Author Archives: jonesbekrar

iPhone 15: Expectations And Release Date

iPhone-15-to-Switch-From-Lightning-to-USB-C-in-2023-feature-sans-arrow

In September 2022, Apple released the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. However, there have already been rumors circulating about the iPhone 15 and its potential release date. While it is still quite a way off and nothing is confirmed, there have been suggestions that the iPhone 15 may include features such as a USB-C port, periscope camera technology, and a Qualcomm modem chip. This article covers all the information currently available about the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. However, it is important to note that the development process is ongoing and Apple’s plans may alter.

iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone 15 Ultra?

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg has reported that Apple may be considering replacing the “Pro Max” version of the iPhone 15 with a new “Ultra” model. In 2022, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Ultra and has previously used “Ultra” for the top-of-the-line version of the M1. Given this, it seems possible that the most advanced iPhone, which is often called the “Pro Max,” could be rebranded as the iPhone 15 Ultra.

iPhone 15: The Design

According to rumors, the iPhone 15 models may resemble the iPhone 14 models, but with a pill-shaped cutout. This will be present in all models, meaning that all iPhone 15 models will not have a notch. Instead, they will feature the Dynamic Island design introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro models. It is expected that Apple will continue to offer four models: the 6.1-inch iPhone 15, the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Max, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max. The “Pro” models will have higher-end features and be more expensive, while the standard iPhone 15 models will be more affordable.

Leaker ShrimpApplePro has suggested that the iPhone 15 may come with a titanium chassis featuring curved rear edges, which would replace the current squared-off design. The edges of the device are expected to be rounded, similar to the casing of 2021 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. Jeff Pu, an analyst, thinks that Apple will utilize a titanium frame in its products.

There are also rumors that the iPhone 15 Pro models may include solid-state volume and power buttons. These buttons would be similar to the Home button on the iPhone 7, using haptic feedback to mimic the feel of a physical button press. If solid-state buttons are included, the iPhone 15 Pro models may have two additional Taptic Engines at the left and right sides of the device, in addition to the existing Taptic Engine. A solid-state design may offer protection against water damage, but it may also require new iPhone cases that provide constant access to the volume and power buttons.

iPhone 15 without Touch ID ?

Despite rumors that Apple has considered reviving Touch ID on its iPhones through an under-display solution, it is not expected that the iPhone 15 models will include Touch ID and will continue to use Face ID. Apple is reportedly developing an under-display Face ID feature, but it is not expected to be available until 2025. For now, in 2023, the iPhone 15 is expected to continue using Dynamic Island, which may be expanded to all models instead of just the Pro models.

Will it be a USB-C connector on the iPhone 15 ?

Apple is reportedly considering replacing the Lightning port on the iPhone 15 with a USB-C port to comply with upcoming European regulations requiring iPhones sold in the region to have USB-C ports. This would either involve a worldwide design change or the creation of special iPhones for sale in Europe. Both Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have noted that Apple is likely to make this change, although it is worth noting that Apple’s plans could always evolve.

It is expected that the iPhone 15 Pro models with USB-C ports will offer faster data transfer speeds. The standard iPhone 15 models will continue to have USB 2.0 speeds, similar to Lightning. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 15 Pro models will support “at least” USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3. This will allow for much quicker transfer speeds for video and other file types. While USB 2.0 has a transfer speed limit of 480Mb/s, USB 3.2 supports speeds up to 20Gb/s. If the iPhone 15 Pro models are equipped with Thunderbolt 3, their data transfer speeds could reach 40Gb/s.

Camera Sensors

Apple is anticipated to incorporate Sony’s latest and most advanced image sensors in the iPhone 15 models. These sensors, which are an improvement over standard sensors, double the saturation signal in each pixel, enabling them to capture more light and reduce underexposure and overexposure. They are expected to improve the quality of portraits and other images even when there is strong backlighting present. Sony is using semiconductor architecture that separates photodiodes and transistors into different layers, allowing for more photodiodes. It is not currently known if all of the iPhone 15 models will feature this new sensor technology or if it will be limited to the higher-end “Pro” models.

Periscope Camera Lens Technology

There have been numerous rumors about Apple’s development of “periscope” telephoto lens technology. It could potentially be included in the 2023 iPhones, specifically the iPhone 15 Pro models. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, only the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature the periscope camera lens. It may be limited to the highest-end and most expensive model.

Periscope lens technology offers enhanced optical zoom capabilities compared to standard telephoto lenses, allowing for 5x or even 10x optical zoom. Periscope camera technology could increase the iPhone’s zoom capabilities. The current Pro models only have 3x zoom.. Samsung’s smartphones with periscope lens technology offer 4x to 10x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom. Kuo believes that when Apple adopts the periscope lens, it will offer 6x optical zoom.

Qualcomm Modem Chips

Apple is expected to utilize Qualcomm’s 5G modem chips for the iPhone 15 lineup, as it has done since the introduction of 5G iPhones. Apple was rumored to switch to in-house modem chips in 2023, but they are not ready yet. Apple’s in-house modem chips will not be ready for use in iPhones until at least 2024 due to heat issues.

The iPhone 15 is rumored to have the Qualcomm X70 chip for improved AI and performance. It is expected to have faster processing speeds, better coverage range, improved signal, lower latency, and up to 60% improved power efficiency.

There have been rumors that the iPhone 15 models could be the first to feature an A-series chip built on Apple supplier TSMC’s next-generation 3-nanometer node. This technology is expected to improve processing performance by 10-15% and reduce power consumption by up to 35%. However, TSMC is rumored to be scaling back on its plans for 3-nanometer chips after losing an order from Intel, and it is not clear if this will impact the production of 3nm chips for Apple. TSMC is currently producing the 3nm A17 chips expected to be used in the iPhone 15 models.

There have also been rumors that the iPhone 15 Pro models could feature 8GB RAM, an increase from the 6GB RAM in current iPhone 14 Pro models. The iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have the same memory as the iPhone 14 Pro. The iPhone 16 is expected to upgrade to LPDDR5X memory in 2024.

Release Date

It is expected that the iPhone 15 models will be released in September 2023, as Apple typically launches new iPhone models in September.

Bringing it All Together

The iPhone 15 is a rumored upcoming smartphone from Apple that is expected to be released in September 2023. It is also rumored that the iPhone 15 models may come with a titanium chassis and solid-state volume and power buttons. It is expected that the iPhone 15 will continue to use Face ID rather than including Touch ID. There have been reports that Apple may switch to a USB-C port for the iPhone 15 in order to comply with European regulations. They may also come with a titanium chassis and solid-state volume and power buttons. It is expected that the iPhone 15 will continue to use Face ID rather than including Touch ID. Additionally, the iPhone 15 may have a USB-C port to comply with European regulations. These are all rumors and Apple’s plans for the iPhone 15 may change.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our other pieces for more information and insights.

