Google says its Nearby Share app for Windows PCs is now officially available. A PC version of the app, which makes it a cinch to share files between devices like Android phones and Chromebooks, has been in beta for a few months, but it's now ready for prime time.

More than 1.7 million people installed the beta, Google says. They've used it to transfer more than 50 million files, primarily photos and videos. 

Google has added some new features to Nearby Share for Windows as it officially rolls out the app. You'll now see an estimated time for how long it will take to complete a file transfer. Device notifications will include an image preview to help you make sure you're sharing the correct file. Google plans to add more features and it's working with some PC manufacturers, including HP, to include the app on their systems.

To use Nearby Share for Windows, you'll need to enable your PC's WiFi and Bluetooth functions. Once you're set up, you just need to drag a file into the app or right-click it and select the Nearby Share option to send it to a nearby device. 

If you're logged into the same Google account on PC and your Android phone (or tablet or Chromebook), transfers will automatically be accepted on the receiving device. Either way, devices that you're transferring files between have to be within 16 feet of each other. There are device visibility settings to help prevent spam and unwanted file transfers.

Throughout the burgeoning “AI wars”, Apple has remained suspiciously silent, until now. The company is creating its very own chatbot, as originally reported by Bloomberg. Engineers have cheekily named the toolset “AppleGPT,” but it’s actually called Ajax, as the large language model (LLM) was built using Google’s JAX framework. Sources indicate that Apple has multiple teams working on the project, with one team devoted to addressing potential privacy concerns.

What will Apple actually do with the bot? That remains unclear as the company doesn’t seem to have any solid plans regarding use case scenarios, launch dates or platforms. An unnamed source told Bloomberg to expect an official announcement, along with more details, next year. Apple also holds its annual earnings call next month, which could shed some light on Ajax. 

This move comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook told Good Morning America that the generative AI is something the company is “looking at closely.” According to Bloomberg, John Giannandrea and Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, are leading the initiative. Giannandrea was originally hired to oversee Siri and its machine learning capabilities, so maybe the beleaguered digital assistant is about to get a whole lot more useful.

The generative AI space has exploded in recent months, with just about every big tech company joining the hype train. Just yesterday, Meta and Microsoft released Llama 2, an AI chatbot intended for commercial use.

Being a smartphone startup is hard, particularly when you’re up against tech giants like Apple, Google and Samsung. But after selling more than 500,000Phone 1s last year, Nothing has returned with a sequel: the Phone 2. And while it looks similar to the previous model, it feels like Nothing is finally figuring out its groove. Not only does it have a significantly faster CPU, its cameras have been improved, and we’re finally seeing Nothing’s vision of a more thoughtful and deliberate UI. Even the phone’s most distinctive feature – its Glyph interface – offers enhanced customization and added functionality. But perhaps most importantly, the Phone 2 will officially be available in the US. And while this added sophistication comes at an increased cost, it’s still very affordable at $600. In a sea of Android phones that often blend together, getting an eye-catching device for a reasonable price is definitely something notable.

Design

Compared to most phones that are clad in a blank sheet of glass, the Phone 2 (which is available in white or a new gray color) is a stunner. Its transparent Gorilla Glass back reveals a monotone assortment of components, allowing you to see things like its magnetic charging coil, power cables and more. It’s not messy, though. Everything is buttoned up just enough, and there are human touches like arranging some of the components to look like an elephant. I’ve been told there are other creatures hiding as well, but I haven’t spotted them yet. It’s like having a cyberpunk art installation in your pocket.

Of course, there’s also the Glyph interface which consists of a number of LED strips that pulse, strobe and glow. For this model, Nothing more than doubled the number of lights from five to 11, while also adding support for addressable zones, which allows for gradient effects. Unfortunately, there’s still only one color to choose from: white.

As for the rest of the device, it’s very similar to the Phone 1 including a metal frame with flat boxy sides and an iPhone-like button layout for power and volume. The one big change is that Nothing used 2.5D glass with rounded edges in back which sports curves that sit more naturally in your hand without digging in.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Meanwhile, its 6.7-inch OLED display delivers excellent brightness (with peaks of well over 1,000 nits in my testing), rich colors and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate. You also get an in-screen fingerprint reader for simple and secure biometrics which is both fast and accurate.

