An anonymous reader shares a report: The United States is on the precipice of a historic, if dubious, achievement. If current trends hold, 2025 could be the first year on record in which the US population actually shrinks.

The math is straightforward. Population growth has two sources: natural increase (births minus deaths) and net immigration (arrivals minus departures). Last year, births outnumbered deaths by 519,000 people. That means any decline in net immigration in excess of half a million could push the U.S. into population decline. A recent analysis of Census data by the Pew Research Center found that between January and June, the US foreign-born population fell for the first time in decades by more than one million. While some economists have questioned the report, a separate analysis by the American Enterprise Institute predicted that net migration in 2025 could be as low as negative 525,000. In either case, annual population growth this year could easily turn negative.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Curved displays in cars are increasingly common, adding a bit of shape to the increasing pixel overload we face behind the steering wheel. The designers of Porsche’s upcoming Cayenne Electric, though, decided to do something more dramatic with the touchscreen that commands the center of the forthcoming SUV’s dashboard.

Its shape flows between dashboard and center console in a smooth, organic way, with a pronounced bend in the middle. The first time I dragged my finger from top to bottom, traversing that kink, I decided I was going to hate this layout. But a day behind the wheel of a prototype version of Porsche’s electric SUV changed my mind. I was left wondering why nobody has used this shape.

That was just one feature out of dozens that impressed in this SUV that promises somewhere north of 1,000 horsepower (745 kW) and something in excess of 300 miles (482 km) of range on a charge. It won’t hit dealerships until sometime next year, but early impressions are that it will be worth the wait.

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There’s a new player in the AI race, and it’s a whole country. Switzerland has just released Apertus, its open-source national Large Language Model (LLM) that it hopes would be an alternative to models offered by companies like OpenAI. Apertus, Latin for the world “open,” was developed by the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne (EPFL), ETH Zurich and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), all of which are public institutions. 

“Currently, Apertus is the leading public AI model: a model built by public institutions, for the public interest. It is our best proof yet that AI can be a form of public infrastructure like highways, water, or electricity,” said Joshua Tan, a leading proponent in making AI a public infrastructure. 

The Swiss institutions designed Apertus to be completely open, allowing users to inspect any part of its training process. In addition to the model itself, they released comprehensive documentation and source code of its training process, as well as the datasets they used. They built Apertus to comply with Swiss data protection and copyright laws, which makes it perhaps one of the better choices for companies that want to adhere to European regulations. The Swiss Bankers Association previously said that a homegrown LLM would have “great long-term potential,” since it will be able to better comply with Switzerland’s strict local data protection and bank secrecy rules. At the moment, Swiss banks are already using other AI models for their needs, so it remains to be seen whether they’ll switch to Apertus. 

Anybody can use the new model: Researchers, hobbyists and even companies are welcome to build upon it and to tailor it for their needs. They can use it to create chatbots, translators and even educational or training tools, for instance. Apertus was trained on 15 trillion tokens across more than 1,000 languages, with 40 percent of the data in languages other than English, including Swiss German and Romansh. Switzerland’s announcement says the model was only trained on publicly available data, and its crawlers respected machine-readable opt-out requests when they came across them on websites. To note, AI companies like Perplexity have previously been accused of scraping websites and bypassing protocols meant to block their crawlers. Some AI companies have also been sued by news organizations and creatives for using their content to train their models without permission. 

Apertus is currently available in two sizes with 8 billion and 70 billion parameters. It’s currently available via Swisscom, a Swiss information and communication technology company, or via Hugging Face. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/switzerland-launches-its-own-open-source-ai-model-133051578.html?src=rss

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Since Oct. 2024, you’ve had the option of getting an Amazon Kindle in color in the form of the Colorsoft model. The original Signature Edition with 32GB of storage was recently also joined by a cheaper 16GB edition for your consideration, though it’s questionable whether the $30 saving is worth it, as you lose wireless charging and the auto brightness setting, as well as half the storage.

In our Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review, you’ll see there’s a lengthy debate over whether the price premium you pay for a color e-reader screen is worth it, compared to the perfectly capable black and white models. For many people monochrome is fine—but if you’ve splurged on color, or you’re wondering if you should, these are the extra tricks you’ve got access to.

