Indonesia’s film industry has started using generative AI tools to produce films at a fraction of Hollywood budgets. The country’s filmmakers are deploying ChatGPT for scriptwriting, Midjourney for image generation, and Runway for video storyboarding. VFX artist Amilio Garcia Leonard told Rest of World that AI has reduced his draft editing time by 70%.

The Indonesian Film Producer Association supports the technology. Indonesian films typically cost 10 billion rupiah ($602,500), less than 1% of major Hollywood productions. The sector employed about 40,000 people in 2020 and generated over $400 million in box office sales in 2023. Jobs for storyboarders, VFX artists, and voice actors are disappearing.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Researchers have demonstrated a new type of malware attack that can steal sensitive information from Android devices—including Google and Samsung phones—without the knowledge or action of the target user.

The attack is called “Pixnapping,” an apparent portmanteau of “pixel” and “snapping.” When you download and open a piece of software containing the malware, the app scans your phone for specific apps it might want to spy on. It then accesses another app on your phone—say, Google Authenticator—but rather than open it, it pulls the information that would be displayed into the Android rendering pipeline. From there, the app scans the display information for individual pixels, targeting areas known to contain sensitive information. In the case of Google Authenticator, the focus is on the pixels known to contain the 2FA codes within the app. The malware then checks to see whether a pixel is blank, or contains some type of rendered content. It uses these findings to recover the original images, like a complete 2FA code, without ever actually having seen the original images in the first place.

This process can repeat for as long as it takes to scan the stolen pixels and pull the original information from them, all without you knowing it’s happening. Researchers compare the process to taking screenshots of screen contents the malware should not have access to.

How the malware works

There are three reasons Pixnapping attacks are possible on Android, according to researchers. First, the OS allows apps to send another app’s activity to the Android rendering pipeline, which allows the malicious app to invoke sensitive activities, like refreshing 2FA codes. Second, apps can run graphical operations on pixels displayed through another app’s activity, which is how the malicious app can pull pixels from something like Google Authenticator. Third, apps can measure the pixel color-dependent side effects of those operations, which allows the malicious app to leak the pixel values.

Researchers demonstrated these Pixnapping attacks on Google and Samsung phones, including the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and Galaxy S25. These phones were running Android 13, 14, 15, and 16. Researchers say they aren’t sure if other types of Android devices are affected by this attack, though the “core mechanisms” involved are usually present in all Android devices. Different Pixel devices had different rates of success in the 2FA hack (73%, 53%, 29%, and 53% for the Pixel 6, 7, 8, and 9, respectively), though researchers could not obtain 2FA codes on the Galaxy S25 within the 30 second timeline before the codes refreshed.

In addition to devices, researchers demonstrated Pixnapping attacks on sites and services like Gmail, Google Accounts, Signal, Google Authenticator, Venmo, and Google Maps. The implication is that this type of attack could steal many different types of information from your phone, including emails, encrypted messages, payment records, and location histories.

According to the findings, Google has tried to patch Pixnapping, but researchers were able to workaround this patch in demonstrated attacks. The vulnerability is currently tracked as CVE-2025-48561. Google is working on a new patch for the December Android security builtin.

How to protect yourself from Pixnapping

The good news, at this time anyway, is that researchers are not aware of Pixnapping attacks happening in the wild. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t happen, especially now that the attack has been disclosed.

The first thing to do to protect yourself is to make sure you’re running the latest security patches on your Android device. While Google is still working on a subsequent Pixnapping patch, there is a patch in existence. Make sure you install it on your phone by heading to System > Software updates.

Next, be cautious with the apps you download on your device. Always try to download apps from trusted and verified marketplaces, as it’s much more difficult for bad actors to hide malware on apps distributed through these stores. Even when you download apps on something like the Google Play Store, investigate the app thoroughly: Ensure it’s really the app you think it is, and it’s coming from the developer that makes it. If you sideload apps, be careful with what you download, and only install apps from developers you trust.

Kobo is making a remote control for its line of ereaders. The appropriately-named Kobo Remote costs $30 and will be available to purchase on November 4.

A remote control for an ereader may seem silly to some, but avid readers will likely appreciate this accessory. It’s basically a wireless page turner, so users can lay in bed and read all day without having to physically hold the device or prop a hand up to push a button every 30 seconds. Kobo is calling it “the ideal reading companion.”

It has been custom-built for Kobo products and will be available in both black and white, which matches the company’s other products. It can integrate with any Kobo ereader with Bluetooth functionality, which includes the Libra 2 and the well-reviewed Clara Colour.

