Arturia just released a new standalone synthesizer called the AstroLab. This 61-key stage keyboard is basically the company’s Analog Lab software in hardware form, which makes it perfect for live performances. The synth boasts ten dedicated sound engines and access to 35 virtual instruments, including the vast majority of the emulations found with the iconic V Collection. It also costs $2,000.
You could recreate this on the cheap by just buying some software instruments and a MIDI controller, but this is a stage keyboard. In other words, it has been designed with live performance in mind. The casing is durable and built to withstand the rigors of touring and there’s plenty of nifty sound design tools that should come in handy when gigging.
There are 12 insert FX options, with four control knobs, and the ability to loop any sound by up to 32 bars. The instrument even captures the MIDI, so people can easily swap out to another instrument and play the same part. The multitimbral feature allows players to set a split point along the keyboard, to make it easy to pull up two instruments at the same time. This is a big deal when playing live, as you never know how long a keyboard will take to load a preset.
If you want to get people dancing to the sound of a robot voice singing “around the world” over and over until 5 AM, AstroLab keyboards ship with a vocoder and a port to plug in a microphone. Of course, the synthesizer features the usual accouterments like mod wheels, an arpeggiator and various chord scale options. Finally, there’s an affiliated mobile app, AstroLab Connect, that lets users organize their presets and download new sounds from the store. The keyboard is available now through Arturia and various retailers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arturia-stuffed-almost-all-of-its-software-emulations-into-this-new-keyboard-190542557.html?src=rss
Two months after I started using the Apple Vision Pro, it hasn't transformed the way I live. It hasn't replaced my TV, and it doesn't make me want to give up my powerful desktop or slim laptops. It's just another tool in my gadget arsenal — one I can don to catch up on X-Men '97 in bed, or to help me dive deep into research while I'm away from my office. The Vision Pro becomes normal so quickly, it's almost easy to forget how groundbreaking it actually is. Its screens are still absolutely stunning, and the combination of eye tracking and Apple's gesture controls makes for the most intuitive AR/VR interface I've seen yet.
While the Vision Pro still isn't something most people should consider buying, Apple has thrown out a few bones to early adopters. There are more games popping up on the App Store and Arcade every week, and there are also a handful of 3D films being offered to Apple TV+ subscribers. The addition of Spatial Personas also goes a long way towards making the Vision Pro more of a telepresence machine (more on that below). But we're still waiting for the company to make good on the promise of 180-degree Immersive Video, as well as to let users create higher quality Spatial Videos on iPhones.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
How I use the Apple Vision Pro
Once the pressure of reviewing every aspect of the Vision Pro was over, I started incorporating it into my life like a typical user. (Full disclosure: I returned the unit I originally bought, but Apple sent along a sample for further testing.) Mostly, that means not forcing myself to use the headset for large chunks of the day. Instead, my Vision Pro time is more purpose-driven: I slip it on in the morning and project my MacBook's screen to clear out emails and catch up on Slack conversations, all while a YouTube video is virtually projected on my wall.
In the middle of a work session, or sometimes right before diving into a busy workday, I run through a five- or ten-minute meditation session with the Mindfulness app. I can easily meditate without any headgear, but I've found the app's calm narration and the immersive environment it creates (since it completely blocks out the real world) to be incredibly helpful. It's like having your own yoga teacher on staff, ready to help calm your brain whenever you have a free moment.
I've also learned to appreciate the Vision Pro as a way to expand where I can get work done. As someone who's been primarily working from home since 2009, I learned early on that changing locations was an easy way to keep myself engaged. I try not to write in the same place where I've been checking email in the morning, for example. I normally hop between a PC desktop and large monitor (currently it's Alienware's 32-inch 4K OLED) in my office, and a MacBook Air or Pro for writing around the house. Sometimes I'll go to a nearby park or cafe when I need to zone into a writing assignment for several hours.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
With the Vision Pro, I can actually handle some serious multitasking from my deck or kitchen without being tied to a desktop computer. I've found that useful for covering events to avoid getting stuck inside my basement office (I can have a video streaming on a virtual window, as well as Slack and web browsers open via a projected MacBook). I've juggled conference calls while being sick in bed with the Vision Pro, because it felt more comfortable than staring down at a tiny laptop display.
I still haven’t traveled much with the headset, but I can foresee it being useful the next time I take a weekend trip with my family. Tested's Norman Chan told me he's used the Vision Pro during long flights, where it makes the hours just disappear. I'm still working myself up to that — I'd much rather use a small laptop and headphones on planes, but I can imagine the beauty of watching big-screen movies on the Vision Pro while everyone else is staring at tablets or cramped seat-back displays.
