Monthly Archives: May 2024

Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote is scheduled for June 10 at 1PM ET

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Apple has just announced that its WWDC 2024 keynote is scheduled for 10AM PT/1PM ET on June 10 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The remaining festivities for the 35th edition of WWDC will run through to June 14, online and free for developers to attend.

What should we expect at this year’s keynote? WWDC is typically a software-centric event, so we might hear some details on the work Apple has been doing around AI over the last year or so. Other reports indicate that Apple will show off a suite of upcoming updates, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, tvOS 18, macOS 15 and watchOS 11, according to MacRumors. It’s also likely the company will reveal the next operating system for the recently-released Apple Vision Pro headset, visionOS 2.

It’s even possible we’ll get some new hardware announcements. Though typically software-adjacent, last year’s WWDC was chock full of product announcements, from the aforementioned Vision Pro to the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air. The Mac Mini has been missing from recent product refreshes, so maybe the company will announce an M3-based update.

As for the new software, there have been plenty of rumors regarding iOS 18. It has been reported that Apple might integrate Google’s Gemini AI with Siri and various iPhone apps. Check the suspicious capitalization of "Absolutely Incredible" in the above post from Apple's VP of worldwide marketing Brad Joswiak for a winking acknowledgement of the move. It’s also been suggested that the smartphone software will allow users to place apps anywhere on the home screen grid and will offer RCS support in the Messages app, along with the usual array of design changes.

The keynote event will be available on the Apple Developer app, the Apple website and YouTube. The company is also inviting 50 winners of its annual Swift Student Challenge to attend WWDC in person.

Update, May 28, 1:15PM: This story was updated after its original March 26 publishing to include the time of Apple's WWDC 2024 keynote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-wwdc-2024-keynote-is-scheduled-for-june-10-at-1pm-et-180558382.html?src=rss

IWC’s Ceralume and the Future of Glowing Watch Technology

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Imagine strapping a stylish mini flashlight to your wrist. That’s the magic of Ceralume, IWC Schaffhausen’s innovative luminous ceramic technology. Developed by the tech experts at IWC’s XPL division, Ceralume combines ceramic powders with high-grade Super-LumiNova pigments. These pigments absorb light and emit it, ensuring your watch glows brightly for over 24 hours in the dark. Whether navigating a dark trail or trying to find your keys at night, your watch has got you covered.

Designer: IWC Schaffhausen

Revolutionary Material and Engineering

Ceralume is a cut above the rest when it comes to ceramics. Traditional ceramics are already lightweight, incredibly hard, and highly resistant to scratches. However, IWC has taken things further by incorporating Super-LumiNova pigments, enhancing durability and luminescence. Achieving a perfect blend of these materials posed a significant challenge. Think about trying to mix the finest flour with sparkly glitter—it’s not easy. IWC’s engineers developed a custom ball milling process to ensure a perfect mix.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 with Ceralume Case

Once the mix’s perfected, the ceramic gets heated in a kiln through sintering to turn it into a solid block. This step has to be precise to retain the luminescent properties without compromising the ceramic’s strength. The final stage involved grinding the ceramic to achieve the desired finish, ensuring it was both tough and brilliantly luminous. This meticulous process highlights IWC’s commitment to innovation and quality in watchmaking.

Enhanced Functionality and Aesthetics

Super-LumiNova pigments are incredibly effective. They absorb light from any source—sunlight, indoor lighting, you name it—and then emit it as a bright, blueish glow in the dark. These pigments can keep glowing indefinitely without degrading. As long as your Ceralume watch is exposed to light, it will continue to shine.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 with Ceralume Case

The luminous effect adds practicality and enhances the watch’s aesthetic appeal. Your watch will be highly visible and easily read in low-light conditions. Whether you’re at a dimly lit restaurant or on a night hike, the bright blueish glow makes a striking impression. The luminous properties add a unique visual effect that sets these watches apart from traditional ceramics, blending advanced technology with elegant design. It’s a testament to IWC’s innovative approach to combining functionality with style.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 with Ceralume Case

Future Implications and Developments

Ceralume represents a significant milestone for IWC Schaffhausen, paving the way for future innovations in luxury watchmaking. This patent-pending technology will be the foundation for new models, allowing IWC to continue its legacy of pioneering advancements in watch materials. The ability to produce fully luminous ceramic watch cases opens up exciting possibilities for design and functionality, providing watch enthusiasts with practical and visually stunning timepieces.

