The rating system on Instagram has long been the subject of user scrutiny. The business outlines a handful of the criteria it uses to decide what users view.

Users of Instagram have long conjectured about how “the algorithm” ranks material on the network and explains why some users’ postings appear to be less prominent than others. Instagram is now disclosing more information about its recommendation algorithm in an effort to at least partially explain why you see particular posts.

The firm lays out its ranking methodology in a blog post according to the places where users will find content: the main feed, Stories, the Explore page, and Reels. There is not a single, all-knowing algorithm that determines what users will want to view and interact with; instead, businesses like Instagram employ a variety of data points to forecast consumer preferences. Unsurprisingly, it claims that a sizable amount of the information used to rate content originates directly from consumers.

For instance, the ranking of Stories depends on how frequently a person checks an account’s updates and if they engage with other users by sending DMs or like a Story. Instagram also tries to determine your relationship with an account, such as if they are a friend or relative.

Similar user data is gathered for reel suggestions; according to Instagram, what a person has liked, saved, shared, or engaged with will determine what they will see next. Instagram is a little clearer about how this works; the business expressly mentions user predictions for actions like resharing videos, watching them through to the end, like them, and clicking on the audio page. Ranking Reels also takes into account the quality of the video’s audio and visual components as well as details about the user who posted it, such as their number of followers or degree of interaction.

Users have a number of options through platforms to try to manage what they view. As a means for people to respond to certain sorts of information, Meta has added “show more” and “show less” choices to Facebook. Users of TikTok have the option to “dislike” videos and make a list of terms and hashtags they do not want to see in their feed.

The effectiveness of these tools, however, is debatable because some research have indicated that user settings to optimize a recommendation system hardly function at all.

I would have laughed in your face if you had told me Samsung and LG would become the leading TV brands in the United States 20 years ago, or, hell, even 15 years ago. But I think since then, I have grown to recognize the signs. Are TCL and Hisense the next Samsung and LG, I wonder now.

I believe there is a compelling case for TCL and Hisense overtaking Samsung as the top two TV brands in the U.S. if we look at their 2023 TV lineups, their recent partnerships with major national sports organizations, and their growth over the previous five years in terms of both technological advancement and sales.

Starting with the TCL 2023 TV lineup. I assume you are already familiar with the QM8 Mini-LED. If not, you need to examine that TV. What more does TCL have planned, though? The Q7, however, has a full-array local dimming backlight technology, quantum dots, high brightness with 1,000 nits peak, and a slew of other desired qualities despite not being a mini-LED TV. Additionally, the 65-inch model costs $1,000 as a comparison. In case you forgot, the R655 from the 6-Series of last year was a mini-LED TV that had a 65-inch screen and cost $1,000.
a TCL Q7 display of an underwater reef.

We may interpret what seems to be less functionality for the same price as a “new year, new TCL” strategy, which I will discuss in more detail later. I believe there is more to it than that, though.

The Q6 model is the next model down in the TCL TV line-up. Although it lacks full-array local dimming, this TV maintains a respectable brightness, supports all HDR formats, has certain features that are helpful for gamers, and has a generally appealing design for anyone without high expectations. The price of the Q6’s 65-inch model is $700.

I can hear you saying, “But Caleb, was not the 65-inch TCL 5 Series model less expensive and it had local dimming?” Okay, no. Also, yes. Although the 5 Series was more expensive, it did include local dimming.
A TCL Q6 displays a colorful tray of fresh fruit.

Below the Q-Series, TCL offers the S Series, a line of absurdly cheap TVs that TCL will undoubtedly sell gallons and gallons of. If Hisense does not surpass TCL in sales in 2023, I believe TCL is in a solid position to take that position. However, I can see how some people could be thinking, “Hmm, the costs stayed the same, but we are receiving less technology for those dollars. What is up?

Well, I believe that a couple things are happening. This year, TCL significantly altered its approach, but the economy and inflation both played significant roles. Costs rise, prices rise as a result of more expensive transportation and more expensive parts. I will return to the strategy section, though, shortly. Let us spend a moment looking at Hisense.
Hisense model line

This year, Hisense also offers the 6-, 7-, and 8-series. In retrospect, Hisense has had a 6-, 7-, and 8-series for a while. Then, is TCL emulating Hisense? Let us examine the Hisense lineup now.
On a Hisense U8K, a field of lavender is visible.

We have the U8K, which has a true 144Hz panel, an ATSC 3.0 tuner, mini-LED, at least 1,500 nits of peak brightness, quantum dots, and a ton of additional capabilities. It also supports all HDR formats. It is a loaded TV. However, if peak brightness is some sort of criterion for where a TV should place in a lineup, it kind of appears like it sits between TCL Q7 and Q8. Unfortunately, we do not know the costs for this series, so we can not yet say how it will compare.

