2024-03-14
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173284245 story [](//news.slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=ai)[](//news.slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=media) Posted by [BeauHD](https://twitter.com/BeauHD) on Thursday March 14, 2024 @06:00AM from the tough-crowd dept. At this year's SXSW festival, discussions on artificial intelligence's future [sparked controversy during screenings of premiers like "The Fall Guy" and "Immaculate](https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/sxsw-audiences-boo-videos-artificial-intelligence-ai-1235940454/)." Variety reports: _The quick-turnaround video editors at SXSW cut a daily sizzle reel highlighting previous panels, premieres and other events, which then runs before festival screenings. On Tuesday, the fourth edition of that daily video focused on the wide variety of keynotes and panelists in town to discuss AI. Those folks sure seem bullish on artificial intelligence, and the audiences at the Paramount -- many of whom are likely writers and actors who just spent much of 2023 on the picket line trying to reign in the potentially destructive power of AI -- decided to boo the video. Loudly. And frequently. Those boos grew the loudest toward the end of the sizzle, when OpenAI's VP of consumer product and head of ChatGPT Peter Deng declares on camera, "I actually think that AI fundamentally makes us more human." That is not a popular opinion. Deng participated in the session "AI and Humanity's Co-evolution with Open AI's Head of Chat GPT" on Monday, moderated by Signal Fire's consumer VC and former TechCrunch editor Josh Constine. Constine is at the start of the video with another soundbite that drew jeers: "SXSW has always been the digital culture makers, and I think if you look out into this room, you can see that AI is a culture." \[...\] The groans also grew loud for Magic Leap's founder Rony Abovitz, who gave this advice during the "Storyworlds, Hour Blue & Amplifying Humanity Ethically with AI" panel: "Be one of those people who leverages AI, don't be run over by it." _You can hear some of the reactions from festival attendees [here](https://twitter.com/SiddhantAdlakha/status/1767694738675917023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1767694738675917023%7Ctwgr%5E344ab8bdd55d0e62bb7ecf69426ebdebc52fd608%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2024%2Ftv%2Fnews%2Fsxsw-audiences-boo-videos-artificial-intelligence-ai-1235940454%2F), [here](https://twitter.com/Brian_Tallerico/status/1767673695919895001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1767673695919895001%7Ctwgr%5E344ab8bdd55d0e62bb7ecf69426ebdebc52fd608%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2024%2Ftv%2Fnews%2Fsxsw-audiences-boo-videos-artificial-intelligence-ai-1235940454%2F), and [here](https://twitter.com/IndieFocus/status/1767793676732780796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1767793676732780796%7Ctwgr%5E344ab8bdd55d0e62bb7ecf69426ebdebc52fd608%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2024%2Ftv%2Fnews%2Fsxsw-audiences-boo-videos-artificial-intelligence-ai-1235940454%2F).
2024-03-20
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The 2024 Nissan Z sports coupe is a very sexy car. I know because I recently spent some quality time with one—admiring it from a variety of angles, inspecting its fit and finish, and sitting in the driver’s seat. I didn’t actually drive it, but I had a good excuse: This wasn’t a real car. It was the next big thing, though—an uncannily realistic virtual vehicle, made possible by Apple’s Vision Pro headset and some new software from Nvidia. Before I tell you more, a few _Fast Company_ tech stories you may not have read yet: Here at _Fast Company_, our single biggest editorial project is our annual ranking of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. For [this year’s edition](https://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/list), we gave the top spot to Nvidia, the chipmaker that’s as responsible as anyone for fueling the current AI boom. For our package, I spent time with its cofounder and CEO, Jensen Huang, who explained how a company that got its start in 3D graphics more than three decades ago has expanded its ambitions to such powerful effect. [You can read that story here.](https://www.fastcompany.com/91033514/nvidia-most-innovative-companies-2024) Calling Nvidia a chipmaker, as I just did, might be accurate, but it’s also incomplete. The company’s success is about the whole stack it’s built: chips, supercomputers based on them, and software that harnesses their power in an array of fields, including entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing, and much more. On the software side, these offerings include [Omniverse](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/omniverse/), a cloud platform for creating [digital twins](https://www.fastcompany.com/90975706/what-is-a-digital-twin-bmw-amazon-microsoft) of anything in the real world, which can benefit from being simulated, from a retail store to a factory floor to . . . well, a sports car. On Monday, during Huang’s [two-hour keynote at Nvidia’s GTC conference](https://www.fastcompany.com/91063246/nvidia-gtc-2024-what-to-expect-ai-tech-conference), he announced that Omniverse customers were getting the ability to bring these simulations to the Vision Pro. Onstage, this tidbit flashed by in a torrent of other news. But a few days earlier, I visited Nvidia headquarters to get an extended demo for myself. Even as someone who’s spent a fair amount of time [trying out Vision Pro apps](https://www.fastcompany.com/91021619/disney-apple-vision-pro-app), I was dazzled—and found myself taking Apple’s headset seriously as an enterprise-y tool for the first time. My demo took place in a Nvidia conference room that was spacious enough to hold me, several Nvidia staffers, and the digital Nissan Z without feeling overcrowded. Historically, promotional imagery associated with AR and VR has often [overhyped the the state of the technology](https://www.fastcompany.com/3045820/microsoft-hololens-and-the-danger-of-mismanaged-expectations). In this case, the opposite was true: the stock image Nvidia released of the Vision Pro app in use, which shows the car constrained inside a virtual frame, doesn’t remotely convey the remarkable experience I got by strapping on the headset. I knew the vehicle was being generated on tiny screens in front of my eyes, but the effect of it being parked in front of me was so overwhelming that I carefully stepped around it rather than walking right through it, as I could have done. The car’s paint job glistened. The carpeting inside the trunk was fuzzy. The level of detail was so obsessive that the fine print embossed on the tires was legible, along with a tiny depiction of the Michelin Man. As you might expect of a virtual automobile, this one was configurable, with a neat little floating control panel that let me choose color options and the like with the Vision Pro’s gaze-and-tap gestures. I also shrunk the car down to an adorable toylike scale, then blew it up until I could duck my head behind the wheels and see what was under the hood without opening it. Have I conveyed yet how magical this all felt? Apple certainly deserves its fair share of the credit, but so does Nvidia. Rather than ray-tracing 3D imagery on the Vision Pro itself, the app is a viewer for the cloud-based version of Omniverse. There were only occasional hints that the rendering was being done on some remote supercomputer: For instance, when I swiveled the car to a different position, it sometimes went slightly transparent as Omniverse recalculated my view. A piece of content-creation software called COATCreate, from a company called [Katana](https://www.katanaus.com/), was also involved in the Z’s digitization. In another Omniverse/Vision Pro experience I got to try at Nvidia, a section of the Taiwan electronics plant where the company’s DGX computing boxes are assembled got recreated in the conference room. Not at full scale—which wouldn’t have fit—but downsized to appropriate dimensions. Watching boxes roll off the assembly line wasn’t quite as entrancing as fooling around with a supercar, but it might have been an even better demo of the Vision Pro’s usefulness as a business tool. And the headset’s $3,500 price tag wouldn’t faze anyone responsible for managing a factory; in fact, it would sound remarkably cost-effective. Now, the notion that an AR headset might find its place in the business world is not an epiphany on my part. That’s where [Magic Leap](https://www.fastcompany.com/90693470/magic-leap-2-peggy-johnson) and Microsoft’s [HoloLens](https://www.fastcompany.com/3045820/microsoft-hololens-and-the-danger-of-mismanaged-expectations) found their niche years ago, after a brief period when they seemed like they could evolve into consumer electronics devices. But the Vision Pro already outdoes those headsets in display quality, ease of use, and technical polish. And products such as Omniverse, which debuted in 2020, should further lower the barrier to adoption among business customers. As an Apple business, the Vision Pro won’t succeed unless millions of consumers eventually buy one—or, more likely, a lower-cost descendant. Fully pivoting to the enterprise market à la Magic Leap would amount to failure. But Tim Cook has already [spoken enthusiastically of the headset’s business applications](https://amplify.nabshow.com/articles/connect-apple-vision-pro-business/). And when you think of it, virtually every Apple product is already widely used in enterprises, ranging from all those iPhones used by worker bees to stuff like Alaska Airlines’ [iPad-powered check-in stations](https://www.fastcompany.com/90733072/alaska-airlines-ipad-check-in). At the moment, seeing how Vision Pro could quickly become popular in a business context is easier than sussing out its future as a consumer gadget. After getting a taste of that potential, I sure look forward to seeing where companies such as Nvidia take it. _You’ve been reading Plugged In,_ Fast Company_’s weekly tech newsletter from me, global technology editor Harry McCracken. If a friend or colleague forwarded this edition to you—or you’re reading it on FastCompany.com—you can [check out previous issues and sign up to get it yourself](https://www.fastcompany.com/section/plugged-in) every Wednesday morning._ _I love hearing from you: Ping me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) with your feedback and ideas for future newsletters._
2024-05-11
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 💬 💻 WPS 回应套娃式消费:会员使用 AI 功能福利期已到 🔖 TikTok 将自动标记其他平台上传 AI 生成内容 🏦 极氪登陆纽约证券交易所,创中国造车新势力最快上市纪录 🏎️ 🧠 智谱 AI 亮相 2024 ICLR,分享面向 AGI 的三大技术趋势 📱 摩托罗拉宣布 moto X50 Ultra AI 手机 5 月 16 日发布 🦁   据腾讯新闻独家报道,5 月 9 日下午,百度创始人李彦宏和人力资源负责人崔珊珊召开小范围员工沟通会,对日前引起热议的公关负责人璩静事件进行了点评 ... 会上,李彦宏表彰了百度优秀员工,并称「你们才代表百度,你们才代表最真实的百度,你们才是百度最真实的代表」,据悉李彦宏的情绪比较激动
2024-05-30
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Sightful’s augmented reality computer now has a pimped design and better specs—and it’s finally available for preorder.  Photograph: Julian Chokkattu As I was flying to [cover Google I/O](https://www.wired.com/story/everything-google-announced-at-io-2024/) early in May, I vowed to do some work on the plane. I pulled out my [MacBook](https://www.wired.com/story/which-macbook-should-you-buy/) while in my economy window-seat. As a 6'4" guy, things were already cramped for my legs; I couldn’t put the 16-inch machine on the tray table, so it sat on my lap. I had no room to push the screen out properly, and when the person in front of me inevitably reclined, my laptop now was at a 45-degree angle and I was typing a word per minute while struggling to see the screen. I gave up and watched _American Fiction_ instead. Had I used [Sightful’s Spacetop G1](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/PyEg6iPaqW4srJ8oC1Z2NcVZPWzXn8zbyD5sQNUYDCh7LboNz96sK94vgRe9n1ojsR15j9PntBpUixhNguRQR6imd7DPw331pJvdJJjLfKf7KA4R5bG2Ta7t), none of this would have been a problem. This is an augmented reality laptop, and by that I mean it’s a pair of customized [AR glasses from XREAL](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/GVccPgccYSyvA96TEbr7guCZfNMGWypBdwyd4ep3FKGz5dqbSNmm4QHzaWzi6hv5RB5a4qmQoKnVTc2vC6vwaVkj7uKKmFSpoUVUBs4ddAM5NiyDk7zz) connected to what looks like the bottom section of a laptop with a keyboard and trackpad. There’s no physical display—just a 100-inch virtual screen you can see through the glasses, floating over the real world. If this sounds familiar, that might be because the company came out of stealth mode [almost exactly a year ago](https://www.wired.com/story/sightful-spacetop-augmented-reality-laptop-hands-on-news/) and launched the Spacetop as an early-access product. Those interested could apply for a unit and beta test the machine as the Israeli startup tweaked and improved the hardware and software. Now, a year later, it can be preordered today for $1,900. The Spacetop G1 has a more polished design, new software features, and will ship in October. I got a chance to try out the revamped version at a demo in New York City. > If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. [Learn more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/). Face Computer ------------- I encourage you to read [Brenda Stolyar’s initial experience](https://www.wired.com/story/sightful-spacetop-augmented-reality-laptop-hands-on-news/) with the early access version of the Spacetop from last year. The concept is still very much the same, but there are several quality-of-life upgrades to the hardware and software of this AR laptop. First off, it’s much slimmer than the original. Tamir Berliner, cofounder and CEO of Sightful, tells me that the first version couldn’t fit in _every_ backpack, but the G1 shouldn’t have issues because the keyboard chassis is thinner. I’m still skeptical because of the … big bump on the machine, which is where the glasses are stored. It looks like an abscess ready to pop. Sorry. Berliner encouraged me to try storing it in my bag, but I was carrying a [messenger bag](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-messenger-bags/) (it fit fine). However, as someone who covers big conventions with a tightly packed backpack, I’d be amazed if the G1 manages to fit into the laptop sleeve of my [camera bag](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-camera-bags-backpacks-straps-inserts/) as easily as my “normal” laptop. Battle of the bulge: the Spacetop G1 stores its AR glasses under the lid. