Новости за 23.03.2021

The human brain is a complex, miraculous thing. As best we can tell, it’s the epitome of biological evolution. But it doesn’t come with any security software preinstalled. And that makes it ridiculously easy to hack. We like to imagine the human brain as a giant neural network that speaks its own language. When we talk about developing brain-computer interfaces we’re usually discussing some sort of transceiver that interprets brainwaves. But the fact of the matter is that we’ve been hacking human brains since the dawn of time. Читать дальше...

DARPA‘s mission to develop AI fighter jets has moved a step closer to take-off. The military research agency’s algorithms took down an Air Force pilot in a virtual dogfight last year. In February, the Pentagon’s “mad science” unit tested how they’d perform as a team. The battle pitted two friendly F-16s against a single enemy aircraft. Each fighter jet was equipped with a gun for short-range engagements and a missile for more distant targets. Colonel Dan “Animal” Javorsek, program manager in DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office... Читать дальше...

OnePlus has come a long way since 2014’s OnePlus One. Back then, it was just a scrappy startup (and Oppo subsidiary) that made its name by offering an affordable phone that could nearly go toe to toe with the big boys of the tech industry. Nowadays, it makes veritable flagship phones (with flagship prices), packing some of the best performance on the market. There’s just been one thing that’s prevented OnePlus from achieving the kind of mindshare that Samsung, Google, Huawei, and Apple have: the camera. Читать дальше...

TLDR: With Writesonic, AI can start creating all the smart, engaging copy you need for advertising, social media, web pages, and more without paying an expensive copywriter. If your business or brand doesn’t have a reasoned content marketing strategy, you’re really putting yourself behind the 8-ball. With so much depending on the copy used to promote and sell that brand, it’s no surprise that more than half of organizations reported they had specialized writers in-house for tackling their specific content marketing needs. Читать дальше...

Once in a blue moon, I’m struck by events so monumental that I’m forced to sit and hyperventilate into a paper bag until black spots appear in my vision and the pain of existence dissipates into a pinprick — something I had to do today because Microsoft rebranded ‘Xbox Live‘ to ‘Xbox network‘. Before we delve into the analysis this switch-up requires, let me pull out my powdery context bag and sprinkle it over your appalled-looking face. Xbox Live is Microsoft’s online and “digital media delivery... Читать дальше...

OnePlus held a virtual event today to launch a bunch of things including its first smartwatch and its first set of flagships phone this year. These devices, launched globally, included the OnePlus 9 Pro, the OnePlus 9, and the OnePlus watch. Let’s go through everything in detail. The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro Last month OnePlus announced its partnership with the Swedish camera firm Hasselblad. The OnePlus 9 and the 9 Pro are the first phones sporting cameras benefitting from this alliance. Usually, the... Читать дальше...

TLDR: The PocketGuitar is less than 2 inches long, but sounds and lets users play like a full sized guitar for new learners and experienced players alike. Kurt Cobain got his first guitar as a 14th birthday present from an uncle, then took a month of guitar lessons to figure it all out. Jimi Hendrix was 15 when his dad bought him an acoustic guitar for $5, which the instantly smitten kid learned to play by ear. Learning to play guitar isn’t just a pursuit. It’s a passion. Now, rather than waiting... Читать дальше...

A possible but challenging imperative, climate neutrality has to transition from concept to reality now. The planet needs us to talk less and do more if we’re going to come close to achieving the 2050 deadline outlined in the Paris Agreement. On February 10th, Polestar and Tortoise Media gathered media, industry stakeholders, and environmentalists to examine the challenges and opportunities surrounding climate neutrality at a live, digital event entitled: “Net Zero: from talk to action – what really... Читать дальше...

The pandemic has been a tough time to be single. I can barely remember how to speak to my friends, let alone seduce an unlucky stranger. But thanks to AI, I no longer have to rely on my dubious charm and wit to attract the object of my affections. Janelle Shane, a research scientist and budding cupid, recently used GPT-3 to generate pick-up lines for failed Casanovas. Some of the results are incomprehensible and a few are plain creepy. But who could resist gems like this? I will briefly summarize the plot of Back to the Future II for you. Читать дальше...

