• Awful: Roku tests autoplaying ads loading before the home screen | Users are unimpressed, eager to toss devices if test sticks.
    arstechnica.com
    testing limits Awful: Roku tests autoplaying ads loading before the home screen Users are unimpressed, eager to toss devices if test sticks. Scharon Harding Mar 17, 2025 3:34 pm | 170 A Roku TV. Credit: Roku A Roku TV. Credit: Roku Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreOwners of smart TVs and streaming sticks running Roku OS are already subject to video advertisements on the home screen. Now, Roku is testing what it might look like if it took things a step further and forced people to watch a video ad play before getting to the Roku OS home screen.Reports of Roku customers seeing video ads automatically play before they could view the OS home screen started appearing online this week. A Reddit user, for example, posted yesterday: I just turned on my Roku and got an unskippable ad for a movie, before I got to the regular Roku home screen. Multiple apparent users reported seeing an ad for the movie Moana 2.When reached for comment, a Roku spokesperson shared a company statement that confirms that the autoplaying ads are expected behavior but not a permanent part of Roku OS currently. Instead, Roku claimed, it was just trying the ad capability out.Rokus representative said that Rokus business has and will always require continuous testing and innovation across design, navigation, content, and our first-rate advertising products, adding:Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience.Roku didn't respond to requests for comment on whether it has plans to make autoplaying ads permanent on Roku OS, which devices are affected, why Roku decided to use autoplaying ads, or customer backlash.UnacceptableMost of the comments that Ars Technica has reviewed about the marketing test have suggested that customers would get rid of their Roku device if the software continues to force them to watch an ad before getting to the content they actually want to see. A user on Rokus community forum wrote:I hope this was a fluke. I trashed all of my Amazon boxes years ago because of this garbage. If it keeps up, my Rokus will be next.Forum users who worried the change was permanent called the ads "unacceptable" and "intrusive."If Roku increases its ad load on customer devices from still images to ads with moving pictures with sound, it will test customers limits. Some who have tolerated a static image on a neglected part of their screen may not be as accepting of more distracting ad formats.I could accept the static ad on the side. Forcing a loud commercial is awful, one Redditor wrote.As a budget streaming hardware brand, Roku has been known to push the boundaries on ads. Roku has even gone so far as to apply for a patent for technology that shows ads over anything you plug into your TV (Roku has never actually implemented this capability).There are less ad-intrusive smart TV platforms available besides Roku. But in general, its getting increasingly difficult for smart TV users to avoid ads. All TV manufacturers, from budget brands to premium ones, are growing reliance on ads and tracking as ways to bolster revenue among declining hardware prices, sales, and innovation and increased competition.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 170 Comments
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  • Jeff Minter's 'I, Robot' Reimagining Is A Blast From The Past This April
    www.nintendolife.com
    "Defy the eye".Atari and Llamasoft have announced that I, Robot will be coming to Switch on 17th April 2025.Following on from the pair's previous retro reimagining Akka Arrh, I, Robot is a psychedelic update of a classic 1984 arcade shooter. Renowned and celebrated for being the first commercially produced arcade game rendered in , flat-shaded, real-time, 3D polygonal graphics, it wasn't much of a hit otherwise, but trust Jeff Minter to bring a bit of magic to the rerelease.Read the full article on nintendolife.com
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  • Rumour: Latest Switch 2 Theory Suggests Release Date Might Be Right Around The Corner
    www.nintendolife.com
    Salt, pinched.While we're all patiently waiting for 2nd April and the next round of official Switch 2 news from Nintendo, some fans are pulling out the cork boards and red string to try and glean any more information about the upcoming console launch. We assume that word of a release date is right around the corner, but until then, this recent theory is a doozy (thanks, NME).The rumour in question was shared on Twitter by content creator ThunderStash Gaming, and it suggests that the Switch 2 launch date is quite a lot closer than we expected: 15th May, to be precise.Read the full article on nintendolife.com
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  • OpenAI exec leaves to found materials science startup
    techcrunch.com
