VC Jenny Fielding (pictured above), co-founder of Everywhere Ventures and former Techstars managing director, was basically trolling on X when she posted, Yall have strong opinions about pre-seed founders who have EAs to help them schedule? Just checking.Fielding knew the post was a little bit snarky, she told TechCrunch, but it sparked a big conversation. Some people suggested that early-stage founders could simply use AI executive assistants. Others grew affronted that a VC implied that they shouldnt hire a human to assist, even at the earliest stages of their company.Fieldings point, however, was that founders still hold some misconceptions from the excess funding days of 2020-2021 about appropriate cash management, especially during a startups early years, when revenue is scarce. Thats when companies should be working on the basics of building a product that people want to buy.I was a founder. I started two companies, she said. Then I spent seven and a half years at Techstars, really helping very formative companies. So she tries to give founders the real information they need, not the fuzzy stuff, she laughed.While most seed investors, including Fielding, believe founders should spend their raised cash how they want to, early-stage VCs will still be judging founders cash management, even if the VC is basically a silent partner.We invest at the earliest stages. We dont take board seats. Were entrusting this cash to founders. And so yeah, we look at the operating budget, and we have calls with them quarterly, Fielding said.Those judgments will materialize when the startup needs to raise its next round and wants its seed/pre-seed VCs to give them warm introductions and raving recommendations to the next crop of investors.So, while executive assistants can be invaluable at established companies, they are also operational overhead positions not people helping to build and support the early product.Beyond an EA for the CEO, there other titles at an early-stage startup that can be a red flag to VCs: COO and CFO.Oftentimes its a third co-founder who doesnt really know where they fit, she said, adding that third-wheel co-founders can be very expensive both in terms of stock and salaries. You need to develop a product and then get customers. Not really sure you need the organizational structure of a CFO and COO.Which brings up the salaries themselves. This is another area where early investors might keep mum but are paying attention. Fielding actually ended a deal when she analyzed the operating expenses of the startup and saw that the founder was paying himself $300,000, she said.While that salary might simply be matching the pay at the previous Google or Microsoft role, a reasonable salary at the pre-seed level is between $85,000 and $125,000, she advised. Its a matter of the math. Even if a founder has raised a healthy $1 million pre-seed but pays themselves $200,000, theyve already spent a fifth of the money.Were not saying you should make $100,000 forever, she warned, but at the early stage, you just dont have that cash to burn.This story originally published November 24, 2024.

Prepare for epic destruction! ReDefine brings Bureau 749 to life with really cool VFX, unleashing massive creatures and large-scale devastation. A spectacle of visual effects you wont forget! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024The post Bureau 749: VFX Breakdown by ReDefine appeared first on The Art of VFX.

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When transportation planners and policy makers look back on 2024, what will they remember? For starters, the Biden-Harris Administration secured $695 billion for 74,000 projects all over the country, much of which was spent on repairing road and rail infrastructure. And, without further ado, congestion pricing is set to go into effect in New York City on January 5, 2025, and Boston may soon follow suit. The 2024 presidential election may throw a wrench in some important transit projects on the drafting table, while others can continue without federal support, but only time will tell that outcome. Here are some of the biggest transportation stories AN covered this past year.Portland International Airport, Main Terminal Expansion by ZGF Architects (Ema Peter)ZGF completed new mass timber airport in PortlandANs Best of Design Awards Project of the Year went to the airport in Portland, Oregon, designed by ZGF. Jurors commended the new PDX Airport for its palatial spaces framed by mass timber. AN contributor Sam Lubell reviewed the timber mecca after traversing below its 9-acre mass timber roof.The $2.15 billion facility replaces what was previously a quilt of patched-together buildings, Lubell wrote. It is one of the most stunning American airport spaces in decades. But in this case, the exciting new technology isnt really new at all. Its wood, highlighted by an extraordinarily