Month: November 2024

No one is spared in the tech industry: the Mozilla Foundation lays off 30% of its staff

The Mozilla Foundation, the non-profit organization behind the Mozilla Firefox browser, has laid off 30% of its staff to adapt to what it describes as a “relentless wave of changes.” Brandon Borrman, Mozilla’s head of communications, confirmed the layoffs in an email sent to TechCrunch, where he detailed that this decision is in response to the need to restructure teams and “increase agility and impact” in their work towards “a more open and equitable technical future.” Mozilla is structured into several entities, including Mozilla Corporation, which develops Firefox and other tools, and the Mozilla Foundation, […]

The Mozilla Foundation, the non-profit organization behind the Mozilla Firefox browser, has laid off 30% of its staff to adapt to what it describes as a “relentless onslaught of changes.” Brandon Borrman, Mozilla’s head of communications, confirmed the layoffs in an email sent to TechCrunch, where he detailed that this decision is in response to the need to restructure teams and “increase agility and impact” in their work towards “a more open and equitable technical future.”

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Mozilla is structured into several entities, including Mozilla Corporation, which develops Firefox and other tools, and the Mozilla Foundation, which oversees the direction and defines the organization’s policies. The foundation maintains its focus on promoting privacy, inclusion, and greater transparency on the internet, and has highlighted its commitment to creating “safer online experiences” for users.

In its 2022 annual statements, the Foundation detailed that it had 60 employees; however, at the time of these latest layoffs, the staff was closer to 120 workers, according to close sources. Mozilla already carried out another staff cut in February of this year, which affected 60 workers responsible for the development of the Firefox browser.

Mozilla’s CEO, Nabiha Syed, announced the layoffs on October 30 in a message to the staff, indicating that the “advocacy” and “global programs” divisions would no longer be part of the foundation’s structure. According to Syed, these measures aim to consolidate a “unified and powerful narrative” at Mozilla, which includes revamping strategic communications to improve internal and external cohesion.

Syed, who took on his role in February after leading The Markup, a website dedicated to data journalism, stated that Mozilla is facing a time of distractions that requires a “very direct focus”, and concluded his letter by saying that “sometimes, saying goodbye to the excellent work that has brought us here is necessary to achieve new goals.”

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Anthropic launches its new AI… and it is much more expensive than its predecessors

Anthropic has launched its latest AI model, Claude 3.5 Haiku, this week, but at a price four times higher than its previous version. “We have increased the price of Claude 3.5 Haiku to reflect its increased intelligence,” the company stated on Twitter, highlighting that, in tests conducted, the model outperformed its predecessor Claude 3 Opus in several technical aspects. Criticism of the price increase was quick to follow. For example, a Twitter user responded to the company’s post: “It’s your economic model that competes against other economic models, […]

Anthropic has launched its latest AI model, Claude 3.5 Haiku, this week, but at a price four times higher than its previous version. “We have increased the price of Claude 3.5 Haiku to reflect its increased intelligence,” the company stated on Twitter, highlighting that in tests conducted, the model outperformed its predecessor Claude 3 Opus in several technical aspects.

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The criticisms of the price increase have not been long in coming. For example, a Twitter user responded the following to the company’s post: “It’s your economic model that competes against other economic models, why would you make it less competitive?” Mckay Wrigley, developer of TakeOffAI, also commented on the social network that the price increase could generate backlash, and suggested that the company simply “say it’s more expensive” without trying to justify it.

The new Claude 3.5 Haiku now costs $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output tokens, compared to the 25 cents and $1.25 of the previous version. This makes it a more expensive alternative than some low-cost models on the market, such as Google’s Gemini 1.5 Flash or OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini.

In an interview with Ars Technica, researcher Simon Willison noted the disappearance of Claude 3.5 Opus and the price increase of Haiku since its launch. Willison stated that Anthropic might be opting to make their advanced models more exclusive, although the price difference with other economical options remains notable.

