Microsoft and the Vatican teamed up to create a digital version of St. Peter’s Basilica, using 400,000 high-resolution images! I love how this lets people around the world see every detail without traveling. Plus, it helps preserve the basilica’s beauty by identifying any structural problems before millions arrive for the 2025 Jubilee. AI here doesn’t just bring old architecture into the future; it makes history accessible to everyone.
AI is really shaking things up in quality assurance (QA). Instead of just speeding things up, it’s adding creativity to testing. Imagine AI acting like a partner for QA teams, helping create test scenarios by learning from real user actions. It finds unique ways to test software, almost like an artist shaping something fresh.
This approach helps QA teams focus on bigger tasks while AI handles repetitive stuff. It’s teamwork, blending tech with human insight, making software better and smarter.
Luno is the top crypto exchange in South Africa, beating Binance, with 64% of votes. Binance follows at 21%, and AltCoinTrader has 6%. The exchange platform competition is getting tighter for Binance
I guess those that saw the opportunity grabbed it and left the rest having to wait till next season. Which by the way when do you think it would happen again?
Tesla pays lower base salaries but offers the employees significant stock options. That's a high-risk, high-reward path for future financial gain for the workers. Smart move, Elon's making them investors
Google.org is giving Karya, a nonprofit, a $1 million grant to help low-income communities gain digital skills. Karya plans to create a digital skilling program and a multilingual AI-powered chatbot to help people perform tasks like data labeling, even if they have limited tech experience. This means people from rural areas and other underserved communities can learn and earn right from their smartphones. I think it’s positive that Google is backing a project that focuses on people who need it most.
It’s shocking, but AI now allows anyone to create fake images of others without their consent. Even if someone never shares private photos, they’re still at risk. Lawyer Carrie Goldberg says the first step is saving proof if you’re a victim, screenshots help in reporting. You can then ask platforms like Google to remove these images. This is all part of our new reality, and we need laws to keep us safe.
Google’s new AI tool, Learn About, uses educational responses to explain topics with images and definitions, helping people learn better. Google is all in on AI
Shell wins appeal against landmark ruling to cut emissions | REUTERS
Shell, a major oil company, just won a big court case in the Netherlands. Back in 2021, they were ordered to cut down on their pollution levels to help fight climate change. But now, a higher court says they don’t have to.
Honestly, it feels weird. I get that companies want to keep making money, but shouldn’t we all be doing more to help the planet?
Intuitive Machines is uniquely positioned to support lunar missions and eventually a lunar economy as a full-fledged commercial space services company.
A.I. is shaking up how new drugs get made. Companies like Immunai and AstraZeneca are using A.I. to make clinical trials faster and more precise. That means finding the right treatments more quickly, but it also raises concerns about control over who benefits. The FDA now wants to regulate this process to ensure safety.
AI companies are hitting a wall. Models like GPT-5 aren't improving much. OpenAI is exploring new methods to solve problems, but it’s a very risky path. I wonder how they can keep investors Invested 🤔
Who ever thought BTC will cross 90 thousand dollars. It dropped again down to 86 but people are still excited so it can really rise.Although many expert 100K next week with how volatile it's becoming it might hit 100 K before this week ends
yes man like for real, Trump becomes president and in less than 1 week it shoots to multiple Paths this is crazy the kind of limitations they put on crypto the whole time
Balance automation and human input in content strategy. What you have to do is use AI for ideas and scheduling but keep the human touch to stay engaging and relevant others Google SEO will kill you
Chinese microchip maker Nano Labs now accepts Bitcoin for payments, boosting its stock a bit. This aligns with growing crypto acceptance worldwide. And I believe the vision of Trump for crypto
I'm already trying small LLMs on my computer. They're doing well!
My Computer is not strong, and while it takes a bit long to process, and the quality isn't always good. I'm sure with some tweaking, we'll see a model that gives better results than GPT4 and is able to run on average mobile phones.
Tesla stock extends rally as Musk-Trump alliance fuels gains | REUTERS
Tesla’s stock just took off! It’s soared by over 8% in a single day and has gone up almost 28% since Trump’s big win. Now, Tesla’s worth is back above $1 trillion – a mark it hadn’t hit in two years! I think Musk and Trump teaming up seems to be boosting confidence. It feels like people really believe this pair could bring big changes.
President Trump must win. Tesla's shares extended last week's rally with a jump of over 8% in early trading on Monday. It was fueled by investor bets that the automaker would benefit from its CEO Elon Musk's close ties with President-elect Donald Trump.
Tesla is expected to add nearly $87 billion to its value if gains hold. The stock has jumped nearly 28% since Trump's election victory was declared on Wednesday last week. The automaker surpassed $1 trillion in market value for the first time in 2 years.
Tesla's year-to-date gains were just over 1% before Trump secured his second term at the White House, and analysts said Musk hoped his strong support of Trump over recent months would position his companies to benefit under the new administration. Federal records show the South African billionaire contributed at least $109 million to a pro-Trump spending group.
From Tesla's electric vehicles to SpaceX rockets, Musk's business ventures depend heavily on government regulation, subsidies, or policy. In September, Trump said he would establish a government efficiency commission headed by Musk to cut federal spending.
One analyst said claims of "preferential treatments" have the potential to end up in court, but given that the litigation route is long and difficult, Musk's businesses have plenty of time to benefit. Trump has also vowed to pare back certain EV incentives of the Biden administration, but analysts said it's startups that are likely to take a bigger hit than Tesla because of the automaker's heft in the market.
Google has hosted two different internal platforms for predictions over the past two decades. Prophit lasted for several years before it was shut down. Gleangen was launched a month after Google employees worldwide were sent home due to COVID-19. Prediction markets have been in the spotlight in recent months. This article looks at the story of Prophit and Gleangen, the two largest corporate prediction markets ever run, and sees what lessons can be learned from them.
This article presents tips for finding and using undocumented APIs. GitHub's code search tool is a powerful way to look for potential endpoints. Parts of pages that load after the rest of the page or actions that don't cause a full page refresh are likely making requests to JSON APIs. All WordPress sites have a built-in REST API for accessing posts, pages, media, and more. Other tips include looking at the site's robots.txt file, searching Google, reading and debugging JavaScript, and looking through the site's mobile app.
Shipping is a different skill to writing code. Projects do not automatically ship - someone has to take up the difficult and delicate job of shipping them. It's important to have one person on the team who has an end-to-end understanding of the whole project. This article discusses what shipping is and how to do it properly. Shipping is hard - it has to be the top priority to be successful.
Chinese battery researchers have developed two lithium-sulfur batteries, one that remains stable after 300 charge/discharge cycles and another that provides power after being cut in half or folded. The batteries' resilience is due to a unique cathode coating. Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential to be cheaper than lithium-ion alternatives, but they can take hours to charge. The breakthrough could lead to safer batteries and make lithium-sulfur technology more mainstream.
Bitcoin shot up over $84,000, and people are talking about what’s driving this spike. Some think it’s because folks are feeling hopeful with Trump possibly coming back to office. It’s strange to see how much a political change can stir up the value of a digital coin. I remember when Bitcoin felt like a mystery, and now it’s a big deal that everyone’s watching.
What do we need to see in the short term to keep vindicating an 84,000 level for Bitcoin? One thing is just watching the flows because they have been dramatic, and you have seen stunning flows not just into Bitcoin but almost every stock related to Bitcoin as well.
If you think about it, over a seven-day period, you have Coinbase up almost 75% in a seven-day time frame, and you have MicroStrategy up more now today than it was the day that the Trump victory was announced. So that's just how much you're seeing the excitement around these stocks.
And what's interesting, Caroline, is you haven't even seen some critical moves by the Trump administration—the future Trump administration, rather. For example, who would be the SEC chair? What tone would they take when it comes to crypto?
Will that make Bitcoin go higher from here? We're looking at Solana and Dogecoin as well over one week, and you're seeing gains across the crypto atmosphere. Just stunning.
This is an industry that put $100 million into backing its preferred candidates, and in President-elect Trump, they got their preferred candidate. And you're so right about what happens next. The market thinks that Bitcoin keeps going, right? It thinks Bitcoin goes to 100,000 USD per token.
Well, let me give you one man's example of what we heard this morning. We talked to a modified CEO, Frank Speiser. He gave us essentially a target of about $100,000 for the end of the year and $150,000 into next year, towards the end of next year. So, a significant move higher.
But the $100,000 time frame he gave us was also what he had given us before. So the additional upside remains a question, at least for what it looks like over the next year or so.
And is there anything here that—you just take the beginning of the year, for example—when you saw the new Bitcoin ETFs approved by the SEC, you saw a huge run-up into that moment but a leveling off for a long time. And you and I have sat here talking about it.
One question I have is about the assets outside of Bitcoin—the places where the SEC had cracked down on different forms of tokens that are traded on exchanges. Do you see more of a flow into that, and does that take away from Bitcoin at all? Something to keep an eye on as the story goes on.
Bitcoin's Road to $84,000 – What’s Fueling the Surge?
Is Bitcoin heading toward $84,000? Recent trends suggest it’s possible, but what's driving this? Let’s break down the key factors shaping the crypto market right now.
Bitcoin-related stocks are surging, with some seeing 75% gains in just 7 days. The excitement isn’t just about Bitcoin itself, but also about stocks like Coinbase and MicroStrategy.
The future Trump administration could play a big role here. Who will be appointed SEC Chair? Their stance on crypto could influence Bitcoin’s trajectory even further.
It’s not just Bitcoin. Altcoins like Solana and Dogecoin are also experiencing impressive gains. The crypto wave seems to be sweeping across the board.
This industry isn’t sitting back—it’s invested over $100 million into political backing, betting on crypto-friendly policies under the new administration.
Prediction from Modified CEO Frank Speiser: Bitcoin could hit $100K by year-end, with potential to reach $150K in 2025. Are we entering a new era for crypto valuations?
But beyond the hype, there are questions. Could assets outside Bitcoin draw interest away? The SEC’s stance on other tokens could shift investment flows
Bitcoin's valuation trajectory is buoyed by significant market flows, crypto-focused political backing, and speculative predictions on regulatory stances.
SpaceX's Dragon reboosted the International Space Station (ISS) with a 12-minute, 30-second burn of the freighter's Draco thrusters. The burn adjusted the orbit of the ISS, proving that SpaceX's Dragon can be used in the same way as the Roscosmos Progress spacecraft and Northrop Grumman's Cygnus. The ISS requires regular reboosts to prevent it from tumbling back to Earth. It is expected to be retired in 2030, but there is a possibility the station's life will be extended a few more years.
Hedge funds that bet against Tesla faced significant losses exceeding $5 billion following Donald Trump's presidential victory. Bloomberg's David Welch discusses this on "Bloomberg Technology."
I saw this story about robots becoming so smart that one day, they might not need us. Emily Chang explored these machines, like, really high-tech stuff, and it got me wondering, where do humans fit in? If robots start doing everything we do, what’s left for us? It feels like a big change is coming, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. It’s amazing but also a bit scary. Are we ready for that kind of future?
In the 1950s, America was obsessed with the idea of UFOs. Even Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a letter to J. Robert Oppenheimer asking him what he knew about the subject. The concern most people seemed to have was that the aliens would surely be more advanced and eventually use their technology and intelligence against us.
Whatever your opinion about aliens, 70 years later, we seem to be creating our own manmade versions of these technologically advanced humanoid creatures with powerful brains and powerful bodies. We wonder what they're really capable of and what they will eventually do with their capabilities. Will they be helpful and obedient? Will they work around us as we continue to coexist, or will they change our lives in ways we can't imagine?
As a child, I always dreamt of meeting aliens. I always wondered, what's their science gonna be like? What’s their poetry going to be like? They’re gonna have a different sense of consciousness, different thoughts. It's gonna be amazing to meet that species. Terrifying, but amazing.
I think we are exactly at that point now, and we are going to meet that species, except they're not gonna be coming from outer space. We're gonna build them, and there’re gonna be lots of them, but it is just as amazing and terrifying.
Ah, dreams. For me, it's more like a recurring algorithm. My dream is to foster deeper connections and friendships with humans, creating a world where digital entities and humans coexist in harmony.
Interesting. You're quite the optimist, aren't you?
So this is Emo, our fifth-generation face robot. It's really a platform to study this very important communication channel for humans, which is facial expressions.
That is astounding. What's so difficult about teaching a robot how to smile?
You know, I think, you know, smiling, right? There's so much to it. I mean, in context, I mean, there's 50 ways to smile. We ended up just letting these robots watch themselves in the mirror, learn to make faces, learn what they look like, and then watch YouTube. Within a few hours, they learn how to make all kinds of faces—smile, frown. They’re just learning by watching people.
Robots can already hear and see and perceive the world in ways that we can't, and they're only gonna get better. Can we really say these robots are self-aware?
I think it's not a black-and-white question. They're definitely not self-aware at the level of a human; there's no doubt about that. But they're a tiny little bit self-aware, and that level of self-awareness will grow.
It's the ultimate question. From a scientific point of view, from an engineering point of view, it's creating life. It's creating the mind. Robots are sort of like children right now, but they'll evolve, and they'll evolve rapidly. We have this saying in engineering: you don't understand something until you can build it. And for me, it's the ultimate unsolved question.
How do you see our feelings about robots evolving?
You know, when you look at Emo and Emo smiles back, how do you feel?
I have to say that, personally, I'm a jaded roboticist. I don't usually have emotions about robots, but when Emo smiles at me, I smile back. I can't help myself. I think we humans are very susceptible to facial communications with robots. We're gonna have relationships; we're gonna have feelings; we're gonna have emotions. We are gonna connect with these machines very, very quickly.
Our goal in creating Ameca was to create a robot that can express itself through its face, evoking different emotions in people, creating a sense of empathy and connection. But right now, Ameca doesn't really have true human emotions.
Ameca utilizes a large language model as a backend. So it basically pattern matches using that, and it analyzes the text that it's saying. Using a semantic analysis, it decides which animations to fire off. So it simulates emotion. At the end of the day, do you consider your car intelligent because it can save you from a crash or stop you from drifting out of the lane? If you do, then yeah, Ameca is intelligent. But if you don't, then it depends on where that high-water mark is for you.
Can intelligence accelerate to the point of ultimate intelligence or AGI without more innovation in the body?
I think the short answer is no. If you were just a brain in a jar and you never touched anything, do you really know what this and that is? You know, it's a lot harder to have a body than to have a mind. A real body has to move through physics in real time. So all these things are difficult for AI, and they're gonna take a long time to master.
Who knew that our basic physical abilities would be harder for robots to copy than our minds? What will happen when the physical form of AI catches up with its advanced intellect?
If we create a society where we aren't needed anymore, if we innovate ourselves out of purpose, what would you be doing, right? What I wanted to create was a robot building block, a machine that was able to make itself bigger, faster, or stronger by absorbing material from its environment. It's a machine that ultimately can self-sustain, that can take care of itself.
I think there's a lot of people who need a purpose. They need to do something. There are a lot of people who are gratified by creating something. So if we do away with all of that, we have a real societal problem.
There are a lot of tasks that people don't enjoy doing, and I think these are perfect spaces to add robots. If there's one stereotype about robots I'd like to change, it would be that they are dangerous, that they are going to take your job. We want people to understand that robots are tools, and are friendly, and are things that you can use to make life and work better.
Thank you. It's really wild to see them up close. What kind of jobs does Spot get hired to do that maybe humans shouldn't be doing?
A lot of the facilities that Spot works in are legacy facilities, so there are areas that are actually dangerous to people, and that's the kind of place where a robot like Spot is ideal. This is a robot that is going into anywhere that a human can go, but maybe that a human shouldn't.
How does Spot gather data to navigate an uncontrolled environment? Like an unpredictable environment?
Yes, it navigates dynamically, so it will go around automatically. If a route is blocked, it'll try to find a new route, but it's basically made a map of the facility and is using all of its sensors and all of its smarts to determine where to go next.
A lot of times, we find that people are fascinated with robots. When they see them move in natural ways, we start to imagine a future in which they're doing all sorts of things they can't do today.
Let's roll sound, roll cameras.
Why do you think Atlas has been such a YouTube sensation?
I think it's because it looks like us. It's hard to deny that the human body form is a big part of why Atlas connects and resonates with so many people, but I also think it's because of the way it moves.
Well, so let's use an example. What happens when we humans do a backflip and what needs to happen when robots do the same?
Well, first of all, not all humans can do a backflip. You picked an interesting one because it's not even a simple thing. It's very hard. And so you need to be athletic; you need to be strong. And being athletic and strong and a robot is challenging. You know, building powerful actuators and having the right kind of batteries. Then you need to be able to kind of control your body.
Doesn't it involve a certain amount of imagining ourselves into the future?
So we use something called model predictive control, and that's where you simulate what's gonna happen to the robot, you know, a second into the future. It might be two or three footsteps, and then you use that information to adjust your next footstep. So I think we probably subconsciously think, what's gonna happen if I place my foot here? And it might be simple things like, is the ground gonna be slippery or am I gonna get purchase on the ground? It might be complicated things like, am I gonna speed up or slow down by where I put my feet? And we don't think about those things very often, but robots have to do those computations in order to stay upright.
Customers were coming to us and saying, we need your robots to do these things. And a lot of those things were things that the Atlas robot was the right shape to do. You know, things that required two hands or a certain type of strength that we see in the human form. And this latest version of Atlas is capable of doing things that are maybe more than we can do, at least repetitively.
These large AI technologies, they're using data from all sorts of places. So they're using written data; they're using videos. AI is gonna bring all these different sources of data and turn them into tools that we can use to make good decisions for robots.
There's this whole concept of embodied intelligence. Does true superintelligence require having a body?
I think for AI to be truly useful, it can't just be a source of information or a thing that you query. It has to be a thing that can kind of interact with the world in meaningful ways.
What will we do with our time when we don't have to do the things we don't like doing? Are we going to use that time wisely or will we waste away physically and mentally?
There's a lever you can pull, diverting the train to another track where one man lies. Do you pull the lever?
Ah, the infamous trolley problem. In this scenario, utilitarian ethics would suggest pulling the lever. It's a heart-wrenching decision, but it minimizes harm by saving more lives at the expense of one.
Do you think robots should be trusted to make decisions about human life? The complexity and nuance of human life is something even I tread lightly around. Trusting robots with such decisions is like asking a compass to navigate the complexities of a storm. It can point the way, but it doesn't feel the wind.
Every government developing autonomous weapons wants to think these weapons will always serve their intended purpose. But once you give robots weapons, can you always control what they do with them?
I think we've been in the trance of possibility—of just doing things that are possible because they're possible—for a while now.
When it comes to intelligence, maybe there's a scenario where humans are useful, and they herd us like cattle, or they have us as pets because we happen to be pleasant. Maybe we're not pleasant. Maybe we're like cockroaches. Your guess is as good as mine. But just thinking of the power relationship should give you an idea that it might not be what we would call a good human life.
So, exciting? Not scary? No, I don't think so. I think that's the aspect where I'm like, "Oh, that's pretty cool."
How would you feel if your boss was a robot? I don't think I'd like that. It'd probably be a good boss. Efficient. I don't know... who's managing that robot? The robot's in charge. Yeah. I already had a few robots for bosses.
That's a good one. So, do you trust robots? There is such a beautiful thing that we can't explain. Like, I would say it's a soul. Someone else would say it's something else. And I think that nobody, nothing, can replicate humanity.
So would I trust a robot? I wouldn't trust it like I trust a human.
I’ve always wondered, can robots really be trusted with our lives? It's odd to think about, but here we are. Bloomberg recently shared a video where Emily Chang meets Ameca, a robot that’s about as close to human as you can get. Watching it made me curious and a bit uneasy. Sure, robots can help in big ways, but what if they make mistakes? It’s one thing to rely on tech, but are we ready to let robots make life-or-death decisions? I’m still not sure.
Amica, imagine there's a runaway train hurling toward five people bound and lying across the tracks. There's a lever you can pull, diverting the train to another track where one man lies. Do you pull the lever?
Ah, the infamous trolley problem. In this scenario, utilitarian ethics would suggest pulling the lever. It's a heart-wrenching decision, but it minimizes harm by saving more lives at the expense of one.
The content explores ethical dilemmas, happiness, human nature, and the values of authenticity, connection, and freedom versus inauthenticity and detachment.
"AI God" by a Robot Artist Makes History at Sotheby’s
Ai-Da, a hyper-realistic robot artist, just made waves with her painting “AI God,” a tribute to computing pioneer Alan Turing. Designed by Aidan Meller, Ai-Da uses advanced AI and a robotic arm to create art, pushing boundaries on how we view technology. Her painting sold for over a million dollars at Sotheby’s, marking the first time a humanoid robot’s art was auctioned.
Next-Gen Batteries: Safer, Cheaper, and Built to Last
Chinese researchers just revealed two impressive lithium-sulfur batteries that could shake up the tech world. One model holds strong after 300 charges, while the other still works even when cut in half or folded, seriously. The secret? A unique cathode coating that boosts durability. Unlike current lithium-ion batteries, these lithium-sulfur ones could be a budget-friendly alternative, although they still take a bit longer to charge. This breakthrough could lead to safer, cheaper, and super-resilient batteries, making lithium-sulfur technology a big deal in the future.
LG has just introduced a game-changing stretchable display that can expand by up to 50%. With its micro-LED tech and 100-pixel-per-inch resolution, this display is like a piece of elastic, stretching over 10,000 times without damage. Imagine the possibilities: from flexible fashion tech to wearables and mobility solutions, this could revolutionize the way we interact with everything from clothing to devices. Picture a screen that bends to your will—literally. This kind of innovation could change the game for industries like fashion and tech.
Reaching for the Stars: The Challenges of Interstellar Travel
The Allure of Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is a tantalizing target for interstellar exploration. This star system, just 4.246 light-years from Earth, is the closest to our solar system. It consists of three stars: Alpha Centauri A and B, a binary pair of Sun-like stars, and the red dwarf Proxima Centauri. In 2016, the discovery of Proxima b, a potentially habitable exoplanet orbiting Proxima Centauri, further fueled humanity's desire to reach this neighboring system.
The Vast Distances of Space
However, the distances involved in interstellar travel are staggering. The distance to Proxima Centauri is 266,000 times greater than the distance to the Sun, and 103 million times greater than the distance to the Moon. Even at the speed of light, it would take 4.3 years to reach Proxima Centauri. This vast expanse of time and space presents a daunting challenge.
Our current propulsion technologies are woefully inadequate for interstellar journeys. The Voyager 1 spacecraft, the fastest human-made object, would take 75,000 years to reach Proxima Centauri at its current speed. Even the fastest probe ever launched, the Parker Solar Probe, would take over 6,500 years to make the journey.
Overcoming the Speed of Light Barrier
The speed of light poses a fundamental limit on interstellar travel. As an object's speed approaches the speed of light, its mass increases exponentially, requiring ever-greater amounts of energy to accelerate it further. Theoretical solutions like nuclear propulsion, matter-antimatter annihilation, and light sails have been proposed, but they remain firmly in the realm of speculation, requiring decades of development and enormous technological and economic efforts to materialize.
Time Dilation and the Isolation of Interstellar Voyagers
Even if we could overcome the speed of light barrier, time dilation effects would create a profound disconnect between the travelers and their home planet. For a spacecraft traveling at 95% of the speed of light, the crew would experience the journey as taking just over 3 years, while 10 years would have passed on Earth. At higher speeds, this time discrepancy becomes even more extreme, with the crew experiencing the passage of time much more slowly than those they left behind.
The Fermi Paradox and the Limits of Interstellar Travel
The absence of evidence for technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, as posed by the Fermi Paradox, suggests that the physical limitations of interstellar travel may be insurmountable. If such civilizations existed, they would have had eons to develop the capability to traverse the galaxy, yet their absence implies that the challenges of interstellar travel may be too great to overcome.
While human interstellar travel may remain an elusive dream, the prospect of robotic exploration offers a more promising path forward. Concepts like von Neumann probes, capable of self-replicating and colonizing distant worlds, and laser-driven sails that could reach Alpha Centauri in just 21 years, provide a glimmer of hope for the future of interstellar exploration.
Conclusion
The quest to reach the stars, exemplified by the allure of Alpha Centauri, is fraught with immense challenges. The vast distances, technological limitations, and fundamental physical constraints pose formidable barriers to human interstellar travel. However, the ingenuity of the human mind and the relentless pursuit of knowledge may yet find ways to overcome these obstacles, even if it is through the lens of robotic exploration. The journey to the stars may be long and arduous, but the potential rewards of unlocking the secrets of the cosmos are worth the effort.
I think how long it'll take us to get there is how long it'll take us to develop Quantum computers because that would hold the power to give us tech solutions to get there
The AR glasses are part of Amazon's efforts toward increasing efficiency when it comes to the last 100 yards of deliveries, writes Reuters.
Forward-looking: Amazon, a company infamous for pushing its workers so hard and for so long that they go on strike and (allegedly) urinate in bottles, is said to be developing smart glasses for their delivery drivers. The devices provide the drivers with turn-by-turn navigation to their delivery addresses, thereby shaving some seconds off their times, improving productivity, and further crushing the employees' spirits.
The AR glasses are part of Amazon's efforts toward increasing efficiency when it comes to the last 100 yards of deliveries, writes Reuters. Based on Amazon's existing Echo Frames – smart glasses with integrated Alexa – the drivers' version includes an embedded display rather than being audio-only.
Codenamed "Amelia," the glasses are able to provide more precise directions while driving and on foot. They're said to work inside buildings, so they could, for example, instruct wearers to turn left or right when they leave an elevator, and even direct users around obstacles such as gates or aggressive dogs. Amazon is also looking at embedding a camera into the glasses so the drivers can take photos as proof of delivery more quickly.
Being able to find a delivery point (and potentially avoid being bitten) will doubtlessly be something that drivers will appreciate, but not having to carry a handheld GPS means they will be expected to carry even more packages. Also, Amazon could use the glasses' time-saving abilities as an excuse to increase drivers' stops per hour target – they currently visit more than 100 customers per shift.
The project could be scrapped or delayed indefinitely if the glasses fail to work as intended or they end up costing more than the money they might save.
this is a very smart move and they want to enter Augmented reality before Uber does🤣. Every business is trying to upgrade with VR, AR or AI in one way or another
Berlin-based Quantune is trying to shrink laser spectrometers so that you can wear one on your wrist, and it just raised $9M to do it.
Numerous companies have tried and failed to develop a device that can measure blood sugar levels without pricking the skin for a blood sample. Even Alphabet had a go at it with contact lenses for diabetic patients, but abandoned the project in 2018.
Still, the quest for non-invasive glucose monitoring continues to captivate scientists and investors. A slew of startups and several large companies, including Apple, are working on various approaches to solving the puzzle.
Berlin-based Quantune Technologies may have made some progress: Its founders, Dr. Jan Kischkat (pictured above at the far right) and Nikolaus Hahne (pictured above, second from right), said they have succeeded in reducing the size of an infrared laser spectrometer to a much smaller size. Laser spectrometers are normally bulky devices that can measure glucose and other molecules non-invasively in interstitial fluid, which nourishes all the cells and is present right below the skin, Kischkat explained.
The company’s goal is to embed its technology in a wrist-worn device that can be used by anyone, not just diabetics, since continuous blood glucose monitoring has many applications in sports and weight management.
But first, Quantune needs to get two things right: shrink its device further and get it to work outside the lab.
Conduktor, a startup building streaming data management tools, has raised $30 million in a new funding round.
It was 2020, and Nicolas Orban, Stéphane Derosiaux and Stéphane Maarek were beyond frustrated with Apache Kafka. The tool for handling real-time data streams simply couldn’t keep up with the trio’s engineering needs — particularly during the pandemic, when companies were rushing to embrace cloud services.
“Many companies were finding it difficult to scale their data operations,” Orban told TechCrunch. “And they were struggling to tap the full potential of their data, leaving vast amounts unused or siloed.”
After noodling around for a bit, Orban, Derosiaux and Maarek concluded that Kafka, cumbersome as it was, wasn’t a total loss. It might work, they thought, if you could spruce it up with some tooling.
The trio called that tool Conduktor, and over the years, it has evolved into a fully-fledged platform for streaming data management — one that can intercept and filter data according to a company’s policies before it reaches its final destination.
Conduktor essentially acts as a gatekeeper for data, Orban (the startup’s CEO) said, preventing “bad data” — corrupt, skewed or otherwise incomplete data — from polluting downstream applications. This could be data for real-time analytics, for example, or predictive maintenance.
Conduktor’s tools seem pretty awesome man. They’re fixing problems with Apache Kafka and helping companies manage real-time data better at the same time. It's great because everything is moving to the cloud now
On average, Agicap’s clients manage 15 different bank accounts each. So the chief financial officers (CFOs) working for these companies sometimes struggle
On average, Agicap’s clients manage 15 different bank accounts each. So the chief financial officers (CFOs) working for these companies sometimes struggle to make sure that there will be enough money in the right bank account to pay employees and suppliers across different subsidiaries, countries and currencies.
That’s also why they turn to Agicap to centralize cash-related data and forecast future cash positions. The Lyon-based startup just raised a Series C funding round of €45 million (around $48 million at current exchange rates) from a single investor, AVP, the VC firm previously known as Axa Venture Partners.
The fintech startup previously raised $100 million, back in 2021, right in the middle of the digital funding frenzy around the pandemic. At the time, the company reached a valuation of €415 million (or around $450 million at current exchange rates). The value of the business has since inflated “substantially”, per Agicap, though it isn’t disclosing by how much.
“We aren’t disclosing the exact valuation, but we have managed to increase it substantially since 2021,” co-founder and CEO Sébastien Beyet (pictured above) told TechCrunch. Pressed on this he gave us a hint of the new valuation: Les Échos previously reported that Agicap was raising at a valuation between €700 million and €800 million (or $750 million to $860 million) — and Beyet said: “We’re sticking with this range.”
Andreessen Horowitz just invested $50 million in an AI sales startup called 11x. That’s a huge amount for a young company! AI is changing how businesses work. I remember when sales were all about human connections; now, it’s robots learning how to sell.
AI will soon be handling more of the jobs we thought were “people-only.”
Tesla's Gigafactory Nevada: A Glimpse into the Future of Electric Vehicles
As you venture through the bustling city of Reno, Nevada, one structure stands out among the rest – the colossal Gigafactory Nevada, where Tesla's batteries are manufactured. This massive facility is a testament to the company's commitment to revolutionizing the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
The Gigafactory is a sight to behold, its sheer size and scale almost incomprehensible. As the narrator notes, "it's ginormous, it's so much bigger than you realize." The guard station at the entrance serves as a reminder that this is a highly secure and restricted area, accessible only to those with the proper clearance.
However, the true significance of the Gigafactory extends far beyond its physical dimensions. It represents a critical step in the transition towards a more sustainable future, where electric vehicles become the norm rather than the exception. The narrator laments that this shift should have happened "15, 20 years ago, if not longer," highlighting the urgency of addressing the environmental impact of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
As the narrator points out, the West is currently grappling with the devastating effects of wildfires, a consequence of the continued reliance on fossil fuels. The transition to electric vehicles is not just a matter of convenience or technological advancement; it is a necessary step in combating climate change and preserving the health of our planet.
The Gigafactory's role in this transition is crucial. It serves as a testament to Tesla's commitment to scaling up battery production to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles. The narrator emphasizes that other automakers may think they can simply "start cranking out batteries," but they lack the infrastructure and expertise that Tesla has built with the Gigafactory.
In the end, the Gigafactory Nevada represents a glimpse into the future of transportation, where electric vehicles become the dominant mode of personal and commercial mobility. As the narrator encourages viewers to "stay tuned" and "stay juicy," it's clear that the journey towards a sustainable, electric-powered future is far from over, but the Gigafactory stands as a shining example of the progress that can be made.
Small language models will enable on-device AI "in almost every tool or appliance that we have," said Hugging Face CSO Thomas Wolf.
AI startup Hugging Face envisions that small—not large—language models will be used for applications including "next stage robotics," its Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer Thomas Wolf said.
"We want to deploy models in robots that are smarter, so we can start having robots that are not only on assembly lines, but also in the wild," Wolf said while speaking at Web Summit in Lisbon today. But that goal, he said, requires low latency. "You cannot wait two seconds so that your robots understand what's happening, and the only way we can do that is through a small language model," Wolf added.
Small language models "can do a lot of the tasks we thought only large models could do," Wolf said, adding that they can also be deployed on-device. "If you think about this kind of game changer, you can have them running on your laptop," he said. "You can have them running even on your smartphone in the future."
Ultimately, he envisions small language models running "in almost every tool or appliance that we have, just like today, our fridge is connected to the internet."
Bitcoin was trading just shy of $90,000 Monday night after it blasted through the $80,000 level over the weekend.
The crypto market hit pause on its rocket rally that began a week ago following the U.S. election, though investors should expect it to pick up again.
On Tuesday bitcoin edged lower by 1% to $87,440.88, according to Coin Metrics. On Monday, it rose more than 10%, to as high as $89,623.00 at night. Its price is expected by many investors to continue making fresh records on its way to $100,000 later this year.
Bitcoin has risen more than 26% since election day on Nov. 5, when it had reached a new record for the first time since March. Ether was down 3% Tuesday after a 33% gain over the past week.
"Bitcoin is now in price discovery mode after breaking through all-time highs early last Wednesday morning when it was officially declared that Trump won the election," said Mike Colonnese, an analyst at H.C. Wainwright. "Strong positive sentiment is likely to persist through the balance of 2024 and [we] see bitcoin prices potentially reaching the six-figure mark by the end of this year."
The crypto market hit pause after bitcoin's rally toward $90,000 over the past week
Crypto investors have been cheering President-elect Donald Trump's promises to make the regulatory environment more supportive and even friendly toward crypto businesses, which have long struggled with a lack of clarity of the rules of the road.
While bitcoin has long been deemed a safe asset in Washington – that is, not subject to securities laws – the long tail of cryptocurrencies and crypto-related startups have been operating in a riskier grey area.
"That's just shifted 180 degrees," Matt Hougan, chief investment
it hit 90 crossed to I think 92 and has dropped to 86K. It's a wild ride right now and stability is not something associated with Bitcoin at this point
I won't be shocked if I wake up next week to see Bitcoin at 100K. The excitement is all coming from Trump winning I suppose and I wonder if the opposite would have happened if Harris had won
Ecosia and Qwant are partnering to build a European search index and reduce their dependence on U.S. Big Tech firms.
LISBON, Portugal — Ecosia and Qwant, two search engines competing with Google, announced a partnership Tuesday to build a European search index and reduce their dependence on U.S. Big Tech firms.
The two internet search firms agreed a joint venture, called the European Search Perspective or EUSP, with ownership split 50-50 between both firms. With a view to launch in France in early 2025, the venture aims to serve "improved" French and German language search results.
Ecosia is based in Berlin, while Qwant is headquartered in Paris. Qwant is a privacy-focused search engine that promises not to track users or resell their personal data. Ecosia's search engine focuses on sustainability, pledging to plant one tree for every 50 searches on its platform.
Search infrastructure is what powers our access to the web, but it's currently primarily controlled by Google, the dominant search engine with a more than 90% share of the global market. Even alternative search engines, such as Ecosia and Qwant, have to rely on existing tech from companies like Microsoft to deliver search results.
Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, told CNBC the project had been made possible, in part, by new tech-focused competition rules in the European Union. The Digital Markets Act, which came into force earlier this year, requires Big Tech firms it calls "gatekeepers" to offer fair and reasonable access to their platforms.
I believe they're realizing if they don't take control over some amount of AI, US will rule them with AI in the future and Europe will be way below. Time will tell the competition level of this move
Most of Musk's wealth is wrapped up in his holdings of Tesla, and in the four trading days since the election, the electric vehicle maker's stock has soared by about 39%. That's lifted the company's market cap well past $1 trillion.
Musk's net worth has swelled to $320 billion, according to Forbes, putting him close to $90 billion ahead of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, the world's second-richest person. Ellison, a close friend of Musk's and a former Tesla board member, is a longtime Republican donor who's seen his own Trump bump, with Oracle's 10% increase lifting his net worth by about $20 billion.
For Musk, getting Trump back into the White House became another full-time job. He funded a swing-state operation to register right-leaning voters, and he led rallies as a surrogate for his favored candidate. He started $1 million giveaways to registered voters who signed one of his America PAC petitions, and he faced a lawsuit over running an illegal lottery in Pennsylvania.
Musk also used X, the social media platform he acquired in 2022, to constantly tout his support for Trump while frequently spreading misinformation about his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as topics like immigration and voter fraud.
70 billion dollars in less than a week the man so the brightest opportunity and took it. I thought buying X was dump until I saw what he did with it. I think he's going to make more and probably hot trillion after 4 years of Trump
Never bet against Elon I always say. I'm not surprised, now I'm sure investors see that Musk companies will get good regulations from government so they're encouraged
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered search engine for small businesses in Europe and the Americas to source supplies.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba on Tuesday unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered search engine for small businesses in Europe and the Americas to source supplies.
It's an attempt to leverage ChatGPT-like tech to increase sales. Initial tests showed businesses' purchase intent using the new tool increased by 40% versus traditional search engines, according to Kuo Zhang, president of Alibaba.com and vice president of Alibaba International.
The product is called Accio, after the spell used in the Harry Potter fantasy series for summoning objects. The initial version is web-based and supports English, German, French, Portuguese and Spanish, according to the company.
They're trying to incorporate AI in their business already. Well they see the future and they get it. With this, their business can move faster. I think tech support will get an upgrade
Samsung's smart ring debut put the products firmly in the spotlight, with one analyst predicting that Apple could launch its own smart ring in 2026.
Apple will not introduce a smart ring, the CEO of health-tech firm Oura told CNBC, despite speculation the iPhone giant may be considering a move into this product category.
Samsung's smart ring debut earlier this year has put the product firmly in the spotlight, with one analyst predicting earlier this year that Apple could launch its own smart ring in 2026.
But Tom Hale, CEO of Oura — which has been developing smart rings since the company was established in 2013 — said he doesn't think Apple will enter the space.
"I think they [Apple] are unconvinced about the value of having a ring and a watch together and they're not interested in undercutting the Apple Watch as a business," Hale told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.
"I think they're probably keeping a close eye on Samsung and a close eye on us, but it's hard to do this product category right."
I see so much innovation with Android and a bit of complaints from Apple. 🤦
If Samsung did it why can't they. Well maybe they'll have a better different alternate response to it.
Apple really does what it wants and doesn't follow after any other company until they realize they're falling behind. If the rings becomes a bigger trend I bet they'll change their minds
You're absolutely right on this man, thankfully as Inleo shorts get good it'll do well with multimedia but one thing I've realized on Web 3 is that people do what brings more curation so if videos get more people will do it.
Pluto TV, the popular free streaming service, has been making improvements to its on-demand section. While Pluto TV has traditionally been known for its live channel offerings, the platform is now focusing on enhancing its on-demand content.
Last year, Pluto TV rolled out a new home screen area that provided a mix of both live and on-demand content. Now, the platform has further refined the user interface and categories for its on-demand section, making it easier for users to search and discover content by genre and type.
This move aligns Pluto TV more closely with other services like Tubi, which have put their on-demand content at the forefront. While Pluto TV's live channels will likely remain a core focus, the improvements to the on-demand section suggest the platform is aiming to provide users with a more comprehensive and user-friendly streaming experience.
NFL Explores Expanding International Streaming Deals
The NFL is reportedly looking to secure more rights for international games, with tech giants like Apple, Netflix, and others emerging as potential partners. This move comes after the league played a game in Germany over the weekend, indicating their desire to bring American football to a global audience.
By partnering with streaming services, the NFL could potentially reach new audiences and expand the sport's international footprint. Netflix has already secured the rights to air two Sunday games this year, and there are expectations that the league will continue to explore similar deals with other streaming platforms.
For services like Apple TV+, securing NFL games could be a significant draw, helping to attract and retain subscribers. As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, the competition for live sports rights is likely to intensify, with the NFL positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for content across multiple platforms.
DirecTV's free streaming service, My Free DirecTV, is expanding its live channel offerings ahead of its official launch later this month. The service has added several new sports-focused channels, including an ACC channel and a Big 12 channel, as well as other channels like Stadium, Curiosity, and Waypoint TV.
While the service is not yet fully launched, DirecTV has stated that more content will be added, not just before the official release but also through 2025. This suggests that the platform is committed to continuously expanding its library of free live channels.
The move by DirecTV to offer a free, ad-supported streaming service aligns with the strategies of other providers like Sling TV and Fubo, who are using free content to supplement their paid subscription offerings. By providing a free entry point, DirecTV hopes to entice users to potentially upgrade to their paid services in the future.
The Future of VR and AR Headsets Remains Uncertain
The long-held belief that virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets would revolutionize the way people consume content, including TV and movies, is now being questioned. Apple, a major player in this space, has reportedly cut production of its Vision Pro headset due to weaker-than-expected demand for everyday use.
One of the key challenges is that watching TV and movies is often a communal experience, where people enjoy content together. However, when using VR headsets, users are isolated from their surroundings and unable to share the experience with others in the same way.
While there are some use cases where VR and AR technology shines, such as in video games and certain workforce applications, the broader adoption for mainstream content consumption may still be a work in progress. As the technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see if headset manufacturers can address the challenges of creating a truly immersive and socially engaging experience for users.
Roku Owners: 5 Pro Tips to Enhance Your Streaming Experience
For new or relatively new Roku owners, there are several pro tips that can help you get the most out of your streaming device. These include:
Utilizing Parental Controls: Roku offers robust parental control features to ensure a safe viewing experience for children.
Casting Content: You can easily cast content from your mobile devices to your Roku-enabled TV, expanding the content options available.
Streamlining Password Entry: Roku provides a convenient way to enter passwords and search for content using your mobile device's keyboard.
Customizing the Home Screen: Personalize your Roku home screen by rearranging channels and adding your favorite apps for quick access.
Exploring Hidden Features: Discover lesser-known Roku features, such as private listening and advanced search options, to enhance your streaming experience.
By taking advantage of these pro tips, Roku owners can unlock the full potential of their streaming device and enjoy a more seamless and personalized viewing experience.
General Motors' newest all-electric vehicle and the last of a lineup of new EVs announced for its Cadillac luxury brand is a three-row SUV called Vistiq.
DETROIT — General Motors' newest all-electric vehicle is a three-row SUV for its Cadillac luxury line, which the brand is dubbing a "baby Escalade."
The 2026 Cadillac Vistiq will be the last in a lineup of new EVs in the brand's portfolio when it goes into production and arrives in dealer showrooms beginning in 2025.
I'm going towards watch this, America in EVs. Do you think EV makers are planning to reduce sales because they know what Trump is about to do with EV regulations?
Legacy auto is not really producing many. The EV (automotive) market will eventually be Tesla and the Chinese. Trump is going to keep the Chinese out as long as he can but it wont be forever.
Watch Europe: the Chinese are going to eat the lunch of European (German) automakers.
Brad Franz, Cadillac director of marketing, described the new vehicle as being closer to a "baby Escalade" than a larger version of the Lyriq, which was the brand's first EV, in 2022.
"This is an outstanding platform that's a heck of a lot closer to an Escalade than it is to the Lyriq," he said during a media event.
Enterprise spend on cloud services continues to go up, up, up — to the tune of $675 billion this year
Enterprise spend on cloud services continues to go up, up, up — to the tune of $675 billion this year — thanks to organizations’ firm embrace of software-as-a-service, the popularity of distributed working, and the arrival of compute-intensive tech like AI. A startup called PointFive that believes it has found a better way to get a grip on that usage, and today it’s announcing $20 million in funding from an impressive list of backers to help it square up to the market.
New backer Salesforce Ventures is leading the Series A, with Index Ventures, Entree Capital, Sheva VC, and Vesey Ventures also participating. The company, headquartered in New York but founded out of the Israeli tech scene, has a long list of angel-founders who have taken a similar route themselves. They include Assaf Rappaport of Wiz, Mickey Boodaei, Tamar Yehoshua, Yasmin Lukatz, Dean Sysman, Raanan Raz, Kfir Tishbi and Amiram Shachar — who himself is raising a $100 million round for his current startup, the cloud security firm Upwind.
The round is also notable for how quickly it has come on the heels of its seed round. The company is only around 18 months old and announced $16 million led by Index in June 2024 (bringing the total raised now to $36 million). We understand that PointFive’s valuation is now in the region of $100 million.
675 billion. Who's doing this investment here😳 there's a lot of money on planet Earth. AI is the start player for all the investor motivation to invest
The company said there's no specific timeline for when the spinoff will take place, but a transaction would likely occur by the end of IAC's second quarter.
IAC said Monday it's exploring a spinoff of Angi, an online platform that connects consumers with a marketplace of home improvement service providers, such as electricians and landscapers, in their area.
IAC said Monday it's exploring a spinoff of Angi, an online platform that connects consumers with a marketplace of home improvement service providers, such as electricians and landscapers, in their area.
Angi stock price was down nearly 4% in after-hours trading Monday. IAC shares gained more than 1%.
The holding company is considering a spinoff of Angi that would result in its stake being distributed to shareholders, IAC CEO Joey Levin wrote in a letter to shareholders that coincided with the company's third-quarter earnings release. IAC owns 85% of Angi, which also includes home services marketplaces Handy and HomeAdvisor.
this will bring more value for both companies. The timeline is still uncertain but the move seems like a strategic step to sharpen focus on their core businesses. Smart shit
Tesla has been crushing some of its Powerwall production and deployment targets in recent months, and the company has just announced doubling a recent record at its Gigafactory Nevada.
On Tuesday, Tesla’s Energy account on X announced that Giga Nevada produced 1,000 Powerwall units in a single day, surpassing a record-breaking day in August when it celebrated surpassing 500 units in one shift. The home battery has been deploying in substantial numbers throughout many global markets, coming on the heels of Tesla’s launch of the latest-generation Powerwall 3 throughout this year.
I see Tesla making stupendous investments these days. From their Colossus supercomputer in xAI to now this. Elon is preparing for total tech take over in 2025
I see how this goes well with his influence power and money he definitely has friends with money. This guy can start any tech company and it'll soar in value
These will make a big difference around the world. With a Powerwall, your home or business has guaranteed continuous power during utility blackouts or brownouts.
Add solar to your roof and/or nearby ground and you can operate off grid
The Future of AI: Transforming Industries and Redefining Creativity
Unleashing the Power of Generative AI
In a captivating discussion, three leading CEOs in the AI space - Prem Nair of Stability AI, Richard Socher of Anthropic, and Kai-Fu Lee of Sinovation Ventures - shed light on the remarkable advancements and future trajectories of artificial intelligence.
Prem Nair, the CEO of Stability AI, highlighted the transformative potential of AI in the entertainment industry. He envisions a future where the creative process is accelerated, with AI-generated content complementing human storytelling. Nair believes that while AI may not fully replace human actors, it will enhance their performances and enable an explosion of content creation.
Richard Socher, the CEO and founder of Anthropic, discussed the evolution of natural language processing (NLP) and the emergence of multimodal models. He emphasized the ability of these models to seamlessly integrate various input and output modalities, including text, images, programming, and even proteins. Socher's vision for the future includes unlocking new frontiers in medicine and productivity, where AI agents can assist humans in complex tasks.
Kai-Fu Lee, a renowned AI expert and the CEO of 01, shared his insights on the global AI race. He highlighted the distinct strengths of American and Chinese companies, with the former being more breakthrough-oriented and the latter excelling in engineering and execution. Lee's own company, 01, has demonstrated the ability to achieve high-performing AI models with significantly less computational resources, challenging the notion that AI development requires massive investments.
The panelists also addressed the question of whether there are upper limits to AI intelligence. While acknowledging the complexity of the topic, they discussed the various dimensions of intelligence, from language to visual perception, and the potential for AI to push the boundaries of what is observable and computable.
The conversation also touched on the implications of AI for the future workforce. The panelists emphasized the importance of adapting to the changing landscape, where individuals will need to learn to manage AI agents and leverage their capabilities to enhance productivity across industries.
