Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

Apple’s AI-infused Final Cut Pro 11 is now available

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With its biggest update to Final Cut Pro (FCP) in years, Apple may be re-embracing the professional video creator crowd it has neglected since the launch of FCP X in 2011. The company finally unveiled its successor, Final Cut Pro 11 (FCP 11), an update that leans heavily on AI tools. At the same time, it introduced spatial video editing to produce content for the Vision Pro headset.

The key AI feature is Magnetic Mask, which lets you cut out people and other moving subjects, then stylize them or put them in another location altogether. "This powerful and precise automatic analysis provides additional flexibility to customize backgrounds and environments," Apple wrote. "Editors can also combine Magnetic Mask with color correction and video effects, allowing them to precisely control and stylize each project."

Apple's AI-infused Final Cut Pro 11 is now available
Apple

The other key new AI feature is Transcribe to Captions, which automatically analyzes interviews and other timeline audio, transcribes it and places the captions directly on the timeline — effectively automating the entire process. That feature uses an Apple-trained large language model (LLM) designed to transcribe spoken audio, the company said.

Final Cut Pro 11 also joins other pro editing apps like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve in offering VR/AR video editing. "Spatial video editing" allows users to import and edit AR/VR video directly in the app, while adding effects, color correction and more. Footage can be captured from an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 models, along with Canon's R7 mirrorless camera paired with the new RF-S 7.8mm F/4 lens. Users can choose from different viewing modes to preview left- and right-eye angles, or bring their edit directly in to Apple Vision Pro to get a 3D preview. 

Apple also unveiled Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1, further optimizing it for Apple silicon. The app also offers enhancements to the "light and color" feature that let you quickly improve the color, contrast and overall look of your video. And finally, the company released a new version of Final Cut Camera, which includes the ability to shoot in compact but high-quality HEVC files with Apple Log, rather than using storage-gobbling ProRes. 

As a professional tool, Final Cut Pro 11 is still missing features found in Resolve and Premiere Pro like text-based editing and certain advanced color correction tools. Still, the new version and features will no doubt be welcomed by FCP diehards. It's now available to download for $299 for new users (following a free 90-day trial) and is free to existing Final Cut Pro owners. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apples-ai-infused-final-cut-pro-11-is-now-available-140030992.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Xbox considers a handheld gaming PC

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Xbox is thinking about future hardware, and it might not just be another box attached to your TV. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer told Bloomberg the team is considering its own gaming handheld — but it’s years away.

In an earlier interview with IGN, Spencer had mentioned a hypothetical “Xbox gaming handheld PC device,” which now appears to be in the early research and prototyping stage. The Xbox boss said local play would be important to include if Xbox were to design a handheld console. Compared to existing devices, like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally and Legion Go, it’s unclear what unique features an Xbox handheld might offer.

— Mat Smith

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The biggest tech stories you missed

Amazon Haul will be the company’s new discount storefront designed to compete with Temu and Shein. It will be mobile only and sell items at “crazy low prices.” Unlike Amazon Prime’s fast speeds, Amazon promises its Haul orders will arrive in less than two weeks. Previously, CNBC mentioned Amazon was exploring a storefront to sell goods to US customers directly from China.

Continue reading.

TMA
Lightfoot / Otherlab

Lightfoot is an almost-$5,000 solar scooter conceived by San Francisco-based R&D outfit Otherlab. The two 120W panels on either side will trickle charge the battery on the road or parked outdoors. Otherlab claims this idle solar charging will add three miles of charge per hour or 18 miles if you leave it in daylight for a whole day.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121926272.html?src=rss

You can now search for products inside Google Maps

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Google is adding a handful of new features to Maps in time for the holidays, including the ability to search for specific products within the app itself. If you need a sweater for your annual ugly sweater party, new clothes or some last-minute gifts, for instance, you can type the item in Maps' search bar to bring up nearby stores where you may be able to find what you're looking for. From the results that pop up, you can select one of the options and then look up directions. Google says you can search for a wide variety of items from Maps, such as electronics, home goods and even grocery items. 

The company has also updated Maps to allow you to report and see delays impacting your transit lines, as well as to show more details, such as alternate transit routes and subway station entrances. Maps will show reports for weather disruptions like unplowed or flooded roads and low visibility areas, as well. In addition, Google is adding the ability enter your vehicle's dimensions in its built-in Maps app to show routes that don't have bridges or tunnels you can't clear. For now, though, those routes are only available on the 2024 Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon. The company says it will expand the feature's capability to more vehicle models in the future. 

If you're driving an EV and look up routes with charging stops on your phone, you can now send the route you've decided on to your car with built-in Google Maps. Finally, if you want to avoid crowds when you go out, you can look at Maps' Popular Times info to see traffic trends at specific times. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/you-can-now-search-for-products-inside-google-maps-120033602.html?src=rss

The Resident Evil 2 remake will shuffle its way to Apple devices in December

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Now you’ll be able to play one of the greatest zombie survival games of all time on your iPhone or iPad. Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 remake is headed to the Apple and Mac App Store on December 10.

