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Barbie’s A-List Icons

Phil
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0
Barbie’s A-List Icons

Article

A Look at the Diverse Array of Celebrities Turned Barbie Dolls

Across the decades we’ve seen countless celebs immortalised in Barbie form. We’ve come a long way since the first Barbie doll was created back in 1959, and since then we’ve seen a diverse array of famous faces join the ranks, from sports stars to royalty.

01. Aaliyah

One of Mattel’s most recent additions to its Barbie lineup is Aaliyah, created as part of its Barbie Music Collector Series. As a ’90s R&B icon, Aaliyah undoubtedly deserves a spot in the Barbie Hall of Fame, and what better way to commemorate her than on her birthday? The doll has already proved hugely popular, with preorders selling out before its official launch on 26 January 2025.

Working alongside the singer’s brother Rashad Haughton, the Mattel team created a badass Barbie in Aaliyah’s image complete with a full leather look inspired by her One in a Million music video. "My sister would be ecstatic to see her legacy celebrated this way, empowering fans to dream big and believe they can be anything that their hearts desire,” Rashad told the Hollywood Reporter.

02. Margot Robbie

It wouldn’t be a Barbie roundup without Barbie herself, Miss Margot Robbie. Inspired by her iconic cowgirl look in the 2023 Barbie movie, the all-pink western-inspired getup embodies classic Barbie doll vibes. With flowing blonde hair and contrast stitching, embroidery and star embellishments on her outfit, Mattel proves it designs with immaculate attention to detail.

03. Naomi Osaka

Mattel’s Barbie collections aren’t just about style and beauty, they’re also made to inspire younger generations. As part of Mattel’s Barbie Role Models collection, a custom Naomi Osaka doll was created to celebrate her triumphant tennis career. As the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam and the first Asian player to hold the No.1 ranking in singles, Naomi’s on-court success and off-court activism make her a truly inspirational figure.

Complete with a Nike-branded Tennis dress and a recreation of her Yonex tennis racket, the doll is much more than a toy – an inspirational celebration of success and dedication. "Girls need more role models like Naomi, because imagining they can be anything is just the beginning. Actually seeing that they can makes all the difference," Mattel writes.

04. Marilyn Monroe

In 1997 Mattel released a Barbie doll inspired by the original blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe. Styled after her flowing white dress in the film ‘The Seven Year Itch’, the doll was made as part of Mattel’s Hollywood Legends Collection. Twenty-eight years on the doll is now a coveted collector’s item, immortalizing a timeless era of vintage glamour.

Since the initial Marilyn-inspired doll launched Mattel has gone on to produce six dolls inspired by the starlet, each with their own unique outfits and inspirations. The most recent addition was created in 2009 as part of Mattel’s Blonde Ambition Collection, celebrating legendary blondes from across the decades.

05. William and Kate Middleton

It’s not just singers and starlets that get the Barbie treatment. To commemorate the first anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Mattel created a custom William and Kate doll set. Close attention to detail was paid in creating the dolls, as seen with Kate’s painted-on dimples and the couple’s matching wedding bands.

Conclusion

Mattel’s Barbie has come a long way since its humble beginnings, with a diverse array of celebrities joining the ranks over the years. From music icons to royalty, each doll is a testament to the power of imagination and inspiration. Whether you’re a collector or just a fan, Mattel’s Barbie dolls are a must-have for anyone who believes that anything is possible.

FAQs

Q: What is the history of Barbie?
A: Barbie was first introduced in 1959 by Mattel, Inc.

Q: Who has been turned into a Barbie doll?
A: Many celebrities have been turned into Barbie dolls, including Aaliyah, Margot Robbie, Naomi Osaka, Marilyn Monroe, and William and Kate Middleton, to name a few.

Q: What makes a Barbie doll unique?
A: Each Barbie doll is designed with attention to detail, from its clothing to its accessories, making it a one-of-a-kind collectible item.

Q: Can I purchase a custom Barbie doll?
A: Yes, Mattel offers a range of custom Barbie dolls, including limited-edition releases and special editions inspired by real-life celebrities and events.