intricate 380,000-square-foot Douglas fir roof composed of over 800 curved glulam beams (some 80 to 90 feet long), 842,000 board feet of mass plywood roofing, and more than 36,900 pieces of 2-by-6 infill panels.Grimshaw Architects won Stirling Prize for Elizabeth LineLondons newest train line named after the late Queen Elizabeth was the 2024 Stirling Prize winner. The Elizabeth Line, designed by Grimshaw Architects and many others, connects Reading in the west to Sheffield in the east with 62 total miles of track; it was made possible thanks to new cross running service in Londons city center.This years Stirling Prize winner stood out because, in recent years, RIBA has primarily prized buildings for its annual award, not tunnels. (Last year, the John Morden Centre by M, a brick and timber retirement community just south of London, won.) And Elizabeth Line is an infrastructure project rather than a building, at least in the words conventional sense.However, the Elizabeth Line isnot the first transportation projectto be awarded the Stirling Prize. In 2006, Richard Rogers Partnership won for its work on Madrids Barajas airport and, in 2002, Wilkinson Eyre was recognized for Millennium Bridge. Social Impact Collective put green roofs on Boston bus stopsSince taking office in 2021,Bostons #28 bus has been a test bed for Mayor Michelle Wusclimate-focused administration.Last October, Mayor Wu shared that 30 bus sheltersalong the linewhich extends through Mattapan, Dorchester, and Roxbury to downtownwill be capped with drought-resistant plantings.The initiative is part of the city of BostonsHeat Plan, namely a component titled Cool Commutes.The system was designed by Social Impact Collective, a Boston-based, minority-owned architecture and design firm. Weston Nurseries, a Massachusetts-based plant nursery; YouthBuild Boston; and JCDecaux, Bostons street furniture contracting partner, are all on the development team.Rendering of new commuter station at Co-op City (Courtesy MTA)The Bronx gets approved for 4 new commuter stations and loads of housingInthe Bronx, residents ofCo-op City, Parkchester, Morris Park, and Hunts Point will soon enjoy new Metro-North Stations; with strings attached. The four newcommuterhubs are thanks to arezoning approval by New York City Council from last August. These stations will anchor a new 6-mile development corridor where 7,000 new homes will be built across 46 city blocks.Transportation always unlocks growth, but what kind of growth will rezoning deliver? The jury is split over whether or notrezoning will provide civic benefit, or if it will exacerbate inequality in New Yorks poorest borough. While the Mayors office and several Bronx City Council members champion this latest approval, several community groups view it as a trojan horse for gentrification. Inglewood, Californias people mover receives $1 billion in federal fundingIn early January, the Biden administration invested over $1 billion in a new people mover for California, which aims to connect downtown Inglewood, aLos Angeles suburb, with several of the areas largest professional sports and performance venues via a 1.6-mile-long pedestrian belt.Governor Hochul lays out plans for NYCs Second Avenue Subway Extension and Interborough ExpressNew YorkGovernorKathy Hochul, in early January, laid out major transportation plans in her 2024 State of the State address. The big takeaways were: three new subway stations under Second Avenue could be coming to Harlem, filling in a major transit desert, and BrooklynandQueenswill have new orbital service.As of last September, the Second Avenue Subway Extension was in limbo, thanks to congestion pricings faltering. But now that congestion pricing is back on the table, it could go ahead as planned. Preliminary design on Interborough Express is now also underway.Phase Two of The Underline in Miami is now open (Courtesy The Underline)Phase Two of The Underline, led by GSLA Design, opens to the public in MiamiIn Miami, a transit project called The Underline passed a major milestone last April. With The Underline, the city of Miami, the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation of Public Works (DTPW), and Friends of The Underline have stitched together paths for bikingand walking while connecting severaltransitstops, schools, hospitals, and businesses along the way.Phase Two, led by Ken Gardner of Gardner + Semler Landscape Architecture Design (GSLA Design), follows up on Phase Onedesigned by Field Operations. There, the landscape designers behind the High Line combined resiliency with recreation. The 0.5-mile stretch of greenspace was built on three key drivers: safety, nature, and community. A pathway that separates bikers and pedestrians promotes safety, while native vegetation addresses nature, and public art and space for cultural programming makes the park a hub for community-based activity.