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu The next most obvious change is _how_ you store the glasses. In the original model, which I also got a chance to revisit before my demo with the G1, I instinctively went to fold the glasses and store them in the cradle in front of the keyboard. Berliner noticed this and said that’s how it should have been designed in the first place. Instead, the original forced you to keep the glasses unfolded and bring the cover over as it sits in the cradle. It was awkward. That’s no longer the case on the G1. Now, you can fold the glasses, stow them in the dedicated cave baked into the lid, and bring the lid down. Much more intuitive. There’s no neat way to store the cable, but the company insists it’s intended to sit messily above the keyboard—there’s a curve in the lid to accommodate the cable, ensuring it’s not pressing any keys when the Spacetop is closed. The glasses are a newer version [from XREAL](https://www.wired.com/review/xreal-air-2-pro/), but these are still customized for the Spacetop’s needs. Namely, the cameras that shoot out into the real world for augmented-reality sensing are specifically pointed slightly downward to detect the Spacetop. This helps with a handful of new software features (see below). More importantly, moving from the early access model to the G1, I immediately noticed the improved comfort, lighter weight, and overall better wearability of the newer model. You’ll be able to get a prescription insert so you can take your glasses off and don the G1 without worry. Boot up SpaceOS and the 100-inch virtual screen, and everything immediately feels smoother. The dual OLED displays (1,920 X 1,080-pixel resolution per eye, with a 50-degree field of view) now support a 90-Hz screen refresh rate, which helps make the content appear more fluid as you move around the operating system. Things look pretty sharp, too, though bring text super close and it’ll look a bit fuzzy. It also helps to have an upgraded processor. The Spacetop G1 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon QCS8550, a sizeable jump from the Snapdragon 865 in the original (Sightful claims a 70 percent boost in performance). There’s even a neural processing unit to handle machine learning tasks; more on that later. It packs 16 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, and a 60-watt battery that supposedly lasts around eight hours, another bump over the five hours Sightful claimed on the early access model. “AR spreadsheets, engage!”: I demoed the Spacetop G1 in New York City. Photograph: Gina Gacad The screen itself is brighter, but this is aided by the ability to dim the glasses via the push of a button. Like Transition lenses on [sunglasses](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-sunglasses/), you can dim the G1’s glasses to two different levels, and this was impressive. I stared out the window on a sunny day in New York City and had trouble seeing the augmented virtual screen. However, after dimming the glasses, the world around mostly faded to black and the screens were perfectly legible. Berliner even shone his phone’s flashlight at my eyes and I barely noticed the white dot. Safe to say, it feels like you can use the G1 in nearly any lighting condition. Many of the other features are the same as the original. The keyboard and trackpad feel nice; there’s still a tiny display built into the keyboard to show additional information (though I didn’t get to see this in action). The machine has two USB-C ports and a built-in webcam at the top center of the lid. While the headphone jack didn’t make the cut, other internals now match the latest standards, such as support for [Wi-Fi 7](https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-wi-fi-7/), Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G via the SIM slot. The speakers also got a boost, and they sounded OK in my limited time watching a YouTube video. Smarter Space ------------- SpaceOS is built on Chromium, Google’s open source web browser project. Anything you do on the web, you can do on the Spacetop G1 in SpaceOS. It’s more or less [like a Chromebook](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-chromebooks/) minus the Android apps. And it’s important to remember that while there’s a more powerful processor in the G1, this is still not going to be a machine designed for intensive workflows like video editing. Again, think [Chromebook](https://www.wired.com/story/google-brings-gemini-to-chrome-os-and-chromebooks/). When I was in SpaceOS, there were more than five browser windows open and laid out around me. You can set this up however you’d like, and SpaceOS will always remember it. The field of view on the G1 can feel a bit small, but several software improvements make interfacing with the OS feel intuitive. First off, you will never “lose” your mouse’s pointer. Trained on some machine learning algorithms, the system now knows to move the cursor where you want it immediately. Even if you left it off on the far right of the virtual screen, if you look to the far left and move the mouse on the trackpad, it’ll immediately appear—no need to swipe your fingers and bring the cursor from the other side. I wish this was a feature on every computer. The trackpad also now supports gestures. A three-finger swipe to the left will move your entire virtual screen horizontally. Unlike [Apple’s Vision Pro](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-vision-pro/), where you have to physically look to the left or right to see your apps placed on the sides of the virtual screen, the Spacetop G1 lets you just move everything to the center with this horizontal scroll function. Smart! Use the same gesture but move forward and back on the trackpad to push your virtual screen far out or super close, letting you get a bird’s-eye view of your screens or hone in on a specific task. Finally, if you hit Control and use the three-finger gesture to swipe forward on the trackpad, you can move the virtual screen upward. This lets you lie down in bed and move the screen accordingly so you can continue working. It all feels quite seamless. Sightful’s gesture control on the Spacetop G1 is first rate, so much so that Apple could learn a thing or two. Photograph: Courtesy of Sightful Then there’s Travel mode. Berliner was keen to highlight this feature and says it utilizes the cameras on the glasses and the company’s artificial intelligence models to remember where the Spacetop is to make sure your virtual screens stay in place. You see, the virtual screens are fixed in your space. When you get up from a desk, you can walk up to your screens and view them from a side. They don’t follow you around. This is problematic when you hop into an Uber or take off on a plane; your virtual screens will just fly past you. That’s why Apple’s Vision Pro has a Travel Mode that uses the device’s accelerometer to understand when you are moving and ensure your screen stays in place. The Spacetop G1 has a similar travel mode that will let you keep using the machine when you’re moving in some type of transportation. I couldn’t leave the building with the demo unit, so Berliner hilariously steered the office chair I was sitting on around the room, and I watched as my virtual screens indeed stayed right above my keyboard. There was a good deal of jitter, but Berliner says it was due to the, you know, fact that I was being rolled around in an office chair. I’ll try it out properly on a plane or car in the fall. It wouldn’t be a new hardware launch in 2024 without mentioning AI. Berliner says there will be an AI button on the keyboard in the final version, and it’ll be able to offer context based on what’s on your virtual screens _or_ what’s happening in the physical space around you. He didn’t say much more about it, but expect a few announcements around AI over the coming months. The AR Laptop ------------- When I think of augmented reality computing, I think of sleek glasses and … nothing else. With the Spacetop G1, you still have to carry a laptop-sized machine—one that weighs a little over 3 pounds (1.4 kg), with a wire coming out the center of the keyboard and running up behind your ear. It’s not quite the lightweight computing future I [was thinking of](https://www.wired.com/story/nimo-planet-nimo-glasses/). That said, when I used the [Apple Vision Pro](https://www.wired.com/tag/vision-pro/), one of my favorite features was using it for work, especially while traveling. Being able to sit in a cramped airplane seat and recreate the effect of [multiple screens](https://www.wired.com/story/ultrawide-portrait-computer-monitors-rave/) around me made me super productive, and [I wrote a 2,000-word story](https://www.wired.com/story/metalenz-polar-id-first-look/) in the air. There’s no screen forced to bend to the will of the reclining chair in front of you. I prefer having the custom keyboard and trackpad solution here over the afterthought that is Apple’s input system (a Magic Keyboard and a Magic Trackpad), though I do wish it was all wireless. The G1’s glasses are also much lighter than the Vision Pro, which was tiring after several hours of wear. However, I’m not sure if most people are ready or even interested in wearing a computer on their faces. Apple’s Vision Pro had a lackluster launch and it’s barely a point of conversation anymore, [mere months after its release](https://www.fastcompany.com/91112727/vision-pro-sales-tanking-supply-chain-data-meta-quest). It doesn’t help that the Vision Pro was $3,499, but the Spacetop G1 isn’t cheap. It starts at $1,900—you can buy a [more powerful laptop](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-gaming-laptops/) for that kind of money. Sightful is venture capital-funded, having raised around $61 million to date, and it’s founded by ex-[Magic Leap](https://www.wired.com/2016/04/magic-leap-vr/) executives, which was far from a consumer commercial success—the company pivoted to servicing the [enterprise sector](https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/07/after-struggling-with-consumers-magic-leap-hang-its-hopes-on-enterprise/), which is not something I’d rule out for Sightful. While the Spacetop G1 very much seems like the kind of product you’d see me [using at a tradeshow like CES](https://www.wired.com/live/ces-2024-liveblog-3/?id=659f26868c7089f2a183d893), the reality here is that it might take a few more generations before it starts to appeal to most people. _Special offer for Gear readers: [**Get**](https://www.wired.com/v2/offers/wir203?source=Site_0_HCL_WIR_EDIT_HARDCODED_0_COMMERCE_AFFILIATE_ZZ))_ [**WIRED _for just $5 ($25 off)_**](https://www.wired.com/v2/offers/wir203?source=Site_0_HCL_WIR_EDIT_HARDCODED_0_COMMERCE_AFFILIATE_ZZ))_. This includes unlimited access to_ [WIRED._com_](https://wired.com/)_, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day._
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The problem with the term “spatial computer” is that most devices using the obtuse marketing term don’t actually look like computers. Yes, the [Apple Vision Pro](https://gizmodo.com/apple-vision-pro-1851249913) or [Meta Quest 3](https://gizmodo.com/hands-on-meta-quest-3-is-the-apple-vision-pro-for-the-1850928775) meet the definition of “computer,” but most people still think of “PC” as a desktop or a laptop. So now there’s the Spacetop G1, an AR laptop, trying to kick both the desktop and VR markets for being too stuck in their ways. The $1,900 Spacetop G1 is a pair of AR glasses paired with a laptop body and a magnetic cover with a large bulge to contain it all. That would be the reductive description, but in many ways, it’s accurate. The G1 is made by Sightful, which released a beta “[Spacetop EA](https://www.pcworld.com/article/1919392/spacetop-is-the-first-laptop-without-a-screen.html)” version last year before coming back with a modified, more ergonomic first product ready for prime time. The company boasts a few ex-[Magic Leap](https://gizmodo.com/magic-leap-2-headet-3300-price-release-date-when-buy-1849170273) developers who have been iterating over the past few years to create this Frankenstein contraption. The glasses are made by the folks at [XReal](https://gizmodo.com/xreal-ar-glasses-apple-vision-pro-1851149687), specifically the Xreal Air 2 Pro, though they have a few modifications meant to handle a desktop-like interface specifically. I was invited to test out an early version of the G1 for about an hour while talking with Sightful’s execs about what the hell this thing was and where they think their tech fits into the still-nascent AR market. When wearing the glasses, you’ll see a pretty spartan UI with a blackened background that hovers a few feet in front of you and surrounds you ear to ear. You can load up various windows and lay them wherever you want on that wide desktop akin to Apple’s spatial computer. You can resize these however you wish and bring windows forward or back with a few simple gestures on the touchpad. However, you can’t take windows and leave them around, and you can’t separate the glasses and laptop. You can take both around, and the screen will follow you and reorient itself pretty accurately. Still, if you want to interact with the folks around you, you need to take off the glasses or else look down the bridge of your nose at them, like some preppy kid on the beach offering a vain glance under his sunglasses. **Who is the Spacetop G1 For?** -------------------------------  This is a device made for ultra-multitaskers who demand more, more, and more screens. Yes, I’m one of those who prefers a multi-screen life. Does that mean I need 100 inches and nearly 180 degrees of display real estate to get my work done? Well, I thought I didn’t, but then I’m surrounded by screens with only the barest pinch of weight on my nose, and despite myself, I could see myself turning up and tuning out with the AR-laptop lifestyle. AKA, I’d become the worst weirdo you see sitting in the corner of your local Starbucks. Sightful CEO Tamir Berliner told Gizmodo there’s a lot of ground to cover since the laptop hasn’t honestly changed after decades of design. Mobile computers have traveled such well-trodden roads for so long that nobody is thinking about innovation anymore. Still, that tried and true design has been so entrenched that folks have a pretty good idea of exactly what they need from their laptop, and rightfully so. A bad keyboard or trackpad or slightly worse benchmarks could spell doom for any device when there’s always another device on the market able to meet those expectations. As far as specs go, the Spacetop is using a Qualcomm Snapdragon QCS8550 from last year, which sports the Adreno 740 GPU. It has 16 GB of RAM but a mere base of 128 GB of storage with more expensive options up to 102 GB. I’d want to do direct benchmarks to compare it to other PCs, though for what it’s worth, I didn’t find the device lagged or stuttered at all despite using multiple windows on the screen at once. The glasses include a pair of OLED displays boasting a 90 Hz refresh rate with a 50-degree field of view. The external sensors and optics have been slightly modified for the Spacetop G1, but overall, they’re a nice, light pair of AR glasses. I had no problem reading text on a page and didn’t notice any focusing or blurring as I have with small AR screens like [Lenovo’s Legion Glasses](https://gizmodo.com/lenovo-legion-go-performance-display-battery-1851012835). They also don’t offer the kind of field of view you’re used to with a full VR headset, meaning you’ll need to crane your neck more to look at everything on your virtual desktop. I’d argue the keyboard is the more important part of the design. If the basic typing experience can’t match expectations, I’d argue the device could be DOA. The look of the keys first resembles Apple’s Magic Keyboard, though without any of the brand-specific keys you’re used to. It’s perhaps not the best typing experience I’ve had, with the keys feeling a little hollow with minimal travel, but it wasn’t bad either. The trackpad is a standout. It’s a nice smooth glass large enough to facilitate the multiple gestures you’d need to control the UI. **What Kind of Software Is the Spacetop G1 Using?** ---------------------------------------------------  So, all of that works, but I’m most concerned about the software. Things were slightly buggy during my demo, which is to be expected when the final release date is still months away. Sightful’s developers told me the OS is based on a heavily modified version of AOSP (Android Open Source Project) that allows for multiple windows as well as depth tracking on the mouse. There’s a single bar toward the bottom of your view where you can open apps. As of right now, there are very few apps that work natively on the Spacetop. For applications like Instagram or YouTube, use the browser version. Berliner said he eventually wants to release some more AR-specific applications, though those are still in development, and there’s no word when we can see what Sightful has in store for its first real AR laptop. There’s so much to consider here, but one point I will put in Spacetop’s favor is, despite that massive hill on the top of the laptop’s sleeve, it fits cleanly into my backpack’s laptop holder. The cover snaps down with a satisfying clack, and you don’t have to wind the cable in any specific way to get it all contained nice and snug. Those who want to get in line for one need to put down $100 on the [company’s website](https://www.sightful.com/) deposit to be first in line for when Spacetop finally releases in October later this year. The device costs $1,900, a steep price for any mobile computer. Still, if you wear glasses, you’ll have the chance to order a specific set of prescription lenses that attach magnetically to Spacetop’s AR glasses. It’s best not to think of the Spacetop as an “augmented reality laptop,” at least for right now. You won’t flick windows around the room with hand tracking like the [$3,500 Apple Vision Pro](https://gizmodo.com/apple-vision-pro-pricing-release-date-specs-1851205316). There really aren’t any AR capabilities save for the floating screen that is specifically tied to the laptop itself. But the screen is bright, and the darkened glasses made working even in direct sunlight possible. That’s all to say: this is an interesting, expensive new product that is, at the very least, trying something new. [_A version of this article originally appeared on Gizmodo_](https://gizmodo.com/spacetop-g1-first-look-hands-on-ar-vr-1851507568).
