Weve got AI in our phones, weve got AI in our glasses. What about AI in our thermostats? The oft-forgotten piece of home tech is getting a smart AI upgrade courtesy of Google and its new 4th generation Nest Learning Thermostat.Thermostats are something I tend not to think about a lot, living in New York City. I just use the dial attached to my window A/C unit. But for everyone basking in central heating/cooling (Im jealous), the game has seriously been upped the past few years, and Googles new Nest Learning Thermostat looks like something between a clock and a blown-up smartwatch. Credit: Google Thats not to say the minimal piece of circular glass is new, but this years model introduces thinner bezels, a 60% larger display, new customizable home screens inspired by the Pixel Watch, and a lot of set-it-and-forget-it AI smarts.This years model truly feels more learning oriented than ever. New features debuting this year are Dynamic Farsight, AI-powered energy saving through Smart Schedule, and on-the-fly adjustments made in tandem with the new Nest Temperature Sensor.Because the Nest Learning Thermostat has that big, fancy display, itd be a shame to leave it constantly displaying just the temperature. Thats where Dynamic Farsight comes in, letting you customize the screen to display time, temperature, weather, and/or outdoor air quality depending on how close you are to it. For instance, you could set its screen to show a simple analog clock from a distance, and a more detailed weather readout up close.Smart Schedule, meanwhile, should hopefully help you recoup some of the costs of getting a smart thermostat. Here, AI will generate schedules for you where it will adjust the temperature based on your activity. If it detects youre always in the office (through a lack of motion in your home) during certain hours, it will suggest a schedule that keeps the temperature closer to baseline while youre away, except for the hour or so before you get back, where it will gradually raise or lower the temperature to your desired setting. Youll be able to implement suggested changes automatically or take manual control over them in the Google Home app.The Nest Learning Thermostat can also adjust the temperature based on the conditions sensed during a particular day. Included with every Nest Learning Thermostat is a new Google Temperature Sensor, and if the thermostat detects that your home would be warm enough without intervention, it will temporarily pause heating. You can connect up to six temperature sensors to the thermostat, with each extra sensor costing $39 individually or $99 in a three-pack. Temperature sensors are also compatible with the 3rd generation Nest Learning Thermostat, although Google did not say if automatic temperature adjustment would work with older models. Credit: Google Outside of daily temperature adjustment, the Nest Learning Thermostat can also track your HVAC systems performance over time, alerting you to inconsistencies, like if it was set to cool down your home but the temperature remained the same. If you have a ventilation system, the Thermostat will also adjust how much outdoor air it uses based on detected air quality.Pre-orders for the 4th generation Nest Learning Thermostat are available today, at $279 in the US and $379 in Canada. Shipping starts on August 20. Available colors include Polished Silver (gray), Polished Obsidian (black), and Polished Gold (gold).

Google just announced a refresh of the Nest Learning Thermostat ahead of next weeks Made by Google event. The fourth-gen smart thermostat has been completely redesigned, with a new form factor and plenty of updated features. The LCD display is 60 percent larger than whats found with the (now ancient) third generation, with a curved front that eliminates the appearance of bezels. Basically, the whole thing is a screen now, with no giant black plastic loop around the exterior. This leads us to another new feature. The larger display allows for more personalization, as the fourth-gen Nest offers customizable faces. This works just like how it does with smartwatches. You can turn the face into a clock, change colors or transform the background into something artsy. Google No matter which face you choose, the UI automatically adjusts whats displayed on the screen depending on how far youre standing from the thermostat. For instance, the font will be bigger the further you step back. This is all thanks to integrated Soli radar sensors. As for the actual inner workings of the thermostat, the new Nest leverages AI for more accurate readings and to offer potential actions to save money on that monthly energy bill. It'll even take action on its own depending on the ambient temperature and other factors. The thermostat also comes with one wireless temperature sensor that you can place anywhere. This is helpful for sussing out cold spots or when trying to find a perfect average temperature across the whole home. Google says this wireless device can go for three years before requiring a battery replacement. You can also buy these separately, as each Nest integrates with up to six sensors. The device boasts some eco-friendly bona-fides. The internal battery is made entirely from recycled cobalt and the packaging is free from plastic. Pre-orders for the new Nest Learning Thermostat are open right now, with shipments beginning on August 20. Its available in three colors, including silver, black and gold. Each thermostat costs $280, with additional temperature sensors priced at $40 or $100 for a three-pack. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/googles-latest-nest-learning-thermostat-is-much-bigger-and-offers-a-customizable-display-130045155.html?src=rss

While ARM support on Windows VPN is still largely lacking, Private Internet Access (PIA) joins the few providers offering an app for next-generation Windows devices.

