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Roons: A Mechanical Computer Kit Woven from Physical Logic

2025-05-01

Roons is an amazing mechanical computer kit cleverly combining a physical loom with logic gates. By arranging special "Roons" tiles on the loom, users can build various logic circuits, even achieving Turing completeness. The project, spanning several years, overcame numerous challenges in miniaturization, reliability, and ease of use, resulting in a compact and reasonably fast mechanical computer. A Kickstarter campaign is launching soon, with limited review kits available.

(whomtech.com)

Hardware mechanical computer Turing complete

Polygon Sold to Valnet, Massive Layoffs Ensue

2025-05-01

Polygon Sold to Valnet, Massive Layoffs Ensue

Gaming news website Polygon has been sold to click-farm giant Valnet, resulting in significant layoffs. Many employees have expressed shock and concern on social media about losing their jobs. Polygon co-founder and former editor-in-chief Chris Plante confirmed his departure. The sale price was undisclosed, and the press release made no mention of the layoffs. Some editors reportedly remain. Valnet, known for operating numerous content aggregation sites, has previously faced accusations of exploitative content practices. The acquisition has raised concerns about the future of gaming journalism.

(kotaku.com)

Game gaming journalism

Apple Faces Criminal Investigation After Judge Rules Exec Lied Under Oath

2025-05-01

Apple Faces Criminal Investigation After Judge Rules Exec Lied Under Oath

Apple is facing a criminal investigation after a judge ruled that its VP of Finance, Alex Roman, lied under oath in the ongoing legal battle with Epic Games. The judge found Apple deliberately ignored her ruling allowing developers to use alternative payment systems, and that Roman's testimony contained multiple lies. This refusal to comply, following Apple's initial victory in court, has escalated the dispute to a criminal level, with potential jail time for Roman and significant sanctions against Apple. The case highlights Apple's attempts to circumvent the court's decision and maintain its App Store commission structure, even in the face of clear legal defeat. The judge's decision marks a serious blow to Apple's reputation and could have significant legal repercussions.

(9to5mac.com)

Tech Perjury

Waypoint: Automating Urban Planning with AI – Hiring First Engineer

2025-05-01

Waypoint: Automating Urban Planning with AI – Hiring First Engineer

Waypoint is revolutionizing urban planning through AI automation, tackling the inefficiencies and high costs associated with traditional consulting firms. They're seeking their first engineer to build their engineering systems from the ground up. Projects include fine-tuning YOLO models for sidewalk segmentation, developing a system for processing city planning documents, and automating the generation of intersection safety recommendations. The ideal candidate is a strong programmer, a quick learner, a problem-solver, and passionate about improving urban planning.

(www.workatastartup.com)

AI

Claude Integrations and Advanced Research: A Powerful Upgrade

2025-05-01

Claude Integrations and Advanced Research: A Powerful Upgrade

Anthropic has announced major updates to Claude, introducing Integrations that allow developers to connect various apps and tools, and expanding its research capabilities. Advanced Research mode lets Claude search the web, Google Workspace, and now connected Integrations, conducting research for up to 45 minutes and providing comprehensive reports with citations. Web search is now globally available for all paid Claude users. These updates significantly enhance Claude's functionality and efficiency, making it a more powerful collaborative tool.

(www.anthropic.com)

AI Integrations

Amazon CEO: AI Optimist, but Education Concerns Remain

2025-05-01

Amazon CEO: AI Optimist, but Education Concerns Remain

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, while an AI optimist, voiced concerns about the rapid pace of AI adoption and the potential lag in the education system. He believes AI will revolutionize nearly every experience but worries whether the education system is adequately preparing people for the future AI-driven economy. Amazon is heavily invested in AI, with a new "reasoning" AI model slated for a June launch. Jassy emphasizes the need for improved education to ensure people thrive in this new economic landscape.

