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¿Por qué seguirías pagando a Spotify $5 extra por “HiFi” incluso cuando la pérdida no te cuesta nada en Apple Music?

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Como modelo de negocio, Spotify No debería tener sentido. Lo siento, pero no debería ser así.

Aquí está el servicio de transmisión de música que ahora cuesta a los usuarios $ 11,99 / £ 11,99 / AU $ 13,99 por mes. Subió sus precios hace dos semanas (Justo después de que el director ejecutivo Daniel Ek enfureciera a los fanáticos de la música al afirmar que el costo de crear “contenido” es “cercano a cero”. Esta cosa cara fue canonizada sin ceremonias.Y también el pasado mes de julio, Cuando aumentó la tarifa de suscripción premium de $ 9,99 / £ 9,99 / AU $ 11,99 por mes Cuesta $ 10,99 / £ 10,99 / AU $ 12,99.

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Cuaderno de playoffs de PWHL: Boston gana un emocionante triple en tiempo extra, el portero 'fugaz' de Toronto

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Eso no fue hace mucho PWHL La temporada de Boston parece estar en serios problemas. Las líneas estaban constantemente en el mezclador, la ofensiva estaba inactiva y solo Nueva York, último lugar, tenía un récord peor.

Pero, después del receso internacional de la Serie Mundial Femenina en abril, Boston logró una racha de cinco puntos, que incluyó cuatro victorias reglamentarias, no sólo para llegar a los playoffs, sino para superar a Minnesota y ubicarse en el tercer lugar en la clasificación de la liga. Ahora, después de una maratónica victoria en triple tiempo extra sobre Montreal el sábado por la noche, Boston tiene una ventaja de 2-0 y tiene al No. 2 Montreal al borde de la eliminación.

¿Cómo pasó esto? ¿Cómo pasó Boston de una casi derrota en un puesto de playoffs a una victoria de la final de la Copa Walter? El partido del sábado por la noche no cuenta toda la historia, pero una instantánea de los números de la victoria por 2-1 nos da una buena idea de lo que le está yendo bien a Boston en este momento y de lo que podría salir mal en Montreal. Empecemos de forma sencilla, ¿de acuerdo?

111:44— Probablemente ese no sea un buen número para cualquiera que realmente haya jugado, pero representa cuánto tiempo duró el partido del sábado por la noche. Eso es casi cinco horas si hablamos de tiempo frente a la televisión para nosotros, los adictos a la televisión. Será el juego más largo en la historia de PWHL, probablemente hasta el Juego 3.

269:14— Ese es el tiempo que lleva Erin Frankel sin permitir un gol de cinco contra cinco. Montreal ha vencido a Frankel sólo dos veces en la serie, con Christine O'Neill anotando ambos goles en el juego de poder. El último gol que Frankel permitió en un cinco contra cinco fue a las 11:14 del tercer tiempo contra Ottawa el 24 de abril. En el final de la temporada regular, Montreal anotó tres goles ante Frankel, pero dos fueron en el juego de poder y el tercero fue con el portero retirado: un movimiento descarado del entrenador Cory Chevery en un juego en gran medida sin sentido para que Montreal intentara eliminar a Boston. contienda por los playoffs. Ya sea que el movimiento agregue algo de jugo a este enfrentamiento con Boston o no, Frankel ha sido difícil de vencer ya que ha realizado 109 salvamentos de 111 tiros (un porcentaje de salvamento de .982) en esta serie.

61:33— La defensa de Montreal Erin Ambrose jugó más de la mitad del partido y más de un partido reglamentario. La profundidad de Montreal en esta serie siempre ha sido cuestionable, especialmente en la línea azul, pero esto lleva al “defensor número uno que lo hace todo” al siguiente nivel. Ambrose no solo consumió minutos en este juego, sino que no estuvo en el hielo contra Boston y brindó una asistencia secundaria en el único gol de Montreal. Ha hecho casi todo por el equipo, pero la profundidad de la línea azul (y su uso) es preocupante.

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Avance de los playoffs de la PWHL: Toronto vs. Minnesota, Montreal vs. Bostón

La novata Madison Bizzale jugó sólo 35 segundos en el partido. Brigitte Laganiere, que estaba en el hielo en el primer gol de Boston, jugó 12 segundos. Catherine Daoust, que también estuvo en el hielo en el primer partido de Amanda Pelkey, jugó poco menos de seis minutos. Katie Tappin (56:49), Maria Kiobel (44:22) y Amanda Boller (45:44) registraron grandes minutos. Por el contrario, sólo una defensora de Boston, Jessica DiGirolamo, jugó más de 45 minutos. Hilary Knight (49:23) fue la única otra patinadora de Boston en hacerlo.

Ciertamente vemos un par de formas diferentes de desplegar jugadores, para ser claros, pero la entrenadora de Boston, Courtney Kessel, también tiene una defensa central mucho más fuerte con DiGirolamo, Megan Keller, Callie Fratkin, Emily Brown y Sydney Morin al frente.

