Computerworld News
Generative AI (genAI) tools are becoming more common in the workplace, but business leaders are concerned that their organizations lack a strategy to deploy the technology across their workforce. That’s according to a Microsoft survey of 31,000 employees in 31 countries, published in the company’s annual Work Trend Index report. The survey indicates strong demand from employee for access to genAI tools. Three quarters of respondents use the tools in their jobs, the report claims, double the usage of just six months ago. Employees say AI saves time, enables them to focus on more important tasks, allows for more creativity, [...]
Apple’s Let Loose event saw the company introduce an iPad Pro equipped with a next-generation M4 chip, an iPad Air running an M2, a new Apple Pencil Pro, and powerful updates to the company’s pro apps on iPads. There’s a lot to like about all these announcements. The iPad Pros are thin — at 5.1mm, marginally thicker than the USB-C slot they use. They are also highly performant, with better cameras and improvements across the board. The M4 chip shows Apple pushing far ahead of the entire tablet (and PC) industry, as do the advanced Ultra Retina XDR display and LiDAR capable [...]
The CHIPS and Science Act provides $52.7 billion for American semiconductor research, development, manufacturing, and workforce development. The Act’ provides $39 billion in manufacturing incentives, including $2 billion for the legacy chips used in automobiles and defense systems; $13.2 billion in R&D and workforce development; and $500 million for international information communications technology security and semiconductor supply chain activities. That R&D money includes $11 billion in funding to advance four programs: the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC); the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP); the CHIPS Metrology Program; and the CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute. The Act also provides a 25% investment tax credit for capital expenses for manufacturing of semiconductors [...]
A web browser is almost certainly the most popular application on a Windows PCs. And while there’s a lot of competition, all the big browsers — Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and even Brave — have similar interfaces. Arc is a brand-new browser that thinks it can transform how you use the web, delivering a browsing experience that boosts your productivity while minimizing the tedious tab opening-and-closing we all do every day. I had access to Arc for Windows for months during its waitlist-only, pre-release period before its official stable launch last week. It’s a compelling web browser, although [...]
Google’s dominance in the search arena has given rise to two major antitrust lawsuits from the U.S. government, which allege that the company has manipulated the market to maintain that dominance, to the exclusion of its competitors and the detriment of the public at large. The first lawsuit, targeting Google’s search business, kicked off in mid-September 2023, and is now drawing to a close with the delivery of closing arguments, while a second trial against the tech giant, focusing on advertising, is scheduled for later this year. The cases heavily echo the turn-of-the-century Microsoft antitrust case in several respects, not least [...]
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrreaking news, gang: Google’s just announced a new midrange Pixel product that pretty much everyone was expecting! Titillating, I know, right? But hold the phone for a sec: Before you nod off and start thinking about noodles, there’s more to this story than what’s on the surface — and what most media outlets are reporting right now. The device, in case you haven’t yet heard, is the 2024 Google Pixel 8a. It looks like a phone. It acts like a phone. It does all the things a phone does. And it’s incredibly similar, generally speaking, to the current Pixel 8 [...]
A variety of emerging work trends could combine to help employees gain an edge in the corporate world. The latest puzzle piece is a recent decision by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ban non-compete agreements. Disagreements among workers and employers over return-to-office mandates, remote and hybrid work, higher pay, resignations, and layoffs are likely to become supercharged again. That is, if the FTC’s April 23 move to strike down most existing and future non-compete agreements takes effect in August or early September. Once freed from their post-employment non-compete shackles, millions of workers could launch their own businesses or interview with competing companies – negotiating [...]
As the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) continues to soar, the infrastructure to support that growth is currently running into a supply and demand bottleneck. Sixty-six percent of enterprises worldwide said they would be investing in genAI over the next 18 months, according to IDC research. Among organizations indicating genAI will see increased IT spending in 2024, infrastructure will account for 46% of the total spend. The problem: a key piece of hardware needed to build out that AI infrastructure is in short supply. The breakneck pace of AI adoption over the past two years has strained the industry’s [...]
The Windows 11 2023 Update has been released, but behind the scenes, Microsoft is constantly working to improve the newest version of Windows. The company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features. Skip to the builds The Windows Insider program is divided into four channels: The Canary Channel is where platform changes (such as major updates to the Windows kernel and new APIs) are previewed. These changes are not tied to a particular Windows release and may never ship at all. [...]
Apple AI reporting is seamlessly migrating from the tired “Apple is behind” narrative to a new mythology in which the company doesn’t just make the ecosystem and AI software, but also makes the silicon used on servers providing some of these next-generation services. So, is Apple getting into servers for AI? The Wall Street Journal tells us Apple has a top secret project to develop chips for use in servers. “Project ACDC” (which doesn’t involve Australia’s top rock band as far as we know) is all about researching high-end Apple chips designed specifically to run AI on server farms. A previous rumor claimed mass production [...]
