Ask me anything. It’s the long form of an AMA and one of the most popular forms of interactive discourse on Reddit. It’s also a major challenge, as Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, a.k.a. “new Bing” is quickly learning.
Anytime a celebrity or notable signs up to do a Reddit AMA, usually shortly after posing with a photo to prove it’s really them answer questions, there is a deep moment of trepidation.
The ability to ask anyone anything is usually a minefield of inappropriate discourse that is managed by a live community manager who fields and filters the questions. Otherwise, things quickly go off the rails. Even without that protection, they often do, anyway (opens in new tab).
(Image credit: Future)
When Microsoft launched its new Bing AI-powered chat, it made it clear that the ChatGPT AI was ready for any and all questions. This was either a sign of deep trust with the relatively small but growing group of users or incredible naivete.
Even ChatGPT, which launched the original AI chatbot sensation, and on which Bing’s chat is based, doesn’t offer that prompt. Instead, there’s an empty text-entry box at the bottom of the screen. Above it is a list of example questions, capabilities, and, most importantly, limitations.
Bing has that leading prompt and below it an example question plus a big “Try it” button next to another button prompting you to “Learn More.” To heck with that. We like to go right in and, following Bing’s instructions, ask it anything.
Naturally, Bing’s been peppered with a wide range of questions including many that have nothing to do with quotidian needs like travel, recipes, and business plans. And those are the ones that we’re all talking about because, as always, asking “anything” means “asking anything.”
Bing is fielding ponderings about love, sex, death, marriage, divorce, violence, foes, libel, and emotions it insists it doesn’t have.
In OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the home screen warns that it:
May occasionally generate incorrect information
May occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased content
Limited knowledge of world and events after 2021
Too many questions
Bing’s Chat GPT is slightly different than OpenAI’s and it may not face all those limitations. In particular, the knowledge of world events may, thanks to the integration of Bing’s knowledge graph, extend to present day.
But with Bing out in the wild, or the increasingly wild, it may have been a mistake to encourage people to ask it anything.
What if Microsoft had built Bing AI Chat with a different prompt:
Ask me some things
Ask me a question
What do you want to know?
With these slightly modified prompts, Microsoft could add a long list of caveats about how Bing AI Chat doesn’t know what it’s saying. Okay, it does (sometimes (opens in new tab)), but not in the way you know it. It has no emotional intelligence or response or even a moral compass. I mean, it tries to act like it has one, but recent conversations with The New York Times (opens in new tab) and even Tom’s Hardware (opens in new tab) prove that its grasp on the basic morality of good people is tenuous at best.
In my own conversations with Bing AI chat, it’s told me repeatedly it does not have human emotions but it still converses as if it does.
For anyone who’s been covering AI for any amount of time, none of what’s transpired is surprising. AI knows:
What it’s been trained on
What it can learn from new information
What it can glean from vast stores of online data
What it can learn from real-time interactions
Bing AI chat, though, is no more conscious than any AI that’s come before it. It may be one of AI’s better actors though, in that its ability to carry on a conversation is well above anything I’ve ever experienced before. That feeling only increases with the length of a conversation.
I’m not saying that the Bing AI chat becomes more believable as a sentient human, but it does become more believable as a somewhat irrational or confused human. Long conversations with real people can go like that, too. You start on a topic and maybe even argue about it but at some point, the argument becomes less logical and rational. In the case of people, emotion comes into play. In the case of Bing AI Chat, it’s like reaching the end of a rope where the fibers exist but are frayed. Bing AI has the information for some of the long conversations but not the experience to weave it together in a way that makes sense.
Bing is not your friend
By encouraging people to “Ask Me Anything…” Microsoft set Bing up for if not failure some significant growing pains. The pain is felt maybe by Microsoft and certainly by people who purposely ask questions for which no normal search engine would ever have an answer.
Before the advent of Chatbots, would you even consider using Google to fix your love life, explain God, or be a substitute friend or lover? I hope not.
Bing AI Chat will get better but not before we’ve had a lot more uncomfortable conversations where Bing regrets its response and tries to make it disappear.
Asking an AI anything is the obvious long-term goal but we’re not there yet. Microsoft took the leap and now it’s freefalling through a forest of questionable responses. It won’t land until Bing AI Chat get’s a lot smarter and more circumspect or Microsoft pulls the plug for a little AI reeducation.
