Mr. Han was co-chief executive and oversaw the companys consumer electronics business since 2021.

MacworldLets talk about small phones. Yes, again.No, youre obsessed with small phones. Oh, no, whoops, it is actually the Macalope. Sorry about that.The thing is, the Macalope is so old he remembers when one of the controversies around the launch of the original iPhone was speculation that Apple used a hand model with particularly large hands in order to make the iPhone seem smaller. Yes, the thinking back then was that the original iPhone with its 3.5-inch screen was so big that Apple was trying to cover it up by hiring Jeff Large Hands McGinty away from the walnut-crushing factory to make it look smaller than it actually was.(We hadnt invented -gates at that point so it wasnt called Handgate.)No, Jeff did not crush the walnuts by hand. Dont be ridiculous. He worked at the walnut-crushing factory because he could more easily manipulate the very large levers of the walnut-crushing machine with his massive mitts.What were we talking about? Oh, small phones.Fast-forward to today and the smallest phones on lists of the best small phones are either expensive flip phones that are still large when flipped open or start at 5.9 inches. That is not a small phone.And the phones just keep getting larger. If you are a fan of small phones, it is like losing the same argument over and over and over again every year for the rest of eternity. The iPhone 14 Plus. The iPhone 16e. The entire rumored iPhone 17 lineup.IDGBecause there are no more small phones, this has reached the point where it is a usability issue. As the Macalope has said before, if you see a pop-socket, they blew it. Sure, some want a large screen regardless of whether or not they can touch all of it with one hand or even walk to the other end in their lifetime and will slap a pop-socket onto it to make it work for them no matter how stupid it looks. But if someone has to put a pop-socket on your smallest phone to be able to use the entire screen, you have created a usability issue, which is an odd thing for Apple which usually prides itself on usability.But, wait. The horny one said, There are no more small phones. Thats not completely true. Its true that there are no name-brand small phones, but some companies are at least raging along with the Macalope against the dying of the light. One even put it in the name: Minimalist Light Phone III launches March 27This phone features a 3.92-inch screen and a minimalist interface designed to prevent distracting notifications, doom-scrolling, and also probably enjoyment of any kind. While the Macalope heartily supports the existence of this phone for those who are looking to be less obsessive about social media, work, and other diseases that have an ill effect on the bodily humors, its not what hes really looking for. The Macalope wants something full-featured, certainly for the $799 Light wants for this phone (its available for a limited time starting at $599).Fortunately, Light isnt the only one in the small phone game Big smartphones might be outthe NanoPhone fits in your pocket and is less than $90. It even kinda looks like an iPhone 16 that you left in the dryer too long. An iPhone 16 for ants.The NanoPhone has a 3-inch screen. Okay, the Macalope never thought hed hear himself say this but that might actually be too small. Large screens are a usability issue but typing on a screen that small also seems like one. Still, the Nano Phone is a full-featured Android phone, capable of running your favorite apps (well, the Android versions of them anyway) smally. And at $200 (currently on sale for just $90), its priced in accordance with its diminutive size and feature set. While the Light phone isnt for the Macalope, this one is mildly tempting, if only as an angry statement.Price was never really the Macalopes driver in buying small phones, however. Sure, it was nice to get an iPhone for less, but the Macalope simply preferred a small iPhone. Heck, hed even be willing to pay more for one. While he heartily supports the effort shown by both the Light Phone and Nano Phone, converting to Android simply sounds exhausting.It would be a lot easier if Apple just made a small phone again.

