Porsche has unveiled its latest concept vehicle called the Mission X, and it says the model gives us "a glimpse into what the sports car of the future could look like." The Mission X is supposed to be an electric hypercar with a design that takes inspiration from the automaker's old models, including the 959, the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder. With a body that's 177 inches long, 78.7 inches wide and 47.2 inches high, it's a relatively low-slung compact vehicle.
The model Porsche has presented has a "Rocket Metallic" finish, though big parts of the vehicle feature a lightweight glass dome with an exoskeleton made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Those parts include half of the passenger doors, which are made in the style of Le Mans sports cars that open forwards and upwards. Inside, there are two seats made of leather and carbon fiber reinforced plastic, an open-top steering wheel, as well as multiple cameras and clocks on the instrument panel that can display lap times and the driver's vital stats.
Porsche
Porsche has also designed the vehicle with staggered tires — 20-inch wheels at the front and 21-inch wheels at the rear — for aerodynamic purposes. If the Mission X ever goes into production, the automaker intends to make it the fastest road-legal vehicle around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, a popular circuit in Germany. Its battery will be installed centrally behind its seats, and it will feature a 900-volt system architecture that can charge the vehicle as twice as fast as the Taycan Turbo S. It if ever becomes a real product people can buy, of course. For now, it's just a concept, and you can look at more photos of the vehicle at Porsche's Mission X portal.
Porsche
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/porsches-mission-x-concept-offers-a-glimpse-at-its-electric-super-car-future-121518030.html?src=rss
It’s easy to groan when Apple describes the Vision Pro as a “spatial computer.” Isn’t it just a high-end mixed reality headset? To a degree, yes. You can play games, create content and be productive on a much cheaper device like the $299 Meta Quest 2. And if you’re a professional who needs to get serious work done, wearables like the Quest Pro and Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 can already handle some of those duties. There’s not much point to buying Apple’s offering if you just want a refinement of the status quo.
However, it would be wrong to say that the Vision Pro is just a faster, prettier version of what you’ve seen before. In many ways, Apple’s headset concept is the polar opposite of Meta’s — it’s building a general computing platform that encompasses many experiences, where Meta mostly sees its hardware as a vehicle for the metaverse. And Microsoft’s HoloLens is courting a completely different audience with different needs. So, Apple already stands out from the herd simply by embracing a different mixed reality philosophy.
Software: A complete platform
Apple
The mixed reality headsets you’ve seen to date, including Meta’s, have typically centered around hop in, hop out experiences. That is, you don the headgear to accomplish one thing and leave as soon as it’s done. You’ll strap in to play a round of Beat Saber, meet your friends in Horizon Worlds or preview your company’s latest product design, but switch to your computer or phone for almost everything else.
That’s fine in many cases. You probably don’t want to play VR games for long periods, and you might rarely need an AR collaboration tool. But that also limits the incentive to buy a headset if it’s not for general use. And while Meta envisions Quest users spending much of their time in the metaverse, it hasn’t made a compelling argument for the concept. It’s still a novelty you enjoy for short stints before you return to Facebook or Instagram. You may come for a virtual party or meeting, but you’re not going to hang out for much longer. And that’s backed up by data: The Wall Street Journalreported last fall that most Horizon Worlds users don’t come back at all after the first month, and only nine percent of worlds have ever had more than 50 visitors.
The interface is barebones, too. While there’s a degree of multitasking, Meta’s front-end is largely designed to run one app at a time. There’s not much flexibility for positioning and resizing your apps, and you can’t really run 2D and 3D programs side-by-side. This helps make the most of modest hardware (more on that later), but you aren’t about to replace an office PC with a Quest Pro.
