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Microsoft and Google vie for top spot in productivity and business app leadership in latest report — Google has a upper hand due to its platform dominance but Microsoft’s LinkedIn emerges as the ultimate Pro social network

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A new study analyzing Google Play downloads of productivity tools has shown an overwhelming majority of mobile users turning to their smartphones to navigate their professional lives and schedule day-to-day tasks.

The report by SplitMetrics found the top apps in the business and productivity categories have amassed a staggering 4.7 billion and 55 billion downloads respectively. Microsoft’s LinkedIn leads the business category with a whopping 1.5 billion lifetime downloads, followed by video conferencing giants Zoom (1.1bn) and Microsoft Teams (426m), then OfficeSuite (195m) and Indeed (188m).

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Business Industry

Apple’s new iPad Pro 11-inch could be in short supply due to Samsung

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Apple is ready to launch its new flagship iPads, and the company has teased its next launch event for May 7. That’s when Apple’s new OLED-equipped iPad Pros will likely be unveiled, but one of those iPads could be in short supply due to Samsung.

Apple’s OLED 11-inch iPad Pro could face shortages

Samsung Eco 2 OLED Plus Display Panel Power Consumption Efficiency

Apple is expected to launch two versions of the iPad Pro, one with an 11-inch OLED screen and the other with a 12.9-inch OLED screen. The 11-inch variant reportedly uses LG Display’s and Samsung Display’s OLED panels, while the 12.9-inch variant exclusively uses LG Display’s OLED panel. However, according to industry insider Ross Young (via 9To5Mac), the shipments of the 12.9-inch OLED iPad Pro seem to be higher than those of the 11-inch variant.

Ross Young claims that Samsung has been facing technical challenges in producing 11-inch OLED panels for new iPad Pros. He also claims that this situation could persist throughout May and affect the availability of the upcoming iPad Pro. A 9To5Mac report claimed that drivers found in iPadOS 17.5 reveal that the upcoming iPad Pros use display panels from LG and Samsung.

Previous reports claim that upcoming iPad Pro models from Apple use a completely new type of OLED panel. It is called a two-stack tandem OLED panel with two emissive layers. Such a panel is said to offer longer life, higher brightness, and a lower chance of pixel burn-in.



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Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations

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Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company’s App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details.

iGBA Feature
iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut’s open-source GBA4iOS app, which has long been distributed outside the App Store. The emulator rose towards the top of the App Store charts following its release this weekend, but users on social media complained that the app was a blatant ripoff overlaid with ads.

“So apparently Apple approved a knock-off of GBA4iOS,” said Testut, in a Threads post on Saturday. “I did not give anyone permission to do this, yet it’s now sitting at the top of the charts (despite being filled with ads + tracking).” He quipped that he was “so glad App Review exists to protect consumers from scams and rip-offs like this.”

It is unclear if Apple removed iGBA because it felt the app ripped off GBA4iOS. We have asked Apple for clarification about the app’s removal, and we will update this article if we receive any additional information about the decision.

iGBA lets iPhone users play Game Boy games by loading free ROMs downloaded from the web. ROMs can be found online for a wide variety of games, including those from the popular Pokémon and The Legend of Zelda franchises. The emulator can still be used by those who installed it on their iPhones before it was removed from the App Store.

On its customer support website in the U.S., Nintendo says downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal. It is unclear if Nintendo sent a complaint to Apple about iGBA, and whether that may have been a factor in the app’s removal.

An excerpt from section 5.2 of the App Review Guidelines, related to intellectual property:

Make sure your app only includes content that you created or that you have a license to use. Your app may be removed if you’ve stepped over the line and used content without permission. Of course, this also means someone else’s app may be removed if they’ve “borrowed” from your work.

iGBA appeared in the App Store just over a week after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit “retro game console emulators,” but it is inevitably not yet certain what Apple will allow exactly following the app’s prompt removal.

As for Testut, he went on to create another Nintendo game emulator called Delta, which is distributed outside of the App Store. Delta will also be available through Testut’s alternative app marketplace AltStore on iPhones in the EU. It is not clear if he plans to make Delta available in the App Store following the rule change.

