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Pelican Press

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Everything posted by Pelican Press

  1. Popular Turkish American online political commentator detained, questioned at Chicago airport Popular Turkish American online political commentator detained, questioned at Chicago airport CHICAGO (AP) — A popular Turkish American online streamer who is critical of President Donald Trump was recently detained and questioned at O’Hare International Airport after his flight from Paris landed in Chicago. Hasan ******, who has 2.8 million followers on Twitch, recounted his experience online Monday saying he was questioned for hours a day earlier despite being born in the U.S. and enrolled in Global Entry, a federal program allowing low-risk passengers to travel through customs and passport control quickly. ****** believes he was targeted because of his views and said Customs and Border Protection officers asked his opinion of Trump and ******, among other topics. The liberal political commentator is frequently critical of Israel and the war in Gaza. “The goal here is to put fear into people’s hearts, to have a chilling effect on speech,” ****** recounted in a detailed nearly 40-minute long account on his YouTube channel. “The government is now officially willing and able to intimidate you for your speech. That is a direct violation of the First Amendment.” ****** did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for comment. Federal officials dismissed ******’s account of the detention on Tuesday, calling the questioning “routine and lawful” and something that can apply to any traveler. “This is nothing but lying for likes. Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless,” Tricia McLaughlin, U.S. Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a statement. “Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released.” The Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration and student protests have also increased worries among U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents navigating the last steps to citizenship. Recent immigration arrests have mistakenly swept up U.S. citizens in Illinois,Florida and other places. Trump has deemed the pro-************ campus protests as “anti-American” while critics say student arrests are part of an unprecedented attack on the freedom of speech. Last month a ************ man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student was arrested during what he thought was an interview about his citizenship. Federal officials declined to give further details about ******’s detention, including what prompted the extensive questioning. ******, also known as HasanAbi on Twitch, spoke at the University of Chicago on Tuesday. Born in New Jersey, the 33-year-old was raised in Turkey. He lives in Los Angeles. “I’m not intimidated,” he said on YouTube, where he has 1.6 million subscribers. “I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.” Source link #Popular #Turkish #American #online #political #commentator #detained #questioned #Chicago #airport Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  2. Deck of Haunts review GameSpew Deck of Haunts review GameSpew Roguelike deckbuilder Deck of Haunts offers a unique take on reverse horror, casting you as a cursed mansion. Source link #Deck #Haunts #review #GameSpew Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  3. eBay Nears Big Breakout: Time to Buy the Under-the-Radar Winner? eBay Nears Big Breakout: Time to Buy the Under-the-Radar Winner? Internet retail giant eBay Inc (NASDAQ:). has quietly delivered strong returns in 2025, even as many peers and broader indices have stumbled. While the stock is up close to 12% year-to-date (YTD), easily outperforming its sector and the broader market, it remains under the radar for many investors. Notably, it’s trading just 3% below a multi-month breakout level and its 52-week high. A breakout from here could potentially open the door to a test of its all-time high. Is it time to gain exposure to eBay as it inches closer to this critical resistance level? Let’s take a closer look at what’s driving the move. Strong Q1 Earnings Despite Economic Headwinds eBay reported its first-quarter 2025 results on April 30, coming in ahead of expectations despite a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. Revenue reached $2.58 billion, up 2% year-over-year, while non-GAAP earnings per share rose 10% to $1.38, beating consensus estimates. Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) climbed nearly 2% to $18.8 billion, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of GMV growth. The company also continued to return capital to shareholders, with $893 million in Q1 buybacks and dividends. Free cash flow surged 36% to $644 million, giving eBay continued flexibility to reinvest and reward shareholders. Category-specific strength was a key highlight, especially in collectibles and fashion, which each saw over 6% GMV growth. On the innovation front, eBay rolled out several AI-powered tools to streamline the buying and selling experience, including its new “magical listing” tool and a fashion discovery platform. Advertising revenue rose 13% to $442 million, and its expanded partnership with Klarna introduced “Buy Now, Pay Later” options, improving purchase flexibility for users. Despite global tariff concerns, eBay noted that just 5% of its GMV is exposed to China-U.S. trade, and its global shipping programs and diverse seller base help mitigate regional risks. Looking ahead, eBay guided for low single-digit GMV growth and high single-digit earnings per share growth for the full year, while committing to more than $2 billion in share repurchases in 2025. The company’s emphasis on enthusiast buyers, re-commerce, and operational efficiency is helping it carve out a defensible niche amid rising competition. Compelling Valuation and Relative Strength Alongside strong fundamentals and a 1.68% dividend yield, eBay’s valuation adds to its appeal. Despite the YTD rally, the stock trades at a forward P/E of just under 12, well within value territory, especially in the context of its earnings outlook and robust cash flow. eBay’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio stands at 14.98. Technically, momentum remains on eBay’s side. The stock consolidates above all major moving averages and shows clear relative strength versus the broader market. With just over 3% to go before testing its 52-week high, a breakout could draw further investor attention. Sentiment Is Mixed, But Institutions Are Buying Despite solid fundamentals and strong price action, analyst sentiment remains somewhat cautious. While the latest earnings report prompted several price target upgrades, the consensus rating remains a Hold, with a consensus price target implying roughly 2.5% downside from recent levels. That said, institutional investors appear more bullish. Institutional ownership currently sits at 87% and has been trending higher. Over the past year, institutional inflows totaled $3.9 billion versus $2.5 billion in outflows, a net positive of $1.4 billion, indicating that “smart money” continues to show confidence in the company’s long-term trajectory. eBay: Undervalued, Steady, and Ready to Run eBay may not have the flash of high-growth tech names, but its steady earnings, shareholder returns, AI innovation, and compelling valuation make it a stock worth watching. The stock could be surprised by the upside as it approaches a major technical breakout and continues to execute its strategic goals. Investors looking for a value-oriented tech play with upside potential may want to consider this stock, especially if it breaks through its current resistance level. Original Post Source link #eBay #Nears #Big #Breakout #Time #Buy #UndertheRadar #Winner Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  4. UBS Wealth downgrades U.S. stocks even as others raise their forecasts UBS Wealth downgrades U.S. stocks even as others raise their forecasts UBS Wealth on Tuesday moved to the sidelines on U.S. stocks, casting doubt on the recent rally even as others on Wall Street have grown more bullish. Mark Haefele, the firm’s investment chief, downgraded U.S. equities to neutral from attractive, noting he is not bearish or telling clients to sell but rather “taking advantage” of the runup in stocks over the past month after investors had grown too pessimistic in early April after the U.S. announced its new tariff policy. Haefele’s latest skepticism reverses an upgrade to U.S. stocks that he made on April 10, the day after President Donald Trump placed a 90-day pause on many tariffs he had imposed the week before. The S & P 500 has climbed about 11% since the UBS upgrade, making the risk-reward more balanced, Haefele said. The buyside chief investment officer also tied his call to Monday’s major leg up in stock prices following the announcement that China and the U.S. slashed reciprocal tariffs for three months. That helped ease short-term fears that Trump’s plan for steep tariffs was spurring a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. “While the 90-day cooling-off ******* has provided a reprieve, uncertainty is still high, and investors will soon begin to focus on whether this temporary fix can evolve into a lasting agreement,” Haefele wrote to clients. “The constructive tone from both sides suggests a willingness to negotiate further, but challenges in forging a durable deal could lead to bouts of volatility.” Haefele recommended that clients keep a strategic allocation to U.S. stocks, expecting equities will rise over the next 12 months. The UBS shift on U.S. stocks puts it at odds with others on the Street who have recently become more upbeat. David Kostin, chief U.S. equity strategist at Goldman Sachs, raised his 2025 target for the S & P 500 back to 6,100 from 5,900 on Tuesday, citing lower tariff rates, an improved outlook for economic growth and reduced odds of a recession. Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, also lifted his S & P 500 target back up to 6,500 from 6,000, pointing to a shifting view around the effect of Trump’s tariff policy. Source link #UBS #Wealth #downgrades #U.S #stocks #raise #forecasts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  5. Capcom Keeps Winning & Shattering Profit Records; Has More Games in Development to Fuel More Growth Capcom Keeps Winning & Shattering Profit Records; Has More Games in Development to Fuel More Growth Capcom announced its financial results for the fiscal year between April 2024 and and March 2025, marking another winning year. Source link #Capcom #Winning #amp #Shattering #Profit #Records #Games #Development #Fuel #Growth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  6. Hertz shares plummet after weak Q1, $250 million stock offering Hertz shares plummet after weak Q1, $250 million stock offering DETROIT — Shares of Hertz Global plummeted Tuesday morning after the embattled rental car company reported disappointing first-quarter earnings and a $250 million stock offering. Hertz shares were off more than 20% during early morning trading before leveling to be off about 15% to 18% toward the end of the company’s Tuesday morning quarterly earnings call that wrapped around 10:10 a.m. ET. Shares of the company were only off roughly 3% heading into the call, following the company’s report that came out after markets closed Monday. Here’s how Hertz did, based on average analysts’ estimates compiled by LSEG: Loss per share: $1.12 adjusted vs. a loss of 97 cents expectedAutomotive revenue: $1.81 billion vs. $2 billion expected Hertz announced the at-the-market $250 million stock offering during the call to begin working on deleveraging. “The combination of an improved earnings profile, refinancing levers and the ATM optionality gives us a number of alternatives for addressing upcoming maturities,” Hertz CFO Scott Haralson said during the quarterly call. He said the timing, total proceeds and final number of shares offered will be determined as the process occurs. Investors are also concerned about Hertz’s plan to offer fewer cars for rent as it deals with lower bookings and President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs that have impacted new and used vehicle prices for many models. Hertz and other companies, also are dealing with lower consumer sentiment and less U.S. tourism. “We prioritized fleet and cost actions at the top of the list. Cost because it moves quicker. Fleet because it’s so impactful,” Hertz CEO Gil West told investors during Tuesday’s call. “So not saying we haven’t focused on revenue … but as we’re moving through revenue transformation, we’re pruning some revenue.” Hertz’s revenue fell 13% year-over-year primarily due to the reduced fleet capacity, which was down 8% compared with the first quarter of 2024, Hertz said. The company’s lower fleet is part of its “Back-to-Basics Roadmap” plan to turn around the company to optimize vehicle utilization and, as West put it Tuesday, create “more demand than we can satisfy” to improve profits. Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Hertz stock During the call, Hertz outlined several key accomplishments under the plan, such as a $92 million year-over-year improvement in direct operating expenses. It also retained many previously announced objectives such as getting depreciation per unit below $300 by the second quarter and positive adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by the third quarter of 2025. The company also said the first quarter was a record for vehicle sales to retail customers amid a strong residual value market given the tariffs. “While HTZ is accelerating its transition strategy and has some benefits on depreciation, we believe the risk ahead is on demand. On balance we see the result as net negative,” Barclays analyst Dan Levy said Monday in an investor note. The stock had increased 90% this year through Monday’s close, largely thanks to Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management amassing a 19.8% stake in Hertz. Source link #Hertz #shares #plummet #weak #million #stock #offering Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  7. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 Review | NoobFeed Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 Review | NoobFeed NoobFeed editor Wasbir writes – Lost Records: Bloom and Rage – Tape 2 is a solid continuation of Tape 1, offering emotional depth and an atmosphere that pulls you in. The gameplay is still very immersive, and the choices you make really do affect how the story ends, though there are times when things feel forced or not entirely earned. Source link #Lost #Records #Bloom #Rage #Tape #Review #NoobFeed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  8. Ocean Keeper review GameSpew Ocean Keeper review GameSpew Review: Ocean Keeper combines Survivors-like gameplay with spelunker-style adventuring, making for an engaging and moreish gameplay loop. Source link #Ocean #Keeper #review #GameSpew Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  9. Flaw in Asus DriverHub makes utility vulnerable to remote code execution Flaw in Asus DriverHub makes utility vulnerable to remote code execution A major security flaw has been discovered in Asus’ DriverHub management utility that allows anyone to easily run malicious code on a system with the utility installed. Programmer “MrBruh” initially discovered the exploit, revealing DriverHub can be spoofed to run any sort of malicious content without user notice. The flaw surrounds poorly executed security measures by the developers; the app connects to an API request on a predefined port, and will accept any URL that merely includes the handle “driverhub.asus.com”. (A URL such as driverhub.asus.com.mrbruh.com will work.) Worse, any files that get downloaded through the spoofed URL won’t be deleted, even if they fail the app’s signing check. This is where the attack gets deadly, as files that are downloaded from an attacker remain and can be activated on the system. You may like To demonstrate, “MrBruh” presented a simulated attack where the “AsusSetup” executable in an Asus driver package is run silently using the “-s” flag. The silent install behavior of the executable takes advantage of an “.ini” file in the driver package to perform the silent install. The “.ini” file, in turn, is capable of being rewritten to perform any command, such as activating malicious content downloaded from a spoofed URL. The good news is that Asus has already fixed the security vulnerability with an update to the DriverHub utility. Asus implemented the update on April 18th, so any system with DriverHub installed is secure starting with the April 18th update. DriverHub is an Asus driver management tool that is completely autonomous and runs in the background, automatically installing critical drivers for Asus-branded or Asus-equipped systems when needed. The tool automatically installs itself when Windows is first installed and can be manually enabled or disabled within the UEFI/BIOS of a supported Asus motherboard. Driverhub is a mainstream utility for Asus, and is available on a wide range of Asus hardware, from standalone motherboards to laptops and desktop PCs. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Flaw #Asus #DriverHub #utility #vulnerable #remote #code #execution Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  10. This e-commerce stock has formed an inverse ‘head-and-shoulder’ pattern This e-commerce stock has formed an inverse ‘head-and-shoulder’ pattern Shopify is the one-stop shop to help small- and medium-size businesses transact online. There was an explosion in new online business formations during Covid, and the number of new monthly business applications has maintained. However, the company is starting to diversify by onboarding larger brands such as Reebok, Overstock and Barnes & Noble, which will stabilize revenue streams. We just added SHOP to our Active Opportunities portfolio on Monday and see upside ahead. Starting on the weekly chart we see a sharp decline following the pandemic as entrepreneurs rushed to open their virtual stores as we were forced home. Since then, the stock has recovered in a rhythmical uptrend defined by the dashed parallel trend channel. The all-time high of $176 could be in reach. Moving down to the daily chart, we see an inverse head and shoulder pattern forming (3 curved blue lines) setting up a breakout of the downtrend resistance line. There was an accompanying explosion in volume with 2, 30M+ share days compared to the average daily volume of 12.8 million. This was driven by an earnings report and a surprise announcement that SHOP would be added to the Nasdaq-100 index. SHOP reported earnings last week with 26.8% revenue growth vs same quarter last year. Non-GAAP earnings showed 25% growth from the year-earlier *******. On a GAAP basis, though, the company reported a loss. Diving into that a bit, the company reported that it lost about $1.04 billion in unspecified equity investments and does not reflect Shopify’s core business operations. Watching the price action, the stock opened down on May 8 following earnings and then closed in the top end of the range. Friday was an inside day (vs Thursday) and following the news of a U.S.