Author: Pedro Domínguez

{ "de-DE": "", "en-US": "Publicist and audiovisual producer in love with social networks. I spend more time thinking about which videogames I will play than playing them.", "es-ES": "Publicista y productor audiovisual enamorado de las redes sociales. Paso más tiempo pensando a qué videojuegos voy a jugar que jugándolos.", "fr-FR": "Publicitaire et producteur audiovisuel passionné par les réseaux sociaux. Je passe plus de temps à penser aux jeux vidéo auxquels je jouerai qu'à y jouer.", "it-IT": "", "ja-JP": "", "nl-NL": "", "pl-PL": "", "pt-BR": "", "social": { "email": "", "facebook": "", "twitter": "", "linkedin": "" } }

The Google app for iOS will convert website text into search links

Google has introduced a new feature in its iOS app called Page Annotation, designed to highlight relevant information while browsing web pages in the integrated browser. According to Google, this tool “extracts interesting entities from the page and highlights them online.” By tapping on them, users are redirected to more related search results. The controversy was quick to arise. Some web media publishers criticize that this feature could divert users from their pages to Google searches, making it difficult for them to return to the original content. “As if Google hadn’t taken enough from you already…”

Google has introduced a new feature in its iOS app called Page Annotation, designed to highlight relevant information while browsing web pages in the integrated browser. According to Google, this tool “extracts interesting entities from the page and highlights them online“. By tapping on them, users are redirected to more related search results.

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The controversy has not been long in coming. Some web media editors criticize that this feature could divert users from their pages to Google searches, making it difficult for them to return to the original content. “As if Google hadn’t taken enough from you already… Now it’s taking users who are on your page to its search engine,” notes Barry Schwartz, news editor of Search Engine Land. “They are likely to never find their way back to your page.”

For editors who do not want this functionality on their pages, Google offers an opt-out form. However, this deactivation may take up to 30 days to apply. “The use of the Page Annotation feature on your page will be deactivated within 30 days after submitting the form. You only need to do it once,” the form details.

Ashwarya, from the support team at Google Search, explained that the feature “allows obtaining additional information about entities such as people, places, or things, directly from the page being visited.” According to Google, the goal is to enrich the user experience without interrupting their navigation, as the content appears in a tray within the app and can be easily closed.

Although the company clarifies that “this new experience allows people to quickly obtain additional context about people, places, or things without leaving the page they are on,” it is unknown how this new feature will affect web metrics such as engagement time or recirculation.

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Access to Sora, OpenAI's video-generating AI, is leaked as a form of protest

A group of artists has leaked access to Sora, OpenAI’s video generator, in a protest against what they consider “duplicity and whitewashing” by the company. On Tuesday, the group published a project on the Hugging Face platform linked to the Sora API, which is not yet publicly available. Using early access credentials, the group created a system that allowed generating 10-second videos in 1080p from text descriptions. According to the artists, OpenAI temporarily disabled Sora for all testers after three hours. The group, […]

A group of artists has leaked access to Sora, the video generator from OpenAI, in a protest against what they consider “duplicity and image laundering” by the company. On Tuesday, the group published a project on the Hugging Face platform linked to the Sora API, which is not yet publicly available. Using early access credentials, the group created a system that allowed generating 10-second videos in 1080p from text descriptions. According to the artists, OpenAI temporarily disabled Sora for all testers after three hours.

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The group, self-named “Sora PR Puppets” (“Sora public relations puppets”), accuses OpenAI of pressuring testers and creatives to give a positive image of Sora without adequately compensating them, and claims that participants agree to work without remuneration in exchange for early access to the program.

“Hundreds of artists provide free work to a company valued at 150 billion dollars,” they wrote on Hugging Face. According to them, OpenAI strictly controls access to the works generated with Sora and selects only a few artists to exhibit them publicly.

