Device maker Honor has revealed that one of its upcoming smartphones will offer an unusual design choice. While many manufacturers push to have more numerous and powerful cameras in their products, the Chinese company will put the camera for its new phone on a pop-out mechanical arm. According to CNBC, the design of this so-called “robot phone” is meant to showcase Honor’s AI capabilities as the company makes a $10 billion investment in artificial intelligence over the next five years. Honor hasn’t shared too much about this product, but will likely have more details during next year’s Mobile World Congress.
Honor has experimented with unusual form factors before, including a surreally thin foldable smartphone and a laptop with a detachable webcam, and we’ve even seen a similar concept of a pop-up camera several years back in products like the OnePlus 7 Pro phone. The idea to swing out a camera could offer some interesting options for image and video capture, but it’s also a prime place for mechanical failures and high manufacturing costs.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/honor-is-making-a-smartphone-with-a-fold-out-camera-201555268.html?src=rss
Thousands of networks—many of them operated by the US government and Fortune 500 companies—face an “imminent threat” of being breached by a nation-state hacking group following the breach of a major maker of software, the federal government warned Wednesday.
F5, a Seattle-based maker of networking software, disclosed the breach on Wednesday. F5 said a “sophisticated” threat group working for an undisclosed nation-state government had surreptitiously and persistently dwelled in its network over a “long-term.” Security researchers who have responded to similar intrusions in the past took the language to mean the hackers were inside the F5 network for years.
Unprecedented
During that time, F5 said, the hackers took control of the network segment the company uses to create and distribute updates for BIG IP, a line of server appliances that F5 says is used by 48 of the world’s top 50 corporations. Wednesday’s disclosure went on to say the threat group downloaded proprietary BIG-IP source code information about vulnerabilities that had been privately discovered but not yet patched. The hackers also obtained configuration settings that some customers used inside their networks.
The U.S. passport has fallen out of the top 10 most powerful passports globally for the first time in 20 years in the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index, which ranks nations based on the number of destinations a traveler can visit without needing a visa. From a report: The U.S. ranking is on a steep downward trend, with the U.S. passport now in 12th spot, tied with Malaysia, having already fallen from seventh place last year to 10th place in July. A decade ago, the U.S. passport topped the index.
Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the index, said in a news release on Tuesday that the declining strength of the U.S. passport signaled a “fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics.” Kaelin added: “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
Like clockwork, Apple has introduced a new M-series chip on updated versions of the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro and for the first time, Apple Vision Pro. The new M5 chip shares plenty of similarities with the M4 chip Apple introduced in 2024, but the biggest seems to be a focus on improving graphics and AI performance.
The M5 chip is made using a new third-generation 3nm process, according to Apple, with an updated 10-core GPU architecture on all versions that offers four times the peak GPU compute performance of the M4, while carrying over support for things like hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The M5 also features a 10-core CPU, just like the M4, with six efficiency and up to four performance cores.
The M5 chip configurations for the iPad Pro.
Apple
That is unless you’re buying an M5 iPad Pro. The 1TB and 2TB models of the Pro feature a 10-core CPU and GPU, but if you opt for a smaller storage size of 256GB or 512GB, you’ll get a nine-core CPU with six efficiency cores and three performance cores. Apple says the 10-core CPU offers “up to 15 percent faster multithreaded performance” over the M4 chip, though it’s not clear if that’s due to the CPU or memory improvements. That’s because the new chip offers an improved memory bandwidth of 153GB/s, up from the starting 120GB/s bandwidth on the M4, though less than what you can get with the M4 Pro or M4 Max. Apple will likely release M5 versions of both chips next year, but it’s worth knowing what you’re missing if you opt for the M5 right now.
