SMART goals are a helpful way to turn your ideas and to-dos into actionable plans for the near and far future, but they’re not always the best approach. If you work on a larger team or need to track highly ambitious, long-term goals, for example, SMART might not be the best method to turn to. Other goal-tracking methods, like FAST and PACT, may be a better fit. You’ll need to start by familiarizing yourself with these alternate methods, but once you do, you’ll see that they are more tailored to specific needs and might just be your best bet.

When should you use SMART goals?

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—that’s what the acronym spells out. When you make them, you make sure your goal sticks to all five of those requirements, usually writing it out in a sentence like this: “By the end of the month, I will have aced three practice quizzes to prepare for my chemistry test.” It’s specific because it says what you’re going to do and why, measurable because you’re setting an amount of quizzes and expected grade on each, achievable because it can reasonably be done, relevant because it has to do with a pressing need, and time-bound because it’s related to a forthcoming deadline.

Because they’re so customizable, SMART goals are used by students, workers, and anyone who needs to break down their to-do list into manageable action items, but they can be limiting for the same reasons they work so well on an individual level. For example, they can be too specific to be broadly applicable, so if you have to do the same sort of task at work every month, you’ll redo the SMART goal every time instead of creating a process to follow. They’re also not ideal for collaboration because while you can share a SMART goal with others, it doesn’t leave much room to be concise and authoritative about who needs to do what to reach the goal. 

When FAST goals make sense

The first helpful SMART goal alternative is the FAST goal, which is especially useful if you’re in a position to lead or delegate, but is generally good for teams overall. FAST stands for the following: 

• Frequent discussions

• Ambitious scope

• Specific measurements

• Transparent

When using SMART goals, you analyze your desired end result through the lens of how achievable it is and when you’ll have it done. With a FAST goal, you’re looking less at the elements that define the final product and more at how you will collaborate to get there. FAST goals enable teams to adapt and evolve as the project goes on because they require frequent discussions and transparency about what the ambitious goal is and how its success will be defined. Still, you need to have a plan in place to follow the FAST goal, since it is a little vague. What are “frequent” discussions, for instance? You need to hammer that out with the team and set a goal dictating what frequent means and how you’ll conduct those meetings.

Say your team at work has to build a report for the end of the quarter. You already know when it’s due, so you don’t need to incorporate timeliness, like you would with a SMART goal. Instead, consider the task through the FAST lens, setting up regular times to meet and discuss it and creating clear communication channels so everyone can stay on the same page. The success of the project might be measured by manager feedback, client response, the enhancement of processes, or increases in sales; you need to define early on what “success” will look like, but staying communicative and transparent will help—and will enable you to make the end goal ambitious. 

Here, I’d recommend incorporating a single source of truth, or SSOT. That’s essentially a folder everyone has access to that includes every resource anyone might need. For the hypothetical project of the end-of-quarter report, your SSOT might include monthly reports, a template for the bigger report, contact information for clients whose data will appear on the report, and so on. The first document in the SSOT should be one outlining the FAST goal by setting requirements for the frequent discussions, detailing the scope, defining the specific measurements of success, and, by its nature, being transparent.

When to use PACT goals

PACT goals, like FAST goals, focus more on the process of achieving a desired result than the measurements of the result itself. Here’s what PACT stands for: 

• Purposeful

• Actionable

• Continuous

• Trackable

Like a SMART goal, PACT works well if you’re tackling something on your own, but it is more process-driven. Let’s say your goal is to get in shape. With a SMART goal, you might have to define it like, “By the first day of summer, I will have worked out for five hours per week, lost 20 pounds, and increased my muscle mass by 5%.” It’s specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, but once you write that down, you’re on your own fighting your way to the finish line. A PACT goal might look more like, “To get in better shape and improve my health, I will work out five times a week and monitor my weight loss and muscle gain using my smart scale.” Instead of being time-bound, this approach takes the process itself into consideration—but also incorporates purposefulness, reminding you why you’re doing what you’re doing. You still take actions and track metrics, but the goal is rooted in purpose and relies on continuity, not a defined end result. 

Keeping the purpose front and center is important, as it helps you stay motivated and reminds you of what you’re really working toward. If you’re building a report at work, you can get caught up in the absolutism of knowing this is your assigned task and you have to do it, which can lead to losing sight of why you’re actually toiling. If you bear in mind that you’re building the report so your company can bring in more clients or enhance internal operations, you remember that this could lead to more business, accolades, or even a raise for you. Tracking your progress is also key to staying motivated and moving toward an end goal, even if it isn’t as rigidly defined as a SMART goal might be. 

Again, you’ll need a document that outlines all this. Think of it like a mission statement and stick it in the SSOT. Here, it might be like, “Our team will compile the report by each dedicating one hour of time to it a day for the next month, inputting our work hours and achievements into the attached spreadsheet, and meeting every Friday to discuss progress.”

