figures Archives

AppWizard

April 6, 2025

Wrong signal: Donald Trump shoots the messaging app instead of the messmaker

Maher became the non-executive chair at Web Summit after leaving her CEO position last year to lead NPR. She also chairs the Signal Foundation, known for its encrypted messaging service, which was used by Trump administration members during military planning in Yemen, leading to criticism from Trump supporters due to her previous comments about Trump and her advocacy for restricting free speech. Meanwhile, Gordon Hardie, CEO of O-I Glass, received a total compensation package of €1.46 million last year, which included a base salary of €682,322, stock awards, and additional benefits. The University of Limerick recently ceased posting on X due to declining engagement and concerns over content, though it remains open to reconsidering its stance. Peter Vandermeersch, CEO of Mediahuis Ireland, is writing a book titled “Ierland. Guinness, God en Google,” which will explore various aspects of Irish life and culture.

TrendTechie

April 6, 2025

Overclockers.ru: Порт The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered был слит на торренты менее чем за 24 часа

The Last of Us Part 2 was released on April 3, 2025, and was pirated within 24 hours of its launch, appearing on various torrent sites. Initial player engagement is lower than its predecessor, with a peak concurrent player count of 28,134 compared to 36,496 for the first game. The sequel has better performance than the first installment, which suffered from significant optimization issues, but it still has reports of bugs and graphical artifacts. Digital Foundry's analysis indicates that while the sequel surpasses the original in several areas, it also has abrupt frame rate drops and requires a powerful graphics card, affecting accessibility.

AppWizard

April 6, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Stars and Director Unpack Its Songs and ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ References

The upcoming "A Minecraft Movie" features a connection to Jared Hess' "Napoleon Dynamite," sharing elements of humor and personal experiences from Hess’ Idaho upbringing. The film stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, and Jennifer Coolidge, with Coolidge portraying a lovesick vice principal. Hess notes that llamas are a humorous aspect in both films, and Jesse Ehrman from Warner Bros Pictures highlights Hess' ability to appeal to both young and adult audiences. Momoa draws inspiration from his childhood, while Black showcases his musical talents with songs like "Steve’s Lava Chicken." Danielle Brooks, although not performing musically in this film, expresses interest in future opportunities for musical collaboration.

AppWizard

April 5, 2025

Nintendo should have cribbed from Valve on how to make a good handheld tech demo

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct introduced a feature called Welcome Tour, which is priced at 990 yen (approximately £5), though there are speculations it may cost more. The feature has been described as a "glorified tech demo" or a "digital manual." In contrast, Valve's Aperture Desk Job is a free tech demo for the Steam Deck that effectively showcases its functionalities while incorporating humor and narrative elements from the Portal universe. It takes about half an hour to complete and has received positive reviews for its engaging gameplay and clever references. Many players find it both entertaining and educational. In comparison, the Welcome Tour has been criticized for its generic presentation and lack of creativity, highlighting a disparity between Nintendo's past successes and its current offerings.

Winsage

April 4, 2025

Microsoft Copilot Updates Make the AI Companion Much More Personal

AI development is rapidly advancing, leading Microsoft to enhance its Copilot AI assistant. The updates aim to transform Copilot into a more engaging and personalized companion. Copilot, powered by OpenAI's GPT technology, is integrated across the Microsoft ecosystem, including Microsoft 365, Windows, the Edge browser, and Bing search. Key features of the updated Copilot include: - Memory Functionality: Users can allow Copilot to remember personal details, with a focus on security and privacy. - Custom Appearances: Users can customize Copilot's visual representation, including whimsical forms. - Copilot Actions: Copilot can manage tasks like making reservations or sending gifts, collaborating with services like 1-800-Flowers.com and Expedia. - Pages Feature: Users can organize content and generate AI-driven podcasts on preferred topics. - Enhanced Copilot Search: Improvements to the Copilot Search feature in Bing aim to address accuracy issues with search-result summaries. The initial rollout of these features begins on Friday, with full availability expected in the coming months.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

