Content: Security, Quantum Computing, Law, AI, New Tech, Tech Retirement & Google.
Welcome to todays ‘What’s New’ in tech. A roundup of key subjects you should probably know about listed below for your ease of access. If you think we’ve missed a story please email us on queries@ringingtreeit.co.uk and we’ll endeavour to add it.
Security:
Disney investigating massive leak of internal messages | 2 Minute Read
“The group, Nullbulge, said it had gained access to thousands of communications from Disney employees and had downloaded “every file possible”.”
Crowdstrike and Microsoft: What we know about global IT outage | 3 Minute Read
“A mass IT outage has caused chaos around the world, with major banks, media outlets and airlines among the victims. Many flights have been grounded, with queues and delays at airports, while shops and communications have also been hit. ”
Maximum-severity Cisco vulnerability allows attackers to change admin passwords | 2 Minute Read
“Cisco just dropped a patch for a maximum-severity vulnerability that allows attackers to change the password of any user, including admins.”
Quantum Computing:
‘Pivotal’ quantum computing chip unveiled | 3 Minute Read & 2 Minute Video
“Oxford Ionics has said its chip can be mass-produced and means the world’s first useful quantum computer could be built in three years time.”
Law:
EU says X’s blue tick accounts deceive users | 3 Minute Read
“The bloc’s tech regulator said users could be duped into thinking the identity of those with blue tick marks was verified, when in fact anybody can pay for a blue tick. It said it had found evidence of “malicious actors” abusing the system.”
AI:
Will K-pop’s AI experiment pay off? | 4 Minute Read
“Several of the genre’s biggest stars have now experimented with the technology to create music videos and produce songs, including boy band Seventeen.”
Can we make work meetings more bearable? | 4 Minute Read
“Like the one Jaime Teevan, chief scientist at Microsoft, says she had a few years ago with her chief executive Satya Nadella, and Sam Altman the founder of leading AI firm OpenAI.”
Microsoft’s hire of start-up staff probed as possible merger | 2 Minute Read
“Microsoft is being investigated in the UK over whether it has effectively merged with an artificial intelligence (AI) start-up firm by hiring its staff. Key employees at Inflection AI left the company in March to join the tech giant, with co-founder Mustafa Suleyman becoming head of its new AI division.”
Samsung buys UK AI startup to give its products the personal touch | 2 Minute Read
“Samsung announced the acquisition of UK knowledge graph startup Oxford Semantic Technologies on Thursday, to boost its AI smarts and offer more personalized experiences and content on its devices.”
Figma explains how its AI tool ripped off Apple’s design | 2 Minute Read
“Figma recently pulled its “Make Designs” generative AI tool after a user discovered that asking it to design a weather app would spit out something suspiciously similar to Apple’s weather app”
The biggest names in AI have teamed up to promote AI security | 2 Minute Read
“Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, Intel, and other big names in AI are coming together to form the Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI), according to an announcement on Thursday.”
New Tech:
Samsung becomes first tech giant to launch a smart ring | 2 Minute Read
“Samsung is hoping to lure fitness and health-tracking technology lovers with its newest wearable device – the Galaxy Ring. It launched the device at its Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday as the latest addition to its ecosystem of devices it says it is “supercharging” with artificial intelligence (AI).”
Tech Retirement:
Google’s shortened links will stop working next year | 2 Minute Read
“If you ever used Google’s URL shortening service goo.gl before it was shut down in 2019, be warned — those links will stop working on August 25th, 2025.”
Google:
Google is purging ‘low-quality’ Android apps next month | 2 Minute Read
Google is raising its minimum quality requirements for Android apps, and will soon remove those that don’t meet expectations from the Play Store.”
Google reveals the Pixel 9 Pro Fold before it can leak again | 2 Minute Read & 30 Second Video
“Just hours after revealing the Pixel 9 Pro, Google is showing off the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with a brief, Gemini-linked teaser video.”