(finance.yahoo.com)

Tech

The 'Understanding Wars': Scale vs. Meaning in the Age of LLMs

2025-05-01

The 'Understanding Wars': Scale vs. Meaning in the Age of LLMs

As transformer models surpassed human baselines on NLP benchmarks, a debate erupted over their capabilities, culminating in the "understanding wars" of 2020-22. Bender et al.'s "octopus test" argued that models mimicking language statistically couldn't grasp meaning. GPT-3's arrival intensified the conflict, its power shocking researchers while raising safety and ethical concerns. The debate highlighted disagreements on methodology and direction between academia and industry, leading to an internal 'civil war' within the NLP field.

(www.quantamagazine.org)

AI

Slow Mac App Launches: Malware Scan or Hash Cache Miss?

2025-05-01

Blogger Jeff Johnson discovered last year that slow Mac app launches are due to malware scanning by the syspolicyd process. However, blogger Howard Oakley disagrees. Johnson uses spindumps to refute Oakley, showing the malware scan occurs during dlopen when loading dynamic libraries. Oakley claims the slow launches are due to SHA-256 hash cache misses for files in the Frameworks folder. Johnson argues Oakley's theory lacks evidence and ignores the fact that universal binaries contain two architectures, making Oakley's hash calculation time estimates inaccurate. The core of this debate lies in different interpretations of system logs and process snapshots, and differing understandings of caching mechanisms.

(lapcatsoftware.com)

Development Mac apps

Redis Returns to AGPLv3 Open Source License

2025-05-01

Redis core developer antirez recounts the journey of Redis switching back to the AGPLv3 open-source license. He personally advocated strongly for AGPL, believing that the SSPL failed to gain widespread community acceptance. Redis 8, now officially released, uses the AGPLv3 license, much to antirez's satisfaction. He promises continued improvements to Redis, particularly the new Vector Sets data type.

(antirez.com)

Development

The Troubling Trend: Recent Grads Facing a Tough Job Market

2025-05-01

The Troubling Trend: Recent Grads Facing a Tough Job Market

The job market for young college graduates is significantly worse than it has been in decades. Unemployment sits at a concerning 5.8%, with even elite MBA graduates struggling. Three potential explanations are offered: the lingering effects of the pandemic and Great Recession; a decreased return on investment for a college degree; and the disruptive potential of AI, which is capable of automating tasks previously performed by entry-level white-collar workers. While the impact of AI on employment remains unclear, the struggles of recent graduates serve as a cautionary tale, potentially signaling short-term economic woes, a shifting value of college education, or the long-term impact of AI on the workforce.

(www.theatlantic.com)

AI AI and Jobs College Graduate Employment Economic Recession

NIH Speeds Up Public Access to Research Findings

2025-05-01

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya announced the acceleration of the 2024 Public Access Policy, making all NIH-funded research findings immediately available to the public starting July 1, 2025. This move aims to increase public trust in science and ensure that taxpayer investments yield replicable, reproducible, and generalizable results benefiting all Americans. The earlier implementation will break down barriers to accessing research, fostering broader application and translation of scientific discoveries.

(www.nih.gov)

Tech Public Access Policy

Digital Fossils in AI: How Nonsense Terms Become Embedded in Our Knowledge

2025-05-01

Digital Fossils in AI: How Nonsense Terms Become Embedded in Our Knowledge

Scientists discovered the nonsensical term "vegetative electron microscopy" spreading through AI models. Originating from digitization errors in 1950s papers and amplified by translation mistakes, it became ingrained in large language models. This highlights the challenges of massive training datasets, lack of transparency, and self-perpetuating errors in AI. The incident poses serious issues for academic research and publishing, prompting reflection on maintaining reliable knowledge systems.

(www.sciencealert.com)

AI knowledge reliability

Kraken Foils North Korean Hacker's Job Application Infiltration Attempt

2025-05-01

Kraken Foils North Korean Hacker's Job Application Infiltration Attempt

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken thwarted a North Korean hacker's attempt to infiltrate the company by applying for an engineering position. The hacker exhibited several red flags during the interview process, including using a false name, switching voices, and an email address linked to a known hacking group. Kraken's security team used open-source intelligence and multiple rounds of technical tests to ultimately expose the hacker's true identity. The incident highlights the importance of enhanced security measures for companies, particularly vigilance against hackers disguised as job applicants.

