Smart Tech and Office Tools for Your Home

From Our Staff to You: Essential Items for Charging, Repairing, Listening, Cooking, Gardening, and Parenting

We’ve gathered a few of the items that our staff have enthused about in the past that they use for charging, repairing, listening, cooking, gardening, and parenting, and that are now discounted as part of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Just in case you’d like to check them out.

Silent Linear Mechanical Switches for Cherry MX- Compatible Keyboards

A fantastic silent linear mechanical switch for Cherry MX-compatible keyboards. Islets are smooth and quiet, with a long spring that gives them a top-heavy, almost tactile force curve. They’re 3-pin switches, so they work with most hot-swappable mechanical keyboards that take 3- or 5-pin switches.

Why We Love It

These are my current favorite switches. The Kailh Deep-Sea Silent Pro Islets are nearly identical to the fantastic switches in the HHKB Studio, just much less expensive. The Islets are silent linear switches, with an extra-long spring, so the actuation force curve is strongest right at the beginning and then smooth the rest of the way, giving them an almost Topre-like tactile sensation.

The Verdict

These switches are an instant upgrade for any hot-swappable keyboard that takes Cherry MX-compatible switches, and I’ve been using them as my daily drivers for a while. There’s also a tactile version, which I don’t like as much. Sorry to the Kailh Whales. — Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor

Update, March 29th

Updated to reflect current pricing/availability.

Conclusion

These silent linear mechanical switches are a must-have for anyone looking for a top-notch typing experience. With their smooth and quiet operation, they’re perfect for those who prefer a more subtle typing experience. And with their compatibility with most hot-swappable mechanical keyboards, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to use them with your favorite keyboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are silent linear mechanical switches?
A: Silent linear mechanical switches are a type of switch that provides a smooth and quiet typing experience. They’re designed to be used with Cherry MX-compatible keyboards and are known for their long-lasting and reliable performance.

Q: What is the difference between silent linear and tactile switches?
A: Tactile switches provide a more pronounced tactile feedback, while silent linear switches provide a more subtle and smooth experience. Tactile switches are often preferred by gamers and typists who require a more pronounced feedback, while silent linear switches are preferred by those who prefer a more subtle experience.

Q: Are silent linear mechanical switches compatible with all keyboards?
A: No, silent linear mechanical switches are only compatible with keyboards that take 3- or 5-pin switches. They’re designed to be used with Cherry MX-compatible keyboards, so make sure to check your keyboard’s compatibility before purchasing.

Bloomberg’s AI-Generated Summaries: A Mixed Bag

Experimenting with AI in Journalism

Bloomberg, the financial news powerhouse, has been experimenting with using artificial intelligence to help produce its journalism. While the idea is to provide a quick summary of the main points of an article, it hasn’t always gone smoothly.

Correcting Errors

The news outlet has had to correct at least three dozen AI-generated summaries of articles published this year. One such instance occurred on Wednesday, when Bloomberg broke news about President Trump’s auto tariffs. The article correctly reported that Mr. Trump would announce the tariffs as soon as that day. However, the bullet-point summary of the article written by AI inaccurately stated when a broader tariff action would take place.

Other News Outlets’ Experience

Bloomberg is not alone in trying AI. Many news outlets are figuring out how best to embrace the new technology and use it in their reporting and editing. The newspaper chain Gannett uses similar AI-generated summaries on its articles, and The Washington Post has a tool called "Ask the Post" that generates answers to questions from published Post articles.

Challenges and Controversies

However, problems have popped up elsewhere. Earlier this month, The Los Angeles Times removed its AI tool from an opinion article after the technology described the Ku Klux Klan as something other than a racist organization.

Bloomberg’s Response

Bloomberg News said in a statement that it publishes thousands of articles each day, and "currently 99 percent of AI summaries meet our editorial standards." The company added that it is transparent when stories are updated or corrected, and when AI has been used. Journalists have full control over whether a summary appears, both before and after publication, and can remove any that don’t meet their standards.

A.I. Summaries: Complementing Journalism

The AI summaries are "meant to complement our journalism, not replace it," the statement added. Bloomberg announced on January 15 that it would roll out the AI-generated summaries on top of news articles. The summaries consist of three bullet points condensing the main points of the article.

Editor-in-Chief’s Take

John Micklethwait, Bloomberg’s editor in chief, laid out the thinking about the AI summaries in a January 10 essay, which was an excerpt from a lecture he had given at City St. George’s, University of London. "Customers like it — they can quickly see what any story is about. Journalists are more suspicious," he wrote. "Reporters worry that people will just read the summary rather than their story."

Conclusion

While AI-generated summaries may have their benefits, such as providing a quick overview of an article, they are not without their challenges. Bloomberg’s experience highlights the need for careful editing and fact-checking to ensure the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many AI-generated summaries have been corrected by Bloomberg?
A: At least three dozen AI-generated summaries of articles have been corrected by Bloomberg this year.

Q: What are the benefits of AI-generated summaries?
A: AI-generated summaries provide a quick overview of an article, allowing readers to quickly understand the main points of a story.

