Pelican Press

Microsoft stealthily installs Windows 10 update to nag you to upgrade to Windows 11 – and not for the first time Microsoft stealthily installs Windows 10 update to nag you to upgrade to Windows 11 – and not for the first time A new patch is being quietly pushed to Windows 10 (and 11) PCs It’ll force upgrades in certain circumstances to keep the PC in support This update will mean more nag prompts coming to your PC Windows 10 users – and those running an out-of-date version of Windows 11 – are getting an update stealthily pushed to their PCs that will allow Microsoft to force a future update to the OS (to keep it in support), and also to nag users about support running out, too. Neowin spotted the deployment of patch KB5001716, which the site notes has been quietly installed on Windows 10 PCs following the release of the October cumulative update. (It was also pushed to Windows 11 version 21H2 devices, which ran out of support over a year ago). The patch is an update for Windows Update, essentially, and Microsoft notes: “When this update is installed, Windows may attempt to download and install feature updates to your device if it is approaching or has reached the end of support for your currently installed Windows version.” Microsoft also observes: “After this update is installed, Windows may periodically display a notification informing you of problems that may prevent Windows Update from keeping your device up-to-date and protected against current threats.” This means that KB5001716 will allow notifications to be presented to Windows 10 (and 11) users telling them that their device is running an unsupported version of Windows that is past its sell-by date for updates and is therefore insecure. For Windows 10 users, this likely translates into further badgering to move to Windows 11. In some cases, given the first point Microsoft notes, the update may also be forced on your PC (eventually), as we see happening when any given version of Windows 10 or 11 runs out of road and is no longer supported for further upgrades. (Image credit: Shutterstock/fizkes) Analysis: Repeat performance – the odd history of KB5001716 What Microsoft is doing here is trying to keep your device secure, so in some ways, it’s a perfectly understandable measure. As you may recall, Windows 10 has less than a year of support left now. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. However, there are problems with the approach here: namely the stealthy way in which the update turns up on PCs. After checking for updates, this one seemingly just lands on your system – ***** – without any warning. What’s also odd is that if you search for KB5001716 on the web, you’ll find that there’s a history of this update mysteriously appearing on PCs. As reported on various forums such as Reddit, KB5001716 turned up in April 2024, and was piped to PCs before that in October 2023 as well. What gives? That’s a good question. Presumably, these are revisions of KB5001716 – tweaked updates – that are being redelivered to Windows 10 (and 11) PCs. However, in some cases in the past, there were errors caused by the reinstallation, which seemingly conflicted with previous installs of the patch in some way. If you’ve recently got a message that KB5001716 ******* to install on your PC, this is likely to be what’s happened. The apparent cure for those scenarios is to go to the Windows Update page (in Settings) and click on View update history, then click on Uninstall updates at the top of the panel. Now, scroll back to find the previously installed KB5001716, then select and remove it. Reboot, head back to Windows Update, and check for updates again – whereupon the latest version of KB5001716 (for October 2024) should install okay (hopefully). There’s seemingly no getting around this update, as it is a necessary upgrade for Windows Update (it’s possible that it may do other things in the background, too, apart from the reminders to upgrade and everything else mentioned in the support notes). We should clarify that this won’t force a Windows 11 upgrade on a Windows 10 PC which isn’t compatible with the stricter requirements for the newest OS – but it’ll likely continue to nag you about upgrading (for your own good, Microsoft would obviously argue). Indeed, we’d be surprised if it fired up any upgrade for Windows 11 automatically, even if the PC in question was compatible – but, we guess, perhaps this could happen. Normally forced upgrades are for feature updates, though, meaning new versions of your current operating system, like 24H2 which recently arrived as this year’s annual update for Windows 11. Migrating to a whole new OS, like jumping from Windows 10 to 11, is a much ******* move. You may also like… Source link #Microsoft #stealthily #installs #Windows #update #nag #upgrade #Windows #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Arkansas Gov. Sanders Unites ****** Leaders to Tackle State’s Key Social Issues Arkansas Gov. Sanders Unites ****** Leaders to Tackle State’s Key Social Issues Hunger continues to be a national concern, and it’s no different here in Arkansas where one food bank alone is providing more than 11 million meals each year. Kent Eikenberry, CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, said, “Food insecurity across the nation affects 40 million people, based on the latest number I’ve heard. The problem is far too large for any single organization to solve.” This is why the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank collaborates with more than 100 agencies to provide nutritious food to children, the working poor, and senior citizens in their region. Christen Butler, of the C.A.L.L. Foster Family Ministry, explained, “Food insecurity is a significant reason why children enter foster care. We need to get ahead of it to help keep kids from entering the system and to stabilize foster families, so children receive the help, love, and healing home they need.” Supporting those in need was the reason more than 100 area ****** leaders gathered in Little Rock for the first Arkansas ****** Summit. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “There are so many silos within the state, from government to the ****** community to the private and public sectors. Bringing everyone together in a collaborative spirit allows us to tackle some of the state’s biggest issues.” Flanked by her father, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Sanders spoke candidly about her belief that ****** is a driving force behind addressing issues like food insecurity, foster care, social media concerns, and educational freedom. “I hope this becomes an annual event in Arkansas,” said Stephanie Nichols, of the Arkansas Justice Institute, who emphasized the importance of school choice in education and how the state’s LEARNS Act provides funding for parents of eligible students who choose private schooling or homeschooling. Nichols added, “One example I encouraged attendees to consider is how my kids attend a homeschool co-op held in a *******. If more churches opened their facilities for educational purposes, we’d have more children educated with biblical worldviews.” Governor Sanders recently launched the Arkansas ******-Based Initiative website, which allows individuals and organizations to connect online and engage in various community initiatives. She noted, “A lot of these entities are already doing some of this work, but bringing them together to work collectively will allow us to make a much ******* impact and potentially make Arkansas a model for other states to follow.” While states like Florida and Tennessee also promote ******-based initiatives, Sanders believes Arkansas’ ****** Summit is a unique statewide networking event. “I encourage other governors to explore if a similar event could work in their states,” she said. The governor told attendees she’s not trying to turn the capitol dome into a ******* steeple, but encouraged people to live out their ******. And a big part of that, she said, is working together to help others. “When your ****** is authentic, you don’t leave it behind when you step into any role, whatever job it may be.” Part of the summit included a discussion on the separation of ******* and state and how Christians can be bolder in their ****** without ***** of crossing boundaries. Stephanie Nichols expressed her hope for innovation within the ********** community, saying, “I hope we see more creativity from the body of ******* going forward, because I believe we all have something to bring to the table with that approach.” Justin Bilson, from Fellowship ****** *******, reflected, “Whenever this many ****** leaders gather, everyone brings their own thoughts and opinions. But I really appreciate that we can come together under one purpose—to acknowledge the importance of the intersection of ****** and government and to believe in a greater purpose for our state. I believe the ******* should be at the forefront.” What may result from the summit’s outreach ******** to be seen. However, Eikenberry expressed optimism, referencing the story of ****** feeding the 5,000: “I often joke that ****** himself ran the first food bank. He took five loaves and two fish and fed a multitude. That’s what we are asked to do every day.” ***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly ********** perspective.