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Ars Technica Compartió un vínculo

2025-05-15 07:58:30 ·

A dangerous E. coli strain has emerged; a small mutation may explain its rise

Neat weaponry

A dangerous E. coli strain has emerged; a small mutation may explain its rise

It's unclear what the mutation does, but it might make E. coli stealthy on lettuce.

Beth Mole

–

May 14, 2025 5:22 pm

|

22

Colored scanning electron micrograph of the rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria E. coli

Credit:

Getty | STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Colored scanning electron micrograph of the rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria E. coli

Credit:

Getty | STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Story text

Size

Small
Standard
Large

Width
*

Standard
Wide

Links

Standard
Orange

* Subscribers only
  Learn more

Since 2017, a particularly dangerous strain of E. coli O157:H7 has emerged across the country to spark outbreaks, severe disease, and deaths. It spreads in various ways: via leafy greens and contaminated beef, like its relatives, but also recreational waters. Hundreds of people across 46 states have been infected, and health officials have documented at least nine separate outbreaks. One in 2018, linked to lettuce, caused over 200 infections across 37 states, killing five people and causing a severe kidney condition in 26.
Now, a sweeping genetic analysis by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests a tiny mutation in one of the bacteria's molecular weapons may be behind the strain's rise. The finding, published recently in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, provides insights into this clinically significant plague and its rise to prominence. It also highlights the role of the bacteria's sophisticated military tactics.
The mutated weapon is part of a complex system that E. coli and other harmful bacteria sometimes use called a Type 3 Secretion System. This involves molecular machinery that basically functions like a syringe, complete with a long needle that is poked into the cells of its victims. The T3SS then directly injects a fleet of hostile proteins. Those proteins—called effectors—attack specific targets that collectively disable the host's defense responses and make the host more hospitable for its bacterial conqueror.
The mutation the CDC researchers found was in one of these T3SS effectors, a protein called EspW. Previous research suggests that this effector is responsible for buttressing a host cell's structure during an invasion, keeping the cell from contracting while enabling the bacteria to become attached to it. A related protein in the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, called HopW1, also disrupts normal cellular structure and processes that would otherwise restrict the ability of P. syringae to cause an infection.

Small change
The CDC researchers identified the EspW mutation by comparing the genetic sequences of 729 isolates of the new E. coli strain—dubbed REPEXH01—to genetic sequences of 2,027 other E. coli O157:H7 isolates. Of the 729 REPEXH01 strains, all but two had a single nucleotide deletion in EspW, while the deletion was present in less than 4 percent of the non-REPEXH01 E. coli strains. The finding suggests the tiny change could be a genetic signature of the strain, and its persistence in a key disease protein may offer the strain an advantage.
For now, it's unclear what that advantage might be. The deletion of a single DNA baseshifts the frame of the three-sequence protein code for the rest of EspW. This could result in a shorter protein. It could also cause the molecular machinery that translates the genetic code to slip, leading to proteins of various lengths. In any case, the deletion is likely to result in a less fully functional EspW protein.
The CDC researchers suggest this could help E. coli when it's on lettuce and other produce. For example, EspW might spur an immune response from an infected plant that causes stomata—pores on the surfaces of leaves—to close, blocking the bacteria's ability to invade. Thus, cutting back EspW may help E. coli sneak in—an adaptation in the ongoing arms race between the bacteria and its host. Another possibility is that EspW could function like HopW1, leading to more severe infection in plant tissues, which could lower the chances that those infected leaves are harvested and make it to grocery stores and atop burgers. Thus, cutting back on EspW could help E. coli move to its human victims.
Ultimately, additional research will be needed to understand what's going on. As the CDC researchers conclude: "the role of the single base pair mutation in this strain’s colonization and survival on leafy vegetables could yield valuable insights."

Beth Mole
Senior Health Reporter

Beth Mole
Senior Health Reporter

Beth is Ars Technica’s Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes.

22 Comments
#dangerous #coli #strain #has #emerged

A dangerous E. coli strain has emerged; a small mutation may explain its rise
Neat weaponry A dangerous E. coli strain has emerged; a small mutation may explain its rise It's unclear what the mutation does, but it might make E. coli stealthy on lettuce. Beth Mole – May 14, 2025 5:22 pm | 22 Colored scanning electron micrograph of the rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria E. coli Credit: Getty | STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Colored scanning electron micrograph of the rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria E. coli Credit: Getty | STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Since 2017, a particularly dangerous strain of E. coli O157:H7 has emerged across the country to spark outbreaks, severe disease, and deaths. It spreads in various ways: via leafy greens and contaminated beef, like its relatives, but also recreational waters. Hundreds of people across 46 states have been infected, and health officials have documented at least nine separate outbreaks. One in 2018, linked to lettuce, caused over 200 infections across 37 states, killing five people and causing a severe kidney condition in 26. Now, a sweeping genetic analysis by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests a tiny mutation in one of the bacteria's molecular weapons may be behind the strain's rise. The finding, published recently in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, provides insights into this clinically significant plague and its rise to prominence. It also highlights the role of the bacteria's sophisticated military tactics. The mutated weapon is part of a complex system that E. coli and other harmful bacteria sometimes use called a Type 3 Secretion System. This involves molecular machinery that basically functions like a syringe, complete with a long needle that is poked into the cells of its victims. The T3SS then directly injects a fleet of hostile proteins. Those proteins—called effectors—attack specific targets that collectively disable the host's defense responses and make the host more hospitable for its bacterial conqueror. The mutation the CDC researchers found was in one of these T3SS effectors, a protein called EspW. Previous research suggests that this effector is responsible for buttressing a host cell's structure during an invasion, keeping the cell from contracting while enabling the bacteria to become attached to it. A related protein in the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, called HopW1, also disrupts normal cellular structure and processes that would otherwise restrict the ability of P. syringae to cause an infection. Small change The CDC researchers identified the EspW mutation by comparing the genetic sequences of 729 isolates of the new E. coli strain—dubbed REPEXH01—to genetic sequences of 2,027 other E. coli O157:H7 isolates. Of the 729 REPEXH01 strains, all but two had a single nucleotide deletion in EspW, while the deletion was present in less than 4 percent of the non-REPEXH01 E. coli strains. The finding suggests the tiny change could be a genetic signature of the strain, and its persistence in a key disease protein may offer the strain an advantage. For now, it's unclear what that advantage might be. The deletion of a single DNA baseshifts the frame of the three-sequence protein code for the rest of EspW. This could result in a shorter protein. It could also cause the molecular machinery that translates the genetic code to slip, leading to proteins of various lengths. In any case, the deletion is likely to result in a less fully functional EspW protein. The CDC researchers suggest this could help E. coli when it's on lettuce and other produce. For example, EspW might spur an immune response from an infected plant that causes stomata—pores on the surfaces of leaves—to close, blocking the bacteria's ability to invade. Thus, cutting back EspW may help E. coli sneak in—an adaptation in the ongoing arms race between the bacteria and its host. Another possibility is that EspW could function like HopW1, leading to more severe infection in plant tissues, which could lower the chances that those infected leaves are harvested and make it to grocery stores and atop burgers. Thus, cutting back on EspW could help E. coli move to its human victims. Ultimately, additional research will be needed to understand what's going on. As the CDC researchers conclude: "the role of the single base pair mutation in this strain’s colonization and survival on leafy vegetables could yield valuable insights." Beth Mole Senior Health Reporter Beth Mole Senior Health Reporter Beth is Ars Technica’s Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 22 Comments #dangerous #coli #strain #has #emerged

ARSTECHNICA.COM

A dangerous E. coli strain has emerged; a small mutation may explain its rise

Neat weaponry A dangerous E. coli strain has emerged; a small mutation may explain its rise It's unclear what the mutation does, but it might make E. coli stealthy on lettuce. Beth Mole – May 14, 2025 5:22 pm | 22 Colored scanning electron micrograph of the rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria E. coli Credit: Getty | STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Colored scanning electron micrograph of the rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria E. coli Credit: Getty | STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Since 2017, a particularly dangerous strain of E. coli O157:H7 has emerged across the country to spark outbreaks, severe disease, and deaths. It spreads in various ways: via leafy greens and contaminated beef, like its relatives, but also recreational waters. Hundreds of people across 46 states have been infected, and health officials have documented at least nine separate outbreaks. One in 2018, linked to lettuce, caused over 200 infections across 37 states, killing five people and causing a severe kidney condition in 26. Now, a sweeping genetic analysis by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests a tiny mutation in one of the bacteria's molecular weapons may be behind the strain's rise. The finding, published recently in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, provides insights into this clinically significant plague and its rise to prominence. It also highlights the role of the bacteria's sophisticated military tactics. The mutated weapon is part of a complex system that E. coli and other harmful bacteria sometimes use called a Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS). This involves molecular machinery that basically functions like a syringe, complete with a long needle that is poked into the cells of its victims. The T3SS then directly injects a fleet of hostile proteins. Those proteins—called effectors—attack specific targets that collectively disable the host's defense responses and make the host more hospitable for its bacterial conqueror. The mutation the CDC researchers found was in one of these T3SS effectors, a protein called EspW. Previous research suggests that this effector is responsible for buttressing a host cell's structure during an invasion, keeping the cell from contracting while enabling the bacteria to become attached to it. A related protein in the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, called HopW1, also disrupts normal cellular structure and processes that would otherwise restrict the ability of P. syringae to cause an infection. Small change The CDC researchers identified the EspW mutation by comparing the genetic sequences of 729 isolates of the new E. coli strain—dubbed REPEXH01—to genetic sequences of 2,027 other E. coli O157:H7 isolates. Of the 729 REPEXH01 strains, all but two had a single nucleotide deletion in EspW (the remaining two had ambiguous sequences), while the deletion was present in less than 4 percent of the non-REPEXH01 E. coli strains. The finding suggests the tiny change could be a genetic signature of the strain, and its persistence in a key disease protein may offer the strain an advantage. For now, it's unclear what that advantage might be. The deletion of a single DNA base (an adenine) shifts the frame of the three-sequence protein code for the rest of EspW. This could result in a shorter protein. It could also cause the molecular machinery that translates the genetic code to slip, leading to proteins of various lengths. In any case, the deletion is likely to result in a less fully functional EspW protein. The CDC researchers suggest this could help E. coli when it's on lettuce and other produce. For example, EspW might spur an immune response from an infected plant that causes stomata—pores on the surfaces of leaves—to close, blocking the bacteria's ability to invade. Thus, cutting back EspW may help E. coli sneak in—an adaptation in the ongoing arms race between the bacteria and its host. Another possibility is that EspW could function like HopW1, leading to more severe infection in plant tissues, which could lower the chances that those infected leaves are harvested and make it to grocery stores and atop burgers. Thus, cutting back on EspW could help E. coli move to its human victims. Ultimately, additional research will be needed to understand what's going on. As the CDC researchers conclude: "the role of the single base pair mutation in this strain’s colonization and survival on leafy vegetables could yield valuable insights." Beth Mole Senior Health Reporter Beth Mole Senior Health Reporter Beth is Ars Technica’s Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 22 Comments

