Google now lets you manage Nest Cam IQ indoor and outdoor cameras which were both released in 2017 through a public preview in the Google Home app, meaning that you can now technically manage all Nest cams from as early as 2015 from the Home app instead of the Nest app.Google has been slowly making it possible to bring Nest cams into Home over the past year and change. When you transfer your Nest Cam IQ cameras over to Home, youll be able to review video history in event and timeline views, access camera settings, and more without switching between the Nest and Google Home apps, Google says. From Home, Google also lets you view live streams from cameras in your favorites tab and set up automations.You can join the public preview from inside the Home app or at home.google.com. If youre already enrolled in Public Preview, youll see prompts in both the Nest app and in the Google Home app under the Favorites Tab with instructions when youre able to transfer your Nest Cam from the Nest app to the Google Home app, Google says. Access will start to roll out this week. And if you want to reverse transfer your Nest Cam IQ indoor and outdoor cameras back to the Nest app, youll be able to do that, according to Google.RelatedGoogle also now lets you manage any Nest Hub Max devices from the Home app if youre enrolled in the public preview. However, unlike with the Nest Cam IQ cameras, if you bring Nest Hub Max devices into the Home app, you cant transfer them back to the Nest app.Google already let you transfer the Nest Cam Indoor (wired, first-gen), Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, first-gen), and the Nest Hello / Nest Doorbell (wired, first-gen) to the Home app. The company says it will continue to support the Nest app and that there is no change to the Nest app experience today. Now, the only things that work in the Nest app but not the Home app are the Nest Protect smoke detector and the Nest x Yale door lock.

Apple currently sells MacBooks equipped with its own M-series chips in a wide range of sizes and price points. It discontinued the M1 MacBook Air to make room for the latest models, but some retailers are still selling the last-gen laptop starting at $649 a far cry from the $2,499 starting price of the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro. Purchasing a new MacBook can certainly be a pricey endeavor, but thankfully, finding a deal on more recent models is actually not that difficult. Apple has recently shaken up the starting RAM for several models, creating more options than ever before and resulting in steeper discounts on older models.Although Macs may not experience perpetual discounts, its not uncommon to see various models discounted by as much as $400. Alternatively, purchasing refurbished options directly from Apple is another way to save money without waiting for the changing deal winds to blow your way. Its also the only option to find certain SKUs of older models as Apple continues to move forward on newer releases. Apples refurbished store provides a one-year warranty on all products and generally offers discounts of up to 15 to 20 percent off the price of a new unit.But if you want to buy new and youre looking to save whatever you can, here are the best MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini deals available.RelatedThe best MacBook Air dealsM1 MacBook AirTheM1 MacBook Air was considered Apples entry-level laptop before the M3 models arrival prompted Apple to stop selling it directly in its online and brick-and-mortar stores. But while the redesigned M2 version of the MacBook Air (which has been with us for a while as well) seems poised to take over as the top value choice, the 2020 version with an M1 processor and fanless design remains available at some retailers as a solid budget option. Its best suited for typical productivity work, with a comfortable keyboard, an excellent trackpad, and all-day battery life. For many people, the M1 Air still ticks the right boxes when it comes to performance and price, even if its long enough in the tooth to have been fully dethroned in our guide to the best laptops.The base MacBook Air with the M1 chip comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Its becoming harder to find in new condition, but Walmart has committed to keeping it around for the foreseeable future and is currently discounting it to $649 ($350 off) a special sale price thats hung around since the retailer ran its counter-Prime Day promotions in July. The M1 Air may be a few years old now, but its still hard to beat in terms of value, especially when it comes to everyday performance and battery life. 2020 MacBook Air with M1 (256GB)$649$99935% off$649$649$99935% offThe 2020 MacBook Air has been discontinued but remains a great value and is still easy to find on sale at some retailers. It comes outfitted with the companys M1 chip in one of three different colors (silver, space gray, and gold).$649 at WalmartM2 MacBook AirThe M2 MacBook Air is a super slim, lightweight laptop with a 1080p webcam and a handy magnetic charger that frees up one of its two USB-C ports. Although its M2 processor didnt kick-start a revolution like the M1 generation, its a great performer for any user, including more demanding creatives.It does have some slight downsides, though, including slower storage in the base 256GB configuration and a notch cutout in its otherwise excellent screen. But even so, Apple hasnt offered a more travel-friendly laptop since the days of the polarizing 12-inch MacBook, and this prior-gen model was once good enough to top our list of the best laptops.RelatedThe M2-powered MacBook Air 13 from 2022 seems to be on its way out, with availability for the 15-inch version waning. But, outside of opting for the newer M3 models (see further below), you can at least get the 13-inch M2 model with 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an eight-core GPU at Amazon in select colors starting at $729 ($270 off) when you clip the on-page coupon. You can also get the same model with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for as low as $949 ($250 off) at Amazon and B&H Photo; however, thats a significant premium for a configuration that offers less RAM than the base model. If youre looking for a bigger display, Best Buy is still selling the 15-inch MacBook Air M2 in its base 8GB / 256GB configuration for $1,049 ($250 off) or with 512GB of storage for $1,249 (also $250 off). Again, keep in mind that Apple now sells the 15-inch Air with an upgraded 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $1,299.13-inch MacBook Air with M2 (2022)$729$99927% off$729$729$99927% offThe 