Much of the Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA) steam was lost when AMD began focusing on its Radeon Open eCosystem (ROCm) software stack. While AMD was just one of several founding members, there doesn’t seem to be much going on for the HSA effort as we roll into 2021 and in fact their website has been down for an extended period of time…
Source: Phoronix – The HSA Foundation Has Been Eerily Quiet As We Roll Into 2021
Monthly Archives: December 2020
Google Pilots a Search Feature That Aggregates Short-Form Videos From TikTok and Instagram
Google is testing a new feature that will surface Instagram and TikTok videos in their own dedicated carousel in the Google app for mobile devices — a move that could help the company retain users in search of social video entertainment from fully leaving Google’s platform. From a report: The feature itself expands on a test launched earlier this year, where Google had first introduced a carousel of “Short Videos” within Google Discover — the personalized feed found in the Google mobile app and to the left of the home screen on some Android devices. To be clear, this “Short Videos” carousel is different from Google’s Stories, which rolled out in October 2020 to the Google Search app for iOS and Android. Those “Stories” — previously known as “AMP Stories” — consist of short-form video content created by Google’s online publishing partners like Forbes, USA Today, Vice, Now This, Bustle, Thrillist and others. Meanwhile, the “Short Videos” carousel had been focused on aggregating social video from other platforms, including Google’s own short-form video project Tangi, Indian TikTok competitor Trell, as well as Google’s own video platform, YouTube — which has also been experimenting with short-form content as of late.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Google Pilots a Search Feature That Aggregates Short-Form Videos From TikTok and Instagram
Google removed the Pixel 5's and 4a 5G's ultrawide astrophotograhy mode
When Google came out with the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G earlier this year, you could use the company’s astrophotography mode with any one of their primary cameras. But that’s not the case anymore. After Google updated its camera app in November, the Pixel co…
Source: Engadget – Google removed the Pixel 5’s and 4a 5G’s ultrawide astrophotograhy mode
Google Is Testing a "Short Video" Carousel That Would Surface Instagram and TikTok Videos
Google is reportedly testing a new mobile search feature that would surface TikTok and Instagram videos in their own dedicated carousel — the search giant’s apparent answer to a growing appetite for short-form video content.
Source: Gizmodo – Google Is Testing a “Short Video” Carousel That Would Surface Instagram and TikTok Videos
Who Are The Stand's Heroes? Allow Them to Reintroduce Themselves
Whether you’re talking about Steven King’s book or the new CBS All Access show, The Stand is not a story that’s easily, or quickly, summarized. In a pinch though, it kind of boils down to a group of heroes, lead by Mother Abigail, and a group of villains, lead by Randall Flagg, battling for control of the world after…
Source: io9 – Who Are The Stand’s Heroes? Allow Them to Reintroduce Themselves
The Lasso of Truth Is Wonder Woman 1984's Real Star
In Warner Bros.’ Wonder Woman 1984, princess Diana of Themyscira whips out a bevy of new, magical tricks to aid in her fight to save the world. She does battle with both Max Lord and Cheetah, two villains meant to embody all wanton greed and consumption that defined the decade. Though both her foes are armed in their…
Source: io9 – The Lasso of Truth Is Wonder Woman 1984’s Real Star
New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Ignore Scientists' Advice on Alcohol Limits
The newest dietary guidelines from the U.S. federal government are out, and there are some surprising omissions. While the guidelines continue to emphasize the value of a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, they don’t recommend that American men substantially cut down on alcohol—contrary to the advice…
Source: Gizmodo – New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Ignore Scientists’ Advice on Alcohol Limits
Watch Out for Streaming Service Price Hikes in 2021
Price hikes for streaming TV has become a new holiday tradition, as Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu have increased their subscription prices ahead of 2021. For that reason, year-end is a good time to confirm how much you’re paying for subscriptions, and cancel those that you’re barely using.
Source: LifeHacker – Watch Out for Streaming Service Price Hikes in 2021
WW1984 lassos solid box office return, record downloads for HBO Max
Enlarge / Wonder Woman 1984 posted the strongest box office showing yet during the pandemic, despite many movie theaters still being shuttered. Warner Bros. just fast-tracked a third film in the franchise with Director Patty Jenkins back at the helm.
Wonder Woman 1984 has posted the strongest box office showing yet during the ongoing pandemic, despite many movie theaters still being shuttered, raking in an estimated $85 million globally thus far. The film was simultaneously released on HBO Max on Christmas Day, and the streamer also reported that downloads were in high demand. In light of that strong showing (especially given the unprecedented circumstances), Warner Bros. has fast-tracked a third Wonder Woman film, with Patty Jenkins writing and returning as directors and Gal Gadot back in the title role.
“As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of Wonder Woman 1984, we are excited to be able to continue her story with our real life Wonder Women—Gal and Patty—who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy,” Toby Emmerich, Chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said in a statement.