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Computer Weekly Compartió un vínculo

2025-05-15 07:54:53 ·

Can 'god-like technologies' be prevented from harming a generation of children?

As the UK’s Online Safety Actcontinues to make its way through the implementation process - with a deadline of 24 July for affected companies to complete their child safety assessments - I’ve been thinking a lot about a quote from the US natural scientist E.O. Wilson: "The real problem of humanity is we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and god-like technologies."
I’m not inferring that Ofcom, the regulatory body for overseeing the implementation of OSA, is medieval, just making the point about whether it will be agile enough to really call the god-like technology companies to account.
Time after time the social media giants have avoided censure or legal challenges by citing Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act, which prevents companies from being held liable for content posted on their platforms.
But there may be sunshine on the horizon - although in tragic circumstances - with a groundbreaking legal challenge in the US.

The progress of the case is the subject of a compelling documentary by Bloomberg Originals, Can’t look away: The case against social media.
Bloomberg followed the work of the Social Media Victims Law Centreled by lawyer Matthew Bergman and his colleagues in the lead-up to their first court appearance to try to move the case to the discovery phase.
On one side of the courthouse were the amassed families who had lost their children to suicide, self-harm, drugs and sexual exploitation through their use of social media. On the other, Jessica Grant, the legal representative for Snap Inc, owner of Snapchat.
The bereaved families held up pictures of their dead children while Grant took to the floor and addressed the judge with some chilling remarks: “Section 230 immunises internet service providers like Snap from any claim whether product liability, negligence or any other public nuisance”.
Given that the SMVLC had described the case as representing “the voices of the children coming back from the grave holding these companies to account,” her statement seemed particularly hostile, cloth-eared and egregious.
But the reason this case is groundbreaking and historic is that it’s the first time a case is being brought not on the grounds of platform versus content and Section 230, but rather on the grounds of product design – that is, that these companies are not just publishing user-generated content but are actively designing algorithms to push harmful content at pre-teens and adolescents to deliver greater engagement and growth.
These child victims are not searching for this content, it is being pushed into their feeds and streams with disastrous consequences. Their parents are completely unaware of what their children are consuming.

One of the cases being represented by the SMVLC is that of Michael Brewer, who was 11 when he joined Snapchat. Snapchat has a feature called Quick Add which incentivises young people to add as many followers as possible. Of course, they have no idea who any of these new followers are.
At age 13, shortly after using Quick Add, Michael was contacted by an individual who asked, “What do you want?” When Michael asked, “What do you mean?” within an hour he was sent a photograph of a comprehensive drug menu.
Thereafter he testified he was receiving these drug menus in six out of 10 of his stories on the hour. He eventually went looking for Adderall, but was told by the drug dealer he could have Percocet instead. The pill was delivered by the dealers straight to his home courtesy of SnapMap which allows followers to see your location in real time.
Except it was not Percocet, it was a fake pill laced with fentanyl. The consequences were tragic. Within an hour of consuming the pill he was in a life-threatening situation - he eventually died but was resuscitated with unbearable consequences. Michael is now wheelchair bound with a significant brain injury. Even more heartbreaking is hearing from SMVLC lawyers that Michael is unique in their fentanyl-related social media cases - he is the only one still alive.
During the course of the Bloomberg documentary, it also charts evidence given by the CEOs of the social media giants in a landmark Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on 31 January 2024.
Meta, TikTok and Snap all gave evidence on the impact of social media on young people. With the bereaved families in attendance, it was astounding to hear Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg say, “There is no scientific evidence that use of social media has any impact on mental health”.
This was quite something given evidence to the contrary from within his own company. We know this from documents revealed by the whistleblower Frances Haugen, who confirmed that Facebook prioritised engagement and profit over safety and hid these facts from legislators and the public.

But if Zuckerberg needed any more information on the havoc his products and those of the other social media giants are wreaking on young people, he might do well to spend time reading the excellent book The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who has done intensive research in this area.
His book links the explosion in mental health problems for young people today to the launch of smartphones and the rise of social media, particularly Instagram in 2012. But his book is not just about individual harms - it’s about the complete cognitive rewiring of young people’s minds, particularly as they are joining before the age of 13 when their pre-frontal cortexhas not yet fully developed.
The PFC governs a huge range of essential areas for normal brain development such as decision making and reasoning, executive functions, personality and social behaviour, working memory and attention, speech and language, emotional processing and motor control.
To put all that in context, the PFC manages complex cognitive processes including decision-making, impulse control, emotional regulation, social behaviour and working memory to name but a few.
This means that parents who are totally unaware of what their children are witnessing on their phones are allowing a complete rewiring of their children's cognitive abilities at their most vulnerable developmental stages. Or to use Haidt’s words: "Children born in the late 1990s were the first generation in history who went through puberty in the virtual world. It’s as though we sent Gen Z to grow up on Mars when we gave them smartphones in the early 2010s in the largest uncontrolled experiment humanity has ever performed on its own children.”
People power
In the US there has been an attempt to introduce a similar bill to the UK OSA, but the Kids Online Safety Acthas stalled. Despite passing the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2024, it has been blocked from progressing further by Republicans worried social media companies might censor conservative viewpoints.
So in the end it looks like good-old people power might be the only thing that will force a change. As of now the SMVLC is representing 4000 US families with a growing number joining the fight every day. Their resources are completely limited compared to the vast and endless resources of the tech companies, but it is the justice system not the regulatory frameworks that is levelling the playing field so these ordinary families can be heard in a court of law.
A decision to proceed to discovery phase was granted to the SMVLC and the families in January with a ruling confirming that social media companies like Meta, YouTube, Snap and TikTok could not use Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to shield themselves from liability, allowing discovery and the lawsuits to move forward. All being well this will lead to bellwether trials later this year.
In Anxious generation, Haidt comments on the fact that so many parents he talks to are resigned to their adolescents' use of social media, given that all their friends are on social media and to restrict their child's use would make them socially isolated. His response is wisely a societal one not an individual one. We need to work together to change these norms and to re-establish the real-life, real-world conditions necessary for the healthy cognitive development of young people that’s essential for them to grow into happy and thriving adults.
If you are a parent, an aunt, uncle, a friend or employer I strongly urge you to watch Can’t look away at a cost of - which goes to the film-makers. It's nothing in terms of the vitally important knowledge the documentary imparts. And buy a copy of The anxious generation and give as many away as you can to as many parents as you know - or refer them here to the official website of the book which has lots of free resources and insights.
The cavalry is not coming to save our children from these serious and life-threatening harms on social media, so it’s time we began looking out for each other - working collectively as the societal custodians of the next generation. Together we can resist and fight back with the help of the strong arm of the law.

about online safety

Government and Ofcom disagree about scope of Online Safety Act - MPs heard different views from the online harms regulator and the UK government about whether and how the Online Safety Act obliges platforms to deal with disinformation.
UK and US pledge closer working on children’s online safety - In their first agreement on the subject of children’s online safety, the UK and US governments have said they will create a new working group to boost cooperation.
Schools go smartphone-free to address online harms - Schools are implementing smartphone-free policies in an attempt to curb students’ exposure to online harms, but teachers and parents are worried the Online Safety Act will only partially address concerns.
#can #039godlike #technologies039 #prevented #harming

