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CNET's new guidelines for AI journalism met with union pushback
The storied tech publication is promising to disclose when artificial intelligence generates a portion of a story's text, but that's about it.
After layoffs and an AI scandal, CNET's staff is unionizing
The venerable tech site's staff have chosen to band together and demand a seat at the table.
BuzzFeed is the latest publisher to embrace AI-generated content
In a Thursday morning internal memo acquired by the Wall Street Journal, Buzzfeed Chief Executive Jonah Peretti announced plans to embrace AI in both editorial and business operations.
CNET had to correct most of its AI-written articles
CNET has issued corrections for over half of the AI-written articles the outlet recently attributed to its CNET Money team.
CNET pauses publication of AI-written stories amid controversy
CNET is pausing releases of AI-written articles after uproars over errors and a lack of disclosure.
CNET has used an AI to write financial explainers nearly 75 times since November
Turns out CNET has been using AI to write financial explainers and only mumblecoughed that it was doing so.
Motorola Razr's hinge 'broke' after 27,000 folds in durability test
Since foldable phones are still far from common, a lot of potential buyers want to know how durable they are before shelling out money for one -- especially because the available models are far from cheap. CNET has put the new Motorola Razr to the test by folding it repeatedly for thousands of times using a machine called Foldbot made by SquareTrade. The result? Its hinge started acting wonky by around 27,000 folds. To note, a 2017 study found that Americans check their phones 80 times a day. That means the Razr could start showing problems within a year.
Pandora CFO talks about iTunes Radio, new markets
With Apple's iTunes Radio being a latecomer to the world of streaming internet radio, it's not surprising that the executives of streaming leader Pandora would not be happy with the new competitor. CNET's Joan Solsman interviewed the CFO of Pandora, Mike Herring, and found that he feels that Pandora is "a great service that does this better than anybody else," and that the latecomers like Apple are "large, well-funded companies that have agendas outside a really awesome music experience." Not surprisingly, Herring said that Pandora sees Apple's iTunes Radio as a "credible threat" to their business. In the first five days of iTunes Radio, Apple reported that more than 11 million unique listeners had tuned in to their favorite streaming channel. Pandora, with years of experience under its belt, had almost 73 million active users last month. Still, the company feels that they offer the top experience to listeners, although Pandora has been criticized by artists who feel that they're getting a raw deal in terms of royalty payments (Apple is paying a higher rate). Herring talked a bit about international expansion for Pandora -- the company is now trying out its model in Australia and New Zealand as an experiment for future expansion elsewhere. Apple has direct deals with the record labels that will make international expansion of iTunes Radio somewhat easier to accomplish, while Pandora lacks those types of deals. However, Herring pointed to another competitor -- Spotify -- as a company with direct deals that is not having much financial success with international expansion. Solsman's interview is a fascinating peek behind the curtain at the internet streaming radio business.
Xbox Live adding SkyDrive, CNET, Maxim, Karaoke apps in US today
A throng of new apps are coming to Xbox 360s worldwide, so if you've been feeling like your dash needs more squares with logos in them then today won't disappoint. Today sees the US launch of Maxim and CNET apps, with the latter also coming to Canada, while Karaoke and SkyDrive apps roll out worldwide (excluding Japan and United Arab Emirates for Karaoke).As shown above, SkyDrive lets you view pictures and videos stored on your Microsoft cloud, allowing Jenny to guffaw at memories of her sister's apparently hilarious wedding dress by watching the recording on her TV. Aww.Other Xbox 360 apps cropping up across the globe today include VEVO expanding to Spain, Italy, and France, and CinemaNow hopping over to Canada. Xbox spokesoldier Major Nelson also detailed a list of over 40 apps coming to various regions before spring 2013, including MTV, PBS, Flixster, and Vimeo apps for the US.
Testing iPhone 5 connection adapters with a Volkswagen
One of the immediate concerns of many Apple fans when the company announced the iPhone 5 and the Lightning connector was how the new connector would work with iPod/iPhone integration systems that are built into many cars. CNET Senior Editor Wayne Cunningham found that the iPhone 5 worked beautifully in some cars, but had some issues with Volkswagen's Media Device Interface. In both Chevy and Nissan vehicles, Cunningham was able to plug the USB-Lightning cable into the cars' USB ports. The integration worked exactly the way it should have, with the iPhone's music library appearing on the LCDs in the cars. As Cunningham notes, this means that Apple really hasn't made any drastic changes to the music control firmware in the iPhone 5. Things were much different when he tried to use the iPhone 5 in a Volkswagen Golf R that he was reviewing. The VW uses a proprietary Media Device Interface with a special cable which he plugged into Apple's 30-pin Dock connector to Lightning adapter. Things worked well initially, but then Bluetooth audio streaming took priority over the cabled connection and grabbed the connection even when Cunningham told it to use the wired path. Why Cunningham didn't just try to shut off Bluetooth and let the MDI do its thing was not mentioned in the post, but the post definitely points out that you may see some issues when trying to use your new iPhone with an existing car audio system. Have you had success or failure with your iPhone 5 and car audio system? Let us know in the comments.