Despite their criticism, the group is not against the use of AI in the arts, but rejects the way OpenAI manages the program. “We hope that OpenAI will be more open, artist-friendly, and support the arts beyond publicity stunts,” they stated. Meanwhile, an OpenAI spokesperson noted that Sora is still in the “research preview” phase and emphasized that artists participate voluntarily, without any obligation to provide feedback or use the tool.

The development of Sora has not been without technical issues. The initial model took more than 10 minutes to generate a one-minute clip and was not entirely consistent with the generated content. Although leaks point to a faster “turbo” version, OpenAI continues to work on its improvement to enhance quality and safety before its public release.

Sora (OpenAI) ACCESS

The Role of Avast Free Antivirus in Safe Remote Working

Could You Have Imagined Working Comfortably from Home Five Years Ago? Remote work was one of the few silver linings that emerged from “a certain global event” in 2020. It allowed us to continue our professional lives from home. Now a well-established work mode, remote work enables us to balance our professional and personal lives more easily.

With the holiday season approaching, remote work has become an ideal solution for maintaining productivity without sacrificing family time. However, working from home brings certain unique security risks that users may overlook due to their familiarity with secure corporate networks.

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Home networks often lack the security measures and protections that corporate networks have, leaving them more exposed to cyber threats. As a result, remote workers need to take extra precautions in securing their digital environments. In this context, Avast Free Antivirus stands out as a versatile tool, allowing remote workers to easily and effectively secure their home office setups.

Why You Need to Secure Your Home Office

Working from home may feel physically secure, but there are digital threats that could compromise both personal and professional information. Connecting to Wi-Fi networks, downloading files from various sources, and accessing sensitive information on personal devices all increase the risks of cyberattacks.

Even with good security habits, a system without proper protection remains vulnerable. Avast Free Antivirus offers free, comprehensive protection against these threats, helping remote workers stay secure while working from home during this festive season.

How Avast Free Antivirus Can Secure Your Remote Work Environment

Avast Free Antivirus provides multiple layers of protection, covering essential aspects needed for working from home. Below are some of the key features of Avast and how they benefit remote workers.

1. Real-Time Protection

Connecting to any network without antivirus protection can be risky, given the wide variety of online threats. In response, Avast Free Antivirus’s real-time protection constantly monitors activities on your device, immediately detecting and blocking viruses, malware, and other malicious software. This feature is invaluable when downloading attachments, reviewing online documents, or browsing work-related sites, reducing infection risks.

Avast’s real-time protection also scans files running on your system, preventing infections that could compromise device performance and security. This safeguard is essential for those connecting from unsupervised networks like home networks or public Wi-Fi hotspots.

2. Network Inspector

Securing Wi-Fi is crucial for remote work, as home networks are often less secure than corporate networks that have advanced protective systems. Avast Free Antivirus’s Network Inspector scans your home network, identifying vulnerabilities in the router or connected devices, such as printers or IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

Network Inspector provides users with clear insight into the security of their connection, alerting them to risks such as insecure router settings or unknown devices. Avast notifies users of potential threats, allowing them to take quick actions to enhance Wi-Fi security and prevent intrusions that could compromise both personal and professional information.

3. Smart Scan

Avast Free Antivirus’s Smart Scan is a practical tool that helps remote workers maintain optimal device performance and security. This feature runs a comprehensive system scan, identifying vulnerabilities, unnecessary files, and insecure configurations. Smart Scan checks for various issues, including malware threats, performance problems, and network vulnerabilities.

With Smart Scan, users can quickly identify and resolve issues that might slow down their system or pose security risks. This is crucial for productivity, as a more secure and faster device results in a smoother, uninterrupted work experience.

4. Ransomware Shield

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts files and demands a ransom to unlock them. This can be a serious concern for those handling sensitive information on personal devices, such as work documents or private files. Fortunately, Avast Free Antivirus’s Ransomware Shield blocks this dangerous malware from accessing designated folders, keeping important files safe from potential hijacking.

