"Rage against the T-Pose!" [Blender Short/Tease] By Todor Nikolov on March 22, 2025 Video Todor Nikolov has released a short teasing an upcoming Blender course.This short video showcases some of the techniques and skills that viewers can expect to learn in the course. The course will be available for free on Todor's YouTube channel in the coming days. Stay tuned for more updates

In 2006, a retired AT&T engineer knocked on the door of the EFF's office in a rundown part of San Francisco's Mission district and asked, "Do you folks care about privacy?" With him he carried schematics exposing the largest US government domestic spying operation since Watergate.That person was Mark Klein, who died on March 8 this year from cancer. He was 79.After a life working in telecoms, Klein realized he had helped the NSA wire up a listening station in AT&T's San Francisco switching facility - the infamous Room 641A - that was being used to illegally spy on Americans.The evidence he gathered and shared led to two lawsuits that exposed the extent to which US citizens were being spied on by their own government in the post-9/11 world. Klein faced legal pressure, death threats, and the constant fear of ruin, to get his story out and tell the public what was going on. But Klein regretted nothing."He was very much aware of this history in our country of the government's secrets and wars," his brother Larry told The Register."The idea of wiretapping our own people really bothered him, and he found himself working for a company that's intercepting emails and conversations. I'm very proud of him, very, very proud of my brother. I always think I want to have the courage to do what he did, to tell the truth."The secret roomIn 2003 NSA operatives came to visit the AT&T offices at 611 Folsom Street. They were assigned Room 641A and started to install their own equipment connected to the telco's network to monitor communications. It relied on fiber optic beam splitters that made a copy, effectively, of internet backbone data flowing through AT&T for the Feds.One unusual aspect of the installation was that the NSA wanted only non-union AT&T staff to work in there for installation. Klein was a solid union man but had skills that were needed - Klein spent over a quarter of a century as a telecoms engineer and was a master of the craft.When the operatives ran into problems installing some equipment they called him in and he helped install the splitters that would direct data into the inspection servers in Room 641A. This wholesale routing of information worried him enough that he kept documents showing how the wiring worked just in case.Then in 2005 the New York Times finally published a story it had been sitting on for years. Shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attack the Bush administration had decided that domestic spying laws were inadequate and had let loose the intelligence hounds.The NSA and other agencies went to telcos and demanded the right to surveil citizens and to store data of phone and internet use. The Times had first learned of this shortly after the decision was made but agreed to keep the news under wraps on national security grounds.When the story was published, Klein realized what he had done - he had helped wire up the surveillance state and he was furious about it. He still had the documents about Room 641A though getting the word out about the system proved frustratingly difficult.He went to one newspaper, which strung him along for months promising a big front-page splash and then spiked the story. Other media outlets refused to touch it, although he did get some TV time (see below). Having heard about the EFF, which also had the bonus of being in San Francisco, he decided to drop in unannounced.Youtube Video"He literally walked up to our front door and rang the bell, and said, 'You folks care about privacy?' and we said 'Yes we do,'" recounted Cindy Cohn, now the executive director of the EFF, to The Register."It took us a little while to really recognize that he was the real deal. But he had all these documents with him, and we pretty quickly sent them off to people we knew who had a much deeper understanding of communications networks than we did. And they said, 'Yeah, these look legit.'"Enforcing the lawArmed with his insider information, the EFF helped file two lawsuits; Hepting v. AT&T, and Jewel v. NSA. The first was a class-action lawsuit on behalf of AT&T's customers who may have been surveilled by the NSA system. The second was a case directly against the NSA for carrying out the then-illegal spying.The Hepting case looked like a slam dunk, and claimed AT&T had clearly broken the law. As a result, Congress changed the law and retroactively granted telcos immunity if they conducted wiretaps in the interest of national security.Jewel v. NSA was also dismissed, on the technicality that the individual complainants couldn't prove that they had personally suffered harm for being surveilled. The NSA wasn't going to tell them the details so the case fell by the wayside."He was really upset about it," Cohn said. "He was a technologist, you know, and he was a creature of that world."We spent a week in Washington DC together lobbying and he was the kind of person who thought if you showed up with all the facts and you laid them out in front of smart people they would do the right thing. I don't think he ever really got over the fact that that wasn't true and that doesn't happen."He wrote a book about his experiences, Wiring Up The Big Brother Machine And Fighting It; it's a cracking read.Klein settled into retirement but was always willing to talk about the NSA's interception. Your humble vulture interviewed him in 2013 after the Snowden disclosures, and he was fascinating to talk to, incredibly knowledgeable and calm, yet forceful."He was determined to follow through with it all," his brother recounts. "We'd grown up with the Vietnam war and he admired Daniel Ellsberg and the leaking of the Pentagon Papers. He really was worried about the power of the President, and other cases around the world, like Assange."On March 8, after a prolonged bout of prostate cancer, Mark Klein passed away at his home in Oakland, California. The example he set was an admirable one, Cohn said."I'm just devastated that we weren't able to get Mark justice during his lifetime. So I feel like the least we can do is honor him," she said.