Q: What are the challenges of AI-generated summaries?
A: AI-generated summaries can be inaccurate, omit important information, or provide incomplete context, which can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

Q: What is the future of AI-generated summaries in journalism?
A: AI-generated summaries are expected to continue to play a role in journalism, providing a quick and concise overview of articles. However, it is essential to ensure the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content through careful editing and fact-checking.

Elon Musk’s AI Startup Acquires Twitter in All-Stock Deal

Acquisition Details

Elon Musk’s AI startup, xAI, has acquired his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an all-stock deal, he announced in a post on X Friday. The combination values xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion ($45B less $12B debt).

Combination of Companies

Musk went on to describe the two companies’ futures as "intertwined." He added, "Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution, and talent." The acquisition places X — the highly influential social media platform Musk purchased in 2022 under its former name, Twitter — firmly under the umbrella of Musk’s AI startup, which he founded in 2023 to compete with OpenAI.

Structure of the Deal

According to publications including The Wall Street Journal, shares of X and xAI will be exchanged for shares of a new holding company called xAI Holdings Corp. The WSJ also reports that executives at both companies believed that it would be easier to raise money for a combined entity.

Valuation of X and xAI

Musk notes in his post that this deal values X at $33 billion (lowered from an enterprise value of $45 billion due to the company’s $12 billion in debt). Musk originally purchased X for $44 billion in October 2022 and took it private. However, the valuation has swung dramatically in recent years. At one point, Fidelity valued X at less than $10 billion.

xAI’s Advantages

One of the major advantages that xAI has over OpenAI and other startups is its access to X. The large body of posts that X has accumulated over the years gives xAI a significant advantage in the race for AI training data. Further, X gives Musk’s AI startup a huge consumer app to reach users in.

Conclusion

The acquisition of X by xAI marks a significant milestone in the development of Musk’s AI ambitions. With xAI’s access to X’s vast user base and data, the company is well-positioned to continue its rapid growth and development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the valuation of xAI and X?
A: xAI is valued at $80 billion, and X is valued at $33 billion.

Q: What is the structure of the deal?
A: Shares of X and xAI will be exchanged for shares of a new holding company called xAI Holdings Corp.

Q: Why did Musk acquire X?
A: Musk acquired X to gain access to its vast user base and data, which will help xAI in its development of AI models and chatbots.

Q: What are the implications of this acquisition for OpenAI?
A: The acquisition may give xAI a significant advantage over OpenAI, as it will have access to X’s vast user base and data, which will help it in its development of AI models and chatbots.

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A Shift in Focus: Assassin’s Creed Shadows

I realized quite late in Assassin’s Creed Shadows that being this version of a shinobi is hard — but it was precisely the precision the game demanded that made it all the more rewarding.

Stealth and Assassination in Shadows

With Shadows, the Assassin’s Creed franchise has achieved both its most impressive stealth and assassination mechanics. At its best, Shadows evokes games like Arkane’s Dishonored series, mixing emergent action with an artful blend of skills and scenarios. While not nearly at the level of sophistication as those games, I nevertheless had moments that left me breathless from what I could achieve. These put me more in the space of immersive simulated assassination games than the most recent, chest-thumping Assassin’s Creed games.

An Example of Strategic Play

Here’s an example. In Ubisoft’s open-world third-person action game, I was faced with a group of about 10 men in a dark cave, all of whom turned out to be targets I’d been hunting for ages. They were all part of one group, who I’d been carefully taking down individually — one leading me to the next. Now, after tracking one, it turned out he and his remaining colleagues had decided to hold a meeting. Together. With their guards. I hadn’t planned this, but now I either had to leave or use this opportunity to finish the job in one lethal swoop.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Mechanics

Importantly, my character, the shinobi Naoe, was not without her own tricks to balance the overwhelming odds. First, she wasn’t alone. In Shadows, you organically recruit allies throughout your massive revenge quest. You can summon them at a moment’s notice to assist you in any scenario: from a barefisted fighter monk to a giggling, creepy teenage poisoner. Having "upgraded" my poisoner, her poison bomb put three enemies to sleep immediately. Her upgrades also meant anyone who came to investigate fell under the same spell. I began by summoning said poisoner to take out several of the targets and guards.

Second, Naoe herself has skills that verge on magical, such as slowing down time while moving at normal speed — again, reminiscent of Dishonored or Arkane’s other big hitter, Deathloop. Using this skill immediately after my poisoner allowed me to throw several deadly kunai at guards’ heads and move closer to the actual targets for a slick close-up double assassination.

The Size of the Problem

All of this happened within less than 20 seconds. And voila! All the targets and their guards were down.

A Murdery Puzzle

The size of these places turns this into a murdery puzzle. If I take Guard A out, I have access to Guards B and C. However, Guard D is watching Guard A, etc. Without realizing it, you have to create an assassination Rube Goldberg machine, taking one out, then another, timing it and using different abilities, recruits, and so on. It takes some time to get through these giant castles, but you’re rewarded with some of the best weapons and armor in the game. And if you’re caught, you are hunted for a while, making traversal a hazard.