A former military base in Monmouth County, New Jersey, will soon host a massive Netflix film studio. Plans for the 289-acre, $903 million campus were approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board on December 19.The plants working name is Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth. AN has reached out to NJEDA for information about the project, and who the architect is. The site Netflix chose for its new flagship production location on the East Coast is Oceanport, New Jersey, which borders Eatontown. Soon, the Jersey Shore locale will have Netflix offices, 12 soundstages, backlot areas, and other filmmaking accoutrements. The campus will be about 30 miles south of Newark Liberty International Airport, a short drive for film execs stopping over from California.The green light from the Garden State happened while other projects are underway in the Tri-state area today that steal Hollywoods thunder by bringing film production to the East Coast, like what Robert De Niro is doing in Queens with BIG at Wildflower Studios. With Netflix leading the way, the creation of new, world-class studios has solidified New Jerseys standing as a national leader in film and television production, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a statement.The approval made by the NJEDA Board today will help create thousands of good-paying jobs, support small businesses and vendors, and stimulate the regional economy.Some original elements of the former military base will be retained, like recognizable brick archways. (Courtesy Netflix)Renderings of Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth show hulking opaque masses rising up from the ground, surrounded by trees. Brick walls with arches, that have been at the military base for some time now, will be retainedalbeit with modern Netflix signagedividing the inside and outside.Netflix won a bidding war in 2022 for the site, which covers about one-quarter of a former U.S. Air Base that was shuttered in 2011. After the military base closed, thousands of people lost their jobs, and a local race track became the regions main economic driver. Plans for the Netflix campus were first unveiled later in 2022. The project was shepherded through planning phases by Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority, a task force in charge of developing the former Fort Monmouth military base, together with Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix.Looking ahead, NJEDA, Governor Murphy, Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority, and Sarandos pledged that the forthcoming Netflix campus will bring 1,500 permanent and 3,500 construction jobs back to the county, which has long leaned upon the military base for economic security.The campus will have 12 sound stages. (Courtesy Netflix)The military base at Fort Monmouth first opened in 1928, and it played a significant role during World War II, one marred by controversy. Julius Rosenberg, the famous Soviet spy from Brooklyn, was a mole at Fort Monmouth, who fed the Russians secrets about American nuclear technology he learned there. Rosenberg, his wife Ethyl, and his two coworkers at Fort MonmouthJoel Barr and Alfred Sarrantmet mixed fates. Fort Monmouth eventually became known as the most notorious spy ring in U.S. history, the subject of a book by Steven T. Usdin, Engineering Communism, which watched Barr and Sarant shift shapes from undercover spies in the U.S. to life on the lamb in Moscow. After fleeing for the U.S.S.R. Barr and Sarant used their accrued knowledge from having worked at Fort Monmouth to build ZATOs, or closed cities, all over the Soviet Union.Swathes of green lawn abut the entrance to the film production complex. (Courtesy Netflix)After the war, Fort Monmouth stayed open, albeit in various capacities as an information center, and other mixed military uses. Now, after a decade long hiatus, the sprawling site on the Jersey Shore will be an economic engine once again.The film industry is thriving across New Jersey, and Netflixs commitment to building a first-rate studio in Monmouth County highlights our states growing prominence in this field, Senator Vin Gopal added. This project will prove to have a significant impact on our local economy by helping to create jobs, support small businesses, and revitalize communities.

Preservation stories always excite AN readers, and these stories come in all shapes and sizes. Whether they be tales of demolition, discovery, or disassembly, historic buildings captivate, pull at our heart strings, and elicit nostalgic emotion. In 2024, we saw the demolition of a midcentury residence, painstaking restorations of former train stations, and one of the worlds most famous churches was salvaged after a fire toasted it. AN also reported on the announcements of several renovation projects that will take hold in the months and years ahead. Here are the preservation stories AN covered this year.Chris Pratt demolished a house in California designed by Craig EllwoodOne of this years top celebrity and architecture crossovers came via Chris Pratt. The actor made headlines in April when it was revealed he and his wife had purchased Craig Ellwoods Zimmerman House in Brentwood, California and then razed the house to build a new one on site. The five-bedroom, three-bathroom Zimmerman house from 1950 was never landmarked or listed on any register.Rumor has it Pratt has commissioned Ken Ungar, a Hollywood-home architect, to design a farmhouse-style mansion for the property. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Ellwoods daughter, Erin Ellwood, said about the loss of her fathers work: But you know, maybe this just isnt their style. I mean, it clearly isnt if theyre building a farmhouse. Several of the original buildings, including the blue tiles, are longer manufactured. (Henrik Kam)Wayfarers Chapel was disassembledIn February the Wayfarers Church in Rancho Palos Verde, California closed its doors amid landslide concerns. The famed ecclesiastical structureby Frank Lloyd Wrights son, Lloyd Wrightis a popular wedding venue and has made numerous film appearances.Land movement in the area eventually torqued the super structure and distorted the chapels primary support system; as a result glass panels and the concrete floor have cracked. Despite efforts to curtail any further damage, Wayfarers Chapel ultimately decided the chapel, bell tower, other ancillary structures will be disassembled. Local firm Architectural Resources Group will lead this restoration effort with input from the National Park Service. They have developed a 3D model of the church and cataloged its materials and built elements.Chapel disassembly was completed in July.Michigan Central Station was originally completed in 1913. (Courtesy Quinn Evans)Quinn Evans restored Detroits Michigan Central StationDetroits Michigan Central Station hasnt served train passengers since it closed in 1988. For decades the building was nothing more than an example of #ruinporn; that was until Ford Motor Company bought the building in 2018 with a vision to bring life back into its vaulted halls lined with Gustavino tiles.Quinn Evans led the large-scale renovation project to reimagine Michigan Central Station. In its new life the building will host creative spaces for startups, youth-serving organizations, and hospitality offerings. During the restoration, materials or objects that couldnt be salvaged were replaced or recreated with near exacts, for instance, the limestone exterior hails from the same Indiana quarry where the stone was sourced from over a century ago. Furniture and design objects, like the stations clock, were returned and reintroduced to the building. Historic buildings continue to be at risk in Ukraine, Palestine, and LebanonAs wars are waged on Ukraine, Palestine, and Lebanon, buildings with long histories and architectural lore continue to be damaged or under threat. This year a canonical Constructivist building was almost totally destroyed by Russian missiles. According to Irina Gorodetska of Ukrainian Cultural Heritage, the strike hit the entrance, where a courtroom is located nearby, shattering much of the buildings facade upon impact. Reconstruction efforts are underway.In Lebanon, its six UNESCO World Heritage Sites are at-risk, including temples located close to where missiles have struck. Intentionally damaging UNESCO World Heritage Sites constitutes a war crime according to the International Criminal Court.Heritage for Peace, a Spanish NGO, claimed that more than 100 cultural heritage sites in Gaza have been either destroyed or damaged by Israel.COOKFOX and Gensler transformed a rail terminal into an office building for GoogleGoogle has moved its New York employees into St. Johns Terminal, a former railroad stop used to transport goods. COOKFOX and Gensler teamed up to head the renovation project which transformed the 4-story industrial complex into a 12-story office building that is imbued with quintessential New York City themes: Guastavino tile, taxi-cab yellow decor, and ample park space all abound.What they wanted to do was to create something that set the presence of Google in New York City, and they wanted the building to be authentically New York, said Carlos Martnez, co-managing director of Genslers New York office, which worked on the interiors of the project. Thats where we started creating this idea of telling the story of relevance and historical impact, especially around the history of Manhattan. Herzog & de Meuron tapped for Sothebys renovation of former Met Breuer buildingAt 945 Madison Avenue in New York City, Marcel Breuers boxy design has changed hands numerous times, housing The Whitney, later the Met Breuer, after that The Frick Collection, and soon Sothebys. As the global auction house prepares to occupy the building in fall 2025, a renovation of its facilities is underway.This year it was announced Herzog & de Meuron would lead the effort, for what Sothebys has said will be sensitive adaptation and renovation, that will deliver new gallery space for displaying the auction houses full suite of offerings.(Janne Tuunanen)A conference room designed by Alvar Aalto was disassembled for viewing via public exhibitionAlvar Aaltos Kaufmann Conference Center at 809 United Nations Plaza, completed in 1964, is one of only five works in the U.S. by the architect and designer. The stunning interior has evaded landmark recognition for decades due to its location in a private building. Now, pieces and material from the conference room will be dismantled, and upon completion, nationwide exhibitions will give the public access to the interior, according to a press release issued by the Alvar Aalto Foundation. Office of Tangible Space led this disassembly.Though Aaltos rooms will not be enjoyed intact, or on-site as they originally appeared, the work undertaken by designers at Office of Tangible Space represent a new way forward for private interiors to be shared with the wider public. The elements comprising the interior are now carefully dismantled, logged, packed, and stored for future viewing.New mezzanine at Centre Pompidou (Courtesy Moreau Kusunoki and Frida Escobedo Studio)Centre Pompidou to close for renovations in 2025While Jersey Citys Pompidou Center may meet a sorry fate, in Paris the HQ is readying to undergo a five-year-long renovation. Moreau Kusunoki and Frida Escobedo Studio were tapped to make ADA upgrades, add floor area, and improve natural light.Over 70,000 square feet of usable space will be inserted below grade, in the exhibition areas, the library, and rooftop for additional capacity. The iconic buildings polychromatic CIAM grid tubing and its steel and glass skeleton will be maintained.The museum will close for renovations starting in summer 2025. Notre-Dame Cathedral restoration completedOne of the most-anticipated preservation projects of 2024 was the reopening of Pariss Notre-Dame Cathedral. After a fire in 2019 damaged its interiors and spire and collapsed its roof, it was all hands on deck to repair it.When it opened on December 7, foreign dignitaries and celebrities assembled under the vaulted ceiling. Many of the materials were locally sourced, including the limestone and wood.It took roughly 2,000 craftspeople to restore the landmark. Philippe Villeneuve was the chief architect, aided by Rmi Fromont, and Pascal Prunet.

