Twitch has quickly taken back its policy update that permitted users to post sexual content as long as it was labeled. In another update, the company said it is not going to allow any depictions of real or fictional nudity on its streaming platform. After giving users the green light to post “artistic nudity,” Twitch says some streamers created content that violated policy.
The media streamed in response to the initial approval of sexually explicit content on Twitch was “met with community concern,” according to the update. The company said, “We have decided that we went too far with this change.”
While a huge part of the initial decision was to allow for the “digital depiction” of artistic nudity, the company clarified that digital depictions of sexual content is a concern when artificial intelligence can be used to develop realistic images and that it can be difficult to discern between what’s been digitally produced and real photography.
We’re making some additional updates to our Sexual Content Policy. We realize that our earlier update caused confusion and appreciate all the feedback we’ve received. Thanks for always coming together with us to help build the best version of Twitch.
Recently at TwitchCon in Las Vegas, the company introduced new moderation measures meant to keep inappropriate content out of stream chats. The issue of sexual abuse and inconsistent moderation policies through the site has been a recurring problem for the live-streaming platform. The company even dedicated a Safety Advisory Council in 2020 meant to tackle the site’s bad reputation for its moderation practices.
Twitch’s back and forth stance on the issue of sexually explicit content has enraged some users. @Saruei_, a user on X wrote, “I got banned wrongly under your new policy for drawing a nude character without any visible genitalia. This is your own responsibility for not thinking through before establishing a new TOS and it is incredibly unfair to a lot of artists who fell into the same situation as myself.” Another Twitch user @LuxDenizen took to X to complain, “Sucks for the artists who were actually following all of the rules. THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-rescinds-policy-that-allowed-artistic-nudity-171140189.html?src=rss
The days of a mechanical Siri voice are gone. You now have a much more human-sounding digital assistant on your iPhone. Still, the default voice might not be for everyone. If you don’t like Siri’s voice, you can change it at any time. Apple allows you to switch Siri’s language, too, so you can customize the assistant to sound however you like.
How to change Siri’s voice on your iPhone
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice. There are multiple options here. Under Variety, you can pick Siri’s accent. For some languages, such as English, you may see many options here, including American, Australian, British, Indian, Irish, and South African. When you select any of these, you will hear a preview of what the voice sounds like, with a cheery, “Hi! I’m Siri. Choose the voice you’d like me to use.” Once you choose the accent you like, you can scroll down to the Voice section and make a selection. Some varieties only have two voices to choose from, while others, like American, have upwards of five. Again, each one you tap offers the same cheery preview, and will take effect once iOS downloads the voice.
To change Siri’s language, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Language. Scroll up or down to find the Siri language you want and tap to select it. Your iPhone will download the required language, and you’ll be able to use it after that.
How to change Siri’s voice on your Mac
Siri is also available on your Mac, and it’s just as easy to change. Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Siri voice. You can select the voice variety in the left pane and the gender of the voice in the pane on the right. Once you’ve done this, click Done to confirm the changes. You can also change Siri’s language by going to the drop-down menu next to Language, which is located under Siri & Spotlight settings.
The Blueberry Points grind is the worst part of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk DLC. To access most of the new features the expansion adds, you have to earn Blueberry Academy’s fake currency by doing menial open-world tasks. The game barely gives you any BP for each Blueberry Quest, and it just feels like a…
Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Tokyo-based Universal Entertainment Corporation is poised for a major expansion of its casino resort interests in the Philippines.
It was revealed earlier this month that Tiger Resort Leisure & Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI), the Philippine unit of the Japanese gaming and entertainment company, has signed a “preliminary agreement” that would see it take a majority interest in the Emerald Bay Resort in Cebu.
The Emerald Bay project is currently under construction, but it has already received a provisional gambling license. It aims to become “an iconic and luxurious five-star integrated resort in Cebu, and the premier entertainment destination in the Philippines outside of Entertainment City in Metro Manila.”
