Tag Archives: author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell

Apple design lead Alan Dye is heading to Meta

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Alan Dye, Apple's Vice President of Human Interface Design, has been poached by Meta, Bloomberg reports. The designer played a pivotal role in the look and feel of Apple's products since Jony Ive left the company in 2019, and now he’ll be taking his talents to Meta.

Dye will reportedly work under Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth as the head of a new studio that will oversee the design of hardware, software and AI products. The studio will also include former Apple designer Billy Sorrentino, Meta’s interface design lead Joshua To, an industrial design team led by Pete Bristol, and metaverse design and art teams led by Jason Rubin, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Threads.

“The new studio will bring together design, fashion, and technology to define the next generation of our products and experiences,” Zuckerberg shared in the post. “Our idea is to treat intelligence as a new design material and imagine what becomes possible when it is abundant, capable and human-centered.”

Apple, meanwhile, is replacing Dye with Stephen Lemay, Bloomberg reports, a senior designer at the company who's worked on all of the company’s interfaces since 1999. Considering the secrecy of Apple as a company, it's hard to credit individual breakthroughs to individual designers, but Dye worked on several of Apple's major new platforms and design changes, including things like the interface of visionOS and its new Liquid Glass design language.

Meta has had success with its Quest virtual reality headsets and more recently, its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, but the company clearly hopes to release many more consumer hardware products with Dye and its new design studio’s help. Those will likely include future versions of the Meta Ray-Ban Display and its Neural Band accessory.

Dye isn't the first designer Apple has lost to a competitor. Evans Hankey, the company’s former head of industrial design, left Apple in 2022 to work with Ive. Hankey is now one of several former Apple employees building OpenAI's upcoming hardware device. Dye joining Meta is particularly interesting in this case because Apple is rumored to be working on products that will bring the company in even closer competition to the social media giant. The Vision Pro could be considered to be a high-end competitor in VR, but Apple is reportedly working on its own pair of smart glasses, too.

Update, December 3, 5:54PM ET: Added information from Mark Zuckerberg’s Threads post on hiring Alan Dye and Meta’s new design studio.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-design-lead-alan-dye-is-heading-to-meta-214449944.html?src=rss

Netflix is getting rid of another of its game studios by selling it back to its founders

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The developer of Cozy Grove and Alphabear is leaving Netflix. Spry Fox is being sold back to its original founders, Game File reports, and will continue to work on its upcoming "cooperative village life sim" Spirit Crossing as an independent company. Unlike other shuttered Netflix games studios Team Blue and Boss Fight Entertainment, Netflix will remain involved with the studio as Spirit Crossing's publisher on mobile.

As part of the arrangement, Spry Fox founders David Edery and Daniel Cook will be able to shop Spirit Crossing to other publishers for console and PC releases of the game. While reverting to being an independent studio is definitely a happier version of the typical studio closure story, it might not be without issues. Game File reports that layoffs at Spry Fox are still possible and the developer will need to find additional funding to continue long-term. Spirit Crossing may also need to be altered so that Spry Fox can continue to make money from the game after players purchase it.

Netflix acquired Spry Fox in 2022, a little over a year after it acquired Oxenfree developer Night School. Spry Fox released its first game for Netflix subscribers, a sequel to Cozy Grove, in 2024. The studio formally announced Spirit Crossing in March of this year, as an ambitious attempt to fuse the cozy life simulation elements of something like Animal Crossing: New Horizons with the online social experiences of MMOs like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV. 

That pitch apparently no longer jives with Netflix's current game strategy, which changed when Epic Games' Alain Tascan took over from ex-EA executive Mike Verdu. Whereas Netflix Games under Verdu acquired studios, funded projects and licensed an eclectic collection of mobile games for Netflix subscribers, Tascan has refocused the company's games business around titles based on Netflix IP, social party games and known quantities, Game File writes. Spirit Crossing doesn't fit neatly into any of those categories, which might be one reason Netflix is parting ways with Spry Fox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-is-getting-rid-of-another-of-its-game-studios-by-selling-it-back-to-its-founders-203645232.html?src=rss

Crucial is a casualty of AI’s hunger for RAM

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Micron Technology is winding down its consumer-facing Crucial brand to focus on providing RAM and other components to the AI industry, The Wall Street Journal reports. The company plans to continue shipping Crucial RAM and storage through February 2026, and will honor warranty service and support for its existing Crucial products even after it stops selling directly to consumers.

"The AI-driven growth in the data center has led to a surge in demand for memory and storage. Micron has made the difficult decision to exit the Crucial consumer business in order to improve supply and support for our larger, strategic customers in faster-growing segments," Sumit Sadana, Micron Technology's EVP and Chief Business Officer said in an announcement to investors. Micron Technology didn't share how many jobs could be impacted by shuttering Crucial, but did note that it hoped to soften the blow via "redeployment opportunities into existing open positions within the company."

