Oh, the irony of the National Security Agency suggests that smartphone users turn off their phones occasionally. But the NSA is right: you do need to restart your phone regularly to rid it of demons. Some phones even let you schedule the restart, so you don’t have to think about it.
When you think of the 20-year-old social network that is Facebook, its popularity among “young adults” is probably not what comes to mind. Naturally, Meta wants to change that and the company is once again telling the world it intends to reorient its platform in order to appeal to that demographic.
In an update from Tom Alison, who heads up the Facebook app for Meta, he says that the service is shifting to reflect an “increased focus on young adults” compared with other users. “Facebook is still for everyone, but in order to build for the next generation of social media consumers, we’ve made significant changes with young adults in mind,” he wrote.
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because Meta executives have been trying to win over “young adults” for years in an effort to better compete with TikTok. Mark Zuckerberg said almost three years ago that he wanted to make young adults the company’s “North Star.” And Alison and Zuckerberg have both been talking about the Facebook app’s pivot to a discovery-focused feed rather than one based on users’ connections.
That shift is now well underway. Alison said that the company’s AI advancements have already improved recommendations for Reels and feed, and that “advanced recommendations technology will power more products” over the next year. He added that private sharing among users is also on the rise, with more users sharing video (though no word on the once-rumored plan to bring messaging back into the main app).
Notably, Alison’s note makes no mention of the “metaverse,” which Zuckerberg also once saw as a central part of the company’s future. Instead, he says that “leaning into new product capabilities enabled by AI” is a significant goal, along with luring younger users. That’s also not surprising, given that Meta and Zuckerberg have recently tried to rebrand some of the company’s metaverse ambitions as AI advancements.
But it’s also not clear how successful Meta will be in its efforts to win over young adults. Though Alison says Facebook has seen “five quarters of healthy growth in young adult app usage in the US and Canada,” with 40 million young adult daily active users, that’s still a relatively small percentage of the 205 million daily US Facebook users the company reported in February, the last time it would break out user numbers for the app.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-says-the-future-of-facebook-is-young-adults-again-203500866.html?src=rss
After a big month for spacey goodness in May, Lego is bringing things back down to earth for its June releases—or back down to Middle-earth in particular, with the standout release of its next Lord of the Rings set, Barad-Dûr. But what lies beyond the dark plains of Mordor, where shadows lie? A little Star Wars, some…
If you’re in and around the United Kingdom next weekend, we’re incredibly jealous. Vice Press is hosting its annual Open House pop culture convention on June 8 in Sheffield featuring “some of the UK’s best artists, designers, makers, and independent vendors selling movie posters, art prints, t-shirts, vinyl, Blu-ray…
If you’re on the hunt for an Apple Watch Ultra 2 deal, now is a good time to take the plunge — and not only because the wearable can be used as a dive watch. The device has dropped by $85 to $714 at Amazon. That’s a discount of 11 percent, fact fans. The deal only applies to one certain variant, which has a titanium case and green/grey Trail Loop band, and only in a small/medium size (the larger option is $740). Still, that’s a record low price for this particular option.
This is our pick for the best Apple Watch for adventurers. As noted, the rugged Apple Watch Ultra 2 can be used in the water, where it measures the temperature, dive duration and gauge up to 40 meters of depth. On terra firma, dual-frequency GPS support means that you should see more accurate pace calculations and route tracking than with other Apple wearables. When you’re out in the wild, you can set waypoints in the Compass app to help you find your way back to your starting point, while an onboard siren could help others find you if you need help.
Meanwhile, you can set up the action button to carry out more or less any function you want when you push it. The battery should run for around 36 hours before it needs to be recharged and the low-power mode can help extend that timeframe. As with the Apple Watch Series 9, the S9 SiP (system in package) supports on-device Siri processing and the double tap function for hands-free use.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-ultra-2-is-85-off-right-now-162836881.html?src=rss
Acer has introduced the SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera, a new 3D camera designed to capture and view stereoscopic images in immersive 3D. This device integrates seamlessly with Acer’s SpatialLabs suite, enhancing real-time streaming, storytelling, and video calling capabilities on platforms like Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet. Priced at $549 in North America and EUR 549 in EMEA, the camera will be available in Q3 2024.
Key features of the SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera include 8-megapixel resolution per eye, a built-in selfie mirror, weatherproof exterior, and advanced optical systems with auto and touch focus, Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), and manual mode for experienced photographers. The camera’s design has received the 2024 RedDot and iF Design Awards for its innovation and usability.
The SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera also supports real-time 3D streaming via Acer’s new SpatialLabs Player 3.0 and enables high-resolution 3D video conferencing with customizable depth features.
Users can review their 3D content on various devices, including Acer SpatialLabs laptops, VR/AR headsets, and 3D projectors, with a downloadable gallery feature for revisiting 3D portfolios.
Acer has expanded its developer tools for 3D content creation with new plug-ins for Unreal 5.3 and Unity 2021.3 LTS and 2022.3 LTS, along with the SpatialLabs Model Viewer Pro application.
