Month: August 2024
iPad Mini Stock Dwindling at Apple Stores, Refresh Could Be Coming
Supplies of the sixth-generation iPad mini are dwindling at “many” Apple retail stores, which is a sign that a new model could be coming, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Gurman said in a tweet that the iPad mini is considered “constrained” internally at Apple, and that might be an indication that a refresh is on the horizon. The sixth-generation iPad mini was initially introduced in September 2021, so it almost three years old at this point.
Apple has been working on a seventh-generation version of the iPad mini, and rumors have suggested that it could come out this year. The next iPad mini is expected to include an A17 Pro or better chip to support Apple Intelligence, along with updated front and rear cameras. Updates that Apple has been making across its product lineup could also be included, such as Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Apple today announced plans to hold a fall iPhone-centric event on September 9 to introduce the iPhone 16 models, new Apple Watch models, and new AirPods. It is not clear if Apple will also refresh the iPad mini at that time, but Apple could hold a new version for a second fall event or announcement.
We are still counting on several M4 Macs this year, so there will likely be some kind of second announcement. Apple is rumored to be planning to refresh the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac with M4 chips, so an iPad with a similar A-series chip would fit in with those announcements.
Apple updated the iPad Pro models with M4 chips earlier this year, and introduced a two versions of the iPad Air with an M2 chip.Related Roundup: iPad miniBuyer’s Guide: iPad Mini (Don’t Buy)Related Forum: iPadThis article, “iPad Mini Stock Dwindling at Apple Stores, Refresh Could Be Coming” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Supplies of the sixth-generation iPad mini are dwindling at “many” Apple retail stores, which is a sign that a new model could be coming, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Gurman said in a tweet that the iPad mini is considered “constrained” internally at Apple, and that might be an indication that a refresh is on the horizon. The sixth-generation iPad mini was initially introduced in September 2021, so it almost three years old at this point.
Apple has been working on a seventh-generation version of the iPad mini, and rumors have suggested that it could come out this year. The next iPad mini is expected to include an A17 Pro or better chip to support Apple Intelligence, along with updated front and rear cameras. Updates that Apple has been making across its product lineup could also be included, such as Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Apple today announced plans to hold a fall iPhone-centric event on September 9 to introduce the iPhone 16 models, new Apple Watch models, and new AirPods. It is not clear if Apple will also refresh the iPad mini at that time, but Apple could hold a new version for a second fall event or announcement.
We are still counting on several M4 Macs this year, so there will likely be some kind of second announcement. Apple is rumored to be planning to refresh the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac with M4 chips, so an iPad with a similar A-series chip would fit in with those announcements.
Apple updated the iPad Pro models with M4 chips earlier this year, and introduced a two versions of the iPad Air with an M2 chip.
This article, “iPad Mini Stock Dwindling at Apple Stores, Refresh Could Be Coming” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Instagram users are begging ChatGPT to roast their photos – and the results are brutal
A new trend has people asking ChatGPT to roast their Instagram accounts.
Getting ‘roasted’ online is a time-honored trend that sees your photos or social media profiles scorched by a clever put-down or three. It’s often self-inflicted by requests from thick-skinned fans who ask particularly talented roasters to target them. Now, there’s a new roaster on the scene, flambeing hundreds of thousands of Instagram users: ChatGPT. The “Ask ChatGPT to Roast Your Feed in One Paragraph” trend is exactly what the label says. People are asking the AI chatbot to look at their Instagram page and mock them in often very specific and mean ways.
It’s simple enough to participate. You need an Instagram page and the ChatGPT app. It doesn’t work on the web portal for some reason. Take a screenshot of your Instagram page and submit it to ChatGPT with the prompt: “Roast my Instagram feed in one paragraph.” Then, try not to cry too much. As an example, the screenshot below of the TechRadar Instagram led to the following roast from ChatGPT:
“Your Instagram feed looks like it was curated by a tech reviewer who’s been trapped in a gadget expo for too long—complete with enough smartphone close-ups to make your screen shatter out of boredom. From AI tricks on the latest Galaxy to what feels like the 1,000th shot of a Google Pixel, it’s like a never-ending loop of “Look what’s in my hand today!” Even your “what to watch this weekend” posts seem like they’re just taking a break between unboxings. If “one more shiny new thing” was a feed, this would be it.”