With Ransomware Shield, remote workers can confidently store work-related documents and files on their devices, knowing they are more secure against unauthorized encryption attempts. This feature is essential in a remote work setting, where a single mistaken click on a seemingly harmless email link can quickly become a nightmare.

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Additional Recommendations for Enhancing Remote Work Security

For those looking to improve the security of their home office setup, alongside using Avast Free Antivirus, there are several best practices that can help minimize risks and bolster system protection.

  • Keep Software and Operating Systems Updated: Regular software updates ensure that your computer is protected against the latest threats. Updates include security patches that fix vulnerabilities, so it’s best not to postpone them.
  • Perform Regular Backups: Regularly back up important documents. While Avast Free Antivirus protects against ransomware and other threats, having a backup reduces the risk of data loss and enables quick recovery in case of an incident.
  • Set a Strong Router Password: Your router is the gateway to your home network and connected devices. Using a secure password and changing default settings helps reduce the chances of hackers gaining access.
  • Avoid Using Public Wi-Fi Networks: While remote work can mean working from various locations, always use your home network or a secure connection when possible. Public Wi-Fi networks are more vulnerable and may expose your device to attacks.
  • Log Out of Apps and Accounts: At the end of your workday, it’s wise to log out of work apps and accounts. This practice minimizes the risk of unauthorized access if your device falls into the wrong hands.

Avast Free Antivirus: The Protection You Need for Working from Home

Preparing for secure remote work during the upcoming holiday season involves implementing measures to safeguard your home devices and networks. Avast Free Antivirus is a simple yet powerful tool, offering a wide range of features to maintain both the security and performance of your device, protecting personal and professional information from potential threats.With these recommendations and the protection offered by Avast Free Antivirus, you can enjoy the holidays with peace of mind and the assurance of a secure work environment. Install Avast Free Antivirus today and start protecting yourself from all types of digital threats.

Nvidia presents Fugatto, its revolutionary artificial intelligence model for audio and music

Nvidia has announced Fugatto, an innovative artificial intelligence model designed to generate music, sound effects, and modify voices, aimed at music, film, and video game creators. This model, whose full name is Foundational Generative Audio Transformer Opus 1, can create anything from unique sounds to transforming existing pieces, although the company has made it clear that it does not plan to release it to the public immediately. Nvidia’s proposal joins other similar models, such as ElevenLabs or Descript, which generate voice and audio from textual descriptions. The company has wanted to highlight Fugatto’s ability to create sounds […]

Nvidia has announced Fugatto, an innovative artificial intelligence model designed to generate music, sound effects, and modify voices, aimed at music, film, and video game creators. This model, whose full name is Foundational Generative Audio Transformer Opus 1, can create from unique sounds to transform existing pieces, although the company has made it clear that it does not plan to release it to the public immediately.

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Nvidia’s proposal joins other similar models, such as ElevenLabs or Descript, which generate voice and audio from textual descriptions. The company has wanted to highlight Fugatto’s ability to create novel sounds, such as making a trumpet sound like a dog’s bark. Additionally, it can modify existing audios, for example, transforming a melody played on the piano into a vocal line or changing the accent and emotion in a spoken recording.

“Music has changed a lot in the last 50 years thanks to computers and synthesizers,” explained Bryan Catanzaro, vice president of deep learning research at Nvidia. “I believe generative AI will bring new capabilities to music, video games, and anyone who wants to create.” However, all these advances are not without ethical and legal issues, especially in the entertainment industry.

The relationship between Hollywood and technology is in a very tense situation. For example, a few months ago, actress Scarlett Johansson accused OpenAI of using her voice in the advanced voice mode of ChatGPT, which allows for fluid conversations with the AI. Nvidia emphasized that Fugatto has been trained with open-source data and is still evaluating how and when it could be publicly accessible, aware of the inherent risks.

