The successful flight to orbit of the Amazon founders powerful rocket suggests it could grow into a credible competitor with Elon Musks SpaceX.

MacworldMicrosoft has released details on a security vulnerability that was fixed with the macOS Sequia 15.2 update, which was released in December. The flaw could have been exploited by an attacker to bypass macOSs System Integrity Protection (SIP), which stops unauthorized code from running.Documented as CVE-2024-44243, the vulnerability involved macOSs Storage Kit daemon and its entitlements. According to Microsoft, Storage Kit has many SIP bypassing capabilities that a hacker can exploit. The Sequoia 15.2 update security notes state that a configuration issue was the root of the flaw:StorageKitAvailable for: macOS SequoiaImpact: An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file systemDescription: A configuration issue was addressed with additional restrictions.CVE-2024-44243: Mickey Jin (@patch1t), Jonathan Bar Or (@yo_yo_yo_jbo) of MicrosoftSIP became part of macOS over nine years ago, with the release of OS X El Capitan. When SIP is running, it is often said that the Mac is in rootless mode and a majority of users can use SIP without it ever being an issuechances are, you dont even know youre running SIP. A few users do require root access to their Macs, and SIP can be turned off.How to protect yourself from malwareApple releases security patches through OS updates, so installing them as soon as possible is important. And as always, when downloading software, get it from trusted sources, such as the App Store (which makes security checks of its software) or directly from the developer. Macworld has several guides to help, including a guide onwhether or not you need antivirus software, alist of Mac viruses, malware, and trojans, and acomparison of Mac security software

When considering new hires, 80% of corporate executives will prioritize skills over degrees, with half planning to increase freelance hiring this year to fill in for a gap in AI and other skills, according to a new study from freelancing platform Upwork.The study, released this week, showed unprecedented growth in specialized AI skills, which have surged 220% year-over-year.At the same time, degrees continue to lose relevance when it comes to hiring freelancers, with 74% of execs focused more on proven expertise. Moreover, 78% of CEOs say top freelancers deliver more value than degree-holding employees, emphasizing skills over credentials to stay competitive. And 29% of C-suite executives consider freelancers essential to their operations, with 51% saying their business would be difficult to run without freelancer support.Skills-based hiring has been on the rise for several years, as organizations seek to fill specific tech needs such as big data analytics, programing (such as Rust) and AI prompt engineering. In fact, demand for genAI courses is surging, passing all other tech skills courses and spanning fields from data science to cybersecurity, project management, and marketing.The top 10 highest paid skills in tech can help workers earn up to 47% more and the top skill among them is generative artificial intelligence (genAI), according to employment website Indeed and other sources.Skills such as genAI modeling now earn freelancers up to 22% higher hourly rates than traditional AI and machine learning roles, according to Upwork.Even as freelancers are reshaping workforce strategies, their rise doesnt necessarily threaten full-time roles. It complements them, said Kelly Monahan, managing director of the Upwork Research Institute.In a study released in October, Upwork found that 85% of top-performing companies which it labels work innovators view freelancers as vital, with 91% planning to expand their use over the next year. Only 71% of non top-performing companies see freelancers as critical to success, Monahan said.While cost savings, such as not paying benefits, could sometimes be a factor in hiring freelancers, it is not the primary driver of freelance hiring, according to Monahan.Businesses prioritize freelancers for their agility and specialized expertise, which enable them to scale resources up or down as needed and address skill gaps effectively, she said.According to Upwork, other reasons for the increase in freelance hiring include:94% of top-performing companies say hiring freelancers gives them access to specialized skills89% say freelancers make their business more innovative84% say hiring a freelancer is faster than a hiring full-time employeeIn addition to hard skills, soft, human-centric roles such as personal coaching have emerged among the fastest-growing skills on Upworks platform, with demand increasing by 74% year-over-year. This underscores the growing importance of guidance and adaptability as businesses invest in reskilling their workforces to navigate technological change, Monahan said. Freelancers are enabling companies to innovate rapidly and adapt to changing market demands.Upwork is not alone in its findings. According to research firm Gartner, organizations are struggling to find skilled talent, and universities once vital for workforce preparation are lagging in updating curricula to match modern demands. As technology and work methods advance, graduates are left with outdated skills, making specific competencies more important than degrees in proving a candidates value.According to Gartner, 74% of HR leaders believe organizations are shifting to skills-based talent management, but only 41% have implemented it, while 50% are still considering it.Approximately half of HR leaders say that a skills-based approach to talent management has the potential to solve many of the challenges their organizations face, though only one-third are actually investing in a skills-based approach to talent management, Gartner said in its report.HR leaders, Gartner said, should prepare for a skills-focused future by:Assessing: Review role requirements to reduce or remove degree mandates.Fortifying: Ready the organization to onboard and support non-degreed talent.Attracting: Target skilled non-degreed talent and adjust EVP messaging to appeal to them.Evolving: Plan for talent management changes to adopt a skills-based approach.New methods of assessing skillsCompanies are adopting more advanced approaches to assessing potential and current employee skills, blending AI tools with hands-on evaluations, according to Monahan.AI-powered platforms are being used to match candidates with roles based on their skills, certifications, and experience. Our platform has done this for years, and our new UMA (Upworks Mindful AI) enhances this process, she said.Gartner, however, warned that rapid skills evolutions can threaten quality of hire, as recruiters struggle to ensure their assessment processes are keeping pace with changing skills. Meanwhile, skills shortages place more weight on new hires being the right hires, as finding replacement talent becomes increasingly challenging. Robust appraisal of candidate skills is therefore imperative, but too many assessments can lead to candidate fatigue.In Upworks In-Demand Skills 2025 report, the skills that are growing in importance include:AI Development: GenAI modeling and AI data annotation are among the fastest-growing skills, reflecting the need for technical expertise in building and managing AI solutions. >Data Science & Analytics: >Skills such as data visualization and data extraction remain essential for making sense of complex information.>Project Management: >Both in supply chain logistics and business operations, project managers are critical for keeping teams aligned and projects on track.>Professional Development: >Skills such as personal coaching and training and development are increasingly sought as companies prioritize workforce reskilling.The shift toward skills-based hiring is further driven by a readiness gap in todays workforce. Upworks researchfound that only25% of employees feel prepared to work effectively alongside AI, and even fewer (19%) can proactively leverage AI to solve problems.As companies navigate these challenges, theyre focusing on hiring based onpractical, demonstrated capabilities, ensuring their workforce is agile and equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving business landscape, Monahan said.According to Upwork, 47% of Gen Z professionalsalready engage in freelance or portfolio work, reflecting their preference for autonomy and skills diversification over traditional career paths.This aligns with modern businesses needs for agile talent who can deliver measurable results, driving the shift toward skills-based hiring, Monahan said. If you are just looking to fill job roles, you will miss out on the rising portfolio career talent.

