You should consider switching from your Oculus to a Meta account as soon as possible if you haven't already. According to an email issued to users, the firm will deactivate Oculus accounts on March 29th, 2024. This will make it impossible for you to get your store credits, apps, in-app purchases, and more back. If you don't switch to a Meta account before then, you'll lose your accomplishments, friends list, and any material made using your Oculus experience.





Since 2020, when the business formerly known as Facebook began mandating new users to join up with Facebook accounts instead, Oculus accounts have been discontinued. In 2022, it did, however, allow customers to create a Meta account as an alternative if they chose not to connect their Quest headset to their Facebook account. In January 2023, Meta ceased allowing users to access their Oculus accounts. It's your final chance to switch from an Oculus to a Meta account if you have a Quest collecting dust in a drawer.





Using the same email address you used to register for Oculus, visit their website to create a Meta account and migrate your account. You can then access all of the games, information, and other purchases that have been stored to your Oculus account from that point on.

Most people who had already switched from Oculus to Meta accounts, received the email. It's unclear if Meta accidentally sent these emails or if Meta account holders need to take any further action. After contacting Meta for further details, The Verge did not receive a response right away.


Meta Announces Deletion of All Oculus Accounts by Month's End




In an effort to take on Nvidia's RTX 4070, AMD is launching the Radeon RX 7900 GRE globally today. Although it costs the same $549 as the RTX 4070, this rather new GPU performs better and has 16GB of VRAM as opposed to 12GB.


Originally intended particularly for 1440p gaming, the RX 700 GRE was only available in China. Now, AMD is making it available everywhere in an effort to provide the RTX 4070 with some strong competition. With its 11 percent quicker performance at 1440p compared to the RTX 4070, the RX 7900 GRE is yet another choice to pair with the newest high-speed 1440p OLED monitors that are now available for purchase.





Only a few weeks after Nvidia introduced the $599 RTX 4070 Super, it lowered the price of the RTX 4070 and released the $549 RX 7900 GRE. AMD's RX 7900 GRE even matches Nvidia's RTX 4070 Super in select titles, thus this card will surely drive down the price of both Nvidia's $549 RTX 4070 and AMD's $499 RX 7800 XT.

For the RX 7900 GRE, AMD is relying on its board partner designs. I have been trying the model from XFX, which is based on the reference design from AMD. At 13.2 inches, the card's triple-fan layout is extraordinarily lengthy. Indeed, that exceeds the length of an RTX 4090, so make sure your case can accommodate it.





The Radeon RX 7900 GRE has a total board power of 260 watts, which is 60 watts greater than the RTX 4070 from Nvidia. For this card, AMD suggests a power supply of 700 watts, which is once more more than the 650 watts recommended for the RTX 4070 and 4070 Super.

AMD is likewise remaining true to the tried-and-true eight-pin connectors in this instance. The RX 7900 GRE has two eight-pin connectors, so you don't need to bother about bulky adapters or the newest 12VHPWR power connector.





The 16GB of VRAM on AMD's RX 7900 GRE is among its best hardware features. Compared to the 21Gbps on the RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 Super, it runs at a lesser speed of 18Gbps. On the RX 7900 GRE, however, AMD has chosen to use a 256-bit memory bus, meaning that the memory bandwidth is 576GB/s as opposed to 504GB/s on the RTX 4070 / 4070 Super.

Unveiling the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE: A $549 Challenger Takes on Nvidia




 After discovering that its Gemini AI was producing erroneous historical photographs, Google has announced that it is suspending the tool's capacity to create images of humans. In an apparent attempt to challenge the gender and racial stereotypes present in generative AI, Gemini has been producing a variety of images, including those of the US Founding Fathers and German soldiers during the Nazi era.


In a statement published on X, Google states, "We're already working to address recent issues with Gemini's image generation feature." "We're going to stop creating people's images while we do this, and we'll re-release an improved version soon."




Within twenty-four hours of admitting that its AI model had produced some inaccurate historical photographs, Google decided to stop creating images of humans in Gemini. Certain Gemini users have been searching for pictures of historical groups or individuals, such as the Founding Fathers, and when they did, they discovered AI-generated non-white persons. This has given rise to internet conspiracies suggesting that Google purposefully avoids showing images of white individuals.




Earlier this month, Google began providing image generation through Gemini (previously Bard), a move aimed at competing with Microsoft's Copilot and OpenAI. The image generation program generates a set of images depending on a text input, just as its competitors.

Google has confirmed that image generation is accessible in English worldwide, but not in the UK, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area. This explains why the UK's testing was unsuccessful.

Google Halts Gemini's AI Image Generation Amid Diversity Concerns




Owners of Wyze smart home devices, such as dashcams and security cameras, are complaining this morning that their gadgets are unavailable to them and that error messages are being displayed by the apps. According to users in the Wyze Discord, the issues started as early as 4 AM ET, and by 6 AM ET, reports of them had spread widely.


