Valve 'Roy' Controllers, Google inserting links, OpenAI Sora leak + more!

Summary

TechLinked Episode Summary: Valve 'Roy' Controllers, Google Linking Strategies, OpenAI Sora Leak & More!

Release Date: November 28, 2024

In the 1000th episode of TechLinked, hosted by Linus Media Group, Riley and the co-host delve into a variety of cutting-edge topics spanning virtual reality advancements, controversial tech updates from Google, AI mishaps from OpenAI, and other intriguing tech news. This episode is packed with insightful discussions, notable quotes, and a celebration of TechLinked's milestone.

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1. Valve's 'Roy' VR Controllers

[00:29 - 01:07]

The episode kicks off with exciting news about Valve's upcoming VR controllers, codenamed 'Roy'. Discovered within the driver files for SteamVR by developer Brad Lynch, the 3D models resemble Meta Quest 3 and 3S controllers but deviate from Valve's traditional designs by omitting tracking rings and knuckle straps seen in the Valve Index controllers.

Riley shares, "Brad and his community quickly generated high-quality renders of the controllers which look very similar to the Meta Quest 3 and 3S controllers..." (00:53).

The community's swift response included sharing designs on platforms like Baby Lint's Discord, allowing enthusiasts to 3D print their own versions. These 'Roy' controllers are anticipated to pair with Valve's Deckard VR headset, which is rumored to utilize inside-out tracking similar to Meta's offerings, thereby eliminating the need for external tracking base stations. Additionally, leaked designs hint at a device codenamed 'Ibex', also known as the Steam Controller 2 or Steam Duke, showcasing Valve's ongoing innovation in the VR space.

Co-host remarks, “I knew Valve still had some innovation in them. Good job.” (01:08).

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2. Google's Page Annotations: Linking Strategies Amid Legal Scrutiny

[01:07 - 02:31]

Riley shifts the conversation to Google's latest feature called Page Annotations, which automatically turns standard text on websites into links directing users to Google’s search results within the Google app. This move has sparked controversy, especially as Google faces lawsuits over allegations of favoring its own services across various jurisdictions.

Co-host quips, “We’re helping.” (02:31), highlighting the somewhat patronizing nature of Google's intervention.

Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable identified this feature, noting it was rolled out about a week prior. An example includes converting the phrase "Osaka castle" at the beginning of an article into a direct link to a Google search for the same term. Riley humorously compares this to “dumping the water cooler on your coach while he's swimming laps,” emphasizing the intrusive and disruptive nature of the changes (02:32).

For website owners wishing to opt out, Google requires them to submit a comma-separated list of their URLs through a designated form and await a 30-day processing period.

Riley explains, "Websites can opt out by submitting their URLs, but it requires patience and effort." (03:00).

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3. OpenAI's Sora Leak: Artist Community Reacts

[02:31 - 03:41]

The discussion transitions to a contentious incident involving OpenAI's Sora video generator. A group of artists, who were given early access to test the tool, leaked the API key on the model hosting platform Hugging Face. This breach momentarily allowed unauthorized users to generate hyper-realistic videos, albeit with underwhelming results like “Shiba Inus riding surfboards in space” and “cats yawning”.

Riley highlights the backlash from artists, stating, “They now feel like they were lured into art washing, making it seem like OpenAI cares about the arts as something other than refined fuel that its advanced hallucinator can burn to make more AI slop.” (03:40).

The group, known as PR Puppets, criticized OpenAI for exploiting artists without proper compensation, relegating them to bug testers rather than genuine collaborators. In response, OpenAI clarified that participation was voluntary and emphasized their commitment to supporting artists through grants and events, distancing themselves from the criticized testing methodology. Access to Sora was promptly revoked to mitigate further misuse.

The co-host succinctly captures the sentiment, “Pretty good.” (03:40).

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4. Additional Tech News

[03:41 - 08:27]

The episode proceeds with a rapid-fire segment covering a diverse array of tech developments:

• TSMC's Advanced Chip Technology [04:00]: TSMC unveiled plans to upgrade its Chip on Wafer on Substrate (CoWoS) technology, aiming to support larger interposers and up to 12 stacks of HBM4 memory by 2027. This advancement will enable chip designers to create processors the size of a human palm, bridging the gap between current wafer-scale chips and practical applications.

  Riley quips, “Like a real one. Like bigger. It's not quite the same as those wafer-scale chips from Cerebras, but it's about what you do with it, you know.” (04:40).

• Intel’s Chips Act Funding [05:50]: Intel's funding under the U.S. Chips Act has been finalized at $7.86 billion, slightly below the initial target of $8.5 billion but includes an additional $3 billion from the government. Riley suggests, “If Intel gives them some extra secure processors, here's a tip. Make them better than the last gen ones.” (05:50).

• Microsoft Clarifies AI Training Practices [06:00]: Microsoft addressed public confusion regarding the training of AI on user documents within Microsoft 365's Connected Experiences feature. The company affirmed that their AI tools are not trained on personal documents, despite some overlapping branding with their Copilot product.

• Elon Musk's XAI Game Studio [06:59]: Elon Musk announced the creation of XAI, an AI-driven game studio intended to revolutionize the gaming industry. Although the concept promises innovation, the co-host expresses skepticism, “But it's like two people now that” (07:01), questioning the practicality amid the saturation of procedurally generated mobile zombie games.

• Innovative Gaming Handhelds [07:01 - 07:34]:

  • Samsung's Foldable Handheld: Inspired by its Z Phone line, Samsung filed a patent for a handheld gaming device that folds in half, allowing controller buttons on both ends to meet when closed.
  • Tencent’s 3D Concept Device: Tencent showcased a concept for a handheld gaming device powered by the Lunar Lake processor. Featuring an 11-inch detachable screen flanked by controllers, this design resembles the ASUS ROG Ally but aims to provide enhanced ergonomics for prolonged gaming sessions.

• Hong Kong Researchers Develop Electronic Lollipops [07:34 - 08:26]: Researchers in Hong Kong introduced a prototype electronic lollipop, a miniaturized gustation interface designed for mixed reality applications. Utilizing iontophoresis, the device can alter taste sensations by transporting flavor chemicals through a biologically safe hydrogel. Available flavors include citrus, cherry, milk, green tea, passion fruit, grapefruit, and durian.

  Co-host humorously remarks, “Can finally stop playing Beat Saber.” (07:32), while Riley adds, “And researchers in Hong Kong have published a paper detailing a way to deliver different taste experiences through a prototype electronic lollipop...” (07:34).

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Conclusion

As TechLinked commemorates its 1000th episode, this installment offers a comprehensive overview of significant advancements and controversies in the tech world. From the anticipation surrounding Valve's innovative 'Roy' VR controllers and the contentious linking strategies employed by Google, to the fallout from OpenAI's Sora leak and various other tech snippets, Riley and the co-host ensure listeners are well-informed and entertained. The episode not only highlights technological progress but also underscores the intricate interplay between companies, developers, and the user community in shaping the future of technology.

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Notable Quotes:

• "Brad and his community quickly generated high-quality renders of the controllers..." – Riley [00:53]
• “I knew Valve still had some innovation in them. Good job.” – Co-host [01:08]
• “We’re helping.” – Co-host [02:31]
• “Pretty good.” – Co-host [03:40]

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For those who missed the episode, this summary encapsulates the essential discussions and insights shared by TechLinked, ensuring you stay up-to-date with the latest in tech and gaming culture.

Transcript

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[Riley]

Valve's new VR controller I'm not reading that.

[Co-host]

You gotta read that.

[Riley]

I'm not reading that.

[Co-host]

It's our thousandth episode. Did you even know? It's not do this for me. It is say it one time.

[Riley]

To celebrate our 1000th episode, Riley asked me to say quick bits a thousand times. So here it is. Quick bits a thousand times.

[Co-host]

Oh, I wanted to be here a while.

[Riley]

3D models for Valve's new VR controllers codenamed Roy have been found in driver files for SteamVR. By who else? Brad Lynch, a developer and creator who's really shown what it looks like to make leaking Valve stuff your whole personality.

[Co-host]

In a good way.

[Riley]

Brad and his community quickly generated high quality renders of the controllers which look very similar to the Meta Quest 3 and 3S controllers with no tracking rings or Valve Index style knuckle straps. Grip it or lose it Baby Lint also posted the designs in their discord so people could 3D print them, which they did. And boy howdy, do those ever look like VR controllers made of extruded plastic. The Roy controllers are likely to pair with Valve's Deckard VR headset, which has been described in prolific leaks by lynch and is expected to forego the index's tracking base stations in favor of Meta Quest style inside out tracking. That is interesting, but perhaps not as exciting as the also leaked design for something codenamed Ibex, aka the Steam Controller 2, aka the Steam Duke. I knew Valve still had some innovation in them. Good job. Make it chunkier Google is turning normal text on websites into links to its own search results within the Google app in an obvious cry for help while being sued for favoring its own services in multiple jurisdictions. The feature spotted by Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable is called Page Annotations and was rolled out by Google about a week ago as a new way to get more info by modifying website owners pages for them and steering users away from the site they're currently using.

[Co-host]

We're helping.

[Riley]

Google's own example shows an annotation turning the first two words of an article describing Osaka castle into a link to a Google search for for the very same thing. Which is a bit like dumping the water cooler on your coach while he's swimming laps.

[Co-host]

Gotcha.

