This week in technology has been a busy one in the world of AI. OpenAI not only gave ChatGPT a human-like memory, but also released its Sora video generation tool, and it's mind-blowing.
Keeping up with these and other rapidly evolving technology developments can be hard work, so we've handpicked the seven biggest tech news stories from the past week to help you get up to speed.
Looking ahead to the coming days and weeks, those of you in the US can look forward to Presidents' Day sales, and our deal experts have been hard at work helping you score a bargain on that shiny new piece of jewelry. technology they have been looking for. .
And at the end of the month all eyes will be on Barcelona, when the MWC 2024 trade show begins, with the stage set for a host of announcements about smartphones and other mobile technologies.
7. OpenAI blew us away again with Sora's AI-generated videos
Just when you thought the AI hype was over, OpenAI released something that will make you think (and look) twice this week. The latest trick from the creator of ChatGPT is Sora, a text-to-video conversion tool that can create strikingly realistic video clips from simple prompts. It's exciting and terrifying in equal measure.
While Sora has yet to be released to the public, the quality of its clips seems like a real step forward for AI-generated videos. Scenes that have previously proven problematic for the algorithms (those containing moving people, pets, and textures) don't appear to be a problem for Sora, who has considerable computational grunt behind them.
OpenAI says Sora is still being tested internally and is certainly still far from perfect. But the implications for stock videos, advertising, games, and even movies are clear. Goodbye reality, it was a pleasure meeting you.
6. More Samsung Galaxy S24 display issues arose
Samsung's Galaxy S24 phones are flying off the shelves, but several users continue to encounter some frustrating display issues.
Shortly after the launch of the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S24 Ultra last month, complaints were made about the phones' Vivid Display mode, which allegedly produced an ugly and washed-out color palette. Samsung has since announced a software patch for that particular issue, but more criticism related to the display emerged this week.
Several Reddit users reported seeing a grainy texture when viewing dark and gray colors on their Galaxy S24 screens, while others reported seeing “frankly unacceptable” horizontal bars when viewing their displays at low brightness.
Those affected by the latter issue have also reported seeing excessive banding when viewing degraded images, so we wouldn't be surprised if Samsung issues a second display-related update in the coming weeks.
5. We were introduced to smart earrings
A team of researchers from the University of Washington has presented the Thermal Slope. It is a smart earring that can very accurately measure body temperature, thanks to a sensor in the earring that takes a reading in the ear and a second sensor that hangs below and measures ambient temperature.
This two-sensor setup then transmits the data to a compatible Bluetooth device and, based on testing so far, is much more accurate than a typical smartwatch, although the study only included six participants.
If the earring proves to be a really useful improvement for temperature tracking, and the design can be modified to look prettier, it is hoped that this type of device could soon become a valuable tool to help people keep track of your menstrual cycle and warn of fevers and stress. and other problems that affect body temperature.
4. Prime Video removed Dolby Vision and Atmos support from its ad-supported tier
Amazon brought ads to Prime Video a couple of weeks ago, and to get rid of them you have to pay an extra $2.99 a month in the US, or £2.99 in the UK (subscribers in Australia won't have to pay more to remove them). announcements until the end of this year, and we still don't know how much it will cost them).
This was frustrating enough for people who prefer ad-free content, but Amazon made it worse by revealing that if you don't pay for ad-free streaming you also won't get Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos support in the content you watch. .
This is the latest anti-consumer move made in the streaming space, with announcements and price increases on many of the top streaming services in recent months. We hope Amazon changes course on Dolby support for its ad-supported tier, but we're not holding our breath.
3. Samsung and Google fought to give us AI invisible friends
Samsung and Google have bet big on AI features for their latest flagship phones, and now it's time to take the next step: bringing that AI assistance to their wireless headphones. This week, Samsung drew first blood by launching a wireless update to its Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Galaxy Buds 2, and Galaxy Buds FE earbuds that gives them live translation and interpretation powers.
Does he lower it? For now, you'll need a Galaxy S24 phone to use these AI features, although they will eventually make their way to older phones as they work on the device rather than needing an internet connection. And Google isn't far behind, with a newly discovered code in its Gemini app hinting that its new assistant is coming to compatible headphones soon, too.
2. Marvel made some fantastic ads.
After a brutal 2023, Marvel came out swinging with a ton of interesting announcements this week.
Leading the charge was the long-awaited confirmation from Marvel. Fantastic four cast of the film, but that's not all we learned about the long-awaited MCU movie. The upcoming superhero movie also has a new release date, title (The Fantastic Four), and a retro-futuristic poster, the latter of which teases when Marvel Fantastic four the movie will be set.
Along with the arrival of Deadpool 3The first trailer – read our Deadpool and Wolverine Breakdown of the trailer for more details and the presentation of the next Disney Plus show X-Men 97Based on the official release date and trailer, there's a lot to look forward to in Marvel Phase 5 and beyond.
1. ChatGPT has a human-like memory
Not to be outdone by OpenAI's shiny new Sora tool (see entry #7), ChatGPT also got a significant update this week, at least for some early testers. OpenAI revealed that it has given ChatGPT a memory to help it remember all your preferences, interests, and quirks, so you can apply that knowledge in future chats.
While the feature is still in testing in both the free and paid versions of ChatGPT, it's another important moment for the rapidly evolving technology. It means that unlike most of today's AI sidekicks, your new conversations will no longer start from scratch, as ChatGPT will use its knowledge of your tastes to work more efficiently for you and ultimately become even more alike. to the humans.
