You know that thing where, just after youve opened Instagram and become invested in whatever video was already loaded, a new video pops in and seemingly yeets the old video into the void, never to be seen again? Thats a thing of the past, according to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri, who says in an AMA from his Instagram Story yesterday that the app now waits for you to scroll to show you the new stuff. That behavior which Instagram apparently called rug pull internally wasnt just some weird bug. Mosseri says the app did it because we were trying to load new content, and it was taking a while, so we showed you something that was already downloaded in the meantime, and it is generally good for engagement. But thats really annoying, he acknowledges, so we stopped doing it.Instagram has taken a little bit of an engagement hit for this, Mosseri concludes, saying its a much better experience for those of us using the app. Agreed. Related

LatestMachine LearningRAGate: Adaptive RAG for Conversational AI 0 like November 9, 2024Share this postLast Updated on November 10, 2024 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Rupali Patil Originally published on Towards AI. Building Conversational AI systems is hard!!!Its feasible but also complex, time-consuming, and resource-intensive.The challenge lies in designing systems that can understand and generate human-like responses and ensuring that these systems engage users effectively, adapting to the nuances of conversation.The very popular RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) has revolutionized conversational AI by seamlessly integrating external knowledge with LLMs internal knowledge. By using RAG with your business data, your customers can ask questions about their data in natural language, facilitating a seamless interaction.However, there is a caveat: While using RAG, it becomes clear that not every query needs an answer sourced from external knowledge. Over-reliance on external sources can disrupt genuine engagement. Its like having a conversation with someone and, for every question, reaching for a book to craft your response, even though you already have a deeper understanding of the topic. Even worse, you cant find any book on the topic and end up responding with I dont know, despite having internal knowledge that could provide a more insightful answer.Clearly, while using RAG, a mechanism is needed to determine when to utilize external knowledge versus internal knowledge at the inference time.Enter RAGate a binary switch designed to dynamically evaluate when to utilize external knowledge and when to rely on internal insights. Introduced by Xi Wang, Procheta Sen, Ruizhe Li, and Emine Yilmaz, and published in July 2024, ArXiv (Adaptive Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Conversational Systems).Lets learn more with examples.What is Conversational AI, really?Conversation is the exchange of thoughts, emotions, and information between individuals, adapting to tone, context, and subtle cues that guide the interaction. Humans are naturally suited for conversation due to qualities like emotional intelligence, socialization, and cultural exposure, which help us understand nuances and adapt to different social contexts.Conversational AI aims to replicate this human-like interaction by using technology to understand and generate natural, contextually appropriate, and engaging responses. It adapts to user inputs, making the interaction fluid and dynamic, like a conversation between humans.What is External Knowledge and Internal Knowledge of AI systems?In the opening paragraph, I mentioned two key terms External Knowledge and Internal Knowledge. Lets take a moment to clarify these concepts, as understanding them will make learning about RAGate much easier.External knowledge encompasses information not inherent to the AI model but retrieved from outside sources. The sources include databases like structured data repositories, APIs, unstructured knowledgebases like guides, FAQs, and web sources. The primary role of external knowledge is to provide factual, up-to-date, and contextually relevant information that enhances the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the AIs responses.Internal knowledge refers to the built-in-knowledge and processing capabilities embedded within the AI model based on its training data. The sources include pre-trained knowledge from diverse datasets, including language patterns, grammar, shared facts, and general world knowledge, contextual awareness from memory of past interactions, and AIs semantic understanding and comprehension abilities.RAG and Guardrails powerful duo, but with limitations!RAG combines two powerful elements: (1) The natural language processing abilities of large language models (LLMs) to interpret and generate human-like text. (2)The ability to retrieve and augment external, up-to-date information.Many RAG implementations incorporate guardrails, constraints, or rules that guide the systems behavior towards responsible and domain-bound AI. These guardrails often prioritize using external knowledge over the models internal knowledge to ensure predictability of response. The strict application of these guardrails can sometimes lead to suboptimal outcomes:Over-reliance on external sources: The system may be forced to seek external information even for general questions where the LLMs internal knowledge might suffice.Potential for less fluid responses: By restricting internal knowledge, the system might produce less natural or contextually appropriate responses in some cases.Increased latency: Constantly retrieving external information