Top Websites to Transform Your 2023

top-2023-websites

In today’s digital age, the internet has become an integral part of our daily lives. With so many websites to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know which ones are the most useful and worth your time. In this article, we will introduce you to a selection of the Top Websites to Transform Your 2023 that we believe everyone should know about. These websites offer valuable resources, tools, and services that can make your life easier, more productive, and more enjoyable. Are you ready to make this your best year ever? From search engines and social media platforms to online shopping and entertainment. These websites are essential to navigating the online world and making the most of your online experience.

Hunter.io

Hunter is a website that provides tools for finding and verifying email addresses. It allows you to search for email addresses associated with a particular domain, or to find the email addresses of people working at a particular company. You can use Hunter to build email lists, verify the accuracy of your existing lists, and integrate its services with other software.

Hunter offers several paid plans with different features and limits on the number of searches you can perform per month. It also has a free plan that allows you to perform a limited number of searches per day.

In addition to its email search and verification tools, Hunter also provides a range of other resources for professionals and businesses, including a blog with tips on email marketing and outreach, and integrations with popular CRM and marketing automation platforms.

Playgroundai.com

Playground AI is a web app that allows users to create and share AI art with a community. It offers a range of features that set it apart from other text-to-image generation websites. Firstly, it offers free Dall-E2 image generation, which is a rare feature among competitors. It also automatically fills in text prompts according to the desired art style, saving users time and effort in crafting the perfect prompt. In addition, it allows users to upscale their images for free and saves all generated images on the server so that users can access them in full resolution at any time. Finally, Playground AI is also a social media platform for AI art, allowing users to share, appreciate, and discover creations by other artists. Although Playground AI is currently free to use, it may eventually charge a fee in the future.

Revolancer.com

Revolancer is a website that connects businesses with freelancers who can help them with various tasks and projects. It allows businesses to find and hire freelancers in a range of categories, including web development, graphic design, marketing, and more.

Freelancers can use Revolancer to find and apply for freelance opportunities and to manage their work and payments. The website offers a range of tools and resources for both businesses and freelancers, including a marketplace for finding and hiring talent, a project management platform, and a payment system.

Revolancer aims to make it easier for businesses to find and hire skilled freelancers, and for freelancers to find and complete projects. It is designed to be a one-stop platform for businesses and freelancers to connect, communicate, and collaborate on projects.

Wolframalpha.com

Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine developed by Wolfram Research. It is not a search engine in the traditional sense, as it does not search the web for information. Instead, it uses a vast collection of algorithms and data to generate answers and provide information on a wide range of topics.

Wolfram Alpha can be used to perform calculations, solve equations, and look up facts and figures on a wide range of subjects, including math, science, finance, history, and more. It can also create graphs and plots, generate reports and documents, and provide interactive simulations and visualizations.

In addition to its web-based interface, Wolfram Alpha is also available as a mobile app and as an API that can be integrated into other websites and applications.

Debuild.com

Debuild is a start-up that is building a machine learning-powered development tool that takes in plain English and outputs runnable code for web applications. They are using the advanced natural language processing capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-3 model to translate English into code quickly and accurately. The demand for no-code solutions has increased significantly in recent years, and Debuild aims to provide a solution for aspiring builders who have ideas but lack programming skills. The company was founded in 2020 and is based at the University of Maryland. They have raised funding from investors and have gained significant traction on social media, with over 30,000 likes and retweets on Twitter. The team behind Debuild includes a serial entrepreneur and an experienced engineer. The company’s mission is to give everyone the ability to create valuable software.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, the websites mentioned in this article are a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their online experience in 2023. From searching for information to connecting with others on social media, these websites offer a range of tools and services that can enhance efficiency, productivity, and enjoyment. Whether you are a professional, business owner, or individual, these websites are worth considering as you navigate the digital landscape. By familiarizing yourself with these websites and utilizing their resources, you can make the most of your online experience and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the digital world.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our other pieces for more information and insights.

2023 Upcoming Games Release Schedule

games 2023

It’s 2023, and it’s time to look ahead at the best upcoming games for the year. The developers of some of these titles originally planned for a 2022 release, but they delayed them. Now, with the new console generation and the challenges of the pandemic behind us, 2023 looks to be a great year for gaming. Even the Nintendo Switch, which is not as powerful as other systems, has a highly anticipated game coming out exclusively on it. No matter what platform you prefer, there are plenty of exciting games to look forward to in 2023. Here are our top picks:

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Breath of the Wild. This game takes place in the skies above Hyrule and introduces new tools for Link, including a time-reversal mechanic. While we don’t have many details about the game, it’s clear that it will be a must-play for fans of the series. It’s also worth noting that this game may be too much for the Nintendo Switch to handle, so it’s possible that it will only be available on a more powerful system. Regardless, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is sure to be a standout title in 2023 and a fitting end to the Switch’s reign as Nintendo’s most successful console since the Wii.

Platforms: Switch

Due: May 12

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider-Man is one of the most highly anticipated sequels for the PlayStation. This game will allow players to control both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they take on new villains Kraven the Hunter and Venom. At this time, not much else is known about the game. However, fans are hoping for an exciting twist on the open world formula. The release of the game coincides with the release of the movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in June, making it a great year for Spider-Man fans.

Platforms: PS5

Due: Autumn 2023

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a popular game that allowed players to wield a lightsaber as a Jedi. While the gameplay was somewhat derivative, the lightsaber combat was more forgiving than other games in the genre. The sequel, set five years after the events of the first game, follows Cal Kestis as he continues to evade the Empire. The game promises to bring new elements to the combat system, including new lightsaber stances, as well as new traversal abilities such as taming and riding wild animals. Overall, fans of the series can look forward to an exciting and action-packed sequel.

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Due: March 17

Resident Evil 4

Capcom is working on a reimagining of Resident Evil 4, a game widely considered one of the greatest of all time and that has influenced many third-person shooters that came after it. Players can still play the original version of Resident Evil 4 on modern platforms and it holds up well, so there is a lot of pressure on the remake to deliver more than just improved graphics. Early impressions suggest that the remake will have a more horror-oriented atmosphere than the original’s B-movie camp. Fans of the series are eagerly anticipating the return of Leon Kennedy and the iconic opening village ambush, including the terrifying chainsaw-wielding enemy.

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC

Due: March 24

Starfield

Starfield is Bethesda’s first major open world IP since The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. This game has a huge scope, with players able to explore over 1,000 worlds across more than 100 systems and customize their own spacecraft. Despite its focus on space exploration, Starfield is still an action RPG at its core, with players able to choose their alliances and engage in first or third-person shooter and melee combat against space pirates. The game developers originally scheduled Silksong’s release for November 11, 2022, but they delayed it possibly to address Bethesda’s reputation for buggy releases or to avoid comparisons to the divisive launch of No Man’s Sky.

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC

Due: 2023

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is a highly anticipated fighting game that is expected to revitalize the genre. It features a bold, hyper-realistic style and more accessible controls, making it a polished and exciting game for players of all skill levels. One of the standout features of Street Fighter 6 is the ability to create your own fighter and take them through an expansive single-player mode and online battle hub. The game also boasts a diverse roster of characters, including revamps of fan favorites like Chun Li and Ken, as well as new characters like Manon and Kimberly. Overall, Street Fighter 6 is shaping up to be a must-play for fans of fighting games and newcomers alike.

