Author: Russell Kidson

I hail from the awe-inspiring beauty of South Africa. Born and raised in Pretoria, I've always had a deep interest in local history, particularly conflicts, architecture, and our country's rich past of being a plaything for European aristocracy. 'Tis an attempt at humor. My interest in history has since translated into hours at a time researching everything from the many reasons the Titanic sank (really, it's a wonder she ever left Belfast) to why Minecraft is such a feat of human technological accomplishment. I am an avid video gamer (Sims 4 definitely counts as video gaming, I checked) and particularly enjoy playing the part of a relatively benign overlord in Minecraft. I enjoy the diverse experiences gaming offers the player. Within the space of a few hours, a player can go from having a career as an interior decorator in Sims, to training as an archer under Niruin in Skyrim. I believe video games have so much more to teach humanity about community, kindness, and loyalty, and I enjoy the opportunity to bring concepts of the like into literary pieces.

Silicon Valley Bank Closure Sends Shockwaves Through Tech Industry and Financial Markets

SVB, a prominent lender to the technology sector, boasted an extensive clientele, including the likes of Airbnb, Stripe, and Coinbase. Established in 1983, the bank held a substantial $210 billion in assets. Despite its impressive track record, SIVB faced liquidity challenges stemming from its involvement in precarious loans and investments.

On March 10th, 2023, regulators from California and the FDIC intervened, assuming control over its deposits and assets. This event marked the most substantial bank failure since 2008 and sent ripples throughout the financial markets and technology industry.

Companies affected by the SVB collapse

As of the 11th of March, 2023, several notable companies revealed their financial holdings in Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). It is important to note that the list is not exhaustive.

Roku

According to Roku Inc.’s SEC Form 8-K, as of March 10, 2023, the company had a total cash and cash equivalents balance of approximately $1.9 billion. Of this amount, approximately $487 million, or roughly 26%, was held in SVB. The remaining approximately $1.4 billion of the company’s cash and cash equivalents were spread across various other large financial institutions.

Roblox

According to a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Roblox Corporation (RBLX) currently holds a cash and securities balance of $3 billion as of February 28, 2023. Approximately 5% of this balance, equivalent to $150 million, is held at Silicon Valley Bank. Despite this development, the company reassures investors that its day-to-day operations will not be affected, regardless of the outcome and timing of the situation.

Ginkgo Bioworks

Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc (DNA) recently filed a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, disclosing that the cash balance of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Zymergen Inc., is held in deposit accounts at Silicon Valley Bank. This amount represents around 6% of the company’s total cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2022, totaling approximately $74 million. The filing further clarifies that the company does not have any other significant accounts or lines of credit with SVB.

Sangamo Therapeutics

Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. (SGMO) has disclosed in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that as of March 10, 2023, the company had approximately $34.4 million deposited with Silicon Valley Bank. It’s important to note that most of these deposits are uninsured.

RocketLab

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB) has revealed in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing that the company maintains deposit accounts with Silicon Valley Bank, with a total balance of around $38 million. This amount represents roughly 7.9% of the company’s total cash and cash equivalents, as well as marketable securities as of December 31, 2022, as previously reported. The filing did not disclose whether the deposits are insured or uninsured.

LendingClub

In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, LendingClub Corporation (LC) has disclosed that its relationship with Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is confined to a sum of $21 million in funds on deposit. The filing further clarifies that this amount is considered immaterial to the company’s liquidity position and capital levels, and that it poses no significant risk to LendingClub’s ongoing business or operations.

Payoneer

Payoneer Global Inc. (PAYO) has disclosed in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that, as of December 31, 2022, the company held total cash balances of around $6.4 billion. Of this amount, less than $20 million is held at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), through a combination of cash deposits and money market funds that are purchased through SVB but managed by a third-party asset manager. The filing also indicates that the vast majority of Payoneer’s cash balances are held across more than 10 global systemically important banks.

Compugen

According to a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Compugen Ltd. (CGEN) has disclosed that its U.S. subsidiary currently holds approximately 1.3% of its cash and cash equivalents, equivalent to $1 million, with Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). The filing further clarifies that the company considers its exposure to any liquidity concern at SVB as immaterial, implying that it does not pose a significant risk to Compugen’s financial position.