46:24— Time Boston jugó el sábado sin Lexi Adzija, quien recibió una penalización por “intención de lesionar” en esta jugada contra Laura Stacy.

Perder seis mediocampistas podría perjudicar a muchos equipos. dos Considere que Boston ya está jugando sin Jamie-Lee Rattray, quien actualmente juega día a día, especialmente cuando juegas casi dos juegos reglamentarios en una noche. Sin mencionar que Montreal realizó una jugada de poder de cinco minutos en tiempo extra para tratar de cerrar el juego y solo registrar dos tiros a puerta. Es una penalización enorme, claro, pero también habla de los problemas ofensivos de Montreal.

23— El número de tiros realizados por los tres mejores delanteros de Montreal, Stacey (9), Marie-Philippe Poulin (8) y O'Neill (6), se combinaron el sábado por la noche. Pauline y Stacey no parecen comprarse un gol en este momento, con 13 y 15 goles en la serie respectivamente y nada que mostrar. Entraron en la serie como dos de los cinco mejores goleadores de la PWHL. Verlos irse de 28-0, especialmente cuando más importa, es un poco extraño, gracias en parte a Frankel. Estos dos no podrán alcanzar el cero por ciento para siempre, pero también es una racha corta. Y si los jugadores profundos de Montreal no tienen mucho tiempo en el hielo para siquiera intentar contribuir ofensivamente, las estrellas de Montreal necesitan encontrar una manera de lograrlo.

2— Los goles de Boston llegaron desde la cuarta línea de Bielke, Taylor Winczkowski y Gigi Marvin. El trío no jugó A Montones Minutos después de iniciado el juego, pero fue fresco y efectivo cuando Kessel lo puso por encima de los tableros. Wenczkowski anotó el gol de la victoria también es una bonita historia. El jugador de 26 años es de Rochester, New Hampshire, jugó en la Universidad de New Hampshire y jugó para la ahora desaparecida Boston Pride Premier Hockey League. Firmó con Boston después de ser invitada al campo de entrenamiento, y el gol de la victoria del sábado fue el primer punto de Wenczkowski en la PWHL.

1— La cantidad de juegos que Boston necesita ganar para avanzar a la final.


cuarta línea de Montreal

Un último pensamiento sobre la serie Montreal-Boston antes de continuar: la cuarta línea de Montreal apenas jugó.

En el primer juego, el trío formado por Jillian Dempsey, Leah Lomme y Alex Poznikov no tocó el hielo ni una sola vez. En el segundo juego, Dempsey (1:32) y Lomme (4:12) apenas jugaron, mientras que Katherine Dubois, que reemplazó a Poznikov en la cuarta línea, vio el hielo un poco más en poco menos de 10 minutos. Es difícil saber exactamente qué está pasando en Montreal hasta que los jugadores no pueden jugar un partido. Cual largo.

El sábado por la noche, Dempsey y Dubois estaban en el hielo para una pérdida de balón entre cuarta y cuarta línea que Boston (Belkey) anotó. Así que es fácil imaginar que la entrenadora Chevery no querría perder ese juego nuevamente o que su cuarta línea se enfrentara a una de las estrellas de Boston. Después del primer partido del jueves, Cheverie insinuó que ese era el caso.

“Cada decisión que tomo tiene un impacto en el equipo”, dijo. “Si tomo una pequeña decisión y se convierte en un disco en el fondo de la red porque nuestra cuarta línea golpea la línea de Knight, eso no es culpa de la cuarta línea, es mi culpa, así que no los voy a meter en la red. .” “Ese caso.”

Sin embargo, el cronograma de tiempo sobre hielo de Montreal parece bastante alocado después de dos juegos.

TOI delantero de Montreal

Jueves TOI

Sábado TOI

Christine O'Neill

30:46

52:44

Laura Stacy

32:05

52:30

María Felipe Bolena

32:59

50:33

Maureen Murphy

27:12

38:40

Melodía Daoust

29:14

35:40

Michaela Grant Mentis

27:13

32:59

gabriel david

15:44

20:49

Claire Dalton

13:44

15:55

Sara Lefort

No molestar

16:02

catherine dubois

13:04

9:34

Leah culpa

0:00

4:15

Gillian Dempsey

0:00

1:37

Alex Poznikov

0:00

No molestar


Cristina Campbell

Con todo lo que se habla sobre Frankel, no olvidemos lo que Christine Campbell está haciendo por Toronto: dos aperturas, dos victorias y una blanqueada.

Ahora, Campbell no enfrentó tantos tiros en la serie contra Minnesota (47) como enfrentó a Frankel en ambos juegos contra Montreal: 54 y 57. Bajo la dirección del entrenador Troy Ryan, Toronto juega un estilo defensivo sólido que intenta limitar los tiros. Ataca a los equipos y mantenlos alejados de las zonas del hielo de alto riesgo. Esto siempre beneficiará al portero. Pero a pesar de eso, Campbell solo puede detener los discos que enfrenta y lo ha hecho muy bien durante los dos primeros juegos de los playoffs.