can slow response times compared to relying on internal knowledge.Missed opportunities: The vast knowledge embedded in the LLMs parameters might be underutilized, potentially missing valuable insights or connections.Balancing Act with RAGateRAGate, short for Retrieval-Augmented Generation Gate, enhances conversational AI systems by adaptively determining when to incorporate external knowledge into responses.RAGate study investigates the need for adaptive augmentation in conversational systems and presents RAGate as a gating model that predicts when external knowledge retrieval is beneficial. The paper provides extensive experiments and analyses, demonstrating RAGates effectiveness in improving response quality and generation confidence in RAG-based conversational systems.RAGate flow compared to Traditional RAG flow. Image source: AuthorRAGate ExampleScenario: A user is interacting with a healthcare-focused chatbot that offers personalized health advice based on general wellness principles and medical knowledge.This example illustrates how RAGate can improve AI responses by utilizing internal knowledge to offer general wellness tips that dont require specific external information. Image Source: AuthorRAGate can further enhance conversation by balancing internal and external knowledge. It allows AI to use internal medical knowledge for general info while retrieving up-to-date research. It can even intelligently synthesizes data from multiple sources for a comprehensive analysis, offers personalized insights based on patient details, and filters external information to prioritize the most relevant content, reducing overload.Variants of RAGateAs published in paper, RAGate offers 3 variants RAGate-Prompt, RAGate-PEFT (Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning), and RAGate-MHA (Multi-Head Attention).Each variant of RAGate Prompt, PEFT, and MHA employs distinct methods to integrate external knowledge, towards the common goal of improving the relevance and accuracy of AI-generated responses.Here is a quick comparison table:A comparison between RAGate variants RAGate-Prompt, RAGate-PEFT (Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning), and RAGate-MHA (Multi-Head Attention). Image source: AuthorHow to implement RAGate?The paper illustrates a step-by-step guide to implement RAGate:Define the problem: This step is crucial as it is about identifying the conversational task you want to enhance with RAGate. Determine the scope of the conversation and the specific domains you want to cover (e.g., restaurant recommendations, travel planning).Select a language model: Choose an appropriate Large Language Model (LLM) as the backbone for your conversational system. Options include models like Llama, GPT-2, or other transformer-based architectures.Gather and annotate data: Collect a dataset relevant to your conversational domain. The KETOD dataset, which includes annotated dialogues and knowledge snippets, is an excellent example. Ensure that your dataset has clear labels indicating when knowledge augmentation is necessary.Develop the Knowledge Retrieval System: Implement a knowledge retrieval mechanism to fetch relevant external information when needed. It can consider the popular techniques like dense-passage retrieval or graph-structured knowledge bases.Implement the RAGate mechanism: Create the binary knowledge gate function (RAGate) to determine when to augment responses with external knowledge. It involves Contextual Analysis and Gating FunctionExplore RAGate variants: Develop different variants of RAGate based on the approaches discussed in the paper:RAGate-Prompt: Use natural language prompts with a pre-trained language model to determine the need for augmentation.RAGate-PEFT: Employ parameter-efficient fine-tuning techniques (e.g., QLoRA) to train your language model for better decision-making.RAGate-MHA: Utilize a multi-head attention mechanism to assess the context and retrieve knowledge interactively.7. Train the Model: Fine-tune your LLM using the annotated dataset, employing the various RAGate variants. Incorporate the training of the gating mechanism to enhance the models ability to predict the need for knowledge augmentation effectively.8. Evaluate performance: Conduct extensive experiments to validate the effectiveness of RAGate. Analyze metrics such as:Precision, Recall, F1 Score: To evaluate the classification performance of the gating function.BLEU, ROUGE, BERTScore: This is used to assess the quality of generated responses compared to ground truth.Confidence Scores: Measure the confidence of generated outputs to ensure high-quality responses.9. Deploy the system: Integrate the RAGate-enabled conversational system into your application or service. Ensure the system can handle real-time queries and dynamically decide on knowledge augmentation.10. Iterate and improve: Continuously gather user feedback and interaction data to refine the model. Analyze areas where the system may struggle with context or relevance and adjust the training or retrieval mechanisms accordingly.TakeawaysIn conclusion, RAGate represents a significant advancement in conversational AI by intelligently balancing internal and external knowledge to provide more relevant, efficient, and personalized responses. The applications of RAGate are vast, spanning across industries such as healthcare, customer support, education, legal services, finance, and more. By enhancing AIs capacity to deliver tailored, real-time information, RAGate has the potential to revolutionize how businesses and individuals interact with technology, improving decision-making, user experience, and overall system performance.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

