Technology News

Experience the Magic: Our Verdict on the Game-Changing Anti-Aging Mask

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

LED face masks are rapidly gaining popularity, and it’s easy to see why.

Scientifically Proven Benefits: LED light therapy masks are backed by science for their ability to visibly reduce wrinkles and combat premature skin aging.

Our Experience with Kandyway: We had the opportunity to try out the Kandyway LED mask, the sole medical-grade LED mask approved by Health Canada for home use.

Exploring the Advantages: LED light therapy offers a plethora of benefits, particularly for dehydrated, tired, and aging skin. Not only does it visibly reduce wrinkles and fine lines, but it also enhances hydration, radiance, elasticity, and texture. One of its standout qualities is its ability to naturally stimulate collagen production, addressing a key aspect of aging skin.

Revolutionizing Skincare: The Kandyway LED mask represents the pinnacle of skincare technology. Its popularity has surged, making it a must-have for beauty salons and dermatological practices. Celebrities like Victoria Beckham and the Kardashian-Jenner clan have amplified its presence on social media, leading to a surge in online searches.

The Kandyway Experience: Our experience with the Kandyway mask was remarkable. It proved perfect for soothing and balancing the skin while delivering unprecedented anti-wrinkle properties. However, consistency is key; maintaining a disciplined approach with at least three sessions per week is crucial for optimal results.

Visible Results: After just a month of regular use, we noticed a significant reduction in wrinkles, fine lines, and redness. Compliments from those around us poured in, praising the refreshed appearance and radiant complexion.

Convenience and Affordability: What sets the Kandyway mask apart is its accessibility. With the convenience of home application, it saves both time and money compared to salon treatments. Just ten minutes, three times a week, can lead to rejuvenated skin without the need for needles or surgery.

Unlock Radiant Skin: Experience a peachy complexion, smoothed skin, and a firmer face with the Kandyway LED mask.

Experience the Magic: Our Verdict on the Game-Changing Anti-Aging Mask Read More »

China would have the most powerful supercomputer in the world

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

China reportedly has the world's most powerful supercomputer with its Tianhe-3, but the country refuses to reveal technical information. However, many details appear in the publications of researchers who have used it in their work.

Last December, China quietly announced the launch of its new supercomputer Tianhe-3, which would be the fastest in the world. And this while the country no longer has access to the latest processor technologies due to the sanctions. Rumors about the Tianhe-3 began circulating in 2017.

China no longer shares information about its machines necessary to appear in the top 500 list of the world's most powerful supercomputers, leaving the official world ranking to the United States. Technical details must therefore be accessed from scientific publications without a direct link; Research projects use the supercomputer and mention it in passing. That’s exactly what The Next Platform website did. According to their data, the Tianhe-3, nicknamed Xingyi, could achieve a peak performance of 2.05 exaflops (billion trillion floating point operations per second). Its sustained speed would be 1.57 exaflops using the High Performance Linkpack (HPL) benchmark.

A world first location that could only be short-lived

That's much more than the first supercomputer on the Top500 list, the Frontier in the United States, which achieved 1.19 exaflops with a peak of 1.68 exaflops. The Tianhe-3 uses an architecture called Matrix-3000 or MT-3000. It would be a hybrid device with processors and accelerators and three different types of memory. The Next Platform gives a very detailed description of its likely architecture and various components.

However, the Chinese advance could be short-lived. The United States is currently building a supercomputer called El Capitan that uses a similar architecture called AMD Antares MI300A. This could reach up to 2.3 exaflops, placing it first in the world.

China would have the most powerful supercomputer in the world Read More »

Why is it not recommended to put the phone in rice if it falls into water?

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

Published February 19, 2024 Vincent Paquette

How long have you heard people say that if you drop your phone in water, you should quickly put it in a bag of rice? According to this rumor, rice absorbs moisture from our mobile phone (smartphone) and limits damage. However, this is wrong and Apple emphasizes that it can harm our iPhone or cell phone. A policy that applies to all phones such as Samsung, Google and others.

It's not always easy to distinguish a rumor from an urban legend. Especially when it is something that is deeply anchored in collective thinking.

One of these rumors that has become an urban legend is the idea of putting our smartphone in a bag or a bowl of rice when it falls into water.