Growing up Geek: Natali Morris
Welcome to Growing Up Geek, an ongoing feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. Today, we have CNBC technology contributor, Natali Morris. These days I spend more of my time raising geeks than growing up as one. I gave birth to my daughter just seven weeks ago, so there is little time to geek out, but the force is still there. Temporarily dormant. I am a TV journalist who specializes in geek, as a technology contributor to CNBC. I got an early start in television. I was Miss Fremont 1984. Maybe you recognize me from the parade float with Sylvester and Tweety Bird? No? Odd. That's me on the left with my younger sister on the children's show Romper Room in 1984. Question: When we talk about my geeky childhood, do we mean that I had special geeky talents? Because I'm not sure I was a geek as much as I was a nerd. I was a rule follower. An overachiever. I always got the best grades in my science classes, had my term papers written weeks in advance, and always kept my textbooks covered with brown bag paper the way school policy required. I also had braces and headgear. And bangs. So what do you think? Geek or nerd? Or idiot? Actually no, I didn't always follow the rules. I used to cheat on the Nintendo Power Pad by pounding on the pressure sensors with my hands instead of my feet when I was feeling lazy. I used the code to get 30 extra lives on Contra. Although is it really cheating if it is built into the game? But I digress.
Comparing Thunderbolt to HDMI, USB and PCIe Cable
Monday's announcement that the new 9 and MacBook Pros come equipped with USB 3.0 ports was welcome news to Mac users, but an indication of a broader question in the minds of those same users -- which input/output port technology is the best? CNET's Steven Shankland took a look at four I/O technologies -- Thunderbolt, HDMI, USB 3.0 and the new PCIe Cable -- to compare the pros and cons of each. Thunderbolt is Intel's design for a high-speed port technology, with Apple and Acer both adding Thunderbolt ports to most new personal computers. It hasn't been widely adopted, however, and peripherals that take advantage of the technology are slow in coming. PCIe Cable (PCI Express Cable) is being adopted by HP. The two technologies showing the greatest level of adoption are USB 3.0 and HDMI. Shankland's post notes that USB 3.0 is likely to really take off, with USB 2.0 all but disappearing by 2016. USB 3.0 has the advantage of being both backward-compatible and fairly ubiquitous. The technology could also get a boost from proposed designs that would offer power distribution in the same USB cable. HDMI is already the standard on HDTVs and set-top boxes, and Apple added HDMI output to the latest crop of MacBook Pros. Thunderbolt is expected to zoom from 10 to 100 Gbps per channel in the near future, and PCIe Cable will have data transfer rates up to 64 Gbps. But it all boils down to cost for inclusion by manufacturers and availability of peripherals for consumers. Be sure to visit the CNET post for a fascinating read on the bus wars.
Report: FBI forming new cyber intelligence research unit, focus on digital surveillance
According to a report filed by technology site CNET, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is forming a new cyber intelligence and research unit dubbed the Domestic Communications Assistance Center (DCAC). The briefing states that the DCAC's purpose will be "to invent technology that will let police more readily eavesdrop on Internet and wireless communications" (initially focusing on VoIP services, social networks, and wireless communication mediums) . Via a prepared statement, the FBI explained that the unit's modus operandi will be to "assist federal, state and local law enforcement with electronic surveillance capabilities." Congress has appropriated over $54 million for "lawful electronic surveillance" in fiscal year 2012; the DCAC has been earmarked just north of $8 million from that pie. The Bureau's full statement is after the break.
Nikon D800 review roundup: significant upgrades to an already top-notch DSLR
Three years is quite a long time for any one gadget to complete its product cycle -- even a high-end DSLR. The D700 remained on its flagship DSLR perch since its launch in the summer of 2008, all the way through Nikon's D800 announcement earlier this year. During that tenure, the full-frame camera became the primary workhorse for a bounty of photography pros, and it appears safe to confirm that its successor is up to the same task. The 36.3-megapixel D800 has completed its labs tour, leaving reviewers with positive impressions across the board. As always, DPReview offers some of the most comprehensive analysis on the web, and highlights several advantages over the D800's competitor, the Canon 5D Mark III, including a higher megapixel count (36MP vs. 22MP) and a significantly lower price tag ($3,000 vs. $3,500). CNET struggles to identify cons, and praises the cam for its "stellar photos, excellent videos, speedy performance, and a relatively streamlined shooting design." Ken Rockwell brings a D800E into the reviews mix, concluding that the low-pass-filter-less flavor isn't the best fit for everyone. Finally, newcomer The Photo Brigade put the camera in the hands of Preston Mack, a professional on assignment who used the DSLR to capture a GigaPan photo for MLB.com and offered this takeaway: "I am very happy with the Nikon D800 camera. It is an amazing value." Overall, seems like quite a hit -- you'll find links to all of the above reviews just past the break.
