
Microsoft, Google post strong quarterly sales growth as Big Tech continues its comeback
Big tech appears to be continuing its strong growth turnaround from last year, as it kicks off earnings report season for the quarter ended in September.
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Apple announces 'scary fast' October event
Apple announced its second product event of the season, a month after introducing its new iPhone 15 lineup. New iMacs are likely.
1970-01-01 08:00

Meta says it is ‘listening’ after people find their Instagram posts turning up elsewhere
Instagram posts are appearing elsewhere – without the knowledge of the people posting them, and with no way for them to stop it once they do find out. Users of the company’s new Instagram Threads app are finding that their posts are being automatically pushed into their Facebook feeds. The company said that it was “listening” to complaints from users who did not want their posts appearing on Facebook. But it does not appear to be offering a way for people to stop it happening. Meta has often used its various platforms to promote other ones. New apps and features have often been shown in the Facebook news feed especially, as the company looks to introduce them to other users. Facebook has long shown posts from Instagram Reels, for instance. And companies on WhatsApp can buy ads that show on Facebook. The new behaviour means that people loading up their Facebook news feed may see posts that their friends have put on Instagram Threads. Users complained that the behaviour was unwanted, however. “How do I keep my Threads from showing up on Facebook? I want [them] separate and I don’t want my Threads randomly showing up on Facebook in someone’s “for you” or any place else,” one user wrote in response to the company. In response, it confirmed that it had made the change but did not appear to suggest it would be changed. The update was intended “to make it easier for people to see the latest content from Threads directly on Facebook and Instagram”, it said, but it is “listening to feedback like yours as we continue to build on this”. Author and YouTuber Hank Green was one of many who pleaded with the company to go back to keeping posts on the various apps separate. “It’s really true that threads and Facebook have very different cultures and I choose specifically what I want to go where. For other people, that can actually be a little unsafe. Let people opt out. Next time, build that first. Move slow, fix things. We’re doing good here,” he wrote in response to the official Threads account. Read More Google and Meta withdraw from upcoming Web Summit Mark Zuckerberg uses Meta’s new AI Ray-Bans to braid daughter’s hair WhatsApp update will change how you log in forever
1970-01-01 08:00

We can put solar farms in space, scientists announce
A new experiment demonstrates that commercial solar farms in space could one day be possible, according to the researchers behind it. Scientists from the UK say that a satellite launched into space to test the opportunities to gather sunlight for power has shown more success than expected. The experiment showed that it was possible to make lightweight solar panels at low cost that would be able to work in space, researchers said. They sent one of those units into space and examined how it worked over a period of six years and 30,000 orbits. It was able to withstand the solar radiation and other damage of space, they said, and continue generating power. “We are very pleased that a mission designed to last one year is still working after six. These detailed data show the panels have resisted radiation and their thin-film structure has not deteriorated in the harsh thermal and vacuum conditions of space,” said Craig Underwood from the University of Surrey, “This ultra-low mass solar cell technology could lead to large, low-cost solar power stations deployed in space, bringing clean energy back to Earth – and now we have the first evidence that the technology works reliably in orbit.” The panels were made at the University of Swansea, and used a new kind of solar cell made out of cadmium telluride. That material allows for larger panels at lighter weights, which provide more power and are relatively cheap. Colleagues at the University of Surrey then built those panels into a satellite that could be delivered to space, as well as the technology to measure how they continued to perform once they were in orbit. Those measurements showed that the panels gradually became less efficient, but researchers say they nonetheless showed that the panels could eventually be commercially viable. Solar farms in space would overcome many of the problems with existing renewable infrastructure on Earth. The solar farms could allow for more space on the ground, but more notably would be able to avoid issues caused by weather and benefit from more intense sunlight than there is on the surface. Making units that are able to withstand the difficulties of space is just one of a number of challenges for solar farms in space. There would also need to be a way to get the energy back down to us, for instance – though this summer researchers were able to successfully beam power down to Earth using microwaves. A study describing the findings, ‘IAC-22-C3.3.8 Six years of spaceflight results from the AlSat-1N Thin-Film Solar Cell (TFSC) experiment’, is published in the journal Acta Astronautica. Read More Scientists receive powerful ‘radio burst’ that travelled billions of years Apple announces surprise event: ‘Scary fast’ ChatGPT and other chatbots ‘can be tricked into making code for cyber attacks’
1970-01-01 08:00

Crypto lender BlockFi emerges from bankruptcy
(Reuters) -Cryptocurrency lender BlockFi emerged from bankruptcy on Tuesday, clearing the way to repay its creditors 11 months after it
1970-01-01 08:00