(blog.kraken.com)

Tech hiring security

Meta Tweaks Ray-Ban Meta Privacy Policy: Always-On AI, No Opt-Out for Voice Recordings

2025-05-01

Meta Tweaks Ray-Ban Meta Privacy Policy: Always-On AI, No Opt-Out for Voice Recordings

Meta has quietly updated the privacy policy for its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Key changes include: Meta AI with camera use is always on unless 'Hey Meta' voice commands are disabled; and the option to opt out of cloud storage for voice recordings has been removed. Meta states this data is used to improve its products, stored for up to a year (90 days for accidental interactions). This move aims to feed more data to Meta's AI models. Meta recently added live translation to Ray-Ban Meta and launched a standalone Meta AI app to compete with ChatGPT and others. A higher-end Ray-Ban Meta model is planned for late 2025.

(www.theverge.com)

Tech

All Roses Were Once Yellow: A Genomic Analysis Reveals the Truth

2025-05-01

All Roses Were Once Yellow: A Genomic Analysis Reveals the Truth

A groundbreaking genomic analysis reveals that all roses—red, white, pink, and peach—descended from a single-petaled yellow rose. Researchers from Beijing Forestry University sequenced the genomes of 205 rose samples, tracing the genus's evolutionary history and geographic distribution. Their findings point to an ancestor with seven leaflets and a single whorl of yellow petals. This discovery not only enhances our understanding of rose evolution but also opens new avenues for breeding more resilient and low-maintenance rose varieties, aiding in the conservation of endangered species.

(phys.org)

Tech rose evolution botany

The Misunderstood 'Vibe Coding': A Missed Opportunity

2025-05-01

The Misunderstood 'Vibe Coding': A Missed Opportunity

Two publishers and three authors have fundamentally misinterpreted the meaning of 'vibe coding,' confusing it with AI-assisted programming. The author argues that true vibe coding, as defined by Andrej Karpathy, involves using AI to generate code without focusing on the code's specifics; it's a low-code approach for non-programmers. The author expresses disappointment that the publishers and authors didn't fully grasp Karpathy's definition, missing a huge opportunity to create a valuable book on empowering non-programmers to build custom software using AI without learning traditional coding.

(simonwillison.net)

AI

Hyperparam: The Missing UI for AI Data, Now Open Source

2025-05-01

Hyperparam tackles a critical challenge in machine learning: the lack of user-friendly tools for exploring massive datasets. Their open-source suite, including Hyparquet (in-browser Parquet reader), Hyparquet-Writer (Parquet exporter), HighTable (scalable React table), Icebird (Iceberg reader), Hyllama (LLaMA model metadata parser), and the Hyperparam CLI, enables interactive data exploration and curation directly in the browser. Leveraging efficient data formats and high-performance JavaScript, Hyperparam allows data scientists to work with terabyte-scale data locally and privately, without complex server infrastructure. This local-first approach prioritizes data security and compliance.

(hyperparam.app)

AI

Anti-Vaxxer Lies and the Truth of Science

2025-05-01

Anti-Vaxxer Lies and the Truth of Science

Vaccine expert Paul Offit has been the target of sustained attacks from anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for years. Kennedy Jr. not only distorts facts but also spreads dangerous falsehoods about vaccines, claiming they are more dangerous than the diseases themselves. Offit points out that Kennedy Jr.'s views are based on a disregard for science and hold a religious-like fervor. While some aspects of 'terrain theory' relate to imbalances in the human microbiome, this doesn't negate the critical role of pathogens in disease transmission. Kennedy Jr.'s statements are not only irresponsible but also a threat to public health.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech vaccines

Vanguard: King of Low-Cost Investing?

2025-05-01

Vanguard: King of Low-Cost Investing?

