Sirui is the latest company to join the L-Mount Alliance, joining the likes of Leica, Panasonic, Sigma and DJI

Microsoft faces competition in cloud computing from companies such as Google, which is looking to boost its security business with Wiz.

StubHub has become the latest tech-related company to file its IPO prospectus with the SEC.

Anthropic announced Thursday that it has added web search capability to its Claude chatbot. Its not a new feature to the AI worldbut the companys approach stands as one the most thoughtful to date.Much like Perplexity, Anthropics Claude works relevant information from the web into a conversational answer, and includes clickable source citations.Web search is available as a feature preview for U.S. users of the Claude 3.7 Sonnet model, with plans to expand to the free tier and to more countriesWhat sets Anthropics web search feature apart is that it is automatic. Rather than requiring users to manually select a web search on a given query (as with OpenAIs ChatGPT), Claude decides on its own whether fetching web data would improve an answer.After it receives a time-sensitive question, Claude now generates an initial answer from its training data and then states: . . . but let me search for more precise information since this could have changed.That matters since, without web search enabled, the results are subject to a cutoff date in the large language models training data. Claudes training data only goes up to October of 2024, while ChatGPTs (using GPT-4o) goes up to June 2024. Thats why ChatGPT (without web search turned on) returns outdated information when asked, for example, to identify which major AI chatbots have web search: It mentions Google Bard, for exampleeven though that product has since been renamed Gemini. With the web search button clicked on, all these errors disappear.(An OpenAI spokesperson points out that ChatGPT will automatically do a web search for questions that imply a need for up-to-date information, such as What are the best travel destinations for 2025? But as per the example above, the web search doesnt always kick in when the results would benefit. Users can also regenerate an answer with web search turned on.)A web search is almost always helpful for a reality check on whatever information the chatbot surfaces. Thats why Anthropics move was a smart one: It removes the burden from users to determine whether a query would benefit from specialized search.Adding web search will certainly make Claude a more useful and reliable chatbot, but the move could have more commercial implications, too. People are increasingly using Claude to research products, and referrals from Claude to brand sites could become a key revenue source for Anthropic.Anthropic is creating new entry points that complement how people are already using LLMs, and its working, says Jim Yu, CEO of BrightEdge, an SEO and digital performance platform. BrightEdge data shows that Claudes referrals to websites jumped 82% month-over-month in February, outpacing ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others. Claude has historically lagged in this space, but this is a move that could finally put them in the game, Yu says.Within the chatbot context, web search is used to take a quick snapshot of relevant information from the web to inform a response to a specific question. This is different from AI research agents like Googles Deep Research tool within the Gemini assistant and OpenAIs tool, also called Deep Research, both of which consult a broad group of sources using a defined and customizable research strategy.Anthropic doesnt yet offer a deep research tool but thats likely coming. Augmenting chatbot answers with web search information is a logical first step toward that.

