ArduinoMania

Will this pair of Hollywood strikes ever end? It looks like the big corporations are digging in for a long battle, illustrated by Netflix’s recent job posting for a machine learning platform product manager. The position pays an annual salary of $300,000 to $900,000 at a time when many actors make around $200 a day, according to this SAG-AFTRA contract. The role AI will play in creating future entertainment is a key item of debate for both striking parties.

The job listing indicates that the AI will be used to “create great content” and not just develop new algorithms to recommend shows and movies. The posting also alludes to a far-reaching effort by the streaming giant to integrate artificial intelligence in “all areas of the business.” A separate section on the company’s website goes on to say that Netflix uses AI “to optimize the production of original movies and TV shows.”

That’s not the company’s only AI-heavy job posting promising a giant payday. Netflix is also hiring a technical director for generative AI at its burgeoning gaming studio that pays an annual salary of up to $650,000, as reported by The Intercept. These efforts are already bearing fruit, as Netflix currently airs a Spanish reality dating series called Deep Fake Love that scans contestant’s faces to create AI-generated “deepfakes” and its gaming studio employs generative AI to compose narratives and dialogue.

This all comes after striking actors rejected a proposal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that generously offered workers a one-time $200 day rate for performers to get scanned for future use as AI-enhanced CGI simulacrums forever, until the end of time. SAG-AFTRA says the company would “own that scan, their image, their likeness, and be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation.”

If you’re looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker that puts natural-sounding analog audio at the forefront, then you’ll enjoy the Orange Box. As long as you don’t have too many other requirements, that is. Orange has been making guitar amps since the 1960s and it’s apparently not changing the formula to compete against commonplace plastic Bluetooth speakers with all the mod cons. I’ve personally come to enjoy the bohemian design and bright orange exterior, which is a refreshing change from what you’d usually find. You do have to deal with losing some useful features and it’s less rugged than some other portables, but the audio quality is a standout.

Hardware

The hardware elements and iconography from the company’s long history of amps and speakers have been merged into this portable battery powered version. The orange Tolex (vinyl) exterior, logo badge, speaker mesh, wood framing, dials, toggle switches, indicator lights and other details are a perfect match with the brand’s existing stable of products. The mechanical ‘thunk’ of the on/off toggle is satisfying, while the domed orange power light seems pleasantly retro.

Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

There are manual volume and EQ dials on the top panel. The bass and treble start out flat in the 12-o’clock position, letting you boost or lower those levels as desired. The dial positions are a little hard to read, though, unless you’re standing directly above them since the position dot on the dial is near the bottom. The Bluetooth control has a blue light that flashes when it’s in pairing mode and does double-duty as a pause/play control. You’ll also find an orange overload indicator light, which could become a common sight if you like to play your music loudly, especially with heavy bass.

Aside from that, there’s a 3.5mm minijack on the top and an DC charging port on the back. You can charge the 2,600mAh battery for up to around 15-hours of playback or you can just run it while it’s plugged in. Next to the domed power indicator is a battery level light that’s red as it's charging, green when it’s full and flashes red if the battery is at 10 percent or lower, with nothing in between. Like any speaker, if you’re planning a long outing, you should keep the power cable handy. I tested the speaker at a relatively high volume for an hour, plus 10 hours at medium and two overnight stretches powered off. This got me to the 10-percent warning and seems par for the course in regards to battery life.

Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

If you plan to travel with your speaker, you may want to consider getting the $60 Gigbag carrying case since there’s no IP rating or waterproofing for the device. You’ll just have to trust Orange Amps’ build quality. Although we haven’t seen the bag in person, I expect it should at least help keep the speaker dry and clean when you’re not using it. There’s a shoulder strap option as well, and while the Orange Box is portable, it’s still over 6.5 pounds. You could always save some money though, since it does fit into a backpack easily enough.

