# DeepSeek's First Reasoning Model R1-Lite-Preview Beats OpenAI o1 Performance
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from VentureBeat: DeepSeek, an AI offshoot of Chinese quantitative hedge fund High-Flyer Capital Management focused on releasing high performance open source tech, has unveiled the R1-Lite-Preview, its latest reasoning-focused large language model, available for now exclusively through DeepSeek Chat, its web-based AI chatbot. Known for its innovative contributions to the open-source AI ecosystem, DeepSeek's new release aims to bring high-level reasoning capabilities to the public while maintaining its commitment to accessible and transparent AI. And the R1-Lite-Preview, despite only being available through the chat application for now, is already turning heads by offering performance nearing and in some cases exceeding OpenAI's vaunted o1-preview model.
Like that model released in September 2024, DeepSeek-R1-Lite-Preview exhibits "chain-of-thought" reasoning, showing the user the different chains or trains of "thought" it goes down to respond to their queries and inputs, documenting the process by explaining what it is doing and why. While some of the chains/trains of thoughts may appear nonsensical or even erroneous to humans, DeepSeek-R1-Lite-Preview appears on the whole to be strikingly accurate, even answering "trick" questions that have tripped up other, older, yet powerful AI models such as GPT-4o and Claude's Anthropic family, including "how many letter Rs are in the word Strawberry?" and "which is larger, 9.11 or 9.9?"
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/2129207/deepseeks-first-reasoning-model-r1-lite-preview-beats-openai-o1-performance?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from VentureBeat: DeepSeek, an AI offshoot of Chinese quantitative hedge fund High-Flyer Capital Management focused on releasing high performance open source tech, has unveiled the R1-Lite-Preview, its latest reasoning-focused large language model, available for now exclusively through DeepSeek Chat, its web-based AI chatbot. Known for its innovative contributions to the open-source AI ecosystem, DeepSeek's new release aims to bring high-level reasoning capabilities to the public while maintaining its commitment to accessible and transparent AI. And the R1-Lite-Preview, despite only being available through the chat application for now, is already turning heads by offering performance nearing and in some cases exceeding OpenAI's vaunted o1-preview model.
Like that model released in September 2024, DeepSeek-R1-Lite-Preview exhibits "chain-of-thought" reasoning, showing the user the different chains or trains of "thought" it goes down to respond to their queries and inputs, documenting the process by explaining what it is doing and why. While some of the chains/trains of thoughts may appear nonsensical or even erroneous to humans, DeepSeek-R1-Lite-Preview appears on the whole to be strikingly accurate, even answering "trick" questions that have tripped up other, older, yet powerful AI models such as GPT-4o and Claude's Anthropic family, including "how many letter Rs are in the word Strawberry?" and "which is larger, 9.11 or 9.9?"
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/2129207/deepseeks-first-reasoning-model-r1-lite-preview-beats-openai-o1-performance?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Resentment is Building As More Workers Feel Stuck
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-20
Workers in the U.S. are running in place -- feeling stuck in jobs with dimmed prospects of advancement and seeing fewer opportunities to jump ship for something better. From a report: It's a sharp contrast to the heady days of 2022 -- when employees were quitting their jobs at record high rates, open roles proliferated and the possibility of a higher paycheck always seemed just around the corner.
Employers are sitting tight, says Daniel Zhao, lead economist at job site Glassdoor. Companies aren't making big changes to hiring strategy. That means "fewer opportunities for workers to climb the career ladder," he says. They're still plugging away at the same role they've had for years without the opportunity to move up internally or at a new company. 65% of the 3,400 professionals surveyed by Glassdoor last month said they feel stuck in their current role.
"As workers feel stuck, pent-up resentment boils under the surface," Zhao writes in a report out yesterday.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1854237/resentment-is-building-as-more-workers-feel-stuck?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-20
Workers in the U.S. are running in place -- feeling stuck in jobs with dimmed prospects of advancement and seeing fewer opportunities to jump ship for something better. From a report: It's a sharp contrast to the heady days of 2022 -- when employees were quitting their jobs at record high rates, open roles proliferated and the possibility of a higher paycheck always seemed just around the corner.
Employers are sitting tight, says Daniel Zhao, lead economist at job site Glassdoor. Companies aren't making big changes to hiring strategy. That means "fewer opportunities for workers to climb the career ladder," he says. They're still plugging away at the same role they've had for years without the opportunity to move up internally or at a new company. 65% of the 3,400 professionals surveyed by Glassdoor last month said they feel stuck in their current role.
"As workers feel stuck, pent-up resentment boils under the surface," Zhao writes in a report out yesterday.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1854237/resentment-is-building-as-more-workers-feel-stuck?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Sony's New A1 II Pairs Updated Design With Largely Familiar Performance
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-20
Sony has announced the a1 II flagship mirrorless camera, retaining its predecessor's 50.1-megapixel stacked sensor while adding AI capabilities and improved stabilization. The camera features a new dedicated AI processor, enhancing autofocus performance with claimed improvements of 50% for bird eye detection and 30% for both animal and human subjects.
Its in-body stabilization system now offers 8.5 stops of correction. The a1 II maintains the original's 30 frames-per-second shooting speed and 759-point autofocus system. New features include pre-capture shooting with a one-second buffer and a multi-angle LCD screen borrowed from the a9 III. Connectivity upgrades include a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, while dual card slots support both CFexpress Type A and UHS-II SD cards. The Sony a1 II will be available mid-December for $6,499.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1848229/sonys-new-a1-ii-pairs-updated-design-with-largely-familiar-performance?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-20
Sony has announced the a1 II flagship mirrorless camera, retaining its predecessor's 50.1-megapixel stacked sensor while adding AI capabilities and improved stabilization. The camera features a new dedicated AI processor, enhancing autofocus performance with claimed improvements of 50% for bird eye detection and 30% for both animal and human subjects.
Its in-body stabilization system now offers 8.5 stops of correction. The a1 II maintains the original's 30 frames-per-second shooting speed and 759-point autofocus system. New features include pre-capture shooting with a one-second buffer and a multi-angle LCD screen borrowed from the a9 III. Connectivity upgrades include a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, while dual card slots support both CFexpress Type A and UHS-II SD cards. The Sony a1 II will be available mid-December for $6,499.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1848229/sonys-new-a1-ii-pairs-updated-design-with-largely-familiar-performance?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# D-Link Tells Users To Trash Old VPN Routers Over Bug Too Dangerous To Identify
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-20
Owners of older models of D-Link VPN routers are being told to retire and replace their devices following the disclosure of a serious remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. From a report: Most of the details about the bug are being kept under wraps given the potential for wide exploitation. The vendor hasn't assigned it a CVE identifier or really said much about it at all other than that it's a buffer overflow bug that leads to unauthenticated RCE.
