Handle with Care: The New Pixel 9 Pro Fold Takes a Beating!
Zack Nelson from the tech-centric YouTube channel JerryRigEverything has put Google’s latest Pixel 9 Pro Fold smartphone to the test in his well-known durability challenge.
Priced at $1,800, Google describes the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as “super durable.” However, it’s likely that they didn’t anticipate the extreme methods Nelson uses to evaluate device toughness.
The results of this trial are rather grim. With a series of scratches, intense pressure, flames, and a bit of enthusiastic bending, it’s no surprise that the outcome is less than flattering.
Initially, Nelson uses a box cutter to create nasty scratches on the phone, even managing to slice his own finger in the process. Following that, he pours an outrageous amount of dirt and sand over the device to test its dust resistance, leading to a quick conclusion: “No, it doesn’t have any protection against dust.”
The next step involves applying a naked flame, which, after several seconds of exposure, damages both the internal and external displays.
Then comes the moment everyone has been waiting for—the bend test. Historically, foldable phones don’t respond well when subjected to significant force. Interestingly, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold didn’t snap at the hinge, it did break just off-center, near its antenna lines, which surprised Nelson.
By the video’s conclusion, the smartphone is utterly destroyed. “There’s quite the mess inside,” remarks Nelson.
Even the most careless smartphone users would likely never see their devices end up in such a state. Nevertheless, Nelson’s intense durability assessment offers insight into how much punishment a device can endure before it finally surrenders.
An extraordinary image captured by an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) depicts SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon capsule as it swiftly reenters Earth’s atmosphere early on Sunday morning. This capsule was returning home with a crew of four aboard.
A closer look at the photograph, taken by recently arrived ISS astronaut Don Pettit, reveals a brilliant streak of light along with the Crew Dragon against a backdrop of city lights. The five-day Polaris Dawn mission, notable for featuring four non-professional astronauts, conducted the first-ever privately financed spacewalk and took humans to the furthest distance from Earth since the Apollo missions over fifty years ago.“This morning’s entry of Polaris Dawn,” Pettit stated in his post on X (formerly Twitter), along with the image. “I took this photograph at 7:23 a.m. GMT from the Cupola on the ISS. In addition to the vibrant entry trail over Florida, you can also see the distinct cone shape of the Dragon capsule.”
Using a Nikon Z9 with a 200mm lens, Pettit captured the shot at f2, at 1/400th of a second, and an ISO of 25600, all from the ISS’s Cupola module, known for providing breathtaking views of Earth and beyond.
At 69, Pettit is NASA’s oldest active astronaut and arrived at the ISS last week alongside cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
This marks Pettit’s fourth journey into space, and throughout his previous missions, he has become known for capturing stunning images during his time in orbit. Expect to see more remarkable content from him in the coming six months.
I’m still weighing my thoughts on V Rising, which officially launched after early access in May. It combines elements of role-playing games and survival mechanics, allowing players to assume the role of a vampire, seeking out prey and expanding their influence in a dark, gothic landscape. However, this game comes with its share of survival gameplay elements that require careful management to ensure they’re enjoyable rather than tedious. Players must navigate their days strategically to evade sunlight and regularly quench their thirst for blood, drawing parallels to other survival games that necessitate food and water management.
If you’re intrigued like I am, there’s an exciting temporary offer from Stunlock Studios. From September 12 to 1 p.m. ET on September 16, players can experience V Rising for free on PC, provided they have a Steam account. Should you find yourself captivated during this trial, the game will be available for $25 (a 30% discount), and all cosmetic downloadable content will be offered at a 20% reduction until September 24. Moreover, the complete V Rising game along with all DLC is being sold at a 31% discount for $72, marking the largest price drop since its debut.
Additionally, V Rising launched with a special edition titled Legacy of Castlevania in June, featuring a variety of Castlevania-themed cosmetics available for both PC and PlayStation 5 gamers. The Steam version of this DLC is also discounted to $16.
Regrettably, PlayStation 5 players aren’t included in this particular promotion. Better luck next time, console fans.
