Prediction articles:
2020: A consumer electronics forecast for the year(s) ahead
AI Chips: What Will 2020 Bring?
CEO Outlook: 2020 Vision: 5G, China and AI are prominent, but big changes are coming everywhere
Top 10 Tech Failures From 2019 That Hint At 2020 Trends – Last year’s tech failures often turn into next year’s leading trends
Trends:
AMD’s 7nm Ryzen 4000 CPUs are here to take on Intel’s 10nm Ice Lake laptop chips
Top 9 challenges IT leaders will face in 2020: From skills shortages to privacy concerns
From the oil rig to the lake: a shift in perspective on data
In December 2020, the new IEC/EN 62368-1 will replace the existing safety standards EN 60950-1 and EN 60065-1
Use of technology money outside company IT department is the new normal
Tech to try:
12 Alternative Operating Systems You Can Use In 2020
CONTINUOUS INTEGRATION: WHAT IT IS AND WHY YOU NEED IT
Research:
Universal memory coming? New type of non-volatile general purpose memory on research, some call it UltraRAM.
1,318 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Zen 3 is sold out everywhere but AMD’s Frank Azor says it was not a paper launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/amd-zen-3-ryzen-5000-paper-launch-availability/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.mikrobitti.fi/uutiset/testasimme-malliston-edullisin-amd-ryzen-5-5600x-pistaa-intelin-kalliitkin-suorittimet-koville/d03d8927-2c85-4d5e-b3d5-1c50bac0c49c
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.infoworld.com/article/3596347/microsoft-adds-a-new-linux-cbl-mariner.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://venturebeat.com/2020/11/02/cloud-gaming-dont-mean-a-thing-if-you-aint-got-that-ping/
Tomi Engdahl says:
No, “Open Source” does not mean “Includes Free Support”
We need to talk.
https://raccoon.onyxbits.de/blog/bugreport-free-support/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/11/16/puolijohdejakelun-huimin-myynnin-lasku-tasaantui/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm promises better gaming experience and productivity with the launch of the new Cortex-A78C CPU
https://www.yourtechstory.com/2020/11/05/arm-promises-better-gaming-experience-and-productivity-with-the-launch-of-the-new-cortex-a78c-cpu/
Arm has announced a new CPU variant that will fuel the next-generation flagship smartphones. This new CPU variant is Cortex-A78C that can be seen in laptop SOCs and it is responsible for making the system highly efficient.
Arm Powering more than the next generation smartphones
Earlier this year, the company has launched Cortex-A78 and along with that Cortex-A which has claimed that it increased the efficiency of the system by 20%. The processor broke its record as compared to Cortex-A77 it was successful in increasing the energy savings by 50%. The company claims that as Cortex-A78 is exclusively for smartphones, the new Cortex-A78C will always power on-the-go devices like always-on laptops.
In May 2020, the company’s new products were focused mainly on mobile solutions. The company launched ARM Cortex-A78 CPU, ARM Mali-G78 GPU, and ARM Ethos-N78 NPU. Apart from this, the company also launched the Cortex-X Custom Program that allowed customization of products that go beyond the conventional line of Arm products. With ARM Cortex-A78 CPU as the foundation, the company launched Cortex-A78C to build a secure computing solution as well. This new product will be a combination of Arm’s high-efficiency Cortex-A78 as well as the advanced safety features of the Cortex-A78AE CPU. We are looking forward to a CPU with enhanced performance along with scalability and security.
Tomi Engdahl says:
As IBM shifts to hybrid cloud, reports have them laying off 10,000 in EU
https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/25/as-ibm-shifts-to-hybrid-cloud-reports-have-them-laying-off-10000-in-eu/?tpcc=ECFB2020
As IBM makes a broad shift in strategy, Bloomberg reported this morning that the company would be cutting around 10,000 jobs in Europe. This comes on the heels of last month’s announcement that the organization will be spinning out its infrastructure services business next year. While IBM wouldn’t confirm the layoffs, a spokesperson suggested there were broad structural changes ahead for the company as it concentrates fully on a hybrid cloud approach.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 10:n käyttöliittymä saamassa näkyviä uudistuksia
26.11.202007:05
Microsoft aikoo ottaa käyttöön pyöristetyt sovellusikkunoiden kulmat pitkän tauon jälkeen.