The U7K is another option, and it boasts mini-LEDs, quantum dots, over 500 local dimming zones, a native 144Hz screen, all of the HDR settings, and an ATSC 3.0 tuner. It also offers 1,000 nits. Although we still do not know the price, it appears to compete with the TCL Q7 despite having stronger specifications on paper. Interesting.

The Hisense U6K is another option and is, as you may have guessed, also a mini-LED. It peaks at about 600 nits and contains 200 local dimming zones (technically). Additionally, it has an ATSC 3.0 tuner, a native 144Hz panel, Freesync Premium Pro, Wi-Fi 6, and many other features. The price is unknown. However, it appears to be mocking the TCL Q6.
On a Hisense U6K, a town carved into a slope by the sea is seen.

This year, Hisense is aggressive. It does not really have a response to TCL’s QM8, but it does have the ridiculous UX TV (or U10 if you are not into the whole Roman thing). If you can even find one, I anticipate it will cost more than any Hisense TV we have ever seen.

Or, it is conceivable that Hisense only appears more aggressive in the backlight department on paper and that mini-LED backlight is not much better than conventional full-array LED without good zone management. We will see.
Branding tactics

The fact that I can see shots being exchanged here is what matters. And it only applies to the actual TV products. Now that TCL is putting a lot of effort into its NFL agreement, you can expect to see the TCL logo on a lot of NFL merchandise, NFL stars on all TCL boxes, and TCL front and center at Best Buy.

In the meanwhile, Hisense has collaborated with the NBA and is fully committed to that, so you will see Hisense wherever you look NBA-related. I would not be surprised if Hisense placed NBA players on its boxes, though it could also go the other way and be completely eco-friendly and have no graphics at all.

Anyone wishing to improve their TV will find 2023 to be an astronomically fantastic year.

Whatever the case, it is all quite forceful.

TCL and Hisense will continue to undercut their rivals, as they always have, when we compare the performance and pricing of LED TVs from Sony, Samsung, and LG. The only change is that the performance gaps between the companies are growing smaller.

It somehow makes me think of what Samsung and LG accomplished fifteen years ago. They became more assertive, released TVs that were getting better while keeping their costs cheap, and gradually won customers’ trust. They kept expanding, and now they have reached the pinnacle. We owned a Goldstar air conditioner back when LG was still Goldstar, as I recall. The TV brands we looked at back then were Toshiba, JVC, Panasonic, and Sony. Because Sony is now exclusively a premium brand, Panasonic does not sell in the United States, and two of those brands have just been licensed out, it is satisfied to sell on quality rather than quantity.

TCL and Hisense, in my opinion, are the ones moving this year. This is the beginning of it. TCL and Hisense do now have some difficulties in establishing trust. Political repercussions may also arise, albeit none have as of yet. However, I believe TCL and Hisense will enjoy far greater trust and mindshare in the U.S. than they do today, even only next year, barring a circumstance we have not seen before. And it will continue to expand.

But for the time being, I cannot wait to install these TVs. I wish to test the Hisense and TCL 6-, 7-, and 8-series televisions. This year, we will find out what is what. Watch out for these companies in the interim.

The year 2023 is going to be quite advantageous for anyone wishing to upgrade their TV, that much is clear.

It is customary for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference to set the tone for the company’s future, and in 2023 it may be even more so. Many anticipate that the business will unveil its first mixed reality headgear along with a new platform during the event. The wearable is not the only significant announcement anticipated at WWDC this year, though. A bigger MacBook Air, a significant watchOS upgrade, and even software sideloading on iOS have all been mentioned in rumors. This is what you can expect to see on June 5.
headset for mixed reality

One of the worst-kept secrets inside Apple is its first hardware venture into mixed reality, or the blending of the real and virtual worlds. Tim Cook has not been shy about his ambitions in augmented and virtual reality, and the Apple titan has been purchasing headset-friendly firms for years. However, a headset now seems to be prepared for a WWDC debut – Apple’s event logo even makes a lens-related reference.

If the allegations are true, Apple’s standalone gadget, said to be dubbed Reality Pro, might outperform the Meta Quest Pro and many other high-end headsets. With at least six cameras giving a view of the outside world and complete body motion tracking, it may provide a 4K resolution per eye. It could also make use of an M2 chip, which is more powerful than the mobile CPUs used in most standalone headsets. It is anticipated that it will need an external battery pack and have a two-hour battery life, but that it will be rather lightweight and thin.

The software, though, could be the real star. A new platform (perhaps named xrOS) created with mixed reality in mind will supposedly operate on the Apple headset. Instead of using controllers, you would navigate the UI using hand gestures, gaze detection, and Siri voice commands. You could text in midair and switch between AR and VR using an Apple Watch-style crown.

