Here is collection of some predictions for year 2023. This is a collection of links to prediction articles followed by a short quote or quotes of what I see the main points in them.
Ennuste vuodelle 2023: Ongelmat helpottavat
“After a couple of exceptional years, the electronics market, challenged by the pandemic and pent-up demand, has signs of a calmer ride on the horizon. Mouser’s Mark Burr-Lonnon predicts slower, but more predictable growth”
“According to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, the global semiconductor market will grow by 13.9 percent in 2022 and continue to grow by 4.6 percent in 2023. While these statistics show that global demand for semiconductors is slowing, they still show steady growth in all key regions of the world as the electronics industry begins to settle into a more manageable state of equilibrium.”
AMD, Intel, and Nvidia Reportedly Slash Orders with TSMC
“Large customers revise orders to TSMC due to the economy slowdown.”
“According to the report, virtually all TSMC clients will experience a downturn and have to cut orders, so TSMC’s utilization will decline significantly in Q1 2023. For example, the utilization rate of TSMC’s N7-capable lines (7nm, 6nm-class technologies) will decline to around 50% in early 2023. Furthermore, even TSMC’s N5/N4-capable lines will be underutilized”
Tech That Will Change Your Life in 2023
“Big layoffs at Meta, Amazon, Snap and others? A global crypto fraud set in the Bahamas? Elon Musk buying and running Twitter? Look, not even Nostradamus could have seen all that coming.”
“The Metaverse, Now More Than Just Meta. For the last two years, we’ve said this is the year for virtual and augmented reality. But in 2023 we’re confident: headsets that give you a choice of VR (where you’re in a virtual world) and AR (where the virtual is overlaid in your real world) are coming. And they won’t just be from Meta, current holder of 90% of the VR market, according to research firm IDC.”
“Tech companies and their investors are grappling with the industry’s biggest downturn since at least 2008. The result is layoffs and hiring freezes at companies large and small. The PC and chip industries in particular have been clobbered by the biggest drop in sales in more than two decades. And while many survivors of past tech downturns preach that cuts should be deep, fast and early, it appears that the pain for tech workers will continue into 2023.”
“Account moochers, beware: The Netflix password crackdown is coming in early 2023. Netflix is the first streamer with an enforcement policy.”
“China and the U.S. are so interdependent—for manufacturing of smartphones and other electronics, for EV batteries and solar panels, for raw materials and intellectual property—it seems impossible they could go their separate ways with their own parallel supply chains and production bases. Yet it’s happening.”
“Artificial Intelligence Finds Real Use”
“Smart Home Gets Easier-ish”
“European Union legislation is changing Apple’s smartphones.”
Digipelaaminen ja e-pelimediat entistä suositumpia – kännykkäpelaaminen ei kasva enää
“Digital gaming and the consumption of game-related media content is increasingly popular, according to the Gamer Barometer 2022 study conducted at the University of Tampere. An increasing proportion of Finns play digital games at least occasionally, but the number of active mobile players is no longer growing at the previous pace.
Active mobile gaming has for the first time in the history of Gamer Barometers turned into a slight decrease, but still 59 percent of Finns still occasionally play mobile games.”
Xiaomin uusin sisältää tekniikkaa, jota ei ole vielä edes standardoitu
“Wi-Fi 7 support is of course interesting, when the IEEE standard is apparently not being completed until around 2024. Next year, however, a number of Wi-Fi 7-compatible smartphones will be introduced to the market. Xiaomi’s 13 Pro will probably be the first of them. Its arrival in Finland and prices will be revealed later.”
The tech IPO market collapsed in 2022, and next year doesn’t look much better
3 views: Predicting 2023’s key startup themes
“Anna Heim: The rise of API-first startups will continue in 2023
I am convinced that API-first will be a major trend in 2023, with this approach being both more widespread than it was previously, as well as more successful than less API-heavy options.
That APIs are on the rise isn’t exactly new — but API-first startups are a subgroup in this world, and one that is enjoying tailwinds.”
“The software company Tiobe measures the popularity of programming languages with its famous index, which measures search engine searches. Changes on the list happen slowly, but in December something happened right at the top of the list. C++ became the third most popular language over Java.”
“It’s not a trivial change, as C++ overtook Java for the first time in history. The top of the list is unchanged. Python and C are clearly in a class of their own.”
Sanna Marin: EU:n pitää katkaista teknologinen riippuvuus Kiinasta
“In an interview with Slush CEO Eerika Savolainen, Marin demanded that Europe break its technological dependence on China.
- We cannot depend on China. Economic relations should not be severed, but we cannot be in a position where an authoritarian country operating with a different logic is able to blackmail us, Marin said.
- I am afraid that we will make the same mistake with technology and digitality as with energy. We thought that a close economic relationship would prevent war, but we were wrong.”
Kyberturvan ammattilaisista on huutava pula
“There is an acute shortage of cyber security professionals. There is an estimated global shortage of three million professionals.”
Innovators 2023
These are some of the innovators and leaders in the electronics technology space.
Ennuste vuodelle 2023: Ongelmat helpottavat
“the demand for smarter and more networked products and systems has also spread to business-to-business sectors, where digitization and the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution have begun to take over the sector. For example, in manufacturing, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), characterized by interconnected sensors, communication/data transfer, and advanced data analytics, has transformed the efficiency of production processes in the factory. The IIoT depends on highly advanced integrated circuits that provide intelligence for sensing, measurement and monitoring, power management, control and communication.”
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Tutkimuslaitos ennustaa: pikselikisa ohi älypuhelinkameroissa
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15304-tutkimuslaitos-ennustaa-pikselikisa-ohi-aelypuhelinkameroissa
Yksi älypuhelimien myyntivaltteja on yhä ollut megapikselien määrä kamerassa, mutta TrendForcen mukaan tämä tie on pian kuljettu loppuun. Yli tuuman kokoiset kamerakennot eivät yksinkertaisesti ole käytännöllisiä, eikä pikselien määrää ole enää järkevää lisätä.
Aiemmin älypuhelinten kuvasensorien koko leijui usein vaatimattoman optisen koon, noin 1/2,5 tuuman ympärillä. Nyt kasvava joukko älypuhelimia sisältää kuva-antureita, joissa on jo 1 tuuman optinen kenno. Näillä laajennetuilla antureilla yksittäiset pikseleitä voidaan yhdistää, jolloin ne absorboivat enemmän valoa, ja vahvistavat signaalin voimakkuutta.
Vaikka suuremmat CMOS-kamerakennot ovatkin houkuttelevia, niiden integroiminen älypuhelimeen on iso haaste. Järeämpien kameramoduulien sijoittamiseksi suunnittelijoiden on usein heikennettävä muita kriittisiä osia, kuten akkua.