Top AI Coding Tools for 2025

Emerson Blake
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Top AI Coding Tools for 2025

Comparing AI Chatbots for Programming: A Comprehensive Review

The Surprising Results

I’ve been around technology long enough that little excites me, and even less surprises me. But shortly after Open AI’s ChatGPT was released, I asked it to write a WordPress plugin for my wife’s e-commerce site. When it worked, I was indeed surprised. That marked the beginning of my deep exploration into chatbots and AI-assisted programming. Since then, I’ve subjected 11 large machine models (LLMs) to four real-world tests.

The Verdict

Unfortunately, not all chatbots can code alike. It’s been 18 months since that first test, and even now, five of the 11 LLMs I tested can’t create working plugins. In this article, I’ll show you how each LLM performed against my tests. Two chatbots I recommend using, but they cost $20/month. The free versions of the same chatbots do well enough that you could probably get by without paying, but the rest are not so great. I won’t risk my programming projects with them or recommend that you do until their performance improves.

ChatGPT Plus: The Top-Notch Choice

ChatGPT Plus with GPT-4 and GPT-4o passed all my tests. Its dedicated Mac app is a game-changer, allowing me to have multiple screens open simultaneously. Additionally, its multi-factor authentication and email login make it a secure choice. While it’s not perfect, I recommend it for its solid coding results and overall performance.

Perplexity Pro: A Close Second

Perplexity Pro, on the other hand, is a close second. It uses a different LLM than ChatGPT, which is an advantage if you want to cross-check code. However, its email-only login and lack of a dedicated app are drawbacks.

The Rest: Chatbots to Avoid

I tested 11 LLMs, and six passed most of my tests. The other chatbots, including Meta AI, Meta Code Llama, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Gemini Advanced, and Microsoft Copilot, each only passed one of my tests. Meta AI and Meta Code Llama failed three of my tests, while Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Gemini Advanced failed two. Microsoft Copilot failed all four.

Conclusion

The results of my tests were surprising, especially given the big investments of Microsoft and Google. However, this area of innovation is improving at warp speed, so we’ll be back with updated tests and results over time. Stay tuned.

FAQs

Q: What’s the best AI chatbot for programming?
A: ChatGPT Plus with GPT-4 and GPT-4o is the top-notch choice, followed by Perplexity Pro.

Q: Which chatbots should I avoid?
A: Meta AI, Meta Code Llama, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Gemini Advanced, and Microsoft Copilot are chatbots to avoid for programming.

Q: Can I use other AI chatbots for programming?
A: Yes, but be aware that each chatbot has its strengths and weaknesses. Choose the one that best fits your needs.

CIA’s Chatbot Stands In for World Leaders

Avery Winslow
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CIA’s Chatbot Stands In for World Leaders

Understanding Leaders Around the World with AI-Powered Chatbots

A New Tool for CIA Analysts

Understanding leaders around the world is one of the C.I.A.’s most important jobs. Teams of analysts comb through intelligence collected by spies and publicly available information to create profiles of leaders that can predict behaviors. A chatbot powered by artificial intelligence now helps do that work.

The Chatbot’s Capabilities

Over the last two years, the Central Intelligence Agency has developed a tool that allows analysts to talk to virtual versions of foreign presidents and prime ministers, who answer back. "It is a fantastic example of an app that we were able to rapidly deploy and get out to production in a cheaper, faster fashion," said Nand Mulchandani, the C.I.A.’s chief technology officer.

Improving Technology and Understanding

The chatbot is part of the spy agency’s drive to improve the tools available to C.I.A. analysts and its officers in the field, and to better understand adversaries’ technical advances. Core to the effort is to make it easier for companies to work with the most secretive agency. William J. Burns, the C.I.A. director for the past four years, prioritized improving the agency’s technology and understanding of how it is used. Incoming Trump administration officials say they plan to build on those initiatives, not tear them down.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence

The C.I.A. has long used digital tools, spy gadgets and even artificial intelligence. But with the development of new forms of A.I., including the large language models that power chatbots, the agency has stepped up its investments. Making better use of A.I., Mr. Burns said, is crucial to the U.S. competition with China. And better A.I. models have helped the agency’s analysts "digest the avalanche of open-source information out there," he said.