This application enhances 3D workflows with features such as a virtual turntable, logo overlays, customizable backgrounds, and HDRI support, making it ideal for professional presentations and 3D installations.
Jerry Kao, COO of Acer Inc., highlighted the company’s aim to empower users to capture the world in stunning stereoscopic 3D, completing Acer’s stereoscopic 3D portfolio. For more details, visit the SpatialLabs developer site or contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.
Acer Launches SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera For Immersive 3D Capture
, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
He’s thick, he’s green, he’s saving the galaxy from here to Tatooine! Yes, that’s right. Kit Fisto has finally gotten his very own Hot Toys figure. And “hot” is the correct word here, right? Those eyes? Those tentacles? That bonus forearm armor from Star Wars: The Clone Wars? What’s not to love?
May was a loaded month with Apple and Google both releasing products. Project Astra was definitely the most interesting thing we saw at an otherwise boring Google I/O. Apple also dropped its latest iPad Pros with the all-new M4 chip and OLED displays, a 13-inch iPad Air for the first time, and the incredibly cool Apple…
The Tribeca Film Festival will debut five short films made by AI, as detailed by The Hollywood Reporter. The shorts will use OpenAI’s Sora model, which transforms text inputs into create video clips. This is the first time this type of technology will take center stage at the long-running film festival.
“Tribeca is rooted in the foundational belief that storytelling inspires change. Humans need stories to thrive and make sense of our wonderful and broken world,” said co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises Jane Rosenthal. Who better to chronicle our wonderful and broken world than some lines of code owned by a company that just dissolved its dedicated safety team to let CEO Sam Altman and other board members self-police everything?
The unnamed filmmakers were all given access to the Sora model, which isn’t yet available to the public, though they have to follow the terms of the agreements negotiated during the recent strikes as they pertain to AI. OpenAI’s COO, Brad Lightcap, says the feedback provided by these filmmakers will be used to “make Sora a better tool for all creatives.”
Introducing Sora, our text-to-video model.
Sora can create videos of up to 60 seconds featuring highly detailed scenes, complex camera motion, and multiple characters with vibrant emotions. https://t.co/7j2JN27M3W
Prompt: “Beautiful, snowy… pic.twitter.com/ruTEWn87vf
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) February 15, 2024
When we last covered Sora, it could only handle 60 seconds of video from a single prompt. If that’s still the case, these short films will make Quibi shows look like a Ken Burns documentary. The software also struggles with cause and effect and, well, that’s basically what a story is. However, all of these limitations come from the ancient days of February, and this tech tends to move quickly. Also, I assume there’s no rule against using prompts to create single scenes, which the filmmaker can string together to make a story.
We don’t have that long to find out if cold technology can accurately peer into our warm human hearts. The shorts will screen on June 15 and there’s a conversation with the various filmmakers immediately following the debut.
This follows a spate of agreements between OpenAI and various media companies. Vox Media, The Atlantic, News Corp, Dotdash Meredith and even Reddit have all struck deals with OpenAI to let the company train its models on their content. Meanwhile, Meta and Google are looking for similar partnerships with Hollywood film studios to train its models. It looks like we are going to get this “AI creates everything” future, whether we want it or not.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-tribeca-film-festival-will-debut-a-bunch-of-short-films-made-by-ai-181534064.html?src=rss
Acer has introduced the SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera, a new 3D camera designed to capture and view stereoscopic images in immersive 3D. This device integrates seamlessly with Acer’s SpatialLabs suite, enhancing real-time streaming, storytelling, and video calling capabilities on platforms like Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet. Priced at $549 in North America and EUR 549 in EMEA, the camera will be available in Q3 2024.
Key features of the SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera include 8-megapixel resolution per eye, a built-in selfie mirror, weatherproof exterior, and advanced optical systems with auto and touch focus, Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), and manual mode for experienced photographers. The camera’s design has received the 2024 RedDot and iF Design Awards for its innovation and usability.
The SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera also supports real-time 3D streaming via Acer’s new SpatialLabs Player 3.0 and enables high-resolution 3D video conferencing with customizable depth features.
Users can review their 3D content on various devices, including Acer SpatialLabs laptops, VR/AR headsets, and 3D projectors, with a downloadable gallery feature for revisiting 3D portfolios.
Acer has expanded its developer tools for 3D content creation with new plug-ins for Unreal 5.3 and Unity 2021.3 LTS and 2022.3 LTS, along with the SpatialLabs Model Viewer Pro application.
This application enhances 3D workflows with features such as a virtual turntable, logo overlays, customizable backgrounds, and HDRI support, making it ideal for professional presentations and 3D installations.
Jerry Kao, COO of Acer Inc., highlighted the company’s aim to empower users to capture the world in stunning stereoscopic 3D, completing Acer’s stereoscopic 3D portfolio. For more details, visit the SpatialLabs developer site or contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.
Acer Launches SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera For Immersive 3D Capture
, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
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