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Proton’s password manager is gradually catching up with rivals like 1Password. The company, known initially for its encrypted email and VPN services, added biometric authentication to its Proton Pass app, which came out of beta earlier this year. The feature works with Touch ID on macOS and Windows Hello on Microsoft’s desktop OS.
Like with many other services, biometric authentication lets Proton Pass users quickly unlock the security app using their fingerprint or face without typing the login password every time. However, it isn’t available for free users: Only those on a Pass Plus plan (and above) get access. The minimum plan costs $23.88 annually or $4.99 if you’d rather pay monthly.
Proton is also fleshing out its password manager to include identities, meaning it can autofill forms with your contact info in one click. Similar to biometric authentication, this type of feature has been seen countless times in competing products. Still, it (along with the recent addition of dark-web scouring) shows Proton is dedicated to building out its encryption-focused password manager, which initially launched in beta in early 2023.
Unlike biometric logins, identities are available for free users — not just those on a paid plan.
“With the introduction of identities and biometric authentication, Proton Pass is significantly boosting productivity for our users,” said Son Nguyen Kim, Proton Pass product lead. “These features not only enhance our security offerings but also streamline everyday tasks, allowing users to save time and reduce stress in managing their digital lives.”
The new features are available today in the Proton Pass app for Windows and Mac.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/proton-pass-now-supports-touch-id-and-windows-hello-biometric-logins-100025225.html?src=rss

Proton’s password manager is gradually catching up with rivals like 1Password. The company, known initially for its encrypted email and VPN services, added biometric authentication to its Proton Pass app, which came out of beta earlier this year. The feature works with Touch ID on macOS and Windows Hello on Microsoft’s desktop OS.

Like with many other services, biometric authentication lets Proton Pass users quickly unlock the security app using their fingerprint or face without typing the login password every time. However, it isn’t available for free users: Only those on a Pass Plus plan (and above) get access. The minimum plan costs $23.88 annually or $4.99 if you’d rather pay monthly.

Proton is also fleshing out its password manager to include identities, meaning it can autofill forms with your contact info in one click. Similar to biometric authentication, this type of feature has been seen countless times in competing products. Still, it (along with the recent addition of dark-web scouring) shows Proton is dedicated to building out its encryption-focused password manager, which initially launched in beta in early 2023.

Unlike biometric logins, identities are available for free users — not just those on a paid plan.

“With the introduction of identities and biometric authentication, Proton Pass is significantly boosting productivity for our users,” said Son Nguyen Kim, Proton Pass product lead. “These features not only enhance our security offerings but also streamline everyday tasks, allowing users to save time and reduce stress in managing their digital lives.”

The new features are available today in the Proton Pass app for Windows and Mac.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/proton-pass-now-supports-touch-id-and-windows-hello-biometric-logins-100025225.html?src=rss

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YouTube seems to be starting to roll out its community notes feature to a select group of users. Screenshots of YouTube’s official invitation to join the pilot program for its new community correction feature are popping up all over social media, according to 9to5Google.
Aye YouTube is adding community notes pic.twitter.com/xVOw9yEzhJ— Ian Zelbo (@ianzelbo) August 7, 2024
YouTube first announced its community notes feature in June. The new feature allows viewers to submit short blurbs that provide additional context or correct information to certain video content. The community notes feature comes ahead of the US presidential election.
There is no official start date for the new feature, but YouTube has added a section to its “Help” database with instructions on writing and submitting notes. We’ve also reached out to Google for a comment on the new feature.
The pilot program is currently only available in English for mobile devices in the US, according to the support page. The company previously said it would invite participants through email or their Creator Studios account. The select group of test subjects will provide feedback to YouTube to help the platform determine which notes are “helpful,” “somewhat helpful” or “unhelpful,” before rolling out its community notes feature to the public, according to the official YouTube blog.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/youtube-invites-users-to-test-its-community-notes-feature-224823088.html?src=rss

YouTube seems to be starting to roll out its community notes feature to a select group of users. Screenshots of YouTube’s official invitation to join the pilot program for its new community correction feature are popping up all over social media, according to 9to5Google.

YouTube first announced its community notes feature in June. The new feature allows viewers to submit short blurbs that provide additional context or correct information to certain video content. The community notes feature comes ahead of the US presidential election.

There is no official start date for the new feature, but YouTube has added a section to its “Help” database with instructions on writing and submitting notes. We’ve also reached out to Google for a comment on the new feature.

