• Meta is recording employee clicks, keystrokes, and screen activity to train AI agents on real work behavior
• The program is part of a broader push to build AI systems that can perform everyday tasks with minimal human input
• The move comes just ahead of reports of layoffs at the company

Meta has begun collecting everything its employees do as they go about their normal work to train its AI models, as first reported by Reuters. The Model Capability Initiative records mouse movements and clicks, keyboard keystrokes, and even occasional screenshots from computers used by Meta employees in the U.S. The company wants to observe how people actually use software, then feed that behavior into AI models so they can learn to do the same things.

Meta essentially wants to make its systems more reliable for the small actions that define a workday. That means everything from navigating a menu and moving between windows to parsing different website formats. These aren’t easily solved with text data alone.

Last year, Ecco the Dolphin creator Ed Annunizata teased plans to remaster the first two games in the series and create an entirely new sequel. Ecco the Dolphin: Complete, announced by Annunziata’s studio A&R Atelier, appears to be the result of that work. The game doesn’t have a release date yet, but A&R Atelier says it combines the planned remasters and third title into “the complete, definitive Ecco the Dolphin experience, created by the people who made the originals.”

Complete includes “all versions of Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time,” according to the developer, alongside “a brand-new contemporary Ecco game.” Besides graphical improvements, A&E Atelier says the game will introduce “built-in speedrunning support, achievements and leaderboards,” and things like the ability to create custom courses from existing levels. And while A&R Atelier’s announcement doesn’t include footage of the new game or the platforms it’ll release on, the official Ecco the Dolphin website has a countdown clock that could point to when more information will be released.

Annunziata sued Sega to try and win the rights to the Ecco the Dolphin IP in 2013, the same year he failed to get The Big Blue, a spiritual sequel to Ecco the Dolphin, fully funded on Kickstarter. Sega and Annunziata ultimately settled their lawsuit in 2016, which may have laid the groundwork for Ecco the Dolphin: Complete to happen.

Health tech company Ultrahuman, makers of the Ultrahuman Ring Air and Ring Pro, launched a partnership with group workout brand Les Mills on Wednesday. Together, the companies created the Les Mills PowerPlug in the Ultrahuman app, which recommends workouts based on data collected by its smart rings, like sleep, recovery and cycle phase. 

Traditionally, when your smartwatch or ring tells you that your body is fatigued and that you should take it easy during your workout, it doesn’t provide the workout. With this new integration, the Les Mills PowerPlug offers expert-led, on-demand workout videos that take your current health status into account and help prevent overtraining.

“With Les Mills, we’re closing the loop — your ring doesn’t just tell you how recovered you are, it tells you what to do about it. The right workout, at the right intensity, every day. That’s what training smarter actually looks like,” Mohit Kumar, CEO of Ultrahuman, said in a press release.

How the PowerPlug works

Upon downloading the Les Mills PowerPlug, Ultrahuman Ring users will be asked to choose their ideal training days, session length and a fitness goal from the following: cardio, strength, flexibility or general fitness. Going forward, the app’s home screen will then recommend two to three daily workouts based on your health data, along with a quick workout shortcut. 

You’ll also have access to Les Mills’s entire workout catalog, which you can sort by goal, program or duration. Yoga, strength, HIIT and stretching are just a few examples of the type of exercises you can perform.

To select your workout recommendation, Ultrahuman uses its Dynamic Recovery score, a percentage from zero to 100 that symbolizes how prepared your body is to take on the day. It takes into account your sleep, temperature, stress rhythm, resting heart rate and heart rate variability and can change throughout the day with movement, naps and non-sleep deep rest like breathwork.

The Les Mills PowerPlug will also adapt its selections based on a user’s menstrual cycle. If they’re in a phase with more energy, such as the follicular or ovulatory phases, they’ll be advised to try a more intense workout. Low-energy luteal and menstrual phases will correlate with workouts that prioritize recovery, like yoga. During menstruation, high-impact workouts that are tough on the pelvic floor will be avoided. 

Once you complete your workout, you can then view your workout stats (duration, heart rate zones and calories), movement score, muscle group radar chart, daily goal progress and a post-workout recovery prediction that estimates your readiness for the next day.

The Les Mills PowerPlug price

Global Ultrahuman Ring Air and Ring Pro users can now purchase the Les Mills PowerPlug for $12 per month or $100 per year. 

Due to a patent lawsuit with Oura, makers of the Oura Ring, the Ultrahuman Ring Air was previously banned in the US. However, in March, Ultrahuman launched its Ring Pro, which the US Customs and Border Protection approved for sale in the US. It is currently available for preorder and will start shipping on May 15. With a charging case, it costs $479.

Italian loudspeakers tend to follow their own playbook, and the Opera Callas Diva Special Edition distributed in the U.S. by Fidelity Imports, leans into that identity without apology. Priced at $13,999, this is a reflex, floor-standing design with a rear-firing radiation system (dipole), built around the kind of materials and construction choices that set Italian brands apart: hand-crafted wood cabinetry, leather-clad baffles, and tank-like assembly that feels more atelier than assembly line.