The inbound Trump administration insists that TikTok will avoid a ban, but the long-term prospects of the social media app staying alive hinge on there being a deal for divestiture to a US company.TikTok app logoTikTok owner ByteDance has until January 19 to divest its ownership of the U.S. elements of the app, or otherwise face it being banned from the country. The situation is precarious and messy to observers, due partly to timing complications.While the ban technically comes into force on January 19, one day before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, it seems that the incoming administration wants TikTok to survive. This despite the law enforcing the ban applying just before the team can do anything about it preemptively. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The latest edition ofourcurated jobs roundupfrom theArchinect Job boardfeatureseight employers in theLos Angeles areaofferingsenior-level architecture, design, and project management jobs.To explore specific job titles from the architectural profession, consultArchinect's Guide to Job Titlesseries. Also, follow ourArchinect Tipsseries to improve your portfolio, resume, and interviewing skills, to increase your overall chances of getting that next job. Rapt Studio seeks aPractice Director (Project Director / Senior Creative Project Manager/Producer)"At Rapt, Studio Leads hold a project and resource management position. Theyre responsible for overseeing the project lifecycleguiding the studio's delivery process, crafting new business proposals, developing project scopes, onboarding new initiatives, mentoring Project Leads, and driving project operations. Ultimately theyre responsible for ensuring teams are thoughtfully constructed to deliver projects on time, within...

