At NAB 2023, NiSi introduceds its new Athena Prime cine lenses. The focal lengths of the Athena series range from 14mm to 85mm, and they all support full-frame sensors and image circles up to 46.5mm.
The focal lengths are as follows:
14mm T2.4
25mm T1.9
35mm T1.9
50mm T1.9
85mm T1.9
Except for the 14mm lens, which has a T2.4 aperture, all of the lenses have a T1.9 aperture. NiSi claims that all of its lenses have minimal focus breathing, and a quick examination of the lenses at the trade exhibit confirmed this to be the case. All the lenses are the same size and weight, and their 77mm filter mount makes it simple to screw on filters such as variable neutral density filters.
In addition to being the same size, the aperture and focus rings are all located in the same place, making them simple to swap without having to reposition lens motors or rebalance a gimbal, etc.
The lenses, according to NiSi, were designed to attain maximum micro-contrast control and ultra-low chromatic aberration.
Athena lenses are offered in PL, Sony E, and Canon RF formats.
Versions of the lens with Sony E and Canon RF mounts incorporate a rear filter slot. This permits the installation of rear VND and other filters. Only NiSi filters are compatible with this drop-in filter.
For the PL version, rear-mounted filters can be screwed on.
The Athena lenses are not the first Cine lenses offered by NiSi under its brand name. They first announced the F3 prime lenses in 2018.
The new NiSi F3 prime lenses covered sensors with a 46.5mm format, making them compatible with a wide variety of cameras.
The lenses were identical to those sold by Kinefinity under the MAVO brand name. The lenses were manufactured by NiSi, and Kinefinity simply rebranded them.
Cost and Availability
Late in June, Athena Prime cine lenses will be available. They are priced at $1,098 USD, with the exception of the 14mm lens, which will cost $1,198 USD.
Five lens packages can be purchased for $5,590.00 USD.
There appeared to be no chromatic aberration or onion ring bokeh in the lenses. They have a very clean appearance and appear to be a decent, reasonably priced option.
The curved OLED gaming monitor LG UltraGear 45GR95QE is now available for preorder in Malaysia. Beginning today through May 14th, interested consumers can pre-order the monitor through the brand’s official LazMall store on Lazada for RM7647.
The UltraGear 45GR95QE is the second gaming monitor released by the brand this year, following the 27GR95QE that was available for preorder earlier this year. Both models were announced near the close of the previous year and have been making their way onto the market gradually.
The UltraGear 45GR95QE has an 800R-curved 45-inch ultrawide OLED display.
Due to its wider-than-average nature, the monitor employs the aspect ratio of 21:9. Additional features and specifications include an unprecedented 240Hz refresh rate, a 0.03ms response time, and Adaptive Sync for a monitor of this size and brand. This implies that the monitor is both NVIDIA G-Sync Compatible and AMD FreeSync Premium.
In addition to these specifications, the UltraGear 45GR95QE supports HDR10, giving it a maximal brightness of 1000 nits and a contrast ratio of 15000000:1, and it has a DCI-P3 color accuracy of 98.5 percent. As for the monitor’s utmost resolution, it is rated at 3440 by 1440 pixels. In addition, the surface of the display panel has been treated to reduce reflections.
UltraGear 45GR95QE has two HDMI ports and one USB Downstream port
One USB Upstream port, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, a 3.5mm headphone output socket, and SPDIF support. In terms of power consumption, the UltraGear 45GR95QE includes an external power adapter that can deliver up to 160W of power to the monitor, whereas the typical power consumption rating for this curved OLED ultrawide gaming monitor is 129W.
Again, the UltraGear 45GR95QE is available for purchase through the brand’s official Lazada store. After placing a preorder, consumers should receive the product within 30 days.
iQOO introduced the Neo7 smartphone with a Dimensity 9000+ SoC in China in October, followed by the Neo7 Racing Edition with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor in December. Now, the iQOO Neo8 Pro, the first phone in the company’s new Neo Pro series
Model V2302A on AnTuTu.
