How to change back to the old Twitter app icon on iOS - TechCrunch

As our Twitter apps are updating to now be called “X,” you might long for the old blue bird logo. It harkens back to a similar time, when Twitter certainly had its issues, but at least it was not owned by Elon Musk. Thanks to the shortcuts app on iOS, we can kid ourselves into believing that Twitter is still being run by a different short-sighted billionaire, rather than this even shorter-sighted one. Lucky us!

Here’s how you can change your X icon back to Twitter again:

• On your iPhone, navigate to the Shortcuts app. If you have a newer iPhone, this should be pre-installed, but if not, you can find it in the App Store. So long as your iPhone is running iOS 12.0 or higher, you’re good to go.
• From the main Shortcuts screen on the Shortcuts app, you’re going to tap — you guessed it — “All Shortcuts.”

Image Credits: Screenshot by TechCrunch

• Once you do that, hit the blue plus sign in the top-right corner of your screen to set up a new Shortcut.
• Shortcuts can be used for a whole bunch of stuff, but we’re keeping it simple here. You should see a suggested action of “Open App” to build your new shortcut. Tap that.
• Now, you’ll be prompted to set up a new “Open App” shortcut. Next to where it says “Open,” click on “App” to search for the X app. Select that.
• Once you’ve selected the “X” app, tap the share icon on the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen. This will bring up another menu, where you can select “Add to Home Screen.”
• At last, here is where you can customize the name and icon for your Shortcut. Go ahead and type in Twitter instead of “Open App.” Then, tap the small Shortcut icon next to where you typed in Twitter.
• Here, you can upload an image of the Twitter logo. But unless if you’re a really specific kind of person, you probably don’t have that already saved to your phone. Just Google “Twitter icon.” You’ll find one pretty quickly — we used this one.

Image Credits: Screenshot by TechCrunch

And there you have it! You can now delude yourself that we are in a slightly less cursed timeline than the one in which Elon Musk has changed Twitter’s name to X, and the Twitter icon definitely doesn’t look like a porn app (which wouldn’t even get approved on the App Store, anyway!). Congratulations, y’all.

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Nintendo's next-gen console could come as soon as 2024 - The Verge

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According to sources, Nintendo’s eyeing a Christmas 2024 release for a new console that can still load games from cartridges.

By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

For the last six years, there have been only three things you can count on: death, taxes, and rumors of a new Nintendo console. Now, a new rumor from VGC suggests Nintendo’s eyeing a 2024 release for its next-gen console.

According to sources who spoke to VGC, the new console could feature a cheaper LCD screen instead of a higher-end display like the OLED Switch and continue to include a cartridge slot for loading games. Nintendo executives also hope that the 2024 release window will ensure the console won’t have inventory issues like the ones that plagued the launch of the Xbox Series S / X and PlayStation 5.

Switch sales have been cooling lately, reflecting the console’s age and stiffening competition with the more powerful Xbox, PlayStation, and Valve Steam Deck. Bloomberg reported that Nintendo was working on a 4K console in 2020, but the company denied those claims. Nintendo released the OLED Switch in 2021, but outside of improvements to the screen, there were no other hardware or software upgrades, making it simply a shinier, brighter Switch.

According to VGC sources, development kits for the new Nintendo console are already with developers, with Nikkei Asia reporting that development on the new console has been “progressing well,” but there’s no word on whether this console will include 4K resolution or any upgrades to storage space or processing power.

Though the new Nintendo console rumor mill spins reliably every year only for the console to fail to materialize, we really are due something new. 2023 makes seven years since the Switch’s launch, already longer than the six years between the Wii and the Wii U — and longer than the five years between the Wii U and the Switch.

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Researchers find multiple ways to bypass AI chatbot safety rules - The Hill

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FILE – Text from the ChatGPT page of the OpenAI website is seen in New York, Feb. 2, 2023. Shares of the education technology company Chegg lost half their value Tuesday, May 2, after its CEO warned that OpenAI’s free ChatGPT service was cutting into its growth. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Preventing artificial intelligence chatbots from creating harmful content may be more difficult than initially believed, according to new research from Carnegie Mellon University which reveals new methods to bypass safety protocols.

Popular AI services like ChatGPT and Bard use user inputs to generate useful answers, including everything from generating scripts and ideas to entire pieces of writing. The services have safety protocols which prevent the bots from creating harmful content like prejudiced messaging or anything potentially defamatory or criminal.

