Tag Archives: region|US

Roblox adds real-time AI chat translation using its own language model

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Currently serving over 70 million daily active users, Roblox is still going strong since its September 2006 launch — almost 18 years ago. The development team is now taking one step further to boost the platform's massive community, by way of providing real-time AI chat translation to connect gamers around the world. According to CTO Daniel Sturman, his team needed to build their own "unified, transformer-based translation LLM (large language model)" in order to seamlessly handle all 16 languages supported on Roblox, as well as to recognize Roblox-specific slangs and abbreviations (this writer just learned that "obby" refers to an obstacle course in the game).

As a result, the chat window always displays the conversation in the user's own tongue — with a small latency of around 100 milliseconds, so it's pretty much real time. You can also click on the translation icon on the left of each line to see it in its original language. Sturman claims that thanks to the language model's efficient architecture and iterative training, it "outperforms commercial translation APIs on Roblox content." The development team will later roll out a feedback tool to help improve translation quality, in addition to its ongoing updates with whatever new catchphrases it picks up on the platform.

Roblox built its own large language model to support real-time chat translation for all 16 languages on its platform. It recognizes Roblox-specific slang and abbreviations.
Roblox

Roblox's translation efforts don't stop there. Sturman adds that his team is already looking into automatically translating "text on images, textures, 3D models" and more. As Roblox supports voice chat, the exec also teases the possibility of automatic voice chat translations, so gamers from around the world can seamlessly talk to one another in their own tongue on the platform. Given that Samsung already offers a similar feature via Galaxy AI, it probably won't be long before we hear another update from Roblox on this end.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/roblox-adds-real-time-ai-chat-translation-using-its-own-language-model-061929902.html?src=rss

YouTube reportedly has an Apple Vision Pro app on its roadmap

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Google reportedly plans to develop a YouTube app for the Apple Vision Pro. The Verge says a YouTube spokesperson confirmed the company’s plans to make a native Vision Pro app, while it optimizes YouTube for Safari as a stopgap. The U-turn comes after developer Christian Selig (creator of the popular Apollo app that Reddit killed in 2023) launched an unofficial YouTube app for Apple’s $3,500 headset.

“We’re excited to see Vision Pro launch and we’re supporting it by ensuring YouTube users have a great experience in Safari,” YouTube spokesperson Jessica Gibby reportedly wrote in an email to The Verge’s Nilay Patel. “We do not have any specific plans to share at this time, but can confirm that a Vision Pro app is on our roadmap.”

Despite Vision Pro launching with over 600 native apps, YouTube said as recently as January 19 that it had no plans for a Vision Pro app. (Netflix is another high-profile holdout.) In addition, a YouTube company spokesperson told Engadget at the time it also had no plans to make its iPad app available on the visionOS App Store. Porting iPad apps is the (relatively) quick and easy way for developers to get their software onto Apple’s “spatial computing” device.

Promotional image for the Juno (YouTube) app for Apple Vision Pro. A floating screen shows a YouTube video of a person wearing the headset. A living room is visible behind the floating display.
Juno, developer Christian Selig’s unofficial YouTube app for Vision Pro
Christian Selig / Juno

Something changed the company’s mind in the last two-and-a-half weeks. One theory is, despite its staggering $3,500 price, Apple’s mixed reality headset appears to be off to a strong start as the company’s most loyal and deep-pocketed fans quickly scooped up pre-orders. Well-sourced analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimated Apple sold somewhere between 160,000 and 180,000 headsets during its opening weekend.

Another theory is that YouTube noticed an independent developer picking up its slack. Christian Selig, the maker of the now-defunct Apollo for Reddit app, launched an unofficial third-party YouTube app called Juno that was available at launch. Selig has significant trust and stature among Apple device users: He’s a former Apple developer and creator of one of iOS users’ favorite Reddit apps (before the company’s controversial API rules effectively killed most third-party Reddit apps).

“YouTube is probably one of the parts of the internet I consume the most, so I was more than a little sad when YouTube announced that they don’t have plans to build a visionOS app, and disabled the option to load the iPad app,” Selig explained last week in a blog post. “This leaves you with Safari, and the website is okay, but definitely doesn’t feel like a visionOS app.”