V Rising initially entered early access and garnered substantial popularity on Steam, attracting 500,000 players within its first five days and achieving a million downloads in the first week, as noted by PC Gamer. Currently, many players are enjoying the free weekend experience, and as of this writing, SteamDB shows approximately 10,900 active players.
Are you among the users of Google Wallet? This tool is great for keeping payment methods, event tickets, and a variety of other items organized in one place. Recently, Google announced an exciting new feature: the ability to store passports.
Last year, the introduction of digital storage for certain state IDs marked a significant upgrade for Google Wallet. The company has now revealed plans to beta test a further expansion that includes U.S. passports, aiming to increase accessibility for more users. Users will even find it functional at airports in select Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.
At present, digital IDs are accepted in a number of states, including Hawaii, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, and New York, along with Puerto Rico. While this covers less than half of the states, the movement is gradually gaining momentum; for instance, California only started allowing driver’s licenses within Apple Wallet recently.
Setting up your digital ID is straightforward. Simply follow the prompts in Google Wallet to create an ID pass, scan the security chip found on the back of your passport, and you’ll be guided to take a selfie video for identity verification. The process usually wraps up within a few minutes, and you’ll receive a notification upon completion.
It’s essential to remember that while a digital ID enhances convenience, it doesn’t replace your physical passport. You’ll still need to have the actual passport or ID with you during travel, although this setup reduces the frequency of having to retrieve it, thereby lowering the chance of misplacing it. Additionally, Google envisions that digital IDs could also facilitate other processes, such as recovering accounts or renting vehicles.
Though we may still be years away from a completely cashless wallet experience, incorporating passports into digital ID systems is certainly a promising improvement and signals progress in this direction.
With vice presidential candidate Tim Walz openly sharing his passion for gaming, it was only a question of time before someone brought that enthusiasm into the realm of video games. This week, we discovered Crazy Taxi: Tim Walz Edition, a mod for the Dreamcast, available on itch.io, and felt it was a story worth exploring.
To understand the inspiration behind this creation, we refer to an anecdote from Walz featured in a New York Times article, where he reminisced about his fondness for the Sega Dreamcast. This personal enjoyment, however, led to a quirky twist—his wife, Gwen Walz, allegedly took over the console due to his excessive gaming. Naturally, this piqued the curiosity of many gamers: What ultimately became of the Dreamcast? What titles did he favor? And what game was reportedly the last straw for Gwen?
Related Insights
As the discussion unfolded, a ResetEra thread from 2018 resurfaced, where user Bryn Tanner, known as “Aaron,” claimed to possess Walz’s Dreamcast. He detailed how he purchased the console for $25 from a former student of Walz’s, who received it while Walz was campaigning for Congress.
While the console lacked games, further investigation by IGN’s Rebekah Valentine uncovered that the student, Tom Johnson, had taken the Dreamcast to college and remembered a lone disc inside: Crazy Taxi. This quirky anecdote effectively transformed into a meme.
Crazy Taxi: Tim Walz Edition — 5 Minutes of Wild Gameplay!
Crazy Taxi: Tim Walz Edition is a mod that requires the Flycast Dreamcast Emulator to play. In this game, you take on the role of Tim Walz as a spirited taxi driver racing through the city to pick up and drop off passengers as swiftly as possible. The catch? You’re a bit of a reckless driver, leading to wild stunts and countless collisions!
In a conversation with MPRNews, the creator Edward La Barbera shared that he began learning about Dreamcast modding specifically for this project. He envisioned it as a humorous tribute, likening it to the inclusion of Bill Clinton in the classic arcade game NBA Jam.
Beyond just incorporating Walz, La Barbera infused several Minnesota elements into the game, including snowy settings, trees typical of the northern Midwest, and flannel outfits. Additionally, Kamala Harris appears as a selectable character, with her and Walz’s Democratic National Convention speeches featured as in-game dialogues. Plus, players can now take passengers to a polling location.