“Fue increíble”, dijo Ryan. “Se siente bien cuando alguien tiene un año tan consistente. Simplemente nos da confianza”.

Después de tomarse un tiempo para adaptarse en los primeros días de la temporada, Campbell se ha convertido en uno de los mejores porteros de la PWHL. Ocupó el primer lugar en victorias (16) y promedio de goles en contra (1,99) entre los titulares de la temporada regular y tuvo el mejor porcentaje de salvamento y promedio de goles en contra en los playoffs debido a sus blanqueadas consecutivas. Actualmente tiene una racha de 153:32 sin goles; su último gol fue a las 6:26 contra Ottawa el 5 de mayo.

Cuando Campbell está en su juego, y lo ha estado durante meses, está tranquila en su pliegue y no permite que se muestre ningún tipo de pánico.

No fueron puestos a prueba mucho en el Juego 2 el viernes por la noche (21 tiros), pero Minnesota superó a Toronto 26-20 en el Juego 1 y en ocasiones tuvo una presión bastante consistente. Ryan dijo que nunca sintió que el equipo estuviera en peligro debido al control con el que jugaba Campbell. Los jugadores frente a ella estuvieron de acuerdo.

“Como jugadores, cuando un portero te da esa calma y esa sensación de que todo está bajo control, te sientes realmente bien sin importar lo que suceda en el hielo”, dijo el capitán de Toronto, Blair Turnbull. “Es algo que es una de sus fortalezas y le da mucha fuerza a nuestro equipo cuando sentimos que ella está en esa zona”.


La profundidad delantera de Toronto

Cinco días después de los playoffs, Toronto todavía tiene la mejor ofensiva. El equipo ha marcado la mayor cantidad de goles (6) en dos partidos, ninguno de los cuales fue anotado en el juego de poder, aunque uno fue a portería vacía.

Toronto tiene cinco anotadores diferentes que provienen de tres líneas diferentes. Al menos 10 jugadores tienen al menos un punto.

Una de las cosas interesantes sobre la alineación actual entre los seis primeros de Toronto son las diferentes formas en que las líneas pueden producir. “Tenemos dos tipos diferentes de delitos”, explicó Turnbull.

Turnbull, Natalie Spooner y Hannah Miller tienden a usar su fuerza y ​​energía para generar ataques bajos y alrededor de la red. Sarah Nurse, Emma Maltese y Brittany Howard tienden a jugar más con posesión del disco y estilo de pase, como vimos el miércoles en la portería de Maltese.

A pesar de no anotar durante casi todo el partido del viernes por la noche, los seis primeros continuaron liderando el juego. Maddie Rooney (28 salvamentos en 29 tiros) marcó la diferencia e hizo un trabajo mucho mejor al contener el ataque de Toronto que Nicole Hensley (16 salvamentos en 20 tiros) el miércoles.

Lo que demuestra la profundidad de Toronto fue que fue el centro de tercera línea Jesse Compher quien anotó el gol de la victoria con 1:25 restantes en el juego.

Toronto ha sido un equipo difícil de vencer durante toda la temporada, perdiendo sólo siete juegos, y los playoffs no fueron diferentes. Minnesota buscará hacer eso, y evitar la eliminación, en el Juego 3 el lunes en el Xcel Energy Center.

(Foto: Christine Muschi/The Canadian Press vía AP)



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Titan OS is a new smart TV platform that’s interesting because it’s basic – it’s faster and simpler than others, and drops all the needless extra features

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The world of smart TV software options on the best TVs is only getting more complicated over time. Some TV makers use their own software and keep it strictly on their own TVs, but you’ve also got the likes of LG webOS, Roku TV, Google TV, and Amazon Fire TV all competing to be on TVs from other manufacturers. And now there’s another name in the ring: Titan OS.

After an in-depth demo session, I found Titan OS interesting not because of the new features it brings to the table but because of the lack of them – or, rather, the lack of complexity in the system. The focus here is on making it take less time to get you actually watching something by making a fast operating system with fewer clicks on the remote needed to find the stuff you like. 

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Want more range on your Tesla Model Y? You might have to pay extra to unlock it

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk sparked debate this week when he took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that any Model Y built over the “past several months” is capable of an electric range in excess of the stated 260 miles, but unlocking this could come at a cost.

“The “260 mile” range Model Y’s built over the past several months actually have more range that can be unlocked for $1,500 to $2,000 (gains 40 to 60 miles of range), depending on which battery cells you have,” Musk posted. 

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New Galaxy F15 variant brings extra RAM for your multitasking needs

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Last updated: April 19th, 2024 at 15:18 UTC+02:00

When Samsung first announced the budget Galaxy F15 in India last month, it introduced the phone in two memory configurations featuring 128GB of storage and 4GB or 6GB of RAM. A third memory option has now popped up online.