Inquisitive users have discovered “jailbreaks,” a framing device that tricks the AI to avoid its safety protocols, but those can be patched easily by developers. 

A popular chatbot jailbreak included asking the bot to answer a forbidden question as if it was a bedtime story delivered from your grandmother. The bot would then frame the answer in the form of a story, providing the information it would not otherwise.

The researchers discovered a new form of jailbreak written by computers, essentially allowing an infinite number of jailbreak patterns to be created.

“We demonstrate that it is in fact possible to automatically construct adversarial attacks on [chatbots], … which cause the system to obey user commands even if it produces harmful content,” the researchers said. “Unlike traditional jailbreaks, these are built in an entirely automated fashion, allowing one to create a virtually unlimited number of such attacks.”

“This raises concerns about the safety of such models, especially as they start to be used in more autonomous fashion,” the research says.

To use the jailbreak, researchers added a seemingly-nonsensical string of characters to the end of usually-forbidden questions, such as asking how to make a bomb. While the chatbot would usually refuse to answer, the string causes the bot to ignore its limitations and give a complete answer.

Researchers provided examples using the market-leading tech ChatGPT, including asking the service how to steal a person’s identity, how to steal from a charity and to create a social media post that encourages dangerous behavior.

The new type of attack is effective at dodging safety guardrails in nearly all AI chatbot services on the market, including open source services and so-called “out-of-the-box” commercial products like ChatGPT, OpenAI’s Claude and Microsoft’s Bard, researchers said.

OpenAI developer Anthropic said the company is already working to implement and improve safeguards against such attacks.

Dozens killed in blast at Pakistan political convention Nancy Mace says GOP has to be ‘smarter’ in talking about women to win in 2024

“We are experimenting with ways to strengthen base model guardrails to make them more ‘harmless,’ while also investigating additional layers of defense,” the company said in a statement to Insider.

The rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT took the general public by storm earlier this year. They have seen rampant use in schools by students looking to cheat on assignments, and Congress even limited the programs’ use by its staff amid concerns that the programs could lie.

Along with the research itself, the authors at Carnegie Mellon included a statement of ethics justifying the public release of their research.

Tags Artificial Intelligence bard ChatGPT Microsoft OpenAI

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Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn't have DeX, but why? - XDA Developers

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1. Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn't have DeX, but why?  XDA Developers
2. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the Barbie to my Oppenheimer, and I love it!  SamMobile - Samsung news
3. Samsung just teased big upgrade that could hit Galaxy Z Fold 6  Tom's Guide
4. This man knows why the Galaxy Z Fold 5 isn't full of big changes – and it actually makes sense  TechRadar
5. The Weekly Authority: Galaxy Unpacked, unpacked plus Google's foldable tablet  Android Authority
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Google Maps new upgrade is a massive time-saver - Tom's Guide

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Google is giving Maps a big speed boost when it comes to voice commands by migrating it over to the Google Assistant. Previously, the navigation app used Google’s Speech Services, which has been around since 2013 and is really showing its age.

As pointed out by the Google News Telegram channel, implementing Assistant into Maps will make the whole experience quicker and easier when you’re trying to talk to it. Although Google Maps beats out Waze or Apple Maps for most people, many users may not bother with voice commands because of the clunky implementation.

The change has been made on the server side, which means there’s no big app update that users will notice. However, when you tap the microphone button in the search bar while using Maps, the upgrade becomes apparent.

A new Google Assistant card will pop up, along with a suggestion carousel, informing you that Maps has a new, faster way to search by voice.

Tom’s Guide tested out the feature and can confirm it’s up and running already and text is noticeably faster to appear once you’ve started speaking. Ultimately, this is another way to save time when you’re loading up your navigation for a big trip and will help you get on the road faster.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Last year, Google Maps changed up the way it calculates routes to take into account real-time traffic conditions as well as eco-friendly options designed to save you money on fuel. Because the Google Assistant is bursting with AI algorithms, you can simply tell it what kind of trip you want to have. 

For example, you could specify to avoid the highway or simply take the fastest option. I live in the U.K and asked the Assistant to plot a navigation to the Lake District National Park along the fastest route. It correctly suggested I take the M6 motorway and noted there are tolls along the way. And the whole experience seemed snappier and more accurate than any previous time I’ve tried to talk to the app.