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Business Industry

OLED Apple iPad Pro launch delay could be due to Samsung

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It has long been rumored that Apple will use Samsung Display’s OLED panels in its next-generation iPad Pro lineup. Those iPads were expected to be launched this month, but that didn’t happen, and it was understood that the launch of those iPad Pros has been delayed. It is rumored that Samsung could be the reason behind the delayed launch.

Samsung Display reportedly faced yield issues for OLED panels for upcoming iPad Pros

According to a new report from Hankooki, Samsung Display recently faced poor yields (usable panels from all the manufactured ones) for its new 11-inch OLED panels, and it has been unable to meet Apple’s order quantity. This forced Apple to transfer orders for some OLED panels from Samsung Display to LG Display. LG Display is expected to increase its production capacity by hundreds of thousands next month.

Samsung Display Eco² OLED Plus UPC Plus

Due to this reallocation, LG Display is expected to make 60% of all OLED orders for the next-generation iPad Pro lineup. Earlier, Apple had divided OLED orders between LG Display and Samsung Display. LG was meant to make 13-inch panels, while Samsung was tasked with making 11-inch OLED panels. These are newer OLED panels with two light-emitting layers, offering much longer life and higher brightness.

Recently, LG invested millions of dollars to set up a sixth-generation OLED panel manufacturing line and received quality control certification from Apple. It can now pick up some slack from Samsung Display. Apple has reportedly placed orders for 8.5 million OLED panels for its upcoming iPad Pro models. This is a decrease from the previously reported 10 million figure.

What to expect from OLED iPad Pros?

The upcoming iPad Pros are expected to be costlier than the current-generation ones. They could feature Apple’s M3 chips, bringing a huge performance increase compared to the current-generation iPad Pros. The upcoming iPad Pros are now expected to launch sometime in May 2024.

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Politics

New study reveals insight into which animals are most vulnerable to extinction due to climate change

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In a new study, researchers have used the fossil record to better understand what factors make animals more vulnerable to extinction from climate change. The results could help to identify species most at risk today from human-driven climate change. The findings have been published today in the journal Science.

Past climate change (often caused by natural changes in greenhouse gases due to volcanic activity) has been responsible for countless species’ extinctions during the history of life on Earth. But, to date, it has not been clear what factors cause species to be more or less resilient to such change, and how the magnitude of climate change affects extinction risk.

Led by researchers at the University of Oxford, this new study sought to answer this question by analysing the fossil record for marine invertebrates (such as sea urchins, snails, and shellfish) over the past 485 million years. Marine invertebrates have a rich and well-studied fossil record, making it possible to identify when, and potentially why, species become extinct.

Using over 290,000 fossil records covering more than 9,200 genera, the researchers collated a dataset of key traits that may affect resilience to extinction, including traits not studied in depth previously, such as preferred temperature. This trait information was integrated with climate simulation data to develop a model to understand which factors were most important in determining the risk of extinction during climate change.

Key findings:

  • The authors found that species exposed to greater climate change were more likely to become extinct. In particular, species that experienced temperature changes of 7°C or more across geological stages were significantly more vulnerable to extinction.
  • The authors also found that species occupying climatic extremes (for instance in polar regions) were disproportionately vulnerable to extinction, and animals that could only live in a narrow range of temperatures (especially ranges less than 15°C) were significantly more likely to become extinct.
  • However, geographic range size was the strongest predictor of extinction risk. Species with larger geographic ranges were significantly less likely to go extinct. Body size was also important, with smaller-bodied species more likely to become extinct.
  • All of the traits studied had a cumulative impact on extinction risk. For instance, species with both small geographic ranges and narrow thermal ranges were even more susceptible to extinction than species that had only one of these traits.

Cooper Malanoski (Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford), first author of the study, said: ‘Our study revealed that geographic range was the strongest predictor of extinction risk for marine invertebrates, but that the magnitude of climate change is also an important predictor of extinction, which has implications for biodiversity today in the face of climate change.’

