En abrilhemos escuchado eso chat gbt Revelador Abierto AI Estaba ocupado trabajando en un dispositivo de hardware en colaboración con sus antiguos colegas.manzana Jefe de diseño Jony Ive: un rumor que ahora se ha confirmado en un nuevo perfil de Ive.
El perfil apareció en New York Times (a través de Borde), y detalla cómo conoció al director ejecutivo de OpenAI, Sam Altman. La pareja acordó asociarse en una nueva “compañía de hardware de IA”, pero por el momento, no está claro qué forma podría tomar ese dispositivo.
Sabemos que gran parte del desarrollo del dispositivo se está llevando a cabo en secreto: el dispositivo será “un producto que utiliza inteligencia artificial para crear una experiencia informática que sea menos disruptiva socialmente que el iPhone”, según el artículo. Sin embargo, la naturaleza exacta del dispositivo y su fecha de lanzamiento “aún se están determinando”.
El artículo dice que la startup de hardware de IA ya tiene espacio para oficinas y ha conseguido financiación privada. Además, algunos miembros del equipo de diseño de hardware trabajaron con Ive en el diseño del iPhone (también es responsable de muchos otros diseños recientes de productos Apple, incluidos el iPad y la MacBook).
Elige tu factor de forma
El último modelo de OpenAI es o1-preview (Crédito de la imagen: OpenAI)
Y según la información que estamos obteniendo aquí, parece que el factor de forma exacto y las características del próximo hardware OpenAI aún no se han determinado, aunque ya hemos visto varias otras herramientas de IA llegar al mercado recientemente.
el Conejo R1 Realmente no ha cumplido su promesa inicial: la caja similar a un teléfono promete crear aplicaciones móviles para usted, más o menos, y reemplazarlas con un asistente de inteligencia artificial multipropósito, pero en… Revisión del conejo R1 Lo describimos como “una gran idea pero está incompleta y puedes ignorarla”.
Entonces ahí Chapa de inteligencia artificial humanistaque fue lanzado A una recepción tibiaLa idea es similar a la del Rabbit R1, ya que utiliza IA generativa para reemplazar principalmente su teléfono inteligente, pero este pequeño dispositivo portátil ha sufrido problemas con la duración de la batería y el sobrecalentamiento en el poco tiempo que lleva a la venta.
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Estos dispositivos y otros, incluidos Nota Plaud.AI y el amigoBásicamente, se trata de colocar un asistente de IA generativa dentro de un dispositivo pequeño. OpenAI ya ¿Se ha resuelto el problema del complemento? – Ahora sólo le falta encontrar su mejor forma física.
El exjefe de diseño de Apple, Jony Ive, diseñó una chaqueta ajustable para la marca de lujo italiana Moncler. Naturalmente, la chaqueta viene con imanes incorporados. Hemos reinventado el botón con una nueva hebilla magnética súper inteligente para nuestra combinación de chaqueta y poncho.
“No hubo ninguna ambición arrogante acerca de la disrupción [of buttons]”Fue una exploración muy agradable y humilde”, dijo Yves, en su tono habitual.
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La chaqueta de Jony Ive reinventa el botón (usando imanes)
La colección de chaquetas de Jony Ive para Moncler gira en torno a una chaqueta con diferentes capas exteriores conectadas por imanes. Foto: Moncler/LoveFrom
Eve Design Group en San Francisco, Amor delas nuevas chaquetas fueron creadas en colaboración con moncleruna marca italiana de ropa exterior de lujo conocida por sus chaquetas acolchadas en blanco y negro. La colección LoveFrom de Moncler gira en torno a una chaqueta interior a la que se pueden unir magnéticamente diversas capas exteriores.
La chaqueta está forrada de plumas y viene en amarillo o blanquecino. Las capas exteriores de colores pastel incluyen un poncho con capucha, una chaqueta de campo y una parka.
La colaboración de diseño se remonta a cuatro años. En lugar de utilizar cremalleras con velcro, Yves y Moncler pasaron 18 meses solos diseñando un nuevo tipo de botón magnético que luce atractivo y es increíblemente inteligente.
¿Cómo funciona el botón magnético dual?
Jony Ive inventó un nuevo cierre magnético al que llamó “botón dual”. Foto: Moncler/LoveFrom
El innovador “botón dúo” consta de dos piezas de metal, como un donut y un agujero para donut, que se atraen magnéticamente cuando están muy juntas.
Aparecen cinco botones dobles en cada capa, todos en el mismo lugar. Simplemente coloca la capa superior sobre la chaqueta para conectar las dos partes de la prenda. Como los botones encajan de forma natural, se unen automáticamente con una serie de clics satisfactorios.
“Cuando pones la envoltura encima, no arreglas nada. Es como '¡pop pop pop!'”, dijo el CEO de Moncler. empresa rapida, Que obtuvo un adelanto de la colección..
La revista dijo que el botón magnético funcionó “extrañamente bien”.
“Investigamos meses y meses sobre cierres y botones incluso antes de empezar a dibujar algo”. Yo dije revista de moda revista.
Los botones también son fáciles de soltar: basta con presionar la parte central y se abre. El equipo de Eve incluso prestó atención al sonido que hace el botón. Afinaron cuidadosamente la combinación de bronce, aluminio y acero para producir el mejor sonido posible.
“Fiddler” de Jony Ive con chaqueta
La colección de chaquetas de Jony Ive para Moncler incluye un poncho elaborado con una sola pieza de nailon reciclado. Foto: Moncler/LoveFrom
Los botones dobles de las chaquetas proporcionan el “factor violín” característico de Jony Ive: una atracción tangible que hace que la gente quiera tocar y jugar con los diseños de Ive.