(Image credit: TechRadar Instagram)
AI Trend Setter
It’s the kind of simple and easy trend that gets a lot of shares on Instagram Stories, so it’s easy to see why it took off. And while it may not be the first time AI tools have assisted trends and fads on social media, it stands out for being about text. Usually, AI-based trends rely on image filters or generated photos of users in different environments or with a shared look or style. The ChatGPT roasting challenge relies entirely on the chatbot’s ability to analyze images and come up with humorous ways to make fun of the images. It’s also a notable achievement in walking the line where it can be funny without (so far as is known) crossing the line into wildly inappropriate commentary. The guardrails set up by OpenAI seem to be working in this case.
As for the (non-AI) originator of the trend, they remain anonymous. It appears to have begun with a German account dedicated to books, but the creator has not revealed who they are behind the account. While it may not seem a big deal, this trend may represent a major shift in how we engage with AI and online content in general. Not everybody may agree, even ChatGPT. When asked to roast the idea of the trend, the AI responded with:
“Asking ChatGPT to roast an Instagram account is like hiring a robot to critique your fashion choices—it’s entertaining, sure, but also a little desperate. It’s the digital equivalent of fishing for a “savage” comment from the least savage entity out there. Let’s be real: you’re essentially asking a code-based algorithm to take a break from being your personal Google and instead pretend it’s your snarky friend who’s had one too many drinks. The whole exercise feels like trying to get Alexa to throw shade—it’s more amusing in theory than in execution, and you’re probably just doing it to avoid the sting of a real human roast.”
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FBI Is Sloppy On Secure Data Storage and Destruction, Warns Watchdog
The Register’s Iain Thomson reports: The FBI has made serious slip-ups in how it processes and destroys electronic storage media seized as part of investigations, according to an audit by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Drives containing national security data, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act information and documents classified as Secret were routinely unlabeled, opening the potential for it to be either lost or stolen, the report [PDF] addressed to FBI Director Christopher Wray states. Ironically, this lack of identification might be considered a benefit, given the lax security at the FBI’s facility used to destroy such media after they have been finished with.
The OIG report notes that it found boxes of hard drives and removable storage sitting open and unattended for “days or even weeks” because they were only sealed once the boxes were full. This potentially allows any of the 395 staff and contractors with access to the facility to have a rummage around. To deal with this, the FBI is installing wire cages to lock away storage media. In December, the bureau said it would install a video surveillance system at the evidence destruction storage facility to tighten security. As of June this year, it was still processing the paperwork to do so. The OIG also found that FBI agents aren’t tracking hard drives and removable storage sent into the central office and the destruction facility. Typically, seized computers are tagged for tracking, but as a cost-saving measure, agents are advised to send in media storage devices containing national security information without the chassis. While there is a requirement to tag removable storage, there isn’t the same requirement for internal hard drives. […]
The FBI has assured the regulator that it has the problem in hand and has drafted a Physical Control and Destruction of Classified and Sensitive Electronic Devices and Material Policy Directive, which will require data to be marked up and destroyed safely. The agency says this policy is in the final editing stage and will be issued as soon as possible.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The Register’s Iain Thomson reports: The FBI has made serious slip-ups in how it processes and destroys electronic storage media seized as part of investigations, according to an audit by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Drives containing national security data, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act information and documents classified as Secret were routinely unlabeled, opening the potential for it to be either lost or stolen, the report [PDF] addressed to FBI Director Christopher Wray states. Ironically, this lack of identification might be considered a benefit, given the lax security at the FBI’s facility used to destroy such media after they have been finished with.
