AMDs RDNA 4 latest misfires: Ad campaign appears to suggest RX 9070 GPUs should be on sale now, and another purported release date is aired, but looks wrong.

Investors are growing more bullish on Alphabet as the company speeds up its AI development.

KIRI Engine Version 3.13: Optimizations All AroundKIRI Innovations has unveiled KIRI Engine Version 3.13, an update that introduces significant improvements to enhance functionality, efficiency, fidelity, and accessibility. With notable breakthroughs in 3D Gaussian Splatting technology, this update represents a pivotal step toward wider acceptance and practical implementation of 3DGS.Higher Fidelity 3DGS Improved AlgorithmThe updated 3DGS algorithm offers significant improvements in visual quality. Users can expect enhancements in resolution, color accuracy, and rendering consistency across viewing angles. With the same input, the new algorithm produces 3DGS scenes with much higher fidelity, both when viewing the scene holistically and when examining details up close. These improvements open up more possibilities in practices such as field surveys, as well as environmental and design visualizations.Results of KIRIs updated High Fidelity 3DGS (middle) and the 3DGS from two other scanner apps (left and right) using the same input.This optimization draws inspiration from the Mini-Splatting2 project, by Guangchi Fang. Their research of aggressive Gaussian densification and visibility Gaussian culling laid the foundation for these advancements.The optimization was achieved by increasing the input threshold, increasing the consideration of the source materials quality. Its natural to wonder whether the raised input threshold might impact generation speed or performance, but luckily, both concerns have been effectively addressed through additional optimizations. Additionally, a new opening animation has been introduced, providing a visually engaging way to present projects. Embedding KIRIs 3DGS file viewer directly into web pages can boost user engagement by offering an attention-grabbing visual experience right from the start.Faster Processing TimesThe improved 3DGS algorithm now processes files in about half the time compared to previous versions. Given the same exact input, the previous version of 3DGS has an average of 5-7 minutes of Gaussian training duration, whereas the improved version completes the same task in 2-3 minutes. Cutting down the training time was achieved by reducing the number of points in the point-cloud data that is ply, focusing more on individual image resolution and visual presentation rather than the density of point-cloud representations. This improvement reflects enhancements and optimizations to the 3D Gaussian Splatting generation process overall, as it is able to reconstruct Gaussian splats with higher accuracy and at a more efficient speed.This reduced time opens up opportunities for near real-time environmental visual data to be transferred easily. This optimization also enables rapid generation, which is valuable for iterative workflows and can effectively allow for more trial and error.File Size OptimizationAnother key improvement is the reduction in 3DGS file sizes, which are now approximately 50% smaller. Because of the reduction in point-cloud density, the file size is naturally optimized to be smaller, yet it possesses higher fidelity due to the improved emphasis on resolution. The technology behind this optimization was achieved through the aggressive Gaussian densification approach, where dense point clouds are rapidly generated early in the training but finish as evenly distributed splats that allow for more visual dynamics. The finished result is more efficient compared to the previous version, as the point-cloud distribution reduces redundant points while simultaneously contributing to an even display of all details in the scene.This optimization allows users to load their 3DGS scenes more quickly. Integrating 3DGS files into rendering engines such as Blender will also significantly reduce workload and rendering time. The combination of reduced file sizes and higher fidelity ensures that users can achieve high-quality results without sacrificing efficiency.Website RedesignThe KIRI Engine website has been completely redesigned with a focus on usability. The new interface simplifies navigation, making it easier for users to find tools, resources, and learning materials. This update is intended to cater to a wide range of users, providing essential source materials with an emphasis on educational content for everyone to reference to. Specific changes worth mentioning are:Features Overview PagesShort-Video TutorialsImproved Blog Page with SubcategoriesExpanded Functionality and FeaturesKIRI Engine Version 3.13 introduces several new features designed to enhance the scanning and processing experience:Support for Both Video and Photo Inputs: Enables users to capture/upload either photos or a video for all scanning methods (except for LiDAR).Unified Camera White Balance: Ensures consistent quality and accurate color representation across captures.3DGS to Mesh File Type Selection: Allows users to select the desired to-mesh file type during the initial 3DGS upload.Enhanced Mesh Textures: Improves texture quality for more realistic results.Optimized Queue Times for Pro Users: Backend bugfixes regarding long queue times despite possessing KIRI Engine Pro.Spanish Language Support: Provides full Spanish support across all platforms.Discover the UpdateKIRIs Co-Founder, Chris, created a dedicated demo page to cover more detailed comparisons and technological insights regarding High Fidelity 3DGS. Check it out here.KIRI Engine Version 3.13 is now available. To learn more about the new features and optimizations, visit kiriengine.app for more information.Download KIRI Engine app from the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kiri-engine-3d-scanner-lidar/id1577127142Download KIRI Engine app from the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kiriengine.app&hl=enBrought to you by KIRI Innovations:This article is part of the befores & afters VFX Insight series. If youd like to promote your VFX/animation/CG tech or service, you can find out more about the VFX Insight series here.The post Why 3D Gaussian Splatting Just Got Better with KIRI Engine Version 3.13 appeared first on befores & afters.

