Posts Tagged: used

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

I’ve never used a folding phone like this one before

The Honor Magic V2 is one of the newest folding phones to hit the scene. And it has one big advantage over other foldables.
Digital Trends

I used one of the coolest iPhone accessories in years at CES 2024

The Clicks Creator Keyboard is a new accessory that adds a keyboard to your iPhone. I went hands-on with it at CES 2024. Here’s what you need to know.
Digital Trends

TikTok pulled a hashtag-tracking feature researchers used to study the platform

TikTok recently pulled a tool that allowed researchers and others to study the popularity of hashtags on its app. The change, first reported by The New York Times, came shortly after researchers published a report using data from the tool that criticized the company.

As The New York Times points out, the tool was one of the few publicly-accessible methods of tracking details about the popularity of specific hashtags. TikTok, like other social media companies, has made it difficult for outsiders to track how content spreads in its app.

The tool in question is a feature called Creative Center, which provides data about the popularity of hashtags to would-be advertisers and others. Researchers at Rutgers’ Network Contagion Institute had used Creative Center’s search function to track hashtags deemed “sensitive” to Chinese government interests. The researchers compared the prevalence of the hashtags between TikTok and Instagram and concluded that many “sensitive” topics were “dramatically underrepresented on TikTok” compared with Instagram.

Soon after the report was published, the researchers said the search feature in Creative Center disappeared without an explanation. “Search capacity for Hashtags has itself now been removed from the user interface entirely, which NCRI discovered to have occurred on Christmas day, days after this report’s initial release,” they wrote in an addendum to the report. They added that TikTok had also disabled direct access to a number of “sensitive” topics they had previously tracked, including hashtags related to US politics and other geopolitical issues.

In a statement to The New York Times, TikTok confirmed the change. “Unfortunately, some individuals and organizations have misused the Center’s search function to draw inaccurate conclusions, so we are changing some of the features to ensure it is used for its intended purpose,” a company spokesperson said.

The dust-up is the latest example of mounting tensions between social media companies and researchers trying to study thorny topics like misinformation. Meta has also found itself at odds with researchers, and reportedly plans to deprecate CrowdTangle, a tool widely used by researchers and journalists to study how content spreads on Facebook. X has also greatly restricted researchers’ access to data since Elon Musk took control of the company, making its once open APIs prohibitively expensive to most groups.

In TikTok’s case, the company may be particularly sensitive to what it considers improper use of its tools. The company has for years denied that it aligns its content policies with the interests of the Chinese government as numerous government officials have called for the app to be banned. More recently, the company faced increased scrutiny over its handling of content related to the Israel-Hamas war — criticism that was also fueled by what the company said was an inaccurate portrayal of hashtag data.

That said, the company has made some concessions to researchers. TikTok began offering an official Research API to some academic institutions last year, and reportedly plans to make the tools available to some civil society groups that have questioned the company’s content moderation practices.

But for researchers, the move to abruptly cut off a tool will likely fuel more questions about just how willing the company is to work with them. “This lack of transparency is of deep concern to researchers,” the NCRI researchers wrote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-pulled-a-hashtag-tracking-feature-researchers-used-to-study-the-platform-015454077.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple used this free iPhone app to shoot Monday’s Scary Fast event

Apple surprised many people when it revealed that its Scary Fast event was shot entirely on an iPhone using a free camera app.
Digital Trends

I used an Android phone with ChatGPT built-in — and I loved it

ChatGPT is everywhere these days, but what happens when you add it to an Android phone as a virtual assistant? As it turns out, it’s pretty amazing.
Digital Trends

Scientists strengthen concrete by 30 percent with used coffee grounds

Humans produce around 4.4 billion tons of concrete every year. That process consumes around 8 billion tons of sand (out of the 40-50 billion tons in total used annually) which has, in part, led to acute shortages of the building commodity in recent years. At the same time, we generate about 10 billion kilograms of used coffee grounds over the same span — coffee grounds which a team of researchers from RMIT University in Australia have discovered can be used as a silica substitute in the concrete production process that, in the proper proportions, yields a significantly stronger chemical bond than sand alone. 