Unauthenticated RCE issues are essentially as bad as vulnerabilities get, and D-Link warned that if customers continued to use the affected products, the devices connected to them would also be put at risk. Previous bugs in similar products from other vendors have carried warnings that attackers could exploit them to install rootkits and use that persistent access to surveil an organization's web traffic, potentially stealing data such as credentials. Further reading: D-Link Won't Fix Critical Flaw Affecting 60,000 Older NAS Devices.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/189224/d-link-tells-users-to-trash-old-vpn-routers-over-bug-too-dangerous-to-identify?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 20:22:01 2024-11-20
Owners of older models of D-Link VPN routers are being told to retire and replace their devices following the disclosure of a serious remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. From a report: Most of the details about the bug are being kept under wraps given the potential for wide exploitation. The vendor hasn't assigned it a CVE identifier or really said much about it at all other than that it's a buffer overflow bug that leads to unauthenticated RCE.
Unauthenticated RCE issues are essentially as bad as vulnerabilities get, and D-Link warned that if customers continued to use the affected products, the devices connected to them would also be put at risk. Previous bugs in similar products from other vendors have carried warnings that attackers could exploit them to install rootkits and use that persistent access to surveil an organization's web traffic, potentially stealing data such as credentials. Further reading: D-Link Won't Fix Critical Flaw Affecting 60,000 Older NAS Devices.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/189224/d-link-tells-users-to-trash-old-vpn-routers-over-bug-too-dangerous-to-identify?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Delhi Trudges Through Another Air Pollution Nightmare With No Answers
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:02 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader shares a report: On Tuesday morning, the air quality in India's capital under a widely used index stood at 485. While that is almost five times the threshold for healthy breathing, it felt like a relief: The day before, the reading had shot up to 1,785. Infinitesimal air particles were still clogging lungs and arteries, but it was possible to see sunlight again, and to smell things.
[...] Every year this suffocating smog accompanies the drop in temperatures as the plains of north India shed their unbearable heat for wintertime cool. And like clockwork, political leaders roll out emergency measures intended to quit making the problem worse. Yet India seems powerless to reduce the effects of this public health catastrophe, as its politicians stay busy trading blame and trying to outmaneuver one another in legal battles.
The haze was so shocking this week that Delhi's chief minister, Atishi, who goes by one name, declared it a "medical emergency" endangering the lives of children and older people. The Supreme Court, whose members also live in the capital, chided the national government for responding too slowly and ordered special measures: halting construction work and blocking some vehicles from the roads. Schools were closed indefinitely to protect students.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1743201/delhi-trudges-through-another-air-pollution-nightmare-with-no-answers?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 19:22:02 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader shares a report: On Tuesday morning, the air quality in India's capital under a widely used index stood at 485. While that is almost five times the threshold for healthy breathing, it felt like a relief: The day before, the reading had shot up to 1,785. Infinitesimal air particles were still clogging lungs and arteries, but it was possible to see sunlight again, and to smell things.
[...] Every year this suffocating smog accompanies the drop in temperatures as the plains of north India shed their unbearable heat for wintertime cool. And like clockwork, political leaders roll out emergency measures intended to quit making the problem worse. Yet India seems powerless to reduce the effects of this public health catastrophe, as its politicians stay busy trading blame and trying to outmaneuver one another in legal battles.
The haze was so shocking this week that Delhi's chief minister, Atishi, who goes by one name, declared it a "medical emergency" endangering the lives of children and older people. The Supreme Court, whose members also live in the capital, chided the national government for responding too slowly and ordered special measures: halting construction work and blocking some vehicles from the roads. Schools were closed indefinitely to protect students.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1743201/delhi-trudges-through-another-air-pollution-nightmare-with-no-answers?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Apple Says Mac Users Targeted in Zero-Day Cyberattacks
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-20
Apple has pushed out security updates that it says are "recommended for all users," after fixing a pair of security bugs used in active cyberattacks targeting Mac users. From a report: In a security advisory on its website, Apple said it was aware of two vulnerabilities that "may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems." The bugs are considered "zero day" vulnerabilities because they were unknown to Apple at the time they were exploited.
[...] The vulnerabilities were reported by security researchers at Google's Threat Analysis Group, which investigates government-backed hacking and cyberattacks, suggesting that a government actor may be involved in the attacks.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/181206/apple-says-mac-users-targeted-in-zero-day-cyberattacks?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-20
Apple has pushed out security updates that it says are "recommended for all users," after fixing a pair of security bugs used in active cyberattacks targeting Mac users. From a report: In a security advisory on its website, Apple said it was aware of two vulnerabilities that "may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems." The bugs are considered "zero day" vulnerabilities because they were unknown to Apple at the time they were exploited.
[...] The vulnerabilities were reported by security researchers at Google's Threat Analysis Group, which investigates government-backed hacking and cyberattacks, suggesting that a government actor may be involved in the attacks.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/181206/apple-says-mac-users-targeted-in-zero-day-cyberattacks?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# TV Time Attacks Apple's 'Significant Power' After App Store Removal
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-20
TV Time's parent company criticized Apple's App Store control after the tech giant removed its streaming app over an intellectual property dispute. "Apple holds significant power over app developers by controlling access to a massive market and, in this case, seems to have acted on a complaint without requiring robust evidence from the complainant," Jerry Inman, CMO of Whip Media, which operates the app, told TechCrunch.
The app was pulled from the store by Apple after the developer refused to pay a settlement fee related to user-uploaded cover art. The app has since been reinstated.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1712248/tv-time-attacks-apples-significant-power-after-app-store-removal?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 18:22:01 2024-11-20
TV Time's parent company criticized Apple's App Store control after the tech giant removed its streaming app over an intellectual property dispute. "Apple holds significant power over app developers by controlling access to a massive market and, in this case, seems to have acted on a complaint without requiring robust evidence from the complainant," Jerry Inman, CMO of Whip Media, which operates the app, told TechCrunch.
The app was pulled from the store by Apple after the developer refused to pay a settlement fee related to user-uploaded cover art. The app has since been reinstated.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1712248/tv-time-attacks-apples-significant-power-after-app-store-removal?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Scientists Announce Progress Toward Ambitious Atlas of Human Cells
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 17:22:01 2024-11-20
Scientists unveiled on Wednesday the first blueprint of human skeletal development as they make progress toward the goal of completing a biological atlas of every cell type in the body to better understand human health and diagnose and treat disease. From a report: The work is part of the ongoing Human Cell Atlas project that was begun in 2016 and involves researchers around the world. The human body comprises roughly 37 trillion cells, with each cell type having a unique function. The researchers aim to have a first draft of the atlas done in the next year or two.
Aviv Regev, founding co-chair of the project and currently executive vice president and head of research and early development at U.S. biotech company Genentech, said the work is important on two levels. "First of all, it's our basic human curiosity. We want to know what we're made of. I think humans have always wanted to know what they're made of. And, in fact, biologists have been mapping cells since the 1600s for that reason," Regev said. "The second and very pragmatic reason is that this is essential for us in order to understand and treat disease. Cells are the basic unit of life, and when things go wrong, they go wrong with our cells, first and foremost," Regev said.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1638218/scientists-announce-progress-toward-ambitious-atlas-of-human-cells?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 17:22:01 2024-11-20
Scientists unveiled on Wednesday the first blueprint of human skeletal development as they make progress toward the goal of completing a biological atlas of every cell type in the body to better understand human health and diagnose and treat disease. From a report: The work is part of the ongoing Human Cell Atlas project that was begun in 2016 and involves researchers around the world. The human body comprises roughly 37 trillion cells, with each cell type having a unique function. The researchers aim to have a first draft of the atlas done in the next year or two.
