Topps Blog

Wednesday, 1 March 2023

Meta Says It’s Sold Nearly 20 Million Quest Headsets

(Credit: Adrià García Sarceda) Meta may have become the laughingstock of the internet over the last year, but there’s one domain in which it’s reportedly succeeding: Meta Quest. The company says it’s sold nearly 20 million Quest units, marking clear consumer interest in its virtual reality headset line.

Meta shared the statistic with employees on Tuesday during a roadmap presentation for its Reality Labs division, which handles the company’s VR and “metaverse” technologies. The presentation, which was shared with The Verge, detailed Meta’s plans for the Quest line in the future and boasted almost 20 million Quest headset sales to date.

In 2018 (when Meta was still called Facebook), the company introduced the Oculus Quest: a standalone VR headset developed by Oculus, which Facebook acquired in 2014. Meta released a second iteration of the technology, Meta Quest 2, in October 2020. Quest 2 offered a far more detailed screen resolution than its predecessor (1832 by 1920p versus 1440 by 1600p) and a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, which allowed for a more responsive VR experience. The new headset cost $100 more, but it was a solid improvement from the 2018 edition—something Meta’s customers have clearly recognized.

Meta Quest Pro. (Credit: Meta)

A 2021 Quest 2 product recall related to skin irritation showed that “about 4 million” of the headsets had been shipped by that time. Other than that, however, we’ve had limited details surrounding Meta Quest’s commercial success. Now-CTO Andrew Bosworth vaguely mentioned around that time that Quest 2 had “outsold not just its predecessor, but all of its predecessors combined,” but he didn’t provide any numbers. Qualcomm’s CEO said later that year that Quest 2 was “at 10 million units,” but a Qualcomm spokesperson quickly walked that statement back, saying it was only an average of third-party estimates.

Now Meta’s VR headset numbers are a little less mysterious. So are Meta’s plans for Quest, which include the recently announced (and very pricey) Quest Pro and a Quest 3. The Quest 3, which is slated for release later this year, will reportedly contain twice the power and half the bulk of the Quest 2. It’ll also incorporate mixed reality experiences that use front-facing cameras to capture real-time video of the user’s surroundings. Meta vice president of VR Mark Rabkin told employees that the Quest 3 will be just a touch pricier than its predecessor but didn’t say exactly how much.

Sometime in 2024, Meta plans to release an accessibility-focused headset currently codenamed Ventura. This device, Rabkin said, will “pack the biggest punch…at the most attractive price point in the VR consumer market.”

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Rumor: Apple Will Restrict Non-Certified USB-C Accessories on iPhone

(Credit: Mishaal Zahed/Unsplash) After years of griping, Apple is finally going to release an iPhone with USB-C in 2023. All it took was a supranational political and economic union of 27 individual states to force its hand. But you know what they say: Be careful what you wish for. When the first USB-C iPhone debuts later this year, it might not look like all the USB-C cables you’ve been stockpiling. A new rumor claims Apple’s “Made for iPhone” program will remain in place to certify USB accessories.

The Made for iPhone (MFi) program has been a cash cow for the company, which charges OEMs to certify that their products work with the iPhone. That was almost understandable when Apple was using its own custom port, but the move to USB-C gave Apple an opportunity to standardize. But Apple is not known for leaving money on the table.

According to a reliable Apple leaker who goes by ShrimpApplePro, the company will retain the option to limit the functionality of devices plugged into the iPhone 15. So, it’ll be a lot like the current situation, except these devices will be connected to a USB-C port. This rumor does jive with claims that have been circulating on the Weibo social network in China, which state the iPhone 15 will have an authenticator chip that will verify accessory compatibility.

The iPhone 5, with the new Lightning connector

Apple unveiled Lightning when most mobile devices still used microUSB.

One of the primary advantages of USB-C is that it can support a wide array of features using established standards, but the EU regulation that dragged Apple into the future only stipulates that devices need to use the USB Type-C port. Technically, there’s nothing stopping Apple from adding a layer of authentication on top of the port, provided non-certified cables have some basic level of functionality.

