Visa has reduced data retrieval from hours to mere minutes and blocked $40 billion in fraud thanks to gen AI tools.Read More

Over the weekend, former NASA engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober published a video that sought to demonstrate the difference between Teslas camera-only Autopilot system and a vehicle equipped with lidar. He wanted to see whether the vehicles would stop automatically before hitting a Wile E. Coyote-style wall that was painted to look like a road. Spoiler alert: the lidar-equipped vehicle brakes before crashing into the wall, while the Tesla Model Y plows right through it.The video was a huge hit, amassing 10 million views in just two days. A lot of people praised Rober for exposing the dangers posed by Teslas driver-assist system. But others accused Rober of faking the video, noting a number of inconsistencies. Some claimed the video was a secret ploy by Teslas enemies to undermine Elon Musks mission to advanced self-driving cars, thanks to the extensive promotion of Luminar throughout the video. I reached out to Rober to see if he wanted to address any of these claims but havent yet heard back.Personally, I take issue with the title of Robers video, Can you fool a self-driving car. Neither vehicle in the test was self-driving. Autopilot, which is Teslas first-generation driver-assistance feature, does not enable a car to drive itself. And Tesla actually warns drivers to remain engaged and pay attention to the road while using Autopilot. Rober falls victim to that classic blunder: conflating advanced driver assistance with self-driving. Weve all been there.Lets see if we can address some of the other issues as well.Claim No. 1: Autopilot isnt on during the testMost of the criticism about Robers video falls into the bucket of people who think he faked the test to make Tesla look bad. They note that Autopilot doesnt appear to be engaged during the moment when the vehicle smashes through the fake wall, citing images of the vehicles central display that lack the telltale graphics blue indicator lines and a rainbow road that signal when Autopilot is on.The noise got so loud that Rober eventually responded by releasing raw footage of the test that does indeed show that Autopilot was engaged a few seconds before the crash.Claim No. 2: Autopilot disengages right before impactBut wait! Eagle-eyed viewers note that Autopilot appears to disengage a split second before impact. Tesla defenders claim that Robers hands on the steering wheel actually disengage the system, while more conspiratorially minded folk wonder if this is actually a huge scandal. Is Autopilot programmed by Tesla to turn off moments before a crash to avoid taking the blame?Yes and no. This aspect of Autopilot has been known for many years. Rober didnt uncover it, but that doesnt make it any less questionable.In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released an investigation into dozens of incidents in which Tesla drivers, while using Autopilot, crashed into stationary emergency vehicles that were parked on the side of the road. In 16 of those crashes, investigators discovered that Autopilot aborted vehicle control less than one second prior to the first impact.A lot of critics assume this is Teslas way to avoid getting blamed when its Autopilot system fails to respond to an imminent crash. And yeah, I can see how it certainly looks that way. But NHTSA didnt find any evidence that suggests Teslas intentions were nefarious. And its worth noting that a crash that takes place within five seconds of Autopilot being deactivated is still registered by Tesla as an Autopilot crash.Claim No. 3: Autopilot is an outdated systemTesla fans also took issue with Robers use of Autopilot for the test, noting that the system hasnt been updated in years and that Teslas Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature is the more up-to-date and capable system.But if the purpose of Robers video was to expose the difference between Teslas camera-only approach to self-driving and those relying on cameras alongside lidar and other sensors, it doesnt really make sense to criticize his use of Autopilot. FSD may be more technologically mature than Autopilot, but it still relies on the same cameras as its predecessor.Tesla infamously removed the forward-facing radar and ultrasonic sensors from its vehicles in 2021 in favor of the new Tesla Vision approach. A number of engineers raised objections at the time only to be overruled by Musk.Sure, FSD has a more sophisticated software stack, trained on end-to-end neural networks to include city, highway, and parking lot driving scenarios. Its easy to fire off a post on X claiming the system would have braked before running into Robers fake wall. But it also could have made the same error. After all, this is the same company that knew Autopilot had difficulty detecting truck trailers crossing the path of the vehicle and did nothing to fix it.Claim No. 4: there were multiple takesIn the original video posted on YouTube, Rober engages Autopilot while traveling at 39mph. But in the raw footage he posted on X, the system is activated at 42mph raising speculation that there were multiple takes and that Rober is heightening the drama for his YouTube audience.To which I would say, yeah, no shit. If you really think a YouTuber with 65 million followers isnt doing multiple takes in every video before publishing, I have some lovely seaside property to sell you in Ohio.Claim No. 5: it was sponconScreenshot: Drive Tesla CanadaThe prominence of lidar company Luminars logo throughout the video has raised questions about whether Rober was paid by the company to promote its technology. And Luminar has conducted its own tests against Teslas vehicles in the past to show the advantages of the laser sensor over a camera-only system. As noted by Drive Tesla Canada, Luminar even promoted Robers video on its own website before removing it.In the videos notes, Rober thanks Luminar for the use of its lidar-equipped vehicle but notes that no compensation was given, and this is not a paid promotion.Claim No. 6: the Pixel phone in the video was photoshoppedRober supposedly uses a Pixel phone to film some of the shots inside the vehicles, but some users on X note that the G on the back of the phone is vertical even when the phone is in landscape, which has led some to speculate that hes actually filming with an iPhone. Rober has used Pixel phones in past videos, but theres no mention of Google as a sponsor of the video.Yeah, I got nothing here. It looks pretty sloppy. And I will note that using Photoshop in a video without disclosing it to your audience opens you up to many valid questions about what else you might be manipulating.Claim No. 7: the hole in the wall was fakeThat is one Looney Tunes-shaped hole, if I ever saw one. If youre pre-scoring the hole, it seems clear youre planning to drive through it. Thats all folks.See More:

