Near the end of its “Let Loose” event that brought new versions of the iPad Pro and iPad Air, Apple made some changes to the cheaper end of its tablet lineup. The 10th-generation iPad Pro, the newest version of the budget model, now starts at $349, down from its original $449.
Alongside the price drop, Apple’s 9th-generation model (which was still rocking a Lightning port and home button) is now kaput. Its successor replaces it with a more modern design, USB-C and Touch ID on its lock button.
Apple’s new iPad lineup sees the new price for the 10th-generation iPad and the end of its predecessor. (Apple)
The 10th-generation iPad launched in 2022. Back then, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham described it as “a complete redesign from [the 2021] model that cribs heavily from the iPad Air while also bringing a handful of compromises to upsell potential customers on Apple’s more expensive tablets.”
Although the 10th-gen model officially gets the $100 price cut, the model was already frequently discounted to that price at Apple’s retail partners. That price now gets you the 64GB base model, while the 256GB tier now costs $499, also a $100 drop from its 2022 launch.
Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event right here.
Microsoft has rolled out a new update to its Edge browser which adds a host of security and stability fixes alongside a dedicated internet speed test as well.
As spotted by Techspot, the Microsoft Edge browser update Version 124.0.2478.80 has brought in a new internet speed test built into the sidebar as well as fixes aimed at plugging a couple of glaring security vulnerabilities that were highlighted by the community from a prior update.
It’s worth noting that Edge did have a built-in speed tester, much as Google Chrome does right now, but it was removed for about a year before being re-implemented in the sidebar alongside a redesigned world clock, unit converter, translator, dictionary, and calculator all available shorthand. While far from exciting, it sure sounds useful.
(Image credit: Future)
You can use the new sidebar feature from the Red Toolbox as found at the top of the righthand corner which will expand the newly refreshed items into view. However, while the internet speed test is accessed from this menu, it will open up in a separate browser window and then give you the upload and download score.
While Microsoft Edge may not quite have the same level of fame and success that Google Chrome does, a steady string of updates and innovations like this may be enough to turn the tide.
Edge generally has lower power consumption, and, most crucially, goes easier on your RAM relative to Google Chrome when under the same level of stress.
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Still, it has struggled to gain traction as people’s preferred web browser, but continually rolling out new advancements like this built-in internet speed test is certainly a way to convince people of a browser’s superior functionality.
The DJI Mini 4K is ready for take-off, equipped with 4K video capture, and looks set to be one of the best value beginner drones for aerial photographers.
DJI’s latest entry-level drone appears to be just like the Mini 2 SE, only it brings 4K video to the table whereas the Mini 2 SE only shoots in 2.7K. There’s no official word as to whether it will replace the Mini 2 SE, but that looks like a good bet, especially given the similarities between the two, which includes the Mini 4K’s launch price which is the same as the Mini 2 SE’s most recent price. There is, though, a small discount on the older model at the time of writing.
The Mini 4K is available now at Amazon US and UK for $299 / £269 or $449 / £399 for the Fly More Combo that includes an extra two batteries – that’s actually cheaper than the Mini 2 SE was at launch. The Mini 4K will sit at the bottom of DJI’s Mini-series of drones, below the Mini 3 (which could be replaced fairly soon given DJI’s breakneck product launch speed) and the Mini 4 Pro – the best sub 250g drone available.
That increased video resolution also comes with improved video bit rates, up to 100Mbps, and a 2x digital zoom. Stop down to 2.7K resolution and we believe the 3x digital zoom is still available.
Besides the improved 4K video resolution and higher bitrates, it’s as you were. Like the Mini 2 SE, the Mini 4K is a foldable, sub 249g drone currently not requiring an FAA registration or Remote ID in the US, though given it has a camera UK users need to register with the CAA.
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(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI )
(Image credit: DJI)
Its camera also packs a 3-axis gimbal supported by electronic image stabilization, while flight features include downward object sensing, Level-5 wind resistance, and up to 10km HD 720p video transmission.
You can fly for up to 31 minutes on a fully charged battery, again like the Mini 2 SE. Purchase the Fly More Combo kit and an extra two batteries are supplied, effectively tripling your flight time.
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Beginners can enjoy flight tutorials in the DJI Fly App, through which the Mini 4K flight can be controlled, with easy QuickShots moves like Helix, Rocket, Circle, and Boomerang quickly elevating the quality of your flight moves and videos.
We’ve long rated DJI as the industry leader for drones, and now that it’s made a drone that can shoot 4K video, with excellent hardware and flight features, it’s an even harder task for rivals to compete.
