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  • Apple unveils Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3

    Apple unveils Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3

    Apple on Tuesday unveiled three new Apple Watch configurations at its annual hardware event: the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3.

    Apple Watch Series 11

    The Apple Watch Series 11 can alert you to possible hypertension. It uses data from the optical heart sensor and looks for chronic high blood pressure by analyzing how your blood vessels respond to the heart’s beats. The algorithm works in the background, reviewing data over 30-day periods and will notify you if it identifies patterns of hypertension.

    Apple says it plans to notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension in the first year alone. In addition to the Series 11, hypertension alerts will also be available on the Series 9 and 10.Image Credits:Apple

    The Apple Watch Series 11 can also help you understand the quality of your sleep and how to make it more restorative. The new Sleep Score feature factors in such things as sleep duration, bed time, consistency, how often you wake up, and the time spent in each sleep stage.

    It also debuts with 5G connectivity, bringing an improvement over the existing LTE connectivity options. It uses less battery and provides even more coverage.

    Apple Watch Series 11 now gets up to 24 hours of battery life and comes in Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and a new Space Gray. It starts at $399.

    Apple Watch Ultra 3

    The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is launching with a larger screen and satellite connectivity. As with the Series 11, it’s also getting 5G connectivity and hypertension notifications.

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    The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the first Apple Watch with satellite connectivity, allowing you to tap into Apple’s satellite feature for emergency communications in remote areas. You can also send messages and share your location with Find My to enable satellite connectivity.Image Credits:Apple

    Satellite connectivity can be used when a cellular signal or Wi-Fi is not available; it lets people do things like contact emergency services and send a text by satellite.

    The watch comes with up to 42 hours of battery life, with up to 72 hours in low power mode.

    It comes with LTPO3 and wide-angle OLEDs, making it the largest screen of any Apple Watch ever, and brighter when viewed from an angle. TPO3 is a high-performance, low-power display technology that enables the display borders to be 24% thinner, Apple notes.

    Apple Watch Ultra 3 is available in Black and Natural Titanium. Prices start at $799.

    Apple Watch SE 3

    The Apple Watch SE 3 is launching with a newer display and a faster chip, the S10, which allows for a huge improvement over the S8 chip used in the Apple Watch SE 2.Image Credits:Apple

    The chip upgrade allows for always-on display for the first time. It also supports gestures like double-tap and wrist flick.

    The S10 chip also enables SE 3 to get all-day 18-hour battery life, and for the first time, the SE supports fast charging. The SE 3 comes with wrist temperature sensing, which enables retrospective ovulation estimates and gives you richer insights in the vitals app.

    Apple Watch SE starts at $249. It is available in 40 mm and 44 mm sizes and comes in Midnight and Starlight aluminum cases.

  • Facebook is trying to make 'pokes' happen again

    Facebook is trying to make 'pokes' happen again

    Technically, the poke never really left Facebook.

    The classic feature from Facebook’s early days lets users get a friend’s attention with a virtual nudge of sorts. While the poke fell out of use ages ago, the company has more recently seen an uptick in its use among younger users, which has now prompted it to make the poke a more central part of the Facebook experience.

    Now users are able to poke their friends from a new, dedicated button directly on their Facebook profile, which will alert the poke’s recipient through their notifications. In addition, Facebook users can see who poked them and find friends to poke at facebook.com/pokes. On this page, users will be able to track their “poke count” with friends, which grows every time they poke each other. They can also dismiss pokes if they don’t want to reciprocate.Image Credits:Meta (screenshot) (opens in a new window)

    The poke-tracking feature is largely designed to appeal to younger users who have grown up with gamification elements built into their social apps, like Snapchat and TikTok Streaks. These features ostensibly help friends keep track of those they message most, but streaks have come under regulatory scrutiny and have even led to lawsuits because of their addictive nature, as they keep kids hooked on the apps.

    By highlighting poke counts and making the poke more prominent on Facebook, Meta wants to create a similar engagement mechanism. As users increase their poke counts with a friend, different icons will appear next to the friend’s name, like a fire emoji or “100,” among others.

    This isn’t the first time in recent months that Facebook has tried to revive the poke. In March 2024, the company said it had made it easier for users to find the poking page via search and would make it easier to poke a friend after searching for them. These small changes led to a 13x spike in poking in the month after the changes, Meta said at the time.

    As for why you’d want to poke someone, that’s up to users to decide. Facebook never explained the purpose of the poke, leaving it open to interpretation. A poke could be a way to catch someone’s attention, flirt, or just annoy them, depending on the user’s intent.

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    Poke counts may never become as popular as streaks, but adding them is clearly a signal that Meta is looking to boost Facebook engagement.

    According to research from Jon Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation,” which focused on social media’s potential harm to children’s brain development, Snap had known about streaks’ habit-forming nature for years. An article he co-published with a senior research scientist at NYU Stern, Zach Rausch, included quotes from internal documents that show Snap employees discussing how popular streaks were and how effective they were at driving engagement.

    Though Facebook today remains a cash cow for Meta’s business, fueling its longer-term bets in areas like AI and metaverse projects, it has long been criticized for failing to appeal to younger users — a demographic that’s been declining, particularly in the U.S. The company has tried to recapture the youth market with various initiatives, including the short-lived, college-only feature Facebook Campus, shuttered in 2022, and more recently, a Gen Z-focused redesign.

