Tag Archives: author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald

The Dyson V15 Detect cordless vacuum is $180 off today only

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Dyson’s higher-end vacuums might normally feel like a bit too much of a splurge, but a deal for today only brings the V15 Detect down to a more manageable price. The Dyson V15 Detect is $180 off in a deal from QVC. Normally $750, the V15 Detect is going for just $570 right now — almost as low as we saw it go during Black Friday, when it dropped to $550. But the deal will only last until the end of the day, so don’t take too long mulling it over. Dyson’s V15 Detect is a cordless, stick vacuum with an LED light on its head to expose all the unseen dirt hanging around your floors.

The Dyson V15 Detect doesn’t just suck up the dirt in your home, but it analyzes it to give you a report on what it cleaned, too. It has a LCD display on the back end that will show you a particle count and a breakdown of the different particle size groupings. The display will also let you know how much run time it has left before it needs to be recharged. Dyson says it runs on average for up to 60 minutes, and optimizes the suction and run time based on the level of mess it’s tasked with cleaning.

Fancy extra features aside, it’s a real powerhouse when it comes down to the cleaning. Engadget’s Mat Smith reviewed the Dyson V15 Detect and said it was the most powerful vacuum he’d ever used, even rivaling heavier plug-in vacuums. It has three cleaning modes to choose from: Eco, Auto and Boost. The vacuum’s brush bar has an anti-tangling design to better cope with things like hair that tend to get caught up. There’s also a separate hair screw tool that’s included with the V15’s accessories for those households that need to tackle the problem with more muscle.

The Dyson V15 Detect comes with a crevice tool to help you get into hard-to-reach areas, and it can be converted to a handheld vacuum for smaller jobs. In the box, it also comes with a wall dock, combination tool and charging adapter.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-dyson-v15-detect-cordless-vacuum-is-180-off-today-only-143614486.html?src=rss

Google Wallet can now automatically add your movie tickets and boarding passes

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An update to Google Wallet has further simplified the process of getting all your passes in one place. Per this week’s release notes for Wallet, spotted by Android reporter ​​Mishaal Rahman, Google says movie tickets and boarding passes will now be surfaced automatically after purchase, as long as the confirmation email has made it to the user’s Gmail inbox. It might not work for every theater chain or airline just yet, but Google says the feature is live for “some” and more should be added in time.

Google little by little has been tweaking Wallet to make it more useful. The company last month expanded Wallet passes to WearOS so Android smartwatch users could have easy access to their tickets from their wrist. That includes boarding passes, event tickets, gym memberships, loyalty cards and more. Per the latest release notes, Google has also added a way for users to manually archive most of their passes from either their smartphone or smartwatch. These will be moved to a section called Archived Passes, where users will be able to undo the action if they’ve made a mistake or need to refer to an old pass.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-wallet-can-now-automatically-add-your-movie-tickets-and-boarding-passes-214241833.html?src=rss

Google Wallet can now automatically add your movie tickets and boarding passes

Posted on by

An update to Google Wallet has further simplified the process of getting all your passes in one place. Per this week’s release notes for Wallet, spotted by Android reporter ​​Mishaal Rahman, Google says movie tickets and boarding passes will now be surfaced automatically after purchase, as long as the confirmation email has made it to the user’s Gmail inbox. It might not work for every theater chain or airline just yet, but Google says the feature is live for “some” and more should be added in time.

Google little by little has been tweaking Wallet to make it more useful. The company last month expanded Wallet passes to WearOS so Android smartwatch users could have easy access to their tickets from their wrist. That includes boarding passes, event tickets, gym memberships, loyalty cards and more. Per the latest release notes, Google has also added a way for users to manually archive most of their passes from either their smartphone or smartwatch. These will be moved to a section called Archived Passes, where users will be able to undo the action if they’ve made a mistake or need to refer to an old pass.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-wallet-can-now-automatically-add-your-movie-tickets-and-boarding-passes-214241833.html?src=rss

A Mario Kart Lego set is in the works and it can’t come soon enough

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Lego and Nintendo are releasing a Mario Kart-themed set, but you’ll have to wait quite a while until you can actually get it. The companies announced the upcoming addition to their collaborative line in a brief teaser today ahead of Mario Day (March 10), which said only “Mario Kart — Ready, set, build! Racing in 2025.” That’s a long way off for anyone whose immediate reaction was, “I need this now.” In the meantime, though, Lego has three other sets coming to its Super Mario collection before that: the Bowser Express Train, King Boo’s Haunted Mansion and Battle with Roy at Peach’s Castle.