Sound

The best part about the Orange Box is its warm and bright output. There’s both digital Class D and A/B analog amps that deliver crisp and punchy front-facing sound from the 4-inch sub and dual 2-inch high frequency drivers. There’s a relatively wide frequency range from 35Hz to 20kHz and aptX support is a huge plus, especially if you have access to hi-res streaming. Most styles of music sound good on the Orange Box, but the speaker really shines with songs that have live instrumentation or anything that can benefit from an analog touch. Some types of modern digital music didn't come across quite as well here, so it's worth testing your types of tunes before buying.

The 50-watt speaker puts out enough volume to work well as a personal boombox in the park or around the house. It’s fairly loud for its size and can handle small outdoor get togethers well if you just need background music. The output has decent bass that does reverberate through its case, especially if you’re near to it. Although when testing on a large windy rooftop area, it didn’t project as much if you’re 15-20 feet away.

I didn’t notice any distortion when pushing it to the max, but that overload light is a subtle hint to always check your levels. You’ll see the light flashing quite often if you enjoy loud music. It’s only when you have the overload light on constantly that you could get distortion and potentially damage the drivers. If that does happen, you do have the benefit of contacting an authorized repair center instead of having to cut your losses.

Features

Some features that many have grown used to using aren’t available on the Orange Box and if you just want something to play tunes, it’s not a big deal. However, there’s no app for the speaker and it doesn’t support multipoint or pairing with a second Orange Box for more sound. It won’t go to sleep even if you’ve disconnected Bluetooth, so the battery may slowly drain if you leave it on all night without charging. And if you’re used to watching the battery levels, it will be a bit of a mystery until you’re at 10 percent power. Plus, since there’s no USB charging, you'll want to keep track of the power cable that came with the device.

On the plus side, there’s obviously the analog amps on board and aptX support sweetens the deal. The Bluetooth 5.0 range is as good or better than some other speakers in this category. Also, if you need a tiny DJ monitor, there’s no processing delay when using the 3.5mm input jack, so you can mix by ear if needed. For eco-conscious consumers, the authorized service centers and replacement parts on offer until 2030 means you can actually repair the speaker if something happens to it. It’s a proper piece of equipment that you should be able to enjoy for a long time.

Photo by Jon Turi / Engadget

Wrap-up

While I wouldn’t quite call it an audiophile speaker, it’s certainly for analog or Orange Amp enthusiasts. I know the design isn’t new since the Orange Amps style has hardly changed since the ‘60s, but for me it feels like a refreshing change of pace. I can imagine lots of people with those turntables in luggage cases hooking up the speaker (although make sure you have good needles people). Sure, it's a bit chunky, you shouldn’t leave it out on the porch in the rain and you’ll need to keep track of the specific charging cable, but that’s doable.

It’s hard to say if the sound or style will appeal to everyone, but it’s great to have another option out there, especially one that’s built and sold by a brand with a legacy. At $299 the Orange Box isn’t terribly expensive and it feels less disposable than many of the products out there. The Orange Box, its $60 Gigbag carrying case and the slightly larger non-portable sibling the Orange Box-L ($345) are all currently available from the Orange Amps website. Oh, and you can also get them in black if that’s your preference. I know Furry Vince Noir would.

Specs

• Style: Orange peel Tolex, acoustically transparent grille

• Drivers: 1 x 4-inch bass driver, 2 x 2-inch high frequency drivers

• Amplifiers: 1 x 30-watt sub, 2 x 10-watt full range

• Frequency Range: 35Hz - 20kHz

• Weight: 3 KG / 6.62 LBS

• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm aux input

• Codecs: aptX, AAC, SBC

• Battery: 2,600mAh, 3 hours to full charge, 15-hour runtime

• Extras: Vegan-leather carry strap, 3.5mm aux cable, 19.5V power supply

A Congressional subcommittee is set to hold a hearing into UFOs, which are also referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). The panel will hear "firsthand accounts" of UAP and "assess the federal government’s transparency and accountability" regarding possible threats to national security. You'll be able to watch the hearing below on July 26th at 10AM ET.

