Nominal providers hardware testing equipment to defense tech companies. Founders Fund led the preemptive deal.
Robert De Niro Plays Frankenstein’s Creature in a More Obscure Horror Movie on HBO Max
“Moon Knight” actor Oscar Isaac is among the numerous performers who have ventured to animate Mary Shelley’s literary classic, with various stars daring to face the backlash for being “ALIVE.” The most iconic portrayal was by Boris Karloff in the 1931 version of “Frankenstein,” but perhaps the most overlooked rendition came in 1994, when one of arguably the finest actors of our era was sewn into the Modern Prometheus and sent chills down our spines.
“Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” was helmed by a seasoned Shakespeare enthusiast and the individual who would go on to introduce Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to the MCU, Kenneth Branagh. Taking on the part of Victor von Frankenstein, Branagh was accompanied by a stellar ensemble that featured the late Ian Holm as Victor’s father, Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth Lavenza, and Robert De Niro stepping into the formidable role of Frankenstein’s creature. Garnering $112 million against a $45 million budget, the film did not achieve box office success and faced criticism from reviewers.
Critics preferred The Creature but not the creator in the 1994 Frankenstein film
TriStar
Critics were swift to highlight that the sole genuine standout was De Niro as the creature, and little
OpenAI Upgrades ChatGPT with GPT-5.4: Six Major Enhancements Unveiled
**OpenAI Debuts GPT-5.4: A Major Enhancement to Its AI Model**
This week, OpenAI launched GPT-5.3 Instant, with the goal of improving the fluidity of interactions with its widely-used ChatGPT model. In the wake of this, OpenAI has presented GPT-5.4 Thinking and Pro, representing a significant advancement to its latest premier model.
The prior update, GPT-5.2, was introduced in December as a reaction to competitive pressures from Google’s Gemini. The newest version, GPT-5.4, offers a range of important improvements across different functions.
### Key Enhancements in GPT-5.4
OpenAI has emphasized six main areas of enhancement in GPT-5.4:
1. **Improved Coding and Document Comprehension**: The model exhibits enhanced skills in coding, document understanding, utilizing tools, and adhering to instructions.
2. **Superior Image Interpretation and Multimodal Tasks**: GPT-5.4 delivers enhanced capabilities in image interpretation and managing tasks that involve diverse input modes.
3. **Execution of Long-Term Tasks**: The model is crafted to handle extended tasks and oversee multi-step workflows more proficiently.
4. **Token Optimization**: With an emphasis on comprehensive performance, GPT-5.4 refines token usage, particularly for tool-intensive operations.
5. **Agent-driven Web Searching and Information Synthesis**: The model excels in web searching and aggregating information from multiple sources, particularly for elusive data.
6. **Support for Business Workflows**: GPT-5.4 is designed for workflows that involve extensive documents and spreadsheets in areas such as customer service, analytics, and finance.
### Noteworthy Features
Among the prominent features of GPT-5.4 is its accommodation for a **1 million token context window**. This function empowers users to scrutinize large codebases, lengthy document sets, or complicated agent paths in a single request, significantly boosting the model’s effectiveness for thorough analysis.
Moreover, GPT-5.4 stands out as the first mainline model with **integrated computer-use capabilities**. This function allows agents to interact directly with software, enabling a build-run-verify-fix cycle that simplifies task completion and validation.
Additionally, GPT-5.4 is constructed to support **compaction**, facilitating longer agent paths while preserving crucial context, vital for intricate tasks.
### Rollout
OpenAI has initiated a phased rollout of GPT-5.4 within ChatGPT and Codex. The new model is available to Plus, Team, and Pro subscribers and will supplant the former GPT-5.2 Thinking model, which is set to be retired in three months.
For further information, users can consult OpenAI’s official announcement [here](https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5-4/).
9to5Mac Daily: March 5, 2026 – Unveiling of the Brand-New MacBook Neo
**9to5Mac Daily: Your Destination for Daily Apple News and Insights**
In the rapidly evolving realm of technology, being informed about the latest news and trends is essential, particularly for Apple fans. 9to5Mac Daily presents a handy solution by offering a daily summary of the most significant stories pertaining to Apple and its ecosystem. This podcast is a key tool for anyone aiming to stay updated on Apple advancements.
