Lenovo updated some versions of ThinkPad and ThinkBook devices at the MWC 2024 event, during which the Transparent Display laptop was also introduced, announced The Verge.

The updated laptop models are ThinkPad T: ThinkPad T14 Gen 5, ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 and ThinkPad T16 Gen 3. All of them have Intel

Core Ultra processors. Also, they have a Lenovo communication bar that allows the camera and microphones to fit into the top frame.

Laptops are characterized by thinner top bezels and higher display ratios.

The company had added these features to other ThinkPad series laptops like the X1 Carbon and X1 Nano.

The T-Series keyboards have the same Fn, Insert, Enter, and Volume Up keys as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and ThinkPad X1 2-in-1

Gen 9 laptops. This innovation was made to facilitate the access and use of technical devices for the visually impaired.

Another change that Lenovo made is that they put the Ctrl button at the end of the keyboard keys, as most laptop manufacturers do. Until now, the company placed the Fn key at the end of the row of keys on the keyboard.

Also, Lenovo created a new additional Microsoft Copilot key, which is located between the Alt and Ctrl keys, positioned on the right side of the keyboard. Lenovo and iFixit are starting to work together to make the process easier when replacing certain hardware components on the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and T16 Gen 3.

The companies will cooperate in the following areas: on the return of inserted DIMM slots instead of soldered RAM, on the insertion of wireless batteries, as well as on SSDs and slots for wireless adapters.

Lenovo makes it easy for users entering the process of getting their laptop repaired. The company clearly labels the SSD and RAM slots. It includes QR codes on the laptop case that are near every component that can be repaired. Also, the company also provides a video with instructions to be followed during the process.

One of the most important updates is early access to Unity Muse, an AI-powered suite designed to simplify content creation for game developers.

Muse offers features like Muse Chat, which allows developers to get answers and resources in Unity and receive usable code. Additionally, Muse Sprite generates 2D sprites and multiple variations, and Muse Texture creates high-quality 2D and 3D ready textures. These features are powered by a purpose-built deep learning model that ensures data integrity.

Unity Muse is in the early access phase, while Unity Sentis, designed for seamlessly integrating intricate AI data models into Unity Runtime, is currently in open beta. The official release for Unity Sentis is anticipated to coincide with the launch of Unity 6 in 2024.

Scheduled for 2024, Unity 6 represents the next significant software release, pledging notable improvements in visual quality coupled with substantial performance boosts. Additionally, it promises an expedited process for creating multiplayer games and heightened support for artificial intelligence. Unity’s overarching goal is to empower developers to explore new frontiers by leveraging enhanced mobile functionalities and cutting-edge support for virtual reality devices.

Unity has underscored its backing for Apple Vision Pro through the unveiling of PolySpatial. Unity is initiating the beta program for its visionOS, which encompasses access to Unity PolySpatial. This program is available for Unity Pro, Enterprise, and Industry subscribers, facilitating the development of spatial applications tailored for Apple Vision Pro.

Despite the leadership transition, Unity is resolute in its commitment to ongoing projects and initiatives. As Unity hopes to put a tumultuous period behind it, the announcements this week signify the start of a new chapter and rebuilding of relations with game developers.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will feature new technology that will help narrow the bezels around the display to just 1.5mm, compared to 2.2mm on the iPhone 14 Pro series. The LIPO display process is already being used by the Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple is now expected to introduce it in the iPhone Pro series and eventually in the next generation iPad Pro devices.

The company has been using its own Lightning charger for iPhones since 2012, but the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be compatible with USB-C charging. 120Hz ProMotion displays will remain exclusive to the Pro phones.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models will reportedly have titanium edges instead of stainless steel. This will make the models lighter and more comfortable.

The 15 Pro series will also have updated cameras with a true periscope lens that will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and will offer 6x optical zoom.

The new features on this year’s new iPhones are expected to come at a higher price. The price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is said to start at $200 more than last year’s 14 Pro Max, while the price of the 15 Pro will increase by $100.

Samsung has released a software update to improve the camera on the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 Ultra. The company is expected to release another major update later this month to improve low-light photography and to remove the HDR halo effect. Samsung’s camera development team reveals that it has added the 2X zoom option in the portrait mode of the Galaxy S23’s camera app.

Currently, the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 Ultra only feature 1x and 3x zoom modes in the camera app’s portrait mode. The 1x option enables portrait shots from the main camera, while the 3x option enables portrait shots from the 3x telephoto camera. But for some people, the 1x option is too wide and the 3x mode is too zoomed in. And the solution in this case is the 2x option.

Samsung is adding a 2x zoom option to the portrait camera mode that will crop the frame from the main camera. The feature will be rolled out to all Galaxy S23 series phones with the next software update, which is expected to be released later this month (May 2023). The company is expected to reveal whether this feature will appear in the Galaxy S22 series once it releases the update for the Galaxy S23. Stay tuned for details.

Although this is a visual improvement to the search page, in response to the Twitter message announcing the update, some users didn’t wait long and expressed their disappointment with the new updates. A few users even took the liberty of openly stating that they didn’t see much point to it, as the store page for both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S now looks significantly better from the home screen.

