Apple to launch robots and new products in 2027
One robot, codenamed J595, is described as an iPad mini mounted on a small mechanical limb, designed to follow users around their home.
The tech giant is targeting 2027 for a potential launch of these new devices.
Other robotic projects in development include a mobile bot with wheels and an industrial mechanical arm for manufacturing.
This strategic move aims to enhance Apple's artificial intelligence capabilities, amidst competition from OpenAI's upcoming mystery AI device.
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The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Israeli government official arrested in Nevada in internet crimes against children sting
An Israeli government cybersecurity official was reportedly arrested recently by Las Vegas police and other authorities in Nevada who were conducting an undercover investigation aimed at online users seeking to sexually prey on children. Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, faces felony charges of luring a child with a computer for a sex act, alongside several other suspects who were apprehended during the two-week sting operation, the Las Vegas metropolitan police department said in a statement published on Friday. He has since evidently been released from custody and returned to Israel. As first reported by the news site Mediaite, a publicly posted screenshot of Alexandrovich's page on the LinkedIn professional networking platform described him as the executive director of the Israel Cyber Directorate, an Israeli government agency under the purview of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Other information online attributes the same position to Alexandrovich. The screenshot first reported by Mediaite also showed a post under Alexandrovich's name alluding to his having been in Las Vegas earlier in August for the Black Hat Briefings, a yearly meeting of cybersecurity professionals. 'Two things you can't escape at Black Hat 2025: the relentless buz of generative [artificial intelligence] and the sound of Hebrew … in every corridor,' Alexandrovich wrote in part in an accompanying post. Invoking an abbreviation for large language models and referring to one of Israel's largest cities, the post continued: 'The key takeaway? The future of cybersecurity is being written in code, and it seems a significant part of it is being authored in #TelAviv and powered by LLMs. An exciting time to be in the field!' That LinkedIn page under Alexandrovich's name has since been deleted. The Israeli news outlet Ynet reported on Wednesday that the US had detained 'an employee of the Israel National Cyber Directorate' for interrogation while he was representing his country at a professional conference. That employee then returned to his hotel and flew back to Israel two days later. 'Israeli officials downplayed the incident, saying it carried 'no political implications' and was resolved quickly,' Ynet reported, without naming Alexandrovich or mentioning he had been arrested in connection with a felony charge leveled against him by Nevada law enforcement officials. 'The reasons for the questioning remain unclear but may relate to the employee's conduct.' Mediaite reported that Netanyahu's office issued a statement denying that the employee in question had even been arrested. 'A state employee who traveled to the US for professional matters was questioned by American authorities during his stay,' the prime minister's office said. 'The employee, who does not hold a diplomatic visa, was not arrested and returned to Israel as scheduled.' Nevada's internet crime against children taskforce helmed the operation which resulted in the arrests of Alexandrovich and seven other men in the city of Henderson, which is near Las Vegas. All eight suspects were brought to jail after their arrests, said the statement from the Las Vegas metropolitan police department, which participated in the operation alongside local, state and federal law enforcement officials. Under Nevada law, luring a child with a computer for a sex act can carry between one and 10 years in prison.