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After some [not-so-successful attempts](https://www.businessinsider.com/google-glass) at making smart glasses, Google seems to be taking another shot through a [partnership with augmented reality headset company Magic Leap](https://www.magicleap.com/newsroom/magic-leap-and-google-partnership). The partnership aims to “combine Magic Leap Augmented Reality (AR) expertise and optics leadership” with Google’s tech to develop AR solutions and experiences, Magic Leap said in [a statement](https://www.magicleap.com/newsroom/magic-leap-and-google-partnership). “This partnership accelerates the transformative power of AR by combining our extensive optics capabilities with Google’s technologies to continue to advance immersive experiences to the developer ecosystem and for customers,” Julie Larson-Green, chief technology officer at Magic Leap, said in the statement. She added that the company is “looking forward to expanding the potential of XR,” or extended reality, which includes AR, virtual reality, and mixed reality. Larson-Green told Reuters that while Magic Leap has been [bringing different versions of AR devices to market](https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-augmented-reality-startup-magic-leap-strike-partnership-deal-2024-05-30/), its tech giant partner “has a long history of platforms thinking.” Magic Leap already [counts Google as one of its investors](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/magic-leap/company_financials), but is majority owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, according to Crunchbase. Larson-Green also told the publication the AR company has plans for the “cool AI tie-ins” with AR that Google [announced during its I/O developer conference](https://qz.com/google-deepmind-ai-assistant-project-astra-conference-1851476593) earlier this month. Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis unveiled a prototype of the company’s new AI assistant that can “see” through a user’s phone or smart glasses. Meanwhile, Google plans to “bring a wider range of immersive experiences to market,” through the partnership, Shahram Izadi, vice president and general manager of AR/XR at Google, said in a statement. “By combining efforts, we can foster the future of the XR ecosystem with unique and innovative product offerings.” However, the company [cut a majority of its AR team](https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-lays-off-hundreds-working-assistant-software-other-parts-company-2024-01-11/) during layoffs in January.
2024-06-07
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In the era of AI, are Hollywood’s threatening sci-fi robots poised to come to life? Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics, separates hype from reality, explaining how Agility’s humanoid robot, Digit, is entering the industrial workforce today. The former CEO of augmented reality startup Magic Leap, Johnson shares what makes robot tech more tangible than AR and explores the sensitive relationship between robotics and human-held jobs. _This is an abridged transcript of an interview from_ [Rapid Response](https://mastersofscale.com/episode_category/rapid-response/)_, hosted by the former editor-in-chief of_ Fast Company _Bob Safian. From the team behind the_ Masters of Scale _podcast,_ Rapid Response _features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to_ Rapid Response _wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode._ **You became CEO of Magic Leap in the heat of the pandemic. Now you’ve taken on a new CEO role again at Agility. Can you catch us up on how you got here?** At Magic Leap, we successfully turned things around. We repointed the company towards enterprise. I felt like I’d done what I came there to do. I think augmented reality is still very early days. It will happen. Even looking at the Apple Vision Pro, it’s going to take some time. And while I love the game-changing aspect of augmented reality, the trajectory is on a slower slope than robotics.  **Peggy Johnson** \[Photo: Agility Robotics\] And when I saw the opportunity at Agility, it appeared they had product market fit and a huge demand for what they could do—which is putting robots into many open jobs that people don’t want. I felt like that’s the spot for me. So I made the jump and I’m super excited about the space. Humanoids are kind of having a moment right now. There’s this huge tailwind of open jobs that are kind of repetitive, dull, and people don’t want. It’s these jobs that have doubled over the past five years from about 600,000 open jobs to about over a million. When you can’t find humans to do these jobs, humanoids can play that role. **There are all kinds of robots that are used in business — a lot of them look like motorized carts or things like that. But Agility has this humanlike robot, that you called Digit. So why is there this sudden burst of attention of humanlike robots?** In warehouses, automation has been around for over a decade. But there’s pockets still with humans that are moving a box from a conveyor belt over to an automated put wall. You can think of that as the Achilles’ heel of all of that fantastic automation. Humanoids can work for long hours, they don’t get hurt, they don’t get emotional, they don’t have anything that you have to worry about. When humanoids are deployed, the job for a human is to manage the fleet and the interaction between the robots and the other automated facilities. And that is something that looks more like a career. **I’ve seen videos of Digit. Even the videos are a little spooky. What kind of relationships do the human workers have with the robots?** We thought a lot about that. For instance, we have a head on Digit. And you can do different things with the eyes, like sparkles and hearts. There is a positive reaction with humans. There is a connection there because of that head and the fact that there are eyes. But mostly, humans and humanoids work separately. The idea of what’s called “collaborative robots” is a little bit further down the line. There’s very high safety standards. **Is Digit a “he” . . . A “she”?** I refer to it as an “it” oftentimes. But people do want to put characterization on the humanoid robot. We let them do what they’d like. **You’re leaning into this industrial use. Is there a vision for Digit to be in retail environments, interacting with customers? Or is that sort of a different track?** We’re only starting with these industrial applications because the need is so high. But this is a multipurpose humanoid. So it’s meant to go off into those areas. In fact, we’re already talking to customers in retail and transportation. You’ve seen a few of the consumer robots come and go. Households are pretty messy places. Things inside of a warehouse are much more structured. So the need is greater there. And that’s where we’re going to focus. And that’s where the revenue is. **How are you thinking about using AI to change Digit?** We’ve been using AI in the form of reinforcement learning. So it’s been part of how we’ve developed Digit. The big opportunity that we see going forward is this idea of Digit’s semantic intelligence. So, giving Digit unstructured commands. The other day, we said, “go pick up all this trash” and Digit looked around, picked up the trash, and put it in the right bins—recycle, paper, or landfill. But going forward, AI is going to help us teach Digit new skills much more quickly. You don’t want to use AI fully to control the robot right now. ‘Cause as we know, it’s not always perfect. And when you have a robot that weighs 160 pounds or so, and has all the torque to lift up heavy things, you want to be controlling that with a known platform. And so, until we’re much further along with AI, we aren’t going to make that swap. **You were a first time CEO at Magic Leap. What did you learn from that experience that you’re applying now? Like, what are you doing differently?** When I first stepped in at Magic Leap, they were chasing a lot of markets and we narrowed that down. That’s the same here—we get a lot of attention from companies who have innovation departments, for instance. I respect the innovation departments, but if they don’t have an intention to deploy and a problem to solve, we don’t focus there. We pick up and move on. We don’t want to be an interesting demo for someone’s boardroom, frankly. This is not demoware. We’re not doing backflips and making coffee. **When you left Microsoft, it was sort of just starting to come out of hibernation in a certain way. And now thanks to co-pilot and the arrangement with OpenAI, things are just cooking over there. Do you ever think about the decision to leave and wonder, “what if I’d stayed?”** Actually, never. I loved my time there. I loved working for Satya Nadella. I learned so much from him. He’s clearly an iconic leader, but I remember very clearly the day I made up my mind. It was actually only a few weeks into COVID lockdown at the time. My job in particular slowed down. It was running biz dev, very outwardly facing. I got on planes all the time—that was not available anymore. So I really sat and thought about where I was in my career, and I had always wanted to be a CEO. And I think like a lot of people, you keep saying, “well, if I just had a little more experience here, a little more experience there, then I’ll be ready.” But I started looking. Now that I’ve had the experience at Magic Leap and Agility, I could never see myself going back. I like the startup environment. I like the pace. I like the freedom and the flexibility to make decisions. The bigger the company is, the harder it is to get to a yes or no. And so I love the fast-paced environment at startups. I’m at the point in my career where I can do anything I want. And this is what I want to do. I love it. _ Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s [Brands That Matter Awards](https://www.fastcompany.com/apply/brands-that-matter) before the final deadline, June 7. Sign up for Brands That Matter notifications [here](https://fastcompany.swoogo.com/24btmnotifications/register?ref=article). _
2024-07-22
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1.雷军回忆周受资离职:寄予厚望,离职给我当头一棒 2.微软Windows全球大范围蓝屏,大量航班被全部停飞,多家酒店、餐饮企业预定系统全崩了,故障原因:一个小文件让全球计算机瘫痪 3.知情人士回应华为起诉联发科:两三年前已开始谈判,但价格谈崩了 4.WPS辟谣用户文档被用作训练抖音豆包AI:完全失实,严格遵守个人信息保护法规 5.周鸿祎谈为何微软蓝屏故障在中国少:因为90%电脑大多数用360 6.微软Windows「蓝屏」导致巴黎奥组委暂停奥运证件激活服务 7.扎克伯格的元宇宙遇冷?消息称Meta大幅削减Reality Labs部门投入 8.微软又一服务宣告退役,Azure Lab Services将于2027年停用 国内资讯 **微软Windows全球大范围蓝屏,大量航班被全部停飞,多家酒店、餐饮企业预定系统全崩了,故障原因:一个小文件让全球计算机瘫痪** 7月19日,微软公司旗下部分应用和服务出现访问延迟、功能不全或无法访问问题,“微软蓝屏”上榜全球热搜。此次微软蓝屏在全球影响巨大,波及不少国家地区,同时涉及航空、医疗、传媒、金融、零售、物流等多个行业。甚至有公司让员工提前下班,不少打工人展示电脑蓝屏画面,戏称“感谢微软,提前放假” ...  此次中断波及了包括Teams在内的多种Microsoft 365服务。有外媒报道,微软云服务中断甚至导致了航空公司停飞。美国联合航空公司、达美航空及美国航空的所有航班于当地时间7月19日早上实施全球地面停飞指令。此外,包括飞猪、日本大阪环球影城、日本麦当劳等多个行业的系统纷纷崩溃,影响广泛
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 中信建投称「萝卜快跑」初具商业化落地能力;马斯克:是时候把宇航员送上火星了;《抓娃娃》成暑期档票房第一  多名用户发现 WPS 疑似将文档共享给字节豆包训练 AI,WPS 否认 ----------------------------------- 7 月 22 日消息,近期有多名用户在微博和小红书上发帖称,金山 WPS Office 办公软件疑似将用户编写的文档共享给字节跳动旗下的豆包用于训练人工智能,证据主要是用户编写的文档尚未发布,但字节跳动的豆包 AI 已经可以给出文档内容 ... 发布反馈的包括在番茄小说平台的签约作者,对这些作者而言小说内容通常都是非常长的,自己在本地编写的书籍更新尚未发布,豆包 AI 怎么可能获得内容,唯一合理的猜测就是金山 WPS 将用户内容共享给了字节跳动
2024-07-24
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 「Ray-Ban Meta」大卖,再次点燃了行业热情,技术的成熟让智能眼镜再次成为 AI 硬件中有可能最后获得胜利的一支 ... 近日外媒传出消息,Meta 计划斥资数十亿美元收购 EssilorLuxottica 约 5% 的股份,后者是价值 880 亿欧元的欧洲眼镜巨头
2024-08-27
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在智能手机之后,这几年还能激发数码迷们热情的硬件门类,莫过于混合现实了 ... 从微软引领出市场的 HoloLens,Magic Leap,Meta 围绕元宇宙打造出的 Meta Quest 系列,再到苹果堪称 iPhone 后最创新的硬件Apple Vision Pro,索尼、Pico 在游戏领域推 VR,Nreal、Rokid、华为、小米则瞄准了大众消费者的眼睛,推出一个又一个的 AR 智能眼镜
2024-09-18
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More than 120 bills related to regulating artificial intelligence are currently floating around the US Congress. This flood of bills is indicative of the desperation Congress feels to keep up with the rapid pace of technological improvements. Because of the way Congress works, the majority of these bills will never make it into law. But simply taking a look at them all can give us insight into policymakers’ current preoccupations: where they think the dangers are, what each party is focusing on, and more broadly, what vision the US is pursuing when it comes to AI and how it should be regulated. That’s why, with help from the Brennan Center for Justice, we’ve created a tracker with all the AI bills circulating in various committees in Congress right now, to see if there’s anything we can learn from this legislative smorgasbord. [Read the full story](https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/09/18/1104015/here-are-all-the-ai-bills-in-congress-right-now/?utm_source=the_download&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*). _—Scott J Mulligan_ **Here’s what I made of Snap’s new augmented-reality Spectacles** Snap has announced a new version of its Spectacles: AR glasses that could finally deliver on the promises that devices like Magic Leap, or HoloLens, or even Google Glass, made many years ago. Our editor-in-chief Mat Honan got to try them out a couple of weeks ago. He found they packed a pretty impressive punch layering visual information and applications directly on their see-through lenses, making objects appear as if they are in the real world—if you don’t mind looking a little goofy, that is. [Read Mat’s full thoughts here](https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/09/17/1104025/snap-spectacles-ar-glasses/?utm_source=the_download&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*).