The game won’t be available on every Apple device. You’ll need any iPhone 16 model, an iPhone 15 Pro or an iPad or Mac with the M1 chip or later. You’ll also be able to try a small portion of the game before purchasing the full experience. The game comes with “universal purchase” and “cross-progression” for all your eligible devices, according to a Capcom statement.

The Resident Evil 2 remake will offer advanced controls for touchscreens and the Mac version. Both Leon and Claire will also have “a new Auto Fire feature” so you can unload your clip into whatever’s shuffling towards you.

This is just one of four Resident Evil games available for Apple devices and computers. Capcom and Apple have released versions of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil 4 on the App Store and Resident Evil: Village on the App and Mac App Store.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-resident-evil-2-remake-will-shuffle-its-way-to-apple-devices-in-december-234511380.html?src=rss

Bluesky surges to 15 million users after getting a million sign-ups in one week

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Bluesky may still be the underdog in the race for alternatives to X, but the once Twitter-affiliated service is gaining momentum. The app just passed the 15 million user mark after adding more than a million new users over the last week, the company said in an update.

While Bluesky is still considerably smaller than Threads, which with 275 million users is its biggest rival, there are signs that Threads users have been increasingly curious about the upstart. “Bluesky” has been a trending topic on Threads in recent days and an in-app search suggestion shows there are more than 19,000 posts about “Bluesky.” Bluesky itself has also made a push to win over Threads users in recent weeks by posting regularly on the Meta-owned service.

That effort seems to be working. A month ago, Engadget noted, the service had just under 9 million users. Its mobile app also has the top spot in Apple’s App Store, followed by Threads and ChatGPT. Its recent success also seems to be driven, at least in part, by frustration with Elon Musk and X following the US presidential election.

A recent report from web analytics company SimilarWeb found that “more than 115,000 US web visitors deactivated their accounts,” on November 7, “more than on any previous day of Elon Musk’s tenure.” The report also noted that “web traffic and daily active users for Bluesky increased dramatically in the week before the election, and then again after election day,” with Bluesky at points seeing more web traffic than Threads. (Threads’ mobile usage, however, is still “far ahead” of Bluesky.)

Traffic for Threads and Bluesky according to SimilarWeb.
SimilarWeb

“In the US, Bluesky got more web visits than Threads in the immediate aftermath of the election,” the report notes. “For context, it’s important to note that both services are app centric, even though they support a web user interface.”

On its part, Bluesky seems intent on distinguishing itself from its larger, billionaire-controlled rivals. The company, which began as an internal project at Twitter before it spun off into an independent entity, has experimented with novel features like custom feeds, user-created moderation services and “starter packs” for new users.

“You're probably used to being trapped in a single algorithm controlled by a small group of people, that's no longer the case,” Bluesky’s COO Rose Wang shared in a video aimed at new users Tuesday. “On Bluesky, there are about 50,000 different feeds … these feeds provide a cozy corner for you to meet people with similar interests. And you can actually make friends again, because you're no longer tied to a dominant algorithm that promotes either the most polarizing posts and or the biggest brands, and that's the mandate of Bluesky.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-surges-to-15-million-users-after-getting-a-million-sign-ups-in-one-week-224213573.html?src=rss

Meta will reportedly bring ads to Threads as soon as January

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Threads could start getting ads much sooner than Meta has let on. The company is now planning to bring ads to its newest app “early next year” with the first ads arriving in January of 2025, according to a new report in The Information.

That suggests Meta is looking to start making money on the rapidly growing service far sooner than Meta executives have previously suggested. In August, when the app reached 200 million users, Mark Zuckerberg said Threads could become the company’s next billion-user service. He said making money off the app would be a "multi-year" effort. 

“All these new products, we ship them, and then there's a multi-year time horizon between scaling them and then scaling them into not just consumer experiences but very large businesses,” Zuckerberg said. In the company’s most recent earnings call, Meta CFO Susan Li said the company doesn’t “expect Threads to be a meaningful driver of 2025 revenue at this time.”

According to The Information, Meta is planning a slow rollout for ads on Threads. The company will start with “a small number” of advertisers in January. It’s unclear how quickly the effort may expand. "Since our priority is to build consumer value first and foremost, there are no ads or monetization features currently on Threads," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. 

Meta’s reported plans highlight just how quickly the service has grown in recent months. Threads has 275 million monthly users and is seeing more than 1 million new sign-ups a day, according to Zuckerberg. That makes it by far the largest of the X alternatives that have sprung up over the last couple years.

