The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is probing whether John Deere used unfair practices related to the repair of its agricultural equipment that might violate the FTC Act.
Technology
The FTC is trying to find out if John Deere’s repair policies broke the law
The investigation into John Deere’s restrictions on customers’ right to repair agricultural equipment was revealed by data analytics company Hargrove & Associates, Inc. (HAI), as it fights a subpoena-like civil investigative demand (CID) from the FTC to hand over sales data. As reported earlier by Reuters, the company fears sharing the information the FTC seeks about agricultural equipment sales could harm its business relationships.
“We are cooperating with the FTC, at this time we cannot comment any further while an investigation is ongoing,” John Deere spokesperson Jen Hartmann said in a statement.
John Deere has been one of the main targets of the right-to-repair movement (along with Apple), which seeks to give customers more options to repair equipment with third-party services to expand access and lower costs. But companies that have resisted fully opening their ecosystem tend to cite issues with security, which is a message John Deere CTO Jahmy Hindman echoed during his 2021 appearance on the Decoder podcast. He argued, “Do you really want a tractor going down the road with software on it that has been modified for steering or modified for braking in some way that might have a consequence that nobody thought of?”
Technology
Audeze Maxwell Gaming Headset Review: Unrivaled Sound
I’ve tried several gaming headsets over the years and at this point, it almost feels like there are fewer and fewer things that I can be impressed by. Enter the Audeze Maxwell, a gaming headset from a brand that has a storied history in the high-end audio community. When Audeze reached out and asked if I wanted to try the Maxwell, I of course said yes. I’d been wanting to try it for a couple of years now. So I jumped at the chance.
My main reasoning was to see if it could hold a candle to what I found to be the best gaming headset on the market, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. Up until I tried the Maxwell, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless had been my go-to. I was using it for gaming on PS5, PC, and even mobile. It was the only headset I would use for basically anything. Including streaming movies and music. Not only was the sound great, it was just so convenient and comfortable.
That being said, it wasn’t without its faults. The more I dabbled in high-end audio I also wanted to see if Audeze had something to offer that could sway my opinion on what the best value in gaming headsets is. Without beating around the bush, the Audeze Maxwell has exceeded nearly every expectation I had. At $299, it’s not an inexpensive gaming headset option. However, it does a lot of things right and I think that after this review, you’ll probably agree that it’s at the very least, worth considering. That being said, let’s break down the Audeze Maxwell and see if it’s worth your hard-earned money.
Audeze Maxwell Review: Hardware & Design
I’ll be honest when I say the Maxwell isn’t my favorite when it comes to the design of a gaming headset. That isn’t to say it looks bad by any means. It’s stylish, just not as stylish as some others I’ve used in the past. However, I want to follow that up with the very obvious realization that this is a completely subjective point. While I do think there are better-looking gaming headsets out there, this really matters very little.
What’s most important is how the headset functions, and that it’s made with high quality. These are two things that the Audeze Maxwell knocks out of the park. Design-wise, the Maxwell is a big headset. Probably the biggest I’ve ever tested, at least when it comes to wireless options. While I think the size takes a tiny bit away from the design, it also means you get nice, sizeable ear cups that hug your ears in a pillowy embrace, so comfort is a definite factor here.
The larger size also means there’s more room in those ear cups for things like the planar magnetic drivers. Which, goes a long way to making this the best-sounding headset on the market across the board.
What’s in the Box
When it comes to the hardware, there’s a lot to unpack. Both literally and metaphorically. When you open up the box, you get the headset, the detachable mic, the low-latency USB-C dongle, a USB-C to USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A cable, and a 3.5mm TRRS analog cable.
Hardware & Build Quality
The Audeze Maxwell features a high-quality metal construction that makes it very clear a lot of thought and attention to detail went into building this headset. The ear cups swivel to adjust to head shape, and you can twist them so they sit flat if you slide the headset down to wear it around your neck during breaks. This also makes it decent for packing in a bag, although it’s still a massive gaming headset so it’ll take up a decent amount of space anyway.
What I really like is that there’s a physical mute switch you can toggle when you need or want to shut the mic off for a second. You also get physical controls for volume adjustment, and there are separate volume wheels for game audio and chat audio, something that I think is very underused in gaming headsets as they often incorporate both into a single dial that forces you to pick what’s louder.
