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Optical Illusions Could Be the Solution to Annoying CAPTCHAs

Phil
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Optical Illusions Could Be the Solution to Annoying CAPTCHAs

The Evolution of CAPTCHAs: A New Era of Optical Illusions

The Frustration of Traditional CAPTCHAs

There was a time when CAPTCHAs were the bane of my existence, making me question my sanity (and my humanity). Thankfully, technology has developed since the early days of the internet and CAPTCHAs are a little less frustrating, but one new version has caught my eye. May I present optical illusion CAPTCHAs.

Saying Goodbye to the Old

Gone are the days of selecting traffic lights or motorbikes in a grid, getting slowly frustrated as you try to appease the CAPTCHA gods. Using AI-generated optical illusions, this new sneaky test is (ironically) difficult for AI to decipher, leveraging the unique way that humans process images.

The Rise of Optical Illusions

AI might not like optical illusions, but we do. Here at Creative Bloq, we’re no strangers to them – I’d take an optical illusion over a typical boring CAPTCHA any day.

Introducing IllusionCAPTCHA

Created by Yuekang Li and the team at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, IllusionCAPTCHA uses generative AI to create illusion-like images from abstract prompts. For example, an image of an apple paired with the prompt of a cityscape could generate a city in the silhouette of an apple – something that AI bots will struggle to make sense of.

The Results

In the official study, the team explains that the 10 people who took the test successfully identified hidden text illusions 83% of the time, rising to 88% when illusory images were used. On the flip side, when ChatGPT and Gemini were tasked with deciphering the images, they failed the IllusionCAPTCHA test every time.

A Glimmer of Hope

For a while, tricky visuals like Microsoft’s impossible captchas have been terrorising the internet, so it feels hopeful that we might finally have a solution (for now).

Conclusion

IllusionCAPTCHAs are a promising development in the world of security, leveraging the unique way that humans process images to create a more effective test. While it’s not a definitive solution, it’s a step in the right direction, and we can’t wait to see how it evolves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does IllusionCAPTCHA work?
A: IllusionCAPTCHA uses generative AI to create illusion-like images from abstract prompts, making it difficult for AI bots to decipher.

Q: How effective is IllusionCAPTCHA?
A: In the official study, humans successfully identified hidden text illusions 83% of the time, rising to 88% when illusory images were used. AI bots, on the other hand, failed the test every time.

Q: Is IllusionCAPTCHA the solution to all CAPTCHA woes?
A: Not yet, but it’s a promising development in the world of security.

Apple Plans to Invest $500 Billion in U.S.

Avery Winslow
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Apple Plans to Invest 0 Billion in U.S.

Apple Announces $500 Billion Investment and 20,000 Job Creation in the United States

Company’s Largest-Ever Spend Commitment

Apple, the world’s largest technology company, has announced that it plans to spend $500 billion in the United States over the next four years and hire 20,000 people. The company’s largest-ever spend commitment will be used to manufacture facilities, data centers, and entertainment productions.

Meetings with President Trump

The announcement comes just days after Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, met with President Trump, who has been a vocal critic of the company’s manufacturing practices. In a statement, Cook said, "We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our longstanding U.S. investments."

Manufacturing in the United States

Apple has faced criticism for its manufacturing practices, with Trump and others arguing that the company should bring production back to the United States. While the company has made some small-scale commitments to manufacturing in the US in the past, this new announcement marks a significant shift in the company’s approach.

New Manufacturing Facility in Texas

As part of its new commitment, Apple will open a new 250,000-square-foot facility in Houston, Texas, to manufacture artificial intelligence servers. The facility will be built in partnership with Taiwan-based electronics giant Foxconn and will help expand Apple’s data center capacity in the US.

Investment Breakdown

The $500 billion investment will be used to fund a range of projects, including:

  • Manufacturing facilities
  • Data centers
  • Entertainment productions

Job Creation

Apple plans to create 20,000 new jobs in the US over the next four years, a significant increase from its previous commitments. The company currently employs over 150,000 people around the world.

Comparison to Previous Commitments

Apple has made similar commitments in the past, including a $430 billion investment and 20,000 job creation pledge just four years ago. However, the company has not always followed through on these promises.

Expert Analysis

Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, believes that Apple’s commitment is a calculated move to avoid tariffs and show support for the US economy. "This is what you have to do to navigate the new world order, and Tim Cook is really good at it," he said.