2022 MacBook Air is a thin, lightweight device powered by Apples M2 chip. The M2 model touts an improved 1080p webcam and a better display than its predecessor while retaining features like long battery life and MagSafe charging.M3 MacBook AirThe M1 Air and its wedge had to perish for the M3 MacBook Air to exist. Apples updated entry-level laptops arrived in both 13- and 15-inch variants simultaneously this time, bringing with them slightly faster performance and a slate of minor upgrades. Apple added Wi-Fi 6E, for one, along with an additional Thunderbolt port that allows you to use two external displays when the lid is closed. They also continue to offer 18 hours of battery life and a MagSafe charging port, though the M3 Air starts at a slightly higher price than its predecessor at $1,099. That said, Apple recently discontinued the M3 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and now considers the 16GB / 256GB model as the starting configuration.RelatedRight now, the entry-level model with 16GB RAM and 256GB of storage is on sale at Amazon for $899 ($200 off) thanks to an on-page coupon. You can also find a discount on the 16GB RAM / 512GB model, which drops it to $1,099.99 (also $200 off) in select colors at B&H Photo and Amazon (the latter with an on-page coupon).As for the 15-inch Air, you can currently grab it with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $999 ($300 off) at Amazon. However, the 16GB / 256GB model may be the better value now, as its available for $1,099 ($200 off) at Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon. You can also get it in the 16GB / 512GB configuration at Amazon and B&H Photo in select colors starting for $1,299 ($200 off).13-inch MacBook Air with M3 (2024)$900$109918% off$900$900$109918% offThe MacBook Air M3 is a jack-of-all-trades, with a balanced combination of performance and power efficiency. It also now supports dual displays with the lid closed, and the storage speed is noticeably faster. You dont need to think about if this laptop will meet your needs it just will. Read our review.$900 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)$1099 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)15-inch MacBook Air with M3 (2024)$999$129923% off$999$999$129923% offThe 15-inch MacBook Air is also equipped with Apples M3 chip. It features a larger display and better speaker array than the 13-inch MacBook Air M3. Read our review.The best MacBook Pro dealsDuring its Scary Fast event last year, Apple announced new MacBook Pros that use M3 processors including a new 14-inch model that replaced the 13-inch M2 model. Apple followed the M3 models up with M4-based machines in October, and were already starting to see the discounts on them. That being said, the last-gen M3 models are often the better bargain, as theyre still relatively easy to find and receive steeper discounts.M3 and M3 Pro MacBook ProThe entry point into the MacBook Pro world is a MagSafe-equipped MacBook Pro that uses the existing 14-inch design and slightly pares it down. The 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro has the same 3024 x 1964 resolution display and 120Hz refresh rate as its pricier siblings, and in addition to a MagSafe charging port, it has an SD card slot and HDMI port. However, it starts with just 8GB of RAM and lacks the third USB-C / Thunderbolt port found on the M3 Pro and M3 Max models (as well as Thunderbolt 4 speeds).RelatedThe M3 MacBook Pro may be a bit of an odd middle child in some ways, but its still a very good laptop especially if you can find a deal that puts more price distance between the M3 model and the M3 Pro version. Fortunately, the base model with 512GB of storage and 8GB of RAM is currently on sale for its all-time low of $1,199 ($200 off) at Best Buy. The step-up configuration with 8GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is also on sale at Amazon for $1,349.99 ($350 off) with an on-page coupon, which is its lowest price to date. 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 (2023) $1299$159919% off$1299$1299$159919% offApples previous-gen 14-inch laptop powered by the M3 processor uses a similar design to the pricier 14-inch MacBook Pro with Apples Pro- / Max-series chips but is offered at a lower price with similar ports and less RAM.$1299 at Best Buy (8GB RAM, 512GB SSD)$1350 at Amazon (8GB RAM, 1TB SSD)The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros of late 2023 are another round of spec-bump models, much like their previous 2022 incarnations. Now starting with the M3 Pro chip (or the speedier M3 Max) and 18GB of base RAM instead of 16GB, the new models remain targeted at creatives doing content work like video editing, photo processing, and other graphical work. Like their predecessors and the M1 Pro generation before that, they offer MagSafe charging, three USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI-out, and a full-size SD card slot, with prices starting at $1,999 for the 14-inch and $2,499 for the 16-inch. You can, of course, spec them up the wazoo if youre willing to pay more, as exhibited by the review unit Apple sent us of the 16-inch model, which cost an eye-watering $7,199.But rest assured, versions that actual humans buy now receive regular discounts. For instance, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro (11-core CPU / 14-core GPU), 18GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is going for $1,699 ($200 off) at Best Buy and B&H Photo. It was $500 off not long ago, making the current discount good but not that good. As for the base 16-inch Pro which comes with an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD its on sale starting at $1,999 ($400 off) at Best Buy.14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (2023)$1699$199915% off$1699$1699$199915% offThe 14-inch MacBook Pro from 2023 comes in a space black color and is configurable with either an M3 Pro or M3 Max chip. It looks a lot like the previous M2 generation, but spec-wise, the M3 Pro models start with a 12-core CPU, 18GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD.16-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (2023)$1999$239917% off$1999$1999$239917% offThe 16-inch MacBook Pro remains Apples largest laptop for creators and power users. The 2023 model includes a spec bump to the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, with a claimed battery life of up to 22 hours, and is configurable with up to 128GB of RAM. $1999 at Best Buy (18GB RAM, 512GB SSD)M4 and M4 Pro MacBook ProApple released the M4-series MacBook Pro on November 8th. Notably, the base 