Otter.ai just announced Otter Chat, an AI chatbot specifically designed for work meetings. This “collaborative AI intelligence” acts as a help center for anyone participating in the meeting, transcribing meeting data and winnowing it down into an actual conversation. This allows it to accurately answer questions about the meeting that just transpired, in case you were busy doing important work stuff like, uh, playing the new Zelda just out of frame.

The cheekily-named OtterPilot chatbot does more than just summarize meetings. It collaborates with everyone involved to generate content based on meeting data, like blog posts and follow-up emails. It’s sort of like an unpaid intern, but without the ability to go out and fetch coffee (for now.) The company says this is a major step up from platforms like ChatGPT, as they source information from public data, whereas Otter AI Chat sources information from actual team meetings. The toolset is collaborative in nature, so the chatbot communicates with every team member simultaneously or on a one-on-one basis. You can even have a related bot attend the meeting in your stead. Work/life balance, baby! 

This little bot also does the standard stuff that has made Otter.ai a popular destination for remote workers. It transcribes entire meetings, summarizes contents into easily digestible formats, creates lists of actionable items and much more.

Otter says its AI systems are already used to transcribe over one million words every minute and over one billion words since launching last year. Otter AI Chat rolls out to all users in the coming days, so check your update field. The company also says no information will be stored by third parties when using the service, which is always nice.

Amazon just revealed a deeply-discounted bundle that includes a Ring Video Doorbell and an Echo Pop speaker for just $40, though this deal is exclusive to Prime members. All told, that’s $65 off the regular price, as the Ring Video Doorbell typically costs $65 and the Echo Pop usually comes in at $40. In other words, you’re basically getting the Echo Pop for free.

There’s only one caveat here. This deal is only good for the wired doorbell, so put those dreams of a wireless video doorbell out of your head. There are other deals available for the wired doorbell as part of this early Prime Day celebration. You can purchase it outright for $35 or pair it with a Ring Chime notification device for $60. These discounted bundles are live right now, but only until June 26th. Prime Day officially starts on July 11th, continuing until July 12th.

The Ring Video Doorbell is widely praised for being easy to use, with a high-definition camera perfect for inspecting visitors, despite requiring a wired connection. The Echo Pop is Amazon’s newest entry-level smart speaker, with a half-globe design that’s great for smaller living spaces. It also pairs with mesh routers and features the company’s proprietary AZ2 Neural Edge processor for machine learning.

This is just an opening salvo in the coming onslaught of Prime Day deals, but it’s certainly a fantastic start for those looking to save a few bucks on gadgets.

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Spotify has really let its desktop app go in recent years, throwing most of its resources at the mobile apps and certain vaccine-hating podcasters. However, the desktop side of things just received a major overhaul in what the company is calling “one of the biggest revamps yet” to bring the standalone app and web app up to speed with more popular smartphone-based cousins. After all, Spotify was originally a browser-based experience even before it made its way to fancy phones.

The main content area remains unchanged, with the same access to browsing and recommended songs and podcasts, but the left-side of the app window now features the recently-launched “Your Library” feature, which the company started testing a few months back. This gives you immediate access to saved music and podcast collections, helping to save time when switching between playlists. You can now collapse the library for a compact view, which is always nice. 

There’s also a new “Now Playing” view on the right side of the screen that displays the current content you are listening to, complete with biographical information on the artist. Additionally, this field gives you access to purchase merchandise directly from the artist and take a peak at any upcoming tour dates. Some podcasts will also automatically populate a transcript via this field as you listen.

The “Friend Activity” feed moved to make room for the new stuff, but you can move it back. Just look for the “friends” icon next to your profile picture at the top-right corner of the main content area and drag and drop to bring the feed back to its former glory. You can also completely remove both the "Friends Activity" and "Now Playing" windows for a streamlined look. 

All of these changes come with an eye-catching splash of paint to make everything look and feel like the smartphone versions of the app. The update rolls out today to all desktop users worldwide. This is a big day for the streaming service, as it just announced that comedian Trevor Noah signed a deal for a weekly talk show and rumors continue to swirl regarding a forthcoming hi-fi audio tier.

Netflix just dropped the first reveal trailer for the forthcoming 3 Body Problem science fiction series at its Tudum fan event, along with a premiere month of January. This is a short delay for the anticipated series, as it was originally supposed to air this year.

If the name of the show sounds familiar, it’s likely for two reasons. First of all, the showrunners are the former Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, along with Alexander Woo. Despite the bone-deep hatred among viewers for the final season of HBO’s fantasy epic, Benioff and Weiss are still a known quantity that could draw in some eyeballs.

Secondly, 3 Body Problem is based on a highly successful book series, just like Game of Thrones, only this one is already finished. Let’s hear it for pre-existing endings! The book series, authored by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, is one of the most celebrated sci-fi epics of recent years, so we could be in for something special here.

