Tag Archives: software

Honor Magic V5 Review: Top-Notch Foldable Phones Need Improved Android Software | Smartphone Insights

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Honor’s newest folding phone-tablet aims to challenge Samsung’s dominance with a sleek SuperSuma design, an impressive battery, and a camera module reminiscent of a giant lens on the back.


Closed, the Magic V5 measures approximately 8.9mm thick, which is comparable to the USB-C port thickness, and feels similar to a conventional flat phone while being able to unfold into a mini tablet format.

Priced at £1,699.99 (€1,999.99), this folding device competes fiercely with offerings from Samsung and Google, though it remains on the pricier side, which may deter some consumers.

The Magic V5 comes in several colors, featuring different materials on the back that affect both thickness and weight. At 222g or less, it is slightly heavier than Samsung’s latest foldable, yet remains lighter than many other competitors, equating its weight to that of a larger standard phone.




When closed, the Magic V5 has a weight, thickness, and width comparable to that of a large conventional phone. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The external 6.43-inch OLED display is remarkable and functions like a standard smartphone, while the internal 7.95-inch folding screen stands out for its brightness. Though it has visible creasing in the middle, it remains unobtrusive during use. The inner screen is more flexible than typical smartphone displays and requires careful handling, plus it tends to attract fingerprints.

This device is one of the first folding phones to offer water resistance comparable to standard smartphones, ensuring that dust and particles cannot penetrate behind the flexible screen or around the metal hinges, addressing concerns about durability.

Specifications

  • Main screen: 7.95in (403ppi) 120Hz OLED Flexible Display

  • Cover screen: 6.43in (405PPI) 120Hz OLED

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

  • RAM: 16 GB

  • Storage: 512GB

  • Operating system: Magicos 9.0.1 (Android 15)

  • Camera: 50MP + 50MP Ultrawide + 64MP 3x Tele; 2x 20MP Selfie

  • Connectivity: 5G, Dual SIM + ESIM, USB-C, WiFi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6, GNSS

  • Water resistance: IP58 and IP59 (Immersion and high pressure jet)

  • Folded dimensions: 156.8 x 74.3 x 8.88-9mm

  • Expanded dimensions: 156.8 x 145.9 x 4.1-4.2mm

  • Weight: 217-222g

Top Snapdragon Chip and Large Capacity Battery




Using a standard 100W USB-C power adapter (not included), it takes 55 minutes to fully charge, reaching 70% in under 30 minutes. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The Magic V5 is powered by Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, offering robust performance that rivals flagship devices. It handles everyday tasks effortlessly, remains cool under pressure, and excels in gaming.

Its multitasking capabilities shine through, allowing up to four apps to be displayed simultaneously on-screen.

Moreover, the generous battery life extends the device’s usability while maintaining a sleek form factor, larger than typical flat phones. Its battery performance varies significantly based on screen usage; primarily used as a tablet with 5G for video watching, it lasts around 37 hours. Balanced use across both screens can get you through three days before requiring a charge.

Magicos Software Still Needs Improvement




Multitasking on a large internal display offers a delightful experience with three apps available on split screen. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Running Honor’s Magicos 9 (based on last year’s Android 15) instead of the latest Android 16, the Magic V5 promises seven years of Android updates and security patches for European customers.

While the software features some promising ideas, it still exhibits rough patches and unexpected behaviors. The outer screen operates like traditional Android devices, but the inner display is where the software shines, allowing for multitasking with three apps on split screen. One app can be partially hidden to maximize space without closing the others, a clever feature first seen on the OnePlus Open. The taskbar simplifies window management.




Mini-floating windows offer enhanced desktop multitasking capabilities. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

However, tapping on app notifications within the internal screen consistently opens the app in a mini window, which may be suitable for small messaging apps, but could be unsatisfactory for larger applications like Gmail.

Furthermore, the software doesn’t utilize the partially folded mode that the inner screen offers, lacking a counterpart to Samsung’s well-regarded flex mode—representing a missed opportunity. Another bug in Honor’s font choice makes it challenging to identify unread emails in bold within Gmail, which is frustrating.

While these minor irritations may be overlooked in budget devices, they stand out on a premium device priced at £1,700. Honor has work to do.

Camera




The Camera app features multiple modes suitable for closed, partially open, or fully open configurations, ideal for selfies. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Equipped with a solid camera array nestled within a pronounced circular camera bump, the Magic V5 features a 50MP main camera that captures appealing images across varying lighting conditions, though details can soften in lower light.

The 50MP ultra-wide camera performs well but slightly distorts edges and loses fine detail. The standout is the 64MP 3x optical telephoto camera, which excels in clarity and color accuracy, even under indoor lighting, and can achieve a 6x zoom that softens details at full size but performs admirably in bright conditions.

The dual 20MP selfie cameras produce decent results, yet using the main camera with the outer screen as a viewfinder yields superior quality.

The camera app supports various modes, including smart motion capture for action shots and robust video capabilities. There’s a range of AI filters and effects typical of many Chinese smartphones, allowing for personalized aesthetics.

Overall, while the camera is one of the better options among folding devices, it falls short of the top-tier camera phones available on the market.

Sustainability




The capacitive fingerprint scanner on the power button integrates seamlessly with the slim design. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The expected battery lifespan is at least 1,200 charge cycles with a minimum of 80% original capacity remaining. The Magic V5 is generally easy to repair, with the internal screen priced around £700 and the external screen around £200. Additionally, Honor offers complimentary screen repairs for 12 months if purchased within the first month after release.

This device incorporates recycled plastics, and while Honor provides limited environmental reports, trade-in and refurbished options are available.

Price

The Honor Magic V5 retails for £1,699.99 (€1,999.99).

For context, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is priced at £1,799; the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold costs £1,749; the Galaxy S25 Ultra is listed at £1,249, while the Honor Magic 7 Pro is available for £1,099.

Verdict

Honor has crafted an impressive folding phone, yet the software experience has room for improvement. While the Magicos has progressed over time, it lacks the customization and features seen in competitors.

The main issues are minor glitches, rough edges, and abnormal behaviors throughout the software. None of these detract significantly from the product, but they accumulate and cannot be ignored in a device priced at £1,700.

It’s unfortunate because the phone is rapid, boasts great battery life, has a capable camera, and presents aesthetically well. It’s great to see a meaningful rivalry among Samsung and Google in this foldable segment. Nonetheless, there’s insufficient incentive to choose the Magic V5 when it costs nearly the same as the industry-leading Samsung.

Pros: Super slim design, functions like a regular phone when closed, excellent performance, outstanding battery life, superb internal display, solid camera capabilities, effective fingerprint scanner, and a water and dust resistance rating.

Cons: High price point, software lacks polish for advanced behaviors, less durability compared to standard devices, expensive repairs, and limited folding modes.




The Magic V5 is a visually appealing and well-crafted device. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Source: www.theguardian.com

My Minor Frustration: How Forced Software Updates Amplify Aggravation | Technology

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I was about to set off on an adventurous few hours when we encountered a moment to pause. It wasn’t a major issue—no flat tires or broken handles—just that my map application no longer connects to the music player on my phone. The recent “update” stripped away features, altered the music interface, and removed my ability to track my location on the map simultaneously.

This is what usually complicates my existence in an automated world. The promise of mandatory software updates is to enhance the applications and software we rely on daily, making them more user-friendly and secure. However, in many cases, these updates completely alter the technologies we’ve come to appreciate.

