Philips Hue is expanding its outdoor smart lighting lineup with a new model called Dymera that beams both up and down, allowing dramatic effects for your home's exterior (or interior). The lights feature a black design and two individually controllable beams, letting you set illumination and individual colors for each using the Philips Hue app. You can also use the app's scene gallery to create a more cohesive look. The Dymera lights go on sale February 27 for $220.
The brand (now under the Signify umbrella) also launched the Philips Hue pendant cord ($50, February 2024) designed to work with the Philips Hue filament bulbs. The idea is to create a lighting feature above a coffee or dining table, for instance, with colors and light levels controlled by the Philips Hue app. It's 3D printed with with bio-circular materials and comes in black or white and two sizes to best match your decor.
Philips Hue
Also new are a couple of Perifo connectors ($35, April 2024) that expand what you can do with your track lighting. The Perifo T connector lets rails run in three different directions to illuminate a room, with the Perifo flexible connector gives you complete control over the shape of the track, letting rails run in any direction beyond the normal 90-degree angles.
Along with those new products, Philips Hue added new black and white color options to the Being ceiling light, while adding three new color visions of the Philips Hue Go portable table lamp. The company also announced that its Philips Hue Secure camera starter kit and the Philips Hue Secure floodlight camera are now available. That kit includes the Philips Hue Secure wired camera, two Philips Hue Secure contact sensors, two Philips Hue bulbs and a Philips Hue Bridge to control all the devices. (For a complete list of all the new products, click here.)
Finally, Philips Hue said it would update the Hue app's security center in the first half of 2024, adding push notifications, automatic light and sound alarms and Alexa and Google Home compatibility.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/philips-hues-new-outdoor-dymera-wall-lights-beam-up-and-down-084242610.html?src=rss
Black holes are one of the most powerful forces in the universe, but we had never seen one until the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team released the first image back in 2019. Now, the EHT Collaboration has released the most detailed image yet of the same M87 black hole, created with the aid of an additional telescope and independent data from 2018, that better displays the insane physics behind these supermassive objects.
The first image was captured in 2017 (it takes a long time to process the data) using eight high-altitude telescopes from locations including Chile and Antarctica. The complex technique required the synchronization of atomic clocks, use of the Earth's rotation and processing of petabytes of RAW telescope data. The result was slightly fuzzy, but clearly showed the expected "donut" with the black hole at the center and accretion disk made of matter inhaled from nearby stars.
However, the EHT collaboration captured another image a year later using an additional telescope in Greenland. That "significantly" improved the image fidelity, particularly in the north-south direction, according to the EHT. One of the original platforms, The Large Millimeter Telescope, also gained sensitivity by using its full 50 meter surface for the first time. The teams also introduced new data analysis techniques that boosted accuracy.
The result is a sharper and brighter image that also clearly shows the Doppler/Einstein effects that cause a black hole to appear to be brighter on one side. That bright spot actually shifted to the right between the capture of the two images.
"The biggest change, that the brightness peak shifted around the ring, is actually something we predicted when we published the first results in 2019," said Dr. Britt Jeter from Taiwan's ASIAA. "While general relativity says the ring size should stay pretty fixed, the emission from the turbulent, messy accretion disk around the black hole will cause the brightest part of the ring to wobble around a common center. The amount of wobble we see over time is something we can use to test our theories for the magnetic field and plasma environment around the black hole."
The new image also shows that the science behind the image technique is sound and reproduceable. "Confirmation of the ring in a completely new data set is a huge milestone for our collaboration and a strong indication that we are looking at a black hole shadow and the material orbiting around it," said Dr. Keiichi Asada from ASIAA.
