Top Stories

Huawei Unveils Mate XT Phone with 3 Panels, 10-inch Screen

China’s Huawei has unveiled a trifold smartphone with an OLED panel that has two vertical folds, opening to a 10.2-inch, 16:11 display. The Mate XT — which comes in red and black and offers three storage options ranging in price from $2,809 to $3,371 — is due to arrive in Chinese stores September 20, the same day that Apple’s new iPhone 16 lineup hits retail shelves there. Huawei and Apple are among the top brands currently battling for market share in what is the world’s largest cellphone market. With Huawei under U.S. sanctions, it is unlikely the trifold phone will be released here. Read more

White House Launches Effort to Fill 500,000 Technology Jobs

The White House has implemented a program to help fill roughly 500,000 open tech positions across the United States. The program, Service for America, was developed by the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) in partnership with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to help connect Americans with available jobs in cybersecurity, technology and artificial intelligence. “Our nation has a critical need for cyber talent,” explains ONCD Director Harry Coker, Jr., who notes many of the open cyber positions do not require a computer science degree or deeply technical background. Read more

Glowtime: Apple Unveils iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, AirPods 4

During yesterday’s Glowtime event in Cupertino, Apple introduced its iPhone 16 lineup with Apple Intelligence features, A18 chip, and new camera control button to access “visual intelligence” functionality. The company also unveiled a redesigned Apple Watch with polished titanium option and new S10 chip; a new Satin Black color for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, alongside a collection of updated bands with darker hues; and two new versions of AirPods wireless earbuds, one touting active noise canceling. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models feature aluminum bodies while the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max bodies are made of titanium. The first Apple Intelligence features for the new iPhones will launch in beta next month. Read more

YouTube Adding Tools to Protect Against Unauthorized AI Use

YouTube is introducing AI detection tools designed to allow people to learn when their face and/or voice are copied and used in third-party videos. As part of the effort, YouTube’s existing Content ID program that protects copyrighted music will expand to include more broad-based voice simulation detection technology. The new tools aim to protect “people from a variety of industries — from creators and actors to musicians and athletes,” according to the company. The Google-owned platform is also coming up with a way to address unauthorized use of its content for training AI models. Read more

Roblox Adds Real Currency, Teases Its Coming Generative AI

During the 10th annual Roblox Developers Conference (RDC 2024) in San Jose, the gaming platform announced it is opening to global currencies in addition to its own Robux, which generates billions in virtual transactions each year. Starting later this year, a small test bed of developers will be able to charge real money for games that charge fees, with a program expected to open “to all eligible creators by mid-2025.” The massively multiplayer online platform that lets users build online game worlds also discussed a project to develop its own AI foundation model to power generative 3D creation on the platform. Read more

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