ICT news

• A Company Called Atari is Releasing a Brand-New 2600 Cartridge This Year

  13-06-2023 23:20 via it.slashdot.org
  
  The company that currently owns the Atari name and trademarks has decided to give owners of the old Atari Video Computer System (aka the Atari 2600) something new to do. From a report: Mr. Run and Jump is a new Atari-published platformer that is coming to vintage Atari consoles in cartridge form, complete with a box and instruction manual. Preorders for the cartridge begin on July 31 for $59.99. The version of Mr. Run and Jump coming to the 2600 is a primitive version of a much different-looking
  
  Read more

• Amazon Using Generative AI To Summarize Product Reviews

  13-06-2023 22:40 via slashdot.org
  
  Amazon is turning to artificial intelligence to help users find the right product. From a report: The e-retailer recently began testing a feature in its shopping app that uses AI to summarize reviews left by customers on some products. It provides a brief overview of what shoppers liked and disliked about the product, along with a disclaimer that the summary is "AI-generated from the text of customer reviews." A mobile listing for a children's "Magic Mixies" cauldron toy says that buyers gave po
  
  Read more

• Microsoft Is Bringing OpenAI's GPT-4 AI Model To US Government Agencies

  13-06-2023 22:00 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  Microsoft will make it possible for users of its Azure Government cloud computing service, which include a variety of US agencies, to access artificial intelligence models from ChatGPT creator OpenAI. From a report: Microsoft, which is the largest investor in OpenAI and uses its technology to power its Bing chatbot, plans to announce Wednesday that Azure Government customers can now use two of OpenAI's large language models: The startup's latest and most powerful model, GPT-4, and an earlier one
  
  Read more

• Meta Releases 'Human-Like' AI Image Creation Model

  13-06-2023 21:20 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Meta said on Tuesday that it would provide researchers with access to components of a new "human-like" artificial intelligence model that it said can analyze and complete unfinished images more accurately than existing models. From a report: The model, I-JEPA, uses background knowledge about the world to fill in missing pieces of images, rather than looking only at nearby pixels like other generative AI models, the company said. That approach incorporates the kind of human-like reasoning advocat
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• California Wildfires Are Five Times Bigger Than They Used To Be

  13-06-2023 20:40 via news.slashdot.org
  
  The extent of area burned in California's summer wildfires increased about fivefold from 1971 to 2021, and climate change was a major reason why, according to a new analysis. Scientists estimate the area burned in an average summer may jump as much as 50% by 2050. From a report: Days after wildfire smoke from Canada turned skies orange along the US Eastern Seaboard, the study is further confirmation of past research showing that higher temperatures and drier conditions in many parts of the world
  
  Read more

• How the US is Pushing China Out of the Internet's Plumbing

  13-06-2023 20:05 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Experts say the subsea cable market is in danger of dividing into eastern and western blocs amid fears of espionage and geopolitical tensions. From a report: Nearly 1.4mn kilometres of metal-encased fibre criss-crosses the world's oceans, speeding internet traffic seamlessly around the globe. The supply and installation of these cables has been dominated by companies from France, the US and Japan. The Chinese government started successfully penetrating the global market, but consecutive US admin
  
  Read more

• Reddit CEO Tells Employees That Subreddit Blackout 'Will Pass'

  13-06-2023 19:42 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  In an internal memo sent Monday afternoon to Reddit staff, CEO Steve Huffman addressed the recent blowback directed at the company, telling employees to block out the "noise" and that the ongoing blackout of thousands of subreddits will eventually pass. From a report: The memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Verge, is in response to popular subreddits going dark this week in protest of the company's increased API pricing for third-party apps. Some of the most popular Reddit clients say the
  
  Read more

• Four-week-old AI Startup Raises Record $113.3 Million in European Push

  13-06-2023 18:44 via slashdot.org
  
  A French start-up founded four weeks ago by a trio of former Meta and Google artificial intelligence researchers has raised $113.3 million in Europe's largest-ever seed round. From a report: Mistral AI's first round of financing values the Paris-based concern at $259 million, including the funds raised, according to people close to the company. The record amount raised highlights the growing frenzy surrounding AI and Europe's desire to create a viable alternative to Silicon Valley companies such
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Twitch, YouTube Influencers Are Becoming Video Game Publishers

