Every day we scan the tech world for interesting news in the world of technology and sometimes from outside the world of technology. Every Wednesday, we feature news articles that grabbed our attention over the past week. We hope you find this week’s\u00a0 ‘Wednesday Newsbytes’ informative and interesting!<\/span><\/p>\n Gmail just got a huge upgrade that will save you time<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Now you have no reason not to reply<\/span><\/p>\n Google is releasing a new feature on Gmail apps for Google Workspace users that will make answering emails faster than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n The Gmail app on iPhone and Android is a bit clunky when replying to emails. The issue is that, when selecting reply, the app will open up a new window. It is still possible to see the original email, but it’s located at the bottom of the screen and is formatted so that it’s quite hard to read. However, Google has announced changes coming to Gmail for Workspace and personal users that will change the layout significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n The new format looks more like a text message, or WhatsApp conversation, with your reply appearing at the bottom of the screen above the keyboard. Meanwhile, the initial email will appear above the message, making it much easier to reference while composing the response. Google also made it possible to expand the reply window and access formatting options…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at <\/span>Tom’s Guide.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Hollywood will need permission to make AI deepfakes of long-gone stars<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Incoming California law demands consent for AI performers<\/span><\/p>\n California is another step closer to defining how and when moviemakers and others can use AI versions of celebrities in their projects. The California state Senate has passed AB 1836, a law requiring those who want to make an AI replica of a deceased performer get explicit consent from their estates. The bill now goes to Governor Gavin Newsom, who will likely sign the bill thanks to its backing by the unionized performers of SAG-AFTRA and related groups.<\/span><\/p>\n The law covers any digital recreation using AI. That might mean a still image, a voice clone performing a new role, or even a full character in a film made long after their passing. Regardless of the purpose, the producers must get the estate or legal representative of the deceased performer to agree. The new bill comes right after the Senate passed the related AB 2602. That bill focuses on living performers and sets stricter rules for consent before AI replicas can be used. Together, these bills represent a growing recognition of the need to regulate AI\u2019s impact on both the living and the deceased in the entertainment industry.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFor those who would use the digital replicas of deceased performers in films, TV shows, video games, audiobooks, sound recordings and more, without first getting the consent of those performers\u2019 estates, the California Senate just said NO,\u201d SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. \u201cAB 1836 is another win in SAG-AFTRA\u2019s ongoing strategy of enhancing performer protections in a world of generative artificial intelligence.”<\/span> The union has already encouraged deals built around the structure of the bill even before it becomes law. For instance, SAG-AFTRA and AI startup Narrativ partnered on a new online marketplace where actors can license their voices AI voice clones while controlling where and how the voices are used. Similarly, AI voice developer ElevenLabs made a deal with the estates of several deceased Hollywood stars, including Judy Garland, James Dean, Laurence Olivier, and Burt Reynolds, to get legal rights to their voices for new AI-created performances…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read More at TechRadar.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n New Gmail App Access Password Deadline\u2014You Have 4 Weeks To Comply<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Hot on the heels of a warning about a dramatic rise in the number of attacks targeting Gmail users, comes a timely reminder that Google is about to force Google Workspace users into taking security more seriously. Starting September 30, access to your Gmail account from \u201cless secure apps, third-party apps, or devices that only require a username and password to sign in\u201d will no longer be supported. This latest move is part of an effort to stamp out what Google refers to as an \u201cantiquated sign-in method,\u201d one that puts Gmail users at greater risk of compromise from those who seek unauthorized access to your Google account as it involves sharing your credentials with third-party apps and devices. This forthcoming change impacts all Google Workspace customers, Google said.<\/span><\/p>\n Gmail Support For Less Secure Apps Dropped And Google Sync To Be Discontinued<\/span><\/p>\n Google made it clear that support for what it calls less secure apps, along with Google Sync, would be dropped in a Google Workspace update posted almost exactly a year ago. The decision to tighten up authentication security in this way was first suggested in December 2019 but, with the impact of Covid taken into account, was suspended in March the following year. Now the deadline for getting your Gmail, plus Calendar and Contact accounts, in order is fast approaching.<\/span><\/p>\n Although it might appear that Google is making your life harder, in fact, it\u2019s taking a common-sense approach to the problem of account authentication…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Forbes<\/span><\/strong><\/span>.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Turns out you won’t be able to uninstall Windows 11’s Recall feature after all<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Microsoft says the ability to uninstall Windows Recall is just a bug, but you’ll still be able to turn it off.<\/span><\/p>\n Last week, it was discovered that the latest Windows 11 builds now include an option to remove Microsoft’s upcoming Recall AI feature from the OS using the “Turn Windows features on and off” interface. However, Microsoft has now confirmed in a statement to The Verge that this is just a bug, meaning Windows Recall will actually not be removable when it launches.<\/span><\/p>\n Microsoft senior product manager Brandon LeBlanc told The Verge that the company is “aware of an issue where Recall is incorrectly listed as an option under the \u2018Turn Windows features on or off\u2019 dialog in Control Panel. This will be fixed in an upcoming update.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n It’s important to stress that this doesn’t mean Recall won’t be optional, just that the app itself won’t be easily removable from the system. Windows Recall will still be an optional feature that users can choose to disable when setting up their PC, and will be free to enable it at any time via the Recall app in the Start menu.<\/span><\/p>\n Recall was first announced back in May and was quickly enthralled in controversy over privacy and security concerns. Specifically, it was discovered that while none of the data Recall collects is uploaded to the cloud or shared with Microsoft or third-parties, that data is stored unencrypted in a local directory that was easily accessed by potential attackers.<\/span><\/p>\n This discovery led to Microsoft postponing the launch of Recall to an unspecified date, only recently confirming that the feature will begin to be available in public preview this October. The company promises…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Windows Central<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n US Authorities Issue RansomHub Ransomware Alert<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Authorities in the United States have issued a joint cybersecurity advisory covering a prolific ransomware group, RansomHub.<\/span><\/p>\n The group is believed to have \u201cencrypted and exfiltrated\u201d data from at least 210 victims, through double extortion techniques.<\/span><\/p>\n The group\u2019s victims spanned organizations in the public and private sectors, including healthcare, IT, government, emergency services, food and agriculture, and water and wastewater. The group also targeted \u201ccritical\u201d infrastructure in manufacturing, transport and communications.<\/span><\/p>\n The advisory note details the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), and indicators of compromise (IOCs), as well as steps organizations can take to defend themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n RansomHub’s Tactics, Techniques and Procedures<\/span><\/p>\n RansomHub uses double extortion \u201cby encrypting systems and exfiltrating data to extort victims\u201d, according to CISA, the US national cyber defense agency. However, as RansomHub works on an affiliate model, the exact method of data exfiltration will depend on the affiliate that has broken into the victim\u2019s network.<\/span><\/p>\n The agencies say that RansomHub affiliates typically \u201ccompromise internet facing systems…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Info Security Magazine.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Thanks for reading this week’s Wednesday Newbytes. We hope these articles were informative, interesting, fun, and helpful. Darcy & TC<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gmail’s New Upgrade Will Save You Time; AI News – Judy Garland, Burt Reynolds & Others May Come Back: New Gmail App Password Deadline; You Won’t Be Able to Remove Windows 11’s Privacy Nightmare “Recall”… and more! Every day we scan the tech world for interesting news in the world of technology and sometimes from outside the\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4421,4448,4431,4497,1751,2247,2509,1426,1682,1656,1654,1674,4372,4221,4477],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28993"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28993"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28996,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28993\/revisions\/28996"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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