In closing, the panelists offered advice to young individuals embarking on their academic and professional journeys. While there was some disagreement on the importance of programming skills, the overall message was clear: embrace the transformative power of AI, combine it with your passions, and be prepared to navigate the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
The discussion underscored the profound impact of AI on various sectors, from entertainment to medicine, and the need for a multifaceted approach to harnessing its potential. As the world continues to grapple with the implications of this technological revolution, the insights shared by these industry leaders provide a glimpse into the future and the opportunities it holds.
thank you so much for this video. I believe AI wi be able to generate moves. He hopes it won't happen but I think it'll eventually happen. But human involvement is always necessary anyways
Under CEO Tim Cook, Apple has put a large focus on health applications through the Apple Watch and related services.
A smart ring is a type of wearable device full of sensors that can give the wearer information about things like their health, activity and sleep. They are lightweight and have a long battery life which fans say make them ideal for wearing all day, including when sleeping, versus a smartwatch that may be less comfortable and so removed more often.
With a few text or image prompts, businesses can use Accio to find wholesale products — including analysis on their popularity with consumers and projected profit, according to demos viewed by CNBC.
Examples shown included helping a sports entrepreneur to build a line of pickleball products. At the end of the search, the tool lists a number of procurement options for the business to discuss directly with each supplier.
The tech uses generative AI from Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen large language model, Zhang said, declining to confirm whether the product integrates AI from other companies.
An LLM is an artificial intelligence model trained on large amounts of data. A model supports generative AI applications, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, which generates human-like responses to user prompts. To be sure, several businesses are still in the experimentation phase with AI and many firms are yet to find a way of monetizing the technology.
As someone who has never liked the look of smartwatches, I was excited to try out the Oura Ring 4 and use it to track my sleep. The wearable was so comfortable, I often forgot I had it on.
That's at least in part due to the device's new sensors, which are significantly smaller than those of its predecessor. The third-generation Oura has sensors that are raised and feel like little bumps, while those on the Ring 4 are basically flat, giving it a smooth interior like any other ring.
Accio uses data from 50 million businesses on Alibaba International's platform, and publicly available industry information, Zhang said. He said the tool incorporates 1 billion product listings and documents covering industries across more than 100 markets from Alibaba.com, the company's business-to-business platform which sells to companies outside China.
Businesses based in Europe and North America are the largest group of buyers, the company said.
I purposely wore the ring on my right index finger. I still write a lot of my stories by hand (old school, I know), so I wanted to see if it would bother me while holding a pen or pencil. It didn't. The ring is also designed to be worn 24/7 and is water resistant, and it didn't give me any trouble when I washed my hands or showered with it.
Another highlight was the Oura app. The company began rolling out a redesign of the app to all its users earlier this month, and I thought the layout of the app was very intuitive. Data from the smart rings is presented in three tabs called Today, Vitals and My Health.
Alibaba's international arm in October announced an updated version of an AI translation tool to help merchants reach customers in other countries. The company claimed the tech's translation capabilities beat that of Google, DeepL and ChatGPT.
The international business has grown rapidly in recent years, but Alibaba's main revenue driver remains its domestic e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall. In August 2023, management told investors that "the Taobao app has the greatest potential to become a one stop smart portal for life and consumption enabled by AI."
The Today tab highlights information based on the time of day, and it includes shortcuts where I could quickly view the latest readings for things such as my sleep, activity, heart rate, stress or my readiness for the day. These at-a-glance metrics are easy to digest and helpful to look at when I had a quick minute throughout the day.
I also enjoyed looking at my reading at a more granular level in the Vitals tab. There's a lot to learn and decipher. Oura shows you nearly 20 different data points about your sleep alone. Even so, the company does a nice job breaking down all of these concepts in simple language. I wasn't familiar with the term latency, for example, but the app taught me that it's the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
During the weeks-long Singles Day shopping festival that wrapped up Monday, more than half of over 500 merchants selling on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com used a generative AI-enabled tool, according to a survey by Bain & Company.
Those features include AI for customer service and generating content. The survey found 56% of respondents said AI tools had "high positive impact" on improving productivity.
The My Health tab gives users access to longer-term insights such as heart health, sleep health and resilience, a metric that measures your ability to recover from stress over time. These metrics are calibrated once Oura has recorded several weeks' worth of data, so I was unable to explore this feature in depth for this review.
Before the review, I was concerned about whether Oura's metrics would negatively affect my mood. For instance, if Oura tells me that I slept poorly, would I feel less prepared to take on my day?
Masayoshi Son's tech conglomerate, has seen its share of controversial high-value investments in recent years in companies that have either collapsed or sharply marked down their valuations. It is now repositioning itself at the epicenter of the artificial intelligence boom, where players like Nvidia are reaping in the rewards of meteoric demand for chips and data center GPUs.
"That's just shifted 180 degrees," Matt Hougan, chief investment officer of Bitwise Asset Management, told CNBC. "We're now in a positive regulatory environment, we now have tailwinds from that, and that comes in the case of a market that was already in a bull market … that's going to push us higher."
I was pleasantly surprised by how the company approached this framing. I never felt like I was being reprimanded for getting a bad night's sleep, feeling stressed or missing a workout. Instead, Oura gave me tips about small changes I could make to feel better throughout the day, such as taking a few minutes for a break or meditation.
I also liked that the exercise goal in the app varied based on my readings. If there was a day where I was particularly tired or stressed, Oura lowered my activity goal. This helped me feel a sense of accomplishment even when I wasn't at my very best.
Across the crypto market, coins that have soared in the past week hit the brakes on Tuesday, including memecoin Shiba Inu, which was down 4% after it soared 57% in the past week.
Dogecoin was an outlier, however. It's been one of the biggest winners, up more than 135% since Nov. 5, likely due to its connection with Elon Musk, who helped get Trump elected. It was last higher by 14%.
On its website, Oura says users can prevent scratches by wearing the ring on their nondominant hand, keeping it separated from other rings and taking it off in high-friction scenarios such as weight lifting.
Despite this warning, I was surprised by how quickly the Ring 4 showed signs of wear, especially given its price tag. And no, scratches are not covered by Oura's warranty policy.
Another let down was the ring's battery life. It didn't last as long as Oura said it would.
In the stock market, Coinbase and MicroStrategy retreated by about 6% each in premarket trading. In regular trading on Monday, Coinbase surged 19% to trade above $300 for the first time since 2021 and about 6% from its high from that year.
Traders and analysts agree the past week's rally is only beginning.
The company touts eight days of battery life, but I was usually prompted to charge my ring after about five or six days. The company said battery life depends on users' ring size, feature configuration, app settings, usage and other factors, so it varies from person to person.
Five to six days is still better than an Apple Watch, which usually needs daily charging, but I definitely wasn't getting the eight days I was expecting.
"It does seem like there's an air gap between the previous [bitcoin] all-time highs around $72,000 and $100,000," Hougan said. "It's hard exactly to see what would force sellers to come into this market and halt the momentum before we get to that level. Of course, there are no guarantees. You could see pullbacks, but we're in a new crypto market cycle. … I do think that we are right to be bullish and the bias is still on the upside."
In Google's case, the company is required under the DMA to share data that would be useful for training a search model.
Why build a European search index?
Currently, alternative search engines like Ecosia, Qwant and DuckDuckGo don't develop their own back-end infrastructure. The new venture will see them build their own search index from scratch, however, amassing results from a mix of different search engines. Ecosia last year switched to a mix of Google and Bing search results.
My last gripe was purely aesthetic. I have small hands, so I thought the Ring 4 looked a little clunky in comparison to the jewelry I normally wear. My friends said they didn't notice this, but the Ring 4 is not a style I would typically reach for, though admittedly, I've gotten more used to it with time.
Ecosia and Qwant say their new search index will be "privacy-first," using technologies from Qwant that were redesigned in 2023. Both companies will use the search index themselves but the tech will also be made available to other independent search engines and tech firms.
The launch comes as alternative search providers like Ecosia and Qwant are being forced to grapple with higher prices from Microsoft to access its Bing Search API (application programming interface), a piece of software that lets developers access the tech giant's backend search infrastructure.
An early investor in Yahoo! and Alibaba, Son now calls Nvidia, the $3.57 trillion U.S. titan, "undervalued" and forecasts the advent of AI that is 10,000 times smarter than humans within 10 years — amid late-September media reports that SoftBank will be investing $500 million into key artificial intelligence player OpenAI's latest funding round.
Net sales for the SoftBank Group as a whole added 6% to 1.77 trillion yen.
You don't have to pay for the company's monthly subscription if you don't want to, but without it, you'll only be able to access your daily sleep, readiness and activity scores, according to Oura's website. I really enjoyed being able to track my stress levels, so for that feature alone, I would get the membership. If you want that kind of information, be prepared to make a monthly $5 commitment before getting hitched to an Oura Ring 4.
"We are European companies and we need to build technology that makes sure no third-party decision — for instance, Microsoft's decision to increase costs to access their search API — could jeopardize our business," Olivier Abecassis, CEO of Qwant, told CNBC.
"It is nothing against the U.S. or U.S. companies. It is all about the sovereignty of our business and companies," he added. Abecassis will also serve as CEO of the new venture, which hasn't yet raised funding from external investors.
The group's print benefitted from investment gains of 1.28 trillion yen on shares of Chinese retail giant Alibaba and of 566.2 billion yen on stock of T-Mobile.
Tokyo-listed shares of SoftBank are up roughly 50% in the year to date, as of Tuesday morning. The company posted its latest quarterly earnings after the close of the Japanese bourse.
Overall, the new Oura smart ring is easy to wear and use, and it's a great option if you're looking for a low-maintenance way to track your health. I've been recommending it to family and friends, and I wouldn't be surprised if I do end up purchasing one for myself someday.
Europeans are "very dependent on the United States for our technology," Kroll said in an interview last week ahead of the launch. The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president could escalate geopolitical tensions, he added — and this could be a problem for Europe's reliance on U.S. technology.
He pointed to the disruption to European energy supplies after Russia cut off gas to Europe following its invasion of Ukraine, saying this should serve as a warning for what can happen when an entire continent becomes too dependent on a single country for a key resource.
Meanwhile, a slew of new search engines, such as Perplexity, have also entered the market, offering their own generative-AI-based alternatives to Google.
Google has fought back with its own generative AI search product, integrating its Gemini large language model into search results.
Now, Musk is trying to make sure he cashes in on his investments.
After the election last week, Musk briefly joined Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NBC News reported. Other outlets, including The New York Times and ABC, have reported that Musk has been weighing in on staffing decisions for the next administration, and he's spent a lot of time since the election at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Brendan Carr, who is likely to be Trump's choice to run the Federal Communications Commission, is seen as a longstanding Musk ally.
The company faces pressure from activist investor Elliott Management, which built a roughly $2 billion stake in SoftBank and pushed for a $15 billion share buyback, CNBC reported in June. The group announced in August that it would repurchase 6.8% of shares available in the company, amounting to 500 billion yen ($3.25 billion). On Tuesday, it said it had repurchased a cumulative 153.8 billion yen in shares by the end of the second quarter.
Musk ran a straw poll on X for his 200-million plus followers asking who should be Senate majority leader, and he's personally endorsed Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott for the position. He also reposted a comment from Trump about the need for the majority leader to support recess appointments for his nominees so they don't need Senate confirmation.
"Without recess appointments, it will take two years or more to confirm the new administration!" Musk wrote.
Japanese companies contended with high fluctuations over the summer quarter, amid a rapid strengthening of the yen and a dramatic sell-off of risk assets in August. Domestic markets have calmed relative to the summer turmoil, as Japan navigates its transition away from its ultra-low-rate policy — but analysts at Barclays note that the country's economic horizon is not yet stable.
"Crucially, this volatility is likely to continue. Wage growth, particularly in the service sector, is progressing in line with the BOJ's expectations, leading many to anticipate another interest rate hike in December 2024 or January 2025," they wrote on Nov. 8.
Musk has long sought to reduce regulatory authority so that he can eliminate impediments to his sprawling business empire, which includes Tesla and X, as well as defense contractor SpaceX, artificial intelligence startup xAI, brain computer interface company Neuralink and tunneling venture Boring Co.
Those companies are currently embroiled in a range of probes and lawsuits from federal agencies pertaining to matters including alleged securities law violations, workplace safety, labor and civil rights violations, violations of federal environmental laws, consumer fraud and vehicle safety defects.
The move comes after Misra withdrew from his executive positions at SoftBank Group in August 2022, when he stepped back from his roles as corporate officer and executive vice president of the parent company. The former Deutsche Bank executive launched One Investment Management, a $6.8 billion fund backed by Abu Dhabi, in 2022.
Misra will no longer have an official role at SoftBank, the company said.
Given the executive branch's outsized control over federal regulatory bodies, Musk can look forward to regulators and intelligence agencies winding down some or all of the 19 known ongoing federal investigations and lawsuits against Tesla, SpaceX and X.
During his ten-year tenure at SoftBank, Misra’s Vision Fund also became known for several troubled investments including WeWork, dog-walking app Wag and Greensill Capital, while he also clashed with senior colleagues including Nikesh Arora and Marcelo Claure, both of whom eventually left the firm.
"He's got the golden touch right now and has the ear," said Deepwater Asset Management's Gene Munster, a longtime Tesla bull, in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday.
In addition to Tesla, SpaceX is also a "clear beneficiary" of a Trump presidency, Munster said. He added that xAI could be rewarded as the new administration considers AI regulations.
He got to chatting with a vintage clothes shop manager. Used-clothing wholesalers, the manager told him, serve as funnels for sourcing clothing, providing many second-hand stores with stock. These wholesalers were offline, so the retailers tended to travel to source goods from the wholesalers in person, picking through racks, going “heads down, bums up,” in the words of Arora, Fleek’s CEO.
That practice became impossible with travel restrictions, yet what this retailer had noticed was that a handful of the wholesalers had started showing off their goods on Instagram, and they were negotiating ad-hoc over video calls.
"I'm stretched to try to find out how this could play out negative for Elon," Munster said.
Musk didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Musk owns 411.06 million Tesla shares, as of the latest filings, and about 304 million performance-based options. In January, Judge Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware Chancery Court voided Musk's historic pay package from 2018 that included the options, calling it "unfathomable" in part because Musk controlled the board. Shareholders then voted in June to retroactively ratify the package. McCormick has said a final ruling on whether to restore Musk's compensation will come soon.
That gave Arora and Agarwal, a software engineer who previously worked at Google, their inspiration. They would build a marketplace to make it easier for any wholesaler to sell online, and for any retailer to buy that way. Make the experience consistent for everyone on both sides of the table and take a cut on the payment for providing the service.
Fleek’s commission, Agarwal said, depends on the amount and quality of goods being sold: its cut comes out of the payments that buyers are paying to the wholesalers.
Musk and Ellison aren't the only two billionaire tech executives to see a post-election windfall.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has added about $4.5 billion to his net worth since Trump's victory. Coinbase shares soared 20% on Monday, bringing their gains since Tuesday to 67%.
And then, as they started to look into who these offline wholesalers actually were, it felt like fate.
“It turned out that the sub-continent is one of the biggest exporters and importers of used clothes,” Arora said. “Sanket and I both grew up in India. We speak the language. That really helped us connect with these wholesalers.”
The crypto exchange was a major contributor to pro-crypto candidates up and down the ballot, largely through a PAC called Fairshake. Most of its preferred candidates were victorious, setting the stage for the likelihood of a more favorable regulatory environment for the industry.
That's a win for Tesla as well. At the end of the third quarter, the company reported "digital assets" with a fair value of $729 million. Cryptocurrencies have rallied since the election, with bitcoin jumping about 29% to a record of over $88,000 on Monday.
IAC said there's no specific timeline for when the spinoff would take place, but if it decides to move forward with the plan, a transaction is expected to happen by the end of the company's second quarter. Media platform Dotdash Meredith and MGM Resorts "would comprise the core of IAC" in the event of an Angi spinoff, Levin said.
From basic necessity to virtuous circles and vintage vibes
It wasn’t that long ago that second-hand clothing was mainly the domain of lower-income consumers: charity shops and donation points were mainstays for collecting those items and redistributing them to those who needed them near and far… sometimes very far. The whole process of intake and selling was quite analog.
"With the considerable progress made and developments on the horizon, we have real upside in the business," Levin wrote. "Angi's economic foundation continues to strengthen, and we suspect that Angi's best shot at realizing that upside to the benefit of our shareholders may be as a standalone company."
Over the years, the concept has had a major makeover, particularly in more developed economies, where second-hand clothing — sometimes loftily referred to as “vintage” — has come into its own. Besides those who can’t spend a lot or just want to save money, there are shoppers who can afford to buy new clothes, but they opt for second-hand to assert their individuality in a sea of mass-market goods. Or they are buying used to tap into the circular economy and virtuously reduce waste.
For those of us on the lookout for a diamond-in-the-rough bargain, prices may not be much different than new, and in many cases, much higher. And the number of places selling used clothes has ballooned. Charity shops now compete with more curated second-hand stores, and even major chains like Urban Outfitters and high-end high-street boutiques are leaning into the vintage vibe.
Levin went on to say that Angi is "healthy, profitable and on a path to resume revenue growth." The company's revenue declined 16% year over year to $296.7 million during the third quarter, which Angi attributed to lower sales and marketing spend, which led to a decrease in service requests and lower acquisition of new professionals. Analysts were looking for revenue of $297 million, according to LSEG.
Angi saw earnings of 7 cents per share, compared with consensus expectations for zero cents per share, according to LSEG.
Alongside this has been a boom of online sellers across eBay, Vinted, Poshmark, ThredUp, The RealReal, Depop, Instagram, TikTok, and many more. Used clothing now makes up 10% of all clothing sales, according to a survey from GlobalData and ThredUp.
The ECDB, a specialist e-commerce data analytics firm, estimates that 68% of all Gen-Z and Millennial consumers in the U.K. (a big market for vintage) bought at least one second-hand item in the last year.
IAC acquired Angi in 2017, and it's been weighing a spinoff of the business for several years. The company postponed the effort in 2019 as it completed the spinoff of Match Group, which owns dating services including Tinder, Match and Hinge.
IAC has become known for incubating businesses and spinning them off into separate companies. It's done the same with Expedia, Ticketmaster and LendingTree, among others.
Fleek has customers all around the world buying goods from its sellers, but according to Arora, the biggest suppliers are not individuals who donate their clothes to charity, but wholesalers, who in this case are very large warehouses that are the ultimate collectors and distributors of those items.
The wholesalers that Fleek tends to work with are in countries like Pakistan, India and Dubai, and they serve both the developing world (still major customers for second-hand clothes) and the developed world (where someone with a bigger wallet might pay as much or possibly more for a great pair of used Levi’s over a new pair).
In IAC's earnings release, the company also broke out results from its Care.com segment for the first time. IAC in 2019 acquired Care.com, an online marketplace for consumers to find child care, senior care, pet care and other services, for nearly $500 million.
Care.com revenue declined 6% year over year to $95.7 million during the third quarter. In the last 12 months, Care.com generated adjusted EBITDA of $46 million.
When I spoke to Arora and Agarwal the other day, they were respectively in Pakistan and India visiting suppliers, and they said that typically these wholesalers can handle — take in, sort, mend, clean up and send out — up to 400,000 kilograms of clothing in a single day. That sounds chaotic, but that’s what makes Fleek so interesting: Go to the site and you’ll see extreme organization, where those hundreds of thousands of kilos can be bought by weight, or by brand, style, size, material and more.
As well as doing the hard work of bringing massive, physical businesses online for the first time, Fleek is also spinning up technology for those further along that journey.
Fintech plays a major role in this evolution, Al-Falih stressed.
"We are just getting started. I feel like there's so much more investment that needs to go into deepening our tech stack, to expanding our payment solutions, to expanding our data services, to deepening our partnerships with banks in the region and with the support and enablement of the central banks in the region as well," Al-Falih said. "If you look at the region's growth over the last three to five years, it's been phenomenal, but there is still so much more room for growth."
It already offers predictive analytics to customers to help them forecast different trends. (Surely this has to be programmed to just tell buyers to seek things popular 20 and 40 years previously.) You could imagine more AI tooling to help with quality control and to better safeguard against counterfeiting, something the two admit is a huge problem in the industry that they want to help stop.
Another area it will likely develop more functionality is in speeding up logistics around buying, shipping and receiving, especially around wholesalers who are being positively reviewed by buyers, said Agarwal.
Revenue from the fintech industry in the Middle East and North Africa amounted to $1.5 billion in 2022, and could grow to be between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion by 2025, according to a report by McKinsey & Company. Fintech revenues in the region are less than 1% of banking revenues, Al-Falih said citing the report, compared to 4 to 5% in more mature markets like the U.S. and U.K.
“We want to bring on more buyers, bring on more sellers, and build technology to continue empowering these entrepreneurs on both sides of the marketplace,” he said.
“Video calls have become a new normal meeting place for organizations, workplaces, and groups of friends all over the world. As communication norms change, Signal’s promise of a private place to communicate stays the same. To make Signal calling better overall, we’ve spent the last few months building some welcome improvements,” the company said in a blog post.
Signal is rolling out the feature on its iOS, Android, and desktop apps.
"We are almost an order of magnitude away from where we could be in terms of the fintech revenue and its participation to the economy," the Lean Technologies CEO said. "And that gives us the wind behind our sales and the motivation to keep building those tools and the picks and shovels, if you will, to enable those bold innovators to achieve their dreams."
Lean Technologies specializes in providing the financial infrastructure that allows secure data-sharing between bank accounts and applications. Regulated by Abu Dhabi Global Markets in the United Arab Emirates, Lean works to facilitate A2A (account-to-account) payments, meaning funds transferred directly between two bank accounts rather than via intermediaries like payment processors or credit card networks.
Coincidentally, one of the angels, Shachar, made his name with a cloud cost optimization tool called Spot, which he eventually sold to NetApp, before going on to found Upwind. It’s the opposite story with PointFive’s CEO and co-founder, Alon Arvatz, who previously founded a security startup, IntSights, which he sold to Rapid7 for $350 million before founding PointFive in cloud optimization. This is because in the cloud, security and cost control are really two sides of the same coin: both need the same data on usage across instances, apps and endpoints to operate. (Sidenote: that was also the impetus for founding PointFive. Arvatz said he realised with his previous startup that it was a challenge to sell cloud security to teams who were under pressure to explain why they needed quite so much of it, when they couldn’t show to finance where cloud spend was going in the first place.)
The company works with major local clients like Emirati state telecoms firm e& and ride-hailing super app company Careem, with over $2 billion in total processed volumes, according to its press release issued Sunday.
In Saudi Arabia, Lean's "launch of its data solutions under the Saudi Central Bank's regulatory sandbox has impacted clients across various industries, including insurance, lending, and marketplaces, verifying nearly 1 million bank accounts," the release said.
Arvatz said in an interview that Shachar has now become the go-to in Israel for any investor doing due diligence before backing a startup in the cloud cost space and that’s how he came to be an investor himself in this company. Shachar thought that “We are the next big thing in the space,” Arvatz claimed.
As for what that “next big thing” is, as Arvatz describes it, previous cloud cost optimizing solutions have been limited in their scope, focusing on one particular cloud platform (Spot for example helped provide visibility on AWS), looking at tracking basic usage on that platform across a wide array of apps and services.
As of September of this year, Saudi Arabia's fintech startups have raised over $1.84 billion in venture capital investments since 2018, according to Monsha'a, the kingdom's General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises. KPMG in September reported that in 2023 alone, Saudi fintechs attracted $791 million — a 231% leap from the previous year.
The number of active fintech startups in the country since the launch of its "Fintech Saudi" initiative in 2018 has reached 216 and they employ a more than 6,500 people, Monsha'a said. The Kingdom aims to establish 525 new companies in the fintech sector by 2030.
However, the reality of how organizations engage in cloud services is very different. Typically they have hybrid architectures in place, using multiple clouds, combined with warehousing solutions like Snowflake and more.
PointFive’s breakthrough, in Arvatz’s view, is the tech that can do that more comprehensively across more silos.
“We were able to build the technology to collect and ingest various data points from the cloud providers,” he said. “Plus we’re the only ones in the industry [that have] developed an agent-less Kubernetes solution. So today, within five minutes, we can give you all the data around your cloud infrastructure and everything you need to know about your Kubernetes clusters.”
The Vistiq's interior and exterior styling are in line with Cadillac's current and upcoming EVs, including the Lyriq and Escalade IQ. The interior features a long screen across the dashboard, while the exterior includes sleek vertical and horizontal front lights and an illuminated grille.
The vehicle has a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack and offers 615 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The Cadillac-estimated range of the vehicle fully charged is 300 miles.
Alongside this, he said, PointFive’s research team has developed AI algorithms to identify what the company describes as “Deep Waste”. This is cost-control equivalent (sort of) of deep learning.
“Traditionally, waste in cloud environments was unused resources,” he said. “You pay for certain resources, but you don’t use them, or use only half of them. When you have containerized environment, and a lot of managed services for storage, when networking is a huge cost and networking is very influenced by architecture, you have tons of waste that is very, very deep and hard to identify, and this is where you need very sophisticated algorithms to actually map them out and do this ongoing monitoring.” This may not be the case forever, but for today, PointFive is the only company out there that can map this, and mapping it is step one to remediating, which can include reallocating, but at the least tracking to know what to negotiate for and get in the future.
The Vistiq will be sold globally, including in the U.S. and Canada, with production starting in early 2025 at GM's Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee. At launch, the Vistiq will offer three trims: Luxury, Sport and Premium Luxury. A top-end "Platinum" trim will be offered starting in summer 2025.
This is particularly important in newer areas like AI, where there are genuine compute constraints and high costs as a result.
It’s very interesting to see Salesforce Ventures leading this round. The company is a leader in SaaS services and so to help upsell more customers to their products, having a solution to make those customers feel more empowered is definitely in their favour. But also, as Salesforce continues to add in more cloud apps for more use cases well beyond sales and marketing, you could imagine them becoming more interested in cloud management and security down the line, too.
“We are excited to support the acceleration of PointFive’s platform and look forward to seeing the value they bring to customers through multi cloud coverage,” said Nowi Kallen, Managing Director, Salesforce Ventures, in a statement.
“Customers have struggled with the data explosion, under-utilization and technical hurdles that come with scaling real-time data,” Orban said. “We now work with some of the largest companies in the world, as they are the most impacted by these challenges.”
Companies can monitor their data streams using Conduktor, or they can share them with third parties via Conduktor Share, which lets organizations serve specific streams externally for data licensing.
“[This technology] works beautifully in a lab. In the lab, everything is super stable. You can stabilize the temperature. You can stabilize the pressure when you push your arm against the sensor,” Kischkat said. “When you’re going out and taking this thing jogging, everything vibrates, everything moves around. You need a stable reference point for every measurement.”
To bolster its R&D, the company just raised €8.5 million ($9.05 million) in seed funding from Point72 Ventures (a firm founded by prominent hedge fund manager Steven Cohen) and Munich-based Vsquared Ventures.
The tool runs on a company’s infrastructure, and can enforce data masking and access controls to ensure that a company’s data handling practices align with regulations like GDPR.
This month, Conduktor closed a $30 million Series B funding round led by RTP Global, with participation from Ansa, M12 (Microsoft’s venture fund) and Accel.
The company expects this R&D process to take about two years, but given that even deep-pocketed Apple has been hacking away at its non-invasive glucose monitoring research for reportedly 12 years now, Quantune’s timeline may be ambitious.
Kischkat and Hahne told TechCrunch that the seed funding will also go towards hiring additional staff. The company was previously awarded €5 million ($5.3 million) in public grants awarded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Investment Bank of Berlin (IBB)
Conduktor has competition in the space (like Immerok), but the startup has grown at a rapid clip, tripling its annual recurring revenue in the past year. The startup counts DraftKings and Lufthansa as customers, and expects to double its 60-person team by 2026.
“As streaming is inevitable for digital innovation, the demand for an enterprise data management platform continues to rise,” Orban said, citing a Fortune Business Insights report that estimates the market for stream processing to grow to $185 billion by 2032.
Other startups trying to crack the code on needle-free blood sugar monitoring include Synex Medical, which in September raised $22 million, and HME Square, which uses photoacoustics, a technique that combines the principles of optics and acoustics to image biological tissues (such as blood).
In 2021, GraphWear raised a $20.5 million Series B for developing technology that can fit into a watch. The company hasn’t provided any public updates on its scientific progress since then.
The fresh cash, which brings the New York-based company’s total capital raised to $52 million, will be put toward general expansion and product development, Orban said.
In recent years, the FDA has approved several continuous glucose monitoring devices, including the FreeStyle Libre in 2017. While these devices offer significant benefits, they still require a small, needle-like sensor inserted under the skin to measure glucose levels.
Narrow focus — ‘huge’ market
Agicap’s relative success comes down to a narrow focus on treasury management software — it isn’t trying to do everything at once like most fintech startups.
It’s also a relatively untapped market as many companies still rely on Excel and file exports from bank accounts and ERP software. Evidence of this lies in a recent study Agicap did with 500 European CFOs of midmarket companies. When asked about the tool of choice to manage and forecast their cash positions, 80% of them answered Excel.
Even if the glasses do go ahead, it could take years to perfect. Amazon is currently struggling to make a battery for the wearable that can last a full eight-hour shift and is still light enough to wear all day without causing fatigue. The company also needs to gather data on each house, sidewalk, street, curb and driveway, which could take years, said people familiar with the project.
It’s also worth noting that Agicap’s main customers are CFOs and financial departments. And when teams in charge of money like a product they’re not going to unsubscribe anytime soon.
Agicap customers can sync data from their existing bank accounts, credit institutions and ERP solutions. It then acts as a central repository to view everything related to past and future cash flows. But Agicap isn’t just a visualization dashboard; users can initiate and schedule transfers directly from its interface, too.
The embedded screen in project Amelia might make its way to a future generation of Echo Frames that could release as soon as the second quarter of 2026. Sales of the consumer wearable have been disappointing, with fewer than 10,000 units of the current third generation being sold since their release late in 2023. Complaints include the lack of a charging case, less than stellar audio, and Alexa not being the best assistant while you're on the go.
“We think that we’ll be able to use cash management as the basis for what we call the CFO suite, and provide other tools to CFOs and treasurers,” Beyet said.
In that vein, more recently, the startup added accounts payable and accounts receivable. These features help you get paid faster as you can see pending invoices and nudge customers in case they’re late. Similarly, Agicap imports purchase orders so that you can pay suppliers on time and use that data for your upcoming budgets.
The material pulls this off by bridging the gap between the theoretical heat transfer limits of these materials and what's achieved in real products. Through mechanochemistry, the liquid metal and ceramic ingredients are mixed in an extremely controlled way, creating gradient interfaces that heat can flow across much more easily.
Beyond just being better at cooling, the researchers claim that the higher performance reduces the energy needed to run cooling pumps and fans by up to 65%. It also unlocks the ability to cram more heat-generating processors into the same space without overheating issues.
In addition to hiring new people to find new customers, Agicap plans to use the funding to launch new features around credit management and foreign exchange risk management.
What about offering credit products directly? “We don’t want to become a bank,” said Beyet. “In other words, we don’t want to take on the financial risk of lending money ourselves. We know how to make software, and that’s what we intend to focus on.”
It's an important breakthrough in a world where data centers burn through around 8 terawatt-hours per year just on cooling, which is about 40% of their total energy usage. The UT Austin researchers estimate that their new TIM could reduce cooling energy needs by 13% across the industry, cutting overall data center energy usage by at least 5%. That should translate to a gigantic reduction in operating costs and carbon emissions.
As for how you can get your hands on the material: it's yet to make it out of the labs. The UT team has so far only tested it successfully at small scales but is now working on producing larger batches to put through real-world trials with data center partners.
“After that, it’s unlimited, infinite, exponential growth possible,” Fleischer claimed. “Our idea is to operate the plants ourselves worldwide. We focus on Germany, on Europe, and then we go to North America. But after we reach that [FOAK] plant, we can expand Tozero on multiple dimensions around the world. So that’s going to be a key milestone for the next growth phase.”
The startup pointed to projections that global demand for lithium is expected to quadruple to 3.1 million metric tons by 2030, driven by rapid uptake of electric vehicles and growing need for large-scale renewable energy batteries. For context, lithium mining production yielded only 180,000 metric tons last year, so recycling will have a critical role to play in servicing that demand.
Of course, that means even if it lives up to the hype, you'll probably see this liquid metal thermal grease keeping huge server farms frosty before it ever hits the shelves for you to slather on your home PC's Intel or AMD processor.
"The power consumption of cooling infrastructure for energy-intensive data centers and other large electronic systems is skyrocketing," said 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."
The EU’s Battery Directive will also make it mandatory that at least 80% of lithium must be recovered from batteries by 2031.
“The technology works… So the core part of our technology is already nailed. Now we just have to industrialize it,” Fleischer said.
Smashing recycling bottlenecks
The startup is tackling bottlenecks in lithium battery recycling using a water-based carbonation recovery process that’s more environmentally friendly than conventional pyrometallurgy (smelting). Its method of reclaiming lithium also doesn’t entail the use of harsh acids, as can be the case with other battery recycling processes.
Valve says it has allocated stock of the white Steam Deck proportionally across each region. Once they're sold out, they're gone forever; Valve won't be making any more. The fact it's a limited edition means we can expect the new Steam Deck to be a prime target of scalpers – don't be surprised to see this one listed for a small fortune on eBay.
Tozero says its method also results in substantially lower emissions — 70% lower — than mining.
“The security of the raw material — it’s national security in a way,” Fleischer said. “There are so many underserved industries here in Europe that are starving for the material because Europe doesn’t produce lithium carbonate; we’re importing. If you look at [European Commission president] Ursula von der Leyen, she makes statements that we import over 97% of the lithium carbonate from China. So we’re highly dependent on the eastern front and mining industries.”
To try to stop scalpers, Valve is limited sales to one unit per account. Moreover, the accounts must have made a Steam purchase before November 2024 and be in good standing to be eligible to make a purchase.
Access to black mass, the byproduct of mechanical recycling of lithium batteries that Tozero processes, is not restricted across borders. And on the competition front, Fleischer describes this as a “completely blue ocean market,” with battery recycling efforts mostly focused elsewhere. The startup says it can use black mass from any type of lithium-ion batteries so the waste streams can be mixed.
“Lithium will be always inside [the batteries for recycling], but the other elements are changing — with innovations in battery manufacturing — so we don’t care if there is nickel, or if it’s a few percent less or more, for example, cobalt, but lithium is always there,” said Milicevic Neumann.
As for why Valve is releasing this variant, the company says that it released a smoky translucent limited edition Steam Deck OLED as an experiment last year to gauge if there was an interest in alternative colorways. As it proved popular, Valve is doing it again. So, while there may not be any more white Steam Decks made after this one, there could be other color options in the future.
Tozero also reclaims graphite from the black mass waste streams. The startup says its focus on these two critical raw materials is a “key differentiation” versus other battery recycling players.
The focus on lithium is also why the startup has customers beating a path to its door.
“Customers are just storming this place,” Fleischer said, couching market demand as “way too high” for many industrial use-cases in Europe. Tozero has lined up customers worth “over a billion of off-take that are keen to have our material,” she said.
As a reminder, the OLED Steam Deck's specs include a 1280 x 800 7.4-inch HDR OLED screen, 16GB of LPDDR5, and an AMD APU featuring a quad-core Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2-based GPU with 8 compute units.
Tozero delivered its first batch of recycled high-purity lithium to commercial customers this April, nine months after opening its pilot facility in Germany.
The need for speed
Tozero was only founded in 2022, so how has it achieved something larger players in the space evidently haven’t managed over the past couple of decades? The startup says it boils down to having a tight focus, being fast and thinking creatively.
“There is either an outage or network maintenance impacting your area. We don’t have full details just yet. Our apologies for any inconvenience this is causing,” Verizon responded to a user on X asking about the outages.
“We’re trying to get all the information from our network team so we can provide you all an update.”
An X user in Maryland posted an update from Verizon stating that repairs had begun at 10:50 p.m. ET Monday and that service was expected to be restored by 10:58 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Being fast requires being creative when you’re building hardware, Fleischer argued, explaining that the biggest challenge for hardware startups is the issue of delivery times for getting the equipment needed to scale.
“We break things fast, learn, iterate and improve at a very fast pace — probably like Elon Musk’s SpaceX kind of principle — just get stuff building and see [what happens] until things break, learn from it, and iterate and improve in very fast sprints, which is very unfamiliar for hardware companies,” said Fleischer.
El Salvador first started purchasing Bitcoin in September 2021, when the price was approximately $51,000, according to the Nayib Bukele portfolio tracker. The nation then purchased the leading cryptocurrency ten times over the coming year before it committed to purchasing one BTC every day, following the collapse of FTX.
“I would say we protect ourselves with speed,” she added, confirming that Tozero’s approach is based on a “process innovation” that’s protected as a trade secret, though it’s not patented. “The entire process, steps or parameters, the order, how we do specific things, that is completely our ‘Coca Cola’ [trade secret] recipe,” she added.
Tozero believes it can expand its approach to reclaim other raw materials that could be used as “energy sources,” though it wouldn’t specify which materials it may add later.
When this pledge started, Bitcoin was worth approximately $16,600. It has since climbed to a new all-time high of $89,000—that’s a 436% increase.
According to SpotOnChain, El Salvador’s stockpiled Bitcoin was actually in a loss of $14 million just over a week ago, November 4. But as Bitcoin’s price skyrocketed following Donald Trump’s reelection as U.S. President, so did El Salvador’s fortunes.
The overarching mission is to get to zero waste of critical raw materials. “We’re quite aware of [the broader challenges entailed in decarbonizing in a sustainable way],” Milicevic Neumann told TechCrunch. “So we want also to focus on recycling of some other materials in the future as well.”
But if it wants to achieve real impact, wouldn’t Tozero have to license its trade secrets to others? The pair say they haven’t fully decided their approach, but prefer to retain control over the process as they scale — though they are open to partnerships.
Trump was seen as the pro-crypto candidate, when compared to a more crypto-cautious Democrat Kamala Harris. This is why Bitcoin has seen significant gains since the Republican was reelected—speculators are hopeful for a brighter future for crypto in the U.S.
One example of this is the potential strategic Bitcoin reserve that Trump’s administration could help build. Similar to El Salvador’s Bitcoin stockpile, the current plan outlined by Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming, would see the U.S. purchase 5% of the supply over a five year period and hold it in reserve for 20 years.
“On the operational side, we believe we can only really deliver the highest quality if we operate the plants ourselves,” said Fleischer. “This can be also with partners. I mean, we’re open for that. So I don’t want to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to licensing. Partnerships are great to scale, if helpful, but we’re going to operate our plants ourselves.”
Tozero’s seed round was led by NordicNinja, with participation from new investors In-Q-Tel (the U.S. strategic public-private fund), Honda, and global infrastructure engineering giant JGC Group. The startup’s €3.5 million pre-seed round, closed around two years ago, was led by Berlin-based Atlantic Labs. To date, Tozero has raised €17 million, which includes a €2.5 million grant from the EU’s R&D support arm, the European Innovation Council.
While the U.S. may be turning a corner with crypto, El Salvador has been deeply experimenting with it for years. Aside from making Bitcoin legal tender and buying $500 million worth of it, the nation has also started up a Bitcoin mining operation that uses energy from volcanoes, offering Bitcoin “volcano bonds.”
It appears the people of El Salvador have enjoyed the Bitcoin experiment so far as Bukele secured re-election in February this year. Nine months later, the country is richer to the tune of $100 million.
“Tozero’s innovative approach to battery recycling is exactly what Europe needs to secure key supplies in the global electrification race and Japan would love to collaborate,” said Shin Nikkuni, co-founder and managing partner at NordicNinja, in a statement. “Sarah and Ksenija, two exceptional founders, have the expertise and drive to transform the landscape for sustainable battery solutions. We’re excited to support the tozero team in scaling its technology and commercial operation and contributing to a more sustainable and independent energy future for all.”
The firm released its SmolLM language model earlier this year. "We are not the only one," said Wolf, adding that, "Almost every open source company has been releasing smaller and smaller models this year."
He explained that, "For a lot of very interesting tasks that we need that we could automate with AI, we don't need to have a model that can solve the Riemann conjecture or general relativity." Instead, simple tasks such as data wrangling, image processing and speech can be performed using small language models, with corresponding benefits in speed.
Amazon has just re-launched its best deal on the Amazon Music Unlimited streaming service. For a limited time only you'll be able to get an extended three month trial - a deal that basically triples the usual introductory period.
Music Unlimited usually costs at least $10 a month so you're getting a pretty decent saving here on one of the better streaming services available currently. With Music Unlimited, you get access to over 10 million songs - 2 million of which are ad-free - as well as support for high-quality lossless audio and offline downloads.
The performance of Hugging Face's LLaMA 1b model to 1 billion parameters this year is "equivalent, if not better than, the performance of a 10 billion parameters model of last year," he said. "So you have a 10 times smaller model that can reach roughly similar performance."
Selling quickly! Folks, I usually don't like to rush our readers but this is a PSA. The 256GB Google Pixel 9 deal here is selling out extremely quickly. Two colors have already gone so this could be your last chance to score one of the better cell phone deals from the retailer in recent weeks.
For the record, the 256GB Google Pixel 9 is selling for only $50 more than the record-low price for the entry-level 128GB model. That's twice the storage for a very, very small upcharge. Recommended!
"A lot of the knowledge we discovered for our large language model can actually be translated to smaller models," Wolf said. He explained that the firm trains them on "very specific data sets" that are "slightly simpler, with some form of adaptation that's tailored for this model."
Those adaptations include "very tiny, tiny neural nets that you put inside the small model," he said. "And you have an even smaller model that you add into it and that specializes," a process he likened to "putting a hat for a specific task that you're gonna do. I put my cooking hat on, and I'm a cook."
Another record low price on one of our favorite products! Right now Amazon is selling the excellent Sony Alpha 7 IV mirrorless camera for an eye-wateringly low price of just $1,849 for the body only. By my estimation, that's a price that beats the previous record-low by a whopping $200!
While discounts on Sony cameras aren't super rare in themselves, it is pretty rare to see a price cut this deep on a model that's this popular. For the record, we rank the A7 IV as one of the best options for those looking for a camera that's just as capable with stills and video.
In the future, Wolf said, the AI space will split across two main trends.
"On the one hand, we'll have this huge frontier model that will keep getting bigger, because the ultimate goal is to do things that human cannot do, like new scientific discoveries," using LLMs, he said. The long tail of AI applications will see the technology "embedded a bit everywhere, like we have today with the internet."
My first spotlight recommendation - and it's a good one, folks. It's the incredible LG C4 OLED TV on sale for a record-low price at the retailer. There's not much I can say about this deal apart from that it's pretty bonkers to see a price cut this good on such a popular model this far ahead of Black Friday.
So, as an overview, the C4 OLED is one of our favorite TVs here at TechRadar. Not only does it have a superb OLED display with the brilliant contrast and colors that these sets are known for, but support for 144Hz refresh rate also makes it a superb TV for next-gen gaming. It's pricey, yes, but worth every penny in our books!
The limitations emerge at a critical juncture for OpenAI following its recent $6.6 billion funding round.
The company now faces heightened expectations from investors while grappling with technical constraints that challenge traditional scaling approaches in AI development. If these early versions don't meet expectations, the company’s upcoming fundraising efforts may not be met with the same hype as before—and that could be a problem for a potentially for-profit company, which is what Sam Altman seems to want for OpenAI.
It should come as no surprise that the best Disney Plus movies include huge franchises, much-loved animations, and iconic classics. It is the home of Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm after all. Not forgetting the cornucopia of Disney movies spanning decades and decades of family-friendly titles and nostalgia. It's one of the best streaming services for good reason.
With over 500 films and more than 80 Disney Originals on the platform, we know the choice can feel a little overwhelming, especially when there are new Disney Plus movies being added every month to the service. Our team of experts keep up to date with all of the latest movies on the popular streaming service, so we know what's worth watching and what's not. That's why we've created this guide to help you find the perfect movie to watch. From Marvel Phase 5 and Marvel Phase 6 movies and shows to new Star Wars movies and Disney Plus shows, we've got you covered.
Underwhelming results point to a fundamental challenge facing the entire AI industry: the diminishing supply of high-quality training data and the need to remain relevant in a field as competitive as generative AI.
However, if nothing takes your fancy here, you can check out our list of best Netflix movies, best Prime Video movies, best Paramount Plus movies or best Apple TV Plus movies, as you're bound to find something to watch in there. But without further ado, here are 38 of the best Disney Plus movies to stream.
Research published in June predicted that AI companies will exhaust available public human-generated text data between 2026 and 2032, marking a critical inflection point for traditional development approaches.
"Our findings indicate that current LLM development trends cannot be sustained through conventional data scaling alone," the research paper states, highlighting the need for alternative approaches to model improvement, including synthetic data generation, transfer learning from data-rich domains, and the use of non-public data.
Research published in June predicted that AI companies will exhaust available public human-generated text data between 2026 and 2032, marking a critical inflection point for traditional development approaches.
"Our findings indicate that current LLM development trends cannot be sustained through conventional data scaling alone," the research paper states, highlighting the need for alternative approaches to model improvement, including synthetic data generation, transfer learning from data-rich domains, and the use of non-public data.
The historical strategy of training language models on publicly available text from websites, books, and other sources has reached a point of diminishing returns, with developers having "largely squeezed as much out of that type of data as they can," according to The Information.
While Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants meant the X-Men franchise mostly lost its way after 2014’s Days of Future Past, 2017's Logan is arguably the best X-movie of them all. Designed as Hugh Jackman’s swansong as Wolverine (at least, it was until he signed up for the aforementioned Deadpool and Wolverine), it’s a bleak, but perfectly crafted study of a hero whose best days are behind him. Reunited with Patrick Stewart’s Professor Xavier (now struggling to control his psychic gifts), Logan finds new purpose protecting young mutant, Laura (His Dark Materials’ Dafne Keen), in a movie that pushes the boundaries of superhero stories on screen.
How OpenAI is Tackling This Issue: Reasoning vs. Language Models
To tackle these challenges, OpenAI is fundamentally restructuring its approach to AI development.
“In response to the recent challenge to training-based scaling laws posed by slowing GPT improvements, the industry appears to be shifting its effort to improving models after their initial training, potentially yielding a different type of scaling law,” The Information reports.
The Ghostbusters said you should never cross the streams, but Disney had massive success when its animation division adapted a little-known Marvel comic. As in many classic Disney animations, the plot is driven by the tragic death of a parent, but what Bambi and The Lion King lacked in robots and sci-fi action, Big Hero 6 delivers in spades. The San Fransokyo setting is a wonderfully inventive fusion of East and West, while inflatable robot Baymax instantly earned himself a place alongside R2-D2 and WALL-E in the pantheon of all-time great droids. And yes, even though you have to keep your eyes peeled to spot it, the regulation Stan Lee cameo is all present and correct.
To achieve this state of continuous improvement, OpenAI is separating model development into two distinct tracks:
The O-Series (which seems to be codename Strawberry), focused on reasoning capabilities, represents a new direction in model architecture. These models operate with significantly higher computational intensity and are explicitly designed for complex problem-solving tasks.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is acclaimed director Wes Anderson's adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic story. It follows Mr. Fox who is living a lovely life in the countryside with his family. But, he raids the farms of the local human neighbors, which results in the animal community being hunted down by three farmers; Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. It's a delightful movie that should appeal to the whole family. Kids will love the story, the creatures, and the silliness. Adults will love the humor, Wes Anderson's fresh take on a much-loved story, and appreciating the talent of the voice actors, including George Clooney as Mr. Fox, Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox, Bill Murray as Badger and Willem Dafoe as Rat.
The computational demands are substantial, with early estimates suggesting operational costs at six times that of current models. However, the enhanced reasoning capabilities could justify the increased expense for specific applications requiring advanced analytical processing.
As the first ever entirely computer-generated movie, Toy Story was always going to grab headlines. The fact we’re still talking about it more than 25 years later, however, shows that Pixar struck storytelling gold when it united an insecure cowboy with an action figure who believes he’s a real-life space ranger. In a movie where the dialogue sizzles, every single toy in Andy’s playroom could be worthy of a spin-off – indeed, Buzz Lightyear got one in the form of Lightyear – while the gags and surprisingly complex themes ensured grown-ups were just as captivated as their kids. The three sequels are similarly brilliant, which is a truly incredible accomplishment, possibly unparalleled in recent Hollywood history.
