Geekly Update - 29 January 2025

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

The tech world is buzzing about DeepSeek, a Chinese AI app that has shot to the top of app store downloads. DeepSeek is not a huge leap in capability when compared to OpenAI's ChatGPT, Gemini or other popular AI apps. In fact, it might lag a bit behind when it comes to simulating how humans reason through problems or ideas. The big news is that DeepSeek was built and trained at a fraction of the cost (about 95% less) of its competitors, because it requires fewer advanced chips. US-based companies and investors that have been throwing tens of billions of dollars at AI projects are soiling their virtual pants.

But Microsoft and OpenAI say DeepSeek may not have played fair. They say they have evidence that DeepSeek used OpenAI's programming interface to "exfiltrate" massive amounts of training data to use in their own product. That's ironic, given that OpenAI basically vacuumed up the entire internet (including lots of copyrighted and proprietary data) to build theirs.

Speaking of AI ripoffs, Paul McCartney of Beatles fame is warning that proposed changes to UK copyright law could make it impossible for musicians and artists to make a living. The new rules would allow AI developers to use creators' content to help develop their models. MacCartney admonished lawmakers "if you're putting through a bill, make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you're not going to have them."

It doesn't seem like AI will take over the world any time soon, though. Siri, Apple's AI assistant says the Philadelphia Eagles have won 33 Super Bowls (they've only won once), and answered incorrectly 66% of the time when asked about the past winners of the big game.

According to a White House briefing, those mysterious drones spotted all over New Jersey and surrounding areas late last year "were not the enemy," but rather were drones for research that were approved by the FAA. What kind of research? "Nothing to see here, move along, folks."

Say goodbye to those extended bathroom breaks, and joking around at the watercooler. Logitech, known primarily for their computer keyboards and mice, has announced a "corporate office management solution" that's basically a human detector. The Logitech Spot is a pebble-shaped device that uses stick-and-peel millimeter wave radar sensors to spy on employees let the bosses see whether people are in a room.

Supersonic passenger jet flight may be returning, after a 20+ year pause. (Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003.) In a test flight on January 27, the Boom XB-1 supersonic jet broke the sound barrier. The company hopes to parlay this success into Overture, a commercial supersonic aircraft capable of carrying up to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7, about twice the speed of today’s airliners.

With the release of iOS 18.3, Apple and SpaceX have quietly added Starlink connectivity for "select" iPhone users. Some report they have enabled the Starlink beta, and T-Mobile says the full release will support the vast majority of iPhones. The satellite-to-cell feature is meant mostly for emergency communications in areas where there is no cellular service.

Some Garmin smartwatch users say their watches are "bricked" with a Blue Triangle Of Death. It appears that a recent update is affecting the Epix, Venu, Forerunner, Descent, and Fenix fitness watch models. Garmin says they are “researching reports of devices displaying a blue triangle when starting a GPS activity. A reset by pressing and holding the power button may restore functionality.”

And finally, this week's Just Here For The Headline item: Super Enzyme That Controls Testosterone Found in “Crazy” Bird Species.

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