Posts Tagged: call

Their children were shot, so they used AI to recreate their voices and call lawmakers

The parents of a teenager who was killed in Florida’s Parkland school shooting in 2018 have started a bold new project called The Shotline to lobby for stricter gun laws in the country. The Shotline uses AI to recreate the voices of children killed by gun violence and send recordings through automated calls to lawmakers, The Wall Street Journal reported

The project launched on Wednesday, six years after a gunman killed 17 people and injured more than a dozen at a high school in Parkland, Florida. It features the voice of six children, some as young as ten, and young adults, who have lost their lives in incidents of gun violence across the US. Once you type in your zip code, The Shotline finds your local representative and lets you place an automated call from one of the six dead people in their own voice, urging for stronger gun control laws. “I’m back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice to call you,” says the AI-generated voice of Joaquin Oliver, one of the teenagers killed in the Parkland shooting. “Other victims like me will be calling too.” At the time of publishing, more than 8,000 AI calls had been submitted to lawmakers through the website.

“This is a United States problem and we have not been able to fix it,” Oliver’s father Manuel, who started the project along with his wife Patricia, told the Journal. “If we need to use creepy stuff to fix it, welcome to the creepy.”

To recreate the voices, the Olivers used a voice cloning service from ElevenLabs, a two-year-old startup that recently raised $ 80 million in a round of funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. Using just a few minutes of vocal samples, the software is able to recreate voices in more than two dozen languages. The Olivers reportedly used their son’s social media posts for his voice samples. Parents and legal guardians of gun violence victims can fill up a form to submit their voices to The Shotline to be added its repository of AI-generated voices.

The project raises ethical questions about using AI to generate deepfakes of voices belonging to dead people. Last week, the Federal Communications Commission declared that robocalls made using AI-generated voices were illegal, a decision that came weeks after voters in New Hampshire received calls impersonating President Joe Biden telling them to not vote in their state’s primary. An analysis by security company called Pindrop revealed that Biden’s audio deepfake was created using software from ElevenLabs.

The company’s co-founder Mati Staniszewski told the Journal that ElevenLabs allows people to recreate the voices of dead relatives if they have the rights and permissions. But so far, it’s not clear whether parents of minors had the rights to their children’s likenesses.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/their-children-were-shot-so-they-used-ai-to-recreate-their-voices-and-call-lawmakers-003832488.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

How to record a WhatsApp call on Android or iOS

For a variety of reasons, you may one day find yourself needing to record a WhatsApp call. We’ve put together a simple guide for the best ways to do just that.
Digital Trends

Apple tells developers not to call their AR and VR apps AR or VR apps

With Apple’s Vision Pro VR/AR headset set to go on sale on February 2, we’re starting to see more details about the app requirements. For example, the company has released guidelines for visionOS developers planning to release apps and there’s one strange caveat. It would rather developers don’t use the terms AR and VR when referring to Vision Pro apps, but rather call them “spatial computing apps,” according to the developer page spotted by 9to5Mac

“Spatial computing: Refer to your app as a spatial computing app. Don’t describe your app experience as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), or mixed reality (MR),” the company states. The headset itself should be called “Apple Vision Pro” with three uppercase words, while “visionOS begins with a lowercase v, even when it’s the first word in a sentence.” The terms should never be translated or transliterated, Apple added. 

Given that they’re definitely going to be AR and VR apps built for an AR/VR headset, Apple may want to differentiate its own offerings so that consumers don’t confound apps for other VR/AR headsets, particularly Meta’s Quest 3, with its own. At the same time, Apple has used those terms extensively to describe the headset, with CEO Tim Cook calling Vision Pro an “entirely new AR platform” when it launched at WWDC 2023. 

In the same document, Apple asked developers to indicate if their AR/VR, er, spatial computing apps contain movements like quick turns or sudden changes in camera perspective. That way, the product page will show a badge to warn users. It also described the use of privacy labels and game controllers. As mentioned, the Apple Vision Pro headset arrives on February 2 for $ 3,495 — a price likely to attract only highly motivated buyers. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-tells-developers-not-to-call-their-ar-and-vr-apps-ar-or-vr-apps-085136127.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

How to call an international number on your iPhone

Need to make an international call, but don’t know how to do it on your iPhone? Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think — we show you how.
Digital Trends

Mac mini review (M2 Pro, 2023): Just call it a Mac mini Pro

Since the Mac mini’s debut in 2005, it’s been Apple’s affordable small form factor trooper. Need something cheap to pair with an old monitor? Just get the Mac mini! Want to start a low-power media server, or a computer right near your TV? Mini, baby. The line has had its share of ups and downs — the 2014 refresh was criticized for replacing a quad-core model with a dual-core chip, the 2018 update had notoriously weak graphics — but it made a full recovery with the M1-powered model in 2021.