The majority of generative AI products used today are supported by a growing network of data centers that train and host large language models. The rapid buildout of servers at these data centers has been a boon to PC parts makers like NVIDIA, who provide the GPUs used to power them, but also companies like Micron, who build the memory components these computers need to run. It's not surprising the company would want to focus on where growing demand is, but it does put considerable strain on the remaining companies who continue to service both businesses and hobbyist PC-builders.

There were next to no true deals on memory or pre-built PCs for Black Friday due to how costly RAM has become now that AI companies are buying it in bulk. PC maker CyberPowerPC even went as far to say that "global memory (RAM) prices have surged by 500 percent and SSD prices have risen by 100 percent," forcing it to raise prices on its products. Losing another source of RAM like Crucial likely won't make things any better.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/crucial-is-a-casualty-of-ais-hunger-for-ram-185910113.html?src=rss

How to use Magnifier on a MacBook to zoom in on faraway text

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One of the iPhone’s many accessibility features is something Apple calls "Magnifier," which uses the smartphone's cameras to magnify and identify objects in the world around you. For Global Accessibility Awareness Day in May this year, Apple brought Magnifier to the Mac, opening up even more places the assistive tool can be used, like classroom or work environments where you might already have a MacBook pulled out.

Magnifier requires macOS 26 Tahoe and can work with a built-in webcam, a connected third-party camera or an iPhone via Apple's Continuity feature. Provided your MacBook can run Apple’s latest software update, it’s a natural fit for zooming in on a whiteboard at the back of a large lecture hall or getting a closer look at documents on a desk in front of you. You can use the app to both capture an individual image you want to refer to later, or to analyze text in a live video feed. But where to begin? Here’s how to set up and use Magnifier on your Mac.

How to use Magnifier to identify and display text

A MacBook using Magnifier and a connected iPhone to identify and format text from a book.
A MacBook using Magnifier and a connected iPhone to identify and format text from a book.
Apple

Magnifier's most powerful feature uses the MacBook's machine learning capabilities to identify, display and format text that your camera captures. This works with text your camera can see in the room around you, and things it captures via macOS' Desk View feature. For example, to view documents on your desk:

  1. Open Magnifier.

  2. Click on the Camera section in Magnifier's menu bar and then select your Desk View camera from the dropdown menu.

  3. Click on the Reader icon (a simple illustration of a document) near the top-right of your Magnifier window.

  4. Click on the sidebar menu icon to access settings to format text.

Apple gives you options to change the color, font and background of text Magnifier identifies, among other customization options. If you'd prefer to capture faraway text, you can position a webcam or iPhone camera facing away from you and swap to it via the Camera section in Magnifier's menu bar.

You can also listen to any text Magnifier has identified by clicking on the Play button in the top-right corner of Magnifier's reader mode. Clicking the Pause button will pause playback, clicking the Skip Forward or Skip Backward buttons skip through lines of text, and if you want to adjust playback speed, you can click on the 1x button and pick a speed from the dropdown menu.

How to use Magnifier to zoom in on yourself

A screenshot of the macOS Magnifier app zoomed in on a face.
Magnifier can identify text, but it also works as a way to get a zoomed in view of your own face.
Ian Carlos Campbell for Engadget

By default, Magnifier uses your MacBook's built-in webcam, which means you'll see a view of yourself and whatever's behind you if you don't have another camera selected. This might not be usual for seeing faraway text, but it is handy if you're applying makeup, putting in contacts or doing anything else where you need a detailed view of your face.

In my tests, using Magnifier worked the best with my MacBook's built-in webcam or an iPhone. When I tried using a third-party webcam from Logitech, my live camera feed was noticeably laggy. Your mileage may vary, but if you experience any issues with your own webcam, it's worth trying your built-in webcam to see if that helps. You can swap between cameras and zoom in to your camera feed inside the Magnifier app:

  1. Open Magnifier.

  2. In the top menu bar, select Camera and then click on the camera you'd like to use in the dropdown menu.

  3. Use the slider in the top center of the Magnifier window to zoom in on yourself.

You can see a live feed of your zoomed in view in Magnifier's main window. If you click on the Camera button in the bottom-left corner of the app, you can also snap a photo to review later. Any photos you capture will appear in Magnifier's left sidebar menu. Clicking on them lets you view them, zoom in on them and adjust their visual appearance (Brightness, Contrast and other visual settings) via the Image section in Magnifier's menu bar.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/how-to-use-magnifier-on-a-macbook-to-zoom-in-on-faraway-text-080100677.html?src=rss

Ireland is investigating TikTok and LinkedIn for possible DSA violations

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Ireland's media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, has announced investigations into both TikTok and LinkedIn for possible violations of the European Union's Digital Services Act, Reuters reports. The investigations are focused on both platforms' illegal content reporting features, which might not meet the requirements of the DSA.

