Two Pokémon Go addicts have received their request for help, all the way from Antarctica.

Originally from Australia, both Raimon Hennessy, 29, and Pete Rizzo, 60, work at Australia’s southernmost Antarctic station Davis Research Station and lost their ability to play their favorite game while working away on the isolated continent.

Pokemon Go is a game that allows players to explore the real world to find and catch Pokemon using their mobile phone. It also allows players to send digital postcards that show locations where in-game gifts are collected.

After Raimons’ partner, Alexandra, asked him to send his postcards from Antarctica through the Pokemon Go app, the communications technical officer realized there was no Pokestop within range of the your station

She was surprised when Alexandra posted a request on a Reddit page to Niantic, the software development company behind Pokemon Go, and was even more surprised when they responded, agreeing to add the location to your game

After the stop was added, Raimon discovered that his colleague Pete, who is an Antarctic doctor, was also a fan of the app and now they can play together, catching Pokemon in the most remote location in the world.

Raimon said: There is not much downtime here in Antarctica, we have weekends off, but we still have things to do on the weekends.

I like to go for walks and capture the scenery with my camera, but I also like to play other games on the computer when I have time. This allows me to play with teammates in Australia.

My partner had asked a question on the official Reddit page, it was even more surprising when I found out that our Doc, Rizzo, had also requested a Pokestop!

There are currently 28 expeditioners working at the Raimon and Petes station during the winter where, for many of the workers, they will stay in Antarctica for six-month stays, although some are there for 12 to 15 months at a time .

Communicating with loved ones is often difficult from the isolated continent and Raimon recalled how he works to keep everyone connected to their friends and family.

He said: As the communications tech here at the station, my job is to keep expeditioners in touch with their friends and family back home. We have a 20Mb satellite connection back to Australia which keeps us in touch at all times.

I had also downloaded a Starlink (satellite broadband internet) to play with as I was curious how it would go on the mainland, it’s been great.

I’ve been able to help the expeditioners stay in better touch with their families there, and we’ve been able to keep up with the latest movie and show releases through the ability to use streaming services.

Raimon had been a fan of Pokemon Go since its launch in 2016, but got back into playing it when his partner asked him to send her digital postcards through the app while he was working in Antarctica.

He said: I’ve had the game since release, playing it on and off. My partner plays a lot more than I do and I really wanted some Antarctica postcards so I started playing again so she could get some.

It wasn’t until Alexandra asked Niantic on their official Reddit page if they would consider adding a Pokestop to Raimons Station that the company took notice of the area and accepted the request.

It was a big shock for Raimon, but an even bigger surprise came when he learned that his girlfriend wasn’t the first person to call for the shutdown that his colleague Pete had also called for Pokemon Go to be expanded to the your region

Pete, who is the Antarctic station doctor and lives in Brisbane, was inspired to work on the frozen continent by his grandmother, who made her own trip there in the 1970s before giving him a vinyl called Sounds of the Antarctic when he was 10 years old.

This sparked a lifelong dream for Pete, who is now on his first stint working in Antarctica. Although he enjoys reading science fiction in his downtime, he had also gotten his own Pokemon Go account a year ago after discovering the game through his son.

Through the app, Pete connects with loved ones, adding: I share some of the Pokemon images with others who aren’t Pokemon players, but I have a few friends who love getting postcards from here.

Raimon couldn’t believe there was another Pokemon Go addict on board, and since his request was approved, the couple can now catch Pokemon in their room.

The Pokestop is the most remote on Earth and is located right in front of his main operations building, with another one inside his room building, as internet access is limited outside the buildings due to the weather conditions.

Pete added: Weather can definitely be a factor between buildings. Green conditions still allow for winds of 40 knots and lower visibility.

The stops and the gym (in the game) are within the station boundaries, however, we have 2G with no data so we just go to the various buildings that might have Wi-Fi next to the two stops.

One stop is next to our house, which has a giant living room with dining room below, and a small bar, pool table and table tennis.

Raimon works in the yellow operations building, so he has the opportunity to go between the two stops almost every day. However, the gym is a bit more difficult. It is further away and in the Pineapple building because of its color and shape. It is a former meteorology building and now a music studio.

While there are other Pokestops at other stations in Antarctica, his is the southernmost and most remote and there is little chance of Pete and Raimon traveling between them, but Pete hopes that other stops will be available at other Australian stations in the future

One of the most fascinating and frightening incidents in the history of computer security began in 2022 with a few emails to the mailing list of a small, one-person open source project.

A user had submitted a complex piece of code that was now waiting for the maintainer to review it. But a different user by the name of Jigar Kumar thought that wasn’t happening fast enough. Patches spend years on this mailing list, he complained. Version 5.2.0 was 7 years ago. There is no reason to think that anything will come soon…

A month later, he followed up – over 1 month and no closer to being merged. It’s not a surprise. [sic]

And a month later: is there any progress on this? Kumar stayed for about four months complaining about the pace of updates and then was never heard from again.

A few weeks ago, the world learned a shocking twist. Jigar Kumar doesn’t seem to exist at all. There are no records of anyone with that name outside of pushy emails. He, along with other accounts, was apparently part of a campaign to compromise nearly every computer in the world with Linux. (Linux is an open source operating system unlike the closed systems of companies like Apple that run on tens of millions of devices.)

That campaign, experts believe, was likely the work of a well-resourced state actor, one that nearly pulled off an attack that could have made it possible for attackers to remotely access millions of computers by logging in effective as anyone wanted. The security ramifications would have been enormous.

How to (almost) hack everything

Here’s how things unfolded: In 2005, software engineer Lasse Collin wrote a series of tools to better compress files (similar to the process behind a .zip file). He made these tools freely available online, and many larger projects incorporated Collins’ work, eventually becoming XZ Utils.

The Collins tool became a part of the vast open source ecosystem that powers much of the modern Internet. We might think that something as central to modern life as the Internet has a professionally maintained structure, but like an XKCD comic published long before the hack. shows, it’s closer to the truth that the entire modern digital infrastructure is based on a project that some random person in Nebraska has been maintaining since 2003. XZ Utils was one such project and yes , you should find it a little worrying that there are so many of them. .

Starting in 2021, a user named Jia Tan, who also doesn’t seem to exist anywhere else, started making contributions to the XZ project. At first, they were small, harmless fixes. Then Tan started sending out bigger additions.

The way an open source project like this works is that a Collin maintainer, in this case, has to read and approve each submission. Sure enough, Tan was overloading Collin with homework.

That’s when Kumar showed up to complain that Collin was taking too long. Another account that doesn’t seem to exist joined the chorus. They argued that Collin was clearly not up to the task of maintaining his project alone and pushed for you to add Jia Tan as another lead.

It seems likely that they were fakes created to push Lasse to give Jia more control, engineer Russ Cox writes in a detailed timeline of the incident. it has worked Over the next few months, Jia began responding to xz-devel threads with authority on the upcoming 5.4.0 release. He had become a trusted maintainer who could add code to XZ Utils.

Why does any of this matter? Because one of the many, many open source tools that XZ Utils incorporated was OpenSSH, which is used to access computers remotely and is used by millions of servers worldwide.

Tan carefully added to XZ Utils a well-disguised code that compromised OpenSSH, allowing developers to remotely log into any computer running OpenSSH. The files containing the (heavily disguised) code were accepted as part of the larger project.

Fortunately, almost all of the millions of potentially targeted computers were not affected because their new update routine was first published as unstable (ie expected to have some bugs) and most administrators expect a later stable release.

Before this happened, Jia Tans work was stuck. Andres Freund, a software engineer at Microsoft, was off work doing some testing on a computer that had the new unstable version. Under most circumstances the hack ran smoothly, but under the circumstances I was testing it slowed down SSH performance. He dug deep and quickly unraveled the whole scheme.

Which means that thanks to a Microsoft engineer doing some after-hours work, your computer remains safe, at least as far as I know.

Can we do better than being lucky?

There was nothing inevitable about this hack being discovered. Many other people were running the new unstable build without noticing any problems. What made Freund suspicious in the first place was not the suspicious code, but a bug that had been accidentally introduced by Jia Tan.

If Jia Tan’s team had avoided this mistake, they might have succeeded. Capturing the suspect code actually required a lot of matches, Freund later told Mastadon.

No one wants to believe that modern computer security is essentially based on a lot of coincidences. We would prefer to have reliable processes. But I hope this narrative makes clear how difficult it is to reliably defend the jury-rigged Internet we have against an attack like this.

The people behind Jia Tan spent more than two years building the access they needed for this attack. Some of the details have to do with the dynamics of open source software, where decades-old projects are often in a silent maintenance stage that, as we’ve seen, can be taken over by an aggressive actor. But with the same resources and dedication behind Jia Tan, you could also hire a software company to do the same with closed source software.

Above all, it is very difficult to guess whether this attempted attack was unprecedented or unusual simply because it was caught. This means we have no idea if there are other landmines lurking in the bowels of the Internet.