Cryptocurrencies on Tuesday recovered some of the previous day's losses after bitcoin briefly fell under $50,000 for the first time in six months.

Kamala Harris just announced her vice presidential running mate as Tim Walz, the current governor of Minnesota who has a track record of climate actionand skillful climate communication.Tim Walz became a national talking point recently in part because of his communication skills: hes the one who set off the trend of calling Republicans weird. And when it comes to talking about climate change, hes one of the countrys most skillful such communicators, according to a recent Time piece by a reporter who has moderated a climate discussion with Walz.He described climate policy as a political economy problem as much as he did a strictly scientific or economic one, reporter Justin Worland wrote, noting that its not enough that climate policies come with societal benefitspoliticians also have to communicate that, and prove it. The surest way to get people to buy in is to create a job that pays well in their community, Walz told Worland. Walz was first elected governor of Minnesota in 2018, and in 2019, he signed an executive order creating a climate change sub-cabinet to rally the resources of state government around climate action. Climate change threatens the very things that make [Minnesota] a great place to live, he said at the time. That sub-cabinet includes members from the states departments of commerce, labor, health, transportation, housing finance, and more.In 2022, Walz rolled out Minnesotas Climate Action Framework, a 69-page climate plan with six major goals: clean transportation; climate-smart natural and working lands; resilient communities; clean energy and efficiency buildings; healthy lives and communities; and a clean economy. Specifics of the plan included aims to increase the share of electric vehicles on Minnesota roads to 20% by 2030 (the share was 1% at the time the plan was announced), and to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In 2023, Walz announced a new climate goal: to reach 100% clean energy by 2040. With that goal, Walz signed a bill that would create new clean energy jobs and require utilities to reach certain clean energy standards.Walz has courted some climate controversy, though. In June 2024, 16 environmental groups criticized Walz for what they called polluter capture, saying that industry and agriculture held too much power with those that regulate them. Those environmental groups created a website citing instances when Walzs administration was too lenient in its regulations around issues like air quality concerns, nitrate pollution from farms, and the approval of a new crude oil pipeline in the state.Gov. Walz didnt create this problem, one environmentalist told the MinnPost, but he needs to fix it. Instead, it is getting worse on his watch. The Walz administration has countered that the state has a strong record of holding polluters accountable and working with the community and the Legislature to ensure health and our natural resources are protected.As Governor, hes taken other climate actions during his tenure, too, including funding public transit and EV infrastructure projects, and allocating $2 billion to natural resources, climate, and energy projects through a bill that has been likened to the Inflation Reduction Act. That bill, signed in 2023, gave incentives for schools to install solar power; rebates for heat pumps and electric stoves; and rebates for the purchase of EVs and electric school buses.

Franco-Brazilian architecture studio Triptyque has designed a building to house the United States delegation in the Olympic Village, which will be converted to affordable housing after the Olympics.The structure is one of 82 buildings within the 2024 Olympic Village, which has been built in San Denis to house houses 14,000 athletes and technical staff on a site that previously contained industrial structures.Triptyque has designed a building in the Olympic VillageTriptyque, which is based in So Paulo and Paris, aimed was informed by the area's changing identity for its 1,246-square-metre building for Team USA."The project presents the identity and appeal of this developing area, so that it becomes the forerunner of a new way of 'living the city'," Triptyque said. "With ecological corridors, the blocks of buildings [are] connected to each other, all the way to the banks of the Seine."It will be converted to affordable housing after the Paris 2024 Olympic GamesThe main facade of the building constructed with a prefabricated wood facade and window frames over a concrete structure creates a public square with the Cit du Cinma, the complex that houses the athletes' training facilities and food services.Above a triple-height white podium, the cladding gradiates from white to grey to charcoal, dividing the long facade into vertical bands.The housing featuresa triple-height white podiumOrganised around a mixed-use core and a large irrigated interior garden, the residences and offices were distributed in four pavilions, "most with a transversal layout on both sides, with living spaces at the ends of the floor plan and an intimate area in the center."The 150 apartments, which house between 450 and 500 US athletes, each have a private balcony that increases the residents' allotment of outdoor space.Apartments each have a private balconyIn the future, the independent terraces are designed to allow residents to cover the structure in plants, while the apartments are cooled by a system of water pipes under the floorboards that negate the need for air conditioning."To preserve biodiversity and natural and energy resources, Triptyque applied solutions such as installing an active roof, controlling carbon impact [through the use of renewable materials], preserving the biochemical quality of the soil and using water for urban cooling," the team said.Read: Dream completes mass-timber office building for Athletes' Village in ParisIn September following the conclusion of the 2024 Paralympic Games, the project will undergo a round of renovations, including opening resident access to kitchens, to convert the athlete dormitories into social housing.The temporary facility is designed to become part of the new permanent neighbourhood rhood with residential, commercial and public spaces.Living spaces are organised at the ends of the floor planIn another section of the Paris 2024 Olympic Village, Brenac & Gonzalez & Associs constructed a trio of apartment blocks lined with loggias and terracotta tiles. Nearby, French studio Dream also used terracotta tiles to clad an office building for use during the Olympic Games.The photography is by Salem Mostefaoui.Project creditsCollaborators: Triptyque, Chaix et Morel Taktyk, Artelia, Eliotech, Paris Ouest ConstructionThe post Triptyque designs Team USA accommodation in Paris Olympic Village appeared first on Dezeen.