The hearing — conducted by the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border and Foreign Affairs — will also focus on drives for legislation to "bring transparency to UAPs." The subcommittee wants to force the federal government to provide US residents with "information about potential risks to public safety and national security" as well. According to Rep. Tim Burchett, “The Pentagon and Washington bureaucrats have kept this information hidden for decades and we’re finally going to shed some light on it."

The federal government has placed more of an onus on UAPs over the last few years (publicly, at least). In 2021, the Pentagon set up a task force to look into UAP sightings while NASA has established a separate panel to investigate the phenomena. The Department of Defense also created its own UAP investigative body, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), in 2022.

Among the three witnesses who will testify during the hearing is David Grusch. The former intelligence official recently claimed that the US government has been recovering alien spacecraft and the bodies of UAP pilots for decades. Grusch, who until July 2022 was the co-lead for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's UAP analysis, also said there was evidence of "malevolent activity" by UFOs. His claims, for which he has not provided any physical evidence, led to the hearing.

OpenAI was true to its word. As promised, the company has released a ChatGPT app for Android. Like the iOS version, you can talk to the generative AI to get advice, answers and other (hopefully) helpful responses. You can make voice requests using OpenAI's in-house speech recognition, sync your chat history across devices and export data — you'll mainly miss out on plugins.

ChatGPT Plus subscribers can also switch between standard (GPT-3.5) and GPT-4 language models at will. Regardless of the tier you're using, you'll need at least Android 6.0 to use the app.

The app could make ChatGPT more accessible, particularly in countries where Android dominates or PCs are less common. The software has been available for iPhone users since May, and was updated with iPad support afterward.

As with Bing Chat (based on GPT-4), Bard and other conversational AI systems, you won't want to completely rely on the results. The technology is prone to "hallucinations" that can lead to false claims, poor contextual logic and other output that isn't trustworthy. ChatGPT is sometimes more useful as a starting point than definitive answers. 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Doomscrolling through Twitter’s dumpster fire descent into x-crazed madness may be fun, but it likely isn’t the best option for your overall mental state. That’s where meditation-focused apps like Headspace come in. To commemorate these uncertain times, Headspace has lowered the price of its annual subscription plan from $70 to $49, a reduction of 30 percent. This only lasts for the first year, at which point you’ll get upped to the original price (unless you cancel.)

The sale is live right now and is available for new users and previous Headspace devotees, if you took a break and want to get back on the mindfulness horse. There’s no discount when paying monthly, so it’s the full year or bust.

What exactly is Headspace? This all-in-one meditation app offers mindfulness sessions, sleep guides, stress relief tools, workouts and more. There’s video and audio options and plenty of search fields to narrow down the offerings to your exact liking. There’s even dedicated programs for when you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. There’s a reason, after all, why Headspace is so well-reviewed.

On the fitness side, it has yoga, guided jogs, cardio courses and just about anything else. Headspace has been around for 12 years and amassed 70 million users, so they must be doing something right. Now you can try it for yourself and save a few bucks in the process.

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Elon Musk is taking his battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the highest court in the country. Attorney Alex Spiro has confirmed that Musk will ask the Supreme Court to decide whether the SEC went too far with a consent decree determining what Musk can say about Tesla's financials on Twitter (now X). He's challenging a May 15th appeals court decision dismissing allegations the SEC abused the decree to harass him with investigations over Twitter usage.

The new appeal comes a day after a judicial panel denied Musk's request that judges reexamine the case. The entrepreneur previously claimed he was pushed into the decree, and had to give up his right to contest the constitutionality of the SEC's terms if he wanted to pursue the eventual settlement. The truce saw a total of $40 million in fines between Musk and Tesla, and required that Musk both step down as board chairman and seek legal approval when posting about company financials.

Musk drew the SEC's attention in August 2018, when he tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private and had "funding secured" with "investor support." The deal never went through, and shareholders pinned ensuing losses on Musk's posts. The Commission sued Musk over the tweets, arguing that they could be considered fraud.