“In a Canadian winter, we know that sometimes maximum reading comfort means burrowing down in the blankets, tucking yourself in and not emerging until spring,” said Rakuten Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn. “The Kobo Remote is the perfect accessory for peak immersive reading; it’s an invitation to lounge deeper, multitask smarter and simply enjoy reading without limits, no matter whether your environment is beach or blankets.”

The remote will be available in multiple regions, including the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Japan and many others. The company says it’ll be sharing more details about the remote soon, but we aren’t sure what details could be left to share. It’s a remote control for an ereader. Maybe it can do one or two unexpected things.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/kobo-made-a-remote-control-for-its-ereaders-185010955.html?src=rss

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization projects record production of global cereal crops in the 2025-26 farming season. The forecast covers wheat, corn and rice, and comes as the global stocks-to-use ratio stands around 30.6% — the world is producing nearly a third more of these foundational crops than it currently uses.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in August that American farmers would harvest a record corn crop at record yield per acre. The FAO Food Price Index has risen slightly this year but remains nearly 20% below its peak during the early months of the war in Ukraine. Average calories available per person worldwide have climbed from roughly 2,100 to 2,200 kilocalories daily in the early nineteen-sixties to just under 3,000 kilocalories daily by 2022. Cereal yields have roughly tripled since 1961. Yet the World Bank estimates around 2.6 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, and current famines in Gaza and Sudan stem from political failures rather than crop failures.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

OpenAI announced today that it is creating an advisory council centered on its users’ mental and emotional wellness. The Expert Council on Well-being and AI comprises eight researchers and experts on the intersection of technology and mental health. Some of the members were experts that OpenAI consulted as it developed parental controls. Topics of safety and protecting younger users have become more of a talking point for all artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI, after lawsuits questioned their complicity in multiple cases where teenagers committed suicide after sharing their plans with AI chatbots.

This move sounds like a wise addition, but the effectiveness of any advisor hinges on listening to their insights. We’ve seen other tech companies establish and then utterly ignore their advisory councils; Meta is one of the notable recent examples. And the announcement from OpenAI even acknowledges that its new council has no real power to guide its operations: “We remain responsible for the decisions we make, but we’ll continue learning from this council, the Global Physician Network, policymakers, and more, as we build advanced AI systems in ways that support people’s well-being.” It may become clearer how seriously OpenAI is taking this effort when it starts to disagree with the council, whether the company is genuinely committed to mitigating the serious risks of AI or whether this is a smoke and mirrors attempt to paper over its issues.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openai-forms-advisory-council-on-wellbeing-and-ai-183815365.html?src=rss

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A four-pack of these TSA-approved travel locks is currently on sale for $79.99 on StackSocial, the same price as a three-pack on Amazon. It’s designed for Apple users, integrating directly with the Find My app, so you can track your bags on a map, ping them with sound if they’re nearby, or get alerts if you’ve walked off and left them behind.

Each lock uses a simple three-digit combination and is TSA-approved, meaning airport security can access it without cutting it open. The build is solid, featuring a durable alloy shell and a thick cable loop that’s tough enough for typical travel abuse. It’s also refreshingly low-maintenance, with no need for constant charging. The built-in battery lasts approximately three months and is replaceable, so you’re not forced to discard the entire device when it runs out of power. You don’t need to install a separate app to manage the tracking, either. If you’ve used Apple’s Find My for AirTags or devices, the setup will feel familiar and straightforward. You also get solid tracking features like Lost Mode and sound alerts.

That said, this is Apple-only. If you use Android, the Find My functionality won’t work, so you’re better off with a traditional smart tracker or lock. If you’re traveling with multiple bags or coordinating group travel, a four-in-one pack makes the price more manageable. For frequent flyers or anyone with a track record of forgetting their carry-on at Gate 17, this is one of those travel add-ons that is actually worth it.

Meetings can be a real drain on productivity, but a new Gmail feature might at least cut down on the time you spend scheduling them. The company has announced “Help Me Schedule” is coming to Gmail, leveraging Gemini AI to recognize when you want to schedule a meeting and offering possible meeting times for the email recipient to choose.

The new meeting feature is reminiscent of Magic Cue on Google’s latest Pixel phones. As you type emails, Gmail will be able to recognize when you are planning a meeting. A Help Me Schedule button will appear in the toolbar. Upon clicking, Google’s AI will swing into action and find possible meeting times that match the context of your message and are available in your calendar.

When you engage with Help me schedule, the AI generates an in-line meeting widget for your message. The recipient can select the time that works for them, and that’s it—the meeting is scheduled for both parties. What about meetings with more than one invitee? Google says the feature won’t support groups at launch.

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OpenAI plans to open the floodgates to more adult uses of ChatGPT starting in December, according to a new post from CEO Sam Altman. The company announced that it would add parental controls and automatic age detection features in September, and it seems like a benefit of sorting out children from adults is an ability to offer more freedom in what ChatGPT can show users.