Since rice has a reputation for being able to absorb moisture, the idea that it could remove the water inside the phone spread.

Some people even suggest better solutions, they say, like putting the wet phone in kitty litter or oatmeal or using a cotton swab.

So many options that don't go well together!

How do I remove moisture and water from a phone?

There is a page on Apple's support site that explains what we should and shouldn't do if our phone falls into water.

How do I dry my phone quickly?

To dry our phone, Apple recommends:

Tap it with the connector facing down to remove excess liquid. Store your iPhone in a dry, well-ventilated place.

Wait at least 30 minutes, then try charging your device with a Lightning or USB-C cable or connecting an accessory.

If the warning appears again, there is still fluid in the connector or under the cable pins. Leave your iPhone in a dry, well-ventilated area for up to a day. During this time, you can try charging or connecting an accessory again. It may take up to 24 hours for the moisture to disappear.

If your phone cannot charge when dry, unplug the adapter cable, unplug the adapter from the power outlet (if possible), and then plug it back in.

What should we not do if our phone falls into water?

Conversely, Apple does not recommend the following to dry our phone:

Do not dry your iPhone with an external heat source or can of compressed air.

Do not insert foreign objects such as cotton swabs or paper towels into the port

Do not put your iPhone in a bag of rice as small particles of this grass could damage your device.

Why shouldn't you put your phone in the rice?

While it is true that rice can absorb some moisture, it is wrong to think that it can absorb all the water that has entered the phone's circuitry.

In addition, as Apple mentions, rice particles can enter our cell phone and thus damage the interior of the phone.

Although it's scary to see your phone fall into the water, we have to stay calm. Especially since most phones these days come with a water resistance rating.

Most have an IP67 rating, which allows our phone to be submerged to a depth of about 1 meter.

If we drop it into a deeper pool, the pressure will cause water to enter our phone.

Therefore, as counterintuitive as it may seem, we must remain calm and follow Apple's advice.

In the event that our phone still does not wake up, we must contact a certified repairer to try a final intervention.

Why is it not recommended to put the phone in rice if it falls into water? Read More »

The Japanese have developed the first satellite… made of wood, and it will soon fly into space

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

Scientists at Kyoto University, Japan, have developed a satellite made of magnolia wood – a world first. With this machine they want to reduce pollution in space, where there are no less than 9,300 tons of space objects in orbit. The “LignoSat” test satellite is scheduled to reach space this summer.

On the way to conquering ecological space? To better understand climate change, scientists are increasingly turning to satellites. But these steel machines in orbit around the Earth are also a significant source of environmental pollution. The European Space Agency (ESA) estimates that there are around a million pieces of satellite or rocket debris in orbit larger than a centimeter, large enough to “disable a spacecraft.” According to a report by the agency, this involves no less than 9,300 tons of space objects.

Given this observation, Japan seems to want to take the lead and launch ecological satellites. Specifically, researchers at Kyoto University have developed a satellite made of magnolia wood. This is a world first and must be launched into space before summer.

Magnolia wood

This NASA-backed project was developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which aims to launch the world's first wooden satellite into space. The goal of this mission is to make space travel more sustainable. The “LignoSat” test satellite, no larger than a cup of coffee, developed by researchers at Kyoto University, must reach Earth orbit before the summer of 2024.

How researchers decided to use magnolia wood. Because wood is biodegradable, it will allow the LignoSat satellite to completely decompose in the atmosphere at the end of its life. However, in order to know which type of tree to choose, samples of three specimens (magnolia, cherry, birch) were sent aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in early 2023. During their ten-month mission, these samples were housed in a module exposed to the extreme environment of space. After this experience, Japanese researchers decided to use magnolia wood, which is known for its robustness.

“No loss”

In order to reduce pollution of space and Earth, the LignoSat satellite will be “zero waste”, according to scientists. You should know that shiny metals such as titanium or aluminum used for satellite frames can be a source of significant light pollution. While in Earth's orbit, these metals increase the overall brightness of the night sky by 10% across much of the Earth. This reduction in light pollution would benefit the observation of distant space phenomena.

These biodegradable satellites avoid several risks, according to researchers at Kyoto University. For them, the fact that the structure of the machine is deteriorating makes it possible to reduce accidents in orbit and prevent debris from collapsing on the planet. This could save human lives on Earth and in space.