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro is the first to launch with 16GB of RAM double the previous generations starting memory and 512GB of storage for the same $1,599 starting price as the last-gen model. It also picks up a third Thunderbolt 4 port, which is positioned on the right side and supports dual external monitors while the lid is opened. Also new this year is an upgraded 12-megapixel webcam that supports Center Stage and a new Desk View feature, plus the option to add a nano-texture display for an extra $150. Its also available in space black.RelatedThe 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips also received additional RAM, bringing them up to 24GB. They start with 512GB of storage, too, and retail for $1,999 and $2,499, respectively. While the total port selection hasnt changed compared to their respective M3 Pro and M3 Max counterparts, youll get faster Thunderbolt 5 ports on these more substantial models. Thats in addition to the SD slot, dedicated full-sized HDMI port, and 3.5mm jack. They also have the upgraded 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam with Desk View and the optional nano-texture display option.Deals for the M4 MacBook Pro have already started to roll in at Amazon. Right now, for example, the base 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $1,399 ($200 off), while the 24GB / 512GB variant with an M4 Pro chip (12-core CPU / 16-core GPU) is down to $1,799.99 ($200 off) thanks to an on-page coupon. The base 16-inch MacBook Pro is also on sale at Amazon with an M4 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage for $2,249.99 ($250 off) when you clip the on-page coupon.MacBook Pro with M4$1399$159913% off$1399$1399$159913% offThe entry-level MacBook Pro with M4 starts with 16GB of RAM double that of its predecessor for the same starting price of $1,599. It also gets an extra USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 port and comes in a new space black option.$1399 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)$1599 at Apple (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro$1799$199910% off$1799$1799$199910% offThe 14-inch MacBook Pro with a 12-core / 16-core M4 Pro chip starts with 24GB of RAM a 6GB increase over the prior generation. It also has a 512GB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports, an optional nano-texture display, and a 12-megapixel webcam.$1799 at Amazon (24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)$1999 at Apple (24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro$2250$249910% off$2250$2250$249910% offThe 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro starts with 24GB of RAM and offers more computing cores (14 for the CPU and 20 for the GPU) compared to the 14-inch model. It also picks up Thunderbolt 5 ports and a new 12-megapixel camera with support for Apples Desk View mode.$2250 at Amazon (24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)$2499 at Apple (24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)The best Mac Mini dealsTheres a new Mac Mini in town, as M4-based models arrived earlier this year. Apple increased the starting RAM from 8GB to 16GB, as it did with the 2024 MacBook Pro and 2024 iMac. That makes Apples newest desktop an excellent value, even if you factor in the more aggressive discounts weve recently seen on the M2 Mac Mini.M2 and M2 Pro Mac MiniThe 2023 Mac Mini comes in a base configuration with Apples M2 processor or a more powerful configuration with the M2 Pro, both of which have proven to be some of Apples most value-packed computers to date. The M4 version is poised to take that crown, but the M2 Mac Mini is still kicking around and starts with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for $599, while the M2 Pro model features a superior processor, gigabit ethernet, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage for $1,299. The latter model also features an expanded port selection, from two USB-C ports to four. Its almost like getting an M2 Pro-powered MacBook Pro 14 but in desktop form. However, keep in mind that buying any Mac Mini means you have to provide your own mouse, keyboard, and monitor. Right now, the base model with an M2 chip, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD is on sale for $469 (about $130 off) at Amazon and B&H Photo. Apple Mac Mini with M2$469$59922% off$469$469$59922% offThe last-gen Mac Mini starts at $599 for an M2-powered model with an eight-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. The Mini can also be had with the M2 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and a more robust port selection for $1,249.$469 at Amazon (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)$469 at B&H Photo (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)M4 and M4 Pro Mac MiniDeals on the previous-gen Mac Mini are drying up, but you can start looking toward the newest models. The M4 Mac Mini starts with an M4 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $599. Thats an incredible value for a tiny desktop computer that can rival the Mac Studio and Mac Pro when it comes to certain tasks, including light gaming, 4K video editing, and 3D modeling. Vertically, the M4 Mac Mini is a fair bit thicker than the M2 model at 2 inches tall, yet it measures a mere 5 inches wide and 5 inches deep.In addition to the odd decision to place the power button on its underside, Apple moved the 3.5mm headphone jack and two of its five USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 ports to the front. The rear features an additional three thunderbolt ports, HDMI-out, and a gigabit ethernet port. You can also get the Mac Mini with an M4 Pro chipset starting at $1,399, which comes with faster Thunderbolt 5 storage and the option to upgrade to 10-gigabit ethernet for another $100.RelatedRight now, you can get the base Mac Mini at Amazon with an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD for $549 ($50 off) when you clip the on-page coupon. Stepping up to the version with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD will currently run you $689.99 (about $109 off) at Amazon, or you can get it with 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for $889.99 (also around $109 off) at Amazon. The M4 Pro model is also a bit cheaper at Amazon, where you can pick it up for $1,269.99 (about $129 off) with an on-page coupon.Mac Mini with M4$549$5998% off$549$549$5998% offThe latest Mac Mini features Apples upgraded M4 chips and a smaller build than the prior model. Each configuration now starts with 16GB of RAM and includes five total Thunderbolt ports, gigabit ethernet, HDMI, and a 3.5mm jack.