“The disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge as it emits large amounts of greenhouse gases including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change,” lead author of the study, Dr Rajeev Roychand of RMIT’s School of Engineering, said in a recent release. He notes that Australia alone produces 75 million kilograms of used coffee grounds each year, most of which ends up in landfills. 

Coffee grounds can’t simply be mixed in raw with standard concrete as they won’t bind with the other materials due to their organic content, Dr. Roychand explained. In order to make the grounds more compatible, the team experimented with pyrolyzing the materials at 350 and 500 degrees C, then substituting them in for sand in 5, 10, 15 and 20 percentages (by volume) for standard concrete mixtures. 

The team found that at 350 degrees is perfect temperature, producing a “29.3 percent enhancement in the compressive strength of the composite concrete blended with coffee biochar,” per the team’s study, published in the September issue of Journal of Cleaner Production. “In addition to reducing emissions and making a stronger concrete, we’re reducing the impact of continuous mining of natural resources like sand,” Dr. Roychand said. 

“The concrete industry has the potential to contribute significantly to increasing the recycling of organic waste such as used coffee,” added study co-author Dr Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT. “Our research is in the early stages, but these exciting findings offer an innovative way to greatly reduce the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill,” where it’s decomposition would generate large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-strengthen-concrete-by-30-percent-with-used-coffee-grounds-221643441.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

I almost made a terrible mistake when I first used the Galaxy Z Fold 5

I don’t want you to make the same mistake I almost did about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, and that’s to treat it as a boring update. It’s absolutely not.
Digital Trends

I’ve used the Nothing Phone 2. It should be your next smartphone

I’ve been using the Nothing Phone 2 for a couple of weeks. It’s fun, high-quality, and should absolutely be your next smartphone. Here’s why.
Digital Trends

Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C review: you’ve never used a tablet like this

The Boox Tab Ultra C takes a humble e-ink tablet and adds a dash of color, a Qualcomm processor, and Android. What’s not to love?
Digital Trends

I used a smart blood pressure monitor for the first time — and it blew me away

When I was told I had to monitor my blood pressure, I wanted to use something more high-tech than a normal cuff. It was exactly the right thing to do.
Digital Trends

I used two of the year’s oddest tech gadgets so you don’t have to

You can buy a smartwatch and a phone that have true wireless earbuds hidden inside. Sadly, neither are very good, and this bizarre trend has had its day.
Digital Trends

I used OtterBox’s new OtterGrip iPhone case — and I’m in love

OtterBox’s new OtterGrip case has an integrated phone grip that doesn’t interfere with your iPhone’s MagSafe compatibility, and it’s amazing.
Digital Trends

DJI’s lightweight RS 3 Mini camera stabilizer is designed to be used with one hand

Where DJI's RS 3 and RS 3 Pro stabilizers were about maximum convenience and power, the company's latest is designed to reduce as much weight as possible. The new RS 3 Mini weighs in at just 1.8 pounds, but can carry cameras up to 4.4 pounds, which includes heavy mirrorless models like Canon's EOS R3 and even some cinema cameras. At the same time, it offer's DJI's latest stabilization algorithms, easy controls and more. 

DJI has tested the RS 3 Mini with cameras like the Sony A7S III with a 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens, the Canon EOS R5 with an RF24-70mm f/2.8 STM lens or a Fuji X-H2S and XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4.0 lens. I tried it with a Panasonic GH6 and 12-60mm f/2.8-4 and a Canon EOS R6 Mark II with a 24-104mm f/4 and had no problems. "A powerful motor ensures that even when the zoom reaches the maximum focal length, the footage captured remains stable, and there is no need to repeat balancing," DJI says.

It's relatively easy to mount cameras thanks to the newly designed dual layer quick-release plate. That also allows for vertical shooting if you attach the plate to vertical arm, and there are no rotation angle limitations in that mode. As with the RS3, the sliding quick release plates make it easy to balance in just a few minutes.

It supports both wired and wireless Bluetooth shutter/record activation via the RS3 Mini's record button, with the camera ready to go as soon as it's turned on. For Sony cameras with supported power zoom lenses, you can also control the zoom using the front dial without the need for a camera control cable. It offers the usual other DJI Ronin control dials, including a joystick, M button to switch modes, a trigger, a front dial and the aforementioned record button. You can also add Ronin accessories like the Briefcase handle, fill lights or microphones.