The Fieldstone table merges digital fabrication with traditional stone masonry, showcasing the artistry of 3D sand printing. Designed by Erco Lai with Zongru Wu and manufactured by Sandhelden using binder jetting technology, this piece pushes design boundaries, blending natural aesthetics with cutting-edge craftsmanship and redefining how we perceive the intersection of art, technology, and nature. Spread of Individual stonesA sculptural table made from dark artificial stones, blending digital fabrication with natural stone aestheticsA close-up to the stonesView the full project here

PROS: Eye-catching "Cosmic Ring" Camera design Dedicated camera slider Decent flagship performanceCONS: Thick, heavy, and slippery Last year's Snapdragon flagshipRATINGS:AESTHETICSERGONOMICSPERFORMANCESUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITYVALUE FOR MONEYEDITOR'S QUOTE:The nubia Z60S Pro delivers AI-powered photography in an accessible package with a distinctive designAI is undoubtedly the buzzword thats taking by storm any industry related to computers. Its not just the generative AI thats making up essays and artwork, much to creators chagrin, or the prying eyes that watch over your social interactions online. AI has actually been in our phones a bit longer than those, using imaging magic to enhance photos and videos in ways that were unknown to us until recently. Now, almost every new phone has some AI feature in its bullet points, and nubia is not one to be left behind. With the nubia Z60S Pro, it is entering into this new arena, so we take the brands newest flagship for a spin to see if it is able to stand out from the growing throng of AI-enhanced smartphones.Designer: nubiaAestheticsSmartphone cameras are getting more powerful and larger as the years go by, and these are putting the skills of designers to the test. Its no longer a question of how to cram those sensors and lenses but how to make them look less conspicuous and less atrocious. Its no surprise that not all manufacturers get it right, so its quite a relief to see nubia pull it off somehow.nubia calls it a Cosmic Ring Design and it takes inspiration from our solar system. Three small circles surround a larger one in a symmetrical pattern, calling to mind how the planets revolve around the sun. A coronet extrudes from the left side with the words Be yourself engraved on it, sending the brands exhortation to everyone to take a closer look. Its a well-balanced and pleasing composition, unlike the sometimes messy and skewed designs of other phones. The red ring around the central lens is a nice touch, giving the phone a more camera-like appearance, especially on our black review unit.There are three color options for the nubia Z60S Pro, with both Black and Aqua sporting a single solid swatch of color. White has a bit more flair, with cloudy formations of gray that give it some visual texture. Of course, all three have a glass panel covering their rears, so its really only an illusion. All sides of the phone are devoid of curves, except for the four corners, of course. This aligns with the design trends these days, like it or not, so it carries a modern touch in its simplicity.The Z60S Pro carries a moderately minimalist design, with only that large circle as the center of distraction. Weve definitely seen worse, but weve also seen more interesting designs, so it doesnt stand out that much unless you really take a closer look and take a moment to appreciate the design.ErgonomicsThe nubia Z60S Pro is quite a large phone, not unusual for a flagship these days, and that doesnt come without consequences. Although its the de facto standard, of course, the design previously derided as phablets are not the easiest to hold securely and use with one hand, which is especially true with a thick and substantial device like this. Granted, its not alone in that category, with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra leading the way. That doesnt mean, however, that it is ideal or one that phone designers should aspire to.Its especially problematic if the back of the phone is prone to slipping from your grasp due to its extra smooth texture. Its rather curious that even after years, phone makers still havent perfected the design of anti-slip glass. Some do have a matte texture, but those still fail to stick to your palm. The one thing going in the Z60S Pros favor are, ironically, those flat edges and sharp corners that help your skin get a better grip. You can also put the included frosted protective case on the phone, but that also mars its pristine beauty.PerformanceAs a premium flagship, youd expect the nubia Z60S Pro to have the latest specs to boost its performance, and that is true for the most part. The 6.7-inch 1.5K screen definitely meets expectations with a vibrant, color-rich, and fast display that is great for videos and games. Theres also 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which could be higher depending on your configuration. The one odd duck is the processor, which is last years Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. In practice, there isnt such a wide gap between the current Snapdragon flagship, but when youre trying to advertise on-device AI functionality, youll want to squeeze every drop of performance from the silicon.Fortunately, there isnt a bottleneck in performance, both from synthetic benchmarks and real-world use. This is critical considering how much nubia is banking on AI to sell the Z60S Pro. From system-level optimization to photography image processing, the phone is able to keep up with the demands of features as well as users. The large 5,100mAh battery, one of the reasons for the phones heft, also delivers a commendable all-day performance. 