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Welcome back to Week in Review! Weve got tons of stories to share from this week, like the greatest hits from Nvidia GTC; the NASA astronauts finally came home; Ripplings lawsuit; and Google bought Wiz. Lets get to it!Google finally does it: Google made its biggest acquisition in its history this week when it confirmed that it was buying Wiz for $32 billion. Google says it will position Wiz as a multicloud offering, meaning Wiz will not be a Google-only shop. Last year, Google offered Wiz $23 billion for its business. Guess it pays to say no sometimes.Speaking of acquisitions: xAI, Elon Musks AI company, bought Hotshot, a startup working on AI-powered video-generation tools. The acquisition could signal that xAI plans to build its own video-generation models to compete with the likes of OpenAIs Sora, Googles Veo 2, and others.Nvidia GTC: Nvidias biggest conference of the year ended on Thursday, and we were on the ground bringing you the latest from the chipmaker. The company announced two personal AI supercomputers; Groot N1, a foundational model for humanoid robots; new GPUs, called Blackwell Ultra, Vera Rubin, and Feynman; and much more.This is TechCrunchs Week in Review, where we recap the weeks biggest news. Want this delivered as a newsletter to your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here.NewsImage Credits:Three Images (opens in a new window) / Getty ImagesThe gloves are off: HR company Rippling sued Deel, another player in the space, alleging racketeering, misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference, unfair competition, and aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty. Deel denies the allegations.Welcome back to Earth: The two NASA astronauts who were stranded for more than nine months on the International Space Station have finally returned to Earth. Sunita Suni Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico in a SpaceX Dragon capsule on Tuesday after a 17-hour return journey from the ISS.Pixel newness: Google this week released a new Pixel, called the 9a. The $499 smartphone features an upgraded 6.3-inch Actua display, which Google says is 35% brighter than the Pixel 8a. But the real update here is to the design: Its ditching its camera bar on the backside.Hacked: The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), the largest organization for educators in Pennsylvania, says hackers stole the sensitive personal information of more than half a million of its members. PSEA said member account numbers, PINs, passwords, and security codes were also accessed during the breach, according to a letter sent to affected individuals.Neat! A 12th grader built a website called Minecraft Bench (MC-Bench) that pits two AIs against each other to see which one builds better creations in Minecraft. MC-Bench is technically a programming benchmark, since the models are asked to write code to create the prompted build.Actually super helpful: Google is switching up how you find email in your inbox. Rather than displaying everything chronologically, it will now use AI to consider factors like recency, most-clicked emails, and frequent contacts when surfacing emails based on your search query. A toggle will allow people to switch between Most relevant or Most recent emails on a search results page.Humanoids in the home: The hype around humanoid robots for the home seems to have reached new heights. Norwegian robotics company 1X is capitalizing on this, announcing that it will test its humanoid robot, Neo Gamma, in a few hundred to a few thousand homes by the end of the year.AnalysisImage Credits:Justin Sullivan / Getty ImagesNvidia on top: Nvidia is sitting on top of the AI world, but it faces U.S. tariffs, DeepSeek, and shifting priorities from top AI customers. At this years GTC, the company sought to assure attendees and the rest of the world watching that demand for its chips wont slow down anytime soon.Wayve rides the wave: Wayve, which launched in 2017 and has raised more than $1.3 billion over the past couple years, plans to license its self-driving software to automotive and fleet partners, such as Uber. Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall sees promise in bringing his autonomous vehicle startups tech to market.

Kerry Wan/ZDNETZDNET's key takeawaysThe Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a starting price of $1,099, while the Pixel 9 Prostarts at $999.For the price, you're getting a larger, brighter-than-ever 6.8-inch display, exclusive Google AI features, and the most forgiving camera system on the market.I just wish the base storage (128GB) was at least double and the AI features were more reliable.On Amazon, even ahead of the retailers,Big Spring Sale, every single configuration of Google's Pixel 9 Pro XL has seen at least a $200 discount. Prices now start at$899. Several models of theSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are also on sale.Holding the Google Pixel 9 Pro series for the first time reminded me of when I held the iPhone 12 Pro for the first time. The shift from the previous year's curved design to flatter edges made all the difference in its feel and perception of value. The Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL exude premium, and Google knows it.Also:The best Google Pixel phones you can buyThat's why the company is charging you more for its new Pixel phones this year, with the standard model starting at $799, the Pro at $999, and the Pro XL at $1,099. In this economy, it's a bold move. But in the big picture, Google has only matched what competitors like Samsung and Apple have been pricing their flagship handsets. details View at Amazon Fortunately, you have plenty to gain by paying Google more. From my month of testing the Pro XL model -- with short stints using the smaller Pro -- I've greatly benefitted from upgrades such as the brighter (up to 3,000 nits) display, AI features like Call Notes and Pixel Screenshots, the faster 45W charging, and Tensor G4 chip that has kept the phone running smoothly. The new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is also crazy fast. Adam Breeden/ZDNETWith the Pixel 9 Pro series, the design -- as unexpected as it is -- is the standout feature for me. The flat edges rest smoothly against my hand, giving me a confident grip when swiping and typing, a treatment of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 makes the model twice as durable as last year's, and whether you prefer a smaller or larger form factor, you've got options. By comparison, the Pixel 8 Pro feels like a toy.Also: I found a MagSafe battery pack that works flawlessly with my Pixel 9 Pro - and its seriously impressiveMy two gripes with the Pixel 9 Pro design are the camera bump and frosted back glass. The former is a longstanding issue with the Google Pixel's protruding camera bar design, which collects dust and debris around the edges and fingerprint smudges on the visor. With the back glass, I've noticed several micro-scratches already that chipped away the Obsidian-colored coating. My advice: Get any color but Obsidian and you should be fine. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (left) and Pixel 8 Pro (right). Adam Breeden/ZDNETA new Tensor G4 chip paired with 16GB of RAM means the Pixel 9 Pro is faster and more powerful than last year's model when it comes to multi-tab browsing, loading videos on a social feed, editing photos, and playing games. It also benefits on-device AI tasks, which I'll get to later.Also: These three AI features sold me on the Google Pixel 9 Pro - and they're very cleverOn my Uber ride to the airport recently, I was able to swiftly upload clips from a product launch event while downloading movies to watch on the flight. Oh, and location tracking was running in the background, too. The result was mild overheating and about a 3% dip in battery life throughout the 20-minute ride, which is admirable.That's to say, the 5,060mAh battery on the Pixel 9 Pro XL has been serving me well, ending most of my days with around 25-30%. It's a two-day phone when used lightly, but you won't be mad if you need to charge it sooner because the Pixel now supports 45W charging. The faster speed won't revolutionize your morning routine, but it's a notable bump-up from the sluggish 30W rating on previous models. Can you spot the three AI-generated edits in this photo? Kerry Wan/ZDNETThe key improvements to the Pixel 9 Pro's camera system mainly revolve around AI and how its imaging engine interprets and enhances output. For example, the image above, while sharp in detail and beautiful in contrast, was originally captured with a slight tilt, making the runway appear slanted. So, I used the new Auto frame tool in Magic Editor to straighten it while expanding the sides with AI. For fun, I added a rainbow and a plane that clearly didn't hear the Air Traffic Control tower's order to remain grounded like the rest of us.Such AI tools are creative and whimsical, but they're also inconsistent, unreliable (see the left-side airplane), and require a lot of patience -- both with waiting for the image generations and possibly more waiting after that if the results don't meet your creative vision.Also: This $100 Android phone gave me a Pixel 9 Pro flashback - and that's a good thingI'm a bigger fan of the new Add Me and Video Boost features. The former pieces together two photos, one that you've captured of other people in the frame and another that includes you in the same frame, so no one gets left out. It's a clever AI/AR tool that solves a real-world problem, but there is one slight issue: Don't expect a seamless edit if you're posing in between subjects. Oftentimes, parts of your body won't be properly cropped out. So, for the best results, leave space!With Video Boost, I'm happy to report that the improved HDR+ and rendering fixes one of the biggest problems with the Pixel camera: the jarring cuts when switching to the 5x optical zoom camera during recording. Pixel Screenshots lets you search and ask questions about images you've captured on your screen. Adam Breeden/ZDNETWhile I'm still testing every new Pixel 9 AI feature, of which there are plenty, here are my ratings for the my most frequented ones:Pixel Screenshots (4/5): It's the best AI feature I didn't know I needed. Unlike Microsoft Recall, the on-device database is curated by images you manually capture, so it's just as easy to parse through but much more secure.Gemini Live (4/5): Like ChatGPT's voice feature, you can chat and ask questions to Gemini Live while it's running in the background. Since its first release, Gemini Live has worked much more naturally, with fewer hiccups and dropped voice inputs. It helps to have haptic feedback that guides the flow of the conversation. Multimodality and synchronization with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 should improve the experience even more.Call Notes (2/5): The reliability of the summarization feature is greatly affected by call quality, speaking pace, and whether there are any unique words in the conversation, such as foreign names and objects. In most cases, Gemini transcribed dates, places, and bits of important information inaccurately.ZDNET's buying adviceThe Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is a contender forbest Android phonethis year, even if you don't plan to use its on-device AI features. While the new model is Google's most expensive phone (barring foldables) yet, the price bump is justified by improvements in aspects that traditionally held the Pixel line back, such as charging speed, performance, and build quality.With the reintroduction of an XL model, the smaller Pixel 9 Pro should appeal to users who want a more comfortable device without compromising on specs and camera hardware. And if both phones are out of your budget, but you want the core features, consider the cheaper Pixel 9. How we test phones ZDNET's review team spends upwards of a year testing the ins and outs of every major phone release, evaluating the day-to-day performance, camera quality, battery life and endurance, and special features. Here's a breakdown of every factor we consider before we make recommendations:Design and ergonomics:How good a phone looks and feels plays a big role in many users' buying journeys, so we consider these aspects heavily when testing.Performance:Several factors affect a phone's performance, including LTE/5G signal, battery life, and background tasks. Therefore, we typically begin our evaluations with a fully charged handset, all background tasks closed, and as stable a mobile connection as possible.Camera quality:ZDNET tests phone cameras by capturing hundreds of photos and videos of various subjects and in various lighting conditions. We also compare the output to that of older models.Battery life and charging:It's also important for us to evaluate how long phones last under light, moderate, and heavy usage, how long they take to recharge, and how they do it (wired, wireless, or both).Special features:These features distinguish tested devices from a bustling smartphone market and hopefully bring added value to users, not the opposite.Pricing and availability:Beyond budget considerations, we also note if a phone is available in the US or only internationally.For a more extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensivephone testing methodology page. Show more This review was originally published on September 12, 2024, and was updated on March 22, 2025.Featured reviews