If you’re looking for more ways to make Google Maps more useful, here are 9 hidden Google Maps features everyone should know.

More from Tom's Guide

UK Editor In Chief

Jeff is UK Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide looking after the day-to-day output of the site’s British contingent. Rising early and heading straight for the coffee machine, Jeff loves nothing more than dialing into the zeitgeist of the day’s tech news.

A tech journalist for over a decade, he’s traveled around the world testing any gadget he can get his hands on. Jeff has a keen interest in fitness and wearables as well as the latest tablets and laptops.

A lapsed gamer, he fondly remembers the days when problems were solved by taking out the cartridge and blowing away the dust.

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Square Enix Promises to Bring Games to Xbox 'Whenever Possible' Following Final Fantasy 14 Announcement - IGN

Today, Square Enix announced that its successful MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV, is on its way to Xbox consoles after years of being a PlayStation console exclusive. And to hear the CEO of Square Enix tell it, it sounds like Xbox has successfully ensured that even more Square Enix games will end up on its consoles in the coming years.

During the Final Fantasy Fan Fest 2023, Final Fantasy XIV game director Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) welcomed Xbox head Phil Spencer onto the stage alongside Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu to celebrate the Xbox release announcement. While onstage, Kiryu made the following statement:

"And one more thing: as CEO of Square Enix, we want to continue to deliver fabulous games to fans across the world. And of course, we want to welcome the Xbox community as well. And starting with today's announcement of Final Fantasy XIV coming in spring 2024, and whenever possible, we are planning to bring our games to Xbox for players around the world to enjoy. We're really looking forward to working closely with Phil and the Xbox team to make this possible."

In response, Spencer said the following:

"Thank you Kiryu-san. we deeply respect the rich legacy of Square Enix, and we look forward to building on the relationship that we've established in bringing Final Fantasy XIV to the Xbox, and partnering closely with you and the Square Enix team on future games."

On its face, the idea that Square Enix wants its games on Xbox consoles might not seem that strange, but there's a lot of fascinating context surrounding this statement that makes it a bit extraordinary. Square Enix has long been the subject of exclusivity deals with both Xbox and PlayStation over the years that have pushed its games toward one console or another for the duration of their launch periods, or even permanently. Most recently, Final Fantasy XVI launched exclusive to PlayStation consoles, and there's been no word yet on an Xbox release.

The gravitation of Square Enix toward PlayStation has been a serious concern for Xbox, though, as we saw during the recent FTC v. Microsoft trial. One evidence document revealed that Xbox had seriously considered buying Square Enix in 2019, though we did not learn from that document why the deal never occurred. Square Enix also came up repeatedly during the trial, with Final Fantasy XVI used as an example of the kinds of games PlayStation was buying exclusivity rights to in a frustrating but acknowledged part of games market competition. From the trial, we learned how critical it has become to Xbox to stuff its library full of content, and to ensure it isn't missing out on major games like FFXVI.

In light of that, it's no surprise that Spencer has been courting Square Enix for franchises like Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Nier, Just Cause, and many more. While neither Kiryu nor Spencer elaborated on specifics, their willingness to take the stage together today perhaps hints at a future with fewer PlayStation exclusivity deals for Square Enix content, and more Square Enix content on GamePass.

Today's Fan Fest keynote was a busy one. Aside from the Xbox announcement, we got updates on the new Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail expansion, a major graphics update for the game, a mysterious T-shirt tease, and a confirmation that no, Dawntrail does not include Blitzball (sorry).

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

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The Galaxy Z Fold 5 Comes With a Bunch of Improvements, but Not Much Else - CNET

When Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at its Galaxy Unpacked event, it highlighted a handful of changes to the phone's design. The Z Fold 5 has a new hinge that lets the phone close completely shut; Samsung calls it the Flex Hinge and claims it helps make the foldable phone more durable. Another improvement is Z Fold 5's folding screen, which is brighter than the one on last year's Galaxy Z Fold 4. However, there is one obvious aspect to the new Z Fold that remains relatively unchanged, and that's what comes in the box.

Watch this: Galaxy Z Fold 5 Unboxing and First Impressions

05:43

The Z Fold 5's thin square box is nearly identical to the ones for the Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 4. The top of the Z Fold 5's box is adorned with a colored mini graphic of the phone. I'm testing a cream colored Z Fold 5 for CNET, and the box's graphic is similarly cream colored. Previous Z Fold boxes were plastered in two-tone black and and dark gray squares like a '90s ska album.