The Vision Pro remains a fantastic way to watch movies or TV shows at home, as well. When I'm too tired to head downstairs after putting my kids to sleep, I sometimes just veg in bed while projecting YouTube videos or anime on the ceiling. That's where I experienced a trippy temporal shift while watching X-Men '97: As soon as its remastered theme song spun up, I was immediately transported back to watching the original show on a 13-inch TV in my childhood bedroom. If I could somehow jump back into the past, Bishop-style, it would be impossible to convince my 10-year-old self that I'd eventually be watching a sequel series in a futuristic headset, projected in a 200-inch window. How far we've come.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Spatial Personas are a telepresence dream
When Apple first announced the Vision Pro last year, I couldn't help but be creeped out by its Persona avatars. They looked cold and inhuman, the exact sort of thing you'd imagine from soulless digital clones. The visionOS 1.1 update made them a bit less disturbing, but I didn't truly like the avatars until Apple unveiled Spatial Personas last week. Instead of being confined to a window, Spatial Personas hover in your virtual space, allowing you to collaborate with friends as if they were right beside you.
The concept isn't entirely new: I tested Microsoft Mesh a few years ago with a HoloLens 2 headset, which also brought digital avatars right into my home office. But they looked more like basic Miis from the Nintendo Wii than anything realistic. Meta's Horizon Workrooms did something similar in completely virtual spaces, but that's not nearly as impressive as collaborating digitally atop a view of the real world.
Apple's Spatial Personas are far more compelling than Microsoft’s and Meta's efforts because they're seamless to set up — you just have to flip on Spatial mode during a FaceTime chat — and they feel effortlessly organic. During a Spatial Persona call with Norm from Tested, we were conversing as if he was sitting right in front of me in my home theater. We were able to draw and write together in the Freeform app easily — when I stood up and reached out to the drawing board, it was almost as if we were standing beside each other at a real white board.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
SharePlay with Spatial Personas
We were also able to customize our viewing experiences while watching a bit of Star Trek Beyond together using SharePlay in the Vision Pro. Norm chose to watch it in 2D, I watched in 3D, and our progress was synchronized. The experience felt more engrossing than a typical SharePlay experience, since I could just lean over and chat with him instead of typing out a message or saying something over a FaceTime call. I also couldn't help but imagine how easy it would be to record movie commentaries for podcasts using Spatial Personas. (We'd have to use separate microphones and computers, in addition to Vision Pros, but it would make for a more comfortable recording session than following movies on a monitor or TV.)
Our attempts to play games together failed, unfortunately, because we were running slightly different versions of Game Room. We also didn’t have enough time during our session to sync our apps up. I eventually was able to try out Chess and Battleship with other Vision Pro-equipped friends and, once again, it felt like they were actually playing right beside me. (Norm and CNET's Scott Stein also looked like they were having a ball with virtual chess.)
The main stumbling block for Spatial Personas, of course, is that they require a $3,500 headset. Apple is laying the groundwork for truly great telepresence experiences, but it won't matter for most people until they can actually afford a Vision Pro or a cheaper Apple headset down the line.
With Horizon Workrooms, Meta allowed non-VR users to join virtual meetings using Messenger on phones and computers, so that they weren’t left out. Standard FaceTime users can also join Vision Pro chats alongside spatial personas, but they'll be stuck in a window. And unlike Meta's offering, regular users won't be able to see any virtual environments (though you could still collaborate on specific apps like FreeForm). Meta's big advantage over Apple was with capacity: Horizon Workrooms supports up to 16 people in VR, as well as 34 more calling in from other devices. Spatial Persona chats, on the other hand, are limited to five participants.
Apple
No momentum for Immersive Video
Apple's 180-degree Immersive Video format was one of the most impressive aspects of the Vision Pro when I previewed it last year, and the handful of experiences at launch were pretty compelling. But the Immersive Video well has been dry since launch — the only new experience was a five-minute short showing off the 2023 MLS Playoffs, which was mostly disappointing.
While that short had such great resolution and depth that it felt like I was actually on the pitch, the MLS experience is disorienting because it cuts far too often, and with no sense of rhythm. Once you get settled into a scene, perhaps watching someone gear up for a well-placed goal, the camera view changes and you have no idea where you are. It's almost like a five-minute lesson in what not to do with Immersive Video. Hopefully, the MLS has a longer experience in the works.
I'm not expecting a tsunami of Immersive Video content, since the Vision Pro is still an obscenely expensive device meant for developers and professionals, but it would be nice to see more of a push from Apple. The company is teasing another six-minute episode of Prehistoric Planet for later this month, but again that isn't really much. Where are the creators pushing Immersive Video to new heights? While the content is likely hard to work with since it's shot in 3D and 8K, the format could be a perfect way for Apple to extol the virtues of its new chips.