The OIG report notes that it found boxes of hard drives and removable storage sitting open and unattended for “days or even weeks” because they were only sealed once the boxes were full. This potentially allows any of the 395 staff and contractors with access to the facility to have a rummage around. To deal with this, the FBI is installing wire cages to lock away storage media. In December, the bureau said it would install a video surveillance system at the evidence destruction storage facility to tighten security. As of June this year, it was still processing the paperwork to do so. The OIG also found that FBI agents aren’t tracking hard drives and removable storage sent into the central office and the destruction facility. Typically, seized computers are tagged for tracking, but as a cost-saving measure, agents are advised to send in media storage devices containing national security information without the chassis. While there is a requirement to tag removable storage, there isn’t the same requirement for internal hard drives. […]
The FBI has assured the regulator that it has the problem in hand and has drafted a Physical Control and Destruction of Classified and Sensitive Electronic Devices and Material Policy Directive, which will require data to be marked up and destroyed safely. The agency says this policy is in the final editing stage and will be issued as soon as possible.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Home Depot Labor Day Sale: Tons of Early Discounts Ahead of This Holiday Weekend
Check out these top 20 discounts on a variety of products ranging from home goods to power tools before Labor Day weekend.
Check out these top 20 discounts on a variety of products ranging from home goods to power tools before Labor Day weekend.
More bad news for psychedelic drug company: FDA expands probe after rejection
Psychedelic drug company Lykos already slashed staff and overhauled leadership.
Enlarge / President of Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Rick Doblin speaks onstage during the 2023 Concordia Annual Summit at Sheraton New York on September 18, 2023, in New York City. (credit: Getty | John Lamparski)
There’s more bad news for the company behind an experimental MDMA therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, which the Food and Drug Administration roundly rejected earlier this month.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the FDA is now expanding an investigation into clinical trials behind the experimental psychedelic therapy—even though the agency has already rejected it. Agency investigators reportedly interviewed four additional people last week, asking questions regarding whether the trials underreported side effects.
People involved in the trial have previously alleged, among other things, that ill effects, such as suicidal thoughts, went undocumented, and trial participants were discouraged from reporting them to bolster the chances of FDA approval. Overall, the MDMA trials faced crushing criticism amid the FDA’s review, with outside experts and agency advisors calling out allegations of sexual misconduct at one trial site, as well as flaws in overall trial designs, multiple sources of biases, and claims of that the company behind the therapy, Lykos, fostered a cult-like belief in psychedelics.
Great news for next-gen GPUs – Nvidia’s RTX 5060 may use less power than the RTX 4060
The Nvidia RTX 5060 may use less power than the RTX 4060 and could feature GDDR7 memory, all great news for gamers.
The Nvidia RTX 5000-series has been the subject of many rumors over the last year, with plenty of leaks teasing performance and specs. Thanks to a new rumor, we may have some interesting information concerning the RTX 5060’s power consumption as well.
A new statement from Chairman Wu Haijun of Shenzen Hasee Computer Co. (which manufacturers desktops, mini-PCs, and laptops), reported on by VideoCardz, reveals that the RTX 5060 laptop GPU may require less power than its predecessor, the Nvidia RTX 4060. The statement asserts that the 5060 will only need 115W of power compared to the 4000-series’ 140W. The Chairman also stated that the 5060 will use GDDR7 memory, which is not particularly surprising considering prior leaks more or less hint at that spec.
This new information contradicts a previous rumor that the 5000-series, especially the 5060, would use far more power than the earlier generation of cards. That leak stated that the 5060 would have a 55W increase to 170W over its 4000-series counterpart, which would have been a massive climb if true. Hopefully, this current report is more accurate, as it would be incredible news for gamers.
Lower power consumption, but at what cost?
While the 115W power consumption is indeed excellent news, there are some caveats. It seems that the next generation of GN22-X11 and X9 SKUs are expected to run at 175W Total Graphics Power (TGP). For reference, the current generation is codenamed GN21. However, the X7, X6, X4, and X2 will be limited to 115W of power. Apparently, the X7 is a new model without an older-generation counterpart, so this could mean that there will be even more card options coming.
There also seems to be a downside to this lower power consumption, I gather from other rumors leaked before. The RTX 5090 graphics card might offer 16GB of VRAM, while the RTX 5060 will only have 8GB of VRAM. Further, the 5060 will most likely remain limited to a 128-bit width memory bus, consistent with the lower VRAM. It’ll have 8GB of GDDR7 memory if these reports are true.