This reveals that the Dimensity 9200+ will utilize the same 1 x ARM Cortex-X3 prime core, 3 x A715 performance cores, and 4 x A510 power-efficient CPU cores; however, the prime core will be overclocked from 3.05GHz.
The benchmark reveals a staggering 1.36 million AnTuTu score, surpassing the 1.33 million score attained by the current leader, the OPPO Find X6 Pro powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
In addition, it features 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, 512GB UFS 4.0 storage, Android 13 and a 120Hz display. Earlier rumors suggested that the phone would feature a 1.5K 120Hz OLED display and a 50MP rear camera.
MediaTek is anticipated to release the Dimensity 9200+ SoC in May alongside the new Dimensity 7000 series SoC, so we can anticipate the iQOO Neo8 and Neo8 Pro smartphone series in the second quarter of 2023.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the first “Pro” model from the firm, and it lives up to the moniker with a high-end design and extensive fitness tracking capabilities. Now that it’s on sale and less expensive, it’s a wonderful option for anyone looking for a high-quality smartwatch with long battery life.
This device has rarely dropped below the $400 barrier, but Amazon just started selling it for that price last week. With the latest price drop, the Watch 5 Pro is available for just $363, making it an even more compelling option for anyone thinking about purchasing a smartwatch.
Some highlights of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro that you’ll appreciate
If you have a good smartwatch, you won’t have to pull out your phone every two minutes to check your messages or answer calls. At least you won’t have to look at your phone to know it’s a robocall these days. You may also use this smartwatch as a GPS tracker and make contactless payments by holding out your wrist in front of a point-of-sale terminal.
Also noteworthy is its long battery life, which lasts days rather than hours like most smartwatches.
The 5 Pro, like any excellent smartwatch, will also assist in monitoring your health and fitness levels. You can skip starting a workout from the menu because it can identify up to 20 of them automatically. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro also has the ability to track your heart rate, take an electrocardiogram, and evaluate your blood oxygen levels, among other things.
While all of these features are great, we regretfully must point out that this smartwatch’s durability comes at the expense of its compatibility with a wide variety of wrist sizes. Some people may find that its 45mm size and bulky, heavy construction are too much for them. Furthermore, we found the included band to be rather bulky, so you may want to consider upgrading once you receive your package.
Since Google incorporated Duo into the service, Google Meet has become an indispensable communication tool for all Google services users.
Google routinely invests in much-needed enhancements, and the most recent will help you conserve valuable data when making video calls on the go. You can disable the video feeds of individual participants on your computer or convert to an audio-only mode on your preferred phone.
Soon, you’ll be able to mute your coworkers’ video chats.
Google announced in a blog post that the new option will reside in the computer’s people directory. Here, “Don’t watch” will be added to the right-click menu for specific participants. If you select this option, neither the individual in question nor any other participants will be informed.
A comparable feature is being rolled out to Google Meet on mobile devices. Google explains that when you join a meeting from your mobile device, you can choose the “Audio only” option, which disables all video inputs except for tiles that are presenting content, such as a screen share or slideshow.
This is especially beneficial at the end of the month when you need to conserve data or when you’re in an area with poor cellular connectivity and still want to listen.
Previously, you could only transition to a data-saving mode by turning off your phone’s screen during a call or by minimizing the Meet application. On laptops, you had even less control over the video feed from others, as you were unable to prevent streaming unless Google Meet itself determined that you were in a low-bandwidth environment, in which case the service would automatically disable video feeds to maintain a more stable connection.
According to Google, the update is being rolled out incrementally, so it may take up to two weeks for the option to be accessible to everyone.
This year, to celebrate Earth Month, Samsung is launching the next set of eco-friendly accessories: the Samsung Galaxy x MSFTSrep Eco-conscious Collection. This is a limited-edition set of accessories made in partnership with MSFTSrep founder, designer, and artist JADEN.