Ashley Abramson first came across Sophie Cress in a cold pitch to her work email. Cress was asking to be an expert source for any stories Abramson was working on as a freelance reporter. Ive got over 8 years of experience and qualifications in Psychology and Couples & Family Therapy, and Im enthusiastic about exploring potential collaborations, especially in the areas of love, relationships, or LGBTQIA+ topics, Cress wrote.She provided a list of links to articles where shed supposedly been featured as an expert. Her email address, linked to a website reviewing sex toys, caught Abramsons attention. Then, when Abramson insisted that she could only conduct interviews over phone or video call, Cress ghosted.In a recent investigation for Allure, Abramson dug deeper into Cress background and alleged qualifications. Turns out, she doesnt actually exist, and was created by the Latvia-based owner of sex toy review site Sexual Alpha to boost traffic and improve the sites search rankings.Dainis Graveris, the owner of Sexual Alpha, did not respond to Abramsons requests for comment but Abramson decided to investigate further. She started by searching for evidence of a Sophie Cress or similar names licensed in North Carolina or holding the degrees and certifications Cress claimed. She found none. Abramson also discovered that Cress headshot was a stock image, and the woman pictured was not called Sophie Cress.Most journalists contacted by Cress simply took her at face value, allowing her operators to dupe outlets from the Metro to the Daily Mail. As Abramson writes, of course, anyone could always claim to be anyone and AI programs make it easy to generate a chunk of text that seems, at least at first skim, like it was written by an expert in any field you can think of.This is a classic case of what is commonly known as internet slop: scammy, AI-generated content thats becoming increasingly widespread online and beyond. Some studies have even found that people rated AI-generated content more favorably than that created by humans (or at least cant tell the difference).This rising tide of slop only serves to clog the internet, which is already drowning in misinformation, further. While this is unlikely to be some sort of election-altering Russian disinformation campaign, Abramson concludes, I wouldnt say its a sign of a particularly bright future.

Space engineers now know how to make oxygen on the moon, and theyre working on perfecting the science so that astronauts can live off the lunar base more easily.Lunar soil, or regolith, is filled with valuable materials, such as oxygen, as well as metals including iron, titanium, and lithium. And a team at Sierra Space, a private aerospace and space technologies company, is working on extracting it. Doing so, it says, will help astronauts on the moon to breathe and can provide fuel for future missionsan important step for sustaining life on the moon or other planets.Weve tested everything we can on Earth now, Brant White, a program manager at Sierra Space, told the BBC. The next step is going to the moon.Over the summer, the team tested the technology during an experiment at NASAs Johnson Space Center. The process involves a box-like machine that can take in soil (or, when on the moon, regolith) and turn it into a thick, sticky substance. Heating a layer of the substance to over 3,002 degrees Fahrenheit (1,650 degrees Celsius) and adding reactants, allows oxygen-containing molecules to be released.In September, Sierra Space announced it had successfully completed the testing in a press release. The Apollo program took us to the moon to study and learn. Artemis is taking us back to the moon, this time to stay, Tom Vice, CEO of Sierra Space, said at the time.Vice continued, Our company is focused on building the infrastructure necessary to enable continuous human presence on the lunar surface. This sustainable future begins with developing the core technology and systems that create oxygen in that environment, using local natural resources.The team also says they can extract metals from the moons core that will help with building structures on the moon. While bringing oxygen and other materials from Earth is possible, White says thats extraordinarily costly, and therefore the innovation is a meaningful one. It could save billions of dollars from mission costs, White said.While scientists seem to have perfected the technology on Earth, bringing it to the moon will bring about certain challenges due to the lack of gravity. Paul Burke, a space physicist and aerospace engineer at Johns Hopkins University, who published a paper on the topic last year, told the BBC that the process of extraction, which involves bubbles of oxygen forming in the scorching hot regolith, will be different in a different atmosphere.It is the consistency of, say, honey, he explained. It is very, very viscous. Those bubbles arent going to rise as fastand may actually be delayed from detaching from the electrodes. However, Sierra Space says their technology was designed with low gravity in mind.Other scientists are hard at work on how to extract oxygen and other materials from the moon, too, like Palak Patel, a PhD student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who is training to become an astronaut herself. Patel came up with her own experimental molten regolith electrolysis system that does the same thing. She told the BBC it also addresses the gravity issue by using a sonicator, which uses sound waves to ensure the bubbles wont get stuck. Were really looking at it from the standpoint of, Lets try to minimize the number of resupply missions,' she said.

