Month: May 2024
Used Teslas are getting very cheap, but buying one can be risky
As used Teslas drop in price, are they a bargain or buyer beware?
Enlarge / Used Tesla Model 3s can be had for less than $20,000 now. (credit: Getty Images)
The launch of a new electric vehicle these days is invariably met with a chorus of “this car is too expensive”—and rightfully so. But for used EVs, it’s quite another story, particularly used Teslas, thanks to a glut of former fleet and rental cars that are now ready for their second owner.
“Due to a variety of reasons, Tesla resale values have plummeted, making many Tesla models very affordable now. Plus, for some consumers, an additional $4,000 Federal tax credit on used EVs may apply, sweetening the deal even further. Buying a used Tesla can be a great deal for the savvy shopper, but there are significant things to look out for,” says Ed Kim, president and chief analyst at AutoPacific.
Indeed, a quick search on the topic easily reveals some horror stories of ex-rental Teslas, so here are some things to consider if you’re in search of a cheap Model 3 or Model Y.
Health Officials Tried To Evade Public Records Laws, Lawmakers Say
House Republicans this week accused officials at the National Institutes of Health of orchestrating “a conspiracy at the highest levels” of the agency to hide public records related to the origins of the Covid pandemic. And the lawmakers promised to expand an investigation that has turned up emails in which senior health officials talked openly about trying to evade federal records laws. From a report: The latest accusations — coming days before a House panel publicly questions Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, a former top N.I.H. official — represent one front of an intensifying push by lawmakers to link American research groups and the country’s premier medical research agency with the beginnings of the Covid pandemic.
That push has so far yielded no evidence that American scientists or health officials had anything to do with the coronavirus outbreak. But the House panel, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, has released a series of private emails that suggest at least some N.I.H. officials deleted messages and tried to skirt public records laws in the face of scrutiny over the pandemic. Even those N.I.H. officials whose job it was to produce records under the Freedom of Information Act may have helped their colleagues avoid their obligations under that law, several emails suggest. The law, known as FOIA, gives people the right to obtain copies of federal records.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
House Republicans this week accused officials at the National Institutes of Health of orchestrating “a conspiracy at the highest levels” of the agency to hide public records related to the origins of the Covid pandemic. And the lawmakers promised to expand an investigation that has turned up emails in which senior health officials talked openly about trying to evade federal records laws. From a report: The latest accusations — coming days before a House panel publicly questions Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, a former top N.I.H. official — represent one front of an intensifying push by lawmakers to link American research groups and the country’s premier medical research agency with the beginnings of the Covid pandemic.
That push has so far yielded no evidence that American scientists or health officials had anything to do with the coronavirus outbreak. But the House panel, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, has released a series of private emails that suggest at least some N.I.H. officials deleted messages and tried to skirt public records laws in the face of scrutiny over the pandemic. Even those N.I.H. officials whose job it was to produce records under the Freedom of Information Act may have helped their colleagues avoid their obligations under that law, several emails suggest. The law, known as FOIA, gives people the right to obtain copies of federal records.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
‘The Bear’ Season 3 Trailer: Weird Vibes, Non Negotiables and Michelin Stars – CNET
Season 3 of the Emmy-winning series starring Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri premieres in full on June 27 on Hulu.
Season 3 of the Emmy-winning series starring Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri premieres in full on June 27 on Hulu.
Meta says it removed six influence campaigns including those from Israel and China
Illustration: Nick Barclay / The Verge
Meta says it cracked down on propaganda campaigns on its platforms, including one that used AI to influence political discourse and create the illusion of wider support for certain viewpoints, according to its quarterly threat report published today. Some campaigns pushed political narratives about current events, including campaigns coming from Israel and Iran that posted in support of the Israeli government.
The networks used Facebook and Instagram accounts to try to influence political agendas around the world. The campaigns — some of which also originated in Bangladesh, China, and Croatia — used fake accounts to post in support of political movements, promote fake news outlets, or comment on the posts of legitimate news organizations.
A network originating in China, for example, consisted of several dozen Instagram and Facebook accounts, pages, and groups and was used to target global Sikh communities, Meta says. Another campaign traced to Israel used more than 500 Facebook and Instagram accounts to pose as local Jewish students, African Americans, and “concerned” citizens praising Israeli military actions and discussing campus antisemitism, among other types of content.
Some of the content shared by those two networks was likely created using generative AI tools, Meta writes. Accounts in the China-based campaign shared AI-generated images, and the Israeli campaign posted AI-generated comments, Meta found. The report says that, for now, AI-powered influence campaigns are not sophisticated enough to evade existing systems of detection.
