ArduinoMania

X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, is now letting users download videos from its website, as long as a couple of criteria are met. First, the creator must explicitly allow downloads for the content they post. Also, the ability to save videos from the website is exclusively available to verified (aka paying) users. Elon Musk has announced the new feature on his account and explained that a Blue subscriber can download content by tapping the ellipsis (...) menu on the upper right corner of the screen when a video is in full screen mode. Musk also said that X will soon make it easy to download videos on mobile simply by tapping and holding the content on the screen. 

Previously, people have had to use to third-party websites and apps to be able to save videos. Of course, non-paying users still have to use those tools if they want to download content from X. That doesn't come as a surprise, seeing as the company has been releasing new features specifically for paying members while making the website less usable for the rest of its userbase. It announced in July that it will limit the number of DMs non-paying users can send to address its spam issues, and it also previously limited the number of posts non-verified users can see to 600 a day.

Meanwhile, X gave verified users the ability to publish posts with up to 25,000 characters and allowed them to post videos up to three hours in length. More recently, it also gave Blue subscribers the option to hide their blue checkmark in case they don't want to make it obvious that they're paying for the service. For those interested to see how X has evolved since Elon Musk took over Twitter, company CEO Linda Yaccarino has just published the list of changes it has implemented right here.

Meta has teamed up with UFC to bring live mixed martial arts (MMA) in VR to Horizon Worlds, the company announced in a Quest Blog post seen by The Verge. The experience, launching in November, will let UFC Fight Pass subscribers (via Xtadium and YBVR streaming) watch MMA action at 4K resolution and 180-degree VR capture on Horizon Worlds. "Enjoy the action alone or with friends and switch camera angles throughout the fight to get the best view of every matchup," Meta wrote. 

Users will also be able to discuss UFC with other Horizon Worlds users, check out a virtual version of the Octagon and compete in single player and multiplayer in-world games to gain unlockable rewards — all with the goal of becoming a UFC "Hall of Famer." 

The new experience is one of a number of ways Meta is attempting to lure users to Horizon Worlds. Recently, the company added Quests to keep users returning to the site, including mini-games like Giant Paddle Mini Golf,Arena Clash and Bad Roommates. It also recently introduced Rumble World, the first of many next-gen Horizon Worlds games featuring improved graphics and more complex gameplay. 

Meta said it latched onto UFC due to the "engagement and passion of this audience," noting that fans enjoy not just the fights but also sharing the experience with other fans. "We tested this technology successfully with a handful of MMA events last year, and now we’re going further," says MMA chief content officer Craig Borsari. "We’re just scratching the surface of how we can use this technology to create greater fan engagement and grow this sport."

UFC also makes sense on Meta given CEO Mark Zuckerberg's apparent interest in the sport (though his cage match with Elon Musk seems doubtful at the moment). In any case, live sports may be a potent way to attract new users to the reportedly flagging service, so it'll be interesting to see if Meta adds others along with UFC. 

Now might be your chance if you've been in the market for a new gaming computer but haven't found the right one. Alienware has announced the launch of its Aurora R16 desktop, an updated version of its flagship computer. Though the Aurora R16 is being released less than a year after the Aurora R15, it features a different design and features than its predecessor. 

At a quick glance, you'll notice that the line's former triangle shape is gone in favor of the rectangular Legend 3 design Alienware rolled out with its gaming laptops earlier this year. Yet, the Aurora 16 is 40 percent smaller than its predecessor while maintaining the same internal volume and, thus, upgradability. It also debuts the Alienware Command Center for desktops. 

Additional features of Alienware's Aurora R16 desktop include 20 percent lower acoustics, seven percent lower temperatures and up to ten percent lower CPU than the Aurora R15. It also brings larger air intakes and exhausts, with a 54.5 percent larger open ratio. Plus, the Aurora R16 has two M.2 PCIe slots providing up to 8TB of storage and supports Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5 Gbps ethernet. Alienware's Aurora R16 desktop is available now for $1,750. It will offer RTX 4070 or RTX 4070 Ti in the US and Canada, while European and Asian markets will also have RTX 3050 and RTX 4080. 