If you want to instantly reveal your age, just order a hot black coffee seriously. Gen Z is flipping the script on how coffee is consumed, and spoiler: they like it cold, sweet, and loaded with creamer.For a lot of younger drinkers, that very first cup of coffee was just as likely to be iced as it was hot. And get thisabout 85% of Gen Z coffee fans are adding creamer, compared to just 70% of coffee drinkers overall. That shift in taste is making waves in the industry. Nestle, for example, has been rolling out new products to keep upfrom cold-dissolving instant coffee to liquid espresso concentrates and all kinds of flavored toppings.Weve done a lot of things in cold coffee the last two years to really meet this need of Gen Z and young millennials, Daniel Jhung, president of Nestles USA beverage division, tells Fast Company. Thats a big trend that were pushing into.COMBINING COFFEE AND CREAMERThe coffee world is booming and the opportunity to innovate, while still providing value for a broad spectrum of consumers, makes for a fun time to be in this industry, says Jhung, whose role recently expanded to oversee the Swiss companys coffee and broader beverages portfolio.One of the reasons why it made sense for Nestle to unite coffee and creamer under one team is because theres such a natural connection between these products now. Or, as Jhung likes to quip: Whats more Americana than peanut butter and jelly or milk and cereal? Its actually coffee and creamer.Industry data from Circana backs this up: Coffee and creamer are co-purchased together 60% of the time versus 40% of the time for milk and cereal, and 20% of the time for peanut butter and jelly.While its easy to offer coffee-and-creamer bundles to online shoppers, in brick-and-mortar grocery stores, coffee and creamer are often found in far-flung aislesand this is a point of friction Nestle has heard about from shoppers. Thats why Nestle is thinking about how to bring coffee and creamer closer together in stores, Jhung notes.Thats something that we will tackle together with retailers in the future, he says. Theyre open to it; we definitely want to push it because thats where consumers are going naturally.THE FOURTH WAVE OF COFFEEIn whats perhaps a sign of the times, this years Super Bowl featured a handful of commercials for coffee-related brands, including Nestle-owned Coffee mate, which advertised its new line of Cold Foams with disembodied tongues dancing to a Shania Twain song. Coffees prominence in the biggest advertising day of the year is fitting: Daily coffee consumption hit a 20-year high last year, according to a report from the National Coffee Association.In addition, Nestle recently opened a 675 million coffee-creamer factory in Glendale, Arizona which is indicative of the company putting our money where our mouth is, Jhung says, adding that its designed to be flexible to respond to fast-moving consumer trends. Its going to meet the growing demands of this new coffee consumer for the next decade.While such investments are indicative of overall strength in the coffee industry, Nestle is also eager to ride what its calling the fourth wave of coffee thats being driven by the youngest coffee drinkers. This era is defined by the four Cs of coffee: cold, convenient (or instant), craft and customizable.We think customization, experimentation is the crux of this fourth wave, Jhung says. These consumers really like to customize their cup, its really their own personalized cup.That trend has continued since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, as creators and connoisseurs converge on social media to swap recipes and at-home barista types try to replicate coffee drinks they ordered elsewhere, Jhung says. Gen Z coffee drinkers are also introducing their older-generation parents to new products for their coffee, he adds.What we hear sometimes is that the Gen Z [consumer] brings it into the house, and then you get the adoption from Gen X and even Boomer, Jhung says. Its kind-of a cool thing to see that with the reverse mentoring.INSTANT IS A HITBut what might surprise some people is the popularity of instant coffee, in particular, with the youngest of coffee drinkers. Instant coffee still trailed drip and single-cup brewers for at-home coffee preparation methods in 2024, but saw a 31% jump from 2023, according to figures from the National Coffee Association.Instant coffee is projected to be one of the fastest-growing coffee segments in the next three years, according to industry estimates, which tracks with trends at Nestle. While its long been popular around the world, instant coffee has blown up among American coffee drinkers in recent years, Jhung says. Nestle-owned Nescafe has experienced double-digit annual sales growth, and the company launched Nescafe Ice Roast and Nescafe Gold in recent years.Despite some misconceptions to the contrary, instant coffee is coffeeits freeze-driedand consumers are increasingly drawn to it because it now marries convenience with craft offerings, Jhung says. Thats a bubble burst [that] over the last three or four years.INNOVATION ABOUNDSAll of these coffee trends are indicative of a renaissance of sorts in various segments of food and beverage driven by younger consumers who see food as art, as Jhung notes. And Nestle is putting a lot of money behind keeping up with the tastes of these coffee drinkersincluding launching specialty flavors like Thai iced coffee and a lavender coffeewhich makes for a fun time to be at the helm of Nestles business, he adds.Its not a boring category, he says. You talk with the retailers, you talk with the consumers, it gets peoples energy up when they talk about how they drink their cup of coffee.