I had finally adjusted to how my device functioned, but did I truly feel secure knowing that the controls could suddenly shift at any time? Sorry—it’s a whole new ball game now! What about those features I relied on frequently, like community-generated subtitles on YouTube and the option to view historical statistics? Apologies, but those have either vanished entirely or are now hidden behind a paywall. This situation breeds paranoia. I’ve found myself immersed in a Reddit thread populated with individuals convinced that the latest operating system updates are reducing their phone’s battery life significantly. Did this actually happen? Who can tell?


This is one reason I feel uneasy about “smart” appliances. While Hollywood portrayals of hackers and robot revolts aren’t particularly terrifying, I’m more concerned about disruptive updates, vanishing features, or unnecessary enhancements. I worry that anonymous developers, miles away, could make a simple change that degrades their apps and software overnight. Half of my computer’s programs are cluttered with the latest AI gimmickry. Just wait until manufacturers of household items decide they need to join in too.

Do you tolerate products that have diminished in quality over time simply because the manufacturer decided so, rather than normal wear and tear? A hammer that inexplicably removed the nail puller unless you pay for a ridiculous new subscription? Shouldn’t you also have a faucet that consistently delivers hot water, instead of being arbitrarily limited by the creator’s whims? It really shouldn’t be like that.

I’ve learned to cope without a map and a connected audio controller. Yet, I still feel the impact. Perhaps it serves as a constant reminder that living a more simplified life, detached from the relentless updates of faceless corporations, is not such a terrible fate.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Six Arrested During Protest Against Palantir’s Deportation Software for Trump Officials

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On Thursday morning, six demonstrators were arrested while protesting outside their offices in New York City. The protest aimed to spotlight businesses engaged in controversial practices that facilitate the deportation of immigrants in the United States.

The activists gathered in front of the Palantir office located on Manhattan Avenue, linking their arms to obstruct the building’s entrance, effectively stopping several individuals attempting to pass. At one point, some protesters entered the lobby of the building, holding signs that read “Palantir Powers ICE,” referencing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Organized by Planet over Profit, a climate justice organization that addresses systemic inequality, the protest received support from the immigration rights group Mijente. After approximately an hour, police intervened, dispersing the crowd. The six arrested individuals were subsequently taken to the seventh precinct and released by 11:20 AM.




Protesters are arrested outside Palantir’s New York office. Photo: Luigi Morris

Caroline Chouinard, a Brooklyn resident among those arrested, stated that police began zip-tying individuals before fully complying with dispersal commands. Chouinard mentioned that some people identifying themselves as Palantir employees also physically advanced on the protesters. Video footage taken by Planet representatives did not confirm if those pushing the protesters were indeed Palantir employees. Chouinard was released on a subpoena for a court appearance regarding disorderly conduct charges.

“During the arrest, we faced significant physical violence,” Chouinard told the Guardian. “I didn’t plan to get arrested personally. I positioned my body to stand my ground. I was continually pushed down and grabbed.”


Chouinard expressed their reason for attending the protest was to oppose Palantir’s role in enabling institutions that “have harmed my neighbor and made them disappear.”

“We are interrupting Palantir’s normal operations because it doesn’t belong in NYC to create AI that strengthens and streamlines fascism,” Chouinard stated. “Palantir specializes in monitoring and tracking individuals. It’s our duty to keep them accountable. They collaborate with the Trump administration, ICE, and the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). From New York to Los Angeles, fear is perpetuated by companies like Palantir.”

The company has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the protest.




Protesters are demonstrating outside Palantir’s New York office. Photo: Luigi Morris

Founded in 2003 by billionaire investor Peter Thiel and currently led by CEO Alex Karp, Palantir, known for data mining, has garnered criticism due to its increasing contracts with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies. In April, Palantir received a $30 million contract to develop an immigration surveillance platform for ICE, aimed at expediting the identification and apprehension of targeted immigrants. This contract adds to previous ICE contracts, with Palantir first awarded one during the Obama administration in 2014, subsequently renewed multiple times. The company is set to assist in creating “Mega APIs” for data access within the Internal Revenue Service.

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In a letter sent in mid-June, ten Democrats highlighted that Palantir’s initiative to construct a “mega-database” for the Trump administration would combine personal information from multiple government sources, risking violations of federal privacy laws according to reports from the New York Times.

The company refuted the claims made by the Democrats’ letter, asserting: “To clarify: Palantir does not create a master database, nor do we enable extensive surveillance of American citizens. We do not manage the system or determine its applications.”

Protesters did not expect any response from Palantir concerning their demands to cease collaborations with ICE or other federal entities. According to Liv Senghor, the lead organizer from Planet over Profit, their focus was on mobilizing “the average American.”

“We want everyday individuals who value freedom of speech and privacy to recognize how deeply ingrained Palantir is in not just our government and military, but also in our everyday lives,” Senghor stated. “Our objective is to stir sufficient anger and frustration toward Palantir, inciting a grassroots movement of common people who can be heard.”

The protest organizers are also planning to hold a demonstration in front of Palantir’s Palo Alto office on Thursday afternoon.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Apple Unveils Software Enhancements and New Apps, AI Takes a Back Seat

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Apple’s latest Worldwide Developers Conference saw the company’s artificial intelligence features take a back seat. While new functionalities were announced for the Apple Watch and Vision Pro, alongside enhanced software designs known as Liquid Glass, and new phone and camera applications, Apple’s AI-related announcements were limited to minor upgrades amidst pressure to keep pace with competitors heavily invested in AI.

One anticipated feature is Live Translation, offering real-time language translation across messaging, FaceTime, and phone apps, incorporating multiple capabilities powered by Apple Intelligence. It’s noteworthy that similar features have been available on the Android platform for some time. Additionally, a new Fitness app has been introduced, utilizing AI-generated voices to assist users during workouts.

Consumers may soon experience enhancements in AI for applications beyond mobile. The company revealed that it enables app developers to utilize Apple’s large-scale, on-device language model, enhancing AI experiences in third-party applications. Users will have the choice to opt in or out of sharing their data or information off-device with developers.

At last year’s WWDC, Apple announced a suite of upgrades for Siri, aiming to make the virtual assistant more engaging and dynamic. However, many of these features remain unreleased despite Apple’s assurances.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s VP of Software Engineering, previously mentioned that “this task required more time to reach a quality standard,” referring to the delay.

Forrester VP principal analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee noted that Siri’s muted presence was “deafening.”

Chatterjee stated, “This subject was quickly brushed aside, leaving next year shrouded in uncertainty. While Apple continues to refine the features of Apple Intelligence, superficial updates like text corrections and whimsical emojis cannot satisfy the demand for an intuitive, interactive AI experience. The timeline for Siri’s evolution is rapidly approaching, and Apple needs significant advancements.”

Additionally, Apple has formed a partnership with ChatGPT, a strategic move to help the iPhone maker compete with AI giants such as OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, suggested that Apple may need to forge more partnerships to stay competitive.

Ives concluded, “Overall, WWDC articulated the developers’ vision, but following last year’s setbacks, there was no remarkable progress in Apple Intelligence as Cupertino remains cautious.”

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“We understand the strategy, but this is a significant year for Apple to capitalize on the AI front, possibly compelling us to pursue larger AI acquisitions to advance this strategy.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

DOOM: The Dark Ages Review – ID Software Takes a Medieval Twist with a Bold Redefinition of Shooter Gameplay

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Built as a reimagining of id Software’s 2016 “Doom Eternal,” “Dark Ages” diverges significantly while still echoing the essence of its lineage. Whereas the 2020 iteration focused on speed and evasion, “Dark Ages” emphasizes a staunch, grounded approach. If the previous game revolved around eliminating foes one at a time, this installment empowers players to obliterate hordes of demons simultaneously. The frantic, rapid-fire nature of “Eternal” gives way to a brute force mentality in “Dark Ages,” where smashing through enemies becomes the primary strategy. The essence of ripping and tearing is still prevalent, with an emphasis on raw power.