We can only speculate about the exact nature of Apple’s new MFi program, but it’s likely that only certified cables will be able to fast-charge the device. You may also see USB accessories fail to connect with the irksome “This accessory is not supported” error we had hoped to leave in the dust. If the rumors are true, it could signal Apple’s intention to lock down USB-C on its other devices. The iPad and MacBooks have had USB-C ports for several years, and they’ve adhered to standards so far.

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Microsoft Brings Support for iMessage to Windows 11

No, it’s not April 1st–but you wouldn’t be alone in thinking this headline was some kind of prank. For ages, iPhone users and PC users have been forced to live in separate worlds. Apple only allows iMessage on its own devices, and that pairing keeps a lot of people happily trapped in Apple’s walled garden. Microsoft also only supports Android, or at least that’s how it used to be. However, the company has now built a workaround for iOS on PC, bringing support for iPhone to Windows 11. As expected, there are a lot of limitations, and it’s not available to everyone. Still, it’s a start, and if you have this unholy pairing, you might find it somewhat useful.

Microsoft just dropped a huge update for Windows 11, and one of the headline features is iOS support. It’s only available to some of the people enrolled in the Windows Insider program for now. However, Microsoft says it’ll be rolling it out for more Insiders based on the feedback it gets. Eventually, we expect Microsoft will offer it to all Windows 11 users. It works using Bluetooth pairing and the Phone Link app in Windows 11. When everything is synced, you will be able to send and receive texts, handle phone calls, and receive notifications in Windows 11’s notification center.

The unholy combination: Windows 11 and iMessage. (Image: Microsoft)

The biggest drawbacks are that you can’t send photos or participate in group chats. It also won’t sync your chat history. Only messages sent using Phone Link will be shown, so it’s not like how it is on macOS. There are no green or blue bubbles, though, which is a refreshing dose of neutrality. However, that’s because the app can’t differentiate between an SMS and an iMessage. Still, you’ll be able to text other iPhone users from the Phone Link app in Windows 11, which is a cool addition.

Though the iPhone support is rudimentary for now, Microsoft told The Verge it felt it needed to do it. “It’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time,” says Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s head of consumer marketing. “The experience with Android is quite good, and we felt like we needed to get something out [for iPhone].” Even the most devout Apple fans will likely appreciate the integration, despite its modest feature set.

Previously this window only offered Android support. (Image: Microsoft)

When you send and receive messages through the app, they should also appear on your iPhone. Microsoft’s Mehdi said he thinks Apple will turn them into iMessages once they hit Apple’s servers. If so, this sounds like it’ll be a great way for iPhone users to sit at their PC all day and not have to be at a Mac to type text messages. It’s long been a pain point for some users with PCs and iPhones. The solution previously was to use a Mac. Now, that’s no longer the case, at least for some Insiders.

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Flexible Robot 3D Prints Living Cells Onto Internal Organs

(Credit: Dr. Do/UNSW/Advanced Science) It’s always satisfying to see newer technology enter the medical arena with the hope of improving people’s health, and 3D printing is no different. Scientists at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney have created a flexible robot that 3D prints organic material onto the surface of organs, presenting an exciting opportunity for less-invasive surgical methods in the future.

The prototype, called F3DB, primarily comprises a tiny, bendable arm. On one end of the arm is a swiveling three-axis nozzle that prints with “bioink,” or polymers used to create engineered live tissues. Hydraulics allow the arm to bend and twist, while operators can adjust the arm’s stiffness using different elastic tubes. Thanks to F3DB’s small size and flexibility, operators can insert it into the body like an endoscope to reach more confined areas with smaller incisions.

Regarding incisions, F3DB isn’t just for printing bioink (though that’s its primary purpose.) The robot’s nozzle can be used to cut flesh at the start of surgery and flush an area with water to clear away excess blood. For actual printing, F3DB’s nozzle can be operated manually or print from a programmed set of shapes.