Iceland has formally classified the potential collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system a national security threat, warning that a disruption could trigger a modern-day ice age in Northern Europe and destabilize global weather systems. The move elevates the risk across government and enables it to strategize for worst-case scenarios. Reuters reports: The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, current brings warm water from the tropics northward toward the Arctic, and the flow of warm water helps keep Europe’s winters mild. But as warming temperatures speed the thaw of Arctic ice and cause meltwater from Greenland’s ice sheet to pour into the ocean, scientists warn the cold freshwater could disrupt the current’s flow.

A potential collapse of AMOC could trigger a modern-day ice age, with winter temperatures across Northern Europe plummeting to new cold extremes, bringing far more snow and ice. The AMOC has collapsed in the past – notably before the last Ice Age that ended about 12,000 years ago. “It is a direct threat to our national resilience and security,” Iceland Climate Minister Johann Pall Johannsson said by email. “(This) is the first time a specific climate-related phenomenon has been formally brought before the National Security Council as a potential existential threat.”

Elevation of the issue means Iceland’s ministries will be on alert and coordinating a response, Johannsson said. The government is assessing what further research and policies are needed, with work underway on a disaster preparedness policy. Risks being evaluated span a range of areas, from energy and food security to infrastructure and international transportation. “Sea ice could affect marine transport; extreme weather could severely affect our capabilities to maintain any agriculture and fisheries, which are central to our economy and food systems,” Johannsson said. “We cannot afford to wait for definitive, long-term research before acting.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Here in Bend, where we appreciate both cutting-edge tech and practical value, the AI hardware market is producing some fascinating matchups. The entire industry has been defined by NVIDIA’s “shock and awe” approach: massive GPUs and eye-watering performance claims with price tags to match. NVIDIA’s DGX Spark, a desk-side “mini-supercomputer,” is a prime example. Priced at a hefty $4,000, it’s marketed as the essential tool for serious AI developers. But a new challenger has emerged, not from a server rack, but from the compact world of mini-PCs, and it’s showcasing how AMD is delivering staggering AI performance for a fraction of the cost.

Recent benchmarks have pitted the $4,000 DGX Spark against a new $2,199 mini-PC from GMKtec, the EVO-X2, powered by AMD’s monster APU, the Strix Halo (also known as the Ryzen AI Max+ 395). The results are nothing short of a market disruption. While the DGX Spark holds its own in raw, high-throughput processing, the AMD Strix Halo system demonstrated better real-time performance, with faster token generation and lower startup latency in several key large language model (LLM) tests. This isn’t just a minor win; it’s a profound shift in the value equation for AI development.

The Power of the APU: Why Strix Halo is a Game-Changer

The NVIDIA DGX Spark is a specialized tool, a $4,000 dev kit designed to perfectly mirror NVIDIA’s enterprise-grade data center environment, right down to its proprietary CUDA software stack and advanced networking. Its value is in the entire ecosystem, not just the chip, allowing a developer to test code that will later be scaled up on massive, multi-million-dollar NVIDIA servers.

But AMD’s Strix Halo, the heart of the new mini-PCs, plays a different game. It’s an APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) that integrates a powerful CPU (Zen 5), a high-performance integrated GPU (RDNA 3.5) and a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) with 50 TOPS of AI performance all on one chip. This is all connected via a unified memory architecture, that, in the GMKtec EVO-X2, can be configured with up to 128GB of shared LPDDR5x RAM.

For a developer running models locally, this unified memory is a massive advantage. It allows them to load and run enormous 70B+ parameter models directly in memory, a feat that would normally require a much more expensive discrete GPU with a limited VRAM pool. The Strix Halo isn’t just “competing” with the DGX Spark in real-time inference; in many common developer scenarios, it’s proving to be faster and more responsive, and costs nearly half as much.

The Target Audience: Who Needs What?

This comparison highlights a critical divergence in the market. These two products, despite similar AI capabilities, are for two very different users.

• The NVIDIA DGX Spark User: This is the Enterprise Developer. Their company is already committed to a multi-million dollar NVIDIA DGX infrastructure in its data center. Their primary goal is not raw performance-per-dollar; it’s ecosystem continuity. They need a desktop-sized box that runs the exact same CUDA-based software stack as the production servers, allowing them to prototype and validate code locally before pushing it to the cloud. For them, $4,000 is the price of admission to that seamless, proprietary workflow.
• The AMD Strix Halo User: This is the Mainstream Developer, Power User or Startup. This user wants the absolute best performance for the money. They are likely using open-source tools like AMD’s ROCm, which are rapidly gaining traction. They need a machine that can both run a massive 70B parameter LLM for development and function as a high-performance workstation for video editing or even AAA gaming. The Strix Halo-based mini-PC isn’t just an AI dev kit; it’s their entire computer, offering a level of versatility the DGX Spark (which runs on an ARM processor and can’t game) simply cannot touch.