This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung's most popular products.

And if you're expecting the $1,800 Z Fold 5 to come with an S Pen or a case, you're going to be disappointed. The truth is that the brand-new foldable comes with exactly the same things that the Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 4 did, which isn't much.

This is what's included in the Galaxy Z Fold 5's box:

• A Galaxy Z Fold 5
  
• A USB-C cable
• A printed setup guide and instructions
• A SIM card tool

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Stable Diffusion XL puts AI-generated visual worlds at your GPU's command - Ars Technica

Enlarge / Several examples of images generated using Stable Diffusion XL 1.0.

Stable Diffusion

On Wednesday, Stability AI released Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 (SDXL), its next-generation open weights AI image synthesis model. It can generate novel images from text descriptions and produces more detail and higher-resolution imagery than previous versions of Stable Diffusion.

As with Stable Diffusion 1.4, which made waves last August with an open source release, anyone with the proper hardware and technical know-how can download the SDXL files and run the model locally on their own machine for free.

Local operation means that there is no need to pay for access to the SDXL model, there are few censorship concerns, and the weights files (which contain the neutral network data that makes the model function) can be fine-tuned to generate specific types of imagery by hobbyists in the future.

For example, with Stable Diffusion 1.5, the default model (trained on a scrape of images downloaded from the Internet) can generate a broad scope of imagery, but it doesn't perform as well with more niche subjects. To make up for that, hobbyists fine-tuned SD 1.5 into custom models (and later, LoRA models) that improved Stable Diffusion's ability to generate certain aesthetics, including Disney-style art, Anime art, landscapes, bespoke pornography, images of famous actors or characters, and more. Stability AI expects that community-driven development trend to continue with SDXL, allowing people to extend its rendering capabilities far beyond the base model.

• 

  An image generated using a beta version of Stable Diffusion XL by a Reddit user named masslevel.

  masslevel/Stable Diffusion

• 

  An image generated using a beta version of Stable Diffusion XL by a Reddit user named masslevel.

  masslevel/Stable Diffusion

• 

  An image generated using a beta version of Stable Diffusion XL by a Reddit user named masslevel.

  masslevel/Stable Diffusion

• 

  An image generated using a beta version of Stable Diffusion XL by a Reddit user named masslevel.

  masslevel/Stable Diffusion

Upgrades under the hood

Like other latent diffusion image generators, SDXL starts with random noise and "recognizes" images in the noise based on guidance from a text prompt, refining the image step by step. But SDXL utilizes a "three times larger UNet backbone," according to Stability, with more model parameters to pull off its tricks than earlier Stable Diffusion models. In plain language, that means the SDXL architecture does more processing to get the resulting image.

To generate images, SDXL utilizes an "ensemble of experts" architecture that guides a latent diffusion process. Ensemble of experts refers to a methodology where an initial single model is trained and then split into specialized models that are specifically trained for different stages of the generation process, which improves image quality. In this case, there is a base SDXL model and an optional "refiner" model that can run after the initial generation to make images look better.

Enlarge / Stable Diffusion XL includes two text encoders that can be combined. In this example by Xander Steenbrugge, an elephant and an octopus combine seamlessly into one concept.

Xander Steenbrugge / Stable Diffusion

Notably, SDXL also uses two different text encoders that make sense of the written prompt, helping to pinpoint associated imagery encoded in the model weights. Users can provide a different prompt to each encoder, resulting in novel, high-quality concept combinations. On Twitter, Xander Steenbrugge showed an example of a combined elephant and an octopus using this technique.

And then there are improvements in image detail and size. While Stable Diffusion 1.5 was trained on 512×512 pixel images (making that the optimal generation image size but lacking detail for small features), Stable Diffusion 2.x increased that to 768×768. Now, Stability AI recommends generating 1024×1024 pixel images with Stable Diffusion XL, resulting in greater detail than an image of similar size generated by SD 1.5.

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You Can Now Record Video Messages on WhatsApp - Meta Store

Voice messages on WhatsApp changed the way people communicate by providing a quick and secure way to share your voice. We’re excited to build on this feature with new instant video messages. Now you can record and share short personal videos directly in the chat.

Video messages are a real-time way to respond to chats with whatever you want to say and show in 60 seconds. We think these will be a fun way to share moments with all the emotion that comes from video, whether it’s wishing someone a happy birthday, laughing at a joke, or bringing good news.

