Top Tech News Today November 9 Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Hospitalised Signal May Let Users Sign Up Without Phone Numbers

Apple Co-Founder Hospitalised In Mexico City

Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, has been reportedly hospitalised in Mexico City, according to a source from the organizers of the World Business Forum (WBF), where he was participating, says a report by CNN En Español. Wozniak, known as “Woz” in Silicon Valley, is the tech mastermind behind the initial Apple computers, collaborating with Steve Jobs to kickstart and expand the company. His renowned designs, the Apple I and Apple II computers, reshaped personal computing, solidifying Apple’s position as an industry frontrunner.

Signal To Let Users Sign Up Without Phone Numbers

Signal, the encrypted messaging platform, is experimenting with using usernames for accounts, eliminating the necessity of sharing phone numbers to connect within the app. This is similar to what we have seen Telegram doing. According to Jim O’Leary, the Vice President of engineering at Signal, the integration of usernames into Signal has been an ongoing effort for some time, acknowledging, “It is no secret that we’ve been working on bringing usernames to Signal.”

OpenAI Outage Due To DDoS Attack

ChatGPT parent OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, faced a DDoS attack impacting AI chatbot ChatGPT and its developer tools, causing intermittent outages. The service, after experiencing disruptions, has now resumed operations. Users trying to access ChatGPT over the past 24 hours were greeted with messages indicating its capacity limits. Later, the firm mentioned that a solution had been applied and stated, “We are observing the outcomes.” Initially, Altman attributed the problem to high traffic generated by the newly introduced features unveiled during the company’s developer conference earlier in the week.

Video Chat Platform Omegle Shuts Down

Omegle, the live video chat platform that faced big controversy following a 2021 BBC investigation revealing children exposing themselves to strangers on the site, has closed its operations after 15 years. Established in 2009 by Leif K-Brooks, an 18-year-old programmer and high school student at the time, the website has ceased its services. According to reports, Omegle connects individuals randomly for virtual video and text conversations, asserting its moderation while also hosting thousands of users from India.

Discord Now Giving Nitro Subscription Free 

Discord, the global communications app, is enhancing its Nitro subscription by introducing new and exclusive benefits, enabling members to personalize their presence and express themselves more vividly on the platform. Discord is providing its Nitro membership free of charge to non-Nitro users for a trial period of up to two weeks. Whether it’s a dedicated Discord user seeking to elevate their experience or a newcomer looking to customize their profile, individuals have the opportunity until November 13 to explore the two-week Nitro trial and discover all the additional perks available.

Amazon Cuts Jobs Within Music Division

Retail behemoth Amazon.com has initiated job cuts within its Music division, as stated by the company, marking the latest in a series of layoffs affecting over 27,000 employees of the firm in the past year. As per reports, employees in Latin America, North America, and Europe were notified of their job eliminations on Wednesday. An Amazon spokesperson, responding to news agency Reuters, confirmed the layoffs but refrained from specifying the exact number of affected employees. Stating a focus on customer priorities and the long-term health of their businesses, the spokesperson mentioned: “Some roles within the Amazon Music team have been removed. We remain committed to investing in Amazon Music.”