Concerns about AI’s energy use have a lot of people looking into ways to cut down on its power requirements. Many of these focus on hardware and software approaches that are pretty straightforward extensions of existing technologies. But a few technologies are much farther out there. One that’s definitely in the latter category? Quantum computing.

In some ways, quantum hardware is a better match for some of the math that underlies AI than more traditional hardware. While the current quantum hardware is a bit too error-prone for the more elaborate AI models currently in use, researchers are starting to put the pieces in place to run AI models when the hardware is ready. This week, a couple of commercial interests are releasing a draft of a paper describing how to get classical image data into a quantum processor (actually, two different processors) and perform a basic AI image classification.

All of which gives us a great opportunity to discuss why quantum AI may be more than just hype.

Read full article

Comments

The booming popularity of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs for weight loss has led to a flurry of companies vying to make new and improved anti-obesity medications.

One of those is Boston-based Syntis Bio, which is working on a daily pill that mimics the effects of gastric bypass—no actual surgery required. Today, the company announced early data from animals and a small group of human volunteers showing that its approach is safe and may be able to suppress hunger. The company presented the findings Thursday at the European Congress on Obesity and Weight Management.

“We’re at a stage with obesity treatment where it’s important for us to figure out, how do we now tune it to be more effective?” says Rahul Dhanda, Syntis Bio’s CEO and cofounder.

Read full article

Comments

WhatsApp just rolled out a dozen new features. Most of these are small, but they add up to a fairly substantial software update. Let’s go over some of the more notable additions.

Chats now allow for tappable reactions, which is basically like adding a thumbs up to someone else’s reaction. Group chats feature an indicator that lets users know how many people are actually online. This will be right underneath the group name. Solo conversations now offer the ability to create an event, complete with an RSVP mechanic. This event can also be pinned in the chat.

There are a couple of chat tools just for iPhone users, including the ability to scan and send documents directly from the app. Users can also now set WhatsApp as the default messaging and calling app on iPhones.

Calls finally have their own dedicated tab, which is where folks go to make calls, share call links and manage their history. Users can also add someone from a video call directly from a chat thread. Video calls now offer a pinch to zoom feature, but only on iPhones. WhatsApp also says it has updated its technology for smoother video calls.

Channel admins can now record and share short videos with followers and there are voice message transcripts available on the Channels tab. Finally, admins can share QR codes that link directly to the channel.

WhatsApp says that more features and updates are on the way, so we’ll let you know when new stuff drops. The app has been busy lately. It’s been testing reply threads and has finally added a long-requested drafts feature.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/whatsapp-just-got-a-bunch-of-new-features-including-document-scanning-151607441.html?src=rss

Maybe you’re in a position where you suddenly need a new laptop to see you through the rest of the school year. Perhaps you’ve got a bigger tax return than expected and you want to treat yourself. Or it may be that you’re a long-time Windows user and fancy a change. Whatever reason you might have for being interested in a MacBook Air, we’ve got another one. The M4 MacBook Air is back on sale for $949. That’s $50 or five percent off.

That deal is available for the sky blue and starlight colorways of Apple’s laptop. But there’s not terrible news if you prefer the midnight (black) look — that variant will run you just $5 more at $954.

This deal is for the base model of the M4 MacBook Air. It’s a 13-inch laptop with 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage.

The M4 MacBook Air arrived several weeks ago and it instantly became our top picks for both the best MacBook overall and the best laptop for most people, supplanting the previous model in both categories. We gave it a score of 92 in our review.

We appreciated the light and thin design, excellent keyboard and touchpad, fast performance and the terrific battery life. The 13-inch model we tested (and the one that’s on sale here) ran for 18 hours and 15 minutes while playing HD video. Our only real qualms with the M4 MacBook Air are that it could use more ports and the display (while otherwise great) has a relatively paltry refresh rate of 60Hz.

One of the best things about the M4 MacBook Air is that Apple actually lowered the starting price for this generation of the laptop to $999 from $1,099 for the M3. That’s a very welcome change. The current $50 (or $45) discount makes things even sweeter.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-m4-macbook-air-is-back-on-sale-for-50-off-143801604.html?src=rss

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

If you’ve been holding out for a 240Hz gaming monitor without blowing your budget, the Samsung Odyssey G4 is currently at its lowest price ever, according to price trackers—$179.99 (down from $279.99).

