Ted Price to join the AIAS Hall of FameInsomniac Games founder and outgoing CEO will be inducted during the 28th annual DICE Awards ceremonyImage credit: Insomniac Games News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 24, 2025 The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has announced that it will induct Insomniac Games founder and outgoing CEO Ted Price into its Hall of Fame at the DICE Awards next month.Earlier this week, Price announced that he was stepping down as CEO after three decades at the studio. Chad Dezern, Ryan Schneider, and Jen Huang will take his place as co-studio heads following his departure in March."Ted has guided Insomniac Games and our industry with character and class for more than 30 years," said Schneider."He embodies Insomniac's vision of making a positive and lasting impact on people's lives, inspiring countless employees, partners and players in a truly remarkable legacy."AIAS president Meggan Scavio added: "From the humble beginnings of Insomniac Games as an independent studio to its rise as a powerhouse PlayStation studio, Ted has left an indelible mark on our industry."His legacy encompasses a portfolio of beloved and critically acclaimed games, a studio that holds him in the highest regard, and a profound impact on the Academy itself."Price founded Insomniac Games in 1994, and oversaw the creation of franchises including Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank, Resistance: Fall of Man, and Marvel's Spider-Man.He also contributed to Insomniac's charitable ventures, serving as the executive sponsor for Sony Interactive Entertainment's Global Social Justice Fund.The 28th annual DICE Awards takes place alongside the conference on February 13 at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas.

The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has enabled transformative progress across diverse fields. However, the system domain, which focuses on optimizing and managing foundational AI infrastructure, remains relatively underexplored. This domain involves critical tasks such as diagnosing hardware issues, optimizing configurations, managing workloads, and evaluating system performance. These tasks often present significant challenges due to their complexity and reliance on an in-depth understanding of hardware, software, and data. Traditional approaches or general-purpose AI models struggle to address these challenges effectively, leading to resource-intensive and error-prone processes. Consequently, there is a pressing need for solutions tailored specifically to the demands of the system domain.To address these challenges, Microsoft has developed SIGMA, a large language model specifically designed for the system domain. SIGMA features an innovative architecture that includes the Differential Query-Key-Value (DiffQKV) attention mechanism and benefits from extensive pre-training on system-specific data. DiffQKV optimizes inference efficiency by adopting tailored strategies for the Query (Q), Key (K), and Value (V) components of the attention mechanism. Unlike traditional approaches, which compress these components uniformly, DiffQKV applies selective compression. This involves aggressive compression of Key components while sparing Value components to maintain performance. The model also employs augmented Q dimensions, enhancing its representational capacity without significantly impacting inference speed.SIGMAs pre-training incorporates 6 trillion tokens, including 19.5 billion tokens from system-domain-specific sources and 1 trillion synthesized and rewritten tokens. This focused training ensures that SIGMA performs on par with state-of-the-art models in general domains while excelling in system-specific tasks. To evaluate its capabilities, Microsoft introduced AIMICIUS, a benchmark specifically designed for system-related tasks. SIGMAs performance on AIMICIUS demonstrates substantial improvements, outperforming GPT-4 with an absolute improvement of up to 52.5%.Technical Details and BenefitsAt the core of SIGMAs innovation is the DiffQKV attention mechanism. This mechanism leverages sparsity in attention scores to selectively retrieve Value components during inference, reducing memory usage while maintaining performance. These optimizations yield a 33.36% improvement in inference speed compared to conventional grouped-query attention mechanisms. Additionally, SIGMAs augmented Q dimensions enhance its representational capacity without adding significant memory overhead, as Query heads do not require caching during inference.SIGMA employs an imbalanced head configuration, with fewer Key heads compared to Query and Value heads. This reduces the memory footprint of the KV cache while preserving performance. For instance, decreasing the number of Key heads to 25% of Value heads results in negligible performance loss. Similarly, halving the dimensions of Key components achieves compression without compromising accuracy.The models training process involved careful data curation, identifying 15 primary source categories from over 120 system-related websites. Data sources included technical blogs, developer forums, Stack Overflow posts, and academic papers, resulting in a diverse and comprehensive dataset. This robust training foundation enables SIGMA to excel in tasks such as command-line generation, infrastructure benchmarking, network topology optimization, and natural language-to-Kusto Query Language (NL2KQL) translation.Results and InsightsSIGMAs performance on the AIMICIUS benchmark underscores its effectiveness in the system domain. The benchmark encompasses four major tasks: CMDGen, Infrawise, Optiflow, and NL2KQL. In CMDGen, SIGMA demonstrates high accuracy in generating GPU-related command lines. Its performance in Infrawise, which involves retrieving benchmark results, reflects its strong recall and accuracy in identifying relevant configurations and workloads.In Optiflow, SIGMA showcases its ability to optimize network topologies for multi-GPU setups, achieving measurable reductions in latency. Similarly, in NL2KQL, SIGMA translates natural language instructions into Kusto Query Language with notable accuracy and adherence to syntax standards.Efficiency is a defining characteristic of SIGMA. Evaluations reveal significant gains in memory usage and computational speed, particularly for long-context scenarios. For example, SIGMAs KV cache optimizations enable a 33% reduction in computational time during long-sequence generation compared to standard models. This efficiency allows SIGMA to process larger batch sizes and longer sequences, making it well-suited for practical system tasks requiring extensive context handling.ConclusionSIGMA represents a thoughtful and practical application of large language models to the system domain. By addressing the unique challenges of system-related tasks through innovations such as the DiffQKV attention mechanism and domain-specific training, SIGMA offers a specialized solution that balances efficiency and performance. Its achievements on the AIMICIUS benchmark highlight its potential as a valuable tool for managing and optimizing AI infrastructure. As the system domain gains prominence, SIGMAs advancements offer a compelling model for addressing the complexities inherent in this field.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 our70k+ ML SubReddit. Asif RazzaqAsif Razzaq is the CEO of Marktechpost Media Inc.. As a visionary entrepreneur and engineer, Asif is committed to harnessing the potential of Artificial Intelligence for social good. His most recent endeavor is the launch of an Artificial Intelligence Media Platform, Marktechpost, which stands out for its in-depth coverage of machine learning and deep learning news that is both technically sound and easily understandable by a wide audience. The platform boasts of over 2 million monthly views, illustrating its popularity among audiences. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

