Top 10 Noteworthy Technology News in April 2023

ChatGPT has always been one of the hottest topics since its launch a few months ago. ChatGPT - short for Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer, a chatbot developed by OpenAI. Just 2 months after its launch, ChatGPT reached 100 million users worldwide, while it took TikTok 9 months to achieve a similar number.

However, in March 2023, the entire OpenAI system had to temporarily shut down after users reported numerous errors in the software. Therefore, on April 11 this year, OpenAI launched the 'Bug Bounty Program' to encourage users to report security vulnerabilities, information leaks, or other issues. Depending on the severity of the bug and the accuracy of the report, users can receive rewards of up to $20,000 (equivalent to 470 million VND).

Artificial intelligence in general and ChatGPT in particular is a tool to increase productivity in work and life. Being a tool, it may encounter errors. Because it is still in development, ChatGPT may face unexpected issues. One way to fix errors and contribute to making ChatGPT more perfect is to let users discover them while using and report them to the development team.

April 18 is marked as the launch date for the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, hailed as one of the Chinese company's flagship phones in 2023.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra boasts a camera setup rivaling professional cameras. Equipped with a new lens system named Leica Vario-Summicron, photos become sharp and every detail incredibly lifelike. The main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture, enhances low-light sensitivity, and af/3.0 for long-range photography.

According to leaked information, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra features a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a 4,900mAh battery, it's ready for all tasks, lasting throughout a workday without the need for recharging. The 90W fast charger minimizes charging time. The expected price in the populous market is around 6,300 CNY (over 21 million VND) for the 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage version.

YouTube Premium is the upgraded service by YouTube that allows users to enjoy uninterrupted hours of captivating videos without being interrupted by annoying ads. Recently, YouTube Premium has officially launched in the Vietnamese market, attracting a lot of attention from users.

For only 49,000 VND per month for Vietnamese accounts, users can experience fantastic services, including ad-free video watching, free offline downloads, background play while using other apps, access to original YouTube content, and connection to YouTube Music Premium. Moreover, successful sign-ups receive one month of free usage.

Currently, YouTube Premium offers three main subscription packages:

• Individual: For 1 user account, priced at 79,000 VND/month
• Family: For up to 6 family members, priced at 149,000 VND/month
• Student: For 1 student, priced at 49,000 VND/month

ChatGPT, a product from OpenAI - the company from the United States, has been making waves worldwide. Recently, on April 7th, Alibaba Cloud unveiled an AI named Tongyi Qianwen - considered the latest competitor to ChatGPT in the Chinese market. Created from a large language model combined with machine learning training similar to ChatGPT, this AI can answer simple to complex questions on various topics.

Prior to Alibaba, Baidu also released an AI with similar usage and functionality to ChatGPT, but its performance did not receive high praise from users, leading to a significant decline in the company's stock. A Chinese user conducted a comparison test between ChatGPT and Tongyi Qianwen, and the results showed that for Chinese ideograms, ChatGPT faced many difficulties, while Tongyi Qianwen delivered more impressive results in areas such as content creation. The launch of this super AI from Alibaba is a strategic move from the populous country in direct competition with ChatGPT.

On March 29th, the OPPO Find N2 Flip was officially launched in the Vietnamese market. This event has attracted a lot of attention from both the online community and tech enthusiasts. With strong specifications, an attractive appearance, and high-quality selfie camera collaboration with the world's leading camera brand Hasselblad, it's no wonder that the OPPO Find N2 Flip has garnered such attention.

After extensive research and testing, OPPO introduced a foldable phone that minimizes fold marks to the maximum, providing a smoother experience for users. Additionally, the advanced hinge technology enhances the phone's durability. With AMOLED screen technology and a large size, the slim screen border brings a more luxurious feel to the device, optimizing the display space.

Currently, the OPPO Find N2 Flip is officially available for purchase at authorized retailers of OPPO products with a price tag of under 20 million VND. Hurry up to get one and enjoy attractive promotions!

