Month: November 2024

What can we expect to see from the second season of Arcane that is about to arrive on Netflix?

The wait has been long, but the second season of Arcane, one of Netflix’s most acclaimed series, finally arrives on November 9. Based on the League of Legends universe, the first season of Arcane surprised everyone with its high-quality animation and its story full of plots that caught the general audience by surprise, reaching even more people than the fans of the original game. Now, three years after its first season on Netflix, we will finally be able to see the conclusion of this story, which, as announced, will end […]

It has been a long wait, but the second season of Arcane, one of Netflix’s most acclaimed series, finally arrives on November 9. Based on the universe of League of Legends, the first season of Arcane surprised everyone with its high-quality animation and its story full of plots that caught the general audience by surprise, reaching even more people than the fans of the original game.

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Now, three years after its first season on Netflix, we will finally be able to see the conclusion of this story, which, as announced, will continue to explore the dynamics between Piltover and Zaun, as well as the broken relationships between its protagonists. But what exactly do we expect to see in this new season?

The universe of League of Legends expands

The plot of this season will continue from the shocking finale of the first, in which Jinx, after Silco’s death, decides to attack the Piltover council. This act not only reflects the transformation of her character but also is the spark that could ignite a total war between the two cities. This conflict promises to escalate, pitting characters like Jayce and Vi, who are still fiercely fighting for their ideals.

According to Kevin Alejandro, the voice actor for Jayne, plot twists are the key elements in this season, making it clear that nothing is set in stone yet. This second season will mark the end of the series, as the creators have mentioned they will focus on other stories within the League of Legends universe. However, it is expected to be intense enough for all its storylines to be completely resolved.

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The Pokémon card game now generates more money than Pokémon Go

The new Pokémon TCG Pocket has been a complete success, as shown by its numbers. According to Mobilegamer.biz, the game is estimated to have earned three million dollars daily during its first weekend. Thus, the game would have generated a total of 12.1 million dollars in its first four days. These impressive figures have completely surpassed Pokémon Go, which currently earns one million dollars daily. The official TCG account on X has also showcased the game’s success. In a post, they claim that TCG Pocket has been downloaded more […]

The new Pokémon TCG Pocket has been a complete success, as reflected in its numbers. According to Mobilegamer.biz, the game is estimated to have earned three million dollars daily during its first weekend.

Pokémon TCG Pocket DOWNLOAD

Thus, the game would have generated a total of 12.1 million dollars in its first four days. These impressive figures have completely surpassed Pokémon Go, which currently earns one million dollars daily.

The official TCG account on X has also showcased the game’s success. In a post, they claim that TCG Pocket has been downloaded more than 10 million times since its debut.

Android 16 will arrive much sooner than you think

This year, the Android world is somewhat agitated. The launch of Android 15 continues to face many problems and delays (brands like Samsung won’t adopt it until 2025). Amid this transition, Google has decided it was a good time to announce the development plan for Android 16. From the developers’ blog, Google states that from now on, Android will have more frequent releases. The first example of this will be Android 16, which would land in the second quarter of 2025. This change in strategy would serve to accelerate innovation in applications and devices, according to Google. Let’s remember that […]

This year, the Android world is somewhat agitated. The release of Android 15 continues to face many problems and delays (brands like Samsung will not adopt it until 2025). Amidst this transition, Google has decided it was a good time to announce the development plan for Android 16.

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From the developer blog, Google states that from now on, Android will have more frequent releases. The first example of this will be Android 16, which would land in the second quarter of 2025. This change in strategy would serve to accelerate innovation in applications and devices, according to Google.