Performance

The Phone 2 packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. Sure, its chip is a year old, but it handled games and editing photos without a hint of lag. When combined with speedy UI animations and a lightweight Android skin, the Phone 2 feels incredibly responsive and snappier than some flagship phones that cost a whole lot more. Additionally, while the phone is only available as an unlocked model, it has been certified to work on both T-Mobile and AT&T’s networks (sorry Verizon folk), so it’s pretty flexible when it comes to bringing it over to your carrier.

Cameras

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Tuning a phone’s cameras and image processing can be extremely difficult when you don’t have the same level of resources as a trillion-dollar megacorp. And while the Phone 2’s 50MP main cam and 50MP ultra-wide cams are decent, they’re still a tier or two below what you get from a Pixel 7. During the day, the Phone 2 captures images with bright, rich colors and good sharpness. It’s only when you zoom to 100 percent that you notice things like color fringing and worse dynamic range. Nothing has a hard time keeping up with Google’s Night Sight mode in low light too, sometimes struggling when trying to nail white balance while also preserving detail. Still, coming from the Phone 1, it’s a big improvement and if you aren’t an avid photographer, the Phone 2 is still serviceable.

Software

Compared to the previous model, the Phone 2’s software may have the biggest number of improvements. This time instead of a barebones version of stock Android, Nothing has included its Monochrome UI which consists of new widgets, wallpapers, icon packs and more that create a distinctive experience that ties into the phone's exterior design. Not only does it look great, you can also make all the app icons grayscale and even remove the name of the app entirely. The idea is that, by making apps a touch harder to find, you’re forced to be more deliberate about how and when you use your phone. That’s a refreshing change from just reflexively doom scrolling through social media every time you have a spare minute.

Nothing also added a new tab in the settings menu for its Glyph interface so you can get more granular control over all those LEDs. Features range from simple things like using its rear lights to show battery status or volume to more sophisticated things like what Nothing calls “Essential notifications.” That allows you to set specific apps to activate LEDs on the back of the phone. This way, you can put the phone facedown on a table and really pay attention to the people you're with. This was convenient for me because since my wife and I seem to be the only people we know that use Google Chat, I set that as my essential notification so I never miss her messages.

And while it’s limited to a single app for now, Nothing is even integrating its Glyph interface with a third-party app in Uber, so you can see a real-time arrival estimate for a car just by looking at the back of the phone. It’s a neat trick that could have a ton of potential. Instead of using a special API, the LEDs are simply getting info from your notifications to update the lights. That makes it easier to develop more custom Glyph integrations without needing to partner with every single app developer. So while third-party app integration is still a work in development, it’s off to an interesting start.

Finally, while it’s not quite as long as what you get from Google or Samsung, Nothing is promising three years of OS updates along with four years of regular security patches.

Battery Life

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I wasn’t sure what kind of endurance I was going to get from the Phone 2 between its 4,700 mAh battery and slightly older, less power-efficient chip. But on our video rundown test, Nothing crushed it with a time of 24 hours and 25 minutes. That’s the second longest time we’ve seen in recent history, only behind the Samsung’s Galaxy S23+ (25:02). On top of that you get 15-watt wireless charging, 45-watt wired charging and 5-watt reverse wireless charging.

Wrap-up

In a time when new generations of phones never seem quite as exciting as the last, Nothing has still managed to make the Phone 2 stand out. Its eye-catching design captures some of the best qualities of clear plastic gadgets from the ‘90s, like Gameboys and Nintendo 64’s, but in a much more sophisticated way. Meanwhile, Nothing’s Monochrome UI asks users to be more thoughtful about how they use their device while giving them tools like the Glyph interface that can surface info and notifications in novel ways. And even though its specs don’t jump out at you, it never felt slow and it’s well-equipped with handy features like reverse wireless charging.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, for $600, the Pixel 7 is still the better value. It’s got a newer chip along with a much more sophisticated software package which includes features like Call Screener and robust language detection, and its cameras are in a class of their own. But its screen is smaller and its battery life isn’t quite as long. And you know what, that’s totally fine because the Phone 2 isn’t for everyone. It’s a phone that wants you to think differently about how you use your device while giving you the tools to do so. It’s the offbeat choice, and for people who want to be excited by their phone again, it’s definitely an interesting mainstream alternative.

After almost six years, Beats is back with new over-ear, noise-canceling headphones. A significant update from the Studio 3 Wireless, the new Studio Pro is a familiar formula that’s been reconfigured from the inside out. A second-generation version of Beats’ own audio chip powers this new model, delivering improvements to active noise cancellation (ANC), spatial audio with dynamic head tracking and wired audio modes via USB-C connection. Small design tweaks and slightly better battery life are also on the spec sheet, while the price remains $350 for Beats’ flagship headphones.