The main issue appears to be how these platforms’ reporting tools are presented and implemented. Regulators found possible "deceptive interface designs" in the content reporting features they examined, which could make them less effective at actually weeding out illegal content. "The reporting mechanisms were liable to confuse or deceive people into believing that they were reporting content as illegal content, as opposed to content in violation of the provider’s Terms and Conditions," the regulator wrote in a press release announcing its investigation.

“At the core of the DSA is the right of people to report content that they suspect to be illegal, and the requirement on providers to have reporting mechanisms, that are easy to access and user-friendly, to report content considered to be illegal, “ John Evans, Coimisiún na Meán's DSA Commissioner, said in the press release. "Providers are also obliged to not design, organize or operate their interfaces in a way which could deceive or manipulate people, or which materially distorts or impairs the ability of people to make informed decisions."

Evans goes on to note that Coimisiún na Meán has already gotten other providers to make "significant changes to their reporting mechanisms for illegal content," likely due to the threat of financial penalties. Many tech companies have headquarters in Ireland, and if a platform provider is found to violate the DSA, Irish regulators can fine them up to six percent of their revenue in response.

Ireland's Data Protection Commission is already conducting a separate investigation into the social media platform X for allegedly training its Grok AI assistant on posts from users. Doing so would violate the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, and allow Ireland to take a four percent cut of the company's global revenue.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/ireland-is-investigating-tiktok-and-linkedin-for-possible-dsa-violations-194519622.html?src=rss

Our favorite Aura digital photo frame is $40 off for Black Friday

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Putting together a photo album is a sweet way to share memories with loved ones, and a digital frame lets you package those feelings in a device that can be constantly updated with new pictures. Aura makes some of the best frames we've tested, and for Black Friday you can get our favorite digital picture frame the company makes for $139. That's $40 off the normal $179 price of the Aura 10.1" Carver Mat Frame, and one of the lowest prices we've seen the frame hit this year.

The Aura Carver Mat has a 10.1-inch display that's bright and high-resolution enough to show off a rotating collection of photos and videos without worrying about glare. The display is designed to be used in landscape orientation, and Aura's software can intelligently pair portrait photos together so the screen isn't left with awkward negative space.

Better yet, actually getting photos on the frame is a breeze. You can add whatever photos or videos you choose through a handy smartphone app, and even organize photos in albums if you want them to be displayed together. By default, the Aura Carver will shuffle through what you've uploaded, but you can also manually swipe through photos via a touch panel at the top of the frame if there's something particular you want to display.

In terms of quality and ease-of-use, the Aura 10.1-inch Carver Mat Frame is the top pick in our list of the best digital picture frames for a reason. Parents and grandparents find it kind of magical to have a frame that you can randomly update with new photos, and of the Black Friday deals we've spotted this year, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/our-favorite-aura-digital-photo-frame-is-40-off-for-black-friday-202715971.html?src=rss

Sony teases the A7 V, its next flagship midrange camera

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Sony appears to be ready to announce another addition to its Alpha camera lineup. The company shared an image on the Sony Alpha Instagram account with the text "Chase your dream" and the date December 2 at 9AM EST, which could be a teaser for its next mirrorless camera.

It's possible the company has something else in mind, but the giant "V" or Roman numeral five in the background of the image seems like a clear reference to an unannounced Sony A7 V, a follow-up to the Sony Alpha 7 IV. Considering there was around a four year gap between the release of the A7 III and A7 IV, releasing the new camera in 2026 would make the timing lineup, too. 

Rumors suggest the A7 V could feature a new 33MP "partially stacked sensor" designed by Sony, along with the ability to capture 4K / 60 fps video. The company is also rumored to be announcing at least two new lenses to go with the new camera. Since the Alpha 7 IV started at $2,500, it seems safe to expect that these upgrades could cost even more when the camera is officially announced in December.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sony-teases-the-a7-v-its-next-flagship-midrange-camera-224000370.html?src=rss

Warner Music drops lawsuit against AI music platform Suno in exchange for licensing agreement

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Following its licensing deal with Udio, Warner Music Group (WMG) has also reached an agreement with Suno that will let the platform license its artists' music and likenesses, and end the music company's ongoing litigation. WMG was previously one of several record labels suing Udio and Suno for allegedly infringing on copyrighted works at a "massive scale."

As part of the agreement, "artists and songwriters will have full control over whether and how their names, images, likenesses, voices, and compositions are used in new AI-generated music," WMG explains in its press release for the announcement. WMG doesn't spell out how that will work for musicians impacted by the deal, but it does appear that participation will be opt-in, rather than anything being shared by default. This mirrors the opt-in structure of the company's Udio deal.