Despite the views expressed by users, no further update in this regard is expected to be released for now. Considering also the fact that the console is now almost three years old, it is unlikely that users will be enjoying a new dashboard anytime soon.

Regarding the new search page update, the UI is sleeker in some areas, which could easily translate into a redesign of the dashboard, and it helps the console look good.

While the current Xbox X Series and S Series dashboard is easy to navigate, an updated dashboard to match the expectations of the current generation would help further define the console. Users are left questioning why Microsoft hasn’t yet followed suit with the PS5’s UI, which was a smart and quick evolution of the PS4.

Comcast subscribers are about to lose a great privilege: free access to Peacock streaming. Since it launched in April 2020, the ad-supported version of Peacock Premium has been provided free to Xfinity TV and broadband customers.

As of April 3, it will no longer be offered to new subscribers, and as of June 26, existing customers will no longer receive it, NBCUniversal confirmed to Variety. Engadget wrote this on the subject.

The news was first noted on Reddit via screenshots, which posted more details.

“Customers will be presented with details of the discounted offer within the Peacock app. Stay tuned for offer details and more information.”

, reads an internal message.

NBCU has also sent messages to customers that they will be able to purchase Peacock Premium at a discounted price, which has not yet been determined.

The company’s plan has always been to phase out free access to Peacock for Comcast customers, a spokesperson told Variety.

By next year, the company aims to reach 100,000 hours of programming, spread among original series, licensed TV, movies, live sports and more. The most famous original hit is currently Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face,” and it also airs popular classic TV programs like “The Office.”

Infrastructure-from-Code (IfC) creates, configures, and manages cloud resources by understanding the source code of a software application without explicit description. There are 4 main approaches to Infra-from-Code: SDK-based, code annotation-based, a combination of these two approaches, and a new programming language that defines infrastructure explicitly, Infoq wrote on the topic.

The SDK-based approach allows developers to use their own code, and during deployment, tools analyze how the service’s code uses the SDK and generates the infrastructure. The SDK-based approach makes deriving usage from code more predictable, but the SDK is always a step back in leveraging new cloud features. Examples of SDK-based tools are Ampt and Nitric.

In the annotation and SDK approach, the developer annotates the code, and the tools incorporate those annotations into the framework. The main tools in this category are Encore and Shuttle. These tools can be hosted on the IfC vendor’s platform or can be integrated with third-party cloud service providers such as GCP, AWS, or Azure. Another interesting tool is AWS Chalice, which allows the creation and deployment of applications that use AWS Lambda in python.

Chef, Ansible, Puppet and Terraform are some of the first Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools and have started to enable the creation and management of cloud infrastructures. The second wave of IaC used existing programming languages (Python, Go, TypeScript) to express the same idea as the first wave tools. Puluni and CDK are the tools of this second generation.

Here are the biggest new games for January 2023 according to Cultured Vultures.

Lone Ruin – January 12th, 2023

Roguelikes have become one of the most popular genres on the market at the moment, so it’s not surprising that there have been many indie developers making their splash on the genre recently. With so many competing titles, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’d be hard for a new roguelike to really make an impact, but Cuddle Monster Games are hoping that Lone Ruin can be the next big roguelike hit.

You’ll play as an explorer who finds the titular Lone Ruin, an ancient and magical city that houses some incredible power in its center. You’ll just need to fight your way through hordes of monsters and creatures in order to get there. A twin-stick shooter using spells as a basis, you’ll customize your skills and abilities throughout your run to maximize your destructive potential, making for a rewarding gameplay loop.

One Piece Odyssey – January 13th, 2023

One Piece has firmly taken its place atop the anime and manga world as the biggest franchise going at the moment, but it’s still yet to have that defining game sitting alongside it. Pirate Warriors 4 is probably the best one so far, but considering it relied heavily on the already established Musou formula, it feels like a copout. Hopefully, One Piece Odyssey will cement itself as the definitive One Piece game.

A whole new adventure set in the world of One Piece, Odyssey sees players controlling Monkey D. Luffy and other members of the Straw Hat lads stranded on a remote island, separated from each other after a violent storm wrecked their ship. You’ll have to help the crew deal with the locals, fend off some monsters and ultimately reunite and leave the island entirely, which is going to be easier said than done.

Fire Emblem Engage – January 20th, 2023

Fire Emblem has, for the large majority of its tenure, been an excellent yet somewhat overlooked strategy series. However, that all changed when the Nintendo Switch’s Three Houses really catapulted the franchise into the mainstream, and Nintendo look like they’re showing no signs of slowing down the hype train, as Fire Emblem Engage hopes to continue that upwards momentum into 2023.

As with other Fire Emblem titles, Engage focuses on a brand new set of characters, only with a bit of a twist this time around. You’ll play as Alear, a Divine Dragon charged with ensuring that the Fell Dragon Sombron doesn’t wreck havoc on the kingdom of Elyos once again. In order to do so, you’ll need to gather various Emblem Rings, which contain the souls of warriors from previous Fire Emblem games.

