DRIVEN BY INTUITION: CAR BY LEXUS

LEXUS ES – DRIVEN BY INTUITION: CAR BY LEXUS

Car companies release new cars on a semi regular basis. The way that car companies promote them do vary on the ‘cool’ scale. However, the Lexus ES has perked our interest. Why? As the film for the car was created and scripted using AI! Created in partnership with The&Partnership London and Visual Voice. It’s called Driven By Intuition and was created by Oscar-winning director Kevin MacDonald ( The Last King of Scotland, Whitney, One Day in September). The interesting thing is that the AI that was used to create this film was developed by IBM Watson. Using multiple data sources too! Such as past award-winning luxury adverts and intelligence on human emotional responses.

This way of producing content is a world’s first and highlights the ways in which humans and machines can work together. Consequently, in this fashion, it was done in perfect harmony. Highlighting the importance of intuition in the relationship between Man and Machine. Helping to promote the responsive features of the new Lexus ES.

Driven By Intuition is not just an ‘advert’ it is a minute long drama. It tells the story of a Lexus takumi master (Takumi is a Japanese word meaning artisan) craftsman. A craftsman who complete’s his painstaking work and releases a brand new Lexus ES to the world. However, it is taken away and threatened with destruction. Ruining all the hard work that he put into it. Yet, the car’s automatic emergency braking system cuts in to save the day. So to demonstrate the effectiveness of the intuitive tech that’s built into the Lexus ES.

How it was made: AI

Lexus’ creative agency The&Partnership London collaborated with technical partner Visual Voice to create the AI scriptwriter. Utilising IBM Watson to analyse a whole range of external audio, text and visual data. The AI then used this data to create a script. Which was not only emotionally intelligent. But entertaining as well! Then Kevin MacDonald was brought on to bring it to life.

The AI was fed with 15 years worth of car and luxury advertisements. Not just any advertisements either. These advertisements have won the prestigious Cannes Lions international awards for creativity! Unruly, a video marketplace, also fed the AI with emotional intelligence data. Consequently the AI knew and understood what moments in an ad connected most strongly with audiences. Therefore understanding how how actions, objects, locations and emotionality are used. Specifically, in different combinations & sequences to communicate the desired messages.

However, you would think that this would just produce a ‘copy cat’ style advertisement. To prevent this, data on Lexus as a brand was fed as a guideline. Thus keeping the script ‘on brand’ to what Lexus is about. AI was coached even further! With intelligence from MindX, the applied science division of the University of New South Wales in Australia. The data included important information, such as what makes humans intuitive! Plus how specific humans with an higher level of intuition respond to car adverts.

The result

The AI generated script is rich in genuine human emotion. However it does introduce some unexpected details. The AI script gives the car some sentience and emotional depth, while appearing to treat human behaviour differently. For example the habit of watching disasters unfold from behind a screen. Yet with a degree of healthy cynicism.

(Lexus)

Behind the scenes:

IF YOU’RE INTERESTED

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Episode 306 Mr Midas and Amarie Cassidy of GRM Daily’s GGR

iStorage diskAshur2

iStorage diskAshur2 PIN Encoded HDD: how to secure your hard drives data!

Ever worried about keeping your data secure if you were ever to lose your hard drives? Even after putting on a password on to the hard drive? We have found the solution with the iStorage diskAshur2! This device is incredibly secure as instead of having a software based password that you have to input into the computer. The password, or should we say PIN! Is built right into the device itself! Therefore creating some of the best security devices we have seen!

Furthermore, the device is easy to use hard drive is ultra secure and is PUN authenticated. Providing some of the best data protection available today. Including real-time AES 256-bit XTS hardware encryption. The iStorage diskAshur2 has incredible data transfer speeds as well. As the hard drive has USB 3.1 capabilities. The PIN is inputted into the device with an easy to use keypad, enabling you to securely access the drive. The PIN has a 7-15 digit PIN and works across all operating systems. Such as Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Chrome and more! It will work on almost any device with a USB port!

Unique

The iStorage diskAshur2 is GDPR compliant too and has dedicated hardware based secure microprocessors, which employ built in physical protection mechanisms. So, these are designed to defend against any external tamper and bypass attacks. Therefore, the iStorage diskAshur2 is very unique as it reacts to an automated attack by entering a deadlock frozen state. The drive will simply not work unless the PIN is entered. There is literally no way around it!

So, what are you waiting for? Purchase your own iStorage diskAshur2 by clicking here!

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Just Cause 4

Just Cause 4

We have got our hands on another heavy hitter for 2018 and that’s Just Cause 4! 