The AI search engine Perplexity just debuted a new ad featuring Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, whos trapped in a room and must answer a series of questions to escape. One question targets Googles AI gaffe last year, as Lee taps Perplexity to answer, How do I make cheese stick to a pizza?The AI Overviews in Google Search use results from across the web to feed a summary written by Googles AI tool. However, users quickly found issues with the feature, including one specific response that said Mix about 1/8 cup of Elmers glue in the sauce to make cheese stick to pizza.With growing competition from Perplexity and others, Google announced earlier this month that it would start showing AI Overviews for more queries, whether or not theyre wanted. Meanwhile, Perplexity, which bills itself as an answer engine, has been accused of plagiarizing content.In the new commercial, Lee whips out his phone in search of answers, and after getting disappointing results from Poogle, he turns to Perplexity for a response. Use fresh, low-moisture mozzarella. Dont use glue, Perplexitys AI assistant says.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a powerful technology that converts images of text into machine-readable content. With the growing need for automation in data extraction, OCR tools have become an essential part of many applications, from digitizing documents to extracting information from scanned images. In this tutorial, we will build an OCR app that runs effortlessly on Google Colab, leveraging tools like OpenCV for image processing, Tesseract-OCR for text recognition, NumPy for array manipulations, and Matplotlib for visualization. By the end of this guide, you can upload an image, preprocess it, extract text, and download the results, all within a Colab notebook.!apt-get install -y tesseract-ocr!pip install pytesseract opencv-python numpy matplotlibTo set up the OCR environment in Google Colab, we first install Tesseract-OCR, an open-source text recognition engine, using apt-get. Also, we install essential Python libraries like pytesseract (for interfacing with Tesseract), OpenCV (for image processing), NumPy (for numerical operations), and Matplotlib (for visualization).import cv2import pytesseractimport numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as pltfrom google.colab import filesfrom PIL import ImageNext, we import the necessary libraries for image processing and OCR tasks. OpenCV (cv2) is used for reading and preprocessing images, while pytesseract provides an interface to the Tesseract OCR engine for text extraction. NumPy (np) helps with array manipulations, and Matplotlib (plt) visualizes processed images. Google Colabs files module allows users to upload images, and PIL (Image) facilitates image conversions required for OCR processing.uploaded = files.upload()filename = list(uploaded.keys())[0]To process an image for OCR, we first need to upload it to Google Colab. The files.upload() function from Google Colabs files module enables users to select and upload an image file from their local system. The uploaded file is stored in a dictionary, with the filename as the key. We extract the filename using list(uploaded.keys())[0], which allows us to access and process the uploaded image in the subsequent steps.def preprocess_image(image_path): image = cv2.imread(image_path) gray = cv2.cvtColor(image, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY) _, thresh = cv2.threshold(gray, 150, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY + cv2.THRESH_OTSU) return threshprocessed_image = preprocess_image(filename)plt.imshow(processed_image, cmap='gray')plt.axis('off')plt.show()To improve OCR accuracy, we apply a preprocessing function that enhances image quality for text extraction. The preprocess_image() function first reads the uploaded image using OpenCV (cv2.imread()) and converts it to grayscale using cv2.cvtColor(), as grayscale images are more effective for OCR. Next, we apply binary thresholding with Otsus method using cv2.threshold(), which helps distinguish text from the background by converting the image into a high-contrast black-and-white format. Finally, the processed image is displayed using Matplotlib (plt.imshow()).def extract_text(image): pil_image = Image.fromarray(image) text = pytesseract.image_to_string(pil_image) return textextracted_text = extract_text(processed_image)print("Extracted Text:")print(extracted_text)The extract_text() function performs OCR on the preprocessed image. Since Tesseract-OCR requires a PIL image format, we first convert the NumPy array (processed image) into a PIL image using Image.fromarray(image). Then, we pass this image to pytesseract.image_to_string(), which extracts and returns the detected text. Finally, the extracted text is printed, showcasing the OCR result from the uploaded image.with open("extracted_text.txt", "w") as f: f.write(extracted_text)files.download("extracted_text.txt")To ensure the extracted text is easily accessible, we save it as a text file using Pythons built-in file handling. The open(extracted_text.txt, w) command creates (or overwrites) a text file and writes the extracted OCR output into it. After saving the file, we use files.download(extracted_text.txt) to provide an automatic download link.In conclusion, by integrating OpenCV, Tesseract-OCR, NumPy, and Matplotlib, we have successfully built an OCR application that can process images and extract text in Google Colab. This workflow provides a simple yet effective way to convert scanned documents, printed text, or handwritten content into digital text format. The preprocessing steps ensure better accuracy, and the ability to save and download results makes it convenient for further analysis.Here is the Colab Notebook. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitterand join ourTelegram ChannelandLinkedIn Group. 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/Cohere Released Command A: A 111B Parameter AI Model with 256K Context Length, 23-Language Support, and 50% Cost Reduction for EnterprisesAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/A Code Implementation to Build an AI-Powered PDF Interaction System in Google Colab Using Gemini Flash 1.5, PyMuPDF, and Google Generative AI APIAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Meet Attentive Reasoning Queries (ARQs): A Structured Approach to Enhancing Large Language Model Instruction Adherence, Decision-Making Accuracy, and Hallucination Prevention in AI-Driven Conversational SystemsAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Patronus AI Introduces 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

Hulu has been around for a while and, for our money, it's one of the absolute best streaming services available. From great movies like Anatomy of a Fall and Prey to excellent television series like the Golden Globe-winning Shogun, Abbott Elementary, and The Bear there is always something awesome to watch. Oscar Best Picture winner Anora is also now available to stream on the service, so there's no better time than now to get set up with a plan.Below, we've detailed all of the best Hulu deals and bundles so you can get started on your streaming adventures with its library right away. This includes the brand-new Hulu, Disney+, and Max streaming bundle, which starts at just $16.99/month and is currently the best value available for the streaming services following the Disney Plus and Hulu price hikes. To see even more streaming deals, make sure to check out our roundups of the best Disney Plus deals and the best Max deals.Get Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic for $2.99/Month for Four MonthsDeal ends on March 30Disney+ and Hulu Bundle BasicGet both services for $2.99 a month for the first four months.See itFor a limited time, until March 30, you can score the Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic plan (previously called the Duo Basic bundle, which offers both streaming services with ads) for just $2.99/month for your first four months. This saves you 85% per month on the bundle, which is a great little springtime deal to take advantage of. New and eligible returning customers can subscribe to the bundle deal as well.How to Get The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming BundleThe Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased on any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across all three platforms. If you're looking to cut down on streaming costs and currently own all three of these, this is an excellent bundle to invest in. It'll save you quite a bit compared to what you'd pay for the three of them separately per month - 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan. Get the Disney+, Hulu, Max Streaming Bundle$16.99/month with ads, $29.99/month ad-free.See it at HuluHulu deal for students Get Hulu (With Ads) for just $1.99/monthHulu Deal for Students - Get Hulu (With Ads) for $1.99/Month$1.99 at HuluIf you're a student enrolled in a university (a US Title IV accredited college or university, per Hulu's website), you can sign up for Hulu (With Ads) for $1.99 a month. That's an excellent deal if you're a student, saving you $8 on the usual monthly price. Hulu subscription tiersHulu SubscriptionsSee itHulu is available in a couple of different tiers. The least expensive option is the ad-supported tier, which comes in at $9.99/month. This gives you access to everything exclusive, tons of movies, Hulu Originals, children's programming, and more. If you want to ditch the ads, the ad-free plan is $18.99/month. Hulu: Bundle to BestIf you want a more affordable option when it comes to a Hulu subscription, you can't go wrong with a bundle, and Hulu has several to choose from:Hulu + Live TV (With Ads) $82.99/month and includes Disney+ and ESPN+. It also gives you access to more than 75 channels with live TV and unlimited DVR functionality. The Hulu + Live TV plan also has a three-day free trialHulu + Live TV (Ad-Free) $95.99/month and comes with ad-free versions of Hulu and Disney Plus, although ESPN still shows ads.Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. It lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both Disney+ and Hulu.Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium This bundle is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (with ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.PlayWhat can you watch on Hulu?There is a bonkers amount of shows and movies you can watch on Hulu. Let's start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer with the base subscription, because if we also talk about what is available via Disney+, ESPN+, or live TV, we'll be here forever. (You can also sync up Hulu with HBO to gain access to things like Succession and House of the Dragon.)Here's what you get:Network and Hulu Original television shows (AMC, Adult Swim, ABC, A&E, FX, etc.)Movies (HBO, Hulu Originals, anime films, etc.)Sports (NHL, Soccer, MLB, Auto Racing, NFL, College Football, PGA, Tennis, etc.)News (ABC News Live, Good Morning America, World News Tonight, 20/20, The View, etc.)Hulu televisionHulu has some amazing shows, both those that are finished and many which are ongoing. For comedy, there are plenty of options to choose from, including New Girl, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, What We Do In The