Google has launched a new feature called Identity Check for supported Android devices that locks sensitive settings behind biometric authentication when outside of trusted locations."When you turn on Identity Check, your device will require explicit biometric authentication to access certain sensitive resources when you're outside of trusted locations," Google said in a post announcing the move.In doing so, biometric authentication will be required for the following actions -Access saved passwords and passkeys with Google Password ManagerAutofill passwords in apps from Google Password Manager, except in ChromeChange screen lock, like PIN, pattern, and passwordChange biometrics, like Fingerprint or Face UnlockRun a factory resetTurn off Find My DeviceTurn off any theft protection featuresView trusted placesTurn off Identity CheckSet up a new device with your current deviceAdd or remove a Google AccountAccess Developer optionsIdentity Check is also designed to turn on enhanced protection for Google Accounts to prevent unauthorized individuals from taking control of any Google Account signed in on the device.The feature is currently limited to Google's own Pixel phones with Android 15 and eligible Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI 7. It can be enabled by navigating to Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection > Identity Check.The disclosure comes as Google has been adding a steady stream of security features to secure devices against theft, such as Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock.Google also said it has rolled out its artificial intelligence-powered Theft Detection Lock to all Android devices running Android 10 and later across the world, and that it's working with the GSMA and industry experts to combat mobile device theft by sharing information, tools and prevention techniques.The development also follows the launch of the Chrome Web Store for Enterprises, allowing organizations to create a curated list of extensions that can be installed in employees' web browsers and minimize the risk of users installing potentially harmful or unvetted add-ons.Last month, a spear-phishing campaign targeting Chrome extension developers was found to have inserted malicious code to harvest sensitive data, such as API keys, session cookies, and other authentication tokens from websites such as ChatGPT and Facebook for Business.The supply chain attack is said to have been active since at least December 2023, French cybersecurity company Sekoia said in a new analysis published this week."This threat actor has specialised in spreading malicious Chrome extensions to harvest sensitive data," the company said, describing the adversary as persistent."At the end of November 2024, the attacker shifted his modus operandi from distributing his own malicious Chrome extensions via fake websites to compromising legitimate Chrome extensions by phishing emails, malicious OAuth applications, and malicious code injected into compromised Chrome extensions."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