Whether the leather actually changes the sound is still a matter of debate, but as with most things Italian, it’s as much about feel and intent as measurable outcome.

There’s also a clear voicing philosophy here. Like most offerings from Sonus faber and Opera, the goal isn’t clinical neutrality; it’s a more romantic, expressive presentation that leans into tone and texture. That doesn’t mean these speakers lack drama; if anything, they just deliver it with better timing and less shouting over Sunday gravy at Nonna’s house. Think Sophia Loren, not a reality TV meltdown—controlled, confident, and fully aware of the effect… the kind of presence that makes a room go quiet when she crosses her legs, looks your way, and lets you wonder if you’re worth the match.

Fidelity Imports is pushing Opera hard in the U.S. right now, and it’s not difficult to understand why. Paired with electronics from Unison Research, the system synergy is obvious—cohesive, deliberate, and unmistakably Italian. Bellissima, but not in a way that begs for attention. It just assumes you’re paying attention already.

Italian Engineering in a Tailored Suit, Not a Tracksuit

The Opera Callas Diva Special Edition is a reflex loaded, floor standing loudspeaker that combines a traditional forward firing driver array with a rear firing dipole tweeter system. It’s a hybrid approach that aims to balance direct sound with controlled rear radiation, adding spatial cues without turning the room into an echo chamber.

Up front, the speaker uses a single 8-inch long throw woofer paired with a 7-inch midrange driver featuring a re cooked polypropylene cone and phase plug. High frequencies are handled by a 1-inch Scan Speak 9700 tweeter, notably run without ferrofluid and incorporating a double decompression chamber, choices that typically favor openness and low mechanical damping over sheer robustness.

Around back, Opera adds two 1-inch tweeters in what it describes as a “natural dipole” configuration. This rear array expands the soundstage by introducing ambient high frequency energy, effectively making the system a 3-way plus rear dipole design rather than a conventional forward only speaker.

The crossover network is relatively straightforward, using 12 dB per octave slopes across all drivers, woofer, midrange, front tweeter, and rear tweeters, with crossover points centered approximately at 200 Hz and 2,000 Hz. This suggests a focus on phase coherence and smoother driver integration rather than aggressive filtering.

Frequency response is rated at 30 Hz to 25 kHz, covering full range playback without immediate reliance on a subwoofer. Sensitivity is specified at 90 dB (2.83V at 1 meter), making the speaker reasonably amplifier friendly, though the 4 ohm nominal impedance with a minimum above 3.2 ohms means it will benefit from stable current delivery.

Power handling is listed at 240 watts without clipping, and placement guidelines recommend at least 10 cm, about 4 inches, from the rear wall, which is modest considering the inclusion of rear firing drivers.

Physically, the Callas Diva Special Edition is substantial: 116 x 37 x 53.5 cm (H x W x D), approximately 45.7 x 14.6 x 21.1 inches, and each speaker weighs 65 kg, about 143 pounds, including its metal base. This is not a lightweight cabinet, so think carefully about which relative still has the energy to help you move it after sausage and peppers. And don’t forget the cannoli. Marone!

Italian Soul, British Precision, No Passport Required

Fidelity Imports had a lot of rooms at AXPONA. Enough that you start making choices. I only had time for a few. This one, and the Ruark Audio room were the ones that actually made me stop, close my eyes and listen, and silently wish that I didn’t have 30 more rooms to cover on the next two floors.

Part of it was the system; Opera speakers, Unison Research electronics, and the new Michell Gyro Turntable spinning records like it knew that a certain American competitor was MIA and that this was its moment to make everyone take notice.

But it was also the reaction. People didn’t just walk in and walk out. They slowed down. Took a step closer. Leaned in to look at the front baffle, then drifted over to the turntable like it might tell them something if they got close enough. Weird that. Especially because it happened more than a few times.

Nobody rushed. Nobody talked too loud. That’s usually a sign. People stood along the back of the room and listened.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed. And in a show full of rooms fighting for attention, this one didn’t have to. Steve Jain needs to make this set-up a permanent hi-fi show experience.

The room was driven by the Unison Research Unico PRE V2 and Unico DM V2 power amplifier. Together, they retail for $18,498 USD. That’s not inexpensive, but in the context of AXPONA, it sits well below many of the larger systems on display.

The Unico DM V2 is a high power, dual mono hybrid design using Unison Research’s A.S.H.A. Class A-AB output stage. The emphasis is on current delivery and stability into more demanding loudspeaker loads rather than chasing extreme specifications.

The Unico PRE V2 is a fully balanced preamplifier with a tube based input stage. It includes a well equipped MM/MC phono stage with selectable gain and loading, making it a viable option for vinyl playback without requiring an external phono stage.

There is no built in streaming platform or Bluetooth support. That appears to be a deliberate choice, leaving digital source selection to external components.

The PRE V2 does include an internal DAC based on the Sabre ES9018K2M converter. It uses a balanced output stage designed to integrate with the tube input section, with the goal of maintaining consistent tonal balance between digital and analog inputs.

Digital connectivity includes USB-B, two S/PDIF, and two optical inputs. USB supports PCM up to 384 kHz and native DSD up to 256, along with DoP up to 128. S/PDIF and optical inputs support resolutions up to 192 kHz.

