Pornhub says it will ban ‘deepfake’ AI-edited videos

Is the thought of AI-generated fake porn (aka “deepfakes”) disturbing to you? You’re not the only one. Pornhub has informed Motherboard that it will ban videos that use machine learning to superimpose faces on porn actors. The company forbids “any nonconsensual content,” and this certainly qualifies — more often than not, the face’s owner didn’t give permission. Pornhub put it on the same level as revenge porn.

Whether or not the company can completely put a stop to it is another matter. Motherboard said it found “dozens” of AI-based porn videos on the site, many of which were explicitly labeled as “deepfake” and mentioned celebrities. It would be difficult to completely eliminate these user-uploaded clips (just ask the many game and TV studios whose content is, er, misused), but it’s clear that there’s some room for improvement.

Source: Motherboard

Apple in Talks With Goldman Sachs Over Potential iPhone Buyer Finance Options

Apple is in talks with its investment bank Goldman Sachs about the possibility of offering customers financial loans when buying Apple products, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

The Wall Street firm is in talks to offer financing to shoppers buying phones, watches and other gadgets from Apple, people familiar with the matter said. Customers purchasing a $1,000 iPhone X could take out a loan from Goldman instead of charging it to credit cards that often carry high interest rates.

Talks between Apple and Goldman Sachs remain at an early stage and could still fall apart, according to WSJ. Both the tech giant and the investment bank declined to comment for the report.

Part of Goldman’s discussions with Apple are said to involve taking over some form of Apple’s iPhone upgrade program, which is designed for users who want to have the newest iPhone every year and comes with AppleCare+ included.

Those who sign up for the program in its current form can trade-in their existing iPhone for a new model after 12 monthly installments are made, starting a new cycle of the program each year. Apple started the program in September 2015 with the help of Citizens Financial Group, who finance the zero-interest loans for iPhone upgrades and higher-interest options for other device purchases. The program was introduced around the same time that wireless providers began reducing buyer subsidies for iPhones.

Goldman Sachs is said to view the potential financing deal with Apple as a way of growing its new consumer bank, as it looks beyond corporate clients to more fully embrace retail banking and consumer lending. Two years ago the investment firm launched Marcus, an online lender that helps people refinance credit-card debt, while the bank is also building a “point-of-sale” financing business that will offer loans to shoppers at checkout, according to people familiar with the firm who spoke to WSJ.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhonesTags: Goldman Sachs, iPhone Upgrade Program
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Google makes it even easier for you to plan a trip on your smartphone

Whether you’re a weekend traveler or a gallivanting globetrotter, Google is making it even easier to make travel plans on a smartphone.

For starters,  the web giant says it’s enhancing the way mobile search deals with hotel bookings by introducing improved price filtering and easier-to-find amenity information.

It’s also offering the ability to book right from the search page instead of having to click through to potentially multiple websites to input dates and details over and over in an effort to find what you’re looking for.

It’s linking up different aspects of a trip search, too. So, for example, if you search for a flight in Google Flights, you can also tap on “Hotels” at the top of the page for a quick route to explore hotel availability and prices in your destination city, with the destination automatically entered. Even better, the dates that you selected for the flights will already be selected for the accommodation page, saving you from having to input them again. It also works if you switch from the accommodation page to flights.

Just below the main row of tabs on the search page you’ll also see “more destinations.” Tapping on this, as you may have guessed, lets you explore other destinations, weekend getaways, and alternative places that may appeal.

“You’ll also see a feature called Your Trips that helps you see, at a glance, all your upcoming and past travel reservations from Gmail,” Google’s Eric Zimmerman wrote in a post outlining the new features. This data is private and viewable only by you, though you can email information about your reservations to friends and family from this section, and also make edits and access them offline using Google Trips, a travel-focused iOS and Android app released by the company in 2016.

If you’ve gotten used to exploring travel options using your smartphone instead of your PC, then Google’s more streamlined process should appeal, and, as the company itself says, “This feature doesn’t just help you plan your travels, it also connects you to travel companies who help you square away those plans.”

Mobile users will start seeing the changes in the next few days.