Design

To refresh the aesthetics, Beats enlisted the help of Samuel Ross, a fashion and product designer who has worked with Hublot, Nike, Oakley and others. The result is an updated look with new colors, materials, packaging and branding. While the tweaks are subtle and the folding design remains the same overall, there are a few notable changes to point out. First, Studio Pro is available in four new colors and even the black option now has a matte finish. Where the headband hinge used to have a contrasting color for most of the variants, that’s now a tone-on-tone finish and the model name has been removed. The iconic lowercase “b” logo remains on both sides, though.

Another key change is to the earpads. Beats and Ross opted for a seamless design here, with cushions made of a new UltraPlush memory foam, though they’re still wrapped in leather. Beats is clear the clamping force from previous Beats models remains the same, unfortunately and the weight hasn’t changed. Indeed, the new ear pads help to a degree, but after about an hour of use, I start to feel the pressure that’s been an issue with Beats headphones for years.

Since Beats headphones first debuted, the company’s models have become mainstays for gym goers and pro athletes. You won’t catch warm-ups for many professional sports events without at least one person wearing Beats headphones. Still, the company hasn’t issued a proper IP rating for sweat and water resistance. Beats says it’s confident the Studio Pro will be just fine for workouts, but it’s also clear that earpad replacements won’t be available through the company. You’ll need to find a third-party supplier should they get too grimey.

Physical on-board controls are back on the Studio Pro. On the outside of the left ear cup, a multi-function button in the center handles single, double and triple taps to control music and calls. A long press here will activate your voice assistant, even though the headphones support hands-free Siri on Apple devices. Above and below this center button are the volume controls, while the noise modes are toggled with a double press of the power button on the right ear cup. If you’re in USB-C audio mode, two taps of that button will cycle between three EQ presets specifically designed for wired use (Signature, Entertainment and Conversation). A line of five LEDs below the power control blinks when you’re in pairing mode and gives you a battery life estimate with a single press when the headphones are powered on.

Software and features

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Beats continues its move away from Apple’s audio chips with the Studio Pro. These headphones contain the company’s own second-gen platform instead, but a lot of the features that Apple silicon offers are still here. Hands-free Siri, one-touch pairing, iCloud pairing, Apple Watch hand-off and Find My compatibility are all baked into iOS. Multipoint pairing and automatic switching between devices isn’t available on iOS, iPad and Mac right now, but Beats says it may arrive later. There’s no need to download a separate app on iOS to access the settings though, they’re also available in the Control Center. For Android users, the Beats app offers one-touch pairing via Google Fast Pair, automatic connection to Android or Chrome devices through your Google account, seamless device transitions, Find My Device, customization and widgets.

Beats has added Transparency Mode to the Studio Pro, giving its over-ear headphones a very useful tool that was missing from the Studio 3. The company’s audio chip also powers Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. While the previous model supported immersive sound, it didn’t offer head tracking or the ability to personalize audio, the latter of which Apple debuted last year.

For the first time, Beats has enabled USB-C wired audio on the Studio Pro. In addition to listening to high-resolution and lossless tunes, you can also take calls while the headphones are actively charging. The Studio Pro has a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that can accommodate sample rates up to 24-bit/48kHz. That’s enough to handle the high-res streaming from Apple Music, Amazon Music HD and Tidal. Beats has also included three USB-C sounds profiles for wired listening: Signature, Entertainment and Conversation. As the names suggest, each one is tailored to music, movies/TV shows and calls, adjusting the frequency curve for what the company thinks is the best in each scenario. And yes, there’s still 3.5mm playback, which can be used with ANC and Transparency Mode as needed.

Sound quality

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Inside, Beats swapped out the drivers for new 40mm units. A two-layer diaphragm combines with micro vents and fine acoustic mesh to streamline the airflow and minimize distortion. The company says the new drivers can provide “near-zero” distortion even at high volumes, which is an up to 80 percent improvement from the Studio 3. That claim holds true as the Studio Pro doesn’t distort when you crank it up to the eye-watering full volume. However, what the new components have done to improve clarity while providing a more balanced sound profile is more impressive.

In its early days, Beats had a reputation for being too heavy-handed with the bass. While that hasn’t been the case for a while, the company still has a propensity to highlight low-end. For the Studio Pro, there’s still ample bass when a track calls for it, but that boom doesn’t come at the sacrifice of mids and highs – or more importantly detail. Even the driving thump of the kick drum on TesseracT’s “War of Being” has noticeable texture throughout the song. It’s not just a repetitive boom.

