Recently I finally got my hands on a LoongArch processor, the ISA developed by China’s Loongson Technology as an evolution from their earlier use of the MIPS64 ISA and inspired by RISC-V and other modern ISAs. The Loongson-3B6000 features 12 cores / 24 threads with dual channel DDR4 ECC memory support. Here is a look at how that latest-generation LoongArch desktop processor compares to the current generation AMD Zen 5 and Intel Arrow Lake desktop processors under Linux. Plus also tossing in the Raspberry Pi 5 (Raspberry Pi 500+) for an ARM reference point.
Category Archives: Unfiltered RSS
Narwhals become quieter as the Arctic Ocean grows louder
For most of their evolutionary history, narwhals have relied more on sound than sight to survive in the Arctic’s dark icy waters.
The speckled toothed whales—sometimes referred to as “unicorns of the sea” for the long, spiral tusks that protrude from the heads of males—navigate, hunt, and communicate using echolocation. By emitting a series of calls, whistles, and high frequency clicks—as many as a thousand per second—and listening for the echoes that bounce back, they are able to locate prey hundreds to thousands of feet deep and detect narrow cracks in sea ice where they can surface to breathe.
But as global temperatures continue to rise, the acoustic world narwhals depend on is rapidly shifting throughout their range, from northeastern Canada and Greenland to Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and Arctic waters in Russia. It’s getting louder.
Starbucks Bets on Robots To Brew a Turnaround in Customers
Starbucks has been pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into AI and automation — testing robots that take drive-through orders, virtual assistants that help baristas recall recipes and manage schedules, and scanning tools that count inventory — as the 55-year-old coffee chain tries to reverse several years of struggling sales.
The company last week reported its first same-store sales increase in two years in the U.S., where it earns roughly 70% of its revenue. Shares still slid 5% on concerns that heavy spending, including $500 million to boost staffing, had hurt profits. CEO Brian Niccol, who joined in 2024 after engineering Chipotle’s turnaround, told the BBC he is confident consistent growth will address that; the company has pledged to find $2 billion in cost savings over three years.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple Revamps Online Store With Custom Macs—But You Can Save Elsewhere
Apple is taking a partial page from bulk OEM system builders and boutique PC outfits by now offering a similar part-by-part configuration process, rather than the old way of serving up a selection of preconfigured models. The component options haven’t changed, but the way you go about piecing together a Mac feels a little more personal and
The Out-of-Touch Adults’ Guide to Kid Culture: Humans Are in a Dance Battle With AI Babies
Your social media feed is probably showing you something totally different, but this week, young people are fleeing TikTok (or at least posting about fleeing TikTok), AI and humanity are locked in a high-stakes dance battle, AI food is yelling at everyone, and we’re learning a lot about “young hos.”
TikTok refugees head to Upscrolled
Since it was released in 2017, social media platform TikTok has been the way young people communicate, but that could be changing. Alarm over recent changes in the app’s privacy policy and accusations that its new, American owners are messing up the algorithm have some users deleting their accounts and leaving. Or at least saying they’re leaving. But where will they go?
The last time this kind of thing happened, TikTokers headed to another Chinese social media app called RedNote, but this time, a lot of people say they’re migrating to Upscrolled. The app, which briefly hit number one on the app store charts, was created by Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian entrepreneur Issam Hijazi. Upscrolled promises an antidote to the “Double standards, algorithmic bias, selective censorship, and profit over principle” of other social media platforms. The app doesn’t allow “hate speech” but promises less censorship of ideas, no shadow-banning, no data-sharing, and “No black-box AI” for curation, all delivered in a form-factor that’s familiar to users.
So, what’s the downside? Well, it’s a small team and it seems to be having some issues with the number of downloads. More troubling are reports of a flood of antisemitic material appearing on the site. In a statement to The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Upscrolled spokeperson Gabriella Bord wrote, “Our content moderation hasn’t been able to keep up with the massive rise of users this week,” and “We’re working with digital rights experts to grow our Trust & Safety team and are beefing up our content moderation to prevent this,” so maybe the moderation team is just having some growing pains.
