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Sorry, Morgan Freeman is not narrating that viral TikTok video
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Morgan Freeman's celebrated baritone has been repurposed for projects the actor has not approved, and he is not happy about it. Freeman called out those unauthorized artificial intelligence-fueled voice clones in a post on X, thanking supporters for alerting him and his management about where AI-replicated versions of his voice have appeared. 

“Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an A.I. voice imitating me,” Freeman posted, adding hashtags such as “#scam,” “#imitation,” and “#IdentityProtection.”

Though Freeman doesn't cite it specifically, his post is likely a reference to a new video in a viral TikTok series where an ersatz version of his voice narrates the activities of his “niece,” TikTok user @justinescameraroll, known as Justine. 

@justinescameraroll

♬ water (instrumental) – no/vox & karaokey

Her “Day in the Life of a Nepo Niece” videos have collectively amassed over one million views from her 218,6,000 TikTok and 123,000 Instagram followers. She captioned her most recent post, which has the voice clone of Freeman narrating, with, “Uncle Mo has been booked and busy, but I finally got him to narrate my trip!” A post of the video shared on X then reached 16.4 million people and may have prompted Freeman's reaction based on the timing. 

Justine later confirmed in a follow-up video that her video did not feature Freeman's real voice, adding, “I was just having a little bit of fun.”

Famous Fakes

The iconic nature of Freeman's voice means there's a lot of interest in imitating it for everything from the social media videos mentioned to full film narrations. ElevenLabs made a voice specifically designed to imitate Freeman. For instance, though the documentary “The Power of Chi” lists Freeman as the narrator, and it's on IMDB that way, Freeman has never even mentioned it. Plus, his voice in the film sounds more than a little off, as you can hear in the link. He might just be phoning it in for a paycheck from the obscure documentary, or it might be AI.

Freeman is far from alone among celebrities concerned about how AI-created versions of their face or voice might be used without their permission. In May, actress Scarlett Johansson voiced her anger upon discovering an OpenAI chatbot that sounded disturbingly similar to her voice. Johansson, who played an AI assistant in the 2013 film Her, found the situation particularly unsettling. OpenAI responded by announcing plans to discontinue the use of the ChatGPT voice that resembled Johansson's, though without admitting any fault.

The same goes for videos, which use deepfakes of celebrities to try and trick people into thinking the famous person endorsed the scam. Tom Hanks has had to alert fans about a deepfake video of himself on social media. So has trusted British consumer advice guide Martin Lewis, who warned of a deepfake video attempting to trick people into sending money for a scam investment.

The rapid advancement of AI has outpaced regulatory measures, leading to situations where individuals' voices and likenesses can be replicated without consent. The concern over AI-generated imitations is not limited to actors. AI music creation startups Suno and Udio are facing a lawsuit from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and major music labels for copyright infringement.  

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Microsoft fixes latest Windows 11 update – but some unlucky users have found their taskbar is now broken
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Microsoft has quietly rolled out a fix for a recent Windows 11 patch (KB5039302, a preview update) in a bid to correct a bug that caused some PCs to enter a reboot loop, a problem so serious that the update was paused.

However, this new fix has led to more issues, as there are now reports of the taskbar not working properly.

Microsoft is aware of the taskbar glitches plaguing some Windows 11 users – in fact, the June 2024 preview update may lead to the taskbar not loading altogether. It's claimed that this issue is only “expected to occur if you are using a Windows N edition” or if you manually disable the Media Features toggle in the Control Panel. 

Previous to this new problem, some Windows 11 users were experiencing reboot loops as mentioned, making their system potentially unusable. This only appears to have affected machines where nested virtualization is enabled. As the name implies, this feature allows users to run virtual machines, and it's utilized more in business and enterprise settings than by your everyday consumer.

The only fix discovered for the previous 'reboot hell' bug is to manually remove the update from the Advanced Startup menu, we're told. 

It's worth underlining that Windows 11 update KB5039302 is optional, so you can avoid it altogether, and it's probably best to do so for now – even though most folks won't be affected by the new glitch. Later in July, this update will become the full release for Windows 11, at which point you can't avoid it (for long, anyway). By then, hopefully Microsoft will have fixed this new bug, too.

The problems continue for Windows 11

Microsoft has been having some serious issues with Windows 11 throughout the first half of 2024. As well as the increased level of advertising – with the likes of Xbox Game Pass ads now blighting the Settings app – and instability problems, there's also been a bug with the operating system telling users they've changed their location. Another recent bug has led to distorted videos in Google Chrome and Microsoft's own Edge browser as well.