2024-09-25
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Sep 25, 2024 4:44 PM At Meta’s Connect developer conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg showed off Orion, a futuristic pair of smart glasses that the company hopes will lead the next foundational shift in personal computing.  Photograph: David Paul Morris; Getty Meta has dominated online social connections for the past 20 years, but it missed out on making the smartphones that primarily delivered those connections. Now, in a multiyear, multibillion-dollar effort to position itself at the forefront of connected hardware, Meta is going all in on computers for your face. At its annual Connect developer event today in Menlo Park, California, Meta showed off its new, more affordable [Oculus Quest 3S](https://www.wired.com/story/meta-quest-3s-headset/) virtual reality headset and its improved, AI-powered [Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses](https://www.wired.com/story/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses-connect-2024/). But the headliner was Orion, a prototype pair of holographic display glasses that chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said have been in the works for 10 years. Zuckerberg emphasized that the Orion glasses—which are available only to developers for now—aren’t your typical smart display. And he made the case that these kinds of glasses will be so interactive that they’ll usurp the smartphone for many needs. “Building this display is different from every other screen you’ve ever used,” Zuckerberg said on stage at Meta Connect. Meta chief technology officer Andrew Bosworth had previously [described this tech](https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/21/24011574/meta-cto-andrew-bosworth-interview-ai-ar-glasses) as “the most advanced thing that we’ve ever produced as a species.” The Orion glasses, like a lot of heads-up displays, look like the fever dream of techno-utopians who have been toiling away in a highly secretive place called “Reality Lab” for the past several years. One WIRED reporter on the ground noted that the thick black glasses looked “chunky” on Zuckerberg. As part of the on-stage demo, Zuckerberg showed how Orion glasses can be used to project multiple virtual displays in front of someone, respond quickly to messages, video chat with someone, and play games. In the messages example, Zuckerberg noted that users won’t even have to take out their phones. They’ll navigate these interfaces by talking, tapping their fingers together, or by simply looking at virtual objects. There will also be a “neural interface” built in that can interpret brain signals, using a wrist-worn device that [Meta first teased three years ago](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-wrist-wearable-human-computer-interactions/). Zuckerberg didn’t elaborate on how any of this will actually work or when a consumer version might materialize. (He also didn’t get into the various privacy complications of connecting this rig and its visual AI to one of the world’s biggest repositories of personal data.) He did say that the imagery that appears through the Orion glasses isn’t pass-through technology—where external cameras show wearers the real world—nor is it a display or screen that shows the virtual world. It’s a “new kind of display architecture,” he said, that uses projectors in the arms of the glasses to shoot waveguides into the lenses, which then reflect light into the wearer’s eyes and create volumetric imagery in front of you. Meta has designed this technology itself, he said. The idea is that the images don’t appear as flat, 2D graphics in front of your eyes but that the virtual images now have shape and depth. “The big innovation with Orion is the field of view,” says Anshel Sag, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, who was in attendance at Meta Connect. “The field of view is 72 degrees, which makes it much more engaging and useful for most applications, whether gaming, social media, or just content consumption. Most headsets are in the 30- to 50-degree range.” To call this holographic display concept “new” isn’t totally accurate. Snap has similarly used projector and waveguide technology in its [Snap spectacles](https://www.wired.com/story/snap-spectacles-ar/). The heavily hyped mixed-reality company Magic Leap also attempted to pioneer waveguide technology. Even small startups like North, which couldn’t sustain itself and was eventually sold for parts to Google, have attempted to [build their own custom projector and waveguide technology](https://www.wired.com/story/focals-smart-glasses-with-alexa/) into stylish glasses. Meta spokesperson Bryan Pope said in an email to WIRED that the display in Orion is “unlike any other AR glasses product attempted to date as far as we know.” Pope said the lenses are made from silicon carbide, not glass, which has a “high refractive index” and contributes to Orion's relatively wide field-of-view (along with its intricate waveguide technology.) The projectors in Orion also use newer, uLED technology, which is supposed to be more power-efficient. Meta hasn't put a price tag on the product—either what it will cost developers to acquire a pair and build on it or what something like this might eventually cost consumers. For now Orion is still a pie-in-the-sky experiment, a product that Zuckerberg described as a “time machine.” “These glasses exist, they are awesome, and they are a glimpse of a future that I think is going to be pretty exciting,” he said. But Orion also drives Meta’s stake deeper into the mixed-reality ground, where massive hardware makers like Apple and Samsung and social competitors like Snap have all tried to make their mark. Apple’s strategy has been very _Apple-y_—releasing a $3,500 VR headset that emphasizes high-tech optics, impressive design, and Apple’s own software ecosystem—while Snap has taken a similar approach to Meta’s Orion by releasing an arguably cool but mostly inaccessible pair of holographic glasses for developers to toy with. Meta, on the other hand, has been able to position itself well in the popular consumer market by offering more accessible VR devices, like the entry-level, $300 Meta Quest 3S and the inherently more wearable Ray-Ban Meta glasses and sunglasses. According to recent data from Counterpoint Research, Meta’s VR headsets account for [about 80 percent of the total VR market](https://www.counterpointresearch.com/insights/global-vr-headset-market-q2-2024/#:~:text=In%20terms%20of%20brands%2C%20Meta,second%20spot%20in%20the%20market.). Meta hasn’t shared total unit sales numbers of its Ray-Ban glasses, but its product partner, EssilorLuxottica, recently said it had sold more pairs in the past few months than in the two years prior. Sales of these face computers pale in comparison to global smartphone sales. (Certain AI features in Meta’s smart glasses also are banned in some parts of the world, like Europe, which puts a damper on revenue.) And there’s no saying if—or when—Meta will be able to bridge the projection technology it has built for Orion with the light, plasticky, popular eyeglass frames that people can wear every day. Meta has also [spent tens of billions of dollars](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/metas-reality-check-inside-the-45-billion-cash-burn-at-reality-labs-125717347.html) over the past four years trying to make this Reality Labs vision a … reality. The Orion glasses may never actually exist, especially in its brain-signal-interactions form. But Meta doesn’t need them to. It just needs enough of that tech to trickle down into its mainstream products that they become part of everyday life the same way smartphones once did. And, if all goes Mark Zuckerberg’s way, ultimately replace them. _Additional reporting by Boone Ashworth._
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175131917 story [](//tech.slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=facebook)[](//tech.slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=technology) Posted by msmash on Wednesday September 25, 2024 @02:02PM from the pushing-the-limits dept. Meta [unveiled prototype AR glasses codenamed Orion](https://www.theverge.com/24253908/meta-orion-ar-glasses-demo-mark-zuckerberg-interview) on Wednesday, featuring a 70-degree field of view, Micro LED projectors, and silicon carbide lenses that beam graphics directly into the wearer's eyes. In an interview with The Verge, CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated the device's capabilities, including ingredient recognition, holographic gaming, and video calling, controlled by a neural wristband that interprets hand gestures through electromyography. Despite technological advances, Meta has shelved Orion's commercial release, citing manufacturing complexities and costs reaching $10,000 per unit, primarily due to difficulties in producing the silicon carbide lenses. The company now aims to launch a refined, more affordable version in coming years, with executives hinting at a price comparable to high-end smartphones and laptops. Zuckerberg views AR glasses as critical to Meta's future, potentially freeing the company from its reliance on smartphone platforms controlled by Apple and Google. The push into AR hardware comes as tech giants and startups intensify competition in the space, with Apple launching Vision Pro and Google partnering with Magic Leap and Samsung on headset development.
