New DML30xx Series Smart Load Switches for Enhanced Power Management

New DML30xx Series Smart Load Switches for Enhanced Power Management

Diodes Incorporated has introduced four new additions to its popular DML30xx series smart load switches: DML3008LFDS, DML3010ALFDS, DML3011ALFDS, and DML3012LDC. These devices offer control over high-current (ranging from 10.5A to 15A) power domain switching for voltage rails spanning from 0.5V to 20V.

Staff Wed, 05/29/2024 - 16:35
Circuit Digest 29 May 12:05

Robot uses Microspine Technology to Climb Challenging Terrains

Robot uses Microspine Technology to Climb Challenging Terrains

Researchers have developed an innovative climbing robot capable of accessing steep and challenging terrains that traditional rovers cannot navigate. This robot is equipped with fully passive grippers featuring advanced microspine technology and a complex force control system, enabling it to climb rock cliffs and uneven surfaces.

Staff Wed, 05/29/2024 - 16:20
Circuit Digest 29 May 11:50

China Unleashes $47.5bn Chip Investment Funds to Prop up Domestic Companies

China Unleashes $47.5bn Chip Investment Funds to Prop up Domestic Companies

According to the Chinese government, the country has undertaken this effort to become self-reliant in the chip industry as the US is constantly trying to restrict its technology growth.

Staff Wed, 05/29/2024 - 14:59
Circuit Digest 29 May 10:29

The Internet Archive has been fending off DDoS attacks for days

If you couldn't access the Internet Archive and its Wayback Machine over the past few days, that's because the website has been under attack. In fact, the nonprofit organization has announced that it's currently in its "third day of warding off an intermittent DDoS cyber-attack" in a blog post. Over the Memorial Day weekend, the organization posted on Twitter/X that most of its services aren't available due to bad actors pummeling its website with "tens of thousands of fake information requests per second." On Tuesday morning, it warned that it's "continuing to experience service disruptions" because the attackers haven't stopped targeting it. 

The website's data doesn't seem to be affected, though, and you could still look up previous pages' content whenever you could access it. "Thankfully the collections are safe, but we are sorry that the denial-of-service attack has knocked us offline intermittently during these last three days," Brewster Kahle, the founder of the the Internet Archive, said in a statement. "With the support from others and the hard work of staff we are hardening our defenses to provide more reliable access to our library. What is new is this attack has been sustained, impactful, targeted, adaptive, and importantly, mean."

The Internet Archive has yet to identify the source of the attacks, but it did talk about how libraries and similar institutions are being targeted more frequently these days. One of the institutions it mentioned was the British Library whose online information system was held hostage for ransom by a hacker group last year. It also talked about how it's being sued by the US book publishing and US recording industries, which accuse it of copyright infringement

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-internet-archive-has-been-fending-off-ddos-attacks-for-days-035950028.html?src=rss

OpenAI's board allegedly learned about ChatGPT launch on Twitter

Helen Toner, one of OpenAI’s former board members who was responsible for firing CEO Sam Altman last year, revealed that the company’s board didn’t know about the launch of ChatGPT until it was released in November 2022. “[The] board was not informed in advance of that,” Toner said on Tuesday on a podcast called The Ted AI Show. “We learned about ChatGPT on Twitter.”

Toner’s comments came just two days after criticized the way OpenAI was governed in an Economist piece published on Sunday that she co-wrote with Tasha McCauley, another former OpenAI board member. This is the first time that Toner has spoken openly about the circumstances that led to Altman’s dramatic ouster from the company he co-founded in 2015, and his quick reinstatement following protests from employees.

In the podcast, Toner, who is current a director of strategy at the Centre for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown, said that Altman had made it hard for OpenAI’s board to do its job by withholding information, misrepresenting things, and, “in some cases outright lying to the board.” She added that Altman also hid the company’s ownership structure from the board. “Sam didn’t inform the board that he owned the OpenAI startup fund, even though he constantly was claiming to be an independent board member with no financial interest in the company,” Toner said. Altman’s actions “really damaged our ability to trust him,” she said, and by October 2023, the board was “already talking pretty seriously about whether we needed to fire him.”

She criticized Altman’s leadership on safety concerns around AI, saying that he often gave the board inaccurate information on the company’s safety processes, “meaning that it was basically impossible for the board to know how well those safety processes were working or what might need to change.”

When asked for comment, an OpenAI spokesperson referred Engadget to the statement the company provided to The TED AI Show. “We are disappointed that Ms. Toner continues to revisit these issues,” Bret Taylor, OpenAI’s current board chief and co-CEO of Salesforce told the podcast. An independent review of Altman’s firing, he added, “concluded that the prior board’s decision was not based on concerns regarding product safety or security, the pace of development, OpenAI’s finances, or its statements to investors, customers, or business partners.”