Influence campaigns are regularly discovered on social media platforms. Earlier in May, TikTok said it had uncovered and disrupted a dozen such networks on its platform, including one that it traced to China.
Illustration: Nick Barclay / The Verge
Meta says it cracked down on propaganda campaigns on its platforms, including one that used AI to influence political discourse and create the illusion of wider support for certain viewpoints, according to its quarterly threat report published today. Some campaigns pushed political narratives about current events, including campaigns coming from Israel and Iran that posted in support of the Israeli government.
The networks used Facebook and Instagram accounts to try to influence political agendas around the world. The campaigns — some of which also originated in Bangladesh, China, and Croatia — used fake accounts to post in support of political movements, promote fake news outlets, or comment on the posts of legitimate news organizations.
A network originating in China, for example, consisted of several dozen Instagram and Facebook accounts, pages, and groups and was used to target global Sikh communities, Meta says. Another campaign traced to Israel used more than 500 Facebook and Instagram accounts to pose as local Jewish students, African Americans, and “concerned” citizens praising Israeli military actions and discussing campus antisemitism, among other types of content.
Some of the content shared by those two networks was likely created using generative AI tools, Meta writes. Accounts in the China-based campaign shared AI-generated images, and the Israeli campaign posted AI-generated comments, Meta found. The report says that, for now, AI-powered influence campaigns are not sophisticated enough to evade existing systems of detection.
Influence campaigns are regularly discovered on social media platforms. Earlier in May, TikTok said it had uncovered and disrupted a dozen such networks on its platform, including one that it traced to China.
Halide developers launch Kino, a pro video app for the iPhone
Kino app’s custom recording settings. | Image: Lux
Lux’s Halide app is popular among photographers for its approachable pro-level features, and now it’s launching Kino, a dedicated video capture app for iPhones with a similar focus on supporting the features professionals look for.
Where Halide was designed to take advantage of Apple’s RAW photography support on newer iPhones, Kino is targeting the iPhone 15 Pro’s support for ProRes videos encoded in the Log format. If you don’t know what that is or have never heard of color grading, here’s the description from our review of the 15 Pro: “That’s the super flat color profile that videographers like because it lets them control the look of the final product more.” Our video producer Vjeran Pavic can go into even more detail.
Kino will be available in the App Store for an introductory price of $9.99 until Friday and will cost $19.99 afterward.
Image: Lux
Instant Grade presets in the Kino app.
One of Kino’s headline features is “Instant Grade,” which allows users to shoot footage with grade presets. You can also record in Apple Log format within the Kino app and preview / add the presets later. Kino also has AutoMotion, which “automatically chooses the best exposure settings for cinematic motion blur.”
Image: Lux
Kino also includes the ability to add LUTs (Look Up Tables), which let you alter the look of footage using mathematical formulas. You can even add your own custom LUTs, a feature notably missing from Apple’s Final Cut Pro iPad app.
According to the developers, “None of our apps gather or collect data, or analyze your videos and photos,” and there’s no generative AI training in there, either. While Log support is an iPhone 15 Pro-only feature, it will work on any device running iOS 17 or higher.
Kino app’s custom recording settings. | Image: Lux
Lux’s Halide app is popular among photographers for its approachable pro-level features, and now it’s launching Kino, a dedicated video capture app for iPhones with a similar focus on supporting the features professionals look for.
Where Halide was designed to take advantage of Apple’s RAW photography support on newer iPhones, Kino is targeting the iPhone 15 Pro’s support for ProRes videos encoded in the Log format. If you don’t know what that is or have never heard of color grading, here’s the description from our review of the 15 Pro: “That’s the super flat color profile that videographers like because it lets them control the look of the final product more.” Our video producer Vjeran Pavic can go into even more detail.
Kino will be available in the App Store for an introductory price of $9.99 until Friday and will cost $19.99 afterward.
Image: Lux
Instant Grade presets in the Kino app.
One of Kino’s headline features is “Instant Grade,” which allows users to shoot footage with grade presets. You can also record in Apple Log format within the Kino app and preview / add the presets later. Kino also has AutoMotion, which “automatically chooses the best exposure settings for cinematic motion blur.”
Image: Lux
Kino also includes the ability to add LUTs (Look Up Tables), which let you alter the look of footage using mathematical formulas. You can even add your own custom LUTs, a feature notably missing from Apple’s Final Cut Pro iPad app.
According to the developers, “None of our apps gather or collect data, or analyze your videos and photos,” and there’s no generative AI training in there, either. While Log support is an iPhone 15 Pro-only feature, it will work on any device running iOS 17 or higher.
Sony pulls interview with Neil Druckmann, citing ‘significant errors and inaccuracies’
Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images
Sony Interactive Entertainment has pulled a controversial interview with Neil Druckmann, head of The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog.
