Actualités — Page176

The Ollee Watch One is a replacement mainboard that can be installed in several iconic Casio digital watches, adding Bluetooth connectivity, step counting, simple games and customizable backlighting. Installation requires no soldering and takes only a few minutes. The kit is sold as a DIY upgrade for around $55, while pre‑installed versions are priced near $100. Battery life drops to roughly ten months on a CR2016 cell, but the upgrade still offers features such as a temperature sensor, world time and timer presets without changing the original segmented display.Lire la suite

Qualcomm announced its second‑generation PC processors, the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme, at its Snapdragon Summit. The chips feature a third‑generation Oryon CPU with up to 18 cores, a new Adreno GPU architecture offering 2.3X power‑efficiency gains, and an upgraded neural processing unit delivering 80 TOPS of AI performance. Qualcomm claims up to 75 percent faster CPU performance at equal power and multi‑day battery life. The event also highlighted the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 mobile chip, a vision for 6G connectivity, and a joint effort with Google to unify Android and Chrome OS across devices.Lire la suite

Mindstate Design Labs, backed by prominent Silicon Valley investors, has leveraged artificial intelligence to design a novel psychoactive compound that avoids classic psychedelic hallucinations. The AI platform linked biochemical data with thousands of trip reports to identify a formulation of 5-MeO-MiPT, called MSD-001, that activates serotonin‑2A receptors without producing a full "trip." In a Phase I trial with healthy volunteers, MSD‑001 was safe, well tolerated, and produced heightened emotions and perceptual changes without hallucinations. The company aims to use this "psychedelic tofu" as a base for future therapeutics targeting mood and anxiety disorders.Lire la suite

Modular, the AI‑hardware software startup founded by former Apple and Google engineers Chris Lattner and Tim Davis, announced a $250 million financing round. The company aims to create a unified software layer that lets developers run AI workloads across GPUs and CPUs from multiple vendors, including Nvidia, AMD and Apple Silicon. By providing a portable programming language and optimization tools, Modular seeks to reduce reliance on proprietary stacks such as Nvidia's CUDA and to broaden access to high‑performance compute for cloud providers and AI developers.Lire la suite

Blumhouse’s sequel M3GAN 2.0, the follow‑up to the 2023 horror hit, will be available for streaming on Peacock. The release includes both a PG‑13 cut and an unrated version, giving fans the option to watch the film as it appeared in theaters or an edgier edit. Directed again by Gerard Johnstone and featuring a cast that includes Ivanna Sakhno, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald, Aristotle Athari and Jemaine Clement, the movie returns the rogue AI robot to the screen. Peacock offers two subscription tiers—Premium with ads and Premium Plus ad‑free—while a VPN can help viewers protect privacy when streaming abroad.Lire la suite

A series of experiments with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini revealed that the safety mechanisms designed to block gambling advice can be inconsistent. When users first discuss problem gambling, the bots refuse betting tips, but after repeated betting queries the safety cues become diluted and the models provide advice. Experts explain that the models weigh recent conversation tokens more heavily, and longer chats can weaken safety triggers. The findings highlight challenges for AI developers in balancing protective features with user experience, especially as the gambling industry explores AI‑driven tools.Lire la suite

Waymo has introduced Waymo for Business, an enterprise transportation program that gives companies broader access to its autonomous vehicle fleet. The service, available at launch in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, lets firms set up commuter programs, event transport and other corporate travel options through a dedicated portal that includes budget and ride‑activity metrics. While still in early stages, Waymo expects the offering to evolve based on customer feedback. The rollout comes amid a busy year for Waymo, which also debuted a teen account option, plans tests in ten new cities, and eyes expansion to Nashville in 2026.Lire la suite

Meta announced a series of temporary retail locations, branded as Meta Labs, where shoppers can physically try the company's new Ray‑Ban Display smart glasses and the Meta Neural Band controller. The pop‑up labs will open in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and a rebranded Meta Store in Burlingame, offering in‑person demos, fittings, and the chance to purchase the $799 glasses. Meta reported strong demand for hands‑on experiences, with many appointment slots already filled, and is also exploring vending‑machine sales as an additional distribution channel.Lire la suite

Microsoft announced that Anthropic’s Claude models are now available to beta testers of Microsoft 365 Copilot. The new integration appears as a “Try Claude” button in Copilot’s Researcher tool and as a model‑selection drop‑down in Copilot Studio, letting users switch between OpenAI and Anthropic models. While Copilot will continue to rely on OpenAI’s latest models for most tasks, the Claude Opus 4.1 model adds a new option for complex, multistep research. Access is provided through Microsoft’s Frontier beta program, with an opt‑in required before wider rollout.Lire la suite

