Amazon's Big Spring Sale ends tonight, and though it's been far less focused on electronics than something like Prime Day or Black Friday, it still includes a few tech deals worth calling out. If youre looking to grab a new gadget on the cheap, weve rounded up the best of those that are available for less than $50. The highlights include a handful of wireless earbuds, chargers and other accessories we recommend in our various buying guides. As a reminder, you don't need to be a Prime member to access most of the deals below. Best Amazon Spring Sale deals under $50 Anker PowerConf C200 for $48 ($12 off MSRP): The PowerConf C200 is our favorite webcam for those on a tighter budget due to its crisp video quality, easy setup, solid microphones and built-in privacy cover. Its USB cable is on the shorter side, and it cant match the overall accuracy of our top pick, but its still a clear upgrade over a built-in laptop camera for a much lower price. This is another deal weve seen numerous times in the last year, but its as low as the camera usually goes. Also at Anker. The Anker 525 Charging Station. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Anker 525 Charging Station for $30 ($36 off): We recommend this reliable desktop charging station in our remote worker gift guide. It cant provide the absolute fastest charge to your smartphone or laptop (topping out at a quick enough 67W), but it packs four USB ports two USB-C, two USB-A and three AC outlets in a frame thats small enough to fit on a crowded desk. This deal ties the lowest price weve seen. Also at Anker. Anker Nano Charger 30W for $13 ($10 off): Its hard to have too many portable wall chargers on standby. This one from Anker should be particularly useful for traveling: At just over an inch thick, its small enough to fit in a pocket, while its 30W USB-C port is enough to top up recent iPhones at full speed. (Thats not enough for some newer Android phones, though.) This discount matches the lowest price weve seen. Also at Anker. Blink Mini 2 for $20 ($20 off): This deal ties the lowest price to date for the Blink Mini 2, which is the budget pick in our guide to the best security cameras. This one comes with its share of trade-offs for the low price its image quality isnt the best, it locks certain features behind a paywall and it wont automatically arm when you leave the house but it still provides functional 1080p video, color night vision, motion alerts and Alexa support in a weather-resistant frame. Its fairly simple to set up, too, though youll need to buy an external module if you want to store clips locally. Also at Best Buy and The Home Depot. The Blink Mini 2. Amy Skorheim for Engadget Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $20 ($15 off): This is the budget pick in our guide to the best streaming devices. It can only play up to 1080p, so its really meant for older or smaller TVs that you want to modernize with streaming apps. Its a bit more sluggish than Amazons higher-end 4K sticks, too, and all Fire TV devices tend to promote Amazon-owned services like Prime Video above all else. Still, it works with nearly all the major streaming apps, and its remote has Alexa built-in, so you can control your TV and certain smart home devices with voice commands. It also supports basic HDR10 but not Dolby Vision plus it can pass-through Dolby Atmos audio to a compatible soundbar or receiver. You could do worse if you just want the cheapest streamer possible. This deal is $2 higher than the all-time low we saw during the holidays, but it matches the best price weve tracked otherwise. Amazon Music Unlimited 3-month trial for free ($24 off): Amazon is offering new subscribers three months of its Music Unlimited streaming service for free. Normally, it gives new users a one-month trial. Though Music Unlimited isnt a top pick in our guide to the best music services, it still gets you lossless streaming quality and an extensive library of both music and podcasts. You could do worse if you just want to bum a few months of music streaming for no cost. Just note that your subscription will auto-renew once the trial period ends until you cancel. Chipolo One for $20 ($5 off): The Chipolo One is the top overall pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers. While Apples AirTag can tap into a substantially larger crowd-sourcing network, weve found the One to send separation alerts faster when youve left an item behind and ring louder when youre back in its vicinity. Unlike the AirTag, it can also attach directly to a keychain. It probably isnt the safest choice for long-distance travel, but its a convenient security blanket if you, say, leave your keys or wallet behind at a restaurant. This is another discount thats been available for a few weeks, but its just 10 cents more the best price weve seen.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-spring-sale-tech-deals-under-50-the-best-discounts-you-can-still-get-on-chargers-earbuds-accessories-and-more-091512018.html?src=rss

Apple Intelligence on Vision Pro lets you use voice and gesture to control it.