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Due: June 2

Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI is one of two highly anticipated Final Fantasy titles set to release in 2023. This game boasts a more mature tone, inspired by Western fantasy franchises like The Witcher and God of War. It represents a departure from the traditional Japanese RPG style of the series, but it will still feature epic storytelling, crystals, and the legendary Eikons. The game follows protagonist Clive on a journey that spans multiple timelines, and it is primarily a single-player, real-time action game. With a battle director who has worked on Devil May Cry and Dragon’s Dogma, Final Fantasy XVI is sure to be an exciting and action-packed game for fans of the series.

Platforms: PS5

Due: June 22

Redfall

In Redfall, players explore an open-world game set in the town of Massachusetts. Vampires, created by a scientific experiment gone wrong, have overrun the town. Players control a group of survivors who must fight not only the vampires, but also human cultists as they explore the open world. Players can choose to play Redfall in single-player or co-op multiplayer mode. The game features a variety of weapons and loadouts for players to experiment with. The characters and world-building in Redfall are sure to keep players immersed as they uncover the town’s mysteries. One of the standout characters is a biomedical engineering graduate with telekinetic powers. Developed by Arkane’s Austin-based studio, Redfall is a unique and exciting game to look out for in 2023.

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC

Due: 2023

Diablo IV

Diablo IV is a highly anticipated game that returns to the roots of top-down dungeon-crawling with a more open world design. The game boasts stunning graphics and cinematic cutscenes. It also has a transmog system that allows players to customize the appearance of their characters. Players can choose from a variety of class-based abilities and grind through dungeons to amass better loot and become more powerful. Diablo IV is a must-play for fans of the series and anyone who enjoys the addictive loop of grinding and looting in games.

Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox

Due: June 6

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Additionally, a small team of three people developed Silksong, the highly anticipated follow-up to the popular indie game Hollow Knight. Players control Hornet, a nimble character. They navigate new challenges and face new enemies. Their journey takes them to the top of the kingdom where Hornet has been imprisoned. The game takes place in a beautifully hand-drawn world inhabited by bugs. It is unclear when Silksong will be released. However, it has been confirmed for all major platforms, including Game Pass on launch day. Therefore, fans of Hollow Knight and Metroidvania games will definitely want to keep an eye on Silksong.

Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox, PS5, PS4

Due: No info

Wrapping Up

2023 is set to be a great year for gaming with a range of exciting titles expected to be released. These include The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Resident Evil 4, Starfield, and Street Fighter 6. No matter what platform you prefer, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy. For more on this topic, be sure to check out our other articles.

Lightyear 2: 800 km Range for This Self-Charging Solar Car

lightyear-2-teaser-3

Following the impressive Lightyear 0, a Dutch manufacturer unveils its second solar electric car, the Lightyear 2, through a series of images at the CES in Las Vegas. Its price is expected to be unbeatable, with the brand mentioning a cost of around 40,000 euros.

If you have been following automotive news closely, you are likely familiar with Dutch company Lightyear, a manufacturer specializing in solar electric vehicles. We have already had the chance to test drive their first model, the Lightyear 0. Production of this large sedan has also recently started at the Valmet Automotive factory in Finland. For several months, there has been talking of the arrival of a much more affordable model from Lightyear. Indeed, with a price tag of around 300,000 euros for the Lightyear 0 and a limited production of only 1,000 units, this model is not within reach for everyone.

A CAR THAT IS ALREADY VERY ANTICIPATED

The Lightyear 2 model, which will be available in the near future, was officially announced by Lightyear at CES 2023 with a series of images. The Dutch company has even set up a waiting list for interested customers, although they are not yet able to reserve the car. Registered customers, however, will be able to pre-order the car first. Lightyear also claims to have received 21,000 pre-orders for its new model from various international car rental and carpooling partners such as LeasePlan, MyWheels, Arval, and Athlon. As the images show, the Lightyear 2 will look similar to the Lightyear 0.

The main difference will be the price, as Lightyear estimates that it will be sold for around 40,000 euros (probably excluding taxes or 48,000 euros including taxes) in Europe, almost ten times less than the Lightyear 0. Production of the car is expected to begin in 2025. However, it is still more expensive than the Aptera.

There are still many questions surrounding this intriguing car, particularly regarding its technology. How has Lightyear managed to divide the price of a car by ten using “practically” the same technologies? The democratization of technology and mass production are likely to be the main factors behind this price drop, as well as smaller dimensions, and research and development into lower-cost materials and manufacturing costs. For now, we simply know that the car will be able to seat five passengers, will have a large trunk space, and will have the same ground clearance as an SUV. Will the car retain the famous architecture of four motors, one per wheel, with its exceptional performance?

800 KM RANGE

According to Lightyear, its second model “will make electric driving accessible and practical at a more affordable price than other long-range electric vehicles.” The company describes its next car as “the vehicle that will democratize solar electric driving.”The Lightyear 2 is set to make solar electric driving more accessible to the masses. It has an estimated range of over 800 kilometers on a full charge, with the potential for solar energy to further extend its range. According to the Dutch company, the Lightyear 2 will need three times less time to charge compared to other electric vehicles in its segment.

Lightyear also promises the lowest operating costs and a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the vehicle compared to a traditional electric car. It is worth noting that the arrival of this ambitious car is also the result of a massive new investment within the company. In fact, Invest-NL, an organization that finances more sustainable Dutch companies and projects, has just released 81 million euros to boost development. In total, and including all received investments, Lightyear has a budget of 210 million euros to carry out its projects.

THE LIGHTYEAR 0 IN NUMBERS

Here are some key facts about the THE LIGHTYEAR 0:

  • Range: The Lightyear 0 has a range of up to 725 kilometers on a single charge.
  • Charging time: It takes about 10 hours to fully charge the car using a regular household outlet, or about an hour using a fast charger.
  • Solar panels: The car is equipped with solar panels on the roof and hood that can generate up to 12 kilometers of range per day, even on cloudy days.
  • Performance: The Lightyear 0 has a top speed of 140 km/h and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in about 10 seconds.
  • Price: The Lightyear 0 is priced at around 400,000 euros, including taxes.
  • Production: Lightyear plans to begin production of the Lightyear 0 in 2023, with a limited number of units available initially. The company aims to ramp up production over time to meet demand.

Meanwhile, by analyzing the data from Lightyear 0, we should have some answers about Lightyear 2. The Lightyear 0 has several solar panels on its roof, which are capable of generating around 1 kWh of electricity, equivalent to about 70 kilometers of range per day under good sunlight conditions. The sedan has a 60 kWh battery and can travel 625 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. The brand explains that it is possible to recover up to 520 kilometers in one hour on a 50 kW fast charger.

