Missed the week’s big tech news? Here’s your firmware update<\/b>
\nIf you\u2019re looking to catch up on the week\u2019s biggest tech news then you\u2019re in the right place. We\u2019ve got a handy update for you that\u2019ll break down the most important events from the past week into easy-to-digest chunks.
The standout story came from AT&T after it had a massive cell service outage across the US that lasted for 12 hours and got so bad some affected people couldn\u2019t call 911. They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but this is one time AT&T probably wishes it wasn\u2019t making headlines.
There was also an AI tool meltdown, Apple launched a new Sports app, the first Borderlands movie trailer dropped, and there\u2019s so much more you need to know. So in case you missed it, here are this week\u2019s seven biggest tech news stories.7. AT&T had an almighty cellphone outage in the US\u00a0
This week, AT&T unintentionally gave its customers a trip back to the early 90s when a huge outage crippled its cellphone service across several major US cities. The problems started in the early hours of Thursday morning when thousands discovered they had no mobile signal \u2013\u00a0and the outage ultimately hit over 1.7 million customers.
So what caused it? Was it a solar flare, a cyberattack, or an elaborate Netflix promo for Leave the World Behind? Actually, it was simple user error, according to AT&T. The network said the outage was caused by the \u201capplication and execution of an incorrect process\u201d as it expanded its network. So if you\u2019re feeling bad about an IT-related gaffe at work, that should make you feel better at least.
Read more: Here’s what we know about the biggest cellphone outage in recent memory6. ChatGPT had a meltdown, and Google Gemini struggled with accurate art
ChatGPT had yet another blip in its behavior this week – and it might have been the strangest one yet. Users reported the AI chatbot getting stuck in nonsensical loops, spouting incomprehensible Spanish, and even at one point claiming to be \u2018in the room\u2019 with the user.
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has released a statement telling users not to be concerned, and that the issue has been identified and rectified – but didn\u2019t explain the bot\u2019s bizarre behavior. Speculation is rife among users, with some suspecting that a glitch in the chatbot\u2019s creativity \u2018temperature\u2019 resulted in overly imaginative responses to ordinary queries. ChatGPT (including the paid GPT-4 model) now appears to be back to normal, so whatever behind-the-scenes fix OpenAI deployed seems to have worked.
Google Gemini also had some problems this week as users found it struggled to create accurate images of historical figures \u2013 particularly white men. The issue seems to have stemmed from well-meaning equality measures Google implemented to ensure Gemini produces a diverse range of people in its AI art in an attempt to counteract biases in its training data. For now, it’s turned off Gemini’s ability to generate images of people while it tries to fix the bug.
Read more: ChatGPT is broken again and it\u2019s being even creepier than usual5. Apple launched its Sports App
Apple is no newcomer to sports. It\u2019s been making deals with the big leagues across baseball and football (soccer for our European friends) for ages, but this is the first time it\u2019s developed something just for sports or, more specifically, sports fans.
Apple\u2019s Sports App is a wonderland of stats and real-time game scores that makes the wide world of sports glanceable. What may be even more interesting than the customizable card-based system is how Apple built its new iOS-only app. Apple\u2019s head of services Eddy Cue told us, among other things, that the leagues didn\u2019t have the real-time data on hand Apple needed to build the app but they helped them find it and then Apple did the massive lift of massaging that data, and making it work and look good on Apple Sports.
Read more: Apple’s Eddy Cue explains how the tech giant made its new Sports app4. The first Borderlands movie trailer gave us d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu
It seems you can\u2019t keep\u00a0Marvel\u00a0out of the news. After a successful week filled with exciting announcements, the comic book giant has made the headlines again over the past few days, though that\u2019s not through any fault of its own.
Firstly, the Disney subsidiary is\u00a0reportedly renaming\u00a0Avengers: The Kang Dynasty\u00a0as it continues to revise its\u00a0Marvel Phase 5\u00a0and Phase 6 plans in the wake of a turbulent 12-month period. Interesting as that is, however, the studio found itself at the center of another kind of discourse after film fans\u00a0compared the forthcoming\u00a0Borderlands\u00a0movie to Guardians of the Galaxy\u00a0\u2013 that online chatter emerged after\u00a0Borderlands\u2019 first trailer was released on Wednesday.\u00a0
Still, as the saying goes, there\u2019s no such thing as bad publicity, and the\u00a0MCU\u00a0can use all the good word of mouth \u2013 direct or otherwise \u2013 it can get.
Read more: The Borderlands movie’s first trailer is here3. Apple Vision Pros were returned, but it’s maybe a good thing?
The return window for the first batch of Apple Vision Pros has officially closed after two weeks, stirring up some interesting discussions as to why many people are returning the headset. While there was some chatter on social media about a surge in returns, insider sources are painting a different picture and offering some interesting insights into who’s returning their headset and why.
In our review of the Vision Pro, we dived into both the good and not-so-good aspects of this groundbreaking venture into mixed reality. It seems like the high price tag of $3,499\/\u00a32,788, AU$6349 might be causing a case of buyer’s remorse for some folks. Alongside that, influencers and YouTubers, always on the lookout for the latest tech trends, have been using the return policy to create content for their channels without the steep financial commitment.
But here’s the silver lining: every return comes with a detailed survey, giving users a chance to share their experiences and suggestions. This feedback could help shape future versions of the Vision Pro. Mark Gurman, a trusted Apple insider, has chimed in too, noting discomfort, motion sickness, and the hefty price as common reasons for returns.
Read More: Apple Vision Pros being returned to stores could be a good thing2. Garmin launches a more a-fore-dable Forerunner watch\u00a0
Garmin is well-known as a maker of some of the best running watches around, but many of its best models like the Garmin Forerunner 265 and 965 are premium purchases. So it was great to see Garmin release a cheaper model this week, the Garmin Forerunner 165. In our early tests, we found it\u2019s shaping up to be a great GPS watch for working out and a well-designed cheaper version of the Forerunner 265.
However, it\u2019s missing a couple of features that really elevate the line, such as Garmin\u2019s Training Readiness score, and it\u2019s made of much lighter plastic and not weighty polymer or stainless steel. Nevertheless, with Samsung also releasing the Galaxy Fit 3 fitness tracker, it\u2019s a great time to want a high-quality, affordable workout tracker.\u00a0
Read more: Garmin’s new Forerunner 165 running watches are already looking good1. \u00a0The Fujifilm X100VI landed and immediately shattered pre-order records \u00a0
It\u2019s only February, but Fujifilm may have already released the most popular camera of 2024. This week, our hands-on Fujifilm X100VI review branded it the \u201cbest premium compact camera for most people\u201d and Fujifilm says the retro star has already hit its \u201cbiggest pre-order numbers in history\u201d.
Considering how good smartphone cameras have become, that\u2019s impressive and also slightly surprising \u2013 particularly given the X100VI has a fixed 23mm f\/2 lens. Then again, it\u2019s also a beautiful little camera that combines modern comforts like in-body image stabilization and powerful autofocus with classic film camera design and fun film simulations. We\u2019ll see you in the queue.
Read More: The Fujifilm X100VI is one of the best compact cameras ever<\/p>\n