Author: Anna Galvez

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Markets News Tech

Artificial Intelligence Startup “Silk Labs” Acquired By Apple

Apple has just bought yet another company, whose name is Silk Labs. It is a startup company specialized in artificial intelligence. According to information emerged on several tech news portals, this small company is able to make AI software light enough to integrate into consumer equipment.

The artificial intelligence is already a significant part of many products, including smartphones. Almost every tech company out there is struggling to develop better AI systems for their purposes so that Apple couldn’t keep away from this race.

While the Cupertino-based company is already working on its own artificial intelligence systems, now they decided to buy Silk Labs, a small startup specialized in producing software and hardware products based on artificial intelligence.

Apple Acquired “Silk Labs” Startup To Reinforce Its Artificial Intelligence Department

Founded in 2015 by three former Mozilla employees (Chris Gal, Jones, and Michael Vines), Silk Labs is a small startup with only 12 employees. The company explains that it “aims to bring visual and audio intelligence to connected products.” Silk Labs is primarily working on image and sound analyzing software based on AI, which has the particularity of working directly on a product, without an Internet connection.

Silk Labs has developed several scenarios in which its services can be useful. To give you an idea, the company has devised an intercom system that can identify the person ringing the doorbell (if the person is already pre-identified, of course), or automatically disable/activate an alarm based on the face the AI system detected.

As always, the Cupertino-based tech giant firm did not wish to comment on the reasons for this new acquisition. The same applies to the amount Apple paid for this acquisition, both companies keeping that information secret. But given the size of the start-up, the price of this purchase would not be extremely high.

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Crypto Markets News

Bitcoin (BTC) Futures Contracts Postponed By Bakkt Until January 24th, 2019

Bakkt postponed the Bitcoin (BTC) futures contracts announced by the company for December 12th to January 24th, 2019, as reported by the US brokerage Intercontinental Exchange, also known as ICE. The company, an alliance between Microsoft, Starbucks and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), said through its CEO that over the past few months they have worked on their product, which has resulted in “critical new features to support our offer, so I wanted to provide an update on what is in flight.

“Given the volume of interest in Bakkt and the work required to put all the parts in place, we will now have our sights set on January 24th, 2019, for our launch to ensure that our participants are ready to trade on Day 1. As is often the case with product launches, there are new processes, risks and mitigating factors to test and retest, and in the case of cryptocurrency, a new asset class to which these resources apply,
” said Kelly Loeffler, Bakkt CEO.

Among the announcements made by the company, it can also be mentioned that it is considering adding new contracts linked to other cryptocurrencies, although for that they will wait for the evolution of the crypto market and the opinion of their customers. In addition to that, they would offer services related to cryptos that will also include insurance for the cold storage of Bitcoin (BTC).

Bitcoin (BTC) Futures Contracts Postponed By Bakkt Until January 24th, 2019

For its part, ICE said in its statement that “will list the new daily Bitcoin (BTC) futures contract for negotiation on Thursday, January, 24th, 2019, as a subject to approval by the regulator.” In this regard, the brokerage firm explained that the contracts would be 1 BTC in exchange for US dollars.

On August 7th, news portal announced that the ICE Bitcoin (BTC) futures contracts, through Bakkt, would be the first such instruments settled in BTC in the United States and that they will be delivered to the conventional asset market. That makes a difference to the other Bitcoin (BTC) products offered by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe), which liquidate BTC futures in cash.

At this point, it is important to mention that the regulatory body related to these contracts is the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In October of this year, they announced that, on December 12th, the trading of these Bitcoin (BTC) futures contracts would begin with a daily monetary exchange after the close of the market.

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Tech

Top 4 Android One Benefits Over Customized Android OS

Android One was born a few years ago with the goal of establishing itself as an operating system in a specific group of smartphones, primarily low- and mid-range handsets. Due to its advantages, different manufacturers have already equipped their smartphones with this system, so you should know about the main four benefits of a device running Android One.

While it is true that most manufacturers usually bet on including Android in their phones, the version implemented does not offer an entirely pure experience, as many producers add their own UI over the Android system. The big manufacturers do that, including Samsung, Huwaei, and others. However, Android One is the raw version of Android, mainly designed for the low- or mid-range devices.

