#apple vision pro price

[shamnadt]

Apple Vision Pro explained: Why this mixed reality headset is ideal for virtual tours

The Apple Vision Pro is a spatial computer that allows users to experience apps and features in an augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) environment. The headset is built not for just consumers, but for developers who can use its many features to design and build AR/VR applications and products. However, there is another use case where it can come in extremely handy – virtual tours.…

[applevisionpro1]

Apple Vision Pro: Transforming Perspectives and Redefining Visual Excellence

In the ever-evolving landscape of technological marvels, Apple continues to set new standards with each product launch. The Apple Vision Pro is no exception, as it takes center stage in redefining the way we experience and interact with visual content. In this blog post, we'll explore the exceptional features that make the Apple Vision Pro a game-changer in the world of visual technology.

Unveiling the Apple Vision Pro

A Visual Revolution

The Apple Vision Pro isn't just a device; it's a testament to Apple's commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. Boasting state-of-the-art imaging technology, this device promises a visual experience like no other. Whether you're capturing moments with its advanced camera system or indulging in high-definition videos, the Apple Vision Pro promises to deliver unparalleled clarity and detail.

Elevating Augmented Reality

Apple has always been at the forefront of augmented reality, and the Apple Vision Pro takes this to new heights. Imagine a world where virtual and real seamlessly blend – from interactive gaming to practical applications in education and beyond. The Apple Vision Pro is set to redefine the possibilities of augmented reality, offering users an immersive and interactive experience that transcends the ordinary.

Key Features

1. Advanced Imaging Mastery

Equipped with cutting-edge camera technology, the Apple Vision Pro ensures that every shot is a masterpiece. With sophisticated image processing algorithms and high-quality sensors, this device elevates your photography and videography to a whole new level.

2. Mesmerizing Display

The Apple Vision Pro comes with a display that captivates the senses. Experience vibrant colors, sharp contrasts, and a level of detail that makes every image and video come alive. Whether you're editing content or simply enjoying your favorite movies, the display is designed to provide a visually stunning and immersive experience.

3. Seamless User Interface

Known for its user-friendly interfaces, Apple has crafted the Apple Vision Pro to be intuitive and accessible. The device seamlessly integrates with the iOS ecosystem, ensuring a smooth user experience. Navigating through features, applications, and settings is effortless, making the device suitable for users of all technological backgrounds.

Shaping the Future of Visual Innovation

As we delve into the era of the Apple Vision Pro, it becomes evident that Apple is not just releasing a product; they are shaping the future of visual innovation. In a world where visual content plays a pivotal role, this device emerges as a beacon of progress. Whether you're a creative professional, tech enthusiast, or someone who appreciates cutting-edge technology, the Apple Vision Pro is set to transform the way we see and engage with the world.

Prepare to witness a paradigm shift in visual technology with the Apple Vision Pro – where innovation meets vision, and perspectives are forever transformed.

[abhi-views]

Apple Vision Pro Review: Deep Dive

Is the Apple Vision Pro Worth Selling Your Kidney For? (Spoiler Alert: Probably Not)

Pros: 1. Sharpest, best-looking micro-OLED displays: 4K resolution per eye: This results in incredibly sharp visuals, surpassing even high-end TVs. Micro-OLED technology: Offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and a wide contrast ratio. Foveated rendering: Focuses computing power on the area you’re directly looking at, improving performance and efficiency. HDR support: Creates realistic visuals…

[facts-i-just-made-up]

What is something to look for in 2024?

Things to look forward to next year (or if reblogging in 2025, tag yourself with which one was your favorite):

Vladimir Putin admits he is not from St. Petersburg Russia, but St. Petersburg Florida.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is cancelled after Epic Games demands 150% of its profits.

Donald Trump's anus prolapses during a debate. He lies and says it didn't, and keeps debating until he passes out.

Joe Biden resigns so that Kamala Harris can prove her worth as the new president.

Kamala Harris names Tom Hanks as her VP.

Kamala Harris resigns so that Tom Hanks can prove his worth as the new president.

Dune Part 2 is cancelled by Warner Bros for a tax deduction. Timothée Chalamet rallies the extras to attack Warner Bros HQ, David Zaslav is eaten by a sandworm during the fight.

