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Nvidia RTX 5080 suffers from similar missing ROP defect as 5090 and 5070 Ti: Report Nvidia RTX 5080 suffers from similar missing ROP defect as 5090 and 5070 Ti: Report Over the past few days, we reported that some of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti graphics cards feature GPUs with ‘missing’ raster operating units (ROPs) and therefore lower performance. Apparently, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5080 has also been found to be prone to this problem, according to a Reddit post. This is the first evidence GeForce RTX 5080 graphics cards, based on the GB203 graphics processor, may come with only 104 ROPs — instead of 112 ROPs — activated. The poster tried to reinstall the Nvidia video driver, but GPU-Z still displayed the number of raster operating units at 104, below the advertised 112 ROPs. RTX 5080 missing ROPs from r/nvidia As this is the first report about an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card with a GPU that does not meet specifications, we would wait for further confirmations before damning conclusions. However, since there are GeForce RTX 5070 Ti boards that carry a GB203 processor with missing ROPs, it will not come as a surprise that there are GeForce RTX 5080 cards that feature a GPU with a lower number of ROPs than expected. Nvidia has confirmed that 0.5% of GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5090, and RTX 5090D graphics cards carry graphics processors with several ROPs disabled, vs the expected specification. The company advises owners of any ‘Lackwell’ cards to return their boards to manufacturers to have them replaced. “We have identified a rare issue affecting less than 0.5% (half a percent) of GeForce RTX 5090 / 5090D and 5070 Ti GPUs, which have one fewer ROP than specified,” the official statement of Nvidia reads. “The average graphical performance impact is 4%, with no impact on AI and Compute workloads. Affected consumers can contact the board manufacturer for a replacement. The production anomaly has been corrected.” Although Nvidia confirmed that some of its GB202 and GB203 graphics processors are configured with a lower number of ROPs than it officially set for its GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5090, and RTX 5090D products, it never revealed actual reasons why this happened. GPU configurations are set at the factory by Nvidia itself and it is almost impossible for makers of graphics cards to change the configuration of Nvidia’s GPUs. Hence, Nvidia supplied under-spec GB203 and G202 graphics processors to its partners for some reason. The question about the reason how this happened is not a rhetorical one as it may provide an answer to whether this will happen again. It should be noted that wrongly configured GB202 and GB203 GPUs are not the only issues with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 50-series products. Among other things, there are melting and overheating power connectors as well as stability issues with drivers, according to reports. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Nvidia #RTX #suffers #similar #missing #ROP #defect #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Revealed: Entire iPhone 17 Lineup's Various Camera Designs in CAD – MacRumors Revealed: Entire iPhone 17 Lineup's Various Camera Designs in CAD – MacRumors Revealed: Entire iPhone 17 Lineup’s Various Camera Designs in CAD MacRumorsiPhone 17 Pro Max renders shows off this long-overdue redesign Tom’s GuideNew iPhone 17 Pro Max Details Reinforce Apple’s Design Goals ForbesiPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max Reportedly Getting Enhanced Camera Features That Target The ‘Vlogging Community And Other Video Creators’ When They Launch in September WccftechApple wants the iPhone 17 Pro to replace your camera for video recording: report 9to5Mac Source link #Revealed #Entire #iPhone #Lineup039s #Camera #Designs #CAD #MacRumors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*** businesses should look to Ireland amid EU cyber security overhaul *** businesses should look to Ireland amid EU cyber security overhaul Europe’s cyber security landscape is undergoing profound transformation. With the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) already in effect and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) set to be implemented in 2027, *** businesses must move quickly to strengthen their cyber defences and stay ahead of rising threats. Amid the evolving change, neighbouring Ireland stands out – with an established cyber security infrastructure, access to top-tier talent, and central position within the EU, Ireland is becoming the go-to destination for *** businesses aiming to secure their operations and navigate an increasingly complex landscape. Scale of change: NIS2 and beyond The transposition of the Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2) into Irish law in October 2024 marked the beginning of a broader shift in the EU’s cyber security strategy. With NIS2, the number of regulated entities in Ireland surged from just 70 under NIS1 to 4,000 – and this is only the beginning. Across the EU, NIS2 will impact an estimated 180,000 entities, extending its reach throughout entire supply chains and spanning 18 sectors. Looking ahead, DORA and the CRA will be key drivers of the next phase of regulatory change. While DORA imposes stricter operational resilience standards for financial institutions, the CRA will have broader implications across the technology industry. Imposing a regulatory framework akin to the European Conformity (CE) mark for physical products, all digital products sold in the EU must now be secure against cyber attacks and have built-in lifecycle support. From software developers to tech hardware companies, businesses will need to gain cyber security certification before their products can enter the market. This will likely fuel greater demand for cyber security services, creating significant economic opportunities. For businesses ready to capitalise on this, the rewards are substantial – with an expected market growth of approximately €10bn (£8.3bn) per annum in cyber security, as digital resilience becomes a key priority across Europe. Urgency to act: Rising cyber security threats Cyber attacks are no longer a question of if, but when. In 2024, half of *** businesses experienced some form of attack, and for medium and large-sized companies, the stakes are even higher due to their handling of sensitive data. The rise of generative AI has made these threats even more sophisticated, enabling cyber criminals to execute advanced, difficult-to-detect attacks. The impact of a breach extends well beyond immediate financial losses. A compromised reputation, loss of customer trust, and investor concerns can leave lasting damage that is far harder to recover from than the technical fallout. In an era where trust is a premium asset, businesses must safeguard not just their data, but their credibility. With cyber security regulations tightening in an increasingly hostile digital world, companies will require technical expertise to navigate compliance and maintain resilience. Access to a skilled workforce While cyber security relies on technology, its success hinges on having the right talent. Alarmingly, 49% of public sector organisations have reported a shortage of skilled professionals to meet their cyber security goals – an increase of 33% from 2024. In contrast, Ireland is home to a flourishing pool of cyber security talent, supported by institutions such as the Munster Technological University (MTU), which plays a key role in nurturing the next generation of professionals. The collaboration between industry, academia, and government policies has proven highly effective, with tailored programmes such as CyberSkills designed to address specific skills gaps. For instance, Mastercard leveraged this initiative to upskill its team in secure coding and security assurance testing, highlighting the programme’s success and agility in responding to industry needs. In the process of developing a sustainable talent pipeline, Ireland has plans to employ a total 17,000 cyber security professionals by 2030, a significant increase from 6,700 in 2022. This projected growth will contribute an estimated €2.5 billion annually to the economy, driven by multinational companies alongside a dynamic network of over sixty innovative cyber security startups in their diverse ecosystem. Strategic opportunities for *** businesses While EU regulation may initially seem like a barrier, it can also present compelling advantages – particularly in attracting US-based companies looking to collaborate with European partners. Thanks to the EU’s leadership in regulation, businesses