Personally, as someone who doesn’t work in IT security, the biggest thing I took away from this was less a prescription for specific policies and more a sense of awe and appreciation. Our world runs on the unacknowledged contributions of engineers like Collin and Freund, people who spend their free time building things, testing things, and sharing what they build for the benefit of everyone. This is a downside for security, but it’s also great.

Collin could not be reached for comment. (His website said: To the media and journalists: I will not respond for now because I need to understand the situation thoroughly enough first. It is enough to reload this page once every 48 hours to check if (this message has changed.) But I hope he eventually comes around to thinking that being the personal target of this rather extraordinary effort to make his work at XZ utils feel inadequate is, in fact, a remarkable claim to his importance .

A version of this story originally appeared on the Future Perfect newsletter Register here!

Photography website and commerce platform Zenfolio has released its “2024 State of the Photography Industry” report, exploring changing trends among photographers and their thoughts on important topics such as business and artificial intelligence.

Before we get into that, this year’s survey saw a massive 237% increase in total responses compared to last year, thanks in large part to collaborations with other brands including Format, ShootProof , SLR salon, Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and Miller’s Professional Imaging. Across the sample, 78% of respondents are from North America, including 73% in the United States. 28% of all US respondents come from California, Texas, New York and Florida. However, 7,646 photographers from 102 countries participated.

Of these 7,646 photographers, 66.5% describe themselves as strictly photographers, while 21.1% say they are both photographers and videographers. The remaining 12.4% say they are a hobbyist/enthusiast. The percentage of hybrid shooters increased from 17.4% last year. Another interesting note is that 47.9% of respondents claim to be self-employed full-time, an increase of 6.9 percentage points, year over year.

The survey also asks photographers about their specialties. The top three specialties for full-time freelance photographers have not changed: they remain portraits, weddings, and commercials, respectively. However, both portrait and wedding have taken bigger slices of the pie, while sports photography has dipped.

For part-time photographers, wildlife photography dropped out of the top six, and landscape photography took a hit, dropping from second to fourth place and losing nearly four percentage points.

77% of respondents are 40 years of age or older and 28% of responses are from photographers 60 years of age or older. Only 6.2% of respondents are under 30 years old. It might be more obvious if this is because the photography industry itself has few young people, or if younger people are less likely to be captured in Zenfolio’s survey.

The survey also provides fascinating insight into photography gear preferences. In 2023, 52% of respondents shot with a DSLR camera, while 41.4% opted for mirrorless equipment. Just one year later, the proportions have changed. 52.4% of photographers now shoot mirrorless, while 40.1% still work with a DSLR.

The age group that most prefers mirrorless cameras is the 30-39 segment, while at the younger and older ends of the spectrum, mirrorless and DSLR usage is fairly split uniform

For photographers trying to make money from photography, 2024 was similar to 2023. About the same proportion of photographers thought the business was busier, the same or worse than the previous year: 21.5%, 29 .5% and 39.2%, respectively. There is a mild trend to better business.

Like last year, the most lucrative genre of photography is wedding photography, with 23.3% of full-time photographers reporting gross income above $100,000. Sports photography is next, then portraiture.

In terms of how photographers make money, digital files are a bigger proportion of the business than “every other product” except, oddly enough, wedding photography. 52.6% of respondents offer mostly digital items to customers, but also some printed products. 24.2% sell exclusively digital products, while 4.1% only sell physical products such as prints.

Like last year, the 2024 survey also includes questions about AI. Surprisingly, photographers think more positively about AI in 2024, with a 7% increase in positive responses.

Many photographers are now using AI as part of their workflow, primarily within various AI-based photo editing features. Noise reduction, background removal and automatic subject selection are the most popular uses of AI. Less than 10% of respondents say they use AI to generate images.
Zenfolio’s comprehensive State of the Photography Industry 2024 report contains a lot of incredible information beyond what’s mentioned here, so head over to Zenfolio to digest the full details.

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Image credits: Zenfolio

The 2023 Turing Award, the computing world’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize, has been awarded to mathematician Avi Wigderson for his innovative and broadly applicable contributions to computing. The honor comes with a $1 million prize.

During his decades-long career, the 67-year-old Institute for Advanced Study professor was concerned with whether a problem could be solved, rather than what the answer might be in a specialization known as theoretical computing .

As far as we know, for every problem we face and try to solve, we can’t rule out that it has an algorithm that can solve it, Wigderson says. Quanta magazines Stephen Ornes. This is the most interesting problem for me.

At the center of his work is chance and unpredictability. Computers tend to work in predictable ways, following certain patterns. But starting with his research in the early 1980s, Wigderson discovered that in some cases, adding an unknown or randomness to particular algorithms could lead to an easier and faster solution. Conversely, he found that randomness could be removed from other algorithms, making it easier to reach a solution.

His work to study and refine this relationship between randomness and the difficulty and solvability of problems has had profound impacts on modern computing.

It’s very difficult to work in any space of computing without actually crossing paths with Avis’ work, says Madhu Sudan, a computer scientist at Harvard University who has collaborated with Wigderson on research in the past. Quanta magazine. And everywhere, you will find very deep knowledge.

Yannis Ioannidis, president of the Association for Computing Machinery, the organization that awards the Turing Award, called Wigderson a towering intellectual force in theoretical computing, in a statement this week.

His contributions, for example, helped researchers better understand one of the field’s most famous untested conjectures, called the P versus NP problem. Question: If the solution to a problem is easy to verify, is the problem easy to solve? The conjecture suggests that easy and hard problems for computers are fundamentally different. By chance, Wigderson helped clarify particular proofs and discover unique cases where easy and hard problems were the same.

Wigderson also wrote about how the concepts of theoretical computing can be applied to various natural and man-made processes, chance could play a role in solving difficult problems, such as finding a cure for cancer, he writes the News from New York Cade Metz Chance governs many processes in the world, from stock markets to Internet gossip to the spread of disease to the activity of bacteria in a petri dish.

As such, the impact of Wigderson’s work has expanded far beyond computing. The modern fields of cryptography, cloud computing, and blockchain development are steeped in Wigderson’s principles and discoveries.

Avi Wigderson, Turing Award 2023 Q&A with David Nirenberg | Institute of Advanced Studies

For example, his work with randomness and algorithms helped advance zero-knowledge protocols, a crucial method within computer security that allows the transfer and confirmation of sensitive information between parties. In its simplest operation, one party is able to demonstrate that a condition is true to another party, without revealing any other details. Unique and random digital keys also help protect data online.

In another testament to how the description and exploitation of randomness extends into various fields, the discipline has recently received recognition in mathematics. The 2024 Abel Prize, the world’s most important prize in mathematics, was awarded last month to French mathematician Michel Talagrand for his advances in stochastic systems, which help model random variables more accurately.

Among a variety of other awards, Wigderson won the 2021 Abel Prize along with mathematician Lszl Lovsz for work that helped connect mathematics with computing. This new honor makes Wigderson the only person to have won both a Turing Award and an Abel Award.

Avis’ impact on the theory of computation over the past 40 years is unparalleled, according to Oded Goldreich, a professor of computer science at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. New Scientists Alex Wilkins. The diversity of areas in which he has contributed is impressive.

For all his successes in predictability, one process that Wigderson did not solve was his own announcement of the Turing Award.

The [Turing] The committee misled me into believing we were going to have a conversation about collaborating, says Wigderson New Scientist. When I zoomed in, the whole committee was there and they told me. I was excited, surprised and happy.

A Jacksonville-based Internet company that announced in September plans to bring its fiber-optic network to Gainesville is finally ready to activate its $50 million investment.

IQ Fiber co-founders Ted Schremp and Kim Smithers told The Sun in an interview Thursday that they were in the final stages of setup and testing, and that the service will go live sometime this month.

Schremp, who also serves as the company’s president and CEO, said he is excited to bring a new option to Gainesville residents when it comes to home Internet.

“People perceive their cable provider to be a monopoly because, whether they’re really a monopoly or not, they’re often the only option, and an option isn’t an option,” Schremp said.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward, in a press release when the original IQ Fiber announcement was made, expressed a similar sentiment.

It has always been a priority of my policy to extend broadband competition in our community. I am pleased to see IQ Fiber expand into the Gainesville market and look forward to its presence here creating a variety of opportunities for all of our neighbors,” he said.

The full-color 3D visualization method shows potential to enhance augmented and virtual reality experiences.

Scientists have created a method to produce full-color 3D holographic images using smartphone screens instead of lasers. This innovative technique, with further advances, has the potential for augmented or virtual reality displays.

Whether augmented reality or virtual reality displays are used for gaming, education, or other applications, incorporating 3D displays can create a more realistic and interactive user experience.

“Although holography techniques can create a very realistic 3D representation of objects, traditional approaches are not practical because they rely on laser sources,” said research team leader Ryoichi Horisaki of the Univ. from Tokyo to Japan. “Lasers emit coherent light that is easy to control, but make the system complex, expensive and potentially harmful to the eyes.”

