Thunderbird Pro Enters Production Testing Ahead of $9/Month Launch Thunderbird Pro has moved its Thundermail email service into production testing as the open-source email client's subscription bundle of additional services prepares for an Early Bird beta launch at $9 per month that will include email hosting, encrypted file sharing through Send, and scheduling via Appointment. Internal team members are now testing Thundermail accounts and the new Thunderbird Pro add-on automatically adds Thundermail accounts for users who sign up through it. The project migrated its data hosting from the Americas to Germany and the EU. Appointment received a major visual redesign being applied across all three services while Send completed an external security review and moved from its standalone add-on into the unified Thunderbird Pro add-on. The new website at tb.pro is live for signups and account management. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Thunderbird+Pro+Enters+Production+Testing+Ahead+of+%249%2FMonth+Launch%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F21%2F1849253%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F21%2F1849253%2Fthunderbird-pro-enters-production-testing-ahead-of-9month-launch%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Thunderbird Pro Enters Production Testing Ahead of $9/Month Launch - Slashdot

Thunderbird Pro has moved its Thundermail email service into production testing as the open-source email client

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Thunderbird Pro Enters Production Testing Ahead of $9/Month Launch - Slashdot

Thunderbird Pro has moved its Thundermail email service into production testing as the open-source email client

How Two Janitors Made One of the Year's Most Charming RPGs Adam Marshall spent more than a decade developing Kingdoms of the Dump while working as a custodian at a school in suburban Philadelphia, cleaning floors and hauling trash bags from 3 PM to 11 PM before coming home to work on his turn-based role-playing game until 5 or 6 AM. The game, which Bloomberg has called "one of the year's most charming RPGs," came out on Tuesday after Marshall and his childhood friend Matt Loiseau -- also a janitor -- built it using RPG Maker alongside a small team of hobbyists who mostly worked for free. The pair launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2019 that raised $76,560, but the pandemic disrupted their plans and forced them to lose contractors and rethink their approach. Marshall maintained this schedule for five years straight before quitting his custodial job last year to finish the game full-time. Kingdoms of the Dump has sold about 7,000 copies since its release. The game stars a walking trashcan named Dustin Binsley who adventures through landfills and sewers in a world made entirely of garbage. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=How+Two+Janitors+Made+One+of+the+Year's+Most+Charming+RPGs%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fgames.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F21%2F188225%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgames.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F21%2F188225%2Fhow-two-janitors-made-one-of-the-years-most-charming-rpgs%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

How Two Janitors Made One of the Year

Adam Marshall spent more than a decade developing Kingdoms of the Dump while working as a custodian at a school in suburban Philadelphia, cleaning ...

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How Two Janitors Made One of the Year

Adam Marshall spent more than a decade developing Kingdoms of the Dump while working as a custodian at a school in suburban Philadelphia, cleaning ...

Microsoft's AI-Powered Copy and Paste Can Now Use On-Device AI An anonymous reader shares a report: Microsoft is upgrading its Advanced Paste tool in PowerToys for Windows 11, allowing you to use an on-device AI model to power some of its features. With the 0.96 update, you can route requests through Microsoft's Foundry Local tool or the open-source Ollama, both of which run AI models on your device's neural processing unit (NPU) instead of connecting to the cloud. That means you won't need to purchase API credits to perform certain actions, like having AI translate or summarize the text copied to your clipboard. Plus, you can keep your data on your device. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Microsoft's+AI-Powered+Copy+and+Paste+Can+Now+Use+On-Device+AI%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F21%2F1516219%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F21%2F1516219%2Fmicrosofts-ai-powered-copy-and-paste-can-now-use-on-device-ai%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Microsoft

An anonymous reader shares a report: Microsoft is upgrading its Advanced Paste tool in PowerToys for Windows 11, allowing you to use an on-device A...

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Microsoft

An anonymous reader shares a report: Microsoft is upgrading its Advanced Paste tool in PowerToys for Windows 11, allowing you to use an on-device A...