https://www.mikrobitti.fi/uutiset/windows-10n-kayttoliittyma-saamassa-nakyvia-uudistuksia/ec5848a5-b616-4383-a229-cd9d589185ff
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Trillion-Transistor Chip That Just Left a Supercomputer in the Dust
https://singularityhub.com/2020/11/22/the-trillion-transistor-chip-that-just-left-a-supercomputer-in-the-dust/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/11/23/suomalainen-3d-testisiru-puolijohdetuotantoon/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Want Better Support? Then Make That Part Of Your Buying Criteria.
https://www.cloudave.com/28635/want-better-support-then-make-that-part-of-your-buying-criteria/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/microsoft-ships-windows-1-0-november-20-1985/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Geekbench confirms that the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U is effectively a rebranded Ryzen 5 4600U
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Geekbench-confirms-that-the-AMD-Ryzen-5-5500U-is-effectively-a-rebranded-Ryzen-5-4600U.505196.0.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Code That Controls Your Money
https://www.wealthsimple.com/en-us/magazine/cobol-controls-your-money
COBOL is a coding language older than Weird Al Yankovic. The people who know how to use it are often just as old. It underpins the entire financial system. And it can’t be removed. How a computer language controls the financial life of the world.
Tomi Engdahl says:
16-core Ryzen 9 5950X overclocked to 4.7 GHz on all cores @1.12V outperforms 32-core Threadripper 2990WX in Cinebench R23
https://www.notebookcheck.net/16-core-Ryzen-9-5950X-overclocked-to-4-7-GHz-on-all-cores-1-12V-outperforms-32-core-Threadripper-2990WX-in-Cinebench-R23.505662.0.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD Ryzen 5000 — especially the 5600X — is blowing my mind
https://venturebeat.com/2020/11/14/amd-ryzen-5000-especially-the-5600x-is-blowing-my-mind/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Python swallows Java to become second-most popular programming language… according to this index
Coincidentally, Python creator Guido van Rossum joins Microsoft
https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/12/python_swallows_java_to_become/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Trillion-transistor chip breaks speed record
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-trillion-transistor-chip.html
The biggest computer chip in the world is so fast and powerful it can predict future actions “faster than the laws of physics produce the same result.”
That’s according to a post by Cerebras Systems, a startup company that made the claim at the online SC20 supercomputing conference this week.
Working with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, Cerebras designed what it calls “the world’s most powerful AI compute system.” It created a massive chip 8.5 inch-square chip, the Cerebras CS-1, housed in a refrigerator-sized computer in an effort to improve on deep-learning training models.
Cerebras team leader Michael James and the Department of Energy’s Dirk Van Essendelft said in their paper that the CS-1, powered by 1.2 trillion transistors, performed at 200 times the speed of a Joule supercomputer in a simulation of powerplant combustion processes. They said the chip’s performance cannot be matched by current supercomputers regardless of the number of CPUs and GPUs they house.
The Joule uses Intel Xeon chips with 20 cores each, a total of 16,000 cores. It took six milliseconds to calculate the combustion processes. Cerebras accomplished the task in 28 microseconds.
Tomi Engdahl says:
ARM-based M1 in MacBook Air destroys AnTuTu benchmark and all the Apple silicon can go home now
https://www.notebookcheck.net/ARM-based-M1-in-MacBook-Air-destroys-AnTuTu-benchmark-and-all-the-Apple-silicon-can-go-home-now.506017.0.html
appearance on the AnTuTu benchmark as the key component in a MacBook Air. The M1 managed to rack up way over one million points, leaving the Apple silicon, including the A12Z Bionic in the iPad Pro 4 and the performance-friendly A14 in the iPad Air (2020), trailing far behind.