Once completed, Emerald Bay will contain a five-star hotel adjacent to the beachfront, with two fifteen-story towers accommodating over six hundred rooms and four swimming pools. It will also host an assortment of food and beverage outlets, retail spaces, and conference and exhibition facilities. The casino is set to include more than seven hundred electric gaming machines and over 140 gaming tables.
Currently, Universal Entertainment runs only one casino resort, Okada Manila in the nation’s capital.
The “definitive agreement” allowing the Japanese company to take over Emerald Bay is scheduled to be reached next July, and the casino resort might be built and open its doors to the public at some point in FY2027. The acquisition price has yet to be determined.
Universal Entertainment’s opportunity to acquire Emerald Bay emerged as a result of the recent financial struggles of the project’s initiator, business magnate Dennis Uy. After experiencing a meteoric rise across a diverse range of industries, Uy became too deeply entangled in debt as profits from some of his major ventures started coming in more slowly than he had anticipated.
Among other things, this caused the construction of the Emerald Bay Resort to stall.
Google has invested heavily in artificial intelligence research over the past decade, and it paid off when researchers developed transformer algorithms in 2017—then it did nothing with it. Transformers are the underlying technology for all the fancy new generative AI applications. It was caught flatfooted when Microsoft integrated ChatGPT,
There are plenty of folks out there who’d prefer a practical gift to an offbeat one this holiday season. Apple’s AirTags are handy little devices that could help you find and recover lost items, and so they make for great holiday gifts (as long as your intended recipient is an iPhone user). Now is a good time to pick up a few AirTags as a pack of four is on sale for $80. That’s $19 off the regular price and it matches a deal we saw during the Black Friday period.
The AirTag is our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhones as it taps into Apple’s global Find My network. After you pair an AirTag with an iPhone or iPad, you’ll be able to find it as long as it’s within range of another Apple device. Otherwise, you’ll be able to view the AirTag’s last known location to give you a starting point.
If you put the AirTag into Lost Mode, you’ll receive a notification as soon as the tracker appears on the Find My network. Folks with an iPhone 11 or later will have ultra-wideband support on their device. That means they can harness the Find Nearby feature, which can guide them to the exact location of the AirTag once they’re within a certain range without having to set off the device’s ringer. As you get close to the tracker, your phone will start to vibrate.
In addition, the AirTag is a robust little thing as it’s water- and dust-resistant. You won’t have to be too concerned about the battery either, as it only needs to be replaced roughly once a year. Meanwhile, you might want to consider picking up an AirTag accessory such as a case or holder to secure the tracker.
Streaming platform Twitch recently announced a change to its sexual content policies that allowed some forms of fictionalized nudity—such as digital characters, sculptures, or drawings—as long as it was properly labeled. But now, just a few days later, it’s rolling back these changes and has apologized to the…
Next month, January of space-year 2024, sees the release of a whole new set of shiny Pokémon cards. Paldean Fates is a muddle of reprinted cards from 2023’s sets and a ridiculous 100 new shinies. It will also features a brand-new shiny Charizard, which is going to cost all of the money. However, old fire-face is…
Alexa is Amazon’s smart assistant, can can be used with many Amazon devices, including Echo smart speakers, for a variety of things, from controlling your smart home, to making videos calls, to ordering items from Amazon (though you probably don’t do that).
But you can also use Alexa to get help in the event of an emergency. However, it’s not as simple as it sounds: You can’t simply ask Alexa to dial 911 or another emergency service directly unless you’ve already set them up with Echo Connect. Here’s how to do that now, so Alexa will be there if you need to call on it when something goes wrong.
How to use Echo Connect to call 911
So, you can’t use an Echo speaker to ask Alexa to dial 911. This is partially due to FCC rules that require devices that can dial 911 include location data and a callback number. Amazon used to sell the Echo Connect, which let you place calls from your landline number with an Echo speaker. The company has discontinued the Echo Connect, but you can find some for sale on secondhand websites like eBay.
