(And the AI titan has finally fixed its logo.)

Therabodys at-home muscle stimulator is brilliant in theory but is plagued with connectivity issues.

Ransomware gangs continued to wreak havoc in 2024, but new research shows that the amounts victims paid these cybercriminals fell by hundreds of millions of dollars.

MacworldOver the last couple of decades, Apple has solidified its place at the top of the technology world. Dominant products like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad have made the company a household name, which in turn has elevated the profile of even its more modest businesses, like the Mac and the Apple TV.Apple has gotten the production of its devices down to a science, and while its hard to argue that it hasnt been wildly successful, it seems as though that success should afford it some opportunities to make things that are, wellless successful. (And no, Im not talking about the Vision Pro.)As Apple basks in its superstardom, something has gotten lost: the weird and wacky Apple. The Apple that is willing to take chances on products that wont (and maybe never will) set the world on fire, but that might still find a viable home amongst its hundreds of millions of customers. Fortunately, there are some indications that the company may indeed be open to taking some of these risks, possibly even sooner than we think.Home is where your smarts areOne area that Apple has only partly explored is the smart home. Yes, Apples history with HomeKit stretches back more than a decade, but the company has never really put its money where its ambitions are. The HomePod is the companys only real smart home device, and while its fine for what it is, it doesnt really show off what the smart home is capable of.Apple has been reported as investigating creating smart home products, such as a security camera.Christopher PhinRecent reports, however, suggest that Apple may finally be diving headfirst into this category, possibly introducing a smart doorbell or a home security camera. While these arent necessarily the smart home devices that Id most like to see, I do appreciate that Apple has identified a couple of places where it feels like it could make a real difference. Ive long thought that if the company wants to really drive smart home adoption, it should build its own hardware, but it was always hard to see Apple entering commoditized categories like smart bulbs or smart switches.Video, on the other hand, makes sense. Apples HomeKit Secure Video, first introduced in 2019, offers real advantages over many of the companys competitors, such as end-to-end encryption, support across all of Apples platforms, and easy sharing with family. It even includes unlimited footage for a specified number of cameras, depending on which iCloud storage plan you use. But third-party implementations of this feature have often felt buggy and unreliable; arguably the best way for Apple to improve HomeKit Secure Video is to have to use it too.Id love to see a device like this used as a real Continuity Camera, too, as my colleague Jason Snell recently suggested. As it is, Continuity Camera is a great feature that makes video chats easy and high quality, hampered only by requiring you to give up access to your phone, something a small standalone device could do quite well.Youre in commandSpeaking of the home, Apples rumored smart speaker with a screen projectwhich could debut sometime this yearis another example of the company trying something a little different. This will almost certainly never be a barn-burner, as it appeals predominantly to those who already own and use smart home tech, a self-selecting customer base, for sure.The HomePod started to scratch that itch, and while that product line has had it successes, its been hampered by an overpriced initial offering and the continued unreliability of Siri, something that Apple Intelligence might be poised to help correct.But, ultimately, what makes this an ideal category for Apple is that while competitors have attempted this, theres no clear winner yet. Amazons Echo Show and Googles Nest Hub may have paved the way, but neither of them has proved to be a huge success, and the lack of in-depth integration with Apples ecosystems prevents them from delivering the kind of experience that the companys customers tend to want. Add in the huge number of hobbyist projects that have flirted with bringing your data into a screen you can place around your houseTidbyt, TRMNL, LaMetric TIMEand its clear theres an appetite for this functionality, even if nobody has quite cracked it yet.Smart glasses are half-fullA recent report from Bloomberg suggested that Apple had ended the development of a project to build smart glasses that could connect to a Mac. Given what seem to be fundamental limitations with that specific device (requiring a Mac, for example), that decision hardly seems unreasonable.But it does open the question of what more Apple could be doing in the wearable market. The Apple Watch and AirPods have been reasonably big hits, but surely they arent the only options for devices that customers might want to wear. Apple seems to be moving towards smart glasses, but the technology to deliver their idea of the future clearly isnt ready yet.Metas Ray-Bands seem like the type of product Apple could make and be successful with.Jim Martin / FoundryStill, there are other options in that area too: smart rings, wearable fitness bands, and other forms of smart glasses, like Metas Ray-Bans, have all proved to have some degree of following, and all of them would seem to be well within Apples capability. Would it kill the company to take a couple of flyers on other products, especially when the benefits would accrue not only to this category but also likely to Apples Services division and overall bottom line?In fact, one interesting thing linking a lot of these products together: they all fall within the confines of the category on Apples balance sheet entitled Wearables, Home and Accessories. Which makes sense: among other things, that means they dont have to be broken out into individual profit & loss statements (externally, at least). Its the perfect place for Apple to play with products without subjecting them to the weight of the expectations placed on the iPhone, Mac, or iPad.

