Netflix has released a new sizzle reel containing first looks at a variety of its big 2023 original movies.

Some of the most notable titles include the Adam Sandler-Jennifer Aniston comedy Murder Mystery 2 (March 31st), the Chris Hemsworth-led action flick Extraction 2 (June 16th), the David Fincher thriller The Killer (November 10th) and Zack Snyder’s sci-fi epic Rebel Moon (December 22nd).

See below for the full video:

Here’s your first look at the biggest Netflix original films premiering in 2023! #NetflixSaveTheDates pic.twitter.com/kiRTNIzJbZ

— Netflix (@netflix) January 18, 2023

It’s become customary for Netflix to share these film previews early in the year, but this one takes on added significance amid a slump in business for the streamer. In the past year, the company reported multiple quarterly losses and cancelled a slew of shows, which hasn’t exactly instilled consumers with optimism.

To help recoup costs, the streamer also launched a low-cost ad-supported tier in November while preparing a password sharing paywall for early this year. The latter move has been met with significant criticism, especially when it had previously made tweets like “love is sharing a password.” A specific rollout date for the password sharing paywall has not yet been confirmed.

Image credit: Zack Snyder

Twitter Blue subscribers can opt to skip the monthly fee for a discounted annual option.

But the savings are only available on the web.

Canadians can subscribe to the web service for $10 a month or pay $105 annually, resulting in $15 of annual savings.

The annual option isn’t available for iOS pricing, which will see users pay $15 a month.

Twitter Blue allows people to buy the sought-after blue checkmark, a symbol that used to be rewarded to notable accounts before Elon Musk bought the social media platform. While the process to obtain a blue checkmark is no doubt easier, Twitter says a subscription won’t mean instant verification.

“All Twitter Blue features will be available immediately except the blue checkmark, which may take time to appear to ensure review of subscribed accounts meet all requirements.”

The Twitter help page outlining the specifics doesn’t state why iOS subscribers must pay more. However, it’s hard to forget Musk’s unhinged tirade against Apple last year. Musk accused Apple of hating “free speech in America” and said the company made threats “to withhold Twitter from the App Store.” But all of that seemed to be forgotten when Musk took a trip to Apple HQ.

Users who joined for a lower iOS price will see it changed to the new local price.

Source: Twitter Via: Reuters

Rogers, Shaw, and Vidéotron are asking the court to dismiss an appeal from the Competition Bureau.

The four parties will face the Federal Court of Appeal on January 24th to make their respective cases on Rogers’ takeover of Shaw and Vidéotron’s acquisition of Freedom Mobile.

The parties previously faced the Competition Tribunal in a weeks-long hearing to discuss similar feats. The tribunal supported the telecoms and rejected the bureau’s arguments. The bureau appealed, stating the tribunal errored in its decision.

The response from lawyers representing the three telecoms says the tribunal’s findings were “rigorous” and based on evidence.

“The legal errors relies on are collateral attacks on the tribunal’s assessment of the evidence and its findings of fact, dressed up as pure questions of law.”

The bureau filed its initial appeal on December 31st and updated it on January 10th. The bureau argues the tribunal should’ve mainly focused on Rogers’ merger with Shaw and not solely on Vidéotron acquiring Freedom Mobile. In its findings, the tribunal said it would have reached its conclusion either way. In its updated appeal, the bureau said the tribunal failed to explain how it would get the same conclusion, resulting in a legal error.

The respondents say the bureau’s appeal ignores several vital aspects, including that the commissioner was aware “of every aspect” of the Rogers and Shaw merger and “closely involved with Vidéotron.”

“The suggestion that the sale of Freedom was a “trial balloon”–some kind of litigation stratagem to catch by surprise–is unfaithful to the record and unhelpful to this court,” the respondents say. “Having now withdrawn his claim that the Tribunal ‘rushed to judgment,’ he makes no fairness argument before this court.”

The response further revealed Rogers and Shaw presented the bureau with two potential buyers for Freedom Mobile before continuing with Vidéotron.

In a surprise move, Apple has announced its new 2nd-Gen HomePod. The speaker features Siri, computational audio, Spatial Audio and smart home automation with Siri.

The new HomePod is available to pre-order now ahead of its February 3rd launch for $399.

Apple uses a seamless, acoustically transparent mesh fabric with a backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge. It comes in white and midnight, a new colour for the HomePod. It’s made with 100 percent recycled fabric with a colour-matched woven power cable.

The HomePod uses a rich deep bass and offers stunningly high frequencies as well. Apple uses a custom-engineered high-excursion woofer, built-in bass EQ mic, and beamforming array of five tweeters around the base that work together for a better acoustic experience. It also sports an S7 chip combined with software and system-sensing tech to offer advanced computational audio.