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Scientists have developed a device that can translate thoughts about speech intospoken wordsin real time.Although its still experimental, they hope thebrain-computer interfacecould someday help give voice to those unable to speak.A new study described testing the device on a 47-year-old woman with quadriplegia who couldnt speak for 18 yearsafter a stroke. Doctors implanted it in her brain during surgery as part of a clinical trial.It converts her intent to speak into fluent sentences, said Gopala Anumanchipalli, a co-author of the study published Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience.Other brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, for speech typically have a slight delay between thoughts of sentences and computerized verbalization. Such delays can disrupt the natural flow of conversation, potentially leading to miscommunication and frustration, researchers said.This is a pretty big advance in our field, said Jonathan Brumberg of the Speech and Applied Neuroscience Lab at the University of Kansas, who was not part of the study.A team in California recorded the womans brain activity using electrodes while she spoke sentences silently in her brain. The scientists used a synthesizer they built using her voice before her injury to create a speech sound that she would have spoken. They trained an AI model that translates neural activity into units of sound.It works similarly to existing systems used to transcribe meetings or phone calls in real time, said Anumanchipalli, of the University of California, Berkeley.The implant itself sits on the speech center of the brain so that its listening in, and those signals are translated to pieces of speech that make up sentences. Its a streaming approach, Anumanchipalli said, with each 80-millisecond chunk of speech about half a syllable sent into a recorder.Its not waiting for a sentence to finish, Anumanchipalli said. Its processing it on the fly.Decoding speech that quickly has the potential to keep up with the fast pace of natural speech, said Brumberg. The use of voice samples, he added, would be a significant advance in the naturalness of speech.Though the work was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, Anumanchipalli said it wasnt affected by recentNIH research cuts. More research is needed before the technology is ready for wide use, but with sustained investments, it could be available to patients within a decade, he said.Laura Ungar, AP science writerThe Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The chief executive of Primark, one of Europes biggest fast fashion retailers, has resigned after an investigation into his behavior toward a woman in a social environment.Paul Marchant, Primarks CEO since 2009, has apologized to the individual involved and resigned with immediate effect, the company said Monday. Shares in Primarks parent, Associated British Foods, fell 4.9% in early trading, compared with a 0.8% drop in Britains benchmark stock index.Marchant acknowledged his error of judgement and accepts that his actions fell below the standards expected by the company, Primark said in a statement.The retailer has 451 stores in 17 countries across Europe and the U.S.Eoin Tonge, finance director of Associated British Foods, has been name Primarks interim CEO, ABF said in a statement.The investigation was carried out by external lawyers and Marchant cooperated with the probe, Associated British Foods said. The company said it was committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment.I am immensely disappointed, ABF Chief Executive George Weston said in a statement. We believe that high standards of integrity are essential. Acting responsibly is the only way to build and manage a business over the long term.

When you first lay eyes on Bandit9s Arthur II, it feels like catching a glimpse of something halfway between a motorcycle and a mirage. It doesnt wear its engineering on its sleeve like most bikes. Instead, it presents itself as a seamless, flowing object polished metal uninterrupted by the usual visual noise of bolts, welds, and brackets. Bandit9, known for turning two-wheelers into gallery-worthy objects, leans fully into craft and restraint here, letting the shape do all the talking.Arthur II is crafted entirely by hand, something that feels refreshingly authentic in todays world of AI slop. The body is manually hammered, bent, and coaxed into form using classic metalworking tools, not robots or CNC mills. The result is a unibody constructionone continuous piece of metal that flows from front to rear without a single exposed seam. Built atop the dependable Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 chassis, Arthur II doesnt just disguise the bones underneath; it transforms them. The usual mechanical clutter is tucked away beneath its reflective skin, leaving behind something that looks less like a bike and more like a prop from a Syd Mead sketchbook.Designer: Bandit9On paper, the Arthur II keeps things grounded. It retains the 648cc air- and oil-cooled parallel-twin engine from Royal Enfield, delivering a modest but reliable 47 horsepower and 52 Nm of torque. It runs on 18-inch wheels wrapped in 100/90 tires up front and 130/70 in the rear, with disc brakes on both ends. The suspension setup is practicaltelescopic forks at the front and twin coil-over shocks at the rear.The entire build measures 2,070mm in length, stands 1,024mm tall, and weighs 198kg, making it surprisingly manageable for something that looks like it could double as an art installation. A stainless-steel exhaust, custom leather seat, and minimalist dashboard round out the essentials, proving that Bandit9 didnt forget this is meant to be ridden, not just admired.What sets Arthur II apart isnt the spec sheet, thoughits the attitude. Bandit9 makes no attempt to blend into the crowd or pander to nostalgia. Instead, they create machines that feel like theyve stepped out of a parallel timeline where motorcycles evolved as sculptures first, vehicles second. And yet, theres no pretense here. The craftsmanship is real, the materials are honest, and the proportions are carefully considered. Every angle, curve, and reflection feels like its been argued over and perfected, not just designed to turn heads but to hold attention.Bandit9 has made a habit of sidestepping convention. Previous builds like the EVE Odyssey, with its NASA-inspired aluminum body, or the compact, retro-futuristic Nano e-scooter, follow the same playbookfunctioning machines presented as objects that could just as easily sit on a plinth as they could on a street. Each shares the same DNA: unibody construction, meticulous handcraft, and a wink at classic science fiction without falling into pastiche. Arthur II feels like the latest chapter in that ongoing narrative, refining the approach rather than repeating it.The post Bandit9s Arthur II Looks Less Like a Motorcycle, More Like a Metallic Mirage first appeared on Yanko Design.