Those three sets will be available starting August 1 of this year from $64-$120, with the Bowser Express Train being the most expensive of the batch. If you want a better look at what they’ll include, check out the announcement video from Lego, which goes in-depth on each build.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-mario-kart-lego-set-is-in-the-works-and-it-cant-come-soon-enough-203749692.html?src=rss

A Mario Kart Lego set is in the works and it can’t come soon enough

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Lego and Nintendo are releasing a Mario Kart-themed set, but you’ll have to wait quite a while until you can actually get it. The companies announced the upcoming addition to their collaborative line in a brief teaser today ahead of Mario Day (March 10), which said only “Mario Kart — Ready, set, build! Racing in 2025.” That’s a long way off for anyone whose immediate reaction was, “I need this now.” In the meantime, though, Lego has three other sets coming to its Super Mario collection before that: the Bowser Express Train, King Boo’s Haunted Mansion and Battle with Roy at Peach’s Castle.

Those three sets will be available starting August 1 of this year from $64-$120, with the Bowser Express Train being the most expensive of the batch. If you want a better look at what they’ll include, check out the announcement video from Lego, which goes in-depth on each build.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-mario-kart-lego-set-is-in-the-works-and-it-cant-come-soon-enough-203749692.html?src=rss

AI Marilyn Monroe adds to the list of dead celebrities digitally resurrected without consent

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There’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about the practice of capitalizing on celebrities’ digital likenesses without their consent, whether after they die or while they’re still alive. Zelda Williams, for one — the Lisa Frankenstein director and daughter of Robin Williams — slammed the “disturbing” trend of people trying to recreate the voices and faces of the deceased last year, as striking actors fought for, among other things, better protections around studios’ potential use of AI clones. Yet despite the obvious ethical issues, companies keep doing it. The latest? Soul Machines just unveiled “Digital Marilyn,” an AI chatbot designed to look and talk just like Marilyn Monroe.

The company, which specializes in what it refers to as Biological AI-powered Digital People, debuted the Marilyn bot at SXSW on Friday in a partnership with Authentic Brands Group. ABG owns the rights to Monroe’s likeness and those of numerous other celebrities both dead and living, including Elvis Presley and Shaq. Digital Marilyn, powered by GPT 3.5, is “hyper-real” and capable of responding with “emotions and nuanced expressions,” Soul Machines says in a press release. She can hold a roughly 20-minute conversation.

“More than just an impressive impersonation, Digital Marilyn is an autonomous Digital Person capable of engaging in natural, dynamic conversations that feel authentic and responsive,” Soul Machines wrote in a blog post. “It’s as if the spark of Marilyn herself has been translated into the AI age, offering a unique and deeply personal connection for both devoted fans and curious newcomers.” Anyone else’s skin crawling?

Soul Machines touts its digital celebrities (there are others, including an upcoming Carmelo Anthony bot) as a way for famous people to “engage 1-on-1 with their fans, without limits” and “deliver 24/7 connection.” Notably, all of the other AI celebrities the company currently offers chats with — Mark Tuan, Francis Ngannou and Jack Nicklaus — are men who are alive and thus able to weigh-in on their inclusion. Soul Machines introduced its Marilyn Monroe AI to the public with an Instagram post for International Women’s Day, because nothing says “celebrate women” like exploiting the likeness of a female celebrity who is no longer around to give permission.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai-marilyn-monroe-adds-to-the-list-of-dead-celebrities-digitally-resurrected-without-consent-184554216.html?src=rss

AI Marilyn Monroe adds to the list of dead celebrities digitally resurrected without consent

Posted on by

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about the practice of capitalizing on celebrities’ digital likenesses without their consent, whether after they die or while they’re still alive. Zelda Williams, for one — the Lisa Frankenstein director and daughter of Robin Williams — slammed the “disturbing” trend of people trying to recreate the voices and faces of the deceased last year, as striking actors fought for, among other things, better protections around studios’ potential use of AI clones. Yet despite the obvious ethical issues, companies keep doing it. The latest? Soul Machines just unveiled “Digital Marilyn,” an AI chatbot designed to look and talk just like Marilyn Monroe.

The company, which specializes in what it refers to as Biological AI-powered Digital People, debuted the Marilyn bot at SXSW on Friday in a partnership with Authentic Brands Group. ABG owns the rights to Monroe’s likeness and those of numerous other celebrities both dead and living, including Elvis Presley and Shaq. Digital Marilyn, powered by GPT 3.5, is “hyper-real” and capable of responding with “emotions and nuanced expressions,” Soul Machines says in a press release. She can hold a roughly 20-minute conversation.