can be assured that they are meeting the highest standards in areas such as cyber security and AI. Combined with Ireland’s political stability, robust infrastructure, and strong government support, it provides an ideal base for expanding operations in Europe. *** businesses have a pivotal opportunity to strengthen their cyber security and ensure their future growth. As regulations tighten and cyber threats grow more complex, Ireland stands out as an obvious partner. With its robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, and membership of the EU, *** companies can enhance their cyber security defences and gain a competitive edge in the global race. Now is the time to act – those who invest in Ireland’s wealth of resources and expertise will not only safeguard their interests but also set the standard for responsible cyber practices in the digital age. Anne-Marie Tierney-Le Roux is senior vice president of enterprise technology at IDA Ireland. Source link #businesses #Ireland #cyber #security #overhaul Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Up Late: What is a ******** warship doing off the coast of New South Wales anyway Up Late: What is a ******** warship doing off the coast of New South Wales anyway In tonight’s show, Ben Harvey exposes the rank hypocrisy China for saying Donald Trump is an international bully while conducting live-fire exercise off the NSW coast. Source link #Late #******** #warship #coast #South #Wales Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Darkest Days opens its zombie-shooting global test on mobile and PC Darkest Days opens its zombie-shooting global test on mobile and PC Shoot zombies to survive a desolate open world Build shelter with fellow survivors Team up with others to take on endless undead hordes NHN Corp. has launched the global test for Darkest Days, the studio’s zombie-themed survival shooter on iOS, Android and Steam. While post-apocalyptic worlds where brain-eating undead hordes are a dime a dozen on mobile now, this one seems to set itself apart from the rest with its vast, open world and realistic rendering. Plus, zombie outbreaks are always exciting – we humans never learn, do we? In Darkest Days, you’ll fight to survive against zombies and humans alike in Sand Creek, with plenty of vehicles you can use to your advantage – a particularly handy tool to have when you’re mowing down undead hordes left and right. It’s also important to find safe haven for you and your fellow survivors, which means you can build your own shelter and form a community to make it through from one day to the next. Now, if the single-player mode isn’t adrenaline-pumping enough for you, there’s always the multiplayer mode to take on. You can team up with your best buds online and see how long you can last through waves of zombies that are all too eager to feast on your brains – not something my own heart can take, to be honest, but daredevils would certainly get their fill, I imagine. In the meantime, if you’re eager to join in on all the fun, you can do so by checking out Darkest Days on the App Store and on Google Play. It’s free-to-play with in-app purchases, and the global test is currently underway until March 3rd. You can also join the community of followers on the official Twitter page to stay updated on all the latest developments, visit the official website for more info, or take a little peek at the embedded clip above to get a feel of the vibes and visuals. Source link #Darkest #Days #opens #zombieshooting #global #test #mobile Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pope Francis has quiet night but remains in critical condition at Rome hospital, AP explains Pope Francis has quiet night but remains in critical condition at Rome hospital, AP explains Pope Francis has been in hospital for 11 days, with recent blood tests show early, mild kidney failure after he experienced a respiratory crisis. The 88-year-old pontiff is suffering from pneumonia in both his lungs. Nevertheless, the ******** said he is alert, and attended a mass in the chapel on Sunday. (AP Video shot by Francesca Primavilla and Oleg Cetnic; Production by Trisha Thomas) Source link #Pope #Francis #quiet #night #remains #critical #condition #Rome #hospital #explains Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 With Up to AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU Launched in India: Price, Features Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 With Up to AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU Launched in India: Price, Features Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 has been upgraded with up to AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processors in India and is now available for purchase. Users can choose between 14 and 16 inch display options on the laptop, which carries a 60Wh battery. The laptop is claimed to offer military-grade durability and has pre-installed AI-backed features like Lenovo’s AI Now and Learning Zone. They are expected to help users with personal as well as professional tasks like workflow optimisation, document summarisation, text conversion and more. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (Gen 10) Price in India, Availability Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (Gen 10) price in India is listed at Rs. 91,990 for the 16-inch 2.8K OLED display with the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU option, Lenovo representatives said. It is offered in 14-inch and 16-inch display options and is available in Cosmic Blue, Luna Grey, and Seafoam Green colourways. The laptop is currently available for purchase in the country via the Lenovo e-store, e-commerce websites, as well as Lenovo Exclusive Stores and offline retail stores. Customers can avail of Custom to Order (CTO) via Lenovo.com for personalised configurations, which are said to be delivered within 25 days. Buyers can enjoy Lenovo Premium Care benefits as well. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (Gen 10) Features The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (Gen 10) can be configured with either a 14 and 16-inch display. The 16-inch variant gets a 2.8K OLED screen, 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut and 500 nits brightness, while the 14-inch model has a WUXGA OLED display. Both models offer a 120Hz refresh rate. The new IdeaPad Slim 5 laptops are powered by up to AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processors with Zen 5 cores, AMD RDNA 3.5 GPU, and XDNA 2 NPU. They are said to offer AI processing of up to 55 TOPS (trillion operations per second). Lenovo AI Now is said to use a local LLM based on Meta’s Llama 3 for personalised AI assistance like help with Q&A sessions, workflow optimisation, and more. Meanwhile, the Lenovo Learning Zone tool can be used to record lectures, convert texts, summarise documents and generate quizzes. These features are pre-installed in select configurations. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (Gen 10) is backed by a 60Wh battery with quick charging technology support. It is equipped with a full-HD IR camera, a ToF sensor, privacy shutter and supports AI-backed noise cancellation. The laptop is claimed to come with military-grade durability and measures 16.9mm in thickness. Source link #Lenovo #IdeaPad #Slim #AMD #Ryzen #CPU #Launched #India #Price #Features Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Microsoft analyst report by TD Cowen raised concerns about the AI trade and helped cause Friday’s market sell-off A Microsoft analyst report by TD Cowen raised concerns about the AI trade and helped cause Friday’s market sell-off An analyst report from TD Cowen on data centers and Microsoft raised fears about the sustainability of the artificial intelligence trade and may have had a hand in Friday’s big market sell-off. “Our channel checks indicate that MSFT has 1) cancelled leases in the U.S. totaling ‘a couple of hundred MWs’ with at least two private data center operators, 2) has pulled back on the conversion of SOQ’s to leases, and 3) has re-allocated a considerable portion of its international spend to the U.S.,” stated the Friday note by Michael Elias, a data centers analyst. The analyst said SOQs, or statement of qualifications, are typically the pre-cursor to signing a data center lease. “MWs” are megawatts. “When coupled with our prior channel checks, it points to a potential oversupply position for MSFT,” Elias continued. The report is causing buzz on Wall Street with traders passing it around over the weekend. “Understandably, many investors are worried about what this means — particularly if this is an early sign that AI demand is plateauing and that we are no longer in compute shortage,” stated a note from the trading floor of Jefferies. The