Innehållsförteckning för #560 från AppleMagazine

The tech industry’s latest artificial intelligence constructs can be pretty convincing if you ask them what it feels like to be a sentient computer, or maybe just a dinosaur or squirrel. But they’re not so good — and sometimes dangerously bad — at handling other seemingly straightforward tasks. Take, for instance, GPT-3, a Microsoft-controlled system that can generate paragraphs of human-like text based on what it’s learned from a vast database of digital books and online writings. It’s considered one of the most advanced of a new generation of AI algorithms that can converse, generate readable text on demand and even produce novel images and video. Among other things, GPT-3 can write up most any text you ask for — a cover letter for a zookeeping job, say, or a…

The young people come and go on their electric motorcycles at this highway outside Cuba’s capital where they perform stunts and talk about their two-wheelers, which would be largely silent if it weren’t for the music blasting from speakers. Cuba has been flooded in recent years with “motorinas,” as the electric scooters are called on the island, which have been promoted by the government as efficient alternatives amid extreme gas and diesel shortages, and as a solution to the country’s transportation problems. Authorities permitted their importation last decade – Cubans cannot import motorcycles with gasoline or diesel engines – and since then about 300,000 of them have circulated on the island, said Col. Mario Ríos Labrada, head of vehicle registry at the National Transit Directorate. In comparison there are an…

Netflix shed almost 1 million subscribers during the spring amid tougher competition and soaring inflation that’s squeezing household budgets, heightening the urgency behind the video streaming service’s effort to launch a cheaper option with commercial interruptions. The April-June contraction of 970,000 accounts, announced this week as part of Netflix’s second-quarter earnings report, is by far the largest quarterly subscriber loss in the company’s 25-year history. It could have been far worse, though, considering Netflix management released an April forecast calling for a loss of 2 million subscribers during the second quarter. Netflix was probably spared from deeper losses by the ongoing popularity of “Stranger Things,” its science fiction/horror series that debuted in 2016. Following the release of the series’ fourth season in late May, Netflix said, viewers watched a total…

The local economic development agency that worked with Georgia officials in recruiting Hyundai Motor Group to build a $5.5 billion electric car plant near Savannah approved its portions of the deal Tuesday, though details of tax breaks and other incentives have yet to be disclosed. The joint development authority that voted to enter the deal represents four southeast Georgia counties that will give up hundreds of millions in taxes in exchange for at least 8,100 jobs Hyundai has promised to create. Officials said they won’t release details of the incentives package until the state and Hyundai finalize the deal, possibly later this week. “I think it’s very fair, I think it’s very equitable,” Trip Tollison, who heads the Savannah Economic Development Authority, said of the deal. “I think it represents…

Amazon has filed a lawsuit against administrators of more than 10,000 Facebook groups it accuses of coordinating fake reviews in exchange for money or free products. The Seattle-based e-commerce giant said in a statement posted on its website this week the Facebook groups were set up to recruit people “willing to post incentivized and misleading reviews” across its stores in the U.S. the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Japan. The problem over phony reviews is not new for Amazon, or e-commerce as a whole. Amazon itself has previously sued people it said were offering fake testimonials, though lawmakers and regulators have questioned whether the company was doing enough to combat the issue. Last year, U.K. competition regulators launched a probe into whether the online retailer and Google were taking…

a lighter shade of blue Christina Perri More than a decade after her breakthrough hit single “Jar of Hearts”, and less than two years after giving birth to stillborn baby girl Rosie, the singer-songwriter and balladeer Christina Perri is in an understandably reflective mood on her fifth studio album. FIVE FACTS: 1. Perri has recently suffered two pregnancy losses: one stillbirth in November 2020 and a miscarriage 10 months beforehand. 2. “There was so much anger and pain and sadness,” Perri has explained – adding that, on some days, “I couldn’t even see a future version of me.” 3. The new album includes “evergone”, a piano ballad paying tribute to Rosie. 4. Perri has told CelebMix that “sharing my experience feels right, and I genuinely feel at peace to be…

Despite a year of disruptions, students largely made academic gains this past year that paralleled their growth pre-pandemic and outpaced the previous school year, according to new research released from NWEA, a nonprofit research group that administers standardized tests. Gains across income levels partially closed the gap in learning that resulted from the pandemic, researchers found. But students in high-poverty schools had fallen further behind, making it likely they will need more time than their higher-income peers to make a full recovery. The results are a measured sign of hope for academic recovery from COVID-19. But sustained effort and investment in education remain crucial. “These signs of rebounding are especially heartening during another challenging school year of more variants, staff shortages, and a host of uncertainties. We think that speaks…