With current human-driven climate change already pushing many species up to and beyond the brink of extinction, these results could help identify the animals that are most at risk, and inform strategies to protect them.

Lead author Professor Erin Saupe (Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford) said: ‘The evidence from the geological past suggests that global biodiversity faces a harrowing future, given projected climate change estimates. In particular, our model suggests that species with restricted thermal ranges of less than 15°C, living in the poles or tropics, are likely to be at the greatest risk of extinction. However, if the localized climate change is large enough, it could lead to significant extinction globally, potentially pushing us closer to a sixth mass extinction.’

According to the research team, future work should explore how climate change interacts with other potential drivers of extinction, such as ocean acidification and anoxia (where seawater becomes depleted of oxygen).

The study also involved researchers from the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol. Professor Dan Lunt, from the University of Bristol, said: ‘This study shows that over the course of Earth’s history, the extinction risk of marine life has been inextricably linked to climate change. This should act as a stark warning to humanity as we recklessly continue to cause climate change ourselves through burning fossil fuels.’

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Entertainment

Fortnite’s new season is delayed due to tech issues

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As is always the case between seasons, Epic Games took Fortnite offline early on Friday to perform some maintenance and get the game ready for all the new stuff fans are about to enjoy. While the downtime typically lasts a few hours, Epic has encountered a problem that’s forcing it to delay the start of Chapter 5 Season 2.

“Hey everyone, we encountered an unexpected issue during our maintenance and we need to extend downtime at least 8 additional hours,” a post on the Fortnite Status X account reads. “We apologize for making everyone wait longer than usual to drop into Chapter 5 Season 2 of Battle Royale. The team is working through this as quickly as possible, and we’ll provide another update when we have more info.” The tweet was posted at 9:14AM ET, meaning Fortnite will likely remain down until at least 5PM.

The delay is a bit of a pity as the new season looks pretty compelling. It’s called Myths and Mortals and it’s focused on Greek gods. Along with earning skins for the likes of Aphrodite, Medusa and Poseidon through the battle pass, you can wield mythical powers such as Zeus’ lightning bolts and the Wings of Icarus. Epic has added some intriguing new areas to the island as well, including Mount Olympus and Hades’ Underworld. A spooky-looking version of the River Styx, which is guarded by Cerberus, leads up to the latter.



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ChatGPT updates might not be good for researchers due to AI Drift

ChatGPT latest updates might be a step backwards for researchers

The latest updates to Chat GPT, an artificial intelligence platform, have caught the attention of scholars and PhD candidates alike. These improvements, which include the creation of custom GPT AI assistants and a significant increase in the token limit, are poised to transform the way researchers manage and analyze large volumes of data. However, it’s important to recognize that these assistants may not always deliver on accuracy and processing speed, particularly when dealing with documents exceeding 20 pages.

The new Assistant API allows for the development of AI assistants that can be customized to meet the specific needs of researchers. This personalization is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of data handling, potentially offering a more refined and streamlined interaction with the AI.

Another key upgrade is the expansion of the token limit to 128,000 tokens. This suggests that the AI can now better handle longer documents. But it’s critical to understand that a higher token limit does not necessarily equate to improved recall of information. Research indicates that the quality of recall may decline after 73,000 tokens, with the middle sections of documents often suffering the most. This inconsistency poses a challenge for in-depth data analysis.

How good is ChatGPT for research?

Points to consider before using ChatGPT for data analysis and research :