It’s not entirely surprising that Walz enjoys Crazy Taxi—it has earned a spot among the greatest Dreamcast titles. Sega hinted last year that they’re reviving several classic franchises, including Crazy Taxi. In other words, there’s always potential to welcome more adventures in the Crazy Taxi universe.
In a groundbreaking development, Apple has received FDA approval to sell its AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds as over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. This significant transformation of personal audio devices into legitimate hearing aids could greatly impact the emerging OTC hearing aid market, as well as individual perceptions and acceptance of such devices.
During the September launch event for the iPhone 16, Apple shared its plans to introduce various new features for hearing health in its AirPods range later this fall.
Although Apple does not disclose specific sales data for its AirPods lineup, estimates suggest that around 75 million units were sold in 2023, with the AirPods Pro 2 representing approximately 63% of those sales. This positions the AirPods Pro 2 as the leading OTC hearing aid in terms of volume, although not all units are likely to be utilized as hearing aids. Current estimates indicate that the U.S. OTC hearing aid market is below 200,000 units.
Utilizing AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids could catalyze broader acceptance across the board. As individuals increasingly wear these distinctive white earbuds in various social contexts, it’s probable that societal attitudes towards OTC hearing aids will shift positively.
“While we don’t promote one product over another,” HLAA’s director of strategic communications, Meredith Resnick, expressed in an email to Digital Trends, “Apple’s announcement is thrilling news. This kind of innovation is precisely what we anticipated from the opening of the OTC hearing aid market, providing consumers with more choices.”
Resnick further emphasizes that the popularity of the AirPods Pro 2 could significantly impact the market for OTC hearing aids.
“It raises awareness about the significance of hearing as an essential aspect of health and wellness, which should be safeguarded, assessed, and treated when necessary,” she noted.
Competing brands in the wireless earbuds arena, such as Sony, Sennheiser, Jabra, and Bose, have been exploring the OTC hearing aid sector for years. These companies have either developed specialized OTC products or collaborated with other firms to introduce related technology. However, none have leveraged their existing personal audio devices for this purpose—until now, with Apple’s recent development.
Klipsch has teamed up with Ojas, a stylish brand from New York City established by Devon Turnbull, a former streetwear designer. Turnbull is known for his relentless passion for audio systems. The outcome of this collaboration is the exclusive kO-R1 horn-loaded loudspeaker, a bold and substantial speaker offered in either Spiral Red Oak or Pewter Grey finishes, priced at $8,498 per pair.
Dave Gans / Premium Audio Company
Turnbull began his journey in speaker design as a personal project while developing his Nom De Guerre streetwear line in the early 2000s. This passion eventually led to the foundation of Ojas, a name derived from Sanskrit, meaning “life vitality.” As highlighted in a GQ Magazine profile, Ojas has caught the attention of renowned retail brands like Supreme and has even made it into the home of celebrated producer and musician Mark Ronson.
The kO-R1 features Ojas’ signature design, often likened to brutalist architecture. Its simple yet robust aesthetics include Baltic birch plywood construction housing a powerful 12-inch woofer. Atop, a sizeable, adjustable sandcast aluminum multi-cell horn shelters a high-frequency driver, with the wiring and a five-step attenuator left completely visible for precision sound adjustment.
On the rear, you’ll find a set of five-way anodized aluminum binding posts, and the base of the speaker is equipped with anti-vibration rubber feet. A laser-engraved metal ID plate adorns the side, ensuring its authenticity is unquestionable.
Each unit is meticulously crafted by hand at Klipsch’s facility in Hope, Arkansas, and is accompanied by a custom Klipsch stand.
Roy Delgado (left) and Devon Turnbull.Dave Gans / Premium Audio Company
The development of the kO-R1 was a collaborative effort between Turnbull and Roy Delgado, a master of high-efficiency horn design, who learned under the legendary Paul W. Klipsch himself. This partnership between Turnbull and Klipsch was a natural fit, given Turnbull’s prior experience with horn-loaded speaker designs.