Can 'god-like technologies' be prevented from harming a generation of children?
As the UK’s Online Safety Actcontinues to make its way through the implementation process - with a deadline of 24 July for affected companies to complete their child safety assessments - I’ve been thinking a lot about a quote from the US natural scientist E.O. Wilson: "The real problem of humanity is we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and god-like technologies." I’m not inferring that Ofcom, the regulatory body for overseeing the implementation of OSA, is medieval, just making the point about whether it will be agile enough to really call the god-like technology companies to account. Time after time the social media giants have avoided censure or legal challenges by citing Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act, which prevents companies from being held liable for content posted on their platforms. But there may be sunshine on the horizon - although in tragic circumstances - with a groundbreaking legal challenge in the US. The progress of the case is the subject of a compelling documentary by Bloomberg Originals, Can’t look away: The case against social media. Bloomberg followed the work of the Social Media Victims Law Centreled by lawyer Matthew Bergman and his colleagues in the lead-up to their first court appearance to try to move the case to the discovery phase. On one side of the courthouse were the amassed families who had lost their children to suicide, self-harm, drugs and sexual exploitation through their use of social media. On the other, Jessica Grant, the legal representative for Snap Inc, owner of Snapchat. The bereaved families held up pictures of their dead children while Grant took to the floor and addressed the judge with some chilling remarks: “Section 230 immunises internet service providers like Snap from any claim whether product liability, negligence or any other public nuisance”. Given that the SMVLC had described the case as representing “the voices of the children coming back from the grave holding these companies to account,” her statement seemed particularly hostile, cloth-eared and egregious. But the reason this case is groundbreaking and historic is that it’s the first time a case is being brought not on the grounds of platform versus content and Section 230, but rather on the grounds of product design – that is, that these companies are not just publishing user-generated content but are actively designing algorithms to push harmful content at pre-teens and adolescents to deliver greater engagement and growth. These child victims are not searching for this content, it is being pushed into their feeds and streams with disastrous consequences. Their parents are completely unaware of what their children are consuming. One of the cases being represented by the SMVLC is that of Michael Brewer, who was 11 when he joined Snapchat. Snapchat has a feature called Quick Add which incentivises young people to add as many followers as possible. Of course, they have no idea who any of these new followers are. At age 13, shortly after using Quick Add, Michael was contacted by an individual who asked, “What do you want?” When Michael asked, “What do you mean?” within an hour he was sent a photograph of a comprehensive drug menu. Thereafter he testified he was receiving these drug menus in six out of 10 of his stories on the hour. He eventually went looking for Adderall, but was told by the drug dealer he could have Percocet instead. The pill was delivered by the dealers straight to his home courtesy of SnapMap which allows followers to see your location in real time. Except it was not Percocet, it was a fake pill laced with fentanyl. The consequences were tragic. Within an hour of consuming the pill he was in a life-threatening situation - he eventually died but was resuscitated with unbearable consequences. Michael is now wheelchair bound with a significant brain injury. Even more heartbreaking is hearing from SMVLC lawyers that Michael is unique in their fentanyl-related social media cases - he is the only one still alive. During the course of the Bloomberg documentary, it also charts evidence given by the CEOs of the social media giants in a landmark Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on 31 January 2024. Meta, TikTok and Snap all gave evidence on the impact of social media on young people. With the bereaved families in attendance, it was astounding to hear Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg say, “There is no scientific evidence that use of social media has any impact on mental health”. This was quite something given evidence to the contrary from within his own company. We know this from documents revealed by the whistleblower Frances Haugen, who confirmed that Facebook prioritised engagement and profit over safety and hid these facts from legislators and the public. But if Zuckerberg needed any more information on the havoc his products and those of the other social media giants are wreaking on young people, he might do well to spend time reading the excellent book The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who has done intensive research in this area. His book links the explosion in mental health problems for young people today to the launch of smartphones and the rise of social media, particularly Instagram in 2012. But his book is not just about individual harms - it’s about the complete cognitive rewiring of young people’s minds, particularly as they are joining before the age of 13 when their pre-frontal cortexhas not yet fully developed. The PFC governs a huge range of essential areas for normal brain development such as decision making and reasoning, executive functions, personality and social behaviour, working memory and attention, speech and language, emotional processing and motor control. To put all that in context, the PFC manages complex cognitive processes including decision-making, impulse control, emotional regulation, social behaviour and working memory to name but a few. This means that parents who are totally unaware of what their children are witnessing on their phones are allowing a complete rewiring of their children's cognitive abilities at their most vulnerable developmental stages. Or to use Haidt’s words: "Children born in the late 1990s were the first generation in history who went through puberty in the virtual world. It’s as though we sent Gen Z to grow up on Mars when we gave them smartphones in the early 2010s in the largest uncontrolled experiment humanity has ever performed on its own children.” People power In the US there has been an attempt to introduce a similar bill to the UK OSA, but the Kids Online Safety Acthas stalled. Despite passing the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2024, it has been blocked from progressing further by Republicans worried social media companies might censor conservative viewpoints. So in the end it looks like good-old people power might be the only thing that will force a change. As of now the SMVLC is representing 4000 US families with a growing number joining the fight every day. Their resources are completely limited compared to the vast and endless resources of the tech companies, but it is the justice system not the regulatory frameworks that is levelling the playing field so these ordinary families can be heard in a court of law. A decision to proceed to discovery phase was granted to the SMVLC and the families in January with a ruling confirming that social media companies like Meta, YouTube, Snap and TikTok could not use Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to shield themselves from liability, allowing discovery and the lawsuits to move forward. All being well this will lead to bellwether trials later this year. In Anxious generation, Haidt comments on the fact that so many parents he talks to are resigned to their adolescents' use of social media, given that all their friends are on social media and to restrict their child's use would make them socially isolated. His response is wisely a societal one not an individual one. We need to work together to change these norms and to re-establish the real-life, real-world conditions necessary for the healthy cognitive development of young people that’s essential for them to grow into happy and thriving adults. If you are a parent, an aunt, uncle, a friend or employer I strongly urge you to watch Can’t look away at a cost of - which goes to the film-makers. It's nothing in terms of the vitally important knowledge the documentary imparts. And buy a copy of The anxious generation and give as many away as you can to as many parents as you know - or refer them here to the official website of the book which has lots of free resources and insights. The cavalry is not coming to save our children from these serious and life-threatening harms on social media, so it’s time we began looking out for each other - working collectively as the societal custodians of the next generation. Together we can resist and fight back with the help of the strong arm of the law. about online safety Government and Ofcom disagree about scope of Online Safety Act - MPs heard different views from the online harms regulator and the UK government about whether and how the Online Safety Act obliges platforms to deal with disinformation. UK and US pledge closer working on children’s online safety - In their first agreement on the subject of children’s online safety, the UK and US governments have said they will create a new working group to boost cooperation. Schools go smartphone-free to address online harms - Schools are implementing smartphone-free policies in an attempt to curb students’ exposure to online harms, but teachers and parents are worried the Online Safety Act will only partially address concerns. #can #039godlike #technologies039 #prevented #harming

WWW.COMPUTERWEEKLY.COM

Can 'god-like technologies' be prevented from harming a generation of children?

As the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) continues to make its way through the implementation process - with a deadline of 24 July for affected companies to complete their child safety assessments - I’ve been thinking a lot about a quote from the US natural scientist E.O. Wilson: "The real problem of humanity is we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and god-like technologies." I’m not inferring that Ofcom, the regulatory body for overseeing the implementation of OSA, is medieval, just making the point about whether it will be agile enough to really call the god-like technology companies to account. Time after time the social media giants have avoided censure or legal challenges by citing Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act, which prevents companies from being held liable for content posted on their platforms. But there may be sunshine on the horizon - although in tragic circumstances - with a groundbreaking legal challenge in the US. The progress of the case is the subject of a compelling documentary by Bloomberg Originals, Can’t look away: The case against social media. Bloomberg followed the work of the Social Media Victims Law Centre (SMVLC) led by lawyer Matthew Bergman and his colleagues in the lead-up to their first court appearance to try to move the case to the discovery phase. On one side of the courthouse were the amassed families who had lost their children to suicide, self-harm, drugs and sexual exploitation through their use of social media. On the other, Jessica Grant, the legal representative for Snap Inc, owner of Snapchat. The bereaved families held up pictures of their dead children while Grant took to the floor and addressed the judge with some chilling remarks: “Section 230 immunises internet service providers like Snap from any claim whether product liability, negligence or any other public nuisance”. Given that the SMVLC had described the case as representing “the voices of the children coming back from the grave holding these companies to account,” her statement seemed particularly hostile, cloth-eared and egregious. But the reason this case is groundbreaking and historic is that it’s the first time a case is being brought not on the grounds of platform versus content and Section 230, but rather on the grounds of product design – that is, that these companies are not just publishing user-generated content but are actively designing algorithms to push harmful content at pre-teens and adolescents to deliver greater engagement and growth. These child victims are not searching for this content, it is being pushed into their feeds and streams with disastrous consequences. Their parents are completely unaware of what their children are consuming. One of the cases being represented by the SMVLC is that of Michael Brewer, who was 11 when he joined Snapchat. Snapchat has a feature called Quick Add which incentivises young people to add as many followers as possible. Of course, they have no idea who any of these new followers are. At age 13, shortly after using Quick Add, Michael was contacted by an individual who asked, “What do you want?” When Michael asked, “What do you mean?” within an hour he was sent a photograph of a comprehensive drug menu. Thereafter he testified he was receiving these drug menus in six out of 10 of his stories on the hour. He eventually went looking for Adderall, but was told by the drug dealer he could have Percocet instead. The pill was delivered by the dealers straight to his home courtesy of SnapMap which allows followers to see your location in real time. Except it was not Percocet, it was a fake pill laced with fentanyl. The consequences were tragic. Within an hour of consuming the pill he was in a life-threatening situation - he eventually died but was resuscitated with unbearable consequences. Michael is now wheelchair bound with a significant brain injury. Even more heartbreaking is hearing from SMVLC lawyers that Michael is unique in their fentanyl-related social media cases - he is the only one still alive. During the course of the Bloomberg documentary, it also charts evidence given by the CEOs of the social media giants in a landmark Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on 31 January 2024. Meta, TikTok and Snap all gave evidence on the impact of social media on young people. With the bereaved families in attendance, it was astounding to hear Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg say, “There is no scientific evidence that use of social media has any impact on mental health”. This was quite something given evidence to the contrary from within his own company. We know this from documents revealed by the whistleblower Frances Haugen, who confirmed that Facebook prioritised engagement and profit over safety and hid these facts from legislators and the public. But if Zuckerberg needed any more information on the havoc his products and those of the other social media giants are wreaking on young people, he might do well to spend time reading the excellent book The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who has done intensive research in this area. His book links the explosion in mental health problems for young people today to the launch of smartphones and the rise of social media, particularly Instagram in 2012. But his book is not just about individual harms - it’s about the complete cognitive rewiring of young people’s minds, particularly as they are joining before the age of 13 when their pre-frontal cortex (PFC) has not yet fully developed. The PFC governs a huge range of essential areas for normal brain development such as decision making and reasoning, executive functions, personality and social behaviour, working memory and attention, speech and language, emotional processing and motor control. To put all that in context, the PFC manages complex cognitive processes including decision-making, impulse control, emotional regulation, social behaviour and working memory to name but a few. This means that parents who are totally unaware of what their children are witnessing on their phones are allowing a complete rewiring of their children's cognitive abilities at their most vulnerable developmental stages. Or to use Haidt’s words: "Children born in the late 1990s were the first generation in history who went through puberty in the virtual world. It’s as though we sent Gen Z to grow up on Mars when we gave them smartphones in the early 2010s in the largest uncontrolled experiment humanity has ever performed on its own children.” People power In the US there has been an attempt to introduce a similar bill to the UK OSA, but the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) has stalled. Despite passing the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2024, it has been blocked from progressing further by Republicans worried social media companies might censor conservative viewpoints. So in the end it looks like good-old people power might be the only thing that will force a change. As of now the SMVLC is representing 4000 US families with a growing number joining the fight every day. Their resources are completely limited compared to the vast and endless resources of the tech companies, but it is the justice system not the regulatory frameworks that is levelling the playing field so these ordinary families can be heard in a court of law. A decision to proceed to discovery phase was granted to the SMVLC and the families in January with a ruling confirming that social media companies like Meta, YouTube, Snap and TikTok could not use Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to shield themselves from liability, allowing discovery and the lawsuits to move forward. All being well this will lead to bellwether trials later this year. In Anxious generation, Haidt comments on the fact that so many parents he talks to are resigned to their adolescents' use of social media, given that all their friends are on social media and to restrict their child's use would make them socially isolated. His response is wisely a societal one not an individual one. We need to work together to change these norms and to re-establish the real-life, real-world conditions necessary for the healthy cognitive development of young people that’s essential for them to grow into happy and thriving adults. If you are a parent, an aunt, uncle, a friend or employer I strongly urge you to watch Can’t look away at a cost of $12 - which goes to the film-makers. It's nothing in terms of the vitally important knowledge the documentary imparts. And buy a copy of The anxious generation and give as many away as you can to as many parents as you know - or refer them here to the official website of the book which has lots of free resources and insights. The cavalry is not coming to save our children from these serious and life-threatening harms on social media, so it’s time we began looking out for each other - working collectively as the societal custodians of the next generation. Together we can resist and fight back with the help of the strong arm of the law. Read more about online safety Government and Ofcom disagree about scope of Online Safety Act - MPs heard different views from the online harms regulator and the UK government about whether and how the Online Safety Act obliges platforms to deal with disinformation. UK and US pledge closer working on children’s online safety - In their first agreement on the subject of children’s online safety, the UK and US governments have said they will create a new working group to boost cooperation. Schools go smartphone-free to address online harms - Schools are implementing smartphone-free policies in an attempt to curb students’ exposure to online harms, but teachers and parents are worried the Online Safety Act will only partially address concerns.

