Kaizen Game Works' developers discusses working with the former Tango Gameworks artist.

Plus: iRobot unveils its new robo vacs, JBL pimps its most beloved speakers, a bright future for TCL TVs, and more.

The old teach a man to fish proverb, but for AI chatbots.

MacworldWhen your Mac starts acting up, youll probably run through some common troubleshooting procedures, such as restarting it, running Disk Utility, and perhaps performing a Safe Boot. Your repair repertoire should also include a couple of additional procedures that can occasionally eliminate otherwise inscrutable problemszapping the NVRAM and resetting the SMC.The procedures here apply to Intel-based Macs. M-Series Macs dont have a procedure for zapping the NVRAM, and they dont have an SMC. For M-series Macs, try shutting down the computer, waiting for several seconds, and then booting it.What is PRAM?Back in the day, the standard list of quick fixes for random Mac ailments always included clearing the PRAM. The P in PRAM stood for parameter (the RAM was just RAMrandom access memory), and it referred to a small amount of special, battery-backed memory in every Mac that stored information the computer needed before it loaded the operating system. If the values in this memory got out of whack for one reason or another, your Mac might not start up correctly or might exhibit any of numerous odd behaviors afterward. So you could press a key sequence at startup to reset (or zap) the PRAM, returning it to default, factory values.What is NVRAM?Modern Macs no longer use PRAM; they instead use something called NVRAM (NV for non-volatile). NVRAM serves approximately the same purpose as PRAM, but instead of storing a dozen or more pieces of information, it now contains just a few: your selected startup disk, speaker volume, screen resolution, time zone, andif your Mac has crashed recentlydetails of the last kernel panic.NVRAM corruption is fairly uncommon, but if your Mac seems to take forever to figure out the correct boot disc, starts up with the wrong screen resolution, or suffers from weird audio problems (like theres no sound whatsoever or the menu bars volume control is grayed out), a reset of the NVRAM might helpand its quick and harmless.When should you reset NVRAM?If you notice that your Mac settings continuously get thrown out of whack, it might be time to reset the NVRAM. For example, if you notice that your screen resolution or sound volume never stays at the setting you want, or the date and time are always wrong. If you notice annoying problems that dont get fixed by adjusting your settings, or your settings never seem to take, try resetting the NVRAM.Is it safe to reset the NVRAM?When you rest the NVRAM, your Mac will revert to factory default settings. So its safe in the sense it that it does not harm the Mac, but you might think of it as unsafe in that any customization youve done to the system settings may be lost. You may have to go back and reinstate some of those settings.How reset NRAMM-series MacsOn M-series Macs, the NVRAM is tested during the startup process, and if the system detects a need to reset, it will. There isnt a key combination that you hold down while starting up the Mac. If you would like the system to inspect the NVRAM on an M-series Mac, shut it down completely, wait a few seconds, and then power up the Mac.Intel MacsTo reset your NVRAM, you use exactly the same procedure you once used to reset PRAM. Shut down your Mac. Press the power button, and as soon as you power up the laptop, hold down Command-Option-P-R. Keep holding down those keys for about 20 seconds. Then let go and allow your Mac to continue starting normally. If you have an older Mac that chimes at boot, hold down the keys until you hear a second startup chime. Then check the Startup Disk, Display, and Date & Time panes of System Preferences to make sure theyre set the way you want them. If you hold down Command-Option-P-R at startup and you see nothing but a gray screen that doesnt change for several minutesno Apple logo, no progress bar, no second startup chimedont panic. The most likely cause is that your Mac isnt registering the key presses due to wonkiness with a USB device. Disconnect all USB devices (except your keyboard, if its a wired keyboard), hold the power button down until the Mac shuts off completely, and then press it again and immediately hold down Command-Option-P-R.If that doesnt work and youre using an external Bluetooth keyboard, try plugging in a