If you do get your hands on an Echo Connect, here’s how to set it up. First, plug the device into the power and to your phone jack. Next, open the Alexa app and tap on the +icon in the top right. Then tap on Device and tap Amazon Echo. You should see an option for Echo Connect: Tap that, and you should be set up.
However, as Amazon discontinued the Echo Connect, you might run into setup issues. That said, there are workarounds discovered by current Connect users. This one seems to be the best approach if you can’t set yours up using Amazon’s official instructions:
Start by getting your Echo Connect in setup mode (the wifi light should flash orange).
Open the Alexa app and add your device as normal, but say Yes to the orange light pop-up. It will fail, which is fine: Tap Try again.
You’ll get the same message once it fails again, but now you’ll have the option to choose Manual setup for first-gen devices.
From here, allow access to your local network, hit Continue, then go to your wifi settings and connect to the Amazon-XYZ network. (If you’re running an iPhone on iOS 16 or newer, you’ll need to hit the (i) next to the network name and disable private wifi address.
Head back to the Alexa app and finish setup. Choose your wifi network and enter your password.
Now, you can say, “Alexa, call 911” when there’s an emergency, and the device will route through your phone.
Products to consider:
Looking for an Alexa-compatible smart speaker? Here are your best options.
If you don’t have an Echo Connect (or even a landline),creating emergency Alexa contacts is your best bet. To set them up, go to the Alexa app and tap on the More tab. Next, tap on Communicate, then tap on the contacts icon in the top right. The Alexa app will ask for access to your contacts, and from there, select one of your contacts. You should see an option to add them as an emergency contact.
You’ll be given a prompt requiring you to agree that you permit Alexa to attempt to call and message your contact if you or anyone in your household calls for help via Alexa.
How to use Alexa Emergency Assist
If you’re in the U.S., Amazon has also introduced a subscription service called Alexa Emergency Assist. When you call for help on your Echo speaker, you’ll be put in touch with an Urgent Response agent who can dispatch emergency services. The Urgent Response agent will be able to pass along essential pre-saved info like allergies or gate codes. The subscription also includes Smart Alerts, where if a compatible Echo device detects smoke or a CO alarm, it can contact Urgent Response for you.
To get started with Alexa Emergency Assist, head to Amazon’s webpage for the service and subscribe ($5.99/month or $59/year). You can also say “Alexa, buy Alexa Emergency Assist” to your smart speaker. Once you’re subscribed, you should see an option in the More tab of the Alexa app for Alexa Emergency Assist. There, you’ll also be able to set up emergency contacts who will be notified when you contact Urgent Response.
NASA was able to capture a striking image of a massive solar flare being emitted from the Sun on Thursday, which was so powerful that it caused a radio blackout in parts of the Americas. The flare, classified as an X2.8 flare, is the most powerful recorded since 2017.
According to reports, the explosion more than likely caused a fast-moving
The OnePlus 12 has officially launched in China and now the company’s most powerful phone is coming to the rest of the world. OnePlus has announced global availability for January 23, including the US. All told, the company ways the phone will be available in 50 markets worldwide. If you’ve been intrigued by the company’s latest flagship smartphone, you won’t have long to wait until getting your hands on one.
This phone certainly has mouth-watering specs. You can soup it up with up to 24GB of RAM, which is more than I have in my work laptop and the same amount as my music and video-making desktop. The base model ships with 12GB of RAM, which is still plenty. As a comparison, the iPhone 15 boasts just 6GB of RAM.
These phones also offer up to 1TB of storage and come outfitted with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile chipset. Charging speeds are also great on paper, offering support for 100W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging. Incidentally, the OnePlus 11 didn’t have wireless charging at all.
There’s a new Sony LYT-808 sensor for the 50-megapixel main camera and a 64-megapixel periscopic telephoto camera. The 6.82-inch 120Hz AMOLED display is a 2K panel manufactured by China’s BOE Technology Group.