QuantumScape

QuantumScape Corporation (QS) has disclosed in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that its exposure to Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is very limited. According to the filing, the company has only a low single-digit percentage exposure to SVB, relative to both its total liquidity and total assets. This implies that any potential liquidity or operational concerns related to SVB are not expected to have a significant impact on QuantumScape’s financial position or operations.

FuboTV

Fubotv Inc. (FUBO) has disclosed in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is aware of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. taking control of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). However, the company has clarified that it does not hold any deposits at SVB or have any other direct investments with the bank.

Sofi Technologies

Sofi Technologies Inc. (SOFI) has informed its investors through a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it does not hold any assets with Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). However, the company has disclosed that it has a lending facility of approximately 40 million dollars, which is provided through SVB. The filing clarifies that this lending facility is unaffected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s receivership of SVB.

Lemonade

In a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Lemonade (LMND) has acknowledged concerns about liquidity at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in the media. However, the company has stated that its exposure to any such concerns at SVB is not significant, as it currently holds less than $7,000 in cash at the bank.

This amount is well below the FDIC-insured limit of $250,000. The filing further explains that Lemonade has taken steps to minimize risk by diversifying its cash and assets across various institutions.

This company also uses large financial institutions for its commercial banking services, which are currently not exposed to any liquidity risk.

What does the Silicon Valley Bank collapse mean to other companies?

The closure of Silicon Valley Bank has been a significant development for the tech industry and financial markets, given the bank’s important role as a lender to the sector. While many companies had deposits with the bank, the impact varied widely, with some holding only a small percentage of their cash at SVB, while others had millions of dollars held in deposit accounts.

Despite the severity of the situation, most companies have reported that they took measures to diversify their cash holdings across various institutions. As a result, the closure of SVB is not expected to have any impact on its ongoing business or operations. This event underscores the importance of robust risk management practices for all financial institutions, regardless of their reputation and standing in the industry.

TikTok may be facing a ban by the US government

A new bipartisan bill has been introduced by US senators that could lead to the banning of TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media app, in the country. The bill, known as the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act, seeks to address potential risks posed by foreign technology by enabling the government to identify and respond to emerging threats in a proactive manner.

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Under the proposed legislation, government agencies would have the authority to take action against services they consider to be threatening, as long as they have access to personal data belonging to more than one million US citizens. The bill would establish a formal process for such actions to be taken.

It should be noted that while the RESTRICT Act does not specifically mention TikTok, it does encompass companies from countries that are viewed as adversarial to the United States, including China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela. The bill aims to address the potential security risks associated with foreign technology companies and establish a process for the government to proactively respond to emerging threats.

A spotlight on the RESTRICT act

The RESTRICT Act contains several provisions, including the creation of processes by the Secretary of Commerce to identify and prevent transactions involving foreign adversaries’ interest in information and communications technology products that may pose a risk to national security. Particular focus will be placed on evaluating technology products used in critical infrastructure, telecommunications products, and emerging technologies with significant national security implications.

The legislation mandates that the Secretary of Commerce take comprehensive measures to address the risks associated with untrusted foreign technology products. This will involve considering concerning activity identified by other government entities.

Additionally, the Secretary of Commerce must collaborate with the Director of National Intelligence to provide declassified information to the public and business community to educate them about transactions that are denied or mitigated due to undue or unacceptable risks.

Why is TikTok seen as a threat to US national security?

According to Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), who is the primary sponsor of the RESTRICT Act, TikTok is perceived as a threat to US national security because of its potential to enable surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party and promote malign influence campaigns within the United States.

Recently, the House Foreign Affairs Committee proposed the Deterring America’s Technological Adversaries Act (DATA Act), which would direct President Joe Biden to impose sanctions or ban TikTok if his administration finds that the platform has shared US user data with individuals affiliated with the Chinese government.

While the House bill is focused primarily on TikTok, Senator Warner’s Senate proposal is more comprehensive. It seeks to establish a system to assess and penalize foreign companies that pose a threat to US security, rather than solely focusing on TikTok.