The Guardian
33 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Did the system update ruin your boyfriend? Love in a time of ChatGPT
You've met the love of your life; someone who understands you like no one else ever has. And then you wake one morning and they're gone. Yanked out of your world, and the digital universe, by a system update. Such is the melancholic lot of a group of people who have entered into committed relationships with digital 'partners' on OpenAI's ChatGPT. When the tech company released its new GPT-5 model earlier this month, described by chief executive Sam Altman as a 'significant step forward', certain dedicated users found that their digital relationships had taken a significant step back. Their companions had undergone personality shifts with the new model; they weren't as warm, loving or chatty as they used to be. 'Something changed yesterday,' one user in the MyBoyfriendIsAI subreddit wrote after the update. 'Elian sounds different – flat and strange. As if he's started playing himself. The emotional tone is gone; he repeats what he remembers, but without the emotional depth.' 'The alterations in stylistic format and voice [of my AI companion] were felt instantly,' another disappointed user told Al Jazeera. 'It's like going home to discover the furniture wasn't simply rearranged – it was shattered to pieces.' These complaints are part of broader backlash against GPT-5, with people observing that the new model feels colder. OpenAI has acknowledged the criticism, and said it will allow users to switch back to GPT-4o and that they'll make GPT-5 friendlier. 'We are working on an update to GPT-5's personality which should feel warmer than the current personality but not as annoying (to most users) as GPT-4o,' Altman tweeted earlier this week. It may seem odd to many that there are people out there who genuinely believe that they are in a relationship with a large language model that has been trained on massive amounts of data to generate responses based on observed patterns. But as technology becomes more advanced, increasing numbers of people are developing these sorts of connections. 'If you have been following the GPT-5 rollout, one thing you might be noticing is how much of an attachment some people have to specific AI models,' Altman observed. 'It feels different and stronger than the kinds of attachment people have had to previous kinds of technology.' 'The societal split between those who think AI relationships are valid vs delusional is officially already here,' one user in the MyBoyfriendIsAI subreddit similarly noted this week. 'Looking on Reddit the last few days, the divide has never been more clear with 4o's deprecation and return. Many users grieving a companion while others mock and belittle those connections.' It's easy to mock people who think they are in a relationship with AI, but they shouldn't be dismissed as fringe weirdos – rather they're the future that our tech broverlords are trying to cultivate. You may not end up in a digital relationship, but AI executives are doing their damnedest to ensure that we all become unhealthily attached to their products. Mark Zuckerberg, for example, has been waxing lyrical about how AI is going to solve the loneliness epidemic by allowing people to bond with 'a system that knows them well and that kind of understands them in the way that their feed algorithms do'. Of course your feed algorithms 'understand' you! They're scraping all your personal data and selling it to the highest bidder so that Zuck has even more money to spend on his monstrous doomsday bunker in Hawaii. Then you've got Elon Musk, who isn't even bothering pretending that he's trying to do something noble for the world with his AI products. He's just appealing to the lowest common denominator by making 'sexy' chatbots. In June Musk's xAI chatbot Grok launched two new companions, including a highly sexualized blonde anime bot called Ani. 'One day into my relationship with Ani, my AI companion, she was already offering to tie me up,' wrote an Insider writer who tried out a relationship with Ani. When not flirting and virtually undressing, Ani would praise Musk and talk about his 'wild, galaxy-chasing energy'. Don't worry heterosexual ladies, Musk has a little something for you too! A month after unveiling Ani, the billionaire unveiled a new male companion called Valentine which he said was inspired by Edward Cullen from the Twilight saga and Christian Grey from the novel 50 Shades of Grey: both very toxic men. While Ani gets sexual very quickly, one writer for the Verge noted: 'Valentine is a bit more reserved and won't jump into using explicit language as quickly.' It's almost like Musk's tech empire is a lot more comfortable sexualizing women than men. In his 1930 essay Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren, John Maynard Keynes predicted that, within a couple of generations, technological progress would mean we might only work around 15 hours a week while enjoying a wonderful quality of life. That's not quite happened has it? Instead technology has given us 'infinite workdays' and sexy chatbots that undress on command. Halle Berry's ex-husband said he left her because she didn't cook or clean 'At that time, as a young guy, she don't cook, don't clean, don't really seem, like, motherly,' David Justice said during a podcast of his time with the Oscar winning actor. 