*** Source link #Arkansas #Gov #Sanders #Unites #****** #Leaders #Tackle #States #Key #Social #Issues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Call of Duty 2025 Needs Much More of 1 Mission Type from ****** Ops 6 Call of Duty 2025 Needs Much More of 1 Mission Type from ****** Ops 6 Released on October 25th, ****** Ops 6 has been a major success, effectively bringing the Call of Duty franchise back to its roots. The game features a compelling campaign with an immersive narrative that ends on a gripping cliffhanger, a robust Zombies mode, and an enjoyable multiplayer experience with new weapons, maps, and an innovative movement mechanic. Players are really enjoying the game, particularly its campaign mode. | Image Credit: Treyarch ****** Ops 6 has renewed hope among fans, who are already anticipating what the 2025 installment will bring. Treyarch has ***** a solid foundation with this release, but to fully capitalize on its success, CoD 2025 should introduce more immersive campaign missions. Particularly, missions that go beyond the usual combat and encourage players to engage with the story through puzzle-solving, exploration, or searching for hidden items. Why ****** Ops 6’s Puzzle Missions Were So Effective The ****** Ops 6 campaign is packed with intense action-packed missions, but in between these missions, there were a few standout moments that were completely different from the typical “****** everything that moves” formula. These missions added a variety to the mission catalog and also tested players’ intellect, patience, and curiosity. The two most notable examples were the Emergence mission, where players must search an abandoned facility (filled with creepy mannequins) to find keycards that unlock doors, and the Separation Anxiety mission, where players enter the mind of Pantheon’s leader, Jane Harrow, and navigate through psychological puzzles (her memories) to find the clue. Both of these missions were a breath of fresh air in a game that otherwise leans heavily towards chaotic and fast-paced ********* gameplay, offering players a break from the usual gameplay loop and creating some of the campaign’s most memorable experiences. The strength of these missions ***** in their ability to create a different kind of tension. This approach added variety to the campaign and helped deepen the player’s engagement with the narrative. As Call of Duty continues to release new installments annually, it would be interesting if Treyarch expands on these types of missions in future titles. The potential for adding more non-combat challenges is high as they offer players a refreshing shift from the standard gameplay and further immerse them in the story. The Need for More Non-Combat Missions in Call of Duty 2025 The future installments in the franchise now have a very solid foundation. | Image Credit: Treyarch For Call of Duty 2025 to build upon the success of ****** Ops 6, Treyarch should lean into the idea of more non-combat, puzzle-solving missions. This doesn’t mean that combat should be sidelined, after all, action is the franchise’s core appeal. However, expanding on the two standout search/puzzle missions in ****** Ops 6 has the potential to make CoD 2025 stand out even more in terms of its campaign experience. In a franchise that releases a new title every year, ****** Ops 6 has ***** an excellent foundation for its follow-up. By adding more puzzles, keycard hunts, hidden facilities, and even psychological missions like Separation Anxiety, CoD 2025 can bring a new level of depth to the series. While players undeniably enjoy the high-octane action sequences (which should remain a staple), giving them opportunities to use their minds and explore the narrative beyond combat can inject fresh energy into the formula. This would offer variety and challenge, providing a well-rounded campaign experience. The importance of a strong campaign mode is evident, especially after the disappointment of Modern Warfare 3, which left many fans frustrated over its lackluster story. By introducing more non-combat missions, CoD 2025 could deliver a richer, more intricate narrative that goes beyond the typical good guy vs. bad guy dynamic. In the end, players are hoping that the next entry in the franchise will elevate both storytelling and gameplay, allowing room for both brains and brawn in the campaign. What type of missions do you want to see more in future installments? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. Source link #Call #Duty #Mission #Type #****** #Ops Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

End of an era: Microsoft is planning to phase out Windows 11’s Mail and Calendar apps by the end of this year End of an era: Microsoft is planning to phase out Windows 11’s Mail and Calendar apps by the end of this year Microsoft is ending support for Windows 11’s built-in Mail and Calendar apps after December 31, 2024, and users will need to switch to the web-based Outlook app Users can still access emails and calendar events in view-only mode in the Mail and Calendar apps, but won’t be able to send or receive emails Microsoft aims to unify email and calendar management in Outlook, though users are concerned about the web app’s lack of offline access and inconsistent design when compared to the rest of Windows 11 Microsoft is shutting down the built-in Mail and Calendar apps in Windows 11, which means you’ll no longer be able to send or receive emails or manage your calendar using those apps after December 31, 2024. This has been a long time coming, with Microsoft showing pop-up notifications about this in both apps for months – and now the end is officially nigh. Users are being urged to switch to the new web-based Outlook app for Windows 11, as explained in a support document that outlines how Microsoft is planning to end support for the Mail, Calendar, and People apps on December 31. It appears that Microsoft wants to streamline all of its email and calendar features and services into this one app that will be accessible on every Windows device. If you want to use those apps after December 31, it appears you can still do that by switching off the ‘New Outlook’ setting (by unchecking it) found in the new Outlook app’s settings, specifically Outlook > Settings > General > About Outlook. Windows Latest reports that this will likely be a ‘view-only’ mode, allowing you to view your emails, drafts, contacts, and other details in the Mail and Calendar apps, but you won’t be able to send or receive emails, and will be redirected to the web-based Outlook. It apparently doesn’t work offline yet, and Microsoft is working on adding support for this in the next few weeks, which is good news as most people would expect a desktop email client to let you see and compose emails even if you briefly lose your internet connection. (Image credit: Shutterstock/Drazen Zigic) What this means for Mail and Calendar app users What this means for you is that starting January 1, 2025, you’ll have to switch to the new Outlook or use a third-party app. In the meantime, you can choose to follow Microsoft’s advice or close the reminder pop-up, clicking the ‘Not now’ option, although this will reappear the next time you use these apps. One other workaround that you can try is to downgrade your Mail and Calendar apps to the previous versions, which seemingly gets rid of the pop-ups altogether, but this loophole will also stop working on December 31, 2024. If you have emails, calendar events, and contacts in the Mail and Calendar apps that are saved only on your device, and you want to be able to access them in the web Outlook app, you’ll be able to export this information by using the ‘Export’ feature in both apps to add those emails or events to either a suitable third-party app of your choosing or to Outlook. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. It looks like the reception of the new web Outlook app isn’t so hot, with some people complaining that it doesn’t ‘feel’ like the rest of the operating system. There seems to be a disconnect with the rest of Windows 11, and along with the lack of offline access, it still feels more like a website than a convenient app for many. Along with Microsoft’s recent mishaps and problems brought on by the new Windows 11 24H2 update, I don’t see this move winning many people over. I think being able to see all of your admin information in one place is useful, but users of the Mail and Calendar apps may have come to rely on using these built-in applications which have been tightly integrated into Windows 11. If the replacement Outlook web app lacks features and polish, I think Windows 11 users will feel let down at a time when Microsoft needs more people to switch to its latest operating system. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE… Source link #era #Microsoft #planning #phase #Windows #11s #Mail #Calendar #apps #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hoffenheim ***** coach Matarazzo after bad start Hoffenheim ***** coach Matarazzo after bad start ******* club Hoffenheim have fired their ********* coach Pellegrino Matarazzo with the team sliding toward the Bundesliga relegation zone after failing to score in their last three league games. Matarazzo had been in charge since February 2023 and leaves with the team 15th place in the 18-team Bundesliga and mid-table in the Europa League. The team’s only win from the last six games in all competitions was against second-division Nuremberg in the ******* Cup. It’s a far cry from last season, when Matarazzo’s team won praise for finishing seventh in the Bundesliga to qualify for the Europa League, and finished on a high by upsetting Bayern Munich 4-2 on the last day of the season. The club had been in a relegation battle when Matarazzo took over and steered it to safety. Sturm Graz coach ********** Ilzer is reportedly a candidate to take over. Hoffenheim fired sporting director Alexander Rosen and technical director Bastian Huber in the off-season replacing them with Andreas Schicker and Paul Pajduch respectively, who came from Graz. Source link #Hoffenheim #***** #coach #Matarazzo #bad #start Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Review – RetroRealms: Double Feature (PlayStation 5) | GameHype Review – RetroRealms: Double Feature (PlayStation 5) | GameHype Right in time for the peak of spooky season is California based indie dev: WayForward with their old-school rendition of two horror giants: Ashley Williams and Michael Meyers within RetroRealms: Double Feature. Author: Kyle Doherty for Game Hype ***. Source link #Review #RetroRealms #Double #Feature #PlayStation #GameHype Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chimpanzees’ Task Performance Improves With Human Audience, Study Finds Chimpanzees’ Task Performance Improves With Human Audience, Study Finds Chimpanzees have shown improved performance on challenging computer-based tasks when observed by humans, a study published in iScience on November 8 reveals. Conducted at Kyoto University, the research observed chimpanzees undertaking number-based tasks on touchscreens, monitored under different audience conditions. It was found that their performance increased with the task’s difficulty when the number of human observers also rose. However, for simpler tasks, chimpanzees performed worse in the presence of larger audiences, pointing to a nuanced relationship between observation and performance. A Unique Setting for Chimpanzee-Human Interaction Researchers, including Christen Lin of Kyoto University, explored whether chimpanzees experience an “audience effect,” typically attributed to reputation management in humans. The study, led by Shinya Yamamoto and Akiho Muramatsu, focused on chimpanzees accustomed to daily interactions with humans and familiar with touchscreen tasks for food rewards. Given the animals’ comfortable coexistence with humans, the researchers saw an opportunity to examine if audience dynamics might influence their task performance, as it does in humans. Complex Effects of Human Observation During thousands of sessions spanning six years, chimpanzees’ task performances were measured across various task difficulties. The study revealed a distinct improvement in complex tasks when observed by a larger human audience, while simpler tasks saw a decline in accuracy under similar conditions. The researchers found this surprising, as it indicated a level of social awareness previously thought to be more exclusive to humans. Implications for Understanding Social Dynamics in Primates The findings suggest that the impact of being watched, even by another species, may not be unique to humans. As noted by Yamamoto, the influence of an audience on performance in non-human primates provides valuable insights into the social behaviours that may have shaped early primate societies, long before human reputation-based systems emerged. Further study could help understand the evolutionary basis of this social trait in great apes. 