🕶️ Mixed reality mishap

Apple's forthcoming MR headset keeps hitting roadblocks

December 5, 2022

IN THIS ISSUE 🍏 Apple's VR/AR headset stalls yet again 🐦 Hate speech surges on Twitter, research suggests 🎵 FBI chief takes aim at TikTok 🚀 Billionaire space entrepreneur teases big announcement'

APPLE HEADSET Apple's forthcoming mixed reality headset just hit another delay A software-related issue is reportedly causing problems Apple has had to delay mass shipments of its highly anticipated mixed reality headset, an analyst with contacts in the tech firm's supply chain claimed on Sunday.   Taiwan-based Ming-Chi Kuo said that while Apple originally wanted to unveil the device in January and start shipping it soon after, "software-related issues" with the headset will likely force the company to delay mass shipments until the second half of next year.   It's not clear when Apple will now choose to unveil the mixed-reality device, which is expected to combine features of both virtual reality and augmented reality, but commentators suggest Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June may be a target date for the company.   Apple is yet to make any official announcement about the headset, but leaks, and even comments from company CEO Tim Cook, strongly suggests such a device is in the works. Read more

SOCIAL MEDIA Hate speech surges on Twitter, research suggests But new owner Elon Musk says such content is reaching fewer users Hate speech on Twitter has apparently surged since Elon Musk acquired the business for $44 billion at the end of October.   Despite recent claims by Musk that hate speech has fallen on the platform, separate research carried out by the Center for Countering Digital Hate and the Anti-Defamation League suggests a significant uptick in such content.   The Anti-Defamation League described the increase in offensive content as a "troubling situation [that will] likely get worse, given the reported cuts to Twitter's content moderation staff."   Musk responded to the research by saying that "hate speech impressions continue to decline" since he took over at the company, suggesting that such material is receiving fewer views, even if the research suggests that a greater amount of it is appearing on the site.   Musk recently agreed to reinstate thousands of Twitter accounts previously banned for harassment as well as other violations of the company's terms of use.   The new owner has stated on several occasions how he wants to loosen moderation on the platform in the name of free speech. Read more

TIKTOK FBI chief takes aim at TikTok Chris Wray expressed concerns about Chinese government interference FBI director Chris Wray on Friday raised national security concerns about the popular video app TikTok, which is operated by Beijing-based ByteDance.   Wray claimed the Chinese government is able to control the app's recommendation algorithm, "which allows them to manipulate content, and if they want to, to use it for influence operations."   He also said the Chinese authorities could gather TikTok user data and potentially utilize it for espionage activities.   The FBI chief added that the app, which has more than a billion users globally, is "in the hands of a government that doesn't share our values, and that has a mission that's very much at odds with what's in the best interests of the U.S. That should concern us."   Officials are currently in talks with ByteDance to try to resolve U.S. security concerns, Wray said. Read more

SPACE TRAVEL Japanese space entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa teases big announcement The Japanese billionaire said he recently spoke with Elon Musk about a space-based endeavor A Japanese billionaire entrepreneur says he's going to make "a major announcement about space" later this week.   Yusaku Maezawa revealed the news on Sunday following an online meeting with someone who has even money in the bank than he does – Elon Musk.   The pair know each other well, as Maezawa appeared alongside the SpaceX boss in 2018 to announce himself as the first paying passenger for the spaceflight company's debut private moon mission, though no firm date has been set for the ambitious voyage.   The wealthy businessman also hit the headlines last year when he took a private trip to the International Space Station following months of training for the pricey adventure. Read more

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Teardown I've played a lot of games that try to crack the feeling of a Hollywood heist film, but even the most high-budget gaming blockbusters can't compare to Teardown. The unusual puzzle-action hybrid has players pulling off heists by planning out and building the perfect path around a small map and executing it within a short time limit. The twist is that every environment is fully destructible, allowing players to blow holes through walls big enough to sneak a car out or get a safe out of a house by blasting the floor out from under it. Teardown plays like a perfect mix of Minecraft and Fast Five, rewarding masterminds who are clever enough to plan out a perfect time … or reckless enough to blow up half a shopping mall. - Giovanni Colantonio Gaming Editor

ChatGPT A few days ago, OpenAI released its latest product, ChatGPT. Unlike some of the other AI tools that have made headlines lately, this one doesn't generate images based on text-based prompts but instead spits out text to match just about any prompt you give it – and it's astonishingly good. Even if you don't have a use for this in your everyday life, you should still check it out and give it a try just to see what AI is capable of these days. I can almost guarantee it'll blow your mind. - Drew Prindle Senior Editor

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