Japanese probe launched to examine space debris

Japan seems to be very committed to protecting space. Like this Monday, when a Japanese company announced the successful launch of what it believes is the first spacecraft with a mission to study the increasingly numerous and potentially dangerous waste in orbit.

The mission of Astroscale-Japan's Active Debris Removal (Adras-J) is to find and examine the remains of a Japanese H-IIA rocket that has been floating in space for 15 years, private Japanese company Astroscale said.

The Japanese have developed the first satellite… made of wood, and it will soon fly into space Read More »

Nintendo shares fall, “Switch 2” may not be released until 2025

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

The Japanese video game pioneer's shares fell 5.83% to 8,356 yen on Monday. (Photo: 123RF)

Nintendo shares plunged on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday after several media outlets reported in recent days that the Japanese company would not launch its next console until early 2025.

The Japanese video game pioneer's share price fell 5.83% to 8,356 yen at the close of trading, significantly worse than the flagship Nikkei index, which ended stable. The stock lost as much as 8.8% early in the session.

According to multiple media outlets, including VGC and Bloomberg, Nintendo has informed its game publishers that its next console, the highly anticipated successor to 2017's Switch, will not launch until the first quarter of 2025.

So far there has been a lot of speculation about a release of this “Switch 2” at the end of 2024, coinciding with the year-end holiday season, which is generally the most important for the sales of consoles and video games.

This prospect sent Nintendo shares to new highs last week.

“If the rumors are true, then 2024 is likely to be a pretty difficult year for Nintendo,” Serkan Toto, director of analytics firm Kantan Games, commented on Monday.

Nintendo “won't be able to release blockbusters (this year, editor's note) because it has to reserve them for its next console. “So you should limit yourself to reissuing old titles, releasing smaller games or recruiting external studios,” or why not launch a new mobile game, according to this analyst interviewed by AFP.

Nintendo “generally generates up to 50% of its annual revenue” in the Christmas quarter, Serkan Toto further emphasized.

On the other hand, the launch of the Switch in 2017 began in March, and that didn't stop it from being a “huge success,” he put it into perspective.

For the time being, Nintendo is remaining completely silent about the successor to the Switch and the schedule for its release.

Nintendo shares fall, “Switch 2” may not be released until 2025 Read More »

MB.OS system from Mercedes-Benz: When the vehicle speaks | Automotive News

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

The new multimedia platform that Mercedes-Benz will install on board its vehicles from the 2025 model year is called MB.OS.

Its interface, called Mercedes, will evoke very human emotions. Serious, funny, emotional, she relies on generative AI, a particularly intuitive voice command, to embody Mercedes. The German brand hopes no less to redefine the user experience in the car.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The brand new MB.OS system from Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz operating system
Those in the know will have guessed it: MB.OS is the abbreviation that the German manufacturer uses to describe its new system, the full name of which is Mercedes-Benz Operating System. This system combines the necessary hardware and software to bring to life various information or entertainment applications on board Mercedes-Benz vehicles, regardless of whether they are connected to the Internet or not.

It is a scalable platform, meaning the manufacturer can send updates remotely to keep it current. This platform is intended to be a relatively open software environment on which applications and services of all kinds can coexist. Even if, for example, the connected interfaces for CarPlay and Android Auto phones from Apple and Google are not natively integrated into MB.OS, there is nothing to prevent these applications from being installed later.

In addition, Mercedes-Benz promises that its system will be open and can support applications created by third parties such as video games or online shopping applications. Without confirming that MB.OS is entirely based on the free Android platform, a company spokesperson nevertheless stated that third-party applications developed by MB.OS will likely work on Android.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The future Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS)

Applications on request
Mercedes-Benz is apparently planning to expand its MB.OS system to include an application and service store. It aims to offer free and other services offered in the form of a subscription. The manufacturer will try to find a balance between what is normally offered for free – such as basic navigation information – and what drivers want to pay for – such as an advanced navigation assistant that can avoid traffic jams.

There will also be many video games. Mercedes-Benz has partnered with online video game platform Antstream Arcade to integrate into its multimedia system a catalog of arcade-style video games to entertain young and old on the go or even while stationary.