In Optica Publishing Group magazine Optics letters, the researchers describe their new method, which is based on computer-generated holography (CGH). Thanks to a new algorithm they developed, they were able to use just an iPhone and an optical component called a spatial light modulator to reproduce a 3D color image that consisted of two holographic layers.

“We believe this method could be useful for minimizing optics, reducing costs, and decreasing potential eye damage in future visual interfaces and 3D display applications,” said Otoya Shigematsu, first author of the paper. “More specifically, it has the potential to improve the performance of near-eye displays, such as those used in high-end virtual reality headsets.”

A more practical approach

Although CGH uses algorithms to produce images, coherent light from a laser is usually required to display these holographic images. In a previous study, the researchers showed that spatially incoherent light emitted by a white-chip light-emitting diode could be used for CGH. However, this setup required two spatial light modulators (devices that control the wavefronts of light), which is impractical due to their expense.

In the new study, the researchers developed a less expensive and more practical incoherent CGH method. “This work aligns with our lab’s focus on computational imaging, a research field dedicated to the innovation of optical imaging systems by integrating optics with information science,” said Horisaki. “We focus on minimizing optical components and eliminating impractical requirements in conventional optical systems.”

The new approach passes light from the screen through a spatial light modulator, which presents multiple layers of a full-color 3D image. While this may sound simple, it required carefully modeling the process of incoherent light propagation from the display and then using that information to develop a new algorithm that coordinated the light coming from the device’s display with a single light modulator spatial

Holographic images from a smartphone

“Holographic displays using low-coherence light could enable realistic 3D displays while reducing costs and complexity,” Shigematsu said. “While several groups, including ours, have demonstrated holographic displays with low-coherence light, we took this concept to the extreme using a smartphone display.”

To demonstrate the new method, the researchers created a two-layer optical reproduction of a full-color 3D image by displaying a holographic layer on an iPhone 14 Pro screen and a second layer on a spatial light modulator. The resulting image measured a few millimeters on each side.

Researchers are now working to improve the technology so it can display larger 3D images with more layers. Additional layers would make images appear more realistic by improving spatial resolution and allowing objects to appear at various depths or different distances from the viewer.

Reference: “Computer Generated Holography with Normal Display” by Ryoichi Horisaki, Otoya Shigematsu, and Makoto Naruse, 14 Apr 2024, Optics letters.
DOI: doi:10.1364/OL.516005

Atomos announces the Ninja Phone, a silent 10-bit video coprocessor for smartphones and tablets that lets you record from professional HDMI cameras. The first release of Ninja Phone is designed for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max and their OLED display. It’s a powerful combination that uses Atomos’ worldwide knowledge of Apple’s ProRes encoding and Apple’s cutting-edge screen and silicon technology to create the “world’s most beautiful, portable and connected professional monitor recorder”.

The Ninja phone encodes the HDMI signal from the camera ProRes or H.265, both formats with the excellent 10-bit quality for HDR. Encoded video is sent via the Ninja Phones USB-C output to the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Maxs. The iPhone’s advanced A17 system-on-a-chip then decodes the pristine image from the camera sensor to display on the high-resolution iPhone display. The screen is a massive improvement over the typical built-in screens that come with most cameras, with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG. It can display 11 stops of dynamic range with a maximum brightness of 1600 nits, perfect for HDR and outdoor viewing.

The Ninja Phone iPhone app, which can be downloaded from the App Store, controls and coordinates the operation of both the Ninja Phone and the iPhone, making them feel like a single responsive device. The Ninja Phone app adjusts to landscape or portrait video modes for social media creators who need to shoot in 9:16 portrait mode. The Ninja Phone app will run on iOS and iPadOS and will be available for download at the time of shipping.

We’ve added professional video and cinematic intelligence to the world’s most advanced phone. Ninja Phone is for the thousands of content creators who capture, store and share video from their iPhone 15 Pro but aspire to work with professional cameras, lenses and microphones. At the same time, the Ninja Phone is a perfect tool for longer-educated professionals who want to adopt a cloud workflow without a complex and expensive technology footprint.

Jeromy Young, CEO and co-founder of Atomos

The output from the cameras appears on the iPhone screen with zero latency thanks to atoms efficient ProRes pipeline: encoding on the Ninja phone and decoding using Apple’s latest generation iPhone. We’ve added professional video and cinematic intelligence to the world’s most advanced phone, says Atomos CEO and co-founder Jeromy Young. Ninja Phone is for the thousands of content creators who capture, store and share video from their iPhone 15 Pro, but aspire to work with professional cameras, lenses and microphones. At the same time, the Ninja phone is a perfect tool for longer-educated professionals who want to adopt a cloud workflow without a complex and expensive technology footprint.

ProRes-encoded video can be stored on the phone as a .mov file and/or simultaneously transcoded by the iPhone to 10-bit H.265 for workflows such as cloud camera or live streaming via iPhones 5G and integrated 5G. Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. In addition, the Ninja Phone supports external iPhone accessories by integrating a separate USB-C hub to enable the necessary professional add-ons, such as wireless USB-C microphones, to seamlessly sync video and audio. Third-party accessories are supported on the Ninja phone and more will be added over time.

Powered by standard NP series batteries, a battery eliminator, or a 5V/3A USB-C input, the Ninja phone charges the iPhone while in use with either of these power sources, ensuring that the long run of the telephone may coincide with professional sessions. Besides, Atomos has developed a unique and robust locking ecosystem to maintain a secure grip on connected HDMI and USB-C cables. Featuring Atomos locking cables, it’s the most robust capture cable system available today, while being fully compatible with standard non-locking cables.

I’m very proud that Atomos is once again teaming up with Apple to unlock video creativity through ProRes, and this time it’s on Apple’s most advanced device, the iPhone 15 Pro. I am especially pleased that this product is fanless and quiet.

Jeromy Young, CEO and co-founder of Atomos

Enhanced connectivity on the iPhone 15 Pros opens a door for Ninja phone users to make full use of Atomos Cloud Services (ACS). These include super-efficient cloud camera workflows, remote live production and cloud editing. With ACS, content creators can post videos to social media within minutes, and filmmakers can send their footage to their post-production team via the cloud for the fastest possible production workflow. I’m very proud that Atomos is once again teaming up with Apple to unlock video creativity through ProRes, and this time it’s on Apple’s most advanced device, the iPhone 15 Pro. I am especially pleased that this product is fanless and quiet. Atomos has also had an incredible relationship with Japanese camera makers, and now the Ninja phone connects those incredible cameras directly to the iPhone’s storage, display and amazing wireless and cellular network, Young added.

Thanks to the iPhone 15 Pro, this is a first ninja Users will have access to an OLED monitor screen, which, at 446 PPI, is by far the highest resolution and HDR capable monitor ever available, Young added. It is the perfect partner for many of the smaller format mirrorless cameras coming out of Japan, for example Fujifilm’s X100 and G series, Canons R5 series, Sony Alpha series, Nikon Z cameras and Panasonic series GH and S.

The Ninja phone weighs just 95 grams and 335 grams when paired with an iPhone 15 Pro. The Ninja phone will cost 399 USD/EUR excluding local sales tax, and is expected to begin shipping in June 2024. Customers will also have to choose the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max case, not just for protect the phone in normal use, but to ensure that the cable system lock can be deployed. Cases will be available separately at USD/EUR 59 each, also excluding local sales taxes.

List of products

Here are the products mentioned in the article and links to purchase them from authorized dealers.

• Atomos Ninja phone for Apple iPhone 15 Pro/iPhone 15 Pro Max

• Kinetic recently completed fiber optic construction in the community of Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

• This project collectively brings fiber optic internet to 1,257 homes, increasing the availability of high speed broadband internet to 44% of the community.

• Members in attendance included Mount Pleasant Mayor Tony Lapish and Kinetic North Carolina President of Operations Stacy Hale.

MOUNT PLEASANT, NC, April 12, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kinetic, a leading high-speed broadband Internet provider, is pleased to announce the completion of its fiber broadband Internet construction in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina By to commemorate this milestone, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in April. 12, 2024, at Kinetics’ central location in downtown Mount Pleasant.

Kinetic’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and providing fast fiber internet to communities is exemplified by the completion of this project. Kinetic successfully equipped 1,257 homes in Mount Pleasant with fiber internet, representing an impressive 44% coverage of the city.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will mark the official launch of Kinetic’s fiber broadband Internet service in Mount Pleasant. Residents can now enjoy blazing fast internet speeds, seamless streaming and enhanced connectivity for their homes and businesses. This important infrastructure development will undoubtedly contribute to the city’s economic growth, educational opportunities and quality of life in general.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of our fiber broadband Internet construction in Mount Pleasant,” said Kinetic North Carolina President of Operations Stacy Hale. “Kinetic is dedicated to providing reliable, high-speed Internet access to communities, and we are proud to have reached this milestone. We thank the residents of Mount Pleasant for their patience during the construction process and look forward to providing Internet services exceptional at its doors”.

The story continues

Attendees at today’s event witnessed the official unveiling of the fiber broadband infrastructure and learned about the benefits it brings to the community.

