Cloud services

Tech Optimizer
June 10, 2025
Databricks acquired Neon for billion, which specializes in serverless PostgreSQL services and claims that 80% of its databases are generated by AI. This acquisition aims to integrate Neon's architecture into the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. Snowflake acquired Crunchy Data for [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: In recent weeks, the landscape of database technology has witnessed significant shifts as both Snowflake and Databricks have strategically utilized their acquisition funds to enhance their offerings in the PostgreSQL domain. Databricks Acquires Neon In May, Databricks, known for its data lake solutions built around Apache Spark, made headlines by acquiring Neon for a reported billion in equity. Neon specializes in serverless PostgreSQL services and has made a remarkable claim that 80 percent of the databases it provisions are generated automatically by AI agents rather than human intervention. This acquisition is poised to integrate Neon's innovative architecture into the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform, enabling developers and enterprise teams to efficiently construct and deploy AI-driven systems. Snowflake's Purchase of Crunchy Data Following this, at the beginning of the month, Snowflake, a prominent player in the cloud data warehouse sector, announced its acquisition of Crunchy Data for 0 million. Crunchy Data is recognized for providing PostgreSQL clusters that support both transactional and analytical systems across various environments, including managed cloud services, Kubernetes deployments, and on-premises solutions. Snowflake plans to leverage this acquisition to develop "Snowflake Postgres," allowing users to run any Postgres-dependent application directly on its data and analytics platform. Strategic Insights from Industry Leaders Databricks CEO and co-founder Ali Ghodsi articulated the vision behind the Neon acquisition, emphasizing the intent to attract not only startups but also enterprise customers. He noted that approximately 70 percent of their clientele operates legacy databases that are costly and stagnant. Ghodsi highlighted the eagerness of enterprises to transition to modern solutions that align with the demands of the AI era, revealing that extensive discussions over the past six months confirmed strong interest in the acquisition. Henry Cook, a senior director analyst at Gartner, remarked on the implications of these acquisitions for both Snowflake and Databricks. He pointed out that their historical focus on analytical systems positions them well to penetrate the operational and transactional market over time. Cook noted a growing trend towards the integration of transactional and analytical systems, where transactional data feeds into analytical frameworks, allowing for real-time insights and feedback. This evolution could enable users to create applications that blend both analytical and transactional functionalities. Impact on the PostgreSQL Community For the PostgreSQL community, these developments signify a promising expansion of choices and support for the open-source database. Robin Schumacher, a senior research director and analyst at Gartner, highlighted the challenges faced by data warehouse and analytic vendors attempting to enter the operational database management system (DBMS) market. While companies like Teradata and Vertica have struggled, Snowflake's introduction of Unistore has seen limited traction. Schumacher believes that the trust associated with PostgreSQL could provide both Snowflake and Databricks a unique opportunity to succeed where others have faltered." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] million, known for providing PostgreSQL clusters for various environments, to develop "Snowflake Postgres" for running Postgres-dependent applications on its platform. Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi noted the intent to attract enterprise customers transitioning from legacy databases. Gartner's Henry Cook mentioned the potential for integrating transactional and analytical systems, while Robin Schumacher highlighted the opportunities for Snowflake and Databricks in the PostgreSQL community amidst challenges faced by other vendors.
Winsage
June 3, 2025
Many users are paying recurring fees for Microsoft 365 subscriptions for applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. A one-time purchase option for Microsoft Office is available for .99, which includes essential applications and eliminates ongoing costs. This version supports macOS Ventura and is optimized for Retina displays. It offers lifetime access without the need for monthly payments, making it a more economical choice compared to Microsoft 365, which costs 0 annually. A Windows version is also available. The deal provides a stable version of Office without unexpected updates or changes.