Overall, the attention to clarity and the even-handed tuning across the EQ curve gives the Studio Pro quite immersive sound out of the box. Everything seems open and airy, with even the instruments in chaotic metal tracks remaining perfectly discernible. Turn on something softer like Charles Wesley Godwin’s Live From The Church or Nickel Creek’s Celebrants (country and bluegrass, respectively), and you immediately hear the layers of acoustic instruments and finer detail unique to each. Those records can sound like you’re in the room while they’re being recorded on the best-sounding headphones, and there’s a sense of that on the Studio Pro. As you might expect, this latest Beats model excels with hip-hop tracks. The droning bass lines on albums like Killer Mike’s MICHAEL lay a thick foundation for the rest of the song to be built.

While Spatial Audio returns, chances are it won’t sway your buying decision. The integration is similar to previous Beats and Apple earbuds and headphones, with Personalized Spatial Audio added in this time around. The technology still simulates the sound of 64 speakers, capable of moving with you if you have head tracking enabled. If you’ve experienced Spatial Audio before, you know exactly what to expect: slightly louder, more airy tunes where the technology’s immersive nature can vary from album to album and genre to genre. When it hits though, like on Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow,” older tracks have new life. With boygenius’ The Record though, I can’t tell the difference when Spatial Audio is on. I’m also less sold on the dynamic head tracking Beats added on the Studio Pro.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Then there are the new USB-C EQ profiles. When you’re connected to a computer or other compatible device, ANC and Transparency mode are disabled. Instead, the power button on the Studio Pro cycles through wired presets for music, entertainment and calls. That 5-LED array below the power control indicates which profile you’re on and will be essential until you memorize the audible tones for each one. Signature and Conversation work best for music and calls respectively, while I’m less impressed by the Entertainment setting. All three are fine, but those two are the ones I found myself coming back to in wired mode. Like Spatial Audio content in Dolby Atmos, mileage can vary listening to lossless tunes via Apple Music. Some albums are noticeably better with wired USB-C, while others sound nearly identical to streaming over Bluetooth.

Although Beats doesn’t quantify with a number, it says ANC performance is improved on the Studio Pro when compared to the Studio 3. Fully adaptive active noise cancellation uses outward facing mics to monitor your environment while inward pointing units catch any sounds that might sneak through due to fit. The company explains that the ANC boost is also partially due to updated microphones all around as they have higher sensitivity and a better signal-to-noise ratio. While the Studio Pro doesn’t beat the noise-blocking powers of Bose or Sony, the ANC on the Studio Pro is noticeably better than the Studio 3 – especially for things like television noise and human voices. And similar to the previous model, the latest Beats headphones analyze audio up to 48,000 times per second to maintain pristine clarity.

Lastly, let’s discuss Transparency Mode. While I welcome the inclusion here over not offering ambient sound at all, I did have higher hopes. It works fine, but lacks the natural clarity of Apple’s AirPods Max or AirPods Pro. I thought Beats might come close since it works closely with Apple on several aspects of its products, but that’s not the case. Apple remains truly unmatched when it comes to Transparency Mode. It often sounds like you’re not even wearing headphones at all, mostly due to how natural your own voice sounds fed back through those devices.

Call quality

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

Beats says you can expect up to 27 percent better voice clarity than the Studio 3 Wireless, thanks to voice-targeting microphones and a machine-learning algorithm. The company explains that it trained the system on over 7,000 hours of “real-world environments” in order to create a setup that can “precisely hone in” on your voice. Those are lofty claims for sure, and part of them hold true.

The Studio Pro is great at cutting out constant background noise, like a fan or A/C unit. Neither of those came through on calls when I was sitting right underneath one or the other. It’s better than the speakerphone-like quality most headphones and earbuds offer, but it isn’t pristine.

Battery life

When it comes to battery life, Beats says you can expect up to 40 hours with ANC off. That’s the same figure it promised on the Studio 3. However, with noise cancellation or Transparency Mode enabled, the company offers two hours more than the previous model at 24 hours. There’s still a quick-charge feature here, dubbed Fast Fuel, that gives you up to four hours of use in just 10 minutes.

During my tests with the Studio Pro, I still had 23 percent battery left after 25 hours of use with either ANC or ambient sound active. That’s also doing a mix of music, podcasts, streaming TV and taking calls. I powered the headphones completely off several times during that span as well and I plugged them in via USB-C for a few minutes to test those modes.

