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☆ Google's Pixel Tablet has the best chance of any Android tablet to take on Apple's iPads. Here's a hands-on look and how to preorder.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Antonio Villas-Boas | John Lynch | Senior Tech Reporter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Google Pixel Tablet The Pixel Tablet has a premium design and runs on the same processor as Google's flagship Pixel 7 phone series. With the Pixel Tablet, Google is trying for the second time to enter the tablet space that's dominated by Apple's iPads. Google Pixel Tablet: Hands-on impressionsThe Google Pixel Tablet feels like a premium tablet and has the same performance as the company's top phones. The Android OS also feels at home on the Pixel Tablet, unlike some other Android tablets. Google Pixel Tablet: Specs

☆ MLB roundup: Down 6, Rays stun Gerrit Cole, Yanks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Cole gave up six runs (five earned) and eight hits, striking out six and walking two in his five-plus innings. The winning pitcher was Michael Tonkin (3-1), who did not allow a hit over two scoreless innings. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered twice, scored four runs and had four RBIs and Christian Walker also homered for Arizona, which had its win streak snapped at three. Pittsburgh starter Roansy Contreras (3-3) allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings, with four strikeouts and three walks. Yarbrough allowed one run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings, his longest start since July last year with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are Apple's newest high-end smartphones. iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: CamerasBoth the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Pixel 7 Pro sport triple-lens camera systems, including main, ultrawide, and zoom cameras. iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Battery lifeThe iPhone 14 Pro Max (left) has better battery life than the Pixel 7 Pro (right) Antonio Villas-BoasThe iPhone 14 Pro Max has one of the best results we've seen in our battery life test at 67% remaining. iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Special featuresThis is where Google's Pixel 7 Pro comes into its own when compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. iPhone 14 Pro Max Google Pixel 7 Pro 128GB $1,099 $899 256GB $1,199 $999 512GB $1,399 $1,099 1TB $1,599 N/AiPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Which should you buy?

☆ MLB roundup: AJ Pollock's HR ends no-no as Mariners edge A's
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

Mariners starter Bryce Miller, in his major league debut, gave up a run on two hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts. The Reds snapped a run of seven straight losses to the Padres and a streak of nine straight losses in San Diego. Jon Gray allowed four runs on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander lasted five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Keegan Thompson (1-2) was charged with three runs on four hits in one-third of an inning to take the loss.

☆ A Human Wrote This Book Review. A.I. Wrote the Book.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Dwight Garner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The first novel was probably Murasaki Shikibu’s ‘Tale of Genji,’ written in the 11th century. The last one that mattered, closing a millennium’s loop, was probably Zadie Smith’s ‘White Teeth,’ published in 2000. What’s come since has been the death rattle, and remixes of that death rattle.”Those weren’t, you might have guessed, words from Siri. Samuel Richardson, in the 18th century, wondered if the novel had said what it had to say. The fire has been stirred under these questions thanks to the sudden arrival of sophisticated artificial intelligence chatbots, notably ChatGPT.

☆ Everyone knows Siri is way behind. It's partly why top Apple engineers have jumped ship to Google, report says.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple is having a hard time convincing workers that Siri can keep up with new AI rivals. Apple lost three top engineers working on AI technology to Google, The Information reported. It's the latest example of how far behind Apple is seen to be on AI versus Google and OpenAI. Apple has lost three top engineers working on ChatGPT-like technology to Google, in a sign the iPhone-maker is struggling to supercharge its AI efforts and Siri as large language models go mainstream. They were personally poached by Google CEO Sundar Pichai after shunning Apple boss Tim Cook's efforts to keep them, the report said.

☆ This tech company is the 'best possible beneficiary' of A.I., says fund manager
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

But there's another tech giant that looks likely to be the "best possible beneficiary," according to Ben Rogoff, a portfolio manager at Polar Capital with 25 years of investing experience. That's Apple , Rogoff told CNBC Pro Talks last week. Rogoff noted that Apple is in both the devices market — with its Apple Watch, phones and tablets — and in content — via its app store. Besides Apple, Rogoff told CNBC Pro Talks that four other large-cap stocks are driving some of the biggest and most tangible advancements in artificial intelligence. "It's still very early, but ChatGPT described as the iPhone moment for the artificial intelligence technology industry feels about right to us."