At D23 Brazil, new concept art was revealed for Avatar: Fire & Ash that gives fans a look at thew new fire and air tribes that will feature in this third film set to be released in theaters on December 19, 2025.The concept art, which is by Dylan Cole, Zachary Berger, and Steve Messing, showcases flying vehicles, gorgeous vistas, Ikran, a village that looks to belong to these fire/ash Na'vi, the beautiful ocean at night, a character whose hands are bound, and more. Avatar: Fire & Ash Concept ArtAs reported by @cinepop (via @DiscussingFilm), these Ash People are a "reflection of the worst side of Na'vi.""We have a lot of anger and a lot of rage in the world we live in right now," Cameron said.Cameron revealed the name of Avatar: Fire & Ash back at Anaheim's D23, and he also shared he'll direct both Avatar 4 and 5 unless he's "hit by a bus." While we are still waiting for our first look at footage of this film, Cameron did say this is an "insane adventure that also has high emotional stakes, more than ever before. We are going into challenging territories. There are new characters, and one youll love to hate. New cultures and settings and biomes and more of Pandora."PlayAvatar: The Way of Water was released in late 2022 and we said it was "a clear improvement on its predecessor and, though its story isnt breaking new ground, its jaw-dropping visuals make this an irresistible return to Pandora." It also became the sixth film in history to earn $2 billion at the global box office.Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

A brand new special look trailer for Thunderbolts* from D23 Brazil has not only revealed more of the team-up MCU film starring Yelena, Bucky, Red Guardian, John Walker, Ghost, Taskmaster, and Bob, but it has also confirmed who now owns Avengers Tower. The trailer opens with a look at a scene from the MCU film that is set to be released in theaters on May 2, 2025, but we'll get to that later as we have to talk about the fact that Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine now owns Avengers Tower.PlayShe reveals the news to our team when they arrive to the tower once owned by the late Tony Stark."How crazy is it to think of all the monumental fights that happened exactly here where you're standing," Valentina says. "I mean, the place wasn't cheap, but it has good optics."As for the other scene, Yelena, Red Guardian, Ghost, and John Walker are being chased by three cars and all is saved when Bucky destroys the enemy vehicles. Well, at least they thought they were saved until he shoots an explosive right at them. Elsewhere in the trailer we get to see a nice introduction to each team member, including Bob aka Sentry, and a ton of action of the team fighting each other and others. PlayFor more, check out the first teaser for Thunderbolts*, all we know about the * at the end of the title, and how this film is looking to return the MCU to its "roots" to cap off Phase 5.Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

It sometimes feels like most of the 80 million copies of The Da Vinci Code that have reportedly been sold since the novels 2003 release ended up in second-hand bookshops or on the sidewalk next to a sign that says Free Books. One of the biggest literary sensations ever now feels like a photo of that haircut you had in high school. Its the kind of thing that can trigger vague memories of a different era while making you ask what was I thinking?Yet the acclaim for 2004s National Treasure, one of the earliest notable works that emulated The Da Vinci Codes success, has only grown in recent years. The Nicolas Cage-led movie about rival treasure hunters following a map written on the back of the Declaration of Independence was always fiscally successful. However, it has gone from a critically derided guilty pleasure to a movie that the internet has reclaimed and openly celebrated as an ideal example of blockbuster entertainment. Its a pretty shocking reversal of fortune for a work once considered a ripoff of what had quickly become a cultural phenomenon.Granted, the relationship between National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code has always been more spiritual than logistical. Filming on National Treasure didnt begin until The Da Vinci Code was already shooting up the sales charts, but the basic idea for the movie was in development as early as 1999. National Treasures marketing and production were almost certainly influenced by The Da Vinci Codes success, but its not like Disney hit the big green cash-in button in 2003 and watched as their machine churned out another trend-chaser.Still, the similarities have always been striking. They are, after all, both stories about people trying to uncover the truth by gathering clues at famous tourist sites, solving puzzles, and spouting often wildly inaccurate historical babble laced with conspiracy theories. Hence numerous, and notable, National Treasure reviewers comparing the movie to The Da Vinci Code at the time of its release in often unflattering ways.Mind you, many of those reviewers who criticized National Treasure werent necessarily defending The Da Vinci Code. Both works were seen by some as fundamentally cheap forms of entertainment that used basic puzzles and vague historical references to appear smarter than they were. Indeed, National Treasure may have taken stray shots from those who saw The Da Vinci Code as a pulpy work masquerading as a great novel released at a time when critics feared that respect for the average readers intelligence was at an all-time low. Others felt it was a dangerous piece of information manipulation.That is the most fascinating distinction between the two projects. Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Codes publishers had to have known that a story about religious conspiracy theories that presented itself as at least a plausible concept was going to generate controversy. However, its difficult to imagine anyone getting truly upset about National Treasures plot involving a treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence, and loose ties between the Knights Templar, Freemasons, and the Founding Fathers. It was not intended to incite anything more intense than a History Channel binge.You can research the real history behind the movies many references if youd like, but Ill save you some time. Most of the historical information in that movie was either made up or strung together with just enough plot thread to get Nicolas Cage from one U.S. landmark to the next. Not since Clark Griswold loaded the kids into the family truckster has a movie gotten so much joy from visiting some of the biggest American tourist traps.In terms of both works legacies, that joy may be the determining difference. Some were genuinely offended by The Da Vinci Code, but the most common criticism came from those who found it to be a dime novel that somehow generated hundreds of millions of dollars. A beach read is one thing, but its easy to revile a beach read hailed as genius by people who read only one book a year, or genuinely believed the novel was exposing the truth that they dont want you to know. It didnt help that there was an underlying pretentiousness to The Da Vinci Code that was heightened by the subsequent discourse that made it seem so much more substantial than it ever really was.By comparison, National Treasure is remarkably unpretentious. Its hard to put on airs when youre suggesting with a straight face that someone hid Benjamin Franklins special glasses in a marked brick that could one day be used to find a medieval treasure trove. To quote Harrison Ford, It aint that kind of movie.Whereas The Da Vinci Code feels like it was authored by that dude at the party in the sports coat who wont stop talking about metaphysics, National Treasure feels like it was crafted by the dungeon master who always brings the best snacks and scenarios. Its nerdy in a way that makes it feel like the slightly more adult version of an 80s kids adventure movie and not a well, actually lecture that falls apart at the first fact check.The Da Vinci Code is a supremely entertaining thriller that is easy to binge-read and enjoy. Yet those elements of the book that once helped it reach unfathomable heightsthe intrigue of its vague conspiracies and the controversies they causednow feel embarrassing to look back at as anything that folks could take as seriously as they did. By comparison, those simply silly pleasures of National Treasure feel as joyful as ever. Actually, given National Treasures largely negative critical reception at the time, its fair to say that many more people seem to unabashedly enjoy the film now than ever before.National Treasure is a practical summer blockbuster (even if it came out in November) with its dad movie veneer being rooted in history. Its a heist thriller with an incredible original score wrapped around a new IP and filled with veteran character actors (Sean Bean! Harvey Keitel! Pre-insanity Jon Voight!) mingling with up-and-coming stars. You can watch it with pretty much anybody, and its the kind of movie you will keep watching if you happen to catch it in the middle of a rerun.National Treasure is not an undeniable masterpiece or a cinematic game-changer. It is, even by the admission of those who love it, a brainless romp that is often cheesy and relies on a suspension of disbelief that borders on faith. Yet those qualities are what make it endearing. Its also what people are asking for when they look at modern blockbusters and say, They dont make them like they used to.Just look at the 2006 Da Vinci Code movie for the clearest contrast between the projects. That film may have debuted at Cannes with Oscar aspirations, but it ultimately delivered an experience as fundamentally ridiculous as National Treasure with less of the intended fun. Even star Tom Hanks suggested that its best to look at the movie as hooey and fun [with] scavenger-hunt-type nonsense. Yet that movies aura of elevated drama perfectly captures how people saw The Da Vinci Code at that time, even as it exposed how shallow that story was.Read more Yes, its easy to turn against something popular simply to be contrarian. The Da Vinci Code is one of the most successful books ever written, which makes it all the more tempting to take it down several pegs. At the same time, National Treasures coronation isnt entirely based on that equally powerful desire to root for the underdog. As easily as some have disposed of their copies of The Da Vinci Code, they have returned to the seemingly disposable National Treasure because it still offers something of value: an uncomplicated good time that is somehow always exactly what you want, and slightly better than you remember.The Da Va Vinci Code and National Treasure both deal with the value of examining objects millions have seen thousands of times from different perspectives that will reveal a hidden truth within. Its telling, then, that the many rewatches of National Treasure that have occurred in the last 20 years have only endeared it in the hearts of those millions. Conversely, so many reappraisals of The Da Vinci Code are based on the desire to look upon this 2000s era artifact and try to see it as those from another time and place once did.