Shadows, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Broad City, Abbott Elementary, and so much more.PlayThere are also some big Hulu originals to watch, including The Bear, The Old Man, The Handmaid's Tale, and Only Murders In The Building.As far as animated fare, there are modern adult classics like Rick and Morty and Bob's Burgers, as well as Futurama, Family Guy, and King of the Hill. Anime staples like Cowboy Bebop are also available. And if you want to bring more youth-friendly fun, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, and Curious George are just a small sample of what Hulu has available.The future of HuluHulu isn't going anywhere. As a matter of fact, beyond it being awarded the best streaming service by us and receiving a 9/10 in our updated Hulu review, it was bought in full by Disney in November 2023 and the House of Mouse has created a one-app experience for those bundling Hulu and Disney+. With an FX partnership, Hulu is also home to those shows, including the latest drama miniseries, Shogun.Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.Original story from Brian Barnett.

Spoilers for all four episodes of Adolescence below.Theres a moment toward the end of the third episode of Adolescence thats unlike anything youve ever seen on television. Up until this point, the new Netflix limited series - consisting of four hour-long single-take episodes - toys with your understanding of right and wrong and dangles in front of you the possibility that the shows 13-year-old protagonist couldnt possibly, despite video evidence, be capable of murder. But in one brief and subtle moment, you know deep down in your soul that he absolutely is. Adolescence follows the dramatic aftermath of a horrific crime: Katie, a teenage girl, has been found stabbed to death in a car park and her classmate Jamie Miller is the prime suspect. Jamie, played in a star-making turn by newcomer Owen Cooper, swears he is innocent from the moment police barge into his bedroom in the shows opening minutes. But slowly, over the course of four taut and gutwrenching episodes, you come to realize not only that Jamie did it, but that of course he did it. Adolescence GalleryThis realization crystallizes near the climax of the shows third hour. Until then weve witnessed Jamies interrogation by police (Episode 1) and his classmates reactions to the murder (Episode 2). Episode 3 is a brilliant two-hander between Jamie and psychologist Briony Ariston, played by The Crowns Erin Doherty, whos come to evaluate Jamie for a final time seven months after the murder. The episode plays out like a game of cat and mouse in which the mouse is already captured and uses every tool in his arsenal - charm, despair, and outright rage - to try and escape. After several violent outbursts in which Jamie cracks his heretofore borderline cherubic facade, Briony finally seems to have him cornered. She presses Jamie on what exactly transpired during the night in question, and we think we slowly - finally - see him break. Briony gets him to admit that he had been bullied by Katie and was enraged by her rejection of his romantic overtures, a perfect motive if there ever was one. But Jamie continues to protest. Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston, in Adolescence. Cr. Courtesy of Ben Blackall/Netflix 2024All I did. All I did was he nervously starts. But then, Jamies sullen face warps into a smile and he laughs. Look at you, he continues, turning his menacing gaze toward Briony. All hopeful like Im gonna say something important. Jamie looks at Briony for an instant, his twisted grin lingering, before putting his mask back on and returning to his version of events. Its in this fleeting moment that the true meaning of the episode and the entire series becomes clear. Previously, the audience was on Jamies side. We believed him when he swore he didnt kill Katie. It must have been some sort of misunderstanding. We believed Jamie because we wanted to. Because it made sense.Because how could a 13-year-old boy stab a girl seven times? But in this moment we comprehend beyond a shadow of a doubt what Jamie is capable of. The scene forces us to realize that all of his pleas and our own unwillingness to believe our own eyes (see the aforementioned video evidence) cant mask the fact that Jamie is a killer.Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, Cr. Courtesy of Netflix 2024Adolescence plays on our well worn perception of what children are capable of. In the premiere episode our first look at Jamie is of him being dragged from his bed, literally wetting himself in fear. Later he openly weeps in front of his father and is forced to undergo a traumatic strip search at the police station. We feel protective of Jamie and convince ourselves that hes innocent. So by the time Episode 3 comes around and it becomes clear that hes guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the real gut punch isnt that Jamie did it - its that wed convinced ourselves that he didnt.Jamies turn in Episode 3 isnt a Primal Fear situation. Theres not an inherently evil monster masked by an angelic little boy until a last-minute twist. Theres just a 13-year-old adolescent with simmering rage whos slowly radicalized by a noxious mix of social media, a warped perception of relationships, and straight-up teenage loneliness. Its difficult for us as an audience to come to grips with, yet it makes perfect sense. Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, Cr. Courtesy of Netflix 2024Im willing to bet Cooper wins an Emmy for his performance in Adolescence. Throw in a Golden Globe, SAG Award, and BAFTA while youre at it because the fact is hes playing multiple intricate characters wrapped in the guise of a single boy. Hes the Jamie we meet at the beginning: a scared little kid whos found himself in an impossible situation. Thats the real Jamie. Then theres the murderer; an entitled almost-man with a short temper whos prone to intimidation. Thats the real Jamie too. The truth is that both sides of Jamie - the frightened kid and the murderous criminal - are real, and thats the horror.

