Category: iT news

Adobe on Tuesday announced its decision to pull the plug on its much maligned Flash format, citing the growing use of HTML5, WebGL and Web Assembly open standards. Helper apps have evolved over time to become plugins, which then further evolved to become open Web standards, Adobe noted. However, because gaming, education and video have come to depend heavily on Flash over the years, its phaseout will be gradual. The company will continue to update and maintain it until 2020.

When I first reviewed the Game Over edition of SparkyLinux several years ago, I called it one of the best full-service Linux distros catering to game players you could find. That assessment extends to last month’s release of the non-gaming edition of this distro. The latest edition of SparkyLinux, version 5.0 “Nibiru,” finds its true calling as a Linux distro that falls between those that are beginner-friendly and those that require some amount of Linux knowledge. SparkyLinux 5.0 is based on the testing branch of Debian.

Some users are seeing movie trailers automatically start in their search results.

I just finished reading an interesting hard science fiction book called The Punch Escrow. The story takes place several decades in the future, and it revolves around the idea of quantum foam and teleportation. It points out why teleportation never may be practical, but it brings up the idea of human 3D printing, which could be used more effectively for space exploration. However, it also would have a massive number of other uses, both good and bad, which got me thinking about what else could change our future in a massive way.

The next version of Microsoft’s HoloLens may be better at navigating reality than the current version of the mixed-reality headset, thanks to a new coprocessor the company announced Sunday. The second version of HoloLens’ custom multiprocessor — called a “holographic processing unit,” or HPU — will incorporate artificial intelligence technology, Harry Shum, executive vice president of the Artificial Intelligence and Research Group, said at the annual CVPR computer vision event. The new HPU will enable HoloLens to do the kind of deep learning processing that typically is done only in the cloud.

Microsoft has released its long-awaited cloud-based bug detection tool, previously code-named “Project Springfield.” The Windows version became generally available, and a new Linux version became available as a preview last week. The tool, Microsoft Security Risk Detection, uses artificial intelligence to hunt down security vulnerabilities in software that is about to be released. Microsoft Security Risk Detection will help developers do fuzz testing, said David Molnar, the Microsoft researcher in charge of the group that developed the tool.

Facebook on Tuesday announced several updates to its live-streaming platform, including a new hardware and software vetting program used to create 360-degree video. Through its new Live 360 Ready Program, Facebook will review hardware and software and approve products that work well with its Live 360 offering. Products deemed “ready” for Live 360 will be allowed to display a Facebook Live logo on their packaging or website. Facebook has approved 11 cameras and seven software suites so far.