Apple rolled out the iOS 16.3 update in January. Two weeks later, the company also released an update for the latest version, iOS 16.3.1 which arrived with multiple bug fixes. The latest version of iOS 16 improved the Crash Detection feature on new iPhones and Apple Watches. It also fixed issues with Siri Find My requests on HomePods. The Cupertino-based tech giant has now started rolling out its iOS developer beta version 16.4 for select beta testers. The iOS 16.4 beta version adds new improvements which include — wider emoji support, keyboard improvements for some languages and support for web app notifications. Apple iOS 16.4 beta: What’s new The latest emojis come from Unicode version 15.0 which Apple introduced in September 2022. Some of the notable emojis include — a shaking face emoji, a pushing hand that can be used as a stop sign and a Khanda emblem which represents Sikhism. This update will also add new features to the international keyboards. Autocorrect for the Korean keyboard has been enabled by default and the Ukrainian keyboard has received support for predictive text. Apart from this, the latest beta also adds transliteration layouts to some South Asian languages, including Urdu, Punjabi and Gujarati. This layout is expected to allow users to type words using roman letters and they won’t be subject to English autocorrections. For years, South Asian iPhone users had to wait for their devices to learn words through predictive text. At WWDC 2022, Apple announced a new WebKit update that enables notifications for web apps. The WebKit update has been included in the iOS 16.4 beta version. This change will make web apps ask users to allow push notifications. For example, it will enable a “subscribe” button and these permissions will appear with other apps in the notification settings.
Apple Pencil users will be able to hover the accessory on compatible devices for tilt (altitude) and orientation (azimuth). The beta version also includes a feature for Matter accessories. This feature will allow Matter accessories to support “manual and automatic” software updates. The feature may also allow these accessories to directly update from the Home app. According to a report by MacRumors, the beta version reintroduces the HomeKit architecture upgrade that was removed by the company from iOS 16.2. Apple is also introducing a switch that will help in getting developer updates in Software Update. devices enrolled in the developer program will automatically get the new option in the settings enabled. Users need a registered Apple ID to make this option the default way to get upcoming betas installed. Lastly, iOS 16.4 also has a new toggle for 5G standalone support which has been currently announced by T-Mobile. The new feature is likely to enable speeds up to 3Gbps.
ChatGPT wowed users when it launched in November last year, thanks to its ability to give human-like responses. Just weeks later, Microsoft entered (the second time) with a multi-billion, multi-year deal with OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. The deal among other things brings the conversational AI capabilities of ChatGPT to Bing, Microsoft’s rival to Google Search. As ChatGPT popularity soars, many predict, some believe and others fear that AI chatbots may soon replace Google’s search business. However, Microsoft seems to have taken away at least some of Google’s ‘biggest worries’.In a recent blog post, Microsoft, the company has said that the new Bing does not replace or substitute internet search. ‘Bing working to improve search, not replace’ It said that since the company launched the ‘new’ Bing, it has been working to improve the search results by taking feedback from a limited number of people across the world. It added that Bing “is not a replacement or substitute for the search engine.” “Since we made this available in limited preview, we have been testing with a select set of people in over 169 countries to get real-world feedback to learn, improve, and make this product what we know it can be – which is not a replacement or substitute for the search engine, rather a tool to better understand and make sense of the world,” Microsoft noted. Testing Bing The company also listed out some of the ‘learnings’ it received since the launch of Bing. It said that the teams are working on challenges posed by queries that need very timely data like live sports scores.
Microsoft is also planning to 4x increase the grounding data it sends to the model for queries that need more direct and factual answers, such as numbers from financial reports. “Lastly, we’re considering adding a toggle that gives you more control on the precision vs creativity of the answer to tailor to your query,” Microsoft said. AI increased engagement on Bing Another point which highlights that AI will be a ‘co-pilot’ when it comes to displaying contextual search results is that Bing has seen an increased engagement across traditional search results and with the new features like summarised answers, the new chat experience, and the content creation tools.
“In particular, feedback on the answers generated by the new Bing has been mostly positive with 71% of you giving the AI-powered answers a ‘thumbs up.’ We’re seeing a healthy engagement on the chat feature with multiple questions asked during a session to discover new information,” Microsoft noted. The Windows maker says it has received good feedback on how to improve search results and include more features, including booking flights or sending email.
– Launching on Netflix this March – First trailer released in September 2022 – New teaser debuted in February – Key characters returning from first season – Fan-favorite characters set to be introduced – Official plot synopsis revealed – Adapting multiple books from fantasy series – Third season not greenlit yet
Shadow and Bone season 2 is less than a month from finally airing on Netflix. It’s been a long wait for the fantasy show’s return but, at long last, we’ll be back in the Grishaverse next month.
Ahead of one of the best Netflix shows‘ return, we’ve compiled everything worth knowing about its next outing. Below, you’ll find more details about Shadow and Bone‘s second season, including its release date, trailers, plot details, full cast list, and more.
Ready to dive in? We thought you would be. Here’s everything you need to know about Shadow and Bone season 2 on Netflix.
Shadow and Bone season 2 release date
The Crows are back for more heisting in Shadow and Bone season 2. (Image credit: Netflix)
The Twitter thread below contains a number of first-look images, which tease what we can expect from season 2’s story and the journeys of our heroes (and villains). You can read even more about these elements in our cast and plot sections. Oh, and Shadow and Bone’s next instalment comprises eight episodes (per The Hollywood Reporter), just like its predecessor.
