logo
Google Beam hands-on exclusive: a futuristic upgrade to conference calls

Google Beam hands-on exclusive: a futuristic upgrade to conference calls

The Verge2 days ago

Google's Project Starline has been in the works for the last few years and is now heading out commercially as Google Beam and it's Google's way to make virtual meetings suck less. Beam uses a light field display and six cameras to render a volumetric, real-time 3D version of the person on the other end of a videocall. There's no headset, no weird glasses. Just a chunky display, a Chrome OS-powered compute puck the size of a DVD player, and a bespoke AI model working with Google Cloud in the background to stitch it all together. The Verge's Alex Heath got an exclusive hands-on.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump, DOJ threaten Calif. with legal action, fines after trans athlete's win
Trump, DOJ threaten Calif. with legal action, fines after trans athlete's win

Washington Post

time20 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

Trump, DOJ threaten Calif. with legal action, fines after trans athlete's win

Days after a 16-year-old transgender athlete placed first in two events at the California state track-and-field championship, the Trump administration is threatening legal action and 'large scale' fines over the state's policy allowing trans athletes to compete in high school sports. In a letter addressed to the state's public school districts, Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said on Monday that the California Interscholastic Federation violates the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause with its bylaw stating that all students 'should have the opportunity to participate in CIF activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student's records.' The letter directed school districts to certify in writing by June 9 that they wouldn't follow the bylaw.

Meta becomes the latest big tech company turning to nuclear power for its AI needs
Meta becomes the latest big tech company turning to nuclear power for its AI needs

Boston Globe

time21 minutes ago

  • Boston Globe

Meta becomes the latest big tech company turning to nuclear power for its AI needs

Constellation's Clinton Clean Energy Center was actually slated to close in 2017 after years of financial losses but was saved by legislation in Illinois establishing a zero-emission credit program to support the plant into 2027. The Meta-Constellation deal takes effect in June of 2027, when the state's taxpayer funded zero-emission credit program expires. With the arrival of Meta, Clinton's clean energy output will expand by 30 megawatts, preserve 1,100 local jobs and bring in $13.5 million in annual tax revenue, according to the companies. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions,' said Urvi Parekh, Meta's head of global energy. Advertisement Constellation, the owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, said in September that it planned to restart the reactor so tech giant Microsoft could secure power to supply its data centers. Three Mile Island, located on the Susquehanna River just outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was the site of the nation's worst commercial nuclear power accident in 1979. Also last fall, Amazon said it was investing in small nuclear reactors, two days after a similar announcement by Google. Additionally, Google announced last month that it was investing in three advanced nuclear energy projects with Elementl Power. Advertisement U.S. states have been positioning themselves to meet the tech industry's power needs as policymakers consider expanding subsidies and gutting regulatory obstacles. Last year, 25 states passed legislation to support advanced nuclear energy, and lawmakers this year have introduced over 200 bills supportive of nuclear energy, according to the trade association Nuclear Energy Institute. Advanced reactor designs from competing firms are filling up the federal government's regulatory pipeline as the industry touts them as a reliable, climate-friendly way to meet electricity demands from tech giants desperate to power their fast-growing artificial intelligence platforms. Amazon, Google and Microsoft also have been investing in solar and wind technologies, which make electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions.

PlayStation State of Play June 2025: How to watch and what to expect
PlayStation State of Play June 2025: How to watch and what to expect

Digital Trends

time21 minutes ago

  • Digital Trends

PlayStation State of Play June 2025: How to watch and what to expect

E3 may be long dead and buried, but its spirit still lives on every June. This week is a loaded one for video game showcases, as we'll get Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase, and more streaming over the next few days. Now you can add one more must-watch showcase to your radar: PlayStation's State of Play. Tomorrow, June 4, Sony will give fans a major update on what's coming to PS5 with a sizable stream. That's great news, because the back half of Sony's year is a bit of a mystery right now beyond two or three major games. What else in store for PS5 owners this year? Here's all the information you need so you can catch the show. And if you can't watch it live, stay tuned to Digital Trends, as we'll keep you updated on all the big news. Recommended Videos When is the June 2025 PlayStation State of Play? The PlayStation State of Play will air on Wednesday, June 4, just one day ahead of the Nintendo Switch 2's launch. It will air at 2 p.m. PT and will run for over 40 minutes. That positions it as a substantial broadcast, rather than a short show meant to highlight a few key games. How to watch the June 2025 PlayStation State of Play If you want to catch the show live, you'll be able to watch it on either PlayStation's YouTube or Twitch channel. And don't worry if you miss it: a VOD should be available right after it wraps up. We've embedded the YouTube video above, so you can watch it here if you'd like. What to expect from the June 2025 PlayStation State of Play Sony is being vague about what exactly it's showing this time. All it says in its blog post announcing the stream is that it will show off PS5 games from creators around the world. PlayStation VR2 isn't mentioned, so don't expect to see any new VR games. So, what's likely to show up? With Death Stranding 2: On the Beach slated to launch later this month, we wouldn't be surprised to see one more trailer hyping it up. Marathon is likely to appear as well considering that Sony owns Bungie, though there are rumors swirling that its upcoming release could be delayed. And of course, Ghost of Yotei should get a spotlight here considering that it's the PS5's big fall exclusive. Other than that, the field is wide open. This has historically been a very exciting show for Sony, as it usually nabs big reveals from third-party partners like Square Enix and Capcom. There's a good chance we see something like Resident Evil 9 here, giving us a big shocker before Summer Game Fest. It's possible that Sony has its own surprises in store too, as we know that Marvel's Wolverine is next in the pipeline. We're overdue for a update on that one, so it could pop up as a grand reveal. Whatever appears, it should be an exciting way to kick off a very busy week in gaming.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store