At the heart of “Dark Ages” lies a combat system reminiscent of the original 1993 game, drawing inspiration from slowly launched projectiles from iconic enemies like Imps, Kakodemons, and Hell Knights. This new chapter intensifies those encounters, featuring an array of foes that hurl fireballs, floating orbs, and energy barriers, all while straying from the traditional two-dimensional arena.




The interdimensional battlefield shimmers with energy.
Photo: ID Software

Players must navigate these new challenges as they control slower, heftier slayers of doom. Shields play a crucial defensive role against various projectiles, not only blocking attacks but also reflecting some back at their origin. Successfully countering projectile attacks catches opponents off guard and opens them up for “glorious kills.” Although brutal, these maneuvers are generally less intricate than in earlier games, often reduced to straightforward punches and kicks.

While many demons follow easily recognizable attack patterns, the most formidable adversaries engage in fierce close-range duels. These confrontations occur within expansive arenas, where smaller foes swarm around larger ones, often shielded by rows of undead minions. ID Software has introduced several innovative weapons to tackle these hellish legions, including railroad spike launchers that absorb demons and shotguns that deliver devastating close-quarter firepower.




The scale is remarkable.
Photo: ID Software

This captivating reformulation of core combat mechanics provides as much enjoyment in mastering its rhythm as it does in witnessing its destructive consequences. However, the slower pace and limited toolset may not evoke the same adrenaline rush at its peak as previous entries.

This slower pacing is amplified by the expansive design of “Dark Ages.” With 22 levels that are often open-ended, players can choose their battles and discover secrets in their preferred order. Yet, despite the impressive scale, the traversal can become monotonous, resulting in a feeling that the game may not fully capitalize on its combat potential.

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ID Software tries to counteract the slow tempo by incorporating diverse gameplay mechanics. Certain maps allow players to pilot a massive mech named Atlan, delivering impactful punches to colossal demons, while others introduce aerial maneuvers atop dragons. While these elements bring novelty, they tend to lack significant depth, recalling the mandatory vehicle sections prevalent in early 2000s shooters.

Nonetheless, I appreciate the experimental nature of “Dark Ages.” The developers seem committed to exploring new directions, striving not to rely solely on past successes like some other franchises. Their goal appears to be redefining shooter mechanics with every new release. While “Dark Ages” may not reach the heights of previous ID Software titles, it remains a well-crafted and thoughtfully designed shooter that delivers heavy hitting moments.

“DOOM: The Dark Ages” is set to launch on May 15th, priced at £70.

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Out of Touch”: US Tech Firm Cuts Jobs and Halts Global IT Operations to Implement AI

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The cybersecurity firm that gained notoriety last year for causing a significant global IT outage has revealed plans to partially reduce its workforce by 5% citing “AI efficiency.”

In a memo to employees earlier this week, CEO George Kurtz, who was released to the US stock market, stated that 500 jobs, or 5% of the total workforce, would be eliminated globally due to AI advancements created by businesses.

“We are at a pivotal point in the market and technology, where AI is transforming every sector, accelerating threats, and changing customer demands,” he explained.

Kurtz emphasized that AI “will streamline the adoption process and enable quicker innovation from concepts to products,” adding that it “enhances efficiency in both front and back offices.”


“AI acts as a force multiplier across the enterprise,” he added.

Other factors contributing to the layoffs include the need for sustainable market growth and expanded product lines.

The company anticipates incurring costs of up to USD 53 million due to the job reductions.

CrowdStrike reported a revenue of USD 1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a 25% increase from the same period in 2024, despite a loss of USD 92 million.

Last July, CrowdStrike unintentionally promoted an erroneous software update intended to detect cybersecurity threats, which affected 8.5 million Windows systems globally.

The incident caused widespread disruption, impacting airports, hospitals, television networks, payment systems, and individual computers.

Aaron McCann, VP of research and advisory at Gartner, expressed skepticism regarding claims of AI efficiencies amid declining revenue forecasts, as seen with CrowdStrike in March.

“I view it as a justification for workforce reductions, particularly in tech. It’s fundamentally a financial decision,” he remarked, expressing immediate skepticism.

McEwan noted that firms are under pressure to justify significant investments made in AI.

“The productivity improvements we anticipated from AI are not materializing.”


Gartner’s survey indicates that fewer than 50% of employees utilize AI in their roles, with only 8% employing AI tools to boost productivity.

Toby Walsh, a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of New South Wales, described CrowdStrike’s announcement as “somewhat alarming” following last year’s suspension.

“They would be more effective by reallocating these 5% of employees to emergency responses and bug fixes,” he advised.

Walsh suggested that the market should brace itself for more such announcements in the future.

“It’s straightforward. Increased profits for companies, fewer jobs for workers. We should learn from the first industrial revolution. By uniting, we could use these savings to enhance the quality and quantity of work for everyone.”

Niusha Shafiabady, an associate professor of computational intelligence at the Australian Catholic University, stated that AI-induced job displacement is an “inevitable reality.”

“Even with good intentions, this transformation will occur. Regrettably, many will lose their traditional roles due to AI and technology,” she remarked.

“If companies can save costs by leveraging AI and technology, they will do so, resulting in job losses. This is the stark reality.”

The 2023 World Economic Forum report predicted that AI and other macroeconomic factors would affect nearly 23% of jobs globally within five years. While 69 million jobs are expected to be created, 83 million are projected to be eliminated, leading to a net decline of 2%, according to Shafiabady.

McEwan asserted that companies, especially in high-tech sectors, are exploring ways to gradually reduce their workforce through AI.

“I firmly believe that companies are emerging that can effectively shrink their workforce thanks to AI,” he noted.

“It largely depends on the type of product being sold. However, most companies at this juncture would benefit more from enhancing their workforce rather than using AI as a replacement.”

Has your job been lost to AI? Please reach out at josh.taylor@theguardian.com

Source: www.theguardian.com

Experts Warn X’s New AI Software Enables Racist Abuse Online: It’s Only the Beginning

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Experts in online abuse have warned that the increase in online racism due to fake images is just the beginning of the problems that may arise following a recent update of X Company’s AI software.

Concerns were first raised in December last year when numerous computer-generated images produced by Company X’s generative AI chatbot Grok were leaked on social media platforms.

Signify, an organization that collaborates with leading sports bodies and clubs to monitor and report instances of online hate, has noted a rise in abuse reports since the latest update of Grok, warning that this type of behavior is likely to become more widespread with the introduction of AI.

Elaborating on the issue, a spokesperson stated that the current problem is only the tip of the iceberg and is expected to worsen significantly in the next year.

Grok, introduced by Elon Musk in 2023, recently launched a new feature called Aurora, which enables users to create photorealistic AI images based on simple prompts.

Reports indicate that the latest Grok update is being misused to generate photo-realistic racist images of various soccer players and coaches, sparking widespread condemnation.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) expressed concerns about X’s role in promoting hate speech through revenue-sharing mechanisms, facilitated by AI-generated imagery.

The absence of stringent restrictions on user requests and the ease of circumventing AI guidelines are among the key issues highlighted, with Grok producing a significant number of hateful prompts without appropriate safeguards.

In response to the alarming trend, the Premier League has taken steps to combat racist abuse directed towards athletes, with measures in place to identify and report such incidents, potentially leading to legal action.

