Apples Vision Pro headset is an incredible piece of technology, but even Apples design and marketing magic hasnt been enough to convince many people to don a VR headset for an entire day. Instead, people seem more willing to use discreet wearables like Bluetooth headphones, smartwatches, and products like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses so Apples headset isnt making the waves the company would have wanted.Of course, an instant transformation of the computing landscape wasnt exactly the point of the Vision Pro. Apple was clearly launching its headset for Apple enthusiasts, first adopters, and people who love VR. At a starting price of $3,499, the barrier of entry was just too high to expect the device to be a hit from the jump. Even CEO Tim Cook called it an early-adopter product.Would you really want to wear this all day?Nearly a year from launch, though, Apple hasnt done enough to demonstrate why the Vision Pro should be a potential showcase of the future of computing. Its taking a long time to put together its immersive content library, and while those are great demonstrations of whats possible, the videos have been short and isolating. There arent many great games, either.Yes, Apple keeps adding cool new software features. The wide and ultra widescreen settings for using a Mac display seem exceptionally useful. But those are pretty specific options for pretty specific use cases. There still isnt an immediate, obvious reason to buy a Vision Pro the way there usually is with the companys newest iPhones and Macs. If I bought a Vision Pro today, I wouldnt know what to do with it besides give myself a bigger Mac screen or watch movies, and I dont think either of those are worth the exorbitant price.It seems Apple may have already acknowledged that the Vision Pro might not be the future, either. The company has reportedly scaled back production and focused efforts on a cheaper version of the headset (perhaps just called Apple Vision?).If Apple still wants to make a splash in VR, the company might need to race to get its next product out the door. It can be argued that Meta has the best VR headsets and ecosystem on the market right now and a very clear lineup for consumers to consider. Its most affordable offering is the $299 Quest 3S, which has the same chip as the $499 Quest 3, meaning you can access the same experiences across both headsets. The price difference between the two largely comes down to displays and storage, and Id argue that the cheaper Quest 3S is an excellent VR headset for most people.The Meta Quest Pro, which launched at $1,499, was a flop.But like the Vision Pro, Meta hasnt really found a way to make its headsets much more than a great way to play VR games. The Quest Pro, which Meta pitched in part as a headset for work, was such a flop that the company discontinued it only two years after it launched. Horizon Worlds, the companys 3D social network, still feels amateur and barren, despite the companys efforts to make it a better place to hang out.When I put on a Meta headset, I find that I just want to play games, either serious titles like Batman: Arkham Shadow or lighter fare like Maestro, where you conduct a virtual orchestra. I dont care about the mixed reality features except to glance at my phone or computer screen to make a note or check notifications. You can make a pretty solid living selling game consoles, as Sony and Nintendo know very well, but its a far cry from the full-fledged computing platform Mark Zuckerberg once promised.I just dont know if any tech company is going to crack the code on how to make VR headsets anything but solo technology. Yes, you can use VR headsets to interact with other people over the internet. But putting on a VR headset at home means I cant look my wife in the eye; if Im going to look at a screen, Id prefer to look at one that we can share or that I can easily put off to the side. And even if youre fine with VR being mostly a solo thing, VR headsets dont fit neatly into everyday life unless you have a good amount of space in your home for them. (And hopefully your controllers havent run out of battery power!)Maybe AR glasses are the way to go.Perhaps thats why glasses seem like a much more promising option for computers that you wear on your face. Augmented reality glasses have been an aspirational goal for a long time, and you can see why. Its much easier to make eye contact with somebody while youre wearing glasses. Meta may have already proved that the glasses form factor works: its relatively simple Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which have a camera, speakers, and look fashionable, are already a huge hit.If glasses-equipped cameras do truly go mainstream, I have some concerns that Ive already written about. But I also wrote about the immediate appeal of the tech: whenever I wear the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, I find myself snapping tons of photos because its so much fun to capture my point of view without holding up a phone. And because they look like regular glasses, I can walk around and most people will think that theyre glasses, unlike a VR headset, which just looks silly in public.It seems that Apple might be eyeing computer glasses as well; the company reportedly launched an internal study about the market. I think even glasses with some basic tech would make way more sense for Apple than a VR headset, especially if they let you easily snap photos and listen to podcasts. These devices could be years off, though, meaning that, right now, Apple is stuck selling VR headsets that barely anyone wants.