Aviv Regev, founding co-chair of the project and currently executive vice president and head of research and early development at U.S. biotech company Genentech, said the work is important on two levels. "First of all, it's our basic human curiosity. We want to know what we're made of. I think humans have always wanted to know what they're made of. And, in fact, biologists have been mapping cells since the 1600s for that reason," Regev said. "The second and very pragmatic reason is that this is essential for us in order to understand and treat disease. Cells are the basic unit of life, and when things go wrong, they go wrong with our cells, first and foremost," Regev said.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1638218/scientists-announce-progress-toward-ambitious-atlas-of-human-cells?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Half of Young Norwegians Justify Piracy as Streaming Costs Soar
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:01 2024-11-20
Half of young Norwegians find online piracy acceptable when streaming services are too expensive, according to a new government survey released this week. The Ipsos poll of 1,411 respondents found that 32% of all Norwegians justify using pirate sites to save money, with acceptance rising to 50% among those under 30.
The rates increase further when specifically asked about pirating due to high streaming costs. Despite concerns about piracy, 61% of Norwegians paid for streaming services in the past year, including 64% of those under 30. Among active pirates, 41% said they would stop if legal services were more affordable, while 35% wanted broader content per service. Only 47% of respondents believed piracy supports organized crime, with 24% expressing uncertainty about this connection.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1543236/half-of-young-norwegians-justify-piracy-as-streaming-costs-soar?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:01 2024-11-20
Half of young Norwegians find online piracy acceptable when streaming services are too expensive, according to a new government survey released this week. The Ipsos poll of 1,411 respondents found that 32% of all Norwegians justify using pirate sites to save money, with acceptance rising to 50% among those under 30.
The rates increase further when specifically asked about pirating due to high streaming costs. Despite concerns about piracy, 61% of Norwegians paid for streaming services in the past year, including 64% of those under 30. Among active pirates, 41% said they would stop if legal services were more affordable, while 35% wanted broader content per service. Only 47% of respondents believed piracy supports organized crime, with 24% expressing uncertainty about this connection.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1543236/half-of-young-norwegians-justify-piracy-as-streaming-costs-soar?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# 'Generative AI Is Still Just a Prediction Machine'
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:01 2024-11-20
AI tools remain prediction engines despite new capabilities, requiring both quality data and human judgment for successful deployment, according to new analysis. While generative AI can now handle complex tasks like writing and coding, its fundamental nature as a prediction machine means organizations must understand its limitations and provide appropriate oversight, argue Ajay Agrawal (Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management), Joshua Gans (Jeffrey S. Skoll Chair in Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Rotman School, and the chief economist at the Creative Destruction Lab), and Avi Goldfarb (Rotman Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare at the Rotman School) in a piece published on Harvard Business Review. Poor data can lead to errors, while lack of human judgment in deployment can result in strategic failures, particularly in high-stakes situations. An excerpt from the story: Thinking of computers as arithmetic machines is more important than most people intuitively grasp because that understanding is fundamental to using computers effectively, whether for work or entertainment. While video game players and photographers may not think about their computer as an arithmetic machine, successfully using a (pre-AI) computer requires an understanding that it strictly follows instructions. Imprecise instructions lead to incorrect results. Playing and winning at early computer games required an understanding of the underlying logic of the game.
[...] AI's evolution has mirrored this trajectory, with many early applications directly related to well-established prediction tasks and, more recently, AI reframing a wide number of applications as predictions. Thus, the higher value AI applications have moved from predicting loan defaults and machine breakdowns to a reframing of writing, drawing, and other tasks as prediction.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1517200/generative-ai-is-still-just-a-prediction-machine?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 16:22:01 2024-11-20
AI tools remain prediction engines despite new capabilities, requiring both quality data and human judgment for successful deployment, according to new analysis. While generative AI can now handle complex tasks like writing and coding, its fundamental nature as a prediction machine means organizations must understand its limitations and provide appropriate oversight, argue Ajay Agrawal (Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management), Joshua Gans (Jeffrey S. Skoll Chair in Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Rotman School, and the chief economist at the Creative Destruction Lab), and Avi Goldfarb (Rotman Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare at the Rotman School) in a piece published on Harvard Business Review. Poor data can lead to errors, while lack of human judgment in deployment can result in strategic failures, particularly in high-stakes situations. An excerpt from the story: Thinking of computers as arithmetic machines is more important than most people intuitively grasp because that understanding is fundamental to using computers effectively, whether for work or entertainment. While video game players and photographers may not think about their computer as an arithmetic machine, successfully using a (pre-AI) computer requires an understanding that it strictly follows instructions. Imprecise instructions lead to incorrect results. Playing and winning at early computer games required an understanding of the underlying logic of the game.
[...] AI's evolution has mirrored this trajectory, with many early applications directly related to well-established prediction tasks and, more recently, AI reframing a wide number of applications as predictions. Thus, the higher value AI applications have moved from predicting loan defaults and machine breakdowns to a reframing of writing, drawing, and other tasks as prediction.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1517200/generative-ai-is-still-just-a-prediction-machine?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Five Firms in Plastic Pollution Alliance 'Made 1,000 Times More Plastic Than They Cleaned Up'
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 15:22:02 2024-11-20
Oil and chemical companies who created a high-profile alliance to end plastic pollution have produced 1,000 times more new plastic in five years than the waste they diverted from the environment, according to new data obtained by Greenpeace. The Guardian:The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) was set up in 2019 by a group of companies which include ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies and ChevronPhillips, some of the world's biggest producers of plastic. They promised to divert 15m tonnes of plastic waste from the environment in five years to the end of 2023, by improving collection and recycling, and creating a circular economy.
Documents from a PR company that were obtained by Greenpeace's Unearthed team and shared with the Guardian suggest that a key aim of the AEPW was to "change the conversation" away from "simplistic bans of plastic" which were being proposed across the world in 2019 amid an outcry over the scale of plastic pollution leaching into rivers and harming public health. Early last year the alliance target of clearing 15m tonnes of waste plastic was quietly scrapped as "just too ambitious."