During a shareholder trial, Musk contended that people didn't necessarily believe or respond to his tweets the way you'd expect. He pointed to one example where Tesla's stock price surged despite a tweet saying the value was too high. At the same time, he acknowledged that he has ignored requests to stop tweeting over delicate subjects, such as when he accused a Thai cave rescue diver of being a "pedo guy."

There's no certainty the Supreme Court will take the case or overturn the outcome. Either way, the court's response should have a significant impact on Musk's social media posting, either forcing him to honor the SEC's decisions or giving him more flexibility in what he says online.

Threads is about to get vastly more useful as Meta has started rolling out the option to see a chronological feed of posts from the people you follow. Many observers said this was a key feature Threads needed to truly compete with Twitter, long a vital source of real-time information. But as Twitter (sorry, X) owner Elon Musk continues to reduce his app to rubble, Threads is looking like a more viable destination for up-to-the-minute news and updates. You'll need to update to the latest version of Threads to see the chronological feed, but since this is a gradual rollout, it might not appear for you immediately.

Mark Zuckerberg announced the rollout of the chronological feed on his Instagram broadcast channel (Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said a while back that such an option was on the way). The Meta CEO added that Threads has gained another vitally important feature in the form of translations. Zuckerberg said there was more to come, hopefully including the ability to post to Threads from the web, direct messages, improved accessibility, better search and a TweetDeck-like way to keep tabs on Threads posts.

General Motors isn’t quite done with the Chevrolet Bolt. Back in April, it emerged the company will end production of the popular, wallet-friendly EV and EUV this year, largely because it relies on old battery cell tech and the factory where it’s made is being refitted. However, there’s some positive news for fans of the EV as GM has confirmed a new version of the Bolt is on the way.

The company hasn’t revealed many details about the new Bolt — you’ll need to wait until later this year for that. Unsurprisingly, though, the next-gen model will use GM’s Ultium battery system as well as its Ultifi software platform. The company says that, by harnessing these technologies, it will be able to bring the Bolt back to market “on an accelerated timeline,” but didn’t give an indication of when that might be.

GM made the Bolt announcement during its quarterly earnings call. The company said it saw its strongest Bolt EV and EUV sales to date in the first half of 2023. It posted quarterly revenue of $44.7 billion, up 25 percent year-over-year, but noted there was a $792 million charge related to a new partnership with LG. “The charge reflects the conscious decision GM made during the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV recall to serve customers in ways that go beyond traditional remedies,” GM said.

The company built around 50,000 EVs in North America in the first six months of 2023. It’s doubling that target for the second half of the year. It aims to reach a capacity of 1 million EVs in the continent by 2025.

In the meantime, Chevy has three other EVs on the way this year: the Silverado, the Blazer and the Equinox. The brand will reveal its first full-size electric SUV, the Escalade IQ, on August 9th.

If you've wanted to customize (or simply deface) the websites you visit, you'll now have an easy time of it. The Browser Company has released its Arc 1.0 browser for the Mac, no waitlist required. The finished version includes a few features that have popped up in recent weeks, including an optional toolbar, a site "control center" and picture-in-picture support for Google Meet video calls. The software should be leaner and faster than previous versions, too.

As before, Arc rethinks some of the fundamentals of web browsers. You can personalize the look and layout of a website using Boosts that let you change colors, replace fonts and even "zap" sections you don't want to see. While this doesn't work perfectly for every website, you can share many customizations with other users. You can use coding and scripts to create Boosts, but they don't require that know-how.

Tabs are still present. However, you primarily organize browsing around switchable virtual spaces (effectively tab groups) that help you focus on a given task, such as work or your social media catch-up. You can pin sites you use often, and there's a command bar that courts power users.

A Windows version of Arc is coming "soon," the company says. This probably won't supplant Chrome, Edge or Safari if you're a fan of those browsers. They still cover common tasks well, and the familiar interfaces may well be enough. However, Arc may be what you're looking for if you wish you could reshape the web to your liking.