Highlight in color

This is one of the most useful extra features you get with a color screen: the ability to use different colors when you’re highlighting blocks of text. You could use different colors for quotations from different characters, for example, or for different highlight categories.

Highlighting is done in the same way as it is on any other Kindle—by pressing and holding on a specific word, then dragging out the handles to the left and right and choosing Highlight. Press and hold on the highlight again to choose from four different colors.

Switch between color styles

You’ve got two color style options.
Credit: Lifehacker

The Colorsoft comes with a choice of two color styles, which you can switch between depending on the ambient light levels or how saturated you want the colors to be—though neither of the available modes are anywhere close to what you get with a phone display.

From the home screen, tap the three dots (top right), then Settings. Under Screen and brightness, you’ll find the Color Style option, with the option to switch between Standard (for “everyday reading”) and Vivid, which boosts the color saturation levels on screen.

Open documents and articles in color

Your Kindle can be used as a general purpose document and article reader, too. You can transfer files over to these e-readers in several different ways, including via USB transfer or by emailing them to your own unique Kindle email address.

You can do this on any Kindle, but only the Kindle Colorsoft will show images, charts, diagrams, fonts, etc. in color. While e-books tend to be largely black and white once you get past the front cover, your documents and saved articles might not be.

Show a color cover on the lock screen

Admittedly, you can do this on black and white Kindles as well, but with a color screen it’s a bit more worthwhile.

From the home screen, tap the three dots (top right), then Settings. Tap Screen and brightness, then Show covers on lock screen and presto—whenever your device is locked, you’ll see the cover of the book you’re currently reading in glorious color.

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It’s not the newest iPhone on the block, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max still has plenty of life left in it, and right now, StackSocial is offering the 256GB Black Titanium model—unlocked and premium refurbished—on sale for $769.99. That’s not exactly a budget buy, but considering this phone originally launched at over $1,000 just last year, it lands in that practical middle ground for someone who wants a top-tier experience without paying full flagship prices. It’s been rated “Grade A,” so while it’s not fresh from the factory, it should arrive looking close to new, with just the slightest signs of use. It’s built with a titanium frame that feels surprisingly light for its size, and the 6.7-inch OLED display holds up beautifully with smooth scrolling and sharp visuals.

This is the kind of phone that makes sense if you’re not fussed about having the absolute latest camera or chip generation. That said, the 15 Pro Max runs on Apple’s A17 Pro chip, which is fast enough to handle console-level games and high-end creative tasks. And with 256GB of storage, you’ll have plenty of space for your apps, photos, 4K videos, and anything else you need. It’s also IP68-rated for water and dust resistance and supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging for added convenience.

As for the camera, the 48MP main sensor captures detailed shots in all lighting conditions, and the 5x telephoto lens gets you closer than ever—great for concert shots or unexpected wildlife moments. It also supports USB 3 for faster wired transfers, which is useful if you’re into shooting video or regularly backing things up. And while the move to eSIM only might be a minor adjustment depending on your carrier, it also makes switching between plans more seamless.

This phone isn’t for someone chasing iPhone 16 headlines, but if you’re upgrading from an older model or just want something reliable and powerful without getting pulled into Apple’s yearly refresh cycle, this iPhone 15 Pro Max sale could be the right balance of value and longevity.

ExpressVPN has tripled its subscription options by switching to a tiered pricing structure, effective today. The new system includes three levels of service, the cheapest offering basic VPN service and the others adding extra features. Each one of those levels — Basic, Advanced and Pro — can be purchased for monthly, yearly or two-year durations.

In total, you’ve now got nine different options for subscribing to ExpressVPN. The company also says legacy plans will remain active “for now,” and current customers won’t be downgraded. The change is similar to the approach already used by rivals like NordVPN and Surfshark.

Previously, ExpressVPN locked feature offerings to the duration of the plan, so the only way to get the full suite of features was to subscribe for 24 months. Now, while longer-term subscriptions will still offer discounts, features depend on your level of subscription instead of how long it lasts.

