Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google Cloud’s new partnership with AI model repository Hugging Face is letting developers build‚ train‚ and deploy AI models without needing to pay for a Google Cloud subscription. Now‚ outside developers using Hugging Face’s platform will have “cost-effective” access to Google’s tensor processing units (TPU) and GPU supercomputers‚ which will include thousands of Nvidia’s in-demand and export-restricted H100s. Hugging Face is one of the more popular AI model repositories‚ storing open-sourced foundation models like Meta’s Llama 2 and Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion. It also has many databases for model training. There are over 350‚000 models hosted on the platform for developers to work with or upload their own models to Hugging... Continue reading…

This is the fastest AM4 processor you can upgrade to if you’re not ready to buy into AM5. AMD made bank on its Ryzen chipsets on the strength of bored pandemic-era gamers who spent their stimulus checks on new PC builds. Ryzen CPUs offered arguably the best price-to-performance value back then‚ causing many to go all in on AM4-based systems. AMD has since switched to the next-generation AM5 platform‚ but there’s still plenty of room on the upgrade path for those not interested in shelling out hundreds or thousands on newer hardware. Take the top-line Ryzen 9 5950X‚ for instance‚ which has never been cheaper than the $364.99 price currently showing at Amazon (18 percent off). The Ryzen 9 5950X is admittedly overkill for most people. It has 16 physical cores with 32 threads‚ 3.4GHz base and 4.9GHz boost clock speeds‚ a very... Continue reading…

Apple will have to open the iPhone to sideloading‚ third-party app stores‚ and third-party payment systems come March 7th. It'll happen only in Europe‚ where tech companies must comply with the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) law that aims to improve competition in the tech space‚ defend users' rights‚ and improve their experiences. Some developers can't wait to see it happen‚ as it'll let them open their own app stores or use their payment systems for Apple. Spotify is one of the most vocal critics of the current App Store rules and Apple as a whole‚ and the company just published a blog post describing what the Spotify experience will be on iPhone starting in March. In its post‚ Spotify describes my nightmare scenario: Sideloading iPhone apps and using third-party payment systems. However‚ other iPhone users will disagree with me and embrace Spotify's app store and payment system. The problem with Spotify's attack is that it contains plenty of misinformation. None of the arguments Spotify makes are guaranteed‚ as Apple has yet to announce how iPhone sideloading will work in the EU. On top of that‚ Spotify is actually lying to me and all of its potential customers. This is more of a marketing gimmick‚ a covert attack on Apple even before the iPhone maker has had a chance to announce its plans. Continue reading... The post Spotify just described my nightmare iPhone scenario while also lying to subscribers appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: Scientists discovered a beautiful ocean world 100 light-years from Earth

After releasing iOS 17.3 with a handful of new features‚ Apple is starting the testing cycle of iOS 17.4 with beta 1. With this software update‚ the company is finally enabling App Store sideloading for European users. The testing starts now because Apple needs to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act‚ which will make Cupertino open the iPhone for third-party apps‚ a.k .a. sideloading. Although this change will be focused on the European Union countries‚ it's unclear how Apple is going to implement this change on iOS‚ as users will be able to download apps from places other than the App Store. In the US‚ for example‚ the company recently announced third-party payments will be accepted besides the App Store. Still‚ it will require developers to pay a 27% tax‚ in addition to several other limitations on advertising this change and how Apple will collect a fee for this transaction. In addition‚ the company will now let European users choose their preferred web browsing. After installing iOS 17.4 beta 1‚ they will be asked about their favorite browser. Lastly‚ with version x.4‚ Apple usually adds new emojis. Last year‚ it was with iOS 16.4 that Apple added over 20 new emojis for users. Image source: Emojipedia During the beta cycle of iOS 17.4‚ Apple could add more than 100 new emojis. As revealed last year‚ Emojipedia has 108 new emojis when you include skin tone modifiers and gender variants that could be available with Unicode’s Emoji 15.1 update. At that time‚ the draft list included a Lime‚ a head shaking vertically‚ a phoenix bird (Moltres‚ for Pokémon fans)‚ and four new gender-neutral family emojis intended to be represented via silhouettes. At the end of the day‚ Emojipedia says it depends on each vendor (Apple‚ Google‚ Samsung‚ etc.) as to whether or not to follow the design directive the company is giving. “These new direction-specifying emojis are all versions of pre-existing people emojis‚ but with the addition of explicitly stated directionality‚” says the blog post. BGR will update this article if we learn more about iOS 17.4 beta 1. Apple is also seeding the first test versions of iPadOS 17.4 and tvOS 17.4. Don't Miss: iOS 17: Release date‚ download‚ beta‚ supported devices‚ and more The post iOS 17.4 beta 1 now available with app sideloading and Safari changes appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: Scientists discovered a beautiful ocean world 100 light-years from Earth