Ceralume Case

IWC’s first fully luminous ceramic concept watch, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41, showcases the potential of Ceralume. It perfectly blends functionality and style with a glowing ceramic case, a white luminescent dial, and a rubber strap enriched with Super-LumiNova pigments. This watch makes a bold statement and signals IWC’s commitment to innovation and trend-setting in the watchmaking industry.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 with Ceralume Case

Looking ahead, IWC’s continued research and development in luminescent ceramics promise even more breakthroughs. Combining advanced materials with innovative manufacturing processes, IWC remains at the forefront of luxury watchmaking. They are setting new standards for durability, functionality, and design. As IWC continues to explore the potential of Ceralume, watch enthusiasts can expect more exciting developments and exceptional timepieces that reflect the brand’s commitment to excellence. So, next time you’re considering a new watch, think about one that lights up your world.

The post IWC’s Ceralume and the Future of Glowing Watch Technology first appeared on Yanko Design.

OpenAI’s new safety team is led by board members, including CEO Sam Altman

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OpenAI has created a new Safety and Security Committee less than two weeks after the company dissolved the team tasked with protecting humanity from AI’s existential threats. This latest iteration of the group responsible for OpenAI’s safety guardrails will include two board members and CEO Sam Altman, raising questions about whether the move is little more than self-policing theatre amid a breakneck race for profit and dominance alongside partner Microsoft.

The Safety and Security Committee, formed by OpenAI’s board, will be led by board members Bret Taylor (Chair), Nicole Seligman, Adam D’Angelo and Sam Altman (CEO). The new team follows co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s and Jan Leike’s high-profile resignations, which raised more than a few eyebrows. Their former “Superalignment Team” was only created last July.

Following his resignation, Leike wrote in an X (Twitter) thread on May 17 that, although he believed in the company’s core mission, he left because the two sides (product and safety) “reached a breaking point.” Leike added that he was “concerned we aren’t on a trajectory” to adequately address safety-related issues as AI grows more intelligent. He posted that the Superalignment team had recently been “sailing against the wind” within the company and that “safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products.”

A cynical take would be that a company focused primarily on “shiny products” — while trying to fend off the PR blow of high-profile safety departures — might create a new safety team led by the same people speeding toward those shiny products.

Headshot of former OpenAI head of alignment Jan Leike. He smiles against a grayish-brown background.
Former OpenAI head of alignment Jan Leike
Jan Leike / X

The safety departures earlier this month weren’t the only concerning news from the company recently. It also launched (and quickly pulled) a new voice model that sounded remarkably like two-time Oscar Nominee Scarlett Johansson. The Jojo Rabbit actor then revealed that OpenAI Sam Altman had pursued her consent to use her voice to train an AI model but that she had refused.

In a statement to Engadget, Johansson’s team said she was shocked that OpenAI would cast a voice talent that “sounded so eerily similar” to her after pursuing her authorization. The statement added that Johansson’s “closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference.”

OpenAI also backtracked on nondisparagement agreements it had required from departing executives, changing its tune to say it wouldn’t enforce them. Before that, the company forced exiting employees to choose between being able to speak against the company and keeping the vested equity they earned. 

The Safety and Security Committee plans to “evaluate and further develop” the company’s processes and safeguards over the next 90 days. After that, the group will share its recommendations with the entire board. After the whole leadership team reviews its conclusions, it will “publicly share an update on adopted recommendations in a manner that is consistent with safety and security.”

In its blog post announcing the new Safety and Security Committee, OpenAI confirmed that the company is currently training its next model, which will succeed GPT-4. “While we are proud to build and release models that are industry-leading on both capabilities and safety, we welcome a robust debate at this important moment,” the company wrote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openais-new-safety-team-is-led-by-board-members-including-ceo-sam-altman-164927745.html?src=rss

OpenAI’s new safety team is led by board members, including CEO Sam Altman

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OpenAI has created a new Safety and Security Committee less than two weeks after the company dissolved the team tasked with protecting humanity from AI’s existential threats. This latest iteration of the group responsible for OpenAI’s safety guardrails will include two board members and CEO Sam Altman, raising questions about whether the move is little more than self-policing theatre amid a breakneck race for profit and dominance alongside partner Microsoft.

