theverge
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October 7
- Starlink's Direct-to-Cell Satellite Service Approved for Areas Hit by Hurricane Helene➀ The FCC has granted temporary approval for Starlink's direct-to-cell service in areas affected by Hurricane Helene; ➁ The service includes testing text messaging capabilities via satellite for T-Mobile customers in North Carolina; ➂ The approval comes as the region continues to recover from significant outages caused by the hurricane.
October 4
- College Students Experiment with Meta's Smart Glasses for Real-Time Doxing➀ Harvard students have created a demo using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and facial recognition technology to dox people in real time, revealing their identities, phone numbers, and addresses; ➁ The technology, called I-XRAY, uses live streaming and AI to identify faces and search public databases; ➂ The students emphasize the potential for misuse and the importance of raising awareness about the current capabilities of technology; ➃ Privacy concerns are highlighted, with the use of smart glasses being compared to Google Glass and the challenges of public surveillance; ➄ Meta's privacy policy and the use of a privacy light on the glasses are mentioned, but their effectiveness is questioned.
September 30
- Raspberry Pi and Sony Unveil AI-Powered Camera Module➀ Raspberry Pi and Sony have co-developed an AI Camera module priced at $70; ➁ The camera is compatible with all Raspberry Pi single-board computers and features Sony's IMX500 image sensor; ➂ It eliminates the need for additional accelerators or a GPU, handling AI processing internally; ➃ The camera captures footage at 12.3 megapixels and offers adjustable focus and a 76-degree field of view.
August 27
- Significant Performance Boost for Ryzen CPUs with Windows 11 Update 24H2➀ The upcoming Windows 11 24H2 update promises a 10% performance improvement for older Ryzen CPUs like the Ryzen 7 7700X in gaming scenarios. ➁ Newer Ryzen 9000 series CPUs, such as the Ryzen 7 9700X, also see an average performance boost of 11% with the update. ➂ Microsoft plans to release the 24H2 update in late September, with early access available through the Windows Insider program.
August 20
- Tesla Hires People to Train Optimus Bot via Motion Capture➀ Tesla is hiring Data Collection Operators to train its humanoid Optimus robot using motion capture technology. ➁ The job requires walking for extended periods, carrying weights, and wearing a VR headset, with height restrictions to match Optimus's projected height. ➂ The training process may require millions of hours of data, potentially costing half a billion dollars, with no guarantee of success.
August 19
- Star Wars Outlaws Gets a New Trailer and PC Hardware Requirements➀ Ubisoft has released the PC hardware requirements for Star Wars Outlaws, detailing minimum, recommended, enthusiast, and ultra specifications. ➁ The game supports DLSS and FSR technologies to enhance performance. ➂ A new gameplay trailer showcases the visual differences with these technologies enabled and disabled.
August 18
- Use Meta Quest as a Screen for HDMI Devices➀ Meta has released a new app for the Quest 3, 2, and Pro, allowing users to use the headsets as screens for various devices with video out capabilities. ➁ The Meta Quest HDMI Link app requires a UVC and UAC compatible 1080p capture card, which can be found for less than $20. ➂ The app supports resolutions up to 1080p at 60fps and offers a near-zero latency experience. ➃ Future versions of the Quest headset may natively support DisplayPort over USB-C, but the current dongle approach provides an easy solution for existing hardware.
- New SSD Expands iPhone's Storage Without Monopolizing Its USB-C Port➀ Lexar's new Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub adds up to 2TB of extra storage and supports 60fps ProRes video capture on iPhone 15 Pro models. ➁ The SSD offers 1,050MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write speeds and can be connected directly or via an angled adapter. ➂ The included USB-C hub provides additional ports for accessories, enhancing mobile filmmaking capabilities. ➃ The product is available through Kickstarter with promotional pricing, and full retail pricing will be announced later.