Simple, charming, and romantic cottagecore style is a design aesthetic that embraces country living on a sustainable scale. Advocates of the style purport that it’s not just a style, but a way of life. Embracing handcrafted decor and giving a nod to traditional looks, cottagecore interior design lends itself easily to…
Source: LifeHacker – The Best (and Cheapest) Ways to Add a Little ‘Cottagecore’ Style to Your Home
It seems as though everyone and their uncle is making gaming monitors now, and before you shout, ‘Yeah, but not Thermaltake!’, well guess what? It does as well. Thermaltake’s introductory gaming displays actually broke cover a few weeks ago, but now they’re formally announced. There are two of them, one of which is a 27-inch display while
Source: Hot Hardware – Thermaltake Makes Gaming Monitors Now And The Specs Look Pretty Good
FTX Trading is examining restarting the crypto exchange with three bidders, according to a Bloomberg report Tuesday. This comes nearly one year after the company filed for bankruptcy, and as founder Sam Bankman-Fried sits on trial for alleged fraud.
Source: Gizmodo – FTX Reportedly Has 3 Bidders Vying to Restart Its Crypto Exchange
Enlarge / The Lexus LF-ZC on display at the Tokyo Auto Show. (credit: Tim Stevens)
It has been a few years since Lexus pledged to go fully electric in the North American market by 2030, globally by 2035. That’s an aggressive timeline for any manufacturer, particularly for one tied so closely with Toyota, a brand that has been slow on the battery-electric uptake.
Today, at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, Lexus finally gave us a comprehensive look at our likely all-electric future. It debuted not one but two new electric vehicles, both based on the same next-generation platform and promising remarkable efficiency and some stellar aerodynamics.
The LF-ZC’s interior. (credit: Tim Stevens)
The first car is the LF-ZC, a name that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. It’s an acronym, standing for Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst, but forget the awkward nomenclature, because the thing looks fantastic. Long and lean and angular, it has a distinctly Lexus feel despite its unique look.
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Source: Ars Technica – Lexus LF-ZC and LF-ZL concepts show extreme aero can look extremely good
DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal camera has arrived with major updates over the previous model, adding a much larger 1-inch sensor that should greatly improve quality. In addition, the new model offers 4K 120p video, the company’s latest tracking, face detection, dynamic framing and a very handy rotating display. It’s also significantly more expensive than the Pocket 2 was at launch.
The most noticeable feature is the new 2-inch display with 4.7 times the area of the last model. It offers 314 x 556 resolution, with 700 nits of brightness and 100 percent coverage of the P3 HDR color gamut. This does make the Pocket 3 larger than the previous model, though it’s still small enough to stow in, well, a pocket. It’s about the height of an iPhone 12/13, the company notes.
What’s extra nice, though, is the fact that you can rotate the display 90 degrees, which automatically shifts the camera from portrait to landscape mode. That allows you to fill the screen to see more detail, whether you’re capturing 4K widescreen video or 3K video (square or 9:16) for social media — while making it easier to switch modes, as well.
Larger sensors usually have a direct correlation with image quality, and DJI sent me a pre-production model (a full review is coming soon). The new 1-inch sensor is considerably bigger, nearly three times the area of the Pocket 2’s 1/1.7-inch sensor — the same found on Sony’s ZV-1, for instance. From what I’ve seen so far, it retains color clarity right up to the normal ISO 6400 limit, while keeping noise manageable as well. Video does get noisy at the upper ISO 16000 limit used in the low-light video mode, but it’s far better than any previous Pocket model.
The Pocket 3 now offers 4K 120p video (along with 2.7K 120p and 1080p at 240 fps), making the Pocket 3 a great option for ultra slow motion shooting. It uses DJI’s D-LogM mode found on drones like the Mini 4 Pro, which also allows for 10-bit capture with much improved dynamic range — along with 10-bit HLG HDR recording. It also offers “full-pixel fast focusing” for quick autofocus, which is more critical with a larger sensor.