Both X and Grok have been approached for comment regarding the situation.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Importance of Updating Outdated Software for U.S. Small Businesses: Avoiding Potential Losses

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Poor and outdated technology is costing the United States enormous amounts of money.according to
recent columns The Wall Street Journal said it would cost more than $1.5 trillion to fix, with “cybersecurity and operational failures, failed development projects, and maintenance of outdated systems costing $2.41 trillion annually.” There is.


According to the magazine, this “technical debt” lurks beneath the shiny newness of “an accumulation of band-aids and outdated systems not intended for today's use,” all of which need updating. It is said to be extremely sensitive.

And I don't know that.

I've been dealing with this problem every day for the past 20 years. My life revolves around outdated systems, outdated software, and patched databases. My company sells customer relationship management (CRM) software primarily to small and medium-sized businesses. And look at the old technology they still have.

It's not uncommon to come across older versions of Microsoft Office. One of his companies I know is still running Office 97. I see companies using QuickBooks on desktop computers. Remember ACT and GoldMine for contact managers? Yes, they're still there. Great Plains? MAS90? Yes, there are still remnants of these ancient accounting systems in today's products manufactured by Microsoft and Sage.

It's not uncommon to encounter companies with internal networks running legacy client/server applications on Windows machines.Approximately 81% of companies
still writing paper checks to suppliers. My company's biggest competitor is not any other CRM software. Someone is walking away from a prehistoric, proprietary system built on top of his FileMaker Pro, which hasn't been updated since the system's creator passed away ten years ago.

Over the years, I have never faulted small business owners for not upgrading.

These people spent a lot of money implementing software systems back in the day. They'd have to come up with a pretty good reason to scrap it all and start fresh. Cloud? Better security? More integration? Maybe. But then again, wouldn't that money be better spent buying new equipment, repairing the warehouse roof, or medical care? And don't we hear about the mistakes made by ~? ?
microsoft and
Google And A.I.
“hallucination” And that
data breach Are the world's smartest people at the biggest technology companies that are supposed to work for them? Can we trust these companies and their shiny new applications? Why invite trouble?

Replacing or upgrading technology is one of the many decisions businesspeople have to make every year. They know the chaos it causes. And many of my clients shrug their shoulders and say it's not broken so why fix it?

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Understood. But now my feelings are starting to change. No, I'm not siding with big tech companies. It's about inheritance.

More than half of small business owners in this country are over 50 years old, and the baby boomers currently running companies will likely aim to take the next step in the not-too-distant future. They expect to make the most money from the business they have built over the past few decades. But the same people who saved money on technology upgrades to invest elsewhere will be shocked. why?

Because this is a world of big data and unless the technology is up to date, the price of your business will be greatly affected. This is not a technical issue. It's a matter of evaluation. Buyers will quickly discount the purchase price to cover the cost of having to upgrade or replace these older systems.

My advice to business owners looking to leave their companies within the next 10 years is that it's time to upgrade. Otherwise, “technical debt” will cost you dearly.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Review of Honor Magic V2: Impressive hardware overshadowed by software shortcomings

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Honor’s Magic V2 is the best designed foldable phone tablet ever. When it’s closed, it feels like a regular phone, but when it opens like a book, it reveals a big, gorgeous screen.

Magic V2, which was launched in China last year, has now arrived in Europe, but it’s not exactly affordable. Priced at £1,700 (€2,000), it falls between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus’ slightly cheaper Open.

However, it has one major advantage over competing products. It’s the thinness. Honor has managed to slim down the hinge and body to effectively remove the bulk that has burdened foldable phones in the past. The large, bright outer screen has slim bezels and curved sides, and when closed, it feels and behaves like regular Android. The tablet is also only 4.8 mm thick when opened, which is the same as six credit cards stacked on top of each other. It’s incredible.


The Magic V2 is only 10.1 mm thick when folded, which is about the same as a regular phone in a case. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The 7.92-inch screen inside is slightly larger than its rivals, but just as bright, smooth, and looks great. The crease in the center is a little more noticeable than the open one, but it blends in better with the background when used.

The hinge is rated to withstand at least 400,000 bends, allowing you to hold your phone open at a variety of angles. However, the hinge doesn’t feel as solid as some rivals, and the phone doesn’t have any water or dust protection.

specification

  • Main screen: 7.92 inch (402ppi) 120Hz OLED flexible display

  • Cover screen: 6.43 inch (404ppi) 120Hz OLED

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 2nd generation

  • Ram: 16 GB

  • storage: 512GB

  • operating system: MagicOS 7.2 (Android 13)

  • camera: 50MP + 50MP Ultra Wide + 20MP 2.5x Tele; 2x 16MP Selfie

  • Connectivity: 5G, dual sim + esim, USB-C, wifi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS

  • water resistance: none

  • Dimensions when folded: 156.7×74×10.1mm

  • Unfolded dimensions: 156.7×145.4×4.8mm

  • weight: 237g

Last year’s top Android chips


The phone charges in about an hour using a 45W USB-C charger (not included in the box), but there’s no wireless charging. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The Magic V2 is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Qualcomm’s top chip since 2023, rather than the new Gen 3 version that started appearing in phones last month. It still provides plenty of power for multitasking, gaming, and whatever you want to do with it, but it’s not exactly the latest technology despite the high asking price. Battery lasts longer. With more than 6 hours of active use of two screens and 3 hours of active 5G, the battery will last up to 49 hours between charges. This means recharging every two days.

sustainability

Honor doesn’t provide an expected lifespan for the battery, but it should last more than 500 full charge cycles at at least 80% of its original capacity.The phone is Normally repairable by Honor.full battery Replacement cost is £110 Replacing the folding screen will cost £737.80 outside of warranty.Phone contains recycled plastic and Honor We will publish the breakdown environmental impact and We offer a trade-in system.

MagicOS 7.2 is unsophisticated


The multitasking system allows you to use up to four apps on the screen at the same time, but it comes with a number of quirks. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Software is the Magic V2’s biggest weakness. It ships with MagicOS 7.2, which is based on 2022’s Android 13, rather than Android 14, which we’d expect from new devices in 2024. Honor only provides Android updates for his 3 years since release and security updates for a total of 5 years. It’s at least two full years short of the benchmarks set by Google, Samsung, and Apple.

MagicOS has some great ideas, like a mode that turns your phone into a digital desk clock when idle, but it’s generally a little rough around the edges when compared to the best software experiences of its competitors. It has advanced multitasking tools and can display up to 4 apps on screen. Two are split screen and two more are displayed in small free-floating pop-out windows.

But when you tap a notification for a message like email or WhatsApp, your phone asks to open each app in a mini floating window instead of full screen. Sometimes that’s useful. Other times, it’s just frustrating and there’s no way to stop it. You never want Gmail to open like a chat app.

This phone also comes pre-installed with unnecessary apps like Booking.com, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, WPS Office, etc. All of this can be uninstalled, but this is a £1,700 phone and you don’t need the kind of bloat you get on lower priced devices.

camera


The Honor camera app has a wealth of features, including manual mode, and can be used in both open and closed positions. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The Magic V2 has three cameras on the back, one selfie camera on the front, and one camera on the inner screen.

Both selfie cameras are solid, but the main camera is better at taking photos, and you can use the outer screen as a viewfinder to easily take selfies.

The main 50MP camera takes good photos in a variety of lighting conditions, but colors tend to be oversaturated and scenes are frequently brightened, losing contrast and looking a bit flat. The 50MP ultra-wide angle performs well in bright scenes, while the 20MP his 2.5x telephoto typically produces stable images. However, the reach is not very long, especially when compared to his best competitors with 2x optical magnification.

All three cameras struggle a bit in low light levels, losing fine detail and sharpness, and becoming increasingly unstable at night. There is also a noticeable difference in color between the ultrawide camera and his other two cameras, which is disappointing at this price.