Last week, Sony published a (now archived) Q&A with the Last of Us creator about the “Evolution of Storytelling.” In the interview, Druckmann spoke about the role of AI in game development, the impact of new technologies on storytelling, advice for new creators, and his hopes for a dream project.
Since such interviews with high-profile, AAA creators are relatively rare, news outlets picked up the interview, focusing on Druckmann’s comments about generative AI. Regarding AI Druckmann said:
“Moreover, AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created, although it does bring up some ethical issues we need to address. With technologies like AI and the ability to do motion capture right from home, we’re reducing both costs and technical hurdles, opening the door for us to take on more adventurous projects and push the boundaries of storytelling in games.”
Druckmann also expanded on other uses for AI, saying, “AI will allow us to create nuanced dialogues and characters, expanding creative possibilities. However, it’s crucial to precisely direct these tools to achieve the intended outcomes.”
Additionally, Druckmann shared his aspirations for future games, expressing excitement for Naughty Dog’s next project: “I’m eager to see how this new game resonates, especially following the success of The Last of Us, as it could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming.”
However, his comment about “redefining mainstream perceptions of gaming” is what appears to be the cause for Sony pulling the interview. Shortly after Sony published the Q&A, Druckmann wrote on social media stating that he had been misquoted.
“In editing my rambling answers in my recent interview with Sony, some of my words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost,” he posted on X sharing his full, unedited comments.
In editing my rambling answers in my recent interview with SONY, some of my words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost. Well, here’s the full long rambling answer for the final question about our future game… pic.twitter.com/tVuxX3LYJF— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) May 25, 2024
A few days after making this statement, Sony announced that rather than add Druckmann’s clarification, it had removed the interview entirely, stating, “[We] have found several significant errors and inaccuracies that don’t represent his perspective and values (including topics such as animation, writing, technology, AI, and future projects).”
Although some media outlets did focus on the potential of Naughty Dog’s latest project “redefining gaming,” it was Druckmann’s comments on AI that caused the most backlash. The use of AI in creative spaces like video game development has caused a lot of controversy with concerns that the technology has the potential to exacerbate the already depressed video game labor market. Notably, the clarification Druckmann posted didn’t include any mention of AI while Sony’s retraction statement did.
Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images
Sony Interactive Entertainment has pulled a controversial interview with Neil Druckmann, head of The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog.
Last week, Sony published a (now archived) Q&A with the Last of Us creator about the “Evolution of Storytelling.” In the interview, Druckmann spoke about the role of AI in game development, the impact of new technologies on storytelling, advice for new creators, and his hopes for a dream project.
Since such interviews with high-profile, AAA creators are relatively rare, news outlets picked up the interview, focusing on Druckmann’s comments about generative AI. Regarding AI Druckmann said:
“Moreover, AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created, although it does bring up some ethical issues we need to address. With technologies like AI and the ability to do motion capture right from home, we’re reducing both costs and technical hurdles, opening the door for us to take on more adventurous projects and push the boundaries of storytelling in games.”
Druckmann also expanded on other uses for AI, saying, “AI will allow us to create nuanced dialogues and characters, expanding creative possibilities. However, it’s crucial to precisely direct these tools to achieve the intended outcomes.”
Additionally, Druckmann shared his aspirations for future games, expressing excitement for Naughty Dog’s next project: “I’m eager to see how this new game resonates, especially following the success of The Last of Us, as it could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming.”
However, his comment about “redefining mainstream perceptions of gaming” is what appears to be the cause for Sony pulling the interview. Shortly after Sony published the Q&A, Druckmann wrote on social media stating that he had been misquoted.
“In editing my rambling answers in my recent interview with Sony, some of my words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost,” he posted on X sharing his full, unedited comments.
In editing my rambling answers in my recent interview with SONY, some of my words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost. Well, here’s the full long rambling answer for the final question about our future game… pic.twitter.com/tVuxX3LYJF
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) May 25, 2024
A few days after making this statement, Sony announced that rather than add Druckmann’s clarification, it had removed the interview entirely, stating, “[We] have found several significant errors and inaccuracies that don’t represent his perspective and values (including topics such as animation, writing, technology, AI, and future projects).”
Although some media outlets did focus on the potential of Naughty Dog’s latest project “redefining gaming,” it was Druckmann’s comments on AI that caused the most backlash. The use of AI in creative spaces like video game development has caused a lot of controversy with concerns that the technology has the potential to exacerbate the already depressed video game labor market. Notably, the clarification Druckmann posted didn’t include any mention of AI while Sony’s retraction statement did.