“My unwavering commitment to horn speaker design aligns perfectly with Klipsch, one of the few brands that embodies my vision,” Turnbull stated in a press release. “We both prioritize exceptional audio quality combined with timeless design. Paul W. Klipsch is a pivotal figure in horn speaker history, and I am proud to be a part of his legacy.”
Ti West is set to conclude his acclaimed X trilogy with MaXXXine, which will be available for streaming soon for Halloween fans. Starting on October 18, viewers can catch it on Max, followed by its HBO debut on October 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
In this installment, Mia Goth returns to her role as Maxine Minx, the ambitious adult film star who left Texas in the wake of the 1979 massacres for a chance at fame in 1980s Hollywood. As she strives for her much-desired breakthrough, a vicious killer begins targeting young actresses in her vicinity. Maxine is faced with a dilemma when her concealed past is revealed, forcing her to take drastic measures to protect her secret.
Alongside Goth, the film boasts a talented cast that includes Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon.
Ti West not only wrote and directed MaXXXine but also took on the role of producer, working with collaborators including Goth, Jacob Jaffke, Kevin Turen, and Harrison Kreiss.
MaXXXine marks the third chapter in West’s X trilogy, which began with X and continued with Pearl. The first film, released in March 2022, featured a film crew making an adult movie on a secluded Texas farm, where the elderly owners swiftly turned into deadly adversaries after learning of the film’s content. X was a commercial success, raking in over $15 million against a modest $1 million budget.
In a surprise move post-production of X, West and Goth quickly created Pearl, a prequel centered around the character’s ambitions to become a star in 1918. However, her failures resulted in tragic consequences for her family. Released in September 2022, Pearl grossed more than $10 million and received acclaim for Goth’s stellar performance.
Despite receiving mixed critiques, MaXXXine has emerged as the highest-grossing film in the trilogy, accumulating $21.5 million at the box office.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams addressed the media for the first time following the departure of the Boeing Starliner from the International Space Station (ISS) without their presence. During a press briefing from the ISS on Friday, they shared insights into their experience with the unpredictability of their return journey aboard the Starliner and the unexpected extension of their mission duration from eight days to eight months.
Wilmore expressed that the situation was challenging at times, acknowledging some tough moments throughout the ordeal. “As the commander and pilot of the spacecraft, it’s disheartening to see it leave without you. Yet, that was our reality,” he remarked.
He also took a moment to appreciate the public and media’s concern for their safety during this period. “We genuinely appreciate the outpouring of support. It has been heartwarming to see the concern for our well-being,” he added.
Williams mentioned that they were adjusting well to life aboard the space station. Both are skilled in mechanical tasks and have found numerous ways to contribute to the maintenance and repairs needed on the ISS. She shared her excitement about familiarizing herself with the Crew Dragon, which is currently docked and will be their eventual means of returning home. “We’re thrilled to be pilots of two different spacecraft. Testing is part of our job,” she said enthusiastically.
When asked about his feelings towards Boeing regarding the issues with the Starliner, Wilmore dismissed any disappointment. “Not at all,” he stated. “We anticipated that we would encounter problems before launch. That’s inherent in the test process. Every initial test flight, whether for a spacecraft or an aircraft, uncovers issues. A significant portion of our training is devoted to handling surprises.”
The two astronauts are set to remain at the ISS until early next year, at which point they will return home via a SpaceX Crew Dragon, joining the other Crew-9 mission members.
Furthermore, Williams is preparing to take on the role of commander for the space station during a particularly busy phase. Currently, there are nine crew members aboard the ISS, along with three newcomers who arrived this week via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft — two cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut.
In addition to the activities aboard the ISS, three Chinese astronauts are stationed on China’s Tiangong space station, and four members of the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission are currently on a Crew Dragon flight, two of whom recently completed the world’s first commercial spacewalk.
This brings the total number of individuals in space to 19, setting a new record, surpassing the previous count of 17.
Microsoft is in the process of developing a specialized platform within the Windows operating system aimed at improving antivirus monitoring. This initiative involves restricting security software from accessing the kernel, a statement highlighted in a recent post on their Experience Blog. This decision comes in light of the significant disruptions caused by the CrowdStrike incident back in July.
