ChatGPT will soon hit the road.

Mercedes-Benz on Thursday said US drivers could power some of their luxury vehicles with ChatGPT in a test program starting June 16.

Compatible with some 900,000 vehicles that have the automaker’s “MBUX” systems, ChatGPT will download over the air after drivers opt in via a Mercedes app or by voice command, the company said. The test will last three months during which Mercedes will see how drivers use the technology.

Mercedes said ChatGPT would make its car system’s answers sound more natural and would let drivers ask for destination information or address other queries, like what to cook for dinner.

The automaker had previously let drivers and passengers issue a range of requests by voice, such as turning on seat heaters.

The ChatGPT deal spells business for Microsoft, which is providing a version of the popular chatbot through its cloud.

Rival Amazon.com has long worked to install its voice aide Alexa in more cars, and now Microsoft has an answer through its investment in ChatGPT’s creator, OpenAI.

In a press release, the German automaker said drivers not only will be able to utter commands via the phrase “Hey Mercedes,” but they would also be able to hold conversations with their cars.

In a separate blog post, Microsoft said ongoing integrations known as plug-ins one day could let drivers make restaurant reservations, book movie tickets and carry out other tasks from behind the wheel.

Findings from the test program will inform Mercedes’ plans for adding such artificial intelligence to other countries and in other languages, the company said. Voice data is stored, anonymized and analyzed in the Mercedes cloud, it added.

Rival General Motors said in March it was exploring uses for ChatGPT in vehicles as part of its broader collaboration with Microsoft.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

Redmi Note 14 5G was launched in China last month, but now, it might be headed for a debut in the international markets. As per a report, the smartphone was spotted on the Indonesian certification portal, hinting that it could be released in the country. It was also reported to have appeared on the certification websites in the US and Europe. Notably, the specifications of the handset are said to be unchanged compared to the Chinese variant.

Redmi Note 14 5G Could Soon Be Launched in International Markets

The Tech Outlook reported that the Redmi Note 14 5G appeared on the Indonesian Direktorat Jenderal Sumber Daya dan Perangkat Pos dan Informatika (SDPPI), the regulatory body which handles smartphone certifications. The new Redmi smartphone has reportedly received certification from the agency with the serial number ‘104201/SDPPI/2024′ and PLG ID – ‘10047′.

The smartphone reportedly spotted on the database carried model number 24094RAD4G, where G represents a global variant. Notably, the smartphone was also said to be spotted on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US and the European Economic Community (EEC). If true, these become the three confirmed regions where the Redmi Note 14 5G could launch in the near future. Currently, no date for its global launch is known.

Redmi Note 14 5G Specifications (China Variant)

The Chinese Redmi Note 14 5G variant features a 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,400 pixels) AMOLED screen with up to 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is powered by a 6nm octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 2.2 inbuilt storage. It runs on the Android 14-based HyperOS.

For optics, the Redmi Note 14 5G sports a dual rear camera system, including a 50-megapixel primary sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The front camera has a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies and video calls.

The Redmi Note 14 5G is backed by a 5,110mAh battery along with support for 45W wired charging. For connectivity, it comes with a dual 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, GLONASS and a USB Type-C port. The smartphone also features an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance.

Just a day away from getting our first look at Grand Theft Auto 6, a leak has surfaced that claims to show footage from the upcoming game. As per GTABase.com on Twitter, TikTok account ‘azzarossi’ posted a video showing a quick panoramic view and scale of the alleged location GTA 6 is based in — a fictionalised version of Miami aka Vice City. The video also shows a Pißwasser billboard, an in-game beer brand that’s been ever-present in GTA games. While the account has since gone private, there is no way to verify whether the footage is real. The important landmarks, however, match with the massive data leak from last year, which exposed over 90 in-development clips into the wild.

The same TikTok user also posted a picture of himself alongside Aaron Garbut, head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, leading to speculation that the leaker could be the Rockstar Games employee’s son. While there’s still no evidence of the publisher taking down videos for copyright infringement, it’s kind of startling how the “my dad works at Rockstar/ Xbox/ PlayStation” meme turned out to be real for once. If true, the leaker has certainly got his father into big trouble at the studio for some online likes, despite having privated their account near-instantaneously. The last time the publisher dealt with leaks, an unnamed 17-year-old was reportedly arrested for hacking and being part of the group that claimed credit for the Uber leaks. Rockstar hasn’t released any statement regarding the leaks and now would also be a good time to block keywords on social media to avoid spoilers.

Meanwhile, the company is prepared to debut the first trailer for the next GTA game on Tuesday, December 5 at 7:30pm IST in India/ 9am ET in the US. While the internet is eagerly waiting for GTA 6, Rockstar has not revealed an official title for the game yet, so it could very well be a spin-off with a subtitle instead of being a numbered sequel. A countdown video is also now live on YouTube. There’s no word on a release window, but a May earnings report from Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two Interactive hints at a window within the 2025 fiscal year, which opens as early as April next year. Ambitions are quite high at the studio, which is said to be introducing its first playable Latina female protagonist and also increasing the number of enterable indoor locations for better immersion. There are reportedly two leads though, a crime couple that has been likened to the real-life Bonnie and Clyde, who went around robbing banks and stores during the Great Depression in America.