☆ Big Tech earnings, crucial inflation call — here comes the biggest week of earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Stocks stuck to a holding pattern this week as investors brace for an incoming wave of Big Tech earnings and the Fed's favorite inflation reading. Earnings reports have generally been better than expected so far this first quarter. Humana (HUM) reports before the bell Wednesday; Meta Platforms and Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) report after the bell Wednesday. ET: Personal Spending & Income (includes PCE Price Index) Club trades this week Just one trade: We added 150 shares of Coterra Energy (CTRA) on Wednesday. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

[1/2] Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha attends the draw for the party's list usage for the upcoming election ahead an event by the election commission in Bangkok, Thailand, April 4, 2023. The election broadly pits political groups backed by the royalist military and Bangkok establishment against an opposition led by the populist Pheu Thai party, which together with its previous incarnations has won every election since 2001. Pita Limjaroenrat, another opposition figure, was nominated by his Move Forward party, popular among young voters. Political experts say the generals would have an advantage in the race, having led the junta that appointed the current slate of senators. Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin PettyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ MLB roundup: Kodai Senga shines in debut as Mets down Marlins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

[1/2] Apr 2, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) pitches against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at loanDepot Park. /Rhona Wise-USA TODAY SportsApril 3 - Right-hander Kodai Senga struck out eight batters in his major league debut, leading the New York Mets to a 5-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon. Marlins starter Trevor Rogers (0-1) lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, two walks and four runs, three earned. He allowed one run on three hits while walking two and striking out six in his first start of the season. Two of Houck's five hits allowed were home runs by Baltimore's Adam Frazier (3-for-4, two RBIs, two runs) and Cedric Mullins (2-for-5, run, three RBIs).

☆ MLB roundup: Trayce Thompson's 3 HRs power Dodgers' rout
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Rangers 16, Phillies 3Mitch Garver hit a pair of three-run home runs in Texas' rout of Philadelphia in Arlington, Texas. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman (0-1) struck out seven and walked one in six innings. Nationals starter Josiah Gray (0-1) allowed five runs on seven hits -- including three home runs -- in five innings. Gray (1-0) allowed three hits, struck out one and walked four in the second game of the three-game series. The Rays scored the seven runs on six hits, and Yandy Diaz added two runs with a home run the following inning.

☆ MLB roundup: Aaron Judge homers in Yankees' opening win
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Houston had its modern-day record of 10 consecutive Opening Day wins snapped. Orioles 10, Red Sox 9Adley Rutschman's 5-for-5 Opening Day helped Baltimore to a win over host Boston. Mets 5, Marlins 3Brandon Nimmo's three RBIs backed Max Scherzer's quality start, leading New York to an Opening Day victory over Miami. Twins 2, Royals 0Pablo Lopez and four relievers combined on an Opening Day two-hitter as visiting Minnesota blanked Kansas City. It was O'Neill's fourth consecutive Opening Day with a homer, tying a major league record.

☆ Fetch.ai helps companies build and deploy autonomous smart agents. Check out the 19-slide pitch deck it used to raise $40 million.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Check out the 19-slide deck it used to raise the fresh funds. A startup that uses AI to improve the autonomy of digital agents has raised $40 million as investors continue to pile in on the breakthrough tech. Cambridge-based Fetch.ai, founded in 2017, has developed technology that can help digital agents communicate with one another. Any transactions or activities between these various agents, who work with their own independent services, are recorded on the blockchain using Fetch.ai's native token, FET. With the fresh funds, Fetch.ai will develop and build out its technology.

☆ Google reshuffles virtual assistant unit with focus on Bard A.I. technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Google is reshuffling the reporting structure of its virtual assistant unit — called Assistant — to focus more on Bard, the company's new artificial intelligence chat technology. In a memo to employees on Wednesday, titled "Changes to Assistant and Bard teams," Sissie Hsiao, vice president and lead of Google Assistant's business unit, announced changes to the organization that show the unit heavily prioritizing Bard. Mao held the position of vice president of engineering for Google Assistant and "helped shape the Assistant we have today," Hsiao wrote. As part of Wednesday's change, Google Assistant engineering vice president Amar Subramanya will now lead engineering for the Bard team, the email said. Trevor Strohman, who previously led engineering efforts for Bard, will continue as an “Area Tech Lead” for Bard, reporting to Hsiao.

☆ Apple is reportedly planning to reveal its next big thing in 3 months — and some within the company are worried
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Apple is reportedly planning to reveal its mixed reality goggles in June — its next major product. The iPhone company is reportedly planning to reveal the futuristic goggles, the company's first major new product since the Apple Watch, in three months at a June event. Executives at Apple have also reportedly questioned the headset's prospects to make a big splash at its initial release, per Bloomberg. The company has reportedly been working on the headset for seven years, and has missed deadlines in 2019 and 2022 for its planned release. Apple is reportedly working on a version that costs $1,500 — half of what the initial headset costs — that will come out within two years of the first launch.

☆ Why It Matters Whether a Robot Is Given a Gender
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Chris Kornelis | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

People are more likely to rate gendered technology highly or to purchase it, research finds. Is it a bad idea to assign a gender to digital assistants and other robots? Organizations such as the Brookings Institution have expressed concern about giving traditionally male or female names, voices and appearances to technology, saying that doing so might reinforce unfair gender stereotypes. When digital assistants such as Alexa and Siri were given female-sounding names and voices, for example, critics complained that the products stereotyped women as being humble or subservient.