If youve ever dreamed of having a piece of New York Citys rich architectural history in your home, furniture maker Richard Haining has found a way to make that dream a reality. His latest creation, a stunning chandelier crafted from decommissioned NYC water towers, transforms salvaged California Redwood into a breathtaking, organic masterpiece. More than just a lighting fixture, this one-of-a-kind piece infuses any space with the warmth and character of an exotic tree, making it a focal point in any interior.Sourcing high-quality wood in a city like New York may seem like a daunting challenge, but Haining has made a name for himself by embracing the abundance of discarded materials found throughout the metropolis. Instead of relying on traditional hardwood suppliers, he meticulously collects offcuts from woodshops, as well as old-growth lumber salvaged from pre-war buildings. This innovative approach has become the foundation of his signature STACKED Collection, turning what would otherwise be waste into stunning, functional art.Designer:Richard HainingHainings ability to reclaim and repurpose these materials is a testament to his commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship. By utilizing salvaged California Redwood from decommissioned water towers, he not only preserves a piece of NYCs architectural history but also reduces the environmental impact of sourcing new materials. This dedication to responsible design ensures that his pieces carry both artistic and ecological significance.The chandelier itself measures an impressive 36 inches in diameter, with ten fully dimmable LED bulbs that enhance its warm, inviting glow. The design showcases Hainings meticulous attention to detail, as each wooden segment is carefully arranged to highlight the natural grain and texture of the redwood. The rich, warm tones of the wood contrast beautifully with the soft illumination, creating an ambiance that is both sophisticated and organic.Each segment of wood tells a story, bearing the marks of time and weather, repurposed into a work of art that elevates any space. These remnants of NYCs past, once part of towering water tanks dotting the city skyline, now find new life in an elegant and functional form. The chandelier serves as a reminder of the citys history while providing a modern aesthetic that fits seamlessly into contemporary interiors.Unlike mass-produced lighting fixtures, this chandelier is a singular creation, ensuring that no two pieces will ever be the same. The uniqueness of the wood, combined with Hainings expert craftsmanship, makes it a truly bespoke addition to any interior. Though its price remains undisclosed, its rarity and artisanal quality make it a prized collectors item for those who appreciate exclusive, handcrafted designs.Hainings work demonstrates that sustainability and luxury are not mutually exclusive. By giving new life to discarded materials, he not only preserves the beauty of NYCs architectural heritage but also redefines what it means to create timeless, environmentally responsible design. His chandelier stands as a beacon of artistry, sustainability, and history, offering a statement piece that embodies the essence of New Yorks past and the promise of a greener future.The post Richard Hainings Chandelier Upcycles NYC Water Towers into Stunning Sustainable Lighting first appeared on Yanko Design.

People who are deaf or cannot speak, or both have long been aided by the American Sign Language (ASL) in communicating with people. Although the accuracy of the communication solely depends on the understanding of people on both ends, that can be a problem if one or more conversants are not that fluent in ASL. Researchers at Cornell University have recognized this problem and want to leverage the goodness of wearable technologies to make it smoother for people who are differently abled to communicate with the world as they intend to.The experts at the university have employed the smart ring platform to develop a wearable that tracks the American Sign Language gestures of the wearer to accurately transcribe them into understandable text or audio to a computer or a smartphone. They call it the SpellRing, and it can be worn on the thumb to get the desired input for the translated data. The wearable comes with embedded sensors including a mini-gyroscope to measure the angular data from hand movement. The on-board speakers and mic detect the inaudible sound waves from the movement. All these components are housed inside a 3D-printed housing thats no more than the size of a quarter.Designer: Cornell UniversityThe smart AI ring can detect all 26 letters in the English language with micro-sonar technology to precisely track the fingerspelling of the wearer. For more accuracy sonar images are also fed into the system. The data that is received from all the sensors and hardware is then processed by a deep-learning algorithm. All of this is done in a split second time to predict the ASL fingerspelled by the wearer. To make possible an in-depth and unbiased view of the wearable for further development, the researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Stony Brook University, along with the researchers from Cornell University have tested the wearable thoroughly.In the conducted tests, 20 amateur and experienced ASL signers were asked to spell more than 20,000 words to see the accuracy of the AI-assisted wearable ring. The 3D-printed wearable passed with a combined accuracy of around 90 percent with both signed words, as well as, sentences. It was even tested to perform actions such as web search, map navigation, or typing in notes with the input. According to Hyunchul Lim, lead author of SpellRings papered documentation, ASL is a very complicated, complex visual language, and the focus is right now on tuning the algorithm to make the AI ring understand words and phrases with maximum accuracy.The SpellRing is currently in the prototype stage and there is no word on the availability of the ring yet. The team is confident that even in the current stage, ASL fingertyping will be significantly faster than typing on your smartphones keyboard. Researchers want this ring to be a tool for fast and accessible text entry with a niche set of benefits targeted toward a set of users. The prospects of this AI ring graduating to the wearable market are very high since it costs just $30 to make the current prototype AI ring. When it will be mass produced that cost can be further trimmed down.The post SpellRing is an AI-enabled smart ring that converts American Sign Language into phone text first appeared on Yanko Design.