The new tiers roll in some features that were previously part of ExpressVPN’s Identity Defender suite, including identity monitoring, credit reports and data removal services. New types of plans will also bump the number of allowed simultaneous connections to as high as 14. Here’s what you’ll get with each tier.

ExpressVPN

The Basic plan comes with “core VPN functionality” including the Lightway protocol. Basic users will no longer have access to the ad blocker, tracker blocker or parental controls. It can be used on 10 devices at once and will cost $12.99 for a month, $74.85 for a year and $97.72 for two years.

The Advanced plan raises the device limit to 12 and adds the blockers and parental controls, plus the ExpressVPN Keys password manager. It also gives you three days of eSIM service and adds the Identity Defender features — leak alerts, $1 million of identity theft insurance, data removal and credit monitoring. As was already the case, those ID protection features are available only to users in the United States.

An Advanced plan will cost $13.99 for a month, $89.85 for a year and $125.72 for two years. The one-year and two-year plans are both cheaper than the same duration used to cost. Advanced subscribers also get five days of eSIM service and a discount coupon for between 25 and 50 percent off an ExpressVPN Aircove router (it’s not currently clear how the exact discount will be determined).

Although Basic and Advanced users can pay extra (between $3.99 and $8.99) for a dedicated IP address, it comes standard on a Pro subscription. Pro users additionally get monthly credit reports and data removal, 14 simultaneous connections and an Aircove discount between 50 and 75 percent. A Pro plan costs $19.99 for a month, $134.95 for a year and $209.72 for two years.

What ExpressVPN tiered pricing means for VPN shoppers

Ultimately, I don’t think this new approach will change much about the experience of using ExpressVPN. It’s not introducing any new features; I already touched on everything here in my recent ExpressVPN review, so the only difference is how much you’ll pay to access the perks.

The best news for consumers is that ExpressVPN is now available for significantly cheaper than before. A two-year Basic plan costs about 30 percent less than a two-year subscription used to — though a one-year basic plan is still more expensive than a comparable subscription to Proton VPN or Surfshark. All that said, I can’t enthusiastically recommend a Basic subscription until I know that it includes the Network Lock kill switch and split tunneling on supported platforms (we’re reaching out to ExpressVPN to confirm this).

We’re in the process of overhauling our ranking of best VPNs, including the new information from ExpressVPN — check in soon to see the results.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/expressvpn-switches-to-multi-tiered-pricing-plans-letting-users-tweak-features-to-plan-duration-130016667.html?src=rss

Dolby Vision has been one of the industry standards for HDR on TVs for over a decade. At IFA 2025, Dolby Laboratories is introducing Dolby Vision 2, what it calls “a groundbreaking evolution of its industry-leading picture quality innovation.” The second iteration has been updated to meet the capabilities of today’s TV technology and the ever-expanding set of artist tools. Dolby Vision 2 includes a more powerful image engine, better optimization for your TV and features that go “beyond HDR.” 

The base of Dolby Vision 2 is called Content Intelligence. Dolby says these tools provide a better “bridge” between the creative professionals and the living room by using AI to automatically adapt your TV to what your watching and where you’re watching it. Content Intelligence includes tools like Precision Black to help keep darker scenes visible and Light Sense that detects ambient light to create the best picture. There’s also Sports and Gaming Optimization that caters to the specific needs of live sports and gaming with upgrades to white point adjustments and motion control. 

Bi-directional tone mapping will allow premium TVs produce “deliver higher brightness, sharper contrast and deeply saturated colors” while maintaining artist intent, Dolby explains. That “beyond HDR” push includes features like Authentic Motion. This tool is what Dolby calls “the world’s first creative driven motion control tool to make scenes feel more authentically cinematic.”

When it’s ready for the living room, Dolby Vision 2 will be offered in two ways. First, Dolby Vision 2 Max will come on premium TVs to harness all of their processing power to provide unique premium features. Regular Dolby Vision 2 is what you’ll find on mainstream TVs with features that run on the new image engine and Content Intelligence. 