However, although Claude 3.5 Haiku offers longer texts and more recent training data, the new model no longer supports image analysis, a feature widely used in previous versions. According to Alex Albert from Anthropic, the previous model will remain available for those who need these functionalities and a more economical price. It is important to note that Claude 3.5 Haiku is only available in the Anthropic API and on platforms like AWS Bedrock, and it is not listed on the Claude.ai website.

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The detail in GTA V that they included just to tease the fans

Like Mulder in The X-Files, we want to believe. Maybe that’s why we come up with crazy theories about movies and TV shows, cling to video game bugs believing they reveal forbidden secrets (as happened back in the day with MissingNo in Pokémon), or expand the lore of the things we love as much as we can in fanfictions or fanart until we can’t anymore. And the curious thing is that, on the other side, the creators are shrugging their shoulders and saying, “What are they doing?” It’s a mystery! Let’s take the example of GTA 5, a game that has been explored from top to bottom during […]

Like Mulder in The X-Files, we want to believe. Maybe that’s why we come up with crazy theories about movies and TV shows, cling to video game bugs believing they reveal forbidden secrets (as happened with MissingNo in Pokémon) or expand the lore of the things we love as much as we can in fanfictions or fanart until we can’t anymore. And the curious thing is that, on the other side, the creators are shrugging their shoulders and saying “What are they doing?”

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It’s a mystery!

Let’s take the example of GTA 5, a game that has been explored from top to bottom over the last eleven years and whose fans know every nook and cranny. Well, more or less, because there is still a point where everything turns into theory: the mystery of the mural on Mount Chiliad. It even has a subreddit with more than 44,000 people trying to uncover the truth about it.

The problem is that, as one of Rockstar’s former employees, Ben Hinchliffe, just said, the idea was simply to play with everyone’s expectations: “Obviously, we always want to put those really complex easter eggs that we want very dedicated players to follow until they solve them. But like with all easter eggs, sometimes you just put them in to mess with people. They don’t do anything. You just want to drive people a little crazy.” And as an example, he indeed mentioned… the Mount Chiliad mural. There you go, mystery solved: there was no mystery.

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The video game in which Elon Musk has become one of the best players in the world

Between managing Twitter, SpaceX, Tesla, and being an advisor to Donald Trump, one would think that Elon Musk wouldn’t have time for anything at all. And yet, he has had plenty of time to become one of the top 20 players in one of the most important video games of recent times: Diablo 4. How has he achieved this? Where has he found the time? Has he been playing, or has he hired someone to play for him between meetings? Many, many unanswered questions. Don Diablo has escaped The richest man in the world—and, paradoxically, one of the […]

Between managing Twitter, SpaceX, Tesla, and being an advisor to Donald Trump, one would think that Elon Musk wouldn’t have time for anything at all. And yet, he has had plenty of time to become one of the top 20 players in one of the most important video games of recent times: Diablo 4. How has he achieved this? Where has he found the time? Has he been playing himself, or has he hired someone to play for him between meetings? There are many, many unanswered questions.

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Don Diablo has escaped

The richest man in the world—and, paradoxically, one of the most attention-seeking and eager to go viral and be liked—has revealed that he is in the world’s top 20. “There are only two Americans, the rest, almost everyone, is from Asia.” And no, he is not exaggerating or making things up to seem much more clever to his followers. It can be verified that he is number 20 among the fastest players in the world to complete The Pit at its most difficult level.

The Well is a particularly challenging post-game activity in Diablo IV, and it remains surprising that Musk managed to complete it in just 2 minutes and 45 seconds (46 seconds more than the number one, the other American player, Resistance). By the way: it’s no coincidence, and not the first time the entrepreneur has claimed to be a staunch fan of the game.

In Joe Rogan’s podcast, where he revealed his position, he also stated that playing helps him relax in tense moments: “If I’m trying to have an extremely good time in Diablo or something like that, or in an FPS, I can feel that I’m tired or my brain isn’t working as well as it should. It’s like a mental calibration.” Think that the next time someone kills you in an online game, it could be the most famous adult-child of the 21st century, simply taking a break from sending rockets into space.