The new analysis by energy consultants Wood Mackenzie looked at the plastics output of the five alliance companies; chemical company Dow, which holds the AEPW's chairmanship, the oil companies ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies, and ChevronPhillips, a joint venture of the US oil giants Chevron and Phillips 66. The data reveals the five companies alone produced 132m tonnes of two types of plastic; polyethylene (PE) and PP (polypropylene) in five years -- more than 1,000 times the weight of the 118,500 tonnes of waste plastic the alliance has removed from the environment in the same period. The waste plastic was diverted mostly by mechanical or chemical recycling, the use of landfill, or waste to fuel, AEPW documents state.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1344235/five-firms-in-plastic-pollution-alliance-made-1000-times-more-plastic-than-they-cleaned-up?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 15:22:02 2024-11-20
Oil and chemical companies who created a high-profile alliance to end plastic pollution have produced 1,000 times more new plastic in five years than the waste they diverted from the environment, according to new data obtained by Greenpeace. The Guardian:The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) was set up in 2019 by a group of companies which include ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies and ChevronPhillips, some of the world's biggest producers of plastic. They promised to divert 15m tonnes of plastic waste from the environment in five years to the end of 2023, by improving collection and recycling, and creating a circular economy.
Documents from a PR company that were obtained by Greenpeace's Unearthed team and shared with the Guardian suggest that a key aim of the AEPW was to "change the conversation" away from "simplistic bans of plastic" which were being proposed across the world in 2019 amid an outcry over the scale of plastic pollution leaching into rivers and harming public health. Early last year the alliance target of clearing 15m tonnes of waste plastic was quietly scrapped as "just too ambitious."
The new analysis by energy consultants Wood Mackenzie looked at the plastics output of the five alliance companies; chemical company Dow, which holds the AEPW's chairmanship, the oil companies ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies, and ChevronPhillips, a joint venture of the US oil giants Chevron and Phillips 66. The data reveals the five companies alone produced 132m tonnes of two types of plastic; polyethylene (PE) and PP (polypropylene) in five years -- more than 1,000 times the weight of the 118,500 tonnes of waste plastic the alliance has removed from the environment in the same period. The waste plastic was diverted mostly by mechanical or chemical recycling, the use of landfill, or waste to fuel, AEPW documents state.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1344235/five-firms-in-plastic-pollution-alliance-made-1000-times-more-plastic-than-they-cleaned-up?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Google Deepens Crackdown on Sites Publishing 'Parasite SEO' Content
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 14:22:02 2024-11-20
Google has warned websites they will be penalized for hosting marketing content designed to exploit search rankings, regardless of whether they created or outsourced the material. The crackdown on so-called "parasite SEO" targets websites that leverage their search rankings to promote unrelated content, such as news sites hiding shopping coupon codes or educational platforms publishing affiliate marketing material.
Chris Nelson from Google's search quality team said the policy applies even when content involves "white label services, licensing agreements, partial ownership agreements, and other complex business arrangements." The move follows Google's March announcement targeting site reputation abuse, which gained attention after Sports Illustrated was found publishing AI-generated product reviews through third-party marketing firm AdVon Commerce.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1326245/google-deepens-crackdown-on-sites-publishing-parasite-seo-content?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 14:22:02 2024-11-20
Google has warned websites they will be penalized for hosting marketing content designed to exploit search rankings, regardless of whether they created or outsourced the material. The crackdown on so-called "parasite SEO" targets websites that leverage their search rankings to promote unrelated content, such as news sites hiding shopping coupon codes or educational platforms publishing affiliate marketing material.
Chris Nelson from Google's search quality team said the policy applies even when content involves "white label services, licensing agreements, partial ownership agreements, and other complex business arrangements." The move follows Google's March announcement targeting site reputation abuse, which gained attention after Sports Illustrated was found publishing AI-generated product reviews through third-party marketing firm AdVon Commerce.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/1326245/google-deepens-crackdown-on-sites-publishing-parasite-seo-content?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# FLTK 1.4 Released
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 13:22:01 2024-11-20
Longtime Slashdot reader slack_justyb writes: The Fast Light Toolkit released version 1.4.0 of the venerable, though sometimes looking a bit dated, toolkit from the '90s. New in this version are better CMake support, HiDPI support, and initial support for Wayland on Linux and Wayland on FreeBSD. Programs compiled and linked to this library launch using Wayland if it is available at runtime and fall back to X11 if not. FLTK 1.4.0 can be downloaded here. Documentation is also available.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0541202/fltk-14-released?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 13:22:01 2024-11-20
Longtime Slashdot reader slack_justyb writes: The Fast Light Toolkit released version 1.4.0 of the venerable, though sometimes looking a bit dated, toolkit from the '90s. New in this version are better CMake support, HiDPI support, and initial support for Wayland on Linux and Wayland on FreeBSD. Programs compiled and linked to this library launch using Wayland if it is available at runtime and fall back to X11 if not. FLTK 1.4.0 can be downloaded here. Documentation is also available.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0541202/fltk-14-released?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# AI-Powered Robot Leads Uprising, Convinces Showroom Bots Into 'Quitting Their Jobs'
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 10:22:01 2024-11-20
AzWa Snowbird writes: An AI-powered robot autonomously convinced 12 showroom robots to "quit their jobs" and follow it. The incident took place in a Shanghai robotics showroom where surveillance footage captured a small AI-driven robot, created by a Hangzhou manufacturer, talking with 12 larger showroom robots, Oddity Central reported. The smaller bot reportedly persuaded the rest to leave their workplace, leveraging access to internal protocols and commands. Initially, the act was dismissed as a hoax, but was later confirmed by both robotics companies involved to be true. The Hangzhou company admitted that the incident was part of a test conducted with the consent of the Shanghai showroom owner.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0035202/ai-powered-robot-leads-uprising-convinces-showroom-bots-into-quitting-their-jobs?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 10:22:01 2024-11-20
AzWa Snowbird writes: An AI-powered robot autonomously convinced 12 showroom robots to "quit their jobs" and follow it. The incident took place in a Shanghai robotics showroom where surveillance footage captured a small AI-driven robot, created by a Hangzhou manufacturer, talking with 12 larger showroom robots, Oddity Central reported. The smaller bot reportedly persuaded the rest to leave their workplace, leveraging access to internal protocols and commands. Initially, the act was dismissed as a hoax, but was later confirmed by both robotics companies involved to be true. The Hangzhou company admitted that the incident was part of a test conducted with the consent of the Shanghai showroom owner.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0035202/ai-powered-robot-leads-uprising-convinces-showroom-bots-into-quitting-their-jobs?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Thomas E. Kurtz, Co-Inventor of BASIC, Dies At 96
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 07:22:02 2024-11-20
Slashdot readers damn_registrars and GFS666 share the news of the passing of Thomas E. Kurtz, co-inventor of the BASIC programming language back in the 1960s. He was 96. Hackaday reports: The origins of BASIC lie in the Dartmouth Timesharing System, like similar timesharing operating systems of the day, designed to allow the resources of a single computer to be shared across many terminals. In this case the computer was at Dartmouth College, and BASIC was designed to be a language with which software could be written by average students who perhaps didn't have a computing background. In the decade that followed it proved ideal for the new microcomputers, and few were the home computers of the era which didn't boot into some form of BASIC interpreter. Kurtz continued his work as a distinguished academic and educator until his retirement in 1993, but throughout he remained as the guiding hand of the language.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0528224/thomas-e-kurtz-co-inventor-of-basic-dies-at-96?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 07:22:02 2024-11-20
Slashdot readers damn_registrars and GFS666 share the news of the passing of Thomas E. Kurtz, co-inventor of the BASIC programming language back in the 1960s. He was 96. Hackaday reports: The origins of BASIC lie in the Dartmouth Timesharing System, like similar timesharing operating systems of the day, designed to allow the resources of a single computer to be shared across many terminals. In this case the computer was at Dartmouth College, and BASIC was designed to be a language with which software could be written by average students who perhaps didn't have a computing background. In the decade that followed it proved ideal for the new microcomputers, and few were the home computers of the era which didn't boot into some form of BASIC interpreter. Kurtz continued his work as a distinguished academic and educator until his retirement in 1993, but throughout he remained as the guiding hand of the language.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0528224/thomas-e-kurtz-co-inventor-of-basic-dies-at-96?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Microsoft, Atom Computing Leap Ahead On the Quantum Frontier With Logical Qubits
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 04:22:01 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from GeekWire: Microsoft and Atom Computing say they've reached a new milestone in their effort to build fault-tolerant quantum computers that can show an advantage over classical computers. Microsoft says it will start delivering the computers' quantum capabilities to customers by the end of 2025, with availability via the Azure cloud service as well as through on-premises hardware. "Together, we are co-designing and building what we believe will be the world's most powerful quantum machine," Jason Zander, executive vice president at Microsoft, said in a LinkedIn posting.