Users report that they are unable to connect to their security cameras via the app in Wyze forum discussions regarding the service outage. Users are unable to control their devices using the app, and cameras seem to be going offline. Some report that their gadgets have vanished from their accounts, or that their apps are failing.




A request for comment or information about the root of the issue was not immediately answered by Wyze, but as of 9:31 AM ET, a post on their customer support site shows the firm is aware of the issue and is investigating it.

Although customer support messages often attribute problems to a "partner service," AWS isn't currently reporting any outages.





Although Wyze produces well-liked home security systems, there have been privacy issues in the past. Wyze attributed a web caching problem to user reports in 2023 claiming to be able to view camera feeds from other people's devices. Users said that in that particular instance, their own gadgets vanished and were replaced by others', including streams that revealed private areas of strangers' residences.


Unveiling the Vulnerabilities: How the Wyze Outage Disrupted Home Security Camera Access




 This summer will mark the formal start of Disney's crackdown on password sharing. Disney Plus accounts "suspected of improper sharing" would have the opportunity to subscribe on their own, according to Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston during a Wednesday earnings call.




Disney also announced that account holders will be able to add people from outside their home for a "additional fee," though it did not specify how much that would cost. "With our exceptional content, we aim to reach as wide an audience as we can," stated Johnston. "We're excited to introduce this new feature in order to enhance customer satisfaction in general and increase the number of subscribers."




Disney Plus and Hulu have revised their terms of service this year to prohibit consumers from sharing their memberships with individuals who are not members of their household. starting January 25, the new terms became effective for new subscribers; however, starting March 14, they will also apply to current members. A variant of paid sharing was previously introduced by Netflix last year; users had to pay an additional $7.99 a month to add a person who wasn't at home.


Disney Plus, which released the beta version of its one-app experience with Hulu last year, is set to launch the experience in March. In addition, the company's earnings report showed that Hulu attracted 1.2 million new members, while Disney Plus lost 1.3 million US and Canadian users as a result of price increases last year.




ESPN, a division of Disney, announced on Tuesday that it will be collaborating with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to introduce a new live sports streaming channel. In addition to being accessible to Disney Plus bundle customers with Hulu and ESPN Plus, the as-yet-unnamed service will debut this autumn. In light of dwindling viewership and a contracting ad market, Disney intends to introduce a direct-to-consumer version of ESPN in August 2025, coinciding with the service's announcement.

Disney Plus Summer 2024 Update: Crack Down on Password Sharing





 Danny Sullivan, a representative for Google's company's search team, has verified that the company has gotten rid of links to page caches from its search results page. Sullivan stated about X, "It was meant to help people access pages when way back, you often couldn't depend on a page loading." Things have significantly improved these days. Thus, the decision was made to retire it.





In the past, you could view a webpage as Google views it by using the cache feature, which is helpful for more reasons than just seeing a page that is taking a long time to load. It can also be a very useful news gathering tool, allowing reporters to see exactly what information a company has added (or removed) from a website and a way to see details that people or companies might be trying to scrub from the web. SEO professionals could use it to debug their sites or even keep tabs on competitors. In case a website is restricted in your area, using Google's cache can serve as a fantastic substitute for a VPN.






The cache of a page can usually be accessed in a few different ways. Next to a search result, there was a "Cached" button that could be accessed from the three button menu at the bottom of the "About this result" panel. For those who are knowledgeable, you can also add the prefix "cache:" to a URL before doing a search to instantly get to Google's cached copy. 



Over the past few months, Google's cache links have been gradually removed, albeit it isn't quite finished yet. Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable noticed that the links were completely gone by the end of January after they started to fade sporadically from search results in early December. Danny Sullivan verified in his tweet that the "cache:" search operator will be eliminated "in the near future," along with the removal of the links. 




Even though the cache links are only being removed now, the signs have been there for some time. The cached view was described as a "basically unmaintained legacy feature" by Google developer relations engineer Martin Splitt in the beginning of 2021.


Though Sullivan expects that Google will eventually provide links to the Internet Archive that may be used to display how a webpage has changed over time, it doesn't appear that Google has any immediate plans to replace the service. He warns, "No promises." It involves individuals well beyond me, so we need to talk to them and see where this might all lead. But overall, I believe it would be pleasant.


Google Search is officially retiring search caches




 On February 2, Zoom's Vision Pro software—which allows users to employ a digital avatar created by the app based on facial scans—will go live with Apple's new headset. It works similarly to Apple's FaceTime app for the Vision Pro in that the person making the call will be able to view their hand gestures and facial expressions as though they are not wearing a headset.




The augmented reality features of the Vision Pro will also be utilized by the forthcoming Zoom app, which will enable it to appear as a floating window and integrate seamlessly with users' physical surroundings. On Friday, February 2nd, these functionalities will be accessible when the app and headgear launch.


But Zoom says it will be adding new capabilities to the app later in the spring, one of which is "real-world pinning." By enabling Vision Pro users to pin up to five Zoom meeting participants in their physical environment and hiding the callers' backgrounds, this feature is meant to enhance the immersive experience of calls.





