Month: July 2024
Venom Continues Global Expansion with Listing on Coins.ph
Manila, Philippines, 31st July 2024, Chainwire
The post Venom Continues Global Expansion with Listing on Coins.ph first appeared on Tech Startups.
Manila, Philippines, 31st July 2024, Chainwire
The post Venom Continues Global Expansion with Listing on Coins.ph first appeared on Tech Startups.
Building a nurturing ecosystem in deep tech: collaboration over proprietary innovation
The potential for deep tech to reshape industries from healthcare to climate science is immense. Yet, harnessing this potential requires more than just breakthroughs in isolated silos; it necessitates a nurturing ecosystem where collaboration and knowledge sharing are paramount. Deep tech spans several fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, biotechnology, and advanced materials. Each area demands considerable expertise and significant research and development (R&D) investment. Unlike conventional tech companies that might focus on software or applications with quicker market cycles, deep tech ventures typically endure longer development phases and face higher technological risks. Traditionally, deep tech innovation has often…This story continues at The Next Web
The potential for deep tech to reshape industries from healthcare to climate science is immense. Yet, harnessing this potential requires more than just breakthroughs in isolated silos; it necessitates a nurturing ecosystem where collaboration and knowledge sharing are paramount. Deep tech spans several fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, biotechnology, and advanced materials. Each area demands considerable expertise and significant research and development (R&D) investment. Unlike conventional tech companies that might focus on software or applications with quicker market cycles, deep tech ventures typically endure longer development phases and face higher technological risks. Traditionally, deep tech innovation has often…
This story continues at The Next Web
Microsoft is removing ads from Skype
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Microsoft is making Skype ad-free in an update that will rollout to users across all platforms soon. The update also includes improved AI image creation tools on Skype for Windows and macOS, and the ability to sign in automatically on iOS if you’re already signed into another Microsoft app.
“Our latest update removes all ads from Skype channels and the entire Skype platform, ensuring a smoother, decluttered and more enjoyable user experience,” says Skype product manager Irene Namuganyi.
The removal of ads in Skype means you’ll no longer see ads in the main chat interface, or in the channels section. Microsoft says it has listened to feedback around ads in Skype, and decided to “focus on your chats without any ad distractions, making your Skype experience cleaner and more user-friendly.”
The today section of Skype will remain though, complete with the news feed that’s powered by MSN. It’s a tab that I’m sure most Skype users ignore, but you can still disable this in Settings > Appearance if you want to get rid of it fully.
Here’s hoping Microsoft also listens to feedback about ads in Windows. The software giant has been adding malware-like Bing prompts, ads in the Start menu, and using plenty of tricks to try and get Windows users to switch to Edge.
Alongside the ad removal in Skype, Microsoft is also improving the AI image creation features inside the app on Windows and macOS. You’ll soon be able to quickly access the AI image creator inside chat windows, and AI-generated images will expand on click. Microsoft has also fixed up some UI elements, while also making the image creator feel more at home with Apple’s macOS design.
Microsoft is also bringing OneAuth integration to Skype for iOS, which allows you to sign into the app automatically if you’re already using another Microsoft app. If you’ve been having issues sending photos or videos over 5G with Skype, Microsoft has also fixed this bug in the upcoming update that will be available in the coming days.
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Microsoft is making Skype ad-free in an update that will rollout to users across all platforms soon. The update also includes improved AI image creation tools on Skype for Windows and macOS, and the ability to sign in automatically on iOS if you’re already signed into another Microsoft app.
“Our latest update removes all ads from Skype channels and the entire Skype platform, ensuring a smoother, decluttered and more enjoyable user experience,” says Skype product manager Irene Namuganyi.
The removal of ads in Skype means you’ll no longer see ads in the main chat interface, or in the channels section. Microsoft says it has listened to feedback around ads in Skype, and decided to “focus on your chats without any ad distractions, making your Skype experience cleaner and more user-friendly.”
The today section of Skype will remain though, complete with the news feed that’s powered by MSN. It’s a tab that I’m sure most Skype users ignore, but you can still disable this in Settings > Appearance if you want to get rid of it fully.
Here’s hoping Microsoft also listens to feedback about ads in Windows. The software giant has been adding malware-like Bing prompts, ads in the Start menu, and using plenty of tricks to try and get Windows users to switch to Edge.
