Monthly Archives: November 2023

Microsoft will let Xbox game makers use AI tools for story design and NPCs

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Xbox has teamed up with a startup called Inworld AI to create a generative AI toolset that developers can use to create games. It's a multi-year collaboration, which the Microsoft-owned brand says can "assist and empower creators in dialogue, story and quest design." Specifically, the partners are looking to develop an "AI design copilot" that can turn prompts into detailed scripts, dialogue trees, quests and other game elements in the same way people can type ideas into generative AI chatbots and get detailed scripts in return. They're also going to work on an "AI character runtime engine" that developers can plug into their actual games, allowing players to generate new stories, quests and dialogues as they go. 

On Inworld's website, it says its technology can "craft characters with distinct personalities and contextual awareness that stay in-world." Apparently, it can provide developers with a "fully integrated character engine for AI NPCs that goes beyond large language models (LLMs)." The image above was from the Droid Maker tool it developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm's storytelling studio ILM Immersive when it was accepted into the Disney Accelerator program. As Kotaku notes, though, the company's tech has yet to ship with a major game release, and it has mostly been used for mods. 

Developers are understandably wary about these upcoming tools. There are growing concerns among creatives about companies using their work to train generative AI without permission — a group of authors, including John Grisham and George R.R. Martin, even sued OpenAI, accusing the company of infringing on their copyright. And then, of course, there's the ever-present worry that developers could decide to lay off writers and designers to cut costs. 

Xbox believes, however, that these tools can "help make it easier for developers to realize their visions, try new things, push the boundaries of gaming today and experiment to improve gameplay, player connection and more." In the brand's announcement, Haiyan Zhang, General Manager of Gaming AI, said: "We will collaborate and innovate with game creators inside Xbox studios as well as third-party studios as we develop the tools that meet their needs and inspire new possibilities for future games."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-will-let-xbox-game-makers-use-ai-tools-for-story-design-and-npcs-083027899.html?src=rss

How to improve iPhone battery life with iOS 17

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iPhone battery life

This guide is designed to show you how to optimize iPhone battery life with iOS 17. With the advent of iOS 17, iPhone users have a plethora of new features and improvements at their fingertips. However, amidst these advancements, battery longevity remains a paramount concern for many. Fortunately, iOS 17 offers a suite of options […]

The post How to improve iPhone battery life with iOS 17 appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

New Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming monitor now available

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Samsung Odyssey Ark

The new second-generation Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming monitor is now available to purchase in the USA, the device comes with a 55-inch 4K UHD display that can be rotated and used in both portrait and landscape modes. The updated Odyssey Ark gaming monitor was made official back in August and the second-generation device comes with […]

The post New Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming monitor now available appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

Final Cut Pro uses Apple’s new M3 chips to improve face and object tracking

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75 / 65M3-equipped MacBook Pros, the company will soon be releasing an update for Final Cut Pro to make further use of its own silicon. According to the company, its updated video editing suite will leverage a new machine learning model for improved results with object and face tracking. Additionally, H.264 and HEVC encoding will apparently be faster, thanks to enhanced simultaneous processing by Apple silicon's media engines.

On the user experience side, the new Final Cut Pro comes with automatic timeline scrolling, as well as the option to simplify a selected group of overlapping connected clips into a single storyline, and the ability to combine connected clips with existing connected storylines. 

On Final Cut Pro for iPad, meanwhile, users can take advantage of the new voiceover recording tool, added color-grading presets, new titles, general workflow improvements and stabilization tool in the pro camera mode. Both the Mac and iPad Final Cut Pro updates will be available later this month.

With Logic Pro's new Quick Sampler Recorder mode, users can create sampler instruments from virtually any sound using the iPad's built-in microphone or a connected audio input.
With Logic Pro's new Quick Sampler Recorder mode, users can create sampler instruments from any sound using the iPad's built-in microphone or a connected audio input.
Apple

For those who need to focus on music creation, Apple has also updated Logic Pro with some handy new tools. For both the Mac and iPad versions, there's a new Mastering Assistant, which claims to help polish your audio mix by analyzing and tweaking "the dynamics, frequency balance, timbre, and loudness." You can use this tool to refine your mix at any point throughout the creation process. To avoid digital clipping and to boost low-level sensitivity, both flavors of Logic Pro now supports 32-bit float recording when used with compatible audio interfaces.