Clearly, Lightyear is making a significant effort to improve charging for its second model, based on what they are announcing. In general, the term “solar car” is a bit of a misnomer, as it is actually an electric car with solar panels added. There is also significant aerodynamic work around the vehicle and work to reduce weight. Lightyear announces only 1.5 tons on the scale for its large sedan, about the same weight as a Renault Zoé. This justifies the considerable range of this model, as we noted during our test drive, at 110 km/h, Lightyear announces a range of 560 km with a consumption of 10.5 kWh. While at 130 km/h (and 10°C), the prototype was able to travel 400 km on a single charge. That’s pretty good for a car with a battery that isn’t necessarily very large for its category.

Intel’s 13th Generation Core Processors for Laptops

intel_13th_gen

Following the release of the desktop version, Intel’s 13th-generation Core processors for laptops at CES 2023 have been released. Here is an overview of what you need to know about these new mobile processors.

Intel has already released its 13th generation of SoCs for desktop computers and high-end gaming PCs. This increased competition with AMD’s Ryzen has resulted in improvements from both brands. However, the desktop market is a specialized world, and to reach a wider audience, laptops are the way to go. At CES 2023, Intel unveiled its full line-up of CPUs for the mobile market, including options for creators, gamers, and a variety of different devices. Here is an overview of the processors that will be available in 2023.

The Intel Core i9-13900HX, the flagship

If you’re looking for the best that Intel has to offer for laptops in 2023, look no further than the i9-13980HX. This processor has a total of 24 cores – 8 performance cores and 16 efficient cores – for a total of 32 threads, with a 36 MB L3 cache and a maximum turbo frequency of 5.6 GHz. The SoC has a base power consumption of 55W, with a maximum of 157W.

The 13th generation HX platform features an improved thread director, and supports DDR5 RAM up to 5600 MHz and DDR4 up to 3200 MHz. It include XMP 3 as well. In terms of connectivity, there is support for PCIe Gen 5 x16 (or 2×8 for the manufacturer’s choice) and the ability to use up to 2 Thunderbolt 4 controllers at 40 Gbps. The platform will also allow for the use of Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E cards and Bluetooth LE Audio.

In terms of performance, the manufacturer claims an 11% increase in single-thread performance and a 49% increase in multitasking performance compared to the base Intel Core i9-12900HK, not its equivalent HX version. The comparison is also made with the Ryzen R9 6900HX, which appears to be significantly behind, although it is not an equivalent generation (the 7000 for mobile is expected) and is not integrated into an equivalent thermal management configuration (MSI Titan GT77 versus Alienware M17, it’s not quite the same, Intel). In terms of gaming, Intel expects an overall 12% performance increase compared to an equivalent configuration i9-12900HX.

The 13th generation Intel P and U, for mobility

These are the two references from Intel that you will see most frequently throughout the year. Mid-range PCs and ultrabooks typically use these processors.

In the P category, the main representative is the i7-1370P with 14 cores – 6 performance and 8 efficient – and 20 threads, with 24MB of L3 cache, able to turbo up to 5.2 GHz with a TDP of 28W. In the U category, we find the i7-1365U with 10 cores – 2 performance and 8 efficient – and 12 threads, with 12MB of L3 cache, able to turbo up to 5.2 GHz with a TDP of 15W.

These also benefit from the major improvements to the platform, including the interesting integration of Intel Movidius. This is a module dedicated to accelerating artificial intelligence operations, which can have a significant impact, particularly on the quality of video recordings and streams or the dynamic management of CPU/GPU load. However, Unfortunately, Intel Movidius is not a standard feature in all chips and must be added as a discrete option.

The Intel N and i3 N are accessible and durable computers

Previously, these processors were known as Pentium and Celeron. These two names, which are now only recognized by the elderly (we are getting old), have been discarded and the range has been simplified to simply be called “N”. This year we have two variations: the classic N range, and the i3 N.

The Core i3-N-305, the flagship of the category, will offer 8 cores for 8 threads and 6MB of cache, with a turbo of 3.8 GHz for a TDP of 15W. However, most manufacturers will probably turn to the Intel N200, a 4-core and 4-thread processor with 6MB of cache that can reach up to 3.7 GHz. Here, we are on a TDP of 6W. The Intel N200 represents a 28% performance gain on CrossMark compared to the Pentium Silver N600, while the Intel Core i3-N305 is 42% more powerful than the N200.

Of course, the machines that will incorporate these configurations will not be the most powerful on the market, that is obvious. These processors will likely be integrated into B2B solutions, including video advertising panels. That being said, these SoCs are very important in ultra-affordable product categories, such as Chromebooks and small Windows tablets. And for them, these Intel Ns are an excellent evolution: they are now engraved using the Intel 7 process, support Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, and offer AV1 decoding and eDP 1.4b for connecting high-resolution screens. This will greatly modernize the most financially accessible products while also providing them with a certain longevity.

The Intel Evo certification is evolving for the better

The Intel Evo certification continues on this 13th generation but is evolving for the better. To recall, it exists to highlight laptops that meet numerous quality criteria established by Intel itself. For its 13th generation of processors, Intel emphasizes the importance of device autonomy, responsiveness, and fluidity, regardless of whether the device is plugged in. These processors also support multi-device use with the Intel Unison platform.

But the the biggest novelty of the certification this year is that it finally accepts machines that incorporate GPUs from other suppliers. Therefore, PCs with an Nvidia or AMD graphics cards can also be EVO certified; this will not prevent them from having to meet certain quality requirements for graphics tasks of course.

Using a SIM800L GSM module with the Raspberry Pi (no battery)

sim800l gsm module with raspberry pi

The SIM800L is a GSM/GPRS modem widely used in electronics due to its very low price and wide availability. It’s an affordable way to send SMS with a Raspberry Pi or an Arduino, to connect to 3G or to implement a GPS.

However, it is almost impossible to find satisfactory explanations on its use and in particular on its connection.

In this tutorial we will therefore see how to connect and power a SIM800L from a Raspberry Pi (note that this also works for an Arduino), without external power supply or battery!

Hardware

We will go into the details and explanations later in this tutorial, but be aware that to connect a SIM800L to a Raspberry some hardware is required. So, you will need:

  • SIM800L GSM Module
  • 100 µF capacitor or more
  • 1N4007 diode
  • Breadboard
  • Jumpers

Of course, you will also need a Raspberry with Raspbian installed and a SIM card with a subscription. Note, the SIM card must be in micro sim format. If yours is a smaller format (nano format), you will need an adapter.

How to use the SIM800L module with a Raspberry Pi?

The SIM800L is a modem. It is the responsible for registering with your operator’s network, etc. Overall it behaves like a phone that you could control directly from your Raspberry.

To be able to control the SIM800L, from the Raspberry, you will have to provide power to the first and physically and software connect the two using a TTL port, more often called a serial port or interface.

From there you can control the SIM800L by sending so-called Hayes commands to the serial port – we actually speak more often of AT commands – which are commands specific to the functions of a modem. For example, send an SMS, enter a PIN code, check the network status, and much more!

In theory, to use a SIM800L with the Raspberry Pi you must do like this:

  • VDD of the SIM800L to +5V on the Raspberry.
  • GND of the SIM800L to GND on the Raspberry.
  • TXD of the SIM800L to RXD of the Raspberry.
  • RXD of the SIM800L to TXD of the Raspberry.