The collection has four kinds of items made from materials that were gathered with care for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip4, Galaxy Buds2 Pro, and Galaxy Watch bands and faces. Today, you can buy the limited-edition collection of Galaxy items on Samsung.com, with prices starting at $29.99.
MSFTSrep isn’t just a company that makes clothes. It wants to start a movement based on a theme that brings a lot of people together: the love of fashion and individuality, social equality, and taking care of the earth. A recent NielsenIQ study found that 78 percent of US shoppers say that living in a way that is good for the environment is important to them.
“I think the shift toward sustainability is great because people are waking up and realizing what we need to do to change the world,” said JADEN. “We have to change how we make things and how we use them, and people are waking up to this.”
Wear Your Values
JADEN is excited about changing the way technology evolves through his designs. He gets ideas from the world’s renewable resources. He knows that being a designer comes with a lot of duties, so he always puts sustainability at the top of his mind when making things. The goal of this line for both Samsung and JADEN is to make fashion more environmentally friendly and get people to buy less.
The Samsung Galaxy x MSFTSrep Eco-conscious Accessories Collection uses designs from his MSFTSrep collections and four bold drawings that JADEN made himself: MSFTSrep Spiral, MSFTSrep Classic, MSFTSrep Snowprint, and MSFTSrep Wavy Rainbow. The product line is made with materials that are good for the environment, and the packaging is made of recycled paper and card stock printed with veggie ink.
Devices have become an important part of our lives and daily routines because we always have them with us. Today, designers and Samsung are combining fashion and being good to the environment by making items that let people show off their own style and how much they care about the environment.
Samsung helps you reduce, reuse, and re-wear.
Sami Miro, a designer from Los Angeles and the founder of Sami Miro Vintage, started Samsung’s first sustainable series in 2021. There were six watchbands and three watch faces for the Galaxy Watch4 series in the set. In 2022, for Earth Day, Samsung worked with Sean Wotherspoon, co-founder of Round Two and head of Sean Wotherspoon Designs.
Wotherspoon came out with a line of eco-friendly products that included three cases for the Galaxy S21, three matching watchbands for the Galaxy Watch4 series, and watch faces that went with them.
The sustainability series is part of Samsung’s larger efforts to commit to long-term change with their Galaxy for the Planet initiative. This is the company’s promise to reduce Samsung’s environmental impact and increase the use of recycled materials in all new mobile products by 2025.
Green people can also take advantage of Samsung’s Certified Re-Newed program, which refurbishes and repurposes gently used phones and guarantees that they are in like-new shape to keep them out of landfills.
In today’s digital age, “doom scrolling,” the practice of endlessly scrolling through social media feeds and news websites in pursuit of negative or distressing information, has become a common behavior.
While many of us engage in this behavior as a means of staying informed, a growing corpus of research suggests that it may be more detrimental than beneficial. And, all that doom-and-gloom browsing may actually cause “brain rot.”
You can safeguard your mental health and well-being by taking precautions against the negative effects of perusing through doom.
What is mental decay?
“Brain rot,” as you may have guessed, is not a medical or scientific term. Rather, it is a slang term that can be utilized in various ways depending on the circumstance. In a less sympathetic context, it may refer to the deterioration of the brain caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. This is not what we are discussing.
Brain rot refers, in a broader sense, to the feeling of mental fog or confusion after protracted drug use or lack of sleep, as well as a feeling of mental or emotional decline or decay, which is frequently associated with stress, anxiety, or depression. These conditions can affect the structure and function of the brain, resulting in cognitive impairment and decreased creativity and productivity.
What exactly is doom scrolling?
Doom scrolling is the behavior of scrolling through and ingesting a large quantity of negative news or social media content, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and distressed.
Increased anxiety, stress, and feelings of helplessness or hopelessness can negatively impact mental health. Additionally, the constant flow of negative news and images can disrupt sleep patterns and cause emotional exhaustion.
