While it is no secret that the impending June 5 launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be a pretty big deal for the industry, video game industry analysis firm DFC Intelligence believes that the new console might just be the most important console launch that the industry has seen so far. According to WCCFTech, the analysis firm believes that Nintendo will end up selling 16 million units of the Switch 2 by the end of 2025. According to the firm’s report, its confidence in the Switch 2’s hardware sales comes in light of Grand Theft Auto 6 getting pushed back from its Fall 2025 launch window to May 26, 2026. This, coupled with the fact that Nintendo itself also tends to be fairly conservative in its own forecasts of hardware and software sales, has led DFC Intelligence to think that the console will end up doing quite well this year. For context, Nintendo’s sales forecasts for the Switch 2’s first year is to sell 15 million units. As for dubbing the Switch 2’s launch as the most important console launch in the industry, the firm puts this down to the fact that GTA 6 won’t be out this year to help push sales of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S hardware. Because of this, DFC also believes that console sales for Sony and Microsoft will see more decline as the year goes on. The Japanese market is expected to perform well according to DFC, with console game sales forecasts coming in at a 25 percent rise. The firm credits the fact that there is a region-specific Japan-only SKU of the Switch 2 available in the country at a considerably lower price than the region-free version which has all the languages available. Looking at the industry for the coming year and beyond, DFC does believe that GTA 6’s eventual release will boost console sales by quite a bit, calling it a new phase of growth for the gaming industry. By the time the year 2029 rolls around, the analysis firm believes that more than 100 million units of the Switch 2 will have been sold, making Nintendo’s platform the main one for third-party partners as well. During a recent shareholder Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa had noted that, while the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 is currently locked in at $449.99, the company might have to raise the price in the future depending on how the situation with the US tariffs on import plays out. He also notes that the company’s forecast of selling 15 million units of the Switch 2 doesn’t stem from production issues. “This sales projection was not determined based on limitations in our production capacity,” said Furukawa. “The situation with US tariffs and concerns about economic downturn have also not affected our forecast. In order to achieve the target of 15 million, we will need to manufacture even more units than that.” Nintendo has also confirmed that, while the Switch 2 will be a big deal for the company, it will continue to support the original Switch with more games as well.

On June 11, the PC version of Stellar Blade will be released*. The PC version of Stellar Blade will support several new features and introduce exciting additional content. This additional content will also be available on the PS5 console version, This additional content will also be available on the PS5® console version. PS5 users will receive the free update content through a patch download. It will deliver the best experience to everyone – both users who couldn’t join Eve’s mission due to platform limitations, and fans who have already witnessed the end of Eve’s protocol. Play Video With this in mind, we are pleased to share detailed information about the Stellar Blade PC version. NVIDIA DLSS 4 & AMD FSR 3 upscaling and unlocked frame rate* Blade, blood, and  beauty. Eve is a ruthless executioner and an elegant liberator. The PC version of Stellar Blade supports NVIDIA DLSS 4 resolution scaling and frame generation, NVIDIA DLAA image enhancement, and NVIDIA Reflex latency reduction features. AMD FSR 3 is also supported.* Additionally, it supports unlocking the frame rate, allowing you to maximize your PC’s potential. With these enhancements, Eve’s action will transcend its limits, becoming even more merciless and all the more mesmerizing. Wide Resolution and High-Resolution Texture Support** The desolate and lonely scenery of a fallen Earth, along with the majestic yet delicate artwork, are the pride of Stellar Blade. The PC version of Stellar Blade supports ultrawide 21:9 and super ultrawide 32:9 resolutions, allowing you to use a wide range of aspect ratios from 5:4 to 32:9.** High-resolution background textures are also supported. The beauty of the artwork will become even broader and more detailed on Eve’s journey toward her mission. (Please check the 4K texture option in the settings) DualSense Controller and user key customization support A desperate escape in the labyrinthine darkness of the sewers, a fierce brawl across the magnetic levitation tracks of the Hyper Tube. In the PC version of Stellar Blade, you can experience all of these moments vividly with the DualSense controller, which fully supports haptic feedback and adaptive trigger features.*** Additionally, the game now supports full user key customization for gamepads, keyboards, and mice. Complete the Eve Protocol in your own play style. Mann’s test and additional Nano Suit Mann, the leader of the Sentinels, comes to test Eve. He is a seasoned warrior, a master of weapons, the bodyguard of Orcal, and the guardian of Xion. Face his might in the Boss Challenge and prove why Eve is truly ‘worthy.’ As a reward for overcoming the trial you can obtain the ‘Royal Guard Suit.’ That’s not all. After the update, you can collect a total of 25 new Nano Suits as additional rewards. This will provide even more options to highlight Eve’s beauty.  And to celebrate the release of the PC version, we will be giving all users the new outfit Crimson Wing as a token of our gratitude. Support for Simplified Chinese and Japanese facial animation Stellar Blade  now supports Simplified Chinese voiceovers, and Japanese voiceovers can now be selected in all regions. Of course, facial animations matching both languages will also be applied. We hope that even more players can immerse themselves in Eve’s mission and her fateful choices, with familiar languages and natural performances. Minimum and recommended specifications To enjoy the PC version of Stellar Blade smoothly, we recommend the following PC specifications. MINIMUMRECOMMENDEDHIGHVERY HIGHAVERAGE PERFORMANCE1080P @ 60FPS1440P @ 60FPS1440P @ 60FPS4K @ 60FPSGRAPHIC PRESETSLowMediumHighVery HighCPUIntel Core i5-7600KAMD Ryzen 5 1600XIntel Core i5-8400AMD Ryzen 5 3600XIntel Core i5-8400AMD Ryzen 5 3600XIntel Core i5-8400AMD Ryzen 5 3600XGPUNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GBAMD Radeon RX 580 8GBNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPERAMD Radeon RX 5700 XTNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPERAMD Radeon RX 6700 XTNVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTRAM16GB16GB16GB16GBSTORAGE75GB HDD(SSD Recommended)75GB SSD75GB SSD75GB SSDOSWindows 10 64-bitWindows 10 64-bitWindows 10 64-bitWindows 10 64-bit Thank you once again to all Stellar Blade fans for your unwavering support and love over the past year. We also extend our gratitude to everyone waiting for the release of the PC version. Stellar Blade has come this far thanks to your passion as its driving force. We look forward to even more players joining Eve’s journey starting June 11. *Launch timing may be June 12, depending on your region. Please refer to the above global release timing image to confirm.**A compatible graphics card is required.*** A compatible display device is required.**** A wired connection is required to use all features of the DualSense controller.

Steel clashes and war drums thunder as a new age of battle dawns — one that will test even the mightiest Slayer. This GFN Thursday, DOOM: The Dark Ages — the bold medieval-inspired prequel to DOOM and DOOM Eternal — is available for GeForce NOW premium members, aka Ultimate and Performance members, to stream from the cloud at launch. Premium members can also slay in style with a free in-game reward. The stage is set and the crowd is buzzing — Capcom: Fighting Collection 2 is joining GeForce NOW at launch. Plus, get ready to take to the skies with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 coming to the cloud this week. And catch the latest GeForce NOW updates rolling out to members starting this week. The updates include quality-of-life improvements, following performance enhancements like 120 frames-per-second streaming for SHIELD TV to keep the cloud gaming experience at its best. It’s all part of another thrilling GFN Thursday, with five new games joining the cloud. Stand and Fight Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. DOOM: The Dark Ages is a dark fantasy and sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine. As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original DOOM is famous for. Take flight atop the new fierce Mecha Dragon, stand tall in a massive Atlan mech and beat demons to a pulp with the newly enhanced glory kill system. Only the Slayer has the power to wield these devastating tools of mayhem. Experience every gory detail, thunderous shield bash and demon-splitting kill in the cloud. No downloads, no waiting — just pure, uninterrupted DOOM action, wherever members want to play. SHIELD your eyes. GeForce NOW Ultimate or Performance members can now claim the DOOM Slayer Verdant skin reward, a fierce, ruthless-looking armor set that’s built for relentless slaughter. Those who’ve opted in to GeForce NOW’s Rewards program can check their email for instructions on how to redeem it. It’s available through Sunday, June 15, first come, first served. Step Into the Ring The fight continues. Capcom’s new fighting collection hits the stage — and the cloud. Choose from fan favorites like Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 and Project Justice, as well as 3D action titles like Power Stone and Power Stone 2 in this collection of eight classic fighting games. Each can be played online or in co-op mode. Get back in the ring and duke it out in battles that everyone rumored but no one believed. Chase victory by streaming on GeForce NOW. Ultimate and Performance members enjoy higher resolutions and lower latency compared with free users for a true cloud-gaming edge. Game On Streaming from a powerful GeForce RTX gaming rig in the cloud enables GeForce NOW to deliver continuous improvements and new features that enhance members’ streaming experiences. This week, update 2.0.74 is rolling out, bringing several enhancements to the cloud. Members will see an upgraded library syncing feature for those using PC game subscription services like PC Game Pass and Ubisoft+, making it even easier to jump into games. Supported titles for these game services will now be automatically added to members’ “My Library” after