**Podcast Accessibility**
Listeners can tune into 9to5Mac Daily on various platforms, ensuring the newest episodes are always just a click away. The podcast is accessible on:
– [iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/9to5mac-daily/id1331816080)
– [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/9to5mac-daily)
– [TuneIn](https://tunein.com/radio/9to5Mac-Daily-p1089524/)
– [Google Play](https://play.google.com/music/m/I5d4dzs7dauazmfxvvrynyiuram?t=9to5Mac_Daily)
– [Dedicated RSS feed](https://feedpress.me/9to5macdaily) for Overcast and other podcast platforms
New episodes are recorded every weekday, allowing listeners to remain informed on a consistent basis.
**Sponsorship and Promotions**
9to5Mac Daily receives support from sponsors such as BenQ, which provides smarter displays designed for Mac users. The podcast frequently features giveaways, including chances to win a MacBook Pro and a BenQ 27″ 4K Nano Gloss Monitor, motivating listeners to engage with the content.
**Subscription Choices**
For those seeking to enhance their listening experience, subscribing to 9to5Mac Daily Plus offers various advantages, including:
– Ad-free episodes
– Access to bonus material
Listeners can subscribe directly through the [9to5Mac website](https://9to5mac.com/join/) to support the podcast and benefit from these exclusive features.
**Engagement and Feedback**
9to5Mac Daily promotes listener involvement. Fans can express their opinions via email at [email protected]. Furthermore, listeners are encouraged to rate the podcast on platforms like [Apple Podcasts](https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1331816080?at=10laZc&pt=11l8808) and [Overcast](https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/app/overcast/id888422857?mt=8&at=10laZc&pt=11l8808), aiding in increasing visibility and reaching a wider audience.
**Conclusion**
To conclude, 9to5Mac Daily functions as a crucial resource for Apple enthusiasts, providing timely news and insights in a convenient podcast format. With its availability on various platforms, engaging content, and chances for listener interaction, it excels as a top source for anyone keen on the latest happenings in the Apple universe.
OpenAI’s New GPT-5.4 Model: A Significant Leap Toward Autonomous Agents
OpenAI is launching GPT-5.4, the latest version of its AI model that the company says combines advancements in reasoning, coding, and professional work involving spreadsheets, documents, and presentations. It’s also OpenAI’s first model with native computer use capabilities, meaning it can operate a computer on your behalf and complete tasks across different applications. The new […]
EXCLUSIVE: Luma Launches Creative AI Agents Powered by New ‘Unified Intelligence’ Models
Luma introduced Luma Agents, powered by its new âUnified Intelligenceâ models, designed to coordinate multiple AI systems and generate end-to-end creative work across text, images, video and audio.
Illinois Suggests Yearly $500 Charge for Electric Vehicle Owners
dependable means of transport, a growing number of drivers are shifting to EVs. One primary incentive for choosing an electric vehicle is that they are typically less expensive to operate and fuel compared to conventional gasoline vehicles. However, this could change in Illinois if a new legislation is enacted.
Recently, Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) introduced Senate Bill 3566, which seeks to modify the Illinois Vehicle Code to raise the yearly registration fee for EVs by $320. Should it be approved, this extra cost would take effect on July 1, 2027. Adding this to the $151 that EV owners currently pay each year to renew their registration, the total would amount to $471 … for the initial year. The legislation also allows for the possibility of raising the surcharge, indicating that EV owners might soon find themselves facing over $500 in annual registration fees.
Although the set $320 extra surcharge might not sit well with some drivers, it isn’t entirely compulsory. Kind of. The bill also suggests an alternative fee assessed by the new “Road Usage Charge Program,” which permits EV owners to pay 1.5 cents per mile up to a maximum of $320 instead of the yearly registration fee. However, those choosing this option must meticulously track their travel distance and report their mileage annually. Additionally, similar to the surcharge, the charges from the Road Usage Charge Program will undergo annual adjustments and increases.
Illinois would become the state with the highest electric car registration costs
<div class="slide-key image-holder gallery-image-holder credit-image-wrap" data-post-url="https://www.bgr.com/2116423/illinois-bill-raise-ev-car-taxes-500-dollars/" data-post-title="Illinois Wants To Start Charging Electric Car Owners Almost $500
Nothing Phone 4a Pro Showcases Distinctive Design to Rival Pixel 10a
Nothing has unmistakably alerted the Pixel 10a with the new Phone 4a Pro
If aesthetics are a crucial aspect of a smartphone for you, it’s likely that London-based Nothing has caught your eye. Founded by ex-OnePlus Co-founder Carl Pei, the brand has prioritized design to differentiate itself, and its most recent release, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, upholds this principle.