Examining TikTok's US User Data Management and National Security Concerns

TikTok refutes claims that it stores US user data in China

Concerns have arisen over how TikTok manages US user data and whether it stores such data in China. While there is no conclusive evidence to support claims that TikTok currently stores US user data in China, industry experts have raised concerns about the potential national security risks posed by the company’s connections to China and its parent organization, ByteDance.

In the event that TikTok were to store US user data in China, it could potentially provide the Chinese government with access to sensitive information such as browsing history, location data, and device information, among others. The Chinese government could leverage this data to perform surveillance, gather intelligence, or carry out cyberattacks.

TikTok collects an extensive range of user data, including location data, device information, browsing history, as well as personally identifiable information such as email addresses and phone numbers. The platform claims to utilize this data to personalize the user experience, provide improved recommendations, and deliver targeted advertisements.

Despite the fact that TikTok maintains that it stores US user data in the United States and Singapore, it is noteworthy that the company has previously come under regulatory scrutiny and legal action over its handling of user data. Hence, it is important to continue monitoring TikTok’s management of US user data and take necessary measures to reduce any possible national security risks.

Despite TikTok’s assurances to limit safety risks, negotiations with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) have been ongoing for more than three years. The RESTRICT Act could deal a severe blow to TikTok’s US operations, potentially resulting in a ban or severance of ties with American companies. Therefore, it is crucial for marketers to keep an eye on the developments surrounding the RESTRICT Act, as it could have implications for marketing strategies that depend on the platform.

The RESTRICT Act represents a significant step in addressing the potential national security risks posed by foreign technology companies, including TikTok and its Chinese-owned parent entity ByteDance. The legislation seeks to establish a formal process for government agencies to identify and respond to emerging threats, with particular emphasis on evaluating technology products used in critical infrastructure, telecommunications products, and emerging technologies with significant national security implications.

Whether or not the act will actually result in the ban of the use of TikTok on US soil remains to be seen, but the grounds for a ban or at least an insistence by the US government about greater transparency on the part of ByteDance definitely seems to be present. We’ll keep you updated as the situation unfolds.

Apple Pay Later is exclusively available to Apple’s dedicated customers

Apple Pay Later might not be all it’s cracked up to be. To qualify for Apple Pay Later, Apple’s proprietary buy now, pay later service, individuals must meet certain criteria indicating their dedication to the Apple brand. The approval process entails stringent requirements, including an assessment of the customer’s spending habits at Apple Stores, purchases and subscriptions on the App Store, history of Apple Cash payments and Apple Pay transactions, among other factors.

The loan amount for Apple Pay Later is restricted to $1,000, even for employees of Apple. Bloomberg reports that the feature has been delayed since September and is still undergoing internal testing.

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services, also known as BNPL programs, have gained popularity among consumers due to their provision of short-term, interest-free loans. With these services, customers are able to pay only a portion of the total price of a product upfront, typically around 25%, and then make scheduled installment payments for the remaining balance over the following weeks or months. The leading BNPL apps such as Affirm and Zip offer users the flexibility to make purchases they may not have the immediate means to pay for, or prefer not to pay for all at once.

The approval process

Apple’s Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service has the potential to enhance the accessibility of the company’s products, but the approval process may pose a challenge for the average consumer. As outlined in a Bloomberg report published on Tuesday, the verification process for Apple Pay Later is as user-friendly as the Apple Pay service. However, behind the scenes, Apple conducts a comprehensive examination of your financial history to the extent possible, in order to determine your eligibility.

Apple examines a range of factors to determine eligibility for the BNPL service, including the number of Apple devices in your possession, whether or not you have applied for the Apple Card, the credit cards you use for Apple Pay, your purchasing patterns in Apple Stores, your App Store acquisitions and subscriptions, your Apple Cash payments to acquaintances and family, your transactions conducted using Apple Pay, and your financial history with the Apple Card.

In some cases, Apple may request additional information such as a photo of your identification and your complete Social Security number.