Viral video of the week: human vs. AI baby dancing
This week’s viral video is more of a viral video trend, and it involves a battle of dancing babies.
It starts with the post below, from @mindalchemy0236, which I apologize for in advance.
An ad for the “Baby Dance” app, this video has been viewed over 100 million times. It became so overplayed on TiKTok that users fought back in the only way they could: Through dance. In a modern re-enactment of the American myth of John Henry vs. the Steam Engine, users on TikTok are locked in dance battle with AI. People responded to the annoying ad with videos of their human children doing the same dance for real, joking that it was to save $1.98, the app’s price.
Kids got into it, throwing shade at AI at the same time.
Then grown-ups got in on it,
Grannies started doing it,
and celebrities like Lisa Rinna got into the act.
So it turned into a whole thing, and according to some users, human users ended up winning because TikTok’s algorithm is showing more human remakes than the original ad that annoyed everyone. What does it all mean? Is this how the robot-human war will be decided? How does it relate to the original dancing baby, one of our first internet memes? Is history turning back on itself and should we invest in Ally McBeal reruns? I just don’t know, but for what it’s worth, John Henry won the battle with the steam shovel, but the effort exhausted him and he died.
AI food yelling videos: brain rot that’s good for you
I’m always trying to find good things about artificial intelligence. So far I got:
But I’m adding videos of food yelling at people.
For real though. This growing meme format involves asking AI to make videos of food angrily telling you how to properly and safely prepare and store it. They’re entertaining, educational, and if one person remembers to throw away rice that’s left out, it could save a life and be worth all that cooling water. Kids need to know all this junk and for some reason they like brain rot. Check out these meaty boys:
And these angry fellas:
I can’t vouch for the accuracy of every food tip on the hashtag, but I watched a bunch of these videos and so far, they’re solid.
What does “young ho” mean?
I’m sure you know what both “ho” and “young” mean, but put them together and it becomes something else, both a reclamation of the word “ho” and an expression of youth-based solidarity.
The trend started with mildly insulting, older-people-bag-on-youngins posts on X like this one:
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
But over on TikTok, @kensdremgurl went viral by laying down a mini-manifesto for young hos:
Summing up the list with, “all a young ho is is someone who’s freed themself from being inconvenienced.”
Other TikTokers started listing which young ho traits they share
and making their own observations, adding these traits to the list:
-
Throwing away the containers from Chinese food, even if their mom wants to save them.
9to5Linux Weekly Roundup: February 1st, 2026
The 277th installment of the 9to5Linux Weekly Roundup is here for the week ending February 1st, 2026, keeping you updated on the most important developments in the Linux world.
Specialized issues stop-ride notice on Turbo Como SL due to steerer tube cracks
Specialized has issued a stop-ride notice on all of its Turbo Como SL models after identifying a potential issue with the forks.
The brand says the steerer tube on affected models may develop a small fatigue crack, which could lead to a progressive failure of the fork, posing a fall hazard.
All Turbo Como SL bikes sold from 2021 onwards are affected, including all Turbo Como SL 4.0 and 5.0 bikes, with belt or chain drives.
Specialized says the ‘Como SL’ marking typically appears as a small, subtle graphic on the top tube or back of the seat tube.
Other Como bikes without the ‘SL’ designation are not affected.
The brand says owners should stop riding the bikes immediately, warn new owners and await an update to its recall page.
As of last month, it said it would be several weeks before there are details of an approved rework plan.
The list of affected SKUs is here.
The latest iPad mini is $100 off right now
We’ve finally made it to February, but, with the ongoing long nights, you might want a pick-me-up to get you through the rest of winter. Take the Apple iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip, which is on sale for $400, down from $500. Its small size is perfect for cozying up on the couch or to use on your daily commute.