The company that once opened its code of conduct with the words Dont be evil is now opening the door to assisting in the creation of AI-powered weapons and surveillance systems.Changes in the companys statement of AI principles introduced in a blog post on Tuesday remove the companys earlier prohibition on engaging in such activities, leaving it much more wiggle room in an ethical area that has often brought it into conflict with its own staff.The blog post by Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, and James Manyika, Googles SVP for research, labs, technology & society, skated around the omission, instead focussing on three new core tenets: bold innovation, responsible development and deployment, and collaborative progress together.In the full text of Googles new AI principles, the section on responsible development and deployment says This means implementing appropriate human oversight, due diligence, and feedback mechanisms to align with user goals, social responsibility, and widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.Googles previous AI principles archived by the Wayback Machine listed seven principles and then added four prohibitions under the heading AI applications we will not pursue. These included:Weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people.Technologies that gather or use information for surveillance violating internationally accepted norms.Those prohibitions are notably absent from the new principles.A year ago, OpenAI similarly deleted a self-imposed ban on the military use of OpenAI technology.

Have you heard the buzz? Good vibrations are on their way to Android or at least to Googles own homemade Pixel devices.As we discussed in my Android Intelligence newsletter on Friday, word broke the other day about a still-under-wraps plan to bring custom vibration patterns into the ever-evolving Android arena. The feature appears to be connected to the Pixel-specific Google Sounds app and designed to let you pick from a series of distinctive, recognizable vibration patterns for different types of alerts.That way, youd know exactly whats happening without even having to pull your phone out of your purse and/or pantaloons as youd be able to tell that a certain series of vibrations means important call from work, whereas another series of vibrations means incoming message from a guy named Trent (and we all know you never stop what youre doing to deal with a guy named Trent).As reported by famed Android code-sleuther and notably not Trent-named human Mishaal Rahman, the vibrations vary not only in their patterns with presets such as Blip, Rumble, Fireworks, and Waves but also in their intensity and duration (and for the love of all things holy, get your mind out of the gutter, lest I be forced to bring HR into this conversation).Its an interesting new way to make our devices less disruptive and more useful. But its also not available to anyone as of this moment, and its not entirely clear when that might change or how far the eventual rollout could reach.But hold the phone! As usual here in the land o Android, where theres a will, theres a way. And with the inspiration of Googles good vibrations guiding us, Ive got an extremely easy way to bring this same custom vibration capability onto any Android device this instant no matter who made it or how old it might be.In fact, the setup were about to go over takes Googles core concept and makes it even more versatile and customizable. And itll take you all of four minutes to get up and running on whatever Android gizmo youve got.Ready?[Keep the knowledge flowing with my free Android Notification Power-Pack next six powerful notification enhancements for any Android device.]4 minutes to smarter Android vibrationsThe trick to bringing custom vibration patterns onto any Android device immediately resides in one of my all-time favorite Android power-user tools.Its an app called BuzzKill, and it might just be the best Android customization tool most people dont know about.The best way to think about BuzzKill is as a system that lets you create filters for your phones notifications kind of like Gmail filters, only for Android notifications instead of incoming emails.Ive got an in-depth guide to all the ins and outs of BuzzKill and the many incredible things it can do for you, in case youre feeling extra ambitious. But for our purposes here today, I want to focus specifically on the custom vibration flirtation and how you can bring that situation out of gestation, to your elation (and possibly with some celebratory gyration or libations). Whew! Can I get an ovation?!All superfluous rhyming aside, this thing really is awesome. And it can bring you the benefit of easily recognizable, situation-specific vibration patterns in no time no specific device or yet-to-be-released updates required.Heres all youve gotta do:Download BuzzKill from the Play Store. Itll cost you four bucks as a one-time purchase, and itll be worth every penny and then some.BuzzKill doesnt require any unusual permissions, doesnt collect any form of data from your phone, and doesnt have any manner of access to the internet meaning itd have no way of sharing your information even if it wanted to.Once youve gone through the apps initial setup and gotten to its main screen, tap on the circular button in the lower-right corner of the screen to create a new rule.Thatll cause a fill-in-the-blank if this, then that-style rule to show up. And all thats left is to fill in those blanks with the specific info we want.The blank canvas for your Pixel-style custom Android vibration rule.JR Raphael, IDGSo first, consider what exact type of notification you want to target to start. Maybe its a message from your boss or a text from important client in Messages. Maybe its an update in a high-priority channel in Slack or a DM that contains a specific phrase. Or maybe its an especially critical calendar event with a certain keyword in its title.Whatever the case may be, tap the text that says any app and select the app you want. Youll then see that change reflected in the rule on your screen.Next, tap contains anything and think about the exact circumstances you want this rule to affect. If you want the rule to affect all notifications from the app you selected, you can just leave this as-is and not fill in any additional info for that part of the equation. But if you want the rule to be limited only to specific notifications within the app those including a certain name, word, or phrase this is where youd configure that.Now weve got just one field left to faff with the one that currently says do nothing.For this step, youll tap the words do nothing to create your own custom vibration pattern.JR Raphael, IDGThat field, as you may have surmised, controls what happens when a notification that matches our conditions appears. And thats where the real magic comes into play.Tap those two words, then scroll down and select Custom alert from the list of possibilities that pops up. Thatll expand your rule and set the stage for our final piece of our Android vibration customization creation. (Oh no. Here we go again with my sublime rhyme pastime)Last but not least, tap the newly present default vibration text and now, in a twist even Googles under-development custom vibration system doesnt support, you can create your own original vibration pattern that youll be sure to recognize and immediately associate with this specific type of event.Your custom Android vibration creation station elation!JR Raphael, IDGJust tap that Add buzz button to get going. Thatll let you select from a variety of vibration styles for the first buzz in this custom sequence.Pick whatever combination of buzz lengths and gap lengths you want to create your unique pattern, and be sure to look at the Intensity option to adjust how strong or gentle the vibrations are, too.Here, for instance, Ive attempted to recreate the drumbeat to Led Zeppelins classic Immigrant Song sans the high-pitched screams, of course:My own custom vibration creation.JR Raphael, IDGUse the Preview option to feel your pattern in action, and once youre satisfied, tap the Pick pattern button at the bottom of the screen to save it.And thats it: All thats left is to tap Save rule to, yknow, save your rule and itll then be up and running and ready to vibrate you in all the right ways.The final step is simply saving your rule then letting it work its magic.JR Raphael, IDGJust follow those same steps to set up additional custom vibration rules for any other types of notifications you want, and youll be buzzin away and recognizing specific alerts simply by the way your phone is a-shakin.And again, all of this is just scratching the surface of what BuzzKill can accomplish. I use it for all sorts of sanity-saving purposes from keeping low-priority notifications out of my hair during the workday to auto-hushing back-to-back alerts from nuisances named Trent.Its one heck of a resource and youd better believe its yet another one of those powers thats possible only here on Android. NEXT: Snag my free Android Notification Power-Pack to discover even more powerful enhancements for your favorite Android device. Whee!