  • Google debuts Pixel Watch 4 with domed display, emergency satellite communication

    Google debuts Pixel Watch 4 with domed display, emergency satellite communication

    At its Made by Google event on Wednesday, Google unveiled its new Pixel Watch 4. The smartwatch features a domed display, support for standalone satellite communication, enhanced health and fitness tracking, and more.

    The 41mm Pixel Watch 4 starts at $349 for Wi-Fi and $449 for LTE, while the 45mm version starts at $399 for Wi-Fi and $499 for LTE.

    The watch features an Actua 360 display that’s physically curved to deliver a 10% larger active area and an edgeless appearance with 16% smaller bezels. Plus, it has a 50% brighter 3,000 nit display.

    The LTE versions of Pixel Watch 4 come with standalone emergency satellite communications that connect users to emergency services through a series of geo-stationary satellites to dispatch help to users, even when they’re off the grid. The feature is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Wearable Platform, Google notes.Image Credits:Google

    In addition, users can now simply raise their wrist to access Gemini, getting rid of the need to press a button or say “Hey Google.” The tech giant says this will allow users to get help or answers when they’re doing things like carrying groceries or walking their dog. The watch also comes with added on-device AI capabilities, such as Smart Replies, which offer AI-powered responses tailored to your conversation.

    Google also announced that the watch has 25% longer battery life than its predecessor, with 30 hours on the 41mm and 40 hours on the 45mm. Google also noted that the Pixel Watch 4 comes with an all-new fast-charging dock that they can rest their watch on.

    Pixel Watch 4 is water-resistant up to 50 meters, and for the first time ever, it’s serviceable with a replaceable battery and display.

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    The tech giant says the watch is more powerful under the hood, as it features Google’s next-gen ML-powered co-processor that’s 25% faster at half the power.

    As for the advanced health and fitness tracking, Google announced that the Pixel Watch 4 is 18% more accurate at classifying complete sleep cycles and can track time spent in each stage of sleep. Plus, with a new Skin Temperature sensor, the watch can help detect changes in your well-being.Image Credits:Briana DeFranco, Cheddar

    Additionally, the Pixel Watch 4’s new dual-frequency GPS allows for more accurate route tracking even in tough environments, like a downtown city run or a tree-dense hike.

    Google notes that in instances where you have forgotten to start a workout on your watch, it will use AI to automatically detect and classify your activity. Plus, Google has added new exercise options, including basketball and pickleball.

    Google also announced that it’s introducing a personal AI health coach that gives users access to fitness and sleep coaching based on metrics from your Pixel Watch. The idea behind the feature is to give users a 24/7 AI-powered health coach on their wrist that offers them on-demand guidance tailored to their goals. Users will be able to ask questions like, “Is this cold plunge actually good for me?” or “What’s the best way to fight jet lag?”

    The tech giant is launching a preview of the health coach for users who use any Fitbit device or Pixel Watch in the U.S. this October.

    Pixel Watch 4 is available for preorder today and on shelves starting October 9.

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  • The music industry is broken: OpenWav's new app aims to change that

    The music industry is broken: OpenWav's new app aims to change that

    Grammy Award-winning musician, composer, and producer Wyclef Jean says the music industry is broken, which is why he’s now involved with a startup, OpenWav, that’s looking to give the power back to the artists. Through the OpenWav app, launched over the summer, artists can drop new music and exclusives; connect directly with fans; sell merch; host concerts, pop-ups, and listening parties; and more.

    Later, the startup plans to offer more assistance to artists using AI tools.

    Speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference this week, Jean, now chief music officer at OpenWav, had harsh words for the state of the music industry, particularly criticizing the business model of streaming services.

    “If you’re a new artist, the amount of streams that you have to [accumulate] to get $10,000 is literally a rip-off. So now you have a constant revolt,” he said.

    Jean pointed to Cardi B as a recent example of the problem, saying that while people probably thought it was funny that she was on the street selling CDs and vinyl albums (which she did in a TikTok promoting her album), what she was really doing was showing how bad things have become for artists.Image Credits:OpenWav

    To put things in perspective, OpenWav co-founder and CEO Jaeson Ma, who spoke alongside Jean at the event, said, “Right now on Spotify … for $3,000 you have to hit 1 million streams.” Ma is a media industry entrepreneur, investor, and adviser who has backed numerous startups, including Musical.ly (which became TikTok), Triller, Coinbase, Grab, and others, and co-founded multiple media companies and the NFT app OP3N.

    Ma explained that the industry’s broken model is why the team at OpenWav is building a direct-to-fan music platform.

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    “The algorithms are not rewarding music,” he noted, agreeing with a recent social media post from singer Lizzo, who complained about the lack of a “song of the summer” this year.

    Ma then explained that what today’s artists need is not a million listeners on Spotify, but rather 1,000 true fans.

    “If you have 1,000 true fans that give you $10 a month — which is a Starbucks coffee times 1,000 — that’s $120,000 a year as an independent music artist. Think about that.” (Note: the math is correct; an earlier version of this article suggested he had misspoke).Image Credits:OpenWav

    “Spotify is not paying you. Instagram, TikTok’s not paying you. But your true fans will pay you. They’ll buy your tickets. They’ll buy your exclusive music — your music dropped first on OpenWav. They’ll buy your merch. And if you’re making that type of money — just 10 bucks a month — you can actually build a sustainable career,” Ma said.