The Rise of the Compact AI Workstation

The battle between the Strix Halo and the DGX Spark is the perfect showcase for one of the most exciting trends in computing: the rise of the compact AI workstation. For the past year, AI development has been largely centralized in the cloud, costing companies a fortune. Now, hardware has advanced to the point where powerful, billion-parameter models can be run locally.This shift is democratizing AI. Small businesses, startups and individual developers can now experiment and build complex AI applications without renting expensive cloud instances. This is fueling a boom in the mini-PC market, with manufacturers like GMKtec, Minisforum, and Framework all racing to put these powerful APUs into tiny, desk-friendly boxes. These devices are the “AI PCs” that professionals actually want, offering massive memory and performance in a quiet, efficient, affordable package.

NVIDIA: Ill-Prepared for a Value-Driven Market

This new market dynamic leaves NVIDIA looking surprisingly ill-prepared. NVIDIA’s entire business model is built on selling high-margin, proprietary hardware and a locked-in software (CUDA) ecosystem. At $4,000, the DGX Spark feels like an extension of that high-margin strategy, aimed at protecting NVIDIA’s data center dominance.

NVIDIA doesn’t seem to have a good answer for the developer who doesn’t want to pay $4,000 for a dev kit, especially when a $2,200 AMD machine offers better real-time performance and plays Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p (Strix Halo gaming benchmarks). AMD is winning the value proposition, and as the AI software world continues to embrace open-source alternatives, NVIDIA’s “CUDA-only” moat looks less like a fortress and more like a liability.

Wrapping Up

The competition between AMD’s Strix Halo and NVIDIA’s DGX Spark represents more than just a battle of specs—it’s a philosophical divide in the future of AI computing. In Bend and beyond, where performance, efficiency and practicality matter in equal measure, this face-off captures a turning point. NVIDIA’s long-standing dominance has been built on a closed, high-margin model that rewards those already inside its ecosystem. But AMD’s emergence with the Strix Halo—and the GMKtec EVO-X2 that showcases it—signals a shift toward openness, affordability and local empowerment. When a sub-$2,200 system can deliver performance on par with, or even exceeding, a $4,000 proprietary rig, it’s clear the market is evolving toward accessibility and versatility.

AMD’s approach is democratizing the AI landscape. The Strix Halo isn’t just another high-performance chip; it’s a platform that brings real AI development into the hands of students, startups and everyday creators without needing to lease cloud GPUs or buy into a locked software stack. As AI hardware becomes more compact, efficient and affordable, developers are realizing they can do more with less and own the entire process from idea to implementation. For those looking to give the gift of power and possibility this season, whether to a young coder, a small business innovator or a creative dreamer, AMD’s open-architecture advantage makes the Strix Halo platform not just a product but a statement that the future of AI belongs to everyone willing to build it.

Even with its US future in limbo, DJI keeps releasing impressive drones. Its latest is the Neo 2, an inexpensive, lightweight model aimed at creators and hobbyists. It’s an upgraded version of the Neo, an immensely popular drone both in the US and elsewhere. The new model is equally safe and easy to fly thanks to the shrouded props, palm takeoff and voice control.

DJI didn’t just tack on a number and call it a day, though. The Neo 2 is loaded with new features like LiDAR obstacle detection, improved video quality and longer battery life — all at only a slightly higher price. In fact, a couple of the new features can’t even be found on high-end DJI drones.

The original Neo wasn’t perfect; the propellers on that model emitted a banshee-like scream. The lack of obstacle detection and short battery life also wasn’t ideal. Has the company solved these problems on the new model? Mostly, yes — and it’s now a nearly perfect personal drone.

Design

Though the Neo 2 has the same 6.5-inch square size and friendly appearance as before, there are some important differences. A new LiDAR sensor beside the camera is designed to detect forward obstacles, and is a surprising inclusion for such an affordable drone. On the left front is a small display — a first for a DJI drone — that shows the current shot mode (follow, dronie, etc.).

The gimbal has also been upgraded and can now rotate instead of just tilt. That means the camera will stay level when the drone banks, with no ugly cropping or reduced resolution that I occasionally saw when doing extreme maneuvers with the Neo.

The Neo 2 has three buttons on the side (rather than just one on top as before), along with two new omnidirectional sensors. On top of helping the Neo 2 avoid obstacles, these improve stability in featureless or non-GPS environments like indoors and over water.

Finally, if you buy a Neo 2 with the optional RC-2 or RC-N3 controller, it includes a removable Digital Transceiver with a pair of antennae. Those components give it a butterfly-like appearance and could affect long term durability. However, making them an add-on gave DJI a way to make the basic (non-controller) version as inexpensive as possible.

With all those changes, the Neo 2 is a bit heavier at 5.6 ounces (160 grams) with the Digital Transceiver, compared to 4.8 ounces (135 grams) for the Neo. That’s still easily small enough to slide in a bag and light enough (under 250 grams) that you won’t need to register your drone with the authorities.