Kinetic remains committed to expanding its next-generation network across the region, ensuring more communities have access to reliable, high-speed Internet services. With a focus on bridging the digital divide, Kinetic continues to play a vital role in empowering individuals, businesses and educational institutions with the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.

“I want to applaud Kinetic for their efforts to bring high-speed fiber Internet to the city of Mount Pleasant,” state Sen. Paul Newton (R-Cabarrus) said in a written statement. “As a Kinetic customer, I cannot stress enough the positive impact fiber has on the lives of those who have access to Kinetics high-speed Internet. This new infrastructure provides Internet capable of supporting work, the school and the everyday needs of our community.”

Homes and businesses can visit GoKinetic.com to find out if they are eligible for a speed upgrade and learn how Kinetic can meet their needs. They can also visit or call the Kinetic Connection Center retail store at 250 N First Street in Albemarle or call them to make an appointment at 704-722-3355.

The Kinetics Mount Pleasant fiber project is part of a $2 billion multi-year capital investment strategy by Kinetic to dramatically expand gigabit fiber service across the company’s 18-state footprint.

Superfast and reliable Kinetic Fiber connections in Cabarrus County allow residential customers at concert speeds to surf the Internet securely from home with no lag time while working, participating in virtual classrooms, or streaming entertainment services. Businesses from small to enterprise can take advantage of the fiber-backed network to implement solutions that make their businesses more efficient and profitable, such as OfficeSuite UC and SD-WAN.

About Kinetic: Kinetic, a Windstream company, provides fiber-based broadband to residential and small business customers in 18 states. The company’s quality approach connects customers to new opportunities and possibilities by offering a full suite of advanced communications services. Kinetic is one of three brands managed by Windstream. The company also provides managed cloud communications and security services to medium and large enterprises and US government entities, as well as custom wavelength and dark fiber solutions to carriers, content providers and hyperscalers in the US and Canada. Windstream is a privately held company headquartered in Little Rock, Ark. Find out more about Kinetic at GoKinetic.com or windstream.com.

Category: Kinetics

View the source version at businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240411300367/ca/

contacts

Victoria Carman, victoria.carman@windstream.com

Zack Medlin, zackary.medlin@windstream.com

“When we look at things like what’s happening with VMware, if you have your partnership with VMware, great, we’re not here to completely replace that,” says Christie Kanen, Canadian channel manager at Scale Computing. “We’re understanding what’s happening in the market and the trends and understanding that customers want options.”

From partner enablement to improving security offerings to being another VMware alternative, seven executives from vendors selling through Climb Channel Solutions discuss how they’re doubling down in the channel.

Vendor executives took the stage at Climb’s partner conference in Birmingham, Alabama this week to discuss a range of topics in front of a packed room of MSPs.

The panels were moderated by Carlos Rodrigues, VP of Sales, Climb’s Canadian and US Vendor Manager Team; and Sarah Peters, Director of National Alliances at Climb.

Panelists included Rick Fredrickson, director of global channels at Canonical; Shane Popham, Director of Channels, OpenText; Phil Trickovic, Senior Vice President, Tintri; DNS Filter Partner Evangelist Mikey Pruitt; Craig Pfister, Global Vice President of Sales Engineering at Kiteworks; Christie Kanen, Canadian Channel Manager, Scale Computing;

and Leslie Lorenco, vice president of global channel sales at Security Compass.

We’re not just pushing the product, Popham said. We are helping to solve global challenges unique to different industries.

Popham even talked about AI and how OpenText is helping partners leverage the technology.

Having great AI means great information, he said. We have a big drive to enable artificial intelligence in all organizations because it will become mainstream. Things will evolve and become automated, so we need to be ready. We’re securing the AI ​​and securing all that information to make sure there’s no breach.”

When it comes to working with partners, Scale Computing’s Kanen said it’s about a mutual relationship.

It’s not the partner dictating things and it’s not us dictating things, it’s really understanding the business model between both companies, understanding what the go-to-market strategies are and what your customers need at the end of the day, he said .

And that has recently influenced the channel transformation involved in Broadcom’s November 2023 acquisition of VMware for $61 billion.

When we look at things like what’s happening with VMware, if you have your partnership with VMware, great, we’re not here to completely replace that, Kanen said. We’re understanding what’s happening in the market and trends and understanding that customers want options. It’s about making sure we understand what that go-to-market strategy is, but also understanding that at the end of the day we know that [MSPs] they are the ones being trusted by your client to be these consultants.

See what vendors had to say about a range of topics, including customer issues, being an ideal partner, and helping MSPs grow their business.

Tintris Trickovic on the most important customer pain points

The answer is the VMware-Broadcom mess. This over the past four months has dominated market conversations. There is also confusion around AI and how it provides a training model that actually adds real value to the business. So those two things I would say are the most important. We are starting to see some of these LLMs (large language models) and other associated training models develop and they are very chaotic and disorganized. Obviously, it will be freezing and it will be a very beautiful world in the future. Legacy architectures are beginning to fall. Traditional architectures don’t really work efficiently in these new stacks that are emerging, so we’re very focused on that and providing clarity.

OpenText’s Popham on Partner Consolidation Issues

What customers say is, “I have 100 different cyber products.” I don’t know what they all do. Can you help me understand? Are there other ways to simplify this? Can I join or can I get rid of something? Can I work with partners to help provide services to link them together?’

Canonical’s Fredrickson on using the channel to resolve end-customer issues

There are several ways that channel companies can help a company like ours. It could be demand generation, sales efforts, delivery services, first-tier support, managed service providers, or all those other things in between. We talked to our partners and put it out there and said, “We’re in this matrix.” What is most relevant to you and your partners and how do you support them?’

of Tintri Trickovic about partners looking to expand into emerging markets

We are looking for partners who want to expand in this emerging market. We’ve seen that there are some forks or trifurcations within the channel and some are focused on how to simplify what’s coming. We’re really trying to push to simplify what comes to the VAR community. Simplicity is coming, so we’re really looking for partners to focus on simplicity, effectiveness, and being able to deliver really easy ROI.

Canonical’s Fredrickson on the ideal MSP partner

The strongest thing is the desire to do something different, it’s someone who is really trying to take their customers to a different place and push the envelope. This can take all sorts of forms. It could be them providing support at a much higher level of service or smaller solution-oriented players bringing us the problems. Most important are those partners who have these aggressive conversations.

Scale Computing’s Kanen on VMware Partner Capture

Continue to understand what these trends are within the edge computing space, earning the name Scale Computing and helping to address these local applications. The other side is the acquisition of Broadcom and VMware. Our goal this year is to take advantage of this opportunity, run as far as we can and get as many customers as we can out of VMware and into Scale Computing.

Lorenco Security Compass on improving security offerings for the mid-market

Security by Design is really much more of a business game. They’re big government and high compliance companies like Bank of America, financial services, companies like that. This year we’re launching a mid-market product that targets smaller shops that don’t have 2,000 developers. We’re really trying to go down from that enterprise lake to the middle market. The goal as we go into next year is to start really pushing this MSP game and going after the partners who are doing this work on behalf of their customers and helping them do more.

DNS filter Pruitt on MSP relationships

Our journey is based on communication and building our relationships. We are relatively new to the channel and are still getting the feel of everything. We really want to make relationships possible. There is a lot of willingness on our part to be flexible [MSP] they need to make sure they have what they need, technology-wise. We’ve just released our reseller training that will tell MSPs all about DNS filtering and what filtering is, and then all about what kind of customers to consider and who are prime candidates for our solution.

Kitework’s Pfister in a holistic partner approach

What was being seen in the market or customer demand is that it is not just about technology, people are looking for holistic solutions. People are looking for specific technology, and then there’s a process and documentation that goes with it. Our organization strategically does not provide services. Once we get into the after-sales world, there are things we will do to help customers, such as being able to hold them in a matter of hours. I will do my best to allow you and help you along the way though [the customer] is relying on you for your business, advice and market understanding. You will lead them down this path which is the only way forward. He is willing to be activated, willing to understand things and understand the business value that goes into it. Once you structurally understand the business value, we move on to the services side and you can really manage that relationship from start to finish.

The future of surgery is at hand.

The first augmented reality (AR) abdominal surgery was performed on March 11 in Santiago, Chile by Dr. Alberto Rodríguez.

A surgeon as well as the CEO of Levita Magnetics, a medical equipment manufacturer in Silicon Valley, Rodriguez helped develop a system that uses AR technology to enable less invasive surgery with a wider view for the surgical team.

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Through the lens of the Metas Quest 3 XR headset and the Levitas MARS system, Rodriguez was able to successfully perform a cholecystectomy, also known as gallbladder removal surgery.

By developing the technology, Levita Magnetics aimed to address the limitations surgeons face, Rodriguez told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“That’s why we decided to start the company, to create better tools for surgeons,” he said.

The FDA-approved MARS system, which combines “machines and magnets,” is currently available in the U.S. and Chile, Rodriguez said.