    Of course, OpenWav isn’t alone in thinking about turning “super fans” into a revenue stream for artists. Spotify itself has been talking about building a super-fan platform for some time, telling investors on its earnings calls that it aims to launch a new premium tier that would cater to fans who would get early access to concert tickets, more features, and other perks. The company has been negotiating with labels like Universal and Warner Music to make that happen.

    OpenWav wouldn’t necessarily be targeting major artists, as Spotify is, however. Instead, it would be going after indie artists and others just starting out.Image Credits:OpenWav

    The concept isn’t entirely new. Spotify tried to enter this space, too, when it offered a way for indie artists to upload their own music back in 2018. But that effort was soon shuttered after the company faced pressure from its label partners who felt the move would cut into their sales.

    Ma, in response to a question about what makes OpenWav different from other fan platforms, admitted there were competitors on the market today, but argued that none were doing everything that OpenWav is doing in one place.

    “When you come onto OpenWav, you’re able to sell tickets and earn 80% of the profit — 20% [goes to] the platform enabling you to sell tickets to your shows,” he said. “Everyone that buys a ticket goes into the event chat, like a Discord, and you’re able to literally communicate and integrate and network with the very people that are buying the tickets to your shows,” Ma continued. “Then you’re actually able to drop merch in that same community chat with zero upfront costs, no inventory, global dropshipping.”

    Artists on the platform would also own their audience, like fans’ email addresses and phone numbers.

    The platform allows artists to use AI to design their merch, and both Jean and Ma expressed enthusiasm about the technology. Jean noted that AI can help musical artists create more than before, and Ma pointed out that even record producer and songwriter Timbaland has been using the AI music service Suno like a sampler to help him do more with his existing music.

    In OpenWav, they plan to use AI to help artists the way a manager could, by suggesting things like tour locations or merch ideas, as well as providing tools to make album art or lyric videos, for example.

    “What we see with AI is that AI is going to be your best friend as an artist,” said Ma, who said some AI features would arrive in the app’s “phase two.” In the meantime, OpenWav is available on iOS and Android devices for consumers.

  • Everything You Need to Know About Vitamin C Injection – Health Cages

    Everything You Need to Know About Vitamin C Injection – Health Cages

    Vitamin C is also referred to in the form of ascorbic acids, is an essential nutritional element that plays a variety of roles throughout our body. From strengthening the immune system, to supporting healthy skin Vitamin C is vital for overall health. While the majority of people consume their daily doses of the vitamin through fruit and vegetables Vitamin C shots are getting more well-known. They are renowned for their rapid absorbency and efficiency, particularly for those suffering from deficiencies or health issues that are specific to them. We’ll discuss the entire subject of vitamin C injections, from its benefits and usage to the potential side effects and security aspects.

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    What Is a Vitamin C Injection?

    Vitamin C injections are concentrated doses of ascorbic acid that is administered direct into your body, typically via an intramuscular or intravenous route. This allows for improved absorption and a higher bioavailability when compared the oral dosage. In contrast to chewables or pills that have to go through the digestive tract vitamin C injections transport nutrition directly to blood stream. This makes them particularly useful for people suffering from malabsorption or who require high doses of vitamin C to treat ailments.

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    Key Health Benefits of Vitamin C Injections

    One of the main benefits to vitamin C is their array of benefits that they can provide. These benefits extend beyond the realm of general health and go into specific therapeutic applications. In the first place, they’re believed to improve immune function which makes them perfect for those who are susceptible to illness or seasonal ailments. Furthermore vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that helps fight oxidative stress. It also helps slow the process of ageing at a cellular level. In addition, high-dose vitamin C is being studied to determine its role in the treatment of cancer, enhancing iron absorption and speeding wound healing.

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    Why Choose Injections Over Oral Supplements?

    Although vitamin C capsules and tablets are easily available and practical however, they have their limitations. The human body is able to absorb a specific volume of vitamin C when consumed orally. For instance, dosages of more than 200 mg from oral supplements typically result in lower absorption rates. Furthermore, the remainder is typically excreted via urine. Contrary to this vitamin C injections are able to bypass the digestive system completely and deliver the entire amount into the bloodstream. This makes injections an excellent option for those who require immediate results, massive concentrations, or who are unable to tolerate oral versions.

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    Common Medical Uses of Vitamin C Injections

    Vitamin C injections can be widely employed in both alternative and conventional medical treatments. At hospitals, these could provide treatment to people suffering from serious deficiencies, like people who suffer from scurvy. They may also be administered to patients who are undergoing chemotherapy because vitamin C is able to help decrease the adverse effects of chemotherapy and increase the overall tolerance. Certain doctors use high dose vitamin C injections to treat the chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia as well as for treating viral infections. For dermatology, the discipline vitamin C is utilized to improve the appearance of skin and decrease hyperpigmentation, usually in conjunction with aesthetic or anti-aging treatments.

    The Role of Vitamin C Injection in Skin Whitening and Beauty

    Vitamin C has been a sought-after product in the cosmetics industry specifically to lighten skin and for anti-aging benefits. When applied as an injection it delivers quick noticeable results. Vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis, keeping the skin youthful and firm. It also reduces melanin production and results in an even and brighter skin complexion. Many people choose vitamin C injections in order to diminish sunspots and acne scars and signs of aging such as wrinkles and wrinkles. This is why it has become a very popular option among those who want to make aesthetic enhancements without resorting excessive procedures.

