Google Maps Immersive View Just landed in four new cities

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Google Maps Immersive View Just landed in four new cities
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Last year, Google unveiled one of its most interesting products called Immersive View. This is an extension of Google Maps that, as the name suggests, gives a very immersive and in-depth view of certain locations. Well, the company just announced that Immersive View is now making its way to four new cities.

In order to use Immersive View, you simply have to search for a famous landmark in Google Maps. In the search results, you will see a large card showing the Immerse View text. Also, you will see the camera panning around that location in real time.

When you tap on it, it will show you a high-resolution rendering of that location along with the option to see the time and weather. You will then see a real-time representation of the weather in that location along with the time of day.

As you can imagine, it’s an extremely immersive and intuitive way to get a view of certain landmarks.

Google Maps Immersive View now includes four new cities

Now, Immersive View is limited to only major landmarks. These include landmarks like Madison Square Garden, the Golden Gate Bridge, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and many more. So, don’t think that you will be getting a view of your apartment complex or your local park.

In any case, Google announced in a blog post that the Immersive View now includes four new cities: Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence, and Venice. So, you can look up landmarks such as Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, St Mark’s Square in Venice, RDS Main Arena in Dublin, and plenty more. If you’re planning a trip there, or if you want to see the landmarks, then you’ll be able to get an amazing view of these beautiful places.

There’s more interesting stuff coming to Google Maps, and this includes Immersive View for Routes. If you’re planning a trip, you will be able to map out the path to your location, and Immersive View will give you an in-depth look at what your trip will look like


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EU passes AI Act, seeks to ban facial recognition and regulate AI

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EU passes AI Act, seeks to ban facial recognition and regulate AI
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The European Union (EU) has taken a major step in regulating the burgeoning AI technology. The governing body on Wednesday passed the first draft of the AI Act, which would put restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence in the region. It aims to turn the draft act into law by the end of this year. The proposed law also bans real-time, remote biometric identification systems such as facial recognition.

Calls for regulation on AI have grown in recent months, particularly after generative AI tools like ChatGPT ushered the tech industry into a new AI revolution. But works on such regulations have been ongoing for a few years now. European lawmakers proposed the first regulatory framework for AI in the region back in April 2021. After more than two years of countless debates, the governing body has now passed a draft law.

The AI Act has varying rules depending on the risk level of AI systems

The AI Act draft passed by the EU specifies different rules for different levels of risk from AI. It puts a blanket ban on “unacceptable risk AI systems” which include “cognitive behavioral manipulation of people or specific vulnerable groups,” “classifying people based on behavior, socio-economic status, or personal characteristics,” and “real-time and remote biometric identification systems”.

Other lesser-risk AI systems will be assessed before market launch and also throughout their lifecycle. These include AI technologies used across various areas such as biometric identification, management and operation of critical infrastructure, education and vocational training, law enforcement, and more. Vendors must register such systems in an EU database before putting them out on the market.

Last but not least, generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard, which are all the rage right now, would have to comply with transparency requirements in the EU once the AI Act turns into law. These tools must disclose AI-generated content and prevent users from generating illegal content. The EU also requires these tools to publish summaries of copyrighted data used for training.

“Parliament’s priority is to make sure that AI systems used in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory, and environmentally friendly,” the governing body said in a press release. “AI systems should be overseen by people, rather than by automation, to prevent harmful outcomes. Parliament also wants to establish a technology-neutral, uniform definition for AI that could be applied to future AI systems”. Once passed as law, the EU’s AI Act will be the world’s first major regulation on AI.


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Motorola’s new Razr+ is now available for pre-order

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Motorola’s new Razr+ is now available for pre-order
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Motorola announced the Razr+ (and Razr) back on June 1, and now it is available for pre-order. You can pre-order it for $999 right now from Motorola, Amazon and a few other retailers, as well as carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile.

The carriers, as well as Motorola.com, are offering some really good deals for the Razr+, where you can get it for as low as, free.

AT&T is offering it for $5/month for 36 months. That comes out to $180 over the three years, and that’s with no trade-in needed. Now, T-Mobile is offering a trade-in credit that will get you the Razr+ for free. Motorola.com is also doing something similar, but you can get the Razr+ for as low as a dollar, with trade-in.

You can pre-order the Razr+ today, and it will be available next week, on June 23. That’s a pretty quick turnaround for Motorola, and really great to see. As many other OEMs will announce a phone but not put it on sale for months.