So yes, Windows 11 hasn't had the smoothest ride this year, or indeed since it was launched. To see the taskbar, of all things, not loading in or working correctly is certainly an oddity, even if that issue is still far preferable to a PC which is stuck in boot loop hell. We'll keep an eye on this one and update you when Microsoft fixes this new bug.

Via Windows Latest

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Apple starts work on macOS 16 – and it sounds like a bigger deal than a MacBook Pro redesign
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While we’re eagerly awaiting the public release of new operating systems like iOS 18 and macOS 15 (Sequoia) later this year, it seems like Apple has already begun work on macOS 16 (and iOS 19, for that matter). This fresh rumor, coupled with whispers of a MacBook Pro refresh for later in 2024, has us buzzing about the future of Apple’s best tech.

Reputable leaker and industry commentator Mark Gurman noted in his most recent ‘Power On’ newsletter (for Bloomberg) that Apple has started development of all its major operating systems for 2025, meaning macOS 16, iOS 19, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3.

Mind you, we’d expect that Apple would be kicking off work on next year’s big software refreshes at this point, though it’s still exciting to hear that the development of macOS 16 is underway. It’s too early even to speculate about what next year’s version of macOS could look like, and Gurman doesn’t drop any hints as to possible features, but if Sequoia has shown us anything, we’re certain we are in for another big, AI-driven refresh.

Indeed, by the time we get to 2025, we wonder whether Apple might be planning to incorporate AI in a much bigger way with macOS 16, maybe bringing in features that will change the way we use our Mac devices entirely! Given the pace of development in the world of artificial intelligence, this can’t be ruled out.

New MacBooks on the horizon?

Software aside, as for the future of Mac hardware, we’re already hearing rumors about the M4 refresh due to happen with Apple’s Mac lineup, with some reports speculating that the MacBook Pro could be the first Mac in line for the new chip (which is only in the iPad Pro right now).

According to Gurman’s earlier reports, we may only see the MacBook Pro 14-inch base model get an M4 refresh this year (with the vanilla M4), with the other models (with M4 Pro and Max) only debuting early in the following year. Furthermore, we’re not likely to get any major hardware changes to Apple’s MacBook ranges for the next couple of years, and it sounds like the big move with the MacBook Pro – when it gets OLED, which is likely to be a good time for a full redesign – may not happen until 2026.

So, Apple might feel the need to make up for only ushering in more minor improvements on the hardware front, by taking a big leap on the software front – meaning a much-improved macOS 16 (with lots of fresh AI powers as mentioned, most likely). Take all this as the speculation it very much is, mind you.                

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These new AI smart glasses are like getting a second pair of ChatGPT-powered eyes
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The Ray-Ban Meta glasses have a new rival for the title of best smart glasses, with the new Solos AirGo Visions letting you quiz ChatGPT about the objects and people you're looking at.

Unlike previous Solos glasses, the AirGo Vision boast a built-in camera and support for OpenAI's latest GPT-4o model. These let the glasses identify what you're looking at and respond to voice prompts. For example, you could simply ask, “what am I looking at?” or give the AirGo Visions a more specific request like “give me directions to the Eiffel Tower.”

Another neat feature of the new Solos glasses is their modular frame design, which means you can change some parts – for example, the camera or lenses – to help them suit different situations. These additional frames start from $ 89 (around £70 / AU$ 135).   

If talking to a pair of camera-equipped smart glasses is a little too creepy, you can also use the camera to simply take holiday snaps. The AirGo Visions also feature built-in speakers to answer your questions or play music.

While there's no official price or release date for the full version of the AirGo Visions, Solos will release a version without the camera for $ 249 (around £200 / AU$ 375) in July. That means we can expect a camera-equipped pair to cost at least as much as the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which will set you back $ 299 / £299 / AU$ 449.

How good are AI-powered smart glasses?

While we haven't yet tried the Solos AirGo Visions, it's fair to say that smart glasses with AI assistants are a work in progress. 

TechRadar's Senior Staff Writer Hamish Hector recently tried the Meta AI's 'Look and Ask' feature on his Ray-Ban smart glasses and found the experience to be mixed. He stated that “the AI is – when it works – fairly handy,” but that “it wasn’t 100% perfect, struggling at times due to its camera limitations and an overload of information.”

The smart glasses failed in some tests, like identifying trees, but their ability to quickly summarize a confusing, information-packed sign about the area’s parking restrictions showed how useful they can be in some situations.

As always, with any AI-powered responses, you'll want to corroborate any answers to filter out errors and so-called hallucinations. But there's undoubtedly some potential in the concept, particularly for travelers or anyone who is visually impaired.