2024-09-30
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> 文 | 有界UnKnown,作者丨山茶,编辑|钱江 9月25日,在Meta年度开发者大会上,扎克伯格带来了一个新玩意儿——Meta Orion,一款新的AR设备 ... 扎克伯格将其称之为**“世界上最先进的眼镜”**,它采用分体式设计: 主设备AR眼镜重98克,配备7个微型摄像头,采用Micro LED显示器;光学部分使用衍射光波导方案;镜片使用更轻、更耐用、折射率更高的碳化硅材料,使视角场超过目前所有AR,达到70度
2024-12-10
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Dec 10, 2024 7:00 AM Simple external cues, such as lines on the floor, can help Parkinson’s patients focus their efforts and overcome the difficulty of the symptoms. With augmented reality, those cues can be anywhere.  Illustration: Sebastian Cestaro In 2018, Tom Finn took his father, Nigel, to a physiotherapy appointment. Nigel was living with vascular dementia, which can present with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, and trouble balancing. He was losing the ability to walk. The physiotherapist told Finn about cue markers—colored lines laid on the floor that can help Parkinson’s patients overcome difficulty walking. Finn was unconvinced. He couldn’t see how some lines on the floor would help his father. But when they got home, he laid some colored exercise bands down in the kitchen and watched in amazement as his dad easily marched back and forth across them. The technique, called external cueing, works by using visual, auditory, or tactile prompts—colored tape on the ground, playing a metronome, or physical [vibrations](https://www.wired.com/story/wearable-device-parkinsons-symptoms-charco-neurotech-startup/)—to engage neural pathways not affected by the disease. “It can help people focus their attention and help them take that first step and overcome the freeze,” says Claire Bale, associate director of research at Parkinson’s UK, a research and support charity in the UK. While Finn—who worked in marketing and video production in London—was struck by the effectiveness of this simple intervention, he thought it too basic to actually be helpful. But augmented reality glasses from the likes of Magic Leap had just started coming to market, and he wondered whether they might be able to project virtual lines onto the ground to act as cues. He founded a startup, Strolll, to try to make that vision a reality. Charco Neurotech is building wearable devices that vibrate at high frequency to provide physical cueing that can help lessen Parkinson’s symptoms. The Cambridge-based startup’s CUE1 device is already being used by thousands of people in trials. Long-lasting smell loss is a surprisingly good predictor of brain disease. A study funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation used a scratch and sniff test to help identify potential carriers of a biomarker for Parkinson’s. Deep-brain stimulation works like a pacemaker, using electrical signals to alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms such as tremors. Spanish startup Inbrain has raised $50m to develop graphene-based neural implants that can constantly monitor and modify brain activity in real time. As a teenager, Erin Smith created a program called FacePrint, which analyzes facial expressions in selfies to spot “Parkinson’s mask,” a tell-tale early sign of Parkinson’s disease. She won the WIRED Health Startup showcase in 2018. Two years later, Strolll had no staff and about £50 in the bank, according to Jorgen Ellis. Ellis, a New Zealander with a background in furniture startups, had come to the UK looking for his next venture and wanted to get involved with something he felt passionate about. His grandfather had lived with Parkinson’s for over a decade, and when he met Finn through a mutual contact, he immediately saw the promise of the technology. He came onboard as CEO and started by trying to demonstrate that AR-based cueing was scientifically valid. Ellis and Finn soon found a group of academics at VU University in Amsterdam, led by Melvyn Roerdink, who were working on something similar. Strolll acquired their intellectual property, and with Roerdink on board as chief innovation officer they began to develop and test the technology, now called Reality DTx. Instead of physical bands like Finn used, Strolll’s AR software simulates colored lines on the floor in front of the wearer, with each line disappearing as they clear it. A clinical trial (supported by Strolll) confirmed the cueing technology was feasible and found promising outcomes. It could also help with rehabilitation exercises amid a shortage of physiotherapists: The software includes AR games like whack-a-mole and basketball, but designed around functional movements that help people with Parkinson’s. Mark Ross—who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s eight years ago at the age of 36 and is now Strolll’s head of brand and creative strategy—says these games can help overcome the apathy and depression that’s also a symptom of the disease. “You might know that you’ve got to exercise … but that’s not going to help you get off your chair,” he says. So the fact that it’s gamified makes doing the exercises much more alluring. The Magic Leap headset the software runs on costs around £3,000 ($3,800), and Strolll charges upwards of £300 a month for its services—but Ellis argues this is more cost-effective than 30 half-hour sessions of in-person physical therapy. Ultimately, the company’s goal is to be the “most used rehabilitation software in the world,” says Ellis. They even have a specific timeline in mind: 7 million minutes of rehab with the Strolll device in a week by New Year’s Eve 2029. By then, Ellis hopes Strolll could be in use for all kinds of neurological conditions, from stroke to multiple sclerosis. There is, he says, an “almost unlimited opportunity.” _This article appears in the January/February 2025 issue of_ _WIRED UK magazine._
2024-12-20
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Dec 20, 2024 6:00 AM The past year has been filled with announcements about new smart glasses from companies big and small. Don’t expect the deluge to let up anytime soon.  ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHICS BY JAMES MARSHALL; WIRED STAFF; GETTY If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. [Learn more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/). Please also consider [subscribing to WIRED](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_SELF?source=HCL_WIR_EDIT_HARDCODED_0_COMMERCE_AFFILIATE_ZZ) 2024 was a big year for spatial computing, bookended by the release of two major virtual reality headsets: the powerful but expensive [Apple Vision Pro](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-vision-pro/) and the more affordable [Meta Quest 3S](https://www.wired.com/review/meta-quest-3s/). While these devices transport their users to vast, [strange](https://www.wired.com/story/meta-horizon-worlds-taken-over-by-children/) digital realms, they can also feel limiting, because they reduce—or even sever—the wearer’s connection to the real world. That’s where their lighter, more (um) wearable cousins come in: smart glasses. Turns out, lots of people like a device that you can take out of the house and onto the street. There’s an incredible convenience to interacting digitally with the real world at the same time you’re actually looking at it, all without obscuring your view with a bulky headset or distracting you with a phone screen. These more approachable face computers have come a long way since the days of the [Glasshole](https://www.wired.com/2013/12/glasshole/). Smart glasses—which I’ll loosely define here as internet-connected eyewear with apps built into them—have crossed the divide from an era of goofy, unappealing wearables like Google Glass into genuinely useful devices that you might not even be too ashamed to wear in public. [Ray-Ban Meta](https://www.wired.com/review/review-ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses/) is the big dog in the smart glasses pack. [Meta](https://www.wired.com/tag/meta/), a company whose reputation has been mired by its own often [problematic](https://www.wired.com/story/15-years-later-what-is-facebook/) uncoolness, has managed to leverage the long established cool factor of the Ray-Ban brand to make a range of smart glasses that people actually like. They look nice and have real functionality that many people can easily grasp and that [proponents](https://www.wired.com/story/the-ray-ban-meta-wayfarers-are-the-best-face-computer/) find incredibly useful. They can take photos and video, act as a headset for music and calls, and use voice features powered by Meta AI to send texts or ask about something in the world. New features [added this month](https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/ray-ban-meta-glasses-new-ai-features-and-partner-integrations/) give the glasses the ability to do things like remember where you parked your car and use Shazam to figure out what song is playing near you. All this happens without a built-in display, which means you can keep your eyes on real life. The success of the Ray-Ban Meta frames has shown that there’s a market for display-free smart eyewear that doesn’t just work like VR-light. Smaller companies and startups have been barreling ahead with every kind of smart lens imaginable. This year alone, we’ve seen new smart glasses, or the technology to power them, from companies like [Oppo glasses](https://www.oppo.com/en/newsroom/press/oppo-unveils-new-oppo-air-glass-3/), [Swave](https://swave.io/spatial-computing/), and [Emteq](https://www.wired.com/story/emteq-smart-glasses-read-emotions-watch-what-you-eat/). Some were a little goofy and disappointing, like [Brilliant Labs’ Frames](https://9to5google.com/2024/05/31/brilliant-labs-frame-hands-on/) released in May. Others have yet to materialize, like glasses by the company [Looktech](https://www.looktech.ai/) that work with a variety of different chatbots and have been billed as [potential Meta Ray-Ban killers](https://www.yankodesign.com/2024/12/16/forget-meta-ray-bans-these-ai-smart-glasses-let-you-capture-the-world-without-stealing-your-data/) after the project recently exceeded its funding goal (by far) on [Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/looktech/looktech-smart-ai-glasses-and-hands-free-hd-camera). Display-driven AR glasses are still in the running, though. After all, a device that gives the wearer an active heads-up display or offers a window into the [mirrorworld](https://www.wired.com/story/mirrorworld-ar-next-big-tech-platform/) has long been considered the brass ring of spatial computing. Meta is pursuing this goal with its [Orion glasses](https://www.wired.com/story/meta-orion-glasses-augmented-reality-mark-zuckerberg/)—a pair of ambitious AR tech that, while still deep in the development process, aim to do just about everything your smartphone can do, but on your face. [Snap](https://www.wired.com/tag/snap/) is in a player here too, with cyberpunky [Spectacles](https://www.wired.com/story/snap-spectacles-2024-hands-on/) with apps that focus on social interactions for its younger, more playful users. Through the Glass ----------------- Another augmented reality leviathan has recently awakened. In early December, [Google](https://www.wired.com/tag/google/) announced the launch of its [Android XR](https://www.wired.com/story/google-android-xr-demo-smart-glasses-mixed-reality-headset-project-moohan/) software platform, which includes an upcoming pair of smart glasses with a display in the lenses. Google’s efforts are similarly a work in progress, but the company has an advantage due to the sheer magnitude of its developer partners who are already building on Android’s many platforms. Google’s glasses run Android apps, essentially taking a lot of stuff that currently lives on a smartphone—maps, texting, news feeds—and putting it directly in front of your eyeballs. “They're probably the closest of the big, tier one competitors that can ship something to compete with Meta,” says Anshel Sag, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. “Meta doesn't have a display yet. So they might even beat Meta to shipping one with a display.” The AR nerd trophy is still a long way off. Full-fledged augmented glasses are [very difficult](https://www.wired.com/story/why-augmented-reality-glasses-look-so-bad/) to make in a fashionable form. An array of issues come with trying to pack the computing power into the small frame, balance the thermal management so it doesn’t melt the skin off peoples’ ears, and find which optics can fit into which forms. “The minute you start trying to put displays in smart glasses, you enter a world of pain,” says Leo Gebbie, principal analyst at CCS Insights. “There is this absolute glut of challenges that emerge that require all sorts of inventive computing solutions. That’s where we still have some distance to go.” That distance has led some companies to scale back or abandon their AR ambitions. In October, Microsoft [discontinued](https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259369/microsoft-hololens-2-discontinuation-support) its HoloLens VR headset, a device that had been positioned as offering all the power of a desktop computer [right there on your face](https://www.wired.com/story/microsoft-hololens-2-headset/). [Magic Leap](https://www.wired.com/tag/magic-leap/), another of the [old gods of VR](https://www.wired.com/2016/04/magic-leap-vr/), has also recently [ended support](https://www.magicleap.care/hc/en-us/articles/18878883445645-Magic-Leap-1-End-of-Life) for its first headset and laid off its sales and marketing teams in a pivot of some kind. The reigning XR titans—Meta, Google, Apple, Samsung, and Snap—aren’t in danger of going away quite yet. But they’re also not yet ready to deploy the life-changing tech they keep promising. Despite all the advances in this space, “We’re in this weird period where AR has kind of gone backwards a bit this year,” Gebbie says. Zoom In ------- That recalibration might make room for the smaller, more niche uses of smart glasses. Companies like [Form](https://www.formswim.com/products/smart-swim-goggles), which makes smart swim goggles that display the wearer’s swimming metrics right on screen. Or [XReal](https://www.xreal.com/us/), which focuses on mimicking a big screen display right on the lenses to let users feel like they’re watching media on a big screen. Companies like [Emteq](https://www.emteqlabs.com/) focus on medical or more holistic fields like psychotherapy and diet that aim to ([imperfectly](https://www.wired.com/story/emteq-smart-glasses-read-emotions-watch-what-you-eat/)) detect emotions and watch what you eat. “The devices that we’re left with right now aren’t the super advanced ones, or the ones that claim to be all-encompassing,” Gebbie says. “Those have kind of fizzled out. The things that are still standing and more active are the specific use case-driven headsets.” What’s less clear is how the smaller companies in the glasses game might navigate the many complexities of wearable computing without the [mind-boggling resources](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/metas-reality-check-inside-the-45-billion-cash-burn-at-reality-labs-125717347.html) of a company like Meta. Especially in the hardware space, bigger companies have a habit of buying up the smaller ones and folding them into their R&D labs. Smart swim goggles, say, might be a very nice use case that appeals to a specific user. But it’s unclear whether they’ll be able to stay afloat once Meta or Google start circling. “The successful AR and smart glasses companies all got acquired,” Sag says of the early days of XR tech. “So nothing really came to market because they were all gobbled up or they all ran out of money. That's the fundamental problem that we had. And if you look at the companies that got acquired, they all ended up getting acquired by Google and Meta and Apple and none of those products ever came out.” Glasses may not wind up being the end-all wearable for every bit of tech we want with us at all times, but the future is looking more and more like it will rest on our faces. Companies will keep churning out new glasses, breathlessly sharing their new, exciting, never-before-seen features that may fit one use