TrendForce väittääkin, ettei älypuhelinten kameroista tule loputonta pikselikisaa. Tähän on monia syitä. Keskivertokäyttäjä ei yksinkertaisesti pysty erottamaan 108 megapikselin ja 200 megapikselin kameraa toisistaan. Pikselien lisääminen vaatii myös suuremman anturin, joka johtaa raskaampaan laitteeseen. Tästä kuluttajat eivät pidä.
TrendForce arvioikin, että tulevaisuuden seuraava suuri harppaus kääntyy kohti hienosäätöä kamerakennon rakennesuunnittelussa. Yksi merkki tällaisista nähdään uusissa 15. polven iPhone-puhelimissa, joissa käytetään kaksikerroksista transistoripikseliarkkitehtuuria.
Kamerakennojen markkinoilla TrendForce ennustaa tälle vuodelle 3,2 prosentin laskua, mikä johtuu älypuhelinten hidastuneesta kysynnästä. Ennusteen mukaan tänä vuonna myydään hieman yli 4,3 miljardia CMOS-kamerakennoa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel Shows 8 Core 528 Thread Processor with Silicon Photonics
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-shows-8-core-528-thread-processor-with-silicon-photonics/
Intel had a cool technology on display at Hot Chips 2023, beyond just server chips. It had a direct mesh-to-mesh optical fabric. What might also be interesting is the 8-core processor with 66 threads per core.
Here is an interesting one. Intel has a 66-thread-per-core processor with 8 cores in a socket (528 threads?) The cache apparently is not well used due to the workload. This is a RISC ISA not x86.
Intel is packing these into 16 sockets in a single OCP compute thread and using optical networking.
Going off-die, each chip uses silicon photonics to drive its optical networking. With this, the connections between cores can happen directly between chips even if they are not in the same chassis without adding switches and NICs.
These chips are being packaged as a multi-chip package with EMIB. Having silicon photonics engines added a few other challenges of going from package to strands of fiber.
In terms of power, this was done in an 8-core 75W CPU. More than half of the power here is being used by silicon photonics.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/09/08/cerabyte-one-terabyte-per-square-centimeter/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2023/09/08/rs-group-sai-distrelecin-oston-paatokseen/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2023/09/08/nopea-neljan-teratavun-ssd-muisti-ohuella-jaahdytyslevylla/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wi-Fi 7: The Next Big Leap Or A Whole Lotta Nothing?
https://hackaday.com/2023/09/11/wi-fi-7-the-next-big-leap-or-a-whole-lotta-nothing/
For most people, the Wi-Fi hardware of today provides a perfectly satisfactory user experience. However, technology is ever-evolving, and as always, the next advancement is already around the corner. Enter Wi-Fi 7: a new standard that is set to redefine the boundaries of speed, efficiency, and connection reliability.
Wi-Fi 7 isn’t just another incremental step in the world of wireless tech. It’s promising drastic improvements over its predecessors. But what does it bring to the table? And how does it differ from Wi-Fi 6E, which is still relatively fresh in the market? Read on.
Tomi Engdahl says:
VideoCardz.com:
Intel announces Thunderbolt 5, offering up to 120 Gbps bandwidth, support for DisplayPort 2.1, USB v4, USB 3 20G, and PCIe Gen4, and up to 240W charging support — Thunderbolt 5 offers up to 3x the speed over Thunderbolt 4 — Intel has revealed its newest iteration of the Thunderbolt technology.
Thunderbolt 5 offers up to 3x the speed over Thunderbolt 4
https://videocardz.com/newz/thunderbolt-5-revealed-240w-charging-up-to-120-gbps-bandwidth-pcie-64gbps-support
Intel has revealed its newest iteration of the Thunderbolt technology.
Thunderbolt, a high-speed hardware interface technology first developed in collaboration between Intel and Apple, made its debut in 2011. Its primary purpose is to deliver rapid data transfer rates and support a wide range of data and display connections through a single port. Over the years, Thunderbolt has seen several iterations, each offering improved performance and functionality.
The most recent advancement, Thunderbolt 4, introduced enhanced display capabilities, allowing for dual 4K monitor support or a single 8K monitor. Additionally, Thunderbolt 4 mandated support for USB4 specifications, provided up to 100W of charging, and offered a minimum data transfer rate of 32 Gbps. However, despite these improvements, Thunderbolt 3 and 4 both maintain the same total bandwidth of 40 Gbps and compatibility with the PCIe Gen3 standard.
In October of the previous year, Intel unveiled its plans for a new generation of Thunderbolt technology. Today, they officially introduced it as Thunderbolt 5. The standard offers a total bandwidth potential of up to 120 Gbps, hinging on the utilization of Bandwidth Boost technology. Thunderbolt 5, in its default configuration, supplies an 80 Gbps bidirectional connection. However, when the need arises for high-resolution displays with increased refresh rates or for accommodating multiple displays, devices can harness the full 120 Gbps speed. In such scenarios, the receiving speed can be flexibly adjusted, ranging from 80 Gbps down to 40 Gbps.
A noteworthy feature of Thunderbolt 5 is compatibility with DisplayPort 2.1, USB v4, USB 3 20G, and PCIe Gen4. This standard also includes charging support of up to 240W, eliminating the necessity for separate charging cables for some laptops. The inclusion of PCIe Gen4 compatibility implies that Thunderbolt 5 will unlock greater bandwidth potential for external GPUs, potentially addressing one of the principal limitations of Thunderbolt 3 and 4 standards. However, for this to be fully supported, systems must be equipped with PCIe compatible links operating at 64 Gbps speeds.
It is anticipated that upcoming laptops, potentially those based on the Meteor Lake architecture, might be among the pioneering systems to incorporate Thunderbolt 5. Officially, the first systems featuring this technology are to launch in 2024.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A messaging app startup that raised $200M from SoftBank and others is shutting down because 95% of its users were fake
https://fortune.com/2023/06/25/irl-shutting-down-startup-admits-95-percent-of-messaging-app-users-were-fake/?xid=soc_socialflow_facebook_FORTUNE&utm_campaign=fortunemagazine&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&fbclid=IwAR0Q1kNAHhJOc_HsMwITtepiiLidF5Nm3hN0Gn3Bru6tkBMa6H5p2Udeh6E
Two years ago, a messaging app startup called IRL reached a $1.2 billion valuation in a $170 million Series C funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Boasting of its “unicorn status” and noting that it had raised more than $200 million to date, the company described itself as “the leading group messaging social network that brings people together through events and shared experiences.” CEO Abraham Shafi stated, “Our primary goal at IRL has always been to create more authentic and organic communities.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ranska käskee Applea keskeyttämään iPhone 12:n myynnin välittömästi – taustalla terveyssyyt https://www.is.fi/digitoday/mobiili/art-2000009850769.html
RANSKALAISVIRANOMAISET ovat käskeneet laitevalmistaja Applea keskeyttämään iPhone 12 -puhelinten myynnin, koska ne päästävät ympärilleen liikaa sähkömagneettista säteilyä. Lisäksi viranomaiset vaativat Applea korjaamaan jo myydyt puhelimet.
