Google launches Pixel 8a
On May 8, Google launched the Pixel 8a, a mid-range phone with a Google Tensor G3 processor and a 120Hz refresh OLED screen with 8GB of RAM. The Pixel 8a is a mid-range model with Google’s Tensor G3 processor, a 120Hz OLED screen, and 8GB of RAM, and a 64-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and is priced at $499. You can get this phone on Google Store or Best Buy.
OpenAI releases draft AI model specifications
On May 8, OpenAI released a draft of Model Specs, which are intended to publicly describe the behavioral patterns of models in the OpenAI API and ChatGPT, and to serve as a standard for the model training process.
According to the draft, OpenAI will set three levels of principles for its models: goals, rules, and default behavior. At the top of the hierarchy, goals provide direction for the models, including assisting developers and end users, benefiting humanity, and maintaining OpenAI’s reputation.
Below that, rules are used to resolve potential conflicts in specific situations, such as following instructions, obeying the law, not providing dangerous information, and respecting intellectual property rights. In particular, OpenAI notes that it is exploring the ability to responsibly provide the ability to generate NSFW 1 content in appropriate contexts and would like to solicit input on this.
The model specification concludes with a set of default behaviors that indicate what is generally correct for the model, but allow developers and users to adjust them through parameters and prompts, such as being less prescriptive, asking for clarification of questions, not over-answering, and taking an objective viewpoint, etc. OpenAI acknowledges that standards such as objectivity and neutrality can be difficult to define in practice, and would like public feedback on how this is implemented.
Apple apologizes for iPad Pro ad campaign
On May 9, Apple apologized for an advertisement for the new iPad Pro after it drew criticism online and decided to take it off the air, according to Ad Age.
The ad, which was originally first published in a “Let It Go” online campaign on May 7, showed a rendering of a scene in which a piano, a camera, paint cans, and other creative tools were crushed by a machine, and the iPad Pro was eventually revealed out of the wreckage. While Apple’s intention seemed to be to showcase the iPad’s creative potential and thinness, many online commenters expressed discomfort with the film’s creativity, arguing that the scene was brutal and underestimated the value of creativity versus technology.
In response, Apple’s vice president of marketing communications said in a statement to Ad Age, “Creativity is in Apple’s DNA, and we take designing products that inspire creativity around the world very seriously. The video was meant to “celebrate the many ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through the iPad,” but “missed the mark” and apologized.
Microsoft teases July launch of Xbox App Store for handheld games
In an appearance at the Bloomberg Technology Summit on May 10, Microsoft Xbox President Sarah Bond said that Microsoft plans to launch the Xbox Mobile Games Store in July, with Xbox first-party titles such as Candy Crush and My World coming first, as well as support for cloud games and third-party titles.
GitHub Copilot chat comes to mobile platforms
On May 8, the GitHub platform officially launched a mobile version of its generative AI chat tool, GitHub Copilot Chat, which is available for both iOS and Android. GitHub is debuting the tool in late 2023, with subscriptions costing $10 per month or $100 per year for individual users.
Other news
According to FujiRumors, Fuji may release a non-interchangeable-lens GFX series medium format digital camera with a 35mm equivalent lens in 2025.
Mark Gurman has posted an analysis of how John Ternus, now Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, is the most likely choice for CEO after Tim Cook. According to Apple’s official website, during his tenure he worked on all models of the iPad, the latest iPhone lineup, and AirPods, and was a key leader in the transition from the Mac to the Apple silicon.