Shadow and Bone returns March 16!Here’s your first look at Season 2: pic.twitter.com/EBOavYy4sbDecember 8, 2022
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Shadow and Bone season 2 trailer
Netflix debuted Shadow and Bone season 2’s first teaser at Tudum 2022.
The 40-second trailer doesn’t reveal too much, but it hints at how the second season will build on the first season’s fantasy-based action and drama. We witness the Crows joining forces with newcomer Wylan Hendriks, Alina Starkov talking to another new character called Nikolai Lantsov, multiple explosions, chase sequences, and General Kirigan asking someone what they’ll give up to pursue their wildest ambitions. Sounds and looks ominous.
Netflix has also released a 25-second video of Nikolai, Wylan, Tolya Yul-Battar, and Tamar Kir-Battar in their official costumes:
Lastly, Netflix gave us a Valentine’s Day 2023 to remember, with a 30-second TV spot-style video that teases more of General Kirigan’s increasingly potent Darkling-based powers. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of Netflix’s marketing campaign ramping up ahead of season 2’s release:
A Villain-tine’s Day love letter from me to you: Here’s a sneak peek at The Darkling in Shadow and Bone Season 2! pic.twitter.com/nyoM7IztYsFebruary 14, 2023
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Shadow and Bone season 2 cast
Alina and Mal are back in Shadow and Bone season 2. (Image credit: Netflix)
Here’s Shadow and Bone season 2’s confirmed cast list so far:
Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov
Ben Barnes as General Kirigan/The Darkling
Archie Renaux as Malyen “Mal” Oretsov
Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker
Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa
Kit Young as Jesper Fahey
Danielle Gilligan as Nina Zenik
Calahan Skogman as Matthias Helvar
Sujaya Dasgupta as Zoya Nazyalensky
Julian Kostov as Fedyor
Patrick Gibson as Nikolai Lantsov
Jack Wolfe as Wylan Hendriks
Lewis Tan as Tolya Yul-Battar
Anna Leong Brophy as Tamar Kir-Battar
Daisy Head as Genya Safin
Zoe Wanamaker as Baghra
Georgia Reece as Queen Tatiana
Protagonists Alina Starkov and Mal Oretsov will return, while the antagonistic General Kirigan – who survived an attack in the Shadow Fold in the season 1 finale – is also back.
Kaz Brekker, Jesper Fahey, and Inej Ghafa are part of the line-up, too. As in the Six of Crows duology, the Dregs’ story (more on this below) will line up with Nina Zenik and Matthias Helvar, so we’ll see that trio link up with the latter duo. Danielle Gilligan and Calahan Skogman have subsequently been bumped up to series regulars (per TVLine (opens in new tab)), as has Daisy Head, who played the Queen Tatiana’s tailor in season 1 (again, via TVLine (opens in new tab)). Tatiana will be played by Georgia Reece (EastEnders) once more.
Spoilers follow for Shadow and Bone’s book series and some season 2 storylines.
Tolya and Tamar are two new characters who are set to be introduced. (Image credit: David Lukacs/Netflix)
As for new characters who have made the leap from Bardugo’s book series to the small screen adaptation, Wylan Hendriks (whose surname has been changed from ‘Van Eck’ for the TV series) is one of four new confirmed cast members.
In the novels, Wylan joins the Crows as their demolitions expert for a job inside Fjerdan’s military stronghold known as the Ice Court. Jack Wolfe (Inside No. 9, The Witcher) portrays Wylan in Shadow and Bone season 2.
Another fan-favorite character set to appear is Nikolai Lantsov, who is portrayed by Patrick Gibson (Tolkien, The Darkest Minds). In the books, Nikolai adopts the pseudonym Sturmhond and leads a pirate armada that aids the war effort for the kingdom of Ravka. Nikolai becomes a key ally of Alina and Mal’s, so his arrival will be vital in their quest to stop General Kirigan.
Need a refresh on what went down in Shadow and Bone S1? Let me enlighten you. ☀️ S2 drops March 16 pic.twitter.com/xLug0YzZS8January 31, 2023
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The final two newcomers – confirmed announcements, anyway – are twin siblings Tolya Yul-Battar and Tamar Kir-Battar, who’ll be played by Lewis Tan (Mortal Kombat) and Anna Leong Brophy (Traces). In the source material, Tolya is a Grisha Heartrender and a member of Sturmhond’s pirate crew. Meanwhile, Tamar is also an ex-member of Sturmhond’s team and a fellow Heartrender.