Conclusion

Apple’s announcement marks a significant shift in the company’s approach to manufacturing and investment in the United States. The company’s largest-ever spend commitment is a significant vote of confidence in the US economy and a demonstration of its commitment to innovation and job creation.

FAQs

Q: What is Apple’s new investment commitment?
A: Apple will invest $500 billion in the United States over the next four years.

Q: How many jobs will Apple create?
A: Apple plans to create 20,000 new jobs in the US over the next four years.

Q: What will Apple use the investment for?
A: The investment will be used to fund manufacturing facilities, data centers, and entertainment productions.

Q: When will the new manufacturing facility in Texas open?
A: The new facility is expected to open next year.

Q: Has Apple made similar commitments in the past?
A: Yes, Apple has made similar commitments in the past, including a $430 billion investment and 20,000 job creation pledge just four years ago.

Earth from a Unique Perspective

Phil
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Earth from a Unique Perspective

A Glimpse of the Milky Way from a Unique Vantage Point

The International Space Station (ISS) offers a breathtaking view of our planet, but it’s not just the view from up there that’s extraordinary. When astronaut Don Pettit captured a stunning image of the Milky Way from the ISS, it gave us a new perspective on our place in the galaxy.

A Chance to See the Milky Way from a New Angle

The photo, taken on January 29, shows the Milky Way in a way we’ve never seen it before. The image was captured when the ISS was 265 miles above the Pacific Ocean, just before sunrise. The Earth was still in darkness, but the Milky Way shines bright, illuminated by the light of distant stars. The image also captures the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere, a thin strip of light that sets the scene for the vast expanse of space beyond.

The Technology Behind the Image

Don Pettit, an astronaut with NASA’s Expedition 72 crew, used a homemade orbital tracker to capture the image. This device allows for long exposures without blurring the stars, resulting in a sharp image of the Milky Way and a blurred effect on the Earth’s rotation. Pettit’s technique involves using a Nikon Z9 with a Sigma 14mm f1.4 lens and exposure lengths of around 10 seconds at f1.4 and ISO 12800. He then adjusts levels, gamma, contrast, and color in Photoshop to ensure the colors are natural and accurate.

The World from a New Perspective

The ISS offers a unique view of the world, and Don Pettit’s images often show our planet in a new and striking way. The Earth’s atmosphere appears as a blue and green glow, surrounded by the blackness of space. This effect, known as airglow, is a phenomenon that is often visible to astronauts on long-duration space missions.

Conclusion

The image captured by Don Pettit from the ISS is a testament to the power of photography from space. The unique vantage point of the ISS offers a perspective that is not possible from the ground, and the technology used to capture this image is a testament to the ingenuity of astronauts like Don Pettit. The image is a reminder of the beauty and wonder of space, and the importance of exploring and understanding our place in the universe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the International Space Station?
A: The International Space Station (ISS) is a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit, where astronauts and cosmonauts live and work for extended periods.

Q: Who took the photo of the Milky Way from the ISS?
A: Astronaut Don Pettit took the photo of the Milky Way from the ISS on January 29.

Q: What equipment did Don Pettit use to capture the image?
A: Don Pettit used a Nikon Z9 camera with a Sigma 14mm f1.4 lens and a homemade orbital tracker to capture the image.

Q: What is the purpose of the International Space Station?
A: The International Space Station is a research facility that allows scientists to conduct experiments and conduct research in microgravity, as well as serve as a testing ground for new technologies and equipment for future long-duration space missions.

Boost

Parker Lennox
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Boost

React 19 Hooks Explained: Everything You Need to Know

What are React Hooks?

React 19 Hooks are a new way to use state and other React features without writing a class. They allow you to use state and other React features without writing a class. Before React 16.8, developers had to use a class component to use state and lifecycle methods. With React Hooks, you can use functional components, which are simpler and more efficient.

Why Use React Hooks?

There are several reasons why you should use React Hooks:

  • Simpler Code: React Hooks make your code simpler and more readable. You don’t have to write as much code, which means you can focus on the business logic of your application.
  • More Efficient: React Hooks are more efficient than class components. They don’t require the overhead of creating a class, which makes your application faster and more responsive.
  • Easier Debugging: React Hooks make it easier to debug your application. You can use the React DevTools to inspect the state and props of your component, which makes it easier to find and fix bugs.