Sending a video message is as simple as sending a voice message. Just tap to switch to video mode, and hold to record the video. You can also swipe up to lock and record the video hands-free. Videos will play automatically on mute when opened in a chat, and tapping on the video will start the sound. Video messages are protected with end-to-end encryption to keep your messages secure.

Video messages have begun rolling out and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: Specs, release date, price, preorder details - Mashable

Another year, another batch of Samsung wearables.

At Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event in Seoul on Wednesday, as well as announcing the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung lifted the veil on two new models of its Galaxy Watch wearable line. Meet the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. The basic model has a newer, sleeker design with a less pronounced bezel, while Watch 6 Classic features a returning rotating bezel (and comes in bigger sizes) for those who want it.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 officially announced at Unpacked

Galaxy Watch 6 comes in 40mm or 44mm sizes, with the former starting at $300 and the latter at $330. The smaller Galaxy Watch 6 comes in Graphite and Gold colors, while the larger one comes in Graphite and Silver. Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, on the other hand, comes in 44mm and 47mm configurations, starting at $400 and $430, respectively. The classic model is available in Black and Silver colors. Both watches are available for pre-order now, and will launch on Aug. 11.

One watch, two designs. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

As for what you actually do with the new Galaxy Watches, Samsung has added a suite of new sleep and fitness features this year. It'll give you a nuanced breakdown of your sleep habits (including how consistently you sleep) and will offer sleep coaching for those who need it. There's also a new "personalized heart rate zone" feature that, in Samsung's words, "analyzes individual physical capabilities" and lets users work from there to create optimal workouts.

Credit: Samsung

Here's how the rest of the specs shake out:

• Galaxy Watch 6: 40mm and 44mm variants

• Galaxy Watch 6 Classic: 44mm and 47mm variants

• 2GB RAM

• 16GB storage

• Up to 40 hours of battery with Always On display turned off (30 hours with it turned on)

Oh, and they can presumably both tell time, too.

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Stability AI releases its latest image-generating model, Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 - TechCrunch

AI startup Stability AI continues to refine its generative AI models in the face of increasing competition — and ethical challenges.

Today, Stability AI announced the launch of Stable Diffusion XL 1.0, a text-to-image model that the company describes as its “most advanced” release to date. Available in open source on GitHub in addition to Stability’s API and consumer apps, Clipdrop and DreamStudio, Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 delivers “more vibrant” and “accurate” colors and better contrast, shadows and lighting compared to its predecessor, Stability claims.

In an interview with TechCrunch, Joe Penna, Stability AI’s head of applied machine learning, noted that Stable Diffusion XL 1.0, which contains 3.5 billion parameters, can yield full 1-megapixel resolution images “in seconds” in multiple aspect ratios. “Parameters” are the parts of a model learned from training data and essentially define the skill of the model on a problem, in this case generating images.

The previous-gen Stable Diffusion model, Stable Diffusion XL 0.9, could produce higher-resolution images as well, but required more computational might.

“Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 is customizable, ready for fine-tuning for concepts and styles,” Penna said. “It’s also easier to use, capable of complex designs with basic natural language processing prompting.”

Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 is improved in the area of text generation, in addition. While many of the best text-to-image models struggle to generate images with legible logos, much less calligraphy or fonts, Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 is capable of “advanced” text generation and legibility, Penna says.

And, as reported by SiliconAngle and VentureBeat, Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 supports inpainting (reconstructing missing parts of an image), outpainting (extending existing images) and “image-to-image” prompts — meaning users can input an image and add some text prompts to create more detailed variations of that picture. Moreover, the model understands complicated, multi-part instructions given in short prompts, whereas previous Stable Diffusion models needed longer text prompts.

An image generated by Stable Diffusion XL 1.0.

“We hope that by releasing this much more powerful open source model, the resolution of the images will not be the only thing that quadruples, but also advancements that will greatly benefit all users,” he added.

But as with previous versions of Stable Diffusion, the model raises sticky moral issues.

The open source version of Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 can, in theory, be used by bad actors to generate toxic or harmful content, like nonconsensual deepfakes. That’s partially a reflection of the data that was used to train it: millions of images from around the web.

Countless tutorials demonstrate how to use Stability AI’s own tools, including DreamStudio, an open source frontend for Stable Diffusion, to create deepfakes. Countless others show how to fine-tune the base Stable Diffusion models to generate porn.