The headset itself doesn’t have an extendable headband like some do. Instead, the Audeze Maxwell uses an inner band with three holes on each side. These can be fitted to the knobs on the left and right sides of the main band to adjust for sizing. The band itself is made from high-quality leather that feels premium, which I love, and it’s also pretty comfortable against my head even after longer gaming or listening sessions.
The only complaint I have about the band is that because it’s made of leather, the sizing holes don’t expand at all. This makes it quite a chore to adjust the band for sizing if needed. Luckily, you may only have to do this once if you’re the only one using the headset. So once that’s out of the way, you won’t have to mess with it ever again. In my experience, I wasn’t quite sure if the band was where I needed it to be. So I tried adjusting it to a different size and it was just more difficult to do than I had anticipated.
As it turns out, the band was at the right size for my head right out of the box (the middle of the three holes), so I never needed to mess with it in the first place. However, I do think it’s important that you find the right fit before you really start using it. So you may want to test all three size options anyway. Just be aware that you might have to fiddle with the band for a few minutes.
In terms of remaining hardware, there’s also a nice big physical power button and a button for turning the active noise cancellation on and off as you desire. Overall, the Audeze Maxwell is a very well-built gaming headset from top to bottom. There are just a couple of things I would personally change.
Audeze Maxwell Review: Comfort & Fit
I thought I knew what comfort was before I put the Audeze Maxwell on for the first time, and I was wrong. At least in part. I have more than a few gaming headsets hanging up right now and they’re all pretty comfortable. Some more than others. The Audeze Maxwell overshadows all of them. Like I said earlier, the headset is big because the ear cups are big. By design, the ear pads are also big. They’re nice and thick and they envelop your ears in a soft cushion that does a great job at isolating sound even if the ANC is turned off.
And yet, even with the good seal to isolate outside noise, they’re still breathable enough that I didn’t have to worry about sweat after wearing this headset for hours. I can confidently say that this is the most comfortable gaming headset I have ever used. That does come with a caveat though. And in my opinion, it’s a caveat that might turn some people away. The Audeze Maxwell is a very heavy gaming headset by comparison. It weighs 500 grams which is kind of astonishing when you look at other options on the market.
The only reason I say this is a caveat is because it can impact comfort, mostly in the long term. I still think the Audeze Maxwell is the most comfortable gaming headset I’ve used. However, its weight can’t be ignored and it can lead to issues with long-term comfort. Not over the lifespan of the headset, but over a longer period of use in a single session. For example, I find that the Maxwell has a tendency to start putting pressure on my neck if I wear it for longer than 4-5 hours.
Now, you might be thinking, “4-5 hours is a pretty long time just take the headset off and take a break.” And you’re right. I can just take the headset off. In most cases, this is exactly what I do. I take little breaks throughout my gaming sessions pretty often. Whether it’s to get up and grab a snack and walk around for a few minutes, or to go do something else for a little while. There are times though when I sit down and play all day and if I’m in chat, I often leave the headset on because I’m talking with friends the whole time.
In these situations, it’s very easy to get lost in the moment and before you know it, several hours have flown by. This is where the weight of the Audeze Maxwell can start to become a minor issue. If you play games for very long periods of time, just know that this might become a factor for you, and it might not.
In terms of fit, the headset fits very securely and there are zero issues here in my opinion. I think for the most part, the weight isn’t going to hinder the experience for most gamers, but it is something that I felt needed to be mentioned. Overall, the comfort is really high up there and I’d even venture to say the Maxwell is more comfortable than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, even if only by a little bit.
Audeze Maxwell Review: Microphone Quality
The microphone is always an important part of any gaming headset if you’re planning on using it for game chat. Whether that’s in-game chat or through something like Discord, you want a good microphone so your voice comes through clearly. The last thing you want is for your teammates to have a hard time hearing you. Especially if you’re playing games where clear callouts are a major part of the gameplay.
Of all the gaming headsets I’ve tested over the years, I have only ever had issues with a few microphones. That’s based on feedback from friends who I chat with telling me I don’t sound good and that I’m just a little harder to hear. These are people I have played games with and sat in chat with for several years. So they know the sound of my voice and I trust their opinions on the matter. With that being said, I want to start by saying that I have had zero complaints from friends when chatting while using the Audeze Maxwell.
The microphone quality, from my end, seems to be top-notch and, it might just be the best microphone of any gaming headset I’ve used so far. As I’ve said, I normally use the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, which I thought had a pretty good microphone. After using it for 2+ years, my friends agree. Once I started using the Audeze Maxwell, I held off for a few sessions before asking how I sounded in comparison to how I normally sounded. Everyone I asked said I sounded just fine, while a few even said I sounded better than usual.