The Safety and Security Committee, formed by OpenAI’s board, will be led by board members Bret Taylor (Chair), Nicole Seligman, Adam D’Angelo and Sam Altman (CEO). The new team follows co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s and Jan Leike’s high-profile resignations, which raised more than a few eyebrows. Their former “Superalignment Team” was only created last July.

Following his resignation, Leike wrote in an X (Twitter) thread on May 17 that, although he believed in the company’s core mission, he left because the two sides (product and safety) “reached a breaking point.” Leike added that he was “concerned we aren’t on a trajectory” to adequately address safety-related issues as AI grows more intelligent. He posted that the Superalignment team had recently been “sailing against the wind” within the company and that “safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products.”

A cynical take would be that a company focused primarily on “shiny products” — while trying to fend off the PR blow of high-profile safety departures — might create a new safety team led by the same people speeding toward those shiny products.

Headshot of former OpenAI head of alignment Jan Leike. He smiles against a grayish-brown background.
Former OpenAI head of alignment Jan Leike
Jan Leike / X

The safety departures earlier this month weren’t the only concerning news from the company recently. It also launched (and quickly pulled) a new voice model that sounded remarkably like two-time Oscar Nominee Scarlett Johansson. The Jojo Rabbit actor then revealed that OpenAI Sam Altman had pursued her consent to use her voice to train an AI model but that she had refused.

In a statement to Engadget, Johansson’s team said she was shocked that OpenAI would cast a voice talent that “sounded so eerily similar” to her after pursuing her authorization. The statement added that Johansson’s “closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference.”

OpenAI also backtracked on nondisparagement agreements it had required from departing executives, changing its tune to say it wouldn’t enforce them. Before that, the company forced exiting employees to choose between being able to speak against the company and keeping the vested equity they earned. 

The Safety and Security Committee plans to “evaluate and further develop” the company’s processes and safeguards over the next 90 days. After that, the group will share its recommendations with the entire board. After the whole leadership team reviews its conclusions, it will “publicly share an update on adopted recommendations in a manner that is consistent with safety and security.”

In its blog post announcing the new Safety and Security Committee, OpenAI confirmed that the company is currently training its next model, which will succeed GPT-4. “While we are proud to build and release models that are industry-leading on both capabilities and safety, we welcome a robust debate at this important moment,” the company wrote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openais-new-safety-team-is-led-by-board-members-including-ceo-sam-altman-164927745.html?src=rss

Apple’s new M2 iPad Air tablets drop to record-low prices

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Apple's latest iPad Air models have only been out for a couple of weeks, but you can already score decent deals on the new tablets. Most variants are on sale at Amazon at the minute, including the base 11-inch model with 128GB of storage. Thanks to a $30 discount, you can snap one up for $569. It's early days for the new iPad Air, but that still marks a record-low price.

While the iPad Pro might be significantly more powerful and have a nicer display, we reckon the latest Air is the best iPad for most people. We feel it strikes the right balance of price, features and performance for the majority of folks.

Sure, it's more expensive than the base iPad, the most wallet-friendly model with a sticker price of $349. But opting for an Air will help futureproof you, as older devices don't support many of the latest apps and features.

The 11-inch model is certainly easier to hold, but there's also a 13-inch iPad Air for the first time. That is Apple's most affordable large-screen iPad, and the base model is also on sale, having dropped by $45 to $754.

We gave the 13-inch model a score of 91 in our review. It's brighter (and obviously larger) than the 11-inch Air with a 600-nit screen versus a 500-nit one, but otherwise the two models are effectively identical.

Doubling the base storage, shifting the front-facing camera to the landscape edge and including support for the new Apple Pencil Pro are all plus points. Switching to the M2 chipset means that the latest iPad Air offers modest performance gains over the M1 tablet, but if you've been clinging onto an older iPad you should notice that this one is much faster than what you're used to.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-new-m2-ipad-air-tablets-drop-to-record-low-prices-161743014.html?src=rss

Apple’s new M2 iPad Air tablets drop to record-low prices

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Apple's latest iPad Air models have only been out for a couple of weeks, but you can already score decent deals on the new tablets. Most variants are on sale at Amazon at the minute, including the base 11-inch model with 128GB of storage. Thanks to a $30 discount, you can snap one up for $569. It's early days for the new iPad Air, but that still marks a record-low price.