“In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our ‘treat adult users like adults’ principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults,” Altman says. Some avid ChatGPT users already regularly manipulate the chatbot to engage in NSFW conversations, but Altman’s announcement sounds more like tacit approval from OpenAI that those use-cases are okay.

The company signaled something similar during its DevDay 2025 announcements, when its new guidelines for developers creating apps for ChatGPT shared that “support for mature (18+) experiences will arrive once appropriate age verification and controls are in place.” After December, it sounds like adult interactions with ChatGPT or apps the chatbot can access are fair game.

All of these changes are being made in the shadow of disturbing stories of the seemingly negative influence ChatGPT can have on users, including the death of 16-year old Adam Raine, who allegedly used ChatGPT to plan his own suicide.

Reducing the chatbot’s sycophantic qualities with the release of GPT-5 was one of the ways OpenAI tried to address the mental health impacts of ChatGPT, along with built-in notifications to remind users to take breaks. It’s hard to definitively say whether these tweaks have made a difference, but combined with age-gating, it’s clear OpenAI feels comfortable giving its chatbot a longer leash.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-will-let-adults-use-chatgpt-for-erotica-starting-in-december-182417583.html?src=rss

Generative AI models trained on internet data lack exposure to vast domains of human knowledge that remain undigitized or underrepresented online. English dominates Common Crawl with 44% of content. Hindi accounts for 0.2% of the data despite being spoken by 7.5% of the global population. Tamil represents 0.04% despite 86 million speakers worldwide. Approximately 97% of the world’s languages are classified as “low-resource” in computing.

A 2020 study found 88% of languages face such severe neglect in AI technologies that bringing them up to speed would require herculean efforts. Research on medicinal plants in North America, northwest Amazonia and New Guinea found more than 75% of 12,495 distinct uses of plant species were unique to just one local language. Large language models amplify dominant patterns through what researchers call “mode amplification.” The phenomenon narrows the scope of accessible knowledge as AI-generated content increasingly fills the internet and becomes training data for subsequent models.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Spotify is taking the video versions of some of its podcasts to another platform entirely: Netflix. Starting in the US in early 2026 (with more markets and shows to follow), Netflix will start offering sports, culture, lifestyle and true crime podcasts that Spotify Studios and The Ringer produce.

Nine sports podcasts will be available at the jump, including The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Zach Lowe Show, Fairway Rollin’ and The Ringer’s F1, fantasy football, NFL and NBA shows. Other video podcasts that are coming to Netflix include The Rewatchables, The Recipe Club, Dissect, Conspiracy Theories and Serial Killers.

Netflix sees these podcasts as complementary to its current offerings (The Ringer F1 Show, for instance, will sit neatly alongside Drive to Survive). Of course, for Spotify, this is a way to get more eyeballs and eardrums on its original programming.

With TV viewing becoming a bigger priority for YouTube over the last few years, this seems like a way for Netflix to bite back in the battle for consumer attention, given the prevalence of video podcasts on Google’s platform. Many people use streaming services for background comfort sound, and turning to podcasts or talk-radio style formats (something Disney+ also offers with The Rich Eisen Show on weekdays) may be a way for them to do that after pulling the plug on cable and broadcast TV.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/some-spotify-video-podcasts-are-coming-to-netflix-180000074.html?src=rss

Customer service support company 5CA has released a statement contradicting claims by Discord that it was the victim of a hack last month. On October 3, Discord disclosed a data breach that the company says included a “small number” of government IDs like driver’s licenses and passports, which some users had submitted to verify their ages. Days later the company updated its statement to name 5CA as the target of the hack, which Discord contracts as part of its customer service efforts. It also disclosed that the “small number” of government IDs encompasses roughly 70,000 users.

“We are aware of media reports naming 5CA as the cause of a data breach involving one of our clients. Contrary to these reports, we can confirm that none of 5CA’s systems were involved, and 5CA has not handled any government-issued IDs for this client. All our platforms and systems remain secure, and client data continues to be protected under strict data protection and security controls,” the company’s statement reads in part. The company goes on to explicitly state “the incident occurred outside of our systems and that 5CA was not hacked.”

5CA says that a preliminary investigation showed that the incident may have been the result of “human error,” though it offers no details as to what exactly that implies. Discord has not yet responded to the company’s claims.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/the-company-discord-blamed-for-its-recent-breach-says-it-wasnt-hacked-175536278.html?src=rss

YouTube is bringing a wave of quality of life improvements to its platform. These visual updates and new features will roll out globally starting this week.