The competition

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

When it comes to flagship headphones at this price, Beats’ biggest competition remains Sony and Bose. Sony’s 1000X line has been our top pick for best wireless headphones for years, as the company’s mix of stellar sound, powerful noise cancellation and a literal truckload of handy features is unmatched. With the latest version, the $400 WH-1000XM5, the company simply packs so much into their headphones that many others can’t compete. The Bose 700 is that company’s best option, which is currently available for about $10 less than Sony’s 1000XM5. Bose doesn’t come close to Sony in terms of features, but it does do slightly better when it comes to ANC performance. If blocking out distractions is your primary goal, the 700 is worth a look.

Wrap-up

While Beats didn’t completely redesign its over-ear headphones for the Studio Pro, its latest model is a significant update. The company did well to incorporate features and technology other companies have introduced over the last five years, and its relationship with Apple continues to enhance its products. The improvements to ANC and sound quality alone are good, but the fact that the company was also able to add in a wired USB-C audio, upgrades to Spatial Audio and better voice performance while keeping the price the same is notable. There’s no doubt these are still premium headphones, but the Studio Pro positions Beats to better compete with the likes of Sony and Bose in a number of areas where it used to fall short.

Beats Studio Pro is available to order today in black, brown, navy and Sandstone color options for $350. The headphones will be available at Apple retail stores and other resellers starting tomorrow, July 20th.

Amazon's Prime Day sale on Lexar storage is still going on, with deals now available to non-Prime members as well. One of the best is on Lexar's Play 1TB microSD V30 card, ideal for gamers, smartphone users and others for just $63, or 52 percent off the regular price. There are other bargains as well, like a pair of 128GB V60 1667x SD cards ideal for mirrorless cameras priced at $58 (34 percent off) and a CFexpress Type B USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 reader for $35 (50 percent off). 

Those who want to top up their Nintendo Switch, smartphone or other device with extra space should check out the Lexar Play microSD cards on sale: you can get the 1TB card at an all-time low price of $63 (52 percent off) or grab the 512GB model for $45 or 256GB for $30. The V30 designation allows read speeds up to 150MB/s, with write speeds at around 80MB/s — a lot of throughput for the price.

Camera lovers may want to look at Lexar’s V60 UHS-II SD cards, which are recommended in our latest camera gift guide thanks to a good balance between speed and value. The 120MB/s write speeds are enough for most H.264/H.265 4K video modes, and you can then transfer files to your computer at up to 250MB/s. A pair of the 128GB cards are available for $58 (34 percent off), two 256GB models are priced at $108 (38 percent off) and two 64GB cards are just $40. Those are just some of the deals, as you'll also find discounts on CFexpress Type A cards, NVMe SSDs, JumpDrive memory sticks and more. 

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

Amazon's Prime Day sale on Lexar storage is still going on, with deals now available to non-Prime members as well. One of the best is on Lexar's Play 1TB microSD V30 card, ideal for gamers, smartphone users and others for just $63, or 52 percent off the regular price. There are other bargains as well, like a pair of 128GB V60 1667x SD cards ideal for mirrorless cameras priced at $58 (34 percent off) and a CFexpress Type B USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 reader for $35 (50 percent off). 

Those who want to top up their Nintendo Switch, smartphone or other device with extra space should check out the Lexar Play microSD cards on sale: you can get the 1TB card at an all-time low price of $63 (52 percent off) or grab the 512GB model for $45 or 256GB for $30. The V30 designation allows read speeds up to 150MB/s, with write speeds at around 80MB/s — a lot of throughput for the price.

Camera lovers may want to look at Lexar’s V60 UHS-II SD cards, which are recommended in our latest camera gift guide thanks to a good balance between speed and value. The 120MB/s write speeds are enough for most H.264/H.265 4K video modes, and you can then transfer files to your computer at up to 250MB/s. A pair of the 128GB cards are available for $58 (34 percent off), two 256GB models are priced at $108 (38 percent off) and two 64GB cards are just $40. Those are just some of the deals, as you'll also find discounts on CFexpress Type A cards, NVMe SSDs, JumpDrive memory sticks and more. 