DJI is one of the most innovative gadget companies out there, constantly trying new things with its drones like a triple-camera setup on the Mavic 3 Pro. With the launch of the mid-sized Air 3 camera drone, the company has introduced a new trick called dual primary cameras. That means the telephoto camera has the same specs as the main camera, rather than being relegated to lesser quality like it was on the Mavic 3. That opens up new possibilities for pilots, giving them two ways to create cinematic shots.

It also has numerous improvements over the Air 2 and Air 2S. It uses DJI’s new O4 transmission system that greatly increases range, while bringing the Waypoint feature to Air drones for the first time. It also has much improved battery life and is considerably quieter. Otherwise, it matches the Mavic 3 Pro feature for feature, with obstacle detection all around, focus tracking, Hyperlapse and more.

Some buyers might see the 1/1.3-inch sensors as a downgrade compared to the 1-inch sensor on the Air 2S, however. How does it stack up against that model, and how does it fit in with the Mavic 3 Pro and Mini 3 Pro models? I took it flying in France’s Loire valley with my drone pilot friend to find out.

Design and performance

With a dual-camera module up front and similar design, the Air 3 (no more Mavic in the name) looks more like the Mavic 3 than the Air 2 and Air 2S. It has the same frog-like design, and folds up exactly like the Mavic 3, collapsing into a compact size for travel. The body has omnidirectional sensors all around for obstacle detection. For storage, it comes with the usual microSD storage slot and has 8GB internally that’s really for emergency use only. It’s also considerably heavier than the Air 2S, tipping the scales at 720 grams compared to 595.

At the same time, it has borrowed some aerodynamic tricks from the Mini 3 Pro, particularly the larger propellers that reduce noise down to 81 decibels — making it near-inaudible when flying at over 100 feet or so. The body is also more aerodynamic, giving it better range in forward flight and the ability to handle stronger winds than past models.

Much of the extra weight comes from the new 4,241 mAh batteries that weigh 267 grams more than an entire Mini 3 Pro. They have nearly the capacity of the Mavic 3 Pro’s batteries, greatly boosting the Air 3’s range to 46 minutes, up from 34 minutes on the Air 2S.

In real-world use, we saw flight times of around 35 minutes before the return-to-home warning went off, depending on flying style and winds. That generally allowed us to fly for a full day with three charged batteries. DJI also introduced a new charging feature with the updated battery hub, letting you transfer power from two weaker batteries to the most charged at the touch of a button. Doing so allows for longer flights if you’re in a location with no charging available. The one drawback of the higher-capacity batteries is that charging speeds are relatively slow.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Another key feature is the next-gen O4 video transmission system that boosts range from 15 to 20 km (9.3 to 12.4 miles). Drone range can be a big problem in Europe, because laws significantly reduce transmission power compared to the US. To help compensate for that, DJI added a new 5.1GHz frequency in Europe that appears to have a large impact on range and transmission dropouts in tricky terrain, from what we saw in our tests in France.

In terms of maneuverability and speed, the Air 3 offers a good compromise between stability of the Mavic 3 Pro and the agility of the Mini 3 Pro. The latter makes it great for following fast-moving subjects like mountain bikers and vehicles, but it’s also steady in stiff breezes. At the same time, if a subject is moving through trees, obstacle avoidance with APAS 5.0 is outstanding, with less risk of crashing than the Mini 3 Pro thanks to the extra sensors — particularly from the side and rear.

All of DJI’s tentpole features like Active Track, Master Shots, Quickshots and Timelapse are available on the Air 3 and work on both cameras. Active Track, used to lock onto and follow subjects, works about the same on both cameras. As with DJI’s other drones, it’s generally reliable, but if you’re chasing a mountain biker through the trees, it can lag a bit and the tracking can switch off without warning.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Quickshots features like Dronie and Rocket are more interesting with the addition of the tele camera that can add extra intimacy and drama. The obstacle detection is handy there as well. Because the drone flies automatically once you hit “go,” it’s easy to misjudge boundaries, so it’s good to know it’ll abort if it gets too close to something.

