Crypto ETFs could be entering a year of innovation, but don't expect demand to match the first year of bitcoin ETFs.

The Visual Effects Society (VES) has revealed the nominees for the 23rd Annual VES Awards. The prestigious awards ceremony will take place on February 11, 2025, at The Beverly Hilton hotel. This years honorees include actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada, who will receive the VES Award for Creative Excellence; director and VFX supervisor Takashi Yamazaki, who will be honored with the VES Visionary Award; and VR/immersive tech pioneer Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie, who will be presented with the VES Georges Mlis Award.The VES Online View and Vote System opens on January 20, 2025, and closes on February 2, 2025. Here is the full list of nominees for this years VES Awards:Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal FeatureBetter ManLuke Millar, Andy Taylor, David Clayton, Keith Herft, Peter StubbsDune: Part TwoPaul Lambert, Brice Parker, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd NefzerKingdom of the Planet of the ApesErik Winquist, Julia Neighly, Paul Story, Danielle Immerman, Rodney BurkeMufasa: The Lion KingAdam Valdez, Barry St. John, Audrey Ferrara, Daniel FotheringhamTwistersBen Snow, Mark Soper, Florian Witzel, Susan Greenhow, Scott FisherOutstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal FeatureBlitzAndrew Whitehurst, Sona Pak, Theo Demiris, Vincent Poitras, Hayley WilliamsCivil WarDavid Simpson, Michelle Rose, Freddy Salazar, Chris Zeh, J.D. SchwalmHorizon: An American Saga Chapter 1Jason Neese, Armen Fetulagian, Jamie Neese, J.P. JaramilloNosferatuAngela Barson, Lisa Renney, David Scott, Dave Cook, Pavel SgnerYoung Woman and the SeaRichard Briscoe, Carrie Rishel, Jeremy Robert, Stphane Dittoo, Ivo JivkovOutstanding Visual Effects in an Animated FeatureInside Out 2Kelsey Mann, Mark Nielsen, Sudeep Rangaswamy, Bill WatralMoana 2Carlos Cabral, Tucker Gilmore, Ian Gooding, Gabriela HernandezThe Wild RobotChris Sanders, Jeff Hermann, Jeff Budsberg, Jacob Hjort JensenTransformers OneFrazer Churchill, Fiona Chilton, Josh Cooley, Stephen KingUltraman: RisingHayden Jones, Sean M. Murphy, Shannon Tindle, Mathieu VigOutstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal EpisodeFallout; The HeadJay Worth, Andrea Knoll, Grant Everett, Joao Sita, Devin MaggioHouse of the Dragon; Season 2; The Red Dragon and the GoldDi Einarsson, Tom Horton, Sven Martin, Wayne Stables, Mike DawsonShgun; AnjinMichael Cliett, Melody Mead, Philip Engstrm, Ed Bruce, Cameron WaldbauerStar Wars: Skeleton Crew; Episode 5John Knoll, Pablo Molles, Jhon Alvarado, Jeff CapogrecoThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; EldestJason Smith, Tim Keene, Ann Podlozny, Ara Khanikian, Ryan ConderOutstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal EpisodeExpats: HomeRobert Bock, Glorivette Somoza, Charles Labb, Tim EmeisLady in the Lake; It Has to Do With the Search for the MarvelousJay Worth, Eddie Bonin, Joe Wehmeyer, Eric Levin-Hatz, Mike MyersMasters of the Air; Part Three; The Regensburg-Schweinfurt MissionStephen Rosenbaum, Bruce Franklin, Xavier Matia Bernasconi, David Andrews, Neil CorbouldThe Penguin; BlissJohnny Han, Michelle Rose, Goran Pavles, Ed Bruce, Devin MaggioThe Tattooist of Auschwitz; PilotSimon Giles, Alan Church, David Schneider, James HattsmithOutstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time ProjectDestiny 2: The Final ShapeDave Samuel, Ben Fabric, Eric Greenlief, Glenn GambleStar Wars OutlawsStephen Hawes, Lionel Le Dain, Benedikt Podlesnigg, Bogdan DraghiciWhat If? An Immersive StoryPatrick N.P. Conran, Shereif Fattouh, Zain Homer, Jax LeeUntil DawnNicholas Chambers, Jack Hidde Glavimans, Alex GaborOutstanding Visual Effects in a CommercialYouTube TV NFL Sunday Ticket: The Magic of SundayChris Bayol, Jeremy Brooks, Lane Jolly, Jacob BergmanDisney; Holidays 2024Adam Droy, Helen Tang, Christian Baker-Steele, David FleetVirgin Media; Walrus WhizzerSebastian Caldwell, Ian Berry, Ben Cronin, Alex GreyCoca-Cola; The HeroesGreg McKneally, Antonia Vlasto, Ryan Knowles, Fabrice FiteniSix Kings Slam; Call of the KingsRyan Knowles, Joe Billington, Dean Robinson, George SavvasOutstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue ProjectD23; Real-Time RocketEvan Goldberg, Alyssa Finley, Jason Breneman, Alice