Back in 2021, the New York Police Department (NYPD) cancelled a planned deployment of the Spot robot dog [aka "Digidog"] following a public backlash. Now, New York City's current law and order mayor Eric Adams has brought the robot dog back for use in "hazardous situations," The New York Times has reported. "Digidog is out of the pound," Adams said at a press conference yesterday in Times Square.The NYPD will acquire two of the robots for $750,000 and only use them in hostage and other critical situations. "I believe that technology is here; we cannot be afraid of it,” Adams said. “A few loud people were opposed to it, and we took a step back [but] that is not how I operate. I operate on looking at what’s best for the city."Spot/Digidog is built by Hyundai's Boston Dynamics, and is designed to be used in dangerous situations like security and inspections. It was also tested for use in combat by the French army, primarily for reconnaissance.During its previous tour of duty with the NYPD, police used Spot to gather information about a gunmen barricaded inside a building. On another occasion it was deployed during a home invasion, also to give officers eyes inside the house. After critics brought up potential concerns over surveillance and privacy, however, then-mayor Bill de Blasio elected to cancel a $94,000 lease on Spot. "It’s creepy, alienating and sends the wrong message to New Yorkers," a city spokesperson said at the time. Along with Digidog, the NYPD announced... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2023-04-12 06:19:27 UTC ]
From angry spirits and parallel universes to alien abductions and epic folklore, African writers are offering fresh new horizons for the world’s science fiction landscape. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2024-12-19 08:05:22 UTC ]
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From cyberpunk to space to climate fiction, novels and novellas, here are the 10 best science fiction books of 2024. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-12-17 11:00:00 UTC ]
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The year’s best speculative fiction includes a fantasy novel by Kelly Link, alien epics and promising starts to series. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-12-06 10:02:13 UTC ]
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On the day of the release of ChatGPT 4.0, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted "her"--a reference to the 2013 science fiction film in which an AI chatbot named Samantha, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, develops an intimate relationship with her human user. The tweet called... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2024-12-04 17:25:13 UTC ]
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In an era of exponentially advancing technology, staying ahead of the curve can feel like a full-time job. This fairly describes the career of acclaimed science fiction author Neal Stephenson, who invented the term “metaverse,” cemented the notion of a digital “avatar,” and received oblique... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-11-08 09:56:48 UTC ]
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While it is fair to say that Warhammer 40k has so far been underrepresented in science fiction circles, it seems the tide is finally starting to turn. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2024-10-28 17:36:58 UTC ]
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This audiovisual installation feels like being in the middle of a science fiction film. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2024-10-24 12:27:45 UTC ]
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If you’re worried about artificial intelligence taking your job, you might want to sit down for this one. AI startup Anthropic has demonstrated a new “Claude” model called that can look at a computer screen and operate a virtual mouse and keyboard, “the way people do,” according to... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2024-10-23 19:56:07 UTC ]
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Cherie Dimaline Wins NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature News and Events [email protected] Tue, 10/22/2024 - 17:01 World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-10-22 22:01:04 UTC ]
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A film production company that helped make “Blade Runner 2049” has sued Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk for using an AI-generated image resembling a scene from the science fiction movie to market Tesla’s new robotaxis Continue reading at ABC News
[ ABC News | 2024-10-22 14:38:37 UTC ]
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A new trailer dropped on the opening day of the New York Comic Con for the new six-episode spinoff series Dune: Prophecy, a prequel to the recent films directed by Denis Villeneuve. The new series will premiere November 17 at 9PM on HBO. Each episode will be available to stream on Max on... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-10-17 21:23:47 UTC ]
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A modern gothic fantasy, a hopepunk space opera, a ghostalker, and more of today's best science fiction and fantasy book deals. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-10-14 14:00:00 UTC ]
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It’s now easy enough to find a laptop with a spiffy, super-vibrant OLED screen. But two OLED screens at once? That’s the stuff of science fiction — and, well, Lenovo’s weird Yoga Book 9i. But if you’re looking for a more conventional laptop design with a keyboard that just happens to go... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2024-10-11 15:20:01 UTC ]
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Over the course of her career, Judy-Lynn del Rey earned a reputation as a superstar editor among her authors. Think of your favorite fantasy or science-fiction novel. You’ll know the author and title, of course. But can you think of its editor or publisher? Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2024-10-10 19:30:00 UTC ]
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The Terminator not only redefined the science fiction but also explored the dangers of unchecked technological advancement. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2024-10-09 16:12:37 UTC ]
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"What blooded me as a really feral reader in college was the discovery of short story collections." Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-10-09 14:30:00 UTC ]
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This week, Microsoft started rolling out the Windows 11 2024 update, but it quickly became clear that the company was far more eager to unveil new features for its Copilot AI and Copilot+ AI PCs. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about Microsoft's current AI priorities, and what it... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-10-04 11:30:26 UTC ]
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Eric Adams stood alone in City Hall on Tuesday and tried to project confidence in his imperiled mayoralty as he answered in-depth questions for the first time since his federal corruption indictment.Adams was not seated at a table surrounded by his usual phalanx of deputy mayors, and instead... Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2024-10-01 19:47:39 UTC ]
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