The aesthetics resemble its predecessor, but the camera island’s color now matches the body. In addition to glossy white and classic matte black colorways, you can also purchase a OnePlus 12 in green. There’s no pricing yet, but in China this thing costs the equivalent of $610 for the base model and $820 for the high-end version with 24GB of RAM and 1TGB of storage.
The OnePlus 12 is being released as part of the company’s 10th anniversary. This isn’t the only big news to come out of that celebration. OnePlus has also announced it’ll be selling the OnePlus 12R smartphone in other parts of the world beyond China and India, a first for the “R” series. However, OnePlus hasn’t announced any specs or information about the 12R. The OnePlus 11R was a slightly underpowered and budget-friendly version of the flagship phone, so maybe the 12R will follow suit.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oneplus-12-with-snapdragon-8-gen-3-will-be-available-globally-january-23-162610102.html?src=rss
In response to the expressed unhappiness over the recent logo-selection
process in the openSUSE project (covered in this article), the project has announced
that there will be a new vote:
During the community meeting this week where the results were
discussed, participants expressed the view that members of the
openSUSE Project have an opportunity to participate in the
selection of our new logo, and that SUSE, which holds the trademark
to the openSUSE logo, be involved with the process for selecting a
branding decision with regard to the results. After all, this
decision impacts the collective identity.
To facilitate this, there is a plan to organize a vote between the
current logo and the proposed new design, allowing our community to
have a say in this important decision. Furthermore, members of the
project are collaborating with SUSE on the implications of the
branding initiatives and some have expressed the desire for SUSE’s
input to ensure there is an aligned vision for the future of
openSUSE.
in a recent filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Adobe disclosed that it has been cooperating with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as the agency investigates the software maker’s subscription cancellation policy. If the FTC finds that Adobe violated the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, it could
Back in July of 2023—the month before Baldur’s Gate 3 finally released after spending years in early access—Larian Studios’ director of publishing Michael Douse said that the Dungeons & Dragons-based role-playing game has some 17,000 possible endings. “Wow,” you might be thinking, “that’s a lot of finales! How long…
Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel, claims that NVIDIA’s AI dominance it currently enjoys thanks to CUDA will come to an end sooner rather than later. The comments were made during Intel’s launch event in New York for its new 5th Gen Xeon and Core Ultra chips.
Gelsinger believes the future of AI will hinge on inference technology instead of training,
Shopping for a home theater setup typically means buying a soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers separately. Some companies may include a sub with the soundbar, but you don’t always get everything you’ll need for the most immersive sound in the same box with high-end models. Samsung includes all of those additional speakers with the HW-Q990C soundbar ($1,900), though you’re obviously paying a premium. The company offers Dolby Atmos along with a range of audio options and two HDMI inputs, beaming crisp 11.1.4-channel sound into your living room. The Q990C is a significant investment, but it’s also one-stop shopping.
Design
As the Q990C is Samsung’s high-end soundbar in its current lineup, it’s also the biggest. It’s 48.5-inches wide, which is actually about three inches less than the Sony HT-A7000. Of course, companies need the extra space on the flagship models to pack in all of the speakers. In Samsung’s case, the Q990C houses 11 front-facing drivers (including some side-firing), four up-firing drivers and an internal subwoofer. The separate wireless sub is also substantial at 16 x 16 x 8 inches and weighing in at 26 pounds. The wireless rear speakers aren’t huge, but they do have a three-driver setup with front-, side- and up-firing drivers where other companies might only have one.
Samsung opted for a mesh plastic covering for both the soundbar and rear speakers. It’s easier to keep clean than the typical speaker fabric. Samsung also kept things simple on the soundbar itself, putting just four buttons up top. Here, you’ll find a multi-function button that either turns the speaker on or cycles through the input sources. Volume controls and a microphone mute. From the front, a small display on the right side will show you input information, volume level and other settings. Instead all 90-degree angles the Q990C’s side panels follow the position of the side-firing speakers.