Ahead of a SXSW screening for Chad Hartigans The Threesome, the director of the film came out to address a theater audibly ready to imbibe in the frothiness of a rom-com with a three-way hook-up. This is not unusual for a film festival, of course. Filmmakers are often on hand to discuss their work. Nonetheless, given that this particular theater was also one which served food and drink, burger and beers, Hartigan had a unique pro-tip for his film: finish the finger food early, because the eponymous threesome in the movie arrives shockingly fast. When that comes, no one will want to hear you scarfing down french fries during sexy times.It was sage advice for obvious reasons, but it also in retrospect hinted that Hartigan, screenwriter Ethan Ogilby, and the films three stars had more on their minds than sex comedy hijinks. That is still a major element of The Threesome, too, when Zoey Deutchs cool-girl Olivia convinces a BFF who carries a not-so-secret flame for her, Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), and a sweet young thing hanging out at their restaurant, Jenny (Ruby Cruz), to join her in bed at the same time. However, this night of surprise foreplay and faint naughtinessat least for two of the parties who behave like kids just asked to spend seven minutes of heavenis only the opening salvo. It is the inciting incident; the action which sets the real story in motion.For most assuredly, it is a rare morning (and/or several weeks) after when three people discover that two of them are now pregnant. And apparently from the same night.This setup also invites a certain interpretation when reduced to a logline, one which Olivia, Connor, and Jenny are only too acutely aware of. There are laughs to be had, but pain too. Much of the first third of the film positions Deutch and Hauer-Kings two-thirds of the triangle as those friends who still play will-they-or-wont-they past the point of it being cute. Suddenly at around 30, lifes happened, and its a lot harder for Olivia to just shrug off the fact that if she goes along with building a family with Connor, hell always be the dude, and shell always be the one who settled for the guy who impregnated two women and now has a quasi-second family. To the outside world, or a less empathetic film, she could be the punchline.Fortunately, The Threesome avoids that sort of ickiness in favor of a wiser and wilier romantic comedy of the old school indie sort. This is a movie that embraces the messiness of life and suggests there is more to romance than that first kiss or the best laid plans for happily ever after.Anchored by three compelling performances, especially from the reliably charismatic Deutch and a pleasantly beleaguered, Millennial Job routine by Hauer-King, much of the humor is derived from the energy these three inject into the proceedings. Early on it is a bit like a 60s sex comedy for the Tinder era, with all three parties playing types, albeit Connor and Olivia being the most defined in this regard. Theyre characters perhaps slightly too old to be playing heartbreak gamesthe film opens at the wedding of Connors best friend Greg (a scene-stealing Jaboukie Young-White) where Olivia purposefully dips before Connors Best Man speech, leaving Hauer-King standing for a long beat in the evenings shadowbut theyre attractive and affable. So they can away with bad decisions. Up to a point.One suspects Cruzs Jenny might agree. Introduced as a few crucial years younger than the other two, and as a bit of a blank canvas for Connor, Olivia, and the audience to make guesses about, when Jenny returns to the story to reveal shes actually from a conservative and religious background, sympathies immediately scatter to the wind. You can empathize a lot with the happily expecting couple who discover their child-to-be will have a surprise sibling. But what about the scared young person who is asking for emotional support and instead walks into the hottest of messes? And just wait until her Christian parents ask to meet the father.The further into the wilderness this triangle descends, the more nuance and humanity Hartigans vision quietly, and then loudly, unearths. The comedy is not (only) elicited from the fallout of questionable decisions, but how we as people, prospective partners, and even adults living in 21st century America circumnavigate the social pressures placed on them. For instance, a comedy set in the heartland of Little Rock, Arkansas can unfortunately get a lot of mileage, and pathos, out of a woman needing to consider an abortion thats a 150-mile drive out of state. Conversely, what happens if Jenny and Olivia share the same OBGYN?The Threesome is ultimately a gentle interrogation of what it means to be happy when life goes astray, and the sometimes irreconcilable differences which separate that perceived happiness from our realities.The film raises some especially thorny questions by its third act that its subsequently typical rom-com ending underserves. Hartigan attempts to transcend his genre expectations, yet perhaps a bit like everyone of a certain age, still finally conforms to them. In this way, the possibilities presented by The Threesomes eyebrow-raising premise are more satisfying than the answers. But life can be like that. Just ask Olivia, Jenny, and Connor.The Threesome premiered at SXSW on March 7.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