NASA estimates that its Earth science missions will generate around a quarter million terabytes of data in 2024 alone. In order for climate scientists and the research community efficiently dig through these reams of raw satellite data, IBM, HuggingFace and NASA have collaborated to build an open-source geospatial foundation model that will serve as the basis for a new class of climate and Earth science AIs that can track deforestation, predict crop yields and rack greenhouse gas emissions.

For this project, IBM leveraged its recently-released Watsonx.ai to serve as the foundational model using a year’s worth of NASA’s Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 satellite data (HLS). That data is collected by the ESA’s pair of Sentinel-2 satellites, which are built to acquire high resolution optical imagery over land and coastal regions in 13 spectral bands.

For it’s part, HuggingFace is hosting the model on its open-source AI platform. According to IBM, by fine-tuning the model on “labeled data for flood and burn scar mapping,” the team was able to improve the model's performance 15 percent over the current state of the art using half as much data.

"The essential role of open-source technologies to accelerate critical areas of discovery such as climate change has never been clearer,” Sriram Raghavan, VP of IBM Research AI, said in a press release. “By combining IBM’s foundation model efforts aimed at creating flexible, reusable AI systems with NASA’s repository of Earth-satellite data, and making it available on the leading open-source AI platform, Hugging Face, we can leverage the power of collaboration to implement faster and more impactful solutions that will improve our planet.”

Elon Musk says he plans to ask Tim Cook to adjust the App Store fees X pays on subscriptions as part of a plan to boost creators earnings on the platform that was, until recently, known as Twitter. The remarks are the latest example of Musk calling out the “App Store tax” Apple takes from in-app purchases.

Musk framed the ask as part of a broader effort to help creators get paid more for paying subscribers. “While we had previously said that 𝕏 would keep nothing for the [first] 12 months, then 10%, we are amending that policy to 𝕏 keeps nothing forever, until payout exceeds $100k, then 10%,” he tweeted. “Apple does take 30%, but I will speak with @tim_cook and see if that can be adjusted to be just 30% of what 𝕏 keeps in order to maximize what creators receive.”

It’s unclear if Musk’s request has any chance of success. Cook seems unlikely to make such a concession, as he’s long ducked criticism from numerous other developers about the App Store’s fees and the policies surrounding them. Apple and X didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, it’s not the first time Musk has publicly called out Apple’s App Store policies. He previously complained about Apple’s “secret 30% tax” on in-app purchases, and reportedly delayed the launch of Twitter Blue to avoid the fees. He’s also accused the iPhone maker of threatening “to withhold” Twitter’s from the App Store, though he later said that was a “misunderstanding” after a private meeting with Cook.

Regardless, Musk and X would greatly benefit from a boost in paying subscribers, which seems to be the motivation for Musk again calling attention to the issue. The company’s ad revenue is down more than 50 percent as many advertisers have yet to return to spending at the same level as before he took over Twitter. Generating more subscribers— via creators and Twitter Blue — could help the company become less reliant on ad revenue, though the company would need tens of millions of subscribers, if not more, to make up the deficit.

Microsoft is rolling out Windows Copilot in preview today. Windows 11 Insiders in the Beta Channel can install a preview build that offers the first semi-public availability for the AI-infused sidebar announced at Build 2023. “This first preview focuses on our integrated UI experience, with additional functionality coming down the road in future previews,” the company wrote in a blog post today.

Windows Copilot is a system-level version of the browser-based Copilot the company began previewing in February. Microsoft views the tool — also coming to Microsoft Office and Teams — as representing a monumental shift in how customers interact with Microsoft software. “AI is going to be the single largest driver of innovation for Windows in the years to come,” Panos Panay, Microsoft Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer, told Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar in an interview at Build 2023. “It’s going to change the way you work, change your interaction models to make it easier. It’s going to understand so much about what you need.”