The massive success of Encanto hit ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ has got everyone talking about Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda again, but his first Disney collaboration is the better movie. Assisted by Miranda’s ear for a hit tune, the eponymous Moana is undoubtedly one of the studio’s great characters, the daughter of a Polynesian island chief who learns a lot of life lessons when she takes to the high seas to save her community. The movie also earns extra credit for showing that, among all his other skills, Dwayne Johnson can hold a tune.
This model, if it’s the same as Strawberry, is also tasked to generate enough synthetic data to increase the quality of OpenAI's LLMs constantly.
In parallel, the Orion Models or the GPT Series (considering OpenAI trademarked the name GPT-5) continue to evolve, focusing on general language processing and communication tasks. These models maintain more efficient computational requirements while leveraging their broader knowledge base for writing and argumentation tasks.
In the first decade of the 21st century, Pixar was on the sort of golden run most studios – live-action or animated – could only dream of. Having tackled insects (A Bug’s Life), fish (Finding Nemo) and superheroes (The Incredibles), the CG pioneers turned their attentions to space, and the results were truly out of this world. It’s difficult to pinpoint what’s boldest about this futuristic tale: is it the bleakness of a future Earth that’s become so polluted that the human race has left for the stars? Or is it that the first act is largely wordless, as the eponymous robot trundles along, carrying out his never-ending clean-up operation? Either way, WALL-E is undoubtedly one of the best Disney Plus movies, a bona fide classic from a studio that specializes in classics.
OpenAI’s CPO Kevin Weil also confirmed this during an AMA and said he expects to converge both developments at some point in the future.
“It's not either or, it's both,” he replied when asked whether OpenAI would focus on scaling LLMs with more data or using a different approach, focusing on smaller but faster models, “better base models plus more strawberry scaling/inference time compute.”
If you have kids of a certain age, the thought of ice princesses, talking snowmen and letting it go may be enough to bring you out in very cold sweats. But if you look past the relentless, heavily merchandised juggernaut surrounding the original Frozen, it’s actually one of Disney’s best fairytale retellings (it's based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen), with a pair of inspiring female leads, spectacular animation and, yes, some killer songs.
A workaround or the ultimate solution?
OpenAI's approach to addressing data scarcity through synthetic data generation presents complex challenges for the industry. The company's researchers are developing sophisticated models designed to generate training data, yet this solution introduces new complications in maintaining model quality and reliability.
As previously reported by Decrypt, researchers have found that model training on synthetic data represents a double-edged sword. While it offers a potential solution to data scarcity, it introduces new risks of model degradation and reliability concerns with proven degradation after several training iterations.
By the time The Incredibles arrived in 2004, Pixar had seemingly stumbled on a formula, in which two chalk-and-cheese characters would be thrown together on some kind of quest – see Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo. When The Iron Giant and The Simpsons director Brad Bird entered the fold, however, he shook things up with a hilarious, action-packed story about an (otherwise) ordinary family with superpowers. Thanks to Marvel, there’s no shortage of superhero movies on Disney Plus, but few are as smart, funny and inventive as The Incredibles. Set in a timeless alternative USA, the movie’s visuals are stylish and beautiful to look at, while the fact that the movie is more interested in the Parr family than their superhero alter-egos sets it apart from the herd. How does The Incredibles compare with the animation studio's best? Check out our guide on the best Pixar movies ranked.
In other words, as models train on AI-generated content, they may begin to amplify subtle imperfections in their outputs. These feedback loops can perpetuate and magnify existing biases, creating a compounding effect that becomes increasingly difficult to detect and correct.
OpenAI's Foundations team is developing new filtering mechanisms to maintain data quality, implementing different validation techniques to distinguish between high-quality and potentially problematic synthetic content. The team is also exploring hybrid training approaches that strategically combine human and AI-generated content to maximize the benefits of both sources while minimizing their respective drawbacks.
Pete Docter is now the chief creative officer of Pixar and his qualifications for the job have long been clear – as director he’s been responsible for some of the biggest, boldest storytelling ideas in the studio’s glorious history. Despite Up’s powerful opening and Soul’s intelligent examination of the afterlife, however, Inside Out is his true masterpiece, a trip inside a girl’s mind that turns her emotions into fully rounded characters. This being Pixar – a studio so successful it could easily fill a lot more slots on this list of the best Disney Plus movies – the characterization and storytelling are second-to-none. But even more impressive is the way the film translates a kid’s subconscious into a fully functioning society. Movies – animated or otherwise – don’t get much smarter than this.
Post-training optimization has also gained relevance. Researchers are developing new methods to enhance model performance after the initial training phase, potentially offering a way to improve capabilities without relying solely on expanding the training dataset.
That said, GPT-5 is still an embryo of a complete model with significant development work ahead. Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, has indicated that it won't be ready for deployment this year or next. This extended timeline could prove advantageous, allowing researchers to address current limitations and potentially discover new methods for model enhancement, considerably improving GPT-5 before its eventual release.
The 1980s were a dark time for Disney’s animation division, but the studio rediscovered its mojo with the triple whammy of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin during the decade that followed. The highlight of the renaissance shifted away from Disney’s traditional fairytales to tell the Hamlet-inspired story of an exiled lion cub returning to reclaim his throne. Packed with memorable songs, built around some stunning set-pieces, and impeccable cast – who’d have thought of casting James Earl Jones as an absent father? – it stands up as one of 2D animation’s finest hours. The photo-real ‘live-action’ remake is also available on Disney Plus.
Leandro Garcia, Visa’s Executive Director of Solutions for Digital Payments, explains how Visa tokens facilitate the secure and reliable management of substantial payment flows for issuers and merchants. He emphasizes that the increasing adoption of this technology not only enhances consumer experience but also significantly boosts security for online purchases.
As we already mentioned in CNF, tokenization technology, which replaces the 16-digit number of a credit or debit card with a unique and secure “token,” represents innovation for Visa. Each token is unique to each device, website, or application and is stored in a secure environment. Retailers can access the token solely for payment purposes, and storage is allowed only with the consumer’s consent.
Pete Doctor is behind the stories of so many masterpiece animations from Disney and Pixar. From Monsters Inc and Up to Inside Out, each of these movies are known for offering big life lessons using digestible metaphors wrapped in whimsical fantasy but it's his work alongside Mike Jones (The Incredibles) and Kemp Powers (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) on the 2020 adventure family film Soul that strikes a chord with me the most. It tackles the existential question: what does it mean to have a soul? And going by its wins at the 93rd Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score, you can probably tell that its philosophical answer is a knockout with audiences. It's fun for the whole family.
“Tokenization is increasingly being used to enhance security, optimize sales conversions and improve the online shopping experience. We see great potential for its growth, both in Brazil and globally, as more issuers, retailers and consumers realize the benefits of technology for their businesses and data protection,” concludes Garcia.
A black-and-white Judy Garland walking into Technicolor in the original Wizard of Oz is rightly hailed as one of the greatest moments in cinema but, for a younger generation, Baby Herman storming out of a cartoon onto an actual movie set had the same effect. The way Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis brought animated characters into a live-action world is an incredible technical achievement, but even beyond the ‘how did they do that?’ magic, it’s a hell of a movie. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a family-friendly take on classic film noir, with a stuff-of-nightmares villain and – in Londoner Bob Hoskins – one of cinema’s great hard-boiled PIs.
Garcia highlights the growing use of tokenization to improve security, optimize sales conversions, and enhance the online shopping experience. He sees substantial potential for its growth, both in Brazil and globally, as more issuers, retailers, and consumers recognize the benefits of the technology for their businesses and data protection.
Currently, 29% of Visa’s global transactions are tokenized, a technology that prevented $650 million in fraud losses in 2023 alone. This underscores the increasing reliance on and the effectiveness of tokenization in safeguarding digital financial transactions worldwide.
Inside Out 2 is not only one of 2024's biggest new movies but also the highest-grossing animated film of all-time after earning more than $1.6 billion worldwide. The animated sequel arrived nearly a decade after the first and it was well worth the wait. Much like the main character Riley, I was laughing, crying, and experiencing every emotion in between with this installment that's just as heartwarming as the original. Inside Out 2 follows teen Riley a year later as she enters a new stage in her life and faces fresh emotional challenges which opens the door to some new arrivals that Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust all feel unsure about. Whether you're a child or adult, this emotions-led hit really tugs at the heartstrings (I mean, we did rank that Big Bong scene in our top 10 most heartbreaking Pixar moments). There's even more good news for as there's an Inside Out 2 spin-off show called Win or Lose coming on December 11 and I already can't contain my emotions.
Trump had previously voiced his dissatisfaction with the Fed during his first term, and in his recent campaign, he expressed interest in having more control over monetary policy.
Musk supported this position, suggesting that unelected bureaucracies like the Fed hold excessive power compared to elected officials, sparking significant discussion on the Fed’s role in economic governance.
My palms get sweaty just thinking about this documentary. It's one thing to climb up the El Capitan mountain summit in Yosemite National Park with ropes and safety equipment, but to do it without any gear at all is a whole other feat. In Free Solo, we meet Alex Honnold as he plans to achieve his lifetime dream of climbing up the face of the world's most famous rock – that sentence could have easily ended there and still be impressive but this is the legendary rock climber Honnold after all – without a rope. Honnold's jaw-dropping ascent up the vertical rock face is a tense watch (even from my living room's low to the ground couch), but the documentary also offers some respite from the sporting action by breaking up the narrative with scenes of the daredevil's home life with his friends and girlfriend. It's an extraordinary, nerve-racking watch that left me in awe.
However, the debate intensified after Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated he would not resign even if asked by President Trump, a stance that Lee and Musk criticized as overstepping constitutional authority.
Legendary musician John Williams has composed unforgettable soundtracks for beloved franchises and movies I've seen over the years like Jaws, E.T, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and many more. Even if you haven't seen the films, the iconic tunes are instantly recognizable and have become the greatest soundtracks in cinematic history. This heartwarming documentary celebrates the maestro's life and career that spans decades, with interviews from filmmakers, musicians and other famous faces who have been inspired by his work. TechRadar's Tom Power wrote that: "I implore any film buff, regardless of whether they enjoy Williams' scores or not, to check it out, because it's full of unheard stories and anecdotal information about the famous US musician that'll endear him further to, well, anyone." Music by John Williams is a laudable documentary that perfectly praises one of the best musicians there will ever be.
Bitcoin as a Potential Economic Solution
Amid calls for Fed reform, attention is growing on Bitcoin as an inflation hedge, especially with the U.S. national debt now surpassing $35 trillion. Influential voices, including Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis and Senator Cynthia Lummis, are advocating for BTC investments to preserve purchasing power.
Trump has even suggested that Bitcoin could play a role in managing the debt, positioning it as a critical tool in potential U.S. economic strategy. As discussions on the Fed’s influence evolve, Bitcoin’s role as a hedge against inflation garners increasing interest.
In Young Woman and the Sea, Daisy Ridley plays Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Through the unrelenting support of her older sister and trainers, she overcomes hardships and hostility of a patriarchal society to progress through the Olympic swimming team and complete the 21-mile trip from France to England. Ridley shines as Ederle in this inspiring true story that also features a star-studded cast of Stephen Graham and Christopher Eccleston, which makes it a winning movie in my eyes.
“Why would you go out and shoot an establishing shot of a house in a television show when you could just create the establishing shot for $100? To go out and shoot it would cost you thousands of dollars,” Kutcher said, according to Variety. “Action scenes of me jumping off of this building, you don’t have to have a stunt person go do it, you could just go do it.”
Kutcher’s arguments for AI’s cost-saving potential in production were controversial, to say the least, leading to the actor to walk back his comments on social media.
Rise is based on the true story of the Antetokounmpo family, in particular three Greek-Nigerian brothers: Giannis (Uche Agada), Thanasis (Ral Agada), and Kostas (Jaden Osimuwa), who were the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league. I'm not a basketball fan, and you don't have to be to watch this uplifting sports biopic that shines a light on a truly remarkable family who launched the careers of three NBA champions despite adversity. To top it off, the three lead actors are phenomenal in their first movie roles.
Despite the potential threat of AI to impact jobs, for filmmakers like Scott Mann, the technology offers the ability to be more flexible—and believes it's something the entertainment industry should join Scott in embracing.
"AI-powered tools offer filmmakers greater freedom and flexibility, reducing shoot time and costs while still allowing them to perfect scenes in post-production,” Mann told Decrypt. “This shift enables a more agile, less linear approach to filmmaking, enhancing creativity without compromising the artistic vision. However, it’s crucial that AI is used ethically and responsibly.”
With AI being one of the major factors in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA, WGA strikes, and the ongoing video game actors strike, Mann—who directed Robert De Niro in the 2015 crime caper "Heist"—emphasized the need for studios not to replace creators with AI.
“Human creatives must remain at the forefront, ensuring AI enriches both the audience and artists’ experiences,” Mann said. “AI should be a tool to enhance human creativity, not replace it."
Tom Hanks won successive Oscars in the ’90s for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, but it was the 1988 comedy-drama Big that bagged him his first nomination. Indeed, the star has arguably never been better than he is here, playing a 12-year-old boy whose wish to be “big” comes true. Of course, the kid soon discovers that being a grown-up isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – despite his remarkable success at a major toy company – but Hanks kept me rooting for Josh with a performance of believable naivety.
At the time, Bitcoin was worth a comparatively paltry $27,000. Fast forward four years and the cryptocurrency is trading at $87,803 late Monday, an increase of more than 220%, placing Okung's Bitcoin bet at $21 million.
In 2021, the Bitcoin aficionado defended the crypto when Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced his company would no longer accept Bitcoin payments, citing environmental concerns over its energy consumption.
Disney loves the premise of this body-swap comedy so much it’s made three versions of Freaky Friday – and they're all available on Disney Plus. It’s the 2003 version that’s the standout, however, as Jamie-Lee Curtis’s uptight mom and Lindsay Lohan’s rebellious teen swap places thanks to magical fortune cookies. The secret of the movie’s success is the casting, with both leads displaying an uncanny talent for role-reversal comedy, playing their opposite number with all the relish of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage in Face/Off. Made a year before Mean Girls, this is the movie that marked out Lohan as one of the most talented actors of her generation. To top it off, the comedy is getting a sequel with Freakier Friday and best believe I'll be tuning in to watch.
In response to Musk’s proclamation, Okung launched the “Stick to Space, Elon” campaign.
“Bitcoin is humanity’s best shot at freedom," Okung told Decrypt at the time. "The public narrative needed correction as Elon apparently misunderstands its true benefit to our species.”
He continued: “No individual is a threat to Bitcoin in the grand scheme of things. In Elon’s words, it is inevitable. His impact on Bitcoin is temporary.”
Disney has its cake and eats it with a post-modern movie that pokes fun at the clichés of its animated classics, while also being a magical fairytale in its own right. Amy Adams is typically brilliant as Giselle, a traditional cartoon Disney Princess who finds herself transported to a place way scarier than any magical kingdom – the real world. Both the animated and live-action segments are flawlessly executed, as the self-aware script seamlessly blends comedy, an evil queen (played by Susan Sarandon), and a romance with a down-on-his-luck lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) who doesn’t necessarily believe in happily ever afters. Long awaited sequel Disenchanted was released on Disney Plus in 2022.
Neither movies about pirates nor movies based on theme park attractions were considered a recipe for success back in 2003. Nonetheless, the original Pirates of the Caribbean managed to surprise everyone by becoming one of the standout blockbusters of the era. The film’s crowd-pleasing mix of romance, ghosts and swashbuckling action on the high seas proved infectious, but it was the wonderfully eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp based his performance on Rolling Stone Keith Richards) that lifted The Curse of the Black Pearl to the next level. Just pretend the four disappointing sequels – also available on Disney Plus – didn’t happen. Now I just have one question: why is the rum gone?
There are countless beverage brands out there, but Rekt Drinks was able to leverage the existing Web3 community to move initial product and build some buzz around the launch.
“Traditional startups may have a great product, but they often struggle to get off the ground as they have a lack of community or existing customer base,” Faruq told Decrypt. “Conversely, Web3 excels at fostering die-hard communities.”
Taking hide and seek to a whole new level, Ready or Not shouldn't be missed whether it's the Halloween season or beyond. Here, Samara Weaving shines as a new bride who meets her husband's family and ends up being hunted by them as part of a strange tradition. It's shocking, it's hilarious, it's unlike anything you've seen before. I got the chance to see this with a crowd, but it's equally as satisfying in the comfort of your own home. Are you ready (or not)?
One of the most successful drink launches in recent years is Prime, led by YouTubers-turned-boxers KSI and Logan Paul. While not Web3-native, the drinks sold out upon launch and were in demand thanks to the two influencers' cultlike followings, with fans queued at shops to get their hands on the drinks.
While Rekt believes it has a strong community, it’s not nearly as large as the 40 million subscribers that KSI and Logan Paul collectively command.
No One Will Save You is another unique horror offering I highly recommend. Something I found very intriguing was the fact there are only five lines of dialogue spoken throughout the entire movie, but don't let it put you off. It more than holds your attention by showing, not telling, and it's a clever tactic. Here, Kaitlyn Dever is a woman who lives alone and has been shunned by the local community, who finds herself fighting for her life against mysterious aliens. Perfect for both sci-fi and horror lovers, it's the kind of story that will make you think.
In this absence, Rekt engaged its community using a rewards system that feels native to Web3 audiences. By completing social tasks (such as liking a tweet or following an account), purchasing Rekt Drinks, or owning particular NFT collections, users earned DRANK points.
For now, what these points will add up to is unclear. Faruq would not comment specifically on the topic, citing legal reasons.
You generally have to wait more than a decade for a new James Cameron movie to come along, but luckily everything that the director makes is worth talking about. So, while the plot of his 2009 record-breaker is a tad forgettable – a human soldier falls in love with a giant blue alien on the distant moon of Pandora – it remains a thoroughly entertaining technical marvel. Fifteen years later, no film has surpassed its incredibly detailed 3D visuals, and even without the third dimension, watching on the best 4K TV you can find makes you feel as if you've been transported to another world. Long-awaited sequel The Way of Water is similarly spectacular and also available on Disney Plus. In the mood for more from the most successful director in history? Check out our guide on the best James Cameron movies.
However, this is a similar viral mechanic that helped push the success of the tap-to-earn genre, as Telegram games encourage users to share projects socially in exchange for points. What these points will add up to is often unknown early on, but eventually the points typically determine how many tokens players will receive in an airdrop.
Regardless of whether Rekt will have a future airdrop or not, the launch of its drink is being billed as a success, with 222,000 cans of Liquidated Lime sold across 32 countries in less than two days.
The two-part culmination of the Marvel’s original 23-movie odyssey was more than worth the wait, as Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and various superpowered hangers-on joined forces to thwart Thanos’s quest to obtain all six Infinity Stones. With Infinity War delivering one of cinema’s greatest cliffhangers, and Endgame going to some surprisingly dark places, the two films feature many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s boldest and most epic moments – not to mention some of the most unashamedly triumphant.
“I genuinely believe we have something really special with Rekt,” Faruq told Decrypt, “and the fact that we've been able to achieve what we have from a free mint at the beginning of a two-year bear market is a testament to how loyal and die-hard our community is.”
The Force Awakens proved Disney knew how to make a Star Wars film, albeit one that closely followed the beats of George Lucas's original movie. This brilliant standalone pips it to a place on our list of the best Disney Plus movies by showing that unfamiliar characters, a war-movie vibe, and a mission whose success was never in doubt are no barrier to success. Based on a couple of lines from A New Hope’s opening crawl, it sees a brave group of Rebels going behind enemy lines to recover plans to the first dreaded Death Star. The final act is surprisingly bleak, but it’s also one of the most accomplished in the entire franchise. There’s also something rather wonderful about seeing original trilogy X-wings back in action, powered by 21st century CG magic. It's also been confirmed that Andor season 2 – one of the most best new Star Wars TV shows – will lead directly into the events of Rogue One.
Bitcoin's rally reflects a broader shift in investor sentiment following recent political developments in the U.S. elections, which saw Donald Trump claiming victory.
Those shifts have signaled both opportunity and optimism in the markets, with potential regulatory support expected as pro-crypto lawmakers take power.
While there haven’t been quite as many live-action Spider-Men as there have Batmen or James Bonds, Marvel’s iconic webslinger has been through plenty of screen incarnations since the turn of the century. Tom Holland’s Marvel Cinematic Universe version is arguably the best, simultaneously a convincing update of the geeky teen superhero of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s original comics, and a character capable of going toe-to-toe with Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and the rest of the Avengers. Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fun coming-of-age adventure that takes the MCU back to high school. Former screen Batman Michael Keaton gives good villain as Adrian 'The Vulture' Toomes, while the decision to stage most of the superheroics outside Spider-Man’s traditional Manhattan skyscraper stomping ground keeps things fresh.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is available to watch on Netflix in the UK.
A rising tide
Bitcoin’s performance for the week has also helped bolster adjacent indices as investors look to alternative investment vehicles for high-risk beta plays compared to traditional assets.
The broader "Bitcoin Industrial Complex" index, which includes U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs, MicroStrategy, and Coinbase, achieved a record $38 billion in trading volume, according to a post on X from Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.
What’s left to say about three movies that changed cinema forever, and spawned a franchise that’s still the size of a Death Star 47 years later? George Lucas discovered some strange but potent alchemy when he mixed together Samurai-inspired warriors, old Westerns and mystical mumbo-jumbo – and then set the concoction in a galaxy far, far away. If you pressed us, we’d say The Empire Strikes Back is the best of the trilogy – it’s more sophisticated, it's home to cinema’s most celebrated big reveal, and boasts AT-ATs and asteroids in its first act – but the Force is still strong with all three of these timeless classics.
Coinbase stock closed at $334.24 for Monday's trading session, marking a 3-year high. MicroStrategy's stock also broke another all-time high above $351, its first in almost 25 years.
Bitcoin now trails only seven global assets: gold, with its $14.7 trillion market cap, followed by tech giants NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet, and Amazon. Saudi Aramco, the national petroleum and natural gas company, retains its spot as the seventh-largest at $1.8 trillion in size.
If Thor had hung up his hammer for good after the plodding Thor: The Dark World, few tears would have been shed. Then Taika Waititi – at the time best known for the brilliant Hunt for the Wilderpeople – came along and reinvented Odin’s firstborn as a comedy god. Not only does Chris Hemsworth’s Asgardian deity finally get to step out of the shadow of little brother Loki (a typically watchable Tom Hiddleston), every supporting player is given a scene-stealing moment, whether it’s Cate Blanchett’s wonderfully arch villain, Hela, Mark Ruffalo’s newly sensitive Hulk or Jeff Goldblum’s sublimely kooky despot the Grandmaster. Waititi saved the best role for himself, however, as Korg, a soft-spoken revolutionary quite literally hewn from rock. Unfortunately the director was unable to recapture the same magic with sillier, less-smartly plotted follow-up Thor: Love and Thunder, also available on Disney Plus.
While gold remains over 10 times larger than Bitcoin on market capitalization, the scarcity narrative over Bitcoin continues to attract investors seeking a hedge against traditional market uncertainties.
“The fact that gold is still 10 times larger than Bitcoin is incredible,” authors of the financial newsletter, The Kobessi Letter, wrote in a Monday post on X. "Not only does this show how big gold is, but it also shows how big Bitcoin can be."
Until Spider-Man: No Way Home reignited the post-Covid box office, Black Panther was Marvel’s best performing solo superhero. It’s not hard to see why, because while the story – King T’Challa, aka Black Panther, fights off rival Erik Killmonger’s claim to the throne of Wakanda – is fairly standard superhero fare, director Ryan Coogler’s presentation lifts it to another level. The futuristic African kingdom of Wakanda is a truly magnificent creation – a world where advanced technology meets weaponized rhinos – while the late Chadwick Boseman’s performance as the eponymous hero is one of dignity and power.
The current floor price for one of the Schiff NFTs is 0.1245 BTC, around $10,774 for each collectible, according to Magic Eden data. Despite having a low trading volume, the Schiff NFTs rose 149% last year with an original price of 0.05 BTC, around $1,885.
“There's 21 million Bitcoin but only 50 Golden Triumph ordinals. It's clear which one is more valuable,” Schiff tweeted. “You can't argue with math.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the second instalment in the series, and it's safe to say it had some big shoes to fill. After the unexpected death of Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther 2 could have floundered, but Marvel did an astonishing job of continuing the story in an emotionally-charged and totally respectful way. It even earned a rare five stars in our Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review. The story begins one year after the end of the original movie, following the death of King T'Challa. With those closest to the king struggling to move forward, Wakanda is left vulnerable and without a Black Panther as protector. Queen Ramonda (an Oscar-nominated Angela Bassett) is left to lead the nation through a turbulent time, and to try to fend off world powers that want to get hold of her country's much-coveted vibranium.
I'm a big fan of the Planet of the Apes franchise, so I was intrigued to see what direction the universe would take with the absence of Andy Serkis' Caesar – and it's safe to say I wasn't disappointed. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the 10th addition to the Planet of the Apes universe and a pseudo-sequel to War for the Planet of the Apes. Set 300 years after the reign of Caesar, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes follows intelligent young ape Noa (Owen Teague), who embarks on a journey to save his tribe of chimpanzees from the ruthless Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). In our Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review, the epic is described as a "thoroughly entertaining post-apocalyptic adventure that stands on its own two feet" and I couldn't agree more.
In the early ’00s, Hollywood studios were still figuring out how to make the best superhero movies. After the first X-Men movie (released in 2000) had proved that Marvel heroes could hit big at the box office, this follow-up (titled X-Men 2 outside the US) became one of the early classics of the 21st century comic-book blockbuster boom. With most of the ensemble established first time out, X2 expands the scope of the storytelling with the X-Men on the run, and dodgy military guy Colonel Stryker (future Succession star Brian Cox) initiating a plan to wipe out all mutants. Along the way Wolverine learns about his origins, new characters (most notably Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler) come to the fore, and heroes and villains are forced to work together, in a first class Marvel adventure.
Okay, it’s not technically a movie but in the absence of a proper big-screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash-hit musical, this recording of the Broadway show Hamilton fits the bill perfectly. Featuring Miranda in the lead role of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, it’s one of the most invigorating history lessons you’ll ever see. The hip-hop influenced songs sound amazing coming out of your TV, while the inventive cinematography brings the immediacy of the stage show into your living room. A sing-along version of the film is also available, if you can't resist the urge to join in.
Pop quiz! For which movie did Julie Andrews win her Best Actress Oscar? While The Sound of Music would be a reasonable guess, she actually struck gold with this tale of a magical nanny. She’s a revelation as the stern but inspiring Ms Poppins, utterly in tune with the character whether she’s dealing with humans or the assortment of cartoon characters seamlessly integrated with the live-action. Songs like ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’, ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ and ‘Feed the Birds’ have crossed over into the collective pop-culture consciousness, and the movie’s so good that the weirdness of Dick Van Dyke’s cockney accent barely even registers. Mary Poppins Returns, which gifted Emily Blunt the unenviable task of emulating Andrews, arrived in 2018 and is also available on Disney Plus.
“To maintain the pretense that its Bitcoin reserve has actual value, the U.S. government would be forced to keep buying, destroying the value of the dollar in the process.” he tweeted.
Next on the agenda will be a few more Starlink launches that are set to take off before the end of the week. The company is also looking toward the sixth Starship test flight in the coming weeks. CEO Elon Musk said on Tuesday that it would be coming soon.
As of now, the earliest expected date that IFT-6 would launch is next Monday, November 18.
Launching on this date will require SpaceX to obtain all necessary FAA licenses.
Disney’s big-money acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm are the purchases that made everyone sit up and take notice, but they also had the smart business sense to nab the rights to Jim Henson’s enduring felt-covered creations. Numerous brilliant Muppet movies are available on Disney Plus – as well as TV classic The Muppet Show – but we’ve plumped for this 2011 comeback. As Jason Segel’s Gary and his Muppet brother Walter try to save a theater from developers, the story is witty, heartfelt and every bit as self-aware as we’ve come to expect from Kermit and co. And thanks to showstopping song ‘Man or Muppet’ – written by Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie – the movie even bagged itself an Oscar.
The expansion begins just a few months after the Town of Normal approved Rivian’s application to expand its factory. Currently, the Normal plant includes 2.6 million square feet of manufacturing space. The new expansion is set to add 1.14 million square feet to that total.
The R2 was unveiled back in March as Rivian aimed to get a cheaper, more accessible EV on the market to begin ramping deliveries and move toward profitability.
Steven Spielberg didn’t make life easy for himself with his first ever musical – by remaking Robert Wise’s 1961 take on Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s song-and-dance hit, the director was inviting comparisons with a beloved movie that won a shed-load of Oscars. Luckily, he was more than up to the task, and his powerful retelling brings a very modern edge to a love story set against the backdrop of rival gangs in New York. The choreography is electric and the cinematography expands way beyond the musical's theatrical origins. But Spielberg also deserves credit for accentuating the still-relevant race politics the original brushed over. An instant classic.
The R1T and R1S, its first two vehicles, have been successful in the EV space, and Rivian has gained a reputation for making great products.
However, the company is still working toward being profitable, as most EV entities are. The R2 aims to move Rivian to that point, and is a big improvement from the R1.
There are more than 500 movies to choose from on Disney Plus and while a lot are great watches, not all would be considered the best. To be picked as one of the best to stream on the service and be included in this guide, a movie must have a Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics of at least 80%, be available to stream on the Disney Plus app in the US, UK and Australia, and recommended by one of the members of the TechRadar streaming team.
This is by no means an exhaustive list and we'll continue to add to the guide as new movies get added to the service, while also making sure to remove any that don't fit the above criteria. As more movies get added on a regular basis, we’ll be sure to keep this updated. So, be sure to check back. And, if you’re not a subscriber and are considering it, here’s a guide to Disney Plus that’s packed with useful information on signing up.
Where can I watch Disney movies besides Disney Plus?
You can rent or buy Disney movies on services like Apple TV and Amazon. Hulu subscribers with the Disney Bundle can also access Disney movies. In the UK, you can sometimes get Disney Movies on BBC iPlayer or ITVX.
Byers wrote: 'Redundant assignments will be nixed, and various divisions will be reduced or even eliminated.
'Some of the on-air talent are also likely to be affected,' he went on to reveal.
Sources who spoke to the reporter, who worked at CNN for three years before founding Puck, added how the looming layoffs are part of an overarching plan - one that puts a premium on the station's digital platforms.
The man behind it, they said, is none other than new CEO Mark Thompson - the former New York Times boss brought in to overhaul the network under its Warner Bros. Discovery parent.
Can Disney Plus movies be downloaded?
Yes, subscribers with a Standard or Premium plan can download content on up to 10 supported mobile devices that you can watch offline. Unfortunately the Standard with Ads plan does not allow you to download content.
When do Disney movies go to Disney Plus?
Disney movies are typically added to the platform at midnight PT/3am ET and 8am in the UK on the day of their release. In the past, there's usually been a three month wait for Disney movies to be added to the streamer after their theatrical release.
However, following a Trump presidency and a term from the Biden Administration, it lost to MSNBC in terms of ratings - something never seen before as it only drew in 5.1million sets of eyes that night.
MSNBC, meanwhile, raked in 6million - a number eclipsed almost twofold by Fox News' 10.3million.
The numbers, aired this week in the form of Nielsen statistics, appear to show a shifting field when it comes to cable news - one seemingly set to continue with Trump's second term in office.
The state of Tesla Energy heading into the end of 2024
The news comes as Tesla has been rapidly expanding its energy business throughout this year, after Elon Musk predicted that the sector’s sales growth would outpace its automotive business in 2024. Musk also said he expected the energy division to become the company’s highest margin business this year, and there has been no shortage of production or deployment of the company’s Powerwalls and grid-scale Megapack batteries over the last several months.
In Q3, Tesla’s Energy division reached a record gross profit margin of 30.5 percent, along with the company highlighting that it has deployed over 750,000 Powerwall units worldwide. Of those, Tesla says that over 100,000 Powerwall units around the world have been enrolled into one of the company’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs, which essentially creates a giant, distributed battery across large regions during times of peak demand.
Tesla has also unveiled its Powerwall 3 batteries in markets including the U.S., Canada, Germany, the UK, and Western Australia, with the rest of the world still only having access to the Powerwall 2 for the time being. Last month, the company also launched expansion units for the Powerwall in the U.S., offering decreased installation time with increased stacked capacity.
In addition to the home- and commercial-scale Powerwall, Tesla also offers the grid-scale Megapack, which has been reaching similar records and deploying just as quickly. Tesla’s so-called “Megafactory” in Lathrop, California built its 10,000th Megapack earlier this month, and it’s eventually expected to reach an annual production capacity of 10,000 units, or 40GWh.
Along with the Lathrop Megafactory, Tesla has nearly completed a second Megafactory in Shanghai, China, which is also expected to eventually reach a volume production of 10,000 units per year. Currently, the Shanghai Megafactory aims to begin shipping units in the first quarter of 2025.
The Oura Ring 4 is a sleek and comfortable device that provides valuable health information, but it also scratched and showed signs of wear easily.
After two weeks of wearing the Oura Ring 4, the smart ring gave me a better understanding of how my sleep, stress and exercise influence how I feel in my day-to-day life.
The Oura Ring 4 began shipping to customers and became available in retail stores on Tuesday, and it's an impressive option for those looking for a sleek and comfortable way to learn more about their bodies and make healthier choices.
The smart ring offers more accurate sensors, a more comfortable design and longer battery life than its predecessor. The gadget is available in 12 sizes and six colors, including a new black finish, and it costs $349, although users have to pay a $5.99 a month, or $69.99 a year, subscription to use all of the accompanying app's features.
On the whole, the Oura Ring 4 is comfortable to wear and its app is easy to navigate. The ring was a bit more clunky and scratched more easily than I'd prefer, but after two weeks of testing it, the Oura Ring 4 did provide me useful information about my health.
The company lodged a steep quarterly increase on Vision Fund gains after swinging back to black in the three months to June.
Japanese giant SoftBank logged a 608.5 billion yen ($3.96 billion) gain on its Vision Fund tech investment arm in its fiscal second quarter ended Sept. 30, posting a steep quarterly increase after swinging back to black in the three months to June.
The broader Vision Fund segment as a whole, which also factors in non-investment performance such as administrative expenses and gains and losses attributable to third-party investors, reported a gain of 373.1 billion yen. It had declared a loss of 204.3 billion yen in the company's first fiscal quarter.
The company attributed the lion's share of the increase to valuation gains recorded at the SoftBank Vision Fund 1, noting higher share prices for e-commerce firm Coupang and Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Global, as well as the value increase of its investments in Chinese tech company Bytedance.
The Vision Fund 2 meanwhile saw a net loss of 232.6 billion yen, following declines in share prices including those of Norwegian robotics firm AutoStore and U.S. automation tech company Symbotic.
The Vision Fund has been cashing in on the success of the September 2023 listing of smartphone chip designer Arm Holdings, in which it owns a sweeping majority stake of around 90%.
SoftBank said the co-CEO of Vision Fund, Rajeev Misra, will soon step down from his leadership roles at the firm's flagship technology investment Rajeev Misra is to step down from his leadership roles at SoftBank's flagship technology investment vehicles.
The company said on Tuesday that Misra, who helped steer the $100 billion Vision Fund through both its explosive rise and subsequent challenges, will relinquish his positions as co-head of SoftBank Investment Advisers and SoftBank Global Advisers. Alex Clavel will assume sole leadership as chief executive of both units.
AI 'paradigm shift' in search
Part of Ecosia and Qwant's push to build a search engine from scratch will be to offer a "transparent and secure data pool" for new AI technologies, according to the companies.
Search providers may get "more restrictive" in future, given the shift toward generative AI, Ecosia's Kroll told CNBC.
"They know they're sitting on a very important resource for this paradigm shift," he said. "Yes, you need large language models to have good chatbots. But you also need access to a good index."
The rise of OpenAI's ChatGPT has put pressure on incumbent search giant Google, as people increasingly turn to the viral chatbot to search for information.
but he was succeeding what could have made him decide this. Maybe he would want to start his own company soon having all that experience and achievements
A father and daughter decoded a mysterious space signal from Mars. It shows amino acids, but the message’s meaning is still unknown. What do you think? We need experts and more advanced tech to decide it
Fleek, an online marketplace that connects second-hand clothing wholesalers with those who sell it at retail, has raised a $20.4 million Series A.
Second-hand clothing has exploded as a category over the past couple of decades. A London startup that’s built a first-of-its-kind platform to improve how this very fragmented industry operates is now announcing funding to double down on the opportunity.
Fleek, an online marketplace that connects second-hand clothing wholesalers with those who sell it at retail, has raised a $20.4 million Series A to continue expanding its platform. To date, Fleek says it has worked with some 10,000 resellers and retailers from 70 countries, moving 2.5 million items of second-hand clothes from 1,000 wholesale suppliers.
The investment comes from an impressive list of backers: HV Capital is leading the round, while Andreesen Horowitz (which led the startup’s seed round) and accelerator Y Combinator (where Fleek was a part of the Winter 2022 batch) are participating. Individual backers in the round include Shopify president Harley Finkelstein, Depop’s ex-CEO Maria Raga, and Postmates’ CTO Sean Plaice.
Fleek was founded by friends Abhi Arora and Sanket Agarwal following a very direct grievance from a future in-law.
It was 2021, and the mother of Agarwal’s then-girlfriend, who sold clothes on second-hand social commerce site Poshmark (now owned by Naver), was talking about sourcing problems due to supply chain issues at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Separately, Arora, fresh out of an MBA at Cambridge, was living close to Brick Lane in London, a major destination for second-hand clothes buyers, and he went over there to investigate what things were like.
I cannot believe what I'm reading. Second hand clothes generate that much millions. I see it's really about strategy any business can grow if the right model is in place
Saudi Arabia's fintech startups have raised over $1.84 billion in venture capital investments since 2018, according to the kingdom's SME authority.
Silicon Valley venture capital firm General Catalyst has made its first investment in Saudi Arabia through fintech startup Lean Technologies, which just closed a Series B round worth $67.5 million.
General Catalyst has $30 billion in assets under management and has backed major U.S. tech companies like Snap, Stripe and AirBnb. Lean Technologies' fundraising round also saw participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Stanley Druckenmiller's Duquesne Family Office, and Arbor Ventures, among others, bringing the Riyadh-based firm's total funding to over $100 million to date, according to a Sunday statement from the company.
For three of those investors — General Catalyst, Stanley Druckenmiller and Bain Capital — this investment is their first in the kingdom.
What this signifies, Lean Technologies CEO and co-founder Hisham Al-Falih told CNBC, is that "this is a huge vote of confidence for their view of the growth trajectory that Saudi is on and the potential that it has over the next decade."
The kingdom is pushing ahead with Vision 2030, its initiative to diversify its economy away from oil and create new jobs and industries for the overwhelmingly young Saudi workforce. Now more than ever, the kingdom wants foreign capital and direct investment coming into Saudi Arabia rather than flowing out of it, allowing for local employment, knowledge transfer and training, and the development of a variety of sectors.
Privacy-focused messaging app Signal is adding new features for video calls, including links, reactions and a calls tab,
Privacy-focused messaging app Signal is adding new features for video calls, including links, reactions and a calls tab, in a bid to pose as an alternative to Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams.
The highlight of the update is a new “Calls” tab, which lets you make new calls, manage call links, and check your call history.
The tab lets you create links for calls, so instead of creating a group, you can just share the link with people — similar to how Meet, Zoom and Teams function. The links are reusable, so you can use them for recurring meetings as well.
You also get commonly seen management features like the ability to name calls, manually allow people join meetings, or kick, remove and block them. Participants can queue up to ask questions through a Meet-esque hand-raising feature.
People using Signal’s desktop app can switch between grid, sidebar or speaker views.
Signal introduced encrypted group video calls in 2020 and currently supports groups of up to 50 people. Rival WhatsApp started letting people share links to calls feature in 2022, and this June added screen sharing, speaker spotlight, and support for 32-people video calls.
Trump appointments, China in LatAm and AI’s data plateau
Trump’s filling key positions with people he trusts, like Marco Rubio for Secretary of State and Elise Stefanik as U.N. Ambassador. It’s clear he’s serious about loyalty.
Meanwhile, at the APEC summit, China’s growing trade ties with Latin America are now bigger than the U.S. – that’s a big shift.
And here’s something surprising: AI experts are saying they’ve hit a limit in making machines smarter. This struggle to improve AI makes me wonder if we’ll ever reach that ‘super smart’ level.
Spirit Airlines jet hit by gunfire over Haiti lands safely | REUTERS
A Spirit Airlines plane headed to Haiti got hit by gunfire. The flight was diverted and ended up landing safely in the Dominican Republic. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Thanks to a mechanochemically engineered combination of the liquid metal alloy Galinstan and ceramic aluminum nitride, this thermal interface material, or TIM,
The startup currently has 8,000 customers with around half of them in France. Most of its remaining customers are spread across other European countries. “We focus on mid-sized companies, with an annual revenue of €5 million to €10 million on average — and up to €500 million,” Beyet said.
“We’ve already reached a break-even position on a cash basis for this quarter. So we didn’t need to raise any additional funds to continue our development. But we believe our market is huge,” he added.
Why it matters: Data centers are hot, both figuratively and literally. As we feed more and more data and processing demands into these server farms, keeping them from overheating is becoming an increasingly expensive and energy-intensive challenge. But researchers at the University of Texas may have a cool solution – a new thermal interface material that can whisk heat away from processors better than the likes of Thermalright and Thermal Grizzly.
Thanks to a mechanochemically engineered combination of the liquid metal alloy Galinstan and ceramic aluminum nitride, this thermal interface material, or TIM, outperformed the best commercial liquid metal cooling products by a staggering 56-72% in lab tests. It allowed dissipation of up to 2,760 watts of heat from just a 16 square centimeter area.
Tozero, a Munich-based startup that recovers valuable raw materials from recycled lithium-ion batteries, is gearing up to scale. The startup just closed an oversubscribed €11 million seed round (around $11.7M) to step up production by building its first industrial deployment (A.K.A first-of-a-kind or FOAK) plant.
Currently, Tozero’s pilot plant processes nine tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste per day, but the startup is shooting for unlimited capacity in what it hopes will be just another couple of years of scaling its business.
“Other competitors raise way more money to get to industrial plant. But as our process and our technology is so lean and efficient we don’t require more to get to our first industrial deployment, or what the investor world would call the ‘first of a kind’ plant. That’s what we’re aiming to build,” co-founder and CEO Sarah Fleischer (pictured above, left) told TechCrunch.
Once Tozero’s process hits industrial pace and functionality, the startup says there will be no hard limits on what it can achieve in battery recycling as long as it can keep accessing waste streams.
“The purpose of the FOAK is really to enter the proper continuous production — manufacturing — of the product,” co-founder and managing director, Dr. Ksenija Milicevic Neumann, added.
James Joaquin from Obvious Ventures says it might be a good time to invest in climate change, with Trump back. Joaquin sees something positive here. Makes me think if this could mean more chances for green tech. Anyways it's good news for our planet.
The Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White will launch worldwide on November 18th, 2024 at 3PM PST. Priced at $679 – $30 more than the standard black.
Something to look forward to: If you've ever looked at the Steam Deck and wished there was a version to match your all-white PC build, Valve has just made your day. The company has announced that a special limited edition of the Steam Deck OLED in white and gray colors will launch next week.
The Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White will launch worldwide on November 18th, 2024 at 3PM PST. Priced at $679 – $30 more than the standard black version – it will be available in limited quantities in all Steam Deck shipping regions, including Australia.
Other than the new colors, the upcoming Steam Deck has all the same specs as the standard OLED 1TB model, so you're not going to see any performance improvements.
However, those lucky enough to grab one of the white Steam Deck units will also receive an exclusive white carry case and white microfiber cleaning cloth, which is unlikely to stay white for very long.
Hello! We're excited to announce that Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White will be available worldwide on November 18th, 2024 at 3PM PST. This model will cost $679 USD, and will be available in all Steam Deck shipping regions.
Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White has all the… pic.twitter.com/ACKDwB6Sl7
The software code for Google DeepMind's AlphaFold3 is now publicly available for free for non-commercial applications. AlphaFold3 is capable of modeling proteins and other molecules. It was originally published without code or model weights, which drew criticism from scientists who said the move undermined reproducibility. Several other companies have also released open-source protein structure prediction tools based on AlphaFold3's specifications.
LG has unveiled a stretchable display that can expand up to 50% and freely transform into any shape. The display uses tiny micro-LED light sources and has a 100-pixel-per-inch resolution. It can be stretched more than 10,000 times. The technology, which opens up the possibility for entirely new types of interfaces, could be widely applied in industries such as fashion, wearables, and mobility. Pictures and a video of the display being stretched are available in the article.
Verizon Fios internet outages have impacted millions of customers on the East Coast, causing significant disruptions in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Verizon Fios internet outages have impacted millions of customers on the East Coast, causing significant disruptions in the early hours of Tuesday.
A map of user-reported issues shows the affected area spans about 300 miles from Philadelphia to Richmond, Virginia, according to the third-party website Downdetector, which tracks real-time service disruptions.
A map of user-reported issues shows the affected area spans about 300 miles from Philadelphia to Richmond, Virginia. Downdetector
Outage.Report also said it found significant outrages for Verizon Fios.
“During the incident we received reports from Washington, Lewes, Miami, LaGrange, Baltimore, Silver Spring, Raleigh, Cherry Hill, Maple Shade, Sewell, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Fairfax, Falls Church, Henrico County, Norfolk and 16 other cities,” Outage.Report noted.
To be clear: El Salvador hasn't sold any of its Bitcoin. But if it did, it would be sitting on a hefty profit.
El Salvador has been stockpiling Bitcoin since 2021, the same year the country made the orange coin legal tender. With Bitcoin’s recent spike in value, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele took to Twitter to brag, as the country hit $100 million of unrealized profit.
This comes after the President faced backlash for integrating Bitcoin so directly into El Salvador’s economy. In 2022, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Bukele that Bitcoin could destabilize the nation’s economy. Later that same year, Bloomberg claimed the country’s Bitcoin experiment had failed, with the President pushing back saying the article was “full of lies.“
Now two years later, according to SpotOnChain, the country’s Bitcoin holdings are currently valued at $516.43 million with $100.65 million of that being unrealized profit—that’s just shy of a 20% profit margin.
For note, unrealized profit is simply the difference between the price at which an asset was bought and its current value, this figure fluctuates with price movements. On top of this, it is rare that this much capital can be all sold at once. If they tried, El Salvador would experience ‘slippage,’ resulting in less than $100 million worth of profit.
French newspapers want social media platform X to pay for news reuse
It’s rare when French newspapers team up and agree on something. But major publications, such as Le Monde, Le Figaro and Le Parisien have collectively decided to take legal action against X over neighboring rights, according to a statement sent to Reuters and the AFP.
Under EU law, digital platforms are required to negotiate with publishers to remunerate them for news reuse. After a prolonged dispute, Meta and Google have signed deals with news publishers in France.
However, X has refused to engage in negotiations with news publishers to compensate them for reusing their content (or at least so far). As a result, judges at the Paris Court of Justice will now face the complex task of determining the value of article previews shared on X.
OpenAI's Latest Model Exposes Limitations in Traditional Scaling Approach, Prompting Split into Specialized AI Tracks.
OpenAI's upcoming artificial intelligence model is delivering smaller performance gains than its predecessors, sources familiar with the matter told The Information.
Employee testing reveals Orion achieved GPT-4 level performance after completing only 20% of its training, The Information reports.
The quality increase from GPT-4 to the current version of GPT-5 seems to be smaller than that of GPT-3 to GPT-4.
“Some researchers at the company believe Orion isn’t reliably better than its predecessor in handling certain tasks, according to the (OpenAI) employees,” The Information reported. “Orion performs better at language tasks but may not outperform previous models at tasks such as coding, according to an OpenAI employee.”
While Orion getting closer to GPT-4 at 20% of its training might sound impressive to some, it is important to note that the early stages of AI training typically deliver the most dramatic improvements, with subsequent phases yielding smaller gains.
So, the remaining 80% of training time isn’t likely to produce the same magnitude of advancement seen in previous generational leaps, sources said.
In Brazil, 400 million tokens issued; 63% of online transactions are tokenized, covering various card credentials.
Leandro Garcia highlights tokenization’s role in securing payments, enhancing user experience, and preventing $650 million in frauds.