Hey Siri, what’s terrible for Apple, but good for consumers? What’s that? A judge certifying a class action lawsuit against the company for its infamous ‘butterfly keyboard?’ Ohhh, you saucy thing. The butterfly keyboard lawsuit isn’t new (it was filed back in 2018), but this latest news means the case gets closer to actually making a difference. Unfortunately, the certification of this as a class action lawsuit won’t impact everyone. According to The Verge (and the case documents) the butterfly... Читать дальше...

*Sigh* I thought we’d moved on from stuff like this. It’s not 2017 anymore, but obscure and useless cryptocurrencies are still trying as they might to be A Thing. In recent weeks, you might have seen headlines touting Fiat’s new partnership with cryptocurrency KiriCoin — but please, don’t get swept up by its novelty. According to a press release by Fiat’s owner Stellantis, KiriCoin is embedded in the ever lovable Fiat 500’s accompanying app. Careful and economical drivers will, in theory, be rewarded... Читать дальше...

Over the past few years of working with impact-driven startups, I’ve seen the same issue come up over and over again: most impact entrepreneurs suck at communicating sustainability. They usually go one of two ways — overly social or too scientific — and considering that we’re at a crucial point in the fight against climate change, that’s a huge problem. So here are some tips on how to improve your communication as an impact-driven founder. First up, let’s start by setting the scene. The impact-driven... Читать дальше...

Update: Google has said that it has fixed the WebView bug. You should update the Android System WebView app and Google Chrome through the Google Play Store to resolve the issue. If you’re using an Android phone, you might be having a frustrating day as many users have reported that multiple apps are crashing, including Gmail and Amazon. The reason is some unknown bug in the latest update of Android WebView, a component that lets developers show webpages in their apps. In a statement, Google has said... Читать дальше...

Water worlds are found in our own solar system, and life may hide among their layers of rock and ice, new studies suggest. Life may, one day, be found on worlds including Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Mars, and possibly even (Pluto). Interior water ocean worlds (IWOWs) are common in our solar system, and similar planets and moons are likely to exist in other planetary systems, greatly expanding the possibility of alien life. “As we now know, in our solar system, Earth is an uncommon type of water ocean world because its oceans are on its exterior. Читать дальше...

Microsoft is out for shopping again and this time it wants to buy Discord, the communication platform for gamers. This morning, Bloomberg reported that the tech giant wants to acquire the app for more than $10 billion — a hefty sum. In December, Discord raised $100 million at a $7 billion valuation, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the sale price is higher than $10 billion. On Monday, VentureBeat reported that Discord is exploring multiple options, including a sale. But a Microsoft acquisition is... Читать дальше...

A volcano in Iceland called Fagradalsfjall had been dormant for 6,000 years. Then it erupted a few days ago. It just so happens that a lot has changed in 6,000 years, such as the fact we humans have drones. So, of course, drone pilots like Bjorn Steinbekk are flyings theirs right into the molten lava. Just watch; it’s worth 15 seconds of your time. Somehow, the drone survived flying right past chunks of lava spewing into the sky. Good thing too, because that drone just so happens to be the pricey new DJI FPV. Читать дальше...

Reports last year suggested Google was looking to make YouTube into more of a shopping hub, but we’ve seen little progress in that arena since. That’s changing a bit today, as Google announced it’s testing an automated list of products detected in videos. Here’s the short bit of text directly from YouTube’s test feature support page: [March 22, 2021] Testing automated list of products detected in videos:We are experimenting with a new feature that displays a list of products detected in some videos, as well as related products. Читать дальше...

I’ve seen a lot of dumb startup pitches in my day, but a Donald Trump-branded social media network takes the stupid cake. All I can figure is, we’re exactly two months away from the FBI’s birthday and team Trump’s determined to get the old agency the perfect gift this year. Or maybe Trump just really likes losing money.  For those out of the loop here’s a video of Trump’s spokesperson discussing the matter yesterday: Donald Trump spokesman Jason Miller: “I do think that we’re going to see Pres. Trump returning to social media... Читать дальше...

Apple is reportedly “developing new speakers with screens and cameras,” according to the ever-reliable Mark Gurman reporting for Bloomberg. (This news is sure to make my colleague Callum, who just wrote a piece wishing for a HomePod with a screen last week, rather happy.) The company had reportedly been developing an updated HomePod for a 2022 release before the line was discontinued. It appears the display-enabled model might eventually serve as a replacement, however, “such a launch isn’t imminent,” writes Gruman. Читать дальше...