DJI introduced what it calls a “face-priority strategy,” meaning it automatically fine-tunes exposure for different skin tones. And to improve those skin tones, it includes DJI’s “Glamour Effects 2” that allows smoothing, slimming, brightening, etc.
It’s also the company’s latest device using ActiveTrack 6.0 with facial recognition (following the Osmo Mobile 6), along with three-axis mechanical stabilization. The latter allows for smooth movement in all kinds of tracking scenarios, whether you’re shooting widescreen or portrait video. As such, it’s useful for tracking shots of kids and pets, timelapse shots, travel and more. As with past Pocket models, it works very well.
ActiveTrack 6.0 on the Pocket 3, meanwhile, is useful for a bunch of different scenarios. Solo vloggers can set the camera up on its mini tripod (or attach it to a regular tripod), then track themselves automatically as they move around. You could also track a subject with little effort, as the camera automatically keeps them centered in the frame. It also has a feature called dynamic framing that allows for more flexible composition, while still locking the subject in the frame.
It also has some new and very useful audio features. The stereo mic can be switched from omnidirectional to forward and backward, and it includes a windscreen to help block noise. The more interesting feature, though, is support for DJI’s upcoming wireless Mic 2 (above). The Pocket 3 has a built-in receiver for that product, so you can automatically record audio from the Mic 2’s transmitter. In fact, a DJI Mic 2 transmitter is included in the “Creative Combo” bundle, giving users a fast and high-quality way to record VO or interview subjects. (No, the Mic 2 hasn’t been officially announced yet, but it’s apparently coming soon.)
Other features include creative modes like SpinShot (a quick 180-degree flip with one hand), Motionlapse timelapse, up to a 4x digital zoom and Panorama photos. The built-in 1,300mAh battery supports 120 minutes of 4K 60fps shooting, though you can extend that with the battery handle accessory by around 70 percent.
The Osmo Pocket 3 is now available to order at DJI’s store and authorized real partners, with shipping starting today. That brings us to the not-so-good part, the price. It costs $520 in the US (£489 in the UK), which is $170 more than the Pocket 2 cost at launch. You can also get it for $669 in the Creator Combo bundle, which includes a DJI Mic 2 transmitter, Pocket 3 battery handle, mini tripod, carrying bag, wrist strip and USB-C cable. Are the larger sensor and other features worth it? I’ll find out when I review it over the next few weeks.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-osmo-pocket-3-features-a-1-inch-sensor-and-rotating-display-130055176.html?src=rssA smart thermostat can help with a number of household issues, from reducing your power bill to making sure you come back to a toasty home or apartment in the winter without needing to have the heat on all day. Google’s third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat is one of the more notable options on the market, and it’s currently $75 off at Wellbots if you enter the code ENGNLT75 at checkout. The deal takes the device down to $174 from its usual price of $259. It’s one of the best prices we’ve seen for the smart thermostat lately.
The Nest Learning Thermostat can get to know your routine and preferred temperature settings throughout the course of a typical day, then automatically create a schedule for home climate adjustments based on those. It should only take a week or so for the device to build up a fairly accurate understanding of your heating and cooling preferences and start making appropriate changes autonomously. You can make manual adjustments through the Nest app if needed.
The thermostat can detect whether anyone is home using its built-in sensors and your phone. If the place is empty, the device can change the temperatures to a range that can help save energy until your home’s occupied again. When the temperatures are in this energy-saving range, the thermostat will note that on a visual indicator. The device can also display details about your energy usage, the weather and the time.
Moreover, you can pair the Nest Learning Thermostat with optional sensors to account for hot or cool spots in your home or to maintain specific temperatures in some rooms. That could be helpful for keeping bedrooms cooler than your living room or kitchen. You’ll also receive a report on energy usage, including guidance on how to save energy in your cooling and heating systems.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-nest-learning-thermostat-is-75-off-right-now-130050665.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat is off right now
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Tom’s Hardware: SiFive, one of the key companies in the RISC-V ecosystem, is undergoing a significant restructuring marked by extensive layoffs and apparently a shift in business focus, reports More Than Moore. The company is seemingly retracting from its pre-designed core offerings, which means it may focus on custom cores instead. Meanwhile, the move casts uncertainty over SiFive’s future in general along with its contributions to the RISC-V.