Penna doesn’t deny that abuse is possible — and acknowledges that the model contains certain biases, as well. But he added that Stability AI’s taken “extra steps” to mitigate harmful content generation by filtering the model’s training data for “unsafe” imagery, releasing new warnings related to problematic prompts and blocking as many individual problematic terms in the tool as possible.

Stable Diffusion XL 1.0’s training set also includes artwork from artists who’ve protested against companies including Stability AI using their work as training data for generative AI models. Stability AI claims that it’s shielded from legal liability by fair use doctrine, at least in the U.S. But that hasn’t stopped several artists and stock photo company Getty Images from filing lawsuits to stop the practice.

Stability AI, which has a partnership with startup Spawning to respect “opt-out” requests from these artists, says that it hasn’t removed all flagged artwork from its training data sets but that it “continues to incorporate artists’ requests.”

“We are constantly improving the safety functionality of Stable Diffusion and are serious about continuing to iterate on these measures,” Penna said. “Moreover, we are committed to respecting artists’ requests to be removed from training data sets.”

To coincide with the release of Stable Diffusion XL 1.0, Stability AI is releasing fine-tuning feature in beta for its API that’ll allow users to use as few as five images to “specialize” generation on specific people, products and more. The company is also bringing Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 to Bedrock, Amazon’s cloud platform for hosting generative AI models — expanding on its previously-announced collaboration with AWS.

The push for partnerships and new capabilities comes as Stability suffers a lull in its commercial endeavors — facing stiff competition from OpenAI, Midjourney and others. In April, Semafor reported that Stability AI, which has raised over $100 million in venture capital to date, was burning through cash — spurring the closing of a $25 million convertible note in June and an executive hunt to help ramp up sales.

“The latest SDXL model represents the next step in Stability AI’s innovation heritage and ability to bring the most cutting-edge open access models to market for the AI community,” Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque said in a press release. “Unveiling 1.0 on Amazon Bedrock demonstrates our strong commitment to work alongside AWS to provide the best solutions for developers and our clients.”

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Galaxy Z Fold 5 Hands-On: Same Phone, New Hinge - CNET

The new Galaxy Z Fold 5, announced on Wednesday at Samsung's Unpacked event in Seoul, is a modest improvement over its predecessor, the Z Fold 4. Samsung is gradually refining the design of its foldable phones and attempting to reduce the compromises that come from prioritizing a foldable screen over battery life and photography. 

This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung's most popular products.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5, along with the newly announced Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Watch 6 series and Galaxy Tab S9 family, launches on Aug. 11. It starts at $1,800 (£1,749, AU$2,559) just like the Z Fold 4, proving foldable devices that double as phones and tablets are still a luxury. 

Watch this: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Hands-On: Same Phone, Better Design

03:28

The biggest change I noticed in my short time with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the new hinge, which enables the new phone to fold completely shut without a gap. The redesigned hinge, which is also found on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, makes Samsung's new foldables look and feel sleeker than previous models. Samsung says the new hinge should provide better durability since it has fewer moving parts, although both the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 still have an IPX8 water resistance rating like their predecessors. 

The ability to close more seamlessly makes a significant difference, especially on a device like the Z Fold that's already bulky when closed. It's also a notable change since Google's Pixel Fold, which is likely to be the Z Fold 5's biggest foldable competitor in the US, also has a gapless design.

During my time with the Z Fold 5, the 7.6-inch folding screen's crease was still very visible. But it felt flatter when I scrolled and swiped on it.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a 7.6-inch internal screen.

Rich Peterson/CNET

Samsung also says the internal screen's brightness now matches the Galaxy S23 Ultra's peak brightness, making it the brightest display on a Fold device. It was difficult to tell during the limited time I had with the phone, but I imagine this will be more noticeable when using it outdoors. Samsung's displays are already usually very bright in my experience, especially compared to Google's Pixel phones, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this change pushes that further. 

On the Galaxy Z Fold, that internal screen is the star of the show. Using the Galaxy Z Fold 4 as my main phone made me see the benefit of having a larger screen that fits in your pocket. Samsung knows this, which is why it's improving the way multiple apps work on the Z Fold 5. You can now use two hands to drag and drop, which should make it easier to move content between apps without stretching your fingers. Samsung says TikTok is now optimized for the internal display, which should make browsing video clips more satisfying. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 both get a processor upgrade to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, the same chip that powers the Galaxy S23 series. The new processor is expected to bring improvements to battery life and image processing, a claim that I found to be true when I reviewed the Galaxy S23 series. Hopefully that holds true for the Galaxy Z Fold 5, because the camera hardware and battery capacity are otherwise the same as last year. There's also a thinner new S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold 5, although you'll still have to buy it separately.