As a special holiday treat, on December 25th, the social media app Bluesky announced that it has added a new feature to its mobile app: a list of Trending topics that lets you know what subjects are popular among its users. Bluesky now shows you its current Trends below the search bar. Screenshot: BlueskyThe new feature can be found by selecting the search icon (the magnifying glass), which appears at the bottom of the screen on the mobile app and on the left sidebar on the web. Lists of Trending and Recommended subjects now appear below the search bar. Tap on any topic, and you will be able to access the associated posts. When I tried it, choices among the top five included Christmas and Nosferatu (not an unexpected selection of topics but an interesting juxtaposition).If youd rather not see the list, you can get rid of it via a small x in the upper right corner, or go to Settings > Content & Media and toggle off Enable trending topics.According to the announcement, the new feature is V1 (it is marked as a Beta on the app) and we will be iterating with your feedback. So if you have any objections to Trends appearing under your Bluesky search bar, let them know.

Sometimes its okay to buy a speaker mostly for the aesthetic. And from the moment it was first announced, Boses $219 SoundLink Home stood out from the pack (and Boses own other efforts) with a mid-modern style that bears little resemblance to most competitors. Its the kind of gadget that people are likely to notice and comment on. No one says a word about boring, ho-hum cylindrical speakers.But this thing, with its fabric housing wrapped in a brushed aluminum band, feels like vintage Bose. The company doesnt always show this much attention to detail in design and materials, so Im encouraged by the Homes unique vibe.7Verge ScoreBose SoundLink Home$219The GoodUnique, stylish designGood sound for its sizeUSB-C audio inputSpeakerphone functionalityThe BadNo water or dust resistanceYou cant adjust the EQBattery life is unimpressive$219 at BoseHow we rate and review productsIf youve used or heard Boses SoundLink Flex, then youve already got a good understanding of what the Home speaker will sound like in your living room. Their tuning is quite similar. Like the Flex, the Home outputs mixed-down mono audio. Ill always take stereo speakers when given the choice, but mono is common for the portable speaker category though Bose is pushing it with the price here and especially at this size.With that in mind, the SoundLink Home sounds quite detailed and clear. Vocals are crisp. Acoustic instruments have a touch of warmth. And even if you dial the volume up to extremes, theres little distortion. Thats partially because this speaker is no bass champ; the SoundLink Max wipes the floor with it in that regard, but is bulkier and nearly twice the price. The Home only supports your standard AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs, whereas the Flex (second-gen) and Max both throw in aptX Adaptive compatibility for devices that offer it.The controls are fairly straightforward. The multi-function button (at right) handles playback controls and activating your phones voice assistant.The thing is, youre going to have to really like the Homes out-of-the-box sound, because theres no changing it. In another departure from other Bose speakers, the SoundLink Home lacks any kind of mobile companion app. As a result, youre unable to customize its EQ at all. Thats a disappointing omission that would be easier to forgive from a cheaper speaker, but not this one. You can at least pair two units together to create a stereo pair. If youre willing to drop the money on that, youll be rewarded with noticeably richer sound.Theres not much to see around back besides more fabric and a small indentation.Another important thing to be aware of with the SoundLink Home is that theres no water resistance to speak of. The same goes for dust resistance. This is not meant to be a poolside or outdoor speaker. Its right there in the name, I suppose. Youll want to put the speaker somewhere safe (and dry). A covered patio is about as far as youll want to take it. Bose doesnt even recommend taking it into the bathroom. The ruggedized Flex is a better choice for those who need a road warrior that can withstand the elements. Durability is one area where the Home falls short of Ultimate Ears, JBL, Soundcore, and other brands that have Bluetooth speakers at similar prices.Books for scale. This is a pretty small speaker.So far Ive discussed a lot of whats missing, but one advantage over the SoundLink Flex is that the Home supports USB-C audio in. And you can take advantage of that at the same time that youre paired over Bluetooth. So you could theoretically listen to wired audio from your laptop while using the speaker for phone calls or interacting with Siri or Google Assistant. (You can hold down the multi-function button up top to activate your phones voice assistant.) Calls and other Bluetooth activity will override the USB-C connection.That USB-C port is on the speakers left side, which makes some cables look a bit inelegant when theyre plugged in. Bose at least includes a 90-degree USB-C cable to keep it as subtle as possible. Battery life is rated at up to 9 hours of playback, and my tests have shown that