People online also tried matching the leaked clip with the real Miami City and found stark similarities between the two. Ahead of the GTA 6 trailer launch, Rockstar has altered its logo and got rid of its ‘Social Club’ branding, though its online multiplayer component still functions the same. Furthermore, the studio is launching its remastered Grand Theft Auto trilogy on Netflix on December 14, available to all subscribers and featuring graphical and mechanical upgrades.

Grand Theft Auto 6 will probably launch on the current-gen PS5 and Xbox Series S/X first, before heading to PC — as seen with previous Rockstar entries.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has delivered breathtaking images of Jupiter, highlighting the planet’s swirling, multicoloured storms and unique moons. During Juno’s 66th close flyby on October 23, the spacecraft approached the planet’s polar regions and captured close-up views of its fifth-largest moon, Amalthea. The raw images collected by JunoCam have since been processed by citizen scientists, who enhanced colours and contrasts to reveal Jupiter’s atmospheric details in a new light.

Spectacular Details of Jupiter’s Storms Revealed

Citizen scientist Jackie Branc processed one of Juno’s most striking images, showcasing a region on Jupiter called a Folded Filamentary Region (FFR), located near the planet’s subpolar areas. FFRs are known for their complex cloud patterns, which include white billows and fine, thread-like filaments. This recent image captures Jupiter’s stormy atmosphere with an emphasis on these fine details, giving scientists and the public alike a vivid view of the planet’s dynamic weather systems.

Juno’s data, available to the public online, allows enthusiasts and researchers to adjust image features such as contrast and colour balance. This collaborative effort has enabled a range of perspectives on Jupiter’s atmospheric bands, turbulent clouds, and powerful vortices.

Amalthea: A Close-Up of Jupiter’s Unique Moon

Juno also captured images of Amalthea, a small, potato-shaped moon only 84 kilometres in radius. In images processed by Gerald Eichstädt, the white balance was adjusted to distinguish Amalthea from the blackness of space, presenting the moon in stark relief. This view of Amalthea, with its rugged, irregular shape, adds to our understanding of Jupiter’s complex satellite system.

Launched in 2016, the Juno mission was originally planned to conclude in 2021, but its mission has been extended, with plans to end in September 2025. When its mission concludes, Juno will plunge into Jupiter’s atmosphere, marking the end of its successful exploration journey.

WhatsApp added the voice call feature to its desktop app in 2021. Now, the social media platform is reportedly bringing more updates to the voice and video calling features on the web version. The Meta-owned instant messaging app is reportedly rolling out a ‘call back’ notification that will ensure that no missed call goes unnoticed. The update is currently reported to be rolling out for beta users on the Microsoft Store, with the new version 2.2323.1.0. The feature will gradually roll out to more users globally.

In the new beta update for WhatsApp web, the “call back” prompt will be shown next to the missed call alert for WhatsApp users on Windows, according to the screenshots shared in a WABetaInfo report.

Currently, when a video or voice call get missed on WhatsApp, it simply shows as a missed call alert.

With the new beta update, as soon as the users would tap on the call back icon, it would let them return the calls instantly, whether they are voice or video calls.

Beta testers of WhatsApp web will need to install the app’s latest version 2.2323.1.0 from Microsoft Store to get this feature. WhatsApp web’s previous 2.2322.1.0 version will also be able to run this feature for some users.

Meta will reportedly be rolling out this update globally soon and it shall reach more users in the coming weeks.

Hopping on the generative AI trend, Meta is also planning to load WhatsApp with a ChatGPT-like chatbots in the coming days, which will be able to converse with the users in different personas. The company also announced last month about its progress on testing tools that use AI to generate image backgrounds and variations of written copy for their ad campaigns.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp is also beta testing the display of profile icons next to messages on group chats.

WhatsApp has finally decided to bring chat-specific theming support to the Android version of the app. Theming has always been available on WhatsApp for Android, but this was quite limited and also basically involved changing the background wallpaper of the said chat. A new interface with the ability to set a chat-specific theme has now been spotted online and adds some much-needed customisation, like Facebook’s Messenger app. Facebook’s Messenger has had chat-specific themes for a long time, so it’s a bit odd as to why it took so long to bring it to WhatsApp.

To be clear, the new theme interface and chat-specific themes are only available on the beta version of WhatsApp for Android for now. WABetaInfo, in a post, has released a few screenshots (seen in the above image) that shows an interface for theme selection which is very different from the one that’s currently available on Android devices.

Whenever WhatsApp decides to release a new update, users will be able to select from 20 Chat colours and up to 22 textured Chat themes. All of these themes will have preset chat colours for chat bubbles (different for sender and receiver), adding a new level of personalisation to chats. These themes, unlike what’s available currently, will also be chat-specific. So, just like changing wallpapers, users will be able to choose and set a specific theme for each and every chat.

