Technology

Sonos plans return-to-office push for its product teams

Published

4 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Sonos plans return-to-office push for its product teams

Sonos will soon encourage employees on its various product teams who live near its US office locations to come in for at least two days per week, The Verge has learned. That’s a notable break from the company’s history, throughout which Sonos has enthusiastically supported fully remote and hybrid work. Job listings at Sonos routinely state that “it’s about impact, not location.” Glassdoor reviews have long backed this up, with employees reporting no pressure to come into the office.

But that lax stance is set to change slightly as Sonos continues its effort to right the ship following this year’s app mishap and stay on track with upcoming products. It’s adopting a stricter policy that will call for product employees within proximity of Santa Barbara, Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco to regularly be present at those offices. The Santa Barbara location is where Sonos is headquartered. The company also currently operates international offices in Paris and the Netherlands

“Flexibility has been a core tenet of how Sonos has operated since our founding. Flexibility is not going away, but like many companies, we are evaluating the impact that in-person collaboration has on the effectiveness of our teams and our culture,” Sonos said in a statement provided by spokesperson Olivia Singer.

“Sonos product teams rely heavily on collaboration, collective problem-solving, and hands-on testing. These are activities which we believe can be done more effectively in-person. We will be prioritizing office space for our product teams to collaborate in-person 2+ days per week depending on location (proximity to office), role, and current needs. Many Sonos employees and teams, however, will see no change to their current work situation.”

Employees at Sonos tell me that morale remains low internally — it’s been that way since the app controversy spiraled into a crisis — with some fearing another wave of layoffs in the coming weeks after 100 employees were cut back in April.

New job postings from the company have been extremely thin in recent weeks as Sonos tightens its belt amid sluggish demand. During last month’s quarterly earnings call, CEO Patrick Spence and CFO Saori Casey said Sonos will take whatever steps are necessary to keep the balance sheet where it needs to be as the audio company navigates a challenging period for its business. Those measures already include leaning more heavily on AI to field customer support requests.

The new Sonos Arc Ultra has received positive reviews across the board, including from yours truly. But a single product hasn’t gone far in convincing rank-and-file employees (or the company’s most ardent customers) that Sonos is back on the right trajectory for the long haul.

Return-to-office mandates have become common across the tech industry; many large companies require employees to badge in at least three days each week. Amazon made waves earlier this year when it announced a return to the traditional five-day office work week.

Technology

Fox News AI Newsletter: AI app helps you turn anything into LEGO models

Published

4 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Press Room

Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

– Get ready to build your own Lego masterpieces with this new tech

– OpenAI releases text-to-video AI model Sora to certain ChatGPT users

– The AI-powered grandma taking on scammers

Brick My World app (Brick My World)

BUILD LEGO CREATIONS : This innovative app is here to make custom Lego creation fun and accessible for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned builder or just getting started. By using advanced artificial intelligence and mobile scanning technology, Brick My World opens up a world of creative possibilities.

‘OUR HOLIDAY GIFT’: OpenAI released its text-to-video artificial intelligence model, Sora, this week after the completion of its testing phase.

The OpenAI logo is being displayed on a smartphone with the Sora text-to-video generator visible in the background in this photo illustration, taken in Brussels, Belgium, on February 16, 2024. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

GRANNY FIGHTS BACK: Daisy is an artificial intelligence-powered grandma developed by Virgin Media O2 to interact with scammers. When a scam call comes in, Daisy automatically answers and engages the caller in conversation, wasting their time.

‘I GOTTA FEELING’: [will.i.am doesn’t think true artists should worry about artificial intelligence. The Black Eyed Peas singer does think people not involved in the creative process in the music industry are the ones who should worry about AI taking away their jobs.

Recording artist will.i.am speaks onstage during Day 2 of the 2024 Invest Fest at Georgia World Congress Center on Aug. 24, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

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This article was written by Fox News staff.

Technology

YouTube is a hit on TVs — and is starting to act like it

Published

11 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Press Room

YouTube is a hit on TVs — and is starting to act like it

YouTube just released some new stats that show how the service is being consumed on televisions, and the numbers are enormous. Watch time on TV for sports content was up 30 percent year over year; viewers watched more than 400 million hours of podcasts on their TVs every month.

This is YouTube we’re talking about, though, so of course the numbers are huge. The living room has been YouTube’s fastest-growing platform for years — Alphabet’s chief business officer, Philipp Schindler, said on the company’s most recent earnings call that watch time is growing across YouTube “with particular strength in Shorts and in the living room.” Even as YouTube continues to dominate basically all facets of the entertainment business, the arrow on your TV still points up.

The trend hasn’t changed in forever, but YouTube has spent the last couple of years finally doing something about it. It launched a way to sync your phone and your TV, so you can watch a video on the big screen and interact with it on the small one. Earlier this year, the company redesigned the TV interface to make it easier to find comments, links, and channel pages while you’re watching a video. It redesigned those channel pages, so content starts playing more quickly on your TV. It added collaborative playlists, so multiple people can sit around and program the big screen.

