ICYMI: The 7 Biggest Tech Stories of the Week, From Samsung Galaxy S24 Issues to Stunning AI-Generated Video
This week in technology was a busy week in the world of AI. Not only did OpenAI give ChatGPT a human-like memory, it also launched its Sora video generation tool – and it’s amazing.
Keeping abreast of these and other rapidly evolving technological developments can be hard work. That’s why we’ve handpicked the seven biggest tech news stories from the past week to help you stay informed.
Looking to the days and weeks ahead, those of you in the US can look forward to the Presidents’ Day sales – and our deals experts have been working hard to help you get a bargain on that shiny new piece of tech you’ve been looking for.
And at the end of the month, all eyes will be on Barcelona when the MWC 2024 trade show gets underway, setting the stage for a host of smartphone and other mobile technology announcements.
7. OpenAI wowed us again with Sora’s AI-generated videos
Just when you thought the AI hype was over, OpenAI launched something this week to make you think (and look) twice. ChatGPT creator’s latest trick is Sora, a text-to-video tool that can create shockingly realistic video clips with simple prompts. It’s both exciting and terrifying in equal measure.
Although Sora hasn’t been released to the public yet, the quality of the clips seems like a real leap forward for AI-generated video. Scenes that have previously proven difficult for devising algorithms – scenes with moving people, pets and textures – don’t seem to be a problem for Sora, who has considerable computing power behind him.
OpenAI says Sora is still being tested internally and is certainly still far from perfect. But the implications for stock video, advertising, gaming and even movies are clear. Goodbye reality, it was nice knowing you.
6. More display issues with the Samsung Galaxy S24 emerged
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 phones are flying off the shelves, but several users continue to encounter some frustrating display issues.
Shortly after the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S24 Ultra were released last month, complaints surfaced about the phones’ Vivid display mode, which reportedly produced an ugly, washed-out color palette. Samsung has since announced a software patch for that specific issue, but more display-related criticisms emerged this week.
Multiple Reddit users have reported seeing a grainy texture when viewing dark and gray colors on their Galaxy S24 displays, while others reported seeing “frankly unacceptable” horizontal bars when viewing their displays at low brightness.
Those affected by this latest issue have also reported seeing excessive banding when viewing gradient images, so we wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung released a second display-related update in the coming weeks.
5. We were introduced to smart earrings
A team of researchers from the University of Washington has unveiled the Thermal Earring. It is a smart earring that can measure body temperature very accurately, thanks to a sensor in the ear stud that takes a measurement in your ear, and a second sensor that dangles underneath and measures the ambient temperature.
This dual-sensor setup then sends the data to a compatible Bluetooth device and, based on testing so far, is much more accurate than a typical smartwatch – although the study only had six participants.
If the earring really proves to be a useful upgrade for measuring temperature, and the design can be tweaked to look nicer, we hope this kind of device could soon be a valuable tool to help people track their menstrual cycle and warn of fever, stress and other problems that affect body temperature.
4. Prime Video has removed support for Dolby Vision and Atmos from the ad-supported level
Amazon brought ads to Prime Video a few weeks ago, and to remove them you’ll have to pay an extra $2.99 per month in the US, or £2.99 in Britain (subscribers in Australia don’t have to pay extra to them to remove ads until later this year, and we don’t know yet how much it will cost them).
This was frustrating enough for people who prefer ad-free content, but Amazon made it even worse by revealing that if you don’t cough up for ad-free streaming, you also won’t get Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos support in the content you watch. views. .
This is the latest anti-consumer move in streaming, with ads and price hikes implemented on many of the top streaming services in recent months. We’re hoping that Amazon will reverse course on Dolby support for its ad-supported tier, but we’re not holding our breath.
3. Samsung and Google have battled to give us invisible AI friends
Samsung and Google have both gone big with AI features for their latest flagship phones, and now it’s time for the next step: bringing that AI support to their wireless earbuds. This week, Samsung drew first blood by rolling out an over-the-air update for its Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds FE buds, bringing live translation and interpretation capabilities.
The disadvantage? For now, you’ll need a Galaxy S24 phone to use these AI features, although they will eventually appear on older phones as well, as they work on the device rather than requiring an internet connection. And Google isn’t far behind, with a recently discovered code in the Gemini app hinting that the new Assistant will soon be coming to compatible headphones.
2. Marvel has made some fantastic announcements
After a brutal 2023, Marvel is coming out swinging this week with a number of exciting announcements.
Leading the charge was Marvel’s long-awaited confirmation Fantastic four movie cast, but that’s not all we learned about the highly anticipated MCU movie. The upcoming superhero movie also got a new release date, title (The Fantastic 4), and a retro-futuristic poster – the latter of which teases when Marvel’s Fantastic four movie will be posted.
In addition to the arrival of Deadpool 3‘s first trailer – read our Deadpool and Wolverine trailer overview for more details – and the reveal of the upcoming Disney Plus show X Men 97‘s official launch date and teaser, there’s a lot to look forward to in Marvel Phase 5 and beyond.
1. ChatGPT has a human-like memory
Not to be outdone by OpenAI’s shiny new Sora tool (see item #7), ChatGPT also got a significant upgrade this week – at least for some early testers. OpenAI revealed that it has given ChatGPT a memory that allows it to remember all your preferences, interests and quirks so that it can apply that knowledge in future chats.
While the feature is still only being tested on both the free and paid versions of ChatGPT, this is yet another important moment for the rapidly evolving technology. It means that, unlike most of today’s AI sidekicks, your new conversations no longer start from scratch, with ChatGPT using its knowledge of your tastes to work for you more efficiently – and ultimately seeming even more human.