  13-06-2023 18:00 via games.slashdot.org
  
  Influencers in the video-game industry are evolving from playing games to making them. From a report: Over the weekend, One True King, a media company focused on gaming content, launched Mad Mushroom, a new publishing division. "We have a unique competitive advantage in this space," said OTK co-founder Asmongold, a top streamer on Twitch, Amazon's live-streaming platform. "We can give games the push they need to actually go out to market, get eyes on the game and give [developers] insight." Movi
  
  Read more

• AMD Likely To Offer Details on AI Chip in Challenge To Nvidia

  13-06-2023 17:20 via slashdot.org
  
  Advanced Micro Devices on Tuesday is expected to reveal new details about an AI "superchip" that analysts believe will be a strong challenger to Nvidia, whose chips dominate the fast-growing artificial intelligence market. From a report: AMD Chief Executive Lisa Su will give a keynote address at an event in San Francisco on the company's strategy in the data center and AI markets. Analysts expect fresh details about a chip called the MI300, AMD's most advanced graphics processing unit, the categ
  
  Read more

• Sir Paul McCartney Says AI Has Enabled a 'Final' Beatles Song

  13-06-2023 16:40 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  Sir Paul McCartney says he has employed AI to help create what he calls "the final Beatles record." From a report: He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the technology had been used to "extricate" John Lennon's voice from an old demo so he could complete the song. "We just finished it up and it'll be released this year," he explained.
  Sir Paul did not name the song, but it is likely to be a 1978 Lennon composition called Now And Then. It had already been considered as a possible "reunion song" f
  
  Read more

• US Intelligence Confirms It Buys Americans' Personal Data

  13-06-2023 16:00 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  A newly declassified government report confirms for the first time that U.S. intelligence and spy agencies purchase vast amounts of commercially available information on Americans, including data from connected vehicles, web browsing data, and smartphones. From a report: By the U.S. government's own admission, the data it purchases "clearly provides intelligence value," but also "raises significant issues related to privacy and civil liberties." The Office of the Director of National Intelligenc
  
  Read more

• Ask Slashdot: What Are Some Tips For Creating Effective Documentation?

  13-06-2023 15:00 via ask.slashdot.org
  
  theodp writes: "My advice to all the young tech enthusiasts, future engineering managers, and CTOs is simple," writes Vadim Kravcenko in The Surprising Power of Documentation. "Cultivate a love for documentation. You may view it as a chore, an afterthought, or a nuisance. But trust me when I say this: Documentation isn't just a task on your to-do list; it's a pillar for success and a bridge that connects ideas, people, and vision. Treat it not as a burden but as an opportunity to learn, share, a
  
  Read more

• Microsoft Releases June 2023 Security Updates

  13-06-2023 14:00 via cisa.gov
  Microsoft has released updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft software. An attacker can exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.
  CISA encourages users and administrators to review Microsoft’s June 2023 Security Update Guide and Deployment Information and apply the necessary updates.
  
  Read more

• Fortinet Releases June 2023 Vulnerability Advisories

  13-06-2023 14:00 via cisa.gov
  Fortinet has released its June 2023 Vulnerability Advisories to address vulnerabilities affecting multiple products. An attacker could exploit one of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.
  CISA encourages users and administrators to review the Fortinet June 2023 Vulnerability Advisories page for more information and apply the necessary updates.
  
  Read more

• CISA Issues BOD 23-02: Mitigating the Risk from Internet-Exposed Management Interfaces

  13-06-2023 14:00 via cisa.gov
  Today, CISA issued Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 23-02: Mitigating the Risk from Internet-Exposed Management Interfaces, requiring Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies to reduce risks posed by internet-exposed networked management interfaces on federal information systems. This directive applies to dedicated device interfaces that are accessible over network protocols and are meant exclusively for authorized users to perform administrative activities on a device, a group of de
  
  Read more

• Sol Reader Is a VR Headset Exclusively For Reading Books

  13-06-2023 12:00 via news.slashdot.org
  
  A company called Sol Reader is working on a headset designed exclusively for reading books. "The device is simple: It slips over your eyes like a pair of glasses and blocks all distractions while reading," reports TechCrunch. From the article: The $350 device is currently on pre-order, comes in a handful of colors, and contains a pair of side-lit, e-ink displays, much like the Kindle does. The glasses come with a remote (I wish my Kindle had a remote!) and a charger. A full battery gets you arou
  
