Thursday
Nov162023

What you need to know about the Apple Vision Pro’s Eyesight feature and Persona Enrollment

M1 Astra / X

The Apple Vision Pro’s Eyesight feature lets you project your eyes on the front of the device, creating a more realistic and expressive VR experience. But this feature is not just for fun—at least, that's what we see from this video that surfaced on X detailing what else it can do. Eyesight supposedly also powers the Persona Enrollment feature, which allows you to customize and set up your virtual avatar via visionOS beta 6. 

The video posted by M1Astra on X shows how the front-facing cameras scan your face and capture your facial expressions to create a personalized VR persona. 

However, not everyone may want or need the Eyesight feature, which adds extra cost and complexity to the device. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is considering a cheaper version of the Vision Pro that would drop the external displays, cameras, and sensors, as well as use an iPhone chip instead of the MacBook chip. This would make the device more affordable and accessible, but also less immersive and interactive. 

If this version is in the works, we are left to wonder how Persona Enrollment would work on a headset like this. For now, what we are getting is the more premium US$3,500 (around CA$4,795) Vision Pro.

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Thursday
Nov162023

Separate applause from speech and more with Adobe’s Project Sound Lift

Project Sound Lift is a new audio tool from Adobe that can use AI to isolate different sounds in a single recording. For example, it can separate applause from speech or traffic from music. You can choose from various sound categories, and the tool will create separate files for each layer. You can then edit them individually in Adobe Premiere Pro. This tool is still in development and not yet available to the public.

This technology is similar to what was used to restore John Lennon’s voice from a cassette tape and release the first Beatles song in almost 30 years. Project Sound Lift is branded as one of Adobe's "Sneak" previews, so it might be a while before this tool gets released. And we're hoping that they decide to launch it.

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Wednesday
Nov152023

Apple’s iPhone 15 to adopt the new Qi2 wireless charging standard

Apple

The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) introduced the Qi2 charging standard earlier this year, based on Apple’s MagSafe technology. And the iPhone 15 line is one of the first smartphones to use this new wireless charging method. This is a surprising move from Apple, which usually takes its time to adopt new technologies (although it has supported Qi wireless charging before).

The WPC announced that new wireless iPhone 15 chargers will be available soon, just in time for the holiday season. Several companies, such as Belkin, Mophie, Anker and Aircharge, have already revealed their Qi2 products that will work with Apple’s latest devices. More than 100 devices are currently being tested and will be released soon. 

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Wednesday
Nov152023

Pokémon fans can now buy a US$29,000 Pikachu necklace from Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co.

The Pokémon Company and Tiffany & Co. have teamed up to release a series of Pokémon jewellery, with the most expensive piece costing US$29,000 (around CA$39,727). According to VGC, the collection consists of nine pieces ranging from US$1,290 (~CA$1,767) to $29,000. The priciest one is a Pikachu pendant made of 18-karat yellow gold with diamond accents. It comes in two sizes: standard and small.

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