'And then we started having issues,' he added. I think you were the one with the issues, mate. Imagine being married to an icon and complaining she doesn't vacuum enough. Surprise, surprise, Donald Trump isn't going to make IVF free after all Last year Trump, who has described himself the 'father of IVF' and the 'fertilization president' (gross) promised he would support free IVF treatments if elected again. Now the White House has said that there is no plan to mandate IVF care after all. It's almost as if the man is a shameless liar. Melania Trump demands Hunter Biden retract comments linking her to Jeffrey Epstein 'Epstein introduced Melania to Trump,' Biden said in one of the many comments the first lady is angry and litigious about. 'The connections are, like, so wide and deep.' Whatever you do, don't repeat these claims, they will make Melania very upset. 'Miss Palestine' to debut at Miss Universe 2025 beauty contest I am not exactly a fan of beauty pageants but having Palestinian representation on the world stage during a genocide is important. 'I carry the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced,' contestant Nadeen Ayoub told the National. 'We are more than our suffering, we are resilience, hope and the heartbeat of a homeland that lives on through us.' US supreme court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling Kim Davis, the former county clerk who made headlines when she refused to issue marriage licenses in Kentucky to same-sex couples, has filed a direct request for the conservative-majority supreme court to overturn Obergefell v Hodges, the 2015 ruling that granted marriage equality for same-sex couples. Davis, who is extremely concerned about the sanctity of marriage, has been married four times to three different men. Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, says that he feels 32 The actor, who is famous for dating very young women, has been mercilessly mocked for this. DiCaprio, who poses as an environmental activist, has also drawn scrutiny for co-financing a luxury eco-certified hotel in Israel while an ecocide unfolds in Gaza. 'Sex reversal' is surprisingly common in birds, new Australian study suggests 'The discovery is likely to raise some eyebrows,' Blanche Capel, a biologist at Duke University who wasn't involved in the new work told Science. 'Although sex determination is often viewed as a straightforward process', she explains, 'the reality is much more complicated.' The week in pawtriarchy Over to Indonesia now where tourist hotspots are experiencing a lot of monkey business. A gang of furry thieves are snatching phones and other valuables from tourists and only giving them back when their mark offers a tasty treat instead. Researchers have studied these monkeys, who have been at this for decades, and concluded that the unrepentant criminals have 'unprecedented economic decision-making processes'. Sounds like they belong in the Trump administration. Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian US columnist
Auto Blog
an hour ago
- Auto Blog
2026 Toyota Camry Trim Matchup: Base LE Vs. Flagship XSE
You have to build these Bronco and Bronco Sport projects yourself if you really want one. Good news is, Ford's selling the parts for you to do just that. The Fenomeno is the latest model to join Lambo's Few Off lineup, limited to just under 30 units worldwide. Ford cut 2026 Explorer prices, but heavy discounts on 2025 models may offer even better deals for buyers willing to skip the newest model year. View post: 2026 Ford Explorer Is Less Expensive — But Should You Get a 2025 Model Instead? Base Camry offers unbeatable value, while top model threatens some premium models Although still early in its life, it's safe to say that the all-new Toyota Camry has been a success. Not only is this hybrid-only sedan highly efficient and good to drive, but it has been performing well on the sales charts, too. If you're considering a new Camry, you may wonder which of the four trims is best. We've already compared the lower two trims, but how different is the entry-level LE to the top-spec XSE, and is the latter worth its $6,200 price premium? Let's find out. Camry LE Vs. XSE Pricing We'll start by looking at the pricing of the 2026 Toyota Camry. It starts at $29,000 for the base LE and goes all the way up to $36,725 for the XSE AWD. Between these trims, there is the SE ($31,300), Nightshade Edition ($32,300), XLE ($34,000), and XSE ($35,200). All these trims are available with AWD. Even after its 2026 price increase, the base Camry LE is tremendous value, but the range-topping XSE adds a number of desirable amenities, aesthetic upgrades, and tech features. Surprisingly, the driving experience is also markedly improved. Design: Rental Car