All in all, we are talking about very lucrative potential for Mercedes-Benz, which says it has already made $1 billion through this formula and aims to generate at least $2 billion per year from 2025.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The MB.OS system, applications

Hello Mercedes!
Mercedes-Benz describes its user interface as “hyper-personalized.” Whether through music, navigation, voice commands or recommendations, every interaction with the multimedia interface is designed to adapt to the context in which it takes place. According to the Stuttgart company, the future of driving will be more intuitive, immersive and personal.

In any case, it's more interactive than ever. The interface, which will gradually appear on board future vehicles, can be activated by simply saying the name: “Hey Mercedes!”. It will then be possible to speak to it naturally, and it will respond just as naturally Meet the resident's wishes.

Mercedes-Benz uses generative AI to bring this very modern incarnation of the Mercedes interface to life. In addition to the voice, the AI is presented in the form of a 3D animation displayed on the vehicle's center console screen. We see the Mercedes-Benz star waddle, adopting a color and posture that indicates the system is either listening, thinking, or ready to communicate its suggestions.

The aim of this interface is to reduce the space for touch controls, which, as we know, distract the driver while driving.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The new personalized MB.OS multimedia platform

Dolby Atmos on board
A novelty in the world of digital music in recent months is the introduction of the immersive sound environment Dolby Atmos. It's a form of surround sound, but not the kind you get in a home theater with a five-speaker system. It is a sound environment that is called spatial, in the sense that it creates the impression that different sounds are coming from different places around the listener.

Mercedes-Benz has been using Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio for some time. Partnering with Amazon can take the concept of reading Kindle audiobooks even further. The voices of the characters in the books that we hear on board the vehicle will have their own presence in the room, which should make the conversation on board a little more pleasant to the ear.

Apparently, Kindle audio books in Dolby Atmos format will initially only be offered in English.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Michael Hafner, Vice President of the MB.OS Base Layer & MBUX project at Mercedes-Benz

MBUX sound drive
Mercedes-Benz is obviously looking for new forms of entertainment in its vehicles. On the musical side, Mercedes, in collaboration with American artist will.i.am, plans to soon offer cutting-edge music technology that offers a unique interactive experience.

Imagine sitting behind the wheel and immersing yourself in a world of sound where the music responds to your movements, the environment and your mood. This is the MBUX Sound Drive app, a music service that combines the passion for music with cutting-edge technology to create a revolutionary audio experience. The app currently contains a handful of songs, but they can be played endlessly.

The tempo, the lyrics, the chorus and the instruments depend on the driving behavior of the vehicle. This creates a more immersive driving experience and an emotional connection to the vehicle, something that is very important to performance vehicle brands such as the AMG division of Mercedes-Benz.

It just remains to be seen whether Mercedes will be able to hum the lyrics along with the vehicle's occupants…

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

MBUX sound drive

MB.OS system from Mercedes-Benz: When the vehicle speaks | Automotive News Read More »

Before you meet up with an AI virtual girlfriend, read this

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

The dating industry of all kinds is on the rise fast, as we say at home. Today she has a very good idea of what she can achieve with the power of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and tools.

Barely born last year, “AI friends” are already flooding the GPT store, despite the rules and barriers introduced by the OpenAI company. While others are proliferating in the App Store and Google Play Store for mobile applications.

The driving force behind it: people's eternal loneliness

In the context of an epidemic of loneliness, the rise of conversation robots and romantic partners relies on an inexhaustible resource: the isolation of hundreds of millions of people.

The proliferation of these apps comes at a time when the United States (and this includes Canada and the West in general) is facing an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. Worrying studies show that one in two American adults report suffering from loneliness, and the U.S. Surgeon General Administration has called for the need to increase social connections.

But researchers have found that these chatbots aren't best friends when it comes to protecting secrets.

Eva AI

“Confidentiality not included”

The Mozilla Foundation staff has published Privacy Not Included, a consumer guide that evaluates the privacy policies of technology and other products. It “examined 11 chatbots marketed as romantic companions and found that they came with warning labels, putting them on par with the worst product categories ever studied for privacy.”

In addition, some privacy policies like Chaï's date back more than three years, well before the advent of online AI, and are therefore completely unsuitable for AI-managed conversational robots.

Very talkative “AI friends” about your little secrets: 24,354 ad trackers in a minute!