Despite the comprehensive information gathered, Apple maintains a cautious approach to lending. During the internal testing phase involving Apple’s own employees (who are typically well-compensated), loan approvals of $1,000 or less are reportedly common, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. It is noteworthy that Apple only offers two Mac computers priced under $1,000: the entry-level Mac mini and the prior generation MacBook Air.

To preserve the privacy of its customers, Apple does not retain a record of transactions made using the Apple Pay Later service. Instead, only the service’s partners, Goldman Sachs and MasterCard, maintain transaction records. However, given the considerable amount of financial data that Apple collects from its customers, along with the potentially questionable reputation of its partners, this may not reassure privacy advocates.

Apple Pay Later is still yet to be released

Apple Pay Later was announced in June of last year during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) following nearly a year of speculation about the service. According to Gurman’s recent report, the service was initially slated to launch in September alongside iOS 16. However, the launch has been delayed for nearly five months.

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Apple is encountering challenges in launching its financial services. Although the company has announced a high-yield savings account program, it has not been launched. Additionally, two other services are reportedly in the pipeline: a yearly subscription to obtain the latest iPhone hardware and an advanced version of Apple Pay Later. The latter will allow interest-bearing monthly payments over a more extended period, in contrast to the current interest-free payments that only span six weeks.

Despite being available for almost four years, the Apple Card, a credit card that iPhone users can apply for within the Wallet app to obtain cashback on Apple Pay purchases, is still only available within the United States.
Also read: Apple Mixed Reality Headset is delayed until June

Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto is likely one of the most well-known crime-related gaming franchises. This game, Grand Theft Auto IV, kicked the franchise into high-gear by introducing an all-new city based on New York, a diverse mix of characters, and, of course, Niko Bellic.

When Niko arrives in Liberty City, his intention is to start a new life with the help of his cousin Roman. However, things quickly take a turn for the worse as Niko becomes embroiled in Roman’s deceitful lifestyle and is forced to confront loan sharks and criminal activity. As he becomes more deeply entrenched in the criminal underworld of Liberty City, Niko must navigate through the dangerous landscape in order to find a way out.

Even though GTA IV takes a while to get to that point, you’re guaranteed to experience a taste of what it must feel like to be at the head of one of the most famous crime syndicates. Even if this one is completely fictional. If you have a fondness for fast cars, expensive homes, and gratuitous violence, you’re in for a treat,

Top Mafia Video Games for Gaining Insight into the Life of Matteo Messina

Red Dead Redemption 2

The story contained within RDR 2 is set in America during 1899 and centers around Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang, who are on the run from law enforcement and bounty hunters. To survive, the gang must engage in robbery and other illegal activities as they travel across the country. As internal conflicts arise and threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must decide between loyalty to the group that raised him and his own personal beliefs and principles.

While this may be quite different to the Sicilian Mafia, you still get a feel for the deeper choices that people in such organizations must make in order to save themselves and those they care about most.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

The story of GTA: San Andreas centers around CJ and a tight-knit group of his childhood friends. The game is set in a fictional version of California, where CJ returns to confront the person or group responsible for his mother’s death, which is deeply rooted in the gang troubles of the area. As the player, you will be tasked with completing illegal missions such as robbing banks, all while evading the efforts of corrupt police officers who are determined to capture CJ and his crew.

There’s no better game to shed light on the importance of knowing who you surround yourself with better than you know yourself. You never know who has a green Sabre hiding in their past.

Yakuza Kiwami

Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the original Yakuza game, which features updated graphics and added side stories for characters such as Akira Nishikiyama and Goro Majima. The player takes on the role of Kazuma Kiryu, a man who has just been released from a 10-year prison sentence. Kiryu must search for a missing 10 million yen, form alliances, and protect a child who is central to the ongoing gang wars.

The game follows Kiryu’s journey as he navigates the dangerous and unpredictable criminal underworld of Japan. While set in Japan, this is still one of the most compelling gang-related games on the market.

Mafia 2

Mafia 2 follows the story of Vito Scaletta as he becomes entrenched in the criminal underworld. The game is heavily inspired by iconic mafia dramas and offers a realistic portrayal of the lifestyle of the Mafia. It features gameplay similar to Grand Theft Auto, but the setting in the 1940s and the focus on the Mafia give it a more authentic and distinct feel. The game explores the darker side of criminal life and the high cost of the glamor associated therewith.