RISC-V has become quite a popular choice for making miniature low-cost cores, but there are several companies who are working on higher-performance RISC-V-based offerings. SiFive is one of such companies offering ready-to-use designs and also making custom cores based on what customers need. But now, SiFive has laid off somewhere between 100 to over 300 employees from around 700 in mid-October. Most of these were engineers, along with some sales and product personnel. Meanwhile, the company’s leaders, including CEO Patrick Little, are still there. SiFive issued the following statement to Tom’s Hardware: “As we identify and focus on our greatest opportunities, SiFive is shifting to best meet our customers’ fast-changing requirements by undergoing a strategic refocusing of all our global teams. Unfortunately, with this realignment, approximately 20% of employees across all different business groups and levels were impacted. The employees are receiving severance and outplacement assistance.
SiFive continues to be excited about the long-term opportunities for the company and for RISC-V. The growth of the company has never been stronger and the opportunities never better. We are well funded for years in the future and continue to work with the market leaders in every segment. We remain focused on our four product groups, essential, intelligence, performance and automotive, and as we explained in a press event earlier this month, have a robust roadmap to meet the needs of these markets. We see tremendous new opportunities in AI and with Consumer products like wearables and mobile as Google brings Android to the RISC-V ecosystem. We will continue to offer customization for specific customers, offering standard and custom products where it makes sense from a business standpoint.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – SiFive Lays Off Hundreds of RISC-V Developers
As good as Google Maps is, not every location is perfectly mappable in the app. Sometimes, where Google thinks you want to go might be miles away from where you actually want to go (this happens often to anyone trying to find the entrance to a national park). Or a new attraction might not be listed at all. This is…
Source: LifeHacker – How to Drop and Share a Pin in Google Maps
Holly Million faces scorn despite proven job record. Holly Million is replacing Neil McGovern as the executive director of the GNOME Foundation, although her colorful CV is leading to shocked reactions from some in the community.…
Source: LXer – GNOME Foundation’s new executive director sparks witch hunt
This Black Friday will be on Nov. 24, and I can tell you already what you can expect. Some retailers, like Best Buy, have already put out their plans, and Amazon has already begun their own early Black Friday deals on electronics. It’s important for you also to have a plan so you don’t end up overspending. If you…
Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Best Amazon Early Black Friday Deals (So Far)
Apple’s release of Arm-based system-on-chips for its desktops and laptops three years ago demonstrated that such processors could offer competitive performance and power consumption. On the Windows-based PC front, only Qualcomm has offered Arm-based SoCs for notebooks in recent years, but it looks like it will soon be joined by AMD and NVIDIA, two notable players in the PC space, according to a Reuters report.
While neither AMD nor NVIDIA has confirmed plans to offer Arm-based SoCs for client PCs, it will not be the first time these companies either planned or offered Arm-powered processors for the Windows ecosystem. Furthermore, this move will align with Microsoft’s broader vision to push the adoption of Arm-based processors into Windows PCs to make them more competitive against Apple’s offerings.
Microsoft has spearheaded initiatives promoting the utilization of Arm-based processors, intending to diversify and evolve beyond the prevailing x86 architecture, predominantly controlled by Intel, for years. At first, the company attempted to do this in the late 2000s but saw no major success for years. However, AMD tried to develop a competitive Arm-based SoC (but had to fold development due to insufficient budgets), whereas NVIDIA offered its Tegra processor.
Microsoft’s renewed attempt to push Arm into Windows PCs kicked off in 2016 when the company signed a deal with Qualcomm, under which the latter produced PC-oriented Snapdragon application processors. In contrast, Microsoft tailored its Arm version of Windows specifically for these SoCs.