USB keyboard instead. If youre able to reset the NVRAM successfully with the wired keyboard, you can disconnect it and go back to your normal Bluetooth keyboard.TerminalMore advanced users can try using the Terminal to reset to NVRAM, though if youve reached this option the problem is likely bigger than resetting NVRAM. And as with all Terminal commands, the usual caveats apply: Youre messing with macOSs bash shell and could do irrevocable damage with the wrong keystroke. But if youd like to try, you can type the following command into a new Terminal window:nvram-cAfter running the command, restart your Mac so the changes can take effect.What is SMC?Yet another component of an Intel Macs hardware that stores crucial settings is the System Management Controller (SMC). This circuit deals with power management, temperature monitoring and fan control, status lights, keyboard backlights, and a few other components.What should you rest the SMC?If your SMC becomes confused, you could experience problems like excessive fan noise, slow performance even though Activity Monitor doesnt show the CPU being overtaxed, apps that take forever to launch, batteries that dont charge correctly, problems with sleep or wake, and so on. (You can see a longer list on this Apple support page.) As with zapping the NVRAM, resetting the SMC to factory defaults may resolve these problems.Is it safe to reset the SMC?It is safe to reset the SMC. You should check your Battery system preferences afterward to see if your customizations have been maintained.How to reset the SMCM-series MacsM-series Macs dont have a System Management Controller (SMC). The functions the SMC handled are now handled by the M chip itself. Postings on Apples forums suggest shutting down an M-series Mac completely and leaving it off for 30 seconds to perform something like an SMC reset. After 30 seconds, power on the Mac.If your problems persist, you can try reinstalling the M-series Macs firmware. Its a procedure thats a little more complicated than what you might be used to. You need another Mac with the Apple Configurator 2 app installed, a USB-C cable that supports both power and data (used to connect the two Macs), and an internet connection. Apple has the full details on how to revive or restore a Mac with Apple silicon with Apple Configurator 2.Intel Macs Apple says you shouldnt reset the SMC without first trying other troubleshooting tasks, such as force-quitting problematic apps and restarting your Mac. However, Apple doesnt mention any negative consequences of resetting the SMC, nor any way to determine for sure if the SMC is glitchy without resetting it and noticing that the problem went away. Weve reset my Macs SMCs many times with no apparent ill effects, and on one occasion that did turn out to be the solution to a problem.Before you can reset your SMC, you must shut down your Mac. After that, the procedure varies depending on the type of Mac you have. Desktop Macs: Disconnect the power cord (either from the Mac or from the AC outlet). Wait 15 seconds and plug it back in. Then wait another 5 seconds and turn the Mac back on. Laptops with the T2 chip: Shut down. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release it. After afew seconds, press thepower buttonto turn on your Mac.If this doesnt reset the SMC, shut down. On the laptop keyboard, press and hold Control-Option-Shift (your Mac might turn on). Hold these keys for 7 seconds, then press and hold the power button. If your Mac is on, it will turn off while you hold down the keys for another 7 seconds. Then release the keys, wait a few seconds and turn on the laptop. Laptops (no T2 chip) with non-removable batteries: Shut down and unplug your Mac. On the built-in keyboard, press and hold the Shift, Option, and Control keys on the left side and press the power button and hold all of these down for 10 seconds, then release the keys. Connect the power adapter and then turn the Mac on normally. Laptops (no T2 chip) with removable batteries:Shut down your Mac. Disconnect the power cord and remove the battery. Press the power button, hold it for 5 seconds, and then let go. Put the battery back in, reconnect the power cord, and turn the Mac on normally. Although neither of these procedures is a guaranteed cure, both of them can solve a number of odd problems, and are worth a few minutes of your time before hauling your Mac in to see the local Apple Genius.TerminalThere is no Terminal command for resetting the SMC.