report “was likely one of the drivers for the tech sector selloff.” On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 700 points in the worst sell-off of 2025 so far. Shares of Nvidia , the most popular AI-linked trade, were down 4%, as was Broadcom ‘s stock. Data center stocks Digital Realty Trust and Equinix fell 4% and 2% respectively. Super Micro Computers lost 5%. Energy stock linked to AI growth, Vistra Corp , tumbled nearly 8% on Friday. The selling in the tech sector picked up in the afternoon Friday as news of the TD report spread. Most of these shares were stable or higher in premarket trading Monday. The TD report said that Microsoft terminated some leases using “facility/power delays as justification.” CNBC reached out to Microsoft for comment, but has not yet receive a response. Jefferies’ trading desk said that Microsoft investor relations “strongly refuted” to the firm any change to its data center strategy. Microsoft because of its strategic partnership with OpenAI is considered one of the key drivers of the AI trade, along with Meta. Wall Street is closely watching their capital expenditure plans for signals as to whether the AI trade will continue. After China’s DeepSeek emerged earlier this year with a competitive AI model supposedly developed for much cheaper than OpenAI and others, it caused a big sell-off in AI-related stocks by raising concerns that perhaps all the datacenter capacity being built out would not be needed. As Microsoft and other mega-tech companies reported earnings in the past month, they reiterated or raised their plans for AI spending , assuaging some of those fears. The TD report has seemed to rekindle some of those worries once again. Source link #Microsoft #analyst #report #Cowen #raised #concerns #trade #helped #Fridays #market #selloff Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal workers fear job cuts, service disruptions amid Elon Musk’s DOGE push – CNN Federal workers fear job cuts, service disruptions amid Elon Musk’s DOGE push – CNN Federal workers fear job cuts, service disruptions amid Elon Musk’s DOGE push CNNSome Agencies Urge Staff Not to Comply With Elon Musk’s Performance Email The New York TimesSome US government workers told to justify their jobs to Musk, others told to ignore him ReutersSeveral administration officials tell workers not to reply to Musk email The Washington Post Source link #Federal #workers #fear #job #cuts #service #disruptions #Elon #Musks #DOGE #push #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What is DALL-E 3: everything you need to know about the AI image generator What is DALL-E 3: everything you need to know about the AI image generator DALL-E 3 is one of the most advanced AI image generators, capable of creating realistic images based on simple text prompts. The text-to-image tool was developed by OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT. Simple yet powerful, DALL-E 3 can process detailed written descriptions and generate matching images in a range of styles, including illustrations. Trained on millions of existing images, DALL-E 3 is improving all the time. Read on to find out how you can use it. This article was correct as of February 2025. AI tools are updated regularly and it is possible that some features have changed since this article was written. Some features may also only be available in certain countries. What is DALL-E 3? DALL-E launched in January 2021. It was the first AI-powered text-to-image tool to gain widespread attention. Developed by OpenAI, the model uses deep learning to convert written descriptions into visual assets. Announced in September 2023, DALL-E 3 is the most advanced version to date. Trained on a huge dataset of images and text descriptions, it’s capable of understanding complex natural language prompts with greater accuracy than previous generations, allowing even complete beginners to produce vivid, detailed images using the tool. Integrated into ChatGPT, DALL-E 3 is able to generate images at higher resolutions than before. It can also understand and replicate a range of aesthetic styles. Users can selectively edit and refine images by fine-tuning their text instructions. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. What can you use DALL-E 3 for? DALL-E 3 makes it easy to generate images based on text-based descriptions written in natural language. It’s a useful tool for creatives to quickly explore and experiment with visual concepts. It also allows users without design skills to easily create graphics. Image prompts can be as straightforward or as complex as you like. DALL-E 3 is capable of following details with a good degree of accuracy. DALL-E 3 can also create images in a range of styles, including photorealistic, illustrated, watercolor and line art. ChatGPT suggests using the following basic structure for image prompts with DALL-E 3: subject + environment/background + style + mood/lighting + specific details. The resulting images can be used for everything from movie posters and brand logos to tattoo designs and printable graphic artwork. What can’t you use DALL-E 3 for? DALL-E 3 has a number of content limitations, most of which are for legal reasons. It can’t be used to generate images of copyrighted characters, content or logos. It also can’t be used to replicate the signature style of a living artist. Naturally, DALL-E 3 prohibits the creation of inappropriate content, including explicit or violent imagery. DALL-E 3 also can’t be used to produce misleading imagery, nor will it generate images of private individuals. If you ask it to create an image of a celebrity, it will offer an image “inspired by” their likeness. Beyond these restrictions, DALL-E 3 can only produce still images, with no capacity to create videos. It can’t be used to generate very high resolution images, either. Image dimensions are limited to the following: 1024 × 1024 pixels (square) 1792 × 1024 pixels (portrait) 1024 × 1792 pixels (landscape) DALL-E 3 also can’t be used to produce images in large batches. It can generate up to four images at a time. How much does DALL-E 3 cost? You can access DALL-E 3 for free through the Image Creator tool in Microsoft Designer, an online platform. You get 15 complimentary credits per month. Each image that you generate uses one credit. For more credits, you’ll need to take out one of the following plans: Microsoft 365 Personal: $9.99 / £8.49 / AU$16 per month or $99.99 / £84.99 / AU$159 per year Microsoft365 Family: $12.99 / £10.49 / AU$18 per month or $129.99 / £104.99 / AU$179 per year Copilot Pro: $20 / £19 / AU$33 per month Alternatively, you can use DALL-E 3 through ChatGPT with a ChatGPT Plus subscription, which costs $20 / £19 /AU$33 a month. You can also use it with a free ChatGPT account, although the number of images you can create per day is limited to about 3. Where can you use DALL-E 3? There are two ways to use DALL-E 3. The first is through ChatGPT. You can access it on the web, via the desktop app for macOS and Windows, or through the smartphone app for Android and iOS. With a ChatGPT Plus subscription, simply enter your request like any other text prompt in the dialogue box and ChatGPT will generate an image using DALL-E 3, or you can select DALL-E in the menu at the top left of the web interface. Alternatively, you can use DALL-E 3 through the Image Creator tool in Microsoft Designer. This is a web-based tool. Enter your text-based description, select the desired output size and hit generate. Is DALL-E 3 any good? DALL-E 3 is one of the most user-friendly AI text-to-image generators you’ll find. Creating and editing images is as simple as entering text prompts through its intuitive web-based interface. We compared DALL-E 3 to Midjourney on TechRadar and while our writer praised the vivid quality of images generated by DALL-E 3, an aesthetic which lends itself well to visual storytelling, he didn’t think it was as good as Midjourney at creating realistic images. With DALL-E 3 you also get just one image per prompt, while Midjourney gives you four to choose from. That said, DALL-E 3 is a highly commended AI image generator and if you’re already paying for a ChatGPT membership it comes as part of the package. Use DALL-E 3 if… You’re looking for an intuitive tool Creating images with DALL-E 3 is as simple as typing word prompts into a text box, using either ChatGPT Plus or Microsoft’s free Image Creator. You can choose different output sizes and selectively edit the results on both platforms. You need accurate text in your images DALL-E 3 is effective at processing complex natural language prompts. It’s notably better than other AI image generators at rendering accurate text in images, following instructions to the letter. Don’t use DALL-E 3 if… You need photorealistic image