The smart home speaker also uses room sensing technology with sound reflections (which sounds like echolocation) from nearby surfaces to tell if it’s against a wall or freestanding and adapts the sound in real time. It also has precise direction control of its beamforming teeters to help immerse the listener.

You can use the HomePod to create a home theatre experience with Apple TV 4K. You can make the HomePod the audio system for all devices connected to the TV and control what’s playing on the Apple TV hands-free.

With Find My on HomePod, you can also ask Siri for the location of friends or loved ones or get it to locate other Apple devices.

Another cool feature is Sound Recognition, which can listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send a notification directly to the user’s iPhone. The built-in temperature and humidity sensor can measure indoor environments, so a user can create automation that closes the blinds or automatically turns on the fan when a certain room temperature is reached.

Of course, with Siri, you can also search by artist, song, lyrics, decade, genre, mood or more. Siri also allows users to have the HomePod wake them up with a “good morning” or set automation like “Hey Siri, open the blinds daily at sunrise.”

Siri will make a confirmation tone when it’s requested to control an accessory that may not show a visible change.

Image credit: Apple

The HomePod offers Matter support, which enables home products to work across ecosystems while also maintaining the highest level of security. Apple says it’s all about protecting customer privacy, which is why all smart home communications are end-to-end encrypted, and Apple can’t gain access. Further, Siri requests aren’t stored.

Apple says it designed the Homepod to minimize environmental impact, which offers 100 percent recycled gold — a first for the HomePod — in the plating of its circuited boards. Additionally, it has 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in the speaker magnet. It features redesigned packaging that eliminates plastic wrap, and 96 percent of the packaging is fibre base, which brings Apple closer to its goal of removing all plastic from its packaging by 2025.

The original HomePod launched in 2018, but Apple discontinued it after three years. Since 2020, it’s been pushing the HomePod mini, so it was time we saw a new smart speaker.

Image credit: Apple

Threat actors have been exploiting a website access control mistake to copy personal information held by one of the world’s biggest credit rating agencies, according to a news report.

Cybersecurity reporter Brian Krebs says that by knowing how to edit a URL, anyone could have seen the credit rating information held by Experian.

Normally individuals would have to answer several questions online about their financial history to prove their identity. However, with a little knowledge of any individual to start with — their name, address, birthday and Social Security number — and knowledge of the URL weakness, any credit history was available.

Krebs says he was tipped off about the weakness by a Ukrainian security researcher, who learned identity thieves knew how to use the URL bypass after monitoring chat channels used by crooks on the Telegram text messaging service.

The vulnerability was closed in December. It isn’t known how long the vulnerability was available or how many threat actors took advantage of it.

IT World Canada asked Experian for comment seven days ago. No response has been received.

Adam Greenhill, a security engineer at Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan and a co-lead of the Toronto chapter of the Online Web Application Security Project, said OWASP would categorize this as a broken access control issue (A01-2021). It ranks in the top 10 in OWASP’s list of common web-related vulnerabilities.

“It happens a lot,” he said in an interview. “The underlying root cause is authorization is not being enforced in the application.”

To get access to an individual’s credit rating when the vulnerability was available, a person started by filling in an online application with personal information (name, address, birthdate and Social Security number) for identity verification. That took them to a page with several personal questions that had to be answered, such as ‘which of the following addresses did you used to live at’. A wrong answer would deny access to the report. However, anyone who knew how to edit the URL of that page could get the credit report.

The trick was to modify the page’s trailing URL from “/acr/oow/” to “/acr/report,” to have the site give access to a requested report.

This type of vulnerability can be avoided by web developers through proper threat modeling. Greenhill said, and by making sure authentication is enforced everywhere the design has specified. Before the application goes live, he added, a penetration test should also be done as a second check.

Asked if many web developers think like a hacker, Greenhill replied that they usually have other priorities. “Most developers are paid to implement features. If they don’t have the budget or time to implement security, and it isn’t a design requirement, then it may be overlooked.”

It’s more common today for students to be taught web security in application development courses, he said. But, he added, “development teams are under extreme pressure to get things done quickly, so security can be put on the back burner.”

OWASP says access control is only effective in trusted server-side code or a server-less API where the attacker cannot modify the access control check or metadata.

The post How editing a URL allowed crooks to access Experian credit reports first appeared on IT World Canada.

Today is January 18th, 2023, which means it’s Google Stadia’s last day on Earth.

At 11:59pm PT/2:59am ET, the game streaming service will officially shut down. Google confirmed this end of service date last September, although many had seen it coming.

Originally launched in November 2019, Stadia has had a rough lifecycle due to a poor pricing model, slowly growing catalogue with almost no exclusives, the shuttering of its first-party studios and a lack of communication. In its September 2022 blog post announcing the shutdown, Google admitted that Stadia “hasn’t gained the traction with users that we expected.”