Breaking Down Barriers

The C.I.A. is reviewing, and trying to prune, the rules that make it difficult for companies to work with the agency. Juliane Gallina, who leads the directorate of digital innovation for the C.I.A., says the agency has taken the step to declassify some material to "expose a little bit" of the problem it is trying to overcome, so tech firms can compete for agency contracts.

Conclusion

The C.I.A.’s efforts to improve its technology and understanding of how it is used are crucial to the agency’s success. The development of AI-powered chatbots is just one example of how the agency is using technology to better understand leaders around the world. As the agency continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see even more innovative uses of technology in the years to come.

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of the C.I.A.’s AI-powered chatbot?
A: The chatbot is designed to help C.I.A. analysts understand leaders around the world by allowing them to talk to virtual versions of foreign presidents and prime ministers.

Q: How does the chatbot work?
A: The chatbot uses large language models to generate responses to questions and statements from analysts.

Q: What is the goal of the C.I.A.’s technology initiatives?
A: The goal is to improve the tools available to C.I.A. analysts and its officers in the field, and to better understand adversaries’ technical advances.

Q: How is the C.I.A. working to make it easier for companies to work with the agency?
A: The C.I.A. is reviewing and trying to prune the rules that make it difficult for companies to work with the agency, and is taking steps to declassify some material to "expose a little bit" of the problem it is trying to overcome.

Create Native Pop-Ups with HTML

Parker Lennox
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Create Native Pop-Ups with HTML

Here is the rewritten article:

Introduction to the Popover API

There is a new popover API. With it, you can easily create a popover without using a library and without writing a single line of JavaScript. This has been supported in all major browsers since this year, and I’ll show you how easy it is to use.

What is the Popover API?

The popover API is a new standard designed to make it easy for web developers to display popovers over other elements on a website. You don’t have to handle the different states yourself. The actions for opening and closing work super easily, and accessibility has been considered from the start.

Creating a Popover

Basic Implementation

Let’s take a look at how to create a popover. So, how does a popover work?

<!-- Basic Implementation -->
<button popover-target="myPopover">Open Popover</button>
<div id="myPopover" popover="">
  <p>This is a basic popover example.</p>
</div>

Adding a Close Button

What also works is creating a button within the popover, giving it the correct target, and explicitly defining a hide action. Add some CSS to make it look decent, and we have a popover that can also be closed by clicking an X button.

<!-- Adding a Close Button -->
<button popover-target="closeablePopover">Open Popover</button>
<div id="closeablePopover" popover="">
  <p>This popover has a close button.</p>
  <button popover-target="closeablePopover" popover-hide="">X</button>
</div>

Popover Modes

By default, a popover is in auto Popover Mode, which means:

  • It will close other open popovers when opened.
  • Light dismiss is active.

If you set a popover to manual mode, it won’t close other popovers, there is no light dismiss, and we need an action to toggle or close the popover.

Here, we already have the hide action on the Backdrop X.

Styling a Popover

Using the Backdrop Element

What is particularly practical is the ID element backdrop that I can use. This gives us an element that, when the popover is open, overlays the rest of the website.

We can easily define a background color with some transparency. This makes it much easier to put the focus on the popover.

Popover vs. Modal

However, it’s important to note that a popover is not a modal. A modal doesn’t make the rest of the website inert. You can still, for example, click buttons while the modal is open. If you don’t want that, I recommend using dialog.showModal() instead of a popover. You’ll need to write a bit of JavaScript, but you’ll get a true modal that the user must interact with.

Enhancing Popover Styling

Using the Dialogue Element

At the moment, for many purposes, the popover is still super suitable. I’ll show you how to make it look a bit nicer.