Top 4 Android One Advantages Over Customized Android OS

Android One is the essential OS

With Android One the user can enjoy an almost pure experience. That is because Android One is nearly Android Stock, that is, almost without customizations of any kind and only with a few small modifications.

Secure Updates

Buying a terminal with Android One ensures you of at least a couple of years of free and advantageous updates. That guarantees you support for at least two years, a period during which Google ensures you of Android security patches directly via OTA.

Android One gives performance, fluidity, and speed

These three features of Android One have to be the most sought-after function of a mobile operating system. Those devices with Android One would boast high performance, fluidity, and speed, even though they are low- or mid-range handsets. The very absence of a customization UI, which can slow down the system, is essential for Android One devices to run smoothly.

Google Assistant is also part of Android One

The phones equipped with Android One are optimized for Google Assistant, the Google’s voice assistant. It will be at the user’s service whenever he wants, and with a simple voice command he will wake up to solve any doubt. With an “Ok, Google,” the Google Assistant will be activated, and you will be able to answer your doubts.

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Tech

Netflix v11.12.0 for iOS Is Available With New Features

New in the popular Netflix streaming service, the Netflix App v11.12.0 for iOS (iPhone and iPad) arrived on App Store with several updates, improving the end-user experience with the application. After a recent update that allowed compatibility with the new iPad Pro 2018 and its rounded screen, here comes a new version that is aimed at all users, as the in-app navigation improves.

Netflix is the most popular streaming service out there, and the company is frequently updating its apps for Android and iOS. Now, it’s the turn for iOS-based Netflix App to upgrade to the new v11.12.0 version which enhances the in-app controls and navigation to make the users experience the best.

Since recently when the new Netflix v11.12.0  for iOS rolled out, the famous streaming service is bringing a new video player to iPhone and iPad users, with a focus on the new iPad Pro 2018 models. That’s what Netflix has thought to offer via its official application update.

Netflix v11.12.0 for iOS Is Available With New Features

For example, there are new Front and Rear buttons for easy access to a scene, while the controls have generally been enlarged. Also, the almost unobservable new switch, the “Next episode” one, is more than welcomed, as we no longer have to leave the screen we’re on, to select the list of available episodes of a TV series on Netflix app for iOS.

“The new 10-second Front and Rear buttons provide easy access to a specific scene. Tip: Touch the left or right side of the screen twice to fast-forward or rewind in the program currently playing. Some controls have been enlarged for added convenience, such as Play/Pause, with thumbnails that allow you to select an episode or activate subtitles and audio quickly. Tap the new “Next episode” button to access it even faster,” the Netflix v11.12.0 for iOS release note reads.

Categories
Tech

Microsoft To Allow FIDO2 Authentication Without The Need Of Entering Usernames And Passwords

Microsoft now simplifies and secures the connection to a Microsoft account with the support of security keys based on the FIDO2 standard. Users can log into their account without having to re-enter the username and password. Microsoft now supports secure USB keys that allow users to connect to all the company’s services without entering their username and associated password.

Microsoft is, luckily, ready to allow users to authenticate to the company’s services using secure USB keys via FIDO2 standard. With this feature, users of Outlook, Office, OneDrive, Bing, Skype, and Xbox Live can authenticate without entering their username and associated password every time they would like to connect.

Microsoft to support FIDO2 standard to ease up the authentication protocol for its services

That applies to all Microsoft services, including Outlook, Office, OneDrive, Bing, Skype, and Xbox Live. Microsoft will support authentication keys, such as Yubico’s Yubikey and Feitian Biopass. The keys only have to be inserted into a USB port of the device concerned to be operated. For smartphones, the same would be available but only through Bluetooth or NFC.

This feature eliminates the need to identify with two-factor authentication. The WebAuthn authentication technology from the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) consortium consists of a web API (programming interface) that provides new, simpler and more secure means of authentication.

You’ll need the Windows 10 October 2018 Update to take advantage of the FIDO2 authentication feature in Microsoft’s services

Thanks to FIDO’s CTAP (Client to Authenticator Protocol), WebAuthn allows you to use different systems to authenticate yourself. USB security keys are one of these means. To benefit from this new feature, it is necessary to have the last update of Windows 10, namely, the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

Once you update, it would then become possible to configure Windows Hello or a physical security key from Yubico or FEITIAN that supports the FIDO2 standard.

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