As 104 yachts prepare to battle for the biggest title in Australian sailing, we unpack some of the quirks of the Boxing Day challenge. Read...

Another year, another America’s Cup win, a hectic time for Peter Burling and Blair Tuke has left them considering what’s next on the horizon. Read...

It hasn`t been plain sailing for the Interislander, but the government will announce plans for the ferries` future any day now. Read...

It took just a few years for AI art to evolve from text to 2D imagery to generated 3D video. Today, it’s taken the next step with Google’s Genie 2, which can generate playable 3D game worlds that are constructed on the fly, all from a simple text prompt. Google’s Genie 2 is the evolution of its Generative Interactive Environments, which uses AI to construct new, interactive environments on the fly. Genie 1, which Google released in February, could construct 2D environments. Now, Genie 2, which Google announced today, takes that into 3D space. Google calls Genie 2 a “world model,” which means it can simulate virtual worlds, with animations, physics, and object interactions. It’s a two-step process: Genie 2 requires a prompt image to extrapolate into a world, but that image can be itself generated by an ordinary text prompt. Want a cyberpunk Western? Genie 2 will create it. A sailing simulation? That, too. You just need a reference or a prompt to begin. Google In Google’s case, it used an image generated by Imagen 3, as well as concept art hand-drawn by an artist. Within the world, the player — either an AI or a human — can interact with the environment. Google’s demo showed a traditional WASD setup, with the arrow keys as alternatives. The problem, however, is consistency. For whatever reason, the model loses coherency after a short time, typically around 20 seconds or so. (The “longest” model Google created was a minute in length.) Google In part, that may be because the model can generate “counterfactuals,” or the different paths and actions a player can choose from a fixed starting point — turning left or right at a fork in the road, for example. The model has to take into account a “long horizon,” or what happens when a player turns away from a scene, then toward it once again. Google Google said that Genie 2 can accommodate different perspectives, such as an isometric view, a third-person driving video, or a first-person perspective. Water effects are taken into account, as are complex interactions with the environment. In one demonstration, a player was able to slash a balloon, which popped. Smoke, gravity, and reflections are all modeled, but Google isn’t saying to what extent or resolution its models are rendered, or how many polygons are calculated per frame. The Genie 2 environments aren’t just for humans. AI “players” can also be modeled, either as NPCs or as the player character. Google showed off how the AI could be told to go through a specific door with a text prompt, and how the AI could recognize the command, understand what it meant in the rendered environment, and then proceed. Google Google didn’t divulge what computing resources Genie 2 requires, whether it will be released publicly, or even whether it plans to commercialize it. But with AI slowly creeping into games via AI-generated dialogue, it appears that AI-simulated games could eventually be real, too. Just not right away. Read...

Family fear they will never know what happened to David Wickenden, who vanished at sea while sailing off the US with a friend. Read...

Expectations were sky high when Scott Robertson took over from Ian Foster. But 2024 was anything but smooth sailing. Read...

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to AnyTrans Content Manager for iOS for $20.99 with promo code FESTIVE30 and finally manage your iPhone like a pro. Even if you’re a PC user, there’s still a good chance you have an Apple device, and let’s face it — wrangling your iPhone’s data can feel like herding cats. That’s where AnyTrans for iOS comes in. This all-in-one tool on sale for $20.99 with code FESTIVE30 makes transferring, managing, and backing up your content across your iPhone, iPad, and iCloud ridiculously easy. Got a new phone? Skip the headaches and transfer your photos, videos, and music in minutes. Tired of wrestling with iTunes? AnyTrans lets you organize your files without the usual drama. It even makes creating backups a breeze, so you can say goodbye to storage stress and hello to peace of mind. It works seamlessly across all your Apple devices and keeps everything under control with a clean, intuitive interface. With lightning-fast transfers and total flexibility, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Whether you’re upgrading your phone or trying to tame your digital chaos, this is the tool you didn’t know you needed. For just $20.99 with code FESTIVE30, you’ll score lifetime access to AnyTrans Content Manager for iOS — no subscriptions, no extra fees, just smooth sailing.    AnyTrans® One-Stop Content Manager for iOS: Lifetime Subscription – $29.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

The revered sailing trio of Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney won’t be together on their return to elite competition in Dubai. Read...