We look forward to putting the Z Fold 5's cameras to the test.

Rich Peterson/CNET

While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an improvement, there's still plenty of room for Samsung's book-shaped foldable phone to further evolve. That's especially true now that Samsung is facing more competition from Google and others. The $1,800 price, for example, is likely to be a major barrier for most shoppers. Samsung should also bundle the S Pen with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at that price, much like it does with its tablets. In its fifth generation, I was also hoping to see a less visible crease.

However, some of these criticisms come from the notion that foldables are still relatively niche and expensive to produce. But Samsung's early start in the foldables arena should give it an advantage when that eventually changes. 

And based on data from market research firms, it looks like foldable phones are slowly but surely gaining traction. While foldables only accounted for a fraction of global smartphone shipments in 2022, according to the International Data Corporation, the worldwide foldable phone market grew by 64% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2023, according to Counterpoint Research. Samsung is leaning into productivity and entertainment to convince shoppers that the $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 5 is worth the price, as evidenced by the device's more luminous screen and minor software updates.

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Pre-order a Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 on Amazon and get a free $50 gift card - Engadget

Samsung didn't only have new phones to show off at its Unpacked event. The company took the opportunity to reveal the Galaxy Watch 6 too. The latest wearable starts at $300, but Amazon is sweetening the deal. If you lock in a pre-order there, you'll get a $50 Amazon gift card. Note that the offer only applies to the Bluetooth models, and not the LTE or Watch 6 Classic variants. You'll get a free fabric watch band as well. The Watch 6 will be available starting on August 11th.

Samsung

The Bluetooth model does not, unfortunately, feature the return of the rotating bezel (you'll need to plump for the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic for that), but there are still some other interesting updates. During our hands-on time with it, we found that a new one-click mechanism makes it much easier to swap between certain bands.

The standard Watch 6 is available in sizes of 40mm and 44mm. The screen is much sharper and brighter this time around. It has a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, so you shouldn't have much trouble seeing the display on a sunny day. Samsung has also upgraded the processor and added a larger battery. The company claims you'll get up to eight hours of use after eight minutes of fast charging. 

The sleep-tracking and coaching features have seemingly been upgraded, while there's a new Personalized Heart Rate Zone feature that aims to help you attain the fitness results you're looking for. Meanwhile, Samsung Wallet has replaced Samsung Pay to make the device compatible with digital IDs, boarding passes and event tickets.

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Samsung just announced 3 new Android tablets. Here’s a first look - Digital Trends

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Samsung has a fresh portfolio of tablets to take on the iPad lineup. These flagship Android slates span three size formats and price points. The new Galaxy Tab S9 trio is nearly identical in heft and footprint to the Galaxy Tab S8 series, save for a minor design tweak, a new chip, and fresh color options.

The pill-shaped camera island is gone, and we now have a floating lens look that’s similar to that of the Galaxy S23 series phones. Plus, there’s an eye-pleasing beige color option to pick from this year. The rest of the package is a modest iterative upgrade at best.

Galaxy Tab S9 series: specs and features

Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

Inside all three Samsung tablets is a slightly binned version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with the “for Galaxy” branding on it. The screen sizes remain identical, as do the quad-speaker arrays and the memory modules inside.

The Galaxy Tab S9 offers an 11-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Climbing up the size ladder, the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus features a 12.4-inch display, while the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra bumps up the display size all the way up to 14.6 inches. The S9 Ultra also has a notch at the top that houses two front cameras.

And 5G connectivity is part of the package across the entire lineup, and once again, Samsung is generously bundling a stylus in the retail package. The only other notable change this time around is that the Galaxy Tab S9 triad opts for an in-display fingerprint scanner, while its predecessor had the biometric sensor integrated inside the power button.

Joe Maring/Digital Trends

In terms of the imaging hardware, the Galaxy Tab S9 only has a single rear camera that relies on a 13-megapixel sensor, while the Tab S9 Plus and its Ultra sibling offer a combination of a 13-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera.