DJI RS 3 Mini camera gimbal
Steve Dent/Engadget

Functions are controlled by the 1.4-inch full-color touchscreen, letting you change shooting modes, balance the gimbal motors and more. You can also do much of that with the app, or set functions like Timelapse, Track recording (move along up to 10 preset points) and Panorama. Finally, it can go up to 10 hours on a charge with the integrated battery handle and can be fully charged in as little as 2.5 hours with a 10W charger.

I had a chance to briefly try out DJI's RS 3 Mini, and my early impressions were good. I'm not much of a gimbal guy as I often work alone and don't have the need for tracking shots very often. However, this one is so light that I was able to use it a fair while without tiring out. It's also very convenient — there was no need to rebalance even if I zoomed out or changed my camera's configuration. And I was able to shoot most of my footage one-handed, as DJI promises. The results were great — it produced very smooth footage, both in the horizontal and vertical configurations. 

DJI RS 3 Mini camera gimbal
Steve Dent/Engadget

The RS 3 Mini is also a relative bargain compared to the $ 550 RS 3 Pro. It's available for purchase today at authorized retailers or DJI's Store for $ 369 (339 GBP/ 389 EUR). If you're concerned about knocking it into a wall, DJI's Care Refresh insurance is now available for the RS 3 Mini, as well. 

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

The Pixel Fold may skip an important feature used on other foldables

A folding smartphone without a selfie camera on the inner display? That might be what Google gives us with the Pixel Fold.
Android | Digital Trends

Video reviews will be used in 2022 North and Central American soccer tourneys

Soccer's Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is seemingly here to stay, at least in some parts of the world. CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) has revealed it will use VAR to help refs in numerous 2022 competitions. You can expect the technology in all remaining CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the men's and women's U20 Championships and the W Championship.

The organization's decision was prompted in part by success with VAR in 2021 competitions like the CONCACAF Champions League, Gold Cup and Nations League Finals. The Confederation said progress on VAR had been "considerably" delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now has enough VAR-qualified referees and venues to expand the technology's use.

VAR still has its critics despite receiving FIFA's approval for World Cup use in 2018. Enthusiasts are concerned the requests for video reviews can slow down matches, and that the use of centralized review hubs could be used to skew decisions. Soccer already has plenty of drama over tackles and handballs, they argue — VAR just draws out those disputes and takes away from the thrill of the game.

However, the arguments against the system appear to have lost some momentum. VAR helped reverse 17 out of 20 bad calls during the 2018 World Cup, and some backers have contended that video reviews would have overturned other mistakes if they had been used more consistently. Like it or not, tech is more likely to loom in the background of soccer matches than it has before.

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

Fox Sports used a Sony A7R IV to give NFL broadcasts a cinematic look

Fox Sports used a Sony A7R IV during a broadcast to give NFL fans a more intimate and cinematic experience, according to a tweet from NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo and article by Sports Video Group (SVG). The relatively inexpensive rig was deplo…
Engadget

Nvidia and Intel used compromised SolarWinds software

Fallout from the SolarWinds hack continues to expand. A handful of major tech companies, including Nvidia and Intel, have joined the growing list of organizations affected by the unprecedented hack US officials have blamed on Russia. The Wall Street…
Engadget

Company made to change name that could be used for website hacks

Companies have jokingly given themselves code-based names in the past (you can thank XKCD for that), but one of them was just forced to mend its ways. The Guardian reports that UK business registrar Companies House has forced a software consultant to…
Engadget

Police used facial recognition to identify a Lafayette Square protester

In the aftermath of the Lafayette Square protests in June, police in Washington DC used facial recognition technology to identify a protestor who had allegedly punched an officer in the face. They found the man after feeding an image of him they foun…
Engadget

You guys don’t actually care about the headphone jack, and you’re keeping your phones for way longer than you used to

If you frequent the blogosphere and read about Android phones and smartphones in general, you’ve probably got a pretty good idea about how mad everyone is about notched screens and the lack of a headphone jack. Most of these things are the butt of the joke in advertising campaign, and readers really hate wireless headphones […]

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The new Galaxy Note 10 S Pen lasts longer and can be used like a wand