Samsung Odyssey G4 Gaming Monitor

$179.99
at Amazon

$279.99
Save $100.00

$179.99
at Amazon

$279.99
Save $100.00

It’s a 25-inch, 1080p entry-level panel made for speed, not flash. No RGB backlighting or fancy extras here. The stand is basic and a little wobbly, and the design leans more “budget gamer” than premium setup. Still, if smooth gameplay tops your list, the G4 pulls through with a fast response time, low input lag, and both FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility. Whether you’re on AMD or NVIDIA, you’ll get tear-free performance as long as you’re using DisplayPort.

This monitor is clearly built for PC gaming. At 240Hz with a solid response time across all refresh rates—60Hz, 120Hz, or 240Hz—you’re getting smooth motion with almost no ghosting or blur. It also includes some extra gaming features like a virtual aim point overlay (an always-on crosshair) and ultra-wide simulation mode that stretches your aspect ratio to 21:9 for a broader field of view. However, console gamers might want to skip this one. It doesn’t scale 4K or 1440p well and has poor VRR support on PS5. The Xbox Series X works a bit better, but you still won’t get full use of HDR or high-res modes. So if your gaming happens mostly on a console, this might not be worth the hassle.

The image quality is decent for the price, but far from perfect. It handles glare well and gets bright enough for daytime use, but don’t expect deep blacks or dazzling HDR—this monitor doesn’t have local dimming, and the contrast ratio is pretty weak. Blacks often look gray in a dark room. Still, for most gamers playing in well-lit rooms, it holds up fine. The viewing angles are wide enough for side-by-side co-op without major color washout. The dual HDMI 2.0 ports, a single DisplayPort, and a 3.5mm audio jack cover the basics, and you also get other features like auto source switching, blue light filtering, and power-saving modes.

When Nintendo launched the Switch 2, it also revealed that it was going release upgraded versions of several existing Switch games, including both Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. It also revealed that games for the upcoming console will cost you more than what you’re usually paying for games now. If you were hoping that the $70 price tag for the upgraded Breath of the Wild will at least include its DLC Expansion Pack, though, you’re unfortunately out of luck. The company has told IGN that you will have to pay an extra $20 for the game’s DLC season pass. 

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition does not include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass DLC. That DLC is available as a separate purchase,” a spokesperson told the publication. 

To be clear, you don’t have to buy the new version if you don’t want to. The Switch 2 has backwards compatibility, and you can play your old copy of the game if you still have it — it was released way back in 2017 — and its DLC at no additional cost. If you own a copy for the first Switch and want to enjoy the new version’s enhanced framerates and resolution, as well as HDR support, you can purchase an upgrade pack for $10. But if you’re buying the Switch 2 version new, then you’ll have to be prepared to pay $90 to get the base game and its DLC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-70-switch-2-version-of-breath-of-the-wild-wont-even-come-with-dlc-140032303.html?src=rss

The next time you conclude a conversation with ChatGPT, it will save what you said to memory, even if you don’t ask it explicitly to do so. “We have greatly improved memory in chatgpt — it can now reference all your past conversations!” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote on Thursday in an X post spotted by The Verge. “This is a surprisingly great feature imo, and it points at something we are excited about: ai systems that get to know you over your life, and become extremely useful and personalized.”

OpenAI has been working on improving ChatGPT’s memory since 2023 when the company began testing custom instructions, a feature that allows users to set preferences that ChatGPT will consider in future conversations. For example, you can tell the chat bot you have a family of four, and it will remember that detail when you ask for it dinner recipes. At the start of last year, OpenAI began allowing users to tell ChatGPT to remember specific details from chats. With this latest update, ChatGPT will remember both you tell it to and insights it gleans from your conversations. 

“The more you use ChatGPT, the more useful it becomes. New conversations build upon what it already knows about you to make smoother, more tailored interactions over time,” OpenAI says of the feature. The company is currently rolling out the update to users of its $200 per month Pro plan and $20 per month Plus tier. Team, Enterprise and Edu users can expect to gain access “in a few weeks.” OpenAI did not say when it would roll out the update to free users. 