This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.Whats next for smart glassesFor every technological gadget that becomes a household name, there are dozens that never catch on. This year marks a full decade since Google confirmed it was stopping production of Google Glass, and for a long time it appeared as though mixed-reality products would remain the preserve of enthusiasts rather than casual consumers.Fast-forward 10 years, and smart glasses are on the verge of becomingwhisper itcool. Sleeker designs are certainly making this new generation of glasses more appealing. But more importantly, smart glasses are finally on the verge of becoming useful, and its clear that Big Tech is betting that augmented specs will be the next big consumer device category. Heres what to expect from smart glasses in 2025 and beyond.Rhiannon WilliamsThis story is part of MIT Technology Reviews Whats Next series, which looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here.Four Chinese AI startups to watch beyond DeepSeekThe meteoric rise of DeepSeekthe Chinese AI startup now challenging global giantshas stunned observers and put the spotlight on Chinas AI sector. Since ChatGPTs debut in 2022, the countrys tech ecosystem has been in relentless pursuit of homegrown alternatives, giving rise to a wave of startups and billion-dollar bets.Today, the race is dominated by tech titans like Alibaba and ByteDance, alongside well-funded rivals backed by heavyweight investors. But two years into Chinas generative AI boom we are seeing a shift: Smaller innovators have to carve out their own niches or risk missing out. What began as a sprint has become a high-stakes marathonChinas AI ambitions have never been higher. We have identified these four Chinese AI companies as the ones to watch.Caiwei ChenThe must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 The US Postal Service has stopped accepting parcels from ChinaAnd plunged the ecommerce industry into utter chaos. (Wired $)+ Trumps China tariffs are coming for Amazon, too. (Insider $)2 Elon Musk has weaponized X in his war on government spendingThe billionaire is conducting polls asking users which agency he should gut next. (NYT $)+ Musks staffers reportedly entered NOAA headquarters yesterday. (The Guardian)+ DOGE now appears to have access to Treasury payment systems. (Fast Company $)+ But it does appear as though Trump blocked Musk from hiring a noncitizen. (The Atlantic $)3 Google has quietly dropped its promise not to use its AI to build weaponsJust weeks after rival OpenAI also reversed its anti-weapons development stance. (CNN)+ OpenAIs new defense contract completes its military pivot. (MIT Technology Review)4 The metaverses future isnt looking so rosyMetas CTO has conceded that this year is critical to its success or failure. (Insider $)5 OpenAI is attempting to court Hollywoods filmmakersBut its Sora video tool has been met with a frosty reception. (Bloomberg $)+ How to use Sora, OpenAIs video generating tool. (MIT Technology Review)6 These drones are launching drones to attack other dronesUkraine is continuing to produce innovative battlefield technologies. (Ars Technica)+ Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraines drone defense. (MIT Technology Review)7 How to make artificial blood Were running out of the real stuff. Is fake blood a viable alternative? (New Yorker $)8 Students have worked out how to hack schools phone prisonsTeachers should know that smart kids will always find a workaround. (NY Mag $)9 Social media cant give you validationSo stop trying to find it there. (Vox)10 Internet slang is out of controlSkibidi, gigachad, or deeve, anyone? (WSJ $)Quote of the dayWhile we encourage people to use AI systems during their role to help them work faster and more effectively, please do not use AI assistants during the application process.AI company Anthropic urges people applying to work there not to use chatbots and other tools during the process, the Financial Times reports.The big storyThe race to save our online lives from a digital dark ageAugust 2024There is a photo of my daughter that I love. She is sitting, smiling, in our old back garden, chubby hands grabbing at the cool grass. It was taken on a digital camera in 2013, when she was almost one, but now lives on Google Photos.But what if, one day, Google ceased to function? What if I lost my treasured photos forever? For many archivists, alarm bells are ringing. Across the world, they are scraping up defunct websites or at-risk data collections to save as much of our digital lives as possible. Others are working on ways to store that data in formats that will last hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years.The endeavor raises complex questions. What is important to us? How and why do we decide what to keepand what do we let go? And how will future generations make sense of what were able to save? Read the full story.Niall FirthWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet em at me.)+ Letsa goNintendo has added 49 Super Mario World tracks to its music app!+ Congratulations are in order for New Zealands Mount Taranaki, which is now legally recognized as a person. + Ive got something in common with these Hollywood greats at last: they never won an Oscar, either.+ Do you prefer music or silence in your yoga class?