resyncing their Ubisoft, Battle.net and Xbox connected accounts in the GeForce NOW app. This update follows the recent performance boost for SHIELD TV users in SHIELD Experience 9.2.1, now supporting up to 120 fps 1080p streaming for GeForce NOW Ultimate members. Those who prefer higher resolution over frame rates can continue streaming at up to 4K 60 fps. With such ongoing updates, GeForce NOW is making cloud gaming more seamless and accessible across devices. Fly Your Way Fly anywhere with the cloud. GeForce NOW brings a groundbreaking aviation experience to the cloud with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Members can experience the game that redefines aviation simulation with unparalleled realism and global exploration. Pursue dynamic aviation careers through missions like Medevac, Search and Rescue, and Aerial Firefighting. Plus, compete in thrilling events such as the Red Bull Air Races. The game introduces advanced physics, enhanced aircraft systems and a groundbreaking flight planner for immersive gameplay. Explore an exceptionally detailed digital recreation of Earth, featuring handcrafted airports, landmarks, dynamic biomes, and real-time air and maritime traffic. With stunning visuals, diverse wildlife and realistic weather systems, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 offers unmatched experiences for pilots and adventurers. Ultimate and Performance members can play with GeForce RTX 4080-level performance with the highest frame rates and lowest latency. Ultimate members can elevate their adventures at up to 4K resolution and 120 fps for the most immersive rides in the sky. Fired Up for New Games It’s hammer time. Manage a medieval forge in Blacksmith Master, launching this week in the cloud. Find and hire the best staff and equip them with the right tools to optimize the business and train their skills over time. Design the shop for the best throughput, fulfill orders from across the kingdom to unlock new capabilities, and seek out new opportunities in the market as customers come looking for a variety of historically inspired items — from weapons and armor to tools and cooking utensils. Perfect the craft to become the Blacksmith Master. Look for the following games available to stream in the cloud this week: The Precinct (New release on Steam, May 13) Blacksmith Master (New release on Steam, May 15) Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (New release on Steam, May 15) DOOM: The Dark Ages (New release on Steam, Battle.net and Xbox, available on PC Game Pass, May 154) Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (Steam and Xbox, available on PC Game Pass) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Would you rather fight 1 demon the size of a castle or 100 normal-sized demons all at once? — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) May 14, 2025

The Federal Trade Commission has postponed enforcement of its consumer-friendly "click to cancel" rule from May 14 to July 14, giving businesses two additional months to comply. The regulation requires companies to make subscription cancellations as straightforward as the sign-up process, prohibiting practices like forcing customers who subscribed online to navigate through chatbots or call centers to cancel. The rule, established under former Democratic Chair Lina Khan, unsurprisingly has garnered support from consumer advocates while facing legal opposition from industry groups. A coalition including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and organizations representing major telecom and media companies -- Charter Communications, Comcast, Disney Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Discovery -- has sued to block implementation, claiming the agency exceeded its authority. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

What’s the easiest way to protect your Windows-based PC? Aside from the usual stuff about keeping your security updated, you really shouldn’t be logged in as an administrator if all you’re doing is watching Netflix. An upcoming tweak to Chrome will keep it from launching with administrator privileges, and that’s a good thing. Microsoft’s own Edge browser, which is based on the open-source Chromium project, has been doing this since 2019. The code that attempts to relaunch Edge without the (typically unnecessary) elevated permissions was recently committed back into the base version of Chromium, which means we’ll see it in a future update to the world’s most popular browser. Running a browser with elevated permissions is generally a bad idea, as BleepingComputer explains. It’s just about the easiest way to get a sketchy download to lead to a full malware infection. This is a surprisingly good example of Edge contributing back into Chrome to everyone’s benefit. The change will be a subtle one for most users, and there are smart little touches that will keep things running smoothly. For example, it’ll add a command line switch after an automatic relaunch to prevent an infinite loop of the browser restarting itself, and the change won’t apply to Chrome processes launched in automation mode, which some programs need for critical functions. But overall, it’s a good thing. Again, the less you can use Windows with administrator privileges, the safer you’ll be — and that’s coming from a Microsoft security vice president. It’s unclear when this change will be in Chrome builds, but it could be before the year’s end. That is, provided Google retains ownership of Chrome by then.