This is a story of betrayal, and how Japan screwed over its most beloved artist in the name of AI supremacy/advocacy.If youve been on the internet in the past week, youve clearly seen a flood of AI-generated photos in a certain Anime style. Referred colloquially to as the Studio Ghibli aesthetic, it captures the artistic style of celebrated filmmaker Hayao Miyazakis body of work. The style went viral online after Sam Altman debuted GPT 4os ability to translate any photo into any style. However, for some reason, the Ghibli style went truly viral, with everyone (including even nation leaders) using it in ways that blurred the line between cute and potentially disturbing.Theres a lot of opinion to be shared here, especially from Miyazaki himself, who absolutely hates the fact that his years of hard work have been distilled to something as abhorrently dull as a Snapchat filter. Miyazakis work has always been the antithesis of AI its been rooted in empathy, humanity (the good kind), and a kindred spirit that prioritizes the living, the curious, and the underdogs. AIs use of this style seems to be the absolute opposite of everything Miyazaki stood for. Hes always been a man who prioritized the artform, and famously even sent Harvey Weinstein a samurai sword with a stern warning when Weinstein asked one of his feature films be cut to a 90-minute format for easy consumption. But opinion aside, lets talk about whats transpired over the past week, and how Japans own government screwed over Miyazaki by handing Ghiblis entire catalog to OpenAI on a silver platter.The Digital Pickpocketing of Artistic SoulGrant Slattons Ghibli-fied image is what arguably sparked the global trendOpenAIs latest party trick allows users to Ghiblify their selfies into dreamy anime-style portraits that unmistakably channel the aesthetic of Studio Ghibli. The feature has gone predictably viral, with social media awash in images that mimic the studios distinctive stylesoft watercolor backgrounds, expressive eyes, and that ineffable sense of wonder that made films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro international treasures.What makes this digital ventriloquism act particularly galling isnt just that its happening, but that its happening to Miyazaki of all people. This is a man who famously handcrafts his animations, who once walked out of an AI demonstration in disgust, muttering that it was an insult to life itself. His revulsion wasnt mere technophobia but a principled stand against the mechanization of an art form he believes should capture the messy, beautiful complexity of human experience.The irony would be delicious if it werent so bitter: the artist who rejected computers is now being replicated by them, his distinctive visual language reduced to a prompt parameter.Japans Legal BetrayalMiyazaki himself refers to AI art as an insult to life itself.The true villain in this artistic appropriation isnt necessarily OpenAI (though theyre hardly innocent bystanders). Its Japans bewilderingly creator-hostile copyright framework. In May 2023, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs issued an interpretation of copyright law that effectively threw creative professionals under the technological bus, declaring that copyrighted works could be used without permission for AI training purposes. (The article specifies that the AI can train on copyright material if its purpose is non-enjoyment, which roughly translates to artistic styles can be copied/replicated as long as the AI doesnt replicate ideas/sentiments/scenes/characters from the training data)The legal loophole hinges on a distinction that would make even the most pedantic lawyer blush: as long as the AI isnt enjoying the works its ingesting (whatever that means for a neural network), its perfectly fine to feed it the entire corpus of an artists life work without consent or compensation. Article 30-4 of Japans Copyright Law provides this exception for non-enjoyment purposes, essentially declaring open season on creative content so you could Ghiblify your selfie without infringing on Miyazakis nuanced material. As long as the AI doesnt make photos of you standing beside Totoro, or recreating scenes from Spirited Away, its all kosher.This isnt just bad policyits spectacular cognitive dissonance from a nation that has built significant cultural capital and soft power through its artistic exports. Japan, home to anime, manga, and some of the worlds most distinctive visual storytellers, has essentially told its creative class: Your work is valuable enough to protect from human copycats, but feel free to let the machines have at it.The Existential Threat to Artistic InnovationBut wait, the techno-optimists cry, isnt imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Arent artists always influenced by those who came before?This argument fundamentally misunderstands both the nature of artistic influence and the economics of creative work. When a human artist studies Miyazakis techniques, theyre engaging in a centuries-old tradition of artistic apprenticeship. They digest, internalize, and transform influences through the prism of their own humanity, eventually developing something new. What emerges is evolution, not replication.AI systems, by contrast, are designed specifically to replicate existing styles on demand. They dont learn in the human sensethey statistically model patterns and reproduce them with variations. Theres no