What’s so great about the Motorola Razr+?

As we noted in our hands on a couple of weeks ago, Samsung should really be worried about both the Razr+ and Razr. Especially the Razr, which will be significantly cheaper than the Razr+ which is already the same price as the Galaxy Z Flip 4. But what really makes it stand apart is the crease and the outer display.

Motorola has packed a 3.6-inch outer display, basically the entire outer side of the phone, as a display. This makes it easier to deal with notifications, as well as browsing apps and more. All without actually opening the phone. Additionally, the crease is basically non-existent. Now, of course, we only spent a couple of hours with the phone in our hands-on time, but the crease was almost not there. You could see it in the right light, but you couldn’t really feel it. Which is a big step forward for foldables.

Internally, you’re looking at the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You can pre-order the Motorola Razr+ by hitting the links below.

Pre-Order Motorola Razr+ – Amazon

Pre-Order Motorola Razr+ – Motorola.com

Pre-Order Motorola Razr+ – AT&T

Pre-Order Motorola Razr+ – T-Mobile


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Texas Rangers’ Bally Sports Broadcast Rights in Jeopardy as Payment Deadline Looms

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Texas Rangers’ Bally Sports Broadcast Rights in Jeopardy as Payment Deadline Looms
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The Texas Rangers could be the next team to disappear from Bally Sports, as the team’s broadcasting rights payment is due on June 15. The Rangers are reportedly seeking a new deal with Bally Sports, but the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement. If no deal is reached, the Rangers could be forced to find a new broadcasting partner, which could mean their games would no longer be available on Bally Sports.

The Rangers are not the only team that is facing this issue. Several other teams, including the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and Miami Marlins, are also in the midst of negotiations with Bally Sports over their broadcasting rights. If no deals are reached, these teams could also be forced to find new broadcasting partners.

Bally Sports continues to not pay what they are legally obligated too

The situation with the Rangers and Bally Sports is a sign of the growing tensions between teams and their broadcasting partners. In recent years, the cost of broadcasting rights has skyrocketed, and teams are now demanding more money from their partners. This has led to a number of disputes, and it is possible that more teams could be forced to find new broadcasting partners in the future.

The loss of the Rangers’ games from Bally Sports would be a major blow to the network. The Rangers are one of the most popular teams in the country, and their games are a major draw for viewers. If the Rangers are no longer on Bally Sports, it is likely that the network will lose a significant number of viewers.

The situation with the Rangers and Bally Sports is a developing story, and it is unclear what the outcome will be. However, it is clear that the relationship between teams and their broadcasting partners is under strain, and this could lead to more teams being forced to find new broadcasting partners in the future.


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Google Maps gets new features to make your trip planning easier

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Google Maps gets new features to make your trip planning easier
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Google announced this week it’s adding a few new features to its Maps app on Android, iOS and desktop. All three improvements are aimed at making Google Maps easier to use when you’re planning a trip or just want to explore with the help of the app.

Immersive View is not really a new feature, as Google launched the feature earlier this year. However, the search giant announced that it’s now rolling out Immersive View in four new cities: Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence, and Venice.

In addition, Immersive View is now available for over 500 iconic landmarks around the world. This particular improvement is coming to Android and iOS in the coming days, Google confirmed. Being able to see the landmarks from around the location you plan to visit is a nice feature to have on your phone.

Also, Google Maps will provide you with important information like what the weather will be like at different times of day and how crowded it will. Being able to know these things in advance makes a big difference if you have only a limited time to explore certain locations.

Another new feature coming to Google Maps on Android and iOS is the ability to track your trip progress with glanceable directions. Basically, you can now see the progress of your trip or route on your lock screen without having to open the app.

According to Google, glanceable directions start rolling out globally this month for walking, cycling and driving modes, so everyone should have the new feature ready by June’s end.

Last but not least, those who use Google Maps on desktop are getting new updates to Recents. Improvements to Recents include the ability to save places even after closing the Google Maps window. Also, you’ll be able to remove places viewed, plan multiple trips at once, as well as share a wide range of places, including attractions and hotels, with the person(s) you’re traveling with.


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New Android 14 Beta 3 animation makes switching users more fun

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New Android 14 Beta 3 animation makes switching users more fun
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Switching users on Android is set to become more fun than ever, thanks to a new animation. That animation has been added along with Android 14 Beta 3, and it will be making its way to the final build.