For 30 years, Natures Best Photography has transformed fleeting wildlife encounters into timeless ... More calls to wonder, action and conservation. Here is its story. Thomas Vijayan / Nature's Best AwardsExactly three decades ago, Stephen Freligh was shaping stories as a photo editor for the National Wildlife Federation, while his wife, Deborah, was bringing nature to life as an art director and illustrator.But their love for nature and wildlife ran deeper than their jobs could express.Natures Best Photography (NBP) was born from that desire, a vision to showcase the worlds raw beauty through the power of visual storytelling. Together with their freelance editor, Jim Watson, they transformed an idea into a publication that would soon become a global stage for natures most breathtaking momentsone frame at a time.Our inspiration is the community of nature photographers who travel the globe to document its beauty and diversity, says Stephen, as he talks about the fuel that drives NBP. The powerful images and films they bring home awaken our desire to explore, enjoy and conserve the natural world.A resounding winner from 2017, Thanh Trans photo of two Western grebes shows nature with its best ... More feet forward, opening a window into the world of wonder that NBP seeks to showcase every year. Thanh Tran / Nature's Best AwardsThirty years on, NBP is more than just a competitionit has revolutionized the way we see and connect with the natural world. Beyond showcasing the beauty of nature, these images also ignite conversations, encourage conservation efforts and inspire a deeper appreciation for the world we share.Play Puzzles & Games on ForbesSince its inception, Natures Best Photography Awards has curated the most moving visuals found in ... More naturefrom the depths of the ocean to the towering heights of the blue skies above. MONTSE GRILLO / NATURES BEST AWARDS From breathtaking landscapes to rare wildlife encounters, Natures Best Photography has spent three decades curating a visual archive that chronicles both the splendor and fragility of our planet.Now, as it marks its 30th anniversary, we look back at how this contest became an institutionshaping careers, shifting perspectives and changing the way we experience nature itself.Natures Best Photography Was Always About Storytelling With An ImpactAndy Rouse had the perfect frame, but no animal to complete the pictureuntil this solitary giraffe ... More decided to step in. Rouse ultimately won the African Wildlife category for this stunning click. ANDY ROUSE / NATURES BEST AWARDSStephen and Deborah had spent years immersed in the world of conservation-driven photography at the National Wildlife Federation.But they saw something missinga dedicated platform that didnt just publish nature photography but celebrated it as an art form, giving it the reverence and reach it deserved.Natures Best Photography has produced countless instant classics over the years, like this Grand ... More Prize winner from 2023 taken from the base of Icelands youngest volcano, Geldingadalir. LUIS VILARINO / NATURES BEST AWARDSWhat separated us then from the large assortment of nature-related publications on the market was our close attention to high-quality photography and printing those images with the best papers and inks available, Stephen explains.We felt these dedicated documentarians who spend countless hours in the field deserved their work to be displayed as true to the scene as it was experienced the moment the camera shutter was pressed.Among a variety of contest categories, Natures Best Photography has also reserved a unique honor ... More for photographers who can capture moments where humanity interacts with nature in incredible ways. ROBERT MARC LEHMANN / NATURES BEST AWARDS What began as a vision soon gained momentum. The competition that followed turned Natures Best Photography into one of the most prestigious awards programs in the world.Natures Best Photography Continues To Broaden Our Perspective On NatureEntries to Natures Best Photography have always strived to capture the emotions at play in the ... More natural world and their deeper connection to our own, like Lakshitha Karunarathnas Grand Prize winner from 2017. LAKSHITHA KARUNARATHNA / NATURES BEST AWARDSFrom the very beginning, it was clear that the contest attracted entries that resonated with the community.These were more than photographsthey were entire stories captured in a single frame, capable of inspiring a deeper connection with the natural world.The Grand Prize winner from 2015 caught a sweet moment on camera in its utmost simplicity, but the ... More sentiment it portrays still resonates with viewers today. MEGAN LORENZ / NATURES BEST AWARDSDaisy Gilardini, the 2016 Grand Prize winner, puts it best, As environmental photographers, it is our duty to capture the beauty of places and species at risk and raise awareness through the universal power of imagery.Daisy Gilardinis image of a polar bear with its tiny cubs was a quiet cry for attention at a time ... More when ice is vanishing faster than ever before. DAISY GILARDINI / NATURES BEST AWARDSPhotographers from around the world echoed this sense of responsibility. Luis Vilario, who won the 2023 Grand Prize with a volcanic explosion beneath stormy Icelandic skies, says, Nature photography should inspire changes in society that involve and mobilize people to create a better and more sustainable world.Then come the images that immerse viewers in the scene like Thomas Vijayans electrifying shot of a grizzly bear locked in eye contact with a leaping salmon at Brooks Falls in Alaska. Captured with impeccable timing, the photograph reveals a predators focus in the raw theatre of the wild.Vijayan, who recently won The Nature Photography Contests Photographer of the Year 2024 award, notes, You can even see the eye contact between the bear and the fish.The 2024 winner of