The Summer Olympics are canceled due to Covid. Not the disease, but athlete Covid Johnson Jr, who should've known not to light the torch that way in public.

The European Union breaks up due to a fight that began on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest over a performance of Sweden's controversial ballad, "Hej Estland, du luktar som Lutefisk."

Apple Vision Pro bombs due to its price, which is several times the gross national product of Canada, per unit.

Canada is annexed by Denmark when it tries to buy an Apple Vision Pro.

Tom Hanks is elected president of the United States of America.

Tom Hanks foots the bill for a release of Hollow Knight: Silksong on Steam and Nintendo Switch, becoming the most popular president in history.

The character of "Mickey Mouse" Enters the public domain.

Disney violently overthrows popular president Tom Hanks, starting the Second American Civil War and retaining the rights to Mickey Mouse.

The Second American Civil War is cancelled by Disney for a tax deduction.

Jessica Biel announces her marriage to Justin Timberlake will become polyandrous with the inclusion of Lance Bass and one Backstreet Boy to be named later.

[politicalprof]

RIP the Apple Vision Pro: a product no one needed to do a job that didn’t need to be done, all while excluding anyone with significant eye problems for a price no one could afford.

May AI meet a similar fate.

[thetechrobot]

Spacetop G1, World’s first Laptop that uses AR Glasses instead of a Display

A laptop that employs augmented reality glasses as a display was called the Spacetop G1 system, and it was shown to a thousand productivity pioneers by the tech firm Sightful last year.

The upgraded Gen 1 device removes the requirement for the user to stoop over a tiny screen when working remotely on a laptop by placing a 100-inch virtual display directly in their eyes.

In this blog, The TechRobot will showcase the World’s first AR laptop: Spacetop G1. So let us begin.

What is Spacetop G1?

Sightful’s Screenless Laptop, the Spacetop G1, combines a computer with comfortable, lightweight augmented reality glasses. Running on the device is SpaceOS, a spatial operating system with an emphasis on online operations intended for productivity.

The weight of the AR glasses is 85 grams, but the Vision Pro, depending on the Light Seal, weighs between 600 and 650 grams. The keyboard is bulkier compared to a MacBook Air or iPad Pro, measuring less than 12 inches in width and weighing three pounds.

Cost of AR Laptop

The Screenless Laptop, Spacetop G1 charges $1,700 and is just a keyboard with spectacles attached.

Spacetop G1 Specs

Spacetop G1, features a Qualcomm Snapdragon QCS8550 CPU, Kryo GPU, Adreno 740 AI, dual eNPU V3, 48 INT8, 12 FP16 TOPs, 16 GB LPDDR5, 128 GB UFS3.1 storage, and 8-hour battery life.

They have two OLED display screens, a 50° field of vision, a 90Hz refresh rate, and very crisp text rendering.

The glasses enable Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 5G, and a 5MP camera. They also contain a microphone for use in online meetings.

Benefits of AR Laptops

1. Endless View

With Spacetop’s Virtual Desktop, you may get amusement and information without having to navigate around, making it a convenient substitute for real screen space. Although it’s not the only solution with this functionality, this one could be the easiest to use.

A standard keyboard and touchpad, Spacetop’s AR glasses, and a perhaps lower price tag might allow customers to enjoy endless screen areas without sacrificing functionality. For individuals who would rather have a more ordered workstation, this would be a time-saving alternative.

2. Absolute privacy

Multi-monitor laptop attachments should not be used in public areas due to the increased danger of uninvited eyes peeping at private information caused by an excessive number of physical displays. Although privacy screens are available on certain computers and monitors, they are limited to one monitor.

To solve this, Spacetop is a Screenless Laptop, letting the user see their screen alone until it is shared with others. But it also means that those standing close to the user can’t see the screen without their glasses.

3. Improved posture

Laptops’ screens are firmly attached to the keyboard, making them portable yet uncomfortable. Some people find relief from this neck pain by attaching a desktop monitor.

The screenless laptop, Spacetop, provides a more comfortable height and does away with the need for arms or ergonomic monitor supports. Due to this, laptops are a better choice for use at home or in the workplace.