Fired Techie Admits Sabotaging Ex-Employer, Causing $862K In Damage An Ohio IT contractor pleaded guilty to breaking into his former employer's network after being fired, impersonating another worker and using a PowerShell script to reset 2,500 passwords -- an act that locked out thousands of employees and caused more than $862,000 in damage. He faces up to 10 years in prison. The Register reports: Maxwell Schultz, 35, impersonated another contractor to gain access to the company's network after his credentials were revoked. Announcing the news, US attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei did not specify the company in question, which is typical in these malicious insider cases, although local media reported it to be Houston-based Waste Management. The attack took place on May 14, 2021, and saw Schultz use the credentials to reset approximately 2,500 passwords at the affected organization. This meant thousands of employees and contractors across the US were unable to access the company network. Schultz admitted to running a PowerShell script to reset the passwords, searching for ways to delete system logs to cover his tracks -- in some cases succeeding -- and clearing PowerShell window events, according to the Department of Justice. Prosecutors said the attack caused more than $862,000 worth of damage related to employee downtime, a disrupted customer service function, and costs related to the remediation of the intrusion. Schultz is set to be sentenced on Jan 30, 2026, and faces up to ten years in prison and a potential maximum fine of $250,000. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Fired+Techie+Admits+Sabotaging+Ex-Employer%2C+Causing+%24862K+In+Damage+%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fyro.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F231239%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyro.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F231239%2Ffired-techie-admits-sabotaging-ex-employer-causing-862k-in-damage%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Fired Techie Admits Sabotaging Ex-Employer, Causing $862K In Damage - Slashdot

An Ohio IT contractor pleaded guilty to breaking into his former employer

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Fired Techie Admits Sabotaging Ex-Employer, Causing $862K In Damage - Slashdot

An Ohio IT contractor pleaded guilty to breaking into his former employer

IBM, Cisco Outline Plans For Networks of Quantum Computers By Early 2030s IBM and Cisco plan to link quantum computers over long distances by the early 2030s, "with the goal of demonstrating the concept is workable by the end of 2030," reports Reuters. "The move could pave the way for a quantum internet, though executives at the two companies cautioned that the networks would require technologies that do not currently exist and will have to be developed with the help of universities and federal laboratories." From the report: The challenge begins with a problem: Quantum computers like IBM's sit in massive cryogenic tanks that get so cold that atoms barely move. To get information out of them, IBM has to figure out how to transform information in stationary "qubits" -- the fundamental unit of information in a quantum computer -- into what Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research and an IBM fellow, told Reuters are "flying" qubits that travel as microwaves. But those flying microwave qubits will have to be turned into optical signals that can travel between Cisco switches on fiber-optic cables. The technology for that transformation -- called a microwave-optical transducer -- will have to be developed with the help of groups like the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center, led by the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago, among others. Along the way, Cisco and IBM will also publish open-source software to weave all the parts together. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=IBM%2C+Cisco+Outline+Plans+For+Networks+of+Quantum+Computers+By+Early+2030s%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2251228%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2251228%2Fibm-cisco-outline-plans-for-networks-of-quantum-computers-by-early-2030s%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

IBM, Cisco Outline Plans For Networks of Quantum Computers By Early 2030s - Slashdot

IBM and Cisco plan to link quantum computers over long distances by the early 2030s, &#34;with the goal of demonstrating the concept is workable by...

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IBM, Cisco Outline Plans For Networks of Quantum Computers By Early 2030s - Slashdot

IBM and Cisco plan to link quantum computers over long distances by the early 2030s, &#34;with the goal of demonstrating the concept is workable by...

Major Music Labels Strike Deals With New AI Streaming Service An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: The world's largest music companies have licensed their works to a music startup called Klay, which is building a streaming service that will allow users to remake songs using artificial intelligence tools. Klay is the first music AI service to reach a deal with all three major record labels, Universal Music Group NV, Sony Music and Warner Music Group Corp., according to people familiar with the deals. Klay plans to announce its agreements in the coming days, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential plans. Klay is building a product that will offer the features of a streaming service like Spotify, amplified by AI technology that will let users remake songs in different styles. Klay has licensed the rights to thousands of hit songs so that it can train its large language model. The company has positioned itself as a friend of the industry, offering assurances that the artists and labels will have some control over how their work is used. Klay is led by music producer Ary Attie and also employs former executives from Sony Music and Google's DeepMind, an AI laboratory. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Major+Music+Labels+Strike+Deals+With+New+AI+Streaming+Service%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fentertainment.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2239227%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fentertainment.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2239227%2Fmajor-music-labels-strike-deals-with-new-ai-streaming-service%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Major Music Labels Strike Deals With New AI Streaming Service - Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: The world