The pilot program is currently only available in English for mobile devices in the US, according to the support page. The company previously said it would invite participants through email or their Creator Studios account. The select group of test subjects will provide feedback to YouTube to help the platform determine which notes are “helpful,” “somewhat helpful” or “unhelpful,” before rolling out its community notes feature to the public, according to the official YouTube blog.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/youtube-invites-users-to-test-its-community-notes-feature-224823088.html?src=rss

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Fortnite is reversing a long-held policy for its Battle Passes. Previously, developer Epic Games had treated Battle Pass items as limited-time rewards that would never show up in the in-game shop. Going forward, Epic Games may make Battle Pass rewards available in the shop, but not until at least 18 months after the pass expires. The company said that the updated policy will not have any impact on battle pass pricing.
“This change lets us continue investing in new and exciting Battle Pass rewards while enabling players down the road to also enjoy the content, including Outfits based on popular licensed characters,” Epic Games said in a blog post published on Wednesday.
This policy covers every item type that might show up in a Fortnite Battle Pass. The shop may offer alt styles of a Battle Pass reward as well as the original. The 18-month wait time will also apply to any items from the game’s Bonus Reward and Quest Reward tabs.
The chance to buy a cosmetic later on takes some of the exclusivity pressure off each season for players. Epic said there was no guarantee that a Battle Pass cosmetic would become available in the shop at a later date, so playing enough to obtain unlocks is still the most reliable way to get an item you really want. However, the studio said it would notify players if an item would be exclusively available via Battle Pass.
Battle passes are a common way for game developers to maintain revenue for games-as-a-service. The latest one for Fortnite has a post-apocalyptic theme, with tie-ins to the Mad Max and Fallout franchises. Or if cute and colorful is more your jam, check out the limited time integration with Fall Guys.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fortnite-battle-pass-rewards-may-appear-in-the-shop-under-new-epic-games-policy-220355795.html?src=rss

Fortnite is reversing a long-held policy for its Battle Passes. Previously, developer Epic Games had treated Battle Pass items as limited-time rewards that would never show up in the in-game shop. Going forward, Epic Games may make Battle Pass rewards available in the shop, but not until at least 18 months after the pass expires. The company said that the updated policy will not have any impact on battle pass pricing.

“This change lets us continue investing in new and exciting Battle Pass rewards while enabling players down the road to also enjoy the content, including Outfits based on popular licensed characters,” Epic Games said in a blog post published on Wednesday.

This policy covers every item type that might show up in a Fortnite Battle Pass. The shop may offer alt styles of a Battle Pass reward as well as the original. The 18-month wait time will also apply to any items from the game’s Bonus Reward and Quest Reward tabs.

The chance to buy a cosmetic later on takes some of the exclusivity pressure off each season for players. Epic said there was no guarantee that a Battle Pass cosmetic would become available in the shop at a later date, so playing enough to obtain unlocks is still the most reliable way to get an item you really want. However, the studio said it would notify players if an item would be exclusively available via Battle Pass.

Battle passes are a common way for game developers to maintain revenue for games-as-a-service. The latest one for Fortnite has a post-apocalyptic theme, with tie-ins to the Mad Max and Fallout franchises. Or if cute and colorful is more your jam, check out the limited time integration with Fall Guys.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fortnite-battle-pass-rewards-may-appear-in-the-shop-under-new-epic-games-policy-220355795.html?src=rss

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Last quarter should’ve been a triumphant one for Sonos with the launch of its first headphones, but the company is facing the realities of its botched app redesign. CEO Patrick Spence explained in the company’s Q3 earnings press release that Sonos has reduced its 2024 fiscal guidance as a result of “problems” both customers and partners encountered with the software update. But, the issues don’t stop with revenue. The company also said on its earnings call it will delay two new product launches planned for Q4 until the app is fixed.  
“Thanks to Ace, our long-awaited entry into headphones, we reported year over year revenue growth and delivered results that slightly exceeded our expectations in our third quarter,” Spence said. “This was overshadowed by the problems that our customers and partners experienced as a result of the rollout of our new app, which in turn has required us to reduce our Fiscal 2024 guidance. We have a clear action plan to address the issues caused by our app as quickly as possible.”
Spence said the new products were ready to ship in Q4, but that right now “our number one priority is to make this right and ensure that the next chapter is even better than the previous ones.” Of course, the company hasn’t officially discussed exactly what those two products are just yet. Bloomberg reported late last year that Sonos was working on a set-top TV streaming box and a successor to its premium Arc soundbar. The CEO also admitted during the call that the total cost of fixing the issues with the app will cost the company $20-$30 million. However, Spence is confident Sonos will bounce back, describing this as only one “chapter” in the company’s history.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-is-delaying-two-product-launches-until-it-fixes-its-buggy-app-213743460.html?src=rss

Last quarter should’ve been a triumphant one for Sonos with the launch of its first headphones, but the company is facing the realities of its botched app redesign. CEO Patrick Spence explained in the company’s Q3 earnings press release that Sonos has reduced its 2024 fiscal guidance as a result of “problems” both customers and partners encountered with the software update. But, the issues don’t stop with revenue. The company also said on its earnings call it will delay two new product launches planned for Q4 until the app is fixed.  

