Monthly Archives: December 2023

The Morning After: A PS1-themed PlayStation 5

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This one-of-a-kind PS5 console was customized with the PS1’s retro gray finish, and classic quad-color PS logo. Even the DualSense controller was given a late-90s makeover, with a cute plug cover for the PS5’s front USB-C port to mimic the first-ever PlayStation’s controller.

No, this won’t go on sale. It’s a farewell gift for SIE (Sony Interactive Entertainment) President and CEO Jim Ryan, who is retiring in March 2024. At a thank-you party this week, the outgoing PlayStation boss was honored by many industry legends, including the “father of PlayStation” Ken Kutaragi, Gran Turismo’s Kazunori Yamauchi, Team Asobi’s Nicolas Doucet and, of course, Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida.

It was a gaming-heavy 24 hours, actually. This year’s Game Awards barraged us with new trailers and game news. Surprise, free DLC, an RPG set on an entirely procedurally generated world and a... Blade game?

— Mat Smith

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The biggest stories you might have missed

Sega is resurrecting its classics including Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi and Golden Axe

Hideo Kojima’s Xbox game is the cinematic horrorfest OD

Here’s how to move your subscriptions off Google Podcasts before it shuts down

Meta’s Threads is getting searchable hashtags that aren’t quite hashtags

The company is trying to prevent “engagement hacking.”

Meta’s latest update for Threads brings the long-awaited ability to search for topics, with tags. Although the feature is under the familiar # symbol, Threads’ tags are slightly different to hashtags. Instagram head Adam Mosseri explained Threads tags can contain spaces and special characters, and can only use a single tag per post, so choose wisely.

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The makers of No Man’s Sky will simulate a whole planet for Light No Fire

Hello Games’ new title is an Earth-sized multiplayer RPG sandbox.

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TGA

UK indie studio Hello Games has announced its next game, Light No Fire, which will bring the procedural generation of No Man’s Sky to an entire planet on an incredibly detailed scale. It will combine open-world exploration with multiplayer community building, set on a planet the size of Earth, apparently. Light No Fire has been in development for five years by about a dozen developers at Hello Games, but there’s no release window yet.

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Google admits it staged a Gemini AI demo video

There was no voice interaction, nor did the demo happen in real time

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Google

As Google scales up its AI battle with OpenAI and ChatGPT, the company has now admitted one demo, shown in the video “Hands-on with Gemini: Interacting with multimodal AI,” was edited to speed up the results. The interactions, too, weren’t based on voice but text input.

The demo used “still image frames from the footage and prompting via text,” rather than having Gemini respond to — or even predict — a drawing or change of objects on the table in real time. It’s all a little less impressive and comes when Google’s most cutting-edge AI models don’t differ hugely from OpenAI’s latest GPT tricks.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on Xbox Series X/S

The official Game of the Year is finally on Microsoft consoles.

Developer and publisher Larian Studios had pledged to release the Xbox version of this year’s Game of the Year by… the end of the year and said it would reveal the exact date at The Game Awards. True to its word, Larian announced the Xbox version of Baldur’s Gate 3 is out right now.

The delay was due to a technical problem with the Series S, and the inability to make the game’s split-screen feature on the lower-powered console. However, Larian said it had a solution to support split-screen on Series X, but not Series S, and had permission to do so from Xbox bosses.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-a-ps1-themed-playstation-5-121506223.html?src=rss

Samsung Announces AI for All Press Conference for CES 2024

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Samsung CES 2024

Samsung has announced that it will hold its CES 2024 press conference on the 8th of January 2024, the event will be called “AI for All: Connectivity in the Age of AI” and it will take place at 2 PM on the 8th of January at CES 2024. Samsung will live stream their CES 2024 […]

The post Samsung Announces AI for All Press Conference for CES 2024 appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