GameInformer News
MultiVersus makes its grand return on May 28, and a new trailer reveals that the Joker is joining the roster. Even better, Mark Hamill is voicing the Clown Prince of Crime once more. Though we don’t see gameplay, a cinematic trailer sets up a dramatic confrontation (and likely emotional reunion for fans) between Batman, voiced in the game by the late Kevin Conroy, and his archnemesis. This marks the first game to feature both Batman: The Animated Series actors together as their respective characters since 2018’s Lego DC Super Villans. Conroy passed away in 2022, and prior to 2024's Suicide [...]
Sega has revealed Sonic Rumble, a 32-player mobile platforming battle royale, and it's coming this winter. As is par for the course of battle royale-type games, Sonic Rumble puts 32 players against each other competing on various levels and obstacle courses to remain the last person standing. In the reveal trailer, it's clear players control various characters from the universe of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, including Sonic, of course, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Amy, Dr. Eggman, and presumably more. As you play, you collect rings and these are used to customize your characters in special outfits and more. Check it [...]
Nintendo has revealed Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition, a game designed around speedrunning challenges and more across 13 classic NES games. Set to hit Switch on July 18, Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition features more than 150 challenges to complete, and you can compete for top spots on global online leaderboards or with friends. Nintendo revealed this compilation title with a trailer that pulls heavy on the Nintendo World Championship nostalgia, with previous winners appearing, footage from old competitions, and more throughout. Check out the Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition announcement trailer for yourself below: As you can see, challenges [...]
In this episode of New Gameplay Today, editors Marcus Stewart and Kyle Hilliard explore Crow Country. This retro-inspired horror title by Snipperclips developer SFB Games takes inspiration from the early entries of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, delivering an adventure that's enjoyable in its comforting, eerie familiarity. To learn more, be sure to read our review of the game, in which we awarded it an 8 out of 10. Head to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here. [...]
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5 Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Publisher: SFB Games Developer: SFB Games Release: May 9, 2024 The Resident Evil series has redefined and refined survival horror in recent years, arguably single-handedly. However, as the venerable series continues to push the genre forward, a growing number of indie games are looking back to survival horror’s late ‘90s heyday for inspiration. Crow Country joins those ranks, offering a respectable nostalgic homage to the past. Veterans won’t encounter anything they haven’t seen, but the experience is comforting in its spooky familiarity. Developer SFB Games clearly understood its self-imposed [...]
Destiny 2: The Final Shape is set to wrap up the decade-long War of Light and Darkness story arc when it launches on June 4, but ahead of that, developer Bungie is giving players an easy way to catch up on previous expansions. Unveiled yesterday under the initiative name "Expansion Open Access," all Destiny 2 players can access and play through the game's Shadowkeep (2019), Beyond Light (2020), and The Witch Queen (2022) expansions. "Prepare for The Final Shape with three epic campaigns and earn an arsenal of exotic and legendary gear," the Expansion Open Access trailer's description reads. And [...]
Arkane Austin was reportedly set to release a big Redfall update this month that would have added offline play to the always-online game before Microsoft suddenly shut the studio down, according to IGN. This follows yesterday's news that Microsoft was shutting down Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, Mighty Doom studio Alpha Dog Games, and absorbing Roundhouse Games into ZeniMax Online Studios. This offline play update would have addressed one of players' biggest complaints with the game – that Redfall always requires a connection to the internet – but now that update will never see the light of day. [...]
Reviewed on: PC Platform: PC Publisher: Edigger Developer: Imagine Wings Studio Release: May 7, 2024 Everyone can empathize with waking up late at night and sitting in agony as your brain forcefully makes you relive a traumatic, embarrassing, or heartbreaking moment. Our past is with us forever, and how it manifests in the present is a toss-up from day to day. With My Past, the debut game from developer Imagine Wings Studio, attempts to blend those feelings with platforming-puzzle gameplay and does so excellently. The result is a therapeutic five-hour adventure I'll be thinking about long after today. After being [...]
The success of Marvel Snap rolls on, as does the seasonal structure of the free-to-play, deck-building card-battler from Second Dinner. Recent seasons have been themed after corners of the Marvel Universe, like Avengers vs. X-Men or Thunderbolts, but this season leans a bit more into the Marvel Multiverse with Blink and the Exiles. This season, titled "A Blink in Time," introduces five new characters, two new locations, and more. The new characters joining the game in A Blink in Time are as follows: Blink (5 Cost, 7 Power) On reveal, swap the last card you played with a higher-cost card from [...]
To wrap up our exclusive Star Wars Outlaws cover story, we're publishing a 15-minute video interview with Massive Entertainment's Alice Rendell, senior narrative systems designer on Outlaws, and Lead Systems Designer Matthieu Delisle, wherein we learn about the sorts of encounters players can expect to experience while interacting with the game's Reputation and Wanted Systems. Please enjoy the video, which you can watch below. Exclusive Interview: Inside Star Wars Outlaws' Reputation System Subscribe to our YouTube channel if you enjoy this interview and want to see more like it! Lastly, visit Game Informer's exclusive coverage HUB to learn more about the making [...]
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