Engadget

07.01.2025 20:20 How are you ever going to improve your Elo if you can’t stop shivering or sweating in your gaming seat? Razer’s latest innovation is Project Arielle, a gaming chair that sports integrated temperature controls, plus the company’s signature pretty lighting of course. Evolved from the Fujin Pro, Razer’s breathable mesh chair, Project Arielle uses a bladeless fan system to either warm up or cool down the entire frame. The side of the seat features a touchscreen control panel where you can change the three-speed fan settings and swap between warm and cool airflow. The edges of the seat and backrest have RGD lights that change dynamically from blue to red as the temperature changes, too. The bladeless fan is housed in a cylinder dangling off the base of the backrest like a little stubby tail, and a cable runs from this same area, connected to a sizable power brick. Razer says Project Arielle can reduce the perceived temperature by 2 to 5 degrees C in dry environments, and its self-regulating, energy-efficient heater delivers warm air of up to 30 degrees C . Razer In action, Project Arielle is surprisingly effective and quiet. I had a chance to experience — not just sit in — the chair at CES 2025, and it functioned even better than expected. With the warm setting engaged, I felt a breeze of heated air swirl around my head, neck and upper back, and the temperature change was tangible even in a hot room. The cool setting provided instant relief, with the airflow particularly noticeable along my back, neck and under my arms. The fan was noiseless in the demo room, which contained about a dozen people and a handful of laptops and PCs. I strained to hear the fan running in this environment, and even then, it was barely noticeable as a soft hum. As someone who’s always chilly, especially in sedentary situations, Project Arielle is an incredibly attractive chair. Instead of piling on sweatshirts and blankets to warm up my frozen bones, I’d be happy to just switch on the heating function and bask in the warm air. The cute lights certainly don’t hurt, either. Project Arielle is just a concept for now, but Razer has a pretty good track record when it comes to turning its experiments into actual products. Just look at the Project Esther haptic gaming cushion, which debuted at CES 2024 and then went on sale nine months later as the Razer Freyja. Will Project Arielle help boost your rank or shave seconds off your speedrun? Maybe, maybe not. But it’ll definitely keep you cozy while you try. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/razer-reveals-project-arielle-at-ces-2025-its-first-temperature-controlled-gaming-chair-140053028.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 Wellness brand Moonbird launched a kids’ version of its stress-relief breathwork device at CES 2025 and it is so cute. Moonbuddy is like a little calming companion — the roughly egg-shaped device is outfitted in a silicone animal costume and offers tactile guidance for breathing exercises. It’s designed to help kids slow things down for a few minutes so they can feel grounded and ultimately more relaxed. Unlike the adult version, there’s no accompanying app, so the activity is entirely screen-free. Moonbuddy is activated by a button on the back, and there are four different breathing modes that range from 6 breaths per minute to 10.5 breaths per minute. Once you’ve selected an exercise, the device’s squishy belly will begin to expand and contract slowly to match the desired breathing rhythm. Moonbuddy looks and feels like a toy that’s meant to be cradled in your hands. The company showed it off with bird and bear versions of the removable sleeve, and it’s hard to choose which is the cuter between the two. But you’ll have to, because only one sleeve comes with the $89 device and they aren’t currently sold as separate accessories. I’d love to see that option down the line, especially since the team says it’s working on other animal designs that could someday join the mix. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget That aside, adults aren’t the only ones who experience stress and anxiety — kids go through it too, and breathwork can be really helpful for easing those feelings and their potential consequences, like troubled sleep. But getting a kid to sit down and focus on slow, controlled breathing isn’t always an easy thing to do. Moonbuddy could be a great, albeit pricey, tool to have on hand in that regard, making the exercises much more approachable. I may or may not be seriously considering buying one for myself. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/moonbuddy-is-an-adorable-guided-breathing-device-thatll-help-your-kid-wind-down-153038369.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 We're in the midst of CES 2025 and Amazon has announced a series of new features and devices across its product lines. In the case of Ring, this means increasing the quality of its cameras, with Ring Floodlight Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Pro getting 2K video resolution. This upgrade should improve the quality of each bit of video footage for increased clarity and safety. Ring will roll out 2K video resolution on January 8. Anyone with a Floodlight Cam Pro or Spotlight Cam Pro can use the Ring app to upgrade their device's resolution for free. At the same time, Ring has teamed up with Kidde, a fire safety company, to create smoke and carbon monoxide alarms with Ring's technology. Basically, the devices will send real-time alerts on the Ring app if they detect unsafe levels of either smoke or carbon monoxide. Critically, individuals don't need to own a Ring Alarm or hub to use them. Ring For $5 monthly, customers can get professional monitoring of their devices, which allows agents to contact emergency personnel and contacts. These devices will only be available for US customers at Home Depot starting this April. We're reporting live from CES 2025 in Las Vegas from January 5-10. Follow our CES 2025 liveblog for the latest from the show floor.