Meta to launch ‘Twitter-Killer’ app, Threads, this Thursday

Facebook owner Meta is launching its new app to rival Twitter and says it will go live on Thursday. The app, which is called Threads and is available for pre-order on the Apple App Store, will be linked to Instagram. Screengrabs show a dashboard that looks similar to Twitter. Meta describes Threads as a “text-based conversation app”. The move is the latest in a rivalry between Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter owner Elon Musk. Last month, the pair agreed to a physical fight, though it is unclear how serious the two men were about actually holding a bout. BBC

Twitter users will soon need to be verified in order to use the online dashboard TweetDeck, the company announced on Monday. The popular and previously free tool allows users to organize the accounts they follow into different columns to easily monitor content. It has been popular with businesses and news organizations. The new policy will take effect in 30 days, the company said in a tweet, and could bring a revenue boost to Twitter, which has struggled to retain advertisers under Elon Musk’s ownership. 

The US Air Force is gambling big on artificial intelligence (AI). The world’s leading air arm plans to acquire a thousand AI-controlled armed drones in the coming years. It’s betting that these “loyal wingman” drones will be nimbler and cheaper than traditional manned fighter jets. It’s a solid wager. A recent experiment proves why. In early 2019, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) – the Pentagon’s fringe-science agency – recruited eight teams of coders to develop the first-ever dogfighting AI under the auspices of the AlphaDogfight project. Telegraph

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 was one of the best folding smartphones of 2022, and many are expecting Samsung to deliver yet another winner with its successor. The company is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 5 later this month, and multiple leaks over the past few weeks have already revealed quite a bit about it, including its key specifications. Now, new hands-on images have revealed a key design upgrade. Images posted on Twitter by tipster @AhmedQwaider888 (since deleted) seem to show that the new hinge will close almost completely flat when the phone is folded up. XDA Developers

Some of the country’s top universities will adapt their teaching and learning to incorporate the “ethical” use of artificial intelligence. A set of principles that will help universities take advantage of AI has been published by The Russell Group – which includes institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol and Durham. Backed by the vice chancellors of the 24 Russell Group universities, the statement said it hopes to support the ethical and responsible use of tools such as ChatGPT, while making an effort to uphold academic integrity. Sky News 

As 3.4 million homeowners confess to throwing broken or unwanted tech in the bin, Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub are launching the 2023 Time After Time fund with a share of £500,000 available for projects to tackle both electronic waste and support digital inclusion. That’s as new research reveals that 23 per cent have thrown unwanted items away, even though more than 8 in 10 admit it will damage the environment. The study also found that almost half of homeowners (46%) have an ‘out of sight, out of mind attitude’ towards sorting out their house. Tech Digest 

The iPhone 15 lineup will feature significantly larger batteries across the board, according to an alleged Foxconn worker speaking to ITHome.

The information claims that the iPhone 15 will feature an 18% larger battery, iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro a 14% larger battery, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max a 12% larger battery. MacRumors