This is not the first time an attempt has been made to replicate Google’s NotebookLM. However, some attempts were more successful than others. Meta is taking strides in the open-source AI world. So, by releasing an open version of NotebookLM, the tech giant is allowing public access to coding and documentation powered by AI.

NotebookLlama is powered by Meta’s Llama language models which were made for code and interactive document generation. This open-source model makes a transcript right from the file, for example, a blog post. After which it then adds interruptions and dramatization ahead of sending the transcript to the open source models. However, the results from Meta’s open source were not good as compared to NotebookLm. Meta has acknowledged this and the researchers working on the project have said that the quality will see improvement with stronger models.

NotebookLlama: More on this new release by Meta

Meta’s researchers have stated that the text-to-speech model serves as a limitation for the results sounding natural. Furthermore, a different approach for the writing process of the podcast might be to have two agents debating on the topic of interest and write the podcast outline accordingly. However, due to certain setbacks, he researchers currently use only one model to write the outline of the podcast.

Meta’s model enables developers to make more personalised models tailored to the specific needs of their projects. The tech giant has contributed a foundational model to apply NotebookLlama in different environments. The model also has support for multi-turn conversations which allow for much more in-depth interactions between the AI and the user.

Suggested:

AI Studio: Meta’s New AI Tool Has Been Launched in The US

Llama 3.1: Meta’s Biggest Open Model Has Been Released

Image Credits: Screenshot Taken From NotebookLlama Github

The post NotebookLlama: Meta’s New Open Version of NotebookLM appeared first on Tricky Enough.

The exact number of employees being let go has not been specified. The tech giant has stated that this new round of layoffs was due to the company’s change in ‘long-term strategic goals’ as well as ‘location strategy’. The company further stated that it will also be moving some divisions and employees to other locations and roles. The employees affected by this company strategy include WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs.

Those affected by the layoffs have taken to social media websites like X to disclose that they had been let go. According to reports, employees belonging to Facebook’s legal operations, recruiting division and design division have been laid off. On the other hand, some reports have stated that Threads’ legal operations and recruiting division have not been affected. A former employee at Meta stated that severance packages were offered to the employees if they chose not to take on the new positions as appointed by Meta.

Meta Layoffs: More on this new wave of layoffs

Some rumours have begun spreading about the reasons for the new wave of layoffs. According to a report, some of the workers had been fired as they used the $25 meal credits to purchase household items instead of food.

The tech industry is no stranger to job layoffs. There seem to be major tech layoffs happening every month or so. Meta has infamously laid off 11,000 employees in 2022 alone. Later in 2023, the leading tech company announced a layoff affecting more than 10,000 jobs as part of Mark Zuckerberg’s new strategy.

Suggested:

TikTok Layoffs: Hundreds of Employees Affected in Malaysia

Meta Connect 2024: Key Highlights From The Event

Image Credits: Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash

The post Meta Layoffs: New Wave of Tech Layoffs appeared first on Tricky Enough.

With this new feature, users can mention five other people in their statues as well as tag people privately. Tagging can be done privately which means that their names will not be displayed. However, those accounts that have been mentioned will get a notification.

The Tagging feature will be rolling out on a global scale pretty soon. To use this feature, users will have to make sure they use the most recent version of their WhatsApp. Users will then have to head over to the Status option available either on the top to bottom of the screen. After clicking on Status, the user will then click on My Status to make a new update. Users can then type the @ of their contacts. It should be noted that the tags are private but the accounts mentioned will receive a notification.

Tagging: More features introduced by WhatsApp

The Meta-owned company has also recently brought in a new feature which lets users like the statuses of their contacts. There is now a small heart icon located on the bottom of a status. When a user taps on the heart icon, they ‘like’ the status of the person whose status they viewed. This long overdue feature will show the likes only to the person who posted the story. Coming back to Tagging, the mentioned accounts also have the option to reshare the original poster’s status with their contacts.

WhatsApp has been acting more and more like Instagram in terms of its features. These features have already existed on Instagram for a long time. Since the two platforms are from Meta, it seems likely that WhatsApp will be receiving even more Instagram features in the future.

Suggested:

Username and PIN: WhatsApp’s Upcoming Privacy Feature

GIPHY Stickers Are Now Integrated into WhatsApp

The post Tagging: New WhatsApp Feature Lets Users Mention Other Users appeared first on Tricky Enough.

Zuckerberg has amassed over $206.2 billion as his net worth which surpasses Bezos’ $205.1 billion net worth. The Meta CEO has grown his net worth up to $78 billion since 2024 started. Furthermore, this growth is significantly higher than any of the members in the 500 richest people list from the Bloomberg Index. It has also been reported that he has a 13% stake in his own Meta company.

Just recently, Meta’s shares came up to $582.77 which is a company record. The shares indicate a 68% increase from the beginning of the year. Meta’s shares at the start of January were estimated to be $346.29. So this jump in shares is impressive as it also contributed to Zuckerberg climbing the ladder to the top.

