Lead Hacker

Matt Mullenweg at WordCamp 2024 in Europe. | Image: WordCamp The lines between the WordPress open-source project, the nonprofit backing it, and the commercial arm owned by Automattic are blurring. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24262232/matt-mullenweg-wordpress-org-wp-engine

The fashionable and discreet Oura Ring Generation 3 is down to nearly its best price to date. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge Oura may have just announced the new Oura Ring 4 , but until its release on October 15th, the Oura Ring Generation 3 is still the best smart ring on the market . We don’t typically see it go on sale often, but right now, you can buy the Horizon model in black or silver starting at $299 ($50 off) from Amazon , Best Buy , and Oura — which is just $2 shy of its lowest price to date. The high-end titanium model is also available from Amazon , Best Buy , and Oura in various sizes starting at $349 ($100 off). The third-gen Oura Ring doesn’t offer some of the advanced fitness tracking features found in smartwatches; nevertheless, it’s still a good option if you’re looking for a stylish, discreet way to keep tabs on your health. It can last up to a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261151/oura-ring-generation-3-amazon

Image: Google Google is rolling out ads in AI Overviews, which means you’ll now start seeing products in some of the search engine’s AI-generated summaries. Let’s say you’re searching for ways to get a grass stain out of your pants. If you ask Google, its AI-generated response will offer some tips, along with suggestions for products to purchase that could help you remove the stain. The products will appear beneath a “sponsored” header, and Google spokesperson Craig Ewer told The Verge they’ll only show up if a question has a “commercial angle.” GIF: Google Google’s AI Overviews could contain relevant products. Google has been testing ads in AI Overviews since May but says it’s moving forward with a full rollout because it... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24260637/googles-ai-overview-ads-launch

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube Shorts, the company’s answer to TikTok, is getting updates including longer video lengths, the company announced today. Beginning on October 15th, creators will be able to upload YouTube Shorts that are up to three minutes in length — a feature YouTube says was highly requested by users. TikTok currently allows videos as long as 10 minutes and has steadily increased the limit over the years. YouTube also announced a template feature that lets creators reuse the format of other Shorts. YouTube says creators will be able to match their clips to trending sounds pulled from other videos, which is similar to a TikTok feature where users can pick from preset video styles and then tweak their own clips based on their preferences. Both... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24260170/youtube-shorts-increased-length-templates-tiktok

Illustration: The Verge If you can’t capture what you want to search for with just a picture, Google Lens will now let you take a video — and even use your voice to ask about what you’re seeing. The feature will surface an AI Overview and search results based on the video’s contents and your question. It’s rolling out in Search Labs on Android and iOS today. Google first previewed using video to search at I/O in May . As an example, Google says someone curious about the fish they’re seeing at an aquarium can hold up their phone to the exhibit, open the Google Lens app, and then hold down the shutter button. Once Lens starts recording, they can say their question: “Why are they swimming together?” Google Lens then uses the Gemini AI model to provide a response,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24259759/google-lens-search-video-ai-launch

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images It had all the makings of a typical recruiting event for a tech startup in San Francisco. There was free food, drinks, and live music generated via code being written in real time . But there were also mandatory metal detector screenings, ID checks, and security guards everywhere. It was held by Elon Musk at the original Mission District headquarters of OpenAI, which Musk cofounded before leaving after (reportedly) failing to take it over . And Musk was there to convince people to join his latest startup, xAI. The timing felt intentional. That same day, OpenAI was hosting its annual Dev Day across town, where CEO Sam Altman had spoken hours earlier to a packed auditorium of developers. The Silicon Valley rumor mill was buzzing about... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261160/elon-musk-xai-recruiting-party-openai-dev-day-sam-altman

Meta’s glasses include a privacy light, but it’s not always easily visible. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Two Harvard students have created an eerie demo of how smart glasses can use facial recognition tech to instantly dox people’s identities, phone numbers, and addresses. The most unsettling part is the demo uses current, widely available technology like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and public databases. AnhPhu Nguyen, one of the two students, posted a video showcasing the tech in action that was then picked up by 404 Media . Dubbed I-XRAY, the tech works by using the Meta smart glasses’ ability to livestream video to Instagram. A computer program then monitors that stream and uses AI to identify faces. Those photos are then fed into public databases to find names, addresses, phone numbers, and even relatives. That information is then fed... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/2/24260262/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses-doxxing-privacy

In an effort to make it a little easier to find all the stuff buried in your inbox, Gmail is releasing a big update to the “summary cards” feature that tries to surface the most important information in your messages before you even need to ask. If you’ve encountered summary cards before in Gmail, it’s probably in the context of buying something. If you open an order confirmation email, Gmail might put a box at the top that shows the items you bought and the total purchase, plus maybe a link to track the package. Going forward, that box should be more useful and more timely, says Maria Fernandez Guajardo, the senior director of product for Gmail. When you’re waiting for your package, it might show when it’s arriving; once it’s arrived,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/2/24259700/gmail-summary-cards-tracking-events-email

Sony has updated its LinkBuds line with on-device voice controls and head gestures for answering or dismissing phone calls. | Image: Sony Sony has announced new versions of its LinkBuds wireless earbuds with “improved wearability” and built-in voice controls, making them easier to leave in your ears all day. Both the new LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit are available for preorder today for $199.99, alongside a new LinkBuds Speaker debuting at $179.99 that will be limited to the US market. The original Sony LinkBuds, first announced in early 2022 , featured a unique “ open ring design ” that skipped sound-isolating ear tips for a donut-shaped speaker, allowing ambient sounds to be heard at all times. The new version, now known as the LinkBuds Open, features a similar but smaller design, with a new 11-millimeter speaker to enhance volume and bass performance. Sony also includes... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24256202/sony-linkbuds-open-fit-wirele