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HP’s EliteBooks pack mics on both sides for clearer Skyping

Laptop updates are no longer confined to boring iterative improvements year after year. We’re starting to see useful new features being introduced to PCs, even if they aren’t the most groundbreaking ideas. Case in point: HP’s new business notebooks will not only sport the latest eighth-generation Intel Core chipsets, but also come with “world-facing” mics for clearer conference calls, among other new tools.

The so-called world-facing mic is actually a microphone on the outside of the laptop’s lid, and can be used in two modes. When you’re in conferencing mode and the people around you are also participants in your call, the outside mic can better pick up their voices. In individual mode, the extra mic can be used for noise cancellation, making for stronger projection of your voice. It’s not just for Skype calls, either, since the feature is managed by HP’s built-in Noise Cancellation software and is meant for “PC calls”.

That’s not the only nifty addition to the EliteBook 800 series. You can also get a built-in shutter for your webcam, a la Lenovo’s new Thinkpad X1 line, and get features like the built-in privacy screen that was introduced two years ago. HP’s Sure Click software will also defend your laptop against malware, by running your browser in an isolated container so the things you come across while on the web won’t infect the rest of your machine. There’s also PhoneWise, which was announced in January and will let you get your iPhone or Android’s notifications on your PC, similar to Dell’s Mobile Connect system. It doesn’t look as if HP’s problematic Touchpoint software will come installed.

With the EliteBook 800 refresh, the 13-inch 830 G5 model will replace the existing 820 G4, while the 840 G5 and 850 G5 offer 14- and 15-inch screens respectively. They’ll all sport narrower bezels than before, and HP promises an ultrabright display that should make for easier reading under harsh light, although the company didn’t provide a measurement for this. Only the two larger models will come with discrete graphics, though — the 13-incher will only be available with integrated Intel graphics. The 830 will also only go up to full HD resolution, while its two larger brothers can be configured up to 4K.

All three new laptops are expected to be available in February starting at $1,049, $1,029 and $,1039 for the 13-, 14- and 15-inch models respectively.

UK Android upstart Wileyfox goes into administration

When UK phone maker Wileyfox burst onto the smartphone scene in August 2015, the company positioned itself as a small company that operated on small margins, with a plan to sell powerful but low-cost Android handsets.

Its first two phones — the Swift and the Storm — delivered on that promise, earning favourable reviews for their premium design and impressive spec sheet. The company’s next releases, however, didn’t fare as well. It was forced to ditch the Cyanogen operating system and build its own Android platform, which ultimately led to it offering reduced prices if you didn’t mind putting up with lockscreen ads.

It appears Wileyfox’s money-making strategy hasn’t paid off. In a Reddit post, a (now) former Wileyfox employee named Wileyfox-Jack indicated that the company has gone bankrupt and is now in the hands of administrators. “Wileyfox Europe Limited is in Administration. Andrew Andronikou and Andrew Hosking are appointed joint administrators and act jointly and severely without personal liability,” the post read.

What does this mean for Wileyfox? At the moment, that isn’t immediately clear. The company hasn’t yet returned our request for comment and its website doesn’t yet display any indication of the company’s new circumstances. However, its handsets are no longer listed on the site. Amazon UK, on the other hand, continues to sell its current range of phones.

With administrators attempting to secure the company’s survival, existing Wileyfox handset owners will find it difficult to find support for their devices. Repairs and warranties will also be handled by the administrators, which could mean they aren’t honoured for the time being.

Source: Reddit (r/Wileyfox)

US Senators want to give feds sole power to issue missile alerts

US senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii announced back in January that he wants take the responsibility of sending missile alerts away from state and local governments. Now he and fellow Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Gardner have introduced a legislation that would give feds the sole authority to send out missile threat notifications. Under the bill, called Authenticating Local Emergencies and Real Threats (ALERT) Act, the Department of Defense would be able to send notifications to the public using the same system US Presidents use to issue warnings in the event of national catastrophes.