Al principio de su carrera, antes de unirse a Apple, sus compañeros diseñadores notaron que era divertido jugar con muchas de sus creaciones. Por ejemplo, el bolígrafo que diseñó para una empresa japonesa presentaba un mecanismo de resorte con el que la gente jugueteaba de forma casi adictiva. Esto hizo que la pluma fuera particularmente deseable.
El factor violín también fue el factor que determinó muchos de los diseños de Ive en Apple. Mi primer iMac Venía con un asa, no para mover la computadora, sino para indicarle a un comprador potencial que podía tocar el dispositivo. Sentí que eso hacía que el iMac fuera menos intimidante. iPodTambién introdujo la rueda de clic para un “factor de violín muy alto”. iPhonePor supuesto, todo es cuestión de tacto (está todo detallado en mi libro, Jony Ive: el genio detrás de los mejores productos de Apple).
El nuevo doble botón de la chaqueta Moncler también luce divertido. “Es el botón más satisfactorio, adictivo y molesto que he usado jamás”, dijo un fan. empresa rapida“Mientras hablo con Eve y Ruffini, noto que cada uno de nosotros presiona el botón del dueto, lo presiona compulsivamente y lo empuja hacia afuera una y otra vez”.
LoveFrom, colección Moncler: materiales innovadores y precios fuera de lo común
Por supuesto, todo el resto de la colección pasó por un proceso de diseño igualmente completo. Incluso desarrollaron un nuevo tipo de nailon reciclado y luego descubrieron cómo fabricar láminas con él en telares gigantes.
La colección LoveFrom de Moncler sale a la venta el 24 de septiembre en tiendas seleccionadas y online en octubre. El precio de la nueva chaqueta de Jony Ive no ha sido revelado, pero es probable que cueste una pequeña fortuna. Ya conoce la vieja frase: si tiene que hacer un pedido, probablemente no pueda permitírselo.
Before we were obsessed with AI, the world was mesmerized by Aibo, a robotic dog whose name was short for “artificial intelligence robot” and also had the same pronunciation in Japanese as the word “friend”.
Aibo was doing AI before it was cool, and it was a sophisticated consumer robot dog long before SPOT was a gleam in Boston Dynamics’ eyes. My history with the pint-size bot goes way back.
The history of Aibos (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)
I’ve tested or tried virtually every Sony Aibo robot since its introduction 25 years ago. Somehow, I never owned one, perhaps because much in the way I’m allergic to real dogs, I’m allergic to the price of this mechanical one. Ignoring the robot pup’s early and continuing innovation is impossible, even as Sony sometimes denied it.
On May 11, 1999, it wasn’t clear Sony had any intention of broad commercial availability. The company produced roughly 5,000 Sony Aibo robots, selling just 2,000 in the US for approximately $3,000 each. They were rare but also a bit of a status symbol, especially after one appeared in Janet Jackson’s 2000 hit It Doesn’t Really Matter.
Hello, little friend
Soon after that first run, though, Sony execs arrived in my office (I was then at PCMag) with the official First Generation Model, the ESR-111. Larger and dare I say cuter than the original Aibo, the ERS-111 was also more adept. Once again a trendsetter, Aibo rode a scooter across my conference room desk.
Sony often adamantly claimed that Aibo was not a robot dog, even though the ERS-111 had far more dog-like features: its snout was a bit more rounded, the ears stood up and it had replaced the almost antenna-like tail of the original with something that might look at home on a terrier.
Aibo ERS-111 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)
The missteps
It wasn’t just Aibo’s looks. From its earliest iterations, Aibo’s sophisticated motors produced lifelike movement and the robot had enough autonomy to seem alive. There was a camera in the snout and some simple processing that let it do things like respond to voices, touch, and carry out canned routines like riding a scooter. I do recall Aibo scooting itself right off the table. A side panel popped off but it was otherwise fine.
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Sony could never make Aibo more affordable because it stubbornly refused to skimp on the components or intelligence. The electronics giant tried to satisfy the more affordable Aibo urge with a pair of $800 and far less compelling bear-like bots, one was called Macaroon and the other Latte. They did not catch on.
Macaroon was cute and cheaper but uninspiring. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)
In 2001, Sony made a brief detour with Aibo. The ERS-220 turned it into a terrifying cross between the original pup and Robocop’s ED 209. Honestly, the less said about this misfire, the better.
Yes, it’s a dog robot
Sony returned to my offices in 2003 with a completely redesigned model, the ERS-7. Gone were most of the original Aibo’s sharp edges, as Sony finally embraced the “dog” label. It had floppy ears and a smooth Snoopy (circa 1970s) face. It could yap at you, follow you around, find its own charger, cuddle in your lap, and perform tricks based on the cards you showed it.
Sony Aibo ERS-7 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)
Sony also designed the ERS-7 to be a sort of watchdog and mobile entertainment system. I took my review unit home, tried to play MP3 music through its tiny speakers, and let it take videos and photos (416- by 320-pixel resolution!) that it could email to me (when it worked) or store on its internal Sony Memory Stick that I could remove and look at later, assuming I had a Sony Vaio PC with a Memory Stick reader 🤦♂️. Its AI allowed it to learn and change over time. Don’t get me wrong, this was no ChatGPT puppy but the ERS-7 was still impressive for its time.
Battery life was never great on the Aibo and I vividly remember returning home one day to find it sprawled out and lifeless on the kitchen floor. Aibo had once again failed to find its charge base. I also recall us all being visibly upset at the discovery. We’d become attached to the little robot and couldn’t bear to see it in distress.
The desktop-control interface for the ERS-7 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)
Return of the dog king
The ERS-7 still listed for almost $2,000 and so it failed to catch on in the US. By 2006, Sony had discontinued Aibo.