Posted on : May 15, 2025 By Tech World Times Education  Rate this post Research should be fair, honest, and accurate. But sometimes, bias enters and ruins the results. One common bias is selection bias. It happens when certain people or data are left out. Let’s explore the meaning, causes, examples, and solutions of selection bias in simple words. Define Selection Bias Let’s first simply define selection bias. Selection bias happens when a sample does not represent the full population. It affects research accuracy and leads to wrong or unfair conclusions. If the data selected is not random or fair, bias can occur. To define selection bias clearly: It is a type of error that happens when certain groups are more likely to be included or excluded. As a result, the study does not reflect the full picture. Causes of Selection Bias Let’s look at common causes of selection bias. These are often simple mistakes but with big effects. 1. Non-Random Sampling This happens when participants are chosen on purpose. For example, a survey is only for people in one city. It leaves out others and does not reflect the entire population. 2. Self-Selection Sometimes people decide whether to join a study. This means only people with strong opinions may take part. It creates an unfair sample and leads to bias. 3. Loss to Follow-Up In long studies, some participants stop responding. If many drop out, the remaining group may no longer represent the original group. 4. Exclusion Criteria Researchers sometimes exclude certain data or people. This may be needed, but it can cause bias if not handled carefully. 5. Sampling from a Special Group If you only pick people from a school, hospital, or gym, it may not represent the general population. Examples of Selection Bias Let’s make the meaning more clear with real-life examples. Example 1: Health Study A study on exercise includes only gym-goers. This group is likely healthier than others. So, the results do not apply to everyone. Example 2: Online Poll A poll about internet use is shared only on Twitter. Older people or non-users are left out. This leads to biased answers. Example 3: School Survey A survey about education includes only top-performing schools. It ignores schools with fewer resources. This makes the results unfair. Example 4: Medical Research A drug test only includes young adults. It skips older or sicker patients. The drug may not work the same for everyone. Why Selection Bias Matters Selection bias leads to wrong findings. It can harm real-life decisions, like health, law, or policies. Biased studies may waste time, money, and even risk lives. That’s why it’s important to fix it early. Solutions to Avoid Selection Bias Now that we have defined selection bias and seen its causes, let’s solve it. 1. Use Random Sampling Random sampling means everyone has an equal chance to be selected. It makes the sample more fair and balanced. 2. Ensure Large Sample Size A bigger sample reduces the effect of bias. Try to include as many different people as possible. 3. Keep Participants Engaged In long-term studies, follow up regularly. Use emails, calls, or visits to reduce dropouts. 4. Pre-Test Your Method Before the main study, test your sample plan. See if some groups are missing or over-represented. 5. Be Transparent Always explain how your sample was chosen. Mention any limitations in your study report. 6. Use Weighting Methods If some groups are over- or under-represented, adjust the weight of their data. This helps balance the results. Conclusion To get accurate results, we must avoid bias. Selection bias is a major cause of poor research. It happens when the sample does not represent the whole group. We have discussed what it is, how it happens, and how to fix it. To define selection bias simply: It is when your study misses some parts of the population. This leads to false, unfair, or misleading results. Always choose samples wisely. Avoid shortcuts. Use fair methods and stay honest in your research. This will help you get real, helpful, and trustworthy results. FAQs 1. What does “define selection bias” mean? It means to explain what selection bias is. Selection bias is when the chosen sample is unfair or unbalanced. 2. What is a real-world example of selection bias? A survey shared only online may miss people without the internet. This makes the sample biased. 