Ranskan radiotaajuuksia säätelevän viraston ANFR:n mukaan mallista huokuu sallittua enemmän sähkömagneettisia aaltoja, jotka ovat alttiita imeytymään ihmiskehoon.
ANFR sanoo määränneensä Applea vetämään älypuhelinmallin pois Ranskan markkinoilta syyskuun 12. päivään mennessä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Edwin Evans-Thirlwell / Rock, Paper, Shotgun:
A look at the “hectic evolution” of Steam, 20 years after Valve launched the beta, as rivals like the Epic Games Store and Itch.io fail to make much of a dent
Steam turns 20 today: “We’ve had to try a lot of different things over the years”
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/steam-turns-20-today-weve-had-to-try-a-lot-of-different-things-over-the-years
“Feedback from devs and gamers is always a huge part” of platform’s success, say Valve
The Steam logo on a dark blue background
The first time I heard of Steam it was, as you might expect, in conjunction with the release of a little FPS called Half-Life 2 back in 2004. You needed Steam to access it, whether you bought the digital version or a retail copy. Given relative unfamiliarity with digital distribution, the nascent status of broadband internet in the UK and US, and the much greater importance of physical game sales at the time, this caused quite a stir.
Between 80,000 and 300,000 players participated in the Steam beta test before its official release on 12th September 2003. In January 2023, the service scored a concurrent activity record of 33 million users.
Tomi Engdahl says:
David Pierce / The Verge:
Apple announces the 6.1″ iPhone 15 Pro and 6.7″ iPhone 15 Pro Max, with Grade 5 titanium in four finishes, a 3nm A17 Pro, a customizable Action Button, and more — Apple just announced its new high-end iPhones, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. It’s made of titanium, it has an Action button …
Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max announced with titanium bodies and an Action Button
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23859756/iphone-15-pro-max-price-features-release-date-apple
Apple just announced its new high-end iPhones: the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. They’re made of titanium, they have Action Buttons, and Apple promises they’re the most powerful smartphones Apple has ever made. The 15 Pro starts at $999 with 128GB of storage, and the Pro Max at $1,199 with 256GB of storage. Both will be available for preorder this Friday and on sale September 22nd.
This year’s Pro has a 6.1-inch screen, and the Pro Max has a 6.7-inch display — same as the new iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. Both are powered by the A17 Pro chip, which Apple says has the fastest performance in any smartphone and can even challenge some high-end PCs.
Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island
/ Apple’s new iPhone 15 features a USB-C port and some big improvements to the camera system.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23859779/iphone-15-plus-usb-c-price-release-date-apple
Apple has just announced the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and the big news is a USB-C port. Finally! We’ve been waiting for the day that the iPhone would switch to the widely used USB-C standard instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector. Apple confirmed last year that it would make the change to USB-C to comply with the European Union’s upcoming regulations, and the iPhone 15 is now the first iPhone to make the switch.
The iPhone 15 is priced starting at $799 for a 128GB model, and the iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899 for a 128GB version. Both will be available on September 22nd, with preorders starting this Friday.
/ They are apparently the strongest, fastest, and Pro-est iPhones ever. And that USB-C port might change the way people think about their smartphone camera.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jez Corden / Windows Central:
Unity announces fees based on a game’s installations and the developer’s plan tier, starting on January 1, 2024, joining Unreal Engine, which has similar fees — Unity joins Unreal Engine with a per-install fee. — What you need to know — Unity is a popular engine often used by smaller teams …
Developers react to Unity introducing new fees — it could have a big negative impact on Xbox Game Pass and indie games, too
https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/unity-drops-its-free-model-for-game-developers-requiring-a-fee-per-installation-it-could-have-a-big-negative-impact-on-xbox-game-pass-too
What you need to know
Unity is a popular engine often used by smaller teams, owing to its oft-comparatively lower fees.
Today, the firm announced that it will follow other engines in charging a runtime fee, starting January 1st, 2024.
The fee could potentially impact installs made via services like Xbox Game Pass, hurting the viability of business deals around the platform.
Read on for more details.
Developers have begun openly decrying the new changes at Unity, requesting that the company go back on the new per-install fees lest they’re forced to abandon the game engine in favor of something else.
The reaction to Unity’s decision to implement per-install fees on games above a certain level of success has been almost unerringly negative from both developers and the video games community. It remains to be seen if the public outcry will affect Unity’s decision, but we’ll keep this space updated with every new development. Our original article continues below.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hartley Charlton / MacRumors:
Apple unveils the $399 Watch Series 9, with an S9 chip, 30% faster than the S8, a four-core neural engine, Double Tap, on-device Siri, and a 2,000-nit display — Apple today unveiled the Apple Watch Series 9, featuring significantly improved performance thanks to the S9 Apple silicon chip …
Apple Watch Series 9 Unveiled With S9 Chip, ‘Double Tap’ Gesture, and More
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/09/12/apple-watch-series-9-unveiled/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Michael Stroup / AppleInsider:
Apple plans to stop using leather for accessories, announces a recycled FineWoven material for Watch bands, and plans to phase out all plastic packaging by 2025 — Apple’s commitment to environmental impacts takes a bold new stand with a claim the tech giant will phase out all plastic packaging …
Apple killing off plastic packaging by the end of 2024
https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/09/12/apple-killing-off-plastic-packaging-by-the-end-of-2024
Apple’s commitment to environmental impacts takes a bold new stand with a claim the tech giant will phase out all plastic packaging by the end of 2024, and the slow removal of leather products.
By 2030, Apple aims to reduce the climate impact from devices to a net-zero impact. Crucial metals used in construction, like aluminum, cobalt, and gold, now come from recycled sources.
The goal of a greener world
In addition to phasing out plastic and leather materials, Apple is furthering the commitment to renewable resources by offsetting Watch Series 9 user’s electricity through investment in renewable sources.
Starting today, Apple will no longer use leather in any materials. Instead, users can use FineWoven, which comes from recycled materials and sports several colors while remaining stylish.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Apple announces a USB-C charging case for the AirPods Pro, letting iPhone 15 owners use the same cable to charge both devices, and new wired EarPods with USB-C — It’d be a little strange for Apple to transition the iPhone lineup over to USB-C only to leave its massively popular AirPods Pro stuck with Lightning charging ports.