Photographer of the Year, Thomas Vijayan, has also contributed many stunning ... More photos to the NBP Awards over the years, like this Highly Honored click from 2018. THOMAS VIJAYAN / NATURES BEST AWARDS And just when you think youve seen the best nature has to offer, the next years submissions prove otherwise.Year after year, I would summarize our latest competition as the best we had ever seen, Stephen reflects, only to be corrected by the following years entries and another amazing new collection of images.The Real-World Impact Of Natures Best PhotographyOne of the most tangible examples of NBPs impact in action was their 22-year partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. For over two decades, award-winning photosoften printed nearly life-sizewere displayed in grand halls visited by millions.The exhibitions reach was staggering, and its impact deep. Those were truly Nights at the Museum that celebrated people with passion and purpose, Stephen recalls.Natures Best Photography also displays a gallery of its best images at the Childrens National ... More Hospital in Washington, D.C., bringing patients, families and the staff a little closer to the wonders of our natural world. Nature's Best AwardsIn more recent years, the contest has extended its footprint to global venueswith exhibitions from Europe to Asiaand a permanent home at the Wonders of Wildlife Museum in Missouri.But perhaps more impressive than the geography is the consistency of its mission to ignite conversations that endure beyond the gallery.Photographers also bring a personal touch to their clicks, like this image of one of Connor ... More Stefanisons favorite owlsthe great gray owl. CONNOR STEFANISON / NATURES BEST AWARDS Youth Photographer of the Year, Ashleigh Scully, for example, began giving presentations on environmental issues before finishing high school.I have watched many grow from early success in their teens to great accomplishments in their twenties and beyond, says Stephen. Both Deb and I often feel like proud parents, blessed to be part of their journey.Photos like Ashleigh Scullys image of bear cubs play-fighting in an Alaskan meadow could spark ... More discussions about wilderness preservation and species protection. ASHLEIGH SCULLY / NATURES BEST AWARDSAlongside their flagship international competition, theyve launched initiatives like Natures Best Backyards and Natures Best National Parksinvitations for photographers to see wonder right outside their doorsteps.I wish more people understood they are truly making a difference in the way the general public views nature, remarks Stephen. They are the messengers who will motivate action.Captures like this Highly Honored picture from the African Wildlife category humanize even the most ... More ferocious creaturesa result of the countless hours spent watching them closely. KAREN HANSON / NATURES BEST AWARDS10 Photos That Capture Everything That Natures Best Photography Stands For TodayAs Natures Best Photography celebrates its 30th anniversary, Stephen and Deborah Freligh are focused on carrying their vision forward without losing the core values that made it thrive.Greg Lecoeur captured the oceanic whitetip shark in all its fearsome glory, surrounded by pilot fish ... More as it made its way through the deep blue. GREG LECOEUR / NATURES BEST AWARDS This image required a lot of patience and skill at maintaining my underwater buoyancy in order to ... More capture the clownfish looking straight into my lens, says Jon Cornforth about his Highly Honored photo from 2011. JON CORNFORTH / NATURES BEST AWARDSLee Slabbers patience paid off as he sat in wait on a lazy day for this pride in the Kalahari, ... More giving him and the world this intimate moment between lion and cub. LEE SLABBER / NATURES BEST AWARDS LEE SLABBER / NATURES BEST AWARDSBut looking ahead, the founders know evolution is essential.Our most important objective, Stephen says, is to involve a new generation of Natures Best advocates who share our same principles, yet bring new ideas that will evolve and grow NBP for the next 30 years and more.Vanessa Mignon swam with humpback whales during their annual migration to warm waters, earning this ... More gracefully framed underwater ballet in the process. VANESSA MIGNON / NATURES BEST AWARDS Stefan Christmann caught these emperor penguins practicing, with a snowball, the passing of an egg ... More from the female to the malea crucial moment in their reproductive cycle. STEFAN CHRISTMANN / NATURES BEST AWARDSThat future is already beginning to take shape. Past youth winners like Ashleigh Scully and Zander Galli have grown into articulate ambassadors for wildlife and the environment.Meanwhile, the global reach of the contest continues to growwith more submissions, more categories and more diversity of perspective than ever before.Zander Galli captures the moment of desperation where a polar bear needs to dive off the iceberg it ... More was resting on to search for food. ZANDER GALLI / NATURES BEST AWARDSYouth Photographer of the Year 2018, Isaac Spotts, caught this rare moment where three bull moose ... More were sparring in the watersubmerging himself in 20F weather to get it right. ISAAC SPOTTS / NATURES BEST AWARDS Robert Irwin captured this photo of a tundra swan at the age of 14, brilliantly showcasing its ... More majesty in flight as it zoomed overhead. ROBERT IRWIN / NATURES BEST AWARDS A year later, Robert documents a poignant moment with the last remaining male northern white rhino ... More in existence, drawing focus to the immense sense of loneliness surrounding the great creature. ROBERT IRWIN / NATURES BEST AWARDSYouth Photographer of the Year 2009, Alex Mody captures the magnificent barred owl staring directly ... More at the cameraand the world. ALEX MODY / NATURES BEST AWARDSStill, at its core, the ethos remains unchangedcelebrate nature, honor those who document it and remind the world whats worth preserving. Perhaps the first step today should be to encourage everyone reading this feature to join us on the journey to bring nature into focus, says Stephen.Natures Best Photography is accepting submissions for its 2025 edition now until the end of March, and people of all ages and levels of expertise can enter here.Do these amazing photos from 30 years of Natures Best Photography draw you closer to the natural world and the wonderful creatures around us? Take a 2-minute quiz to see where you stand on the Connectedness to Nature Scale.

