Stability AI, the startup behind the AI-powered art generator Stable Diffusion, has released an open AI model for generating sounds and songs that it claims was trained exclusively on royalty-free recordings.
Called Stable Audio Open, the generative model takes a text description (e.g.
Stability AI says that it’s not optimized for this, and suggests that users looking for those capabilities opt for the company’s premium Stable Audio service.
Stable Audio Open also can’t be used commercially; its terms of service prohibit it.
And it doesn’t perform equally well across musical styles and cultures or with descriptions in languages other than English — biases Stability AI blames on the training data.
I was happy — excited, even — to check out Shure’s latest USB microphone.
Its predecessor, the MV7, has been my default podcasting mic since it was launched toward to end of 2022.
If you’ve asked me at some point over the past year and a half to recommend a USB mic, I likely suggested its predecessor.
As for sound, I’ve been quite pleased with the MV7+.
It’s pricey compared to other USB mics, but it’s hard to beat out of the box.
Water authorities and utilities have used acoustic sensors to canvas for leaks and signs of wear and tear for years.
One of these startups, Conservation Labs, is creating a water-listening sensor that attaches to the plumbing in residential, multifamily and office properties.
But as with many — if not most — AI- and algorithm-driven products on the market, it’s tough to know exactly how well Conservation Labs’ tech performs without extensively testing it first.
Like water-listening sensors, acoustic sensors that monitor machines is well-established tech.
Beyond Conservation Labs, startups like Noiseless Acoustics and OneWatt use AI-powered sensors to better understand the patterns of industrial equipment.
Nwm (short for New Wave Maker and pronounced “noom,” a representative told me) makes headphones that use a similar technique to noise canceling, but kind of turned inside-out.
Instead of canceling out noise coming into your ear, the headphones cancel any noise they make that isn’t going towards you.
That’s usually not a problem with earbuds or closed-back headphones, which physically contain the sound they produce.
But nwm’s whole thing is that their headphones are more like a pair of small speakers right by your ears.
The chair is pretty normal looking for a gamer-type one, and you wouldn’t know it had speakers hidden in it.
The new venture will launch this summer in Mercedes-Benz’s electric EQ models, will.i.am told TechCrunch during a press event.
That car had 16 Sound Drive tracks loaded, some familiar and others created especially for the experience.
Sound Drive is not quite a performance as such, Will.i.am likens being a conductor or DJ, but that’s just the beginning.
Down the road, Sound Drive will let you geotag samples, linking auditory cues with memories.
Mercedes-Benz is the first partner, where the technology will launch with 10 tracks this summer as MBUX Sound Drive.
Apple Fitness+ now features a new workout program, “Strength, Core, and Yoga for Golfers,” designed by professional golfer Rose Zhang to improve strength, flexibility and mobility.
The program features four workouts and is led by Fitness+ trainer Kyle Ardill.
Rihanna is the first artist to get a dedicated workout playlist on Fitness+, with ten new workouts coming to the platform on January 8.
Fitness+ is available as a subscription for $9.99 per month or it’s included with the Apple One Premier plan for $32.95 per month.
Also, Apple recently partnered with Anytime Fitness, a U.S. gym franchise, to offer up to three months of Fitness+ at no additional cost.
With the Google Clock App, you can set alarms using a variety of sound options (including songs and podcasts from Spotify or YouTube Music, as well as voice clips). If…