Today‚ Apple announced one of the most drastic changes to iOS with iOS 17.4. When this operating system is available‚ it will add alternative marketplaces and payments‚ changes to Safari‚ and more to the iPhone in Europe. For Apple‚ "the new options for processing payments and downloading apps on iOS open new avenues for malware‚ fraud and scams‚ illicit and harmful content‚ and other privacy and security threats." And although some of that might be true‚ this change will help improve competitiveness. “The changes we’re announcing today comply with the Digital Markets Act’s requirements in the European Union while helping to protect EU users from the unavoidable increased privacy and security threats this regulation brings. Our priority remains creating the best‚ most secure possible experience for our users in the EU and around the world‚” said Phil Schiller‚ Apple Fellow. “Developers can now learn about the new tools and terms available for alternative app distribution and alternative payment processing‚ new capabilities for alternative browser engines and contactless payments‚ and more. Importantly‚ developers can choose to remain on the same business terms in place today if they prefer.” Improvements and changes for alternative marketplaces New options for distributing iOS apps from alternative app marketplaces: Including new APIs and tools that enable developers to offer their iOS apps for download from alternative app marketplaces. New framework and APIs for creating alternative app marketplaces: Enabling marketplace developers to install apps and manage updates on behalf of other developers from their dedicated marketplace app. New frameworks and APIs for alternative browser engines: Enabling developers to use browser engines other than WebKit for browser apps and apps with in-app browsing experiences. Interoperability request form: Where developers can submit additional requests for interoperability with iPhone and iOS hardware and software features. As announced by the European Commission‚ Apple is also sharing DMA-compliant changes impacting contactless payments. That includes new APIs enabling developers to use NFC technology in their banking and wallet apps throughout the European Economic Area. And in the EU‚ Apple is introducing new controls that allow users to select a third-party contactless payment app — or an alternative app marketplace — as their default. That said‚ Apple will make some changes in iOS 17.4 to "safeguard" users. which includes: Notarization for iOS apps — a baseline review that applies to all apps‚ regardless of their distribution channel‚ focused on platform integrity and protecting users. Notarization involves a combination of automated checks and human review.  App installation sheets — that use information from the Notarization process to provide at-a-glance descriptions of apps and their functionality before download‚ including the developer‚ screenshots‚ and other essential information. Authorization for marketplace developers — to ensure marketplace developers commit to ongoing requirements that help protect users and developers. Additional malware protections — that prevent iOS apps from launching if they’re found to contain malware after being installed on a user’s device. Changes to Safari Today‚ iOS users already have the ability to set a third-party web browser — other than Safari — as their default. Reflecting the DMA’s requirements‚ Apple is also introducing a new choice screen that will surface when users first open Safari in iOS 17.4 or later. That screen will prompt EU users to choose a default browser from a list of options. Changes to the App Store for developers in the EU On the App Store‚ Apple is sharing a number of changes for developers with apps in the EU‚ affecting apps across Apple’s operating systems — including iOS‚ iPadOS‚ macOS‚ watchOS‚ and tvOS: New options for using payment service providers (PSPs) — within a developer’s app to process payments for digital goods and services. New options for processing payments via link-out — where users can complete a transaction for digital goods and services on the developer’s external website. Developers can also inform EU users of promotions‚ discounts‚ and other deals available outside of their apps. Business planning tools — for developers to estimate fees and understand metrics associated with Apple’s new business terms for apps in the EU. App Store product page labels — that inform users when an app they’re downloading uses alternative payment processing. In-app disclosure sheets — that let users know when they are no longer transacting with Apple‚ and when a developer is directing them to transact using an alternative payment processor. New App Review processes — to verify that developers accurately communicate information about transactions that use alternative payment processors. Expanded data portability on Apple’s Data &; Privacy site — where EU users can retrieve new data about their usage of the App Store and export it to an authorized third party. Don't Miss: iOS 17.4 beta 1 now available with app sideloading and Safari changes The post Apple announces iPhone sideloading‚ third-party payments‚ and more for EU appeared first on BGR. Trending Right Now: Scientists discovered a beautiful ocean world 100 light-years from Earth

Last October‚ police in Northern Ireland were perplexed after the discovery of human bones and body parts‚ in peatland.  Read moreSection: NewsHistory &; ArchaeologyRead Later 

The United States reportedly warned Iran before a deadly Jan. 3 Islamic State suicide bombings that killed 84 people.

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns plans to meet with Israeli‚ Egyptian and Qatari officials in coming days for talks on a potential Gaza hostage deal‚ a source familiar with the matter told Reuters Thursday.

Despite back-to-back losses to former President Donald Trump‚ Nikki Haley will press on to her home state of South Carolina in pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination and has scheduled almost a dozen fundraisers between now and Feb 24.

Bobbi Barrasso‚ wife of Sen. John Barrasso‚ R-Wy.‚ died after a two-year battle with brain cancer.