[Riley]

Website owners can opt out of the feature by filling out a form. All you've gotta do is Enter the URLs that you represent in a comma separated list including all variations of the domain, and then wait 30 days for it to take effect.

[Co-host]

Wait, you don't want links?

[Riley]

We A group links Linus A group of artists given early access to OpenAI's Sora video generator for the purpose of testing leaked the Tools API key on the model hosting platform hugging face, briefly giving anyone the ability to summon hyper realistic videos of Shiba Inus riding surfboards in space or cats riding surfboards in space. Those really are the two main ones. In a blog post, the group going by PR puppets decried OpenAI using hundreds of artists to perform bug testing and experimental work with no compensation beyond the chance to enter a competition to have their Sora created films screened.

[Co-host]

Pretty good.

[Riley]

They now feel like they were lured into art washing, making it seem like OpenAI cares about the arts as something other than refined fuel that its advanced hallucinator can burn to make more AI slop. In a statement, OpenAI basically said, well, nobody made you sign up to test it, and the company will, quote, continue to support artists through grants, events and other programs. Just not this one anymore. OpenAI obviously cut off access to SORA when they discovered the leak, but some managed to generate a few rather uninteresting videos of some dudes running down an alley and a cat yawning. Couldn't you have given it a pirate hat or something? That would have been art. And make him wear rain boots? Yeah, that's good. I mean, not that he would need them if he checked out our sponsor Vessi, who says their shoes are waterproof yet feel comfortable right out of the box, which is much better than plastic bags wrapped around your feet. Trust me, I would know. And trust me again when I say that Vessi shoes are a godsend here in Vancouver, where the rain seems to be still holding a grudge against all of us. I don't know what we did, and right now you can step into perfectly dry comfort with Vessi's Black Friday sale. Enjoy up to 40% off. Select waterproof [e-mail] Stay dry and save big by shopping now before the best deals slip away at the link down below. Little Little smaller parts of news Cute toots Just an idea TSMC has shown off its plans to upgrade its chip on wafer on substrate or callos technology to support much bigger interposers and up to 12 stacks of HBM4 memory by 2027. This will allow chip designers to build processors the size of a human palm. Not mine. Like a real one. Like bigger. It's not quite the same as those wafer scale chips from Cerebras, but it's about what you do with it, you know. In other chip news, Intel's Chips act funding has finally been finalized at $7.86 billion, pending the company achieving certain milestones. It's a little less than the original eight and a half billion, but the government threw in an extra three bill. If intel gives them some extra secure processors, here's a tip. Make them better than the last gen ones.

[Co-host]

Just an idea.

[Riley]

I mean a processor that doesn't work is pretty secure. Microsoft has clarified that it is not training AI on your documents after a bit of public confusion over a feature called connected experiences in Microsoft 365, which is what they call Office now, and which shares the same logo as Copilot for some reason. I really hope Microsoft figures out at some point that branding is important. Bring back Clippy and in other AI news, Microsoft is no doubt one of the massive corporations that owns too many game studios, according to a tweet from Elon Musk. Therefore, his solution is that XAI is gonna make games great again by starting an AI game studio with blackjack and hookers. No wait. Sorry. No wait. It really is just that. Isn't it awesome? Beyond any concerns I may have about the abundance of procedurally generated mobile zombie games that we already have, I think the thing that stands out most about this is I just don't get the logic behind xai, which is owned by the world's richest man and is now worth like $50 billion, not counting as a massive cor Big a bank account.

[Co-host]

But it's like two people now that.

[Riley]

Gaming handhelds are all the rage, it's time the market got a little more wacky with the designs. A patent filed by Samsung and spotted by 91mobiles describes a handheld that takes a page from the company's Z Phones book and then folds it in half so that the two ends with controller buttons meet, they're kissing. And then there's this Tencent 3D one, a concept device powered by Lunar Lake, which basically looks like an Rog Ally, but with a massive 11 inch screen between detachable controllers, which looks perfect for getting in some reps while gaming, you.

[Co-host]

Can finally stop playing Beat Saber.

[Riley]

And researchers in Hong Kong have published a paper detailing a way to deliver different taste experiences through a prototype electronic lollipop, or as the researchers call it, a miniaturized portable gustation interface. Microsoft is that you Designed for mixed reality, the device alters its own taste using iontophoresis, sending ions to transport flavor chemicals through a biologically safe hydrogel. The flavors on offer include citrus, cherry, milk, green tea, passion fruit, grapefruit, and durian. As long as I only taste it and I don't have to smell it, then I'm okay. And you know what I would like to smell? You coming back on Friday to get more tech news from me. That'll be the thousand and first episode, which is kind of special in its own way, I guess.

[Co-host]

It's also an episode.

[Riley]

It's also a number.