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“This is a platform that allows the surgeon to do surgery in a better way,” he said.

“I had the surgery and I can tell you it’s a better way.”

“With magnets, the number of incisions for the patient is reduced. This means less pain, less scarring. [and] a better recovery.”

He added: “The machine allows you to control the tools, so you can see better and be in control.”

Levita developed the AR component as an accessory to the MARS system to enhance visualization.

“You have more immersion in the surgery, so you’re more focused on what you’re doing,” Rodriguez said, comparing it to “moving forward with surgery.”

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Any new AR headset can be linked to the MARS software, according to a press release.

Rodríguez plans to conduct a clinical trial on the benefits of AR surgery, focusing on ergonomics and precision.

“I had the surgery and I can tell you it’s a better way,” he said.

“So we want to have more data to back up those early impressions.”

After the surgery, the patient made a full recovery within two weeks, the surgeon reported.

It opens up a new world

As artificial intelligence continues to expand in the healthcare space, Rodriguez projected that having enhanced “digital vision” through AR will help provide patient imaging and analysis.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

“It opens up a whole new world of how the surgeon can access [data] in real time during surgery,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Other surgeons anywhere in the world can see what you’re doing, see the patient on the operating table and give you advice.”

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He added: “It’s going to be a revolution in how surgeries are done, and I’m really excited [about] how technology is empowering surgeons to do more.”

Dr. Harvey Castro, an ER physician and expert on artificial intelligence in health care, told Fox News Digital that Rodriguez’s method “marks a fundamental evolution in medical technology,” but he also urged caution.

He was not involved in the new surgery or process.

“This innovative approach improves surgical precision and patient care, but introduces significant changes and challenges that require careful consideration,” he said.

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Castro listed multiple advantages of using AR in surgical procedures, including immersive visualization, minimally invasive techniques, improved patient outcomes and collaboration in the medical field.

Reliance on this type of technology, however, could make surgeons dependent on AR, “potentially decreasing their confidence and competence to perform surgeries without technological assistance,” Castro said.

“Ensuring the reliability of AR systems is crucial,” he continued. “Protocols should be established to revert to traditional methods if AR technologies fail.”

Castro also mentioned that AR systems can be “susceptible to malfunctions and failures, interrupting surgeries and posing risks to patient safety.”

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“Current AR headsets can have issues with field of view, resolution and comfort, especially during long surgeries,” he said.

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Castro noted that “proper management, careful planning and continuous evaluation will be essential to ensure that the benefits of AR technology outweigh the costs and challenges, ultimately improving patient outcomes and advancing surgical practices.”

For more health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Today there is much less to choose between Android and iPhone, but most users assume that Google does more tracking than it does, this time not…

Google just revealed Android 15 Beta 1, and it’s an update that stands out from a security and privacy perspective, especially since it’s something that even recent iPhones can’t match. There is a hardware component here, while we can expect it to come to the Google Pixel, Samsung and other device owners will have to wait and see.

As I previewed last month, Google is taking privacy to the next level with a defense against secret cell tracking and interception technologies. This is provided through an interface between the mobile radio modem and the Android operating system, which requires the OEM of the handsets to include a compatible modem and the necessary operating system interface.

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This is a weak point of smartphones. Once a mobile channel is opened, the device is programmed to use it openly. Devices connect to multiple towers and display connection strength to optimize performance. Interception tricks a device into leaving its legitimate network and connecting to a local radio network that has a strong and available signal. Traditionally, these platforms have relied on insecure 2G communications to which all devices would fail as conops. But this is a relatively easy door to close and for a smart adversary to detect. Newer options keep 4G.

The new Android cellular defense comes in two parts, albeit with the same goal. The first is a user warning when a network repeatedly pings a device to get its phone IMSI or SIM IMEI ID. While this is not unusual from time to time, frequent pings may suggest an attempt to track the phone or take it to a less secure network.

This is where the second part of this update starts restricting cellular connections to encrypted only. When cellular interception platforms move phones off public networks to high-powered but localized alternatives, encryption is removed or materially reduced to allow potential interception of calls, data and texts.

Google has dabbled in these security features since Android 12, largely preventing devices from failing to low-level mobile communications with limited encryption, but these settings weren’t easy to use and poorly understood. Google is now putting this kind of defense front and center, and it’s a game changer.

Apple offers 2G blocking on iPhones to defend against legacy Stingray interception devices, which drop phones into an almost unencrypted 2G communications channel, but this is only done in its ultra-secure blocking mode. EFF described this as a big step toward protecting iOS users from fake base station attacks, which have been used as a vector to install spyware like Pegasus.

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Newer interception platforms operate on 4G and present a different level of challenge to spying capabilities. On the other hand, 5G offers much better device security; although with phones constantly bouncing between 5G and LTE, rooting a phone from a 5G connection is very doable and unlikely to cause concern for users.

Pixel users can expect to see these features once Android 15 hits the streets. I’d normally expect Samsung to follow suit, but maybe not. EFF has criticized Samsung in the past, for not making any moves to include 2G switching in vanilla Android… mistakes in acting [that] suggests that Samsung considers the security and privacy of its users an afterthought. Those who are concerned about the security and privacy of their mobile devices should consider using other hardware.

As the release of Android 15 approaches, more details will emerge, but Google’s security and privacy advancements really seem to be one of its main acts…

Bug Outunsurprisingly, it celebrates error types Pokemon Gowith brilliant Combee and brilliant Burmy increasing their encounter rates.

As part of this Pokémon Go event, you can complete the Bug Out Collection Challenges i exclusive field research tasks for events. Not to mention all the Bug-type Pokemon that appear more often in the wild and the bonuses to make nice, cool, and great releases.

The Bug Out event also includes Mega Heracross Raid Day on Saturday, April 13 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (local time) where you can collect Mega Heracross Energy for the first time in Pokémon Go.

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Bug Out Collection Challenge 1 List of Pokemon in Pokemon Go

Challenge 1 of the Bug Out Collection is running in Pokemon Go until Wednesday, April 17 at 8 p.m. (local time). If you complete this challenge before its deadline, you’ll get a selection of rewards and progress towards your Elite Collector Medal.

It is important to note this four of Pokemon for this collection challenge it must be obtained through evolution. That means catching them in the wild no account for this challenge.

Below you’ll find all the Pokemon in Challenge 1 of the Bug Out Collection, along with how to find them:

• caterpie – In nature
• metapod – Evolve a Caterpie with 12 Caterpie Candy
• No butter – Evolve a Metapod with 50 Caterpie Candy
• Weedle – In nature
• Kakuna – Evolve a Weedle with 12 Weedle Candy
• Beedrill – Evolve a Kakuna with 50 Weedle Candies

Completing this challenge will reward you with 50 Beedrill Mega Energy and Beedrill encounters.

List of Pokemon from Challenge 2 of the Bug Out Collection in Pokemon Go

The Bug Out 2 Collection Challenge is running on Pokemon Go until Wednesday, April 17 at 8 p.m. (local time). If you complete this challenge before its deadline, you’ll get a selection of rewards and progress towards your Elite Collector Medal.

It is important to keep this in mind three of the Pokémon in this collection challenge it must be obtained through evolutionso taking them in the wild or through any other ill will no count to completion. Remember: Only a female Combee can evolve into Vespiquen.

Below are all the Pokémon in the Bug Out Collection 2 challenge, along with how to find them:

• Sewaddle – In nature
• Swadloon – Evolve a Sewaddle with 25 Sewaddle Candy
• Leavanny – Evolve a Swadloon with 100 Sewaddle Candy
• Combee – In nature
• they vesp – Evolve a female Combee with 50 Combee Candies

Completing this challenge will reward you with 50 Mega Pinsir Energy and a Pinsir encounter.

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The World of Wonders season has arrived in Pokemon Go, which has brought the World of Wonders quest. The Bug Out event is running. Don’t forget to try out the Routes, Gift Exchange, and Party Game while you hunt for rare Pokémon, battle in the Go Battle League, or compete in PokéStop Showcases.

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List of Pokemon from Challenge 3 of the Bug Out Collection in Pokemon Go

Challenge 3 of the Bug Out Collection is running in Pokemon Go until Wednesday, April 17 at 8 p.m. (local time). If you complete this challenge before its deadline, you’ll get a selection of rewards and progress towards your Elite Collector Medal.

It is important to note this three of Pokemon for this collection challenge it must be obtained through evolution. That means catching them in the wild no account for this challenge.

Below you will find all the Pokemon in the Bug Out Collection 3 challenge, along with how to find them:

• Dwebble – In nature
• Crust – Evolve a Dwebble with 50 Dwebble Candy
• Cricket – In nature
• Crickettune – Evolve a Kricketot using 50 Kricketot Candy
• Cutiefly – In nature
• Rebombee – Evolve a Cutiefly with 50 Cutiefly Candies

Completing this challenge will reward you with 50 Mega Scizor Energy and Scizor.