In lieu of more Immersive Videos, I’ve been spending more time re-watching Spatial Videos captured with my iPhone 15 Pro. They still look more realistic than 2D clips, but I’ve grown to dislike the 1080p/30fps limitation. It’s just hard to accept that resolution when I know my phone can also produce crisp 4K and 60fps footage. The $3 app Spatialify helps somewhat by unlocking 1080p/60fps and 4k/30fps spatial video capture, but its footage is also more shaky and buggy than the iPhone’s built-in camera. At this point, I’ll consider using Spatialify if my phone is on a tripod or gimbal, but otherwise I’ll stick with the native camera app.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
What’s next for the Apple Vision Pro
We’ll likely have to wait until Apple’s WWDC 24 event in June before we hear about any more major upgrades for Vision Pro or visionOS. That would be appropriate, since last year’s WWDC was the headset’s big debut (and a hellish day for us trying to cover all the news). Now that the hardware is in the wild, Apple has to convince developers that it’s worth building Vision Pro apps alongside their usual iOS, iPadOS and macOS wares. It’s not just some mythical spatial computing platform anymore, after all.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-vision-pro-two-months-later-a-telepresence-dream-181550906.html?src=rss
Two months after I started using the Apple Vision Pro, it hasn't transformed the way I live. It hasn't replaced my TV, and it doesn't make me want to give up my powerful desktop or slim laptops. It's just another tool in my gadget arsenal — one I can don to catch up on X-Men '97 in bed, or to help me dive deep into research while I'm away from my office. The Vision Pro becomes normal so quickly, it's almost easy to forget how groundbreaking it actually is. Its screens are still absolutely stunning, and the combination of eye tracking and Apple's gesture controls makes for the most intuitive AR/VR interface I've seen yet.
While the Vision Pro still isn't something most people should consider buying, Apple has thrown out a few bones to early adopters. There are more games popping up on the App Store and Arcade every week, and there are also a handful of 3D films being offered to Apple TV+ subscribers. The addition of Spatial Personas also goes a long way towards making the Vision Pro more of a telepresence machine (more on that below). But we're still waiting for the company to make good on the promise of 180-degree Immersive Video, as well as to let users create higher quality Spatial Videos on iPhones.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
How I use the Apple Vision Pro
Once the pressure of reviewing every aspect of the Vision Pro was over, I started incorporating it into my life like a typical user. (Full disclosure: I returned the unit I originally bought, but Apple sent along a sample for further testing.) Mostly, that means not forcing myself to use the headset for large chunks of the day. Instead, my Vision Pro time is more purpose-driven: I slip it on in the morning and project my MacBook's screen to clear out emails and catch up on Slack conversations, all while a YouTube video is virtually projected on my wall.
In the middle of a work session, or sometimes right before diving into a busy workday, I run through a five- or ten-minute meditation session with the Mindfulness app. I can easily meditate without any headgear, but I've found the app's calm narration and the immersive environment it creates (since it completely blocks out the real world) to be incredibly helpful. It's like having your own yoga teacher on staff, ready to help calm your brain whenever you have a free moment.
I've also learned to appreciate the Vision Pro as a way to expand where I can get work done. As someone who's been primarily working from home since 2009, I learned early on that changing locations was an easy way to keep myself engaged. I try not to write in the same place where I've been checking email in the morning, for example. I normally hop between a PC desktop and large monitor (currently it's Alienware's 32-inch 4K OLED) in my office, and a MacBook Air or Pro for writing around the house. Sometimes I'll go to a nearby park or cafe when I need to zone into a writing assignment for several hours.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
With the Vision Pro, I can actually handle some serious multitasking from my deck or kitchen without being tied to a desktop computer. I've found that useful for covering events to avoid getting stuck inside my basement office (I can have a video streaming on a virtual window, as well as Slack and web browsers open via a projected MacBook). I've juggled conference calls while being sick in bed with the Vision Pro, because it felt more comfortable than staring down at a tiny laptop display.
I still haven’t traveled much with the headset, but I can foresee it being useful the next time I take a weekend trip with my family. Tested's Norman Chan told me he's used the Vision Pro during long flights, where it makes the hours just disappear. I'm still working myself up to that — I'd much rather use a small laptop and headphones on planes, but I can imagine the beauty of watching big-screen movies on the Vision Pro while everyone else is staring at tablets or cramped seat-back displays.
The Vision Pro remains a fantastic way to watch movies or TV shows at home, as well. When I'm too tired to head downstairs after putting my kids to sleep, I sometimes just veg in bed while projecting YouTube videos or anime on the ceiling. That's where I experienced a trippy temporal shift while watching X-Men '97: As soon as its remastered theme song spun up, I was immediately transported back to watching the original show on a 13-inch TV in my childhood bedroom. If I could somehow jump back into the past, Bishop-style, it would be impossible to convince my 10-year-old self that I'd eventually be watching a sequel series in a futuristic headset, projected in a 200-inch window. How far we've come.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Spatial Personas are a telepresence dream
When Apple first announced the Vision Pro last year, I couldn't help but be creeped out by its Persona avatars. They looked cold and inhuman, the exact sort of thing you'd imagine from soulless digital clones. The visionOS 1.1 update made them a bit less disturbing, but I didn't truly like the avatars until Apple unveiled Spatial Personas last week. Instead of being confined to a window, Spatial Personas hover in your virtual space, allowing you to collaborate with friends as if they were right beside you.