The EHT Collaboration will continue to advance the science with new observations set for the first half of 2024. At that time, scientists hope to capture multiple images to create the first "video" of a black hole to show its chaotic movements. As before, it could take several years (and the participation of many scientists) to get the final result.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-extract-the-sharpest-image-of-a-black-hole-yet-131003088.html?src=rss
Last December the state of New Mexico sued Meta for failing to protect children, claiming that Facebook and Instagram algorithms recommended sexual content to minors. Now, an unredacted internal Meta presentation has been revealed, with the company's own employees estimating that 100,000 child users were harassed daily, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to a 2021 internal document, Facebook's "People You May Know" (PMYK) algorithm was singled out as a primary connector of children to predators. When employees reported those findings to Meta executives, they reportedly rejected recommendations that the algorithm be redesigned to stop recommending adults to minors.
The feature was responsible for 75 percent of all inappropriate adult-minor contact, according to one employee. "How on earth have we not just turned off PYMK between adults and children?" another employee said. "It's really, really upsetting," added another.
The issues were particularly insidious on Instagram, according to an internal 2020 memo, with "sex talk" 38 times more prevalent on that platform than Facebook Messenger in the US. In one case an Apple executive reported that his 12-year-old child was solicited on Instagram. "This is the kind of thing that pisses Apple off to the extend of threat[en]ing to remove us from the App Store," said an employee charged with addressing the issue.
New Mexico claims that Meta has failed to address large-scale predation on its platform, particularly around recommendation algorithms. State investigators originally set up phony accounts for children, providing adult dates of birth, as kids often misstate their ages to access online services that they're not supposed to. Then, they implied that the accounts were being used by children, with one posting about a lost baby tooth and starting seventh grade. The suit alleged that, among other things, the accounts were sent child sex images and offers to pay for sex.
The state further alleges that Meta leaders didn't take action to limit adult predation on minors until late 2022, and still stopped short of strict measure recommended by safety staff. Instead it, only attempted to block suggestions to adults who previously demonstrated suspicious behavior toward children. However, according to a Meta study, 99 percent of accounts disabled for grooming children failed to state their age.
Meta recently introduced measures for teen users on Instagram and Facebook, including stopping non-followers from messaging them and blocking offensive comments. On top of the New Mexico complaint, Meta is facing lawsuits from 41 states complaining it harms the mental health of its youngest users. Another recently unsealed complaint filed by 33 states alleges that Meta "coveted and pursued" users under the age of 13 and has been dishonest about how it handles underage users' accounts when they're discovered.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebook-and-instagrams-algorithms-facilitated-child-sexual-harassment-state-lawsuit-claims-095314139.html?src=rss
After making a cameo appearance in the Osmo Pocket 3 camera, DJI's Mic 2 wireless microphone system has officially arrived with some nice upgrades over its popular predecessor. It can now connect directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth, while also offering improved internal recording quality, AI noise reduction, a bigger touchscreen, easier control and more.
The transmitters come in grey with a new see-through design and DJI introduced a white color option as well. They're slightly smaller than before, but largely resemble their predecessors with a clip, magnetic mount and 3.5mm mic input. The power and link buttons are now on the same side and round instead of oblong, with the record button and USB-C input on the other side.
DJI
In one welcome change, DJI moved the power-on LED to the sides, rather than near the front as before, where it would annoyingly appear on camera. The DJI logo is front and center, though, so you'll still need a piece of black tape to cover that up.
The receiver has changed substantially, with a larger 1.1-inch touchscreen and a new thumbwheel to make adjustments easier. DJI has made connecting the transmitter directly to your phone simpler as well via included USB-C and Lightning adapters.
A big plus of the Mic 2 over other kits like the Rode wireless Go 2 is the charging case that's sold with the two-transmitter kit. It now supports up to 18 hours of use on a charge, up from 15 before, and the transmitters have been upgraded from 5.5 to six hours.
DJI
Topping the list of new features is direct Bluetooth connection support, letting you pair a transmitter mic to your phone (or DJI's Osmo Pocket 3 and Action Cam 4) without the need for a receiver. That'll allow creators on a budget to purchase a transmitter mic by itself for $99, or add DJI's Lavalier Mic for an additional $35.