Features

Gesture control is a major new Neo 2 feature not found on other DJI drones. It lets you fly with surprising precision, if you don’t mind looking a little silly. To do so, wave a hand up, down or sideways to climb and bank, move two hands apart or together to make it approach or move away (think pinch-to-zoom in the air), clench a fist to stop it and hold out your palm to land. Gestures can be used in combination with other fly modes so you get the exact shot you want.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Along with the ability to wave your hands, the Neo 2 offers other ways to fly like palm takeoff. After selecting the flight mode (shown on the new display and audibly announced), you can launch the Neo 2 from your hand by pressing the takeoff button or using voice control. It will then execute the chosen mode, fly back to you and land on your outstretched palm.

Smartphone control (not seen on other DJI drones) is available for manual flight. Wi-Fi range has been extended by ten times to 546 yards, compared to 55 yards for the Neo. However, for that range you need a clear signal path with no obstacles between you and the drone. For more precise flight and longer range (up to 6 miles), the Neo 2 supports RC-N2, RC-N3 or RC-2 controllers. And FPV (first person) flying is still an option when using DJI’s Goggles N3 or Goggles 3, paired with the RC Motion 3 or FPV Remote Controller 3.

The Neo 3’s Quickshots repertoire has also been updated. A fun new mode is the “Hitchcock zoom.” When activated, the drone backs away while zooming in at the same time, creating a trippy perspective effect you might’ve seen in Vertigo and Jaws. Again, this feature is unique to the Neo 2 in DJI’s lineup.

Other key functions include compatibility with DJI’s microphones, including the Mic 2, Mic 3 and Mic Mini. Since the Neo 2 is quieter than the Neo (more on that shortly), noise cancelling requirements are reduced so audio quality is improved. Onboard storage has also been upgraded to 49GB (up from 22GB), letting you record up to 175 minutes of 4K video. At the same time, DJI more than doubled the Wi-Fi transfer speed to 80MB/s.

Performance

Steve Dent for Engadget

The Neo 2 retains the Neo’s toughness and protection, but it can now fly around obstacles instead of just plowing through them thanks to the LiDAR and sensors. To test that, I used it to follow subjects around trees, buildings and other obstacles. The aim was to see not only how well it avoided crashes in all directions, but to observe how smoothly it tracked while doing so.

To start, I engaged the ActiveTrack follow feature and used the Trace mode “steering wheel’ to follow subjects from the front, sides and back. When flying forward, the Neo 2 avoided most obstacles using its LiDAR, while swooping cinematically around trees and branches. It occasionally failed to detect small twigs and leaves, but unlike open-prop DJI drones, it usually flew through them without incident. With just two omni sensors, the Neo 2 is less adept at avoiding obstacles to the sides and rear, however. So if you’re using it to vlog while walking or biking, it’s best to make sure there’s nothing in the way.

With a top speed of just 18 mph, the original Neo was so slow that it could barely track a bike. Luckily, the Neo 2 is much faster with speeds up to 27 mph in follow mode and even has a special “Bicycle Tracking” mode. I tested that on an e-bike and the drone easily kept up with me while easily avoiding obstacles in the forward direction. Again, you need to be extra careful when it’s flying backwards or sideways.

The Neo 2 is as agile as ever, so the extra velocity makes it a better FPV drone as well. While wearing the Goggles N3, I was able to enjoy that sensation of extra speed as it swooped around obstacles. That, plus the low price, makes it a good first drone for anyone looking to get into FPV flying.

I likened the Neo’s prop noise to a banshee howl, but the Neo 2 is maybe a… banshee purr. Both the decibel level and pitch are now tolerable, even indoors. I flew it around at a fairly loud party and hardly anyone noticed; it also didn’t draw much attention in a public park. The only negative is it’s a high-pitched sound, a noise that carries even across high altitudes.

Video quality

Steve Dent for Engadget

With a new 12MP, 1/2-inch sensor camera, video quality is excellent for this price range. The Neo 2 now supports 4K at up to 60 fps or 100 fps in slo-mo mode. On the previous model, it was just 30 fps. The Neo 2 also has an f/2.0 iris to let in more light compared to the previous f/2.8. With those updates, the drone offers sharper and more color-accurate video and photos than the Neo.

There are of course some sacrifices at this price. The small sensor means the Neo 2 has mediocre low-light capability, with pronounced grain at the maximum ISO 12,800 rating that’s even noticeable at ISO 3,200. Unlike the $400 Flip, the Neo 2 has no 10-bit D-LogM capability, so over- or underexposed video is hard to correct.

With those issues, video and photos from the Neo 2 aren’t quite good enough for professional work. However, it’s excellent for social media users, hobbyists and content creators, delivering smartphone-quality aerial shots.

Wrap-up

DJI has yet to reveal availability or pricing of the Neo 2 in the US (or whether it will come here at all) due to a looming December 23 ban. If it does arrive, it will effectively have no competition at its price point, which I expect to be around $250. The HoverAir X1 is the only name brand alternative, but costs twice as much. That model offers solid follow-me capabilities for activities like biking and hiking. Feature-wise, though, it pales in comparison to the Neo 2, with inferior video quality, battery life, range and obstacle detection.