This year, though, the Mac mini is different. The $ 599 model remains an entry-level champ, especially since it’s $ 100 less than the M1 version (maybe we’ll see the $ 499 option return eventually). But you can also pay over double that — $ 1,299! — for a Mini with a slightly stripped down M2 Pro chip and 16GB of RAM. That might have sounded crazy a few years ago, but now it sits neatly into Apple’s desktop ecosystem. Not all creatives need the power of a $ 1,999 Mac Studio with an M1 Max, but those same folks may feel limited by the base M2 chip. At last, there’s a mighty Mini to serve them. (And no, the now-dead $ 1,099 Intel model never really filled that role.)

Just like with Apple’s new MacBook Pros, the Mac mini doesn’t look any different than before. It’s still a squat little aluminum box with a ton of ports on the back, and a slightly raised black base underneath to allow for airflow. The $ 599 model features an M2 chip with eight CPU cores, 10 graphics cores, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage — that’s about as basic as you can get with PC hardware these days. The $ 1,299 M2 Pro Mini offers 10 CPU cores, 16 GPU cores, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. For an additional $ 300, you can also upgrade to the full-powered M2 Pro chip with a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU (but that’s probably not a wise idea, as I’ll discuss later).

On the rear, the base Mac mini offers two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C connections, HDMI 2.0 (with 4K 240Hz and 8K 60Hz output), two USB-A ports, a headphone jack and gigabit Ethernet (upgradeable to 10 gigabit). The M2 Pro model adds two additional USB-C ports, making it even more useful for creatives with a ton of accessories.

Apple Mac Mini with M2 Pro rear ports
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Most striking about the Mac mini is its combination of simplicity and functionality. Unlike the taller and more domineering Mac Studio, the Mini is meant to disappear into your desk, a sliver of power that doesn’t need to be seen. That could be a bad thing if you need to access its rear ports frequently, though. The Studio, in comparison, offers two USB-C ports and an SD card slot up front. You’ll need a separate adapter to use SD cards with the Mini — a cheap fix, but one that also leads to more desk clutter.

Our review model, which featured the pricier 12-core M2 Pro chip, performed as well as I expected. It’s slower than the M2 Max in the 14-inch MacBook Pro in GeekBench’s CPU benchmark, but it also beats the M1 Max in the Mac Studio. The M1 Ultra-equipped Studio is far faster, not surprisingly, because that’s essentially two M1 Max chips joined together. What’s most important for some creatives though is its potential rendering performance. The Mac Mini scored 2,000 points higher than the M1 Max Studio in the Cinebench R23 benchmark, and it was on-par with the MacBook Pro 14-inch with M2 Max.

None

Geekbench 5 CPU

Geekbench 5 Compute

Cinebench R23

3DMark Wildlife Extreme

Apple Mac Mini (Apple M2 Pro, 2022)

1,826/13,155

43,241

1,647/14,598

12,769

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (Apple M2 Max, 2023)

1,970/15,338

71,583

1,603/14,725

18 ,487

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch, (Apple M2, 2022)

1,938/8,984

27,304

1,583/8,719

6,767

Apple Mac Studio (Apple M1 Max)

1,715/12,642

61,412

1,534/12,314

10,017

Apple Mac Studio (Apple M1 Ultra)

1,785/23,942

85,800

1,537/24,078

10,020

In a more practical test, the Mac Mini transcoded a minute-long 4K clip into 1080p in 37 seconds with pure CPU power using Handbrake — the same job took 32 seconds with the GPU. Both figures narrowly surpassed the M1 Max Studio, which took 43 seconds with a CPU encode and 34 seconds using the GPU.

Beyond benchmarks, the Mac Mini was an absolute dream for my typical workflow (dealing with dozens of browser tabs, batch image processing, and practically every chat app out there). But I’d expect a similar result from the $ 599 model, so long as I cut down on demanding browsers to survive with 8GB of RAM. The computer remains a solid entry for mainstream users, and it’s potentially a great home theater PC if you wanted something more customizable than an Apple TV.

Apple Mac Mini with M2 Pro desk setup with Apple Studio Display

As I tested the Mac Mini, I started to wonder if it was even worth having a giant mid-tower PC as my daily driver. Realistically, though, I could never become a fulltime Mac guy because I like games. There are a few modern titles like Resident Evil Village that natively support Macs, but there simply aren’t enough titles out there. That game, by the way, easily reached 60fps while playing in 1,440p on the Mac Mini.

