Brian Fagioli

Over the years, I have seen many tech companies go through various regulatory hurdles. With that said, I can’t help but raise an eyebrow at Google’s recent complaints regarding the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The act, designed to promote competition in the digital market, has seemingly ruffled some feathers at the tech giant.

Adam Cohen, Google’s Director of Economic Policy, has taken to the company’s blog to air grievances about the DMA’s impact on their services. In a bid to comply with the new regulations, Google has had to strip down some of its useful search features, particularly those related to flights, hotels, and local businesses. Cohen argues that this move benefits only a select few online travel aggregators while disadvantaging a broader range of businesses, from airlines to small firms, who now find it harder to directly reach customers.

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Cloud Software Group and Microsoft have announced an eight-year strategic partnership agreement, with Cloud Software Group committing $1.65 billion to Microsoft’s cloud and generative AI capabilities. This collaboration aims to strengthen the Citrix virtual application and desktop platform and develop new cloud and AI solutions with an integrated product roadmap.

Under this partnership, Citrix, a business unit of Cloud Software Group, will be the preferred Microsoft Global Azure Partner solution for Enterprise Desktop as a Service when collaborating with joint Azure customers. The companies will jointly support customer success by offering tailored solutions, expert guidance, and support to accelerate customers’ cloud journeys. Citrix will also leverage Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud solution, integrating the benefits of the Citrix platform with Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365.

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Opera has announced a huge AI update to its Opera One web browser in the developer stream. The company is introducing experimental support for 150 local Large Language Models (LLMs) across approximately 50 different model families. This innovative feature allows users to easily access and manage local AI models directly from the browser, a first in the industry.

The supported local LLMs include notable names such as Llama from Meta, Vicuna, Gemma from Google, Mixtral from Mistral AI, among others. The inclusion of local LLMs means that users can now leverage generative AI capabilities without the need to send data to external servers. This ensures that user data remains on the device, enhancing privacy and security.

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Hold on to your hats, folks, because Microsoft is at it again. In a move that’s sure to ruffle some feathers, the tech giant has announced* that starting October 2024, just one year before Windows 10 reaches its end of support, the company will charge a whopping $61 per device for the first year of Extended Security Updates (ESU). And get this – the price will double every consecutive year for a maximum of three years! If you’re late to the party and join in Year Two, you’ll have to cough up the cash for Year One as well since these updates are cumulative. Talk about a slap in the face!

Now, let’s be clear: these Extended Security Updates are meant to be a temporary bridge for organizations that need more time to transition to Windows 11. They’re not intended to be a long-term solution. But let’s face it, for many businesses and individuals, upgrading to Windows 11 isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. There are compatibility issues, hardware requirements, and not to mention the hassle of migrating entire systems. So, this move by Microsoft feels like it's holding users hostage -- pay up or risk being left vulnerable to security threats.

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Following the discovery of malicious code, fwupd, the popular firmware update utility, has decided to transition from xz to zstd compression for its metadata. Richard Hughes, the lead developer behind fwupd, outlined the rationale behind this decision in a recent blog post.

For years, fwupd has relied on compressed metadata to facilitate firmware updates for a wide array of hardware. This metadata, essentially a large XML file, was initially compressed using gzip, resulting in a 1.6MB download for end-users. However, in 2021, the fwupd team switched to xz compression, further reducing the file size to 1.1MB and saving significant bandwidth.

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TEAMGROUP has unveiled its latest offering for the creative community -- the T-CREATE EXPERT S.M.A.R.T. microSDXC memory card, now available in a substantial 2TB capacity. It is compliant with the UHS speed class U3, video speed class V30, and application performance class A2.

When used with a compatible professional card reader, the memory card boasts impressive read and write speeds of up to 170 MB/s and 160 MB/s, respectively. These speeds are essential for seamless 4K Ultra HD and 1080p Full HD video recording, as well as continuous photo shooting.

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HYPER has launched its new HyperJuice 240W Silicone USB-C to USB-C Cable. The cable distinguishes itself with its remarkable 240W charging capacity, enabled by PD 3.1’s Extended Power Range (EPR). Designed to meet the charging needs of today’s demanding devices and future innovations, this cable provides efficient and rapid charging without sacrificing safety or durability.

Key features of the cable include a 240W charging power that ensures quick and efficient charging for all devices, a durable silicone jacket that withstands over 25,000 bends, and a portable, tangle-free silicone design for easy management. The cable also features Over-Temperature Protection (OTP) up to 90°C / 194°F, with each port connector containing E-marker chips for safe power and data delivery. Additionally, the cable is future-proofed with universal compatibility, designed to support all USB-C devices of today and tomorrow.

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From the land of matryoshkas and balalaikas, ROSA, a developer of system and infrastructure software, has released ROSA Fresh 12.5. This new version of the Russian-developed operating system is a blend of significant improvements and fresh features, aimed at improving both convenience and security.