Meanwhile, Apple’s VisionOS is precisely what it sounds like: a general-purpose operating system. It’s clearly designed for running multiple apps at once, with a sophisticated virtual desktop that can juggle 2D and 3D software placed throughout your physical space. It includes familiar apps like the Safari web browser, and it can run hundreds of thousands of iPad and iPhone titles. That’s critical — even if you rarely need mixed reality apps, you can still take advantage of a vast software library without connecting to a computer. Meta has just over 1,000 apps in its store, and while all of those are designed with headsets in mind, they just won’t cover as many use cases.
Even at this early stage, the Vision Pro offers a greater breadth of possibilities. Yes, you can watch videos, make video calls or access your computer like you would on other headsets, but you also have enhanced versions of key apps from your phone or tablet, like Messages and Photos. You can play conventional video games on a virtual display. And since you have an extra-sharp view of the outside world, it’s easier to interact with others than it has been with past wearables — during the keynote, Apple showed people talking to coworkers and friends. My colleague Devindra says the Vision Pro interface is Minority Report-like in its sheer power and ease of use, and that’s no small compliment given how that movie’s portrayal of holographic computing is considered a Holy Grail.
And before you ask: While Microsoft’s HoloLens could easily be seen as the parent of Vision Pro-style spatial computing, Apple isn’t just following the lead. Aging hardware notwithstanding (HoloLens 2 has been around since 2019), Microsoft’s headset and interface are aimed primarily at business customers who need specialized mixed reality apps and only occasionally dip into semi-conventional software like Teams. Apple’s platform is simply more comprehensive. It’s meant to be used by everyone, even if the initial device is best-suited to developers and pros.
Hardware: A computer on your head
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
The technology in mixed reality headsets like Meta’s Quest line is frequently optimized for battery life and light weight at the expense of performance. Their mobile-oriented chips aren’t usually powerful enough to handle multiple demanding apps or render photorealistic visuals, and even the Quest Pro’s Snapdragon XR2+ chip has its roots in the 865 that powered the three-year-old Galaxy S20. There are advantages to this (you wouldn’t want a heavy headset during a Supernatural workout), but there’s also no question that Meta, HTC and others are making deliberate tradeoffs.
If Meta’s mixed reality proposition revolves around lean, focused headsets that get you into the metaverse, Apple’s Vision Pro is a do-it-all machine. The M2 inside is a laptop-class chip that can easily run multiple apps at once with rich graphics, and the 4K per eye resolution ensures you won’t have to squint at a web browser or spreadsheet on a virtual desktop. It’s also one of the few headsets that can capture 3D photos and videos, although that’s admittedly a novelty at the moment.
Apple is also taking a very different approach to input than Meta, or even Microsoft. While eye and hand tracking aren’t new, Apple is relying on them exclusively for navigating the general interface. You only want to use physical controllers if you’re playing conventional games or prefer the speed of typing on a real keyboard. And unlike HoloLens, you don’t need to point or otherwise make conspicuous gestures. You just look at what you want and pinch your fingers to manipulate it, even if your hands are on your lap. The Vision Pro is meant to be intuitive and comfortable for extended periods, like a computer, even if that means giving up the conveniences of buttons and triggers.
A new strategy doesn’t solve everything, but it might help
Apple
This isn’t to say that Apple has addressed all of mixed reality’s problems just by taking a different approach. Headsets still create solitary, isolating experiences. While you could more realistically wear a Vision Pro all day than a Quest Pro due to the stronger app selection and higher-resolution display, you’re still putting a screen between yourself and the outside world. It’s heavier than you might like. Apple also hasn’t solved the too-short battery life that’s common in this category, so you won’t be free to roam during the workday.
The $3,499 price underscores one of the biggest challenges: It’s difficult to make technology that lives up to the promises of mixed reality while remaining accessible to everyday users. Apple may have found a way to put a fast, easy-to-use computer on your head, but it hasn’t figured out how to make that computer affordable. It’s a much riskier strategy than Meta’s in that regard. Meta is undoubtedly cost-conscious (it even dropped the Quest Pro’s price to $999), and is gradually upgrading its hardware to make mixed reality more viable at a given price. See the $499 Quest 3’s pass-through cameras as an example. Apple, meanwhile, is betting that it’s more important to nail the execution first and think about affordability later.