Goodbye (2018), installation from Anchorage Museums Collection. All images courtesy of the artist and Hirmer Verlag, shared with permissionSonya Kelliher-Combs Merges Collective Knowledge and Native Alaskan Heritage in Mixed MediaDecember 26, 2024Kate MothesRaised in the Alaska community of Nome, which sits on the coast of the Bering Sea, Sonya Kelliher-Combs traces her family lineage to the northernmost reaches in Utqiavik and the central inland city of Nulato. Now based in Anchorage, her Iupiaq and Athabascan ancestry, cultural heritage, and relationship to the land constitute the nucleus around which her multidisciplinary work revolves.Growing up in a rural community, Kelliher-Combs observed and learned time-honored traditional womens and collective laborskin sewing, beading, and food preparationthat taught her to appreciate the intimacy of intergenerational knowledge and material histories, says an artist statement in the foreword of the artists new monograph, Mark.Credible Small Secrets (2021-present), sculpture, printed fabric, human hair, nylon thread, glass beed, and steel pen, variable dimensions. Photo by Chris ArendPublished by Hirmer Verlag, the volume explores the breadth of Kelliher-Combss practice, from paintings, sculptures, and installations to her curatorial and community advocacy work. Drawing on the materials and symbolism of ancestral, Indigenous knowledge, Kelliher-Combs addresses what she describes as the ongoing struggle for self-definition and identity in the Alaskan context, delving into history, culture, family, and long-held customs. The works also speak of abuse, marginalization, and the historical and contemporary struggles of Indigenous peoples in the North and worldwide, her statement continues. In Goodbye, for example, 52 gloves and mittens are gathered together as if waving a collective farewell. The poignant installation aimed to open the dialogue about the sensitive subject of suicide, the rate of which at the time Kelliher-Combs made the piece was nearly 52 Native Alaskans per 100,000more than triple the age-adjusted rate among Americans in general. The mitts were all handmade and lent by local community members.A Million Tears (2021), painting and mixed media, variable dimensions. Photo by Chris ArendThrough delicate, tactile sculptures and atmospheric paintings, the artist venerates ancient ancestral practices, like animal hide preparation, while exploring the way contemporary materials like plastic and fossil fuels are transforming the landscape. She often incorporates maps, thread, beads, hair, and fabric.Kelliher-Combs also combines organic and synthetic materials, merging the traditional with the new; the local with the imported. She describes how she pushes beyond the binary divisions of Western and Indigenous cultures, self and other, and man and nature, to examine the interrelationships and interdependence of these concepts. See more of the artists work on her website, and find your copy of Mark on Bookshop.Credible II (2022), painting installation, mixed media. Photo by Chris ArendCredible, Fairbanks (2019), painting, mixed media, 16 x 16 inches. Photo by Minus Space, courtesy of the Denver Art Museum, Denver, ColoradoCredible Small SecretsNext article

Just before the holidays, rumors swirled about a possible surprise iPhone update, iOS 18.2.1, to fix issues generated in the recent mammoth release of iOS 18.2, which brought Apple Intelligence to millions of users around the world in early December. Now, it looks like that surprise has been confirmed.Apple iPhone 16.Getty ImagesThat confirmation has come from an anonymous social media account with a proven track record of sharing iOS-related information, according to Joe Rossignol at MacRumors.The next release will come before the iOS 18.3 update expected in late January or early February 2025.iOS 18.2.1 Build NumberThe new information includes the build number for the software update, which the account refers to as 22C161. Of course, those six characters give no clue as to whats in the release, but if they are correct, they do let us know that its definitely on its way.So far in the iOS 18 cycle, which has been stuffed with new features including, but far from limited to Apple Intelligence, has followed a regular cadence: big release followed quicklyoften surprisingly quicklyby a smaller number to fix issues.MORE FOR YOUiOS 18.2.1: Why Its A SurpriseThe speed of the update is the heart of the surprise here, too. Although it might seem a long time since iOS 18.2 launched, that may be an illusion caused by the headlong rush for the holdays. The software only launched just over two weeks ago, on Wednesday, Dec. 11.iOS 18.2.1: The ContentWell, no new features, surely. Those will be coming in iOS 18.3 in the new year, and theres still a lot more Apple Intelligence to be delivered.Instead, this will be all about fixes and improvements to the existing software. You can read about the issues that arose in iOS 18.2 here, and they include battery issues, Face ID failures and more.iOS 18.2.1. Release DateMacRumors says that when its source comes up with the build number, only a week elapses before the general release. Since the information came on Tuesday, Dec. 24, that suggests Tuesday, Dec. 31 as the release date.Id caution against this, or other reports suggesting it could land before then. Apple employees have holiday plans, too and getting the great ship Apple back to full steam ahead can take a minute or two.I believe well see iOS 18.2.1 in January, likely on Monday, Jan. 6 or Tuesday, Jan. 7. More as we have it.