<!-- Enhancing Popover Styling -->
<button popover-target="styledPopover">Styled Popover</button>
<dialog id="styledPopover" popover="">
  <h3>Styled Popover</h3>
  <p>This popover looks better with additional CSS.</p>
  <button class="primary">Primary Action</button>
  <button popover-target="styledPopover" popover-hide="">X</button>
</dialog>

Using JavaScript with Popover

One last note: we can, of course, use JavaScript if you want. For example, with the command showPopover, a popover can be opened very easily.

Conclusion

And that’s it for this topic! Feel free to write in the comments if you found the topic helpful. I would really appreciate a like or a follow, as it would help me a lot in writing such content.

FAQs

  • What is the popover API?
    • The popover API is a new standard designed to make it easy for web developers to display popovers over other elements on a website.
  • Can I use JavaScript with the popover API?
    • Yes, you can use JavaScript with the popover API, but it’s not necessary.

AI in Sports: Revolutionizing the Game

Jordan Waverly
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AI in Sports: Revolutionizing the Game

Sports and AI: A Winning Combination

Tournaments and Beyond

Beyond the tournaments, certain teams and leagues have recently announced the integration of AI into their own practice. Among them is the Boston Celtics, which uses AWS and Mission Cloud to leverage their data and analytics and improve their performance and operational efficiency. The NBA also launched an AI voice assistant for its last All-Star game earlier this year. In European soccer, Sevilla FC partners with IBM to enhance player recruitment.

The Power of AI in Sports

This mix of sports, innovation, and data is logical, believes Brian Hall, adjunct instructor at NYU and founder and head of AI of AlphaPlay AI, a start-up that aims to provide AI solutions to professional sports teams. Hall, a chess player, credits IBM’s Deep Blue experience in 1997, for inspiring his interest in sports and data.

"I realized that a sporting match is very similar to a chess game," Hall says. "They have a set number of players with a set number of rules and they can do certain things in a certain amount of time. Why shouldn’t AI assist a team in professional sports, look at the data of players and how they play at events and matches to discover new things that the human mind hasn’t seen before?"

AlphaPlay AI and SportAI

AlphaPlay AI provides insights to teams and coaches that would help them uncover patterns. "We see ourselves as trying to enhance the intuition and the experience of players, scouts, coaches, managers, and owners," says Alice Wang, CEO of AlphaPlay AI.

SportAI, a Norwegian B2B startup, also uses AI and machine learning to provide insights directly to users from any uploaded video. "Technique coaching analysis and commentary for sports is still very subjective, expensive, and unscalable," says Lauren Pedersen, CEO and founder of SportAI.

Conclusion

The integration of AI into sports is not only changing the way teams prepare and compete but also democratizing access to great sports technique coaching analysis and commentary. With the help of AI, teams and coaches can gain valuable insights and make data-driven decisions, giving them a competitive edge.

FAQs

Q: What are some examples of teams and leagues that have integrated AI into their practice?
A: The Boston Celtics, Sevilla FC, and the NBA are some examples of teams and leagues that have integrated AI into their practice.

Q: How does AI assist teams in professional sports?
A: AI assists teams by analyzing data and patterns, providing insights that human eyes may miss, and helping teams make data-driven decisions.

Q: What are some benefits of using AI in sports?
A: Some benefits of using AI in sports include improved performance and operational efficiency, enhanced player recruitment, and democratized access to great sports technique coaching analysis and commentary.

Q: What is AlphaPlay AI and SportAI?
A: AlphaPlay AI is a start-up that aims to provide AI solutions to professional sports teams, while SportAI is a Norwegian B2B startup that uses AI and machine learning to provide insights directly to users from any uploaded video.

Revolutionizing Spaces

Phil
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Revolutionizing Spaces

The Power of HTML Tags: Understanding

and

What is

?

The

tag is one of the most fundamental HTML tags used to define a paragraph of text. It is used to wrap a block of text that is separated from other blocks of text by a blank line. The

tag is used to define the structure and formatting of text on a web page.

What is
?

The
tag is used to insert a line break in the text. It is used to separate two or more lines of text and is often used to create a new line within a paragraph or to separate paragraphs.