When we dream of the perfect farmhouse kitchen, it most often has ample space for creating meals and sharing memories with a whole gaggle of friends and family. In reality, the kitchens of the quaint cottages and farmhouses we more typically call home are much shorter on square footage, though certainly not on soul. But a small kitchen can still be the heart of the home! And if youre looking for design ideas to outfit a tiny cook space, youve come to the right place. There are many designer-approved tips and tricks for making a small kitchen feel larger. Tried-and-true options include selecting a warm white paint palette, incorporating light-reflecting tile, and going with a galley-style kitchen layout. That said, more unexpected and DIY choices, such as peg rails and skirted sinks, also have their place. Backsplashes can also have a big impact, and you shouldnt overlook the possibility of relocating the pantry to another (nearby!) room. Finally, when all else fails, know that a bit of open shelving will go a long way. No matter your small-space dilemma, our guide to the best simple and stylish small kitchen design ideas is sure to help you make the most of every last inch of your treasured cook space. For more ways to refresh your kitchen check out these charming kitchen design ideas:1Opt for a Galley Layout Matt AlbianiOriginally named for the tight cooking quarters aboard a ship, a galley kitchen is most commonly characterized as a long, narrow space with two parallel walls. All appliances and cabinetry are aligned along the two walls, thus making the most of a small footprint. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOME 2Try a Long, Skinny Island Buff StricklandIn a narrow kitchen, prep space has to be very strategic. Instead of forgoing an island entirely, try a long, narrow piece of furniture that runs parallel to your sink and appliance wall. What youll lack in width you'll more than make up for in length. RELATED: Our Favorite Kitchen Island Ideas for Kitchens Large and Small Advertisement - Continue Reading Below3Use Light-Reflecting TileReade McKendreeThe ceilings in this cozy green kitchen top out at just six feet, so homeowner Stefanie Watts of Watts Design House used light-reflecting tile as a counter-to-ceiling backsplash to brighten the small space. RELATED: 25 Great Green Kitchen Cabinet Ideas4Match Your Upper Cabinets to the WallsDavid HillegasTo give air to this itty-bitty kitchen, designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas painted the lower cabinets a happy blue hue but matched the upper glass-fronted cabinets to the walls.TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOMERELATED: These Are the Best Farmhouse Decor Finds on AmazonAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5When In Doubt, Go With White Laurey W. GlennThis much-beloved neutral brightens and expands any space it graces, but its especially hardworking in a small kitchen. RELATED: 60 Beautiful White Kitchen Ideas for a Room Youll Love Forever6Opt for Open Shelving Helen NormanClosed-off cabinetry can make a small kitchen feel, well, closed in. If you opt for open shelving up top, youll air out the space and have the opportunity to showcase your favorite dishes and kitchen collectibles. Its a win-win! TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOME RELATED: 20+ Dreamy Open Shelving Ideas for Your KitchenAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below7Give Every Nook and Cranny a FunctionDANE TASHIMAAnything can be a shelf if you want it to be! In this Marthas Vineyard beach cottage kitchen, any place with a flat surfaceincluding above and around the windowsis used for storage. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOME 8Put in a Pass-ThroughDustin HalleckA pass-through window can help an itty-bitty cooking space from feeling cramped and closed-off while youre in it. Added bonus: it allows guests to join you on the other side of the bar without getting in your way while you move about the kitchen. RELATED: 45+ Charming Breakfast Nook Ideas For a Stylish Start to Every DayAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below9Stick to a Single PaletteChase DanielFor this 1900s farmhouse galley kitchen, the homeowner went with a timeless cornflower blue paint color for the ceiling and trim, while a green reproduction wallpaper covers the walls. An antique mint-colored enamel gas range continues the color story, and lends a cohesion to the space that makes it feel larger. Get the Look:Trim Paint Color: Jamestown Blue by Benjamin MooreTOUR THIS ENTIRE HOMERELATED: More Beautiful Ways to Decorate Your Kitchen With Wallpaper10Just Skirt ItMax Kim-BeeA small kitchen also means small cabinetry. Minimize the need for door swing spaceand give yourself more flexibility in storageby covering the space below your counters with fabric instead. The space you save may also give you enough room to slide in a small island, like here. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOME Advertisement - Continue Reading Below11Put Up a Pot RackDustin HalleckThe space above your range doesnt have to go unused! A pretty brass pot rack is a lovely place to hang your most-used (or most-beautiful) pots and pans.RELATED: 16 Utterly Genius Kitchen Storage Solutions12Think Vertically Douglas FriedmanWhen every inch counts, wall space is just as valuable as counter space. Here, designer Ken Fulk wrapped the kitchen in above-the-door height open shelving and added wall-mounted storage for knives and copper cookware to keep essentials simultaneously out-of-the-way and close at hand. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOME Advertisement - Continue Reading Below13Embrace the BraceDavid A. LandUse the exposed wall braces of a cozy cabin as an intuitive guide to where to insert shelving. That way, youll create more storage without interfering with the natural lines of the structure. RELATED: The Best Blue-Gray Paint Colors 14Dine DeuxDavid TsayA petite bistro-style table is the perfect place for a solo breakfast or a cozy dinner for two in a small kitchen.Get the Look: Bistro Table: Rae pedestal table by Pottery BarnTOUR THIS ENTIRE HOME Advertisement - Continue Reading Below15Size Your Pendant Lights Right Buff StricklandIn lieu of a singular chandelier, a trio of smaller pendant lights featuring cloth-covered cords and Sheffield milk glass shades light this small Texas kitchen without becoming an overpowering focal point. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOMERELATED: Farmhouse Kitchen Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Cook Space 16Put the Pantry to Work Gridley + Graves PhotographersIn a small kitchen, certain appliances such as air fryers, instant pots, and microwaves can take up valuable counter space. If possible, relocate these items to the pantry.RELATED: These Pantry Organization Ideas Will Keep Yours in Ship ShapeAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below17Hide Your HoodMike D'AvelloWrapping your stove hood in the same surface that covers your walls will help keep your kitchen from feeling visually cluttered. RELATED: Knotty Pine Walls Are Back, Baby! 18Size Your Appliances AccordinglyDavid TsayIn this 98-square-foot galley kitchen, the petite 20-inch electric range maximizes cabinet space. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOMERELATED: The Best Yellow Paint Colors to Brighten Up Any Room Advertisement - Continue Reading Below19Dine at a Drop-Leaf Roger DaviesIf your small kitchen is also an eat-in kitchen, consider a drop-leaf table for your dining surface. The furniture piece can be folded down and set to the side when not in use, giving you more room to move about when cooking. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOMERELATED: Everything to Know About Painting Furniture 20Put Your Island On WheelsDavid TsayIn this easy-going white kitchen, a narrow rolling island serves as a portable food prep space, which can be wheeled in and out as needed. TOUR THIS ENTIRE HOMESarah ZlotnickSarah Zlotnick is the Lifestyle Director at Country Living, where she covers a little bit of everythingsmall towns, life in the country, and, her favorite, antiques. A research buff at heart, she loves a deep dive into the history of vintage finds and uncovering the reasons behind old-as-time traditions.

Earlier this week, we reported that the storage in the new Mac mini is actually modular, meaning that it isnt soldered to the logic board of the Mac, and ultimately would be user accessible. However, that didnt necessarily mean itd be easy for users to upgrade the storage on their own though that didnt stop one individual.Popular Mac repair technician dosdude1 has performed the first SSD storage upgrade on the new Mac mini, showcasing that it is indeed possible. In a new YouTube video uploaded on the release day of the new Mac mini, he tore apart and upgraded his base model Mac mini from 256GB to 1TB. Initially, he planned to upgrade to 2TB, but ran into issues while restoring.Removing original storageAfter disassembling his Mac mini, dosdude1 removed his storage module from the device, and essentially swapped the two storage NANDs on the module. For context, Apple uses two 128GB NANDs for their more recent 256GB Mac models. To upgrade to 1TB, dosdude used two 512GB NAND modules.This whole process involves removing the existing NANDs, which is a little difficult, because of the residual underfill Apple uses to hold down the NAND. Afterwards, he removes the residual solder left over leaving a clean surface for new NANDs to be soldered. He has to complete this process twice for each of the two NANDs on the module.Installing new storageAfterwards, he has to reball the new NANDs, allowing them to be resoldered to the original modules. This process uses a stencil to evenly distribute solder paste into each hole on the bottom of each NAND, then heats it with flux to ensure proper seating.This process is quite tedious, but once he solders the new NANDs to the storage module, he can reinstall it in the Mac mini, run a restore in Apple Configuratorand thats it! The Mac mini boots up, with the larger 1TB SSD, quadrupling the original storage.Making it easier for usersObviously, this is a highly tedious process and most people wont have the microsoldering skills of dosdude. This repair requires a ton of precision to perform correctly.However, what if it was easier? What if, hypothetically, someone just sold premade modules with higher storage? Well, you might be in luck.Although it isnt for sale yet, a company known as Polysoft Services may soon be selling storage modules for the new Mac mini. Theyve already made prototype modules for the Mac Studio, which dosdude himself has tested. Theyll apparently be shipping them to customers starting next month.If this all comes to fruition, there could be a world where its actually really easy for users to upgrade the storage on their new M4 Mac minis, which would be really cool.Wrap upOverall, we could soon have a really cool future where users can upgrade storage on their new Macs, without requiring users to have technical repair skills. I just wish Apple would sell the modules themselves, or at least allow users to upgrade storage through the Genius Bar that way we wouldnt have to rely on third parties.Id highly recommend watching dosdudes video, its a fun watch:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Threads,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