Linking a phone is relatively easy — hold the record button for three seconds to put it in Bluetooth mode, then press and hold the link button for two seconds. From there, your phone should detect the transmitter. It worked great with my Pixel 7a, even though it's not on the approved list, and I was able to start recording video with much better quality audio, to say the least.
There are a couple of caveats: the AI noise cancelling feature doesn't work when connected to a smartphone and you can only use one transmitter at a time. If you have the transmitter/receiver combo, though, you can also get audio by connecting the receiver directly to your phone as before.
DJI
Speaking of, the Mic 2 has a couple of improvements in audio quality. It promises "brighter and more natural sounding voices" for the interviews or standup work where it's mainly used. And though the original DJI Mic supported internal recording as a backup to camera files, it now captures that at higher 32-bit float quality, letting you max out gain without fearing distortion. It also supports a higher acoustic overload point (AOP), up to 120 dB from 114 dB, meaning you'll see less distortion on higher audio levels.
The other quality trick is AI noise cancelling, allowing the Mic 2 to lower the environmental noise so vocals stand out better. DJI promises that it works in "complex and noisy environments, such as streets and restaurants."
A full review is to come, but I tried out the Mic 2 in a variety of situations, including inside a car, riding on a bicycle and in a howling wind. It performed well in nearly all those situations, with all distracting noise blocked in the car and bike shots, leaving just some pleasant environmental sound. However, it was unable to block out a direct 30-40 MPH wind on a sand dune, even with the included wind muff installed. It still worked well enough for me to get the shot, though, which was impressive.
DJI
Key features carrying over from the last model include the option for a safety track recorded at a lower -6 dB (in case you accidentally blow out the levels), an 820 foot range with the transmitter/receiver combo (524 feet in the EU), magnetic clips and a muff for each transmitter. For the receiver, DJI has also included preset gains for different cameras so that it'll work relatively well out of the box. It doesn't include all recent cameras, so hopefully firmware updates will address that.
With the new options, particularly the smartphone Bluetooth connectivity and Osmo Pocket 3/Action 4 support, the Mic 2 is again likely to strike a chord with creators. It's now available for $349 with two transmitters, a receiver and charging case, $219 for a transmitter and receiver and $99 for individual transmitters. You can also purchase the charging case separately for $69.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-mic-2-now-records-high-quality-audio-to-your-smartphone-via-bluetooth-130018964.html?src=rss
Google has finally copied the homework of its other GPS app Waze, adding support for Bluetooth beacons so you can navigate in tunnels or other satellite dead zones, 9to5Google has reported. The feature has rolled out widely on Google Maps for Android, though is still missing in the iOS version.
As a reminder, Bluetooth beacons are designed to give you navigation and traffic info underground where GPS signals can't get through. Also known as Waze Beacons, they're "battery-operated, low-energy micro-controller hardware that sends a one-way signal to a user's phone or tablet" without capturing any data from the user, according to Google. They're installed underground in a number of cities include New York City, Paris, Sydney, Rio and elsewhere. Waze first launched the feature in 2016.
Steve Dent/Engadget
The function isn't enabled by default, so here's how to turn it on. In Maps, go to Settings > Navigation Settings and then find the "Driving Options" near the bottom of the list. Under those, you'll see Bluetooth tunnel beacons (provided you have the latest version), and you can toggle that on.
The feature first started showing up for some beta and other users in October 2023, but is now in the primary release. It should smooth navigation considerably, particularly in tricky tunnels with multiple lanes and exits. It's the latest in a flurry of new features that include EV charging information, AI capabilities, Immersive View and more.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-maps-finally-adds-wazes-in-tunnel-navigation-feature-130051819.html?src=rss
AT&T is raising its Unlimited plan prices a bit on March 5, 2024, though users will at least get more hotspot data, CNET has reported. Prices for all plans are going up by 99 cents per line per month, but users on AT&T's old Unlimited Elite plan will see no change.