Apple released this iPad mini in late 2024 and it was a solid update. We gave it an 83 in our review thanks to the power of its A17 Pro chip and that it comes with a minimum of 128GB of storage. The model currently on sale comes with 128GB, Wi-Fi and all four color options: Blue, Purple, Space Gray and Starlight.
We named the Apple iPad mini our favorite compact iPad — though, to be fair, its only competitor is itself. Still, it’s a good iPad with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, Apple Intelligence and 12MP Wide back and 12MP Ultra Wide cameras. For 20 percent off, it’s a great option for a light, useful way to entertain yourself through the rest of winter and beyond.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-latest-ipad-mini-is-100-off-right-now-140900983.html?src=rss
Sony’s Massive 85-Inch Bravia 5 Mini LED 4K TV Is $700 Off Right Now
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Mini LED tech has finally filtered down to more mainstream big-screen TVs, but the pricing jumps fast once you start looking at premium brands and larger screen sizes—that’s why the current price on Sony’s 85-inch Bravia 5 stands out. It’s selling for $1,698 on Amazon (down from $2,399.99) which is the lowest it’s been so far, according to price trackers. At this size, that discount meaningfully shifts the math, especially if you’re after a large screen from a brand known for dependable processing and a polished smart TV experience, rather than chasing raw specs alone.
The Bravia 5 steps is the successor to Sony’s X90L, swapping full-array local dimming for Mini LED backlighting and adding a higher number of dimming zones. It runs Google TV (version 12), supports Dolby Vision, and handles DTS audio passthrough. There’s also a practical perk for Sony soundbar owners: the TV’s built-in speakers can function as a center channel. On the gaming side, two HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K at 120Hz, along with variable refresh rate and G-sync compatibility. That said, Game Mode isn’t flawless. Pixel response times are on the slower side, which can introduce noticeable motion blur, particularly in fast-paced titles. SDR brightness is strong enough for daytime viewing, but HDR output doesn’t deliver the kind of punch you might expect from a Mini LED panel at this size and price.
Where the Bravia 5 struggles most is contrast consistency and viewing flexibility. Despite the upgraded backlight, black levels and overall contrast don’t represent a major leap over the older X90L, and reflections can still be distracting in brighter rooms. The narrow viewing angle also limits its appeal for wide seating layouts. If pure picture performance is the priority, competing Mini LED models from TCL or Hisense, or even some OLED options, offer stronger contrast for similar money. Still, for buyers who value Sony’s processing, Google TV’s clean interface, and long-term brand reliability, this price drop makes the 85-inch Bravia 5 a far more compelling option than it usually is.
China’s Decades-Old ‘Genius Class’ Pipeline Is Quietly Fueling Its AI Challenge To the US
China’s decades-old network of elite high-school “genius classes” — ultra-competitive talent streams that pull an estimated 100,000 gifted teenagers out of regular schooling every year and run them through college-level science curricula — has produced the core technical talent now building the country’s leading AI and technology companies, the Financial Times reported Saturday.
Graduates of these programs include the founder of ByteDance, the leaders of e-commerce giants Taobao and PDD, the billionaire behind super-app Meituan, the brothers who started Nvidia rival Cambricon, and the core engineers behind large language models at DeepSeek and Alibaba’s Qwen. DeepSeek’s research team of more than 100 was almost entirely composed of genius-class alumni when the startup released its R1 reasoning model last year at a fraction of the cost of its international rivals.
The system traces to the mid-1980s, when China first sent students to the International Mathematical Olympiad and a handful of top high schools began creating dedicated competition-track classes. China now graduates around five million STEM majors annually — compared to roughly half a million in the United States — and in 2025, 22 of the 23 students it sent to the International Science Olympiads returned with gold medals. The computer science track has overtaken maths and physics as the most popular competition subject, a shift that accelerated after Beijing designated AI development a “key national growth strategy” in 2017.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Experimental Linux Code For 1GB PUD-Level THPs Shows 34% Faster Memory Access Times
Early, experimental code for implementing 1GB PUD-level THPs in the Linux kernel are showing positive benchmark results but other upstream stakeholders were surprised by this patch series appearing and it looking like it could be a while until if/when the patches are mainlined for helping to reduce translaction lookaside buffer (TLB) pressure without resorting to Hugetlbfs…
NASA gears up for one more key test before launching Artemis II to the Moon
If all goes according to plan Monday, NASA’s launch team at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will load 755,000 gallons of super-cold propellants into the rocket built to send the Artemis II mission toward the Moon.