Let’s remember that the official release of Android 15 took place in September 2024, so there would be not even a year of separation with its next version. With this advancement, Android 16 would arrive alongside the upcoming Google Pixel, which will also be released in the second quarter of 2025.

android google pixel 9
android google pixel 9

Intel abandons its position after more than 20 years and Nvidia seizes the opportunity to take over

As we were saying, Intel has been removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average after 25 years of being part of it, in the latest of a series of setbacks for the chip manufacturer that was recently speculated to be acquired by Qualcomm. Nvidia will take Intel’s place and join the list just a few weeks after reaching a market capitalization of 3 trillion dollars for the second time in 2024, currently ranking behind Apple as the second most valuable company in the world. Intel’s shares have lost 51% in 2024 up to the […]

As we mentioned, Intel has been removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average index after 25 years of presence, in the latest of a series of setbacks for the chip manufacturer that until recently was speculated to be acquired by Qualcomm.

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Nvidia will take Intel’s place and join the list just a few weeks after reaching a market capitalization of 3 trillion dollars for the second time in 2024, currently ranking behind Apple as the second most valuable company in the world.

Intel’s shares have lost 51% in 2024 to date, making them the worst-performing in the entire Dow Jones index. Its market capitalization is slightly below 99 billion dollars.

What does leaving the index mean for Intel?

S&P Dow Jones Indices has confirmed that Nvidia, along with the paint manufacturing company Sherwin-Williams, will be added to the index. Sherwin-Williams will replace Down Inc.

Intel’s exit from the index and Nvidia’s inclusion highlight the company’s growing market dominance, driven by a significant increase in interest in artificial intelligence chips.

The price of Nvidia’s shares has gone from about 14 dollars in November 2022 to 135.37 dollars currently.

Intel, which was once one of the main players in the chip market, lost many of the early AI opportunities, which gave Nvidia room to dominate a section of the market that supplies the hyperscalers powering many of the AI servers we rely on.

In August 2024, Intel laid off 15,000 workers, 15% of its workforce, due to high costs and low margins, and its CEO, Pat Gelsinger, aimed to save 10 billion dollars by 2025. All these efforts have not been enough to keep the company competitive in the market, and it seems to be on a downward slope.

Recovering games from the first iPods is possible

In addition to listening to music and watching video clips, iPods with a click wheel also offered another form of entertainment: video games. Those who had one in the past are more than likely to remember some like Pac-Man, Tetris, or even Sonic the Hedgehog. If you’re feeling nostalgic, you’ll probably be glad to know that you can play them again thanks to the community. Currently, many of these games were on the verge of being unrecoverable as they could no longer be purchased or downloaded again. Fortunately, the user community is determined to preserve the game catalog for classic iPods […]

In addition to listening to music and watching video clips, iPods with a touch wheel also offered another form of entertainment: video games. Those who had one in the past are more than likely to remember some like Pac-Man, Tetris, or even Sonic the Hedgehog. If you’re feeling nostalgic, you’ll probably be happy to know that you can play them again thanks to the community.

iTunes 64-bit DOWNLOAD

Many of these games were on the verge of becoming irrecoverable, as they could no longer be purchased or downloaded again. Fortunately, the user community is determined to preserve the game catalog for classic iPods so that we can enjoy them again at any time.

In 2011, Apple completely removed the games from the iTunes Store. However, these games, which are IPG files, were recovered and backed up, thanks to the Internet. Still, the games themselves still cannot be “used” due to the strict protections of Apple implemented at the time. It should be noted that each IPG file was linked to a specific iTunes account and the hardware where iTunes was installed.

Fortunately, a solution was discovered to overcome these limitations. It was found that owners of an iPod with a click wheel who had copies of these games could reauthorize their account through Apple’s servers and sync it with another iTunes installation. This “trick” has sparked the iPod Clickwheel Games Preservation Project, supported by Reddit user Olsro.

With this initiative, Olsro aimed to “build a community virtual machine that anyone could use to sync authenticated clickwheel games on their iPod.” If you want to know more about the project and how to access these games, here we provide access to the virtual machine that will allow you to play the classic iPod titles without having to rack your brain too much.

