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Save on MacBooks, iPads and Apple Watches during October Prime Day

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The MacBook Air laptops are among the discounted Apple products. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Amazon’s October Big Deal Days are underway (lasting through tomorrow night), and we spotted a ton of Apple products and accessories in the sale, ranging from laptops and headphones to desktops and more. Some of the deals are only for Prime members , but other retailers are often matching or beating Amazon’s prices, and we’ll continue to update our coverage as we spot those deals. If your sights are set beyond what Apple makes, our main roundup has over 100 of the best deals from October Prime Day, and we’re keeping it updated throughout the sale. iPhone Air The iPhone Air is Apple’s thinnest iPhone yet at 5.6mm, featuring a 6.5-inch ProMotion display, a 48MP fusion camera, and an 18MP front camera with Center Stage support. But its single rear camera and “meh” battery life mean it’s not for everyone. Where to Buy: $999.99 $839.99 at Bes...

The Sonos Beam 2 soundbar is $140 off

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The Sonos Beam Gen 2 in white. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge The Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar is on sale for $359 at Amazon and Best Buy during October Prime Day, a healthy $140 discount from its usual price, and $10 lower than the previous Prime Day price. The biggest draw here may be obvious — its native connectivity to other Sonos products — though it’s also a really nice upgrade from your TV’s built-in speakers. Sonos Beam (Gen 2) The Beam isn’t as powerful as the Sonos Arc, nor can it match the flagship soundbar’s Dolby Atmos immersion bubble. But you still get room-filling surround sound for less money — and the Beam ties into the Sonos ecosystem for added convenience. Read our review. Where to Buy: $499 $359.99 at Amazon $499 $359 at Sonos $499 $359.99 at Best Buy Notably, the latest version of the Beam also adds Dolby Atmos support, albeit without upward-firing drivers to help complete the experience. Compared to the Bea...

All the drama around AI’s takeover of mathematics

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This past year, OpenAI, Anthropic, and other labs have announced breakthroughs on numerous long-standing mathematical problems, in some cases pushing well beyond what researchers expected current systems to be capable of — including resolving one of the famous Millennium Prize problems. But in classic Silicon Valley style, AI labs are moving fast and breaking things , barreling through the discipline with all the grace of a runaway bulldozer . Results that might normally have been celebrated have instead sparked backlash . AI labs say they are learning from earlier mistakes. Whether those promises bear fruit remains to be seen. Read on below for the latest updates in the AI takeover of mathematics. OpenAI keeps bulldozing mathematicians OpenAI wants to consult elite mathematicians about how to not fumble again OpenAI just wants to win Mathematicians want proof OpenAI didn’t use their w...

Hyundai CEO says only a ‘level playing field’ can minimize damage from China

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Hyundai CEO José Muñoz, center, doesn’t think his company needs a strategy to combat Chinese imports. | Image: Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge There's been a lot of doom and gloom from the auto industry lately when the subject of China comes up. Automaker CEOs, in particular, warn that allowing low-cost, high-tech Chinese electric vehicles to be sold in the US would effectively spell the end of their businesses. Hyundai CEO José Muñoz is not as pessimistic as some of his counterparts. He says he's confident the right mix of protectionist policies and improvements on the product side can keep China at bay. Even though his company is feeling the squeeze from China, Muñoz isn't ready to throw in the towel. But he also acknowledges that China could flood the US with affordable import … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/0h5P2dz

Google admits not every Android app runs great on Intel Googlebooks

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This Asus Googlebook is one of the Intel models that may have issues. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Google has waited until the day its new Googlebook laptops hit the market to admit that Intel-based models may have issues running some Android apps. Before now, Google has emphasized that the Android-based Googlebooks give owners access to the "entire Play Store library" of apps, along with some clever interactions with Android phones and tablets . Today, in a statement to Android Authority , it admitted that while every app is available, some may not offer smooth performance on every Googlebook. The vast majority of Android apps run smoothly across both Intel and Qualcomm Googlebooks right out of the box. Because many Android apps were o … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/v2Oz3Iy

Our minds aren’t equipped to handle AI

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Norbert Wiener, godfather of cybernetics, once said, "The thought of every age is reflected in its technique." For the past century, our thought has been reflected in our computers, including by those in the AI industry. Google's Demis Hassabis calls the brain "a biological approximation to a Turing machine." Elon Musk puts it more bluntly, declaring that "people should just think of the brain as a biological computer." (Musk's brain often worries me.) But humans are more complex than a straightforward comparison to computers gives us credit for - and far more than most of the AI industry seems to appreciate. And as their products push e … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/TOVJsBa

The new Fitbit Edge leaks

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We don't know a ton about the Fitbit Edge, but it appears to be a successor to the midrange Charge line. It had leaked previously , but we can clearly see in these images posted by Android Headlines , you can see that Google's rumored fitness tracker sort of splits the difference between the Pixel Watch and the Fitbit Air . It has a small screen that is able to display some widgets, but clearly isn't as expansive as a proper smartwatch. Supposedly, this fitness-first wearable will have a seven-day battery life, as well as built-in GPS and an altimeter, making it far more capable than the minimalist Air. It will also have limited app support f … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/m2ytnuS