“Microsoft learned from the 90s that they do not want to be dependent on Intel again, they do not want to be dependent on a single vendor,” said Jay Goldberg, chief executive of D2D Advisory, in a conversation with Reuters. “If Arm really took off in PC (chips), they were never going to let Qualcomm be the sole supplier.“
That deal between Microsoft and Qualcomm is set to expire in 2024 when AMD, NVIDIA, and others will be able to release their Windows PC-oriented SoCs. But it remains to be seen what exactly the two companies will offer.
AMD, Intel’s arch-rival on the x86 CPU market for decades, may be inclined to expand its offerings. However, this move will not fit into its contemporary data center-oriented strategy. Furthermore, NVIDIA has also focused primarily on data center business in recent years.
On the one hand, both companies are interested in making high-volume products of PCs. On the other hand, both earn tons of money on AI, HPC, and data center CPUs and GPUs, and both use all production capacity they can to meet demand for their high-margin offerings. Yet, historically, companies that solely concentrated on enterprise hardware went extinct or became parts of more prominent entities.
Source: Reuters
Source: AnandTech – Report: AMD and NVIDIA Set to Offer Arm-Based Processors for PCs
This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.
Source: Gizmodo – The Pope Leads 1.4 Billion Catholics. Getting Them to Care About the Climate Is Harder Than He Thought
Nissan has introduced a new concept vehicle at the Japan Mobility Show, and it looks like a slightly pared back Batmobile with its sharp lines and scissor doors. The automaker has been introducing one concept vehicle per week since the beginning of October, with the Hyper Force being its newest and last entry. Nissan envisions the Hyper Force as an all electric vehicle designed for both racing enthusiasts and gamers. In fact, it’s supposed to come with an augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) driving experience.
The idea is to give owners the option to drive their vehicle in the virtual world — while it’s not moving, of course — through a special VR helmet with blind visors. That helmet will give users access to a gamified driving experience, where they can race against the clock or against other online racers, including their friends and “professional drivers’ digital ghosts” on a circuit.
As for the car itself, Nissan designed it to have an all-solid-state battery that can produce an output of up to 1,000 kW. It’s also supposed to come with advanced autonomous driving capabilities, thanks to its LIDAR system and an array of sensors meant for sports driving.
The Hyper Force has two driving modes, one of which is the R or the racing mode that bathes the cabin in red light and extends panels on the dashboard toward the driver seat to enhance the feeling of being in a cockpit. Meanwhile, in GT or grand touring mode, all the screens and panels glow blue and move away from the driver seat. By the way, if the vehicle’s panels, cockpit and graphical user interface look familiar in the video below, that’s because Nissan designed them in collaboration with Polyphony Digital Inc., the developer of Gran Turismo.
Since it’s just a concept, nobody will be driving the Hyper Force anytime soon. Nissan president and CEO Makoto Uchida described the concept cars the company showcased at the event as “symbols of the future [that] embody [the company’s] founding spirit of ‘daring to do what others don’t.'”
AMDVLK 2023.Q4.1 was published today as AMD’s first Radeon Vulkan open-source driver update since last month. There comes some new features and improvements with this version but they have also decided to drop Polaris (GFX8) and Vega (GFX9) graphics support…
Source: Phoronix – AMDVLK 2023.Q4.1: Polaris & Vega Support Dropped, Counter-Strike 2 Tuning
Enlarge / The Andromeda Galaxy, as seen from The Milky Way Galaxy. (credit: Kevin Chernoff)
Welcome to the Daily Telescope. There is a little too much darkness in this world and not enough light—a little too much pseudoscience and not enough science. We’ll let other publications offer you a daily horoscope. At Ars Technica, we’ll take a different route, finding inspiration from very real images of a universe that is filled with stars and wonder.
Good morning. It is October 25th, and today’s image features one of the most photogenic galaxies from Earth’s vantage point—the Andromeda Galaxy.
This photo was captured by an astrophotographer named Kevin Chernoff using a 6-inch reflector telescope on a tracking mount. According to Chernoff, this was an astrophotography-modified, mirrorless camera without any special filters. “It is about two and a half hours of total exposure time across 300 individual frames, stacked and processed together,” he said. “It was shot from a dark roadside location about an hour away from my home.”