number to be mostly accurate. If youre listening at or above 70 percent volume, expect to lose a couple hours. Its not impressive endurance, but for a speaker thatll only be traveling around your house, its sufficient. It takes between three and four hours to fully recharge the speaker over USB-C, which seems rather long for the passable battery life youre getting.Its got style, but is there enough substance?Theres really not much else to cover with the SoundLink Home. It bets a whole lot on looks and feel and clears the bar on sound quality without any glaring tonal weaknesses. The absence of any EQ settings will inevitably disappoint those of you who like to tinker, and I think any $200-plus Bluetooth speaker should have some measure of weatherproofing. But Bose went in a different direction with the SoundLink Home. If youre looking to buy (or gift) a speaker thats off the beaten path, I wouldnt fault you for choosing this one.Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

One of the most critical challenges in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and machine learning (ML) is that high-resolution, 3D datasets specifically designed for automotive aerodynamics are very hard to find in the public domain. Resources used often are of low fidelity, not to mention the conditions, making it impossible to create scalable and accurate ML models. Furthermore, the available datasets for geometric variation diversity are limited, severely limiting improvements in aerodynamic design optimization. Filling these gaps is critical for speeding up innovation in predictive aerodynamic tools and design processes for modern road vehicles.The classical methods for the generation of aerodynamic data have mostly relied on low-resolution or simplified 3D geometries, which cannot support the requirements of high-performance ML models. For example, datasets like AhmedML, although novel, use grid dimensions of about 20 million cells, which is much less than the industry benchmark of over 100 million cells. This limits scalability and makes the relevance of machine learning models to practical applications less meaningful. Additionally, existing datasets often suffer from poor geometric diversity and rely on less accurate computational fluid dynamics techniques, which means that there is a very limited scope for addressing the complex aerodynamic phenomena found in actual designs.Researchers from Amazon Web Services, Volcano Platforms Inc., Siemens Energy, and Loughborough University introduced WindsorML to address these limitations. This high-fidelity, open-source CFD dataset contains 355 geometric variations of the Windsor body configuration, typical for modern vehicles. With the use of WMLES containing more than 280 million cells, WindsorML brings outstanding detail and resolution. The dataset is comprised of diverse geometry configurations generated with deterministic Halton sampling for comprehensive coverage of aerodynamic scenarios. Advanced CFD methods and GPU-accelerated solvers enable accurate simulation of flow fields, surface pressures, and aerodynamic forces, thus setting a new benchmark for high-resolution aerodynamic datasets.The Volcano ScaLES solver generated the dataset by employing a Cartesian grid with focused refinement in areas of interest, such as boundary layers and wakes. Every simulation captures time-averaged information related to surface and volumetric flow fields, aerodynamic force coefficients, and geometric parameters, all of which are provided in widely accepted open-source formats like `.vtu` and `.stl`. The systematic variation of seven geometric parameters, including clearance and taper angles, produces a wide range of aerodynamic behaviors within a comprehensive dataset. The accuracy of this dataset is further validated through a grid refinement analysis, which ensures strong and reliable results that agree with experimental benchmarks.WindsorML demonstrates outstanding performance and versatility, which is validated through its consistency with experimental aerodynamic data. The dataset offers deep insights into flow behaviors and force coefficients, including both drag and lift, with a wide range of configurations, thus underlining its value for practical applications. Preliminary assessments based on machine learning models, such as Graph Neural Networks, show good promise for predictive aerodynamic modeling. These models also exhibit good accuracy in predictions of aerodynamic coefficients to illustrate the effectiveness of this dataset in efficiently training systems of machine learning. WindsorMLs comprehensive outputs and high resolution make it an invaluable resource for advancing both CFD and ML methodologies in automotive aerodynamics.By overcoming the limitations of existing datasets, WindsorML offers a transformative resource for the CFD and ML communities. It helps in developing scalable, yet accurate predictive models, for aerodynamic evaluations. With high-fidelity simulations and diverse geometric configurations, it is well poised to help accelerate innovation in vehicle design and provide a robust basis for integrating AI into workflows for aerodynamic analysis.Check out the Paper. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Aswin Ak+ postsAswin AK is a consulting intern at MarkTechPost. He is pursuing his Dual Degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He is passionate about data science and machine learning, bringing a strong academic background and hands-on experience in solving real-life cross-domain challenges. [Download] Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities Report (Promoted)