If you're a fan of "Sample Alchemy" — a sample-to-instrument tool — and "Beat Breaker" — an audio multi-effect plug-in — on Logic Pro for iPad, you'll be pleased to know that both features have been ported over to Logic Pro for Mac. Similarly, the Mac app has gained two free sound packs, "Hybrid Textures" and "Vox Melodics," which can be found in the Sound Library. Some may also find the new "Slip" and "Rotate" tools in the "Tool" menu useful.

Meanwhile, the updated Logic Pro for iPad promises an improved multi-tasking experience. The app now supports iPadOS' "Split View" and "Stage Manager," thus letting you quickly drag and drop audio samples from another app — such as Voice Memos, Files or a browser — into Logic Pro. There's also a new "Quick Sampler" recorder plug-in for easily creating sampler instruments from any sound, via the iPad's built-in microphone or a connected audio input. This update is available immediately, along with a handful of related in-app lessons.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/final-cut-pro-uses-apples-latest-chips-to-improve-face-and-object-tracking-065025314.html?src=rss

Lucid EVs will be able to access Tesla’s Superchargers starting in 2025

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Lucid's electric vehicles will be able to plug into over 15,000 Tesla Superchargers in North America starting in 2025. The automaker is the latest entry in the growing list of companies pledging to support the North American Charging Standard (NACS), also known as the Tesla charging standard. Lucid will give customers access to a NACS adapter for its current vehicles, which are equipped with the Combined Charging System (CCS), in 2025. The company intends to start building NACS ports into its EVs within the same year, as well, so that newer models no longer need to use adapters.

Ford was the first automaker to announce this year that it was going to give its customers access to Superchargers after the White House convinced Tesla to share its charging network with vehicles from other companies. In the months after that, Mercedes, Volvo, Polestar, Honda, Toyota (and Lexus), BMW, Hyundai and Subaru revealed that they will also give their customers access to NACS adapters and will ultimately incorporate the standard into their vehicles over the next two years. 

As TechCrunch notes, Lucid vehicles use a 900-volt charging architecture, which became the basis of a Lucid Air promotion that called it the "fastest charging electric vehicle ever." At the moment, most Superchargers are rated at around 500 volts, and that means charging times won't be as fast as the company promises. That said, Tesla has started deploying V4 Superchargers that offer higher voltage charging in the US, and supporting NACS could convince potential customers in the region to purchase Lucid EVs. As company CEO Peter Rawlinson said, "[a]dopting NACS is an important next step to providing [its] customers with expanded access to reliable and convenient charging solutions for their Lucid vehicles."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lucid-evs-will-be-able-to-access-teslas-superchargers-starting-in-2025-055045292.html?src=rss

WeWork files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

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There has been another twist in the WeWork saga as the office space rental company has filed for bankruptcy protection. Following reports last week that the company was expected to file for Chapter 11 protection, WeWork's shares were halted on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Monday. According to The New York Times, it described its bankruptcy filing as a "comprehensive reorganization" of its business. "As part of today’s filing, WeWork is requesting the ability to reject the leases of certain locations, which are largely nonoperational, and all affected members have received advanced notice," the company told the publication in a statement. 

A number of factors played into WeWork's fall, including trying to grow too fast in its early days. The company has attempted to cut costs in recent years (including by closing several co-working spaces in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns) while its revenue has grown. 

However, WeWork has been toiling in a real estate market that has felt the pinch of inflation and the rising costs of borrowing money. It has also been contending with another pandemic-accelerated change as millions more people are opting to work remotely instead of going to their company's offices. In its most recent earnings report in August, WeWork said it had "substantial doubt" about its ability to remain operational.

WeWork first attempted to go public in 2019, though it withdrew plans for an initial public offering after investors expressed concerns over profitability and corporate governance. Its S-1 filing showed losses of over $900 million for the first half of 2019 and indicated that WeWork was on the hook for over $47 billion worth of lease payments — WeWork takes out long-term leases on office space and rents it to workers and companies on a short-term basis.

That fiasco led to Softbank, which at one point led an investment round into WeWork when it had a valuation of $47 billion, taking control of the company. Softbank pushed out co-founder and CEO Adam Neumann with an exit package that was said to be worth $445 million.

The business eventually went public in 2021 after it merged with a special-purpose acquisition company. WeWork shares cost more than $400 two years ago, but by Monday the price had dropped to under $1.

