Tech

Real Estate Is Entering Its AI Slop Era

Real Estate Is Entering Its AI Slop Era

As you’re hunting through real estate listings for a new home in Franklin, Tennessee, you come across a vertical video showing off expansive rooms featuring a four-poster bed, a fully stocked wine cellar, and a soaking tub. In the corner of the video, a smiling real estate agent narrates the walk-through of your dream home in a soothing tone. It …

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Casio’s Fluffy AI Robot Squeaked Its Way Into My Heart

Casio’s Fluffy AI Robot Squeaked Its Way Into My Heart

There’s a fluffy robot, about the size of a guinea pig, sitting on my couch, and it’s squeaking. My friend’s dog Wylie sits watching it, suspicious of its every move. Moflin is an AI companion robot made by the Japanese electronics manufacturer Casio. Via the companion app, I have chosen to name this one Puff, because—well—that is what it looks …

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I Test-Drove Maeving’s New RM2 Electric Motorcycle

I Test-Drove Maeving’s New RM2 Electric Motorcycle

I test-ride electric kick scooters as a part of my job. They’re fantastic to ride and zip around town, but they are not cool nor particularly comfortable. You’re standing on this L-shaped object, like a meerkat on wheels. Motorcycles, on the other hand? There is no other category of vehicle that oozes this much style, especially one that looks like …

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The Sodapop Bluetooth Speaker Uses a Plastic Bottle to Bring the Bass

The Sodapop Bluetooth Speaker Uses a Plastic Bottle to Bring the Bass

To test the contrast however, I first listened to the speaker without its bass bottle. It’s very loud for a small speaker, and in my office I couldn’t cope with the volume turned up past 30 percent. It’s just not an enjoyable listen, sounding shrill and disappointing without any discernible bass. It’s not quite as bad as putting your old …

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OpenAI reportedly developing new generative music tool | TechCrunch

OpenAI reportedly developing new generative music tool | TechCrunch

OpenAI is working on a new tool that would generate music based on text and audio prompts, according to a report in The Information. Such a tool could be used to add music to existing videos, or to add guitar accompaniment to an existing vocal track, sources said. It’s not clear when OpenAI plans to launch such a tool or …

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Who are AI browsers for? | TechCrunch

Who are AI browsers for? | TechCrunch

OpenAI launched an AI-powered web browser called ChatGPT Atlas this week, which makes me wonder: Is it finally time to ditch Safari? That news was on our minds as Max Zeff, Sean O’Kane, and I discussed the browser landscape — including some lesser-known alternatives — on the latest episode of the Equity podcast. But it doesn’t sound like any of …

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TikTok robot star Rizzbot gave me the middle finger | TechCrunch

TikTok robot star Rizzbot gave me the middle finger | TechCrunch

A couple of Thursdays ago, I awoke at nearly 4:30 a.m. to a dizzying Instagram DM.   Rizzbot, a popular humanoid robot with more than 1 million TikTok followers and more than half a million followers on Instagram, had sent me a photo: he was flipping me off.  No words. No explanation. Just a robot with its middle finger raised.   Although I was shocked, a sinking feeling meant that I could guess why. A few …

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India, the market BlaBlaCar once walked away from, is now its biggest | TechCrunch

India, the market BlaBlaCar once walked away from, is now its biggest | TechCrunch

Every few weekends, 21-year-old student Lavanya Jain opens the BlaBlaCar app to find a lift from Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi to his home in Kandhla, a small town in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state. The 120-kilometer journey costs him about ₹500, the equivalent of about $6. That’s a fraction of the ₹1,500–₹2,000, or $17–$23, he would pay …

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Dealing With Hearing Loss? These Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Could Help

Dealing With Hearing Loss? These Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Could Help

If you’re spending hundreds or thousands of dollars buying an OTC hearing aid, make sure you’re getting a product that offers a sustainable long-term solution to your hearing loss needs. Aside from the obvious things like sound quality, take a few minutes to look into these specs. What size and style works best for you? Most hearing aids on the …

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