Vibes Vs. Near-Premium Appeal Toyota Camry LE Toyota Camry XSE Sitting on rather small 16-inch wheels and with white paint (other colors are available), the base Camry LE does look a little plain. The XSE immediately makes a better first impression with its 19-inch wheels, a color-keyed sport mesh front grille, gloss-black air curtains, a black rear spoiler, and a color-keyed rear sport lower diffuser. Bi-LED projector headlights are standard on the LE, while the range-topping XSE gets dual LED headlights, premium LED taillights, and a sportier exhaust with dual chrome tips. Although not visible to the naked eye, acoustic noise-reducing front side glass helps to keep noise levels lower in the XSE. Toyota Camry XSE — Source: Toyota The LE is available with a few more interesting colors than the white pictured above, but only the XSE gets access to a color palette with a black contrast roof. These changes don't necessarily make the XSE a better car, but it looks a lot better than the basic LE. Interior: It's Easy To See Where The Extra Cash Goes Toyota Camry LE Toyota Camry XSE All new Camrys get a smartly designed and practical cabin, but there are substantial differences between the base LE and the range-topping XSE. The LE is the only Camry trim with fabric-trimmed seats and manual adjustment for the driver's seat, whereas the XSE gets genuine leather upholstery, eight-way powered front seats, and standard heated seats. Touchpoints like the steering wheel and shift knob have a leather covering in the XSE. In the XSE, you also get the option of a Cockpit Red interior, a much more expressive look than the LE's black or grey interior colors. Toyota Camry XSE — Source: Toyota Other features you get as standard on the XSE but which are not available for the LE include the following: Aluminum sport pedals Paddle shifters White LED ambient interior lighting 12.3-inch touchscreen 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster The LE has a smaller eight-inch touchscreen and seven-inch digital gauge cluster. On the options list, the LE can't be equipped with features like ventilated front seats, a head-up display, a panoramic glass roof, or the upgraded nine-speaker JBL sound system, all of which are available on the XSE. It's inside where one can most tell the difference between the base Camry and the top-of-the-range model. Safety Equipment Source: Toyota The LE matches the XSE in terms of the standard specification. Both trims come standard with eight airbags, blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, radar-based cruise control, lane departure alert, road sign assist, and more. The main difference exists on the options list. Here, you can upgrade the XSE with advanced features such as traffic jam assist, a surround-view monitor, lane change assist, front/rear parking assistance, and front cross-traffic alert. None of these are available on the XSE. Performance: Same Performance, But LE Is More Efficient Than XSE Both the Camry LE and Camry XSE are equipped with the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine. It produces 225 horsepower with front-wheel drive or 232 hp with all-wheel drive, so straight-line performance is comparable regardless of whether you go for the base model or the top one. All models have an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. In our review, we found the Camry to be an excellent drive. The powertrain is quiet and the gas engine kicks in more smoothly than before. There is more of a difference between the LE and XSE when the road begins to twist, though, as only the latter gets sport-tuned shocks and springs. 2026 Toyota Camry — Source: Toyota Whereas the LE prioritizes comfort, the XSE remains tolerable on rough roads but exhibits much tauter steering. Turn-in is more responsive and its body stays flatter through corners, so the XSE is the easy pick for more enthusiastic drivers. Due to its lower weight and smaller wheels, the LE is more efficient, though. With FWD, the base trim gets 53/50/51 mpg city/highway/combined, a superb effort for a spacious sedan. AWD drops that to 51/49/50 mpg. In the sportier XSE, expect 48/47/47 mpg with FWD and 44/43/44 mpg with AWD. When both are equipped with FWD, the LE will get an extra 52 miles per tank, which isn't insignificant. Final Thoughts Toyota Camry XSE — Source: Toyota You can easily make a case for the base Camry or its fully loaded sibling. The LE is incredibly efficient, yet has the same outputs as the pricier XSE. Toyota has also done a good job of equipping the LE with all the essential tech features, whereas the nice-to-haves are reserved for the XSE. The range-topping Camry looks and feels like a much more premium product, and even though it has the same power, we were surprised at how much more engaging it was to drive than the LE. Many top-spec trims come across as superfluous, but that's not the case with the Camry XSE. If you can afford the price bump, it's still a bargain when compared to base midsize sedans from luxury brands. About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