The potential misuse of generative models, including the creation of false information or copyright infringement, is one of the biggest concerns that AI companies have (or should have). Both Nvidia and other companies, such as OpenAI and Meta, have not yet determined the measures to prevent these issues, nor have they set release dates for their most advanced models.

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Bluesky could have problems with the European Union soon

Bluesky, the decentralized social network dubbed by many (including myself) as “the good Twitter,” could face issues in the future with the European Commission if it does not provide information about its user base and legal headquarters. According to the Financial Times, the Commission’s spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, explained that all platforms operating in the European Union must include information on their website about the number of users in the region and their legal location. However, Bluesky does not currently display this information. Regnier also noted that the Commission has not yet directly contacted Bluesky. […]

Bluesky, the decentralized social network dubbed by many (myself included) as “the good Twitter,” could face issues in the future with the European Commission if it does not provide information about its user base and legal headquarters. According to Financial Times, the Commission’s spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, explained that all platforms operating in the European Union must include on their website information about the number of users in the region and their legal location. However, Bluesky does not currently display this information.

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Regnier also noted that the Commission has not yet directly contacted Bluesky. Instead, it has asked the 27 national governments of the EU to investigate if they can find any indication of the company’s compliance with local regulations.

Although EU laws would not affect Bluesky in this regard until they reach 45 million monthly users in the EU, the platform is gaining ground at a rapid pace. During the U.S. elections, and after the victory of Donald Trump, the use of Bluesky skyrocketed in the United States and the United Kingdom, reaching 3.5 million daily users. This narrowed the gap with Threads, the app from Meta, which went from having five times the daily users of Bluesky to only 1.5 times more.

The growth of Bluesky is also due to its decision in February to remove invitations for registration (a measure initially implemented to ensure gradual growth), which attracted 800,000 new users in a single day. Before this opening, invitations were even being sold for $400 on platforms like eBay, demonstrating users’ interest in its decentralized and open-source model.

Founded in 2019, Bluesky continues to seek its place in a market dominated by giants like Meta, adopting pro-user strategies such as providing greater personalization of the experience, not including advertising, and pursuing those who use the social network to spread hate and misinformation. At the time of writing, the platform has a total of 22,677,507 users. Will it surpass 30 million before the end of the year?

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Recall, the controversial Microsoft feature, is launching in beta phase

Microsoft has begun rolling out its controversial Recall feature in a beta version of Windows 11 for Copilot+ computers with Snapdragon processors. This tool, conceived as a “photographic memory” for the PC, promises to facilitate the location of files, web pages, or data previously used on the device. Initially scheduled for June, its launch was postponed due to various privacy issues. In response to the criticism, Microsoft has implemented significant privacy improvements in Recall. Now, the stored data is encrypted, ensuring that only the computer’s owner can access the archived information. Additionally, the feature has […]

Microsoft has begun rolling out its controversial Recall feature in a beta version of Windows 11 for Copilot+ computers with Snapdragon processors. This tool, conceived as a “photographic memory” for the PC, promises to facilitate the location of files, web pages, or data previously used on the device. Initially scheduled for June, its launch was postponed due to various privacy issues.

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In response to the criticism, Microsoft has implemented significant improvements in Recall’s privacy. Now, the stored data is encrypted, ensuring that only the computer owner can access the archived information. Additionally, the feature is designed as an option that requires manual activation by the user. For this, it is necessary to enable disk encryption through BitLocker and register with Windows Hello, thus ensuring that only the owner has access to the device.

Another significant change allows users to disable the automatic capture of screenshots. According to Microsoft, “if you do not enable the save screenshots feature, Recall will not store any images of your activity.” Additionally, screenshots can be temporarily paused or specific images can be deleted. It is important to note that all screenshots are stored on the user’s own computer and are not shared with Microsoft’s servers.

To enhance security, Recall has been configured to avoid storing sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, or identification documents. Microsoft has stated that “if we detect sensitive information, Recall will not store it.” Additionally, the company encourages users to report potential issues through the Feedback Hub and has invited security researchers to analyze the tool, offering rewards for detecting vulnerabilities.