This article contains spoilers for Nosferatu.Anyone who sees Willem Dafoes name in the cast list for Robert Eggerss Nosferatu thinks they know what to expect. Dafoe has worked with Eggers in the directors two most recent films, giving gonzo performances in each. In The Lighthouse, Dafoe channels Patchy the Pirate to deliver ornate curses when his fellow lighthouse keeper insults his lobster. Dafoe plays a Norse magician in The Northman, urging the king and the prince to act like dogs, scrambling around on all fours and farting wildly.Given that his character in Nosferatu, Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, is based on Abraham Van Helsing, its fair to expect that Eggerss long-in-development vampire film will call for plenty of Dafoe wackiness. And it is a wacky performance, to be sure. But wacky doesnt quite explain Von Franzs reaction to seeing his patient Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) strapped to the bed by her well-meaning physician Dr. Sievers (Ralph Ineson).Release this child, immediately, says a horrified Von Franz, even as Sievers, his former student, protests. Von Franz then sits next to Ellen and offers the best possible medicine: an open ear and an acknowledging eye.Its that mix of empathy and eccentricity that makes Dafoes Von Franz the best take on Van Helsing ever seen outside of the original Bram Stoker book.Van Helsing By Any Other NameBefore we go much further, a little clarification is in order. We call Albin Eberhart Von Franz the best version of Abraham Van Helsing because theyre pretty much the same character. Eggerss film is an update of the 1922 silent horror movie Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, directed by F. W. Murnau. Although the film adapts Bram Stokers 1897 novel Dracula, writer Henrik Galeen changed some of the names to avoid legal entanglements. Thus, the story is more or less the same as Dracula, just the characters have different names.Count Dracula becomes Count Orlok. Jonathan Harker becomes Thomas Hutter. Mina Harker becomes Ellen Hutter. And Abraham Van Helsing becomes Well, heres where it gets tricky. Because Galeen cut Van Helsing entirely out of Nosferatu, making Ellens sacrifice the primary driver of the vampires defeat. Werner Herzogs 1979 pseudo-remake Nosferatu the Vampyre restores Van Helsing to the story, mostly because that version retains (most of) the official names from Stokers novel, even if keeps the look and tone of 1922 film.Played by Walter Ladengast, the Van Helsing of Nosferatu the Vampyre has a kindness behind his odd behavior, the latter signified by his unkempt silver hair and worried expression. But it often plays as condescension, an unwillingness to believe Jonathan Harkers wife (Isabelle Adjani). Ladengasts skepticism falls in line with classical performances of Van Helsing. Eduardo Arozamena has more intellectual curiosity in the Spanish-language Dracula than the severe Edward Van Sloan in the English-language version, both released by Universal Pictures in 1931, but he has no problem bullying patients in pursuit of the truth.In the 1992 Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola, Anthony Hopkins translates Van Helsings scientific interest into distain for his subjects that borders on cruel. When he emerges onto the scene to introduce himself to Mina (Winona Ryder), he gives her a fright on par with those from the Count himself (Gary Oldman). He grabs her and forces her to dance a waltz, his cold eyes never supporting the playfulness he tries to enact.Even Peter Cushing, who heretofore played the most compelling version of Van Helsing against Christopher Lees Count Dracula for Hammer, sometimes lost his sense of kindness. Cushings dashing vampire hunter take on the Professor certainly had time for moments of empathy, as when he drapes a cloak over a child almost consumed by the vampiric Lucy (Carol Marsh) in 1958s Horror of Dracula. But he stops Lucy not just by wielding a cross, but pressing it into her flesh, leaving a (really cool looking) burn on her forehead.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!To be sure, all of these takes have validity and their charms. Heck, you can even make an argument for Hugh Jackmans huge action Van Helsing in the Stephen Sommers movie by that name or Mel Brookss Borscht Belt joker in Dracula: Dead and Loving It. But only Dafoe grounds the characters oddities in a deep love for humanity, making him the perfect counter to the Count and support to the storys true hero, Mina/Ellen.Van Helsings Humanitarian SoulAs in most versions of Dracula, Von Franz enters Nosferatu relatively late in the story, when a desperate Sievers turns to his old doctor. And, as in most versions, Nosferatu primes viewers to expect an idiosyncratic scientist, a feeling only heightened as we follow Sievers through a maze of stairs and streets into the Professors cramped and dusty room. Engrossed in a book on alchemy, Von Franz doesnt