Category: 4. Technology

What if you could have conventional large language model output with 10 times to 20 times less energy consumption?

And what if you could put a powerful LLM right on your phone?

It turns out there are new design concepts powering a new generation of AI platforms that will conserve energy and unlock all sorts of new and improved functionality, along with, importantly, capabilities for edge computing.

What is Edge Computing?

Edge computing occurs when the data processing and other workloads take place close to the point of origin, in other words, an endpoint, like a piece of data collection hardware, or a user’s personal device.

Another way to describe it is that edge computing starts to reverse us back away from the cloud era, where people realized that you could house data centrally. Yes, you can have these kinds of vendor services, to relieve clients of the need to handle on-premises systems, but then you have the costs of transfer, and, typically, less control. If you can simply run operations locally on a hardware device, that creates all kinds of efficiencies, including some related to energy consumption and fighting climate change.

Enter the rise of new Liquid Foundation Models, which innovate from a traditional transformer-based LLM design, to something else.

A September 2024 piece in VentureBeat by Carl Franzen covers some of the design that’s relevant here. I’ll include the usual disclaimer: I have been listed as a consultant with Liquid AI, and I know a lot of the people at the MIT CSAIL lab where this is being worked on. But don’t take my word for it; check out what Franzen has to say.

“The new LFM models already boast superior performance to other transformer-based ones of comparable size such as Meta’s Llama 3.1-8B and Microsoft’s Phi-3.5 3.8B,” he writes. “The models are engineered to be competitive not only on raw performance benchmarks but also in terms of operational efficiency, making them ideal for a variety of use cases, from enterprise-level applications specifically in the fields of financial services, biotechnology, and consumer electronics, to deployment on edge devices.”

More from a Project Leader

Then there’s this interview at IIA this April with Will Knight and Ramin Hasani, of Liquid AI.

Hasani talks about how the Liquid AI teams developed models using the brain of a worm: C elegans, to be exact.

He talked about the use of these post-transformer models on devices, cars, drones, and planes, and applications to predictive finance and predictive healthcare.

LFMs, he said, can do the job of a GPT, running locally on devices.

“They can hear, and they can talk,” he said.

More New Things

Since a recent project launch, Hasani said, Liquid AI has been having commercial discussions with big companies about how to apply this technology well to enterprise.

“People care about privacy, people care about secure applications of AI, and people care about low latency applications of AI,” he said. “These are the three places where enterprise does not get the value from the other kinds of AI companies that are out there.”

Talking about how an innovator should be a “scientist at heart,” Hasani went over some of the basic value propositions of having an LLM running offline.

Look, No Infrastructure

One of the main points that came out of this particular conversation around LFMs is that if they’re running off-line on a device, you don’t need the extended infrastructure of connected systems. You don’t need a data center or cloud services, or any of that.

In essence, these systems can be low-cost, high-performance, and that’s just one aspect of how people talk about applying a “Moore’s law” concept to AI. It means systems are getting cheaper, more versatile, and easier to manage – quickly.

So keep an eye out for this kind of development as we see smarter AI emerging.

Today is Independence Day in the United States, and many Americans will be gathering to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday with friends and family. If you are headed to a backyard BBQ, we have a fun iPhone party trick to share with you.

If you have a compatible iPhone model with a LiDAR Scanner (see the list below), you can measure a person’s height in Apple’s built-in Measure app. This way, you can see how much your nieces and nephews have grown since you last saw them, or find out if your favorite uncle is as tall as he claims he is. This might sound silly (it totally is!), but many people have no idea that iPhones offer this neat little feature.

Steps

1. Open the Measure app.
2. Make sure the person is visible on your iPhone’s screen from head to toe.
3. Wait a moment, and a line should appear at the top of the person’s head with their height measurement.
4. To take a photo of the measurement, tap the shutter button (white circle in the bottom-right corner).

You can save and share the photo of the person with their height measurement if you prefer.

Tips

• The app measures a person’s height from the ground to the top of their head or hair. However, if the person is wearing a hat, the height measurement will be from the ground to the top of the hat.
• You can also measure a person’s seated height.
• You can switch between imperial (feet and inches) and metric (centimeters) in the Settings app under Measure → Measure Units.

Compatible iPhones

The feature requires an iPhone model with a LiDAR Scanner:

• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro Max

The feature is not available on any other iPhone models.

Popular Stories

A rare and massive meteorite from Mars, known as NWA 16788, is poised to make headlines as it heads to auction with an estimated price of up to $4 million. Weighing 54 pounds (24.5 kilograms), it is the largest known piece of the Red Planet ever discovered on Earth, making it 70% larger than any previously found Martian meteorite. First unearthed in Niger’s remote Agadez region in November 2023, this extraordinary specimen is not only scientifically significant but also visually striking, with a glassy crust and deep red hues that reflect its Martian origin.