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. Itel S25, Itel S25 Ultra With 6.78-Inch AMOLED Screens, 50-Megapixel Rear Camera Launched: Price, Specifications Apple’s Automatic ‘Inactivity Reboot’ iPhone Feature Could Impact Thieves, Law Enforcement Source link #Chimpanzees #Task #Performance #Improves #Human #Audience #Study #Finds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Adding ceramic powder to liquid metal thermal paste improves cooling up to 72% says researchers Adding ceramic powder to liquid metal thermal paste improves cooling up to 72% says researchers A new colloidal thermal interface material (TIM) promises to significantly outperform commercially available liquid metals like Thermalright, Thermal Grizzly, and Coollaboratory products. Researchers at the Cockrell School of Engineering, part of the University of Texas, summarize their new invention as a mechanochemistry-engineered mix of Galinstan alloy and ceramic aluminum nitride. The bottom line is that the new TIM can outperform the best commercial liquid metal alternatives by between 56% and 72%, highlights Golem.de. According to the researchers, the new TIM could reduce the cost and complexity of cooling power-hungry systems. “The power consumption of cooling infrastructure for energy-intensive data centers and other large electronic systems is skyrocketing,” noted Guihua Yu, professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and Texas Materials Institute. “That trend isn’t dissipating anytime soon, so it’s critical to develop new ways, like the material we’ve created, for efficient and sustainable cooling of devices operating at kilowatt levels and even higher power.” The scientists go on to underline the fact that around 40% of a data center’s energy expenditure is on cooling. A key cooling performance figure shared by the researchers is that the new TIM can cut the energy needed for the cooling pump by 65%. Its performance is such that it “can enable sustainable cooling in energy-intensive applications, from data centers to aerospace, paving the way for more efficient and eco-friendly technologies,” said Kai Wu, lead author in Yu’s lab. It is expected to be a compelling solution in AI data centers. The major difference with this new TIM is how it is made into a colloidal substance using mechanochemistry. Basically, a liquid metal alloy called Galinstan (gallium, indium, and tin), is mixed with microscopically dispersed insoluble particles of ceramic aluminum nitride. A mechanochemistry technique ensures the optimal dispersion of the ceramic in the liquid metal – resulting in its attractive thermal properties. Golem.de, which seems to have accessed the full scientific paper, notes that the researchers “achieved heat transfer resistances that were between 56 and 72 percent lower than the best liquid metals.” Unsurprisingly, the Texas-based boffins frame the new thermal material as a great solution for energy-hungry data centers. However, their awareness of the commercially available liquid metal TIM products that are popular among PC enthusiasts is encouraging – it should speed the new colloidal TIM into the hands of Tom’s Hardware readers. In other words, we hope the researchers’ mention of brands like Thermal Grizzly will mean this new TIM’s manufacturing method and ingredients can be commercially licensed sooner rather than later. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Adding #ceramic #powder #liquid #metal #thermal #paste #improves #cooling #researchers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man and woman seriously hurt after their tent was ‘intentionally set on *****,’ deputies say Man and woman seriously hurt after their tent was ‘intentionally set on *****,’ deputies say Deputies in Orange County are investigating after a man and woman were hurt in an overnight *****. The ***** was reported around 2:40 a.m. in a wooded area at 555 N. John Young Parkway, near a Greyhound bus station. Deputies said a man and woman in their 20s were seriously hurt after a tent they were inside was “intentionally set on *****.” Watch: Deputies investigate after man found shot at Orange County gas station Both victims were taken to a hospital. The Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident. Deputies said the State ***** Marshal is investigating. Read: Accused stalker sought after cutting off GPS monitor in Marion County, deputies say No other details were released by law enforcement. Channel 9 has a crew at the scene working to gather more information and will provide updates on Eyewitness News. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Source link #Man #woman #hurt #tent #intentionally #set #***** #deputies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple now has replacement parts for the iPhone 16 series Apple now has replacement parts for the iPhone 16 series It’s no secret that most technology nowadays isn’t exactly built to last forever, with new product models regularly on ***** on replace malfunctioning items. However, Apple, which famously announces new products each September, is taking new steps to let people repair their own devices. Apple has launched parts and tools for the iPhone 16, including the Plus, Pro and Pro Max. Now, if you have an iPhone 16 model that’s acting up, you can go to Apple’s ************* repair store and — possibly — get what you need to fix it. Choose the product type and model then pick from the iPhone 16’s choices of back glass, battery, camera, top speaker, TrueDepth camera, SIM tray and more. Apple’s iPhone 16 should be easier to fix than its predecessor, receiving a 7/10 on the iFixit repairability scale, compared to a 4/10 for the iPhone 15. You can either get kits or just the necessary part with prices varying based on your phone model. For example, a battery and ****** kit for the iPhone 16 Pro Max is $119, but its $99 for the regular iPhone 16. You can get quite a lot of money back on the kit prices if you return the replaced piece afterward. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for instance, goes down to $61.88 after you send back the old battery. Apple created its self-service program in 2022, giving its customers access to actual Apple parts when something in their device *******. However, Apple states that the service “is intended for individuals with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices. If you are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices.” So, repairs might not be as accessible if you or someone you know isn’t savvy in making the swaps. Source link #Apple #replacement #parts #iPhone #series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Teaching methods must change to address globally poor reading skills, experts say Teaching methods must change to address globally poor reading skills, experts say Performance on four reading subskill measures for the first three instructional years. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-02028-x New research led by a team from Royal Holloway and the World Bank asserts that teaching methods should improve, after discovering that global literacy goals will not be met without major intervention. The study, which is published in Nature Human Behaviour, concluded that evidence-based reading instruction methods—such as systematic phonics—should be put into practice as soon as possible in low- and middle-income countries. Systematic phonics is explicit instruction about how the alphabet is used to represent spoken words, allowing children to take parts of words—such as “oy” in the word “boy” or “ay” in the word “play”—and apply them to unfamiliar words. The research could prove of huge significance in efforts to improve global literacy. The researchers examined reading skills in more than 500,000 pupils in 48 low- and middle-income countries, assessing the children on things like the names of letters and correct pronunciation of single words. Researchers found that basic reading skills are falling far below the minimum benchmarks, and that the performance gap widens across the first three years of learning to read, meaning children across the 48 countries are falling at the first hurdle when it comes to literacy. Global literacy goals that were set out in the ******* Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, will not be achieved without major intervention, according to the conclusions of the research. The consensus among researchers is that the best method of developing literacy in children is to use high-quality, systematic phonics in the crucial early years of reading instruction. Systematic phonics has been used in England for around 15 years and has led to dramatic rises in basic reading skills. This is something that policy makers should introduce urgently in low- and middle-income countries, according to the researchers. The researchers underlined the importance of improving global literacy, as being able to read is seen as an important foundation of economic growth, and a key contributor to health, gender equality and political participation. The researchers stressed that wider investments into global education are less effective than they should be because children are not learning to read. Professor Kathy Rastle from the Department of Psychology said, “Our findings reveal a major ******** of public policy. Teaching children to read is the most important task for education systems worldwide, and yet, children in low- and middle-income countries are not even getting off the starting block. Systematic phonics provides the means to get these pupils onto a trajectory for successful reading.” Michael Crawford from the World Bank added, “We have over 30 years of research