The performance gains Apple was able to squeeze out of its new GPU and improved memory bandwidth seem like the biggest changes users will actually notice from the M5. That includes “up to 30 percent faster” graphics performance than the M4 and “up to a 45 percent graphics uplift in apps using ray tracing.” Apple introduced the M4 with a focus on dynamic caching and ray tracing, and it seems like the M5 makes both graphical processes more efficient. The gains are apparently even more noticeable on the M5 Vision Pro, where the headset can achieve a 120Hz refresh rate, up from the 100Hz max Apple guaranteed before, and is now able to render “10 percent more pixels.”
AI performance is also improved, though not necessarily thanks to the M5’s 16-core Neural Engine alone, which seems to be the same Neural Engine used in the M4. Instead, Apple’s taking a new approach to AI processing by including dedicated “Neural Accelerators” in each core of its GPU. This extra help has led to faster performance when devices are using Apple Intelligence skills or AI-powered features like the Vision Pro’s ability to generate a Persona, according to Apple.
In-depth testing and benchmarking of Apple’s new M5 devices will be required to accurately capture how the M5 chip changes things, especially when it comes to general CPU performance. For now, though, Apple’s chips continue to get more graphically powerful, which bodes well for anyone who uses MacBooks and iPads for creative tasks, AI or playing games.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/apples-m5-chip-pushes-ai-performance-with-new-neural-accelerators-193745702.html?src=rss
PyTorch 2.9 is out today ahead of the PyTorch Conference happening next week in San Francisco. Notable with PyTorch 2.9 is better AMD ROCm and Intel XPU installation support via expanded wheel variant support…
The dust is still settling at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after a mass layoff on Friday, which former employees at the beleaguered agency are describing as a massacre.
In separate press briefings on Tuesday, a network of terminated CDC staff that goes by the name the National Public Health Coalition, and the union representing employees at the agency discussed what the wide-scale cuts mean for the American people, as well as the trauma, despair, and damage they have wreaked on the workers of the once-premier public health agency.
In a normal federal layoff—called a reduction in force, or RIF—the agency would be given a full outline of the roles and branches or divisions affected, as well as some explanation for the cuts, such as alleged fraud, abuse, or redundancy. However, the Trump administration has provided no such information or explanation, leaving current and former employees to essentially crowdsource what has been lost and only guess at the possible reasons.
The UK should be prepared to cope with weather extremes as a result of at least 2C of global warming by 2050, independent climate advisers have said. BBC: The country was “not yet adapted” to worsening weather extremes already occurring at current levels of warming, “let alone” what was expected to come, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) wrote in a letter addressed to the government.
The committee said they would advise that the UK prepare for climate change beyond the long-term temperature goal set out in the Paris Agreement. The letter came as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that 2024 had seen a record rise of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. CO2 is the gas mainly responsible for human-caused climate change and is released when fossil fuels are burnt, as well as other activities.
It’s that time of year when trick-or-treaters are finalizing their costumes and horror movie streaming service Shudder surely sees an uptick in usage. Yes, spooky season is upon us and Sony is getting in on the fun with its PlayStation Plus Game Catalog additions for October.
Starting on October 21, Extra and Premium subscribers will be able to play the remakes of Silent Hill 2 and Until Dawnon PS5 at no extra cost. Both games were released last October, so it hasn’t taken too long for them to hit PS Plus. For extra spookiness, 2023’s Alan Wake 2 is one of the games that all PS Plus members can claim this month, alongside Cocoon and Goat Simulator 3.
The other Game Catalog additions this time around are Yakuza: Like A Dragon (PS4 and PS5), As Dusk Falls(PS4, PS5), Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 (PS4, PS5), Wizard with a Gun (PS5) and V Rising (PS5). Premium subscribers will also get a blast from the past in the shape of Tekken 3 (PS4, PS5), which debuted on the original PlayStation.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-silent-hill-2-and-until-dawn-remakes-will-hit-ps-plus-in-time-for-halloween-191333113.html?src=rss
ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X: $999.99 at Best Buy ASUS and Microsoft’s new machine is a revised version of the original Ally X sporting a new Ryzen Z2 Extreme SoC, a new Windows gaming frontend, and even-more-premium pricing. Excellent Handheld Performance Impressive Full Screen Experience Gains Amazing Video Battery Life Phenomenal Handheld…
On Wednesday, Anthropic released Claude Haiku 4.5, a small AI language model that reportedly delivers performance similar to what its frontier model Claude Sonnet 4 achieved five months ago but at one-third the cost and more than twice the speed. The new model is available now to all Claude app, web, and API users.