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/ring-brings-2k-video-resolution-to-its-cameras-151625629.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 Anker announced a new wall charger at CES 2025 and this 140W model includes a nifty display for keeping track of various metrics. The screen will show power usage per port, temperature and fast-charge status. This is just the latest Anker charger to have a screen built in as the company has been adding them to a number of its chargers and power banks over the past year or so. The screen even displays something Anker is calling an odometer, which measures lifetime usage in hours. The diminutive charger boasts a surprising number of ports, which is always useful. All told, there are three USB-C ports and a single USB-A port. The design also makes it less prone to falling and loosening when plugged in. The Anker 3C1A supports multiple fast-charging options, including PD3.1 and UFCS, making it compatible with a wide range of devices. Could this be the mythical “one charger to rule them all?” That depends on pricing, and the company is remaining mum for now. We also don't know when this thing will be available for purchase, though we'll likely find out soon enough. Anker Anker also announced a new power bank with retractable cables. That’s a really neat idea, but a bit risky since cables can easily fail. Anker thought of this, as the device includes additional standard ports. This power bank also boasts a display, similar to the charger, and offers support for fast charging. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/anker-announces-new-140w-wall-charger-with-a-handy-built-in-display-at-ces-2025-030027200.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 We first checked out Displace TV back at CES 2023 and were pretty impressed with the company's 55-inch 4K OLED screen — it was wireless, had hot-swappable batteries and you could stick it onto any smooth surface thanks to its proprietary active-loop vacuum technology. Unfortunately, what we saw was just a prototype and only 100 units were ever planned for production. For CES 2025, Displace TV has returned with a market version of its stick-on wireless 4K TV, and also unveiled a wireless soundbar and speakers. There are a few changes from the early versions we saw two years ago. For one, the rechargeable batteries are no longer swappable and now, in addition to the suction cup tech, there are concealed, pop-out legs for setting the screen on a surface. Displace is producing two models, the Basic and the Pro. Each has the same operating system, the company's own AI-fueled Displace OS. They both have 4K OLED displays, with the option of 27 or 55-inch screen sizes. The Pro model is packed with a more powerful 8-core Intel N-300 processor, 32GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a larger 10,000mAh battery. For comparison, the Basic model uses a Intel N-100 4-core CPU, has 16GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a smaller 5,000mAh battery. The Pro also includes Displace's new soundbar and speakers that not only offer better sound, but also increase the battery life by 150 hours. To control the set, Displace has created a multi-touch control device that also packs its own screen. This is a new addition to what we saw in 2023, as those TVs were controlled purely through gestures. Gesture control is still present with the new TVs but only works for basic functions like pause and play. Any further input will require touching the remote. Another change since 2023 is price. Displace targeted a substantial $3,000 price tag for the 55-inch model back in 2023. Now that price is $2,500 for the 27-inch Basic model and $3,500 for the 55-inch. If you want the Pro version, those are going for $4,000 and $6,000 for the same two sizes, respectively. If you're tempted, you may like to know that right now, Displace will give pre-order customers a $1,000 discount on any of the sets — but only during CES. The show officially packs up January 10, so you don't have long to decide whether a wireless suction cup TV needs to be a part of your life. Units are expected to ship in late March this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/displace-will-finally-ship-its-wireless-4k-oled-suction-tvs-in-march-of-this-year-150025595.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 Black Friday is more than a month behind us, but it seems Beats isn’t done with its deals. The 2024 Beats Pill is now $100, down from $150. The last time we saw the speaker on sale for $100 was during Black Friday, and we’re glad to see this discount again. The 2024 Beats Pill is a portable powerhouse with several upgrades compared to its predecessor. It has improved sound quality, and support for lossless audio if you use a USB-C connection. While the official description rates battery life at up to 24, Engadget found that it can go more than that, but only if you keep the volume lower than 50 percent. A standout feature of the 2024 Beats Pill is Stereo mode. If you have two of them, you can connect both to your device and activate this feature. Each speaker then plays one of the two stereo channels, resulting in a wider soundscape. You can also have both play the same audio through Amplify mode, which doubles the sound. The 2024 Beats Pill has a good reputation amongst our team members. We not only included it in our list of best portable Bluetooth speakers, but we’ve also given it an in-depth review. We recommend it if you’re thinking of getting a portable speaker.