Tech companies are building tiny, personal AIs to keep your messages private

Science fiction tells us one day we’ll talk to our phones and computers like they’re people, as suggested in movies like Her and 2001: A Space Odyssey. But we’re now facing a different reality: Our digital lives aren’t managed by one entity, but rather a collection of AIs that gather information about how we type, what kind of media we like to see, and what we should be doing throughout the day.

Right now, a lot of these algorithms require too much computing power to run on phones and other smart devices—that’s part of the reason why the cloud has been so revolutionary. But a coming wave of advances in AI research and deployment will bring algorithms that require far less compute power, meaning we can carry them around on our smartphones, smartwatches, and smart belts, without sending personal information like texts back to the servers of Facebook and Google. This technology could allow a fresh start for privacy within messaging apps, especially now that users are beginning to understand the importance of end-to-end encryption on their personal messages.

Here's why tech has taken over our relationships

This is part of CNET's "It's Complicated" series about the role technology plays in our relationships.

If you had to explain dating in 2017 to a time traveler from the 1950s, what would you say?

"I would explain texting first, and how it takes five minutes now for people to decide they want to hook up," says comedian Nikki Glaser. "I would tell women, 'Buckle up, b***h, this is not going to be a fun ride.'"

Glaser, 32, has made a professional study of dating sites like Tinder and the hookup culture that experts say has reshaped many people's sex lives. It provides lots of fodder for her comedy routine.

For past generations, relationship milestones meant things like "going steady." Today's relationships can strike up after a few minutes of text chats.

And since nearly everything is done using an app on a phone, "you can have a relationship with someone and never hear their voice," Glaser says.

 

6 tech hacks you need in your life

"Life hacks" are addictive. Maybe you fixed a running toilet with a paperclip. Or you turned a ruddy old door into a makeshift coffee table. You looked at your invention with pride, because you foraged in the garage and jerry-rigged something together that worked.  There are many “tech hacks” that offer simple solutions to everyday digital setbacks. Here’s a list of some of my favorite tech hacks. Most are easy and immediate, but there’s one to embrace your inner MacGyver that should take you a few hours.

Be sure to watch the video demonstrations too. You won’t miss a step that way.

 

Drones help expand the world's busiest airport

Drones and airports usually go together like oil and water, but you can't say that about Atlanta's air hub. The city has formed a partnership with 3DR, Autodesk and engineering firm Atkins that has drones mapping Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport as part of a planned expansion. The key to making it work was Site Scan, 3DR's autonomous data capturing tech. The drones could capture 2D mosaics and 3D point scans while staying well away from the airliners -- no mean feat when they're flying between runways at the busiest airport in the world (over 100 million passengers per year).

What to expect with Apple's 2017 iPhone 'X'

With Apple’s next iPhone seeing even more fevered speculation this week, a long-time display expert offers his predictions.  

Call it the “iPhone 8,” or “10th anniversary iPhone” or what some analysts on Wall Street refer to as the “iPhone X” -- with "X" referring to the roman numeral 10 -- expectations for Apple’s next phone are high after the company turned in a record quarter this week, selling more iPhones than ever.

The centerpiece of that future phone, due later this year, will likely be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, according Raymond Soneira, a display expert who heads DisplayMate Technologies and published a report this week with his thoughts on Apple’s future phone.