The annual Winter Stations installation in Toronto has opened for its eleventh edition and will remain on view until March 30th. Following the release of selected winners details and project statements back in January, organizers have shared new images depicting each of the six participants who have responded to this years theme of 'Dawn,' which they say envisages the "beginning of a new era."As a "fresh chapter in its creative journey," the exhibition positions architecture as an attentive social practice in dialogue with the moments of profound change that redefine and shape our existence, highlighting the delicate process of shedding old layers to emerge as something new."Each design team has to work with budgets of $5,000 CAD (appx. $3,500USD), with another $10,000 CAD ($7,000 USD) limit on the amount spent for design and construction labor.Ascolto by Ines Dessaint, Tonin Letondu (France)'Ascolto' by Ines Dessaint, Tonin Letondu (France). Photo: Joel Gale imaging 'Ascol...

MVRDVs longstanding relationship with its home city of Rotterdam will usher in a new chapter this week with the opening of the new Portlantis visitors center and exhibition space for the Port of Rotterdam.Photo: Ossip van DuivenbodeAppearing as a stack of five rotated volumes, the upper half of the building's program entails a top-floor restaurant with operable windows and a fourth-floor exhibition gallery dedicated to the ports future adaptation to Paris Agreement benchmarks, topped by an accessible rooftop that culminates the journey for users with vistas of the city, dunes, and port terminals below.Photo: Ossip van DuivenbodeThe lower half begins with a ground floor caf framed by a dramatic 72-foot unifying atrium. From there, visitors will emerge into the first of three exhibition floors focused on the ports operations, local environmental and economic impact, constituent role in global trade, and influence over the daily lives of Rotterdamers.Photo: Ossip van Duive...