    In BriefPosted:2:40 PM PDT March 17, 2025Image Credits:Bryce Durbin / TechCrunchOpenAI exec leaves to found materials science startupLiam Fedus, OpenAIs VP of research for post-training, is leaving the company to found a materials science AI startup. The Information initially reported Fedus plans. In a statement on X, Fedus confirmed the report and added a few additional details. My undergrad was in physics and Im keen to apply this technology there, Fedus said in the statement. Because AI for science is one of the most strategically important areas to OpenAI and achieving [artificial superintelligence], OpenAI is planning to invest in and partner with my new company.Fedus firm will compete with Google DeepMind, Microsoft, and others in the nascent AI materials science space. In 2023, DeepMind claimed that its AI system, Gnome, found crystals that could be used to make new materials. More recently, Microsoft unveiled a pair of materials-discovering AI tools called MatterGen and MatterSim.Some experts are skeptical that todays AI is capable of truly novel scientific discoveries, however.Topics
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  • Intel could be in for significant changes as Lip-Bu Tan takes on CEO role
    techcrunch.com
    In BriefPosted:2:24 PM PDT March 17, 2025Image Credits:NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty ImagesIntel could be in for significant changes as Lip-Bu Tan takes on CEO roleIntels new CEO Lip-Bu Tan seems ready to get right to work to turn around the struggling company.The semiconductor giants new executive is considering sweeping changes for the companys chip manufacturing and AI strategies, according to Reuters, including cutting middle management staff and revamping the companys approach to manufacturing chips. Tan reportedly told company employees that he would need to make tough decisions to get the company back on track.Tan was announced as Intels new CEO last week. He rejoins the company on Tuesday after exiting Intels board in August 2024 over clashes with Intels former CEO Pat Gelsinger.Intel declined to comment. Topics
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  • Nathan Crowley Goes Big and Practical on Wicked Production Design
    www.awn.com
    Before notching seven Academy Award-nominations and a win earlier this month for his work as the production designer on Wicked, Nathan Crowley started out as a junior set designer for Steven Spielbergs Hook. Getting the opportunity to work on Jon M. Chu and Universals epic, award-winning musical enabled him to recapture the same experience but this time as the production designer. I remember walking through the door of MGM Stage 27 and Hooks ship was up to the rafters, recalls Crowley. I recall thinking, This is where I want to be. I thought all films were like that. It turns out that few are. But Wicked was. There are so many visual effects in this film. Its about how we can make enough thats real. What I liked about Pablo Helman [VFX Supervisor] is he said, Give me enough so I can see the real photography and the natural lighting, so we know what were matching to. My job is to reduce questions for his teams in post-production. We know what it looks like because weve got an example over there. That balance was good. Pablo has got enough on his plate with flying animals and monkeys without having to deal with architecture. We grew nine million tulips. Of course, you can do that in CGI if you wanted to. Crowley emphasizes in-camera elements as a mantra, having worked with Christopher Nolan on eight productions, with five of them earning Oscar nominations. It took working on all of those other films to make this one, he notes. On Interstellar, I grew 500 acres of corn where the house was located. I knew that we could grow tulips because all you have to do is find the right farmer who is excited. We found Mark Eves, and his wife is a fanatic about Wicked. The tulips are the color of the rainbow. There are all of these themes. People have asked me, Why did you bother growing nine million tulips when you can do it in CGI? Because it was one of the first things we did, and we had to start as we intended. If people see a film crew that is going to grow tulips, and the studio can see were going to do this for real it stamps a code on the film. Budgeting and time had to be taken into consideration. Pablo has a certain amount of time in post-production, and I only have a certain amount of time in pre-production. Its not going to look good if he is overloaded and cant get the scale and size of the sets required to balance the image. The art of production design is determining with visual effects where reality ends and CGI starts. The CGI needs to go unnoticed and unquestioned by the audience. Unreal Engine was a critical component of Crowleys art department workflow. What I do is design the set, we push it through Unreal Engine and do a fly-through, he explains. I build a big foamcore model of what I can build out of that fly-through. Hopefully we can afford to build that or then we have to get spray paint and say, We cant afford to build that bit. For Shiz, it was about starting in reality with a real boat, landscape and river, digital Shiz in the background, and pushing through an archway into the dock which is physical and real. Im going to try to have a 50-foot-high set so I can get most of it in-camera, but if we turn this way, Pablo knows hes got to top that up. The departments run as one.Clever decisions had to be made to accommodate the need for production mobility. According to Crowley, The problem with musical dance numbers is theres all of this other crew that you dont get on other films. Its not like doing a Christopher Nolan film where we can go light in Iceland and shoot this stuff. Weve got to take 50 or 100 dancers, all of the make-up and costumes. It becomes this mammoth thing so thats why traditionally musicals are shot on backlots. But we had all of these tulips. Jon M. Chu [Director] said to me, If we