DJI’s Neo 2 is not just the best personal drone; it’s the best tech product I’ve seen in a while, period. It retains everything I liked about the Neo, especially the ease of use and safety features. On top of that, it adds a host of useful functions like obstacle protection and, thank goodness, lower noise levels. With all that, the Neo 2 performs that rare trick of doing much more than I expected — for a lot less money.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-neo-2-review-the-best-budget-drone-is-now-even-better-120026045.html?src=rss

Withings announced that its multi-function medical device BeamO has received clearance from the FDA. BeamO contains sensors to perform an electrocardiogram, a stethoscope and a thermometer. The company claims all three tests can be completed in less than a minute.  It is now available for purchase and will retail for $250. 

The company unveiled BeamO at CES 2024. It’s being positioned as a tool for telehealth, with a companion app that can send results to medical professionals. Withings is also offering a Cardio Check-Up service as part of its health subscription, where results from BeamO can be reviewed remotely by cardiologists who will deliver a cardiac health assessment to the device owner within 24 hours.

Withings is the name behind several intriguing (and occasionally strange) home health and smart tech items, including a smartwatch, a highly futuristic bathroom scale and a toilet-mounted computer for urine analysis.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/withings-has-received-fda-clearance-for-medical-multiscopebeamo-110000186.html?src=rss

FX has renewed Alien: Earth for a second season and signed creator Noah Hawley to a massive nine-figure overall deal with Disney Entertainment Television. Deadline reports: Inspired by Ridley Scott’s sci-fi thriller film Alien, Hawley adapted the film franchise for television with the strong support of Scott Free and its president, David W. Zucker, who is an executive producer of the series. It earned a positive reaction from fans, posting a 94% Certified Fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic Must-Watch score of 85. “It has been our great privilege to work with Noah for more than a decade on some of FX’s best and biggest shows, and we are thrilled to extend our partnership well into the future,” said FX Chairman John Landgraf. “Noah never stops surprising us with truly original stories — and his unique ability to bring them to vibrant life as a director and producer as well as writer makes him extraordinary. We can’t wait to get to work on the next season of Alien: Earth, as well as some equally exciting future projects in advanced development.”

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For the first time, astronomers captured the shockwave of a supernova bursting through the surface of a dying red supergiant star, revealing a surprisingly symmetrical, grape-shaped explosion. Space.com reports: Seeing this moment in detail has previously been elusive because it’s rare for a supernova to be spotted early enough and for telescopes to be trained on it — and when they have been, the exploding star has been too far away. So, when supernova 2024ggi went boom on April 10, 2024 in the relatively nearby spiral galaxy NGC 3621, which is 22 million light-years away in the constellation of Hydra, the Water Snake, astronomer Yi Yang of Tsinghua University in Beijing knew he had to act.

Although the supernova itself couldn’t be resolved as anything put a point of light, the polarization of that light held the clues as to the geometry of the breakout. “The geometry of a supernova explosion provides fundamental information on stellar evolution and the physical processes leading to these cosmic fireworks,” said Yang. “Spectropolarimetry delivers information about the geometry of the explosion that other types of observation cannot provide because the angular scales are too tiny,” said another team-member, Lifan Wang of Texas A&M University.

The measurement showed that the shape of the breakout explosion was flattened, like an olive or grape. Crucially, though, the explosion propagated symmetrically, and continued to do so even when it collided with a ring of circumstellar material. “These findings suggest a common physical mechanism that drives the explosion of many massive stars, which manifests a well-defined axial symmetry and acts on large scales,” said Yang. The findings will allow astronomers to rule out some models and strengthen others that describe what drives the shockwave in a supernova explosion. The findings have been described in a paper on the ESO website.

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An anonymous reader quotes a report from Electrek: Production is now underway at Toyota’s new $13.9 billion battery plant in North Carolina, the company’s first outside Japan. After the first batteries rolled off the production line at its new facility in Liberty, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Toyota said today marks a “pivotal moment” in the company’s history. The facility is Toyota’s 11th plant in the US and its first battery plant outside of Japan.

Toyota first announced plans to build EV batteries in the US almost four years ago. The nearly $14 billion facility will create up to 5,100 jobs in the area. In addition, the Japanese auto giant announced plans to invest an additional $10 billion in its US operations over the next five years. Since it first arrived in the US nearly 70 years ago, Toyota has invested close to $60 billion.

The mega site spans 1,850 acres, or about the size of 121 football fields, and can produce up to 30 GWh annually. Toyota will use the hub to develop and build lithium-ion batteries for its growing lineup of “electrified” vehicles, including battery electric (EV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and hybrid (HEV) models. Batteries from the plant will power the new Camry HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, RAV4 HEV, and Toyota’s yet-to-be-announced three-row electric SUV.

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Russia’s first AI humanoid robot, Aldol, fell just seconds after its debut at a technology event in Moscow on Tuesday. “The robot was being led on stage to the soundtrack from the film ‘Rocky,’ before it suddenly lost its balance and fell,” reports the BBC. “Assistants could then be seen scrambling to cover it with a cloth — which ended up tangling in the process.” Developers of Aldol blamed poor lighting and calibration issues for the collapse, saying the robot’s stereo cameras are sensitive to light and the hall was dark.

