Deepfakes can put you in a movie promo
If you’ve always wanted to see yourself on the big screen and act alongside big names in the industry, now’s your chance. Your likeness can appear with Hugh Jackman without needing to do all the hard work like acting or being emotionally vulnerable and convincing. Warner Bros. upcoming film Reminiscence has a new promo out that uses deepfake technology to put you, or anyone really, into the film.
A startup media company called D-ID created the promo after initially working on anti-facial recognition software. It smells like there’s some irony in there somewhere. For this film, the firm created a website where you can enter your name and a picture of you or anyone you want to see in the footage. While it isn’t going to be on the level of Shamook, it’s still pretty impressive, seeing as it’s all from one picture.
Source: Engadget
Reddit wants to become TikTok
In today’s news of apps becoming other apps, Reddit is adding a TikTok-like video feed, as yet another feature its users will presumably ignore, to its iOS platform. Either that or they will use it feverishly while maintaining their platform elitism. Reddit’s take will, as a surprise to no one, feature a vertical never-ending feed of videos pulled from subreddits you follow (and some you don’t).
Users will be able to upvote and downvote, a staple on the platform. As well as commenting, sharing and awarding, using Reddit’s in-app currency to purchase medals or reactions. This move by Reddit into more video content isn’t surprising for a couple of reasons. Firstly, as mentioned before it’s becoming a trend for apps to ‘borrow’ ideas from each other — don’t be surprised if a Reddit Clubhouse pops up soon. Secondly, the company made it clear this was its intended direction after acquiring Dubsmash. You won’t find any Dubsmash features on Reddit yet, but we’re sure they’ll turn up soon enough.
Source: The Verge
Fitbit’s supposedly new Charge 5 leaks
Following the fairly well-received Charge 4, Fitbit seems like it’s ready to release an update for its Charge lineup. Or at least that’s what it looks like from the leaked renders that have surfaced online thanks to internationally acclaimed leaker Evan Blass.
The renders show the fancy new redesign has traded sharp angles for curves, a new strap and clasp. While we can’t spot any physical buttons on the Charge 5, we can see what appears to be capacitive touch controls along the sides. As an upgrade to the Charge 4, it looks like this one might get a colour-capable OLED screen although we can’t tell exactly how big it’ll be. Unfortunately, the leaks didn’t include any rear views so the sensors in use are still in question as well as pretty much all internal specs. What the leaks did include was the date 23 October, could that be the possible launch date or just a random number?
Source: Android Authority
Twitter suspends verification program
Twitter has suspended its verification program for the immediate future following it coming clean about the process needing some work after a few fake accounts were incorrectly given the blue tick. If you’re in the crowd that has applied to join the blue tick club before they paused the rollout then there’s a chance you’ll still get it as Twitter said they’re still reviewing existing applications.
This isn’t the first time Twitter has had to suspend the process. In 2017 it paused the process after it came under fire for verifying the account of one of the organisers of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Twitter says the whole purpose of the badge is to indicate that an account is “authentic, notable and active,” but even then that can bring problems when supposedly notable people are rejected but fake accounts that are a part of a botnet are accepted.
Source: The Verge