The DoD doesn’t have to go through local authorities anymore, something Schatz thinks is ideal, because “[t]he people who know first should be the people who tell the rest of us.” Schatz conjured up the bill after the false alarm that went out in his state showed how flawed the emergency alert system is. Based on the results of its investigation, the FCC found various elements that contributed to the major gaffe, including the alert system’s poor user interface, the lack of sufficient verification system and the absence of tools authorities can use in the event of a false alarm. Indeed, it took Hawaii’s officials 38 minutes, which must have felt like hours to the people there, to send out another message that a missile wasn’t actually incoming.

“What happened in Hawaii can never happen again — people terrified by the false alert of a system that must have absolute confidence,” Senator Gardner said in a statement. While the bill wants to remove the authority to issue missile alerts from the local government, it doesn’t want to leave them clueless about what’s happening. It would also require FEMA to conjure up a process to quickly notify state authorities when a missile is on its way. That way, they can launch their own evacuation and protective plans as soon as possible.

Apple Retail Stores in China to Accept Alipay Mobile Payments

Alipay, the mobile payment system offered by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, will soon be accepted in Apple retail stores across China, making it the first third-party mobile payment system to be accepted at brick-and-mortar Apple stores anywhere in the world (via Reuters).

The partnership with Apple was announced in a statement on Wednesday by Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial, which runs Alipay. Apple’s regional China website, iTunes Store, and App Store have accepted Alipay for over a year, but Apple has now agreed to accept Alipay payments across all of its 41 local retail stores in the country, where Apple Pay has thus far received a lukewarm reception.

Alipay is China’s most used mobile payment platform, but Alibaba is looking to keep one step ahead of Tencent Holdings’ rival digital payment system, which is integrated into hugely popular chat app WeChat.

Reports of discussions about a potential partnership between Apple and Alibaba date back to November 2014, when the idea of integrating Alibaba’s Alipay with Apple Pay was first considered as a more comprehensive mobile payments solution for the Chinese market.

Related Roundup: Apple PayTags: China, Apple retail
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: Rumors, Specs, Release Date, and More!

There’s a lot riding on the Redmi Note 5 considering its predecessor was the best-selling device in India last year.

Xiaomi had a groundbreaking year in 2017, and a lot of that had to do with the Redmi Note 4. Launched last January, the phone went on to become the best-selling device in the country in 2017, breaking sales records for Xiaomi and catapulting it to the summit of the Indian handset market.

As such, there’s a lot riding on the Redmi Note 5, the upcoming budget workhorse from the Chinese manufacturer. Here’s what we know so far about the phone.

It will come with an 18:9 display

With the Redmi 5 series bringing the 18:9 form factor to the budget segment, it’s guaranteed we’ll see a similar display on the Redmi Note 5. In fact, it’s entirely likely that the same panel will make its way to the Redmi Note 5.

Xiaomi significantly expanded its product portfolio last year, and in doing so reused components — like the camera sensors and displays — in several devices. That’s likely to continue this year, so we could see a 5.99-inch 18:9 display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 on the Note 5.

Powered by Snapdragon 630/636

Xiaomi turned to the Snapdragon 625 for a majority of phones in its budget portfolio, with the manufacturer professing its love to the chipset for its combination of energy efficiency and performance. With the Snapdragon 630 now widely available, it’s likely we’ll see the newer chipset in the Redmi Note 5.

Rumors out of China have suggested that there will be two variants of the Redmi Note 5: one powered by the Snapdragon 630 and the other featuring the Snapdragon 636. We’ll have to wait and see how it pans out, but Xiaomi phones have never been short on power, so we are set to see an upgrade in this area from the Redmi Note 4.

Elsewhere, the Redmi Note 5 is likely to retain the 4GB RAM/64GB storage combination, with base models offering 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The battery is also likely to be unchanged from the 4100mAh unit we saw last year.

Dual rear cameras are a certainty

Xiaomi has already introduced dual rear cameras in the budget segment with the Android One-based Mi A1 last year, so it’s entirely possible we’ll see the same this time around on the Redmi Note 5.

The Chinese manufacturer has stated that camera quality will be a key priority this year, so it’ll be interesting to see the imaging features on offer with the Redmi Note 5. For context, Xiaomi’s focus on battery life in years past led to devices like the Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4, which offered two days’ worth of usage on a full charge.