Vanguard stands out in the investment world with its unique client-owned structure and exceptionally low expense ratios. Data reveals that a significant number of Vanguard funds outperformed their peers over the past decade, particularly its actively managed bond funds. Furthermore, Vanguard's cash account interest rates are considerably higher than average bank savings rates. Top rankings from J.D. Power and Morningstar reinforce Vanguard's leadership in investor satisfaction and robo-advisory services. However, the text emphasizes that past performance is not indicative of future results, and all investments carry risk.

(corporate.vanguard.com)

Startup low-cost

Microsoft Raises Xbox Prices Globally, Games to Cost $80

2025-05-01

Microsoft Raises Xbox Prices Globally, Games to Cost $80

Microsoft has announced a global price increase for its Xbox consoles, with games also set to cost $80 later this year. The Xbox Series X and Series S have seen price hikes of $100 and $80 respectively in the US, while the UK saw smaller increases. Other European countries experienced price increases similar to the US. Microsoft cites market conditions and rising development costs as the reason for the increase. This follows a similar price hike for Sony's PS5, signaling a wider trend of rising prices in the video game industry.

(www.videogameschronicle.com)

Game

NASA's Psyche Mission: A Deep Space Journey Powered by Low-Thrust Electric Propulsion

2025-05-01

NASA's Psyche Mission: A Deep Space Journey Powered by Low-Thrust Electric Propulsion

NASA's Psyche spacecraft is embarking on a six-year journey to a metal-rich asteroid of the same name, using four Russian-made Hall-effect thrusters. Each thruster generates a minuscule 250 millinewtons of thrust, roughly equivalent to the weight of three quarters, but their continuous operation over months provides superior efficiency compared to conventional rockets. The spacecraft will use Mars' gravity assist next year to slingshot itself into the asteroid belt, aiming for arrival and orbit insertion around asteroid Psyche in August 2029. This over $1.4 billion mission aims to explore this unique metallic asteroid and uncover its mysteries.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Deep Space Exploration

Onyx Boox Mira Pro: A $1900 Color E Ink Monitor Arrives

2025-05-01

Onyx Boox Mira Pro: A $1900 Color E Ink Monitor Arrives

Onyx International unveiled the Boox Mira Pro, a $1900 25.3-inch color E Ink monitor boasting a 3200x1800 resolution. Utilizing E Ink Kaleido 3 technology for up to 4096 colors, it offers HDMI, mini HDMI, USB-C, and DisplayPort connectivity, plus VESA mount support. While refresh rate and image quality vary depending on presets, it combines the benefits of E Ink's eye-friendly display and long battery life with access to multiple content sources via Android, unlike the closed ecosystems of Kindles.

(arstechnica.com)

Hardware

May Day: A Century-Long Celebration of Labor

2025-05-01

May Day: A Century-Long Celebration of Labor

May Day, or International Workers' Day, commemorates the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, a pivotal event in the struggle for the eight-hour workday. The tragic events led international socialists to establish May 1st as International Workers' Day in 1889, honoring those who sacrificed for workers' rights. Today, many countries observe it as a public holiday, celebrating the contributions of laborers and the working class, often marked by parades, demonstrations, and discussions advocating for workers' rights and improved conditions.

(en.wikipedia.org)

Misc May Day Labor Day Workers' Rights

AI Benchmarking Scandal: Did Big Tech Rig Chatbot Arena?

2025-05-01

AI Benchmarking Scandal: Did Big Tech Rig Chatbot Arena?

A new paper from Cohere, Stanford, MIT, and Ai2 accuses LM Arena, the organization behind the popular Chatbot Arena benchmark, of unfairly favoring top AI companies like Meta, OpenAI, Google, and Amazon. The researchers allege that these companies were allowed to privately test multiple model variants, suppressing poor-performing results to boost their leaderboard rankings. Analyzing over 2.8 million battles, the study found evidence of increased sampling rates giving these companies an unfair advantage. LM Arena disputes the findings, citing inaccuracies, and plans to improve its sampling algorithm, but denies manipulating rankings. The controversy raises concerns about fairness and transparency in AI benchmarking and highlights the competitive tactics employed by large tech companies in the AI race.