Tech Optimizer
June 3, 2025
Snowflake has acquired Crunchy Data, a provider of open-source PostgreSQL solutions, for approximately [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Snowflake has made a strategic move by acquiring Crunchy Data, a notable provider of open-source PostgreSQL solutions. This acquisition paves the way for the introduction of Snowflake Postgres, a managed PostgreSQL database tailored for AI and transactional workloads within the Snowflake AI Data Cloud. The deal, expected to finalize shortly, involves an investment of approximately 0 million, as reported by CNBC. This acquisition aims to enhance Snowflake's platform with Crunchy Data's operational expertise, compliance capabilities, and deep knowledge of PostgreSQL. In light of the growing demand for robust enterprise-grade Postgres solutions capable of supporting production-scale applications and AI systems, Snowflake asserts that Snowflake Postgres will empower developers with the full capabilities of open-source Postgres. At the same time, it will ensure the governance, security, and operational standards that enterprises require. Addressing Enterprise Challenges with Postgres PostgreSQL is a favored choice among developers due to its open-source nature, flexibility, and support for advanced features like vector embeddings. However, many enterprises encounter challenges with traditional Postgres deployments, particularly in areas such as security, compliance, and scalability. Snowflake emphasizes that managing sensitive data, powering critical AI applications, and operating within regulated industries necessitate robust security and compliance measures that exceed what is typically offered by platforms designed for rapid experimentation. With Snowflake Postgres, the company aims to tackle these challenges by providing a fully managed, secure, and compliant Postgres option seamlessly integrated into the Snowflake platform. This integration is anticipated to minimize operational silos and streamline development workflows. Expanding Use Cases for AI and Transactional Workloads Once operational, Snowflake Postgres will facilitate the use of Postgres-based applications without necessitating extensive code rewrites, while also fostering new development opportunities. Companies heavily invested in the Postgres ecosystem will find it easier to migrate and run existing applications on Snowflake without the need for significant modifications to their codebase. This new offering will complement Unistore, Snowflake’s solution for unifying transactional and analytical data, thereby broadening the scope of Snowflake's capabilities for AI workloads. Why Crunchy Data? Crunchy Data brings a wealth of experience in managed Postgres, Kubernetes-based deployments, and compliance-oriented infrastructure. Snowflake highlights that Crunchy Data’s strong commitment to developers and the open-source community, coupled with their readiness for enterprise applications, makes them an ideal partner for this endeavor. The Crunchy platform offers a range of features, including built-in metrics, connection pooling, logging support, and developer tools. Their solutions encompass managed cloud services, Kubernetes deployments, and on-premise options, showcasing their versatility in meeting diverse customer needs. Customer Reaction Initial feedback from Snowflake’s customer base indicates a positive reception towards the Postgres integration. Chris Burchett, SVP of generative AI at Blue Yonder, expressed enthusiasm, stating that incorporating PostgreSQL technology into the Snowflake ecosystem presents an opportunity for development teams to enhance and streamline benefits for their customers. Dan Maloney, CEO of Landing AI, remarked on the potential impact of having direct access to a PostgreSQL database within Snowflake, emphasizing that this integration could significantly simplify the process of building, deploying, and running AI applications on the Snowflake platform. Snowflake has articulated that this acquisition aligns with its long-term vision of establishing itself as the central hub for enterprise data workloads, further solidifying its position in the market." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] million. This acquisition will lead to the introduction of Snowflake Postgres, a managed PostgreSQL database designed for AI and transactional workloads within the Snowflake AI Data Cloud. Snowflake Postgres aims to offer developers the full capabilities of open-source Postgres while ensuring necessary governance, security, and compliance for enterprises. The integration of Crunchy Data's expertise is expected to address challenges related to security, compliance, and scalability in traditional Postgres deployments. Snowflake Postgres will allow companies to run Postgres-based applications with minimal code changes and will complement Snowflake’s Unistore solution for unifying transactional and analytical data. Initial customer feedback has been positive, highlighting the potential benefits of this integration for development teams and AI applications.