AMD fully enters AI with its first LLM

AMD has introduced its first series of large language models (LLM) with 1 billion parameters and open source, called AMD OLMo, aimed at various applications and pre-trained on the company’s Instinct MI250 GPUs. AMD’s open-source LLMs aim to improve the company’s position in the AI industry and enable its customers (and everyone) to deploy these open-source models with AMD hardware. By making the data, weights, training recipes, and code public, AMD intends to enable developers not only […]

AMD has introduced its first series of large language models (LLM) with 1 billion parameters and open source, called AMD OLMo, aimed at various applications and pre-trained on the company’s Instinct MI250 GPUs.

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AMD’s open-source LLMs aim to improve the company’s position in the AI industry and enable its customers (and everyone) to deploy these open-source models with AMD hardware.

By making the data, weights, training recipes, and code public, AMD aims to enable developers not only to reproduce the models but also to build upon them to continue innovating.

Beyond use in data centers, AMD has enabled the local deployment of OLMo models on AMD Ryzen AI PCs equipped with neural processing units (NPUs), allowing developers to leverage AI models on personal devices.

Everything we know about AMD’s LLM

The AMD OLMo models were trained on a broad dataset of 1.3 trillion tokens across 16 nodes, each with four AMD Instinct MI250 GPUs (64 processors in total). The AMD OLMo model line was trained in three steps.

In AMD’s own tests, AMD’s OLMo models showed impressive performance against similarly sized open-source models, such as TinyLlama-1.1B, MobiLlama-1B, and OpenELM-1_1B in standard benchmark tests for general reasoning capabilities and multitasking comprehension.

The two-phase SFT model experienced significant improvements in accuracy, with a 5.09% increase in MMLU scores and a 15.32% increase in GSM8k, demonstrating the impact of AMD’s training approach.

The final model AMD OLMo 1B SFT DPO outperformed other open-source chat models by at least 2.60% on average in benchmark tests.

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Additionally, AMD tested responsible AI tests, such as ToxiGen (which measures toxic language, where a lower score is better), crows_pairs (which evaluates bias), and TruthfulQA-mc2 (which assesses truthfulness in responses). And it was found that AMD’s OLMo models were on par with similar models in handling ethical and responsible AI tasks.

Whether you like it or not, Hogwarts Legacy 2 will have an expected crossover

The magical world of Harry Potter is not going through its best moment. This is no secret: JK Rowling has earned the dislike of a large part of the fandom due to her transphobic ideas, younger generations tend to laugh at millennials who are too much fans of the saga, and its popularity has declined so much that even sagas that were supposed to be immortal like Fantastic Beasts have ended up through the back door. However, at Warner, they are sure they still have a diamond in their hands that just needs polishing. And they think they know how. Harry Potter Cinematic Universe And it is […]

The magical world of Harry Potter is not going through its best moment. This is no secret: JK Rowling has earned the dislike of a large part of the fandom for her transphobic ideas, younger generations tend to laugh at millennials who are too much fans of the saga, and its popularity has declined so much that even sagas that were supposed to be immortal like Fantastic Beasts have ended through the back door. However, Warner is sure that they still have a diamond in their hands that just needs polishing. And they think they know how.

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Harry Potter cinematic universe

And there are two projects in the future prepared to resurrect the saga (or take it to the pits eternally). On one hand, the Max reboot in the form of a series, which will premiere throughout 2026 and about which we still know very -very- little. On the other hand, the sequel to the only thing that has really worked for the Wizarding World lately: Hogwarts Legacy 2 is already in preparation and they have not wanted to take any risks.

That is why they have already announced that the narratives of both products will be interconnected and their creators are coordinating to create, so to speak, a Marvel Universe but for Hogwarts. David Haddad, the head of games at Warner, has stated that “our data indicates that there are no major distinctions between the young and adult versions of a fan. They are deep fans of Harry Potter, and we try to build authentic experiences to delight them.” Which is the same as saying nothing, but at least it seems they are interested in preserving the “experience.”

