The internet loves a good neologism, especially if it can capture a purported vibe shift or explain a new trend. In 2013, the columnist Adrian Wooldridge coined a word that eventually did both. Writing for the Economist, he warned of the coming techlash, a revolt against Silicon Valleys rich and powerful fueled by the publics growing realization that these sovereigns of cyberspace werent the benevolent bright-future bringers they claimed to be. While Wooldridge didnt say precisely when this techlash would arrive, its clear today that a dramatic shift in public opinion toward Big Tech and its leaders did in fact happenand is arguably still happening. Say what you will about the legions of Elon Musk acolytes on X, but if an industry and its executives can bring together the likes of Elizabeth Warren and Lindsey Graham in shared condemnation, its definitely not winning many popularity contests. To be clear, there have always been critics of Silicon Valleys very real excesses and abuses. But for the better part of the last two decades, many of those voices of dissent were either written off as hopeless Luddites and haters of progress or drowned out by a louder and far more numerous group of techno-optimists. Today, those same critics (along with many new ones) have entered the fray once more, rearmed with popular Substacks, media columns, andincreasinglybook deals. Two of the more recent additions to the flourishing techlash genreRob Lalkas The Venture Alchemists: How Big Tech Turned Profits into Power and Marietje Schaakes The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valleyserve as excellent reminders of why it started in the first place. Together, the books chronicle the rise of an industry that is increasingly using its unprecedented wealth and power to undermine democracy, and they outline what we can do to start taking some of that power back. Lalka is a business professor at Tulane University, and The Venture Alchemists focuses on how a small group of entrepreneurs managed to transmute a handful of novel ideas and big bets into unprecedented wealth and influence. While the names of these demigods of disruption will likely be familiar to anyone with an internet connection and a passing interest in Silicon Valley, Lalka also begins his book with a page featuring their nine (mostly) young, (mostly) smiling faces. There are photos of the famous founders Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and Sergey Brin; the VC funders Keith Rabois, Peter Thiel, and David Sacks; and a more motley trio made up of the disgraced former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, the ardent eugenicist and reputed father of Silicon Valley Bill Shockley (who, it should be noted, died in 1989), and a former VC and the future vice president of the United States, JD Vance. To his credit, Lalka takes this medley of tech titans and uses their origin stories and interrelationships to explain how the so-called Silicon Valley mindset (mind virus?) became not just a fixture in Californias Santa Clara County but also the preeminent way of thinking about success and innovation across America. This approach to doing business, usually cloaked in a barrage of cringey innovation-speakdisrupt or be disrupted, move fast and break things, better to ask for forgiveness than permissioncan often mask a darker, more authoritarian ethos, according to Lalka. One of the nine entrepreneurs in the book, Peter Thiel, has written that I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible and that competition [in business] is for losers. Many of the others think that all technological progress is inherently good and should be pursued at any cost and for its own sake. A few also believe that privacy is an antiquated concepteven an illusionand that their companies should be free to hoard and profit off our personal data. Most of all, though, Lalka argues, these men believe that their newfound power should be unconstrained by governments, regulators, or anyone else who might have the gall to impose some limitations. Where exactly did these beliefs come from? Lalka points to people like the late free-market economist Milton Friedman, who famously asserted that a companys only social responsibility is to increase profits, as well as to Ayn Rand, the author, philosopher, and hero to misunderstood teenage boys everywhere who tried to turn selfishness into a virtue. The Venture Alchemists: How Big Tech Turned Profits into PowerRob LalkaCOLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL PUBLISHING, 2024 Its a somewhat reductive and not altogether original explanation of Silicon Valleys libertarian inclinations. What ultimately matters, though, is that many of these values were subsequently encoded into the DNA of the companies these men founded and fundedcompanies that today shape how we communicate with one another, how