How to Use React Hooks

To use React Hooks, you need to import the useState and useEffect Hooks from the react package. You can then use them in your functional component to add state and lifecycle methods.

useState Hook

The useState Hook is used to add state to a functional component. It takes an initial value and returns an array with two values: the current state and a function to update the state.

Example:

import { useState } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Count: {count}</p>
      <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>Increment</button>
    </div>
  );
}

useEffect Hook

The useEffect Hook is used to add lifecycle methods to a functional component. It takes a function that will be executed after the component mounts, and an optional second argument that specifies when the effect should be cleaned up.

Example:

import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    console.log('Mounted');
  }, []);

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Count: {count}</p>
      <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>Increment</button>
    </div>
  );
}

Conclusion

React 19 Hooks are a powerful tool for building React applications. They allow you to use state and other React features without writing a class, which makes your code simpler and more efficient. With the useState and useEffect Hooks, you can add state and lifecycle methods to your functional components, making it easier to build complex applications.

FAQs

  • Q: What is the difference between React Hooks and class components?
    A: React Hooks are a new way to use state and other React features without writing a class. Class components require more code and are less efficient than functional components.
  • Q: Can I use React Hooks with class components?
    A: No, React Hooks are only available for functional components.
  • Q: How do I debug my React application with React Hooks?
    A: You can use the React DevTools to inspect the state and props of your component, which makes it easier to find and fix bugs.
  • Q: Are React Hooks supported by all browsers?
    A: Yes, React Hooks are supported by all modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

As AI Storage Balloons, MinIO Eyes Faster Growth

Parker Lennox
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As AI Storage Balloons, MinIO Eyes Faster Growth

The Generative AI Revolution Triggers a Surge in Storage Investments

The generative AI revolution has triggered a surge in storage investments, as companies look to stockpile huge amounts of unstructured data to feed their AI strategies. One of the beneficiaries of this explosion of big data is object storage vendor MinIO, which today announced that its annual recurring revenue (ARR) has surged by 149% over the past two years.

MinIO’s Journey to Success

MinIO has come a long way since its start a decade ago as a developer of a small, fast, bare-bones S3-compatbile object store that nobody had heard of. When the open source MinIO object store went GA in 2017, co-founder and co-CEO AB Periasamy talked about "solving storage" as a stepping stone to bigger things, like building powerful AI capabilities directly into data stores.

The Rise of AI Store and promptObject API

It sounded like a long shot at the time, but eight years later, those Periasamy claims seem more achievable than ever. Building AI directly into storage, which Periasamy in 2017 dubbed X-Ray, came to fruition in a way with last year’s launch of AI Store and its new promptObject API, which allows users to "talk" to unstructured data in a direct manner, using natural language prompts.

Unstructured Data: The Fuel for AI

Unstructured data, the fuel for AI, is growing fast (Source: IDC). Fast forward to 2025, and both MinIO’s business and the open source project are humming. To get an idea on where the company is now and where it’s going, we asked a few questions of Garima Kapoor, who is a co-founder of MinIO and who, since February 2024, holds the title of co-CEO along with Periasamy.

MinIO’s Growth Story

"We closed multiple 8-figure, exabyte+ level deals in 2024," Kapoor tells BigDATAwire via email. "We now support hundreds of customers across the globe with data footprints ranging from a couple of hundred petabytes to double-digit exabytes. While these types of multi-exabyte scale deals used to be an anomaly, unheard of even, it’s becoming a requirement in the AI age and MinIO is currently the only provider comfortable with that scale."

Open Source Growth

The open source MinIO project is used by more than half of the Fortune 500, she says, with more than 6.2M deployments globally. The project boasts more than two billion Docker pulls and more than 50,000 GitHub stars. "For context, Apache Spark…only has 40K GitHub stars. Terraform, the open source tool behind HashiCorp’s success, has 44K stars. Python, the most popular programming language in the world, has 65K stars."

Hiring Experienced Executives

The open source growth has been completely organic, as open source is wont to be. But even the deals for the enterprise version of MinIO’s object storage system and AIStore are largely organic and haven’t benefited from the sort of large, polished sales and marketing teams that enterprise software companies typically have. "We have experienced growth very organically over the years, despite not having a traditional enterprise sales team," Kapoor tells us. "Due to recent demand and customer traction, we are now investing in an enterprise sales team to accelerate that growth even further."

