To boost privacy on Smart Displays and speakers, Google is introducing a Guest Mode. It’s rolling out today for Nest Hubs and other first-party Google devices.
When Guest Mode is enabled, Google Assistant interactions are not saved to your account and audio recordings from voice commands will be deleted automatically.
Asking questions, controlling smart home devices, setting timers, and…
Drone maker to pay $25M over military gear parts
January 14, 2021
PORTLAND, Ore. — Aerial drone manufacturer Insitu will pay $25 million to settle allegations that its military drones were outfitted with used components instead of new ones.
U.S. attorney Brian Moran said cases such as this one should be seen as a warning to defense…
Android Auto moves closer to wallpaper support w/ collection of car-themed backgrounds
January 14, 2021
Last year, we found that Android Auto was working to let you add a bit of flair to your car’s entertainment system through wallpaper support. Ahead of that feature’s launch, Google has added a collection of car-related wallpapers with the latest update to the Android…
Olive Pro: 2-in-1 Hearing Aids & Bluetooth Earbuds [Video]
January 14, 2021
is a really unique product from Olive Union. They’re 2-in-1 headphones. You can use these for listening to music like traditional bluetooth earphones, but they also serve as certified FDA Class II hearing aids. Let’s take a look:
Certified FDA Class II
Like other hearing aids, the Olive Pros are a certified FDA Class II medical device, but at a fraction of the cost of competitors. Unlike…
Ubisoft announced today it will make a new Star Wars game in collaboration with Disney’s Lucasfilm Games division.
The title from Ubisoft’s Massive Entertainment — the maker of The Division open world series — will be a story-driven open-world Star Wars…
Molecula, which is developing a cloud-based feature store for AI and machine learning workloads, today announced it has raised $17.6 million. The company says the proceeds will be put toward accelerating the launch of its managed cloud service and bolstering its sales and…
In the subfield of machine learning known as natural language processing (NLP), robustness testing is the exception rather than the norm. That’s particularly problematic in light of work showing that many NLP models leverage spurious connections that inhibit their performance outside of specific tests. One report found that 60% to 70% of answers given by NLP models were embedded somewhere in the…
Sony Unveils the FE 35mm f/1.4 G-Master Lens
January 13, 2021
Sony has announced the 59th addition to the E-Mount lens lineup, the 35mm f/1.4 GM. Built “in the same spirit” as the 24mm f/1.4 GM, Sony claims this lens is capable of being a do-it-all lens, from portraiture to landscapes.
With the 35mm f/1.4 GM, there are now 39…
Nikon Japan has published a note indicating that it will be reducing its workforce in accordance to the latest State of Emergency issued by the Japanese government in response to rapidly rising COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Japan’s latest state of emergency declaration has…
ViewSonic Announces 8K Color-Accurate Thunderbolt 3 Monitor
January 13, 2021
ViewSonic has announced a host of new monitors that span a range of use cases, with its new color-accurate 4K and 8K monitors of note as the company’s latest offerings for photographers. Called the ColorPro monitor series, the mix of high resolution and wide color gamut looks particularly enticing.
Starting at the top, the VP3286-8K is ViewSonic’s most premium option and is a 32-inch monitor…
