Dusty Mag

Amazon unveiled its new artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, the Alexa+, which comes with an upgrade of almost everything. The company says it is more intelligent, more powerful, and more conversational.

The integration of generative AI makes the development of the tool that was launched several years ago possible. People behind the creation emphasized that they aim to craft the finest technology that can provide the wants of customers naturally and effortlessly. Essentially, they wanted to make the experience less like talking to a robot.

According to Amazon, Alexa+ is more “expansive and natural.” Unlike in the earlier model, there is no strict need to give commands in full sentences. Users can simply speak to it as if it is their long-time friend. Whether you utter phrases, half-formed ideas, or informal expressions, the AI tool will understand you.

Based on the article by the technology company, Alexa+ can do numerous tasks that make daily living better. Multiple advanced large language models (LLMs) form the powerful foundation of the AI assistant, which elevates its performance. Simultaneously, Amazon invented a concept called Experts, which enables Alexa+ to accomplish several tasks for users.

One of its new abilities includes using Ring to notify users whenever someone goes near their houses. It is also capable of utilizing apps to set up reservations, order food, do groceries, and play your favorite music.

Moreover, Amazon expressed how much more personalized the upgraded version of their AI assistant is.

“The new Alexa is highly personalized…you can also ask her to remember things that will make the experience more useful for you,”  SVP of Devices & Services Panos Panay said via Amazon.

Price and Availability

As per the company, Alexa+ comes at $19.99 per month. However, it gives out a great deal as it is free for all Prime members. It will also be available in the United States around March during an early access period.

Amazon proudly says that Alexa+ is like a trusted assistant that can do anything — all there is to do is ask. 

Panasonic proudly revealed its all-new model in its Full-Frame mirrorless camera lineup: the Lumix S1RII. The product is part of Lumix’s S series and follows its predecessor, the original S1R.

Despite having a smaller megapixel sensor (44.3) than its earlier version (47.3), the S1RII compensates for it with everything that it brings to the table.

The latest Lumix camera features an enhanced BSI CMOS sensor and processing engine with L2 Technology. This new development enables the gear to capture impressive images and shoot high-quality videos.

More importantly, S1RII retains the reputed natural color science of Lumix. Also, Panasonic stresses that this new model produces the best photos of any camera in its lineup, Jeremy Gray of PetaPixel reports.

In addition, it works with roughly 177MP in handheld shooting using high-resolution mode. This allows photographers to capture subjects, including every detail and presence.

At the same time, this device boasts its improved video capabilities, marking a new feat for Lumix’s camera products. More concretely, it will pioneer 8K video recording at 14 stops 1 of dynamic range in the Panasonic mirrorless era.

The S1RII is also built to support 5.8K Apple ProRes RAW HQ or ProRes RAW to a CFexpress Type B card. It seems to target users looking to work without external recorders and optimized mobility for one-man productions.

Autofocus and Image Stabilization System

According to Panasonic, S1RII upgrades the Phase Hybrid AutoFocus (AF) of previous Lumix mirrorless cameras. It now features artificial intelligence (AI) tracking, which advances the accuracy and precision of eye and face detection. The refined Phase Hybrid AF and high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 40 fps 4 make it easy to track moving and dynamic subjects.

Furthermore, Panasonic continues to take its image stabilization system to a higher level. The Lumix S1RII now reaches “8.0-stop shutter speed compensation 5 with in-body stabilization,” Panasonic says.

Panasonic announced that the new Lumix S1RII will be available for $3299.99 in late March.

Meta Artificial Intelligence (AI) officially launches in North Africa and the Middle East, boosting engagement that facilitates innovation. The expansion enables countless individuals in the region to have endless free access to the most advanced AI assistant.

Specifically, the smart technology is available in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan, Yemen, Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria, Meta reported.

According to an article from the multinational conglomerate, the tool now comes with Arabic capabilities. Conveniently, users can easily gain access through famous apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and more.

“Meta AI is a tool that is helping people all over the world learn, create, and engage with the things that matter most to them,” Meta emphasized in the news.

Besides the expansion, the tech giant will continue to roll out advanced multimodal features for enhanced connection and creativity. In line with this, the tool is set to launch features, particularly simultaneous dubbing and AI photo editing.

At the same time, Meta will introduce the Imagine Me feature, which uses photos and prompts to generate customized pictures.

As mentioned by Meta, “These innovations are designed to make advanced AI tools accessible to everyone, ensuring that creativity knows no bounds.”

Elevating Experience with the Llama 3.2

The company flexes its most advanced large language model, the Llama 3.2, which is the backbone of Meta AI. Also, it champions the feature that allows greater group communication by simply tagging @Meta AI in your chat.

More importantly, what separates this technology from the others is its no subscription nature – a free tool for anyone to use. It continues to offer revolutionary technology to simplify daily tasks.

As a result, the AI assistant from Meta already has around 700 million active monthly users. The expansion seems to be a mere step toward its broader goal — to lead the world in the field.

Apple is expected to release the latest M4 MacBook Air in a few months. However, the public may not have to wait that long to gauge how the new device will perform.  

Based on reports, the M4 Air recently leaked on the Geekbench Archives. The benchmark included test results, indicating a performance that could compete with the MacBook Pro 14.

More concretely, the unidentified device on the website was labeled as Mac16,12. Although it does not correspond to existing Mac codenames, it matches a Mac identifier that Apple accidentally leaked, which was linked to the M4 version.

In addition, the leaks featured a device that runs macOS 15.2 and a 10-core graphics processing unit (GPU). If this holds, it will be a significant upgrade from the previous M3 version featuring 8 GPU cores. At the same time, the upcoming laptop from the tech giant integrates 24GB of random access memory (RAM) in its arsenal.

According to a Techradar report, the benchmark could have been faked to serve a purpose. However, the details that surfaced somewhat align with what is generally expected from the all-new Apple hardware.

Moreover, a Geekbench Metal test was conducted to compare the alleged M4 MacBook Air and other laptop models from the California-based company.

“The MacBook Air M4 scored 33.5% higher on the Geekbench Metal test than the MacBook Air 13 M3, and it’s just 4.8% lower than the MacBook Pro 14 (M4, 2024),” Madeline Ricchiuto of MSN reported.

The M4 is not expected to beat the M4 Pro as the latter has an active cooling feature. On the other hand, this makes the M4 more impressive, since it was able to achieve great GPU performance even with its fanless design.

Furthermore, the device may also include an upgraded LCD and an enhanced webcam resolution. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman forecasts the M4 MacBook Air to be on sale by March.