Coming one year after the Raylib 5 release, the Raylib 5.5 release is jam packed with new features including the Raylib Project Creator we discussed earlier. Features of the Raylib 5.5 release:NEWraylib pre-configured Windows package: The new raylibportable and self-contained Windows packageforraylib 5.5, intended for nobel devs that start in programming world, comes with one big addition: support forC code building for Web platform with one-single-mouse-click!For the last 10 years, the pre-configured raylib Windows package allowed to edit simple C projects on Notepad++ and easely compile Windows executables with an automatic script; this new release adds the possibility to compile the same C projects for Web platform with a simple mouse click. This new additiongreatly simplifies C to WebAssembly project building for new users. Theraylib Windows Installerpackage can be downloaded for free fromraylib on itch.io.NEWraylib project creator tool: A brand new tool developed to help raylib users tosetup new projects in a professional way.raylib project creatorgenerates a complete project structure withmultiple build systems ready-to-useandGitHub CI/CD actions pre-configured. It only requires providing some C files and basic project parameters! The tools isfree and open-source, andit can be used online!.NEWPlatform backend supported: RGFW: Thanks to thercoreplatform-split implemented inraylib 5.0,adding new platforms backends has been greatly simplified, new backends can be added using provided template, self-contained in a single C module, completely portable. A new platform backend has been added:RGFW.RGFWis anew single-file header-only portable library(RGFW.h) intended for platform-functionality management (windowing and inputs); in this case fordesktop platforms(Windows, Linux, macOS) but also forWeb platform. It adds a new alternative to the already existingGLFWandSDLplatform backends.NEWPlatform backend version supported: SDL3: Previousraylib 5.0added support forSDL2library, andraylib 5.5not only improves SDL2 functionality, with several issues reviewed, but also adds support for the recently released big SDL update in years:SDL3. Now users canselect at compile time the desired SDL version to use, increasing the number of potential platforms supported in the future!NEWRetro-console platforms supported: Dreamcast, N64, PSP, PSVita, PS4: Thanks to the platform-split onraylib 5.0,supporting new platform backends is easier than ever!Along the raylibrlglmodule support for theOpenGL 1.1graphics API, it opened the door tomultiple homebrew retro-consoles backend implementations!Its amazing to see raylib running on +20 year old consoles likeDreamcast,PSPorPSVita, considering the hardware constraints of those platforms and provesraylib outstanding versability!Those additional platforms can be found in separate repositories and have been created by the amazing programmer Antonio Jose Ramos Marquez (@psxdev).NEWGPU Skinning support: After lots of requests for this feature, it has been finally added to raylib thanks to the contributor Daniel Holden (@orangeduck), probably the developer that has further pushed models animations with raylib, developing two amazing tools to visualize and test animations:GenoViewandBVHView. Adding GPU skinning was a tricky feature, considering it had to beavailable for all raylib supported platforms, including limited ones like Raspberry Pi with OpenGL ES 2.0, where some advance OpenGL features are not available (UBO, SSBO, Transform Feedback) but a multi-platform solution was found to make it possible. A new example,models_gpu_skinninghas been added to illustrate this new functionality. As an extra, previous existing CPU animation system has been greatly improved, multiplying performance by a factor (simplifiying required maths).NEWraymathC++ operators: After several requested for this feature, C++ math operators forVector2,Vector3,Vector4,QuaternionandMatrixhas been added toraymathas an extension to current implementation. Despite being only available for C++ because C does not support it, these operatorssimplify C++ code when doing math operations.Key LinksRaylib HomepageRayLib GithubRaylib 5.5 Release NotesRaylib Discord ServerYou can learn more about the Raylib 5.5 release in the video below. This video was sponsored by TechSmith the makers of Camtasia (which is what I use to create all of my videos). You canlearn more about Camtasia hereand use code GAMEFROMSCRATCH at checkout for 15% off.

The development of vision-language models (VLMs) has faced challenges in handling complex visual question-answering tasks. Despite substantial advances in reasoning capabilities by large language models like OpenAIs GPT-o1, VLMs still struggle with systematic and structured reasoning. Current models often lack the ability to organize information and engage in logical, sequential reasoning, limiting their effectiveness for tasks that require deep cognitive processing, particularly when dealing with multimodal inputs such as images combined with text. Traditional VLMs tend to generate immediate responses without a step-by-step reasoning approach, leading to errors and inconsistencies.Meet LLaVA-o1A team of researchers from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Peng Cheng Laboratory, Alibaba DAMO Academy, and Lehigh University has introduced LLaVA-o1: a visual language model capable of systematic reasoning, similar to GPT-o1. LLaVA-o1 is an 11-billion-parameter model designed for autonomous, multistage reasoning. It builds upon the Llama-3.2-Vision-Instruct model and introduces a structured reasoning process, addressing the limitations of previous VLMs with a more methodical approach. The key innovation in LLaVA-o1 is the implementation of four distinct reasoning stages: summary, caption, reasoning, and conclusion.The model is fine-tuned using a dataset called LLaVA-o1-100k, derived from visual question answering (VQA) sources and structured reasoning annotations generated by GPT-4o. This enables LLaVA-o1 to perform multistage reasoning, extending capabilities similar to GPT-o1 into vision-language tasks, which have historically lagged behind text-based models.Technical Details and BenefitsLLaVA-o1 employs a novel inference-time scaling technique called stage-level beam search. Unlike previous methods, such as best-of-N or sentence-level beam search, LLaVA-o1 generates multiple responses for each stage of its structured reasoning process and selects the best candidate at each step, ensuring higher-quality results. This structured approach maintains logical coherence throughout the reasoning process, leading to more accurate conclusions.Fine-tuned from the Llama-3.2-11B-Vision-Instruct model, LLaVA-o1 shows an 8.9% improvement on multimodal reasoning benchmarks compared to its base model, even outperforming larger or closed-source competitors