The Morning After: Apple’s next-gen AirPods and Samsung’s AR concept glasses leaked
A weekend of leaks.
It seems like it was a weekend of leaks. Pick your company: Samsung’s concept for AR glasses, replete with some far-too-chunky frames, or maybe the next generation of Apple’s AirPods, the in-ear kind.
These are two very different kinds of leaks. Samsung’s appears to be the sort of conceptual video tease that may, or may not, result in a device. Previous teases resulted in hardware that looked pretty different to the heady dream from years earlier. The company’s foldable phones are a great example, here.
With Apple, a photo of what might be its next iteration of AirPods are reassuring middling — and highly likely to happen. They appear to be wireless buds that would fit between the original AirPods and the pricier (more capable) AirPods Pro. The hardware looks like the Pro iteration, with a wider case and redesigned stems. But will these headphones pack active noise cancellation?
A Bloomberg report previously said the third-gen model wouldn't support ANC, like the Pro, while this more recent leak from 52Audio suggests ANC features are "highly probable" as the hardware inside looks pretty similar to the Pro model.
— Mat Smith
A 'Diablo II' HD remaster is coming to PC and consoles this year
The game will feature cross-progression between platforms.
There goes any semblance of my social life. Blizzard is remastering Diablo II — a game that got its claws into me as a teen. You'll be able to replay the classic action RPG later this year on PC and consoles with support for cross-progression between platforms. The remaster will feature both the original game, its Lord of Destruction expansion and seven different character classes. You'll be able to play through D2's five-act story with up to seven other people. Quality of life enhancements include remastered cinematics, a bigger stash and the ability to transfer items between your heroes. Diablo II: Resurrected will come to PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. Continue reading.
NASA says some Earth organisms could temporarily survive on Mars
It could have big implications for space travel.
Scientists from NASA and the German Aerospace Center launched several fungal and bacterial organisms to the stratosphere back in 2019 as part of the MARSBOx experiment. The Earth’s stratosphere has conditions that closely resemble Mars, making it the perfect place to send samples to figure out if they'd survive on the red planet. Now, the scientists have published their findings, showing that some organisms could live on the surface of Mars, if only temporarily. The researchers found they could revive the returned spores, which could have repercussions for protecting astronauts in space. The research may identify microorganisms that could help space explorers produce food and material supplies independently from Earth. Continue reading.
Europe's aviation safety agency is planning an eco ranking for flights
The goal is to avoid "greenwashing" so consumers can make sustainable decisions.
The EU's Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) plans to create eco-ranking labels for the airline industry, similar to its trains, according to a report from Germany's Welt am Sonntag. The EU is reportedly trying to counterbalance potential "greenwashing" from airlines that promote exaggerated claims of flights being eco-friendly. Aviation contributes 3.5 percent of the pollution responsible for global warming, according to a recent international study. Continue reading.
Chanel made an app to find lipstick in any shade
And sell it to you.
Chanel has announced the AI-powered Lipscanner app, which uses your phone's camera to identify a hue — whether it's on someone's lips or just the color of your favorite purse — and suggest a match from Chanel's "lip universe," which includes more than 400 products. It’s not the first beauty brand to offer this feature (or the ability to virtually test the shade yourself using AR), but the process appears more streamlined than others. And with all the cachet that Chanel commands. Continue reading.
And there's more:
Hitting the Books: How NASA survived the Reagan era 'Dark Ages'
How Apple and Bandai tried selling dreams to kids and the internet to adults