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    Dosage and Administration: What You Need to Know

    The recommended dosage for the vitamin C injection is different dependent on the individual’s health requirements and the illness being treating. For general health dosages, the usual range is from 500mg to 1000mg given twice or once each week. In the case of a deficiency that is severe or for medical reasons dosages can be upwards of 10,000mg particularly when administered intravenously and in conjunction with a medical professional. It is important to talk with your healthcare professional to determine the proper dosage and frequency, since the wrong dosage or use can cause adverse reactions.

    Potential Side Effects and Risks

    As with all medical procedures Vitamin C injections do not come without risk. Common adverse effects include swelling or pain around the injection site minor headaches, as well as nausea. In rare instances the high dose can lead to more serious complications, such as hemolysis and kidney stones for those suffering from G6PD deficiency. There’s also the chance for allergic reactions but these are very rare. It’s crucial to receive vitamin C injections by an expert who is able to be aware of any adverse reactions and ensure that the procedure is done safely.

    Who Should Avoid Vitamin C Injections?

    Vitamin C injections can provide numerous benefits, they’re not for all. Patients with medical conditions, such as kidney disease and iron overload conditions (like hemochromatosis) or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiencies should stay away from excessive doses of vitamin C. Breastfeeding or pregnant women are advised to consult with their doctor prior to having injections. In addition, patients who are taking chemotherapy or blood thinners drugs should look for interactions between drugs. An extensive medical history as well as test results are typically necessary prior to starting treatment in order to prevent any problems.

    The Cost and Availability of Vitamin C Injections

    Vitamin C injections can be readily available in wellness centers, as well as through licensed professionals. But, the price may differ significantly based on amount of the injection, frequency, and place. In certain countries, one session could cost between $50 and 200 or even more. Certain insurance plans will be able to cover the cost of the injections are considered medically necessary. In the case of cosmetic reasons, however the procedure is typically considered to be elective and has to be paid for out through the pockets. A lot of providers offer packages for multiple sessions, which makes it more affordable for longer-term patients.

    Final Thoughts: Is Vitamin C Injection Right for You?

    Vitamin C injections are the most effective method to improve your health and enhance your appearance, particularly if supplements for oral use aren’t as effective or speedy enough. From strengthening your immune system to improving the appearance of your skin The benefits are numerous. But it’s not a single-size solution. The potential risks, adverse reactions, and contraindications need to be considered carefully. Always consult a certified health professional before beginning vitamin C injections to make sure they are in line with your goals for health and your medical profile. With the proper guidance they can be an important element of your health journey.

  • Libby's library app adds an AI discovery feature, and not everyone is thrilled

    Libby's library app adds an AI discovery feature, and not everyone is thrilled

    Library e-book and audiobook app Libby is adding AI, much to the disappointment of some readers and librarians, who would prefer not to have AI inserted into their favorite apps. The new feature, “Inspire Me,” allows users to get book recommendations by using prompts or from their previously saved titles in Libby.

    To use the feature, readers tap on the “Inspire Me” options on Libby’s home page, where they can ask for fiction or nonfiction, then narrow down the suggestions by other factors, like age range, type of content, and more. For instance, you might tap on suggestions like “spine-tingling” or “amusing,” then on particular scenarios, such as “dark humor about modern family dysfunction” or “time travelers rescue dragons from medieval knights.”Image Credits:Overdrive/Libby (screenshot)

    The app will then display five relevant titles that match the requested inspiration.

    Overdrive, the company that makes the Libby app, says the feature relies on each library’s digital collection, so it will point to books the library offers. It also prioritizes titles that are immediately available to borrow.

    While a fairly basic use case for AI, some Libby users and librarians are pushing back at the addition via posts on social media sites, saying they’d prefer to get book recommendations without the use of AI technology. Others are worried about the potential privacy issues that come with some AI experiences.

    Overdrive, however, clarifies in a policy document about Libby’s use of AI that it avoids collecting “inessential personal information,” and when it does use your personal information, it’s not shared with third parties or artificial intelligence models. The company also says that users’ details and activity aren’t shared with the AI model.

    Plus, if you share one of your saved tags with the AI to get suggestions, it doesn’t receive any details about you, your device, or the name or description of your tag — it only gets the titles to use for recommendations.

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    Perhaps expecting some pushback against the new addition, Overdrive stressed in its announcement that its goal was not to replace “human insight” with a generative AI feature. Rather, it says the feature could be used to “complement” librarian-led discovery.

    “Inspire Me uses responsible AI integration to help patrons dive deeper into the incredible catalogs their local libraries have curated,” Jen Leitman, OverDrive’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “By surfacing titles that align with what readers are searching for, Inspire Me helps patrons discover more of the books their libraries have already invested in. It’s not about replacing human insight, it’s about making discovery easier, smarter, and more intuitive,” she noted.

    The company soft-launched the feature earlier this month, allowing users to search for “#InspireMe” in Libby’s app to gain access. Now officially announced and rolling out, all Libby users should expect to gain access to the feature in September.

  • Google announces new AI-powered personal health and fitness coach for Fitbit

    Google announces new AI-powered personal health and fitness coach for Fitbit

    At its Made by Google event on Wednesday, the company announced a new AI-powered personal health coach built with Gemini that’s coming to Fitbit. The tech giant says the new personal health coach is a fitness trainer, sleep coach, and wellness advisor all in one.

    Google plans to roll out a preview of the personal health coach as part of Fitbit Premium in October in the redesigned app available with the latest Fitbit trackers, Fitbit smart watches, and Pixel Watches.