80W for charging is a bit disappointing when were always hearing about 100W or higher rates, but its not slow either. Just make sure to use the included power brick to maximize the charging time.The real focus of the phones AI chops is, of course, the camera system. It even has a slider button that, by default, is used to launch the camera app. The trio of cameras is led by a 50MP 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX906 sensor that aims for more natural-looking photos with its 35mm equivalent lens, a popular format for cameras because of how it more closely matches our eyesight. It is joined by another 50MP camera, this time with a 13mm focal length and 125-degree field of view for ultra-wide shots. Theres a dedicated telephoto camera but it only has a measly 8MP sensor. Its not a bad set unless you love doing macro and zoom shots.The natural output of the cameras is pretty decent, but AI really takes it up a notch, especially for difficult scenes like zooming into the shot and nighttime photography. Its actually quite impressive how much the Z60S Pro can accomplish with hardware thats not exactly at the top of benchmarks, and youd be hard-pressed to find the noise in those images unless you really examine them closely. As a phone designed to bring AI-powered photography to the masses who might not have advanced photography know-how, the nubia Z60S Pro definitely makes the cut. It empowers many to pull off breathtaking shots, artistic photography, and unforgettable moments just with a single tap of the camera button.Sustainabilitynubia is no newcomer to the smartphone arena and has its roots deep in this market. Thats why its a bit disappointing that it hasnt yet left strong marks when it comes to ensuring the longevity of its products and of the planet at large. The Z60S Pro is your typical assortment of glass, metal, and plastic, and, at least officially, the company has made no statement on the use of recycled materials either in the phone itself or its packaging.And then theres the matter of repairability and software updates, especially with the latter issue. The nubia Z60S Pro comes at a rather odd time when there will be new hardware coming out, and the company isnt exactly well-known for pushing timely and frequent updates. It will definitely help improve its reputation if nubia becomes a bit more explicit in its upgrade strategy, allowing it to lead its peers by example instead of playing catch-up with trends.ValueOn its own, the nubia Z60S Pro is a pretty competitive modern smartphone. With the exception of the CPU, it has the current technologies the market has to offer and is able to keep up well with benchmarks, actual real-world performance, and camera output. And with a starting price of $569, its not a bad deal for its price, especially when you consider how those other AI-toting flagships are nearly double the price.But even with its rather distinctive camera design, the Z60S Pro sadly fails to stand out from the crowd as well. There are simply too many choices in that price range and just as many that offer nearly the same features for a lower price tag. What makes the situation a bit worse is that those competitors come from nubias other Z60 models as well. What the nubia has going for it will mostly be the brand loyalty, but those fans might also just grab the companys more powerful and more exciting designs instead.VerdictWe might be reaching that point in time again when the smartphone market is just over-saturated with choices. AI is becoming the differentiating factor, but almost all have similar features by now. Things get a bit more complicated when brands try to throw everything they can at a wall to see which ones stick, ending up with consumer confusion and missed opportunities. The nubia Z60S Pro could very well be one of these casualties. Offering decent performance and AI-enhanced photography at an affordable price, the smartphone gives everyone the opportunity to become a content creator, but it is sadly easily overshadowed not only by rival brands but even by its own siblings.The post nubia Z60S Pro Smartphone Review: AI to Empower Your Creativity first appeared on Yanko Design.

Meta's VR division seems to have forgotten that money is really real.$10 billion loss in 2020, $16 billion loss in 2023and it's only going to get worse, says Meta.

New owner Andrew Bishop has big plans.