Latest news with #PurvAshar
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Samsung unveils new lineup of AI-powered smart monitors including 4K QD-OLED M9
South Korean electronics brand Samsung has unveiled its latest line up of smart monitors. These AI-powered monitors include flagship M9 (or M90SF) and the upgraded editions of the M8 and M7 known as M80SF and M70F respectively. The new monitors feature a sleek all-metal chassis, and Samsung claims that the devices mix aesthetics with enhanced performance. The monitors start at Rs 30,699 (M7 31-inches, black). The M9 is the flagship model out of the three versions on offer. It is ideal for content creators and those who crave high-quality visuals. For the first time ever, a monitor in the Samsung smart monitor lineup consists of QD-OLED technology. This is set to ensure a visual spectacle with its colour range and contrast. The M9 also has pre-loaded AI features to give an improved visual experience, such as AI Picture Optimiser, 4K AI Upscaling Pro, and Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) Pro. The screen is equipped with OLED Safeguard+ and has a glare-free display. It also sports a brand-new proprietary cooling system, reducing the risk of a burn-in. Purchasing the monitor also gives the user access to the streaming platform Samsung TV Plus, and Samsung Gaming Hub, enabling cloud-based gaming. 'By combining Samsung's 4K QD-OLED brilliance with intuitive vision AI, the M9 elevates the display into something more than a monitor. With real time picture and sound optimisation, a sleek all-in-one design and seamless access to your favourite streaming and work tools, the M9 delivers a sharper, smarter and truly immersive experience,' said Puneet Sethi, vice president, enterprise business, Samsung India. The new M8 and M7 models come with screen and sound mirroring technology, multi view for up to two videos, and allow for remote access. While the M8 only comes in one variant, the M7 comes in three variants – a 43-inch model, and a 31-inch model in either white or black. 📌M90SF, 32 inches: Rs 1,25,999 (discount of Rs 3,000) 📌M80SF, 31 inches: Rs 49,299 (discount of Rs 3,000) 📌M70F, 43 inches: Rs 34,299 (discount of Rs 1,500) 📌M70F, 31 inches (white): Rs 31,199 (discount of Rs 1,500) 📌M70F, 31 inches (black): Rs 30,699 (discount of Rs 1,500) The models can be integrated using SmartThings, Samsung's app to monitor their smart home devices. They also offer Multi View, enabling users to multitask seamlessly. The M9, M8, and M7 also provide access to the Microsoft 365 suite. (This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
A comet from another star system? Watch interstellar 3I/ATLAS live tonight
Astronomers have spotted a small comet entering our solar system and racing towards the Sun. The fun part is you may have the chance to watch its journey live and for free. The tiny comet was first observed by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope, located in Rio Hurtado, Chile, on July 1. Initially called C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) or A11pl3Z, the comet has since been renamed 3I/ATLAS by the Minor Planet Center (MPC). The '3I' is a marker indicating this comet as the third known interstellar object, after 'Oumuamua in 2017, and the comet 2I/Borisov in 2019. As per the MPC report, the comet has a marginal coma and a short three-inch tail, making it more difficult to observe. You have a chance to view this one, though, thanks to The Virtual Telescope Project . The platform is using its technology allowing all to view the 3I/ATLAS live as it travels toward the Sun. This is accessible on The Virtual Telescope Project's WebTV, YouTube channel. The livestream will begin at 3:30 am IST on July 4. It will show footage from telescopes in Mancino, Italy. On July 2, using one of its robotic telescopes to track its motion, the Virtual Telescope Project was able to capture a photo of the comet. Due to the telescope's movement, stars show movement trails as the comet looks like a stationary light. As per NASA, 3I/ATLAS is 4.5 astronomical units (converting to 670 million kilometres) away from the Sun, with a magnitude of 18.8. However, the comet is expected to get slightly brighter by around October 30, as it reaches perihelion, or its closest point to the Sun. This will be around 1.4 astronomical units (or 210 million kilometres) away from the Sun. At the moment, the comet is currently moving at a speed of 68 kilometers per second relative to the Sun. While the 3I/ATLAS will temporarily disappear from view by mid-November as it travels behind the Sun, it is expected to reappear in view by early-December. (This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
This satellite scans entire Earth every 20 mins, reports wildfires
Just over three months after US-based aerospace start-up Muon Space launched its FireSat Protoflight satellite, the end-to-end space systems provider has shared the first images taken by the spacecraft. This spacecraft, launched on SpaceX's Transporter-13 mission in March, was a collaboration between Muon, and Earth Fire Alliance, a non-profit organisation aiming to gather real-time data from all fires on Earth. 'These first light images confirm that our IR sensors are operating as designed and collecting high-quality data,' said Dan McCleese, chief scientist of Muon Space in a press release. The FireSat Protoflight satellite is the first of a proposed 50 satellites that Muon aims to launch, which they aim to use to track wildfires on Earth. The first few images taken by the FireSat Protoflight have been from a low-Earth orbit, using a multi-band infrared (IR) instrument. This then scanned for heat signatures, which could indicate the presence of wildfires. Using a precise high-dynamic range (HDR) six-channel multispectral IR instrument, the satellites are capable of multispectral imaging across the visible, near-infrared (NIR), short-wave infrared (SWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), and long-wave infrared (LWIR) bands simultaneously. Each band takes up a channel, and the channels are used together to derive further information. The instrument is built by Muon Space itself. The satellites are able to scan areas of over 1,500 kilometres at a time, and identify fires as small as five-by-five meters in that range. They are also able to make a distinction between false positive fires and actual wildfire threats. The above image depicts FireSat Protoflight detecting thermal signatures at Libya's Sarir oil field complex, which are likely gas flares rather than a wildfire risk. The satellite's channels observing MWIR and LWIR identify the same heat sources, indicating the effectiveness of the multi-channel approach in data collection and allowing FireSat to differentiate different types of heat sources and confirm detections. Once relevant data is acquired, it is sent out to first responders, policymakers, and communities facing escalating wildfire threats. This is a crucial advancement in space-based wildfire monitoring, providing accurate and relevant information to governments and concerned citizens alike. Muon is set to launch the first block of three further FireSat satellites in 2026, and aims for the FireSat constellation to be at capacity and fully operational by 2030. The constellation is set to have global coverage, and will scan the entirety of Earth for wildfires every twenty minutes. Wildfire-prone areas would be scanned even more often, to further reduce the threat. (This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Alibaba releases Qwen-VLo, its latest AI image model rivaling OpenAI's GPT-4o
Alibaba has launched a new AI image generation model called Qwen-VLo that is said to have the ability to understand context and generate images based on that understanding. 'Today, we are excited to introduce a new model, Qwen VLo, a unified multimodal understanding and generation model. This newly upgraded model not only 'understands' the world but also generates high-quality recreations based on that understanding, truly bridging the gap between perception and creation,' the company said in a blog post published on June 26. Unlike previous Alibaba models such as Qwen-VL, Qwen-VLo can offer the user more detailed images with significantly more accuracy. While previous models altered unrelated details within the image when the user requested only minor changes (such as colour), Qwen-VLo is able to preserve the original structure of the image and make the requested changes to it, as per the e-commerce giant. The model is also able to understand open-ended requests, such as artistic style, weather changes, or even making the image bear resemblance to a specific time period. Alibaba also announced that the model would support multiple languages besides Chinese and English. One of the model's notable features is Multiple Image Input. The model takes existing images provided by the user, alters the text within them, and is even able to manipulate them to become part of the generated image. For instance, in an example given by the company, the user provided images of individual bathing products and a basket, then asked Qwen-VLo to put the products into the basket. However, this feature has not been officially rolled out within the model yet. Qwen-VLo makes use of dynamic resolution training, allowing the user to re-size their images as per required dimensions, including 1:1, 3:4, and 16:9. The model also uses a progressive top-to-bottom, left-to-right generation process, which helps in tasks requiring fine control. However, in its blog post, the company has said that the model is still in the preview stage and users could encounter errors such as inconsistency and non-compliance. The company further theorised that its AI models could be capable of conveying ideas and meanings through the images it creates in the future. Alibaba also proposed model generating segmentation/ detection maps to further improve the performance of Qwen-VLo. Widely known for its e-commerce business in China, Alibaba has thrown its hat into the AI race. The company's CEO, Eddie Wu, even said that Alibaba is now fully focused on AI model development and aims to build AI systems with human-level intellectual capabilities. (This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Indian Express
Want to turn off AI in Windows? Here's how to disable Copilot features
Microsoft has been pushing AI technology into its products. From Copilot being pre-installed in Windows PCs, to AI in programs like Notepad and Print, the AI overload can become overwhelming. However, Microsoft has given the option to disable these features from your system. Note: Steps mentioned apply only to Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs, and systems running on Windows 11. While the steps might not function the same way on PCs with different specifications, they should be largely similar. Copilot is Microsoft's AI chatbot, introduced by the company in February 2023. While initially it was rolled out in a phased manner, Copilot is now pre-installed on select Windows PCs, and even has a dedicated toolbar button. However, it is possible to remove Copilot from your system. To remove Copilot from your taskbar, you need to right click on the Copilot icon and click on 'unpin from taskbar' option. For further settings, you can click on your Microsoft icon at the bottom left of the screen, then click on 'Settings'. After accessing the Copilot Settings page, there will be more options. For instance, you can turn off the option of 'Auto start on log in' by clicking on the toggle switch. This means that Copilot will not start up the moment you switch on your PC. Similarly, you can also switch off the 'Open Copilot using Alt+Spacebar' shortcut. If you think Copilot does not add value to your system, you can uninstall it completely. Here's how to do this: 📌 Open the settings panel 📌 Click on apps, then installed apps 📌 Navigate to Copilot 📌 Click the three dots next to it 📌 Choose the 'uninstall' option If Microsoft Edge is your browser of choice, you may have seen the AI overload all over it. While the easiest option to avoid this is by switching browsers, there is also a way to limit the AI on Edge itself. 📌 After opening Edge, click on the three dots in the top right corner 📌 Click on the 'settings' option 📌 Switch to the 'Copilot and sidebar' screen via the links on the left of the screen 📌 Click on Copilot 📌 There, turn off the 'Show Copilot button on the toolbar' switch This will hide the Copilot icon from Edge entirely. Even basic Windows programs have AI added to them, such as Notepad and Paint. These aim to help with text or image creation, but can prove to be a hindrance. To remove Copilot from Notepad, simply click on the cogwheel icon (top-right), and turn off the Copilot toggle switch. However, till date, there is no way to uninstall or disable Copilot from Paint, even if the main app is uninstalled. However, users were initially able to remove Copilot from Paint, so there is a chance that this option will return. (This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
