Starliner delayed… again
Ever since Boeing successfully launched Starliner (following numerous delays) and attached it to the ISS, things have been quiet for the company. That may have something to do with the number of bodies turning up in Boeing’s wake – but it can’t keep the news of Starliner’s (another) delayed return to Earth quiet.
NASA, in an update sent out on Friday, said that it was indefinitely delaying, or, “adjusting” the date of Starliner’s return from the original 26 June date to sometime in July. This isn’t the first such delay — but it is the most recent delay announcement following the original 14 June departure date.
NASA cites the issues first spotted when docking to the ISS — leaks in the helium system that controls Starliner’s propulsion system, and the failure of five reaction-control system thrusters — for the continued delay. It didn’t offer specific dates for the return in July, but did mention “We are letting the data drive our decision-making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking.”
NASA taking its time is all well and good, but Starliner is officially only rated for a 45-day visit to the ISS before it is required to depart. NASA officials have stated that Starliner is cleared to return “in case of an emergency”, though it has until 28 July to launch the ship under normal circumstances.
Samsung goes Tab S10 Ultra
Ah, Samsung. It just can’t keep its secrets, well, secret. If it isn’t rumours about the company’s Unpacked event next month, or its SoC manufacturing troubles, then it’s something else — like a direct look at the Korean’s Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, expected to release in early 2025, which leaked courtesy of OnLeaks and Android Headlines.
And to nobody’s surprise, it looks just like the previous Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. It’s retained the massive 14.6in display, and holds onto an entirely similar set of dimensions, though it does manage to shave off an extra 0.05mm, making the whole affair an even thinner one.
It’s kept the coating of metal, quad speakers, and sticks the power and volume keys at the top, as well as the S Pen’s magnetic holder on the back, right underneath the returning dual rear camera set-up. All that to say… don’t go in expecting a makeover in the looks department. Samsung has saved all the budget for upgrading the internals, which have yet to be revealed.
TikTok’s AI tool isn’t for everyone (literally)
When TikTok launched those Symphony Avatars last week — a technology that allowed businesses to generate ads using a celebrity’s likeness using AI — we, and the rest of the world, thought there was no way to mess that up. We’re joking. TikTok immediately proved everyone correct by accidentally posting a link to an internal version of the tool that allowed anyone to use it – with no filter.
The result? Exactly what you’d expect. According to CNN’s Jon Sarlin who tested the tool, the version that went up allowed anyone to use the database of actors within the app and have them say whatever script it was fed. That includes a piece of Mein Kampf and Osama Bin Laden’s letter to America. In short, TikTok built an extremely powerful tool for misinformation and gave it to the public. For a short while, anyway.
Speaking with The Verge, TikTok spokesperson Laura Perez said that the “technical error” that “allowed an extremely small number of users to create content using an internal testing version of the tool for a few days,” has since been resolved. While the idea that TikTok can make certain actors recite an AI-fied excerpt of Mein Kampf at a moment’s notice is scary, we’d argue that the tool’s intended use is nearly scarier.
We’re way past self-tying laces
Smart shoes are weird. Back in the day, it was Nike’s Marty McFly self-lacing boots that intrigued the world — until Nike actually pulled off the feat and charged a fortune for the privilege. Then Samsung came along and asked us to moonwalk to queue up our playlists, but again, it was reserved for a small crowd. Nike is reinventing the shoe, but it won’t load up music or tighten themselves. Instead, they’ll… massage your little piggies?
Born out of a collaboration between Nike and Hyperice — the guys that make massage guns — the idea isn’t to make a gimmicky shoe that’ll be forgotten about in a year, but rather one that’ll play a big part in athletes’ lives. Equipped with a battery back in the insole and four buttons on the heel, the shoe uses ‘dual-air Normatec bladders’ that expand and “drive heat into the muscles and tissues of the foot and ankle.”
“Recovery is an important part of any athlete’s journey, but we’re hearing from athletes that this concept of ‘pre-covery’ is equally as important,” says Tobie Hatfield, senior director of Nike Athlete Innovation. “The footwear and vest that we’ve developed with Hyperice help get the body ready for activity, whether you’re playing for a title or you’re on your feet a lot at work.”
Nike hasn’t yet said when it will be releasing a pair for the public. It’s still testing its feasibility among a small group of athletes, though it doesn’t say who those might be.