Japanese multinational Korg is known for its musical instruments and recording equipment. It is now testing new waters with a collective of turntables that you and I can shy from, but musicians and creators would find difficult to neglect. Not necessarily noteworthy for their appearance, which is reminiscent of Vestaxs Handy Trax portable turntables, the new turntables from Korg are meant to simplify scratching for DJs, while the companys Nutube vacuum tube integration in a separate model will give audiophiles a reason to tune in.Korg announced the release of its three new portable turntables: Handytraxx Play for DJs, the premium Handytraxx Tube for awesome sound quality, and the flagship Handytraxx 1bit for digitalizing vinyl at the NAMM Show 2025. The global music and entertainment event was lit up by tunes from Korgs turntables designed to give users the freedom to play or scratch records anywhere. Lets delve a little deeper into what that is!Designer: KorgThe Handytraxx Play is the entry-level turntable developed especially for DJs in the collection collaboration with Toshihide Nakama: former Vestax President and co-creator of the Handy Trax. Nakama passed away during the development of the Play in 2023, but the OG design ethics remain the basis of this model filled with Korgs audio tech and incredible digital processing. The portable player runs on an AC adapter or six AA batteries, offering DJs the flexibility to take their music anywhere.This is made possible with a built-in looper for live looping; low-pass and high-pass filters for a smooth transition; EQ filter with a low isolator; custom-designed tonearm to minimum needle skipping; and belt-driven motor for rotation correct, which together ensure, a casual player can play records on the go or a hardcore DJ can conduct reliable performance during events demanding scratch play. Korg has built-in Handytraxx Play with a 2.5W speaker so you can have nonstop parties even if external speakers are not connected.The concept of record players is reviving in the surmounting consumption of audio on smartphones through earbuds; the $800 Handytraxx Tube steps up to embrace the trend and give serious music aficionados a reason to rethink their choice. Designed to bring enthusiasts closer to the timeless allure of analog records, the Handytraxx Tube with its portable battery-operated design, built-in stereo speakers, and Korgs Nutube vacuum tube-powered phono amp offers unmatched warm sound.The flagship model in the Handytraxx series from Korg is the Handytraxx 1bit which offers vinyl recording capability in amazing 5.6 MHz, 1-bit (DSD) format. This best-captured vinyl essence is delivered in 5.6 million samples per second, which is way above other competing formats, so the sound quality is unmatched. Whether youre planning on digitalizing your vinyl collection for better, or want a turntable for casual playback, the 1bit is right there for an asking price of $1200. Korg hasnt made an official date when these turntables will be released. But going by the anticipation, we are guessing summer release.The post Korg rolls out a trio of turntables musicians and creators will find hard to neglect first appeared on Yanko Design.