    The personal health coach learns your preferences as you share them and also takes your real-time metrics from your Fitbit or Pixel Watch into account. Plus, it can get information from a smart weight scale or glucose monitor.Image Credits:Google

    With the new AI coach, users will be able to create a custom routine after chatting about their goals, preferences, and equipment. The AI coach will then build a personalized fitness plan with workout suggestions and targets. As you do your workouts, the coach will adjust your workout plans based on real-time data and insights in order to help you meet your goals.

    For example, if you wake up with a low readiness score because of a night of insomnia, the coach will suggest changes to your weekly plan to help you recover.

    If life gets in the way of your weekly plans, you can connect with the AI coach to adjust your plans and get advice. For example, if you hurt your back, you can tell the coach to adjust your workout.Image Credits:Google

    In addition, the AI coach will look at your sleep and give insights into how to improve your sleep quality over time. Google notes that new advanced algorithms will allow the AI coach to better understand a user’s sleep duration and stages. The AI coach will also help users determine how much sleep they actually need in order to perform their best by creating a personalized schedule that adapts to their daily activity levels.

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    Google notes that users can ask the AI coach to get personalized, science-backed answers. For example, they can ask things like, “Should I get an extra hour of sleep or work out tomorrow?” or “What are the best exercises for weight loss?”

    The new AI coach will live in the redesigned Fitbit app, which Google says has been reimagined with coaching and AI at its core. The redesigned app includes more intuitive data visualization, improved syncing, dark mode, and more.

    Google also announced on Wednesday that it’s bringing on NBA star Stephen Curry as a “performance advisor” to provide feedback for the tech giant’s products.

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  • Roblox announces short-form video feed for gameplay clips, new AI tools for creators, and more

    Roblox announces short-form video feed for gameplay clips, new AI tools for creators, and more

    Online gaming platform Roblox is launching a TikTok-like short-form video feed for sharing gameplay moments, the company unveiled on Friday at the Roblox Developers Conference. The company also announced increased earnings for creators, new AI tools to boost creation, and other advancements in performance.

    The new short-form video experience, called “Roblox Moments,” is launching in beta for users 13 and older. It allows users to capture clips of their gameplay, then edit and share those clips in a scrollable feed. Users can trim their clip to up to 30 seconds, add music, and write a description before sharing it.

    Plus, users can scroll through a feed of gameplay moments shared by the Roblox community, react to the clips using emojis, and jump into an experience right from a video.

    Later this year, Roblox plans to open up API-based capabilities for creators to allow them to build their own in-game creation and discovery systems. For example, creators will be able to showcase trending clips and highlights from their own gameplay and create leaderboards for things like the coolest overtakes in a racing game.Image Credits:Roblox

    Roblox says a gradual rollout of the feature will allow it to test and refine moderation to ensure all content is age-appropriate. All content is subject to moderation before posting, and users can report inappropriate videos.

    As for the increased earnings for creators, Roblox is increasing the DevEx (Developer Exchange) rate, allowing creators to earn 8.5% more when they convert their earned Robux into cash. Now, 100,000 earned Robux will equal $380, rather than $350 when converted to cash.

    “This is a significant step that reinforces the company’s dedication to fostering an economy where more creators can thrive and succeed,” the company shared with TechCrunch. “For example, the average revenue for a Top 1000 developer was almost $1 million, up 2.9x since 2020.”

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    In terms of the new AI tools for creators, Roblox is launching a series of new updates that are designed to offer artistic freedom, enhanced functionality, and smarter development assistance, it says.

    Creators will be able to move beyond generating static 3D objects thanks to a new way of generating fully functional objects, starting with select vehicles and weapons categories. For example, a creator could provide the prompt “a sleek, futuristic red sports car,” and Roblox will generate an interactive car that can be driven. From there, creators can alter the car to their liking, such as allowing the doors of the car to open.Image Credits:Roblox

    Additionally, Roblox’s new real-time voice chat translation capability will instantly translate voice chat into the listener’s native tongue starting next year for players speaking English, Spanish, French, and German.

    Roblox also announced new text-to-speech and speech-to-text APIs to allow creators to build more immersive and interactive experiences.

    The text-to-speech API enables instant narration and character dialogue with 10 customizable English voice presets (with more coming soon), like a nonplayable character (NPC) giving directions. The speech-to-text API supports voice commands, allowing gameplay actions like firing a cannon when a player says, “Fire!”

    Roblox also announced new advancements in performance and fidelity, including a new mode called “Server Authority” that reduces in-game cheating and makes in-game physics interactions more realistic. Plus, avatars will soon have more lifelike motion, including running, climbing, and vaulting over obstacles with natural momentum. There will also be improvements in complex actions for avatars, like grasping items with fingers.

    In addition, Roblox plans to launch improvements that will allow its platform to run at a higher fidelity across devices without requiring additional effort from creators or sacrificing performance.

    The updates announced on Friday follow Roblox’s recent announcement that it’s expanding its age-estimation technology to all users and partnering with the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) to introduce age and content ratings for games and apps on its platform. These developments come amid ongoing lawsuits over child safety concerns.

  • A timeline of the US semiconductor market in 2025

    A timeline of the US semiconductor market in 2025

    It’s been a tumultuous year for the U.S. semiconductor industry.

    The semiconductor industry plays a sizable role in the “AI race” that the U.S. seems determined to win, which is why this context is worth paying attention to: from Intel’s appointment of Lip-Bu Tan to CEO — who wasted no time getting to work trying to revitalize the legacy company — to Joe Biden proposing sweeping new AI chip export rules on his way out of office that never came to fruition.

