2019 Daily Tech News Show


1	:00		TITLE: Rearranging the Alphabet	Guest:

2			Stories subject to change up until showtime
3			Coming up on DTNS Why Larry and Sergey are stepping down but won't be gone from Alphabet, AI that thinks like a three-month-old, and why Instagram wants your birthday.	Twitch Chat
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5			Today's date
6			This is the Daily Tech News for Wednesday Dec 4th, 2019. In LA, I'm Tom Merritt
7			From Studio Redwood, I'm Sarah Lane
8			Scott Johnson
9			And I'm the show's Producer Roger Chang
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11			Get the wider conversation on our expanded show, Good Day Internet by becoming a member at patreon.com/dtns.
12	:31	TM	Let's start with a few tech things you should know...
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14			Quick Hits
15		sl	Craigslist, which launched in 1995, just launched its first free app for iOS. The company quietly launched beta testing for the app on its website some time ago, A link to the Android beta test app can be found in the Google Play Store.	https://gizmodo.com/craigslist-finally-gets-an-official-app-1840200352
16		scott	The latest version of Firefox supports picture-in-picture video playback on Windows. On most videos playing in the browser a blue picture in picture option will show up when you hover over the video. Clicking it will open the video in a window that will not be obscured by other windows. Mozilla says the feature will come to Linux and Mac in January.	https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/03/firefox-pip-video-windows/
17		tm	Motorola announced the One Hyper which features a pop-up selfie camera, meaning no notch, and a 6.5-inch 2340x1080 display with 90 percent screen to body ratio. It also features a 45W USB-C "hyper" charging feature for fast charging. Oterise its a typical midrange Android 10 phone available for $399 available December 4.	https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/12/4/20992589/motorola-one-hyper-pop-up-camera-android-10-400
18		sl	Plex launched its ad-supported free streaming service with movies and shows from MGM, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Lionsgate, and Legendary. Plex's service will stream in 220 countries worldwide. Users will not need a subscription to access the service. Plex says the ad load will be 50-60% less than broadcast television.	https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/04/plex-launches-a-free-ad-supported-streaming-service-in-over-200-countries/
19			Let's talk a little more about...
20	:33	scott	Google's Focus Mode is out of beta and available for users of Android 10 and Android 9 Pie. Focus mode lets you blacklist apps you find distracting. When in Focus Mode they get grayed out and shut down in the background. Attempts to launch them give you a popup reminding you that you're in focus mode, though a second tap will launch them. The mode can be schedule to turn on and off automatically and includes an option to take a break from focus mode for 5, 15 or 30 minutes.	https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/4/20995111/google-android-10-9-pie-focus-mode-digital-wellbeing
21	:36	tm	A team of scientists at MIT have developed an AI called ADEPT that can understand some basic laws of physics like infant humans do. ADEPT can accurately predict the expected motion of objects in a video and register a form of surprise if an object breaks those rules by say, disappearing or teleporting. One module of ADEPT examines an object's shape, pose and velocity, not the specific geometry, making it easier to predict movement of a wider variety of objects. A separate module takes data from the first module and simulates how it should act based on laws of physics. If it notices a discrepancy it sends out a signal. The strength of the signal is considered a level of "surprise." ADEPT's surprise matched that of humans shown the same videos. The team compares ADEPT to how a three-month-old sees the world and wants to study young children with the idea of incorparating findings into the model.	http://news.mit.edu/2019/adept-ai-machines-laws-physics-1202
22	:40	sl	Four extensions from Avast, Avast Online Security, AVG Online Security, Avast SafePrice, and AVG SafePrice -- have been removed from the Mozilla add-on portal. Two warn about suspicious sites and two show shopping deals. Mozilla removed the extensions after investigating a complaint from Wladimir Palant, creator of AdBlock Plus. Palant found the extensions were collecting more data than necessary,including site visit length, clicks, open tab count and tab switching. Mozilla and Google prohibit this kind of extensive data collection. Avast told ZDNet the URL history is necessary for the proper fucntioning of the extensions but that user identification is not stored. Avast is working with Mozilla to release updated versions that are compliant and transparent. The extensions are still available for Chrome.	https://www.zdnet.com/article/mozilla-removes-avast-and-avg-extensions-from-add-on-portal-over-snooping-claims/