Enterprises Join the MinIO Ecosystem

Specifically, MinIO has brought on a couple of experienced hands to guide the company’s transition into enterprise-style sales. It hired Erik Frieberg to be chief marketing officer and Mahesh Patel to be its chief business officer. Frieberg joins MinIO from recent stints at Pantheon Platform, Tetrate, and Solo.io, while Patel comes to the company following executive roles at Druva, RingCentral, and Intematix.

MinIO’s AI-Driven Storage Solution

We’re at a pivotal moment in the AI revolution where companies routinely store an exabyte of data, Kapoor says. That’s the equivalent of nearly 8 million iPhones with 128 GB storage each, she points out. With its AI Store and DataPod reference architecture, MinIO is uniquely positioned to address the exploding storage demands of companies, Kapoor says. Those demands don’t revolve solely around volume, but also factor in storage control and cost, too.

Conclusion

MinIO could always handle exabyte level volumes, Kapoor says. That positions AIStore as the primary growth driver for MinIO over the coming year. "Our new AIStor is purpose-built for modern AI workloads," she says. "Advances, such as promptObject and support for S3 over RDMA, make it easier to extend the power of AI to introduce new functionality across applications without needing to manage separate tools for analysis."

FAQs

Q: What is MinIO’s annual recurring revenue (ARR)?
A: MinIO’s ARR has surged by 149% over the past two years.

Q: What is the open source MinIO project used for?
A: The open source MinIO project is used by more than half of the Fortune 500, with more than 6.2M deployments globally.

Q: What is the purpose of MinIO’s AIStore?
A: AIStore is purpose-built for modern AI workloads, allowing users to "talk" to unstructured data in a direct manner, using natural language prompts.

Stunning AI-Generated Videos with OpenAI’s Sora

Emerson Blake
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Stunning AI-Generated Videos with OpenAI’s Sora

Creating Your Own Video: A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting Up Your Video

To start creating your own video, navigate to the All videos category under Library. From here, you can customize various settings to suit your needs.

Choosing a Preset

Click the Preset button at the bottom to select from a variety of options. You can choose from:

  • Archival
  • Film Noir
  • Cardboard & Papercraft
  • Whimsical Stop Motion
  • Balloon World

Aspect Ratio and Resolution

Next, click the Aspect ratio button to choose from:

  • 16:9
  • 1:1
  • 9:16

Then, click the next button to select the resolution. Finally, choose the duration of your video.

Number of Variations

With the next button, you can choose the number of variations of a video you wish to see:

  • One
  • Two
  • Four

Estimating Credits

Finally, hovering over the question mark icon will tell you how many credits you’ll use with the settings you chose.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can set up your own video and start creating. Remember to choose a preset, aspect ratio, resolution, duration, and number of variations that suit your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a preset?

A: A preset is a pre-set configuration that can help you get started with your video creation. You can choose from various options to suit your style.

Q: What is an aspect ratio?

A: An aspect ratio refers to the proportions of your video. You can choose from 16:9, 1:1, or 9:16.

Q: How do I estimate the number of credits I’ll use?

A: Hovering over the question mark icon will show you an estimate of the number of credits you’ll use based on your chosen settings.

Q: Can I change my settings later?

A: Yes, you can change your settings at any time before starting the video creation process.

OpenAI’s Startup Empire

Avery Winslow
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OpenAI’s Startup Empire

OpenAI Startup Fund: A Leader in Fostering AI-Powered Startups

Overview

Since its founding in 2021, the OpenAI Startup Fund has raised a total of $175 million for its main fund and secured an additional $114 million through five separate special purpose vehicles, which are investment pools for specific opportunities. Unlike many sizable tech companies, OpenAI does not use its own money to invest in startups. Instead, the OpenAI Startup Fund is raised from outside investors, including significant OpenAI backer Microsoft and "other OpenAI partners," according to the fund’s website.

Portfolio Companies

The OpenAI Startup Fund, managed by a dedicated team, has invested in over a dozen startups, according to data providers PitchBook and Crunchbase and TechCrunch’s research. The following companies, organized alphabetically, have announced investments from the fund:

1X

1X, a Norwegian humanoid robot startup, raised $23.5 million in a deal led by the OpenAI Startup Fund and Tiger Global in early 2023. However, OpenAI’s fund wasn’t named as a participant in the company when it announced its $100 million Series B in January.