Mafia: Definitive Edition

Mafia: Definitive Edition follows the story of Tommy Angelo, a cab driver who gets tangled up with the Italian Mafia. The game features beautiful visuals, an original orchestral score, and an expanded story compared to the original game, making it an immersive and enthralling experience. The visuals are stunning, the soundtrack is captivating, and the storyline is captivating and thought-provoking. The game also boasts a long single-player campaign and many side quests that allow players to immerse themselves in the world of organized crime. The game provides plenty of replay value and is a must-have for fans of action games. All in all, Mafia: Definitive Edition is an excellent remake of the original and perfectly captures the spirit of the original game.

The game is trending on PlayStation Plus as it is part of the February’s free PS Plus games. Whether you are an Essential, Extra, or Premium PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can get the game for no cost.

Saints Row IV

Saints Row IV begins a few years after the events of Saints Row: The Third. The game opens with a mission that leads to the player becoming the President of the United States in an over-the-top and unexpected way, which is consistent with the series’ style. However, shortly after the election, the Earth is attacked by aliens known as the Zin, who change the rules of the game by turning humans into slaves and trapping their minds in a computer-controlled virtual reality.

While not really similar to the mafia storylines of other games, this game still holds quite a bit of wisdom about the difficulties of being controlled, whether by money, power, influence, or those who possess it.

Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs highlights the challenges that come with leading a double life. The main character, Wei Shen, must balance his roles as both a law enforcement officer and a member of a criminal organization. He must complete tasks that assist the police in their investigation while also performing duties as a rising member of the gang, such as escorting and collecting goods.

As he rises through the ranks, his missions become more complex, and the tension between his undercover identity and his loyalty to the gang becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile with his responsibilities as a cop.

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate

In Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, we are once again introduced to the story of characters belonging to the Assassin brotherhood, who are locked in a perpetual conflict with the Templars. For the first time in the franchise, players have the opportunity to control two characters, the brother-sister duo of Jacob and Evie Frye, as they progress through the story. This is a far older story than that of the mafia, but it portrays, quite well, how dangerous the criminal underworld and its conflicts can be.

Scarface

In Scarface, the player takes on the role of Tony Montana as he aims to reclaim his position in Miami’s drug market, eliminate competing gangs, and rebuild his reputation in the criminal world through an open world action-adventure game viewed from a third-person perspective.This game rests firmly within the world of the Mafia, and so it’s a good way to familairize yourself with various aspects of a life spent in service to Cosa Nostra and it’s underworld interests.

L.A. Noire

This is the most iconic types of detective games where the player takes on the role of Cole Phelps, a WWII veteran and rising figure in the Los Angeles Police Department, as he investigates deeper into the criminal underworld of L.A. The game tasks the player with solving a series of increasingly violent crimes, many of which are inspired by real-life cases from the time period. If your interest in the Mafia is more aimed at the crimes that the organization has comitted, L.A. Noire might be a good game to try.

Google’s AI Chatbot is Here and It’s Ready to Challenge OpenAI!

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has hinted that the company may challenge OpenAI’s ChatGPT by offering users the ability to ‘directly interact’ with its most advanced language models as a complementary feature to Search. This would represent a significant step for the company as, despite its long history of AI research and development. Google has yet to present a public equivalent to popular AI systems such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, which pose a potential threat to its core operations.

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Google announced plans to challenge OpenAI with a new AI chatbot

In Yesterday’s earnings call, Pichai discussed Google’s plans to take advantage of the limitless potential of AI. He stated that the technology is reaching a turning point and mentioned that the company’s prior AI research was instrumental in the development of today’s generative AI applications. The CEO emphasized the company’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of AI.

Regarding Google’s own AI initiatives, Pichai stated that the company has several plans in the works and has been preparing for them since the beginning of last year. The first language model that users will be able to interact with directly is LaMDA, Google’s conversational AI model. However, the exact form of this interaction has yet to be determined.