Apple is switching the AirPods Pro charging case to USB-C
/ The USB-C cable that comes with your iPhone 15 will be able to charge Apple’s flagship earbuds — assuming you buy a new pair.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23860305/airpods-pro-usb-c-cases-apple-announced
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Apple’s USB-C AirPods Pro will support 20-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio when used with the upcoming Vision Pro headset
Apple’s USB-C AirPods Pro will support lossless audio with the Vision Pro
/ A ‘groundbreaking’ wireless audio protocol and ‘revolutionary new format’ will allow 20-bit, 48kHz audio transmission from Apple’s mixed reality headset to the AirPods Pro.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23870723/apple-airpods-pro-usb-c-lossless-audio-vision
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Apple’s second-gen Ultra Wideband chip in the iPhone 15 helps improve Find My, including adding precision finding with distance indicators for crowded venues
Apple’s ‘Find My’ app makes it easier to find your friends on iPhone 15
https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/12/apples-find-my-app-makes-it-easier-to-find-your-friends-on-iphone-15/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGVjaG1lbWUuY29tLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJXs7SaD8I-DBTNU1EviykyH4xpzHAqYh-cag-VErjP3ABJJ-zUhjRRGVZqadgdnfCje4pP61ZHZCNRZgWhRIClQewBT_iTE9aQd9uRo_zVmeLh_19jrpwZbemlM-0AYTRHv7YOgDikM-gWcNpPAtL-WQPecvdxIHUZMUD4p3V46
Apple’s iPhone was the first smartphone to introduce Ultra Wideband capabilities, which made it easier to find lost items — like your car keys attached to an AirTag hidden in the couch cushions. With the release of iPhone 15, the iPhone will gain Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which will allow it to connect to other devices with the same chip up to three times farther away. Plus, notes Apple, this means it will now also be easier to find your friends in a crowd when using the iPhone 15.
The new phone will support precision finding, allowing you to navigate through a crowded venue — like a concert, train station, or farmers market to find your friends who are sharing their location with you. As with the precision-finding features previously available for finding lost items and devices, you’ll now be able to be guided directly to your friends with clear directions and distance indicators thanks to the improved finding capabilities.
And in extreme situations when you’re off the grid, the iPhone includes support for satellite calls with Emergency SOS. The feature has since expanded to 14 countries on three continents and is coming to Spain and Switzerland this month. A new feature will now offer roadside assistance via satellite, which lets you text to gain access to a roadside assistance provider.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Justine Calma / The Verge:
Apple’s environmental announcements, including its first carbon-neutral products, are progress but may act as a red herring to distract from its overall impact — Apple announced its first-ever carbon-neutral products today, but don’t get too excited about what that means for the planet.
Apple’s first ‘carbon neutral’ products are a red herring
https://www.theverge.com/23870317/apples-watch-series-9-carbon-neutral-climate-goal
/ Apple announced that its Watch Series 9 marks its first carbon-neutral product. But focusing on the watch distracts from the bigger picture of the company’s climate impact.
Apple announced its first-ever carbon-neutral products today, but don’t get too excited about what that means for the planet. It’s way more important to look at the company’s environmental impact as a whole rather than fixate on any particular product it’s selling as more sustainable.
Some of Apple’s new watches will be carbon neutral, but only based on “select” combinations of cases and bands. Apple also said it plans to stop selling leather accessories like watch bands and phone cases to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
When it comes to climate commitments, boasts about a specific product’s sustainability can distract from the far more important goal of reducing the company’s overall environmental impact. Apple has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, the key measure for which we should hold it accountable.
https://www.theverge.com/23036346/earth-day-corporate-climate-change-goals-greenwashing
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arjun Kharpal / CNBC:
Apple hikes the prices of the iPhone 15 range in China, Japan, India, and other markets, keeps prices flat in the US, and cuts prices in the UK by £50 to £100 — – Apple hiked the prices of its latest iPhones in some of its key markets including China, Japan and India, even as it kept them the same in the U.S.
Apple hikes iPhone prices in key China and India markets despite keeping them the same in the U.S.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/13/apple-raises-iphone-15-prices-in-china-and-india-cuts-prices-in-uk.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple on YouTube:
A recording of Apple’s livestream of the “Wonderlust” event at Apple Park — Join us for a special Apple Event on September 12 at 10 a.m. PT. Set a reminder now, and we’ll notify you before showtime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiP1l7jlIIA
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reuters:
Sources: TSMC is frustrated with its Arizona plant and has growing confidence in Japan, where its $8.6B fab is on track to produce mature-tech chips in 2024 — Taiwan’s TSMC (2330.TW), which is making an unprecedented push into chip manufacturing overseas, is taking an increasingly optimistic view …
TSMC prizes Japan’s chips skills after US stumbles, sources say
https://www.reuters.com/technology/tsmc-prizes-japans-chips-skills-after-us-stumbles-sources-2023-09-12/
TSMC’s first Japan fab on track for production in 2024-sources
Chipmaker considering further expansion in Japan-sources
TSMC has growing confidence in Japan as production base-sources
US mega-project delayed by a year due to worker shortages
TOKYO/SINGAPORE/TAIPEI, Sept 13 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s TSMC (2330.TW), which is making an unprecedented push into chip manufacturing overseas, is taking an increasingly optimistic view of Japan as a production base, two industry sources said, as problems persist at its new factory in Arizona.
TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, is frustrated in Arizona, the sources said, where it has struggled to recruit workers for the gruelling chipmaking trade and faced pushback from unions on efforts to bring in workers from Taiwan.
The company has growing confidence in Japan, where an $8.6 billion fab under construction in a chipmaking hub on the island of Kyushu is on track to start producing mature-technology chips in 2024, the sources said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
David Pierce / The Verge:
Apple starts selling a $29 USB-C to Lightning adapter alongside a $19 one-meter USB-C charging cable, a $29 two-meter USB-C cable, and a $69 Thunderbolt 4 cable
Apple’s new USB-C iPhone cables and dongles are predictably expensive
/ Fortunately, the USB-C ecosystem is already thriving. Unfortunately, you’re probably going to need a dongle or three in the meantime.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23870441/apple-usb-c-cables-lightning-dongle-price
Apple just made a lot of people’s Lightning cables and accessories suddenly redundant by introducing the new iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. Four phones, not a Lightning port in sight — Apple is all in on USB-C.
To make the transition easier, Apple is now selling a bunch of predictably expensive new cables and dongles. Starting with the one you’re almost certainly going to need to buy: the USB-C to Lightning Adapter, a $29.99 dongle into which you plug your Lightning device or cable and then plug the dongle into your new phone.