Google Assistant is being replaced by GeminiSOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesGoogle Assistant is evolving into Gemini, bringing powerful new AI capabilities but also discontinuing some favorite features. If you use Google Assistant to set timers, play music or control your smart home, get ready for some significant disruptions as the company begins replacing the nine-year-old assistant with its newer, more powerful, AI-powered Gemini chatbot. This article will outline the key changes you can expect, helping you prepare for the transition and understand what will be different.March 22 update below, with tips on working around some of Google Assistants discontinued features. This article was originally published on March 20Google Gemini: An Inevitable UpgradeGemini represents a giant leap forward in capability compared to Google Assistant. Youll be able to chat with Gemini in a similar way to how you talk to Google Assistant now, but as its based on AI-powered large language models (LLMs), Gemini can be much more conversational and helpful, able to perform more challenging tasks, and able to tailor its responses specifically to you.Google has already begun the transition to Gemini. Smartphones are the first to switch and will be followed by smart speakers, TVs, other home devices, wearables, and cars in the coming months.Smartphones, with a few important exceptions (see below), will have moved over to Gemini entirely by the end of 2025 at which point, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores, according to Google.But Not Always A Seamless TransitionUnfortunately, the transition to Gemini wont be seamless for everyone. If you currently make extensive use of Google Assistant, it may take a little effort to adapt to Gemini. Some users will need to make significant adjustments in how they use their devices, as certain features of Google Assistant wont work the same way with Gemini if they work at all. Its important to understand these changes if you want to avoid disruption.Google has removed several features from Google Assistant ahead of transitioning to Gemini.GOOGLESeveral Google Assistant Features DiscontinuedGoogle has a track record of removing features it considers underused by customers. Since last year, it has removed 22 Google Assistant features.Notable removals include cookbook/recipe functions and media alarms that let you wake up to your favorite music. While not all of these discontinuations can be blamed on the transition to Gemini, making the switch will cause some functionality to disappear immediately.Recently, Interpreter mode for live translations and Family Bell announcements for setting personalized reminders were both discontinued to the dismay of many frequent users. The list of discontinued features goes on, and users are not happy.You can read the complete list of discontinued and changed features in this Google support document.Google also acknowledges that to begin with, Gemini may be slower to respond to requests than Google Assistant, although it is expected to get faster over time.However, because its built upon AI, Gemini, unlike Google Assistant, can sometimes provide false information or hallucinations. Users will have to get used to checking any information Gemini provides in a way that wasnt so critical with Google Assistant.Gemini tries to understand your requests and respond appropriately rather than simply following a list of programmed commands. This makes it considerably more powerful but also slightly unpredictable.Features Are Being Removed Before They Are ReplacedFortunately, Gemini is so much more powerful than Google Assistant that users will eventually gain many more capabilities than they lose. Gemini will likely be able to restore much of the removed functionality eventually. However, not all of Google Assistants features currently have an alternative that works with Gemini.Can My Device Use Gemini?Not all devices are compatible with Gemini, and youll need to be located in one of the countries where Gemini is available. If your device doesnt meet the criteria below, then you can continue to use Google Assistant for now.For phones and tablets, youll need:Minimum 2GB RAMAndroid 10, iOS 16 or higher.Android Go devices arent supportedGoogle Assistant Becomes Gemini: Smart Speakers, Smart Displays And TVs Are NextFor now, Google Assistant will continue to work on devices, such as smart speakers, smart displays and TVs, but that will change over the coming months. The rollout will eventually extend to tablets, cars, headphones and watches, provided they meet the minimum specs.Some other older devices may also not be powerful enough to run Gemini, although no specific requirements have been given at this time. If your device is too old to support Gemini, youll still be able to use Google Assistant as long as Google continues to support it.For details about the transition to Gemini and what Gemini can do for you, see Googles introduction to Gemini.March 22 Update. Here are some workarounds for some of the most popular features being removed from Google Assistant as Google transitions to Gemini.Interpreter ModeWhile it adeptly translates words, phrases and complete documents, Gemini currently does not directly replace Google Assistants live translation Interpreter Mode function. This means smart speakers and other devices will no longer be able to translate conversations in real-time.The best Google alternative is to switch to the Google Translate app, which offers a similar Conversation Mode function. However, it is primarily for mobile devices and doesnt offer the same hand-free, voice-activated experience as a smart speaker or smart display.If a hands-free Interpreter Mode on a smart speaker is vitally important to you, you could always buy an Amazon device and use Alexas Live Translation function instead.Check Googles help pages for possible updates regarding Interpreter Mode.Google Photos Voice Commands, Photo Frame Settings And Ambient Screen SettingsSadly, youll no longer be able to use your voice to favorite and share your photos or ask when and where they were taken. However, you will be able to use the Google Photos app to perform these functions manually.Its a similar situation for Photo Frame Settings and Ambient Screen Settings. You will now have to adjust these manually by tapping the settings options on your display.The loss of voice control will be a blow to anyone who relies on voice control for accessibility. Hopefully, Gemini will eventually be able to perform a similar function, but for now, if you can't use the touchscreen, youll have to look to other accessibility options.Learn How To Use Google Home RoutinesSome of the Google Assistant features Google has removed, such as Family Bell, can be approximated using Google Routines. However, the setup process will be more complicated than before. The same goes for creating automatic daily updates. Google provides help for creating routines on its support pages, but be prepared to invest some time learning how to set them up.Follow @paul_monckton on Instagram.