YouTube supports 3D and 360-degree videos, but neither currently works on Vision Pro. It isn’t yet clear if the company plans to incorporate those into its app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-reportedly-has-an-apple-vision-pro-app-on-its-roadmap-210710272.html?src=rss

Final Fantasy 14 will require two subscriptions on Xbox

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The popular MMO game Final Fantasy 14 is finally heading to Xbox Series X/S consoles, but there’s a major caveat. The full release will require an Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate subscription, according to publisher Square Enix. This will be in addition to the monthly fee to actually play the game.

Let’s break down the cost. A 30-day subscription to the game will set you back $15, while 90 days costs $42 and 180 days comes out to $78. Xbox Game Pass Core costs $10 per month or $60 for a year. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $17 per month. So Xbox players will have to shell out a minimum of $18 each month and a maximum of $32 per month to travel the magical world of Eorzea. The download itself is free, for whatever that's worth.

This is slightly unusual for a couple of reasons. Back in April of 2021, Microsoft removed subscription requirements for free-to-play multiplayer games. Final Fantasy 14, however, is not quite free-to-play, though it’s free-to-download. Also, PlayStation players have long been able to adventure through the game without having to purchase a PlayStation Plus Subscription. To Sony, the game falls into the free-to-play category, but not for Microsoft.

It’s worth noting that the subscription requirement has been lifted for beta players. The open beta test for the Xbox Series X|S version of Final Fantasy 14 starts on February 21 at 12AM PT.

The full game will be released when the beta finishes up, but there’s no concrete information yet. It should be available by the time this summer’s Dawntrail expansion hits. The open beta’s reserved for new players, so you won’t be able to participate if you’ve already had access to a free trial or a license registered to your Square Enix account.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-14-will-require-two-subscriptions-on-xbox-200108998.html?src=rss

Rivian will unveil the cheaper and more efficient R2 on March 7

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Rivian will reveal the R2 on March 7. The company confirmed on Monday in a post on X (Twitter) that customers should “get ready to meet R2 on March 7th.” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe previously said the next-generation platform would be smaller and cheaper than the R1 lineup.

The automaker hasn’t yet said where the event will take place, but it will all but certainly be in Laguna Beach, CA. Last month, its city council publicly posted an approved request in its minutes for a “Rivian R2 Launch,” part of a “worldwide product launch event at the Rivian Theater” on the same date. If that wasn’t enough of a clue, Rivian’s X teaser included audio of waves crashing, beachgoers playing and seagulls squawking.

Rivian representatives reportedly plan to hold the event at the Rivian South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach. The automaker bought the cinema (which opened in 1937 and closed in 2015) in 2021 before renovating and reopening it this past December. The company asked the council for permission to display six vehicles on a grassy public area near the theater, which sounds ideal for a media hands-on area after a formal presentation inside.

The R2 platform is expected to start with a smaller SUV (reportedly about the size of a Jeep Grand Cherokee) priced in the $40,000 to $60,000 range. R1 platform vehicles start at around $80,000, although some models are available for leasing, which makes them eligible for a full $7,500 tax credit.

When Scaringe held an Instagram Q&A last year, he said the vehicle’s expected delivery date had slipped from 2025 to 2026. So, unless Rivian’s plans have changed dramatically since then, expect the March event to precede a long waitlist period before you can take one home. Rivian still hasn’t started construction on an upcoming Georgia factory that will produce the R2 lineup.

Rivian loses about $31,000 on every R1 platform vehicle it makes as the EV maker positions its brand for an all-electric future. The R2 is expected to be more efficient (with more accessible pricing) as the automaker tries to pivot into profitability. The company’s CEO said in late 2023 that it was chatting with a “pipeline” of commercial customers for its electric vans after its four-year exclusivity agreement with Amazon ended. However, it still plans to fulfill its contract with Amazon, which calls for the delivery of 100,000 vans to the online retailer by 2030.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rivian-will-unveil-the-cheaper-and-more-efficient-r2-on-march-7-174530126.html?src=rss

The 4K Google Chromecast is back on sale for $40

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The Google Chromecast with Google TV is the top pick in our guide to the best streaming devices, as it provides an attractive, detailed interface for navigating apps at an affordable price. If you find the smart platform built into your TV slow or unwieldy and are looking to make a switch, Google has kicked off a new sale that brings the 4K streamer back down to $40. 