we share and consume news, and even how we think about our place in the world. The Venture Alchemists is strongest when its describing the early-stage antics and on-campus controversies that shaped these young entrepreneurs or, in many cases, simply reveal who theyve always been. Lalka is a thorough and tenacious researcher, as the books 135 pages of endnotes suggest. And while nearly all these stories have been told before in other books and articles, he still manages to provide new perspectives and insights from sources like college newspapers and leaked documents. One thing the book is particularly effective at is deflating the myth that these entrepreneurs were somehow gifted seers of (and investors in) a future the rest of us simply couldnt comprehend or predict. Sure, someone like Thiel made what turned out to be a savvy investment in Facebook early on, but he also made some very costly mistakes with that stake. As Lalka points out, Thiels Founders Fund dumped tens of millions of shares shortly after Facebook went public, and Thiel himself went from owning 2.5% of the company in 2012 to 0.000004% less than a decade later (around the same time Facebook hit its trillion-dollar valuation). Throw in his objectively terrible wagers in 2008, 2009, and beyond, when he effectively shorted what turned out to be one of the longest bull markets in world history, and you get the impression hes less oracle and more ideologue who happened to take some big risks that paid off. One of Lalkas favorite mantras throughout The Venture Alchemists is that words matter. Indeed, he uses a lot of these entrepreneurs own words to expose their hypocrisy, bullying, juvenile contrarianism, casual racism, andyesoutright greed and self-interest. It is not a flattering picture, to say the least. Unfortunately, instead of simply letting those words and deeds speak for themselves, Lalka often feels the need to interject with his own, frequently enjoining readers against finger-pointing or judging these men too harshly even after hes chronicled their many transgressions. Whether this is done to try to convey some sense of objectivity or simply to remind readers that these entrepreneurs are complex and complicated men making difficult decisions, it doesnt work. At all. For one thing, Lalka clearly has his own strong opinions about the behavior of these entrepreneursopinions he doesnt try to disguise. At one point in the book he suggests that Kalanicks alpha-male, dominance-at-any-cost approach to running Uber is almost, but not quite like rape, which is maybe not the comparison youd make if you wanted to seem like an arbiter of impartiality. And if he truly wants readers to come to a different conclusion about these men, he certainly doesnt provide many reasons for doing so. Simply telling us to judge less, and discern more seems worse than a cop-out. It comes across as almost, but not quite like victim-blamingas if were somehow just as culpable as they are for using their platforms and buying into their self-mythologizing. In many ways, Silicon Valley has become the antithesis of what its early pioneers set out to be. Marietje Schaake Equally frustrating is the crescendo of empty platitudes that ends the book. The technologies of the future must be pursued thoughtfully, ethically, and cautiously, Lalka says after spending 313 pages showing readers how these entrepreneurs have willfully ignored all three adverbs. What theyve built instead are massive wealth-creation machines that divide, distract, and spy on us. Maybe its just me, but that kind of behavior seems ripe not only for judgment, but also for action. So what exactly do you do with a group of men seemingly incapable of serious self-reflectionmen who believe unequivocally in their own greatness and who are comfortable making decisions on behalf of hundreds of millions of people who did not elect them, and who do not necessarily share their values? You regulate them, of course. Or at least you regulate the companies they run and fund. In Marietje Schaakes The Tech Coup, readers are presented with a road map for how such regulation might take shape, along with an eye-opening account of just how much power has already been ceded to these corporations over the past 20 years. There are companies like NSO Group, whose powerful Pegasus spyware tool has been sold to autocrats, who have in turn used it to crack down on dissent and monitor their critics. Billionaires are now effectively making national security decisions on behalf of the United States and using their social media companies to push right-wing agitprop and conspiracy theories, as Musk does with his Starlink satellites and X. Ride-sharing companies use their own apps as propaganda tools and funnel hundreds of millions of dollars into ballot initiatives to undo laws they dont like. The list goes on and on. According to