scaling to billions of users across all blockchains, seamlessly bridging the gap between Web2 simplicity and Web3 innovation.

Uxlink Unveils Next-Gen Social Growth Omni-Chain Infrastructure to Empower Builders and Scale Apps to Billions of Users

Samsung Foundry has entered into a partnership with the South Korean firm DeepX. As part of the collaboration, Samsung Foundry will manufacture 5nm AI chips for DeepX. Notably, Samsung Foundry is the world’s second-largest contract semiconductor chip maker after TSMC. The company will now mass produce DeepX’s first-gen AI semiconductor chip called the DX-M1.

Samsung Foundry will make 5nm AI chips for South Korea’s DeepX

PYMNTS

Mastercard has launched a crypto-to-fiat card with Web3/blockchain platform MetaMask and cryptocurrency payments firm Baanx. The MetaMask Card, announced Wednesday (Aug. 14), lets MetaMask wallet customers use crypto for everyday purchases in fiat currency wherever Mastercard is accepted. The card is being piloted on a limited basis — a few thousand digital-only cards — for users in European Union countries and the U.K.

Mastercard and MetaMask Team to Launch Crypto-to-Fiat Card

TechRadar

Google’s very own Authenticator app for Android has received a major update introducing several new features and a complete Material You redesign.Google Authenticator has now added a search bar for perusing all of your accounts, as well as a privacy screen that will automatically lock the App when not in use - either immediately or after a set amount of time.The Google Authenticator app previously introduced a feature that prevents users from taking screenshots of the app.
New Material You UI
Google Authenticator 7.0 has also received a major redesign, with the hamburger menu and account switcher now being housed within a...

Google Authenticator adds new features and a complete redesign

Users of Cash App have interesting news today as the company has completed a class-action lawsuit that could see Cash App users eligible for up to $2,500. According to CNET, the lawsuit claims that Block and Cash App were negligent when a “former Cash App Investing employee accessed account data without permission in 2022 and when an unauthorized user accessed certain Cash App accounts in 2023, using recycled phone numbers that were linked to the accounts.”

Cash App Settles Lawsuit and Integrates With Google Play

For the lonely heart that wished the AI in the movie Her was real, Google might have an AI for that. Google's Gemini AI platform was front and center this week at the company's Pixel 9 launch event. Aside from photo editing features and call summaries, one of the more...

Google's Gemini AI wants to chat, for a price

Google says it is taking a privacy-minded approach to the integration of AI features on Android devices, implementing end-to-end protection to secure data in transit while keeping the most sensitive data locally on the device. The data that reaches Google's cloud infrastructure for processing is protected by state-of-the-art encryption, access...

Google says it's focusing on privacy with Gemini AI on Android

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The Current GA

Since 2020, the condition known as long COVID-19 has become a widespread disability affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people across the globe and costing economies billions of dollars in reduced productivity of employees and an overall drop in the work force .

Expert: Long COVID puzzle pieces are falling into place – picture is unsettling

Google announced a new image generation app during its Pixel 9 event today. The company says the app, called Pixel Studio, will come preinstalled on every Pixel 9 device. Pixel Studio, much like Apple’s forthcoming Image Playground app that’s set to roll out on iOS 18 at some point after the operating system launches, lets you create an image from a prompt. Users can edit images after the fact, using the prompt box to add or subtract elements, and change the feel or style of the picture.

Google debuts Pixel Studio AI image-making app

9to5Mac

Apple is moving forward with its plans for home robotics, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Apple is reportedly ramping up its work on a tabletop smart home device with a robotic arm, which would serve as a “smart home command center, videoconferencing machine and remote-controlled home security tool.”

Bloomberg: Apple targeting sub-$1,000 price for iPad-like robotic home device

New Jersey State

Collingswood, NJ

Morristown Minute

CAMDEN, N.J. – Ralston Boswell, 34, of Collingswood, New Jersey, has admitted to participating in schemes to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and unemployment insurance benefits. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

Plea: Man's PPP & Unemployment Fraud - $209K Scam

During Google's two biggest events this year, Google I/O and Made by Google, its Gemini AI technologies have occupied center stage. The new Pixel 9 phones are even infusing Gemini into the foundations of Android, even though at launch they will ship with Android 14. But Android 15 is nipping...

14 Ways Android 15 Will Change Your Phone (and Not All Are AI)

NewsBreak

USDT-L is Now Live on the Lightning Network

Big news for Lightning Network users as the first Tether iterations have gone live. The latest USDT-L issuance promises to provide stablecoin users with a more...

USDT-L is Now Live on the Lightning Network

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