sink the village we can run through the tulips and if you build me a runup of the tulips into the backlot we can link them perfectly. What that allows us then to do is build embankments on the backlot, so we didnt have greenscreen below 35 feet. We embanked it and put landscape up and grass, flowers and tulips. It was like the Teletubbies! Partnerships with special effects team, led by Paul Corbould, were especially critical when creating the Emerald City Express. I have worked with Paul on many films, including Dunkirk, so I know that he can build big rigs, remarks Crowley. Its like, Youve got to build me a train that moves. I wanted 500 yards of track and for the train to run it into and out of the station. That didnt happen but we did build the train, and it did work. The thing is if you dont build the train, you miss out on the art direction of making it; its like a piece of sculpture. If you just go with the concept and then deliver the film, youve missed out on that middle bit, which is where you discover the set because youre physically making it in 3D. You manipulate and change it. You dont just lay that image. What I find incredible about AI is it is all very 2D. A lot of people are making 2D images that look beautiful. But you have to make them in 3D as a set. You actually need old school art directors who can take something that is ethereal and turn it into something not ethereal. You get a concept, do it in 3D and learn about it. Weve now gone backwards to a much more art direction driven film industry with AI. One significant area of special effects collaboration was when the Wizard of Oz made a grand entrance through a massive mechanical head. Paul Corbould and a puppeteer built this little 12-inch-tall maquette, whereas the actual thing was more like 17 feet high, Crowley says. We worked with these maquettes for a long time to get the expressions right. But the fundamental design was the Wizard is the man behind the curtain. I didnt want a Wes Anderson curtain. If you have ever been to any art gallery with string architecture, I wanted it to be so you couldnt see the depth of this hanging string. It seems ethereal. The head would come through the string and go, I am Oz. It would be scary, ethereal, like an art piece. But you cant use string. I remember we sat with Pablo and said, We can build it for real, but you have to enhance it if something goes wrong because I dont know if this is going to work. We did it live scene by scene. Youve got a big hydraulic head and were twisting it. Its hanging from the stage ceiling so we can get some leverage. Its incredibly complicated. You take risks but just like the train it has to work on the day. The risk is the fun. Reference designs for Shiz, the university where Elphaba and Glinda attend, included the White City from the Chicago World Fair in 1893. Its an American Faerie tale so I need nostalgia for the audience, Crowley shares. There are also the onion domes and Moorish stuff out of Spain. Water provided a visual motif, which meant that the set had to be flooded. No one liked the water, and it was a fight in those meetings. But heres the theory. How do you get to Shiz? You cant go by train or air balloon because thats the Wizards technology. You cant go by horse and cart because the animals are free. There are no cars. Historically how do you move around? By river. Therefore, I have to show Glinda in a boat going down a river. So, I found and put the White City arch in that landscape. Ive got to build the set two-sided so I can push through it. I also have to construct a tank and a set around the tank. Everyone hates you when you build a tank because theres no such thing as a tank that doesnt leak. You have to keep refilling it and that costs a lot of money. You have to have pumps and 24-hour people. Something Ive learned from Chris Nolan is if you made it difficult then only the people who need to be there show up! The Map Room was inspired by a museum installation Crowley discovered during the production of Dunkirk. The Map Room started as separate set, he reveals. But then I showed Jon this image of a map on a wall. It was an art installation that was in 3D. When you walk up to it you step into it and realize its not a picture but a 3D space. I saw it in Dunkirk when I had a free Sunday. They had these crazy installations in the ship museum of these forced perspective shipyards. I had always thought that was fascinating, so we decided we were going to build this forced map of the whole of Oz in this half egg dome that would show everything. Then Jon said, I want to do Sentimental Man in there and to go from day to night. We had to hydraulically lift the lid off the top of the egg and put a night backing behind. It became this theatrical show within the Map Room, which when you see it, is brilliant.Forests were ultimately constructed on soundstages. I didnt want to use my biggest stage in that way, but we went scouting forests and Jon was like, I dont like any of these, Crowley says. In the van on the way back, he said, Trees shouldnt be straight. I said, Maybe they should be circular. Then we sketched out all these circular trees and he was like, We need to build this forest. I could only go so high with the trees because we had a ceiling height problem on that stage. Most stages are 50 to 55 feet, which is annoying. I could only get a light rig in. That is one set which Pablo didnt like! Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.