More than a decade later Sony revived Aibo as a redesigned and unmistakable puppy. With the adorability, features, and technology (new actuators, WiFI, SLAM, a mobile app) cranked to 11, ERS-1000 cost almost $3,000. Still, when I finally brought a test unit home, it felt like it was worth every dime.
The new Aibo could learn 100 different faces and, like a real dog, remember its interactions with individuals. Its movements were nothing but cute and I still remember how my wife – who initially expressed disinterest in the new Aibo – ended up many evenings sitting with it in her lap, as she absentmindedly stroked its plastic back and head.
The author and Sony Aibo ERS-1000 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)
25 years on, is Sony Aibo still a thing? Hard to say. Aside from this year’s Limited Edition Espresso Aibo, which added different colored eyes and three years of AI cloud updates, there hasn’t been a major update or redesign since 2018. Worse yet, Sony appears to be treating the robot dog as a sort of clearance sale, reminding buyers, ” Aibo is sold as FINAL SALE – NO RETURN”.
The most recent firmware update was a few months ago, but the release notes make no mention of richer AI or even dipping a paw into Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI. Still, I like to imagine how access to ChatGPT, Gemini, and other LLMs might transform Aibo. Such a move could reduce Sony’s development costs and open the door to an updated and cheaper model. They could call it Aibo AI if it weren’t redundant.
Regardless, my affection for Aibo in virtually all of its iterations remains strong and I may someday save up to buy this iconic robot pup – assuming it’s still around.
Physical: 100 has developed something of a cult following, and it’s easy to see why. Netflix’s South Korean fitness bonanza marries bizarre concepts (pulling a boat up a slope, anyone?) with genuinely grueling physical tests to deliver compelling entertainment.
For those who haven’t seen it, the show starts with 100 contestants of all different shapes, sizes and genders before periodically whittling this number down to one “ultimate physique” through a series of tasks, or “quests”.
It’s the uniqueness of these quests that, in my eyes, makes Physical: 100 one of the best Netflix shows. Season one included a series of tests inspired by Greek myth, including the Sisyphean task of repeatedly rolling a boulder up a hill until you drop, and the first task was deceptively simple: seeing how long each contestant can hang on a bar over a tank of water until they drop. However, the recently released second season kicks off with a more straightforward mission: running.
Contestants were met with a room containing 100 curved treadmills. These machines sap more of your energy than a standard treadmill because the user is responsible for powering the belt – check out our curved treadmills vs motorized treadmills comparison for all the differences. The athletes’ challenge was to run as far as they could in three timed intervals.
And, as a fitness fan watching 100 people suffer from the comfort of my couch, I immediately knew I wanted to give the test a go for myself.
How to try Netflix’s Physical: 100’s endurance test for yourself using an Apple Watch
Contestants had to run as far as they could in 10 minutes, then seven minutes, and finally five minutes, with short rests in between. After the first round, the bottom 50 athletes were eliminated, after the second 40 more were given their marching orders, and the final interval decided the order of top 10. This ranking gave top-performers preferential treatment in future quests.
I don’t have a curve runner. Neither does the gym I train at. But I do have a park nearby, so I set up a custom outdoor run on my Apple Watch Ultra 2, laced up my best running shoes and set off.
Set a custom workout on the “outdoor run” multisport tracking option of your Apple Watch (or equivalent if you’re using another fitness tracker). Read our guide to find out how to set up a custom workout on your Apple Watch.
This custom workout should have three timed interval runs of 10 minutes, seven minutes and five minutes respectively, each separated by a three-minute recovery period.
Warm up and get to work.
The aim is to run as far as possible over the course of those three rounds.
What happened when I tried Netflix’s Physical: 100 endurance test
I like doing difficult things. I lift weights most days, run twice a week and never say no to sports in any form. But there was a point during the second interval of this Physical: 100 test where I questioned why I was so keen to try it.
You’re running for 22 minutes in total so I figured, with a couple of three-minute breaks along the way, I should make it to five kilometers fairly easily.
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I was wrong. The first 10 minutes went surprisingly well, and I benefited from a slight downhill to ease me into my “quest”, as Physical: 100 refers to it. By the end of the first set I was breathing hard but feeling good, having covered 2.3km. This would have been enough to make the top 50 in Physical: 100. The top performer on the show recorded a distance of 2,416m, and the elimination cut-off was 1,841m.
Having used curve runners in the past, I should say that I find them significantly slower and more taxing than simply running outside – but it was still fun to have scores to compete against.
Following my first interval I stopped to take the prescribed three-minute breather. But after what felt like 20 seconds, my vibrating watch told me it was time to get moving again. I did as I was told, only to find that someone had surreptitiously swapped my legs for lead columns while I had been “recovering”.
(Image credit: Future / Harry Bullmore)
Legendary endurance coach Chris Hinshaw once described the 5,000m as a “true test of overall athletic fitness”, requiring both physical and mental capacity. I was definitely fighting a battle on both fronts by this point, with my body in constant discomfort and my mind trying to distract me from this pain by counting steps.
I finished the second interval and leant aggressively against a nearby railing, having accumulated 2,800 meters according to my Apple Watch. This would have been on the edge of being disqualified, with the tenth-placed Physical:100 contestant recording 3,803m. The winner was flying ahead on 4,160m, while the highest-placed female contestant (handball player Park Ha-Yan) finished 36th with 3,375m.
Once more, the three minutes of rest went by in the blink of an eye, but this time I knew what to expect and adjusted accordingly. As a result, I was able to pick up my speed from the previous round, averaging 4’04”/km (with a sprint finish) rather than 4’41”/km. As the final second ticked over, I reached 5.02km and promptly collapsed onto a park bench.
“Never again,” I muttered to myself, knowing full well I’d be returning to this test at a later date to try and better my score, as well as those of the Physical: 100 contestants.