TaylorThe Goldau Landslide ExperienceRoman Kaelin, Gianluca Ravioli, Florian BaumannMTV Video Music Awards; Slim Shady LiveJo Plaete, Sara Mustafa, Cameron Jackson, Andries CourteauxTokyo DisneySea; Peter Pans Never Land AdventureMichael Sean Foley, Kirk Bodyfelt, Darin Hollings, Bert Klein, Maya VyasParis Olympics Opening Ceremony; RunBenjamin Le Ster, Gilles De Lusigman, Gerome Viavant, Romain TinturierThis years nominees represent a stunning array of achievements in visual effects across various formats and genres. Stay tuned as we approach the awards ceremony to celebrate the incredible talents behind these visual spectacles.The post The 23rd Annual VES Awards: Nominees Announced appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Of all the laptops that debut during the CES trade show every January, Lenovos tend to be the most interesting.For years now, the company has indulged in public experimentation, launching laptops with foldable displays, dual screens, and secondary e-ink surfaces. This time around, Lenovo brought out the industrys first laptop with a rollable display, which expands from a normal-looking 14 inches to an extra-tall 16.7 inches with the push of a button.A lot of companies bring wild concepts to CES, but Lenovo actually ships them, even when it knows they wont be commercial hits. (The rollable laptop, called the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6, will arrive in June for $3,500.) What does the worlds largest PC vendor have to gain by putting ultraexpensive, experimental products on the market? I asked the president of Lenovos Intelligent Devices Group to find out.[Photo: Lenovo]Learning experienceEven when Lenovo knows its weirder laptop ideas wont be instant hits, Rossi says they help the company develop intellectual property that it can use in the future, even in different contexts.As an example, he points to Lenovos ThinkPad X1 Fold laptop and its foldable Motorola Razr phone, which both arrived in 2020. Rossi says Lenovos work on laptops hinge design helped inform future Razr models, which became easier to manufacture at a scale. Lenovo has now shipped one million Razr phones, and Rossi says its now the most popular clamshell-style foldable phone in the U.S. (presumably beating Samsungs Z Flip line).Some of the learning from the laptop is here, Rossi says, gesturing to his Razr. Some of the learning from here is in the laptop.[Photo: Jared Newman]Lenovo released a second-generation X1 Fold in 2022, responding to feedback that users wanted a larger screen and more powerful processor. At CES, Lenovo also announced a new version of its Yoga Book 9i, which has two separate screens instead one big foldable display but borrows many of the same concepts. The company is still evaluating when to launch a third foldable model.If we realize that were failing, and this direction is not promising . . . well redirect the budget to something else. But thats innovation, he says.[Photo: Lenovo]Big trade-offsIn the meantime, Lenovos taking a detour into rollable screens with the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6. Whereas Lenovos foldable laptops contort into various positions with help from a detachable kickstand and wireless keyboard, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 works more like a regular laptopalbeit with a screen that stretches out to approximate a pair of vertically stacked monitors.Two years ago we brought a proof-of-concept to MWC, and nobody believed we could manufacture it. Now its here for sale, Rossi says.[Photo: Jared Newman]Like a lot of other Lenovo experiments, this one will come with some major compromises beyond just the $3,500 price tag. At 3.73 pounds and 0.78 inches thick, its considerably bulkier than a typical laptop, and Lenovos window management software seemed a bit crude in my brief hands-on experience. Early buyers will also have to worry about the durability of a first-of-its kind display technology.Perhaps for those reasons, Rossi isnt sure whether ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 will be successful, but he believes rollables have a path to popularity. When I ask why Lenovo doesnt just experiment behind closed doorslike Apple famously doeshe says the company sees value in bringing these kinds of early versions to market.If youre keeping it in the lab, you dont test the real market response, he says.