Additionally, 3D object sharing will be added to the videoconferencing software, enabling users to share 3D files and view how they appear in their surroundings. It also intends to integrate Team Chat, a rival to Slack, inside the Vision Pro software.


While Apple has already declared that native Vision Pro apps will be available at launch for streaming services like Disney Plus, Max, Paramount Plus, Peacock, and others, several noteworthy services are still absent. Because Netflix and YouTube won't have Vision Pro apps available at launch, users will have to access them through a web browser, which will make for a less engaging experience.

Changes to Zoom meetings as a result of the Vision Pro.




 The new security feature in iOS 17.3 is meant to deter thieves from stealing your iPhone and swiftly gaining access to all of your iCloud data as well as other crucial accounts, such as your bank or email. Rather than depending solely on your lock screen passcode to ensure security (since thieves have figured out how to make people enter it in front of them before they take off with the phone), Stolen Device Protection forces you to use Face ID or scan your fingerprint when completing specific tasks, like accessing stored passwords or requesting a new Apple Card.




A waiting period is also imposed by the feature when carrying out more sensitive tasks, such altering your iPhone passcode or Apple ID password. Apple states that in order to finish the procedure and make sure this is indeed you, "Security Delay requires Face ID or Touch ID, an hour wait, and then an additional successful biometric authentication" in the iOS 17.3 update notice. Apple states that this additional layer of identification for your iPhone will only be needed when you're not in "familiar locations such as home or work."

Go to Settings and choose Face ID & Passcode to activate Stolen Device Protection. From there, toggle the function on by entering your device's passcode. Visit Apple's website to find out more about Stolen Device Protection.





In addition, Apple is adding the ability for friends to join and contribute to playlists in the Apple Music app with collaborative playlists to macOS 14.3 Sonoma and iOS 17.3 users. With iOS 17.3, Apple is now introducing the capability to stream media to TVs in specific hotels. Apple also released updates for iOS 9, 15, and 16 devices, which might have security fixes, in addition to iOS 17.3.

iOS 17.3 brings Stolen Device Protection to your iPhone


 These days, artificial intelligence is present in pretty much everything, thus for AI developers, differentiating their products from the masses is no easy task. Few companies have garnered as much attention as Rabbit, an AI firm that sold 40,000 units of its standalone $199 R1 device in only eight days after its January CES debut.





In essence, the AI-driven Rabbit OS, which powers the Rabbit R1, is a specialized virtual assistant made to function as a sort of universal controller with your favorite apps. The operating system is based on a "Large Action Model" that has been taught to work with popular apps like Uber and Spotify to accomplish tasks like messaging, music control, online shopping, and more.





The orange Rabbit R1, a device built in partnership with Teenage Engineering, is about half the size of an iPhone and has a 2.88-inch touchscreen, a revolving camera, and a scrolling navigation wheel. It has some similarities to the Playdate portable game system.


Assuming the device meets up to its high expectations, we're keeping track of all the most recent information surrounding the Rabbit R1's launch below to ensure nothing gets lost in the excitement.

The latest news on Rabbit R1 AI device




 According to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Apple surpassed Samsung for the first time ever to ship the most smartphones in a year. A second research firm, Canalys, likewise projects Apple to be the number one company for the entire year 2023, despite IDC's warning that its data is preliminary and liable to change. According to IDC, Apple shipped 234.6 million mobile devices overall, while Samsung shipped 226.6 million. With 145.9, 103.1, and 94.9 million smartphones supplied, respectively, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Transsion complete the top five.





According to IDC, Samsung last missed the top spot on the annual board in 2010, which was thirteen years ago. Apple didn't even make the top five lists back then. As an alternative, the top five positions were held by Nokia, Samsung, LG Electronics, ZTE, and Research in Motion, the company that makes BlackBerry smartphones. This list of firms should serve as ample proof that 13 years is a long time in the smartphone industry.

Research director Nabila Popal of IDC's Worldwide Tracker team stated, "Not only is Apple the only player in the Top 3 to show positive growth annually, but it also bags the number 1 spot annually for the first time ever." "The growing trend of premium devices, which now account for over 20% of the market and are driven by aggressive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans, is largely responsible for Apple's continued success and resilience."





While IDC acknowledges that Apple was a major factor in Samsung's fall from grace, the business also faced fierce rivalry from other Android makers, including Google, Huawei, OnePlus, Honor, and Honor. Not only is Samsung facing competition from these firms, but Canalys also points out that Apple's expansion into the Chinese market may face obstacles due to Huawei's "growing strength." According to allegations that surfaced last year, Huawei was able to get over US sanctions and include a cutting-edge 7nm processor from Chinese chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) into its 5G-capable Mate 60 Pro smartphone.




The market appears to be rebounding from its previous downturn, despite the fact that worldwide smartphone shipments fell 3.2% in 2023 compared to 2022. Shipments increased 8. percent in the fourth quarter compared to the previous seven quarters of losses, according to Canalys and IDC's respective reports.


Apple overtakes Samsung in the global smartphone shipments for the first time.