assets DALL-E 3 can produce vivid and dynamic images, but photorealism isn’t its strong suit: results tend to have a noticeably synthetic look. This aesthetic makes the tool more effective when tasked with creating stylized graphics, cartoons or artistic images. You want an unlimited image editor You can create a limited number of free images with DALL-E 3 using Microsoft Designer’s Image Creator tool. When your free credits run out, you’ll need to take out a paid plan with Microsoft or ChatGPT to access it. Also consider Midjourney is an AI text-to-image generator accessed via a dedicated Discord chat channel. Its user interface isn’t the slickest, but the platform has useful editing tools and is capable of creating distinctive images with artistic lighting and detail. Leonardo is a well-equipped image generator for professionals, with useful features such as real-time editing, upscaling and the option to train models on brand assets. Its UI can be clunky, but it still offers great value for money. You might also like… Source link #DALLE #image #generator Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘Germany is a different country as of today’ ‘Germany is a different country as of today’ One of the most prominent representatives of the Jewish community in Germany, Charlotte Knobloch, has expressed her shock regarding the performance of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Sunday’s election. “This is a signal. Germany is a different country as of today,” said Knobloch, who is the president of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria. “The responsibility for the democratic parties has never been greater. Everything is at stake now: our democracy,” Knobloch said. She also asserted that since the attack by the ************ Islamist ****** movement on Israel, anti-Semitism has exploded. Fear has once again become a part of everyday life for Jewish people, the Holocaust survivor said. “This must stop at last.” Source link #Germany #country #today Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Versa claims to redefine SASE for enterprises Versa claims to redefine SASE for enterprises Believing it can now unlock groundbreaking use cases and expand the total available secure access service edge (SASE) market by at least 25-30%, Versa has launched its Sovereign SASE package, designed to allow enterprises to deploy customised networking and security services directly from their own infrastructure in a “do-it-yourself” model. The tech firm said it has a “first-of-its-kind approach” that addresses the growing demand for greater control amidst evolving data privacy regulations, heightened security threats and challenges posed by reliance on third-party software-as-a-service (SaaS) infrastructure. Versa Sovereign SASE is said to be intended for organisations operating in highly regulated industries or operating critical infrastructure that require the highest levels of protection, with the ability to deploy a cutting-edge “air-gapped” infrastructure model ensuring unmatched security. Over the past two years, Versa Sovereign SASE has been deployed by organisations in the defence, financial services, maritime, energy and retail industries. It’s now generally available for all organisations. Among the benefits of Sovereign SASE are said to include increased privacy and control, reduced risk of service disruption and eased regulatory compliance. An isolated and customisable service is attributed with allowing organisations to build and manage their SASE environment on their own infrastructure, ensuring greater autonomy and data protection. In addition, elimination of operational risks and costs tied to unplanned outages and downtime on third-party SaaS platforms are said to ensure greater reliability and strengthen business continuity. The significant market expansion is projected through expected improved economics for service providers, making it possible to offer turnkey services to small businesses and consumer market segments. Versa sees extended deployments to moving environments such as ships, planes, trains and automobiles; extended defence deployments; integration with private mobility (4G/5G) network-based services; the extension of zero-trust in organisations to on-premise users and devices on internet of things/operational technology (OT) networks. A North American energy company has already deployed Versa Sovereign SASE to meet compliance requirements for its critical infrastructure, securing both IT and OT networks across corporate and distribution environments that rely on cellular and satellite connectivity. “Versa Sovereign SASE delivers a game-changing deployment model that combines an industry-leading security and networking platform with the deployment flexibility to meet the most demanding regulatory and operational requirements of any business,” said Anuj Dutia, Versa’s vice-president of SASE solutions and services. A key partner for Versa has been comms provider ***** Communications. Commenting on the deployment, Andrew Winney, general manager and head of products for SASE at *****, said: “One of the primary challenges service providers face with current SASE platforms is the limited visibility and control resulting from their closed network. By integrating Versa’s Sovereign SASE solution into our network backbone, ***** Communications ensures superior user experiences and enhanced manageability, which is a key factor in delivering differentiated managed services.” Source link #Versa #claims #redefine #SASE #enterprises Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple, Under Threat from Trump Tariffs, Will Add 20,000 US Jobs – Bloomberg Apple, Under Threat from Trump Tariffs, Will Add 20,000 US Jobs – Bloomberg Apple, Under Threat from Trump Tariffs, Will Add 20,000 US Jobs BloombergTrump manufacturing win: Apple to spend $500 billion in U.S., hire 20,000 AxiosApple, facing tariffs on ******** imports, says it will invest $500 billion in US facilities CNNApple unveils historic $500B investment in US manufacturing, innovation: ‘Bullish on the future’ Fox BusinessApple announces $500 billion US investment in bet ‘on the future of American innovation’ Yahoo Finance Source link #Apple #Threat #Trump #Tariffs #Add #Jobs #Bloomberg Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Celebrities all smiles for SAG Awards Celebrities all smiles for SAG Awards Conclave was the big winner at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Sunday, leaving the Oscars race too close to call with one week to go. Other winners included Demi Moore and Timothée Chalamet, both of whom head into Sunday’s Academy Awards with their chances of winning boosted. Meanwhile, Shogun swept the TV drama categories, with individual prizes for its stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai. Here are some highlights from the glittering ceremony. Read more on this story. Source link #Celebrities #smiles #SAG #Awards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Labor promises universal outdoor call, text coverage through low-earth orbit satellites Labor promises universal outdoor call, text coverage through low-earth orbit satellites Australians would be able to make calls and send texts from wherever they can see the sky by the end of 2027 in a Labor election bid which will call on telcos to deliver universal outdoor mobile coverage. Telcos will be incentivised to partner with low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, such as the kind provided by Elon Musk’s Starlink operations, so that Australians can use their phones whether they’re in remote and regional areas, or while hiking. The technology will also allow consumers to be able to make calls and send texts during natural disasters, which can compromise land-based networks like phone towers. If re-elected Labor would move to consult and introduce the legislation this year to expand the current universal service framework, with the completed rollout expected by the end of 2027, barring supply or technical delays. The existing frame currently calls on providers to ensure all Australians can access fixed phone services and payphones regardless of where they live or work. Once completed, the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) will guarantee up to 5 million square kilometres of outdoor mobile coverage, which includes 37,000km of regional roads. Camera IconLabor will go to the election promising universal outdoor mobile coverage by 2027. Credit: Supplied The program could also be expanded to include data services beyond 2027. It’s understood telco giants and LEO satellite providers have already been briefed. While the costing will be firmed up during consultation with industry, the government could contribute to subsidising licensing fees and other incentives to telcos to speed up the roll out and promote market competition. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, who will announce the election pitch on Tuesday, and described the move as a “vital element” to Labor’s goal of making “Australia the most connected continent by 2030”. “Labor governments have a proven record of expanding universal access to essential services, and the Albanese government is forging another step forward,” she said. “The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation will improve public safety, increase resilience during natural disasters, and provide an extra layer of coverage in areas previously thought too difficult or costly to reach. “The experience will be different to land mobile networks, but the benefits transformative, particularly for a large continent such as ours.” Source link #Labor #promises #universal #outdoor #call #text #coverage #lowearth #orbit #satellites Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rich people are scared of getting shot in the streets. A dangerous app is capitalizing on it Rich people are scared of getting shot in the streets. A dangerous app is capitalizing on it The arc of the moral universe may bend toward justice, but the arc of American capitalism, without a doubt, bends toward guns. I’m talking here about Protector, a new gig app that lets users book armed drivers and personal security agents. Protector launched in New York and Los Angeles last week, where users can now request ride shares with gunslinging drivers and bodyguards, all of them either active or retired military or law enforcement personnel. Rising demand for humans to arm themselves against one another? It’s a tough data point in the ever-continuing “How’s society going?” conversation. Protector’s services start at $200 an hour — with a required a five-hour minimum — and like all good gig economy offerings, users can customize their order. A few toggles include selecting their Protector’s dress code as either business formal, business casual or something called “tactical casual,” which, to this writer, conjures the image of one Letty Ortiz in the “Fast & Furious” franchise carrying a hammer in her cargo pants (photo linked for your viewing ease). After selecting their bodyguards’ outfits, users can pick between a Cadillac Escalade or a Chevy Suburban — both of which have room for five “Protectees,” the app notes as you make a reservation. From there, your personal security detail can ferry you around town, to any number of errands, book signings, book burnings or, presumably, wherever you’d like to bring a few armed beefcakes. That Protector even exists, of course, reflects the fact that the world’s richest and most powerful individuals have perhaps felt more physically vulnerable in the weeks and months since Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was gunned down in broad daylight in New York City in December. That killing, scary enough on its own for a wealthy executive, was met with a national reaction that suggested most Americans sympathized far more with the alleged shooter than the victim. Protector first announced itself back in December, firing off a press release two days after Thompson’s killing that announced the app would be fast-tracking its New York City launch. “My deepest condolences are with the family and friends of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson,” Protector’s founder and CEO Nick Sarath said in the release. “We rely on law enforcement to keep us safe, but they cannot be everywhere at once.” Sarath, 25, doesn’t appear to have a background in law enforcement. He does, however, have a background in launching at least one other mobile app to meet a zeitgeisty moment. According to his LinkedIn, Sarath joined Meta as a product designer in 2019 and left the following year to launch Poparazzi, which pitched itself as the anti-selfie app by only allowing users to post photos of other people. (Think of it as a cousin to BeReal.) The app spent a moment at the top of Apple’s U.S. app store in 2021, but ultimately shut down two years later. Meta scooped up a few of the app’s core members, though it’s unclear whether Sarath was included in that bunch. (Sarath did not immediately respond to a request for comment.) His time at Poparazzi ended in October 2022, according to his LinkedIn. The next public entry in Sarath’s work history comes two years later, in October 2024, when he’s listed as becoming “Founder & CEO, Protector.” Sarath is also, apparently, the founder and CEO of Patrol on his LinkedIn, described only as “a product of Protector.” To Sarath’s credit, it is tough to think of a way to make a quicker, easier buck than to appease the fears of a class of people with unlimited economic resources who find themselves imminently fearing death a bit more than usual. In the days after Thompson’s *******, phones were reportedly “ringing off the hook” at Allied Universal, a personal security firm whose clients include 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. And even before the killing, America’s elites were already feeling queasy about their physical safety. Suntera Global, a private wealth management firm, wrote in an August 2024 blog post about rising reports of “physical security threats” against high-net-worth individuals, with those threats including kidnappings, extortion and home invasions. The Robb Report, a luxury lifestyle magazine catering to the planet’s wealthiest individuals, wrote in September about the “sense of unease” among the ultra-wealthy in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s near-assassination “despite his top-level Secret Service protection.” But despite the very real (and very profitable) fears among the ultra-wealthy, Protector is also playing another game: manufacturing desire. Nikita Bier, a tech founder who said he advised Protector, called the app “Uber with guns” in a post on X, and offered a way for users (read: men) to use the app in a way that doesn’t exactly scream, “The services offered are of grave seriousness and importance, and to anybody out there with more money than they know what to do with, you should never use Protector to bring out some hired goons as a flashy stunt or gimmick.” “If you have a hot date this weekend, pick her up in a Protector,” Bier wrote on X, in a post that generated much of the existing buzz around Protector’s launch. (Interestingly, on his LinkedIn, Sarath notes that he was “recruited by Nikita Bier” when he joined Meta in 2019.) In its own bid to generate buzz around its launch, Protector paid two young influencers, Josie Francis and Nicole Agne, both 29, to document their time being chauffeured around New York Fashion Week by a pair of Protectors. (Cut to: mirror selfies of two thin women flanked by hulking beefcakes, etc.) Francis and Agne told The New York Post that “as two girls in their twenties … we’ve never felt safer in the city.” “Honestly, we’re already having withdrawals,” they told the Post in a statement. But with all the respect in the world to these influencers, how does their experience have anything to do with high-net-worth individuals fearing a public execution from a disgruntled poor? As somebody who’s been a 29-year-old woman on planet Earth, I can understand why one would experience withdrawals from a time when they didn’t have to, in some small but constant capacity, scan their physical environment for threats. But Protector isn’t doing anything to suggest it’s interested in preventing gender-based violence like assault or *****. Revealing as their experience may have been, I’m left believing that these influencers were hired by Protector for the most obvious reason: They’re living aspirational lives, and wouldn’t it be fun if you and your rich friends booked a pool of Protectors to ferry around the crew for a wild night on the town? I have little to base this belief on, other than the general insights about human nature I’ve gleaned over my time on this planet. Also, there’s the fact that Protector is only the latest high-profile offering to sprout from the gig economy: a marketplace that isn’t too keen on vetting whether or not its users actually need its services. (Has GrubHub ever asked you whether you need to have that pad thai delivered from 0.2 miles away?) But making an app like Protector as marketable as possible — by appealing to both spooked billionaires who fear vigilante violence, and affluent 20-somethings chasing an exciting experience — runs the risk of making an already dangerous enterprise (deploying armed goons into any situation) come even closer to inciting lethal violence. How, in any way, is it safe to launch a business that pumps guns into settings and situations that didn’t previously involve firearms? This might feel reductive