like Gemini-1.5-pro, GPT-4o-mini, and Llama-3.2-90B-Vision-Instruct. It achieves this with only 100,000 training samples, making LLaVA-o1 an efficient solution in terms of both performance and scalability. By employing structured thinking through distinct stages, LLaVA-o1 systematically addresses problems, minimizing reasoning errors common in other VLMs.Importance and ResultsLLaVA-o1 addresses a significant gap between textual and visual question-answering models by enabling systematic reasoning in vision-language tasks. Experimental results show that LLaVA-o1 improves performance across benchmarks like MMStar, MMBench, MMVet, MathVista, AI2D, and HallusionBench. It consistently surpasses its base model by over 6.9% across multimodal benchmarks, particularly in reasoning-intensive domains such as mathematical and scientific visual questions.Stage-level beam search enhances the models reliability by generating and verifying multiple candidate responses for each stage, selecting the most appropriate one. This allows LLaVA-o1 to excel in complex visual tasks, compared to traditional inference scaling methods that can be inefficient. LLaVA-o1 demonstrates that structured responses are crucial for achieving high-quality, consistent reasoning, setting a new standard for similarly sized models.ConclusionLLaVA-o1 is a visual language model capable of systematic reasoning, similar to GPT-o1. Its four-stage reasoning structure, combined with stage-level beam search, sets a new benchmark for multimodal AI. By training on a relatively small yet strategically constructed dataset, LLaVA-o1 demonstrates that efficient and scalable multimodal reasoning is achievable without the massive resources required by larger closed-source models. LLaVA-o1 paves the way for future research on structured reasoning within vision-language models, promising more advanced capabilities in AI-driven cognitive processing across visual and textual domains.Check out the Paper and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. If you like our work, you will love ournewsletter.. Dont Forget to join our55k+ ML SubReddit. Nikhil+ postsNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute. LinkedIn event, 'One Platform, Multimodal Possibilities,' where Encord CEO Eric Landau and Head of Product Engineering, Justin Sharps will talk how they are reinventing data development process to help teams build game-changing multimodal AI models, fast

The Secret to Unlocking Deeper SWOT Analysis with AI (The Code That Started It All and How I Took It to the Next Level) 0 like November 18, 2024Share this postAuthor(s): Mukundan Sankar Originally published on Towards AI. I thought I had cracked the code for automated SWOT analysis until Neuro-symbolic AI revealed an entirely new layer of depth.This member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.Image Depicting the Evolution of SWOT Analysis using AI and Neuro-symbolic AI using Napkin AI created by the AuthorYou know that feeling when you think youve figured something out, only to discover youve only scratched the surface? Thats exactly what happened to me with SWOT analysis and AI. Not too long ago, I published a blog post comparing my original GPT-3.5-based SWOT analysis tool with a new, more advanced approach Neuro-symbolic AI.From surface-level summaries to actionable intelligence discover how this AI upgrade breathed new life into mypub.towardsai.netIn that post, I dove into how neurosymbolic AIs blend of neural networks and symbolic reasoning brought a whole new level of insight to SWOT analysis. It wasnt just faster; it was smarter. It didnt just spit out lists of strengths and weaknesses; it wove them into a strategic narrative, highlighting connections and implications that GPT-3.5 simply couldnt reach.If you are wondering who I am and why I am talking about this, feel free to check out my About Me Blog below:https://medium.com/about-me-stories/about-me-mukundan-sankar-2c66b289bfccThat comparison post was well-received, but something didnt sit right. I kept thinking: What if I shared the whole journey? Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

LatestMachine LearningI Built an OpenAI-Style Swarm That Runs Entirely on My Laptop. Heres How. 0 like November 18, 2024Share this postAuthor(s): Vatsal Saglani Originally published on Towards AI. A developers journey into creating a privacy-focused, cost-effective multi-agent system using Python and open-source LLMs.This member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.Image by ChatGPTYou know how in sci-fi movies, AI systems seamlessly collaborate to solve complex problems? This always used to fascinate me as a kid. When I started learning about machine learning and deep learning in my pre-final year of undergrad in 201718, I was amazed by the potential of these models. It was fascinating how these models could learn to differentiate between dog breeds, predict the price of a house, classify tweet sentiments, and even play games like chess and Go.Attention, Tokenization, Transformers, and GPT were the new buzzwords, and I was fascinated by how these models could be used to add intelligence to applications. After graduating, when I started working as a data scientist, I gained first-hand experience training, fine-tuning, and deploying models for a wide range of applications. Those days we used to train/fine-tune models for individual tasks or features. We used to discuss how meta-learning, few-shot learning, and few-shot prompting could help us build more intelligent models. But we didnt exactly know how could we build a system that could learn to do multiple tasks without being explicitly told how to do so.Then in 2020, Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

Street Trash is available on digitial beginning Tuesday, November 19.It's admirable how much thought and energy Fried Barry director Ryan Kruger put into smartening up one of the more notorious examples of splatter cinema for his sophomore feature. But in updating the melting skid-row residents and rainbow-colored gloop of 1987s Street Trash, hes miscalibrated his tone. This kinder, sillier, gentler "spiritual sequel" is heavy with story, characters, and meaning all things that generally impede the cheap thrill of watching fleshy things go pop. It lures us in with the lurid reputation of the original (its opening sequence sets the yuck bar high) and then sits us down for a well-meaning cartoon broadside about social strife.To underscore his points, Kruger moves Street Trash from Reagan-era New York City to his adopted hometown of Cape Town, South Africa as it might exist in the year 2050. Why he takes this leap to the future escapes me; surely, the racial and economic divides of the country are potent enough to set the story in the present day, when governments and societies blatantly dehumanize