Nielsen: More people use tablets, smartphones while watching TV
A recent report from Nielsen shows that folks in the US and UK enjoy using their mobile devices while watching TV, while those in Germany and Italy prefer to do one thing at a time says a report in CNET. Up to 88 percent of US tablet owners and 86 percent of US smartphone owners use their device at least once a month while watching TV. Some (26 percent) use their tablet in front of the TV several times each day. In the UK, the trend mirrors the US with 80 percent of tablet owners and 78 percent of smartphone owners relaxing with their mobile device at least once a month while gazing at the TV. Twenty-four percent admit to using their device while watching TV several times each day. Italy and Germany buck this trend with more than thirty percent of people saying they have never used a tablet while watching TV. When people around the world multitask with their tablet and TV, most people use the tablet to check email or research information about the TV show or movie the they are watching.
51% of households in the US own something made by Apple
According to a new survey put together by CNET, over half of all households in America now contain something made by our favorite company in Cupertino. Over 55 million homes in this country own something that Apple makes (whether that be a computer, an iOS device, or an Apple TV), which means that 51% of American households are now Apple product owners. And the stats get even crazier from there: Of households that own at least one device, the average amount of devices owned is three. So not only has Apple sold devices to half the country's homes, but that one device wound up the gateway device to more Apple gear. Outside of the audience as a whole, Apple buyers tend to be more well-off, which we've not only heard before, but which makes a lot of sense, given how expensive multiple Apple devices can be. CNET's survey says that if there was an age gap on Apple's purchases, though, it's definitely narrowing. Older customers buy almost as many devices as younger folks, and a full 61% of households with kids owns an Apple device as well.
A global iPad network speed test
CNET used its global reach to test the iPad on several networks worldwide. They fired up the Speedtest.net app and measured download speeds on Verizon Wireless's 4G LTE network in San Francisco, Vodafone's 3G network in London, M1's HSPA+ network in Singapore and Telstra's HSPA+ network in Sydney. The results show that Verizon in San Francisco took top spot with a blazing fast download speed of 28.47 Mbps. Telstra in Sydney was second with 16.08 Mbps, while Singapore's M1 (3.13 Mbps) and London's Vodafone (0.64 Mbps) came in third and fourth, respectively. Though Verizon was #1 in download speed, it lost to Telstra in a YouTube video playback test that measures real-world performance instead of raw network speed. You can watch the video on CNET's website.
Slick Google Voice integration may not be Sprint exclusive for long
Despite it's rocky start, we wouldn't blame you for being a little jealous of Sprint's tight integration with Google Voice. Well, the relationship between the two might not be exclusive for much longer. Vincent Paquet, Product Manager for Google Voice, told CNET in an interview that the web giant is actively talking to other carriers about forming a similar bond. Paquet didn't name any names unfortunately, but we're hoping one of the other major national providers here in the US is on the short list of potential corporate polygamist partners. If we're lucky, getting your Verizon phone to play nice with Google Voice's voicemail inbox will soon be a lot simpler. Or, at least it'll be easier to send those stubborn exes straight to voicemail.
CNET shows us Samsung's history, talent for building tanks (video)
Sure, you know Samsung for its smartphones, TVs and automatic vacuum cleaners, but did you know it got its start in exporting produce, groceries and dried fish? You might not think it looking at your Galaxy Nexus, but the outfit's had its hands in quite a few industries over the years, including trade exports, sugar refinement, amusement parks and even wargadgets -- big ones. If you're itching to learn more (or just want to see a Samsung Galaxy S II clumsily sculpted from snow) read on, CNET's about to drop some Samsung knowledge into your inquisitive brain.
Verizon purportedly readying new LTE tablets, Xyboard gets namedropped
Are there two Droid tablets on Verizon's horizon? It certainly seems like it, now that CNET has outed the Motorola Mobility Droid Xyboard. According to the news outlet, Verizon is gearing up to release two different versions of the 4G LTE-equipped tablet -- an eight-inch model and a ten-incher, both slated for launch later this month. Motorola declined to provide details on the devices, and Verizon stopped short of spilling the beans on pricing and availability, though it did provide the following statement: "As we've previously mentioned, we're planning to bring several new LTE devices to market including two tablets. We haven't made any official announcements in the U.S. but we look forward to sharing more details soon." CNET, meanwhile, apparently managed to get its hands on the two slates (pictured above), reporting that both carry a 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and a five-megapixel camera, along with a 1.3 megapixel front-facing shooter. They're also coated in Corning Gorilla Glass and CNET, in the absence of quantitative specs, reports that both are "thinner than a AAA battery and lighter than a paperback book." The stylus-equipped ten-inch version is reportedly geared toward the enterprise market, whereas its little brother is described as more media-friendly, presumably with the consumer market in mind. That's about all we know at this point, though be sure to check out CNET's coverage below for more images and insight.
