It's 2025, which means every tech company needs to have its own AI bot, of course. X is no exception: Since late 2023, the site has offered a chatbot to its Premium subscribers, developed by sibling company xAI. While blue check accounts may enjoy their built-in AI solution, the vast majority of users with even a passing interest in AI will undoubtedly look towards other options, free or not, like ChatGPT or Gemini. Perhaps that will change this year: In December, xAI announced a free version of Grok, specifically the newest Grok-2 model, available to anyone with an X account. Today, if you click on the Grok tab on X, you'll be able to access Grok, much like any other chatbot you've used before. That's fine and well for the curious among us still on X. But those who have fled for greener pastures haven't been able to take advantage of this perk. That is, until now. Grok is on iPhone, no X account requiredAs of this week, Grok is now available as a free app on iOSno strings attached. You don't need an X account to use Grok, nor do you need to sign into any account at all. (Of course, you can connect your X account, or sign in via Apple, Google, or email.) Once you download the app, you can immediately ask Grok whatever it is you'd ask an AI chatbot. If you don't sign in with X Premium, it seems the app is working off similar limitations to the free plan. That's 10 requests every two hours, with three image analysis requests and four image generations per day. Of course, now the question is, will people actually use Grok? It's possible. As I write this, the app is the fourth most popular free app on the iOS App Storeone spot below ChatGPT, and well above Gemini at 49. (X is number 31, by the way.) However, I am a bit skeptical about its staying power. I obviously understand X and Elon Musk fans flocking to Grok, but most people who care about AI, I think, will stick with what they know (i.e., ChatGPT) unless Grok can do something different, better, or both. I'll admit, Grok is fast: I hadn't tried it myself until now, and the speed at which it responds to text-based queries is impressive. That said, I haven't spent too much time with it, so I can't swear by how accurate the results areand as a relative AI-skeptic, I'm not likely to use it much. However, the one area I see Grok having an advantage (and not necessarily in a good way) is its lack of filter. This is an X Corp product, after all, which means Grok doesn't have some of the restrictions and limitations that other services have put into place to prevent abuse. When it comes to image generation, you can make some wild stuff with Grok. When Lifehacker associate tech editor Michelle Ehrhardt tested out the Grok-2 beta in August, she was taken aback by some of the images she was able to get Grok to generate: violent, offensive, and weird. Even in some brief testing, I was able to make Grok infringe on copyrights without even having to trick it: With Google's Imagen 3, for example, I was able to generate images of Mario by prompting the bot with vague workarounds, like "an Italian plumber wearing a red hat with the letter M." Asking it to draw Mario wouldn't work. Grok is the opposite: Try a workaround, and it spits out weird images of men wearing Mario's clothes. Ask it to draw Mario, and it willfor better, or worse. Mario was supposed to shoot the goomba, but I guess Grok had other plans. Credit: Jake Peterson

Before CES 2025 kicked off in Las Vegas, Samsung announced that its spatial audio collaboration with Google would be available on its 2025 TVs and soundbars. Finer details on the platform were noticeably absent from that announcement, with the company only noting that the 3D Eclipsa Audio would be available this year for YouTube content creators. There was also the general explanation that the platform would enable creators "to adjust audio data such as the location and intensity of sounds, along with spatial reflections, to create an immersive three-dimensional sound experience," according to the press release.If that sounds like Dolby Atmos to you, that's what I assume Samsung and Google are trying to replicate here. And if that's the case, if Samsung really wants its own immersive audio standard, there's a backstory worth revisiting here. In 2023, Samsung and Google first revealed their spatial audio ambitions. At the time, Samsung said its research division had been working on 3D audio since 2020 and the first fruits of the collaboration was the open-source Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF) adopted by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM) in October 2023.There's also the fact that Samsung doesn't offer Dolby Vision on its TVs. Instead, the company uses HDR10+, an open-source and royalty-free platform for encoding HDR metadata. And in that 2023 audio announcement, Samsung Research's WooHyun Nam explained that 3D sound technology needed to be open to everyone too. Providing a complete open-source framework for 3D audio, from creation to delivery and playback, will allow for even more diverse audio content experiences in the future," he said.Samsung currently supports Dolby Atmos on its soundbars, including its flagship Q990 series and the newly announced QS700F. It sounds like the company no longer wants to pay to license Atmos from Dolby. And in order to still offer immersive 3D audio on its products, this collaboration with Google aims to build the alternative. It's worth noting that AOM counts Amazon, Apple and Netflix among its members, in addition to Google, Samsung and others. The group's AV1 video format was introduced in 2018 and is now used across Netflix, YouTube, Twitch and other sites.Samsung's Q990F soundbarBilly Steele for EngadgetThe bizarre thing about all of this is that no one from Samsung wants to talk about Eclipsa Audio. I attended multiple events and product demos that the company hosted this week and the response when I asked about it was either "we haven't been told anything" or "let me see if I can find someone who can talk about it." The latter, of course, never manifested a "someone" or a follow-up. I even asked for a rep to tell me if the company wasn't ready to discuss details and never heard back on that either.The most detailed explanation I've seen this week came from Arm, which is apparently also working on the development of Eclipsa Audio alongside Samsung and Google. The chip designer said that Eclipsa is a multi-channel audio surround sound format that's built on IMAF. Vertical and horizontal channels will create the immersive sound, with the goal of making movies, music and television shows more compelling in your living room. Again, that's exactly what Dolby Atmos already does.Arm further explained that Eclipsa Audio can automatically adjust sound based on the scene and that there will be a degree of customization for users. The bitstream can contain up to 28 input channels that can be fixed (instruments or microphones) or dynamic (vehicles in movie scenes), with support for LPCM, AAC, FLAC and Opus codecs. Binaural rendering is also available for earbuds and headphones, and the new tech will be available to content creators using consumer devices in their workflow.So far, Samsung and Google have only listed YouTube as the platform or service where Eclipsa Audio content will be available. If the duo truly wants to compete with Dolby Atmos, that list needs to expand quickly. Plus, Dolby already has the brand recognition and wide adoption in both the audio and home theater categories for Atmos. It's even available in cars.Samsung said in its pre-CES announcement that it and Google would work with the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) to develop a certification program for devices that support Eclipsa Audio. So, it seems like serious groundwork has been laid to get this technology on devices, starting with Samsung's own 2025 TVs and soundbars. But, as we saw with Sony 360 Reality Audio and the early days of Dolby Atmos Music, it can take time to build out a compelling library of content. That means Samsung will likely have to keep reminding us that Eclipsa Audio is a thing, even when it doesn't have much more to say.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsung-isnt-talking-about-eclipsa-audio-at-ces-2025-130041782.html?src=rss

