Today, Pixel phones and the top Samsung devices are guaranteed to get three years of major software upgrades. Working with Qualcomm, Google is now making it feasible for Android devices to get 4 OS versions and years of security updates.
In 2017, Google re-architected Android to be more modular, thus allowing updates to be easier and faster to implement. With Project Treble, OEMs can just update…
A new, free US support line is providing electric vehicle advice
December 17, 2020
Community-owned Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and nonprofit EV advocate Plug In America have partnered up to provide free electric vehicle advice, not only just in Sacramento, but nationwide.
Free electric vehicle advice
The EV Support Program makes the…
Discord is the latest video chat app to add iOS and Android screen sharing support. The feature is rolling out to users starting today and has been optimized for game streaming and remote YouTube/TikTok/etc. viewing parties.
Earlier this year, we saw Skype gain the handy…
How to Optimize Lightroom Classic for the Best Performance
December 16, 2020
One of the consequences of reviewing computers for PetaPixel and running benchmark after benchmark is that you learn a thing or two about working in Lightroom. From weird quirks to the optimal performance settings for import, export, and editing, there are a few key changes you can make to coax a little more speed out of Adobe’s Raw editor.
Like everyone else, I occasionally get very frustrated…
Japanese Astronaut Snaps Incredible Photos of Earth from Space
December 16, 2020
Japaneses astronaut Soichi Noguchi has emerged as the International Space Station’s resident photographer, uploading a slew of incredible images of Earth taken from the Cupola Observational Module.
Noguchi is a Japanese astronaut that joined the crew of the ISS via the…
RunwayML raises $8.5 million for its AI-powered media creation tools
December 16, 2020
RunwayML, a Brooklyn-based startup building a library of AI-powered tools for designers, artists, and other creators, has raised $8.5 million in venture capital. The company says the funds will be used to accelerate its go-to-market efforts as looks to increase the size of…
Deepdub uses AI to localize voice dubbing for foreign language films
December 16, 2020
Deepdub is launching its platform that uses AI to dub voices into videos so entertainment companies can localize content in multiple languages at the click of a button.
The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company uses AI and deep learning to extend and retain audience experiences for entertainment companies at a time when streaming is exploding around the world.
For decades, the entertainment industry…
AI is really, really good at automating repetitive tasks. Laika, the stop-motion animation studio best known for its feature films , , ,, and , captures and edits tens of thousands of frames for each of its movies. Needless to say, the company has plenty of repetitive tasks…
Elinchrom Launches iOS App, Controls Up to 20 Strobes Simultaneously
December 16, 2020
Elinchrom has released an app for iOS that allows for control of up to 20 strobes through your iPhone or iPad. Any Elinchrom strobe that supports and is connected to the Elinchrom Bridge can be controlled from the app.
The company had previously released a desktop…
From whistleblower laws to unions: How Google’s AI ethics meltdown could shape policy
December 16, 2020
It’s been two weeks since Google fired Timnit Gebru, a decision that still seems incomprehensible. Gebru is one of the most highly regarded AI ethics researchers in the world, a pioneer whose work has highlighted the ways tech fails marginalized communities when it comes to facial recognition and more recently large language models.
Of course, this incident didn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s…