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

In the 1990 fantasy drama - Truly, Madly, Deeply, lead character Nina, (Juliet Stevenson), is grieving the recent death of her boyfriend Jamie (Alan Rickman). Sensing her profound sadness, Jamie returns as a ghost to help her process her loss. If you’ve seen the film, you’ll know that his reappearance forces her to question her memory of him and, in turn, accept that maybe he wasn’t as perfect as she’d remembered. Here in 2023, a new wave of AI-based “grief tech” offers us all the chance to spend time with loved ones after their death — in varying forms. But unlike Jamie (who benevolently misleads Nina), we’re being asked to let artificial intelligence serve up a version of those we survive. What could possibly go wrong?

While generative tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney are dominating the AI conversation, we’re broadly ignoring the larger ethical questions around topics like grief and mourning. The Pope in a puffa is cool, after all, but thinking about your loved ones after death? Not so much. If you believe generative AI avatars for the dead are still a way out, you’d be wrong. At least one company is offering digital immortality already - and it’s as costly as it is eerie.

Re;memory, for example, is a service offered by Deepbrain AI - a company whose main business includes those “virtual assistant” type interactive screens along with AI news anchors. The Korean firm took its experience with marrying chatbots and generative AI video to its ultimate, macabre conclusion. For just $10,000 dollars and a few hours in a studio, you can create an avatar of yourself that your family can visit (an additional cost) at an offsite facility. Deepbrain is based in Korea, and Korean mourning traditions include “Jesa”, an annual visit to the departed’s resting place.

Right now, even by the company’s own admission, the service doesn’t claim to replicate their personality with too much depth - the training set only really affords the avatar to have one “mood.” Michael Jung, Business Development and Strategy Lead at Deepbrain told Engadget, “If I want to be a very entertaining Michael, then I have to read very hyper voices or entertaining voices for 300 lines. Then every time when I input the text [to the avatar] I'm going to have a very exciting Michael”. Re;memory isn’t currently trying to create a true facsimile of the subject - it’s something you can visit occasionally and have basic interactions with - but one hopes there's a little more character to them than a virtual hotel receptionis.

While Re;memory has the added benefit of being a video avatar that can respond to your questions, audio-based HereAfter AI tries to capture a little more of your personality with a series of questions.The result is an audio chatbot that friends and family can interact with, receiving verbal answers and even stories and anecdotes from the past. By all accounts, the pre-trained chatbots provide convincing answers in their owners’ voices - until the illusion is unceremoniously broken when it robotically responds “Sorry, I didn’t understand that. You can try asking another way, or move onto another topic.” to any query it doesn't have an answer for. 

Whether these technologies create a realistic avatar or not isn’t the primary concern - AI is moving at such a clip that it’ll certainly improve. The trickier questions revolve around who owns this avatar once you’re gone? Or are your memories and data safe and secure? And what impact can all this have on those we leave behind anyway?

Joanna Bryson, Professor of Ethics and Technology at Hertie School of Governance likens the current wave of grief tech to when Facebook was more popular with young people. Back then, it was a common destination to memorialize friends that had passed and the emotional impact of this was striking. “It was such a new, immediate form of communication, that kids couldn't believe they were gone. And they seriously believe that they're dead friends were reading it. And they're like, ‘I know, you're seeing this.’”

OLIVIER DOULIERY via Getty Images

The inherent extra dimension that AI avatars bring only adds fuel to the concern about the impact these creations might have on our grieving brains. “What does it do to your life, that you're spending your time remembering … maybe it's good to have some time to process it for a while. But it can turn into an unhealthy obsession.”

Bryson also thinks this same technology could start being used in ways it wasn’t originally intended. “What if you’re a teenager or preteen and you spend all your time on the phone with your best friend. And then you figure out you prefer, like a [AI] synthesis of your best friend and Justin Bieber or something. And you stop talking to your actual best friend,” she said.

Of course, that scenario is beyond current capabilities. Not least because to create an AI version of our best, living friend we’d need so much data that we’d need their participation/consent in the process. But this might not be the case for much longer. The recent spate of fake AI songs in the style of famous artists is already possible, and it won’t be long before you won’t need to be a celebrity for there to be enough publicly available input to feed a generative AI. Microsoft’s VALL-E, for example, can already do a decent job of cloning a voice with just three seconds of source material.

If you have ever had the misfortune of sorting through the possessions of a dead relative, you often learn things about them you never knew. Maybe it was their fondness for a certain type of poetry via their underlinings in a book. Or maybe something more sinister, like bank statements that showed crippling debt. We all have details that make us complex, complete human beings. Details that, often intentionally, remain hidden from our public persona. This throws up another time-honored ethical conundrum.