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Slashdot readers Tablizer and fjo3 share news that an AI-generated country song has topped the U.S. sales chart for the first time this week. ABC News reports: The new country tune, “Walk my Walk” by Breaking Rust, recently hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart, reaching over 3 million streams on Spotify in less than a month. That success has garnered mixed reactions from music fans and artists alike, particularly on TikTok, where hundreds of users have posted videos addressing the tune and others discussing the music in the comments.

Billboard has acknowledged Breaking Rust is an AI act and said it is one of at least six to chart in the past few months alone. “Ultimately, this feels like an experiment to see just how far something like this can go and what happens in the future and in other disciplines of art as well,” senior entertainment reporter Kelley L. Carter told ABC News. “AI artists won’t require things that a real human artist will require, and once companies start considering it and looking at bottom lines, I think that’s when artists should rightly be concerned about it,” she added.

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Waymo is rolling out robotaxi rides that use freeways across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix for the first time — “a critical expansion for the company that it says will reduce ride times by up to 50%,” reports TechCrunch. From the report: That stat could help attract a whole new group of users who need to travel between the many towns and suburbs within the greater San Francisco Bay Area or quicken commutes across the sprawling Los Angeles and Phoenix metro areas. Using freeways is also essential for Waymo to offer rides to and from the San Francisco Airport, a location the company is currently testing in.

The service won’t be offered to all Waymo riders at first, the company said. Waymo riders who want to experience freeway rides can note their preference in the Waymo app. Once the rider hails a ride, they may be matched with a freeway trip, according to the company.

The company’s robotaxi routes will now stretch to San Jose, an expansion that will create a unified 260-mile service area across the Peninsula, according to Waymo. The company said it will also begin curbside drop off and pick up service at the San Jose Mineta International Airport. It already offers curbside service to the Sky Harbor Phoenix International Airport.

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I still haven’t gotten around to watching the first Super Mario movie because my movie queue is already like 600 movies long. I really have to start returning these Netflix DVDs. This is the trailer for the upcoming The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It looks very promising. You know, the Super Mario Galaxy video game holds a special place in my heart because I played it at a time in my life when things weren’t going so hot, and it helped. I mean not that they’ve gotten any better since, but hey, now I’m playing Borderlands 4.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: Anthropic announced plans Wednesday to spend $50 billion on a U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure build-out, starting with custom data centers in Texas and New York. The facilities, which will be designed to support the company’s rapid enterprise growth and its long-term research agenda, will be developed in partnership with Fluidstack.

Fluidstack is an AI cloud platform that supplies large-scale graphics processing unit, or GPU, clusters to clients like Meta, Midjourney and Mistral. Additional sites are expected to follow, with the first locations going live in 2026. The project is expected to create 800 permanent jobs and more than 2,000 construction roles. The investment positions Anthropic as a major domestic player in physical AI infrastructure at a moment when policymakers are increasingly focused on U.S.-based compute capacity and technological sovereignty. “We’re getting closer to AI that can accelerate scientific discovery and help solve complex problems in ways that weren’t possible before. Realizing that potential requires infrastructure that can support continued development at the frontier,” said CEO Dario Amodei. “These sites will help us build more capable AI systems that can drive those breakthroughs, while creating American jobs.”

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Sometimes, the best features in a new operating system aren’t the flashy ones that get broadcast during a keynote. They’re subtle improvements that naturally fit into how you use your device and just make the experience better. One of those appears to be coming in the next macOS update. The dev beta of Tahoe 26.2 includes a feature that essentially lets your computer screen function as a ring light during a video call.

It’s called Edge Light and it illuminates a rectangular band around the edge of the screen. Apple’s Neural Engine will also position the light based on where it detects your face in the video frame. There are some controls for making the light warmer or cooler, and it can be set to turn on automatically once the brightness in your environment dims. Edge Light doesn’t cover the top menu bar, and it will also move out of the way if the cursor hovers over it so that you can still use your laptop normally while on a call. 

Edge Light will only be available on MacBooks from after 2024 that are running on Apple’s Silicon. It may not be a true replacement for a ring light, but it’s probably a step up from opening a bunch of blank Google Docs to try and illuminate yourself for a last-minute meeting.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-next-macos-update-can-turn-your-screen-into-a-ring-light-234410504.html?src=rss

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Summer might have passed, but if you’re looking for a year-round portable speaker that’s durable and rugged enough to survive the outdoors (and multiple drops), the JBL Charge 6 is down to $129.95 (originally $199.95) on Amazon, marking its lowest price. If you don’t need one for yourself, this speaker would also make a great gift.