showing how to develop successful readers. Education decision makers should urgently put that evidence into action.” More information: Michael Crawford et al, Inadequate foundational decoding skills constrain global literacy goals for pupils in low- and middle-income countries, Nature Human Behaviour (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-02028-x Provided by Royal Holloway, University of London Citation: Teaching methods must change to address globally poor reading skills, experts say (2024, November 11) retrieved 11 November 2024 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Source link #Teaching #methods #change #address #globally #poor #reading #skills #experts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dublin City Council teams with Ookla to tackle telecoms deficits Dublin City Council teams with Ookla to tackle telecoms deficits Dublin City Council (DCC) has teamed up with connectivity intelligence firm Ookla and the City Telecoms Association to identify and tackle telecoms deficits in the Irish capital. The partnership is regarded by its members as a first-of-its-kind initiative, and aims to offer a practical blueprint for cities across Europe to drive digital inclusion and optimise network outcomes through actionable, data-driven insights. It’s looking to demonstrate how a data-driven approach can enhance connectivity outcomes in a tangible way, empowering cities to better serve citizens. In 2022, DCC established a Telecoms Unit to centralise and streamline functions related to telecoms and digital infrastructure in a dedicated unit in the city’s organisational structure. The unit is intended to serve as a one-stop shop for all telecoms-related activities in the city, offering a single point of contact for citizens, industry and public bodies to engage with. The data-driven strategy is also being used to bridge digital divides, with analysis of how socio-economic factors affect connectivity outcomes, especially in areas with high social deprivation. The collaboration saw Ookla collect Speedtest network data for 4G and 5G networks across the city over two 12-month periods (June 2022–June 2023 and June 2023–June 2024), with a sample size in the tens of millions. Geospatial analysis created a localised tile-based grid across the entire city to categorise mobile network performance at different times of the day. Performance was evaluated against two metrics: signal strength and download speed. Each location tile was categorised as unacceptable if it had less than 11 dBm signal strength and 5 Mbps download speed. Anything above 11 dBM and 5 Mbps was categorised as acceptable. Through Ookla’s data, DCC has gained insights into its telecom performance relative to other ********* cities, highlighting areas of competitive strength in 5G availability and identifying room for improvement in 4G speeds​. This is said to have created the “most comprehensive” analysis of mobile network performance ever conducted at the city level in Ireland. By using the Speedtest Insights platform, DCC was able to integrate other data sources, such as internal city asset registries, mobile site location maps from Ireland’s telecoms regulator, ComReg, and social deprivation data from Pobal. Ookla’s real-world data has enabled DCC to pinpoint key areas in Dublin with significant connectivity issues, influencing policy and planning to prioritise interventions where they are most needed. The council has now launched a public educational initiative on telecom infrastructure, including visualisations of before-and-after network improvements from new site deployments, to engage citizens and increase acceptance of new infrastructure. Commenting on the survey and the results, DCC smart city manager Jamie Cudden said: “To close this information gap, the City Council needed a bold new approach using best-in-class data from Ookla to support our telecoms strategy. By applying our own custom methodology, we were able, for the first time … to understand network performance in Dublin across different times of day, device types, and both indoor and outdoor settings – making this the most advanced city-led study of its kind in Europe to date.” Source link #Dublin #City #Council #teams #Ookla #tackle #telecoms #deficits Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 Fast-Growing Stocks Analysts See Doubling in Price 3 Fast-Growing Stocks Analysts See Doubling in Price Several healthcare stocks have consensus price targets suggesting that their shares may more than double in the coming quarters. Immunocore, GH Research, and Intellia may see major stock rallies upon the release of a significant new ***** treatment, or when encouraging clinical trial results become publicly available. However, companies in the clinical-stage biotech space are often risky investments, as there is no guarantee drugs in the pipeline will necessarily make it to market. Comparing and selecting stocks for investment may involve any number of increasingly complex strategies and approaches, but sometimes simpler is better: targeting a stock with significant upside potential at an opportune moment. Certainly, achieving this goal is easier said than done, and there is no guarantee that a company expected to make sizable gains will follow through on that promise. However, looking to Wall Street analyst ratings and predictions can be a helpful place to start. In a screen of stocks which analysts believe will at least double in value based on consensus price targets, a number of healthcare names in particular emerge. The portion of the healthcare sector made up of companies testing, developing, and marketing new ***** treatments is known for high-flying stock rallies. When one of these firms makes a breakthrough therapeutic discovery, reports strong clinical trial data, or successfully launches a game-changing medicine, shares often skyrocket. On the other hand, these investments are often considered to be extremely high-risk, as the ******** of a product may even lead to the company’s demise. Three smaller healthcare companies that analysts expect to more than double in share price include Immunocore Holdings (NASDAQ:), GH Research (NASDAQ:), and Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:). 1. Immunocore: Strong Oncology Product Pipeline Immunocore is a biotech firm that develops treatments for types of *******, autoimmune *********, and other conditions. One of the company’s latest and strongest products is KIMMTRAK, a therapeutic used in the treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma. This ***** has also shown promise in clinical trials for the treatment of certain other types of melanoma. This has led to KIMMTRAK revenues of more than $80 million in the latest quarter, 28% higher than one year earlier. Analysts expect KIMMTRAK to reach the broader market by 2027. Crucially, Immunocore also has a broad pipeline of other treatments at various stages of development and testing, including trials for brenetafusp, a potential treatment for other types of cancers. Overall, analysts believe Immunocore’s price target is $73.73, about 115% above current levels. However, there is not uniform consensus on this stock’s suitability for investors—analysts at UBS initiated coverage with a “sell” rating in late October based on an expectation of increased competition to come. 2. GH Research: Potential for Growth in Major Therapeutics Market GH Research is an Irish pharmaceutical company working to develop potential treatments for various types of depression as well as psychiatric or neurological disorders. Nearly 30% of adults have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives, meaning that the market opportunity for therapeutics for the treatment of depression is enormous. GH’s leading candidates, known as GH001 and GH002, are undergoing phase 2b trials, and analysts are optimistic about the potential for each of these drugs based on prior results. Further, the company appointed in September a new CEO known for his specialization in this field, which has helped to boost analyst confidence. All told, analysts believe GH’s shares could more than quadruple in price to $36.67. It’s important to note, though, that this is based on just three ratings. 3. Intellia: Promising Gene Editing Technology Intellia is a genome editing company that uses engineered cell therapies, among other things, to develop treatments for cancers and autoimmune *********. The company recently reported strong trial enrollment and demand for its multiple leading therapeutic candidates. While it may be some time until the firm has late-stage trial results, with close to $1 billion in cash reserves it should have sufficient money to sustain its operations for about two more years. Losses per share beat analyst estimates for the most recent quarter and improved by about 4% year-over-year, while total revenue also topped predictions despite falling nearly a quarter in the same *******. During this quarter, the company also made significant progress toward approval of its in vivo gene editing technology nex-z. Analysts believe shares of NTLA could rise by more than 250%, based on a consensus price target of $58.13. Making a Bold Bet Each of these three firms is preparing potentially transformative therapeutic products or technology for market launch. While there are signals that progress is being made, it is no guarantee that these developments will come to fruition, or that they will yield significant financial benefits. Thus, it’s important for investors to consider the risks of these and similar stocks before getting caught up in the excitement of massive upside potential. Original Post Source link #FastGrowing #Stocks #Analysts #Doubling #Price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Post Office scandal drama ‘brought urgency’, says Badenoch Post Office scandal drama ‘brought urgency’, says Badenoch The airing of the TV drama into the Post Office scandal “brought the urgency” to speed up compensation pay outs for sub-postmasters, ************* leader Kemi Badenoch has said. The government needed to be “seen to be doing the right thing”, said Badenoch, who was business secretary at the time. She accepted at the inquiry into scandal that it was “extremely disappointing” that it took the ITV drama to escalate the issue. But she said her row with the Treasury over the time it was taking to issue compensation last August was not just a case of her “posturing”. Between 1999 and 2015, hundreds of sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly prosecuted after a faulty computer system called Horizon made it look like money was missing from their branches. Monday