Elsewhere, an Instagram post from lead actress Jessie Mei Li (opens in new tab), which contains an image of Zoe Wanamaker, all but confirms Baghra will return. Lastly, Redanian Intelligence, a Witcher fansite claims seven other actors – five in one article (opens in new tab), two in another (opens in new tab) – have been added to the cast:
Tommy Rodger (Goodbye Christopher Robin) as Jordie Rietveld, Kaz’s older brother
Rhoda Ofori-Attah (Sex Education, Top Boy) as Aditi Hilli, Jesper’s mom
Newcomer Alistair Nwachukwu as Adrik Zhaban, Nadia’s brother
Newcomer Tumi Fani-Kayode as Miradi, an original character
Seamus O’Hara (The Northman) as Halsov, an original character
Tim Plester (After Life) as Per Haskell, the leader of The Crows
April V. Woods (Gangs of London) as Saskia, Kaz’s childhood friend
Shadow and Bone season 2 story
General Kirigan is coming for Alina and Mal in season 2. (Image credit: David Lukacs/Netflix)
Spoilers follow for Shadow and Bone season 1 and the book series.
Here’s Shadow and Bone season 2’s plot synopsis: “Alina Starkov is on the run. A beacon of hope to some and a suspected traitor to others, she’s determined to bring down the Shadow Fold and save Ravka from ruin.
“But General Kirigan has returned to finish what he started. Backed by a terrifying new army of seemingly indestructible shadow monsters and fearsome new Grisha recruits, Kirigan is more dangerous than ever. To stand a fighting chance against him, Alina and Mal rally their own powerful new allies and begin a continent-spanning journey to find two mythical creatures that will amplify her powers.
“Back in Ketterdam, the Crows must forge new alliances as they contend with old rivals and even older grudges that threaten not only their place in the Barrel, but their very lives. When a chance at a deadly heist comes their way, the Crows will once again find themselves on a collision course with the legendary Sun Summoner.
“Based on Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone returns for a second season of new friendships, new romance, bigger battles, epic adventures – and a shocking family secret that could shatter everything.”
Season 2 will follow stories from multiple novels – those being Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising (the second and third books in the Shadow and Bone trilogy), and the first book from the Six of Crows spin-off duology. That’s based on returning cast members, new additions to the show’s line-up, and what the season 1 finale set up.
With Alina and Mal going their separate ways to the Dregs in episode 8, the second season will continue the former’s journey to new lands to keep Alina out of Kirigan’s reach. Per Entertainment Weekly (opens in new tab) (EW), they’ll begin their quest in a new location called Novyi Zem. That’s before they make plans to locate two mythical creatures that can help amplify Alina’s powers (via Netflix Tudum (opens in new tab)), putting them on a collision course with Nikolai.
As season 1’s final entry revealed, Kirigan has tapped further into his Darkling powers and created new Fold creatures known as Nichevo’ya. Unlike the Volcra that inhabit the Fold, these monsters can move in broad daylight. Expect them to be difficult adversaries for Alina and Mal to overcome.
Ben Barnes, who portrays Kirigan, has expressed interest in seeing Shadow and Bone season 2 “steer off” from the story in the books (per Collider) in a similar vein to how season 1 incorporated the Dregs into Alina’s arc – and that’ll be the case. Speaking to EW, co-showrunners Eric Heisserer and Daegan Fryklind confirmed season 2 will contain new material for fans of the novels to enjoy, as well as fresh twists on how the book series’ storylines play out.
What’s in store for Queen Tatiana and Genya this season? (Image credit: David Lukacs/Netflix)
In a separate Collider (opens in new tab) interview, Barnes elaborated on General Kirigan’s season 2 character arc, saying: “What I was championing was finding the humanity. He’s quite emblematic of something dark and evil in the books, after the first one, so my mission was to make sure that he’s a real person, suffering the things he’s suffering and committing the sins that he’s committing.
“There are the real world ramifications of those things, and the relationships, how they’re made and how they’re broken, whether they can be salvaged, what new connections he can forge to help him along his journey, whilst also representing and not shying away from the fact that this is the villain. Which parts of what he does are comprehensible? Which parts can you not condone?”
Meanwhile, The Dregs will team up with Nina and Wylan in a bid to free Matthias, who was arrested in season 1. Fans of the books, though, shouldn’t expect to see the Ice Court job, a major heist from the novels, this season – Heisserer telling EW it’ll be part of another season. Instead, the gang need to concoct a plan to save themselves from Pekka Rollins and Dreesen, who they conned in the first season.
Based on Shadow and Bone season 2’s rumored supporting characters, we might see flashbacks to Kaz’s and Jesper’s childhoods. It’s that or we’ll get a glimpse into their familial lifestyle with the arrival of Jordie, Aditi, and Saskia.
Nikolai Lantsov will play a key role in Shadow and Bone second 2. (Image credit: David Lukacs/Netflix)
Another adapted story from a Grishaverse novel – King of Scars – could follow Zoya. A supporting character in the Grisha trilogy, Zoya’s character is given a more prominent role in Bardugo’s second duology, so elements from these books may be incorporated, which Bardugo previously teased to EW (opens in new tab).