The AirPods Max launched in 2020 5 years ago, and the only update weve seen in that time is a color-refresh and a shift to USB-C. Now sure, headphones arent the kind of devices that need replacing every 2-3 years the way you would with smartphones, but I really think its time for a Gen2 AirPods Max because Apples come a long way since 2020.In the past few years, Apple has made a push for the metaverse (or spatial computing as they say) but more notably, the company has also launched its own AI service, dubbed Apple Intelligence. Apple Intelligence lets you achieve a variety of tasks, outpacing Siri by large magnitudes in its ability to search for information, generate content, and even set up commands/tasks/schedules. Its the kind of AI that the AirPods Max would benefit massively from which is why Felix Schwamkrug decided to build it into his version of the Apple AirPods Max 2.Designer: Felix SchwamkrugThe second iteration of the AirPods Max retains the same pebble-inspired can design, with a minimalist overall appearance. There are a few notable changes, though. For starters, the headphones sport the Apple logo on the earpieces, something Apple wouldnt be caught dead doing. However, personally I think it looks nice. All of Apples flagship devices have the logo the iPhone, MacBook, iMac, Mac Mini, iPad, so why not the AirPods Max. Sure, the smaller AirPods are too tiny to sport the logo, but hell, even the iPod Shuffle had the Apple logo on it, so why not the AirPods Max?Other clear visual changes can be found in the headphones headband which goes from the woven-style build to something more robust, sporting a hard outer plastic shell and a padded inner cushion. The previous AirPods Max were known to be on the heavier side due to their use of metal, so the plastic headband helps cut weight without cutting out on aesthetics.The Gen2 headphones also ditch the rotating crown found on their predecessor for a two-part interface, comprising of a touchpad as well as a button. The touchpad lets you swipe up or down to increase volume or side by side to skip songs. Unlike the crown that can register accidental input, this recessed touchpad offers much more protection against accidentally brushing against a crown and having your music volume bumped up dramatically.Beside the touchpad is the AirPods Max 2s pice de rsistance its Apple Intelligence button. Pressing this will trigger Apples internal AI assistant, allowing you to search for songs, set reminders, or probably even curate playlists based on your mood. Its all pure speculation here, but imagine being able to hit a button on your headphones to set an alarm or a task, or even start a workout without needing to take your phone out of your pocket. Of course, the button serves other purposes too, like answering/rejecting calls or playing/pausing music.The headphones are pretty perfect on the audio front (which is probably why Apple never updated them), although a few incremental upgrades are in order. For starters, many users noticed condensation inside the headphones after a few days of use something Apple never really explained in detail. A few tweaks to the architecture should solve that problem. The headphones retain the 40mm drivers with the neodymium ring magnet motor, although the concept now boasts the use of the new H2 chip, which has its own NPU for handling Apple Intelligence tasks.The AirPods Max 2 is clearly a concept, but it paints a much-needed picture of what version 2.0 of Apples flagship headphones should look like. Felix rendered the headphones in 3 colorways, although I personally could use a few more maybe some reds, greens, and that gorgeous orange colorway that Apple announced last year!The post AirPods Max 2 Headphones Concept shows a Refined Design with an Apple Intelligence Button first appeared on Yanko Design.

Apples newest store in Miami opened this Friday, January 24, in the citys dynamic downtown district.

When Apple released not one but two different versions of its new AirPods 4 in September of 2024 it changed the landscape of the company's lineup. And it might just have been a stroke of genius.The AirPods 4 come in a new, smaller case that you can take anywhere.While the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max still sit at the very top of Apple's audio accessory pyramid, they're known quantities and simply too expensive for a whole lot of people. The arrival of a new AirPods pairing is undoubtedly the best option for millions of people and the AirPods 4 (ANC) is arguably the best wireless earbuds for most people including me.I've been testing the standard AirPods 4 and upgraded ANC version since not long after they were released and I've used them to listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks for countless hours during that time. I expected to enjoy the ANC version the most, but what I didn't expect was for them to replace my AirPods Pro 2. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Long-time Apple executive Kim Vorrath has been moved into the Apple Intelligence team following her successes on projects from Apple Vision Pro to the original iPhone.Apple Intelligence and SiriThe claim that Apple is behind on artificial intelligence may never go away, despite the company's long history of working in the field. But a new rejigging of staff on the Apple Intelligence project at least suggests that the company believes it has work to do.Specifically, according to Bloomberg, Kim Vorrath has been appointed Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums