Two entrepreneurial Auckland business owners have chosen to lead on AI technology rather than to follow and they are reaping the rewards. Read...

There’s a thought experiment called the “infinite monkey theorem” that says, given an infinite amount of time, a monkey that randomly hits keys on a typewriter will eventually reproduce any body of text, including the complete works of William Shakespeare. Maybe you’ve heard of this before? The thought experiment is meant to illustrate the principles of probability and how chance can lead to unexpected outcomes. It’s even been referenced in popular culture, from The Simpsons to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. However, according to a new study, that would take an incredibly long time to happen — far longer than the expected lifespan of the universe. In other words, it’s basically impossible for a monkey to actually type out Shakespeare’s works by mere random keystrokes. Mathematicians Stephen Woodcock and Jay Falletta from University of Technology Sydney (UTS) decided to investigate the theorem in the context of our finite universe: “The infinite monkey theorem assumes an infinite amount of time or an infinite number of monkeys. We decided to look at the probability that a given sequence of letters would be written by a finite number of monkeys within the expected lifetime of the universe.” In the study, the researchers assumed a keyboard with 30 keys that included all letters and common punctuation marks. They used both a single monkey and the current global population of about 200,000 chimpanzees, and calculated a productive typing rate of one key per second until the universe ceases to exist. The results showed that it’s possible (about a 5 percent chance) for a single chimpanzee to type the word “bananas” in its lifetime. But even with all the chimpanzees together, it’s near impossible that they would write the entire works of Shakespeare (about 884,647 words) before the universe ends in 10100 years. (Yes, that’s 1 followed by 100 zeros.) The researchers concluded that it’s unlikely that monkey labor could ever be used as a realistic method of producing complex written works, even if they wrote faster or there were more chimpanzees. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Attractive, minimalist design  Includes LG webOS, remote control, and webcam  Has USB-C with 90 watts of Power Delivery  Cons LG webOS is sluggish at times  Low contrast ratio  Mediocre color gamut   Unimpressive HDR   Our Verdict The LG MyView 32SR85U is packed with features but fails to deliver on image quality. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: LG MyView Smart Monitor 32R85U Retailer Price LG $449.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The differences between monitors and televisions seem to become slimmer every year. Some people now use a television as their monitor and others use monitors like televisions. The LG MyView 32SR85U is an example of the latter. It’s a 32-inch 4K monitor that uses LG’s webOS to provide access to streaming apps and control smart home devices. It even has a bundled webcam.  LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U specs and features  The LG MyView 32SR85U’s basic specifications are typical for a 32-inch 4K monitor that is priced around $500. It has a resolution of 3840×2160 across an IPS panel, with a refresh rate of 60Hz.  Display size: 32-inch 16:9 widescreen  Native resolution: 3840×2160  Panel type: IPS  Refresh rate: 60Hz  Adaptive sync: None  HDR: HDR10  Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB-C upstream with DisplayPort and 90-watts USB-C Power Delivery, 2x USB-C downstream  Wireless: AirPlay, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth  VESA mount: 100x100mm  Speakers: Yes, 2x 5-watt  Price: $599.99 MSRP, $449.99 typical retail  However, several specifications stand out, though none of them have anything to do with the display panel. The monitor has several USB-C ports with up to 90W of USB Power Delivery, which makes them useful for charging a connected tablet or laptop. The monitor also ships with LG’s webOS, which is a smart television operating system that can be used to access streaming apps. And, because it has webOS, the monitor also supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay.  Further reading: See our roundup of the best monitors to learn about competing products. LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U design   The LG MyView 32SR85U’s design is simple but effective for a monitor meant for home office use and entertainment. LG goes for a sheer, ultra-white look which is attractive and should match any similarly colored peripherals you might have on your desk.   An L-shaped monitor stand keeps the display stable. The stand has a small base that minimizes the space the monitor takes up, and the base is flat, so you can still place notebooks or knick-knacks on the stand itself. The stand includes ergonomic adjustments for height and tilt, but I was a bit disappointed to find it doesn’t swivel or pivot into portrait orientation.  Matthew Smith / Foundry The stand also omits a thumb screw for securing the base to the stand neck and instead uses two Phillips head screws, which must be installed with a screwdriver. That’s unusual for a monitor in this price range and makes the monitor slightly more difficult to set up. A 100x100mm VESA mount is included for use with third-party monitor stands and arms.  LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U connectivity   LG takes a somewhat unconventional approach to video connectivity with the MyView 32SR85U. It has two HDMI ports and one USB-C upstream with DisplayPort for video input and provides up to 90W of power delivery for charging connected devices, which is excellent. DisplayPort, the most common connection for a PC monitor, is not included.   The USB-C upstream port connects to two additional USB-C ports, so the monitor functions as a USB-C hub to connect wired USB-C peripherals. USB-A is not available, however, and the monitor doesn’t include a KVM switch function.  The monitor’s physical connectivity is joined by wireless options, which include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Apple’s AirPlay. Wireless connectivity not only provides access to streaming services available through the LG webOS operating system but also allows wireless connections with other devices, like smartphones or a wireless gamepad.   And, because it has AirPlay, the monitor even supports wireless video streaming from an iOS or MacOS device. This is a small but notable advantage over Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8, which has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but lacks AirPlay.   LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U features  Technically, the LG MyView 32SR85U is not a television because it lacks a TV tuner and can’t connect to cable or antenna television over coaxial. It does have LG’s webOS smart television operating system, though, so it effectively works as a television in many situations. WebOS provides access to all the usual streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. It also supports cloud gaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now and Amazon Luna.  Because of this, the LG MyView 32SR85U requires a bit of setup before it’s ready to use. When first turned on, the monitor will ask you to connect to Wi-Fi and complete a few setup steps. Setup takes about five minutes and is like setting up the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED. However, compared to Samsung (which uses Samsung’s Tizen OS), LG’s setup is less visually appealing, and the setup menu feels a bit sluggish.  Matthew Smith / Foundry That sluggishness continues to the general webOS experience. I found the main webOS interface, which displays the available apps and video sources, was responsive. However, it takes a few seconds to load when switching to it from an app or the Windows desktop. The monitor’s on-screen settings menu was also slow. It often took more than a full second to appear (though, again, it was responsive once the menu was visible).   LG includes a remote control to access the MyView 32SR85U’s features, most of which focus on webOS and connectivity instead of image quality adjusts. The monitor’s settings are also accessible through a joystick on the rear of the display, though there’s not much reason to use it when the remote is available.     While I found the MyView 32SR85U’s menus sluggish compared to the Samsung, LG does a slightly better job of arranging the on-screen menus. LG’s menus are arranged in a layout more typical of a monitor (with easy-to-read text labels and nested menus). That contrasts with Samsung’s Odyssey monitors, which place some settings in a confusing “Game Bar” that appears at the bottom of the display.   That makes for a tough comparison with Samsung’s alternatives. I think the LG MyView 32SR85U with LG webOS is easier to use than a Samsung Odyssey with Tizen OS, but the LG was less responsive when navigating the OS. Shoppers must pick their poison.  WebOS provides access to all the usual streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U camera and speakers  The LG MyView 32SR85U has a bundled webcam that attaches magnetically to the top of the monitor. It’s unremarkable. The webcam’s image quality is no better than a typical mid-range laptop webcam. While it’s nice that it’s included, that inclusion probably adds to the price—and I’m not sure it’s a worthwhile trade-off.  A pair of 5-watt speakers are bundled into the monitor. They offer passable sound for listening to a podcast but have a harsh, hollow quality that quickly becomes irritating. Most people choosing the MyView 32SR85U will need to budget for external speakers or a soundbar—especially if you plan to use it like a Smart TV.  Matthew Smith / Foundry LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U SDR image quality  While the LG MyView 32SR85U and the Samsung Odyssey G8 are similar in terms of display size, resolution, and Smart TV features, the similarities end there. LG’s MyView 32SR85U is roughly half the price of the Samsung. That’s good news for your wallet, but it’s not great news for the monitor’s SDR image quality.   Matthew Smith / Foundry The LG MyView 32SR85U gets off to a modest start in brightness with a maximum sustained SDR brightness of 311 nits. That’s bright enough for most situations, but it’s not as bright as many competitive monitors, and it might look dim if the monitor is used in a room with bright interior lighting or large, sunlit windows.   Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast, however, is where the LG MyView 32SR85U really runs into problems, as it has a maximum measured contrast ratio of 950:1.   