Setup
The initial setup for the Q990C is among the easiest I’ve ever completed for a home entertainment bundle. Once you power on the soundbar and connect it to the SmartThings app, the subwoofer and rear speakers are automatically added when you turn them on. There’s no waiting for anything to sync and I didn’t have to connect each thing individually. There are buttons on the sub and rears if you need to manually connect to the soundbar, but I never had to use them. The whole thing was quick and frustration-free, which gets you to the music and movies soon after unboxing.
Like many flagship soundbars, Samsung has included two additional HDMI inputs on top of the HDMI eARC jack you’ll use to connect your TV. Many more affordable, more compact models only have the eARC connection so you have to rely on your TV’s ports, but the pricier models typically offer additional options for connecting directly to the soundbar. Samsung says you can expect 4K/60 and HDR10+ passthrough on the Q990C, but not 4K/120 as the unit doesn’t have HDMI 2.1. That’s a big omission in a $1,900 soundbar being sold in 2023.
There’s also an optical input on the Q990C as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. The latter brings Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect and AirPlay to the mix. It also allows you to connect wirelessly to a compatible Samsung TV for audio. This means you can get Dolby Atmos to the soundbar with no cables running from your television, which is handy if you’ve already mounted the display flush with the wall. And if you have a compatible Samsung phone, you can enable Tap Sound which connects to the Q990C via Bluetooth when you gently touch the speaker with the handset. As an iPhone user, I wasn’t able to test this.
SmartThings app and other features
One of the rear speakers
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
In addition to helping with setup, the SmartThings app is where you can tweak the Q990C’s settings. The current input and volume controls are the most prominent on the device screen, with sound modes, EQ and woofer level just below. There are also options for SpaceFit Sound, which automatically tunes the audio to the room, and Active Voice Amplifier, which combats room noise by optimizing on-screen dialog. The advanced settings menu offers voice and bass enhancement alongside a Night Mode, but all of these are on or off toggles with no further customization. SmartThings allows you to choose either Bixby or Alexa for the voice assistant you want to employ on the soundbar.
Samsung lets you choose between Standard, Surround, Game Pro and Adaptive Sound modes. The first doesn’t tweak the audio at all and it’s the only mode where the fully adjustable EQ is available (just bass and treble on the rest). For all of the others, the Q990C upscales 2.0, 5.1 and 7.1 audio to the 11.1.4-channel output the soundbar offers. Of course, all Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content is beamed out at 11.1.4, too. Surround mode is self-explanatory while Game Pro creates more immersive audio with 3D-optimized sound specifically for gaming. Adaptive Sound is the option I used most as it analyzes audio in real time to keep dialog sounding clear across a range of volumes for movies, news and sports. I found it the best-sounding preset for music, too.
In addition to selecting a sound mode in the app, you can cycle through them with a dedicated button the included remote. It also gives you access to SpaceFit Sound, Active Voice Amplifier, Voice Enhancement and more with a Sound Control button that’s labeled with the settings/gear icon. A Channel Level button lets you adjust the volume of each speaker, with Center level, Side level, Wide level, Front Top level, Rear level, Rear top level and Rear side level among the choices. There’s also a button for Tone Control, putting bass and treble tweaks just a few button presses away. These are all in addition to the standard power, input, volume (overall and subwoofer only), mute, pairing and playback options soundbar remotes typically have.
Sound quality
Thanks to the Q990C’s upscaling abilities, nearly every movie or TV show sounds more immersive than if you were listening in stereo or even with a 5.1 setup. Netflix’s Drive To Survive, which is offered in Dolby Atmos if you have the priciest Ultra HD plan, is still amazing with this soundbar for those of us on the more affordable monthly rate. The whir of the cars as they zoom past, pitlane noise and crunching crashes make the meticulously-shot series even better. Marvel shows and movies on Disney+ are available with Atmos and they sound amazing.