Mark Zuckerberg Becomes Second Richest Man: More on his claim to the top

As Mark Zuckerberg becomes the second richest man in the world, Meta parallels his success with its high profits. Meta has stated that the company’s second-quarter sales rose to $39.07, which is a 22% increase in sales. The leading tech giant has credited its investments in AI helping its online advertising performance as one of the main reasons for its increase in sales. Meta has been investing billions upon billions in VR and AR technologies to build their metaverse concept.

However, a grim side to Meta’s success resides in the form of 21,000 Meta employees losing their jobs. This major company layoff started in 2022 and it also went into 2023 as well. The layoffs were due to the company devising a huge budget plan. Unfortunately, as job layoffs are quite common in the tech industry, Meta may bring about a future wave of layoffs.

Suggested:

100M WhatsApp Users in the US; Zuckerberg Announces

AI Studio: Meta’s New AI Tool Has Been Launched in The US

The post Mark Zuckerberg Becomes Second Richest Man In The World appeared first on Tricky Enough.

The Meta-owned platform will be introducing new features in the Facebook revamp. With the new update, users will be able to build connections with the local communities through the Local tab. This new tab will be bringing only the very best of local content on Facebook. The content will be taken from Marketplace, Events, and Groups and tabbed together in Local. A new Weekly and Weekend Digest for Events will also be coming in the new update. Users will also be able to swipe across the best Facebook content in a new section in their feed.

Facebook is also testing out the Explore tab which brings users content catered to their interests. This feature will allow users to fully explore their interests. A Video tab is also incoming which provides users with a full-screen video experience to watch Reels and other long and short-form videos.

Facebook Revamp: More features in the works

The social media giant has just released a new feature which enables users to invite their followers from Instagram to Facebook events. Besides this, Facebook will also be bringing a Group AI which will help group members to get answers to queries, especially those that have already been asked.

Facebook is also playing matchmaker with its new Facebook Dating feature which lets users find a romantic connection. Potential love interests will be based on the user’s interests. The feature called Matchmaker also lets users invite their friends to help them with finding true love.

Messenger Communities have also been introduced. This feature lets users create chats based on topics to better manage conversations with the Messenger Community as a whole. New connections can be made through this feature and it is especially useful for college students. Other features such as Memories and new functionalities for Notes in Messenger have also been announced.

Suggested:

Threads Cross-Posting From Facebook And Instagram Launched

Facebook and Instagram will now label AI-generated images and videos

The post Facebook Revamp: Local Tabs, Messenger Communities and More appeared first on Tricky Enough.

These AR glasses by Meta are not yet yet and not will they be for a while but Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated a showcase of the glasses during the Meta Connect 2024 event that was recently held. Meta has stated on its official website that their upcoming AR glasses will bring in a new generation of computing. The company also expects a shift in the paradigm of how communication takes place among people.

At first glance, the Orion looks like everyday glasses but the capabilities stored in these glasses are incredible. Meta’s AR glasses provide a hands-free and hassle-free video-calling experience. Users can video-call someone and that person would appear as a life-sized avatar in the same room as the caller. Meta AI has also been integrated into these glasses to guide users every step of the way.

Orion AR Glasses: More on these AR glasses by Meta

Meta has utilised a lightweight magnesium frame with thermal management techniques. Furthermore, these glasses are also equipped with miniaturization of cameras and sensors. The Orion AR glasses seamlessly blend into the real-life world with its advanced AR technology. Meta’s upcoming glasses come with micro LED projectors and an optical-grade silicon carbide which results in a 70-degree field of view.

The tech giant has created a blend of natural inputs with electromyography tech in the form of a stylish yet subtle wristband. The users can adjust the light settings in their glasses while wearing their wristbands effortlessly. The wristband receives, interprets, and adapts the EMG signals from a user’s wrist to interact with the view of the glasses. Lastly, these AR glasses provide low-latency computing power in the form of a wireless form.

Suggested:

Meta Connect 2024: Key Highlights From The Event.

Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: New Updates and Styles.

The post Orion AR Glasses Unveiled by Meta: First Look appeared first on Tricky Enough.

Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerburg unveiled full holographic AR glasses called the Orion. However, these glasses will not be hitting the shelves for a while. The Orion glasses are shown to have a compatibility of eye and hand-tracking along with a neutral interface. The new Quest 3S was also announced at this event. The 3S is a cheaper alternative to the Quest 3. The Quest 3S will start at $299 for 128GB storage while the 256Gb will be priced at $399. This upcoming headset will allow users to play games and apps available through the Quest library. However, with the announcement of the Quest 3S, also comes the announcement of the discontinuation of the Quest 2 and the Quest Pro.

Meta’s Ray-Ban sunglasses are also getting new features including reminders and real-time language translations for select languages. These glasses will also have an AI processing feature for videos which will take place in real time.

Meta Connect 2024: More announcements from this event

The Meta Connect 2024 event also announced Meta Ai would be getting a new feature that allows users to choose from different voice options. The latest AI voices include Kristen Bell, John Cena, Dame Judi Dench, Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key. The new Llama 3.2 AI model has also been announced at the Meta Connect event. Llama 3.2 11B and 90B will now be able to interpret graphs, and charts, and point to things in pictures when given a description and caption images. However, it should be noted that the new AI models will not be accessible in Europe. This restriction comes as a result of the EU Act restrictions.