My voice comes through more clearly and that’s really an important detail for callouts. Now this won’t matter for every game. However, we often play games like Call of Duty where callouts in multiplayer are a big deal to us as a team. We’re very vocal in calling out the enemy position to try and win. We also play a lot of Destiny 2 where callouts are important for endgame content like raids and dungeons. The slightest trouble in hearing one another could mean a wipe, and that’s no fun for anyone. This was never an issue in all my time using the headset for gaming so far.
So I think it’s safe to say I will probably never have an issue with the microphone on the Audeze Maxwell. I obviously can’t speak to how this will be long-term. But given the build quality of the headset, I don’t anticipate the microphone quality degrading over time. If there’s anything I would change with the mic, I would add a few more options in the companion software to adjust the sound and really fine-tune it. This is something that I really appreciate about the SteelSeries GG app. It has tons of settings for adjusting how the mic sounds, that being said, you don’t need a SteelSeries headset to use that software. So really, you could use it with the Audeze Maxwell if you really wanted to, and just tweak things in the Sonar tab. Though I don’t know if this is really necessary.
Audeze Maxwell Review: Sound Quality
There was a time when sound quality didn’t matter very much to me when playing games. It was a simpler time. As long as the headset I was using sounded relatively decent, I was fine with it. Then I started using nicer and nicer headsets, and now I’ve arrived at Audeze’s Maxwell headset. An option that clearly stands above most options on the market for sound quality.
That shouldn’t be surprising. Audeze specializes in high-end audio. I knew the headset would sound good, I just didn’t know it would sound better than anything else I’ve ever used. While I am not an audio expert, I have used several high-end headsets at this point so I do have some inkling of when one clearly sounds better than another. The Audeze Maxwell provides a sound experience for games that I really do feel is unmatched.
While using it in games like Space Marine 2 or Diablo IV, I can more easily pick up the nuances of the varied and layered tracks laid on top of the rest of the game’s audio. The ambient tracks of Space Marine 2 come alive as if I was standing in the crowd at a concert. And there’s something magical about having that kind of audio quality for in-game music as you’re ripping into aliens with a chainsaw sword. Speaking of, the Maxwell really amps up these kinds of sounds too.
In an age where some games are best when they can immerse you in the world, playing Space Marine 2 while wearing the Maxwell headset almost made it seem as if I was actually the Ultramarine revving up the sword to slice and dice the enemies of humanity. For Diablo IV, the Maxwell really shined with the different music tracks of each zone. But even little details like the sound of a health potion dropping and then being consumed were more pronounced. The screams of my character as they were cutting down demons were more clear.
In games like Final Fantasy XIV, which is packed to the gills with a damn near life-changing soundtrack, the Maxwell not only brought the music to life but it made the world of the game feel more real. The sound even gets a little more lively if I’m playing with my DualSense controller plugged in. Because when it’s plugged in for Final Fantasy XIV, the advanced haptics of that controller kick in.
So walking on grass almost feels like walking on grass. Harvesting wood from a tree and chopping away at it with your hatchet sort of feels like the vibrations you might feel from the wooden handle as the blade of the hatchet meets the tree on impact. And the sounds that are linked to those haptics are clear as day with the Maxwell. It all really just plays into the fantasy that I’m in the world of the game, walking on that patch of grass myself, or chopping away at that tree. Now, part of this is a true testament to the skills of the game’s audio engineers.
At the same time, it’s a testament to Audeze. For being able to harness what the game’s audio engineers have done and make you feel like you’re in the game you’re playing. Based solely on delivering sound so rich with life, that you start to feel like you’re hearing these sounds in person.
I’ll say it again, there was a time when the sound quality of my gaming headsets didn’t matter much to me. Those times are gone and the Maxwell has a part in my shifting opinion on the matter. Using the Maxwell is not so transcendent of an experience that I can’t ever use anything else. It is however very enjoyable to hear my games in a way that makes them significantly more lively. And Audeze deserves a lot of praise for it. The Maxwell is quickly becoming one of my favorite headsets to use, if not my favorite headset.
Out of the box, the Maxwell headset sounds superb and you don’t need to do anything to it to enjoy the audio experience. However, you can fine-tune things by adjusting the sound profiles inside the Audeze HQ app.