Schaake, this outsize and largely unaccountable power is changing the fundamental ways that democracy works in the United States. In many ways, Silicon Valley has become the antithesis of what its early pioneers set out to be: from dismissing government to literally taking on equivalent functions; from lauding freedom of speech to becoming curators and speech regulators; and from criticizing government overreach and abuse to accelerating it through spyware tools and opaque algorithms, she writes. Schaake, whos a former member of the European Parliament and the current international policy director at Stanford Universitys Cyber Policy Center, is in many ways the perfect chronicler of Big Techs power grab. Beyond her clear expertise in the realms of governance and technology, shes also Dutch, which makes her immune to the distinctly American disease that seems to equate extreme wealth, and the power that comes with it, with virtue and intelligence. This resistance to the various reality-distortion fields emanating from Silicon Valley plays a pivotal role in her ability to see through the many justifications and self-serving solutions that come from tech leaders themselves. Schaake understands, for instance, that when someone like OpenAIs Sam Altman gets in front of Congress and begs for AI regulation, what hes really doing is asking Congress to create a kind of regulatory moat between his company and any other startups that might threaten it, not acting out of some genuine desire for accountability or governmental guardrails. The Tech Coup:How to Save Democracyfrom Silicon ValleyMarietje SchaakePRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2024 Like Shoshana Zuboff, the author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Schaake believes that the digital should live within democracys housethat is, technologies should be developed within the framework of democracy, not the other way around. To accomplish this realignment, she offers a range of solutions, from banning what she sees as clearly antidemocratic technologies (like face-recognition software and other spyware tools) to creating independent teams of expert advisors to members of Congress (who are often clearly out of their depth when attempting to understand technologies and business models). Predictably, all this renewed interest in regulation has inspired its own backlash in recent yearsa kind of tech revanchism, to borrow a phrase from the journalist James Hennessy. In addition to familiar attacks, such as trying to paint supporters of the techlash as somehow being antitechnology (theyre not), companies are also spending massive amounts of money to bolster their lobbying efforts. Some venture capitalists, like LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, who made big donations to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign, wanted to evict Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan, claiming that regulation is killing innovation (it isnt) and removing the incentives to start a company (its not). And then of course theres Musk, who now seems to be in a league of his own when it comes to how much influence he may exert over Donald Trump and the government that his companies have valuable contracts with. What all these claims of victimization and subsequent efforts to buy their way out of regulatory oversight miss is that theres actually a vast and fertile middle ground between simple techno-optimism and techno-skepticism. As the New Yorker contributor Cal Newport and others have noted, its entirely possible to support innovations that can significantly improve our lives without accepting that every popular invention is good or inevitable. Regulating Big Tech will be a crucial part of leveling the playing field and ensuring that the basic duties of a democracy can be fulfilled. But as both Lalka and Schaake suggest, another battle may prove even more difficult and contentious. This one involves undoing the flawed logic and cynical, self-serving philosophies that have led us to the point where we are now. What if we admitted that constant bacchanals of disruption are in fact not all that good for our planet or our brains? What if, instead of creative destruction, we started fetishizing stability, and in lieu of putting dents in the universe, we refocused our efforts on fixing whats already broken? What ifand hear me outwe admitted that technology might not be the solution to every problem we face as a society, and that while innovation and technological change can undoubtedly yield societal benefits, they dont have to be the only measures of economic success and quality of life? When ideas like these start to sound less like radical concepts and more like common sense, well know the techlash has finally achieved something truly revolutionary. Bryan Gardiner is a writer based in Oakland, California.