Microsoft says the preview’s “controlled feature rollout” will hold back some of Copilot’s full functionality for future builds. The company also cautions that new Windows Insiders joining the Beta Channel today won’t be able to install this update. It says even some established Windows Insiders may not see the build immediately, but it will “increase the rollout in the coming weeks.” The rollout follows Microsoft’s release of a Copilot Preview in late June for developers running preview builds.

Microsoft

Once you have the correct preview installed (Build 22631.2129 or higher), you can activate Windows Copilot by clicking the corresponding button on the taskbar (a blue ribbon ring with a yellow “PRE” badge) or typing the shortcut Win + C. “Windows Copilot will appear as a side bar docked to the right where it won’t overlap with your desktop content and will run unobstructed alongside your open app windows, allowing you to interact with Windows Copilot anytime you need,” the company wrote.

Microsoft listed some examples of queries Copilot can handle in this early stage. For example, you can ask it to perform basic Windows tasks like “Change to dark mode” or “Turn on do not disturb.” In addition, it can summarize active websites in the Edge browser, compose stories and generate AI art. The company says an ellipses button at the top right of the Copilot sidebar lets you submit feedback.

Keychron is one of the better-known names in the customizable keyboard space, but it hasn't directly targeted gamers — until now, that is. The company has launched a gaming division, Lemokey, whose first product is the crowdfunded L3 keyboard. The full-length peripheral supports a 2.4GHz wireless connection with a responsive 1,000Hz polling rate, but the real attraction is a tough, customizable aluminum body that can reportedly survive the rigors of competitive gaming.

You can choose from three different keycap color schemes, remap any key and create macros for both any key command layer as well as a dedicated macro column. You can easily remove and replace components to tailor them to your liking. The Lemokey L3 can pair with up to three devices over Bluetooth 5.1, but there's also a wired option if low latency is your main priority.

The company currently expects to deliver the Lemokey L3 in October. You need to pledge at least $189 for the barebones kit (no caps or switches), but you'll more realistically want to commit $209 for a fully assembled version. The project has already met its funding goals.

The L3 won't be appealing if you prefer 60 percent keyboards or are otherwise more interested in space saving than a compact footprint. This won't necessarily appeal to top-tier esports players, either, as they may insist on a wired link or use a favorite design. For many other gamers, though, Lemokey's offering might strike a balance between personalization and performance.

A newly published study in the the Lancet Oncology journal has found that the use of AI in mammogram cancer screening can safely cut radiologist workloads nearly in half without risk of increasing false-positive results. In effect, the study found that the AI’s recommendations were on par with those of two radiologists working together.

“AI-supported mammography screening resulted in a similar cancer detection rate compared with standard double reading, with a substantially lower screen-reading workload, indicating that the use of AI in mammography screening is safe,” the study found.

The study was performed by a research team out of Lund University in Sweden and, accordingly, followed 80,033 Swedish women (average age of 54) for just over a year in 2021-2022 . Of the 39,996 patients that were randomly assigned AI-empowered breast cancer screenings, 28 percent or 244 tests returned screen-detected cancers. Of the other 40,024 patients that received conventional cancer screenings, just 25 percent, or 203 tests, returned screen-detected cancers.

Of those extra 41 cancers detected by the AI side, 19 turned out to be invasive. Both the AI-empowered and conventional screenings ran a 1.5 percent false positive rate. Most impressively, radiologists on the the AI side had to look at 36,886 fewer screen readings than their counterparts, a 44 percent reduction in their workload.

“These promising interim safety results should be used to inform new trials and program-based evaluations to address the pronounced radiologist shortage in many countries, but they are not enough on their own to confirm that AI is ready to be implemented in mammography screening," lead author, Dr Kristina Lång, warned in a release. “We still need to understand the implications on patients’ outcomes, especially whether combining radiologists’ expertise with AI can help detect interval cancers that are often missed by traditional screening, as well as the cost-effectiveness of the technology.”