Martian Rock: A once-in-a-generation discovery

According to Sotheby’s, the auction house hosting the sale on July 16 in New York, NWA 16788 is among just 400 confirmed Martian meteorites ever found. Its immense size and exceptional condition set it apart from the usual small fragments that survive Earth’s atmosphere. Cassandra Hatton, Vice Chairman of Science and Natural History at Sotheby’s, described it as “a discovery of extraordinary significance… a tangible connection to the Red Planet.” The meteorite likely arrived on Earth after a powerful asteroid impact blasted it from Mars millions of years ago.

Scientific insights encased in glass

Analysis reveals that parts of NWA 16788 were turned to glass during its ejection from Mars and again during its fiery descent through Earth’s atmosphere. Planetary scientist Julia Cartwright of the University of Leicester called it a “fabulous rock,” noting that a reference sample is secured at China’s Purple Mountain Observatory, ensuring future scientific study. She emphasized the balance between private collecting and academic access: “Without the market, we wouldn’t have nearly as many samples to study.”

Public or private? Experts weigh in

While some scientists, like Professor Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, express concern that the rock might vanish into a private vault, others recognize the role collectors play. “It would be a shame if it disappeared from public view,” said Brusatte. Cartwright, however, remains optimistic, suggesting the new owner could still collaborate with researchers. The meteorite’s fate may remain unknown after the auction, but its legacy in planetary science is already secured.

The FiiO K15 isn’t just a DAC and headphone amplifier. The new unit also acts as a preamplifier and a streamer, with a host of flexible connections and streaming methods available.

Set for release on 1st August, this versatile model will cost $549 / £499 / €599 (Australian release and pricing information TBC).

Tecno is expanding its Pova series with two new options – the Pova 7 and Pova 7 Pro. Both offer 144Hz displays, Dimensity 7300 chipsets and 6000mAh batteries with 45W charging. They share identical designs, which are headlined by the Delta Light Interface – a triangular strip around the camera island comprised of 104 LED lights.

Delta Light Interface

It acts as a customizable notification status similar to what we’ve seen with past Nothing phone devices and interacts with incoming calls, music, charging, or gaming.

The vanilla Pova 7 opts for a 6.78-inch IPS LCD (FHD+ 144Hz) with 900 nits peak brightness. Pova 7 Pro gets a nicer 6.78-inch AMOLED (1220p+ 144Hz) with up to 4,500 nits peak local brightness, an optical fingerprint scanner and 2340Hz PWM dimming. Both panels get an integrated 13MP selfie cam and are protected by Gorilla Glass 7i.

Tecno outfitted both of its Pova 7 members with MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 Ultimate chipset, which is paired with 8GB RAM and 128/256GB storage.

Pova 7 Pro gets a 64MP main camera (IMX682) alongside an 8MP ultrawide lens while Pova 7 opts for a 50MP main cam alongside an unspecified auxiliary lens.

Both phones boot Tecno HiOS 15 based on Android 15 and feature DeepSeek integration as well as the Ella AI assistant. The pair also shares the same 6,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging, but the Pro model also adds 30W wireless charging.

Tecno Pova 7 comes in Geek Black, Magic Silver, and Oasis Green. It starts at INR 14,999 ($175) for the 8/128GB trim and goes up to INR 15,999 ($187).

Tecno Pova 7 (left) and Pova 7 Pro (right)

Tecno Pova 7 Pro comes in Geek Black, Dynamic Grey, and Neon Cyan colors. Pricing starts at INR 18,999 ($222) for the 8/128GB trim and tops out at INR 19,999 ($234) for the 8/256GB version.

Tecno Pova 7 and Pova 7 Pro will be available from July 10 via Flipkart.

Here we are celebrating Fourth of July weekend, nearing the peak of Summer, but the new school semester will be here before we all realize. Are you a student heading off to college at the end of August or perhaps the parent of one? Are you are they prepared will the right laptop to be able to handle all your classes and homework? Well, good news. This Lenovo laptop will fit the bill and right now it’s been reduced in price by a whopping 71%. The price it’s listed at is $2,799, but for a limited time, it’s been cut down for a staggering $2,000. That brings what you pay down to just $799.

This Lenovo laptop has a a screen that stretches across to  15.6 inches, displaying in a Full HD resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. The screen is anti-glare so you can get some work done in a brightly lit environment or even outside on occasion. The screen is a touchscreen so you can even choose to operate the laptop like you would a tablet if that’s what you prefer.

See at Amazon

Specs-wise this laptop from Lenovo is rocking a massive 40GB of RAM and an Intel Core 13th-generation i7 processor, reaching a speed of 4.9Hz. It will be able to handle bouncing back and forth between tons of open tabs in Google Chrome while also running some resource demanding applications simultaneously. As far as storage, it has a 1TB SDD which should be plenty for any student concerns.

Superior Connectivity

Concerning compatibility, the Lenovo laptop supports a wide range of accessories thanks to one USB 2.0 port, one USB 3.2, one USB-C 3.2, one DisplayPort, one, HDMI, an Ethernet port, and a headphone jack because the AUX shall never truly die. It even has a K-lock which is great for if you’re ever working in public spaces like the library or student lounge and need to get up for a moment, perhaps for a quick bio break, without needing to schlep all your stuff to the bathroom with you.