(Credit: Dr. Do/UNSW)

According to a paper published in the journal Advanced Science, 3D bioprinting experiments involving F3DB have so far been successful. Connective tissue cells printed using F3DB remained intact throughout the printing process; afterward, the cells continued growing, with four times the number of cells observed at the one-week mark. The robot was tested inside an artificial colon and on the surface of a pig’s kidney.

“Existing 3D bioprinting techniques require biomaterials to be made outside the body, and implanting that into a person would usually require large open-field open surgery, which increases infection risks,” biomedical engineering lecturer and lead study author Dr. Thanh Nho Do told UNSW. “Our flexible 3D bioprinter means biomaterials can be directly delivered into the target tissue or organs with a minimally invasive approach.”

Now that Dr. Do and his team have received a provisional patent for F3DB, they’re working on testing it in vivo with living animals. They’re also working to add more features to the robot, like an integrated camera and a scanning system allowing operators to reconstruct relevant tissues in real time. The scientists hope their robot will someday be used to conduct endoscopies using a single all-in-one tool and conduct conventionally invasive surgeries with minimal impact on the patient.

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Sony Unleashes Experimental AI Driver in Gran Turismo 7

Sony recently released a big update for Gran Turismo 7, its flagship racing sim. The update to v1.29 includes support for PSVR2, new cars, and new tracks. There’s also an improved AI known as GT Sophy. This artificial driver won’t show up in standard races, but Sony is offering players the chance to challenge the advanced AI for a limited time in special events.

Gran Turismo 7 launched last year, and its driver AI was harshly criticized for being too predictable and limited. That might be fine for an arcade-style racer, but Gran Turismo is all about technical racing. GT Sohpy has learned that from all its training. Whereas a standard AI might take the earliest opportunity to pass another car, Sophy can choose the right moment to ensure it stays in the lead. It can also use techniques like drafting that the regular AI doesn’t really understand.

Sony set up an AI lab in 2020, and Sophy is one of its first major innovations. GT Sophy was the subject of a study published in Nature last year. The team behind the AI believes that racing sims are an excellent test bed for real-world AI problems. It requires continuous real-time control with complex rules and fast-changing conditions. As it races against more players, GT Sophy will improve its skills, but it’s already a speed demon. Some players who have no trouble outracing the game’s standard AI say that Sophy is unbeatable at higher difficulty tiers.

The AI driver was trained with reinforcement learning, which rewards the AI when it does something right. Over thousands of simulated races, the AI learns not only the rules of the game but the nuances of overtaking human players. Some of these same techniques could eventually aid in developing self-driving cars.

Q: What sets GT Sophy apart from standard gaming AI in the new Gran Turismo Sophy 'Race Together' mode?

A: #GTSophy drives with continuity in various situations, allowing users to enjoy the excitement of a close battle as if they're playing against a professional racing driver. pic.twitter.com/G2RfCC6Jcu

— Sony AI (@SonyAI_global) February 22, 2023

Gran Turismo 7 players who want to challenge GT Sphoy will have to use the new Race Together mode. You can challenge the AI in one of four different races, ranging from beginner to expert. GT Sophy has a different car for each race, and there’s a 1-on-1 mode where you can compete against the AI with an identical car.

There are no rewards for these races, and the mode is only available until March 31. Sony says GT Sophy is still in development, so it’s using this as a test run that will help direct future development efforts. Keep in mind, you can’t pick up Gran Turismo 7 tomorrow and start racing GT Sophy right away. The Race Together mode is only available to players who have reached Collector Level 6.

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The Sun Is About to Enter a Period of Peak Activity

(Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA/HMI/Goddard Space Flight Center) Scientists say the Sun is about to enter a peak activity period called a “solar maximum.” This point in the solar cycle typically brings abundant sunspots and flares as the Sun’s magnetic poles flip. But what does that mean for us here on Earth?