If you’re ready to live the USB-C life entirely, you can buy Apple’s one-meter charging cable, which is $19 and will charge at up to 60 watts. Or, for $29, you can get a two-meter cable that supports up to 240 watts of charging power. Both transfer data at USB 2 speeds and should be sufficient for most of your day-to-day needs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15307-mediatekin-uusin-tuo-lisaeae-tehoa-keskihintaluokkaan
Tomi Engdahl says:
Applen uusin: lisätehoa lähes kolmanneksen pienemmällä virrankulutuksella
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15311-applen-uusin-tuo-lisaeae-tehoa-laehes-kolmanneksen-pienemmaellae-virrankulutuksella
Apple esitteli eilen illalla Suomen aikaa uudet 15-sarjan iPhone-puhelimensa. Sarjan kahdessa huippumallissa eli iPhone 15 Pro- ja Pro Max -versioissa käytetään täysin uutta Bionic A17 Pro -prosessoria. Kyse on samalla maailman ensimmäisestä 3 nanometrin prosessissa valmistettavasta mobiilisirusta.
TSMC:n tähän asti ohuin viivanleveys tuo paljon lisää iPhone-huippumallien suorituskykyyn. Kuuden ytimen kaksi tehokkainta ydintä ovat 10 prosenttia tehokkaampia kuin A15-edeltäjässä. GPU-osassa ydintenmäärä on kasvanut viidestä kuuteen ja ne operoivat 20 prosenttia nopeammin. Akkukäytön kannalta hyvää on se, että A17 Pro on jopa 30 prosenttia energiatehokkaampi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Monica Chin / The Verge:
HP unveils the $5,000+ Spectre Fold, an OLED foldable PC that can be used as a 17-inch tablet, a 17-inch laptop, or a 12.3-inch laptop and weighs less than 3lbs
The HP Spectre Fold is the world’s thinnest 17-inch foldable PC
/ It can be a 12.3-inch laptop, a 17-inch laptop, or a gigantic tablet — all for the small price of $4,999.99
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/23870597/hp-spectre-fold-foldable-windows-laptop-release-date
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nicole Nguyen / Wall Street Journal:
Google plans to offer Chromebook software updates for up to 10 years, starting in 2024, so no current device expires within the next two years, to help schools
Google Extends Lifespan of Chromebooks With 10-Year Update Policy
With the change, no existing Chromebook will have to expire within the next two years
https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/google-extends-lifespan-of-chromebooks-with-10-year-update-policy-38910da1?mod=followamazon
Google is working to push back the expiration date of Chromebooks, addressing concerns held by school administrators that the laptops are too short-lived to be cost effective.
The Alphabet GOOG -0.50%decrease; red down pointing triangle
-owned company—which develops the Chrome operating system running on computers made mostly by others—said Thursday it plans to provide software updates for Chromebooks for up to a decade. The new policy, which starts next year, ensures that no existing Chromebook will expire within the next two years.
The disclosure of the policy change comes after an August column in The Wall Street Journal detailing schools’ struggles with expiring Chromebooks.
Chromebooks are ubiquitous in classrooms around the country, but some education software doesn’t work after what Google calls the Auto Update Expiration date. Unsupported Chromebooks can’t be used for mandatory state testing, even if the hardware still appears functional.
When the laptops expire, school districts recycle them, sometimes at a cost, and spend millions of dollars on replacements.
Google currently sets expiration dates based on the release date of specific models. Newer models have eight years of support, while older Chromebooks have five. Starting in 2024, Google will support a given laptop “platform”—a certain combination of hardware components—for 10 years after the first device in the platform hits store shelves.
With the multiyear extension, schools and families can keep Chromebooks a bit longer, saving money and preventing the laptops in decent working condition from becoming e-waste.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reuters:
Sources: TSMC told its major suppliers to delay the delivery of high-end chipmaking equipment, as the chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand
TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries, sources say
https://www.reuters.com/technology/tsmc-tells-vendors-delay-chip-equipment-deliveries-sources-2023-09-15/
TSMC increasingly nervous about customer demand -sources
Instruction to delay is aimed at controlling costs -sources
Suppliers currently expect delay to be short-term -sources
TOKYO/SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM, Sept 15 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s TSMC (2330.TW) has told its major suppliers to delay the delivery of high-end chipmaking equipment, as the world’s top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand, two sources familiar with the matter said.
Shares in TSMC suppliers including Dutch-based ASML (ASML.AS) declined following the Reuters report.
The instruction by TSMC, which is grappling with delays at its $40 billion chip factory in Arizona, is aimed at controlling costs and reflects the company’s growing caution about the outlook for demand, the sources said.
Suppliers currently expect the delay to be short-term
TSMC said it does not comment on what it called “market rumour”.
weaker economic conditions, a slower recovery in China and softer end-market demand is making customers more cautious
Companies affected by the instruction to delay include ASML, which makes lithography equipment essential for high-end chipmaking, one of the sources said.
In an interview with Reuters last week, ASML CEO Peter Wennink said some orders for its high-end tools have been pushed back, without saying who by, and that he expected it would be a “short-term management” issue.
“There has been a lot of excitement about artificial intelligence and the implications for the semiconductor industry,” he said, adding that AI was positive for TSMC, which makes chips for NVIDIA (NVDA.O).
“However the strength in demand for AI chips is not strong enough to compensate (for) what is happening in other segments.”
TSMC has been forced to push back production at the Arizona plant by a year to 2025, as it struggled to recruit workers and faced pushback from unions on efforts to bring in workers from Taiwan.
The Taiwanese chip giant is not alone in worrying a bounceback in demand may take longer than expected.
Apple (AAPL.O), a key TSMC customer, launched a new series of iPhones this week that included a faster chip, but it did not raise prices, reflecting the global smartphone slump.
TSMC used to make chips for Huawei but suspended supplies after Washington imposed sanctions on the Chinese firm. Analysts have found Huawei worked with Chinese contract chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (0981.HK) to manufacture an advanced chip for its latest smartphone.
TSMC forecast in July a 10% slide in 2023 sales
Tomi Engdahl says:
No longer Intel NUC:
As of September 1, ASUS has officially taken over Intel’s NUC brand and product range.
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/intel-nuc-systems-agreement.html#gs.59dqyj
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s Next-Gen AVX10 Instruction Set Finally Receives Support at GNU Assembler
https://wccftech.com/intel-next-gen-avx10-instruction-set-finally-receives-support-at-gnu-assembler/?fbclid=IwAR1Vrdw4ugy5gnaEG8IvRNgtBWcNKSyRKgyBUzIOhdy8ZszKbAVNW5IwQ5A
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tom Warren / The Verge:
FTC v. Microsoft: new documents detail an Xbox Series X refresh in 2024, codenamed Brooklin, including a new controller and cylindrical, disc-less design — Microsoft is planning to refresh its Xbox Series X console in 2024 with an all-new design and features.