Unveiled today in London, the Phone 4a Pro stands as the most refined Nothing smartphone to date, both in terms of hardware and design. It boasts some of the finest specifications yet seen in a Nothing device, but also illustrates the company’s readiness to adapt its design based on customer feedback.
The outcome is a smartphone that showcases an impressive design, with one notable exception. I recently had a hands-on experience with the Nothing Phone 4a Pro in London, and here’s what I discovered.
The Phone 4a Pro boasts a remarkable design
Make no mistake: the Phone 4a Pro features the finest design of any Nothing Phone to date. In contrast to the Phone 4a — more on that later — which (re)introduces the Glyph bar, the Phone 4a Pro reinstates the Glyph Matrix display from last year’s Phone 3, while addressing all major criticisms of that version.
The two main issues with the Phone 3, which was the first to substitute the Glyphs with a dot-matrix display, were that activation of the display required pressing a button, and its small size made it easy to overlook. The Phone 4a Pro resolves both issues with a larger Glyph Matrix display that’s straightforward to see, enhancing its functionality.
I appreciate how the Glyph Matrix display now integrates seamlessly into the camera design, unlike the Phone 3, where it seemed like an additional feature. This also emphasizes the cameras, marking another domain where Nothing has enhanced its A-series devices with this latest release.
The Phone 4a Pro offers an impressive camera on paper
<p(Set at $499 or £499, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro is intended to directly compete with the Google Pixel 10a. In addition to its eye-catching design, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro’s camera may pose a challenge to the Pixel 10a.
Google’s latest entry-level Pixel sports a single 48MP camera, and while Google excels at software processing, it’s hard to envision how it can rival Nothing, as the Phone 4a Pro is equipped with a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens that provides 3.5x optical zoom, and up to 140x zoom.
Indeed, it’s more than merely hardware, and I will need to extensively assess this camera, but this configuration could establish a new benchmark for affordable
STM32U3B5/C5 Ultra-Low-Power MCU Boasts 640 KB RAM, 2 MB Flash, and HSP Accelerator for Battery-Free AI Processing – CNX Software
STMicroelectronics has added two members to the STM32U3 ultra-low-power Arm Cortex-M33 microcontroller family: the STM32U3B5 and STM32U3C5 MCUs get more sources with up to 640 KB SRAM and 2 MB flash, as well as an HSP (hardware signal processor) accelerator to run AI/ML workloads without batteries, just using energy harvesting. The new chips are still clocked at up to 96 MHz, benefit from a near-threshold design (down to 0.65 V), allowing a power consumption of just 117 Coremark/mW in active mode, and can operate up to 105°C ambient temperature. They come with one additional group of interfaces, bringing the total to four SPI and I2C, two I3C and CAN-FD, and five UARTs, as well as five more 16-bit timers, for a total of 10. The STM32U3C5 also includes a cryptocore to accelerate encryption and decryption operations, and supports the CCB (Coupling and Chaining Bridge) hardware security feature, both of which […]
The post STM32U3B5/C5 ultra-low-power MCU features 640 KB RAM, 2 MB Flash, and HSP accelerator to run AI without batteries appeared first on CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.
Top 4 Most Secure Smartphones Offered in the U.S.
iPhone can serve as a car key, and your Android smartphone can do the same. These devices manage everything from home lighting, entry doors, to thermostats with just a few taps. Additionally, they can function as your digital wallet, holding credit cards that enable quick payments for purchases. You can also include public transport cards, identification, and travel tickets in your wallet for speedy access, just like your credit cards. The phone is packed with a wealth of personal information, including messaging apps, photos, notes, passwords, and AI applications. Therefore, the iPhone or Android device you’re using to read this content is the most vital and personal computer in your existence. Consequently, it is essential that all that information remains safe so that attackers — whether they are thieves aiming to take your phone or hackers attempting to implant malware on your Android device – cannot reach that critical data. In the following sections, we will present the most secure smartphones currently available in the U.S. to guarantee your data is protected.
Furthermore, user privacy is an important consideration. Your phone may be safe from malware intrusions, yet the applications you utilize on the device might still monitor your actions to deliver targeted advertisements. Access to user preferences allows companies like Google to provide some of the applications you desire for free. However, this involves a trade-off that not all consumers are willing to accept, and it is a topic we will discuss further below.
iPhone 16e