The main update to YouTube is a redesigned video player that has made the icons and UI elements to obscure less content. This new player design will appear on mobile, web and TV devices. Some users have had access to this feature for about a month, so it may not be brand new to everyone. The seek feature where a viewer can double-tap to skip has also been updated in a way that YouTube says is “more modern and less intrusive” and transitions between tabs have also been upgraded on mobile.

For those of you who spend a lot of time in the comments, you’ll see a new threaded approach to replies. This update aims “to provide a more focused reading experience within the replies panel.” The process of adding videos to playlists and the Watch Later queue has also been simplified and adjusted to be a “smoother and more visual” experience. Finally, some content will start displaying little animations when you hit the like button. The blog post gives music videos and sports videos as examples of where users may start seeing the flashier visual.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-rolls-out-its-redesigned-video-player-globally-174609883.html?src=rss

X has long been a hotbed for fake accounts, bots and other scammy behavior. Many of those dynamics have been exacerbated by the rise of paid verification, which boosts the visibility of anyone who pays for a subscription. Now, the company is running a small experiment that could help users better identify potentially suspicious accounts.

The service is starting to test a new “about this account” feature that will provide details about when an account joined the platform, where the person running it is based, how many times the username has been changed and how the account is connected to X. The feature is a lot like the “page transparency” information on Facebook, which provides similar details about when a given page was created and where the people running it are based. 

“When you read content on X, you should be able to verify its authenticity,” X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, shared in a post about the change. “This is critical to getting a pulse on important issues happening in the world.” 

If fully rolled out, this type of feature could help people on X understand a lot of common scams and other deceptive behavior on the platform. For example, scammers often change the handle of a recently compromised account in order to trick an account’s existing followers. And understanding the location of an account could help users root out people lying about their identity. 

However, it sounds like it could be some time before the feature is implemented in a way that could be broadly useful. Bier said that initially X will show this info on “a handful of profiles of X team members” — most of whom already have an official “X” badge on their profiles — in order to get feedback on the change.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-experiments-with-showing-more-information-about-profiles-to-fight-inauthentic-engagement-172500501.html?src=rss

California has enacted new legislation that aims to limit companies from charging consumers “exorbitant” fees to cancel fixed-term contracts. From a report: Assembly Bill 483 was signed into law by California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday, placing transparency requirements and fee limits on early terminations for installment contracts — plans that allow consumers to make recurring payments for goods and services over a specified duration.

This includes services that lure consumers into signing annual contracts by allowing them to pay in installments that appear similar to rolling monthly subscriptions, but with hefty cancellation fees for not locking in for the full year. The bill bans companies from hiding early termination fee disclosures within fine print or obscured hyperlinks, and limits the total fee amount to a maximum of 30 percent of the total contract cost. The goal is to make it easier for Californians to take these fees into account when comparing between services, and lessen the financial burden if they need to end their contract early.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

SteelSeries just released a refresh of its popular Arctis Nova 7 midrange gaming headset. The Nova 7 Gen 2 offers significantly improved battery life, with an increase of around 40 percent when compared to the original version. This translates to 54 hours of use per charge, which is a mighty fine metric. There’s quick-charging that can provide six more hours of use in 15 minutes at the outlet. 

It charges via USB-C and can simultaneously play audio from both a 2.4GHz wireless connection and Bluetooth audio. This means that users can mix and match audio sources, which comes in handy when gaming. The headset connects wirelessly to all major gaming consoles, in addition to PCs and phones.

The Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 integrates with the company’s mobile app. This offers more than 200 presets for specific games, all of which adjust the EQ to match what’s being played. On PC, the presets will automatically adjust depending on the game.

These are headphones intended for gaming, so they also include a noise-cancelling microphone. This little boom mic can be hidden within the headset and disabled when using a standalone microphone.

As for aesthetics, the Nova 7 looks a lot like the company’s high-end headsets. It’s available in three colors, including black, white and magenta. The headset is available to purchase right now and costs $200. It does lack a few features included with its higher-priced cousins, like the swappable battery system and active noise cancellation.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/steelseries-updated-nova-7-gaming-headset-offers-much-better-battery-life-171435527.html?src=rss

Ever since a lawsuit accused ChatGPT of becoming a teen’s “suicide coach,” OpenAI has been scrambling to make its chatbot safer. Today, the AI firm unveiled the experts it hired to help make ChatGPT a healthier option for all users.

In a press release, OpenAI explained its Expert Council on Wellness and AI started taking form after OpenAI began informally consulting with experts on parental controls earlier this year. Now it’s been formalized, bringing together eight “leading researchers and experts with decades of experience studying how technology affects our emotions, motivation, and mental health” to help steer ChatGPT updates.

One priority was finding “several council members with backgrounds in understanding how to build technology that supports healthy youth development,” OpenAI said, “because teens use ChatGPT differently than adults.”

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