None of these issues are deal-breakers, but Honor has some work to do to catch up with the best in the market.

price

Honor Magic V2 cost £1,699.99 (1,999.90 euros).

For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 prices are as follows: £1,749Google Pixel Fold price £1,749 and OnePlus Open cost £1,599.

verdict

The Honor Magic V2 is a sophisticated piece of hardware with software that doesn’t live up to expectations.

When folded, it looks so much like a regular phone that it’s easy to forget that there’s a huge screen hidden inside.

However, the software isn’t as sophisticated, doesn’t have as many features, and doesn’t have as much support as its rivals. There is no water resistance rating, so durability is questionable, and the camera’s performance may be a little weak in some areas. None of these issues are completely deal-breakers, and many could be fixed with updates. But for a device at this price, it’s disappointing, especially when cheaper rivals are better in these respects.

Strong Points: Ultra-slim and lightweight phone and tablet in one, just like a regular phone when closed, with great performance, very long battery life, a great internal screen, and a great fingerprint scanner. Masu.

Cons: It’s not water resistant, it’s very expensive and expensive to repair, its software isn’t as sophisticated as it needs to be, its software support is short, its chips are outdated, and its camera performance lags behind

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘UK Artists Unite to Combat AI Image Generation Software’

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Since the advent of Midjourney and other image generators, artists have been observing and wondering whether AI represents a major opportunity or an existential threat. Midjourney names 16,000 artists whose work is said to have been used to train its AI, including Bridget Riley, Damien Hirst, Rachel Whiteread, Tracey Emin, David Hockney, and Anish Kapoor. Now that the list has been revealed, the art world is calling to arms. For engineers.

British artists have contacted U.S. lawyers to discuss joining a class action lawsuit against Midjourney and other AI companies, other artists told a U.S. newspaper. observer They argued that they could bring legal action themselves in the UK.

“What we need to do is come together,” said Tim Flack, president of the Society of Photographers and an internationally acclaimed photographer whose name also appears on the list.

“Releasing this list of names to the public is a great opportunity for artists to come together and take on this issue. Personally, I am in favor of doing so.”

The 24-page list of names constitutes Exhibit J in a class action lawsuit filed by 10 American artists in California against Midjourney, Stability AI, Runway AI, and DeviantArt. “We’re seeing interest from artists around the world, including in the UK,” said Matthew Butterick, one of the artists’ lawyers.

Tech companies have until February 8 to respond to the complaint. Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment.




Bridget Riley and her painting Rajasthan (2012)
Photo: Nils Jorgensen/Rex Shutterstock

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI’s potential for improving software development comes with hard truths

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aAs you may have noticed, we’re in the midst of a craze about something called generative AI. Many hitherto ordinary people, and economists alike, are riding a wave of irrational enthusiasm about the potential for change. It’s the newest new thing.

Two antidotes are recommended for people suffering from fever. The first one,
Hype Cycle Monitor created by consultant Gartner
This indicates that the technology is currently at the “peak of inflated expectations” before plummeting into the “trough of disillusionment”. the other one is,
hofstadter’s law
describes the difficulty of estimating the time required for difficult tasks: “Even when Hofstadter’s law is taken into account, it always takes longer than expected.” Just because a powerful industry and its media patrons are losing their marbles about something doesn’t mean it’s going to wash over society as a whole like a tsunami. Reality moves at a much slower pace.

In the Christmas issue,
economist We published an instructive article titled “
Tractor history in English
” (itself a low-key homage to Marina Levicka’s hilarious 2005 novel).

History of Ukrainian tractors

of

)This article aims to explain “What tractors and horses can tell us about generative AI.” The lesson is that tractors have a long history, but they took a long time to transform agriculture. He has three reasons for this. Early versions were not as useful as backers thought. Introducing these required changes in the labor market. And farms had to reinvent themselves to use them.

So history suggests that whatever transformations AI hypemongers predict, they will materialize more slowly than expected.

However, there is one exception to this rule. It’s computer programming, or the business of creating software. Ever since digital computers were invented, humans have had to tell machines what they want them to do. Because machines could not speak English, machine code and programming languages ​​such as Fortran, Algol, Pascal, C, C++, Haskell, and Python evolved over generations. So if you wanted to communicate with a machine, you had to learn to speak Fortran. , C++ or whatever, is a tedious process for many people. And as the title the great Donald Knuth gave to the first book of his seminal five-volume guide suggests, programming has become something of an esoteric craft.

the art of computer programming
. As the world went digital, this craft became industrialized and rebranded as “software engineering” to downplay its artisanal origins. But mastering it remained an esoteric and valuable skill.

Then along came ChatGPT and the amazing discovery that not only could you create apparently clear sentences, but you could also create software. What’s even more remarkable is that when you outline a task with a plain English prompt, the machine writes the Python code needed to accomplish that task. Often the code is not perfect, but can be debugged by further interaction with the machine. And suddenly, a whole new perspective opened up. Even non-programmers can tell a computer to do something without having to learn computer conversation.

inside
new yorker Programmer James Summers recently wrote the following:
Lamentation essay What are the implications of this development? “A range of knowledge and skills that previously took a lifetime to acquire are being swallowed up all at once,” he said. “For me, coding has always felt like an endlessly deep and rich field. Now, I want to write a memorial to it. I’ve been thinking about Lee Sedol. Sedol is the world One of the best Go players and a national hero in South Korea, he is now best known for losing to a computer program called AlphaGo in 2016.”

That seems a little strange to me. The evidence we have suggests that programmers are embracing AI assistance like ducks to water.a
recent research
For example, 70% of software developers are using or plan to use AI tools in their work this year, and 77% of them have a “favorable or very favorable” opinion of these tools. I found out that They see them as a way to increase your productivity as a programmer, speed up your learning, and even “improve accuracy” when writing computer code.

This doesn’t seem like defeatism to me, but the attitude of experts who see this technology as “power steering for the mind,” as the saying goes. In any case, they don’t sound like horses.
economist's story. But just as tractors ultimately transformed agriculture, this technology will ultimately transform the way software is developed. In that case, software engineers will need to be more like engineers than craftsmen. It’s almost time (says this engineer and columnist).

what i was reading

Smart move?
Great quote from Gary Marcus on his Substack blog.
AI companies will be exempted from lobbying activities Not responsible for copyright infringement.

control mechanism
A very thoughtful article by Diana Enríquez on the Tech Policy Press website about what it means to be.
“managed” by algorithms.

Get out of your head

a
nice post Margaret Atwood’s Substack on films about the French Revolution, including Ridley Scott’s works
napoleon.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is it possible for rounding errors in software to lead to plane crashes?

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June 4, 1996 marked the first flight of the Ariane 5 rocket, which unfortunately ended in disaster. Just forty seconds after takeoff, the rocket veered off course and exploded. This catastrophic event was caused by a small software error, where a 64-bit floating point number was converted to a 16-bit signed integer. The conversion failed because the number was greater than 32,767, the maximum value that can be represented in 16 bits. This overflow error led to the dumping of debug data into the memory area controlling the rocket’s engines, resulting in the failure of the backup computers and ultimately leading to the rocket’s loss of control and explosion.

In 2015, it was revealed that a similar overflow error could potentially cause a power outage if a Boeing 787’s generator controls were activated for 248 consecutive days, reaching the maximum value for a 32-bit signed register. However, the issue could be resolved by resetting the counters. Fortunately, the flawed software in the 737 Max did not cause a disaster like the Ariane 5 incident.

Overflow errors are similar to rounding errors, but have subtle differences. Rounding errors usually occur when a number is calculated incorrectly and stored in binary, causing small errors to accumulate and eventually lead to significant errors.