Forspoken – January 24th, 2023

At this point, Forspoken might be most well known for that admittedly ill-advised 30 second trailer that sounded like the most cringe dialogue ever. It’s a shame, because from a gameplay perspective, Forspoken looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun, even if that’s because we’ll be able to do magical parkour across a vast open world. Never the combat, we’ll just be gliding across the desert, thanks.

Far from just being a magic running simulator, Forspoken’s story sees players controlling Frey Holland, an average young woman living in New York City who is mysteriously transported to the mystical world of Athia. Unfortunately, this world is under the tyranny of the Tantas family, so Frey will have to work together with various allies, including her sentient bracelet apparently, in order to find a way to return home safely.

Dead Space – January 27th, 2023

Now that The Callisto Protocol has finally launched and hasn’t really lived up to the expectations many people had for it, all eyes have now moved towards Motive Studio and their work on the Dead Space reboot. With such an iconic and enjoyable foundation to pull from, Motive Studio have practically got a home run on their hands already, and it’s looking likely that they’ll deliver the goods when Dead Space launches.

A retelling of the game’s original story, Dead Space sees engineer Isaac Clarke responding to a distress signal on the planet-cracking spaceship, the USG Ishimura. The Ishimura recently made a discovery, a Marker buried under the surface of the planet, but said discovery proved to be a curse, as most of the crew has now mutated into violent Necromorphs. Equipped with some deadly tools, Isaac must brave the horrors of the Ishimura alone.

Season: A Letter To The Future – January 31st, 2023

One specific genre that’s seemingly emerged over the years is the passive open world experience; one where there’s no combat, only good vibes and plenty of secrets. The pull of this type of game is with the world it offers, and unraveling the various mysteries surrounding it, and from the sounds of Season: A Letter To The Future’s premise, this is certainly going to be one of the most interesting.

Season: A Letter To The Future casts players as Estelle, a member of a secluded village in the mountains who’s leaving home for the first time to catalog the people, places and culture of the wider world. For her world, one season is an entire era, and this season is about to end, so Estelle looks to make sure her world is chronicled for the future before a mysterious cataclysm wipes everything away. Who said games without combat couldn’t have high stakes?

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake – January 31st, 2023

The SpongeBob SquarePants series is pretty out there at the best of times, but Purple Lamp and THQ Nordic’s upcoming game, The Cosmic Shake, looks set to be the yellow mascot’s most ridiculous adventure yet. To be fair, it was only a matter of time before SpongeBob SquarePants went to the multiverse, or Wishworlds as they’ve been called here, though hopefully that silliness will lead to an excellent platforming adventure.

SpongeBob and Patrick have been given the wish granting power of a Mermaid Tear, which has obviously led to the very fabric of the universe being unraveled at an alarming rate. In order to save everything, SpongeBob and a balloon version of Patrick will have to travel to seven unique Wishworlds, such as Wild West Jellyfish Fields and Halloween Rock Bottom, obtain various platforming skills and costumes, and ultimately save everyone. All in a day’s work for a goofy goober.

The key here is using a human voice to train the AI. Callan Scheballa, a project manager with Five9, explained:

“At the end of the day people are going to understand that they are talking to a machine, they are going to understand that they are talking to software.”

He added:

“Yet, the voice that it uses, there’s no reason for it to not sound great. Now, the more. lifelike that it can sound, at least in our experience, the better the reception of the customers that are going to be talking to it.”

Five9 auditioned actors in London and decided on Joseph Vaughn to record a series of scripts for the company, in turn to find their latest voice.

That audio was then broken down into sounds and tones rather than words. It’s enabling the AI program to recreate not only sentences but also distinct moods.

The software is trained to detect word combinations and tones in the caller’s voice so that it can respond to their emotional state as well. Rhyan Johnson, an engineer from Wellsaid labs who is involved in the project, said:

“We are capturing all of the audio data and all of the combination of frequencies and vibrations that are inherent to a voice, that as a human we would recognise is a voice, but the machine just is guessing sounds.”

The company says their AI agents have already answered more than 82 million calls for healthcare providers, large retailers as well as insurance companies, banks, local businesses, and state and local governments.

The new Virtual Voiceover tech will be available next year.

The painting by the famous French artist Pierre Auguste Renoir “Double Portrait of Jeanne Baudot” will be the first masterpiece to be auctioned. According to the project webpage, global sales will start on December 22 at 16:00 Moscow time.

“The Greatest Works of Art” is the first special project of Third Place NFT. Its main mission is to create the largest accumulated collection of classical art. As part of this project, the platform plans to locate world-famous art objects verifying their authenticity in partnership with a number of major museums, and, with the help of NFT technology, to make them accessible for everyone.

As part of the tokenization Renoir’s painting will be divided into 1125 exclusive NFT tokens. Its holders will receive the rights to use the painting, exclusive rights to digital copies of the acquired NFTs, as well as non-exclusive rights to a full digital copy of the famous artist’s painting.