My distance would have seen me finish in 10th place, with the winner (former firefighter Hong Beom-seok) reaching a lofty 5,472m. Roll on season three.
OnePlus has revealed the OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Blue, a special edition of its OnePlus Watch 2 which offers a classic dive watch-style dial, new strap and other touches.
The OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Blue shares the same internal specs as the regular OnePlus Watch 2, including its 100-hour battery life (made possible by its crafty use of dual chipsets) and Wear OS 4. No new workout profiles or other internal features have been added to this edition of the watch: it’s all external changes to this contender for one of this year’s best smartwatches for Wear OS users.
As well as the new two-tone colorway and GMT dial in the style of classic chronometers, the strap is a hybrid of real leather and fluoro rubber, so it’ll look slick on the wrist and remain ‘skin friendly’, although it’s not clear at present whether the genuine leather aspects of the strap will be fully waterproof or not. In a statement, OnePlus said the watch is inspired by “Scandinavian beauty and design aesthetics.”
OnePlus Watch 2 is available for pre-order now in the UK and EU for £329, equivalent to around $407 / AU$630. At a press conference in Finland on 23 April, it was referred to as a UK and Europe exclusive, costing €379 euros on the continent.
It’s a slight price increase compared to the standard Watch 2, which costs £299 in the UK, but that often happens with limited or special editions. Those who pre-order the OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Edition in the EU through the OnePlus website can also get a free pair of OnePlus Buds 3 with the purchase.
OnePlus has its fair share of evangelists, but most are people with good knowledge of the technology and smartphone market. The OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Blue edition represents the Chinese communications brand’s first real foray into lifestyle territory, an attempt to woo more European customers with its Scandi aesthetics and analog watch-inspired design.
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It just might work. At the time of writing, our OnePlus Watch 2 (non-Nordic blue) is being reviewed, but OnePlus is far more likely to make headway with a lifestyle watch in the West than other Chinese companies (like Huawei with its beautiful Huawei Watch Ultimate), for the simple reason that it runs Wear OS and can be used with people’s Google accounts.
This means, unlike Huawei, you’re not locked into needing a OnePlus phone to make the most of it; you can connect to one of the best Android phones, grab a couple of third-party apps and get on with things. The 100-hour battery life also means it’s usable over a long weekend, great for active wearers who find themselves using a lot of the battery-sucking GPS-powered workouts such as hiking, running and cycling. Making the watch more stylish with a leather-effect strap and cool dive watch feel is the icing on the cake.
Lifestyle versions of existing smartwatches aren’t a new phenomenon in wearables, but OnePlus’ first go at it emphasizes the watch’s existing fitness credentials, already-long battery life, and the Watch 2’s chunky aesthetic – which benefits from the dive watch makeover. It shares the same design ethos as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and, at the higher end, the Garmin Marq range such as the Garmin Marq Athlete (Gen 2), bringing in traditional chronograph elements to shake up their endless procession of silicone bands and black screens.
OnePlus Watch 2’s makeover might not yet woo Samsung Galaxy users, who are firmly embedded in the Samsung ecosystem, or Garmin diehards dedicated to outdoor adventure and batteries that last weeks rather than hours. However, those looking for a cool-looking watch running Wear OS, with battery life beyond Google Pixel Watch 2’s 24 hours, might have found what they’ve been looking for at last.
In a darkened room at Nvidia’s ‘Future of Gaming’ showcase at a fancy London hotel earlier this week, I was ushered before a bank of computer screens showing live gameplay from a very exciting game: Valve’s Half-Life 2.
Alright, HL2 isn’t a new game – in fact, it turns 20 this year! – but it’s still a timeless classic that has topped many a list of the best PC games. And while Valve will probably never release Half-Life 3, the mega-hit second game still has plenty of life left in it, thanks to Nvidia’s incredibly clever RTX Remix tool.
Announced way back in September 2022 at Nvidia’s GTC showcase, RTX Remix is an AI-powered tool for remastering old 3D games with updated graphics and fancy modern features like ray tracing. Remix entered open beta earlier this year, and is primarily targeted at modders looking to visually upgrade their favorite games; it’s built on Nvidia’s AI-focused ‘Omniverse’ platform, offering a comprehensive box of tricks for making the remaster process faster and easier than ever before.
Portal with RTX looks fine, but Portal already looked good – Half-Life 2 is a much better showcase for RTX Remix. (Image credit: Valve, Nvidia)
Nvidia worked with official developers to create a showcase for Remix in Portal with RTX, a shiny new remaster of the legendary 2007 puzzle game, but Half-Life 2 RTX is a passion project being produced by modders with Nvidia providing some background support. And can I be honest? It looks f*cking awesome.
Giving new life to Half-Life
The live demo I was shown by Nvidia showcased one of the game’s most iconic locations: the run-down, zombie-infested town of Ravenholm, where protagonist Gordon Freeman ends up after a less-than-fortuitous series of events. Two displays were set up side-by-side to show both the original game and the Remixed work in progress – and the difference was phenomenal. For all its accolades, classic Half-Life 2 does very much look like a game made two decades ago, while the work-in-progress remaster looks great.
RTX Remix allows for modding in real-time – in other words, you can have the game running while also having the dev environment open in a different tab, and changes you make are reflected (after a short delay) in the live game. An Nvidia staffer gave me a brief walkthrough on using the tool, and it’s a remarkably streamlined process. You can generate an asset library by simply walking around in-game and letting Remix capture your surroundings, and use generative AI tools to rapidly produce improved textures and 3D models.