The internet is awash with stories of parents and loved ones seeking access to their deceased’s email or messaging accounts to remember them by. For better or worse we may not feel comfortable telling our immediate family about our sexuality or our politics, or that our spouse was having an affair - all things that our private digital messages might reveal. And if we’re not careful, this could be data we inadvertently give over to AI for training, only for it to burp that secret out posthumously.

Even with the consent of the person being recreated in AI there are no assurances someone else can’t get their hands on the digital version of you and abuse it. And right now, that broadly falls into the same crime bucket as someone stealing your credit card details. Until they do something public with it, at which point other laws, such as right to publicity may apply - but usually, these protections are only for the living.

Bryson suggests that the logical answer for data protection might be something we’re already familiar with – like the locally stored biometric data we use to unlock our phones. “Apple has never trusted anyone. So they really are very privacy oriented. So I tend to think that, that's the kind of organization that will come up with stuff, because they want it themselves.” (The main issue this way, as Bryson points out, is that if your house burns down you risk losing “grandma” forever.)

AntonioGuillem via Getty Images

Data will always be at risk, no matter where or how it’s stored. It’s a peril of modern day living. And all those concerns about privacy might feel like a tomorrow problem (in the same way we tend to worry about online fraud only once it’s happened to us). The cost, accuracy and just general creepiness that AI and our future digital avatars create might be scary, but it’s also a crushing inevitability. But that doesn’t mean our future is doomed to be an ocean of Max Headroom’s spouting our innermost secrets to any hacker that will listen.

“It will be a problem in the immediate, there probably is a problem already,” Bryson said. “But I would hope that a good high quality version would have transparency, and you'd be able to check it. And I'm sure that Bing and Google are working on this now, for being able to verify where chat programmes get their ideas from.” Until that time though, we’re at risk of finding out the hard way.

Bryson is keen to point out that there are some positive takeaways, and they’re available to the living. “If you make it too much about death, you aren't thinking correctly about it,” she said. This technology forces us to confront our mortality in a new, albeit curious way and that can only help us think about the relationships we have right here in the world of the living. An AI version of someone will always be a poor facsimile, so, as Bryson suggests, why not get to know the real person better while you can. “I wish people would rehearse conversations with a chatbot and then talk to a real person and find out what the differences are.”

Netflix has removed its $10 Basic tier option — the service's most affordable one that doesn't come with ads — in the US and the UK. The company has updated its Plans and Pricing page to say that new and rejoining members in the US and the UK will no longer be able to sign up for the Basic tier. Meanwhile, those already on the plan can keep their membership as is until they cancel or change their subscription. The streaming giant initially axed the tier in Canada, where users are typically the first to experience changes to the service. It was also one of the countries where Netflix started its password-sharing crackdown, which the company eventually implemented across the globe. 

As Cord Busters notes, Netflix has been steering its audiences towards the Standard Ad-Supported plan for a while now and has previously made the Basic plan virtually invisible during sign-up. Now, the Basic plan truly no longer exists in some regions. Without it, users in the US and UK will have to pay at least $15.49 and £11 a month, respectively, if they don't want their streaming experience to be interrupted by ads. The Standard plan supports streaming on two devices at a time and can stream content in Full HD. It also allows users to download content for offline viewing on two devices and gives them the ability to add an extra member who doesn't live with them for an additional fee. 

Still, the Basic option worked just fine for those who don't mind HD streaming on a single device, only want to download content on one phone or tablet and don't need to add an extra person to their account. If they don't want to pay over $5 more for a Standard plan, they now have to make do with the Standard Ad-Supported tier that costs $7 a month in the US and £5 in the UK. It supports Full HD streams and viewing on two devices at a time like the no-ads Standard plan, but it doesn't have offline viewing and the option to add a member. Subscribers can expect to see an average of 4 minutes of ads an hour at around 15 to 30 seconds each, which, of course, they cannot skip. 

Don’t go poking around your kitchen drawer gadget graveyard just yet. The first-gen iPhone, sold by LCG Auctions, was apparently a factory-sealed device in "exceptional condition." The auctioneer noted the former owner was part of Apple's engineering team when the iPhone debuted. The lot drew 28 bids, including five over $100,000. In recent months, LCG Auctions has sold two 8GB variants of the first-generation iPhone for $39,000 and $63,000.

This particular listing stood out by being a rare 4GB model. Apple only produced this model for two months. It's unlikely the buyer will actually open the package and use the phone, but if they did, they wouldn't even be able to make a phone call, since 2G networks are long gone in many parts of the world. Even selfies and FaceTime won't work, since there's no front-facing camera. And the main camera wouldn’t offer much when it comes to photography, anyway, with its 2-megapixel sensor. Aww, cute.