The concept isn't entirely new: I tested Microsoft Mesh a few years ago with a HoloLens 2 headset, which also brought digital avatars right into my home office. But they looked more like basic Miis from the Nintendo Wii than anything realistic. Meta's Horizon Workrooms did something similar in completely virtual spaces, but that's not nearly as impressive as collaborating digitally atop a view of the real world.
Apple's Spatial Personas are far more compelling than Microsoft’s and Meta's efforts because they're seamless to set up — you just have to flip on Spatial mode during a FaceTime chat — and they feel effortlessly organic. During a Spatial Persona call with Norm from Tested, we were conversing as if he was sitting right in front of me in my home theater. We were able to draw and write together in the Freeform app easily — when I stood up and reached out to the drawing board, it was almost as if we were standing beside each other at a real white board.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
SharePlay with Spatial Personas
We were also able to customize our viewing experiences while watching a bit of Star Trek Beyond together using SharePlay in the Vision Pro. Norm chose to watch it in 2D, I watched in 3D, and our progress was synchronized. The experience felt more engrossing than a typical SharePlay experience, since I could just lean over and chat with him instead of typing out a message or saying something over a FaceTime call. I also couldn't help but imagine how easy it would be to record movie commentaries for podcasts using Spatial Personas. (We'd have to use separate microphones and computers, in addition to Vision Pros, but it would make for a more comfortable recording session than following movies on a monitor or TV.)
Our attempts to play games together failed, unfortunately, because we were running slightly different versions of Game Room. We also didn’t have enough time during our session to sync our apps up. I eventually was able to try out Chess and Battleship with other Vision Pro-equipped friends and, once again, it felt like they were actually playing right beside me. (Norm and CNET's Scott Stein also looked like they were having a ball with virtual chess.)
The main stumbling block for Spatial Personas, of course, is that they require a $3,500 headset. Apple is laying the groundwork for truly great telepresence experiences, but it won't matter for most people until they can actually afford a Vision Pro or a cheaper Apple headset down the line.
With Horizon Workrooms, Meta allowed non-VR users to join virtual meetings using Messenger on phones and computers, so that they weren’t left out. Standard FaceTime users can also join Vision Pro chats alongside spatial personas, but they'll be stuck in a window. And unlike Meta's offering, regular users won't be able to see any virtual environments (though you could still collaborate on specific apps like FreeForm). Meta's big advantage over Apple was with capacity: Horizon Workrooms supports up to 16 people in VR, as well as 34 more calling in from other devices. Spatial Persona chats, on the other hand, are limited to five participants.
Apple
No momentum for Immersive Video
Apple's 180-degree Immersive Video format was one of the most impressive aspects of the Vision Pro when I previewed it last year, and the handful of experiences at launch were pretty compelling. But the Immersive Video well has been dry since launch — the only new experience was a five-minute short showing off the 2023 MLS Playoffs, which was mostly disappointing.
While that short had such great resolution and depth that it felt like I was actually on the pitch, the MLS experience is disorienting because it cuts far too often, and with no sense of rhythm. Once you get settled into a scene, perhaps watching someone gear up for a well-placed goal, the camera view changes and you have no idea where you are. It's almost like a five-minute lesson in what not to do with Immersive Video. Hopefully, the MLS has a longer experience in the works.
I'm not expecting a tsunami of Immersive Video content, since the Vision Pro is still an obscenely expensive device meant for developers and professionals, but it would be nice to see more of a push from Apple. The company is teasing another six-minute episode of Prehistoric Planet for later this month, but again that isn't really much. Where are the creators pushing Immersive Video to new heights? While the content is likely hard to work with since it's shot in 3D and 8K, the format could be a perfect way for Apple to extol the virtues of its new chips.
In lieu of more Immersive Videos, I’ve been spending more time re-watching Spatial Videos captured with my iPhone 15 Pro. They still look more realistic than 2D clips, but I’ve grown to dislike the 1080p/30fps limitation. It’s just hard to accept that resolution when I know my phone can also produce crisp 4K and 60fps footage. The $3 app Spatialify helps somewhat by unlocking 1080p/60fps and 4k/30fps spatial video capture, but its footage is also more shaky and buggy than the iPhone’s built-in camera. At this point, I’ll consider using Spatialify if my phone is on a tripod or gimbal, but otherwise I’ll stick with the native camera app.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
What’s next for the Apple Vision Pro
We’ll likely have to wait until Apple’s WWDC 24 event in June before we hear about any more major upgrades for Vision Pro or visionOS. That would be appropriate, since last year’s WWDC was the headset’s big debut (and a hellish day for us trying to cover all the news). Now that the hardware is in the wild, Apple has to convince developers that it’s worth building Vision Pro apps alongside their usual iOS, iPadOS and macOS wares. It’s not just some mythical spatial computing platform anymore, after all.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-vision-pro-two-months-later-a-telepresence-dream-181550906.html?src=rss
Streaming can be an art form in its own right and made all the more enjoyable with the proper tools — though they don't always come cheap. That's why the 26 percent discount currently running on the Razer Stream Controller is so exciting. The sale brings the all-in-one keypad down from $270 to $200 — a return to its record-low price.