In the season 1 finale, Zoya was seen heading to Novokribrisk – the city that Kirigan destroys with the Fold – to search for her family. Meanwhile, in the King of Scars spin-off novels, Zoya crosses paths with Nikolai, which could’ve set up an intriguing subplot in Shadow and Bone season 2. However, there’s no official word on whether King of Scars has been adapted for the series’ next outing, so we’ll have to see if this duology is adapted in any way.
Speaking of Nikolai, his Siege and Storm arc will be a key part of season 2. In the novels, Lantsov – the former king of Ravka, who masquerades as a pirate leader known as Sturmhond – is hired by Kirigan to transport him through the True Sea in order to track down a mythical dragon known as the Rusalye. Lantsov, though, eventually teams up with Alina and Mal, and fights alongside the duo to stop the Darkling from exacting his master plan. Expect some, if not all, of this storyline to be directly adapted.
Aside from Novyi Zem, we’ll be visiting other fan-favorite locations in Shadow and Bone season 2, including Shu Han and Hellgate. The latter is a Kerch prison located on the small island of Terrenjel outside of Ketterdam, and established fans will know all about the importance of this destination for some of our heroes.
Lastly, we’ll learn more about Morozova, aka the mastermind behind the amplifiers’ creations. Speaking to Netflix Tudum, Fryklind teased: “We’ve also really dug into more of the mythology this season in terms of the amplifiers, but also the creator of the amplifiers, Morozova – who he was, what his backstory is and how he ties into this world.”
Will Shadow and Bone get more seasons?
What does the future hold for Shadow and Bone? (Image credit: Timea Saghy/Netflix)
That depends on whether fans tune into Shadow and Bone season 2. The franchise doesn’t have as big a following as others in the fantasy genre, but the Grishaverse still has a sizable and passionate audience. Its fanbase is likely to have grown, too, with Netflix’s adaptation introduces the series to new audiences.
There are a number of directions Netflix’s adaptation of the Grishaverse can go in as well. Like the streamer’s growing Witcher-Verse, Shadow and Bone could potentially lead to spin-offs that delve into the wider universe and/or be based on Bardugo’s sizable source material. Whether it’s expanding on a pre-existing short story or creating entirely new content, Netflix can go in all manner of directions in and around Shadow and Bone season 2.
If it continues to be a success, future seasons and spin-offs may be put into production by Netflix, too. The streaming giant has shown it’ll put faith in projects that deliver huge viewing figures, so Shadow and Bone’s future may be bright if its second season draws in a large audience again.
EA Maxis has confirmed The Sims 5, codenamed Project Rene, is finally in production – but don’t expect to get your hands on it any time soon.
According to EA Maxis, The Sims 5 will have a greater focus on customization and multiplayer play and will let you play fluidly across PC and mobile for the first time in the series’ history.
Early playtests have started for the long-awaited next generation of The Sims, but the developer has stated that “this is just the start of an incredibly long journey”. Want to know more? Read on for everything we know about The Sims 5 so far.
The Sims 5: cut to the chase
What is it? The next generation of The Sims
When can I play it? TBC
Which can I play it on? PC and mobile confirmed so far
The Sims 5: release date and platforms
(Image credit: EA)
The Sims 5 currently doesn’t have a confirmed release date or window, but it’s likely we won’t get our hands on it for a few years yet.
During the Behind The Sims Summit Stream Event (opens in new tab) in October 2022, Maxis confirmed the next generation of The Sims (AKA Project Rene) is in the early stages of development. “Over the next couple of years, we’ll continue sharing updates with all of you on Project Rene”, Sydnay Pearson, VP of franchise creative for The Sims, said in the video. These updates will also go alongside early access software being opened up to select groups over time.
The Sims 5 will be available on PC and mobile, according to EA Maxis. While not confirmed, it’s likely The Sims 5 will come to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S eventually, given this will be a “next-generation The Sims game”. Historically, main entries in The Sims series have been released on PC first and then are reworked slightly for consoles and other systems.
The Sims 5: Trailer
Latest Trailer
The latest teaser for The Sims 5 was released in January 2023 and provides a behind-the-scenes look at Project Rene as well as an interview with product manager Grant Rodiek – alongside updates on The Sims series generally.
The video shows early concepts for Project Rene, including customization of rooms and furniture, while Rodiek discusses anticipated updates to The Sims and findings from early Project Rene playtests.
The Sims 5: gameplay
(Image credit: EA)
Thanks to the Behind The Scenes video, we can better understand what The Sims 5‘s gameplay could look like. So far, we know that platform compatibility, multiplayer, and greater customization will be critical to Project Rene.
With platform compatibility, “you can now play The Sims, wherever you are without barriers and restrictions”, Rodiek said. Gameplay across platforms will also be fluid as you can instantly switch between PC and mobile. However, the experience on a PC will be “the true rich experience you’re used to”, Rodiek said.