Key Differences Between

and

While both

and
are used to control the layout of text, there are some key differences between the two. The main difference is that

is used to define a block of text, whereas
is used to insert a line break within a block of text.

When to Use

?

The

tag is used in the following situations:

  • To define a block of text that is separated from other blocks of text by a blank line.
  • To create a new paragraph of text.
  • To define the structure and formatting of text on a web page.

When to Use
?

The
tag is used in the following situations:

  • To insert a line break within a block of text.
  • To separate two or more lines of text.
  • To create a new line within a paragraph.
Conclusion

In conclusion, the

and
tags are two of the most fundamental HTML tags used to control the layout of text on a web page. Understanding the difference between the two and when to use them is crucial for creating well-structured and readable web content.

FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of the

tag?

A: The purpose of the

tag is to define a block of text that is separated from other blocks of text by a blank line.

Q: What is the purpose of the
tag?

A: The purpose of the
tag is to insert a line break within a block of text.

Q: Can I use both

and
tags together?

A: Yes, you can use both

and
tags together to create a well-structured and readable web page.

Q: What happens if I forget to close a

tag?

A: If you forget to close a

tag, it can cause errors in the HTML code and affect the layout of the web page.

ComfyUI Notebook: Weird Wonderful AI Art

Phil
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0
ComfyUI Notebook: Weird Wonderful AI Art

Get Started with ComfyUI Notebook for RunPod

The ComfyUI Notebook for RunPod is a convenient and efficient way to start using ComfyUI on RunPod. This notebook is designed to help you get started with ComfyUI in under 5 minutes, eliminating the need to waste GPU time waiting for images to load.

What is ComfyUI?

ComfyUI is an image generation model that can be used for various applications, including art, design, and more. However, some community-built images can take up to 30 minutes to start, which can be frustrating and wasteful. The ComfyUI Notebook for RunPod aims to solve this problem by providing a pre-packaged notebook that you can use to get started with ComfyUI quickly and easily.

How to Use the ComfyUI Notebook

To use the ComfyUI Notebook, simply purchase it from our Shop and download the ZIP file. You will then need to upload the notebook to RunPod’s Jupyter Lab and launch it. Once launched, you can edit and override the settings to suit your needs.

Settings to Override

To get the most out of the ComfyUI Notebook, you will need to override the following settings:

  • Container Disk: 30 GB (for SD1.5/SDXL models) or 100 GB (for Flux models)
  • Volume Disk: 50 GB (for SD1.5/SDXL models) or 100 GB (for Flux models)
  • Expose HTTP Ports: 8888 (Jupyter Lab) and 8188 (ComfyUI)

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues while using the ComfyUI Notebook, refer to the troubleshooting section below for common solutions.

  • OSError: [Errno 98] error while attempting to bind on address (‘0.0.0.0’, 8188): address already in use. – This error occurs when ComfyUI is still running and didn’t stop successfully. Solution: Force Terminate ComfyUI.
  • Accidentally closed Terminal that was running ComfyUI. – Not to worry, the process is still running in the background. Solution: Use the tail command in a new terminal or Force Terminate ComfyUI and launch again.
  • Cannot download Flux Models – you get an error when you run that cell in Notebook. – Solution: Make sure the Hugging face token is entered in the first cell marked “Must Run” and run that cell before trying to run the download cells in the Notebook for Flux models.

Force Terminate ComfyUI

If your ComfyUI is not responding, you need to KILL the process. Yes, that’s actually the command in Linux, called Kill.

Conclusion

The ComfyUI Notebook for RunPod is a convenient and efficient way to start using ComfyUI on RunPod. With this notebook, you can get started with ComfyUI in under 5 minutes, eliminating the need to waste GPU time waiting for images to load. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please refer to the troubleshooting section or contact us.

FAQs

  • Q: How do I use the ComfyUI Notebook?
    A: Purchase the notebook from our Shop and download the ZIP file. Upload the notebook to RunPod’s Jupyter Lab and launch it.
  • Q: What settings do I need to override?
    A: Container Disk, Volume Disk, and Expose HTTP Ports.
  • Q: How do I troubleshoot common issues?
    A: Refer to the troubleshooting section for common solutions.