"AI becomes pro-artist when it adheres to our principles: committing to licensed models, reflecting the value of music on and off platform, and providing artists and songwriters with an opt-in for the use of their name, image, likeness, voice and compositions in new AI songs," WMG CEO Robert Kyncl says.

Suno will also make adjustments to its AI music platform, possibly as a condition of the new partnership. WMG says Suno is launching "new, more advanced and licensed models" in 2026, after which its current models will be deprecated. The company will also limit music downloads to paid accounts. "In the future, songs made on the free tier will not be downloadable and will instead be playable and shareable. Paid tier users will have limited monthly download caps with the ability to pay for more downloads," WMG says. 

In an odd wrinkle to the partnership, Suno is also acquiring WMG's Songkick concert discovery platform. The company plans to continue running it, and WMG claims that "the combination of Suno and Songkick will create new potential to deepen the artist-fan connection." An app for finding nearby concerts doesn't totally square with Suno's existing music creation tools, but maybe it suggests the company is interested in offering more social features down the road.

Prior to this agreement, Suno openly admitted to using "essentially all music files of reasonable quality that are accessible on the open internet" to train its AI model, under the auspices of fair use. That seems like a pretty blatant admission of copyright infringement, but apparently Warner Music Group is happier with the deals it struck than what it could have won through its lawsuit. The company is reportedly one of several music groups looking to strike a similar deal with YouTube.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/warner-music-drops-lawsuit-against-ai-music-platform-suno-in-exchange-for-licensing-agreement-224619025.html?src=rss

Perplexity announces its own take on an AI shopping assistant

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Perplexity is rolling out a new shopping feature to make buying things through its AI assistant easier and more personalized. The company's new feature is free for all Perplexity users in the US and builds on Perplexity’s existing relationship with payment provider Paypal.

The new shopping experience lets Perplexity users conduct more personalized product searches, like asking "What's the best winter jacket if I live in San Francisco and take a ferry to work?" Perplexity says its assistant can keep the context of your chat in mind as it searches for products, and incorporate details it's learned about your life and preferences to tailor results. Once the assistant has found products it wants to show you, it can then present them in nicely formatted product cards, with pros and cons about each jacket, for example, and other relevant details pulled from reviews and guides.

If one of the products Perplexity finds seems like the right fit, you can also purchase the product directly through the company's assistant, and pay with payment details stored in a PayPal account. This "Instant Buy" experience provided by Perplexity and PayPal extends to all merchants who offer PayPal as a payment method. While that sounds like it could make a key element of the shopping experience obsolete for these online stores (you never actually visit their website), Perplexity claims merchants still own the most important parts. "They have full visibility into who their customer is, can process returns, build loyalty, and own the post-purchase relationship, just as they would on their own sites," the AI company says.

Perplexity's push into online shopping is similar to the "shopping research" feature OpenAI recently added to ChatGPT, and new product recommendation features Google's added to AI Mode in Google Search. While all these tools are pitched as a more personalized alternative to the shopping guides you'll find on Engadget and other editorial sites, they often work under the same logic. By referring someone to a product, AI companies hope to receive a payment or a fee from the transaction if the person makes a purchase.

Ultimately, Perplexity is equally interested in offering an end-to-end solution, where it finds and purchases products without a human needing to step in. The company received a cease-and-desist from Amazon at the beginning of November for letting the agent in its Comet browser complete Amazon purchases on users' behalf.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/perplexity-announces-its-own-take-on-an-ai-shopping-assistant-210500961.html?src=rss

Now you can use ChatGPT Voice without leaving your chat

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OpenAI has announced that it's changing how ChatGPT's Voice mode works on the web and inside the company's app. As part of an update, you can interact with ChatGPT Voice directly within your ongoing chat, letting you see a transcript of your conversation with OpenAI's AI model, along with visuals that demonstrate whatever ChatGPT is talking about.

You can start a voice chat just by tapping or clicking on the "waveform" icon next to ChatGPT's text field. Rather than launching into the original orb-filled interface the feature launched as, voice chats now happen in-line with whatever you were previously discussing. In the demo video OpenAI shared alongside the announcement, ChatGPT was able to display a transcript of the conversation, followed by a map listing popular bakeries and photos of pastries sold at Tartine. OpenAI says that if you prefer the original Voice interface, you can switch back to it by toggling on Separate mode under the Voice Mode section of ChatGPT's Settings.

Combining visuals and voice responses together is a natural extension of the multimodal nature of ChatGPT. You can already prompt OpenAI's model with your voice and an image or video, it makes sense that voice responses from ChatGPT should have the same level of detail. Google has explored similar methods for making Gemini Live more expressive during conversations, including letting the AI highlight specific parts of a live video with overlays. This OpenAI feature isn't quite reactive in the same way, but it could make a voice conversation with ChatGPT more informative.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/now-you-can-use-chatgpt-voice-without-leaving-your-chat-195000538.html?src=rss