The behavior is frequently influenced by a combination of factors, such as the brain’s reward system, which is triggered by the anticipation of receiving new information, and the “negativity bias,” which causes the brain to prioritize and remember negative information more than positive information. To generate more engagement and views, social media algorithms and news outlets tend to prioritize and promote negative content.
The brain’s reward circuitry
The reward system in the brain is a complex network of structures and neurotransmitters that regulates feelings of pleasure and motivation. When we engage in gratifying or rewarding activities, such as eating or socializing, our brains release the chemical dopamine, which reinforces these behaviors and makes us want to repeat them.
However, when we engage in activities that are short-term pleasurable but ultimately detrimental, such as doom scrolling and excessive social media use, this can contribute to brain rot. This is due to the fact that these activities can alter the functioning of the brain’s reward system, making it more difficult to experience enjoyment and motivation from other activities that are more beneficial in the long run.
Doom scrolling is a form of addictive behavior that provides a constant stream of negative stimuli, such as news stories and social media posts that trigger feelings of anxiety, dread, and helplessness. Over time, this can cause desensitization to these negative stimuli, making it more challenging to experience positive emotions or derive joy from other things.
To combat this, it is essential to take breaks from doom scrolling and other forms of excessive social media use and engage in activities that are more beneficial to the brain’s reward system, such as exercise, socializing with friends and family, and pursuing hobbies and interests that provide a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
The repercussions of doom scrolling
The effects of despair scrolling can be substantial. This behavior can have a variety of negative effects on mental health, emotional health, and even physical health. Here are some of the most significant effects of melancholy scrolling, which all contribute to cognitive decline:
Constant exposure to negative news and information can induce feelings of anxiety and stress, resulting in a heightened sense of dread and helplessness.
Prolonged doom scrolling can contribute to feelings of sorrow, hopelessness, and despair, thereby increasing the likelihood of developing or deteriorating depression.
Doom scrolling late at night can disrupt our sleep patterns and make it more difficult to fall asleep or remain asleep, leading to chronic sleep disturbances that can have detrimental effects on our overall health and well-being.
Constantly monitoring social media and news feeds can be distracting and impede our ability to concentrate on tasks, resulting in diminished productivity and performance.
Consequences for physical health Chronic stress and sleep disturbances can have negative effects on our physical health, thereby increasing the risk of a variety of health problems.
In general, doom browsing can have detrimental effects on our mental and physical health. Maintaining a healthy balance between news and social media consumption and establishing limits for social media platforms can reduce the negative effects of doom scrolling.
How to counter perilous scrolling
To prevent brain rot caused by foreboding scrolling, you must be deliberate in your media consumption and prioritize your mental health. Setting limits on the amount of time you spend on social media and news websites is one method to achieve this.
Additionally, you should diversify your media sources. Examine content that educates, inspires, or entertains you in lieu of focusing solely on negative news. This can help maintain a balanced worldview and cultivate a more optimistic outlook.
The timing of content consumption is also crucial. Avoid social media and the news before bed to avoid sleep disruptions. Try reading a book, meditating, or taking a tepid bath as an alternative.
In addition to establishing a strict schedule for news and social media consumption, you must minimize temptations. Turn off notifications for social media and news applications. This assists you in establishing the necessary boundaries to avoid constant exposure to negative content.
Overall, you will need to engage in mental health-promoting activities, such as exercise, meditation, and hobby pursuits. These activities can provide a healthy diversion from despair scrolling and contribute to a more balanced and optimistic way of life.
Apple is working on a new version of the 2021 Beats Studio Buds called the Beats Studio Buds+, and a launch could be close based on the fact that Apple has submitted FCC files for the product.
The Beats Studio Buds+ will feature an updated remote and microphone, as well as improved noise cancellation. There are two separate listings, one for each set of earbuds that support Bluetooth.