While the ray-traced lighting and reflections are the most immediately noticeable difference, the improved texture detail and remodelled assets are good too. (Image credit: Future / Valve)
One scene displayed during the demo saw me walking through a dimly lit courtyard beset with corpses – including a dismembered pair of legs hanging from a tree. Despite the grisly setting, I couldn’t help but be impressed: the legs swing from a rope and cast realistic dynamic shadows in the Remixed version, while the original features no shadows at all. It also highlighted the improved ground textures, and Nvidia pointed out in a different scene that Remix’s generative AI capabilities can extrapolate the environment to add extra details – in this case, climbing vines and weeds partially covering a ruined wall.
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CONTENT WARNING: You can see the clip below, but please be aware that it contains some 2004 gore as described above, now with added ray tracing! I do wish Nvidia had given me a slightly less gruesome example.
Another standout example (albeit a rather mundane and less gory one) was a simple 3D object asset of a broken engine. I lined up both versions of the game to view the item’s original and Remixed models, and the new model is massively more detailed. And I do mean massively: not only does the ray tracing work wonders to more realistically illuminate the object, but it actually looks like a 3D asset from a 2024 game, not a 2004 one.
The same 3D game asset looks incredibly different in the Remixed version of Half-Life 2. (Image credit: Future / Valve)
A change of heart – and art
I’ll admit, when RTX Remix was first announced, I was pretty cold about it. I liked the look of the (still in development) Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind remaster, but I had fears that Remix would become a blunt implement for major publishers to churn out low-effort remasters that threw the important art direction of classic games in the trash. I wasn’t the only one, either – my colleague Allisa James had some major reservations about Remix too.
But I’m relieved that two years on, Nvidia is putting power in the hands of modders rather than shareholders. When I asked Nvidia GeForce ‘Evangelist’ Jacob Freeman (amusingly appropriate name, I know) about RTX Remix, he explained that the tool would be available for official game dev projects, but had been created with modders – not profits – in mind. It’s certainly a refreshing change of pace, and it helps that some of these Remix projects look pretty fantastic.
Morrowind is another good example of a game that definitely could benefit from an AI-powered remaster using RTX Remix. (Image credit: Nvidia, Bethesda)
I still maintain that some games might suffer from AI-infused remastering. Mirror’s Edge is a good example. For starters, it still looks pretty good today, but more importantly, it’s a game where color and lighting are used very carefully to inform the gameplay – meaning that a Remixed version might impact the delicate intersection between art direction and game mechanics. But for games like Morrowind and Half-Life 2, which have decidedly not aged well from a graphical standpoint, it’s perfect. I can’t wait to see what talented modders create with it.
If you’re interested in RTX Remix, you can download the beta version from Nvidia’s website. Bear in mind that right now, Remix only works with DirectX 9 and some DirectX 8 games – so in other words, you’re currently limited to a pool of games released between 2000 and 2006. Of course, the tool is still in development, and Nvidia has said that it would like Remix to work with a much broader spectrum of PC games, so in other words: watch this space!
Sony made a special occasion of its 2024 TV launch, holding it at the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Los Angeles. At the event, attendees, myself included, were treated to demos of Foley effects and soundtrack mixing, plus other striking examples of behind-the-scenes movie magic that happens at the studio. Sony’s message was that the technology that goes into movie and TV creation via its studio and professional camera and display divisions trickles down into consumer products, and it was made loud and clear at the event.
The Sony Bravia 9 is the flagship model of the new Bravia series TVs, taking that crown from the Sony A95L OLED TV, which will continue in the lineup for 2024. Interestingly, the Bravia 9 is a mini-LED TV. That marks a change in direction for Sony, a brand that in the past had regularly positioned OLED as the most premium technology in its TV lineup.
Sony’s re-positioning of mini-LED at the top of the TV food chain results from two tech developments at the company. The first is the creation of the BVM-HX3110, a professional mastering monitor capable of 4,000 nits peak brightness. The BVM-HX3110 was introduced in late 2023, and replaces the BVM-HX310, a standard model for movie post-production that tops out at 1,000 nits peak brightness.
The backlight LED driver panel used in Sony’s Bravia 9 TVs. Those tiny black stripes are the mini-LED modules. (Image credit: Future)
The second development is XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance, a new TV backlight technology used exclusively in the Sony Bravia 9 mini-LED TV. According to Sony, its next-gen backlight tech is responsible for a 50% brightness boost in the Bravia 9 over the company’s previous flagship mini-LED model, the Sony X95L, along with a 325% increase in local dimming zones – something it accomplishes through a new, highly miniaturized 22-bit LED driver.
Along with increasing the number of LED modules that can be positioned in a backlight, the new driver’s higher resolution (other TV makers use 10- or 12-bit drivers, according to Sony) in combination with advanced dimming control algorithms lets it display images with a greater level of refinement than previously available in the best TVs. And that’s where Sony’s demo of the new Bravia 9 TV I attended comes in.
Brightness refined
There were two components to Sony’s demonstration of the Bravia 9’s XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance tech. The first was a comparison of the new Sony BVM-HX3110 monitor with the older BVM-HX310 using movie scenes mastered at 4,000 nits peak brightness. While most movies are mastered at 1,000 nits peak brightness, according to Sony that has mainly been a technology limitation – one now removed by the BVM-HX3110. When viewing the 4,000 nits footage on both monitors side by side, a clear increase in highlight detail on the new BVM-HX3110 made images look notably more dynamic.
Sony’s Bravia 9 mini-LED TV in a bright room setting. (Image credit: Future)
The second component was a stacked pair of Sony Bravia 9 TVs set alongside a stacked pair of Samsung QN90C TVs, that company’s flagship 2023 mini-LED model in the US. The TVs arrayed at the top had their LCD panels removed so we could see the “raw” mini-LED backlight (see pic at top). Viewing a series of video clips, the Sony’s backlight had notably higher “resolution” owing to the XR Backlight Master Drive’s more granular local dimming performance. It also had a punchier level of brightness that could be seen in images displayed on the normal, non-butchered versions of both TVs located below. That brightness made highlights pop more dramatically and colors look brighter and richer.