However, the most critical fans can rest assured with all this, because JK Rowling is out of everything related to the saga beyond the books, although they still consult her: “If we are going to go further in a conversation about the canon, we want to make sure everyone is comfortable with what we do.” We will have to see if Hogwarts Legacy 2 and Max’s Harry Potter share, in the end, something more than just a couple of background references… because it doesn’t seem like Rowling will let them go much further.

Google is off the hook: it is not responsible for Google Play gift card scams

Gift card scams are a very popular tactic worldwide, where scammers trick people into buying the cards and providing the codes they contain so that criminals can access the money without leaving a trace. Companies like Google, where their Google Play gift cards represent a large part of the business pie, take a commission for these gift card purchases ranging from 15 to 30% per purchase. And now a federal judge says that Google has no responsibility in the scams with all that […]

Gift card scams are a very popular tactic worldwide, where scammers trick people into buying the cards and providing the codes they contain so that criminals can access the money without leaving a trace.

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Companies like Google, for which Google Play gift cards represent a large part of the business pie, take a commission on these gift card purchases ranging from 15 to 30% per purchase. And now a federal judge says that Google has no responsibility in the scams with all that it implies.

Story of a scam that led to a federal complaint

The story begins in April 2021, when Judy May, a resident of Brownsville (Indiana), was the victim of a scammer who pretended to be a relative and told her she could qualify for a federal grant if she purchased Google Play gift cards.

Judy May was told she had to send codes from the back of gift cards to cover certain costs in advance and receive the grant money on the same day. She says she lost $1,000 due to the scam, money that Google refused to reimburse her.

May filed a class action lawsuit against Google in which she accused the company of illegally profiting from scams by refusing to refund money to victims. The lawsuit also claimed that Google engaged in a series of unfair practices and should place warnings on its gift cards informing buyers of potential scams.

District Judge Beth Labson Freeman dismissed the lawsuit this week. The judge stated that it was the scammers, not Google, who persuaded May to buy the cards, and added that the plaintiff had not demonstrated that Google knew it was receiving stolen funds or that it was the cause of the losses.

By the way, Google receives between 15% and 30% commission for the purchase of gift cards. Despite this, Judge Freeman said that the tech giant was not responsible for keeping the money, as Google’s conduct was not related to the original fraud.

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Freeman also said that Google did not engage in unfair practices and agreed with the company’s opinion that the funds were not considered stolen when May purchased the cards.

According to the FTC, Americans lost $217 million in gift card or reload card scams last year, and that only includes the cases that were reported.

Instagram will use AI to detect teenagers who lie about their age: be careful about lying

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Meta will use artificial intelligence to predict the age of its Instagram users and automatically transfer those under 18 to a teen account if it believes they are lying about their age. In response to international protests about the impact of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook on teenagers’ mental health, Meta introduced teen accounts in September. Teen accounts, for children aged 13 to 17, have built-in limits on who can contact them and what content they can […]

According to a new Bloomberg report, Meta will use artificial intelligence to predict the age of its Instagram users and automatically transfer those under 18 to a teen account if it believes they are lying about their age.

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In the wake of international protests about the impact of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook on the mental health of teenagers, Meta introduced accounts for teenagers in September.

Teen accounts, for children aged 13 to 17, have built-in limits on who can contact them and what content they can see. They are automatically set to hide potentially offensive comments and message requests.

How the AI that will classify teenagers and adults works

Secure accounts for teenagers will only work if those under 18 voluntarily choose to use them or are honest about their age, which is why Meta has devised a way to enforce the appropriate accounts.

The patented computer tool that Meta has developed, called the “adult classifier,” will come into play next year and is designed to classify users into two groups: under or over 18 years old.

According to Allison Hartnet, director of youth product management and social impact at Meta, the tool will scan a user’s profile, the content they interact with, and their follower list to determine their age. Even innocuous “happy birthday” messages can be used to determine a user’s true age.

Since teen accounts are new and currently voluntary, there is a large base of teenage users on Instagram who use regular adult accounts. Meta plans to start moving teenagers who have voluntarily provided their age information to the new teen accounts very soon and introduce the “adult classifier” early next year.