This is Microsoft’s new disc-less Xbox Series X design with a new gyro controller
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/19/23880111/microsoft-xbox-series-x-new-design-refresh
/ FTC vs. Microsoft documents revealed plans for a cylinder-shaped ‘all-digital’ 2TB Xbox Series X, plus a new two-tone controller with modular thumbsticks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kevin Collier / NBC News:
After over 100 internal Microsoft Xbox documents leaked, the FTC says that “Microsoft was responsible for the error in uploading these documents to the court”
Microsoft’s Xbox plans revealed in emails tied to FTC case
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/video-games/microsofts-xbox-plans-revealed-emails-tied-ftc-case-rcna105766
The files include emails from corporate executives like Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and timetables for gaming releases.
A huge collection of purported Xbox files related to the Federal Trade Commission’s case against Microsoft have been published online, spilling some of the company’s plans for the gaming console into public view.
The files were uploaded Friday to a website hosted by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, where the FTC is suing to block Microsoft’s acquisition of the video game company Activision Blizzard. The court website stopped sharing the files sometime Tuesday morning.
They include more than 100 documents, many of them partially redacted, related to Microsoft’s Xbox plans.
Douglas Farrar, director of the FTC’s office of public affairs, told NBC News that “Microsoft was responsible for the error in uploading these documents to the court.”
Microsoft didn’t respond to a request for comment.
In an order filed Tuesday, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley made it clear the files weren’t meant to be made public. Microsoft had provided a link to exhibits for the case Thursday, she wrote, and the court uploaded those files, but the parties in the case have since told the court those uploads contained nonpublic information.
Corley instructed both parties to resubmit the exhibits through a “secure cloud link” by Friday.
The files include emails from corporate executives like Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and timetables for gaming releases.
ome of the documents include Microsoft Gaming senior employees discussing the value of the exclusive hold they have on key video game titles.
Spencer said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that it was “hard to see our team’s work shared in this way because so much has changed and there’s so much to be excited about right now, and in the future.”
One document shows a list of projections for some major game titles with release dates and the platforms on which they are planned to be made available. That list estimates that the highly anticipated game “The Elder Scrolls VI” won’t be released until 2026 or later and will not be available for PlayStation, which is owned by Sony.
The Verge:
Memo: Phil Spencer tells staff the FTC v. Microsoft documents leak is “disappointing” and that the company failed to live up to its confidentiality expectations — / ‘We all put incredible amounts of passion and energy into our work, and this is never how we want that hard work to be shared with the community.’
Microsoft addresses the huge Xbox leaks: here’s Phil Spencer’s full memo
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/19/23881174/microsoft-xbox-leak-gaming-phil-spencer-memo
/ ‘We all put incredible amounts of passion and energy into our work, and this is never how we want that hard work to be shared with the community.’
Xbox chief Phil Spencer has just emailed Microsoft employees about the massive Xbox leak that happened earlier today. In the internal memo, obtained by The Verge, Spencer says Microsoft’s Xbox plans “were unintentionally disclosed” as part of the FTC v. Microsoft case. Documents revealed a lot: a disc-less Series X redesign, a 2028 Xbox that could deliver “cloud hybrid games,” a new Xbox controller, unannounced Bethesda games, and even discussions about acquiring Nintendo.
Spencer hints that Microsoft’s plans may have changed, particularly as some documents were from last year, but others were from years prior. “I know this is disappointing, even if many of the documents are well over a year old and our plans have evolved,” says Spencer in his internal memo.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mariam Sunny / Reuters:
Neuralink opens enrollment for the first human trial of its brain implant for paralysis patients, which is expected to take about six years to complete — Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup Neuralink said on Tuesday it has received approval from an independent review board …
Musk’s Neuralink to start human trial of brain implant for paralysis patients
https://www.reuters.com/technology/musks-neuralink-start-human-trials-brain-implant-2023-09-19/
Sept 19 (Reuters) – Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup Neuralink said on Tuesday it has received approval from an independent review board to begin recruitment for the first human trial of its brain implant for paralysis patients.
Those with paralysis due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may qualify for the study, it said, but did not reveal how many participants would be enrolled in the trial, which will take about six years to complete.
The study will use a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move, Neuralink said, adding that its initial goal is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.
The company, which had earlier hoped to receive approval to implant its device in 10 patients, was negotiating a lower number of patients with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after the agency raised safety concerns, according to current and former employees. It is not known how many patients the FDA ultimately approved.
Musk has grand ambitions for Neuralink, saying it would facilitate speedy surgical insertions of its chip devices to treat conditions like obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Financial Times:
Meta launches in-chat payments for WhatsApp in India, allowing businesses to accept payments via credit/debit cards, WhatsApp Pay or UPI at no extra cost — Parent company Meta seeks to tap its messaging service’s biggest market to boost revenue — Hundreds of millions of WhatsApp users …
https://www.ft.com/content/64104575-50ed-49ef-b9c9-4354294d96d2
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Meta expands its Meta Verified program to businesses on Facebook and Instagram in select geographies, starting at $21.99 per month per page on either service
https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/19/meta-is-expanding-its-verification-program-to-businesses/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Verge:
Everything Amazon announced at its product event: Alexa Emergency Assist for $6/month, the Alexa Eye Gaze accessibility feature, the $50 Echo Pop Kids, and more — Amazon is kicking off its annual fall product announcements at its HQ2 campus in Arlington, Virginia.
All the biggest announcements from Amazon’s September 2023 product launch event
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/20/23881164/amazon-event-hardware-devices-alexa-echo-ring
Tomi Engdahl says:
llison Johnson / The Verge:
Apple’s FineWoven accessories and iPhone cases are really bad: they’re expensive, quickly show wear, and scratch very easily, leaving seemingly permanent marks — Apple’s new FineWoven iPhone cases and accessories are bad. Like, really bad. I’ve been puzzling over them for the past week, looking at them from different angles.
The new FineWoven iPhone cases are very bad
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/20/23882255/apple-iphone-15-finewoven-case-wallet-bad
Everything you’ve heard is true: Apple’s new FineWoven iPhone cases and accessories are categorically terrible.
Folks, what you’ve heard so far is true. Apple’s new FineWoven iPhone cases and accessories are bad. Like, really bad. I’ve been puzzling over them for the past week, looking at them from different angles. Picking them up, setting them down, petting them. Seven days later, I still can’t make sense of them and have no other choice but to say it out loud: FineWoven is very bad.
FineWoven is a new fabric option you’ll find on iPhone 15 cases, AirTag holders, and MagSafe wallets. Apple calls it a “luxurious and durable microtwill.” It’s silky, almost slippery to the touch, and costs $59 for any of the phone cases, $35 for an AirTag holder, and $99 for one of the new watch bands — not the most expensive phone cases you can buy, but pretty darn pricey.