4. Laser Focus

Spacetop G1 is an Augmented Reality (AR) device that reduces visual distractions so users can work productively and enjoy their free time. The apps it may utilize, including Windows or macOS-based software and limited gaming, are restricted by its Android-based operating system and mobile hardware.

Notwithstanding these drawbacks, Spacetop provides a more practical experience than a typical computer since it places all of the necessary components in front of and surrounding users. Instead of letting others decide for them, users may choose whether to allow virtual distractions to affect them.

Highlight – Introducing Travel Mode For Meta Quest Headsets

Best AR Glasses for Laptops

1. Apple AR Glasses

Apple plans to develop AR glasses that look like conventional spectacles with a built-in display. A prototype of the glasses has a thick, attractive frame and resembles high-end luxury sunglasses. With references to Project Starboard and reports of a glassOS, the prototype is anticipated to function on iOS 14.

Though it could take a few more years for a public release, rumors indicate that Apple has already started the second phase of development. The glasses will have the ability to add prescription lenses, gesture-controlled instructions that connect with the Apple Watch, and a true vision display on both lenses.

Possible capabilities include the ability to use virtual things in real-world settings, do activities without using a phone, and enable immersive phone conversations and remote collaboration software.

2. Meta Glasses

Rebranding Facebook to Meta, Mark Zuckerberg is concentrating on augmented reality glasses and headsets. The business plans to deliver Meta spectacles, a prototype of their augmented reality spectacles, in late 2024. The Project Nazare and Project Aria prototypes provide a fully functional augmented reality experience, with 3D visuals and an elegant design. It is anticipated that the Meta Glasses will include an immersive experience with radio, speakers, and cameras, a holographic display with built-in projectors, batteries, and sensors, and a broad field of vision. In 2024, the prototype is anticipated to be released.

3. Xreal Air 2 Ultra

The Air 2 Ultra glasses from Xreal are an improvement over the Air 2 model and are aimed at competing with Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest 3 headsets. Complete positional tracking, a form factor akin to eyeglasses, and compatibility for immersive AR apps, TV viewing, and flat-screen gaming are all features of the Air 2 Ultra.

It has a 52-degree field of vision, 500 nits of brightness, two cameras for environmental mapping, hand tracking, and compatibility with Xreal’s Nebula AR environment.

Is AR safe for your eyes?

Prolonged use of AR might result in headaches, nausea, and straining of the eyes. This is a result of our eyes continually focusing on objects at different distances when using AR. This can cause pain and eye tiredness.

Conclusion

The future of laptops with AR like the Spacetop G1 marks a breakthrough in laptop technology by utilizing augmented reality to provide a 100-inch virtual display that improves user posture, productivity, and privacy.

The Spacetop G1 presents a new option for remote work by addressing typical ergonomic concerns associated with standard laptops by mixing AR glasses with a powerful computing machine and the SpaceOS operating system.

Despite several drawbacks associated with its Android-based operating system and the possibility of eye discomfort after extended usage, the Spacetop G1 breaks new ground in augmented reality technology by offering consumers a more useful and engaging experience.

[river-taxbird]

I always want Virtual Reality to be better than it is.

VR has been around for approaching a decade at this point, and companies keep trying to make it happen. I have seen the theory that Facebook (Meta) got into the VR game because they want hardware they can control without third parties stopping their data collection, but they appear to be downplaying it now.

So can VR be good? When is it going to happen?

My first headset was the HTC Vive, and it was fun at the time, but playing it today, it's pretty dire. Depressingly low resolution, major screen door effect, big, and bulky. Annoying external trackers. It is like 10% of the way to being what I want VR to be. I still have it but can't really play it since the poor quality usually leads to a one way trip to the floor.

I have tried the Oculus Quest 2, and it is kind of on its way. It has better controllers, some actual passthrough, and the screen door effect is much less pronounced. Too bad Facebook are evil. It's like 40% of the way to what I would consider a good headset to be.

I am looking at the Apple Vision Pro, and it's kind of getting there, it is like 70% of the way to being what I want VR to be. It has crystal clear video with no screen door, passthrough that actually works for professional use, and the hand and eye tracking appears to actually work which is impressive. It isn't for gaming and has absolutely no software support for the VR software people like. It appears to occupy a different niche to the cheaper gaming headsets, aimed at "Professional" use. It shares this trait with the quest pro.