So, the 5060 may use far less power, but it comes with a measured lack of improvement compared to the 4060.
Nvidia is expected to use the GB203, GB205, GB206, and GB207 GPUs for its mobile RTX 50 series. There’s also the GB202 in development with a memory bus of 512 bit, which sounds great, unless you’re a laptop gamer, because it’s unlikely it’ll be used for anything other than a desktop.
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Best Labor Day TV Sales 2024: Upgrade Your Entertainment Space and Save Big
From massive screens to OLED displays and other bargains, we’ve got the best TV deals from all the top brands in one place.
From massive screens to OLED displays and other bargains, we’ve got the best TV deals from all the top brands in one place.
The Pixel 9 is nice, but the phone you really want is the Pixel 9 Pro
The Google Pixel 9 Pro includes a free year of advanced AI and cloud storage, making it the better buy over a Google Pixel 9.
The Google Pixel 9 holds its own against the more expensive Pro models better than ever, with an identical design and the most important Pro specs on board. Should you skip the Pro and get yourself some Peony Pixel 9 love? Absolutely not (sorry Peony, CALL ME!). The Pixel 9 Pro has advantages that justify the price, and more. In fact, depending on how much of a Pixel fan you are, the Pixel 9 Pro may even pay for itself.
Before I get to those advantages, let’s not forget the Pixel 9. It really does have the most important Pro specs, like the same Google Tensor G4 processor. Apple gives its basic iPhone 15 last year’s chipset, but Pro iPhone models get more advanced silicon. Google gives every flagship phone the same engine (so does Samsung, to be fair).
The Tensor G4 is built to run Google’s AI models, and every Pixel 9 phone will get Android OS updates, security patches, and Pixel feature drops for the next seven years. That’s a big deal, and it adds a lot of long-term value to even the less-expensive Pixel 9.
The same main and ultrawide cameras as the Pixel 9 Pro (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Then, there are the cameras, always a key Pixel feature. The Pixel 9 has the exact same main and ultrawide camera modules as the Pixel 9 Pro. There’s no zoom, but those other two are identical. Not just the same resolution, but the same sensor and lens.
Samsung makes the best camera phone you can buy right now, but only its Galaxy S24 Ultra gets the best camera specs. The basic Galaxy S24 has totally different cameras, and they aren’t as good.
With the new design, the Pixel 9 looks almost exactly like the Pixel 9 Pro – its measurements are identical, to the millimeter. That means it also has room for the same battery inside, and it charges just as fast (though the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the real fast charger).
The Pixel 9 Pro’s 16GB of RAM will be very important, later
Why pay $200 / £200 / AU $350 more for the Pixel 9 Pro, when the Pixel 9 has the most important specs? Well, let’s talk about the differences, and how those differences are going to look over the next several years.
The Pixel 9 Pro has a whopping 16GB of RAM inside, which is more than almost any other smartphone you can buy right now. Google isn’t trying to win a spec war, it’s looking at the AI future. Right now, AI is a hodge-podge of machine learning models running on the phone, in the cloud, or as a mixture of both. That means the phone is doing a lot of work and also multi-tasking every time it uses AI, and it’s ALWAYS using AI.
More RAM is important for performance now, but as the AI features grow in scope, RAM will be the bottleneck spec holding back the older phones. It’s worth having more RAM in your new Pixel.
The Pixel 9 has the same cameras, not the same software
What about those cameras? The Pixel 9 Pro’s 5X zoom lens may be worth the price difference between the phones, if you take a lot of photos. The Pixel 9 will be great for selfies, portraits, landscapes, and group photos. If you want to take photos of your kid playing ball, or performing on stage, you need zoom. But zoom isn’t the only real advantage of the Pixel 9 Pro cameras.