Ambience Healthcare

Ambience Healthcare, an AI-powered medical note-taking startup, announced a $70 million Series B in February 2024, co-led by OpenAI’s fund and Kleiner Perkins. Ambience is among a number of startups, including Abridge, Nabla, Suki, and Microsoft-owned Nuance, that are building AI medical scribes.

Anysphere (aka Cursor)

In October 2023, OpenAI’s fund led the $8 million seed round into Anysphere, the maker of AI-powered coding assistant Cursor. OpenAI hasn’t been named as an investor in the company’s subsequent rounds.

Chai Discovery

Chai Discovery, a startup developing an open-source AI foundational model for drug discovery, raised a $30 million seed round led by Thrive Capital and OpenAI’s fund last September. The deal valued the 6-month-old Chai Discovery at $150 million.

Class Companion

Class Companion, an edtech startup, raised a $4 million seed round in 2023 from OpenAI’s fund and a host of angels. It helps teachers provide quick, personalized feedback to their students.

Descript

Descript, the collaborative audio and video editing platform, raised $50 million in a Series C round led by OpenAI’s fund shortly after ChatGPT was introduced to the world in late 2022. Other investors in the round included Andreessen Horowitz, Redpoint Ventures, Spark Capital, and ex-Y Combinator partner Daniel Gross. Descript hasn’t reported any other capital raises since its Series C.

Figure AI

Figure AI, an AI robotics startup, raised a $675 million Series B in February 2024 from Nvidia, OpenAI’s fund, Microsoft, and others. The round valued the company at $2.6 billion. Figure AI is now reportedly in talks to raise $1.5 billion at a $39.5 billion valuation.

Ghost Autonomy

Ghost Autonomy, a maker of autonomous driving software, raised a $55 million Series E in April 2023, and OpenAI’s fund invested $5 million of that, according to PitchBook data. However, the investment didn’t work out. A year later the company shut down.

Harvey AI

Harvey AI, a legal tech startup, raised a $21 million Series A in April 2023 from OpenAI’s fund and others. The fund also participated in three subsequent rounds, including last month’s $300 million Series D, which valued Harvey at $3 billion.

Heeyo

Heeyo, an educational AI chatbot for kids, announced that it raised $3.5 million from OpenAI’s fund, Alexa Fund, Pear VC, and other investors in August.

Kick

Kick, a company developing AI agents that it says can "self-drive" bookkeeping processes, raised a $9 million seed round co-led by General Catalyst and OpenAI’s fund in October.

Mem

Mem, an AI-powered note-taking startup, raised a $23.5 million Series A round in November 2022, led by OpenAI’s fund. Mem hasn’t reported any subsequent funding rounds.

Milo

Milo, a startup developing an AI-powered personal assistant that helps parents organize and keep track of their kids’ activities, raised an undisclosed amount of pre-seed and seed funding from OpenAI’s fund, YC, and others.

Physical Intelligence

Physical Intelligence, foundational software for robots, raised a $70 million seed round last March. OpenAI’s fund was part of that and also participated in the company’s $400 million Series A that valued the company at more than $2 billion. Other investors in the latest round included Lux Capital, Sequoia, and Jeff Bezos.

Speak

Speak, an AI-powered language learning app developer, raised a $27 million Series B round in November 2022, led by OpenAI’s fund. In December, the fund participated in Speak’s $78 million Series C, which valued the company at $1 billion.

Thrive AI

Thrive AI, an "AI health coach" startup, aimed to raise $10 million, according to a regulatory filing. Last July, Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington and OpenAI Startup Fund announced they were teaming up on investing and building this startup.

Unify

Unify, a sales technology startup, secured about $19 million in seed and Series A capital from the OpenAI Startup Fund, Thrive Capital, and Emergence.

Conclusion

The OpenAI Startup Fund has made significant investments in over a dozen startups, with a focus on AI-powered companies. The fund’s portfolio includes companies working on various AI-related applications, from medical note-taking to language learning and sales technology.

FAQs

Q: What is the OpenAI Startup Fund?
A: The OpenAI Startup Fund is a venture capital fund that invests in AI-powered startups.

Q: Who are the partners in the OpenAI Startup Fund?
A: The partners in the OpenAI Startup Fund include significant OpenAI backer Microsoft and "other OpenAI partners," according to the fund’s website.