We have come a long way in the last 10 years, but it will probably be another 10 years before virtual reality is something people actually want to use. Tech companies are never ones to give up though, and they will keep painfully iterating until they get there. I think to have a chance, to be the 100% of what I want it to be VR, I think it would need, including but not limited to;

Tethered and untethered use, allowing for local apps or connecting to a PC for extra horsepower. No bullshit lockdowns on software like they have today.

Functional hand tracking AND quality VR controllers for different applications. Both of these exist today but not in the same product at the same time for some reason.

Lightweight and cool. Fanless. Won't give you a spinal injury if you wear it for more than 3 hours. Semiconductor technology is probably about there or will be there soon, but Apple isn't fanless. Sadly Apple's battery in the pocket trick might be the only way to keep the weight down. Batteries just don't really change much, sorry!

Ultra high resolution. No screen door effect. Apple are about here but it's crazy expensive, so in 10 years I am sure the price will go down. VR isn't going to happen unless you can get Vision Pro quality at the baseline, for the price of a Meta Quest.

This really reminded me of when I wanted to get a tablet PC in like 2007 but quality tablets didn't exist yet. It was all massive chonky Windows CE garbage. I knew it was coming, everyone did, but tech wasn't there. The ipad releasing several years later is what really put them in the hands of consumers.

Mass software libraries for VR won't happen until these technical challenges are overcome, and by then, who is going to care? Maybe the vision pro is Apple taking something that already exists and putting it to the mass market, as they have done so many times before, but maybe this time it isn't going to take. Maybe VR is just never going to happen, but if it does, I want to be here for it. Play Half Life Alyx if you can, and never buy a Meta product if you can avoid it.

[dpfocu]

OpenAI’s 12 Days of “Shipmas”: Summary and Reflections

Over 12 days, from December 5 to December 16, OpenAI hosted its “12 Days of Shipmas” event, revealing a series of innovations and updates across its AI ecosystem. Here’s a summary of the key announcements and their implications:

Day 1: Full Launch of o1 Model and ChatGPT Pro

OpenAI officially launched the o1 model in its full version, offering significant improvements in accuracy (34% fewer errors) and performance. The introduction of ChatGPT Pro, priced at $200/month, gives users access to these advanced features without usage caps.

Commentary: The Pro tier targets professionals who rely heavily on AI for business-critical tasks, though the price point might limit access for smaller enterprises.

Day 2: Reinforced Fine-Tuning

OpenAI showcased its reinforced fine-tuning technique, leveraging user feedback to improve model precision. This approach promises enhanced adaptability to specific user needs.

Day 3: Sora - Text-to-Video

Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video generator, debuted as a tool for creators. Users can input textual descriptions to generate videos, opening new doors in multimedia content production.

Commentary: While innovative, Sora’s real-world application hinges on its ability to handle complex scenes effectively.

Day 4: Canvas - Enhanced Writing and Coding Tool

Canvas emerged as an all-in-one environment for coding and content creation, offering superior editing and code-generation capabilities.

Day 5: Deep Integration with Apple Ecosystem

OpenAI announced seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem, enhancing accessibility and user experience for iOS/macOS users.

Day 6: Improved Voice and Vision Features

Enhanced voice recognition and visual processing capabilities were unveiled, making AI interactions more intuitive and efficient.

Day 7: Projects Feature

The new “Projects” feature allows users to manage AI-powered initiatives collaboratively, streamlining workflows.

Day 8: ChatGPT with Built-in Search

Search functionality within ChatGPT enables real-time access to the latest web information, enriching its knowledge base.

Day 9: Voice Calling with ChatGPT

Voice capabilities now allow users to interact with ChatGPT via phone, providing a conversational edge to AI usage.

Day 10: WhatsApp Integration

ChatGPT’s integration with WhatsApp broadens its accessibility, making AI assistance readily available on one of the most popular messaging platforms.

Day 11: Release of o3 Model

OpenAI launched the o3 model, featuring groundbreaking reasoning capabilities. It excels in areas such as mathematics, coding, and physics, sometimes outperforming human experts.