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2025-05-15 07:37:37 ·

Apple Card has three features that make it a go-to favorite for me

Apple Card launched nearly six years ago, and in some ways it still feels odd that the iPhone maker offers its own credit card. But here are three Apple Card features that help make it my no-brainer favorite to this day.

#1: Monthly installments for Apple products

Apple Card automatically offers the chance to pay for new Apple products over time, completely interest free.
It’s quick and easy to choose Apple Card Monthly Installments during the Apple Store checkout process, and you get benefits like:

3% Daily Cash on your purchase, all up front
0% interest, usually for 12 months
Seamless trade-in experience to lower payments

If you buy Apple products every so often, this could be reason alone to get an Apple Card.
As someone who writes about Apple for a living, my Apple Card Monthly Installments option gets a lot of use.
#2: Savings account

One of Apple Card’s most recent additions is the option of a built-in savings account.
The aptly named ‘Apple Card Savings Account’ launched in 2023 as an optional add-on for Apple Card users.
I love this feature for two main reasons:

You can set your Daily Cash to automatically get added to savings
And the high-yield APY is very compelling

On this last point, Apple’s savings APY is currently 3.75%, which is significantly higher than bank accounts offer and in line with other top credit cards.
Several cards that offer competitive APY come with a drawback for me though: they really want to push you toward investment. Apple doesn’t offer investing tools, so it doesn’t stress that angle.
#3: Apple Maps places for transactions

I try to stay on top of my spending and make sure to review transactions fairly often.
And in that regular scan of transactions for my family, there are of course times when I don’t recognize a vendor for a particular charge.
When this happens with other credit cards, they don’t offer much help. Usually tapping to view the transaction’s extra details is futile because so little information is provided.
But with Apple Card, there’s a handy Apple Maps place listing built right in.
Typically the header image and map thumbnail are enough to help me remember the transaction. But if not, tapping the map brings up the full Apple Maps place listing with more details.
Maps integration can go a long way toward taking the mystery out of unknown transactions.
Apple Card features: wrap-up
There are plenty of other reasons I find Apple Card compelling, like its elegant UI, clear communication on potential interest charges, and 2% Daily Cash on all Apple Pay transactions. But the three features above help elevate Apple Card above other options for me, and keep it in regular use in my household.
What are your favorite Apple Card features? Let us know in the comments.
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FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
#apple #card #has #three #features

Apple Card has three features that make it a go-to favorite for me
Apple Card launched nearly six years ago, and in some ways it still feels odd that the iPhone maker offers its own credit card. But here are three Apple Card features that help make it my no-brainer favorite to this day. #1: Monthly installments for Apple products Apple Card automatically offers the chance to pay for new Apple products over time, completely interest free. It’s quick and easy to choose Apple Card Monthly Installments during the Apple Store checkout process, and you get benefits like: 3% Daily Cash on your purchase, all up front 0% interest, usually for 12 months Seamless trade-in experience to lower payments If you buy Apple products every so often, this could be reason alone to get an Apple Card. As someone who writes about Apple for a living, my Apple Card Monthly Installments option gets a lot of use. #2: Savings account One of Apple Card’s most recent additions is the option of a built-in savings account. The aptly named ‘Apple Card Savings Account’ launched in 2023 as an optional add-on for Apple Card users. I love this feature for two main reasons: You can set your Daily Cash to automatically get added to savings And the high-yield APY is very compelling On this last point, Apple’s savings APY is currently 3.75%, which is significantly higher than bank accounts offer and in line with other top credit cards. Several cards that offer competitive APY come with a drawback for me though: they really want to push you toward investment. Apple doesn’t offer investing tools, so it doesn’t stress that angle. #3: Apple Maps places for transactions I try to stay on top of my spending and make sure to review transactions fairly often. And in that regular scan of transactions for my family, there are of course times when I don’t recognize a vendor for a particular charge. When this happens with other credit cards, they don’t offer much help. Usually tapping to view the transaction’s extra details is futile because so little information is provided. But with Apple Card, there’s a handy Apple Maps place listing built right in. Typically the header image and map thumbnail are enough to help me remember the transaction. But if not, tapping the map brings up the full Apple Maps place listing with more details. Maps integration can go a long way toward taking the mystery out of unknown transactions. Apple Card features: wrap-up There are plenty of other reasons I find Apple Card compelling, like its elegant UI, clear communication on potential interest charges, and 2% Daily Cash on all Apple Pay transactions. But the three features above help elevate Apple Card above other options for me, and keep it in regular use in my household. What are your favorite Apple Card features? Let us know in the comments. Best iPhone accessories Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel #apple #card #has #three #features

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Apple Card has three features that make it a go-to favorite for me

Apple Card launched nearly six years ago, and in some ways it still feels odd that the iPhone maker offers its own credit card. But here are three Apple Card features that help make it my no-brainer favorite to this day. #1: Monthly installments for Apple products Apple Card automatically offers the chance to pay for new Apple products over time, completely interest free. It’s quick and easy to choose Apple Card Monthly Installments during the Apple Store checkout process, and you get benefits like: 3% Daily Cash on your purchase, all up front 0% interest, usually for 12 months Seamless trade-in experience to lower payments If you buy Apple products every so often, this could be reason alone to get an Apple Card. As someone who writes about Apple for a living, my Apple Card Monthly Installments option gets a lot of use. #2: Savings account One of Apple Card’s most recent additions is the option of a built-in savings account. The aptly named ‘Apple Card Savings Account’ launched in 2023 as an optional add-on for Apple Card users. I love this feature for two main reasons: You can set your Daily Cash to automatically get added to savings And the high-yield APY is very compelling On this last point, Apple’s savings APY is currently 3.75%, which is significantly higher than bank accounts offer and in line with other top credit cards. Several cards that offer competitive APY come with a drawback for me though: they really want to push you toward investment. Apple doesn’t offer investing tools, so it doesn’t stress that angle. #3: Apple Maps places for transactions I try to stay on top of my spending and make sure to review transactions fairly often. And in that regular scan of transactions for my family, there are of course times when I don’t recognize a vendor for a particular charge. When this happens with other credit cards, they don’t offer much help. Usually tapping to view the transaction’s extra details is futile because so little information is provided. But with Apple Card, there’s a handy Apple Maps place listing built right in. Typically the header image and map thumbnail are enough to help me remember the transaction. But if not, tapping the map brings up the full Apple Maps place listing with more details. Maps integration can go a long way toward taking the mystery out of unknown transactions. Apple Card features: wrap-up There are plenty of other reasons I find Apple Card compelling, like its elegant UI, clear communication on potential interest charges, and 2% Daily Cash on all Apple Pay transactions. But the three features above help elevate Apple Card above other options for me, and keep it in regular use in my household. What are your favorite Apple Card features? Let us know in the comments. Best iPhone accessories Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

