News July 19, 2024

Moog Labyrinth Review: A New Way to Sequence

The Labyrinth is a fascinating addition to Moog’s lineup of desktop semi-modular synths, offering an experimental approach that sets it apart from the company’s traditional instruments. Its eight-step, two-track generative sequencer allows for semi-random note selection, creating melodies that change as they fall in and out of sync. The “corrupt” knob introduces randomness, making the Labyrinth a happy-accident machine perfect for improvisation. Despite its chaotic sound, it can be used as a performance instrument, with the ability to force the sequencer to stick to a particular scale and sync it to other gear via MIDI or analog clock. The Labyrinth’s core sound is mellow and less sharp-edged than typical Moog instruments, thanks to its single sine and triangle oscillators, but can add roughness with wave folders and ring modulation circuits. Its 2-pole state variable filter blends from lowpass to bandpass, delivering warm lows and percussive thumps when cranked. While it may not be the best choice for those seeking a classic Moog sound, the Labyrinth is capable of delivering a wide range of sonic textures, from techno kick grooves to apocalyptic tom marches.

Read more

We Asked AI to Take Us On a Tour of Our Cities. It Was Chaos

As we eagerly awaited our perfect days in London and New York, armed with $100 each and high hopes of discovering hidden gems, we turned to AI-powered local discovery chatbot Littlefoot for guidance. With its ability to generate experiences in 161 cities worldwide, we asked it to plan out the ideal day, sharing our starting points, dates, and times, as well as some specific requests - Amanda sought dog-friendly activities in New York, while Natasha aimed to avoid London’s crowded tourist hotspots. The results were…unconventional, with recommendations ranging from niche (climbing a hill in South East London) to vague (visiting the London Zoo without further instruction). Despite its flaws, Littlefoot persisted, suggesting back-to-back gym sessions, concerts and helicopter tours, and restaurants that didn’t open until dinner time. As we navigated our respective cities, we couldn’t help but wonder if this AI-powered itinerary was a work in progress or a sign of things to come.

Read more

Huge Microsoft Outage Linked to CrowdStrike Takes Down Computers Around the World

As the clock struck midnight on Friday, a mysterious phenomenon began to unfold across the globe, leaving a trail of chaos in its wake. Windows machines, once humming along with precision, suddenly froze, displaying eerie blue screens and bringing commerce to a grinding halt. The usually stalwart banks, airports, TV stations, and hotels found themselves crippled by the sudden outage, as flights were grounded and operations screeched to a halt. The culprit behind this digital debacle? A misconfigured software update from cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike, which had been pushed out to its customers in error. As engineers scrambled to contain the damage, officials reassured that this was not a malicious cyberattack, but rather an isolated defect in the Windows update. With millions of dollars at stake and public services in disarray, the world held its breath as the IT giants worked tirelessly to resolve the issue and restore order to the digital realm.

Read more

‘Thelma’ review: June Squibb lives her ‘Mission: Impossible’ fantasy

Meet Thelma, a feisty and determined 93-year-old grandmother who’s not about to let scammers get away with her hard-earned cash. Written and directed by Josh Margolin, this delightful action-comedy follows Thelma as she teams up with her old friend Ben (Richard Roundtree) to track down the crooks and get her money back. With a tongue-in-cheek intensity, the film’s low-stakes action sequences are more rib-tickling than nerve-rattling, featuring a mobility scooter chase around a retirement home that’s sure to leave you in stitches. June Squibb shines as Thelma, a vibrant woman who values her independence and appreciates a good Tom Cruise action movie. With its warm chemistry between the leads, great one-liners, and exciting senior-specific action sequences, Thelma is a tale of underdogs coming out on top that’s sure to leave you feeling uplifted and entertained.

Read more

Wordle today: Here’s the answer hints for July 19

Hey there! It’s time for Wordle again, and we’re here to help you figure out today’s answer with some daily hints and tips. If you just want the solution, you can jump to the bottom of this article, but if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues and strategies to assist you. Did you know that Wordle was originally created by an engineer as a gift for his partner? It quickly became a global phenomenon with thousands of players every day, even inspiring variations like Squabble and Heardle. The New York Times eventually purchased Wordle, and it’s now a popular daily puzzle. But don’t worry if you didn’t get yesterday’s answer - we’ve got the solution right here. So, what’s the best starting word for Wordle? We recommend choosing a word with at least two vowels and some common consonants like S, T, R, or N. And if you’re looking for a hint, today’s Wordle starts with the letter R and has two letters that appear twice. Drumroll please… the solution is REFER! Don’t worry if you didn’t get it - there will be a new Wordle for you to solve tomorrow.

Read more