“Thanks to Ace, our long-awaited entry into headphones, we reported year over year revenue growth and delivered results that slightly exceeded our expectations in our third quarter,” Spence said. “This was overshadowed by the problems that our customers and partners experienced as a result of the rollout of our new app, which in turn has required us to reduce our Fiscal 2024 guidance. We have a clear action plan to address the issues caused by our app as quickly as possible.”

Spence said the new products were ready to ship in Q4, but that right now “our number one priority is to make this right and ensure that the next chapter is even better than the previous ones.” Of course, the company hasn’t officially discussed exactly what those two products are just yet. Bloomberg reported late last year that Sonos was working on a set-top TV streaming box and a successor to its premium Arc soundbar. The CEO also admitted during the call that the total cost of fixing the issues with the app will cost the company $20-$30 million. However, Spence is confident Sonos will bounce back, describing this as only one “chapter” in the company’s history.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-is-delaying-two-product-launches-until-it-fixes-its-buggy-app-213743460.html?src=rss

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Ready at Dawn Studios, the game studio behind the Echo virtual reality series for the Meta Quest, has been shut down by its parent owner, Meta, effective immediately.
Android Central reported Meta’s decision to close Ready at Dawn Studios almost a year and a half after purchasing the game studio. The news comes on the heels of a mid-July report that Meta plans to cut its Reality Labs division’s budget by 20 percent by 2026 when it is reportedly scheduled to release the Meta Quest 4 and Quest 4s, its next VR headsets.
Ready at Dawn’s reach in the gaming industry goes all the way back to the days of Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP). The studio released its first game in 2006 with Daxter, a PSP spinoff of the popular Jak and Daxter series. Ready at Dawn also released three titles in Sony’s God of War series for the PSP including Chains of Olympus, Ghost of Sparta and the Olympus Collection that bundled its two earlier titles. The studio made the jump to consoles starting with the PlayStation 4 in 2015 with The Order: 1886. The Victorian-era third-person action adventure became one of the year’s most anticipated titles for its boundary pushing graphics. Following a wave of mixed reviews, Ready at Dawn took a stab at a multiplayer title with a cheerier disposition in 2017 called De-Formers for the PS4, Xbox One and PC. Engadget senior editor Jessica Conditt described the colorful character combat competition as “cannibalism combat in a 3-D cartoon.”
The rise of and ease of access to virtual reality prompted the studio to pivot again in 2018 to the new immersive game medium. The studio released the first two VR titles in its Echo game series including the free-to-play Oculus Rift and Quest virtual sport Echo Arena and the interactive, gravity-free sci-fi adventure Lone Echo. Both found a fanbase on the all-in-one VR headset leading to sequels including the free-floating arena shooter Echo Combat in 2018 and Lone Echo II in 2021.
Oculus bought the studio in 2023 and allowed it to continue operations in its California and Oregon offices. The same year, Meta shut down its free Echo VR game due to dwindling player numbers.
Meta has slashed more than 20,000 jobs since 2023, a period that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has characterized as a “year of efficiency.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/meta-shutters-its-first-party-vr-game-studio-ready-at-dawn-212212491.html?src=rss

Ready at Dawn Studios, the game studio behind the Echo virtual reality series for the Meta Quest, has been shut down by its parent owner, Meta, effective immediately.

Android Central reported Meta’s decision to close Ready at Dawn Studios almost a year and a half after purchasing the game studio. The news comes on the heels of a mid-July report that Meta plans to cut its Reality Labs division’s budget by 20 percent by 2026 when it is reportedly scheduled to release the Meta Quest 4 and Quest 4s, its next VR headsets.