3. Can selection bias be removed completely? It can be reduced but not always removed fully. Using random sampling and large groups helps a lot. 4. How does selection bias affect research? It makes the results unreliable. You may draw wrong conclusions from the study. 5. Is self-selection a form of selection bias? Yes, when people choose to join a study, it may lead to bias. 6. Why is it important to define selection bias in reports? It helps readers understand the study’s quality and limits. It also shows honesty from the researcher. Tech World TimesTech World Times (TWT), a global collective focusing on the latest tech news and trends in blockchain, Fintech, Development & Testing, AI and Startups. If you are looking for the guest post then contact at techworldtimes@gmail.com

Paroni Member Dec 17, 2020 4,769 Expectation: Reality: There has also been a documented case of a headless Shadowheart, without a doubt a victim of very vicious paintbrush. News on the subject: Baldur's Gate 3 companions got official $50 D&D minis, and I am casting Vicious Mockery because what in the Nine Hells is this Gale, you feeling all right? www.gamesradar.com The Baldur's Gate 3 cast got a new set of pre-painted minis and—oh, oh no, oh no no no Maybe the mind flayer tadpoles finally got to 'em. www.pcgamer.com Paint a lock if old.  MangoUltz "This guy are sick" Member Mar 24, 2019 4,087 Oof. Brutal paint job.   hydro94530 Chicken Chaser Member Oct 27, 2017 8,159 Bay Area Man those are butt ugly lol.   nsilvias Member Oct 25, 2017 29,963 whose kid did they pay to paint these?   Jawmuncher Crisis Dino Moderator Oct 25, 2017 44,753 Ibis Island Got two of these for a friend, sadly we did not get any of the main cast. The paint jobs on them weren't this bad though.   tapdancingFreak Member Dec 12, 2017 4,854 Charlotte, NC Lmfao!   Nostalgic Feeling Member Oct 19, 2024 511 LMAO 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣   y0shizawa Member May 3, 2021 635 Good lord that's awful   MadJosh04 Member Nov 9, 2022 2,734 Good lord that's bad lol   Foolhardy Member May 4, 2024 3,301 Pre-painted paired with D&D Minis have long been a recipe for hilarity and I am so happy the tradition has continued.   Derkon Member Oct 25, 2017 3,609 yikes   MadMod Member Dec 4, 2017 4,791 Like a 5 year old painted them from their mums nail polish draw.   onibirdo Member Dec 9, 2020 3,559   Pepsimaaan Member Oct 20, 2023 757 Shadowheart is missing her head in the packaged picture.....   LewieP Member Oct 26, 2017 19,790 The smart move here for Larian would be to immediately 3D scan these figures and then add them to the game as characters.   Sai Prophet of Truth The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 6,977 Chicago holy lol. incredible work.   shodgson8 Shinra Employee Member Aug 22, 2018 5,233 EDIT: Ninja'd  Spacejaws "This guy are sick" of the One Winged Slayer Member Oct 27, 2017 8,828 Scotland Yi-fucking-ikes Top is the press release. Bottom is the pic from the store webpage. Something went wrong here lol.  Banjo_ Member Mar 16, 2025 64 what have they done to my girl shadowheart 😭   jph139 One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,666 Hoenstly, that's par for the course with pre-painted mass produced plastic minis - I feel like the quality standards have dropped considerably over the past 10-20 years. Back in the day you'd be spending $1-2 per mini and they'd look consistently good. Not hand-painted quality, but solid. Now to get anything near quality it's like $10 a mini? Maybe? (And with D&D minis you're spending that much and still getting garbage.) Like, I used to play Heroscape, and the Master Set with 30 miniatures and a shitton of terrain was only $40. The rebooted version that came out last year is 20 unpainted miniatures and like half the terrain for $125... or the version with painted minis for $225. It's crazy. I've just learned to settle for unpainted.  Takamura-San Member Oct 25, 2017 1,235 I haven't opened mine, and just looked up close and ooffff lol   Yerffej Prophet of Regret Member Oct 25, 2017 29,351 Poor Gale had his eyes scooped out. Shame.   Feral Gingy Member Oct 30, 2017 434 Finland Absolutely disgusting!   DanteMenethil Member Oct 25, 2017 8,972 FIFTY BUCKS HAHAHA   Nostalgic Feeling Member Oct 19, 2024 511 It's Tomb Raider all over again   Takamura-San Member Oct 25, 2017 1,235 Here's mine View: https://imgur.com/a/dzkTguT   Harmen Member Aug 30, 2023 1,372 Hahahaha, I love it   Brawly Likes to Brawl Member Oct 25, 2017 16,464 Ryohei Suzuki's bedroom Boulder's Gape 3   DiceHands Member Oct 27, 2017 4,783 someone tell them to thin their paints before applying   Apath Member Oct 25, 2017 3,493 That is worse than fast food promo pics vs the real thing. Hopefully they are giving refunds.   