Year: 2023

 Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA form Alliance for OpenUSD to drive open standards for 3D content

Apple Inc August 1, 2023 0

Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA form Alliance for OpenUSD to drive open standards for 3D content

Alliance to foster global collaboration for Universal Scene Description (USD)

SAN FRANCISCO Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA, together with the Joint Development Foundation(JDF), an affiliate of the Linux Foundation, today announced the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD) to promote the standardization, development, evolution, and growth of Pixar’s Universal Scene Description technology.

The alliance seeks to standardize the 3D ecosystem by advancing the capabilities of Open Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD). By promoting greater interoperability of 3D tools and data, the alliance will enable developers and content creators to describe, compose, and simulate large-scale 3D projects and build an ever-widening range of 3D-enabled products and services.

Created by Pixar Animation Studios, OpenUSD is a high-performance 3D scene description technology that offers robust interoperability across tools, data, and workflows. Already known for its ability to collaboratively capture artistic expression and streamline cinematic content production, OpenUSD’s power and flexibility make it an ideal content platform to embrace the needs of new industries and applications.

The alliance will develop written specifications detailing the features of OpenUSD. This will enable greater compatibility and wider adoption, integration, and implementation, and allows inclusion by other standards bodies into their specifications. The Linux Foundation’s JDF was chosen to house the project, as it will enable open, efficient, and effective development of OpenUSD specifications, while providing a path to recognition through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

AOUSD will also provide the primary forum for the collaborative definition of enhancements to the technology by the greater industry. The alliance invites a broad range of companies and organizations to join and participate in shaping the future of OpenUSD.

“Universal Scene Description was invented at Pixar and is the technological foundation of our state-of-the-art animation pipeline,” said Steve May, Chief Technology Officer at Pixar and Chairperson of AOUSD. “OpenUSD is based on years of research and application in Pixar filmmaking. We open-sourced the project in 2016, and the influence of OpenUSD now expands beyond film, visual effects, and animation and into other industries that increasingly rely on 3D data for media interchange. With the announcement of AOUSD, we signal the exciting next step: the continued evolution of OpenUSD as a technology and its position as an international standard.”

“At Adobe, we believe in providing artists a set of flexible and powerful solutions running on a variety of devices,” said Guido Quaroni, Senior Director of Engineering, 3D&I at Adobe. “Leveraging a common 3D data representation during the creative process multiplies the value brought by each package and device. OpenUSD was created to be one of these ‘multipliers’ and we are excited to see a diverse group of companies joining together to support this innovative and open technology.”

“OpenUSD will help accelerate the next generation of AR experiences, from artistic creation to content delivery, and produce an ever-widening array of spatial computing applications,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group. “Apple has been an active contributor to the development of USD, and it is an essential technology for the groundbreaking visionOS platform, as well as the new Reality Composer Pro developer tool. We look forward to fostering its growth into a broadly adopted standard.”

“Whether you’re building CG worlds or digital twins or looking ahead to the 3D web, content creators need a cohesive way to collaborate and share data across tools, services, and platforms,” said Gordon Bradley, Fellow, Media & Entertainment, Autodesk. “Autodesk is excited to support the Alliance for OpenUSD as it drives 3D interoperability for visual effects, animation, and beyond, and supports our vision to help customers design and make a better world.”

“OpenUSD gives 3D developers, artists, and designers the complete foundation to tackle large-scale industrial, digital content creation, and simulation workloads with broad multi-app interoperability,” said Guy Martin, Director of Open Source and Standards at NVIDIA. “This alliance is a unique opportunity to accelerate OpenUSD collaboration globally by building formal standards across industries and initiatives to realize 3D worlds and industrial digitalization.”

AOUSD steering committee members will be speaking at both the Academy Software Foundation’s Open Source Days on Aug. 6 and at the SIGGRAPH conference at the Autodesk Vision Series on Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. PT in Room 404A.

