Concern over police use of facial recognition, Elon Musk could be made to testify
Police and private companies should “immediately stop” the use of facial recognition surveillance, says a group of politicians and privacy campaigners. They have raised concerns around human rights, potential for discrimination and “the lack of a democratic mandate”. It comes after the government announced plans for police to access passport photos to help catch criminals. The Home Office said facial recognition had “a sound legal basis” and had already led to criminals being caught. A spokesperson added that the technology could also aid police in searching for missing or vulnerable people, and free up officers to “be out on the beat”. BBC
Elon Musk’s $44bn (£36bn) takeover of Twitter is under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and he could be compelled to testify. According to court filings on Thursday, the case centres around concerns the world’s richest man broke federal security laws in 2022, when he bought Twitter stock. The investigation is also looking into statements and SEC filings he made in relation to the deal. The latest development marks the continuation of a long-running feud between the SEC and Mr Musk. Sky News
Apple is currently working on a bunch of new tablets, all of which will become official in the next few months. In fact, all of them are slated to launch with a version of iPadOS 17, which means they will be released before next September, when Apple will send out iPadOS 18 to supported devices.
That’s not a very clear timeline at all, but what is clearer are the models that we should expect. First off, a new iPad mini, with the same design as the last one, but newer internals. Second, not one but two new iPad Airs, one of which could be either a plus-size model, or a higher-end one than the ‘vanilla’ iPad Air. GSM Arena
Part of the magic of VR is the ability to move your body in the virtual world just as you can in real life. But, up until now, there have been limitations on how much of your body you can move. Typically, VR games and headsets only track your head and hand movements, then use a clever bit of programming to guestimate how your arms and legs might be moving. With the Meta Quest 3, that’s all changing in a palpable way as Meta introduces a new technology called Inside-Out Body Tracking (IOBT). Android Central
The Las Vegas Sphere is a new venue that features the world’s largest LED screen meant to host live events, such as film screenings, concerts, and sports games. The circular theatre is 366-feet tall and 516-feet wide, with a capacity to hold 18,000 people seated, 20,000 standing. The idea behind the Sphere was to create one of the most immersive viewing experiences. Of the 20,000 total spots in the arena – standing room included – half are designed with built-in seat haptics that enable attendees to “feel” atmospheric effects. Independent
Google’s latest smartphone launch packs its Pixel devices with AI, an object-measuring temperature sensor and extended software support for up to seven years. Announced alongside the second-generation of its Pixel smartwatch and the launch of Android 14, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro hope to go toe-to-toe with Apple’s iPhone 15 line while following the pioneering Fairphone’s lead with longer-lasting devices. Guardian