As we finish up our live coverage of all things CES, its time to pick the best in show. So many of the new things we saw this year had an AI component, with a noticeable uptick in AR glasses, hearing aid earbuds, solar-powered tech, emotional support robots and robot vacuums. (Why this year, robovacs?)Our list of CES 2025 winners covers various categories, ranging from typical Engadgety things like PCs, home entertainment and gaming to themed winners in sustainability and accessibility.In fact, our best-in-show winner was an accessibility pick: the WeWalk Smart Cane 2. A high-tech version of the mobility cane for people who are blind seemed like the best helpful application of AI. With a new voice assistant powered by GPT, users can speak directly to the cane to get navigation guidance, with sensors that alert the user of upcoming obstacles. Since the cane can handle things like turn-by-turn navigation, users dont have to worry about holding a smartphone while trying to get around.There were plenty of other winners too. Which laptop beat the rest? Read on for more! Mat SmithGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest tech stories you missedThe CES gadgets you can actually buy right nowRopet is the cute-as-hell emotional robot that the modern Furby wishes it could beSony's XYN mixed-reality headset is being used in very different ways at CES 2025Sony Honda Mobilitys Afeela 1 feels like a PlayStation 4 in the PS5 eraAs the EV approaches the finish line, its time to get critical.EngadgetThe automotive talk of CES was the Sony Afeela 1 again. The company has been showing off some variation of this EV for five years at this point. Now, the car is almost ready to launch, and the more specifications we hear, the warier were getting. The maximum charge rate of the Afeela 1 is 150 kW for its 91 kWh battery, which provides an estimated 300 miles of range. Compare that to a cheaper Lucid Air, which can charge twice as quickly and cover over 400 miles on a charge, you begin to see the problems. All of this in a car thats a heady almost-$90,000. The charming Tim Stevens takes Sony Honda Mobility to task and not just for the company name.Continue reading.The weirdest tech of CES 2025Sloth-koala robots? Sure.EngadgetWeve curated all the crazy (and sometimes useful) devices we spotted out in the wild of the show floor at CES. Weird doesn't necessarily mean bad it just might not have the might of a multinational corporation or the desire to change the world. Still, solar sun hat? Yes, please.Continue reading.Samsungs The Frame Pro is a big upgrade for the art TV seriesBetter screen, a better premise.Samsungs The Frame TV lineup was a success. It doesnt just look like a black box when youre not using it, but rather blends in with your home decor by showing art on the screen, with a single-cable build that tidies the usual mess of the back of TVs. It inspired many imitators, but Samsung is finally back with a pro iteration. Most importantly, The Frame Pro now has a Neo QLED display the same Mini LED tech that powers the companys high-end QN900 series TVs.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121506805.html?src=rss

Adobe phases out 20GB Creative Cloud plan, hiking the monthly costs by 50% to encourage switching to more expensive annual plans.

ORICO MiniTower, with its Mac Mini-inspired design, offers hybrid storage of two 24TB HDDs and an 8TB SSD.

Xiaomi has released six new budget and mid-range phones under its Poco and Redmi sub-brands, with a spokesperson telling us that the brand is focused on democratizing flagship features.

