Technology
Google And Apple Team Up To Build COVID-19 Mobile App For Android and IOS
Google and Apple unveiled plans for a joint initiative Friday to use smartphones Android and IOS to trace coronavirus contacts to battle the pandemic.
The move brings together the largest mobile operating systems in an effort to use smartphone technology to track and potentially contain the global COVID-19 outbreak. Smartphones powered by Apple software and Google-backed Android operating system would be able to exchange information with a joint “opt in system.”
The tech giants will collaborate on a “contact tracing” system which can identify people in contact with an infected person. and alert users.
“All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems,” the companies said in a joint statement.
The first step will be release next month of software interface and operating system-level technology to let iPhones and Android-powered phones share information through applications provided by public health authorities, according to the companies.
Apple and Google said they will work together in the coming months to use standard Bluetooth capabilities relied on by wireless devices such as earbuds to be used to let handsets exchange information.
Apple and Google contended that “privacy, transparency, and consent” were top priorities in the joint initiative.
“All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems,” the longtime rivals said in the release.
“Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life.”
AFP
Samsung said that starting with its 2022 TV lineup, it would provide broad support for NFTs.
This was disclosed in Samsung press releases titled, “Samsung Electronics Unveils Its 2022 MICRO LED, Neo QLED and Lifestyle TVs, With Next-Generation Picture Quality and Range of Cutting-Edge Personalization Options.”
Samsung becomes the first major TV manufacturer to support NFTs to such a significant degree.
Samsung is introducing the world’s first TV screen-based NFT explorer and marketplace aggregator. This would be a groundbreaking platform that lets you browse, purchase, and display your favourite art all in one place.
“NFT Platform: This application features an intuitive, integrated platform for discovering, purchasing and trading digital artwork through MICRO LED, Neo QLED and The Frame,” Samsung said.
The need for a solution to today’s fragmented viewing and purchase landscape has never been higher, according to Samsung.
What you should know
- Non-fungible token (NFT) assets were extremely popular in YTD with about $20 billion in volume recorded in terms of NFT sales among 100 collections.
- While many single NFTs sold for millions of dollars, a number of NFT projects and collections saw hundreds of millions and even billions in all-time volume.
- According to defillama.com metrics, the popular NFT collection Cryptopunks captured $2.98 billion in all-time volume.
- Numerous NFT collections have been very prominent in 2021 and have been the topic of various discussions
- Hence with the growing popularity of NFTs, Samsung saw that the need for a solution to today’s fragmented watching and purchase landscape has never been higher.
Microsoft’s Bid To Purchase TikTok Is Rejected
Microsoft will not be purchasing the wildly influential social media app, Tik-Tok, the company announced, Sunday. ByteDance, according to a statement from Microsoft, refused to sell to them.
“ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikTok’s US operations to Microsoft,” the company said in the statement. “We are confident our proposal would have been good for TikTok’s users, while protecting national security interests. To do this, we would have made significant changes to ensure the service met the highest standards for security, privacy, online safety, and combatting disinformation, and we made these principles clear in our August statement. We look forward to seeing how the service evolves in these important areas.”
Instead, ByteDance has reportedly reached an agreement with the software giant, Oracle.
TikTok was desperate to be sold after the Trump administration put pressure on the company, considering TikTok to be a threat to national security.
“The U.S. government is forcing one of China’s most successful global media companies to sell under a less than ideal timeframe, and China is trying to avoid having this set a precedent,” said Paul Triolo, head of global technology policy at the Eurasia Group. “The TikTok ban has to be viewed as part of this longer-term effort by the U.S. to police the boundaries of its technology ecospheres with China.”
Sony Officially Confirms Date For PS5 Showcase
Sony has adamantly teased the PlayStation 5 for months now, and it looks like the time is nearly among us.
The tech giant has prepared its rival products to compete against the XBox Series X and Series S, just in time for the Black Friday/Christmas/ever-lasting quarantine rush. Wednesday at 1 PM (PDT), the company is set to hold a 40-minute showcase, detailing news among Sony’s first-party game studios and its third-party partners.
PlayStation 5 Showcase broadcasts live this Wednesday at 1pm Pacific Time: https://t.co/W4gkVp7pdv pic.twitter.com/Nn33RT0yki
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 12, 2020
While sensational drips of information have leaked ahead of the showcase, including Sony’s apparent intent to produce two separate models of the console at two different price-points, technological specification potentially making it worth the upgrade has yet to come to the mainstream circle.
In addition to unveiling the functionality of the console, Sony is expected to announce its price(s) and release date(s).
All eyes are especially open to see if the company plans to match, undercut, or exceed the relatively bare-bones price tag of $299 USD placed on the XBox Series S.
After having already opened pre-registration for preorders of the console, Sony seems confident it can deliver upon its own hype as they provide “one more look at some of the great games coming to PS5 at launch (and beyond!)” This coming Wednesday.