Otter.ai, which is primarily known for its voice-to-text transcription service, is rolling out a voice-activated AI agent that will participate in and answer questions during online calls.The Otter Meeting Agent, launched Tuesday, activates a voice agent when called upon, understands questions put to it, and pulls information from the public web or internal documents to answer queries.Otter.ai already has a web interface and an app that transcribes voice notes to text, generating summaries of notes and allowing users to query the system via text.The system can now do the same via voice during meetings, which can come in handy when people need immediate information at their fingertips and dont want to type in queries, said Sam Liang, CEO of Otter.ai.This new AI Meeting Agent is actually going to be able to answer questions or participate in meetings and even take some actions to perform some tasks, Liang said.For example, in a demonstration during a Zoom videoconference, Liang asked the AI agent, participating as an attendee, Hey Otter, who invented the audio recorder and in what year? and the agent responded instantly: The audio recorder was invented by Thomas Edison in 1877.The voice-activated agent works with Zoom and will integrate into Slack and Teams software in the coming weeks.The agent is also able to answer questions by sourcing information from corporate data. For example, it can respond to a query about subscriber numbers or growth rate by selectively pulling data from internal databases.The AI agent can also take other actions such as scheduling a follow-up meeting or drafting an email.The system usesRetrieval-Augmented Generation(RAG) to analyze user queries, which it then breaks down into subtasks and decides which functions to call or which internal system to send a query. It could pull data from multiple places and then generate the answer to summarize the results, Liang said.At arecent GTC panel discussion, tech leaders stressed that customers prefer to talk to humans rather than machines. But Liang said some voice AI agents can supplement human agents and meet basic needs, such as answering simple questions.For now, the voice-activated meeting agent is an on-demand feature answering questions from internal documents, much like text-based requests. The agent is only activated on voice requests and doesnt interrupt conversations.However, Otter.ai is moving in the direction where an agent will soon be an active participant, Liang said. It can even correct misinformation.The idea that agents would take part in meetings isnt new. More than a decade ago, in 2013, Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder predicted AI tools would participate in meetings proactively, in addition to surfacing data and insights from internal systems.Meetings often dont take advantage of the vast stores of enterprise data that we have: We make decisions without consulting our own data, insights, documents, and past conversations, which is suboptimal, Gownder said at the time.But there are several issues at play before AI meeting participants are likely to be welcome, including accuracy and social acceptance. Participants might not like being interrupted by AI agents.And if the tool makes even one or two mistakes, humans might quickly come to distrust it.Can these AI meeting participants find the right data, documents, and insights out of our vast enterprise SharePoint sites to surface during a meeting? Gownder said. I would suggest that it will be quite a few years before this becomes mainstream, even though it offers a very logical and potentially powerful value proposition.Otter has multiple monthly and yearly subscription plans, including a free tier and a $30 monthly plan for business users. The subscription service also includes an enterprise plan, for which a price wasnt given.Otter has 25 million subscribers but declined to detail the number of paid subscribers.

This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.Ethically sourced spare human bodies could revolutionize medicineMany challenges in medicine stem, in large part, from a common root cause: a severe shortage of ethically-sourced human bodies.There might be a way to get out of this moral and scientific deadlock. Recent advances in biotechnology now provide a pathway to producing living human bodies without the neural components that allow us to think, be aware, or feel pain.Many will find this possibility disturbing, but if researchers and policymakers can find a way to pull these technologies together, we may one day be able to create spare bodies, both human and nonhuman.These could revolutionize medical research and drug development, greatly reducing the need for animal testing, rescuing many people from organ transplant lists, and allowing us to produce more effective drugs and treatments. All without crossing most peoples ethical lines. Read the full story.Why the world is looking to ditch US AI modelsEileen GuoA few weeks ago, when I was at the digital rights conference RightsCon in Taiwan, I watched in real time as civil society organizations from around the world, including the US, grappled with the loss of one of the biggest funders of global digital rights work: the United States government.Some policymakers and business leadersin Europe, in particularare reconsidering their reliance on US-based tech and asking whether they can quickly spin up better, homegrown alternatives. This is particularly true for AI. Read the full story.This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here.How to delete your 23andMe dataConsumer DNA testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy protection, following months of speculation around CEO Anne Wojcickis plans to take the firm private. The news means that 23andMeand the genetic data of millions of its customerscould soon be put up for sale.But although customers worried about the security of their DNA data can request its deletion, truly scrubbing your information from the