Alongside the ad removal in Skype, Microsoft is also improving the AI image creation features inside the app on Windows and macOS. You’ll soon be able to quickly access the AI image creator inside chat windows, and AI-generated images will expand on click. Microsoft has also fixed up some UI elements, while also making the image creator feel more at home with Apple’s macOS design.
Microsoft is also bringing OneAuth integration to Skype for iOS, which allows you to sign into the app automatically if you’re already using another Microsoft app. If you’ve been having issues sending photos or videos over 5G with Skype, Microsoft has also fixed this bug in the upcoming update that will be available in the coming days.
Nothing Phone 2a Plus launches with (a bit) more power and a better selfie camera
Nothing has debuted the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, a more powerful version of its mid-range Phone 2a.
Nothing has officially lifted the lid on the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, a souped-up version of its recently released (and surprisingly popular) mid-ranger, the Nothing Phone 2a.
The Nothing Phone 2a launched in March this year as an affordable alternative to the flagship Nothing Phone 2, and with the Nothing Phone 3 not set to arrive until 2025, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus is intended “for those who are excited about Phone 2a but are seeking even higher performance,” Nothing CEO Carl Pei said in a statement.
So, what’s new? Well, unlike other Plus-branded phones, the ‘Plus’ moniker in the 2a Plus’ name doesn’t refer to screen size. Instead, the 2a Plus boasts a slightly more powerful chipset, slightly faster wired charging and a slightly better selfie camera than its sibling, as well as two new colors: metallic Grey and updated Black.
The repetition of ‘slightly’ in the above paragraph is intentional, though Nothing is confident that the world-exclusive MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G chipset in the 2a Plus will bring tangible performance improvements over the standard 2a, which uses a Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset. Specifically, Nothing says the newer chipset has a 10% faster CPU and a 30% faster GPU, which should deliver a smoother gaming experience in the 2a Plus.
(Image credit: Nothing)
(Image credit: Nothing)
(Image credit: Nothing)
Also new is a sibling-beating 50MP front camera and 50W wired charging (the 2a sports a 30MP front camera and 45W wired charging), but the rest of the phone remains unchanged. You’ll get the same 6.7-inch AMOLED display, the same 50MP rear wide and ultra-wide cameras, the same 5,000 mAh battery and the same IP54 water resistance rating.
That’s not a problem, by any means – we described the Nothing Phone 2a as “a breath of fresh air in a market saturated with mundane cheap smartphones” in our Nothing Phone 2a review – but it does put the 2a Plus in reserve for mobile gaming fans almost exclusively (unless you’re desperate to benefit from its superior selfie snapper).
The Nothing Phone 2a Plus has the same rear cameras as the Nothing Phone 2a (Image credit: Nothing)
We say this because the 2a Plus is more expensive than the standard 2a. It costs £399 in the UK (international pricing will be revealed in September) and comes in one RAM/storage configuration: 12GB of RAM with 256GB of storage. The standard 2a costs a tad less, at $349/ £349 /AU$675 for the same RAM/storage configuration, though a cheaper 8GB/128GB model is available in the UK for £319.
Is that £50 (and likely $50) premium for the 2a Plus worth paying for those who aren’t keen mobile gamers? The jury is out on that front, though we’re currently putting the new device through its paces for a full review, so we’ll have a definitive verdict on this potential best cheap phones contender soon.
The Nothing Phone 2a Plus will launch via a limited London store drop on August 3, at which point the phone’s US Developer Programme will open, too. As mentioned, further pricing and availability will be revealed in September, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the latest.
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Microsoft hits record profits once again — but there’s a rare miss for Azure cloud results
Despite a healthy 29% revenue growth, Azure fell short of predictions, and investors are slightly worried.
Microsoft has surpassed Wall Street estimates by posting fourth-quarter financial results showing a total three-month revenue of $64.73 billion.
However, despite stronger-than-expected overall revenue, the company’s Azure cloud platform experienced revenue growth below what had been forecast, driving investor concern and reducing stock by around 7% in extended trading.
For the company on the whole, both revenue and operating income saw a 15% growth, with net income accounting for a healthy $22.0 billion.
Is Microsoft’s growth slowing down?
Microsoft’s growth is largely attributed to its cloud computing segment, Intelligent Cloud, which generated $28.52 billion in revenue, or 44% of the company’s entire revenue, marking a solid 19% increase.