IPS panels are notorious for limited contrast due to their elevated black levels in dark scenes. Still, the LG MyView 32SR85U’s contrast is unimpressive, even by modern IPS display standards.   The low contrast ratio reduces the sense of depth and immersion in the image and introduces a distracting issue known as “IPS glow.” This happens when too much light from the backlight escapes through the display in dark scenes. The problem is obvious, and distracting, on the LG MyView 32SR85U.  Matthew Smith / Foundry The LG MyView 32SR85U delivers similarly mediocre results in color gamut. The monitor’s color gamut covers 90 percent of DCI-P3 and 84 percent of Adobe RGB. These would have been great results a few years ago, but times have changed, and modern monitors tend to offer a slightly wider color gamut. This is especially true for OLED monitors and those with quantum dot technology. OLED monitors are more expensive, but monitors with quantum dots are available around $500 and below.  That’s not to say the MyView 32SR85U’s color performance is bad. On the contrary, it provides a vivid, punchy, and saturated image. Still, a more limited color gamut means the display will seem a bit dull compared to a monitor with a wider gamut. It’s also an obstacle for content creators, who often work in DCI-P3 or AdobeRGB and crave color gamut coverage well above 90 percent.   Matthew Smith / Foundry While the LG MyView 32SR85U has a modest color gamut, the monitor has top-tier color accuracy. The only exception is in blue and cyan hues, which have a color error in a range that would be visible. Still, this level of performance indicates the monitor provides an extremely realistic and lifelike image.   However, the MyView 32SR85U’s color temperature is not ideal. It measured a default color temperature of 7300K, far above the target of 6500K. That means the image looks much cooler than we prefer. Additionally, the monitor’s default gamma was measured at 2.3, which is slightly off the target of 2.2. That means content may appear a bit darker than it should. However, the gamma result is close enough that most viewers won’t be bothered by it.  Sharpness is certainly an advantage for the MyView 32SR85U, as the monitor’s 3840×2160 resolution offers a tack-sharp look. This is close to the sharpest image available in a 32-inch display, beaten only by a rare few 5K and 6K monitors. They’re far more expensive, though, so I doubt shoppers will compare them to the LG.  Unfortunately, the LG MyView 32SR85U’s SDR image quality isn’t impressive for a 32-inch 4K monitor. The main issue is the low contrast ratio, which saps immersion and leads to distracting “IPS glow.” The monitor also delivers mediocre results in brightness and color gamut. These problems are especially disappointing for a display with Smart TV features. You can use the MyView 32SR85U to watch Netflix or stream a movie from Apple TV—but most viewers won’t be happy with the image quality.  LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U HDR image quality  The LG MyView 32SR85U’s disappointing SDR image quality spells trouble for its HDR performance.  While the monitor can accept an HDR10 signal, it lacks VESA DisplayHDR certification. In my testing, it hit a maximum sustained brightness of just 372 nits in HDR mode. To be fair, that’s similar to price-competitive monitors that have VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification (like the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV). However, 372 nits isn’t enough to deliver on HDR’s potential. As a result, bright objects and scenes often look blown-out.  The LG’s contrast ratio is another significant issue. Dark scenes appear flat and washed out, with a noticeable grayish haze or “fog” over the image. It’s a serious problem in dark, moody movies like The Batman or Pan’s Labyrinth.  While the monitor’s HDR performance is underwhelming, it’s typical for a 32-inch 4K monitor in this price range. Shoppers looking for great HDR in a 32-inch 4K display must spend more for a Mini-LED monitor (like the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8) or an OLED monitor (like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 or LG Ultragear 32GS95UE-B).  LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U motion performance  The LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U isn’t a great monitor for motion clarity. It sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate and doesn’t support Adaptive Sync for smooth frame pacing in 3D games. Motion clarity is fine for a 60Hz monitor, but motion blur is obvious and details become difficult to see when panning the camera quickly in a 3D game.  Should you buy the LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U? LG’s MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U provides a long list of useful extras including Smart TV functionality, a remote control, wireless connectivity, and a bundled webcam. Yet these extras are held back by the monitor’s low contrast ratio, which is limited even for a mid-range 32-inch 4K monitor.   The monitor’s features and quality are at odds, too. It has LG webOS and can be used as a Smart TV, but it lacks the image quality to help shows, movies, and games look great. If you use it for productivity, on the other hand, webOS may feel like an unnecessary distraction. Read...