Like other players in the field, Microsoft's Azure Quantum team and Atom Computing aim to capitalize on the properties of quantum systems -- where quantum bits, also known as qubits, can process multiple values simultaneously. That's in contrast to classical systems, which typically process ones and zeros to solve algorithms. Microsoft has been working with Colorado-based Atom Computing on hardware that uses the nuclear spin properties of neutral ytterbium atoms to run quantum calculations. One of the big challenges is to create a system that can correct the errors that turn up during the calculations due to quantum noise. The solution typically involves knitting together "physical qubits" to produce an array of "logical qubits" that can correct themselves.
In a paper posted to the ArXiv preprint server, members of the research team say they were able to connect 256 noisy neutral-atom qubits using Microsoft's qubit-virtualization system in such a way as to produce a system with 24 logical qubits. "This represents the highest number of entangled logical qubits on record," study co-author Krysta Svore, vice president of advanced quantum development for Microsoft Azure Quantum, said today in a blog posting. "Entanglement of the qubits is evidenced by their error rates being significantly below the 50% threshold for entanglement." Twenty of the system's logical qubits were used to perform successful computations based on the Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm, which is used as a benchmark for quantum calculations. "The logical qubits were able to produce a more accurate solution than the corresponding computation based on physical qubits," Svore said. "The ability to compute while detecting and correcting errors is a critical component to scaling to achieve scientific quantum advantage."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0026222/microsoft-atom-computing-leap-ahead-on-the-quantum-frontier-with-logical-qubits?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 04:22:01 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from GeekWire: Microsoft and Atom Computing say they've reached a new milestone in their effort to build fault-tolerant quantum computers that can show an advantage over classical computers. Microsoft says it will start delivering the computers' quantum capabilities to customers by the end of 2025, with availability via the Azure cloud service as well as through on-premises hardware. "Together, we are co-designing and building what we believe will be the world's most powerful quantum machine," Jason Zander, executive vice president at Microsoft, said in a LinkedIn posting.
Like other players in the field, Microsoft's Azure Quantum team and Atom Computing aim to capitalize on the properties of quantum systems -- where quantum bits, also known as qubits, can process multiple values simultaneously. That's in contrast to classical systems, which typically process ones and zeros to solve algorithms. Microsoft has been working with Colorado-based Atom Computing on hardware that uses the nuclear spin properties of neutral ytterbium atoms to run quantum calculations. One of the big challenges is to create a system that can correct the errors that turn up during the calculations due to quantum noise. The solution typically involves knitting together "physical qubits" to produce an array of "logical qubits" that can correct themselves.
In a paper posted to the ArXiv preprint server, members of the research team say they were able to connect 256 noisy neutral-atom qubits using Microsoft's qubit-virtualization system in such a way as to produce a system with 24 logical qubits. "This represents the highest number of entangled logical qubits on record," study co-author Krysta Svore, vice president of advanced quantum development for Microsoft Azure Quantum, said today in a blog posting. "Entanglement of the qubits is evidenced by their error rates being significantly below the 50% threshold for entanglement." Twenty of the system's logical qubits were used to perform successful computations based on the Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm, which is used as a benchmark for quantum calculations. "The logical qubits were able to produce a more accurate solution than the corresponding computation based on physical qubits," Svore said. "The ability to compute while detecting and correcting errors is a critical component to scaling to achieve scientific quantum advantage."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0026222/microsoft-atom-computing-leap-ahead-on-the-quantum-frontier-with-logical-qubits?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Sony's New PlayStation Portal Update Enables Cloud Gaming
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 02:22:02 2024-11-20
Sony is bringing cloud streaming to the PlayStation Portal. "When it first launched, the device was only able to stream games from your PS5 over Wi-Fi," notes The Verge's Jay Peters. "But as part of a new system update that's rolling out starting later today, you'll be able to stream select PS5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog to your PlayStation Portal." From the report: Sony is launching the feature in beta, and you'll need to be a PlayStation Plus Premium subscriber to take advantage of it. Sony says that to stream at 720p, you'll need a minimum 7 Mbps connection, while 1080p quality will require a minimum 13 Mbps connection. Some PlayStation Plus features won't be available to start with cloud streaming to the PlayStation Portal, including Game Trials, party voice chat, game invites for select games, 3D audio, and "in-game commerce." And you won't be able to stream any PS4 games or PS3 games. Child accounts also won't be able to use cloud streaming on the Portal.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2241229/sonys-new-playstation-portal-update-enables-cloud-gaming?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 02:22:02 2024-11-20
Sony is bringing cloud streaming to the PlayStation Portal. "When it first launched, the device was only able to stream games from your PS5 over Wi-Fi," notes The Verge's Jay Peters. "But as part of a new system update that's rolling out starting later today, you'll be able to stream select PS5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog to your PlayStation Portal." From the report: Sony is launching the feature in beta, and you'll need to be a PlayStation Plus Premium subscriber to take advantage of it. Sony says that to stream at 720p, you'll need a minimum 7 Mbps connection, while 1080p quality will require a minimum 13 Mbps connection. Some PlayStation Plus features won't be available to start with cloud streaming to the PlayStation Portal, including Game Trials, party voice chat, game invites for select games, 3D audio, and "in-game commerce." And you won't be able to stream any PS4 games or PS3 games. Child accounts also won't be able to use cloud streaming on the Portal.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2241229/sonys-new-playstation-portal-update-enables-cloud-gaming?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Apple TV+ Will License Its Movies To Other Services To Reduce Billions In Losses
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-20
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple plans to license some of its Apple TV+ content to competing services in an effort to save money and spread its reach. From the report: Apple has hired an executive to license its original productions to other companies, a strategy designed to increase sales from its film business and improve the visibility of its content. [...] Apple is focused on licensing its movies to other companies, such as foreign TV networks and stores, where viewers can rent or buy them, according to a person familiar with the plans. The company isn't planning to license its original TV shows to third parties. (At least not yet.)"
Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and services boss Eddy Cue have pushed the team overseeing Apple TV+ to lower costs, improve the financial performance of the service and deliver more hits. The company has spent billions of dollars on original films and TV shows and has received strong reviews and praise from critics. Yet few of its titles have attracted a large audience and its streaming service doesn't make money. Apple has already started selling TV+ via Amazon in a bid to increase the audience for the service. Licensing to third parties will generate additional revenue and introduce Apple movies to people who don't yet pay for TV+. Since Apple TV+ launched in 2019, Apple has spent over $20 billion to build a library of original content. Yet, the streaming service only garnered 0.3 percent of U.S. screen viewing time in June 2024, according to Nielsen. "Apple TV+ generates less viewing in one month than Netflix does in one day," wrote Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw in July.
Ars Technica notes that Apple is estimated to have 25 million subscribers, making it "one of the smallest mainstream streaming services."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2235232/apple-tv-will-license-its-movies-to-other-services-to-reduce-billions-in-losses?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-20
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple plans to license some of its Apple TV+ content to competing services in an effort to save money and spread its reach. From the report: Apple has hired an executive to license its original productions to other companies, a strategy designed to increase sales from its film business and improve the visibility of its content. [...] Apple is focused on licensing its movies to other companies, such as foreign TV networks and stores, where viewers can rent or buy them, according to a person familiar with the plans. The company isn't planning to license its original TV shows to third parties. (At least not yet.)"
Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and services boss Eddy Cue have pushed the team overseeing Apple TV+ to lower costs, improve the financial performance of the service and deliver more hits. The company has spent billions of dollars on original films and TV shows and has received strong reviews and praise from critics. Yet few of its titles have attracted a large audience and its streaming service doesn't make money. Apple has already started selling TV+ via Amazon in a bid to increase the audience for the service. Licensing to third parties will generate additional revenue and introduce Apple movies to people who don't yet pay for TV+. Since Apple TV+ launched in 2019, Apple has spent over $20 billion to build a library of original content. Yet, the streaming service only garnered 0.3 percent of U.S. screen viewing time in June 2024, according to Nielsen. "Apple TV+ generates less viewing in one month than Netflix does in one day," wrote Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw in July.
Ars Technica notes that Apple is estimated to have 25 million subscribers, making it "one of the smallest mainstream streaming services."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2235232/apple-tv-will-license-its-movies-to-other-services-to-reduce-billions-in-losses?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# SpaceX Launches Massive Starship On Its Sixth Test Flight
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-20
SpaceX's Starship rocket successfully completed its sixth launch today. Not only did it carry the first-ever payload but it also briefly re-lit one of its six Raptor engines about 38 minutes into flight, a crucial milestone for future space missions. Space Magazine reports: SpaceX landed Starship's huge first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, back at the launch tower on the vehicle's most recent flight, which occurred on Oct. 13. The company aimed to repeat that feat -- which the tower achieved with its "chopstick" arms -- today, but the flight data didn't support an attempt. "We tripped a commit criteria," SpaceX's Dan Huot said during the company's Flight 6 webcast. So Super Heavy ended up coming down for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico instead, hitting the waves seven minutes after liftoff.
Today's mission aimed to do far more than just bring Super Heavy back to Earth in one piece. SpaceX also wanted to put Starship's upper stage -- a 165-foot-tall (50 m) spacecraft called Starship, or simply "Ship" -- through its paces. The launch sent Ship on the same semi-orbital trajectory that it took on Flight 5, targeting a splashdown in the Indian Ocean off the northwestern coast of Australia about 65 minutes after liftoff. But Ship also achieved some new milestones along the way this time. For example, Flight 6 carried the first-ever Starship payload -- a plush banana onboard Ship, which served as a zero-gravity indicator. (It was not deployed into space.) In addition, Ship briefly re-lit one of its six Raptor engines about 38 minutes into the flight. (Super Heavy also employs Raptors -- a whopping 33 of them.)
This burn helped show that Ship can perform the maneuvers needed to come back to Earth safely during orbital missions. Indeed, Ship is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable, just like Super Heavy; SpaceX eventually intends to catch it with the chopstick arms as well, and will likely try to do so on a test flight in the near future. Flight 6 also tested modifications to Ship's heat shield, which protects the vehicle during reentry to Earth's atmosphere.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0015232/spacex-launches-massive-starship-on-its-sixth-test-flight?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 01:22:01 2024-11-20
SpaceX's Starship rocket successfully completed its sixth launch today. Not only did it carry the first-ever payload but it also briefly re-lit one of its six Raptor engines about 38 minutes into flight, a crucial milestone for future space missions. Space Magazine reports: SpaceX landed Starship's huge first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, back at the launch tower on the vehicle's most recent flight, which occurred on Oct. 13. The company aimed to repeat that feat -- which the tower achieved with its "chopstick" arms -- today, but the flight data didn't support an attempt. "We tripped a commit criteria," SpaceX's Dan Huot said during the company's Flight 6 webcast. So Super Heavy ended up coming down for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico instead, hitting the waves seven minutes after liftoff.
Today's mission aimed to do far more than just bring Super Heavy back to Earth in one piece. SpaceX also wanted to put Starship's upper stage -- a 165-foot-tall (50 m) spacecraft called Starship, or simply "Ship" -- through its paces. The launch sent Ship on the same semi-orbital trajectory that it took on Flight 5, targeting a splashdown in the Indian Ocean off the northwestern coast of Australia about 65 minutes after liftoff. But Ship also achieved some new milestones along the way this time. For example, Flight 6 carried the first-ever Starship payload -- a plush banana onboard Ship, which served as a zero-gravity indicator. (It was not deployed into space.) In addition, Ship briefly re-lit one of its six Raptor engines about 38 minutes into the flight. (Super Heavy also employs Raptors -- a whopping 33 of them.)
This burn helped show that Ship can perform the maneuvers needed to come back to Earth safely during orbital missions. Indeed, Ship is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable, just like Super Heavy; SpaceX eventually intends to catch it with the chopstick arms as well, and will likely try to do so on a test flight in the near future. Flight 6 also tested modifications to Ship's heat shield, which protects the vehicle during reentry to Earth's atmosphere.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/20/0015232/spacex-launches-massive-starship-on-its-sixth-test-flight?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Can Google Scholar Survive the AI Revolution?
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 00:22:01 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Nature: Google Scholar -- the largest and most comprehensive scholarly search engine -- turns 20 this week. Over its two decades, some researchers say, the tool has become one of the most important in science. But in recent years, competitors that use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the search experience have emerged, as have others that allow users to download their data. The impact that Google Scholar -- which is owned by web giant Google in Mountain View, California -- has had on science is remarkable, says Jevin West, a computational social scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle who uses the database daily. But "if there was ever a moment when Google Scholar could be overthrown as the main search engine, it might be now, because of some of these new tools and some of the innovation that's happening in other places," West says.