    Here’s a look at what’s happened so far in 2025.

    August

    Nvidia reports record quarter

    August 27: The turmoil in the semiconductor market this year has clearly not hurt Nvidia. On August 27, the company reported that it had record sales in the second quarter. The highlights were the growth of its data center business, which saw its revenue grow 56% year over year.

    U.S. Government takes equity stake in Intel

    August 22: The U.S. government announced it was converting existing government grants into a 10% stake in Intel. The deal was structured to penalize Intel if the company’s ownership in its foundry program dropped below 50%.

    SoftBank takes a stake in Intel

    August 18: Japanese conglomerate SoftBank announced it was taking a $2 billion stake in Intel. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son called the deal “strategic.” The transaction was announced as rumors were swirling that the U.S. was going to take a stake in the company.

    Chip companies strike a deal to sell in China

    August 12: Nvidia and AMD announced that they struck a deal with the U.S. government to gain the necessary license to sell their AI chips in China. Both companies agreed to pay the U.S. government 15% of revenue from their chip sales in China.

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    Trump and Lip-Bu Tan meet

    August 11: Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan went to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump. The pair talked about Tan’s past and how Intel can help the U.S. with its goal of bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. Both called the conversation productive.

    Trump comes for Lip-Bu Tan

    August 7: President Donald Trump demanded that Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan “resign immediately” due to “conflicts of interest” in a Truth Social post. While Trump didn’t clarify what the conflicts of interest were, this came the day after Republican Senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to Intel’s board of directors inquiring about Tan’s ties to China.

    Trump says tariffs are coming for the industry

    August 5: President Donald Trump told CNBC’s Squawk Box that he was planning to announce tariffs on the semiconductor industry as soon as the following week. At the time, he didn’t mention specifics on what these tariffs could look like. As of September 5, no tariffs have been announced for this industry.

    July

    Intel spins out business unit

    July 25: Just one day after its second-quarter earnings call, Intel confirmed that it was spinning out its Network and Edge group, which is responsible for making chips for the telecom industry. The business unit produced $5.8 billion in revenue for the semiconductor company in 2024.

    Intel continues to look for efficiency

    July 24: Intel announced that it was pulling back on some of its manufacturing operations. The company will no longer pursue its previously announced projects in Germany and Poland and is consolidating its test operations. Intel also announced it plans to end this year with around 75,000 employees.

    Trump’s AI Action Plan

    July 23: The Trump administration unveiled its much-anticipated AI Action Plan alongside multiple related executive orders. While the plan includes a lot regarding the need for U.S. chip export controls and for the U.S. to coordinate with its allies on this effort, it doesn’t provide any concrete information on what these restrictions would look like.

    Groundbreaking UAE AI deal reportedly on hold

    July 17: The Trump administration helped foster a groundbreaking deal in May that resulted in a commitment from the United Arab Emirates to buy billions of dollars’ worth of AI chips from Nvidia. But now that deal is reportedly on hold as the U.S. works through national security concerns and fears that those chips could be smuggled from the Middle East to China.

    Nvidia is a bargaining chip

    July 16: A day after semiconductor firms like Nvidia and AMD got the green light to resume selling certain AI chips to China, we found out why. U.S. Commerce Security Howard Lutnick said the plans to allow U.S. companies to start selling AI chips in China are tied to ongoing trade discussions between the U.S. and China regarding rare earth elements.

    U.S. chips head back to China

    July 14: Nvidia said it was filing an application to restart sales of H20 AI chips in China, confirming rumors from a few weeks prior. The company also announced that it would be selling a new chip, the RTX Pro, which was designed specifically for the Chinese market.

    Malaysia fights chip smuggling

    July 14: Malaysia announced that it was launching trade permits for U.S.-made AI chips. Under this new restriction, any individual or business would need to give the Malaysian government 30 days’ notice before exporting any U.S. AI chips.

    June

    Intel appoints new leadership

    June 18: Intel announced four new leadership appointments that Intel says will help it move toward its goal of becoming an engineering-first company again. Intel announced a new chief revenue officer in addition to multiple high-profile engineering hires.

    Intel to begin layoffs

    June 17: Intel will begin to lay off a significant chunk of its Intel Foundry staff in July. The company plans to eliminate at least 15%, and up to 20%, of workers in that business unit. These layoffs aren’t a shock: It was rumored back in April, and Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan has said he wants to flatten the organization.

    Nvidia won’t report on China

    June 13: Nvidia isn’t counting on the U.S. backing off from its AI chip export restrictions anytime soon. After the company took a financial hit from the newly imposed licensing requirements on its H20 AI chips, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the company will no longer include the Chinese market in future revenue and profit forecasts.

    AMD acquires the team behind Untether AI

    June 6: AMD makes another acquisition — this time focused on talent. The company acqui-hired the team behind Untether AI, which develops AI inference chips, as the semiconductor giant continues to round out its AI offerings.

    AMD is coming for Nvidia’s AI hardware dominance

    June 4: AMD continued its shopping spree. The company acquired AI software optimization startup Brium, which helps companies retrofit AI software to work with different AI hardware. With a lot of AI software being designed with Nvidia hardware in mind, this acquisition isn’t surprising.

    May

    Nvidia lays out the impact of chip export restrictions

    May 28: Nvidia reported that U.S. licensing requirements on its H20 AI chips cost the company $4.5 billion in charges during Q1. The company expects these requirements to result in an $8 billion hit to Nvidia’s revenue in Q2.