Razor launched its Stream Controller back in 2022 as a competitor to Elgato's Stream Deck — albeit at a much higher price point. To be fair, the device offers quite a lot for the cost, including 12 haptic switchblade keys, six tactile analog dials and eight programmable buttons. The haptic switchblade keys have customizable icons and, of course, have adjustable haptic feedback. The tactile analog dials control audio levels and the programmable buttons can make regular actions all the more accessible — and speedy.
The Razor Stream Controller works with Mac or PC and has integrated support for platforms like Discord, Twitch and Spotify. It's also good for any artists looking for a new creative device, as it works with Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator and more.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-razer-stream-controller-is-down-to-its-all-time-low-price-143755384.html?src=rss
Streaming can be an art form in its own right and made all the more enjoyable with the proper tools — though they don't always come cheap. That's why the 26 percent discount currently running on the Razer Stream Controller is so exciting. The sale brings the all-in-one keypad down from $270 to $200 — a return to its record-low price.
Razor launched its Stream Controller back in 2022 as a competitor to Elgato's Stream Deck — albeit at a much higher price point. To be fair, the device offers quite a lot for the cost, including 12 haptic switchblade keys, six tactile analog dials and eight programmable buttons. The haptic switchblade keys have customizable icons and, of course, have adjustable haptic feedback. The tactile analog dials control audio levels and the programmable buttons can make regular actions all the more accessible — and speedy.
The Razor Stream Controller works with Mac or PC and has integrated support for platforms like Discord, Twitch and Spotify. It's also good for any artists looking for a new creative device, as it works with Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator and more.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-razer-stream-controller-is-down-to-its-all-time-low-price-143755384.html?src=rss
Google Cloud Next 2024 has begun, and the company is starting the event with some big announcements, including its new Axion processor. It's Google's first Arm-based CPU specifically created for data centers, which was designed using Arm's Neoverse V2 CPU.
According to Google, Axion performs 30 percent better than its fastest general purpose Arm-based tools in the cloud and 50 percent better than the most recent, comparable x86-based VMs. They also claim it's 60 percent more energy efficient than those same x86-based VMs. Google is already using Axion in services like BigTable and Google Earth Engine, expanding to more in the future.
The release of Axion could bring Google into competition with Amazon, which has led the field of Arm-based CPUs for data centers. The company's cloud business, Amazon Web Services (AWS), released the Graviton processor back in 2018, releasing the second and third iterations over the following two years. Fellow chip developer NVIDIA released its first Arm-based CPU for data centers in 2021 named Grace, and companies like Ampere have also been making gains in the area.
Google has been developing its own processors for several years now, but they've been primarily focused on consumer products. The original Arm-based Tensor ship first shipped in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro smartphones, which were released in late 2021. Subsequent Pixel phones have all been powered by updated versions of the Tensor. Prior to that, Google developed the "Tensor Processing Unit" (TPU) for its data centers. The company started using them internally in data centers in 2015, announced them publicly in 2016, and made them available to third parties in 2018.
Arm-based processors are often a lower-cost and more energy-efficient option. Google's announcement came right after Arms CEO Rene Haas issued a warning about the energy usage of AI models, according to the Wall Street Journal. He called models such as ChatGPT "insatiable" regarding their need for electricity. "The more information they gather, the smarter they are, but the more information they gather to get smarter, the more power it takes, Haas stated. By the end of the decade, AI data centers could consume as much as 20 percent to 25 percent of US power requirements. Today that's probably four percent or less. That's hardly very sustainable, to be honest with you." He stressed the need for greater efficiency in order to maintain the pace of breakthroughs.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-announces-its-first-arm-based-cpu-for-data-centers-120508058.html?src=rss
Google Cloud Next 2024 has begun, and the company is starting the event with some big announcements, including its new Axion processor. It's Google's first Arm-based CPU specifically created for data centers, which was designed using Arm's Neoverse V2 CPU.
According to Google, Axion performs 30 percent better than its fastest general purpose Arm-based tools in the cloud and 50 percent better than the most recent, comparable x86-based VMs. They also claim it's 60 percent more energy efficient than those same x86-based VMs. Google is already using Axion in services like BigTable and Google Earth Engine, expanding to more in the future.