case but not many. So keep your lens cleaner handy. Smart glasses will be in your face—if not on it—all year long. * * * #### Page 2 [Paris Martineau](https://www.wired.com/author/paris-martineau/) [Louise Matsakis](https://www.wired.com/author/louise-matsakis/) Feb 6, 2019 7:00 AM The social network where one-third of humanity checks in at least once a month is also a marketplace, a satellite developer, and a maker of VR headsets. Fifteen years ago this week, Harvard student [Mark Zuckerberg](https://www.wired.com/story/inside-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-2-years-of-hell/) created TheFacebook.com, a social network for college students that looked a lot like Friendster or Myspace. The company moved from his dorm room to Silicon Valley a few months later, and began expanding to other universities. In the beginning, Zuckerberg didn’t take his role too seriously. His first [business card](https://www.wired.com/story/sex-beer-and-coding-inside-facebooks-wild-early-days/) notoriously read: “I’m CEO … bitch.” A decade and a half later, Facebook apps are used by [roughly a third](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/08/social-media-active-users-around-the-world.html) of the world’s people each month. The company has acquired or crushed most of its main competitors, including Instagram, WhatsApp, and [Snapchat](https://www.wired.com/story/copycat-how-facebook-tried-to-squash-snapchat/). It’s now equivalent to approximately seven Twitters in terms of [monthly active users](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/07/27/twitters-monthly-users-fell-by-million-second-quarter-following-purge-fake-suspicious-accounts/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ea51d5fc1528). Facebook is where [nearly half](https://www.wired.com/story/who-gets-news-from-social-media-sites/) of Americans get their news, the place where [millions of nonprofits](https://www.wired.com/story/nonprofits-facebook-get-hacked-need-help/) collect donations, a venue for [state-sponsored propaganda](https://www.wired.com/story/russian-facebook-ads-targeted-us-voters-before-2016-election/), and where people announce their engagements, babies, or [even divorces](https://theoutline.com/post/4539/how-to-announce-your-divorce-on-social-media?zd=1&zi=o2cco4vf). It is perhaps the largest repository of personal information about humankind to ever exist. Zuckerberg, meanwhile, still makes time to [allegedly stage photos](https://lifehacker.com/we-tried-mark-zuckerbergs-tricks-for-looking-taller-in-1797141373) so he looks [taller than he actually is](https://twitter.com/GrahamStarr/status/885343770031554560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E885343770031554560&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flifehacker.com%2Fajax%2Finset%2Fiframe%3Fid%3Dtwitter-885343770031554560%26autosize%3D1) and smoke [his own meats](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H34QpoJsmrw). Facebook isn’t just a social network and messaging platform powered by advertisements; it’s also a marketplace for [secondhand goods](https://www.wired.com/2016/10/facebook-marketplace/), a [virtual reality headset](https://www.wired.com/2014/05/oculus-rift-4/) manufacturer, a [VPN company](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-research-app-root-certificate/), and a [satellite developer](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-research-app-root-certificate/). The company has lured some of the [most talented](https://www.wired.com/2014/08/deep-learning-yann-lecun/) artificial intelligence researchers and developed one of the [most powerful](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-will-find-your-face-even-when-its-not-tagged/) facial recognition algorithms. It has swallowed more than 70 companies, most which made technical software, [according](https://www.crunchbase.com/search/acquisitions/field/organizations/num_acquisitions/facebook) to the investment site Crunchbase. Facebook is also generating significant wealth for its 35,000-odd employees: The median salary in 2017 was more than [$240,000](https://www.wired.com/story/who-pays-the-most-and-least-in-silicon-valley/), though that figure excludes the company’s legions of contract workers. As Facebook turns 15, it’s confronting some of its biggest challenges yet, including a looming Federal Trade Commission [investigation](https://www.wired.com/story/ftc-facebook-data-privacy-investigation/) and potential federal [regulation](https://www.wired.com/story/privacy-law-showdown-congress-2019/) from Congress. To celebrate the milestone, we’re taking a comprehensive look at what Facebook has become. Here’s everything the social network has touched. Facebook did not respond to a request for comment. **Facebook the Platform** TheFacebook.com didn’t become **Facebook.com** until Zuckerberg [purchased](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/01/facebook_domain_dispute/) the domain for $200,000 in 2005. The company wouldn’t acquire its shorter URL, **fb.com**, until 2011, when it bought it from, of all places, the [American Farm Bureau Federation](https://mashable.com/2011/01/11/facebook-paid-8-5-million-to-acquire-fb-com/#w.tQIpl9UEq2). The deal cost the social network $8.5 million. The year before that acquisition, Facebook [snagged](http://gigaom.com/2010/08/04/facebook-buys-friendster-patents-for-40m/) the patents for Friendster, one of its early competitors, for an estimated $40 million. Originally, Facebook merely displayed individual profiles. But in September 2006, the company introduced the **News Feed**, prompting [widespread user backlash](https://techcrunch.com/2006/09/06/facebook-users-revolt-facebook-replies/) over privacy concerns. (Zuckerberg told users to “[Calm down. Breathe](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/calm-down-breathe-we-hear-you/2208197130/)” the day after the feature was announced. Twenty-four hours later, he admitted that he had “[really messed this one up](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/an-open-letter-from-mark-zuckerberg/2208562130/),” but the News Feed remained.) The same year, Facebook [introduced](https://mashable.com/2006/08/22/facebook-notes-facebook-adds-blogs/) the **Notes** feature, and like the rest of the internet, [began blogging](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/welcome-to-the-facebook-blog/2207517130/?__tn__=HH-R). In early 2007, the company [launched](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/facebook-your-phone/2228532130/?__tn__=HH-R) **Facebook Mobile,** allowing users to access the site on their phones; it’s now the [primary way](https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2016/01/27/90-of-facebooks-daily-and-monthly-active-users-access-it-via-mobile/) people use the social network. In 2008, the company [released](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/facebook-for-iphone/22389032130/?__tn__=HH-R) an **iOS app** for the still-novel iPhone, which included location-sharing features for friend discovery and, eventually, targeted ads. In 2011, the company [launched](https://gigaom.com/2011/10/06/facebook-sim-card-uses-sms-gemalto/) **Facebook for SIM**, which let mobile users without a data plan access Facebook by paying for a subscription (the SIM cards are no longer available). Also in 2007, Facebook [created](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/the-marketplace-is-open/2383962130/?__tn__=HH-R) **Marketplace**, a Craigslist-esque classified ads portal, which evolved several times before becoming the in-app feature available today. Around this time, the company released **Facebook Platform**, a set of tools and products for developers to make and adapt applications for the Facebook ecosystem. (By 2009, Zynga had become the [most prominent developer](https://www.wired.com/2014/05/zynga-games-for-good/) on Facebook, with millions of people playing its hit game [FarmVille](https://www.wired.com/2014/05/zynga-games-for-good/).) In May 2008, Facebook [launched](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2008/05/09/announcing-facebook-connect/) **Facebook Connect**, which it described as “the next iteration of Facebook Platform.” The feature allowed users to sign in to other apps and sites using their Facebook credentials. Facebook boasted it would allow developers to add “social context” to their sites by showing users which friends had already made accounts. > Facebook is where nearly half of Americans get their news, the place where millions of nonprofits collect donations, and a venue for state-sponsored propaganda. In 2009, Facebook introduced perhaps its most iconic feature: the Like button. Facebook expanded on the Like in 2016, when it [introduced](https://www.wired.com/2016/02/facebook-reactions-totally-redesigned-like-button/) Reactions, including “wow,” “haha,” “sad,” “angry,” and “love.” (Since [nearly the beginning](https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/11/facebook-is-trying-to-make-the-poke-happen-again/) users have also had the ability to “Poke” each other.) In 2014, Facebook introduced **Facebook Safety Check**, a feature activated during disasters and mass attacks for people to let their family and friends know they’re safe. In 2016, the company released a [separate](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-local-the-only-facebook-app-you-need/) **Events** app and introduced **Facebook at Work** (later [renamed](https://www.wired.com/2016/10/facebook-workplace/) **Workplace**), a business communication platform similar to Slack. **Media and Gaming** **Facebook Photos** debuted in 2005. There were no limits to how many images users could upload, and it quickly became one of the site’s most popular features. **Facebook Video** arrived two years later, with the catchphrase “[Videos of your friends are interesting](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/video-is-here/2500237130/).” In 2011, Facebook [partnered](https://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240104971/Facebook-partners-with-Skype-to-add-video-calling-to-social-network-infrastructure) with Skype to develop a **Video Calling** feature. **Facebook Live** [launched](https://www.wired.com/2016/04/facebook-really-really-wants-broadcast-watch-live-video/) in 2015, initially only for verified users. Facebook later [paid news organizations](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/06/facebook-live-video-paying-news-publishers-buzzfeed) to develop live content, including a famous BuzzFeed video of an [exploding watermelon](https://www.wired.com/2016/04/7-tv-shows-fewer-viewers-buzzfeeds-exploding-watermelon-video/). Facebook Live came under scrutiny after it was used [to livestream suicides and homicides](https://www.wired.com/2017/04/facebook-live-murder-steve-stephens/). Around the same time, Facebook [enabled](https://www.wired.com/2015/09/facebook-launches-360-video-immersive-star-wars-clip/) capability for **360 Degree Videos**. And by 2016, users were able to [upload and view](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/facebook-360-photos-oculus/) **360 Degree Photos**. Facebook’s pivot to video continued in 2017 with the [launch](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-watch-muscles-into-online-video/) of **Facebook Watch**, a video-on-demand service showcasing original content developed by partners, ranging from Refinery29 and Univision to Fox News. **Facebook Watch Party**, a [shared](https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/17/facebook-watch-party/) viewing experience for groups, debuted in early 2018. Later that year, Facebook [announced](https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/06/technology/facebook-news-watch/index.html) that **several news programs**, developed in partnership with outlets like CNN and BuzzFeed, would be available on Facebook Watch. Also in 2018, Facebook [launched](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/05/facebook-capitalizes-on-musical-ly-karaoke-trend-with-lip-sync-live.html) **Lip Sync Live**, a Facebook Live karaoke feature [reminiscent of TikTok](https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-musical-meme-machine-vine/), a similar app beloved by teens. The company also introduced a number of [other interactive video add-ons](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/06/helping-creators-connect-create-and-grow/), such as **Polling** and **Gamification**. When it wasn’t combating privacy [scandals](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-scandals-2018/), Facebook spent much of last year attempting to lure gamers to its platform. The company obtained the [exclusive streaming rights](https://www.polygon.com/2018/1/18/16903872/esl-streaming-partnership-facebook-esl-one-pro-league-counter-strike-global-offensive-dota-2) for **multiple esports leagues from the federation ESL**. It then [rolled out](https://www.facebook.com/fbgaminghome/blog/introducing-the-facebook-gaming-creator-level-up-program) its **Gaming Creator Level Up Program**, which aims to attract popular livestreamers to Facebook Live—and away from [Amazon-owned Twitch](https://www.wired.com/story/why-hard-escape-amazons-long-reach/)—by helping them expand their followings, make money, and engage with fans. Facebook also [rolled out](https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/07/facebook-launches-fb-gg-gaming-video-hub-to-compete-with-twitch/) its own Twitch-style dedicated live-streaming site, **Fb.gg**, and began [offering](https://www.recode.net/2018/1/26/16934662/facebook-livestreaming-video-games-esports) some gaming influencers **money** for using the platform. Some of Facebook’s gaming partners can also participate in a Patreon-style **monthly subscription program for fans**, now [being tested](https://www.wired.com/story/youtube-creators-monetization/) by the company. Facebook also launched its own virtual currency, **Facebook Stars**, worth one cent each, for users to send to their favorite gamers as tips. (The company takes a cut of every Star purchased by users.) While it’s too soon to determine the fate of its various livestreaming ventures, Facebook has [recently faced accusations](https://www.revealnews.org/article/facebook-knowingly-duped-game-playing-kids-and-their-parents-out-of-money/) that in the past it encouraged children to spend large sums of money playing games without their parents’ permission. In 2015, Facebook launched **Instant Articles**, a [feature](https://www.wired.com/2015/05/instant-articles-facebook-shows-us-paper/) that allows users to read news articles from select websites without leaving the social network. After the 2016 US presidential election, when it was criticized for spreading misinformation, Facebook [began](https://www.wired.com/2016/12/facebook-gets-real-fighting-fake-news/) partnering with **outside fact-checking organizations** to combat misinformation. Around the same time, it [announced](https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/blog/introducing-the-facebook-journalism-project) the **Facebook Journalism Project** to foster partnerships with the media industry. **Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and More** Facebook’s [original messaging feature](https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/changes-part-2-of-3-inbox/2330052130/?