In recent years, the integration of image generation technologies into various platforms has opened new avenues for enhancing user experiences. However, as these multimodal AI systemscapable of processing and generating multiple data forms like text and imagesexpand, challenges such as caption hallucination have emerged. This phenomenon occurs when AI-generated descriptions of images contain inaccuracies or irrelevant details, potentially diminishing user trust and engagement. Traditional methods of evaluating these systems often rely on manual inspection, which is neither scalable nor efficient, highlighting the need for automated and reliable evaluation tools tailored to multimodal AI applications.Addressing these challenges, Patronus AI has introduced the industrys first Multimodal LLM-as-a-Judge (MLLM-as-a-Judge), designed to evaluate and optimize AI systems that convert image inputs into text outputs. This tool utilizes Googles Gemini model, selected for its balanced judgment approach and consistent scoring distribution, distinguishing it from alternatives like OpenAIs GPT-4V, which has shown higher levels of egocentricity. The MLLM-as-a-Judge aligns with Patronus AIs commitment to advancing scalable oversight of AI systems, providing developers with the means to assess and enhance the performance of their multimodal applications.Technically, the MLLM-as-a-Judge is equipped to process and evaluate image-to-text generation tasks. It offers built-in evaluators that create a ground truth snapshot of images by analyzing attributes such as text presence and location, grid structures, spatial orientation, and object identification. The suite of evaluators includes criteria like:caption-describes-primary-objectcaption-describes-non-primary-objectscaption-hallucinationcaption-hallucination-strictcaption-mentions-primary-object-locationThese evaluators enable a thorough assessment of image captions, ensuring that generated descriptions accurately reflect the visual content. Beyond verifying caption accuracy, the MLLM-as-a-Judge can be used to test the relevance of product screenshots in response to user queries, validate the accuracy of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) extractions for tabular data, and assess the fidelity of AI-generated brand images and logos. A practical application of the MLLM-as-a-Judge is its implementation by Etsy, a prominent e-commerce platform specializing in handmade and vintage products. Etsys AI team employs generative AI to automatically generate captions for product images uploaded by sellers, streamlining the listing process. However, they encountered quality issues with their multimodal AI systems, as the autogenerated captions often contained errors and unexpected outputs. To address this, Etsy integrated Judge-Image, a component of the MLLM-as-a-Judge, to evaluate and optimize their image captioning system. This integration allowed Etsy to reduce caption hallucinations, thereby improving the accuracy of product descriptions and enhancing the overall user experience. In conclusion, as organizations continue to adopt and scale multimodal AI systems, addressing the unpredictability of these systems becomes essential. Patronus AIs MLLM-as-a-Judge offers an automated solution to evaluate and optimize image-to-text AI applications, mitigating issues such as caption hallucination. By providing built-in evaluators and leveraging advanced models like Google Gemini, the MLLM-as-a-Judge enables developers and organizations to enhance the reliability and accuracy of their multimodal AI systems, ultimately fostering greater user trust and engagement.Check outthe Technical Details.All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,feel free to follow us onTwitterand dont forget to join our80k+ ML SubReddit. Asif RazzaqWebsite| + postsBioAsif Razzaq is the CEO of Marktechpost Media Inc.. As a visionary entrepreneur and engineer, Asif is committed to harnessing the potential of Artificial Intelligence for social good. His most recent endeavor is the launch of an Artificial Intelligence Media Platform, Marktechpost, which stands out for its in-depth coverage of machine learning and deep learning news that is both technically sound and easily understandable by a wide audience. The platform boasts of over 2 million monthly views, illustrating its popularity among audiences.Asif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Allen Institute for AI (AI2) Releases OLMo 32B: A Fully Open Model to Beat GPT 3.5 and GPT-4o mini on a Suite of Multi-Skill BenchmarksAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/A Coding Guide to Build a Multimodal Image Captioning App Using Salesforce BLIP Model, Streamlit, Ngrok, and Hugging FaceAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Simular Releases Agent S2: An Open, Modular, and Scalable AI Framework for Computer Use AgentsAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Alibaba Researchers Introduce R1-Omni: An Application of Reinforcement Learning with Verifiable Reward (RLVR) to an Omni-Multimodal Large Language Model Parlant: Build Reliable AI Customer Facing Agents with LLMs (Promoted)

Learn how to convert distance, currency and more in Calculator without internet or any another app.