The new plans are now up on AT&T's website, showing the Unlimited Starter SL plan (replacing the old Unlimited Starter plan) now priced at $65.99, but offering 5GB of hotspot data, up from 3GB. The Unlimited Extra is now the Unlimited Extra EL plan, and costs $75.99 per month with 30GB of hotspot data rather than 15GB. Finally, the new Unlimited Premium PL option supersedes the old Unlimited Premium plan and bumps the hotspot data by 10GB to 60GB (all prices are for one user).
The company is also boosting the price of its Value Plus VL (previously Value Plus) plan by 99 cents to $50.99. Hotspot data still isn't permitted, but you're now allowed up to 10 lines instead of just one.
"We are bringing new benefits and added value to our best Unlimited plans," a spokesperson told CNET in a statement. "Customers on our current Unlimited Starter, Extra, Premium and Value Plus plans will receive the additional benefits starting in March [presumably along with the higher rate]. Existing customers will be notified of these changes in the coming days and will have several weeks prior to the effective date to update their plan or make other changes if they'd like to."
AT&T's Unlimited plans compare to T-Mobile's Go5G plans and Verizon's MyPlan options. All get considerably cheaper as you add lines, and include perks like Netflix, Disney and other subscriptions. Last year, the United States ranked 219th in global mobile data affordability, or 19th worst in the world, just ahead of the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/att-is-slightly-raising-the-price-of-its-unlimited-plans-131012933.html?src=rss
AT&T is raising its Unlimited plan prices a bit on March 5, 2024, though users will at least get more hotspot data, CNET has reported. Prices for all plans are going up by 99 cents per line per month, but users on AT&T's old Unlimited Elite plan will see no change.
The new plans are now up on AT&T's website, showing the Unlimited Starter SL plan (replacing the old Unlimited Starter plan) now priced at $65.99, but offering 5GB of hotspot data, up from 3GB. The Unlimited Extra is now the Unlimited Extra EL plan, and costs $75.99 per month with 30GB of hotspot data rather than 15GB. Finally, the new Unlimited Premium PL option supersedes the old Unlimited Premium plan and bumps the hotspot data by 10GB to 60GB (all prices are for one user).
The company is also boosting the price of its Value Plus VL (previously Value Plus) plan by 99 cents to $50.99. Hotspot data still isn't permitted, but you're now allowed up to 10 lines instead of just one.
"We are bringing new benefits and added value to our best Unlimited plans," a spokesperson told CNET in a statement. "Customers on our current Unlimited Starter, Extra, Premium and Value Plus plans will receive the additional benefits starting in March [presumably along with the higher rate]. Existing customers will be notified of these changes in the coming days and will have several weeks prior to the effective date to update their plan or make other changes if they'd like to."
AT&T's Unlimited plans compare to T-Mobile's Go5G plans and Verizon's MyPlan options. All get considerably cheaper as you add lines, and include perks like Netflix, Disney and other subscriptions. Last year, the United States ranked 219th in global mobile data affordability, or 19th worst in the world, just ahead of the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/att-is-slightly-raising-the-price-of-its-unlimited-plans-131012933.html?src=rss
Nikon has taken its imaging and AI prowess in a unexpected direction with a new system that can warn farmers when a cow is about to give birth, Kyodo News has reported. It's designed to reduce the need to constantly check large numbers of pregnant cows during busy birthing seasons, helping farmers improve efficiency.
The system, which costs 900,000 yen per year ($6,200) for a farm with around 100 cows, consists of a security-style camera married to an AI system. It uses a dedicated smartphone application that sounds an alert when a calf is due, allowing farmers to spring into action if required.
Nikon started training the AI in the fall of 2021, then running proof-of-concept tests on four farms in southwestern Japan in February 2023. The system picks up on signs exhibited by pregnant cows about five hours ahead of labor, like increased movement and the beginning of the release of the calf's amniotic sac. "We want to be able to also detect when a female cow is in heat and other behavioral patterns," said Nikon's Kazuhiro Hirano.