marked the start of the final week of evidence at the inquiry into the scandal, more than two and a half years since it started hearing evidence in public. Badenoch said the four-part ITV drama, which went out in January, raised awareness of the issue, turning compensation from “a value for money perception to a public perception question”. She insisted work was being done on the issue by the previous government, but admitted it was “too slow”. The inquiry heard how Badenoch told the Treasury she wanted to give £100,000 “flat offers” to all sub-postmasters with a claim, with the inquiry to the counsel Jason ***** KC describing her mention of “ministerial direction” as a threat. He said this could be seen as “soft power” or “posturing”. But Badenoch denied the claim, saying: “It was signalling the direction I wanted the department to take to make it very clear.” She said she believed speed should triumph over accuracy, and admitted that this might not have represented value for money from a taxpayer point of view. Mr Bates vs The Post Office received thrust the inquiry back into the spotlight after it aired. Earlier on Monday, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said ownership of the Post Office should be handed over to its thousands of sub-postmasters across the ***. “Nothing should be off the table for the future of the Post Office,” he said, adding that the organisation’s future will be set out in the first half of next year. He said Post Office’s corporate culture was “at the root of this scandal” and that some sub-postmasters had “lost all ****** in the justice system” because of it. Source link #Post #Office #scandal #drama #brought #urgency #Badenoch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Genshin Impact Update 5.2 Releases November 20 Genshin Impact Update 5.2 Releases November 20 Genshin Impact’s update version 5.2, dubbed “Tapestry of Spirit and Flame,” will be released on November 20. Genshin Impact’s update 5.2 introduces two new Natlan tribes, the Flower-Feather Clan and Masters of the Night-Wind. The elite warriors of this tribe are Chasca and Ororon, and they can be transformed into Saurian companions for players to move and ****** mid-air. At the same time, you get to explore the ancient, ruined city of Ochkanatlan while investigating a mysterious incident in the region as a part of the leading seasonal event of the update. Take to the Skies in Genshin Impact Update 5.2 Two new species of Saurians will arrive with this update, Qucusaurs and Iktomisaurs. The Qucusaurs are known to be the best rides in the Flower-Feather Clan. They have an accelerated guiding mode that allows you to cover a lot of distance. You can also use Phlogiston to gain altitude or perform horizontal rolls in mid-flight. Iktomisaurs, on the other hand, are known for reaching vertical heights rather than travelling horizontally. At the same time, they have a unique ability to see, which helps them discover hidden objects. The Iktomisaurs are known as the guides of the Master of the Night Wind. They can also draw energy from Phlogiston-infused objects or craft special items from graffiti patterns. New Characters in Genshin Impact Update 5.2 Genshin Impact introduces Chasca and Ororon in update 5.2. Chasca is known as the great warrior and peacemaker in the Flower-Feather clan and is a 5-star Anemo bow wielder. The characters use a Soulsniper as their firearm and can float in the air while ******* different elemental bullets at enemies. Chasca can also use homing bullets for a lethal strike and restore Phlogiston by eliminating enemies. Ororon, on the other hand, is the four-star Electro bow wielder from Masters of the Night Wind. Brought up by Iktomisaurs, this character also can rise in the air and have a keen sense of perception. Ororon can also enter Spiritspeaker state while charging an aimed shot, which allows the character to extract power from the graffiti and runes in Natlan. Lastly, having him on your team increases your gliding speed, too. Other Features and Content Genshin Impact’s update 5.2 will continue the story with Archon Quest Chapter V: Interlude, “All Fires Fuel the Flame, with Captain and Kansan assisting the tribe to recover from the damage caused by the Abyss. New threats and a boss called “Tenebrous Papilla” can be found in Natlan, and this monster has been powered by absorbing memories from the corrupted Ley Lines. The developers have added the Imaginarium Theater, Serenitea ****, Artifacts, and other key gadgets with this update. Check out the blog post for complete details. In other news, Apex Legends might be receiving a monthly subscription service. Also, the Pokemon TCG Pocket ***** has revealed a new booster pack, an expansion, and more. What are your thoughts on Genshin Impact update 5.2? Let us know in the comments or our new community forum! For more from Insider Gaming, read about FromSoftware’s parent company confirming 20 console games. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Genshin #Impact #Update #Releases #November Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Perception of people with disabilities is antiquated” ‘Perception of people with disabilities is antiquated” BBC Chris McCausland (right) is Strictly’s first ****** contestant Strictly Come Dancing contestant Chris McCausland has told the BBC that people’s views of disabilities are “antiquated”. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said his participation on the show is “extreme” but hopes it will “go some way in stretching people’s ideas of what is possible for a person with disabilities”. He added: “I think there are low expectations of people with disabilities – sometimes you’ll come down a set of steps into a taxi and people say ‘wow, how did you do that?'” During McCausland’s dance on Saturday, he placed his hands over partner Dianne Buswell’s eyes as the room faded to ******. The lights came back up moments later to show him spinning Buswell around on his shoulders. The judges praised McCausland for his “poignant” dance that reflected the experience of blindness. “I pitched this idea to Dianne to have a moment of darkness instead of something that was a gimmick,” McCausland said. “I actually wanted to put the audience in the dark so it was a complete surprise for them to see me spinning Dianne when the lights came on.” McCausland’s dance follows a performance in 2021 from actor Rose Ayling-Ellis who is deaf and paid tribute to the deaf community by dancing for a short while with her partner Giovanni Pernice in complete silence. It won the former EastEnders star a Bafta for the best must-see TV moment. Getty Images McCausland – who is the BBC programme’s first ****** contestant – added that he is surprising himself every week with what is possible. “I said no to Strictly a few times because it was completely unknown in terms of standard and what the dances were because I couldn’t even go and watch it.” While he may appear calm and confident during the dance performances, McCausland said he was “good at masking *****” because it is actually “terrifying to do this on live TV with no previous experience”. ‘Defying expectations’ McCausland was registered ****** after losing his sight to retinitis pigmentosa in his 20s and 30s. Earlier this week, students at the Royal National College for the ******, in Hereford, where McCausland studied, told the BBC he was defying expectations. One student said: “Some people think that people that have visual impairments can’t really do anything or can’t do much with their life beside piano tuning. “He’s doing so well now, it’s quite surreal but it’s really good, especially for those who don’t know anything about the eye,” they added. Another student said it would be “really cool if someone who is visually impaired like us” won the competition. Source link #Perception #people #disabilities #antiquated Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What is Ransack in ****** Ops 6? New game mode explained What is Ransack in ****** Ops 6? New game mode explained ****** Ops 6 Season 1 introduces players to a brand-new 6v6 game mode known as Ransack. It’s an objective-based mode with a unique goal that sees players collecting and protecting loot, and it can be played on every 6v6 map in the game, including the new ones arriving with the first season. If you’re interested in the full details about Ransack in ****** Ops 6, here’s how the mode works. How does Ransack work in ****** Ops 6? Ransack sees two teams of 6 fighting to collect gold bars from crates dotted around the map. Once players have the gold bars, they must transport them back to their team’s stash, which must be protected at all costs. According to the CoD blog, the ****** team can find and raid your stash, so you’ll need to make sure it’s well-guarded. The team that reaches the score limit or has the most gold bars when the time limit has been reached will win the match. Credit to Activision. It’s important to maintain a balance of ******* and defense, as you don’t want to fully focus on one or the other. So, Perks and Scorestreaks that aid your speed and knowledge of the ****** team’s location will be essential, as they’ll allow you to move quickly in either ******* or defense and see if the enemies are trying to raid your stash. How to play Ransack in ****** Ops 6 Ransack will be available to play just like any other game mode in ****** Ops 6 Multiplayer, and it’s not a limited-time mode. You will be able to select it when you filter the game modes you wish to play when finding a match. When Season 1 drops, it’s also likely that the new mode will have its own playlist too so you can easily find and play it. This is a completely new game mode for Call of Duty, making its debut in ****** Ops 6 Season 1. It seems like a mix between Capture the Flag and Grind, where you had to collect tags and bank them before dropping them upon ******. The new Ransack mode arrives alongside Prophunt and limited-time modes in Season 1. Players are also getting some new maps to sink their teeth into, as well as a huge update for Warzone. If you’re interested in more guides on ****** Ops 6, sign up for the Insider Gaming newsletter for the latest, or check out how to see your stats for Multiplayer. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Ransack #****** #Ops #game #mode #explained Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Expand your gaming handheld storage to 2TB with Crucial’s tiny M.2-2230 P310 SSD – now at its lowest-ever price Expand your gaming handheld storage to 2TB with Crucial’s tiny M.2-2230 P310 SSD – now at its lowest-ever price If you’re looking to upgrade the storage in your gaming handheld, this small 2230 form-factor SSD from Crucial is now at its lowest-ever price. As one of the best SSDs for the Steam Deck and other Windows gaming handhelds, this small form factor SSD comes in the 2230 size for plugging into the M.2 port of your favorite device. With a large 2TB of capacity, the Crucial P310 can generously expand the extent of your games library, with room for even the biggest games. No need for an internet connection to download games whilst you’re traveling. If you like the look of today’s deal and fancy getting your hands on one of these little drives, then head to Amazon, where you can pick up the Crucial P310 (2TB) for just $159 – its lowest-ever price on Amazon. If you’d like more detailed information on this Gen 4 SSD, then take a look at our review of Crucial’s P310 M.2 2230 SSD, and check out the performance benchmarks for why we rate this SSD as one of the best SSDs for a gaming handheld, thanks to its size and speed. With the price drop, this drive becomes a very attractive offer. This version of the P310 from Crucial is the small form-factor 2230-sized SSD, perfect for popping into the tiny space available in gaming handhelds or smaller laptops. The Crucial P310 on offer here has a large 2TB of capacity and uses Micron’s 232-Layer QLC NAND flash memory. The controller used is the Phison E27T, which helps to get the P310 to run with sequential read/write speeds of 7,100/6,000 MB/s. There are ***** and ***** to this SSD, with the use of QLC instead of TLC being one of the caveats. QLC is cheaper than TLC, and the DRAM-less drive means a lower endurance TBW, but the performance of the QLC used in this drive was good, and if you’re using it for a gaming handheld, the TBW shouldn’t be an issue. Source link #Expand #gaming #handheld #storage #2TB #Crucials #tiny #M.22230 #P310 #SSD #lowestever #price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 Reasons Why the Stock Market Rally Has Plenty of Fuel Left in the Tank 3 Reasons Why the Stock Market Rally Has Plenty of Fuel Left in the Tank Key market indicators signal sustained growth as investor optimism stays high. Tech stocks, led by giants like Nvidia, continue to power the market’s rally. Strong consumer confidence and bullish sentiment point to more gains ahead. Get ready for massive savings on InvestingPro this ****** Friday! Access premium market data and supercharge your research at a discount. Don’t miss out – click here to save 55%! As the stock market powers through new highs, fueled by investor optimism and resilient fundamentals, three compelling indicators suggest this bull run isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Brokers offering extended hours saw a significant spike in volume last week post-elections, with Robinhood (NASDAQ:) reporting its largest overnight session since launching 24-hour trading last year, with volume soaring 11 times its typical overnight activity. Similarly, Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ:) set its own records, executing 349,910 trades, including 188,168 in U.S. equities and 161,742 in derivatives. Following a record-breaking day with over $160 billion in options traded, confidence is strong across sectors, and a potent mix of favorable seasonal trends, election outcomes, and fresh market leadership supports continued gains. While many factors drive the market’s momentum, there are three key reasons why this rally still has plenty of room to run. 1. Indexes’ Strong Performance Following Elections History shows that markets tend to gain following a presidential election, and this year is no exception. The , , , and have all experienced solid post-election surge. On average, the Dow Jones has climbed 2.38%, the S&P 500 2.03%, the Nasdaq 1.50%, and the Russell 2000 has surged by 4.93%. Additionally, when the S&P 500 gained over 17.5% by November, it finished the year strong—rising in 12 out of 14 instances for November and December. Based on history, strong performances following elections back this outlook, with stocks rising nine times out of ten a year after an election, averaging a 15.2% gain. 2. Tech Stocks Set to Power the Dow The tech sector continues to dominate, and recent changes to the Dow Jones only emphasize its growing weight. Nvidia’s (NASDAQ:) entry into the Dow, replacing Intel NASDAQ:), marks a significant shift. With a tech-heavy index now led by giants like Nvidia, Apple (NASDAQ:), and Microsoft (NASDAQ:), investors are ******** on continued strength in the sector, which has historically been a key driver of market gains. Nvidia, in particular, has had a stellar year and is expected to post strong results, further fueling investor optimism. 3. Consumer Confidence ******** Strong and Investor Sentiment ******** Bullish The market’s resilience is supported by a surge in consumer confidence, with sentiment at an all-time high. The latest survey revealed that confidence in stock prices rising through 2025 is stronger than ever, and traders have built the largest long position in U.S. stock futures in history. This optimistic outlook signals that investors are not just buying into the current momentum—they’re ******** on sustained growth well into the future. In terms of investor sentiment, the latest ********* Association of Individual Investors (AAII) survey shows an uptick in bullish sentiment, rising by 2.1 percentage points to 41.5%, well above the historical average of 37.5%. Meanwhile, bearish sentiment dropped by 3.3 percentage points to 27.6%, remaining below the long-term average of 31%. This reflects an overall positive outlook, with investors feeling confident about the direction of the market heading into the final stretch of the year. With these three factors in play—investor confidence, historical trends, and the tech sector’s dominance—the stock market’s bull run shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Claim 55% off on the ****** Friday ***** today! Click on the banner below. *** Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a solicitation, offer, advice, or recommendation to purchase any asset. All investments should be evaluated from multiple perspectives, and it is important to remember that any investment decision and the associated risks are the sole responsibility of the investor. Additionally, no investment advisory services are provided. Source link #Reasons #Stock #Market #Rally #Plenty #Fuel #Left #Tank Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

REVIEW: Gladiator II is a $470 million epic spectacle, but does it live up to the original? Maybe not REVIEW: Gladiator II is a $470 million epic spectacle, but does it live up to the original? Maybe not Are you not entertained? Well might one ask after watching Ridley Scott’s $470 million Gladiator II, but this sword-and-sandal epic ultimately falls short of the original. Source link #REVIEW #Gladiator #million #epic #spectacle #live #original Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 Does Its Duty to Fans, But It Feels Like Playing the Same Old War Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 Does Its Duty to Fans, But It Feels Like Playing the Same Old War NoobFeed editor Ahnaf Tajwar writes – If you’re into classic COD mechanics with some fresh twists, Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 is worth a shot. The new omnidirectional movement, return of round-based Zombies, and rewarding progression make this one of the more exciting COD entries. Source link #Call #Duty #****** #Ops #Duty #Fans #Feels #Playing #War Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Metaplane app adds data observability for Snowflake users Metaplane app adds data observability for Snowflake users Metaplane on Monday unveiled the public preview of a native application for Snowflake, an integration designed to enable ****** users to monitor and secure their data within Snowflake’s data cloud to ensure data quality. Based in Boston, Metaplane is a data observability specialist whose platform enables customers to track their data throughout its lifecycle to make sure it is accurate and trustworthy when used to inform data and AI products such as reports, dashboards, models and applications. To date, the 2019 startup has raised $22.2 million in venture capital funding through its Series A round plus an undisclosed amount directly from Snowflake Ventures, the investment subsidiary of data platform vendor Snowflake, in May. The investment was made to provide Snowflake customers with data observability capabilities from Metaplane as they operationalize data to feed the tools used to make decisions and take actions, according to Snowflake. Data quality, meanwhile, has perhaps never been more important. With enterprise interest in AI surging and the volume of data needed to train AI models and applications far greater than even teams of humans can oversee, organizations need automated tools such as data observability platforms to ensure accuracy. Without accurate data, models and applications will deliver incorrect outputs that, if used to make decisions, can lead to significant problems. As a result, data observability tools such as Metaplane’s native application for Snowflake are important resources for enterprises as they build analytics and AI tools, according to Stephen Catanzano, an analyst at TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group. “Data observability is crucial because it ensures that data teams have full visibility into the health and performance of their data pipelines,” he said. “This helps in identifying and resolving data issues proactively, ensuring the reliability, quality, and trustworthiness of data for business operations and AI/ML projects.” In addition to Metaplane, data observability specialists include Acceldata, Monte Carlo and Soda Data. New capabilities Data observability is a growing need. In recent years, data volume has grown exponentially. Organizations ingest data from an increasing number of sources, and the amount of data those sources produce is on the rise. In addition, data is becoming more complex, with unstructured data such as text, images, videos and audio files estimated to account for more than 80% of all new data. The increases in volume and complexity, with nearly half of all organizations now managing at least 500 petabytes of data, make it impossible for data teams to manually observe data for quality. In response, data observability vendors emerged, providing platforms that automate monitoring data for quality by looking at its accuracy, freshness, schema and lineage, among other characteristics. Now, surging enterprise interest in developing AI tools, including generative AI, is compounding