Winsage
June 1, 2025
The author's PC experienced significant issues while trying to run DOOM: The Dark Ages, primarily due to problems with NVIDIA RTX graphics drivers on a system equipped with an Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA RTX 5080. The Windows 11 Start Menu became unresponsive, leading to a complete system failure despite attempts to roll back and update drivers. The author used a USB drive with a Linux installer as a temporary solution but continued to face crashes. Attempts to reinstall Windows were complicated by an incorrectly formatted USB stick, which needed to be exFAT. Ultimately, the author resolved the issues by wiping both SSDs and creating fresh partitions. The author also noted the complexity and bloat of Windows 11 compared to the simplicity of ChromeOS, which has become a reliable alternative for tasks and gaming.
Winsage
May 22, 2025
Employees at Microsoft have reported issues with emails containing specific keywords related to the Gaza conflict, such as “Palestine,” “Gaza,” “apartheid,” and “genocide,” which were either delayed or missing, while emails with the word “Israel” were unaffected. Delays of up to 45 minutes were noted, and the term “Palestinian” did not trigger the same issues. Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw stated that the company manages politically charged emails and discourages non-work-related discussions. The company's actions have faced criticism for being overly restrictive, especially following employee protests against Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli government. Reports indicated increased use of Microsoft’s Azure services by the Israeli military during the conflict, although Microsoft claimed no evidence of its technology being used to cause harm was found.
Winsage
May 22, 2025
Brian Eno has written an open letter to Microsoft titled “Not in My Name,” urging the company to stop providing artificial intelligence and cloud services to the Israeli military. He expresses concern that Microsoft's technological contributions could enable war crimes, stating that the company has acknowledged its support for Israel’s Ministry of Defense. Eno plans to donate his fee from the Windows 95 project to aid victims of the conflict in Gaza. He references a Microsoft blog post about the company's software and services being used by the Israeli government in ways condemned by legal scholars and human rights organizations. Eno emphasizes that selling advanced AI and cloud services to a government involved in systemic ethnic cleansing constitutes complicity and calls for a reevaluation of corporate ethics. He commends Microsoft employees who have spoken out against the company's actions and invites others to join his call for accountability.
AppWizard
May 17, 2025
Google announced on May 14, 2025, the expansion of its ML Kit offerings with new GenAI APIs powered by the Gemini Nano model, aimed at providing Android developers with access to advanced AI features while ensuring user privacy through on-device processing. The ML Kit GenAI APIs include four key capabilities: summarization, proofreading, rewriting, and image description. These APIs process data locally, keeping user data on the device, ensuring consistent functionality without internet connectivity, and avoiding recurring server costs. This development enhances the accessibility of sophisticated AI capabilities for Android developers and aligns with consumer privacy concerns. The architecture allows for future expansion of capabilities as Gemini models evolve.
AppWizard
May 4, 2025
Android maintains its leading position in the mobile operating system market with a diverse ecosystem of applications. A selection of 15 notable Android apps for May 2025 includes: 1. Gesture Control: Edge Seek allows users to create customizable gestures for tasks like volume adjustments and app launches. 2. Device Mirroring: Screen Copy for Android enables users to mirror and control one Android device from another. 3. Customization: Everything Widgets offers over 100 customizable widgets, while Anting Icons provides a unified icon pack. Creative App combines widgets, wallpapers, and icon packs, and Fluffy KWGT features 3D-style widgets. 4. Cross-Device Integration: Sapphira syncs Android with Windows for messaging and file sharing, while Our Quick Share extends functionality for Mac and Linux users. 5. AI Tools: Adma is a free AI image upscaler that enhances image resolution offline. 6. Gaming and Entertainment: Swick is a platform for discovering and playing mini-games. 7. Lightweight Alternatives: Notebook is an ad-free alternative to the Facebook app with a minimalistic design. 8. Rooted Device Tools: Pixel Launcher Enhanced and Android 16 Expressive Theme provide advanced customization for rooted devices. 9. Productivity and Organization: Pixel Shot organizes screenshots, and Digipause tracks time spent on video apps. 10. Utility Tools: Curome combines over 25 features, including a QR code generator and Pomodoro timer. These apps enhance functionality, creativity, and efficiency for Android users.
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