Audeze Maxwell Review: The Audeze HQ App
The app is your tool for playing with the preconfigured sound profiles as well as updating the dongle and headset. For instance, there’s an option to change to a Footsteps profile so you can better hear footsteps in games like Call of Duty.
The headset picks up footsteps and relays their unique sound signature to you pretty well without turning on this sound profile. Better than most headsets I’ve tried, too. But in using the Footsteps profile it amplifies their sound slightly so they’re just a bit easier to hear. You can certainly choose to ignore the footsteps in these kinds of multiplayer games, but I find that you will almost always do better if you’re paying attention to these audio cues.
One thing I’ve noticed is that while using this particular sound profile with the Maxwell, there wasn’t a major difference between when it was on and when it was off. It was a subtle change, but still noticeable. In the end, it makes a difference, however small, so it’s worth picking as opposed to leaving the headset on the default “Audeze” setting. Alternatively, if you’re playing an RPG or another type of game where it’s very story/narrative heavy, you can choose the headset’s Immersive sound profile to bring the game to life.
This is the kind of profile I chose for games like Final Fantasy XIV, Diablo IV, and Space Marine 2. There are also profiles for bass boost and treble boost among a few others. You can also choose one of the few “Preset” options that are there if you want to manually adjust the EQ and save these as specific profiles. So you get complete granular control of how all the frequencies sound and adjust things to your precise specifications.
In addition to the different sound profiles, the HQ app also lets you toggle the side tone, with a slider bar for how much of the sidetone level you want to hear. This is just so you want to be able to hear your own voice while in chat. It acts as a way to see how you sound to others, while also letting you know how loud you are. It’s intended to help nail down the best possible sound for the mic so your voice is clear and at a reasonable volume level for others.
On top of that, there’s another feature for mixing the game and chat audio, although I left this untouched as I can control the volume of my chats in Discord directly while using the volume wheel on my keyboard for game audio. All of this is doable with the PC app, but unfortunately, there’s no app for PS5. There is an app for mobile, but changing the sound profiles didn’t seem to do anything for the sound coming out of my PS5. A nice touch with the PC app is that there’s a tab with a layout of the headset that tells you what all the controls are for.
It’s nothing major, just a nice little addition if you weren’t quite sure what everything on the headset does. Overall it’s a decent app but nothing too special. No bells and whistles or extra features. Just the basic stuff you’d need. And that’s completely fine.
Audeze Maxwell Review: Battery Life
I talked for several months with my boss about this headset. He’s been using it for a while and wouldn’t shut up about how good it is. I take his opinion about audio seriously because he takes audio seriously. More seriously than anyone else I know. Still, despite his praise for the Maxwell, I had my reservations. Mainly for two reasons. One, the lack of its ability to play simultaneous audio from two sources if I was connected using the low-latency dongle (it will allow this if you have the headset wired and connected to another device with Bluetooth), and the battery life.
One of the reasons I love the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless so much is because of these two things. The battery life in particular is a non-issue. Because it utilizes a hot-swappable battery you can just pop out and replace it when it needs to be recharged. So you ALWAYS have a charged battery ready to go, and you basically have 100% uptime on the headset. I didn’t want to give up this convenience. How does Audeze get around that with the Maxwell? With a battery life that lasts for up to 80+ hours.
That’s an astounding amount of time between charges, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I went an entire two to three weeks before I needed to plug the Maxwell in. I still kind of prefer the convenience of not having to plug in a headset at all. That being said, I can overlook this fact with the Maxwell because it lasts so long between charges. I can easily plug it in during the start of my day and it’ll be done well before I need or want to use it again. Then it’s back to a full battery which will last me for a few more weeks.
What’s more, is that the Maxwell supports fast charging. If the battery happens to die on me while using it, I can plug the headset in for only 20 minutes and get several hours of game time. Likely more than I’ll need. Then I can plug it in for a full charge after I’m done. All-in-all, the battery life on the Audeze Maxwell is stellar, and I don’t think anyone is going to have a single complaint about it.
Should you buy the Audeze Maxwell?
Getting down to brass tax, I think there’s a large subset of the gaming community that would never buy this headset. That’s not because it’s bad, as my review clearly shows it’s the exact opposite. It’s simply because there are many gamers out there who just don’t care about all the little niceties that the Audeze Maxwell headset provides. They just want something that works and isn’t going to fall apart on them in two to six months.