Character AI

Avery Winslow
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Character AI

Character AI Introduces Games to Increase Engagement on Its Platform

Character AI, a startup that lets users chat with different AI-powered characters, is now testing games on its desktop and mobile web apps to increase engagement on its platform.

Initial Release of Two Games

The games are available to Character AI’s paid subscribers and a limited set of users on the free plan. For this initial release, the company developed two games, Speakeasy and War of Words.

How Games Work

Users who have access to the games can go to any of the characters they are chatting with in the browser and tap on the new controller icon. Users can then play the games with the existing characters. The app shows a pop-up to users to start a new chat for games so their previous conversation with that character stays the same.

Speakeasy Game

In Speakeasy, users have to get the chatbot to say a particular word without using five listed words. For instance, if you have to make the bot say “croissant” without using listed words like pastry, butter, bake, French, and flaky.

War of Words Game

In War of Words, users have to duel with the character, and an AI referee decides who won a particular round over five rounds.

Goal of Introducing Games

Character AI said that this is the company’s way of making the service more entertaining.

“Our goal as an AI entertainment company is to find ways to make the Character AI experience even more fun and entertaining. We’re currently testing a feature that allows gameplay with your favorite Characters, all while keeping the immersive experience users love,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch.

Character AI’s Plan for the Future

Users already have their own characters for text-based games like this Space Adventure Game. However, the company is trying to bring its own games to the platform, too.

Character AI has gone through personnel changes at the top after co-founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas left for Google. The company hired a YouTube exec as the chief product officer, and Dominic Perella, who was the general counsel to the company, became the interim CEO.

In December, Perella told TechCrunch that Character AI positions itself as an entertainment company. The introduction of games is a step that further reinforces that image.

Impact on User Engagement

Platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Netflix have used games to increase engagement on their platforms. Character AI is possibly taking the same route to have users spend more time on the platform. According to analytics firm Sensor Tower, Character AI users spend 98 minutes per day on the app.

Safety Practices

Last year, the company added new safety tools for teens, including more prominent labels on AI characters notifying users that these are not real people after the company was part of multiple lawsuits. The startup also added a time-out notification for when a user is on the app for 60 minutes at a time.

Conclusion

Character AI is taking a new approach to increase engagement on its platform by introducing games. This move is in line with the company’s goal of positioning itself as an entertainment company. By offering games, Character AI is providing users with a more enjoyable experience, which may lead to increased user retention and engagement.

FAQs

Q: What are the two games that Character AI is currently testing?

A: The two games are Speakeasy and War of Words.

Q: Who can access the games?

A: The games are available to Character AI’s paid subscribers and a limited set of users on the free plan.

Q: What is the goal of introducing games to Character AI’s platform?

A: The goal is to make the service more entertaining and provide users with a more enjoyable experience.

AI Garden Planners are Powerless

Parker Lennox
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AI Garden Planners are Powerless

Planning and Planting: The Human Touch

While I wait for Mother Nature’s next cruelty to gardens, I am busy planning new plantings. They vary with gardens’ categories: new ones, small ones, big ones in need of revitalisation and big ones that are gloriously empty and need planting throughout. Planning of plantings can be micro or macro. It can be obsessive, down to the last mini-primrose, or relaxed, about which plants in a big batch will eventually go where. It is fascinating to see which type of planner new garden owners begin by being and which they become with experience.

The Role of Technology in Planning

I leave myself latitude when a plant plan has to become planting in reality, but it is a latitude framed by a broader plan of what I need where. Should the planting plan simply be done digitally, especially with use of AI? In my case, no, because I am not digitally deft and at this time of year, I am screen-shocked after coping with online tax returns, compiled with VAT systems whose add-ins do not function and whose compatible hubs to HM Revenue & Customs then fail on New Year’s Eve.