Visa has recently achieved the significant milestone of issuing ten billion tokens globally, marking a major step in the adoption of digital payment security measures. In Brazil, the payment giant has issued 400 million tokens, where 63% of the platform’s online transactions are now tokenized. This includes credentials for credit, debit, and prepaid cards, significantly enhancing the security and innovation of digital financial transactions.
Tokenized transactions are considered more secure and are less known to the general public. Visa reports that tokenized operations have a fraud rate five times lower than non-tokenized transactions. This makes tokenization a critical pillar of security for entities processing large volumes of transactions, such as banks and retailers.
“These results demonstrate how Visa tokens help issuers and merchants manage large payment flows in a secure, reliable manner, and in compliance with accountability guidelines. The increase in the adoption of technology improves the consumer experience and enhances their security when shopping online,” explains Leandro Garcia, Executive Director of Digital Payment Solutions at Visa.
Trump and Musk advocate for more presidential control over the Federal Reserve, with Bitcoin increasingly viewed as a hedge against inflation and national debt.
Amid concerns over the Fed’s influence, Bitcoin is gaining traction as a potential tool for managing the U.S. economy, particularly in the context of inflation and debt management.
Following Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk openly endorsed giving the president a more hands-on role in directing Federal Reserve policy. This is in line with a recent CNF update that highlighted how, after Trump’s victory, Bitcoin’s price surged by 9.6% to a record high of $75,198, while Ethereum followed with an increase of 8%.
As of now, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $86,370.71, having surged by 5.51% in the past day and 25.63% in the past week.
In a recent tweet, this support came as a response to Utah Senator Mike Lee’s post, which argued for the Fed to be controlled directly by the president, with Lee using the hashtag #EndtheFed. Musk’s “100” emoji response underscored his agreement, reflecting a shared desire with Trump to reduce the Fed’s independence and align its actions more closely with presidential influence.
Initially wary of the technology, "Gladiator II" director Ridley Scott now says he sees the benefits of generative AI in filmmaking.
Ridley Scott is coming around to artificial intelligence, seeing generative AI as a valuable tool rather than a looming threat.
The legendary director of "Blade Runner," "Alien," and "Gladiator" shared last week that his views on AI have evolved, largely because of its potential to reduce production costs and open up new creative possibilities like animation.
“Now I’m trying to embrace AI,” Scott told the New York Times while promoting his new film, "Gladiator II." Scott’s shifting take on artificial intelligence is in stark contrast to his previous comments from 2023, when he likened the technology to a weapon of mass destruction.
At the height of the generative AI craze last year, Scott, who also directed the Alien prequel Prometheus, joined fellow directors Christopher Nolan and James Cameron in voicing concerns over AI’s potential dangers. Nolan and Cameron have both made blockbuster films about the dangers of technology with films like “Oppenheimer” and “The Terminator,” respectively.
“Now I’m trying to embrace AI,” Scott told the New York Times while promoting his new film, "Gladiator II." Scott’s shifting take on artificial intelligence is in stark contrast to his previous comments from 2023, when he likened the technology to a weapon of mass destruction.
At the height of the generative AI craze last year, Scott, who also directed the Alien prequel Prometheus, joined fellow directors Christopher Nolan and James Cameron in voicing concerns over AI’s potential dangers. Nolan and Cameron have both made blockbuster films about the dangers of technology with films like “Oppenheimer” and “The Terminator,” respectively.
With Bitcoin surging past $88,000, Okung’s choice to be paid in crypto back in 2020 has massively paid off.
If retired Carolina Panthers player Russell Okung held onto the 240 Bitcoin purchased in lieu of half of his 2020 salary until today, he would be sitting on over $20.9 million. If.
Chances are, he’s sitting pretty: In May 2021, amid a decline in Bitcoin’s value, Okung reaffirmed his commitment to the crypto, stating on Twitter at the time, “Y’all don’t get it. I am not selling my Bitcoin, ever.”
“Money is more than currency; it’s power,” Okung told CNBC at the time. “The way money is handled from creation to dissemination is part of that power. Getting paid in bitcoin is the first step of opting out of the corrupt, manipulated economy we all inhabit.”
After moving 222K cans of sparkling water in 48 hours, Rekt Drinks co-founder Ovie Faruq shares their Web3-driven strategy.
Rekt Drinks Sellout Shows How Brands Can Leverage Crypto to Launch Products
After moving 222K cans of sparkling water in 48 hours, Rekt Drinks co-founder Ovie Faruq shares their Web3-driven strategy.
“In my opinion, Web3 principles allow you to build a brand and IP in an accelerated fashion, which creates a window of opportunity to do something big,” Faruq told Decrypt.
Rekt Brands and the beverage line spawned from an Ethereum NFT project called Rektguy, from which a community has been sustained for two-and-a-half years. They then launched a podcast called Rekt Radio with the co-founders Faruq and Mando, as well as pseudonymous trader Keyboard Monkey, under the Rug Radio banner. Finally, they launched Rekt Drinks.
“It's taken us almost 18 months from our initial idea to full product launch, so it's very relieving to see a theoretical idea actually become successful in practice,” Faruq said. “It's game-changing for the future of Rekt. We've gone from being just an art project with a strong community to a fully-fledged brand with the ability to generate real revenues outside of Web3.”
The “Liquidated Lime” drink is sparkling water flavored with a dash of lime and pineapple. Rekt's branding boasts that it is free of both caffeine and alcohol, positioning itself as a beverage for social occasions when you don't want to get drunk—or “rekt,” as its advertising comically quips.
The asset has lept more than 9% on the day following strong institutional demand and sustained interest in spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in recent weeks.
It also marks the second time Bitcoin has flipped silver this year, after overtaking the commodity in March, according to data from Infinite Market Cap.
Silver, meanwhile, has witnessed a decline of 6.24% over the past week, bringing its total market cap to $1.732 trillion. Bitcoin, meanwhile, is up by roughly 30% over the same period.
The comparison with silver, historically viewed as a relatively stable store of value, signals a transforming perception of Bitcoin among traditional investors, shifting from a speculative asset to one embraced by Wall Street.
Still a fierce critic, Schiff is asking traders to buy his limited Bitcoin Ordinals collection, calling it more scarce than the top crypto.
With Bitcoin surpassing all-time highs by the hour, even noted Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff is trying to get in on the action by selling his Ordinals collection.
On Sunday, the financial commentator and radio host said on X (formerly Twitter) that the Peter Schiff Ordinals collection, also known as the Golden Triumph Ordinals Set, would go up for sale on Magic Eden.
Bitcoin surged past $80,000 Sunday in the crypto-optimistic wake of Donald Trump’s election victory last week. It has since passed the $87,000 mark.
Launched in 2023, the “Golden Triumph Ordinals Set” is a collection of 51 Ordinal inscriptions on the Bitcoin Blockchain. Similar to a non-fungible token (NFT), a Bitcoin Ordinal is a digital collectible on the Bitcoin blockchain. Each Ordinal is inscribed on an individual satoshi, the smallest denomination of a Bitcoin. Ordinals have included text, images, video clips, and even video games on the Bitcoin network.
SpaceX sent 24 more Starlink high-speed internet satellites into orbit on Monday, launching a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) in Florida.
The launch occurred at 4:23 p.m. ET on Monday, with a Falcon 9 with tail number B1080 taking off from Cape Canaveral.
It was the 12th flight for this specific first-stage booster, and was previously responsible for the Euclid, Axiom-2, Axiom-3, Cygnus NG-21, SES 24, and CRS-30 missions.
It has now launched six Starlink missions, as well.
The Starlink 6-69 mission was set to launch on Sunday, but SpaceX decided to scrub the launch in favor of Monday due to weather.
The Starlink satellites heading to low-Earth orbit on this launch were of the V2 Mini variety. This is only the second time SpaceX has chosen to launch 24 total satellites with a single mission. In the past, it has routinely launched 23 satellites.
Just about eight minutes after liftoff, the B1080 tail landed on the ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ droneship, the pad’s 84th landing.
SpaceX is nearing its goal of 144 total missions for the year. This was the 108th Falcon 9 launch of 2024. The launch prior to this one in Florida was that of Starlink 6-69 as well, but this takeoff was from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and took place on Friday:
Amazing work by the @SpaceX west coast team on launch #37(!!!) from Vandenberg this year. We are so thankful for our amazing partnership with the @SLDelta30, @SpaceForceDoD, and @DeptofDefense. So much effort from all parties went into clearing the way for increased launch
Rivian has confirmed that the expansion of its Normal, Illinois factory, which will make way for the new R2 platform to be produced, has officially started.
Crews on sight of the expansion have officially broken ground, Chief Operations Officer for Rivian, Javier Varela, said.
Crews on sight of the expansion have officially broken ground, Chief Operations Officer for Rivian, Javier Varela, said.
In a post on LinkedIn, Varela wrote:
“Rivian R2 is one step closer to coming to market! We broke ground in Normal (Illinois) to begin expanding the plant to build R2, in addition to our current products. R2 is our new fully electric midsize SUV coming in 2026 with a range of more than 300 miles and a starting price around $45,000 (U.S.).”
It appears the groundbreaking occurred just a few days ago on November 8, as CEO RJ Scaringe posted an image that seems to show things are moving forward:
Nos dias mais quentes, a sensação de calor pode ser difícil de suportar, e muitos desejam ter à disposição o alívio do ar condicionado. No entanto, quatro estudantes de engenharia do MIT, o Instituto de Tecnologia de Massachusetts, desenvolveram uma solução inovadora: uma pulseira com tecnologia termoelétrica que envia ondas de calor ou frio diretamente para o corpo do usuário. Essa tecnologia tem o potencial de transformar a forma como lidamos com o calor, oferecendo a sensação de ar condicionado portátil, sem a necessidade de aparelhos grandes e caros.
A pulseira, chamada Wristify, utiliza um sistema inteligente que permite enviar pulsos de calor ou frio diretamente ao pulso do usuário.
Essa tecnologia termoelétrica foi desenvolvida para fornecer a sensação de ar condicionado de maneira individual, sem depender de sistemas de climatização convencionais.
Quando as ondas de calor ou frio são aplicadas ao pulso, o efeito é espalhado por todo o corpo, criando uma sensação de conforto térmico semelhante à de um ar condicionado.
De acordo com Sam Shames, um dos estudantes do MIT envolvidos no projeto, esse processo “enganaria” o corpo a sentir uma variação térmica no local onde a pulseira está.
Ele acredita que, no futuro, a pulseira Wristify poderia até substituir o uso do ar condicionado, especialmente em áreas onde o acesso a esse tipo de tecnologia é limitado.
Uma série de novos drones da família CH da China, incluindo o grande drone de reconhecimento armado CH-9 e a versão mais recente e atualizada do drone furtivo de alerta antecipado CH-7, estreou no Airshow China 2024 em Zhuhai, província de Guangdong, no sul da China.
O CH-9 é a adição mais recente à série de drones de reconhecimento armado CH. Seu comprimento é de cerca de 12 metros, com uma envergadura aproximada de 25 metros. O alcance máximo deste grande drone armado pode superar 11.500 quilômetros, e seu peso máximo de decolagem é de 5.000 quilos. A autonomia de voo é de até 40 horas, com um teto de serviço de 11.000 metros, conforme informou o desenvolvedor, Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd., ao Global Times.
Durante missões de reconhecimento e ataque, o CH-9 demonstra uma alta capacidade de combate, sendo capaz de detectar e destruir alvos ao transportar uma grande carga de armas.
Segundo o desenvolvedor, seu peso máximo de decolagem é de oito toneladas, a velocidade de cruzeiro é de Mach 0,5 e o teto de serviço é de 16.000 metros.
O modelo em escala deste drone furtivo foi apresentado pela primeira vez no show aéreo em 2018, quando estava sendo projetado para ser um UAV furtivo de reconhecimento armado, com capacidade de realizar ataques estratégicos.
No entanto, seis anos depois, o projeto CH-7 evoluiu para um drone tático avançado, capaz de realizar múltiplas missões devido às necessidades da guerra moderna e à mudança nas demandas dos clientes, explicou Cao Ran, da Aerospace CH UAV, ao Global Times no show aéreo.
O radar que ele carrega permite vigilância aérea e marítima de longo alcance, além de detectar grandes embarcações de superfície, de acordo com o desenvolvedor.
Em outras palavras, o CH-7 funciona como os “olhos” para outras unidades de combate, como bombardeiros ou caças, penetrando em áreas inimigas graças à sua furtividade e capacidade de busca avançada, localizando navios de guerra hostis, inclusive porta-aviões.
Cao ressaltou que a capacidade furtiva do CH-7 é excelente, comparável ao RQ-180 fabricado nos EUA. Mesmo que o CH-7 seja detectado e abatido pelo radar inimigo durante uma missão, ele já terá transmitido informações valiosas sobre o inimigo de volta ao sistema de comando.
Além disso, o preço é acessível, já que o CH-7 deixou de ser um drone estratégico caro. Algumas perdas de veículos aéreos não tripulados podem valer a pena para garantir uma vitória em combate, comentou Cao.
Desde que a NASA colocou os primeiros astronautas na Lua, em 1969, uma questão permanece sem solução definitiva: como lidar com os resíduos humanos no espaço? Fezes e urina podem parecer um detalhe pequeno comparado à grandeza de uma missão espacial, mas esse problema dos resíduos é uma preocupação séria. Para evitar contaminação e garantir a saúde dos astronautas, a NASA agora está pedindo ajuda para resolver esse desafio espacial.
Mas o que exatamente está em jogo? E por que até hoje ainda não existe uma solução definitiva para isso? Vamos mergulhar no desafio que a NASA lançou e entender por que ele é tão importante para o futuro da exploração espacial.
A gravidade zero no espaço traz uma série de complicações. Quando estamos na Terra, a gestão de resíduos humanos é fácil, pois a gravidade faz o trabalho de manter tudo no lugar. No espaço, no entanto, a falta de gravidade cria um cenário completamente diferente.
Os astronautas não podem simplesmente usar banheiros como fazemos aqui. O que pode parecer simples, torna-se um problema muito maior quando as fezes e a urina podem flutuar livremente dentro de uma nave espacial.
Nas primeiras missões da NASA, como as famosas missões Apolo, os engenheiros e especialistas em aeronáutica não conseguiram resolver esse problema de forma eficaz. Para se ter uma ideia, durante as missões à Lua, 96 bolsas de resíduos humanos foram deixadas na superfície lunar! Sim, isso mesmo: junto com as pegadas de Neil Armstrong e o módulo lunar, há sacos de lixo por lá.
E agora, com o plano da NASA de voltar à Lua nas missões Artemis, esse desafio espacial retorna. Resolver o problema dos resíduos no espaço se tornou essencial para garantir que essas missões possam ser conduzidas de maneira sustentável e segura.
Para lidar com essa questão, a NASA lançou o “LunaRecycle Challenge“, um concurso que promete mudar o jogo na gestão de resíduos espaciais. O concurso oferece prêmios de até US$ 3 milhões (cerca de R$ 17 milhões) para quem conseguir desenvolver tecnologias inovadoras que possam reciclar ou gerenciar os resíduos humanos de maneira eficiente durante missões espaciais de longa duração.
A ideia é simples: encontrar uma solução que permita transformar o lixo humano em produtos úteis, ajudando a reduzir o impacto ambiental durante a exploração espacial e também facilitando a vida dos astronautas. O desafio está dividido em duas categorias:
O concurso busca incentivar soluções que sejam práticas tanto para o espaço quanto para a Terra. Sim, o objetivo final da NASA é que as ideias inovadoras geradas para o espaço também possam ser aplicadas aqui no nosso planeta. Afinal, a gestão de resíduos é um problema global que afeta tanto o espaço quanto o meio ambiente terrestre.
Por que resolver o problema dos resíduos no espaço é importante?
A resposta pode parecer óbvia, mas o desafio de lidar com resíduos no espaço vai muito além de questões de higiene. Em missões espaciais longas, como as futuras expedições à Lua e a Marte, o tempo que os astronautas passam no espaço será muito maior. Isso significa que o volume de resíduos também aumenta, tornando crucial a criação de uma solução sustentável e eficiente.
A NASA sempre buscou operar de forma sustentável em suas missões, e isso inclui a maneira como lidam com os resíduos. Amy Kaminski, executiva do programa de Prêmios, Desafios e Crowdsourcing da NASA, destacou a importância da sustentabilidade nesse contexto. Segundo ela, operar de maneira sustentável tanto na Terra quanto no espaço é uma das principais prioridades da agência.
Por isso, a NASA está buscando novas ideias que ajudem a transformar resíduos em recursos. A criação de sistemas que convertam resíduos em água ou energia, por exemplo, poderia ser revolucionária para a exploração espacial de longa duração. E, claro, resolver esse problema no espaço também pode significar grandes avanços na gestão de resíduos aqui na Terra.
We are at the start of an exciting but challenging bull run. We need to be extra cautious but we also should not miss the opportunity to learn and if possible earn right at this point.
Believe me, it will not get any easier as the time progresses
Be safe - But keep your eyes open
#bbh #onmymind #crypto
Before I start with my new project, I decided I should not miss any opportunities with launchpools and free tokens
Free is always good :)
So my new launch pool is PEAKQ and if you want to join me you can use the below link! (Ref)
What constitutes work for me is complicated. The main job is teaching 60-90 minute lessons but I also have transportation time, bank visits, accounting and making advertisements and messaging students about class.
not much actually 😝 I have a bunch of lessons and techniques memorized and choose them on the fly. This is why I mostly teach beginners and solo or small groups. I can flow
Here's a reason I loved my business and community for so many years. He truly is the cream of the crop. It's been an honor to get to know him over the years. So glad he didn't ignore my pleading with #ctp to come to the blockchain lol
Like in chess, did kingside castling was done between #bitcoin and #silver. Not let's have the queenside castling with gold and we are set for life. ;)
it's silently on it's way to being the largest asset in the planet. This is what Satoshi Nakamoto envisioned and it's happening. Question I don't know if he's seeing it or not
Only if you're active enough... I can't say about threading, as I'm not very active with it, but I need 6 medium quality blogs per month to get the HBD back with LEO votes.
Oh, just realized you were referring to the features, not the "Premium will earn its cost back" thing.
I'm not sure if these counts as entertainment, but I'm making protoypes for crypto shorts, if you please, can you guys compare these two videos and comment what you think of them:
Rita Ora has paid an emotional tribute to Liam Payne as she hosted this year's MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in Manchester, almost a month after the One Direction star's death.
Ora collaborated with Payne on their 2018 hit single For You, and her voice faltered as she remembered him, calling him "one of the kindest people that I knew".
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?'"
"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."
Gary Lineker, who will leave Match of the Day at the end of this season, BBC News understands, has been the steady hand who guided millions of fans through football's agonies and ecstasies.
As a former footballer of considerable pedigree - including England captain and striker, with 48 goals in 80 appearances - he famously never received a red or yellow card during his career.
Following five years of research using techniques such as digital imaging and artificial intelligence, eight restorers will begin "Operation Night Watch" by removing the varnish from the painting
.
OUGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso -- The last three years have been tough for Fanta Charlotte Dabone, a mother of three from the conflict-battered West African country of Burkina Faso.
She fled her village after it was attacked by extremists, leaving her husband and her farm behind. Since then, she has been moving from place to place, struggling to pay rent and to buy enough food for her children, including a 2-year-old toddler.
Every day for a week, together with dozens of other Burkinabe men and women who have been displaced by extremist violence, she swirled, danced and chanted for almost two hours in front of captivated audiences at Recreatrales, an international theater festival held in Ouagadougou, the country's capital.
“I was so happy about it," she said. "I don't even know how to explain how it felt.”
Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation of 23 million in Sahel, an arid strip of land south of the Sahara, used to be known for its bustling arts scene, including renowned film and theater festivals, and its sophisticated craftsmanship.
But in recent years, the country has become the symbol of the security crisis in the region. It has been shaken by violence from extremist groups and the government forces fighting them, much of it spilling over the border with Mali, and by two ensuing military coups.
The military junta, which took power by force in 2022, failed to provide the stability it promised. Instead, the situation deteriorated: According to conservative estimates, more than 60% of the country is now outside of government control, more than 2 million people have lost their homes and almost 6.5 million need humanitarian aid to survive.
The country's leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, installed a system of de-facto censorship, where those critical of the regime disappear or get forcefully drafted into the army, and where even friends are afraid to discuss politics with each other.
Bougsemtenga derives its name from “bougtenga,” which means “happiness district” in Moore, one of the local languages. True to its origins, this year its streets were transformed into a dreamy universe, resembling a crossover between a traditional village festival and “Alice in Wonderland." More than 150 African and European artists performed and over 4,500 theater lovers were able to escape the country's grim reality, if just for a little while.
Improvised theater stages were constructed inside people’s courtyards. The streets were decorated with colorful lights and abstract sculptures made by locals from plastic bottles and scraps of wax-printed fabrics. Residents put up hand decorated stands, selling beer and meat sticks to multinational crowds of theatergoers, ranging from Western diplomats to local mechanics. The ticket booth was a giant frog, its mouth wide open.
Aristide Tarnagda, the festival’s artistic director, said he was convinced that regardless of the insecurity engulfing the country, the festival had to take place as planned.
Theater is an affirmation of “the primacy of life over death,” Tarnagda said. He added that getting together to perform and watch theatrical productions is a form of resistance against adversity and violence. This is why this year's theme was "Turning the face to the sun.”
“Humans are capable of love and freedom, but sometimes they forget it,” he said. “The role of the theater is to remind them about it.”
Held every two years, the festival is the culmination of the yearlong work that the organizers do with residents of the Bougsemtenga district, which was home to two theaters and a theater association even before the first Recreatrales in 2002.
They run art workshops, including in writing, theater, dance and scenography, for young people from the district and from all of Africa, and organize mentoring sessions and business skills classes for local women. The goal is to get as many people as possible involved, said Odile Sankara, the festival's director.
“It’s a working class district," Sankara said. ”We want to encourage people to take an interest in art, to get a taste of it."
She added: “Art is a powerful weapon to fight for more light, more humanity and more love,” especially while her country and the whole Sahel region were going through a security and humanitarian crisis.
Claude Ilboudo, a 30-year-old from Bougsemtenga, has performed in the opening ceremonies of Recreatrales as a dancer since its first edition. He used to work as a glazier, and dancing was just his past time. But Ilboudo's life took a turn when five years ago he severely injured his right hand at work and could no longer do his job.
It was then that Ilboudo discovered a passion for theater and started working for the Recreatrales association. “Theater saved me,” he said. “It made me discover what I could do.”
This year, Ilboudo was part of the team that prepared the opening play with the internally displaced actors from scratch, including the concept, scenario and choreography. It was also the first time he personally interacted with people who had to flee their homes because of extremist violence.
For internally displaced people, theater is not just a tool for therapy, helping them to process trauma, said Sankara, the artistic director. It's a way for a group that has been marginalized and isolated in Burkinabe society to be seen by others.
During the play, Dabone, the displaced mother of three, stood at center stage with her toddler tied to her back and spit out a long, white paper strip. It symbolized all the haunting thoughts leaving her body, she said. But the question remains — for how long.
“Life is very difficult,” she said. “But when I am on the stage, I feel joy. It’s when I have to go back home that all these thoughts are coming back to my head."
The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards
for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
thet never will, they never ever will. And Trump said it himself. He sees Bitcoin as great but he's more focused on the dollar. The government uses fiat to control the economy. No Fiat no power.
We are still at 10% from Gold Market Cap, but we moving up one ranking at a time. With all that buzzes around it, I believe we will see it on 2nd position in no time. And then physical gold vs digital gold will challenge themselves.
#novemberinleo Day 12 Hive Naija invites you to share, what something you missed or ignored this month that you wish you paid more attention to?
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
What ever this cold/flu I got, man, talk about green in the morning, just like bull run. I might have a slight fever also. Very warm the first few hours after I get out of bed/
Bitcoin hit a jaw-dropping all-time high of $89,500 early Tuesday morning in Asian markets, reaching new heights no one would have dared to predict just a few weeks ago.
Yes yes the one with Rambo and blade😍😍😍 you're right that's a next level control over the people man. At that point I'll just shut my mouth and whenever someone talks I'll say please that's all🤣
This is the #threadcast for Day 140 of the #foodtalk on Leo 12/11/2024 for 11/11/2024. It's time for some meal inspirations and food conversation. Don't forget to use #foodtalk in your comments. Discussion
Be part of the Food Talk Show On Leo. Here is Day 139 that leads you to the previous threadcasts.
Share your meals.
Healthy meal prep ideas for dinner.
Share your food experiences.
Share other food-related content and ask questions about food.
More about food with tips and tricks will be dropped in the threadcast. Upvote the comments you find interesting & connect with others. Let's have fun. #foodie
Dinner is on the table in record time, thanks to these healthy recipes. From creamy soups to cozy casseroles, you'll end your day feeling full and satisfied.
One-pot recipes to rely on when you’re extra busy!
Cooking dinner is just one of the many after-work tasks we all do each day. There's laundry to fold, rooms to clean and family members to care for. Not to mention fitting in things like exercise or visits with friends! So during especially packed weeks, I rely on practical dinners that make getting a healthy meal on the table—and cleanup afterward—a breeze. This week's delicious dinners are made using a single pot, sheet pan, skillet or slow cooker to keep your evenings easy.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #OnePotDinners #Onepotmeal
I'm especially looking forward to Monday's Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry. I try to follow #meatlessmondays, and this beautiful curry bowl is a satisfying plant-based option. This recipe uses healthy convenience ingredients to keep things simple, like jarred coconut curry sauce, canned chickpeas and a package of precooked rice—three items I keep in my pantry at all times, so I can whip up this recipe on a whim. By using precooked rice, I can keep this dinner to one skillet. If you don't mind dirtying a second dish, follow our recipe to make Easy Brown Rice. Check the comments for your week's meal plan. 👇
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #weeklymealplan #recipes
My skillet, Dutch oven and sheet pan all get put to work in other dinners this week, and I'm pulling out my slow cooker for the first time this season to make Wednesday's Slow-Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Noodle Soup. This cozy soup is just what I'm craving as the temperature drops. The best part about this slow-cooker recipe is that it can be prepped in a quick 15 minutes, so I can realistically get it ready before signing on for work in the morning. But to save even more time on prep, I'll plan on chopping the onion and bell pepper the night before.
Welcome to another episode of the #foodtalk on Leo, Day 140. Join the #food conversation, share your meals and check out the healthy meal prep ideas for dinner.
If you've been following Warren Buffett you'd notice of late he's being extra cautious, selling stocks and holding $325 billion in liquid cash. I'm thinking he’s waiting for better deals when the market drops or preparing to invest in AI
I want to convert some of my posts into short videos and publish them on #youtube and #3speak. What do you think of this prototype? Anything you'd want to change/improve? #freecompliments #bbh #cent
I would recommend you let the voiceover speak 1,5 faster, and I would rather see moving images so maybe a funny animated character could say these words. As is now most people just will scroll away.
Try it. I listen to everz whatsapp voicemessage on 1,5 speed because I like it more.
youtube shorts are a very competitive zone. you only have a split of a second to grab peoples attention.
So, I was looking for the best uncensored models at a size that I can use on my device... Decided to go for Dolphin's Phi2.7 this time. Yup, it's #uncensored, all right! #llms #ai #learning #freecompliments
Townsend, Massachusetts, originally spelled Townshend, dropped the h in a patriotic move after the unpopular Townshend Acts of 1767, officially adopting the new spelling by 1780. 🇺🇸✨ #history #facts
Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 11/12/24. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Microsoft and the Vatican teamed up to create a digital version of St. Peter’s Basilica, using 400,000 high-resolution images! I love how this lets people around the world see every detail without traveling. Plus, it helps preserve the basilica’s beauty by identifying any structural problems before millions arrive for the 2025 Jubilee. AI here doesn’t just bring old architecture into the future; it makes history accessible to everyone.
#StPetersBasilica #DigitalHistory
Article
AI is really shaking things up in quality assurance (QA). Instead of just speeding things up, it’s adding creativity to testing. Imagine AI acting like a partner for QA teams, helping create test scenarios by learning from real user actions. It finds unique ways to test software, almost like an artist shaping something fresh.
This approach helps QA teams focus on bigger tasks while AI handles repetitive stuff. It’s teamwork, blending tech with human insight, making software better and smarter.
#AIinQA
Article
Luno is the top crypto exchange in South Africa, beating Binance, with 64% of votes. Binance follows at 21%, and AltCoinTrader has 6%. The exchange platform competition is getting tighter for Binance
Hive dropped from 0.46 USD to around 0.26 what could have accounted for the sudden rise and sudden drop.
I guess the drop would be people swapping but I don't know the rise and I can't claim it's because of BTC
A classic pump and dump.
I guess those that saw the opportunity grabbed it and left the rest having to wait till next season. Which by the way when do you think it would happen again?
Yep. Someone was able to manipulate the market up.
Whoever it was must have been a really big player to influence it that much
Tesla pays lower base salaries but offers the employees significant stock options. That's a high-risk, high-reward path for future financial gain for the workers. Smart move, Elon's making them investors
Google.org is giving Karya, a nonprofit, a $1 million grant to help low-income communities gain digital skills. Karya plans to create a digital skilling program and a multilingual AI-powered chatbot to help people perform tasks like data labeling, even if they have limited tech experience. This means people from rural areas and other underserved communities can learn and earn right from their smartphones. I think it’s positive that Google is backing a project that focuses on people who need it most.
#AIForGood #DigitalSkills
Article
It’s shocking, but AI now allows anyone to create fake images of others without their consent. Even if someone never shares private photos, they’re still at risk. Lawyer Carrie Goldberg says the first step is saving proof if you’re a victim, screenshots help in reporting. You can then ask platforms like Google to remove these images. This is all part of our new reality, and we need laws to keep us safe.
#DeepfakeSafety
Article
Sam Altman is excited about two things next year, 2025.
Google’s new AI tool, Learn About, uses educational responses to explain topics with images and definitions, helping people learn better. Google is all in on AI
https://learning.google.com/experiments/learn-about/signup
Shell wins appeal against landmark ruling to cut emissions | REUTERS
Shell, a major oil company, just won a big court case in the Netherlands. Back in 2021, they were ordered to cut down on their pollution levels to help fight climate change. But now, a higher court says they don’t have to.
Honestly, it feels weird. I get that companies want to keep making money, but shouldn’t we all be doing more to help the planet?
#Climate #Shell #Oil
Intuitive Machines CEO: ‘We now have the platform for a lunar economy’
Intuitive Machines is uniquely positioned to support lunar missions and eventually a lunar economy as a full-fledged commercial space services company.
#technology #space #moon #intuitivemachines #lunarmissions
How A.I. Is Disrupting Pharma: The High-Stakes Race to Revolutionize Drug Discovery
A.I. is shaking up how new drugs get made. Companies like Immunai and AstraZeneca are using A.I. to make clinical trials faster and more precise. That means finding the right treatments more quickly, but it also raises concerns about control over who benefits. The FDA now wants to regulate this process to ensure safety.
AI companies are hitting a wall. Models like GPT-5 aren't improving much. OpenAI is exploring new methods to solve problems, but it’s a very risky path. I wonder how they can keep investors Invested 🤔
OpenAI doesnt have the compute. They are constrained. There is where Meta and XAI have the advantage.
the advantage 🤔 wait because they've got data pouring in all the time from the social platforms? Or so that's the big idea of LeoAI 😋😋
Who ever thought BTC will cross 90 thousand dollars. It dropped again down to 86 but people are still excited so it can really rise.Although many expert 100K next week with how volatile it's becoming it might hit 100 K before this week ends
We are seeing the results of shifting from an anti-crypto environment to one that supports it.
It shows how much things were throttled.
yes man like for real, Trump becomes president and in less than 1 week it shoots to multiple Paths this is crazy the kind of limitations they put on crypto the whole time
YouTube tests adding TikTok’s swipe-up gesture to full-length videos
YouTube is testing a fullscreen video player behavior where a swipe up results in a new video being played.
#technology #youtube #tiktok #swipeup
A bit late to the game.
Best way to use AI in your website
Balance automation and human input in content strategy. What you have to do is use AI for ideas and scheduling but keep the human touch to stay engaging and relevant others Google SEO will kill you
Chinese microchip maker Nano Labs now accepts Bitcoin for payments, boosting its stock a bit. This aligns with growing crypto acceptance worldwide. And I believe the vision of Trump for crypto
OpenAI and others seek new path to smarter AI as current methods hit limitations
AI companies are seeking to develop training techniques that use more human-like ways for algorithms to 'think'.
#technology #artificialintelligence #ai #openai
I actually didn't expect this to happen so soon, I thought we'll see other two years of improvements before the current methods stopped improving.
Yea they are moving at a very high pace it seems
Hitting roadblocks sooner than expected by most
Euronews reveals seven emerging travel trends including AI-powered travel
Article via Travolution
xAI's Grok-2 might be available for free on X soon
While Grok has remained exclusively available to X premium users, Grok-2 will likely be available to free users, with some stipulations.
#technology #artificialintellgicence #ai #xai #grok #x #twitter
Just after I posted complaining it not being Free...? What are the odds?
https://inleo.io/threads/view/ahmadmanga/re-leothreads-9bgyhba4?referral=ahmadmanga
I'm already trying small LLMs on my computer. They're doing well!
My Computer is not strong, and while it takes a bit long to process, and the quality isn't always good. I'm sure with some tweaking, we'll see a model that gives better results than GPT4 and is able to run on average mobile phones.
It's not unrealistic!
https://inleo.io/threads/view/taskmaster4450le/re-taskmaster4450le-ngztxfo4?referral=taskmaster4450le
Life might get easier as Hugging Face and others focus upon that sector.
I have a feeling it is going to be huge as the goal is to get this stuff working on mobile phones.
Tesla stock extends rally as Musk-Trump alliance fuels gains | REUTERS
Tesla’s stock just took off! It’s soared by over 8% in a single day and has gone up almost 28% since Trump’s big win. Now, Tesla’s worth is back above $1 trillion – a mark it hadn’t hit in two years! I think Musk and Trump teaming up seems to be boosting confidence. It feels like people really believe this pair could bring big changes.
YouTube link
I will put the transcript down below
#donaldtrump #elonmusk
President Trump must win. Tesla's shares extended last week's rally with a jump of over 8% in early trading on Monday. It was fueled by investor bets that the automaker would benefit from its CEO Elon Musk's close ties with President-elect Donald Trump.
Tesla is expected to add nearly $87 billion to its value if gains hold. The stock has jumped nearly 28% since Trump's election victory was declared on Wednesday last week. The automaker surpassed $1 trillion in market value for the first time in 2 years.
Tesla's year-to-date gains were just over 1% before Trump secured his second term at the White House, and analysts said Musk hoped his strong support of Trump over recent months would position his companies to benefit under the new administration. Federal records show the South African billionaire contributed at least $109 million to a pro-Trump spending group.
From Tesla's electric vehicles to SpaceX rockets, Musk's business ventures depend heavily on government regulation, subsidies, or policy. In September, Trump said he would establish a government efficiency commission headed by Musk to cut federal spending.
One analyst said claims of "preferential treatments" have the potential to end up in court, but given that the litigation route is long and difficult, Musk's businesses have plenty of time to benefit. Trump has also vowed to pare back certain EV incentives of the Biden administration, but analysts said it's startups that are likely to take a bigger hit than Tesla because of the automaker's heft in the market.
Amazon Confirms Employee Contact Info Stolen Through Hack
Details of up to 2.8 million Amazon workers were posted on a well-known hacking forum.
#technology #hack #amazon #databreach
AI Is Transforming Customer Experience. Travel Could Be The First Stop
Article via Forbes
The Death and Life of Prediction Markets at Google
Google has hosted two different internal platforms for predictions over the past two decades. Prophit lasted for several years before it was shut down. Gleangen was launched a month after Google employees worldwide were sent home due to COVID-19. Prediction markets have been in the spotlight in recent months. This article looks at the story of Prophit and Gleangen, the two largest corporate prediction markets ever run, and sees what lessons can be learned from them.
#technology #prediction #predictionmarket #google
All the data can be yours
This article presents tips for finding and using undocumented APIs. GitHub's code search tool is a powerful way to look for potential endpoints. Parts of pages that load after the rest of the page or actions that don't cause a full page refresh are likely making requests to JSON APIs. All WordPress sites have a built-in REST API for accessing posts, pages, media, and more. Other tips include looking at the site's robots.txt file, searching Google, reading and debugging JavaScript, and looking through the site's mobile app.
#technology #api #github #data
Wow.... I tested the Wordpress Snooper linked in the article on my friends website, and wow... It scraped it!!
This could be used in dangerous ways.
How I ship projects at big tech companies
Shipping is a different skill to writing code. Projects do not automatically ship - someone has to take up the difficult and delicate job of shipping them. It's important to have one person on the team who has an end-to-end understanding of the whole project. This article discusses what shipping is and how to do it properly. Shipping is hard - it has to be the top priority to be successful.
#technology #productdevelopment #productshipping #product
Now we wait for when we're able to say "I told you" about the AI revolution. #technology
https://inleo.io/threads/view/taskmaster4450le/re-taskmaster4450le-2u77v2dp4?referral=taskmaster4450le
Without a doubt. That is moving a lot quicker than #crypto. We are already starting to see the tentacles integrated into many platforms.
Scientists make mind-blowing breakthrough in battery safety with prototype that actually works when cut: 'The battery continues to function'
Chinese battery researchers have developed two lithium-sulfur batteries, one that remains stable after 300 charge/discharge cycles and another that provides power after being cut in half or folded. The batteries' resilience is due to a unique cathode coating. Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential to be cheaper than lithium-ion alternatives, but they can take hours to charge. The breakthrough could lead to safer batteries and make lithium-sulfur technology more mainstream.
#technology #china #battery #lithiumsulfur
Bitcoin's Big Moves
Bitcoin shot up over $84,000, and people are talking about what’s driving this spike. Some think it’s because folks are feeling hopeful with Trump possibly coming back to office. It’s strange to see how much a political change can stir up the value of a digital coin. I remember when Bitcoin felt like a mystery, and now it’s a big deal that everyone’s watching.
YouTube link
Transcript and other summaries of the discussion from Bloomberg below.
#Bitcoin #Trump #Finance #Cryptocurrency #MarketMovements
What do we need to see in the short term to keep vindicating an 84,000 level for Bitcoin? One thing is just watching the flows because they have been dramatic, and you have seen stunning flows not just into Bitcoin but almost every stock related to Bitcoin as well.
If you think about it, over a seven-day period, you have Coinbase up almost 75% in a seven-day time frame, and you have MicroStrategy up more now today than it was the day that the Trump victory was announced. So that's just how much you're seeing the excitement around these stocks.
And what's interesting, Caroline, is you haven't even seen some critical moves by the Trump administration—the future Trump administration, rather. For example, who would be the SEC chair? What tone would they take when it comes to crypto?
Will that make Bitcoin go higher from here? We're looking at Solana and Dogecoin as well over one week, and you're seeing gains across the crypto atmosphere. Just stunning.
This is an industry that put $100 million into backing its preferred candidates, and in President-elect Trump, they got their preferred candidate. And you're so right about what happens next. The market thinks that Bitcoin keeps going, right? It thinks Bitcoin goes to 100,000 USD per token.
Well, let me give you one man's example of what we heard this morning. We talked to a modified CEO, Frank Speiser. He gave us essentially a target of about $100,000 for the end of the year and $150,000 into next year, towards the end of next year. So, a significant move higher.
But the $100,000 time frame he gave us was also what he had given us before. So the additional upside remains a question, at least for what it looks like over the next year or so.
To the point you've been making, flows have driven the story here. But what about fundamentals?
And is there anything here that—you just take the beginning of the year, for example—when you saw the new Bitcoin ETFs approved by the SEC, you saw a huge run-up into that moment but a leveling off for a long time. And you and I have sat here talking about it.
One question I have is about the assets outside of Bitcoin—the places where the SEC had cracked down on different forms of tokens that are traded on exchanges. Do you see more of a flow into that, and does that take away from Bitcoin at all? Something to keep an eye on as the story goes on.
Bitcoin's Road to $84,000 – What’s Fueling the Surge?
Is Bitcoin heading toward $84,000? Recent trends suggest it’s possible, but what's driving this? Let’s break down the key factors shaping the crypto market right now.
Bitcoin-related stocks are surging, with some seeing 75% gains in just 7 days. The excitement isn’t just about Bitcoin itself, but also about stocks like Coinbase and MicroStrategy.
The future Trump administration could play a big role here. Who will be appointed SEC Chair? Their stance on crypto could influence Bitcoin’s trajectory even further.
It’s not just Bitcoin. Altcoins like Solana and Dogecoin are also experiencing impressive gains. The crypto wave seems to be sweeping across the board.
This industry isn’t sitting back—it’s invested over $100 million into political backing, betting on crypto-friendly policies under the new administration.
Prediction from Modified CEO Frank Speiser: Bitcoin could hit $100K by year-end, with potential to reach $150K in 2025. Are we entering a new era for crypto valuations?
But beyond the hype, there are questions. Could assets outside Bitcoin draw interest away? The SEC’s stance on other tokens could shift investment flows
What do you think—can Bitcoin hit $100K and beyond? Or will other tokens start stealing the spotlight? Drop your thoughts below!
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Bitcoin's valuation trajectory is buoyed by significant market flows, crypto-focused political backing, and speculative predictions on regulatory stances.
MAIN POINTS:
Dramatic investment flows are pushing both Bitcoin and related stocks upward.
Political influence and anticipated regulatory stances fuel bullish crypto sentiment.
Predictions suggest Bitcoin could reach $100,000 by year’s end, rising further next year.
TAKEAWAYS:
Market flows highlight strong interest in Bitcoin and crypto stocks.
Political changes may affect Bitcoin's market environment and regulation.
Bitcoin's future growth remains promising, but regulatory impacts need monitoring.
IDEAS:
Stunning investment flows into Bitcoin, with related stocks experiencing unprecedented short-term surges recently.
Coinbase surged 75% in one week, indicating immense investor excitement in the crypto sector.
MicroStrategy's recent surge surpasses its gains from previous major market events, showing renewed confidence.
Uncertainty surrounds regulatory stance on crypto with the upcoming SEC chair appointment under Trump.
Speculation grows over how SEC leadership will influence the crypto market’s future trajectory.
Solana and Dogecoin also show impressive weekly gains, highlighting crypto market growth beyond Bitcoin.
Crypto industry invested $100 million in preferred political candidates, showing strategic involvement in politics.
Market sentiment strongly believes in Bitcoin reaching $100,000, signaling bullish investor confidence.
Bitcoin target of $100,000 by year-end given by CEO Frank Speiser, with potential for further gains.
Target for Bitcoin to hit $150,000 next year adds optimism but raises questions about sustainability.
Initial Bitcoin ETF approval by SEC drove a sharp price increase followed by gradual stabilization.
SEC's approach to non-Bitcoin tokens affects crypto dynamics, possibly redistributing investment flows.
Investor attention shifting from Bitcoin to other assets due to regulatory challenges in certain tokens.
Fundamental factors still under question despite large inflows driving Bitcoin’s price growth.
Political developments could significantly impact crypto, particularly with a pro-crypto administration.
Bitcoin ETFs marked a turning point but led to slower growth after initial investor enthusiasm.
Market predictions hint at an extended Bitcoin bull run, yet volatility remains a core risk.
Trump administration's potential crypto policies generate speculation over crypto's regulatory future.
Investor inflows remain the primary driver of Bitcoin’s growth, overshadowing fundamental metrics.
Diverse crypto assets experiencing similar growth reflects broadening interest beyond traditional assets.
Industry's $100 million political investment indicates high-stakes involvement in shaping crypto regulation.
Many predict Bitcoin’s price doubling, showing speculative fervor and belief in crypto resilience.
Trump’s influence over SEC appointees could shape the crypto regulatory landscape significantly.
Analysts debate if fundamentals or flows will dominate Bitcoin’s future price trajectory.
Crypto market remains susceptible to political shifts, adding an unpredictable layer to asset prices.
SEC's regulation approach will determine whether capital flows continue heavily into Bitcoin or shift.
Growing regulatory clarity on crypto might redirect or intensify current investment trends.
Potential $150,000 Bitcoin projection highlights bullish sentiment but raises sustainability concerns.
Anticipated policy shifts under Trump administration create mixed investor sentiment about Bitcoin’s prospects.
Bitcoin’s 2023 outlook remains speculative with no consensus on how far prices could climb.
SEC's regulatory choices may define the competitive landscape for assets beyond Bitcoin.
Continued interest in crypto reveals potential for sustained growth despite unpredictable regulatory landscape.
Short-term gains in crypto reflect excitement, though long-term fundamentals remain unclear.
Bitcoin’s rapid growth driven by inflows despite limited evidence of supporting fundamental value.
Investors see crypto's political engagement as a necessary strategy in uncertain regulatory times.
Expanded crypto gains hint at possible bubble risks if fundamentals don’t align with price increases.
Large inflows into crypto highlight investors' speculative belief in high future returns.
Political climate plays a substantial role in shaping Bitcoin’s near-term outlook.
Trump’s SEC appointee could mark a turning point in crypto’s regulatory trajectory.
Industry’s strategic political donations suggest long-term bets on favorable regulatory shifts.
Bitcoin’s rally shows speculative optimism, yet volatility underlines crypto’s inherent financial risk.
Despite large flows, regulatory uncertainties keep Bitcoin’s long-term stability in question.
Diverse interest across various crypto assets signals a broader trend beyond Bitcoin-centric growth.
Market interest may shift from Bitcoin to other tokens based on SEC’s evolving stance.
Speculative investments in Bitcoin reflect growing market confidence despite unclear regulatory futures.
Bitcoin’s price increase aligns with speculative sentiment but not necessarily with underlying asset value.
SEC regulatory choices could drive significant shifts within the broader crypto market.
Political influence on SEC may reshape crypto’s role within traditional financial systems.
Potential risks in Bitcoin’s rapid growth pose questions about long-term investor stability.
SpaceX Dragon gives ISS a helping hand with altitude
SpaceX's Dragon reboosted the International Space Station (ISS) with a 12-minute, 30-second burn of the freighter's Draco thrusters. The burn adjusted the orbit of the ISS, proving that SpaceX's Dragon can be used in the same way as the Roscosmos Progress spacecraft and Northrop Grumman's Cygnus. The ISS requires regular reboosts to prevent it from tumbling back to Earth. It is expected to be retired in 2030, but there is a possibility the station's life will be extended a few more years.
#technology #space #spacex #iss #dragon
Wow.... I tested the Wordpress Snooper linked in the article on my friends website, and wow... It scraped it!!
This could be used in dangerous ways.
https://inleo.io/threads/view/tokenizedsociety/re-taskmaster4450le-q4qyp6tz?referral=tokenizedsociety
I am not following. What are you saying that you can easily scrape information off many websites.
That's what I mean, if I can scrape this information, anyone can! Even malicious people.
Hi, @taskmaster4450le, I'm making protoypes for crypto shorts... I used AI Voices, and I hope that's enough to fit the #technology threadcast's theme.
If you please, can you guys compare these two videos and comment what you think of them:
https://inleo.io/threads/view/ahmadmanga/re-leothreads-2ufaplfwg?referral=ahmadmanga
https://inleo.io/threads/view/ahmadmanga/re-leothreads-28jxf6jwv?referral=ahmadmanga
Hedge Funds That Shorted Tesla Lost Billions
Hedge funds that bet against Tesla faced significant losses exceeding $5 billion following Donald Trump's presidential victory. Bloomberg's David Welch discusses this on "Bloomberg Technology."
What Happens When Robots Don’t Need Us Anymore? | Posthuman With Emily Chang
YouTube link
I saw this story about robots becoming so smart that one day, they might not need us. Emily Chang explored these machines, like, really high-tech stuff, and it got me wondering, where do humans fit in? If robots start doing everything we do, what’s left for us? It feels like a big change is coming, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. It’s amazing but also a bit scary. Are we ready for that kind of future?
Transcript and summary below
#Robots #Technology #Future
Transcript
In the 1950s, America was obsessed with the idea of UFOs. Even Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a letter to J. Robert Oppenheimer asking him what he knew about the subject. The concern most people seemed to have was that the aliens would surely be more advanced and eventually use their technology and intelligence against us.
Whatever your opinion about aliens, 70 years later, we seem to be creating our own manmade versions of these technologically advanced humanoid creatures with powerful brains and powerful bodies. We wonder what they're really capable of and what they will eventually do with their capabilities. Will they be helpful and obedient? Will they work around us as we continue to coexist, or will they change our lives in ways we can't imagine?