A computer vulnerability discovered last year in a ubiquitous piece of software is an “endemic” problem that will pose security risks for potentially a decade or more, according to a new cybersecurity panel created by President Joe Biden. The Cyber Safety Review Board said in a report that while there hasn’t been sign of any major cyberattack due to the Log4j flaw, it will still “be exploited for years to come.” “Log4j is one of the most serious software vulnerabilities in history,” the board’s chairman, Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Rob Silvers, told reporters. The Log4j flaw, made public late last year, lets internet-based attackers easily seize control of everything from industrial control systems to web servers and consumer electronics. The first obvious signs of the flaw’s exploitation appeared…

At this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple outlined significant changes coming to its CarPlay platform, designed to revolutionize the in-car experience. The software is the first glimpse at what Apple envisions for the future of automobiles, and with Apple Car still in active development, the new update signals a change of gear for the Cupertino company. INTRODUCING CARPLAY 2.0 Although WWDC is typically reserved for iOS and watchOS updates, this year, Apple made some significant changes to its in-car entertainment system. Powered by iOS, CarPlay lets iPhone users enjoy a familiar experience in their vehicles, and as of 2022, every major car manufacturer currently offers models that support CarPlay or is planning to introduce them. This year, Apple offered a ‘sneak peek’ at the next generation of CarPlay, showing off…

The U.S. Postal Service plans to substantially increase the number of electric-powered vehicles it’s buying to replace its fleet of aging delivery trucks, officials said. The Postal Service anticipates boosting electric vehicles from 20% to 50% in its initial purchase of 50,000 vehicles — with the first of them rolling onto delivery routes next year. It also proposes buying an additional 34,500 commercially available vehicles over two years, officials said. The proposal, posted in the Federal Register on Thursday, came after 16 states, environmental groups and a labor union sued to halt purchases of next-generation delivery vehicles under the initial plan that was skewed heavily toward gas-powered trucks. The new environmental proposal effectively pauses the purchases at 84,500 total vehicles — 40% electric — even as the Postal Service seek…

Delta is ordering 100 737 Max 10 airplanes, the largest of the line produced by Boeing, potentially giving the manufacturer additional momentum after a troubled rollout of its most advanced aircraft. Delta has an option to purchase 30 more of the aircraft as the airline looks to keep up with surging travel demand. Boeing has struggled to keep up with its European rival Airbus after a pair of 737 Max aircraft crashed in a short span of time, killing 346 passengers and crew members. Shares of Boeing Co. rose 3% and Delta Air Lines Inc., based in Atlanta, gained 5% in early trading. Airlines are aggressively trying to reduce costs and the 737 Max can help them do that. Delta Air Lines said that the airplanes, which can seat up…

SCIENCE Researcher Dhruv Sareen’s own stem cells are now orbiting the Earth. The mission? To test whether they’ll grow better in zero gravity. Scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles are trying to find new ways to produce huge batches of a type of stem cell that can generate nearly any other type of cell in the body — and potentially be used to make treatments for many diseases. The cells arrived over the weekend at the International Space Station on a supply ship. “I don’t think I would be able to pay whatever it costs now” to take a private ride to space, Sareen said. “At least a part of me in cells can go up!” The experiment is the latest research project that involves shooting stem cells…

Jurassic World Dominion Four years after the theme park of Jurassic World was destroyed, dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans worldwide. This fragile balance turns out to have grave implications for former Jurassic World staffers Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard). FIVE FACTS: 1. This is the third movie in the Jurassic World franchise, following 2015’s Jurassic World and 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. 2. These three films continue the narrative from the original Jurassic Park trilogy of 1993’s Jurassic Park, 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park and 2001’s Jurassic Park III. 3. For Jurassic World Dominion, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill reprise their respective roles as Ellie Sattler, Ian Malcolm, and Alan Grant from the original Jurassic Park trilogy. 4. In March…

A popular Chinese-made automotive GPS tracker used in 169 countries has severe software vulnerabilities, posing a potential danger to highway safety, national security and supply chains, cybersecurity researchers have found. A report by the Boston cybersecurity firm BitSight says the flaws could let attackers remotely hijack device-equipped vehicles, cutting off fuel to them and otherwise seizing control while they travel. The researchers say users should immediately disable the MV720 GPS tracker until a fix becomes available. The report was released this week to coincide with an advisory from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency listing five vulnerabilities. BitSight said it tried unsuccessfully for months — beginning in September, with CISA joining it in late April — to engage the manufacturer, Shenzen-based MiCODUS, in discussion addressing the vulnerabilities. A phone…