List of Pokemon from Challenge 4 of the Bug Out Collection in Pokemon Go

Challenge 4 of the Bug Out Collection is running in Pokemon Go until Wednesday, April 17 at 8 p.m. (local time). If you complete this challenge before its deadline, you’ll get a selection of rewards and progress towards your Elite Collector Medal.

Although this is a fairly short collection challenge compared to the previous ones, be aware that the the second Pokemon must be obtained through evolution. If you manage to find and catch it in the wild, you will won’t do it account for this collection challenge.

Below are all the Pokémon in the Bug Out Collection 4 challenge, along with how to find them:

• Never – In the wild, raids of a star or seasonal field research task (Hatch an egg)
• Ninjask – Evolve Nincada with 50 Nincada candies

For completing this challenge, you will be rewarded with the encounter with Shedinja.

Bug Out Field Research Tasks in Pokemon Go

If you spin a PokéStop during the Bug Out event in Pokémon Go, you may find yourself collecting an event-exclusive Field Research task. While these tasks can be completed during the event, you can also save them to your field research collection and complete them after the event is over.

Here are the Bug Out Field Research Tasks in Pokemon Go:

• Catch 5 Pokemon reward: plant, sand, or Burmy trash clothes
• Evolve 3 Pokemon reward: 25 Mega Beedrill, Mega Pinsir or Mega Scizor Energy
• Make 3 big throws in a row reward: Encounter with Dewpider or Wimpod
• Throw 3 curveballs reward – Encounter of Paras or Venonat
• Switch a Pokemon reward: encounter with Karrablast or helmet

Thanks to reddit’s Amiibofan101 for the help with this info.

Everything you need to know about the Bug Out event in Pokémon Go

The Bug Out event marks the launch of Mega Heracross in Pokémon Go with the Mega Heracross Raid Day on Saturday, April 13 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (local time). During this event, you will be able to battle Mega Heracross for the first time in Pokemon Go and start collecting its Mega Energy.

During the Mega Heracross Raid Day, the Remote Raid Pass limit will be increased to 20, and you can earn five additional Raid Passes with rotating Gyms. Best of all, Heracross will have increased shiny odds if you catch it from a Mega Raid, and considering how Heracross is a regional exclusive Pokémon, this is the perfect time to add it to your Pokédex!

Alongside this, there are four bonuses until the Bug Out event ends Wednesday April 17 at 8pm (local time). The first three deal with nice, cool, and great throws – they give you double XP if you land one of these throws, increasing the amount of candy you’ll get, and if you’re level 31 or higher, it also increases the amount of Candy XL. . In addition to these bonuses, everyone has an increased chance of encountering the brilliant Combee and the brilliant Burmy.

During the Bug Out event, you will be able to catch the following Pokémon in the wild:

• caterpie
• Weedle
• Shuckle
• Wurmple
• Never
• Cricket
• Combee
• Sewaddle
• Dwebble
• Cutiefly

In addition to the release of Mega Heracross, you’ll also be able to battle the following Pokemon in raids during Bug Out:

A star	three stars	five stars	Mega
pine tree	Beedrill	Tapu Bulu	Mega Charizard X until 10am (local time) on Saturday, April 13
Shuckle	to think		Mega Heracross after 10am (local time) on Saturday 13th April
Never	Kleavor
Skorupi

As always, PokéStop Showcases are running throughout the event if you want to participate. Finally, there’s a collection of new avatar items for sale, including Combee Bags and Burmy Earrings.

I hope you enjoy the Bug Out event in Pokemon Go!

The FITARA 17.0 Scorecard highlights a major gap in federal cybersecurity that has existed among government agencies for the better part of the past two decades. With scores falling this year, largely due to the introduction of a new cloud security category, it’s clear that opportunities exist to better protect and adopt cloud technologies.

As more organizations and federal agencies move to the cloud to improve productivity and maximize cost efficiency, bad actors are also seeing unequivocal success in targeting vulnerabilities in hybrid cloud environments. In the past year alone, nearly half of all cyberattacks originated in the cloud, underscoring the critical need for a reassessment of current security measures and the implementation of robust strategies to strengthen cloud operations.

As agencies grapple with the complexity of protecting their most essential digital assets in cloud environments, it is imperative to recognize and understand current cloud security deficiencies while establishing a plan for continuous improvement.

The evolving landscape of cloud security

Ninety-eight percent of all organizations currently store their most sensitive data in the cloud, making them lucrative targets for exploitation. The economic impact of these breaches, with $4.1 million lost last year alone, underscores the gravity of the situation.

Traditional security measures, which rely primarily on perimeter-based defenses, face significant challenges in effectively safeguarding cloud assets. The dynamic nature of cloud environments, along with the complexities of shared responsibility models, cloud misconfigurations, and an increasingly connected software supply chain, complicate security efforts significantly.

Misconfigurations, weak authentication mechanisms, and inadequate access controls emerge as common vulnerabilities, exposing agencies to high risks and unintended consequences. In addition, bad actors’ relentless pursuit of exploiting weaknesses underscores the urgent need for agencies to reassess their security posture and adopt proactive measures to mitigate emerging threats, strengthen operational efficiency, and build resilience in sensitive environments.

Key strategies to improve cloud security

Prioritize greater end-to-end visibility: The first step for agencies looking to build resiliency in the cloud is to first gain end-to-end visibility into hybrid IT environments. Agency leaders should focus on understanding and monitoring all layers of the cloud infrastructure, from the network and applications to user activity and data flows. Limited visibility can have significant consequences, such as blind spots in monitoring and detection capabilities. These blind spots not only prevent timely identification of security incidents, but also exacerbate risk exposure, leaving agencies vulnerable to prolonged attacks.

Cloud visibility isn’t just a convenience; it is a strategic necessity. In a world where cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and regulatory scrutiny is increasing, organizations cannot afford blind spots in their cloud environments. By understanding the complexities of cloud environments, agencies can more proactively identify vulnerabilities, detect anomalous behavior, and respond to security incidents in a timely manner.

Continuous monitoring of workloads Once end-to-end visibility is established, agency leaders will have a much easier time monitoring and managing cloud activities and communications. By implementing robust monitoring mechanisms that provide real-time information about cloud activities, agencies will be able to continuously monitor workloads, detect threats early, and respond quickly when breaches or attacks occur to minimize potential damage.

Continuous monitoring offers many benefits, including early detection of threats and rapid response to incidents. Real-time alerts and notifications also play a crucial role in this regard, quickly notifying security teams of suspicious activity or anomalies. Leveraging monitoring tools and technologies designed specifically for cloud environments improves visibility, allowing agencies to gain insight into resource usage, network traffic, and user behavior.

Adopt a default assumption mentality In addition, it is imperative that federal agencies do so arecognize and operate under the mindset that security incidents are inevitable. Rather than focusing solely on prevention, this approach emphasizes proactive detection and response strategies.

Threat intelligence sharing and cross-sector collaboration play a crucial role in staying ahead of evolving threats, enabling agencies to anticipate and prepare for potential risks and strengthen their defenses accordingly.

An effective incident response plan is also essential to effectively manage security incidents, once they occur. This plan should clearly define roles and responsibilities, establish communication protocols and define escalation procedures. By preparing for various scenarios in advance, agencies can minimize the impact of security incidents and mitigate potential damage.

Adopt containment strategies to limit the inevitable Finally, proactively preparing for and mitigating the impact of security incidents helps safeguard critical assets and preserve business continuity. This proactive approach to security enables agencies to remain resilient in the face of evolving threats, preventing breaches from becoming cyber disasters and ensuring the integrity of their cloud environments.

Segmentation using zero-trust principles provides an effective approach to containment, limiting lateral movement and preventing the spread of threats in the IT environment. Fine-grained access controls further enhance security by restricting access to sensitive resources and data based on the principle of least privilege.

Building a more resilient future

With the increasing adoption of new technologies by bad actors, it is critical that agencies prioritize security measures to safeguard sensitive data and protect networks in mission-critical environments. Agencies must take proactive approaches to cloud security, including increasing visibility, enabling continuous monitoring, and applying a breach assumption mindset to better detect and respond to threats more effectively, allowing them to also minimize the risk of data breaches and disruptions.

Improving cloud security requires a concerted effort by federal agencies, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures, continuous improvement, and innovation. And while cloud security may not yet be up to par among federal agencies, I’m hopeful that agencies will reflect on the latest scores and prioritize more effective cloud security strategies in the coming year.

Gary Barlet is Illumino’s Chief Federal Technology Officer.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located in the European Economic Area.

One of the biggest catalysts driving the market higher over the past year has been the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). Both companies and market watchers agree that the potential for increased productivity could boost profits, benefiting both companies and shareholders. Investors are also waiting on the edge of their seats for information from the Federal Reserve Bank on the future path of interest rates and when the central bank might reverse course and start cutting interest rates.

With this as a backdrop, AI software maker C3 (NYSE: AI) chip maker fell 5.2% Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) fell 5.2%, specialist in semiconductors Advanced microdevices (NASDAQ: AMD) fell 4.2%, specialist in memory and storage solutions Micron technology (NASDAQ: MU) dropped 3.9%, and melted Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) it fell 3.2% when the market closed on Friday.