Apple is pitching them as a premium replacement of sorts for the leather accessories it discontinued. The company won’t sell leather iPhone cases and straps anymore because making them at Apple’s scale “has a significant carbon footprint,”
That’s fair; as my colleague Justine Calma puts it, “Cattle are a big source of greenhouse gas emissions because cows burp out methane, which is even more potent than CO2 when it comes to its ability to trap heat on the planet.” If you want a fancy first-party iPhone case, then your new, more sustainable option would be FineWoven.
But FineWoven is very much not the premium material that leather is.
If I’m putting one of these cases on my phone, I’m inevitably going to scratch it on accident with a jagged fingernail edge, or it’s going to come into contact with my car keys. And when you scratch FineWoven, the results are seemingly permanent.
I’m trying to imagine what this case would be like after a year of being subjected to the dust and lint at the bottom of my purse or the stray scratches from nails and keys. God help me if my toddler ever managed to put his grubby hands on it, which he absolutely would. I just don’t see any way that this material ages gracefully. The leather cases had their problems, but when leather gets old, it at least looks nice — a scuffed, dusty fabric case will not.
Maybe FineWoven would be acceptable in a less expensive case. Or maybe if Apple had never called it “durable,” I could accept it. But for $59? On a phone case that needs to stand up to daily abuse? Absolutely not.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Apple spent billions of dollars developing a modem chip for the new iPhones to cut ties with Qualcomm, but the chip was slow and prone to overheating — The company set out to design a silicon chip that would allow it to cut ties with Qualcomm, a longtime supplier and bitter foe
Inside Apple’s Spectacular Failure to Build a Key Part for Its New iPhones
https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-iphone-modem-chip-failure-6fe33d19?mod=followamazon
The company set out to design a silicon chip that would allow it to cut ties with Qualcomm, a longtime supplier and bitter foe
The new iPhone models unveiled last week are missing a proprietary silicon chip that Apple had spent several years and billions of dollars trying to develop in time for the rollout.
The 2018 marching orders from Apple AAPL -2.00%decrease; red down pointing triangle
Chief Executive Tim Cook to design and build a modem chip—a part that connects iPhones to wireless carriers—led to the hiring of thousands of engineers. The goal was to sever Apple’s grudging dependence on Qualcomm
, a longtime chip supplier that dominates the modem market.
The obstacles to finishing the chip were largely of Apple’s own making, according to former company engineers and executives familiar with the project.
Apple had planned to have its modem chip ready to use in the new iPhone models. But tests late last year found the chip was too slow and prone to overheating. Its circuit board was so big it would take up half an iPhone, making it unusable.
Investors had counted on Apple saving money with an in-house chip to help compensate for weak demand in the larger smartphone market. Apple—which hasn’t publicly acknowledged its modem project, much less its shortcomings—is estimated to have paid more than $7.2 billion to Qualcomm last year for the chips.
Engineering teams working on Apple’s modem chip have been slowed by technical challenges, poor communication and managers split over the wisdom of trying to design the chips rather than buy them, these people said. Teams were siloed in separate groups across the U.S. and abroad without a global leader. Some managers discouraged the airing of bad news from engineers about delays or setbacks, leading to unrealistic goals and blown deadlines.
Just because Apple builds the best silicon on the planet, it’s ridiculous to think that they could also build a modem,” said former Apple wireless director Jaydeep Ranade, who left the company in 2018, the year the project began.
There were two reasons for the push, said former Apple executives and engineers familiar with the matter: Apple believed it could replicate the success of the microprocessor chips it designed for iPhones. Adoption of those chips fattened profit margins and improved performance for billions of devices. Second, Apple wanted to sever ties with Qualcomm, which it had accused in a 2017 lawsuit of overcharging for its patent royalties.
The companies settled the suit in 2019, and Apple, facing the expiration of its previous Qualcomm agreement, announced a deal last week to continue buying the company’s modem chips through 2026. Apple isn’t expected to produce a comparable chip until late 2025, people familiar with the matter said. There could be further delays, these people said, but the company believes it will eventually succeed.
Apple found that designing a microprocessor, essentially a tiny computer to run software, was easy by comparison. Modem chips, which transmit and receive wireless data, must comply with strict connectivity standards to serve wireless carriers around the world.
“These delays indicate Apple didn’t anticipate the complexity of the effort,” said Serge Willenegger, a former longtime Qualcomm executive who left the company in 2018 and doesn’t know the current state of the Apple chip. “Cellular is a monster.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Madeleine Ngo / New York Times:
The US spending $64.5B+ to improve rural broadband and close the “digital divide” may not be enough due to the cost of laying fiber, labor shortages, and more
Billions to Connect Everyone to High-Speed Internet Could Still Fall Short
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/19/us/politics/high-speed-internet-biden.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
What strategy? Google’s smart home efforts are moving from bad to worse
Google’s smart home strategy is as disastrous as Google’s messaging strategy
Strategy — what strategy? No, really, what strategy?
https://www.androidauthority.com/googles-smart-home-strategy-disastrous-3329320/?fbclid=IwAR1piJ235t8aWBp6wBYCGhnqYCwnstm21bGl_w-FSPokpiFK5-HlmCU1t5Q
Google’s smart home strategy has seen many false starts over the last decade and a half. From the early 2010 iteration of Google TV to the ill-fated Nexus Q, everything was funky and experimental. Then Google Assistant and the first Google Home smart speaker launched and it seemed like Mountain View finally knew what it wanted to do with the smart home. Fast forward seven years or so and things have taken so many twists and turns that it’s starting to feel like another episode of Google’s messaging app saga.
But let’s back up a bit. Few products in Google’s line-up have shown a relatively stable vision over the decades. Search, Maps, Photos, and Gmail count among those most steady, unsurprising services. Everything else, from Wallet-Pay-Wallet to Google TV-Android TV-Google TV or Gsuite free-paid-Workspace has seen more ups and downs than I can count. None, however, has been as confusing or flippity-floppity as Google’s smorgasbord of messaging services and strategies.
The lack of a clear sense of direction in Google’s smart home strategy is jarring.
This has become abundantly clear over the last year, with the launch of a half-baked smart display integration in the Pixel Tablet, along with the dozen changes that have gutted existing smart displays and speakers from important features. All of this has punctuated what has been a very perplexing smart home strategy from Google.
From an omnipotent Assistant to a ghost Assistant
Assistant’s abilities differ greatly between phones, tablets, speakers, smart displays, TVs, smartwatches, headphones, and cars. Each one had a specific set of supported commands and restrictions.