If the benchmarks for Haiku 4.5 reported by Anthropic hold up to independent testing, the fact that the company can match some capabilities of its cutting-edge coding model from only five months ago (and GPT-5 in coding) while providing a dramatic speed increase and cost cut is notable.
As a recap, Anthropic ships the Claude family in three model sizes: Haiku (small), Sonnet (medium), and Opus (large). The larger models are based on larger neural networks and typically include deeper contextual knowledge but are slower and more expensive to run. Due to a technique called distillation, companies like Anthropic have been able to craft smaller-sized AI models that match the capability of larger, older models at functional tasks like coding, although it typically comes at the cost of omitting stored knowledge.
First of all, the pre-existing voice search feature is getting “AI smarts.” This means that users will be able to ask contextual questions about movies, actors and shows. It’s worth noting that the bot will deliver the answers on-screen and not via a digital voice. This can be used to help find something to watch, as Roku gives examples of people asking how scary a movie is or if something is safe for children to watch.
Roku
A search bar is being added to the live TV page and it will scour all of the platform’s free live channels to find a match. The search tool will also now give more accurate information as to which streaming platform to choose based on active subscriptions and what people are looking for.
The dedicated Roku Sports page will be able to track live scores and will let viewers keep tabs on multiple games at once, thanks to matchup tiles. This can be shut off to keep things spoiler-free.
Roku
The company’s pre-existing Bluetooth Headphone Mode is rolling out to more devices, including the Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus. This lets people connect headphones directly without having to use the dedicated app. Both of those made our list of the best streaming devices, so more functionality is always appreciated.
Roku
The app is getting an overhaul, with new shortcuts and the ability to rate shows and movies directly within the app. The company has also revealed that Philips Ambilight technology is now available on Roku TVs in the US. This tech automatically changes the ambient lighting based on what’s being shown on-screen. All of these software updates will be available to Roku devices in the coming months.
The company also recently refreshed many of its midrange TVs with pro-level features. New Roku Plus Series TVs now allow for hands-free voice control and a feature that automatically adjusts the picture on a scene-by-scene basis.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/the-latest-roku-update-adds-ai-powered-voice-control-and-better-search-184513277.html?src=rss
Battlefield 6 is tearing though the Steam sales charts, with the storied franchise once again duking it out for the title of best shooter with the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The success of BF6 has compelled the game’s lead and industry veteran, Vince Zampella, to reminisce about what it took to get to this point.
Almost 70% of adults in the US would be deemed to have obesity based on a new definition, research suggests. From a report: The traditional definition of obesity, typically based on having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, has long been contentious, not least as it does not differentiate between fat and muscle.
In an effort to tackle the issue, in January medical experts from around the world called for a new definition to be adopted. This would encompass people either with a BMI greater than 40; or those with a high BMI and at least one raised figure for measures such as waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, or waist-to-height ratio; or those with two such raised figures regardless of BMI; or those with direct measures of excess body fat based on scans.
In addition, they said obesity should be split into two categories: clinical obesity — where there are signs of illness — and pre-clinical obesity, where there are not. Now research suggests the revamped definition could result in a dramatic rise in the prevalence of obesity among adults in the US.
Rejecting opposition from the cable and real estate industries, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that aims to increase broadband competition in apartment buildings.
The new law taking effect on January 1 says landlords must let tenants “opt out of paying for any subscription from a third-party Internet service provider, such as through a bulk-billing arrangement, to provide service for wired Internet, cellular, or satellite service that is offered in connection with the tenancy.” It was approved by the state Assembly in a 75–0 vote in April, and by the Senate in a 30–7 vote last month.