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  • Rookie Awards 2025 Announces Call For Entries Date
    www.awn.com
    The Rookie Awards 2025 will be open for entries starting April 7. Now in its 15th year, the global competition offers an opportunity for aspiring artists in creative industries to gain exposure and connect with industry leaders. Entries close June 20, with finalists announced July 31 and winners announced August 20.Students, recent graduates, and emerging talents can showcase their work to over 120 industry professionals, compete for prizes, and get noticed by key studios.In its newest edition, the event boasts increased studio engagement; an extended competition timeline; structured guidelines for each category; new entry limits; and a resource hub with submission guides, tips from past winners, and FAQs.Check out the teaser for the competition now:Source: The Rookie Awards Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
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  • Transforming the Construction Industry with VDC and BIM
    archeyes.com
    VDC and BIM | Patrick Schneider via UnsplashDigital transformation is an irreplaceable part of the modern construction industry.The concept of Virtual Design and Construction represents a substantial advancement in how projects are planned, managed, and executed. It is necessary to explore not only the definition of VDC but also its relationship with BIM to understand how they changevarious construction industry processes.Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) is a vast and complex approach to project delivery that uses automation, model-based design tools, and human-computer interactions to support and improve project objectives. Contrary to traditional construction methods, VDC allows for the creation of detailed virtual models at the earliest construction phaseslong before any on-site work is initiated.One such model can then act as a central information hub to store and share any relevant project data, supporting collaboration and informed decision-making at any subsequent project realization phase.Building Information Modeling, on the other hand, is what makes VDC work. The foundation makes most of VDCs advantages possible a complex process that allows multiple stakeholders and teams to collaborate within the borders of the same 3D model. Even though BIM and VDC are often used interchangeably, they are not the same since BIM is the combination of tools and processes that makes everything work, while VDC is the overarching ecosystem that not only includes tools (such as BIM) but also processes and people operating as one to boost the results of project delivery.Key Benefits of Virtual Design and ConstructionAt its core, VDC is comprised of several essential elements.Process modeling is responsible for mapping construction workflows and other sequences.Organizational modeling defines the roles and responsibilities of users and their communication channels.Product modeling is about creating detailed 3D models representing each projects goals.Performance metrics exist to track objectives using a variety of measurable parameters.The adoption of VDC can provide many advantages to construction businesses and stakeholders. The total number of advantages is so large that they can be segregated into groups for easier reading.Business Performance Improvements include identifying potential issues early on with the help of virtual walkthroughs and simulations, the accuracy of quantity takeoffs that improve resource allocation, and cost optimization. Comprehensive issue and conflict detection frameworks also make reducing rework possible.Streamlining Workflows: A BIM model can serve as the single source of truth for all stakeholders while enabling the automation capabilities for routine tasks. Additionally, BIM reduces time spent searching for or verifying project information.Improvements in Safety Management: VDC helps create high-detail safety visualization models that can also improve risk communication. Safety communication is generallyimproved across the board for construction teams that have adopted the VDC principles.Scheduling Optimization Advantages: Linking scheduling-related information with a 3D BIM model helps detect potential sequencing errors and other timing conflicts before they occur. BIM can also help visualize construction processes as they expand over time, which can be used in a myriad of different ways.Future of BIM and VDC in ConstructionAugmented Reality Uses | Yanick via UnsplashBIM implementation tends to vary across the construction industry, with many BIM levels representing a certain degree of collaboration and technology adoption. At this point, most users are aware of the first four BIM levels:Level 0 no collaboration, 2D CAD.Level 1 2D CAD for documentation, 3D CAD for conceptualization.Level 2 3D CAD usage with common