Stay connected in the world of tech with our weekly round-up of tech and media news. From an ASCII Barbie to AI on Shopify and more, we have you covered. Read on below for the latest from across the World Wide Web.
Google Secures Significant Offshore Wind Energy Agreement
Google has announced its largest offshore wind energy deal to date, aimed at powering its European data centers. This involves signing agreements to support two new wind farms off the Netherlands coast, contributing over 700 megawatts of clean energy to the grid. The initiative is part of Google’s goal to match its data center electricity use with renewable energy on a 24/7 basis by 2030. The agreement with the CrossWind and Ecowende consortia, joint ventures between Shell and Eneco, will significantly boost Google’s clean energy usage in the Netherlands. Additionally, Google plans to purchase renewable energy from wind and solar farms in Italy, Poland, and Belgium. This move by Google and other tech giants like Microsoft aims to not just match annual energy consumption with renewable sources, but to support the generation of renewable energy locally and in real-time, helping to increase the capacity and reliability of clean energy on the power grid.
Microsoft Begins Rollout of OneDrive’s New Design for Consumer Users
Microsoft is rolling out an updated design for its OneDrive cloud storage service, targeting personal users. The new Fluent design, first introduced last year, is set to reach all personal users by the end of February. This redesign, described by Microsoft product manager Miceile Barrett, aims to offer both visual and functional improvements, focusing on quick file access and better content organization. The refreshed interface aligns more closely with Windows 11 and Microsoft Office app updates, featuring a simplified, modern look and a new ‘people view’ for easier file locating based on shared contacts. Enhancements include new file filters for sorting documents by type and a more integrated ‘add new’ button for streamlined file uploads and document creation. Microsoft plans further changes for OneDrive, especially for business users, including offline support and faster loading times.
Shopify Introduces ‘Magic’, an AI-Powered Image Editor to Enhance Product Photos with a Professional Finish
Shopify is enhancing its Magic suite with an AI-powered media editor for easy background changes in product photos and a conversational search feature, launching this spring. This tool, free for merchants, aims to help those without professional photography resources showcase their products effectively. Additionally, Shopify has integrated AI-driven tools like automated descriptions and chatbot functions and is competing with similar features on platforms like Amazon. The new search functionality focuses on interpreting the intent behind conversational queries for more accurate results. Shopify’s AI suite, built on models like GPT and Llama 2, includes moderation and watermarking capabilities.
Replika’s Latest AI Therapy App Aims to Transport Users to a Zen-like island
Replika has partnered with the creators of the AI dating simulator Blush to launch Tomo. The new app is a wellness and meditation app available on the Apple iOS store. Tomo transports users to a virtual island retreat, offering personal growth, mental well-being, and fulfillment programs. While the app offers a three-day free trial, continued use requires a subscription fee. Users engage with Tomo through a text-based interface, similar to other text therapy services. However, the experience with Tomo doesn’t significantly differ from typical chatbots. Tomo is currently exclusive to iPhones, with plans for an Android version and an immersive experience on Apple’s Vision Pro.
MSCHF Art Collective Offers Free Streaming of Movies like Barbie in ASCII Format
The art collective MSCHF is creating waves on the internet with its new project, ASCII Theater. The project broadcasts popular films daily in ASCII format for free. By entering a command in their computer’s terminal, viewers can watch films like Barbie. The project converts each frame into lines of text characters, replacing pixels with text. This technique is not new, with notable examples like the ASCII art version of the original 1977 Star Wars movie. MSCHF’s ASCII Theater, however, is unique in offering full-length ASCII films, with upcoming titles including the horror film Hereditary.