“This is kind of like a first step in trying to give this industry an opportunity to just treat people fairly,” Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom, a Democratic lawmaker who authored the bill, told Ars last month. “It’s not super restrictive. We are not banning bulk billing. We’re not even limiting how much money the people can make. What we’re saying here with this bill is that if a tenant wants to opt out of the arrangement, they should be allowed to opt out.”
The assortment of Nintendo DS-inspired handhelds has a new contender, and the entry-level is now cheaper than ever, with the sub-$100 Anbernic RG DS. For reference, other new DS handhelds sell for approximately $249 to as high as $1,759 depending on the make and model. Of course, this also means that compared to those systems, like the AYN
Right now, you can get a like-new, factory-reconditioned 77-inch Samsung S95D OLED 4K TV (2024) from Woot for $1,969.99. If you’re in the market for a large-screen TV with dazzling color, OLED brightness, and tons of features, this is a smart option to upgrade to. Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship.
Low brightness is a common issue with OLED TVs, but Samsung has mastered this, making the S95D one of the best OLEDs available. It combines impressive, fantastic color, contrast, and deep, detailed shadows with the light output that high-end LED models are known for. This puts it at the top of its class and earned it an Editors’ Choice award from PCMag. The TV has an anti-glare coating and an elegant, ultra-thin design that gives it a minimalist look while helping to maximize space.
It has 1090 nits of brightness, a 144 HZ refresh rate, four HDMI ports, and sub-millisecond input lag in Game Mode, making it a great choice for both fast gaming and watching movies. Plus, 4K AI upscaling upgrades sharpens content, improving picture quality. The S95D supports HDR, and while the speaker system is compatible with Dolby Atmos audio, it still doesn’t have Dolby Vision. It also uses Wi-Fi 5 instead of Wi-Fi 6 or 6E, so you may not get the best streaming experience possible. The PCMag reviewer also noted that the interface can be clunky, with minor frustrations when adjusting picture settings or switching inputs.
Still, this stunning OLED TV, with its AI-powered processor, standout brightness level, low input lag, and excellent color accuracy, is worth the investment. Given that it comes with a 90 Day Samsung Warranty, this 77-inch Samsung S95D OLED 4K TV is a strong pick for a large-screen TV, especially for those who want to watch in bright rooms without compromising quality.
I’m a sucker for fresh cycling kit, and being an avid Zwifter, I’ve owned every kit Zwift has released! Along with short-term kits for special tours like Tour of Watopia, Zwift has almost always had a general “Zwift kit” for sale. There was the “skinny Z” kit (OG Zwifters only), the high-end Giordana FR-C kit (pricy but so nice), the Expression kit (affordable yet unbreathable), and now, released just last month, the Watopia Essentials collection.
Designed by Zwift and produced by Pedal Mafia, the Watopia Essentials kit is understated and indoor-friendly, with multiple color options. Based on Pedal Mafia’s workhorse “Core” line, this kit is well-made without breaking the bank. Read on for my full review…
Note: sizing can be tricky with cycling kit. For reference, I’m 5′-10″ tall (179cm) and around 190 lbs (86 kg). I put my actual measurements in the text below where appropriate.
Watopia Essentials Bib Shorts
Priced at $168USD, the Watopia Essentials bib is from Pedal Mafia’s Core collection. (This is the more affordable “do everything” collection vs the more expensive “Pro” line.) The most distinctive thing about these shorts is the metallic printing of the Zwift logo, Scotty emblem, and Pedal Mafia logo on the small of the back. These metallic accents carry over to the jersey and base layer as well, as you’ll see below.
I have a 34.5″ waist and 39.5″ hips, so I went with the medium bib as recommended by the sizing chart.