Cancer detection has been an aspirational goal for computer vision researchers and AI companies for years now. I mean, who doesn’t want to be the company to build the tricorder that infallibly spots cancerous growths in their earliest stages? Machine vision systems designed for these screenings have improved steadily in recent years and in specific cases have shown to be as reliable as human clinicians, with the likes of IBM, Google, MIT and NVIDIA investing in similar cancer screening research in recent years.

Most taxpayers will have the option of going entirely paperless starting with the 2024 filing season. The IRS said today that it aims to “achieve paperless processing for all tax returns” by 2025. The agency says the IRS Paperless Processing Initiative will “eliminate up to 200 million pieces of paper annually, cut processing times in half and expedite refunds by several weeks.” The project is funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

The IRS expects the changes will solve the annoyance of transmitting digital documents in some cases but still having to mail paper ones in others. “For decades, taxpayers had to respond to notices for things like document verification through the mail, and IRS employees had to manually enter numbers from paper returns into computers one digit at a time, creating significant delays for taxpayers and challenges for IRS staff,” the US Treasury Department wrote today.

Starting next year (2024 filling season), taxpayers can digitally submit all correspondence — including many non-tax forms. The IRS says at least 20 additional e-File tax forms will be available digitally starting then. It estimates that over 94 percent of individual filers will never have to mail another tax form or document. The initiative will spare taxpayers from sending approximately 125 million paper documents annually.

By the 2025 filling season, “an additional 150 of the most used non-tax forms will be available in digital, mobile-friendly formats.” (The IRS cites research showing that around 15 percent of Americans rely solely on their phones for internet access.) It says all paper-filed tax and information returns — an estimated 76 million paper documents per year — will be processed digitally as soon as it receives them. Similarly, half of paper-submitted correspondence, non-tax forms and notice responses (another 60 million paper docs) will be recorded digitally. Finally, the IRS also plans to digitize up to one billion historical documents, making accessing older filing data easier for customer service agents and taxpayers.

The IRS says its Paperless Processing Initiative will help eliminate errors from manual data entry, speed up processing and let the agency pour more resources into taxpayer support. “Customer service employees do not currently have easy access to the information from paper returns and other correspondence submitted by mail,” the Treasury Department wrote. “Digitization and data extraction will give them access to that information they need to better serve taxpayers.”

The agency also expects digitization will help them to hold billionaires and corporations accountable. “When combined with an improved data platform, digitization and data extraction will enable data scientists to implement advanced analytics and pattern recognition methods to pursue cases that can help address the tax gap, including wealthy individuals and large corporations using complex structures to evade taxes they owe.”

The original Sonos Move stood out as one of the few fully connected portable speakers when it debuted in 2019, but technology has moved on since then — and so, apparently, has Sonos. The Vergeclaims to have leaked details of a Move 2 speaker that promises major upgrades to the outdoor-friendly device. Most notably, it should upgrade from mono to stereo sound. If you thought the first version didn't sound as good as conventional speakers, you may be happier this time.

The new speaker's battery life reportedly leaps from 10 hours on the Move to a full 24 hours of playback You could easily host an all-day party without plugging in. The power pack is said to still be replaceable, and reduced idle power consumption could make it easier to use the speaker over the course of a weekend.

There will reportedly be smaller but still useful upgrades. Like the Roam, the Move 2 will let you share Bluetooth audio across the home. Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi 6 support will also help the speaker keep up with modern devices. You'll need a USB-C adapter (as with the Era 100) for line-in audio, but the same port can also charge your phone during a camping trip. The IP56 dust and water resistance hasn't changed, but that's still good enough to survive the rain or a windy day.

Other touches may include revised controls, a mic cutoff switch and a detachable power adapter on the base station. You can't use Google Assistant for obvious reasons, but Alexa and Sonos' own voice controls would be available.

Sonos is said to be launching the Move 2 at the end of September for $449, or $50 more than its predecessor. That makes it as expensive as the spatial audio-capable Era 300. As before, though, the portability might justify the premium. You're buying a speaker that can be useful in both your living room and the backyard, saving you the trouble of getting two devices as long as you're willing to haul a speaker around.