Today, we are focusing on AI in your health routine and the gadgets in your house. OpenAI is launching a feature allowing users to sync Apple Health and medical records with ChatGPT. It gives users personalized context for reviewing medications and lab results. Proton’s latest report highlights how modern TVs silently track screen content via chipset-level Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). It operates by default and avoiding it is a nightmare. Following backlash over background installations pushing McAfee ads on UltraGear monitors, Microsoft intervened, prompting LG to disable the intrusive pop-ups.
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Top Stories
Smart TVs use automatic content recognition to silently track everything you watch by default, sending your viewing data to manufacturers and advertisers even if you never use their smart features.
Your smart TV may know far more about your viewing habits than you realize, even if you rarely use its smart features. In a new privacy explainer, Proton warns that many modern TVs quietly collect data about everything displayed on the screen and share it with manufacturers, advertisers, and analytics companies.
The worrying part is that escaping this tracking is becoming increasingly difficult because many privacy controls are buried deep in settings or enabled by default. Proton argues that buying a smart TV today often means accepting a level of surveillance that most people never knowingly signed up for.
Smart TVs rely on a technology called Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR. ACR runs at the chipset level and is typically switched on by default, so it works even if you’ve never used your TV’s smart features. This is where the situation becomes pretty grim. Proton says the simplest fix is to keep your TV offline entirely and feed content through a device you control, like a media box or home server over HDMI.
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LG monitors were quietly installing a McAfee pop-up ad app on Windows PCs, and the company says it will remove the unwanted bloatware.
LG has agreed to disable a pop-up advertisement for McAfee software across its monitors after intervention from Microsoft. The issue was highlighted by tech experts and LG TV owners, who reported that at least eight LG UltraGear monitors were automatically installing an "LG Monitor App Install" program without user permission upon connecting to a Windows PC.
This background installation recommended additional software and displayed promotional pop-ups for McAfee's Scam Detector. The incident sparked public criticism accusing LG of embedding bloatware and adware into its hardware, leading some users to advise against purchasing LG displays. Microsoft executive Pavan Davuluri confirmed LG's commitment to removing the McAfee pop-ups, praising the collaboration toward improving user experience across ecosystem partners.
The situation was pretty shady, as multiple users say the McAfee software was installed even without clicking on a pop-up message. "We’ve connected with the team at LG, and as an immediate next step, they have agreed to disable the McAfee pop-up from their app,” says Microsoft EVP for Windows and Devices, Pavan Davuluri.
ChatGPT's new Health feature lets U.S. users connect Apple Health data and medical records for more personalized responses to health questions.
OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT into a new category with the launch of Health in ChatGPT, a feature that allows users to securely connect health information from Apple Health and supported medical records. The feature is rolling out to users in the United States and is designed to help people ask health-related questions with more personalized context, instead of relying on isolated conversations.
According to OpenAI, more than 300 million people use ChatGPT every week for health-related queries, ranging from understanding lab reports to preparing for doctor appointments. The new feature aims to bring that information together inside ChatGPT while keeping users in control of what data is shared and when it can be accessed.
Once connected, ChatGPT can reference that information when answering questions, helping users understand changes in their health, review medications, or discuss information from recent medical visits. Users can also update their health profile by adding conditions, medications and family medical history directly within ChatGPT.
Quick Hits
Computing
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Mobile
Samsung's next foldable might finally solve the battery problem that's dogged the Fold line for years. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is reportedly moving to a silicon-carbon battery. That switch matters. (More)
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup is being redesigned as the company prepares to take on the anticipated first foldable iPhone, according to Samsung EVP Jay Kim. (More)
Apple's financed iPhones could be locked down to just nine apps if payments fall behind, according to code spotted in the iOS 17 beta. (More)
Gaming
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is coming in December, and Square Enix has revealed a fresh batch of the weird, wild creatures you'll be collecting. (More)
Grim Dawn's Fangs of Asterkarn expansion gives the decade-old action RPG a fresh lease on life, adding a crow wizard mastery that's hard to resist. (More)
Xbox Cloud Gaming is getting a free, ad-supported tier in testing, letting Xbox Insiders stream games they own in one-hour sessions after watching ads. (More)
Insomniac's Wolverine game confirms Logan is properly short this time (More)
Entertainment
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil adaptation just got a full trailer, and it looks like the Barbarian director's darkly funny horror sensibility might finally give the franchise the film it deserves. (More)
Dark Horse's new D&D comic series kicks off in November with Volo and Tasha facing legendary dragons, and each issue will include in-game stats to use them at your table. (More)
Prime Video is about to look different, and the change runs deeper than the layout. (More)
AI
Indiana businesses are turning to AI to bolster their security systems, from threat detection to access control. (More)
Smart Home
Alexa Plus just picked up support for a bunch of new smart home brands, including Bosch, Ecobacs, iRobot, and Whirlpool. The bigger deal is how it handles them. (More)
Final Bits
Xbox is testing ads that stream games for free
Halo: Combat Evolved hides skulls on the Pillar of Autumn
Ubisoft CEO shrugs off PlayStation's disc-free future
Black Ops 2 reminds players what fair monetization feels like
Palworld's new end-game boss is destroying unprepared players
EA Sports FC 27 has a new $150 Ultimate Plus Edition
Epic Games Store has new free PC games this week
Avatar: Seven Havens trailer hints Korra may be history's villain
Pixel 11 series press renders leak all colors ahead of August reveal