Your privacy with romantic chatbots? Forget it, all your desires and dirty secrets are carefully stored and resold on all advertising servers.

Consider Romantic AI, a service that lets you “create your own AI girlfriend.” According to Mozilla, promotional images on the homepage showed a chatbot sending a message saying: “I just bought new underwear.” Want to see them? » According to the researchers' analysis, the app's privacy documents indicate that it does not sell user data. However, when they tested the app, they found that it “sent 24,354 ad trackers in one minute of use.” Other monitored applications have sent more than a hundred (tracking cookies).

Romantic AI

Is the chatbot a person?

According to Mozilla's findings, almost half of apps (54%) don't allow you to delete your personal data.

According to reports, only half of apps give all users the right to delete their personal data. But be aware that your conversations will not always be taken into account. Even if romantic conversations with your AI soulmate seem private to you, they are not necessarily considered “personal information” and are not subject to special treatment. Often, as Romantic AI says, “communication via the chatbot is part of the software.”

In other words, the “software” is considered a “person,” so that person has the right to record their own conversations—and yours—just as anyone can record their conversations.

Short list of AI love sites

If you type “romantic ai” in the Apple App Store application (iPhone and iPad apps tab) on your Mac, the list of available apps is very, very long.

But let's focus on the AI romance apps Mozilla studied.

Replica AI

Tips to protect your privacy, according to Mozilla

When talking to your AI-generated partner, do not reveal sensitive information.
Request that your data be deleted if you no longer use the app. Simply deleting an app from your device will generally not delete your personal information or terminate your account.
Do not agree to the application's continuous tracking of your geolocation. It is best to provide geolocation “only while using the app”.
Do not share sensitive information through the app.
Do not allow access to your photos and videos or your camera.
Do not log in using third party accounts.
Do not connect to a third-party service through the Application or at least ensure that the third-party service adopts appropriate privacy practices.
When talking to your AI-generated partner, do not reveal sensitive information.
Choose a complicated password. You can use a password manager like 1Password, KeePass, etc.
Do not use social media plugins.
Use your device's privacy settings to limit access to your personal information through the app (do not allow access to your camera, microphone, photos and location unless necessary).
Update your applications and systems regularly.
Limit ad tracking on your device (for example, on iPhone, use Privacy, Ads, and Limit Ad Tracking) and across major advertising networks (for Google, go to your Google Account and turn off ad tracking). Ad personalization).
When you register, you agree to opt-out of data tracking if possible.

Mainly in English

To use an app or AI relational agent, you must speak English. When browsing the App Store list, you need to type “amour ia” or similar terms to find it in our language.

But regardless of the language, privacy is the priority. Anything you say to the AI bot is stored and resold and can be sent to the authorities (god knows where) and used against you.

Caution.

Next Step ? Real robots made of flesh and metal!

Before you meet up with an AI virtual girlfriend, read this Read More »

Nintendo shares fall, Switch 2 release may be delayed

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

(Tokyo) Nintendo shares fell on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday after several media outlets reported in recent days that the Japanese company would not launch its next console until early 2025.

Posted at 7:33 am

Shares of the Japanese video game pioneer fell 5.83% to 8,356 yen at the close of trading, significantly underperforming the flagship Nikkei index, which ended stable. The stock lost as much as 8.8% early in the session.

So far there has been a lot of speculation about a release of this Switch 2 at the end of 2024, coinciding with the end-of-year holiday season, generally the most important for console and video game sales.

This prospect sent Nintendo shares to new highs last week.

“If the rumors are true, then 2024 is likely to be a pretty difficult year for Nintendo,” Serkan Toto, director of analytics firm Kantan Games, commented on Monday.

Nintendo “won't be able to release blockbusters (this year, editor's note) because it has to reserve them for its next console.” So it should limit itself to reissuing old titles, releasing smaller games or recruiting external studios “, or why not launch a new mobile game, according to this analyst interviewed by AFP.

Nintendo “generally generates up to 50% of its annual sales in the Christmas quarter,” Toto continued.

On the other hand, the launch of the Switch in 2017 began in March, and that didn't stop it from being a “huge success,” he put it into perspective.

For the time being, Nintendo is remaining completely silent about the successor to the Switch and the schedule for its release.

Nintendo shares fall, Switch 2 release may be delayed Read More »