Apple’s new store in LA's nearly 100-year-old Tower Theatre
Apple on Thursday opened its newest retail location at the historic Tower Theatre in downtown Los Angeles (LA). Apple Tower Theatre is the firm’s 26th location in greater LA. Originally home to the first theatre in LA wired for film with sound, the historic Tower Theatre was designed in 1927 by renowned motion-picture theatre architect S. Charles Lee. That legacy of technological innovation continues today as the perfect venue to discover Apple’s full line of iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Upon the closing of its doors in 1988, the space has lain empty and unused. Apple collaborated with leading preservationists, restoration artists, and the City of LA to preserve and restore the theatre’s beauty and grandeur. The theatre’s original seating on the upper level has been modernised and made accessible to create an open, flexible space for Genius Bar appointments. Two new elevators have been installed in the theatre for customers to reach every level of the new store. In another update, Apple argued against mounting regulatory pressure to allow sideloading apps into iPhone, claiming that this would make it less secure and trustworthy for users .
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Twitter to test Ticketed Spaces, Super Follows
Twitter on Tuesday said it plans to test Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows with a small group of people to improve these before they launch more broadly in the coming months. Applications for both Ticketed Spaces (iOS and Android) and Super Follows (iOS only) are separate and are currently available on mobile, only to people in the U.S., it added. With Ticketed Spaces Twitter users can offer exclusive live audio experiences in Spaces and set a ticket price ($1-$999) for it. And, with Super Follows Twitter users can earn monthly revenue by offering an extra level of content and interaction to their most engaged followers at a subscription price of $2.99, $4.99 or $9.99 per month. Twitter said it will not take more than 3% of revenue share up to $50,000 in lifetime earnings on both products, and after that, its share will increase to up to 20% of future earnings. In another development, Twitter has withheld about 35 tweets following a legal request from the Indian government, as per information on the Lumen database .
Microsoft joins Space ISAC
Space Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (ISAC) on Wednesday announced Microsoft has become its newest founding member to bolster space cybersecurity intelligence. Bill Chappell, VP of Mission Systems and CTO of Azure Global at Microsoft, will represent the company and serve on the Space ISAC board of directors. “Space cybersecurity is relatively unknown territory because we’re approaching and doing some things for the first time, fortunately through Space ISAC we have the opportunity to build a foundation for protection from a knowledge pool with deep security expertise,” Frank Backes, Space ISAC Board of Directors Chair, said in a statement. One of Microsoft’s first contributions will be to share its knowledge and unique high-fidelity threat intelligence optic to enhance the Space ISAC community’s ability to keep pace with attack identification, detection, and response. This week, Microsoft unveiled its new OS after nearly six years. Windows 11 brings a fresher and simpler design to users along with several new features .
LG’s AI-powered X-ray analysis solution
LG Electronics (LG) on Tuesday unveiled an improved X-ray acquisition software for the company’s Digital X-Ray Detector (DXD) line of medical imaging device products. The software, developed in collaboration with VUNO, is LG’s first healthcare solution to utilise artificial intelligence (AI). Designed for large hospitals as well as private clinics, LG’s DXD with X-ray acquisition software leverages advanced AI to help busy medical staff swiftly spot abnormalities in chest X-rays, reducing the reading time by automatically flagging suspicious readings on the displayed image. LG DXD enables medical professionals to view original X-rays and AI-analysed images at the same time, ideal for diagnosing pulmonary diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia or lung cancer. It can analyse X-rays and then inform the medical provider of any abnormalities and provide an abnormality score with a coloured heat map or contour that marks any lesions detected. In a separate development, a new approach developed by researchers could allow people to spot potentially harmful bacteria on their skin and in their mouth using their smartphone camera .
Hyundai completes Boston Dynamics acquisition
Hyundai, Boston Dynamics, and SoftBank, on Monday, announced the completion of the automaker’s acquisition of a controlling interest in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank. The deal valued the mobile robot firm at $1.1 billion. Post-closing, Hyundai holds an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics and SoftBank retains the remaining 20% stake. The South Korea-based firm has already invested substantially in the development of future technologies, including autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, Urban Air Mobility, smart factories and robots. Together, the duo will create a robotics value chain, from robot component manufacturing to smart logistics solutions. Additionally, Hyundai will support Boston Dynamics' continued expansion of its product line and global sales and service footprint. The automaker also released a new video to reveal how it would further advance mobility for humanity incorporating Boston Dynamics' expertise. Last week, Hyundai COO said the company has accelerated efforts around developing “flying cars” and will offer services around those vehicles rather than just selling them .
Oracle to power global operations with renewable energy
Oracle on Wednesday pledged to power its global operations, both its facilities and its cloud, with 100% renewable energy by 2025. “Relying on renewable energy is an important step toward a more sustainable future,” Oracle CEO Safra Catz, said in a statement. “Oracle will always make its biggest impact on the environment by providing customers with technology that enables them to reduce their carbon footprint, but this new goal reflects the shared values of our customers, partners and investors.” By 2025, the software company expects 100% of its key suppliers to have an environmental program in place. The tech firm’s European Cloud regions are already powered with 100% renewable energy, and it has 51 offices around the world using 100% renewable energy. In a separate development, Tesla's $7 billion German gigafactory’s opening could be further delayed as the environmental agency in Brandenburg, the German state where the plant is being built, has still not given final approval .
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