The fuel loading is part of a simulated countdown for the Space Launch System rocket, a final opportunity for engineers to rehearse for the day NASA will send four astronauts on a nearly 10-day voyage around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. The Artemis II mission will send humans farther from Earth than ever before. The astronauts will be the first to launch on NASA’s SLS rocket and the first people to travel to the vicinity of the Moon in more than 53 years.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA’s launch director for the Artemis II mission, will supervise the practice countdown from a firing room inside the Launch Control Center a few miles away from the SLS rocket at Kennedy Space Center. In a recent briefing with reporters, she called the Wet Dress Rehearsal—”wet” refers to the loading of liquid propellants—the “best risk reduction test” for verifying all is ready to proceed into the real countdown.
This Eufy Outdoor Camera Bundle Is $250 Off Right Now
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Adding outdoor security cameras to your home setup can get expensive fast, especially once you factor in subscriptions and extra hardware. This deal on a Eufy SoloCam E30 four-pack makes that math a little more palatable. It’s currently $299.99 on Amazon, down from its usual $549.99 price, which is the lowest price it’s ever been, according to price-tracking tools. That brings each camera to about $75, which still isn’t cheap, of course—but unlike many other camera brands, these don’t require a monthly subscription, which is a great perk.
Each of these IP65-rated cameras runs on internal batteries that last about three months between charges, depending on how often motion is detected. Solar support helps extend that. Eufy says around two hours of direct sunlight per day is enough to keep them topped up. You can also hardwire the cameras if you want continuous recording, including short pre-roll clips, though the power cables are sold separately. You also get 360-degree pan and 70-degree tilt coverage per unit, which helps cut down on blind spots around driveways or yards. Video is captured in enhanced 2K resolution with an f/1.6 aperture, making nighttime footage via infrared night vision fairly crisp. There’s no built-in spotlight, so there’s no color night vision here, but for general monitoring, black-and-white is often enough.
Footage can be stored locally on the included HomeBase S280, which has 16GB built in, or on a microSD card up to 128GB (sold separately) if you want more space. Smart home support includes Alexa and Google Assistant, but Apple HomeKit is not supported. Two-way audio is included, and the HomeBase can support up to 16 cameras, so expanding later is an option. This setup is not for people who want cloud storage or advanced smart home integrations. It makes more sense for those who want local control, predictable costs, and broad coverage without wiring the entire house.
Compact SMARC module combines Linux, AI, and vision on i.MX 8M Plus
Variscite has introduced its first SMARC compatible SoM family with the VAR-SMARC-MX8M-PLUS, built around NXP’s i.MX 8M Plus processor. The module is designed for compact embedded and industrial systems that combine AI and vision processing with extended connectivity and integrated security. The module is built around the NXP i.MX 8M Plus processor, featuring a quad-core […]
Rolling Tide Race Series Announced: A Season-Long Race That Grows With You
Rolling Collective (RollCo) has launched Rolling Tide, a new year-long Zwift race series built around a simple but demanding idea: start small, build big.
Rolling Tide begins with a short, sharp opener and increases in distance by 1 kilometer every week, culminating in a full-distance endurance race at the end of the year. More than just another race on the calendar, Rolling Tide is about commitment, momentum, and shared growth, a collective journey where improvement is earned through consistency.
What Makes Rolling Tide Special
A Race that Evolves
Most events test riders on a single night. Rolling Tide tests them over time. Early weeks reward explosiveness and sharp efforts, while later races demand patience, pacing, and resilience. The format naturally evolves, mirroring the way real fitness is built.