The system apparently does the job well, according a livestock owner who participated in the tests last year. "We deliver about 60 calves per year and had to check the mothers every few hours from around a month before they are due. This system has been a great help," said Keita Higuchi.
Nikon is best known for its consumer cameras, but it also manufactures microscopes, X-Ray systems, semiconductor systems, robot vision, virtual production studios and more. The company uses AI tech to aid microscope imaging, but has also recently fought against misuse of fake AI images via new electronic watermarking technology.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nikon-made-an-ai-imaging-camera-that-detects-when-cows-are-about-to-give-birth-111509251.html?src=rss
Nikon has taken its imaging and AI prowess in a unexpected direction with a new system that can warn farmers when a cow is about to give birth, Kyodo News has reported. It's designed to reduce the need to constantly check large numbers of pregnant cows during busy birthing seasons, helping farmers improve efficiency.
The system, which costs 900,000 yen per year ($6,200) for a farm with around 100 cows, consists of a security-style camera married to an AI system. It uses a dedicated smartphone application that sounds an alert when a calf is due, allowing farmers to spring into action if required.
Nikon started training the AI in the fall of 2021, then running proof-of-concept tests on four farms in southwestern Japan in February 2023. The system picks up on signs exhibited by pregnant cows about five hours ahead of labor, like increased movement and the beginning of the release of the calf's amniotic sac. "We want to be able to also detect when a female cow is in heat and other behavioral patterns," said Nikon's Kazuhiro Hirano.
The system apparently does the job well, according a livestock owner who participated in the tests last year. "We deliver about 60 calves per year and had to check the mothers every few hours from around a month before they are due. This system has been a great help," said Keita Higuchi.
Nikon is best known for its consumer cameras, but it also manufactures microscopes, X-Ray systems, semiconductor systems, robot vision, virtual production studios and more. The company uses AI tech to aid microscope imaging, but has also recently fought against misuse of fake AI images via new electronic watermarking technology.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nikon-made-an-ai-imaging-camera-that-detects-when-cows-are-about-to-give-birth-111509251.html?src=rss
LG is already one of the most prolific EV battery manufacturers in the US, but it wants to build the devices that charge them, too. The company just opened just opened its first EV charger manufacturing facility in the US, a 59,000 square foot plant in in Fort Worth, Texas capable of manufacturing 10,000 units per year.
The company has already started to assemble 11kW home-style chargers there and will begin producing 175kW fast chargers in the first half of 2024. It plans to built 350kW ultra-fast chargers at some point this year designed for "commercial travel and long-distance transportation," LG wrote.
The Korean company said it chose Texas as it had existing facilities there and because the state offers "excellent logistics and transportation networks and is home to major operations for companies in industries ranging from automobile manufacturing to finance" (GM, Toyota and Tesla all have vehicle assembly plants in the state).
LG
LG said it's committed to bolstering its EV charger business in Asia and Europe as well. The company, along with two partners, jumped into the game just two years ago, acquiring a South Korean EV battery charger business called AppleMango (since renamed to HiEV).
LG said at the time that the acquisition would allow it to "create synergy" with its EV battery business, along with products like energy storage and energy management systems. The company is also able to leverage its display expertise by marrying the chargers with "sturdy, dust- and water-proof" outdoor digital display units.
The move also allows LG to capitalize on a US push to build more public EV chargers. The nation currently has 169,741 charging ports (either DC fast or Level 2) across 65,113 stations, according to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. However, the Biden administration wants at least 500,000 public chargers by 2030. "By establishing our EV charger production factory in Texas, we will be able to actively respond to the rapidly growing demand for EV infrastructure in the U.S.,” said LG Business Solution president Jand Ik-hwan.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lg-just-opened-its-first-ev-charger-manufacturing-plant-in-the-us-091542381.html?src=rss