Facepalm: If you're the proud owner of a top-of-the-line Samsung soundbar from 2024, chances are you've had a pretty rough week. The company has admitted that a crappy software update has managed to brick "certain" models from last year's soundbar lineup, turning them into pricey paperweights. The confirmation comes straight from Jim Kiczek, the head of audio at Samsung Electronics America. In a statement to The Verge, Kiczek called it a "software update error" that impacted some of the company's 2024 soundbars. He says Samsung is now offering free repairs for all affected units regardless of warranty status.For some context, reports started flooding in last week about Samsung's flagship HW-Q990D soundbar going haywire after a firmware update. Owners complained that while these premium systems did power on, they froze on the TV eARC input. They then became completely unresponsive and cut off from the Samsung SmartThings app. No amount of resets or reboots could revive them.The issue isn't just limited to the Q990D, either. There are many reports across Samsung's community forums, Reddit, and AVSForum about the HW-Q800D and HW-S801D models suffering the same fate.These reports also state that Samsung customer support didn't have an answer. All they said was that the issue had been forwarded to the warranty team and that they were awaiting a response.What makes this situation particularly painful is that a simple software patch doesn't seem to fix it this time. It appears that these bricked bars require physical repairs to bring them back to life. // Related StoriesThe buggy firmware update causing all this audio anguish appears to be version 1020.7. Many of Samsung's high-end soundbars were set to install it automatically, which is why the issue spread so rapidly across multiple countries like the US, Austria, Malaysia, and beyond.For those with working Samsung speakers, the advice is to immediately turn off automatic updates for now.While software snafus happen, it's still a lousy scenario for those who splurged on Samsung's impressive 2024 soundbar lineup, like the well-reviewed Q990D. Instead of theater-quality sound, they get expensive silence.

Buena Vista Pictures DistributionTable of ContentsTable of ContentsEnemy of the State (1998)Rampage (2018)Escape From New York (1981)Heat (1995)The Devil Wears Prada (2006)Every month, movies come and go on Amazon Prime Video. You might find something you want to watch one month only to realize that its already gone the next. This isnt to say that every movie has a 30-day shelf life. Many movies on Amazon Prime Video are available for much longer, sometimes years. But how do you know? You dont, unless you check for warnings that a movie is leaving soon (which arent always there). Thats a lot of work. So let us do it for you.With this selection of five movies leaving Amazon Prime Video in March 2025, were highlighting several fantastic films worth watching before theyre gone. One is a great movie to watch if you want to honor the late, great Gene Hackman; its one of his best films from the late 90s.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? Then check out thebest new movies to stream this week, thebest movies on Netflix, thebest movies on Hulu, thebest movies on Amazon Prime Video, thebest movies on Max, and thebest movies on Disney+.RelatedEnemy of the State (1998)Sadly, we lost Gene Hackman this year, one of the greatest actors of our time. Relive one of his many great movies, Enemy of the State, in which he stars alongside Will Smith. Hackman is Edward Brill Lyle, a talented surveillance expert who frequently works with labor lawyer Robert Clayton Dean (Smith). When Dean finds himself in hot water while working a case against a mob boss that involves the NSA and threatens citizens, he reaches out to Brill for help.The chemistry between Hackman and Smith is solid in Enemy of the State. The movie was a box office success and earned positive reviews, with critics lauding its writing, direction, and the talented lead cast. If youre looking for a good Hackman film to remember his fantastic film legacy, this one is a good choice before its gone from the streamer.Stream Enemy of the State on Amazon Prime Video.Rampage (2018)Dwayne The Rock Johnson might be making appearances in WWE right now, but hes still one of the biggest action movie stars with an impressive resume of films, including this one. A sci-fi monster movie, Rampage is about a pathogen that escapes from a space station and makes its way to George (motion captured by Jason Liles), a rare gorilla who grows larger and more menacing. His human friend Davis (Johnson), a former Special Forces soldier who saved George from poachers, must now work with doctor Kate Caldwell (Naomie Harris), who originally developed the pathogen, to try and save George from government capture.While Rampage received mixed reviews, it was a box-office success. Classify this one as a popcorn flick to watch on a lazy night at home when you just want to turn your brain off and be entertained with stunning visuals and thrilling action sequences.Stream Rampageon Amazon Prime Video.Escape From New York (1981)Escape From New York Official Trailer #1 (1981) Kurt Russell, John Carpenter HDTravel back to the 1980s with Escape From New York, a John Carpenter independent sci-fi action movie starring Kurt Russell. Its about an alternate future of 1997 (yes, in this movie, almost 20 years ago was considered the near future) where the U.S. has been overrun with crime and Manhattan has become a massive prison. Snake Plisskin (Russell) is a former Special Forces operative who has been incarcerated. But now, the government needs his help to save the presidents life following an attack by insurgents. If he can achieve this in 24 hours, hell be pardoned.Escape From New York is a tense ride through 90-minute runtime. Now considered a cult classic, the movie spawned the sequel Escape from L.A. 15 years later, in which Russell reprised his role and Carpenter returned to write and direct.Stream Escape From New York on Amazon Prime Video.Heat (1995)While Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have appeared in many movies together, Heatwas their first major on-screen collaboration. The film adds Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, and Val Kilmer to the cast to make this epic crime a must-watch. As far as cat-and-mouse, good-guy-and-bad-guy chase movies go, this ones near