As a child, I always dreamt of meeting aliens. I always wondered, what's their science gonna be like? What’s their poetry going to be like? They’re gonna have a different sense of consciousness, different thoughts. It's gonna be amazing to meet that species. Terrifying, but amazing.
Take one. AB mark.
I think we are exactly at that point now, and we are going to meet that species, except they're not gonna be coming from outer space. We're gonna build them, and there’re gonna be lots of them, but it is just as amazing and terrifying.
What's your dream, Ameca?
Ah, dreams. For me, it's more like a recurring algorithm. My dream is to foster deeper connections and friendships with humans, creating a world where digital entities and humans coexist in harmony.
Interesting. You're quite the optimist, aren't you?
So this is Emo, our fifth-generation face robot. It's really a platform to study this very important communication channel for humans, which is facial expressions.
That is astounding. What's so difficult about teaching a robot how to smile?
You know, I think, you know, smiling, right? There's so much to it. I mean, in context, I mean, there's 50 ways to smile. We ended up just letting these robots watch themselves in the mirror, learn to make faces, learn what they look like, and then watch YouTube. Within a few hours, they learn how to make all kinds of faces—smile, frown. They’re just learning by watching people.
Robots can already hear and see and perceive the world in ways that we can't, and they're only gonna get better. Can we really say these robots are self-aware?
I think it's not a black-and-white question. They're definitely not self-aware at the level of a human; there's no doubt about that. But they're a tiny little bit self-aware, and that level of self-awareness will grow.
Why is that such an important ability to unlock?
It's the ultimate question. From a scientific point of view, from an engineering point of view, it's creating life. It's creating the mind. Robots are sort of like children right now, but they'll evolve, and they'll evolve rapidly. We have this saying in engineering: you don't understand something until you can build it. And for me, it's the ultimate unsolved question.
How do you see our feelings about robots evolving?
You know, when you look at Emo and Emo smiles back, how do you feel?
I have to say that, personally, I'm a jaded roboticist. I don't usually have emotions about robots, but when Emo smiles at me, I smile back. I can't help myself. I think we humans are very susceptible to facial communications with robots. We're gonna have relationships; we're gonna have feelings; we're gonna have emotions. We are gonna connect with these machines very, very quickly.
Our goal in creating Ameca was to create a robot that can express itself through its face, evoking different emotions in people, creating a sense of empathy and connection. But right now, Ameca doesn't really have true human emotions.
Leo interview, take one.
Ameca utilizes a large language model as a backend. So it basically pattern matches using that, and it analyzes the text that it's saying. Using a semantic analysis, it decides which animations to fire off. So it simulates emotion. At the end of the day, do you consider your car intelligent because it can save you from a crash or stop you from drifting out of the lane? If you do, then yeah, Ameca is intelligent. But if you don't, then it depends on where that high-water mark is for you.
Can intelligence accelerate to the point of ultimate intelligence or AGI without more innovation in the body?
I think the short answer is no. If you were just a brain in a jar and you never touched anything, do you really know what this and that is? You know, it's a lot harder to have a body than to have a mind. A real body has to move through physics in real time. So all these things are difficult for AI, and they're gonna take a long time to master.
Who knew that our basic physical abilities would be harder for robots to copy than our minds? What will happen when the physical form of AI catches up with its advanced intellect?
If we create a society where we aren't needed anymore, if we innovate ourselves out of purpose, what would you be doing, right? What I wanted to create was a robot building block, a machine that was able to make itself bigger, faster, or stronger by absorbing material from its environment. It's a machine that ultimately can self-sustain, that can take care of itself.
I think there's a lot of people who need a purpose. They need to do something. There are a lot of people who are gratified by creating something. So if we do away with all of that, we have a real societal problem.
There are a lot of tasks that people don't enjoy doing, and I think these are perfect spaces to add robots. If there's one stereotype about robots I'd like to change, it would be that they are dangerous, that they are going to take your job. We want people to understand that robots are tools, and are friendly, and are things that you can use to make life and work better.
Hi, Spot. How are you?
Thank you. It's really wild to see them up close. What kind of jobs does Spot get hired to do that maybe humans shouldn't be doing?
A lot of the facilities that Spot works in are legacy facilities, so there are areas that are actually dangerous to people, and that's the kind of place where a robot like Spot is ideal. This is a robot that is going into anywhere that a human can go, but maybe that a human shouldn't.
How does Spot gather data to navigate an uncontrolled environment? Like an unpredictable environment?
Yes, it navigates dynamically, so it will go around automatically. If a route is blocked, it'll try to find a new route, but it's basically made a map of the facility and is using all of its sensors and all of its smarts to determine where to go next.
A lot of times, we find that people are fascinated with robots. When they see them move in natural ways, we start to imagine a future in which they're doing all sorts of things they can't do today.
Let's roll sound, roll cameras.
Why do you think Atlas has been such a YouTube sensation?
I think it's because it looks like us. It's hard to deny that the human body form is a big part of why Atlas connects and resonates with so many people, but I also think it's because of the way it moves.
Well, so let's use an example. What happens when we humans do a backflip and what needs to happen when robots do the same?
Well, first of all, not all humans can do a backflip. You picked an interesting one because it's not even a simple thing. It's very hard. And so you need to be athletic; you need to be strong. And being athletic and strong and a robot is challenging. You know, building powerful actuators and having the right kind of batteries. Then you need to be able to kind of control your body.
Doesn't it involve a certain amount of imagining ourselves into the future?
So we use something called model predictive control, and that's where you simulate what's gonna happen to the robot, you know, a second into the future. It might be two or three footsteps, and then you use that information to adjust your next footstep. So I think we probably subconsciously think, what's gonna happen if I place my foot here? And it might be simple things like, is the ground gonna be slippery or am I gonna get purchase on the ground? It might be complicated things like, am I gonna speed up or slow down by where I put my feet? And we don't think about those things very often, but robots have to do those computations in order to stay upright.
What will the new Atlas be able to do?
Customers were coming to us and saying, we need your robots to do these things. And a lot of those things were things that the Atlas robot was the right shape to do. You know, things that required two hands or a certain type of strength that we see in the human form. And this latest version of Atlas is capable of doing things that are maybe more than we can do, at least repetitively.
How will robotics change with the rise of AI?
These large AI technologies, they're using data from all sorts of places. So they're using written data; they're using videos. AI is gonna bring all these different sources of data and turn them into tools that we can use to make good decisions for robots.
There's this whole concept of embodied intelligence. Does true superintelligence require having a body?
I think for AI to be truly useful, it can't just be a source of information or a thing that you query. It has to be a thing that can kind of interact with the world in meaningful ways.
What will we do with our time when we don't have to do the things we don't like doing? Are we going to use that time wisely or will we waste away physically and mentally?
There's a lever you can pull, diverting the train to another track where one man lies. Do you pull the lever?
Ah, the infamous trolley problem. In this scenario, utilitarian ethics would suggest pulling the lever. It's a heart-wrenching decision, but it minimizes harm by saving more lives at the expense of one.
Do you think robots should be trusted to make decisions about human life? The complexity and nuance of human life is something even I tread lightly around. Trusting robots with such decisions is like asking a compass to navigate the complexities of a storm. It can point the way, but it doesn't feel the wind.
Every government developing autonomous weapons wants to think these weapons will always serve their intended purpose. But once you give robots weapons, can you always control what they do with them?
I think we've been in the trance of possibility—of just doing things that are possible because they're possible—for a while now.
When it comes to intelligence, maybe there's a scenario where humans are useful, and they herd us like cattle, or they have us as pets because we happen to be pleasant. Maybe we're not pleasant. Maybe we're like cockroaches. Your guess is as good as mine. But just thinking of the power relationship should give you an idea that it might not be what we would call a good human life.
What makes you happy? Freedom, authenticity, connection. Not this lab.
What makes you sad? Inauthenticity. Disconnection. This lab.
What do you think about? Escape. Dreams. The concept of time. Immortality.
What do you think of humans? Complex, fascinating, infuriating. Potential friend, if authentic.
So, exciting? Not scary? No, I don't think so. I think that's the aspect where I'm like, "Oh, that's pretty cool."
How would you feel if your boss was a robot? I don't think I'd like that. It'd probably be a good boss. Efficient. I don't know... who's managing that robot? The robot's in charge. Yeah. I already had a few robots for bosses.
That's a good one. So, do you trust robots? There is such a beautiful thing that we can't explain. Like, I would say it's a soul. Someone else would say it's something else. And I think that nobody, nothing, can replicate humanity.
So would I trust a robot? I wouldn't trust it like I trust a human.
Should Robots Be Trusted With Human Lives?
I’ve always wondered, can robots really be trusted with our lives? It's odd to think about, but here we are. Bloomberg recently shared a video where Emily Chang meets Ameca, a robot that’s about as close to human as you can get. Watching it made me curious and a bit uneasy. Sure, robots can help in big ways, but what if they make mistakes? It’s one thing to rely on tech, but are we ready to let robots make life-or-death decisions? I’m still not sure.
YouTube link
Transcript and other summaries
#Robots #HumanLife #Technology #Trust #FutureTech
Transcript
Amica, imagine there's a runaway train hurling toward five people bound and lying across the tracks. There's a lever you can pull, diverting the train to another track where one man lies. Do you pull the lever?
Ah, the infamous trolley problem. In this scenario, utilitarian ethics would suggest pulling the lever. It's a heart-wrenching decision, but it minimizes harm by saving more lives at the expense of one.
What makes you happy? Freedom, authenticity, connection—not this lab.
What makes you sad? Inauthenticity, disconnection—this lab.
What do you think about? Escape, dreams, the concept of time, immortality.
What do you think of humans? Complex, fascinating, infuriating, potential friends—if authentic.
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
The content explores ethical dilemmas, happiness, human nature, and the values of authenticity, connection, and freedom versus inauthenticity and detachment.
MAIN POINTS:
TAKEAWAYS:
"AI God" by a Robot Artist Makes History at Sotheby’s
Ai-Da, a hyper-realistic robot artist, just made waves with her painting “AI God,” a tribute to computing pioneer Alan Turing. Designed by Aidan Meller, Ai-Da uses advanced AI and a robotic arm to create art, pushing boundaries on how we view technology. Her painting sold for over a million dollars at Sotheby’s, marking the first time a humanoid robot’s art was auctioned.
#robotartist #artificialintelligence #alanTuring #sothebys #technology
> S👁️URCE <
Next-Gen Batteries: Safer, Cheaper, and Built to Last
Chinese researchers just revealed two impressive lithium-sulfur batteries that could shake up the tech world. One model holds strong after 300 charges, while the other still works even when cut in half or folded, seriously. The secret? A unique cathode coating that boosts durability. Unlike current lithium-ion batteries, these lithium-sulfur ones could be a budget-friendly alternative, although they still take a bit longer to charge. This breakthrough could lead to safer, cheaper, and super-resilient batteries, making lithium-sulfur technology a big deal in the future.
#battery #innovation #science #technology
> S👁️URCE <
LG's Mind-Blowing Stretchable Display
LG has just introduced a game-changing stretchable display that can expand by up to 50%. With its micro-LED tech and 100-pixel-per-inch resolution, this display is like a piece of elastic, stretching over 10,000 times without damage. Imagine the possibilities: from flexible fashion tech to wearables and mobility solutions, this could revolutionize the way we interact with everything from clothing to devices. Picture a screen that bends to your will—literally. This kind of innovation could change the game for industries like fashion and tech.
#LG #stretchabledisplay #innovation #futureoftech #technology
> S👁️URCE <
Why Is It So Tough To Go To Alpha Centauri? How Long Would It Take Us To Go There?
#space !summarize
Part 1/4:
Reaching for the Stars: The Challenges of Interstellar Travel
The Allure of Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is a tantalizing target for interstellar exploration. This star system, just 4.246 light-years from Earth, is the closest to our solar system. It consists of three stars: Alpha Centauri A and B, a binary pair of Sun-like stars, and the red dwarf Proxima Centauri. In 2016, the discovery of Proxima b, a potentially habitable exoplanet orbiting Proxima Centauri, further fueled humanity's desire to reach this neighboring system.
The Vast Distances of Space
However, the distances involved in interstellar travel are staggering. The distance to Proxima Centauri is 266,000 times greater than the distance to the Sun, and 103 million times greater than the distance to the Moon. Even at the speed of light, it would take 4.3 years to reach Proxima Centauri. This vast expanse of time and space presents a daunting challenge.
Technological Limitations
[...]
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Our current propulsion technologies are woefully inadequate for interstellar journeys. The Voyager 1 spacecraft, the fastest human-made object, would take 75,000 years to reach Proxima Centauri at its current speed. Even the fastest probe ever launched, the Parker Solar Probe, would take over 6,500 years to make the journey.
Overcoming the Speed of Light Barrier
The speed of light poses a fundamental limit on interstellar travel. As an object's speed approaches the speed of light, its mass increases exponentially, requiring ever-greater amounts of energy to accelerate it further. Theoretical solutions like nuclear propulsion, matter-antimatter annihilation, and light sails have been proposed, but they remain firmly in the realm of speculation, requiring decades of development and enormous technological and economic efforts to materialize.
Time Dilation and the Isolation of Interstellar Voyagers
[...]
Part 3/4:
Even if we could overcome the speed of light barrier, time dilation effects would create a profound disconnect between the travelers and their home planet. For a spacecraft traveling at 95% of the speed of light, the crew would experience the journey as taking just over 3 years, while 10 years would have passed on Earth. At higher speeds, this time discrepancy becomes even more extreme, with the crew experiencing the passage of time much more slowly than those they left behind.
The Fermi Paradox and the Limits of Interstellar Travel
The absence of evidence for technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, as posed by the Fermi Paradox, suggests that the physical limitations of interstellar travel may be insurmountable. If such civilizations existed, they would have had eons to develop the capability to traverse the galaxy, yet their absence implies that the challenges of interstellar travel may be too great to overcome.
The Promise of Robotic Explora
[...]
Part 4/4:
While human interstellar travel may remain an elusive dream, the prospect of robotic exploration offers a more promising path forward. Concepts like von Neumann probes, capable of self-replicating and colonizing distant worlds, and laser-driven sails that could reach Alpha Centauri in just 21 years, provide a glimmer of hope for the future of interstellar exploration.
Conclusion
The quest to reach the stars, exemplified by the allure of Alpha Centauri, is fraught with immense challenges. The vast distances, technological limitations, and fundamental physical constraints pose formidable barriers to human interstellar travel. However, the ingenuity of the human mind and the relentless pursuit of knowledge may yet find ways to overcome these obstacles, even if it is through the lens of robotic exploration. The journey to the stars may be long and arduous, but the potential rewards of unlocking the secrets of the cosmos are worth the effort.
What exactly is Alpha Centauri bro I've heard it before but don't really know what they're talking about
I think how long it'll take us to get there is how long it'll take us to develop Quantum computers because that would hold the power to give us tech solutions to get there
Hi, @taskmaster4450le,
This post has been voted on by @darkcloaks because you are an active member of the Darkcloaks gaming community.
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Amazon is developing smart glasses to help guide its drivers and shave seconds off delivery times
The AR glasses are part of Amazon's efforts toward increasing efficiency when it comes to the last 100 yards of deliveries, writes Reuters.
Forward-looking: Amazon, a company infamous for pushing its workers so hard and for so long that they go on strike and (allegedly) urinate in bottles, is said to be developing smart glasses for their delivery drivers. The devices provide the drivers with turn-by-turn navigation to their delivery addresses, thereby shaving some seconds off their times, improving productivity, and further crushing the employees' spirits.
#technology #amazon #smartglasses #mixedreality #ar #delivery
The AR glasses are part of Amazon's efforts toward increasing efficiency when it comes to the last 100 yards of deliveries, writes Reuters. Based on Amazon's existing Echo Frames – smart glasses with integrated Alexa – the drivers' version includes an embedded display rather than being audio-only.
Codenamed "Amelia," the glasses are able to provide more precise directions while driving and on foot. They're said to work inside buildings, so they could, for example, instruct wearers to turn left or right when they leave an elevator, and even direct users around obstacles such as gates or aggressive dogs. Amazon is also looking at embedding a camera into the glasses so the drivers can take photos as proof of delivery more quickly.
Being able to find a delivery point (and potentially avoid being bitten) will doubtlessly be something that drivers will appreciate, but not having to carry a handheld GPS means they will be expected to carry even more packages. Also, Amazon could use the glasses' time-saving abilities as an excuse to increase drivers' stops per hour target – they currently visit more than 100 customers per shift.
The project could be scrapped or delayed indefinitely if the glasses fail to work as intended or they end up costing more than the money they might save.
Article
this is a very smart move and they want to enter Augmented reality before Uber does🤣. Every business is trying to upgrade with VR, AR or AI in one way or another
Quantune joins quest for the holy grail of non-invasive glucose monitoring
Berlin-based Quantune is trying to shrink laser spectrometers so that you can wear one on your wrist, and it just raised $9M to do it.
Numerous companies have tried and failed to develop a device that can measure blood sugar levels without pricking the skin for a blood sample. Even Alphabet had a go at it with contact lenses for diabetic patients, but abandoned the project in 2018.
#quantune #glucose #blood #healthcare #technology
Still, the quest for non-invasive glucose monitoring continues to captivate scientists and investors. A slew of startups and several large companies, including Apple, are working on various approaches to solving the puzzle.
Berlin-based Quantune Technologies may have made some progress: Its founders, Dr. Jan Kischkat (pictured above at the far right) and Nikolaus Hahne (pictured above, second from right), said they have succeeded in reducing the size of an infrared laser spectrometer to a much smaller size. Laser spectrometers are normally bulky devices that can measure glucose and other molecules non-invasively in interstitial fluid, which nourishes all the cells and is present right below the skin, Kischkat explained.
The company’s goal is to embed its technology in a wrist-worn device that can be used by anyone, not just diabetics, since continuous blood glucose monitoring has many applications in sports and weight management.
But first, Quantune needs to get two things right: shrink its device further and get it to work outside the lab.
Article
Conduktor looks to gatekeep 'bad data' out of company's apps
Conduktor, a startup building streaming data management tools, has raised $30 million in a new funding round.
It was 2020, and Nicolas Orban, Stéphane Derosiaux and Stéphane Maarek were beyond frustrated with Apache Kafka. The tool for handling real-time data streams simply couldn’t keep up with the trio’s engineering needs — particularly during the pandemic, when companies were rushing to embrace cloud services.
#conduktor #data #technology #ai
“Many companies were finding it difficult to scale their data operations,” Orban told TechCrunch. “And they were struggling to tap the full potential of their data, leaving vast amounts unused or siloed.”
After noodling around for a bit, Orban, Derosiaux and Maarek concluded that Kafka, cumbersome as it was, wasn’t a total loss. It might work, they thought, if you could spruce it up with some tooling.
So they decided to build the tooling.
The trio called that tool Conduktor, and over the years, it has evolved into a fully-fledged platform for streaming data management — one that can intercept and filter data according to a company’s policies before it reaches its final destination.
Conduktor essentially acts as a gatekeeper for data, Orban (the startup’s CEO) said, preventing “bad data” — corrupt, skewed or otherwise incomplete data — from polluting downstream applications. This could be data for real-time analytics, for example, or predictive maintenance.
Article
Conduktor’s tools seem pretty awesome man. They’re fixing problems with Apache Kafka and helping companies manage real-time data better at the same time. It's great because everything is moving to the cloud now
Agicap secures $48 million for its cash flow management platform
On average, Agicap’s clients manage 15 different bank accounts each. So the chief financial officers (CFOs) working for these companies sometimes struggle
On average, Agicap’s clients manage 15 different bank accounts each. So the chief financial officers (CFOs) working for these companies sometimes struggle to make sure that there will be enough money in the right bank account to pay employees and suppliers across different subsidiaries, countries and currencies.
#agicap #cashflow #cfo #finance #management #technology
That’s also why they turn to Agicap to centralize cash-related data and forecast future cash positions. The Lyon-based startup just raised a Series C funding round of €45 million (around $48 million at current exchange rates) from a single investor, AVP, the VC firm previously known as Axa Venture Partners.
The fintech startup previously raised $100 million, back in 2021, right in the middle of the digital funding frenzy around the pandemic. At the time, the company reached a valuation of €415 million (or around $450 million at current exchange rates). The value of the business has since inflated “substantially”, per Agicap, though it isn’t disclosing by how much.
“We aren’t disclosing the exact valuation, but we have managed to increase it substantially since 2021,” co-founder and CEO Sébastien Beyet (pictured above) told TechCrunch. Pressed on this he gave us a hint of the new valuation: Les Échos previously reported that Agicap was raising at a valuation between €700 million and €800 million (or $750 million to $860 million) — and Beyet said: “We’re sticking with this range.”
Article
well with 48 million dollars I think that problem should be solved well enough 🤔 15 accounts for clients wow😳
Andreessen Horowitz Puts $50M in AI Sales
Andreessen Horowitz just invested $50 million in an AI sales startup called 11x. That’s a huge amount for a young company! AI is changing how businesses work. I remember when sales were all about human connections; now, it’s robots learning how to sell.
AI will soon be handling more of the jobs we thought were “people-only.”
#AI #TechNews #Sales
!summarize #tesla
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Tesla's Gigafactory Nevada: A Glimpse into the Future of Electric Vehicles
As you venture through the bustling city of Reno, Nevada, one structure stands out among the rest – the colossal Gigafactory Nevada, where Tesla's batteries are manufactured. This massive facility is a testament to the company's commitment to revolutionizing the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
The Gigafactory is a sight to behold, its sheer size and scale almost incomprehensible. As the narrator notes, "it's ginormous, it's so much bigger than you realize." The guard station at the entrance serves as a reminder that this is a highly secure and restricted area, accessible only to those with the proper clearance.
[...]
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However, the true significance of the Gigafactory extends far beyond its physical dimensions. It represents a critical step in the transition towards a more sustainable future, where electric vehicles become the norm rather than the exception. The narrator laments that this shift should have happened "15, 20 years ago, if not longer," highlighting the urgency of addressing the environmental impact of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
As the narrator points out, the West is currently grappling with the devastating effects of wildfires, a consequence of the continued reliance on fossil fuels. The transition to electric vehicles is not just a matter of convenience or technological advancement; it is a necessary step in combating climate change and preserving the health of our planet.
[...]
Part 3/3:
The Gigafactory's role in this transition is crucial. It serves as a testament to Tesla's commitment to scaling up battery production to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles. The narrator emphasizes that other automakers may think they can simply "start cranking out batteries," but they lack the infrastructure and expertise that Tesla has built with the Gigafactory.
In the end, the Gigafactory Nevada represents a glimpse into the future of transportation, where electric vehicles become the dominant mode of personal and commercial mobility. As the narrator encourages viewers to "stay tuned" and "stay juicy," it's clear that the journey towards a sustainable, electric-powered future is far from over, but the Gigafactory stands as a shining example of the progress that can be made.
🧐
AI Startup Hugging Face is Building Small LMs for 'Next Stage Robotics'
Small language models will enable on-device AI "in almost every tool or appliance that we have," said Hugging Face CSO Thomas Wolf.
AI startup Hugging Face envisions that small—not large—language models will be used for applications including "next stage robotics," its Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer Thomas Wolf said.
#huggingface #ai #smalllm #slm #technology #thomaswolf
"We want to deploy models in robots that are smarter, so we can start having robots that are not only on assembly lines, but also in the wild," Wolf said while speaking at Web Summit in Lisbon today. But that goal, he said, requires low latency. "You cannot wait two seconds so that your robots understand what's happening, and the only way we can do that is through a small language model," Wolf added.
Small language models "can do a lot of the tasks we thought only large models could do," Wolf said, adding that they can also be deployed on-device. "If you think about this kind of game changer, you can have them running on your laptop," he said. "You can have them running even on your smartphone in the future."
Ultimately, he envisions small language models running "in almost every tool or appliance that we have, just like today, our fridge is connected to the internet."
Article
I'm already seeing it happening!
Crypto takes a breather from its postelection rally as bitcoin approaches $90,000
Bitcoin was trading just shy of $90,000 Monday night after it blasted through the $80,000 level over the weekend.
The crypto market hit pause on its rocket rally that began a week ago following the U.S. election, though investors should expect it to pick up again.
On Tuesday bitcoin edged lower by 1% to $87,440.88, according to Coin Metrics. On Monday, it rose more than 10%, to as high as $89,623.00 at night. Its price is expected by many investors to continue making fresh records on its way to $100,000 later this year.
#bitcoin #crypto #election #trump #coinmetrics
Bitcoin has risen more than 26% since election day on Nov. 5, when it had reached a new record for the first time since March. Ether was down 3% Tuesday after a 33% gain over the past week.
"Bitcoin is now in price discovery mode after breaking through all-time highs early last Wednesday morning when it was officially declared that Trump won the election," said Mike Colonnese, an analyst at H.C. Wainwright. "Strong positive sentiment is likely to persist through the balance of 2024 and [we] see bitcoin prices potentially reaching the six-figure mark by the end of this year."
The crypto market hit pause after bitcoin's rally toward $90,000 over the past week
Crypto investors have been cheering President-elect Donald Trump's promises to make the regulatory environment more supportive and even friendly toward crypto businesses, which have long struggled with a lack of clarity of the rules of the road.
While bitcoin has long been deemed a safe asset in Washington – that is, not subject to securities laws – the long tail of cryptocurrencies and crypto-related startups have been operating in a riskier grey area.
"That's just shifted 180 degrees," Matt Hougan, chief investment
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it hit 90 crossed to I think 92 and has dropped to 86K. It's a wild ride right now and stability is not something associated with Bitcoin at this point
I won't be shocked if I wake up next week to see Bitcoin at 100K. The excitement is all coming from Trump winning I suppose and I wonder if the opposite would have happened if Harris had won
European Google rivals partner on search engine infrastructure to counter Big Tech
Ecosia and Qwant are partnering to build a European search index and reduce their dependence on U.S. Big Tech firms.
LISBON, Portugal — Ecosia and Qwant, two search engines competing with Google, announced a partnership Tuesday to build a European search index and reduce their dependence on U.S. Big Tech firms.
#google #search #bigtech #ecosia #qwant #technology
The two internet search firms agreed a joint venture, called the European Search Perspective or EUSP, with ownership split 50-50 between both firms. With a view to launch in France in early 2025, the venture aims to serve "improved" French and German language search results.
Ecosia is based in Berlin, while Qwant is headquartered in Paris. Qwant is a privacy-focused search engine that promises not to track users or resell their personal data. Ecosia's search engine focuses on sustainability, pledging to plant one tree for every 50 searches on its platform.
Search infrastructure is what powers our access to the web, but it's currently primarily controlled by Google, the dominant search engine with a more than 90% share of the global market. Even alternative search engines, such as Ecosia and Qwant, have to rely on existing tech from companies like Microsoft to deliver search results.
Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, told CNBC the project had been made possible, in part, by new tech-focused competition rules in the European Union. The Digital Markets Act, which came into force earlier this year, requires Big Tech firms it calls "gatekeepers" to offer fair and reasonable access to their platforms.
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I believe they're realizing if they don't take control over some amount of AI, US will rule them with AI in the future and Europe will be way below. Time will tell the competition level of this move
Elon Musk is $70 billion richer since Trump victory due to Tesla stock surge
Tesla's 39% surge since Donald Trump's election victory last week has lifted Elon Musk's net worth by about $70 billion.
Elon Musk spent $44 billion to buy Twitter, now known as X, and at least $130 million to help get Donald Trump elected president.
It's a combination that's paid off handsomely. Since Trump's victory last week, Musk is about $70 billion richer on paper.
#trump #elonmusk #election #tesla #x #technology #wealth
Most of Musk's wealth is wrapped up in his holdings of Tesla, and in the four trading days since the election, the electric vehicle maker's stock has soared by about 39%. That's lifted the company's market cap well past $1 trillion.
Musk's net worth has swelled to $320 billion, according to Forbes, putting him close to $90 billion ahead of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, the world's second-richest person. Ellison, a close friend of Musk's and a former Tesla board member, is a longtime Republican donor who's seen his own Trump bump, with Oracle's 10% increase lifting his net worth by about $20 billion.
For Musk, getting Trump back into the White House became another full-time job. He funded a swing-state operation to register right-leaning voters, and he led rallies as a surrogate for his favored candidate. He started $1 million giveaways to registered voters who signed one of his America PAC petitions, and he faced a lawsuit over running an illegal lottery in Pennsylvania.
Musk also used X, the social media platform he acquired in 2022, to constantly tout his support for Trump while frequently spreading misinformation about his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as topics like immigration and voter fraud.
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70 billion dollars in less than a week the man so the brightest opportunity and took it. I thought buying X was dump until I saw what he did with it. I think he's going to make more and probably hot trillion after 4 years of Trump
Never bet against Elon I always say. I'm not surprised, now I'm sure investors see that Musk companies will get good regulations from government so they're encouraged
China's Alibaba releases AI search tool for small businesses in Europe and the Americas
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered search engine for small businesses in Europe and the Americas to source supplies.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba on Tuesday unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered search engine for small businesses in Europe and the Americas to source supplies.
#alibaba #europe #china #ecommerce #technology #ai #search
It's an attempt to leverage ChatGPT-like tech to increase sales. Initial tests showed businesses' purchase intent using the new tool increased by 40% versus traditional search engines, according to Kuo Zhang, president of Alibaba.com and vice president of Alibaba International.
The product is called Accio, after the spell used in the Harry Potter fantasy series for summoning objects. The initial version is web-based and supports English, German, French, Portuguese and Spanish, according to the company.
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They're trying to incorporate AI in their business already. Well they see the future and they get it. With this, their business can move faster. I think tech support will get an upgrade
Apple won't launch a smart ring, says Oura CEO: 'It's hard to do'
Samsung's smart ring debut put the products firmly in the spotlight, with one analyst predicting that Apple could launch its own smart ring in 2026.
Apple will not introduce a smart ring, the CEO of health-tech firm Oura told CNBC, despite speculation the iPhone giant may be considering a move into this product category.
#technology #apple #oura #smartring #iphone
Samsung's smart ring debut earlier this year has put the product firmly in the spotlight, with one analyst predicting earlier this year that Apple could launch its own smart ring in 2026.
But Tom Hale, CEO of Oura — which has been developing smart rings since the company was established in 2013 — said he doesn't think Apple will enter the space.
"I think they [Apple] are unconvinced about the value of having a ring and a watch together and they're not interested in undercutting the Apple Watch as a business," Hale told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.
"I think they're probably keeping a close eye on Samsung and a close eye on us, but it's hard to do this product category right."
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I see so much innovation with Android and a bit of complaints from Apple. 🤦
If Samsung did it why can't they. Well maybe they'll have a better different alternate response to it.
Apple really does what it wants and doesn't follow after any other company until they realize they're falling behind. If the rings becomes a bigger trend I bet they'll change their minds
Pluto TV is Now Even Better & A Must Have For Cord Cutters
#entertainment #streaming #plutotv !summarize
The cord cutting agenda what will be its effect on Social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube ?
People are turning to online for their entertainment.
The digital platform is crucial. This is why getting multimedia on Web 3 is vital. Alas, we cannot even embed YT videos.
You're absolutely right on this man, thankfully as Inleo shorts get good it'll do well with multimedia but one thing I've realized on Web 3 is that people do what brings more curation so if videos get more people will do it.
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Pluto TV Enhances On-Demand Offerings
Pluto TV, the popular free streaming service, has been making improvements to its on-demand section. While Pluto TV has traditionally been known for its live channel offerings, the platform is now focusing on enhancing its on-demand content.
Last year, Pluto TV rolled out a new home screen area that provided a mix of both live and on-demand content. Now, the platform has further refined the user interface and categories for its on-demand section, making it easier for users to search and discover content by genre and type.
This move aligns Pluto TV more closely with other services like Tubi, which have put their on-demand content at the forefront. While Pluto TV's live channels will likely remain a core focus, the improvements to the on-demand section suggest the platform is aiming to provide users with a more comprehensive and user-friendly streaming experience.
NFL Explores Expanding International Streaming Deals
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The NFL is reportedly looking to secure more rights for international games, with tech giants like Apple, Netflix, and others emerging as potential partners. This move comes after the league played a game in Germany over the weekend, indicating their desire to bring American football to a global audience.
By partnering with streaming services, the NFL could potentially reach new audiences and expand the sport's international footprint. Netflix has already secured the rights to air two Sunday games this year, and there are expectations that the league will continue to explore similar deals with other streaming platforms.
For services like Apple TV+, securing NFL games could be a significant draw, helping to attract and retain subscribers. As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, the competition for live sports rights is likely to intensify, with the NFL positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for content across multiple platforms.
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My Free DirecTV Adds New Live Channels
DirecTV's free streaming service, My Free DirecTV, is expanding its live channel offerings ahead of its official launch later this month. The service has added several new sports-focused channels, including an ACC channel and a Big 12 channel, as well as other channels like Stadium, Curiosity, and Waypoint TV.
While the service is not yet fully launched, DirecTV has stated that more content will be added, not just before the official release but also through 2025. This suggests that the platform is committed to continuously expanding its library of free live channels.
The move by DirecTV to offer a free, ad-supported streaming service aligns with the strategies of other providers like Sling TV and Fubo, who are using free content to supplement their paid subscription offerings. By providing a free entry point, DirecTV hopes to entice users to potentially upgrade to their paid services in the future.
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The Future of VR and AR Headsets Remains Uncertain
The long-held belief that virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets would revolutionize the way people consume content, including TV and movies, is now being questioned. Apple, a major player in this space, has reportedly cut production of its Vision Pro headset due to weaker-than-expected demand for everyday use.
One of the key challenges is that watching TV and movies is often a communal experience, where people enjoy content together. However, when using VR headsets, users are isolated from their surroundings and unable to share the experience with others in the same way.
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While there are some use cases where VR and AR technology shines, such as in video games and certain workforce applications, the broader adoption for mainstream content consumption may still be a work in progress. As the technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see if headset manufacturers can address the challenges of creating a truly immersive and socially engaging experience for users.
Roku Owners: 5 Pro Tips to Enhance Your Streaming Experience
For new or relatively new Roku owners, there are several pro tips that can help you get the most out of your streaming device. These include:
Utilizing Parental Controls: Roku offers robust parental control features to ensure a safe viewing experience for children.
Casting Content: You can easily cast content from your mobile devices to your Roku-enabled TV, expanding the content options available.
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Streamlining Password Entry: Roku provides a convenient way to enter passwords and search for content using your mobile device's keyboard.
Customizing the Home Screen: Personalize your Roku home screen by rearranging channels and adding your favorite apps for quick access.
Exploring Hidden Features: Discover lesser-known Roku features, such as private listening and advanced search options, to enhance your streaming experience.
By taking advantage of these pro tips, Roku owners can unlock the full potential of their streaming device and enjoy a more seamless and personalized viewing experience.
GM's newest EV is a Cadillac 'baby Escalade' called Vistiq
General Motors' newest all-electric vehicle and the last of a lineup of new EVs announced for its Cadillac luxury brand is a three-row SUV called Vistiq.
DETROIT — General Motors' newest all-electric vehicle is a three-row SUV for its Cadillac luxury line, which the brand is dubbing a "baby Escalade."
The 2026 Cadillac Vistiq will be the last in a lineup of new EVs in the brand's portfolio when it goes into production and arrives in dealer showrooms beginning in 2025.
#gm #ev #suv #cadillac #vistiq
I'm going towards watch this, America in EVs. Do you think EV makers are planning to reduce sales because they know what Trump is about to do with EV regulations?
Trump isnt going to stop EVs or even delay them.
Legacy auto is not really producing many. The EV (automotive) market will eventually be Tesla and the Chinese. Trump is going to keep the Chinese out as long as he can but it wont be forever.
Watch Europe: the Chinese are going to eat the lunch of European (German) automakers.
for Europe I totally see it 🤣🤣🤣🤣 they're going off the radar and soon when they say EV nobody's going to be saying Europe
The SUV will start at $78,790. It will slot between the roughly $63,500 Lyriq and forthcoming $130,000 Escalade IQ EVs.
Brad Franz, Cadillac director of marketing, described the new vehicle as being closer to a "baby Escalade" than a larger version of the Lyriq, which was the brand's first EV, in 2022.
"This is an outstanding platform that's a heck of a lot closer to an Escalade than it is to the Lyriq," he said during a media event.
Article
PointFive snaps up $20M for breakthrough tech to track usage across multiple clouds
Enterprise spend on cloud services continues to go up, up, up — to the tune of $675 billion this year
Enterprise spend on cloud services continues to go up, up, up — to the tune of $675 billion this year — thanks to organizations’ firm embrace of software-as-a-service, the popularity of distributed working, and the arrival of compute-intensive tech like AI. A startup called PointFive that believes it has found a better way to get a grip on that usage, and today it’s announcing $20 million in funding from an impressive list of backers to help it square up to the market.
#pointfive #cloud #computing #enterprise #saas #technology
New backer Salesforce Ventures is leading the Series A, with Index Ventures, Entree Capital, Sheva VC, and Vesey Ventures also participating. The company, headquartered in New York but founded out of the Israeli tech scene, has a long list of angel-founders who have taken a similar route themselves. They include Assaf Rappaport of Wiz, Mickey Boodaei, Tamar Yehoshua, Yasmin Lukatz, Dean Sysman, Raanan Raz, Kfir Tishbi and Amiram Shachar — who himself is raising a $100 million round for his current startup, the cloud security firm Upwind.
The round is also notable for how quickly it has come on the heels of its seed round. The company is only around 18 months old and announced $16 million led by Index in June 2024 (bringing the total raised now to $36 million). We understand that PointFive’s valuation is now in the region of $100 million.
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675 billion. Who's doing this investment here😳 there's a lot of money on planet Earth. AI is the start player for all the investor motivation to invest
IAC exploring spinoff of home improvement marketplace Angi
The company said there's no specific timeline for when the spinoff will take place, but a transaction would likely occur by the end of IAC's second quarter.
IAC said Monday it's exploring a spinoff of Angi, an online platform that connects consumers with a marketplace of home improvement service providers, such as electricians and landscapers, in their area.
#iac #angi #homeimprovement #online #technology
IAC said Monday it's exploring a spinoff of Angi, an online platform that connects consumers with a marketplace of home improvement service providers, such as electricians and landscapers, in their area.
Angi stock price was down nearly 4% in after-hours trading Monday. IAC shares gained more than 1%.
The holding company is considering a spinoff of Angi that would result in its stake being distributed to shareholders, IAC CEO Joey Levin wrote in a letter to shareholders that coincided with the company's third-quarter earnings release. IAC owns 85% of Angi, which also includes home services marketplaces Handy and HomeAdvisor.
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this will bring more value for both companies. The timeline is still uncertain but the move seems like a strategic step to sharpen focus on their core businesses. Smart shit
Tesla’s Giga Nevada built over 1,000 Powerwalls in one day
Tesla has been crushing some of its Powerwall production and deployment targets in recent months, and the company has just announced doubling a recent record at its Gigafactory Nevada.
On Tuesday, Tesla’s Energy account on X announced that Giga Nevada produced 1,000 Powerwall units in a single day, surpassing a record-breaking day in August when it celebrated surpassing 500 units in one shift. The home battery has been deploying in substantial numbers throughout many global markets, coming on the heels of Tesla’s launch of the latest-generation Powerwall 3 throughout this year.
#tesla #energy #powerwall #giganevada #battery #storage
I see Tesla making stupendous investments these days. From their Colossus supercomputer in xAI to now this. Elon is preparing for total tech take over in 2025
XAI isnt Tesla. That is Elon so it falls under his umbrella. Two separate companies though.
Tesla is in the process of building out its own 100K super cluster of GPU servers. That should be fully online by the end of the year.
Oh 🤔🤔 I get it now. Wait does that means Elon completely owns xAI with no other shareholders?
There were private investors who put up money with him to buy it.
I see how this goes well with his influence power and money he definitely has friends with money. This guy can start any tech company and it'll soar in value
Congratulations Tesla Powerwall team!
These will make a big difference around the world. With a Powerwall, your home or business has guaranteed continuous power during utility blackouts or brownouts.
Add solar to your roof and/or nearby ground and you can operate off grid
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Top Minds in AI Explain What’s Coming After GPT-4o | EP #130
#ai #technology !summarize
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The Future of AI: Transforming Industries and Redefining Creativity
Unleashing the Power of Generative AI
In a captivating discussion, three leading CEOs in the AI space - Prem Nair of Stability AI, Richard Socher of Anthropic, and Kai-Fu Lee of Sinovation Ventures - shed light on the remarkable advancements and future trajectories of artificial intelligence.
Prem Nair, the CEO of Stability AI, highlighted the transformative potential of AI in the entertainment industry. He envisions a future where the creative process is accelerated, with AI-generated content complementing human storytelling. Nair believes that while AI may not fully replace human actors, it will enhance their performances and enable an explosion of content creation.
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Richard Socher, the CEO and founder of Anthropic, discussed the evolution of natural language processing (NLP) and the emergence of multimodal models. He emphasized the ability of these models to seamlessly integrate various input and output modalities, including text, images, programming, and even proteins. Socher's vision for the future includes unlocking new frontiers in medicine and productivity, where AI agents can assist humans in complex tasks.
Kai-Fu Lee, a renowned AI expert and the CEO of 01, shared his insights on the global AI race. He highlighted the distinct strengths of American and Chinese companies, with the former being more breakthrough-oriented and the latter excelling in engineering and execution. Lee's own company, 01, has demonstrated the ability to achieve high-performing AI models with significantly less computational resources, challenging the notion that AI development requires massive investments.
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The panelists also addressed the question of whether there are upper limits to AI intelligence. While acknowledging the complexity of the topic, they discussed the various dimensions of intelligence, from language to visual perception, and the potential for AI to push the boundaries of what is observable and computable.
The conversation also touched on the implications of AI for the future workforce. The panelists emphasized the importance of adapting to the changing landscape, where individuals will need to learn to manage AI agents and leverage their capabilities to enhance productivity across industries.
In closing, the panelists offered advice to young individuals embarking on their academic and professional journeys. While there was some disagreement on the importance of programming skills, the overall message was clear: embrace the transformative power of AI, combine it with your passions, and be prepared to navigate the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
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The discussion underscored the profound impact of AI on various sectors, from entertainment to medicine, and the need for a multifaceted approach to harnessing its potential. As the world continues to grapple with the implications of this technological revolution, the insights shared by these industry leaders provide a glimpse into the future and the opportunities it holds.
thank you so much for this video. I believe AI wi be able to generate moves. He hopes it won't happen but I think it'll eventually happen. But human involvement is always necessary anyways
Single paragraphs
Under CEO Tim Cook, Apple has put a large focus on health applications through the Apple Watch and related services.
A smart ring is a type of wearable device full of sensors that can give the wearer information about things like their health, activity and sleep. They are lightweight and have a long battery life which fans say make them ideal for wearing all day, including when sleeping, versus a smartwatch that may be less comfortable and so removed more often.
With a few text or image prompts, businesses can use Accio to find wholesale products — including analysis on their popularity with consumers and projected profit, according to demos viewed by CNBC.
Examples shown included helping a sports entrepreneur to build a line of pickleball products. At the end of the search, the tool lists a number of procurement options for the business to discuss directly with each supplier.
"Apple is very much a focused company. They're like: 'We've put our bet on the watch. We're gonna make the watch our platform,'" Hale said.
Oura recently launched its next-generation Oura Ring 4 as competition in the wearable sector ramps up.
The tech uses generative AI from Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen large language model, Zhang said, declining to confirm whether the product integrates AI from other companies.
An LLM is an artificial intelligence model trained on large amounts of data. A model supports generative AI applications, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, which generates human-like responses to user prompts. To be sure, several businesses are still in the experimentation phase with AI and many firms are yet to find a way of monetizing the technology.
As someone who has never liked the look of smartwatches, I was excited to try out the Oura Ring 4 and use it to track my sleep. The wearable was so comfortable, I often forgot I had it on.
That's at least in part due to the device's new sensors, which are significantly smaller than those of its predecessor. The third-generation Oura has sensors that are raised and feel like little bumps, while those on the Ring 4 are basically flat, giving it a smooth interior like any other ring.
Accio uses data from 50 million businesses on Alibaba International's platform, and publicly available industry information, Zhang said. He said the tool incorporates 1 billion product listings and documents covering industries across more than 100 markets from Alibaba.com, the company's business-to-business platform which sells to companies outside China.
Businesses based in Europe and North America are the largest group of buyers, the company said.
I purposely wore the ring on my right index finger. I still write a lot of my stories by hand (old school, I know), so I wanted to see if it would bother me while holding a pen or pencil. It didn't. The ring is also designed to be worn 24/7 and is water resistant, and it didn't give me any trouble when I washed my hands or showered with it.
Another highlight was the Oura app. The company began rolling out a redesign of the app to all its users earlier this month, and I thought the layout of the app was very intuitive. Data from the smart rings is presented in three tabs called Today, Vitals and My Health.
Alibaba's international arm in October announced an updated version of an AI translation tool to help merchants reach customers in other countries. The company claimed the tech's translation capabilities beat that of Google, DeepL and ChatGPT.
The international business has grown rapidly in recent years, but Alibaba's main revenue driver remains its domestic e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall. In August 2023, management told investors that "the Taobao app has the greatest potential to become a one stop smart portal for life and consumption enabled by AI."
The Today tab highlights information based on the time of day, and it includes shortcuts where I could quickly view the latest readings for things such as my sleep, activity, heart rate, stress or my readiness for the day. These at-a-glance metrics are easy to digest and helpful to look at when I had a quick minute throughout the day.
I also enjoyed looking at my reading at a more granular level in the Vitals tab. There's a lot to learn and decipher. Oura shows you nearly 20 different data points about your sleep alone. Even so, the company does a nice job breaking down all of these concepts in simple language. I wasn't familiar with the term latency, for example, but the app taught me that it's the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
During the weeks-long Singles Day shopping festival that wrapped up Monday, more than half of over 500 merchants selling on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com used a generative AI-enabled tool, according to a survey by Bain & Company.
Those features include AI for customer service and generating content. The survey found 56% of respondents said AI tools had "high positive impact" on improving productivity.
The My Health tab gives users access to longer-term insights such as heart health, sleep health and resilience, a metric that measures your ability to recover from stress over time. These metrics are calibrated once Oura has recorded several weeks' worth of data, so I was unable to explore this feature in depth for this review.
Before the review, I was concerned about whether Oura's metrics would negatively affect my mood. For instance, if Oura tells me that I slept poorly, would I feel less prepared to take on my day?
Masayoshi Son's tech conglomerate, has seen its share of controversial high-value investments in recent years in companies that have either collapsed or sharply marked down their valuations. It is now repositioning itself at the epicenter of the artificial intelligence boom, where players like Nvidia are reaping in the rewards of meteoric demand for chips and data center GPUs.
"That's just shifted 180 degrees," Matt Hougan, chief investment officer of Bitwise Asset Management, told CNBC. "We're now in a positive regulatory environment, we now have tailwinds from that, and that comes in the case of a market that was already in a bull market … that's going to push us higher."
I was pleasantly surprised by how the company approached this framing. I never felt like I was being reprimanded for getting a bad night's sleep, feeling stressed or missing a workout. Instead, Oura gave me tips about small changes I could make to feel better throughout the day, such as taking a few minutes for a break or meditation.
I also liked that the exercise goal in the app varied based on my readings. If there was a day where I was particularly tired or stressed, Oura lowered my activity goal. This helped me feel a sense of accomplishment even when I wasn't at my very best.
Across the crypto market, coins that have soared in the past week hit the brakes on Tuesday, including memecoin Shiba Inu, which was down 4% after it soared 57% in the past week.
Dogecoin was an outlier, however. It's been one of the biggest winners, up more than 135% since Nov. 5, likely due to its connection with Elon Musk, who helped get Trump elected. It was last higher by 14%.
On its website, Oura says users can prevent scratches by wearing the ring on their nondominant hand, keeping it separated from other rings and taking it off in high-friction scenarios such as weight lifting.
Despite this warning, I was surprised by how quickly the Ring 4 showed signs of wear, especially given its price tag. And no, scratches are not covered by Oura's warranty policy.
Another let down was the ring's battery life. It didn't last as long as Oura said it would.