JBL Charge 6

$129.95
at Amazon

$199.95
Save $70.00

$129.95
at Amazon

$199.95
Save $70.00

While the price bump from the Charge 5 is modest, the number of upgrades is impressive. This model is fully waterproof, has an extended battery life, and an even bigger woofer. While the Charge 6 is slightly larger than its predecessor, it comes with a new ergonomic carry handle that keeps it ultra-portable. 

It can survive drops up to three feet and has an IP68 rating (an upgrade from its previous IP67 rating), which means it can be submerged under five feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Its single USB-C connection on the back handles charging, lossless wired audio connections, and power output to charge other devices. The 34-watt-hour battery runs up to 24 hours and doubles as a power bank for devices like phones or tablets in need of charging. It can charge up in just three hours, but it’s worth noting that you’ll need your own charging brick and USB cable as they’re not included in the package.  

App customization is limited to simple controls, but it does feature a customizable seven-band EQ, and this PCMag review calls the sound “surprisingly punchy” with a more robust audio response than similarly compact speakers. It provides loud, clear, and balanced sound (even outdoors). While the PlayTime Boost setting increases volume while conserving battery, it comes at the cost of bass, meaning it may be worthwhile for podcasts or audiobooks, but it could impact how your music sounds.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a small but powerful speaker that performs well and is built to last, the JBL Charge 6 is a great, feature-packed choice, and at $129.95, it’s an absolute steal for a new model. However, if you’re an audiophile looking for stereo speaker quality or bass on par with a subwoofer, this might not be the right fit. 

Longtime Slashdot reader hadleyburg writes: For a user with an Android phone and who’s happy to stick within the Google ecosystem, an Android tablet might seem like the more obvious choice over an iPad. Of course, iPads are a lot more popular, and asking about Android tablets is likely to invite advice about sticking with what everyone else has.

The Slashdot community on the other hand — being a discerning and thoughtful crowd — might have some experience in this area and be willing to share the pros and cons they have found.

The use case is someone not requiring any heavy usage — no video editing or gaming — just email, browsing, YouTube, video calls, and that sort of thing.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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If you’re looking for a new QD-OLED TV with fantastic picture quality from a reputable brand, the Sony QD-OLED 77″ Bravia XR A95L Series is currently $3,798 (originally 4,999.99), bringing this popular TV down to its lowest price ever, according to price-trackers. 

Sony QD-OLED 77 inch Bravia XR A95L Series 4K Ultra HD TV

$3,798.00
at Amazon

$4,999.99
Save $1,201.99

$3,798.00
at Amazon

$4,999.99
Save $1,201.99

This TV offers a wide color gamut and exceptional, lifelike color thanks to the QD-OLED panel, which also delivers perfect OLED blacks without any blooming. For shoppers with a large room or those who view the TV off-center, the ultra-wide viewing angle is a major plus. 

A step up from the A95L (reviewed in PCMag), the Dolby Vision HDR on this smart TV performs well and handles reflections and glare with ease. Compared to the A95L, it manages bright scenes better, offers more refined visuals, and delivers a better gaming experience, supporting 4K at 120Hz, VRR, Auto Low Latency Mode, and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. It also includes a Game Menu that keeps your gaming picture settings and assist settings in an easily accessible interface. For PlayStation 5 owners, it unlocks Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode for optimized picture quality.

That said, the A95L only has two HDMI ports, so if you need to connect multiple high-bandwidth devices, it may not be ideal. However, reviewers note that compared to similar televisions, its out-of-the-box calibration accuracy is impressive. 

If you’re looking for one of the most immersive TV picture experiences on the market with premium image fidelity, depth, and color richness (and don’t mind limited HDMI 2.1 ports), the Sony QD-OLED 77″ Bravia XR A95L Series is a solid large-screen option with standout value, especially at a $1,200 discount.

On Wednesday, OpenAI released GPT-5.1 Instant and GPT-5.1 Thinking, two updated versions of its flagship AI models now available in ChatGPT. The company is wrapping the models in the language of anthropomorphism, claiming that they’re warmer, more conversational, and better at following instructions.

The release follows complaints earlier this year that its previous models were excessively cheerful and sycophantic, along with an opposing controversy among users over how OpenAI modified the default GPT-5 output style after several suicide lawsuits.

The company now faces intense scrutiny from lawyers and regulators that could threaten its future operations. In that kind of environment, it’s difficult to just release a new AI model, throw out a few stats, and move on like the company could even a year ago. But here are the basics: The new GPT-5.1 Instant model will serve as ChatGPT’s faster default option for most tasks, while GPT-5.1 Thinking is a simulated reasoning model that attempts to handle more complex problem-solving tasks.

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Back in 2021, Apple announced a new feature for the Wallet app, that allowed users to add their driver’s licenses or state IDs to their iPhones. To me, it sounded like the beginning of the end for physical wallets. In reality, it was anything but: Not only are the applications limited, but even after all this time, only 12 states and Puerto Rico actually support the feature.