Equally impressive in the demo was the virtual absence of backlight blooming effects in the transitions between bright and dark parts of images on the Bravia 9. Backlight blooming is a common visual artifact with LED-based TVs, even ones that use mini-LED tech, and it’s a key reason why OLED TVs, which have panels with self-emissive pixels that generate their own light, have retained a picture quality advantage over LED TVs.
Mini-LED mastered
Another picture quality comparison conducted by Sony at the event put the Bravia 9 alongside the Sony X95L and Samsung S95C, that company’s 2023 flagship QD-OLED model. The comparison also used Sony’s BVM-HX3110 displaying the same images as a reference point, and of the three TVs, the Bravia 9 most closely tracked the picture on the professional mastering monitor.
While Sony hasn’t revealed peak brightness specs for the Bravia 9 TV, its ability to accurately reproduce highlight and shadow details in movies mastered at 4,000 nits makes it a statement piece for HDR. As Sony’s new mastering monitor makes its way into more production facilities and movie directors and cinematographers start pushing the limits of what the format is capable of, any TV that can handle that will have an advantage.
Sony’s shift to mini-LED for its flagship TV signals its confidence in the tech, and with developments such as XR Backlight Master Drive, its ability to compete effectively with OLED. The 2024 crop of OLED TVs is turning out to be the brightest yet, with the new Samsung S95D measuring just under 1,800 nits peak brightness in our tests. But the new Samsung QN90D mini-LED model is even brighter, topping out at around 2,000 nits.
There’s only so much more that OLED makers can do to increase brightness beyond current levels, and the display tech may have hit its peak in the latest generation of TVs. And while we’ve yet to measure the Bravia 9, mini-LED is capable of higher brightness than OLED tech, and that’s something Sony clearly had in mind when planning its new flagship. In the future, we can expect to see movies with even wider dynamic range, and mini-LED with its high peak brightness capability will be well-positioned to handle it.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive have officially teamed up to design an AI-powered personal device and are seeking funding, reports The Information.
Little is known about the AI device at this time, but it won’t look like a smartphone. Altman is a major investor in the Humane AI pin, a wearable AI device that does not have a screen, so it’s possible he will create a similar product with Ive.
News of a possible partnership between Ive and Altman first surfaced last fall, but talks were in the early stages and nothing was official then. Ive and Altman’s unnamed startup is now sourcing funds from major venture capitalists, with Ive aiming to raise up to $1 billion in funding.
OpenAI could own a piece of the business, and the duo has also been in talks with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. Potential investors include Thrive Capital, an OpenAI investor, and Emerson Collective, a venture capital firm and philanthropic organization founded by Laurene Powell Jobs.
Ive left his role as Apple design chief in 2019, and while he still worked with the Cupertino company as a consultant for several years after through his firm LoveFrom, Ive and Apple stopped working together entirely in 2022.
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of April 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with large…
A first look at iOS 18’s rumored visionOS-style redesign may have been revealed by a new image of the Camera app. Alleged iOS 18 design resource. MacRumors received the above iPhone frame template from an anonymous source who claims they obtained it from an iOS engineer. It will allegedly be included as part of the Apple Design Resources for iOS 18, which helps developers visually design apps …
Apple is exploring various “personal robotics” projects in an effort to create its “next big thing,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Amazon’s Astro robot One of these projects is described as a “mobile robot” that would “follow users around their homes,” while another is said to be an “advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around”:Engineers at Apple have…
Apple researchers have developed an artificial intelligence system named ReALM (Reference Resolution as Language Modeling) that aims to radically enhance how voice assistants understand and respond to commands. In a research paper (via VentureBeat), Apple outlines a new system for how large language models tackle reference resolution, which involves deciphering ambiguous references to…
It has been nearly 18 months since Apple last updated its iPad lineup, and customers are anxiously waiting for new models to be announced. For months, there have been rumors about new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but the estimated timeframe for their release has been repeatedly pushed back from March to April to May. In defense of these rumors, it does sound like Apple has experienced…
Nearly one year after it launched in the U.S., the Apple Card’s high-yield savings account will be receiving its first-ever interest rate decrease. Starting on April 3, the Apple Card savings account’s annual percentage yield (APY) will be lowered to 4.4%, according to data on Apple’s backend discovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The account currently has a 4.5% APY. 4.4% will …
Hyundai has been busy cementing its reputation as one of the leading figures in electric passenger cars. The small and relatively affordable Soul EV kicked things off in 2015, the Kona Electric soon followed, and then came the stylish Ioniq 6 and retro-inspired Ioniq 5. But the new Ioniq 5 N is its most fun offering yet.
There are plug-in hybrid versions of its popular SUVs, while a number of new, all-electric models have been promised in the next two years. But not content with being recognized as a manufacturer of highly competitive, electrified everyday cars, Hyundai also wants to be known as a purveyor of fun.
This all started with the establishment of its N performance division in 2012, which enlisted the help of ex-BMW engineering maestro Albert Biermann to create a performance department that could compete both at elite level motor sport and on the sale of hot hatchbacks.
The petrol-powered i20N and i30N were huge hits, but arguably its greatest achievement to date is the Ioniq 5 N. The first EV from a major manufacturer that can genuinely be referred to as a true driver’s car.
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Granted, there have been hideously expensive hyper EVs and everyday cars that have exploited the performance of battery packs and potent electric motors, with the likes of Porsche’s Taycan and even sister company Kia’s EV6 GT delivering blistering straight-line speed. But few mass market models have shone when things get twisty.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has achieved what most automakers have so far failed to do: produce a practical, everyday EV that also happens to be a riot on the race track… but it hasn’t been easy.