(techcrunch.com)

AI Leaderboard Manipulation AI Company Competition

Nintendo Switch 2's Game-Key Cards Spark Game Preservation Debate

2025-05-01

Nintendo Switch 2's Game-Key Cards Spark Game Preservation Debate

Nintendo's new Game-Key Cards for the Switch 2, which act as download keys rather than containing the full game, have sparked a debate among game preservationists. Concerns center around the potential for unplayable games if Nintendo's servers ever shut down. While some criticize Nintendo for neglecting preservation efforts, others argue that frequent game updates render cartridges obsolete, and the shift to digital distribution is inevitable. The discussion highlights the ongoing tension between physical media and digital distribution in the gaming world.

(www.videogameschronicle.com)

Game

Chrome Extension Localhost Vulnerability: Sandbox Escape

2025-05-01

Chrome Extension Localhost Vulnerability: Sandbox Escape

A critical Chrome extension security vulnerability has been discovered. Malicious extensions can communicate with locally running Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, bypassing Chrome's sandbox and accessing sensitive resources like the local filesystem, Slack, WhatsApp, and potentially achieving complete host takeover. This vulnerability affects any Chrome extension without needing special permissions. The root cause is the common lack of authentication in MCP servers, allowing unauthenticated access. Researchers demonstrated accessing the filesystem and Slack. This highlights the urgent need for enhanced security when running local MCP servers and presents a significant enterprise security threat.

(blog.extensiontotal.com)

Tech Chrome extension security MCP vulnerability sandbox escape

Apple Hit with Heavy Sanctions in Antitrust Case, Cook Directly Blamed

2025-05-01

Apple Hit with Heavy Sanctions in Antitrust Case, Cook Directly Blamed

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers delivered a scathing rebuke to Apple for its anti-competitive practices in the iPhone App Store, ordering the company to allow developers to sell apps outside the App Store and imposing sanctions for its bad-faith attempts to circumvent the court order. The judge directly criticized CEO Tim Cook and referred Apple's VP of Finance, Alex Roman, for a criminal contempt investigation for perjury. This landmark decision is a major blow to Apple and could reshape the app economy. Separately, a Republican attempt to weaken the FTC’s antitrust enforcement power was withdrawn after facing significant backlash, marking another victory for the anti-monopoly movement.

(www.thebignewsletter.com)

Tech

Running Qwen3 Locally on Your Mac for Free: An Agentic Loop with Localforge

2025-05-01

Running Qwen3 Locally on Your Mac for Free: An Agentic Loop with Localforge

This post details running the powerful Qwen3 large language model on a Mac for free, integrating it into an agent using Localforge. The author meticulously guides the reader through installing the MLX library, setting up the model server, and configuring Localforge, showcasing both Ollama and MLX methods for running Qwen3. The author successfully uses the Qwen3 agent to execute tasks like listing files, even demonstrating a website created by the agent. The post highlights the feasibility of running powerful LLMs locally and building agents without cost.

(localforge.dev)

AI

Open Source, Self-Hostable Bookmark Manager: Your Privacy, Your Choice

2025-05-01

This open-source, self-hostable bookmark manager prioritizes your privacy. It features a responsive design for all screen sizes, powerful search capabilities for easy content retrieval, a browser extension for seamless web page saving, and supports bulk actions, import/export, and dark/light mode toggling. Crucially, it promises never to sell your data to third parties and offers secure API integration for creating custom solutions. Experience this privacy-focused and powerful bookmark manager today!

(linkwarden.app)

Development bookmark manager

Speed Up SQLite Database Copying: The Text Dump Trick

2025-05-01

Speed Up SQLite Database Copying: The Text Dump Trick

The author encountered a speed bottleneck when copying large SQLite databases due to the large size of index files. They discovered that dumping the database as a text file (using the `.dump` command) and then compressing it with gzip significantly reduces file size, thereby speeding up the copy process. Compared to directly copying a 3.4GB database, this method compressed the file to 240MB, resulting in a 14x speed improvement. Additionally, this method avoids database corruption issues that can arise from updates during the copy process, improving reliability.

(alexwlchan.net)

Development database copying

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