I can confidently say this is the closest I’ve come to a movie theater-like experience in my living room. The additional drivers in the rear speakers undoubtedly elevate the overhead sensation, contributing significantly more to directional audio than normal single-driver units. Fight scenes like the one that opens The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are loud and chaotic, but they sound more like you’re watching in real life, taking in the thud of each punch, the fire of every gun and the drone of choppers navigating the canyon.
The Q990C is also a great option for music. Crisp, clear highs and powerful, punchy bass compliment nearly every genre. Even at lower volumes, tunes like Sia’s “Everyday Is Christmas” come across layered rather than compressed. Vocals cut through clear and the bassline doesn’t overpower. The same goes for Turnpike Troubadours’ A Cat in the Rain where each member of the band stands on their own, with snare hits and country-rock vocals slicing through the mix. Bass from the large subwoofer is present but restrained, only as bombastic as it needs to be and never muddy or dull.
The full set that comes with the Q990C
Samsung
The sound on those albums was impressive and I wasn’t even streaming them in Dolby Atmos. Tunes in the immersive format sound even more incredible on the Q990C. TesseracT’s prog-metal War Of Being is soaring and atmospheric, with the staccato guitars and slapped bass on tracks like “The Gray” showing off the dimensional quality of Atmos Music. Less intense genres like Tyler Childers’ Rustin’ In The Rain come across more like live performances than streamed albums. The sound is full, crisp and envelopes the room with guitars, piano, steel guitar and perfectly calculated drum hits, all supporting Childers’ trademark eastern Kentucky vocals.
This soundbar system works well in a multi-room setup, too, and you don’t need other Samsung speakers to do it. Thanks to AirPlay, you can easily select the Q990C and other speakers on your Wi-Fi network. I was able to consistently link the soundbar with a HomePod in another room with just a few taps in Apple Music. The audio performed consistently once the two speakers were linked and I never heard any dropouts or clipping when they were used in tandem.
One audio feature that I wasn’t able to test is Q-Symphony. This uses the speakers inside Samsung TVs in addition to the drivers in the soundbar setup. The company promises it “can optimize all the channels” for a “masterfully orchestrated sound experience.” I don’t have a Samsung TV, but the soundbar system sounds great without it. What’s more, this sort of thing isn’t unique to Samsung devices as Sony offers a similar tool called Acoustic Center Sync with its soundbars and TVs.
The competition
Sony’s HT-A7000 is the best alternative to the Q990C. It also does Atmos and music very well, but everything you add to it is an additional purchase. At current prices, the soundbar, the cheapest sub and rear speaker options will cost you $1,600 while soundbar alone is $1,000. There are better choices for both the woofer and rears, but those significantly raise the price.
The A7000 offers a lot of what the Q990C has on its spec sheet. That includes the two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K/120 passthrough. Sony includes compatibility with both Hi-Res and 360 Reality Audio alongside various pieces of virtual surround tech and a number of sound modes. The key differences between this and the Q990C is that the A7000 is a 7.1.4-channel setup, versus 11.1.4, and the aforementioned HDMI 2.1 support.
The Q990C is currently on sale for $1,400, but it’s unclear if that price cut is permanent. The $500 savings make the all-inclusive Samsung setup even more attractive, if you can live without HDMI 2.1.
Wrap-up
Samsung’s latest flagship soundbar is a sonic powerhouse. And, perhaps more importantly, it comes with the subwoofer and rear speakers you’ll need to make the most of it in the box. For the cost of what you’d pay for a soundbar alone from some of the company’s main competitors, you get the complete package, and one that’s easy to set up and customize as needed. The sound quality is great and Atmos content is as crisp and immersive as ever, so long as you have space to accommodate the bundle. The lack of HDMI 2.1 hinders performance for gamers, and that’s a glaring omission on a premium soundbar these days. The Q990C isn’t cheap, even at the current discounted price, but at least you’re getting everything you need in one go.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-hw-q990c-soundbar-review-an-all-inclusive-atmos-setup-160049530.html?src=rss
Whether the college student in your life is a freshman returning home for the holidays for the first time, or a wizened grad student who’s seen too many semesters, you need a gift for them that helps them get through this important time in their life. You can give them something to help them study or even just relax. These are the best gifts for your college student this year.