The concept for this new platform was discussed during a summit on September 10, 2024, held at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington. The purpose of the gathering was outlined by Microsoft, which noted, “This forum convened a diverse array of endpoint security vendors and government representatives from both the U.S. and Europe to share strategies focused on enhancing resiliency and securing critical infrastructure for our mutual clients.”
While the summit was not about final decisions, Microsoft provided insights on key themes and challenges faced in developing the proposed platform. Some of the focal points included:
Implementing anti-tampering measures for security applications
Defining necessary security sensor capabilities
Establishing collaborative principles between Microsoft and its ecosystem partners
Achieving secure-by-design ambitions for the new platform
Although Microsoft has not definitively stated that it will render the kernel inaccessible, it is proactively working on a security platform aimed at transferring responsibilities away from a kernel context, following the issues highlighted by CrowdStrike. This is a long-term vision, focusing on enhancing system reliability while adhering to stringent security practices.
During the same summit, ESET, an antivirus provider, emphasized the need to retain kernel access for cybersecurity tools to foster innovation and effectively combat emerging cyber threats. They expressed a desire for ongoing collaboration on this significant initiative.
To assist users in enhancing their security, several tips were shared, including the importance of securely backing up data and having comprehensive business continuity and incident response plans in place. The CrowdStrike debacle had a widespread impact, leading to the failure of 8.5 million Windows PCs and servers across multiple sectors, with airlines experiencing some of the most severe repercussions.
Steam Families is officially accessible for all users, streamlining the process of sharing your gaming library while also allowing you to supervise your children’s gaming activities.
While features designed for families have been part of Steam for some time—including Family Sharing and parental controls like Family View—Steam Families, introduced in beta in May, consolidates these options into a single hub. This new functionality went live on Wednesday, making the weekend perfect for starting to explore game sharing.
Valve has also revamped several existing features, particularly enhancing Family Sharing. In the past, joining a family allowed you to access another member’s game library, but not all titles supported sharing, and only one family member could play a borrowed game at a time. For instance, while I enjoyed playing my husband’s copy of Baldur’s Gate 3, he would receive a warning if he wanted to access his account while I was using it, resulting in a forced log-off after five minutes.
Fortunately, that’s no longer the scenario. According to Valve, family members can now access games from another’s library, even if that person is currently playing a different game. However, only one person can play the same title at once. This means that if multiple family members own the same game, they can all join in simultaneously. After this enhancement, I was able to dive into Tactical Breach Wizards while my husband played Tabletop Simulator.
Steam Families is designed for use in households with up to six family members, but it could also be shared with trusted friends. Valve has indicated that the guidelines and limits may evolve over time.
In addition to these improvements, new parental controls have been implemented, allowing you to set purchase limits for your children on Steam and manage their gaming experiences. You can provide access to specific games deemed suitable or restrict them from the store and chat features. Additionally, playtime limits can be established, and you will have access to reports detailing your child’s gaming behavior.
Valve has introduced a feature for purchase requests from children, enabling you to approve any games they wish to buy.
There are several other highly anticipated features currently being tested in beta on Steam, such as native game recording and an innovative system for determining review helpfulness that also highlights when a user primarily played a game on Steam Deck.
The long-awaited moment has finally arrived: we are getting an Assassin’s Creed game set in Feudal Japan! Initially codenamed Assassin’s Creed Red, the upcoming installment, titled Assassin’s Creed Shadows, will continue the beloved franchise. Ubisoft promised an exciting world premiere trailer, but there’s much more content to explore about this new adventure. We’ve compiled all the insights and footage shared online to keep you informed about Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Release Date
Ubisoft
Prepare to don the hidden blade again as Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set for release on November 15, 2024.
Platforms
UBISOFT
Players can look forward to experiencing Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with no versions specifically for previous generation consoles.
Trailers
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Official Cinematic World Premiere Trailer
The premiere trailer gives us a glimpse into the world and key characters of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The narrative centers around Naoe, whose village is ruthlessly attacked by samurai, leading her on a path as a shinobi. Meanwhile, Yasuke, a foreign samurai in training, has connections to the attack, though the details remain murky. Eventually, the two join forces to combat a larger threat, leaving us curious about how this ties into the broader Assassin’s Creed storyline.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: World Trailer
The World Trailer provides a quick glance at the game’s stunning environments, showcasing peaceful transitions through various settings—small villages by night, graveyards bathed in dawn light, and rain-soaked shores. This segment also highlights the daily lives of locals and wildlife, creating a rich, immersive world.
The gameplay walkthrough from Ubisoft Forward offers an extensive look at how players will interact with the game. It starts with exploration, allowing natural encounters with NPCs and sidequests throughout towns.
This entry sees the return of dual protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, each with distinct playstyles. Naoe embodies the stealthy assassin archetype, utilizing her shinobi skills to blend into the surroundings, employ distractions, and wield tools such as kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, and a grappling hook to navigate unnoticed. She can also activate Eagle Vision to differentiate enemies through walls, enhancing her strategic edge.
Stealth gameplay introduces a detection meter that fills if Naoe neglects cover or remains too exposed near enemies. Players can extinguish light sources to evade detection and confuse foes.
Combat options include a chain sickle for long-range takedowns, alongside a nonlethal technique to incapacitate enemies discreetly. Conversely, Yasuke fights head-on with more aggressive tactics, using combos, blocks, and parries with katanas, kanbo, and bows. His gameplay features intense combat mechanics with dodging, countering, and brutal finishing moves, as well as armor systems represented by a yellow health bar for adversaries.
Players may choose which character to use in each mission, tailoring their approach based on personal style or specific situations. Each character brings unique skills, exclusive gear, and upgrade paths, promising different gameplay experiences.
Additionally, there are hints at a spy network system, reminiscent of the recruiting mechanics from prior games, allowing players to gather allies with distinct abilities to assist on their journey.
And in a delightful touch, players will have the opportunity to pet dogs!
Preorder
Ubisoft
Since the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, preorders have opened on Ubisoft’s official website. As expected from this renowned publisher, various editions are available, each with distinct contents and price points:
Standard Edition – $70
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Day 1 quest: Thrown to the Dogs
Gold Edition – $110
Includes everything in the Standard Edition
Season pass featuring a bonus quest, extra unlockable content, and access to two expansions
Three-day early access
Ultimate Edition – $130
Includes everything from prior editions
The Ultimate pack, featuring:
The Sekiryu Character Pack, which includes gear and weapon sets for Naoe and Yasuke, the Sekiryu Beast, and Dragon Tooth trinket.
The Sekiryu Hideout Pack, containing four unique ornaments to customize your shinobi league hideout.
On Monday, Apple is set to begin the global rollout of iPadOS 18, bringing with it a noteworthy new feature for European users.
This update will enable users in Europe to download and utilize apps from third-party app stores, a change made possible by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. This legislation aims to enhance competition and lessen tech giants’ control over their marketplaces—a mandate Apple initially resisted but is now adhering to. Interestingly, this functionality has been available to Android tablet users for some time, making it a welcome addition for iPad users.
Developers opting to take part in the “Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU” will now have the opportunity to distribute their applications via third-party platforms, while also enjoying a reduced commission rate on sales generated through these alternative routes.
Further enhancing the iPad experience, iPadOS 18 allows users in Europe to select their preferred browser engine, removing Safari as the default within apps. While iPhone users in the EU will also gain access to alternative app stores, this feature won’t be included in the iOS 18 update, which is expected to be rolled out in a future version instead.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
While these changes are intended to foster competition, they also mean that European users will miss out on one of Apple’s significant advancements this year: Apple Intelligence. The company has indicated that it will not be launching this feature in the EU for the time being due to privacy concerns associated with the Digital Markets Act.