In my testing, the photos I took with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro looked remarkably similar in terms of color, lighting, and dynamic range. However, the Pro camera has a Pro mode, and that lets you produce images in full 50MP resolution. The Pixel 9 always makes a 12MP photo, which is a great size for sharing, but you can do more with a larger photo if you want to edit later, and a Pixel is the best phone around for editing photos, with its exclusive AI tools.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
More importantly, the Pixel 9 Pro simply made better decisions when I let the camera choose. When I took a close-up photo of a flower, I hoped for a blurry, bokeh background. The Pixel 9 was more likely to switch to a very wide aperture, exposing the entire photo evenly, including the background. The Pixel 9 Pro created better bokeh, and made more artistic choices.
I also saw a significant difference working with the Pro’s raw photos versus the JPG files, when I wanted to edit my shots. Having a larger 50MP raw file (technically a DNG) gave me more raw material (pun intended) for a better final image that looked closer to what a real DSLR might produce.
Whether you use AI or not, a year of Google One is big
Both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro have the exclusive Screenshots app (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Where the Pixel 9 Pro actually pays for itself is with AI and the cloud. The Pixel 9 has almost all of the AI features you’ll want from the Pixel 9 Pro, except for some Super Res Video Boost tools in the video camera. You can use Gemini Live on the Pixel 9, and Gemini works across all of your Google apps, just like it does with the Pixel 9 Pro.
Gemini Live isn’t free. It’s part of the Google One Premium AI, which gives you Google Advanced as well as 2TB of cloud storage. The Google One Premium AI plan costs $19.99 / £18.99 / AU$32.99, and you get the first month for free.
The Pixel 9 Pro comes with a full year of the Google One Premium AI plan for free. If you were going to subscribe to the Premium AI plan, you’d save $219.89 / £208.89 / AU$362.89 in the first year by choosing the Pixel 9 Pro instead. The Pixel 9 Pro only costs $200 / £200 / AU$350 more than the Pixel 9.
Is the Google One Premium AI plan going to keep you entertained for a full year? Maybe not, but getting 2TB of cloud storage is also worthwhile. The cost of subscribing to Google cloud storage with 2TB of space is $9.99 / £7.99 / AU $19.99 per month, with no AI additions. I added Google Gemini Advanced when it became available to my own Google cloud storage plan, and I use it frequently for fun and interesting advice.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Whether or not you want that much AI, I’d highly recommend subscribing to Google’s cloud storage. You can use all of that space across your Gmail, Google Photos, Google Docs, and Android phone backups, on the desktop and mobile devices.
With the value of a Google One plan, plus the Pixel 9 Pro hardware advantages, the Google Pixel 9 just doesn’t make sense. It’s not a good deal to buy one. It’s a gorgeous phone, whether you buy the sweet Wintergreen, or the astonishing Peony, or one of the boring colors. Sadly, it makes too much sense to get the Pixel 9 Pro instead. Settle for Hazel, the best Pixel 9 Pro color, or maybe Rose Quartz.
I wish Google gave Pixel 9 buyers the same year of Google One Premium AI. The Pixel 9 needs that added value. Even if you don’t care about AI, you’re simply losing too much if you choose the Pixel 9 over the Pixel 9 Pro.
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Samsung TVs will get 7 years of updates, starting with 2023 models
Some Rokus and Apple TVs receive longer update windows, though.
Enlarge / A Samsung representative demonstrating Tizen OS in February. (credit: Samsung)
Samsung will provide operating system updates for its newer TVs for at least seven years, the company announced last week. The updates will first apply to some TVs released in 2023 and TVs released in March 2024.
According to Business Korea, Samsung made the announcement regarding the Tizen OS at the Digital Research Lab of Samsung Electronics’ Suwon Campus in Gyeonggi Province. As spotted by FlatPanelsHD, the announcement follows previously announced plans from Samsung to provide seven years of software updates for the Galaxy S24 smartphone series.
Per Korea Economic Daily, speaking at last week’s event, Samsung Electronics’ president of the Visual Display Business Division, Yoon Seok-Yoon, said: “With the seven-year free upgrade of Tizen applied to AI TVs, we will widen the gap in market share with Chinese companies.”
Apple’s ‘Glowtime’ iPhone 16 Event: What To Expect and How To Watch
Here’s what could come from the anticipated launch of the iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series X and new AirPods.
Here’s what could come from the anticipated launch of the iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series X and new AirPods.