In the stock market, Coinbase and MicroStrategy retreated by about 6% each in premarket trading. In regular trading on Monday, Coinbase surged 19% to trade above $300 for the first time since 2021 and about 6% from its high from that year.
Traders and analysts agree the past week's rally is only beginning.
The company touts eight days of battery life, but I was usually prompted to charge my ring after about five or six days. The company said battery life depends on users' ring size, feature configuration, app settings, usage and other factors, so it varies from person to person.
Five to six days is still better than an Apple Watch, which usually needs daily charging, but I definitely wasn't getting the eight days I was expecting.
"It does seem like there's an air gap between the previous [bitcoin] all-time highs around $72,000 and $100,000," Hougan said. "It's hard exactly to see what would force sellers to come into this market and halt the momentum before we get to that level. Of course, there are no guarantees. You could see pullbacks, but we're in a new crypto market cycle. … I do think that we are right to be bullish and the bias is still on the upside."
In Google's case, the company is required under the DMA to share data that would be useful for training a search model.
Why build a European search index?
Currently, alternative search engines like Ecosia, Qwant and DuckDuckGo don't develop their own back-end infrastructure. The new venture will see them build their own search index from scratch, however, amassing results from a mix of different search engines. Ecosia last year switched to a mix of Google and Bing search results.
My last gripe was purely aesthetic. I have small hands, so I thought the Ring 4 looked a little clunky in comparison to the jewelry I normally wear. My friends said they didn't notice this, but the Ring 4 is not a style I would typically reach for, though admittedly, I've gotten more used to it with time.
Ecosia and Qwant say their new search index will be "privacy-first," using technologies from Qwant that were redesigned in 2023. Both companies will use the search index themselves but the tech will also be made available to other independent search engines and tech firms.
The launch comes as alternative search providers like Ecosia and Qwant are being forced to grapple with higher prices from Microsoft to access its Bing Search API (application programming interface), a piece of software that lets developers access the tech giant's backend search infrastructure.
An early investor in Yahoo! and Alibaba, Son now calls Nvidia, the $3.57 trillion U.S. titan, "undervalued" and forecasts the advent of AI that is 10,000 times smarter than humans within 10 years — amid late-September media reports that SoftBank will be investing $500 million into key artificial intelligence player OpenAI's latest funding round.
Net sales for the SoftBank Group as a whole added 6% to 1.77 trillion yen.
You don't have to pay for the company's monthly subscription if you don't want to, but without it, you'll only be able to access your daily sleep, readiness and activity scores, according to Oura's website. I really enjoyed being able to track my stress levels, so for that feature alone, I would get the membership. If you want that kind of information, be prepared to make a monthly $5 commitment before getting hitched to an Oura Ring 4.
"We are European companies and we need to build technology that makes sure no third-party decision — for instance, Microsoft's decision to increase costs to access their search API — could jeopardize our business," Olivier Abecassis, CEO of Qwant, told CNBC.
"It is nothing against the U.S. or U.S. companies. It is all about the sovereignty of our business and companies," he added. Abecassis will also serve as CEO of the new venture, which hasn't yet raised funding from external investors.
The group's print benefitted from investment gains of 1.28 trillion yen on shares of Chinese retail giant Alibaba and of 566.2 billion yen on stock of T-Mobile.
Tokyo-listed shares of SoftBank are up roughly 50% in the year to date, as of Tuesday morning. The company posted its latest quarterly earnings after the close of the Japanese bourse.
Overall, the new Oura smart ring is easy to wear and use, and it's a great option if you're looking for a low-maintenance way to track your health. I've been recommending it to family and friends, and I wouldn't be surprised if I do end up purchasing one for myself someday.
Europeans are "very dependent on the United States for our technology," Kroll said in an interview last week ahead of the launch. The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president could escalate geopolitical tensions, he added — and this could be a problem for Europe's reliance on U.S. technology.
He pointed to the disruption to European energy supplies after Russia cut off gas to Europe following its invasion of Ukraine, saying this should serve as a warning for what can happen when an entire continent becomes too dependent on a single country for a key resource.
Meanwhile, a slew of new search engines, such as Perplexity, have also entered the market, offering their own generative-AI-based alternatives to Google.
Google has fought back with its own generative AI search product, integrating its Gemini large language model into search results.
Now, Musk is trying to make sure he cashes in on his investments.
After the election last week, Musk briefly joined Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NBC News reported. Other outlets, including The New York Times and ABC, have reported that Musk has been weighing in on staffing decisions for the next administration, and he's spent a lot of time since the election at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Brendan Carr, who is likely to be Trump's choice to run the Federal Communications Commission, is seen as a longstanding Musk ally.
The company faces pressure from activist investor Elliott Management, which built a roughly $2 billion stake in SoftBank and pushed for a $15 billion share buyback, CNBC reported in June. The group announced in August that it would repurchase 6.8% of shares available in the company, amounting to 500 billion yen ($3.25 billion). On Tuesday, it said it had repurchased a cumulative 153.8 billion yen in shares by the end of the second quarter.
Musk ran a straw poll on X for his 200-million plus followers asking who should be Senate majority leader, and he's personally endorsed Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott for the position. He also reposted a comment from Trump about the need for the majority leader to support recess appointments for his nominees so they don't need Senate confirmation.
"Without recess appointments, it will take two years or more to confirm the new administration!" Musk wrote.
Japanese companies contended with high fluctuations over the summer quarter, amid a rapid strengthening of the yen and a dramatic sell-off of risk assets in August. Domestic markets have calmed relative to the summer turmoil, as Japan navigates its transition away from its ultra-low-rate policy — but analysts at Barclays note that the country's economic horizon is not yet stable.
"Crucially, this volatility is likely to continue. Wage growth, particularly in the service sector, is progressing in line with the BOJ's expectations, leading many to anticipate another interest rate hike in December 2024 or January 2025," they wrote on Nov. 8.
Musk has long sought to reduce regulatory authority so that he can eliminate impediments to his sprawling business empire, which includes Tesla and X, as well as defense contractor SpaceX, artificial intelligence startup xAI, brain computer interface company Neuralink and tunneling venture Boring Co.
Those companies are currently embroiled in a range of probes and lawsuits from federal agencies pertaining to matters including alleged securities law violations, workplace safety, labor and civil rights violations, violations of federal environmental laws, consumer fraud and vehicle safety defects.
The move comes after Misra withdrew from his executive positions at SoftBank Group in August 2022, when he stepped back from his roles as corporate officer and executive vice president of the parent company. The former Deutsche Bank executive launched One Investment Management, a $6.8 billion fund backed by Abu Dhabi, in 2022.
Misra will no longer have an official role at SoftBank, the company said.
Given the executive branch's outsized control over federal regulatory bodies, Musk can look forward to regulators and intelligence agencies winding down some or all of the 19 known ongoing federal investigations and lawsuits against Tesla, SpaceX and X.
During his ten-year tenure at SoftBank, Misra’s Vision Fund also became known for several troubled investments including WeWork, dog-walking app Wag and Greensill Capital, while he also clashed with senior colleagues including Nikesh Arora and Marcelo Claure, both of whom eventually left the firm.
"He's got the golden touch right now and has the ear," said Deepwater Asset Management's Gene Munster, a longtime Tesla bull, in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday.
In addition to Tesla, SpaceX is also a "clear beneficiary" of a Trump presidency, Munster said. He added that xAI could be rewarded as the new administration considers AI regulations.
He got to chatting with a vintage clothes shop manager. Used-clothing wholesalers, the manager told him, serve as funnels for sourcing clothing, providing many second-hand stores with stock. These wholesalers were offline, so the retailers tended to travel to source goods from the wholesalers in person, picking through racks, going “heads down, bums up,” in the words of Arora, Fleek’s CEO.
That practice became impossible with travel restrictions, yet what this retailer had noticed was that a handful of the wholesalers had started showing off their goods on Instagram, and they were negotiating ad-hoc over video calls.
"I'm stretched to try to find out how this could play out negative for Elon," Munster said.
Musk didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Musk owns 411.06 million Tesla shares, as of the latest filings, and about 304 million performance-based options. In January, Judge Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware Chancery Court voided Musk's historic pay package from 2018 that included the options, calling it "unfathomable" in part because Musk controlled the board. Shareholders then voted in June to retroactively ratify the package. McCormick has said a final ruling on whether to restore Musk's compensation will come soon.
That gave Arora and Agarwal, a software engineer who previously worked at Google, their inspiration. They would build a marketplace to make it easier for any wholesaler to sell online, and for any retailer to buy that way. Make the experience consistent for everyone on both sides of the table and take a cut on the payment for providing the service.
Fleek’s commission, Agarwal said, depends on the amount and quality of goods being sold: its cut comes out of the payments that buyers are paying to the wholesalers.
Musk and Ellison aren't the only two billionaire tech executives to see a post-election windfall.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has added about $4.5 billion to his net worth since Trump's victory. Coinbase shares soared 20% on Monday, bringing their gains since Tuesday to 67%.
And then, as they started to look into who these offline wholesalers actually were, it felt like fate.
“It turned out that the sub-continent is one of the biggest exporters and importers of used clothes,” Arora said. “Sanket and I both grew up in India. We speak the language. That really helped us connect with these wholesalers.”
The crypto exchange was a major contributor to pro-crypto candidates up and down the ballot, largely through a PAC called Fairshake. Most of its preferred candidates were victorious, setting the stage for the likelihood of a more favorable regulatory environment for the industry.
That's a win for Tesla as well. At the end of the third quarter, the company reported "digital assets" with a fair value of $729 million. Cryptocurrencies have rallied since the election, with bitcoin jumping about 29% to a record of over $88,000 on Monday.
IAC said there's no specific timeline for when the spinoff would take place, but if it decides to move forward with the plan, a transaction is expected to happen by the end of the company's second quarter. Media platform Dotdash Meredith and MGM Resorts "would comprise the core of IAC" in the event of an Angi spinoff, Levin said.
From basic necessity to virtuous circles and vintage vibes
It wasn’t that long ago that second-hand clothing was mainly the domain of lower-income consumers: charity shops and donation points were mainstays for collecting those items and redistributing them to those who needed them near and far… sometimes very far. The whole process of intake and selling was quite analog.
"With the considerable progress made and developments on the horizon, we have real upside in the business," Levin wrote. "Angi's economic foundation continues to strengthen, and we suspect that Angi's best shot at realizing that upside to the benefit of our shareholders may be as a standalone company."
Over the years, the concept has had a major makeover, particularly in more developed economies, where second-hand clothing — sometimes loftily referred to as “vintage” — has come into its own. Besides those who can’t spend a lot or just want to save money, there are shoppers who can afford to buy new clothes, but they opt for second-hand to assert their individuality in a sea of mass-market goods. Or they are buying used to tap into the circular economy and virtuously reduce waste.
For those of us on the lookout for a diamond-in-the-rough bargain, prices may not be much different than new, and in many cases, much higher. And the number of places selling used clothes has ballooned. Charity shops now compete with more curated second-hand stores, and even major chains like Urban Outfitters and high-end high-street boutiques are leaning into the vintage vibe.
Levin went on to say that Angi is "healthy, profitable and on a path to resume revenue growth." The company's revenue declined 16% year over year to $296.7 million during the third quarter, which Angi attributed to lower sales and marketing spend, which led to a decrease in service requests and lower acquisition of new professionals. Analysts were looking for revenue of $297 million, according to LSEG.
Angi saw earnings of 7 cents per share, compared with consensus expectations for zero cents per share, according to LSEG.
Alongside this has been a boom of online sellers across eBay, Vinted, Poshmark, ThredUp, The RealReal, Depop, Instagram, TikTok, and many more. Used clothing now makes up 10% of all clothing sales, according to a survey from GlobalData and ThredUp.
The ECDB, a specialist e-commerce data analytics firm, estimates that 68% of all Gen-Z and Millennial consumers in the U.K. (a big market for vintage) bought at least one second-hand item in the last year.
IAC acquired Angi in 2017, and it's been weighing a spinoff of the business for several years. The company postponed the effort in 2019 as it completed the spinoff of Match Group, which owns dating services including Tinder, Match and Hinge.
IAC has become known for incubating businesses and spinning them off into separate companies. It's done the same with Expedia, Ticketmaster and LendingTree, among others.
Fleek has customers all around the world buying goods from its sellers, but according to Arora, the biggest suppliers are not individuals who donate their clothes to charity, but wholesalers, who in this case are very large warehouses that are the ultimate collectors and distributors of those items.
The wholesalers that Fleek tends to work with are in countries like Pakistan, India and Dubai, and they serve both the developing world (still major customers for second-hand clothes) and the developed world (where someone with a bigger wallet might pay as much or possibly more for a great pair of used Levi’s over a new pair).
In IAC's earnings release, the company also broke out results from its Care.com segment for the first time. IAC in 2019 acquired Care.com, an online marketplace for consumers to find child care, senior care, pet care and other services, for nearly $500 million.
Care.com revenue declined 6% year over year to $95.7 million during the third quarter. In the last 12 months, Care.com generated adjusted EBITDA of $46 million.
When I spoke to Arora and Agarwal the other day, they were respectively in Pakistan and India visiting suppliers, and they said that typically these wholesalers can handle — take in, sort, mend, clean up and send out — up to 400,000 kilograms of clothing in a single day. That sounds chaotic, but that’s what makes Fleek so interesting: Go to the site and you’ll see extreme organization, where those hundreds of thousands of kilos can be bought by weight, or by brand, style, size, material and more.
As well as doing the hard work of bringing massive, physical businesses online for the first time, Fleek is also spinning up technology for those further along that journey.
Fintech plays a major role in this evolution, Al-Falih stressed.
"We are just getting started. I feel like there's so much more investment that needs to go into deepening our tech stack, to expanding our payment solutions, to expanding our data services, to deepening our partnerships with banks in the region and with the support and enablement of the central banks in the region as well," Al-Falih said. "If you look at the region's growth over the last three to five years, it's been phenomenal, but there is still so much more room for growth."
It already offers predictive analytics to customers to help them forecast different trends. (Surely this has to be programmed to just tell buyers to seek things popular 20 and 40 years previously.) You could imagine more AI tooling to help with quality control and to better safeguard against counterfeiting, something the two admit is a huge problem in the industry that they want to help stop.
Another area it will likely develop more functionality is in speeding up logistics around buying, shipping and receiving, especially around wholesalers who are being positively reviewed by buyers, said Agarwal.
Revenue from the fintech industry in the Middle East and North Africa amounted to $1.5 billion in 2022, and could grow to be between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion by 2025, according to a report by McKinsey & Company. Fintech revenues in the region are less than 1% of banking revenues, Al-Falih said citing the report, compared to 4 to 5% in more mature markets like the U.S. and U.K.
“We want to bring on more buyers, bring on more sellers, and build technology to continue empowering these entrepreneurs on both sides of the marketplace,” he said.
“Video calls have become a new normal meeting place for organizations, workplaces, and groups of friends all over the world. As communication norms change, Signal’s promise of a private place to communicate stays the same. To make Signal calling better overall, we’ve spent the last few months building some welcome improvements,” the company said in a blog post.
Signal is rolling out the feature on its iOS, Android, and desktop apps.
"We are almost an order of magnitude away from where we could be in terms of the fintech revenue and its participation to the economy," the Lean Technologies CEO said. "And that gives us the wind behind our sales and the motivation to keep building those tools and the picks and shovels, if you will, to enable those bold innovators to achieve their dreams."
Lean Technologies specializes in providing the financial infrastructure that allows secure data-sharing between bank accounts and applications. Regulated by Abu Dhabi Global Markets in the United Arab Emirates, Lean works to facilitate A2A (account-to-account) payments, meaning funds transferred directly between two bank accounts rather than via intermediaries like payment processors or credit card networks.
Coincidentally, one of the angels, Shachar, made his name with a cloud cost optimization tool called Spot, which he eventually sold to NetApp, before going on to found Upwind. It’s the opposite story with PointFive’s CEO and co-founder, Alon Arvatz, who previously founded a security startup, IntSights, which he sold to Rapid7 for $350 million before founding PointFive in cloud optimization. This is because in the cloud, security and cost control are really two sides of the same coin: both need the same data on usage across instances, apps and endpoints to operate. (Sidenote: that was also the impetus for founding PointFive. Arvatz said he realised with his previous startup that it was a challenge to sell cloud security to teams who were under pressure to explain why they needed quite so much of it, when they couldn’t show to finance where cloud spend was going in the first place.)
The company works with major local clients like Emirati state telecoms firm e& and ride-hailing super app company Careem, with over $2 billion in total processed volumes, according to its press release issued Sunday.
In Saudi Arabia, Lean's "launch of its data solutions under the Saudi Central Bank's regulatory sandbox has impacted clients across various industries, including insurance, lending, and marketplaces, verifying nearly 1 million bank accounts," the release said.
Arvatz said in an interview that Shachar has now become the go-to in Israel for any investor doing due diligence before backing a startup in the cloud cost space and that’s how he came to be an investor himself in this company. Shachar thought that “We are the next big thing in the space,” Arvatz claimed.
As for what that “next big thing” is, as Arvatz describes it, previous cloud cost optimizing solutions have been limited in their scope, focusing on one particular cloud platform (Spot for example helped provide visibility on AWS), looking at tracking basic usage on that platform across a wide array of apps and services.
As of September of this year, Saudi Arabia's fintech startups have raised over $1.84 billion in venture capital investments since 2018, according to Monsha'a, the kingdom's General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises. KPMG in September reported that in 2023 alone, Saudi fintechs attracted $791 million — a 231% leap from the previous year.
The number of active fintech startups in the country since the launch of its "Fintech Saudi" initiative in 2018 has reached 216 and they employ a more than 6,500 people, Monsha'a said. The Kingdom aims to establish 525 new companies in the fintech sector by 2030.
However, the reality of how organizations engage in cloud services is very different. Typically they have hybrid architectures in place, using multiple clouds, combined with warehousing solutions like Snowflake and more.
PointFive’s breakthrough, in Arvatz’s view, is the tech that can do that more comprehensively across more silos.
“We were able to build the technology to collect and ingest various data points from the cloud providers,” he said. “Plus we’re the only ones in the industry [that have] developed an agent-less Kubernetes solution. So today, within five minutes, we can give you all the data around your cloud infrastructure and everything you need to know about your Kubernetes clusters.”
The Vistiq's interior and exterior styling are in line with Cadillac's current and upcoming EVs, including the Lyriq and Escalade IQ. The interior features a long screen across the dashboard, while the exterior includes sleek vertical and horizontal front lights and an illuminated grille.
The vehicle has a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack and offers 615 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The Cadillac-estimated range of the vehicle fully charged is 300 miles.
Alongside this, he said, PointFive’s research team has developed AI algorithms to identify what the company describes as “Deep Waste”. This is cost-control equivalent (sort of) of deep learning.
“Traditionally, waste in cloud environments was unused resources,” he said. “You pay for certain resources, but you don’t use them, or use only half of them. When you have containerized environment, and a lot of managed services for storage, when networking is a huge cost and networking is very influenced by architecture, you have tons of waste that is very, very deep and hard to identify, and this is where you need very sophisticated algorithms to actually map them out and do this ongoing monitoring.” This may not be the case forever, but for today, PointFive is the only company out there that can map this, and mapping it is step one to remediating, which can include reallocating, but at the least tracking to know what to negotiate for and get in the future.
The Vistiq will be sold globally, including in the U.S. and Canada, with production starting in early 2025 at GM's Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee. At launch, the Vistiq will offer three trims: Luxury, Sport and Premium Luxury. A top-end "Platinum" trim will be offered starting in summer 2025.
This is particularly important in newer areas like AI, where there are genuine compute constraints and high costs as a result.
It’s very interesting to see Salesforce Ventures leading this round. The company is a leader in SaaS services and so to help upsell more customers to their products, having a solution to make those customers feel more empowered is definitely in their favour. But also, as Salesforce continues to add in more cloud apps for more use cases well beyond sales and marketing, you could imagine them becoming more interested in cloud management and security down the line, too.
“We are excited to support the acceleration of PointFive’s platform and look forward to seeing the value they bring to customers through multi cloud coverage,” said Nowi Kallen, Managing Director, Salesforce Ventures, in a statement.
“Customers have struggled with the data explosion, under-utilization and technical hurdles that come with scaling real-time data,” Orban said. “We now work with some of the largest companies in the world, as they are the most impacted by these challenges.”
Companies can monitor their data streams using Conduktor, or they can share them with third parties via Conduktor Share, which lets organizations serve specific streams externally for data licensing.
“[This technology] works beautifully in a lab. In the lab, everything is super stable. You can stabilize the temperature. You can stabilize the pressure when you push your arm against the sensor,” Kischkat said. “When you’re going out and taking this thing jogging, everything vibrates, everything moves around. You need a stable reference point for every measurement.”
To bolster its R&D, the company just raised €8.5 million ($9.05 million) in seed funding from Point72 Ventures (a firm founded by prominent hedge fund manager Steven Cohen) and Munich-based Vsquared Ventures.
The tool runs on a company’s infrastructure, and can enforce data masking and access controls to ensure that a company’s data handling practices align with regulations like GDPR.
This month, Conduktor closed a $30 million Series B funding round led by RTP Global, with participation from Ansa, M12 (Microsoft’s venture fund) and Accel.
The company expects this R&D process to take about two years, but given that even deep-pocketed Apple has been hacking away at its non-invasive glucose monitoring research for reportedly 12 years now, Quantune’s timeline may be ambitious.
Kischkat and Hahne told TechCrunch that the seed funding will also go towards hiring additional staff. The company was previously awarded €5 million ($5.3 million) in public grants awarded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Investment Bank of Berlin (IBB)
Conduktor has competition in the space (like Immerok), but the startup has grown at a rapid clip, tripling its annual recurring revenue in the past year. The startup counts DraftKings and Lufthansa as customers, and expects to double its 60-person team by 2026.
“As streaming is inevitable for digital innovation, the demand for an enterprise data management platform continues to rise,” Orban said, citing a Fortune Business Insights report that estimates the market for stream processing to grow to $185 billion by 2032.
Other startups trying to crack the code on needle-free blood sugar monitoring include Synex Medical, which in September raised $22 million, and HME Square, which uses photoacoustics, a technique that combines the principles of optics and acoustics to image biological tissues (such as blood).
In 2021, GraphWear raised a $20.5 million Series B for developing technology that can fit into a watch. The company hasn’t provided any public updates on its scientific progress since then.
The fresh cash, which brings the New York-based company’s total capital raised to $52 million, will be put toward general expansion and product development, Orban said.
In recent years, the FDA has approved several continuous glucose monitoring devices, including the FreeStyle Libre in 2017. While these devices offer significant benefits, they still require a small, needle-like sensor inserted under the skin to measure glucose levels.
Narrow focus — ‘huge’ market
Agicap’s relative success comes down to a narrow focus on treasury management software — it isn’t trying to do everything at once like most fintech startups.
It’s also a relatively untapped market as many companies still rely on Excel and file exports from bank accounts and ERP software. Evidence of this lies in a recent study Agicap did with 500 European CFOs of midmarket companies. When asked about the tool of choice to manage and forecast their cash positions, 80% of them answered Excel.
Even if the glasses do go ahead, it could take years to perfect. Amazon is currently struggling to make a battery for the wearable that can last a full eight-hour shift and is still light enough to wear all day without causing fatigue. The company also needs to gather data on each house, sidewalk, street, curb and driveway, which could take years, said people familiar with the project.
It’s also worth noting that Agicap’s main customers are CFOs and financial departments. And when teams in charge of money like a product they’re not going to unsubscribe anytime soon.
Agicap customers can sync data from their existing bank accounts, credit institutions and ERP solutions. It then acts as a central repository to view everything related to past and future cash flows. But Agicap isn’t just a visualization dashboard; users can initiate and schedule transfers directly from its interface, too.
The embedded screen in project Amelia might make its way to a future generation of Echo Frames that could release as soon as the second quarter of 2026. Sales of the consumer wearable have been disappointing, with fewer than 10,000 units of the current third generation being sold since their release late in 2023. Complaints include the lack of a charging case, less than stellar audio, and Alexa not being the best assistant while you're on the go.
“We think that we’ll be able to use cash management as the basis for what we call the CFO suite, and provide other tools to CFOs and treasurers,” Beyet said.
In that vein, more recently, the startup added accounts payable and accounts receivable. These features help you get paid faster as you can see pending invoices and nudge customers in case they’re late. Similarly, Agicap imports purchase orders so that you can pay suppliers on time and use that data for your upcoming budgets.
The material pulls this off by bridging the gap between the theoretical heat transfer limits of these materials and what's achieved in real products. Through mechanochemistry, the liquid metal and ceramic ingredients are mixed in an extremely controlled way, creating gradient interfaces that heat can flow across much more easily.
Beyond just being better at cooling, the researchers claim that the higher performance reduces the energy needed to run cooling pumps and fans by up to 65%. It also unlocks the ability to cram more heat-generating processors into the same space without overheating issues.
In addition to hiring new people to find new customers, Agicap plans to use the funding to launch new features around credit management and foreign exchange risk management.
What about offering credit products directly? “We don’t want to become a bank,” said Beyet. “In other words, we don’t want to take on the financial risk of lending money ourselves. We know how to make software, and that’s what we intend to focus on.”
It's an important breakthrough in a world where data centers burn through around 8 terawatt-hours per year just on cooling, which is about 40% of their total energy usage. The UT Austin researchers estimate that their new TIM could reduce cooling energy needs by 13% across the industry, cutting overall data center energy usage by at least 5%. That should translate to a gigantic reduction in operating costs and carbon emissions.
As for how you can get your hands on the material: it's yet to make it out of the labs. The UT team has so far only tested it successfully at small scales but is now working on producing larger batches to put through real-world trials with data center partners.
“After that, it’s unlimited, infinite, exponential growth possible,” Fleischer claimed. “Our idea is to operate the plants ourselves worldwide. We focus on Germany, on Europe, and then we go to North America. But after we reach that [FOAK] plant, we can expand Tozero on multiple dimensions around the world. So that’s going to be a key milestone for the next growth phase.”
The startup pointed to projections that global demand for lithium is expected to quadruple to 3.1 million metric tons by 2030, driven by rapid uptake of electric vehicles and growing need for large-scale renewable energy batteries. For context, lithium mining production yielded only 180,000 metric tons last year, so recycling will have a critical role to play in servicing that demand.
Of course, that means even if it lives up to the hype, you'll probably see this liquid metal thermal grease keeping huge server farms frosty before it ever hits the shelves for you to slather on your home PC's Intel or AMD processor.
"The power consumption of cooling infrastructure for energy-intensive data centers and other large electronic systems is skyrocketing," said 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."
The EU’s Battery Directive will also make it mandatory that at least 80% of lithium must be recovered from batteries by 2031.
“The technology works… So the core part of our technology is already nailed. Now we just have to industrialize it,” Fleischer said.
Smashing recycling bottlenecks
The startup is tackling bottlenecks in lithium battery recycling using a water-based carbonation recovery process that’s more environmentally friendly than conventional pyrometallurgy (smelting). Its method of reclaiming lithium also doesn’t entail the use of harsh acids, as can be the case with other battery recycling processes.
Valve says it has allocated stock of the white Steam Deck proportionally across each region. Once they're sold out, they're gone forever; Valve won't be making any more. The fact it's a limited edition means we can expect the new Steam Deck to be a prime target of scalpers – don't be surprised to see this one listed for a small fortune on eBay.
Tozero says its method also results in substantially lower emissions — 70% lower — than mining.
“The security of the raw material — it’s national security in a way,” Fleischer said. “There are so many underserved industries here in Europe that are starving for the material because Europe doesn’t produce lithium carbonate; we’re importing. If you look at [European Commission president] Ursula von der Leyen, she makes statements that we import over 97% of the lithium carbonate from China. So we’re highly dependent on the eastern front and mining industries.”
To try to stop scalpers, Valve is limited sales to one unit per account. Moreover, the accounts must have made a Steam purchase before November 2024 and be in good standing to be eligible to make a purchase.
Access to black mass, the byproduct of mechanical recycling of lithium batteries that Tozero processes, is not restricted across borders. And on the competition front, Fleischer describes this as a “completely blue ocean market,” with battery recycling efforts mostly focused elsewhere. The startup says it can use black mass from any type of lithium-ion batteries so the waste streams can be mixed.
“Lithium will be always inside [the batteries for recycling], but the other elements are changing — with innovations in battery manufacturing — so we don’t care if there is nickel, or if it’s a few percent less or more, for example, cobalt, but lithium is always there,” said Milicevic Neumann.
As for why Valve is releasing this variant, the company says that it released a smoky translucent limited edition Steam Deck OLED as an experiment last year to gauge if there was an interest in alternative colorways. As it proved popular, Valve is doing it again. So, while there may not be any more white Steam Decks made after this one, there could be other color options in the future.
Tozero also reclaims graphite from the black mass waste streams. The startup says its focus on these two critical raw materials is a “key differentiation” versus other battery recycling players.
The focus on lithium is also why the startup has customers beating a path to its door.
“Customers are just storming this place,” Fleischer said, couching market demand as “way too high” for many industrial use-cases in Europe. Tozero has lined up customers worth “over a billion of off-take that are keen to have our material,” she said.
As a reminder, the OLED Steam Deck's specs include a 1280 x 800 7.4-inch HDR OLED screen, 16GB of LPDDR5, and an AMD APU featuring a quad-core Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2-based GPU with 8 compute units.
Tozero delivered its first batch of recycled high-purity lithium to commercial customers this April, nine months after opening its pilot facility in Germany.
The need for speed
Tozero was only founded in 2022, so how has it achieved something larger players in the space evidently haven’t managed over the past couple of decades? The startup says it boils down to having a tight focus, being fast and thinking creatively.
“There is either an outage or network maintenance impacting your area. We don’t have full details just yet. Our apologies for any inconvenience this is causing,” Verizon responded to a user on X asking about the outages.
“We’re trying to get all the information from our network team so we can provide you all an update.”
An X user in Maryland posted an update from Verizon stating that repairs had begun at 10:50 p.m. ET Monday and that service was expected to be restored by 10:58 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Being fast requires being creative when you’re building hardware, Fleischer argued, explaining that the biggest challenge for hardware startups is the issue of delivery times for getting the equipment needed to scale.
“We break things fast, learn, iterate and improve at a very fast pace — probably like Elon Musk’s SpaceX kind of principle — just get stuff building and see [what happens] until things break, learn from it, and iterate and improve in very fast sprints, which is very unfamiliar for hardware companies,” said Fleischer.
Either way, Bukele said that the nation wouldn’t sell in February when he claimed to be at 40% profit.
El Salvador first started purchasing Bitcoin in September 2021, when the price was approximately $51,000, according to the Nayib Bukele portfolio tracker. The nation then purchased the leading cryptocurrency ten times over the coming year before it committed to purchasing one BTC every day, following the collapse of FTX.
“I would say we protect ourselves with speed,” she added, confirming that Tozero’s approach is based on a “process innovation” that’s protected as a trade secret, though it’s not patented. “The entire process, steps or parameters, the order, how we do specific things, that is completely our ‘Coca Cola’ [trade secret] recipe,” she added.
Tozero believes it can expand its approach to reclaim other raw materials that could be used as “energy sources,” though it wouldn’t specify which materials it may add later.
When this pledge started, Bitcoin was worth approximately $16,600. It has since climbed to a new all-time high of $89,000—that’s a 436% increase.
According to SpotOnChain, El Salvador’s stockpiled Bitcoin was actually in a loss of $14 million just over a week ago, November 4. But as Bitcoin’s price skyrocketed following Donald Trump’s reelection as U.S. President, so did El Salvador’s fortunes.
The overarching mission is to get to zero waste of critical raw materials. “We’re quite aware of [the broader challenges entailed in decarbonizing in a sustainable way],” Milicevic Neumann told TechCrunch. “So we want also to focus on recycling of some other materials in the future as well.”
But if it wants to achieve real impact, wouldn’t Tozero have to license its trade secrets to others? The pair say they haven’t fully decided their approach, but prefer to retain control over the process as they scale — though they are open to partnerships.
Trump was seen as the pro-crypto candidate, when compared to a more crypto-cautious Democrat Kamala Harris. This is why Bitcoin has seen significant gains since the Republican was reelected—speculators are hopeful for a brighter future for crypto in the U.S.
One example of this is the potential strategic Bitcoin reserve that Trump’s administration could help build. Similar to El Salvador’s Bitcoin stockpile, the current plan outlined by Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming, would see the U.S. purchase 5% of the supply over a five year period and hold it in reserve for 20 years.
“On the operational side, we believe we can only really deliver the highest quality if we operate the plants ourselves,” said Fleischer. “This can be also with partners. I mean, we’re open for that. So I don’t want to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to licensing. Partnerships are great to scale, if helpful, but we’re going to operate our plants ourselves.”
Tozero’s seed round was led by NordicNinja, with participation from new investors In-Q-Tel (the U.S. strategic public-private fund), Honda, and global infrastructure engineering giant JGC Group. The startup’s €3.5 million pre-seed round, closed around two years ago, was led by Berlin-based Atlantic Labs. To date, Tozero has raised €17 million, which includes a €2.5 million grant from the EU’s R&D support arm, the European Innovation Council.
While the U.S. may be turning a corner with crypto, El Salvador has been deeply experimenting with it for years. Aside from making Bitcoin legal tender and buying $500 million worth of it, the nation has also started up a Bitcoin mining operation that uses energy from volcanoes, offering Bitcoin “volcano bonds.”
It appears the people of El Salvador have enjoyed the Bitcoin experiment so far as Bukele secured re-election in February this year. Nine months later, the country is richer to the tune of $100 million.
“Tozero’s innovative approach to battery recycling is exactly what Europe needs to secure key supplies in the global electrification race and Japan would love to collaborate,” said Shin Nikkuni, co-founder and managing partner at NordicNinja, in a statement. “Sarah and Ksenija, two exceptional founders, have the expertise and drive to transform the landscape for sustainable battery solutions. We’re excited to support the tozero team in scaling its technology and commercial operation and contributing to a more sustainable and independent energy future for all.”
The firm released its SmolLM language model earlier this year. "We are not the only one," said Wolf, adding that, "Almost every open source company has been releasing smaller and smaller models this year."
He explained that, "For a lot of very interesting tasks that we need that we could automate with AI, we don't need to have a model that can solve the Riemann conjecture or general relativity." Instead, simple tasks such as data wrangling, image processing and speech can be performed using small language models, with corresponding benefits in speed.
Amazon has just re-launched its best deal on the Amazon Music Unlimited streaming service. For a limited time only you'll be able to get an extended three month trial - a deal that basically triples the usual introductory period.
Music Unlimited usually costs at least $10 a month so you're getting a pretty decent saving here on one of the better streaming services available currently. With Music Unlimited, you get access to over 10 million songs - 2 million of which are ad-free - as well as support for high-quality lossless audio and offline downloads.
The performance of Hugging Face's LLaMA 1b model to 1 billion parameters this year is "equivalent, if not better than, the performance of a 10 billion parameters model of last year," he said. "So you have a 10 times smaller model that can reach roughly similar performance."
Selling quickly! Folks, I usually don't like to rush our readers but this is a PSA. The 256GB Google Pixel 9 deal here is selling out extremely quickly. Two colors have already gone so this could be your last chance to score one of the better cell phone deals from the retailer in recent weeks.
For the record, the 256GB Google Pixel 9 is selling for only $50 more than the record-low price for the entry-level 128GB model. That's twice the storage for a very, very small upcharge. Recommended!
"A lot of the knowledge we discovered for our large language model can actually be translated to smaller models," Wolf said. He explained that the firm trains them on "very specific data sets" that are "slightly simpler, with some form of adaptation that's tailored for this model."
Those adaptations include "very tiny, tiny neural nets that you put inside the small model," he said. "And you have an even smaller model that you add into it and that specializes," a process he likened to "putting a hat for a specific task that you're gonna do. I put my cooking hat on, and I'm a cook."
Another record low price on one of our favorite products! Right now Amazon is selling the excellent Sony Alpha 7 IV mirrorless camera for an eye-wateringly low price of just $1,849 for the body only. By my estimation, that's a price that beats the previous record-low by a whopping $200!
While discounts on Sony cameras aren't super rare in themselves, it is pretty rare to see a price cut this deep on a model that's this popular. For the record, we rank the A7 IV as one of the best options for those looking for a camera that's just as capable with stills and video.
In the future, Wolf said, the AI space will split across two main trends.
"On the one hand, we'll have this huge frontier model that will keep getting bigger, because the ultimate goal is to do things that human cannot do, like new scientific discoveries," using LLMs, he said. The long tail of AI applications will see the technology "embedded a bit everywhere, like we have today with the internet."
My first spotlight recommendation - and it's a good one, folks. It's the incredible LG C4 OLED TV on sale for a record-low price at the retailer. There's not much I can say about this deal apart from that it's pretty bonkers to see a price cut this good on such a popular model this far ahead of Black Friday.
So, as an overview, the C4 OLED is one of our favorite TVs here at TechRadar. Not only does it have a superb OLED display with the brilliant contrast and colors that these sets are known for, but support for 144Hz refresh rate also makes it a superb TV for next-gen gaming. It's pricey, yes, but worth every penny in our books!
The limitations emerge at a critical juncture for OpenAI following its recent $6.6 billion funding round.
The company now faces heightened expectations from investors while grappling with technical constraints that challenge traditional scaling approaches in AI development. If these early versions don't meet expectations, the company’s upcoming fundraising efforts may not be met with the same hype as before—and that could be a problem for a potentially for-profit company, which is what Sam Altman seems to want for OpenAI.
It should come as no surprise that the best Disney Plus movies include huge franchises, much-loved animations, and iconic classics. It is the home of Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm after all. Not forgetting the cornucopia of Disney movies spanning decades and decades of family-friendly titles and nostalgia. It's one of the best streaming services for good reason.
With over 500 films and more than 80 Disney Originals on the platform, we know the choice can feel a little overwhelming, especially when there are new Disney Plus movies being added every month to the service. Our team of experts keep up to date with all of the latest movies on the popular streaming service, so we know what's worth watching and what's not. That's why we've created this guide to help you find the perfect movie to watch. From Marvel Phase 5 and Marvel Phase 6 movies and shows to new Star Wars movies and Disney Plus shows, we've got you covered.
Underwhelming results point to a fundamental challenge facing the entire AI industry: the diminishing supply of high-quality training data and the need to remain relevant in a field as competitive as generative AI.
However, if nothing takes your fancy here, you can check out our list of best Netflix movies, best Prime Video movies, best Paramount Plus movies or best Apple TV Plus movies, as you're bound to find something to watch in there. But without further ado, here are 38 of the best Disney Plus movies to stream.
Research published in June predicted that AI companies will exhaust available public human-generated text data between 2026 and 2032, marking a critical inflection point for traditional development approaches.
"Our findings indicate that current LLM development trends cannot be sustained through conventional data scaling alone," the research paper states, highlighting the need for alternative approaches to model improvement, including synthetic data generation, transfer learning from data-rich domains, and the use of non-public data.
Research published in June predicted that AI companies will exhaust available public human-generated text data between 2026 and 2032, marking a critical inflection point for traditional development approaches.
"Our findings indicate that current LLM development trends cannot be sustained through conventional data scaling alone," the research paper states, highlighting the need for alternative approaches to model improvement, including synthetic data generation, transfer learning from data-rich domains, and the use of non-public data.
The historical strategy of training language models on publicly available text from websites, books, and other sources has reached a point of diminishing returns, with developers having "largely squeezed as much out of that type of data as they can," according to The Information.
While Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants meant the X-Men franchise mostly lost its way after 2014’s Days of Future Past, 2017's Logan is arguably the best X-movie of them all. Designed as Hugh Jackman’s swansong as Wolverine (at least, it was until he signed up for the aforementioned Deadpool and Wolverine), it’s a bleak, but perfectly crafted study of a hero whose best days are behind him. Reunited with Patrick Stewart’s Professor Xavier (now struggling to control his psychic gifts), Logan finds new purpose protecting young mutant, Laura (His Dark Materials’ Dafne Keen), in a movie that pushes the boundaries of superhero stories on screen.
How OpenAI is Tackling This Issue: Reasoning vs. Language Models
To tackle these challenges, OpenAI is fundamentally restructuring its approach to AI development.
“In response to the recent challenge to training-based scaling laws posed by slowing GPT improvements, the industry appears to be shifting its effort to improving models after their initial training, potentially yielding a different type of scaling law,” The Information reports.
The Ghostbusters said you should never cross the streams, but Disney had massive success when its animation division adapted a little-known Marvel comic. As in many classic Disney animations, the plot is driven by the tragic death of a parent, but what Bambi and The Lion King lacked in robots and sci-fi action, Big Hero 6 delivers in spades. The San Fransokyo setting is a wonderfully inventive fusion of East and West, while inflatable robot Baymax instantly earned himself a place alongside R2-D2 and WALL-E in the pantheon of all-time great droids. And yes, even though you have to keep your eyes peeled to spot it, the regulation Stan Lee cameo is all present and correct.
To achieve this state of continuous improvement, OpenAI is separating model development into two distinct tracks:
The O-Series (which seems to be codename Strawberry), focused on reasoning capabilities, represents a new direction in model architecture. These models operate with significantly higher computational intensity and are explicitly designed for complex problem-solving tasks.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is acclaimed director Wes Anderson's adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic story. It follows Mr. Fox who is living a lovely life in the countryside with his family. But, he raids the farms of the local human neighbors, which results in the animal community being hunted down by three farmers; Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. It's a delightful movie that should appeal to the whole family. Kids will love the story, the creatures, and the silliness. Adults will love the humor, Wes Anderson's fresh take on a much-loved story, and appreciating the talent of the voice actors, including George Clooney as Mr. Fox, Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox, Bill Murray as Badger and Willem Dafoe as Rat.
The computational demands are substantial, with early estimates suggesting operational costs at six times that of current models. However, the enhanced reasoning capabilities could justify the increased expense for specific applications requiring advanced analytical processing.
As the first ever entirely computer-generated movie, Toy Story was always going to grab headlines. The fact we’re still talking about it more than 25 years later, however, shows that Pixar struck storytelling gold when it united an insecure cowboy with an action figure who believes he’s a real-life space ranger. In a movie where the dialogue sizzles, every single toy in Andy’s playroom could be worthy of a spin-off – indeed, Buzz Lightyear got one in the form of Lightyear – while the gags and surprisingly complex themes ensured grown-ups were just as captivated as their kids. The three sequels are similarly brilliant, which is a truly incredible accomplishment, possibly unparalleled in recent Hollywood history.
The massive success of Encanto hit ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ has got everyone talking about Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda again, but his first Disney collaboration is the better movie. Assisted by Miranda’s ear for a hit tune, the eponymous Moana is undoubtedly one of the studio’s great characters, the daughter of a Polynesian island chief who learns a lot of life lessons when she takes to the high seas to save her community. The movie also earns extra credit for showing that, among all his other skills, Dwayne Johnson can hold a tune.
This model, if it’s the same as Strawberry, is also tasked to generate enough synthetic data to increase the quality of OpenAI's LLMs constantly.
In parallel, the Orion Models or the GPT Series (considering OpenAI trademarked the name GPT-5) continue to evolve, focusing on general language processing and communication tasks. These models maintain more efficient computational requirements while leveraging their broader knowledge base for writing and argumentation tasks.
In the first decade of the 21st century, Pixar was on the sort of golden run most studios – live-action or animated – could only dream of. Having tackled insects (A Bug’s Life), fish (Finding Nemo) and superheroes (The Incredibles), the CG pioneers turned their attentions to space, and the results were truly out of this world. It’s difficult to pinpoint what’s boldest about this futuristic tale: is it the bleakness of a future Earth that’s become so polluted that the human race has left for the stars? Or is it that the first act is largely wordless, as the eponymous robot trundles along, carrying out his never-ending clean-up operation? Either way, WALL-E is undoubtedly one of the best Disney Plus movies, a bona fide classic from a studio that specializes in classics.
OpenAI’s CPO Kevin Weil also confirmed this during an AMA and said he expects to converge both developments at some point in the future.
“It's not either or, it's both,” he replied when asked whether OpenAI would focus on scaling LLMs with more data or using a different approach, focusing on smaller but faster models, “better base models plus more strawberry scaling/inference time compute.”
If you have kids of a certain age, the thought of ice princesses, talking snowmen and letting it go may be enough to bring you out in very cold sweats. But if you look past the relentless, heavily merchandised juggernaut surrounding the original Frozen, it’s actually one of Disney’s best fairytale retellings (it's based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen), with a pair of inspiring female leads, spectacular animation and, yes, some killer songs.
A workaround or the ultimate solution?
OpenAI's approach to addressing data scarcity through synthetic data generation presents complex challenges for the industry. The company's researchers are developing sophisticated models designed to generate training data, yet this solution introduces new complications in maintaining model quality and reliability.
As previously reported by Decrypt, researchers have found that model training on synthetic data represents a double-edged sword. While it offers a potential solution to data scarcity, it introduces new risks of model degradation and reliability concerns with proven degradation after several training iterations.
By the time The Incredibles arrived in 2004, Pixar had seemingly stumbled on a formula, in which two chalk-and-cheese characters would be thrown together on some kind of quest – see Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo. When The Iron Giant and The Simpsons director Brad Bird entered the fold, however, he shook things up with a hilarious, action-packed story about an (otherwise) ordinary family with superpowers. Thanks to Marvel, there’s no shortage of superhero movies on Disney Plus, but few are as smart, funny and inventive as The Incredibles. Set in a timeless alternative USA, the movie’s visuals are stylish and beautiful to look at, while the fact that the movie is more interested in the Parr family than their superhero alter-egos sets it apart from the herd. How does The Incredibles compare with the animation studio's best? Check out our guide on the best Pixar movies ranked.
In other words, as models train on AI-generated content, they may begin to amplify subtle imperfections in their outputs. These feedback loops can perpetuate and magnify existing biases, creating a compounding effect that becomes increasingly difficult to detect and correct.
OpenAI's Foundations team is developing new filtering mechanisms to maintain data quality, implementing different validation techniques to distinguish between high-quality and potentially problematic synthetic content. The team is also exploring hybrid training approaches that strategically combine human and AI-generated content to maximize the benefits of both sources while minimizing their respective drawbacks.
Pete Docter is now the chief creative officer of Pixar and his qualifications for the job have long been clear – as director he’s been responsible for some of the biggest, boldest storytelling ideas in the studio’s glorious history. Despite Up’s powerful opening and Soul’s intelligent examination of the afterlife, however, Inside Out is his true masterpiece, a trip inside a girl’s mind that turns her emotions into fully rounded characters. This being Pixar – a studio so successful it could easily fill a lot more slots on this list of the best Disney Plus movies – the characterization and storytelling are second-to-none. But even more impressive is the way the film translates a kid’s subconscious into a fully functioning society. Movies – animated or otherwise – don’t get much smarter than this.
Post-training optimization has also gained relevance. Researchers are developing new methods to enhance model performance after the initial training phase, potentially offering a way to improve capabilities without relying solely on expanding the training dataset.
That said, GPT-5 is still an embryo of a complete model with significant development work ahead. Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, has indicated that it won't be ready for deployment this year or next. This extended timeline could prove advantageous, allowing researchers to address current limitations and potentially discover new methods for model enhancement, considerably improving GPT-5 before its eventual release.
The 1980s were a dark time for Disney’s animation division, but the studio rediscovered its mojo with the triple whammy of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin during the decade that followed. The highlight of the renaissance shifted away from Disney’s traditional fairytales to tell the Hamlet-inspired story of an exiled lion cub returning to reclaim his throne. Packed with memorable songs, built around some stunning set-pieces, and impeccable cast – who’d have thought of casting James Earl Jones as an absent father? – it stands up as one of 2D animation’s finest hours. The photo-real ‘live-action’ remake is also available on Disney Plus.
Leandro Garcia, Visa’s Executive Director of Solutions for Digital Payments, explains how Visa tokens facilitate the secure and reliable management of substantial payment flows for issuers and merchants. He emphasizes that the increasing adoption of this technology not only enhances consumer experience but also significantly boosts security for online purchases.
As we already mentioned in CNF, tokenization technology, which replaces the 16-digit number of a credit or debit card with a unique and secure “token,” represents innovation for Visa. Each token is unique to each device, website, or application and is stored in a secure environment. Retailers can access the token solely for payment purposes, and storage is allowed only with the consumer’s consent.