The open world giant focuses this time round on massive destruction, crazy explosions and more player creativity. Other things will come into play and start to affect a players experience during their time with Just Cause 4. For example, the new outing from Avalanche Studios will include bouts of extreme weather. Like their namesake, blizzards, as well as playing tag team with storms that include lightning and tornados!

Famous for it’s out of it’s world physics and craziness, Just Cause 4 will also allow players to get wild with their fighting. Users will have the ability to use grapples and boosters! However, this time round there is much more choice. For example one of them will allow players to bind vehicles and enemies together before catapulting them into the sky! Just Cause 4 is out now on PS4, Xbox One and PC. (Polygon)

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Overcooked 2 Surf 'n' Turf

Overcooked 2 Surf ‘n’ Turf

There’s some brand new DLC coming for Overcooked 2 it’s called Surf ‘n’ Turf! Overcooked 2 Surf ‘n’ Turf is now available digitally on XboxOne, PlayStation 4, PC and Nintendo Switch™ priced at £4.49/€4.99/$5.99.

So, if you are unaware of what Overcooked 2 here’s a little refresher:

Overcooked 2 is a co-op game that allows 1-4 players to help serve recipes to hungry customers in an series of unconventional kitchens. The game will follow players across kitchens located in hot air balloons, a magical school and even planets! Don’t forget to dodge the fires, collapsing floors or overbearing waiters!

For more information click here!

Surf ‘n’ Turf will throw players into another adventure with the Onion King. Introducing 12 brand new kitchens. However, in these levels you’ll be at the swimming pool or the beach, to name a couple. With new stages, brings new obstacles, for example, the beach could bring you a tidal wave, therefore keep those food coming before you get wiped out!

There are three new chef’s introduced in Overcooked 2’s Surf ‘n’ Turf. The parrot chef, island chef and Boof makes a return, in his holiday shades too! Alongisde new chefs and levels there are two new recipes for players to get tucked into. Fruit smoothies and kebabs! Furthermore, that’s not all! New kitchen equipment is introduced such as the juicer, the bellows and the water pistol!

Overcooked 2 Surf ‘n’ Turf Key Features

  • New Levels! Surf ‘n’ Turf features 12 new story levels. Explore the island from the pool to the beach, just watch out for waves and…. conga lines?!
  • New Chefs! Three news chefs join Overcooked 2. Parrot chef, Island chef and returning chef, Boof
  • New Recipes! Blend fruit into refreshing smoothies and BBQ tasty skewers for your hungry islanders
  • New Mechanics! Who said washing up had to be dull? Blast your plates clean with the trusty water pistol. Stoke the fires of your BBQ with the bellows but be aware that the hotter the fire, the quicker your food will burn

(Credit: Overcooked 2/Team 17 Press Release)

So why not, purchase Overcooked 2 by clicking here!

 

Episode 305 Kae Kurd

Nintendo UK alongside the government-funded Digital Schoolhouse (DSH) programme are holding a Super Smash Bros tournament. Yes you read that right, a Super Smash Bros School Tournament.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate

It’s coming up to the holiday season time of the year and for all the gamers out there, they know what that means! HEAVY HITTER and AAA game releases! We’ve already had some killer titles in Red Dead Redemption 2, Fifa 19, Call of Duty Black Ops 4 and the Switch has not been left behind. In what is one of the most anticipated games for the Nintendo Switch since it was released, will it make it’s way to the Switch, won’t it make it’s way to the Switch? Well, your questions have been answered and Super Smash Bros Ultimate is the Switch’s version of Super Smash Bros and it’s out NOW!

Features

We’re massive fans of Nintendo and their numerous franchises and we really love one of the Switch’s AAA title releases, Super Smash Bros Ultimate! While it’s not only an incredible fighting game, it features all of our favourite characters in it! 70 playable characters is an insane amount! Consequently we don’t think we’ll ever get bored! Including:

  • Mario
  • Donkey Kong
  • Link
  • Yoshi
  • Samus
  • Pikachu
  • Fox
  • Bowser
  • Ryu
  • Mega Man

That’s only 10 and we’re already super pumped to unlock all of them! To read more about the fighters click here!

While, we’re a huge champion of multiplayer games and the Super Smash Bros franchise is a perfect example of the genre, a definite ‘go to’ at parties! The fast paced nature of the game and with over 100 different stages to fight on in Super Smash Bros Ultimate. Some with shape shifting stages and stage hazards too! Therefore we believe that Super Smash Bros Ultimate will be named one of the multiplayer games of the year! Are you a music fan? Well, there are up to 800 different tracks in the game! So you won’t get bored hearing the same game track over and over again. Definitely something that we’re interested in hearing here at How To Kill An Hour!