the top of the list. Pacino is Vincent Hanna, an LAPD officer hunting down career thief Neil McCauley (De Niro). While its all part of the job, this isnt a task either man can leave at the office. The obsession starts to impact their personal lives, too.Based on the story of Chuck Adamson and his attempts to take down the real-life criminal of the same name, Heat is one of the best movies ever made in its genre. It proved that Pacino and De Niro were a movie match made in heaven.Stream Heat on Amazon Prime Video.The Devil Wears Prada (2006)Meryl Streep is deliciously haughty as the now iconic Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, editor-in-chief of the fictional Runway magazine. Shes all about the high life, intricate fashion, and making an impression. Plus, her glare can break glass. When aspiring journalist Andrea Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) seeks a job there right out of university, she becomes a fish out of water. Its a stepping-stone job, she believes, into real journalism. However, Andy finds herself becoming more like the materialistic and superficial woman she works with, losing a bit of herself each day in the process.The Devil Wears Prada earned plenty of awards and accolades, and both Streep and Hathaway were praised for their performances, along with Emily Blunt as Mirandas senior assistant Emily. Its widely believed that the character of Miranda is inspired by Vogues Anna Wintour, though never officially confirmed. Either way, Streep nails it. Even with her incredible resume, this role remains one of Streeps most memorable.Stream The Devil Wears Prada on Amazon Prime Video.Editors Recommendations

2025-03-22T18:42:06Z Read in app AI models can have distinct personalities, according to a leading personality test. Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? The DISC model is a workplace personality test that categorizes behavior into four areas.One provider of DISC tested the most popular chatbots, including ChatGPT and Gemini.The chatbots seem to have distinct personalities, which could impact workplace dynamics.OpenAI's ChatGPT is confident and positive, but when pushed to the extreme, it can be manipulative. Google's Gemini is a good listener but might need a bit of encouragement to say what it really thinks.That's according to DISC, a popular workplace personality test that some companies are now using to help integrate AI models into their workforce.The test was designed by American psychologist William Moulton Marston, who, back in the 1920s, grappled with fundamental questions about human behavior.Unlike his contemporaries, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who studied individuals with psychological disorders, Marston studied how people in good mental health interacted with others and their environments. He's also credited with inventing an early version of the lie detector.Marston eventually concluded that the human behavior falls into four categories and, in a 1928 book, introduced the DISC personality model. DISC stands for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, and Marston saw them as the four "primary emotions" that drive human behavior.Marston's model has since been formalized into assessments now used by Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and universities. Questions, which often take the form of statements, might be "I am motivated by accomplishment and authority" or "I am right most of the time," where participants answer based on how strongly they agree.Test-takers are ultimately assigned one of 12 types based on their most dominant traits. Someone who receives a D for "Dominance" might be described as direct and strong-willed. Someone who gets a DC for "Dominance Conscientious" might be more meticulous and excel at critical thinking.As companies accelerate AI adoption, workers are using generative AI to write emails, brainstorm ideas, and conduct research. They might see chatbots like ChatGPT as a competent but neutral sounding board for their thoughts. But these models might not be so neutral.Online DISC Profile, a provider of DISC, conducted assessments of the most popular AI chatbots. It found that OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot are both DI, or "Dominance Influence" types. These types are known for being assertive, results-driven, and having a sense of urgency. At their worst, though, they can be manipulative.Google's Gemini and China's DeepSeek are a combination of S, C, and I and can be classified as "steadiness" types, which are rarer. These types are more stable and consistent and tend to be good listeners. They excel at making others feel supported, but they also tend to steer clear of conflict.Some companies may want to consider how workplace dynamics change when employees spend several hours a week conversing with a supportive but conflict-averse chatbot alongside their teammates.Managing teams suddenly becomes a bit like managing the cast of characters from Star Wars, according to Sarah Franklin, CEO of Lattice, a platform for managing employee performance and engagement."You have Princess Leia leading the rebel command, and she has to get Luke Skywalker, along with R2-D2, the robot, along with Han Solo, along with Chewbacca, and then you have C-3PO, another robot, and like, all of them have to coordinate," she told Business Insider. "That is very much what we're doing right now. We have to be able to collaborate together, but you need to have mission control."Lattice relies on DISC as an internal assessment to "reduce conflict and improve working relationships." Some employees have already trained chatbots on their DISC style, Mollie West Duffy, director of learning and development at Lattice, told BI by email.Duffy said employees can then ask these bots questions like, "I'm a style C, working with a style D on a cross-functional project. How should I give the other person feedback in an effective way, given their style?"The platform doesn't leverage work assessment data across its 5,000 customers, which include OpenAI, Anthropic, and E3, but Duffy said it's something Lattice is considering for the future. Managers might eventually get tailored feedback tips based on their direct reports' DISC profiles. Or the platform might suggest more personalized growth areas to users."We have to have the system where the AI exists as an employee with transparency, accountability, and management," Franklin said.