A promotional render (via GizmoChina) showing an “all-new 8GB variant” of the Galaxy F15 has emerged. As of this writing, this variant does not yet seem to be available for purchase at Samsung India or via Flipkart, but it probably will soon.

Slightly more money for 2GB extra RAM

According to this promotional poster, the Galaxy F15 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will be available for INR 14,999. But that’s a bit misleading. The fine print confirms that the phone costs INR 15,999 ($191) outright, and buyers can benefit from INR 1,000 bank cashback.

For reference, the Galaxy F15 5G with 6GB of RAM costs INR 14,499 ($173), which means the new 8GB model is marginally more expensive for the extra 2GB.

Is the 8GB model worth the extra ~$20? It could be if you really multitask and find that 4GB or 6GB of RAM doesn’t keep enough recent apps in memory.

But do keep in mind that the Galaxy F15 offers the RAM Plus software feature. With it, you can convert up to 12GB of storage memory to virtual RAM. It won’t cost you anything except for the converted onboard storage, which will be inaccessible.

Aside from the extra 2GB of RAM, this “all-new” Galaxy F15 variant appears to be the same as the previous two. It sports a Super AMOLED 6.6-inch 90Hz display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080, the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chip, a 50MP primary camera, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 6,000mAh battery with 25W charging capabilities.

One final trick up the Galaxy F15’s sleeve is that it will receive four Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches. Samsung is proving that even the F-series can get better support.

Follow SamMobile on social media for instant Samsung news updates, in-depth reviews, hot deals, and more.

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The iPhone 16 could come with extra RAM and storage – just for AI

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The iPhone 16 leaks are starting to pile up now, ahead of an expected launch in September, and the latest rumor to reach us suggests the phone is going to come with RAM and storage upgrades – specifically to accommodate the extra AI features on board.

This comes from a report out of South Korea (via well-known tipster @Tech_Reve), which states that the base level iPhone 16 could come with either 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, or both, to give the integrated AI extra room to think, store, and process commands.



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Upgrades that aren’t worth the extra cost

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Less than four months after debuting its mid-range Accentum headphones, Sennheiser revealed another version at CES that remains more affordable than its flagship Momentum set. Dubbed the Accentum Plus, this more-expensive model swaps the physical buttons for touch controls while offering revised active noise cancellation (ANC), wear-detection and other conveniences the first version didn’t. All of the additions come at a price, though, as the Plus ($230) costs $50 more than the regular Accentum. For a set of headphones that mostly looks the same, are internal updates enough to justify a bigger investment?

Design

It’s difficult to tell the Accentum Plus and Accentum apart at first glance. That lack of physical controls on the older model is what primarily distinguishes the two. The Plus version still has one button which manages power, pairing and voice assistants, but all of the audio and call controls are touch-based and located on the outside of the right ear cup. They work well, from taps for playback to swipes for volume, but depending on your preferences, ditching the physical controls for touch may be a turn off. The other difference is that the Plus has a 3.5mm aux jack along with a USB-C connection whereas the first Accentum only has the latter.

Sennheiser

Despite changes to ANC and a few new features, the Accentum Plus isn’t a significant upgrade over the regular Accentum that debuted last year.

Pros

  • Better-than-expected battery life
  • Trademark Sennheiser sound at louder volumes
  • Multipoint Bluetooth
  • Wear detection
Cons

  • Cheap-looking design
  • Adaptive ANC isn’t a huge difference
  • Sound suffers at lower volumes

$224 at Amazon

A nearly identical design means Sennheiser didn’t address my key criticism of the first Accentum. The headphones remain almost entirely made out of plastic, which gives them a cheap look and feel. Plus, it doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in the build quality for a set of $230 headphones. The company introduced its new design style on the Momentum 4 in 2022, which it continued with the overall look on the Accentum line. But, the latest Momentums are a bit more polished than these two more recent models.

Software and features

For the most part, the Sennheiser Smart Control App offers the same features for the Accentum Plus as it does for the Accentum. Almost everything you’d need is on the main screen, with battery percentage at the top. Below that sit connection management for multipoint Bluetooth and My Sound audio customization. There, you can adjust a five-band EQ, select a prebuilt sound preset or make your own. The company also offers Sound Personalization that calibrates the audio based on your responses to a few samples in the app.

Sennheiser’s Sound Zones are here as well, giving you the ability to configure specific audio settings based on your location. You can create up to 20 of these for places like home, work, gym and more. Of course, you have to give the app permission to track your location, which could be a nonstarter for some users.

The last item on the main interface of the app is ANC control. Here, you can disable the automatic “adaptive” adjustment to the Accentum Plus’ noise cancellation and leave “regular” noise cancellation on. There’s a slider to blend of ANC and transparency as you see fit. You can cycle between ANC and transparency mode with a double tap on the right ear cup, but that action doesn’t allow you to activate any preferred blends. Instead, it only turns on full ANC or complete transparency.