Meta is also testing a feature that uses AI translation tools, This could help content creators create translated dubs which would properly sync with the user’s lips. Games such as Batman: Arkham Shadow, Alien: Rogue Incursion, Arizona Sunshine and other Quest games have also been announced at the event.

Suggested:

Llama 3.1: Meta’s Biggest Open Model Has Been Released.

Metaverse Games to Include Generative AI.

The post Meta Connect 2024: Key Highlights From The Event appeared first on Tricky Enough.

Instagram Teen Accounts allows teenagers to use Instagram in a way that ensures their safety. This new launch comes amid increasing concerns about internet safety and the ill effects that social media could have on a developing mind. The new reimagined Instagram gives parents peace of mind as they do not have to worry about their teen coming into contact with any inappropriate or unsafe content.

Instagram’s new protection features are turned on automatically for teens under 16. Choosing to opt out of the experience will require permission from the parents. With the implementation of default private accounts for teens, they will have to accept new followers and those who do not follow the teens will not be able to see their content. In the same vein, only those who follow the teen will be able to message them. Adding on to this, teens can only be mentioned or tagged by the accounts they follow.

The social media platform has also installed a few content restriction features. Now, teens will be automatically restricted from viewing any sensitive content. Such content includes promotion of eating disorders, cosmetic procedures and so on.

Instagram Teen Accounts: Parental Supervision Features

The new Instagram Teen Accounts also sets time limit reminders notifying the teens to exit Instagram after an hour every day. Sleep mode also automatically turns on from 10 PM till 7 AM. This mode mutes app notifications and it moves auto-repies over to the DMs.

Parents are also given a few supervision features. They can see who their teens message, though they cannot view the content of the messages. Parents can also decide the amount of time their teen can spend on Instagram and refrain from using the app at specific times.

The parents of the teens can also view the kind of topics that their teens are viewing. Although these topics are still age-appropriate, they give parents insight into their teens’ interests.

Suggested:

Profile Theme Song On Instagram Rolls Out Officially.

Vertical Profile Layout Undergoes Instagram Testing.

The post Instagram Teen Accounts: New Parental Control Features appeared first on Tricky Enough.

The tech giant stated in an official blog post on the Meta Spark Community, that the company’s decision to shut down the studio was part of its efforts to push the products that suit Meta’s customers and consumers.

Meta Spark AR: Background on the AR studio

Meta has clarified that its AR Effects will still be available to its user base. However, the company has stood on the ground, saying it will remove any or all filters that third-party developers have created. The Meta Spark shutdown will take effect on January 14, 2025. After the date of the shutdown, all third-party filters will be hence removed.

Meta Spark was launched in 2017 so it had a good 7-year run. Millions of users made AR effects in the studio. Creators could make AR effects with an existing template or build their custom AR effects with code.

The decision to shut down Spark has been met with criticism, especially from creators who use Spark to create AR effects. Many users have expressed disappointment over Meta’s decision. Some have also questioned Meta’s inner motive to get rid of the studio.

The shutdown could even affect Meta in the long run. Meta could face some trouble if it plans on going head-to-head with other social media giants. Platforms like TikTok and Snapchat provide AR developers with tools and rewards programs. Meta’s bold move to shut down its AR studio might be because the company wants to focus more on its LLM, Llama and other AI tools.

Suggested:

AI Studio: Meta’s New AI Tool Has Been Launched in The US.

Llama 3.1: Meta’s Biggest Open Model Has Been Released.

The post Meta Spark Studio Will Shut Down in 2024 appeared first on Tricky Enough.

The new profile theme song feature also features a collaboration with pop singer-songwriter, Sabrina Carpenter who released her new music video for Taste. In an X post, Meta shows a picture of the feature in action. It features the song by Sabrina Carpenter with a user’s profile in the back.

Profile Theme Song: How it works

Users can access this feature by going to the ‘Edit Profile’ option available on their profile dashboard. After which, users can pick a song from Instagram’s extensive music library. Furthermore, the songs will be available in segments of up to thirty seconds. Users are also allowed to remove or replace the songs.

However, the main difference between Instagram’s new feature and Myspace’s prevailing feature is the feature on Instagram does not automatically play when other people view a user’s profile. People will have to manually tap on the play button to listen to the profile theme song.

It has also been reported that the Meta-owned platform started playing with adding music to users’ profiles as far back as 2022. The main goal of this Instagram feature is to allow more customisation options thus improving users’ experience with the app. It empowers users to show off their tastes and creativity.

In-app customisation features have been sought after by Gen Z and social media platforms are taking note of this. Noplace is one popular example of this phenomenon where users are given loads of customisation features to play with.

Suggested:

Carousel Posts on Instagram Now Supports Up To 20 Items.

Instagram Presents Live Broadcasts Exclusively for Close Friends.

The post Profile Theme Song On Instagram Rolls Out Officially appeared first on Tricky Enough.