Ready at Dawn’s reach in the gaming industry goes all the way back to the days of Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP). The studio released its first game in 2006 with Daxter, a PSP spinoff of the popular Jak and Daxter series. Ready at Dawn also released three titles in Sony’s God of War series for the PSP including Chains of Olympus, Ghost of Sparta and the Olympus Collection that bundled its two earlier titles. The studio made the jump to consoles starting with the PlayStation 4 in 2015 with The Order: 1886. The Victorian-era third-person action adventure became one of the year’s most anticipated titles for its boundary pushing graphics. Following a wave of mixed reviews, Ready at Dawn took a stab at a multiplayer title with a cheerier disposition in 2017 called De-Formers for the PS4, Xbox One and PC. Engadget senior editor Jessica Conditt described the colorful character combat competition as “cannibalism combat in a 3-D cartoon.”

The rise of and ease of access to virtual reality prompted the studio to pivot again in 2018 to the new immersive game medium. The studio released the first two VR titles in its Echo game series including the free-to-play Oculus Rift and Quest virtual sport Echo Arena and the interactive, gravity-free sci-fi adventure Lone Echo. Both found a fanbase on the all-in-one VR headset leading to sequels including the free-floating arena shooter Echo Combat in 2018 and Lone Echo II in 2021.

Oculus bought the studio in 2023 and allowed it to continue operations in its California and Oregon offices. The same year, Meta shut down its free Echo VR game due to dwindling player numbers.

Meta has slashed more than 20,000 jobs since 2023, a period that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has characterized as a “year of efficiency.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/meta-shutters-its-first-party-vr-game-studio-ready-at-dawn-212212491.html?src=rss

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Venu Sports appears poised to offer a one-stop shop for streaming all kinds of athletic events. However, the extensive amount of sports content controlled by Disney (which owns ESPN), Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, has  raised questions about the upcoming streaming service. Three members of Congress have called on the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission to investigate whether Venu violates antitrust laws.
“If this JV [joint venture] is permitted to proceed, competitors would be forced to negotiate with Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. for access to over half of the major sporting licensing rights while simultaneously competing against these companies to offer the best product to broadcast or stream these programs,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) wrote in an open letter. They also questioned whether Venu could lead to increased prices for consumers. (And the prices for Venu are already looking pretty steep, with a launch price of $43 a month.)
This group isn’t the first to question this sports streaming venture. Shortly after the joint venture between the three companies was announced, FuboTV filed a lawsuit alleging that Venu would fall afoul of antitrust laws.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/senators-elizabeth-warren-and-bernie-sanders-call-for-an-antitrust-investigation-into-venu-sports-203458843.html?src=rss

Venu Sports appears poised to offer a one-stop shop for streaming all kinds of athletic events. However, the extensive amount of sports content controlled by Disney (which owns ESPN), Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, has  raised questions about the upcoming streaming service. Three members of Congress have called on the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission to investigate whether Venu violates antitrust laws.

“If this JV [joint venture] is permitted to proceed, competitors would be forced to negotiate with Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. for access to over half of the major sporting licensing rights while simultaneously competing against these companies to offer the best product to broadcast or stream these programs,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) wrote in an open letter. They also questioned whether Venu could lead to increased prices for consumers. (And the prices for Venu are already looking pretty steep, with a launch price of $43 a month.)

This group isn’t the first to question this sports streaming venture. Shortly after the joint venture between the three companies was announced, FuboTV filed a lawsuit alleging that Venu would fall afoul of antitrust laws.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/senators-elizabeth-warren-and-bernie-sanders-call-for-an-antitrust-investigation-into-venu-sports-203458843.html?src=rss

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New York City has implemented a new drone warning system to alert residents to hazardous weather conditions. Unfortunately, the drones need to work on their Spanish.
A resident spotted one of the new drones issuing a flood warning on Wednesday to NYC neighborhoods in English and Spanish, but the Spanish words that came out of the drones were “incomprehensible,” according to a resident who shared a video on X.
As a Spanish speaker, I can confidently say that this is incomprehensible. The city couldn’t find a single person who spoke Spanish to deliver this alert? https://t.co/uI9ERCuDmV— Josefa Velásquez (@J__Velasquez) August 6, 2024
The drones had no problem issuing a weather warning in English as it delivered the news about an incoming batch of heavy rainfall in a clear and distinguishable tone. The Spanish message, however, sounded like a robot speaking the language for the first time.
Zach Iscol, the commissioner of NYC’s emergency management department, acknowledged the mistake on X in a reply.
“I’m very proud of the work our team has done preparing for this storm, but this shouldn’t have happened and we’re going to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Iscol wrote in a reply.
The New York Times published a story on Tuesday about the new emergency alert drone system. The city sent the drones out to communities around 1 p.m. to inform residents about the heavy rainfall headed their way. Iscol told the newspaper that NYC Mayor Eric Adams came up with the idea to use drones as a new part of its warning system. Adams has instituted similar, tech-heavy initiatives during his term such as a security robot that patrolled the Times Square subway station, and the controversial “Spot Robot,” also known as the “Digidog,” for the New York Police Department to use during hazardous situations like hostage standoffs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/new-yorks-flood-warning-drones-screamed-at-residents-in-incomprehensible-spanish-194507725.html?src=rss

New York City has implemented a new drone warning system to alert residents to hazardous weather conditions. Unfortunately, the drones need to work on their Spanish.