Google Gemini Pro vs GPT 4 AI model performance compared

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Gemini Pro vs GPT 4

The world of artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, with tech giants vying to lead the charge by creating advanced AI models. Google has recently stepped up its game with the release of a new Bard, adding to its suite of AI tools that includes Gemini Pro and soon Gemini Ultra. This quick Gemini Pro […]

The post Google Gemini Pro vs GPT 4 AI model performance compared appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

New Marvell OCTEON 10 networking processors

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Marvell OCTEON 10 processors

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, Marvell Technology has once again made a significant mark with the introduction of two new OCTEON 10 data processing units (DPUs), the OCTEON 10 CN102 and OCTEON 10 CN103 networking processors. These innovative units are designed to enhance the performance and efficiency of networking equipment and firewall manufacturers, […]

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The UK’s competition regulator is reviewing Microsoft’s links to OpenAI

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The UK is considering an investigation into Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI to decide if it has resulted in an "acquisition of control" that's subject to antitrust law, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) wrote today. The regulator said it's considering "recent developments," no doubt referring to the Sam Altman CEO ouster drama in which Microsoft played a large role. 

"The CMA is now issuing an ITC to determine whether the Microsoft/OpenAI partnership, including recent developments, has resulted in a relevant merger situation and, if so, the potential impact on competition," it said in a news release. "The CMA will review whether the partnership has resulted in an acquisition of control — that is, where it results in one party having material influence, de facto control or more than 50% of the voting rights over another entity."

The regulator noted that the "close and multifaceted" partnership includes a multi-billion dollar investment by Microsoft, technology development cooperation and cloud services. It added that both firms have significant activities in financial and related markets, meaning their business dealings directly affect investors. It added that Microsoft was recently involved in developments related to OpenAI's governance.

When Sam Altman was fired by OpenAI's board, Microsoft stepped in to hire him, and a majority of OpenAI's staff threatened to bolt to Microsoft as well. OpenAI's board relented soon after and Altman returned as CEO. "Microsoft executives have since concluded that the current situation [with Altman back in charge] is the best possible outcome," according to a New Yorker expose on the drama. 

In a statement, Microsoft told Engadget that its relationship with OpenAI keeps both companies independent. "Since 2019, we’ve forged a partnership with OpenAI that has fostered more AI innovation and competition, while preserving independence for both companies," said Microsoft's vice-chairman and president, Brand Smith, in a statement. "The only thing that has changed is that Microsoft will now have a non-voting observer on OpenAI’s Board, which is very different from an acquisition such as Google’s purchase of DeepMind in the UK. We will work closely with the CMA to provide all the information it needs.”

The CMA is now seeking views on whether the partnership creates a relevant merger situation and how it impacts competition in the UK. If an investigation is launched, it would be the second one involving Microsoft in the last year, following the company's Activision Blizzard acquisition. The UK's probe had material effects on that merger, as Microsoft agreed to sell Activision Blizzard game streaming rights to Ubisoft to satisfy the CMA. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-uks-competition-regulator-is-reviewing-microsofts-links-to-openai-115248453.html?src=rss

MELE Quieter 4 small form factor 4K Windows 11 PC

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MELE Quieter 4 mini PC

If you’re in the market for a compact and efficient Windows PC, the Mele Quieter 4 Mini PC might just be what you need. This small yet powerful device is designed to handle your daily computing tasks with ease, whether it’s for work or entertainment. Imagine having the capability to enjoy 4K videos without the […]

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QNAP Qfile Pro mobile app receives File Sync and improved backup and synchronization

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QNAP Qfile Pro mobile app updates

QNAP Systems the provider of network attached storage (NAS) solutions, has made release new features to its mobile backup and synchronization capabilities with the upgrade of its Qfile Pro mobile app. The primary enhancement is the integration of the Qsync Pro feature, a move that is expected to provide a comprehensive NAS file access, synchronization, […]

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Realme GT5 Pro claims to recognize your palm print to unlock your phone

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Fingerprint sensors and Face ID on smartphones are so common these days that we almost don’t give a second thought to how we unlock and authenticate with our devices. By now, many might have already forgotten the bad old days of “1234” PINs or no security measures at all, but some think that we could still do better in some ways. These security methods, after all, require you to at least touch your smartphone or hold it near your face, which isn’t always possible in all circumstances. When you need to unlock your phone from a distance, you’re pretty much out of luck, unless you own a Realme GT5 Pro that can apparently unlock your phone just by reading your palm.