Rounding errors can affect missiles…

A well-known example of this type of mistake occurred during the Gulf War, where a Patriot missile hit barracks instead of the incoming Scud missile, resulting in casualties. This was due to rounding errors in the tracking system that accumulated and caused the missile to veer off target.

…and the train

Software bugs can have disastrous consequences, as seen in an incident in May 2019 where an experienced train driver unfamiliar with the train’s new software accidentally accelerated to 15 mph, causing a collision and derailing the train.

Read more:

Check out our ultimate Interesting information More amazing science pages.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The ongoing battle between open source and proprietary software

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Every time chaos breaks out Millions of people rely on this unique technology, and many people’s default reaction seems to be:Hey, let’s see what the open source world has to offer”

Case in point: the steady demise of X (Twitter) since Elon Musk took over last year has led many to look for more “open” alternatives, whether it’s Mastodon or Bluesky.

This scenario will become familiar throughout 2023, as established technologies that millions of people rely on reach a chaotic curve, and how indebted people become to proprietary platforms over which they have little control. now recognized.

The OpenAI debacle in November, in which the ChatGPT hitmaker temporarily lost its co-founders, including CEO Sam Altman, sparked five days of turmoil before Altman returned to the OpenAI hot seat. It has arrived. However, only after the emergence of companies that built products on OpenAI’s GPT-X Large-Scale Language Model (LLM). I started having doubts. That’s the wisdom of going all-in on OpenAI, as it puts you in a better position to take advantage of “open” alternatives such as Meta’s Llama-branded LLM family.

Even Google seems to acknowledge that “open” may trump “proprietary” AI. leaked An internal memo written by researchers expressed concerns that open source AI was gaining the upper hand. “We don’t have a moat, and neither does OpenAI,” the memo said.

Elsewhere, Adobe’s $20 billion acquisition of rival Figma was a boon for PenPot, an open source challenger to Figma, although the deal fell through due to regulatory headwinds. PenPot saw a surge in registrations amidst a mad panic that Adobe was about to wreak havoc on businesses. About Figma’s proverbial parade.

And when the cross-platform game engine Unity announced; Controversial new fee structure, developers were furious, calling the change breaking and unfair. In the aftermath, Unity quickly pivoted, but only after its developer community expanded widely. Checkout has started open source rivals godotnow commercial companies are also promoting core development.

But while all this has served to highlight the eternal struggle between open source and proprietary software realms, At the inner The open source community is back in the spotlight. Usually, the root cause of the uproar is a proprietary company.

(not) open source elements

Back in August, HashiCorp switched We’ve moved the popular “infrastructure as code” software Terraform from a “copyleft” open source license to a business source license (BSL or, in some cases, BUSL) available at source. This places greater restrictions on how third parties can commercialize the software, especially if they can. It competes with HashiCorp itself. Why the change? According to HashiCorp, some third-party vendors have benefited from Terraform’s community-driven development without giving anything in return.

This led to vendor-driven factions forking the original Terraform project and proceeding solely with OpenTF, ultimately leading to Rebranded as OpenTofu, served by the Linux Foundation As a governing body. Although HashiCorp was fully within its rights to change the license and protect its business interests, it caused anxiety among many users. According to OpenTofu manifesto:

Overnight, tens of thousands of businesses, from mom-and-pop stores to Fortune 500 companies, woke up to a new reality: The foundation of their infrastructure suddenly became a potential legal risk. His BUSL and additional usage permissions created by the HashiCorp team are ambiguous. All companies, vendors, and developers currently using Terraform must consider whether what they are doing is considered to be in competition with his HashiCorp’s products.

Of course, HashiCorp isn’t the first company to make such a change.App performance management (APM) platform guard Switched from open source BSD 3-Clause License It moved to BSL in 2019 for similar reasons cited by HashiCorp. But this year, Sentry created an entirely new license called the Functional Source License (FSL) aimed at “giving freedom without harmful free riders,” the company said at the time. This is similar to his BSL, but with some adjustments. For example, an FSL licensed product automatically reverts to the open source Apache license after 2 years, but with BSL it takes 4 years.

This once again highlights the persistent struggle of companies to embrace the spirit of open source without compromising commercial interests.

“There’s been a long history of companies with deeper pockets and more resources leveraging traditional open source companies,” says Sentry’s head of open source. chad whitaker he said in November. “Open source companies, regardless of licensing or pedantic definitions, are increasingly dependent on support from venture-backed, commercial, or, more importantly, companies that rely on their code. ”

And similar Grafana before thatElement has moved its decentralized communications protocol Matrix from the fully permissive Apache 2.0 license to the less permissive AGPL open source license. This forces all derivative projects to maintain the exact same license, which is a huge deterrent to commercial companies looking to develop their own products.

At a time when other companies’ business models were designed around developing their own Matrix-based software, Element realized that the cost of maintaining the Matrix, to which it is largely responsible, was He said he was forced to take on costs that he did not have to incur. To maintain the matrix. “While we have succeeded in making Matrix a huge success, Element is losing its ability to compete in the very ecosystem it has created,” the company wrote at the time.

This license change effectively meant that companies using Matrix would either have to contribute code to the project or pay a commercial license to Element in order to continue using it in their own products.

So, on the one hand, businesses, consumers, and developers alike are seeing that going all-in on proprietary platforms can lead to vendor lock-in and dire consequences if things break down. I’m doing it. But on the other hand, companies built on solid open source foundations can easily move up the ladder by changing contract terms in the name of commercial protectionism.

Of course, all this is nothing new. But the past 12 months have highlighted both the power and danger of open source software.

Source: techcrunch.com

Rite Aid Prohibits Use of Facial Recognition Software for Shoplifting Impersonation

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Rite aid It has been Banned US drugstore giant’s use of facial recognition software comes after Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finds ‘reckless use of facial surveillance system’ humiliates customers and ‘compromises confidential information’ was banned for five years.

F.T.C. orderU.S. Bankruptcy Court approval required after Rite Aid Filing for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code In October, it directed Rite Aid to delete images collected as part of its facial recognition system rollout and products built from those images. Companies must also implement robust data security programs to protect the personal data they collect.

Reuters 2020 report Details of how the drugstore chain secretly installed facial recognition systems in about 200 U.S. stores over an eight-year period starting in 2012, using “primarily low-income, non-white neighborhoods” as testbeds for the technology. Stated.

With the increase in FTC Focus on the abuse of biometric surveillance, Rite Aid was firmly targeted by government agencies. Among the allegations: Rite Aid partnered with two contracting companies to create a “watch list database” containing images of customers it said had engaged in criminal activity at one of its stores. Includes what you did. These images are often of low quality and are taken from CCTV or an employee’s mobile phone camera.

When a customer enters a store that appears to match an existing image in the database, employees receive an automated alert instructing them to take action, which in most cases involves “walking closer and identifying”; That means verifying the customer’s identity and asking them to leave. According to the FTC, these “matches” were often false positives, causing employees to falsely accuse customers of wrongdoing and causing “embarrassment, harassment, and other harm.”

“Following false positive alerts, employees may follow consumers in the store, search them, order them to leave, call the police, confront or remove consumers, and sometimes shoplift in front of their friends and family. and other misconduct,” the suit says.

Additionally, the FTC said Rite Aid did not notify customers that facial recognition technology was being used and specifically instructed employees to: do not have Reveal this information to your customers.

face off

Facial recognition software has emerged as one of the most controversial aspects of the AI-powered surveillance era. In recent years, cities have issued broad bans on the technology while politicians have fought to regulate how police use it. Meanwhile, companies like Clearview AI have been hit with lawsuits and fines around the world for massive data privacy violations involving facial recognition technology.

