Microsoft is facing internal debates over the future of its advanced research lab in Beijing, as tensions between the United States and China continue to rise. The lab, which has been operational since 1998, is considered one of the most important A.I. labs in the world and has made significant contributions to Microsoft's work in artificial intelligence. However, concerns have been raised over whether it is politically tenable for Microsoft to maintain a lab in China. The debate comes at a time when other major U.S. tech firms have reduced their presence in China.
Sony has announced a mixed reality headset developed in collaboration with Siemens for spatial content creators. The headset features dual 4K OLED microdisplays and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 processor. It supports split rendering and offers realistic rendering of textures and facial expressions in real time. The headset also includes spatial tracking using six cameras and sensors. It comes with two unique controllers and integrates with Siemens' NX Immersive Designer Software. The release date and pricing details have not been announced yet.
Honor has announced its latest mobile operating system, MagicOS 8.0, which is based on Android 14. The new version brings several new features, including a large language model with 7 billion parameters and an intent-based user interface (IUI) that suggests services and apps based on usage patterns. MagicOS 8.0 also introduces Magic Portal, which offers context-based app and service shortcut recommendations. The new operating system will launch on the Honor Magic6 series flagships.
Price volatility following a series of fake tweets from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s X account caused nearly $90 million worth of bitcoin (BTC) long and short positions to be liquidated, showcasing manipulation risks associated with the industry.
QuEra, a quantum computing startup, has announced plans to bring error correction to quantum computing in two years, beating IBM's timeline. The company is building on the success of the Harvard University lab's demonstration of error-tracking in similar hardware. By using neutral atom-based qubits, QuEra aims to create hardware with low error rates that will enable useful computations. Currently, quantum computing is limited by error rates, and error-corrected qubits are necessary for complex calculations. QuEra's announcement should be viewed cautiously, but it offers promising advancements in the field.
Quera, a quantum computing startup, has announced its plans to bring error correction to quantum computing in only two years, ahead of IBM's timeline. Quera is a spinoff of the Harvard University lab that demonstrated error-tracking using similar hardware. The company uses the same type of qubits as rival startup Atom Computing, which has already scaled up to over 1,000 qubits. While skepticism remains, Quera's focus on error-corrected qubits could be a promising development.
A new substance has been discovered using artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputing that has the potential to reduce lithium use in batteries by up to 70%. The material was found by Microsoft and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and has already been used to power a lightbulb. By using advanced AI and high-performance computing, the research process from identifying potential candidates to developing a working battery prototype took less than nine months. This new material could be a sustainable energy storage solution and is a major breakthrough in the lithium-ion battery industry.
Apple's new Vision Pro headsets are set to debut next month, but Apple doesn't want you to call them headsets. Instead, they want you to use the term 'spatial computing.' This article explores what this term means and why Apple is choosing to use it.