companys archives is easier said than done. Read the full story.Rhiannon WilliamsThe must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 US security leaders accidentally added a journalist to a secret Signal chatThe group used the unapproved platform to discuss classified military strikes in Yemen. (The Atlantic $)+ It raises questions over how the US government is handling sensitive information. (Vox)+ The Trump administration has embraced the encrypted messaging app. (WP $)2 Donald Trumps H-1B visa crackdown could seriously harm US tech firmsAmazon is likely to be hit particularly hard. (Rest of World)+ US visa and green-card holders are being detained and deported. (NY Mag $)+ Tariffs, DOGE and scams are weighing heavily on the tech industry. (Insider $)+ America relies heavily on skilled overseas workers. (The Conversation)3 DeepSeeks runaway success is shaking up Chinas AI startupsTheyre overhauling their business models in an effort to keep up. (FT $)+ The AI development gap between China and the US is narrowing. (Reuters)+ How DeepSeek ripped up the AI playbookand why everyones going to follow its lead. (MIT Technology Review)4 AI companies dont want to be regulated anymoreEmboldened by the Trump administration, the industrys biggest firms are lobbying for fewer rules. (NYT $)5 Colorado is experimenting with psychedelic mushroomsIt plans to administer them in healing centers across the state. (Undark)+ Job titles of the future: Pharmaceutical-grade mushroom grower. (MIT Technology Review)6 Tesla sales are plummeting in EuropeAs customers turn to its Chinese rival BYD. (The Guardian)+ Elon Musks companies are under increasing pressure from their rivals. (Economist $)+ BYD was one of our 2024 Climate Tech Companies to Watch. (MIT Technology Review)7 This Indian city relies on the wind to stay coolPalava City is a living testbed of technological innovation. (WP $)+ No power, no fans, no AC: The villagers fighting to survive Indias deadly heatwaves. (MIT Technology Review)8 Filming your online routine is not for the faint of heartAbsurd clips are doing the rounds on social media yet again. (NY Mag $)9 Floating wood could help to refreeze the ArcticBy helping to seed the formation of new ice. (New Scientist $)+ Inside a new quest to save the doomsday glacier. (MIT Technology Review)10 Silicon Valley workers are ditching dating appsInstead, theyre attending carefully vetted dating meetups IRL. (Wired $)Quote of the dayThe path to saving TikTok should run through Capitol Hill.Three Democratic senators urge Donald Trump to work with Congress to save TikTok from shutting down in the US, the Verge reports.The big storyHow AI is changing gymnastics judgingJanuary 2024The 2023 World Championships last October marked the first time an AI judging system was used on every apparatus in a gymnastics competition. There are obvious upsides to using this kind of technology: AI could help take the guesswork out of the judging technicalities. It could even help to eliminate biases, making the sport both more fair and more transparent.At the same time, others fear AI judging will take away something that makes gymnastics special. Gymnastics is a subjective sport, like diving or dressage, and technology could eliminate the judges role in crafting a narrative.For better or worse, AI has officially infiltrated the world of gymnastics. The question now is whether it really makes it fairer. Read the full story.Jessica Taylor PriceWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet em at me.)+ These plants are quite possibly math geniuses.+ Inside the weird and wonderful world of animal art.+ Get me on a (sustainable) trip to the Cook Islands immediately.+ Its officially cherry blossom season around the world!

Three senators have warned President Donald Trump that his handling of the TikTok ban puts Apple and other tech companies at risk of liability, potentially costing firms hundreds of billions of dollars.TikTok on an iPhoneThe ban on TikTok has largely been ignored by the current U.S. Administration, after President Trump ordered for the ban to be extended until April 5. With that delayed deadline looming, lawmakers are concerned about what could happen next and how it could impact other companies.In a letter to the President on Monday, Senators Edward Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) insist that there could be considerable costs associated with the way that the delay was instigated. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A six-year investigation into a suspected international organized crime ring has seen members convicted because of evidence from an iPad submerged in London's Thames river for years.The iPad that was uncovered after five years in the River Thames image credit: Metropolitan PoliceAn iPad that was recovered from London's Thames River after more than five years, has provided crucial evidence that has led to the conviction of a suspected international organized crime ring.Right from the start in 2010, the iPad has been available in a cellular version which Apple tends to sell for around $100 to $130 more than the Wi-Fi version. Usually, the hidden detail has been you also need a monthly carrier contract, but it turns out that a cellular iPad can also cost you jail time. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Through its Insider Program that is used for beta testing new features, Microsoft has started testing a new Game Hubs feature on Xbox. Available to Xbox Insiders, the Game Hub will allow players to launch their games by hitting the A button on their controller twice.The feature was spotted by Tom Warren, who also posted a demonstration of the new feature on YouTube. Through the new Game Hub, players will see a new screen when they go to launch a game through the home screen. This new screen will present players with a host of details about the game, including a list of friends who play the same title, as well as details on play time and Xbox Achievement progress.While the new interface does provide more details about any given game, as Warren points out, this increases the number of times players will have to hit A to get into a game. Rather than being able to launch the game directly from the home screen, players will have to go through another screen before theyre in the game.As showcased through the video, this new Game Hub screen also presents a list of available addons (which includes expansions as well as smaller DLCs and microtransactions) that players can purchase right next to the giant play button. This would imply that the Game Hub was developed to present an easier way for publishers and developers to present new DLC to players.Warren also notes that the Game Hub does not pop up when you launch a game from your recently-played list in the side-bar. This could either imply that the Game Hub will only be accessible through the home screen and the library screen, or that the feature is still under development, and through future updates, could also show up from the recently-played list.The Game Hub feature also seems to be early in testing, since it is only available to some Xbox Insider Skip-Ahead testers. A wider rollout is likely planned for a later date.While work on the Xbox Series X/S software is going on as one might expect, reports have indicated that Microsoft is working on a handheld Xbox gaming system behind the scenes. Earlier this month, Microsoft is slated to launch an Xbox-branded handheld gaming PC that would compete with devices like the Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally.While no real details have been revealed so far, rumours point to the new system featuring Xbox-styled design sensibilities, including an Xbox guide button. Much like other Microsoft hardware, the handheld system is also expected to run on a modified version of Windows.Microsoft itself has confirmed that it is working on a handheld gaming system, with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer mentioning that prototypes are currently in the works. However, the device is still some time away, according to Spencer.For our thoughts on Microsofts future as a gaming hardware maker, heres why we believe the company could become a dark horse in the market thanks to its future plans for console and portable gaming hardware.Microsoft has started testing a new Xbox Game Hubs feature with Xbox Insiders. It means you might have to press the Xbox A button twice to launch games soon. Here's a quick overview of how it works www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Em Tom Warren (@tomwarren.co.uk) 2025-03-25T10:20:14.559Z

Sorely missed real-time tactics progenitor returns in 2025 with its first entry in almost two decades. Commandos: Origins explores the origins of the elite covert-ops unit as they undertake the first of their daring missions during World War II. Theres plenty here fans of the original trio will recognize but developer Claymore Game Studios have ushered in a handful of modern novelties. This feature outlines fifteen things to know before you execute your plans to purchase.What is it?Commandos: Origins is a long-in-the-making revival of the legendary real-time tactics-come-stealth series, this being the first entry since 2003s Commandos 3: Destination Berlin (ignoring 2006 first-person departure Commandos: Strike Force). In prequel Origins, youll undertake covert operations, daring raids, and heroic rescues; seminal missions integral to changing the course of World War II, their significance forging the elite espionage units legacy.Origins differs from previous Commandos gamesThe complex, isometric gameplay championed by Commandos games of old is present here, but Origins provides even larger maps, real-time environments with zoom in and perspective rotation capability, multi-storey buildings integrated into the map, and more widespread opportunity to interact with the environment and to utilize the surroundings to stay hidden.How stealth worksSuccess in Commandos: Origins is all about tactics. Combining your squads abilities to coordinate complex actions and execute in real-time is the games bread and butter. Flavour though comes in its stealth mechanics and therere numerous approaches to consider to best the units Nazi foe. Guns blazing is an option, but loud noises will of course attract attention. Instead, tried and true bush hiding, patrol route study, and utilising environmental objects such as radios to create audible diversions mix with enemy fields of vision; ostensibly, eye-line cones which you cant enter, with a section farthest from enemys eyes where detection is evaded by crawling through. Failing to observe surroundings, not hiding bodies, leaving footprints, these are swift ways to raise alarms too.Six playable commandosPoster boy for the series, the Green Beret Jack OHara is the first soldier youll command. Under his leadership, also comprising the elite unit are Thomas The Engineer Hancock, Francis T The Sniper Woolridge, Samuel The Driver Brooklyn, James The Marine Blackwood, and Rene The Spy Duchamp. Each playable commando shares numerous skills, but their nicknames should clue you in to their specialty. The Spy, for example, can don Nazi uniforms to infiltrate camps, whilst The Driver is, of course, a dab hand at manoeuvring vehicles.Missions at launchCommandos: Origins has fourteen missions, each with at least one unique objective but, moreover, numerous objectives to complete. Assignments will take the squad to all corners of the war in Europe, with the harsh inclemency of the Eastern Front, Arctic frozen tundra, rugged Western coastlines, and historically authentic locales our team will operate.Multiple paths to victoryThe levels in Commandos: Origins are diverse environments, stuffed with detail and interactivity. As a result of their design, mission victory is achievable via multiple means. Stealthy versus non-stealthy approaches aside, numerous paths are possible, and elevation is achievable. Hiding, climbing, and