Pete Doctor is behind the stories of so many masterpiece animations from Disney and Pixar. From Monsters Inc and Up to Inside Out, each of these movies are known for offering big life lessons using digestible metaphors wrapped in whimsical fantasy but it's his work alongside Mike Jones (The Incredibles) and Kemp Powers (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) on the 2020 adventure family film Soul that strikes a chord with me the most. It tackles the existential question: what does it mean to have a soul? And going by its wins at the 93rd Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score, you can probably tell that its philosophical answer is a knockout with audiences. It's fun for the whole family.
“Tokenization is increasingly being used to enhance security, optimize sales conversions and improve the online shopping experience. We see great potential for its growth, both in Brazil and globally, as more issuers, retailers and consumers realize the benefits of technology for their businesses and data protection,” concludes Garcia.
A black-and-white Judy Garland walking into Technicolor in the original Wizard of Oz is rightly hailed as one of the greatest moments in cinema but, for a younger generation, Baby Herman storming out of a cartoon onto an actual movie set had the same effect. The way Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis brought animated characters into a live-action world is an incredible technical achievement, but even beyond the ‘how did they do that?’ magic, it’s a hell of a movie. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a family-friendly take on classic film noir, with a stuff-of-nightmares villain and – in Londoner Bob Hoskins – one of cinema’s great hard-boiled PIs.
Garcia highlights the growing use of tokenization to improve security, optimize sales conversions, and enhance the online shopping experience. He sees substantial potential for its growth, both in Brazil and globally, as more issuers, retailers, and consumers recognize the benefits of the technology for their businesses and data protection.
Currently, 29% of Visa’s global transactions are tokenized, a technology that prevented $650 million in fraud losses in 2023 alone. This underscores the increasing reliance on and the effectiveness of tokenization in safeguarding digital financial transactions worldwide.
Inside Out 2 is not only one of 2024's biggest new movies but also the highest-grossing animated film of all-time after earning more than $1.6 billion worldwide. The animated sequel arrived nearly a decade after the first and it was well worth the wait. Much like the main character Riley, I was laughing, crying, and experiencing every emotion in between with this installment that's just as heartwarming as the original. Inside Out 2 follows teen Riley a year later as she enters a new stage in her life and faces fresh emotional challenges which opens the door to some new arrivals that Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust all feel unsure about. Whether you're a child or adult, this emotions-led hit really tugs at the heartstrings (I mean, we did rank that Big Bong scene in our top 10 most heartbreaking Pixar moments). There's even more good news for as there's an Inside Out 2 spin-off show called Win or Lose coming on December 11 and I already can't contain my emotions.
Trump had previously voiced his dissatisfaction with the Fed during his first term, and in his recent campaign, he expressed interest in having more control over monetary policy.
Musk supported this position, suggesting that unelected bureaucracies like the Fed hold excessive power compared to elected officials, sparking significant discussion on the Fed’s role in economic governance.
My palms get sweaty just thinking about this documentary. It's one thing to climb up the El Capitan mountain summit in Yosemite National Park with ropes and safety equipment, but to do it without any gear at all is a whole other feat. In Free Solo, we meet Alex Honnold as he plans to achieve his lifetime dream of climbing up the face of the world's most famous rock – that sentence could have easily ended there and still be impressive but this is the legendary rock climber Honnold after all – without a rope. Honnold's jaw-dropping ascent up the vertical rock face is a tense watch (even from my living room's low to the ground couch), but the documentary also offers some respite from the sporting action by breaking up the narrative with scenes of the daredevil's home life with his friends and girlfriend. It's an extraordinary, nerve-racking watch that left me in awe.
However, the debate intensified after Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated he would not resign even if asked by President Trump, a stance that Lee and Musk criticized as overstepping constitutional authority.
Legendary musician John Williams has composed unforgettable soundtracks for beloved franchises and movies I've seen over the years like Jaws, E.T, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and many more. Even if you haven't seen the films, the iconic tunes are instantly recognizable and have become the greatest soundtracks in cinematic history. This heartwarming documentary celebrates the maestro's life and career that spans decades, with interviews from filmmakers, musicians and other famous faces who have been inspired by his work. TechRadar's Tom Power wrote that: "I implore any film buff, regardless of whether they enjoy Williams' scores or not, to check it out, because it's full of unheard stories and anecdotal information about the famous US musician that'll endear him further to, well, anyone." Music by John Williams is a laudable documentary that perfectly praises one of the best musicians there will ever be.
Bitcoin as a Potential Economic Solution
Amid calls for Fed reform, attention is growing on Bitcoin as an inflation hedge, especially with the U.S. national debt now surpassing $35 trillion. Influential voices, including Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis and Senator Cynthia Lummis, are advocating for BTC investments to preserve purchasing power.
Trump has even suggested that Bitcoin could play a role in managing the debt, positioning it as a critical tool in potential U.S. economic strategy. As discussions on the Fed’s influence evolve, Bitcoin’s role as a hedge against inflation garners increasing interest.
In Young Woman and the Sea, Daisy Ridley plays Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Through the unrelenting support of her older sister and trainers, she overcomes hardships and hostility of a patriarchal society to progress through the Olympic swimming team and complete the 21-mile trip from France to England. Ridley shines as Ederle in this inspiring true story that also features a star-studded cast of Stephen Graham and Christopher Eccleston, which makes it a winning movie in my eyes.
“Why would you go out and shoot an establishing shot of a house in a television show when you could just create the establishing shot for $100? To go out and shoot it would cost you thousands of dollars,” Kutcher said, according to Variety. “Action scenes of me jumping off of this building, you don’t have to have a stunt person go do it, you could just go do it.”
Kutcher’s arguments for AI’s cost-saving potential in production were controversial, to say the least, leading to the actor to walk back his comments on social media.
Rise is based on the true story of the Antetokounmpo family, in particular three Greek-Nigerian brothers: Giannis (Uche Agada), Thanasis (Ral Agada), and Kostas (Jaden Osimuwa), who were the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league. I'm not a basketball fan, and you don't have to be to watch this uplifting sports biopic that shines a light on a truly remarkable family who launched the careers of three NBA champions despite adversity. To top it off, the three lead actors are phenomenal in their first movie roles.
Despite the potential threat of AI to impact jobs, for filmmakers like Scott Mann, the technology offers the ability to be more flexible—and believes it's something the entertainment industry should join Scott in embracing.
"AI-powered tools offer filmmakers greater freedom and flexibility, reducing shoot time and costs while still allowing them to perfect scenes in post-production,” Mann told Decrypt. “This shift enables a more agile, less linear approach to filmmaking, enhancing creativity without compromising the artistic vision. However, it’s crucial that AI is used ethically and responsibly.”
With AI being one of the major factors in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA, WGA strikes, and the ongoing video game actors strike, Mann—who directed Robert De Niro in the 2015 crime caper "Heist"—emphasized the need for studios not to replace creators with AI.
“Human creatives must remain at the forefront, ensuring AI enriches both the audience and artists’ experiences,” Mann said. “AI should be a tool to enhance human creativity, not replace it."
Tom Hanks won successive Oscars in the ’90s for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, but it was the 1988 comedy-drama Big that bagged him his first nomination. Indeed, the star has arguably never been better than he is here, playing a 12-year-old boy whose wish to be “big” comes true. Of course, the kid soon discovers that being a grown-up isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – despite his remarkable success at a major toy company – but Hanks kept me rooting for Josh with a performance of believable naivety.
At the time, Bitcoin was worth a comparatively paltry $27,000. Fast forward four years and the cryptocurrency is trading at $87,803 late Monday, an increase of more than 220%, placing Okung's Bitcoin bet at $21 million.
In 2021, the Bitcoin aficionado defended the crypto when Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced his company would no longer accept Bitcoin payments, citing environmental concerns over its energy consumption.
Disney loves the premise of this body-swap comedy so much it’s made three versions of Freaky Friday – and they're all available on Disney Plus. It’s the 2003 version that’s the standout, however, as Jamie-Lee Curtis’s uptight mom and Lindsay Lohan’s rebellious teen swap places thanks to magical fortune cookies. The secret of the movie’s success is the casting, with both leads displaying an uncanny talent for role-reversal comedy, playing their opposite number with all the relish of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage in Face/Off. Made a year before Mean Girls, this is the movie that marked out Lohan as one of the most talented actors of her generation. To top it off, the comedy is getting a sequel with Freakier Friday and best believe I'll be tuning in to watch.
In response to Musk’s proclamation, Okung launched the “Stick to Space, Elon” campaign.
“Bitcoin is humanity’s best shot at freedom," Okung told Decrypt at the time. "The public narrative needed correction as Elon apparently misunderstands its true benefit to our species.”
He continued: “No individual is a threat to Bitcoin in the grand scheme of things. In Elon’s words, it is inevitable. His impact on Bitcoin is temporary.”
Disney has its cake and eats it with a post-modern movie that pokes fun at the clichés of its animated classics, while also being a magical fairytale in its own right. Amy Adams is typically brilliant as Giselle, a traditional cartoon Disney Princess who finds herself transported to a place way scarier than any magical kingdom – the real world. Both the animated and live-action segments are flawlessly executed, as the self-aware script seamlessly blends comedy, an evil queen (played by Susan Sarandon), and a romance with a down-on-his-luck lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) who doesn’t necessarily believe in happily ever afters. Long awaited sequel Disenchanted was released on Disney Plus in 2022.
Okung retired from football in June 2023. If he’s still holding bitcoin, he could go down in history as the GOAT—among all ex-athlete investors.
Neither movies about pirates nor movies based on theme park attractions were considered a recipe for success back in 2003. Nonetheless, the original Pirates of the Caribbean managed to surprise everyone by becoming one of the standout blockbusters of the era. The film’s crowd-pleasing mix of romance, ghosts and swashbuckling action on the high seas proved infectious, but it was the wonderfully eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp based his performance on Rolling Stone Keith Richards) that lifted The Curse of the Black Pearl to the next level. Just pretend the four disappointing sequels – also available on Disney Plus – didn’t happen. Now I just have one question: why is the rum gone?
There are countless beverage brands out there, but Rekt Drinks was able to leverage the existing Web3 community to move initial product and build some buzz around the launch.
“Traditional startups may have a great product, but they often struggle to get off the ground as they have a lack of community or existing customer base,” Faruq told Decrypt. “Conversely, Web3 excels at fostering die-hard communities.”
Taking hide and seek to a whole new level, Ready or Not shouldn't be missed whether it's the Halloween season or beyond. Here, Samara Weaving shines as a new bride who meets her husband's family and ends up being hunted by them as part of a strange tradition. It's shocking, it's hilarious, it's unlike anything you've seen before. I got the chance to see this with a crowd, but it's equally as satisfying in the comfort of your own home. Are you ready (or not)?
One of the most successful drink launches in recent years is Prime, led by YouTubers-turned-boxers KSI and Logan Paul. While not Web3-native, the drinks sold out upon launch and were in demand thanks to the two influencers' cultlike followings, with fans queued at shops to get their hands on the drinks.
While Rekt believes it has a strong community, it’s not nearly as large as the 40 million subscribers that KSI and Logan Paul collectively command.
No One Will Save You is another unique horror offering I highly recommend. Something I found very intriguing was the fact there are only five lines of dialogue spoken throughout the entire movie, but don't let it put you off. It more than holds your attention by showing, not telling, and it's a clever tactic. Here, Kaitlyn Dever is a woman who lives alone and has been shunned by the local community, who finds herself fighting for her life against mysterious aliens. Perfect for both sci-fi and horror lovers, it's the kind of story that will make you think.
In this absence, Rekt engaged its community using a rewards system that feels native to Web3 audiences. By completing social tasks (such as liking a tweet or following an account), purchasing Rekt Drinks, or owning particular NFT collections, users earned DRANK points.
For now, what these points will add up to is unclear. Faruq would not comment specifically on the topic, citing legal reasons.
You generally have to wait more than a decade for a new James Cameron movie to come along, but luckily everything that the director makes is worth talking about. So, while the plot of his 2009 record-breaker is a tad forgettable – a human soldier falls in love with a giant blue alien on the distant moon of Pandora – it remains a thoroughly entertaining technical marvel. Fifteen years later, no film has surpassed its incredibly detailed 3D visuals, and even without the third dimension, watching on the best 4K TV you can find makes you feel as if you've been transported to another world. Long-awaited sequel The Way of Water is similarly spectacular and also available on Disney Plus. In the mood for more from the most successful director in history? Check out our guide on the best James Cameron movies.
However, this is a similar viral mechanic that helped push the success of the tap-to-earn genre, as Telegram games encourage users to share projects socially in exchange for points. What these points will add up to is often unknown early on, but eventually the points typically determine how many tokens players will receive in an airdrop.
Regardless of whether Rekt will have a future airdrop or not, the launch of its drink is being billed as a success, with 222,000 cans of Liquidated Lime sold across 32 countries in less than two days.
The two-part culmination of the Marvel’s original 23-movie odyssey was more than worth the wait, as Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and various superpowered hangers-on joined forces to thwart Thanos’s quest to obtain all six Infinity Stones. With Infinity War delivering one of cinema’s greatest cliffhangers, and Endgame going to some surprisingly dark places, the two films feature many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s boldest and most epic moments – not to mention some of the most unashamedly triumphant.
“I genuinely believe we have something really special with Rekt,” Faruq told Decrypt, “and the fact that we've been able to achieve what we have from a free mint at the beginning of a two-year bear market is a testament to how loyal and die-hard our community is.”
The Force Awakens proved Disney knew how to make a Star Wars film, albeit one that closely followed the beats of George Lucas's original movie. This brilliant standalone pips it to a place on our list of the best Disney Plus movies by showing that unfamiliar characters, a war-movie vibe, and a mission whose success was never in doubt are no barrier to success. Based on a couple of lines from A New Hope’s opening crawl, it sees a brave group of Rebels going behind enemy lines to recover plans to the first dreaded Death Star. The final act is surprisingly bleak, but it’s also one of the most accomplished in the entire franchise. There’s also something rather wonderful about seeing original trilogy X-wings back in action, powered by 21st century CG magic. It's also been confirmed that Andor season 2 – one of the most best new Star Wars TV shows – will lead directly into the events of Rogue One.
Bitcoin's rally reflects a broader shift in investor sentiment following recent political developments in the U.S. elections, which saw Donald Trump claiming victory.
Those shifts have signaled both opportunity and optimism in the markets, with potential regulatory support expected as pro-crypto lawmakers take power.
A rising tide
While there haven’t been quite as many live-action Spider-Men as there have Batmen or James Bonds, Marvel’s iconic webslinger has been through plenty of screen incarnations since the turn of the century. Tom Holland’s Marvel Cinematic Universe version is arguably the best, simultaneously a convincing update of the geeky teen superhero of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s original comics, and a character capable of going toe-to-toe with Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and the rest of the Avengers. Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fun coming-of-age adventure that takes the MCU back to high school. Former screen Batman Michael Keaton gives good villain as Adrian 'The Vulture' Toomes, while the decision to stage most of the superheroics outside Spider-Man’s traditional Manhattan skyscraper stomping ground keeps things fresh.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is available to watch on Netflix in the UK.
A rising tide
Bitcoin’s performance for the week has also helped bolster adjacent indices as investors look to alternative investment vehicles for high-risk beta plays compared to traditional assets.
The broader "Bitcoin Industrial Complex" index, which includes U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs, MicroStrategy, and Coinbase, achieved a record $38 billion in trading volume, according to a post on X from Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.
What’s left to say about three movies that changed cinema forever, and spawned a franchise that’s still the size of a Death Star 47 years later? George Lucas discovered some strange but potent alchemy when he mixed together Samurai-inspired warriors, old Westerns and mystical mumbo-jumbo – and then set the concoction in a galaxy far, far away. If you pressed us, we’d say The Empire Strikes Back is the best of the trilogy – it’s more sophisticated, it's home to cinema’s most celebrated big reveal, and boasts AT-ATs and asteroids in its first act – but the Force is still strong with all three of these timeless classics.
Coinbase stock closed at $334.24 for Monday's trading session, marking a 3-year high. MicroStrategy's stock also broke another all-time high above $351, its first in almost 25 years.
Bitcoin now trails only seven global assets: gold, with its $14.7 trillion market cap, followed by tech giants NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet, and Amazon. Saudi Aramco, the national petroleum and natural gas company, retains its spot as the seventh-largest at $1.8 trillion in size.
If Thor had hung up his hammer for good after the plodding Thor: The Dark World, few tears would have been shed. Then Taika Waititi – at the time best known for the brilliant Hunt for the Wilderpeople – came along and reinvented Odin’s firstborn as a comedy god. Not only does Chris Hemsworth’s Asgardian deity finally get to step out of the shadow of little brother Loki (a typically watchable Tom Hiddleston), every supporting player is given a scene-stealing moment, whether it’s Cate Blanchett’s wonderfully arch villain, Hela, Mark Ruffalo’s newly sensitive Hulk or Jeff Goldblum’s sublimely kooky despot the Grandmaster. Waititi saved the best role for himself, however, as Korg, a soft-spoken revolutionary quite literally hewn from rock. Unfortunately the director was unable to recapture the same magic with sillier, less-smartly plotted follow-up Thor: Love and Thunder, also available on Disney Plus.
While gold remains over 10 times larger than Bitcoin on market capitalization, the scarcity narrative over Bitcoin continues to attract investors seeking a hedge against traditional market uncertainties.
“The fact that gold is still 10 times larger than Bitcoin is incredible,” authors of the financial newsletter, The Kobessi Letter, wrote in a Monday post on X. "Not only does this show how big gold is, but it also shows how big Bitcoin can be."
Until Spider-Man: No Way Home reignited the post-Covid box office, Black Panther was Marvel’s best performing solo superhero. It’s not hard to see why, because while the story – King T’Challa, aka Black Panther, fights off rival Erik Killmonger’s claim to the throne of Wakanda – is fairly standard superhero fare, director Ryan Coogler’s presentation lifts it to another level. The futuristic African kingdom of Wakanda is a truly magnificent creation – a world where advanced technology meets weaponized rhinos – while the late Chadwick Boseman’s performance as the eponymous hero is one of dignity and power.
The current floor price for one of the Schiff NFTs is 0.1245 BTC, around $10,774 for each collectible, according to Magic Eden data. Despite having a low trading volume, the Schiff NFTs rose 149% last year with an original price of 0.05 BTC, around $1,885.
“There's 21 million Bitcoin but only 50 Golden Triumph ordinals. It's clear which one is more valuable,” Schiff tweeted. “You can't argue with math.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the second instalment in the series, and it's safe to say it had some big shoes to fill. After the unexpected death of Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther 2 could have floundered, but Marvel did an astonishing job of continuing the story in an emotionally-charged and totally respectful way. It even earned a rare five stars in our Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review. The story begins one year after the end of the original movie, following the death of King T'Challa. With those closest to the king struggling to move forward, Wakanda is left vulnerable and without a Black Panther as protector. Queen Ramonda (an Oscar-nominated Angela Bassett) is left to lead the nation through a turbulent time, and to try to fend off world powers that want to get hold of her country's much-coveted vibranium.
It's unclear if Schiff is attempting to profit from Bitcoin mania. The gold bug did not immediately return a request for comment.
I'm a big fan of the Planet of the Apes franchise, so I was intrigued to see what direction the universe would take with the absence of Andy Serkis' Caesar – and it's safe to say I wasn't disappointed. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the 10th addition to the Planet of the Apes universe and a pseudo-sequel to War for the Planet of the Apes. Set 300 years after the reign of Caesar, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes follows intelligent young ape Noa (Owen Teague), who embarks on a journey to save his tribe of chimpanzees from the ruthless Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). In our Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review, the epic is described as a "thoroughly entertaining post-apocalyptic adventure that stands on its own two feet" and I couldn't agree more.
Despite Schiff announcing the sale of the Ordinals collection, he claimed not to own a Bitcoin wallet himself or ownership of the collection.
“The ordinals belong to the people who bought them in the original auction,” he said.
In the early ’00s, Hollywood studios were still figuring out how to make the best superhero movies. After the first X-Men movie (released in 2000) had proved that Marvel heroes could hit big at the box office, this follow-up (titled X-Men 2 outside the US) became one of the early classics of the 21st century comic-book blockbuster boom. With most of the ensemble established first time out, X2 expands the scope of the storytelling with the X-Men on the run, and dodgy military guy Colonel Stryker (future Succession star Brian Cox) initiating a plan to wipe out all mutants. Along the way Wolverine learns about his origins, new characters (most notably Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler) come to the fore, and heroes and villains are forced to work together, in a first class Marvel adventure.
When asked why someone would part with the increasingly valuable Bitcoin for one of his NFTs, Schiff said it was because of scarcity.
“Why is Bitcoin more valuable,” Schiff said. “The Golden Triumph originals are way more scarce than Bitcoin.”
Okay, it’s not technically a movie but in the absence of a proper big-screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash-hit musical, this recording of the Broadway show Hamilton fits the bill perfectly. Featuring Miranda in the lead role of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, it’s one of the most invigorating history lessons you’ll ever see. The hip-hop influenced songs sound amazing coming out of your TV, while the inventive cinematography brings the immediacy of the stage show into your living room. A sing-along version of the film is also available, if you can't resist the urge to join in.
Schiff has consistently argued that gold is a better investment than Bitcoin, comparing it to Tulip mania.
On Monday, he decried Trump’s vow to establish a Bitcoin Reserve, prognosticating that such a move would cause a massive market meltdown.
Pop quiz! For which movie did Julie Andrews win her Best Actress Oscar? While The Sound of Music would be a reasonable guess, she actually struck gold with this tale of a magical nanny. She’s a revelation as the stern but inspiring Ms Poppins, utterly in tune with the character whether she’s dealing with humans or the assortment of cartoon characters seamlessly integrated with the live-action. Songs like ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’, ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ and ‘Feed the Birds’ have crossed over into the collective pop-culture consciousness, and the movie’s so good that the weirdness of Dick Van Dyke’s cockney accent barely even registers. Mary Poppins Returns, which gifted Emily Blunt the unenviable task of emulating Andrews, arrived in 2018 and is also available on Disney Plus.
“To maintain the pretense that its Bitcoin reserve has actual value, the U.S. government would be forced to keep buying, destroying the value of the dollar in the process.” he tweeted.
Next on the agenda will be a few more Starlink launches that are set to take off before the end of the week. The company is also looking toward the sixth Starship test flight in the coming weeks. CEO Elon Musk said on Tuesday that it would be coming soon.
As of now, the earliest expected date that IFT-6 would launch is next Monday, November 18.
Launching on this date will require SpaceX to obtain all necessary FAA licenses.
Disney’s big-money acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm are the purchases that made everyone sit up and take notice, but they also had the smart business sense to nab the rights to Jim Henson’s enduring felt-covered creations. Numerous brilliant Muppet movies are available on Disney Plus – as well as TV classic The Muppet Show – but we’ve plumped for this 2011 comeback. As Jason Segel’s Gary and his Muppet brother Walter try to save a theater from developers, the story is witty, heartfelt and every bit as self-aware as we’ve come to expect from Kermit and co. And thanks to showstopping song ‘Man or Muppet’ – written by Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie – the movie even bagged itself an Oscar.
The expansion begins just a few months after the Town of Normal approved Rivian’s application to expand its factory. Currently, the Normal plant includes 2.6 million square feet of manufacturing space. The new expansion is set to add 1.14 million square feet to that total.
The R2 was unveiled back in March as Rivian aimed to get a cheaper, more accessible EV on the market to begin ramping deliveries and move toward profitability.
Steven Spielberg didn’t make life easy for himself with his first ever musical – by remaking Robert Wise’s 1961 take on Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s song-and-dance hit, the director was inviting comparisons with a beloved movie that won a shed-load of Oscars. Luckily, he was more than up to the task, and his powerful retelling brings a very modern edge to a love story set against the backdrop of rival gangs in New York. The choreography is electric and the cinematography expands way beyond the musical's theatrical origins. But Spielberg also deserves credit for accentuating the still-relevant race politics the original brushed over. An instant classic.
The R1T and R1S, its first two vehicles, have been successful in the EV space, and Rivian has gained a reputation for making great products.
However, the company is still working toward being profitable, as most EV entities are. The R2 aims to move Rivian to that point, and is a big improvement from the R1.
There are more than 500 movies to choose from on Disney Plus and while a lot are great watches, not all would be considered the best. To be picked as one of the best to stream on the service and be included in this guide, a movie must have a Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics of at least 80%, be available to stream on the Disney Plus app in the US, UK and Australia, and recommended by one of the members of the TechRadar streaming team.
This is by no means an exhaustive list and we'll continue to add to the guide as new movies get added to the service, while also making sure to remove any that don't fit the above criteria. As more movies get added on a regular basis, we’ll be sure to keep this updated. So, be sure to check back. And, if you’re not a subscriber and are considering it, here’s a guide to Disney Plus that’s packed with useful information on signing up.
Where can I watch Disney movies besides Disney Plus?
You can rent or buy Disney movies on services like Apple TV and Amazon. Hulu subscribers with the Disney Bundle can also access Disney movies. In the UK, you can sometimes get Disney Movies on BBC iPlayer or ITVX.
Byers wrote: 'Redundant assignments will be nixed, and various divisions will be reduced or even eliminated.
'Some of the on-air talent are also likely to be affected,' he went on to reveal.
Sources who spoke to the reporter, who worked at CNN for three years before founding Puck, added how the looming layoffs are part of an overarching plan - one that puts a premium on the station's digital platforms.
The man behind it, they said, is none other than new CEO Mark Thompson - the former New York Times boss brought in to overhaul the network under its Warner Bros. Discovery parent.
Can Disney Plus movies be downloaded?
Yes, subscribers with a Standard or Premium plan can download content on up to 10 supported mobile devices that you can watch offline. Unfortunately the Standard with Ads plan does not allow you to download content.
When do Disney movies go to Disney Plus?
Disney movies are typically added to the platform at midnight PT/3am ET and 8am in the UK on the day of their release. In the past, there's usually been a three month wait for Disney movies to be added to the streamer after their theatrical release.
However, following a Trump presidency and a term from the Biden Administration, it lost to MSNBC in terms of ratings - something never seen before as it only drew in 5.1million sets of eyes that night.
MSNBC, meanwhile, raked in 6million - a number eclipsed almost twofold by Fox News' 10.3million.
The numbers, aired this week in the form of Nielsen statistics, appear to show a shifting field when it comes to cable news - one seemingly set to continue with Trump's second term in office.
The state of Tesla Energy heading into the end of 2024
The news comes as Tesla has been rapidly expanding its energy business throughout this year, after Elon Musk predicted that the sector’s sales growth would outpace its automotive business in 2024. Musk also said he expected the energy division to become the company’s highest margin business this year, and there has been no shortage of production or deployment of the company’s Powerwalls and grid-scale Megapack batteries over the last several months.
In Q3, Tesla’s Energy division reached a record gross profit margin of 30.5 percent, along with the company highlighting that it has deployed over 750,000 Powerwall units worldwide. Of those, Tesla says that over 100,000 Powerwall units around the world have been enrolled into one of the company’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs, which essentially creates a giant, distributed battery across large regions during times of peak demand.
Tesla has also unveiled its Powerwall 3 batteries in markets including the U.S., Canada, Germany, the UK, and Western Australia, with the rest of the world still only having access to the Powerwall 2 for the time being. Last month, the company also launched expansion units for the Powerwall in the U.S., offering decreased installation time with increased stacked capacity.
In addition to the home- and commercial-scale Powerwall, Tesla also offers the grid-scale Megapack, which has been reaching similar records and deploying just as quickly. Tesla’s so-called “Megafactory” in Lathrop, California built its 10,000th Megapack earlier this month, and it’s eventually expected to reach an annual production capacity of 10,000 units, or 40GWh.
Along with the Lathrop Megafactory, Tesla has nearly completed a second Megafactory in Shanghai, China, which is also expected to eventually reach a volume production of 10,000 units per year. Currently, the Shanghai Megafactory aims to begin shipping units in the first quarter of 2025.
The Oura Ring 4 is sleek and easy to wear but scratches easily. Here's what it's like
The Oura Ring 4 is a sleek and comfortable device that provides valuable health information, but it also scratched and showed signs of wear easily.
After two weeks of wearing the Oura Ring 4, the smart ring gave me a better understanding of how my sleep, stress and exercise influence how I feel in my day-to-day life.
#oura #ring #technology
The Oura Ring 4 began shipping to customers and became available in retail stores on Tuesday, and it's an impressive option for those looking for a sleek and comfortable way to learn more about their bodies and make healthier choices.
The smart ring offers more accurate sensors, a more comfortable design and longer battery life than its predecessor. The gadget is available in 12 sizes and six colors, including a new black finish, and it costs $349, although users have to pay a $5.99 a month, or $69.99 a year, subscription to use all of the accompanying app's features.
On the whole, the Oura Ring 4 is comfortable to wear and its app is easy to navigate. The ring was a bit more clunky and scratched more easily than I'd prefer, but after two weeks of testing it, the Oura Ring 4 did provide me useful information about my health.
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I'm starting to think this is how we'll interact with AI and augmented reality by using rings because not everyone would want glasses
SoftBank posts blowout quarterly gains at Vision Fund tech arm
The company lodged a steep quarterly increase on Vision Fund gains after swinging back to black in the three months to June.
Japanese giant SoftBank logged a 608.5 billion yen ($3.96 billion) gain on its Vision Fund tech investment arm in its fiscal second quarter ended Sept. 30, posting a steep quarterly increase after swinging back to black in the three months to June.
#softbank #japan #earnings #visionfund #technology
The broader Vision Fund segment as a whole, which also factors in non-investment performance such as administrative expenses and gains and losses attributable to third-party investors, reported a gain of 373.1 billion yen. It had declared a loss of 204.3 billion yen in the company's first fiscal quarter.
The company attributed the lion's share of the increase to valuation gains recorded at the SoftBank Vision Fund 1, noting higher share prices for e-commerce firm Coupang and Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Global, as well as the value increase of its investments in Chinese tech company Bytedance.
The Vision Fund 2 meanwhile saw a net loss of 232.6 billion yen, following declines in share prices including those of Norwegian robotics firm AutoStore and U.S. automation tech company Symbotic.
The Vision Fund has been cashing in on the success of the September 2023 listing of smartphone chip designer Arm Holdings, in which it owns a sweeping majority stake of around 90%.
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SoftBank Vision Fund co-CEO Misra to leave firm
SoftBank said the co-CEO of Vision Fund, Rajeev Misra, will soon step down from his leadership roles at the firm's flagship technology investment Rajeev Misra is to step down from his leadership roles at SoftBank's flagship technology investment vehicles.
The company said on Tuesday that Misra, who helped steer the $100 billion Vision Fund through both its explosive rise and subsequent challenges, will relinquish his positions as co-head of SoftBank Investment Advisers and SoftBank Global Advisers. Alex Clavel will assume sole leadership as chief executive of both units.
#softbank #visionfund #rajeevmisra #technology #investing
AI 'paradigm shift' in search
Part of Ecosia and Qwant's push to build a search engine from scratch will be to offer a "transparent and secure data pool" for new AI technologies, according to the companies.
Search providers may get "more restrictive" in future, given the shift toward generative AI, Ecosia's Kroll told CNBC.
"They know they're sitting on a very important resource for this paradigm shift," he said. "Yes, you need large language models to have good chatbots. But you also need access to a good index."
The rise of OpenAI's ChatGPT has put pressure on incumbent search giant Google, as people increasingly turn to the viral chatbot to search for information.
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but he was succeeding what could have made him decide this. Maybe he would want to start his own company soon having all that experience and achievements
A father and daughter decoded a mysterious space signal from Mars. It shows amino acids, but the message’s meaning is still unknown. What do you think? We need experts and more advanced tech to decide it
Fleek, a marketplace for wholesale second-hand clothes, sews up $20M
Fleek, an online marketplace that connects second-hand clothing wholesalers with those who sell it at retail, has raised a $20.4 million Series A.
Second-hand clothing has exploded as a category over the past couple of decades. A London startup that’s built a first-of-its-kind platform to improve how this very fragmented industry operates is now announcing funding to double down on the opportunity.
#fleek #clothing #funding #marketplace
Fleek, an online marketplace that connects second-hand clothing wholesalers with those who sell it at retail, has raised a $20.4 million Series A to continue expanding its platform. To date, Fleek says it has worked with some 10,000 resellers and retailers from 70 countries, moving 2.5 million items of second-hand clothes from 1,000 wholesale suppliers.
The investment comes from an impressive list of backers: HV Capital is leading the round, while Andreesen Horowitz (which led the startup’s seed round) and accelerator Y Combinator (where Fleek was a part of the Winter 2022 batch) are participating. Individual backers in the round include Shopify president Harley Finkelstein, Depop’s ex-CEO Maria Raga, and Postmates’ CTO Sean Plaice.
Fleek was founded by friends Abhi Arora and Sanket Agarwal following a very direct grievance from a future in-law.
It was 2021, and the mother of Agarwal’s then-girlfriend, who sold clothes on second-hand social commerce site Poshmark (now owned by Naver), was talking about sourcing problems due to supply chain issues at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Separately, Arora, fresh out of an MBA at Cambridge, was living close to Brick Lane in London, a major destination for second-hand clothes buyers, and he went over there to investigate what things were like.
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I cannot believe what I'm reading. Second hand clothes generate that much millions. I see it's really about strategy any business can grow if the right model is in place
Apple is stopping production of its Vision Pro headset due to low sales. CEO Tim Cook says it’s mainly for tech fans, not for everyone.
Silicon Valley's General Catalyst makes first investment into Saudi Arabia through fintech Lean Technologies
Saudi Arabia's fintech startups have raised over $1.84 billion in venture capital investments since 2018, according to the kingdom's SME authority.
Silicon Valley venture capital firm General Catalyst has made its first investment in Saudi Arabia through fintech startup Lean Technologies, which just closed a Series B round worth $67.5 million.
#technology #funding #saudiarabia #fintech #leantechnologies
General Catalyst has $30 billion in assets under management and has backed major U.S. tech companies like Snap, Stripe and AirBnb. Lean Technologies' fundraising round also saw participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Stanley Druckenmiller's Duquesne Family Office, and Arbor Ventures, among others, bringing the Riyadh-based firm's total funding to over $100 million to date, according to a Sunday statement from the company.
For three of those investors — General Catalyst, Stanley Druckenmiller and Bain Capital — this investment is their first in the kingdom.
What this signifies, Lean Technologies CEO and co-founder Hisham Al-Falih told CNBC, is that "this is a huge vote of confidence for their view of the growth trajectory that Saudi is on and the potential that it has over the next decade."
The kingdom is pushing ahead with Vision 2030, its initiative to diversify its economy away from oil and create new jobs and industries for the overwhelmingly young Saudi workforce. Now more than ever, the kingdom wants foreign capital and direct investment coming into Saudi Arabia rather than flowing out of it, allowing for local employment, knowledge transfer and training, and the development of a variety of sectors.
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Signal gets new video call features, making it a viable alternative to Zoom, Meet and Teams
Privacy-focused messaging app Signal is adding new features for video calls, including links, reactions and a calls tab,
Privacy-focused messaging app Signal is adding new features for video calls, including links, reactions and a calls tab, in a bid to pose as an alternative to Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams.
The highlight of the update is a new “Calls” tab, which lets you make new calls, manage call links, and check your call history.
#signal #videocall #zoom #messaging #technology #communications
The tab lets you create links for calls, so instead of creating a group, you can just share the link with people — similar to how Meet, Zoom and Teams function. The links are reusable, so you can use them for recurring meetings as well.
You also get commonly seen management features like the ability to name calls, manually allow people join meetings, or kick, remove and block them. Participants can queue up to ask questions through a Meet-esque hand-raising feature.
People using Signal’s desktop app can switch between grid, sidebar or speaker views.
Signal introduced encrypted group video calls in 2020 and currently supports groups of up to 50 people. Rival WhatsApp started letting people share links to calls feature in 2022, and this June added screen sharing, speaker spotlight, and support for 32-people video calls.
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🤔 I place a YouTube link in my previous thread and it didn't appear
No they arent appearing. It is really sad when you think about it.
has inleo stoped allowing YouTube links to appear or it's just a bug that would be fixed?
Trump appointments, China in LatAm and AI’s data plateau
Trump’s filling key positions with people he trusts, like Marco Rubio for Secretary of State and Elise Stefanik as U.N. Ambassador. It’s clear he’s serious about loyalty.
Meanwhile, at the APEC summit, China’s growing trade ties with Latin America are now bigger than the U.S. – that’s a big shift.
And here’s something surprising: AI experts are saying they’ve hit a limit in making machines smarter. This struggle to improve AI makes me wonder if we’ll ever reach that ‘super smart’ level.
#Trump #China
Spirit Airlines jet hit by gunfire over Haiti lands safely | REUTERS
A Spirit Airlines plane headed to Haiti got hit by gunfire. The flight was diverted and ended up landing safely in the Dominican Republic. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
#Haiti #SpiritAirlines #News
The U.S. government is working on a bill to buy 1 million Bitcoins over five years, aiming to hold them for 20 years.
New thermal material provides 72% better cooling than conventional paste
Thanks to a mechanochemically engineered combination of the liquid metal alloy Galinstan and ceramic aluminum nitride, this thermal interface material, or TIM,
The startup currently has 8,000 customers with around half of them in France. Most of its remaining customers are spread across other European countries. “We focus on mid-sized companies, with an annual revenue of €5 million to €10 million on average — and up to €500 million,” Beyet said.
“We’ve already reached a break-even position on a cash basis for this quarter. So we didn’t need to raise any additional funds to continue our development. But we believe our market is huge,” he added.
#france #thermal #cooling #science #materials
Why it matters: Data centers are hot, both figuratively and literally. As we feed more and more data and processing demands into these server farms, keeping them from overheating is becoming an increasingly expensive and energy-intensive challenge. But researchers at the University of Texas may have a cool solution – a new thermal interface material that can whisk heat away from processors better than the likes of Thermalright and Thermal Grizzly.
Thanks to a mechanochemically engineered combination of the liquid metal alloy Galinstan and ceramic aluminum nitride, this thermal interface material, or TIM, outperformed the best commercial liquid metal cooling products by a staggering 56-72% in lab tests. It allowed dissipation of up to 2,760 watts of heat from just a 16 square centimeter area.
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Nvidia Founder and CEO Jensen Huang on the AI revolution
#jensenhuang #computing #technology !summarize
As demand for lithium explodes, battery recycling startup Tozero sprints to scale with $11.7M seed
Tozero, a Munich-based startup that recovers valuable raw materials from recycled lithium-ion batteries, is gearing up to scale. The startup just closed an oversubscribed €11 million seed round (around $11.7M) to step up production by building its first industrial deployment (A.K.A first-of-a-kind or FOAK) plant.
#tozero #lithium #funding #battery #recycling #technolgoy #germany
Currently, Tozero’s pilot plant processes nine tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste per day, but the startup is shooting for unlimited capacity in what it hopes will be just another couple of years of scaling its business.
“Other competitors raise way more money to get to industrial plant. But as our process and our technology is so lean and efficient we don’t require more to get to our first industrial deployment, or what the investor world would call the ‘first of a kind’ plant. That’s what we’re aiming to build,” co-founder and CEO Sarah Fleischer (pictured above, left) told TechCrunch.
Once Tozero’s process hits industrial pace and functionality, the startup says there will be no hard limits on what it can achieve in battery recycling as long as it can keep accessing waste streams.
“The purpose of the FOAK is really to enter the proper continuous production — manufacturing — of the product,” co-founder and managing director, Dr. Ksenija Milicevic Neumann, added.
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Climate Change Investing Under Trump 2.0
James Joaquin from Obvious Ventures says it might be a good time to invest in climate change, with Trump back. Joaquin sees something positive here. Makes me think if this could mean more chances for green tech. Anyways it's good news for our planet.
#ClimateChange #Investing #GreenTech
Valve to launch a limited edition white Steam Deck OLED next week
The Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White will launch worldwide on November 18th, 2024 at 3PM PST. Priced at $679 – $30 more than the standard black.
Something to look forward to: If you've ever looked at the Steam Deck and wished there was a version to match your all-white PC build, Valve has just made your day. The company has announced that a special limited edition of the Steam Deck OLED in white and gray colors will launch next week.
#valve #oled #steamdeck #technology #product
The Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White will launch worldwide on November 18th, 2024 at 3PM PST. Priced at $679 – $30 more than the standard black version – it will be available in limited quantities in all Steam Deck shipping regions, including Australia.
Other than the new colors, the upcoming Steam Deck has all the same specs as the standard OLED 1TB model, so you're not going to see any performance improvements.
However, those lucky enough to grab one of the white Steam Deck units will also receive an exclusive white carry case and white microfiber cleaning cloth, which is unlikely to stay white for very long.
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Hello! We're excited to announce that Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White will be available worldwide on November 18th, 2024 at 3PM PST. This model will cost $679 USD, and will be available in all Steam Deck shipping regions.
Steam Deck OLED: Limited Edition White has all the… pic.twitter.com/ACKDwB6Sl7
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Oh, I heard about this one... I prefer Black, but I'm interested in how this Limited Edition one will be recieved by the community!
AI protein-prediction tool AlphaFold3 is now open source
The software code for Google DeepMind's AlphaFold3 is now publicly available for free for non-commercial applications. AlphaFold3 is capable of modeling proteins and other molecules. It was originally published without code or model weights, which drew criticism from scientists who said the move undermined reproducibility. Several other companies have also released open-source protein structure prediction tools based on AlphaFold3's specifications.
#technology #google #deepmind #ai #artificialintelligence #protein #proteinprediction #alphafold3
LG has a stretchable display that can expand by 50 percent
LG has unveiled a stretchable display that can expand up to 50% and freely transform into any shape. The display uses tiny micro-LED light sources and has a 100-pixel-per-inch resolution. It can be stretched more than 10,000 times. The technology, which opens up the possibility for entirely new types of interfaces, could be widely applied in industries such as fashion, wearables, and mobility. Pictures and a video of the display being stretched are available in the article.
#technology #lg #microled
Verizon Fios internet outages impact millions on East Coast
Verizon Fios internet outages have impacted millions of customers on the East Coast, causing significant disruptions in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Verizon Fios internet outages have impacted millions of customers on the East Coast, causing significant disruptions in the early hours of Tuesday.
A map of user-reported issues shows the affected area spans about 300 miles from Philadelphia to Richmond, Virginia, according to the third-party website Downdetector, which tracks real-time service disruptions.
#verizon #internet #fios #outage #technology #telecommunications
A map of user-reported issues shows the affected area spans about 300 miles from Philadelphia to Richmond, Virginia. Downdetector
Outage.Report also said it found significant outrages for Verizon Fios.
“During the incident we received reports from Washington, Lewes, Miami, LaGrange, Baltimore, Silver Spring, Raleigh, Cherry Hill, Maple Shade, Sewell, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Fairfax, Falls Church, Henrico County, Norfolk and 16 other cities,” Outage.Report noted.
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'I Told You So': Bukele Takes Victory Lap as El Salvador Bitcoin Stash Hits $100 Million Profit
To be clear: El Salvador hasn't sold any of its Bitcoin. But if it did, it would be sitting on a hefty profit.
El Salvador has been stockpiling Bitcoin since 2021, the same year the country made the orange coin legal tender. With Bitcoin’s recent spike in value, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele took to Twitter to brag, as the country hit $100 million of unrealized profit.
#elsalvador #bitcoin #country #bukele #crypto
“I told you so,” Bukele said on Twitter.
This comes after the President faced backlash for integrating Bitcoin so directly into El Salvador’s economy. In 2022, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Bukele that Bitcoin could destabilize the nation’s economy. Later that same year, Bloomberg claimed the country’s Bitcoin experiment had failed, with the President pushing back saying the article was “full of lies.“
Now two years later, according to SpotOnChain, the country’s Bitcoin holdings are currently valued at $516.43 million with $100.65 million of that being unrealized profit—that’s just shy of a 20% profit margin.
For note, unrealized profit is simply the difference between the price at which an asset was bought and its current value, this figure fluctuates with price movements. On top of this, it is rare that this much capital can be all sold at once. If they tried, El Salvador would experience ‘slippage,’ resulting in less than $100 million worth of profit.
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Me when talking to my family about cryptocurrency in general: "I told you!"
French newspapers want social media platform X to pay for news reuse
It’s rare when French newspapers team up and agree on something. But major publications, such as Le Monde, Le Figaro and Le Parisien have collectively decided to take legal action against X over neighboring rights, according to a statement sent to Reuters and the AFP.
Under EU law, digital platforms are required to negotiate with publishers to remunerate them for news reuse. After a prolonged dispute, Meta and Google have signed deals with news publishers in France.
However, X has refused to engage in negotiations with news publishers to compensate them for reusing their content (or at least so far). As a result, judges at the Paris Court of Justice will now face the complex task of determining the value of article previews shared on X.
#france #x #meta #google #socialmedia #technology #newspapers
OpenAI's Next-Gen Model Hits Performance Wall: Report
OpenAI's Latest Model Exposes Limitations in Traditional Scaling Approach, Prompting Split into Specialized AI Tracks.
OpenAI's upcoming artificial intelligence model is delivering smaller performance gains than its predecessors, sources familiar with the matter told The Information.
Employee testing reveals Orion achieved GPT-4 level performance after completing only 20% of its training, The Information reports.
#openai #llms #gpt4 #ai #technology
The quality increase from GPT-4 to the current version of GPT-5 seems to be smaller than that of GPT-3 to GPT-4.
“Some researchers at the company believe Orion isn’t reliably better than its predecessor in handling certain tasks, according to the (OpenAI) employees,” The Information reported. “Orion performs better at language tasks but may not outperform previous models at tasks such as coding, according to an OpenAI employee.”
While Orion getting closer to GPT-4 at 20% of its training might sound impressive to some, it is important to note that the early stages of AI training typically deliver the most dramatic improvements, with subsequent phases yielding smaller gains.
So, the remaining 80% of training time isn’t likely to produce the same magnitude of advancement seen in previous generational leaps, sources said.
Article
Visa Tokenization in Brazil: Enhancing Security for Online Transactions
In Brazil, 400 million tokens issued; 63% of online transactions are tokenized, covering various card credentials.
Leandro Garcia highlights tokenization’s role in securing payments, enhancing user experience, and preventing $650 million in frauds.
#tokenization #brazil #visa #security #transactions #finance #technology
Visa has recently achieved the significant milestone of issuing ten billion tokens globally, marking a major step in the adoption of digital payment security measures. In Brazil, the payment giant has issued 400 million tokens, where 63% of the platform’s online transactions are now tokenized. This includes credentials for credit, debit, and prepaid cards, significantly enhancing the security and innovation of digital financial transactions.
Tokenized transactions are considered more secure and are less known to the general public. Visa reports that tokenized operations have a fraud rate five times lower than non-tokenized transactions. This makes tokenization a critical pillar of security for entities processing large volumes of transactions, such as banks and retailers.
“These results demonstrate how Visa tokens help issuers and merchants manage large payment flows in a secure, reliable manner, and in compliance with accountability guidelines. The increase in the adoption of technology improves the consumer experience and enhances their security when shopping online,” explains Leandro Garcia, Executive Director of Digital Payment Solutions at Visa.
Article
Trump and Musk Eye Fed Changes – Could Bitcoin Adoption Be Next for the U.S.?
Trump and Musk advocate for more presidential control over the Federal Reserve, with Bitcoin increasingly viewed as a hedge against inflation and national debt.
Amid concerns over the Fed’s influence, Bitcoin is gaining traction as a potential tool for managing the U.S. economy, particularly in the context of inflation and debt management.
#trump #elonmusk #bitcoin #crypto #unitedstates #thefed
Following Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk openly endorsed giving the president a more hands-on role in directing Federal Reserve policy. This is in line with a recent CNF update that highlighted how, after Trump’s victory, Bitcoin’s price surged by 9.6% to a record high of $75,198, while Ethereum followed with an increase of 8%.
As of now, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $86,370.71, having surged by 5.51% in the past day and 25.63% in the past week.
In a recent tweet, this support came as a response to Utah Senator Mike Lee’s post, which argued for the Fed to be controlled directly by the president, with Lee using the hashtag #EndtheFed. Musk’s “100” emoji response underscored his agreement, reflecting a shared desire with Trump to reduce the Fed’s independence and align its actions more closely with presidential influence.