    AMD acquires Enosemi

    May 28: AMD kicks off its acquisition spree. The semiconductor company announced that it acquired Enosemi, a silicon photonics startup. Enosemi’s tech, which uses light photons to transmit data, is becoming an increasing area of interest for semiconductor companies.

    Tensions start to flare between China and the U.S.

    May 21: China’s Commerce Secretary didn’t like the U.S. guidance, issued on May 13, that warned U.S. companies that using Huawei’s AI chips “anywhere in the world” was a U.S. chip export violation. The commerce secretary issued a statement that threatened legal action against anyone caught enforcing that export restriction.

    Intel may be starting to offload its non-core units

    May 20: Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan seemingly got right to work on his plan to spin out Intel’s non-core business units. The semiconductor giant is reportedly looking to offload its Networking and Edge units, which make chips for telecom equipment, and were responsible for $5.4 billion of the company’s 2024 revenue.

    The Biden administration’s AI Diffusion rule is officially dead

    May 13: Just days before the Biden administration’s Artificial Intelligence Diffusion Rule was set to go into place, the U.S. Department of Commerce formally rescinded it. The DOC said that it plans to issue new guidance in the future, and in the meantime, companies should remember that using Huawei’s Ascend AI chips anywhere in the world is a violation of U.S. export rules.

    A last-minute reversal

    May 7: Just a week before the “Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion” was set to go into place, the Trump administration plans on taking a different path. According to multiple media outlets, including Axios and Bloomberg, the administration won’t enforce the restrictions when they were supposed to start on May 15 and is instead working on its own framework. 

    April

    Anthropic doubles down on its support of chip export restrictions

    April 30: Anthropic doubled down on its support for restricting U.S.-made chip exports, including some tweaks to the Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, like imposing further restrictions on Tier 2 countries and dedicating resources to enforcement. An Nvidia spokesperson shot back, saying, “American firms should focus on innovation and rise to the challenge, rather than tell tall tales that large, heavy, and sensitive electronics are somehow smuggled in ‘baby bumps’ or ‘alongside live lobsters.’” 

    Planned layoffs at Intel

    April 22: Ahead of its Q1 earnings call, Intel said it was planning to lay off more than 21,000 employees. The layoffs were meant to streamline management, something CEO Lip-Bu Tan has long said Intel needed to do, and help rebuild the company’s engineering focus. 

    The Trump administration further restricts chip exports

    April 15: Nvidia’s H20 AI chip got hit with an export licensing requirement, the company disclosed in an SEC filing. The company added it expects $5.5 billion in charges related to this new requirement in the first quarter of its 2026 fiscal year. The H20 is the most advanced AI chip Nvidia can still export to China in some form or fashion. TSMC and Intel reported similar expenses the same week. 

    Nvidia appears to talk its way out of further chip exports

    April 9: Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang was spotted attending dinner at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, according to reports. At the time, NPR reported Huang may have been able to spare Nvidia’s H20 AI chips from export restrictions upon agreeing to invest in AI data centers in the U.S. 

    An alleged agreement between Intel and TSMC

    April 3: Intel and TSMC allegedly reached a tentative agreement to launch a joint chipmaking venture. This joint venture would operate Intel’s chipmaking facilities, and TSMC would have a 20% stake in the new venture. Both companies declined to comment or confirm. If this deal doesn’t come to fruition, this is likely a decent preview of potential deals in this industry to come. 

    Intel spins off non-core assets, announces new initiative

    April 1: CEO Lip-Bu Tan got to work right away. Just weeks after he joined Intel, the company announced that it was going to spin off non-core assets so it could focus. He also said the company would launch new products, including custom semiconductors for customers. 

    March

    Intel names a new CEO 

    March 12:  Intel announced that industry veteran and former board member Lip-Bu Tan would return to the company as CEO on March 18. At the time of his appointment, Tan said Intel would be an “engineering-focused company” under his leadership. 

    February

    Intel’s Ohio chip plant gets delayed again

    February 28: Intel was supposed to start operating its first chip fabrication plant in Ohio this year. Instead, the company slowed down construction on the plant for the second time in February. Now the $28 billion semiconductor project won’t wrap up construction until 2030 and may not even open until 2031.

    Senators call for more chip export restrictions

    February 3: U.S. senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo), wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary Nominee-Designate Howard Lutnick, urging the Trump administration to further restrict AI chip exports. The letter specifically referred to Nvidia’s H20 AI chips, which were used in the training of DeepSeek’s R1 “reasoning” model. 

    January 

    DeepSeek releases its open “reasoning” model

    January 27: Chinese AI startup DeepSeek caused quite the stir in Silicon Valley when it released the open version of its R1 “reasoning” model. While this isn’t semiconductor news specifically, the sheer alarm in the AI and semiconductor industries DeepSeek’s release caused continues to have ripple effects on the chip industry. 

    Joe Biden’s executive order on chip exports

    January 13: With just a week left in office, former president Joe Biden proposed sweeping new export restrictions on U.S.-made AI chips. This order created a three-tier structure that determined how many U.S. chips can be exported to each country. Under this proposal, Tier 1 countries faced no restrictions; Tier 2 countries had a chip purchase limit for the first time; and Tier 3 countries got additional restrictions. 

    Anthropic’s Dario Amodei weighs in on chip export restrictions

    January 6: Anthropic co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei co-wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal endorsing existing AI chip export controls and pointing to them as a reason why China’s AI market was behind the U.S. He also called on incoming president Donald Trump to impose further restrictions and to close loopholes that have allowed AI companies in China to still get their hands on these chips.

