T-Mobile's Satellite Texting, New Apple Products

Good Morning, TECH Enthusiasts!

Super Bowl LVIII, held on February 11, 2024, showcased technological innovations that enhanced the viewing experience. CBS Sports utilized 165 cameras, including six embedded within the goal posts, to provide dynamic perspectives. The broadcast featured augmented reality elements, enriching storytelling and viewer engagement. Nickelodeon offered a youth-oriented telecast with SpongeBob SquarePants-themed AR effects, making the game more accessible for younger audiences. In-stadium Wi-Fi upgrades ensured fans could stay connected, while Snapchat's Camera Kit technology allowed attendees to see themselves on video boards with fun filters, adding an interactive element to the live experience. These advancements set new standards for sports broadcasting and fan engagement.

Today’s TECH Highlights:

• T-Mobile's Satellite Texting, New Apple Products, Sony PSN Outage Compensation

• AI Benefits Uneven, AlphaGeometry2

• Gadget of the Day: Oppo Find N5

• Tech TIP: How to Disable Apple Intelligence

• In a Nutshell: More Bits & Bytes Tech Updates

Read time: 4-5 minutes

TOP TECH SNAPSHOTS

• T-Mobile Launches Satellite Texting via Starlink: T-Mobile unveiled a public beta for satellite-to-cell texting via Starlink during the Super Bowl. This service, free until July, extends coverage to over 500,000 square miles lacking traditional cell towers. It's compatible with most recent smartphones, including those from Verizon and AT&T. Initially, it supports text messages and emergency alerts, with plans to add picture messages, data, and voice calls in the future.

• New Apple Launches this Week: Apple is set to launch the iPhone SE 4 and Powerbeats Pro 2. The iPhone SE 4 will feature an OLED display, Face ID, A18 chip, USB-C charging, 8GB RAM, a 48MP camera, and Apple's in-house 5G modem. The Powerbeats Pro 2 will offer a slimmer design, new color options, and a heart-rate sensor. Additionally, the M4 MacBook Air, M3 iPad Air, and 11th-generation iPad are anticipated to launch soon.

• Sony Compensates PlayStation Plus Members After PSN Outage: Sony's PlayStation Network experienced a major outage from Friday to Saturday evening, marking one of the longest unscheduled downtimes in a decade. The outage impacted various PSN services, including account management, social features, and the PlayStation Store. Sony attributed the outage to an "operational issue" and compensated PlayStation Plus members with an additional five days of service. Despite the service restoration, Sony did not provide detailed information about the outage's cause or the fix. The incident drew substantial attention, with numerous users reporting issues and mainstream media covering the story. Concerns and speculations about the outage's nature, including suspicions of a potential DDoS attack, surfaced online, drawing parallels to past significant outages like the infamous 2011 23-day hack.

AI SNAPSHOTS

• OpenAI CEO Highlights Unequal Distribution of AI Benefits: In a recent essay, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, expressed concerns that the benefits of AI might not be widely distributed, especially in the initial stages. He emphasized the need for proactive measures to ensure equitable access to AI's advantages. Altman proposed the concept of "compute budgets" to democratize access to AI resources and prevent the concentration of benefits among a few entities. He also highlighted the importance of safety and human oversight as artificial general intelligence (AGI) approaches. Altman discussed OpenAI's evolving relationship with Microsoft and the complexities of balancing open-source initiatives with profit-driven models.

• AlphaGeometry2: An enhanced version of AlphaGeometry, now surpasses average gold medalists in solving International Mathematical Olympiad geometry problems. Improvements include an expanded domain language, a more efficient symbolic engine, and advanced search algorithms, increasing the solving rate from 54% to 84% over the past 25 years

GADGET OF THE DAY

Oppo Find N5: The World's Thinnest Foldable Smartphone

Oppo's Find N5, launching on February 20th, is the world's thinnest book-style foldable smartphone. It features a slim profile, nearly invisible display crease, and robust build. The device is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and offers IPX6, IPX8, and IPX9 water resistance. It supports both wireless and wired charging. The Find N5 will be available in black, white, and a purple vegan leather model exclusive to China.

TECH TIP

How to Disable Apple Intelligence on Your Devices

Apple Intelligence offers AI-powered features like ChatGPT integration, writing assistance, and personalized notifications. To turn it off:

• iPhone or iPad:

  • Open Settings.

  • Tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.

  • Toggle off Apple Intelligence.

• Mac:

  • Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.

  • Choose Apple Intelligence & Siri.

  • Toggle off Apple Intelligence.

TECH INSPIRATION OF THE DAY

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In a Nutshell

More Bits & Bytes Tech Updates

• Macron unveils $112B AI investment package, France’s answer to US’ Stargate

• How close is Elon Musk to controlling a nuclear weapon?

• How 3D-printed parts changed the NASCAR Cup Series

• An app for deaf and hard of hearing users providing help for New York MTA riders

• TikTok opens APK downloads of its Android app after Play Store removal