Q: How much has the OpenAI Startup Fund raised?
A: The OpenAI Startup Fund has raised a total of $175 million for its main fund and secured an additional $114 million through five separate special purpose vehicles.

Building Shapeshifting Robots

Jordan Waverly
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Building Shapeshifting Robots

Shape-Shifting Robots Inspired by Embryonic Tissues

Introduction

Researchers have made a breakthrough in robotics by developing small robots that can work together as a collective, changing shape and even shifting between solid and "fluid-like" states. This concept is reminiscent of the T-1000 robotic assassin from "Terminator 2". A team led by Matthew Devlin of UC Santa Barbara has described this work in a paper recently published in Science, stating that the vision of "cohesive collectives of robotic units that can arrange into virtually any form with any physical properties… has long intrigued both science and fiction."

Design and Functionality

The team was inspired by tissues in embryos to design robots with similar capabilities. These robots have motorized gears that allow them to move around within the collective, magnets to keep them attached, and photodetectors to receive instructions from a flashlight with a polarization filter. According to Otger Campàs, a professor at Max Planck Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the team’s goal is to create robots that can be used in a variety of applications, from search and rescue to environmental monitoring.

Challenges and Future Directions

While the researchers have made significant progress, there are still several challenges to overcome. The robots are currently around 5 centimeters in diameter, and the goal is to reduce their size to 1 or 2 centimeters, or even smaller. Additionally, there are power and size limitations that need to be addressed. Campàs notes that reality is "far from the Terminator thing" and that the researchers are still working to overcome these challenges.

Conclusion

The development of shape-shifting robots has the potential to revolutionize various industries and applications. While there are still challenges to be addressed, the researchers are optimistic about the potential of these robots to transform the way we live and work. With continued advancements, we may see these robots become a reality in the near future.

FAQs

Q: What inspired the design of the shape-shifting robots?
A: The researchers were inspired by tissues in embryos to design robots with similar capabilities.

Q: What are the limitations of the current robots?
A: The robots are currently around 5 centimeters in diameter, and the goal is to reduce their size to 1 or 2 centimeters, or even smaller. There are also power and size limitations that need to be addressed.

Q: What are the potential applications of shape-shifting robots?
A: The potential applications are vast, including search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and more.

Nextcloud Challenges Cloud Powers with Hub 10 Release

Emerson Blake
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Nextcloud Challenges Cloud Powers with Hub 10 Release

Run Your Own Cloud-Based SaaS: Nextcloud Hub

Some of us still run standalone office applications, but most people today use cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) programs for our work. However, do you really want to pay annual service fees to Google, Microsoft, or Zoho? Can you trust them with your information, especially since every company with an artificial intelligence (AI) program wants to dig through your data? If you’re concerned about those issues, why not run your own cloud-based SaaS, where you call the shots? The good news is you can, with Nextcloud Hub.

What is Nextcloud Hub?

Like the brand-name office suites you already know, Nextcloud Hub comes with pretty much every office application and service you could ever want. This collection starts with Nextcloud Files, an open-source infrastructure-as-a-service cloud file storage system. I’ve used this system to store my files remotely since Nextcloud was forked from OwnCloud in 2016. It just works.

What’s New in Nextcloud Hub 10?

Over the years, Nextcloud added other open-source programs until, in early 2020, the company started offering Hub, which integrated numerous programs into an all-in-one desktop office suite. With Hub, users were finally liberated from relying on hyper-scale SaaS cloud services. Today, Hub offers:

  • Nextcloud Office, based on Collabra Online, the online version of LibreOffice
  • Nextcloud Talk for audio/video conferencing and text chat
  • Nextcloud Groupware for calendar, contacts, and mail management
  • Nextcloud Assistant, an AI client using the OpenAI application programming interface (API)

Nextcloud Assistant: The AI Client

Nextcloud Assistant is the frontend of a large language model (LLM) client and uses the OpenAI application programming interface (API). With this client, you can connect to OpenAI. You can also connect to a self-hosted LocalAI, a free, open-source OpenAI alternative, or an Ollama instance. Ollama enables you to run private instances of many different LLMs, such as LLama 3.1, DeepSeek R1, or Mistral. Theoretically, Nextcloud Assistant can work with any service that uses an OpenAI-style API. Nextcloud, however, won’t guarantee that the client will work perfectly with such services.