even have time to look up at his visitors; he just barks Go away!But as soon as Von Franz recognizes his old student, his demeanor changes and softens. He embraces the younger man, not even acknowledging the plumes of dust coming from his jacket. As Eggers recently told Den of Geek, he based Von Franz not just on Van Helsing, but the real life occultist Albin Grau, who truly believed in vampires and other supernatural forces.More than just a different spin on a character portrayed by many different actors over more than a century, Dafoes humanist approach underscores a key element of the Dracula story. As much as Dracula is a sensual monster, and there is something seductive to his methods, he is fundamentally undead. Dracula steals life and returns a grotesque perversion of living, an unending existence based in servitude and insatiable hungers.As Draculas counter, Van Helsing must be more human, in all of its varieties, which is exactly what Dafoe portrays as Von Franz. As a learned man in 19th century Germany, Von Franz respects reason and the new scientific arts, as demonstrated by his tools problem-solving process. But where so much of the Enlightenment dismissed the passions and beliefs as superstitions to be purged in favor of logic, Von Franz remembers that our feelings and faith are just as much of our human experience as our rational mind.With Nosferatu, Eggers and Dafoe return Van Helsing to the story. But their humanist and kind professor helps build the empathy driving the movie, making Von Franz the best Van Helsing weve ever seen.Nosferatu opens in theaters in the US on December 25, 2024 and on January 1 2025 in the UK.

This article originally appeared in the April/May 1997 issue of ELLE DECOR. For more stories from our archive, subscribe to ELLE DECOR All Access.The old boy's shedding, Bill Blass says, fondly stroking the head of Barnaby, his patently spoiled Labrador, as the dogs golden fleece wafts down to the handsome broad floorboards of his Connecticut stone country house. The celebrated fashion designer has been doing quite a bit of shedding himself lately: a master of restraint in the decoration of both his city and country domicile, he has recently banished many of his possession, having come to regard them as superfluous as the simplicity he exults in.Fernando BengoecheaFashion designer Bill Blass with his dogs, Shelby, a 12-year-old golden retriever, and Barnaby, a six-year-old yellow Lab, outside his country home in Connecticut.At once brash and charming, Blasswho, incidentally, refers to himself as the old boy may best be described a jovially gruff. Its all about editing one's liferefining, simplifying, constantly editing," he says, casting an appraising eye around his splendidly austere drawing room, which is filled primarily with English and American antiques arranged with an unmistakably masculine assurance. Mostly its a matter of eliminating. Ive put away 37 pictures, some of them rather good. And having had gray walls, I decided to have them painted white. Im definitely influenced by the way Swedish houses look. Theyre quiet and refined.Whats remarkable is that white walls give these rooms a certain warmth, in both summer and winter.Ridding the walls of color inspired further paring. "Once they became white, I discovered that I preferred the cleanness of unadorned walls," he says. So I took down all the paintings and hung only prints and drawings. Whats remarkable is that white walls give these rooms a certain warmth, in both summer and winter. Fernando BengoecheaA Swedish wall relief hangs above the mantel. Most Scandinavian in feeling is the front hall, where a recently purchased Gustavian bed serves as a banquette. Here the floorboards have been stripped and rubbed with white paint, giving the room an almost mythical glow. Also new is an 18th-century Belgian desk from the dealer Axel Vervoordt and a suite of 19th-century pastel drawings in gray and white by Walter Gay. Tour Fashion Icon Bill Blass's Rustic RetreatBills always had the best taste in the world, declares Nancy Kissinger, a close friend, but now I think the house is perfect. Its become fulfilled in a wayyou can tell its the home of someone who loves it and cares about its integrity. It's spare but complete, without the kind of spareness that looks starved. Built in 1770, the house was originally a tavern on the old Albany Post Road, where General Washington is said to have conferred with French generals. Blass recalls seeing it for the first time 20 years ago while staying with the late Slim Keith and Billy Baldwin. Id been renting for years in Southampton, he says, but Id come to realize that I find the country much more appealing than the beach. Having been shown around by a Realtor, he sought Baldwin's opinion. Billy said, It's a great house. Get it, he recalls. Fernando BengoecheaThe glassed-in porch features a French country table with early 20th-century chairs from Santa Fe. An antique milk strainer hangs above a bench from Nantucket.Blass talks about the legendary decorator with affection. Everything I do is influenced by him, he says, which comes from knowing him for 25 years. There was always a sense of neatness about his interiors, even when he decorated for the very rich. Ive always had enormous admiration for people like