Google has run this discount several times in the past: It's a few bucks more than the lowest price we've ever seen, but it's still $10 off the device's typical going rate. It's also the first major discount the Chromecast has received in the new year. The offer is available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, B&H and the Google Store. According to Google's listing, it'll last through February 11.

The 4K Chromecast was released way back in 2020 and doesn't support Wi-Fi 6 (or 6E), so we wouldn't be surprised to see a refresh at some point. That said, the existing model is still snappy enough to navigate apps and load up content. It supports all the major streaming services and the most-used HDR formats (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+), as well as Dolby Atmos audio via HDMI passthrough. The dongle itself plugs directly to a TV's HDMI port, and it comes with a simple remote that can also control volume and power for your TV (though it lacks a dedicated play/pause button).

But you'd mainly buy the Chromecast for its UI. Instead of presenting a grid of apps like a Roku device, Google TV takes a more content-centric approach, proactively recommending shows and movies you may like based on your viewing history. This works well: Recommendations are pulled from a wide range of services, and series you've been watching recently are usually placed toward the top, so it's easy to jump into the next episode. It can also integrate with certain live TV services like YouTube TV and Sling TV to show what's on right from the menu. You can create separate personalized profiles for different people, and contextual searches through the Google Assistant typically work great. You'll still see sponsored content, as with most streamers, but the advertising here generally isn't egregious as it is on, say, Amazon's Fire TV Sticks.

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is another affordable option that we recommend in our buying guide; it's currently available for $39 as well, though that deal has been around for most of the last two months. Its app-based interface is more basic than Google TV, and it's generally not as precise as the Chromecast when searching for content. But if you want a streamer that just shows you apps and gets out of the way, it might be a better fit. Roku's streamer also supports Apple AirPlay, so you can beam content to it right from an iPhone. If you've got much more cash to burn, meanwhile, the $129 Apple TV 4K is faster and less ad-filled than either device, but that one isn't significantly discounted right now.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-4k-google-chromecast-is-back-on-sale-for-40-162511339.html?src=rss

Snap is laying off 10 percent of its workforce

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Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, is laying off 10 percent of its workforce, according to an SEC filing and confirmed by a company spokesperson. The company reported a total number of 5,367 employees at the end of 2023’s third quarter, so the layoffs should impact around 540 people.

Snap discussed the decision in the SEC filing, saying the layoffs would “best position our business to execute our highest priorities” and ensure it has “the capacity to invest incrementally” over time. The company told us the layoffs were necessary to “reduce hierarchy and promote in-person collaboration.” None of those sentences really mean anything, so let's just go with "corporate restructuring." 

Snap said in the filing that it would be issuing severance packages to the impacted employees, but there's no specific information regarding package details. A Snap spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that it's “focused on supporting our departing team members.”

These layoffs are happening just one day before Snap is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings for 2023. The company actually did pretty well in Q3, beating out Wall Street expectations by about five percent, according to Variety.

If tomorrow's earnings report is bad, it'll show why these layoffs are necessary. On the other hand, if it's better than expected, Snap may be announcing these layoffs now to avoid doing so after a quarter of financial gains. Nobody likes to see a big company massively reduce its headcount after bragging about earnings. Snap told us the company’s in a “quiet period” until tomorrow’s Q4 financial report drops.

This follows another round of layoffs in November, in which Snap let go of 20 product managers. However, both of these news items pale in comparison to Snap’s massive culling in 2022, which eliminated over 1,300 employees.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/snap-is-laying-off-10-percent-of-its-workforce-161146546.html?src=rss

Microsoft may bring Bethesda’s Starfield and Indiana Jones games to the PS5 after all

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Microsoft's gaming division appears to be considering a significant shift in its strategy when it comes to major exclusives. Rumors have been swirling for a while that the company is bringing Hi-Fi Rush, a well-received game from last year, and Sea of Thieves to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. But the company is said to be bringing some of its blockbuster Xbox exclusives to PS5 as well, which would mark a monumental change in policy.

Over the weekend, XboxEra reported that Microsoft will bring Bethesda's Starfield (its tentpole game for 2023) to PS5 later this year, sometime after the release of the Shattered Space expansion. The report suggests that Microsoft has acquired more PS5 dev kits to help port its games to Sony's console.