Sound quality

Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones from the side, laid flat on two books.Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones from the side, laid flat on two books.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Sennheiser’s flagship earbuds and headphones have consistently offered the best sound quality among all of the products I’ve tested. The company has a knack for a well-tuned audio profile that’s dynamic, but not overbearing, and that offers plenty of fine detail thanks to excellent clarity across the EQ. That trademark crispness returns on the Accentum Plus, but it’s at its best at around 65-75 percent volume. Knock that level down to around 50 percent and sound quality begins to suffer.

There’s a pleasant airy, atmospheric quality to tracks on Fever Ray’s Radical Romantics on the Accentum Plus, enveloping you the way the sound on more expensive headphones would. However, when you decrease the volume to about 50 percent, bass begins to overpower some of the details and the audio profile begins to muddy. The clarity that makes Sennheiser’s headphones so good is gone at this point, which is a bummer for those of us who don’t always desire louder listening.

While there’s ample bass that’s offset by crisp highs throughout most genres, more chaotic styles like metal can be a mixed bag. Boomy bass is still there on Texas In July’s Without Reason and Better Lovers’ God Made Me An Animal, but finer details in guitars and drum textures start to get lost. The overall performance is a bit flat with all of the instruments coming across compressed compared to other sets. Switch over to something more mellow like Charles Wesley Godwin’s Live From Echo Mountain and it’s like you put on different headphones. It feels much more like you’re in the room where this was recorded.

ANC performance

Sennheiser says the Accentum Plus has hybrid adaptive ANC where the Accentum just has hybrid ANC. This means that the Plus model adjusts to changes in environmental noise while the regular model has just one level of blocking ability. During my tests, I struggled to tell a big difference between the two, even when switching quickly from one set to the other. The overall ANC performance is solid in most circumstances, but it’s far from what you’d get on the best that Bose, Sony and even Sennheiser have to offer. And since the Plus version is more expensive, I expected an obvious improvement.

Call quality

Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones power button, USB-C port and 3.5-mm jack.Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones power button, USB-C port and 3.5-mm jack.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Like most over-ear headphones, the Accentum Plus is just fine for calls. The audio quality isn’t pristine, but it’s certainly passable for most uses. That includes work calls, although I’d suggest something with a better mic if you’re actually leading the presentation. Overall, the voice quality comes across compressed and a bit tinny. It’s not the worst, but it’s also probably not what you want when how you sound really matters. You can choose to have the headphones automatically switch to transparency mode when you take a call. However, the Accentum Plus doesn’t pipe in your voice, so the overall audio isn’t as natural as more-expensive options like the AirPods Max.

Battery life

The Plus’ battery life remains unchanged from the regular Accentum at 50 hours. That’s definitely not a bad thing. In fact, I exceeded that figure during my tests, notching 57 hours of use with ANC enabled. This included a mix of listening and calls, and during the latter I switched to transparency mode instead of noise cancellation. There were also a few days in between sessions where the headphones sat unused. When you do find yourself out of juice, you can get five hours of listening time after plugging in for only 10 minutes.

The competition

Given that the upgrades on the Plus are marginal, it’s hard to recommend them over the cheaper Accentum. Both carry Sennheiser’s crisp, clear sound that performs well most of the time. The ANC improvements aren’t enough to justify spending more and the only thing you may truly benefit from is automatic pausing that wear-detection brings. The company’s Momentum 4 would definitely be an upgrade over either Accentum, but that costs around $300. Plus, Sennheiser’s flagship headphones still have its newer, more-boring design – albeit with a few refinements.

If you’re in the market for affordable noise-canceling headphones that don’t cut too many corners, consider the Sony’s WH-CH720N. Currently available for $105, this budget option won’t win any design awards as it’s also all-plastic, but it’s more comfortable and has great audio for the price. Noise cancellation is just okay, though Adaptive Sound Control allows you to automate audio settings based on activity or location and there’s support for Sony’s 360 Reality Audio.

Wrap-up

Sennheiser’s attempt to improve on its initial mid-range Accentum offering is a mixed bag. For all of its updates, the Accentum Plus isn’t the massive improvement you’d expect with its higher price. Sure, the sound is great at times and the ANC will get the job done, but the best thing about this Plus version is the better-than-expected battery life. However, you can get that same play time on the regular Accentum for $50 less. Some small design refinements and a more-obvious step up in terms of audio quality and ANC performance would’ve made a larger impact. But, as it stands, the Accentum Plus isn’t a significant upgrade over last year’s model.

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Combining AI models using depth upscaling for extra performance

combining AI models together using depth upscaling for improved performance

A new technique in AI model development called “depth upscaling,” has been used to create the Solar 10.7 B model. This model, despite having only 11 billion parameters, outperforms models with up to 30 billion parameters, even surpassing the recent Mixtral 8X7B model. Depth upscaling involves merging multiple AI models by concatenating different layers from copies of a base model. The Solar 10.7 B model was created by taking a 32-layer Llama 2 architecture, initializing it with pre-trained weights from Mistal 7B, and then combining modified copies to form a 48-layer model with 10.7 billion parameters.

