Technology News: From Space Missions to AI Breakthroughs, January 2024

Introduction

In an era where technology evolves at a breakneck pace, staying abreast of the latest developments is not merely a luxury, but a necessity. This article serves as a beacon in the vast ocean of information, illuminating the path for those who seek to navigate the complex currents of technological innovation. It underscores the significance of being well-informed, for in the realm of technology, knowledge is power. The ability to adapt, to anticipate, and to innovate hinges on one’s understanding of the present landscape. Thus, we delve into a comprehensive round-up of the latest technology news, a crucial resource for the informed reader.

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Space News

SpaceX Overcomes Hurdles Ahead of Axiom Ax-3 Mission SpaceX, the private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company, has been diligently working through a series of rocket and parachute problems in preparation for the Axiom Ax-3 mission. Despite these challenges, the company remains committed to its ambitious space exploration agenda.

SpaceX Launches New Batch of Private Astronauts In another significant milestone, SpaceX successfully launched a fresh batch of private astronauts to space via the Axiom Ax-3 mission. This mission underscores SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to democratize space travel and marks a new era of private space exploration.

NASA Unveils X-59 During Rollout Ceremony NASA, the United States’ premier space agency, recently unveiled the X-59 during a rollout ceremony. The X-59 is a testament to NASA’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space technology and exploration.

New Head of Space Technology at NASA In a strategic move to bolster its technological capabilities, NASA’s Administrator has appointed a new Head of Space Technology. This change in leadership is expected to usher in a new phase of innovation and advancement in space technology.

NASA’s Twin Rovers: Two Decades on Mars Reflecting on the past twenty years since the landing of NASA’s twin rovers on Mars, one cannot help but marvel at how these missions have revolutionized our understanding of the Red Planet. The scientific discoveries made by these rovers have been instrumental in shaping Mars science and continue to inform current and future missions.

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Artificial Intelligence and Technology

• NVIDIA’s Latest Graphics Card Release: A Game Changer NVIDIA has unveiled its GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Founders Edition 12 GB Graphics Card, a supercharged AD104 GPU that promises to redefine the gaming experience. With its advanced features and powerful performance, this new release is set to make waves in the gaming and development communities.
• Intel: The New Chip Giant In a quiet yet significant achievement, Intel has become the world’s biggest chip company in 2023, according to Gartner. This milestone underscores Intel’s enduring influence in the tech industry and its continued commitment to innovation.
• Galaxy S24 Ultra: A New Era of Smartphones The Galaxy S24 Ultra has officially launched, boasting a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Galaxy AI, a titanium frame, and a staggering 200-megapixel camera. These features not only set a new standard for smartphones but also promise to enhance user experience significantly.
• Google DeepMind’s Olympian Feat Google DeepMind’s new AI has achieved a remarkable feat, matching the performance of a gold medalist in the Math Olympics. This achievement highlights the immense potential of AI and its ability to revolutionize various fields, including education and research.

Headlines and Briefs:

• Instagram and Snapchat Leverage Galaxy S24’s Camera: Social media giants Instagram and Snapchat are set to take full advantage of the Galaxy S24’s advanced camera hardware, promising users an enhanced multimedia experience.
• New Vulnerability Detected in GPUs: NVIDIA, AMD, Apple & Qualcomm GPUs have reportedly faced a new vulnerability that listens to LLM responses, raising concerns about data security and privacy.
• Intel’s Dual-Core CPU Benchmarked: Intel’s 300 Dual-Core CPU has been benchmarked, revealing why it’s the lowest-end chip in the Raptor Lake Refresh lineup.
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER GPU Now Available: NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER GPU is now available, starting at $599 US, offering gamers and developers enhanced performance at a competitive price.
• Game Ready Driver for GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Out Now: NVIDIA has released a game-ready driver for the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, with Reflex Support now available in over 100 games.
• Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2’s Blood Oxygen Feature: Users are advised to check if their Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 houses the Blood Oxygen feature after it was removed from the latest models.
• Google Ads Enhances Campaign Level Options: Google Ads has gained new campaign level headlines & descriptions options, offering advertisers more flexibility and control over their campaigns.
• Google Search Console Reports 404 Error Spike: Google Search Console has reported a spike in 404 errors for /1000 URLs, highlighting the need for website owners to address these issues promptly.
• Google Chrome’s Following Feed Shows Content By Topic: Google Chrome’s Following Feed now shows content by topic, enhancing user experience by providing more personalized and relevant content.
• SQLite Supports Binary JSON: SQLite’s new support for binary JSON is similar but different from a PostgreSQL feature, offering developers more flexibility in handling JSON data.
• GitHub Self-Hosted Runners Under Spotlight: GitHub’s self-hosted runners are under the spotlight again as a researcher demonstrates an attack on PyTorch code, emphasizing the need for robust security measures.
• WebAssembly Advances in 2023: WebAssembly has advanced in 2023, but .NET cannot yet use Wasm garbage collection, indicating the ongoing evolution of web development technologies.
• Bun Runtime Adds Shell Script Support: The Bun runtime has added shell script support, with a Windows version promised shortly, offering developers more versatility in their coding projects.
• Microsoft Releases First CBL-Mariner Linux Distro Update Of 2024: Microsoft has released the first CBL-Mariner Linux Distro update of 2024, marking a significant milestone in the development of this open-source project.
• Linux 6.8 Brings More Sound Hardware Support: Linux 6.8 brings more sound hardware support for Intel & AMD, including the Steam Deck, enhancing the audio experience for users.
• openSUSE Prepares For Leap 16: openSUSE is preparing for Leap 16 next year, based on ALP, indicating the ongoing development and improvement of this popular Linux distribution.
• Gigabyte’s Ampere Altra Max Platform for AI/GPU Computing: Gigabyte’s G242-P36 is a great Ampere Altra Max platform for AI/GPU computing, offering powerful performance for demanding applications.
• LLVM 18 Planned For Release: LLVM 18 is planned for release in early March, marking the next step in the development of this open-source compiler infrastructure project.
• Apple Vision Pro Lacks Wi-Fi 6E Support: Despite its advanced features, Apple’s Vision Pro lacks Wi-Fi 6E support, highlighting the trade-offs that sometimes come with new technology.
• Apple Vision Pro App Store Launches: The Apple Vision Pro App Store has launched, offering users a new platform to discover and download apps.
• Twelve South Launches New BookArc Flex: Twelve South has launched the new BookArc Flex, a stylish and functional accessory for MacBook users.
• US Supreme Court Declines to Hear Apple vs Epic Games Case: The US Supreme Court has declined to hear the Apple vs Epic Games case, marking the end of this high-profile legal battle.
• Bing Unchanged Despite Copilot Pro Paid Release: Despite the paid release of Copilot Pro, Bing remains unchanged, according to Mikhail Parakhin from Microsoft.
• Search Bing & Google At Same Time With Microsoft Edge: Users can now search Bing and Google at the same time using the Microsoft Edge browser, offering more comprehensive search results.
• Mac at 40: Apple’s Love Affair With User Experience: As the Apple Macintosh turns 40, its enduring focus on user experience continues to shape the tech industry.
• iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus Key Specs Tipped: Key specs for the upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have been tipped, offering a glimpse into the future of Apple’s flagship smartphone line.
• Sharp’s QDEL TV Could Be a Game Changer for Displays: Sharp’s QDEL TV could be a game changer for displays, challenging the dominance of OLED technology.
• Windows Flaw Used by Hackers: Hackers are using a Windows flaw to steal data, highlighting the importance of updating your PC right now.
• Ubuntu Linux Working On Installer Support For NVMe-over-TCP: Ubuntu Linux is working on installer support for NVMe-over-TCP, enhancing its compatibility with this high-performance storage protocol.
• GCC Rust Compiler Sees ~900 New Patches Upstreamed For GCC 14: The GCC Rust Compiler, known as “gccrs”, has seen approximately 900 new patches upstreamed for GCC 14, indicating active development of this new front-end for the GCC.
• ~5 Minutes Of Coding Yields A 6%+ Boost To Linux I/O Performance: A mere five minutes of coding has yielded a boost of over 6% to Linux I/O performance, demonstrating the impact of efficient coding practices.
• Rust-Written Linux Scheduler Shows Promising Results For Gaming Performance: A Linux scheduler written in Rust is showing promising results for gaming performance, highlighting the potential of this programming language in system-level software development.
• SQLite 3.45 Released With JSON Functions Adapted To Use JSONB: SQLite 3.45 has been released with JSON functions adapted to use JSONB, offering developers more flexibility in handling JSON data.

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Data Storage and Management

The realm of data storage and management is witnessing a flurry of advancements, with companies like Seagate and TSMC leading the charge. Seagate’s 30 TB+ Exos HAMR disk drives and TSMC and ITRI’s ultra-efficient SOT MRAM represent significant strides in storage technology. These innovations not only enhance data storage capacity but also improve efficiency, thereby having profound implications for businesses and consumers alike.