The FTC’s latest findings regarding Rite Aid also shed light on the biases inherent in AI systems. For example, the FTC says Rite Aid failed to reduce risks to certain consumers due to race. The technology is “more likely to generate false positives in stores located in predominantly Black and Asian communities than in predominantly white communities.” Observation notes.

Additionally, the FTC said Rite Aid failed to test or measure the accuracy of its facial recognition system before or after its implementation.

in press releaseRite Aid said it was “pleased to reach an agreement with the FTC” but disagreed with the core of the allegations.

“The allegations relate to a pilot program for facial recognition technology that we implemented in a limited number of stores,” Rite Aid said in a statement. “Rite Aid stopped using the technology at this small group of stores more than three years ago, before the FTC’s investigation into the company’s use of the technology began.”

Source: techcrunch.com

High-profile ocean models accelerated by custom software

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This figure shows surface currents simulated by MPAS-Ocean.Credit: Los Alamos National Laboratory, E3SM, U.S. Department of Energy

A new solver algorithm for the MPAS-Ocean model will significantly enhance climate research by reducing and improving computational time. Accuracy. This breakthrough in integrating Fortran and C++ programming is a step forward in efficient and reliable climate modeling.

On the beach, ocean waves provide soothing white noise. However, in scientific laboratories, they play an important role in weather forecasting and climate research. The ocean, along with the atmosphere, is typically one of the largest and most computationally intensive components of Earth system models, such as the Department of Energy’s Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM).

A breakthrough in ocean modeling

Most modern ocean models focus on two categories of waves: barotropic systems, where the wave propagation speed is fast, and baroclinic systems, where the wave propagation speed is slow. To address the challenge of simulating these two modes simultaneously, a team from DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories has We have developed a new solver algorithm to shorten it. -Ocean, E3SM ocean circulation model, increased by 45%.

The researchers tested the software on the Summit supercomputer at ORNL’s Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science user facility, and the Compy supercomputer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. They ran the main simulations on the Cori and Perlmutter supercomputers at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and their results were International Journal of High Performance Computing Applicationss.

Computing innovations for climate modeling

because TrilinosBecause open source software databases ideal for solving scientific problems on supercomputers are written in the C++ programming language, and Earth system models like E3SM are typically written in Fortran, the team took advantage of the advantages of For Trilinois an associated software library that incorporates Fortran interfaces into existing C++ packages to design and customize new solvers focused on barotropic waves.

“A nice feature of this interface is that you can use all the components of the C++ package in the Fortran language, so you don’t have to translate anything, which is very convenient,” said lead author Hyun, a computational earth systems scientist. Kang said. ORNL.

Improvements to MPAS-Ocean

This work is built on Research results announced before Journal of Advances in Earth System Modeling In this paper, researchers at ORNL and Los Alamos National Laboratory handcrafted code to improve MPAS-Ocean. This time, the ForTrilinos-enabled solver overcomes the remaining shortcomings of the solver obtained in previous studies, especially when the user runs his MPAS-Ocean using a small number of computing cores for a given problem size. Did.

MPAS-Ocean’s default solver is an explicit sub-solver, a technique that uses a large number of small time intervals or time steps to compute barotropic wave properties in conjunction with baroclinic calculations without destabilizing the model. Cycle dependent. If the barotropic and barotropic waves can be advanced with time step sizes of 300 and 15 seconds, respectively, then to maintain the same speed the barotropic calculation would need to complete over 20 times more iterations, a huge amount requires computational power.

In contrast, the new solver for barotropic systems is semi-implicit. That is, it is unconditionally stable, allowing researchers to use the same number of large time steps without sacrificing accuracy, saving significant time and computational power.

The community of software developers has spent years optimizing Trillinos and Fort Lilinos’ various climate applications. As such, a modern MPAS-Ocean solver that leverages this resource will outperform hand-crafted solvers and enable other scientists to accelerate their climate research efforts.

“If we had to code every algorithm individually, it would require much more effort and expertise,” Kang said. “But with this software, you can run simulations quickly and quickly by incorporating optimized algorithms into your programs.”

Future enhancements and impact

Current solvers still have scalability limitations for high-performance computing systems, but they perform very well up to a certain number of processors. This drawback exists because the semi-implicit method requires all processors to communicate with each other at least 10 times per time step, which can reduce model performance. To overcome this obstacle, researchers are currently optimizing processor communication and porting solvers to GPUs.

In addition, the team updated the time-stepping method of the pressure clinic system to further improve the efficiency of MPAS-Ocean. Through these advances, researchers are making climate predictions faster and more reliable, an essential upgrade to ensure climate security and enable timely decision-making and high-resolution forecasting, aims to be more accurate.

“This barotropic mode solver enables faster calculations and more stable integration of models, especially for MPAS-Ocean,” said Kang. “Extensive use of computational resources requires enormous amounts of power and energy, but by accelerating this model we can reduce energy usage, improve simulations, and improve performance over decades and even beyond.” It will be easier to predict the effects of climate change thousands of years into the future.”

Reference: “MPAS-ocean implicit pressure mode solver using a modern Fortran solver interface” by Hyun-Gyu Kang, Raymond S Tuminaro, Andrey Prokopenko, Seth R Johnson, Andrew G Salinger, Katherine J Evans, 2023. November 17th, International Journal of High Performance Computing Applications.
DOI: 10.1177/10943420231205601

This research was supported by E3SM and the Exascale Computing Project (ECP). E3SM is sponsored by the DOE Office of Science’s Biological and Environmental Research Program, and ECP is managed by DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The DOE Office of Science’s Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program funds OLCF and NERSC.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Clearlake and Insight announce $4.4 billion agreement to privatize software company Alteryx

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Alterix is an Irvine, California-based software company that develops data science and analytics products. announced Private equity firms Clearlake Capital Group and Insight Partners announced that they have agreed to acquire the company in a deal valued at $4.4 billion.

Clearlake and Insight reportedly beat out another private equity firm, Symphony Technology Group. report I’ve been fighting for Alteryx for a few days now.

Clear Lake and Insight’s deal also includes debt, valuing Alterix’s equity at about $3.46 billion. report Reuters – A 29.1% premium to the company’s closing price on Friday. It is expected to close in the first half of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.

The direct impact on Alteryx’s approximately 2,900 employees is not clear.

“In addition to providing significant and solid cash value to our shareholders, this transaction provides increased working capital and industry expertise; “It gives us the flexibility of being a private company.” “Over the past several years, we have executed a comprehensive transformation strategy to strengthen our go-to-market capabilities and establish a strong cloud and AI innovation roadmap. We are excited to partner with Clearlake and Insight for the next stage of Alteryx’s journey. ”

Alteryx’s predecessor, SRC, was co-founded in 1997 by Dean Stoecker, Olivia Duane Adams, and Ned Harding and initially focused on creating a data engine for demographic-based mapping and reporting. In 2006, SRC released a software app. Alteryx as a platform for building analytical processes and services. By 2011, SRC had changed its name to his Alteryx, and by that time SRC had become the company’s core product.

Alteryx went public on the NYSE in 2017 after raising tens of millions of dollars from VC firms including Toba Capital, Insight, Sapphire Ventures, ICONIQ Capital, and Meritech Capital Partners.

More recently, Alteryx moved to a subscription-centric business model and significantly expanded its AI-powered feature offering as part of its strategy to capture the growing demand for data analytics services. according to The value of the big data analytics market could reach $105.08 billion by 2027, up from $37.34 billion in 2018, according to analyst firm Research and Markets.

