TNW 375: Apple's New iPhone 16e - RIP Humane AI Pin, NVIDIA's AI Platform for American Sign Language
Feb 20, 2025
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Zac Hall, a 9to5Mac reporter known for his insights on Apple, discusses the launch of the iPhone 16e, highlighting its modern features like Face ID and the powerful A18 chip. Scott Stein from CNET shares his experience reviewing the Humane AI Pin, detailing its impending end and the frustrations users face over refunds. The conversation also touches on NVIDIA's innovative AI platform designed to enhance American Sign Language learning, offering real-time feedback to improve communication in the deaf community.
NVIDIA's Signs platform aims to assist in learning American Sign Language, enhancing communication for parents of deaf children.
The Skylight Calendar Max features an AI-powered assistant that simplifies family scheduling through various data inputs and integration.
Apple's iPhone 16e offers modern technology upgrades at an affordable price, catering to users with older iPhone models.
Deep dives
NVIDIA's AI Platform for American Sign Language
NVIDIA is collaborating with the American Society for Deaf Children and the creative agency Hello Monday to launch an innovative online platform called Signs, designed to improve understanding and practice of American Sign Language (ASL). This initiative highlights ASL's status as the third most prevalent language in the U.S. and aims to address the learning challenges faced by individuals, particularly parents of deaf children, who seek to communicate effectively. The platform will feature 400,000 video clips demonstrating 1,000 sign words, with content validated by fluent ASL users and interpreters for accuracy. This resource not only aids in learning ASL but also has the potential to be integrated into various apps, enhancing accessibility and learning opportunities for a broader audience.
Skylight Calendar Max and AI Integration
Jennifer Patterson-Tui reviews the Skylight Calendar Max, a 27-inch digital touchscreen that serves as a community calendar and integrates an AI-powered assistant named Sidekick. This annual subscription service, costing $39, allows users to send data from various formats—emails, photos, and spreadsheets—directly into the calendar, effectively streamlining organization for busy households. As parents juggle numerous schedules, this feature has proven to save time and reduce the hassle of managing multiple calendars. The calendar's design and AI capabilities are positioned as valuable tools for enhancing communication and organization within families, marking a significant step in the smart home market.
The introduction of Apple's iPhone 16e, the company's latest affordable phone, promises significantly enhanced features while maintaining a competitive price point starting at $599. Compared to the previous iPhone SE, the new model offers superior specifications, including Face ID, a full-screen display, and an upgraded camera system. Although the iPhone 16e lacks MagSafe charging, this omission is seen as a cost-saving measure that still presents a strong value proposition compared to the higher-priced iPhone 16 lineup. Targeting users with older devices, such as the iPhone SE or 11, the 16e is expected to appeal to those looking for modern capabilities without breaking the bank.
Humane's AI Pin: A Cautionary Tale
The Humane AI pin has recently garnered attention for its ambitious approach to create an all-in-one device that seeks to replace smartphones with AI-driven capabilities. However, the device has faced criticism for its limited functionality and technical shortcomings, including overheating issues and difficulty connecting to essential services. Recent news of the AI pin being sold to HP, along with the impending loss of data and functionality, underscores the challenges of launching innovative gadgets without solid user support. This reflects a broader skepticism toward standalone AI devices that do not integrate easily into existing ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with established technology.
AI in Wearables: Balancing Innovation and Usability
The discussion around wearable technology, particularly AI-assisted devices, highlights the challenge of creating solutions that enhance users' daily lives without complicating them. While devices like smartwatches demonstrate the potential for AI to improve functionality as an extension of existing technology, the Humane AI pin serves as a reminder of the risks involved in redefining how users engage with technology. Experts indicate that any wearable must prioritize seamless integration with smartphones and existing user habits to succeed. As the market evolves, the focus appears to be shifting towards enhancing peripheral devices rather than attempting to replace core technologies like smartphones.
In this episode, Mikah Sargent is joined by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge to discuss NVIDIA's work on an AI platform for American Sign Language and her review of the Skylight Calendar Max. Zac Hall of 9to5Mac talks about the new iPhone 16e, and Scott Stein of CNET discusses the end of the Humane AI Pin.
NVIDIA is collaborating with the American Society for Deaf Children and creative agency Hello Monday to develop Signs, an online platform that uses AI to help people practice and understand American Sign Language. The platform aims to create a validated dataset to account for variations in signing and provide real-time feedback to learners.
Jennifer reviews the Skylight Calendar Max, a 27-inch digital touchscreen display for managing family schedules. She finds the AI-powered Sidekick feature, which can parse various data formats to create calendar events, to be incredibly useful and a potential glimpse into the future of AI in smart home devices.
Zac Hall discusses the newly announced iPhone 16e, which replaces the iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 14. Priced at $599, it offers a modern design with Face ID and an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence features, making it a compelling upgrade for those with older iPhones.
The Humane AI pin is being sold to HP for $116 million, and users will lose access to its services on February 28th, 2025, with no recourse or refunds for most customers. Scott Stein shares his experience reviewing the AI pin, its shortcomings, and his thoughts on the future of AI-augmented devices and their relationship with smartphones.
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