MachineGames' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could be bound for PlayStation 5 as well. According to The Verge, the action-adventure game is slated to hit Sony's platform just a few months after it debuts on PC, Xbox and Game Pass later this year.

Amid the Federal Trade Commission's failed attempt to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, then-Bethesda vice president Pete Hines confirmed in court last year that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was initially going to be released on multiple consoles. However, after Microsoft purchased Bethesda parent ZeniMax Media, it changed the agreement to make the game an Xbox console exclusive. The FTC was also under the belief that fellow Bethesda titles Starfield and Redfall were at one point bound for PS5 before those versions of the games were canned.

Hi-Fi Rush is reportedly coming to Switch and PlayStation as soon as this quarter. The Gears of War series could be on the way to PS5 too, according to GamesBeat's Jeff Grubb (via Video Games Chronicle).

There's really only one reason why Microsoft would even begin to consider bringing more of its exclusives to PlayStation: money. It may be the case that the Game Pass model can't really sustain multiple games with nine-figure budgets and Microsoft could feel as though it's leaving money on the table by not having certain titles on PS5, as XboxEra put it.

It's clear that Microsoft is looking to make its gaming division more profitable. It recently laid off around 1,900 workers in that unit, just a few months after closing the $68.7 billion Activision Blizzard takeover.

When Microsoft bought ZeniMax, Microsoft Gaming CEO Spencer said his team would decide platform availability on a case-by-case basis. However, he said that Starfield would only be available on Xbox, PC and Game Pass.

Some Xbox games are already available on PlayStation and Switch, such as Minecraft Dungeons. As part of its 10-year deal to release Call of Duty titles on Nintendo consoles, Microsoft suggested it would bring other Xbox games to Switch and/or its successor.

The change in strategy could call into question Xbox's place in the games industry. While console wars are by and large nonsense, some players may feel aggrieved that Starfield and the Indy game are seemingly bound for PS5, especially if they decided to make Xbox Series X/S their sole console. Certain gamers who might only be able to afford one of the flagship consoles and tend to trade in games may feel that they're missing out if they plumped for an Xbox but Microsoft's titles are hitting PS5 alongside the likes of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarok.

It might not be too long until we learn more details about Microsoft's possible shift in multi-platform strategy. "We're listening and we hear you," Spencer wrote on X. "We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned."

Update 2/5 12:31PM ET: Added a note about the rumor of Gears of War coming to PlayStation.

Update 2/5 3:28PM ET: Added Spencer's statement.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-may-bring-bethesdas-starfield-and-indiana-jones-games-to-the-ps5-after-all-154823503.html?src=rss

Yandex sells its Russian operations to local executives for $5.2 billion

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Yandex, often described as Russia’s Google, has sold its domestic businesses at a knock-down price. Bloomberg reports the search and services giant, now headquartered in the Netherlands, has handed off its Russian operations for 475 billion rubles ($5.2 billion) in cash and shares. The new owners include the management group, as well as Russia’s biggest domestic energy company, Lukoil, and Russian businessman and a former executive at Gazprom, Alexander Ryazanov, among others. Now that Yandex has cut ties with Russia, it will be able to grow and partner more freely given the sanctions affecting businesses with Russian ties following the invasion of Ukraine.

Since the war, Yandex has faced repercussions such as removal from Nasdaq. Its founder, Arkady Volozh, faced European Union sanctions in the summer of 2022 due to the company reportedly supporting Russian propaganda. The company soon sold its news aggregation service, and Volozh openly condemned the war.

Reports that Yandex would cut ties with Russia first emerged in late 2022. At the time, the company was facing sanction repercussions and was rumored to have no path forward to grow projects without Western technology. However, it took a year and a half of negotiations between Yandex and the Kremlin (a necessary step) for Yandex NV to be allowed to separate from its Russian businesses. The final deal came with at least a 50 percent discount, a customary practice when the Kremlin deems the registered country — in this case, the Netherlands — unfriendly.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/yandex-sells-its-russian-operations-to-local-executives-for-52-billion-131554719.html?src=rss

Microsoft is teaming up with Semafor on AI-assisted news stories

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Microsoft is teaming up with media website Semafor on a new project that uses ChatGPT to aid in the creation of news stories, The Financial Times has reported. It's one of several journalistic collaborations Microsoft is set to announce today, and follows a New York Times lawsuit filed against the software giant and its partner, OpenAI, for copyright infringement.