Going forward, Google says it aims to leverage the technology powering Stadia in other ventures. “We see clear opportunities to apply this technology across other parts of Google like YouTube, Google Play, and our Augmented Reality (AR) efforts — as well as make it available to our industry partners, which aligns with where we see the future of gaming headed,” said Google in its September 2022 blog post.

In the months leading up to Stadia’s demise, Google had already licensed Stadia to companies like Capcom, which the Japanese gaming giant used to power a Resident Evil Village demo that can be streamed within a browser. Google has also enabled Bluetooth support for its well-received Stadia controller so it can connect to other devices after Stadia shuts down.

Developers like Bungie have also noted that Stadia’s infrastructure has helped with remote development amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

It remains to be seen what else Google might do with Stadia’s tech, but for now, let’s pour one out for an ambitious platform that never took off.

Apple requires you to own an iPhone to operate an AppleTV, a woman receives the first-ever successful transplant of a living, 3D-printed ear and a Tesla suddenly accelerated and broke into two in West Vancouver.

 

That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Welcome to Hashtag Trending. It’s Wednesday, January 18th and I am your host, Ashee Pamma.

As of a recent software update, tvOS, Apple’s TV software expects users to have access to an iPhone or iPad in order to do things like accept new iCloud terms and conditions, or update their Apple ID settings, 9TO5Mac reported. The new software also requires users to have an iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 or later, which means even an old generation iPad or iPhone won’t work to navigate an Apple TV. The Apple TV was considered to be a standalone device rather than an accessory and used independently, up until recently. These changes mean that Apple TV users who have Macs but no personal or new iOS devices are forsaken. The recent software update was unveiled by a viral tweet by one user who claimed he could not accept the terms and conditions on his Apple TV as he possessed no other Apple products.

Source: 9TO5Mac

A woman has received the first ever successful transplant of a living 3D printed ear. US-based regenerative medicine company 3DBio Therapeutics conducted the implant. The patient was suffering from microtia, a condition that causes the underdevelopment or complete absence of one or both ears. The process involved taking samples from the patient’s existing ear tissue, from which cartilage cells are harvested. These are then multiplied in cultures and used as bioink to 3D-print into the shape of a new ear, which is then grafted onto the patient. These 3D printed ears keep regenerating cartilage over the patient’s lifetimes and are less likely to be rejected as they are made from their own cells. More technical details have not been revealed by the 3DBio but the company says that the trial data has been reviewed by federal regulations and will be published upon completion of the still ongoing trial, involving 11 patients.

Source: ZME Science

West Vancouver police are investigating the sudden acceleration of a Tesla that resulted in the vehicle slamming into a BC Ferries ramp at Horseshoe Bay terminal, causing it to break in two last Saturday. A spokesperson for the West Vancouver police department said they are not sure yet if it is a mechanical issue or a matter concerning the driver. Reportedly, no alcohol was involved at all. The driver and passenger were both taken to hospital for non-life threatening injuries and are cooperating with the investigation, according to North Shore news.

Source: North Shore news

The legal battle between generative AI firms and content creators continues to escalate as popular media company Getty Images has now announced  it is suing Stability AI for unlawfully’ copying and processing millions of copyrighted images from its site, to train its software. Getty Images CEO Craig Peters told The Verge in an interview that the company has issued Stability AI with a “letter before action” — a formal notification of impending litigation in the UK. Peters added that Stability AI did not reach out to Getty Images to utilize their contributors’ materials and are hence taking action to protect their content creators’ intellectual property rights.

Source: The Verge

That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash briefings or your Google Home daily briefing. Make sure to sign up for our Daily IT Wire newsletter to get all the news that matters directly in your inbox every day. Also, catch the next episode of Hashtag Tendances, our weekly Hashtag Trending episode in French, which drops every Thursday morning. If you have a suggestion or a tip, drop us a line in the comments or via email. Thank you for listening, I’m Ashee Pamma.

 

The post Hashtag Trending Jan 18 – AppleTV software update, first-ever transplant of 3D printed ear, Tesla suddenly accelerates and breaks into two first appeared on IT World Canada.

The many facets of quantum computing were on the agenda today during the kickoff of Quantum Days 2023, a virtual three-day conference in which topics will range from what organizers describe as “cutting-edge academic research in theory and experiment, to industry applications, societal impact, public policy and future careers.”

Shohini Ghose, conference chair and professor of physics and computer science at Wilfred Laurier University, reflected on all that has changed since the first Quantum Days was held in 2020 during the height of the pandemic.

“It seems so long ago,” she said. “Many of us were dealing with isolation and challenges of working at home, but that’s what made it so special. It gave us the opportunity to virtually connect over 1,000 participants from all sectors of the quantum community, and from coast to coast and even beyond. And the momentum has kept building. And like the previous two years, this year, too, you will be able to meet a thousand of your fellow quantum enthusiasts. So welcome to everyone.”