A resident spotted one of the new drones issuing a flood warning on Wednesday to NYC neighborhoods in English and Spanish, but the Spanish words that came out of the drones were “incomprehensible,” according to a resident who shared a video on X.

The drones had no problem issuing a weather warning in English as it delivered the news about an incoming batch of heavy rainfall in a clear and distinguishable tone. The Spanish message, however, sounded like a robot speaking the language for the first time.

Zach Iscol, the commissioner of NYC’s emergency management department, acknowledged the mistake on X in a reply.

“I’m very proud of the work our team has done preparing for this storm, but this shouldn’t have happened and we’re going to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Iscol wrote in a reply.

The New York Times published a story on Tuesday about the new emergency alert drone system. The city sent the drones out to communities around 1 p.m. to inform residents about the heavy rainfall headed their way. Iscol told the newspaper that NYC Mayor Eric Adams came up with the idea to use drones as a new part of its warning system. Adams has instituted similar, tech-heavy initiatives during his term such as a security robot that patrolled the Times Square subway station, and the controversial “Spot Robot,” also known as the “Digidog,” for the New York Police Department to use during hazardous situations like hostage standoffs.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/new-yorks-flood-warning-drones-screamed-at-residents-in-incomprehensible-spanish-194507725.html?src=rss

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Humane’s universally derided AI Pin is not exactly flying off of store shelves, according to internal sales documents published by The Verge. As a matter of fact, returns seem to be currently outpacing new purchases. So many have been returned, that there are only around 7,000 units out in the wild. The company had once hoped to sell 100,000 in the first year, so that ain’t happening.
To date, around 10,000 have been sold and 3,000 have been returned, leaving the aforementioned 7,000 in the hands of consumers. This gadget costs $700, so I’d obviously have returned it after learning it doesn’t actually do anything useful. Wouldn’t you? To that end, over 1,000 pre-orders were canceled once reviews started coming in.
We called it the “solution to none of technology’s problems” and struggled to understand who it was even for. This was before the charging case accessory became a potential fire hazard, which added to the image of the product being the ultimate example of tech hubris. There’s a reason, after all, why noted tech vlogger Marques Brownlee called it “the worst product” he had ever reviewed.

Humane has been, sort of, trying to turn things around, mostly by trying to find a larger company to scoop it up into its portfolio. HP has been considering a purchase, according to The New York Times. Also, the company’s allegedly been in active negotiations with investors, as reported by The Information.
Humane has taken umbrage with The Verge and its reporting, with spokesperson Zoz Cuccias claiming “inaccuracies” regarding the financial data but didn’t go into specifics. Instead, she said “we have nothing else to provide as we do not comment on financial data, and will refer it to our legal counsel.”
The Verge reports that the company has no refurbishment operation in place, which is another lost opportunity for revenue. The problem allegedly boils down to a limitation with carrier partner T-Mobile that doesn’t allow Humane to reassign one of these pins to a secondary user. The returned pins could be destined for the scrap heap, but Humane is reportedly holding onto the returns for now, in the hopes it solves the problem with T-Mobile.
The company has been releasing software updates to address user feedback, so who knows. Maybe the ship can right itself. There’s still the question of spending $700 for a secondary device that underperforms when compared to a smartphone. The same question applies to a $200 device. We’re looking at you Rabbit.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/people-are-returning-humane-ai-pins-faster-than-the-company-can-sell-them-191523105.html?src=rss

Humane’s universally derided AI Pin is not exactly flying off of store shelves, according to internal sales documents published by The Verge. As a matter of fact, returns seem to be currently outpacing new purchases. So many have been returned, that there are only around 7,000 units out in the wild. The company had once hoped to sell 100,000 in the first year, so that ain’t happening.

To date, around 10,000 have been sold and 3,000 have been returned, leaving the aforementioned 7,000 in the hands of consumers. This gadget costs $700, so I’d obviously have returned it after learning it doesn’t actually do anything useful. Wouldn’t you? To that end, over 1,000 pre-orders were canceled once reviews started coming in.