Commentary: This leap in reasoning could redefine problem-solving across industries, though ethical and operational concerns about dependency on AI remain.

Day 12: Wrap-Up and Future Vision

The final day summarized achievements and hinted at OpenAI’s roadmap, emphasizing the dual goals of refining user experience and expanding market reach.

Reflections

OpenAI’s 12-day spree showcased impressive advancements, from multimodal AI capabilities to practical integrations. However, challenges remain. High subscription costs and potential data privacy concerns could limit adoption, especially among individual users and smaller businesses.

Additionally, as the competition in AI shifts from technical superiority to holistic user experience and ecosystem integration, OpenAI must navigate a crowded field where user satisfaction and practical usability are critical for sustained growth.

Final Thoughts: OpenAI has demonstrated its commitment to innovation, but the journey ahead will require balancing cutting-edge technology with user-centric strategies. The next phase will likely focus on scalability, affordability, and real-world problem-solving to maintain its leadership in AI.

What are your thoughts on OpenAI’s recent developments? Share in the comments!

[floatingcatacombs]

Tech So Bad It Sounds Like The Reviewers Are Just Plain Depressed

12 Days of Aniblogging 2024, Day 8

I really do try to stay away from armchair cultural criticism, especially when it's this far removed from my weaboo wheelhouse, but this one’s been eating away at me for the entire year. What are we doing here?

2024 has been full of downright bad consumer tech! The Apple Vision Pro, the Rabbit and Humane AI pins, the PS5 Pro… those are just the big ones, and that’s not even getting started on vaporware like Horizon Worlds and Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC initiative. Sure, there are Juiceros every year, but this recent batch of flops feels indicative of a larger trend, which is shipping products that are both overengineered and conceptually half-baked. Of course, there’s plenty of decent tech coming out too – Apple’s recent laptops and desktops have been strong and competitively priced, at least the base models. The Steam Deck created a whole new product category that seems to be thriving. And electric cars… exist, which is better than nothing. But it’s been much more fun to read about of the bad stuff, of course. These days it feels like most of the tech reviews I read these days have the journalists asking “what’s the point?” halfway through, or asserting in advance that it will fail, like this useless product with a bad value proposition is prompting an existential crisis for them. Maybe it is!

yeah yeah journalists don't write their own headlines. I can assure you that the article content carries the same tone for these though.

What did a negative tech review look like before the 2020s? Maybe there wasn’t one, really. The 2000s and the 2010s were drenched in techno-optimism. Even if skepticism towards social media emerged over time, hardware itself was generally received well, mixed at worst, because journalists were happy to extrapolate out what a product and its platform could do. Nowadays, everyone takes everything at face value! As they should –the things we buy rarely get meaningfully better over time, and the support window for flops is getting shorter and shorter with each passing year. On the games side of things, look how quickly Concord ended! With that out of the way, I’m going to start zeroing in on the hardware I saw a “why does this exist” type review for this year.

The Apple Vision Pro

People have been burnt time and time again by nearly every VR headset ecosystem to release (other than mayyybe Oculus, but Facebook’s tendrils sinking in don’t feel great either). The PSVR was a mild success at best and the PSVR2 was an expensive and unmitigated disaster that lost support in a matter of months. Meanwhile, the Valve Index couldn’t cut it with its price, and Microsoft actively blew up their own HoloLens infrastructure earlier this year. It’s at this point it's clear that VR is a niche, and one that’s expensive to develop for and profit off of.  Surely Apple will save us!

completely isolate yourself from your family for the low, low price of multiple paychecks

With most of the competition focusing on gaming, Apple attempted a blue ocean strategy with the Vision Pro by instead making their target audience… nobody! It’s hard to tell what anyone was ever supposed to do with these things, and reading long-form reviews, it became very clear that the reviewers were trying to come up with viable use-cases and largely failing, because it’s just not very practical tech. There’s no physical input devices, so you’re instead using mix of hand-tracking, eye-tracking, and voice commands to control the thing. That’s pretty cool, but it means that the one niche that VR has been proven in, gaming, is effectively impossible. Things like office software can also be hard to use without a keyboard and mouse, and even when there’s tailor-made headset applications for existing software, it’s still usually not better than just doing it on your desktop!