The Solos AirGo Visions' support for OpenAI's latest GPT-4o model should make for an interesting comparison with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses when the camera-equipped version lands. Until then, you can check out our guide to the best smart glasses you can buy right now.

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The year so far in AR/VR: the 5 biggest announcements and what’s coming next
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We're six months into 2024, and in the first half of the year we've been treated to a whirlwind of augmented and virtual reality tech goodness.

The star of the show was the Apple Vision Pro launch, but we’ve also seen Meta open up its Horizon OS to its former VR rivals, and Xreal launched new glasses and a spatial computing accessory that finally feel like the AR future we’ve been promised.

The year's far from over though, with hardware announcements expected from Meta and (if we're lucky) Samsung in the coming months – so let's dive into the year so far in AR/VR, and take a look at what we might see in the back half of 2024.

AR/VR in 2024: what have been the biggest announcements so far this year?

Lance Ulanoff staring at Apple Vision Pro in its case

The Apple Vision Pro came, but did it conquer? (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

We can’t talk about AR and VR tech in 2024 without talking about the Apple Vision Pro – the most anticipated XR product launch maybe ever. Unfortunately for Apple, while its headset made a major splash when it launched in February – with our Apple Vision Pro review awarding it four-and-a-half-stars – the hype has since petered out, and the upcoming global launch on July 12 for Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK doesn’t seem to have reignited major interest in the $ 3,499 / £3,499 / AU$ 5,999 device.

But the VR space was given a major shake up this year, even if not by Apple. That’s because Meta announced that its Horizon OS would be coming to third-party headsets – starting with devices from ASUS, Lenovo and Xbox. This is super exciting as the Horizon OS is the best standalone VR platform thanks to its intuitive UI, massive software library, and regular updates. 

Horizon OS going third-party should see the launch of a wider range of headset designs – focusing in distinct niches like gaming, productivity, exercise, and more – that aren’t held back by lackluster operating systems; which was the case for headsets like the HTC Vive XR Elite)

Though it wasn’t all good news from Meta as it cut support for the original Oculus Quest headset. April 30 was the last day developers could send app updates to the half-a-decade-old VR device, and August will mark the final month Meta will send out “critical bug fixes and security patches” to the device – so if you want to keep using your Quest library it might finally be time to upgrade to the Meta Quest 3 (which we’d recommend anyway so that you can enjoy upcoming exclusive like Batman: Arkham Shadow).

Lastly, in the AR space specifically, Xreal announced the Xreal Air 2 Ultra and a handy Xreal Beam Pro accessory – that’s basically a spatial computing ready smartphone. We haven’t yet had a chance to try out the Ultra, but its been billed as a more affordable alternative to the Vision Pro, complete with in-built cameras so you can interact with virtual elements with your hands (something you couldn’t do with previous models such as the regular Xreal Air 2).

AR/VR in 2024: what launches are we expecting during the rest of the year?

Girl wearing Meta Quest 3 headset interacting with a jungle playset

Will we see a new Meta Quest 3 this year? Probably (Image credit: Meta)

One headset that we’ll almost certainly see later this year is the Meta Quest 3S. This so-called affordable Quest 3 is believed to pack the Quest 3’s brain (a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset) in a bulky Quest 2-like body – as well as adopting a few other downgrades.

Meta hasn’t said much officially, but it has leaked the device twice. One leak involved its CTO accidentally showcasing it in the background of a Threads video, while the other saw the Quest 3S appearing accidentally on some Meta Quest Store pages as a compatible headset for some software. So this all but guarantees it’ll show up at Meta Connect 2024, which we know is scheduled for September 25 – 26.

Meta also dropped a surprise teased its first pair of AR glasses at the end of a blog post earlier this year, but we don’t expect they’ll launch in 2024 – with a leaked internal roadmap shared by  The Verge back in 2023 suggesting they’ll land in 2027, though a pair of precursor smart glasses are expected in 2025 to update its AI-powered Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses product line.

Getting back to 2024 releases, we might also see the highly-anticipated Samsung XR/VR headset. Samsung and Google announced its existence over a year ago, but haven’t had much to say on it since – with rumors suggesting they delayed its launch following reactions to the Apple Vision Pro. Hopefully that means it wasn’t pushed out of 2024 and into 2025 or beyond, but we’ll have to wait and see.

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Gemini is rolling out to Google Messages, but it’s not the same across Android
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Gemini continues its march across the Google ecosystem. The AI is currently making its way to Google Messages after restrictions were scaled back on June 18. 

According to the news site MySmartPrice, you’ll soon be able to instruct the feature to “draft messages, have fun conversations, plan events,” among other things. However, the form that Gemini will take on the app may differ from person to person.