The latest Android 16 beta build focuses on stability ahead of the official launch in June.

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The Corridors of TimeDrop it like it's notJim Norman, Staff WriterThose pesky little nonogram puzzles have sunk their claws into me again with Mario's Picross on NSO. I haven't played every game in the series by any stretch, but damn, do I love seeing those silly little pictures at the end of each stage!Gavin's chatter about Hades in recent weeks has got me keen to head back to the underworld for a couple of runs too, though I have friends staying this weekend so I can't see myself getting the time to play much outside Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Nintendo Switch Sports.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798kAlex Olney, Senior Video ProducerMaybe it's the fact that there are so many rumours about a remake, or maybe it's because I'm just nostalgic for a far less happy time in my life, but I've been playing an awful lot of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion recently. A habit I intend to continue this weekend wherever possible.I want to try foraging for some ramsons/wild garlic, and I also nabbed a copy of The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants on the NES from one of my chums, so I may well give that a go. I know, I know, it's early in the season, but the unseasonal warmth has apparently caused an early start for the delicious alliums. Wish me luck!Craig Reid, ContributorFor most of this weekend, Ill be on Split Fiction with my lady love, but outside of that, I plan to get back into Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Its been a long old while since I last played, having gotten pretty far with gammy-armed Link. I suppose now is the time to dust off our golden hero boy for another romp through Hyrule.Ill be honest, though Ill probably just keep going with Mario & Luigi: Brothership. Its taking me ages since I only seem to play on weekends funny behaviour, huh?Happy gaming, folks!Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798kWatch on YouTube Gavin Lane, EditorI finished Hades! By which I mean I escaped enough times to get the proper ending, though I still get the sense I've only seen 50% of the game. The backlog calls, though, and I do get satisfaction from rolling credits. Arco is still on my To Finish list, I was having a great time with Yakuza, I've just started Ori, and Hades has me itching to go back to Transistor. Plenty to be getting on with. Have a great one, folks.Gonalo Lopes, ContributorDid I really think I could finish FANTASIAN Neo Dimension before Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition arrived? I sure did, but it's not going to happen, I think Im not even halfway into it, but I sure am loving it so far and hope to finish it one day, possibly after I am done with Mira (next century then). Not much else going on Switch, so I will be replaying Tom Clancys H.A.W.X and its sequel. I will also play Metal Slader Glory: Directors Cut for the Super Famicom. Despite visual novels not being my forte, I always loved the Famicom original and am now very happy to dive into its 16-bit enhanced version. And on that note...My game of the week is Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special! It only took three decades, but fans have translated the visual novel story mode to English, penned by none other than undertaker turned video game producer Suda51. Its about a rookie upstart that rises up the ranks of the wrestling world to become the legendary top champion, a real feel-good story with a happy ending for everyone. I am extremely happy to finally have this game in my humble Super Famicom collection.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798kAlana Hagues, Deputy EditorI've got the endgame of Legends: Arceus to get through this weekend. I'm so glad I decided to replay it - it's reminded me of what makes Pokmon so darn good.Otherwise, gaming will be a bit light this weekend. I don't want to start anything huge before Xenoblade drops next week, so I'm thinking it's time to play Ender Lilies, and then move onto the sequel later in the year. Have a good one, folks!That's what we have planned for the weekend, but what about you? Let us know in the following poll which games you're planning on booting up over the next couple of days.What are you playing this weekend (15th/16th March)? (16 votes)Sonic Frontiers (Switch)1Related GamesSee Also