The beta version of Recall is available in Build 26120.2415 of the Dev Channel for those enrolled in the Windows Insider program. For now, this feature can only be installed on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon processors, although Microsoft has promised to expand compatibility to devices with Intel and AMD chips soon. If the feature does not convince, users will be able to disable or remove it completely.

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Google renews Circle to Search: new interface and improved access to features

Google is preparing a major update for Circle to Search, the tool that allows users to search for information directly on the screen without needing to switch applications. This feature, initially launched on Pixel and Samsung devices, is very useful for checking products or answering complex questions thanks to the multi-search functionality of the Google app. According to an analysis by Android Authority, a recent beta version of the Google app reveals a redesign of the Circle to Search interface. Instead of the floating elements found in the current version (like the bar of […]

Google is preparing a major update for Circle to Search (“Circle to Search”), the tool that allows you to search for information directly on the screen without needing to switch applications. This feature, initially launched on Pixel and Samsung devices, is very useful for checking products or answering complex questions thanks to the multi-search functionality of the Google app.

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According to an analysis by Android Authority, a recent beta version of the Google app reveals a redesign of the interface of Circle to Search. Instead of the floating elements found in the current version (such as the search bar, music button, and translation button), the new version groups them into a pill-shaped box.

Additionally, the translation button will be replaced by a button that opens an app drawer, from where tools like Google Lens or the translation function itself can be accessed. Although this change involves an additional step for certain actions, Google will allow customizing the main interface by swapping the music button for the Lens shortcut.

At the end of September, Google tested the ability to search for information within videos, but it is currently unknown when this feature will be available.

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NASA expands its collaboration with SpaceX and Blue Origin for human presence on the Moon

NASA has announced an extension of its contracts with SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop specialized lunar cargo ships for the Artemis missions. These initiatives aim to strengthen humanity’s long-term presence on the Moon and include the delivery of both a habitat and a pressurized rover in future missions. According to Stephen D. Creech from the Moon to Mars office, “having two providers of lunar landing modules with different approaches ensures flexibility and a regular cadence of landings for continuous scientific discovery.” Both companies will carry out demonstration missions after […]

NASA has announced an extension of its contracts with SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop specialized lunar cargo landers for the Artemis missions. These initiatives aim to strengthen humanity’s long-term presence on the Moon and include the delivery of a habitat and a pressurized rover in future missions. According to Stephen D. Creech from the Moon to Mars office, “having two lunar lander providers with different approaches ensures flexibility and a regular cadence of landings for continuous scientific discovery.”

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Both companies will carry out demonstration missions after passing the design certification reviews of the cargo variants of human landing systems, requested in 2023 and designed for the Artemis III, IV, and V missions. The Artemis program, which aims to return to the Moon after more than 50 years, has the ultimate goal of paving the way for Mars exploration. This effort combines technologies such as the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and lunar space stations.

SpaceX continues to develop its Starship spacecraft, crucial for taking astronauts and cargo to the lunar surface. On Tuesday, it successfully completed the sixth flight test of the spacecraft, which will also be used to transport a pressurized rover developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) starting in 2032. This rover will be essential for missions like Artemis VII and beyond.

For its part, Blue Origin, which is preparing another space tourism launch for this Friday, will deliver a lunar habitat starting in 2033. NASA assigned these missions based on the design and development progress of the cargo and crew systems. Lisa Watson-Morgan, from the Marshall Center, explained that these demonstrations aim to “optimize the technical experience and resources of NASA and the industry.”

A series of alliances aimed at establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and paving the way for future deep exploration missions, while consolidating the goal of turning the Moon into a “stepping stone” to Mars.