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-2024-beats-pill-is-on-sale-for-100-right-now-144920729.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 It’s been a while since I’ve tried a pair of personal cinema-style AR glasses given their propensity to be rubbish. The field of view is often too restrictive, they’re often too low-res and they’re often prone to giving me eyestrain headaches. But after I tried on Xreal’s new One Pro glasses at CES 2025, I was suitably impressed as the company's latest addresses all of those gripes and plenty more. Xreal turned up in Las Vegas to show off the One Pro, which is a marginal improvement on the Xreal One that debuted, and quickly sold out, a month ago. Both pairs are equipped with the company’s first in-house spatial computing chip, delivering less blur, no flicker and a 120Hz refresh rate. They’re also equipped with Bose-branded sound, not that I was able to test their quality in a crowded casino ballroom. The difference between the two comes down to slightly better optics. The point of the new X1 chip is to ensure the glasses can do all the spatial brainwork without needing to rely on whatever device you’re hooked up to. That enables you to have ultra-wide displays that could be used to give yourself a mega desktop if you need to get some serious work done. Or, if you want to pin a games console in one place in your virtual environment, you can now do that even if you’re wired up to something low power. Speaking of, I got to try two different demos, the first playing Super Mario Odyssey on a Switch, and then one with an ultra-wide desktop display on a laptop. Photo by Daniel Cooper On one hand, these glasses remain bound by the same constraint every other pair of these devices have . You’re trying to trick your eyes into thinking two small screens close to your eyes are actually one massive screen that’s a lot further away. Your eyes are, however, smarter than that, and it’s rare that I’ve been able to view the illusion as its creators intended. But, mercifully, the resolution, brightness, low latency and broad field of vision all help to sell the trick here in a way that worked better than I have ever experienced. In fact, I got quite lost playing Odyssey, not realizing that I’d been playing for five or more minutes as my eyes didn’t put up their usual protest. Hell, the fact I just mindlessly got on with it and it never occurred to me to stop to give my eyes a rest was the first sign these were a cut above. When I got to the desktop and was able to comfortably read the text on the screen , it felt revelatory. Look, this is table stakes for a device like this, but the fact I managed to use it comfortably speaks volumes. I’ll reserve full judgment until I’ve had the chance to put these through their paces properly but, right now, I’m impressed. The Xreal One will be back in stock shortly, while the One Pro should begin shipping in March 2025. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/xreals-new-one-pro-ar-glasses-are-surprisingly-good-143034826.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced a major shift in the company's approach to moderation and speech. Meta is ditching its fact-checking program and moving to an X-style Community Notes model on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Zuckerberg said in a video that Meta has "built a lot of complex systems to moderate content" in recent years. "But the problem with complex systems is they make mistakes. Even if they accidentally censor one percent of posts, that's millions of people." He added that we're now at a point where there have been "too many mistakes and too much censorship." To that end, he said, "we're gonna get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms." That's going to start with a switch to "Community Notes, similar to X, starting in the US." Meta's new Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan wrote in a blog post that the company has seen the Community Notes "approach work on X — where they empower their community to decide when posts are potentially misleading and need more context, and people across a diverse range of perspectives decide what sort of context is helpful for other users to see." The company plans to phase in Community Notes in the US over the next few months and iterate on them over this year, all the while removing its fact checkers and ending the demotion of fact-checked content. Meta will also make certain content warning labels less prominent. Meta says it will be up to contributing users to write Community Notes and to decide which ones are applied to posts on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. "Just like they do on X, Community Notes will require agreement between people with a range of perspectives to help prevent biased ratings," Kaplan wrote. "We intend to be transparent about how different viewpoints inform the Notes displayed in our apps, and are working on the right way to share this information." The Community Notes model hasn't entirely been without issue for X, however. Studies have shown that Community Notes have failed to prevent misinformation from spreading there. Elon Musk has championed the Community Notes approach but some have been applied to his own posts to correct falsehoods that he has posted. After one such incident, Musk accused "state actors" of manipulating the system. YouTube has also tested a Community Notes