WeWork has made more attempts to steady the ship. In September, the company completed a reverse stock split. It said this was conducted to help it continue to comply with the $1 minimum share closing price required to stay listed on the NYSE.

Later that month, WeWork said it would try to renegotiate the vast majority of its leases. At the time, CEO David Tolley pointed out that the company's lease liabilities amounted to over two-thirds of its operating income in the second quarter of this year.

On October 31, WeWork said it would withhold some interest payments — even though it had the cash to make them — in an attempt to improve its balance sheet. The company then entered a 30-day grace period before an event of default.

Meanwhile, Neumann has a new real estate venture, this time focused on residential rentals. It emerged last year that he had bought more than 3,000 apartments in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta and Nashville. Flow, the company that will manage those properties, has reportedly received an investment of $350 million from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wework-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection-030708470.html?src=rss

Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level

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Most people probably think that training for competitive sports is just a matter of repeating a series of exercises with increasing intensity. That, however, is an extremely simplistic and quite dangerous strategy because our bodies are just machines. Knowing when to push harder and when to stop isn’t just a matter of feeling it and athletes have to rely on medical science and equipment to properly set their pace. That can be quite costly and inconvenient, especially for budding athletes or people with active lifestyles. Fortunately, you don’t need to break your wallet or become a scientist yourself just to get the information you need at the right time, thanks to this revolutionary wearable that lets you measure your muscle’s oxygen level so that you can train more efficiently and avoid injuries at the same time.

Designer: CLOMP

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

While heart rate monitors and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitors are important health indicators, they aren’t the only factors to consider when exercising, whether it’s for an upcoming competition or simply getting into shape. Oxygen saturation in muscles or SmO2 is just as critical because it’s what draws the line between just pushing the limits and fatigue. You can be breathing normally or taking in lots of oxygen, but your muscles might not actually be getting them properly. Unfortunately, this is something that can’t be accurately measured by smartwatches or trackers, and traditional methods are either too invasive or too bulky to really help athletes. That’s where CLOMP comes in, a muscle oxygen measurement device that you wear around your thigh to deliver real-time data without getting in your way.

CLOMP works by utilizing medical-grade functional near-infrared spectroscopy or fNIRS, the same technology used to monitor brain activity, oxygenation, and blood flow. It works almost in the same way as SpO2 or blood oxygen sensors that shine light through the skin and measure the reflected light to determine how much oxygen is being carried by the hemoglobin and myoglobin molecules in muscles and tissues. It’s an effective way to do non-invasive Lactate Threshold (LT) tests that tell when fatigue is about to set in.

With this information at hand, you or your coach can determine the most optimal training strategy while also reducing the risk of injury. It can even measure how much fat you’re burning by correlating muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) with O2 intake and CO2 outtake, allowing you to tailor your training intensity based on your diet and calorie goals.

Despite its advanced functionality, using CLOMP couldn’t be easier. You simply strap the exercise band or patch on your thigh and you’re literally good to go. The wearable is so lightweight and ergonomic that it won’t drag you down and add to your body’s stress. CLOMP gathers data as you train and feeds it to the CLOMP app on your connected smartphone, where this data is interpreted and presented in a way that’s easy to digest and take action on.

Like many smart health platforms today, CLOMP will be able to use this information to not only guide you but also to suggest personalized workout plans, designed with USA Triathlon certified coach Gerardo Barrios, that fit your specific body’s needs and goals.

As with many things in life, the secret to training and exercise success isn’t just a matter of working harder. You also need to be smarter and more efficient, pushing your body to the limits while reducing the risk of injuries. That requires keeping track of the different biometrics of your body, which has traditionally been costly and cumbersome to do. With the CLOMP muscle oxygen measuring device, you get a medical-grade device to get the personalized information you need in a comfortable and ergonomic wearable that helps you work your way to gold the smarter and safer way.

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

The post Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level first appeared on Yanko Design.

Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level

Posted on by

Most people probably think that training for competitive sports is just a matter of repeating a series of exercises with increasing intensity. That, however, is an extremely simplistic and quite dangerous strategy because our bodies are just machines. Knowing when to push harder and when to stop isn’t just a matter of feeling it and athletes have to rely on medical science and equipment to properly set their pace. That can be quite costly and inconvenient, especially for budding athletes or people with active lifestyles. Fortunately, you don’t need to break your wallet or become a scientist yourself just to get the information you need at the right time, thanks to this revolutionary wearable that lets you measure your muscle’s oxygen level so that you can train more efficiently and avoid injuries at the same time.