The use of electric bikes is surging, so lawmakers and wildlife officials are studying their impacts on trails to determine where they should be allowed. The Washington Department Fish and Wildlife and Department of Natural Resources is conducting a survey that’s looking at the use of e-bikes on natural surface trails, KING5 reported. “We’ve already had like 7,000 respondents to that survey, and our public meetings, we had at least 120 people at each of those,” said Heide Anderson, recreation planner for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Legislation passed last year also directs wildlife officials to get input from several groups, including tribal leaders and the disabled community. “E-bikes really provide a way for a lot of people to access trails and public lands that might not otherwise…

A first-of-its-kind proposal in the California Legislature aimed at holding social media companies responsible for harming children who have become addicted to their products would no longer let parents sue popular platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The revised proposal would still make social media companies liable for damages of up to $250,000 per violation for using features they know can cause children to become addicted. But it would only let prosecutors, not parents, file the lawsuits against social media companies. The legislation was amended last month, CalMatters reported. The bill’s author, Republican Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham, said he made the change to make sure the bill had enough votes to pass in the state Senate, where he said a number of lawmakers were “nervous about creating new types of lawsuits.” “They…

In their first rollouts of electric vehicles, America’s automakers targeted people who value short-range economy cars. Then came EVs for luxury buyers and drivers of pickups and delivery vans. Now, the companies are zeroing in at the heart of the U.S. auto market: The compact SUV. In their drive to have EVs dominate vehicle sales in coming years, the automakers are promoting their new models as having the range, price and features to rival their gas-powered competitors. Some are so far proving quite popular. Ford’s $45,000-plus Mustang Mach E is sold out for the model year. On Monday night, General Motors’ Chevrolet brand introduced an electric version of its Blazer, also starting around $45,000, when it goes on sale next summer. Also coming next year: An electric Chevy Equinox, with…

Tesla CEO Elon Musk lost his fight to delay Twitter’s lawsuit against him as a Delaware judge set an October trial, citing the “cloud of uncertainty” over the social media company after the billionaire backed out of a deal to buy it. “Delay threatens irreparable harm,” said Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, the head judge of Delaware’s Court of Chancery, which handles many high-profile business disputes. “The longer the delay, the greater the risk.” Twitter had asked for an expedited trial in September, while Musk’s team called for waiting until early next year because of the complexity of the case. McCormick said Musk’s team underestimated the Delaware court’s ability to “quickly process complex litigation.” Twitter is trying to force the billionaire to make good on his April promise to buy…

Virgin Galactic announced that it has selected the Phoenix suburb of Mesa as the site where it will assemble its next class of rocket ships. Officials with the aerospace and space travel company said they have signed a long-term lease for a new final assembly manufacturing facility adjacent to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. They said the facility will be capable of producing up to six spaceships per year and bring hundreds of aerospace engineering and manufacturing jobs to Mesa. Virgin Galactic officials said the Delta class suborbital spaceplanes will be designed to fly weekly, supporting the company’s target of 400 flights annually from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The first of the spaceships is expected to start payload flights in late 2025 with private astronaut flights in 2026. Last week,…

For a young imagination, there is something uniquely captivating about a stowaway story on the high seas. The stakes are great, but the adventure is so far removed from any reality most kids know that it becomes a purely transportive experience. It is a fantasy you can get wrapped up in and put away when it’s over. Disney veteran Chris Williams (“Big Hero 6”) said it was the rollicking adventures he grew up watching, “King Kong,”“Raiders of the Lost Ark,”“Treasure Island” and “Lawrence of Arabia” among them, that made him want to make movies. And with “ The Sea Beast,” an animated fantasy adventure which debuts on Netflix on Friday, Williams, who directed and co-wrote, has made something quite winning for all ages. In this world, which seems to be…

Airplanes are a minor contributor to global greenhouse-gas emissions, but their share is sure to grow as more people travel in coming years — and that has the aviation industry facing the prospect of tighter environmental regulations and higher costs. The industry has embraced a goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. Experts who track the issue are skeptical. Until the COVID-19 pandemic caused travel to slump, airlines were on a steady course of burning more fuel, year after year. Today’s aircraft engines are the most efficient ever, but improvements in reducing fuel burn are agonizingly slow — about 1% a year on average. At Monday’s opening of a huge aviation industry show near London, discussion about climate change replaced much of the usual buzz over big airplane orders.…