The tech space has seen a spree of layoffs across many organizations, and Red Hat is among the latest to have been affected.
The post Red Hat Announces Major Job Cuts, Hundreds to Be Affected appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – Red Hat Announces Major Job Cuts, Hundreds to Be Affected
I regret to inform you that this is the last time I’ll be able to let you know what new shows and movies are coming to HBO Max in the next month, because Warner Bros. Discovery is unfortunately going through with the very silly plan to launch a new app combining was used to be HBO Max with what used to be Discovery+.…
Source: LifeHacker – What’s New on HBO Max in May 2023
Right now, meticulous details about your life are for sale on the internet. It can be details about your children, your yearly income, your medical conditions, hopes, fears, exercise habits, race, religion, sexuality—all this and more is available, sometimes for fractions of a cent. Companies called data brokers buy…
Source: Gizmodo – New California Legislation Could Hit Backspace on Data Brokers
Since 2020, Zelim, a little-known startup based out of the UK, has been quietly working to change how first responders take on maritime rescues. “We are here to make unmanned search and rescue normal,” the company declares on its website. An accompanying YouTube video details some of the technologies it’s developing to realize that vision. One of those solutions, an automated rescue craft called the Guardian, is a step closer to reality.
On Tuesday, Zelim announced the craft will integrate the SM300 remote control and command system from Sea Machines, a firm that specializes in autonomous and computer vision software for sea vessels. According to Zelim, the system will allow the Guardian to carry out search and rescue operations on its own. It will also allow first responders to pilot the craft remotely from a “command center anywhere in the world.” The vessel will also integrate Zelim’s own SARBox tech for detecting and tracking overboard sailors and passengers. Once the system detects someone, the Guardian will deploy Zelim’s Swift solution, a device that looks like a conveyor belt, to pull people from the water. “This combination of technologies gives the vessel a unique capability and is a global first for the maritime industry,” the company claims.
Zelim envisions the Guardian launching from a mothership. Since it’s a fully automated craft, the Guardian can venture out into conditions that would be normally deemed too dangerous for a human crew. In that way, not only would it reduce the risk to first responders, but it could also mean the difference between life and death when time is critical. Zelim expects to begin putting the Guardian through extensive sea trials starting later this year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-zelim-guardian-is-an-automated-search-and-rescue-craft-195637234.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – The Zelim Guardian is an automated search and rescue craft
Scientists are making a provocative case in a new paper out this month: Sex in space is going to happen sooner rather than later, and it’s about time people started preparing for it. They contend that space sex could happen even within the next decade. The industry needs to discuss how to handle the issue now, they…
Source: Gizmodo – Sex in Space Is Inevitable—and Scientists Say We Need to Be Ready
Enlarge / Screenshot from RNC’s “Beat Biden” ad. (credit: Republican National Committee)
Shortly after US President Joe Biden announced his 2024 presidential run—asking Americans to re-elect him so he can “finish the job!”—the Republican National Committee (RNC) responded with a 100 percent AI-generated video. The 30-second RNC ad urged voters to “Beat Biden,” or else suffer disastrous consequences that the RNC suggests would likely come to pass if Americans voted to re-elect “the weakest president we’ve ever had.”
The RNC video opens with a fake news announcer calling the 2024 presidency for Biden. On the screen flashes a dark, AI-generated image of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, smiling and waving in front of a sea of American flags. From there, a series of AI-generated scenes show the faked future that the RNC imagines that this election result would bring, depicting banks closing, China invading Taiwan, San Francisco crime skyrocketing, and 80,000 “illegals” overwhelming the border.
RNC’s “Beat Biden” ad.
“Who’s in charge here?” the RNC’s video asks. “It feels like the train is coming off the tracks.” The video then concludes with an image of Biden bent over his desk, appearing worried as he faces down the RNC’s slogan, “Beat Biden.”
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Source: Ars Technica – GOP releases 100% AI-generated ad to fearmonger over Biden’s reelection bid
Yesterday we reported that MSI announced a wave of firmware updates designed to address and alleviate potential issues with users on AM5 using AMD’s Ryzen 7000X3D processors with 3D V-Cache. One of the main changes with MSI’s latest UEFI firmware for AM5 included voltage restrictions when using Ryzen 7000X3D series CPUs so that these chips couldn’t be overvolted as the V-Cache packaging is somewhat sensitive to additional power.
Further to MSI’s announcement, ASUS has released a statement to experienced engineer and extreme overclocker Roman ‘Der8auer’ Hartung, which addresses the potential issue with using AMD’s EXPO memory profiles in conjunction with the Ryzen 7000X3D series chips. One of the key elements that seemingly surrounds the problem is the use of AMD’s EXPO memory overclocking profiles.
