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Google announced Tuesday it’s allowing more people to interact with “ Bard,” the artificially intelligent chatbot the company is building to counter Microsoft’s early lead in a pivotal battleground of technology. In Bard’s next stage, Google is opening a waitlist to use an AI tool that’s similar to the ChatGPT technology Microsoft began deploying in its Bing search engine to much fanfare last month. And last week, Microsoft embedded more AI-powered technology in its word processing, spreadsheet and slide presentation programs with a new feature called Copilot. Until now, Bard had only been available to a small group of “trusted testers” hand-picked by Google. The Mountain View, California, company, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., isn’t saying how many people will be given access to Bard in the next step…

Electric vehicles, or EVs, had their best-selling year in 2022. Their market share surpassed 5% according to NHTSA, which is nearly double than 2021. In 2023, EV sales should continue to soar. But more importantly for consumers, there will also be a larger selection of models to choose from, including electric sedans, SUVs and luxury models. Experts choose five of the most intriguing new EVs, sorted by price, rolling into dealerships this year. 2024 CHEVROLET EQUINOX EV Chevrolet will launch two electric SUVs with familiar names: the Blazer EV and the Equinox EV. Of the two, the smaller Equinox could be the more significant simply by virtue of its price; Chevrolet estimates it will start around $30,000. That undercuts all of its rivals and is not much more than the…

TikTok is once again fending off claims that its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, would share user data from its popular video-sharing app with the Chinese government, or push propaganda and misinformation on its behalf. China’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States itself of spreading disinformation about TikTok’s potential security risks following a report in the Wall Street Journal that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. — part of the Treasury Department — was threatening a U.S. ban on the app unless its Chinese owners divest their stake. So are the data security risks real? And should users be worried that the TikTok app will be wiped off their phones? Here’s what to know: WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS ABOUT TIKTOK? Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have…

Amazon plans to eliminate 9,000 more jobs in the next few weeks, CEO Andy Jassy said in a memo to staff this week. The job cuts would mark the second largest round of layoffs in the company’s history, adding to the 18,000 employees the tech giant said it would lay off in January. The company’s workforce doubled during the pandemic, however, in the midst of a hiring surge across almost the entire tech sector. Tech companies have announced tens of thousands of job cuts this year. In the memo, Jassy said the second phase of the company’s annual planning process completed this month led to the additional job cuts. He said Amazon will still hire in some strategic areas. “Some may ask why we didn’t announce these role reductions with…

WIGLOOSE: THE RUSICAL! RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE THE HYENA (NO. 200) THE BLACKLIST UNTUCKED- WIGLOOSE: THE RUSICAL! RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE: UNTUCKED! LIFE AFTER LOCKUP: NO MONEY... LOVE AFTER LOCKUP DIVORCE PARTY CRASHERS VANDERPUMP RULES DROP BY DROP THE RIVER RISES 90 DAY FIANCE: THE OTHER WAY ALL IN THE COMPANY YOU KEEP SISTERS ARE DOIN’ IT FOR THEMSELVES GREY’S ANATOMY THE OTHER SHOE NCIS: LOS ANGELES PART 1 JARED FROM SUBWAY: CATCHING A MONSTER…

Real estate has been a popular investment for a very long time — for those who can afford it. But in recent years, trends such as house flipping, “house hacking” (living in one room of a property while renting out the others) and short-term vacation rentals have made real estate investment much more accessible, especially for millennials seeking a second income stream in an uncertain economy. Though the potential profit is tempting, being a landlord may not be for everyone. Rental properties involve significant upfront costs, time commitment, legal liabilities and ethical dilemmas that can put a dent in your dividends. So before you take out a loan to buy an investment property in an “up-and-coming neighborhood,” here are three things to consider. KNOW WHAT YOU CAN COMMIT TO There…

Microsoft is infusing artificial intelligence tools into its suite of office software, including Word, Excel and Outlook emails. The company said the new feature, named Copilot, is a processing engine that will allow users to do things like summarize long emails, draft stories in Word and animate slides in PowerPoint. Microsoft 365 General Manager Colette Stallbaumer said the new features are currently only available for 20 enterprise customers. It will roll it out for more enterprise customers over the coming months. Microsoft is marketing the feature as a tool that will allow workers to be more productive by freeing up time they usually spend in their inbox, or allowing them to more easily analyze trends in Excel. The tech giant based in Redmond, Washington, will also add a chat function…

Satellite-based communications technology is making its way to our phones, and it’s not just for emergency messaging. This new tech is expanding to standard messengers and making calls viable, ushering in an era of ground-to-orbit connectivity and unlocking endless possibilities. QUALCOMM’S SATELLITE CHIP IS ON APPROACH Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has partnered with Iridium to introduce Snapdragon Satellite, the world’s first satellite-based two-way messaging solution for premium smartphones. Snapdragon Satellite will offer global mobile messaging coverage, starting with devices based on the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform. Powered by Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems and Iridium’s weather-resilient L-band spectrum for uplink and downlink, Snapdragon Satellite will provide OEMs and other service providers with truly global coverage for emergency and two-way messaging. The solution will be available on next-generation smartphones, with…

