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Android Automotive in a Volvo EX90 | Image: Volvo Google announced a new version of its Android Automotive open-source operating system for software-defined vehicles. Whereas previously Android Automotive operated exclusively in the car's infotainment system, Google is now expanding its "open infrastructure" to the non-safety parts of the car's internal computer system. As cars have swiftly become "computers on wheels," there is still a lot of fragmentation in the industry, with many car manufacturers using different, mismatched software modules from dozens of different suppliers. Google wants to solve this fragmentation problem by - what else? - becoming the de facto software provider fo … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/899034/google-android-automotive-os-software-defined-vehicle

The early 2020s were kind of a dark time if you were a fan of Rock Band . PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners didn’t get an improved, more feature-packed guitar controller until early 2024 when PDP launched the Riffmaster. While it launched for $129.99 and later rose to $149.99, you can now grab it for $99.99 at Amazon , Walmart , and Best Buy in the run-up to Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. The current deal price (which has only happened once before) applies to both the Xbox and PlayStation versions, as well as the newer Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 versions. PDP Riffmaster PDP’s Riffmaster is a wireless guitar accessory compatible with Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival. It has two sets of color-coded buttons you can press to hit notes as they appear on the screen, a built-in 3.5mm audio jack for connecting headphones, and an analog stick to help you easily navigate through each game’s menus. Where to Buy: $149.99 $99.99 at Amazon (PlayStation 5) $149.99 $99 at Amazon (Xbox...

Andy Weir on the set of Project Hail Mary. | Image: Amazon MGM Studios Andy Weir has done pretty well when it comes to adaptations. His first novel, The Martian , was turned into a movie in 2015 , and the Ridley Scott-directed picture earned more than $600 million at the box office. And Project Hail Mary just had a huge opening weekend that puts it on track to be one of the year's biggest movies. However, despite that success, Weir tells me that he does his best to keep the idea of an adaptation out of his mind when he starts a new novel. "I try not to think about it at all," he explains. The reason, according to Weir, is that the two mediums are just so different. That's something he's learned over the last dec … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/898918/project-hail-mary-andy-weir-writing-advice-interview

First came the AI beauty pageant. Then the AI music contests. Now, there is an award for AI Personality of the Year - perhaps the inevitable next step for the AI influencer economy as it transforms from quirky novelty into a serious and lucrative industry. The contest, a joint venture between generative AI studio OpenArt and AI-powered creator platform Fanvue, with backing from AI voice company ElevenLabs, opens on Monday and runs for a month. The organizers said it is intended to "celebrate the creative talent 'behind' AI Influencers" and recognize their growing commercial and cultural clout. Contestants will compete for a total prize f … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/898781/ai-personality-of-the-year-influencer-contest

Siri, can you tell me where I belong? | Image: DEEWEE Last week's recommendation , Sotomayor's Wabi Sabi , has a very particular vibe that you don't find in a lot of records. One of the few things it called to mind was 2022's Topical Dancer from Charlotte Adigery and Bolis Pupul, which I ended up revisiting this week a lot. The two records don't seem particularly alike on the surface. But they're both rough around the edges smash-ups of electronic and organic elements packaged for dancefloor abandon. The way the sounds and rhythms click together feels very much of the same ilk. There are, of course, differences. Significant ones. Adigery and Pupul draw more heavily from rock and early electroni … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/898796/charlotte-adigery-bolis-pupul-topical-dancer-review

That’s some sloppy looking slop. | Image: Rex_Spy / Reddit Reviews of Crimson Desert have been mixed , but the bigger issue for the game has been the discovery of what appeared to be AI-generated assets in the final release. Now the developer has acknowledged that AI art was indeed used during the game's creation, but says that it was intended to be replaced before release. In a statement on X , the company said it was conducting a "comprehensive audit" to identify and replace any AI-generated content. The company apologized for both its inclusion in the final release and for not being more transparent about its use during development. "We should have clearly disclosed our use of AI," it said. The … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/games/898771/crimson-desert-dev-apologizes-ai-art