There isn’t much new here in the Mini 4K that we haven’t seen already in the Mini 2 SE, but it’ll likely become the most popular first-time drone for aerial photography and video.
Intel has launched a new AI processor series for the edge, promising industrial-class deep learning inference. The new ‘Amston Lake’ Atom x7000RE chips offer up to double the cores and twice the higher graphics base frequency as the previous x6000RE series, all neatly packed within a 6W–12W BGA package.
The x7000RE series packs more performance into a smaller footprint. Boasting up to eight E-cores it supports LPDDR5/DDR5/DDR4 memory and up to nine PCIe 3.0 lanes, delivering robust multitasking capabilities.
Intel says its new processors are designed to withstand challenging conditions, enduring extreme temperature variations, shock, and vibration, and to operate in hard-to-reach locations. They offer 2x SATA Gen 3.2 ports, up to 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a USB Type-C port, 2.5GbE Ethernet connection, along with Intel Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G platform capabilities.
Embedded, industrial, and communication
The x7000RE series consists of four SKUs, all suitable for embedded, industrial, and communication use under extended temperature conditions. The x7211RE and x7213RE have 2 cores and relatively lower base frequencies, while the x7433RE has 4 cores, and the x7835RE has 8 cores with higher base frequencies.
All four SKUs support a GPU execution unit count of either 16 or 32, and Intel’s Time Coordinated Computing and Time-Sensitive Networking GbE features. The x7000RE offer integrated Intel UHD Graphics, Intel DL Boost, Intel AVX2 with INT8 support, and OpenVINO toolkit support.
Intel says the chips will allow customers to easily deploy deep learning inference at the industrial edge and in smart cities, and “enhance computer vision solutions with built-in AI capabilities and ecosystem-enabled camera modules” as well as “capture power- and cost-efficient performance to enable latency-bounded workloads in robotics and automation.”
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Data will soon be able to be stored in DNA. French startup Biomemory has already shipped a DNA storage device to the general public. Now the DNA Data Storage Alliance, a technology affiliate of the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA), has unveiled the first specifications for storing vendor and CODEC information within a DNA data archive.
Unlike traditional storage mediums such as tape, HDD, and SSD, DNA lacks a fixed physical structure, necessitating a unique mechanism for reading or “booting up” a DNA archive.
The SNIA DNA Archive Rosetta Stone (DARS) working group has developed two specifications, Sector Zero and Sector One, to enable archive readers to find the sequence to begin booting up the data.
Getting closer
Sector Zero provides the minimal information needed for the archive reader to identify the CODEC used to encode Sector One and the company that synthesized the DNA. Sector One includes information such as a description of contents, a file table, and parameters to transfer to a sequencer.
“A key goal of the DNA Data Storage Alliance is to set and publish specifications and standards that allow an interoperable DNA data storage ecosystem to grow,” said Dave Landsman, of the DNA Data Storage Alliance Board of Directors.
While there’s still a long way to go before DNA storage becomes the norm, Landsman believes we’re much closer to it than you might imagine. “With the publishing of the Alliance’s first specifications, we take an important step in achieving that goal,” he said. “Sector Zero and Sector One are now publicly available, allowing companies working in the space to adopt and implement.”
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Doogee has unveiled a low cost tablet with a surprising selling point. The Doogee T30 Max, a new and upgraded version of the firm’s T30 series tablet, sports a 12.4 inch IPS 4K Display. Yes, 4K.
That’s an impressive achievement for any tablet, let alone one retailing for $329 (or $296 when you apply the 10% off coupon code available on the website). For comparison, Apple‘s iPad Pro has a slightly larger screen (12.9 inch) and a resolution of 2732 x 2048 pixels or 2.7K. We recently reported on NEC’s LAVIE Tab T14 which we said had “probably the highest ever resolution on a tablet”, and even that only manages 3000 x 1876 (QHD+) and costs nearly $1,000.
Doogee T30 Max has an 87.5% high screen ratio, and is reasonably thin at just 7.9mm. For comparison again, the iPad Pro is 6.4mm thick.
Android 14
Doogee’s new tablet runs on Android 14 and is powered by a MediaTek Helio G99 Octa Core processor. This comprises two high performance Arm Cortex-A76 processors clocking up to 2.2GHz, and an Arm Mali G57-class GPU. The tablet comes with up to 20GB DDR4X RAM (8GB plus up to 12GB Extended RAM), and 512GB of storage (plus up to 2TB expansion).
The Doogee T30 Max features a 10800mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.
There’s an AI dual camera setup (50MP+2MP) and a 20MP front shooter. It also supports face unlock and side fingerprint recognition.