Only here, all that is the theory, but you will see that in practice things are a little more complicated.

Why is so difficult to plug in a SIM800L?

If the theory seems simple, in reality, you will find quite a few tutorials on the internet explaining how to use the SIM800L with a Raspberry. Worse, you will essentially find incorrect tutorials which, at best, will make your installation completely unstable, why not, will damage your SIM800L.

But then, how come there are not more quality resources available for such a well-known module? Because the SIM800L is particularly difficult to power and sensitive.

1. SIM800L is designed for phones and batteries

Originally the SIM800L was designed for use in phones by manufacturers. Its use in consumer electronics is much more recent and was not considered at all by the manufacturer.

As a result of its use in telephones, the module is designed to be powered by lithium-ion batteries, which offer voltages of around 3.6 to 3.7 volts. This feature will pose a first problem for us, because in digital electronics we generally use 3.3 volts or 5 volts, but not 3.6 volts.

2. SIM800L is an energy-intensive module

The second problem, the SIM800L performs radio operations that require large, very punctual current peaks. Typically the operations involved are registering on the operator’s network, sending messages, etc. If during these phases the module does not obtain the necessary current, its behavior becomes completely unpredictable, ranging from the error message to the restart through the loss of network.

Unfortunately, the power supplies in general and the GPIO ports of the Raspberry Pi in particular have a hard time responding to this kind of consumption peaks.

In fact, the amount of energy consumed is so great and over such a short period of time that using power cables that are too long and too thin can be enough to crash the module! This is also typically the case if you connect several Dupont cables in series.

No worries, we will explain how to solve these two problems!

So, how to power a SIM800L directly from a Raspberry?

We have seen so far that two problems arise for us to power a SIM800L from a Raspberry: an incompatible voltage and peaks in power consumption.

To begin, we will tackle the tension problem.

1. Decrease the voltage supplied by the Raspberry Pi

If we read the datasheet (technical sheet) of the SIM800L, we can see that the manufacturer indicates a supply voltage between 3.4 and 4.4 volts, with an optimal voltage of 4 volts.

The Raspberry Pi have two outputs that can supply two voltages, 3.3 and 5 volts. So we should increase our tension a bit or decrease it.

Let’s eliminate the first possibility which is too complicated to implement and look at the second. We are therefore looking for a reliable, simple and very inexpensive way to reduce a voltage by at least 0.6 volts, without reducing the intensity of the current (amperes). Luckily, it turns out that there is an electronic component that does exactly that, and that in addition this component is so widespread that absolutely all electronics technicians know it: the diode.

Diodes are primarily known for passing current in one direction only. But one of their characteristics is also to cause a voltage drop, which is estimated for silicon diodes at 0.7 volts.

So we just need to insert a silicon diode, we will take a 1N4007, between the 5 volt GPIO of our Pi and the VDD (power supply) PIN of our SIM800L. And here we have a voltage of 4.3 volts, MAGICAL RIGHT!!

2. Provide a power source that can meet consumption peaks

Now that we have solved our voltage problem, there remains our consumption peak problem. This time we would need a component allowing us to “store current” and provide it very quickly when the SIM800L needs it. Again, luckily, it exists and it’s called a capacitor!

Capacitors are used in many cases, but one of the most well-known uses is power supply stabilization. They charge when there is too much current and discharge when there is not enough. We will therefore insert an electrolytic capacitor (we will take at least a 100 µF 5 V, if we have more µF or volts no problem) in parallel with the VDD and GND pins of our SIM800L.

Schematics and wiring

Now that we’ve solved our problems, let’s see what our complete assembly looks like before testing everything by sending an SMS.

To hold all our components in place and connect them together we will use a breadboard and some jumpers.

Here is the final connection diagram, the red wire goes to the VDD, the black to the GND.

A few notes on assembly:

  • unplug the power supply of your Raspberry Pi while wiring. Only plug it in after checking everything and being sure that your circuit is good to go.
  • Connect the capacitor as close as possible to the VDD and GND pins of the SIM800L, ideally as shown in the diagram.
  • Capacitors are a polarized component, you must connect theme in a precise direction, anode on the VDD, cathode on the GND. The cathode is marked by a white band on the side.
  • Just like the capacitor, the diode is a polarized component. Again the cathode is marked by a white band.

Once the assembly is complete, you will be able to insert the SIM card into the slot provided on the SIM800L.

You must tuck the card on the contact side against the printed circuit, the corner cut at an angle towards the opening (it protrudes a little). If you insert the card upside down you will get a SIM not inserted type error when using the module.

Once the assembly is finished, turn on your Raspberry Pi, we will be able to test by sending an SMS!

Your first SMS from the Raspberry with a SIM800L

To finish this tutorial, we will send a first SMS to check that everything is working. We will not go further on the use of the SIM800L, but be aware that it offers many other features. For more advanced use, refer to the AT commands guide for the SIM800.

To begin, you will have to follow our tutorial to activate the serial port of the Raspberry Pi. Once you have finished activating the serial port we can connect to the SIM800L via the serial port.

To do this, open a connection to /dev/serial0 with minicom using the command line below:

sudo minicom -b 115000 -o -D /dev/serial0

Type the AT command (often the first line is not displayed when you type, this is normal) then make a line break to validate. You should get an OK response message.

Now we are going to check that the SIM card is unlocked (the PIN code is entered). To do this type the command AT+CPIN?. You should have an answer:

+CPIN: READY
OK

If you get an answer like the one below, you need to enter your card’s PIN code.

+CPIN: SIM PIN
OK

To do this, use the command AT+CPIN=0000 replacing 0000 with your own PIN code. You should then get a response of the form:

AT+CPIN=0000
OK
+CPIN: READY
SMS Ready
Call Ready

That’s it, you are connected to your operator’s network. All we have to do is send an SMS. To do this, use the commands AT+CMGF=1 to activate the text mode (it allows us to write the SMS in a format understandable for a human), then AT+CMGS="+213XXXXXXXXX" replacing +213XXXXXXXXX by the number to which you want to send the SMS.

A character > will appear, type your SMS then once you finish, press Ctrl+Z.

In the end you should have something like this:

AT+CMGF=1
OK
AT+CMGS="+213XXXXXXXXX"
> My Fist SMS with SIM800L using Raspberry Pi
+CMGS: 29

OK

There you go, you have sent your first SMS with a Raspberry Pi and a SIM800L! if you need to see more tutorials, check this link.

Machine Vision with Raspberry Pi using TensorFlow and OpenCV4

artificial vision with raspberry pi tensorflow and opencv

Do you want to implement a CCTV camera that can identify several different elements? Or maybe optimize your robot and give it the ability to detect objects?

The Raspberry Pi 4 offers enough performance to perform machine learning. In this tutorial you will see the steps to get TensorFlow working on your Raspberry Pi 4, as well as a demonstration of detecting objects with a PI Camera or USB Webcam.

Required Hardware/software

  • Raspberry Pi 4.
  • 3000mA power supply with its USB-C cable.
  • micro-SD card (minimum 32 GB).
  • Picamera (or USB webcam).