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Major Music Labels Strike Deals With New AI Streaming Service - Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: The world

Roblox Blocks Children From Chatting To Adult Strangers Roblox is rolling out mandatory facial age-verification for chat features to prevent children from communicating with adult strangers. The platform will restrict chat to verified age groups, expand parental controls, and become the first major gaming platform to require facial age checks for messaging. The BBC reports: Mandatory age checks will be introduced for accounts using chat features, starting in December for Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, then the rest of the globe from January. [...] Rani Govender, policy manager for child safety online at the NSPCC, said action had been needed because young people had been exposed to "unacceptable risks" on Roblox, "leaving many vulnerable to harm and online abuse." The charity welcomed the platform's latest announcement but called on Roblox to "ensure they deliver change for children in practice and prevent adult perpetrators from targeting and manipulating young users." The platform averaged more than 80 million daily players in 2024, about 40% of them under the age of 13. [...] Matt Kaufman, chief safety officer for Roblox, told a press briefing the age estimation technology is "pretty accurate." He claimed the system can make close estimates of "within one to two years" bracket for users aged between five and 25. Currently it can be used voluntarily by anyone in the world. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Roblox+Blocks+Children+From+Chatting+To+Adult+Strangers%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fgames.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2227214%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgames.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2227214%2Froblox-blocks-children-from-chatting-to-adult-strangers%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Roblox Blocks Children From Chatting To Adult Strangers - Slashdot

Roblox is rolling out mandatory facial age-verification for chat features to prevent children from communicating with adult strangers. The platform...

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Roblox Blocks Children From Chatting To Adult Strangers - Slashdot

Roblox is rolling out mandatory facial age-verification for chat features to prevent children from communicating with adult strangers. The platform...

US Employee Well-Being Hit New Low In 2024, Survey Reveals alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org: New research from the Human Capital Development Lab at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School analyzes the state of the American workforce in 2024 and shows an overall decline in employee well-being compared to years prior. [...] The latest research confirms a decline in general employee well-being since 2020. In 2024, employees reported the lowest well-being scores on record, as opposed to 2020, when employees reported the highest well-being scores. "In some cases, the lower scores represent a reduction in employee flexibility for either flexible hours or remote work," the latest research states. "In other cases, these scores could be related to challenges associated with greater economic shifts related to inflation or productivity needs." In prior years, well-being scores for managers and employees were comparable to one another, and during the pandemic, managers and top leaders often reported lower scores due to the extra burden of that time period. However, one of the most noteworthy shifts the current data shows is a rise in well-being scores for managers and senior leaders, while well-being for employees and individual contributors decreased in 2024. Rick Smith, director of the Human Capital Development Lab and author of the study, says that the increase in well-being scores for managers could reflect the return to regular operating conditions since the pandemic, which may be indicative of the distance between leadership and workers. "What we're seeing is a growing gap between how leaders and their teams experience the workplace," said Smith. "Managers may feel a return to normalcy, but that doesn't mean their employees do. Leaders must be cautious not to assume their own well-being reflects the broader workforce at their organization. The data shows a potential disconnect, and that's a signal for action." <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=US+Employee+Well-Being+Hit+New+Low+In+2024%2C+Survey+Reveals%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2222218%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2222218%2Fus-employee-well-being-hit-new-low-in-2024-survey-reveals%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

US Employee Well-Being Hit New Low In 2024, Survey Reveals - Slashdot

alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org: New research from the Human Capital Development Lab at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School an...

at Slashdot.

US Employee Well-Being Hit New Low In 2024, Survey Reveals - Slashdot

alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org: New research from the Human Capital Development Lab at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School an...