Digital vs. Human Planning

In your case, perhaps the answer is yes. I am discussing planting plans, not garden planning without plants. Digital software and systems, much like spades, can be useful tools, but their existence has not made the human skill of planning planting redundant.

Vegetable Beds vs. Flower Beds

Vegetable beds are simpler, being restricted planting areas: they are better served by tech. The contents of flower beds are more complex, often less formal. Use of search engines or apps such as iscapeit.com throws up lists of flowering plants of this or that height, color or season, but those lists exist anyway in catalogues and books. Targeted questions put to AI resources (aigardenplanner.com is one) also help planners to find plants with graded colors and heights, but they do not come up with brilliant personal choices: tall thalictrums as tallboys down the middle of a border’s length or flopping specimens of Aster frikartii Mönch at intervals along a border’s front line. Their anomalous heights are hard for tech sources to interweave.

The Importance of Serendipity

Digital programmes can space each plant if asked and produce a plan that is printable to scale on graph paper. Digitally savvy beginners may start by finding this plan reassuring: surely it is better, a breakthrough from the “bad” old days and a bypass round its footling with sketches and inked-in blobs? So far, I disagree. The printouts are not in principle different to the hand-drawn planting plans devised by the doyenne of garden planting, Miss Jekyll, about 125 years ago. She drew plants interlocked in drifts, not circular clumps, and sometimes she micromanaged. She also specified precise numbers of plants of each variety. Her plans were ignored after her death, but not because technology made them superfluous. Many of them were left to moulder in a shed in Somerset. They were acquired from uncaring Britain and taken to the US.

Conclusion

Tech tools and digital resources depersonalise the process. Does use of them eliminate serendipity, the happy hitting on a random choice that then works out very well? I think it pushes it back a stage. Serendipity can come in earlier if we hit on novel searches to put to AI. Surely the programming will improve but I wait to see if a hort-bot of the future can come up with a plan in, say, the style of Sissinghurst garden and its founder, Vita Sackville-West. It will flounder because some of Sissinghurst’s most famous plantings were the work of her successors for the National Trust, especially Graham Thomas and the brilliant duo whom she left in charge, Pamela Schwerdt and Sibylle Kreutzberger. Hort-bot would have to delve into the online records of Sackville-West’s gardening columns, 12 years or so of them, in search of authentic evidence of her style.

FAQs

Q: What are the benefits of planning a garden?
A: Planning a garden can help you create a beautiful and functional outdoor space that meets your needs and improves your quality of life.

Q: Can I use digital tools to plan my garden?
A: Yes, there are many digital tools and apps available that can help you plan your garden, including garden design software and apps that allow you to create a virtual garden plan.

Q: What are some key considerations when planning a garden?
A: Some key considerations when planning a garden include the climate and soil type, the amount of sunlight and shade, and the types of plants you want to grow.

Q: Can I use a hort-bot to plan my garden?
A: While hort-bots are not yet available, they may be developed in the future. However, even with advanced technology, a human touch is still necessary to create a unique and beautiful garden design.

I Tried Google’s Personalized Daily Listen AI Podcast, and It Was… Interesting

Emerson Blake
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0
I Tried Google’s Personalized Daily Listen AI Podcast, and It Was… Interesting

What is Daily Listen?

Daily Listen is a new AI experiment from Google that creates a personalized, five-minute audio update for you every day. It uses your daily Google Search history and Discover feed to create a podcast that covers a few topics you’re likely interested in, with the AI hosts chatting away like seasoned podcasters.

Key Features

* Audio controls: You can play, pause, skip ahead, or rewind if you want to catch something again. There’s even a speed option for when you’re in a hurry.
* Transcript: A text transcript appears at the top of the screen, which is super helpful if you’re hard of hearing or just prefer reading along.
* Feedback: You can tap a like or dislike button to let Google know what you think, helping to shape future episodes.
* Related stories: At the bottom of the podcast are headlines you can scroll through or tap into to read more about the stories featured in your Daily Listen.

