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Deepnudes developer shuts it down, but the damage is done

Jun27
by on June 27, 2019 at 11:09 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, artificial intelligence, Opinion


There’s no positive use case for developing an app with the sole purpose of using AI to predict what a clothed woman, in an image, would look like nude – full stop. Developing such an app, as did the person(s) responsible for Deepnudes, is an act of hate and an attack on women. At best, those who would perpetrate such an action are willfully ignorant misogynists uninterested in understanding the potential impact of their actions. At worst: they are agents of evil who take joy in the knowledge that their work will, almost surely, result in violence against women. Trigger…

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Here’s why your Microsoft Store ebooks won’t work next month

Jun27
by on June 27, 2019 at 9:59 pm
Posted In: Around the Web


The eBook market is most closely associated with four prominent players: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble’s, and Rakuten, which makes the Kobo eReaders. But it’s easy to forget that Microsoft once owned its own eBook marketplace. Now, in 2019, it’s exiting this business. That’s not really a surprise. Microsoft’s good at a lot of things, but it’s historically struggled with anything involving content. It makes no sense for it to throw resources at a niche market that isn’t even core to its business aspirations. But this means that from next month, anyone who bought an eBook from Microsoft will suddenly…

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Twitter will de-list, not delete politicians’ bannable tweets of ‘public interest’

Jun27
by on June 27, 2019 at 9:48 pm
Posted In: Around the Web


Twitter revealed today it will be adding a special label to certain tweets — namely those that violate Twitter’s terms of service, but which somehow serve public interest by remaining up. To be clear, Twitter’s been leaving such tweets up for quite some time — now it’s just managed to find a happy medium between appeasing important users and keeping Twitter safe for everyone. According to Twitter‘s blog, the company has allowed tweets from public figures to remain up, even if they are clearly in violation of Twitter‘s terms of service. That’s not new — but it’s apparently decided that…

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Jony Ive is leaving Apple

Jun27
by on June 27, 2019 at 9:03 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider


Apple today announced that Jony Ive, its chief design officer, will soon depart for greener pastures. Ive, according to a press release, plans to start his own company though he will continue to work with Apple on a range of projects. “After nearly 30 years and countless projects, I am most proud of the lasting work we have done to create a design team, process and culture at Apple that is without peer,” Ive said. “Today it is stronger, more vibrant and more talented than at any point in Apple’s history.” Developing…

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Review: Penn & Teller’s VR experience is hilarious, magical, and decidedly cruel

Jun27
by on June 27, 2019 at 7:04 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, distract, gaming, virtual reality


Gearbox today launched Penn & Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary, & Underhanded. Anyone who remembers the old boxed magician‘s tool-kits from yesteryear (amaze and astound your friends!) will feel right at home with this hilariously cruel VR experience. P&T: VR isn’t a game so much as it’s a performance aid, tool for pranksters, or gateway drug for budding magicians. It contains a series of gags you can pull on unsuspecting victims. Basically you’ll watch a “backstage” tutorial for each bit, given by Penn & Teller themselves, that explains how the tricks work. They teach you the setup, explain what…

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