Designer: CLOMP

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

While heart rate monitors and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitors are important health indicators, they aren’t the only factors to consider when exercising, whether it’s for an upcoming competition or simply getting into shape. Oxygen saturation in muscles or SmO2 is just as critical because it’s what draws the line between just pushing the limits and fatigue. You can be breathing normally or taking in lots of oxygen, but your muscles might not actually be getting them properly. Unfortunately, this is something that can’t be accurately measured by smartwatches or trackers, and traditional methods are either too invasive or too bulky to really help athletes. That’s where CLOMP comes in, a muscle oxygen measurement device that you wear around your thigh to deliver real-time data without getting in your way.

CLOMP works by utilizing medical-grade functional near-infrared spectroscopy or fNIRS, the same technology used to monitor brain activity, oxygenation, and blood flow. It works almost in the same way as SpO2 or blood oxygen sensors that shine light through the skin and measure the reflected light to determine how much oxygen is being carried by the hemoglobin and myoglobin molecules in muscles and tissues. It’s an effective way to do non-invasive Lactate Threshold (LT) tests that tell when fatigue is about to set in.

With this information at hand, you or your coach can determine the most optimal training strategy while also reducing the risk of injury. It can even measure how much fat you’re burning by correlating muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) with O2 intake and CO2 outtake, allowing you to tailor your training intensity based on your diet and calorie goals.

Despite its advanced functionality, using CLOMP couldn’t be easier. You simply strap the exercise band or patch on your thigh and you’re literally good to go. The wearable is so lightweight and ergonomic that it won’t drag you down and add to your body’s stress. CLOMP gathers data as you train and feeds it to the CLOMP app on your connected smartphone, where this data is interpreted and presented in a way that’s easy to digest and take action on.

Like many smart health platforms today, CLOMP will be able to use this information to not only guide you but also to suggest personalized workout plans, designed with USA Triathlon certified coach Gerardo Barrios, that fit your specific body’s needs and goals.

As with many things in life, the secret to training and exercise success isn’t just a matter of working harder. You also need to be smarter and more efficient, pushing your body to the limits while reducing the risk of injuries. That requires keeping track of the different biometrics of your body, which has traditionally been costly and cumbersome to do. With the CLOMP muscle oxygen measuring device, you get a medical-grade device to get the personalized information you need in a comfortable and ergonomic wearable that helps you work your way to gold the smarter and safer way.

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

The post Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level first appeared on Yanko Design.

Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level

Posted on by

Most people probably think that training for competitive sports is just a matter of repeating a series of exercises with increasing intensity. That, however, is an extremely simplistic and quite dangerous strategy because our bodies are just machines. Knowing when to push harder and when to stop isn’t just a matter of feeling it and athletes have to rely on medical science and equipment to properly set their pace. That can be quite costly and inconvenient, especially for budding athletes or people with active lifestyles. Fortunately, you don’t need to break your wallet or become a scientist yourself just to get the information you need at the right time, thanks to this revolutionary wearable that lets you measure your muscle’s oxygen level so that you can train more efficiently and avoid injuries at the same time.

Designer: CLOMP

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

While heart rate monitors and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitors are important health indicators, they aren’t the only factors to consider when exercising, whether it’s for an upcoming competition or simply getting into shape. Oxygen saturation in muscles or SmO2 is just as critical because it’s what draws the line between just pushing the limits and fatigue. You can be breathing normally or taking in lots of oxygen, but your muscles might not actually be getting them properly. Unfortunately, this is something that can’t be accurately measured by smartwatches or trackers, and traditional methods are either too invasive or too bulky to really help athletes. That’s where CLOMP comes in, a muscle oxygen measurement device that you wear around your thigh to deliver real-time data without getting in your way.

CLOMP works by utilizing medical-grade functional near-infrared spectroscopy or fNIRS, the same technology used to monitor brain activity, oxygenation, and blood flow. It works almost in the same way as SpO2 or blood oxygen sensors that shine light through the skin and measure the reflected light to determine how much oxygen is being carried by the hemoglobin and myoglobin molecules in muscles and tissues. It’s an effective way to do non-invasive Lactate Threshold (LT) tests that tell when fatigue is about to set in.