  Read more

• Owen Gingerich, Astronomer Who Saw God in the Cosmos, Dies at 93

  13-06-2023 09:00 via science.slashdot.org
  
  Owen Gingerich, a renowned astronomer and historian of science, has passed away at the age of 93. Gingerich dedicated years to tracking down 600 copies of Nicolaus Copernicus's influential book "De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium Libri Sex" and was known for his passion for astronomy, often dressing up as a 16th-century scholar for lectures. He believed in the compatibility of religion and science and explored this theme in his books "God's Universe" and "God's Planet." The New York Times repor
  
  Read more

• US Patent Office Proposes Rule To Make It Much Harder To Kill Bad Patents

  13-06-2023 05:30 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Techdirt: So, this is bad. Over the last few years, we've written plenty about the so-called "inter partes review" or "IPR" that came into being about a decade ago as part of the "America Invents Act," which was the first major change to the patent system in decades. For much of the first decade of the 2000s, patent trolls were running wild and creating a massive tax on innovation. There were so many stories of people (mostly lawyers) getting vague and br
  
  Read more

• Iran Unveils 'Quantum' Device That Anyone Can Buy for $589 on Amazon

  13-06-2023 03:25 via hardware.slashdot.org
  
  What Iran's military called "the first product of the quantum processing algorithm" of the Naval university appears to be a stock development board, available widely online for around $600. Motherboard reports: According to multiple state-linked news agencies in Iran, the computer will help Iran detect disturbances on the surface of water using algorithms. Iranian Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari showed off the board during the ceremony and spoke of Iran's recent breakthroughs in the world of qua
  
  Read more

• US To Allow South Korean, Taiwan Chip Makers To Keep Operations In China

  13-06-2023 02:45 via hardware.slashdot.org
  
  According to the Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration is expected to allow leading semiconductor manufacturers from South Korea and Taiwan to continue and expand their chipmaking operations in China. From a report: Alan Estevez, undersecretary of commerce for industry and security, announced the decision at an industry gathering last week. The exemptions, initially granted for one year in October last year, were provided to several companies, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics
  
  Read more

• TV Torrent Group CAKES Quits the Scene and Shuts Down

  13-06-2023 02:02 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  Piracy release group CAKES has shut down, dealing yet another hit for the piracy ecosystem. TorrentFreak reports: For several decades, The Scene has been the main source of all pirated content made available on the Internet. Technically, release groups operate in a closed ecosystem, but the reality is different. The vast majority of the files published on private Scene servers eventually find their way to public pirate sites. The secretive nature of The Scene has been a major challenge for law e
  
  Read more

• NYC Will Charge Drivers Going Downtown

  13-06-2023 01:20 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: President Joe Biden's administration is set to allow New York City to move forward with a landmark program that will toll vehicles entering Lower Manhattan, after a public review period ends Monday. The toll is formally known as the Central Business District Tolling Program -- but it's commonly called "congestion pricing." In practice it works like any other toll, but because it specifically charges people to drive in the traffic-choked area below 60
  
  Read more

• Robinhood's May Crypto Trading Volume Falls 68% To $2.1 Billion

  13-06-2023 00:40 via slashdot.org
  
  Robinhood experienced a significant decrease in cryptocurrency trading volume in May, with a 43% drop compared to the previous month and a 68% slowdown compared to the previous year. CoinDesk reports: Daily average trading revenue (DART), a metric that tracks the average trade per day that generated commissions or fees, was down 22% in May and 53% year-over-year for crypto trading.Just last week, Robinhood delisted three tokens as part of its regular review, leaving only 15 cryptocurrencies avai
  
  Read more

• Apple TV+ 'Monsterverse' Show Filming In 3D For Vision Pro Viewing

  13-06-2023 00:02 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  The upcoming Apple TV+ show "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," based on Legendary's Monsterverse franchise, is reportedly being shot in 3D format to support Apple's Vision Pro headset. If true, it would be the first confirmed TV+ show to support the 3D video-viewing capabilities of the headset, which offers a wide virtual screen environment and spatial audio. MacRumors reports: According to ScreenTimes' Sigmund Judge, the live-action Godzilla and Titans TV series that's based on Legendary's Monsterv
  
  Read more

Follow @newslocke_ict on Twitter!