Episode 261 of Tech News Weekly
In this episode of Tech News Weekly, hosts Jason Howell and Micah Sargent are joined by special guests Dan Morin from Six Colors and Devindra Hardawar from InGadget. They dive into the latest tech news, including Apple's new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 chip, and more.
Emergency SOS via Satellite
Apple's latest iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models come with a new feature that allows users to send emergency messages via satellite in areas without cell coverage. This feature uses Globalstar's satellite network and infrastructure, and Apple has invested $450 million in Globalstar. The feature works with the Find My app to share location via satellite, but it's limited to once every 15 minutes. Apple has also set up relay stations for emergency call centers that don't support texts.
Future of Emergency SOS via Satellite
Currently, the feature is free for iPhone 14 models, but Apple hasn't announced pricing for after the two-year free period. The feature is only available in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK for now. Other companies, like Garmin, offer similar satellite-based emergency services with subscription plans.
Interview with Dan Morin
Dan Morin, writer at Six Colors, joins the show to talk about Emergency SOS via Satellite. He discusses the logistics of getting emergency information to the right authorities, the investment in Globalstar's infrastructure, and the future of the feature, including pricing and availability.
Next Generation AR Glasses
Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 chip has been announced, which will enable more advanced augmented reality experiences. No details on specific features or devices have been announced yet.
Other News and Updates
ID.com faces criticism for baseless unemployment fraud claims, and Devindra Hardawar from InGadget shares his thoughts on the new Evernote owner and its implications for legacy users.
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Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit
Qualcomm held its Snapdragon Summit, showcasing its next year's processors and technologies. The company showed off the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, focusing on bigger, better, and faster smartphone SOC (System on a Chip). Qualcomm also showcased its designs for augmented reality (AR) with the Snapdragon AR2 platform gen 1, an upgrade from its previous Snapdragon XR2 gen 1 and XR2 plus gen 1.
The AR2 platform is designed specifically for AR, optimized for multi-chip distributed processing, with 2.5 times better AI performance and 50% less power consumption. The processor is meant to pull in data from various sensors and sources on the glasses hardware, like eye tracking, iris authentication, and foveated rendering. The chip manages power consumption by focusing processing only where the user is actively looking. It also supports Wi-Fi 7 and has 2 milliseconds of latency for seamless data transfer and processing.
Augmented Reality and Smart Glasses
The challenge with AR and smart glasses is making them blend in and not look like technology on the face. There is a struggle between companies wanting to make them invisible and the need for them to be functional and useful. Micah thinks it may take 10 years or more to get to a point where AR glasses become mainstream and acceptable. Companies like Niantic are showing prototypes and progress, but there is still a long way to go. Finding a use case that pulls people in and makes them want to use AR glasses is crucial.
ID.me and Unemployment Fraud
ID.me is back in the news for its involvement with unemployment fraud claims. The company's technology is being used to verify identities and prevent fraud. However, ID.me's facial verification technology has been criticized for its accuracy and bias.
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ID.me and the IRS
ID.me is a company that provides digital identity verification services. The IRS used ID.me to verify identities for tax purposes and unemployment benefits during the pandemic. However, the company's claims of fraud and lost unemployment benefits are baseless and inaccurate.
ID.me's CEO and the Company's Claims
ID.me's CEO claimed that up to 50% of unemployment benefits were lost due to fraud, but the committees found no evidence to support this claim. The company's figures were exaggerated, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General found 45.7 billion dollars in potential fraud, which ID.me claimed was 10 times higher. ID.me provided data from The Heritage Foundation, a right-leaning think tank, to support its claims, but the committees found that The Heritage Foundation was quoting itself and not providing credible evidence.
ID.me's Authentication Process
ID.me's authentication process involves uploading documents and taking a video or photo of oneself, which is then compared to the uploaded documents. However, the process has been criticized for its complexity and lack of accessibility for people without stable internet or computer access. In some cases, people had to wait up to 10 hours for a human to verify their identity.
Impact on Disenfranchised Communities
The lack of accessibility to ID.me's authentication process disproportionately affects low-income and rural communities, who may not have stable internet or computer access. This can lead to increased barriers to accessing benefits and services, which can exacerbate existing inequalities.
Evernote's New Home
Evernote is a note-taking app that has undergone significant changes in recent years. The company is now undergoing another major transition, which has raised questions about its future direction and whether it can regain its former popularity.
Evernote's Downfall
Evernote was once a dominant force in the note-taking app space. It has faced a decline in popularity and a loss of trust among users. The company has struggled to stay relevant and has been criticized for its handling of user data and security concerns.
The Acquisition by Bending Spoons
Evernote was acquired by Bending Spoons, a lesser-known app development company. The acquisition is a significant change for Evernote and has raised concerns among users about the future of the company. The CEO of Bending Spoons has stated that the company plans to continue supporting Evernote's existing features and users.
Reasons for Disappointment
The lack of innovation and stagnation in the app's development, the company's handling of user data and security concerns, and the rise of alternative note-taking apps and the increasing competition in the market have all contributed to Evernote's decline.
Alternative Note-Taking Apps
Some popular alternatives to Evernote include OneNote, Notion, and Simple Notes. Each of these apps has its own strengths and weaknesses, and users may find that they don't meet their needs as well as Evernote does.
The Future of Evernote
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Evernote and whether it will be able to recover its lost popularity. The company's struggles have left many users looking for alternative options, and it's unclear whether Evernote will be able to regain their trust.
Club Twit and the Untitled Linux Show
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Additional Resources
For more information on Evernote and its alternatives, check out our show notes and links. To join Club Twit and access exclusive content, visit twit.tv/ClubTwit.