With this information at hand, you or your coach can determine the most optimal training strategy while also reducing the risk of injury. It can even measure how much fat you’re burning by correlating muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) with O2 intake and CO2 outtake, allowing you to tailor your training intensity based on your diet and calorie goals.

Despite its advanced functionality, using CLOMP couldn’t be easier. You simply strap the exercise band or patch on your thigh and you’re literally good to go. The wearable is so lightweight and ergonomic that it won’t drag you down and add to your body’s stress. CLOMP gathers data as you train and feeds it to the CLOMP app on your connected smartphone, where this data is interpreted and presented in a way that’s easy to digest and take action on.

Like many smart health platforms today, CLOMP will be able to use this information to not only guide you but also to suggest personalized workout plans, designed with USA Triathlon certified coach Gerardo Barrios, that fit your specific body’s needs and goals.

As with many things in life, the secret to training and exercise success isn’t just a matter of working harder. You also need to be smarter and more efficient, pushing your body to the limits while reducing the risk of injuries. That requires keeping track of the different biometrics of your body, which has traditionally been costly and cumbersome to do. With the CLOMP muscle oxygen measuring device, you get a medical-grade device to get the personalized information you need in a comfortable and ergonomic wearable that helps you work your way to gold the smarter and safer way.

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

The post Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level first appeared on Yanko Design.

Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level

Posted on by

Most people probably think that training for competitive sports is just a matter of repeating a series of exercises with increasing intensity. That, however, is an extremely simplistic and quite dangerous strategy because our bodies are just machines. Knowing when to push harder and when to stop isn’t just a matter of feeling it and athletes have to rely on medical science and equipment to properly set their pace. That can be quite costly and inconvenient, especially for budding athletes or people with active lifestyles. Fortunately, you don’t need to break your wallet or become a scientist yourself just to get the information you need at the right time, thanks to this revolutionary wearable that lets you measure your muscle’s oxygen level so that you can train more efficiently and avoid injuries at the same time.

Designer: CLOMP

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

While heart rate monitors and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitors are important health indicators, they aren’t the only factors to consider when exercising, whether it’s for an upcoming competition or simply getting into shape. Oxygen saturation in muscles or SmO2 is just as critical because it’s what draws the line between just pushing the limits and fatigue. You can be breathing normally or taking in lots of oxygen, but your muscles might not actually be getting them properly. Unfortunately, this is something that can’t be accurately measured by smartwatches or trackers, and traditional methods are either too invasive or too bulky to really help athletes. That’s where CLOMP comes in, a muscle oxygen measurement device that you wear around your thigh to deliver real-time data without getting in your way.

CLOMP works by utilizing medical-grade functional near-infrared spectroscopy or fNIRS, the same technology used to monitor brain activity, oxygenation, and blood flow. It works almost in the same way as SpO2 or blood oxygen sensors that shine light through the skin and measure the reflected light to determine how much oxygen is being carried by the hemoglobin and myoglobin molecules in muscles and tissues. It’s an effective way to do non-invasive Lactate Threshold (LT) tests that tell when fatigue is about to set in.

With this information at hand, you or your coach can determine the most optimal training strategy while also reducing the risk of injury. It can even measure how much fat you’re burning by correlating muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) with O2 intake and CO2 outtake, allowing you to tailor your training intensity based on your diet and calorie goals.

Despite its advanced functionality, using CLOMP couldn’t be easier. You simply strap the exercise band or patch on your thigh and you’re literally good to go. The wearable is so lightweight and ergonomic that it won’t drag you down and add to your body’s stress. CLOMP gathers data as you train and feeds it to the CLOMP app on your connected smartphone, where this data is interpreted and presented in a way that’s easy to digest and take action on.

Like many smart health platforms today, CLOMP will be able to use this information to not only guide you but also to suggest personalized workout plans, designed with USA Triathlon certified coach Gerardo Barrios, that fit your specific body’s needs and goals.

As with many things in life, the secret to training and exercise success isn’t just a matter of working harder. You also need to be smarter and more efficient, pushing your body to the limits while reducing the risk of injuries. That requires keeping track of the different biometrics of your body, which has traditionally been costly and cumbersome to do. With the CLOMP muscle oxygen measuring device, you get a medical-grade device to get the personalized information you need in a comfortable and ergonomic wearable that helps you work your way to gold the smarter and safer way.

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

The post Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level first appeared on Yanko Design.