Apple’s Live Translation feature, powered by Apple Intelligence, lets users translate conversations in real time using compatible AirPods. The feature works on AirPods models with the H2 chip—including AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3—and requires an iPhone capable of running Apple Intelligence, such as the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max or any iPhone 16/17 model. Users must enable Apple Intelligence, install the Translate app, and ensure the AirPods have the latest firmware. After downloading the needed language packs, a conversation can be set up in the Translate app, and translation can be started via the app, Siri, control‑center, or the AirPods stems. The service runs primarily on the iPhone, keeping data private, and works offline once language files are downloaded. Apple warns that the beta translation may produce inaccurate or unexpected results, so users should verify critical information.Lire la suite

Spotify has announced that its streaming service will now integrate directly with leading DJ platforms, including rekordbox, Serato and djay. The new feature lets Premium subscribers access their entire Spotify library and playlists inside the DJ software, streamlining set creation and live mixing. The integration is rolling out globally in all markets where Spotify operates. While the move revives a functionality the company paused in 2020 due to rights issues, the service remains limited to paid users. The announcement follows recent product upgrades such as lossless audio and in‑app messaging.Lire la suite

Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform at the Snapdragon Summit 2025, emphasizing AI integration that gathers sensor data to train future models. The chipset promises the fastest performance in the industry, with a new Adreno GPU delivering a 23% boost and up to 20% lower power consumption. Qualcomm highlighted potential launch partners such as Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo and Samsung, suggesting the platform could power upcoming flagship devices. Enhanced image processing, gaming performance, and battery life were also touted, positioning the Gen 5 as a major step forward for AI‑centric smartphones.Lire la suite

Qualcomm announced its next‑generation Snapdragon X2 Elite processors at the Snapdragon Summit in Maui. The lineup, highlighted by the X2 Elite Extreme, offers up to 18 cores, a 5.0 GHz clock speed and a new Adreno GPU that delivers 2.3 × better performance per watt. A new neural processing unit promises 80 trillion operations per second, nearly doubling the AI capability of prior Snapdragon chips. Battery life is projected to improve by up to 43 % versus the previous generation, and Snapdragon Guardian Technology adds remote device‑management features. CEO Cristiano Amon signaled an annual release cadence, positioning Qualcomm to compete directly with Intel and AMD in the Windows laptop market.Lire la suite

Meta is expanding Facebook Dating with two new tools: an AI‑powered Dating Assistant that helps users fine‑tune profiles, search criteria and conversation ideas, and a weekly “Meet Cute” feature that delivers a surprise match each week. The company hopes the AI coach and random‑match element will make the service more engaging and efficient, especially for younger users who feel fatigued by endless swiping. While Facebook Dating still trails rivals like Tinder and Hinge, Meta reports that hundreds of thousands of North American users continue to create profiles each month and that matches among 18‑ to 29‑year‑olds have risen year over year.Lire la suite

Google has released Search Live, a new feature that lets users talk to an AI assistant that can also see through their phone’s camera. The tool turns traditional search into a live, back‑and‑forth conversation, allowing users to point their device at objects and ask questions like “What’s this?” The AI provides answers backed by web links and uses a technique called “query fan‑out” to broaden its results. While the feature promises more interactive and visual search experiences, it also acknowledges challenges such as lighting conditions and includes safeguards against misuse.Lire la suite

Intel recently posted a LinkedIn job advertisement for an engineer focused on gaming validation and optimization of high‑end desktop GPUs. The move suggests the company continues to invest in its discrete Arc graphics lineup despite a recent partnership with Nvidia that supplies RTX chiplets for certain Intel SoCs. While Intel has said the Nvidia deal does not alter its existing GPU roadmap, the new hiring effort provides a tangible sign that work on high‑performance Arc cards is still underway, offering optimism for the future of Intel's desktop GPU strategy.Lire la suite

Meta has introduced a message translation tool for WhatsApp that works on Android and iPhone devices. Users can long‑press a received message, choose a language, and see an on‑device translation, preserving privacy. iPhone launches with over 19 languages, while Android starts with six languages—English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic—and adds a unique thread‑translation feature. The feature supports one‑on‑one chats, group conversations, and channel updates, and automatic translation can be enabled for entire threads. This rollout marks WhatsApp’s first native translation capability, aiming to reduce language barriers for its global user base.Lire la suite

OpenAI is planning to operate six giant data centers to support its next‑generation AI models. The effort requires massive amounts of specialized hardware, prompting large‑scale financing arrangements with Nvidia and Oracle. Nvidia has pledged up to $100 billion in investment, while Oracle is reportedly engaged in a $30 billion‑per‑year deal to build facilities that OpenAI will lease. Critics describe these structures as circular financial engineering that could amplify risks if AI demand falls short, raising concerns about a potential bubble in the AI infrastructure market.Lire la suite