__tn__=HH-R) was **Inbox**, a Facebookified email client where messages were linked in threads (real-time messaging was impossible). As the site matured, private messaging became increasingly important. In 2008, the company [launched](https://www.wired.com/2008/04/facebook-chat-launches-site-gets-even-noisier/) **Facebook Chat**, an instant messaging service similar to AIM and Gchat. In February 2011, Facebook acquired group messaging service **Beluga,** which it used to develop its standalone chat app **Messenger**, released [later that year](https://www.wired.com/2014/02/decade-facebooks-innovations/). In 2015, the company [added](https://www.wired.com/2015/03/can-now-send-money-facebook-whats/) a person-to-person **payment service** to Messenger. **Facebook Messenger Lite**, a [pared-down version of the app](https://www.wired.com/story/ditch-facebook-messenger/) designed for emerging markets, was released in 2016. A year later, Facebook launched **Messenger Kids**, which [targeted users](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-for-6-year-olds-welcome-to-messenger-kids/) as young as six. In 2012, Facebook paid $1 billion to [acquire](https://www.wired.com/2012/04/facebook-buys-instagram-2/) photo-sharing app **Instagram**, and has since rolled out additional features, including **Instagram Direct** messaging, disappearing **Instagram Stories**, and **IGTV**, a [video streaming service](https://www.wired.com/story/with-igtv-instagram-takes-aim-at-youtube/). Two years after buying Instagram, Facebook [shelled out](https://www.wired.com/2014/02/facebook-whatsapp/) $19 billion to purchase private messaging service **WhatsApp**, where it also [introduced](https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/01/whatsapp-stories/) Stories. The Snapchat-esque feature made its way to Facebook proper in 2018. It was [recently reported](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/technology/facebook-instagram-whatsapp-messenger.html?rref=collection%2Fbyline%2Fmike-isaac&action=click&contentCollection=undefined®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=collection) that Facebook plans to merge the [underlying messaging infrastructure](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-messenger-whatsapp-instagram-chat-combined-encryption-identity/) that powers WhatsApp, Instagram, Direct, and Facebook Messenger. Over the years, Facebook has acquired or built several apps and tools that bear a striking resemblance to its competitors. There’s the TikTok [clone](https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/09/lasso-facebook-app-store/) **Lasso**, for instance, as well as the cringe-worthy-named [meme app](https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/18/18188485/facebook-lol-meme-app-gifs-funny-videos) **LOL**. In 2018, the company rolled out **Collection**, a sharing tab similar to Pinterest. And it began testing **Dating**, a [feature](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-dating-how-it-works/) within its main app that works [similarly](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-dating-hinge-app/) to other dating services like Tinder and Bumble. (It’s not yet available in most regions.) **Advertising** When Zuckerberg [announced](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2007/11/facebook-unveils-facebook-ads/) the launch of **Facebook Ads** and brand **Pages** in 2007, he [declared](https://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-warns-brands-scale-social-free/233105/) that “the next hundred years will be different for advertising, and it starts today.” He wasn’t wrong. Facebook makes most of its revenue---$55 billion last year---by charging marketers to target people based on the [information](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-ads-pew-survey/) it compiles about them. **Facebook IQ**, the company’s [digital research arm](https://www.facebook.com/business/insights), provides “powerful, actionable insights on consumer behavior, marketing and measurement.” The Intercept [reported](https://theintercept.com/2018/04/13/facebook-advertising-data-artificial-intelligence-ai/) that Facebook wants to use AI to predict how consumers will behave in the future. Also in 2007, Facebook launched **Facebook Social Ads** and **Facebook Beacon**. The latter sent information about users’ activity on other websites to Facebook for the purpose of ad targeting. Facebook Beacon quickly became the subject of a [privacy lawsuit](https://www.wired.com/2008/08/facebook-beacon/) and was retired in 2009. Facebook uses myriad other tools to track user activity on and off the web, including **Facebook Pixel**, a tracker [embedded on millions of websites](https://theoutline.com/post/4578/facebook-is-tracking-you-on-over-8-million-websites?zd=1&zi=tdvi2wye). In 2015, Facebook also [handed](https://www.recode.net/2015/6/8/11563370/facebook-is-handing-out-free-beacons-to-retailers) out free **Facebook Bluetooth Beacons** to businesses. The physical devices could monitor when a specific Facebook user visited their restaurant or store. Though the page for businesses to request beacons has since disappeared, Facebook [claims](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1150627594978290) to offer advertisers a way to calculate store visits using “customers' Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signatures” and “satellite imagery and mapping data.” In 2012, Facebook [began displaying](https://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-start-placing-ads-user-news-feeds-january/231691/) advertisements as **Featured Posts** in the News Feed. Shortly after, the company [launched](https://techcrunch.com/2012/06/13/facebook-exchange/) the now-defunct **Facebook Exchange**, a marketplace for advertisers to bid on real-time ad placements. In 2018, the social network rolled out its own [influencer marketplace](https://www.facebook.com/creators/discover/introducing-brand-collabs-manager) called the **Brand Collabs Manager**. Around the same time, Facebook launched a **political ad tool**, which allows users to [view ads](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-aims-more-transparency-view-ads-feature/) from political advertisers. The change came after Facebook discovered Russian propagandists had purchased more than [3,500 ads](https://www.wired.com/story/house-democrats-release-3500-russia-linked-facebook-ads/) targeting Americans as part of a disinformation campaign around the 2016 US election. Ads created through Facebook’s **Ad Manager** app or platform can be shown to users on Facebook or Instagram as stories, in-line posts, or other ways. The company also has free marketing and business [courses](https://www.facebook.com/business/learn) available online as part of its **Facebook Blueprint** e-learning system. Wannabe marketers can even achieve **Facebook Blueprint Certification** if they want to truly “establish \[their\] Facebook marketing expertise.” **Connectivity** In 2013, Zuckerberg [announced](https://www.wired.com/story/what-happened-to-facebooks-grand-plan-to-wire-the-world/) Facebook wanted to help connect the 5 billion people who then lacked access to the internet, mostly in the developing world. He estimated the project would take five to 10 years. Facebook soon created **Internet.org**, a set of initiatives that included the **Connectivity Lab**, where researchers work to reach the not-yet-connected via drones, satellites, and [lasers](https://www.wired.com/2015/04/yael-maguire/). Through the lab, Facebook built **Aquila**, an enormous solar-powered drone designed to beam an internet connection back to Earth. It was [permanently grounded](https://code.fb.com/connectivity/high-altitude-connectivity-the-next-chapter/) in 2018, two years after its first public [test flights](https://www.wired.com/2016/07/facebooks-giant-internet-beaming-drone-finally-takes-flight/). The Connectivity Lab also experimented with **satellites**, including one designed to provide internet access to sub-Saharan Africa, which [blew up](https://slate.com/technology/2016/09/spacex-blew-up-facebooks-first-internet-satellite.html) on a SpaceX rocket in 2016. Last year, WIRED [reported](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-confirms-its-working-on-new-internet-satellite/) that Facebook was planning to launch a new satellite called **Athena** in 2019. The Connectivity Lab also worked to create [maps](https://code.fb.com/core-data/connecting-the-world-with-better-maps/) to [help understand](https://www.wired.com/2015/03/facebook-traffic-control/) where networks needed to be improved. And it developed **OpenCellular**, a device that can be [strapped](https://www.wired.com/2016/07/facebook-2/) to a tree or street lamp and function like a miniature cellular station, as well as **Terragraph** and **ARIES**, [wireless antennas](https://www.wired.com/2016/04/facebooks-massive-new-antennas-can-beam-internet-miles/) for improving internet access in both rural and urban areas. In 2015, the company created **Express Wi-Fi**, a [program](https://www.wired.com/2016/10/zuckerberg-in-africa/) where local businesses host routers that people nearby can use as internet hotspots. Internet.org’s most controversial access project is **Free Basics**, a program launched in 2013 that offers people in more than 60 countries free access to a limited suite of websites and apps, including, of course, Facebook. In 2016, Free Basics was [banned](https://www.wired.com/2016/02/facebooks-free-basics-app-is-now-banned-in-india/) in India as part of a ruling in support of net neutrality. Also that year, Facebook launched the **Telecom Infra Project**, a [partnership](https://www.wired.com/story/after-slurping-up-ai-researchers-facebook-offers-to-share/) with more than two dozen companies aimed at improving the underlying architecture that powers the internet. The initiative echoed the **Open Compute Project**, an open source initiative that Facebook [launched](https://www.wired.com/2015/03/facebook-got-even-apple-back-open-source-hardware/) in 2011 to remodel the hardware used inside computer data centers. To top it off, Facebook also owns [a number of](https://www.wired.co.uk/article/subsea-cables-google-facebook) **undersea internet cables**. **Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality** In 2014, Facebook paid $3 billion to buy **Oculus**, a [virtual reality company](https://www.wired.com/2016/03/oculus-design-virtual-reality/) that now makes three [types of headsets](https://www.wired.com/review/oculus-go/), **Oculus Rift**, **Oculus Go**, and **Gear VR**. (Coming soon is **Oculus Quest**, an [all-in-one gaming system](https://www.wired.com/story/oculus-quest-wireless-vr-headset/) that doesn’t need to be connected to a computer.) Together with Samsung, Oculus [released](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/review-samsung-gear-vr/) **Samsung Gear VR** in 2015. **Oculus Studios** publishes and funds VR games and experiences, while **Oculus Story Studio** focused on VR storytelling content before it shuttered in 2017. Also in 2017, Facebook [unveiled](https://www.wired.com/2017/04/facebook-unveils-two-new-vr-cameras-six-degrees-freedom/) two VR cameras designed to capture spherical video and [released](https://www.wired.com/2016/04/heres-360-degree-video-camera-facebook-giving-away/) the blueprints for them to the world via the coding site Github. In addition, Facebook introduced the **Camera Effects** platform, a [set of tools](https://www.wired.com/2017/04/facebooks-future-live-phone/) for developers to create augmented-reality apps. Around the same time, Facebook announced **Facebook Spaces**, a bizarre, [VR-version](https://www.wired.com/2017/04/facebook-spaces-vr-for-your-friends/) of the social network. This content can also be viewed on the site it [originates](https://twitter.com/SteveKopack/status/917510012070776832?s%5C=20) from. **Artificial Intelligence** Facebook has invested [considerable resources](https://www.wired.com/2017/02/inside-facebooks-ai-machine/) in its **Applied Machine Learning Group**, whose engineers help to automate many parts of its sprawling platform. The company’s **AI Research group** has attracted top scholars in the field and regularly publishes world-renowned [research](https://code.fb.com/ai-research/fair-fifth-anniversary/). AI now [helps](https://www.wired.com/story/instagram-anti-bullying-algorithm/) detect toxic comments on Instagram, determines which posts appear in your Facebook News Feed, and makes sponsored posts more “relevant.” The tech is also used to identify potentially offending posts for the social network’s thousands of content moderators. For example, the company uses an [algorithm](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-rosetta-ai-memes/) called **Rosetta** to analyze text in photos and videos, which can alert a moderator if it thinks a meme violates Facebook’s hate speech policies. Facebook also uses AI for more controversial purposes, like to determine whether [someone is suicidal](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-suicide/facebook-to-expand-artificial-intelligence-to-help-prevent-suicide-idUSKBN1DR1YT). In December 2010, Facebook [began using](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/12/facebook-will-start-using-facial-recognition-next-week/68121/) **facial recognition technology** to suggest who to tag in a photo. In 2014, the company said its **DeepFace** algorithm had become as accurate as humans at identifying faces. In 2017, it [expanded its facial recognition feature](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/19/571954455/facebook-expands-use-of-facial-recognition-to-id-users-in-photos) to alert users when an image of them is uploaded—even if they’re not tagged in it. Around the same time, Facebook said it was using photo-matching technology to halt [the spread of revenge porn](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2017/04/using-technology-to-protect-intimate-images-and-help-build-a-safe-community/). Facebook has also used AI to build **automated chatbots**. In 2017, the company caused a panic when some news organizations [incorrectly reported](https://www.wired.com/story/facebooks-chatbots-will-not-take-over-the-world/) that its bots had begun talking to one another in their own language. In fact, Facebook’s researchers had set out to build bots that could negotiate with people, but instead the bots started talking gibberish. In 2018, Facebook’s AI researchers announced they had partnered with New York University to develop more efficient **diagnostic technology** that could significantly [speed up MRIs](https://code.fb.com/ai-research/facebook-and-nyu-school-of-medicine-launch-research-collaboration-to-improve-mri/). Facebook has also even [built AI](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/facebook-trying-create-ai-can-create-ai/) that **builds other AI**. **Consumer Hardware** In 2013, Facebook released the so-called **Facebook Phone**, also known as the [HTC First](https://www.wired.com/2013/04/htc-first-with-facebook-home/). The Android device came preloaded with **Facebook Home**, a software addition for the home and lock screens that [nudged the user](https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/facebook/) to post on Facebook more often. Despite much fanfare, the phone didn’t take off; at one point, AT&T [offered](https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/05/09/after-only-a-month-the-facebook-phone-is-down-to-99-cents/#1b76e5ee5daa) the device for just 99 cents. In October, Facebook tried again to break into hardware with **Facebook Portal**, a [smart home device with a camera](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-portal-smart-home-device/), which arrived as the company faced a number of privacy scandals. Facebook’s team of hardware designers reportedly also is working on a pair of **AR glasses**, that could come sometime in the [next few years](https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-moves-ar-glasses-team-reality-labs-2019-1). **Other Facebook Projects** In 2013, Facebook [purchased](https://techcrunch.com/2013/10/13/facebook-buys-mobile-analytics-company-onavo-and-finally-gets-its-office-in-israel/) **Onavo**, an [Israeli VPN maker](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-onavo-protect-vpn-privacy/), which it [reportedly used](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-research-app-root-certificate/) to gather data on popular emerging apps in order to copy or buy them. It also used tech from Onavo to build **Facebook Research**, an app where users are paid around $20 a month to share their data with the social network. Onavo and Facebook Research were [recently removed](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-research-app-lessons/) from iPhones for [violating](https://www.zdnet.com/article/facebook-removes-onavo-vpn-from-app-store-over-privacy-violations/) Apple’s privacy rules (they’re both still available on Android). Onavo also launched **Bolt**, an app that could lock _other_ applications using a pin code or fingerprint. Facebook later deleted it after the app [raised](https://gizmodo.com/facebook-launches-another-deceptive-security-app-design-1823650981) privacy concerns. Also in 2013, Facebook [waded](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2013/12/donate-to-nonprofits-through-facebook/) into the nonprofit sector with Donate, a feature for contributing to nonprofits. It later added a [suite of tools](https://www.wired.com/story/nonprofits-facebook-get-hacked-need-help/) for charities; more than 1 million organizations now accept donations through the social network. Facebook [celebrates](https://www.theringer.com/tech/2017/12/7/16743104/facebook-social-good-initiative) its nonprofit work each year at the annual **Facebook Social Good Forum**. That’s where the company has introduced [several features](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2017/11/facebook-social-good-forum/) designed to help facilitate blood donations. In 2018, the company [announced](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/06/making-it-easier-to-donate-blood/) **Blood Donations on Facebook**, to make it easier to find places to donate in certain countries. In 2017, Facebook’s experimental unit **Building 8** announced plans to [create](https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-race-to-build-a-brain-machine-interface/) a **device to read your thoughts**. The same group is also [working on](https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-building-8-prototype-device-lets-you-hear-through-skin-study-2018-10) an **armband to allow people to hear through their skin**. Building 8 researchers were [reportedly](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/05/facebook-building-8-explored-data-sharing-agreement-with-hospitals.html) planning to negotiate **data-sharing agreements with hospitals**, until the Cambridge Analytica [scandal](https://www.wired.com/amp-stories/cambridge-analytica-explainer/) came to light. The project was subsequently [scrapped](http://fortune.com/2018/04/06/facebook-medical-data-sharing-hospitals/). In addition, Facebook [runs](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-bug-bounty-biggest-payout/) a **Bug Bounty Program**, a [startup incubator](https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/17/facebook-to-open-startup-garage-at-station-f-in-paris/) in Paris called **Station F**, and a [career development site](https://learn.fb.com/) dubbed **Learn with Facebook**. The company also facilitates [digital skills training](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/category/community-boost/) for small businesses through its **Community Boost** program, and bought the popular publisher [analytics tool](https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/11/13594338/facebook-acquires-crowdtangle) **CrowdTangle** in 2016. There’s also **Jarvis**, Mark Zuckerberg’s [virtual assistant](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-mark-zuckerberg-personal-smart-home-assistant-jarvis-works-2016-12) who can help the CEO [eat plain white toast](https://boingboing.net/2018/04/03/mark-zuckerberg-eats-toast.html) whenever his heart desires. Facebook is also [reportedly](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-21/facebook-is-said-to-develop-stablecoin-for-whatsapp-transfers) developing a **cryptocurrency for WhatsApp** purchases. Facebook has made other advances in the crypto world. Last May, former head of Messenger David Marcus [shifted](https://www.facebook.com/davidm/posts/10160585531500195) to head a new project focused on leveraging **blockchain technology for Facebook**. Tuesday, the company [acquired the team behind](https://mashable.com/article/facebook-acquires-blockchain-team-chainspace/#kl5sESKYigqL) **Chainspace**, a blockchain startup. **The Graveyard** Many Facebook initiatives died, not unusual for a company trying to innovate in so many areas. Some of these projects were thinly veiled knockoffs of competitors, while others were quietly phased out amid privacy or other concerns. In 2009, Facebook [briefly experimented](https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/5/17176834/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-democracy-governance-vote-failure) with a **user governance structure**, where people could vote on [what policies](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2009/02/facebook-opens-governance-of-service-and-policy-process-to-users/) the site adopted. But only a [tiny fraction](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/04/facebook-governance-vote-is-a-homework-assignment-no-one-did.html) of the platform’s then-200 million users participated, and the program was soon abandoned. Facebook [acquired](https://techcrunch.com/2012/05/18/facebook-acquires-karma/) social gifting app **Karma** in 2012, but soon after launched its own ecommerce [platform](https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/facebook-gifts-launches/), **Facebook Gifts**. After that [failed to take off](https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/29/an-obituary-for-facebook-gifts/), Facebook pivoted to the **Facebook Card**, a [mega-gift card](https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2013/01/introducing-the-facebook-card-a-new-type-of-gift-card/) that worked at a variety of physical retailers. A version of the Facebook Card technically still exists, but only for Facebook-related purchases. In 2014, Facebook [launched](https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/facebook-trending/) **Trending Topics** to display a selection of viral news stories. It was originally edited by human curators, who were accused of bias; the curators were replaced by an algorithm, which led to the [appearance](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/10/12/facebook-has-repeatedly-trended-fake-news-since-firing-its-human-editors/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.99bc04806ab3) of hoaxes and fake news stories. Facebook tried [reforming](https://www.wired.com/2017/01/facebook-reboots-trending-topics-fake-news-festers/) the feature, but eventually [shut it down](https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-killed-trending-topics/) last year. Over the years, Facebook has launched several Snapchat competitors, none of which have achieved mainstream success. There [was](https://techcrunch.com/2012/12/21/facebook-poke-app/) **Poke** in 2012, **Slingshot** and **Bolt** [in 2014](https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-has-officially-launched-its-new-photo-app-slingshot-2014-6) and **Lifestage,** which was [killed](https://thenextweb.com/apps/2017/08/09/facebooks-snapchat-style-lifestage-app-for-teens-is-dead/) in 2017. Also in 2014, the company launched **Facebook Paper**, a news-reading app that was basically Facebook’s version of [Pocket](https://www.pcworld.com/article/2030081/review-pocket-lets-you-shelve-items-to-read-and-watch-when-the-time-is-right.html); it was [shuttered](https://www.theverge.com/2016/6/30/12062124/facebook-paper-shutdown) in 2016. Facebook [also killed](https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/09/facebook-kills-groups-app/) its standalone **Groups app** soon after. When the anonymous gossip app [Sarahah](http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/07/what-is-sarahah-app.html) became a viral sensation among teens in 2017, Facebook bought its own gossip app, **tbh**, which it almost [immediately shut down](https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/03/technology/facebook-tbh-app-shut-down/index.html). At the same time, it shuttered the contact app **Hello** and the fitness app **Moves**, which it had acquired in 2014. Other abandoned Facebook endeavors include: a [virtual assistant](https://www.wired.com/story/facebooks-virtual-assistant-m-is-dead-so-are-chatbots/) in Messenger called **M**; [anonymous forum app](https://9to5mac.com/2015/12/07/facebook-creative-labs-shutdown/) **Rooms;** the **Notify** app to send notifications; an app called **I’m Voting** created in partnership with CNN; a Google Photos competitor called **Moments;** the **Facebook Lite** app; the **Facebook Credits** virtual currency; a Vine competitor called **Riff;** and, of course, the [media darling](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/26/facebook-wont-use-its-war-room-for-future-elections-report-says.html) known as Facebook’s **War Room**, built to help [monitor misinformation](https://www.wired.com/story/inside-facebooks-plan-to-safeguard-2018-election/) during the 2018 US midterm elections and Brazilian presidential election. _Do you know a part of Facebook we didn't list? Let the authors know at: [paris\[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and [louise\[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])._
2025-01-06
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But the real secret of the TR10 is what we leave off the list. It is hard to think of another industry, aside from maybe entertainment, that has as much of a hype machine behind it as tech does. Which means that being too conservative is rarely the wrong call. But it does happen. Last year, for example, we were going to include robotaxis on the TR10. Autonomous vehicles have been around for years, but 2023 seemed like a real breakthrough moment; both Cruise and Waymo were ferrying paying customers around various cities, with big expansion plans on the horizon. And then, last fall, after a series of mishaps (including an incident when a pedestrian was caught under a vehicle and dragged), Cruise pulled its entire fleet of robotaxis from service. Yikes. The timing was pretty miserable, as we were in the process of putting some of the finishing touches on the issue. I made the decision to pull it. That was a mistake. What followed turned out to be a banner year for the robotaxi. Waymo, which had previously been available only to a select group of beta testers, opened its service to the general public in San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2024. Its cars are now ubiquitous in the City by the Bay, where they have not only become a real competitor to the likes of Uber and Lyft but even created something of a tourist attraction. Which is no wonder, because riding in one is _delightful_. They are still novel enough to make it feel like a kind of magic. And as you can read, Waymo is just a part of this amazing story. The item we swapped into the robotaxi’s place was the [Apple Vision Pro](https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/01/08/1085133/apple-vision-pro-micro-oled-mixed-reality-spatial-computer-virtual-reality-breakthrough-technologies/), an example of both a hit and a miss. We’d included it because it is truly a revolutionary piece of hardware, and we zeroed in on its micro-OLED display. Yet a year later, it has seemingly failed to find a market fit, and its sales are reported to be far below what Apple predicted. I’ve been covering this field for well over a decade, and I would still argue that the Vision Pro (unlike the Magic Leap vaporware of 2015) is a breakthrough device. But it clearly did not have a breakthrough year. Mea culpa. Having said all that, I think we have an incredible and thought-provoking list for you this year—from [a new astronomical observatory](https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/01/03/1108810/vera-c-rubin-observatory-telescope-space-digital-camera-breakthrough-technologies-2025/) that will allow us to peer into the fourth dimension to [new ways of searching the internet](https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/01/03/1108820/generative-ai-search-apple-google-microsoft-breakthrough-technologies-2025/) to, well, [robotaxis](https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/01/03/1108950/robotaxis-driverless-cars-breakthrough-technologies-2025/). I hope there’s something here for everyone.
2025-02-05
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He has reason to be optimistic, though: Meta is currently ahead of its competition thanks to the success of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses—the company sold [more than 1 million units](https://www.theverge.com/meta/603674/meta-ray-ban-smart-glasses-sales) last year. It also is preparing to roll out new styles thanks to a partnership with Oakley, which, like Ray-Ban, is under the EssilorLuxottica umbrella of brands. And while its current second-generation specs can’t show its wearer digital data and notifications, a third version complete with a small display is due for release this year, according to the [_Financial Times_](https://www.ft.com/content/77bd9117-0a2d-4bd7-9248-4dd288f695a4). The company is also reportedly working on a lighter, more advanced version of its Orion AR glasses, dubbed Artemis, that could go on sale as early as 2027, [_Bloomberg_](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-21/meta-hardware-plans-oakley-and-ar-like-glasses-apple-watch-and-airpods-rivals?sref=E9Urfma4) reports. Adding display capabilities will put the Ray-Ban Meta glasses on equal footing with Google’s unnamed Android XR glasses project, which sports an [in-lens display](https://blog.google/products/android/android-xr/) (the company has not yet announced a definite release date). The prototype the company demoed to journalists in September featured a version of its AI chatbot Gemini, and much they way Google built its Android OS to run on smartphones made by third parties, its Android XR software will eventually run on smart glasses made by other companies as well as its own. These two major players are competing to bring face-mounted AI to the masses in a race that’s bound to intensify, adds Rosenberg—especially given that both [Zuckerberg](https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2024/q4/META-Q4-2024-Earnings-Call-Transcript.pdf) and Google cofounder [Sergey Brin](https://www.businessinsider.com/sergey-brin-google-glass-ai-killer-app-comments-project-astra-2024-5) have called smart glasses the “perfect” hardware for AI. “Google and Meta are really the big tech companies that are furthest ahead in the AI space on their own. They’re very well positioned,” he says. “This is not just augmenting your world, it’s augmenting your brain.” When the AR gaming company Niantic’s Michael Miller walked around CES, the gigantic consumer electronics exhibition that takes over Las Vegas each January, he says he was struck by the number of smaller companies developing their own glasses and systems to run on them, including Chinese brands DreamSmart, Thunderbird, and Rokid. While it’s still not a cheap endeavor—a business would probably need a couple of million dollars in investment to get a prototype off the ground, he says—it demonstrates that the future of the sector won’t depend on Big Tech alone. “On a hardware and software level, the barrier to entry has become very low,” says Miller, the augmented reality hardware lead at Niantic, which has partnered with Meta, Snap, and Magic Leap, among others. “But turning it into a viable consumer product is still tough. Meta caught the biggest fish in this world, and so they benefit from the Ray-Ban brand. It’s hard to sell glasses when you’re an unknown brand.” That’s why it’s likely ambitious smart glasses makers in countries like Japan and China will increasingly partner with eyewear companies known locally for creating desirable frames, generating momentum in their home markets before expanding elsewhere, he suggests. These smaller players will also have an important role in creating new experiences for wearers of smart glasses. A big part of smart glasses’ usefulness hinges on their ability to send and receive information from a wearer’s smartphone—and third-party developers’ interest in building apps that run on them. The more the public can do with their glasses, the more likely they are to buy them.