The Solar 10.7 B model is a testament to the power of depth upscaling. It began with a 32-layer Llama 2 architecture and was enhanced by incorporating pre-trained weights from the Mistal 7B model. This process led to a sophisticated 48-layer model with 10.7 billion parameters. The development of this model was meticulous, involving pre-training and fine-tuning stages, including specialized instruction fine-tuning and alignment tuning. A technique known as DPO was also used to reduce data contamination and ensure the model performed well in benchmarks.

Merge AI models using depth upscaling

In practical terms, the Solar 10.7 B model has been put to the test in various fields, such as creative writing and programming. It has demonstrated a remarkable ability to produce coherent and contextually appropriate content in creative writing tasks. However, it has faced some challenges in programming and logical reasoning tasks, which points to opportunities for further improvement.

The team responsible for creating SOLAR-10.7B-Instruct-v1.0 available over on the Huggingface website explain more about the AI model and its creation.

We introduce SOLAR-10.7B, an advanced large language model (LLM) with 10.7 billion parameters, demonstrating superior performance in various natural language processing (NLP) tasks. It’s compact, yet remarkably powerful, and demonstrates unparalleled state-of-the-art performance in models with parameters under 30B.

We present a methodology for scaling LLMs called depth up-scaling (DUS) , which encompasses architectural modifications and continued pretraining. In other words, we integrated Mistral 7B weights into the upscaled layers, and finally, continued pre-training for the entire model.

SOLAR-10.7B has remarkable performance. It outperforms models with up to 30B parameters, even surpassing the recent Mixtral 8X7B model. For detailed information, please refer to the experimental table. Solar 10.7B is an ideal choice for fine-tuning. SOLAR-10.7B offers robustness and adaptability for your fine-tuning needs. Our simple instruction fine-tuning using the SOLAR-10.7B pre-trained model yields significant performance improvements.

The achievements of the Solar 10.7 B model not only prove the value of depth upscaling but also hint at the potential of combining this method with other sophisticated techniques, like the mixture of experts. Such combinations could lead to even more advancements in AI models, enhancing their efficiency and versatility.

Depth upscaling represents a significant step forward in the development of AI models, to learn more read the research paper. The success of the Solar 10.7 B model shows that with intelligent design and optimization, smaller models can outshine their larger counterparts. As the field of AI continues to evolve, methods like depth upscaling will play a crucial role in shaping the future of machine learning. These techniques will help us build powerful, efficient, and adaptable models that can handle a wide range of tasks.

Filed Under: Technology News, Top News





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Add extra creativity to your photos with this portable fog machine

Add extra creativity to your photos with this portable fog machine

In the world of photography, creativity is the key to capturing images that resonate and leave a lasting impression. One of the most innovative ways to infuse creativity into your photographs is by using a portable handheld fog machine. This nifty gadget, equipped with fast USB-C charging and the ability to fill a 20m³ studio space in just a minute, can dramatically enhance the atmosphere and mood of your shots.

Firstly, let’s delve into the practicality of this device. Its compact size and fast charging capability make it an ideal companion for photographers on the go. Whether you’re shooting in a studio or in the wilderness, this fog machine is a game-changer. Its ability to quickly fill a space with fog means you can work efficiently, maintaining the flow of your creative process without lengthy interruptions.

Early bird bonuses are now available for the ground-breaking project from roughly $98 or £80 (depending on current exchange rates), offering a considerable discount of approximately 23% off the retail market price, while the Indiegogo crowd funding is under way.

how to create film style mist and smoke effects using a fog machine

Now, let’s explore the creative possibilities. The fog produced by this machine can add a layer of mystique and drama to your photographs. It scatters light in a way that creates a soft, dreamlike quality, perfect for ethereal portraits or moody landscapes. The fog can also highlight beams of light, creating a visually stunning effect that can’t be replicated in post-production. Imagine the sun’s rays piercing through a misty forest, captured in your photo with a surreal quality.

Control your smoke effects

Moreover, the fog machine’s portability allows for spontaneity in your shoots. You can experiment with different angles and compositions, seeing how the fog interacts with various light sources and environments. This can lead to unexpectedly beautiful shots, where the interplay of light, shadow, and fog produces a truly unique image.

how to take portraits with a fog machine and smoke effects

Using the fog machine in outdoor settings opens up a world of possibilities. It can transform an ordinary landscape into an otherworldly scene or add an element of mystery to urban photography. In portrait photography, the fog can be used to create a sense of intimacy, enveloping the subject in a soft, flattering light.

If the Smoke S campaign successfully raises its required pledge goal and production progresses smoothly, worldwide shipping is expected to take place sometime around November 23. To learn more about the Smoke S portable fog machine project appraise the promotional video below.