As far as brands go, Intel has etched itself deeply into my mind as a brand I can trust. To say I get a little excited with each successive chip release is an understatement, especially when they offer substantial performance gains over previous generations. But I haven’t arrived at that point overnight. In one way or another I’ve been enjoying the fruits of the company’s labor for decades — starting with the Intel 386 processor which powered many hours of Wolfenstein 3D gaming. Decades later that trust has been validated time and time again in my job as a reviewer of PC hardware… But, as much as I hate to say it: not so much of late. It’s a situation that doesn’t sit right with me, hence why I’m rooting for a successful Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) reception now that laptops with the chips have already started to ship (as of September 24). It’s off to a great start, as our initial Lunar Lake deep-dive shows. Why Intel needs a golden ticket Suffice it to say, the last 24 months haven’t been the greatest for Intel. One big issue the company has faced has been a problem with some of its desktop processors. In case you’ve been living in a cave, back in 2022 users found stability problems with some of the company’s high-powered 13th- and 14th-generation desktop CPUs, which experienced spontaneous crashes and/or blue screens. It goes without saying that a blue screen is the last thing gamers who’ve forked out serious cashola want to see when they’re just one swipe away from finishing off the Supreme Inspector boss in a game of Black Myth: Wukong. `A nearly perfect productivity pc` with lunar lake Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) Read our review Best Prices Today: $1499.99 at Asus To unpack that issue a little more and why it caused such a stir, it wasn’t so much the fact that there was a hardware problem that hit consumer confidence so badly, but the fact that it took the company so long to diagnose and offer a fix for it. Although the problem was first reported in December 2022, the root cause (Vmin shift instability) was only discovered in July 2024, more than 19 months later. Then, still, Intel only released the first urgent update to the microcode to fix the problem in August this year. The sense of confusion about the issue was only heightened by the media circus that surrounded it. Reports played out like a hard-to-watch beat-up scene in a Rocky film, with Intel receiving blow after blow like Sylvester Stallone’s character Rocky Balboa boxing against a more muscular opponent. The Intel stability issue affected some 13th- and 14th-generation desktop chips running at 65W or above. Intel The blows came from multiple sources, but the ones that hit home the most were the ones from super smart tech folks who seemed to have the upper hand in suggesting a possible cause of the problem before Intel could put a finger on it. But that hasn’t been the only issue Intel has had to deal with recently. To rub salt into its wounds, two of the company’s recent processor releases, its Meteor Lake and Raptor Lake refresh, received only a lukewarm reception. To be fair, these CPUs were dropped into one of the most competitive CPU markets we’ve seen in a long time. They came amid some of the most powerful AI-capable and affordable AMD Ryzen chips we’ve seen to date — not to mention whole new chip types for Windows 11 laptops from Qualcomm. The latter’s entry into the market has presented a kind of existential dilemma for Intel. Qualcomm has shown that — yes, Arm chips can successfully run Windows 11 PCs with similar performance to Intel chips and with only minimal compatibility issues. What’s more, Windows laptops running off these SoCs benefit from unprecedented battery life, sometimes double that of laptops running off Intel’s Meteor Lake chips. Is Lunar Lake Intel’s white wizard? I chose the Rocky Balboa analogy because he’s almost always down and out at the start of each Rocky film but then comes back with a vengeance. It’s what I expect Intel will do, luck being on its side. In my view, the company’s new mobile-first Lunar Lake chip is revolutionary enough to put the company firmly back on top in the chip game. Lunar Lake is a fresh and exciting technology based on a brand-new microarchitecture which includes new P-cores, E-cores, and Battlemage graphics and a new NPU. The new system-on-system design triples the size but quadruples the performance of the processor’s AI accelerator. `lunar lake does it all` Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition Read our review Intel promises Lunar Lake will deliver significant performance gains over rival chips while also providing up to 30 percent reduction in power draw. That means these chips will be extremely zippy but should deliver battery life on par with, or longer than the lengthy ones seen in Snapdragon powered AI laptops. On top of that, Lunar Lake’s AI processing power looks to be formidable. To be sure, it features an NPU with up to 45 TOPS, which equals that delivered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip. It will, however, outperform the X Elite in this regard, thanks to another 60 TOPS AI processing power delivered by the chip’s integrated Xe2 graphics component. Admittedly, it has only one drawback that I can see: That is, since the RAM will be built onto the same package as the CPU, you’ll be limited to a maximum of 32GB, which may not suit some power users. Then again, not everyone needs 64GB RAM in a laptop anyway. Further reading: Tested: Intel’s Lunar Lake wants you to forget Qualcomm laptops exist Read...

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