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Lets Play: Override: Mech City Brawl

Love robots? Love fighting games? Well we have just the game for you! It’s called Override: Mech City Brawl and it is a LOT of fun! We suggest that you mainly play with friends as it’s a lot more enjoyable with a buddy than without. Don’t have a buddy in the house with you? Fear not as there is online multiplayer to get your robot beat em up fix!

Features

There are a rang of different mechs to take a hold of. Like many fighting games, each character has their own play style, special moves and finishers. The environments that you fight in are totally destroyable too, therefore you’re able to completely obliterate entire cities on your quest to become the king of the mechs! Especially since your fists are the size of skyscrapers!

There are a total of 12 characters that you can play in and a whole host of famous cities to duke it out in. Such as Tokyo and San Francisco, countries also include Egypt and Mexico, quite the mix of environments!

As well as multiplayer users are also able to fight in co-op mode. Sounds weird doesn’t it? A co-op mode on a fighting game. Tag Team mode? Nope. Something very very different and very very cool, if we say so ourselves! In co-op mode 2-4 players take control of one part of a mech! Speaking of mechs, they are fully customizable to whatever you desire.

Story mode takes you along a journey to defeat the alien invasion and save the world, so you got to use the same drill-powered horns or old fashioned mouth lasers that you do to defeat your foes in multiplayer to help save the world in story mode.

(Override: Mech City Brawl)

First DLC

Following the launch of Override: Mech City Brawl, Stardust a downloadable DLC character, the games first post-launch DLC will bring this incredible mech to gamers. The mech has a penchant for posing extravagantly and kicking up hooves of steel, unleashing an all manner of aerial launches and sassy shooting stars.

Owners of the Super Mega Charged edition of Override: Mech City Brawl will get this character for free! As well as Stardust, any future mechs released, owners of the Super Mega Charged edition will also recieve them for free. If you purchased the normal edition it will cost you £3.29, Stardust will come to consoles on December 14th.

Overall this game is tons of fun and a very unique spin on the fighting genre. We especially liked the co-op mode and found it challenging yet tons of fun. If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air in the beat ’em up genre, look no further than Override: Mech City Brawl!

 

Purchase Override: Mech City Brawl by clicking here!

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Blue Yeti Nano

Blue Yeti Nano

Arguably the world’s best USB Microphone has been miniaturised and made even better for all content creators out there! The Blue Yeti Nano is a premium USB Microphone which is designed for everyone interested in creating. For example, podcasters, YouTubers, Gamers, Streamers and even in the workplace with SKYPE and VoIP! The Blue Yeti features 24-bit sound quality, an incredible compact design and is easy to use, simply plug and play! From our testing there is no lag or latency, there’s a headphone output allowing for monitoring. There’s also mic muting and pickup pattern choices available directly from the microphone too.

Pickup Patterns?

The Yeti Nano is incredibly versatile, as it allows users to record single or multiple sources at once! Simply tap the pattern selection button on the device to set one that’s right for the content you’re currently working on. Cardioid mode is perfect for single host podcasters, game streamers and voice over artists as it is dealing with a single voice or source. Omnidirectional mode is great for those when there is more than one person/source being recorded. Such as a dual host podcast or a conference call with more than one person in the room.

Quality

The Nano is very very clear. It was designed with two proprietary mic capsules which are designed specifically to give voices presence and detail. The Blue Yeti Nano supports high quality 24bit/48khz recording, allowing for crystal clear audio each time!

Design

The Yeti Nano is beautifully designed and looks great on camera. Making it the perfect microphone for those who record their podcasts on camera or a video game streamer. What do we like the most about the design? The little channel on the metal stand which allows for a sleak input of the wire. No more wobbly or messy microphones!

Set Up

Set up is a breeze as Blue have made the Yeti Nano easy to use, whether you’re a beginner or an expert content creator! Simply plug in the device and you are good to go! The device works across a multitude of programmes such as Adobe Audition, Audacity or Garageband. Whatever your software of choice. It just simply works. You can even use the Yeti Nano with a boom arm! Simply purchase the Radius III shock mount and attach it to a Compass Broadcast Boom Arm!

There’s an app for that!

The Blue Sherpa Companion App will allow content creators to get the very best from the Yeti Nano. Mute, Unmute microphones/headphones, fine-tune gain and levels, switch polar patterns, and change sample rates all in one place! What’s even more impressive about Sherpa? It will download any firmware updates directly to the Yeti Nano!

(Amazon)

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