Is Apple’s overall strategy better? Not necessarily. Meta may be struggling to popularize the metaverse, but it’s still the current frontrunner in mixed reality hardware for a reason: It offers well-made, reasonably priced headsets with enough useful apps to appeal to enthusiasts. As alluring as Apple’s spatial computing debut might be, it’s also untested. There’s no guarantee people will take a chance on the Vision Pro, even if rumors of an eventual lower-cost model prove true.
With that said, Apple’s different direction is notable. Mixed reality is still a niche industry, even as much as Meta and other companies have done to expand its appeal. Even if Apple fails with the Vision Pro, it will at least show more of what’s possible and provide lessons that could improve the technology at large.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-pitch-for-the-vision-pro-couldnt-be-more-different-than-the-meta-quest-120001109.html?src=rss
There are so many good smart displays out there that it can be hard to choose which one to buy. Right now, one of our favorites, Amazon's second-generation Echo Show 8, is running down to $75 from $130 — a 42 percent discount and just $5 off its lowest price. There are other available options on sale, like an adjustable stand or Blink Mini, but expect to pay a little extra for those.
The Echo Show 8 is part speaker, part tablet, with TV shows and movies available from streamers like Netflix, Hulu and, of course, Prime Video. These come alongside music from Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
The eight-inch HD 1,200 x 800 resolution display shows personalized photos, calendar reminders and daily recipe ideas. It also includes a 13 MP camera (notably with a built-in shutter) to use for video calls or checking in when away from home. Its mic can also turn off when not in use to provide extra privacy. Plus, the Echo Show 8 can control any additional smart home gear and utilizes Alexa for additional tasks.
Solar-Powered Well Water Level Monitor Empowers Water Resource Management
Exciting news for those who rely on well water! A new project has emerged, showcasing a solar-powered well water level monitor that allows users to monitor their well water levels and receive alerts. With the increasing concern over water scarcity during dry summers, this project provides a practical solution for monitoring water resources.
Yesterday marked the start of Summer Game Fest, an event to fill the void left by the canceled E3. It’s a gaming industry shindig for developers and publishers to build hype for the titles they’re working on right now. But while the business has never been bigger or more profitable, there’s also a sense the gaming industry is shrinking.
Much of this is because two of the biggest players, Microsoft and Sony, are doing whatever they can to consolidate their power and influence. Both have bought, and are trying to buy, major independent publishers and studios to bolster their own ecosystems. There’s a risk both behemoths will pull up their drawbridges, further splitting an industry already prone to fracture.
But that’s not the only issue, with publishers forcing successful developers to work on titles they have no experience of. The most recent example is Redfall, which was reportedly created by a publisher looking to juice its online-multiplayer profitability boxes. The title was then handed to a team that had built its reputation on tightly crafted single-player experiences and told to get a move on, leading to a critically panned flop.
But that’s just one of many issues facing the gaming industry explored in Jessica Conditt’s State of the Union story leading into Summer Games Fest. If you’re wondering why it feels both like there’s so much possibility, and yet very little at all right now, then it’s well worth checking out.
– Dan Cooper
The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.
United Airlines has announced it will buy 300,000 state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment units for its fleet of planes. The Panasonic Avionics-made units will have 10-inch (economy) or 13-inch (first) 4K OLED screens with Bluetooth built in. Sadly, the rollout of the screens won’t start until 2025, and it’s intended for the international fleet only, at least for now.
Reddit recently announced a change to its API pricing, with massive ramifications for third party app developers. Apollo, a popular Reddit client, said the changes would mean it paying Reddit $20 million a year just to maintain its existing service – leading creator Christian Selig to announce the app would shut down on June 30th.