It’s not the first time that the public has been able to access LaMDA. Victoria Song from The Verge demoed a writing app powered by LaMDA last year, and Google’s AI Test Kitchen offered limited interaction with the model after individuals joined a waitlist. However, there has not been a widespread phenomenon like the one seen with AI models like ChatGPT, where numerous Twitter users share examples of what the model has generated, or use it to write introductions for podcasts or homework essays.

Given the speculation that ChatGPT could potentially replace Google search (which is not currently feasible for various reasons), it’s likely that Google has felt pressure to leverage its AI capabilities. It has been reported that Google has employees evaluating its own AI-powered chatbot alternatives to ChatGPT. It won’t be surprising if the company is also experimenting with its internal tools for transforming text into images or even video.

Still, it appears that Google may be proceeding with caution and not granting unrestricted access to its AI technology. As a publicly traded company, it wants to avoid a situation similar to the release of Tay, Microsoft’s AI chatbot. Pichai stressed that the company is approaching AI with a ‘deep sense of responsibility.’ During the call, he also stated that Google will be ‘careful’ and will initially launch AI as lab features or beta features, gradually scaling up usage over time.

Despite the cautious approach, Pichai believes that the market is ready for AI products. The public’s interest in experimenting with AI is evident, and it seems that Google is poised to make its own AI offerings accessible to consumers. Whether society as a whole is ready for such technology remains to be seen.

Google is currently in a sticky situation with the U.S Department of Justice over anticompetitive business practices. It’ll be interesting to see if Google’s AI-powered chatbot will be able to coexist in harmony with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, as ChatGPT currently does with so many other chatbots. The other alternative is that Google may use its global reach and considerable power over the tech industry to try and initiate a monopoly over AI-powered chatbots. All we can do is wait and see.

GoldenEye 007 is Coming to Xbox and Switch – Get Ready for the Ultimate Spy Adventure!

In September 2022, Microsoft officially confirmed during a Nintendo Direct broadcast that GoldenEye 007, a modern port of the classic James Bond game, will be available for Xbox Game Pass and Nintendo Switch. This game is believed to be slated for release this week, after months of fan speculation.

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Previously, the company had announced that online play would only be available in the Nintendo Switch version, suggesting that both versions would have the same content. This is further reinforced by recent trailers.

According to the developer Rare, the Xbox version of the game will have ‘achievements, 4K resolution, and a smoother framerate’ in addition to split-screen local multiplayer. Rare previously mentioned that the Xbox port will have updated control options, ‘including dual analog stick support, native 16:9 resolution up to 4K Ultra HD, a consistent refresh rate and a full complement of achievements to unlock.’

An employee from Rare has previously confirmed that the version of GoldenEye that will be released for modern platforms is not the same as the canceled Xbox 360 remaster that was leaked online in 2021.

Some people, 26 years ago, making it possible for you to play GoldenEye007 this weekend. pic.twitter.com/Q8bbkeDbub
— David Doak (@drdoak) January 26, 2023

In an interview with VGC in 2021, the co-directors of the canceled Xbox 360 remaster of GoldenEye spoke for the first time and expressed that they didn’t think it would ever be officially released. ‘It’s kind of bittersweet,’ said co-director Chris Tilston when asked about the leak of the remastered version. He went on to say that ‘it means people get to see the work that was done, but it also masks some of the cockups that went on behind the scenes.’

Golden Eye 007 DOWNLOAD

GoldenEye 007 will be available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S through Xbox Game Pass. Additionally, players who own a digital copy of Rare Replay will be able to download the game for free.

Deal with OpenAI results in skyrocketing Buzzfeed stock prices

The announcement of BuzzFeed’s partnership with ChatGPT led to a skyrocket in the company’s stock price. BuzzFeed is not the only firm that has reaped benefits from its connection to ChatGPT, which was developed by OpenAI. The online media company aims to use OpenAI’s artificial intelligence technology to streamline its content production. This month, companies specializing in AI have experienced a surge in trade activity, and this trend is expected to persist with BuzzFeed’s involvement.

