APPS
Google working on feature to identify unknown callers: report
Google is reportedly developing a new ‘Lookup’ button that allows users to quickly search phone numbers directly from their recent calls screen, therefore identifying unknown callers. The discovery was first made by an X user named AssembleDebug, who found this upcoming feature in the latest beta version of the Google Phone app, as reported by PiunikaWeb, an India-based tech news platform.
Spotify to let users craft playlists with text prompts
Spotify, the music streaming platform, is releasing its new AI playlists feature into beta. This new functionality allows users to generate custom playlists based on written prompts.
Meet the app and browser extension made for halal internet experience
In an effort to combat cyber miscreants and ensure a safe and halal internet experience, a Turkish startup named Halalz has launched a new app and browser extension named Kahf Guard. This initiative aims to shield users, particularly Muslims, from exposure to inappropriate and morally objectionable online contents such as pornography, gambling, harassment etc.
Google to add fees for premium AI search features: report
Google is planning on introducing fees for premium features on its generative AI-driven search engine, according to a recent report by the Financial Times. The report adds that the traditional search engine would remain free of charge, with ads continuing to appear alongside search results even for subscribers.
With a new look, Facebook wants to be more like TikTok
Facebook is set to launch a vertical-first video player, promising a more uniform design and user experience across various video formats, including Reels, long-form videos, and live videos.
TikTok removes over 75 lakh videos in Bangladesh
TikTok has removed a total of 7,599,349 (over 75 lakh) videos in Bangladesh for violating Community Guidelines in Q4 2023. Comparatively, in Q3 2023, 8,147,484 (over 80 lakh) Bangladeshi videos were removed by TikTok, showing a notable decrease in total videos removed from quarter-to-quarter.
You can now use ChatGPT without signing up
Users can now access the free version of ChatGPT without requiring to sign up via a Google, Microsoft, or Apple account. Instead, the popular AI chatbot can be directly accessed from OpenAI's official website without needing to log in.
Canada school boards sue social media giants for affecting students' mental health
Four Canadian school boards have filed a lawsuit against major social media companies, including Meta Platforms and Snap, seeking damages totalling over $2.96 billion USD. The legal action alleges that the companies' products, designed to foster compulsive usage, have negatively affected students' mental health and learning processes.
YouTube removes over 152K videos in Bangladesh
In the fourth quarter of 2023, YouTube, the video streaming platform owned by Google, removed over nine million videos worldwide. In the same period, YouTube removed 2.25 million videos in India, making it the country with the highest number of video removals on the platform during this period. Bangladesh ranked 8th globally with 152,051 videos removed for failing to adhere to YouTube's community guidelines.
LinkedIn working on short-form video feed: report
LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, is reportedly developing a short-form video feed in the app, according to TechCrunch, an international tech news platform.
LinkedIn to launch games on its platform: report
LinkedIn, the professional networking platform owned by Microsoft, is planning to launch games on its platform. Among the early titles in development are games such as "Queens," "Inference," and "Crossclimb", according to a report by tech news platform, TechCrunch.
Microsoft Teams to integrate personal and work accounts
Microsoft is planning to introduce a unified version of Teams that combines both personal and work accounts. Currently undergoing testing, the new unified Microsoft Teams app is set to debut for commercial users in April.
U.S. passes bill that could potentially ban TikTok
The U.S. House of Representatives has recently approved a bill that requires ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell off its American assets within six months or risk being banned from operating in the country.
Spotify introduces music video feature
Spotify, the global music streaming giant, has announced the introduction of a music video feature, exclusive to its premium subscribers. This strategic expansion, part of a limited beta launch, is aimed at enriching the user experience by offering full-length music videos. Initially, this feature will be available to users in a select group of countries.
AI tools create misleading election images: Researchers
AI-based image generation tools such as OpenAI's DALL-E, Microsoft's Gemini, Stability AI's DreamStudio, and Midjourney, can produce misleading election-related images, according to researchers from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit organisation.
Making calls on X? It may reveal your location
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, recently expanded its audio and video calling capabilities to all users, irrespective of their account type. However, this rollout has uncovered a significant privacy issue related to the potential exposure of users' Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
Meet Indus Appstore: the Indian Google Play Store
PhonePe, a fintech company established in 2016, has unveiled the Indus Appstore, an Android app store for Indian consumers. According to the company, the app store has already crossed 1 lakh downloads within three days of launch, and is available in 12 regional languages.
Google limits Gemini AI image generation after controversial Nazi portrayal
Google has announced its decision to prevent users from generating images of individuals on the newly introduced image generation feature in Gemini AI. This decision comes in response to the AI tool portraying Nazi-era soldiers as individuals from various ethnic backgrounds as per a prompt shown by a user in X, formerly Twitter.