The move has sent Reddit users into turmoil, with more than 3,000 prominent subreddits planning to “go dark” for 48 hours in protest. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman subsequently announced he would address the site’s vast community in an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Friday, June 9th. Although, interestingly, the terse announcement of the event neglected to mention the consequences for those potentially doomed third-party clients.
Now, I’m old, cynical and jaded, but it does feel like every two years or so, we get a “back to basics” Sonic the Hedgehog game. You know, one that proudly announces the series will go back to its roots as a side-scrolling action platformer, with a modern twist. Sonic Superstars is the latest, promising a return to side-scrolling action, albeit with more modern graphics and co-op gameplay. Unfortunately, I’m also at the point where I’m fully invested in giving it a go in the hope of rekindling my childhood love of Sega’s Blue Blur.
(OK, I looked, and Sonic Mania was 2017, and Sonic 4 was 2012, so it’s more like a five-year cycle.)
The long-awaited Spider-Man 2 will be released on October 20th, with pre-orders for the PS5 exclusive opening on June 16th. In it, Peter Parker will team up with Miles Morales, and you can switch between the two characters on the fly. Insomniac Games’ James Stevenson added both protagonists will have their own specific storylines and missions for you to complete. Although given that Parker and Morales share top billing, surely the game should be called 2 Spider-Man, or Spider-Men or 2 Spiders 2 Men, right?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-games-industry-is-massive-so-why-is-it-shrinking-111503778.html?src=rss
Mercedes-Benz is the first automaker to get permission from California regulators to sell or lease vehicles with Level 3 (hands-off and eyes-off) self driving tech on designated roads, Reuters has reported. The California Department of Motor Vehicles issued a permit for the company's Drive Pilot system, provided it's used under certain conditions and on specific roads. Mercedes-Benz previous received a similar certification in Nevada.
Drive Pilot will allow Mercedes-Benz drivers to takes their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel, then do other non-driving activities like watching videos and texting. If the rules for use are followed, Mercedes (and not the driver) will be legally responsible for any accident that happens.
To do all this, the Drive Pilot system relies on sensors installed throughout the vehicle including visual cameras, LiDAR arrays, radar/ultrasound sensors and audio mics to keep an ear out for approaching emergency vehicles. It can even compare onboard sensor and GPS data to fix its precise location on roads.
It's not as advanced as the systems on Waymo and Cruise vehicles, which allow full self-driving with no human driver aboard. At the same time, it's a step up from Tesla's so-called Full Self-Driving system, which is actually a Level 2 system and requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and pay attention at all times.
Utilization is limited to high-traffic situations during daylight, with speeds under 40 MPH, and drivers must be available to resume control — so you can't go in the back seat and sleep, for example. To enforce that, the vehicle tracks the driver with an in-car monitor, and you'll need to take over if it goes faster than 40MPH, an emergency vehicle shows up, it rains, or other situations Driver Pilot can't handle on its own.
The system will be available on 2024 S-Class and EQS Sedan models, with deliveries slated for later this year. Engadget was able to test the system at Mercedes-Benz's test track in Germany (and see it in action on LA roads). According to contributor Roberto Baldwin, "while it did what it was supposed to do, we found it hard to turn off our driving brain while behind the wheel."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mercedes-becomes-the-first-automaker-to-sell-level-3-self-driving-vehicles-in-california-103504319.html?src=rss
Reels started as Instagram's solution for competing with TikTok and soon launched on sister-site Facebook — a natural expansion. Meta is now testing Reels on a less expected medium: the Meta Quest. Its VR headset works for internet browsing, watching movies, games and more — but the addition of typically-vertical Reels presents a different viewing experience than these more malleable (and typically screen-wide) options.
Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the update through a 13-second video on Meta's Instagram Channel. It featured a Reel from influencer Austin Sprinz's Instagram account in which he visited the world's deepest pool. The immersive video is a good choice for VR, taking the viewer underwater into a seemingly bottomless space — and is certainly better than a cooking or dance Reel.