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Headlines and Briefs:

• Hammerspace Expands Global Data Environment: Hammerspace has expanded its Global Data Environment with archival tape system support, enhancing its data management capabilities and offering users more flexibility in storing and accessing their data.
• Percona Advocates for Automated Scaling of Storage in Kubernetes: Percona is advocating for automated scaling of storage in Kubernetes, a move that could significantly enhance the efficiency and scalability of data storage in this popular container orchestration system.
• Backblaze Adds Enterprise Appeal to Its Backup Storage: Backblaze has added enterprise appeal to its backup storage, making it an attractive option for businesses looking for reliable and cost-effective data backup solutions.
• Seagate Unveils 30 TB+ Exos HAMR Disk Drives: Seagate has unveiled its 30 TB+ Exos HAMR disk drives, setting a new benchmark for data storage capacity and efficiency.
• Biomemory DNA Storage: The Future or Costly Gimmick?: Biomemory DNA storage is being touted as a potential game-changer in the data storage industry. However, questions remain about its cost-effectiveness and practicality.
• TSMC and ITRI Unveil Ultra-Efficient SOT MRAM: TSMC and ITRI have unveiled their ultra-efficient SOT MRAM, a significant advancement in memory technology that promises to enhance data storage and retrieval efficiency.
• 30TB HAMR Disk Drives Get Less Shingled Capacity Increase Than Expected: Despite the impressive storage capacity of 30TB HAMR disk drives, they have received a less than expected increase in shingled capacity, highlighting the challenges in scaling up data storage technologies.
• Pure STACs Up Benchmark Wins Against Dell, WekaIO, AWS: Pure Storage has stacked up benchmark wins against Dell, WekaIO, and AWS, demonstrating its superior performance in data storage and management.

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Business and Partnerships

The tech industry is a hotbed of partnerships and business deals, with companies constantly seeking synergies to drive innovation and growth. These alliances not only shape the trajectory of the individual companies involved but also have far-reaching implications for the future of technology as a whole.

Headlines and Briefs:

• GMO GlobalSign Authorized to Sell Digital Signatures in Ecuador: GMO GlobalSign has been authorized to sell digital signatures in Ecuador, marking a significant expansion of its digital security services in South America.
• Hong Kong Firms Join Global Initiative on Nature-Related Corporate Disclosures: Henderson, Swire, and Chinachem are among seven Hong Kong firms that have joined a global initiative on nature-related corporate disclosures, highlighting the growing emphasis on environmental responsibility in the business world.
• USfalcon Inc Awarded Space Force Contract: USfalcon Inc, a member of the Gemini Technical Services Joint Venture, has been awarded a contract by the Space Force, Space Training and Readiness Command – 3IS III. This partnership underscores the increasing role of private companies in space exploration and defense.
• Digitech Systems Recognized for Outstanding Cloud Information Management System: Digitech Systems has been recognized for its outstanding cloud information management system, underscoring its expertise in providing robust and efficient data management solutions.
• DOCOMO to Unveil 31 Innovative Technologies at Open House’24: DOCOMO, Japan’s largest mobile operator, is set to unveil 31 innovative technologies—some of them world firsts—at its upcoming Open House’24 event. This showcase highlights DOCOMO’s commitment to leading the charge in mobile technology innovation.
• Carnegie Mellon Partners with TalentSprint for TechWise: Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science has joined hands with TalentSprint as an academic partner for TechWise, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Program supported by Google. This partnership underscores the tech industry’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.
• Frontier Technology Boosts Capacity of Huntsville Facilities: Frontier Technology Inc has boosted the capacity of its Huntsville, Alabama facilities to serve its fast-growing cyber business. This expansion reflects the increasing demand for cybersecurity solutions in today’s digital age.

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Research and Studies

The field of technology is constantly enriched by the latest research and studies. These scholarly pursuits not only push the boundaries of our understanding but also pave the way for practical applications that can transform the tech industry and society at large.

Headlines and Briefs:

• TS-RTPM-Net: A New Approach to Tensor Sketching: The TS-RTPM-Net presents a data-driven approach to tensor sketching for efficient CP decomposition. This research could potentially revolutionize how we handle and process high-dimensional data, opening up new possibilities in data analysis and machine learning.
• PHAED: Enhancing Dialogue Generation: The PHAED model introduces a speaker-aware parallel hierarchical attentive encoder-decoder framework for multi-turn dialogue generation. This could significantly improve the quality of generated dialogues, making AI communication more natural and effective.
• Predicting Patent Litigation with Neural Tensor Factorization: A multi-aspect neural tensor factorization framework has been proposed for patent litigation prediction. This could potentially provide valuable insights for businesses and legal professionals, helping them anticipate and navigate patent disputes.

Conclusion

In this article, we have traversed the vast landscape of recent technology news, from the latest missions of SpaceX and NASA to the cutting-edge research in AI and data storage. We have also highlighted significant business partnerships and their potential impact on the future of technology. As we continue to keep a pulse on these developments, one thing is clear: the world of technology is ever-evolving, and staying informed is key to navigating its dynamic terrain. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a professional in the field, or simply a curious reader, we hope this round-up has provided you with valuable insights and a deeper understanding of the current tech landscape.