ROSA Fresh 12.5 presents an array of installation images, catering to diverse computing needs. The update accommodates three processor architectures: x64, i686, and aarch64 (available later), and provides five user environment options. Users can select from two comprehensive graphical environments, KDE and GNOME, or opt for the lighter LXQt and Xfce systems. For those well-versed in the command line, ROSA Fresh Server offers a text interface option.

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Nowadays, the traditional office environment has transformed, with more individuals working from diverse locations such as home, public spaces, and shared office setups. This shift has increased the demand for high-quality, versatile communication tools that can adapt to various environments. With this in mind, Logitech has introduced the Zone 300, a wireless headset designed to deliver clear audio and provide the freedom to move while staying connected.

The Zone 300 is engineered to ensure your voice is heard clearly, even in noisy surroundings. It features dual noise-canceling microphones on an extended boom, equipped with a specialized algorithm to suppress background noises. This ensures that your conversations remain uninterrupted and crystal clear.

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SABRENT has launched its latest additions to the Rocket 4 series: the 1TB and 2TB DRAM-LESS M.2 PCIe GEN 4 X4 NVMe SSDs. The Rocket 4 series is designed to leverage the full potential of PCIe 4.0 technology, offering blazing-fast sequential read and write speeds of up to 7400/6400 MB/s and impressive random IOPS of up to 1000K/950K.

What sets these drives apart is their single-sided design, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of systems, including desktops, laptops, and even PS5 consoles. Additionally, the absence of DRAM contributes to lower power consumption and heat output, making these drives ideal for intensive workloads and environments where heat management is crucial.

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Are you tired of the limitations and issues of Microsoft Windows 11? If yes, then it’s time to explore the exciting world of Linux with the latest release of Nitrux 3.4.0 “pl.” This new version promises a refreshing and powerful alternative to traditional operating systems.

Nitrux 3.4.0 “pl” is now available for download, bringing together the latest software updates, bug fixes, and performance improvements. It’s designed to offer users an immediate and ready-to-use experience with hardware support right out of the box.

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As spring blossoms and Easter eggs are being hidden, the NetBSD Project has delivered its own surprise: the release of NetBSD 10.0. This latest version hops onto the scene with a basket full of enhancements, including significant improvements in performance, security, and hardware support. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to this operating system, NetBSD 10.0 promises to be an egg-citing release!

Upgrading to this new version is straightforward, with the option to boot from an installation image and select the Upgrade option. One of the standout features of NetBSD 10.0 is its performance enhancements. The system shows substantial gains, especially on multiprocessor and multicore systems. This is thanks to various optimizations, such as a faster file path lookup cache, improved scheduler performance, and enhanced virtual memory system.

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In a recent security announcement, Red Hat’s Information Risk and Security and Product Security teams have identified a critical vulnerability in the latest versions of the “xz” compression tools and libraries. The affected versions, 5.6.0 and 5.6.1, contain malicious code that could potentially allow unauthorized access to systems. Fedora Linux 40 users and those using Fedora Rawhide, the development distribution for future Fedora builds, are at risk.

The vulnerability, designated CVE-2024-3094, impacts users who have updated to the compromised versions of the xz libraries. Red Hat urges all Fedora Rawhide users to immediately cease using the distribution for both work and personal activities until the issue is resolved. Plans are underway to revert Fedora Rawhide to the safer xz-5.4.x version, after which it will be safe to redeploy Fedora Rawhide instances.

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Transcend has unveiled the MTE310S PCIe M.2 2230 SSD, which is designed for use in handheld gaming consoles, Ultrabooks, and 2-in-1 laptops. This new SSD is equipped with 3D NAND flash technology and utilizes the NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 interface, achieving sequential read and write speeds of up to 5,000MB/s and 3,500MB/s, respectively, for the 1TB model. The 512GB variant offers read and write speeds of up to 3,300MB/s and 1,700MB/s, respectively.

The SSD features SLC caching technology to enhance its read/write speeds and 4K random performance, which in turn helps reduce device loading times and improve overall system performance. The 1TB model boasts 4K random read/write speeds of up to 330,000/690,000 IOPS, while the 512GB version reaches up to 119,000/395,000 IOPS.

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T-CREATE, the creative brand from TEAMGROUP, has officially launched its previously announced CinemaPr product series, designed to cater to the needs of professionals in the filming industry. The CinemaPr series features a logo inspired by pixels, consisting of nine squares with a red square in the upper right corner, representing the “REC” symbol.

The first product in the CinemaPr series is the T-CREATE CinemaPr P31 Portable External SSD, which is tailored for professional photographers and videographers. This SSD is designed to integrate seamlessly with professional cages for cameras, DSLRs, and smartphones. It features a patented design with 12 screw holes compatible with standard 1/4’’ screw hole cages, and includes a set-screws bundle, allowing for easy installation on professional cages and overcoming the limitations of traditional locking point designs.

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