Why strong data foundations are essential to implementing AI [Q&A]
Lots of organizations are rushing to embrace AI and hoping to deliver business value. But AI is only as good as the data that underpins it.
We spoke to Julian LaNeve, chief technology officer of Astronomer, to discuss why it's important to fix the foundations before implementing AI solutions.
Logitech Spot sensor and Rally Board 65 offer smarter tools for hybrid work and video conferencing
Logitech has introduced two new products designed to improve workplace efficiency and collaboration. The Logitech Spot sensor monitors occupancy and environmental conditions, while the Rally Board 65 offers a portable all-in-one video conferencing solution with a 65-inch touchscreen display.
The Logitech Spot tracks room usage and environmental factors like carbon dioxide levels, dust, and other pollutants. Poor indoor air quality can hinder productivity and well-being, and Spot provides businesses with actionable insights to optimize air quality and reduce energy costs. The battery-powered device is easy to install with a peel-and-stick design and connects wirelessly to Logitech CollabOS devices or LoRaWAN gateways for spaces without video conferencing technology. Data is fed into Logitech Sync, where IT teams can view room health and energy scores and receive recommendations for improvement.
Wine 10.0 uncorks smoother support for running Windows apps on Linux
The Wine team has officially released Wine 10.0, marking a full year of extensive development with over 6,000 changes. This stable release introduces major updates designed to improve performance, compatibility, and visual experience when running Windows applications on Linux (and other non-Windows platforms).
Perhaps the most impressive arrival in Wine 10.0 is the addition of full support for the ARM64EC architecture, now on par with ARM64. This allows developers to build hybrid ARM64X modules that blend ARM64EC and ARM64 code in a single binary. While currently reliant on an experimental LLVM toolchain, the upcoming LLVM 20 release should streamline support. The update also introduces 64-bit x86 emulation, using ARM64EC to allow Wine’s internal processes to run natively, reducing the need for resource-intensive emulation.
Scam eCommerce sites became a major threat in 2024
A new report from Recorded Future's Inskit Group looks at the emerging and evolving key fraud threats in the payments industry.
It identifies nearly 1,200 scam website domains linked to networks of scam merchant accounts. Most of the scam merchant accounts discovered were registered in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, and scam tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) grew more subtle and sophisticated throughout the year.
How to install Kodi 21.2 Omega on Amazon Fire TV Stick (the easy way)
Kodi 21.2 Omega has just been released, bringing with it a range of fixes and improvements. It is the latest update for the hugely popular home theater software, coming ahead of the launch of Kodi 22 Piers, which is expected to arrive (in Alpha form) in the coming months.
For a lot of users, running Kodi on an Amazon Fire TV Stick (or Firestick as it’s more commonly known) is the best way to enjoy the software and everything it has to offer, giving users access to a wide array of streaming services and media libraries.
UK government set to make all your licenses and other official documents available via a digital wallet
Hot on the heels of its plans to turbocharge AI usage, the UK government has today announced that it wants to introduce a new GOV.UK Wallet, a digital wallet that will hold official documents.
Starting with Veteran Cards and Driving Licenses this year, it will expand to take in things like Blue Badges for disabled drivers, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) letters, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and every other credential issued by the government.
Meta will continue to use fact checkers -- for now, at least, and only outside of the US
When Mark Zuckerberg announced recently that Meta was ditching fact checking on Facebook and Instagram in favor of X-style community notes, the response was very mixed. While hardly a clean line between the two camps, those with conservative political leanings tended to see this as a good thing, while those of a more liberal bent voiced concerns about the potential for misinformation.
The recent announcement about moving away from fact checking was widely seen as Zuckerberg trying to curry favor with Donald Trump, now installed as the 47th president of the USA. Now a new pronouncement from the company makes it hard to shake the notion that stepping away from fact checking was a politically motivated move.
Microsoft’s latest Windows security fixes may not install alongside Citrix software -- but there is a workaround
The recently released security updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11 are proving problematic for some people. Microsoft has acknowledged issues with the KB5049981 and KB5050009 updates on systems with “certain Citrix components installed”.
With Windows 10 breathing its last, users will be keen to grab all available security updates before Microsoft abandons it later in the year, so it is good that while there is not yet a proper fix for the problem, a workaround is available.
BenQ launches W2720i and GP520 4K projectors with AI and HDR technology
BenQ has announced its latest 4K home theater projectors, the W2720i and GP520, designed to provide enhanced viewing experiences for both dedicated home theaters and casual living room setups.
According to Houston Wei, senior director of BenQ North America, “Families often struggle to achieve high-quality projection in their various living spaces. Both the W2720i and the GP520 are able to address different home entertainment needs in order to deliver stunning projection wherever they prefer to set up and watch their home theater.”
CrowdStrike outage prompts businesses to overhaul supply chains
The CrowdStrike outage of July 2024 has triggered a major rethink of tech supply chains, as businesses around the world look to build IT resilience and minimize risk.
New research from Adaptavist shows that in the wake of the incident, which affected 8.5 million devices worldwide, there's a decisive shift in vendor relationships and a loss of confidence in traditional single-vendor approaches, with only 16.25 percent of respondents expressing satisfaction with their current providers.
The European Commission wants Elon Musk to reveal the secrets of the X recommendation algorithm (don’t we all?)
Elon Musk -- or his company, X, at least -- has been given until mid-February to provide the European Commission with details of how its recommendation algorithm works.
The request is part of a wider investigation by the EC to ensure that X is complying with the Digital Services Act (DSA). Many would be interested to learn something about how the recommendation system of this and other social media platforms works, and the Commission has further demands as well.
Key developments and challenges in LLMs [Q&A]
Large language models (LLMs) have undergone rapid evolution in recent years, but can often be viewed as something of a 'black-box' as a lack of transparency makes it difficult to identify how decisions are made, trace errors, or understand biases within the model.
We spoke to Pramod Beligere, vice president -- generative AI practice head at Hexaware, to discuss this along with the tools that are being developed, such as explainable AI and interpretable models, to make AI systems more understandable, trustworthy and accountable.
Windows 11 is finally getting a decent battery tool -- here's how to enable it so you know how much power you have left
Laptop users rejoice -- Microsoft is finally getting around to making life a little easier for you. When you’re working on battery power, you really need to know how much juice you have left, and this is something that has been frustrating to access in Windows 11.
While hovering the cursor over the taskbar battery icon is not exactly a massive hardship, most other devices and operating systems provide much more helpful information that is visible at all times. Windows 11 users can now look forward to the same, with the taskbar showing the battery percentage permanently.
Rhino Linux 2025.1 is a smart choice for those ready to leave Windows
The latest version of Rhino Linux, 2025.1, has officially launched, offering an impressive set of updates and features. This release, which was originally planned as 2024.3, reflects the team’s commitment to taking extra time to ensure everything is just right. Whether you’re a Linux enthusiast or someone exploring alternatives to Windows, Rhino Linux 2025.1 offers a compelling solution.
One of the standout features is the introduction of the “Hello Rhino” application. Written in Rust, this helpful tool provides quick access to essential resources like the official blog, community channels, and detailed documentation. It automatically opens after installation, creating a user-friendly starting point for those new to Linux.
Kodi 21.2 'Omega' has arrived and you should download it immediately!
The Kodi Foundation is still hard at work on Kodi 22 'Piers', with an Alpha release expected in the coming months. The team hasn’t forgotten Kodi 21 users however, and a new build for that branch has just been released.
It's been five months since Kodi 21.1 'Omega' arrived, and now the Kodi Foundation has rolled out a new build, Kodi 21.2, with a raft of changes, fixes and improvements.
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