Google's New Nano Banana Pro Uses Gemini 3 Power To Generate More Realistic AI Images An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Google's meme-friendly Nano Banana image-generation model is getting an upgrade. The new Nano Banana Pro is rolling out with improved reasoning and instruction following, giving users the ability to create more accurate images with legible text and make precise edits to existing images. It's available to everyone in the Gemini app, but free users will find themselves up against the usage limits pretty quickly. Nano Banana Pro is part of the newly launched Gemini 3 Pro -- it's actually called Gemini 3 Pro Image in the same way the original is Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, but Google is sticking with the meme-y name. You can access it by selecting Gemini 3 Pro and then turning on the "Create images" option. Google says the new model can follow complex prompts to create more accurate images. The model is apparently so capable that it can generate an entire usable infographic in a single shot with no weird AI squiggles in place of words. Nano Banana Pro is also better at maintaining consistency in images. You can blend up to 14 images with this tool, and it can maintain the appearance of up to five people in outputs. Google also promises better editing. You can refine your AI images or provide Nano Banana Pro with a photo and make localized edits without as many AI glitches. It can even change core elements of the image like camera angles, color grading, and lighting without altering other elements. Google is pushing the professional use angle with its new model, which has much-improved resolution options. Your creations in Nano Banana Pro can be rendered at up to 4K. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Google's+New+Nano+Banana+Pro+Uses+Gemini+3+Power+To+Generate+More+Realistic+AI+Images%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2215205%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F2215205%2Fgoogles-new-nano-banana-pro-uses-gemini-3-power-to-generate-more-realistic-ai-images%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Google

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Google

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Google

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Google

Future Google TV Devices Might Come With a Solar-powered Remote An anonymous reader shares a report: Epishine, a company that makes solar cells optimized for indoor lighting, has announced its technology is being used in a new remote control for Google TV devices, as spotted by 9to5Google. The remote will rely on rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones, and thanks to the use of solar cells on both sides it may only run out of power when it gets buried and forgotten in the dark abyss of your couch cushions. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Future+Google+TV+Devices+Might+Come+With+a+Solar-powered+Remote%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1951234%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1951234%2Ffuture-google-tv-devices-might-come-with-a-solar-powered-remote%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Future Google TV Devices Might Come With a Solar-powered Remote - Slashdot

An anonymous reader shares a report: Epishine, a company that makes solar cells optimized for indoor lighting, has announced its technology is bein...

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Future Google TV Devices Might Come With a Solar-powered Remote - Slashdot

An anonymous reader shares a report: Epishine, a company that makes solar cells optimized for indoor lighting, has announced its technology is bein...

Microsoft Open-Sources Classic Text Adventure Zork Trilogy Microsoft has released the source code for Zork I, II, and III under the MIT License through a collaboration with Team Xbox and Activision that involved submitting pull requests to historical source repositories maintained by digital archivist Jason Scott. Each repository now includes the original source code and accompanying documentation. The games arrived on early home computers in the 1980s as text-based adventures built on the Z-Machine, a virtual machine that allowed the same story files to run across different platforms. Infocom created the Z-Machine after discovering the original mainframe version was too large for home computers. The team split the game into three titles that all ran on the same underlying system. The code release covers only the source files and does not include commercial packaging or trademark rights. The games remain available commercially through The Zork Anthology on Good Old Games and can be compiled locally using ZILF, a modern Z-Machine interpreter. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Microsoft+Open-Sources+Classic+Text+Adventure+Zork+Trilogy%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1942250%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1942250%2Fmicrosoft-open-sources-classic-text-adventure-zork-trilogy%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Microsoft Open-Sources Classic Text Adventure Zork Trilogy - Slashdot

Microsoft has released the source code for Zork I, II, and III under the MIT License through a collaboration with Team Xbox and Activision that inv...

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Microsoft Open-Sources Classic Text Adventure Zork Trilogy - Slashdot

Microsoft has released the source code for Zork I, II, and III under the MIT License through a collaboration with Team Xbox and Activision that inv...

