When it comes to the mid-range/sub-$400 market, you’d be hard-pressed to find a smartphone that can stand spec-for-spec against the Pixel 5a 5G. Yes, multi-camera setups, large batteries, and a 60Hz screen are common among the sea of Motorola, OnePlus, and Samsung, but what sets the Pixels apart is the software. Leveraging Google’s AI and computational photography, the Pixel experience that you’re getting with the 5a is no different than that of the 6 and 6 Pro – phones that cost $200-$500 more....

It may be because human language has statistical properties that lead a neural network to expect the unexpected, according to new research by DeepMind, the AI unit of Google. Natural language, when viewed from the point of view of statistics, has qualities that are “non-uniform,” such as words that can stand for multiple things, known as “polysemy,” like the word “bank,” meaning a place where you put money or a rising mound of earth....

To many vaccinated people from overseas, that is. So today, we’re trying to be positive and consider the desperation for so many to travel in the other direction. Trying. Covid is still here – and there and everywhere – but more people are now prepared to balance the risks with the need to see family members, business associates or merely the back of America for a while. Then along comes Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian to put a tiny dampener on world enthusiasm....

Your next company is designed like a Tesla. The power of automation and autonomy will define the purpose of digital transformation for businesses in the next normal. The benefit of automation will be the ability for organizations to implement design thinking principles of flow, powering individuals and teams to create value at the speed of need. The seven principles of Flow by Design will guide digital business transformation initiatives for a more sustainable paradigm of success....

Two organizations that help businesses with diversity introduced this heritage and history observance in 2004. They aimed to create an observance celebrating and honoring the diversity that’s fundamental to America. The focus on diversity is sometimes combined with equity and inclusion, or DEI for short. Diversity is about recognizing and celebrating differences. Equity focuses on providing pathways to equal access. Inclusion focuses on making people feel accepted, valued, and empowered to be their full selves at work....

The report sent DocuSign shares up over 5% in late trading. CEO and Dan Springer said the company has “increasingly become the way people agree in this emerging anywhere economy—and that’s not only helping organizations continue operations during the pandemic, but helping them realize new and more efficient ways of doing business in the future.” Added Springer, “This fact is reflected by our new and existing customers adopting and expanding at record rates, our 58% year-over-year Q1 revenue growth, and the recent addition of our millionth customer to the DocuSign platform....

It involves Face ID and the fact that it can have more than just your face enrolled. Face ID offers a super-fast and convenient way to unlock modern iPhones and iPads, and it’s super secure. But it’s only as secure as your passcode. If someone secretly knows your passcode (maybe they’ve shoulder-surfed you to get it), they could add their face to your iPhone or iPad and could be unlocking your device with the same ease that you’re unlocking it....

The request [PDF] was filed over the weekend in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida and calls for Twitter to reinstate Trump’s personal account. Twitter permanently removed Trump from the social media platform after it found that he made several tweets to “inspire others to replicate violent acts”. The tweets in question were posted from Trump’s account days prior the US Capitol riots. “After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them – specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter – we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” Twitter said at the time....

Want to make this summer a little more productive by learning something new? Thanks to our Back to Education promotion, there’s a way you can celebrate learning two different ways at once. Not only is the Complete 2022 CompTIA Certification Course Super Bundle price-dropped until August 24, but our partners at StackSocial will donate $0.50 to charity or school in need with every purchase of this online training package. If you’ve been on the job hunt for any time, you know you won’t get far in the IT world without proper education and certification....

The DTA is seeking participants for the following categories: Enterprise storage, network equipment, data cabling services, end user computer, enterprise computer, video collaboration systems, and mobile phones and smart devices. It noted suppliers can apply for any or all seven categories. Existing panellists admitted to a category do not need re-apply to those categories. Instead, they can apply to admitted to categories they are not already enrolled in, the DTA said....

The countries came together to form the digital identity working group (DIWG) in 2020 to discuss how to make digital identity a key component of the global digital trade and travel ecosystem. The set of principles is the group’s first set of publicly released work since inception. Chaired by Australia’s Digital Transformation Agency, the working group’s other members are from Canada, Finland, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom....

Anatel considered granting the rights until 2033, but decided to shorten the time span of the authorization given the venture’s “pioneering nature” and “possible unforeseen impacts.” According to Anatel, consumers will be able to access the satellite-based broadband if companies buy capacity from the satellite network, or if existing sector players obtain authorization to operate in the field. “It is in the company’s interest to provide internet access to customers throughout the Brazilian territory, which will certainly be very opportune for schools, hospitals, and other establishments located in rural and remote areas,” said Anatel’s interim president, Emmanoel Campelo....

These full-featured GPS sports watches excel at sports tracking, training programs, customized workout displays, and advanced sports metrics. However, my aging eyes find their lower resolution displays a bit tough to see in lower light situations. Thus, when I saw the Garmin Epix announcement with a high-resolution AMOLED display like the Venu 2 Plus I placed my order and had one in hand within three days. I’ve now been living with the Garmin Epix for a couple of weeks and couldn’t be happier....

In a statement, the European Commission said the formal investigation will examine whether Google has distorted competition by restricting third parties – like advertisers, publishers, or competing online display advertising intermediaries – from accessing user data for advertising purposes on websites and apps, while simultaneously reserving such data for its own use. “Google collects data to be used for targeted advertising purposes, it sells advertising space, and also acts as an online advertising intermediary....

On October 18, FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled a new set of proposed rules that would force wireless carriers to block illegal robot texts, potentially at the network level. According to the chairwoman, the US regulator received roughly 14,000 complaints from consumers concerning unwanted, robot texts in 2020. So far, the commission has received over 9,800 complaints, which suggests that this is a rising trend that needs to be tackled alongside robot calls....

Zero trust (ZT) enables enterprises to restrict access controls to networks, applications, and environments without sacrificing performance and causing user ire. A zero-trust approach trusts no one, no matter how high on a security clearance ladder he or she may be. Multiple entry codes will always be needed. But ZT still needs assistance in order to provide the 24/7 security and airtight access processes required by many enterprises, and AI is providing that help....

The proposed change would amend the current universal service obligation (USO), which was written into UK law in 2003, when faxing was still a popular communications method. As Ofcom notes, back in 2003, email and instant messaging were still in the early days of mass adoption. “Almost 20 years later, and the telecoms landscape has changed,” Ofcom notes. “Not only are alternatives to fax machines now more widely available, migration of telephone networks to internet protocol (IP) technology means fax services can no longer be guaranteed to work in the same way....

The UK is leading the way with modern digital banking, with well funded startups such as Revolut offering sophisticated mobile phone and card based banking that enables withdrawals in over a hundred currencies internationally and transfers between dozens of currencies. This is in large part due to the favorable regulatory climate in the UK. Revolut are expanding rapidly and have obtained licenses to operate in Singapore, Japan and North America....

It’s not simply a refusal to embrace new technologies; many Gen Zers still upgrade their smartphones every year. What seems to be happening right now is an intentional relinquishing of contrived spontaneity, social media overindulgence, and an attempt to reclaim some of the time spent hunched over a screen. Also: Best phone showdown: The top iPhone, Galaxy, and Pixel models stacked up So, Gen Z is investing in Y2K-era technology, such as 2009’s Nikon Coolpix, a 12....

And yet, there’s one incredibly useful feature that Windows has had forever, that’s gone inexplicably missing from MacOS. If you use a Mac, but have even the slightest Windows muscle memory, you’ll try to use this feature, recall that Apple, in its infinite wisdom, decided to skip it, and then slam your mouse down in frustration. But not anymore, courtesy of Mac developer Coral Wu. And all it costs is two bucks....