The Rivian R2: Are We Pre-Ordering?

WVFRM Podcast74 minutes read

The Waveform podcast hosts discussed tech topics, reviewed the new MacBook Air and Samsung Galaxy S21, and highlighted an interview with Open AI researchers about Sora. They also touched on the Nothing Phone 2A, Pixel 4a, R2 and R3 electric vehicles from Rivian, and Kodak's Kodachrome film stock in a trivia segment.

Insights

  • The new MacBook Air with the M3 chip offers improved graphics performance for an extra $100, making it a pricier but more powerful option compared to the M2 model.
  • Sora, an AI model by OpenAI, focuses on generating photorealistic videos by learning from various video data sources, excelling in realism but lacking sound, with potential for future enhancements to address physical accuracy and audio integration.

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Recent questions

  • What is discussed on the Waveform podcast?

    Various tech topics and product reviews.

  • What are the key features of the new MacBook Air?

    M3 chip, anodization, Wi-Fi 6E, external displays support.

  • What are the storage options for the M2 and M3 MacBook Air models?

    M2: 256GB, upgradeable to 512GB for $200. M3: Slightly more expensive.

  • What are the key features of the Nothing Phone 2A?

    12GB RAM, 256GB storage, Dimensity 7200 Pro chip.

  • What are the key details about the R2 and R3 electric vehicles from Rivian?

    Features, pricing, dimensions, headroom concerns.

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Summary

00:00

Waveform Podcast: Tech Reviews and Debates

  • The hosts of the Waveform podcast are Marquez, Andrew, and David, discussing various tech topics.
  • They mention reviewing the new MacBook Air and the Samsung Galaxy S21.
  • An interview with Open AI researchers about Sora is highlighted.
  • The discussion shifts to Samsung potentially releasing a smart ring, drawing parallels to past product releases.
  • The hosts debate the potential success of the Samsung ring compared to the Aura ring.
  • Apple recently refreshed the MacBook Air with the new M3 chip, replacing the M2 model.
  • The new MacBook Air now supports two external displays when closed, but not three.
  • An anodization feature on the midnight color reduces fingerprints, and Wi-Fi 6E is included.
  • The M3 chip upgrade offers significant graphics improvements for an additional $100.
  • The M2 MacBook Air is now priced at $999, making it a more affordable option for non-GPU intensive tasks.

13:22

Upgrade MacBook M2 to 512GB for $200

  • M2 can be upgraded to 512GB storage for $200, slightly more than the baseline M3.
  • Baseline M2 starts at 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, similar to a $1,000 Galaxy S24 Ultra.
  • MacBook's swap memory is fast, but excessive use may reduce hard drive longevity.
  • Lighter users may find 256GB storage sufficient, but heavy users can quickly fill it up.
  • Some users never fill up 128GB storage, relying on cloud storage and web browsing.
  • Nothing Phone 2A offers 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for $350, a budget-friendly option.
  • Nothing Phone 2A's Dimensity 7200 Pro chip provides smooth performance and good battery life.
  • Camera quality on Nothing Phone 2A is average, with some photos being blurry in low light.
  • Design of Nothing Phone 2A is glossy, prone to fingerprints, but features intricate patterns.
  • White version of Nothing Phone 2A may show fewer fingerprints and highlight design details better.

26:43

Pixel 4a: Best Budget Phone Features

  • The Pixel 4a was priced at $349, considered the best phone at that price point.
  • It featured Google software, eliminating the need for a flagship chip.
  • The phone had a blue accent button and an OLED screen.
  • The Pixel 4a had a modernized design with thinner bezels and a 120Hz screen.
  • The Pixel 4a camera was swapped for a pretty backlights design.
  • The phone's glossy finish made it harder to see and had a noticeable camera bump.
  • The Pixel 4a was larger than the Pixel 4, almost the size of the S24 Ultra.
  • The discussion touched on the size of phones and the Pixel 4a's dimensions.
  • The text transitioned to a trivia segment about Samsung and Angry Birds.
  • The summary then shifted to discussing the R2 and R3 electric vehicles from Rivian, focusing on their features and pricing.

40:03

Model Y: Size, Comfort, and Speculation

  • The Y chair is raised higher for comfort, especially for someone with knee surgeries.
  • The Model Y in LA was disorienting, surprising in size and having a frunk.
  • Dimensions of the Model Y: length 185.6 in, height 66.9 in, wheelbase 115.6 in.
  • The Model Y is 15 in shorter, 11 in less long, and 6 in tighter than the R1S.
  • Concerns about headroom in the Model Y due to its smaller size.
  • The Model Y meets all expectations, except for the front windshield angle.
  • Speculation on potential price changes and reservations for the Model Y.
  • Discussion on the R3, a smaller Subaru-like EV with limited details.
  • Mention of the R3X, a performance version of the R3, and potential pricing.
  • Consideration of an R2T, a Maverick-sized truck, and its popularity in the US market.

54:13

"Del uh Sora: Photorealistic Video Generation Model"

  • Del uh Sora is a video generation model that learns from video data to create photorealistic videos.
  • It combines techniques from diffusion-based models and GPT family models.
  • Trained to generate videos of real and digital worlds, creating a wide variety of content.
  • Sora is trained on publicly available and licensed data by OpenAI.
  • Innovation in Sora allows training on videos of different durations, aspect ratios, and resolutions.
  • Videos are broken into patches for training, enabling versatility in data variety and content generation.
  • Sora excels in photorealism and can create videos up to a minute long.
  • Challenges include accuracy in physics aspects, like hands and trajectories over time.
  • Sora lacks sound in generated videos, with potential future considerations for adding sound.
  • Sora is not yet a product but aims to gather feedback for improvement and future development.

01:09:06

"AI generates Sora videos, Kodachrome film discontinued"

  • Open AI was thanked for their time in generating videos with Sora from a single prompt, taking a considerable amount of time to complete.
  • Marquez led with four points in a trivia game, with Andrew following with two points and David trailing with zero.
  • The company behind Angry Birds, Rovio, is based in Finland, not Belgium or the Netherlands as guessed by the participants.
  • Kodak's discontinued film stock with blue, green, and red-orange sensitivities was called Kodachrome, known for its toxic elements.
  • Kodachrome was a positive film, not negative, and its discontinuation was due to environmental concerns, similar to Fuji Velvia.
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