Why Choose Nextcloud Hub?

The technology can use proprietary AI tools on its backend, but Nextcloud Assistant’s LLMs can be fully self-hosted, ensuring data sovereignty and privacy. As customer Dirk Schrödter, the German state of Schleswig-Holstein’s minister of digitization, said in a statement: "We will make AI services available to colleagues in the state administration directly at the workplace. We want to drive the development of digitally sovereign and open solutions in addition to using existing AI services such as ChatGPT."

What’s New in the Latest Release?

The Hub also offers platform-wide performance improvements and thousands of tweaks to improve user experience and stability across all apps. In particular, I’ve noticed its file-upload speeds have greatly improved. The file manager also enables you to convert files from one format to another without requiring an external application. As someone who often switches graphic files from PNG and similar to JPEG, that’s pretty handy.

Conclusion

Put it all together and what do you get with Hub? A do-it-yourself cloud program that’s good for anyone or any office. As Nextcloud’s CEO and founder, Frank Karlitschek, said in an online press conference: "Hub 10 proves that open source can deliver innovative, privacy-first solutions that meet the needs of modern organizations. It’s time to stop doubting and start benefiting from open-source innovation."

FAQs

Q: What is Nextcloud Hub?
A: Nextcloud Hub is a cloud-based SaaS program that offers a collection of office applications and services.

Q: What’s new in Nextcloud Hub 10?
A: The latest release includes significant security improvements, platform-wide performance improvements, and thousands of tweaks to improve user experience and stability across all apps.

Q: What is Nextcloud Assistant?
A: Nextcloud Assistant is the frontend of a large language model (LLM) client and uses the OpenAI application programming interface (API). It allows you to connect to OpenAI or self-hosted alternatives.

Q: Why should I choose Nextcloud Hub?
A: Nextcloud Hub allows you to run your own cloud-based SaaS, ensuring data sovereignty and privacy.

Samsung reveals Galaxy A56 with more AI and a modest spec bump

Avery Winslow
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0
Samsung reveals Galaxy A56 with more AI and a modest spec bump

Samsung Unveils AI-Powered Budget-Friendly Phones

New Features and Upgrades

Samsung has announced the launch of its latest budget-friendly phones, the Galaxy A56, A36, and A26, which come with "awesome intelligence" features, enabling AI-powered image editing capabilities similar to those found in its pricier S25 lineup. One of these features is Best Face, an AI tool that allows users to swap the facial expressions of up to five people in a motion photo, in case someone blinks or looks away from the camera.

Design and Display

In addition to the new AI features, Samsung has made some minor design tweaks to each phone. The devices now have the same 6.7-inch full HD Plus display with an up to 120Hz refresh rate, a larger screen than the 6.6-inch display on the A55 and A35, and 6.5 inches on the A25. The A56, A36, and A26 also have similar camera configurations, with a 12MP ultrawide sensor, 50MP main camera, and 5MP macro camera.

Performance and Battery Life

The A56 comes with an upgraded Exynos 1580 chip, while the A36 has a last-gen Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip. All three A-series devices have a 5,000 mAh battery, but only the A56 and A36 support 45W charging and come with a "larger vapor chamber" to improve performance. The A26, on the other hand, does not support fast charging.

Availability and Pricing

The Galaxy A56 will be available in the US "later this year" for $499, while the A36 will be available exclusively at Best Buy starting at $399 on March 26th. The A26 will launch on March 28th for $299. The Galaxy A56, A36, and A26 will also be available in the UK on March 19th for £499, £399, and £299, respectively.

Conclusion

The new Galaxy A series phones offer a range of exciting features, including AI-powered image editing capabilities and design upgrades. With a range of color options and competitive pricing, these devices are sure to appeal to budget-conscious consumers.

FAQs

Q: What are the key features of the new Galaxy A series phones?
A: The new Galaxy A series phones come with AI-powered image editing features, such as Best Face, and design upgrades, including a larger 6.7-inch display and similar camera configurations.

Q: What is the Exynos 1580 chip?
A: The Exynos 1580 chip is a upgraded processor found in the Galaxy A56, which provides improved performance and efficiency.

Q: Do all three A-series devices have the same battery life?
A: Yes, all three A-series devices have a 5,000 mAh battery, but only the A56 and A36 support 45W charging and come with a "larger vapor chamber" to improve performance.

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