We called it the “solution to none of technology’s problems” and struggled to understand who it was even for. This was before the charging case accessory became a potential fire hazard, which added to the image of the product being the ultimate example of tech hubris. There’s a reason, after all, why noted tech vlogger Marques Brownlee called it “the worst product” he had ever reviewed.

Humane has been, sort of, trying to turn things around, mostly by trying to find a larger company to scoop it up into its portfolio. HP has been considering a purchase, according to The New York Times. Also, the company’s allegedly been in active negotiations with investors, as reported by The Information.

Humane has taken umbrage with The Verge and its reporting, with spokesperson Zoz Cuccias claiming “inaccuracies” regarding the financial data but didn’t go into specifics. Instead, she said “we have nothing else to provide as we do not comment on financial data, and will refer it to our legal counsel.”

The Verge reports that the company has no refurbishment operation in place, which is another lost opportunity for revenue. The problem allegedly boils down to a limitation with carrier partner T-Mobile that doesn’t allow Humane to reassign one of these pins to a secondary user. The returned pins could be destined for the scrap heap, but Humane is reportedly holding onto the returns for now, in the hopes it solves the problem with T-Mobile.

The company has been releasing software updates to address user feedback, so who knows. Maybe the ship can right itself. There’s still the question of spending $700 for a secondary device that underperforms when compared to a smartphone. The same question applies to a $200 device. We’re looking at you Rabbit.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/people-are-returning-humane-ai-pins-faster-than-the-company-can-sell-them-191523105.html?src=rss

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An innovative scanner created by an NYU computer scientist is allowing scientists to digitize previously isolated fossils in remote South American regions. Claudio Silva’s PaleoScan provides a portable and affordable way to preserve and share collections of ancient impressions that may have otherwise been lost or smuggled.
Brazil’s Araripe Basin is lush with ancient fossils, some in unusually pristine condition. After a visit to the nearby Plácido Cidade Nuvens Museum of Paleontology (MPPCN), where many of them are stored, Silva saw “a labyrinth of floor-to-ceiling metal shelving units” that was “stacked high with piles of the most beautiful fossils he’d ever seen” from the Cretaceous period, as described by Smithsonian Magazine. The problem was the collection of insects, fish, turtles and pterosaurs from a distant past hadn’t been digitized. And, given the region’s limited funding, staffing and remote location (getting there requires a flight on a four-seater puddle-jumper of a plane), there wasn’t much hope for remedying that.
Another problem the museum (and others like it) faced was illegal fossil trafficking. The Araripe Basin is a prime target for the ruthless exploitation of historical resources by smugglers and wealthier nations. Digitizing the fossils could help thwart that practice — both by providing virtual scans, which help offset the risk-benefit ratio for smugglers, and by creating a global dataset paleontologists could use to trace stolen artifacts to their source.
“Empowering resource-poor museums and institutions to scan their own fossils and provide virtual versions of those fossils to the rest of the world, I think, would really help the scientific community, but also the institutions themselves,” paleontologist Akinobu Watanabe with the New York Institute of Technology told Smithsonian Magazine.
Claudio Silva / PaleoScan
Silva, an expert in graphics visualization and geometry processing, saw an opportunity. He departed the MPPCN, promising to return in two years to help digitize their collection. Given the breadth of that task, it wouldn’t have been surprising to hear some snickers or sarcastic jokes from staff after he took off on his flight back to the US.
The solution Silva created is PaleoScan, a low-cost, high-throughput scanner that he packed into “large wooden boxes” on his journey back to MPPCN in the summer of 2023. Designed to fill in the gaps between hard-to-reach fossil collections and the global community of paleontologists, the device produces high-quality 3D fossil reconstructions through cheap and relatively portable scanning.
Adaptable for different fossil sizes, PaleoScan uses a downward-facing camera on an automatic gantry. Its calibration board allows for batch scanning with simple correction for scale and offset camera positioning. The device costs less than commercial 3D fossil scanners, is more easily transportable than CT (computed tomography) scanners and is much easier to operate, even for the less technically inclined.
PaleoScan’s camera is mounted to a frame moving on two axes. It takes “thousands of individual raw photos of a fossil under controlled light conditions,” as described by Smithsonian Magazine. Meanwhile, the person operating it only needs to navigate a touchscreen (which, in videos, appears to be a repurposed mobile device).
Claudio Silva / PaleoScan
Once scanned, the photo batch is uploaded to the cloud for processing, where software stitches them together into highly detailed 3D models. The processed data can then be saved in a metadatabase and made available via an API for paleontologists around the world to study and share. (Think something like a GitHub for fossil enthusiasts.)
The researchers say the resulting reconstructions are validated as highly accurate. Museum workers can receive tutorial videos with step-by-step instructions for operating the scanner.
Over 200 unique fossils, using over a terabyte of high-quality data, have already been digitized at the MPPCN, and the response from the paleontology community has been receptive and enthusiastic. Researchers unrelated to the project were impressed with the scanner and hoped to get their hands on versions for other remote regions in Mexico and Chile. Some have requested an upgraded model with true 3D capabilities rather than the current two-axis version ideal for the Araripe Basin’s mostly flat fossils, something Silva says is already in the works.
For more on PaleoScan’s innovation and future, you can check out the research paper and Smithsonian Magazine’s in-depth write-up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/paleoscan-is-a-cheap-imaging-device-democratizing-fossil-research-190034334.html?src=rss