The Sims 5 will have a greater emphasis on multiplayer rather than just single-player. “We think we can be both”, Rodiek said. However, “one thing to keep in mind is that Project Rene is not an MMO (massively multiplayer online game)”.
On the other hand, the Behind The Sims Summit showed detailed editing tools. A bed was broken down piece by piece and built up, with customization looking much more profound than what we’ve seen from the series. Next was a sofa, and we saw patterns applied to individual pieces. Interestingly, the edits were saved across a PC and mobile game file.
The Sims 5: news
(Image credit: EA)
Will it make use of AI technology? A patent filed by EA (opens in new tab) back in April 2020 and approved in October 2021 reveals AI technology could be used in The Sims to turn pictures of people into in-game characters.
Reported by Sims Community (opens in new tab), the patent discusses the AI technology, explaining that it will allow players to upload photographs of themselves or characters, which can then be converted into an accurate Sim.
EA owns the patent outright, so we’ll have to wait and see how and if they’ll implement the tech. It also isn’t clear if this will be implemented in The Sims 4, which is expected to have fresh content churned out for a few years yet, or if development is far enough away for The Sims 5 to be where it makes its debut.
EA continuing to improve The Sims 4 Following the release of The Sims 4: Cottage Living expansion, EA Maxis hasn’t revealed exactly what its future plans for The Sims 4 look like, but the developer stated in a March 2021 blog post (opens in new tab) that its roadmap “continues to be focused on improving content that is in the game”. It didn’t entirely dismiss the idea of future expansions that could involve “werewolves, faeries, and zombies”.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t bode particularly well for The Sims 5 release any time soon, and we’ll probably be lucky to get our hands on it before 2024. The Sims 4 was in development for over three years, so it makes sense that EA Maxis is continuing to maintain The Sims 4 in the meantime. It’s been making improvements to the base game for those who have already spent their hard-earned cash on it, kits, game packs and expansions.
Windows 11 is getting better on the multi-tasking front courtesy of a new preview of the OS that comes with improvements for snap layouts, and some very useful changes in terms of accessibility, too.
Preview build 25300 is just out and puts a fresh spin on snap layouts for those in the Dev channel (the earliest test versions of Windows 11).
Microsoft has made it so that snap layouts now incorporate the icon of the app windows you’re currently using, so you can clearly see where that’s going to go in the snapped layout – and a descriptive title may be provided, too.
Only certain testers may see some of these new ideas, as Microsoft is still toying with the concepts in the early stages, and so wants feedback to ascertain how these changes are received.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Furthermore, Microsoft notes that it’s shortening the time you have to hover the cursor for the snap layouts flyout to appear when mousing over the restore button (top-right of the app’s window).
It’s also good to see new accessibility features, which are led by Microsoft making live captions available in more languages. To date, these have only been available in English (US), but now there are further English variants, and a bunch of other languages. Namely Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish.
In addition to that, the voice typing feature now syncs its settings across all your devices, assuming you’ve signed into your Microsoft account on those pieces of hardware. This capability started rolling out in an earlier build, so some folks may have already seen it, but now all testers in the Dev channel will have access.
Elsewhere, there are the usual bug fixes and known issues, all of which are documented in the usual blog post (opens in new tab) from Microsoft.
Analysis: Making snapping snappier, and more…
Microsoft has not let up with its focus and continued work on accessibility with Windows 11, which is good to see, and automatically syncing voice typing (and control) settings will be an obvious time-saver for those who use this functionality. (Ourselves included, and we’ve found that it’s a really nifty implementation of voice dictation; not surprising as it’s based on Nuance’s Dragon tech, software that we’ve long used and admired).
The changes to snap layouts look like useful additions to make everything a little, er, snappier, with that decrease in time for the actual snap flyout to appear. Also worth noting is that separately on Twitter, @PhantomOfEarth (a Windows tester and leaker) spotted (opens in new tab) that a new ‘suggestions’ feature appears to be underway for snap layouts, though it’s not clear exactly how this will work. Watch this space…
Snapping is an underused feature in many respects, but those who do utilize snap layouts can be found singing considerable praises for the functionality, and perhaps those numbers will increase down the line – certainly if Microsoft has anything to do with it. If you’re interested, we’ve got a guide to snapping away on Windows 11.
As many as four million Hyundai vehicles without push-button start and immobilizing anti-theft devices in the US are being targeted in the latest round of automotive attacks, with TikTok getting the blame.
The so-called ‘challenge’ on social media has uncovered how criminals can remove the steering column cover of certain models, uncovering a USB port that they can use to hotwire the car.
According to Los Angeles officials, the ‘Kia Boyz’ challenge resulted in a substantial 85% increase in the theft of Hyundai and Kia models compared with the previous year (via CNBC (opens in new tab)).