A Reason to Come Back
Rolling Tide is supported by an ongoing ZwiftPower leaderboard, encouraging riders to measure progress, track rivals, and build season-long narratives. It’s not just about today’s result, it’s about where you finish after riding the entire tide.
Fair, Competitive, and Inclusive
Each race is run as a categorised scratch event, ensuring competitive racing at every level while keeping the shared experience intact. Whether riders are chasing podiums, rivalries, or personal milestones, everyone starts the journey together.
A Shared Story
Rolling Tide is designed to create familiarity. The same names. The same time slot. The same rising challenge. Riders will remember where they started and who they rode alongside when they reach the final weeks of the season.
Race Schedule and Details
Events occur weekly in 5 timeslots:
- Wednesdays at
- 6:50pm UTC/1:50pm ET/10:50am PT
- 11:50pm UTC/6:50pm ET/3:50pm PT
- Saturdays at
- 11:05am UTC/6:05am ET/3:05am PT
- 5:05pm UTC/12:05pm ET/9:05am PT
- 11:05pm UTC/6:05pm ET/3:05pm PT
The first race kicks off Wednesday in France: a 1km sprint on Macaron. There’s no lead-in, just a hard, straight start through to a harder finish. Can you be quick off the line without the benefit of building up momentum first? Is your pre-race warmup to scratch?
See upcoming Rolling Tide events at zwift.com/events/tag/rollingtide
About Rolling Collective
Rolling Collective (RollCo) is a community-driven cycling club built around shared momentum and riding Forward, Together. Through races, rides, and creative events, RollCo aims to build long-term engagement, meaningful competition, and a culture that celebrates showing up.
Everything you need to know about the 2027 Tour de France Great Britain Grand Départ
The Tour de France has announced the routes for the three opening stages of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes in 2027.
This will be the first time both races have started in the same country, outside France, in the same year and will provide a spectacular six days of top-tier racing for British cycling fans in July.
We’ll run through the 2027 men’s and women’s UK stages and what to expect. We’ll also report on reactions to the news, both good and bad, and offer a history of the Tour’s previous visits to the UK and British riders’ successes at the Tour.
Men’s 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ stages
The action starts with the team presentations on Wednesday 30 June, which will take place at Edinburgh Castle, ahead of the Grand Départ on Friday. Expect to see the pros warming up and admiring the sights around the city.
Stage 1: Edinburgh > Carlisle
- Friday 2 July 2027
- 184km
- Ca 2,000m elevation gain
Stage 1 will head south through the Scottish Borders, taking in towns including Galashiels and Hawick, well-known from the Tour of Britain, before running along Hadrian’s Wall and heading into England. There’s one categorised climb on the route – the 2.2km, 6.7% average gradient Côte de Melrose, contributing to around 2,000m of total ascent.
Stage 2: Keswick > Liverpool
- Saturday 3 July 2027
- 223km
- Ca 2,800m elevation gain
Stage 2 is a hillier affair, with around 2,800m of climbing and five categorised climbs, predominantly through the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, before a flattish run into Liverpool.
Stage 3: Welshpool > Cardiff
- Sunday 4 July 2027
- 223km
- Ca 3,000m elevation gain
Things get even hillier through Wales, with a total of 3,000m of climbing and eight categorised climbs – two with average gradients of over 10%. The longest is the 6.6km Côte de Bannau Brycheiniog, a 3.5% climb taking the riders over the Brecon Beacons. There’s a final 12.5km downhill run into Cardiff.
Women’s 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ stages
The full route of the three Tour de France Femmes 2027 stages has yet to be announced, but we know it will twice traverse the Pennines before a final stage in or around London.
Stage 1: Leeds > Manchester
- Friday 30 July 2027
- TBA km
- TBA elevation gain
Stage 2: Manchester > Sheffield
- Saturday 31 July 2027
- TBA km
- TBA elevation gain
Stage 3: London > London
- Sunday 1 August 2027
- TBA km
- TBA elevation gain
What has the reaction been to the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ?