Homeowners found star-shaped debris outside their home on Prince Edward Island, Canada, after a meteorite strike in July. Laura Kelly via University of AlbertaA homeowner on Prince Edward Island in Canada has had a very unusual near-death experience: A meteorite landed exactly where hed been standing roughly two minutes earlier. Whats more, his home security camera caught the impact on videocapturing a rare clip that might be the first known recording of both the visual and audio of a meteorite striking the planet.The shocking event took place in July 2024 and was announced in a statement by the University of Alberta on Monday.It sounded like a loud, crashing, gunshot bang, the homeowner, Joe Velaidum, tells the Canadian Press Lyndsay Armstrong.Velaidum wasnt home to hear the sound in person, however. Last summer, he and his partner Laura Kelly noticed strange, star-shaped, grey debris in front of their house after returning from a walk with their dogs. They checked their security camera footage, and thats when they saw and heard it: a small rock plummeting through the sky and smashing into their walkway. It landed so quickly that the space rock itself is only visible in two of the videos frames.The shocking thing for me is that I was standing right there a couple of minutes right before this impact, Velaidum tells CBC News Stephen Brun. If Id have seen it, I probably wouldve been standing right there, so it probably wouldve ripped me in half.Meteorite strike caught on P.E.I. home security cameraWatch on The couple initially collected 0.25 ounces of fragments from the grass surrounding the impact site, and they later returned wielding a vacuum and magnet to recover more pieces. Suspecting something (literally) astronomical, they reported the event through the University of Albertas Meteorite Reporting System.As luck would have it, Chris Herd, curator of the universitys meteorite collection, had already planned a vacation to Prince Edward Island just ten days later. So, he made a detour to check out the report.My wife and I went over, we actually took our son and his girlfriend to help, we used a kitchen scale (to measure the sample) and documented everything the whole thing was really cool, Herd tells the Canadian Press. At Velaidum and Kellys home in Marshfield, they collected additional samples and measured the small, 0.79-by-0.79-inch divot the meteorite impact left in the walkway.In total, the homeowners, Herd and his family recovered around 3.35 ounces of meteorite fragments, per CBC News. Further analysis confirmed the newly named Charlottetown Meteorite to be an ordinary chondrite, which is the most common type of meteorite. The meteorite left a small divot left on the homeowners' walkway. Laura Kelly via University of AlbertaAs the first and only meteorite from the province of PEI, the Charlottetown Meteorite sure announced its arrival in a spectacular way. No other meteorite fall has been documented like this, complete with sound, Herd says in the statement. It adds a whole new dimension to the natural history of the island.He tells CBC News that the meteorite came from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and it would have been traveling at least 125 miles per hour right before the impact.Interestingly, no one reported seeing a fireball over that area around the time of the impact. According to the Weather Networks Scott Sutherland, this could be because the meteorite landed hours before sunset, making it difficult to spot a bright streak in the daytime sky, in addition to the fact that it was a cloudy day. This makes the recording of the event all the more special.To see a meteorite from hundreds of millions of miles away that enters our atmosphere and hits our tiny little province, and a tinier little community within that province, and then my doorstep. Its just unbelievable, Velaidum says to the Canadian Press. I have been thinking about it a lot because, you know, when you have a near-death experience it kind of shocks you.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Astronomers, Canada, Cool Finds, Discoveries, Meteors, Outer Space

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn MoreBlack Forest Labs has quickly made a name for itself as the premiere, high-quality open-source AI image generation startup even surpassing the quality of models offered by Stability AI, where Black Forest Labs founders previously worked. It briefly served as the default image generator in xAIs Grok language model, too.Credit: Artificial AnalysisToday Black Forest Labs is taking this a step further, announcing the release of the FLUX Pro Finetuning API, a tool that empowers creators to customize generative AI models using their own images and concepts.Designed for professionals in marketing, branding, storytelling and other creative industries, the API enables the personalization of the companys flagship FLUX Pro and FLUX Ultra models with a user-friendly approach.Customization at scaleThe FLUX Pro Finetuning API allows users to fine-tune generative text-to-image models with five to 20 training images, optionally accompanied by text descriptions.This process results in customized models that maintain the generative versatility of the base FLUX Pro models while aligning outputs with specific creative visions. The tool supports multiple modes, including character, product, style and general, making it adaptable for a wide variety of use cases.The trained models can seamlessly integrate with endpoints such as FLUX.1 Fill, Depth, Canny and Redux, as well as with high-resolution generation capabilities of up to four megapixels. Whether for creating brand-consistent marketing visuals or detailed character art, the API enhances precision and adaptability in AI-generated content.Practical applications and use cases for brands, marketers and moreUsing the FLUX Pro Finetuning API, professionals can create customized models that preserve essential design elements, character consistency or brand properties. A study conducted by Black Forest Labs showed that 68.9% of users preferred FLUX Pros fine-tuned results over competing services.Some highlighted applications include: Inpainting: Using FLUX.1 Fill for iterative edits to refine images Structural Control: Integrating with FLUX.1 Depth to enhance image generation with precise structural adjustments Visual Branding: Ensuring consistency across marketing materials and campaignsPartnership with BurdaVerlagBlack Forest Labs has partnered with BurdaVerlag, a leading German media and entertainment company, to demonstrate the potential of the FLUX Pro Finetuning API. BurdaVerlags creative teams are using the tool to develop customized FLUX models tailored to their brands, such as the childrens publication Lissy PONY.With this integration, BurdaVerlags design teams can create visuals that reflect each brands identity while exploring new creative directions. The API has accelerated their production workflows, enabling high-quality content generation at scale.Accessible pricing and availabilityThe FLUX Pro Finetuning API is now available via API endpoints through the Flux.1 [dev] model. Pricing for all FLUX models on Black Forest Labs API is as follows: FLUX 1.1 [pro] Ultra: $0.06 per image FLUX 1.1 [pro]: $0.04 per image FLUX.1 [pro]: $0.05 per image FLUX.1 [dev]: $0.025 per imageGetting started is a cinchThe finetuning process requires minimal input from users. Training images in supported formats (JPG, JPEG, PNG or WebP) are uploaded, with resolutions capped at one megapixel for optimal results. Advanced configuration options allow for fine control over the training process, including iteration counts, learning rates, and trigger words for precise prompt integration.Black Forest Labs has also provided extensive resources, including a Finetuning Beta Guide and Python scripts for easy implementation. Users can monitor progress, adjust parameters, and test results directly via API endpoints, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow.By combining versatility, ease of use and professional-grade outputs, the FLUX Pro Finetuning API sets a new benchmark for customized content creation in generative AI. With the tool now available, Black Forest Labs aims to transform how individuals and organizations approach personalized media generation, unlocking creative possibilities at an unprecedented scale.Daily insights on business use cases with VB DailyIf you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI.Read our Privacy PolicyThanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here.An error occured.