Official launch scheduled for later this month

Xiaomi has sent out invites to the media for a launch event on February 14, and the teaser suggests the device will be the Redmi Note 5. The 5 in the invite could be alluding to either the Redmi 5 or the Redmi Note 5, but my guess is on the latter.

The Redmi Note 4 was the best-selling phone in India last year, and with the device making its debut on January 19, 2017, we’re long overdue a successor. And while the Redmi lineup primarily focused on the entry-level tier in the country, it’s the Redmi Note series that is the catalyst for the brand in the budget segment.

Furthermore, Xiaomi isn’t shy to unveil an all-new product on the Indian stage, as we’ve seen last year. Either way, we’ll find out more about the device on February 14.

Pricing could remain unchanged

Xiaomi pioneered the model of selling phones at near-manufacturing cost, and it doesn’t look like the manufacturer is going to change its stance now. We’ll have to wait until the official launch to know about pricing information, but early rumors have suggested that the phone will debut at the same price point as its predecessor.

With the 4GB variant of the Redmi Note 4 debuting at ₹12,999 ($202), we may get to see a Redmi Note 5 model with a similar 4GB RAM/64GB storage configuration retailing at that $200 price point. Doing so would certainly drum up excitement in the device, but we’ll have to wait a week to know more.

As for availability, it’s unlikely the phone will be sold outside Asian markets. Xiaomi has said that it will eventually sell its phones in the U.S., but the manufacturer isn’t ready for a Stateside launch just yet.

Your turn

What are you looking forward to seeing from the Redmi Note 5? Let me know in the comments below.

Falcon Heavy completes its final maneuver as SpaceX turns to the BFR

After the successful launch of SpaceX’s massive Falcon Heavy rocket, Elon Musk indicated there may be a change of plans coming. On the conference call where he confirmed the loss of its core booster, Musk said the company is focusing on the development of its BFR and has “kinda tabled” development of the Crew Dragon spacecraft intended for use with the Falcon Heavy. None of this seems final, however, and Musk also said that if there are delays on the BFR project and an “aspirational” projection that its upper spaceship portion could be ready for short flights next year, then things could change.

As far as the rocket launched today, its upper stage completed a successful third and final firing. In a tweet, Musk said the third burn gave it enough boost to go beyond Mars orbit and toward the asteroid belt. A few people in the LA area reported seeing its comet-like trail in the evening sky, and one person even got a picture.

Third burn successful. Exceeded Mars orbit and kept going to the Asteroid Belt. pic.twitter.com/bKhRN73WHF

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 7, 2018

Rocket launch over Los Angeles just now??? pic.twitter.com/UBXgY2fg52

— Kevin M. Gill (@kevinmgill) February 7, 2018

Source: SpaceNews.com, TechCrunch

Streaming ESPN Plus launches this spring for $4.99

As Disney announced its quarterly earnings results today, CEO Bob Iger told CNBC that the company plans to price its standalone streaming version of ESPN at $4.99 per month. We’ve already heard that ESPN Plus will include “10,000 live regional, national, and international games and events a year” including MLB, NHL and MLS action, and Iger said it will arrive along with a relaunch of the ESPN app this spring. The idea is to reach out to cord-cutters and cord-nevers, hoping they’re into some sports you wouldn’t catch on its cable broadcasts (other sports will include various college games, Grand Slam Tennis, Boxing, Golf, Rugby and Cricket), plus included access to its library of 30 for 30 documentaries.

It will be available “iOS, Android, tvOS and Chromecast” at launch, with other platforms following. As far as the new ESPN app, we should expect even more personalization with the usual relevant scores and highlights next to streaming versions of ESPN’s cable broadcasts as well as its podcasts.

When it launches, ESPN Plus will only be the beginning of Disney’s streaming push, before its Disney-branded service launches in 2019. During the call, Iger said Disney is developing “a few” Star Wars series for the new app, and that it’s close to revealing at least one of the projects (separate from the new series of movies announce earlier from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

Disney CEO: Young people are subscribing to traditional, cheaper cable packages from CNBC.

Source: CNBC, Disney Q1 2018 earnings (PDF)