On top of those flight modes, DJI has brought the Mavic 3’s Waypoint flight mode over to the Air series for the first time. It lets you plan flight and camera moves in advance, letting you repeat a flight precisely for multiple takes, Timelapse videos and more. It requires some time to learn and set up, but it delivers consistent results. It also opens up creative possibilities, like doing a Timelapse during the day and at night, then seamlessly blending them together.

Along with the Air 3, DJI has introduced the new RC-2, DJI’s third screen controller after the RC and the RC Pro. It’s a good compromise between the two, as it’s significantly cheaper than the $1,200 RC Pro. At the same time, it has a brighter screen, more substantial feel and more precise controls than the RC. It’s available either separately or in a bundle with the Air 3 Fly More kit. DJI also announced another new controller, the RC-N2, effectively a refresh of the RC-N1, with the main benefit being the new O4 transmission system.

Cameras

The big idea with the Air 3 is that the quality of the two cameras is the same. As such, it comes with a 1/1.3-inch 24mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.7 main and 70mm f/2.8 telephoto camera. Those focal lengths match the two primary cameras on the Mavic 3 Pro, with the sensor size being the same as the Mini 3 Pro and the tele camera on the Mavic 3 Pro.

The 70mm lens is particularly good for action or hero shots, adding excitement and a more natural perspective. With a perfect portrait focal length, it’s great for people shots at weddings, for example. It also lets you stay a greater distance from subjects for safety or other reasons, while compressing the space between them. As usual, the main wide camera can be used for establishing, overhead, follow and other shots. And with identical sensors, it’s easy to match footage from the two cameras while editing.

The sensors have dual native ISO support for improved light sensitivity, and deliver 4K 60p in HDR or 4K at up to 100 fps with slo-mo only playback. 1080p can be shot at 200 fps with slo-mo playback as well. The camera module can be tilted down 90 degrees and up 60, and it’s the first Air series drone supporting 2.7K vertical 9:16 video.

Both cameras support 10-bit 4:2:0 D-Log M and HLG HDR for improved dynamic range and reduced banding, something that can be an issue when shooting skies. DJI’s regular D-Log mode, which offers even more dynamic range, is not available on the Air 3, though. It also lacks a variable aperture found on the Mavic 3, so the optional ND filter kit (available in the Fly More combo) is desirable for sunny day flying to allow for lower shutter speeds and thus smoother video.

With the same 1/1.3-inch dual native ISO sensor and resolution as the Mini 3 Pro, image quality is similar — but there are some improvements on the Air 3. D-Log M offers better dynamic range, particularly in challenging contrasty shooting conditions. It also offers mildly better low-light capability, with less noise in shadows for nighttime cityscapes, for example.

The Air 3 delivers as good or even better video and photo quality than the larger sensor on the Air 2S, likely because the size difference is slight and the Air 3 has higher resolution. That said, it’ll be interesting to see if DJI releases an Air 3S, possibly with a larger sensor.

Wrap-up

Steve Dent for Engadget

DJI has another winner with the Air 3 thanks to the dual cameras. By elevating the tele to the same importance as the main camera, it opens up new cinematic shooting options. It should prove popular with event and wedding pros who are willing to pay a few hundred dollars more than the Mini 3 Pro. In return, they get additional creative options, plus a more stable and secure camera drone.

Image quality might not be good enough for some pros when compared to the $2,200 Mavic 3 Pro, But at $1,100, it’s considerably cheaper, more maneuverable, and offers the same features (including Waypoints) and level of obstacle protection. At the same time, it has a leg up on the Mini 3 Pro in terms of image quality thanks to the D-Log M option.

At $1,100 with the non-screen RC-N2 controller, the Air 3 is $330 more than the DJI Mini 3 Pro with the same controller. That goes up to $1,550 with the RC 2 Fly More kit, compared to $1,253 for the Mini 3 Pro in a similar kit. At those prices, its main competition is Autel’s similarly priced 6K EVO Lite+ and the Mini 3 Pro itself. In any case, it’s a great new option for drone buyers who might like the idea of two primary cameras and can’t quite afford a Mavic 3 Pro.