This is Meta’s latest attempt to address some of the public outcry over the impact of social media on teenagers. In 2021, a report published in the Wall Street Journal showed that Meta’s reports indicated it knew Instagram was harmful to teenagers’ mental health, especially for teenage girls.

Snoopy will soon appear on our TV screens: tvOS 18.2 adds four new screensavers

There are already several new features we have discovered in the second beta of iOS 18.2 and the rest of the systems. We are talking about the ability to see how much time is left to charge the iPhone or the ability to share the location of an object in the Find My app with anyone. In tvOS 18.2 there are also new features, and the main one will make more than one person smile: the lovable Snoopy will be part of our screensavers. According to what MacRumors has discovered in the code, tvOS 18.2 will add four new screensaver categories to further customize our screens: Snoopy, TV and Movies, […]

There are already several new features we have discovered in the second beta of iOS 18.2 and the rest of the systems. We are talking about the possibility of seeing how much time is left to charge the iPhone or the ability to share the location of an object in the Find My app with anyone. In tvOS 18.2 there are also new features, and the main one will make more than one person smile: the lovable Snoopy will be part of our screensavers. According to what MacRumors has discovered in the code, tvOS 18.2 will add four new screensaver categories to further customize our screens: Snoopy, TV and Movies, Music, and Soundscapes.

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The world’s most famous beagle is on the way

The update is expected for December 2024, coinciding with the holiday season, and everything indicates that the screensavers themselves will appear in the RC of the beta, a week before the official release. Meanwhile, by taking the Apple Watch face, we can draw some conclusions.

As far as we know, Snoopy and Woodstock will stroll across the screen with various animations. They will interact with the edges, wave, and at times, simply take a nap on their iconic red house.

According to Apple, to enjoy some of the screensavers, including the Snoopy one, it will be necessary to have a second-generation or later Apple TV 4K.

In addition to Snoopy, Apple has announced the categories of TV and Movies, Music, and Soundscapes as screensavers. These options will transform our screens into an animated showcase of scenes from movies and series, images inspired by the music we listen to, and more abstract animations like water droplets or similar.

For now, we will have to wait to have more information, but it seems that the world’s most famous beagle is already on its way to our televisions. Good news for Peanuts fans and also for those who might prefer more options when setting up the Apple TV screensaver.

One of the best chase movies featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks is coming to Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video continues to acquire the best movies and series for its catalog, not only in terms of new releases but also classics from the history of cinema. Now, it has just added a film that was a box office hit in its time and is led by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks: Catch Me If You Can. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this 2002 movie tells a story inspired by real events that combines intrigue, humor, and a constant cat-and-mouse game like few others have done in cinema. Without a doubt, already […]

Amazon Prime Video continues to acquire the best movies and series for its catalog, not only in terms of new releases, but also classics from the history of cinema. Now, it has just added a film that was a box office hit in its time and is led by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks: Catch Me If You Can.

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Directed by Steven Spielberg, this 2002 film tells a story inspired by real events that combines intrigue, humor, and a constant game of cat and mouse like few others have done in cinema before. Undoubtedly, it is already considered a modern classic, and it is worth revisiting as many times as necessary.

A modern classic

The film tells the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., played by DiCaprio, a young and brilliant con artist who at 16 years old embarks on a life of deception and disguises, managing to impersonate an airline pilot, doctor, and lawyer, all while evading the law and amassing a fortune through forged checks. But Frank’s genius and charisma do not go unnoticed, and soon FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks) begins to relentlessly pursue him across various countries and under different identities.

The film stands out for its ability to capture the spirit of the 60s, with detailed art direction that transports viewers to an era of glamour and endless possibilities in which the United States was much more than just a country. And of course, the soundtrack composed by John Williams perfectly complements this journey through time, with touches of jazz and rhythms that evoke the elegance and mystery of the era. A film that must be seen at least once in a lifetime, and is now available on Prime Video.

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