Under the skin
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Strip away at the Ioniq 5 N and you will see that it shares much of its basic underpinnings with the standard Ioniq 5. But it’s much more than an exercise in adding power. There are 42 additional welding points, the adhesive length is up by 2.1 meters, while the steering column has been reinforced to strengthen crucial body joints.
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The 84kWh battery pack has been “meticulously tuned” to extract maximum performance and race-optimized motors now appear at both the front and rear axle to deliver an all-wheel-drive, total system output of 650hp when the temporary N Grin Boost function is activated. There’s 600-odd horses on tap the rest of the time.
As a result, the 0-62mph sprint is dispatched in just 3.4 seconds with launch mode and the overboost functionality enabled, while a top speed is pegged at 162mph – a figure that was impossible to achieve on the Parcmotor Castellolí race circuit, where I tested the car.
Of course, pure performance isn’t exactly difficult to extract from today’s electric motors, as simply adding more of them tends to see output rise exponentially. The difficulty arises when attempting to keep the weight down or, in this case, masking the 2.2-tonnes with bucketloads of innovative technology.
Fake noise
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Diving into the various driving modes from the sculpted bucket seat of the Ioniq 5 N is a bamboozling and sometimes disorientating experience. There’s a large button on the steering wheel that switches the driving mode from Eco to Sport, but things don’t really get spicy until you enter the various N Modes.
It is mapped to the throttle and offers, hands down, the most realistic EV engine noise I’ve ever tried.
When activated, navigating the N Mode functionality is like customizing a vehicle in Gran Turismo – there are settings for suspension firmness, the weight of steering and throttle response, but things get even more interesting when you start exploring some of Hyundai’s in-house innovations.
The first is what the marque refers to as Active Sound Plus, which is essentially fake engine noise that is pumped into the cabin. It is mapped to the throttle and offers, hands down, the most realistic EV engine noise I’ve ever tried.
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Compared to the external burbling of the Abarth 500 e, this is a masterpiece in software design, offering realistic pops on the overrun and even a simulated rev limiter when you pin the throttle.
However, this feature really comes to life when you engage N e-shift, which is Hyundai’s simulated gear change mode. Of course, an EV doesn’t require a traditional gear box, but petrolheads love them. Thumping up and down an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission via slender paddles mounted to the steering wheel offers a visceral driving experience and greater control over the performance of a car, which is why Hyundai’s engineers have seen fit to mimic it.
You’ll forget you are in an EV after a few minutes – it’s mind-bogglingly good.
The system is an absolute triumph and goes so far as to limit power when the selected gear is too high for the rev range. Hit the upshift and torque is momentarily cut from the motors to reproduce real DCT upshifts. It’s genius.
As previously mentioned, there’s even a rev limiter. Activate N e-shift and the sound simulation when you’re on the track or tackling a twisty route and you’ll forget you are in an EV after a few minutes – it’s mind-bogglingly good.
Corner Rascal
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Again, it’s worth mentioning that exploring every single N Mode, and the hundreds of permutations thereof, is essentially impossible to do in the day I spent with the car. But I got a great feel for what it’s like on both track and road.
Pop it in Eco and the simulated noises and gear shifts disappear. This is essentially a red hot Ioniq 5 with a max range of around 278 miles and enough room for five people and luggage. Granted, it feels a little more taut and firmer under-buttock, but this is a comfortable car to use everyday – quiet, refined and very easy to live with.
Start cycling through the various N Modes and that’s when it really comes to life, proof that clever software engineering combined with knowledge of the best combustion-engined cars can truly work magic on bloated, modern EVs.
Over the standard car, the rear axle features an electronically-controlled slip differential, which has allowed Hyundai’s N division greater control over the distribution of power and therefore the way this heavy beast handles when pushed. Throw into the mix a clever Electronic Stability Control and it mystically masks its mass when chucked around a circuit.
(Image credit: Hyundai)
What’s more, the N-tuned braking system can handle the increased heft with larger discs and the ability to shed heat with ease. There’s also a strong regenerative braking system that is blended so well with the hydraulic brakes that it’s essentially imperceptible.
The entire braking system is by-wire, meaning there’s no physical connection between the brake pedal and the brakes themselves, but despite this, there’s lots of feel underfoot and braking, even on a race circuit, feels predictable and dead easy to modulate.
Finally, Hyundai has also ensured owners aren’t left feeling empty after a punishing track session, equipping this racy model with similar charging capabilities to both the Ioniq 5 and 6.
A special battery conditioning mode allows for rapid charging straight off the race circuit, with the vehicle taking care of thermal management to ensure the vehicle can top up in around 20 minutes to allow for another track session.
No gimmicks
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Despite packing up to 650hp, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N doesn’t feel stupidly fast. Sure, there’s a N Launch Control that optimizes grip from the all-wheel-drive system to offer the perfect sprint off the line, but even that feels on par with some of today’s overtly powerful EVs – Tesla’s Model S being one.
Instead, Hyundai’s N engineers have plumped for what it feels is just the right power, as well as the introduction of numerous innovations, to ensure the vehicle is hilarious, pliable and manageable on a race circuit, without ever feeling unwieldy.
The front end is sharp and feels direct when turning into corners, while the rear wheels can be overwhelmed if pushed and the 5 N becomes as joyously slide-y as you want when all of the assistance systems are turned of.
On the subject of sliding, Hyundai has also introduced what it calls N Drift Optimizer, which is essentially a drift mode that’s activated via the infotainment screen. It might come as no surprise, then, that former Ford Performance engineer Tyrone Johnson was heavily involved in Ioniq 5 N – the man was also responsible for a similar drift mode on the Ford focus RS.