A check of all the usual suspects—regulatory filings, financial reports, and changes in analysts’ price targets—revealed some company-specific news to explain the share price drop (more on that in a mica), which suggests many investors are very focused on the economy and geopolitical conflicts.

The dim prospects for a near-term rate cut

Investors have longed for the start of a round of interest rate cuts, which would finally kick-start the ongoing battle to control inflation. However, recent reports suggest that higher prices are not far behind.

The latest monthly inflation report, courtesy of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed that inflation was surprisingly stubborn, sending a wave of anxiety on Wall Street. The consumer price index (CPI), the most widely watched inflation gauge, rose 3.5% in March compared to the same period last year, while it rose just 0. 4% month after month.

The increase was higher than expected; economists had expected 3.4% year-on-year and 0.3% sequential. Ahead of the report’s release, investors had expected the first of several interest rate cuts this year to take place in June, but the specter of lingering inflation dampened those hopes.

The story continues

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas is also weighing on market sentiment as investors fear the conflict could expand in the region.

Why inflation matters

So what does this have to do with our quintet of AI stocks? The biggest problem is the high cost of borrowing money, as companies are unlikely to expand operations and adopt next-generation technologies, including generative AI.

• C3.ai builds plug-and-play AI software models for businesses. Businesses are unlikely to take on additional costs as long as inflation remains high.

• Intel makes semiconductors that help power data centers and AI systems, which will likely see slower adoption as well.

• AMD graphics processing units (GPUs) are a key component that facilitates the training and deployment of AI systems. These processors are expensive, at tens of thousands of dollars or more, so companies are likely to delay adoption while borrowing costs are high.

• Micron Technology provides flash memory and storage systems that speed up AI processing, so it will also be affected by higher interest rates.

• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, commonly called TSM, is the foundry that brings many of these AI chips to life, so slower AI adoption means fewer semiconductor sales.

Aside from these issues, there was some company-specific news that muddied the water even more.

bank of america analyst Vivek Arya lowered his price target on Intel to $44 while maintaining a neutral (hold) rating on the stock. This represents a potential upside of 17% compared to Thursday’s closing price. The analyst cited disappointing results from Intel’s foundry segment for the increased pessimism.

There was also a Cleveland Research report suggesting Intel may be losing share in the personal computer and server markets. There were also reports that China has instructed telecom companies to begin phasing out the use of foreign processors, which, if true, could directly affect Intel and AMD.

An earthquake in Taiwan earlier this month may affect Micron’s results in the current quarter, as the company has not yet returned to full production of its dynamic random access memory (DRAM) processors. Despite this, Citi analyst Christopher Danely believes this could be a positive for Micron, as lower supply leads to higher prices, noting that any decline in revenue would be temporary.

Transversal assessments

In terms of valuation, this stock group is a mixed bag. AMD, C3.ai, TSM, Micron, and Intel are currently trading at 8x, 7x, 7x, 4x, and 2x forward sales, respectively, making Intel the most attractive. When measured using a price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio, which takes into account a company’s current growth trajectory, TSM, AMD and Intel have multiples of less than 1, the standard for a stock underrated

I’m not a fan of Intel as the company has been mired in a turnaround for years and has yet to prove that their efforts will succeed. Among the stocks featured, I think TMS and Micron offer the most upside as the pick-and-shovel plays in the AI ​​revolution.

There is still a long road ahead for generative AI, and the opportunity remains great. However, investors should be prepared for high volatility, even if the overall trajectory is likely to remain up and to the right.

Should you invest $1000 in C3.ai right now?

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* Stock Advisor returns from April 8, 2024

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool Company. Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool Company. Danny Vena has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Bank of America and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends C3.ai and Intel and recommends the following: long January 2023 $57.50 calls on Intel, long January 2025 $45 calls on Intel and short May 2024 $47 on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why C3.ai, Intel, Advanced Microdevices and Other Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks Fell on Friday was originally published by The Motley Fool

The iPhone and iOS have continuously evolved over the past 17 years. When the original iPhone was released, the feature sets and tools included in PhoneOS 1 were very limited. Apple wanted users to focus on basic interactions, such as using the new touchscreen and making phone calls. However, with iOS 17, the software has grown exponentially and has become your go-to tool for almost any task. In this post, I’ll highlight 12 progressively useful features built into iOS. Share your favorite iOS feature in the comments, something others may not know about so we can all learn!

Be sure to watch our hands-on video of these features for a detailed look at how to use them!

1. Quick Timer Control Center

I use the timer several times a day, whether it’s for working hours, cooking, or training. I prefer the built-in timer because of its integration with live activities and the Dynamic Island feature. You can quickly create a timer with Siri, but in quiet situations, I find it useful to use Control Center. Here’s how:

• Go to the control center
• Long press the clock icon
• Drag your finger across the dial
• Create a timer and press start

2. Visual search laundry care

Visual search lets you look at an image and lets your iPhone use machine learning to decipher information about it. So if you take a photo of a dog, it will let you know it’s a dog and even tell you the breed. You can use this with landmarks, plants and other subjects. It really shines when it comes to translations and also converting units of measurement. However, one very underrated feature is being able to decipher the care instructions on a laundry label. I used to ruin so many clothes by ignoring etiquette and shrinking a shirt or towels with bleach. But visual search makes sure that doesn’t happen again. Here’s how it works.

• Take a photo of your laundry tag
• Tap the visual search button at the bottom right
• Tap “Find Laundry Care”
• And let the phone do its magic

It breaks down all the icons on the label and lets you know exactly what each one means, it’s been a huge tool for me.

3. Remove the background theme in the Photos app

This is one of my favorite features. I used to spend hours trying to remove background themes in third-party apps and services. But now that this is built right into the photos app, it’s saved me a lot of time. Now, depending on your background, it might not be a perfect cut, but it does the job for 95% of people. Here’s how to remove a theme from your background.

• Choose a photo that has a subject in the foreground (can be any image, either taken on an iPhone or imported from another device)
• Long press the topic until it is highlighted (you will see a highlight animation)
• Drop the subject
• A menu appears that allows you to copy, add a sticker or share
• Normally press copy
• Then paste it into my notes app

You can share it as a new image and import it into any editing application to fix any imperfections. It really saves a lot of time!

4. Copy and paste a photo edit

Another great feature of the native Photos app is the ability to copy and paste an edit to another image. Be sure to watch our Photos app video to learn the ins and outs of the Photos app (it’s more robust than you might think).

Let’s say you’ve taken a few images that have the same lighting and background and you plan to edit them individually by changing the filter, brightness, saturation, etc. Instead of spending time editing each image, you can edit one image and then copy those changes to the others. This is another great time saver. The only aspect it won’t copy is a trim. But all other edits will be copied immediately.

• Edit an image
• When you’re done, tap the ellipsis button at the top right of the edited image
• Tap Copy edits (not the Copy button)
• Then go to another image and tap the ellipses and tap Paste Edits
• Voila, now this new image has the exact same edits as the first image

Other iOS features

If you want to see the rest of the 12 features, watch our video here. It will tell you how to achieve the features mentioned and eight more features that will be worth your time! iOS has evolved to have all these built-in tools that continue to amaze us. From being a leveler to measuring distance to telling us how to do our laundry properly, it continues to improve our lives.

What are some of your favorite iOS features that may fly under the radar? Is there an iOS feature you wish the iPhone had that is still missing? Let’s discuss this in the comments below!

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Mini PCs have become a huge hit in recent years, with users opting for these smaller, more streamlined PCs as an alternative to desktops or laptops. But few have made the waves that the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01 has.

I’ve been using one of the higher-end variants of the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01 for a few months now, and I honestly have to say that it’s one of the best mini PCs money can buy, even if you have to make the leap. a few hoops to get it right now.

Retro indie paradise

Capturing the iconic look of the classic 1984 Mac computer, the Retro Mini PC AM01 is a dream come true for retro lovers and collectors alike. The affordable price (starting at $259) of this Ayaneo Mini PC is packed with a lot of potential, but how well it uses that potential can definitely vary depending on what you’re doing.

If you’ve ever thought about buying a mini PC, you probably already know what kind of drawbacks you’re looking at, namely the lower performance and more limited upgradeability that comes with these smaller packages. Still, they’ve come a long way in recent years, and these PCs can handle a bit now, especially as they incorporate newer hardware like RAM, SSDs, and faster CPUs. The AMD 5700U included in my Retro Mini PC AM01 is more than capable of running some of the newer games (albeit at lower settings), but there’s no dedicated graphics card, so you’ll definitely have to play around with the settings if you try to run the newest titles.

However, when it comes to retro or indie gaming, the Retro Mini PC AM01 is a great replacement for a desktop PC, and it has loads of ports and even support for 4K at 60Hz, which makes be an easy purchase for much more. an expensive desktop computer that you might want to do similar things with. The model I’ve been using for the past few months is equipped with the aforementioned AMD 5700U, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1TB SSD, and Windows 11 Home. It’s not the gaming beast that is my main desktop, but it doesn’t need to be.