Having said that, I think there are still plenty of people who would spend the money on this headset if it meant an overall better and more enjoyable gaming experience. Sound plays a big part in games. Certainly, more than many people give it credit for. You can’t truly experience how influential it is though if you don’t have a headset that can deliver audio at that level. The Maxwell delivers. It has a few flaws, as everything does. It’s heavy, for one. It’s also not the most portable so you’ll probably need something else entirely if you want an over-ear or on-ear headset for listening to music outside of the home.
Those issues notwithstanding, everything else about the Audeze Maxwell has been an amazing experience. So if you don’t mind spending a little more money on a gaming headset, I can confidently say I don’t think anyone who can and would buy this headset would regret the purchase.
You should buy the Audeze Maxwell if:
- You want a high-end audio experience when playing games
- You’re looking for something with long-lasting battery life
- You want a comfortable headset
- You want or need a really high-quality microphone
You shouldn’t buy the Audeze Maxwell if:
- You’re looking for something more budget-friendly
- You don’t care about audio quality
Science & Environment
Indestructible quantum rifts can exist in two places at once
Exotic quantum rifts have been created with charged atoms, and they exist in a superposition of being in two places at once. This is a first step towards better understanding the behaviour of such quantum defects in everything from materials to an entire universe.
Defects are ubiquitous – think of tears in textiles or cloudy imperfections in shiny crystals – but in quantum systems, they can have the extra property of being topological. That means the overall structure of the…
Technology
Penguin Random House amends its copyright rules to protect authors from AI
Artificial intelligence makers have faced a mountain of criticism for borrowing from the work of others to train its models. Now the world’s largest publishing house is taking steps to ensure its authors don’t have their work plagiarized in the name of progress.
reports that Penguin Random House Publishing changed the copyright page at the front of its books to address using any of its titles as a source for AI training. Now the wording states: “No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.”
The new wording also protects against data absorption by noting the publisher “expressly reserves [the titles] from the text and data mining exception.” This part of the amended text comes from a recent regarding text and data mining exceptions and ownership.
Penguin Random House is the latest publishing company to take action against encroaching AI models. Earlier this week, issued a cease and desist letter to the AI startup Perplexity to spot using its articles and stories to help its AI model create answers for users.
Technology
Keywords acquires co-development studio Certain Affinity
Keywords Studios announced today that it plans to acquire Certain Affinity for an undisclosed sum. Certain Affinity is a well-known game co-development studio that has worked on games such as Halo, Hogwarts Legacy and Call of Duty. Keywords plans to add the new studio’s talents to its Create division. Certain Affinity’s CEO and founder Max Hoberman and his management team will continue to lead the company post-acquisition.
Certain Affinity employs over 180 people across two separate locations and is currently working on multiple projects — one of which is Exodus, which it’s co-developing with Archetype Entertainment. It’s not yet clear whether any projects in its pipeline will change following the acquisition. This is the second game studio acquisition that Keywords has made so far this year, and one of several it’s made in the last few years. Other acquisitions in the gaming sector include Wushu Studios, The Multiplayer Group and Fortyseven Communications.
Keywords CEO Bertrand Bodson said in a statement, “We are thrilled to welcome Certain Affinity to the Keywords Group. We have enormous respect for their business and reputation. They bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise to our Create division, complementing our existing skills and expanding our presence notably in the US and Canada. We look forward to partnering with Max, Paul, and their team over the coming years to continue to drive growth in our Create division and overall business.”
Hoberman minced no words about what he considered his company’s good fortune. “At this most difficult time in the market, we’re thrilled to be able to provide stability and a supportive home for our team. The respect for our talent and culture that Keywords has shown, along with a willingness to invest in our growth, is unparalleled.”
The “most difficult time” to which Hoberman is likely referring is the current employment crisis in the games industry. At present, the count for layoffs in the industry sits at around 13,000 games according to videogamelayoffs.com, and multiple smaller studios have publicly revealed an inability to secure funding to support their staff.
Source link
Technology
Fluid Truck files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and pursues sale after leadership shakeup
Less than two months after Fluid Truck’s board ousted its sibling co-founders from their executive positions, the company has laid off 30% of its staff, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and found a potential buyer to take on the business, pending court approval, according to bankruptcy filings and information from a former employee.
Fluid has also been approved on an interim basis as of today for a $7 million loan to keep the business operational and fund the restructuring and sale process through the end of the year.