Jubilant Duck Member Oct 21, 2022 9,189 It's possibly confirmation bias but I don't think I've ever seen a mass-market pre-painted figure line that wasn't messy as fuck? There's just no way to ensure the quality across so many figures.   SpellSwordFoxx Member Feb 27, 2025 317 whoever they paid to do the pain jobs really didn't give a fuck XD   Ring Dings and Pepsi Member Jan 23, 2024 1,537 Spacejaws said: Yi-fucking-ikes Top is the press release. Bottom is the pic from the store webpage. Something went wrong here lol. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The colors don't even remotely match, wow  OP OP Paroni Member Dec 17, 2020 4,769 DiceHands said: someone tell them to thin their paints before applying Click to expand... Click to shrink... View: https://youtu.be/m3p_VuPIS2c   dreamfall Member Oct 25, 2017 7,330 Beyond hideous ! Paint job looks insane!   Praxis Sausage Tycoon Member Oct 25, 2017 8,141 UK Shadowheart shall be avenged   Anoregon Member Oct 25, 2017 16,115 texture and definition are crutches used by weak artists   Alvis Saw the truth behind the copied door Member Oct 25, 2017 12,089 EU That's pathetic lmao   Mandos Member Nov 27, 2017 39,102 Welcome to prepainted minis! This is why you do it yourself. Even if you can't do details you can do a fun shaded look   Stabi Member Oct 25, 2017 2,033 France / san francisco Tsk'va! My most regretted purchase ever. I'm first time i bought dnd pre painted because the press release pictures looked amazing. Never again. 

Alibaba has unveiled Wan2.1-VACE, an open-source AI model designed to shake up how we create and edit videos.VACE isn’t appearing out of thin air; it’s part of Alibaba’s broader Wan2.1 family of video AI models. And they’re making a rather bold claim for it, stating it’s the “first open-source model in the industry to provide a unified solution for various video generation and editing tasks.”If Alibaba can succeed in shifting users away from having to juggle multiple, separate tools towards one streamlined hub—it could be a true game-changer.So, what can this thing actually do? Well, for starters, it can whip up videos using all sorts of prompts, including text commands, still pictures, and even snippets of other video clips.But it’s not just about making videos from scratch. The editing toolkit supports referencing images or specific frames to guide the AI, advanced video “repainting” (more on that in a sec), tweaking just selected bits of your existing video, and even stretching out the video. Alibaba reckons these features “enable the flexible combination of various tasks to enhance creativity.”Imagine you want to create a video with specific characters interacting, maybe based on some photos you have. VACE claims to be able to do that. Got a still image you wish was dynamic? Alibaba’s open-source AI model can add natural-looking movement to bring it to life. For those who love to fine-tune, there are those advanced “video repainting” functions I mentioned earlier. This includes things like transferring poses from one subject to another, having precise control over motion, adjusting depth perception, and even changing the colours.One feature that caught my eye is its ability to “supports adding, modification or deletion to selective specific areas of a video without affecting the surroundings.” That’s a massive plus for detailed edits – no more accidentally messing up the background when you’re just trying to tweak one small element. Plus, it can make your video canvas bigger and even fill in the new space with relevant content to make everything look richer and more expansive.You could take a flat photograph, turn it into a video, and tell the objects in it exactly how to move by drawing out a path. Need to swap out a character or an object with something else you provide as a reference? No problem. Animate those referenced characters? Done. Control their pose precisely? You got it.Alibaba even gives the example of its open-source AI model taking a tall, skinny vertical image and cleverly expanding it sideways into a widescreen video, automagically adding new bits and pieces by