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and 5900X Review: Zen 3 Breaks the 5 GHz Barrier
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ryzen-9-5950x-5900x-zen-3-review
Tomi Engdahl says:
WireGuard for Windows 0.3.1 is the release you’ve been waiting for
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/wireguard-for-windows-0-3-1-is-the-release-youve-been-waiting-for/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eläke ei maistunut: Microsoft houkutteli Python-ohjelmointikielen keksijän takaisin töihin
https://www.mikrobitti.fi/uutiset/elake-ei-maistunut-microsoft-houkutteli-python-ohjelmointikielen-keksijan-takaisin-toihin/af7cc5b5-88c8-4af9-b0f7-08b160a42bab
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://venturebeat.com/2020/11/17/cerebras-wafer-size-chip-is-10000-times-faster-than-a-gpu/
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMD launches Instinct MI100 accelerator chips for scientific research
https://venturebeat.com/2020/11/16/amd-launches-instinct-mi100-accelerator-chips-for-scientific-research/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft reveals Pluton, a custom security chip built into Intel, AMD and Qualcomm processors
https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/17/microsoft-pluton-security-chip-intel-amd-qualcomm/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/a-history-of-intel-vs-amd-desktop-performance-with-cpu-charts-galore/
Tomi Engdahl says:
China Is Losing Its Bet on Chips
An attack on Taiwan, the top manufacturer, would roil industry and the world.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-is-losing-its-bet-on-chips-11605476356
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://atos.net/en/2020/press-release_2020_11_16/atos-launches-atos-onecloud
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s new gaming laptop CPU pops up in online benchmarks
https://www.pcgamer.com/tiger-lake-appears-in-benchmark/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple blamed IBM and Intel for Mac chip delays, but TSMC won’t be next
https://venturebeat.com/2020/11/13/apple-blamed-ibm-and-intel-for-mac-chip-delays-but-tsmc-wont-be-next/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-epyc-7763-milan-zen-3-cpu-specifications
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/11/14/microos-is-immutable-linux/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/43106/how-to-set-window-size-and-location-of-an-application-on-screen-via-command-line/359311
Tomi Engdahl says:
Linux desktop: The one moment in 2020 that is key to its success
Jack Wallen posits a single event in 2020 is critical to the future of Linux desktop success (especially in the enterprise), and that anyone paying attention will know what it is.
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/linux-desktop-the-one-moment-in-2020-that-is-key-to-its-success/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Run Windows apps such as Microsoft Office/Adobe in Linux (Ubuntu/Fedora) and GNOME/KDE as if they were a part of the native OS, including Nautilus integration.
https://github.com/Fmstrat/winapps
Tomi Engdahl says:
No, “Open Source” does not mean “Includes Free Support”
https://raccoon.onyxbits.de/blog/bugreport-free-support/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Procedurally Generated Trees
https://hackaday.com/2020/11/20/procedurally-generated-trees/
As the leaves fall from the trees here in the Northern Hemisphere, we are greeted with a clear view of the branches and limbs that make up the skeleton of the tree. [Nicolas McDonald] made a simple observation while looking at trees, that the sum of the cross-sectional area is conserved when a branch splits. This observation was also made by Leonardo Da Vinci (according to Pamela Taylor’s Da Vinci’s Notebooks). Inspired by the observation, [Nicolas] decided to model a tree growing for his own curiosity.
Transport-Oriented Growth and Procedural Trees
https://weigert.vsos.ethz.ch/2020/10/19/transport-oriented-growth-and-procedural-trees/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quantum Inspired Algorithm Going Back To The Source
https://hackaday.com/2020/10/27/quantum-inspired-algorithm-going-back-to-the-source/
Recently, [Jabrils] set out to accomplish a difficult task: porting a quantum-inspired algorithm to run on a (simulated) quantum computer. Algorithms are often inspired by all sorts of natural phenomena. For example, a solution to the traveling salesman problem models ants and their pheromone trails. Another famous example is neural nets, which are inspired by the neurons in your brain. However, attempting to run a machine learning algorithm on your neurons, even with the assistance of pen and paper would be a nearly impossible exercise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe_7b9pRKY8
Tomi Engdahl says:
If you see this notification, back up all your data immediately.
Windows 10 to Start Warning Users of Imminent SSD Failure
Seeing this new notification appear means you really need to back up all your data immediately.
https://uk.pcmag.com/migrated-3765-windows-10/128942/windows-10-to-start-warning-users-of-imminent-ssd-failure
SSDs may be a lot faster than mechanical hard drives, but they aren’t immune to failure, and can do so silently and without warning. Microsoft is aiming to avoid that potential disaster with a new drive health monitoring feature being added to Windows 10.