Today, along with all those stats, YouTube announced a new feature called Watch With, which lets creators add their own commentary and analysis to sports content in real time. For years, YouTube has seen viewers and creators hack this kind of setup together, says Kurt Wilms, YouTube’s senior director of product for TV. “They’ll put the commentary on their computer or their phone, and then they’ll put the game on their TV.” Now there’s no futzing with two screens. The feature is starting with sports, but Wilms says you can expect to see it all over YouTube soon. “There’s the Apple keynote,” he offers by way of example. “All the creators talking about that, you can imagine with Watch With.”

Getting the living room experience right has always been tricky for YouTube. The company has always tried to make the platform feel the same no matter how you’re consuming it — the theory is that YouTube should feel like YouTube no matter what screen you’re looking at and that creators shouldn’t have to think about all the platforms individually but just focus on making stuff for YouTube as a whole. That’s tricky enough to get right across mobile and desktop, but TVs are a completely different beast. You’re usually farther away from the screen; you don’t have easy access to a full keyboard; let’s be honest, you’re probably also still looking at your phone.

YouTube is very much trying to become a premium streaming service

Wilms tells me that one easy way to think about YouTube in the living room is as a study in extremes. On the one hand, it’s the biggest screen in your house and almost certainly the place you do your most dedicated and focused watching. That’s why YouTube built the quicker-playing channels and why it created a new Shows page that lets creators organize their videos more like a Netflix series. It has invested in Primetime Channels and Sunday Ticket and lots of other high-end content. YouTube is very much trying to become a premium streaming service, without losing focus on creators.

But on the other hand, lots of people use their TVs as a sound system or simply want some background TV. “The TV is the new home stereo,” Wilms says. Music is huge on living room YouTube, and he says that’s why podcasts are booming, too; you’re just putting on something to listen to while you do dishes or clean up, but now there’s also something to look at.

As YouTube has grown on TVs, it has become a bigger part of the creator economy — the company said earlier this year that the number of creators making a majority of their revenue from TV viewing is up more than 30 percent since last year. The question for those creators, then, and for YouTube, is what to do about that. Should creators start uploading different kinds of videos aimed at the viewer on their couch instead of on their phone? Should they make videos that fans can listen to instead of watch?

Wilms acknowledges that the TV audience might want something slightly different from other YouTube platforms. He says creators are asking for better platform-specific analytics and hints that maybe YouTube shows should be treated like TV shows on IMDb and findable on platforms like JustWatch. But he says he’s convinced that it can all still feel like YouTube, too. “Our model is to bring all of YouTube to the TV,” he says. “How does it work on the TV, without burdening the creators or making them do different things?”

That’s been the question for a while now. Can YouTube be super interactive and super immersive, equal parts lean forward and lean back? Can it be home to all your favorite vloggers and the next big hit show? The company thinks it can. And to be fair, history says it’s right — it already dominates watch time across platforms, is one of the biggest platforms in music, is rapidly eating podcasting, is now a major cable competitor, and much more. If YouTube can make the big screen and the small screen feel like the same screen, it’ll become even more unstoppable. But that won’t be easy to get right.

I joke to Wilms that the solution is obviously to just build a television, and he’s fairly clear that’s not going to happen. But he’s dead set on being all over the one you already have.

Technology

Is that crypto email legit or just another scam?

Published

11 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Press Room

Is that crypto email legit or just another scam?

Blockchain scams are increasingly prevalent, and it’s essential to understand what they are and how to recognize them before they take a toll on your finances.

For instance, John from Sunset Beach, North Carolina, recently reached out with a pressing question about some suspicious messages he’s been receiving in his inbox.

“I have been receiving messages from this site for a while. Can you tell me if this is a scam or real? I don’t want to pay good money to get scammed.”

Cryptocurrency scam email (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

John’s experience is not unique; many individuals find themselves in similar situations when confronted with potential blockchain scams. These scams can take various forms, often disguised as legitimate offers or services that promise easy returns on investments. Let’s look at the common signs of these scams, why they are so prevalent and what steps you can take to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

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What is a blockchain scam?

A blockchain scam refers to a deceptive scheme aimed at tricking you into losing your money or digital assets within the cryptocurrency space. As the popularity of cryptocurrencies continues to rise, so does the prevalence of these scams, which exploit the lack of regulation and the anonymity often associated with blockchain technology. In essence, blockchain scams come in various forms, each designed to mislead and defraud unsuspecting victims.

One of the most common types is the “Pump and Dump” scheme. In this scenario, scammers artificially inflate the price of a low-value cryptocurrency by spreading false information or hype. Once the price reaches a certain level, they sell off their holdings, causing the price to plummet and leaving other investors with significant losses.