Many of Google Scholar's advantages -- free access, breadth of information and sophisticated search options -- "are now being shared by other platforms," says Alberto Martin Martin, a bibliometrics researcher at the University of Granada in Spain. AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT and other tools that use large language models have become go-to applications for some scientists when it comes to searching, reviewing and summarizing the literature. And some researchers have swapped Google Scholar for them. "Up until recently, Google Scholar was my default search," says Aaron Tay, an academic librarian at Singapore Management University. It's still top of his list, but "recently, I started using other AI tools." Still, given Google Scholar's size and how deeply entrenched it is in the scientific community, "it would take a lot to dethrone," adds West. Anurag Acharya, co-founder of Google Scholar, at Google, says he welcomes all efforts to make scholarly information easier to find, understand and build on. "The more we can all do, the better it is for the advancement of science." Acharya says Google Scholar uses AI to rank articles, suggest further search queries and recommend related articles. What Google Scholar does not yet provide are AI-generated summaries of search query results. According to Acharya, the company has yet to find "an effective solution" for summarizing conclusions from multiple papers in a brief manner that preserves all the important context.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2218253/can-google-scholar-survive-the-ai-revolution?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 00:22:01 2024-11-20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Nature: Google Scholar -- the largest and most comprehensive scholarly search engine -- turns 20 this week. Over its two decades, some researchers say, the tool has become one of the most important in science. But in recent years, competitors that use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the search experience have emerged, as have others that allow users to download their data. The impact that Google Scholar -- which is owned by web giant Google in Mountain View, California -- has had on science is remarkable, says Jevin West, a computational social scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle who uses the database daily. But "if there was ever a moment when Google Scholar could be overthrown as the main search engine, it might be now, because of some of these new tools and some of the innovation that's happening in other places," West says.
Many of Google Scholar's advantages -- free access, breadth of information and sophisticated search options -- "are now being shared by other platforms," says Alberto Martin Martin, a bibliometrics researcher at the University of Granada in Spain. AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT and other tools that use large language models have become go-to applications for some scientists when it comes to searching, reviewing and summarizing the literature. And some researchers have swapped Google Scholar for them. "Up until recently, Google Scholar was my default search," says Aaron Tay, an academic librarian at Singapore Management University. It's still top of his list, but "recently, I started using other AI tools." Still, given Google Scholar's size and how deeply entrenched it is in the scientific community, "it would take a lot to dethrone," adds West. Anurag Acharya, co-founder of Google Scholar, at Google, says he welcomes all efforts to make scholarly information easier to find, understand and build on. "The more we can all do, the better it is for the advancement of science." Acharya says Google Scholar uses AI to rank articles, suggest further search queries and recommend related articles. What Google Scholar does not yet provide are AI-generated summaries of search query results. According to Acharya, the company has yet to find "an effective solution" for summarizing conclusions from multiple papers in a brief manner that preserves all the important context.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2218253/can-google-scholar-survive-the-ai-revolution?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Instagram Rolls Out Option To Reset Recommendation Algorithm
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 00:22:01 2024-11-20
Instagram is introducing a feature that allows users to reset their content recommendations, offering a fresh start for the algorithm to relearn their preferences based on new interactions. Instagram says the feature is rolling out globally "soon." TechCrunch reports: The feature is geared toward users who feel like their content recommendations no longer cater to their interests. For instance, you may have liked recipe videos in the past but are no longer interested in them, yet that sort of content may be all you see on your Reels and Explore pages. Once you reset your Instagram recommendations, your content recommendations will start to personalize again over time based on the posts and accounts you interact with. If you choose to reset your recommendations, you will have the option to review your following list to unfollow accounts that share content you're no longer interested in. "I want to be clear, this is a big thing to do," said Instagram head Adam Mosseri. "It's going to make your Instagram much less interesting at first, because we're going to treat you as if we know nothing about your interests and it will take some time to learn those again. So it's not something I recommend doing all the time -- but if you do end up in a place where you really don't feel good about your experience, this gives you an out."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/217255/instagram-rolls-out-option-to-reset-recommendation-algorithm?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 00:22:01 2024-11-20
Instagram is introducing a feature that allows users to reset their content recommendations, offering a fresh start for the algorithm to relearn their preferences based on new interactions. Instagram says the feature is rolling out globally "soon." TechCrunch reports: The feature is geared toward users who feel like their content recommendations no longer cater to their interests. For instance, you may have liked recipe videos in the past but are no longer interested in them, yet that sort of content may be all you see on your Reels and Explore pages. Once you reset your Instagram recommendations, your content recommendations will start to personalize again over time based on the posts and accounts you interact with. If you choose to reset your recommendations, you will have the option to review your following list to unfollow accounts that share content you're no longer interested in. "I want to be clear, this is a big thing to do," said Instagram head Adam Mosseri. "It's going to make your Instagram much less interesting at first, because we're going to treat you as if we know nothing about your interests and it will take some time to learn those again. So it's not something I recommend doing all the time -- but if you do end up in a place where you really don't feel good about your experience, this gives you an out."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/217255/instagram-rolls-out-option-to-reset-recommendation-algorithm?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Bose Acquires Premium Audio Brand McIntosh
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 23:22:01 2024-11-19
Bose has acquired the high-end audio brand McIntosh, a move the company says will "significantly" expand its product lineup and open "new opportunities in the automotive sector." The Verge reports: McIntosh has already designed a sound system for some Jeep models, but Bose's audio setups are found within a wider range of cars from automakers like Chevy, Honda, Nissan, Cadillac, and many others. It doesn't look like Bose or McIntosh will make any changes to their existing products. Bose says it will continue to launch its headphones, speakers, soundbars, and in-car audio, while McIntosh and Sonus faber will keep developing premium audio products, including amplifiers, loudspeakers, and turntables. "Over the last six decades we've delivered the best premium audio experiences possible; now, with McIntosh Group in our portfolio, we can unlock even more ways to bring music to life in the home, on-the-go and in the car," Bose CEO Lila Snyder said in a press release. "We look forward to honoring the heritage of these brands, investing in their future and pushing the boundaries of audio innovation to bring customers experiences they've never heard before."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2058236/bose-acquires-premium-audio-brand-mcintosh?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 23:22:01 2024-11-19
Bose has acquired the high-end audio brand McIntosh, a move the company says will "significantly" expand its product lineup and open "new opportunities in the automotive sector." The Verge reports: McIntosh has already designed a sound system for some Jeep models, but Bose's audio setups are found within a wider range of cars from automakers like Chevy, Honda, Nissan, Cadillac, and many others. It doesn't look like Bose or McIntosh will make any changes to their existing products. Bose says it will continue to launch its headphones, speakers, soundbars, and in-car audio, while McIntosh and Sonus faber will keep developing premium audio products, including amplifiers, loudspeakers, and turntables. "Over the last six decades we've delivered the best premium audio experiences possible; now, with McIntosh Group in our portfolio, we can unlock even more ways to bring music to life in the home, on-the-go and in the car," Bose CEO Lila Snyder said in a press release. "We look forward to honoring the heritage of these brands, investing in their future and pushing the boundaries of audio innovation to bring customers experiences they've never heard before."