ASUS’s Director of Global Product Marketing and Technical Marketing, Rajinder Gill, said in a statement to Der8auer, “The EFI updates posted on Friday contain some dedicated thermal monitoring mechanisms we’ve implemented to help protect the boards and CPUs. We removed older BIOSes for that reason and also because manual Vcore control was available on previous builds.” Rajinder also said, “We’re also working with AMD on defining new rules for AMD Expo and SoC voltage. We’ll issue new updates for that ASAP. Please bear with us.“
ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero AM5 Motherboard for AMD Ryzen 7000 Series CPUs
Looking at the narrative of the statement provided to Der8uaer from Rajinder, we can confirm that ASUS has indeed removed older iterations of its firmware for its AM5 motherboards. Looking at the EMEA side of things, at the time of writing, the latest firmware update to be posted on the ASUS product pages is dated 04/21/2023, which indicates ASUS recently updated the firmware, but the update isn’t the latest one in question.
Roman ‘Der8auer’ Hartung’s Ryzen 9 7900X also has a bulge.
The one thing these issues have in common is that AMD’s EXPO memory profiles have been applied, claims Roman ‘Der8auer’ Hartung, and even highlighted that his Ryzen 9 7900X processor also fell foul the the ‘bulging issue.’ This is particularly interesting as this isn’t an X3D series chip with 3D V-Cache, although we’re not aware of any other reports of non-X3D Ryzen 7000 chips being affected at this time.
Enabling EXPO memory profiles on Ryzen 7000 processors does several things to the processor that pushes it beyond the technical specification of the chip. Chief among these is raising the SoC voltage and some other primary voltages, such as VDDIO, which are used to feed the IOD. Like any ASIC, there are limits to how high voltages can be safely pushed, and this is one theory behind the cause of the recent run of damaged Ryzen reports. Though how this might be connected to the issue being centered around Ryzen X3D chips – where the voltage-sensitive V-Cache is on the CCDs and their separate voltage plane – is unclear at this time.
In any case, this does underscore why AMD’s EXPO memory overclocking profiles void the warranty on these chips, as there’s more to EXPO than just ramping up memory frequencies and applying more voltage to the DRAM itself.
Further to Rajinder’s statement given to Der8auer, ASUS’s Senior Technical Marketing Manager, Juan Jose Guerrero, posted the following statement on Twitter Tuesday afternoon:
“Several AMD Ryzen 7000X3D owners have reported CPU and motherboard failures. We acknowledge the incidents/issues and have been communicating with AMD to analyze the possible causes. We have also contacted affected users to provide support and collect additional information.
Ryzen 7000X3D processors do not allow for CPU ratio or CPU core voltage tuning (CPU overclocking) but do allow for performance tuning and DRAM overclocking via PBO2 and EXPO memory. To support EXPO and/or memory overclocking at DDR5-6000 and beyond, SoC voltage has to be sufficiently increased to ensure compatibility and stability. The amount of voltage required varies between CPU samples. Some processors are more sensitive to overvoltage than others, and some are capable at running higher memory frequencies without needing as much voltage.
As confirmed with AMD, any intentional manipulation of these settings can damage the processor, socket, and motherboard. To mitigate this, we have been working with AMD to define new rules for EXPO memory and SoC voltage. To help protect the CPU and motherboard, we are issuing new EFI updates to limit the maximum available SoC voltage to 1.3V.
We recommend updating your motherboard UEFI BIOS to the latest release. Please also ensure the CPU is cooled adequately. Our recommendation is to use at least a 240mm AIO liquid cooler or high-performance air cooler. If you have been affected, please do not hesitate to contact ASUS support for your region.
As we mentioned in our article yesterday about MSI addressing CPU voltage on their own AM5 motherboards, vendors are looking to address any more potential issues, following a small-but-concerning number of reports circulating on Reddit that their Ryzen 7000X3D processors are burning out and killing the motherboard in the process. ASUS’s statement and the summary of the firmware on the official product page indicate that ASUS is worried about SoC voltage, and as such, the new firmware locks it down to 1.30 V. Which ASUS states is to ‘protect the CPU and motherboard.’
Screenshot of the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme BIOS/Support page on the official product page (China).
On the Chinese product page for the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme, the firmware has been updated as of today (at the time of writing) to 04/25/2023, and the firmware version in question (1302) does seemingly address the SoC voltage.
Further to ASUS’s and MSI’s statements, AMD has officially responded with a statement of their own:
It reads, “We are aware of a limited number of reports online claiming that excess voltage while overclocking may have damaged the motherboard socket and pin pads. We are actively investigating the situation and are working with our ODM partners to ensure voltages applied to Ryzen 7000X3D CPUs via motherboard BIOS settings are within product specifications. Anyone whose CPU may have been impacted by this issue should contact AMD customer support.”