New animation in Android 14 Beta 3 makes switching users more fun

With Android 13, Google added new icons for user profiles, and also used a fade animation when switching between them. Android 14 Beta 3 has reworked the UI and introduced a better-looking animation. You can check it out below.

Once you go to switch a user, the screen will quickly fade and show you a full-screen profile icon. That profile icon will have a circular progress bar around it, and once it goes full circle, a new profile appears.

It’s always nice to see when Google is polishing Android, and this definitely belongs in that category. It’s not a major change, but it’s nice to see nonetheless. You’ll probably appreciate it if you’re changing profiles often.

The smoothness of the animation needs to be improved, though

One thing Google could improve is the smoothness of this animation, but we presume that it will happen once the stable build of Android 14 comes knocking. We’re still a couple of months away from that point.

Profiles on Android work similarly to those on Windows OS. You can basically set up different users for the same phone, so that the other users don’t have access to your documents, or anything you’ve installed, basically. Those users get a fresh new canvas.

You can even set up guest profiles, which you can set up with some apps, so that others can borrow your phone when needed. It’s not a feature that most regular users will be using, but it can be useful. You can access these settings via Settings -> System -> Multiple users.


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Due to privacy concerns, the Google Bard EU launch aimed for this week will be delayed

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Due to privacy concerns, the Google Bard EU launch aimed for this week will be delayed
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In a recent update, it became clear to netizens that the Google Bard EU launch will see some delays. This delay is in light of the concerns the region has for the privacy of the citizens, they’d use this service. Over the past few months, the internet has seen some drastic measures that the EU has taken to ensure that its citizens stay safe on the internet.

Some of these measures include requiring big tech firms that access users’ private information to guard it jealously. Most big tech companies are in a tight spot concerning complying with this requirement from the EU, as it calls for a drastic change in how they conduct their business. The EU is asking that these firms store all user data on EU soil, even though most tech firms operate their servers in other regions.

Also, the data protection body in the EU requires detailed information on how big tech firms will protect user data. According to this body, it is still expecting full details on how Bard will treat the user’s data. For this reason, the long-awaited Google Bard EU launch in the EU will be put on hold for the meantime.

Google Bard EU launch faces some challenges concerning privacy

Google Bard is the tech giant’s AI model that is going head-to-head with the Bing chatbot. This AI technology went into its experiment stage a few months ago after gaining some momentum in the industry. After its experiment phase was over, Google began rolling it out to various regions, now this AI chatbot is available in over 180 countries.

Sadly, this AI chatbot is not available in any country that is part of the EU due to some privacy concerns. To a certain extent, it is important to be wary of AI chatbots and other models, hence the need for regulations. So, to allow Google Bard to launch in the EU, the tech firm needed to provide certain information.

This information is to explain in detail how Google Bard will protect user data privacy in the region. But for some reason, Google has not been able to provide enough information on how Bard will protect user data privacy. For now, the body in charge of user data protection in the EU is reviewing Bard in search of possible flaws.

Since this review is ongoing, the Google Bard EU launch will not be taking place this week. Netizens living in the EU will have to wait till the review is over before finding out if they’d get access to use Google Bard’s services. If the EU finds Bard wanting in terms of its ability to protect user data, the chatbot might not launch in the region.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT also came under fire in the EU after its launch due to privacy concerns. Without the current review going on, Google might have also faced a similar fate in the EU as did their rivals. However, more information on this matter will be made available in the coming weeks.


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Facebook updates enhance reels creation, audience growth, and content monetizing

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Facebook updates enhance reels creation, audience growth, and content monetizing
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Meta is rolling out new updates to Facebook to attract more creators and generate more video content for the platform. While nearly 3 billion people worldwide currently use Facebook, Meta still has to compete with social media giants like TikTok, especially considering its continuous growth among younger generations.The latest Facebook updates are designed to simplify the process of creating reels on the platform, provide new features in ProMode to assist creators in expanding their following, offer valuable insights for content creation, and broaden monetization options across the platform.

Facebook has introduced an Inspiration Hub within the Professional Dashboard to make creating reels easier. This hub brings together popular reels, hashtags, topics, and music to inspire creators in their content production. Additionally, a mobile app update combines audio, music, and text into a unified editing screen, streamlining reel editing process.