unhoused people through hostile architecture and other comically evil practices. For a splatter comedy that takes the added measure to be about something, Kruger leaves a lot of low-hanging fruit on the vine. Instead, he dwells on two prominent concerns: a simplistic take on militarized policing (essentially a rehash of Mitchell and Webb's "Are we the baddies?" sketch) and African lithium mining (one of the continents most conspicuous economic and political footballs). But it's difficult to appreciate the finer points of Kruger's message because dick jokes and bucketloads of arterial spray usually precede them.The new Street Trash centers around Ronald, a graying thief and heavy drug user who dwells among a small community on the streets of Cape Town. His associates include Chef, a Kubrickian nebbish with a knack for perverting fairy tales, and 2-Bit, who wanders around muttering at a scene-stealing sex-positive puppet that only he can see. When Ronald isn't scoring from his sophisticated drug pusher, he develops a burgeoning father/daughter relationship with young Alex, who loads the film with a tragic backstory full of persuasive waterworks. As Alex, Donna Cormack-Thomson injects Street Trashs gleeful filth with a sense of humanity and heart, which makes you wonder what her character is even doing in a schlockfest like this in the first place.Ronald and Alex's story takes a turn when they unearth a conspiracy led by Cape Town's unscrupulous mayor to wipe out the city's unhoused population with a gas codenamed V, which like the corrosive toxin disguised as cheap booze in the first Street Trash turns people into abstract heaps of candy-colored tubes and limbs. A whacked-out revolution follows, with Ronald and his found family leading the charge. As it happens, little of this anti-capitalist carnage sticks to the ribs as much as some of the heinous stuff director J. Michael Muro put into the original. Kruger's approach is too self-aware and too sweet.Street Trash (2024) GalleryIts still capable of a few gnarly thrills, though the repetitiveness of the flesh-melting sequences tested even my high tolerance for practical-effects gore. They're technically impressive people rip off their faces in anguish as gigantic pustules explode in a rain of pastel gunk and hardly boring, but theyre all working from the same oozing, bubbling template. By the fourth time someone explodes after taking in a snootful of V, you might respond by checking your watch.Muros Street Trash is an unfiltered complaint about city crime that ignores its root causes, presented without an iota of modern-day caution think Death Wish by way of Troma. That's why the film endures: It allows viewers to wallow in the muck of depravity and also leaves us with the responsibility of feeling bad about it. It's vicious and uncomplicated. So it makes sense how Kruger went about rehashing the movie, power-washing all its cruelty, sexual assault, and other various forms of unironic sleaze to issue an unambiguous condemnation of the ever-widening class divide that plagues all wealthy nations. Predictably but understandably, Kruger counters Muro's heartlessness with kindness, his message unmissable: Melt the rich.By the fourth time someone explodes after taking in a snootful of V, you might respond by checking your watch.But the film is too calibrated and polished to match the ugly, visceral experience Kruger wants to capture. Even his compositions more expansive and less claustrophobic than Muros make things feel less grimy. Kruger's softer approach to the material deflates his desire to make a new subversive entry in the splatter genre, its earnest humanity taking the guilt out of a guilty pleasure. It throws in two Wilhelm screams within a minute of each other, features a profane garbage puppet, and nails the details of Muro's gore effects right down to its viscosity and hue clearly, Kruger is here to have messy fun. But he's missing the crucial element that makes underground splatter movies so unforgettable: a willingness to forego sense for the simplicity of slaughter.

Walmart is rolling out its Black Friday deals in two waves this year. The online portion of the first wave is live now. The in-store portion of this first wave will begin November 15. While Walmart is advertising this as a major sale with discounts up to 70% off, I half expected warmed-over deals on off-brand items. I'm actually surprised by how good some of the deals are this far out from actual Black Friday. You can find some great prices on big-ticket brand-name items, like AirPods, Xbox Series X, and more. Heres whats on sale now at Walmart.Most Popular Walmart Early Black Friday DealsSamsung 34 Odyssey Gaming Monitor - $229 (was $550)CyberPowerPC Gamer Superme Desktop - $1199 (was $1570)Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) - $94 (was $165)Samsung 55" UHD 4K Smart TV - $298 (was $348)GTRacing 55 Large RGB Gaming Desk - $60 (was $200)If you want a TL;DR of the most popular deals in the sale so far, look no further. According to our records, these are the bestselling items on sale now.TV Deals55 SAMSUNG DU6900 Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV75 TCL S4 (75S41BR) 4K UHD HDR LED Smart TV with Roku TV55" LG B3 4K UHD OLED Web OS Smart TV65" SAMSUNG Q60DB QLED 4K Smart TVSAMSUNG 65 Class DU6900 Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV85 SAMSUNG DU7200B Crystal UHD 4K Smart TVAnyone in the market for a Black Friday TV deal can save $100+ off a a variety of models. The giant 75" TCL S4 is on sale for $378, while a more modestly priced 50" Hisense set is just $138. Youll likely find similar discounts on higher quality TVs closer to Black Friday, but if you need a TV now, these are decent deals.Walmart+ Early Black Friday DealWalmart+ 12-Month MembershipArguably the best deal in this first wave of Walmarts Black Friday sale is a hefty 50% price cut on a 12-month Walmart+ membership. The membership normally costs $98, but right now you can get it for $49. In addition to early access to both waves of Black Friday deals, a Walmart+ membership gets you quite a few other benefits. You get free shipping from the website with no minimum order amount, and free delivery on $35+ orders from stores (groceries and whatever else your local Walmart sells). It also includes a subscription to Paramount+, discounts at Burger King, savings on fuel at select stations, and more. This is a great deal that will likely pay for itself pretty soon if you shop at Walmart regularly.Tech DealsApple AirPods (3rd Generation)Apple Watch Series 10 GPS 42mmBeats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear HeadphonesApple AirTagSAMSUNG 34" Odyssey G55T WQHD 165Hz 1ms(MPRT) HDR Curved Gaming Monitor HP Victus 15.6 inch Gaming Laptop$499.00 at WalmartBeats Solo 3 wireless headphones are nearly half price. Thats