even driving vehicles are viable options to completing each levels objectives.Enemy typesThroughout each mission in Commandos: Origins you squad will encounter various enemy types. Guards, for instance, are usually stationed watching the approach to locations of high tactical value. Furthermore, guards tend to holster formidable weaponry such as the fearsome German submachine gun the MP40. Unlike guards who wont abandon their post, officers will float between patrols. Snipers hide in eagles nests, ready to kill the squad from afar. Sappers, combat engineers, and regular solders, the latter of whom are more easily lured, round out the enemies OHara and his team will encounter.VehiclesThere are numerous vehicles dotted throughout the environments of Commandos: Origins that can be commandeered by the squad. The standard military truck Opel Blitz can be found in four variants alongside the Volkswagen Kbelwagen and American made Jeep Willys, providing options to transport the unit. More hardcore is the Panzerkampfwagen 3 or Panzer an infamous German tank thatll be well-known to anyone whos played or watched anything to do with World War II. Mission specific Zodiac boats for aquatic infiltration will also be controllable. Worth pointing out at this juncture as, whilst not vehicles, anti-tank guns like the PAK 38, anti-aircraft guns such as the Flakvierling and Flak 88, and station mounted MG34 machine gun will be controllable too.LootLoot in Commandos: Origins comes in the form of collectibles dropped from slain enemies like first aid kits and ammunition, plus items found out in the wilds. In a system described as modernised by the developer, loot acquired here supports Origins stealth rather than promote a guns-blazing approach, with collectibles like enemy uniforms discoverable.Difficulty levelsTherere three difficulty levels to choose from in Commandos: Origins. Beginner gives players room for tactical error, with slow reacting enemies and increased commando health. Normal is more fitting for those with combat experience, with strategic knowledge and combat skill already at their disposal. Here, enemies will react faster whilst commandos, still able to withstand moderate amounts of damage, arent as resilient as they are at beginner difficulty. The third tier hard is for veterans. Actions must be planned and executed perfectly as enemies react immediately and commando health is at a premium.Command ModeTo execute your plans to pinpoint perfection, Commandos: Origins includes a new-to-the-series Command Mode. Entering the mode is as simple as pausing the game before issuing orders to each of your squad. Orders can then be executed individually or together simultaneously. The example given in a demonstration video sees the Engineer lay a trap for a patrolling guard before both the Green Beret and the Marine are instructed to take down two stationary guards.Multiplayer modesAll missions in Commandos: Origins the first mission aside are playable in two player co-op either online or via local split-screen.Platforms, release date, and priceCommandos: Origins releases April 9th to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S with day one access via game pass and PC via Steam. Priced at $49.99, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions are coming later in the year. A retail edition has been confirmed for current-gen consoles and PC, although exact details are yet to be shared.Deluxe editionIn addition to the standard digital version, Commandos: Origins will also come in a deluxe edition available on the same April 9th date. Included in the deluxe edition are legacy skins which each commando can adorn to reflect their classic appearance in Commandos 2: Men of Courage, a digital calendar with twelve unique motifs from the game, a digital copy of the original 15-track soundtrack, and a unique 3D print template allowing you to print your own 3D Green Beret bust. The deluxe edition will also be available as a physical version on May 22nd.PC requirementsMinimum specs to run Commandos: Origins on your PC include an i5-4690K or Ryzen 7 2700 processor, GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon RX 580 GPU, and 8GB RAM. Recommended specs demand an i7-9700 or Ryzen 7 3700X processor, GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT GPU, and 16GB RAM. Upscaling via FSR or DLSS is available depending on your PC hardware. 31GB of storage space is required.

AI-driven sustainability company Cove has launched an AI for Architects Pitch Off competition, designed to put a spotlight on groundbreaking AI-driven solutions in architecture.According to Cove, some 66 per cent of architect leaders believe AI will be essential to their business within three years. Many teams are also looking for opportunities to identify, pilot, and test these technologies. The pitch off aims to spur innovation and showcase AI-powered solutions that can further revolutionize architectural design and workflows. As a result, architects, designers, technologists, engineers, students, and AI innovators are invited to submit their pitches for how AI can transform architecture and design.Submissions could be a conceptual AI solution, a prototype or proof-of-concept, or an AI-powered workflow enhancement.All submissions must be 100 per cent original and created by the entrant/team. Submissions must not contain proprietary or sensitive information unless publicly shareable. All intellectual property rights remain with the participants. The winning team will receive a $5,000 USD grand prize and the opportunity to pitch their idea toa real investor.The submission portal opens on March 3, 2025, and the deadline to submit is April 8, 2025.A total of five finalists will be selected to record their pitch, which will be used for the final judging deliberation and live winner announcement on April 17, 2025.For more information, clickhere.The post Cove launches AI for Architects Pitch Off competition appeared first on Canadian Architect.