The upcoming new enhanced IMAX 70mm cameras will be 30% quieter. (65mm IMAX frame with 15 ... [+] perforations down the side to enable the large stock to be pulled through the projector).IMAXUniversal Pictures has announced on X that Christopher Nolans next film is The Odyssey, based on the classic Greek mythic story and will be filmed with new IMAX film technology. What exactly this is has not been officially confirmed but most are speculating that this refers to the new film cameras that IMAX has publicly said its been working on for the last few years.Details of these new cameras were first revealed as far back as March 2024, in a live panel session at the NAB 2024 conference, which is freely available to watch on YouTube.In the video, Bruce Markoe, the head of post-production at IMAX, revealed that the cameras are essentially a 21st-century update of the eight IMAX film cameras, which are now 25 years old.Lighter and QuieterThe headline feature is that the cameras will be 30% quieter and will be lighter thanks to a carbon fiber construction. This is primarily good news for the shoulders of Hoyte van Hoytema, Nolans cinematographer since 2014s Interstellar, who is often seen balancing the larger IMAX camera on this back.Lighter, quieter IMAX film cameras will enable directors to increase the number of shots they can use them for. Last summers blockbuster Oppenheimer had about 75 minutes of its three-hour runtime in the full-frame IMAX film 1.43:1 format, around the same as his previous film, Tenet, so theres every chance that The Odyssey will see that increased.MORE FOR YOUThe quieter operation could also help with the widespread complaints from some that certain scenes in Nolans films are inaudible. This has been explained to be due to the noisiness of the current IMAX cameras combined with Nolans reluctance to use automatic dialogue replacement (ADR).Old fashioned innards with a modern exterior. A bit like me. IMAXAnalogue Innards In A Digital ShellOther camera improvements include a new hi-res five-inch full-color display and brighter digital and optical viewfinders and for the first time the ability for output to be monitored on-set over Wi-Fi on external devices such as tablets.Markoe also revealed that the camera displays will also show frame lines for the native 1.43:1 IMAX film format and also IMAX 1.90:1 (used for all IMAX digital screens) and standard 2.40:1. Of course other aspect ratios are available and the display can be set up lines for whatever ratio is preferred.The new cameras promise even greater film exposure stability and greater reliability. Marko said that internally the film camera movement is unchanged from the original design. IMAX realized that there was nothing they could improve on, which is impressive since they were designed 25 years ago.High Demand For IMAXIn the video, Markoe also reveals the fascinating statistic that despite only 1.5% of theatres worldwide showing Interstellar in IMAX, it brought in 20% of the films revenue. This would only have increased following the recent highly successful 10th-anniversary re-release of Interstellar.As youll know if you tried to get a ticket to see the film in its IMAX 15/70 glory, the appetite for seeing films in full 1.43:1 aspect ratio is huge. However, there are only 30 theaters worldwide that can show IMAX 1.43 (as these require an IMAX 15/70 film camera or an IMAX dual-laser projection system combined with a 1.43:1 screen) and the IMAX presentation even boasts that people take flights just to be able to see movies in that format. So while the new cameras are great news its somewhat disappointing that there is no indication that IMAX is looking to increase this number.I also hold out hope that there will be more to this new technology than the cameras. In the presentation, there are hints that Kodak might be introducing some new type of film stock in 2025. As the large format film photographer Tyler Sheilds, says on the panel, the future of cinema needs to be daring, bold and interesting. In Oppenheimer Nolan broke new ground by getting Kodak to create black and white IMAX film for the first time which had not been done before, so with The Odyssey, I would expect to see him pushing technical boundaries once again.

