Month: January 2024

This AI app will allow you to reposition any object in your photographs

Photo editing is one of the areas that is benefiting the most from the convergence of new AI-based tools. Artificial Intelligence, although nowadays it is especially associated with the generative concept, is also advancing in more directions, and thanks to this, there are already applications that can even move any kind of visible objects in an image or photograph.

This application, in fact, has a name that leaves no room for doubt about its intentions. This app, called ReplaceAnything, literally does what it proposes with its name, being able to relocate any element of an image to a completely different point.

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Relocate anything with ReplaceAnything

ReplaceAnything is the name of this application with Artificial Intelligence-based functionality. Thanks to its technology, this app will allow you to relocate any element in the most natural way possible. Behind the element you place, it will generate a background that, thanks to AI, will be as realistic as possible and will allow you to bring your creativity anywhere.

This implies many advantages for those looking for tools that carry out complex tasks in a simple way, bringing photo editing closer to more users who will be able to express their ideas more easily. For now, ReplaceAnything is in testing, but sooner or later it will launch its final version.

The AI of Photograph-AI

Since 2023, AI tools in photo editing have exponentially increased, to the point that many companies are already implementing them in their native photography applications. This is the case, for example, of Google and Samsung, whose smartphones already have great AI functionalities: proof of this are smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S24, the updates that have also been arriving to the S23, or the Google Pixel 8.

This development also has a dark side, although it is not directly linked to the advancement of AI photo editing tools. However, associating images and AI brings to the collective imagination the images generated with these systems, something that is causing havoc in both the artistic sector and the honor of many people, whose images are used without consent to create deepfakes.

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Google kills Google Earth View screensavers without prior notice

Google, without notifying or informing the community in any way, seems to have disconnected the Google Earth View screensaver website, which was one of Google Arts & Science’s projects that showcased some of the most stunning Earth landscapes in eye-catching screensavers that could be downloaded by users.

In this way, the website that collected screensavers for cultural reasons has been eliminated from the cultural equation that Google tries to promote in several of its projects.

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Website eradicated by Google

The website powered by Google was earthview.withgoogle.com and, as can be seen today, that domain no longer responds, so it has been completely deleted and can no longer be accessed, even though its content could be useful and inspiring for many users.

However, it should be noted that Google Earth as an application remains intact, and that, for the moment, the company has not announced any cuts in this department (although it also did not announce the closure of the website). Therefore, if you are a regular or occasional user of Google Earth on your mobile, your service will continue to be active without any problems.

Times of cuts in the big G

There is no doubt that Google has recently taken a liking to the scissors. In fact, last year 2023 ended with more than 12,000 employees fired after numerous cuts, department closures or team restructuring, showing that, in management, they regret decisions made that have not been profitable for them (although employees pay the price).

In fact, Google also laid off over a thousand employees in its early days of this 2024, and the company claims that there will continue to be layoffs this year due to their “restructuring plans”, so many company employees, especially those working in less prolific segments for the company, may see their jobs threatened by changes in Google’s management.

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The torment of Google: they don’t know what to do with the branding of their AI assistant

Contrary to what it may often seem, behind any decision in a large company there is a deep study and prior debate. Google, in fact, has a big doubt about the path to take regarding its AI assistant: the name to choose. At the moment, the company has three possibilities on the table, after including Gemini in the equation.

Google wants to take care of every detail of its branding, and they believe that the name also deserves a wide and meticulous choice. With Google Assistant with Bard, Bard (just that), or Gemini, the company is considering what can be the most attractive name for users and for the service to be used in greater volume.

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The name of the Google Assistant

After seeing how Google was unsure whether to call it Google Assistant with Bard or simply Bard, the new dilemma that Google faces with its assistant is whether to call it one of those two ways, or also Gemini, the new software with which the company has dazzled the world in recent months. Three names for a single application.

Until now, Google’s intention for Bard to be the central axis of its branding in Artificial Intelligence seemed quite clear. However, since Gemini was shown, the powerful iteration developed by Google, the company would be willing to make a turn in its branding strategy to finally name its assistant Gemini. However, it is still unknown whether it will be carried out or they will opt for other formulas.

An uncertain 2024 in the company

There are many challenges for Google in this 2024 that has just begun. AI is one of them, but they also have ambitious projects in mind, such as the possibility of carrying out cookieless browsing, benefiting both the user, who will avoid visiting the cookie consent form on each website, and the websites themselves, which will be able to access personal data for commercial purposes with less invasive methods for the user.

On the other hand, in addition to brand challenges, their complicated management of layoffs will also remain to be seen. Google ended 2023 and started 2024 by laying off many workers, and warning that there were still layoffs ahead in unspecified departments. Many areas have already experienced these cuts, so it remains to be seen if they will reduce staff again to streamline their commercial machinery.

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The sci-fi Call of Duty that never existed… but almost did

It’s surprising that this gameplay of the apparent first mission of the game is not snippets of what could have been, but a title that is practically already finished.