Christian Prudhomme, the Tour de France’s director, has said: “The UK has always welcomed the Tour with passion and pride, and the route details we are revealing today reflect the beauty and diversity of Britain’s terrain. Bringing both Grands Départs here is a testament to the strength of our partnership with British Cycling and the enthusiasm of the UK.”
Official reaction to the announcement has been enthusiastic, with UK government minister for sport, Stephanie Peacock, stating: “These routes will reach places few other events can and give people another reason to be proud of where they live.”
Scottish first minister, John Swinney, said: “The Tour de France starting in Edinburgh will be a moment of real national significance and a powerful endorsement of Scotland’s ability to deliver on the biggest international stages.”
Eluned Morgan, first minister for Wales, added: “Wales is proud to host a stage of the Tour de France Grand Depart for the first time in 2027, which will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase our stunning landscapes at one of the world’s biggest sporting events.”
As reported by the local press, reaction in areas the Tours will pass through has been overridingly positive, too.
As with the 2014 Tour, there are plans to use the Tour’s UK stages as a springboard to tackle inactivity and improve mental wellbeing. Named Joy, this initiative will aim to tackle various social issues.
Not everything in the Tour’s UK garden is rosy, though. As Charlie Allenby pointed out in his March 2025 BikeRadar opinion piece, hosting one Grand Départ, let alone two, is expensive. He cites a reported bill of €5 million for Florence’s 2024 Grand Départ and £4.2m for the three 2014 UK stages.
Total costs for the 2014 UK Tour stages were estimated at almost £30m, although a cost:benefit analysis cited by Allenby suggested that there was a net economic gain of close to £100m. But with the parlous state of UK road racing, he suggests the money could be better spent promoting UK cycling’s grassroots and nurturing a new generation of star riders.
There have been questions, too, about the state of roads potentially on the routes, specifically Snake Pass in Derbyshire, which could be on Stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes. It’s reported to need millions of pounds spending to stabilise the road surface, which is suffering from severe subsidence, and is reduced in places to a single carriageway.
The Tour may at least provide a kick to get it sorted, with the UK government potentially helping Derbyshire council to foot the bill.
Note, too, that Manchester and Sheffield are only 60km apart via Snake Pass. So there’s plenty of scope for the race to bypass the road completely, perhaps going in the opposite direction to tackle the Holme Moss climb, which featured in the 2014 Tour’s Stage 2. The Tour likes its history and frequently makes repeat visits, as highlighted by the Leeds Grand Départ.
The Tour de France and the UK
Although this is the first time the Tour de France Femmes has visited the UK, the men’s Tour de France has been in the country on four occasions.
The first visit, in 1974, saw the peloton, with Joseph Bruyère of Belgium in the yellow jersey, spend a day racing laps of the A38 Plympton bypass in Plymouth before returning to France. It was not judged kindly. Eddy Merckx won the race overall for the fifth time.
The Tour didn’t return until 1994, when the riders travelled through the newly opened Channel Tunnel for two stages: Dover to Brighton and a loop starting and finishing in Portsmouth. The race, overall, was won for the fourth consecutive time by Miguel Induráin.
The Tour’s third visit was in 2007, with a Grand Départ prologue in London and a first road stage from London to Canterbury over 203km, won by Aussie sprinter Robbie McEwen, before the Tour returned to France, with Alberto Contador winning overall. The five British riders starting the 2007 Tour included two future winners and represented the largest number in 20 years.
By its fourth visit in 2014, Britain had caught the cycling bug and the Yorkshire Grand Départ was a spectacular success, with two stages through the Pennines followed by a third UK stage from Cambridge to London, finishing on the Mall.
British favourite for the 2014 overall win, Chris Froome, crashed three times during the subsequent two stages as the race headed through northern France, and abandoned, opening the way for Vincenzo Nibali to win in Paris.
Britain’s success at the Tour de France
The first Briton to finish the Tour de France, in 1955, and to win a stage, in 1958, was Brian Robinson. The first to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey was Tom Simpson in 1962, although that was only for stage 12.