The release of Axion could bring Google into competition with Amazon, which has led the field of Arm-based CPUs for data centers. The company's cloud business, Amazon Web Services (AWS), released the Graviton processor back in 2018, releasing the second and third iterations over the following two years. Fellow chip developer NVIDIA released its first Arm-based CPU for data centers in 2021 named Grace, and companies like Ampere have also been making gains in the area.
Google has been developing its own processors for several years now, but they've been primarily focused on consumer products. The original Arm-based Tensor ship first shipped in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro smartphones, which were released in late 2021. Subsequent Pixel phones have all been powered by updated versions of the Tensor. Prior to that, Google developed the "Tensor Processing Unit" (TPU) for its data centers. The company started using them internally in data centers in 2015, announced them publicly in 2016, and made them available to third parties in 2018.
Arm-based processors are often a lower-cost and more energy-efficient option. Google's announcement came right after Arms CEO Rene Haas issued a warning about the energy usage of AI models, according to the Wall Street Journal. He called models such as ChatGPT "insatiable" regarding their need for electricity. "The more information they gather, the smarter they are, but the more information they gather to get smarter, the more power it takes, Haas stated. By the end of the decade, AI data centers could consume as much as 20 percent to 25 percent of US power requirements. Today that's probably four percent or less. That's hardly very sustainable, to be honest with you." He stressed the need for greater efficiency in order to maintain the pace of breakthroughs.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-announces-its-first-arm-based-cpu-for-data-centers-120508058.html?src=rss
Logitech has unveiled the G Pro X 60, its latest gaming keyboard. Similar to the peripheral maker's G Pro X TKL from last year, this is a wireless model aimed at competitive-minded gamers first and foremost. Unlike that device, it has a smaller 60 percent layout, which means it lacks a dedicated function row, number pad, arrow keys and nav cluster but takes up much less space on a desk. This can be a boon for games because it leaves more room to flick a mouse around while retaining the most common action keys. Naturally, it’s also more portable.
The G Pro X 60 is up for pre-order today for $179 in the US or €229 in Europe. It’s available in three colors (black, white or pink) with either the linear or tactile version of Logitech’s GX Optical switches. The company says it’ll be available at major retailers in “late April.”
I’ve had the keyboard on hand for a few days prior to today’s announcement and have mostly been impressed, though I’d have a hard time calling it a great value.
Let’s start with the good: This thing is well-built. Its aluminum top plate is surrounded by a plastic frame, but it all feels sturdy, with no real flex or give when you press down. Its doubleshot PBT keycaps are pleasingly crisp and should avoid any of the shininess that'd develop with cheaper ABS plastic over time. The legends on the keycaps are neatly printed and transparent, so any RGB backlight effects you set will come through cleanly. All the keys are angled comfortably, and there’s a set of flip-out feet on the back.
Logitech
I’m not crazy about the side-mounted volume roller — once you’ve blessed your keyboard with a full-on rotary knob, it’s hard to give up — but it’s easy to reach with your pinky, so you can adjust volume without having to lift your other fingers during the heat of a game. There’s also a dedicated switch for flipping on Logitech’s “game mode,” which deactivates keys you might otherwise hit by accident; those include the Windows and Fn keys by default, but you can add others through Logitech’s G Hub software.
The keyboard can connect over a detachable USB-C cable, Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz wireless dongle. Per usual with Logitech gear, the latter’s connection is rock solid; I’ve had none of the hiccups or stuttering I’ve seen with some wireless keyboards from less established brands, particularly when waking the device from sleep. There are buttons to swap between Bluetooth or the 2.4GHz connection built into the board, as well as a handy compartment for stashing the adapter itself. You can also connect the G Pro X 60 and certain Logitech mice simultaneously using one dongle. Logitech rates the battery life at up to 65 hours; that sounds about right based on my testing so far, but the exact amount will fluctuate based on how bright you set the RGB backlight.
The best thing about the G Pro X 60 might have nothing to do with the keyboard at all — it’s the fact that Logitech includes a hard carrying case in the box. More companies should do this! It makes the device much easier to transport.
Alas, this probably isn't a keyboard you’d want to take to the office. The linear GX Optical switches in my test unit feel totally pleasant: They’re fast enough for gaming, and they come pre-lubricated, so each press goes down smoothly. Since they’re optical, and thus not reliant on any physical contact points, they should also prove durable over time.
Logitech
But they aren’t exactly quiet. Logitech has fit a couple layers of silicone rubber inside the board, but there isn’t the wealth of sound-dampening foam you'd find in some other options in this price range. To peel back the curtain a bit: I received the G Pro X 60 just after testing a bunch of mechanical keyboards for an upcoming buying guide, so I’m a little spoiled on this point. Some people may like the obvious clack of each press here, too. I can’t imagine their coworkers or roommates being as thrilled, though, and some modifier and nav keys like Alt, Ctrl and Tab sound hollower than others.