a good deal, but its worth noting that theyre the 2019 model and you can get the newer Solo 4 headset on sale for $129.99 at Best Buy right now. Id be surprised if the 4s didnt drop even lower closer to Black Friday.Gaming DealsSAMSUNG 34" Odyssey G55T WQHD 165Hz 1ms(MPRT) HDR Curved Gaming Monitor PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless HeadsetMicrosoft Xbox Series X 1TBSony PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller - Sterling SilverPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Switch)Black Friday typically has a massive deluge of gaming deals. That's not the case yet in this early sale, but you can still score some decent deals on games for Xbox or PS5. Nintendo already released the Switch Black Friday bundles, and we expect Walmart will be a great place to find discounted Switch games. If you're a PC gamer, that Samsung Odyssey monitor is also a killer deal.LEGO DealsLEGO Marvel Spider-Man Advent Calendar 2024LEGO Disney Advent Calendar 2024LEGO Friends Advent Calendar 2024LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill ZoneLEGO Icons Atari 2600LEGO Minecraft The Sword OutpostLEGO Technic Bugatti Bolide Race Car We've all noticed LEGO sets getting more expensive, though apparently that's due to "more pieces" and "complicated builds." Either way, Black Friday is always a great time to find LEGO sets on sale, and Walmart is not disappointing in that department. Some of our favorite Marvel and Disney-themed sets are included in the discounts.Other DealsGTRACING Gaming Chair Office ChairGourmia 8-Quart Digital Window Air Fryer$35.00 at WalmartKeurig K-Express Essentials Matte Black Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee MakerNestl Bed Sheet Sets, 1800 Series Deep Pocket 4 Piece Bedding (Queen)Anchor Hocking 30 Piece Glass Food Storage Containers & Glass Baking Dishes Set$20.00 at WalmartIntex 10" Queen Standard Dura-Beam Airbed Mattress with Built in Pump$20.00 at WalmartIf air fryers are your thing, its hard to beat this Gourmia model on sale for $35. It doesnt have an MSRP or model number listed, which makes me think its one of those only available during Black Friday items, which means you cant find reviews for it. Youll have to take a flyer on this fryer you want to pick it up.The rest of the sale is still great to browse if you want to get a head start on your holiday shopping. The deals might not always be from brands you recognize, but they might be. That said, if you want bigger discounts on more popular items, youll probably want to wait for the second wave of the sale.When Is the Second Wave of Walmarts Black Friday 2024 Sale?The next wave of Walmarts Black Friday 2024 sale will begin on Monday, November 25. Like the first wave, it will be available early for Walmart+ members (starting at noon ET). Non-members will be able to start shopping the sale at 5pm ET that same day. And if you want to shop in-store for this wave, youll have to wait for Black Friday itself, which lands on November 29 this year. Maybe then we'll see even bigger deals on items like PS5 consoles and more.After that, a final wave of deals will kick off online on December 1. Thats Walmarts Cyber Monday 2024 sale. In years past, this sale has offered very similar deals to the Black Friday sale. And its online only, so theres no in-store component to the Cyber Monday sale.Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky and Threads.

A.P. Bio is one of the more under-appreciated sitcoms of its era. First premiering on NBC in 2018 before getting the boot over to streaming on Peacock in 2020, the Mike OBrien-created series takes the gruff teacher with a secret heart of gold trope and turns it on its head.The four-season show follows Jack Griffin (played by Its Always Sunnys Glenn Howerton), a disgraced Harvard philosophy professor who is forced to return home to Toledo, Ohio and take a job as an A.P. Biology teacher at Whitlock High School. Jacks heart contains no gold, secret or otherwise. He begins his story an asshole and largely ends it the same way. He also maintains an almost metatextual awareness of his role as a beleaguered-but-redeemable teacher archetype and makes a concerted effort to not allow his class full of lovable, precocious honor students to change him in any way.And yet, A.P. Bio quickly evolves into a warm hang out comedy anyway. Thats largely due to the sheer charisma of the people involved. The shows ensemble is neatly split between the teachers in Jacks world (led by Patton Oswalt as the schools principal and Paula Pell as his loyal secretary) and the students. Casting young actors can be a bit of a crapshoot but the performers that A.P. Bio finds to fill out its titular class all shine and prove to be the perfect accompaniment for Howertons cranky talents.With A.P. Bio now on Netflix for the first time, lets take a moment to take stock of that cast, what they bring to the show, and what theyve been up to since. The TeachersGlenn Howerton as Dr. Jack GriffinA.P. Bio is very much designed as a showcase for TV comedy heavy hitter Glenn Howerton. Prior to (and indeed concurrently with and after) his role as Jack Griffin, Howerton was best known for portraying Dennis Reynolds on long-running FX comedy Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Going on two decades, Howertons performances as the borderline sociopathic Dennis has been a comedic masterclass. Now viewers have gotten to know him a little better via The Always Sunny Podcast and his award-winning role as Blackberry co-founder Jim Balsillie in 2023s Blackberry.Lyric Lewis as Stef DuncanStef Duncan is a history teacher at Whitlock High School and part of the unshakeable Stef-Mary-Michelle friendship trio. Playing her is Lyric Lewis, who has previously appeared in TV comedies Baskets, iCarly, and Party Down. Mary Sohn as Mary WagnerMary is an art teacher at Whitlock High School and part of the aforementioned Stef-Mary-Michelle friendship trio. Playing her is Mary Sohn, a comedic actress who has appeared in Miracle Workers, Between Two Ferns: The Movie, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has also made several appearances voicing characters on the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast. Jean Villepiqueas Michelle JonesMichelle Jones is the home economics teacher at Whitlock High School and is the oddball spoke of the Stef-Mary-Michelle friendship trio. Jean Villepique has popped up in numerous comedy series since 2007, including The Office, Modern Family, and Veep. Shortly before A.P. Bio, she voiced adoption caseworker Tracy in BoJack Horseman. Patton Oswaltas Principal Ralph DurbinPrincipal Ralph Durbin is the overmatched leader of Whitlock High School and the closest thing Jack Griffin has to a friend. Playing Durbin is the prolific comedy legend Patton Oswalt, who has been in