One of the key benefits of a laptop is its everyday practicality. For road warriors, a laptop lets you take on the world wherever you are; for others, tethering your laptop to your desktop can be a great way to enhance your productivity or even your gaming experience. But what if you mainly use your laptop at home, it’s pretty much always connected to an external monitor, and you don’t really need the laptop screen? In that case, running your laptop in clamshell mode (i.e., with the screen closed) is a fantastic option. You’ll get to enjoy the larger display of a monitor and have better ergonomics to boot. A large external monitor can make a significant difference over a laptop display.Thiago Trevisan / IDG In this article, I’ll explain how to properly run your laptop while closed, the bevy of extra benefits that make it worth doing, plus a few caveats and best practices to keep in mind for best results. What you’ll need to run a closed laptop As it turns out, you’re going to need a few extra accessories in order to properly run your laptop with its screen closed. After all, when it’s closed, you lose access to its built-in keyboard, trackpad, and display, so you’ll have to forego all of them for external replacements. You’ll need a separate keyboard and mouse with your external monitor because you won’t be able to use your laptop’s keyboard while it’s closed.Thiago Trevisan / IDG Yes, you’re going to need a separate keyboard (wired or wireless) and a mouse (wired or wireless). They’ll connect to your laptop either via USB cables, Wi-Fi dongles, or Bluetooth pairing. If you don’t have any extras sitting around, check out our recommendations for the best wireless keyboards, best mechanical keyboards, best gaming keyboards, best wireless mice, and best gaming mice. You’re also going to need an external monitor, which will connect via HDMI cable, DisplayPort cable, or USB-C/Thunderbolt cable depending on your laptop model and specs. You’ll need a monitor that’s compatible with whatever connection you end up using. HDMI is the most widely available — and often preferred — option for laptops with monitors. Don’t have a monitor for your laptop? Check out our recommendations for the best home office monitors, best USB-C monitors, best 4K monitors, and best gaming monitors. If you plan to work on the go a lot, you might also want to consider our picks for the best portable monitors. Thunderbolt docks can provide display and USB ports if your laptop supports them.Thiago Trevisan / IDG If you have a Thunderbolt-enabled laptop, a Thunderbolt dock can be a great way to set up and run a desktop-like environment. Since laptops typically have less input/output connectivity options, a Thunderbolt dock can add back in a host of USB ports and other niceties. (Check out the best Thunderbolt docks according to our experts.) Not all laptops have Thunderbolt, though. If you find that your laptop is lacking in connectivity, you still have another option: a USB-C dock or hub, which does the exact same thing — turns one port into many different ports — just with less power and speed. (Grab one of the best USB-C hubs according to our experts.) Thiago Trevisan / IDG Lastly, just because your laptop is closed doesn’t mean it’s invisible. It’s still going to take up space on your desk, so you’re probably going to want a laptop stand or holder. Not only will it keep your workspace tidy, but it’ll also raise your laptop, improve airflow, and mitigate heat. Related: Are laptop cooling pads worth it? How to keep your laptop running while closed in Windows So you want your laptop to stay awake and running even when you close the lid, but it keeps going to sleep? You’re going to have to make a quick change in Windows’ settings — but don’t worry because it’s easy. Open the Start menu and search for Control Panel, then launch it. In Control Panel, click on Hardware and Sound, then click on Power Options. Then, look to the left side for a link called “Choose what closing the lid does” and click it. You’ll find what you need in the Windows Control Panel.Thiago Trevisan / IDG Here you’ll find tunings for what the power button, sleep button, and lid closing action do on your laptop, and you can choose separate actions depending on whether your laptop is plugged in or on battery. For “When I close the lid,” change both settings to Do nothing, then click Save changes. You’re done! Your laptop will now avoid going to sleep whenever it’s closed, allowing you to use it freely with an external monitor. It’ll stay this way until you come back and change the settings. Caveats and best practices to be aware of Once you have your laptop operating with its lid closed, and once you have your peripherals and monitors and accessories set up, it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there on. However, there are a few things you should probably keep in mind. When using your laptop with its screen closed, it’s a good idea to keep the power adapter plugged in to avoid unnecessary battery drain.Thiago Trevisan / IDG First, it’s a good idea — at least in this particular case — to keep your laptop’s AC power adapter plugged in while using an external monitor. It’s going to draw more power, so your laptop’s battery life is definitely going to be affected (to various degrees, of course). Related: Is it bad to leave a laptop always plugged in? Second, some high-powered gaming laptops — like the Razer Blade 16 — are designed to expel airflow from the top of the keyboard area. That means congestion or even blockage when the lid is closed, in which case you might not want to run it that way due to increased thermals. (Really only a concern with long, strenuous gaming sessions.) But if your laptop exhausts air out of the bottom, sides, or back, you should be fine. Thiago Trevisan / IDG Lastly, I want to reiterate the importance of having a laptop stand or cooling pad when running your laptop with its lid closed. Not only will it help free up desk space, but it’ll also help keep your laptop thermally in check, especially when gaming or doing intensive work tasks. Further reading: How to use a laptop with multiple monitors Read...

The six-time Indycar champion is in Barcelona renewing his decade-long ties with sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke. Read...