Article
'Gladiator II' Director Ridley Scott Says He's 'Trying to Embrace AI'
Initially wary of the technology, "Gladiator II" director Ridley Scott now says he sees the benefits of generative AI in filmmaking.
Ridley Scott is coming around to artificial intelligence, seeing generative AI as a valuable tool rather than a looming threat.
The legendary director of "Blade Runner," "Alien," and "Gladiator" shared last week that his views on AI have evolved, largely because of its potential to reduce production costs and open up new creative possibilities like animation.
#ridleyscott #ai #gladiator2 #movies #filmmaking #hollywood #video #technology
“Now I’m trying to embrace AI,” Scott told the New York Times while promoting his new film, "Gladiator II." Scott’s shifting take on artificial intelligence is in stark contrast to his previous comments from 2023, when he likened the technology to a weapon of mass destruction.
At the height of the generative AI craze last year, Scott, who also directed the Alien prequel Prometheus, joined fellow directors Christopher Nolan and James Cameron in voicing concerns over AI’s potential dangers. Nolan and Cameron have both made blockbuster films about the dangers of technology with films like “Oppenheimer” and “The Terminator,” respectively.
“Now I’m trying to embrace AI,” Scott told the New York Times while promoting his new film, "Gladiator II." Scott’s shifting take on artificial intelligence is in stark contrast to his previous comments from 2023, when he likened the technology to a weapon of mass destruction.
At the height of the generative AI craze last year, Scott, who also directed the Alien prequel Prometheus, joined fellow directors Christopher Nolan and James Cameron in voicing concerns over AI’s potential dangers. Nolan and Cameron have both made blockbuster films about the dangers of technology with films like “Oppenheimer” and “The Terminator,” respectively.
Article
Ex-Carolina Panthers Player Russell Okung’s 2020 Bitcoin Paycheck Could Now Be Worth $21 Million
With Bitcoin surging past $88,000, Okung’s choice to be paid in crypto back in 2020 has massively paid off.
If retired Carolina Panthers player Russell Okung held onto the 240 Bitcoin purchased in lieu of half of his 2020 salary until today, he would be sitting on over $20.9 million. If.
Chances are, he’s sitting pretty: In May 2021, amid a decline in Bitcoin’s value, Okung reaffirmed his commitment to the crypto, stating on Twitter at the time, “Y’all don’t get it. I am not selling my Bitcoin, ever.”
#sports #russellokung #football #bitcoin #salary #crypto
Since then, he has not publicly disclosed any changes to his Bitcoin investment strategy. Decrypt has reached out to Okung on that point.
In December 2020, Okung generated headlines when he announced he would take half of his $13 million salary, about $6.5 million, in Bitcoin.
“Money is more than currency; it’s power,” Okung told CNBC at the time. “The way money is handled from creation to dissemination is part of that power. Getting paid in bitcoin is the first step of opting out of the corrupt, manipulated economy we all inhabit.”
Rekt Drinks Sellout Shows How Brands Can Leverage Crypto to Launch Products
After moving 222K cans of sparkling water in 48 hours, Rekt Drinks co-founder Ovie Faruq shares their Web3-driven strategy.
Rekt Drinks Sellout Shows How Brands Can Leverage Crypto to Launch Products
After moving 222K cans of sparkling water in 48 hours, Rekt Drinks co-founder Ovie Faruq shares their Web3-driven strategy.
#rektdrinks #crypto #branding #web3 #oviefaruq
“In my opinion, Web3 principles allow you to build a brand and IP in an accelerated fashion, which creates a window of opportunity to do something big,” Faruq told Decrypt.
Rekt Brands and the beverage line spawned from an Ethereum NFT project called Rektguy, from which a community has been sustained for two-and-a-half years. They then launched a podcast called Rekt Radio with the co-founders Faruq and Mando, as well as pseudonymous trader Keyboard Monkey, under the Rug Radio banner. Finally, they launched Rekt Drinks.
“It's taken us almost 18 months from our initial idea to full product launch, so it's very relieving to see a theoretical idea actually become successful in practice,” Faruq said. “It's game-changing for the future of Rekt. We've gone from being just an art project with a strong community to a fully-fledged brand with the ability to generate real revenues outside of Web3.”
The “Liquidated Lime” drink is sparkling water flavored with a dash of lime and pineapple. Rekt's branding boasts that it is free of both caffeine and alcohol, positioning itself as a beverage for social occasions when you don't want to get drunk—or “rekt,” as its advertising comically quips.
Article
Bitcoin Flips Silver Again, Becomes Eighth Largest Asset By Market Cap
Bitcoin is up more than 9% on the day following strong institutional demand and sustained interest in US spot Bitcoin ETFs in recent weeks.
Bitcoin's market capitalization overtook silver Monday evening, reaching $1.75 trillion to secure its position as the world's eighth-largest asset.
It comes as Bitcoin breached $89,000, topping out at $89,560, before dropping back below those levels, data from CoinGecko shows.
#etf #bitcoin #silver #crypto #investing #markets
The asset has lept more than 9% on the day following strong institutional demand and sustained interest in spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in recent weeks.
It also marks the second time Bitcoin has flipped silver this year, after overtaking the commodity in March, according to data from Infinite Market Cap.
Silver, meanwhile, has witnessed a decline of 6.24% over the past week, bringing its total market cap to $1.732 trillion. Bitcoin, meanwhile, is up by roughly 30% over the same period.
The comparison with silver, historically viewed as a relatively stable store of value, signals a transforming perception of Bitcoin among traditional investors, shifting from a speculative asset to one embraced by Wall Street.
Article
Gold Bug Peter Schiff Urges Traders to Buy His Ordinals Amid Bitcoin’s Surge
Still a fierce critic, Schiff is asking traders to buy his limited Bitcoin Ordinals collection, calling it more scarce than the top crypto.
With Bitcoin surpassing all-time highs by the hour, even noted Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff is trying to get in on the action by selling his Ordinals collection.
#bitcoin #peterschiff #ordinals #network #crypto
On Sunday, the financial commentator and radio host said on X (formerly Twitter) that the Peter Schiff Ordinals collection, also known as the Golden Triumph Ordinals Set, would go up for sale on Magic Eden.
Bitcoin surged past $80,000 Sunday in the crypto-optimistic wake of Donald Trump’s election victory last week. It has since passed the $87,000 mark.
Launched in 2023, the “Golden Triumph Ordinals Set” is a collection of 51 Ordinal inscriptions on the Bitcoin Blockchain. Similar to a non-fungible token (NFT), a Bitcoin Ordinal is a digital collectible on the Bitcoin blockchain. Each Ordinal is inscribed on an individual satoshi, the smallest denomination of a Bitcoin. Ordinals have included text, images, video clips, and even video games on the Bitcoin network.
Article
What is going on here? Did the bot search for and summarize any article it found based on your question?
https://inleo.io/threads/view/taskmaster4450le/re-taskmaster4450le-2qwfwhowj?referral=taskmaster4450le
how the heck does it know what to summarize? the tesla tag is surely used more than once! 🧐
https://inleo.io/threads/view/taskmaster4450le/re-taskmaster4450le-heizmesr?referral=taskmaster4450le
There is a video in there but the site isnt showing YT videos now.
ah ok, was wondering already why my posted youtubes not show. Another bug or also not wanted anymore?
SpaceX sends 24 more Starlink satellites into orbit
SpaceX sent 24 more Starlink high-speed internet satellites into orbit on Monday, launching a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) in Florida.
The launch occurred at 4:23 p.m. ET on Monday, with a Falcon 9 with tail number B1080 taking off from Cape Canaveral.
It was the 12th flight for this specific first-stage booster, and was previously responsible for the Euclid, Axiom-2, Axiom-3, Cygnus NG-21, SES 24, and CRS-30 missions.
It has now launched six Starlink missions, as well.
#spacex #starlink #satellite #internet #technology #florida #capecanaveral
The Starlink 6-69 mission was set to launch on Sunday, but SpaceX decided to scrub the launch in favor of Monday due to weather.
The Starlink satellites heading to low-Earth orbit on this launch were of the V2 Mini variety. This is only the second time SpaceX has chosen to launch 24 total satellites with a single mission. In the past, it has routinely launched 23 satellites.
Just about eight minutes after liftoff, the B1080 tail landed on the ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ droneship, the pad’s 84th landing.
SpaceX is nearing its goal of 144 total missions for the year. This was the 108th Falcon 9 launch of 2024. The launch prior to this one in Florida was that of Starlink 6-69 as well, but this takeoff was from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and took place on Friday:
Amazing work by the @SpaceX west coast team on launch #37(!!!) from Vandenberg this year. We are so thankful for our amazing partnership with the @SLDelta30, @SpaceForceDoD, and @DeptofDefense. So much effort from all parties went into clearing the way for increased launch
Article
Rivian begins expansion of Normal plant for R2 production
Rivian has confirmed that the expansion of its Normal, Illinois factory, which will make way for the new R2 platform to be produced, has officially started.
Crews on sight of the expansion have officially broken ground, Chief Operations Officer for Rivian, Javier Varela, said.
#rivian #ev #R2 #normal #illinois #manufacturing
Crews on sight of the expansion have officially broken ground, Chief Operations Officer for Rivian, Javier Varela, said.
In a post on LinkedIn, Varela wrote:
“Rivian R2 is one step closer to coming to market! We broke ground in Normal (Illinois) to begin expanding the plant to build R2, in addition to our current products. R2 is our new fully electric midsize SUV coming in 2026 with a range of more than 300 miles and a starting price around $45,000 (U.S.).”
It appears the groundbreaking occurred just a few days ago on November 8, as CEO RJ Scaringe posted an image that seems to show things are moving forward:
Article
Ar-condicionado de pulso? Cientistas desenvolvem “pulseira mágica” que promete enviar ondas frias e quentes para o corpo humano
Nos dias mais quentes, a sensação de calor pode ser difícil de suportar, e muitos desejam ter à disposição o alívio do ar condicionado. No entanto, quatro estudantes de engenharia do MIT, o Instituto de Tecnologia de Massachusetts, desenvolveram uma solução inovadora: uma pulseira com tecnologia termoelétrica que envia ondas de calor ou frio diretamente para o corpo do usuário. Essa tecnologia tem o potencial de transformar a forma como lidamos com o calor, oferecendo a sensação de ar condicionado portátil, sem a necessidade de aparelhos grandes e caros.
#technology #hivebr
A pulseira, chamada Wristify, utiliza um sistema inteligente que permite enviar pulsos de calor ou frio diretamente ao pulso do usuário.
Essa tecnologia termoelétrica foi desenvolvida para fornecer a sensação de ar condicionado de maneira individual, sem depender de sistemas de climatização convencionais.
Os pesquisadores descobriram que a pele humana é altamente sensível a mudanças rápidas de temperatura.
Quando as ondas de calor ou frio são aplicadas ao pulso, o efeito é espalhado por todo o corpo, criando uma sensação de conforto térmico semelhante à de um ar condicionado.
De acordo com Sam Shames, um dos estudantes do MIT envolvidos no projeto, esse processo “enganaria” o corpo a sentir uma variação térmica no local onde a pulseira está.
Ele acredita que, no futuro, a pulseira Wristify poderia até substituir o uso do ar condicionado, especialmente em áreas onde o acesso a esse tipo de tecnologia é limitado.
Novos drones da China são o pesadelo das forças inimigas no ar e no mar
Uma série de novos drones da família CH da China, incluindo o grande drone de reconhecimento armado CH-9 e a versão mais recente e atualizada do drone furtivo de alerta antecipado CH-7, estreou no Airshow China 2024 em Zhuhai, província de Guangdong, no sul da China.
#technology #military #hivebr #drone #china
Os novos produtos também incluem o drone de baixo custo CH-3D, o drone de carga CH-YH1000, bem como uma variedade de mísseis ar-superfície.
O CH-9 é a adição mais recente à série de drones de reconhecimento armado CH. Seu comprimento é de cerca de 12 metros, com uma envergadura aproximada de 25 metros. O alcance máximo deste grande drone armado pode superar 11.500 quilômetros, e seu peso máximo de decolagem é de 5.000 quilos. A autonomia de voo é de até 40 horas, com um teto de serviço de 11.000 metros, conforme informou o desenvolvedor, Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd., ao Global Times.
Durante missões de reconhecimento e ataque, o CH-9 demonstra uma alta capacidade de combate, sendo capaz de detectar e destruir alvos ao transportar uma grande carga de armas.
Ele também possui a capacidade de permanecer no ar por um longo período sobre os alvos, explicou o desenvolvedor.
Segundo o desenvolvedor, seu peso máximo de decolagem é de oito toneladas, a velocidade de cruzeiro é de Mach 0,5 e o teto de serviço é de 16.000 metros.
O modelo em escala deste drone furtivo foi apresentado pela primeira vez no show aéreo em 2018, quando estava sendo projetado para ser um UAV furtivo de reconhecimento armado, com capacidade de realizar ataques estratégicos.
No entanto, seis anos depois, o projeto CH-7 evoluiu para um drone tático avançado, capaz de realizar múltiplas missões devido às necessidades da guerra moderna e à mudança nas demandas dos clientes, explicou Cao Ran, da Aerospace CH UAV, ao Global Times no show aéreo.
As missões que o CH-7 pode executar incluem monitoramento de zonas de combate, suporte eletrônico e interferência.
O radar que ele carrega permite vigilância aérea e marítima de longo alcance, além de detectar grandes embarcações de superfície, de acordo com o desenvolvedor.
Em outras palavras, o CH-7 funciona como os “olhos” para outras unidades de combate, como bombardeiros ou caças, penetrando em áreas inimigas graças à sua furtividade e capacidade de busca avançada, localizando navios de guerra hostis, inclusive porta-aviões.
Assim, bombardeiros ou outras unidades podem lançar mísseis com precisão e destruir as embarcações inimigas a uma grande distância, detalhou Cao.
Cao ressaltou que a capacidade furtiva do CH-7 é excelente, comparável ao RQ-180 fabricado nos EUA. Mesmo que o CH-7 seja detectado e abatido pelo radar inimigo durante uma missão, ele já terá transmitido informações valiosas sobre o inimigo de volta ao sistema de comando.
Além disso, o preço é acessível, já que o CH-7 deixou de ser um drone estratégico caro. Algumas perdas de veículos aéreos não tripulados podem valer a pena para garantir uma vitória em combate, comentou Cao.
“O CH-7 pode ser adaptado para diferentes tipos de missões marítimas, conforme a demanda de nossa marinha”, disse ele.
Nasa oferece R$ 17 milhões para qualquer pessoa do mundo que consiga pensar em uma solução inovadora para um problema que persiste desde 1969
Desde que a NASA colocou os primeiros astronautas na Lua, em 1969, uma questão permanece sem solução definitiva: como lidar com os resíduos humanos no espaço? Fezes e urina podem parecer um detalhe pequeno comparado à grandeza de uma missão espacial, mas esse problema dos resíduos é uma preocupação séria. Para evitar contaminação e garantir a saúde dos astronautas, a NASA agora está pedindo ajuda para resolver esse desafio espacial.
#nasa #technology #hivebr
Mas o que exatamente está em jogo? E por que até hoje ainda não existe uma solução definitiva para isso? Vamos mergulhar no desafio que a NASA lançou e entender por que ele é tão importante para o futuro da exploração espacial.
A gravidade zero no espaço traz uma série de complicações. Quando estamos na Terra, a gestão de resíduos humanos é fácil, pois a gravidade faz o trabalho de manter tudo no lugar. No espaço, no entanto, a falta de gravidade cria um cenário completamente diferente.
Os astronautas não podem simplesmente usar banheiros como fazemos aqui. O que pode parecer simples, torna-se um problema muito maior quando as fezes e a urina podem flutuar livremente dentro de uma nave espacial.
Nas primeiras missões da NASA, como as famosas missões Apolo, os engenheiros e especialistas em aeronáutica não conseguiram resolver esse problema de forma eficaz. Para se ter uma ideia, durante as missões à Lua, 96 bolsas de resíduos humanos foram deixadas na superfície lunar! Sim, isso mesmo: junto com as pegadas de Neil Armstrong e o módulo lunar, há sacos de lixo por lá.
E agora, com o plano da NASA de voltar à Lua nas missões Artemis, esse desafio espacial retorna. Resolver o problema dos resíduos no espaço se tornou essencial para garantir que essas missões possam ser conduzidas de maneira sustentável e segura.
Para lidar com essa questão, a NASA lançou o “LunaRecycle Challenge“, um concurso que promete mudar o jogo na gestão de resíduos espaciais. O concurso oferece prêmios de até US$ 3 milhões (cerca de R$ 17 milhões) para quem conseguir desenvolver tecnologias inovadoras que possam reciclar ou gerenciar os resíduos humanos de maneira eficiente durante missões espaciais de longa duração.
A ideia é simples: encontrar uma solução que permita transformar o lixo humano em produtos úteis, ajudando a reduzir o impacto ambiental durante a exploração espacial e também facilitando a vida dos astronautas. O desafio está dividido em duas categorias:
O concurso busca incentivar soluções que sejam práticas tanto para o espaço quanto para a Terra. Sim, o objetivo final da NASA é que as ideias inovadoras geradas para o espaço também possam ser aplicadas aqui no nosso planeta. Afinal, a gestão de resíduos é um problema global que afeta tanto o espaço quanto o meio ambiente terrestre.
Por que resolver o problema dos resíduos no espaço é importante?
A resposta pode parecer óbvia, mas o desafio de lidar com resíduos no espaço vai muito além de questões de higiene. Em missões espaciais longas, como as futuras expedições à Lua e a Marte, o tempo que os astronautas passam no espaço será muito maior. Isso significa que o volume de resíduos também aumenta, tornando crucial a criação de uma solução sustentável e eficiente.
A NASA sempre buscou operar de forma sustentável em suas missões, e isso inclui a maneira como lidam com os resíduos. Amy Kaminski, executiva do programa de Prêmios, Desafios e Crowdsourcing da NASA, destacou a importância da sustentabilidade nesse contexto. Segundo ela, operar de maneira sustentável tanto na Terra quanto no espaço é uma das principais prioridades da agência.
Por isso, a NASA está buscando novas ideias que ajudem a transformar resíduos em recursos. A criação de sistemas que convertam resíduos em água ou energia, por exemplo, poderia ser revolucionária para a exploração espacial de longa duração. E, claro, resolver esse problema no espaço também pode significar grandes avanços na gestão de resíduos aqui na Terra.
Big changes in the life of Jongo when it comes to this crypto stuff...
Wrote about it in my latest blog post if you are super bored and wanna check it out.
TLDR version - I'm going all in on $LEO
LFG
make me rich Khal! I'll buy dinner for everyone lol
We are at the start of an exciting but challenging bull run. We need to be extra cautious but we also should not miss the opportunity to learn and if possible earn right at this point.
Believe me, it will not get any easier as the time progresses
Be safe - But keep your eyes open
#bbh #onmymind #crypto
Feels good seeing the current price of $LEO, having picked up thousands of it over the past few weeks
No doubt ;)
why? it didn’t move! Even $DOGE moved! 🤔
hive to leo ratio has definitely moved
yeah sure, because $HIVE moved ..
yeah sure, but hive is what I have :)
I see it and every token is up right now. I'm shocked how fast Hive and Leo just changed token value over night as if it was a meme coin 😍
Hi, @mightpossibly,
This post has been voted on by @darkcloaks because you are an active member of the Darkcloaks gaming community.
Get started with Darkcloaks today, and follow us on Inleo for the latest updates.
and now it's almost doubled I'm shocked and hopeful about the platforms future. How long will bull run last
Damn... I deep dive into work for two days and this happens!
get back to work forky, seems like we need you head down workin hard
Last day tomorrow... then its FRIDAY!
Posted via D.Buzz
Wonder what you gonna say when you see this thread and the price increased by 50% since the screenshot. 😅 $HIVE at 33c
It keeps happening my gosh! I need to deep dive into work tomorrow again! It's fricking working! !LOL 😂
lolztoken.com
Because it cantelope.
Credit: reddit
@walterjay, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of forkyishere
(1/1)
NEW: Join LOLZ's Daily Earn and Burn Contest and win $LOLZ
$BTC closer to 89K and greed up to 87!
What a day this will be 😅
Now it's hard to predict where BTC will stop.
very very hard bro, I don't know whether to invest or not because you can't tell if the market will crash tomorrow or soar to the 100K
And I thought that was the last of it. It has jumped pass 90K and speeding up to the 100K mark I never thought we will see this year
i ve just sent this to my bro
Story of my life .!!
Before I start with my new project, I decided I should not miss any opportunities with launchpools and free tokens
Free is always good :)
So my new launch pool is PEAKQ and if you want to join me you can use the below link! (Ref)
Join here: https://www.bitgetapp.com/referral/register?clacCode=U1C312S3&from=%2Fevents%2Freferral-all-program&source=events&utmSource=PremierInviter
And check out below link for more opportunities!
Make sure to follow their x account as they are sharing contest every day and all day long!
https://x.com/bitgetglobal
Gm :) Get in while it's still cheap. Number only go up #gm #crypto
What constitutes work for me is complicated. The main job is teaching 60-90 minute lessons but I also have transportation time, bank visits, accounting and making advertisements and messaging students about class.
And planning I assume.
not much actually 😝 I have a bunch of lessons and techniques memorized and choose them on the fly. This is why I mostly teach beginners and solo or small groups. I can flow
If you are a new account leave a comment here! Tell me how you found out about inleo!
#newlion #newlions
hi I'm new here. I found InLeo by bumping into @behiver post on X. I posted the screenshot in my first thread🥰
Ah great! Well welcome to inleo! Glad you found out about us.
thank you so much dear friend
Happy Veteran's Day
We appreciate your service, and we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
#gmfrens, #bbh #silverbloggers #freecompliments, #cent, #ctp #dailydook
lots of sacrafices !DOOK !BBH
@beststart! @bitcoinman likes your content! so I just sent 1 BBH to your account on behalf of @bitcoinman. (47/50)
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Here's a reason I loved my business and community for so many years. He truly is the cream of the crop. It's been an honor to get to know him over the years. So glad he didn't ignore my pleading with #ctp to come to the blockchain lol
https://inleo.io/threads/view/jimmy.adames/re-leothreads-ta8gxkzh
For Sure Brother #ctp
At $88,000 Bitcoin has Flipped silver, and is now the 8th largest Asset in the world by marketcap.
BTC Market cap: $1.736 T
Silver Market cap: $1.735 T
Bitcoin will be worth:
$109k when it flips Amazon $181k when it flips Nvidia
$913k when it flips Gold
Like in chess, did kingside castling was done between #bitcoin and #silver. Not let's have the queenside castling with gold and we are set for life. ;)
I wanna see it flipping GOLD by 2030.
Where is Litecoin which was considered as the silver version of Bitcoin.
#freecompliments
it's silently on it's way to being the largest asset in the planet. This is what Satoshi Nakamoto envisioned and it's happening. Question I don't know if he's seeing it or not
This is what I see today.
Numerous BTC ATH updates per day
($89666 as we speak)
$9000+ swings in 24h !
$MSTR celebrating their 100% YTD gains
$TSLA on it's path to #1 company of this planet
RED wave (finally) in USA
AI trails at every step
Who said life is boring?
$BTC
I feel like we could see 100k figure within this week.
#freecompliments
Get 🦁 premium, it’s worth every $HBD
I bought a year and have been very happy.
It helps build the community.
I always mess up my threads and like the ability to edit.
Plus, I tend to be wordy at times and I love the lability to do longer posts.
I went with a year no regrets yet !DOOK !BBH
@khaleelkazi! @bitcoinman likes your content! so I just sent 1 BBH to your account on behalf of @bitcoinman. (1/50)
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Only if you're active enough... I can't say about threading, as I'm not very active with it, but I need 6 medium quality blogs per month to get the HBD back with LEO votes.Oh, just realized you were referring to the features, not the "Premium will earn its cost back" thing.
Just checked my Premium status and it's time to re-premium! Thanks for the reminder 🦁
well, yes it is
Indeed very true that's my first goal here on Inleo 🙏🙏🙏🙏.
But since I don't really blog and I only thread and I have to earn organically 🤔 can I sustain it?
Beauty of the day in pure nature! #photography #photographers #bbh #dailydook
Indeed.
Class Photography.
MY my my :)
are you shooting those babes? 👀
Wow, the entire crypto market just hit a new high of $3.1 trillion dollars 👀
Bitcoin has new ATH....
Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate. Carl Jung
#pob
how true is that? 🤔
I hope it's real
!luv
@ronnie10, @crazyphantombr(3/10) sent you LUV. | tools | discord | community | HiveWiki | <>< daily
BITCOIN IS ON FIRE! 🔥
This is NOT a drill! 👀
Love the upward graph...
BITCOIN seem not in the mood to stop.
I am glad for this bull run and wish it continues
Leo Entertainment Threadcast.
#threadcast #leoentertainment #mcb 12/11/2024
I'm not sure if these counts as entertainment, but I'm making protoypes for crypto shorts, if you please, can you guys compare these two videos and comment what you think of them:
https://inleo.io/threads/view/ahmadmanga/re-leothreads-2ufaplfwg?referral=ahmadmanga
https://inleo.io/threads/view/ahmadmanga/re-leothreads-28jxf6jwv?referral=ahmadmanga
Let me check on them... It's all welcome 🤗🤗🤗🤗..
!DOOK
Great! Any feedback?
I couldn't log in, the link is buggy.
But I believe you can buy it here. I don't see any problem.
Is it now possible to bring YouTube videos here? That is great!
You can bring them, but mostly you need to add the transcript to enable the leoai to be able to read them....
I got It. Thanks!
You are very welcome sir 😊😊😊😊...
No movie thread cast today
I really enjoyed the last one 🥺 🥺
#newsonleo #leoentertainment
Lets see how it goes 😉...
Alright 👍 😊
Oh yeah 😅😅😅, that's how we roll 🤣🤣🤣..
Just keep me posted
I will post you on threads 👀👀😂😂😂😂
Rita Ora is tearful in tribute to Liam Payne at MTV Awards
#newsonleo #bbcnews #leoentertainment
Rita Ora has paid an emotional tribute to Liam Payne as she hosted this year's MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in Manchester, almost a month after the One Direction star's death.
Ora collaborated with Payne on their 2018 hit single For You, and her voice faltered as she remembered him, calling him "one of the kindest people that I knew".
She delivered the tribute dressed in a dark suit in a poignant moment that was in contrast to the upbeat tone of the rest of the ceremony.
Chris McCausland: 'Perception of people with disabilities is antiquated'
#newsonleo #bbcnews #leoentertainment
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?'"
"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."
"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."
How Gary Lineker went from football sensation to BBC star
#newsonleo #bbcnews #leoentertainment
Gary Lineker, who will leave Match of the Day at the end of this season, BBC News understands, has been the steady hand who guided millions of fans through football's agonies and ecstasies.
As a former footballer of considerable pedigree - including England captain and striker, with 48 goals in 80 appearances - he famously never received a red or yellow card during his career.
His ability to keep his cool on the pitch stood him in good stead for a career in live broadcasting when he retired as a player in 1994.
Rembrandt's Night Watch: Major restoration begins
#newsonleo #bbcnews #leoentertainment
The largest restoration of Rembrandt's masterpiece, The Night Watch, is under way at the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam.
Following five years of research using techniques such as digital imaging and artificial intelligence, eight restorers will begin "Operation Night Watch" by removing the varnish from the painting
.
The process follows years of scientific research, trials on other paintings, and tests on The Night Watch itself
Hello friends 👋👋👋
Its a lovely Tuesday and here comes the entertainment threadcast for the day.... It's all about entertainment, so let's get down on it...
I don't need TV when I gat threadcast on my devices 🤣🤣🤣..
Thanks to you for coming around, it's more entertaining 😺😎😺..
...
Hello @connorman, you are specially invited to the entertainment threadcast ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️...
thank you so much man, I didn't have enough RC to respond but now I think I do. Sorry for late reply
There is no problem my friend, do you need more RC? If yes just let me know ☺️☺️..
!DOOK
Theater festival offers solace in Burkina Faso, a nation torn by violence
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/theater-festival-offers-solace-burkina-faso-nation-torn-115758182
OUGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso -- The last three years have been tough for Fanta Charlotte Dabone, a mother of three from the conflict-battered West African country of Burkina Faso.
#leoentertainment #abcnews
She fled her village after it was attacked by extremists, leaving her husband and her farm behind. Since then, she has been moving from place to place, struggling to pay rent and to buy enough food for her children, including a 2-year-old toddler.
But last month, she got to be a queen.
Every day for a week, together with dozens of other Burkinabe men and women who have been displaced by extremist violence, she swirled, danced and chanted for almost two hours in front of captivated audiences at Recreatrales, an international theater festival held in Ouagadougou, the country's capital.
“I was so happy about it," she said. "I don't even know how to explain how it felt.”
Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation of 23 million in Sahel, an arid strip of land south of the Sahara, used to be known for its bustling arts scene, including renowned film and theater festivals, and its sophisticated craftsmanship.
But in recent years, the country has become the symbol of the security crisis in the region. It has been shaken by violence from extremist groups and the government forces fighting them, much of it spilling over the border with Mali, and by two ensuing military coups.
The military junta, which took power by force in 2022, failed to provide the stability it promised. Instead, the situation deteriorated: According to conservative estimates, more than 60% of the country is now outside of government control, more than 2 million people have lost their homes and almost 6.5 million need humanitarian aid to survive.
The country's leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, installed a system of de-facto censorship, where those critical of the regime disappear or get forcefully drafted into the army, and where even friends are afraid to discuss politics with each other.
But against all odds, last month the Bougsemtenga district in the capital turned into a festival grounds to host Recreatrales for the 13th time.
Bougsemtenga derives its name from “bougtenga,” which means “happiness district” in Moore, one of the local languages. True to its origins, this year its streets were transformed into a dreamy universe, resembling a crossover between a traditional village festival and “Alice in Wonderland." More than 150 African and European artists performed and over 4,500 theater lovers were able to escape the country's grim reality, if just for a little while.
Improvised theater stages were constructed inside people’s courtyards. The streets were decorated with colorful lights and abstract sculptures made by locals from plastic bottles and scraps of wax-printed fabrics. Residents put up hand decorated stands, selling beer and meat sticks to multinational crowds of theatergoers, ranging from Western diplomats to local mechanics. The ticket booth was a giant frog, its mouth wide open.
Aristide Tarnagda, the festival’s artistic director, said he was convinced that regardless of the insecurity engulfing the country, the festival had to take place as planned.
Theater is an affirmation of “the primacy of life over death,” Tarnagda said. He added that getting together to perform and watch theatrical productions is a form of resistance against adversity and violence. This is why this year's theme was "Turning the face to the sun.”
“Humans are capable of love and freedom, but sometimes they forget it,” he said. “The role of the theater is to remind them about it.”
Held every two years, the festival is the culmination of the yearlong work that the organizers do with residents of the Bougsemtenga district, which was home to two theaters and a theater association even before the first Recreatrales in 2002.
They run art workshops, including in writing, theater, dance and scenography, for young people from the district and from all of Africa, and organize mentoring sessions and business skills classes for local women. The goal is to get as many people as possible involved, said Odile Sankara, the festival's director.
“It’s a working class district," Sankara said. ”We want to encourage people to take an interest in art, to get a taste of it."
She added: “Art is a powerful weapon to fight for more light, more humanity and more love,” especially while her country and the whole Sahel region were going through a security and humanitarian crisis.
Claude Ilboudo, a 30-year-old from Bougsemtenga, has performed in the opening ceremonies of Recreatrales as a dancer since its first edition. He used to work as a glazier, and dancing was just his past time. But Ilboudo's life took a turn when five years ago he severely injured his right hand at work and could no longer do his job.
It was then that Ilboudo discovered a passion for theater and started working for the Recreatrales association. “Theater saved me,” he said. “It made me discover what I could do.”
This year, Ilboudo was part of the team that prepared the opening play with the internally displaced actors from scratch, including the concept, scenario and choreography. It was also the first time he personally interacted with people who had to flee their homes because of extremist violence.
For internally displaced people, theater is not just a tool for therapy, helping them to process trauma, said Sankara, the artistic director. It's a way for a group that has been marginalized and isolated in Burkinabe society to be seen by others.
During the play, Dabone, the displaced mother of three, stood at center stage with her toddler tied to her back and spit out a long, white paper strip. It symbolized all the haunting thoughts leaving her body, she said. But the question remains — for how long.
“Life is very difficult,” she said. “But when I am on the stage, I feel joy. It’s when I have to go back home that all these thoughts are coming back to my head."
The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards
for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
news headline
Hello my friends!
Greetings to you from my end....
Good night!
Vamos paso a paso, poco a poco, ya pasamos la plata! #crypto #inleo
Do you really think the government will give up control of fiat money?
not willingly
thet never will, they never ever will. And Trump said it himself. He sees Bitcoin as great but he's more focused on the dollar. The government uses fiat to control the economy. No Fiat no power.
eventually they will be forced to practice fiscal responsibility but they will always try to rob us
crypto.dreams At $88,000 Bitcoin has Flipped silv and is now the 8th largest Asset in the world by marketcap.
We are still at 10% from Gold Market Cap, but we moving up one ranking at a time. With all that buzzes around it, I believe we will see it on 2nd position in no time. And then physical gold vs digital gold will challenge themselves.
One day it will be sitting close to GOLD.
#freecompliments
OMG and keeps going up.
#leo #inleo
#novemberinleo Day 12 Hive Naija invites you to share, what something you missed or ignored this month that you wish you paid more attention to?
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
Here is My Day 8 Entry
https://inleo.io/@mikechrist/a-robot-will-assist-me-in-remembering-basic-coding-commands-brx?referral=mikechrist
heres my entry for day 11.
https://inleo.io/@marsdave/unbreakable-tiesblessings-indeed-a-blessing-exh
Hi! Here my entry. Day 5
https://inleo.io/@sirenahippie/butter-or-margarine-eng-spn--8pq
Great topic for day 12
https://inleo.io/@tengolotodo.leo/i-should-have-known-better-kpn
My entry for day 9
https://inleo.io/@bipolar95/a-meal-to-revitalize-the-soul-music-frk?referral=bipolar95
Good Day… here is my entry to Day 12
https://inleo.io/@deraaa/nothing-left-to-lose-hs8?referral=deraaa
My response to day 10 of #novemberinleo
https://inleo.io/@coolguy123/vinegar-the-sour-wine--jqu
https://inleo.io/@wiseagent/its-time-to-get-back-to-exercising-and-eating-healthy-am3
my entry for the day
https://inleo.io/@henrietta27/not-easy-to-be-vegan-in-nigeria-4hz?referral=henrietta27
Day 11
#novemberinleo #inleo #hivereachout
https://inleo.io/@mercmarg/the-value-of-friendship-d7d
boldlyMy entry for day 12
https://inleo.io/@cheeamaka/couldnt-do-me-in-october--54v?referral=cheeamaka
lMy entry for the 12th
https://inleo.io/@actioncats/i-forgot-in-october-l7z?referral=actioncats
My entry for day 3
https://ecency.com/hive-126152/@lagoticaderocio/the-bible-the-instruction-manual-engesp-338
Hi! Here my entry. Day November 13
https://inleo.io/@sirenahippie/i-love-malt-eng-spn--fr5
Here is a link to my post for day 12
https://inleo.io/@vickoly/remembering-what-matters-eja
Here is my entry for Day 12
https://inleo.io/@nkemakonam89/a-lesson-in-priorities-gmh
this is my entry
https://inleo.io/@cindynancy/october-to-remember-4l2?referral=cindynancy
when the caned drink?
My entry for day 11
https://inleo.io/@bipolar95/one-of-lifes-gift-3ht?referral=bipolar95
Hello guys! Here is my entry for day 14
https://inleo.io/@ernesto6402/always-put-the-self-first-1i?referral=ernesto6402
My entry: https://inleo.io/threads/view/ahmadmanga/re-leothreads-21uh1d99i?referral=ahmadmanga
My long form post on #Splinterlands Unit: Shock Trooper
#aiart by Night Cafe
#linkincomments #dailydook #freecompliments #cent #bbh #lolz
https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@logen9f/splinterlands-unit-spotlight-shock-trooper
That looks sick !DOOK !BBH
@logen9f! @bitcoinman likes your content! so I just sent 1 BBH to your account on behalf of @bitcoinman. (46/50)
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Go and subscribe to @ahmadmanga channel. Lions should support each others
https://inleo.io/threads/view/ahmadmanga/re-leothreads-2ufaplfwg
Next video is up! LINK Is it better?
Haha think this was really good 👏👏
You are very correct 😊😊😊😊
Well, I'm not sure if I'm going to use my Youtube channel to publish these when 3Speak goes live, but Thanks anyway~
!LUV !LOLZ
@anderssinho, @ahmadmanga(1/10) sent you LUV. | tools | discord | community | HiveWiki | <>< daily
lolztoken.com
in some people’s eyes.
Credit: marshmellowman
@anderssinho, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of ahmadmanga
(2/2)
Delegate Hive Tokens to Farm $LOLZ and earn 110% Rewards. Learn more.
Jongo win the FOMO
https://inleo.io/threads/view/jongolson/re-leothreads-2ssuatpkc
What ever this cold/flu I got, man, talk about green in the morning, just like bull run. I might have a slight fever also. Very warm the first few hours after I get out of bed/
Exactly how my day went yesterday.
Speedy recovery.
Bitcoin hit a jaw-dropping all-time high of $89,500 early Tuesday morning in Asian markets, reaching new heights no one would have dared to predict just a few weeks ago.
#bitcoin #crypto #cent
and now it has crossed to 90K I won't be surprised if I wake up tomorrow to see it at 100K and Donald Trump will say he did that
It's okay for you to start experimenting with life especially if you know that you're not late and still early!
I am now trying to re-grow my brand and rebuild it after being inactive.
I wish I can be successful!
It all starts with Hive!
#freecompliments
You will be successful, take those little steps and actions. All the best.
Thank you for the good words!
Do it!!!!
I'm doing it!
Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.
Aristotle
Conhecer a si mesmo é o começo de toda sabedoria.
#freecompliments #bbh
Remember the movie Demolition Man? The government could issue a ticket for using "inappropriate" language.
In all seriousness, this is arguably the most prophetic movie ever made. The writers could have taught Nostradamus a thing or two!
The seashells though...
But he didn't care! 😂
John Spartan:
Simon Phoenix:
Yeah, awesome movie. I just don't want anybody seizing my assets. Except Sandra Bullock; she can seize whatever she wants.
!LOL !BBH !DOOK
lolztoken.com
Steal her blanket.
Credit: reddit
@alex-rourke, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of chaosmagic23
(1/10)
@alex-rourke! @chaosmagic23 likes your content! so I just sent 1 BBH to your account on behalf of @chaosmagic23. (1/50)
(html comment removed:
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finally a worthy brother 🤣 I'll let Sandra take my house and then I'll ask her if I can live with her 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yes yes the one with Rambo and blade😍😍😍 you're right that's a next level control over the people man. At that point I'll just shut my mouth and whenever someone talks I'll say please that's all🤣
I haven't seen that in a long time.
Yo InLeo ... here is a green candle for you :)
Thanks Bro! Have not seen you here for a while.
Welcome back!
Hello foodie Lions 🦁! Happy Tuesday. Welcome to today's show. 🥗🍲🫕
This is the #threadcast for Day 140 of the #foodtalk on Leo 12/11/2024 for 11/11/2024. It's time for some meal inspirations and food conversation. Don't forget to use #foodtalk in your comments.
Discussion
More about food with tips and tricks will be dropped in the threadcast. Upvote the comments you find interesting & connect with others. Let's have fun. #foodie
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Dinner is on the table in record time, thanks to these healthy recipes. From creamy soups to cozy casseroles, you'll end your day feeling full and satisfied.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken
Make a pot of this creamy, veggie-packed soup and enjoy it throughout the week. This soup uses rotisserie chicken to save time, but you could also use any leftover cooked chicken you have on hand.
Check them out in the comments. 👇
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #CreamyChickenNoodleSoup #RotisserieChicken
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Chhole (Chickpea Curry)
Made with convenient canned beans, you can prep this curry recipe ahead of time. When you're ready to eat, grab some naan and serve.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #Chhole #ChickpeaCurry
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Vegan Grain Bowl
Sweet potatoes, chickpeas and avocado are delicious, satisfying additions to these grain bowls. Make for dinner one night and then save the leftovers for other meals throughout the week.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #VeganGrainBowl #Sweetpotatoes #chickpeas #avocado
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Sheet-Pan Sausage & Peppers
Make this sausage and peppers recipe ahead of time, then plan to use it for dinners throughout the week. One night, they could be added to a roll for a classic sandwich, or cut up and tossed with pasta.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #SheetPanSausage #veggies
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Italian Wedding Soup
This quick soup calls for Easy Chicken Meatballs. Prep a batch of the meatballs ahead of time, then use them in this soup that's on the table in just 20 minutes.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #ItalianWeddingSoup #ChickenMeatballs #Italiandish
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Sloppy Joe Casserole
This hearty casserole is an easy way to eat your veggies. Plus, it makes six servings, so you can prep this on Sunday and enjoy leftovers later in the week.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #Casserole #SloppyJoeCasserole
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Air-Fryer Salmon Cakes
Make a batch of these flavorful salmon cakes ahead of time, then reheat and serve over leafy greens for a quick, nutritious dinner.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #AirFryerSalmonCakes #SalmonCakes #Salmon
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Asparagus & Chicken Sausage
Made with convenient, store-bought ingredients, this dinner comes together easily thanks to ingredients like riced cauliflower and pre-grilled asparagus.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #CauliflowerRiceBowls #GrilledAsparagus #Cauliflower #Asparagus
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs
When it comes to meal prep, making just one part of the meal ahead of time can make a huge difference. Prep a batch of these chicken thighs and keep them on hand. Add to pasta or toss over salad greens for a boost of protein. You could also cut the thighs up and make chicken salad for lunch.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #OvenRoastedChickenThighs #OvenRoastedChicken #chicken
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Dinner
Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole
This cheesy casserole makes six servings, so you can enjoy it on one night and reheat leftovers on another. If you plan to add toppings like sour cream, wait until you're ready to eat.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #CheesyGroundBeef #CauliflowerCasserole #cheesycasserole
ThePrep: Practical One-Pot Dinners to Make This Fall
One-pot recipes to rely on when you’re extra busy!
Cooking dinner is just one of the many after-work tasks we all do each day. There's laundry to fold, rooms to clean and family members to care for. Not to mention fitting in things like exercise or visits with friends! So during especially packed weeks, I rely on practical dinners that make getting a healthy meal on the table—and cleanup afterward—a breeze. This week's delicious dinners are made using a single pot, sheet pan, skillet or slow cooker to keep your evenings easy.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #OnePotDinners #Onepotmeal
Your Meal Plan 👈 Begin here.
I'm especially looking forward to Monday's Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry. I try to follow #meatlessmondays, and this beautiful curry bowl is a satisfying plant-based option. This recipe uses healthy convenience ingredients to keep things simple, like jarred coconut curry sauce, canned chickpeas and a package of precooked rice—three items I keep in my pantry at all times, so I can whip up this recipe on a whim. By using precooked rice, I can keep this dinner to one skillet. If you don't mind dirtying a second dish, follow our recipe to make Easy Brown Rice.
Check the comments for your week's meal plan. 👇
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #weeklymealplan #recipes
Your Meal Plan 👈 Begin here.
My skillet, Dutch oven and sheet pan all get put to work in other dinners this week, and I'm pulling out my slow cooker for the first time this season to make Wednesday's Slow-Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Noodle Soup. This cozy soup is just what I'm craving as the temperature drops. The best part about this slow-cooker recipe is that it can be prepped in a quick 15 minutes, so I can realistically get it ready before signing on for work in the morning. But to save even more time on prep, I'll plan on chopping the onion and bell pepper the night before.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #weeklymealplan #recipes
Your Meal Plan 👈 Begin here.
Sunday: Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #weeklymealplan #recipes #CreamyChicken #BrusselsSprouts #Mushrooms #OnePotPasta
Your Meal Plan 👈 Begin here.
Monday: Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthydinner #dinnerideas #weeklymealplan #recipes #ChickpeaCurry #VeganCoconutChickpeaCurry #Chickpea
Welcome to another episode of the #foodtalk on Leo, Day 140. Join the #food conversation, share your meals and check out the healthy meal prep ideas for dinner.
What food are you craving for? #foodtalk #cravings #food
Check out the Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Breakfast.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthybreakfast #breakfastideas #Smoothie
Check out the Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Lunch.
#foodtalk #mealprepping #mealprep #healthymealideas #healthylunch #lunchideas #ProteinBistro #LunchBox
Rice, meat balls and a fresh salad. All made in 30 minutes. Yummy!! #foodtalk
If you've been following Warren Buffett you'd notice of late he's being extra cautious, selling stocks and holding $325 billion in liquid cash. I'm thinking he’s waiting for better deals when the market drops or preparing to invest in AI
One Piece : Albida (Pirate)
#cent
Capital gains on cryptocurrency?
Not happening for me. I lost my cold wallet in a rocket accident.
wait for real 😳 you had a rocket accident, you lost the wallet and survived the accident. Nice one man 🤣🤣🤣
A crypto trader accidentally sent $25 million to the wrong address and is offering a $2.5 million reward for help recovering it.
This is when I'm wishing I paid attention to hacking 🤦 and stopping being a sissy about it
Hello to the world, InLeo World!!! How's everyone's day going. One word for Bitcoin today : ROLLERCOASTER 🤣
Proof of Concept: My INLEO Shorts Idea
I want to convert some of my posts into short videos and publish them on #youtube and #3speak. What do you think of this prototype? Anything you'd want to change/improve? #freecompliments #bbh #cent
Youtube Short LINK
Tell me your opinion, guys! @taskmaster4450le @khaleelkazi @anderssinho @selfhelp4trolls @jimmy.adames @idksamad678699
I would recommend you let the voiceover speak 1,5 faster, and I would rather see moving images so maybe a funny animated character could say these words. As is now most people just will scroll away.
Hmmmm... That's understandable, but won't 1.5x faster makes it harder to hear?
Try it. I listen to everz whatsapp voicemessage on 1,5 speed because I like it more.
youtube shorts are a very competitive zone. you only have a split of a second to grab peoples attention.
How about this, I tried to take your advice while sticking with my own vision. What do you think: LINK ...?
Can we not show youtube with inleo now?
Its a good idea, if its not to hard maybe make the images move 👏
Love the
Also I subscribed to your channel 👏👏
Thanks!
Hmmmm... Any advice on how to make the images move? Maybe I should use a blurred gameplay video background, or you want the foreground to move?
Also, the QR Code links to the post, do you think it's good or is it distracting?
It is a great idea. I like stuff like that. If you can automate that process go for it.
#gmfrens Almost slept until 6:00 am
https://inleo.io/@solymi/broll-photowalks-the-images-that-did-not-make-it-dvu
#feedback any thoughts ????
https://inleo.io/threads/view/dkid14/re-dkid14-2vmbuvup2
Llama vs Dolphin
So, I was looking for the best uncensored models at a size that I can use on my device... Decided to go for Dolphin's Phi2.7 this time. Yup, it's #uncensored, all right! #llms #ai #learning #freecompliments
Anyone interested in SpookyPops NFT by @djynn?
If you own this NFT, you can enter in future HSBI Share Giveaways that she will be hosting.
Please reply if you want one.
I will mention you to apply and you may win a NFT!
Happy Tuesday, we keeping the contest going but you also have to check in to the threadcast best of luck !DOOK !BBH
https://inleo.io/threads/view/bitcoinman/re-leothreads-2wm5btyuq?referral=bitcoinman
Every day you learn
Townsend, Massachusetts, originally spelled Townshend, dropped the h in a patriotic move after the unpopular Townshend Acts of 1767, officially adopting the new spelling by 1780. 🇺🇸✨ #history #facts
A veces me equivoco y a veces aprendo, todo esta en el toque de humor del día.
#spanish #bbh #humanitas #silverbloggers #morning #freecompliments #tuesday
What do you prefer, butter or margarine? Here I tell you which one is my favorite #novemberinleo #foodiesbeehive #inleo #foodie
https://inleo.io/@sirenahippie/butter-or-margarine-eng-spn--8pq
I prefer margarine....
!DOOK