If you don’t want ChatGPT to save your conversations with it, you can disable the feature through the settings menu. “If you’ve already opted out of memory, ChatGPT won’t reference past conversations by default,” says OpenAI. You can also use the Temporary Chat feature on a case by case basis for conversations you don’t want ChatGPT to save to memory. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-can-now-remember-all-your-past-conversations-134642785.html?src=rss

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is currently marked down to $119.99 on StackSocial (was $149.99), and if you’ve been eyeing a smart doorbell that won’t need rewiring or a professional install, it could fit the bill. It runs on a rechargeable battery, so setup is simple—just charge it, pop it in, and connect via the Ring app. That said, you’ll still need to recharge the battery every few months, depending on how often it’s triggered. The camera’s big sell is its expanded 1536p HD+ head-to-toe view, which means you can see visitors and packages in full, not just from the chest up. That might not seem huge until you miss a delivery or can’t make out what’s left on your doorstep. The color night vision works surprisingly well, too, giving you a clear view even in low light, notes PCMag.

You can also talk to visitors through the two-way audio or let them know you’re busy with one of the preset quick replies. You can also fine-tune the motion detection zones so your phone doesn’t blow up every time someone walks past your gate. It also integrates well with Alexa-enabled devices, so if you’ve got an Echo Show, you can see who’s at the door or get alerts read out loud. Just keep in mind, there’s no support for Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit, which could be a dealbreaker if that’s what your home setup relies on. Real-time notifications come straight to your phone or tablet, and the Ring app lets you adjust settings, view footage, or trigger responses remotely.

That said, some of the more advanced features—like 180-day video history, person/package detection, and video previews—are locked behind a Ring Home subscription, which starts at $4.99/month for a single camera. You’ll still get live view and motion alerts without it, but you won’t be able to save or rewatch footage later. And if you want smarter AI features like video previews and one-tap emergency response, that price jumps to $19.99/month. So while this is a solid midrange option for those already in the Ring or Alexa ecosystem, it may not be the best pick if you want everything to work subscription-free.

The International Civil Aviation Organization plans to eliminate boarding passes and check-ins within three years through a new “digital travel credential” system. Passengers will store passport data on their phones and use facial recognition to move through airports, while airlines will automatically detect arrivals via biometric scanning.

The system will dynamically update “journey passes” for flight changes and delays, potentially streamlining connections. “The last upgrade of great scale was the adoption of e-ticketing in the early 2000s,” said Valerie Viale from travel technology company Amadeus, who noted passenger data will be deleted within 15 seconds at each checkpoint to address privacy concerns.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The Social Security Administration is planning to stop issuing press releases and move all of its official communications to X, according to Wired. The change is happening amidst cuts at the department directed by DOGE, the organization created by Elon Musk, the CEO of X.

“We are no longer planning to issue press releases or those dear colleague letters to inform the media and public about programmatic and service changes,” SSA regional manager Linda Kerr-Davis reportedly told staff in a meeting. “Instead, the agency will be using X to communicate to the press and the public.”

Like any other government organization, the SSA uses press releases to inform the public and update employees about any changes they should be aware of. That could be simpler things, like correcting the record on how the SSA’s death record works, to more vital updates like changes being made to how the SSA does identity verification.

The SSA using X for official announcements will do little to dissuade anyone who sees Elon Musk’s presence in government as a way to benefit him and his companies. X is not most retirees’ preferred social media app, nor is it reasonable to expect them to know how to make an account. Moving official communication there makes it more likely elderly people will miss important updates.

That fits with DOGE’s other moves, though. The department reportedly cut jobs at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has butted heads with Musk’s Tesla, and has a plan to deploy a custom government chatbot.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-social-security-administration-is-reportedly-moving-all-official-communication-to-x-223201698.html?src=rss

Fedora has proposed a major change for its upcoming version 43 release that aims to achieve 99% package reproducibility, addressing growing concerns about supply-chain security. According to the change proposal announced March 31, Fedora has already reached 90% reproducibility through infrastructure changes including “clamping” file modification times and implementing a Rust-based “add-determinism” tool that standardizes metadata. The remaining 10% will require individual package maintainer involvement, treating reproducibility failures as bugs.