What is TensorFlow ?

TensorFlow is an open source machine learning framework for solving complex mathematical problems. It allows researchers to develop experimental learning architectures and turn them into software. TensorFlow was developed by Google Brain team in 2011 and made open source in 2015. Since then it has gone through more than 21000 changes and upgraded to version 1.0 in February 2017. Currently version 2.8.0 is available on the TensorFlow website.

This library notably makes it possible to train and run neural networks for the classification of handwritten digits, image recognition, models for machine translation, and natural language processing. An application’s code is written in Python but executed in high-performance C++. Here, the raspberry and its camera will be able to detect a hundred different objects! In addition, good results are obtained at night with an IR camera equipped with LEDs.

On the software side, the micro-SD has been flashed with the latest version of Raspbian Buster downloadable from the official website. Python3 is installed there by default, to launch a program from the command line, you will have to type in a terminal:

$ python3 my_program.py

Here, the Object_detection_picamera.py program will need several elements to work:

  • The mscoco_label_map.pbtext file corresponding to the list of 100 detectable objects, it is located in the data folder.
  • The “ssdlite_mobilenet_v2_coco_2018_05_09” folder where the training model files are stored.
  • The utils folder (utilities) containing the classification modules for the various objects.

Installing TensorFlow

Start by updating the Raspberry Pi:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Next, install TensorFlow with the pip3 command.

sudo pip3 install tensorflow

TensorFlow needs a library named Atlas, type the following command:

sudo apt-get install libatlas-base-dev

Finally, it will be necessary to install the dependencies necessary for the detection of objects.

sudo pip3 install pillow lxml jupyter matplotlib cython
sudo apt-get install python-tk

That’s it for TensorFlow. Let’s move on to OpenCV.

Installing OpenCV

TensorFlow’s object detection examples typically use matplotlib to display images, but OpenCV is preferred because it’s easier to use and less error-prone. The object detection scripts in the GitHub repository in this guide use OpenCV. To make OpenCV work on the Raspberry Pi, many dependencies need to be installed via apt-get.

sudo apt-get install libjpeg-dev libtiff5-dev libjasper-dev libpng12-dev 
sudo apt-get install libavcodec-dev libavformat-dev libswscale-dev libv4l-dev 
sudo apt-get install libxvidcore-dev libx264-dev 
sudo apt-get install qt4-dev-tools libatlas-base-dev
sudo pip3 install opencv-python

If all went well, OpenCV is installed on your Raspberry.

You can check if the installation is successful and the installed version. Open a terminal and launch the Python3 interpreter.

The TensorFlow object detection API uses Protobuf, a package that implements Google’s Protocol Buffer data format. Before, you had to compile the Protobuf source code (a bit tedious), but now the installation is very simple, thanks to the multiple contributions of the community.

sudo apt-get install protobuf-compiler

In order to check the version installed, run the command:

protoc --version

You should have in response libprotoc v3.20.0 (latest version.)
Create a TensorFlow directory and navigate to it (/home/pi/tensorflow).

mkdir tensorflow
cd tensorflow

Download the TensorFlow repository from GitHub by typing:

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tensorflow/models.git

Next, you need to modify the PYTHONPATH environment variable to point to certain directories in the TensorFlow repository you just downloaded. PYTHONPATH needs to be set each time a terminal is opened, so the .bashrc file needs to be edited.

sudo nano ~/.bashrc

Go to the end of the file, and add this line:

export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:/home/pi/tensorflow/models/research:/home/pi/tensorflow/models/research/slim

Now we need to use protoc to compile the Protocol Buffer (.proto) files used by the Object Detection API. The .proto files are in /research/object_detection/protos, but we need to run the command from the /research directory.

cd /home/pi/tensorflow1/models/research
protoc object_detection/protos/*.proto --python_out=.

Next, move into the object_detection directory:

cd /home/pi/tensorflow/models/research/object_detection

Now download the SSD_Lite model. Google teams have developed a series of pre-trained object detection files, with varying levels of speed and accuracy. The Raspberry Pi has a relatively weak processor for the recognition application, so a model should be used that takes less processing power. Here we will use SSDLite-MobileNet, which remains well suited for our Raspberry Pi. Download the file and unzip it into the object_detection directory.

wget http://download.tensorflow.org/models/object_detection/ssdlite_mobilenet_v2_coco_2018_05_09.tar.gz
tar -xzvf ssdlite_mobilenet_v2_coco_2018_05_09.tar.gz

Finally, copy/paste the python program from this Github link in a file named Object_detection_picamera.py

If you want to port the application to other Raspberry Pi with OpenCV and TensorFlow installed, simply download the .ZIP of the necessary files available on GitHub.

Your application is now ready to work!

Conclusion

Once your application is operational, all possibilities are open. For an autonomous application, based on solar panels, it would suffice to perform a calculation of the power consumed by the entire installation, and to determine the appropriate type of battery.

Still at the battery level, the Lion-i technology seems well suited, because of its small size and its autonomy, the price is higher than a lead battery, but offers good results in an environment subject to cold or heat. heat.

Programming Arduino with Visual Studio Code

program arduino with vscode

Every hobbyist generally start programming on Arduino using its official IDE. For advanced programmers, it may be interesting to change the code editor to have access to a larger number of features. In this article, you will learn how to program your Arduino using of the Visual Studio Code software which is a nice alternative to the Arduino IDE.

Introducing Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code is an extensible and lightweight code editor developed by Microsoft. VSCode brings many features compared to the Arduino IDE:

  • Auto-completion.
  • Syntax highlighting.
  • Debug functionality.
  • Programming in several languages (C++, C#, Java, Python, PHP, etc.).
  • Project management.
  • Git repository management.

It is open source and available on Windows, Linux and MacOS platforms.

Installing Visual Studio Code

Go to the Visual Studio Code download page and download the latest version corresponding to your OS. Launch the installer and follow the usual steps.

Communicating with Arduino

To be able to communicate with Arduino, you must install the corresponding extension.

Click on the “Extensions” icon it the left of your screen or use the shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+X).

Then search for Arduino and select “Arduino for Visual Studio Code”.

install it then Restart VSCode.

Setting up VSCode for Arduino

Click on the Manage icon (gear icon on the bottom left) and select “Command Palette”. You can use the shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+P).

Search for Arduino, then you have access to several commands related to Arduino.

Select Arduino Board Config then select board type.

At the bottom right, click on Select Serial Port, then select the serial port corresponding to the Arduino (here, COM5).

At the bottom right, click on Select Programmer then select “AVRISP mkII”.

Code compilation and upload

In the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P), search for “Arduino: Examples” then choose “Blink” or another example.

You can then upload the code by pressing “Upload” in the top right.

The console indicates if the code is loading and you can verify that the code is loaded on the Arduino board by looking at the status of the LED.

By modifying the code a bit we send text to the serial monitor.

int led = 13;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  // initialize the digital pin as an output.
  pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(led, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  Serial.println("Led is High");
  delay(1000);               // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(led, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  Serial.println("Led is Low");

  delay(1000);               // wait for a second
}

Upload the modified code to the Arduino board.