Of course, these issues of Ryzen 7000X3D series processors burning out aren’t just limited to those using MSI and ASUS motherboards. Since the initial reports, users have reported additional issues on various models and brands across threads on Reddit. The potential for damage is one of the primary reasons AMD locked down the X3D series processors so that users couldn’t manually overclock them. Even the first iteration, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, was also locked down.
One thing remains clear: AMD and its motherboard partners are now officially investigating the matter, and users with affected Ryzen 7000 CPUs are advised to contact AMD customer support directly.
Source: AnandTech – ASUS Issues Statement on Ryzen 7000X3D Processor Issues, Possible Voltage Issues with AMD EXPO
Last year the Pop!_OS software developers at System76 introduced system76-scheduler as a Rust-written user-space daemon intended to auto-configure CFS and dynamically manage process priorities. They’ve added various features to improve the Linux desktop responsiveness and performance while today they rolled out system76-scheduler v2.0 as the latest iteration of this process scheduler…
Source: Phoronix – System76-Scheduler 2.0 Released With PipeWire Integration, Performance Optimizations
U.S. officials on Tuesday warned financial firms and others that use of artificial intelligence (AI) can heighten the risk of bias and civil rights violations, and signaled they are policing marketplaces for such discrimination. From a report: Increased reliance on automated systems in sectors including lending, employment and housing threatens to exacerbate discrimination based on race, disabilities and other factors, the heads of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Justice Department’s civil rights unit, Federal Trade Commission and others said. The growing popularity of AI tools, including Microsoft-backed Open AI’s ChatGPT, has spurred U.S. and European regulators to heighten scrutiny of their use and prompted calls for new laws to rein in the technology.
“Claims of innovation must not be cover for lawbreaking,” Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, told reporters. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is trying to reach tech sector whistleblowers to determine where new technologies run afoul of civil rights laws, said Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – US Policing AI at Companies To Make Sure It Doesn’t Violate Civil Rights
I’ll admit: I didn’t see this coming. I thought My AI was pretty great, actually. Snapchat offered it to all users for free, creating possibly the most easily accessible version of ChatGPT on the market. If you had Snapchat on your phone, and you had the slightest interest in artificial intelligence, My AI seemed like…
Source: LifeHacker – How to Get Rid of Snapchat’s Annoying, Lying AI Bot
In a new interview published Monday, PlayStation’s Shuhei Yoshida talked about how difficult and expensive it is to make video games, explaining that the company behind hits like God of War and The Last of Us cancels “so many games” in order to “save” developers from getting stuck on something.
Source: Kotaku – Former PlayStation Boss Says They ‘Cancel So Many Games’
Review aggregation site Metacritic promises to improve its moderation system after the recent release of DLC for Horizon Forbidden West prompted a rash of negative review bombing. This story contains spoilers for Burning Shores, so stop reading now if you don’t want to know some story events from the game.
The DLC in question, Burning Shores, features an option for a same-gender kiss as part of a storyline involving protagonist Aloy and a warrior queen named Sekya. This is a completely optional event, but it seemed to have prompted an onslaught of keyboard warriors with a Google alert set for the word “woke.”
The dedicated Burning Shores page was slammed with negative user reviews, which is an all-too common practice nowadays. Metacritic’s parent company Fandom has called out many of these reviews for being “abusive and disrespectful.” Keep in mind, this instance involves a small voluntary event that only appears as an option for certain players if they pursue prior flirtatious dialogue choices.
Fandom says that Metacritic “is a place of belonging for all fans” and that it takes “online trust and safety very seriously.” To that end, company reps say they are “currently evolving our processes and tools” surrounding reviews and content moderation. It has not announced any specific changes. In the meantime, Metacritic points to what the current system is doing right.
“Our team reviews each and every report of abuse (including but not limited to racist, sexist, homophobic, insults to other users, etc) and if violations occur, the reviews are removed,” Metacritic wrote in a statement to Eurogamer.
Of course, this is not the first incidence of review bombing to plague the platform and not the first time Metacritic has implemented changes to stem the tide. The Last of Us Part II received a glut of hateful reviews for all-too-similar reasons, which forced the aggregator to mandate a 36-hour waiting period after a game’s release to open up reviews to the general public. Steam did something similar, as user reviews are accompanied by the amount of time the person actually spent playing the game. The changes Metacritic made in 2020 clearly didn’t make a difference in this case, so we’ll see if the company has more concrete plans to protect its platform.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metacritic-promises-better-moderation-after-abusive-horizon-dlc-comments-190545138.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Metacritic promises better moderation after ‘abusive’ Horizon DLC comments
Enlarge / Electron micrograph of herpesviruses. (credit: Callista Images)
Double-stranded DNA viruses come in two main flavors, classified by their shapes. One contains large and giant DNA viruses that attack complex cells but also includes some viruses that are much smaller and infect bacteria. These viruses are shaped like soccer balls. The other flavor has tails and primarily infects bacteria and archaea but also contains the herpesvirus family, which infects animals.