file formats.Level 3 A single shared model that everyone works with.Level 3 is the standard form of BIM that all businesses should strive for by default. Many government-level frameworks and regulations mandate BIM usage in construction projects worldwide, facilitating faster adoption.However, the versatility of BIM does not stop here, since a lot of other information can be connected with a BIM model. That way we get:4D BIM the time dimension with project scheduling.5D BIM the cost dimension6D BIM the lifecycle dimension7D BIM the facility management dimension8D BIM the health and safety dimensionSuccessful implementation of VDC concepts often relies on dedicated software tools that operate together in a cohesive framework. Comprehensive BIM solutions are often used here for model management, construction collaboration, modeling, issue tracking, and many other purposes.As the industry continues to evolve further under the influence of VDC and BIM, many emerging trends are worth noting already, including 3D printing applications in construction, robotics, automation, AR/VR, real-time information access, the usage of AI for data analysis, and more. Some of these technologies have already been implemented in certain solutions, while others have only been discussed and tested in specific scenarios.Nevertheless, it is fair to say that both VDC and BIM represent a lot more than just technological advancements they are the reason for a fundamental shift in how most construction projects are planned and conducted nowadays. The integration of specialized solutions with collaborative workflows and information-rich models helps construction projects become more optimized, less prone to issues, and safer for everyone at the same time.Architecture Softwarestechnology by ArchEyes TeamLeave a comment
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  • Gensler to help bring nuclear power to Idaho with Oklos Aurora Powerhouse
    www.archpaper.com
    Its no secret that data centers consume untenable amounts of electricity, often to the detriment of their host areas. Bill Gates and his ilk are now investing in nuclear power as an alternative, a phenomena recently lampooned by Birds Arent Real founder Peter McIndoe and his Enron Egg, the worlds first (fake) at home nuclear reactor. Oklo is a California start-up at the forefront of emergent nuclear technology. The company has since gotten the green light from the U.S. Department of Energy to build its first small modular reactor (SMR) in Idaho, designed by Gensler. Oklos investors include Hydrazine Capital, founded by Sam Altman.The modular buildings can be deployed in a variety of environments. (Courtesy Gensler)Oklos Aurora Powerhouse will be sited at Idaho National Laboratory, but the modular building is designed to fit in a plethora of environments. It can generate enough power for about 15,000 homes, all with zero emissions, Gensler said. Each SMR has a 40-year estimated lifespan, and can run without refueling for up to ten years. Gensler opted for an A-frame structure for its functional and aesthetic benefits. The expansive floor-to-ceiling height allows for tall equipment, and its form makes it able to support an interior crane.Moreover, the look and feel is meant to help residents feel comfortable living near nuclear power plants, which have gotten bad reps since the 1980s. (Think: Chernobyl.)The A-frame structure allows for tall equipment. (Courtesy Gensler)SMRs are smaller, more versatile, and decentralized versions of traditional nuclear reactors. (Courtesy Gensler)In short, SMRs are smaller, more versatile, and decentralized versions of traditional nuclear reactors, like the Three Mile Island Plant in Pennsylvania, which had its own meltdown in 1979. They can generate low-carbon electricity without the same challenges often associated with large nuclear plants. SMRs can produce about one-third the capacity of traditional reactors, or 300 megawatts of electricity per day. Theyre also modular, which allows for them to be assembled in factories and transported on site, cutting construction time and costs.Oklo could soon provide energy for data centers in a range of locations. (Courtesy Gensler)The U.S. Department of Energy is increasingly interested in SMRs. Oklo is already accelerating its power availability efforts for data centers to offset their impacts on the existing energy grid.Gensler sees real potential for SMRs to make immediate impact in places like northern Virginia that have clusters of data centers.Oklos Aurora Powerhouse is expected to be deployed by 2027.
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  • This slick Linux browser is like a tricked-out Opera - and it's faster than Firefox
    www.zdnet.com
    Looking for a web browser that is as cool looking as it is secure and private? Take a look at this fork of Floorp.
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