The Unico DM V2 is rated at 220 watts into 8 ohms and 340 watts into 4 ohms in stereo operation, with stability down to 2 ohms. In bridged mono configuration, it delivers 650 watts into both 8 ohm and 4 ohm loads.

My biggest takeaway from this room? Synergy matters. A lot.

Having spent time with and reviewed some of Unison Research’s tube amplifiers, the new pairing has a lot more palle, but it doesn’t trade away the qualities that made those designs stand out. The tonal balance, clarity, and sense of flow are still intact. It just brings more control and authority when the music asks for it.

Unison deserves your attention. So do these Opera loudspeakers. They’re expressive without being aggressive. They don’t grab your Members Only jacket and threaten you with brute force. They take a different approach and pull you in, keep you there, and let the music do the work.

There’s something to that. Not everything needs to hit you over the head to make its point.

More info at: operaloudspeakers.com | unisonresearch.com | michellaudio.com

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Marill previously led financial services and automotive industry at Facebook and Instagram.

OpenAI has hired Airbnb’s former European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) lead Emmanuel Marill as its first EMEA managing director, as the company continues to expand globally with an initial public offering in sight.

Marill, who led Airbnb’s EMEA, Australia and New Zealand operations for a number of years, also previously worked with Meta as their financial services and automotive industry lead for Facebook and Instagram.

Marill’s appointment reflects “strong momentum in EMEA”, OpenAI said. He will be based in Paris and report to chief strategy officer Jason Kwon. He will also collaborate with OpenAI’s EU headquarters in Dublin, which currently has around 80 employees.

“As demand for ChatGPT and Codex continues to grow rapidly all over the world, we are investing significantly in our international leadership and operations”, Kwon said.

Marill added: “There’s real momentum across EMEA, with many countries here leading globally in adoption of AI.”

OpenAI has had a tougher time in Europe than in the US. The company faces increasing regulatory pressures from EU officials, as well as resistance from businesses over digital sovereignty.

However, the company said that weekly active ChatGPT users in the EMEA region have grown by 70pc since last year, with Germany, France, the UK and Spain among its top markets for ChatGPT and Codex.

On its home turf in the US, OpenAI faces an even bigger challenge from the likes of Anthropic, which is fast encroaching on the company’s clientele.

Anthropic appointed long-time technology executive Pip White as the head of its UK, Ireland, Northern Europe and Israeli operations last November.

OpenAI reportedly plans to double its headcount by the end of the year. Late last year, Bloomberg reported that OpenAI and its rival Anthropic were both looking to expand their office footprints in their Dublin headquarters.

Meanwhile, OpenAI also announced its first permanent London office for next year with a capacity of more than 500. The announcement came despite an indefinite hold on the company’s plans for a Stargate UK over energy costs and regulatory burden.

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Makers are constantly coming up with innovative methods to transform everyday objects into automated displays, and Terence Grover has just added another to the list. His robot flips a rare €1000 Monaco commemorative coin repeatedly, with a live audience cheering and calling the shots the entire time. People watching his YouTube livestream give commands to choose when to flip the coin next, and the robot just does its job without troubling its inventor.

Grover began with a relatively bare-bones setup, utilizing only a bit of cardboard, a basic solenoid, and a 9v battery to get the ball going. He had created a rudimentary prototype that showed promise, but the coin kept landing off-center and refusing to play ball more than once or twice. He then upgraded to a proper design, producing a strong tray on a 3D printer and adding a set of blades placed similarly to a camera’s aperture. After each landing, the new servo motor closes those blades, nudging the coin back to the exact same area above the solenoid so the next flip may take place smoothly right away.

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The power comes from a 12V source, which delivers a fast burst to the solenoid, propelling the coin skyward in a crisp arc. Once it’s returned to the tray, a small security camera above captures a clear 2,000-pixel image. Grover chose this cheap Amazon camera since the original Raspberry Pi camera was too weak for long sessions in changing lighting conditions.

Inside the Raspberry Pi, a Python script is simply sitting there, waiting for that picture to appear. OpenCV converts the image to a grayscale snapshot to look for the coin’s contour, and then a machine learning model trained on over 400 photographs of the coin that Grover had personally labeled determines which side of the coin is visible, heads or tails. The model is performed locally using Tensorflow Lite, so the decision is returned to the stream in a flash, and the results are immediately visible to everyone on the livestream.

Grover set up a simple web server on the same Raspberry Pi so viewers could trigger flips through a neat and clear interface or even just talk to them on YouTube, as the relay board keeps the high-voltage solenoid safe by flipping it on command, preventing damage to the low-power electronics. Grover adjusted every timing variable, down to the fraction of a second, until everything felt absolutely smooth.

Grover was most concerned with getting the device to be reliable over time, since they’d experienced a couple jams early on when the coin landed on its edge or slid too far to one side. Every tiny adjustment to the tray and blade tension reduced the amount of times it would freeze up, eventually allowing it to continue for hours without requiring a human intervention. During a particularly long livestream session in July 2024, the machine managed to flip the coin 50,000 times in a row without requiring any user assistance.
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