The exact reasons for Altman’s abrupt ouster last year were still unclear and have been a source of intense speculation in Silicon Valley. In March, Altman was reinstated to the board by a group of temporary board members which included Taylor, economist Larry Summers, OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, Instacart CEO and former Meta executive Fiji Simo, former Sony executive Nicole Seligman, and former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann. In an independent investigation, law firm WilmerHale found that Toner’s decision to fire Altman along with the rest of OpenAI’s previous Board “was a consequence of a breakdown in the relationship and loss of trust between the prior Board and Mr. Altman.” WilmerHale also found that OpenAI’s previous board had fired Altman “abruptly” and without giving him a chance to respond to its concerns.

Toner’s revelations are the latest controversy that OpenAI, company that sparked off the modern AI revolution, has been involved in. Over the last few days, multiple safety researchers left the company, publicly criticizing its leadership on their way out. OpenAI also backtracked on non-disparagement agreements it had required departing employees to sign after a Vox investigation, and forced to explain itself after actor Scarlet Johansson accused the company of copying her voice for ChatGPT despite denying permission.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openais-board-allegedly-learned-about-chatgpt-launch-on-twitter-235643014.html?src=rss

VR classics Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator come to Apple Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro was marketed primarily as a productivity machine, but as any active VR user can tell you, it’s the games that sell these devices. Apple’s headset offers access to hundreds of games, but mostly as quick and dirty iPad ports that show up as a virtual screen in your field of vision. This, however, is starting to change.

Developer Owlchemy Labs just announced that two of its marquee titles, Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator, are now available for the Apple Vision Pro. These aren’t iPad ports. Both games are fully immersive VR experiences that have been optimized for Apple’s headset. This means that controls have been mapped to hand-and-eye tracking. The AVP’s lack of a dedicated controller would absolutely hamper some pre-existing VR games, but these two should work perfectly.

For the uninitiated, Job Simulator was one of the first “must have” titles in the VR space. It’s a hilarious riff on corporate culture that tasks players with designing a cubicle, making coffee and participating in all kinds of shenanigans. Vacation Simulator extends the tomfoolery to leisure, with a colorful beachside location, the ability to take picturesque hikes and, well, knitting. Players can also relax in a fake hot tub, splash in a fake sea and even get in some fake yoga.

Job Simulator costs $20 and Vacation Simulator costs $30, which are the same prices as rival platforms like the Meta Quest Store and Steam. It’s good to know there isn’t an Apple Vision Pro tax, beyond the initial $3,500.

Interestingly, developer Owlchemy Labs is actually owned by Google, which doesn’t really have a horse in the VR race. As for the Apple Vision Pro, the games and unique experiences are starting to appear. There’s an interactive story based on Marvel’s What If…? that releases on May 30 and the tabletop RPG Demeo hit the platform earlier this week. The sales numbers for the headset haven’t exactly been rosy, so we’ll see if that discourages companies from developing software for the platform.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vr-classics-job-simulator-and-vacation-simulator-come-to-apple-vision-pro-190545280.html?src=rss

The TikTok ban law will be argued in court this September

TikTok will face off with the Justice Department this fall in its bid to stop a law that could lead to a ban of the app in the United States. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia set a September date for oral arguments in two cases challenging a law that requires ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban.

TikTok filed a lawsuit claiming that the law was unconstitutional earlier this month. The company has said that divesting from ByteDance is “simply not possible” and that it had already negotiated with the US government to address national security concerns. Separately, a group of TikTok creators are also challenging the law. They claim that the law violates their First Amendment rights because they would lose their ability to communicate on the platform. TikTok is reportedly paying the creators’ legal fees in the case.

In September, the appeals court will hear challenges in both cases, which have been consolidated. As Reuters notes, the September date lines up with TikTok’s desire for a “fast-track” schedule in the case, which could eventually end up before the Supreme Court.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-tiktok-ban-law-will-be-argued-in-court-this-september-185025724.html?src=rss

Ooni's larger, dual-zone Koda 2 Max pizza oven is now available for pre-order

In April, Ooni revealed its largest pizza oven yet, but the company was clear that you wouldn't be able to order one until May. Well, the time has come. Starting today, you can pre-order the Koda 2 Max pizza oven for $999. The outdoor beast is scheduled to start shipping in July, which means you'll still have to wait a few weeks to take advantage of this unit's upgrades. In addition to a larger cooking area, the new features include dual-zone temperature controls, improved heat distribution, a new digital display and Bluetooth connectivity to your phone. 