Apple has recently rolled out the iOS 16.4 Release Candidate (RC) for developers and beta testers, containing references to the next-generation AirPods 4 and an updated charging case. In 2021, Apple introduced the AirPods 3, a substantial upgrade from previous models, featuring an all-new design, force sensor for media controls, personalized Spatial Audio, Adaptive EQ, skin detection, and more. The redesigned charging case for the AirPods 3 is sweat and water-resistant (IPX4) and comes in two versions: a Lightning charging case or a Lightning charging case with MagSafe wireless charging compatibility. The iOS 16.4 RC reveals references to a new AirPods model with the number A3048 and an AirPods charging case bearing the number A2968. Tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously reported that Apple’s partner, Foxconn, would commence mass production of…

Meme stocks jumped this week after GameStop, one of the most heavily traded off-brand stocks during the pandemic, posted a surprise profit for the fourth quarter, its first quarterly profit in two years. Rather than a per-share loss of 16 cents as Wall Street had expected, the video game retailer reported a profit of 16 cents per share, or $48.2 million in all. GameStop’s revenue fell and much of the profit gain came from aggressive cost cutting, including store closures and layoffs. However, as was the case during the pandemic, fundamentals that typically drive stock movement appear to be being pushed aside. Shares of GameStop Corp., Grapevine, Texas, surged 51% at the opening bell and it pulled other meme stocks along for the ride. During the pandemic, GameStop was a…

Google has suspended the Chinese shopping app Pinduoduo on its app store after malware was discovered in versions of the app from other sources. Google said in a statement that it suspended the Pinduoduo app on the Google Play app store out of “security concerns” and that it was investigating the matter. The suspension of the Pinduoduo app — mainly used in China — comes amid heightened U.S.-China tensions over Chinese-owned apps such as TikTok, which some U.S. lawmakers say could be a national security threat. They allege that such apps could be used to spy on American users. Pinduoduo is a popular e-commerce app in China which often offers discounts if users team up to buy multiples of an item. Google warned users to uninstall any Pinduoduo app not…

Markets this year are roiling, uncertainty abounds and the U.S. government has had to step in to rescue two large American banks in recent days. So why is bitcoin, considered among the riskiest bets of them all, rising so fast? Just months ago, all forms of cryptocurrency appeared to be going up in flames, with bitcoin plunging from almost $50,000 at the start of 2022, to less than $17,000 when 2023 rolled around. Bitcoin has since soared more than 60% and it climbed another 8% this week above $27,000, all in an era of mass layoffs in the tech sector and widespread anxiety about stability in the U.S. banking sector. SO WHAT HAPPENED? The pandemic was an era of massive growth for both technology companies and crypto. That surge began…

In a bid to ease turmoil in the world financial system, Swiss authorities engineered a plan for the UBS bank to acquire its troubled smaller rival Credit Suisse at a marked-down price. It’s another urgent attempt to fight fears that have put the financial world on edge 15 years after the failure of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers pitched the global economy into a crisis. Here are key things to know — and some things that aren’t yet known — about the takeover and the wider market anxiety fueled by bank failures in the U.S. WHY IS UBS TAKING OVER CREDIT SUISSE? Swiss authorities pushed UBS to take over its rival after the price of Credit Suisse shares plunged and depositors fled, raising fears that it could fail. Credit Suisse…

General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle unit asked California for permission to test the cars across the entire state. The GM subsidiary already is running an autonomous ride-hailing service in its hometown of San Francisco after testing for more than two years. It doesn’t have specific plans yet to expand testing in California, but applying with the Department of Motor Vehicles is a step toward entering cities such as Los Angeles. “While this application doesn’t represent any immediate change to our testing or operations, we hope to continue working with the California DMV to safely and responsibly test our services in other cities in the future,” Cruise spokesman Drew Pusateri said in a statement. If granted, the test permit won’t allow Cruise to carry non-employee passengers outside of San Francisco. Testing…

Sequels, by nature, are more. Whatever the original had, just add more, the rule seems to be. Even more words in the title — how often is a sequel’s title shorter than the original? And so, exactly four years after the original DC superhero pic “Shazam!” surprised with its clever blend of innocence and silliness, and enough wit to blunt the inevitable ridiculousness of plot, we have “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” It brings five times the title wordage, more action, more villains, more monsters and more star wattage — Oscar winner Helen Mirren, for example. But not more charm. The sequel, again directed by David F. Sandberg, feels less breezily funny, less fresh, less fleet of foot. (At two hours and 10 minutes, it’s actually two minutes shorter than…

Shawn Lee, a high school social studies teacher in Seattle, wants to see lessons on the internet akin to a kind of 21st century driver’s education, an essential for modern life. Lee has tried to bring that kind of education into his classroom, with lessons about the need to double-check online sources, to diversify newsfeeds and to bring critical thinking to the web. He’s also created an organization for other teachers to share resources. “This technology is so new that no one taught us how to use it,” Lee said. “People are like, ‘There’s nothing we can do,’ and they throw their hands in the air. I disagree with that. I would like to think the republic can survive an algorithm.” Lee’s efforts are part of a growing movement of…