model. ASSOCIATED PRESS Meanwhile, Zuckerberg had some other announcements to make, including a simplification of certain content policies and ditching "a bunch of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are just out of touch with mainstream discourse. What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it's gone too far. I wanna make sure that people can share their experiences and their beliefs on our platforms." When asked to provide more details about these policy changes, Meta directed Engadget to Kaplan's blog post. In addition, the filters that Meta had used to search for any policy violations across its platforms will be focused on "illegal and high-severity violations." These include terrorism, child sexual exploitation, drugs, fraud and scams. For other, less-severe types of policy violations, Meta will rely more on users making manual reports, but the bar for removing content will be higher. "We’re going to tune our systems to require a much higher degree of confidence before a piece of content is taken down," Kaplan wrote. In some cases, that will mean multiple reviewers looking at a certain piece of content before reaching a decision on whether to take it down. Along with that, Meta is "working on ways to make recovering accounts more straightforward and testing facial recognition technology, and we’ve started using AI large language models to provide a second opinion on some content before we take enforcement actions." Last but not least, Meta says it's taking a more personalized approach to political content across its platforms after attempting to make its platforms politically agnostic for the past few years. So, if you want to see more political stuff in your Facebook, Instagram and Threads feeds, you'll have the choice to do so. As with donating to Donald Trump's inauguration fund, replacing longtime policy chief Nick Clegg with a former George W. Bush aide and appointing Trump's buddy Dana White to its board, it's very difficult to see these moves as anything other than Meta currying favor with the incoming administration. Many Republicans have long railed against social media platforms, accusing them of censoring conservative voices. Meta itself blocked Trump from using his accounts on his platforms for years after he stoked the flames of the attempted coup of January 6, 2021. "His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world," Zuckerberg said at the time. "We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great." Meta removed its restrictions on Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts last year. Zuckerberg explicitly said that Trump's election win is part of the reasoning behind Meta's policy shift, calling it "a cultural tipping point" on free speech. He said that the company will work with Trump to push back against other governments, such as the Chinese government and some in Latin America, that are "pushing to censor more." He claimed that "Europe has an ever-increasing number of laws institutionalizing censorship and making it difficult to build anything innovative there." Zuckerberg also took shots at the outgoing administration and third-party fact checkers, who he claimed were "too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they created." These are all significant changes for Meta's platforms. On one hand, allowing more types of speech could increase engagement without having to rely on, say, garbage AI bots. But the company may end up driving away many folks who don't want to deal with the type of speech that could become more prevalent on Instagram, Facebook and Threads now that Meta is taking the shackles off. "Now we have an opportunity to restore free expression and I am excited to take it," Zuckerberg said. While he noted that "it'll take time to get this right and these are complex systems that are never gonna be perfect," and that the company will still need to work hard to remove illegal content, "the bottom line is that after years of having our content moderation work focused primarily on removing content, it is time to focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our systems and getting back to our roots about giving people voice." Update January 7, 2:58PM ET: Noting that Meta responded to our request for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-loosening-some-content-policies-and-moving-to-an-x-style-community-notes-system-142330500.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 Withings is at CES yet again, this year showing off its updated blood pressure monitor and a new way for its users to keep their hearts healthy. The Withings BPM Vision, for that is what it is called, is a new tabletop blood pressure monitor designed for home use. It boasts a big, color display the company promises will help make it easier for you to understand what’s going on. Like its predecessors, BPM Vision connects to Wi-Fi, instantly uploading your latest data to its cloud platform. But Withings has broken with tradition, using a tabletop design with a connected cuff, rather than the all-in-the-cuff design of the BPM Connect and BPM Core. Concerns around readability likely prompted the change, as it was hard to read the screen strapped to your arm. Withings Withings is also launching Cardio Check-Up, where users can get feedback on their heart health from a board-certified cardiologist. Withings+ subscribers in the US, France and Germany will be able to send readings to a physician once every 90 days. They’ll take a look at the data and check there’s nothing to be concerned about, and promise to respond within 24 hours. BPM Vision is expected to be available in the US from April 2025, pending the usual blessing from the FDA. Cardio Check-Up starts today as part of the Withings+ subscription, and can be accessed if you have an annual or monthly payment plan.