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2025-05-15 07:35:41 ·

T-Mobile's New Experience Plans Offer More Perks and a 5-Year Price Guarantee at a Lower Price

Earlier in April, T-Mobile launched two new mobile family plans intended to replace the Go5G and Go5G Plus services, which included unlimited talk, text, and premium data. The new plans - "Experience Beyond" and "Experience More" - carry over the benefits of Go5G but also tack on new perks like a 5-year fixed price guarantee, a higher mobile hotspot data cap, T-Satellite with Starlink, and more, all at a lower monthly rate.T-Mobile Experience Plans: What They OfferT-Mobile's New Experience Family PlansSee it at T-MobileT-Mobile's Experience plans are currently available as two separate tiers. The "Experience More" plan offers 3 lines for per month with AutoPay, plus taxes and fees. The "Experience Beyond" plan offers 3 lines for per month with AutoPay. The benefits for each plan are as follows:1. T-Mobile Experience More5-year price guaranteeUpgrade-ready every two yearsUnlimited talk and textUnlimited 4G & 5G LTE premium dataNetflixsubscription includedApple TV+ subscription included60GB of high-speed mobile hotspot dataUnlimited text, 15GB of high-speed data in Canada & MexicoUnlimited text, 5GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries & destinationsFull-flight texting and Wi-Fi with streaming where available2. T-Mobile Experience Beyond5-Year price guaranteeUpgrade-ready every yearUnlimited talk and textUnlimited 4G & 5G LTE premium dataT-Satellite with Starlink serviceNetflixsubscription includedApple TV+ subscription includedHuluincludedUnlimited mobile hotspot includedUnlimited text, 30GB of high-speed data in Canada & MexicoUnlimited text, 15GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries & destinationsFull-flight texting and Wi-Fi with streaming where availableWatch & tablet lines just /monthThe "Experience More" plan is more than sufficient for most people, since you get unlimited talk, text, and premium 5G and 4G LTE data for per monthplus a 5 year guarantee and both Netflix and Apple TV+ subscriptions. The 2 year upgrade path is perfectly reasonable since most people don't replace their phone every year.If, however, you do like to be at the forefront of smartphone tech, or you plan to connect an additional device like your tablet or Apple Watch, and/or you travel often, then the "Experience Beyond" plan is an attractive option at per month.Did you know? T-Mobile offers incentives for switching carriersAs part of its Family Freedom initiative, T-Mobile will cover up to per line to help pay off your AT&T and Verizon phonesand a new smartphone when trading in that device. Families score with deals like four flagship smartphones on Us and four new voice lines for just /month on Essentials.These plans with no yearly contract - What does that mean?Not to be confused with your phone's financing planT-Mobile's "Experience" are postpaid plans that don't lock you into any sort of yearly contact, so you are free to cancel your service at anytime. Keep in mind, however, that if you finance a phone through T-Mobile, you are still required to make payments on the phone for however long the contract entails, usually for a length of 24 months. Although you can opt to pay your phone off early, T-Mobile often offers discounts on their phones in the form of bill credits that are applied every month. So, paying a phone off early could mean you forfeit the bill credits for the remainder of the term. As per the norm, common sense dictates that you read the fine print before committing to any form of contractual obligation.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
#tmobile039s #new #experience #plans #offer

T-Mobile's New Experience Plans Offer More Perks and a 5-Year Price Guarantee at a Lower Price
Earlier in April, T-Mobile launched two new mobile family plans intended to replace the Go5G and Go5G Plus services, which included unlimited talk, text, and premium data. The new plans - "Experience Beyond" and "Experience More" - carry over the benefits of Go5G but also tack on new perks like a 5-year fixed price guarantee, a higher mobile hotspot data cap, T-Satellite with Starlink, and more, all at a lower monthly rate.T-Mobile Experience Plans: What They OfferT-Mobile's New Experience Family PlansSee it at T-MobileT-Mobile's Experience plans are currently available as two separate tiers. The "Experience More" plan offers 3 lines for per month with AutoPay, plus taxes and fees. The "Experience Beyond" plan offers 3 lines for per month with AutoPay. The benefits for each plan are as follows:1. T-Mobile Experience More5-year price guaranteeUpgrade-ready every two yearsUnlimited talk and textUnlimited 4G & 5G LTE premium dataNetflixsubscription includedApple TV+ subscription included60GB of high-speed mobile hotspot dataUnlimited text, 15GB of high-speed data in Canada & MexicoUnlimited text, 5GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries & destinationsFull-flight texting and Wi-Fi with streaming where available2. T-Mobile Experience Beyond5-Year price guaranteeUpgrade-ready every yearUnlimited talk and textUnlimited 4G & 5G LTE premium dataT-Satellite with Starlink serviceNetflixsubscription includedApple TV+ subscription includedHuluincludedUnlimited mobile hotspot includedUnlimited text, 30GB of high-speed data in Canada & MexicoUnlimited text, 15GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries & destinationsFull-flight texting and Wi-Fi with streaming where availableWatch & tablet lines just /monthThe "Experience More" plan is more than sufficient for most people, since you get unlimited talk, text, and premium 5G and 4G LTE data for per monthplus a 5 year guarantee and both Netflix and Apple TV+ subscriptions. The 2 year upgrade path is perfectly reasonable since most people don't replace their phone every year.If, however, you do like to be at the forefront of smartphone tech, or you plan to connect an additional device like your tablet or Apple Watch, and/or you travel often, then the "Experience Beyond" plan is an attractive option at per month.Did you know? T-Mobile offers incentives for switching carriersAs part of its Family Freedom initiative, T-Mobile will cover up to per line to help pay off your AT&T and Verizon phonesand a new smartphone when trading in that device. Families score with deals like four flagship smartphones on Us and four new voice lines for just /month on Essentials.These plans with no yearly contract - What does that mean?Not to be confused with your phone's financing planT-Mobile's "Experience" are postpaid plans that don't lock you into any sort of yearly contact, so you are free to cancel your service at anytime. Keep in mind, however, that if you finance a phone through T-Mobile, you are still required to make payments on the phone for however long the contract entails, usually for a length of 24 months. Although you can opt to pay your phone off early, T-Mobile often offers discounts on their phones in the form of bill credits that are applied every month. So, paying a phone off early could mean you forfeit the bill credits for the remainder of the term. As per the norm, common sense dictates that you read the fine print before committing to any form of contractual obligation.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time. #tmobile039s #new #experience #plans #offer

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T-Mobile's New Experience Plans Offer More Perks and a 5-Year Price Guarantee at a Lower Price

Earlier in April, T-Mobile launched two new mobile family plans intended to replace the Go5G and Go5G Plus services, which included unlimited talk, text, and premium data. The new plans - "Experience Beyond" and "Experience More" - carry over the benefits of Go5G but also tack on new perks like a 5-year fixed price guarantee, a higher mobile hotspot data cap, T-Satellite with Starlink (for "Experience Beyond"), and more, all at a lower monthly rate.T-Mobile Experience Plans: What They OfferT-Mobile's New Experience Family PlansSee it at T-MobileT-Mobile's Experience plans are currently available as two separate tiers. The "Experience More" plan offers 3 lines for $140 per month with AutoPay (otherwise $185 per month), plus taxes and fees. The "Experience Beyond" plan offers 3 lines for $180 per month with AutoPay (otherwise $230 per month). The benefits for each plan are as follows:1. T-Mobile Experience More ($140/mo with AutoPay)5-year price guaranteeUpgrade-ready every two yearsUnlimited talk and textUnlimited 4G & 5G LTE premium dataNetflix (standard with ads) subscription includedApple TV+ subscription included60GB of high-speed mobile hotspot dataUnlimited text, 15GB of high-speed data in Canada & MexicoUnlimited text, 5GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries & destinationsFull-flight texting and Wi-Fi with streaming where available2. T-Mobile Experience Beyond ($180/mo with AutoPay)5-Year price guaranteeUpgrade-ready every yearUnlimited talk and textUnlimited 4G & 5G LTE premium dataT-Satellite with Starlink service (through end of 2025)Netflix (standard with ads) subscription includedApple TV+ subscription includedHulu (standard with ads) includedUnlimited mobile hotspot includedUnlimited text, 30GB of high-speed data in Canada & MexicoUnlimited text, 15GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries & destinationsFull-flight texting and Wi-Fi with streaming where availableWatch & tablet lines just $5/monthThe "Experience More" plan is more than sufficient for most people, since you get unlimited talk, text, and premium 5G and 4G LTE data for $45 per month (with autopay) plus a 5 year guarantee and both Netflix and Apple TV+ subscriptions. The 2 year upgrade path is perfectly reasonable since most people don't replace their phone every year.If, however, you do like to be at the forefront of smartphone tech, or you plan to connect an additional device like your tablet or Apple Watch, and/or you travel often (and could benefit from a higher international data cap or Starlink accessibility), then the "Experience Beyond" plan is an attractive option at $60 per month (with autopay).Did you know? T-Mobile offers incentives for switching carriersAs part of its Family Freedom initiative, T-Mobile will cover up to $800 per line to help pay off your AT&T and Verizon phones (even if they’re locked) and a new smartphone when trading in that device. Families score with deals like four flagship smartphones on Us and four new voice lines for just $100/month on Essentials.These plans with no yearly contract - What does that mean?Not to be confused with your phone's financing planT-Mobile's "Experience" are postpaid plans that don't lock you into any sort of yearly contact, so you are free to cancel your service at anytime. Keep in mind, however, that if you finance a phone through T-Mobile, you are still required to make payments on the phone for however long the contract entails, usually for a length of 24 months. Although you can opt to pay your phone off early, T-Mobile often offers discounts on their phones in the form of bill credits that are applied every month. So, paying a phone off early could mean you forfeit the bill credits for the remainder of the term. As per the norm, common sense dictates that you read the fine print before committing to any form of contractual obligation.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