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Activate N Drift Optimizer and the system supposedly adjusts torque to the rear wheels, meaning drivers don’t have to worry so much about modulating the throttle like you would on an ICE vehicle.
I tried it and was told to turn in, pin the throttle and control the slide with steering inputs, but it wasn’t perfect. You need lightning reflexes to perform prolonged slides and the lack of subtlety with throttle inputs makes it easy to spin. But it all feels very controlled, just make sure you have plenty of space to practice.
We may well look back on the Ioniq 5 N as the car that kick-started affordable, accessible performance in electric vehicles.
Similarly, Hyundai’s N Active Sound Plus could easily be written off as a gimmick, but we found this genuinely useful both on circuit and on the road. It’s not perfectly realistic in its delivery, but its near-perfect mapping to throttle inputs and gear changes means the driver has traditional combustion engine cues to work from.
I’ve tested a handful of electric vehicles on a race circuit and almost always come away feeling slightly travel sick. It’s something to do with the brain not recognizing the sense of speed and the effect of G-force, alongside the lack of a soundtrack.
Hyundai’s solution neatly combats that, and while you can opt to make it sound like a spaceship if you really want, the traditional ‘ignition’ combustion engine emulator genuinely works, even if it is a little raucous (you can turn it down, thankfully).
A heavyweight performance
(Image credit: Hyundai)
After a full day driving the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N on both some exquisite Spanish roads and the race circuit, it’s easy to come away thinking that the amount of effort invested into making a heavy family EV suitable for high performance driving is slightly bonkers.
Why not start with a lighter platform, do away with all the software trickery and keep things Civic Type R-esque simple?
Unfortunately, weight is enemy number one in the EV world, and we are still a long way off achieving energy dense but lightweight battery packs that don’t cost an absolute fortune. Hyundai’s N division has played every card it has to disguise this and it has paid off.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N costs £64,956 (around $82,000 / AU$125,000), which might seem expensive on paper. But given the power output, its ability to perform on circuit and the fact that it morphs back into a sedate and silent family runaround, it feels like a very fair price.
What’s more, the innovations Hyundai has showcased here can all work on future – and hopefully lighter – models. We may well look back on the Ioniq 5 N as the car that kick-started affordable, accessible performance in electric vehicles.
Some of my Whatsapp chats are about to get very busy once again, with heated discussions about lifting boulders and pulling ropes. Physical: 100, the Korean fitness show that turned into an international phenomenon once it was snapped up by Netflix, is back on our screens again, and I couldn’t be more excited.
The premise is simple, and good content for perhaps the best streaming service out there: 100 contestants are picked by the producers for skill or fame in the world of fitness, ranging from rugby players and martial artists, to bodybuilders, special forces reservists and emergency service workers. Everyone, regardless of body type, gender or weight, is put through the same set of physically demanding challenges, sometimes in teams and sometimes solo, until only one competitor is left standing.
Physical contests aren’t exactly new in the realm of reality TV, especially for anyone who watched American Gladiators or similar shows growing up. However, a few elements set Physical: 100 apart from the pack; the grimy and dystopian aesthetic for one, straight out of Squid Game. The general vibe is futuristic and industrial, but themed arenas pepper the game ranging from beaches to jungles. It’s a little like a fighting game that allows you to pick your battlefield, but you always return to the same serious menu screen.
The challenges are another highlight: the games are often cruel and creative, ranging from the deceptively simple (I audibly half-groaned, half-cackled when the first challenge of Season 2 was revealed: 100 manual treadmills, which each contestant had to maintain a certain speed on for as long as possible) to the complex. Having tried many of the best treadmills over the years, I knew exactly what they were in for: a whole world of pain, especially the heavier athletes.
(Image credit: Netflix)
Another memorable Season 1 challenge involved loading a wooden ship with heavy crates, then working together as a team to push it across the arena and up a wooden ramp. If you think it sounds hard, you should watch them try it, sweat pouring off the contestants as they haul a boat weighing 1.5 tons up an incline, without the aid of wheels, watching it move less and less with every heave.
But it’s the contestants that really make the show, and they’re almost all uniquely wholesome. As mentioned before, all the contestants are from a variety of different training backgrounds: strongmen rub shoulders with cyclists in sprinting tasks, while climbers match their strength against crossfitters. While one contestant might be great at moving heavy objects across an arena, another can run for much longer, while another can leap six feet in the air onto a stack of crashmats.
They openly and vocally admire each other’s abilities during the competition downtime, and all carry a great deal of respect for each other’s disciplines, asking lots of questions about the less common ones such as luging. There’s a lot of showboating, sure, and each athlete tries their best to win, but it’s not a display of domination. Doing your best to win is presented as a mark of respect to your opponent.
This is compounded when successful Korean athletes enter the games, such as last season’s veteran mixed martial-artist Choo Sung-Hoon. He was applauded, bowed to, and shown lots of admiration by athletes who far surpassed him in many ways. When paired with another, younger martial artist in a ball-stealing task, the younger athlete bowed to Hoon and requested a short sparring match before they focused on the ball, as it was his dream to go toe-to-toe with the legend.
It was sweet, and I think anyone who has ever been a remotely competitive athlete in any discipline understood how the younger athlete felt in that moment.
This is Physical: 100’s main hook: not the Hunger Games-style worldbuilding, not the gruelling athletic challenges, but the atmosphere of respect and camaraderie between rivals. It’s a beautiful, healthy, poignant display of competitive spirit. Besides, there’s nothing like ordering a lot of takeout and criticizing a world-class athlete’s technique between swigs of beer and mouthfuls of pepperoni pizza.