The effort will use a public instance of rebuilderd to independently verify that binary packages can be reproduced from source code. Unlike Debian’s bit-by-bit reproducibility definition, Fedora allows differences in package signatures and some metadata while requiring identical payloads. The initiative follows similar efforts by Debian and openSUSE, and comes amid heightened focus on supply-chain security after the recent XZ backdoor incident.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

There are few areas where AI has seen more robust deployment than the field of software development. From “vibe” coding to GitHub Copilot to startups building quick-and-dirty applications with support from LLMs, AI is already deeply integrated.

However, those claiming we’re mere months away from AI agents replacing most programmers should adjust their expectations because models aren’t good enough at the debugging part, and debugging occupies most of a developer’s time. That’s the suggestion of Microsoft Research, which built a new tool called debug-gym to test and improve how AI models can debug software.

Debug-gym (available on GitHub and detailed in a blog post) is an environment that allows AI models to try and debug any existing code repository with access to debugging tools that aren’t historically part of the process for these models. Microsoft found that without this approach, models are quite notably bad at debugging tasks. With the approach, they’re better but still a far cry from what an experienced human developer can do.

Read full article

Comments

Germany will get a new “super-high-tech ministry” responsible for research, technology, and aerospace, according to the coalition agreement published by the incoming government this week. From a report: The announcement is one of several nods to science in the 144-page agreement, unveiled on 9 April following weeks of negotiations between the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and its sister party, the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) — who together won the most seats in February’s federal elections — and the center-left Social Democrats. The agreement is expected to be formally approved by the three parties by early May, paving the way for CDU leader Friedrich Merz to be elected chancellor.

[…] The new agreement lists a number of scientific priorities for the new government, including support for artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, biotechnology, microchip development and production, and fusion energy. “Our goal is that the world’s first fusion reactor should be realized in Germany,” the text states. It also mentions personalized medicine, oceans research, and sustainability research as “strategic” areas. But the agreement does not include any budget estimates, and observers caution it is unclear where the money for new programs would come from. The agreement does affirm current commitments to increase the budgets of the country’s main research organizations by 3% per year through 2030.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Debate around how much taxes US-based streaming services should pay internationally, among other factors, could result in people paying more for subscriptions to services like Netflix and Disney+.

On April 10, the United Kingdom’s Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee reignited calls for a streaming tax on subscription revenue acquired through UK residents. The recommendation came alongside the committee’s 120-page report [PDF] that makes numerous recommendations for how to support and grow Britain’s film and high-end television (HETV) industry.

For the US, the recommendation garnering the most attention is one calling for a 5 percent levy on UK subscriber revenue from streaming video on demand services, such as Netflix. That’s because if streaming services face higher taxes in the UK, costs could be passed onto consumers, resulting in more streaming price hikes. The CMS committee wants money from the levy to support HETV production in the UK and wrote in its report:

Read full article

Comments

The ubiquitous but often overlooked Wi-Fi router lies at the heart of one of Washington’s biggest national security dilemmas — and a rift between two brothers on opposite sides of the Pacific. From a report: US investigators are probing the China ties of TP-Link, the new American incarnation of a consumer Wi-Fi behemoth, following its rapid growth and a spate of cyber attacks by Chinese state-sponsored actors targeting many router brands. The inquiry is testing whether TP-Link’s corporate makeover represents enough of a divorce from China to spare it from a ban in a crucial market.

While TP-Link’s recent restructuring split the company into separate US- and China-headquartered businesses, a Bloomberg News investigation found that the resulting American venture still has substantial operations in mainland China. If US officials conclude TP-Link’s China connections pose an “unacceptable risk,” they could use a powerful new authority to ban the company from the US. Such an outcome could also unravel plans by the owner of its US business, Jeffrey Chao, to start fresh in California following an estrangement from his older brother, who started the router business with him in Shenzhen nearly three decades ago.

In an interview — the first Jeffrey Chao said he has ever given — he told Bloomberg he’s quitting China. He opened a new headquarters in Irvine last year and said he will invest $700 million in the US to build a factory and jumpstart research and development on highly secure routers while awaiting the green card he said he applied for in January. He has also traded his perch in a Hong Kong skyscraper for a 1980s-era split-level near his office, joined a neighborhood evangelical church, and is now eyeing a Cadillac Escalade for road trips, he said, burnishing his American credentials. “I know the current relationship between the US and China is complex,” Chao said in the interview last month. “I have chosen the US.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.