Yasuke’s Style of Murder

Similarly, the other playable character, the samurai Yasuke, requires careful consideration, despite being a moving mountain. He doesn’t have eagle vision. He is made for loud lethality; even his instant assassinations sever heads and limbs. This creates its own thoughtful play since you need to carefully move and work your way through these large set pieces, ideally without drawing attention.

Yasuke’s advantage is that he can use a huge bow to take enemies out instantly from a distance — unlike Naoe, who has to be close. This speaks to the give-and-take theme central to the game’s mechanics. But Yasuke can more easily and quickly end alerts, making his style of murder puzzle less clean but easier to recover from should things go awry.

Conclusion

I did not expect Shadows to place so much work and thought into its assassinations, which is obviously amusing given the name of the franchise. Having played this series since its inception, I was struck by the emphasis on clean, thoughtful assassinations — not only within scripted contexts, but in the open world itself.

FAQs

Q: What is Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
A: Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an open-world third-person action game that focuses on stealth and assassination mechanics.

Q: What is the gameplay like in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
A: Gameplay in Assassin’s Creed Shadows involves strategic planning, using different abilities and recruits to take out targets and guards, and creating a "murderous puzzle" to solve.

Q: Are there multiple playable characters in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
A: Yes, there are two playable characters in Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a samurai.

Q: Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows a departure from the typical Assassin’s Creed gameplay?
A: Yes, Assassin’s Creed Shadows marks a departure from the typical Assassin’s Creed gameplay, focusing more on stealth and assassination mechanics rather than action and combat.

Behold the Decade of Mid Tech!

The Revolution That Never Was

As I look back on the decade, I am reminded of the breathless anticipation with which I once approached the topic of A.I. with friends and colleagues. "What about A.I.?" would be the question, accompanied by a sense of excitement and wonder. I’d respond with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, asking "what’s the big deal?" only to be met with assurances that A.I. was going to change everything.

The Midness of Mid Tech

As someone who uses new technology, I can confidently say that I know mid when I see it. And what I’ve seen so far is a revolution that’s more mid than mighty. Academics have been at the forefront of this revolution, and it’s precisely because of this that I know mid when I see it.

The Threat of Mid Tech

A.I. is just one of many technologies that promise transformation through iteration rather than disruption. Consumer automation, for instance, was supposed to revolutionize the way we shop, but instead, it’s resulted in cashiers still being better at managing points of sale. A.I.-based facial recognition was supposed to make air travel more efficient, but it’s still causing privacy concerns and hasn’t particularly revolutionized the airport experience.

The Reality of Mid Tech

The economists Daron Acemoglu and Pascual Restrepo call these kinds of technological fizzles "so-so" technologies. They change some jobs, are kind of nifty for a while, and eventually become background noise or are flat-out annoying. A.I. is supposed to be more radical, but the reality is that it’s being used for far more mundane purposes. It spits out meal plans with the right amount of macros, tells us when our calendars are overscheduled, and helps write emails that no one wants.

The Parasitic Nature of Mid Tech

A.I. is a parasite that attaches itself to a robust learning ecosystem and speeds up some parts of the decision process. The problem is that A.I. has no qualms about starving its host. The political problem with A.I.’s hype is that its most compelling use case is starving the host – fewer teachers, fewer degrees, fewer workers, fewer healthy information environments.

The Danger of Mid Tech

Hype isn’t held to account for being accurate, only for being compelling. Mark Cuban, for instance, has exemplified this by imagining an A.I.-enabled world where a worker with "zero education" uses A.I. and a skilled worker doesn’t. The problem is that asking the right questions requires the opposite of having zero education. You can’t just learn how to craft a prompt for an A.I. chatbot without first having the experience, exposure, and education to know what the heck you are doing.

Conclusion

Mid tech is a threat, and its most compelling use case is starving the host. The reality of mid tech is that it’s being used for far more mundane purposes, and its promise of transformation is just that – a promise. As we look back on the decade, it’s clear that mid tech has failed to deliver on its promises. Instead, it’s left us with a sense of disappointment and disillusionment. The question is, what’s next?

FAQs

Q: What is mid tech, and how does it differ from high-tech innovations?
A: Mid tech refers to technologies that promise transformation through iteration rather than disruption. It’s characterized by modest augmentations to existing processes, rather than revolutionary change.

Q: What are some examples of mid tech?
A: Some examples of mid tech include consumer automation, A.I.-based facial recognition, and predictive analytics.

Q: What are the consequences of mid tech?
A: The consequences of mid tech include the potential for job displacement, the devaluation of expertise, and the creation of a culture that values efficiency over quality.

Q: What can be done to mitigate the negative effects of mid tech?
A: To mitigate the negative effects of mid tech, it’s essential to focus on creating a culture that values human expertise, to prioritize education and skills training, and to promote a nuanced understanding of the role of technology in society.