artistic journey, no struggle, no evolution of personal vision. The result is a flattening of artistic diversity, where new styles can be instantly mimicked and mass-produced the moment they emerge.For emerging artists, this creates a perverse disincentive to innovation. Why spend years developing a distinctive style when an AI can copy it overnight? Why push creative boundaries when algorithms can immediately appropriate your breakthroughs? The result is a potential creative chill, where artistic innovation becomes economically irrational because you dont want to become a victim of your own success.The Miyazaki ParadoxThe situation creates what future generations will probably refer to as the Miyazaki Paradox: the more distinctive and influential your artistic voice becomes, the more vulnerable you are to algorithmic appropriation. Miyazakis style is being copied precisely because its so recognizable and beloved. His success has made him a target.This paradox extends beyond animation. Authors with distinctive prose styles, musicians with unique sounds, and visual artists with particular techniques all face the same threat. Their creative fingerprintsdeveloped through decades of practice and refinementbecome training data for systems that can reproduce them without attribution or compensation.Whats particularly galling is that this appropriation is happening to Miyazaki while hes still actively working. At 83, he recently released what may be his final film, The Boy and the Heron. Rather than celebrating this capstone to an extraordinary career, were watching his artistic DNA being spliced into commercial AI systems without his consent.Legal Whack-a-Mole in a Borderless Digital WorldMcDonalds came under fire for its use of GPTs filter to plagiarize Miyazakis style to create marketing materialThe global nature of AI development creates a jurisdictional nightmare for creators seeking to protect their work. While Japan has explicitly permitted the use of copyrighted works for AI training, content creators in other countries may have valid claims under their own copyright laws. This creates a complex legal patchwork that benefits primarily those with the deepest pocketstypically the tech companies, not individual artists.Even when creators attempt to protect their work through legal means, they face an uphill battle. Copyright infringement claims require proving substantial similarity and actual copyingdifficult standards to meet when dealing with AI systems that blend thousands of sources. The burden of proof often falls on creators who lack the resources to pursue complex litigation against tech giants.The use of this filter to animate powerful images feels like the most gross disrespect of history and its impact on life. Here, someone turned the JFK sh**ting into seemingly light-hearted artwork.Digital Self-Defense: Protecting Your Creative WorkDespite these challenges, creators arent entirely powerless. Several strategies have emerged for protecting creative works in the age of AI:Technological Countermeasures: Tools like the University of Chicagos Glaze introduce subtle perturbations to images that are invisible to humans but confuse AI systems attempting to learn an artists style. Think of it as digital camouflage for your creative DNA.Strategic Licensing: Creative Commons licenses with specific restrictions on AI training can establish clear boundaries for how your work can be used. While enforcement remains challenging, explicit prohibitions create legal leverage.Embrace the Inimitable: Focus on aspects of creativity that AI struggles to replicateconceptual depth, cultural context, personal narrative, and authentic emotional resonance. The most human elements of art remain the most difficult to algorithmically reproduce.Collective Action: Individual creators have limited power, but collective movements can influence both policy and corporate behavior. Organizations like the Authors Guild and various visual artists associations are already pushing back against unauthorized use of creative works for AI training.Blockchain Verification: While not a panacea, blockchain technology can create verifiable provenance for original works, helping audiences distinguish between human-created content and AI imitations.To add insult to injury, the official White House Twitter Account shared this dehumanizing Ghibli-fied image of an immigrant being arrested for deportationThe Bitter Irony: AIs Dependence on Human CreativityPerhaps the most frustrating aspect of this situation is that AI systems fundamentally depend on human creativity to function. Without Miyazakis decades of artistic innovation, there would be no Ghibli style for ChatGPT to mimic. These systems are parasitic on the very creative ecosystem they threaten to undermine.This creates an unsustainable dynamic: if AI systems discourage artistic innovation by making it instantly replicable, they will eventually exhaust the supply of novel human creativity they require as training data. Its the technological equivalent of killing the golden gooseextracting short-term value at the expense of long-term cultural vitality.The post How Japans Copyright Laws Allowed ChatGPT to Blatantly Steal Studio Ghiblis Work first appeared on Yanko Design.

In a global exclusive, WIRED went inside TAG Heuer's Swiss factory to see exactly how the brand has brought back its classic entry-level race watch, but this time bigger than everand solar powered.