  • Token Limit Expansion: The increase to 128,000 tokens in newer models like GPT-4 represents a significant jump from previous versions (like GPT-3.5, which had a lower token limit). This expansion allows the AI to process, analyze, and generate much longer documents. For context, a token can be as small as a single character or as large as a word, so 128,000 tokens can encompass a substantial amount of text.
  • Handling Longer Documents: This increased limit enables the AI to work with longer texts in a single instance. It becomes more feasible to analyze entire books, lengthy reports, or comprehensive documents without splitting them into smaller segments. This is particularly useful in academic, legal, or professional contexts where lengthy documents are common.
  • Quality of Recall vs. Token Limit: While the ability to handle longer texts is a clear advantage, it does not directly translate to improved recall or understanding of the entire text. Research suggests that the AI’s recall quality might start to decline after processing around 73,000 tokens. This decline could be due to the complexity of maintaining context and coherence over long stretches of text.
  • Recall Inconsistency in Long Documents: The middle sections of long documents are often the most affected by this decline in recall quality. This means that while the AI can still generate relevant responses, the accuracy and relevance of these responses might diminish for content in the middle of a lengthy document. This issue can be particularly challenging when dealing with detailed analyses, where consistent understanding throughout the document is crucial.
  • Implications for In-Depth Data Analysis: For tasks requiring in-depth analysis of long documents, this inconsistency poses a significant challenge. Users may need to be cautious and perhaps verify the AI’s output, especially when dealing with complex or detailed sections of text. This is important in research, legal analysis, detailed technical reviews, or comprehensive data analysis tasks.
  • Potential Workarounds: To mitigate these issues, users might consider breaking down longer documents into smaller segments, focusing on the most relevant sections for their purpose. Additionally, summarizing or pre-processing the text to highlight key points before feeding it to the AI could improve the quality of the output.
  • Continuous Improvement and Research: It’s worth noting that AI research is continuously evolving. Future versions of models may address these recall inconsistencies, offering more reliable performance across even longer texts.

ChatGPT and AI drift

A study from Stanford, coupled with feedback from users, has brought to light a concerning trend where AI’s accuracy is on the decline. This issue, known as “AI drift,” poses a significant obstacle for companies that rely on AI for their day-to-day activities.

AI drift refers to a phenomenon where an artificial intelligence (AI) system, over time, begins to deviate from its originally intended behaviors or outputs. This drift can occur for several reasons, such as changes in the data it interacts with, shifts in the external environment or user interactions, or through the process of continuous learning and adaptation.

For instance, an AI trained on certain data may start producing different responses as it encounters new and varied data, or as the context in which it operates evolves. This can lead to outcomes that are unexpected or misaligned with the AI’s initial goals and parameters.

The concept of AI drift is particularly important in the context of long-term AI deployment, where maintaining consistency and reliability of the AI’s outputs is crucial. It underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and recalibration of AI systems to ensure they remain true to their intended purpose.

The core of the problem lies in the deterioration of AI models over time. For example, ChatGPT may begin to provide responses that are not as precise or useful as before, as it adjusts to the wide range of inputs it receives from various users. This technical glitch has real-world implications, impacting the efficiency and reliability of business processes that are dependent on AI.

Security and privacy concerns

When it comes to integrating AI into research, security is a top priority. The inadvertent exposure of sensitive or proprietary data is a real concern. It’s imperative that any AI system used in research is equipped with strong security measures to safeguard the integrity of the data.

The recent upgrades to Chat GPT have generated excitement, particularly the ability to create customized AI assistants and the increased token limit for processing larger documents. However in light of these challenges, some researchers are turning to alternative tools like Doc Analyzer and Power Drill. These platforms are designed with the unique requirements of academic research in mind, offering more reliable data retrieval and enhanced security for sensitive information.

DocAnalyzer.AI uses advanced AI technology to transform your documents into interactive conversations. Simply upload a single or multiple PDF documents and our AI will analyze them and stand ready to answer any questions you might have.

As AI technology continues to advance, it’s crucial to critically evaluate these updates. While the enhancements to Chat GPT are significant, they may not fully meet the stringent demands of academic research. Researchers would do well to explore a variety of tools, including Doc Analyzer and Power Drill, to find the best fit for their research objectives.

The recent upgrades to Chat GPT offer both new possibilities and potential obstacles for academic research. Researchers should prioritize the accuracy, speed, and security of their data. Staying informed and critically assessing available tools will enable researchers to make informed decisions that strengthen their work. It’s also beneficial to engage with the academic community and leverage available resources to ensure that the use of AI in research is both effective and secure.

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