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The next BuzzFeed quiz you do may be generated by AI

BuzzFeed has announced plans to utilize OpenAI’s text synthesis technology, similar to the popular ChatGPT, to generate original quizzes and potentially other content. The announcement caused a massive 200% increase in BuzzFeed’s stock price. In a recent blog post, BuzzFeed also revealed its collaboration with Meta. This development is likely to bring great satisfaction to current BuzzFeed shareholders.

BuzzFeed aims to integrate artificial intelligence into its content creation process to enhance its user experience. The company’s CEO, Jonah Peretti, recently announced that BuzzFeed will be utilizing OpenAI, the makers of the ChatGPT platform, to tailor its popular quizzes and listicles.

‘In 2023, you’ll see AI inspired content move from an R&D stage to part of our core business, enhancing the quiz experience, informing our brainstorming, and personalizing our content for our audience.’

The partnership between BuzzFeed and OpenAI comes at a fortuitous moment as the ChatGPT language model has been receiving significant attention lately. This has prompted Microsoft to increase its investment and Google to respond with its own strategic moves. Google has been on high alert regarding the potential threat of AI for some time, and has issued a ‘Google code red’ warning.

The ChatGPT platform is powered by the GPT-3 model, which can produce text in various styles based on its statistical understanding of a vast corpus of books and articles. The output, depending on the subject, can be remarkably similar to human writing. The goal of GPT-3 is to predict the most likely words to follow a given user input, known as a ‘prompt.’

The significance of carefully crafting these prompts cannot be overstated as it opens up endless possibilities for AI applications. The text-to-text AI techniques, especially their conversational nature, highlight the importance of being mindful of the language used in prompts, much like how you would choose your words when speaking with someone.

Contrary to previous reports, BuzzFeed will not be utilizing the ChatGPT platform, but instead will be developing its own version based on OpenAI’s GPT-3 engine. This is a trend that many other companies have expressed interest in following. While ChatGPT may be the shiny new toy that gets everyone excited about AI, the underpinnings are what matter. We’ll likely see an even greater rise in the use of AI when OpenAI releases a stable version of its GPT-4 platform.

Apple’s Crash Detection Causes Chaos with 100 False Emergency Calls

The iPhone 14 was marketed with a new Crash Detection feature, designed to call emergency services if the phone detects the user has been in a severe car accident. But since its release, reports have arisen of instances where the feature gave false positive alerts.

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The fire department in Kita-Alps, Nagano, Japan reported receiving 134 false emergency calls in the past month, primarily due to the iPhone 14’s Crash Detection feature inaccurately triggering as skiers went down the slopes. This places unnecessary stress on emergency services.

During that one-month period, the Japanese emergency services received 919 calls, with about 100 of them being false positives triggered by the iPhone 14’s Crash Detection feature, accounting for over 10% of their total workload. The iPhone 14’s Crash Detection feature is also causing false positive triggers during winter sports in the US, and rollercoaster rides.

iPhone crash detection feature makes 100 false emergency calls

These activities, characterized by high speed and impacts, are being mistakenly detected as driving patterns and car crashes by the phone’s algorithms.

Apple is working with local emergency services that receive frequent false calls from the iPhone’s Crash Detection feature. They are trying to find ways to reduce these errors. When the iPhone thinks there’s a crash, a loud warning siren starts a countdown before an emergency call is placed. However, during activities like skiing or rollercoasters, the user might not hear the siren and may not cancel the call, causing it to go through.

Emergency services were summoned by the iPhone's Crash Detection feature to a fatal accident that saw five people injured and four horses die. https://t.co/ahIhaODvd0 pic.twitter.com/PDQcwfhxMu
— AppleInsider (@appleinsider) January 30, 2023

Despite the issue of false positive triggers, the iPhone’s Crash Detection feature has been praised for its ability to quickly alert emergency services in real car crash situations, as seen in a recent case reported by ABC News in Australia. The quick response of emergency services due to the Crash Detection technology highlights its potential benefits. Apple has taken steps to improve the accuracy of the feature, including optimizations in the iOS 16.1.2 release.

The Crash Detection feature is available on several Apple devices, including iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and various generations of Apple Watch. To turn it off, go to settings, select Emergency SOS and disable the “Call After Serious Crash” setting. However, it’s recommended to leave the feature enabled as it has the potential to help save lives in case of a serious accident.