Besides all-day battery life and big displays, the Galaxy Note series is known for its built-in stylus, the S Pen. Since the first Galaxy Note made its appearance, the S Pen has come on in leaps and bounds in styling and functionality and is now also present on the recently launched Galaxy Tab S6. As […]

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TalkAndroid

Facebook used phone numbers from two-factor authentication to target users with ads

It’s pretty rare for Facebook to ever be in the news for a good reason, and this time it’s because the social media/data harvesting company has confessed to using user phone numbers to target people with advertisements. Normally not a huge deal, but in this instance they were using numbers from 2FA systems to send […]

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TalkAndroid

Plex is adding easy subtitle support for your favorite movies, but dropped some little used features

  Plex is in an almost constant state of adding new features to the platform, making it one of the most robust and powerful media servers on the planet, especially with the right Android TV box. Next up on the feature list is a way to ease the pain in trying to find subtitles for […]

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TalkAndroid

British Airways hackers used same tools behind Ticketmaster breach

The British Airways web hack wasn't an isolated incident. Analysts at RiskIQ have reported that the breach was likely perpetrated by Magecart, the same criminal enterprise that infiltrated Ticketmaster UK. In both cases, the culprits used similar v…
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Russia used a cybercriminal’s botnet for a spying campaign

It's no secret that the lines between state-sponsored hacking and cybercrime are fuzzy. After all, relying on professional crooks offers plausible deniability if the intruders are ever caught. However, it's now apparent that those lines sometimes dis…
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How one family used YouTube to build a home and rebuild their lives

In December 2007, Cara Brookins was a 36-year-old computer programmer working full- time and taking care of her four young kids (ages 2, 11, 15, 17). From the outside, she looked like any other mom but personally she had just closed the door on an unsafe marriage and was preparing to rebuild her life.

After buying an acre of land in Bryant, Ark. and taking out a $ 150k loan, Cara and her four kids did something amazing … they rolled up their sleeves and started building their own home with the help of YouTube videos. The videos they watched on YouTube equipped them with the information they needed to make their big dream a reality. They watched videos to learn everything from how to build a solid foundation and construct countertops to even how to do their own plumbing. By September 2008–after nine months of working 20-hour days–Cara and her kids had finished their dream home. We spoke with Cara about finding hope, the power of YouTube, and why she chose to share her story:

Q: Take us back to the moment you decided to build your own house … what sparked the idea initially?
Cara: I had left a domestic violence situation with my four kids and we were really emotionally destroyed. All the advice I found for improving my life talked about baby steps and small goals. I couldn’t see how just resolving to get dressed in the morning was going to get me anywhere. We needed a safe place to live, and I was determined to do something big. So building a house felt like the most natural solution in the world.

Q: Why did you turn to YouTube?
Cara: We had always had a DIY mindset and we’d used YouTube to make our own jewelry and art projects. So we instantly focused on YouTube as the place to also learn how to set a foundation block or how to frame a window. I also researched energy efficient building ideas on YouTube. YouTube was really our go-to destination for the information we needed throughout the process.

Q: How did your family react when you told them what you were planning to do?
Cara: My parents thought I was absolutely nuts. They tried to talk me out of it and that shocked me. It seemed like such an obvious and perfect solution. Of course once they saw I was going to build it anyhow—yes, they already knew I was a very stubborn girl—they supported me in every way, even showing up on the job site to work.

Q: How did you and your family use YouTube throughout the process?
Cara: We used multiple videos for each project to learn multiple ways to do each thing, like frame a window or run a sewer line. And we tried to understand why each thing was done a certain way rather than just how to do it. Because we were watching at home on a computer (no smartphones!) and would have to remember everything to make it work the next day on the job site.



Q: Was there ever a point where you looked at the construction around you and thought “what have I gotten myself into?!”
Cara: From the day we broke ground, I thought this every single day until we moved in! It was an overwhelming number of decisions and amount of work. But I was the only adult to pull all the kids together and I had to play it confident and cool the whole time. I had to make the decisions and plans and then be the cheerleader. It was emotionally exhausting, but of course incredibly rewarding too.