Update: It's bigger overall, but not much thicker.Canadian accessory manufacturer Dbrand known for its controversial social media stunts has shared images of what it claims is a case for the upcoming successor to the Nintendo Switch.As VGC reports, the company shared a teaser for the case on Thursday on X (formerly Twitter) along with the statement "We will not be answering any questions at this time."Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Bandai Namco shared a major surprise yesterday during The Game Awards - revealing a new 2D action platformer Pac-Man game called Shadow Labyrinth.Tekken's Katsuhiro Harada is the executive producer and the title has creators, directors and game designers from series like Samurai Shodown, King of Fighters, Pac-Man and even Kirby and the Amazing Mirror working on it.If you were hoping for a physical Switch edition, you're in luck - with a standard and "secret edition" by Bandai Namco already confirmed for 2025. Here's a look, courtesy of Physic Releases on 'X':Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube788kWatch on YouTube The secret edition includes the base game, a pin set, a double-sided poster, stickers and a key chain. You'll also score some digital goodies including "original arcade sound FX" and a digital art book and soundtrack.Social media and fan account 'Daily Pac-Man' has also highlighted how this game has apparently been in development since 2020, and the Amazon's 'Secret Level' episode is apparently intended to be a prequel to this game. You can find out more about it in the original announcement post: What the...?Would you be interested in a physical copy of this upcoming release? Let us know in the comments.[source gonintendo.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRate Your Favourite Switch Games Of The Year 2024Bring out your GOTYs!3D Print Of Rumoured 'Switch 2' Design Gives Us A Closer Look At OLED Size ComparisonWhere do you want this truck-load of salt?Eagle-Eyed Fans Think They've Spotted The First 'Switch 2' Image In New Satisfye TrailerHmm, we're not sure about that

State officials said hundreds of thousands of Rhode Island residents could be affected by a cyberattack on the states online portal for social services, with a high probability that personally identifiable information was breached.According to an update from Governor Dan McKees office, the attack targeted RIBridges, which Rhode Island residents use to apply for and access programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).The attack also targeted the Healthsource RI insurance marketplace. McKees office said any individual who has received or applied for health coverage and/or health and human services programs or benefits could be impacted by this leak.The information accessed by the cyberattackers could include names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and banking information.The RIBridges system is operated by Deloitte, which first notified the state of a potential cyberattack on December 5 but McKees office said it wasnt clear then that sensitive information had been breached. On Friday, December 13, Deloitte confirmed that there was malicious code in the system and worked with the state to proactively take the system down to address the threat.In the meantime, the state said Rhode Island residents can still use paper applications to apply for benefits.The New York Times reports that at a press conference Friday, states chief digital officer Brian Tardiff said cybercriminals claiming responsibility for the attack have threatened to release the data unless they receive a payment.

Welcome back to Week in Review. This week, were looking at GMs decision to pull out of the robotaxi business, Google alluding to the existence of multiple universes, and how you can make some serious cash by getting an AI bot to fall in love with you. Lets get into it.General Motors will no longer fund the development of its commercial robotaxi business and will instead absorb Cruise, its self-driving car subsidiary, and combine it with the automakers own efforts to develop driver-assistance features and eventually fully autonomous personal vehicles. Several Cruise employees told TechCrunch they were blindsided by the decision. GM acquired Cruise in 2016 for $1 billion and has since spent more than $10 billion on the companys efforts.OpenAI has finally released the real-time video capabilities for ChatGPT that it demoed nearly seven months ago. ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro subscribers can use the app to point their phones at objects and have ChatGPT respond in near real time. The feature can also understand whats on a devices screen through screen sharing. There are still a few more reveals planned for 12 Days of OpenAI, so stay up to date with our live blog.Google this week unveiled its first-ever AI agent that can take actions on the web. Called Project Mariner, the Gemini-powered agent takes control of your Chrome browser, moves the cursor on your screen, clicks buttons, and fills out forms, allowing it to use and navigate websites much like a human would. While still a prototype from its DeepMind division, it represents Googles shift to move users away from interacting with websites directly.If youd like to receive Week in Review in your inbox every Saturday, sign up here!NewsImage Credits:DuolingoDuolingo joins Squid Game: Ahead of the release of the next season of Squid Game, Netflix has teamed up with Duolingo to help viewers learn Korean. The companies also released an exclusive TikTok filter inspired by the shows Red Light, Green Light game. Read moreGoogle soft launches the multiverse: Google announced Willow, its latest quantum computing chip. But tucked into the blog post about the chip is a claim that the chip is so mind-bogglingly fast that it must have borrowed computational power from other universes. Read moreWhat did you Google this year? Google released its annual list of top trending searches for 2024, including the CrowdStrike outage, the