To open the serial monitor, press the Serial Monitor icon just to the right of the board type at the bottom right.

You can then select the desired Baudrate in the Arduino board configuration bar at the bottom right (115200).

Send commands to the serial monitor

Just like the Arduino IDE, it is possible to send commands via the Serial port.

In the Arduino command palette, search for “Send text to Serial Port”. An input bar appears.

It is possible to create a keyboard shortcut to open this command more easily. Press the gear icon to the right of the control.

Under the Keybinding tab, you can customize your shortcut.

Now you are ready to use use VSCode with your Arduino boards.

The top 10 technologies to follow in 2022

Top 10 technologies in 2022

The leading technology advisory and investment firm specializing in technologies, GP Bullhound, has published its annual report concerning its tech predictions for 2022. We are presenting in this post the top 10 technologies that you must follow in 2022. These technologies could literally influence and change your life. for other articles, you can visit this link.

2021 has seen record growth in global technology M&A activity, driven by the need for companies to remain competitive and innovative. Companies are also rethinking their supply chains due to changing geopolitical relations, trade wars and environmental concerns. As consumers adopt new buying habits. These phenomena give rise to technological trends, which attract investment.

Content creators are becoming more popular

Content creating

Globally, there are approximately 50 million influencers on YouTube, Instagram, Twitch… Estimated at 50 million worldwide, they have contributed to the emergence of a new economy. An economy that is based on the monetization of their own content offered to their fans. through different channels. Unlike employees, they are not subject to a standard 9-5 working day to obtain correct remuneration.

An Inzpire.me study shows that Instagram influencers only need 42,575 subscribers to earn the equivalent of an average salary in the United Kingdom (39,000 euros) by creating only eight publications and eight stories per month. . In the United States, the best influencers can earn more than 420 times the average annual income of Americans (107,000 euros). At the same time, many micro-influencers (10,000 to 50,000 subscribers on social networks) develop their online presence alongside their jobs.

Why is this sector going to grow? Influencers have a better understanding of their fans and the content they like, which drives brand interest. In addition, they will be able to develop their economic strategy on several different channels via NFTs for example. The artist Beeple has thus sold a work of digital art for 69 million dollars at Christies.

Supply chain: software is becoming essential

Supply chain and software

The Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected global supply chains. Despite the reopening of borders and the end of confinements, companies are struggling to restore inventory levels before the pandemic. Idling factories – especially in Asian countries – and growing global demand have saturated supply chains. To fill these gaps, companies are increasingly using software that allows them to detect potential problems upstream and facilitate the optimization of raw material supply.

The Metaverse: how close are we?

metaverse

The metaverse is the new big project of Facebook, which has already won the favor of the public administration of Seoul. The ambition of these new spaces is to change the way people interact. They meet there, work and play using virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, apps, etc. The business opportunities offered by the metaverse, particularly in marketing, will lead to the emergence of new industries. Some companies are already promising to launch a product by 2023. Retail is the most interested sector in these solutions to offer its customers the chance to virtually try on clothes. It is only a small step to see this same proposal arrive in the metaverse according to GP Bullhound.

For their part, Facebook and Microsoft are already working on the first versions of the metaverse. The functionalities offered today by virtual reality and augmented reality will evolve to adapt to consumer demand. This development will go through the integration of NFTs in the form of clothing or art objects.

AI: a driver of diversity

AI: a driver of diversity

The startup and tech ecosystem is struggling to truly address the issue of diversity and inclusion. For GP Bullhound, algorithms and artificial intelligence could improve the fairness of recruitment and create more opportunities for marginalized candidates.

Companies like Entelo internally train artificial intelligence models to detect underrepresented candidates and predict underlying skills. Data will also allow companies to understand the biases that prevent them from recruiting these talents. But this is only the first step. Companies will have to work on their culture and the inclusion of these diversities. Hopefully, this will give them all the possibilities to evolve and to increase their skills on interesting projects.

Wearables and AI go hand in hand

Wearables and AI

Manufacturers of connected wearables accessories (watches, textiles, glasses, etc.), are no longer content to develop objects but are beginning to invest in powerful artificial intelligence engines to generate and use data. Using AI-powered software, these companies can now provide granular data analytics and even produce predictive analytics on health, physical performance and more to their users. The growth of this market is made possible by familiarizing consumers with these objects and monitoring their health on a daily basis. But if they adopt these solutions, they nevertheless remain cautious about sharing their data and are worried about the multiplication of hacks.

At the moment, half of the market is in the hands of the giants, Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi. in order to meet the aspirations of consumers, Companies are developing new solutions in various sectors such as finance or health. The global IoT analytics market may reach $59 billion by 2021.

Semiconductors is pushing companies to adapt

Semiconductors & companies

For several months now, companies have been facing a shortage of semiconductors that are pushing them to modify some of their products, particularly in the automotive sector. The main factor for this disruption is the closure of production facilities for chips and semiconductors.

To overcome this lack, software publishers are adapting. Tesla, for example, modified some of its software to accommodate alternative chips. States are also taking up the subject. In the United States, President Biden presented an infrastructure plan including a $50 billion package to expand national chipmaking capacity. In the European Union, lawmakers are scrambling to pass a law to uphold “technological sovereignty” aimed at increasing the volume of chips developed in Europe. Taiwan’s TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, has pledged $100 billion over the next three years to ramp up production.

Buy now, pay later (BNPL)

Buy now, pay later

The “Buy Now Pay Later” (BNPL) solution is beginning to have a lasting impact on the e-commerce and payment sector due to growing consumer adoption. GP Bullhound even talks about abandoning the bank card in favor of the BNPL, which avoids overdraft fees and the costs associated with taking out credit.

This solution is of particular interest to younger generations since 26% of Millennials and Gen Z already use BNPL plans for their purchases. Affirm, one of BNPL’s leading service providers, has shown that merchants adopting its solution have seen an average of 85% increase in order size. Specialists are expecting this trend to continue as small businesses transition to omnichannel. 68% of them already believe that BNPL plans facilitate sales.

The e-commerce and tech giants did not hesitate for long to enter this niche. In 2021, Square acquired Afterpay, Amazon partnered with Affirm, and Apple announced it would provide its own BNPL products. BNPL’s global spending is expected to reach $995 billion and the number of users to exceed 1.5 billion by 2026, up from 266 billion and 340 million respectively in 2021.

Decentralized finance

defi

Decentralized finance (DeFi) is booming after two years of astonishing growth. The value of cryptocurrencies deposited as collateral increased 14 times in the past year, surpassing $1 billion in June 2020. The rapid pace of compliance innovation is driving wider adoption by institutions, and soon by the general public, which remains at an early stage compared to the wider crypto industry. At the time of writing, over $100 billion is now locked in DeFi protocols on the Ethereum blockchain on which most DeFi applications are built.

By allowing anyone to create protocols that replicate existing financial services using public blockchains and smart contracts, platforms like Ethereum enable secure, permissionless, and middleman-free financial transactions.