    This story was originally published on May 9, 2025, and is regularly updated with new information.

  • Cassette’s New App Turns Your Videos Into Retro VHS‑Style Home Movies

    Relive the VHS Vibes Right from Your iPhone

    Remember those classic VHS home videos that had that slightly burnt‑out look? Now you can’t dig up your Buick, but your iPhone’s stash of videos might still bring that old‑school feel—if only we could make it actually feel like a tape.

    That’s where Devin Davies and his new app Cassette step in. Think of it as a pocket dimension that rewinds your digital memories into a retro‑gedged “movie‑tape” experience.

    How Cassette Makes It Feel Like a Real Cassette

    • “Load” a tape by tapping on a calendar‑style grid that pops up the year you want to revisit.
    • Each video’s thumbnail is clutched by a faux handwritten label—yes, a little “hand‑written” sticker that simply says the year.
    • Once you hit play, the app does the rest: the images flicker, the frame rate slows, and you’re in the middle of your own life, as if you were clicking a VHS remote.

    Why It Works

    Traditional AirPlay just streams straight to the screen, preserving that crisp, pixel‑perfect novelty. Cassette overlays nostalgic artifacts—like static, dust‑bunnies, and a grainy texture—so it feels like you’re watching a genuine tape from the ‘90s or early 2000s.

    One Tap, Minutes of Throwback

    All you need to do is select a period, hit play, and let the app do the heavy lifting. No more fiddling with on‑screen controls. Just sit back, press “Play,” and watch the good old days roll back into focus.

    So if you’ve been yearning for that VHS‑style magic, it’s time to give Cassette a whirl – your iPhone’s videos will never look the same again.

    Meet Cassette: The Lazy‑Home‑Movie Companion

    Remember those days when you had to line up your personal VHS collection and crank the player on the living room sofa? 

    With Cassette, that nostalgia‑dumping marathon becomes a breeze. It’s designed to give you a “lean‑back” way to hand‑pick, batch‑run, and watch all the family videos you’ve saved but never actually watched.

    How It Came About

    Front‑end developer Davies heard a gripe from his buddy and fellow app‑wizard Charlie Chapman—who also doubles as a senior advocate at RevenueCat. Charlie complained that watching movies on the TV “today just isn’t the same as it used to be” when he’d used to scour his collection of old home videotapes.

    He dreamed of an “AirPlay‑to‑TV” experience that’d load a video, play it, then automatically jump to the next one without having to hit the play button again. Davies, known for his award‑winning recipe app Crouton, jumped on the idea, diving into his hands‑made Apple TV slideshow app and repurposing it into Cassette.

    First Test Run

    • Davies rolled out a “test build” in their group chat.
    • The group exploded with enthusiasm: “Yay, let’s finally get our home movies binge‑watching!”
    What Cassette Does

    When you air‑play your favourite family snapshots to the TV, Cassette strings them together into a seamless loop. No more opening a file picker or manually setting up a playlist. Just play, relax, and let the videos roll on.

    And guess what? It’s built for the podcast‑moment vibe: you can sit back while your childhood videos wind you through memories—because who doesn’t love a good Co‑in‑with‑Dad type of memory hit?

    So next time you want to feel the nostalgia without the nostalgia‑time doctoring, pop Cassette on the TV, hit play, and let the rewind magic begin.

    Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

    Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise.

    Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

    Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.

    San Francisco’s Big Bash

    Get the calendar ready & let’s get rolling!

    Mark Your Markers

    • October 27–29, 2025 – the weekend you can’t afford to miss.
    • Where? Just show up, the city will guide you.
    • Register Now – a quick click to lock in your spot.

    Because it’s going to be epic. Don’t be the one who was left out.

    Cassette App: The Cool Nostalgic Video Hub

    What the Original Report Said

    Chapman chatted with TechCrunch about his late‑night bond with fellow founders: “I kid you not, the entire group chat had this profound experience with our partners where we stayed up all night watching our kids grow up before our eyes. I’ve never experienced ‘product market fit,’ or whatever you want to call it, like this before,” he said.

    Design That Makes You Feel Like a Throwback

    • Rows of VHS tapes displayed in retro glory, like a mini‑gallery of your childhood.
    • Tap a tape to “load” it onto a TV icon at the top of your iPhone – just like the old-school remote.
    • With AirPlay, flick the video onto a TV and let the DVD‑style movie melt into the big screen.

    What’s in a Tape?

    Every clip comes with a location, date, and timestamp, all rendered in a pixel‑font that reminds you of the faded LCD text on old VHS players. Even the next‑gen who never owned a tape will feel the nostalgia tug. It’s no surprise – modern film and TV often sprinkle these grainy home‑movie vibes during heart‑string moments.

    But It’s Not All Smooth‑Scrolling

    • Some social‑media videos (TikToks, Reels) accidentally slip into the “home movie” pool.
    • Davies is working on filtering these out – the app already blocks screen‑recordings, so now it’s eyeing TikTok content.

    How You Can Keep the Flips Going (Paid Options)

    • ColorPlus – a premium tier that lets you pick a specific tape instead of random playback. Monthly cost: $0.99 or yearly: $5.99.
    • Lifetime unlock for $7.99 – a nifty small price that helps indie projects keep growing.

    Download It for Free

    The app is free on iPhone and iPad.