This week, the tech industry was surprised to learn that Elon Musk would be hiring a new CEO at Twitter. Months after buying the company and taking up the role himself, Musk hinted that he had hired a woman for the position. The following day, he officially revealed the hire was NBCUniversal’s Linda Yaccarino.
Elsewhere in tech, SpaceX and Vast have teamed up to build the first commercial space station. The two companies plan to launch the Haven-1 into orbit, using SpaceX’s Falcon rocket, as soon as mid-2025.
On the software side, Adobe brought its Firefly text-to-image AI to Google’s Bard chatbot. Apple, meanwhile, finally rolled out Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro to iPads.
Below, Hypebeast has rounded up the top tech stories of the week so you can stay up to date on trends in the industry.
Elon Musk Named Linda Yaccarino the New CEO of Twitter
Virginia Sherwood/Nbcuniversal/Getty Images
Linda Yaccarino will be taking the reins from Elon Musk as the new CEO of Twitter. Musk announced the news on Friday, sharing that Yaccarino, a longtime advertising executive at NBCUniversal, would be assuming the position in six weeks.
In her new role, Yaccarino will be focusing her efforts on business operations and advertising. Musk, meanwhile, will remain at Twitter as its CTO, where he’ll work largely on product design and software technology. Musk additionally noted that Twitter would be working towards transforming into an “everything app,” a sort of multi-service destination, though he didn’t elaborate on what exactly that means for the platform’s future.
SpaceX and Vast Announced Plans To Launch the First Commercial Space Station by 2025
Vast
Commercial space flights have become increasingly common in recent years – though still inaccessible to the general public – but now, there are plans for a first-of-its-kind commercial space destination. SpaceX has inked a partnership with Vast, a company for “space habitation technologies,” to build the first commercial space station as early as August 2025.
Announcing the collaboration, the companies shared that the space station would be called the Haven-1. After being launched into low Earth orbit via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, it’ll serve as the destination for a four-person crewed mission, who are set to remain at the station for up to 30 days.
Adobe Brought its Firefly Text-to-Image Tool to Google’s Bard
Pavlo Gonchar/Sopa Images/Lightrocket/Getty Images
Adobe will be bringing its Firefly text-to-image AI software to Google’s Bard. Firefly was just launched earlier this year, operating throughout Adobe apps as a tool for creators to easily edit images, from simply changing the lighting to going so far as to insert an AI-generated animal in a frame. With the partnership, Bard users can describe their vision and generate images directly within the chatbot.
“The incredible response to our Adobe Firefly beta demonstrates the power and potential of generative AI to inspire more people to create and the strong demand for a creator-centric, commercially viable approach,” CTO of Digital Media at Adobe Ely Greenfield said. “We’re empowering millions more people to use Firefly for creative inspiration and design and share standout content with Adobe Express through this integration with Bard by Google.”
Apple Is Launching Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro on iPad
Apple
Creatives who rely on their iPads to work will now be able to use Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Apple is rolling out the programs to iPads, along with new touch interfaces and navigation abilities, come May 23.
The iPad version of Final Cut Pro will feature a “jog wheel” that makes editing easier, as well as intuitive controls for quick fixes on individual frames. Those with an Apple Pencil will be able to draw directly on frames. Logic Pro will have plug-in tiles, an alternative way to manipulate sounds with ease. They’ll also be able to record sound directly through the iPad’s five mics.
Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro will be priced at $4.99 USD per month or $49 USD per year with the first month free. Final Cut Pro will require the M1 chip or later, while Logic Pro will work on A12 bionic chip iPad models or after.
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