The bankruptcy filing in a Delaware court comes as the company’s losses mount and it faces several lawsuits, including a class action filed on October 10 in Colorado, after it allegedly failed to pay money owed to members of its Fluid Vehicle Investor Program (FVIP) — a program that allowed individuals, including employees, and small business owners to purchase fleets of vans and trucks to be rented out on the platform under Fluid’s management.
Fluid Truck has estimated that the number of creditors awaiting payment is at around 5,500. The company owes FVIP members $12 million, and owes vendors $26 million. That’s on top of the $20.6 million in cash losses Fluid Truck suffered in 2023.
James Eberhard and Jenifer Snyder, Fluid Truck’s sibling co-founders and former CEO and chief legal counsel, respectively, founded the startup, which has been referred to as the Zipcar of commercial vehicles, in 2016. Since then, Fluid Truck has managed to raise more than $80 million in venture funds and expand to 400 cities in 32 states across the U.S. But the company soon found itself in a deep financial hole under the stewardship of Eberhard due to a combination of macroeconomic factors and mismanaged insurance claims.
Fluid’s deficits accumulated and bad blood started festering between Eberhard and two minority shareholders on the board — Bison Capital and Ingka Investments — according to people familiar with the matter. Eberhard was unable to raise more capital to fund the company’s losses, and in July, the board voted to remove him and Snyder from their roles.
Eberhard’s replacement, Scott Avila from Paladin Management, began exploring liquidation options in August, according to a declaration he filed in bankruptcy court on October 16.
But then Fluid Truck received a large, long-awaited payment from a customer, and decided to use that momentum to try to sell the company. That’s when Kingbee Rentals, a van rental agency in West Valley City, Utah, came forward unexpectedly as a potential buyer.
The only problem? Kingbee couldn’t afford to acquire all of Fluid Truck’s assets on its own. And Fluid Truck couldn’t afford to keep the lights on for much longer. So in its bankruptcy filing, Fluid Truck has asked the courts to approve emergency funding in the form of a $7 million debtor-in-possession (DIP) loan from Kingbee and some existing investors, and the court approved it on an interim basis on Friday.
“The DIP lenders basically said, ‘We’re going to loan you this money, but if the sale doesn’t close by December 31, you’re in default, and we can liquidate the business,” Adam Stein-Sapir, a bankruptcy expert at Pioneer Funding Group, told TechCrunch. “It gives them a hammer to do something if [Fluid] blows past that deadline.”
It’s unclear how much Fluid Truck will be able to sell its assets for, but Stein-Sapir says it could be around that $7 million mark. That’s bad news for any unsecured lenders, like FVIP members, who will be among those last in line to be paid back.
“For people who are just unsecured here, it’s looking pretty grim in terms of recovery,” Stein-Sapir said. “Unless they filed a lien or have some kind of security in those funds, they are in some trouble.”
Fluid Truck did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Technology
Sam Altman’s eyeball-scanning crypto project has a new Orb and a new name
Worldcoin, the cryptocurrency / human identity network / UBI project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is now known as World. Along with the name change, World introduced an updated version of its eyeball-scanning Orb device which is designed to solve a problem that does not currently exist: authenticating that someone is human “in the age of AI.”
People registered to the system get a World ID that they can use to “securely and anonymously” prove their humanness online, as well as a share of its associated WLD cryptocurrency token.
The new Orb is made with 30 percent fewer parts than its predecessor, which is supposed to make it easier and cheaper to build, and equipped with Nvidia’s robotics and AI platform, Jetson, for some reason. Rich Heley, the chief device officer of Tools for Humanity — the foundation behind the World project — said during an event on Thursday that the simplified design should help achieve the goal of making the Orb widely available.
“To provide access to every human, we need more Orbs. Lots more Orbs. Probably on the order of a thousand times more Orbs than we have today,” Heley said. “Not only more Orbs but more Orbs in more places.” In addition to ramping up production of the Orb, World will even let people purchase or rent their very own eyeball-scanning sphere so they can “start verifying unique humans” in their communities.
It’s also launching a new service called “Orb on Demand” (yes, it’s really called that) that will let people order Orbs “much like a pizza you would have delivered to your apartment,” Heley said. The Orb is also coming to more countries, including Costa Rica, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and others.
World says it has verified nearly 7 million “unique humans” so far, despite privacy concerns about building a privately operated global database based on biometrics.