Talked to my roommate today in inZOI, and between giving advice about coffee beans and explaining how death is the best teacher, my ZOI (the games term for its humans) told her how awkward things were between us. The pleasant conversation turned to, Oh, I guess were just annoyed with each other now, before I chose a better topic, and we went back to excited Sim-glish and emotes. Perplexing.Got a job with a development studio, Blue Moon Soft. The interview process consisted of rigorously pushing a button on my smartphone and automatically getting in. Slept early, woke up early, and spent a significant portion of the morning preparingonly for my ZOI to just disappear off-screen for work. At least I could delegate tasks from the little sidebar icon and take control of my roommate."The bigger macro goals of your ZOIs eventually need defining, whether thats venturing into school or taking a job to pay the bills."Saying that inZOI is surreal would be an understatement and not because of completely intentional happenings. Its one thing to see my ZOI converse with another by standing up and then sitting back down. Or speak to the back of their head while behind them. Or read a book in front of the computer as opposed to the balcony or spacious living room.Thats not even getting into that one day of irritable bowels, which required visiting the bathroom every hour upon the hour (perhaps due to the diseases that can be suffered from). Or the conversation my two ZOIs had over the phone, which highlights the nearly impenetrable inanity of the AI potentially powering their interactions.Yet as a Sims-like, it is a fascinating experience, even in early access. When starting, you have a choice of multiple different personality types for your ZOIs. Becoming an Adventurous individual means constantly being curious about things and venturing to experience them. A more Authority-like figure will try for more control and become annoyed for longer if things dont work out. And so on among the numerous other available types. Theres also the ridiculously in-depth character creator, allowing one to finely sculpt their ZOI in multitudes of different ways and clothing styles.After selecting a city and property to stay in, you have to manage the ZOIs different Urges, which randomly pop up. These are meant to drive your character to do new things and maybe get out there to interact with the wider world of NPCs, each with their own families and lives. For example, becoming filled with a certain emotion might encourage you to seek out another person and share those thoughts with them. It may lead to awkward reactions, but at least you get some MeowCoins in return (all for the fluffy overlord that serves as the games mascot).You can ignore these tasks, of course, opting not to look under the vending machine or disinfect the bedding. The bigger macro goals of your ZOIs eventually need defining, whether thats venturing into school or taking a job to pay the bills. This isnt to say that you cant meander about the park, randomly criticizing people for giving you stares, or the beach and taking in the admittedly somber scene. But if real life is any indicator, the money will run out eventually, so some kind of plan is appreciated, especially one that fits your schedule of hanging out and winging it."Im not too keen on the generative AI used to create textures based on prompts, and not because they take time while offering meager results without much room for customization."If youre the kind of person to leave the ZOIs to their own devices and expect all kinds of chaos to unfold, then Im not sure inZOI is quite at that level yet. Theres some appeal to gazing through the microscope, fascinated by the lives of the ZOIs as they go about their business, building different bonds, working and otherwise.Yet outside of going to coffee shops, the park, art galleries and whatnot, the amount of activities felt a bit sobering. Even hosting a party where my ZOI displayed their awful singing felt admittedly muted, in no small part due to their propensity to cling to their roommate even when the option Greet the guests had been selected.Granted, after several hours with an early playtest, it seemed like I had only just begun to understand the underlying systems. A quick look at the map and the Families tab highlighted how extensive those lives can be.However, as intriguing as these stories felt, they didnt manifest in as many interesting ways as I would have hoped. I know, I know its analogous to real-life and I have to really get out there and interact with it rather than waiting for things to happen. Creating multiple ZOIs might solve that problem, as flipping over and controlling my roommate as she went about her day was a refreshing feeling.inZOI also offers extensive customization for living spaces. With the Creative Studio, you can select different templates for houses and modify them to your hearts content. Knock down walls, make them glassy and see-through, adjust tile types and colors its all here. Im not too keen on the generative AI used to create textures based on prompts, and not because they take time while offering meager results without much room for customization.But you can ignore it and arguably obtain better results. All these options carry over in-game, which means you can knock down walls, rotate them in ways that dont make sense and make the space your own."Limited as it currently seems on the surface, theres definitely something about venturing out into the world and speaking with other NPCs, getting to know them and seeing what develops."On that note, its worth discussing inZOIs performance. I ran it in mostly High settings in DLSS Quality Mode, tweaking a few other things to ensure a better frame rate. The playtest initially had several frame drops and stuttering alongside at least one crash. Things improved with a subsequent patch, and after transferring over to the early access build, there were significant improvements.However, even passing vehicles just a few meters away had pop-in issues and lower image quality. Your mileage may vary and things will likely improve over time (if the playtests updates are any indication). If you want the full range of graphical fidelity, youll need some serious hardware.Even with its idiosyncrasies and odd occurrences, inZOI is still worth keeping an eye on. Limited as it currently seems on the surface, theres definitely something about venturing out into the world and speaking with other NPCs, getting to know them and seeing what develops. The hustle and bustle of life, from its socializing and climbing the work ladder, may not be to everyones taste, and on the opposite end, the sheer depth of content in The Sims definitely dwarfs it.However, inZOI offers a robust set of features on its own and a relatively solid foundation to build off, one that will hopefully see its various gaffes addressed.