to any Americans who have habituated to the smell of gun smoke in the air, but the data on this is exhaustive and irrefutable: adding even one gun to a situation dramatically increases the chance that situation turns into a shooting. States, neighborhoods and cities with higher rates of gun ownership each consistently produce higher-than-average ********* rates, and the least-restrictive public carry laws correlate to higher rates of *********, assault and mass shootings in those areas. Bringing guns into a public setting “increases the risk for violence” from “escalating minor arguments,” according to the most recent annual report on gun violence from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Even the mere presence of a gun “increases aggressive thoughts and actions,” the report states, and that in itself heightens the chance of a shooting. If you’re among Salon’s more fiscally privileged readers, congratulations, enjoy what I hope is a truly luxurious bathtub situation, and please — for me! — don’t book a Protector. Please don’t bring more guns into our nation’s public spaces. If you have serious cash to blow on a stupid or ridiculous experience, might I suggest ordering a $38,000 sweater and giving your doorman a one-of-a-kind price tag to gaze upon? And if you’re a billionaire who’s tired of constantly fearing your own death, my sympathies. I’d first ask you to consider why it’s so easy for you to believe that some people wish you dead — far more people, perhaps, than either of us is comfortable admitting. Might this suggest something about the way your actions are affecting your species and planet? Next time you’re making a business or financial decision, you might ask yourself: Could this lead to more people wishing me dead? If so, is there something I could do that would cause fewer people to laugh at my pain? Then act accordingly. You might save yourself from a life filled with small-talk with hired guns who were trained to speak to you in short sentences. Source link #Rich #people #scared #shot #streets #dangerous #app #capitalizing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Virgin Media is down – here’s everything we know about the outage Virgin Media is down – here’s everything we know about the outage Virgin Media has gone down in the ***, leaving thousands without internet access in a very unwelcome start to the working week. The first reports of issues started at around 9.50am, according to Downdetector –and they’re continuing to rise, spiking at just under 10,000 reports at the time of writing. So far, Virgin Media has commented officially on the problems, instead pointing frustrated customers to its service status tracker. We’ve contacted Virgin Media to find out more and will update this page when we hear back, but for now here are all the latest updates on the latest Virgin Media internet outage… The latest news The Virgin Media internet issues started at around 9.50am GMT Most of the issues are related to landline internet and TV streaming Virgin Media hasn’t yet officially acknowledged the issues or estimated a fix Source link #Virgin #Media #heres #outage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israeli tanks enter occupied West Bank for first time in decades – Al Jazeera English Israeli tanks enter occupied West Bank for first time in decades – Al Jazeera English Israeli tanks enter occupied West Bank for first time in decades Al Jazeera EnglishUN ‘gravely concerned by rising violence’ in West Bank; Gaza ceasefire in doubt as first phase nears end – Middle East crisis live The GuardianThousands of ************ families flee West Bank homes as Israel confronts militants The Associated PressIsrael sends tanks into occupied West Bank for first time in 20 years The Independent Source link #Israeli #tanks #enter #occupied #West #Bank #time #decades #Jazeera #English Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mahle Racing Team Wins 2025 iRacing Bathurst 12 Hour With Closest-Ever Finish for the Race Mahle Racing Team Wins 2025 iRacing Bathurst 12 Hour With Closest-Ever Finish for the Race Another iRacing special event crowned its winners with the end of the Bathurst 12-hour endurance race on the Mount Panorama track. Source link #Mahle #Racing #Team #Wins #iRacing #Bathurst #Hour #ClosestEver #Finish #Race Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xi to Putin: China pleased with efforts to end war Xi to Putin: China pleased with efforts to end war China’s President Xi Jinping has held a call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and said he was pleased with Moscow’s efforts to hold a summit with the US toward ending the war in Ukraine. Putin updated Xi on the latest contacts with the US, according to ******** state broadcaster CCTV, which didn’t give further details. Xi said “China is pleased to see that Russia and relevant parties have made positive efforts to resolve the crisis”, according to CCTV. The ******** side “expressed support” for the dialogue between Russia and the US and said it is prepared to assist to peacefully resolve the conflict, according to a statement from the Kremlin. The call came as a dozen leaders from Europe and Canada visited Ukraine’s capital on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion and show their support for Kyiv. Xi also reiterated China’s stance, which includes a “Friends of Peace” group established in September with several other countries, to promote efforts to end the war. China and Brazil issued a joint peace plan in 2024 that calls for a peace conference with both Ukraine and Russia and no expansion of the battlefield. Xi and Putin have had a close relationship, which is also reflected in the nations’ ties. China has become a major customer for Russian oil and gas and a source of key technologies following sweeping Western sanctions on Moscow. Source link #Putin #China #pleased #efforts #war Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shots fired at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster Shots fired at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster (WHTM) – Shots were fired on the campus of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster on Sunday. In a statement on Sunday evening, the college said that “an incident” occurred and that shots were fired on the main campus. The school says “the current information is that shots were not aimed at people or buildings.” Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Pennsylvania State Police say no one was injured during the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lancaster Station at 717-299-7650. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology security can be contacted by calling 717-391-7225. Founded in 1905, the school offers two-year associate degrees in 24 programs to more than 1,400 students. The main campus is located blocks from downtown Lancaster. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Source link #Shots #fired #Thaddeus #Stevens #College #Technology #Lancaster Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NTT, Nokia, Anritsu demo dynamic networking using IOWN APN NTT, Nokia, Anritsu demo dynamic networking using IOWN APN The Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) project has revealed that its all photonic network (APN) has been successfully applied to the mobile fronthaul between the antenna unit (Radio Unit, RU) and the distributed unit (DU) of a 5G radio access network (RAN) base station, demonstrating dynamic rerouting. Led by NTT, IOWN was created to meet the growing needs of the hyper-connected business world of the future, offering a future global communications infrastructure capable of enabling ultra-high-speed, high-capacity internet services utilising photonics-based technologies. In its mission, NTT is being supported by the likes of Ericsson, Nokia, Sony, Ciena, Intel, Nvidia, Microsoft, Orange, Telefónica and Google. It aims to address the almost exponentially rising demand for data and a commensurate rise in energy consumption due to the vast amounts of compute power required by future applications, in particular artificial intelligence (AI) and large language model (LLM) use cases. This network and information processing infrastructure includes terminals that can provide high-speed, high-capacity communication using technology focused on optics, as well as large computational resources. NTT’s IOWN APN infrastructure is being designed to enable high-capacity, low-latency and low-power consumption communications through end-to-end optical connections without converting optical signals into electrical signals. Explaining the background of the study, IOWN noted that with the rise of 5G technology, mobile traffic is increasing, leading to higher power consumption of base stations