The information here mirrors what was in the June 18 report. Gemini can be accessed by tapping the New Chat button at the bottom and then selecting the AI in the following window. The option appears at the top above your contacts list. But Android Police states it will come as a floating action button, or FAB for short.

The FAB will sport the Gemini logo and sit on top of New Chat in the bottom right corner. Don't worry about any differences in service as it performs in the exact same way. You can ask whatever question you want or instruct it to give you ideas like what to cook for dinner. The main difference here is the fact it lessens the amount of taps “required to access Gemini inside Google Messages.”

Additionally, Android Police points out that the Gemini FAB causes the compose button to shrink as you scroll.

Limitations

Upon accessing Gemini for the first time, you will see a terms and conditions page telling you how the AI works. It states conversations with the feature are not encrypted so be mindful of the information you tell it. Gemini does not have access to any private conversations nor will it know your exact location. 

At most, it’ll have a general idea of where you are “based on your IP, [home], or address”. Chats will be saved for 18 months on your device by default, however you can change this to either three or 36 months.

There are some criteria you must meet before you take the artificial intelligence out for a spin. The full list can be found on Google’s Gemini Apps Help page. To give you an idea, you must have an Android phone with 6GB of RAM or higher, have RCS chats turned on, and have the device’s language set to either English or Canadian French. 

Google’s Help page also has instructions on how to delete chats ahead of the time limit running out as well as how to report content.

Keep an eye out for the patch for when it arrives. It should be rolling out within the next few weeks to an Android phone near you.

If you're in the market for more robust content generators, check out TechRadar's list of the best AI tools for 2024.

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The latest Google Lens update might bring Circle to Search to many more phones
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Google seemingly has plans to expand its Circle to Search feature to other Android phones via Google Lens. In a recent deep dive, news site Android Authority found clues to the update within the recent Google app betas files and compiled them all together. 

What’s particularly interesting is they managed to get the tool working on a smartphone, possibly hinting at an imminent release. According to the report, they even managed to get a popup notification informing users that the update would appear.

It tells people to hold down the home button to access Circle to Search, much like the experience on the Galaxy S24. Upon activation, a three-button navigation bar appears at the bottom, and an accompanying video shows the tool in action as it looks up highlighted portions of the Play Store on Google Search. The UI looks, unsurprisingly, similar to how it does on Galaxy phones, with search inquiries rising from the bottom.

Clashing with Gemini

You may notice that the rainbow filter animation is gone, having been replaced by a series of dots and lines. Well, that’s the old beta, and the newer version has the animation and the Translate button, which shows up in the lower right hand corner next to the search bar.

At a glance, it seems Circle to Search on Google Lens is close to launching, although it is still a work in progress with a few issues to iron out. For example, how will it work on a smartphone housing the Gemini app as holding down on the home button launches the chatbot? Google might give Circle to Search priority in this instance, so long pressing opens the tool rather than the AI. However, at this point, it’s too early to tell.

New navigation option

Android Authority also found “XML files referring to pill-based gesture navigation.” If you don’t know what that is, it’s the oval at the bottom of Android displays. The shape lets you move between apps with basic gestures. Google Lens could offer this option, allowing users to ditch the three-button navigation bar, but it may not come out for a while as it doesn’t work in the betas.

Circle to Search on Google Lens will most likely stick to the three buttons, though. The original report has a theory about this, as they believe implementing the pill navigation would systemic OTA (over-the-air) updates to millions upon millions of Android smartphones, which may or “may not be feasible.” So, to get Circle to Search out sooner to people, the navigation option will have to be pushed back a bit. The three-button solution is easier to implement.

There is no word on when the update will arrive, but we hope it’s soon, as it is a great feature and currently a highlight for the Galaxy and Pixel devices that have it. 

While you're here, be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best Android phones for 2024.

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Forget Duolingo – Google Translate just got a massive AI upgrade that gives it over 100 new languages
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Google Translate is adding 110 new languages to its library, the largest expansion ever made to the platform. The update leverages Google's PaLM 2 large language model, an artificial intelligence tool that helps accurately translate across a wider array of languages than before. Those languages are spoken by approximately 614 million people, or about 8% of the global population. 

The list includes some widely spoken tongues, dialects, and languages that are native to smaller communities. Notably, African languages saw their biggest expansion, with Fon, Kikongo, Luo, Ga, Swati, Venda, and Wolof joining the list. On the other end of the spectrum, Cantonese is likely one of the most widely spoken languages on the new list, as is Punjabi (Shahmukhi), the most spoken language in Pakistan. 