Bluesky, another popular Twitter-like service, has also seen significant growth recently, adding a million new users in the last week, the company said Tuesday. It is still much smaller than Threads with 15 million users. Like Threads, it also currently has no advertising and the company has said it plans to experiment with subscription-based features.

Update November 13, 2024, 2 PM ET: Added a statement from a Meta spokesperson. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-reportedly-bring-ads-to-threads-as-soon-as-january-183044211.html?src=rss

Xbox is considering a PC gaming handheld

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Xbox is exploring a PC gaming handheld, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer told Bloomberg. In an earlier interview with IGN, Spencer had mentioned a hypothetical “Xbox gaming handheld PC device,” which now appears to be in the early research and prototyping stage.

Spencer told IGN that he liked his Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go and Steam Deck and that local play would be important to include if Xbox were to design a handheld console. As Kotaku noted, it's not clear what unique features an Xbox handheld would bring to the table. Still, any new piece of hardware is years away, Spencer told Bloomberg.

For now, work on the Xbox app — which works on existing handhelds — would be the priority, Spencer said, admitting it leaves room for improvement.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox-is-considering-a-pc-gaming-handheld-165515761.html?src=rss

Amazon Haul wants to be the new Temu

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Amazon Haul will be the ecommerce titan's new discount storefront designed to compete against Temu and Shein, CNBC reports. This new corner of Bezos's empire is mobile-only and promises items at “crazy low prices.”

Unlike Amazon Prime’s fast speeds, Amazon promises its Haul orders orders will arrive in less than two weeks. Previously, CNBC mentioned in a previous report that Amazon was exploring a storefront where goods would be sold to US customers directly from China, though now it seems the company itself is doing the importing and acting as an intermediary.

Speed isn't the only alteration to the typical Amazon arrangement customers will have to get used to. It seems, regardless of if they subscribe to Prime or not, buyers will have to purchase $25 of goods per order with Haul to get free shipping. For lesser orders, the shipping fee will be $3.99. Amazon also won't accept Haul returns if the value of the items is $3 or under.

If customers take to Haul, the new storefront could put Amazon in a favorable position in a seemingly crowded market. Both the US and EU have set their regulatory sights on Temu.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-haul-wants-to-be-the-new-temu-161344035.html?src=rss

Hydrow just announced a new smart rowing machine, with no subscription required

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Hydrow, a company that makes smart rowing machines, just announced the Core, a new model that eschews monthly subscription fees. The Hydrow Core Rower features the “same award-winning design” as the original Pro Rower, which we said was positioning itself to be “the Peloton of smart rowing machines.”

Obviously, the hook here is that the Core is a one-and-done purchase with no recurring subscription costs. It still comes with an attached display, which lets users “row through stunning destinations.” All told, this machine offers access to 30 self-paced rows through these exotic locales.

Exotic locations.
Hydrow

The Core Rower supports unlimited users, which is nice, but there is one major caveat. There’s no subscription, so there’s no access to instructor-led workouts, badges, milestones and other premium features. However, customers can add a membership later for all of that stuff. Hydrow charges $44 per month for a subscription. It could be useful to try it out for a month to see if all of those additional bells and whistles are worth it.

The Hydrow Core Rower is available right now and costs $1,995. This is the exact same price as the flagship Pro Rower. The company also recently released a trimmed down version called the Hydrow Wave. This one is smaller and cheaper, clocking in at around $1,700.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/hydrow-just-announced-a-new-smart-rowing-machine-with-no-subscription-required-140026785.html?src=rss

Strava’s new Night Heatmaps look to make subscribers safer after dark

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Wouldn't it be nice if you could go out for a run without fear of being harmed? Technology has a way of making us both safer and at greater risk while out and about, but a new tool from Strava might help with the former. Strava has announced Night Heatmaps, a feature that shows which areas have more activity — or "heat" — between sunset and sunrise. Yes, Heatmaps is the feature that accidentally revealed the location of US military bases. 

The update is a welcome one with sunset getting very early in some areas of the world, while night seems to last late into the morning. It also comes alongside a new Weekly Heatmap, which shows heat levels in an area over the last seven days. Again, this can help you know which paths will have the most people, but at all times of the day. While this added awareness is great for knowing where to go, some people might also purposely choose to avoid the busiest times, for fear of unwanted attention (there's no winning here). 

In either case, the Night and Weekly Heatmaps are only available on subscriber accounts (a membership will cost you $12 monthly or $80 annually). It's also worth noting that Heatmaps pull solely from public activities on Strava, so you're not getting the full story of how many people go where. 

Night and Weekly Heatmaps join the Global Heatmaps (also subscriber exclusive) and your Personal Heatmap. You can access any of them through the Map tab and filter the Heatmap by activity type. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/stravas-new-night-heatmaps-look-to-make-subscribers-safer-after-dark-140011174.html?src=rss