late One Direction member Liam Payne, and Dubai chocolate bars. Read moreRIP, Car Thing: Spotify has officially discontinued Car Thing, its in-car streaming device. If you bought one, you have a little more than a month to provide proof of purchase and receive a refund. Read moreBluesky teases a paid subscription: Bluesky has published mock-ups teasing an upcoming subscription tier on its GitHub. It appears that Bluesky is considering paid features for the tier, like custom app icons, post analytics, and bookmark folders. Read moreIs Sora trained on video games? Through our tests of OpenAIs video generator Sora, it appears that at least some of the data it was trained on mightve come from Twitch streams and walkthroughs of games. Legal experts say that could be a problem. Read moreGrok has a new image generator: Grok released its latest image generator, code-named Aurora, that is very unrestricted when it comes to reproducing public figures. This is certainly indicative of my timeline, as Im seeing a ton of AI images of Real Housewives cast members. Read moreKrispy Kreme gets hit with a cyberattack: Doughnut chain Krispy Kreme disclosed a security incident that has caused certain operational disruptions. The company said that its shops are open and there is no interruption to deliveries to retail and restaurant partners. Read moreCan you get an AI bot to fall in love with you? Freysa.ai is creating challenges designed to influence how humans think about AI safety. If youre the first person to successfully trick its AI character Freysa to say I love you, you could win tens of thousands of dollars. Read moreFirefox gets rid of a useless feature: Mozillas Firefox browser has removed its Do Not Track feature. Since websites have no real reason to respect the signal, the setting is effectively useless (and misleading). Read moreYou can now buy a car on Amazon: Amazon is expanding into the online car sales market with the launch of Amazon Autos, an e-commerce business that lets customers find, order, and buy new cars, trucks, and SUVs from dealerships. Read more

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Photo courtesy of Berry Manor InnThe Charles Berry House is located at81 Talbot Avenue in Rockland, Maine, and it is one of the towns finest examples of a residence built in the Colonial Revival style. The house was built forCharles Howard Berry (1849-1909), a businessman whooperated a stage route, livery stables, and later entered the hotel business. He would hire Portland-based architect, Austin Pease, to furnish the plans for the house and adjacent carriage house. The residence features a symmetrical faade with front porch and porte-cochere, Palladian window over the entrance, bowed front, and ornate dormers at the roof. The entire property is lovingly maintained and preserved and is now home to theBerry Manor Inn, an up-scale bed & breakfast that maintains the old charm of Rockland, while providing high-class finishes.

UFC CEO Dana White (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesUFC Saudi Arabia is going to feel like a pay-per-view event.On Saturday, UFC President Dana White announced two huge middleweight fights that could easily be a part of a main card on a pay-per-view event.In the main event of the Feb. 1 event, former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya takes on No. 5 middleweight Nassourdine Imavov. In the co-main event, rising middleweight star and No. 14-ranked contender Shara Magomedov faces Michael Venom Page in the latters first UFC fight at middleweight.Here is a look at Whites announcement.Adesanya comes into the fight ranked No. 2. Hes at the point of his career where his losses will result in him dropping in ranking. Adesanya is coming off a loss to champion Dricus du Plessis in his last fight, and some have wondered if retirement is closing in on the MMA icon.MORE FOR YOUMIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 08: Israel Adesanya of Nigeria reacts after knocking out Alex Pereira of ... [+] Brazil in the UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 287 event at Kaseya Center on April 08, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesImavov is on a hot streak.Hes won three in a row, and hes coming off a unanimous decision win over Brendan Allen in September. The main event will tell us a lot about the immediate future of the UFCs middleweight division.The co-main event wont have immediate title implications, but it is a major test for Magomedov and MVP. Magomedov is coming off a historic double spinning backfist KO win, while Page lost a narrow decision to Ian Machado Garry at welterweight.If Page wins, he could have a new division in the UFC. If Magomedov wins, hell be free to continue his ascent up the 185-pound ladder. Well see what else is added to the card, but for now, UFC Saudi Arabia has the looks of being a banger.Robert Whittaker is Stoked For UFC 311s Main EventThe UFC is getting off to a fast start to kick off 2025. Even before the Saudi Arabia event and UFC 312, which will feature two world championship fights, the first pay-per-view show of the year will happen in Los Angeles at the new Intuit Arena.Islam Makhachev defends his UFC lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili will defend his UFC bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov.Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker shared his thoughts on the card and the UFC 311 main event.Well, I think that's a banger card, Whittaker said on his MMArcade Podcast. And, uh, Islam versus Arman [Tsarukyan], mate, that's... That fight is just going to answer all the questions every fan has. Period. Yep. Yep. Right. Because I'm not going to go into it too much, but everyone wants to know how good Arman is. And everyone wants to know how good Islam is. And that fight is going to tell you.The promotion is taking three weeks off following Saturday nights UFC Tampa event, but once the ball starts rolling in 2025, the action should be near non-stop for the next 12 months.