Crisscrossing bamboo poles combine with woven raffia mats to form this pavilion built by architecture studio HTL Africa in Lagos, Nigeria.Site Office was installed at the Ecobank Pan African Centre on Victoria Island for the inaugural Ecobank Design and Build Expo back in November, but will now serve as a community reading room.Site Office is a pavilion formed of crisscrossing bamboo polesHTL Africa a studio with offices in Lagos and Dubai designed the structure to highlight the greater potential of a common material in Nigerian construction.Bamboo scaffolding is typically used on small-scale construction projects in the country, particularly in rural areas, but often discarded after use.Circular raffia mats provide shade and decorationThe studio's ambition was to reimagine bamboo, "the unsung hero of African construction", as a "sustainable and innovative architectural element"."We wanted to highlight bamboo scaffolding's quiet yet vital contribution to modern architecture," said architect James Inedu-George, founder and head of design at HTL Africa.Plywood boards form a built-in bench seatThe pavilion suggests how bamboo could be used to create structures that are built to last rather than disposed of.Bamboo rods were pinned and tied together to create an imposing three-dimensional lattice.Read: Bamboo pavilion by AtArchitecture references traditional Indian handlooms and constructionPlywood boards provide an entrance portal, a matching first-floor mezzanine, the staircase leading up to it, and a bench seat built into the interior.Circular raffia mats hang down in the grid gaps, providing both shade and decoration, while larger woven discs form custom-made lighting fixtures.A staircase leads up to a first-floor mezzanineInedu-George hoped to change perceptions of bamboo to be "both a historical artefact and a symbol of sustainable innovation", creating a space that felt "both ancient and futuristic".It follows other examples of Nigerian architects and designers exploring new uses for bamboo, from Nifemi Marcus-Bello's Waf Kiosk to Kunl Adeyemi's Floating School."This project aims to inspire reflection on how traditional materials can inform contemporary practices, making a case for sustainability in architecture that is both functional and beautiful," said Inedu-George.The structure aims to highlight the greater potential of bambooDuring the Ecobank Design and Build Expo, which ran from November 27 to December 1, Site Office hosted an exhibition of HTL Africa's work titled Generations.Instead of dismantling the bamboo scaffolding after the exhibition, the pavilion will now serve as an outdoor reading room for the local community.Other projects featuring bamboo on Dezeen include a sculptural community centre by Kengo Kuma and a renovated school in India.The photography is by Olajide Ayeni.The post HTL Africa installs bamboo scaffolding pavilion in Lagos appeared first on Dezeen.