None of these items are a surprise as they were part of the initial reveal, but Ooni's full spec sheet for the Koda 2 Max does offer more info on how the Bluetooth feature will work. The company explains that the Digital Temperature Hub takes readings from "various spots" inside the oven and shows them on both the color display and the Ooni app. There are also two meat probes, similar to what you'd see on the best smart grills, that allow you to monitor internal temps during the cooking process. Via Ooni Connect, which is the name the company is using for the wireless setup and the app, you can see an average ambient temperature, individual zone temps and the status of the two food probes on your phone. What's more, the app can send you alerts along the way, just in case you venture away from the onboard display.

Aside from the new smart connectivity, the main appeal of the Koda 2 Max is its size. The 24-inch cooking area is enough for larger, 20-inch pizzas. Of course, you can also bake two smaller ones at the same time to increase your efficiency during a pizza party. And thanks to the dual-zone temperature controls, you can roast meats and veggies side-by-side at different temps to help complete your meal in a timely fashion. This is an Ooni oven after all, which means it can hit temperatures of 950 degrees Fahrenheit and cook certain pizza styles in as little as 60 seconds. As always, there's no final judgement on this making the list of best pizza ovens until several pies are stretched, baked and consumed, which will hopefully happen before the Koda 2 Max starts shipping to backyard pizzaiolos this summer. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oonis-larger-dual-zone-koda-2-max-pizza-oven-is-now-available-for-pre-order-183424519.html?src=rss

Apple's M3-powered MacBook Air laptops are up to $150 off right now

The M3-powered MacBook Air laptops have only been out a few weeks and there’s already a fairly substantial discount. Amazon is selling both versions of the laptop for up to $150 off. This brings the price of the 15-inch model down to $1,150, thanks to a discount of $100 and a clippable coupon worth $50. If that’s too much screen real estate for you, the 13-inch model is $100 off and currently an even $1,000.

The M3 MacBook Air isn’t a huge change from its predecessor, but the additional horsepower makes it the best Apple laptop for most people. We loved the sturdy form factor, ultra-fast performance and the excellent speakers. The trackpad and keyboard are also top-tier.

In our review, we mentioned the excellent display and the lightweight design. We actually called the M3 MacBook Air “impossibly thin for a notebook” and praised its unibody aluminum case. There are some tradeoffs when compared to the M3 MacBook Pro, including no option for a Pro version of the chip, but the line between the two models is getting blurrier and blurrier. The Air will get the job done, even when making music or editing videos. The Pro line will do this stuff faster, but Apple’s ultraportable laptop is not just for browsing the web anymore.

There are some minor nitpicks worth going over. First of all, there’s no USB-C port on the right side, which could make it difficult to integrate the computer into a pre-existing home office setup. The display’s also limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which could be an issue with some AAA games.

It’s worth noting that both of these deals are for the standard version of each laptop with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage. However, you can up both the RAM and storage and still get a discount. The 16GB/512GB 15-inch model costs $1,500 as part of this sale, a discount of $200, and the specced out 13-inch version costs $1,350, which is a savings of $150.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m3-powered-macbook-air-laptops-are-up-to-150-off-right-now-172834917.html?src=rss

Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote is scheduled for June 10 at 1PM ET

Apple has just announced that its WWDC 2024 keynote is scheduled for 10AM PT/1PM ET on June 10 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The remaining festivities for the 35th edition of WWDC will run through to June 14, online and free for developers to attend.

What should we expect at this year’s keynote? WWDC is typically a software-centric event, so we might hear some details on the work Apple has been doing around AI over the last year or so. Other reports indicate that Apple will show off a suite of upcoming updates, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, tvOS 18, macOS 15 and watchOS 11, according to MacRumors. It’s also likely the company will reveal the next operating system for the recently-released Apple Vision Pro headset, visionOS 2.

It’s even possible we’ll get some new hardware announcements. Though typically software-adjacent, last year’s WWDC was chock full of product announcements, from the aforementioned Vision Pro to the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air. The Mac Mini has been missing from recent product refreshes, so maybe the company will announce an M3-based update.

Mark your calendars for #WWDC24, June 10-14. It’s going to be Absolutely Incredible! pic.twitter.com/YIln5972ZD

— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) March 26, 2024

As for the new software, there have been plenty of rumors regarding iOS 18. It has been reported that Apple might integrate Google’s Gemini AI with Siri and various iPhone apps. Check the suspicious capitalization of "Absolutely Incredible" in the above post from Apple's VP of worldwide marketing Brad Joswiak for a winking acknowledgement of the move. It’s also been suggested that the smartphone software will allow users to place apps anywhere on the home screen grid and will offer RCS support in the Messages app, along with the usual array of design changes.

The keynote event will be available on the Apple Developer app, the Apple website and YouTube. The company is also inviting 50 winners of its annual Swift Student Challenge to attend WWDC in person.

Update, May 28, 1:15PM: This story was updated after its original March 26 publishing to include the time of Apple's WWDC 2024 keynote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-wwdc-2024-keynote-is-scheduled-for-june-10-at-1pm-et-180558382.html?src=rss