Chris Boardman took the yellow jersey in the 1994 Tour prologue time trial in Lille, the second UK rider to wear it, and held it for the subsequent three stages, although he lost it to Johan Museeuw before the race headed through the Channel Tunnel to the UK on Stage 4.
He was followed the same year by Sean Yates, who also wore the jersey for only one stage. Boardman again took the jersey for a single stage in both 1997 and 1998, following wins in the prologue time trial. He was followed in 2000 by David Millar, who took the jersey in the first-stage time trial and held it for stages 2 and 3.
It wasn’t until 2012 that Britain’s run of overall wins started with Bradley Wiggins, followed in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 by Chris Froome. He was succeeded in 2018 by Geraint Thomas.
Starting in 2008, Mark Cavendish was racking up stage wins, as well as donning the yellow jersey in 2016. By 2024, he’d reached a total of 35 stages, the greatest by any rider at the Tour and almost half the UK riders’ total tally of 78 stage wins. He also scooped up the Tour’s green points jersey in 2011 and 2021.
Adam Yates (no relation) is the only other British rider to date to wear yellow, but no British rider has yet won a stage of the Tour de France Femmes or led the race.
Is AI Really Taking Jobs? Or Are Employers Just ‘AI-Washing’ Normal Layoffs?
The New York Times lists other reasons a company lays off people. (“It didn’t meet financial targets. It overhired. Tariffs, or the loss of a big client, rocked it…”)
“But lately, many companies are highlighting a new factor: artificial intelligence. Executives, saying they anticipate huge changes from the technology, are making cuts now.”
A.I. was cited in the announcements of more than 50,000 layoffs in 2025, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a research firm… Investors may applaud such pre-emptive moves. But some skeptics (including media outlets) suggest that corporations are disingenuously blaming A.I. for layoffs, or “A.I.-washing.” As the market research firm Forrester put it in a January report: “Many companies announcing A.I.-related layoffs do not have mature, vetted A.I. applications ready to fill those roles, highlighting a trend of ‘A.I.-washing’ — attributing financially motivated cuts to future A.I. implementation….”
“Companies are saying that ‘we’re anticipating that we’re going to introduce A.I. that will take over these jobs.’ But it hasn’t happened yet. So that’s one reason to be skeptical,” said Peter Cappelli, a professor at the Wharton School… Of course, A.I. may well end up transforming the job market, in tech and beyond. But a recent study… [by a senior research fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies A.I. and work] found that AI has not yet meaningfully shifted the overall market. Tech firms have cut more than 700,000 employees globally since 2022, according to Layoffs.fyi, which tracks industry job losses. But much of that was a correction for overhiring during the pandemic.
As unpopular as A.I. job cuts may be to the public, they may be less controversial than other reasons — like bad company planning.
Amazon CEO Jassy has even said the reason for most of their layoffs was reducing bureaucracy, the article points out, although “Most analysts, however, believe Amazon is cutting jobs to clear money for A.I. investments, such as data centers.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
This 32in-wheel gravel bike could solve frame problems for tall riders – and I think it’s stunning
Cross-country mountain biking is buzzing with chatter around the arrival of 32in wheels and we’ve heard plenty of rumours about brands considering this largest wheel size for gravel. Now, Australian titanium and steel expert Baum has unveiled the new DBM 32.
The benefits of 32in wheels are said to be improved stability, grip and roll over rougher surfaces. What Baum sees, however, is a solution to the problem of building custom bikes for very tall riders.
“A 32-inch wheel makes a lot of sense for tall and very tall riders,” says Darren Baum, “but a 32er is not going to work for everyone because of the extra standover and reach. A bigger wheel size allows us to build a bigger frame with better proportions, which is something that has really been missing from the market.”
Six months of testing
Baum has been test riding the bike for more than six months and is now confident enough to offer the larger wheel size to its customers.