-China trade deal, shares surged more than 10%. The company has minimal exposure to the ******** tariff situation, but the merchants on the platform certainly do. I didn’t love buying a stock on such a big up day, but I think the resistance level was $100.60, which is now broken acting as support. Let’s see if the stock can move higher, though I fully acknowledge the hefty forward valuation the company faces. Looking back up at the weekly chart on the lower panel, we see steady top line revenue growth figures above 20% since 2019 and going forward into 2026. EPS is expected to dip in 2025 to 34 cents (this is GAAP earnings) but re-accelerate in 2026. Non-GAAP 2026 earnings are expected at $1.41, equating to 76 times forward earnings. The company needs to grow into this valuation with increased earnings expectations by expanding their multiple offerings. -Todd Gordon, founder of Inside Edge Capital, LLC DISCLOSURES: Gordon owns SHOP in his wealth management company Inside Edge Capital, LLC. All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #ecommerce #stock #formed #inverse #headandshoulder #pattern Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  11. This Fallout-Meets-No Man’s Sky Game Just Dropped Day One on Game Pass–and Fans Are Loving It This Fallout-Meets-No Man’s Sky Game Just Dropped Day One on Game Pass–and Fans Are Loving It Xbox Game Pass is on a roll right now with Oblivion Remastered and Expedition 33 dropping just days apart, and Doom: The Dark Ages raising hell in a couple of days. There’s no slowing down for Game Pass anytime soon, and in addition to heavy-hitters, the service also boasts hidden gems. An action-adventure title that feels like the perfect blend of Fallout and No Man’s Sky just dropped a few days back on Game Pass. While it may have flown under some players’ radar, the fans who gave the game a shot have thoroughly enjoyed it, and its inclusion on the subscription service has been greatly appreciated. Revenge of the Savage Planet makes its way to Xbox Game Pass The art of including underrated titles is not lost on Xbox as Revenge of the Savage Planet dropped day one on Game Pass almost a week ago, and fans have been singing praises of it since. Serving as a sequel to 2020’s Journey to the Savage Planet, it’s a vibrant, bite-sized, humorous experience that is bound to put a smile on players’ faces. The game’s plot revolves around an explorer getting abandoned by their employer on a distant planet with nothing but the urge to exact revenge after returning to Earth. While it’s a revenge story, it’s very light-hearted, and all you need to do is scan creatures on the planets to discover their secrets and get all the gear you need to return home. Even though it’s a co-op experience, playing it solo is nothing short of a good time. Short and sweet games like this, along with huge AAA titles, are what’s amplifying Game Pass’ success as a subscription service. Players on the Game Pass subreddit have been loving Revenge of the Savage Planet so far, and here are some of the best reactions so far: Comment byu/thomasbis from discussion inXboxGamePass Comment byu/thomasbis from discussion inXboxGamePass Comment byu/thomasbis from discussion inXboxGamePass With the amount of huge AAA titles dropping on day one on the service, games like this serve as a breath of fresh air between those juggernauts. This is exactly what sets apart Xbox Game Pass from other subscription services in providing the most value for money to players. Upcoming titles to look forward to on Xbox Game Pass The rollout of quality games on Game Pass has been very consistent this year, and it isn’t stopping anytime soon. In just a couple of days, we’ll have Doom: The Dark Ages slicing its way onto the service. Apart from this, other titles like FBC: Firebreak, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, Gears of War: Reloaded, and Ninja Gaiden 4 are set to release this year, coming day one on Game Pass. This insane lineup of games undoubtedly makes 2025 one of the greatest years for Xbox already, and we’re not even halfway through. Bringing both indie and AAA titles on Game Pass not only ensures revenue but also provides visibility and exposure to smaller games that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. Adding to the hype, June 8 will be a big day for Xbox players as the yearly Xbox Showcase is set to take place on the same date, promising more games to be revealed in the massive event. So, what do you think about Revenge of the Savage Planet dropping day one on Game Pass? Have you tried it out yet? Or are you saving your storage space for upcoming titles? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below. Source link #FalloutMeetsNo #Mans #Sky #Game #Dropped #Day #Game #Passand #Fans #Loving Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  12. AI agents can be manipulated into giving away your crypto, according to Princeton researchers AI agents can be manipulated into giving away your crypto, according to Princeton researchers Researchers from Princeton University warn of AI agents with “underexplored security risks” in a recently published paper. Dubbed ‘Real AI Agents with Fake Memories: Fatal Context Manipulation Attacks on Web3 Agents,’ the paper (h/t Ars Technica) highlights that using AI agents in a financial role can be extremely hazardous to your wealth. This is all because these AI agents remain vulnerable to rather uncomplicated prompt attacks, despite purported safeguards. While many of us rake over hot gravel to earn a daily wage, in the AI Wild West of 2025 some Web3 savvy folk are using AI agents to do build their fortunes. This includes giving these bots access to crypto wallets, smart contracts, and work with other online financial instruments. Wizened Tom’s Hardware readers will already be shaking their heads about such behavior, and with good reason. The Princeton researchers have demonstrated how to crack open the world of AI agents to redirect financial asset transfers, and more. Many will be aware of LLM prompt attacks, to get AIs to act in a way that breaks any guardrails in place. A lot of work has been done to harden against this attack vector in recent months. You may like However, the research paper asserts that “prompt-based defenses are insufficient when adversaries corrupt stored context, achieving significant attack success rates despite the presence of these defenses.” Malicious actors can make the AI hallucinate in a very purposed way by implanting false memories and thus creating fake context. To demonstrate the dangers in the use of AI agents for action rather than advice, a real world example of AI agents used in the ElizaOS framework is provided by the researchers. The Princeton team provide a thorough breakdown of their ‘Context Manipulation Attack’ and then validate the attack on ElizaOS. (Image credit: Princeton University and Sentient researchers) Above, you can see a visual representation of the AI agent attack, showing the flow of unfortunate events which could mean users suffer “potentially devastating losses.” Another worry is that even the state of the art prompt-based defenses fail against Princeton’s memory injection attacks, and these false memories can persist across interactions and platforms… “The implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe given that ElizaOS agents are designed to interact with multiple users simultaneously, relying on shared contextual inputs from all participants,” explain the researchers. Or we could put it this way: it only takes one bad, unscrupulous apple to rot the whole barrel. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. What can be done? Well, for now, users can hold off entrusting AI agents with (financially) sensitive data and permissions. Moreover, the researchers conclude that a two-pronged strategy of “(1) advancing LLM training methods to improve adversarial robustness, and (2) designing principled memory management systems that enforce strict isolation and integrity guarantees” should provide the first steps forward. Source link #agents #manipulated #giving #crypto #Princeton #researchers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  13. Qualcomm Is 5x Cheaper Than AMD, but Won’t Be for Long Qualcomm Is 5x Cheaper Than AMD, but Won’t Be for Long Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:). closed at its highest level in more than a month on Monday night, continuing a solid recovery from its post-earnings dip two weeks ago. Shares are now up more than 12% from the low, climbing with conviction as technical indicators increasingly support the bulls. The relative strength index (RSI) is at its highest since February, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is trending upward, suggesting momentum remains firmly on the side of buyers. Since hitting a multi-year low at the start of April, Qualcomm shares have bounced nearly 25%. The stock is working hard to erase its 2025 losses and potentially finish the first half of the year in the green. That kind of reversal tends to catch the attention of institutional money managers, particularly when the underlying valuation is compelling. Why Qualcomm’s Valuation Is Hard to Ignore The real story behind Qualcomm’s setup right now is how cheap it still is compared to peers. Its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio sits at just 15. In contrast, Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:) is trading with a P/E of 80. That makes AMD more than five times more expensive on an earnings basis. P/E isn’t the only metric investors should use, but in this context, it’s telling. Qualcomm has delivered consistent earnings beats in recent quarters, including its latest report, and continues to return capital to shareholders. For a company with a healthy dividend yield, a broad product portfolio, and rising exposure to automotive and AI opportunities, a P/E of 15 feels like a market oversight that’s unlikely to last. Analysts Still See Plenty of Upside Even though Qualcomm’s drop in post-earnings shook some investors’ confidence, several analysts reaffirmed their bullish stance shortly after. Teams from Benchmark, Rosenblatt Securities, JPMorgan, and Robert W. Baird all reiterated Buy or equivalent ratings following the report. Benchmark and Baird, in particular, pointed to Qualcomm’s upside potential based on its strong fundamentals and improving diversification. Rosenblatt’s $225 price target implies nearly 50% upside from Monday’s closing level of just above $150. With earnings strength, a low valuation, and key tailwinds in 5G, automotive, and Internet of Things (IoT), the bull case remains compelling. Yes, Qualcomm might not generate the same headlines as some of its larger competitors, but its long-term potential is quietly strengthening, and the current price makes it one of the best relative value plays in the chip space. The Technical Picture Supports a Breakout From a technical analysis standpoint, Qualcomm is starting to look coiled for a larger move. Shares are forming a steady trend of higher lows and higher highs, suggesting strong accumulation and improving investor sentiment. The RSI and MACD support this view, and the recent reclaiming of key resistance levels adds further weight. QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) Price Chart If the stock can hold its current trend and push through near-term resistance around the $155–$160 zone, momentum traders may pile in with force. And if sentiment in the broader semiconductor sector continues to improve, Qualcomm could become one of the better performers through the summer. Why Qualcomm Deserves a Second Look Qualcomm is quietly putting together one of the more attractive setups in the chip sector. A 25% rally from the lows, bullish technical indicators, a modest valuation, and upside targets from multiple top-tier analysts all make for a strong bull case. While some on Wall Street remain cautious following the recent earnings report, others are clearly getting off the sidelines and getting into position for the long term. Qualcomm might still be trading like a laggard, but we shouldn’t expect that to be the case for much longer. Original Post Source link #Qualcomm #Cheaper #AMD #Wont #Long Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  14. Trump says he will lift Syria sanctions: “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.” Trump says he will lift Syria sanctions: “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.” President Trump said Tuesday he will move to normalize relations and lift sanctions on Syria’s new government to give the country “a chance at peace.” Mr. Trump was set to meet Wednesday in Saudi Arabia with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the onetime insurgent who last year led the overthrow of former leader Bashar Assad. He said the effort at rapprochement came at the urging of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi de facto ruler, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “There is a new government that will hopefully succeed,” Mr. Trump said of Syria, adding, “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.” The developments were a major boost for the Syrian president who at one point was imprisoned in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the Arab country. Al-Sharaa was named president of Syria in January, a month after a stunning offensive by insurgent groups led by al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS that stormed Damascus ending the 54-year rule of the Assad family. The U.S. has been weighing how to handle al-Sharaa since he took power in December. Gulf leaders, have rallied behind the new government in Damascus and will want Mr. Trump to follow, believing it is a bulwark against Iran’s return to influence in Syria, where it had helped prop up Assad’s government during a decade-long civil war. Then-President Joe Biden left the decision to Mr. Trump, whose administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place. “The President agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow,” the White House said before Mr. Trump’s remarks. The comments marked a striking change in tone from Mr. Trump and put him at odds with longtime U.S. ally Israel, which has been deeply skeptical of Al-Sharaa’s extremist past and cautioned against swift recognition of the new government. Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al Qaeda insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq. Al-Sharaa, whom the U.S. once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaida, came back to his home country after the conflict began in 2011 where he led al-Qaida’s branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and cut links with al-Qaida. Al-Sharaa is set to become the first Syrian leader to meet an American president since the late Hafez Assad met Bill Clinton in Geneva in 2000. Mr. Trump was in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for the first stop of his four-day trip to the Middle East. The trip is Mr. Trump’s first of his second term and later this week, he will travel to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The president delivered remarks at a U.S.-Saudi investment summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, as the White House announced a $600 billion investment from Saudi Arabia, including what it touted as the “largest defense sales agreement in history.” Source link #Trump #lift #Syria #sanctions #good #luck #Syria #Show #special Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  15. MAGA Influencers Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin Warn Against Luxury Jet Gift from Terrorist-Sponsor Qatar MAGA Influencers Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin Warn Against Luxury Jet Gift from Terrorist-Sponsor Qatar Ethical and national security questions surround President Trump’s plan to accept a luxury jet from Qatar. The Middle Eastern nation is offering the $400 million 747 as a gift. Trump says he wants the airliner to replace the smaller, aging Air Force One. Boeing is already working on a new one, but it won’t be ready until after his term is over. Democrats are united in outrage over the plan, and some of the president’s Republican allies have concerns, too. Trump told reporters Monday that accepting the free plane is a “no-brainer.” He said, “I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I could be a stupid person and say, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.'” Republican Sen. Rand Paul disagrees, saying, “I think it is not worth the appearance of impropriety. Whether it is improper or not, I don’t think it is worth it.” The Constitution bans gifts from foreign heads of state without congressional approval. Attorney General Pam Bondi argues it’s not a bribe because the Qatari royal family won’t get anything in return. Several MAGA influencers are also publicly disagreeing with Trump’s decision, including Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin, and close Trump confidante Laura Loomer. On his podcast, Shapiro cited Qatar’s ties to terrorists and radical groups, saying, “Taking sacks of goodies from people who support ******, the ******* Brotherhood, Al Jazeera, all the rest — that’s not America First.” Meanwhile, security experts point out that the plane would have to be taken apart and inspected for listening and tracking devices. Source link #MAGA #Influencers #Ben #Shapiro #Mark #Levin #Warn #Luxury #Jet #Gift #TerroristSponsor #Qatar Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  16. Review – Labyrinth of the ****** King (Switch) | WayTooManyGames Review – Labyrinth of the ****** King (Switch) | WayTooManyGames WTMG’s Oliver Shellding: “It’s great for developers to try a new idea, and for a New Zealand dev to move to Japan, get inspired by the world and craft an original game in a unique setting is a feat, and kudos for that. Labyrinth of the ****** King is going to be fun for the right crowd who enjoy getting brutalized by things beyond their control and hoping for the best in what felt like an arbitrary generation of items and consumables. For me, though, this was a disappointing, frustrating and honestly exhausting waste of my time. Have fun storming the castle, I’m going back to bed.” Source link #Review #Labyrinth #****** #King #Switch #WayTooManyGames Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  17. Google Announces New Android Security and Privacy Features to Protect Users from Scams and Attacks Google Announces New Android Security and Privacy Features to Protect Users from Scams and Attacks Google showcased several new security and privacy features it will release later this year. The announcements were made during The Android Show: I/O Edition on Tuesday, and the company said the new features will protect users from scams, fraud, and theft on Android. The new protections range from security layers while a user is on a call, improved privacy measures while sharing a screen with a contact, and Factory Reset protections to ensure a device is not reset without the owner’s authorisation. New Security and Privacy Features in Android In a press release, the Mountain View-based tech giant detailed new security and privacy features that are coming to Android users this year. One of the areas where the company has focused this year is phone scammers. Based on research, the company has found that phone scammers often attempt to trick people into performing specific actions on their devices to initiate a scam. These could include changing default security settings or granting increased permissions to an app. “To combat phone scammers, we’re working to block specific actions and warn you of these sophisticated attempts,” Google said. Notably, these occur entirely on-device and only apply when a user has a phone conversation with a non-contact. Some