How to Find and Enable Daily Listen

To use Daily Listen, you’ll need the Google app on an iPhone or Android phone. Here’s how to get started:

1. Install the Google app on your iPhone or Android device, if you haven’t already, and then open it.
2. Tap the test tube icon at the top-left of the Google app.
3. Select the Daily Listen card, and toggle the switch to enable the feature. As of now, Daily Listen is available only in English, for US users.
4. Your first personalized podcast will appear in the Google app – starting the next day. You’ll get a new podcast every day.

My Experience with Daily Listen

When I first enabled Daily Listen, the Google app told me to wait until “tomorrow” for my first podcast. Waiting felt a bit anticlimactic, but I was intrigued enough to check back the next day.

First Listen and the UI

The first episode took a little longer to load than I’d hoped, but subsequent episodes were faster. I waited about 10 minutes for the podcast to start working and opened and closed the app several times in frustration. Google warns Daily Listen is still in the experimental phase, so occasional glitches might pop up.

Despite the initial hiccups, when it finally worked, I really appreciated getting a transcript right at the top of the screen – it made the experience seem inclusive for someone like me who is hard-of-hearing and likes reading along. Being able to scrub forward or speed up the audio was a nice touch too, especially when I wanted to skip parts or get through the episode more quickly.

The AI Hosts

The AI voices sounded like a male and a female having a casual conversation. At first, there was a slight “uncanny valley” feeling. It was clear they were not human, but the natural rhythm, pauses, and banter made them feel very lifelike. If I hadn’t known they were AI, I might have thought they were real people.

Random Content

The fun of Daily Listen lies in what it chooses to cover in the episodes. In my first listen, the AI hosts talked about:

* Star Wars: Rumors and news about an upcoming Star Wars film, Dawn of the Jedi.
* WWE: WWE star Solo Sikoa’s appearance in RAW’s Netflix debut.
* Dexter: Dexter: Resurrection, a new Dexter spin-off, is bringing back beloved characters from the original series.

I was puzzled by the Star Wars one until I remembered a late-night search I did the other day. I randomly wondered how the iconic opening crawl was created in the 70s before computer animation and found a YouTube video explaining how it was made. I do watch Star Wars movies, but I don’t religiously follow news about the franchise and didn’t even know this film was coming.

Similarly, the WWE news popped up because my husband watched RAW on Netflix the other night. Don’t judge us: He’s a 90s kid, and it was the first time Netflix had the rights to live-stream RAW. While he watched it, I Googled some of the wrestlers in the ring. So, I guess that’s why Daily Listen thought I wanted to learn more about Solo Sikoa?

As for the Dexter update – that hit the mark, since I’ve been watching the series Dexter: Original Sin and am really loving this new universe that the show-runners are creating for Dexter over a decade after the original show ended.

Overall Impressions

Daily Listen is a neat experiment from Google. While it does throw in random topics that don’t exactly align with my interests, the human-like quality of the conversation and the handy features (like transcripts and scrubbing) made it fun to try. I am still curious why it chose those topics when I probably Google hundreds of things each week, but hey, maybe it’ll get better over time.

Conclusion

Daily Listen is a quirky experiment that shows how AI could change the way we get our morning updates, turning our search history into a conversation just for us. While it’s not perfect, it’s a fun way to see what Google Labs is up to and like playing with the latest AI tools.

FAQs

Q: Is Daily Listen available for all users?
A: As of now, Daily Listen is available only in English, for US users.

Q: How do I enable Daily Listen?
A: To enable Daily Listen, follow the steps: 1. Install the Google app on your iPhone or Android device, if you haven’t already, and then open it. 2. Tap the test tube icon at the top-left of the Google app. 3. Select the Daily Listen card, and toggle the switch to enable the feature.

Q: What if I don’t like the topics covered in Daily Listen?
A: You can tap a like or dislike button to let Google know what you think, helping to shape future episodes.

Q: Can I customize the content of Daily Listen?
A: Not yet. Daily Listen uses your daily Google Search history and Discover feed to create a personalized podcast. However, Google might add customization options in the future.

Q: Is Daily Listen available on other devices?
A: As of now, Daily Listen is only available on Android and iOS devices.

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