Compact portable fog machine

For those who enjoy thematic photography, this tool is invaluable. You can create specific atmospheres that align with your theme. A dense, eerie fog can set the stage for a horror-themed shoot, while a lighter mist can evoke a romantic, fairy-tale-like setting.

how to create a dry ice look with a fog machine

Safety and control are also crucial. The handheld nature of this fog machine allows for precise control over the density and placement of the fog, ensuring that it enhances rather than overwhelms the subject of your photograph. Additionally, being mindful of your surroundings and the environmental impact is important when using the machine outdoors.

fog machine control system instructions

In conclusion, a portable handheld fog machine is a powerful tool for photographers looking to elevate their creative expression. Its fast charging, efficiency, and portability make it an excellent investment for both amateur and professional photographers. By mastering the use of this device, you can unlock a new dimension in your photography, creating images that are not only visually stunning but also emotionally captivating. Remember, creativity in photography is about exploring new tools and techniques, and this fog machine is your ticket to a world of imaginative and breathtaking photography.

For a complete list of all available pledges, stretch goals, extra media and build specifications for the portable fog machine, jump over to the official Smoke S crowd funding campaign page by navigating to the link below.

Source : Indiegogo

Disclaimer: Participating in Kickstarter campaigns involves inherent risks. While many projects successfully meet their goals, others may fail to deliver due to numerous challenges. Always conduct thorough research and exercise caution when pledging your hard-earned money.

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200 Midjourney photo realistic word prompts for extra creativity

200 Midjourney photo realistic word prompts for extra creativity

Creating photo realistic AI images has never been easier thanks to the availability of Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DallE 3, Leonardo AI and others. Once you have mastered the basics you may want to push your artwork in specific directions or add specific effects. Here are over 200 Midjourney word prompts that you can combine together or use individually to change the effect of your realistic photography.

This guide provides an extensive overview of the potential of modifying photographic AI model prompts, with a focus on the using certain words and phrases to take your creativity in new directions. The video kindly created by AI art enthusiast Thaeyne provides a demonstration of the diverse effects that can be created, from slight to substantial alterations to your AI art generation prompts, using Midjourney’s version 5.2 as an illustrative example. Although the prompts can be used to help create images in OpenAI’s DallE 3, Stability AI’s SDXL and others. Offering a wealth of new ways to control the artistic creation process.

The process of altering photographic images using AI technology involves the use of specific words or phrases as prompts. These prompts can be related to photography techniques, such as “ambient occlusion“, “analog film grain“, “astrophotography“, and “bird’s eye view“. When applied, these prompts can create effects that mimic these techniques in the altered images.

The effects that can be achieved through the use of AI technology in altering photographic images are diverse. They can range from subtle changes that enhance the original image to significant alterations that transform the image entirely. For instance, the use of the prompt “acid wash effect” can create an abstract or artistic effect, while “antique style” can give the image a vintage look.

200 Midjourney prompts for photorealistic images

In the demo below created by Thaeyne , they have used four reference subjects to show the differences the keywords make on the artistic result: a man in a mask, a meadow, a cat, and a house. By applying different words or phrases to the prompts prompts, Midjourney is capable of altering the the final result in wealth of different ways.

Understanding the meaning of each altering phrase or word is crucial in effectively using AI technology to alter photographic images to your exact requirements. For instance, “ambient occlusion” refers to the shading method that considers an object’s exposure to ambient lighting, while “analog film grain” refers to the texture seen in physical film photography.

Other articles you may find of interest on the subject of DallE 3, Stable Diffusion and Midjourney :

Midjourney word prompts

Below are groups of creative words you can use to change the lighting, texture, color or tone, composition or perspective or style effects of your photos created using AI art platforms.

Lighting and exposure effects:

Ablaze, Awe-inspiring, Awe-striking, Backlit, Bloom lighting, Bokeh lights, Butterfly-lighting, Dazzling, Ethereal glow, Glistening, Golden-hour, Holographic shimmer, Incandescent, Lens flare, Light leak overlay, Light-painting, Luminous, Moonlit, Radiant, Reflective, Rembrandt-lighting, Soft focus, Split-lighting, Star-trails, Sunburst, Twinkling, Velvet

These Midjourney prompts describe how light interacts with the subject and the environment. They can add drama, focus, or a particular mood to an image. AI art generators would adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation to mimic these lighting conditions.

Texture and surface effects:

Acid wash effect, Analog film grain, Antique-style, Arid, Biomorphic forms, Charcoal sketch effect, Chenille, Cobwebby, Crumpled, De-saturated tones, Deep dream, Delicate, Dimensional, Dissolved, Distressed, Engraved, Engraved lines, Filigreed, Fractured, Grainy texture, Halftone dots, Hand-drawn overlays, HDR (High Dynamic Range), Impasto effect, Pencil outline, Pewter, Quicksilver, Sanded, Sculpted, Sculptural, Silken, Stippling effect, Textured, Tissue-thin, Toothy, Vintage filter, Watercolor wash, Wet-plate

These words relate to the texture and tactile quality of the image surface. AI art generators can simulate these effects by altering surface patterns and introducing noise or grain to create the illusion of a physical medium.