To reiterate, though, you’d have to pay $ 1,599 for the upgraded M2 Pro to get the same performance figures. I didn’t have the slower Mac Pro model to compare it to, but based on what we’re seeing with Apple’s M2 chips, it would still be a noticeable step up from comparable M1 hardware. Stepping back a bit, I can’t help but think that the $ 1,299 M2 Pro Mini makes more sense for creatives. If you upgraded our review model to 32GB of RAM, it would come to the same $ 1,999 as the base Mac Studio. And given that the Studio is almost a year old, it’s due for an M2 refresh in the coming months. 

Apple Mac Mini with M2 Pro
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

My advice? Get the $ 1,299 Mac mini if you’re looking for a beefier Mac desktop, but try to avoid upgrading any hardware if possible. I could see stomaching the $ 200 upcharge to get 1TB of storage, but spending an additional $ 400 just to get 32GB of RAM isn’t worth it. Apple has always been notorious for expensive upgrades — remember the $ 999 monitor stand? — let’s not encourage them.

Apple might as well have just called this computer the Mac mini Pro – but I can see how that would have been confusing. Now the Mini exists in two forms: A cheap computer for most people, and a secret powerhouse for creators. It’s close to being the ideal small-form factor PC, if only it didn’t cost so much to get more RAM.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Will Elon Musk give media the wake-up call they (we) need

A Musk-led Twitter is the reality check the media industry needs to mend its ways, as harsh it may sound. It’s time to wake up from the honeymoon phase.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Facebook will ‘temporarily’ allow Ukrainians to call for the death of Putin and Russian soldiers

Facebook is changing a rule that prohibits users from calling for violence in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The change, which was first reported byReuters, allows people in Ukraine and a handful of other countries “to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion.” People in Ukraine, Poland and Russia are also permitted to “call for death to Russian President Vladimir Putin or Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.”

Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement that the company was "temporarily” allowing some posts that in the past would have been taken down under the company’s rules prohibiting inciting violence. He added that the company won’t allow “credible calls for violence against Russian civilians.” The company will also take down specific credible threats against Putin and Lukashenko, according to a memo reported by Reuters.

“As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine we have temporarily made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules like violent speech such as ‘death to the Russian invaders,’” Stone said. “We still won’t allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians.”

The change underscores just how much social media platforms are rushing to adapt their content policies amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Facebook has already taken several steps to limit the influence of Russian state media outlets and took down a network of fake accounts boosting pro-Russia propaganda. The Russian government has responded by banning Facebook.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Call of Duty Mobile Season 8: The Forge released with a stunning post-apocalyptic wasteland theme

Call of Duty Mobile Season 8, The Forge, is now available and includes a whole swathe of new features. The developers took to Reddit to announce the new season, which is centered around surviving in a new post-apocalyptic wasteland. There’s a new multiplayer map, play mode, weapons, and more. Season 8’s post-apocalyptic wasteland looks stunning […]

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The Morning After: ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ joins the free battle royale trend

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. This week, Westworld is back and despite my issues with how season two unfolded, I'm ready and waiting for season three. Aaron Paul and Marshawn Lynch are interesting additions to the cast, and with the robots v…
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‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ is a free battle royale game launching tomorrow

As expected, Activision has announced Call of Duty: Warzone, a brand new free-to-play battle royale based on its popular first-person shooter franchise. If you already own a copy of Modern Warfare, you'll be able to play the game starting tomorrow at…
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Call of Duty Mobile update adds Zombie mode, controller support, and new maps

I haven’t played CoD since Modern Warfare 2 around a decade ago, but dang it, the mobile game that launched a few weeks ago has got me hooked, bigtime. Call of Duty Mobile is a game that harks back to the best of the CoD franchise, with something for everyone from hard-charging assaulters, campers snipers, […]

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Activision’s Call of Duty Mobile is ready to download to your phone or tablet now

If you can remember when the very first Call of Duty game came to PC then you’ll no doubt have lost days or even weeks of your life playing what was then the most realistic shooting game around. Back then it was inconceivable that it would soon be possible to play Call of Duty on […]

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‘Call of Duty’ comes to mobile on October 1st

Get ready to compete in Team Deathmatch or play Battle Royale on your smartphone. Activision announced today that Call of Duty: Mobile will be released on Android and iOS devices on October 1st. The game, developed by Tencent's Timi Studio, will be f…
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Google adding call screening to Android One phones