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A Chinese laboratory has developed a reasoning AI model capable of competing with OpenAI

El laboratorio chino DeepSeek ha lanzado DeepSeek-R1, uno de los primeros modelos de inteligencia artificial de razonamiento que, según sus creadores, compite con el modelo o1-preview de OpenAI. Este tipo de IA se distingue por su capacidad de “autoverificación”, ya que dedica más tiempo a reflexionar sobre las preguntas antes de proporcionar una respuesta. Al igual que el modelo de OpenAI, DeepSeek-R1 sigue un enfoque secuencial para resolver tareas, lo que puede llevar varios segundos dependiendo de la complejidad del problema. DeepSeek afirma que su modelo logra un rendimiento similar al o1 en pruebas de referencia como AIME y MATH; el […]

The Chinese laboratory DeepSeek has launched DeepSeek-R1, one of the first reasoning artificial intelligence models that, according to its creators, competes with the o1-preview model from OpenAI. This type of AI is distinguished by its ability to “self-verify,” as it spends more time reflecting on questions before offering an answer. Like the OpenAI model, DeepSeek-R1 follows a sequential approach to solving tasks, which can take several seconds depending on the complexity of the problem.

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DeepSeek claims that its model achieves performance similar to o1 in benchmark tests like AIME and MATH; the former uses other AIs to evaluate performance, while the latter includes mathematical problems. However, DeepSeek-R1 is far from perfect. On social media, some users commented that the model struggles with logic games like tic-tac-toe, an issue also observed in o1. Additionally, DeepSeek-R1 could be easily “jailbroken,” which, for example, allowed a user to obtain detailed instructions from the AI on how to manufacture methamphetamine.

According to TechCrunch in its tests, the model also blocks queries on politically sensitive topics, such as Chinese President Xi Jinping, Tiananmen Square, or a hypothetical invasion of Taiwan. This censorship would reflect the Chinese government’s influence on AI projects, which must align with the “socialist values” established by the authorities. The government even evaluates the generated responses and proposes blacklists of prohibited sources for model training.

The rise of these reasoning models comes at a time when the “scaling laws” are being questioned, which assumed that more data and power continuously increased the capabilities of the models. In light of the lack of significant advances in major AI labs, such as OpenAI or Google, new approaches are being sought, such as “test-time compute,” which grants more processing time to the models.

DeepSeek plans to release the code for DeepSeek-R1 and offer an API. The company, funded by the hedge fund High-Flyer Capital Management, has already revolutionized the market with previous models like DeepSeek-V2. High-Flyer is known for building its own servers, such as one with 10,000 Nvidia A100 GPUs and a cost of 138 million dollars, thus consolidating its commitment to achieving a “super intelligent” AI.

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This new Gmail feature will allow you to protect your identity and fight against spam

Google is reportedly developing a new feature called Shielded Email, which will allow users to create email aliases when signing up for online services, helping to combat spam more effectively. The feature was discovered in an analysis of the latest version of Google Play Services for Android conducted by Android Authority. The new tool would be able to generate unique, one-time-use email addresses that would forward messages to the user’s main email account. This would prevent sharing the real address when filling out forms or registering on websites. An innovative idea at Google, […]

Google is reportedly developing a new feature called Shielded Email, which will allow users to create email aliases when signing up for online services, helping to combat spam more effectively. The feature was discovered in an analysis of the latest version of Google Play Services for Android conducted by Android Authority.

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The new tool would be capable of generating unique, one-time-use email addresses that would forward messages to the user’s main email. This would prevent sharing the real address when filling out forms or registering on websites. A novel idea at Google, but not new in the industry.

Apple, for example, introduced the Hide My Email feature in 2021 for iCloud+ subscribers, allowing the creation of temporary emails in applications like Safari, Mail, and Apple Pay. Other services, such as Bitwarden and DuckDuckGo, have also adopted similar approaches.

In parallel, Google also recently launched the Android System Key Verifier app. This tool adds an additional layer of security by verifying that the encryption keys used in conversations are correct, something similar to the contact verification system in Apple’s iMessage.

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