23	:43	scott	Instagram announced it will now require birthdates from all new users, which will expand the audience for ads for alcohol and other age-restricted products, although the company said that is not the focus and mentioned to Reuters that age could be the basis for recommended privacy settings or in-app education about staying safe online. Birthdates will not be visible to other users. Previously the app only required users to confirm they are at least 13 years old. Instagram is also rolling out options for users to block messages from people they don't follow, and for businesses and popular “creators” to more easily restrict minors from viewing their posts. Instagram has not decided whether to make existing users enter their birthdate, though they can.	https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-instagram-children/instagram-to-collect-ages-in-push-for-youth-safety-alcohol-ad-dollars-idUSKBN1Y826Z
24	:46	sl	Amazon announced the Echo Input Portable Smart Speaker Edition,which includes a 4800mAh battery promising 10 hours of music playback or 11 hours of standby battery life. The new portable smart speaker will be available in India for 4,999 rupees (US$70) shipping December 18. Amazon intends to bring it to other markets eventually. Amazon's previous portable smart speaker, the Echo Tap was discontinued in December of last year.	https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/03/amazon-echo-input-portable-smart-speaker-edition/
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29			Discussion Story
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31	:49	tm	Tuesday Alphabet announced that Google co-founders Larry page and Sergey Brin will step away from their duties as CEO and President and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will take on the additional role of CEO of Alphabet. Page and Brin will retain their board seats and controlling stock ownership. In their statement Page and Brin said they will “continue talking with Sundar regularly, especially on topics we’re passionate about.”	https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/4/20994896/google-alphabet-ceo-sundar-pichai-era-culture-antitrust-regulation
32			--	https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alphabet-google-bets-factbox/factbox-alphabets-other-bets-in-focus-as-googles-pichai-takes-helm-idUSKBN1Y80ZS?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews
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34			Dieter Bohn: "Pichai’s rise through Google’s ranks was well deserved because he has calmly and consistently delivered good products. From the very first Google Toolbar to Chrome to Google’s online apps to ordering its scattered hardware efforts, he steadily took on more of Google’s user-facing products until, eventually, he took on the job of CEO. All of the stuff Google made was innovative and smart but also directionless and unpolished. Pichai’s job was to take Google’s products out of permanent beta. At the same time, he’s had to ensure future technologies — especially those based on AI — turned into real products. From a purely product perspective, which of course includes the lucrative ad products that make the whole thing go, Pichai has been very successful."
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38		sl	Thanks to all those who participate in our subreddit. Submit stories and vote on them at dailytechnewsshow.reddit.com and join in the conversation in our Discord which you can join by linking to a Patreon account at patreon.com/dtns	http://dailytechnewsshow.reddit.com
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40		tm	Let's check out the mailbag
41	:56		Mailbag (feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com)
42			Daniel - Regarding the new threads that can be started on an individual photo in Google photos, I just wanted to share a really good use case. My first child, a beautiful happy girl, was born five months ago. My family lives all over the country, and none of them live near me. Same goes for my wife. So we started a shared Google photo album when Ella was born. Since then, almost every fun interesting photo and video that we took of Ella has been added to that shared album. Both of us have multiple relatives (parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins) that get notified when new photos or videos are added to the album. Many of them love to comment on the photos. But the way you used to work, was just one straight long feed conversation got jumbled up. This will be a nice way to keep the comments regarding specific photos and their own place I welcome this feature! And by the way, if you haven't been using shared Google photo albums for long-term events like trips or perhaps a child's birth, you should really give it a shot! It's a great way to keep everybody in the loop all at once
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44			John- I'm hunting for a browser plugin that when I go to a website I specify, will throw a message that I specify! For example, just give me a reminder that this link is from the onion, or a reminder that this is politico so I need to check the author...that type of thing. I don't need it to be curated by anybody else, but I don't trust me after a few drinks or a long day at work to double-check every source 100% of the time.
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52	:58	sl	Thanks to... Scott Johnson	frogpants.com
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61		tm	Plug tomorrow's guest: Patrick Beja	Good Night Rob
62			END OF SHOW
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67			POST GDI	The Philosophoton