The world of ancient Rome unfolds before our eyes as the Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Framestore visual effects team peels back the magic behind Gladiator II. With Ridley Scott directing, the ILM team had crafted a breathtakingly stunning visual work in which technology, at its finest edge, and rich history, both of the Roman Empire, intertwined. From huge battle sequences to close-up moments of betrayal, the work that ILM has done is pivotal in bringing Gladiator II to life. The team worked with a mix of digital and practical effects to enhance the films epic scope, staying closely tied to the visual language of the original while also pushing the limits of what modern VFX can do. This is a unique behind-the-scene look about the artistry and innovation that come with technical mastery in creating some of the biggest films of this year.The post Behind the Magic The Visual Effects of Gladiator II appeared first on Vfxexpress.

The Company We Keep is a 15-minute CG-animated episode from the Secret Level anthology series. The exciting journey into the companys great offices of cutting-edge animation and storytelling is available on Amazon Prime. Insights come from Senior Producer Sini Lindberg at Goodbye Kansas. She talks about the emotional depth that the actors performances brought to the project, which was crucial in setting the tone for the story. VFX Supervisor Gianni Aliotti compares side-by-side the live-action actors Brenock OConnor and Raffey Cassidy with their digital doubles, demonstrating how seamless the integration of live action and animation is.Bengt-Anton Runsten the director reflects the casting process through the behind-scene stories of day one of production and how most of the artists took to first-time motion captures. The synthesis of these effects has made it stand out so much that now, The Company We Keep comes out as perhaps the best proof of how this blending of two arts can turn into a highly interesting narrative. Goodbye Kansas StudiosThe post Secret Level The Company We Keep: Behind the Scenes of a CG Animated Episode appeared first on Vfxexpress.

This week on Dezeen, we kicked off our21st-Century Architecture: 25 Years 25 Buildings editorial series by naming some of this century's most significant buildings.The series launched with Herzog & de Meuron's Tate Modern inLondon from the year 2000, which was followed by Dibdo Francis Kr's Gando Primary School, Zaha Hadid's Bergisel Ski Jump and Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall.The series will continue throughout January with a significant building announced for each year of the 21st century, so far, giving an overview of the key buildings, studios and architecture trends of the past 25 years.Eli Health revealed an at-home hormone monitoring kit at CES 2025In Las Vegas, the CES technology fair returned this week, with Canadian start-up Eli Health launching a home testing kit that can test and monitor hormone levels.Also at the fair, Chinese technology brandLenovo unveiled a laptop with a display screen that doubles in size and Japanese robotics startup Yukai Engineering debuted a cat-shaped robot that blows air on hot food and drinks.Nissan unveiled an electric concept model of one of its 1980s sports carsIn design news, automotive brand Nissan revealed an electrified version of its popular R32 Skyline GT-R sports car, which was originally created in 1989.Named R32EV, the concept model maintains the nostalgic angular 1980s appearance but has an electric motor and charging socket.Wildfires spread in Los Angeles, destroying thousands of buildingsThousands of structures were destroyed this week as deadly wildfires spread in Los Angeles, including projects by architects Ray Kappe, Martin Fenlon, and John G Wallis.Modernist icons the Eames House and Case Study House No.18, located in the south of the fire's incident zone, remain intact despite being under threat.Toyota completed the first phase of Woven City this weekA series of staggered wooden housing located at the base of Japan's Mount Fuji was completed as the first phase of car brand Toyota's Woven City this week.Designed by architecture studiosBIGandNikken Sekkei, the project's first phase accommodates up to 360 residents, who will be testing vehicles and products from companies including Toyota. Woven City will eventually house 2,000 people once it is complete.A brick monastery in India turned reader's heads this weekPopular projects on Dezeen this week include a monastery in India clad in hand-chiseled bricks, a home in Australia covered in fibreglass screens and an apartment renovation in Paris informed by the 1970s.Our latest lookbooks include 10 living room design ideas from the Dezeen archive and bathrooms with sculptural stone basins.This week on DezeenThis week on Dezeenis our regular roundup of the week's top news stories.Subscribe to our newslettersto be sure you don't miss anything.The post This week we started naming the most significant buildings of the 21st-century appeared first on Dezeen.

Looking for the most recentregular Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.The purple group inConnections: Sports Editionis especially tough today, if you're an American, that is. I've heard of some of the clues in this category, but I don't know them well enough to sort them properly, so today was a tough one for me. Read on for hints and answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle.For now, the game is in beta, which means the Times is testing it out to see if it's popular before adding it to the site's Games app. You can play it daily for now for free and then we'll have to see if it sticks around.Read more: NYT Has a Connections Game for Sports Fans. I Tried ItHints for today's Connections: Sports Edition groupsHere are four hints for the groupings in today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.Yellow group hint: When one team crushes the other.Green group hint: Shotgun is one.Blue group hint: Players turned talkers.Purple group hint:Italian league.Answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition groupsYellow group: Rout.Green group: Football formations.Blue group: NFL TV analysts.Purple group:Serie A clubs.Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English WordsWhat are today's Connections: Sports Edition answers? The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Jan. 11, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNETThe yellow words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is rout. The four answers are blowout, drubbing, romp and walkover.The green words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is football formations. The four answers are bunch, I, trips and wishbone.The blue words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is NFL TV analysts. The four answers are Aikman, Brady, Collinsworth and Romo.The purple words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is Serie A clubs. The four answers are Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio and Roma.