and communication facilities. Moreover, it said that the advent of 6G networks is expected to deliver even faster communications and large amounts of data transmission, further amplifying power consumption. As a result, IOWN stressed that improving power efficiency is an important issue for mobile carriers and mobile vendors. The new initiative aims to further reduce the power consumption of base stations and communications facilities while improving the reliability of the network through dynamic routing. Under the current fixed, point-to-point optical fibre connection (dark fiber) between RU and DU, operators run more DUs than necessary, and the connected DUs must always remain operational to maintain service. By leveraging the APN for the mobile front haul, IOWN says RUs can dynamically reroute connections to DUs, from a point-to-point physical connection between RU and the DU. This will enable all DU bases to function when the mobile traffic is high and allows the system to switch to fewer DUs when demand decreases, consolidating resources while maintaining service. Additionally, DU bases that are no longer needed due to the consolidation can be shut down to reduce power consumption – not just for communication equipment but also for the entire base including air conditioning. In the test, NTT provided an environment designed to enable verification and quality measurement of equipment and communications required for 5G mobile communications, including devices, RUs, and CUs/DUs. Nokia supplied IOWN APN equipment such as Flexible Bridge, APN-T, APN-G, and APN-I. Anritsu delivered measuring instruments to assess APN delay and to confirm normal operation of PTP/Sync-E. The latest work is said to confirm that in an environment where user traffic flows through two mobile fronthaul using the IOWN APN, the dynamic route change takes less than eight minutes and does not affect user traffic beyond the changed route. Traffic flows normally, even after the change. This achievement is said to allow flexible DU switching in response to mobile traffic fluctuation, enabling DU base consolidation and activation of only necessary DU base, reducing power consumption, Additionally, in the event of a route failure, routes can be swiftly switched to alternative DU base, thereby reducing the impact on services and contributing to improved network reliability. IOWN examined a procedure that optimally combines RU changes and APN route changes to minimise communication impact during dynamic route adjustments. It said it verified that dynamic route changes could be performed successfully using this procedure. For verification, the IOWN APN was applied at 30km between two mobile fronthaul points. The test environment simulated real-time user traffic while modifying the RU settings of the DU device and adjusting the optical path switching of the APN device. It assessed the time required for dynamic route changes, the impact on communication, and post-switching communication quality. The verification was conducted following the IOWN APN device configuration and transmission method from the IOWN Global Forum’s Proof of Concept (PoC) Reference, IOWN for mobile networks. IOWN said that verification tests confirmed that dynamic route changes can be completed in less than eight minutes over a transmission distance of 30 km. Communication quality was said to have remained unaffected, including data transfer speed and loss rate after switching. User traffic on the changed route was interrupted, but other routes remained unaffected. Power consumption was reduced by approximately 20% before and after changing the route. IOWN said the demonstration confirmed that dynamic rerouting can be successfully performed using IOWN APN for mobile fronthaul, enabling dynamic DU base operations during mobile traffic fluctuations and failures, reducing power consumption and service impact. It now plans to conduct a demonstration experiment on the power reduction effect of dynamic route changes and shorten the time required for dynamic rerouting to minimise the impact on service. These experiments will simulate real-world base station configuration, number of users, traffic and automatic route change decisions based on traffic prediction, aiming to achieve a highly power-efficient and resilient network. Source link #NTT #Nokia #Anritsu #demo #dynamic #networking #IOWN #APN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Demi Moore Wins Best Actress at SAG Awards After 47 Years in the Union, Tells Young Actors: ‘Don’t Lose Sight of the Human Connection’ – Variety Demi Moore Wins Best Actress at SAG Awards After 47 Years in the Union, Tells Young Actors: ‘Don’t Lose Sight of the Human Connection’ – Variety Demi Moore Wins Best Actress at SAG Awards After 47 Years in the Union, Tells Young Actors: ‘Don’t Lose Sight of the Human Connection’ VarietySAG Awards 2025: Why Demi Moore Took a Long Pause in Her Acceptance Speech – E! Online E! NEWSDemi Moore Rocks Her Edgiest Red Carpet Look Yet in a Drop-Waist Leather Gown at 2025 SAG Awards PEOPLEDemi Moore’s Leather Gown at the 2025 SAG Awards Had a Surprising Drop-Waist Silk Skirt InStyleSAG Awards: Demi Moore Emphasizes Need for “Human Connection” With ‘The Substance’ Win Hollywood Reporter Source link #Demi #Moore #Wins #Actress #SAG #Awards #Years #Union #Tells #Young #Actors #Dont #Lose #Sight #Human #Connection #Variety Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Looking for something new to spice up your game play? The Tinder of games is here | Games Looking for something new to spice up your game play? The Tinder of games is here | Games As any adult who loves video games knows, there are simply too many of them – 19,000 games were released in 2024 on PC games storefront Steam alone, not counting all the playable delights on consoles and smartphones. Most of us have backlogs of unplayed classics that make us feel guilty about buying newer games. Finding things that are actually good, meanwhile, can feel totally impossible. At least 50% of the questions people send in for this newsletter are a variant of “Help, what should I play?” We do our best to help, but even though it’s my job to know about games, I still don’t have infinite time to play them. Streamers play games all day, but even they usually specialise in particular games or genres and rarely stray outside them. Trying to Google recommendations these days leads you down a rabbit hole of hard-to-parse Reddit threads and misleading AI slop. Enter Ludocene, a new app launching on Kickstarter this week that hopes to solve this problem. It is described as Tinder for video games. When you load it up you’ll see a bunch of cards with game names, details and screenshots on them, as well as links to trailers, and you can sort them into yes/no piles. Based on what you say you like, it’ll show you new cards for games you may like to play. If you like the look of a game you can add it to your deck, so you remember to check it out later. You can easily see which games connect to each other, so it’s transparent where the recommendations come from. You can also select a particular expert – quite a few streamers, critics and other games media people have signed up already – to see their recommendations. Experts have their own cards too, showing a photo and a brief description of their background. The app’s recommendation engine is powered only by human recommendations, not by an algorithm that relies on player data, genre tags or AI. It’s based on a dataset put together over five years by the team behind Family Gaming Database, a recommendation site for parents. “Amazing games are so often buried in the mass,” says longtime games writer Andy Robertson, who’s leading the project. “I wanted a way to follow experts with similar tastes to mine so I could find the games I’m missing. The system needed to be flexible and simple, and not take itself too seriously … The combination of matching with games like you do on a dating app, and building a hand of favourite games like in a deck builder, was perfect. My hope is that this makes game discovery fun and effective again, and pays experts for their expertise.” Ludocene experts. Composite: Courtesy of Andy Robertson If it hits its Kickstarter goal, Ludocene will be free to use in its basic form, with no ads – there’ll be a cheap subscription model down the line to unlock extra features, for no more than £3 a month. “We don’t make any assumptions about how much knowledge you have,” Robertson says. “If you’ve only played Mario Kart and Minecraft you can dive in and start picking games. The system learns your tastes as you go and presents you with appropriate options. It really comes into its own when you pick more specific games for your deck. Whether that’s Elden Ring, Balatro, A Short Hike