Hawaii is, for me, a long way from home, geographically and in terms of its sensibility. Prior to undertaking this projectsited, dramatically, in the shadow of a volcano, on the states eponymous Big IslandI had, really, little more understanding of the place than what Id seen in guidebooks and the movies. But by the time the house was completed, I possessed, I believe, a profound understanding of my clients attachment to the localeto the great power that this repository of humbling beauty exerts on the individual. It is good to be reminded that the world is a precious place, and we are its guardians and servantsespecially in a state where one of the local radio stations offers an hourly weather report by broadcasting the temperature in...PARADISE!When you think of the Hawaiian archipelago, you think green. But the Big Island, with its sculptural formations of black lava rock, presents a beauty born of dramatic severity. My clients site, situated within the protected confines of a national park, fully partakes of this setting. The land sits some 500 feet above the Pacificon a clear day, the view of Maui is spectacularwith cascades of wind-rippled grasses, reminiscent of the African savannah, flowing down, down, to the sea. Looking in the opposite direction, one beholds Hawaiis mighty (and sometimes ominous) Mauna Loa, the worlds largest active volcano. The surrounding black lava fields, moreover, are exceptionally fertile, so that the property is separated from its neighbors by dense stands of grasses, wild native plants, and shaggy trees.Rizzoli The Art of Elegance: Classic InteriorsNow 24% Off$55 $42 at AmazonMy clients, who hail from very different backgroundsshe is a native of Sweden, her husband a St. Louis businessmanhad, for this family vacation retreat, a somewhat complicated vision. Most of the local interiors the couple saw proved to be, unexpectedly, quite gloomyclosed off from the islands sylvan natural light, constructed from dark, heavy woods such as mahogany. They wanted a place that harkened back to old Hawaiithat felt authenticbut bright, airy and, especially, romantic. And, not least, a respite and a retreat.The courtyard house they ultimately commissioned precisely reflected those desires. My task was to amplify that lightness of spirit and romance, and also to connect it firmly to the palpable sense of place. And so my studio worked closely with Walker Warner, our clients San Franciscobased architects, on a dwelling that we all agreed would sit ultra-lightly on the land, the structure opening up to embrace the light, the climate, the trade winds, and the exquisite fragrances they carry. Of all the components that factor into my work, one of the most essential, even indispensable, is romanceand this house is, in my estimation, perhaps the most unabashedly and serenely romantic design to which Ive ever put my hand. There is an enveloping comfort, an ease and repose, that beckons one away from the worlds cares and invites one to lounge, drift away, and dream. It is, in a word, my own particular interpretation . . . of paradise. FAST FACTSDesigner:Location: The Space: There is an enveloping comfort, an ease and repose, that beckons one away from the worlds cares and invites one to lounge, drift away, and dream.Related StoriesPATIOLush greenery creates an edenic feeling.Lisa RomereinThere are doors that slide away completely, opening the house to the outside. In the primary bathroom, they open completely to an outdoor soaking tub. It is the epitome of paradise.LIVING ROOMLight furnishings reflects the open architecture.Lisa Romerein The walls in the great room are constructed from a coral stone that isnt remotely indigenous to Hawaii but imparts a rusticity that is light in nature. The floor, a sand-colored limestone pocked with the irregular imprints of prehistoric mollusks, also feels of the place yet was sourced off-island, and the same remains true of the bleached, raw western cedar that we selected for the ceilings. The interlocking rings patterns on the doors and windows, a decorative motif repeated throughout the house, I extrapolated from handwoven antique Hawaiian quilts. The refectory table behind the sofabuilt from a fallen oak on the familys St. Louis property.A more significant influence came from Scandinavia: a collection of carpets, drawing on classic Swedish patterns from the 1940s, that I created specifically for the project. Partly this was a nod to the wifes heritage and her love of the color blue (in which the design is awash). But a no less meaningful reason had to do with the primitive motifs that insinuated themselves into those historic Swedish designs. Their bold, vivid character, and their repetition and rhythm, felt perfectly in sync with the houses tropical situation. KITCHENIt blends California and Hawaii design.Lisa RomereinThe designthe beamed ceiling, horizontal boards on the island, the rustic lintel above the windownods to both Hawaiis colonial architecture and the country villas of California. The screen below the cabinet, comprised of interlocking circles, was inspired by the traditional pie safethat is, a drawer that lets pies cool down while also protecting them from hungry critters.DINING ROOMGlobal touches, from India to the Midwest, combine.Lisa Romerein The form of the elongated light fixture above the dining table (also constructed from my clients fallen St. Louis oakit was a big tree) abstracts traditional Hawaiian