Semafor, co-founded by former Buzzfeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, will create a feed called "Signals" that will be sponsored by Microsoft for an undisclosed but "substantial" sum, the report states. It will highlight breaking news and analysis, offering a dozen or so posts per day. All stories will be written entirely by journalists, with the AI effectively acting as a research tool.

Signals responds to the deep and continuing shifts in the digital media landscape and the post-social news moment, and to the risks and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence, Semafor wrote.

Specifically, Semafor's team will use AI tools to rapidly find breaking event reporting from other news sources around the world in multiple languages, while providing translation tools. An article might therefore include Chinese, Indian or other sources, with reporters adding context and summarizing the different viewpoints. "Journalists need to adopt these tools in order to survive and thrive for another generation," former AP journalist Noreen Gillespie, now with Microsoft, told The Financial Times. 

The use of ChatGPT and other AI chatbots has been controversial in newsrooms, with sites like CNET recently using them to generate entire feature-length articles (albeit with the help of human editors). This despite the fact that AI can "hallucinate" (make up untrue content) and exhibit other kinds of bizarre behavior. Newsrooms are trying to figure out how to use them to improve reporting and potentially compete against chatbots churning out reams of SEO-friendly content.

Late last year, The New York Times announced that it was suing OpenAI and Microsoft for using published news articles to train its chatbots without providing compensation. The lawsuit, which potentially seeks billions in statutory and actual damages, marks the first time a major news organization has pursued ChatGPT's developers for copyright infringement.

Microsoft also announced collaborations today with the Craig Newmark School of Journalism, the GroundTruth Project, the Online News Association and other journalism organizations. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-teaming-up-with-semafor-on-ai-assisted-news-stories-124320277.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Joe Rogan’s new Spotify deal

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The biggest podcast in the world makes many people furious, but it’s still the biggest podcast in the world. Now, Joe Rogan has signed another deal with Spotify for his eponymous The Joe Rogan Experience show, this one worth an estimated $250 million. The deal allows the streamer to distribute Rogan’s podcasts on additional platforms, including a video version for YouTube, but it also includes a revenue-sharing agreement based on ad sales, in case Rogan burns through those hundreds of millions too quickly.

Rogan has been a regular source of controversy since signing up, in particular with uninformed COVID opinions, which prompted doctors and scientists to demand Spotify update its misinformation policy. Spotify claimed it wasn’t responsible for Rogan, that it was a platform, not a publisher. Now Spotify will be publishing Rogan’s projects elsewhere, what will be its defense next time?

— Mat Smith

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iFixit tears down the Apple Vision Pro

Its lenticular optics make ghostly 3D avatars.

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iFixit

Apple uses a stereoscopic 3D effect to make your virtual eyes look more lifelike on the Vision Pro’s EyeSight outer display. It has a widening optical layer and a lenticular lens layer over the OLED screen, so exposing the panel shows “some very oddly pinched eyes.” The optical nature of the added layers also explains the EyeSight display’s dim output. iFixit is unraveling the headset to figure out how Apple does it all.

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Google might rename its chatbot, already

And there may be a dedicated app soon.

According to a leak, Google may change the name of its AI chatbot from Bard to Gemini. It would make sense for Google to do so — the company introduced its new multimodal AI model, Gemini, at the end of 2023. The changelog, shared by Android app developer Dylan Roussel and dated February 7, notes a paid Gemini Advanced tier will be available. It also mentions a Gemini app for Android.

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Japan’s Moon lander took this eerie photo before being enveloped by lunar night

The SLIM lander has since gone dormant.

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JAXA

Japan’s SLIM lander managed to turn back on more than a week after it plopped upside down onto the surface of the Moon — but now, it’s gone dormant for the duration of the lunar night, and it may not wake up again. Lunar night lasts the equivalent of two Earth weeks and can get colder than -200 degrees Fahrenheit. Its chances of resuming operations aren’t great, but then again, it’s already surprised us once.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-joe-rogans-new-spotify-deal-121541070.html?src=rss