Biden calls and the FCC

February 12, 2024

Can the FCC’s latest ban on audio deep fakes cut down the flood of unwanted calls? Here’s the news in this short podcast.

Tags: audio, Joseph Biden, podcasts

It’s not just you: Social media notifications are out of control

Here’s something social media companies don’t want you to know: They’ve been making changes so they can make more money. One way is by amping up the number of notifications pushed out to users.

For example, your Instagram account received up to 12 more notifications this past January than last July. Fortunately, you can opt-out. I’ve got you covered.

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Flip or flop? If you’ve ever wanted a foldable iPhone, Apple’s testing one out and hitting the same problems as everyone else — bulky when bent, easy to break and pricey, with that annoying display seam and finicky hinges. Don’t hold your breath. We won’t see it till 2025 … maybe.

Do this tech step before it’s too late

Someone you love has passed away and you want to save a voicemail to listen to when the grief wave hits. Don’t bet on your phone to keep it for you — I’ve heard from so many people devastated their old messages are gone. Don’t let it be you.

Saving voicemails on iPhone

Go to the Phone app and tap Voicemail in the bottom right.
Tap on the voicemail you want to save, then tap the share button. (It looks like a box with an arrow pointing out of it.) You can now share this voicemail via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, Messenger or WhatsApp.
To save the voicemail on your phone, select Add to New Quick Note or Save to Files. You can access the saved message again in either app — Notes or Files — and play it back at your leisure. Both apps also back up your files automatically to iCloud if enabled.
To save the voicemail to your computer, select AirDrop, then tap on your computer’s name. Both your phone and computer must be connected to the same network. On your computer, accept the AirDrop and save the message wherever you want.

Saving voicemails on Android

These steps will vary depending on your phone’s model, but you can still follow them for a general idea of how to keep those messages.

Open your Voicemail app or go to the Voicemail section in your Phone app.
Tap or tap and hold the message you want to save.
In the menu that appears, look for options like Save, Export or Archive.
Select where you’d like the message to be saved on your phone, and tap OK or Save.

Stop your devices from listening in

What’s the obvious downside for always-on devices that constantly listen for commands? It’s just that — they’re always listening. Voice-activated tech uses microphones that listen for wake words, meaning they can hear personal conversations you don’t want them to hear.

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Marked for skepticism: Starting Feb. 12, when you use OpenAI, it will add watermarks to DALL-E 3 images to meet content authenticity standards. The tags will consist of both invisible metadata and a visible symbol. FYI, screenshots delete the metadata. Oops.

📉 Tusk-tusk, Musk: Tesla stock has plunged 24%, making it the S&P 500’s worst performer of the year so far. Thanks to recalls and Elon Musk’s antics (like, you know, the alleged drug use), investors are giving it the cold shoulder.

Hate your cable company now? Wait until you hear this: The cable giants are throwing a fit over the FCC’s plan to ban early termination fees. Cable companies whine the fees are why they can offer us “discounts.” Cut them, they warn, and prices will go up.

Surgical nightmare: A 78-year-old Florida woman died when a da Vinci surgical robot burned a hole in her intestine. They’re blaming faulty rubber sleeves. This isn’t a new event; there were over 20,000 da Vinci injuries and deaths reported to the FDA from 2008 to 2018.

Look at that glow: Avi Loeb, Harvard’s alien hunter extraordinaire, is stirring the cosmic pot again. He explored 2014 meteor crash leftovers — vibrant spheres he’s betting are alien gadgets, not mere space rocks. Critics say, “It’s just coal ash!” The trust? It’s out there.

Glow-up: Apple is ditching its creepy Stalin-looking avatars for a more “I’d swipe-right” vibe — but it’s just a sneak peek for the devs right now. The latest Vision Pro beta update hints at more lifelike complexions coming our way. You’ll soon need a fresh face scan to upgrade from ghoulish to glam.