☆ Ex-Apple engineer says Siri is way too clunky to ever be like ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ex-Apple engineer John Burkey told NYT that voice assistant Siri may never be as robust as ChatGPT. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT threaten to make voice assistant tech obsolete. John Burkey, an ex-Apple engineer who was tasked to improve Siri in 2014 and left the company in 2016, said that Siri's clunky design makes it difficult to add new features. Burkey's views on Siri come as the wildly popular AI chatbot ChatGPT — which now runs on GPT-4, its most advanced language model yet — threatens to make voice assistant tech obsolete with its impressive capabilities. Siri users have even taken notice, expressing their frustrations on Reddit with questions like "Why is Siri so stupid" and "is Siri getting dumber each year."

☆ Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Cortana were 'dumb as a rock'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella said voice assistants like Siri and Alexa were "dumb as a rock." Nadella who raved about the voice assistants in 2016 saying "bots are the new apps," has changed his tune since then, the FT reported. "Whether it's Cortana or Alexa or Google Assistant or Siri, all these just don't work. According to Insider Intelligence analysis in 2018, just 2% of global consumers said they used Cortana as their primary voice assistant. Siri's co-creator Adam Cheyer told the FT that ChatGPT's ability to understand complex information makes existing voice assistants look stupid, saying "the previous capabilities have just been too awkward."

☆ Our quest to make AI love us back is futile — and dangerous
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But that's futile, experts say, because the AI of today can't feel empathy, let alone love. We've spent years trying to get AI to love us back. Experts told Insider that it's futile to expect the AIs that exist right now to love us back. During a simulation in October 2020, OpenAI's GPT-3 chatbot told a person asking for psychiatric help to kill themselves. Halpern, the UC Berkeley professor, told Insider AI-based relationships are perilous also because the entity can be used as a money-making tool.

☆ Radio company SiriusXM cuts workforce by 8%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 6 (Reuters) - SiriusXM Holdings Inc (SIRI.O) on Monday said it would lay off 8% of its workforce, or about 475 employees, as the satellite radio firm takes a hit from slow subscriber growth. Weak auto sales are also expected to hurt the radio operator's subscriber base. "Today's decision to reduce our workforce was required for us to maintain a sustainably profitable company," Chief executive Jennifer Witz said in a letter to staff. SiriusXM joins tech titans such as Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Google-parent Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) that cut headcount by the thousands to weather a tough economy. In January, music streaming platform Spotify Technology (SPOT.N) also cut its workforce by 6%.

☆ Spring training roundup: Mets win Kodai Senga’s debut start
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Cardinals catcher Tres Barrera was responsible for the only hit and run Senga allowed, a solo shot to left in the second. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso hit solo home runs and Tim Locastro hit a pair of RBI doubles and scored on a throwing error for New York. The Rays got their two runs from solo homers by Jose Siri and Randy Arozarena. Jake Rogers hit his third home run of spring training for the Tigers. The Athletics, who have flirted with a move to Las Vegas, played a two-game spring training series this weekend at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Wonderboom 3 is a compact Bluetooth speaker that delivers a ton of value for $100. The new speaker improves upon the battery life and Bluetooth range of the older Wonderboom 2, while keeping that model's compact, waterproof design. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 The newest ultra-portable speaker from Ultimate Ears, the Wonderboom 3, is a 360-degree speaker that's ideal for travel and outdoor listening. There's also a feature that lets you pair two Wonderboom speakers together as a stereo set. Ultimate EarsThe Wonderboom 3 has nearly every feature you'd want from a portable Bluetooth speaker in the $100 price range.

☆ These companies stand to benefit from the A.I. 'tidal wave' overtaking Wall Street, Baird says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Since the launch of ChatGPT last year, analysts and tech enthusiasts can't seem to stop talking about artificial intelligence. But the Xbox maker is far from the only company poised to benefit from the AI "tidal wave" overtaking the investing community, according to Baird. The firm highlighted 50 artificial intelligence and machine learning stocks across sectors positioned to capitalize on AI mania in a Tuesday note to clients. For years, both companies have employed artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance their products. Software stocks Adobe and Salesforce also made the cut along with payrolls services company ADP .

☆ I was the original voice of Siri. Even though Apple used my voice without my knowledge, it's been a fun ride.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Susan Bennett is the voice actor behind Apple's first iteration of Siri, released in 2011. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Susan Bennett, a voice actor based in Atlanta, Georgia. One day, while I was there recording, a voice actor for another commercial didn't show up. I unknowingly did the initial Siri recordings in 2005In July 2005, six years before Apple would introduce Siri, I made the recordings that would eventually be used for the famous personal assistant. I also connected with Karen Jacobsen, a voice actor and singer who was the original Australian Siri.

☆ The inventor of the web thinks everyone will have their own personal A.I. assistants like ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Through their company Inrupt, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, and John Bruce, are trying to change the future of the internet. Inrupt is a company they co-founded which aims to deliver the web inventors' original vision of the way the internet should work. Data will be stored in so-called "pods," which are basically a person's personal data online storage container. And the opportunity for individuals to take more command over their role on the web," Bruce told CNBC's Beyond The Valley. But Berners-Lee is keen to call the next generation of the internet Web 3.0, emphasizing the dot.

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