Apple announces surprise event: ‘Scary fast’
Apple has announced a surprise event, at which it is expected to unveil new Macs. The event is unusual in a number of ways, including its much later start than Apple’s regular events: it will begin at 5pm local pacific time, or midnight in the UK. Apple events almost always begin at 10am local time, and it did not give any indication of why it had changed its time. It will also take place notably late in the year, on 30 October. Apple appeared to reference the proximity to Hallowe’en in its invitation, which used the title “Scary fast”. It will also be entirely virtual, with no in-person attendance. Apple switched to fully virtual events during the pandemic, but has since opened up physical attendance as restrictions have lifted. Unlike many recent Apple events, it is unclear what exactly the company is planning – though Apple’s website used the “Finder” icon from the Mac operating system, all but confirming a focus on its computers. Apple seems likely to introduce a new version of its iMac, which was last updated in April 2021 and is now far behind all of the rest of Apple’s line-up. It still uses Apple’s M1 chip, and the event will presumably at least bring it up to speed with the existing M2 processors. The company might unveil its first M3 processors, however. Apple’s first M2 computers arrived last summer, inside updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, and so those computers could also be updated with the latest generation. Some reports have also suggested that Apple could be planning an update for its most high-end and expensive 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, too. Those were overhauled earlier this year, however, with the introduction of the M2 Pro and M2 Max, meaning that any new update might be less likely or could be more minor. Recent weeks brought rumours that Apple was planning to update at least some of its iPads. The rumoured launch day only brought a new Apple Pencil, however – which may mean that the iPads were delayed for the upcoming event, or may mean that Apple opted not to make any changes to the iPad and released the Apple Pencil to clear the way for its new Macs. The latest launch comes the month after Apple held another live event – at its usual time – to launch the new iPhone 15 and other products. Read More Apple ‘is planning surprise Mac announcement soon’ Apple just released a new Pencil after days of excitement Sadiq Khan, Met Commissioner to ask phone companies to ‘design out’ theft
1970-01-01 08:00

Who is playing college football tonight, Oct. 24?
Who is playing college football tonight, Oct. 24?
1970-01-01 08:00

Instagram linked to depression, anxiety, insomnia in kids - US states' lawsuit
Dozens of U.S. states are suing Meta Platforms and its Instagram unit, accusing them of contributing to a
1970-01-01 08:00

Apple to hold special event on Oct. 30 dubbed 'Scary Fast'
IPhone maker Apple said on Tuesday it will hold a special event named "Scary Fast" on Oct. 30.
1970-01-01 08:00

Meta Sued by California, States Over Harmful Youth Marketing
Meta Platforms Inc. was sued by California and a group of more than 30 states over claims that
1970-01-01 08:00

Teck Resources Drops on Rising Cost of Flagship Copper Mine
Teck Resources Ltd. shares plunged to their lowest point in seven months after the Canadian miner raised the
1970-01-01 08:00

Greta Thunberg hit with deepfake showing her calling for 'sustainable weapons'
Climate activist Greta Thunberg has become the latest victim of deepfakes, after a video of her appearing on the BBC in November 2022 was digitally edited to show her supporting "sustainable" war tanks and weaponry. A video was shared on Twitter/X that originated from the YouTube channel Snicklink - which posts edited video for satire - and was titled "Greta Thunberg: VEGAN WARS #satire." The video had 'SATIRE' in the bottom right hand corner. In the edited clip Thunberg seemingly says: "War is always bad, specifically for the planet. If we want to continue fighting battles like environmentally conscious humans, we must make the change to sustainable tanks and weaponry. "If you use hand grenades, please use vegan grenades. No animal should have to give their life for this mayhem and chaos. They have a special sticker on them. You really can't miss them in the grenade market, or wherever you buy them. Yeah, I cover all this and more in my new book Vegan Wars." The video which has been viewed over 3 million times according to Twitter/X has a community note attached to it letting viewers know that "Greta's mouth and her voice were deepfaked". Whilst it is fairly easy to tell the video is edited when looking close enough, or even simply noticing the massive 'SATIRE' sign in the corner, many were seemingly fooled. "This can only come from a moron in the west [with] no actual real life problems," wrote one riled up user: "Why is anybody listening to this deluded clown girl?" wrote another. The deepfake used genuine footage of the 20-year-old appearing on the BBC to promote her book The Climate Book, where she spoke about climate anxiety and her activism. You can watch the original clip here: Greta Thunberg on how to tackle climate anxiety | The One Show - BBC www.youtube.com Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel
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