ESA warns of impact of Trump tariffs on games industry

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has expressed concerns about tariffs implemented by former President Donald Trump, which could significantly harm the U.S. video game industry by raising hardware prices due to the global sourcing of components from countries like Vietnam and China. ESA's senior vice president, Aubrey Quinn, highlighted that many products consumers buy may be subject to multiple tariffs, leading to increased costs. Quinn described the situation regarding relocating manufacturing jobs to the U.S. as complicated, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of decisions affecting consumers, businesses, and employees. The tariffs include a 46 percent tax on goods from Vietnam and a combined levy and duty of 54 percent on imports from China, posing challenges for the industry in maintaining affordability and accessibility for consumers.

Winsage

April 4, 2025

Microsoft just turned 50. Here’s a look at an iconic 1978 photo of its first employees and where they are now

A 1978 photograph of the early Microsoft team has resurfaced, featuring notable figures such as Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Andrea Lewis, and Marla Wood in the front row. The middle row includes Bob O’Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald, and Gordon Letwin, while the back row consists of Steve Wood, Bob Wallace, and Jim Lane. This image highlights the collaborative spirit and diverse talents that contributed to Microsoft's early successes in the personal computing industry.

Winsage

April 4, 2025

Microsoft Wants Consumers to Make Friends With its Copilot AI ‘Companion’

During a presentation at Microsoft’s headquarters, CEO of Microsoft AI, Mustafa Suleyman, was interrupted by a protestor criticizing Microsoft for providing AI tools to military forces in Gaza. The protestor accused Microsoft of contributing to the deaths of 50,000 people and urged Suleyman to stop using AI for genocide. Suleyman acknowledged her protest and continued with his presentation about Microsoft's AI companion software, Copilot, which aims to redefine user-technology relationships. Copilot features include memory and personalization, actions for task execution, camera integration, organization tools, personalized podcast generation, shopping assistance, and deep research capabilities. Suleyman emphasized that Copilot is designed around individual needs and values, ensuring user control over data and interactions.

Winsage

April 4, 2025

Microsoft unveils AI assistant with ‘memory’

Microsoft launched an enhanced version of its AI assistant, "Copilot," which can remember user preferences and perform tasks autonomously, during its 50th anniversary event. The assistant can independently book tickets, make reservations, and shop online. This update is part of a strategic overhaul to improve Microsoft's consumer image and reduce reliance on OpenAI. The event featured former CEO Steve Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates, highlighting past challenges in the consumer market. Current CEO Satya Nadella has shifted focus to cloud services, resulting in a significant increase in share price. Copilot will include a podcast-generating feature and a "Vision" feature for processing information from a user's phone camera. Microsoft aims to enhance its Bing search engine to compete with Google, which dominates the search market. The company hired Mustafa Suleyman and invested in his start-up Inflection AI to advance its AI capabilities. Microsoft maintains a profit-sharing agreement with OpenAI and access to its models until at least 2030.

AppWizard

April 3, 2025

Tesla adds security feature to Android with latest software update

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives reported that Tesla delivered 336,681 vehicles in Q1 2025, falling short of Wall Street's forecast of 352,000 and whisper estimates around 350,000. Tesla attributed part of this underperformance to several weeks of production loss while ramping up the new Model Y. Ives described the performance as “a disaster on every metric” and emphasized that it represents a pivotal moment for CEO Elon Musk, who has been increasingly involved in U.S. government affairs, potentially affecting the brand negatively. Following the delivery report, Tesla's stock initially dropped over 5 percent but rebounded by 8 percent, currently trading up over 5 percent at 3.01. This recovery was linked to reports of Musk potentially stepping back from his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Ives expressed optimism about Tesla's future advancements in robotaxi technology and Full Self-Driving capabilities but cautioned that Musk needs to balance his responsibilities with DOGE and leading Tesla to avoid further crises.