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/withings-updates-its-blood-pressure-monitor-and-launches-a-cardio-check-up-feature-140046862.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 German Bionic, the robot exoskeleton startup behind the lightweight Apogee exosuit, just revealed the Apogee Ultra at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. This powered exoskeleton is intended to help people complete jobs that require heavy lifting or advanced movement. To that end, it offers dynamic lifting support of up to 80 pounds. This means that it can lift the entire thing or help a bit when people need it, sort of like how rider assist works with electric bikes. The company says “it makes physically demanding tasks feel effortless” and that lifting 70 pounds will feel like nine or ten pounds for the lower back. German Bionic The exoskeleton has also been designed to help with walking long distances, which is often required in large warehouses where this kind of technology would be most useful. German Bionic says this walking assist feature will make a trip of ten miles feel like eight. The Apollo Ultra will even offer a bit of assistance when completing tasks that require people to bend over for prolonged periods of time. The device is filled with some advanced software, which helps with the whole “dynamic” thing mentioned above. The “highly adaptive” system adjusts to the needs of each individual user via machine learning algorithms. These algorithms have been trained on “vast amounts of high quality, relevant data collected from thousands of users.” The exoskeleton integrates with a proprietary app, allowing people to view performance metrics like steps taken, usage time and weight lifted. The app has also been designed with feedback in mind, as there’s an easy way to contact the company to deliver insights. This should allow for continuous improvement as more people don the suit. This exoskeleton is perfectly positioned for industrial work and for health care, as medical professionals often need a bit of help to lift patients. The Apogee Ultra is available for preorder right now, but it’ll likely empty out that bank account. We don’t have a specific price, but the lower-tech Apogee+ exoskeleton costs $9,900. The company does offer monthly payment plans for bulk purchases by commercial entities.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/german-bionics-new-apogee-ultra-exoskeleton-can-lift-up-to-80-pounds-and-help-with-walking-140031689.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 20:20 Razer brought a fancypants monitor stand to CES 2025 in Las Vegas, and this one features RGB lights. The Chroma stand is an ergonomic unit built from anodized aluminum, with a sleek black matte finish. It can support up to 44 pounds, which should easily accommodate most monitors. The integrated RGB lighting supports up to 16.8 million colors and can run a series of lighting effects. Users create custom lighting profiles which can be cycled through via a remappable button. This button can also be used for other purposes, like launching applications or muting audio. Of course, it syncs up with other Chroma-capable devices to “create a cohesive, immersive aesthetic.” Yay, lighting! Razer Even if you hate custom lighting, there’s one thing we can all agree on. There are simply not enough ports in the world for all of our many gadgets. To that end, the Chroma Stand includes a built-in 4-port hub that connects via a single USB-C cable. The available ports include a pair of USB-A inputs, a single USB-C and an HDMI. It doesn’t offer any adjustment capabilities, but the stand does include anti-slip rubber pads on the bottom for stability. There’s also an open space underneath, which is perfect for smartphones, laptops and other gadgets. The Razer Monitor Stand Chroma costs $200 and pre-orders are open right now. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/razer-made-a-monitor-stand-with-rgb-lights-because-of-course-it-did-140029786.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 15:00 Klipsch, a company more known for shelf speakers, towers and soundbars, is adding three more portable speakers to its Music City Party Speaker lineup. The original three speakers are the Austin, Nashville and Detroit models. At CES 2025, Klipsch is adding the Vegas, Miami and New York models. The Vegas is the smallest model among the three and has a single 5.25-inch woofer, while the Miami is larger and has two 5.25-inch woofers for more bass. The New York is the biggest one and has dual eight-inch woofers. Other differences include the Vegas and Miami’s pole mounts for easy setup, which the New York doesn’t have. However, the New York and Miami have trolley wheels due to their larger size and heavier weight. These wheels make it easier to take the speakers on the road. The new speakers all come with a karaoke microphone, handles for portability and some sound effects like audience cheering and an airhorn, along with RGB lighting for outdoor enjoyment. They also support Bluetooth 5.2 connections and have a Bass Boost mode if you think there isn’t enough low end. Additionally, if you have more than one of these speakers, Party Mode can link them up for a more immersive experience. For sound customization, all three speakers work with the Klipsch Connect Plus app. The app supports EQ adjustments, RGB and light pattern changes and more. Klipsch says that the Vegas can last for eight hours of playing, while the Miami can reach 18 hours. The New York, despite being the largest of the trio, has a maximum battery life of 12 hours. Turning the lights on reduces battery life. All three speakers will be available in Spring 2025. The Vegas will cost $299, the Miami goes for $549 and the New York can be yours for $699. You may pre-order them starting January 7, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/klipsch-introduces-the-newest-music-city-party-karaoke-focused-speakers-140018483.