roof thatch, called hale. A Chinese screen stands atop an inlaid console table from India. We printed the fabric on the chairs, which resembles the sarongs traditionally worn at festive luaus.BATHROOMAn island vanity is a brilliant use of space.Lisa RomereinOn the other side of the mirror in the primary bath: an identical sink and vanity. The casework is finished in cerused oak; a Swedish cabinet and a Danish chair suggest the unexpected compatibility between Scandinavian design and the aesthetic of the Pacific rim.BEDROOMIt needed a romantic atmosphere.Lisa RomereinMy studio designed the majority of the residences furniture, combining our own sensibility with the local styles, and our fervent experience of the location. Fabrics with Balinese influences and antiques drawing on Chinese origins add a mystical overlay of romance.Nowhere is that feeling more pervasive than the primary suite. I designed the four-poster; the pattern on the folded duvet at the foot of the bed calls to mind the effortless chic of playful, prolific midcentury textile design.About the DesignerMarshall Watson is the founder of the New York design firm Marshall Watson & Reid Deane Ganes. He is known for a European-inspired design style rich in texture, detail, and simple luxuries. The Art of Elegance: Classic Interiors, in which this project appears, is his first book.Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

iOS 19 will reportedly introduce a big redesign, alongside overhauled companion updates like macOS 16 and iPadOS 19. Per Mark Gurman, Apple executives have three goals in mind for the updates, and they sound lofty but spot-on.Executives at Apple have a clear vision for OS overhaulsIn his Power On newsletter over the weekend, Mark Gurman shared some new tidbits about the expected iOS 19 redesign.Some of the more noteworthy details came in a paragraph talking about Apples goals for the new updates.Executives say the goal is to make the operating systems simpler to use, faster to navigate and easier to learn. The software should also set the stage for new hardware designs, including foldable devices and touch-screen Macs. And it will have to adapt to an era dominated by artificial intelligence assistants, rather than people continually dipping in and out of applications.Based on this excerpt, it seems that Apples leaders have three explicit goals. iOS 19 and its other updates must be:Simpler to useFaster to navigateEasier to learnIts also possible that the latter detailsbeing ready for new hardware designs and an AI eraare based on what executives have shared too. But the writing doesnt make clear whether these are just Gurmans assumptions or actual stated goals.Either way, lets focus in on the three items that Gurman does explicitly identify.iOS 19s not-so-easy goals: simpler to use, faster to navigate, easier to learnAll of Apples iOS 19 redesign goals, on the surface, seem incredibly straightforward and intuitive.In reality, they will no doubt be incredibly hard to achieve.When I think of simpler to use and faster to navigate, Im reminded of the iOS 19 clues I wrote about last week.Specifically, Apples trend away from tab bar navigation and toward single-page scrolling interfaces.Scrolling doesnt require much of a learning curve. Many of the worlds most popular appsTikTok and Instagram, for exampleare designed around this simple mechanic.But simpler in theory doesnt always mean simpler in practice.Take last years iOS 18 Photos redesign, for example. The app used to have a tab bar for navigation, then simplified into a single-page design. There are benefits to this approach, but it also introduced a lot of confusion for users.Additionally, iOS 18 introduced a ton of new customization options to make your iPhone more personal than ever. But customization doesnt usually equal easier to learn.The average reader of this site will probably have no problem customizing their Photos app, Control Center, or Lock Screen. But I suspect a large portion of Apples user base just stick with default layouts for everything. Thats the easiest method.All this to say, it wont be easy for Apple to achieve its goals, but they absolutely sound like the right direction for the company.iOS 19 redesign: Solving the complexity problemIncreased power inevitably brings with it greater complexity. iOS 18 can do far more than the earliest versions of iPhone software. But that increased functionality makes it harder for new users to get started. It has also led to discontinuity among Apples various platforms and apps. While iPhone, iPad, and Mac share a lot of similar DNA, they also have their quirks. Similarly, app design at Apple has splintered over the years as certain apps retained older iOS conventions while others got more modern updates.An overhaul that makes everything truly simpler, faster, and easier would go a long way toward addressing these issues. Following a huge year of feature updates, iOS 19 could be the reset that Apples software needs.It seems that Apple has the right idea in store for iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16. But what will its execution look like? For that, well have to wait until Junes WWDC unveiling and the first developer betas.What do you think of Apples reported goals for iOS 19s redesign? Let us know in the commentsBest iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Two years ago, Apple effectively censored a core iPhone