The tech is real, and that’s the saddest part. Looking at teardowns, I fully believe that the hardware had to cost multiple thousands of dollars to break even, and as someone who suffers from VR motion sickness, I’d be really curious to see if all the stabilization tech from their extra onboard chips helps with that as much as the press releases claim. It’s like a more drastic version of the iPad problem, where the hardware is amazing on paper, but interfacing limits with the form factor itself combined with a subpar operating system mean that you can’t actually do as much as you’d hope to with all that power.

Of course, the Vision Pro is also full of prototype hacks and hard design problems – that battery pack is a nightmare! If it’s a productivity device, how are you supposed to share content with other people when the headset has to be custom-fit every time and there’s only one profile? Apple still has no good answer. That leaves the only available niche for this device as white-collar productivity done in isolation, and most people fundamentally do not live in that world. It feels lonely and dystopic, even.

If I had to guess what happened, the VR division at Apple was working on this for the better part of a decade, and facing headwinds, Apple decided to cut their losses and force them to deliver a doomed product. There’s a potent business fantasy of a bad version 1.0 leading to a successful 2.0 and beyond, but Apple has not pulled that off any time in the twenty-first century. It’s either a success or it is a proven failure, and this is so, so, obviously the latter. I do hope that the stabilization tech makes it into other headsets eventually though, so that I can play Blade and Sorcery at my friend’s house without throwing up. Everyone else, please copy Apple’s homework or steal their patents, preferably to the tune of under $3500.

Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pins

The current AI paradigm has been around for two years now, and since we've all heard way too many arguments already, I will try to keep my own takes brief. The LLM results we have right now are real (even if everyone is trying to dress them up as superintelligent snake oil when they’re just cool computer synthesis), but from everything I read, it seems like the era of drastic improvement is over. It would take exponentially more text and images and video than we already have to get more linear improvements, and a good chunk of the world has already been scraped, and the lawsuits are already pouring in, further slowing down data ingestion. The tech is slowing down, and the industry won’t be able to grow its way out of the hard social problems it’s invoked. If there are gains to be made, it's in more fine-tuned and curated LLMs, and that's far harder work than most of these companies want to get up to right now.

With that out of the way, are you interested in wearing an LLM on your shirt?

The video that notoriously tanked a company. Of course, now I'm also supposed to make fun of this guy for using b-roll of himself speeding in a school zone . Nobody wins.

Not one, but two separate startups pushed this idea to market this year. Humane’s AI pin launched for seven hundred dollars plus a twenty-five dollars per month subscription, all for the privilege of getting to ask a little square on your chest questions and getting GPT answers spoken back to you. But what about like… ChatGPT’s own phone app? Or hell, even Siri! Apple and Android’s voice assistants are both are over a decade old– do you really have that many ungoogleable queries? And specifically, ones that voice responses make the most sense for, and not text? To make things worse, this thing has serious overheating issues and a battery that can’t even last a day. The Rabbit R1 at least has a cute design, and actually has a screen, and is much cheaper, but it requires a data tether to your phone, so like…why not just use your phone. Reverse-engineering has confirmed that its app can just run on a normal Android phone, so there’s really nothing special other than the little orange square that it’s hosted in.

Why would you even try to roll out a product as doomed as these, instead of just going bankrupt and pocketing a year or two of salary like most startups? The AI boom, of course! After the NFT hype cycle, everyone really did convince themselves that you can just fail upwards with no real limit. Unfortunately, people have higher standards for hardware than PNG transaction platforms, as they get far more upset when they’re left physically holding the bag. I’ve been watching Deep Space 9 recently and have to ask, are these companies trying to capture the fantasy of Star Trek comms badges? Because if so, they should honestly lean more into it. It wouldn't be any more functional of a product, but if there’s one thing nerds always love, it’s themed garbage.

welp

The PS5 Pro

This one just launched a bit ago for the holiday season. It makes some sense on paper – most PS5 games offer a choice between a performance and a fidelity mode, so why not just make a version strong enough that it can get the benefits of both? Great! That’ll be seven hundred dollars.