As Windows Turns 40, Microsoft Faces an AI Backlash Microsoft's push to transform Windows into an "agentic OS" that allows AI agents to control PCs is drawing user backlash similar to the Windows 8 controversy, as the company marks the operating system's 40th anniversary this week, writes Tom Warren, a reporter at The Verge who has been covering Microsoft for nearly two decades. Windows chief Pavan Davuluri announced the agentic OS plans in a post on X last week and faced immediate criticism in hundreds of replies before they were locked days later. "It's evolving into a product that's driving people to Mac and Linux," one person wrote, while another asked for a return to Windows 7's "clean UI, clean icon, a unified control panel, no bloat apps, no ads, just a pure performant OS." Davuluri later responded to software engineer Gergely Orosz, saying "we care deeply about developers" and acknowledging Microsoft has "work to do on the experience, both on the everyday usability, from inconsistent dialogs to power user experiences." Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told the Dwarkesh Podcast that the company's business "which today is an end user tools business, will become, essentially an infrastructure business in support of agents doing work." The Recall feature already spooked users when it was initially turned on by default before Microsoft reworked it to be opt-in. Navjot Virk, corporate vice president of Windows experiences, told The Verge that "every user can use [AI agents] when they're ready. It's their choice, they decide." <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=As+Windows+Turns+40%2C+Microsoft+Faces+an+AI+Backlash%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1852230%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1852230%2Fas-windows-turns-40-microsoft-faces-an-ai-backlash%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

As Windows Turns 40, Microsoft Faces an AI Backlash - Slashdot

Microsoft

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As Windows Turns 40, Microsoft Faces an AI Backlash - Slashdot

Microsoft

Monarch Tractor Preps For Layoffs and Warns Employees It May 'Shut Down' Autonomous electric tractor startup Monarch Tractor -- which we covered in 2022 -- warned staff Thursday it may need to lay off more than 100 employees, or possibly even "shut down," according to a company-wide memo obtained by TechCrunch. The report adds: The memo comes after Monarch Tractor was already cutting some positions over the last few weeks at its California corporate facilities and remote teams in India and Singapore, according to multiple former employees who spoke with TechCrunch on the condition of anonymity. Monarch Tractor was founded in 2018 by a team that included a former top executive at Tesla's first gigafactory and Carlo Mondavi, a scion of the famous winemaking family. The company raised at least $220 million, including $133 million in 2024, as it pursued a goal of making "driver optional" autonomous tractors that could perform tasks at places like wineries and other fruit farms. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Monarch+Tractor+Preps+For+Layoffs+and+Warns+Employees+It+May+'Shut+Down'%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1752232%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1752232%2Fmonarch-tractor-preps-for-layoffs-and-warns-employees-it-may-shut-down%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Monarch Tractor Preps For Layoffs and Warns Employees It May

Autonomous electric tractor startup Monarch Tractor -- which we covered in 2022 -- warned staff Thursday it may need to lay off more than 100 emplo...

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Monarch Tractor Preps For Layoffs and Warns Employees It May

Autonomous electric tractor startup Monarch Tractor -- which we covered in 2022 -- warned staff Thursday it may need to lay off more than 100 emplo...

You Can Finally AirDrop Files Between Android and iPhone, Starting with Pixel 10 Android's Quick Share file transfer service can now work with Apple's AirDrop, allowing users to send files between iPhones and Android devices. Google has started rolling out the feature to its Pixel 10 family of smartphones. The cross-platform compatibility includes security protections that the company says independent security experts tested. Google said it built the feature in response to user requests for simpler file sharing between devices regardless of manufacturer. The company plans to expand availability to additional Android devices. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=You+Can+Finally+AirDrop+Files+Between+Android+and+iPhone%2C+Starting+with+Pixel+10%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1732245%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1732245%2Fyou-can-finally-airdrop-files-between-android-and-iphone-starting-with-pixel-10%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

You Can Finally AirDrop Files Between Android and iPhone, Starting with Pixel 10 - Slashdot

Android

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You Can Finally AirDrop Files Between Android and iPhone, Starting with Pixel 10 - Slashdot

Android

Verizon Cutting More Than 13,000 Jobs As It Restructures An anonymous reader writes: U.S. wireless carrier Verizon said Thursday it will cut more than 13,000 jobs in its largest single layoff as it works to shrink costs and restructure operations. Verizon also said it plans to convert 179 corporate-owned retail stores into franchised operations and close one store. Verizon's new CEO, Dan Schulman, said in a note to employees the company would reduce its workforce by more than 13,000 employees across the organization, and significantly reduce outsourced and other outside labor expenses. Related: Delayed September report shows U.S. added 119,000 jobs, more than expected; unemployment rate at 4.4% <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Verizon+Cutting+More+Than+13%2C000+Jobs+As+It+Restructures%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1445202%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1445202%2Fverizon-cutting-more-than-13000-jobs-as-it-restructures%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Verizon Cutting More Than 13,000 Jobs As It Restructures - Slashdot

An anonymous reader writes: U.S. wireless carrier Verizon said Thursday it will cut more than 13,000 jobs in its largest single layoff as it works ...