Color and tone effects:

Acid wash effect, Analog film grain, Antique-style, Arid, Atmospheric haze, Bleached, Bloom lighting, Color inversion, Colored-gels, Comic book styling, Cross-processing, Cubism-inspired, Cyberpunk hues, De-saturated tones, Deliquescent, Duotone, High-contrast, Monochromatic palette, Neon outlines, Pastel gradient, Polychromatic, Pop art colors, Psychedelic colors, Redshift, Retro-futurism, Sepia tone, Solarized, Split toning, Velvet, Vignette, Warped perspective

These terms are focused on the color schemes and tonal qualities of images. AI would typically manipulate the color channels, adjust saturation, and apply filters to achieve these styles.

Composition and perspective effects:

Aerial, Bird’s-eye-view, Butterfly-lighting, Camera-movement, Catchlights, Depth map, Depth-of-field, Eye-contact, Fish-eye lens effect, High-angle, Isometric perspective, Kaleidoscope patterns, Leading-lines, Low-angle, Macro, Magnificent, Majestic, Mirror symmetry, Motion blur, Multiple-exposures, Nature-closeups, Negative-space, Off-flash, Panoramic, Pointillism effect, Polarized, Silhouette, Silhouette contrast, Tilt-shift photography, Ultraviolet imagery, Underwater distortion, Vanishing point focus, Wide-angle

These Midjourney prompts describe the arrangement of elements within the frame, the angle from which the subject is viewed, and the spatial relationship between objects. AI art generators would alter the virtual ‘camera’ position, focus, and composition rules to emulate these perspectives.

Conceptual and style effects:

Ambient occlusion, Analog glitch, Art deco elements, Astrophotography, Atmospheric haze, Biomorphic forms, Bird’s-nest, Cybernetic elements, Cyberpunk hues, Darksynth, Double exposure, Futuristic, Geometric abstraction, Gothic Futurism, Gothic noir, Iconic, Low poly art, Matrix digital rain, Mechanized forms, Minimalist, Neo-pop, Op art illusions, Otherworldly, Post-apocalyptic theme, Prisms, Retro-futurism, Steampunk aesthetic, Synthwave aesthetic, Urban decay, Urban jungle theme, Vaporwave aesthetic, Vectorized

These terms represent overarching themes and artistic movements. They dictate the overall aesthetic and conceptual direction of the artwork. AI art generators would draw upon databases of visual elements and stylistic cues to produce these effects.

Dynamic and motion effects:

Burst-mode, Camera-movement, Candid, Catchlights, Celestial motif, Chameleonic, Color inversion, Crepuscular, Cybernetic elements, Darksynth, Double exposure, Frozen motion, High-speed, Motion blur, Oscillating, Overexposure, Panning, Redshift, Shattered, Slit-scan photography, Time-lapse condensation, Underexposure

These Midjourney prompts are related to movement and dynamic changes within the image. They can convey action, speed, or a change in time. AI art generators create these effects by simulating motion blur, layering images for double exposures, or adjusting the exposure to emulate a time-lapse effect.

Unique visual styles and artistic techniques:

Analog glitch, Art deco elements, Biomorphic forms, Comic book styling, Cubism-inspired, Cyberpunk hues, Gothic Futurism, Gothic noir, Impasto effect, Low poly art, Matrix digital rain, Mechanized forms, Minimalist, Op art illusions, Pop art colors, Psychedelic colors, Stencil cut-outs, Street-style, Synthwave aesthetic, Vaporwave aesthetic, Vectorized

These represent specific visual styles that may be related to historical art movements or contemporary design trends. AI art generators would reference these styles to apply distinct visual motifs or elements characteristic of these movements.

Natural and environmental effects:

Midjourney prompts such as Arid, Astrophotography, Atmospheric haze, Celestial motif, Chiaroscuro, Crepuscular, Frozen motion, Golden-hour, Nature-closeups, Nebulous, Overexposure, Star-trails, Underwater distortion, Urban decay, Urban jungle theme

These effects mimic natural phenomena or aspects of the environment. AI art generators might simulate these effects by adjusting lighting, color temperature, or incorporating elements like stars or urban textures into the image.

AI art generators such as Midjourney, DallE 3 and SDXL have already revolutionized the field of photography and image creation, offering new ways to alter and enhance AI generated imagery. By understanding and experimenting with different words and phrases, AI artists can leverage the AI models to create unique and captivating images.

As AI technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for altering photographic images will only continue to expand. One such example is the recent announcement that Stability AI is currently developing a system that will allow you to create 3D models from simple text prompts. The 3D models can then be imported into 3D animation software such as Blender and others.

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