To learn more about AOUSD and how to get involved, visit www.aousd.org. To tune into the Academy Software Foundation panel on USD on Aug. 6, 2023, visit the website.

About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it. About the Joint Development Foundation The Joint Development Foundation (JDF), part of the Linux Foundation Family, provides the corporate and legal infrastructure to enable organizations to develop technical specifications, standards, data sets, and source code. JDF projects such as Ultra Ethernet Consortium, Alliance for Open Media, Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, and Overture Maps Foundation innovate markets, lead change, and champion open participation and licensing policies. For more information, please visit us at jointdevelopment.org. About the Linux Foundation The Linux Foundation is the world’s leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world’s infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, OpenChain, and more. The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

 Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go coming to Apple Arcade in August

Apple Inc August 1, 2023 1

Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go coming to Apple Arcade in August, along with other fun new games and updates

This August, Apple Arcade will bring more unlimited, uninterrupted fun for players with four new games and more than 30 exciting updates and major events. Players can shake to the rhythm of the beat in the revival of SEGA’s classic rhythm game Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go, and jump into exciting new puzzle games Nekograms+ and Kingdoms: Merge & Build, as well as unique indie game finity., a thoughtfully handcrafted experience that remixes the best elements of iconic puzzle games.

“Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go is coming soon to Apple Arcade with exciting new songs and a series first Story Mode only found on the service,” said Ian Curran, president and chief operating officer of SEGA of America. “Apple Arcade has been a great home to many of our hit franchises, including Sonic, Football Manager, and now Samba de Amigo. It’s given us an opportunity to focus on creating the best games for a whole new audience of mobile players, and we’re looking forward to seeing fans of the series and newcomers enjoy this modern take on one of our classic games.”

Players can also continue to enjoy popular games on Apple Arcade like Crossy Road Castle, Jetpack Joyride 2, Cooking Mama: Cuisine!, along with recently released titles such as TMNT Splintered Fate, Cityscapes: Sim Builder, and Hello Kitty Island Adventure, which are all launching new content this month. This week, Crayola Create and Play+ is teaming up with Hasbro’s My Little Pony, PJ Masks, and Tonka for a special Back-to-School Style Squad event designed to encourage self-expression, creative confidence, and early educational skills. The event will run exclusively in Crayola Create and Play+ from August 4 to 31. Subscribers can check out the Recently Updated section on Apple Arcade to keep up to date on their favorite titles.

With access to a catalog of more than 200 games, with new titles added each month, players can kick back this summer and discover their next favorite game on Apple Arcade, free from interruptions from ads and in-app purchases. Apple Arcade also offers a fun and safe gaming experience for users of all ages, adhering to Apple’s high standards of privacy.

From exploring creativity with the whole family, to puzzle games galore, to a fresh spin on a classic rhythm game, Apple Arcade continually adds new gaming experiences for all players and play styles. New games available this month include:

Nekograms+ (Hungry Sky) - August 8

Get ready to jump into a wholesome and cozy adventure in this adorable cat puzzle game. Move cats and cushions around until each furry friend has found their ideal spot with the goal of making sure every adorable kitty is able to get to sleep. With 120 charming and engaging levels, players will cuddle up with more than 15 different cat breeds and explore three beautifully crafted worlds, while enjoying a soothing and original soundtrack.

Kingdoms: Merge & Build (Cherrypick Games) - August 18

Enjoy a soothing puzzle game experience blended with kingdom-building gameplay in this story-rich adventure. In the king’s absence, a mysterious power has destroyed the kingdom. Now it’s up to Prince Edward and his friends to rebuild the land and save its people. Players will merge unique items to gain resources to construct and renovate buildings and landmarks, complete quests, and uncover the mystery in order to restore the fallen kingdom to its former glory.