To that end, Netflix dropped a trailer that’s heavy on eye candy and light on story. That’s okay, though, as those who want spoilers can just read the books. Some of the actors set to star in the series include Benedict Wong (The Martian, Doctor Strange), Eiza González (Baby Driver) and Game of Thrones veterans John Bradley and Liam Cunningham.

January is not that far off, so we don’t have long to wait until we learn all about the titular three bodies and any associated problems. Here’s hoping Benioff and Weiss earn back some goodwill with this show. At any rate, this is a much cooler idea than that weird alt history/slavery thing that the duo almost pushed through at HBO.

British instrument manufacturer Unidentified Dancing Objects (UDO) has released pricing and availability information for its upcoming Super Gemini synthesizer after first teasing the device at Superbooth 2023. The Super Gemini is an absolute beast, with 20 voices, dual-layer polyphony, and a bi-timbral analog hybrid sound engine. This means you can play 20 notes at once, but the dual-layer polyphony lets you combine sounds, making ten “super” voices that deliver unique sound design combinations to the left and right stereo channels.

If you’re thinking this is a fantastic option for comprehensive sound design, well that’s the point. The stereo binaural signal path is equipped with effects processors, gate arrays and pedal connectors to allow for “glittering frequency” and “shattering harmonics”, with the company boasting that the instrument is great for creating both familiar and discordant soundscapes. There’s 256 performance and patch slots and a whopping 64 interchangeable waveforms to start your sound design journey. Sound design options include wave morphing, cross mod features, bi-directional sync and, of course, an all-analog signal path.

The sequencer stores 16 editable patterns and the exterior is equipped with dual control schemes that let you simultaneously sculpt sounds across both channels. The Super Gemini is sturdy with an exterior built from aluminum and steel, with UDO noting that the knobs and levers received the same attention to detail. The 61-note keybed is semi-weighted and boasts polyphonic aftertouch and the custom-engineered panel includes a ribbon controller for individual note articulation.

The Super Gemini follows the company’s well-received Super 6 synth, though improves upon it in nearly every way. The only downside here? This is a professional synth with high-grade components, so it’s gonna cost you. UDO’s Super Gemini costs $4,200 and preorders are available now at various music retailers, though it won’t ship until October.

It’s never fun when you buy a concert ticket for $30, only to find out it actually costs three times that after an endless series of amorphous fees. This has been at the heart of consumer revolt against companies like Ticketmaster for decades, and now things actually may be changing.

Ticketmaster and Live Nation are pledging to give US consumers the actual price of a ticket before they make a purchase, and not the fairyland price they use to lure in customers. President Biden is expected to officially announce the move during a meeting with live entertainment industry leaders later this afternoon, as originally reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Biden has made this a crucial element of his “kitchen table” economic agenda since announcing he’d be putting pressure on companies to eliminate hidden fees and surcharges during February's State of the Union address. Live Nation Entertainment, the company formed via a merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster, has officially committed to making these transparency changes by September.

Though Live Nation/Ticketmaster has committed to the change, promising a “clear, total price”, Biden is heading up a roundtable discussion later today at the White House to encourage other companies like SeatGeek, Airbnb, DICE and many more to do the same. It’s expected that most companies attending the roundtable will make some kind of commitment toward consumer transparency. Airbnb has been especially unfriendly toward consumers in this respect, with all of those mysterious cleaning fees, but began addressing the issue of transparency late last year.

“Today’s voluntary actions demonstrate that companies both big and small recognize the importance of providing consumers with honest, up-front all-in pricing, rather than tricking them with surprise fees at the end of checkout. It is also just a first step towards addressing junk fees in the economy,” the White House said in a statement.

While these changes don’t eliminate junk fees (corporations gonna corporate) they do give consumers vital information that allows them to make informed purchase decisions, which is a start. Back in February, Biden proposed legislation called the Junk Fee Protection Act to actually reduce the presence of these hidden fees, including excessive charges when purchasing digital tickets to concerts and sporting events. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced similar legislation in Congress, but it hasn't come up for a vote.

Ticketmaster recently came under fire after running into a host of issues when selling Taylor Swift tickets for her “Eras” tour, leading to customers experiencing website outages, a preponderance of bots and extreme wait times. The company eventually canceled the sale altogether, due to not having enough supply to fill demand. This lead to a Senate hearing addressing the company’s perceived monopolistic behaviors.

Amazon and Disney have partnered to create an interactive experience that combines Alexa’s voice assistant features with Disney’s robust stable of characters. The appropriately-named “Hey Disney!” is now available on any Echo device and represents the very first time Amazon has allowed an assistant other than Alexa on its various speakers and tablets.

Once you purchase an annual subscription to the new voice assistant via the Alexa Skills Store, you’ll have some brand new ways to interact with your Echo gadgets. The wake word changes to “Hey Disney!” which gives you access to something called the “Disney Magical Companion.” This opens up 20 new personalities and voices to interact with across Disney’s entire corporate roster, including Pixar movies and the Star Wars franchise. Additionally, the service is being included as a perk to Amazon Kids+ at no added cost.