or Shadow of the Colossus, the system learns your taste and throws up ever more specific and niche suggestions.” I’m someone who loves a specific and niche suggestion. The current “if you like this, you might like that” game recommendation engines that you see on Steam and other storefronts are deeply lacking in the human touch that makes a recommendation meaningful. Ludocene caters to people who want a recommendation from an expert rather than a robot. Another splendid resource for discovering games I’ve recently come across is the Thinky Games website – a database and reviews site for puzzle lovers. It has a huge selection of games that you can search for by genre and platform, from phones to Nintendo Switch. Each game’s description is written by an actual human who has played the game rather than scraped from store data. I guess I would say this, as a games critic of nearly 20 years, but I truly believe in the value of person-to-person game recommendations, especially in this era of AI-driven outsourcing of the soul. (I haven’t signed up as a Ludocene expert, by the way, but I may well do so in future.) If you like the look of it, you can check out its Kickstarter page. What to play Keep Driving. Photograph: YCJY Games Remember The Oregon Trail, that classic educational game where you had to ride your wagon across 19th century North America while avoiding the ultimate end-of-level boss: dysentery? Well, Keep Driving is that, but set in the early 2000s and with fewer intestinal infections. You’ve just bought your first car and now you’re driving it across the country to a music festival. As you cruise, procedurally generated pixel landscapes drift by and hitchhikers thumb lifts, then tell you stories. It’s effectively a management role-playing game where you repair and feed your gas guzzler while managing your own need for food and sleep. You can finish in four hours, but there are multiple endings to discover on subsequent playthroughs. A fun concept, beautifully realised. Available on: PC Estimated playtime: eight hours plus skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald’s weekly look at the world of gaming Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion What to read Diablo IV. Photograph: Blizzard “For years, Maciej ‘Groobo’ Maselewski stood as the undisputed champion of Diablo speedrunning.” Thus begins Ars Technica’s intriguing story of possible corruption in the shadowy world of the speed run – i.e. finishing games really quickly. A squad of modern-day speedrunning sleuths have been unable to replicate Grobo’s success even with state-of-the-art software tools. Expect a Netflix exposé soon. Grapefuit Games, the independent studio co-founded by artist and game creator Robert Yang, has written A Sports-Like Manifesto, which you can read on its website. It defines a sports-like game as one that features elements of a sport without attempting to simulate the whole universe around it in intricate detail. Frankly, mainstream sports sims are beginning to resemble humourless chimera, more concerned with licensing deals and player likenesses than gameplay, so I hope more developers take Yang’s approach. Keith is writing about this soon, but just a heads-up: a new memoir by veteran games writer Julian “Jaz” Rignall has just launched via Bitmap Books. The Games of A Lifetime is a look back at Rignall’s long career writing for magazines such as Zzap! 64, Computer & Video Games and Mean Machines, focusing on the games that stuck with him through the years. A fascinating read for veteran games mag aficionados. What to click Question Block Conker’s Bad Fur Day. Photograph: Rare This one comes from JohnnyBiscuits on BlueSky who asked: “Nightreign looks like a huge departure in format from Elden Ring and for FromSoft in general too – [I’m] interested in other examples where developers have got out on a limb like this, particularly with a well loved IP.” Ooh, good question, and it’s got me searching through my memory banks. As a ***** fan the first thoughts I had were of Virtua Fighter Kids, a strange comedy spin-off from Virtua Fighter 2 where all the combatants are children but with adult characteristics like facial hair, and Typing of the Dead, which turns horror shooter House of the Dead 2 into a typing sim. Or there’s Namco’s 16bit console title Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures, which reimagines the arcade maze game as a point-and-click adventure. I think, however, that the grandest about-turn in games history was Conker’s Bad Fur Day from Rare, which took the visual style of harmless family games such as Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country, and applied them to a wildly scatological, adult-orientated booze-n-swears fest. Surely the biggest image change since John Travolta’s machine gun-wielding assassin in Pulp Fiction. If you’ve got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – hit reply or email us on *****@*****.tld. Source link #spice #game #play #Tinder #games #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Anthony Albanese under pressure from to ditch Woodside project in exchange for ********* Labor government Anthony Albanese under pressure from to ditch Woodside project in exchange for ********* Labor government Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to face demands from the Greens and the teals to ditch Woodside’s North West Shelf project extension in exchange for supporting a ********* Labor government. The *********** reported that data was sent to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek regarding the impact on ancient petroglyphs in the area which could be enough to trigger the government to cancel the project. Both the Greens and the teals are set to demand an end to the project, and in turn support a ********* government. It comes as a junior federal minister hit back at Roger Cook and Reece Whitby’s insults slung during a fight over the handling of paperwork for the $30b project, defending the Commonwealth bureaucrats “who are doing their best for the country”. The Federal department pushed back by a month its deadline to decide whether the project’s lifetime should be extended to 2070. The WA department had already taken more than six years until it gave approval in December. The Federal department then needed updated information from WA for its own process, but didn’t receive this until February 5, after Ms Plibersek took the unusual step of personally writing to request it. “I suspect that there’s a nerdy little bureaucrat in an agency in Canberra somewhere who’s trying to cover his butt, that’s my suspicion,” Mr Whitby said last week of this explanation. Assistant Minister Tim Ayres told a Senate estimates hearing on Monday night he didn’t agree with that at all. “(I’m) not very impressed with people applying the sort of pejorative language like that to the work of very fine qualified Australians who are doing their best for the country,” he said. Senator Ayres also extended the attack to the Coalition, which has pledged to sack some 36,000 public servants if it wins the election, although is yet to detail where the cuts would fall. “We’ve increased the size of the department so that applications get done more speedily and that the environmental and other development questions are considered properly,” he told Liberal senator Jonno Duniam. Senator Duniam asked whether he would also characterise Mr Cook’s comment that he was “angry that . . . some boffin over in Canberra said we didn’t get the paperwork in time” as pejorative language. Senator Ayres — no doubt conscious the Premier is in election mode — replied that he was “a terrific bloke” who was entitled to make his own observations. “We, as a government, really enjoy working with the Western *********** Government. They’re a very fine State government doing a very fine job,” Senator Ayres said. Department officials also revealed that the Conservation Council of WA had filed a separate application to reconsider the Woodside approval. “We’re just turning our mind to that now to see if that’s substantive in nature,” environmental approvals division head Bruce Edwards said. He said the slow documentation from the WA department was the latest version of a rock art study, which ran to several hundred pages, and that the Commonwealth also still needed to seek legal advice. Deputy secretary Rachel Parry said Commonwealth officials had been engaged in an “process . . . with our WA colleagues since December, trying to get access to the information” so the decision was based on the latest data. The department is yet to hand a decision brief to Ms Plibersek. Source link #Anthony #Albanese #pressure #ditch #Woodside #project #exchange #********* #Labor #government Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]