Ten years ago, ‘Call of Duty’ was in a dilemma: Was it worth taking an unexpected turn for the franchise or just keep making money with a collection of new maps? We all know the solution Neversoft chose (especially after the controversy of the last ‘Modern Warfare III’), but we were very close to a break that would have given us ‘Future Warfare’, a game where we would be soldiers… On the moon!

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The moon’s FPS is visible

You might be thinking that we have already seen this in other space marine games, but it is fascinating to see, in the leaked footage this weekend, how Neversoft was willing to explore something beyond the usual war FPS. In fact, it is surprising that this gameplay of the apparent first mission of the game is not scraps of what could have been, but a practically finished title.

In the end, by the way, we did get the futuristic Call of Duty we deserved in ‘Infinite Warfare’, and even in ‘Ghosts’ there was a mission on the moon, but the saga didn’t want to go any further partly because of the fans’ disappointment. The ‘Infinite Warfare’ trailer, for example, is one of the lowest rated in YouTube history, and although it was successful in reviews, it failed in sales. And let’s not be naive: the same thing would have happened to this ‘Future Warfare’. Just as one does not go to McDonald’s to eat pizza, one does not go to ‘Call of Duty’ to see science fiction. Sadly.

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Six years later, Celeste returns, the classic indie platformer, adding a new dimension of gameplay

Six years later, Celeste returns, the classic indie platformer, adding a new dimension of gameplay, turning it into a Nintendo 64 game.

Few indies are more beloved than Celeste. If we also have to stick to platformers, there is probably none other that is remembered with such affection. And there are more than enough reasons for that. It was beautiful, it dealt with a warm and important theme, and its mechanics are still today so revolutionary, that even the latest Prince of Persia borrows some of them. Because Celeste is impossible to forget.

That’s why, now that it turns six years old, Extremeley OK Games has decided to celebrate the game’s birthday in a big way. By releasing a new game where we control Madelaine. With a twist. This time it’s in 3D.

Named Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain, it is a game that imitates the style of Nintendo 64 games to create a 3D platformer that maintains the essence of Celeste. The result is not only excellent, but also very original and different. It feels both like a Nintendo 64 game and like Celeste, but not quite like either. A beautiful tribute to both the original game and platformers of an underrated console.

In addition, Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain can be downloaded from Maddy Makes Games’ itch.io page at the best possible price: for free. Because they have decided that the best way to celebrate Celeste’s birthday is not for us to give them anything, but for them to give us a game. A new and excellent one.

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Play Palworld for free with this little trick!

If we look at the table of the most played games on Game Pass this month, Palworld occupies the 1st position, and it’s no wonder. On Steam, there are 7 million…

It is the trend game of this 2024 for its own merits. With more than 7 million copies sold and second place on Steam with the most players playing the same video game at the same time (over 2 million), Palworld is the game everyone is talking about.

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Well, even though it seems like everyone is playing via Steam, the king platform of PC Gaming, we can’t forget that Palworld is available on Xbox Game Pass.

Yes, the trendy game is on Phil Spencer’s service and it seems that there are people who haven’t heard about it. If Pocket Pair, developers of Palworld, had known the real success their game would have just a few hours after launching, they probably would have never accepted to be on Game Pass, but those things are only known afterwards.

How to play Palworld for free for 14 days

If we look at the table with the most played games on Game Pass this month, Palworld occupies the 1st place and it’s not surprising. On Steam, there are 7 million units sold, we can’t imagine how many players they can have on Game Pass, but surely it’s also a seven-figure number.

The good thing about the game being on Game Pass is that it can be tried at no cost, because Xbox service offers 14-day trial periods for €1 for new members. Or 30 days for those who receive an invitation from a paying user.

There are two ways to play Palworld for 1 euro or less

  1. Have never been a member of Game Pass and click on this link. If you click on it, it will take you to the official Game Pass page to redeem the 14-day game offer for 1 euro. There you can choose any plan for 1 €, we recommend the Game Pass Ultimate which allows you to play on any platform.
  2. The other option is the free one for 30 days. The problem is that you need a friend with an active Game Pass subscription to send you a free one-month invitation. If you have a friend who meets the requirements, send them this link.
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With these two tricks you can be playing Palworld all month for a euro or less. I think that’s not bad at all, right? And while you’re at it, enjoy all the games that have arrived in 2024 on Game Pass, which is a crazy service.

Microsoft comes to Taylor Swift’s defense: takes action on her AI

After the strong controversies generated in recent days, Microsoft has taken measures to prevent the same problem of deepfakes from happening again, as in the most recent case with Taylor Swift. Fake nudes are becoming more and more recurrent and usually focus on the most searched female celebrities on the Internet.

This case has caused a special stir because it involves Taylor Swift. In fact, it has been quite striking how social networks like X (Twitter) have ended up being forced to ban searches for Taylor Swift due to the rapid spread of this content. However, Microsoft hopes that with the new change they have implemented, this problem will not arise so easily as in this and previous occasions.