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Source: Ars Technica – Daily Telescope: A closer look at the most-distant object visible to the naked eye
Amazon’s Blink Outdoor 4 camera, which became available in August, is on sale right now for $72, down from its original price of $120. The deal is only on for a short period, starting on October 25 and ending November 5.
The Outdoor 4 captures 1080p HD footage of the camera’s view and allows you to view that footage from your smartphone. It supports live view as well, along with enhanced motion detection and two-way talk. The kicker for Blink cameras, though, is that they’re wireless, making them very easy to place inside and outside of your home. Plus, each has a battery life of about two years before you need to change their two AA cells. If you purchase the single camera system, you will get access to a free 30-day trial of the Blink subscription plan that allows you to store and share security cam footage in the cloud, and enable features like person detection.
The Blink Mini bundle, which includes three cameras, three mounting kits with stands, USB cables and power adapters is also on sale. The bundle, which originally sells for $100 will be made available for $40. Blink Mini cameras can also stream 1080p HD video and record footage using night vision, but they have to be plugged in. Like the Blink Outdoor devices, these indoor cameras are ideal for Alexa fans — the cameras can be controlled through voice to arm and disarm the system. The Blink Mini allows you to customize notifications for motion detection so get alerts for zones that you care about most. The deal on this Mini set is a great entry point for building a home security system if you don’t already have one.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blink-outdoor-4-cameras-drop-back-down-to-record-low-prices-140021330.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Blink Outdoor 4 cameras drop back down to record-low prices
As Halloween approaches with frantic, last-minute wig purchases, and candy binges, you may find yourself overextended and undernourished. You need some real food, but the spooky times don’t have to stop. Get some of your creepy energy back with these unnerving spiderweb eggs.
Source: LifeHacker – These Spider Web Eggs Are Freaky, and You Just Might Need Them
Annapurna Interactive has proven to be a force since its first video game, What Remains of Edith Finch, was released in 2017. Now, the gaming company is launching the Annapurna Interactive Deluxe Limited Edition Collection for Switch with 12 unique games available on one cartridge.
The included titles packed in with Annapurna’s original game run the gambit: Donut County, Gorogoa, Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition, Neon White, Sayonara Wild Hearts, The Artful Escape and The Pathless are all part of the new collection. It also offers the first physical Switch releases of If Found…, Hindsight, Solar Ash and I Am Dead. Annapurna Interactive released a similar collection in 2020 for the PS4, selling a physical box set of eight titles.
12 legendary games. 1 cartridge.
Introducing the Annapurna Interactive Deluxe Limited Edition Collection for Switch, a celebration of over a decade of stellar games.
Comes with an art book and a console carrying case.
Preorders open Thursday, October 26th at 9 AM PT. pic.twitter.com/GtqTw4zoop
— iam8bit (@iam8bit) October 24, 2023
Alongside the collection are a few extra features, such as a foreword from the company’s founder, an art booklet with information from all 12 games’ creators, a custom-designed folio package and a custom Annapurna Interactive console and cartridge case — exclusive to this launch.
You’ll have to act fast if you want one of the $200 Deluxe Edition collections, as there are only 2,500 copies available for purchase. Pre-orders for Annapurna Interactive’s Nintendo Switch sets open on October 25 at 12 PM ET exclusively on iam8bit here and should ship sometime before 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/annapurna-interactive-is-cramming-12-of-its-best-games-onto-a-200-switch-cartridge-115523032.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Annapurna Interactive is cramming 12 of its best games onto a 0 Switch cartridge
Lexus showed off a pair of EV concept cars at the Tokyo Mobility Show designed to highlight its electrified future. The first is the LF-ZC concept designed to go into production next year and includes wild features like using the steering wheel for racing games. The other is the LF-ZL flagship that represents the “future vision” of the brand, Toyota said in a press release.