Worse yet, Assistant doesn’t work half the time, is very slow to answer, and keeps getting dumber. Commands it perfectly understood a few years ago leave it confused now, while errors and “Sorry, I can’t do that” are frequent answers to every request.
Google Assistant was poised to become the backbone of the smart home — and our digital life in general — but it’s been falling to pieces. Google tried to do too much, too fast, too soon.
In predictable Google fashion, it ended up with too many loose strings that were easier to cut out than tie together. And now we’re supposed to trust Bard?
Since buying Nest in 2014, Google’s Nest hardware strategy has been nothing short of perplexing.
The in-house Nest line-up is perplexing and third-party hardware makers were left in the cold.
On top of that, Google dragged other companies into its smart home whirlwind. JBL, Lenovo, LG, Sony, and others started making smart speakers and displays. For a couple of years, the ecosystem of Assistant-compatible smart gear was blossoming, then updates slowed down and new releases became rare until Google announced that it was discontinuing support for all third-party Assistant smart displays. Speakers are still handled — for now. Who knows what the future holds?
The real losers are long-term users
Every Google Home or Nest product I’ve bought has lost one or many features it originally launched with.
After culling all the unnecessary and secondary Assistant features, all the hardware side quests, and all the software duplicities, Google is left with a leaner and more focused smart home ecosystem. The Google Home app has also received an update that made it a lot easier to use and more centered around controlling your home. What is available works now (aside from Assistant’s volatility) and is a more solid ground to build from. That’s a low bar for a compliment, but it’s a compliment nonetheless.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15341-netgear-lupaa-ettae-wi-fi-7-yltaeae-joka-paikkaan
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/09/20/silencing-a-3d-printer-with-acoustic-foam-isnt-that-easy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15348-tehokas-teollisuustietokone-luottokortin-puolikkaalla
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15339-maailman-energiatehokkain-jaerjestelmaepiiri-tulee-nyt-norjasta
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15340-qualcommilta-4-nanometrin-siru-keskihintaluokkaan
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15332-maailman-paras-datakeskusprosessori
AMD on esitellyt neljännen tuoteperheen neljännen sukupolven EPYC-prosessoreihin. Datakeskusten palvelimiin tarkoitetut Siena-koodinimellä kehitetyt prosessorit tuovat Intelin uusimpiin Xeoneihin verrattuna merkittävästi lisää energiatehokasta suorituskykyä.
EPYC 8004 -piirit perustuvat Zen 4c -ytimiin. Zen 4c -ydin vie piillä tilaa selvästi vähemmän kuin edeltäjä Zen 4. TSMC:n viiden nanometrin prosessissa valmistettu ydin vie L2-välimuisteisiin tilaa 2,48 neliömilliä. AMD:n mukaan ytimen parannukset eivät vaikuta siihen, miten ytimiä ohjelmistossa käsitellään.
Suorittimet istuvat emolevyllä uuteen SP6-korttipaikkaan. Ne on tarkoitettu pilvipalveluihin, älykkäisiin laitteisiin verkon reunalla ja tietoliikenteen korttipalvelimiin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kymmenen vuotta sitten Intel ajautui ongelmiin, kun se jäi valmistuksessa TSMC:n, Samsungin ja sitten myös AMD:n jälkeen. Nyt yhtiö aikoo ottaa uudelleen kärkipaikan ja se tapahtuu vuosikymmenen lopulla uuden piirialustan avulla.
Intel on esitellyt tekniikan, jolla piirit valmistetaan uuden substraatin päälle nykyisten orgaanisten hartsien sijaan. Tämä alusta on lasi. Lasilla on monia ylivoimaisia ominaisuuksia, ja Intel on tutkinut tekniikkaa vuosikymmenen ajan satojen tutkijoiden ja useiden tutkimuslaitosten voimalla.
Lasisubstraatit kestävät korkeampia lämpötiloja kuin nykyalustat. Ne ovat erittäin tasaisia ja kovia, joten piirikuviot vääristyvät 50 prosenttia vähemmän. Tämän ansiosta tulevaisuuden järjestelmäpiirit, jotka koostuvat ns. sirpaleista (chiplets), voivat olla suurempikokoisia.
Näiden ominaisuuksien lisäksi lasilla on mahdollista toteuttaa 10-kertainen määrä sirun osien liitäntöjä. Tämä mahdollistaa Mooren lain jatkamista siinäkin tapauksessa, että skaalaaminen pienempiin viivanleveyksiin hidastuu.Tulevaisuuden piirit makaavat lasin päällä
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15335-tulevaisuuden-piirit-makaavat-lasin-paeaellae
Tomi Engdahl says:
Please don’t trash your perfectly good Lightning cables! Do this instead
Folks who upgrade to an iPhone 15 won’t have much use for Lightning cables anymore. Please keep them out of the landfill.
https://www.androidauthority.com/lightning-cable-donation-3361204/?fbclid=IwAR0rVKFHxdYrTPevdLHgQIrBpG6ZvRiaVR6VN6oVS67ngaeQC09EhWabXz8
Tomi Engdahl says:
Unity has done a 180 on a controversial new pricing scheme that users of its cross-platform game engine almost unanimously disparaged. A new pricing policy is still incoming, but it’s far less fraught for independent developers, many of whom threatened to leave the engine and platform behind rather than pay.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/22/unity-u-turns-on-controversial-runtime-fee-and-begs-forgiveness/?fbclid=IwAR2Nko2pscqk1MxUxwQSYdJ0P6RMN4FiBunnSFAoDNMTfyW5OO_cCfodaBI
Tomi Engdahl says:
Metal shortage could put the brakes on electrification
May 31, 2023
Critical metal resources will deplete quickly if we are not careful.
https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/industry-news/news/53062033/metal-shortage-could-put-the-brakes-on-electrification?utm_source=promotion&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Market_Moves_Manufacturing_Promo&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tulevaisuuden piirit makaavat lasin päällä
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15335-tulevaisuuden-piirit-makaavat-lasin-paeaellae
Kymmenen vuotta sitten Intel ajautui ongelmiin, kun se jäi valmistuksessa TSMC:n, Samsungin ja sitten myös AMD:n jälkeen. Nyt yhtiö aikoo ottaa uudelleen kärkipaikan ja se tapahtuu vuosikymmenen lopulla uuden piirialustan avulla.
Intel on esitellyt tekniikan, jolla piirit valmistetaan uuden substraatin päälle nykyisten orgaanisten hartsien sijaan. Tämä alusta on lasi. Lasilla on monia ylivoimaisia ominaisuuksia, ja Intel on tutkinut tekniikkaa vuosikymmenen ajan satojen tutkijoiden ja useiden tutkimuslaitosten voimalla.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sentintarkka paikannus pienellä datamäärällä
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15336-sentintarkka-paikannus-pienellae-datamaeaeraellae