Nancy Pelosi, Former US House Speaker, sustains hip fracture while in Luxembourg (Photo by Zach ... [+] Gibson/Getty Images)Getty ImagesFormer United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sustained a fall while in Luxembourg this week, leading to her undergoing hip replacement surgery in Germany just days later. Pelosi, age 84, traveled to Europe as part of the 80th anniversary commemoration of The Battle of the Bulge. Apparently, the former House Speaker, who notably continues to wear high heeled shoes, slipped on a marble floor and injured and likely fractured her hip. She was hospitalized, and just a few days later underwent hip replacement surgery.Nancy Pelosi (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Getty ImagesSuch injuries are common at any age, especially on slick surfaces and when in heels, but bone fractures are much more common in older individuals, and especially in females. The hip, which is a ball-and-socket joint at the upper thigh bone, is most likely to be fractured at its uppermost portion, known as the femoral neck. Over 300,000 people per year sustain hip fractures in the U.S. alone, the majority of who are 65 years and older. The injury is extremely painful, and surgical intervention, either with repair or replacement, is almost always indicated.Close-up anatomy of hip bones. Femur (thigh bone) with thin femoral neck leading to hip socket. gettyHip replacement surgery is often carried out due to chronic hip conditions, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, chronic wear and tear on the joint from years of stress or strain, or due to childhood chronic hip conditions. It is also performed after chronic or acute injury, the latter of which was the case for Nancy Pelosi. Replacement surgery involves removing the damaged area, typically both the femoral neck and femoral head (the ball portion of the ball-and-socket joint), and replacing it with a metal or ceramic ball and stem structure, providing renewed strength and stability to the damaged bone and/or joint.MORE FOR YOUHip replacement implant placed into the hip socket.gettyA significant risk factor for hip fracture is a condition called osteoporosis, or low bone density. A condition less concerning, although also placing people at risk for fractures is known as osteopenia, also low bone density but to a lesser degree than osteoporosis. Over half of both men and women over age 50 likely have some degree of low bone density. Of these, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men with low bone mass will break a bone if osteoporosis is left untreated.Common causes of and risk factors for osteoporosis:Aging, as bone remodeling declines after age 30.Hormonal changes, most notably declining estrogen levels in peri-menopausal women.Genetic predisposition, which may include small frame and being caucasianCigarette SmokingLack of exercisePoor nutritionExcess Alcohol ConsumptionSeveral chronic medical conditions and use of specific medicationsOsteoporosis Prevention and DiagnosisAdults can, in some cases, prevent osteoporosis, or minimize progression from osteopenia, by maintaining healthy exercise levels routinely, cutting out cigarette smoking and reducing alcohol consumption. Diet, supplement and hormone replacement recommendations should be reviewed and discussed with ones physician, as these can vary from one individual to another.Diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis is made by performing a bone mineral density test, also known as a DEXA or DXA scan. This is a series of X-ray studies looking at the bones of the hips and lower back. A score, based on the density of those bones, is given, and that score can indicate the degree of bone mineralization, or density. Low density bones are then determined to be either osteopenic (moderately low density) or osteoporotic (more significantly low density). Currently the US Preventive Task Force recommends bone density screening for women ages 65 years and older, and for both men and women over age 50 with specific risk factors for osteopenia or osteoporosis.Osteoporosis TreatmentOnce a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis is made, there are several treatment options available to minimize the increased risk of fractures. In addition to certain lifestyle modifications, which may include diet, exercise, certain supplements or hormone therapies, there are multiple medical treatment options that can either halt the progression of bone weakening, or even reverse the effects, leading to some degree of increased bone density over time. These treatments are often discussed with a specialist such as an endocrinologist or rheumatologist, in concert with ones primary care physician and possibly gynecologist, depending on the treatment option that is best available for each individuals situation.Several celebrities, including Ellen DeGeneres and Sally Field, have shared their diagnosis of osteoporosis publicly. Field, who was 59 years old at the time of diagnosis, has made efforts to draw public awareness to the importance of early screening, diagnosis and treatment, even if one is having no symptoms or overt health issues. Fractures in older adults are a significant source of morbidity and mortality, as these injuries can lead to other complications including pneumonia, blood clots and skin ulcers from needing to be hospitalized and at bed rest after an injury.Actress Sally Field poses during a press conference for Bone Health on April 20, 2006 in New York ... [+] City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images)Getty ImagesIt is unclear whether or not Nancy Pelosi has underlying osteoporosis as a risk factor for her hip fracture. It is clear, however, that such injuries need to be addressed swiftly, to minimize further complications. But as with many unplanned hospital stays following injury, prevention is always the best medicine.

