 |
|
|
|||||
Apple announces updates to its smartphone lineup every autumn, but the company often has a hard time keeping the details under wraps. Ahead of the official unveiling of the iPhone 17, we've already heard quite a few hints about what may be in store. Here's what we know and what we're expecting. When will the iPhone 17 series be announced? Most years, the flagship smartphones are introduced in September. It's a little early to have the specific dates; some years, Apple only gives a week or two of lead time between sending invites and hosting the event. But years of past precedent show that sometime in September should be when the 17 models make their debut. What will the new iPhone 17 lineup include? Design leaks suggest that Apple is building an ultra-thin smartphone, likely to be named the iPhone 17 Air to match Apple's ultralight laptop designation. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, often a solid source of advanced intel about Apple, reported in January that the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with a basic A19 chip and will only have a single camera lens. It may also use Apple's new in-house modem, which was introduced in February on the iPhone 16e. More details about this development may leak ahead of September, but that's what we know for now. Each new roster includes a base model, but over the years, Apple shakes up the variety of phones it offers. Most likely there will be an iPhone 17 and an iPhone 17 Pro. Apple has also committed to the size matters philosophy, and has been building an iPhone Pro Max option with an even bigger screen and better battery life; the 17 roster will almost certainly have one as well. The iPhone 17 Air seems primed to take the place of a potential iPhone 17 Plus. Since the iPhone 16e was only just introduced in February at a surprisingly high price point, it seems unlikely that there will be a new addition to that lower end of the spectrum, the models that were previously called SE. What will iOS 19 be like? Jon Prosser at Front Page Tech dropped a video in January that points to how a redesigned Camera app might point to more drastic changes to come for the operating system in the upcoming iPhone line. Earlier in March, Bloomberg also backed the assertion that an iOS overhaul is in the works. There hasn't been a notable overhaul of iOS for several generations, and it could be exciting to see Apple pushing the envelope on software again. And while we don't have any formal leaks about this, it seems all-but guaranteed that Apple is going to continue pushing its Apple Intelligence suite. We're still waiting on some promised updates to Siri that are meant to take advantage of AI tools, so ideally those will be fully finished and integrated by the time the 17 series arrives. The company typically shares more details about its upcoming plans for software during its Worldwide Developers Conference. WWDC 2025 will most likely be happening in early June, so expect to hear more about the operating system this summer. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/iphone-17-pro-max-and-air-everything-we-know-about-apples-new-phones-153024282.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
The Samsung Evo Select microSD card is on sale via Amazon. The 512GB model is down to just $33, which is a record-low price and one heck of a deal. This is the newest iteration of this card, with read/write speeds up to 160 MB/s. Its worth noting that only the 512GB version is on sale right now, and the other sizes range from $15 for 64GB to $80 for 1TB. We love this thing and it easily found a place on our list of the best SD cards. It offers a ten-year warranty, which is nice, and the price range is typically on the lower side. We called the sequential and random read speeds respectable in our benchmark tests. This isnt the absolute fastest SD card on the market, but its a near-perfect storage solution. To that end, the 512GB model can fit over 200,000 photos in 4K and over 300,000 images in smaller formats. As for video, it holds 80 hours of FHD footage and around 24 hours in 4K. This is also a durable card, with added protection against water damage, extreme temperatures and accidental falls. On the downside, we come back to the question of speed. The sequential write speeds fall just under 70MB/s, via benchmark tests on CrystalDiskMark. This means that we cant really recommend this card for use inside of a camera. For simple storage expansion, however, the price cant be beat. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-samsung-microsd-cards-drops-to-an-all-time-low-price-151637426.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Meta will start testing its Community Notes model, with which it's replacing human fact checkers, on Facebook, Instagram and Threads in the US on March 18. Notes won't appear publicly on posts right away. The company wants to make sure the writing and rating system is working as intended before the notes start showing up for everyone. Things will work in a similar way to Community Notes on X, Meta says, with the idea that users bring extra context to posts that could use more explanation, clarity or perhaps a correction. In fact, Meta will initially base its ratings system on Xs open-source algorithm. "This will allow us to build on what X has created and improve it for our own platforms over time," the company said in its announcement. Meta notes that it will adapt X's algorithm and Community Notes program for its own platforms. It may change the algorithm to modify how Community Notes are ranked and rated. "Were building this in the open while learning from contributors and seeing how it works in practice in our products," Meta wrote. "We dont expect this process to be perfect but well continue to improve as we learn." Around 200,000 people have signed up as potential Community Notes contributors so far across Facebook, Instagram and Threads. The system will consider the rating history of each contributor and take into account those who tend to disagree with each other. It won't necessarily matter how many contributors approve a note Meta will only include one on a post when "people who normally disagree decide that it provides helpful context." This, the company claims, is intended as a safeguard against bias. Meta Meta spun up its fact-checking program in 2016 with the idea that it would rely on expert third-party fact-checking teams to assess posts because it didn't want to be the arbiter of truth itself. The company contends that experts have their own perspectives and political biases, which impacted choices about what and how to fact check. Of course, Community Notes contributors will have their own biases but not necessarily the knowledge of subject matter experts. Still, Meta says that a consensus from people with a range of viewpoints will be enough for a Community Note to be published. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, said back in January that President Donald Trump's reelection was part of the reason the company changed its approach, claiming that it was "a cultural tipping point" for free speech. For many years, conservatives have accused social media platforms of censoring their voices. "Community Notes allow more people with more perspectives to add context to more types of content, and because publishing a note requires agreement between different people, we believe it will be less prone to bias," Meta claims. "This requirement is also a safeguard against organized campaigns attempting to game the system and influence what notes get published or what they say." Fact-checked posts were often downranked in Meta's algorithms but notes won't affect a post's visibility on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Notes will be limited to 500 characters and will require a link. They won't include author names, at least at first. It won't be possible to submit notes on ads at the outset, though contributors can write them for just about any other posts, including those from the company and its leaders, as well as other public figures. To begin with, Community Notes will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Portuguese. More languages will be added down the line. Meta intends to roll out Community Notes in the US once it's content that the program is more or less working as intended. When the notes start to show up publicly, the company will no longer show new fact-check labels from third-party fact checkers in the US. Meta plans to adopt this approach around the world, but in the meantime it will maintain its fact-checking program in other countries. However Meta talks up Community Notes, the system is unlikely to be a silver bullet for stemming the spread of falsehoods. Community Notes have not stopped the flow of misinformation on X, according to studies. Last month, X owner Elon Musk (now a "special government employee") said he was trying to "fix" Community Notes, claiming that they were "increasingly being gamed by governments and legacy media."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/facebook-instagram-and-threads-will-start-testing-community-notes-on-march-18-151144820.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||