On Monday, Apple will introduce iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, and visionOS 2. However, Apple Intelligence will not be part of this release and is set to be postponed across most platforms until later in the year. Additionally, the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10 are available for pre-order, with deliveries expected to start on Friday, September 20. These devices will launch with iOS 16 and watchOS 11, respectively.
OpenAI has officially unveiled the production version of its groundbreaking reasoning model, previously known as Project Strawberry, now titled “o1.” Alongside it is a “mini” variant, similar to GPT-4o, which promises quicker, more efficient interactions at the cost of a more limited knowledge base.
The o1 model showcases a variety of technical improvements. As the first model in OpenAI’s reasoning suite, o1 leverages human-like deduction to tackle complex inquiries spanning fields like science, coding, and mathematics, outperforming human speeds.
During trials, o1 was tasked with a qualifying exam for the International Mathematics Olympiad. In a striking comparison, while its predecessor, GPT-4o, solved only 13% of the posed questions accurately, o1 achieved an impressive 83%. Furthermore, in an online Codeforces competition, o1 secured a spot in the 89th percentile. It has also demonstrated the ability to confidently handle questions that previously stumped earlier models, such as determining which number is larger, 9.11 or 9.9. However, OpenAI emphasizes that this is merely a glimpse of the model’s full potential.
According to Jerry Tworek, the research lead at OpenAI, the new o1 “has been trained using a completely new optimization algorithm and a new training dataset specifically tailored for it.” By integrating reinforcement learning alongside a “chain of thought” approach, o1 is said to deliver more precise conclusions than prior iterations. Tworek noted that while the model has reduced instances of hallucination, “we can’t say we solved hallucinations.”
Starting today, both ChatGPT-Plus and Teams subscribers can experience o1 and its mini counterpart. Enterprise and Edu subscribers can expect access within the upcoming week. Additionally, o1-mini will eventually be made available to free-tier users, although a specific timeline has not been disclosed.
Developers should be aware that the API pricing for o1 represents a significant increase compared to GPT-4o. Accessing o1 will cost $15 for every million input tokens, in contrast to GPT-4o’s $5 rate, while output tokens will be priced at $60 per million tokens—fourfold higher than the previous model’s fee. This raises an intriguing question regarding o1’s ability to recognize the correct number of ‘R’s in the word “strawberry.”
A stunning new observation from the James Webb Space Telescope reveals a thriving area of star formation located at the far reaches of the Milky Way. Dubbed the Extreme Outer Galaxy, this section is situated 58,000 light-years from the galactic center, more than twice the distance of our solar system from this central point.
Utilizing Webb’s powerful NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), scientists captured the region in breathtaking detail, uncovering molecular structures known as Digel Clouds 1 and 2. These clouds are rich in hydrogen, the essential ingredient for new star formation.
The James Webb Space Telescope has explored the distant outskirts of our Milky Way galaxy, known as the Extreme Outer Galaxy, located over 58,000 light-years from the Galactic center. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, M. Ressler (NASA-JPL)
“Previously, we were aware of these star-forming areas but lacked the ability to thoroughly investigate their characteristics,” stated lead researcher Natsuko Izumi from Gifu University. “The data from Webb enhances previous observations collected over the years with other telescopes, allowing us to capture impressive images of these clouds. For Digel Cloud 2, the extent of star formation and the remarkable jets we observed were unexpected surprises.”
While these clouds are part of our galaxy, they are significantly low in heavy elements, containing mostly hydrogen and helium. This composition makes them increasingly similar to smaller dwarf galaxies or to the early Milky Way, making these regions valuable for studying star formation and gaining insights into how stars may have come into existence in the early universe. Their uniqueness is highlighted by the jets of material produced by young stars, which are ejected at remarkable speeds.
“Research into other nearby star-forming regions has shown that during the early phases of their existence, stars emit jets of material from their poles,” noted Mike Ressler from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “What struck me as extraordinary from the Webb data was the presence of multiple jets shooting in various directions from this star cluster, resembling a firecracker’s explosion with streams radiating outward.”