We have teamed up with Satechi to offer 9to5 readers exclusive early Black Friday sale pricing on the entire collection of the brands wonderful charging accessories, keyboards, and more. This time around we are taking things up a notch with a solid 30% off everything the brand sells sitewide we are told there are no exclusions here either (you just cant stack two codes at checkout). Our exclusive promo code works on all of the brands 2024 releases as well as items that are already seeing markdowns on the listing pages. Head over to the official Satechi site and apply our exclusive 30OFF9to5 code at checkout to redeem the sale price. But be sure to head below for some of the particular highlights form the sale as well. Exclusive Satechi early Black Friday saleDown below youll find some of our personal favorite items in our exclusive early Black Friday Satechi site. These include gear we have gone hands-on with, use ourselves, and would make for wonderful additions to just about any charging or at-home workstation setup, not to mention some great travel gear like its best-in-class Apple Find My Passport wallet and its new 15W Qi2 Wireless Car Charger, among others. Satechi MagSafe charging stands 30% offSatechi is a top 5 (top 3 for me personally) brand when it comes to the MagSafe charging stand and pad space, especially in the 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 categories.The brand makes my personal favorite upright model with folding capabilities the Satechi 3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand and it just unleashed its brand new Qi2 Trio Wireless Charging Pad. The latter of which doubles as both a flat 3-in-1 charging solution as well as an upright stand-style charger for iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, complete with Qi2-certified 3-in-1 charging. I have been testing one out here for about a week or so now its really nice (full review coming soon) and is now at the best price ever as part of our exclusive sale event for 9to5 readers using code 30OFF9to5 at checkout. Qi2 Trio Wireless Charging Pad $91 (Reg. $130)3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand $91 (Reg. $130)2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand $56 (Reg. $80)Satechi Passport wallet with Apple Find My hits best price everAnother particular standout from our exclusive sale event here is the brands 2024 Vegan-Leather Passport Cover with Apple Find My. After getting a chance to go hands-on for review with the Find My Passport wallet, it quickly shot to the top my list of the best options on the market first, it has the Find My tech no Passport wallet should ever release without, and second, it supports wireless MagSafe charging (most of them require a slightly awkward proprietary cable to charge back up). But perhaps best of all, it is now at its best price ever using our exclusive 30OFF9to5 code.Vegan-Leather Passport Cover with Find My $42 (Reg. $60)Satechis Qi2 Wireless Car Charger one of the best in the game now at its best priceBefore we dive into a look at how exclusive pricing shakes out on the brands wonderful Mac keyboards and powerful USB-C wall chargers, I want to quickly highlight the new 2024 Satechi Space Gray Qi2 15W MagSafe Car Charger mount. I also had a chance to test this one out over the summer I loved it then and am still loving it now. It is a fantastic 15W Qi2 MagSafe charger for your ride, something that almost looks like it could have been designed in Cupertino by Apple, and makes for a fantastic edition to your road trip travel kit, be it for everyday commutes and longer runs. It looks great, works wonderfully, and is easily among the best iPhone car charging mounts I have ever used. It too is now at the lowest we have tracked coming in at $5 under the previous summer all-time low.Qi2 Wireless Car Charger $42 (Reg. $60)Satechi Mac and PC backlit keyboards at 30% offSlim X1 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard $49 (Reg. $70)Slim X2 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard $56 (Reg. $80)Slim X3 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard $63 (Reg. $90)SM1 Slim Mechanical Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard $70 (Reg. $100)And even more mice and keyboardsMagSafe wallets, best-selling wall chargers, and moreVegan-Leather Magnetic Wallet Stand from $19.50 (Reg. $40)100W 4-Port USB-C Hub with Power Delivery $31.50 (Reg. $45)145W USB-C 4-Port GaN Travel Charger $84 (Reg. $120)200W USB-C 6-Port GaN Charger $105 (Reg. $150)And even more charging gearFTC: 9to5Toys is reader supported, we may earn income on affiliate links Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost.Request your EXTENDED TRIALtoday and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.Everywhere you read, discussions around AI everywhere. Its in the tools we use, the news we read, and the discussions happening across nearly every industry. But with AI so embedded in our conversations, AI fatigue has set in. IT practitioners are becoming weary of promises that AI will revolutionize the world overnight, and skepticism is growing.About Apple @ Work:Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT network from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a mobile device management system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 1000s of Macs, and 1000s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.AI is transforming device management, but it wont replace the people who oversee the work. What it will do is dramatically reduce onboarding times for new hires and improve the training process for junior IT staff, helping them to manage devices more efficiently than ever before.Focus on what IT teams do bestManaging large fleets of Apple devices requires more than just technical know-how. IT professionals must understand security protocols, address unique user needs, and