Okay, $700 doesn’t sound as insane in the context of that Humane pin I was just talking about. But it’s $200 more than the PS5 at launch, and it doesn’t even come with a disc drive unless you want to fork over another $80. The past few generations of gaming have been defined by heavily subsidized console prices with the goal of roping gamers into more lucrative ecosystems, but Sony here seems to be testing the waters for an unsubsidized era.

I've heard the external disc drive install process is surprisingly user-friendly, but at this price point they should have included a little automaton who does it for you

If you can stomach PC gaming, at that price you’re halfway there to buying something that could trounce a PS5 Pro, plus a monitor close enough to your face that you might actually notice the 4K improvements. There are also only a couple of games per year being produced at high enough fidelity for there to be any noticeable quality improvements. The returns are diminishing and the AAA landscape is narrowing, and console upgrades like these only hasten the industry’s spiraling. Is all this sustainable from a development perspective? I don’t know. If Nintendo announced a Mario Odyssey sequel for the Switch 2, I’d buy it at launch regardless of the graphics, and my PS3 can play Demon's Souls and my anime blu-rays just fine. So I’m well aware that I’m not the target audience for stuff like the PS5 Pro, but I think it's going to become harder and harder to compel that audience going forward.

_

The end of the low interest rates in US has drastically changed the underpinnings of its tech industry, and I think every one of these bad product launches can be traced back here one way or another. The era of running flashy ventures at a loss for years in order to corner the market is profoundly over, unless you’ve got Thiel blood money or a GPT transformer, and even then. This, combined with the end of quarantine-era user habits, has left many companies to repeatedly go all in on hype cycles like blockchain and the metaverse and AI, pretending like the last one never happened every time. This trend-chasing means, that depending on each company’s circumstances, they need to either spin something up quick, reroute an existing prototype, or risk delivering laughably late. You need a product and you need it fast. And rushed tech is always going to have load-bearing and stupid problems, no matter how long the initial development time was. Everyone loses, especially the saps who actually believe in the sales pitches enough to buy these things. And those poor, poor tech journalists who have to review it all are being consumed with eldritch madness watching this all unfold. Hey, at least they’re not trying to simp for Microsoft Copilot!

Hopefully, this particular era of tech ends sooner rather than later, so that I don’t feel compelled to do another essay of this type. If I were more of an idealist or a doofus I’d be dreaming of a serious anticonsumerist movement and/or Xi Jinping liberating us all, but unfortunately I’m of the belief that we’re doomed to dumbass gizmos destined for the landfill until the end of the silicon era.

[rahuldigitalhub]

online gadget review

The iPhone 16 series, launched in September 2024, brings notable upgrades across its standard and Pro models. Here's a summary of its key features:

Standard Models (iPhone 16 & iPhone 16 Plus):

Processor: Powered by the A18 chip, offering improved AI and graphics capabilities.

Cameras: A 48MP main camera supports 2x optical zoom via sensor cropping, and the 12MP ultrawide camera now enables macro photography.

Display: Bright and efficient OLED panels.

Battery: Promises better performance, though Apple has not disclosed the exact capacity.

Charging: Enhanced wireless MagSafe charging (up to 25W) and wired charging (up to 45W).

Pro Models (iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max):

Processor: Equipped with the A18 Pro chip, which features faster CPU, GPU, and neural processing capabilities.

Cameras: A triple-camera system with a 48MP Fusion main camera, an enhanced ultrawide lens, and a 5x telephoto camera on both Pro models. New features include 4K120fps video recording and spatial video for immersive content on Apple Vision Pro.

Audio and Video: Advanced editing tools like Audio Mix, spatial audio capture, and wind noise reduction for professional-grade content creation.

Design: Improved thermal performance with a graphite layer in Pro models for demanding tasks like gaming.

Software & AI:

Both standard and Pro models benefit from iOS 18, introducing features like customizable home screens, advanced AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT-powered Siri), and privacy improvements. Apple Intelligence tools also support text summarization, email proofreading, and generative image creation.

