A brief overview of the latest news from the IT industry.

Mesh 3D Meetings for Teams are now available in Microsoft

Mesh virtual conference rooms allow employees to interact in a three-dimensional environment. Users can control a personalized avatar, and support for Meta Quest headsets will soon be added. Mesh 3D provides a sense of co-presence, even when physically separated during Mesh meetings.

Source: microsoft.com 

Kazakh startup Alfred launches

Alfred is an AI chatbot that reduces the workload on administrators by 40%, helping companies increase revenue and optimize expenses. The bot speaks 20 languages, simultaneously assigning tasks to employees and facilitating communication. The application costs 1,199 tenge per month and serves seven clients. $150,000 in angel investments has been raised.

Source: digitalbusiness.kz 

Video game Immortality for PlayStation 5

The interactive mystery thriller Immortality has been released on PlayStation 5 consoles.

The video game is about missing actress Marissa Marcelle, who never released any of her three films. Players must explore the filming locations and find clues.

Source: playstation.com 

Samsung gadgets will feature a non-invasive glucose meter

The Korean corporation intends to create a non-invasive glucose meter—a device that allows blood sugar levels to be analyzed without piercing the skin. Similar features may be added to the Galaxy Ring smart ring, which Samsung announced in mid-January.

Source: bloomberg.com 

OpenAI introduces ChatGPT voice assistant for Android

OpenAI is developing a ChatGPT voice assistant installed by default on Android smartphones. The beta version, demonstrated by insider Mishaal Rahman, allows users to choose from different voices. Despite a 15-second response time in the demo version, users can try it with a ChatGPT Plus subscription for $20 per month and the latest version of Android.

Currently, beta testing is underway for a select group; in the future, it could potentially become the default assistant.

Source: @MishaalRahman 

Huawei announces new laptop — HUAWEI MateBook D 16 2024

Huawei has announced the release of the HUAWEI MateBook D 16 2024 laptop. The laptop features a 16-inch screen and weighs approximately 1.68 kg. The advantage of this laptop is its AI-powered camera. FollowCam will keep you centered in the frame and maintain eye contact with your interlocutor, ensuring more comfortable communication.

Source: huawei.com

Kazakhstani passengers will be able to use the internet on airplanes

Internet access may become available on airplanes in Kazakhstan using Air-to-Ground technology. Freedom Telecom has received the corresponding permit from the regulator.

Using A2G technology, air passengers will be able to not only use social networks and messengers during the flight and browse various web pages on their devices, but also stream high-resolution video up to 4K, watch YouTube, and participate in Zoom conferences.

Source: kursiv.media

Female entrepreneurs from Central Asia make the shortlist for the international Aurora Tech Award 2024

The Aurora Tech Award 2024, founded by inDrive, announced the shortlist of female startup founders. It includes 20 entrepreneurs. Four of them represent Central Asia.

The list of contenders from Kazakhstan includes:

— Nadezhda Anpilogova, co-founder of Your Accessible Guide

— Aidana Aytuarova, founder of Porte Tech

— Asem Tazhieva, founder of the Ozim platform.

From Uzbekistan:

— Fiрузa Eshonova, founder of Mila4AI.

Google presents Lumiere — a neural network for video creation

Google announced Lumiere, an innovative model for automatically creating videos using artificial intelligence. Lumiere can generate realistic or surreal video clips up to five seconds long. It can also take an image, clone its style, and apply it to create videos on various topics.

Source: Lumiere

New compact Tesla crossover to appear in 2025

Tesla plans to begin production of a new compact crossover for the mass market in June 2025. The company has already invited suppliers to participate in the tender for work on this vehicle and forecasts the production of 10,000 cars per week.

Source: theverge.com