Source: ArsTechnica

Llama, Meta's AI, is not as "open" as it claims to be

Meta insists that Llama, its artificial intelligence system, is open source. However, the definition published by the OSI (Open Source Initiative) does not align with what the company claims. The OSI has published on its website the characteristics that an artificial intelligence model must have to be considered open source. Among them, the system must be usable for any type of purpose without needing to ask for permission, for example. It must also be transparent and provide access to the data with which the model has been trained, in addition to […]

Meta insists that Llama, its artificial intelligence system, is open source. However, the definition published by the OSI (Open Source Initiative) does not align with what the company claims.

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The OSI has published on its website the characteristics that an artificial intelligence model must have to be considered open source. Among them, the system must be usable for any type of purpose without needing to ask for permission, for example.

It must also be transparent and offer access to the data with which the model has been trained, in addition to making public the entire code used and the training weights. This definition by the OSI contrasts with how Meta promotes Llama, which has restrictions on its commercial use. We also cannot access the databases used for its creation.

Prior to this definition, the OSI already published a post in 2023 where it firmly stated that Llama 2 was not open source. There, they wrote that “Meta confuses ‘open source’ with ‘resources available to some users on certain occasions’.” In that same post, the OSI encouraged Meta to “correct their mistake.”

Now, a spokesperson for Meta, Faith Eischen, stated to The Verge that they maintain their disagreements with the OSI’s definition. According to Eischen, “there is no single definition of open-source AI, and defining it is a challenge because previous definitions do not come close to understanding the complexities of current AI models, which are rapidly advancing.”

Stefano Maffulli, executive director of the OSI, states that it took two years to adjust the definition and that it was done through a collaborative process with numerous experts in machine learning, philosophers, Creative Commons content creators, and much more.

Steve Wozniak talks about Apple Intelligence and Siri in a new interview: "it works well"

In a new interview, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak shared his opinion on Apple’s artificial intelligence offerings, highlighting that his initial interactions with Siri “worked well.” The opinion is perhaps somewhat general, as the engineer explained that he still needs more time to make a definitive judgment on the development of AI at Apple, as he has not yet had enough experience with the system. However, it is always interesting to hear the thoughts of someone who is a significant figure in the Apple world. “I avoid using large language models,” Wozniak describes himself as a regular user […]

In a new interview, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak shared his opinion on Apple’s artificial intelligence offerings, highlighting that his initial interactions with Siri “worked well.” The opinion is perhaps somewhat general, as the engineer explained that he still needs more time to make a definitive judgment on the development of AI at Apple, as he has not yet had enough experience with the system, but it is always interesting to hear the thoughts of someone who is a true reference in the Apple world.

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“I avoid using large language models”

Wozniak defines himself more as a user than as an investor, which allows him a different approach to the emerging technologies of the Cupertino company.

For Wozniak, artificial intelligence is primarily an advanced search engine. This is one of the reasons why giants like Google and OpenAI are investing great efforts in creating AI-based search engines.

Despite the rapid advances in this field, Wozniak believes that it is still early to assess the full impact of artificial intelligence in its current form. A skepticism that, in fact, is shared by other prominent figures in the technology world.

Just this past week, for example, Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux kernel, stated that much of the hype about generative artificial intelligence is nothing more than noise without real substance. In this vein, Wozniak claims that, whenever possible, he avoids using large language models because he prefers the reliability of information. A reference to the biggest challenge that AIs face.

Meanwhile, Apple Intelligence focuses on tasks where the possibility of error is extremely low. An approach that makes Apple Intelligence better than other AIs precisely in what makes it unique. This approach could change Wozniak’s opinion in a few months.

One of the best dark fantasy films in history, directed by Guillermo del Toro, arrives on Prime Video

November has arrived on streaming platforms with a huge amount of new additions to their catalog, and among all of them, the premieres on Amazon Prime Video stand out. With the new month, movies like Die Hard, Dune, Gladiator, or Men have been added. But among all of them, a dark fantasy gem stands out that reached the top during the 2000s and managed to elevate a director who has continued to rise as one of the best genre filmmakers in history. Pan’s Labyrinth, directed by the visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, ends […]

November has arrived on streaming platforms with a huge amount of new content in its catalog, and among all of them, the premieres on Amazon Prime Video stand out. With the new month, movies like Die Hard, Dune, Gladiator, or Men have been added. But among all, a dark fantasy gem stands out that reached its peak during the 2000s and managed to elevate a director who has continued to rise as one of the best genre filmmakers in history.