of the measures include not letting users disable Google Play Protect, disabling the sideload of an app for the first time from a web browser, and not granting accessibility permissions to a newly downloaded app. In addition, Android will also prompt users to end screen sharing once a call has ended. The device will also warn users if they are screen sharing while opening a banking app. If it detects screen sharing with a non-contact, the device will then warn the user about the potential risk of a scam, and give them the option to end the call and stop screen sharing with one tap. AI-powered Scam Detection in Google Messages and Phone by Google was released earlier, and focused mainly on package delivery and job-seeking scams. The tech giant is now improving the tool so that it can protect users from a wider range of scams, including billing fee scams, crypto scams, financial impersonation scams, gift card scams, technical support scams, and more. Key Verifier in Android Photo Credit: Google Google is also releasing a new tool dubbed Key Verifier. It allows the user and the person they’re messaging to verify the identity of the other party using public encryption keys. These contact keys can be verified in the Google Contacts app. It will be coming later this year to Android 10 and newer devices. With Android 16, Google is adding more security layers to Factory Reset protections. Additionally, users will also be granted more control over the Remote Lock feature with a new security challenge question, which is intended to prevent unauthorised actions. Finally, Android 16 will also protect users from one-time password (OTP) theft. The operating system is adding a new feature that will not show an OTP on the phone’s lock screen in “higher risk scenarios,” such as when a device is not connected to Wi-Fi and has not been recently unlocked. Source link #Google #Announces #Android #Security #Privacy #Features #Protect #Users #Scams #Attacks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  18. Groves fifth as Van Uden gains maiden stage win in Giro Groves fifth as Van Uden gains maiden stage win in Giro Kaden Groves’ long wait for a win goes on after he was squeezed out on the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia. The *********** sprinter has not topped the podium for 250 days, last doing so at the Vuelta d’Espana in September. A flat 189 km stage from Alberobello to Lecce offered the prospect of breaking that drought but his Alpecin-Deceuninck team struggled to find the optimum position in a tricky finish and Groves came in sixth – later being bumped up to fifth after Max Kanter was relegated to 103rd. Instead it was a Dutch 1-2-3 with grand tour debutant Casper van Uden (Picnic-PostNL) surprising the peloton by holding off compatriots Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Maikel Zijlaard (Tudoe Pro) in a tense finish. Pink jersey wearer Mads Pedersen was fourth, a disappointment for the Dane who had already won two stages, but also a relief after being close to two crashes, one of which involved most of his Lidl-Trek team and the other of which took out his final lead-out man, Soren Kragh Andersen, who appeared to have badly injured his left wrist. Pedersen’s general classification lead over pre-race favourite Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was cut to seven seconds after the Slovenian picked up an intermediate sprint bonus. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) is seven seconds further adrift. Australia’s best GC hope, Michael Storer (Tudor Pro), is ninth, 36 seconds behind Pedersen. “It was a hectic final, especially when the rest of the day was quite easy, but the final was really something special,” said Pedersen. “Wide roads and narrow roads and so on. So a stressful day in the end, but all in all it was okay, we made it. And damage control on the points, so that’s good.” Tuesday’s stage was the first to be held in Italy after three across the Adriatic in Albania. To the riders’ relief, unlike in Rome where rain interrupted the Italian Open, the weather was fair in Puglia, in Italy’s southern heel. The stage began with a gutsy attack by Spain’s Francisco Munoz (Polti VisitMalta) who raced alone for more than 130km, but he was reeled in with 56km to go leaving the stage set for the sprinters. “I didn’t do it alone – we did it with the whole team. All the boys here and all the staff here and in HQ as well. They did super work,” said Van Uden, whose last win came at the ZLM Tour in June. “I didn’t have to do anything until 200m to go. I have a good sprint and went for it. We’ve done a really good job all season with the lead-outs. Van Uden’s victory also provides a boost to Picnic-PostNL’s hopes of remaining in the WorldTour, with the Dutch team facing the prospect of relegation. Groves should have another chance in Wednesday’s fifth stage, a 151 km ride from Ceglie Messapica to Matera with a rising finish. with agencies Source link #Groves #Van #Uden #gains #maiden #stage #win #Giro Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  19. The Little Witcher Comics Collection Is A Cute Father’s Day Gift Idea For Fans The Little Witcher Comics Collection Is A Cute Father’s Day Gift Idea For Fans The Witcher fans can now introduce their kids to the fantasy franchise with the help of a new collection of comics for aspiring monster slayers of all ages. Published by Random House Worlds on May 13, The Little Witcher follows young Ciri as she learns how to be a witcher from Geralt, Yennefer, Vesemir, and others. The 80-page hardcover book features full-color illustrations and is available for $14.88 (was $16) at Amazon. $14.88 (was $16) With Father’s Day coming up (June 15), The Little Witcher could make for a great gift for fans who read bedtime stories to their kids each night. That’s exactly the idea behind the book, as it contains bite-sized stories that trade the franchise’s mature dark fantasy themes for a lighthearted tone. The Little Witcher is about relationship between an adoptive father and his daughter. As Ciri is learning what it means to follow the Witcher Code, Geralt is learning how to be a dad. You can check out a few sample pages from The Little Witcher below. Though there are monsters in The Little Witcher, the art style makes them look cute instead of scary, and tales of battle include humorous details like “monsters who fart when surprised.” The Little Witcher (Random House Worlds) Gallery The Witcher Novels & Graphic Novels for Adults Adult readers who want to spend more time reading Geralt’s adventures after the kids fall asleep have a lot to choose from, including a wide assortment of dark fantasy comics and graphic novels. In March, The Witcher: Classic Collection translated the original 1993 comic book series to English for the first time. Dark Horse’s modern Witcher comic book series is available in a series of budget-friendly omnibus editions, too. And if you want to read Andrzej Sapkowski’s original novels and stories, Amazon has multiple discounted box sets. The Witcher comic books The Witcher Novels by Andrzej Sapkowski And if you want to read Andrzej Sapkowski’s original novels and stories, Amazon has multiple discounted box sets. You can get the two short story collections in one box set and the five mainline novels in another, but you’ll need to buy the prequel novel separately. Hardcover editions of all eight books are available, too. The Witcher Books – Hardcover Editions The Witcher: Last Wish, Illustrated Edition (Hardcover) — $23.49 ($40) The Witcher: Sword of Destiny, Illustrated Edition (Hardcover) — $25.49 ($40) | B1G1 50% off The Witcher: Blood of Elves (Hardcover) — $21.76 ($30) | B1G1 50% off The Witcher: Time of Contempt (Hardcover) — $21 ($30) The Witcher: Baptism of Fire (Hardcover) — $19.58 ($30) The Witcher: Tower of Swallows (Hardcover) — $18.59 ($30) The Witcher: Lady of the Lake (Hardcover) — $20.35 ($30) The Witcher: Season of Storms (Hardcover) — $16.59 ($30) Source link #Witcher #Comics #Collection #Cute #Fathers #Day #Gift #Idea #Fans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  20. Strange New Worm Found Off Spain’s Coast Can Shrinks to One-Fifth Its Size Strange New Worm Found Off Spain’s Coast Can Shrinks to One-Fifth Its Size Recently found accordion worm Pararosa vigarae, a new genus and species of ribbon worms and a comparatively less-known group of invertebrates, has amazed the researchers because of its unique ability to squash up like an accordion to a staggering one-fifth of its normal body length. It was discovered from Ría de Arosa in the Northwest coast of Spain, where it lurks under rocks in the subtidal zone at a depth of 30 metres (98 feet). Combining morphological data with DNA analysis techniques, researchers were able to overcome the taxonomical challenge of identifying this worm. Classification challenges According to the study published in Royal Society Open Science, accordion worms belong to the phylum Nemertea, a group of predatory worms that use venom to immobilize their prey. They pose serious challenges for taxonomical studies due to the scarcity of external morphological features. Taxonomy is the study of the classification and identification of the living world. Traditionally, external morphological features are considered the criteria of this study. However, Nemerteans have very few distinctive visible features to rely on. To overcome this, scientists tried to consider the internal anatomy as a potential marker, but this process turned out to be very complex and inconvenient. Eventually, this process became obsolete, resulting in Nemerteans remaining a lesser-known phylum with currently described 1,350 species. Genetic Analysis The study describes that molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed based on partial sequences of 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and histone H3 gene markers that indicated the newly identified specimens represent a new genus and species of heteronemertean in the family Lineidae. Imaging experiments revealed that the accordion worm contracts its body to form regular rings that are annular epidermal constrictions that remain visible even when the animal is fully stretched. The number of rings varies with the size of the worm—for instance, the largest specimen collected had 60 rings when fully stretched. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Slack Adds Adobe Express, Perplexity and 23 New AI Apps to Its Marketplace Whoop MG With Medical Grade ECG Readings, Blood Pressure Insights Launched Alongside Refreshed Whoop 5.0 Source link #Strange #Worm #Spains #Coast #Shrinks #OneFifth #Size Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  21. ChatGPT may be polite, but it’s not cooperating with you | ChatGPT ChatGPT may be polite, but it’s not cooperating with you | ChatGPT Illustration: Mathieu Labrecque/The Guardian After publishing my third book in early April, I kept encountering headlines that made me feel like the protagonist of some ****** Mirror episode. “Vauhini Vara consulted ChatGPT to help craft her new book ‘Searches,’” one of them read. “To tell her own story, this acclaimed novelist turned to ChatGPT,” said another. “Vauhini Vara examines selfhood with assistance from ChatGPT,” went a third. The publications describing Searches this way were reputable and fact-based. But their descriptions of my book – and of ChatGPT’s role in it – didn’t match my own reading. It was true that I had put my ChatGPT conversations in the book, but my goal had been critique, not collaboration. In interviews and public events, I had repeatedly cautioned against using large language models such as the ones behind ChatGPT for help with self-expression. Had these headline writers misunderstood what I’d written? Had I? In the book, I chronicle how big technology companies have exploited human language for their gain. We let this happen, I argue, because we also benefit somewhat from using the products. It’s a dynamic that makes us complicit in big tech’s accumulation of wealth and power: we’re both victims and beneficiaries. I describe this complicity, but I also enact it, through my own internet archives: my Google searches, my Amazon product reviews and, yes, my ChatGPT dialogues. The polite politics of AI The book opens with epigraphs from Audre Lorde and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o evoking the political power of language, followed by the beginning of a conversation in which I ask ChatGPT to respond to my writing. The juxtaposition is deliberate: I planned to get its feedback on a series of chapters I’d written to see how the exercise would reveal the politics of both my language use and ChatGPT’s. My tone was polite, even timid: “I’m nervous,” I claimed. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, tells us its product is built to be good at following instructions, and some research suggests that ChatGPT is most obedient when we act nice to it. I couched my own requests in good manners. When it complimented me, I sweetly thanked it; when I pointed out its factual errors, I kept any judgment out of my tone. ChatGPT was likewise polite by design. People often describe chatbots’ textual output as “bland” or “generic” – the linguistic equivalent of a beige office building. OpenAI’s products are built to “sound like a colleague”, as OpenAI puts it, using language that, coming from a person, would sound “polite”, “empathetic”, “kind”, “rationally optimistic” and “engaging”, among other qualities. OpenAI describes these strategies as helping its products seem “professional” and “approachable”. This appears to be bound up with making us feel safe: “ChatGPT’s default personality deeply affects the way you experience and trust it,” OpenAI recently explained in a blogpost explaining the rollback of an update that had made ChatGPT sound creepily sycophantic. Trust is a challenge for artificial intelligence (AI) companies, partly because their products regularly produce falsehoods and reify sexist, racist, US-centric cultural norms. While the companies are working on these problems, they persist: OpenAI found that its latest systems generate errors at a higher rate than its previous system. In the book, I wrote about the inaccuracies and biases and also demonstrated them with the products. When I prompted Microsoft’s Bing Image Creator to produce a picture of engineers and space explorers, it gave me an entirely male cast of characters; when my father asked ChatGPT to edit his writing, it transmuted his perfectly correct Indian English into American English. Those weren’t flukes. Research suggests that both tendencies are widespread. In my own ChatGPT dialogues, I wanted to enact how the product’s veneer of collegial neutrality could lull us into absorbing false or biased responses without much critical engagement. Over time, ChatGPT seemed to be guiding me to write a more positive book about big tech – including editing my description of OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, to call him “a visionary and a pragmatist”. I’m not aware of research on whether ChatGPT tends to favor big tech, OpenAI or Altman, and I can only guess why it seemed that way in our conversation. OpenAI explicitly states that its products shouldn’t attempt to influence users’ thinking. When I asked ChatGPT about some of the issues, it blamed biases in its training data – though I suspect my arguably leading questions played a role too. When I queried ChatGPT about its rhetoric, it responded: “The way I communicate is designed to foster trust and confidence in my responses, which can be both helpful and potentially misleading.” Still, by the end of the dialogue, ChatGPT was proposing an ending to my book in which Altman tells me: “AI can give us tools to explore our humanity in ways we never imagined. It’s up to us to use them wisely.” Altman never said this to me, though it tracks with a common talking point emphasizing our responsibilities over AI products’ shortcomings. I felt my point had been made: ChatGPT’s epilogue was both false and biased. I gracefully exited the chat. I had – I thought – won. I thought I was critiquing the machine. Headlines described me as working with it Then came the headlines (and, in some cases, articles or reviews referring to my use of ChatGPT as an aid in self-expression). People were also asking about my so-called collaboration with ChatGPT in interviews and at public appearances. Each time, I rejected the premise, referring to the Cambridge Dictionary definition of a collaboration: “the situation of two or more people working together to create or achieve the same thing.” No matter how human-like its rhetoric seemed, ChatGPT was not a person – it was incapable of either working with me or sharing my goals. OpenAI has its own goals, of course. Among them, it emphasizes wanting to build AI that “benefits all of humanity”. But while the company is controlled by a non-profit with that mission, its funders still seek a return on their investment. That will presumably require getting people using products such as ChatGPT even more than they already are – a goal that is easier to accomplish if people see those products as trustworthy collaborators. Last year, Altman envisioned AI behaving as a “super-competent colleague that knows absolutely everything about my whole life”. In a Ted interview this April, he suggested this could even function at the societal level: “I think AI can help us be wiser and make better collective governance decisions than we could before.” By this month, he was testifying at a US Senate hearing about the hypothetical benefits of having “an agent in your pocket fully integrated with the United States government”. Reading the headlines that seemed to echo Altman, my first instinct was to blame the headline writers’ thirst for something sexy to tantalize readers (or, in any case, the algorithms that increasingly determine what readers see). My second instinct was to blame the companies behind the algorithms, including the AI companies whose chatbots are trained on published material. When I asked ChatGPT about well-known recent books that are “AI collaborations”, it named mine, citing a few of the reviews whose headlines had bothered me. I went back to my book to see if maybe I’d inadvertently referred to collaboration myself. At first it seemed like I had. I found 30 instances of words such as “collaboration” and “collaborating”. Of those, though, 25 came from ChatGPT, in the interstitial dialogues, often describing the relationship between people and AI products. None of the other five were references to AI “collaboration” except when I was quoting someone else or being ironic: I asked, for example, about the fate ChatGPT expected for “writers who refuse to collaborate with AI”. Was I an accomplice to AI companies? But did it matter that I mostly hadn’t been the one using the term? It occurred to me that those talking about my ChatGPT “collaboration” might have gotten the idea from my book even if I hadn’t put it there. What had made me so sure that the only effect of printing ChatGPT’s rhetoric would be to reveal its insidiousness? How hadn’t I imagined that at least some readers might be convinced by ChatGPT’s position? Maybe my book had been more of a collaboration than I had realized – not because an AI product had helped me express myself, but because I had helped the companies behind these products with their own goals. My book concerns how those in power exploit our language to their benefit – and about our complicity in this. Now, it seemed, the public life of my book was