The disparate properties of these viruses have raised some questions that have been plaguing virologists: Where did herpesviruses come from? And how are the large and giant DNA viruses related to the smaller viruses within their realm?
Tara Oceans is “an international, multidisciplinary project to assess the complexity of ocean life across comprehensive taxonomic and spatial scales.” Researchers with the project sail around all five oceans and two seas (the Red and the Mediterranean), sampling plankton to try to understand the ocean ecosystem. In new work reported in Nature, a team pulled plankton from the sunlit oceans (it’s a technical term: only down to 200 meters below the surface, where light penetrates and photosynthesis happens). They surveyed all the planktonic DNA viruses by comparing a single hallmark gene among them.
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Source: Ars Technica – Link between herpesviruses and giant viruses no longer missing
As a Debian user, you may find yourself needing to restart your system from time to time. Whether it’s for implementing new configurations, recovering from temporary glitches, or installing updates that require a reboot, restarting your system is an essential skill to have. While Debian provides a graphical user interface (GUI) option for rebooting, many users prefer the precision and convenience of the command line. In this article, we’ll explore a comprehensive set of commands you can use to restart your Debian system from the command line.
Source: LXer – The Art of Restarting Debian
Though the future of the DC movie universe was revealed in full months ago, there’s still some remnants of the DCEU lingering. Next up is The Flash, which Warner Bros. has been trying to make for basically a decade, and is finally about come out. With CinemaCon underway, Warner Bros. has revealed a fresh new trailer.
Source: Gizmodo – The Flash’s New Trailer Is a High-Speed, High-Batman Spectacular
As of the week leading up to Tax Day, the IRS had paid out nearly 76 million refunds, with the average refund totaling $2,840. While it may be smartest to put that extra cash toward debt (if you have any), emergency or retirement funds, or a savings vehicle for big expenses you’re anticipating in the short term, you…
Source: LifeHacker – This Tool Reveals How Far You Can Travel on Your Tax Refund
Pit stops in Formula E racing have always been a little complicated. For the electric racing series’ first few seasons, divers had to swap cars halfway through the race due to battery limitations. That issue was fixed with a newer, higher capacity car design in 2018, but there’s still no excitement from having a functional pit stop. Now, the fast battery charging system designed to bring pit stops back to Formula E racing is being delayed until next season.
“The technology is there,” Formula E co-founder Alberto Longo told Motorsport Total. “It’s working and at the moment many of the people are suffering with the supply chain, and that’s the main issue why we haven’t been able to put it in work this season.” The updated pit stops were planned to debut halfway through the 2023 season with the new Gen3 Formula E cars, but at this point it would only be ready for the last few races of the season.
It’s more than just a logistical problem: the new system could drastically change how drivers approach the race. In addition to reintroducing mandatory pit stops, each time a driver uses one of the quick charging stations, they will earn two “Attack Charges” that would give their vehicle a temporary boost in power for a limited time. The current rules already have an Attack Mode, but this change in how it is earned and used could have a profound effect on performance partway through the season.
“It will have a big impact on the sporting format and to do that only in the three or four races at the end the season, even though if we are capable of doing it, maybe it’s not the right decision,” Longo said. “We would love to have it this season, but I don’t think at the moment it’s totally viable to implement it.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/formula-es-fast-charging-pit-stops-wont-arrive-until-next-year-185813092.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Formula E’s fast-charging pit stops won’t arrive until next year
Enlarge / Google’s booth at the Integrated Systems Europe conference on January 31, 2023, in Barcelona, Spain. (credit: Getty Images | Cesc Maymo )
The European Commission will require 19 large online platforms and search engines to comply with new online content regulations starting on August 25, European officials said. The EC specified which companies must comply with the rules for the first time, announcing today that it “adopted the first designation decisions under the Digital Services Act.”
Five of the 19 platforms are run by Google, specifically YouTube, Google Search, the Google Play app and digital media store, Google Maps, and Google Shopping. Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram are on the list, as are Amazon’s online store, Apple’s App Store, Microsoft’s Bing search engine, TikTok, Twitter, and Wikipedia.
These platforms were designated because they each reported having over 45 million active users in the EU as of February 17. The other listed platforms are Alibaba AliExpress, Booking.com, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, and German online retailer Zalando.
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Source: Ars Technica – EU names 19 large tech platforms that must follow Europe’s new Internet rules
There’s a lot you can do with $300,000: buy a couple Teslas, invest in some stocks, get a PS5 or Xbox Series S/X (or a few of them). It’s an amount of money some people will never see in their lifetimes. Yet, someone with the cash to burn took their $300,000 and bought a super-rare Pikachu Pokémon card at an online…
Source: Kotaku – Rare ’90s Pikachu Pokémon Card Sells For A Wild 0K