Hyundai and Kia thefts
In an announcement, Hyundai said that “all Hyundai vehicles produced since November 2021 are equipped with an engine immobilizer as standard equipment”. Despite this, the list of affected models is extensive:
2017-2020 Elantra
2015-2019 Sonata
2020-2021 Venue
2018-2022 Accent
2011-2016 Elantra
2021-2022 Elantra
2018-2020 Elantra GT
2011-2014 Genesis Coupe
2018-2022 Kona
2020-2021 Palisade
2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport
2013-2022 Santa Fe
2019 Santa Fe XL
2011-2014 Sonata
2011-2022 Tucson
2012-2017, 2019-2021 Veloster
The first three models emphasized in italics in the above list are already eligible for a software update, which must be performed at an authorized dealership and can take as long as an hour. The remaining models are expected to get a patch by June 2023.
In the meantime, Hyundai promises to be distributing free steering wheel locks to law enforcement agencies, which are to be supplied to owners and leasers of affected models. It will also install window stickers on fixed vehicles to notify criminals of their upgraded security. However, there are some models that cannot accommodate the software fix. The company says:
“For these customers, Hyundai is finalizing a program to reimburse them for their purchase of steering wheel locks. Hyundai will provide these customers with more detail in the very near future.”
Hyundai has set up a dedicated website (opens in new tab) for owners of the affected vehicles to check their vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and schedule the service.
Kia (part of the Hyundai Motor Group) is also reportedly affected by the hack and is due to issue a statement soon (via Bleeping Computer (opens in new tab)).
There’s been plenty of debate over whether Apple should bring back the 12-inch MacBook, but a new rumor hints that it may be closer to happening than not.
According to Korean tech blogger yeux1122 (opens in new tab), and reported on by MacRumors (opens in new tab), a source at a company that supplies parts to Apple in Taiwan stated that Apple is preparing for a relaunch of the 12-inch MacBook. Apple apparently is weighing the future of the 12-inch MacBook and will reveal whether it will go ahead with plans to mass produce that model sometime by the second half of 2023.
Rumors of an updated 12-inch MacBook started after Apple introduced its own silicon in 2020, as interest was renewed in a refresh of the 12-inch model equipped with Apple’s chips. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman stated that it would launch either in 2023 or 2024, for example, but no information about the product’s nature had been clarified, meaning that it could be an Air, a Pro, or something completely different.
It’s also important to note that yeux1122 has a mixed track record of accurate Apple rumors, so make sure to take this with a healthy pinch of salt.
Why the 12-inch MacBook would be great
While some may wonder what the point of a 12-inch MacBook would be, there’s definitely a market for a lightweight laptop with a small display.
One of the biggest issues with even the best laptops is how anti-portable they tend to be, especially ones with screen sizes over 15 inches. This is especially an issue for those who physically cannot carry heavy laptops, as well as people who have bags that can’t fit these giant machines and their huge power bricks.
And as we’ve seen, it’s more than possible with today’s tech advancements to have both thin and light laptops that pack a lot of power. This hasn’t been more true than with the drastic performance improvements of Apple’s MacBook with the move to its own silicon, which the 12-inch MacBook could definitely benefit from.
Hopefully, Apple sees the potential of a highly portable laptop outfitted with M2 chip and beyond, as it would be great for those of us who aren’t into large and cumbersome devices to have options, too.
Full spoilers follow for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has arrived in theaters – and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is unlikely to ever be the same. Not only is the Quantum Realm a whole new world for our characters to explore, but Kang the Conqueror – the MCU’s next Thanos-level threat – is officially in play.
You can read our full Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania review for a non-spoiler take on the film. However, if you’ve either already seen the Marvel Phase 5 movie, or you want to spoil yourself silly with the details of the post-credits scene, read on.
This is your final warning: major Ant-Man 3 spoilers follow.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania mid-credits scene explained – what is the Council of Kangs?
Is Kang the Conqueror dead or not? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
At the end of this superhero movie, the exiled Kang is presumed dead. He was sucked into the core of his Time Chair, which is seemingly confirmed by a shadowy figure, ominously stating “The exile is dead.”
The figure is revealed to be Jonathan Majors, dressed and acting differently as another variant of Kang. His high-topped hat and grand dress robes seems to be (at least, from our fleeting glimpse of it) a reference to Immortus, traditionally the oldest and most powerful of Kang’s many variants.
He is talking to – surprise, surprise – Jonathan Majors again, dressed in an ancient Egyptian headdress. In the comics, Kang rules Egypt for a time as the pharaoh Rama-Tut, and it looks like this role has been given to another Kang variant, and reimagined as Immortus’ right-hand man.
That’s not all. A third Kang variant, bald and decked out in futuristic armor, joins the duo as they speak about an incursion. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that word: explained in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, an incursion is what happens when universes collide, ending in one of those universes being destroyed.