Q: For anyone out there who may want to learn how to do something but doesn’t know where to start or thinks they can’t do it, what would you tell them?
Cara: Never stop with the phrase, “I don’t know how to do that.” Always add, “YET!” There are no limits to what you can accomplish if you truly want it. And of course that’s because if you want it badly enough you’ll put in a solid effort and endless hours of hard work. Approach each project with steady determination. I was a small computer programmer and an author. If I can build a house with my kids, there is no limit to what other people might accomplish.

Q: Why did you decide to write a book about your journey and what do you hope people take from reading it?
Cara: I never intended to write a book about the house when we were building it. I was pretty ashamed that my decisions had put us in this place, where our sanest option was to build our own shelter. Fiction writing was my big focus at the time. But after we finished, I knew I had to tell our story, not because I wanted other people to look at what we’d done but because I wanted them to imagine the big things they could build with their life. It took me six years to figure out how to write the book in the right away. I had dozens of versions before “Rise” sold. Even then there was a big fear over how people would react and what they would focus on in the story. It’s such a vulnerable time of our lives to share. But we’ve had so much support from across the entire world, and best of all the message people are receiving is that they really can do anything they dream of if they put in enough hard work.

Q: How did this experience impact your kids and your family?
Cara: My kids were so weak and small when we started this project. All our energy went toward survival with no energy left for setting goals or dreaming of a big future. After we built the house we each came away with the sense that absolutely anything was possible. Our dreams are ridiculous, crazy things and we don’t doubt for one second that we’ll achieve them.


YouTube Blog

Heartbeat passwords could be used to keep your medical records safe

Researchers at Binghamton University in New York think the best way to protect a patient’s personal electronic health records could be using their own unique, distinctive heartbeat.

The post Heartbeat passwords could be used to keep your medical records safe appeared first on Digital Trends.

Wearables–Digital Trends

Android is now used in nearly 9 out of every 10 smartphones in the world

As per a new report from Strategy Analytics, Android now represents 87.5 percent of global smartphone market share in the third quarter of 2016, crushing Apple’s iOS in the race to become the primary power in the mobile space.

The post Android is now used in nearly 9 out of every 10 smartphones in the world appeared first on Digital Trends.

Mobile–Digital Trends

Sonar’s not just for the Navy, it could be used to control your smartwatch or phone

A team at the University of Washington have added an active sonar control system to a smartphone and a smartwatch, which turns any surface, or even the air surrounding the gadget, into a gesture control area.

The post Sonar’s not just for the Navy, it could be used to control your smartwatch or phone appeared first on Digital Trends.

Wearables–Digital Trends

Terrifying Android malware Mazar could be used to remotely wipe your phone

An insidious new piece of Android malware has been spotted operating in the wild. It’s called Mazar, and it gives an attacker almost complete access to your phone, including the ability to erase its contents.

The post Terrifying Android malware Mazar could be used to remotely wipe your phone appeared first on Digital Trends.

Android Army–Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge used to make a professional quality short film

samsung_unpacked_2015_galaxy_s6_edge_plus_rear_gold_TA

I have seen tons of comparisons between modern smartphone cameras and professional cameras over the years. Each year they get closer and closer, but not quite there yet. However, that doesn’t mean an excellent smartphone camera can’t be used to film a professional quality short film and look great.

Part 1 of the film has been released by Jens Rijsdijk, Sjoerd de Bont and Kuba Szutkowski, three up-and-coming directors who used an S6 Edge as their only camera. The short film also has an interesting idea behind it as this first part was shot by Sjoerd de Bont, and the next two parts will be shot by the other two directors. However, each director must continue off from where the last one started. As you’ll see by the part 1, it could go anywhere.

Samsung is using the film as a promotion for the Galaxy S6 Edge. Either way, it still shows just how great their smartphone camera is, and how it can be used to create professional quality films in the right hands.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: Samsung

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Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Drone control: Verizon’s cell phone towers could be used in NASA plan to monitor drones

Verizon has reportedly signed a deal with NASA to allow the use of its cell phone towers in a proposed air traffic control system for quadcopters and other remotely controlled flying machines.

The post Drone control: Verizon’s cell phone towers could be used in NASA plan to monitor drones appeared first on Digital Trends.

Mobile | Digital Trends