Designer: Realme

Although face recognition technologies like Face ID do work from a short distance, you will need to either stoop down or have your phone at head level in the first place. If you’re in the kitchen cooking with the phone on the counter or have smudgy thumbs, neither fingerprints nor faces will be convenient or practical. Realme’s latest flagship tries to offer a third method where you can simply bring your palm near the screen and it will unlock automatically. You might think that it’s simply using a proximity sensor to detect if a hand is nearby, but the brand insists that isn’t the case.

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It instead uses the 32MP front-facing camera to take an image of your palm and compare it to secure references, pretty much the same way optical fingerprint scanners work beneath the phone screen. Admittedly, the technology is still a bit new, especially in this kind of application, so there might be some hesitation in relying on it completely for security. Fortunately, there’s also the usual under-screen fingerprint scanner for more regular uses.

The Realme GT5 Pro also uses that system to enable hands-free control using hand gestures. A thumbs up can “Like” a post on a social media platform, a pinch can take you to the recent apps list, and flipping your palm can take you to the home screen. Considering you can’t really use your face for such actions, these gestures will be a huge help when you can’t touch your phone’s screen for one reason or another.

As far as the phone itself goes, the Realme GT5 Pro is quite a handsome device, with vegan leather white or orange variants as well a more classic matte black model. A large camera bump sits in the middle of that rear panel, designed to mimic the look and feel of a camera lens rim. At the moment, the smartphone is available only in China with an international launch to be announced later.

The post Realme GT5 Pro claims to recognize your palm print to unlock your phone first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mini Cooper Electric launched in Sport Trim

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Mini Cooper Electric

Mini has announced that it is launching its Mini Cooper Electric in Sport Trim, the car comes with 218 horsepower or 160 kW and it also has 330 Newton Metres of torque, it can travel from 0 to 52 miles per hour in just 6.7 seconds. “The all-electric MINI Cooper in the new Sport trim […]

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Android phones can now send medical data during 911 calls

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Some Android users are getting an update that could literally save their lives one day. Android users who have a device with the Personal Safety app can now opt-in to sharing medical information with first responders when calling or texting 911. The feature has been available for iPhone and Apple Watch users since the rollout of iOS 13.5 in 2020.

Android users can add information such as caller name, allergies, emergency contacts and preexisting medical conditions. "This is when the information you put inside your phone becomes useful to 911," Tenea Reddick, ECC director at Baltimore City Fire Department, said in a statement. "This information is available to use before the dispatch, and before the responders arrive. It saves so much time because we already know what we're responding to and what we need." The feature is especially beneficial if the person contacting 911 is unable to communicate.

For now, this feature is only available on Androids with the Personal Safety app, such as the Nothing Phone 1 and the Google Pixel 4 through Google Pixel 8 Pro. Anyone with these devices can enable the new feature by going to the "Your info" section of the Personal Safety app. From there, they can click "Emergency info access" and then "Share during emergency call." 

Android and Apple's services are run by RapidSOS, a safety platform that securely shares critical information in times of crisis to over 16,000 911 and field responder agencies. Apple users can access Medical ID, a feature in the Health app that, similar to Android's Personal Safety app, stores information such as blood type, emergency contacts, allergies and preexisting medical conditions. RapidSOS shares this data with first responders, who can also determine a person's location if they call 911 in an area with Enhanced Emergency Data services. Android users have also had the ability to send location data through RapidSOS since 2018. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/android-phones-can-now-send-medical-data-during-911-calls-104518043.html?src=rss