Work collaboratively through Zoom or other video conferencing apps with the built-in 720p webcam. It even includes a shutter to maintain privacy when not in use.

The laptop features a full keyboard including a number pad which can make work in spreadsheets or other number-driven documents so much easier.

For a limited time, you can pick up this 15.6-inch Lenovo laptop from Amazon for a significantly reduced price. Get it today for just $799—$2,000 and 71% cheaper than its listed price of $2,799.

See at Amazon

Windows 11 has finally overtaken the market share of its predecessor, with just three months remaining until Microsoft discontinues support for Windows 10.

As of today, July’s StatCounter figures show the market share of Windows 11 at 50.24 percent, with Windows 10 at 46.84 percent. It’s a far cry from a year ago, when Windows 10 stood at 66.04 percent and Windows 11 languished at 29.75 percent.

The impending end of support for many versions of Windows 10 on Oxctober 14, 2025, has doubtless focused minds.

Daniel Bowker, Cloud Endpoint Solutions Lead at Microsoft reseller Phoenix, told The Register that while the company had been very proactive with its customers and Windows 11 readiness, with three months to go, the conversations were more along the lines of “Look, we’re 1000s of devices. We’re 80 percent there. We have a handle on the 20 percent; we’re either going to pay for the ESU [Extended Security Updates] or we’re going to look at leveraging something else.”

That something else includes a jump to Windows 365, which brings with it free ESU access.

In June, Keiren Jessop, a research manager at industry watcher Canalys, told El Reg: “Enterprises often migrate in waves. Lots of fiscal years are starting in July or October, so I think we’ll see some big bumps then.”

Jessop’s prediction appears to be on the money, much to the doubtless relief within Redmond. The question now is by how much the market share of Windows 11 will surpass that of its predecessor in the next three months.

The sudden spike is likely to be driven by enterprises rather than consumer uptake. Canalys noted that despite stockpiling in the channel in response to a threatened hike in tariffs on imports, hardware sales were likely “to be constrained.”

Big-ticket items like AI PCs have hardly been selling like hotcakes, with precious little in the way of a killer app to justify their higher prices.

The belated rise in Windows 11’s market share is more likely to be down to administrators pressing the upgrade button or a long-planned enterprise replacement wave rather than a sudden surge of new purchases (much to the doubtless disappointment of hardware vendors now pinning their hopes to generative AI.)

Still, with three months to go until its self-imposed support deadline, Microsoft has finally turned a corner with Windows 11. Just in time for Windows 12? ®

The Call of Duty community is in meltdown after a massive leak revealed a controversial new feature inspired by Fortnite.

A datamine discovered in the Xbox Call of Duty app has hinted at the arrival of an Audio Visualizer. Which is a game-changing tool that shows visual cues for nearby sounds like footsteps and gunfire.

Call of Duty Copies Fortnite‘s Visual Audio?

Dataminers like Alaix and reporting from ComicBook spotted code suggesting that the feature will visually highlight in-game sounds. The visualizer will give players the ability to “see” enemies coming, not just hear them. Fortnite players have used a similar feature for years, but in the ultra-competitive world of Call of Duty, this could be a tectonic shift.

One insider posted on X, saying this isn’t a test. It’s “a real option that is coming.” The visualizer would display directional sound effects for enemy actions like walking or firing, turning crucial audio into on-screen data.

Audio Visualizer or Unfair Advantage?

This leak has split the community right down the middle. Supporters say it’s a win for accessibility, allowing hearing-impaired players to compete on equal footing. But many fear it will become mainstream and abused by the broader player base.

A top Reddit comment captured the outrage:
“Visual audio is an incredibly massive advantage. You simply can’t compete on the same level without using it.”

Players across social media are calling for restrictions. One X user said, “This should be for people who genuinely need it, not for sweaty players trying to get an edge.”

Could This Redefine CoD Gameplay Forever?

If implemented, the Audio Visualizer won’t just affect casual matches. It could upend competitive CoD as we know it. Tactics that rely on sound, i.e., stealth, flanking, and ambushes, might become obsolete. Developers may have to rebalance entire maps, perks, and audio dynamics.

Sources like Insider Gaming noted the tool would give “gameplay and audio cues a visual component to help players determine the sounds or actions occurring around them.” That kind of tech could reshape the entire FPS experience.

Or maybe some clever minds will find a way to bypass it all. We will have to wait and see.

So, What’s Next for the Audio Visualizer?

Activision hasn’t officially confirmed the leak yet, but if it’s accurate, the Audio Visualizer could spark some serious debate among Call of Duty fans. Will it create a fairer playing field or completely undermine the skill gap?

Players should brace themselves for one of the most intense updates in the franchise’s history. Whether you’re in favor of it or against it, one thing is certain. Call of Duty might never be the same again.

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