Another notorious scam is the Initial Coin Offering scam. Here, fraudsters promote a new cryptocurrency project with promises of high returns and innovative technology. However, once they collect funds from investors, they often vanish without delivering any product or service, leaving investors with worthless tokens.

Phishing scams are also rampant in the blockchain world. Scammers impersonate legitimate cryptocurrency platforms or services to trick you into providing sensitive information such as private keys or login credentials. Once they gain access to a victim’s wallet, they can easily transfer funds to their own accounts.

Additionally, there are fraudulent giveaway schemes where scammers promise to double or triple an individual’s cryptocurrency holdings if they send a specific amount to a designated wallet. After sending their funds, victims find that the promised rewards never materialize.

Scammers may also create clone platforms, which mimic popular cryptocurrency exchanges or wallet services. Unsuspecting users believe they are using a legitimate platform and deposit their digital currencies, only to have them stolen by fraudsters.

A man holding cryptocurrency coins (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE ‘APPLE ID SUSPENDED’ PHISHING SCAM

Identifying the red flags of cryptocurrency scams

Here are some of the common elements of such cryptocurrency scam emails.

Unsolicited contact: Legitimate crypto services don’t randomly reach out offering free money. If you receive an unexpected email claiming you’ve won cryptocurrency or are entitled to a payment, it’s a strong indicator that something is off.

Pressure to act: Scammers often create a sense of urgency to push you into making hasty decisions. Phrases like “Act now!” or “Limited time offer!” are red flags that should make you pause and think twice before responding.

Requests for payment: Any service asking for upfront fees to receive crypto is likely a scam. Genuine platforms will never require you to pay before delivering funds or services. So, be wary of any requests for payment in advance.

Suspicious links: Scammers often embed links in emails or messages that lead to phishing sites designed to steal your credentials. Always hover over links to see where they lead before clicking, and if anything looks suspicious, don’t engage. If you have any doubts about a link’s legitimacy, it’s best to avoid clicking on it altogether. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

A man holding a cryptocurrency coin (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

YOUR EMAIL DIDN’T EXPIRE, IT’S JUST ANOTHER SNEAKY SCAM

Scammer tactics: How they get your info

Now, you might be wondering, “How did these scammers get my info in the first place?” Great question. Let’s take a quick look at how they manage to dig up your personal details – more than likely through the shady world of data harvesting.

Data breaches: Companies get hacked, and your info gets leaked faster than gossip at a high school reunion. Always monitor your accounts for unusual activity.

Public records: Scammers can piece together your life story from publicly available information, everything from property records to social media profiles.

Social media oversharing: That cute dog pic you posted? It might reveal more than you think about where you live or what you do for fun.

Phishing attacks: Clicking on that “You won’t believe what happened next!” link could lead to malware that steals your data faster than you can say “blockchain.” The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

Cryptocurrency on an app on a smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

IS JUST READING THAT SKETCHY SCAMMER’S EMAIL DANGEROUS, OR DO I HAVE TO CLICK ON A LINK TO GET IN TROUBLE?

Protecting yourself from blockchain scams

Given the decentralized and often anonymous nature of cryptocurrencies, scams pose significant challenges in terms of tracing and recovering lost funds. Therefore, it’s essential for anyone participating in the crypto space to stay informed about these scams, exercise caution when engaging in transactions and follow the steps below.

1. Verify independently: Always log in to your accounts directly, not through email links. Scammers often create fake websites that look almost identical to legitimate ones, so it’s crucial to enter URLs manually or use bookmarks for trusted sites. This simple practice can prevent you from falling victim to phishing attempts.

2. Use strong authentication: Enable two-factor authentication on all your crypto accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring not just your password but also a second form of verification, such as a text message code or an authentication app. Even if someone manages to steal your password, they won’t be able to access your account without this additional verification.

3. Be skeptical: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers often lure victims with promises of guaranteed returns or exclusive investment opportunities. Always approach such offers with skepticism and conduct thorough research before making any commitments.

4. Check email addresses: Scammers frequently use domains that look similar to legitimate ones, so always double-check the email address from which a message originates. A small typo or a different domain can indicate a scam. If you’re unsure, reach out directly to the company using contact information from their official website.

5. Keep software updated: Ensure your devices and antivirus software are up to date. Regular updates often include security patches that protect against vulnerabilities that scammers might exploit. Keeping your software current is a critical step in safeguarding your digital assets.

6. Consider using a data removal service: Personal data removal services can help scrub your personal information from the web, making it harder for scammers to target you with personalized phishing attempts. By reducing your digital footprint, you can significantly decrease the chances of being targeted by malicious actors.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your personal data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Remember, in the world of crypto, vigilance is your best friend. If you’re ever unsure about an email or offer, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. Don’t hesitate to reach out to official support channels. Stay safe out there, and may your crypto wallets always be full (and scam-free).

Do you believe that cryptocurrency companies are doing enough to protect investors from scams and security threats, or do you think more stringent regulations and measures are needed? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.