just, everything. In addition to his long-running career as a standup comic and actor, Oswalt is known to young audiences as the voice of Remy in Pixars Ratatouille. Paula Pellas Helen Henry DemarcusThe perfectly-named Helen Henry Demarcus is Principal Durbins secretary who views him as something resembling her husband, son, best friend, and platonic soulmate. Playing Helen is comedic secret weapon Paula Pell. A respected writer at Saturday Night Live from 1995 through 2020, Pell has moved in front of the camera more in recent years, playing prominent roles in Parks and Recreation, Documentary Now!, and Girls5eva.The StudentsAparna Brielleas Sarika SarkarThe type-A Sarika Sarkar is the student most invested in actually learning A.P. Biology. Poor girl. Before A.P. Bio, Aparna Brielle had small roles in the shows Grimm and The Librarians. Since then shes become a part of Kevin Smiths View Askewniverse with a role in 2019s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and the upcoming Mallrats sequel. She also appeared in Netflix series Boo, Bitch and FUBAR.Nick Peine as Marcus KasperakMarcus Kasperak is something close to Jack Griffins nemesis and is openly described as his least favorite student. Playing this stick-in-the-mud is Nick Peine who previously appeared in the 2016 comedy Office Christmas Party to go along with guest roles on Shameless, The Middle, and Fresh Off the Boat.Allisyn Snyderas Heather WilmoreThe heavily-bespectacled Heather Wilmore is weirdly loyal to Mr. Griffin and develops an unlikely love interest within her class. Before A.P. Bio, as a child actor, Allisyn Snyder played the role of Zora Lancaster on the Disney Channels Demi Lovato-starring series Sonny with a Chance and its Lovato-less spinoff So Random! She also created the long-running YouTube character Astrid Clover and portrayed her for more than seven years and 350 videos. She has since moved into filmmaking and directed indie horror movie Howdy, Neighbor! in 2023.Eddie Leavy as Anthony LewisAnthony Lewis is perhaps the most beloved student in Griffins A.P. Bio class. Playing the gentle giant is Eddie Leavy, who has also popped up in TV comedies like The Other Two, Tosh.0, and Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television.Jacob Houston as Victor KozlowskiThe soft-spoken Victor is one of the more eminently likable occupants of A.P. Biology class. Playing this very demure Midwesterner is Jacob Houston, who has had guest roles in Criminal Minds and American Vandal. He is also charmingly credited as Smartass for his role as Kevyn Tans right hand man in Yellowjackets. Houstons Instagram handle is @giantloserbaby where his posts occasionally feature his former A.P. Bio castmates.Spence Moore IIas Dan DeckerEvery class has a figure so towering they can only be known as their full name. Dan Decker is such a figure on A.P. Bio. Playing the popular student is Spence Moore II, who came to the role by way of The CWs All American, where he played a similarly athletic character. He also appeared in Netflixs 13 Reasons Why. Since A.P. Bio wrapped, Moore II has played Matteo Mannheim on Superman & Lois and scored a main role as Jacob Nash on NBCs Brilliant Minds. Sari Arambulo as GraceThat the dreamy and ditzy Grace found her way into A.P. Biology underscores the kind of shambling operation that Whitlock High School is under Principal Durbin. Prior to A.P. Bio, Sari Arambulo popped up in guest roles in family shows like Netflixs Alexa & Katie and Disney Channels Girl Meets World. After the show wrapped, she had a four-episode arc as Bella in The L-Word: Generation Q.Marisa Baram as MarissaA relatively late addition to the class in season 1, Marissa becomes a crucial part of the A.P. Bio ensemble. Playing Marissa is another Marisa, albeit with one s fewer. Marissa Baram appeared in two episodes of How to Get Away with Murder before her time on the show. Currently she plays secretary Gail Price on NCIS: Origins.

Features The Ultimate Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Adventure Feels Like the Real ThingNot only did we play Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in the latest episode of POWER-UP but also got to fly a REAL LIFE plane over the Grand Canyon. Plus, an interview with the creators of Secret Level!By John Saavedra | November 18, 2024 | | Photo: Xbox, Prime VideoFew video game franchises have pushed the boundaries of what the medium can do more than the Microsoft Flight Simulator series. Since it launched on PC in 1982, Microsoft Flight Simulator has been one of the chief innovators in the industry in terms of both presentation and the technological feats required to make a realistic flight simulator tick. And the latest 2024 installment takes things to a whole other level!In our very first POWER-UP Adventure Mode episode, host Sam Stone hopped over to the Grand Canyon to not only play Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 but to do some real-life flying of his own. Thats right, Sam got into the cockpit of a real G2+ Vision Jet and took the aircraft for a spin, and weve got footage of the insane views from thousands of feet above the Grand Canyon. But even if you dont have the luxury of flying your own plane, Microsoft Flight Simulator is as close to the real thing as you can get, as Sam discovered in his hands-on time with the game. Tune into the episode to hear his thoughts on the latest installment in the seminal franchise, which is out Nov. 19 on Xbox consoles and PC. And if you want to read an extended version of Sams impressions, check that out here.PLUS! Get ready for a Bonus Level interview later in the show with executive producers Tim Miller and Dave Wilson (you may know them as the creative duo behind Love, Death + Robots), as they talk to us about the making of Prime Videos Secret Level, a video game adaptation unlike any youve ever seen before! Watch this jam-packed episode below:https://vid.connatix.com/49aecf72-6a67-41c1-8a7a-b37bbeab241e/mmid-99f45e78-9b60-50dc-7f47-934d74588e94/1080_h264.mp4This episode is powered by Razer. In a special PC Gaming segment, Sam sits down for a chat with Dwight Kwok, Global Head of Growth for Razer Software, who not only takes us through the most exciting features users will find on both Razer Cortex and Razer Axon, but also what the future has in store for this revolutionary software. Want to learn more? We broke down how Cortex can solve many of PC gamings most annoying problemshere. And if youre ready to power up the look and feel of your rig, check out our deep dive into Axonhere.Now, sit back, plug in, and POWER-UP!For business inquiries regardingPOWER-UP, contact:Chris Longo, Director of Editorial and Partnerships,clongo@denofgeek.comMatthew Sullivan-Pond, Publisher,msullivan@denofgeek.comFor media inquiries, contact:John Saavedra, Executive Producer,jsaavedra@denofgeek.com