Another aspect Facebook has improved is audience growth. Any Facebook user can switch to Professional Mode and become a creator. ProMode creators can appear in the ‘Creators to Follow’ unit on the feed, increasing their chances of being discovered by more people. Moreover, when ProMode creators comment on public posts, a follow button may appear alongside their name, allowing them to attract new followers through conversations.

And, of course, if you want to be a creator, you are probably interested in how to monetize your content. The new update lowered some of the monetization eligibility requirements, and creators now need to have garnered 500 followers over the past 30 days to qualify for monetization, compared to the previous requirement of 1,000 followers in 60 days. This trend of expanding income opportunities aligns with YouTube’s recent adjustments.

Additionally, creators can now cross-post Instagram-branded content reels and stories to Facebook, enabling them to amplify the reach and impact of their campaigns. Alongside this, Facebook plans to initiate a limited test where select creators can monetize reels that incorporate licensed music from the Facebook Audio Library.

Facebook’s objective is clear: to entice more creators to the platform by simplifying content production, enabling monetization, and fostering the growth of followers. Most new updates are available only for users in ProMode, but the company is saying that they hope to bring them more broadly over time.


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Some users are missing June Pixel feature drop features

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Some users are missing June Pixel feature drop features
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Google has started rolling out the June Pixel drop update to its phones recently, but not all users received all features, despite installing this update, they’re still missing. We’re specifically talking about Google’s new customization options, the so-called ‘Emoji Workshop’ and ‘Cinematic wallpapers’.

The fanciest June Pixel drop features are missing for some users

Many users received the new features, but quite a few of them did not. If you check the android_beta subreddit, you’ll see quite a few complaints. Those two features are missing for some people, and those are basically the biggest new features Google added.

Users cannot find the ‘Emoji Workshop’ for wallpapers in the Settings -> Wallpaper & style menu. That option should be visible under the ‘Emoji Workshop’ submenu, and it allows you to bake in your favorite emoji into a wallpaper, creating something rather interesting.

The ‘Cinematic Wallpapers’ feature should also be available in the Wallpaper & style section. There should be a sparkle icon in the top-right corner. That option allows you to transform 2D wallpapers into somewhat dynamic 3D ones.

We’re not sure what’s going on here, but Google will hopefully sort it out soon

So, what’s going on here? Well, we quite frankly don’t know. The first thing that comes to mind is… staged rollout. This is not supposed to be a staged rollout, though. It’s supposed to be baked into the update itself, and available to everyone.

Google will probably sort things out soon, though we may not get an explanation for this. It could turn out to be a staged rollout after all, despite the fact it shouldn’t be.

As a side note, Android 14 is coming. The stable build is expected to arrive at some point in August, so we’re still over a month away from that point.


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Meta AI team intros ‘MusicGen’ for turning text into music

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Meta AI team intros ‘MusicGen’ for turning text into music
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has recently announced generative AI is coming to every single one of the company’s products. Following the announcement, Meta launched MusicGen for music lovers and those interested in composing music.

MusicGen is an open-source deep-learning language model from Meta’s Audiocraft research team that can create songs using texts. The tool lets users create a song by describing the style and tone.

MusicGen is now live on Facebook’s Hugging Face AI website. You first need to describe the type of music you want, like “A cheerful country song with acoustic guitars.” Then, you can condition the music on a given melody. Finlay, click the Generate button and wait a few minutes for the outcome.

Meta introduces MusicGen, which can turn texts into music

The tool is now able to craft up to 12 seconds of music based on the input you provide to it. You can also use your own GPU or a Google Colab. Thanks to its open-source nature, MusicGen is a new playground for developers. Additionally, it can be used for generating commercial music. By facilitating more efficient and accessible music production, this ground-breaking technology is poised to transform the music business.

Meta’s Audiocraft research team uses 20,000 hours of licensed music, 10,000 high-quality music tracks from an internal dataset, and Shutterstock and Pond5 tracks to train the MusicGen. The tool employs Meta’s 32Khz EnCodec audio tokenizer for generating faster results.

MusicGen is the second AI music composer after Google’s MusicLM, which was launched last month. Hugging Face ML Engineer Ahsen Khaliq said in a tweet, “Unlike existing methods like MusicLM, MusicGen doesn’t require a self-supervised semantic representation [and has] only 50 auto-regressive steps per second of audio.”

With MusicGen, the Meta AI team hopes to increase everyone’s accessibility to music production. The art of music composition and instrument playing traditionally needs a high level of talent and knowledge. With MusicGen, people can create music using only simple text inputs.


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