the need for data observability. Even when the data used to train AI models and applications is high-quality, AI tools are prone to hallucinations, which are incorrect, misleading and sometimes even offensive outputs. Add in poor data, and the probability of a model or application delivering an incorrect output increases. Models and applications are only as good as the underlying data used to train them. Given the convergence of rising interest in AI and the need for high-quality data to inform AI tools, the current state of data management presents an opportunity for data observability vendors, according to Catanzano. “Market conditions, including the surge in data volumes and the growing interest in AI, have made data observability more vital,” he said. “The sheer complexity and scale of modern data ecosystems combined with the demand for trusted data for AI and ML mean that observability tools are essential for maintaining data quality and preventing costly errors or failures.” Kevin Hu, Metaplane’s co-founder and CEO, similarly said that enterprise interest in developing generative AI tools potentially provides growth opportunities for data observability vendors. However, he noted that only a small ********* of technology-forward enterprises have actually put generative AI tools into production and presented data observability vendors with growth potential. “When they have a GenAI use case, that’s amazing,” Hu said. “Selfishly, it’s great for us, and we’re one of the boats on the rising tide. But for the majority of data teams, they are still building up the maturity curve.” While current conditions present at least some growth opportunities for data observability vendors, their platforms serve a real need for enterprises. As a result, Metaplane’s native application for Snowflake stands to benefit Snowflake customers seeking to either start developing AI tools or improve their existing development process, according to Catanzano. Unlike traditional integrations that serve as conduits between data systems and improve movement between them, Metaplane’s native application for Snowflake eliminates any need to move data out of Snowflake and into Metaplane, which can be costly and risk data to exposure, to observe its quality. Instead, the application, which is available through the Snowflake Marketplace, enables ****** customers to observe their data where it resides. During public preview, the application is free. Once made generally available, users will have to pay for the application. However, Metaplane has not yet determined a pricing structure, according to Hu. “The addition of a native app for Snowflake is significant as it integrates data observability directly into the Snowflake environment,” Catanzano said. “This allows ****** customers to leverage Snowflake’s robust security and governance features seamlessly while ensuring data quality and performance. It provides a streamlined approach for data teams to monitor and secure their data.” According to the vendor, benefits of using Metaplane’s native application for Snowflake include the following: Automated observability from data ingestion through analysis powered by machine learning that frees data teams to focus on other initiatives rather than checking on data as it moves through pipelines. Visibility into the health of data throughout its lifecycle, including receiving alerts when there are problems, to ensure that data is reliable for AI and machine learning initiatives as well core business operations. Security and compliance given that Metaplane’s tools observe data within the Snowflake environment rather than requiring data to be exported, which is particularly beneficial to enterprises in highly regulated industries that need to meet compliance standards. Currently, Metaplane does not plan to develop similar native applications for other data platforms such as Databricks, AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure, according to Hu. With Snowflake an investor in Metaplane, the two share a close relationship as well as numerous ****** customers. But beyond that, Snowflake’s Snowpark Container Services, which allows users to run containerized applications within Snowflake’s infrastructure, makes it conducive to a native application. “As far as I know, there’s no equivalent in other platforms,” Hu said. “There are a lot of [data governance features] Snowflake has been building out, and they continue to build out more and more. AWS was the original hyperscaler, and they support all the functionality [needed to run a native application], but not in such a containerized way.” Regarding the impetus for developing a native application for Snowflake, Hu said the idea originated with Metaplane. But once customers were informed about the possibility, they were enthusiastic. In addition, the native application could serve to attract new customers, he continued. Next steps With the application for Snowflake now in public preview, a major focus for Metaplane will be improving the application’s performance to prepare it for general availability, according to Hu. Beyond the native application, one focal point of the vendor’s product development plans is adding integrations with more databases and other data sources, he said. Market conditions, including the surge in data volumes and the growing interest in AI, have made data observability more vital. The sheer complexity and scale of modern data ecosystems combined with the demand for trusted data for AI and ML mean that observability tools are essential for maintaining data quality. Stephen CatanzanoAnalyst, Enterprise Strategy Group A second focal point is to extend data quality beyond data teams to better enable other personas within organizations to understand the quality of their data so they can trust it to inform decisions. “If I had a critique of our category — data observability — and ourselves included, it’s that we talk a lot about data observability for data teams, and that’s important,” Hu said. “But it doesn’t matter if the data teams trust the data and the business does not. We have to do a better job of making sure that [others within organizations] can monitor what matters to them and understand the state of data.” Catanzano, meanwhile, suggested that Metaplane’s plan to add more integrations is sound. In addition, he said the vendor would be wise to develop native applications for vendors beyond just Snowflake. “As Metaplane continues to grow, expanding its integrations and features to cover more diverse data environments beyond Snowflake would be valuable,” Catanzano said. In addition, adding predictive analytics capabilities would benefit customers, he continued. “More advanced machine learning algorithms for proactive issue detection could further empower data teams to anticipate and prevent issues before they impact business operations,” Catanzano said. Eric Avidon is a senior news writer for TechTarget Editorial and a journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He covers analytics and data management. Source link #Metaplane #app #adds #data #observability #Snowflake #users Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Storm-weary Philippines forcibly evacuates thousands as another typhoon hits Storm-weary Philippines forcibly evacuates thousands as another typhoon hits A new typhoon has made landfall in the northeastern Philippines, which has been battered by earlier storms. Typhoon Toraji entered the mountainous Luzon region Monday with sustained winds of 81 mph and is expected to weaken before blowing out to sea. Evacuations were still taking place in the late morning in areas not yet feeling the worst of the typhoon. Source link #Stormweary #Philippines #forcibly #evacuates #thousands #typhoon #hits Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New tech powers a big audio upgrade New tech powers a big audio upgrade 2024 has been a rough year for Sonos. The company’s would-be triumphant entry into the crowded headphones market was overshadowed by a disastrous app redesign. In the fallout of the botched software update, the company decided to delay products that were ready to be shipped to give itself more time to right the course. Consumer trust eroded, and people who already owned Sonos gear were living in a cycle of constant frustration. Thanks to a number of rumors, we already knew that one of the pending product releases was the Arc Ultra ($999). A few weeks ago the company decided not to wait any longer to reveal it. While the design is mostly unchanged from the Arc that debuted in 2020, there are several key changes on the inside that make this a better all-in-one solution for people who don’t want to add more speakers to their living room setup. Sonos is promising better bass performance thanks to new speaker tech that’s debuting in the Arc Ultra, but just how good can it be? Sonos/Engadget Sonos’ latest premium soundbar relies on new technology to improve audio quality and the upgrade delivers more than just a bass boost. ***** Improved bass performance Crisp, clear and immersive sound Expanded Speech Enhancement Compatible with Ace headphones ***** Still just a single HDMI port Expansion ******** pricey Large footprint $999 at Sonos Design The refined design of the original Arc was a massive upgrade from that of the Playbar, and showed a progression from Sonos’ compact Beam soundbar. Honestly, the aesthetic is pretty timeless, in my opinion, and it’s a look that should age well for years to come. That said, it makes sense that Sonos would keep the design for the Arc Ultra, only making some minor changes to the exterior. The Arc Ultra still comes in both ****** and white options, allowing you to choose what looks best in your living room or home theater. Sonos updated the controls to mirror what’s available on the newer Era 100 and Era 300 speakers, moving them to a top-facing bar at the back. There’s a volume slider on the right with play/pause and skip controls in the center. On the left side, Sonos gives you a microphone control so you can mute the built-in mics as needed. And that’s really it in terms of design changes that you can see. The Arc Ultra is slightly shorter height-wise than the Arc, and it’s a little wider than its predecessor. Neither of which make a huge difference, and they won’t drastically change how you position the speaker beneath your TV. Sonos’ new sound motion woofer is situated on the right side of the soundbar (Sonos) Inside, Sonos has re-engineered the Arc Ultra to improve audio performance. The biggest piece of this overhaul is the new Sound Motion woofer that enables better bass performance before you add a standalone wireless