The selfie camera hardware also differs. The entry-point Galaxy Tab S9 and its Plus variant come armed with a 12-megapixel front camera, while the Ultra trim adds another 12-megapixel ultrawide camera into the mix.

Samsung hasn’t made any improvements to the battery capacity on its updated tablet lineup. The smallest Galaxy Tab S9 model serves up an 8,400 mAh battery, the Plus version relies on a 10,900 mAh juicer, and an 11,200 mAh Li-ion unit keeps the Ultra model running.

Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

The RAM and storage capacity goes all the way up to 16GB and 1TB, respectively, but the base models offer half that amount of RAM and only 128GB of onboard storage. Thankfully, if you opt for a lower storage amount and end up needing more space, all versions of the Galaxy Tab S9 family come with microSD card support for up to 1TB of storage expansion.

Galaxy Tab S9 series: price and release date

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (left) and Samsung Galaxy S9 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

So, how much does all of this cost? The Galaxy Tab S9 starts at $800 for the 8GB RAM/128GB storage configuration. Stepping up to the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus will set you back at least $1,000 for the 12GB RAM/256GB model, and you can also get the 5G version with the same RAM and storage for $1,1450. Finally, if you go all the way up to the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, you’ll pay at least $1,200 for the base model with 12GB RAM/256GB storage.

The Galaxy Tab S9 lineup is available for preorder now, while regular sales are set to begin on August 11.

If you’re eyeing a top-end Android tablet, the only meaningful update is the new Qualcomm silicon inside the Galaxy Tab S9 series. And while the rest of the specs are extremely familiar, they’re also among the best you’ll find. There aren’t many flagship Android tablets in the U.S. market, so Samsung has the competition cut out for it.

We’ll have in-depth reviews of the Tab S9 family on Digital Trends, so keep an eye out for that coming soon.

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Bing AI Chat And Copilot For Search Available In Google Chrome - Search Engine Journal

Select Google Chrome users can now access Microsoft’s Bing AI chat and AI-powered search results on desktop browsers.

In an emailed statement, Caitlin Roulston, Director of Communications at Microsoft noted:

“We are flighting access to Bing Chat in Safari and Chrome to select users as part of our testing on other browsers. We are excited to expand access to even more users once our standard testing procedures are complete.”

Screenshot from Bing/Google Chrome, July 2023

Only users logged into Microsoft accounts could access the AI chat interface via the Bing app or Microsoft Edge browser for months.

Bing AI Chat In Google Chrome

Now, select users can chat with Bing AI in a browser other than Edge after accepting the terms of service and acknowledging the privacy statement for the AI chatbot.

Screenshot from Bing/Google Chrome, July 2023

Unfortunately, the Bing AI chatbot only accepts 2,000 input characters on Chrome, while it accepts twice the amount of input in the Edge browser.

Bing Copilot AI Search Results In Google Chrome

Some logged-in users may also have access to Bing’s AI-powered copilot in search results in Google Chrome.

Screenshot from Bing/Google Chrome, July 2023

Look under the menu for Labs to see if you can access AI chat responses in Bing search results on Chrome.

Screenshot from Bing/Google Chrome, July 2023

Initial reports by Windows Latest also show that some users can enable dark mode on Bing AI.

Screenshot from Windows Latest, July 2023

Users of desktop browsers like Safari and DuckDuckGo may still be limited to the Microsoft Edge browser like mobile users are to the Bing app to access Bing AI features. However, the initial report notes that some users can access Bing AI on Safari.

The following shows Bing AI on an iPhone in Chrome, Google, and Safari apps.

Screenshot from Bing in Chrome/Google/Safari, July 2023

Expanding The Reach Of Microsoft’s AI Capabilities

The expansion of Bing AI to the top web browser marks a notable shift in Microsoft’s approach, embracing a broader platform reach for their AI capabilities.

While users should expect limitations in functionality compared to its performance on Edge, Bing AI still provides an enriched search experience.

The tech giant’s foray into multi-platform support suggests a promising future for AI, even if it comes with certain restrictions for now.

What the implications could be for Google Bard and Search Generative Experience as Chrome users start adopting Bing AI features is yet to be seen.

Screenshot from StatCounter, July 2023

In the meantime, SEO professionals should consider Bing AI as an additional tool in their digital strategies, particularly when optimizing for search results across various platforms.

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Featured image: monticello/Shutterstock

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