There's also the Sicilian version of Italian, Manx, a Celtic language spoken on the Isle of Man that nearly went extinct, and a Papua New Guinea creole called Tok Pisin.

PaLM 2 Talk

For languages that blend regional dialects and different spelling standards, Google goes for something that might be best understood by most people, as with the Romani language offered by Google Translate, which includes three different dialects. 

The PaLM 2 LLM made the update possible, enhancing Google Translate's ability to learn and shift between languages efficiently. This model is particularly adept at handling languages that are closely related, like Awadhi and Marwadi, to Hindi or the various French creoles. PaLM 2's advanced capabilities allow it to manage the nuances and variations within these languages, providing more accurate and culturally relevant translations. 

The application of PaLM 2 to Google Translate is also interesting due to its origins as a tool for helping foster communications between humans and AI. For instance, both PaLM and PaLM 2 have been employed for helping teach robots how to carry out tasks and process commands from humans into steps to complete those tasks.

Potentially, the best part is that it's available on the web or via the Google Translate app on Android and iOS. 

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The latest ChromeOS update delivers several accessibility improvements
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It’s been a big day for the Chrome platform. Not only has the mobile app received an update to its search function, but Chromebooks are receiving a patch in the form ChromeOS M126. It's not a major refresh, but it does introduce several quality-of-life improvements that collectively aim to make the system more accessible. There isn’t a specific focus on anything in particular, as multiple features are being updated.

Starting from the top, the Chromebook Camera app is obtaining Super Resolution. This gives the laptop’s camera the ability to zoom in on objects if they don’t have a built-in optical motor. However, on certain “high-performance Chromebooks,” Super Resolution can visually enhance the photos it captures. Exactly which models will get this is unknown.

Next on the visual updates is the Magnifier tool integrating into Select to Speak. Now, whenever Select to Speak reads words aloud, Magnifier will automatically follow and enlarge text as it goes along “so you never lose your place.” Google states you’ll need both tools enabled to see the feature. Additionally, you can zoom in further by pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Brightness Up keys. Replacing the last key with Brightness Down lets you zoom out.

People who are photosensitive or have cognitive differences can also turn the blinking cursor rate for a more comfortable user experience.

Extra tools

The rest of the patch moves away from accessibility updates and more towards offering users extra tools. Quick Start, for example, is now available on Chromebook and allows users to connect their Android smartphone to their computer as a fast way to migrate Wi-Fi and Google Account login information when setting up a Chromebook for the first time. It will let you set up a Chromebook without entering a single password – pretty handy. 

Parents will appreciate these next set of changes, as the company is splitting “permissions for sites, extensions, and apps” to offer more granular parental control options. Supervised accounts also need to ask for approval before they can install an extension.

A new system option has been added to the Settings menu to turn off the swiping gesture when navigating between pages. Last but not least, Google is launching multi-calendar support to let you view events from multiple sources via the Google Calendar app.

ChromeOS M126 will be rolling out over the coming days, so watch for the patch when it arrives. Do note that your device may not be immediately “eligible.” We reached out to Google for clarification on what would make a Chromebook ineligible, and we'll report back if we hear back.

In the meantime, check out TechRadar's list of the best Chromebook in 2024.

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Character.ai lets you talk to your favorite (synthetic) people on the phone – which isn’t weird at all
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Character.AI's collection of virtual personalities based on real and fictional sources will speak up thanks to the new Character Calls audio feature. The artificial intelligence-fueled chatbots can now engage in two-way voice conversations for free on the startup's app.

Augmenting the synthetic people hosted on Character.AI's hub with voices is supposed to make them more fun to talk to, according to the company. Users can tap a button in the window of their chat and start talking to the bot in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, or Chinese. Tapping while the bot is talking will interrupt it and you can switch back to texting the same way. 

Character counts

The Character Calls is an extension of the Character Voices feature launched in March, which only allowed audio responses from the AI chatbots, not human voice interaction. Character.ai says there are now more than a million voice options available. For those who'd like to make their own Character.ai chatbot or already have some, the voice options incorporate a lot of styles and accents.

The company tested the new feature before the launch and said more than 20 million calls have already been made by more than 3 million people. Those calls included people learning new languages, practicing for job interviews, and working on game characters and storytelling ideas.

Character.ai was early to the virtual celebrity and AI-powered pal market, but it may need this new feature to help it keep up with some recent competition. Meta now offers Celebrity AI chatbots linked to official partnerships with those celebrities. And Google is reportedly working on doing something similar, potentially centered on YouTube and YouTube influencers, as well as letting people design their own chatbots.

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