communication feature. The change was reportedly initially made at the request of the Chinese government. However, Applequickly implemented the change to all iPhones globally a few months later.Apple essentially endorsed Chinas censorship demands by voluntarily enforcing the limit on all iPhone users, including the United States and every other democratic nation. Despite being controversial at the time, Apples decision has not faceted sustained public scrutiny. Instead, user control and a decentralized communication method were lost under the guise of safety.The feature is called AirDrop. It allows iPhones to wirelessly send files, photos, links, and more to other nearby iPhones. AirDrop arrived on the iPhone in September 2013 as part of iOS 7. Nearly a decade later, Apple made a small change that had a huge impact on how AirDrop could be used.In November 2022, Apple tweaked how AirDrop worked in China through iOS 16.1.1, a seemingly minor iPhone software update.Prior to the update, AirDrop had three receiving modes: Everyone, Contacts Only, and Receiving Off. iOS 16.1.1 replaced the Everyone option with Everyone for 10 Minutes for iPhone users in China. This change removed the option to keep AirDrop in receiving mode. Instead, the Contacts Only option was enforced on iPhones after 10 minutes.Apple never acknowledged that it made the change to AirDrop at the request of the Chinese Communist Party.However, AirDrop was widely reported to be a useful tool for distributing information among protesters who pushed back against the authoritarian regime. A single iPhone could prompt a file share to dozens of nearby iPhones with AirDrop receiving from anyone enabled something internet censorship couldnt stop.Quartz reported on the off-the-shelf use of AirDrop in 2019:A protest held yesterday (July 7) in Tsim Sha Tsui, one of Hong Kongs most popular tourist districts, had a clear aim: to tell people from mainland China about the citys opposition to ahated extradition bill, which hasmobilized millionsof people over the past several weeks to multiple protests and presented themost critical challengeto the local government in decades.But news of the protest has been heavily censored in mainland China, with any mention of the mass movement wiped off the Chinese internet. []Hong Kongs protesters have therefore turned to Apples AirDrop feature to get their message across to their mainland Chinese compatriots. []Did you know? Over the past month, Hong Kong has seen three massive rallies, with as many as 2 million people taking to the streets, read one such AirDropped poster. Dont wait until [freedom] is gone to regret its loss. Freedom isnt god-given; it is fought for by the people.Maybe youve heard that Hong Kongers are constantly marching, 1 to 2 million people at a time, to oppose the extradition bill, read another poster. We wish you a pleasant journey. Feel the freedom of assembly along the way. This space for freedom is the reason why we fight.Other AirDropped filesexplained why there were no foreign forces behind Hong Kongs protests, and how Chinas authoritarian system had led to the Tiananmen massacre of 1989.Apple would argue that it must comply with government requirements in regions where it operates or forfeit the ability to serve customers in those regions. In other words, a partially censored iPhone is better than no iPhone at all.Perhaps that is what happened to AirDrop in China in 2022. Apple regularly chooses to fight government regulatory battles that it believes it can win. China is no democracy, though, so its no surprise that Apple changed AirDrop in the region. What is surprising is how Apple handled the change to AirDrop. After removing the option to leave AirDrop receiving on in China, Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reported that Apple planned to make the change globally to basically prevent spam.Apple didnt comment on why the change was introduced in China, but said that it plans to roll out the new AirDrop setting globally in the coming year. The idea is to mitigate unwanted file sharing, the company said.A few weeks later, the censored version of AirDrop in China became the shipping version of AirDrop everywhere. Two years on, AirDrop in its altered form has become the norm. Although the change likely originated as an appeasement to the CCP, Apples explanation that it was made to mitigate unwanted file sharing has generally been accepted. It doesnt help that AirDrop has at times been used as a tool for pranking especially when prompts included image previews that could be inappropriate or misleading.Lacking context on how the AirDrop change originated, adding the Everyone for 10 Minutes option is understandably viewed as more user control. Yet censorship is still the right way to frame what happened to AirDrop. Apple didnt just add the Everyone for 10 Minutes option; it completely removed the ability to leave AirDrop receiving on. Thats fewer choices, not more user control.Apple is under no obligation to make AirDrop work the way it did for years. Nevertheless, Apple should be scrutinized for breaking a tool used for anonymous, decentralized communication that bothered an authoritarian government, then preemptively damaging the tool for everyone without pressure to do so.Best Apple accessoriesFollow Zac Hall on X, and listen to Runtime with co-host Sophia Tung on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel