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Honor Smart Screen TV: First device with Harmony OS

It’s Huawei’s first and it will also have a pop-up camera!

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Honor

It’s official: Huawei will unveil its first ever smart TV.

On August 10, Huawei will officially take the wraps off its Honor Smart Screen TV. It will be powered by Harmony OS, making it the first device to have the OS.

For the display, the device will have a 55-inch screen, but it is not yet known if it will use LCD or AMOLED.

It will also feature its homegrown HiSilicon “Honghu” 818 chipset, which is designed primarily for this smart TV. The new processor will improve the TV’s performance and image quality. It will also enable AI assistant to work, although it is unknown as of this time what AI assistant will be onboard. But most importantly, the new chipset would allow for 8K at 30fps and 4K at 120fps video decoding.

Pop-up camera on a TV

Here’s a feature that makes this TV… interesting? For whatever reason, it looks like the Honor Smart Screen TV will feature a pop-up camera. Not just any pop-up camera — one with facial recognition capabilities.

One feature included in the Honor Smart Screen TV would surely put in the 2019 era: a pop-up camera. The pop-up camera would have face recognition capabilities that would aid in high-resolution video calls. The resolution of the camera however, is unknown as of this moment.

Honor Smart Screen TV is now available for pre-order at JD.com. The listing has two variants: a standard and a pro edition. As of publishing, 100,000 people have reportedly already pre-ordered the device, indicating demand for a Huawei smart TV.

With the product, Huawei is expanding its portfolio which ranges from smartphones to laptops and even modems. It’s a bold move by the company despite the uncertainty they’re facing today.

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HONOR might launch its first foldable flip phone soon

With an extra-large front screen

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The foldable market is a constantly evolving one. While we can certainly argue whether foldable phones have finally made it to the mainstream, the form factor continues to find its next big evolution. According to a new rumor, HONOR is releasing its first foldable flip phone soon with a sizable twist: a large cover screen.

There’s no doubt that a foldable’s main screen is huge. It’s one of the biggest reasons to get one, after all. However, a lot of foldable makers are trying a different strategy: enlarging the front screen. Formerly just a secondary screen, the current trend is to make the smaller screen just as impressive as the main one.

Of course, the news here is that HONOR is releasing its first-ever foldable flip phone. According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, HONOR’s upcoming foldable phone might be called the “Magic V Flip.”

The most notable feature, according to the report, is an extra-large screen right in front. Its size will reportedly eclipse that of Samsung and Motorola — both giants in the foldable market.

The report doesn’t indicate how big the screen will actually be. However, a leaked case spoils that the screen will likely take up most of front panel’s surface area.

It’s also unclear when HONOR plans to launch this rumored device. Oh, and where. There’s a chance that the brand’s first-ever foldable phone will come out exclusively in China first.

SEE ALSO: HONOR Magic6 Pro, Magic V2 receive Android 15 Beta update

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Apps

ChatGPT takes down voice after Scarlett Johansson claims theft

The actress pursued legal action

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Did you know that ChatGPT has a voice? As the AI-powered assistant continues to grab more users, OpenAI, the company behind it, launched voice options to make the software even more immersive. Now, what can get more immersive than a voice based on Her, one of the most prolific films about an AI assistant? Consent, however, remains an important part of this world. Lacking the necessary consent to use her likeness, OpenAI got rid of its Johansson-like voice.

Recently, OpenAI launched GPT-4o. The latest model represents the most advanced developments for the large language model. Adding to its list of features is a new voice option called Sky.

Though the company hasn’t outright confirmed so, the voice curiously sounds like Scarlett Johansson. The actress previously voiced the AI in Her. Joaquin Phoenix’s character falls in love with the voice over the course of the movie. Since then, Johansson’s take on the AI represents one of the most popular depictions of AI assistants.

While the similarity remains unconfirmed internally, CEO Sam Altman tweeted “her” right after announcing the new version.

Apparently, Johansson did not give consent to use the likeness of her voice, according to statement (via NPR). Though OpenAI did approach the actress to ask for permission, she ultimately declined. A few days before the latest model came out, OpenAI urged her to reconsider, but the model launched before they could reconnect.

As such, the actress pursued legal action and essentially forced ChatGPT to take the voice down. She is also asking OpenAI to detail exactly how they obtained the similar-sounding voice. OpenAI maintains that it will keep its voice actors’ identities private.

SEE ALSO: Logitech introduces a dedicated shortcut for ChatGPT

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Laptops

Microsoft Copilot+ PCs are an AI dream

It’s AI all the way down

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Gone are the days of comparing devices based on their processors and memories. Today’s game is all about AI. Marking this change, Microsoft has now announced a new lineup of notebooks built specifically with an NPU and Copilot in mind. Move over, traditional laptops; it’s time for Copilot+ PCs to rise.

CPUs are no longer the sole determinants of a laptop’s performance. More and more, notebook makers are packing in neural processing units (or NPUs) into their devices. In today’s pre-Build event, Microsoft (and a host of other manufacturers) have announced a vision for an NPU-heavy lineup.

The company’s new Copilot+ PCs will have an NPU baked in. Qualcomm specifically pointed to the development of its Snapdragon X Elite chipset. The new lineup will use AI to maximize and optimize performance across the board. Plus, despite the performance, the company says that these devices will remain thin and light.

To achieve this, Microsoft reengineered Windows 11 to work better with AI technology. The company claims that all Copilot+ PCs can perform at least 40 trillion operations per seconds (or TOPS, for short). Notably, Snapdragon says that the Snapdragon X Elite can perform 75 TOPS. The upgrade is supposedly much better than Apple’s M3 chipsets.

Because this is just Microsoft’s announcement, we haven’t seen how these laptops can really perform in the real world. However, several manufacturers have already promised Copilot+ PCs coming this year. Acer, ASUS, Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung have all revealed devices at the event.

SEE ALSO: OPPO partners with Microsoft, startups to expand AI technology’s reach

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