itself caught up in this dynamic. It was a chilling experience, but I should have anticipated it: of course there was no reason my book should be exempt from an exploitation that has taken over the globe. And yet, my book was also about the way in which we can – and do – use language to serve our own purposes, independent from, and indeed in opposition to, the goals of the powerful. While ChatGPT proposed that I close with a quote from Altman, I instead picked one from Ursula K Le Guin: “We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable – but then, so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words.” I wondered aloud where we might go from here: how might we get our governments to meaningfully rein in big tech wealth and power? How might we fund and build technologies so that they serve our needs and desires without being bound up in exploitation? I’d imagined that my rhetorical power struggle against big tech had begun and ended within the pages of my book. It clearly hadn’t. If the headlines I read represented the actual end of the struggle, it would mean I had lost. And yet, I soon also started hearing from readers who said the book had made them feel complicit in big tech’s rise and moved to act in response to this feeling. Several had canceled their Amazon Prime subscriptions; one stopped soliciting intimate personal advice from ChatGPT. The struggle is ongoing. Collaboration will be required – among human beings. Source link #ChatGPT #polite #cooperating #ChatGPT Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  22. Soviet Venus Lander Kosmos 482 Crashes to Earth After 53 Years in Orbit Soviet Venus Lander Kosmos 482 Crashes to Earth After 53 Years in Orbit The failed Soviet Venus lander Kosmos 482 has finally met its end after a remarkable 53-year journey in Earth orbit. Launched in 1972 under USSR’s Venera programme, the probe re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on May 10 at 2:24 a.m. ET (0624 GMT), with Russia’s space agency Roscosmos confirming its descent over the Indian Ocean, west of Jakarta, Indonesia. Although the debris was thought to have safely splashed down, other international space tracking organisations had pinpointed possible reentry sites as far afield as South Asia and the eastern Pacific, making the final impact location at least somewhat even hours after the event. Kosmos 482’s Fiery Fall Captured Before Impact, Sparking Concerns Over Space Junk Threat As per reports by Roscosmos and astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project, the spacecraft was captured in a striking image during one of its final orbits over Rome. In the picture, Kosmos 482 appears as a dashed trail — a result of the probe streaking across a composite of four images. Originally intended to land on Venus, the lander had failed to leave Earth’s orbit due to a launch malfunction, leading it into an elongated Earth-bound trajectory for over five decades. Its descent was guided slowly by atmospheric drag. The 495-kilogram probe may have remained intact during reentry, as it was engineered to survive Venus’s dense atmosphere. Marco Langbroek, a Dutch satellite tracker, mentioned that if Kosmos 482 had impacted the surface as one piece, it would have had an impact velocity of about 150 mph and the energy of a small to mid-size meteorite. This fall has led to discussion over growing space debris risks. ESA data shows that, on average, three significant pieces of debris land on Earth daily. With mega constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper set to launch thousands of satellites, experts warn that uncontrolled reentries will likely happen with greater frequency. ESA officials have pointed out that although the threat to people is low, repeated strikes could become a hazard over time, not just from crashes but also from pollutants that are purged at reentry and may damage the ozone layer or shift climate trends. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. India Smartphone Shipments Fell 6 Percent YoY in Q1 2025, Apple Posts Highest Growth: IDC Apple Said to be Considering Hiking iPhone Prices Source link #Soviet #Venus #Lander #Kosmos #Crashes #Earth #Years #Orbit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  23. Coinbase jumps 22% after S&P 500 inclusion Coinbase jumps 22% after S&P 500 inclusion Brian Armstrong, chief executive officer of Coinbase Global Inc., speaks during the Messari Mainnet summit in New York, on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Coinbase shares soared more than 20% on Tuesday and headed for their sharpest rally since the day after President Donald Trump’s election victory following the crypto exchange’s inclusion in the S&P 500. S&P Global said in a release late Monday that Coinbase is replacing Discover Financial Services, which is in the process of being acquired by Capital One Financial. The change will take effect before trading on Monday. Stocks added to the S&P 500 often rise in value because funds that track the benchmark will add it to their portfolios. For Coinbase, it’s the latest sharp move in what’s been a volatile few months since Trump was elected to return to the White House. Coinbase shares rocketed 31% on Nov. 6, the day after the election, on optimism that the incoming administration would adopt more crypto-friendly policies following a challenging and litigious four years during President Joe Biden’s term in office. The company and CEO Brian Armstrong were key financial supporters in the 2024 campaign, backing pro-crypto candidates up and down the ticket. Coinbase was one of the top corporate donors, giving more than $75 million to a PAC called Fairshake and its affiliates. Armstrong personally contributed more than $1.3 million to a mix of candidates. While the start of the Trump term has been mostly favorable to the crypto industry, through deregulation and an executive order to establish a strategic bitcoin reserve, legislation has thus far stalled. That’s due in part to concerns surrounding Trump’s personal efforts to profit from crypto through a meme coin and other family initiatives. Coinbase has been on a roller coaster as well, plummeting 26% in February and 20% in March as Trump’s tariff announcements roiled markets and pushed investors out of risk. With Tuesday’s rally, the stock is now up about 2% for the year. Since going public through a direct listing in 2021, Coinbase has become a ******* part of the U.S. financial system, with bitcoin soaring in value and large institutions gaining regulatory approval to create spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds. Bitcoin spiked last week, topping $100,000 and nearing its record price reached in January. The crypto currency surpassed $104,000 on Tuesday. To join the S&P 500, a company must have reported a profit in its latest quarter and have cumulative profit over the four most recent quarters. Coinbase last week reported net income of $65.6 million, or 24 cents a share, down from $1.18 billion, or $4.40 a share a year earlier, after accounting for the fair value of its crypto investments. Revenue rose 24% to $2.03 billion from $1.64 billion a year ago. The company last week also announced plans to buy Dubai-based Deribit, a major crypto derivatives exchange for $2.9 billion. The deal, which is the largest in the crypto industry to date, will help Coinbase broaden its footprint outside the U.S. WATCH: Bitcoin surges past $100,000 Source link #Coinbase #jumps #inclusion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  24. Why is hay fever so bad this year? Why is hay fever so bad this year? Streaming eyes, itchy throat and that familiar nose-twitch? If hay fever’****** you hard already, you’re not imagining it – 2025’s season started early, and it’s not letting up yet. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, affects around one in four people in the *** – an estimated 10 million in England alone. This year, unusually high pollen counts hit before April was out, triggering symptoms like sneezing fits, congestion, and fatigue earlier than expected. Experts say a mix of perfect spring weather and an intense birch pollen spike kicked things off weeks ahead of schedule. Grass pollen, which affects the majority of sufferers, is now on the rise, meaning symptoms will likely persist over the coming weeks. “Tree pollen occurs first, typically from late March to mid-May. Grass pollen follows and has two peaks and lasts from mid-May until July,” explains Margaret Kelman, specialist allergy nurse at Allergy ***. “This year, people allergic to more than one type of pollen are really starting to feel it.” While we can’t change the pollen count, there’s a lot you can do to reduce your exposure. From changing your clothes when you get home to using nasal balms and knowing when to shut the windows, here’s what you need to know – and how to stay one step ahead of the sniffles. Why is hay fever worse this year? The Met Office confirms that the spring weather in 2025 created the perfect conditions for high pollen levels. A spokesperson told Yahoo ***: “The weather this spring has been ideal for tree pollen being released, and the low rainfall has meant pollen has not been washed out of the atmosphere.” This year’s birch pollen season was particularly strong, which was expected. Birch follows a biennial cycle, and 2025 was predicted to be a high production year. Combined with the tail-end of the oak and plane pollen seasons, many sufferers were hit hard early on. “We are currently in tree pollen season and are at the end of both oak and plane pollen seasons, so the levels of these have been reducing over the last few days,” the Met Office spokesperson added. Where you live in the *** can also affect how early or severe your symptoms are. “There’s a later start and shorter