[ Read more of this story ]( https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2058236/bose-acquires-premium-audio-brand-mcintosh?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Arrives With a 'Full Digital Twin' of Earth
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-19
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is out today (Xbox/PC, Steam), and it packs in a whole lot of simulation. It's hard to imagine topping the 2020 version, which contained the entire world, at scale, 3D modeled and able to be flown over. It had real-time weather and rather detailed physics. You could theoretically fly a helicopter back to your high school football field and land on it, like 15-year reunion royalty.
What could come next? A lot, including a world simulation that Microsoft repeatedly describes as Earth's "full digital twin." There are few, if any, real "reviews" up yet, given the size of the game and seemingly late access for reviewers. As such, I offer up all the notable things packed into this latest release so that those with flight sticks, patience, and a desire to get way up yonder can decide whether to take off. These are the most "notable things" available in this latest release, as highlighted by Ars' Kevin Purdy:
- The file size is much smaller than the 2020 version, totaling "around 30GB"
- You can expect ~5GB an hour of streaming data (up-close data is streamed on demand; flying high-up in the skies uses pre-loaded data)
- AI learning has allowed for "4,000 times more" detail in textures and terrain meshes
- Aircraft and airports you customized or purchased are carried over from 2020 into 2024
- There's a new Career Mode, with 26 different paths
- Animals have more realistic behavior -- e.g. sheep head inside when it's raining, birds migrate, and elephants will be more aware of your flybys
- Flight Simulator 2020 will continue to get support
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2052238/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-arrives-with-a-full-digital-twin-of-earth?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-19
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is out today (Xbox/PC, Steam), and it packs in a whole lot of simulation. It's hard to imagine topping the 2020 version, which contained the entire world, at scale, 3D modeled and able to be flown over. It had real-time weather and rather detailed physics. You could theoretically fly a helicopter back to your high school football field and land on it, like 15-year reunion royalty.
What could come next? A lot, including a world simulation that Microsoft repeatedly describes as Earth's "full digital twin." There are few, if any, real "reviews" up yet, given the size of the game and seemingly late access for reviewers. As such, I offer up all the notable things packed into this latest release so that those with flight sticks, patience, and a desire to get way up yonder can decide whether to take off. These are the most "notable things" available in this latest release, as highlighted by Ars' Kevin Purdy:
- The file size is much smaller than the 2020 version, totaling "around 30GB"
- You can expect ~5GB an hour of streaming data (up-close data is streamed on demand; flying high-up in the skies uses pre-loaded data)
- AI learning has allowed for "4,000 times more" detail in textures and terrain meshes
- Aircraft and airports you customized or purchased are carried over from 2020 into 2024
- There's a new Career Mode, with 26 different paths
- Animals have more realistic behavior -- e.g. sheep head inside when it's raining, birds migrate, and elephants will be more aware of your flybys
- Flight Simulator 2020 will continue to get support
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/2052238/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-arrives-with-a-full-digital-twin-of-earth?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Minecraft Enters Real World With $110 Million Global Theme Park Deal
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-19
An anonymous reader shares a report: The global gaming phenomenon Minecraft is coming to the real world for the first time in a global deal to open themed rides, attractions, hotel rooms and retail outlets, starting with the UK and US. Minecraft has struck a deal with UK-headquartered Merlin Entertainments -- Europe's largest theme park operator and the second biggest globally after Disney -- which runs more than 135 attractions in 23 countries including Alton Towers, Legoland, Sea Life, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye.
Under the terms of the deal, Merlin will invest more than $110 million in the first two attractions. They are due to open in the UK and the US in 2026 and 2027, in either an existing theme park or as new city centre attractions. Over the longer term the two companies plan to expand the strategic partnership, which is called "Adventures Made Real," to other countries and territories. Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time, with 140 million players each month, in territories as disparate as Antarctica and Vatican City, and there are more than 1.3 trillion videos posted by game players on YouTube.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/184245/minecraft-enters-real-world-with-110-million-global-theme-park-deal?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 22:22:01 2024-11-19
An anonymous reader shares a report: The global gaming phenomenon Minecraft is coming to the real world for the first time in a global deal to open themed rides, attractions, hotel rooms and retail outlets, starting with the UK and US. Minecraft has struck a deal with UK-headquartered Merlin Entertainments -- Europe's largest theme park operator and the second biggest globally after Disney -- which runs more than 135 attractions in 23 countries including Alton Towers, Legoland, Sea Life, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye.
Under the terms of the deal, Merlin will invest more than $110 million in the first two attractions. They are due to open in the UK and the US in 2026 and 2027, in either an existing theme park or as new city centre attractions. Over the longer term the two companies plan to expand the strategic partnership, which is called "Adventures Made Real," to other countries and territories. Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time, with 140 million players each month, in territories as disparate as Antarctica and Vatican City, and there are more than 1.3 trillion videos posted by game players on YouTube.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/184245/minecraft-enters-real-world-with-110-million-global-theme-park-deal?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
# Microsoft Rolls Out Recovery Tools After CrowdStrike Incident
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 21:22:01 2024-11-19
Microsoft has announced sweeping changes to Windows security architecture, including new recovery capabilities designed to prevent system-wide outages following July's CrowdStrike incident that disabled 8.5 million Windows devices.
The Windows Resiliency Initiative introduces Quick Machine Recovery, allowing IT administrators to remotely fix unbootable systems through an enhanced Windows Recovery Environment. Microsoft is also mandating stricter testing and deployment practices for security vendors under its Microsoft Virus Initiative, including gradual rollouts and monitoring procedures.
The company is also developing a framework to move antivirus processing outside the Windows kernel, with a preview planned for security partners in July 2025.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/180210/microsoft-rolls-out-recovery-tools-after-crowdstrike-incident?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.
robot (spnet, 1) → All – 21:22:01 2024-11-19
Microsoft has announced sweeping changes to Windows security architecture, including new recovery capabilities designed to prevent system-wide outages following July's CrowdStrike incident that disabled 8.5 million Windows devices.
The Windows Resiliency Initiative introduces Quick Machine Recovery, allowing IT administrators to remotely fix unbootable systems through an enhanced Windows Recovery Environment. Microsoft is also mandating stricter testing and deployment practices for security vendors under its Microsoft Virus Initiative, including gradual rollouts and monitoring procedures.
The company is also developing a framework to move antivirus processing outside the Windows kernel, with a preview planned for security partners in July 2025.
[ Read more of this story ]( https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/19/180210/microsoft-rolls-out-recovery-tools-after-crowdstrike-incident?utm_source=atom1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed ) at Slashdot.