An AI system developed by Meta can find solutions to maths problems that have eluded mathematicians for over a century, researchers at the firm claim.

The problems involve mathematical tools called Lyapunov functions, named after mathematician Aleksandr Lyapunov, which analyse whether a system will remain stable over time, meaning its behaviour can be predicted. One famous example of such a system is the motion of three celestial bodies as a result of their mutual gravitational interactions – describing the behaviour of this “three-body problem” is extremely challenging.

The second season of the Legend of Legends animated Netflix show Arcane comes out next month, and Riot Games plans to celebrate that in League of Legends itself. Namely, it will add Ambessa Medarda, a character introduced in the show, as a new champion as part of Patch 14.22.

You might recall that Ambessa is the matriarch of the Noxian Merdarda family who first appears partway through the first season of Arcane to advise her daughter Mel. After Jinx’s attack on Mel and the rest of the Piltover council at the end of the first season, it seems like Ambessa will be on a path of vengeance in the show’s second season. Riot Games believes that she’s a compelling enough character to bring over to the game that inspired Arcane, with game designer Max Perlman saying that the show gave the developers a “jumping off point to eventually find the center point of her kit,” in comments provided to Digital Trends.

Ambessa is designed to be a top lane champion who can 1v1 against other characters, and her abilities reflect that. Her passive ability is Drakehound’s Step, which allows Ambessa to dash after casting an ability and give her next ability range, damage, and attack speed buffs while refunding energy. Her Q ability starts as Cunning Sweep, a basic attack that deals damage in front of her with blades; if Ambessa hits an enemy, it turns into Sundering Slam, which deals bonus damage to the first enemy it hits while doing damage in a line.

Ambessa’s W ability is Repudiation, which gives her Shield as she slams into the ground and damages nearby enemies. Her E ability is Lacerate, which deals damage around Ambessa and enables a combo with Drakehound’s Step by allowing her to strike twice. Finally, her Ultimate Ability is Public Execution, which teleports her to the farthest enemy champion in a line players choose and suppresses, damages, and stuns that champion.

Ambessa seems like an appealing choice for more aggressive players and newer ones playing the game for the first time after watching Arcane. Ambessa’s addition isn’t the only Arcane-related tie-in with League of Legends, as its All Random, All Mid game mode is getting a new map based on the Bridge of Progress and more between the launch of Patch 14.22 and January 8, 2025.

The second season of Arcane will be released across three acts on November 9, November 16, and November 23.

A new patent has indicated how a Pixel phone could save battery while displaying images. Google filed the patent this year, but the tech could be deployed in most modern Android smartphones.

Google files patent to help conserve battery while Pixel phones are displaying images

Google launched its latest Pixel smartphones recently. The impressive lineup includes the entry-level Pixel 9 and goes all the way up to the Pixel 9 Pro, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

These devices have several features that rely on Gemini, Google’s Generative Artificial intelligence. (Gen AI). Perhaps this AI tech could help Google control the phone’s internal hardware and conserve battery wherever it can.

Google recently published a patent indicating how the tech giant’s Pixel phones could save their battery, especially when these devices are displaying an image. Specifically speaking, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a 13-page document that details this new tech to conserve battery life.

Google reportedly filed the patent in June 2024. However, the USPTO published the document recently on October 17, 2024.

How can a phone help save battery while displaying an image?

Displays are one of the biggest causes of battery drain. The higher the brightness, the faster the battery drains. In other words, controlling the brightness of the display can help optimize battery consumption.

According to the patent, future Pixel phones could have the ability to “look” at an image. The device would create a bionic image based on its On-Pixel Ratio (OPR). Presumably, the device’s onboard AI would then combine the newly created bionic image with the original image to make a new one.

Future Pixel phones would then display this image on the screen. Needless to say, the new image would keep the relevant areas bright while lowering the brightness in other, less relevant areas.

The simple reasoning behind the patent is that phones light up their screens to display an image. Each pixel on the screen needs power to emit light. By lowering the intensity of brightness, phones could conserve battery life.

Every Android phone could benefit from this technology. Hence, it is possible Google could first allow Pixel phones to dynamically alter images before this tech trickles down to smartphones from other manufacturers via an Android OS update.

Microsoft has just announced its new Xbox Wireless Headset, and it now comes with a free Dolby Atmos license. Previous iterations of the headset required owners to purchase a license separately. That’s typically a $15 purchase, which covers up to 10 Windows or Xbox devices. Another notable upgrade is its battery life, which, according to Microsoft, has increased to 20 hours of playtime.

Regarding the Dolby Atmos license, Microsoft once posted that it had an exclusivity window with Dolby for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. This was later proven untrue as the company clarified that the post was published in error. However, the fact that this headset comes with a license saves users some cash and could help more people try out the technology. Our best gaming headset list also contains some headsets that come with Dolby Atmos licenses, like the Audeze Maxwell.

The new Xbox Wireless Headset model doesn’t only have audio improvements. The microphone now has voice isolation and an improved auto-mute to prevent outside noises from garbling your audio output. Clear communication is important when communicating with the team to win, after all.

Besides having Dolby Atmos support, this new headset works with Windows Sonic and DTS Headphone:X. Windows Sonic is a spatial sound solution found on Windows computers. DTS Headphone:X is another 3D sound solution also for Windows, but requires a free download from the Microsoft Store. All three are designed to help enhance game audio and make it more immersive for the player. If the sound isn’t good enough for your tastes, you can adjust it using the Xbox Accessories app.

To reduce latency, the Xbox Wireless Headset comes with a Qualcomm S5 Gen 2 chipset. It also has Bluetooth 5.3 support.

Currently, the Xbox Wireless Headset is available for purchase for $110. While Microsoft hasn’t mentioned which regions have it in stock, it’s available in select regions both online and from retailers.

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