Besides that, my issues with the G Pro X 60 are more about what's missing than anything the keyboard does wrong. For one, its switches aren’t hot-swappable, so you can’t easily remove and replace them without desoldering. Yes, this is a niche thing, but so are $180 gaming keyboards as a whole. Being able to pop in new switches isn’t just a plus for long-term repairability; it’s half the fun for some keyboard enthusiasts in the first place. Swapping keycaps is straightforward, though.
Taking a step back, a growing number of the G Pro X 60’s peers have some sort of analog functionality, which means they can respond to varying levels of pressure. The top pick in our gaming keyboard buyer’s guide, the Wooting 60HE+, is a good example: Its magnetic Hall effect sensors let you set custom actuation points, so you can make each key extra sensitive while playing a fast FPS, then make them feel heavier and more deliberate while typing. They also enable a “rapid trigger” feature that lets you repeat inputs faster, which can be helpful for, say, strafing back and forth during an in-game shootout. Other models from Razer and SteelSeries provide similar functionality. But the G Pro X 60 lacks any sort of adjustable actuation or rapid trigger mode. That’s probably not a dealbreaker for most people, but the people who would use those features are the kind of hardcore gamers Logitech is targeting with this device.
Logitech
What is here is a new remapping system called “Keycontrol.” Through G Hub, this allows you to assign several different commands or macros to each key, with three separate control layers. This is a convenient way to get around some of the design’s missing keys: I made it so holding Alt temporarily turns WASD into arrow keys, for example. But it also lets you base different actions on whether you press, hold or release a key, so you could tie complementary actions in a game — casting a couple of buffs in an RPG, perhaps — to one press. Some of the analog keyboards noted above can work like this, too, and you need to have G Hub open for some bindings to stay active. Still, it’s better to have this sort of flexibility than not. Logitech says more of its keyboards will receive Keycontrol support in the future but declined to give more specific details.
All of this makes for a keyboard that’s solid in a vacuum but faces some stiff competition. Rival gaming keyboards like the Wooting 60HE+ and SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless are a little richer with performance-focused features, while a slightly larger option like the ASUS ROG Azoth sounds better and offers more customizable hardware for keyboard geeks. There are plenty of great non-gaming keyboards that cost much less, too. But the G Pro X 60 isn’t a bad choice if you want something compact and wireless, so it might be worthwhile during a sale.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/logitechs-tiny-g-pro-x-60-gaming-keyboard-has-some-big-competition-070154542.html?src=rss
Logitech has unveiled the G Pro X 60, its latest gaming keyboard. Similar to the peripheral maker's G Pro X TKL from last year, this is a wireless model aimed at competitive-minded gamers first and foremost. Unlike that device, it has a smaller 60 percent layout, which means it lacks a dedicated function row, number pad, arrow keys and nav cluster but takes up much less space on a desk. This can be a boon for games because it leaves more room to flick a mouse around while retaining the most common action keys. Naturally, it’s also more portable.
The G Pro X 60 is up for pre-order today for $179 in the US or €229 in Europe. It’s available in three colors (black, white or pink) with either the linear or tactile version of Logitech’s GX Optical switches. The company says it’ll be available at major retailers in “late April.”
I’ve had the keyboard on hand for a few days prior to today’s announcement and have mostly been impressed, though I’d have a hard time calling it a great value.
Let’s start with the good: This thing is well-built. Its aluminum top plate is surrounded by a plastic frame, but it all feels sturdy, with no real flex or give when you press down. Its doubleshot PBT keycaps are pleasingly crisp and should avoid any of the shininess that'd develop with cheaper ABS plastic over time. The legends on the keycaps are neatly printed and transparent, so any RGB backlight effects you set will come through cleanly. All the keys are angled comfortably, and there’s a set of flip-out feet on the back.
Logitech
I’m not crazy about the side-mounted volume roller — once you’ve blessed your keyboard with a full-on rotary knob, it’s hard to give up — but it’s easy to reach with your pinky, so you can adjust volume without having to lift your other fingers during the heat of a game. There’s also a dedicated switch for flipping on Logitech’s “game mode,” which deactivates keys you might otherwise hit by accident; those include the Windows and Fn keys by default, but you can add others through Logitech’s G Hub software.
The keyboard can connect over a detachable USB-C cable, Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz wireless dongle. Per usual with Logitech gear, the latter’s connection is rock solid; I’ve had none of the hiccups or stuttering I’ve seen with some wireless keyboards from less established brands, particularly when waking the device from sleep. There are buttons to swap between Bluetooth or the 2.4GHz connection built into the board, as well as a handy compartment for stashing the adapter itself. You can also connect the G Pro X 60 and certain Logitech mice simultaneously using one dongle. Logitech rates the battery life at up to 65 hours; that sounds about right based on my testing so far, but the exact amount will fluctuate based on how bright you set the RGB backlight.