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Marktechpost AI Compartió un vínculo

2025-05-15 07:35:19 ·

Georgia Tech and Stanford Researchers Introduce MLE-Dojo: A Gym-Style Framework Designed for Training, Evaluating, and Benchmarking Autonomous Machine Learning Engineering (MLE) Agents

Machine learning engineeringinvolves developing, tuning, and deploying machine learning systems that require iterative experimentation, model optimization, and robust handling of data pipelines. As model complexity increases, so do the challenges associated with orchestrating end-to-end workflows efficiently. Researchers have explored the automation of MLE tasks using AI agents to handle these demands. Large Language Models, particularly those with strong coding and problem-solving abilities, have shown potential to enhance this process significantly. Their role in automating structured workflows is now being tested through rigorous benchmarks and environments tailored to emulate real-world MLE scenarios.
A primary hurdle in automating machine learning engineering lies in the work’s inherently iterative and feedback-driven nature. Tasks such as hyperparameter tuning, model debugging, and data preprocessing cannot be resolved in one step; they require repeated modifications and evaluations. Traditional evaluation tools for AI models often rely on static datasets and do not allow for real-time error feedback or interactive problem-solving. This limitation prevents LLM agents from learning through trial and error, an essential component for mastering engineering tasks that evolve or require multiple attempts for success.

Earlier tools to evaluate LLMs in engineering or coding tasks have mostly focused on individual subtasks or isolated challenges. These include tools like MLAgentBench and DSBench, which rely on narrow test cases sourced from Kaggle competitions or synthetic datasets. While they cover more than basic tasks, they do not enable agents to perform code execution, debugging, or results interpretation in a live setting. Other environments, like SWE-Gym, focus exclusively on software engineering and lack support for machine learning-specific workflows. These limitations have slowed the creation of versatile, high-performing MLE agents that can handle real-time project complexities.
Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University have introduced MLE-Dojo, a framework with an interactive environment that connects LLM agents with real-world machine learning tasks derived from over 200 Kaggle competitions. This framework supports tabular data analysis, computer vision, natural language processing, and time-series forecasting challenges. Research introduced MLE-Dojo to allow agents to write, execute, and revise code in a sandboxed, feedback-rich setting. The goal was to replicate the interactive cycles that human engineers follow, enabling structured learning for agents. The environment includes pre-installed dependencies, evaluation metrics, and supports supervised fine-tuning and reinforcement learning strategies.

MLE-Dojo’s structure consists of modular components that support a wide range of MLE challenges. Each task runs within its own Docker container, isolating it for safety and reproducibility. Agents interact with the environment through a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process, receiving observations, performing actions, and gaining rewards based on performance. The environment supports five primary action types: requesting task information, validating code, executing code, retrieving interaction history, and resetting the environment. It also provides a detailed observation space that includes datasets, execution results, and error messages. The agent receives structured feedback after every interaction, allowing for step-wise improvement. This modular setup helps maintain interoperability and simplifies adding new tasks to the system.
The evaluation included eight frontier LLMs—Gemini-2.5-Pro, DeepSeek-r1, o3-mini, GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini, Gemini-2.0-Pro, Gemini-2.0-Flash, and DeepSeek-v3—across four core machine learning domains. Gemini-2.5-Pro achieved the highest Elo rating of 1257, followed by DeepSeek-r1 at 1137 and o3-mini at 1108. Regarding HumanRank, Gemini-2.5-Pro led with 61.95%, indicating its superior performance over human benchmarks. Models like GPT-4o-mini executed code only 20% of the time, adopting conservative strategies, while o3-mini performed executions in over 90% of the cases. The average failure rate for Gemini-2.5-Pro remained the lowest across validation and execution phases, reinforcing its robustness. Among domains, computer vision posed the greatest challenge, with most models scoring under 60 in HumanRank. Reasoning models generally produced longer outputs and maintained stronger performance consistency across iterations.

The research highlights the difficulty of applying LLMs to full machine learning workflows. It outlines a comprehensive solution in MLE-Dojo that enables learning through interaction, not just completion. MLE-Dojo sets a new standard for training and evaluating autonomous MLE agents by simulating engineering environments more accurately.

Check out theTwitter and don’t forget to join our 90k+ ML SubReddit.
NikhilNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute.Nikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Investigates Test-Time Scaling of English-Centric RLMs for Enhanced Multilingual Reasoning and Domain GeneralizationNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/PwC Releases Executive Guide on Agentic AI: A Strategic Blueprint for Deploying Autonomous Multi-Agent Systems in the EnterpriseNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/Multimodal AI Needs More Than Modality Support: Researchers Propose General-Level and General-Bench to Evaluate True Synergy in Generalist ModelsNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Introduces Effective State-Size: A Metric to Quantify Memory Utilization in Sequence Models for Performance Optimization
#georgia #tech #stanford #researchers #introduce

Georgia Tech and Stanford Researchers Introduce MLE-Dojo: A Gym-Style Framework Designed for Training, Evaluating, and Benchmarking Autonomous Machine Learning Engineering (MLE) Agents
Machine learning engineeringinvolves developing, tuning, and deploying machine learning systems that require iterative experimentation, model optimization, and robust handling of data pipelines. As model complexity increases, so do the challenges associated with orchestrating end-to-end workflows efficiently. Researchers have explored the automation of MLE tasks using AI agents to handle these demands. Large Language Models, particularly those with strong coding and problem-solving abilities, have shown potential to enhance this process significantly. Their role in automating structured workflows is now being tested through rigorous benchmarks and environments tailored to emulate real-world MLE scenarios. A primary hurdle in automating machine learning engineering lies in the work’s inherently iterative and feedback-driven nature. Tasks such as hyperparameter tuning, model debugging, and data preprocessing cannot be resolved in one step; they require repeated modifications and evaluations. Traditional evaluation tools for AI models often rely on static datasets and do not allow for real-time error feedback or interactive problem-solving. This limitation prevents LLM agents from learning through trial and error, an essential component for mastering engineering tasks that evolve or require multiple attempts for success. Earlier tools to evaluate LLMs in engineering or coding tasks have mostly focused on individual subtasks or isolated challenges. These include tools like MLAgentBench and DSBench, which rely on narrow test cases sourced from Kaggle competitions or synthetic datasets. While they cover more than basic tasks, they do not enable agents to perform code execution, debugging, or results interpretation in a live setting. Other environments, like SWE-Gym, focus exclusively on software engineering and lack support for machine learning-specific workflows. These limitations have slowed the creation of versatile, high-performing MLE agents that can handle real-time project complexities. Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University have introduced MLE-Dojo, a framework with an interactive environment that connects LLM agents with real-world machine learning tasks derived from over 200 Kaggle competitions. This framework supports tabular data analysis, computer vision, natural language processing, and time-series forecasting challenges. Research introduced MLE-Dojo to allow agents to write, execute, and revise code in a sandboxed, feedback-rich setting. The goal was to replicate the interactive cycles that human engineers follow, enabling structured learning for agents. The environment includes pre-installed dependencies, evaluation metrics, and supports supervised fine-tuning and reinforcement learning strategies. MLE-Dojo’s structure consists of modular components that support a wide range of MLE challenges. Each task runs within its own Docker container, isolating it for safety and reproducibility. Agents interact with the environment through a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process, receiving observations, performing actions, and gaining rewards based on performance. The environment supports five primary action types: requesting task information, validating code, executing code, retrieving interaction history, and resetting the environment. It also provides a detailed observation space that includes datasets, execution results, and error messages. The agent receives structured feedback after every interaction, allowing for step-wise improvement. This modular setup helps maintain interoperability and simplifies adding new tasks to the system. The evaluation included eight frontier LLMs—Gemini-2.5-Pro, DeepSeek-r1, o3-mini, GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini, Gemini-2.0-Pro, Gemini-2.0-Flash, and DeepSeek-v3—across four core machine learning domains. Gemini-2.5-Pro achieved the highest Elo rating of 1257, followed by DeepSeek-r1 at 1137 and o3-mini at 1108. Regarding HumanRank, Gemini-2.5-Pro led with 61.95%, indicating its superior performance over human benchmarks. Models like GPT-4o-mini executed code only 20% of the time, adopting conservative strategies, while o3-mini performed executions in over 90% of the cases. The average failure rate for Gemini-2.5-Pro remained the lowest across validation and execution phases, reinforcing its robustness. Among domains, computer vision posed the greatest challenge, with most models scoring under 60 in HumanRank. Reasoning models generally produced longer outputs and maintained stronger performance consistency across iterations. The research highlights the difficulty of applying LLMs to full machine learning workflows. It outlines a comprehensive solution in MLE-Dojo that enables learning through interaction, not just completion. MLE-Dojo sets a new standard for training and evaluating autonomous MLE agents by simulating engineering environments more accurately. Check out theTwitter and don’t forget to join our 90k+ ML SubReddit. NikhilNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute.Nikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Investigates Test-Time Scaling of English-Centric RLMs for Enhanced Multilingual Reasoning and Domain GeneralizationNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/PwC Releases Executive Guide on Agentic AI: A Strategic Blueprint for Deploying Autonomous Multi-Agent Systems in the EnterpriseNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/Multimodal AI Needs More Than Modality Support: Researchers Propose General-Level and General-Bench to Evaluate True Synergy in Generalist ModelsNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Introduces Effective State-Size: A Metric to Quantify Memory Utilization in Sequence Models for Performance Optimization #georgia #tech #stanford #researchers #introduce