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Verizon Cutting More Than 13,000 Jobs As It Restructures - Slashdot

An anonymous reader writes: U.S. wireless carrier Verizon said Thursday it will cut more than 13,000 jobs in its largest single layoff as it works ...

Microsoft Exec Asks: Why Aren't More People Impressed With AI? An anonymous reader shares a report: A Microsoft executive is questioning why more people aren't impressed with AI, a week after the company touted the evolution of Windows into an "agentic OS," which immediately triggered backlash. "Jeez there so many cynics! It cracks me up when I hear people call AI underwhelming," tweeted Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO for Microsoft's AI group. Suleyman added that he grew up playing the old-school 2D Snake game on a Nokia phone. "The fact that people are unimpressed that we can have a fluent conversation with a super smart AI that can generate any image/video is mindblowing to me," he wrote.ÂÂ <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Microsoft+Exec+Asks%3A+Why+Aren't+More+People+Impressed+With+AI%3F%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1441200%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F20%2F1441200%2Fmicrosoft-exec-asks-why-arent-more-people-impressed-with-ai%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Microsoft Exec Asks: Why Aren

An anonymous reader shares a report: A Microsoft executive is questioning why more people aren

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Microsoft Exec Asks: Why Aren

An anonymous reader shares a report: A Microsoft executive is questioning why more people aren

Adobe Bolsters AI Marketing Tools With $1.9 Billion Semrush Buy Adobe is buying Semrush for $1.9 billion in a move to supercharge its AI-driven marketing stack. Reuters reports: Semrush designs and develops AI software that helps companies with search engine optimization, social media and digital advertising. The acquisition, expected to close in the first half of next year, would allow Adobe to help marketers better understand how their brands are viewed by online consumers through searches on websites and generative AI bots such as ChatGPT and Gemini. "The price is steep as Semrush isn't a massive revenue engine on its own, so Adobe is likely paying for strategic value. The payoff could be high too if Adobe can quickly turn Semrush's data into monetizable AI products," said Emarketer analyst Grace Harmon. "While we are positive on Adobe restarting its M&A engine given the success that it has seen with this motion over the years... this deal likely does little to answer the questions revolving around the company's creative cloud business," added William Blair analysts. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Adobe+Bolsters+AI+Marketing+Tools+With+%241.9+Billion+Semrush+Buy%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F2238242%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F2238242%2Fadobe-bolsters-ai-marketing-tools-with-19-billion-semrush-buy%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Adobe Bolsters AI Marketing Tools With $1.9 Billion Semrush Buy - Slashdot

Adobe is buying Semrush for $1.9 billion in a move to supercharge its AI-driven marketing stack. Reuters reports: Semrush designs and develops AI ...

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Adobe Bolsters AI Marketing Tools With $1.9 Billion Semrush Buy - Slashdot

Adobe is buying Semrush for $1.9 billion in a move to supercharge its AI-driven marketing stack. Reuters reports: Semrush designs and develops AI ...

Apple N1 Wi-Fi Chip Improves On Older Broadcom Chips In Every Way An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: This year's newest iPhones included one momentous change that marked a new phase in the evolution of Apple Silicon: the Apple N1, Apple's first in-house chip made to handle local wireless connections. The N1 supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and the Thread smart home communication protocol, and it replaces the third-party wireless chips (mostly made by Broadcom) that Apple used in older iPhones. Apple claimed that the N1 would enable more reliable connectivity for local communication features like AirPlay and AirDrop but didn't say anything about how users could expect it to perform. But Ookla, the folks behind the SpeedTest app and website, have analyzed about five weeks' worth of users' testing data to get an idea of how the iPhone 17 lineup stacks up to the iPhone 16, as well as Android phones with Wi-Fi chips from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and others. While the N1 isn't at the top of the charts, Ookla says Apple's Wi-Fi chip "delivered higher download and upload speeds on Wi-Fi compared to the iPhone 16 across every studied percentile and virtually every region." The median download speed for the iPhone 17 series was 329.56Mbps, compared to 236.46Mbps for the iPhone 16; the upload speed also jumped from 73.68Mbps to 103.26Mbps. Ookla noted that the N1's best performance seemed to improve scores most of all in the bottom 10th percentile of performance tests, "implying Apple's custom silicon lifts the floor more than the ceiling." The iPhone 17 also didn't top Ookla's global performance charts -- Ookla found that the Pixel 10 Pro series slightly edges out the iPhone 17 in download speed, while a Xiaomi 15T Pro with MediaTek Wi-Fi silicon featured better upload speeds. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Apple+N1+Wi-Fi+Chip+Improves+On+Older+Broadcom+Chips+In+Every+Way%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhardware.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F2228257%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fhardware.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F2228257%2Fapple-n1-wi-fi-chip-improves-on-older-broadcom-chips-in-every-way%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Apple N1 Wi-Fi Chip Improves On Older Broadcom Chips In Every Way - Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: This year

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Apple N1 Wi-Fi Chip Improves On Older Broadcom Chips In Every Way - Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: This year

Nvidia Beats Earnings Expectations, Even As Bubble Concerns Mount Nvidia blew past earnings expectations with soaring revenue and profit, easing fears of an AI bubble and reinforcing its position as the engine of the global AI boom. From a report: Nvidia's sales grew 62% year-over-year to $57 billion in the October quarter, ahead of the $54.9 billion Wall Street had projected, signaling that demand for AI chips remains strong even as more questions emerge about whether returns from the technology will keep up with the pace of AI infrastructure investments. It posted profits of $31.9 billion, up 65% from the year-ago quarter and also slightly above expectations. "Blackwell sales are off the charts, and cloud GPUs are sold out," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement, a message that echoes his earlier arguments that fears of an AI bubble are overblown. The company also posted stronger-than-expected sales guidance of around $65 billion for the fourth quarter, another indicator that the AI spending spree isn't slowing anytime soon. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Nvidia+Beats+Earnings+Expectations%2C+Even+As+Bubble+Concerns+Mount%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F2223211%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F2223211%2Fnvidia-beats-earnings-expectations-even-as-bubble-concerns-mount%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Nvidia Beats Earnings Expectations, Even As Bubble Concerns Mount - Slashdot

Nvidia blew past earnings expectations with soaring revenue and profit, easing fears of an AI bubble and reinforcing its position as the engine of ...

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Nvidia Beats Earnings Expectations, Even As Bubble Concerns Mount - Slashdot

Nvidia blew past earnings expectations with soaring revenue and profit, easing fears of an AI bubble and reinforcing its position as the engine of ...

Dutch Hand Back Control of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker Nexperia An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: The Dutch government suspended its powers over chipmaker Nexperia, restoring control to its Chinese owner (paywalled; alternative source) and defusing a standoff with Beijing that had begun to hamper automotive production around the world. The order that gave the Netherlands powers to block or revise decisions at Nexperia was dropped as "a show of goodwill," Economic Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans said Wednesday in a post on social media site X. Bloomberg had reported earlier this month that the Netherlands was prepared to take the step if chip deliveries from the company's site in China could be confirmed. The move marks a significant de-escalation of a dispute that underscored the global nature of supply chains and highlighted Beijing's growing leverage. Even though Nexperia's chips aren't advanced and the company only operates one facility in China, the spat disrupted automakers from Honda Motor Co. to Volkswagen AG. The reversal by the Dutch government was set in motion after a breakthrough in talks earlier that involved Chinese and Dutch officials, with input from Germany, the European Union as well as the US. To help resolve the stalemate, Beijing agreed to loosen export restrictions from Nexperia's Chinese plant, the largest of its kind in the world. The Dutch economic affairs ministry sent a delegation to Beijing this week to negotiate a "mutually agreeable solution," according to a ministry statement. <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Dutch+Hand+Back+Control+of+Chinese-Owned+Chipmaker+Nexperia%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F225253%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F25%2F11%2F19%2F225253%2Fdutch-hand-back-control-of-chinese-owned-chipmaker-nexperia%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a>

Dutch Hand Back Control of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker Nexperia - Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: The Dutch government suspended its powers over chipmaker Nexperia, restoring control to its Chi...

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Dutch Hand Back Control of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker Nexperia - Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: The Dutch government suspended its powers over chipmaker Nexperia, restoring control to its Chi...