While the iPad Pro might be significantly more powerful and have a nicer display, we reckon the latest Air is the best iPad for most people. We feel it strikes the right balance of price, features and performance for the majority of folks.

Sure, it's more expensive than the base iPad, the most wallet-friendly model with a sticker price of $349. But opting for an Air will help futureproof you, as older devices don't support many of the latest apps and features.

The 11-inch model is certainly easier to hold, but there's also a 13-inch iPad Air for the first time. That is Apple's most affordable large-screen iPad, and the base model is also on sale, having dropped by $45 to $754.

We gave the 13-inch model a score of 91 in our review. It's brighter (and obviously larger) than the 11-inch Air with a 600-nit screen versus a 500-nit one, but otherwise the two models are effectively identical.

Doubling the base storage, shifting the front-facing camera to the landscape edge and including support for the new Apple Pencil Pro are all plus points. Switching to the M2 chipset means that the latest iPad Air offers modest performance gains over the M1 tablet, but if you've been clinging onto an older iPad you should notice that this one is much faster than what you're used to.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-new-m2-ipad-air-tablets-drop-to-record-low-prices-161743014.html?src=rss

T-Mobile to acquire majority of US Cellular, further consolidating carrier market

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T-Mobile will acquire the majority of US Cellular in a deal worth approximately $4.4 billion. This means that T-Mobile will own all of US Cellular’s stores, some of its spectrum assets and some of its customers. The deal includes a combination of cash and up to $2 billion of assumed debt, according to a press release by US Cellular. The companies expect to finalize the purchase by mid-2025, though the deal must attain regulatory approval.

All told, T-Mobile will walk away with around 30 percent of US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, which it hopes to use to improve coverage in rural areas and offer better connectivity to current US Cellular customers throughout the country. Current customers will be able to keep their plans or switch to a similar T-Mobile contract.

US Cellular will retain 70 percent of its wireless spectrum and towers. Additionally, it will lease space on around 2,100 additional towers to T-Mobile. "The decisions we announced today are in the best interests of our customers and our shareholders. T-Mobile is the right partner for our wireless operations," said Laurent Therivel, CEO of US Cellular.

This is just the latest consolidation move by T-Mobile. The company recently acquired the Ryan Reynolds-backed Mint Mobile, via the purchase of parent company Ka'ena Corporation for around $1.35 billion. T-Mobile also merged with Sprint back in 2020. It’s basically Pac-Man, but instead of dots it hoovers up smaller cellular carriers.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that T-Mobile had teamed up with frenemy Verizon to “carve up” US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, but it looks like that deal has either fallen through or will be significantly delayed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/t-mobile-to-acquire-majority-of-us-cellular-further-consolidating-carrier-market-152212548.html?src=rss

T-Mobile to acquire majority of US Cellular, further consolidating carrier market

Posted on by

T-Mobile will acquire the majority of US Cellular in a deal worth approximately $4.4 billion. This means that T-Mobile will own all of US Cellular’s stores, some of its spectrum assets and some of its customers. The deal includes a combination of cash and up to $2 billion of assumed debt, according to a press release by US Cellular. The companies expect to finalize the purchase by mid-2025, though the deal must attain regulatory approval.

All told, T-Mobile will walk away with around 30 percent of US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, which it hopes to use to improve coverage in rural areas and offer better connectivity to current US Cellular customers throughout the country. Current customers will be able to keep their plans or switch to a similar T-Mobile contract.

US Cellular will retain 70 percent of its wireless spectrum and towers. Additionally, it will lease space on around 2,100 additional towers to T-Mobile. "The decisions we announced today are in the best interests of our customers and our shareholders. T-Mobile is the right partner for our wireless operations," said Laurent Therivel, CEO of US Cellular.

This is just the latest consolidation move by T-Mobile. The company recently acquired the Ryan Reynolds-backed Mint Mobile, via the purchase of parent company Ka'ena Corporation for around $1.35 billion. T-Mobile also merged with Sprint back in 2020. It’s basically Pac-Man, but instead of dots it hoovers up smaller cellular carriers.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that T-Mobile had teamed up with frenemy Verizon to “carve up” US Cellular’s wireless spectrum, but it looks like that deal has either fallen through or will be significantly delayed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/t-mobile-to-acquire-majority-of-us-cellular-further-consolidating-carrier-market-152212548.html?src=rss