referencing other images or prompts. That’s pretty neat.Of course, VACE isn’t just magic. There’s some clever tech involved, designed to handle the often-messy reality of video editing. A key piece is something Alibaba calls the Video Condition Unit (VCU), which “supports unified processing of multimodal inputs such as text, images, video, and masks.”Then there’s what they term a “Context Adapter structure.” This clever bit of engineering “injects various task concepts using formalised representations of temporal and spatial dimensions.” Essentially, think of it as giving the AI a really good understanding of time and space within the video.With all this clever tech, Alibaba reckons VACE will be a hit in quite a few areas. Think quick social media clips, eye-catching ads and marketing content, heavy-duty post-production special effects for film and TV, and even for generating custom educational and training videos.Building AI models this powerful usually costs a fortune and needs massive computing power and tons of data. So, Alibaba making Wan2.1-VACE open source? That’s a big deal.“Open access helps lower the barrier for more businesses to leverage AI, enabling them to create high-quality visual content tailored to their needs, quickly and cost-effectively,” Alibaba explains.Basically, Alibaba is hoping to let more folks – especially smaller businesses and individual creators – get their hands on top-tier AI without breaking the bank. This democratisation of powerful tools is always a welcome sight.And they’re not just dropping one version. There’s a hefty 14-billion parameter model for those with serious horsepower, and a more nimble 1.3-billion parameter one for lighter setups. You can grab them for free right now on Hugging Face and GitHub, or via Alibaba Cloud’s own open-source community, ModelScope.(Image source: www.alibabagroup.com)Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

Just weeks away from launch of its latest hardware, Nintendo has finally revealed the full specs of the Nintendo Switch 2—here's all you need to know about its power and potential limitationsTech11:18, 15 May 2025Updated 11:21, 15 May 2025Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are now open at most UK online stores(Image: AFP via Getty Images)It's hard to believe it's been a few months since we got our first look at Nintendo Switch 2, but in just over three weeks many of us will be playing Mario Kart World on the powerful new system.We knew early on that the console would be backward compatible with most Switch 1 ones, while we learned in early April about its internal storage, webcam peripheral, and much more.‌Now that we're just weeks away from holding it in our hands (again), Nintendo has revealed some specs online but left some gaps. Thankfully, gaming tech gurus Digital Foundry has helped complete the picture.‌According to Digital Foundry, which is using information from both Nintendo and NVIDIA, the company making the console's chipset, the Switch 2 is using a custom NVIDIA ARM Cortex A78C.It has eight cores, and curiously has a higher CPU clock when played in handheld, reportedly hitting 1101MHz compared to the docked CPU clock of 998MHz.Article continues belowTwo CPU cores are reserved for the system, with developers having access for another six. That's a big step up from Switch 1, which had four cores but only three could be used by developers.Switch 2 also has 12GB of RAM that's much faster than its predecessor's 4GB, and 9GB of it is available for developers—almost triple the 3.2GB available on Switch 1.Could Game Chat be an issue?(Image: Nintendo)‌Much of the rest, we already know. The console will have 256GB of internal storage, as well as a 1080p screen at 7.9 inches, a big jump from the original console's 720p 6.2-inch panel. The new console isn't OLED, but it does have HDR10 support and Variable Refresh Rate for frame rates as high as 120fps.Curiously, Digital Foundry has suggested Game Chat—‚Nintendo's new voice chat and party system—takes significant resources, meaning developers are a little concerned about how it could impact game performance.Article continues belowThere's also support for DLSS, which we've covered in more detail recently.For more on Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to check out our favourite Switch 1 games, as well as our most-wanted Switch 2 ports.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