WWW.MARKTECHPOST.COM

Georgia Tech and Stanford Researchers Introduce MLE-Dojo: A Gym-Style Framework Designed for Training, Evaluating, and Benchmarking Autonomous Machine Learning Engineering (MLE) Agents

Machine learning engineering (MLE) involves developing, tuning, and deploying machine learning systems that require iterative experimentation, model optimization, and robust handling of data pipelines. As model complexity increases, so do the challenges associated with orchestrating end-to-end workflows efficiently. Researchers have explored the automation of MLE tasks using AI agents to handle these demands. Large Language Models (LLMs), particularly those with strong coding and problem-solving abilities, have shown potential to enhance this process significantly. Their role in automating structured workflows is now being tested through rigorous benchmarks and environments tailored to emulate real-world MLE scenarios. A primary hurdle in automating machine learning engineering lies in the work’s inherently iterative and feedback-driven nature. Tasks such as hyperparameter tuning, model debugging, and data preprocessing cannot be resolved in one step; they require repeated modifications and evaluations. Traditional evaluation tools for AI models often rely on static datasets and do not allow for real-time error feedback or interactive problem-solving. This limitation prevents LLM agents from learning through trial and error, an essential component for mastering engineering tasks that evolve or require multiple attempts for success. Earlier tools to evaluate LLMs in engineering or coding tasks have mostly focused on individual subtasks or isolated challenges. These include tools like MLAgentBench and DSBench, which rely on narrow test cases sourced from Kaggle competitions or synthetic datasets. While they cover more than basic tasks, they do not enable agents to perform code execution, debugging, or results interpretation in a live setting. Other environments, like SWE-Gym, focus exclusively on software engineering and lack support for machine learning-specific workflows. These limitations have slowed the creation of versatile, high-performing MLE agents that can handle real-time project complexities. Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University have introduced MLE-Dojo, a framework with an interactive environment that connects LLM agents with real-world machine learning tasks derived from over 200 Kaggle competitions. This framework supports tabular data analysis, computer vision, natural language processing, and time-series forecasting challenges. Research introduced MLE-Dojo to allow agents to write, execute, and revise code in a sandboxed, feedback-rich setting. The goal was to replicate the interactive cycles that human engineers follow, enabling structured learning for agents. The environment includes pre-installed dependencies, evaluation metrics, and supports supervised fine-tuning and reinforcement learning strategies. MLE-Dojo’s structure consists of modular components that support a wide range of MLE challenges. Each task runs within its own Docker container, isolating it for safety and reproducibility. Agents interact with the environment through a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process, receiving observations, performing actions, and gaining rewards based on performance. The environment supports five primary action types: requesting task information, validating code, executing code, retrieving interaction history, and resetting the environment. It also provides a detailed observation space that includes datasets, execution results, and error messages. The agent receives structured feedback after every interaction, allowing for step-wise improvement. This modular setup helps maintain interoperability and simplifies adding new tasks to the system. The evaluation included eight frontier LLMs—Gemini-2.5-Pro, DeepSeek-r1, o3-mini, GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini, Gemini-2.0-Pro, Gemini-2.0-Flash, and DeepSeek-v3—across four core machine learning domains. Gemini-2.5-Pro achieved the highest Elo rating of 1257, followed by DeepSeek-r1 at 1137 and o3-mini at 1108. Regarding HumanRank, Gemini-2.5-Pro led with 61.95%, indicating its superior performance over human benchmarks. Models like GPT-4o-mini executed code only 20% of the time, adopting conservative strategies, while o3-mini performed executions in over 90% of the cases. The average failure rate for Gemini-2.5-Pro remained the lowest across validation and execution phases, reinforcing its robustness. Among domains, computer vision posed the greatest challenge, with most models scoring under 60 in HumanRank. Reasoning models generally produced longer outputs and maintained stronger performance consistency across iterations. The research highlights the difficulty of applying LLMs to full machine learning workflows. It outlines a comprehensive solution in MLE-Dojo that enables learning through interaction, not just completion. MLE-Dojo sets a new standard for training and evaluating autonomous MLE agents by simulating engineering environments more accurately. Check out theTwitter and don’t forget to join our 90k+ ML SubReddit. NikhilNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute.Nikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Investigates Test-Time Scaling of English-Centric RLMs for Enhanced Multilingual Reasoning and Domain GeneralizationNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/PwC Releases Executive Guide on Agentic AI: A Strategic Blueprint for Deploying Autonomous Multi-Agent Systems in the EnterpriseNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/Multimodal AI Needs More Than Modality Support: Researchers Propose General-Level and General-Bench to Evaluate True Synergy in Generalist ModelsNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Introduces Effective State-Size (ESS): A Metric to Quantify Memory Utilization in Sequence Models for Performance Optimization

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The Verge Compartió un vínculo

2025-05-15 07:34:44 ·

This modern cassette boombox will lure you in with glowing VU meters

We Are Rewind, a Paris-based company that has relaunched the cassette player with modern features like support for wireless headphones and rechargeable batteries, has announced a larger boombox version. Streamlining the design of the portable stereos that were popular in the ‘80s, the €449GB-001 can function as a Bluetooth speaker and stream audio from a mobile device. But its most appealing feature is its ability to play and record to cassettes, potentially reviving the mixtape for another generation.The GB-001’s cassette deck mechanism features a user-adjustable motor with internal speed regulation for accurate playback. It also has a “noise reduction circuit” that emulates Dolby B so it can properly play tapes recorded using that older noise reduction system without any loss in sound quality. It can record on tapes, too, from external sources that include a wired microphone or a pair of mics connected wirelessly over Bluetooth.The GB-001’s cassette mechanism can play and record cassette tapes. Image: We Are RewindThe GB-001 has four speakers — two “powerful woofers for extended bass response” paired with two “soft dome tweeters for refined voices and treble.” We Are Rewind describes the GB-001 as having a “natural sound signature” so, unlike the boomboxes of the ‘80s, it’s not going to drown out lyrics with overpowering bass. And in keeping with current trends in audio gear, the GB-001 includes a “spatialisation function for a wider, more immersive stereo image.”A rechargeable, user-replaceable 3,000mAh battery provides up to 10 hours of playback through the speakers when playing a tape, or up to 15 using an external audio source. That jumps up to 15 and 28 hours, respectively, when using headphones, but We Are Rewind didn’t specify if that’s through the 3.5-millimeter audio jack or Bluetooth.Instead of replicating them using LCD screens, the GB-001 features authentic analog VU meters backlit with a soft warm glow. Image: We Are RewindEven if you’re not in need of its cassette capabilities, the design of the GB–001 still makes it an appealing alternative to Bluetooth speakers that often look like beach toys. It not only has a retro-looking folding carrying handle, it also sports a pair of functional analog VU meters that are backlit with a soft warm glow. For those of us who grew up enamored with the design of stereos from the ‘70s and ‘80s, the VU meters alone could help justify the splurge.See More:
#this #modern #cassette #boombox #will

This modern cassette boombox will lure you in with glowing VU meters
We Are Rewind, a Paris-based company that has relaunched the cassette player with modern features like support for wireless headphones and rechargeable batteries, has announced a larger boombox version. Streamlining the design of the portable stereos that were popular in the ‘80s, the €449GB-001 can function as a Bluetooth speaker and stream audio from a mobile device. But its most appealing feature is its ability to play and record to cassettes, potentially reviving the mixtape for another generation.The GB-001’s cassette deck mechanism features a user-adjustable motor with internal speed regulation for accurate playback. It also has a “noise reduction circuit” that emulates Dolby B so it can properly play tapes recorded using that older noise reduction system without any loss in sound quality. It can record on tapes, too, from external sources that include a wired microphone or a pair of mics connected wirelessly over Bluetooth.The GB-001’s cassette mechanism can play and record cassette tapes. Image: We Are RewindThe GB-001 has four speakers — two “powerful woofers for extended bass response” paired with two “soft dome tweeters for refined voices and treble.” We Are Rewind describes the GB-001 as having a “natural sound signature” so, unlike the boomboxes of the ‘80s, it’s not going to drown out lyrics with overpowering bass. And in keeping with current trends in audio gear, the GB-001 includes a “spatialisation function for a wider, more immersive stereo image.”A rechargeable, user-replaceable 3,000mAh battery provides up to 10 hours of playback through the speakers when playing a tape, or up to 15 using an external audio source. That jumps up to 15 and 28 hours, respectively, when using headphones, but We Are Rewind didn’t specify if that’s through the 3.5-millimeter audio jack or Bluetooth.Instead of replicating them using LCD screens, the GB-001 features authentic analog VU meters backlit with a soft warm glow. Image: We Are RewindEven if you’re not in need of its cassette capabilities, the design of the GB–001 still makes it an appealing alternative to Bluetooth speakers that often look like beach toys. It not only has a retro-looking folding carrying handle, it also sports a pair of functional analog VU meters that are backlit with a soft warm glow. For those of us who grew up enamored with the design of stereos from the ‘70s and ‘80s, the VU meters alone could help justify the splurge.See More: #this #modern #cassette #boombox #will