Bottom line: While Arm-based PCs face some hurdles, their potential for growth remains significant, driven in particular by claims of superior battery life compared to previous generations. Intel, meanwhile, is making improvements to adapt to new market demands. The PC market is undergoing a significant shift as Arm-based processors gain traction, challenging the long-standing dominance of x86 architecture. However, this transition is not without challenges, as highlighted by Michelle Johnston Holthaus, interim co-CEO of Intel, during the Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference.Johnston Holthaus recently claimed that retailers are grappling with a high return rate of Qualcomm-powered machines. "If you look at the return rate for Arm PCs, you go talk to any retailer, their number one concern is 'I get a large percentage of these back,'" she said, attributing the issue to compatibility problems with common applications.Qualcomm was quick to respond though, "Our device return rates are within industry norms," a representative told CRN. The spokesperson further added that Qualcomm "expects 30% to 50% of laptops to transition to non-x86 platforms within the next five years."Regardless of one claim or the other, Arm-based systems are making inroads into the PC market. While Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite machines currently hold a mere 0.8% market share, the overall Arm-based client PC segment commands approximately 10% of the market. This growth is primarily driven by Apple's M-series processors, which have paved the way for wider Arm adoption.Intel, for its part, is acutely aware of the evolving landscape. "We [will] have more competitors than we have ever had. You will see more competitors enter the marketplace in 2025," Johnston Holthaus said, possibly hinting at rumors of MediaTek and Nvidia entering the Arm-based Windows PC market. // Related StoriesTeam Blue has been improving performance and power efficiency to match Arm-based rivals. "We took too long at Intel to become performance and power-oriented, and we made a massive leap with our Lunar Lake product last year," Johnston Holthaus said.For instance, Intel introduced a hybrid architecture in its latest processor series, combining Efficient-cores (E-cores) with Performance-cores (P-cores) to balance power efficiency with high performance. This design went beyond laptops and desktops and had a notable impact in Xeon 6 datacenter CPUs, which offer 3:1 rack consolidation and up to 2.6x performance-per-watt improvements over their predecessors.Intel is also collaborating with Arm to produce low-power SoCs using its 18A process and is already integrating AI hardware into its processors. The Lunar Lake architecture, for example, features a fourth-gen NPU capable of delivering up to 48 TOPS a fourfold improvement over its predecessor.Laptops featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Pro and Elite chips were the first PCs to support Microsoft's Copilot AI features, positioning them at the forefront of the company's AI PC push. However, most AI PCs are gaining market traction through Intel and AMD's x86 processors instead.In Q3 2024, AI PCs accounted for 20% of all PC shipments, a 49% increase from Q2, driven by greater availability. Despite this growth, consumer interest in AI PCs and GenAI features remains modest. Intel and AMD devices, which represent about half of these shipments, are only beginning to receive support for Copilot.Meanwhile, Snapdragon X laptops are receiving high praises primarily for their extended battery life, often lasting a full day. Additionally, the upcoming end-of-life for Windows 10 is expected to drive a significant sales boost, as users upgrading to Windows 11 may inadvertently adopt AI PCs.