The Watopia Essentials bibs aren’t indoor-specific, so they don’t include some of the extra-breathable features indoor kits often have, like mesh panels, minimal chamois, or super lightweight strapping. That said, the brace paneling on the back and lower front is nicely perforated, even though the straps themselves are not, and the main short fabric (75% recycled warp knit lycra) is just the right thickness to allow sweat to evaporate indoors while still working well outside in most conditions.
While I haven’t had time to run the Watopia Essentials bibs through the wringer across many rides (since they were just released), I do own multiple pairs of Pedal Mafia’s core bibs, so I know what kind of durability to expect. I’d say these shorts hold up as well as other mid-range bibs, with the first point of failure for me being some frayed stitching in the inner leg area due to saddle rub. (This hasn’t affected the feel or wearability of the bibs, but it’s something worth noting.)
Chamois fit is a very personal thing, but I prefer thinner pads, especially for indoor riding. I’d say the Watopia Essentials’ chamois is on the thin side as chamois go, while still having plenty of thickness for all-day/outdoor wear.
Leg length on Pedal Mafia bibs tends to be on the longer side, as this “pro look” is the trend in today’s kits. I don’t particularly love super-long legs, as they aren’t helpful for indoor riding. That said, I ordered the medium bibs, which fit great on my frame.
If you look closely, you’ll see some nice finishing touches on these bibs. The metallic logos are fun, but you’ve also got a little pocket on the back brace to hold a gel or even your phone, Pedal Mafia-branded extra-wide leg grippers, a logo on the chamois, plus the feel-good factor of 75% recycled lycra composition… these aren’t just basic bibs.
Watopia Essentials Jersey
The Watopia Essentials jersey, like the bibs, is based on Pedal Mafia’s “core” line. Priced at $128USD, this is a well-made, indoor-friendly jersey with lots of finishing touches. Based on my chest measurement of 38″ (and my experience with wearing other PM Core kits) I went with a medium jersey, as I prefer a tighter fit.
A note regarding color: I chose the “frost” color, and what you see in the pictures below is, to my eyes, a fairly accurate presentation of the actual color of the jersey. What I see on Zwift’s website for this color looks significantly bluer than it really is.
While the sizing chart would have placed me in a large jersey (just barely), I went with a medium because I prefer a tighter fit, and because I got a few medium Pedal Mafia core jerseys in my closet already. These jerseys fit nicely, with plenty of length in the arms and rear torso without being too long in the front. (I hate it when jerseys bunch up in front when you’re hunched over the bike.)
While this isn’t an indoor-specific jersey, it is a very breathable top that works well outdoors in summer heat as well as indoors on the trainer. I’ve complained to ZHQ in the past that the kits they’ve sold aren’t indoor-friendly, particularly their previous Expression Jersey, which is one of the least breathable jerseys I own. So it’s nice to see Zwift selling a top that works well indoors. The arms and side panels use a 3D mesh material that keeps you dry and cool without being so fragile that it breaks down in the wash, while the front and back use a denser but still lightweight perforated fabric that provides more coverage but still wicks sweat and allows airflow for drying.
In my experience, it takes a lot of riding to wear out a jersey, unless it’s a super-light one made specifically for indoor riding or hot weather. All of my Pedal Mafia Core jerseys have held up well with no tears from washing or frayed stitching, so I expect the Watopia Essentials jersey to do the same.
Even though the design is far from flashy, there are lots of small finishing touches on this jersey. These include a PM-branded waist gripper, a tag with spaces to write your emergency details, a zippered side pocket, and a pizza slice in the back-left pocket. The inside of the collar (shown above) even lists all the Watopia expansions, in chronological order. A super-nerdy Zwifty touch! (And while I’m being nerdy, the back-left pocket includes “Four Horseman” in the list of routes… but it should be “Four Horsemen“.)
Watopia Essentials Base Layer
The Watopia Essentials base layer is priced at $50USD. I chose the frost color to match the jersey, and went with the Medium size as well.