Tech AI dashcams enhance trucker safety while raising privacy concerns New technology raises concerns about privacy and constant monitoring Published March 15, 2025 6:00am EDT close AI dashcams make roads safer for truckers, but at what cost to privacy There are concerns about how the technology might affect personal space and data security. The trucking industry is in the midst of a technological revolution, thanks to the arrival of artificial intelligence-powered dashcams.These innovative devices promise to make roads safer and operations more efficient, but they also raise some important questions about privacy.For truck drivers, other motorists and even pedestrians, there are valid concerns about how this technology might affect their personal space and data security.STAY PROTECTED & INFORMED! GET SECURITY ALERTS & EXPERT TECH TIPS SIGN UP FOR KURTS THE CYBERGUY REPORT NOW AI dashcam system (Motive)The promise of AI dashcamsAI dashcams are transforming road safety and fleet management through advanced computer vision technology. These smart devices, equipped with both inward- and outward-facing cameras, can detect a wide range of unsafe driving behaviors.The outward-facing cameras are capable of detecting rolling stops, unsafe lane changes and potential collisions, while the inward-facing cameras monitor driver drowsiness, distraction, seatbelt violations and smoking. The accuracy of these systems is impressive, with detection rates ranging from 88% to 99.5% and false positives as low as 0.5% to 12%.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?FusionSite Services, a waste management provider, installedMotive's AI dashcam system across their 800-unit fleet, resulting in a significant reduction in accidents and unsafe behaviors. Specifically, it saw an 89% decrease in accidents and a 92% decrease in unsafe behaviors, highlighting the tangible impact of this technology on safety. AI dashcam system (Motive)Privacy concernsDespite the safety benefits, the installation of AI dashcams raises significant privacy issues. Many truck drivers view their vehicles as second homes, especially long-haul drivers who spend extended periods on the road. The constant presence of cameras in their workspace raises concerns about perceived invasion of privacy in personal space, fear of constant surveillance and micromanagement and worries about data security and potential misuse of collected information.The use of outward-facing cameras also affects the privacy of other road users because they may record private citizens without consent. There is a risk of data breaches exposing personal information or location data and concerns about how footage might be used or shared. These concerns underscore the need for careful consideration of privacy rights when deploying such technology.To address some of these privacy concerns, Motive has implemented features such as Driver Privacy Mode, which allows drivers to disable the driver-facing camera while off duty. Additionally, Motive's AI dashcam system includes privacy controls and the option to activate Driver Privacy Mode for individual drivers, groups or entire fleets. Motive's AI dash cam also incorporates blurring technology to protect the privacy of individuals captured in the footage, further addressing concerns about recording private citizens without consent.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE AI dashcam system (Motive)Legal and ethical considerationsThe implementation of AI dashcams must navigate a complex landscape of legal and ethical considerations. In some jurisdictions, like California, the use of such cameras is not considered a violation of state laws. However, in Illinois, a lawsuit has been filed against Samsara, alleging violations of the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) for capturing and storing drivers' facial scans without proper consent. This highlights the importance of understanding and complying with local regulations when using AI dashcams. AI dashcam system (Motive)Balancing safety and privacyTo address privacy concerns while maintaining safety benefits, companies should develop clear policies on camera usage and data access. Cameras should only record during specific events rather than continuously, and robust data security measures must be established to prevent breaches and misuse.Providing comprehensive training to drivers on the purpose and benefits of the technology is also crucial. Open communication and trust between management and drivers are essential for fostering a positive environment where both safety and privacy are respected.As reported byThe Trucker, an authority on all things in the trucking and freight industry, "Truck drivers are not much different than the rest of us in our desire to adapt to technological advances. At first, they don't want to, and some may go as far as getting out of the business. Eventually, like many of us, once we do adapt to the changing landscape, it soon becomes second nature.However, a driver-facing camera may be too much of an invasion of personal privacy." AI dashcam system (Motive)Kurt's key takeawaysAI dashcams represent a significant advancement in road safety technology, offering tangible benefits in reducing accidents and improving driver behavior. However, the implementation of these systems must be carefully balanced against privacy concerns. As the technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for companies, policymakers and drivers to work together to establish guidelines that protect individual privacy while harnessing the safety potential of AI dashcams. The future of trucking safety lies in finding this delicate balance between technological innovation and personal privacy rights.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPWhat are your thoughts on the balance between safety and privacy when it comes to using AI dashcams in trucking?Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to coverFollow Kurt on his social channelsAnswers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.