The Retro Mini PC AM01 is not designed to replace your gaming desktop. Instead, Ayaneo has gone all retro with its design, even going so far as to showcase a slew of retro games in the company’s built-in app. And since it’s equipped with a solid, if aging, processor like the AMD 5700U (you can also go as far as an AMD 5800U), you can do all your daily tasks here, too. I’ve used it to play indie and retro games, as well as for productivity tasks. I’m actually writing this review on PC right now.

As a mini PC geared more toward “light gaming,” the Ayaneo offers everything you’d expect, along with great performance in those low-end games. Titles like Stardew Valley, Dead cells, and a ton of old and emulated titles will work just fine here, and it’ll all cost you less than $500, depending on what model you build. I saw problems with some titles, such as Baldur’s Gate 3 i Cyberpunk 2077but I also didn’t expect any of these titles to do very well in the first place.

However, if you use one of the lower RAM variants here, it will probably cost you more. As such, I would definitely recommend upgrading your RAM or trying to get a higher RAM setting just to keep things as smooth as possible.

Iconic design

The design, of course, is what first drew me to the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01. As I noted above, it’s designed to look like that iconic first Mac computer, and Ayaneo really nailed the look and design here.

But it doesn’t stop there. The Retro Mini PC combines all this iconic design with modern ports, offering plenty of space to connect different accessories and peripherals. The four included USB-A ports, as well as the USB-C port on the front, allow you to connect various items such as keyboards, mice and wireless headphones. You can also connect directly to Ethernet via an Ethernet port on the back, in case you prefer that over wifi.

There’s also a DisplayPort and HDMI port on the back, allowing you to connect up to two displays. I was able to run the Retro Mini PC AM01 smoothly in my 4K dual monitor setup and it looks pretty good on my desktop.

What makes the Retro Mini PC stand out even more is the customization that Ayaneo has designed around the iconic Mac look. You can use various magnets and stickers to create a certain look, and while you’ll need to place it on the back during use (this is best for heat dissipation), it offers a small way to make the mini PC feel like your own.

Jumping through hoops

Perhaps the most disappointing part of the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC is the many hoops you have to jump through to get your hands on it. Right now, Ayaneo is only selling it as part of an IndieGoGo campaign, which means you’ll essentially have to back the campaign to get your hands on one.

The configurations they offer now are also extremely limited as they only have a certain amount of units distributed for each option. The different options offered on the IndieGoGo page may change, but it’s hard to say what will be available and what won’t. (Ayaneo has yet to share any plans to offer the Retro Mini PC AM01 outside of its IndieGoGo campaign.) Fortunately, even if you end up with a smaller RAM or SSD setup, the Retro Mini PC AM01 is extremely easy to upgrade with new parts, you can take it apart, although this could void any warranty, so be careful if you go that route.

Overall, I’m very happy with what Ayaneo has contributed here. As I pointed out earlier, playing really demanding games won’t be a great option. But if you want a great little mini PC that can handle your daily tasks, run some retro and indie games without much trouble, and look great on your desktop, the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01 is easily one of the best market options. . Its iconic design and easy upgradeability are also big highlights.

The AMD 5700U configuration sent me listings for $420 on Ayaneo’s IndieGoGo page, and I’d recommend it as a great starting point for anyone planning to pick one up.

The need for sovereignty over our online experiences has never been more pressing. As data breaches and data farming practices become the new normal, and internet users are continually seen as the perfect target, it’s time for a change. Enter xyOS, XYOs innovative sovereign platform poised to redefine how we engage in the digital world. As we stand on the cusp of a new era in the evolution of the Internet, xyOS gives users unprecedented control and autonomy to navigate the digital frontier.

What is xyOS?

xyOS, or XYO Operating System, is a revolutionary sovereign platform designed to streamline the operation of an XYO node by providing an easy-to-use graphical interface that democratizes access to the XYO platform, protocol, and network. Gone are the days of needing specialized technical skills to navigate the complexities of blockchain technology. With xyOS, users of all backgrounds and comfort levels can seamlessly interact with the XYO ecosystem, unlocking its full potential with just a few clicks.

With xyOS, we take a giant leap forward in the pursuit of a more sovereign Internet, one that allows users to take back ownership of their online interactions. From simplifying node configuration to providing real-time information on XYO technologies, xyOS is a catalyst for change in the digital ecosystem.

Key features:

• Access to Core and dApps by default: Includes Settings, System Viewer, System Dashboard, and Identity that allow for user customization and node enhancements.
• Third Party DApps:It enables the development of third-party dApps through comprehensive documentation and guides.
• xyons: Also known as the XYO Name System for both xyOS and the XYO Network, xyoNS allows users to display friendly names instead of addresses and hashes to access modules and data. It also provides a collective namespace for public name resolution.
• Daily payload: Our (previously) secret minigame will be released soon. Get ready for daily challenges, badges, leaderboards and more fun surprises to come!

Why xyOS matters

At its core, xyOS embodies the principles of freedom, autonomy and innovation. By prioritizing user sovereignty and data control, xyOS sets the stage for more equitable and empowering online experiences. No longer bound by the limitations of centralized platforms, users can explore, create, exchange and connect with confidence, knowing that these engagements are truly theirs.

What’s next for xyOS?

As we look to the future, xyOS is just getting started. Ahead of the official launch of the xyOS beta, we invite the XYO community to join us for early access opportunities and engagement initiatives later this month. There are countless ways to get involved and make your mark on the evolution of the Internet, including:

• COIN users: COIN users will receive an exclusive first look at xyOS and its innovative features.
• XYO users: For our XYO community, users will be able to register for early access to the xyOS experience and provide valuable feedback.
• Community involvement: As access is rolled out to early users, the community will be invited to participate in comments, discussions, and other interactions. Stay tuned to see how you can get involved!
• Builder the Future initiative: Join our community of builders and innovators to contribute to the development of xyOS and earn rewards for your efforts.

Join us on our journey

Now is the time to seize the opportunity of a sovereign Internet. With xyOS leading the way, we have the power to shape a digital future that is truly ours. Follow us on social media, sign up for our newsletter, and join the conversation as we embark on this transformative journey together. Together, we can redefine the Internet and unlock its full potential for generations to come.

Sign up for early access to xyOS herewhile there are still places available.

Epic Games has proposed a measure that would prevent Google from restricting the distribution of third-party apps outside of the Google Play Store on Android devices after proving that Google had an illegal monopoly on Android app distribution markets .

Epic suggests competition on the Android mobile platform would be opened up if the court orders Google to allow the distribution of third-party app stores for six years on the Google Play Store and prevents Google from entering into any agreements with device manufacturers let it stop from preloading third-party app stores. That would benefit both mobile developers and users, Epic argued in a broad proposal that would greatly limit Google’s control over the Android app ecosystem.

U.S. District Court Judge James Donato will ultimately decide the terms of the injunction. Google has until May 3 to respond to Epic’s submission.

A Google spokesperson confirmed to Ars that Google still plans to appeal the verdict even though Google already agreed to a $700 million settlement with consumers and states following the Epic win.

“Epic’s filing in US Federal Court shows again that it simply wants the benefits of Google Play without having to pay for it,” a Google spokesperson said. “We continue to challenge the verdict, as Android is an open mobile platform that faces fierce competition from Apple’s App Store, as well as app stores on Android devices, computers and game consoles.”

If Donato accepts Epic’s proposal, Google would have to grant equal access to the Android operating system and platform features to all developers, not just developers who distribute apps through Google Play. This would allow third-party app stores to own app updates, updating all apps downloaded from their stores as seamlessly as Google Play updates.

Under Epic’s terms, any app downloaded from anywhere would work identically to apps downloaded from Google Play, without Google imposing any unnecessary distribution fees. Similarly, developers could offer their own in-app purchase options and inform users of out-of-app purchase options, without having to use Google APIs or pay additional fees to Google .

Notably, Epic filed its lawsuit after Google pulled the Epic game Fortnite from the Google Play Store because Epic tried to offer an “Epic Direct Payment” option for in-game purchases.

“Google must also allow developers to communicate directly with their consumers, including linking from their app to a website to make purchases and get offers,” Epic said in a blog post. “Google should not use fake compliance programs like User Choice Billing to prevent competing payment options within an app or on a developer’s website.”

Not surprisingly, Epic’s proposed demand includes an “anti-retaliation” section specifically intended to protect Epic from any subsequent retaliation. If Donato agrees to the terms, Google would be in violation of the injunction if the tech giant fails to show that it is not “treating Epic differently than other developers” by making it “disproportionately difficult or costly” for Epic to develop , upgrade and market. your apps on Android.

This part of the mandate would seem important since, last month, Epic announced that an Epic Games Store would “come to iOS and Android” later this year. According to Inc, Epic told attendees at the Game Developers Conference that its app distribution platform will be the “first cross-platform store focused on games” that will work on “Android, iOS, PC and macOS.”