Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Linux 6.14 Released: Gaming Boost, Enhanced Rust Support, AI Acceleration

2025-03-26

The Linux kernel 6.14 release, though slightly delayed, is packed with improvements. Highlights include: the NTSYNC driver significantly boosts performance of Windows programs in Wine and Steam Play, delighting Linux gamers; support for the latest AMD RDNA 4 graphics cards and an improved RADV driver for better gaming visuals; enhanced power management and compute performance for AMD and Intel processors; integration of the AMDXDNA driver, supporting AMD's XDNA architecture neural processing units for accelerated AI computation; further Rust language integration paving the way for more Rust drivers in the future; support for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor; a fix for the GhostWrite vulnerability; and improvements to the Btrfs file system. In short, Linux 6.14 offers substantial upgrades for gamers, AI researchers, and developers.

(www.zdnet.com)

Development Gaming Performance AI Acceleration

AlexNet Source Code Released: The Dawn of the Deep Learning Revolution

2025-03-25

In 2012, Alex Krizhevsky, Ilya Sutskever, and Geoffrey Hinton's AlexNet demonstrated, for the first time, the massive potential of deep neural networks for image recognition, ushering in the era of deep learning. Recently, the source code for AlexNet was open-sourced, a collaboration between the Computer History Museum and Google. AlexNet's success stemmed from its scale—a large convolutional neural network trained using immense computing power and the ImageNet dataset, overcoming previous limitations of deep learning. This breakthrough fueled decades of innovation in AI, leading to companies like OpenAI and applications like ChatGPT, transforming the world.

(www.zdnet.com)

AI

Android Gets a Native Linux Terminal: Your Phone, Your Desktop?

2025-03-08

Google's March 2025 Pixel Feature Drop finally delivers a native Linux terminal to Android! This means running Linux programs, like Doom, directly on your phone. Currently limited to the latest Pixel devices with Android 15, Android 16 will expand compatibility. It's based on a Debian Linux VM, providing shell access and allowing you to download, configure, and run Debian. While GUI support is absent for now, Android 16 promises to change that, hinting at a future of smartphone-desktop convergence.

(www.zdnet.com)

Tech Smartphone-Desktop Convergence

ExpressVPN's Lightway 2.0: Rust-Powered Speed and Security Boost

2025-02-26

ExpressVPN has rewritten its core Lightway VPN protocol in Rust, resulting in significant speed improvements and enhanced security. Currently available only on ExpressVPN's Aircove router, Lightway 2.0 boasts approximately 20% faster speeds in tests. Rust's memory safety features and concurrency advantages mitigate common vulnerabilities, and the protocol utilizes the new ML-KEM post-quantum encryption standard. Independent security audits further validate its reliability. While currently limited to the Aircove router, wider platform support is planned for the coming months.

(www.zdnet.com)

Tech

Windows 11 2024 Update: A Bug-Filled Mess?

2025-02-22

Microsoft's 2024 Windows 11 update continues to be plagued with issues. The February Patch Tuesday update (KB5051987), intended to fix bugs, has instead introduced new problems, including File Explorer malfunctions, installation glitches, and more. While the update addressed some issues with digital audio converters, USB audio drivers, USB cameras, and passkeys, and patched security vulnerabilities, many users report File Explorer failing to respond when opening folders, accessing it via shortcuts or Windows Search, or displaying subfolders. Installation problems include the update stopping at 96% or getting stuck at 0%. Other glitches include mouse stuttering, undetectable cameras, and .NET app installation failures within Windows Sandbox. While not all users experience these issues, the problems highlight the instability of the Windows 11 2024 version, demanding swift action from Microsoft to ensure system stability and reliability.

(www.zdnet.com)

Tech Bugs System Update

Microsoft 365 Copilot Launch: A PR Disaster

2025-01-25

Microsoft's rebranding of Microsoft 365 to Microsoft 365 Copilot, coupled with a 30% price hike, has backfired spectacularly. The update, touted as AI-powered, has been met with overwhelmingly negative feedback. Users cite underwhelming AI features, poor cross-account functionality, and confusing billing practices as major issues. The abrupt price increase and lack of clear communication have angered subscribers, leading to widespread criticism and potential churn. This incident highlights Microsoft's missteps in product updates and user engagement.

(www.zdnet.com)

Tech

Goldman Sachs CIO: Managing AI Employees Will Be the Challenge of 2025

2025-01-22

Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti predicts that managing AI employees will be a major challenge in 2025. AI models will mature to handle complex tasks, leading to hybrid human-AI teams. This will require corporate HR to manage both human and machine resources, potentially including AI 'layoffs'. Argenti also forecasts that top AI models will be akin to PhD graduates with specialized industry knowledge, thanks to advancements in retrieval-augmented generation and fine-tuning. Furthermore, the convergence of AI and robotics will enable AI to better understand and interact with the physical world.

(www.zdnet.com)

AI AI employee management AI trends Goldman Sachs prediction

CES 2025: Nuwa Pen Digitizes Handwritten Notes in Real-Time

2025-01-15

The Nuwa Pen, showcased at CES 2025, is a game-changer. This ink pen, equipped with three miniature cameras, captures handwriting on paper and instantly digitizes it within a companion app. The app even features a large language model for searching and querying notes. While accuracy isn't perfect yet, the Nuwa Pen offers a novel approach to digital note-taking, especially with its innovative 'infinite canvas' feature. It's a promising tool for those who value quick note-taking and easy retrieval.

(www.zdnet.com)

Tech Smart Pen Digital Note-Taking

AI Agents to Become Primary Application Users by 2030

2025-01-14

Accenture predicts a significant shift: by 2030, AI agents will be the primary users of most enterprise digital systems, surpassing app usage by 2032. This 'Binary Big Bang,' marked by AI foundation models breaking the natural language barrier, reshapes how we design, use, and operate technology. Future development focuses on agentic systems, digital core, and generative UIs, built on composable blocks. Accenture recommends internal experimentation with agents, starting small and expanding functionality over time. Crucially, maintaining transparency, explainability, and trust in these agents is highlighted.

(www.zdnet.com)

AI digital transformation

Nvidia and MediaTek Team Up to Bring a New Generation of Linux PCs

2025-01-12

Nvidia and MediaTek have partnered to launch Project DIGITS, a personal AI computer powered by the Grace Blackwell superchip and running a customized Ubuntu Linux distribution. Priced at $3000, this powerful machine boasts impressive AI capabilities. However, Nvidia plans to release more affordable versions, potentially around $1000, targeting mainstream users. This move signifies Nvidia's entry into the desktop CPU market and an attempt to bridge the gap between Linux and Windows users via WSL. This offers users high-performance PCs natively supporting Linux, particularly advantageous on ARM architecture.

(www.zdnet.com)

Tech MediaTek

Who Owns AI-Generated Code? Legal Experts Weigh In

2024-12-24

The ownership of code generated by AI like ChatGPT is a complex legal grey area. Experts consulted highlight a lack of clear legal precedent, with ownership hinging on both contract and copyright law. While OpenAI disclaims ownership of generated content, in practice, ownership could fall to the user, the AI developer, or even the providers of the training data. Further complicating matters, the copyrightability of AI-generated code itself is debated; the US Copyright Office suggests the code isn't protectable, but the application incorporating it might be. The situation is legally murky and developers are urged to proceed cautiously.

(www.zdnet.com)

AI AI code ownership copyright law legal risks