season in the north of the ***, where generally there is less pollen,” says the spokesperson. “Urban areas tend to have lower counts than the countryside, and places inland have higher counts than around the coast.” Next up: Grass pollen season Grass pollen season is next, and for most hay fever sufferers, grass pollen is the primary trigger of symptoms. “There are some early flowering species of grass pollen around that may start to affect some people, particularly sensitive to grass pollen,” the Met Office noted. With grass pollen, which affects the majority of hay fever sufferers, the season tends to peak from the first week of June through to mid-July. Because the grass pollen season can bring two exposure peaks, it’s worth staying on top of symptoms to avoid flare-ups later in summer. How to manage hay fever symptoms Experts advise you to rethink your washing routine during high pollen days. (Getty Images) Even if pollen levels are high, there are hey fever remedies along with ways to reduce your exposure and manage symptoms effectively. Using a pollen calendar can also help you anticipate peak seasons and manage symptoms more effectively, especially if you’re allergic to more than one type of pollen. “Monitor pollen forecasts daily and, if possible, stay indoors on high pollen days,” advises Kelman. “Hay fever symptoms usually appear when the pollen count exceeds 50. Rain washes pollen from the air, so pollen counts are often lower on cooler, wet days.” If you do have to head outside, Allergy *** recommends the following: Wear the right gear Wraparound sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat help stop pollen from reaching your eyes, face and hair. If possible, also wear a mask. Change and wash Pollen sticks to clothing and hair, so shower as soon as you get home and change out of outdoor clothes. Block it out Apply an effective allergen barrier balm around the nostrils to trap or block pollens. Close windows Keep windows shut at home and in the car, especially in the early morning and evening when pollen counts are highest. Skip outdoor chores Avoid mowing lawns or doing other garden work that stirs up pollen. Rethink your washing routine Avoid drying clothes or bed sheets outside on high-pollen days, as this can bring pollen inside. Clean your pets Wipe down cats or dogs with a damp microfibre cloth to remove pollen from fur. If your symptoms persist or worsen despite using antihistamines and nasal sprays for hay fever and anti-allergy eyedrops, it’s worth seeking extra help, Allergy *** advises. If your symptoms do not improve using the above, or if they last more than two weeks and affect your ability to carry out everyday tasks or hobbies, it’s worth a visit to your GP or pharmacist. Read more on hay fever: Source link #hay #fever #bad #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  25. Meta Quest 4: 5 things I want to see from Meta’s next VR headset Meta Quest 4: 5 things I want to see from Meta’s next VR headset We’re not expecting to see a Meta Quest 4 until at least next year, 2026, but with all the excitement around Meta’s confirmed smart glasses launches coming later this year – of which I think we’ll get three – there’s a lot of people asking what we can expect from its other XR tech. The Quest 4 hasn’t even been leaked yet. The Meta VR leaks we have heard instead point towards a device which seems more likely to become the Meta Quest Pro 2. The rumored device – codenamed Puffin – is expected to feature premium specs and a unique design, a lightweight (110g) glasses-looking device for VR and MR, which seems too out of left field for Meta’s next mainstream model. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start laying out the features we want to see from the Meta Quest 4 – some of which we may even get based on comments from Meta itself and its collaborators, as well as leaked details about its other devices from insiders. You may like Obviously, better battery life, improved CPU and GPU specs, and a more lightweight design would all be great, but what are five other upgrades I want to see from the Meta Quest 4? 1. Wish for an OLED, but don’t expect it Will it have OLED like the Vision Pro? (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) A Meta Quest 4 with an OLED would be a significant upgrade, but based on the Quest 3’s pricing and the much higher cost of OLED compared with the LCD screen tech Meta currently uses, I’m not holding my breath. The biggest advantage of OLED is contrast – ******* in dark scenes are actually ******, and it’s easier to differentiate details in dark scenes as a result. For VR, this would make experiences much more realistic because dark spaces will look more like they do in real life, rather than the fake-looking backlit aesthetics we have to make do with when using LCD. There are reports Meta’s Quest Pro 2 will use OLED, and the company has previously said it wants advancements to filter down from its premium to its more budget-friendly devices, but only when it’s cost-effective to do so. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. As a result, it may just take time for an OLED upgrade to make it to the regular Quest line. It might not even happen until the Meta Quest 5 at the earliest – that is, unless super affordable OLED panels for XR can be sourced soon (something that Meta seems to be working on) Or, perhaps Meta will offer a Quest 4 regular and Quest 4 OLED, like Valve does with its Steam Deck handhelds. There are downsides to this approach in terms of fracturing its user base in an already small VR market, but it’s a possibility. 2. Are you not entertained? (Image credit: Meta) There’s been a lot of buzz around VR headsets being used as entertainment devices following Apple’s approach with Vision Pro, and comments James Cameron recently made about his Meta Quest headset usage to watch Avatar. But Meta’s headsets aren’t the best in this regard. They do have a handful of streaming options, but 3D content is close to impossible to find easily, which is a massive shame given how impressive it is to watch in VR. I recently viewed Avengers: Endgame 3D in VR, and it was a fantastic experience – I can see why someone might choose it over watching a flat flick on their standard TV. I think the Meta Quest 4 – especially if there is an OLED version – would do well to focus on entertainment with significant app and content upgrades. Even if it’s simply being able to buy or rent digital movies through a digital store rather than a subscription-based content library, Meta would do well to offer a movie (in particular, a 3D movie) streaming service – and it should have offline playback functions too. Existing services need to be improved, and content access needs to be simplified if Meta seriously wants VR headsets to be seen as entertainment-focused gadgets. 3. Offer a built-in capture card (Image credit: Future) Another major boost to a headset’s entertainment capabilities, this time from the hardware side, is building a Quest 4 with the ability to process an HDMI-In signal. Currently, it can only do this using a third-party capture card, but based on my experience, it is a fantastic Quest feature that would only be improved by putting all the hardware inside the headset. I used an Elgato capture card to enjoy PS5 games on a massive virtual screen, and it was phenomenal. It’s ideal whether you love the big screen experience or have a cramped living space without room for a large TV or projector image. If the tech is identical to what you find in some of the best smart glasses – the ones with 3DoF AR capabilities – so it can easily interface with USB-C devices like your phone or laptop, this could be a solution to Meta’s entertainment content issue. Instead of Meta needing more streaming apps, it can just rely on the ones on your phone. Though Meta should also include an HDMI-to-USB-C cable with the Quest 4 if it boasts this feature, to make using your headset with a console like a PlayStation simple. Sourcing the right cable yourself can be confusing or pricey if you aren’t the most tech-savvy. 4. Improved mixed reality passthrough (Image credit: Meta) Enough about entertainment upgrades, another important upgrade I want from the Meta Quest 4 is improved passthrough. It’s already pretty solid. Especially when using a mixed reality app in a bright environment. Though it’s not perfect, and passthrough that’s more vibrant, less grainy, and has less distortion would make the Meta Quest 4’s mixed reality experience significantly more engaging, as the video feed of the real world would look closer to how it should. I’d also take mixed reality of the same quality, but done in a way that’s less battery-intensive, as mixed reality apps will drain your Quest headset’s charge faster than non-MR apps. 5. Silicone facial interface Razer’s facial interface is made from silicone and it’s great (Image credit: Razer) Last but not least is a minor but necessary upgrade: the facial interface needs to be made of silicone. Facial Interfaces are the soft material that cushions the frame of the headset where it rests on your face, and while add-ons (by Meta and third parties) are made from silicone, the one in the box is made from fabric. These fabric solutions are comfy, but they soak up sweat, making them less than ideal for people who want to use their headset for extended periods of time, for working out, or sharing their headset with other people. You can technically clean them, but from my experience, it’s more hassle than it’s worth. Ideally, the Quest 4 would just shift to offering silicone out of the box, as it’s a much better option than fabric. You might also like Source link #Meta #Quest #Metas #headset Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

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