In the last seven days, we have been increasingly excited about exploring new realities with spatial computing. We have also seen OpenAI debuting its GPT Store for users to buy and sell customized chatbots and the emergence of Wi-Fi 7.
Let’s dig into this week’s tech headlines!
CES Takes Over Vegas
This week’s tech headlines are unsurprisingly dominated by the massive gathering at CES 2024, where over 130,000 tech enthusiasts, business leaders, 3,500 exhibitors, and 1,200 startups have taken over Vegas.
From AI-assisted kitchens to competent pet care, the future is here with gadgets that promise unparalleled convenience and personalization. But at what cost?
Dive into our latest roundup of the dazzling yet daunting world of CES 2024’s tech wonders, where every device understands you a little too well.
CES 2024 Says Your Future Home Will Look Like This… (Techopedia)
Wi-Fi 7 Officially Launches
While everyone’s eyes were on the AI advancements at CES 2024, Wi-Fi 7 made a stealthy yet significant entrance.
This latest upgrade in wireless technology, featured in new designs by top laptop brands, promises ludicrous speeds and lower latency critical for gamers. With high-end models like the Razer Blade 16 and MSI Titan 18 HX A14V leading the pack and more affordable options, Wi-Fi 7 transforms the gaming experience.
Wi-Fi 7 quietly took off while everyone was looking at AI (TheVerge)
OpenAI Launches GPT Store
OpenAI’s GPT Store has launched, but it’s a waiting game for creators looking to monetize their custom GPTs. Unveiled at DevDay, this platform promises a new frontier for AI enthusiasts, yet the delay in revenue sharing raises questions. What makes the GPT Store unique, and how does it differ from the Apple App Store’s model?
We explore the nuances of the GPT Store, the intriguing GPT Builder feature, and what this all means for the future of AI-driven content creation. Learn about the current capabilities of the GPT Store, its limitations, and the potential that lies ahead for creators eager to tap into OpenAI’s expansive user base.
OpenAI launches GPT Store, but revenue sharing is still to come (Techopedia)
Sony XR and Apple Vision Pro Lead Spatial Computing Revolution
At CES. Sony and Siemens joined up to wow audiences in Vegas with a new mixed reality headset described as a ‘spatial content creation system.’
Far away from the showroom floor, Apple finally announced the release of its highly anticipated launch of Vision Pro on February 2.
Could this be the moment when spatial computing enters the mainstream? We explore big tech’s mission to combine augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI).
Apple Vision Pro: Everything You Need to Know About $3.5K Headset (Techopedia)
OpenAI-Backed ‘Domestic Humanoid’ Hits $100M Funding
Step into the future with Neo, the humanoid robot from Norwegian startup 1X. With a recent $100 million funding boost, 1X is poised to bring Neo, a robot designed for everyday tasks like laundry and tidying, into consumer households.
Imagine a world where your home assistant doesn’t just help with chores but also enhances global living standards.
CEO Bernt Øivind Børnich’s vision of commercial androids working alongside humans is becoming a reality, redefining the boundaries of artificial intelligence and robotics in our daily lives.
The only downside is Neo looks like he is an extra from Squid Games.
Domestic humanoid backed by OpenAI closer to market after $100M raise (TNW)
AI Suggests ‘Fingerprints May Not Be Unique’
Do you think your fingerprints are unique? New research from Columbia University utilizing AI technology challenges this long-held belief.
Their AI tool, trained on 60,000 prints, can identify with up to 90% accuracy if different fingerprints belong to the same person. This groundbreaking study, soon to be published in Science Advances, could revolutionize our understanding of biometrics and forensic science.
Discover the intriguing details of this study and how it might reshape everything from smartphone security to criminal investigations.
Our fingerprints may not be unique, claims AI (BBC)
iPhone Survives 16000-Foot ‘AirDrop’ From Plane
Have you ever dropped your phone from just two feet, ending up with a cracked screen, and then spent two years using it with that crack rather than paying $300 for a screen replacement?
Last week, an iPhone defied the odds, surviving a 16,000-foot plunge from an airplane and landing nearly unscathed. Learn about the remarkable physics behind its survival and why this incident redefines the limits of technology durability.
This iPhone passed the ultimate drop test after falling from a plane – here’s how it survived (TechRadar)
Microsoft Briefly Becomes the World’s Most Valuable Company Again
In a dramatic week of market rivalry, Microsoft and Apple have been trading places, with Microsoft now briefly claiming the crown as the world’s most valuable company. This seesaw battle highlights the ongoing competition and innovation in tech.
Microsoft briefly overtakes rival Apple as the world’s most valuable company. (SkyNews)
SAP to pay $220m Over Bribery Charges
This week, SAP agreed to a hefty $230M+ settlement over bribery charges in Indonesia and South Africa, marking a significant move by US authorities against foreign corrupt practices.
Learn more about this landmark case for corporate accountability.
SAP to pay more than $230 million to settle bribery charges, US authorities say (CNBC)
White House’s $623m Funding to Boost EV Charging Points
The White House is turbocharging the electric vehicle revolution with a $623m investment to expand the US’s charging network.
Amidst growing concerns about the slow pace of the zero-carbon transition, this Funding aims to add 7,500 chargers across 22 states, addressing critical infrastructure needs.
This move could power up the shift towards cleaner transportation, the challenges, and the potential impact on the electric vehicle market and climate goals.
White House unveils $623m in Funding to boost electric vehicle charging points (The Guardian)
The Bottom Line
This week in tech has been a rollercoaster, showcasing both the accelerating pace of innovation and the industry’s challenges.
Key highlights include the surge in interest around spatial computing, with Sony’s new XR headset and Apple’s Vision Pro stirring conversations.
Meanwhile, the tech world witnessed the debut of Wi-Fi 7 and the much-awaited launch of OpenAI’s GPT Store, hinting at new frontiers in AI and connectivity.
From the dazzling display of future home technologies at CES 2024 to the ongoing corporate battles and breakthroughs, this week underscores a critical theme: technology’s relentless and rapid evolution, forever altering our lives and economies.