The first iPhone, launched in 2007, faced rivals in the Nokia N95, the Samsung BlackJack and the BlackBerry 8800. If you want a different, less notable slice of mobile history, all of those are under $20 on eBay.

– Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

First big Threads update for iOS helps you see new followers

Tesla directors agree to return $735 million following claims they were massively overpaid

15 relaxing video games to help you destress

Canon EOS R50 review: Big performance for a tiny camera

'Breakthrough' geothermal tech produces 3.5 megawatts of carbon-free power

The Cricut Venture is a $1,000 cutting machine for the most ambitious DIYers

Amazon Echo Buds (2023) review

$50 goes a long way.

Amazon’s new approach to Echo Buds has produced interesting results. The company was only going to improve things so much at its previous midrange price point – there’s a limit to how much tech you can add to a $150 set. Going for the budget buyers instead of building a high-end set of $300 earbuds makes more sense, considering Amazon’s approach to pretty much every other kind of device it makes. Still, the company created low-cost Echo Buds with sound quality that punches above the price point.

Continue reading.

AI put me in a 'South Park' episode

The Simulation wants to generate animated shows with Showrunner AI.

The Simulation

Well, not me, but my colleague Devindra Hardawar. During a time of Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strikes and the growing presence of AI in the creative industries, Devindra was thrust into an episode of South Park, entirely produced by the Showrunner AI model from The Simulation, the next iteration of the VR studio Fable. Audio of his voice, a picture and a two-sentence prompt: That was all it took to create a (middling) unofficial episode of the cartoon series. Read how it was made and check out the simulation.

Continue reading.

VanMoof e-bikes has declared bankruptcy

The company is putting its Dutch operations up for sale.

Engadget

E-bike company VanMoof has declared bankruptcy for all its Dutch entities and aims to find a buyer in the "next few weeks." The news came through a mass email to Dutch employees, which was subsequently shared on Reddit. Bankruptcy proceedings have come to VanMoof less than two years after it claimed to be the "most funded e-bike company in the world" while announcing a $128 million investment. But trouble has been brewing for some time, with it allegedly costing more money to sell and service its bikes than people were paying for them. VanMoof told employees there are "no funds to pay the salaries" long-term and gave them a six-week notice period, during which they are expected to work before their final payments. The company’s bikes were impressive premium rides, but it’s struggled to sustain the business side of things.

Continue reading.

Why are non-diabetics suddenly wearing continuous glucose monitors?

The trend has taken off online, despite no real evidence of its benefits.

“Let’s see what a Snickers bar does to my blood sugar,” Justin Richard, a 52-year-old Toronto-based TikToker says just before eating the candy bar on camera. In the following clip, Richard eats a cup of broccoli before eating another full Snickers bar, to show how variations in his food intake can impact his blood glucose – to the shock of none. Continuous glucose monitors (or CGMs) have long been used as a tool to track blood sugar levels for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Here’s the thing, though: Richard does not have diabetes. Not only are CGMs questionably useful for healthy individuals, but they can be expensive. Malak Saleh takes a closer look.

Continue reading.

TikTok has started inviting users in Australia, Mexico and Singapore to participate in a closed beta test for its new music streaming service, according to TechCrunch and CNBC. The short-form video hosting app initially launched beta testing for its fledgling streaming service in Brazil and Indonesia in early July. Now, it's expanding the scope of its music service's experimental phase and giving invited users in those regions a free three-month trial to be able to try it out. 

TikTok Music is a completely separate app that testers will be able to download from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. It does, however, connect to the main TikTok app, so users can find the full versions of songs that go viral on the video-sharing platform. The music streaming app reportedly offers personalized song recommendations, real-time lyrics, collaborative playlists and the ability to find songs through a lyrics search feature, as well. TechCrunch says it has a Shazam-like feature, which presumably means it can find songs by listening to it, and will let users download tracks for offline listening. 

The ByteDance-owned app told TechCrunch that once the testers' trial period is done, it will cost them AUD12 (US$8.16) per month in Australia, Mex$115 (US$6.86) in Mexico and S$9.90 (US$7.48) in Singapore to be able to keep using the service. TikTok already has a music streaming service called Resso available in India, Brazil and Indonesia, but it's shutting the app down in the last two countries in September. The company has yet to announce if and when its music app is also coming to the US, but it did file a trademark application for "TikTok Music" in the country back in May 2022.