Once you call up your favorite character, you’ll get some extra personality when asking for the weather or setting an alarm. Amazon gives examples of Olaf from Frozen reading the weather and a themed soundscape inspired by Return of the Jedi’s moon of Endor. There’s also an emphasis here on storytelling, with Amazon touting “interactive adventures with characters” and “immersive entertainment.” Finally, there’s a new multiplayer Disney trivia game. These modes exist as voice-only experiences for Echo speakers and with visuals for Echo Show tablets.

This is not the first we’ve heard of this unique branding. The voice assistant was first revealed last year, but it was an exclusive release to Disney Resort hotels. Now it’s available to everyone, so long as you pony up for a dedicated subscription or already have a Kids+ plan.

It’s another day, so here’s another entry in the endless “Twitter is slowly becoming an empty husk” conversation. A judge just evicted the company from its Boulder, Colorado office after three months of unpaid rent, totaling over $75,000, as originally reported by TechCrunch. This all started after the landlord took the company to court, according to the Denver Business Journal. The judge sided with the landlord and has given Twitter until the end of July to vacate. 

This is a unique scenario, as Twitter didn’t pay traditional rent for the office. Instead, it was provided a letter of credit worth $968,000 back in 2020, using this credit to pay the landlord. However, the line of credit ran out a few months back and Twitter failed to make any additional payments. Reports indicate that the office is still active, with around 150 in-person employees, down from 300 at its peak. The company’s San Francisco landlord is also suing the company for unpaid rent. In related news, Elon Musk has been adamant about ending remote work, but that’s likely to be difficult without, you know, office space.

TechCrunch unearthed another Colorado lawsuit aimed at Twitter, as a local cleaning company claims the social media site didn’t pay its bills, totaling nearly $100,000 for services rendered. Former employees are also suing the site to reimburse more than a million dollars in unpaid legal fees and the city of San Francisco is investigating potential building code violations regarding its main headquarters. Other lawsuits directed at Twitter reference the imprisonment of a Saudi dissident and mishandling of FTC-based rules and regulations, among others.

Twitter disbanded its press arm and its trust and safety council, so there’s nobody to reach out to for comment.

Razer is back with a refresh for its popular Blade 14 ultra-premium gaming laptop line and the specs are beefier than a trip to the meat-packing plant. There had been speculation as to what chips would power Razer’s latest and greatest, but those questions are now answered. The new Razer Blade 14 features AMD’s Ryzen 9 7940HS with eight cores, 16 threads and a 24MB cache. The basic model ships with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU but it’s upgradeable to the RTX 4070.

That’s a whole lot of power for modern gaming applications. The laptop features a minimum of 16GB of DDR5 RAM, upgradeable to 32GB. Each model ships standard with 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage. The previous generation was already plenty capable, so these upgrades should truly make this an ultra-premium gaming laptop.

As the name suggests, the Razer Blade 14 includes a 14-inch QHD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 240Hz refresh rate. This is a slim laptop, at 0.7 inches, and weighs just four pounds, making it a portable-friendly option for gamers on-the-go. Other features include a pair of USB-C ports, two USB-A ports and a 1080p webcam with a built-in privacy shutter. The 68.1 Wh battery gets around ten hours of battery life per charge and includes a battery health optimization feature and quick-charging capabilities.

So what’s the downside? This is not a budget-friendly laptop line. The basic RTX 4060 model starts at $2,400 and the RTX 4070 version starts at $2,700. It’s available in both black and white colors and orders start shipping today. The company is throwing in a free Chroma Joyplot Razer Skin, worth $60, to lure in new customers. 

Developer Motion Twin just announced an animated series based on the game Dead Cells that releases in 2024. The series is being produced by French studio Bobbypills, who also handled the animated trailers for the game and its many DLC releases. The cartoon series seems to follow the game’s narrative, as it’s set on a “cursed island” with a population of “monstrous creatures” and “prophecies depicting a flame-headed hero.”

The series is being co-produced by French anime distribution service the Animation Digital Network. The first season of the Dead Cells cartoon will consist of ten episodes, each around seven to ten minutes long. It will also be exclusive to France, at first, before getting a global release at some point after the initial premiere. There’s a short teaser trailer that doesn’t reveal too much but does give a sense of the animation style.

Developer Motion Twin promises that the forthcoming animated series will not sway its commitment from providing constant updates and new content for the original game. Dead Cells is available on just about every platform in existence, including PC, consoles and mobile devices, having sold an astounding 10 million copies during its lifespan. For the uninitiated, the critically-acclaimed game is a roguelike/metroidvania hybrid that casts you as—surprise—a flame-headed hero trying to escape a cursed island.