adapt to constantly evolving technology. AI can assist with many of these challenges, but it wont be replacing IT staff anytime soon. Instead, AI will take on routine, time-consuming tasks, leaving IT teams free to focus on higher-level strategy and problem-solving.AI will allow teams to automate functions, allowing IT professionals to spend less time on manual maintenance and more time on tasks that require their expertise, such as improving user experiences, optimizing security configurations, and solving complex problems unique to their organizations.AI-driven device management platforms simplify managing device fleets by automating tasks that previously required in-depth technical knowledge. New IT employees can now step into their roles without needing months of training. Heres how AI integration helps:With AI handling the more repetitive taskssuch as deploying configurations, pushing software updates, and enforcing security policiesjunior IT staff can focus on higher-level tasks from the start. AI tools can offer guided workflows and suggestions for the next steps, helping new employees feel more confident navigating the system.AI-Driven learning curvesSwitching MDM vendors is often daunting for IT teams, as it typically requires relearning workflows, configurations, and system functionalities. However, AI-powered MDM tools are making these transitions more seamless by simplifying system setups and management tasks:Another place I see AI impacting IT teams who manage Apple fleets is when companies switch to a new device management vendor that uses AI. The system can help IT teams rapidly learn how to operate within the new platform. The basics of Apple management are somewhat the same from vendor to vendor, so AI inputs will enable teams to get up to speed on the outcomes they seek vs re-learning menus and inputs.Wrap upTheres a lot of work to be done here, but IT teams can call BS a mile away. They know that AI is a piece of the puzzle of how the industry evolves. The companies you can trust on AI are the ones that have measured approaches to how they position their offerings. Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost.Request your EXTENDED TRIALtoday and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

"It's not a solution to climate change at best, it's a painkiller."Thwaiting PeriodThe Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is called the "Doomsday Glacier" for a reason.Larger than the state of Florida, the icy mass contains so much water that scientists predict that its melting could single-handedly raise global sea levels by over two feet and possibly over five times more that, if it triggers a broader collapse of the Antarctic Ice Sheet.Two major studies this year have only heated up the debate around the glacier's future, as highlighted in an article from Columbia University's GlacierHub.While their conclusions differ on how quickly the Thwaites will melt, there is a consensus that it will eventually fully disappear, leaving the door open to ambitious, large-scale geoengineering projects, such as building an enormous barrier to keep out warm water, as being worth seriously considering.They may be desperate measures, but we need to start exploring them now, according to John Moore, a professor with the Arctic Center at the University of Lapland."It will take 15 to 30 years for us to understand enough to recommend or rule out any interventions," he told GlacierHub.Meltdown BreakdownA study published in May suggested that the Doomsday Glacier was more vulnerable to warming than once believed.Using extensive satellite imaging, the researchers discovered that high tides are intermittently lifting the Thwaites by a few centimeters, exposing its underbelly that would otherwise be protected by the seafloor.With this opening, warm seawater forces its way beneath the glacier, causing what the scientists dubbed "vigorous melting": the intruding seawater dilutes the melting freshwater with salt, lowering the solution's melting point and exacerbating the melt.The study predicted that the glacier could fully disappear by 2100. However, another paper published in August argued that this is unlikely, instead projecting that the glacier's complete collapse will take place in the centuries following that.Nonetheless, researchers agreed that Thwaites' rapid retreat would continue to accelerate, as it has been for the past thirty years.All Bets OffScientists fear that if the Thwaites disappears, it could trigger a collapse of the entire West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS), potentially raising sea levels by over ten feet. As it stands, the Doomsday glacier already contributes to about four percent of rising levels on Earth.Barring an immediate societal shift away from burning fossil fuels, we might want to try a technological solution to slow the melt. One idea scientists have proposed is surrounding Thwaites and other vulnerable glaciers with huge, 62-mile-long curtains to block the warm ocean water. Far-fetched, perhaps, but there is serious research into this underway."For some polar tipping points like Arctic sea ice and the WAIS, glacial geoengineering seems to be the only way for us to more or less guarantee that we can address these tipping points," Gernot Wagner, a climate economist at Columbia Climate School told GlacierHub.Geoengineering projects, though, tend to catch flak for distracting from the real solution of eliminating carbon emissions. Which is why Wagner emphasizes that, "when we talk about glacial geoengineering, we need to tell the truth, which is that it's not a solution to climate change at best, it's a painkiller."More on climate change: As Trump Prepares to Slash Environmental Protections, 48 of the 50 States Are Facing DroughtsShare This Article