NewsBytes Briefing: Galaxy Z Fold2 price announced, and more
Last night, Samsung held the second part of Galaxy Unpacked event and gave an in-depth look at its latest foldable phone - the Z Fold2. The live-streamed show focused on the design and capabilities of the new device and confirmed its price at $1,999. Shipping will start from September 18 across 40 countries, possibly including India. Here are other major developments.
Amazon wanted to hire analyst to monitor 'labor organizing threats'
Amazon drew widespread criticism after posting the job listing that looked for an "intelligence analyst" who would, among other things, monitor "labor organizing threats" within the company. The listing was removed in light of the public outcry, with Amazon saying, "The job post was not an accurate description of the role — it was made in error and has since been corrected."
Microsoft's tool to combat deepfakes
Meanwhile, as part of its Defending Democracy Program, Microsoft has announced a tool to detect deepfakes. The 'Microsoft Video Authenticator' will check photos and videos and assign a confidence score signaling whether they have been manipulated by AI or not. It will work in real-time, assessing clips frame-by-frame to look for subtle deepfake-specific elements in content posted online.
Uber mandated mask check for some riders
In another news, Uber has announced that some of its riders will have to scan their faces to show they are wearing masks. The rule is already applicable to drivers and is being expanded to cover those riders who remove their masks during the ride. If a driver reports you did not wear a mask, the company will require verification on your next ride.
Other important developments to note
Among other things, NVIDIA announced GeForce RTX 3070, GeForce RTX 3080, GeForce RTX 3090 'Ampere' GPUs, and LG launched a virtual version of its IFA exhibition with rollable OLED screens, other appliances at display. Further, Google expanded its AI-powered flood prediction service to cover all of India, while both Facebook and Twitter removed over a dozen troll accounts linked to Russia's Internet Research Agency.
Finally, some COVID-19-related updates
India on Tuesday reported over 78,000 new coronavirus infections, taking the nationwide tally close to 38 lakh. The death toll rose to 66,333, with over 1,045 fresh fatalities. In the fight against the disease, AstraZeneca has started the Phase-3 trial of Oxford's vaccine in the US while Japan is considering offering free vaccines to all its citizens.