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Generative AI Correction

As announced by 404media, the fake pornographic images that were created using Taylor Swift as the victim were caused by a generative loophole in Microsoft’s AI Designer. By default, the application blocks any attempt to create pornographic images using celebrity names, but users discovered a method to bypass the block and decided to use it to spread the singer’s deepfakes through X.

The situation has worried Microsoft so much that even Natya Sadella, the company’s boss, decided to step forward to highlight that the company is making efforts to make the digital world safer and to prevent the problems that the advancement of Artificial Intelligence is causing.

An increasingly widespread problem

On this occasion, there has been a lot of controversy about the deepfakes involving Taylor Swift as a victim due to the magnitude of her public image, but since last year, this problem is affecting many people, both famous and anonymous. There are already many celebrities who have been victims of this type of practice, especially women, and likewise, many others have experienced it in their daily lives.

In fact, deepfakes have been very common in Spain during the last few months, with cases of girls suffering the consequences of deepfakes in work environments, universities, and even schools. Therefore, it is a problem that affects many people and requires greater control and regulation by entities and organizations.

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Sarah Bond, president of Xbox, does not have a very positive opinion about Apple’s new policies

The path that Apple is taking in Europe is not pleasing to many, including big tech companies. Sarah Bond, president of Xbox, the video game division of Microsoft, has posted on Twitter the company’s first official comment on Apple’s new rules for its app stores in the European Union.

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Microsoft’s management described Apple’s new policies as “a step in the wrong direction” and added that they hope Apple “listens to feedback on their proposed plan and works towards a more inclusive future for everyone”.

The new European rules for Apple’s app stores were announced last week and aim to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. At first glance, the new rules seemed to be a victory for app developers and publishers, as Apple will allow them to be uploaded to alternative stores.

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However, Apple’s new policies also impose a series of restrictions on this type of functions, including charging commissions to app developers if they link them to third-party payment systems. Apple’s new rules establish, among other things, that those who want to establish a third-party store must obtain a letter of credit for one million euros beforehand. Something that Microsoft won’t be happy about, as they are building their own mobile app store.

Neuralink, Elon Musk’s company, has just made history

Elon Musk has announced that Neuralink, his neurotechnology company, has implanted a chip in a human subject’s brain for the first time. The billionaire said that the person had the chip surgically implanted in their brain on Sunday and “is recovering well”. “Initial results show promising detection of neural spikes,” Musk communicated on Twitter.

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Last year, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States authorized human trials of Neuralink’s brain chips after the company conducted hundreds of tests on monkeys, sheep, and pigs.

“For the past two years, we have focused on creating a product ready for the human being,” declared DJ Seo, co-founder of Neuralink, to Bloomberg News in November. “The time has come to help a real human being.”

The brain chip, with 1,000 electrodes, is designed for people to perform computer functions wirelessly by simply thinking about what they would like to do through a “think and click” mechanism.

Last month, Neuralink said it was looking for quadriplegics under 40 years old to participate in human trials. The company also said that a surgeon would remove part of the test patient’s skull before a 2-meter-tall robot called R1 took over to implant 64 electrode-coated threads into their brain.

The electrodes are programmed to collect data about the brain, including neuronal activity associated with the intention of movement. These neuronal signals recorded by the electrodes would then be sent to Neuralink computers for decoding.

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“The short-term goal of the company is to build a generalized brain interface and restore autonomy to people with debilitating neurological conditions and unmet medical needs,” said Seo, who also holds the title of Vice President of Engineering at Neuralink. “Then, really, the long-term goal is for this to be available to billions of people and unlock human potential and go beyond our biological capabilities.”

The release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been the biggest disaster of the year

“When logging into the game for the first time, they complete the entire story. To address this issue, we are going to perform maintenance tasks.”

It is one of the most anticipated games of the year. And it’s not for something necessarily good, far from it. Many delays, many tests, many changes of direction and an uncertain future from day one, like the rest of the products that come out of Marvel.

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Now that the game has been released for customers who have purchased the deluxe edition, we can confirm that its premiere couldn’t be worse. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been launched with a strange bug that allowed players to “complete the entire story” after connecting for the first time, which led the developers to disconnect the game from the internet in an attempt to solve the problem.

So, once the players started the game for the first time, they unlocked the “Game completed” achievement and the credits appeared. Some may think it’s a feature, but no, it’s a bug.

It was difficult to do worse and they have achieved it

In a post published on Twitter on Monday morning, Rocksteady wrote: “We are aware that some players are experiencing an issue where, upon logging into the game for the first time, they complete the entire story. To resolve this issue, we will be performing maintenance tasks on the game servers. During this time, the game will not be available. We expect this to last for several hours and will inform you when we have more information. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Five hours later, Rocksteady said in a follow-up post that they had identified the issue affecting player profiles and were testing a solution. “We hope to implement it and have the game back online as soon as possible,” the company said.

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And for those who are wondering: the game is always connected to the internet, so if the servers are disconnected, as they have done this time, the title cannot be played. Hence everyone’s fear of a Marvel’s Avengers 2.0 happening again.