The feature was recently spotted on the beta version of WhatsApp for iOS. Feature-wise, both versions of the app remain the same. Given that the feature did arrive earlier on the iOS version of WhatsApp, there is a good chance that it may appear on the release version of iOS before showing up on Android.

More recently, it was revealed that Google’s Gemini virtual assistant on Android will soon be capable of sending messages via voice commands. The feature is currently available when using Google Assistant, which is gradually being replaced by Gemini. Just like chat-specific theming, Gemini integration too is still being tested.

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 series is expected to launch soon. The lineup is said to succeed the Galaxy Book 3 models that were launched in February during this year’s first Galaxy Unpacked event alongside the Galaxy S23 series. The upcoming laptop series is expected to include five models – Galaxy Book 4 360, Galaxy Book 4 360 Pro, Galaxy Book 4 Pro, and Galaxy Book 4 Ultra. Design renders of these laptops were leaked recently. New reports have now surfaced online suggesting the possible launch date and key specifications of the purported models.

A Yonhap News report suggests that Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Book 4 lineup of laptops on December 15, following Intel’s Meteor Lake processors launch on December 14. The laptops are expected to be powered by the new Intel Core Ultra chipsets with specialised Neural Processing Units or NPUs that are claimed to support offline AI functions. The South Korean tech giant is expected to use these new chips alongside its self-generated AI model ‘Samsung Gauss’ on the Galaxy Book 4 series.

Samsung is expected to be one of the first brands to use processors with onboard NPUs that can perform AI tasks offline, and this is expected to help majorly with video and photo editing. Previously, the Galaxy Book 4 series was tipped to launch alongside the Galaxy S24 lineup on January 17, 2024. However, the Yonhap News report suggests that the company is moving the introduction of the laptops ahead in an attempt to secure the position of the ‘first AI laptop.’ The report added that competing companies like LG and HP are also planning to introduce AI laptops.

Meanwhile, Windows Report has leaked key specifications for the upcoming Galaxy Book 4 laptops. The vanilla Galaxy Book 4 model is likely to get an Intel Core Ultra 5 120U with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and a 15.6-inch full-HD display. The Galaxy Book 4 360 with a 360-degree full-ranged hinge and S Pen, is expected to support LPDDR5 RAM. Both base models are likely to be priced under $1,000 (roughly Rs. 83,400).

Leaked Samsung Galaxy Book 4 design render
Photo Credit: Windows Report

The Galaxy Book 4 Pro model is also expected to come with a 360-degree hinge variant and S Pen support. Both Pro models are expected to get Intel Core Ultra 7 155U chipsets with 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM. The Galaxy Book 4 Pro has been tipped to sport a 14-inch display with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels, while the Galaxy Book 4 Pro 360 will likely have a 16-inch screen with similar resolution. The Pro models are expected to be listed at a price below $2,000 (roughly Rs. 1,66,800).

The top-of-the-line Galaxy Book 4 Ultra model has been said to get an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H chipset paired with 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and an inbuilt GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. This model said to be built for heavy editing and gaming, is also expected to be equipped with a 16-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels. The upcoming Ultra model is tipped to be considerably higher priced than the $2,699 (roughly Rs. 2,25,100) mark of the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra.

All Galaxy Book 4 laptops are expected to launch in a Moonstone Grey colour and come pre-installed with Windows 11. The models are also likely to support USB 3.2, Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI connectivity.

Archaeologists have uncovered a rock shelter in Tajikistan’s Zeravshan Valley that was occupied by multiple human species, including Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Homo sapiens, for over 130,000 years. Discovered along the Zeravshan River in the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor (IAMC), this site, known as Soii Havzak, provides new insight into the migration patterns of ancient humans. Researchers believe the IAMC may have facilitated interactions between these groups, offering clues about how they lived and possibly coexisted in Central Asia.

Discovery Along the Zeravshan River

A team led by Dr Yossi Zaidner, senior lecturer at the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, recently excavated the site. Evidence of various human occupations was found, including stone tools and animal bones dating from 150,000 to 20,000 years ago. Zaidner noted that Central Asia’s IAMC could have served as a natural migration route, allowing distinct human populations to cross paths. “This discovery is crucial for understanding ancient human presence in Central Asia and how different human species may have interacted here,” he stated in a press release.

Significance for Human Migration and Interaction

Artifacts from Soii Havzak, including stone blades, rock flakes, crafted flints, and signs of fire use, suggest repeated use of the shelter by different human groups. The find highlights Central Asia’s significance in ancient migration routes, with the Zeravshan River likely serving as a pathway for early humans as they dispersed across continents.

A Pathway for Ancient Civilisations

Beyond its prehistoric importance, the Zeravshan Valley later became a key route on the Silk Road, linking distant civilisations such as China and Rome. Researchers expect further studies at Soii Havzak to shed light on the broader implications of this region in ancient human migration and cross-cultural interactions, aiming to deepen understanding of human history and evolution during the Middle Paleolithic era.