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 15:00 Netgear just announced a new Wi-Fi 7 mesh router system called the Orbi 870, joining the pre-existing 970 and 770. The company says that the latest system “offers the perfect balance of performance, coverage, and security.” To that end, the Orbi 870 offers tri-band speeds up to 21Gbps and all kinds of modern bells and whistles. These include enhancements like support for the latest 320MHz bandwidth and 4K QAM, which squeezes more data into traditional transmissions. This looks to be a fairly future-proof router system. Netgear also touts the reliability of this device, thanks to an enhanced backhaul that combines 5GHz and 6GHz into a single band. Of course, there are plenty of wired connectivity options here. There’s a 10 gigabit internet port and four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports on the router. Additionally, each satellite includes four Ethernet ports. Netgear Like most Netgear mesh systems, adjustments can be made via the Orbi app. This lets users pause the internet, run speed tests, track usage and set up separate networks for guests. This app also allows access to parental controls. The Netgear Orbi 870 system is available in black or white. A three-pack that includes the router and two satellites costs $1,300, while a two-pack costs $1,000. Additional satellites can be purchased for $550 each. This is expensive, to be sure, but an actual bargain when compared to the slightly higher-end Orbi 970 system. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/netgears-orbi-870-mesh-router-system-is-a-great-way-to-join-the-wi-fi-7-bandwagon-133031270.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 15:00 Bad actors have created deepfakes to imitate celebrity endorsements, President Biden and employers. But, one of the most heinous uses is making sexually explicit deepfakes of real people. Now, the UK government is taking new steps to deter their creation, introducing new criminal offenses for producing or sharing sexually explicit deepfakes. Only sharing deepfakes is currently an offense under UK law. "With these new measures, we’re sending an unequivocal message: creating or sharing these vile images is not only unacceptable but criminal," said Baroness Margaret Beryl Jones, minister for the future digital economy and online safety. "Tech companies need to step up too — platforms hosting this content will face tougher scrutiny and significant penalties." The new offenses will be proposed in parliament under the Government’s Crime and Policing Bill. A similar measure was proposed in April 2024 by the previous UK government under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. However, it only covered cases in which a person created the deepfake to "cause alarm, humiliation or distress to the victim," creating a loophole for perpetrators to argue their case. The law never progressed as Sunak called a general election just one month later. Notably, the new measure covers only adults, as it is already illegal to create or share any sexually explicit images of children. The UK government has also announced its intention to make it a criminal offense if a person takes intimate photos or video without consent. Additional offenses would look at whether it was created without consent and to cause alarm, distress, humiliation or sexual gratification for themselves or another. A person charged with one of these actions can face up to two years in custody. The US has attempted to create helpful measures or individuals impacted by deepfakes. In 2024, the Senate passed the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act , which would allow victims of sexually explicit deepfakes to sue the perpetrators. It would give the individual 10 years to sue for up to $150,000 or $250,000 if it relates to attempted sexual assault, stalking or harassment. However, it's fate is unclear, having sat in limbo in the House of Representatives since last July. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-uk-law-would-criminalize-creating-sexually-explicit-deepfakes-132155132.html?src=rss

07.01.2025 15:00 If there's one certainty of 2025, it's that there will be a plethora of new AI products. One of the first out of the gate comes from Philips Hue, which has announced AI-powered smart lighting for creating just the right mood for every setting. Philips Hue is bringing an AI assistant to its Hue app that will create "personalized lighting scenes." You can instruct the assistant through text or voice commands. For instance, you might say something like, "Create a scene for a dinner party" or write "Give me a scene for a quiet night in." Philips Hue will also have a feedback feature so you can share if the ambience isn't what you requested. Philips Hue As of now, there's not an exact release date for the AI assistant, but Philips Hue states it will become available this year. It should be compatible with all of its lights. Other companies have created similar products, such as iConnectHue, which added AI-powered "magic scenes" in early 2023. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/philips-hue-adds-ai-powered-lighting-options-to-its-app-131538165.html?src=rss