Despite the airline previously banning AirTags for reasons understood only by itself, Lufthansa has now support for them in its app and is celebrating the integration.AirTag on a bag. Officially, AirTags were somehow dangerous and somehow in contravention of some laws somewhere, said Lufthansa in 2022 as it tried to find any excuse to ban them. This was not in any way a response to how all airlines were being caught out with luggage going missing or, say, baggage handlers stealing from passengers.Lufthansa's ban lasted a whole three days before the airline said enough already, AirTags are fine. This was less from some technical testing and less from some actual reading of FCC regulations, though the airline tried to safe face by rustling up someone to say the words "risk assessment." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

South Korean media claims that Apple Silicon M5 chips are in mass production, which makes a lot of sense considering that the first devices that will use them are expected ship before the end of 2025.TSMC logoA report on Wednesday morning by South Korean venue ETnews says that TSMC is in the process of packaging early M5 chip production. Packaging is the last step before a new chip can be put in devices, meaning that the M5 chip is now officially in mass production.Rumors have already laid out the timetable for the M5 chip, and appearance in Apple products. The M5 iPad Pro is expected in late 2025, Macs will get M5 late in the year, and another rumor places it in a second-generation Apple Vision Pro product before the end of the year. Rumor Score: Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

UQAMs Centre de design is set to host the internationally acclaimed architecture exhibition BUONE NUOVE: Women Architects of Change from February 13 to April 6, 2025. Originally produced by Rome's MAXXI Museum in 2021, the exhibition documents the historical and contemporary contributions of women in architecture. Following stops in Stockholm, Doha, New Delhi, Berlin, and Toronto, the exhibition arrives in Montreal with new additions specific to Quebec.The exhibition highlights the works and voices of Italian, Quebecois, Canadian, and international women architects who have significantly influenced modern and contemporary architecture. Aimed at inspiring the next generation, the exhibition showcases the evolving role of women in shaping architectural practices.The Montreal edition introduces two new sections: one spotlighting Quebec-based women-led practices, and another featuring furniture designed by Italian architects from the golden age of design.The touring section includes...