Until now, it has been reluctant to offer the option because there was limited availability of 32in-specific parts: rims, forks, spokes and especially tyres.
However, with the commitment of major players such as Schwalbe, we’re seeing this burgeoning standard expanding enough for Baum to put the DBM 32 into production.
Baum explains that his decision to add the DBM 32 to the brand’s roster isn’t based on the ‘trend’ – it’s down to his experience of riding his own 32in prototype.
He also invited other riders to try the bike and provide feedback.
“Perhaps the most surprising thing has been how quickly everybody has been able to adapt to the bigger wheels,” Baum says. “They roll really well, offer lots of grip, and they are very stable, which is exactly what we were all saying when we started using 29-inch wheels.
“32-inch wheels aren’t going to replace 29-inch wheels, but they will allow me to make a better bike for tall riders.”
First DBM 32 details
The first production bike, the DBM (Drop Bar Mountain) 32, was built for one of Darren’s customers – a seasoned cyclist who is 6ft 7in (200cm) tall, with a saddle height of 91cm, and has always struggled to get a proportionally correct bike.
The frame is made from seamless 3AL/2.5v titanium tubing, matched to a head tube made from a billet of 6AL/4V titanium. All of the components come via ENVE, including its 32in-compatible rigid carbon mountain fork.
The frame’s 2.6in clearances have been retained from the (standard) DBM gravel design. That gives enough clearance for the 32in Maxxis Aspen tyres. To get this level of clearance, the seat tube is custom-curved, combined with a 3D-printed chainstay yoke, and by using a wide 89.5mm T47 bottom bracket shell.
The bike is finished with a SRAM XX SL groupset, matched with RED AXS levers, RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post, and ENVE bar and stem. The 32in wheels are custom-built for Baum and everything is finished in a Matt Camo custom paintjob.
Pricing is in line with the current DBM gravel bike, with frame-kit prices starting at around AU$13,450 (circa £6,850 / $9,500) and complete bikes from AU$16,192 (circa £8,300 / $11,400).
TikTok says it’s ‘back to normal’ after winter storm-related outages
TikTok is finally “back to normal” in the US after days of technical issues and outages tied to winter storms. Less than a week after companies like Oracle took ownership of TikTok’s domestic operations, the platform faced a major power outage when one of its primary US data center sites — run by Oracle — got taken down by the storm.
The problems started last Monday, January 26, when TikTok announced it was working on a “major infrastructure issue” and warned of bugs, time-out requests, missing earnings, and more. The next day TikTok shared that progress has been made but there were still some issues. It added, “Creators may temporarily see ‘0’ views or likes on videos, and your earnings may look like they’re missing. This is a display error caused by server timeouts; your actual data and engagement are safe.”
Then, yesterday, February 1, TikTok claimed the problem was straightened out and that users shouldn’t experience any more related issues. “We’re sorry about the issues experienced by our U.S. community. We appreciate how much you count on TikTok to create, discover, and connect with what matters to you,” the platform stated in its update. “Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
A number of US users have uninstalled TikTok in response to its new ownership and technical issues. Some users also claimed that TikTok was censoring what they could post or what others saw. For instance, The Guardian reports that many people faced issues sharing videos about ICE agents killing Alex Pretti and general anti-ICE content.
On January 26, analytics firm Sensor Tower told CNBC that uninstalls of the app had increased by over 150 percent during the five days since its change in ownership, when compared to the three months before. At the same time, independent app and competitor UpScrolled saw a surge in downloads.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/tiktok-says-its-back-to-normal-after-winter-storm-related-outages-114848212.html?src=rss
Rust Coreutils Continues Working Toward 100% GNU Compatibility, Proving Trolls Wrong
Sylvestre Ledru who serves as the lead developer of the uutils project for the Rust Coreutils implementation presented at FOSDEM 2026 this weekend on this initiative. Ledru has spoken at FOSDEM in prior years on Rust Coreutils and this year’s talk focused primarily on Ubuntu 25.10’s adoption of it in place of GNU Coreutils…