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Hyperelastic gel is one of the stretchiest materials known to science
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Is sharing your smartphone PIN part of a healthy relationship?
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
How to unsnarl a tangle of threads, according to physics
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
‘Running of the bulls’ festival crowds move like charged particles
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Maxwell’s demon charges quantum batteries inside of a quantum computer
-
Technology1 month ago
Would-be reality TV contestants ‘not looking real’
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Liquid crystals could improve quantum communication devices
-
Womens Workouts4 weeks ago
3 Day Full Body Women’s Dumbbell Only Workout
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
X-rays reveal half-billion-year-old insect ancestor
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Quantum ‘supersolid’ matter stirred using magnets
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Sunlight-trapping device can generate temperatures over 1000°C
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Why this is a golden age for life to thrive across the universe
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Quantum forces used to automatically assemble tiny device
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Laser helps turn an electron into a coil of mass and charge
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Nerve fibres in the brain could generate quantum entanglement
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
How to wrap your mind around the real multiverse
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
ITER: Is the world’s biggest fusion experiment dead after new delay to 2035?
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
A slight curve helps rocks make the biggest splash
-
News1 month ago
the pick of new debut fiction
-
News4 weeks ago
Our millionaire neighbour blocks us from using public footpath & screams at us in street.. it’s like living in a WARZONE – WordupNews
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
A new kind of experiment at the Large Hadron Collider could unravel quantum reality
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Time travel sci-fi novel is a rip-roaringly good thought experiment
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Why Machines Learn: A clever primer makes sense of what makes AI possible
-
News1 month ago
▶️ Media Bias: How They Spin Attack on Hezbollah and Ignore the Reality
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Nuclear fusion experiment overcomes two key operating hurdles
-
News1 month ago
▶️ Hamas in the West Bank: Rising Support and Deadly Attacks You Might Not Know About
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Physicists are grappling with their own reproducibility crisis
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Physicists have worked out how to melt any material
-
Business3 weeks ago
Eurosceptic Andrej Babiš eyes return to power in Czech Republic
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Microphone made of atom-thick graphene could be used in smartphones
-
Technology2 weeks ago
This AI video generator can melt, crush, blow up, or turn anything into cake
-
Business2 weeks ago
When to tip and when not to tip
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Ukraine is using AI to manage the removal of Russian landmines
-
Sport2 weeks ago
Coco Gauff stages superb comeback to reach China Open final
-
Sport2 weeks ago
Wales fall to second loss of WXV against Italy
-
News1 month ago
You’re a Hypocrite, And So Am I
-
Sport4 weeks ago
Joshua vs Dubois: Chris Eubank Jr says ‘AJ’ could beat Tyson Fury and any other heavyweight in the world
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Caroline Ellison aims to duck prison sentence for role in FTX collapse
-
Health & fitness1 month ago
The secret to a six pack – and how to keep your washboard abs in 2022
-
News1 month ago
New investigation ordered into ‘doorstep murder’ of Alistair Wilson
-
News4 weeks ago
The Project Censored Newsletter – May 2024
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Quantum computers may work better when they ignore causality
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Watch UFC star deliver ‘one of the most brutal knockouts ever’ that left opponent laid spark out on the canvas
-
Sport3 weeks ago
World’s sexiest referee Claudia Romani shows off incredible figure in animal print bikini on South Beach
-
News2 weeks ago
Massive blasts in Beirut after renewed Israeli air strikes
-
MMA2 weeks ago
Julianna Peña trashes Raquel Pennington’s behavior as champ
-
Business2 weeks ago
DoJ accuses Donald Trump of ‘private criminal effort’ to overturn 2020 election
-
TV2 weeks ago
সারাদেশে দিনব্যাপী বৃষ্টির পূর্বাভাস; সমুদ্রবন্দরে ৩ নম্বর সংকেত | Weather Today | Jamuna TV
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Texas is suing TikTok for allegedly violating its new child privacy law
-
News2 weeks ago
▶ Hamas Spent $1B on Tunnels Instead of Investing in a Future for Gaza’s People
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Rethinking space and time could let us do away with dark matter
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
A tale of two mysteries: ghostly neutrinos and the proton decay puzzle
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Conor McGregor challenges ‘woeful’ Belal Muhammad, tells Ilia Topuria it’s ‘on sight’
-
Technology3 weeks ago
University examiners fail to spot ChatGPT answers in real-world test
-
Technology4 weeks ago
Robo-tuna reveals how foldable fins help the speedy fish manoeuvre
-
Business3 weeks ago
Should London’s tax exiles head for Spain, Italy . . . or Wales?