When new standards like this are introduced, sometimes it takes a while for them to actually make it into products you can buy. Dolby says Hisense will be the first to bring Dolby Vision 2 to market, offering support for the new standard on its “premium” TVs, including RGB-MiniLED models. What’s more, French streaming service Canal+ is also on board, aiming to leverage the new technology for movies, TV shows and live sports. 

You’ll want to tune into our CES coverage in January, because Dolby Vision 2 will certainly be a topic of discussion for the companies that typically debut new TVs in Las Vegas. Perhaps we’ll also get a demo of what this second-gen tech is capable of at the show as well. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/dolby-announces-dolby-vision-2-expanding-picture-quality-beyond-hdr-123019504.html?src=rss

An anonymous reader shares a report: Amazon doubled its Prime Day discount sales to four days this year and touted blowout numbers days after the event. But by one critical metric, it missed the mark. Sign-ups in the U.S. failed to meet last year’s total and even the company’s own target, according to internal company data reviewed by Reuters.

The world’s largest online retailer registered 5.4 million U.S. sign-ups over the 21-day run-up to Prime Day and its four-day sales event from July 8 to July 11. That was around 116,000 fewer than for the same period a year earlier and 106,000 below the company’s own goal, a roughly 2% decline in both metrics.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

JBL just announced a new portable Bluetooth speaker, called the Grip. This model includes a rope hook, which should make it easy to attach to backpacks, ski gear, or just about anything else.

It also features customizable ambient lighting that actually looks pretty useful. The company says this lighting scheme makes the speaker a “perfect bedside companion for late-night reading.” A speaker that doubles as a night light? I can see the use for that.

As for the audio, JBL promises “pro sound” at a “fuller volume” when compared to some rival Bluetooth speakers. It boasts multispeaker connectivity via Auracast, which makes it much easier to switch between sources. The battery life is also on point here, offering up to 14 hours of use per charge.

The speaker looks pretty durable, with an IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating. The company also notes that the unit is drop-proof, so “it can survive a hard fall onto concrete.” The JBL Grip costs $100 and is available in numerous colorways. Pre-orders are open right now, with shipments going out on September 28.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/jbls-grip-bluetooth-speaker-doubles-as-a-snazzy-reading-light-120033764.html?src=rss

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The problem with distraction-blocking apps is how easy they are to turn off. But what if you needed to access a physical object to unblock distractions? That way, you could leave the object at home, or give it to someone who can keep you accountable. That’s the basic idea behind Foqos, an iPhone app by developer Ali Waseem, that’s open source, completely free, and works really well.

At first, Foqos may seem similar to other focus apps for blocking distractions. You can select a set of applications and websites you’d like to block, then turn on the blocker. The difference comes when it’s time to turn that distraction blocking off. To do so, you have to scan a “key,” either an NFC chip or a QR code.

Credit: Justin Pot

If you’re looking for the simplest option, go with the QR code: You can print out the code on a piece of paper and place it somewhere in your house. I, personally, set up a QR code and taped it to the back of a desk drawer. The NFC chip, on the other hand, is a little more nerdy. You’ll need to buy a blank one and set it up yourself. Such chips are extremely affordable and have all kinds of other users, from automating routines to sharing your wifi passwords.

The setup process is straight forward. First, you need to give the application permission to access your Screen Time settings—this is used to enable the blocking. Next you can create profiles. I made one for blocking social media applications as a category, then added the web versions of Reddit so I didn’t have a workaround. After doing this, you can choose which key you want to use. You can use your key of choice—the NFC chip or the QR code—to both trigger blocking and end it. Alternatively, you can start the blocking manually and require the key to stop it.

However you set this up, there are all kinds of ways you can use it. You could leave the key at home before a night out, making it easier to focus on the people around you. Or, during the workday, you could give the key to a friend and instruct them not to give it back until you’re done with the current project. I’ve been trying this for a couple days, leaving my phone without the ability to access Reddit or Bluesky. My hope was that I’d spend time reading instead of scrolling, and it seems to be working. Even if the key is only across the room, there’s enough friction to keep me from scrolling.

The app, as mentioned, is completely free, though the developer asks that you chip in a few bucks if you find it helpful.