The best thing about the G Pro X 60 might have nothing to do with the keyboard at all — it’s the fact that Logitech includes a hard carrying case in the box. More companies should do this! It makes the device much easier to transport.
Alas, this probably isn't a keyboard you’d want to take to the office. The linear GX Optical switches in my test unit feel totally pleasant: They’re fast enough for gaming, and they come pre-lubricated, so each press goes down smoothly. Since they’re optical, and thus not reliant on any physical contact points, they should also prove durable over time.
Logitech
But they aren’t exactly quiet. Logitech has fit a couple layers of silicone rubber inside the board, but there isn’t the wealth of sound-dampening foam you'd find in some other options in this price range. To peel back the curtain a bit: I received the G Pro X 60 just after testing a bunch of mechanical keyboards for an upcoming buying guide, so I’m a little spoiled on this point. Some people may like the obvious clack of each press here, too. I can’t imagine their coworkers or roommates being as thrilled, though, and some modifier and nav keys like Alt, Ctrl and Tab sound hollower than others.
Besides that, my issues with the G Pro X 60 are more about what's missing than anything the keyboard does wrong. For one, its switches aren’t hot-swappable, so you can’t easily remove and replace them without desoldering. Yes, this is a niche thing, but so are $180 gaming keyboards as a whole. Being able to pop in new switches isn’t just a plus for long-term repairability; it’s half the fun for some keyboard enthusiasts in the first place. Swapping keycaps is straightforward, though.
Taking a step back, a growing number of the G Pro X 60’s peers have some sort of analog functionality, which means they can respond to varying levels of pressure. The top pick in our gaming keyboard buyer’s guide, the Wooting 60HE+, is a good example: Its magnetic Hall effect sensors let you set custom actuation points, so you can make each key extra sensitive while playing a fast FPS, then make them feel heavier and more deliberate while typing. They also enable a “rapid trigger” feature that lets you repeat inputs faster, which can be helpful for, say, strafing back and forth during an in-game shootout. Other models from Razer and SteelSeries provide similar functionality. But the G Pro X 60 lacks any sort of adjustable actuation or rapid trigger mode. That’s probably not a dealbreaker for most people, but the people who would use those features are the kind of hardcore gamers Logitech is targeting with this device.
Logitech
What is here is a new remapping system called “Keycontrol.” Through G Hub, this allows you to assign several different commands or macros to each key, with three separate control layers. This is a convenient way to get around some of the design’s missing keys: I made it so holding Alt temporarily turns WASD into arrow keys, for example. But it also lets you base different actions on whether you press, hold or release a key, so you could tie complementary actions in a game — casting a couple of buffs in an RPG, perhaps — to one press. Some of the analog keyboards noted above can work like this, too, and you need to have G Hub open for some bindings to stay active. Still, it’s better to have this sort of flexibility than not. Logitech says more of its keyboards will receive Keycontrol support in the future but declined to give more specific details.
All of this makes for a keyboard that’s solid in a vacuum but faces some stiff competition. Rival gaming keyboards like the Wooting 60HE+ and SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless are a little richer with performance-focused features, while a slightly larger option like the ASUS ROG Azoth sounds better and offers more customizable hardware for keyboard geeks. There are plenty of great non-gaming keyboards that cost much less, too. But the G Pro X 60 isn’t a bad choice if you want something compact and wireless, so it might be worthwhile during a sale.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/logitechs-tiny-g-pro-x-60-gaming-keyboard-has-some-big-competition-070154542.html?src=rss
Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro have dipped to under $200 in a deal from Amazon. The AirPods Pro, which normally cost $250, are $60 off right now, bringing the price down to just $190. That’s the same price we saw during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. The AirPods Pro offer a number of premium features over the standard AirPods, including active noise cancellation for when you want to shut out the world, and an impressive transparency mode for when you want to hear your surroundings.
The second-generation AirPods Pro came out in 2022 and brought Apple’s H2 chip to the earbuds for a notable performance boost. It offers Adaptive Audio, which will automatically switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode based on what’s going on around you. With Conversation Awareness, they can lower the volume when you’re speaking and make it so other people's voices are easier to hear.
We gave this version of the AirPods Pro a review score of 88, and it’s one of our picks for the best wireless earbuds on the market. The second-generation AirPods Pro are dust, sweat and water resistant, so they should hold up well for workouts, and they achieve better battery life than the previous generation. They can get about six hours of battery life with features like ANC enabled, and that goes up to as much as 30 hours with the charging case. Apple says popping the AirPods Pro in the case for 5 minutes will give you an hour of additional listening or talking time.
AirPods Pro also offer Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking for more immersive listening while you’re watching TV or movies. The gesture controls that were introduced with this generation of the earbuds might take some getting used to, though. With AirPods Pro, you can adjust the volume by swiping the touch control.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-second-generation-airpods-pro-are-back-on-sale-for-190-142626914.html?src=rss