The Reels update comes ahead of Meta Quest 3's fall release and follows Apple's new AR/VR Vision Pro headset announcement. Though, with Quest 3's pricing starting at $499, compared to the Vision Pro's $3,499, the pair don't exactly fall into the same category. Meta's VR headset line first launched as Oculus Quest and subsequently Oculus Quest 2 before the second-generation model was rebranded as Meta Quest 2. The Meta Quest Pro followed soon after the name change. As for Reels, there's no timeline for if and when it will leave the testing phase and become available across Meta Quest headsets.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-test-puts-reels-on-the-quest-100521911.html?src=rss
The Summer Game Fest featured a spate of new announcements and updates again this year, including the new Prince of Persia action-adventure platformer by Ubisoft. In Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown coming in 2024, you take on the role of Sargon to rescue the prince, not just by killing enemies and fighting bosses, but also by solving puzzles. Bandai Namco launched Sand Land, a new adventure game featuring character designs by Akira Toriyama wherein you'll have to play as the demonic prince Beelzebub, as well.
Meanwhile, Sega revealed its new take on Sonic the Hedgehog in Sonic Superstars, with updated graphics and a split-screen view, launching this fall. As for Remedy, creative director Sam Lake made an appearance at the event to show off some new gameplay for Alan Wake II. The game will have two protagonists — Alan Wake and FBI agent Saga Anderson — and the game will be split 50-50 between them. You'll play one or the other throughout the game, but there are parts where you'll have to choose which POV to see.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which is coming out on November 9th 2023, was also featured at the event. It's the next entry in the Yakuza series and will again star Kiryu, who previously faked his death. Epic Games also released a cinematic trailer for Fortnite's latest season, dubbed Fortnite Wilds, that's commencing on June 9th. Finally, Square Enix has launched a premiere trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake: Rebirth, the second chapter of the FFVII remake, that has been pushed back to early 2024.
You can watch all those announcements and more in under 20 minutes in the video above.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-the-summer-game-fest-keynote-in-under-20-minutes-091517818.html?src=rss
Logitech is getting rid of the Blue microphone brand, and will now sell the products under the Logitech G gaming brand — only keeping the Blue name to "describe our technologies," it said. Blue has been removed from Logitech's "brands" section on its website, and the Bluemic.com domain now directs to Logitech. All Blue products, including the Yeti, Snowball and others, are now found only on the Logitech G section of its website.
The company has also moved its Astro high-end gaming headsets, mixers and more over to Logitech G, but will keep that brand, The Verge reported. "The Astro brand will continue to live on as a premium console audio product series underneath the Logitech G brand. Stay tuned for more information regarding ASTRO including a launch that we think our community will be very excited about," the company said in a FAQ on Reddit.
Logitech already hinted that it might scuttle the Blue brand, having released the Blue Sona streaming mic under Logitech G late last year. It also changed its description of the Yeti mic a while back, describing it as the Yeti microphone with Blue VO!CE technology.
Logitech purchased Blue in 2018 for $117 million. However, Blue Microphones has a history beyond what you may expect, having originally created the "Bottle" microphone before ever developing any streaming products (Blue also stands for "Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics," according to Wikipedia). Its first microphone designed for streaming audio was the Snowball, still available on Logitech as the Snowball Ice for $50.
Given that the Blue brand is highly respected in podcasting, streaming and other areas, it seems an odd choice to kill it off in favor of its own brand, which has far less cachet. The company is promising a "deeper integration" with all its Logitech G products, promising that you'll be able to configure them "all in one place," presumably its G HUB app. If that's the plan, then Logitech may need to address criticism with that app, if the comments on its Reddit FAQ post are anything to go by.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/logitech-retires-the-blue-microphone-brand-083111975.html?src=rss
How Japan’s New Semiconductor Export Restrictions Putting China At Severe Risk
With Japan's export restrictions, things will be more intricate for China because the country has chip foundries, but they only manufacture low-end chips for home electronics and automobiles