Despite very strong growth, Azure’s 29% revenue growth fell short of the anticipated 31% figure – the first time the business has fallen short of predictions since 2022.
Elsewhere in the business, Microsoft posted a 7% increase in Windows revenue, which could be good news for its flagship AI-enabled Windows 11 operating system, which has so far proven less popular than hoped. Windows 10 continues to account for around two-thirds of all Windows installs, with Windows 11 only accounting for around 30% of the market.
“As a platform company, we are focused on meeting the mission-critical needs of our customers across our at-scale platforms today, while also ensuring we lead the AI era,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella commented.
For the twelve months ending June 30, 2024, Microsoft generated $245.1 billion in revenue, an increase of 16% year over year.
Looking ahead, the company forecasts fiscal first-quarter revenue between $63.8 and $64.8 billion, below the $65.24 billion expected by analysts, which could put a dent in share prices. Microsoft has slipped back into second place in terms of market cap, just behind Apple, with a valuation of $3.143 trillion.
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‘House of the Dragon’s Clinton Liberty reveals a neat secret passage between two sets
While we’re waiting for the Season 2 finale of “House of the Dragon,” why not take a tour through Driftmark with Clinton Liberty?
While we’re waiting for the Season 2 finale of “House of the Dragon,” why not take a tour through Driftmark with Clinton Liberty?
Nothing just announced the Phone 2a Plus, a minor refresh of a pre-existing model
Nothing just announced a relatively surprising hardware update for its Phone 2a smartphone. The Phone 2a Plus is a modest upgrade, but still significant, being as how the original 2a was just released back in March.
Most notably, the 2a Plus has a faster chip than the OG 2a. The original’s Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Pro maxed out with a clock speed of 2.8GHz. The 2a Plus boasts a Mediatek Dimensity 7350 Pro that can hit 3.0GHz. Beyond that, the new model features a slightly quicker wired charging speed, at 50W instead of 45W.
Nothing
That’s about it. Every other aspect is nearly identical to the 2a. It has the same camera system, the same battery, the same display and similar aesthetics. This isn’t a bad thing. We loved the Phone 2a in our official review, calling it “a budget phone that’s packed with personality.”
Now onto the bad news. This phone will technically be available to US customers via the company’s beta program, though there are some caveats. American customers can only buy the gray version and not the black one. Even more important, the 2a Plus doesn’t offer true 5G connectivity with many of the major US carriers. This includes both AT&T and Verizon.
The Nothing Phone 2a Plus costs $400 and that gets you 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Nothing Beta members will be able to order the phone on August 3. UK residents can scoop it up directly from the company on the same day. Nothing says we’ll have to wait until September to find out more details regarding global availability.
Nothing
The company also released a few tidbits about the upcoming Nothing OS 2.6. There will be an updated Game Dashboard with new features and the ability to block third-party app notifications.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nothing-just-announced-the-phone-2a-plus-a-minor-refresh-of-a-pre-existing-model-093049030.html?src=rss
Nothing just announced a relatively surprising hardware update for its Phone 2a smartphone. The Phone 2a Plus is a modest upgrade, but still significant, being as how the original 2a was just released back in March.
Most notably, the 2a Plus has a faster chip than the OG 2a. The original’s Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Pro maxed out with a clock speed of 2.8GHz. The 2a Plus boasts a Mediatek Dimensity 7350 Pro that can hit 3.0GHz. Beyond that, the new model features a slightly quicker wired charging speed, at 50W instead of 45W.
That’s about it. Every other aspect is nearly identical to the 2a. It has the same camera system, the same battery, the same display and similar aesthetics. This isn’t a bad thing. We loved the Phone 2a in our official review, calling it “a budget phone that’s packed with personality.”
Now onto the bad news. This phone will technically be available to US customers via the company’s beta program, though there are some caveats. American customers can only buy the gray version and not the black one. Even more important, the 2a Plus doesn’t offer true 5G connectivity with many of the major US carriers. This includes both AT&T and Verizon.
The Nothing Phone 2a Plus costs $400 and that gets you 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Nothing Beta members will be able to order the phone on August 3. UK residents can scoop it up directly from the company on the same day. Nothing says we’ll have to wait until September to find out more details regarding global availability.
