Apple sues chip startup for alleged theft of trade secrets

Apple has accused a company of stealing its trade secrets. In a complaint filed Friday, the tech giant claims Rivos, a “stealth-mode” startup based out of Mountain View, California, led a recent “coordinated campaign” to poach employees from Apple’s chip design division.

According to Reuters, the first publication to report on the lawsuit, Apple alleges at least two former employees took gigabytes of confidential data with them to Rivos. Among the information those individuals allegedly stole are presentations that detail unreleased chip designs, reports Bloomberg.

“Apple has reason to believe that Rivos instructed at least some Apple employees to download and install apps for encrypted communications (e.g., the Signal app) before communicating with them further,” the company says in the complaint. We’ve reached out to Apple for comment.

Should the case move forward, it’s likely to draw a significant amount of attention, much like Waymo’s suit against Uber for stealing confidential information about its self-driving technology did in 2017. After years of litigation, that case ended with Uber agreeing to settle for $245 million, and with a court sentencing Anthony Levandowski, the engineer at the center of the dispute, to 18 months in prison before former President Donald Trump issued a pardon.

Google’s latest Pixel 6 and 6 Pro update fixes weak haptic feedback for notifications

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Meta’s Project Cambria VR headset likened to ‘a laptop for the face’

Meta plans to release a new high-end virtual reality headset this year, which is codenamed Project Cambria. Some more details about the product, as well as Meta’s VR headset roadmap, have emerged in a report.

Cambria has been described internally as a “laptop for the face” or “Chromebook for the face,” according to The Information. It’s believed to have specs similar to that of a Chromebook and will use Meta’s own VR operating system, which is based on Android. It’s expected to be compatible with web-based tools and services, as well as some Quest apps. However, despite Meta pitching Cambria as a future-of-work device, it may not be able to run native desktop apps that are commonly used by many businesses.

Cambria is said to have high-resolution image quality. This could allow wearers to clearly read text, so they’d be able to send emails or code while wearing the headset. In other words, it may be viable for professional purposes.

Cambria will provide wearers with a view of their surroundings using outward-facing cameras. This feature, called full-color passthrough, will allow for mixed-reality experiences. When it announced Cambria in October 2021, Meta said the headset will include eye-tracking and facial expression recognition features. Users’ avatars in the likes of Horizon Worlds and Workrooms will reportedly mirror their expressions and where they’re looking.

The headset is believed to be heavier than Quest 2 due to a larger battery. However, it appears this is positioned at the rear for better balance.

Cambria will reportedly hit shelves around September and will cost over $799. It was originally earmarked for release last year, according to the report, but it was delayed due to supply chain issues and other complications brought on by the pandemic.

Looking ahead, Meta is said to have three other headsets it plans to release within the next few years as it presses forward with its metaverseambitions. The Information suggests Meta will release Quest headsets in both 2023 and 2024, as well as a successor to Cambria, currently codenamed Funston, in 2024. Additionally, it was recently reported that Meta plans to release its first augmented reality glasses in 2024.

Optoma’s UHD55 projector delivers 4K output and 3,600 lumens for $1,799

Optoma has unveiled a new lamp-based DLP projector that delivers 4K output and a peak brightness of 3,600 lumens. With a claimed contrast ratio of 1,200,000:1, the company says the UHD55 is suitable for daytime use as long as there’s no natural or artificial light falling directly on your wall or projection screen. There’s no mention of Dolby Vision support, but it does offer HDR and HLG compatibility. With its shutter enabled, the UHD55 covers 97 percent of the DCI-P3 wide color gamut.

It also comes with 3D support in side-by-side, top and bottom and frame sequential modes. You can expect to get up to 15,000 hours of use from the included bulb if you use the projector’s built-in Dynamic Black mode. Provided you have the space to accommodate it, the UHD55 can project a 300-inch image.

A dedicated gaming mode limits input lag to below 16 milliseconds at 4K, but the UHD55 is more of a PC gaming projector than a console one. It doesn’t feature an HDMI 2.1 port, limiting its ability to refresh a 4K image at 60Hz. However, connected to a PC, the UHD55’s two HDMI 2.0 ports with HDCP 2.0 support a 240Hz refresh rate at 1080p. Input lag is also reduced to 4 milliseconds or less. Other notable features include Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility and built-in IFTTT support. The UHD55 is available to purchase starting today for $1,799.

Sony’s Quantum Dot OLED TVs will start at $3,000

Sony has divulged the pricing for its 2022 Bravia 4K and 8K TVs, and it won’t surprise you to hear that the cutting-edge models will command a premium. Most notably, the Quantum Dot OLED-based Bravia XR Master A95K series (pictured above) will start at $3,000 for a 55-inch model, and climb to $4,000 for a 65-inch set. Both 4K screens will be available to pre-order in June. They certainly aren’t the most expensive TVs you can buy, but you’re clearly paying extra for the larger QD-OLED color range, the flexible stand setup and bundled video chat camera.

Most of the remaining TVs are decidedly more affordable. If you prefer mini-LED to OLED, the X95K series will begin at $2,800 for a 65-inch 4K panel and climb to $5,500 for the 85-inch variant. They’ll be available to pre-order this summer. You also have lower-priced conventional OLED options. The compact, gaming-friendly A90K (with pre-orders in July) will cost $1,400 for a 42-inch display and $1,500 for its 48-inch counterpart (June). Opt for the larger A80K and you’ll pay between $2,000 and $3,800 for sets ranging from 55 to 77 inches, with most pre-orders beginning this month. The ‘entry’ LED-based X90K will cost $1,400 for a 55-inch model and top out at $3,300 for 85 inches, with most pre-orders also starting in May.

And yes, 8K is still expensive at Sony. You’ll pay $7,000 for a 75-inch Z9K, and $10,000 for the 85-inch equivalent. Both are mini-LED TVs and will include the camera from the A95K when pre-orders open in the summer.

There’s no doubt Sony’s OLED sets will seem pricey compared to some LG and Samsung models. However, it’s evident Sony is betting its image quality and design touches will motivate you to spend more. We’d add that it’s one of the few high-end brands to base its lineups around Android TV and Google TV. If you’re not fond of webOS (LG) or Tizen (Samsung), this may be your best bet.

Apple Music arrives on Roku streaming devices, smart TVs and speakers

Apple Music will be available on the Roku platform starting today. You’ll be able to stream music from the service on any Roku device, including streaming devices, Roku-powered TVs and speakers and soundbars (such as Roku Streambar Pro).

Not only will this be useful for Apple Music subscribers who already have Roku devices, the move could help Apple find more subscribers who might be put off by the likes of Spotify. Newcomers will be able to sign up to Apple Music through the app, which is available in the Roku channel store. After a one-month trial, the service costs $10 per month.

Subscribers get access to a library of more than 90 million songs and 30,000 curated playlists. They can also watch music videos in 4K, check out original shows and concerts and stream Apple Music Radio.

Apple Music is landing on Roku three years after it hit Fire TV and almost as long since its Android app gained Chromecast support. Roku will now have most of the major music streaming services on its platform. It already offered access to the likes of Spotify, Amazon Music and Tidal.

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