“More than just an impressive impersonation, Digital Marilyn is an autonomous Digital Person capable of engaging in natural, dynamic conversations that feel authentic and responsive,” Soul Machines wrote in a blog post. “It’s as if the spark of Marilyn herself has been translated into the AI age, offering a unique and deeply personal connection for both devoted fans and curious newcomers.” Anyone else’s skin crawling?

Soul Machines touts its digital celebrities (there are others, including an upcoming Carmelo Anthony bot) as a way for famous people to “engage 1-on-1 with their fans, without limits” and “deliver 24/7 connection.” Notably, all of the other AI celebrities the company currently offers chats with — Mark Tuan, Francis Ngannou and Jack Nicklaus — are men who are alive and thus able to weigh-in on their inclusion. Soul Machines introduced its Marilyn Monroe AI to the public with an Instagram post for International Women’s Day, because nothing says “celebrate women” like exploiting the likeness of a female celebrity who is no longer around to give permission.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai-marilyn-monroe-adds-to-the-list-of-dead-celebrities-digitally-resurrected-without-consent-184554216.html?src=rss

Apple may skip a spring event and announce new iPads, M3 MacBook Airs online instead

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Apple is expected to have some big releases coming up soon — including new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, and the M3 MacBook Air — but it’s reportedly not going to host a big spring launch event for the announcements. In the Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that Apple is “planning to announce the new products on its website with a series of online videos and marketing campaigns.” If so, that’d be two years in a row that Apple has passed on a spring event, with this year being particularly stacked with new products.

Whatever format the announcements come in, rumors suggest they’ll be happening imminently. Gurman, however, predicts more conservatively that the hardware drop will come either this month or next. Along with the iPad Pro refresh and a new 12.9-inch iPad Air, Gurman reports that Apple is planning to announce new Apple Pencils and Magic Keyboards. It’s also expected to release the M3 MacBook Air in 13-inch and 15-inch models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-may-skip-a-spring-event-and-announce-new-ipads-m3-macbook-airs-online-instead-211706684.html?src=rss

Apple may skip a spring event and announce new iPads, M3 MacBook Airs online instead

Posted on by

Apple is expected to have some big releases coming up soon — including new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, and the M3 MacBook Air — but it’s reportedly not going to host a big spring launch event for the announcements. In the Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that Apple is “planning to announce the new products on its website with a series of online videos and marketing campaigns.” If so, that’d be two years in a row that Apple has passed on a spring event, with this year being particularly stacked with new products.

Whatever format the announcements come in, rumors suggest they’ll be happening imminently. Gurman, however, predicts more conservatively that the hardware drop will come either this month or next. Along with the iPad Pro refresh and a new 12.9-inch iPad Air, Gurman reports that Apple is planning to announce new Apple Pencils and Magic Keyboards. It’s also expected to release the M3 MacBook Air in 13-inch and 15-inch models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-may-skip-a-spring-event-and-announce-new-ipads-m3-macbook-airs-online-instead-211706684.html?src=rss

Proposed class action lawsuit accuses Apple of monopolizing cloud storage for its devices

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A class action complaint filed against Apple on Friday in the northern California court has accused the company of creating unfair conditions to ensure iCloud remains the dominant cloud storage choice for its devices, according to Bloomberg Law. By placing “surgical technological restraints” on the types of files other cloud providers can host, Apple has made it so only iCloud can offer Apple device users full-service storage, the complaint argues. According to the complaint, this has also allowed Apple to charge higher fees in the absence of “any real threat to iCloud’s dominance.”

The proposed class, represented by Hagens Berman, would cover tens of millions of customers in the US, Bloomberg Law notes. While iPhone and iPad users do have the option to store certain types of files with non-Apple cloud storage providers, there are some things — including app data and device settings — that only iCloud has permission to host. This leaves users to choose either the “unattractive” option of juggling multiple cloud storage accounts to fully cover their backup needs, or iCloud’s full-service convenience. The complaint argues that Apple’s restrictions are arbitrary and work to stifle competition.

Apple “does not dominate because it built a superior cloud-storage product,” the complaint states. “From a security and functionality standpoint, iCloud is no better (and often inferior) to other cloud storage platforms. Instead, Apple has achieved market dominance by rigging the competitive playing field so that only iCloud can win.” The case was only just filed and hasn’t yet been granted class action status, but anyone who thinks they may be eligible to get in on it can fill out a form on the Hagens Berman website to find out more information.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/proposed-class-action-lawsuit-accuses-apple-of-monopolizing-cloud-storage-for-its-devices-190822242.html?src=rss