Beats Studio Buds+ will look and work like the originals.
Following the launch of the release candidate for iOS 16.4 in March, we were introduced to the Beats Studio Buds+ for the very first time.
According to the information that MacRumors has got, the Beats Studio Buds+ will offer functionality that is comparable to that of the original Beats Studio Buds in both appearance and operation.
Although the earbuds will continue to employ a chip designed by Beats, Apple has plans to improve both the Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency features of the Beats Studio Buds+.
There is no indication as of yet on when Apple plans to debut the Beats Studio Buds+ or what the pricing will be, but with potential upgrades over the already available Beats Studio Buds, which are now priced at $150, we could see them priced a bit higher than that.
Vivo introduced the Vivo S16 series in China in December, and it appears that the company is preparing to unveil the Vivo S17 lineup soon, likely in May or June. Accordingly, the rumor mill has begun releasing new information about the phones.
The Vivo S17 and S17 Pro may have BOE-supplied OLED displays, 50MP cameras, and 80W fast charging.
Reportedly, the series will consist of three models: the Vivo S17, the Vivo S17e, and the Vivo S17 Pro. Now, in a new Weibo post, the informant Digital Chat Station has disclosed the essential specifications of the Vivo S17 and Vivo S17 Pro smartphones.
The model identifiers of the mobile phones are V2285A (Vivo S17e), V2283A (Vivo S17), and V2284A (Vivo S17 Pro). Examine the comprehensive specifications of the phones.
Vivo S17 series specifications
The Vivo S17 will reportedly be propelled by the Snapdragon SM7325, which could be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G or Snapdragon 782G processor.
The Vivo S17 Pro, on the other hand, will ship with the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset. Comparatively, the Vivo S16 and S16 Pro were equipped with the Snapdragon 870 and Diminuency 8200 processors, respectively.
The leaker also alleged that the Vivo S17 and S17 Pro will feature an OLED display from BOE with a resolution of up to 1.5K. The leaker has not disclosed the display dimensions. Earlier reports indicated that the phone panels will be convex.
The primary camera on the Vivo S17 and S17 Pro will be a 50MP Sony IMX766V with OIS support. There is an IMX663 12-megapixel telephoto camera. The leaker also reveals that the Vivo S17 series will support 80W rapid charging. That is pretty much all that is currently known about phones.
Remember the distinctive LG Wing? We certainly do. It is an extremely intriguing device that was released in 2020, near the conclusion of the company’s involvement in the smartphone market.
It was the first and unfortunately only device in the new “Explorer” series, which LG intended to use as a last-ditch effort to revitalize its mobile business by experimenting with bold new concepts. Unfortunately, we all know how that turned out, which only makes the LG Wing that much more intriguing.
The LG Wing is getting an Android 13 upgrade at long last.
An Android 13 OTA update has begun seeding for the phone in its native Korean market and will soon extend abroad.
In addition to the upgrade to Android 13, the update packet includes the following modifications, according to LG’s Korean changelog:
On the lock screen, shortcut indicators for device controls can be displayed.
Added preview, sharing, and text modification capabilities for images and text that have been copied.
In the status notification window, you can view running applications and terminate them.
The function of multiple windows has been simplified.
The status notification window now displays music and video controllers with enhanced functionality.
Added an app-specific permission setting for notifications.
LG promised three major improvements for certain models in 2019 and 2020.
This is presumably the final major update for the LG Wing, which was initially released with Android 10. LG promised three significant updates for select models in 2019 and 2020, including the LG Velvet and LG V60, which have already received Android 13 over the air. The same list contains The Wing.
If you don’t recall the LG Wing or are just learning of its existence, we encourage you to revisit our comprehensive review of this now-iconic smartphone. With its secondary rectangular screen and swiveling primary display, the Wing’s multitasking capabilities were unparalleled. In addition, it provided excellent video capture with sophisticated gimbal functionality.