While the rest of us wait for our respective states to get on board, many might have another option for these virtual documents. On Wednesday, Apple announced “Digital ID,” a new initiative that lets you create an ID in the Wallet app using your passport. This bypasses the waiting period for the 38 states that don’t yet support these ID features: If you have a passport, you can try this feature out today. Even if your state supports driver’s license and state ID uploads to the Wallet app, you’ll miss out on features if you don’t have a REAL ID. If you have a passport, however, you can use it instead, which opens up the wallet ID feature to even more users than before.

Like previous attempts at virtual IDs, however, don’t expect to be able to use this Digital ID just anywhere you’d normally show documentation. Right now, the main use for Digital ID is for flying: According to Apple, Digital ID is launching in beta at over 250 airports to be used at TSA checkpoints. Importantly, this feature only supports domestic flights, even though it uses your passport. As such, do not rely on your Digital ID when flying outside of the U.S. You’ll still need your physical passport in order to validate your identity. In the future, however, Apple says you’ll be able to use this Digital ID for other purposes, such as booking flights and hotels, as well as opening new accounts.

How to add your passport to your iPhone

To start, you’ll need a valid U.S. passport, an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later with WatchOS 26.1. First, open the Wallet app on your iPhone, then tap the (+) at the top of the screen. Here, tap “Digital ID” under “United States.” Here, you’ll see a pop-up which informs you about Digital ID. Tap “Continue,” then follow the on-screen instructions to scan different parts of your passport using your iPhone’s camera. You’ll next need to authenticate yourself by taking a Live Photo of your face. Once confirmed, you’ll need to capture more angles of your face and head, which the Wallet app directs you through.

Once validated, the ID will live in your Wallet app. You can open the Wallet app, or double-click the Side or Home button, then choose the ID whenever you need to present it. When in line at the TSA, for example, you can hold your iPhone with your ID activated near the reader: Once the two connect, the reader will take your photo, while your iPhone will show you all the information you’ll be providing to TSA, which can include things like your legal name, date of birth, sex, nationality, ID number, ID photo, expiration date, the date the ID was added, and who verified the ID. You’ll need to double-click the Side or Home button to confirm you want to share this data.

Credit: Apple

Is Digital ID secure?

Yes, at least according to Apple. The company says that any ID data you add to the Wallet app, be it a passport, driver’s license, or state ID, is encrypted and stored on-device. That means that only you have access to this data—not even Apple can see it. In addition, Apple cannot see when you use your ID, nor can they see what data you shared at the time of identification. You also need to use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate yourself through this process, so even if someone steals your iPhone, they won’t be able to obtain that ID data.

As stated above, you will see a list of data that will be shared when authenticating with Digital ID. If you aren’t comfortable sharing this data with, say, TSA, you don’t have to double-click the Side or Home button, and can instead choose another form of authentication. Plus, the way this feature is set up, you don’t need to unlock your iPhone or physically hand it over to confirm your iPhone. By double-clicking the Side button or Home button, you can access the ID data without compromising your iPhone.

I’m pretty privacy conscious, but this is a feature I’d be willing to try—assuming I fly out of an airport that supports it. I could see how this might be a bridge too far for some people, especially considering the amount of face scanning you need to do to validate the ID. But Apple says in its Wallet app that this data is used to validate your identity and prevent fraud, and is retained only until the issuing authority approves or denies your ID. In other words, whether or not setup is successful, Apple will delete your face scans once the process is over. Seeing as the rest of the data is encrypted, that might just be enough for me to be comfortable testing this out.

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There’s something oddly comforting about holding an entire childhood in your hands. The Retropian X Handheld Retro Gaming Console is currently on sale for $89.99 at StackSocial, bringing back that exact feeling. Think of it as a portable time machine with over 20,000 preloaded games spanning more than 30 classic systems, all tucked into a body small enough to slip into a jacket pocket. No cartridges, adapters, or online sign-ins, just a black handheld with a sharp 5.1-inch IPS display and a simple mission: let you play the hits from your childhood, minus the hassle.

Inside, it runs on a Rockchip RK3326 quad-core CPU with a Mali-G31 GPU, which means it handles everything from 8-bit platformers to 3D-era titles smoothly enough for casual nostalgia trips. The 64GB of storage holds plenty out of the box, but you can expand it up to 256GB with a microSD card if you want to load your own ROMs or mods. Also, it runs an open-source Linux system, making it easy to customize your setup. As for its battery life and connections, the 3,200mAh battery provides around four to six hours of playtime, which is long enough for a train ride or a lazy afternoon. Meanwhile, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allow you to connect controllers or download new titles without needing to plug in anything.

The Retropian X is designed for people who miss the sound of pixel explosions and 16-bit soundtracks. It’s lightweight, featuring an ergonomic design that prevents cramping in your hands mid-game, and comes pre-configured, allowing even non-techies to get started right away. The 854×480 resolution isn’t cutting-edge, and the speakers aren’t concert-grade, but when you’re revisiting Mario, Sonic, or Street Fighter in their old-school form, you’ll be glad for the simplicity of a straightforward, plug-and-play nostalgia box that requires nothing but your time and, perhaps, a fully charged battery.