Techmeme: Source: Meta's Llama struggles to gain traction on AWS, where Claude is most popular; Microsoft only pitches Llama to clients with data expertise, per a staffer (The Information)

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Katharine Gemmell / Bloomberg:

The UK CMA closes its Google Play Store and Apple App Store investigation ahead of a new digital rules regime, set for fall 2024, that will give it more power — - CMA's digital market powers set to come into force this fall — Regulator expects early work of rules to focus on app stores

More: MacRumors, GOV.UK, Computerworld, Silicon Republic, 9to5Mac, TechCrunch, Euractiv, Verdict, The Mirror, TechRepublic, Mobile World Live, City A.M., Proactive, Developer Tech News, iPhone in Canada Blog, and The Mac Observer

X: @cmagovuk. Forums: MacRumors Forums

Jess Weatherbed / The Verge:

Samsung unveils a new Odyssey gaming monitor lineup that uses eye-tracking tech to convert 2D visuals into glasses-free 3D, set for release “within this year” — Samsung has announced a new Odyssey gaming monitor lineup at gamescom that uses eye-tracking technology to convert 2D visuals into glasses-free 3D.

More: Samsung Newsroom, XDA Developers, Gizmodo, Dexerto, HotHardware, Tom's Guide, KnowTechie, Neowin, Guru3D, BGR, PC Gamer, XDA on YouTube, OC3D, SamNews 24, and SamMobile

X: @kylebrussell and @tomwarren

Dan Goodin / Ars Technica:

Linux users say Microsoft's August 13 Windows patch leaves dual-boot devices unable to boot into Linux when Secure Boot is enforced; Microsoft hasn't commented — Microsoft said its update wouldn't install on Linux devices. It did anyway. — Last Tuesday, loads of Linux users …

More: PCWorld, The Verge, ZDNET, Metacurity, Windows Central, Neowin, Security Boulevard, BleepingComputer, and GamingOnLinux

Mastodon: @bittner@hachyderm.io, @AAKL@infosec.exchange, @epidiah@dice.camp, and @dangoodin@infosec.exchange

Forums: Hacker News, r/Windows11, r/technology, and Ars OpenForum

Wes Davis / The Verge:

Google adds a Polish feature that edits existing drafts to Gemini in Gmail, on top of Formalize, Elaborate, and Shorten, for Google One AI Premium and Workspace — Google is upgrading its Gemini writing tools in Gmail to help you polish drafts that you've already written.

More: Google Workspace Updates, Tom's Guide, Business Standard, Mashable, Android Authority, Hindustan Times, WinBuzzer, Moneycontrol, The Indian Express, PhoneArena, Android Police, Droid Life, NewsBytes, and 9to5Google

Tom Warren / The Verge:

Microsoft plans to launch the $450 white discless Xbox Series X, a $600 2TB Galaxy Black special-edition Series X, and $350 1TB Series S on October 15 in the US — Microsoft is launching three new Xbox Series S / X console options in October. There's the $449.99 white discless Xbox Series X …

More: Xbox Wire, Dexerto, Windows Central, Thurrott, London Evening Standard, TechRadar, IGN, TheGamer, GameSpot, Neowin, BGR, TrueAchievements, Stevivor, MSPoweruser, Press Start, 9to5Toys, Pure Xbox, and GamingBolt

The Information:

Source: Meta's Llama struggles to gain traction on AWS, where Claude is most popular; Microsoft only pitches Llama to clients with data expertise, per a staffer — Meta Platforms knows how to get brands like Away and Temu to buy advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.