-
Football3 weeks ago
Football Focus: Martin Keown on Liverpool’s Alisson Becker
-
MMA2 weeks ago
Dana White’s Contender Series 74 recap, analysis, winner grades
-
News2 weeks ago
Heartbreaking end to search as body of influencer, 27, found after yacht party shipwreck on ‘Devil’s Throat’ coastline
-
Technology2 weeks ago
A very underrated horror movie sequel is streaming on Max
-
News2 weeks ago
Balancing India and China Is the Challenge for Sri Lanka’s Dissanayake
-
News2 weeks ago
Navigating the News Void: Opportunities for Revitalization
-
News2 weeks ago
Heavy strikes shake Beirut as Israel expands Lebanon campaign
-
TV2 weeks ago
Love Island star sparks feud rumours as one Islander is missing from glam girls’ night
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney renews blast at ‘gatekeeper’ platform owners
-
Business2 weeks ago
Bank of England warns of ‘future stress’ from hedge fund bets against US Treasuries
-
TV2 weeks ago
Phillip Schofield accidentally sets his camp on FIRE after using emergency radio to Channel 5 crew
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Amazon’s Ring just doubled the price of its alarm monitoring service for grandfathered customers
-
MMA2 weeks ago
Pereira vs. Rountree prediction: Champ chases legend status
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S24+
-
News2 weeks ago
Hull KR 10-8 Warrington Wolves – Robins reach first Super League Grand Final
-
Politics3 weeks ago
Robert Jenrick vows to cut aid to countries that do not take back refused asylum seekers | Robert Jenrick
-
News4 weeks ago
Israel strikes Lebanese targets as Hizbollah chief warns of ‘red lines’ crossed
-
Technology1 month ago
The ‘superfood’ taking over fields in northern India
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Future of fusion: How the UK’s JET reactor paved the way for ITER
-
Politics4 weeks ago
UK consumer confidence falls sharply amid fears of ‘painful’ budget | Economics
-
Technology3 weeks ago
‘From a toaster to a server’: UK startup promises 5x ‘speed up without changing a line of code’ as it plans to take on Nvidia, AMD in the generative AI battlefield
-
Sport4 weeks ago
UFC Edmonton fight card revealed, including Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi headliner
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
UK spurns European invitation to join ITER nuclear fusion project
-
CryptoCurrency4 weeks ago
Cardano founder to meet Argentina president Javier Milei
-
News4 weeks ago
Why Is Everyone Excited About These Smart Insoles?
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Meet the world's first female male model | 7.30
-
News4 weeks ago
Four dead & 18 injured in horror mass shooting with victims ‘caught in crossfire’ as cops hunt multiple gunmen
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Get ready for Meta Connect
-
Health & fitness3 weeks ago
The 7 lifestyle habits you can stop now for a slimmer face by next week
-
Business3 weeks ago
Ukraine faces its darkest hour
-
Business2 weeks ago
Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she needs to raise £20bn. How might she do it?
-
Sport2 weeks ago
Lauren Keen-Hawkins: Injured amateur jockey continues progress from serious head injury
-
Business2 weeks ago
Sterling slides after Bailey says BoE could be ‘a bit more aggressive’ on rates
-
Technology2 weeks ago
The best shows on Max (formerly HBO Max) right now
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Samsung Passkeys will work with Samsung’s smart home devices
-
Football2 weeks ago
Rangers & Celtic ready for first SWPL derby showdown
-
News2 weeks ago
Family plans to honor hurricane victim using logs from fallen tree that killed him
-
Business2 weeks ago
The search for Japan’s ‘lost’ art
-
Entertainment2 weeks ago
Christopher Ciccone, artist and Madonna’s younger brother, dies at 63
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Being in two places at once could make a quantum battery charge faster
-
News1 month ago
How FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam Is Adapting to a Post-Pandemic Economy
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Why we need to invoke philosophy to judge bizarre concepts in science
-
Politics4 weeks ago
‘Appalling’ rows over Sue Gray must stop, senior ministers say | Sue Gray
-
TV4 weeks ago
CNN TÜRK – 🔴 Canlı Yayın ᴴᴰ – Canlı TV izle
You must be logged in to post a comment Login