The best gifts for studying
Studying is kind of the whole deal when it comes to college, so help your student out with a gift that makes it easier or even more fun.
Lap desks are a practical gift that also make studying slightly more relaxing. This one from Slendor ($33.99) packs a bang for your buck: It has a drawer for pens and pencils, stands for tablet devices, a little hole to hold a drink, and a USB port to charge a phone.
Smart notebooks are super cool because they help you digitize your notes and move everything you’ve written by hand to the device of your choosing. Try the Rockerbook Core ($19.97).
By now, most of us have portable chargers that can power our phones and small devices, but did you know they make them for laptops, too? Getting a spot by the outlet isn’t possible in every single classroom, but your student doesn’t need to run out of juice if they have the Powdeom portable power station ($89.99).
A mini printer like this one from Memoking ($29.99) is ideal for printing flashcards, mind maps, diagrams, notes, or whatever else—and is one of those things there’s almost no way the student already has.
The best gifts for relaxing and making life easier
When there’s no studying going on, students need to chill out. How they do that is up to them, but there are some great tools out there to make it all easier.
Pick up a teeny-tiny fridge, which can be used to store skincare or emergency beers. This one from Frigidaire ($59.99) has a lighted mirror and can hold nine cans.
The notion that college kids exclusively eat ramen noodles is cliché and not really reflective of reality anymore, but that’s what makes this gift kind of funny. A Layron microwavable ramen cooker set ($13.99) can help your student make a quick, easy meal, plus it comes with a bowl and utensils.
If you haven’t heard of the Comfy ($44.98), you might end up buying one for yourself. It’s am extremely oversized hoodie made of blanket material that is perfect for napping, lounging, or studying. It’s popular for a reason and great for a college student.
For students living away from home, try a Master Lock portable safe ($23.98), which keeps valuables locked up and is convenient to move around or stash inconspicuously in a dorm.
A Keurig K-Mini single serve coffee maker ($59.99) could be considered a study tool, but let’s just leave it here in self-care, since it’s so versatile and convenient.
All prices were accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
But even with all that background, startup Channel 1‘s vision of a near-future where AI-generated avatars read you the news was a bit of a shock to the system. The company’s recent proof-of-concept “showcase” newscast reveals just how far AI-generated videos of humans have come in a short time and how those realistic avatars could shake up a lot more than just the job market for talking heads.
“…the newscasters have been changed to protect the innocent”
See the highest quality AI footage in the world.
– Our generated anchors deliver stories that are informative, heartfelt and entertaining.
To be clear, Channel 1 isn’t trying to fool people with “deepfakes” of existing news anchors or anything like that. In the first few seconds of its sample newscast, it identifies its talking heads as a “team of AI-generated reporters.” A few seconds later, one of those talking heads explains further: “You can hear us and see our lips moving, but no one was recorded saying what we’re all saying. I’m powered by sophisticated systems behind the scenes.”
After a family of GPUs are released, some models stay the same without much ado for the lifetime of the product. Typically, higher-end models such as NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4090 will get special treatment with unique enthusiast versions. Lower-priced GPUs are also fair game, such as the GeForce RTX 4070 and GeForce RTX 4060.
Baldur’s Gate 3 director Swen Vincke believes the Dungeons & Dragons-based RPG is a big game worth paying for. I have to agree. The Larian Studios founder says that’s why the game isn’t coming to Xbox Game Pass.
– Our generated anchors deliver stories that are informative, heartfelt and entertaining.