Billy who know how to live well, who accomplish that rare thing of creating houses that perfectly reflect their personality and character. Blass also praise Chessy Rayner, a partner in the decorating firm MAC II, who worked with him on the house and helped him with his superbly elegant apartment on New York's Sutton Place. Shes the best, he says. We have a very similar wavelength, but we can never second-guess each other. Bills always had the best taste in the world. Blass enjoy the house so much that he is reluctant to ever leave it. I never go anywhere if I can help it, he says, admitting that weekends away from his fashion licensing business in Manhattan now tend to stretch from Thursday to Monday. Bill prefers the company of his dog to anybody else, says John Richard on the Picasso biographer and a country neighbor. People who know him well dont bother him too much because they realize hes happiest being there alone with the dog. Hes a happy recluse, which is surprising because he's so genial. Fernando BengoecheaA Regency library table is matched with antique chairs. Richardson notes that collecting objects and rearranging the house seem to give Blass ceaseless joy, which explains why the designer makes several buying trip to London each year. The second he hits Pimlico Road, every dealer on the street knows hes there, says Nina Griscom, another close friend. Its wonderful to watch him because hes got such a hawkeye. He's quick and never waffles. He shops like a man.Carleton Hobb, one of Londons leading dealers, agrees, confessing that he covets Blasss remarkable collection and taste. Bill has one of the finest eyes Ive ever known, he says. Believe me, Im very relieved that hes never wanted to be a dealer.

The Meta Quest line of AR and VR headsets appear to be popular Christmas gifts this year, as the Meta Horizon companion soars to the top of the iPhone App Store in the US region, and around the world. The uplift in demand is likely driven by the release of the Meta Quest 3S, a cheap-but-capable $299 model.The Amazon Alexa app also rose in the Top Free app charts, as Echo speakers continue to be popular gift ideas. AirPods and Apple Watch were also likely to be one of the most unwrapped gifts this Christmas, but the App Store does not give us any insights into the popularity of Apples own products This is because AirPods do not have a companion app of any kind, with their functionality being built directly into the operating system. The Apple Watch does have a Watch app on the phone, but it is installed by default and is not included in App Store charts or trending metrics.Visibility on Vision Pro is elusive for the same reasons, although we wouldnt expect Apples $3,500 headset device to be a go-to gift idea for the vast majority of households. In contrast, the Meta Quest lineup is relatively cheap and accessible to all ages, with a library of fun games to play on Christmas Day itself with the whole family.Apple is said to be exploring a partnership with Sony to bring PSVR controller support to Vision Pro, in a hope to attract more VR games to its visionOS platform. But consumer demand will probably remain low until significantly cheaper incarnations of the headset come to market. Of course, Apple doesnt need to depend on the Vision Pro for its financial success. Apple will officially report its holiday salesduring its quarterly earnings call in January. You can expect a combination of iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch and Mac sales to drive tens of billions of dollars in revenues for the company. 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

Nathan Eddy, Freelance WriterDecember 26, 20244 Min ReadAndrey Piza via Alamy Stock The acceleration of hybrid-cloud adoption means organizations must refine data governance strategies to address growing complexity and ensure seamless operations across environments.A unified approach to monitoring and containerization will play a critical role in enhancing data portability and maintaining consistency across diverse cloud ecosystems.Data governance will increasingly rely on emerging technologies to manage and secure data effectively.A hybrid organizational approach can effectively balance centralized and decentralized data governance.Nick Elsberry, leader of software technology consulting at Xebia, recommends establishing a central data governance team to lead the program.This team should gather requirements from decentralized teams, set policies and guidelines, purchase and provide data management tools, and educate and coach decentralized teams, he says.The central team must have a strong mandate and be backed by senior management.Elsberry says regular exposure to senior management and a standing bi-monthly data governance board meeting where the central team sets the agenda is also important.AI Tools Come OnlineMeanwhile, AI-driven tools are also set to transform data governance capabilities by automating routine processes and enhancing decision-making.Related:Ari Weil, cloud evangelist for Akamai, says the biggest impact AI tools are having on data governance comes from their ability to automate processes and to dynamically ensure compliance with regulations.They can quickly scan and categorize data to identify whats subject to specific laws, such as GDPR