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The Labyrinth of the Faun, directed by visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, has just landed on Prime Video to the delight of all fans of horror and fantasy. Released in 2006, the Spanish film is one of the great new classics that fans return to time and again. But what makes it so special and why is it worth revisiting on Prime Video?

A faun comes to see me

Set in Francoist Spain in 1944, Pan’s Labyrinth follows Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a 10-year-old girl who moves to the countryside with her mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil), who is pregnant and married to a ruthless army captain. Soon, Ofelia creates her own secret and dangerous world, full of mythical creatures and trials she must face to escape her dark reality.

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Guided by an enigmatic faun, Ofelia must complete a series of challenges that will lead her to discover if she truly is the princess of an underground world. However, Ofelia’s innocence and fantasy clash head-on with the brutality of the real world, in a war where the cruelty and oppression of adults reach chilling levels.

Undoubtedly, Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the most impressive works of recent cinema. At the time, it featured a Guillermo del Toro in a state of grace who put everything on the line in this gothic tale before moving forward with his filmography that continued with works like The Shape of Water.

Will Aperture return to Mac? What could happen now that Apple buys Pixelmator

The recent acquisition of Pixelmator by Apple has sparked great interest. With this acquisition, Apple takes over one of the most popular editing tools in its ecosystem. One that has already demonstrated its capability in the world of image and photo editing. The question many are now asking is: Could Apple be preparing the return of Aperture, its former professional editing application? Pixelmator, a company based in Vilnius, Lithuania, has developed applications over its 17-year history that have competed head-to-head with much […]

The recent acquisition of Pixelmator by Apple has sparked great interest. With this acquisition, Apple acquires one of the most popular editing tools in its ecosystem. One that has already proven its capability in the world of image and photo editing. The question many are now asking is: Could Apple be preparing the return of Aperture, its former professional editing application?

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Pixelmator, a company based in Vilnius, Lithuania, has developed applications over its 17-year history that have competed head-to-head with much more expensive alternatives. Pixelmator Pro and Photomator stand out for offering powerful image editing, artificial intelligence and machine learning features, and very deep integration with Apple devices. From background removal tools to super-resolution features, Pixelmator’s apps have caught attention, and with that, Apple’s decision to acquire Pixelmator opens up new possibilities for the evolution of its products and services aimed at photo editing.

Aperture, Apple’s professional approach to photography

Aperture, developed by Apple, was an application for photo management and editing aimed at professional photographers and advanced amateurs. Launched in 2005, Aperture offered us a variety of tools that competed with products like Adobe Lightroom, from organizing and classifying photos to editing in RAW.

In 2014, Apple decided to discontinue the development of Aperture, which left a gap in its ecosystem for those of us who needed a well-integrated professional solution. Apple chose to focus on the Photos app, which, although more than functional, powerful, and easy to use, is more oriented towards occasional use.

Over time, we have become accustomed to using third-party options for editing. Among these options, Pixelmator has been one of the most prominent, providing an extremely well-designed interface, a language and approach very similar to Apple’s, and truly powerful tools. Now, with the purchase of Pixelmator, the door opens for Apple to bring back Aperture.

Could Apple bring back Aperture?

Apple has shown in the past that its acquisitions are not merely a technology absorption, but an opportunity to enhance its ecosystem. We find examples in the acquisition of Dark Sky in 2020, which allowed the integration of better weather data into the Weather app, or Workflow in 2017, which resulted in the creation of Shortcuts, now central to the use of our devices and for the future use of Apple Intelligence and Siri. Following this pattern, the purchase of Pixelmator should not just result in the app being free and the responsibility for its evolution becoming Apple’s.