The luxury Toyota sub-brand is committed to becoming fully electric by 2035, and the LF-ZC will be a big part of that with a market launch by 2026. Unlike Honda’s Prelude concept that looks nearly production ready, however, the LF-ZC looks more like a showcase for ideas than a real car.
Some of those ideas include “more versatile vehicle packaging” that minimizes core components. That will improve performance, according to Toyota, allowing for a low center of gravity, steer-by-wire, and an all-wheel drive powertrain. The company is also focusing on aerodynamics, promising drag coefficient of just 0.2, while still allowing for a wide stance. The design is certainly eye-catching, but is unlikely to bear any resemblance to the final production vehicle.
Details on the drivetrain are vague, but Lexus is aiming for “twice the range of conventional BEVs.” That will be achieved through the use of “advanced high-performance batteries” made with a prismatic structure, designed to increase range via improved aerodynamic integration and reduced weight. These notably won’t be solid state batteries, which won’t arrive until a few years later.
The concept mentality extends to the cockpit, as well. Along with a yoke-style steering wheel, there’s a left-hand “digital pad” that controls functions like shifting, driver assistance functions, drive mode and more. On the left hand pad are secondary controls like music, climate, phone and AI functions. It also features digital mirrors and a heads-up display that’s de rigeur for such vehicles.
The dashboard wide display, meanwhile, is what Lexus calls an “open platform for entertainment and diverse applications.” The seating is low, and the LF-ZC features materials like bamboo fibers and threads. It’ll also use AI tech Lexus calls “Butler” that uses self-learning to customize personal settings for each driver and user, while also allowing for a personalized driving experience.
One particularly crazy feature is using the drive-by-wire feature to somehow marry gaming with the real world. “Customers will be able to engage in e-sports using Steer-by-Wire technology inside the vehicle, for example, then implement their preferred settings through OTA to allow them to experience it in the real world.” In other words, you can tune the steering and brakes using Gran Turismo or Forza, then take those settings into the real world.
Lexus also unveiled the LF-ZL (below), calling it a “flagship BEV concept with a vision of the electrified future.” It didn’t go into much detail about that vehicle, other than promising some very high-tech features like “Interactive Reality In Motion” that seem implausible for a vehicle at this point. “When drivers point to objects or places of interest during their journey, the car’s display promptly delivers information along with voice guidance, enabling the car to enhance the connection between occupants and their surroundings,” the company said.
The company also talked up things like using “big data” to allow the LF-ZL to integrate into the electrical grid. Lexus also took car show-speak to a new level, promising “Omotenashi” features that will allow for a serene cabin and “unprecedented mobility.”
Treat all these promises and designs with appropriate skepticism, as it’s unlikely that much of the loftier ideas will arrive to market anytime soon (though gaming on your car’s steering wheel sounds fun). Toyota is famously late to the EV game, though it is trying to catch up quick by releasing seven “beyond zero” all-electric models by 2025. The company is also working on solid-state battery technology, promising a range of over 600 miles and saying it’s near production with a potential launch in 2027 or 2028. If it achieves those goals, great, but so far solid state batteries have been nothing but hot air.
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images)
In our previous deep dive into the groundbreaking world of PLATO, we pointed out the technological advances the system heralded in graphical displays, sound, and user interface; the trailblazing software environment it hosted with educational content, networked messaging and communications, and multiplayer games; and the cultural impact it had on subsequent systems—and even on the modern Internet.
But all’s not lost if you missed out on PLATO the first time around. The spirit, technology, and even software of PLATO live on in modern retrocomputing re-creations. In today’s article, we’ll look at two of these services and demonstrate how almost any computer can be a modern-day PLATO terminal, too.
Although other resurrected PLATO instances are around, today we’ll be looking at two that specifically cater to the curious public, IRATA.ONLINE (yes, Atari spelled backwards, just like in M.U.L.E.) and Cyber1. Both sites operate a server running an emulated PLATO environment with many of the same software components, but the specific mix of lessons (i.e., PLATO applications, more or less) and their front-ends differ somewhat.
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Source: Ars Technica – How to make almost any computer a modern-day PLATO terminal