or HIPAA, and identify where to apply or enforce policies accordingly, he says. This not only speeds up compliance but also reduces human error.One of the challenges, however, is integrating these tools with existing systems, especially if the data isnt well-organized, tagged, or if storage solutions combine data from multiple regions, making it much more difficult for AI-powered tools to accurately identify and manage data.Weaving Data FabricWeil notes the rise of data fabric solutions, which unify data management across disparate sources, will enable organizations to maintain visibility and control over their data, regardless of its location.This unified framework will be particularly valuable in hybrid-cloud environments where data often resides across on-premises systems, public clouds, and edge devices, he says via email.Kevin Epstein, director of customer solutions at ClearScale, says for organizations that have data in multiple locations -- multi-cloud deployments, hybrid deployments, or even just multiple physical data centers, data fabric is critical.Related:It doesnt necessarily mean all data lives in a single location, because data virtualization allows us to leave source data where its at, while still making it available to our data platforms through data virtualization.It makes data more discoverable within organizations and enables better governance, he explains.A Holistic Monitoring ApproachKausik Chaudhuri, CIO of Lemongrass, explains monitoring in hybrid-cloud environments requires a holistic approach that combines strategies, tools, and expertise.To start, a unified monitoring platform that integrates data from on-premises and multiple cloud environments is essential for seamless visibility, he says.End-to-end observability enables teams to understand the interactions between applications, infrastructure, and user experience, making troubleshooting more efficient.He adds collaboration among IT, DevOps, and security teams ensures the effective use of monitoring tools -- transforming data into actionable insights for improved performance and user satisfaction.From the perspective of Kevin Epstein, the best strategy is to keep things as simple as possible.Related:Try not to use multiple different tools, because then your monitoring project becomes an integration project and shifts the focus away from what youre actually trying to do, he says via email.Another key recommendation is to avoid the temptation to monitor everything.Youll just end up with alerts that nobody evertakes action against, Epstein says. When this happens its inevitable that important alerts also get ignored and overlooked.Legacy Systems, Modern Data Governance ToolsIntegrating legacy systems with modern data governance solutions involves several steps.Modern data governance systems, such as data catalogs, work best when fueled with metadata provided by a range of systems.However, this metadata is often absent or limited in scope within legacy systems, says Elsberry.Therefore, an effort needs to be made to create and provide the necessary metadata in legacy systems to incorporate them into data catalogs.Elsberry notes a common blocking issue is the lack of REST API integration.Modern data governance and management solutions typically have an API-first approach, so enabling REST API capabilities in legacy systems can facilitate integration.Gradually updating legacy systems to support modern data governance requirements is also essential, he says.Data Governance Goes InternationalWhen operating in different countries or continents, organizations must navigate various data governance regulations.Elsberry says the first step is to conduct a thorough review and analysis of these regulations to extract the detailed requirements applicable to the organization.Often, this analysis will reveal overlapping areas and significant similarities between different jurisdictions, he explains.These can be addressed with generic data governance policies and practices that apply to the entire organization.For specific requirements applicable in a smaller context, it is necessary to add policies and practices that cover those more specific needs.Leveraging compliance management tools can also help monitor and enforce regulations consistently, Elsberry says.About the AuthorNathan EddyFreelance WriterNathan Eddy is a freelance writer for InformationWeek. He has written for Popular Mechanics, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine, FierceMarkets, and CRN, among others. In 2012 he made his first documentary film, The Absent Column. He currently lives in Berlin.See more from Nathan EddyNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

