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Apple’s Senior VP of Machine Learning Talks Strategy

Andrew Orr ·

John Giannandrea, Apple’s Senior Vice President for Machine Learning and AI Strategy, and Bob Borchers, VP of Product Marketing, spoke with Ars Technica about Apple’s AI strategy and beliefs.

When I joined Apple, I was already an iPad user, and I loved the Pencil,” Giannandrea (who goes by “J.G.” to colleagues) told me. “So, I would track down the software teams and I would say, ‘Okay, where’s the machine learning team that’s working on handwriting?’ And I couldn’t find it.” It turned out the team he was looking for didn’t exist—a surprise, he said, given that machine learning is one of the best tools available for the feature today.

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Tivoo-Max Pixel Art Alarm Clock and Speaker: $149.99

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on the Tivoo-Max pixel art speaker from Divoom. It features a 2.1 speaker setup with an active sub-woofer, and the front of the device is a pixel art display you can control with the Divoom Smart app on your iPhone (or Android device). It also has alarm clock features built in, making it an all around device that is fun, too. The Tivoo-Max is $149.99 through our deal.

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Arrest Made Following $629K Apple Watch Theft

Charlotte Henry ·

The Dutch authorities have arrested a second man in connection with a major Apple Watch theft, AppleInsider reported. The haul was estimated to be worth close to $629,000.

The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, a branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces, arrested a 37-year-old man from Bulgaria on suspicion of theft of 4,400 Apple Watches. The theft occurred on May 16, when six pallets of Apple’s popular wearable were purloined from the warehouse of a transport company at Schiphol East and driven off-site. The six pallets are said to be worth roughly 530,000 euros — almost $629,000. The authorities identified the suspect based on tips after the case was discussed on “Opsporing Verzocht,” a Dutch television program that details unsolved crimes and asks its viewers for help.