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

This modern cassette boombox will lure you in with glowing VU meters

We Are Rewind, a Paris-based company that has relaunched the cassette player with modern features like support for wireless headphones and rechargeable batteries, has announced a larger boombox version. Streamlining the design of the portable stereos that were popular in the ‘80s, the €449 (around $500 USD) GB-001 can function as a Bluetooth speaker and stream audio from a mobile device. But its most appealing feature is its ability to play and record to cassettes, potentially reviving the mixtape for another generation.The GB-001’s cassette deck mechanism features a user-adjustable motor with internal speed regulation for accurate playback. It also has a “noise reduction circuit” that emulates Dolby B so it can properly play tapes recorded using that older noise reduction system without any loss in sound quality. It can record on tapes, too, from external sources that include a wired microphone or a pair of mics connected wirelessly over Bluetooth.The GB-001’s cassette mechanism can play and record cassette tapes. Image: We Are RewindThe GB-001 has four speakers — two “powerful woofers for extended bass response” paired with two “soft dome tweeters for refined voices and treble.” We Are Rewind describes the GB-001 as having a “natural sound signature” so, unlike the boomboxes of the ‘80s, it’s not going to drown out lyrics with overpowering bass. And in keeping with current trends in audio gear, the GB-001 includes a “spatialisation function for a wider, more immersive stereo image.”A rechargeable, user-replaceable 3,000mAh battery provides up to 10 hours of playback through the speakers when playing a tape, or up to 15 using an external audio source. That jumps up to 15 and 28 hours, respectively, when using headphones, but We Are Rewind didn’t specify if that’s through the 3.5-millimeter audio jack or Bluetooth.Instead of replicating them using LCD screens, the GB-001 features authentic analog VU meters backlit with a soft warm glow. Image: We Are RewindEven if you’re not in need of its cassette capabilities, the design of the GB–001 still makes it an appealing alternative to Bluetooth speakers that often look like beach toys. It not only has a retro-looking folding carrying handle, it also sports a pair of functional analog VU meters that are backlit with a soft warm glow. For those of us who grew up enamored with the design of stereos from the ‘70s and ‘80s, the VU meters alone could help justify the splurge.See More:

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Yanko Design Compartió un vínculo

2025-05-15 07:03:25 ·

This Innovative Transparent Library With A Portable Design Is Reinventing Public Infrastructure

La Libreria is a lightweight, demountable library designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro for the Venice Architecture Biennale. Measuring 24 meters long, the pavilion is built for easy transport and can be set up in different locations to encourage reading and literacy. The structure uses principles from tensile architecture, inspired by research and work from French engineer Robert Le Ricolais.
Instead of being anchored to the ground, La Libreria relies on a combination of ballasts and the weight of books for stability. Books are housed in wooden shelves that line the length of the library, helping to reinforce the frame while making literature easily accessible. This thoughtful design allows the library to remain flexible and adaptable, supporting community engagement wherever it goes. La Libreria shows how smart engineering and a love for books can come together in a functional, inviting space.
Designer: Diller Scofidio + Renfro

The library features a 24-metre-long span wrapped in Structural Transparent Fluorinated Envelope, a high-performance, lightweight architectural textile. This material, similar to what was used for The Shed in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, was chosen for its clear transparency and portability. STFE allows the pavilion to be easily demounted and packed into a container for transport. While the structure is specifically designed for dismantling and reassembly in new locations, plans for where it will go next have not yet been announced. This thoughtful choice of material ensures both visual openness and practical mobility for the library.

La Libreria stands in the Giardini della Biennale, close to the bookshop designed by James Stirling. It joins an array of national pavilions at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, including the Danish Pavilion—transformed into a construction site by Søren Pihlmann—and the Finnish Pavilion, which explores the lesser-known history of an Alvar Aalto building. This gathering of diverse and innovative spaces highlights the Biennale’s role as a showcase for architectural creativity and experimentation.
La Libreria is more than just a temporary library – it proves how smart design can support literacy and bring people together in any setting. Its lightweight, portable structure and innovative use of materials reflect a forward-thinking approach to architecture—one that values adaptability, sustainability, and community impact. By blending engineering precision with a love for books, La Libreria creates a welcoming space where visitors can pause, reflect, and engage with literature, no matter where it travels next. As part of the Venice Architecture Biennale, it stands alongside other inventive projects, showing how architecture can respond to both practical needs and cultural aspirations.
The post This Innovative Transparent Library With A Portable Design Is Reinventing Public Infrastructure first appeared on Yanko Design.
#this #innovative #transparent #library #with

This Innovative Transparent Library With A Portable Design Is Reinventing Public Infrastructure
La Libreria is a lightweight, demountable library designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro for the Venice Architecture Biennale. Measuring 24 meters long, the pavilion is built for easy transport and can be set up in different locations to encourage reading and literacy. The structure uses principles from tensile architecture, inspired by research and work from French engineer Robert Le Ricolais. Instead of being anchored to the ground, La Libreria relies on a combination of ballasts and the weight of books for stability. Books are housed in wooden shelves that line the length of the library, helping to reinforce the frame while making literature easily accessible. This thoughtful design allows the library to remain flexible and adaptable, supporting community engagement wherever it goes. La Libreria shows how smart engineering and a love for books can come together in a functional, inviting space. Designer: Diller Scofidio + Renfro The library features a 24-metre-long span wrapped in Structural Transparent Fluorinated Envelope, a high-performance, lightweight architectural textile. This material, similar to what was used for The Shed in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, was chosen for its clear transparency and portability. STFE allows the pavilion to be easily demounted and packed into a container for transport. While the structure is specifically designed for dismantling and reassembly in new locations, plans for where it will go next have not yet been announced. This thoughtful choice of material ensures both visual openness and practical mobility for the library. La Libreria stands in the Giardini della Biennale, close to the bookshop designed by James Stirling. It joins an array of national pavilions at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, including the Danish Pavilion—transformed into a construction site by Søren Pihlmann—and the Finnish Pavilion, which explores the lesser-known history of an Alvar Aalto building. This gathering of diverse and innovative spaces highlights the Biennale’s role as a showcase for architectural creativity and experimentation. La Libreria is more than just a temporary library – it proves how smart design can support literacy and bring people together in any setting. Its lightweight, portable structure and innovative use of materials reflect a forward-thinking approach to architecture—one that values adaptability, sustainability, and community impact. By blending engineering precision with a love for books, La Libreria creates a welcoming space where visitors can pause, reflect, and engage with literature, no matter where it travels next. As part of the Venice Architecture Biennale, it stands alongside other inventive projects, showing how architecture can respond to both practical needs and cultural aspirations. The post This Innovative Transparent Library With A Portable Design Is Reinventing Public Infrastructure first appeared on Yanko Design. #this #innovative #transparent #library #with

WWW.YANKODESIGN.COM

This Innovative Transparent Library With A Portable Design Is Reinventing Public Infrastructure

La Libreria is a lightweight, demountable library designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro for the Venice Architecture Biennale. Measuring 24 meters long, the pavilion is built for easy transport and can be set up in different locations to encourage reading and literacy. The structure uses principles from tensile architecture, inspired by research and work from French engineer Robert Le Ricolais. Instead of being anchored to the ground, La Libreria relies on a combination of ballasts and the weight of books for stability. Books are housed in wooden shelves that line the length of the library, helping to reinforce the frame while making literature easily accessible. This thoughtful design allows the library to remain flexible and adaptable, supporting community engagement wherever it goes. La Libreria shows how smart engineering and a love for books can come together in a functional, inviting space. Designer: Diller Scofidio + Renfro The library features a 24-metre-long span wrapped in Structural Transparent Fluorinated Envelope (STFE), a high-performance, lightweight architectural textile. This material, similar to what was used for The Shed in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, was chosen for its clear transparency and portability. STFE allows the pavilion to be easily demounted and packed into a container for transport. While the structure is specifically designed for dismantling and reassembly in new locations, plans for where it will go next have not yet been announced. This thoughtful choice of material ensures both visual openness and practical mobility for the library. La Libreria stands in the Giardini della Biennale, close to the bookshop designed by James Stirling. It joins an array of national pavilions at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, including the Danish Pavilion—transformed into a construction site by Søren Pihlmann—and the Finnish Pavilion, which explores the lesser-known history of an Alvar Aalto building. This gathering of diverse and innovative spaces highlights the Biennale’s role as a showcase for architectural creativity and experimentation. La Libreria is more than just a temporary library – it proves how smart design can support literacy and bring people together in any setting. Its lightweight, portable structure and innovative use of materials reflect a forward-thinking approach to architecture—one that values adaptability, sustainability, and community impact. By blending engineering precision with a love for books, La Libreria creates a welcoming space where visitors can pause, reflect, and engage with literature, no matter where it travels next. As part of the Venice Architecture Biennale, it stands alongside other inventive projects, showing how architecture can respond to both practical needs and cultural aspirations. The post This Innovative Transparent Library With A Portable Design Is Reinventing Public Infrastructure first appeared on Yanko Design.

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Game Rant Compartió un vínculo

2025-05-15 06:45:35 ·

How to Get & Use the Power Hammer in Blue Prince

In the puzzle game Blue Prince, you can find useful items strewn about the rooms you draft. Items like the magnifying glass, shovel, and compass will help you to find currencies, secrets, and more, but there is also a way to combine these items into new, useful contraptions.
#how #get #ampamp #use #power

How to Get & Use the Power Hammer in Blue Prince
In the puzzle game Blue Prince, you can find useful items strewn about the rooms you draft. Items like the magnifying glass, shovel, and compass will help you to find currencies, secrets, and more, but there is also a way to combine these items into new, useful contraptions. #how #get #ampamp #use #power

GAMERANT.COM

How to Get & Use the Power Hammer in Blue Prince

In the puzzle game Blue Prince, you can find useful items strewn about the rooms you draft. Items like the magnifying glass, shovel, and compass will help you to find currencies, secrets, and more, but there is also a way to combine these items into new, useful contraptions.

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Georgia Tech and Stanford Researchers Introduce MLE-Dojo: A Gym-Style Framework Designed for Training, Evaluating, and Benchmarking Autonomous Machine Learning Engineering (MLE) Agents

This modern cassette boombox will lure you in with glowing VU meters

This Innovative Transparent Library With A Portable Design Is Reinventing Public Infrastructure

How to Get &amp; Use the Power Hammer in Blue Prince

How to Get & Use the Power Hammer in Blue Prince