In addition, the device has received TÜV SÜD blue light certification and conforms to High-Resolution Audio standards defined by the Japan Audio Association. It also supports a 4096 level active capacitive pen and a docking plug-in interface for a magnetic keyboard connection.
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The Doogee T30 Max is encased in a nano injection molded one-piece shell with a leather texture rear and comes in black, khaki, and green. It’s available for pre order now with shipping expected to start on April 1 for all regions except the EU/UK, where buyers will have to wait until April 30th.
TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has reportedly quietly invested in Xinyuan Semiconductors, a Chinese memory chip manufacturer.
A report from Pandaily, a tech media site based in Beijing, the move reportedly positions ByteDance as the third-largest shareholder in the chip maker, holding an indirect stake of 9.5%.
A ByteDance spokesperson confirmed this previously undisclosed investment to Pandaily, stating its aim is to hasten the development of VR headsets. This move aligns with ByteDance’s growing interest in the VR sector, as it plans to take on Meta’s Quest and Apple‘s Vision Pro.
Pushing ahead into VR
Based in Shanghai and established in 2019, Xinyuan Semiconductors specializes in Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM) technology and related chip products. The company’s portfolio covers three major application areas: high-performance industrial control and automotive SoC and ASIC chips, Computing in Memory (CIM) IP and chips, and System-on-Memory (SoM) chips.
This investment in Xinyuan Semiconductors isn’t ByteDance’s first venture into the semiconductor industry. In 2021, the tech behemoth also invested in Moore Thread, a Chinese GPU manufacturer.
The company’s strategic investments signal a clear intent to compete in the VR space. TikTok is already available as a native app for Vision Pro.
But while this latest investment could potentially be setting the stage for a showdown with Apple and its Vision Pro headset, ByteDance has another far bigger battle on its hands right now.
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The US House of Representatives recently passed a significant bill that could lead to a TikTok ban in America if the Chinese parent company fails to sell its controlling stake of the social media app within the next six months.
There can’t be many people who haven’t seen at least one video of Boston Dynamics’ robot dog Spot performing tricks like going up and down stairs, spinning, dancing, jumping, and carrying objects. The robot isn’t just for fun however. It can be used for a variety of work tasks, such as inspecting industrial sites and carrying out hazardous duties.
Spot isn’t the only industrial robot animal in town now, though. It has competition from an unexpected source – Lenovo.
Wisely, the Chinese manufacturer isn’t calling its creation a dog, and it’s added an additional pair of legs to further distance itself from Boston Dynamics’s robot canines, but it’s hard not to draw comparisons.
Six legs are better than four?
Lenovo Daystar Bot GS, which is referred to as a “Legged Robot For Inspection Solution”, can be seen in all its glory on the IF Design site.
The details accompanying it say “Step into the forefront of industrial automation and public services with Lenovo Daystar Bot GS. The groundbreaking six-legged design guarantees unmatched stability and maneuverability that surpasses traditional robotic platforms, allowing it to traverse diverse terrains with ease.”
Daystar Bot GS is aimed at trade, industry, government and the public sector, and Asia will be Lenovo’s primary market when it is released later this year.
Lenovo adds, “Boasting an advanced control system, cutting-edge perception algorithms, and IP66 robust protection, GS outperforms in unforeseen scenarios, enabling comprehensive data collection at any location and time. In our unwavering pursuit of excellence, GS stands as a testament to innovation, efficiency, safety, and the boundless potential of automated exploration.”
The big one question we don’t currently have an answer for, is who would win in a fight (or a race for that matter) – Spot or GS?
In December 2023, Samsung launched the Galaxy A15 5G, and by the end of that month, we learned that it was developing the Galaxy M15 5G, which would be a rebranded variant of the A-series device and a successor to last year’s Galaxy M14 5G. Well, almost two and a half months after that news broke out, Samsung has finally launched the Galaxy M15 5G.
The Korean tech giant didn’t make an announcement about the launch of the device. Instead, it silently listed the phone on the company’s official website for Iraq and Levant. The Galaxy M15 5G, as we had expected, is a rebranded variant of the Galaxy A15 5G, and as such, the M-series device has the same specifications as the A-series device, except for the battery capacity, the design of the back panel, thickness, and weight.
While the Galaxy A15 5G has a 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy M15 5G features a 6,000mAh battery. With that, the M-series device weighs 17 grams more than its A-series cousin, tipping the scale at 217 grams, and has a 0.9mm additional thickness, measuring 9.3mm. To differentiate the two, Samsung is offering the Galaxy M15 5G with a different rear design; it has a chequered pattern instead of the Galaxy A15 5G’s plain back.
Galaxy M15 5G specifications
Like the Galaxy A15 5G, the Galaxy M15 5G has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate, which is a huge departure from the LCD on the Galaxy M14 5G. You get three cameras at the rear; a 50MP wide sensor, a 5MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP macro camera. For selfies, you get a 13MP sensor. The primary camera at the rear and the selfie camera can record videos at FHD resolution and 30fps.
Powering the new M-series device is the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ SoC. The device listed on Samsung’s website has 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. However, we assume that the company will offer it in other memory configurations when it makes the phone available to purchase. While the tech giant hasn’t revealed which version of Android the new phone comes with, we are assuming that it will ship with Android 14 (One UI 6.0).
On the connectivity front, you get options similar to other mid-range Samsung phones, including dual-SIM 5G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Galaxy M15 5G supports 15W wired charging, which is 10W less than what the Galaxy A15 5G can handle. Other features include a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Samsung is offering the phone in three colors: Dark Blue, Light Blue, and Gray.
Pricing and availability
Samsung has neither revealed the price of the Galaxy M15 5G nor any details about when the company will make it available for purchase. That being said, expect it to cost slightly less than the Galaxy A15 5G and go on sale in the next couple of weeks. Also, expect Samsung to launch the phone in other countries, including India, very soon.
Apple’s machine learning research team has quietly introduced and released a new machine learning framework called MLX, designed to optimize the development of machine learning models on Apple Silicon. The new framework has been specifically designed and engineered to enhance the way developers engage with machine learning on their devices and has been inspired by frameworks such as PyTorch, Jax, and ArrayFire.
The difference from these frameworks and MLX is the unified memory model. Arrays in MLX live in shared memory. Operations on MLX arrays can be performed on any of the supported device types without performing data copies. Currently supported device types are the CPU and GPU.
What is Apple MLX?
MLX is a NumPy-like array framework designed for efficient and flexible machine learning on Apple silicon, brought to you by Apple machine learning research. The Python API closely follows NumPy with a few exceptions. MLX also has a fully featured C++ API which closely follows the Python API. The main differences between MLX and NumPy are:
Composable function transformations: MLX has composable function transformations for automatic differentiation, automatic vectorization, and computation graph optimization.
Lazy computation: Computations in MLX are lazy. Arrays are only materialized when needed.
Multi-device: Operations can run on any of the supported devices (CPU, GPU, …)
The MLX framework is a significant advancement, especially for those working with Apple’s M-series chips, which are known for their powerful performance in AI tasks. This new framework is not only a step forward for Apple but also for the broader AI community, as it is now available as open-source, marking a shift from Apple’s typically closed-off software development practices. MLX is available on PyPI. All you have to do to use MLX with your own Apple silicon computer is : pip install mlx
Apple MLX AI framework
The MLX framework is designed to work in harmony with the M-series chips, including the advanced M3 chip, which boasts a specialized neural engine for AI operations. This synergy between hardware and software leads to improved efficiency and speed in machine learning tasks, such as processing text, generating images, and recognizing speech. The framework’s ability to work with popular machine learning platforms like PyTorch and JAX is a testament to its versatility. This is made possible by the MLX data package, which eases the process of managing data and integrating it into existing workflows.
Developers can access MLX through a Python API, which is as user-friendly as NumPy, making it accessible to a wide range of users. For those looking for even faster performance, there is also a C++ API that takes advantage of the speed that comes with lower-level programming. The framework’s innovative features, such as composable function transformation and lazy computation, lead to code that is not only more efficient but also easier to maintain. Additionally, MLX’s support for multiple devices and a unified memory model ensures that resources are optimized across different Apple devices.
Apple MLX
Apple is committed to supporting developers who are interested in using MLX. They have provided a GitHub repository that contains sample code and comprehensive documentation. This is an invaluable resource for those who want to explore the capabilities of MLX and integrate it into their machine learning projects.
The introduction of the MLX framework is a clear indication of Apple’s commitment to advancing machine learning technology. Its compatibility with the M-series chips, open-source nature, and ability to support a variety of machine learning tasks make it a potent tool for developers. The MLX data package’s compatibility with other frameworks, coupled with the availability of both Python and C++ APIs, positions MLX to become a staple in the machine learning community.
The Apple MLX framework’s additional features, such as composable function transformation, lazy computation, multi-device support, and a unified memory model, further enhance its appeal. As developers begin to utilize the resources provided on GitHub, we can expect to see innovative machine learning applications that fully leverage the capabilities of Apple Silicon. Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of AI models :
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