Rama-Tut asks Immortus: “How many of us did you call?” to which Immortus replies “All of us.” They walk out into a grand colosseum, into which a cheering crowd of Kang variants appear vial teleportation devices, a little like the doors the TVA use in Loki season 1. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of them, all acting differently in individual variations of the villain’s classic outfits. This is the Council of Kangs, hinted at earlier in the film when Kang (this is getting confusing, so we’ll call him Prime Kang from now on) warned of the coming of “me… A lot of me”. The variant we presume is Immortus seems to be leading that council.
How many Kangs did you spot in the mid-credits stinger? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
It’s a safe bet to say these Kang variants are going to cause a multiversal war, which is sure to form the main plot of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and be resolved in Avengers: Secret Wars, both of which form part of Marvel Phase 6.
Just like the Secret Wars comics, this is likely to end in some of those universes’ merging, via the Incursions mentioned earlier, to create a single Earth Prime. The trouble with multiverse stories is that once you go too far down the rabbit hole, there are no stakes for the heroes: everything that could happen does happen somewhere. It makes sense for Secret Wars to look to restore the main MCU once all the alternate-reality shenanigans are over.
At the end of most MCU movies, there’s a legend along the lines of “Ant-Man and the Wasp (or whoever the heroes of the film might be) will return”, indicating their story isn’t done. However, this time the white text reads “Kang will return” instead.
As mentioned in our review, this is very much Kang’s film rather than Scott’s and Hope’s, and Marvel is pulling out all the stops to get its audience excited for 2025’s The Kang Dynasty by foreshadowing the Master of Time as a real threat to the Marvel multiverse.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania post-credits scene explained – Mister Timely
Yeah, about that Loki season 1 finale stinger, erm, Loki… (Image credit: Disney Plus/Marvel Studios)
In Ant-Man 3‘s post-credits scene, Kang appears again in late-1800s dress, taking the stage in a Vaudeville-style theater as “Mister Timely”. He speaks to a packed crowd, in a very H.G. Wells-eque monologue regarding his new temporal contraption. In the audience is Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Owen Wilson’s Mobius, linking this film nicely with Loki season 2, which will debut on Disney Plus later this year.
Although Mobius incredulously asks “That’s the guy you’re worried about?” to Loki, the God of Mischief met a Kang variant before, aka He Who Remains, in the Loki season 1 finale, and understands the threat he poses. Where does this scene slot into Loki’s timeline? MCU fans will have to tune into season 2 to find out.
It seems that the 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X3D is already out in the wild, or at least in the hands of reviewers according to recently published benchmark results for the CPU.
According to VideoCardz, the processor had been found in the Ashes of the Singularity benchmark database, where it was tested with the GeForce RTX 4090 GPU using the Crazy 1080p preset. That particular configuration scored 8900, 9000, and 9100 points over three iterations of the benchmark test.
While these numbers do give us a good idea as to how powerful the CPU is, Ashes of the Singularity itself isn’t a great benchmark test, unfortunately, as there is too much variation in its scoring. In this case, it’s best to wait for other benchmark scores to emerge before making a final decision on the performance of the CPU.
The Ryzen 9 7900X3D — which is one of three Zen 4 desktop processors AMD is releasing in the next several weeks — has 12 cores and 24 threads with a boost frequency of 5.6 GHz, but the kicker is that it will have AMD’s 3D V-Cache tech. These processors will feature a stacked silicon die with 64MB of additional cache, which will boost certain workloads like gaming significantly.
Benefits and boons of the AMD Ryzen 7000X3D family
The AMD Ryzen 7000X3D family is poised to take off, aiming right for its competition: Intel’s 13th-gen processors. And though its first scores with the Ashes of the Singularity benchmark are too fuzzy to really measure the CPU directly, it still gives us a great idea of roughly where it lies. Especially when paired with an equally powerful GPU, the CPU arms race between Team Blue and Team Red is definitely heating up.
What could also be heating up is your wallet. There were price cuts made after the base Ryzen 7000-series CPUs launched, so we could be seeing at least somewhat reasonable prices for the 3D V-Cache versions eventually, but at $599 for the Ryzen 9 7900X3D, Intel’s Core i9-13900K still holds a major price advantage. AMD might be able to resist the pressure to drop prices though since higher consumer demand for the exclusive gaming-friendly cache technology is a certainty.
The other issue, which AMD and Microsoft are working to mitigate, stems from the CPUs’ design itself. This series comes with two CCDs (chiplets), with one having the 3D V-Cache on top while the other runs with a faster boost speed. Depending on the game, some might benefit from the extra cache and others won’t, so each game will need to have the proper CCD assigned to them that works best.
In the end, I want to see more direct CPU core benchmarks like CineBench R23 or Geekbench 5 to really get a sense of how powerful the chip is, but with a February 28 release date, I won’t have to wait too long to find out.