IGF Awards 2025 finalists revealedConsume Me leads the nominations in five categories, whilst Despelote secured fourImage credit: Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, et al News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 16, 2025 GDC 2025 has revealed the finalists for the 27th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF).From almost 500 entries, the jurors selected the finalists "after playing, discussing, and meticulously evaluating them" for each category: Audio, Visual, Student, Nuovo, Design, Narrative, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.Jenny Jiao Hsia and AP Thomson, who developed Consume Me, lead the nominations in five categories, including Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative, Excellence in Visual Arts, the Nuovo Award, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.Despelote, developed by Julin Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena, secured four nominations: Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Narrative, the Nuovo Award, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.The full list of finalists - as well as honourable mentions - can be found on the IGF website.The IGF is part of GDC, which is running in person at San Franciscos Moscone Convention Center from March 17-21. The winners will be announced during the IGF Awards on March 26 and broadcast on Twitch.

PUBG publisher Krafton has outlined its business strategy for the next five years, and the overall goal? Find a "big franchise IP."During a recent company all-hands, CEO CH Kim discussed his plan to build its properties into long-term franchises "with a high potential for long-term success...that will build on the success of PUBG: Battlegrounds." The battle royale title has been a strong revenue driver for Krafton, and has two offshoots: a version of PUBG specifically for India, and the spinoff game New State Mobile, available worldwide on iOS and Android.Part of Krafton's plan involves its first-party teams, which include Striking Distance Studios, Unknown Worlds, and the recently-revived Tango Gameworks. Krafton will "boost investment" into those 14 studios to help "enhance pipelines, attract top-tier talent, and further specialize development capabilities."Additionally, it's looking to "evolve" its studio management system. To reach "sustainable growth," it will "efficiently allocate resources" across all stages of game development "to maximize the potential of its most competitive IPs."Finally, Krafton aims to "actively expand its userbase and revenue" through diversification. Kim mentioned second-party publishing and licensing, such as its agreement with Pocketpair to create a mobile version of Palworld.Make my Krafton grow!At the all-hands, Kim affirmed this three-part plan would "aim to drive exponential growth in [our] corporate value."Throughout 2024, Krafton made sizable investments into new studios Red Rover and Eschatology Entertainment, plus non-game video platform Spoon Labs. Kim's plan doesn't address how those factor into the company's mid or long-term plans, such as potential acquistions. Likewise, he doesn't bring up deep learning or using generative AI in the company's titles, which he showed interest in last year.

Apple has temporarily stopped showing notification summaries for news and entertainment apps as part of the iOS 18.3 developer beta released Thursday, according to reports from MacRumors and 9to5Mac. The Apple Intelligence-powered feature was criticized after it inaccurately summarized content from outlets such as the BBC.Apple will reenable the notifications with a future software update as it continues to work on the feature, 9to5Mac reports. In the new beta, Apple will make it clear that the notification summary feature is a beta and may contain errors.Additionally, 9to5Mac says Apple will let you disable notifications for specific apps from the lock screen or Notification Center in iOS 18.3 by swiping, tapping Options, then choosing the Turn Off Summaries. The company will also use italicized text on the lock screen to make it easier to tell notification summaries and standard notifications apart. The Verge reached out to Apple with a request for more information about these changes but didnt immediately hear back.Last month, the BBC called out Apple after the companys notification summary feature wrongly summarized its coverage of the UnitedHealth shooter, suggesting the outlet reported that Luigi Mangione shot himself. Apple later said it would roll out an update tofurther clarify when the text being displayed is summarization provided by Apple Intelligence.