The research team plans to gather further data from other remote areas of the Milky Way to delve deeper into the star formation processes within these distinctive conditions.
“I’m keen on continuing our exploration of star formation in these locales. By synthesizing information from various observatories and telescopes, we can investigate each phase of the evolutionary process,” Izumi expressed. “Moreover, we aim to study circumstellar disks found within the Extreme Outer Galaxy, as we still do not fully understand why their lifespans are shorter compared to regions closer to Earth. I am particularly interested in analyzing the kinematics of the jets identified in Cloud 2S.”
Cybersecurity firm Fortinet has acknowledged that unauthorized user data was extracted from its Microsoft SharePoint server and subsequently appeared on a hacking forum earlier today. Reports from BleepingComputer reveal that the hacker, known as "Fortib**ch," shared login credentials linked to an alleged S3 bucket, suggesting that the data volume may be as high as 440GB.
In an attempt to blackmail Fortinet, the hacker demanded a ransom; however, the company declined to pay. While Fortinet has already reached out to the affected users, details regarding the specific nature of the compromised data remain undisclosed.
The company stated in response to inquiries that an individual accessed a limited number of files on Fortinet’s cloud-based shared file storage, which contained restricted information pertaining to a small group of its customers. As of now, Fortinet has not provided a specific number of users impacted by this breach, although it confirmed that those in the Asia-Pacific region were affected. Fortunately, the breach did not disrupt the company’s operations, and services continue to function normally.
It’s anticipated that Fortinet will provide further details on the breach’s impact soon. This incident marks yet another security challenge for the company, which had previously experienced a significant breach involving Chinese hackers who allegedly compromised around 20,000 Fortigate systems globally, introducing malware into vulnerable networks during 2022 and 2023.
Based in Sunnyvale, California, Fortinet specializes in secure networking technologies, including VPN services, routers, and firewalls, boasting a valuation nearing $60 billion. This breach is part of a broader trend of data security incidents, with a recent report highlighting that 1.7 million users had their credit card information stolen from payment gateway provider Slim CD.
SpaceX has indicated that it has been prepared for the launch of its colossal Starship rocket on its fifth test flight since early August. The company anticipated receiving approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a launch in mid-September. However, recent reports suggest that the FAA will not issue a launch license until at least late November.
This development has left SpaceX frustrated, prompting the company to express its dissatisfaction in a detailed blog post on Tuesday, where it criticized the FAA for the delays in the licensing process.
In their post, SpaceX stated, “We were informed that the new estimated date for a launch license is late November, which is more than two months later than the initial timeline provided for mid-September. This delay is not due to any new safety concerns but stems instead from unnecessary environmental evaluations.”
They further elaborated, “While environmental protections play a vital role in ensuring responsible progress without harming nature, the prolonged timeline for our licensing process for Flight 5 has resulted in unreasonable and vexing delays.”
SpaceX lamented that the time taken to process governmental paperwork for launching a rocket has exceeded the time taken to design and construct the actual rocket itself, stating that this situation “should never occur” and could jeopardize the United States’ position as a space industry leader.
NASA is awaiting the completion of tests on SpaceX’s new Starship rocket, as it plans to utilize this vehicle for future Artemis missions to the Moon. The Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2026, aims to land the first astronauts on the lunar surface since 1972 using a modified version of the spacecraft. The upcoming fifth test flight will mark SpaceX’s inaugural attempt to “catch” the launching Super Heavy rocket with massive mechanical arms upon its return.
In a response to a request for comment, the FAA reiterated that SpaceX must fulfill all safety, environmental, and licensing criteria before receiving authorization for a launch. They pointed out that the existing license for the Starship’s fourth flight “also encompasses multiple flights of the same vehicle configuration and mission profile.” However, the agency noted that “SpaceX opted to alter both, prompting a more comprehensive evaluation.”
Additionally, the FAA clarified that SpaceX had submitted fresh information in mid-August regarding the environmental impact of Flight 5, which indicated that it would affect a larger area than previously assessed, necessitating more time for consultations with other agencies.