Home Weekly Round Up: Flying Taxis, TikTok Ban, Pegasus Scandal, and More News Weekly Round Up: Flying Taxis, TikTok Ban, Pegasus Scandal, and More8 min read Published: December 26, 2024 Key TakeawaysAbu Dhabi might become the first city in the world to launch flying taxis in 2025ChatGPT will now be available to users via call and Whatsapp chatTrump says that he might consider keeping TikTok around for a little while longerUS Judge rules in favor of Whatsapp in the pegasus spyware lawsuitBiden launches a new probe into Chinese chips trade, will hand it off to TrumpDid you miss out on the important updates of the week? We have covered the top 5 news headlines from the week. Check it out.Abu Dhabi Plans to Launch the First Flying Taxi Service by 2025Abu Dhabi might become the first city to launch a flying taxi service by 2025. This project will be a collaboration between Abu Dhabi and Archer Aviation a US-based company specializing in designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.The flying taxi service will link various vertiports across the city. The starter model is called Midnight, which is a vertical takeoff and landing model. This means it will lift off the ground directly like a helicopter (unlike an airplane that requires a long runway). Each model will be able to carry up to 4 passengers.Speaking of the benefits, the biggest perk is that flying taxis will cut down travel time by up to 80%. Even the starter models can go up to a speed of 240 km/hr which means a route that usually takes up to 1hr by car can be completed within 10-20 mins by these flying taxis.Not to mention, these taxis will be much more eco-friendly and significantly reduce traffic congestion on the streets.The project is expected to go into a trial phase soon with commercial services fully launching by the end of 2025.Why Abu Dhabi?The reason why Abu Dhabi was chosen to be the first city to lay down the path for flying taxis is its unique geography. The city consists of over 200 islands, making air travel the perfect alternative to traditional road travel for citizens.The city authorities have also been very helpful. A project of this level and scale requires a lot of support for developing the right infrastructure such as the vertiports and the traffic management system, which the Abu Dhabi authorities have provided throughout.You Can Now Reach ChatGPT on WhatsAppOpenAI has rolled out a new feature that will allow users to reach out to ChatGPT over call or Whatsapp text.In a livestream hosted by the OpenAI team, it revealed that the new features were created by the team within weeks. The chat option is available worldwide for all of the 2.7 billion Whatsapp users but the calling feature is only limited to US users for now.They can reach out to the tool at 1-800-ChatGPT (1-800-242-8478). Making calls doesnt require an Open AI account and the first 15 minutes of calling every month is completely free!There are some limitations as of now. For example, you cannot add OpenAI to any group chats. Similarly, its knowledge base for Whatsapp users is limited to information dating back to September 2021. It cannot help you with anything that happened beyond that.Hence, the company has warned that users seeking a more personalized experience and advanced assistance should stick to using ChatGPT directly through their accounts.Increasing accessibility to the tool has been a primary goal of the company since day one. And what better way to do that than leveraging the most popular messaging app in the world?We care a lot about continuing to reduce barriers so that more people can try out AI and see what it can do for them. Antonia Woodford, product managerTheres also the obvious motive of enticing new users to try out the paid versions of ChatGPT. But the good news is the company has promised not to use the call conversations to train the chatbot.Trump Is Rethinking TikToks Impending BanThe popular social media platform has a few weeks left until its banned in the US forever. This ban stems from a bill passed earlier this year that forced the company to cut ties with its parent company (a Chinese company called ByteDance) or risk getting banned in the US.This is because US regulators are worried about China using its influence on TikTok to spy on US citizens. And given how sour the relationship between the two countries has turned right now, its natural for the US to keep its guard up around China. Hence, the bill.TikTok naturally opposed the bill, even challenging it legally but to no avail. The ban was final and was expected to come into force in January.But like a beacon of hope, Trump won the presidential elections and announced that he might keep TikTok around for a little