In recent days, on tech forums and Facebook groups, rumors have been circulating about a phone call from a number named FlashAI. Many posts claim that just by listening for three seconds, bank accounts will 'take off,' personal information will be exposed, and hackers can infiltrate users' phones. Many people have expressed extreme fear despite no official source confirming these claims.

However, recently, tech expert Ngô Minh Hiếu clarified that this information is entirely unfounded and false. Most posts on this topic are merely created for engagement. According to the expert, calls like FlashAI are mostly from virtual phone numbers, but they don't have the power to steal user data or money. Users will only lose money if they follow the caller's instructions, such as pressing keys like 1, 2.

The expert further analyzes: 'In addition, users are lured into clicking on phishing links, downloading files with the risk of stealing information, or being induced to financial investment or executing money transfer orders according to the caller's instructions.' Therefore, to ensure the safety of personal information and data, never click on suspicious links or download files with potential viruses.

Midjourney - an AI created to bring suggested ideas to life through beautiful, otherworldly paintings. Users input their ideas for a painting, and Midjourney transforms those concepts into unique digital artworks based on the provided suggestions.

It's noteworthy that the company behind the recent AI sensation consists of just 11 individuals and is currently expanding its team. Midjourney's CEO, David Holz, was a co-founder of Leap Motion and has a background as a NASA researcher.

Midjourney has turned hundreds of thousands of ideas into captivating paintings, widely shared across art forums. Many young artists praise the AI for its 'artistic' and impressive creations. Additionally, a unique aspect is that even with similar input ideas, Midjourney produces different results each time. Many artists express concerns about the potential replacement by AI. However, Midjourney is still in development, and its artworks are not yet perfected, making it unable to fully replace human creativity at this moment.

Twitter is a free online social networking service with the iconic blue bird logo, allowing users to read tweets, send messages, and share useful information. Established in 2006 in California, USA, Twitter was acquired by billionaire Elon Musk for $44 billion in 2022.

Recently, with the action of whitewashing the letter 'W' on the Twitter signage at Twitter's headquarters in the US, and at the same time, the billionaire posted a status on the Twitter social network on April 11 with just a single letter: 'X,' making many users curious about its meaning. According to the revelation in a document related to the lawsuit between Twitter and political activist Laura Loomer, X Corp merged with Twitter Inc on April 4, meaning Twitter will disappear.

Elon Musk further stated that he intends to turn X Corp into an integrated app similar to China's WeChat: from online payments, flight bookings, messaging to functioning as a social network.

Bigo Live, the online streaming platform owned by BIGO Technology based in Singapore, with half a billion downloads, is considered a worthy competitor to TikTok. However, since April 8, many iPhone users reported that they couldn't access the Bigo Live app on the App Store, while it remained available on Android devices.

Some users speculate that the recent surge in videos with offensive content, violating Apple's rules, led to its removal from the App Store. Additionally, there are various rumors surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Bigo Live, yet no official information has been released by the manufacturer or Apple.

On the evening of April 10, the official fan page of Bigo Live in Vietnam responded to iPhone users' concerns, stating that this is a technical issue. 'The Bigo technical team is working to fix the issue and will inform the community as soon as it's resolved' - the fan page mentioned.

In recent days, people across the country are rushing to standardize phone subscriber information to align with the National Population Database. Mobile network operators have been actively sending messages to users, urging them to promptly standardize their information as requested.

Until March 31, non-registered SIM cards were unilaterally locked. To unlock them, customers need to visit the network provider's branch for guidance on standardizing information or use a designated application. However, as of April 11, there are still over one million subscribers nationwide facing one-way SIM lock. If the information is not standardized by April 15, network providers plan to proceed with two-way lock. One month after the two-way SIM lock, the numbers will be reclaimed.

Explaining the phenomenon of many people not standardizing their SIM cards, there are several reasons such as: Not paying attention to phone notifications and missing the information, considering the number as secondary and unnecessary, the previous owner of the SIM card cannot be found, etc.