The company also released a few tidbits about the upcoming Nothing OS 2.6. There will be an updated Game Dashboard with new features and the ability to block third-party app notifications.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nothing-just-announced-the-phone-2a-plus-a-minor-refresh-of-a-pre-existing-model-093049030.html?src=rss
The Nothing Phone 2A Plus Has a New Camera and Upgrades but Limited US 5G Support
Budget phone shoppers now have another option from Nothing. Though US users should be wary of 5G connectivity which is a bit of a mess.
Budget phone shoppers now have another option from Nothing. Though US users should be wary of 5G connectivity which is a bit of a mess.
Best CD Rates Today — Lock in a High Interest Rate Ahead of Fed Decision, July 31, 2024
High rates won’t stick around forever. Here’s where you can still score one.
High rates won’t stick around forever. Here’s where you can still score one.
Nothing’s Phone 2A Plus is a little shinier, a little faster, and a little bit more expensive
The Nothing Phone 2A Plus will be available in the UK first, followed by limited availability in the US a few days later. | Image: Nothing
A little more than four months after the Phone 2A’s debut, Nothing is already introducing a follow-up with the Phone 2A Plus, which has a handful of performance improvements and a more premium look while maintaining a sub-$400 price tag.
Plus is often used in smartphone naming to delineate a larger model with a bigger screen, but that’s not the case here. The Phone 2A Plus has the same 6.7-inch OLED screen up front to go with the same flashing Glyph Interface in the back, the same 5,000mAh battery, and NFC, just like the 2A.
The biggest upgrade for the Phone 2A Plus is a new MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G processor, currently exclusive to Nothing, which the company claims is nearly 10 percent faster than the processor used in the Phone 2A and has a GPU that’s 30 percent faster.
With the original 2A, Nothing demonstrated that a budget phone doesn’t have to skimp on design, and the Plus adds two new metallic colorways: an updated black finish and a new gray option that simulates the look of unfinished machined metal.
Even with those performance and style upgrades, the budget phone will sell for £399 in the UK and $399 in the US, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That’s £50 / $50 more than the 12GB version of the Phone 2A, and the company will continue to sell both models.
There are other improvements, too. The Phone 2A Plus’ front-facing camera got a bump in resolution from 32 megapixels to 50 megapixels, and Nothing says an improved portrait algorithm helps enhance facial features like eyes and facial hair. Finally, max wired charging increased from 45W on the 2A to 50W on the 2A Plus, but there’s still no wireless charging.
The Nothing Phone 2A Plus will be available first at the company’s Soho store in London starting at 11AM BST on August 3rd. Availability in the US will start on August 7th at 9AM ET, but only through Nothing’s US beta program and, like the Phone 2A, with limited support for US networks.
The Nothing Phone 2A Plus will be available in the UK first, followed by limited availability in the US a few days later. | Image: Nothing
A little more than four months after the Phone 2A’s debut, Nothing is already introducing a follow-up with the Phone 2A Plus, which has a handful of performance improvements and a more premium look while maintaining a sub-$400 price tag.
Plus is often used in smartphone naming to delineate a larger model with a bigger screen, but that’s not the case here. The Phone 2A Plus has the same 6.7-inch OLED screen up front to go with the same flashing Glyph Interface in the back, the same 5,000mAh battery, and NFC, just like the 2A.
The biggest upgrade for the Phone 2A Plus is a new MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G processor, currently exclusive to Nothing, which the company claims is nearly 10 percent faster than the processor used in the Phone 2A and has a GPU that’s 30 percent faster.
With the original 2A, Nothing demonstrated that a budget phone doesn’t have to skimp on design, and the Plus adds two new metallic colorways: an updated black finish and a new gray option that simulates the look of unfinished machined metal.
Even with those performance and style upgrades, the budget phone will sell for £399 in the UK and $399 in the US, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That’s £50 / $50 more than the 12GB version of the Phone 2A, and the company will continue to sell both models.
There are other improvements, too. The Phone 2A Plus’ front-facing camera got a bump in resolution from 32 megapixels to 50 megapixels, and Nothing says an improved portrait algorithm helps enhance facial features like eyes and facial hair. Finally, max wired charging increased from 45W on the 2A to 50W on the 2A Plus, but there’s still no wireless charging.
The Nothing Phone 2A Plus will be available first at the company’s Soho store in London starting at 11AM BST on August 3rd. Availability in the US will start on August 7th at 9AM ET, but only through Nothing’s US beta program and, like the Phone 2A, with limited support for US networks.