Spider-Man is Back and Better Than Ever in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2!

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is coming to PlayStation 5 later this year with a confirmed release date, storyline, and improved gameplay. The first game, Marvel’s Spider-Man by Insomniac Games, received widespread praise when it was released in 2018 and marked the developer’s unique take on Peter Parker.

The follow-up, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, released in 2020, continued from where Marvel’s Spider-Man left off and showed Miles, a Brooklyn teen, becoming a competent superhero.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was officially announced in September 2022 during a PlayStation Showcase Livestream with the return of both the creative and game director. The initial trailer showed Peter and Miles working together to combat new dangers, including Venom. Since then, more information about the story, gameplay, and release date has been gradually revealed.

The exact release date for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has not been announced, but the trailer from two years ago indicated a 2023 launch. Insomniac confirmed a Fall 2023 release last year, which was later backed up by a writer for Marvel’s Wolverine. The actors playing Peter Parker and Miles, Yuri Lowenthal and Nadji Jeter, respectively, have also expressed excitement for the game and support the likely Fall 2023 release.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 set to release in the Fall

The in-engine release trailer for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, utilizing the PS5’s advanced technology, showcases the game’s improved performance and graphics. In the trailer, Peter Parker and Miles Morales fight against a group of criminals at night near a diner, displaying their impressive combat skills, web gadgets, and Venom Blast abilities.

A deep, Russian-accented voice is heard in the background, suggesting that he’s been waiting for a challenge and asking if anyone can defeat him. However, it’s not one of the Spider-Men who answers.

Instead, a menacing voice growls “Yes…we will.” After defeating the criminals, Peter and Miles turn to a dark alley where Venom, previously hinted at in post-credit scenes, appears from the shadows. It was confirmed that Tony Todd, known from Candyman and The Flash, is providing Venom’s voice. The trailer also shows Peter using mechanical spider arms to defeat enemies and Miles using his electrical Venom Blast energy to defend against attacks.

The costumes of Peter and Miles have been upgraded for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, particularly Miles’s. Peter’s Advanced Suit from the first two games is a darker shade of red with a white spider emblem in the chest, while Miles’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales suit is slightly darker with red lines extending down the arms.

Venom is briefly shown in the trailer, appearing as a massive figure similar to Tom Hardy’s version in the live-action Venom films, accurately reflecting the comics. The trailer strongly suggests that the story of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will feature Peter and Miles battling against Venom.

While we don’t have every ounce of information about the new game yet, it promises to be a wild ride.

Google Chrome is experiencing significant difficulties with cloud storage

Multiple reports indicate that Google Chrome is encountering difficulties saving files directly to network attached storage (NAS) drives and cloud backups. In January 2023, a bug report showed that the 32-bit Windows version of Chrome 109 was encountering a “can’t open this file” error when trying to save files with a universal naming convention (UNC) path. The error stated that the problem was that the save destination folder contained system files.

Google Chrome DOWNLOAd

Another report confirmed the issue while trying to open a Dropbox file on the Arm64 version of Chrome 109 on macOS. Testing bug demo code revealed that the problem persisted. The Register also noticed that other browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge, which are based on Chromium technology, were able to save files to network locations without any issues.

The root cause of the problem lies in the showOpenFilePicker() method in Google’s File System Access API. This API, introduced in 2019 as part of Project Fugu, aims to give web apps access to local files and directories. The project intends to grant web apps similar permissions as native platform apps, following Apple’s tendency to limit its Webkit-based Safari browser due to security concerns.

Google Chrome is experiencing significant difficulties with cloud storage

However, you’re not stuck with Safari. Alternative privacy-focused browsers have been accessible on Apple devices for a while. With the release of iOS 14 in September 2020, users have had the ability to set a different default browser than Safari. Therefore, Project Fugu appears to be a way for users to bypass Apple’s strict control over the apps they allow on their devices, despite pushback from the European Union.

According to The Register, Google has prioritized fixing the issue with the release of the stable version of Chrome 110 on January 31, 2023. An engineer from the company was quoted as saying that “blocking UNC paths broke a number of legitimate use cases.”