X: @theinformation

Ryan Browne / CNBC:

PIP Labs, which is developing the blockchain Story Protocol to track IP usage, raised an $80M Series B led by a16z Crypto, sources say at a $2.25B valuation — San-Francisco-based startup Story said Wednesday that it raised $80 million of funding for a blockchain designed …

More: TechCrunch, PYMNTS.com, Bloomberg, CoinDesk, Decrypt, Unchained, DL News, The Block, PocketGamer.biz, CoinGape, Crypto Briefing, crypto.news, NFTgators, a16z crypto, and Forbes

X: @storyprotocol and @storyprotocol

See also Mediagazer

Catherine Perloff / Adweek:

Sources and docs: sales reps say Google's targeting of teen minors goes beyond Meta; Google lets advertisers target an “unknown” group that skews toward teens — This activity is broader than the agreement between Google and Meta that the FT reported this month

Bluesky: @marypcbuk.bsky.social

Joseph Cox / 404 Media:

US court records: US agencies are increasingly accessing parts of the 500M encrypted message haul retrieved from the hack of encrypted phone company Sky in 2021 — European cops hacked the encrypted phone provider Sky in 2021. More and more cases in the U.S. are using that mass of collected messages.

Mastodon: @josephcox@infosec.exchange

Stephanie Stacey / Financial Times:

After rivals' criticism, CrowdStrike President Michael Sentonas says no vendor can “technically” guarantee their software won't cause an incident akin to July's — Botched update that hit millions of computers leads to claims of ‘ambulance chasing’ by competitors

More: Ars Technica. Bluesky: @radiobeartime.com. X: @chirag_mehta, @starcourse, and @lukolejnik. LinkedIn: Lance McGrath

Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:

Grafana Labs, which makes the Grafana visualization tools, completes a primary and secondary transaction worth ~$270M at a $6B+ valuation, up from $3B in 2022 — Grafana Labs, the open-source company that probably powers at least a few operational dashboards in your company …

More: SiliconANGLE and Grafana Labs

Nick Turner / Bloomberg:

Filing: chipmaker Microchip Technology says its servers were breached by “an unauthorized party”, causing its facilities to operate at “less than normal levels” — - Nvidia, GlobalWafers have also been attacked in the past — Breach comes as nations are competing for chip dominance

More: Microchip Technology, The Record, Tech Monitor, SC Media, Tom's Hardware, PCMag, Silicon Republic, The Register, BleepingComputer, CSO, Cybernews.com, SecurityWeek, The Cyber Express, TechRadar, Cyber Daily, Phoenix Business Journal, Reuters, and Benzinga. X: @thetranscript_

Aisha S Gani / Bloomberg:

The UK's rules to curb online payment scams, set to roll out on October 7, 2024, face backlash from financial firms, including over insufficient time to adjust — - Critics say firms aren't fully prepared, warn of more frauds — Hundreds of financial firms are struggling to comply …

More: PYMNTS.com. X: @aishagani

Brendan Pedersen / Punchbowl News:

Public Citizen: crypto companies have spent $119M+ in the 2024 election cycle through Q2, or 48% of all corporate money, an “unprecedented” spending spree — The crypto industry's campaign spending in 2024 really is unlike anything we've seen in modern politics …

More: Common Dreams. X: @public_citizen, @maxasteele, and @brendanpedersen

Sheera Frenkel / New York Times:

Interviews with US political campaigns and tech companies: despite 30+ companies offering their AI products, most campaigns are wary and largely not biting — More than 30 tech companies have pitched A.I. tools to political campaigns for November's election. The campaigns have been wary.

Wall Street Journal:

Since 2023, Chinese investors, including Alibaba and Tencent, have valued 6+ China-based startups developing LLMs, dubbed “Little AI Dragons”, at $1B+ each — Since 2023, 40% of Alibaba's deals in China and 30% of Tencent's have targeted AI startups

More: Benzinga. X: @jchengwsj

Carl Franzen / VentureBeat:

Microsoft releases three Phi-3.5 models designed for basic/fast reasoning and more, available for developers to download, use, and fine-tune on Hugging Face — Microsoft isn't resting its AI success on the laurels of its partnership with OpenAI. — No, far from it.

More: Hugging Face, AIM, Maginative, WinBuzzer, and Neowin

X: @rohanpaul_ai, @yampeleg, @terryyuezhuo, @reach_vb, and @altryne

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