Thousands of people across the world come to EDUopinions to research schools every day. Its where they get advice, inspiration, and plan for what matters most. Our mission is to help those prospective students find their ideal schools and create their dream futures. In your role, youll be challenged to take on work that upholds this mission and pushes EDUopinions forward.EDUopinions is looking for Student Ambassadors who want to gain invaluable social media marketing and content creation experience. Being an EDUopinions Ambassador means representing EDUopinions and creating an authentic experience for our audience prospective students looking for university rankings and reviews.The Ambassador Program is responsible for bringing honest student reviews to the EDUopinions platform by creating social networking and student outreach campaigns to achieve database objectives. Our goal is to build an inclusive and diverse online student community that provides advice and feedback regarding the university experience at different higher education institutions around the world.An EDUopinions Ambassador will work alongside the Reviews Manager and other student ambassadors, getting exposure in social media campaign strategy and user-generated content creation and gaining firsthand experience in a remote start-up environment. This is a contract role.ResponsibilitiesThink creatively about new ways to engage students through online and offline channelsEncourage students and alumni to share their honest opinions regarding their studies.Provide feedback on challenges and opportunities.QualificationsEnjoys talking to students and grads about higher educationExperience in and understanding of social media platformsMotivated self-starter who takes initiativeBenefitsPartners set their own schedules and are paid based on performance.Fully remote team.Hands-on experience with social media marketing, online networking, and campaign performance dashboard. Related Jobs See more All Other Remote jobs

Calls from mystery numbers can be a hassle, especially if you're trying to dodge scams or avoid talking to someone you can't immediately identify. But there are two different ways those unspecified numbers can be labeled on your iPhone: No Caller ID and Unknown Caller. So, what's the difference?Here's what to know about each label, and how to keep yourself safe from potential caller scams.No Caller ID vs. Unknown CallerA call labeled "No Caller ID" means the caller has blocked their number from appearing on your screen. In other words, they want to keep their identity under wraps. This can be a privacy measure, but it's also a tool used by scammers -- if you can't quickly verify who the caller is based on their number, it can be easier to fall for their trap."Unknown Caller," on the other hand, is the message that appears when your phone service provider doesn't recognize who's calling. This can come down to several factors, including network or technical issues, or receiving calls from foreign numbers. Oftentimes, these callers aren't intentionally trying to hide their identity, but it's still a good idea to be cautious. Scammers can also use this method to cover up their identity by using a phone that isn't registered with the phone company, for instance.What to do if you get anonymous callsYou should always proceed with caution if you can't identify a caller. This is especially important if someone rings you and "No Caller ID" appears on the screen, as they have intentionally kept their number hidden. But an Unknown Caller is also something to be wary of, since it becomes harder to truly identify who's at the other end of the line.Letting the call go to voicemail is often a good idea. Simply answering a call is a signal to scammers that your number is active, which could lead to more similar calls in the future. The Live Voicemail feature is particularly helpful for these situations because it allows you to pick up the call if the voicemail transcript indicates it's someone you want to speak with.Silence unknown callers on your iPhoneYou can even go a step further and silence unknown callers on your iPhone. That way, those mystery callers won't disturb you, and they can just leave a voicemail for you to check later.In your iPhone, go to Settings, then tap Apps followed by Phoneand go to Silence Unknown Callers. Hit the toggle to turn it on. Watch this: Why You're Getting So Many Spam Calls 08:33 Use apps to block unidentified callsThough there isn't a way to block these anonymous calls within your iPhone's settings, your wireless carrier may offer apps to help with this.AT&T ActiveArmor, for instance, has a free version that blocks spam and fraud calls, and also lets you block all unknown callers. The advanced version, which costs $4 a month, includes tools like reverse number lookup and caller ID for unknown numbers. ActiveArmor is available for iOS and Android.Verizon's Call Filter app also offers spam detection, a spam filter and the option to report numbers, all for free. For an additional $4 a month, you'll also get caller ID, spam lookup, a personal block list and a spam risk meter. Call Filter is automatically enabled for Android users on a postpaid plan, and is available in the App Store for iPhone.T-Mobile's Scam Shieldhas a free option that includes full caller ID, scam reporting and scam blocking. There's also a premium option for $4 a month per line, which offers reverse phone number lookup and voicemail transcriptions that are automatically texted to you. You can download the Scam Shield app in the App Store or Google Play.Be sure to check with other wireless carriers to see if they offer something similar. Some wireless carrier plans may include access to the premium features as well.For more third-party apps to help limit robocalls and general tips, check out our guide on stopping spam calls. Don't Get Burned: Tips to Avoid an Overheated Phone See all photos