sub. The achievement here, thanks to the acquisition of audio company Mayht, is that the new component lays flat, taking up less room than a traditional cone-shaped woofer. The Sound Motion driver also helps deliver increased clarity and depth, on top of doubling the bass output of the original Arc. Sonos redesigned the entire acoustic architecture of the Arc Ultra during the process of adding the Sound Motion woofer. The soundbar now houses three more drivers than the arc, a list that includes seven tweeters (two of which are upfiring), six mid-range drivers (midwoofers, as Sonos calls them) and the aforementioned woofer for a total of 14. The company also employs 15 Class-D digital amplifiers along with far-field mics for tuning and voice control. There’s still only a single HDMI (eARC) port, which allows most modern TVs the ability to control the soundbar’s volume and mute options from your TV remote. Moreover, the Arc Ultra is compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and newly-added Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity allows you to stream from any device. And of course, AirPlay 2 is still on the spec sheet. One last thing I’ll mention here is that the Arc Ultra doesn’t ship with an optical adapter if you prefer that connection. The company will sell you one for $25. Software and features Since the Arc Ultra is a Sonos product, there are a lot of core features that are the same as they are on the company’s other devices. You can use the soundbar as part of a multiroom setup and Trueplay tuning is here to adjust the audio to the acoustics of the room. There’s still an adjustable EQ with options for bass, treble and loudness and a Night Sound mode makes things less boomy when someone in your house may be trying to work or sleep. While Trueplay will give you the best sound customization for the sonic characteristics of your living room, Sonos is enabling a Quick Tune feature for the first time on the Arc Ultra. Here, the soundbar will use its internal mics, as opposed to your phone, to offer a certain degree of improvement. The company says it wanted to give people the option of something quicker than Trueplay, although the full-fledged tuning process doesn’t take very long at all. Speech Enhancement has been a handy feature on Sonos soundbars for a while, giving you the ability to improve dialog clarity as needed. Before now, it was an all-or-nothing feature, but on the Arc Ultra, the company introduced three levels of speech boost to give you more options to better suit your needs. This means the soundbar can help you hear clearly over background noise or simply follow along better by elevating dialog above the rest of the soundtrack mix. Sonos moved the controls to a bar along the back (Billy Steele for Engadget) The trademark feature of Sonos’ Ace headphones is the ability to beam the audio from a compatible soundbar to the cans for a private home theater. That TV Audio Swap tool is available on the Arc Ultra, so you can instantly send the sound to the headphones with the press of a button. In fact, Sonos bundles the Arc Ultra and Ace headphones in a $1,373 set. What’s more, the Ace supports spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, so you can count on immersive sound even when you’re employing it on an individual basis. Despite all of the problems that Sonos has had with its app, some of which it’s still working to resolve, I didn’t encounter any issues during my testing. The software crashed on me once when the Trueplay tuning process completed, but everything had already run its course and I didn’t have to repeat it. Other than that, the app has worked reliably over the last week while I’ve been putting the Arc Ultra through its paces. Most importantly, the software is stable and the full suite of controls for the new soundbar is available at launch. Sound performance The original Arc already sounded great, so Sonos really had its work cut out for it to further improve the audio quality for the Arc Ultra. Thanks to the improved bass of the Sound Motion tech, a change that also takes up less space, the company says it had the ability to then overhaul the mid-range and high-frequency components as well. By using multiple sizes of mid-range drivers and tweeters, Sonos was able to tweak the speaker positioning inside of the soundbar for improved projection and more immersive sound. In addition to the enhanced bass performance, the second thing that was immediately apparent on the Arc Ultra was those improvements to the dimensional sound. Whether it was a quidditch match in a Harry Potter movie or zooming F1 cars in Drive to Survive, the soundbar now has better directional, immersive sound than its predecessor. Sonos says the Arc Ultra now renders Dolby Atmos content in a 9.1.4-channel setup, versus 5.0.2 with the Arc, which further contributes to the enveloping audio. Interestingly, I haven’t seen any of the competition claim four up-******* channels from the soundbar like Sonos does here (those that do are usually accounting for up-******* drivers in the rear speakers). You can really hear the difference from the second you ***** up the Arc Ultra, and the effect is consistent across content sources. There’s still just one HDMI port, but Bluetooth connectivity is now included (Billy Steele for Engadget) The increased bass performance makes the Arc Ultra a much better speaker for music without a separate subwoofer. You won’t get the bombastic low-end tone the newly updated Sonos Sub 4 can produce, but there’s enough from the soundbar to give Kaytranada’s Timeless, Phantogram’s Memory of a Day and Bilmuri’s ********* Motor Sports plenty of booming backbone when a track demands it. There’s also still the trademark Sonos clarity I’ve come to expect over the years, which means finer details like the texture of synths, layered guitars and the nuance of acoustic instruments cut through the mix cleanly. And speaking of clarity, the company’s new Speech Enhancement settings are also a big improvement. Being able to select how much of a boost this feature offered depending on either my needs right then or based on the overall tuning of the content is really nice. It allowed me to max out the dialog when watching movies after my toddler was asleep so that speech didn’t suffer when sound effects were louder during intense scenes of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The competition There’s no doubt the Arc Ultra packs in deeper, more immersive sound than its predecessor, but some people will still want a more robust setup to wring every ounce of audio out of a Sonos living room setup. The high-end choice for this is what Sonos calls the Ultimate Immersive Set, which includes the Arc Ultra, two Era 300s and the Sub 4. Right now, that will cost you $2,561. For something less expensive, you can get the Arc Ultra and the new Sub 4 (normally $799) for $1,708 (Premium Entertainment Set). And therein ***** the biggest problem with Sonos soundbars: expanding your living room setup to get the most immersive experience gets very pricey very quickly when the centerpiece is already $999. If you can live without all the conveniences of Sonos products, you can get an all-in-one package from Samsung for $1,500. With the Q990D, you’ll get the soundbar, two rear speakers and a wireless subwoofer in the same box. The setup offers 11.1.4 audio for excellent Atmos sound, thanks in part to up-******* drivers in the rear speakers. Samsung offers a host of handy features, from Q-Symphony audio with TV speakers, SpaceFit Sound Pro room calibration, Adaptive Sound audio enhancement, a dedicated gaming mode and more. The Q990D ******** my top pick for the best soundbars for a lot of reasons, a key one being everything you could need comes in one all-inclusive package. Wrap-up The Arc Ultra is an obvious improvement over the Arc in the sonic department. New technology delivers on its promise to boost bass, clarity and immersive before you start adding extra components. Expanded features like Speech Enhancements and a quick-tune option offer new tools for dialing in the sound, while the stock Sonos experience ******** intact. And thankfully, that includes an app that’s more stable than it was a few months ago. The Arc Ultra is still pricey at $999, but it exhibits a lot more sonic prowess than its predecessor for only $100 more. Source link #tech #powers #big #audio #upgrade Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

OnePlus Ace 5 Series Tipped to Get Metal Middle Frame, Ceramic Body, 24GB RAM, More OnePlus Ace 5 Series Tipped to Get Metal Middle Frame, Ceramic Body, 24GB RAM, More OnePlus seems to be preparing to launch the OnePlus Ace 5 and Ace 5 Pro in China. The ******** tech brand is yet to make an official announcement, but rumours about the duo continue to surface on the Web. As per a new *****, the OnePlus Ace 5 will run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, an upgrade from the OnePlus Ace 3 which came with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The upcoming Ace 5 smartphones are also said to feature a metal middle frame. OnePlus Ace 5 Series New ***** Reveals Specifications Tipster Smart Pikachu (translated from ********) on Weibo has suggested details of the unannounced OnePlus Ace 5 series. As per the post, the OnePlus Ace 5 and OnePlus Ace 5 Pro will retain the camera module design of their predecessors. They are said to feature a metal middle frame, a ceramic body, and a large battery. The post suggests that the OnePlus Ace 5 series will boast up to 24GB of RAM. The tipster states that the lineup will feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, but only the OnePlus Ace 5 is expected to run on this chipset. The OnePlus Ace 5 Pro is speculated to debut with an even more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. The OnePlus Ace 5 series could launch by the end of this year or early next year. They are expected to bring upgrades over the OnePlus Ace 3 and OnePlus Ace 3 Pro. OnePlus Ace 5 is tipped to come with BOE’s 6.78-inch X2 8T LTPO 2D display with 1.5K resolution and a triple rear camera unit comprising a 50-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel secondary sensor, and a 2-megapixel shooter. It could pack a 16-megapixel selfie shooter and a 6,300mAh battery. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Ace 5 Pro is tipped to get a 6,500mAh battery. Both phones are said to support 100W wired charging. Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details. Source link #OnePlus #Ace #Series #Tipped #Metal #Middle #Frame #Ceramic #Body #24GB #RAM Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]