Cow leather is used in the manufacturing of fashion leather items and even your daily use shoes or wallet. So, where does all that leather come from? Of course a living animal, and mostly cows. If you already didnt realize that wearing a pair of leather shoes, carrying a leather purse, or flaunting a newly bought leather dress is certainly not as important as an innocent animals life, then you better not walk the streets of Atlantic Avenue.To make people aware of the horrors of the fashion industry when it comes to skinning, dismemberment, de-horning and castration of cows, PETA has created a robot. The AI-powered walking bot has a 3D-printed head attached to a mechanical Spot the dog robot-like contraption. It even sports a brat-inspired wear vegan bandana to make its point of view crystal clear.Designer: PETADubbed Charli XC Cow after the famous popstar Charli XCX, the cow robot takes on shoppers head-on outside Urban Outfitters or nearby stores on Atlantic Avenue. As soon as it spots someone with a leather outfit, it informs the shopper about the mutilations and painful deaths behind all the beautiful leather things. PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said that the organization is encouraging shoppers to keep cruelty out of their closets by opting for animal- and climate-friendly vegan materials that no one had to die for.The AI-powered robot calf appreciates whenever someone claims they are wearing vegan leather. Charli XC breaks into a celebratory dance to express its joy or creates an air heart with the hooves. Otherwise, if someone is wearing a leather jacket, shoes, carrying a purse, or anything made out of animal leather on their body, the robot doesnt shy away from being emotionally expressive. Charli XCs loud insults such as Are you wearing my mother? or Yuck! Leather is someones skin! force shoppers into at least thinking about the cruel atrocities the poor animals have to go through. If someone tries to hide their shoes or bags the robotic calf shouts out loud things such as Stop, thief! That leather purse was my sister!If you still dont have any regrets about wearing leather on your body, or planning to buy something leather on your next shopping spree nothings going to change your perspective!The post PETAs AI-powered Robot Calf Wanders New York Streets To Protest Leather in Fashion first appeared on Yanko Design.

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The Notes app in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 makes it easy to add an audio recording to a note, and create a written transcription of it if desired. Here's how to do it.Notes can record audio and provide transcriptions, starting with iOS and iPadOS 18.It has long been possible to add an audio recording to a note created in the Notes app, but in earlier iOS versions it was a little more cumbersome. Users would open the Voice Memos app, record the audio, and then attach that recording to a new note in the Notes app.As of iOS 18, that functionality is directly available in Notes though it is still somewhat hidden until you know how to find it. The big change compared to the previous Voice Memos app is that Notes can now also provide a written transcript of what was said, if you are using an iPhone 12 or later. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Archigram, the revolutionary architectural collective that reshaped the discipline in the 1960s and 70s, is back with Archigram 10, 50 years after their last issue. Published by Circa Press and edited by founding member Peter Cook, the new edition features contributions from original members Dennis Crompton, David Greene, and Michael Webb, alongside architects and critics from across generations and continents, including Hitoshi Abe, Odile Decq, and Thom Mayne.Known for their neo-futurist, Pop Art-inspired visions of architecture, Archigram continues to challenge conventional thinking, now exploring digital influences and natural inspirations. Archigram 10 is supported by ABB and packed with the group's signature imaginative drawings, rekindling their enduring spirit of experimentation and innovation.

2020 looter slasherGodfallmay not be anyones favourite game by any means, but the widely criticized action RPGs developer seems to have met an unfortunate fate. As per a report published by PlayStation Lifestyle, California-based studio Counterplay Games has shut down.The report cites a LinkedIn post by a developer working at NetEase-owned studio Jackalyptic Games, which was allegedly working on an unknown project in collaboration with Counterplay Games. As per the post in question, Counterplay Games had been working on the project over the last six months, but was recently disbanded.Over the past six months or so our project at Jackalyptic has been supercharged by the world-class devs at Counterplay Games, the post reads. Its impossible to overstate their impact. From the very first day they put their shoulders to the wheel like it was their baby. Unfortunately we were unable to continue our partnership into the new year and CPG was disbanded.Godfallwas Counterplay Games debut (and only) title, releasing in 2020 for PS5 and PC, before also releasing for PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One over the following years. As per the studios website, it had a team of over 140 employees. Counterplay Games itself has yet to provide any official communication on its closure. Job listings in 2022 suggested the developer had started working on its next project, a AAA co-op action fantasy shooter.

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