While many riders don’t wear a base layer, especially indoors, they do help keep things, as Zwift says, “cool, dry, and breathable.” Adding a layer to increase breathability and cooling doesn’t seem intuitive, but that 3D mesh wicks the sweat from your skin then increases the surface area for air to contact that sweat and cause it to evaporate.
It all works quite nicely, and it also means you can unzip your jersey without showing too much skin. You can also wear it in place of a jersey, at least indoors.
My medium base layer fit tightly, as it should. Not so tight that it restricted breathing, but tight enough that it stayed in contact with my skin and didn’t feel “baggy” beneath my jersey.
The entire base layer is made of the same 3D mesh, which is an even lighter/more open mesh than the arms and sides of the jersey. It’s about as breathable a fabric as you’ll find, if you want something that also wicks sweat (and you do).
Super lightweight 3D mesh fabrics can suffer small tears in the wash if they snag on something sharp like the pointy half of velcro glove straps. Some people will wash their more fragile fabrics in a laundry bag to avoid this, but that’s too much hassle for me. I just keep my gloves velcroed together and it (usually) works!
With a base layer that will generally be covered by a jersey, I don’t want to pay for lots of fancy visual touches. The Watopia Essentials base layer keeps things pretty simple, with a Zwift logo across the chest, a metallic Scotty logo on the front-bottom-right corner, and a Watopia logo on the top back, just like the jersey.
Watopia Essentials Socks
Like most cyclists, I love a good pair of socks. Aero socks, colorful socks, merino wool socks… I’ve got more than I can fit in one drawer, for sure. Because it’s always fun to get a new pair in the mail and take them for a spin!
Keeping with the theme, Watopia Essentials socks are from Pedal Mafia’s Core collection. I got the Small/Medium size because I’ve found Pedal Mafia’s socks run quite tall. And I went with the “frost” color to match the top.
If you’re looking for “pro-length”, these are your socks. Like I said, I went S/M. But if I had gone for the L/XL, they would have been gone up over part of my calf. Size-for-size, Pedal Mafia’s Core socks quite a bit higher up the leg than most of the socks in my drawer. This isn’t good or bad – it’s a question of what look and feel you prefer.
These are lightweight, which is to be expected for cycling socks. I’d describe them as “medium-thick” when compared to the current crop of cycling socks. They aren’t super-thin like some, but they aren’t as thick as others. They make a good all-around sock suitable for riding in most conditions, although I may prefer something thinner for indoor riding.
Final Notes
Overall, I’d say the Watopia Essentials kit does a very good job of walking the line between quality and price. It performs where you want kit to perform, without soaring into the upper price ranges. I like the design, too: distinctively Zwifty, but not garish. And there are three color options to choose from, which is a first for Zwift.
I should also note that there’s a t-shirt, bottles, and sweatshirts included in the Watopia Essentials line. Along with a women’s jersey and bibs, of course!
Math teachers across American schools are contending with a classroom disruption that has proven impossible to contain. The numbers six and seven now trigger instant pandemonium among students. They scream the phrase and perform a palms-up seesaw hand gesture whenever the numbers appear in equations or instructions.
Teachers have begun avoiding breaking students into groups of six or seven or asking them to turn to page 67. The meme has no meaning, reports WSJ. That absence of meaning is the point. The phenomenon traces back to late last year when Philadelphia rapper Skrilla released “Doot Doot (6 7),” a song referencing 67th street where his friends grew up. The phrase spiraled into youth culture in March through a viral video of a boy with forward-swept hair lurching toward a camera to deliver an animated “six seven.” Skrilla is now touring venues where audiences wait for the six-seven line. Some teachers have attempted to neutralize the meme by saying it themselves.
Apple is releasing its new 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip in European markets without a charger. Customers in the U.S., Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, and other European countries must supply their own power adapter. Buyers in the U.S. and other regions will receive Apple’s 70-watt USB-C adapter. Apple attributed the decision to environmental goals as the European Union implements regulations on electronic waste. A USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable remains included. The adapter costs 59 pounds in the United Kingdom.