Ghose urged delegates to attend sessions that “are really far outside of your expertise, where you have no idea what it is all about and I hope you get exited.

“Second, let us be engaged. As you may know, the National Quantum Strategy was announced on Friday. And this is a big moment for us here in Canada. And it’s going to impact not just the science and the research that we do, it’s going to be impacting human beings and society.

“How are we going to build this future quantum society responsibly and ethically? There’s a lot of sessions at this conference where you have opportunities for discussing this, and to have your voice heard as well.”

Backed by an investment of $360 million committed in Budget 2021, the strategy seeks to help Canada’s quantum technologies, companies, and talents grow.

Of that budget, $141 million will go towards basic and applied research, $45 million will be targeted at developing and retaining quantum talent, and $169 million will be used to enable the commercialization of quantum products.

François-Philippe Champagne, federal minister of innovation, science and industry, made the official announcement, and today, in a virtual address outlined the importance of both the strategy and quantum computing itself.

“Canada must seize the moment, and lead the way. Already, we’re doing impressive work in the science and research behind quantum,” he said. “But now is the time to take our spot on the forefront of the quantum revolution.

“That’s why last week, I was pleased to announce the launch of Canada’s national quantum strategy backed by an investment of $360 million. This strategy will amplify Canada’s existing strength in quantum research, grow quantum technologies, companies and talent, from batteries in EVs (electric vehicles), to electricity grids, to supply chains, or even how drugs and medicines are developed. The benefits of quantum technologies are infinite and so are the possibilities.”

The post Quantum Days 2023: Targeting what soon may be possible first appeared on IT World Canada.

Stock content giant Getty Images is taking legal action against an AI firm, stating that the company infringed upon Getty’s intellectual property rights, “including copyright in content owned or represented by Getty Images.”

In a recent statement, Getty Images revealed that London, U.K.-based Stability AI unlawfully copied and processed “millions” of Getty’s images that were protected by copyright without a license, and because of this, legal proceedings in the High Court of Justice in London are to commence.

Stability AI runs a tool called ‘Stable Diffusion,’ which allows users to type in a few words of text and mash-up a mix of images related keywords. According to Getty, the tool has been using material picked up from the interent, and its catalogue without permission.

It’s worth noting that Getty Images has provided licences to AI companies for purposes related to training artificial intelligence systems. However, according to Getty, Stability AI did not seek a license, and instead, “chose to ignore viable licensing options and long‑standing legal protections in pursuit of their stand‑alone commercial interests.”

Further, according to Getty Images CEO Craig Peters in an interview given to The Verge, Getty Images has issued Stability AI with a formal notification called a “letter before action,” warning the AI firm about the impending lawsuit in the U.K. On the other hand, according to The Verge, it got in touch with a press representative for Stability AI who said that the “Stability AI team has not received information about this lawsuit, so we cannot comment.”

Elsewhere, Stability AI is already facing a class action lawsuit in the States, reportedly filed by three artists claiming the AI tool is using their images and their copyright has been infringed, according to Barrons.

Back in October, 2022, Shutterstock, another stock content giant, announced it’s partnering with OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 to bring AI-generated content to its platform. Learn more about the development here.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Getty Images Via: The Verge

Samsung’s flagship smartphones might be pricier this year.

Galaxy S23 series pricing information obtained by 9to5Google suggests the phone will cost $100 more than the S22 line. 9to5 specifically cites Australian pricing information, where the S23 (128GB model) is said to cost $1,350 AUD, compared to last year’s $1,249 AUD price.

The publication also details the entire S23 series’ cost, with a $100 increase across each model compared to last year. The S23+ will start at $1,650 AUD and the S23 Ultra at $1,950 AUD.

With conversion, this means the Galaxy S23 could cost roughly $1,262 CAD, the S23+ about $1,543 and the S23 Ultra approximately $1,824. This is a significant price increase in the Canadian market, as the S22 started at $1,099. While we’ll see a price increase in Canada with the S23, it’s unlikely the smartphone will cost that much more here (my guess is the S23 will cost roughly $1,199 CAD).

That said, in the past, Samsung has added what seems like a Canadian premium cost, with devices being more expensive in Canada when compared to other regions, even after conversion. With this in mind, it’s still possible we’ll see a 128GB S23 that costs more than $1,200 CAD.

Samsung previously offered the 256GB S22 at the same price as the 128GB S22, so I’d definitely keep an eye out for launch deals.

It’s worth pointing out these are just rumours and that it’s still unclear how much the smartphone will actually cost. Samsung will officially reveal the S23’s Canadian pricing and availability on February 1st.

Follow MobileSyrup for all of the Canadian pricing details following the Galaxy S23’s reveal.

Source: 9to5Google