An innovative scanner created by an NYU computer scientist is allowing scientists to digitize previously isolated fossils in remote South American regions. Claudio Silva’s PaleoScan provides a portable and affordable way to preserve and share collections of ancient impressions that may have otherwise been lost or smuggled.

Brazil’s Araripe Basin is lush with ancient fossils, some in unusually pristine condition. After a visit to the nearby Plácido Cidade Nuvens Museum of Paleontology (MPPCN), where many of them are stored, Silva saw “a labyrinth of floor-to-ceiling metal shelving units” that was “stacked high with piles of the most beautiful fossils he’d ever seen” from the Cretaceous period, as described by Smithsonian Magazine. The problem was the collection of insects, fish, turtles and pterosaurs from a distant past hadn’t been digitized. And, given the region’s limited funding, staffing and remote location (getting there requires a flight on a four-seater puddle-jumper of a plane), there wasn’t much hope for remedying that.

Another problem the museum (and others like it) faced was illegal fossil trafficking. The Araripe Basin is a prime target for the ruthless exploitation of historical resources by smugglers and wealthier nations. Digitizing the fossils could help thwart that practice — both by providing virtual scans, which help offset the risk-benefit ratio for smugglers, and by creating a global dataset paleontologists could use to trace stolen artifacts to their source.

“Empowering resource-poor museums and institutions to scan their own fossils and provide virtual versions of those fossils to the rest of the world, I think, would really help the scientific community, but also the institutions themselves,” paleontologist Akinobu Watanabe with the New York Institute of Technology told Smithsonian Magazine.

Silva, an expert in graphics visualization and geometry processing, saw an opportunity. He departed the MPPCN, promising to return in two years to help digitize their collection. Given the breadth of that task, it wouldn’t have been surprising to hear some snickers or sarcastic jokes from staff after he took off on his flight back to the US.

The solution Silva created is PaleoScan, a low-cost, high-throughput scanner that he packed into “large wooden boxes” on his journey back to MPPCN in the summer of 2023. Designed to fill in the gaps between hard-to-reach fossil collections and the global community of paleontologists, the device produces high-quality 3D fossil reconstructions through cheap and relatively portable scanning.

Adaptable for different fossil sizes, PaleoScan uses a downward-facing camera on an automatic gantry. Its calibration board allows for batch scanning with simple correction for scale and offset camera positioning. The device costs less than commercial 3D fossil scanners, is more easily transportable than CT (computed tomography) scanners and is much easier to operate, even for the less technically inclined.

PaleoScan’s camera is mounted to a frame moving on two axes. It takes “thousands of individual raw photos of a fossil under controlled light conditions,” as described by Smithsonian Magazine. Meanwhile, the person operating it only needs to navigate a touchscreen (which, in videos, appears to be a repurposed mobile device).

Once scanned, the photo batch is uploaded to the cloud for processing, where software stitches them together into highly detailed 3D models. The processed data can then be saved in a metadatabase and made available via an API for paleontologists around the world to study and share. (Think something like a GitHub for fossil enthusiasts.)

The researchers say the resulting reconstructions are validated as highly accurate. Museum workers can receive tutorial videos with step-by-step instructions for operating the scanner.

Over 200 unique fossils, using over a terabyte of high-quality data, have already been digitized at the MPPCN, and the response from the paleontology community has been receptive and enthusiastic. Researchers unrelated to the project were impressed with the scanner and hoped to get their hands on versions for other remote regions in Mexico and Chile. Some have requested an upgraded model with true 3D capabilities rather than the current two-axis version ideal for the Araripe Basin’s mostly flat fossils, something Silva says is already in the works.