In another win for Android One devices, specifically those from Lenovo Moto and Nokia for now, they are now receiving Google‘s Call Screen feature for combating telemarketers. As a selling point Google reserved for their Pixel phones since its release six months ago, the company introduced the imaginatively named ‘Call Screen’ as a Google Assistant […]

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‘Call of Duty: Mobile’ brings classic gameplay to smartphones, beta signups are live now

Activision is finally bringing Call of Duty to smartphones, not in the same way as previous spinoff titles. Call of Duty: Mobile is the latest iteration, and it promises to bring classic CoD gameplay to your phone, including some older fan favorite maps from Modern Warfare and Black Ops. The performance and graphics of this […]

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Owning a Call of Duty eSports franchise could cost $25 million

Activision Blizzard is apparently making headway with the launch of the city-based Call of Duty League it announced in February. According to ESPN, an esports executive from the company has already been meeting with prospective buyers — namely profe…
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UK lords call for central ‘Digital Authority’ to help regulate internet

The UK govenment's demand for stricter regulation of internet companies is only growing louder. A report from a House of Lords committee has called for the creation of a central "Digital Authority" that would watch over all the efforts to regulate t…
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[TA Deals] Block those annoying robocalls with a 1-year subscription to Call Control Premium (33% off)

By now you’re probably like the rest of us and you’re getting spammed with robocalls multiple times throughout the day. It’s pretty rare that I don’t get at least one per day, but on average I’d bet that number is closer to half a dozen or so. As frustrating as it is, there’s a solution […]

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Newly found 4G and 5G flaws allow call intercepting and location tracking

Researchers at Purdue University and the University of Iowa have discovered flaws in the 4G and 5G networks which allows hacker access to phone calls and location data. In the latest blow to mobile security, the researchers Syed Refiul Huassian, Ninghui Li and Elisa Bertino at Purdue University, and Mitziu Echeverria and Omar Chowdhury at […]

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FaceTime bug lets you listen in before a call starts (updated)

Apple's FaceTime might make it a little too convenient to drop in on a friend. Reports have emerged of a bug that lets you listen to the other side's audio before a call has even started. All you have to do is start a FaceTime call, add a person, and…
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DFree helps the incontinent heed the call of nature

Most folks have little trouble recognizing when their bladders are nearly at capacity and are able to plan accordingly. However for the elderly, disabled, and infirm, doing so isn't always quite so easy. But that's where the DFree from Triple W comes…
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Swatter behind deadly ‘Call of Duty’ hoax pleads guilty to 51 charges

Tyler Barriss is poised to face a stiff punishment for the game-related swatting call that ultimately killed Wichita resident Andrew Finch, not to mention a host of other crimes. Barriss has pleaded guilty to 51 charges as part of a deal, including…
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Senate set to call Cambridge Analytica data leaker to testify

The US Senate Commerce Committee wants to question a former Cambridge Analytica contractor over the Facebook data scandal, reports Reuters. The Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security subcommittee is holding a privacy hearing…
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Alexa can help improve your ‘Call of Duty: WWII’ K/D ratio

Amazon has been adding some pretty mainstream entertainment skills, like recapping NBA and NHL scores. But now you can ask the voice assistant how you did in your last Call of Duty: WWII match, too. The new skill, available in beta, will use AI and m…
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Democrats call for tougher online ad spending rules

Politicians aren't just asking Facebook to testify on how suspicious Russia-linked ads allegedly reached its social network — they want some political reform to prevent this from happening again. A mix of House and Senate Democrats have written a l…
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Google Duo adds video chats to your regular call history

Google's standalone video chat app, Duo, came out last August. Since then, the company has added some nifty features, like voice-only calling to help avoid awkward bedhead conversations. Google has just added a call-log feature to Duo, making it poss…
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Channel 4’s online TV ads will call you out by name

Adverts are about to get a lot more personalised — or creepier, depending on your point of view — the next time you hop on the All 4 streaming service to catch up on The Island with Bear Grylls. This month, Channel 4 is bringing a new ad format to…
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Sprint brings entry-level LG K3 into the fold; Boost and Virgin Mobile call dibs

Sprint unveiled the LG K3, the latest addition to LG’s midrange K family of phones. Boasting entry-level specs, the K3 can be purchased through both Boost and Virgin Mobile, as long as that’s through their online stores.

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Omate’s luxury Ongaro Ring will ensure you never miss a call or text from your special someone

Omate’s new Ongaro Ring vibrates to notify you of incoming calls and texts from the contact of your choosing. Unlike other “smart rings,” though, it isn’t cheap — the priciest configuration goes for $ 2,000.

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