Initially yes, of course, the same statement from Pixelmator states that “for now there will be no material changes” in the apps, but that “we should stay alert to what is coming.”

The question here is, will we see a dedicated app or will Pixelmator integrate into the Photos app? It’s too early to draw conclusions, but the depth of the tools offered by Pixelmator calls for a dedicated tool. Apple could eventually integrate some of Pixelmator’s tools into its native applications, but it doesn’t seem like all of them.

Although it must be acknowledged that it seems unlikely that Apple will reclaim the name “Aperture” for its new professional photo editing software, what does seem clear is that we will go beyond Photos. Just as there is iMovie and then Final Cut, the result of this purchase would have to follow a similar path.

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We are in the realm of speculation, no doubt, but with some backing from past experiences. In any case, the acquisition of Pixelmator represents a great opportunity for Apple to once again offer photographers and professionals their own tool. Whether through an update to Photos, a new version of Aperture, or a completely new application, this purchase is set to mark a significant advancement for those of us who use Apple devices.

iOS 18.2 with Genmoji and Image Playground could arrive earlier than expected

If the iOS 18.1 update has already brought Apple Intelligence to our devices, the arrival of iOS 18.2 will take the next big step with the introduction of Apple’s artificial intelligence image tools. Apple had already announced that this new version would arrive sometime in December, but the information published by Mark Gurman highlights the importance of this release. One that could arrive a bit earlier than expected. An update we can no longer wait for Apple has a release schedule for updates that follows a fairly consistent pattern year after […]

If the update of iOS 18.1 has already brought Apple Intelligence to our devices, the arrival of iOS 18.2 will take the next big step with the introduction of Apple’s artificial intelligence image tools. Apple had already announced that this new version would arrive sometime in December, but the information published by Mark Gurman shows the importance of this release. One that could arrive a bit earlier than expected.

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An update we can no longer wait for

Apple has a release schedule for updates that follows a fairly consistent pattern year after year. Everything begins with the release of the official iOS version of the year, which usually coincides with the presentation of the new iPhone models in September. This first release establishes the foundation of the new features that Apple has designed for its latest generation of devices and brings the bulk of the innovations.

Subsequently, the .1 version arrives, which is generally released in October, fixing some initial bugs and refining the experience with some minor improvements. For the holiday season, Apple usually releases an X.2 update in December, which traditionally appears in the second or even third week of the month and brings several new features.

This year, however, Apple seems to be accelerating the release schedule, as the anticipated iOS 18.2 could arrive during the first week of December, according to Mark Gurman’s predictions in his weekly newsletter Power On. The decision to bring forward the release undoubtedly responds to the significance of the new features it will include, such as Genmoji and Image Playground, designed to offer us artificial intelligence tools related to images.

If that wasn’t enough, we also find the integration of ChatGPT in Siri which substantially improves the assistant’s response capability. With iOS 18.2, the arrival of English support for several countries has also been confirmed. This includes users from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

In addition to updates related to Apple Intelligence, iOS 18.2 includes new features. One of them is the Default Apps section in Settings, which allows us to manage our applications in a more centralized way. An option to report inappropriate content in iMessage has also been added for Australia.
Regarding entertainment, Apple News+ subscribers in the United States will be able to enjoy daily Sudokus.

These, which could be the only new features of a version that might be expected until the end of December, combined with Apple Intelligence, require a somewhat earlier release. Thus, iOS 18.2 should arrive sooner than it would be expected under other circumstances. A release that will be the second major step in bringing artificial intelligence to our devices and will already focus on the next stage.

The one that will arrive with iOS 18.4 in April and that will bring Apple Intelligence to Europe, will extend languages beyond English and will allow Siri to have personal context and awareness of what is on the screen when making our request. Meanwhile, sooner rather than later, we will have updates to install on our iPhone and iPad.