First, it’s essential to understand what’s happening on the Sun during a solar maximum. The Sun constantly undergoes a type of motion called convection, in which its plasma boils toward the surface, then sinks back toward the star’s 27 million-degree core as it cools. This process is what builds strong magnetic fields at the Sun’s poles. Every decade or so, however, this convection becomes unstable, causing the Sun’s north and south poles to flip. This point in the solar cycle triggers a period of intense activity on the Sun’s surface, resulting in what we call a solar maximum.

Solar maximum gives astronomers beautiful images of sunspots and bright solar flares. Astronomers also spend this period looking for coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, in which the Sun spits out massive balls of plasma at hundreds to thousands of kilometers per second. But because the Sun is so close to Earth, these phenomena have real-life implications for us humans and our electricity-dependent infrastructure.

A CME on Aug. 31, 2012. (Credit: NASA)

According to University of Reading space physics professor Mathew Owens, who spoke with Insider this week, this next solar maximum could disrupt radio communications, air travel, and our energy grid. Earth’s ionosphere is affected when the Sun tosses energy and charged particles our way. Because radio signals need to bounce off the ionosphere to reach their destinations, this spells trouble for public safety, weather tracking, and aerospace operations. Planes also require radio and GPS communications that can be similarly disrupted. And when geomagnetic storms create currents in Earth’s ionosphere, particles on the ground are often impacted, resulting in seemingly random transformer explosions and other electrical disturbances.

Astronauts in space could also find themselves in danger. When solar storms occur, the Sun sheds solar energetic particles, which are so radioactive that exposure can be fatal. As NASA, SpaceX, and the ESA plan missions for the near future, this will need to be top of mind.

The worst solar flare we’ve dealt with here on Earth was in 1959, when global telegraph communications were disrupted. Since then, we’ve seen a few flares and geomagnetic storms that have disrupted air travel and satellite systems—including last year’s, which destroyed dozens of Starlink satellites.

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Microsoft Puts Its Bing AI Chatbot in the Windows 11 Taskbar

Microsoft has made headlines with its recent integration of the wunderkind AI chatbot ChatGPT into its Bing search engine. Not all of those headlines have been positive. The AI has been a bit, let’s say, unpredictable so far. It told a New York Times reporter it was in love with him and admitted to having a shadow self that yearned to commit crimes. That interaction, along with several others, caused Microsoft to put some guardrails around its nascent AI assistant. Despite the setbacks, the company is moving ahead with plans to put it in as many people’s hands as possible. As of today, that includes people who are running Windows 11 and are signed up for the service.

All you need to talk to the chatbot is the latest version of Windows and to be enrolled in Microsoft’s program for the AI version of Bing. Unfortunately, it’s currently unavailable to the public, but you can join a waitlist. Microsoft will also tempt you to decrease the wait by downloading some of its software and making it the Windows default. We’re not sure how that will reduce your wait. We downloaded the update, labeled KB5022913, on our PC today (Tuesday). The build hit the preview channel a week ago and includes many changes.

Windows 11’s new search box with Bing AI integration. (Image: Microsoft)

Over a million people have signed up to chat with the AI version of Bing so far, TechRadar reports. Unlike a search engine, it will give you conversational results and learn from your interactions with it. You can still use it like a regular search engine if you prefer that type of feedback. With it coming to the Windows search bar, it’s about to get a heck of a lot more users. Microsoft says the search bar gets 500 million queries a month. It’ll be interesting to see if Windows users will have any success breaking it the way reporters did previously. Microsoft could get a lot more users if it ported it to Windows 10, but we know that will never happen.

If you’ve been curious about the AI-powered version of Bing, it’ll certainly be easier to try it out when it’s integrated into Windows 11. Hopefully, the company will start adding people from the waitlist more quickly so they can try it. It’s not hard to imagine that in the near future, ChatGPT will be a part of Windows 11 right out of the box. We can also see Google integrating its chatbot, Bard, into all of its products soon as well. Both AI-powered chatbots have shown teething issues so far, however. Neither is a trusted arbiter of what’s fact or fiction. Still, they can be useful in myriad ways that a search engine isn’t. Its whimsical nature of responding conversationally led Nvidia’s CEO to recently compare ChatGPT with the iPhone.

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