finity. (Seabaa, Inc.) - August 25

finity. is a minimalist, thoughtful, and handcrafted 2D game that remixes the best elements of iconic puzzle games to create a reimagined and satisfying puzzle experience. The game combines the skill and complexity of chess, the infinite replay value and flow of Tetris, and the satisfying feedback of the match-three genre to deliver a highly polished experience with depth and complexity that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go (SEGA) - August 29

Get up and shake it on the go in this vibrant rhythm action game. A revival of SEGA’s classic rhythm game series, which has players shaking maracas to the beat, Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go is a modern sequel to the popular 2000’s franchise. The game features three songs found only on Arcade — PSY’s “DADDY (feat. CL),” Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory,” and “The Walker” from Fitz and the Tantrums — along with an exclusive series first Story Mode, where players join Amigo on his quest to reclaim music. With more than 40 hit songs from the world’s most popular music genres, and even more songs post-launch, Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go is a dynamic and unique twist on the classic rhythm game experience.

Pricing and Availability

Apple Arcade is available for $4.99 per month with a one-month free trial. Customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV receive three months of Apple Arcade for free.¹

Apple Arcade is part of Apple One’s Individual ($16.95), Family ($22.95), and Premier ($32.95) monthly plans, with a one-month free trial.²

Arcade Originals are playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. App Store Greats are available on iPhone and iPad.

An Apple Arcade subscription gives a family of up to six unlimited access to all the games in its catalog.

Availability for the 200+ titles across devices varies based on hardware and software compatibility. Some content may not be available in all areas.

This offer is available to new subscribers only. Apple Arcade costs $4.99 per month after free trial. One subscription covers one Family Sharing group. The offer is good for three months after eligible device activation. The plan automatically renews until cancelled. Restrictions and other terms apply.
The Apple One free trial includes only services that are not currently used through a free trial or a subscription. The plan automatically renews after the trial until cancelled. Restrictions and other terms apply.

iOS 17: Some new features won’t be available at official launch

Dan Uff July 31, 2023 1

iOS 17 should be released sometime this Fall. It's currently being beta tested by Apple, various developers around the world, and even individuals. But despite that, these newest features won't be available at launch for one reason or another.

Journal app.
Revised AirDrop.
Collaborative Playlists.

And there could be more updates/additions absent at launch. We'll let you know as soon as we do.

What IS Artificial Intelligence?

CompuScoop Staff July 29, 2023 0

Introduction to AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a fascinating field that has gained significant prominence in recent years. It refers to the development of intelligent machines capable of performing tasks that would typically require human intelligence. The possibilities and potential applications of AI are vast and continue to expand at a rapid pace.

History of AI

The origins of AI can be traced back to the 1950s when researchers began exploring the concept of creating machines that could mimic human cognitive abilities. Pioneers like Alan Turing and John McCarthy played pivotal roles in laying the foundation for the field of AI. Over the decades, AI has witnessed remarkable breakthroughs, including the development of expert systems, neural networks, and machine learning algorithms.

Applications of AI

AI has revolutionized numerous industries and has become an integral part of our daily lives. In healthcare, AI is being used for diagnosis and treatment planning. In the finance sector, AI algorithms are employed for fraud detection and risk assessment. Other areas where AI is making significant contributions include autonomous vehicles, natural language processing, virtual assistants, and smart home technologies.

Ethical considerations in AI

As AI continues to advance, ethical considerations become increasingly important. Questions arise regarding privacy, bias, and transparency in AI systems. It is crucial to ensure that AI applications are developed and deployed responsibly, taking into account potential societal impacts and addressing any biases or unintended consequences.

Future of AI

The future of AI holds immense possibilities. With ongoing research and advancements, we can expect AI to continue transforming various industries and aspects of our lives. From enhancing automation and productivity to enabling breakthroughs in healthcare and scientific research, AI is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping our future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AI has come a long way since its inception and has the potential to revolutionize the world as we know it. However, it is crucial to approach its development and implementation with careful consideration of ethical implications. By harnessing the power of AI responsibly, we can unlock its full potential and pave the way for a brighter future.