This first gadget is thought to be productivity-oriented, and VR-ready versions of popular Apple applications like Pages, iMovie, and GarageBand are reportedly in the works. You could even use full-body avatars for one-on-one FaceTime video conversations or use Siri to create straightforward applications. However, there may still be a ton of more fun choices, such as games, exercises, immersive video, and meditation. It is possible that you can use your favorite software without removing the headset as many existing iPad and iPhone apps are believed to operate with very little tweaks. Just do not anticipate a lasting virtual world like a metaverse; Apple has reportedly disqualified it.

Later in the year is when Apple’s headset is anticipated to be on sale. Not that many fans will necessarily find it feasible. According to rumors, the initial model will cost about $3,000, which is three times what the Quest Pro costs. Although a more cheap version is purportedly in the works, the initial release may be specifically targeted towards early adopters, experts, and developers.
a MacBook Air 15″

Up until now, if you wanted an Apple laptop larger than 14 inches, you had to spend a lot of money on a high-end MacBook Pro. After WWDC, that might not be required. According to rumors and developer logs, Apple is about to release a 15-inch MacBook Air that will make big-screen portable Macs more affordable for a wider audience.

Although the 13-inch MacBook Air’s current edition is around a year old, the anticipated 15-inch model would continue to employ a derivative of that system’s M2 CPU and may include 8GB of RAM as a standard feature. A display with a better resolution was visible. Although it lacks a 120Hz refresh rate, the display will be comparable to that of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, and it will not be shocking if the larger chassis enables a larger battery.

17 iOS iPads and iOS 17

Apple’s most significant software update for the iPhone and iPad this year may give users more options. Since months, there have been rumors that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 may support sideloading, or downloading programs outside the App Store, in compliance with European Union competition laws. You may download programs straight from the web or through third-party shops, much as on Android. That would make things conceivable that are not permitted by Apple’s current policies, including web browsers that utilize their own engines rather than WebKit.

Perhaps sideloading is not the only noteworthy aspect. According to MacRumors, Control Center will be updated in iOS 17. The Health app also featured mood monitoring and a life writing tool similar to Day One. There have also been rumors that the firm will simplify the Music and Wallet applications, upgrade Maps’ lock screen user interface, and enhance Dynamic Island’s capabilities on the iPhone 14 Pro. Due to rumors that iPadOS 17 may have a tablet-specific Health app and inherit iOS 16’s lock screen customisation, the iPad may fall behind in certain areas.

Another factor that can be significant is accessibility. A number of iOS innovations that make the iPhone easier for individuals with impairments to use were recently showcased by Apple. For those with cognitive difficulties, Assistive Access offers a simpler user interface, while Live Speech and Personal Voice have iOS read aloud printed content during conversations. Your phone may even say what it reads from buttons and text. Although Apple has not directly stated that iOS 17 will have these capabilities, the fact that it will be released “later this year” implies it is quite plausible.

Apple may use WWDC as an occasion to unveil the updated CarPlay user interface that was hinted at during the previous conference. The business has previously claimed that the platform can handle additional in-cabin equipment, but it has not yet provided any details on how. Apple does not have much time to get developers ready for the upgrade because the first vehicles adopting this experience will not be arriving until later this year.

Updates to iOS and iPadOS usually go live in September or October. However, public betas should be accessible much sooner and often come within a few weeks.

OS 10

The biggest software upgrade in the history of the Apple Watch may soon be released. According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, watchOS 10 will be revamped around widgets, reintroducing remnants of the previous OS’s Glances along with components of the Siri watch face. Although apps will not likely disappear, they could be less prominent in favor of fast glances at information. Gurman hypothesizes that Apple could first make the interface optional to aid consumers in adjusting to the change.

MacOS 14

The next significant Mac platform upgrade is still mostly unknown, although it is reasonable to assume that macOS 14 will launch at WWDC. Apple frequently incorporates functionality from its iOS platform into upgrades to its PC platforms. Betas are often made accessible in late spring or early summer, with upgrades typically coming around October.

M3 and further Macs as wildcards

The general consensus around WWDC is that Apple will not introduce its M3 system-on-chip there, therefore the 15-inch MacBook Air is likely using the M2. Having said that, an introduction can not be ruled out entirely. If so, a denser 3-nanometer manufacturing process is ready to help the new chip achieve performance and efficiency advantages.

It will not be surprising to see additional Macs debut with the Air if the M3 does appear. According to Gurman, a new 13-inch Air is in development, and an iMac with an M3 processor may debut in the second half of 2023. But professional machines are unlikely. According to Gurman, an M3 Pro-based MacBook Pro will not appear until 2024, and we would not anticipate any updates to the Mac Pro or Mac Studio.