For more on PaleoScan’s innovation and future, you can check out the research paper and Smithsonian Magazine’s in-depth write-up.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/paleoscan-is-a-cheap-imaging-device-democratizing-fossil-research-190034334.html?src=rss

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A few months back, Disney promised to further crack down on password sharing, or the practice of multiple households using the same account for a streaming service. That’s set to come into effect in the very near future for many more Disney+ users, meaning that account sharers will have to pay extra or have separate subscriptions to keep using the service. Disney started targeting account sharing in Canada late last year and in June in select other countries. It’s about to expand those efforts in the coming weeks.
Referring to the streaming division, “we need to basically make it a higher return, a higher margin business and a more successful business,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said on an earnings call with investors on Tuesday. “And we’re doing that right now. We started our password sharing initiative in June. That kicks in, in earnest in September. By the way, we’ve had no backlash at all to the notifications that have gone out and to the work that we’ve already been doing.”
It’s unclear how much Disney will charge US customers to share their account with someone located outside of the primary household. Netflix charges an extra $8 per month per additional household, and that strategy has paid off.
It’s also worth noting that the expanded password-sharing crackdown is scheduled just before Disney increases its streaming prices yet again. Most Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ plans are going up by $1 or $2 per month in October. The ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle is going up from $10 to $11 per month as well.
Iger added that along with bolstering the programming slate, Disney+ needs “stronger recommendation engines” — something that’s being worked on — and more efficient marketing to keep viewers engaged and paying for the service every month or year. To help with that, the company will soon start rolling out what it’s calling “continuous playlists.” These are effectively cable-style channels that will stream around the clock. The first batch includes ABC News Live and a playlist of TV shows and shorts for pre-schoolers.
Meanwhile, Disney revealed that its streaming business is now profitable. Disney+ alone reached profitability for the first time in the January-March period, while the entire direct-to-consumer (DTC) business was $47 million in the black last quarter. That’s a stark turnaround from the $512 million loss Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ collectively posted a year earlier. Disney said the business became profitable one quarter earlier than expected.
The company is also planning to roll out a fully standalone ESPN streaming service next year. Venu, a joint sports streaming venture from ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, is slated to go live this fall, but that service is facing an antitrust backlash from rivals and lawmakers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-disney-password-sharing-crackdown-starts-in-earnest-in-september-184122554.html?src=rss

A few months back, Disney promised to further crack down on password sharing, or the practice of multiple households using the same account for a streaming service. That’s set to come into effect in the very near future for many more Disney+ users, meaning that account sharers will have to pay extra or have separate subscriptions to keep using the service. Disney started targeting account sharing in Canada late last year and in June in select other countries. It’s about to expand those efforts in the coming weeks.

Referring to the streaming division, “we need to basically make it a higher return, a higher margin business and a more successful business,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said on an earnings call with investors on Tuesday. “And we’re doing that right now. We started our password sharing initiative in June. That kicks in, in earnest in September. By the way, we’ve had no backlash at all to the notifications that have gone out and to the work that we’ve already been doing.”

It’s unclear how much Disney will charge US customers to share their account with someone located outside of the primary household. Netflix charges an extra $8 per month per additional household, and that strategy has paid off.

It’s also worth noting that the expanded password-sharing crackdown is scheduled just before Disney increases its streaming prices yet again. Most Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ plans are going up by $1 or $2 per month in October. The ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle is going up from $10 to $11 per month as well.

Iger added that along with bolstering the programming slate, Disney+ needs “stronger recommendation engines” — something that’s being worked on — and more efficient marketing to keep viewers engaged and paying for the service every month or year. To help with that, the company will soon start rolling out what it’s calling “continuous playlists.” These are effectively cable-style channels that will stream around the clock. The first batch includes ABC News Live and a playlist of TV shows and shorts for pre-schoolers.

Meanwhile, Disney revealed that its streaming business is now profitable. Disney+ alone reached profitability for the first time in the January-March period, while the entire direct-to-consumer (DTC) business was $47 million in the black last quarter. That’s a stark turnaround from the $512 million loss Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ collectively posted a year earlier. Disney said the business became profitable one quarter earlier than expected.

The company is also planning to roll out a fully standalone ESPN streaming service next year. Venu, a joint sports streaming venture from ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, is slated to go live this fall, but that service is facing an antitrust backlash from rivals and lawmakers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-disney-password-sharing-crackdown-starts-in-earnest-in-september-184122554.html?src=rss

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