These decentralized financial applications – which touch the entire financial value chain – are redefining traditional financial services and offering unprecedented levels of global transparency, interoperability and equal access.
These new technologies, like NFTs, will face many adoption, evolution, governance and regulatory challenges.

ARM replaces the Intel chips

ARM replaces the Intel chips

For decades, the use of ARM processors was limited to mobile devices. Now, their efficiency and versatility have distinct advantages for machine learning applications. Another advantage is the possibility of deploying them in mobile or desktop devices.

Given the versatility and power efficiency of ARM processors, applications span the entire range of IoT devices. ARM-powered devices will be able to run advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to process more data and make better inferences. Their use has been mostly limited to enhancing smartphone functions, such as facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, and voice-activated commands. Future uses could make autonomous vehicles safer, improve the functionality of wearable medical devices, and more.

A growing number of companies are migrating their devices to ARM processors. Some of theme are choosing to develop their own competing processors. For example, the Apple’s M1 chip included in the latest MacBook Pro. Google and Microsoft are also developing their own ARM-based processors for use in personal devices and cloud servers. By developing their own processors, tech companies can more effectively implement artificial intelligence algorithms in their products. With time and its adoption by more and more companies, new software will be cheaper and easier to develop.

Artificial intelligence and healthcare

artificial intelligence and healthcare

The Covid-19 pandemic has allowed remote assistance and telemedicine solutions to really take off by breaking down many barriers. As a result, the confidence of consumers and doctors has increased in new technologies dedicated to health. For instance, the number of patients that uses remote care increased by 15 to 20% since the start of the pandemic. The early success of these AI-based practices will drive investment and resources to further develop new solutions.

Software will help shape the future of medicine. Data analysis by artificial intelligence will continue to develop to become a real diagnostic and prediction aid tool. Asynchronous solutions using artificial intelligence in the form of software and hardware platforms offer obvious advantages through their ability of being remotely used. The capabilities of these solutions are fundamentally changing the way healthcare is delivered remotely.

Raspberry Pi Pico and MPU6050 with MicroPython

Raspberry Pi Pico and MPU6050 with MicroPython

The MPU6050 is an inertial unit that combines an accelerometer and a gyroscope. It is used to measure acceleration, inclination and angular velocity. In this tutorial, we will try to explain how to use an MPU6050 with a Raspberry Pi Pico using MicroPython.

The accelerometer makes it possible to know the acceleration and/or the gravitational field according to 3 axes: x, y and z. If you take a closer look, you can see a drawing of the x and the y axes on the module, while the z axis is perpendicular to the plane of the module. When the module is stationary, flat on a table, it will measure an acceleration of 1 g along the z axis, due to the force of gravity acting downwards. If the measured acceleration is zero along the 3 axes, the MPU-6050 module is in free fall!

The gyroscope measures the angular speed along the 3 axes. When the module is immobile, the 3 components of the angular velocity are, in principle, zero (a calibration is however necessary for the result to be exact).

Connections

The MPU-6050 module has 8 connectors, but only 4 of them are necessary for its operation (2 for power supply, and 2 for data transmission by I2C):

  • VCC pin (MPU-6050) => 3.3V output pin (Raspberry Pi Pico).
  • GND pin (MPU-6050) => GND pin (Raspberry Pi Pico).
  • SCL pin (MPU-6050) => GP9 pin (Raspberry Pi Pico).
  • SDA pin (MPU-6050) => GP8 pin (Raspberry Pi Pico).

Installing imu.py and vector3d.py libraries

You can find the necessary libraries on this Github repository. Also, you need to copy the “imu.py” and “vector3d.py” files to the flash memory of the Raspberry Pi Pico.

First script

This script displays the measurements from the accelerometer and the gyroscope. From the data of the accelerometer, the script tries to determine if one of the 3 axes (x, y or z) approaches the vertical. Based on the data from the gyroscope, the script indicates whether the MPU-6050 module is spinning.

Run this script, and orient the MPU-6050 module in different ways to see how the displayed values vary.

'''
Using the MPU6050 inertial unit (accelerometer + gyrometer) with a Raspberry Pi Pico.
For more info:
bekyelectronics.com/raspberry-pi-pico-and-mpu-6050-micropython/
'''

from imu import MPU6050  # https://github.com/micropython-IMU/micropython-mpu9x50
import time
from machine import Pin, I2C

i2c = I2C(0, sda=Pin(8), scl=Pin(9), freq=400000)
imu = MPU6050(i2c)

# Temperature display
print("Temperature: ", round(imu.temperature,2), "°C")

while True:
    # reading values
    acceleration = imu.accel
    gyroscope = imu.gyro
    
    print ("Acceleration x: ", round(acceleration.x,2), " y:", round(acceleration.y,2),
           "z: ", round(acceleration.z,2))

    print ("gyroscope x: ", round(gyroscope.x,2), " y:", round(gyroscope.y,2),
           "z: ", round(gyroscope.z,2))

# data interpretation (accelerometer)

    if abs(acceleration.x) > 0.8:
        if (acceleration.x > 0):
            print("The x axis points upwards")
        else:
            print("The x axis points downwards")

    if abs(acceleration.y) > 0.8:
        if (acceleration.y > 0):
            print("The y axis points upwards")
        else:
            print("The y axis points downwards")

    if abs(acceleration.z) > 0.8:
        if (acceleration.z > 0):
            print("The z axis points upwards")
        else:
            print("The z axis points downwards")

# data interpretation (gyroscope)

    if abs(gyroscope.x) > 20:
        print("Rotation around the x axis")

    if abs(gyroscope.y) > 20:
        print("Rotation around the y axis")

    if abs(gyroscope.z) > 20:
        print("Rotation around the z axis")
    
    time.sleep(0.2)

Second script

In this second example, the Raspberry Pi Pico’s built-in LED lights up when you shake the MPU6050 module.

'''
Using the MPU6050 inertial unit (accelerometer + gyroscope) with a Raspberry Pi Pico.
The Pico LED lights up when the MPU6050 is shaken.
For more info:
bekyelectronics.com/raspberry-pi-pico-and-mpu-6050-micropython/
'''

from imu import MPU6050  # https://github.com/micropython-IMU/micropython-mpu9x50
import time
from machine import Pin, I2C

i2c = I2C(0, sda=Pin(8), scl=Pin(9), freq=400000)
imu = MPU6050(i2c)

# LED initially off
Pin(25, Pin.OUT).value(0)

while True:
    # acceleration reading
    acceleration = imu.accel.magnitude
    print (acceleration)
    
    # value at rest is 1
    if abs(acceleration - 1) > 0.1:
        print("It is moving!")   
        Pin(25, Pin.OUT).value(1) # turn on the LED
    else: 
        Pin(25, Pin.OUT).value(0) # turn off the LED
        
    time.sleep(0.2)

That’s it, this is how you can use the MCU6050 unit with your Paspberry Pi Pico. You can check other tutorials from this link. If you want to establish wireless communication between two of your Picos using NRF24L01, click here.