The studio hasn’t released any hard streaming numbers for HBO Max, just the following statement: “Nearly half of the platform’s retail subscribers viewing the film on the day of its arrival, along with millions of wholesale subscribers who have access to HBO Max via a cable, wireless, or other partner services. HBO Max also saw the total viewing hours on Friday more than triple in comparison to a typical day in the previous month.” But according to Bloomberg News, the market-research firm Apptopia estimated that 554,000 users signed up for the HBO Max app between Friday (Christmas Day) and Sunday. There were 244,000 downloads on Sunday alone, a single-day record for the streaming platform.
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Source: Ars Technica – WW1984 lassos solid box office return, record downloads for HBO Max
Experience alternate computing with the Pe text editor
The Haiku operating system is a bold but successful attempt at reviving an old OS called BeOS. In the 1990s, BeOS was positioned to become the foundation for the next evolution of the Apple Mac line of computers. Back in the 1990s, Apple Inc. was poised to acquire BeOS as its next generation operating system. At the last minute, however, Apple decided the price was too steep and acquired the UNIX-based NeXT operating system instead (and so Mac OS X was born).read more
Source: LXer – Experience alternate computing with the Pe text editor
Weirdly Enough, 2020 Was Apple's Biggest Year in a Long Time
While most of us were having a horrible year, with lives and jobs up-ended by the global pandemic, tech companies sailed through 2020, buoyed by a stock market completely divorced from reality and consumers in need of products and software to do work and school at home. Apple was one such company, breaking its own…
Source: Gizmodo – Weirdly Enough, 2020 Was Apple’s Biggest Year in a Long Time
Watch the Boston Dynamics robot family dance like 2020 was a good year
With a namesake like Atlas, you wouldn’t think Boston Dynamics’ bipedal robot would be the most lithe specimen on the planet. But then we’ve already seen it has a knack for parkouring, and now you can add dancing to its list of talents. In its latest…
Source: Engadget – Watch the Boston Dynamics robot family dance like 2020 was a good year
McConnell Doesn't Care About Section 230 or the Election—Just Keeping Your Relief Check Small
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell moved to block consideration of a House-approved stimulus package on Tuesday that includes $2,000 checks for many Americans—an amount sought after by a rising chorus of Republicans and an outgoing President Trump.
Source: Gizmodo – McConnell Doesn’t Care About Section 230 or the Election—Just Keeping Your Relief Check Small
How I Learned to Stop Being So Jealous and Finally Get on with My Life
Jealousy and envy are two of the most common—yet negative and useless—emotions many of us have. For a long time, I let both of these destructive feelings overwhelm and poison me. Here’s how I finally gained control over them.
Source: LifeHacker – How I Learned to Stop Being So Jealous and Finally Get on with My Life
Decade-Long Study Finds No Credible Link Between Kids Playing Video Games And Violent Behavior
Over the years, several studies have linked violent video games to violent behaviors in real life. However, those studies have been a pain in the side of ordinary people who understand the studies are a bunch of hogwash. A new ten-year-long study has come out, explaining that violent video games do not cause kids to become violent adults.
Source: Hot Hardware – Decade-Long Study Finds No Credible Link Between Kids Playing Video Games And Violent Behavior
Watch Boston Dynamics’ Robot Army Dance Their Way to World Domination
As the company wonders what the future holds for it now that Boston Dynamics is owned by the Hyundai Motor Group, its robots are showing off their impressive capabilities in a year-end video that may also be a ploy to distract humanity from their ultimate goal: total dominance on the dance floor, or the eradication of…
Source: Gizmodo – Watch Boston Dynamics’ Robot Army Dance Their Way to World Domination
The 10 Best Deals of December 29, 2020
Tuesday’s Best Deals | Kinja Deals
Source: LifeHacker – The 10 Best Deals of December 29, 2020
This Map Will Help You Access Care After a Sexual Assault
If you have been sexually assaulted, you may know that you can go to a hospital emergency room for a forensic examination, sometimes known as a rape kit, to collect DNA evidence and make sure you receive appropriate care. But not every hospital has people trained to provide this service, so NBC News has compiled a map…
Source: LifeHacker – This Map Will Help You Access Care After a Sexual Assault
We've Hit the Phase of the Trump Presidency Where People Are Suing Over Dishwashers
President Donald Trump’s bitter feud with various household appliances has landed his administration in court.
Source: Gizmodo – We’ve Hit the Phase of the Trump Presidency Where People Are Suing Over Dishwashers
Ethan Gach’s Top 10 Games Of 2020
2020 was a shit year for a lot of things, but a bunch of really good games came out during it. And not just your run-of-the-mill, extremely playable, very good games, but a ton of truly special ones.
Source: Kotaku – Ethan Gach’s Top 10 Games Of 2020