Alteryx currently counts more than 8,300 companies as customers, including Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Walmart, and Ford. In its coverage of the deal today, SiliconAngle said: Note That Alterix generated Revenue for the last quarter was $232 million, an increase of 8% from the same period last year. Also, annual recurring revenue grew nearly three times faster over the same period, increasing by about 21% to $914 million.

“When we founded Alteryx in 1997, we did so with a vision for the future of data science and analytics. Today, Alteryx is a differentiated platform that extends the democratization of data in a controlled way. We stand out as an industry leader with “The agreements with Clearlake and Insight demonstrate the strength of our business and the value of Alteryx’s capabilities and innovation.”

Source: techcrunch.com

IBM’s $2.3 billion acquisition of StreamSets and WebMethods from Software AG

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IBM is distributing two data integration assets from Germany-based enterprise software company Software AG for 2.13 billion euros ($2.3 billion).

The all-cash transaction will see IBM take ownership. stream set Data integration platform acquired by Software AG just last year and WebMethods, acquired by Software AG for more than $500 million back in 2007.

It’s worth noting that Software AG itself was acquired by Silver Lake earlier this year, obtaining majority ownership of 63% before raising the investment amount to $2.4 billion, 85% or more during September. Silver Lake today just bought it. It owns 93% of Software AG, which will soon be delisted from the public market.

integrated

For IBM, the purchase of Software AG’s Integration Platform-as-a-Service (IPAAS) toolset fits into a broader commitment to hybrid cloud that the company has strengthened over the years with a series of major acquisitions. Includes the company’s $34 acquisition in 2018 of Red Hat for $1 billion and most recently its $4.6 billion acquisition of Apptio in June.

Although cloud computing offers many benefits to enterprises, vendor lock-in and aversion to a single cloud environment are increasing, leading to a more hybrid approach, one that relies on local on-premises infrastructure for security and low-latency purposes. A potentially dependent approach is required. Leverage one or more public cloud providers for specific resources as needed.

However, this means you need to manage and process data that may be stored in a variety of applications, both on-premises and across multiple private or public clouds. And this is where data integration systems come in, allowing companies to build pipelines that can pool data regardless of its location or format.

And this is effectively what IBM is buying with StreamSets and WebMethods: technology that spans the various layers that make up application and data integration, including API management, which WebMethods specifically provides.

Data is also the foundation of AI, and like almost every business today, IBM has been upping its AI game lately. In fact, this year the company introduced a new data science platform called Watsonx. It provides tools to build and deploy AI and manage all your data sources in one platform. And this is where IBM’s two acquisitions will come into play.

“Together with IBM’s Watsonx AI and data platform and its application modernization, data fabric, and IT automation products, StreamSets and webMethods help clients realize the full potential of their applications and data.” IBM said. Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Software, said in a press release.

Source: techcrunch.com

Factory plans to leverage AI for streamlining the software development lifecycle

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Developer velocity (the speed at which an organization ships code) is often influenced by necessary but time-consuming processes such as code reviews, documentation, and testing. Inefficiencies can make these processes even longer. according to According to one source, developers waste 17.3 hours a week on technical debt and bad code, or code that doesn’t work.

Machine learning Ph.D. Matan Greenberg and Eno Reyes, previously a data scientist at Hugging Face and Microsoft, thought there had to be a better way.

During a hackathon in San Francisco, Greenberg and Reyes built a platform that could autonomously solve simple coding problems. This is a platform they later came to believe had commercial potential. After the hackathon, the two expanded the platform to handle more software development tasks and founded a company. factoryto monetize what they built.

“Factory’s mission is to bring autonomy to software engineering,” Grinberg told TechCrunch in an email interview. “More specifically, Factory helps large engineering organizations automate parts of their software development lifecycle through AI-powered autonomous systems.”

Factory systems – Greenberg calls them “droids” in Lucasfilm terminology there may be a problem — Built to juggle a variety of repetitive, mundane, but typically time-consuming software engineering tasks. For example, Factory has “Droids” for reviewing code, refactoring or rebuilding code, and even generating new code from a prompt like GitHub Copilot.

Grinberg explains: “Reviews Droid leaves insightful code reviews, providing human reviewers with context for every change to the codebase. Documentation Droid generates documentation as needed and continuously updates it. Test Droid creates tests and maintains test coverage percentages as new code is merged. Droid knowledge resides in communication platforms (such as Slack) to answer deeper questions about engineering systems. Project Droid also helps you plan and design requirements based on customer support tickets and feature requests.”

Factory’s droids all have what Greenberg calls a “droid core,” an engine that ingests and processes a company’s engineering system data to build a knowledge base, and an engine that extracts insights from the knowledge base to perform various engineering tasks. It is built on algorithms that solve problems. . His third Droid core component, his Reflection Engine, acts as a filter for third-party AI models that Factory utilizes, allowing Factory to implement its own safety measures, security best practices, etc. based on these models. I will make it possible.

“The enterprise perspective here is that this will enable engineering organizations to output better products faster, while also boosting engineering morale by offloading tedious tasks such as code reviews, documentation, and testing. It’s a suite of software that makes it better,” Greenberg said. “Additionally, the autonomous nature of the droid requires little user education or onboarding.”

Now, if Factory can consistently and reliably automate all these development tasks, the platform will certainly pay for itself. According to 2019 investigation According to Tidelift and The New Stack, developers spend 35% of their time managing code, including testing and addressing security issues, and less than a third of their time actually coding.

But the question is, can it be done?

Even today’s best AI models can make fatal mistakes. Generative coding tools can also introduce insecure code, and a Stanford study found that software engineers who use code generation AI are more likely to introduce security vulnerabilities in the apps they develop. It is suggested.

Greenberg was candid about the fact that Factory doesn’t have the capital to train all its models in-house, so it’s at the mercy of third-party limitations. But while relying on third-party vendors for some of its AI capabilities, he argues that the Factory platform still provides value.

“Our approach is to build these AI systems and inference architectures, leverage cutting-edge models, establish relationships with customers, and deliver value now,” Greenberg said. Masu. “For early startups, training is a losing battle. [large] model. There is no financial advantage, no chip access advantage, no data advantage, and (almost certainly) no technological advantage compared to incumbents. ”

Factory long play teeth Greenberg said the company will further train its AI models to build an “end-to-end” engineering AI system and differentiate those models by collecting engineering training data from early customers.

“Over time, you have more capital. Chip shortage The problem is solved and we have direct access (with permission) to a treasure trove of data (i.e., the historical timeline of the entire engineering organization). ” he continued. “We build robust and fully autonomous droids with minimal human intervention, customizing them to our customers’ needs from day one.”

Is that too optimistic? perhaps. Competition in the AI ​​startup market is increasing day by day.

But to Greenberg’s credit, Factory already works with a core group of about 15 companies. Mr. Greenberg declined to name names, but the size of his clients, which have used Factor’s platform to date to perform thousands of code reviews and create hundreds of thousands of lines of code, is from “seed stage.” It covers a wide range of topics, including “public”.

And Factory recently closed a $5 million seed round co-led by Sequoia and Lux ​​with participation from SV Angel, BoxGroup, DataBricks CEO Ali Ghodsi, and Hugging Face co-founder Clem Delangue. Greenberg said the new funding will be used to expand Factory’s six-person team and platform capabilities.

“The main challenges in this AI code generation industry are trust and differentiation,” he said. “Every VP of Engineering wants to use AI to improve their organization’s outcomes. This is hindered by the unreliability of many AI tools and the lack of confidence that this new futuristic sound A large labyrinthine organization that refuses to trust its technology…Factory is building a world where software engineering itself is an accessible, scalable commodity.”

Source: techcrunch.com