while longer.Trump said that during his election campaign, he went on TikTok and the results were beyond imagination. He got billions of views which in turn delivered him a massive young user base.Maybe we have to keep this sucker around for a little while, he added.He also argued that banning TikTok will primarily benefit Meta and its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. Both of these apps already have a lot of influence on the public, banning TikTok which is the only strong rival at the moment will further strengthen their monopoly.However, preventing the ban wont be as easy as it sounds. The ban enjoyed rare bipartisan support, so even with all the influence Trump has, repealing it through congressional vote seems difficult.The best way forward for both TikTok and Trump would be to approach the Supreme Court and convince it to rule in their favor.A US Judge ruled in favor of WhatsApp, stating that the Israeli commercial spyware vendor NSO Group indeed breached laws (both federal laws and WhatsApps terms of services) by using WhatsApp to inflect devices with the Pegasus spyware.The group infected a total of 1,400 users. Out of these 1,400, there were at least 100 human rights defenders, politicians, diplomats, journalists, and government officials.The historic ruling was announced by a Northern California federal judge Phyllis Hamiltonon Friday, five years after the lawsuit was originally filed.Whatsapp claimed that the group exploited a vulnerability in its audio-calling feature. The group readily agreed to this claim, that it might have reverse-engineered/decompiled the Whatsapp software. However, its main argument in the case was whether it did so beforeagreeing to the terms of services of the app.The judge responded that it is common sense for the group to accept the terms of services before accessing the app. Theres no other way around.The group also argued that Pegasus is actually a helpful software and has previously helped law enforcement authorities fight crime. But this time around, it failed to produce the documents the court asked for.This includes internal communication and its source code. In short, the group couldnt prove that its actions were lawful. Hence it will be treated as an attack on the privacy of the affected users.The group didnt make any further comments but Meta is rejoiced to hear this verdict. A spokesperson said that this ruling should act as a warning to other spyware makers that their illegal activities wont be spared.Biden Launched a New Probe Into Chinese Chips Trade, Will Hand It Off to TrumpOn Monday, the Biden administration announced that it was launching a last-minute investigation into legacy Chinese semiconductors that might be breaking competition laws.The investigation will be carried out under Section 301 of the US Trade Act and initially focus on the so-called foundational semiconductors which power everything starting from household appliances to telecom equipment and defense systems.If the investigation finds China guilty of breaking competition laws, there will be severe consequences including stricter restrictions and higher tariffs on all kinds of chips imported from China.Speaking about the same, the US Trade Representatives office said that China has a habit of using non-market practices to target the chip industry and establish its dominance in it. Such behavior is extremely harmful to the competition and creates dangerous dependencies in the global supply chain.This is the USs latest blow to Chinas technical industry. Up until now, most of its attention was on the supply of advanced chips from the US to China that might help the latter build powerful AI systems.The government also imposed higher tariffs on electrical vehicles imported from China and theres also the impending ban on Chinas biggest social media platform TikTok.Overall, the Biden administration hasnt been very kind to China. But now that Trump will take over the White House, the responsibility of this probe will go into his hands so we are yet to see how he handles the US ties with China.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Vlad is Tech Report's Executive Editor. With over a decade of experience in tech content, he's passionate about computer hardware, an advocate of online privacy, and strongly believes in the open-source, scarce-money nature of cryptocurrency.When hes not working, hes traveling with his partner and their cat, learning Python, or reading good books. He never owned a PC he did not build. View all articles by Vlad Melnic Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.More from News View all News EU Orders Apple to Stop Geo-Blocking Its Apps Vlad MelnicDecember 26, 2024 View all