Pricing:

[abecat]

I have so many nerdy thoughts about the Apple headset, particularly when it comes to interfaces and media, so read at your own risk:

I really think that Apple is a design company first, a technology company second. The fact it can do both well is impressive, but let’s be real: most of what was shown with the Reality Pro is stuff that other companies have done, piecemeal and less effectively, for the last 15+ years. Still, I bet even their competitors are relieved, and even excited, to have Apple in the VR headset market (and yes, it is a VR headset). Relieved because Apple didn’t show any new tech paradigm that puts them at a massive disadvantage; and excited because if someone is going to convince “normies” to put on a headset, it is going to be Apple. It may be through the Vision Pro that people get convinced of the value (such as it is) of spatial/volumetric/immersive interfaces, simply to go purchase a HTC Vive for a 3rd of the price. One can tell that Apple spent a lot of time and money showing what it would take to deliver some of the promises that VR manufacturers have been making for 15 years. Some users will happily take those promises as fulfilled with the Vision Pro, while others will agree to compromises and get other headsets.

But the real question is that of the value of spatial interfaces (what they really mean when they say “Spatial Computing”). It is not something we can answer in the abstract, as it involves a sort of media literacy accrued throughout generations, and spicy debates regarding immersive media. The generational issue is centered on a gamble these companies are making: That people who are naturalized to virtual worlds will demand novel user interfaces, expecting a 3rd dimension to simply “be there”. Why can’t I rotate my spreadsheet in Excel, revealing the transversal data space between the row and column? Can we put the formula in these new Z-Rows, instead of having to double-click on a single cell, like a caveman? What patterns will I discover once I can have graphs done based on rows, columns and Z-Rows, floating like holograms I can walk through? If these ideas sound bizarre to you, it may be because you have not been playing 3D games since childhood. Companies hope that new generations of users will ask these sorts of questions, however, as they need these spatial interfaces to become popular for their growth.

But even more foundational here is the issue of immersion. The concept of manipulation through media is as old as Plato, but it remains fresh and pressing in the face of social media and AI deep fakes. Most prescriptions on how to avoid manipulation put responsibility on individuals, who are supposed to “see through'' the BS (audience), or resist the monetary or libidinal temptations to create anti-social  behavior (cultural producers). This is a deeply moralistic view, as it completely misses the role that the affordances of any given medium play in being a person. The fact is all and each subject is, at moments, manipulated and manipulator. Which of those roles we play is determined as much by individual “fixed” world views (morals), as by the relational space drawn by our communication technology (including language itself). This is why perfectly kind people can turn aggressive online, or why well-adjusted individuals consume objectionable content every day. The reptilian brain is always there, ready to be pleased or forgiven, and will slip into any medium it can regardless of how much puritanical restraint the medium is designed with.

To further complicate things, it is really hard to find the perfect split between audience and cultural producers as separate entities. No only because of the “prosumer” concept (which I find uninteresting), but because it is clear that even the most cool and collected cultural producer is, in themselves, a medium through which the program of immersive technology realizes “itself”. In other words: Apple is the way in which immersive media happens, turning the company into just an effective operator of an entity with its own agency and goals. What does “immersive media” want? That is the imminently political question for all of us in design, as we continue to carry its will. I am thinking about this myself, obviously, but trying to assert agency over it is REALLY HARD (specially as individuals).

Last thing: I find it fitting that Apple may be the one to finally push a bunch of people into immersive media, since it is the company that most effectively de-fanged minimalism as a political strategy. To me, Apple Minimalism “looks like” Brechtian alienation without the political radicalism, and the dematerialization of art without the materialist critique. We finally saw what all of those clean and smooth surfaces were for! It is not so that you reflect on your lived experience as a subject under capitalism or the police state. They are there so that you can watch the sexy cat-people in Avatar: The Way of Water, without anything (or anyone) bothering you.

[oppaihun]

As an IT person, Big Tech Bros (the rich ones) often ruin things because devices like Apple Vision and that assistant AI lapel pin have such cool practical and accessibility functionality that could actively be used to make people lives better. But instead they fund companies that rush products for views or take shortcuts in design or programming so they can have the most expensive product in the shortest amount of time.

Like fr a man with a form of degenerative vision went to an Apple Store and he and the employee managed to get the Vision Pro to make things as if he were nearly 20/20 again. You can’t tell me as a function that’s not fucking cool. But for the price tag? Get fucked so hard.

[pleatedjeans]

35 Apple Vision Pro Memes That Are Almost As Funny As Its $3500 Price Tag