In the announcement for the Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20226, Brandon LeBlanc, author at the Windows Insider Blog, explains how this new drive health monitoring feature “is designed to detect hardware abnormalities for NVMe SSDs.” When such an abnormality is detected, a notification will appear on the desktop stating, “A storage device may be at risk of failure and requires your attention.” There’s also a clickable link to load up Windows 10′s drive management and backup options, which also provides more detail on why Windows decided to send the notification.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Debby Wu / Bloomberg:
As China gets more expensive and US politics less predictable, Foxconn, Pegatron, and others are increasing production in places like India, Vietnam, and Mexico — – Foxconn eyes Vietnam for some production of iPads and MacBooks — Pegatron is in the process of readying an iPhone site in India
Apple Suppliers’ Exodus From China Won’t Slow Down Under Biden
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-28/apple-suppliers-exodus-from-china-won-t-slow-down-under-biden
The splintering of the global tech supply chain that began during President Donald Trump’s watch looks set to persist under his successor.
Apple Inc., the largest of the many tech giants that rely on Chinese factories to make their gadgets, will move some production of its iPads and MacBooks to Vietnam. Key assembly partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., known also as Foxconn, has allocated $270 million in new investments to the Southeast Asian country. Those moves presage a larger and longer-term migration that may have ramifications for the iPhone maker as well as China’s role as workshop to the world.
Foxconn founder Terry Gou coined the term “G2” to describe the trend of a unified supply chain splitting into at least two. Company Chairman Young Liu said in August that the likes of India, Southeast Asia and the Americas could each in the future end up with a dedicated manufacturing ecosystem of their own. The trend now looks irreversible as other countries including India and Vietnam are boosting their infrastructure and efforts to lure manufacturers through lower costs and fewer geopolitical worries.
It took Foxconn 30 years to build up its massive Chinese operations and India or any other region is unlikely to catch up overnight, Foxconn’s Liu said earlier this month.
The supply chain shift will take time, “and China will remain a major electronics manufacturing hub for at least the next five years,” Gavekal’s Wang added.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Exclusive: Trump to add China’s SMIC and CNOOC to defense blacklist – sources
https://reut.rs/3mpXW3m
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration is poised to add China’s top chipmaker SMIC and national offshore oil and gas producer CNOOC to a blacklist of alleged Chinese military companies, according to a document and sources, curbing their access to U.S. investors and escalating tensions with Beijing weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Personality vs Tech Skills in Software Development: Interview with Danas Venclovas, Head of IT Recruitment at People Link
https://meetfrank.com/blog/hr/personality-vs-tech-skills-in-software-development-interview-with-danas-venclovas-head-of-it-recruitment-at-people-link/
Software speciality is a major force in the job market. Unfortunately the field is strongly stereotyped. It is commonly believed that software engineers are introverts that work silently in the corner – somewhat typical nerds
Tomi Engdahl says:
//17 Places To Buy A Linux Laptop With Linux Preloaded in 2020 https://www.cyberciti.biz/hardware/laptop-computers-with-linux-installed-or-preloaded/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://github.com/ckz8780/market-toolkit#fa-education
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel Data Center Portfolio
https://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/now/competitive-portfolio/overview.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
ASRock Launches World’s Thinnest AMD Ryzen Desktop PC
It’s only 26mm thick and offers a choice of Ryzen 3, 5, and 7 APUs.
https://sea.pcmag.com/old-desktop-pcs/40570/asrock-launches-worlds-thinnest-amd-ryzen-desktop-pc
Tomi Engdahl says:
China to overtake US to become world’s top consumer goods market ‘very soon’
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3111954/china-overtake-us-become-worlds-top-consumer-goods-market
Tomi Engdahl says:
AWS announces Panorama, a device that adds machine learning technology to any camera
https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/01/aws-announces-panorama-a-device-adds-machine-learning-technology-to-any-camera/
Tomi Engdahl says:
AWS launches Glue Elastic Views to make it easier to move data from one purpose-built data store to another
https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/01/aws-launches-glue-elastic-views-to-make-it-easier-to-move-data-from-one-purpose-built-data-store-to-another/