The house features a stepped faade of London stock brick and precast stone with ornamental angled brick detailing. The upper storeys are recessed to align with the front elevations of adjacent terraced houses, while the second-floor volume is clad in undulating bronze-finished aluminium panels.The existing garden wall has been extended along the street conceal to shield the main entrance. A black timber door let into this opens onto a small courtyard paved with ceramic tiles, providing a threshold to the house. Extensive glazing on the ground floor allows views through the house to the rear garden. The first floor cantilevers out, creating a canopy over part of the courtyard. Source:Alex DormonTo protect two mature trees near the site, Mailen Design collaborated with an arboriculturist, influencing the layout and foundations to avoid disturbing the trees root systems. The front courtyard also provides space for the branches of a mature lime tree in a neighbouring garden.AdvertisementInside, the house features bright living spaces with exposed concrete and oak joinery. The stone paving from the courtyard continues into the entrance and a large rooflight brings in natural light. An open-plan kitchen, dining and living area occupies the ground floor, with floor-to-ceiling glazing opening onto a tiered garden. An oak staircase leads to the first floor, which includes two bedrooms and a family bathroom, while the main bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en-suite bathroom is situated on the second floor. Source:Alex DormonArchitects viewLee Terrace is an example of efficiency and creativity within the challenging conditions of the historic Blackheath conservation area. This new-build family home balances modern functionality with sensitivity to the areas architectural heritage, stringent local planning and townscape requirements, and protects the two mature trees on and adjacent to the site. We have maximised the internal volume quality by strategically positioning glazing to bring in natural light, creating an airy, light-filled and fluid internal floorspace that feels spacious and connected to the outdoors.Ben Mailen, project architect, Mailen Design Source:Mailen DesignGround floor planProject dataProject size 114.2 m2Start on site October 2022Completion June 2024Client PrivateArchitect Mailen DesignMain contractor Martins BuildersStructural engineer Morph StructuresBuilding control London Building Control

Dublin and Manchester-based Harcourt Architects has completed a council housing scheme in Dundalk, Ireland, using 3D construction printing the first project of its type in the world to meet internationally recognised technical standards.The system, with its rebar-free, load-bearing double-cavity concrete walls, allows schemes to be built significantly faster than conventional methods.The trio of three-bedroomed houses in Grange Close were completed in just 132 days. Developed and delivered with the practices emerging sister company Harcourt Technologies Ltd (HTL), the process shaved at least a third off the time required to construct the 330m project compared with traditional construction methods (estimated at about 200 days).AdvertisementUsing a COBOD 3D printer, each layer of concrete takes 18 minutes to cure before the next one can be added. The compressive strength of the walls is understood to be roughly five times stronger than traditional blockwork construction. The printer is operated by a team of three, and can print sections of wall up to 10m in height.The homes, which were built and funded by Louth County Council, have now received building control approval and comply with the rigorous ISO/ASTM 52939:2030 standard for additive construction. Each 110m unit cost about 205,000 to complete including traditional roof structures and standard internal and external finishes. But the team expects that price to reduce.Harcourt Architects three directors Justin Kinsella, Richard Mullin and Paul Kelly met while studying architecture at the University of Dundee. Their strong interest in construction technology and innovation led them to set up HTL in 2021.The three say they are already in discussions with both social housing providers and private developers in the UK to build more 3D homes and hope the completion of the Grange Close houses will act as the catalyst for scaling up the deployment of the technology.AdvertisementMeanwhile HTL, in partnership with Creagh Concrete, has been appointed to the Social Housing Emerging Disruptors (SHED 4) Framework, a 100 million initiative which aims to reduce costs and improve efficiency by connecting start-up, small and medium, voluntary and large scale innovators to public sector clients and social landlords.According to Mullin, the 3D-printed concrete currently saves roughly 20 per cent in embodied carbon compared with concrete block construction.The system uses locally sourced constituents in its ready-mix concrete and replaces ordinary Portland cement with locally available supplementary cementitious materials such as GGBS (ground granulated blast-furnace slag).The accuracy of the printing process greatly reduces waste, he says. The printer itself is modular and can be taken to site on a single lorry, in effect bringing the factory to site. This greatly reduces the number of deliveries to site, storage required on site and the carbon footprint associated with off-site facilities. The mass concrete walls provide exceptional air-tightness. Source:Harcourt Technologies Ltd2025-01-24Richard Waitecomment and share

Looking for the most recentregular Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.Today'sConnections: Sports Editionplays a fun trick on players. There are so many food terms, from hotdog to peppers to Cracker Jack to nutmeg, and yet not all of them represent food terms. Someone on the NYT puzzle staff must have a long list of food words with other meanings that they toss in whenever they can. Read on for hints and answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle.For now, the game is in beta, which means the Times is testing it out to see if it's popular before adding it to the site's Games app. You can play it daily for now for free and then we'll have to see if it sticks around.Read more: NYT Has a Connections Game for Sports Fans. I Tried ItHints for today's Connections: Sports Edition groupsHere are four hints for the groupings in today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.Yellow group hint: Frosty malts, too.Green group hint: Bragging.Blue group hint: Honored footballers.Purple group hint:Ted Lasso guys know these.Answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition groupsYellow group: Concession stand snacks.Green group: Show off.Blue group: Hall of Fame pass rushers.Purple group:Soccer skill moves.Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English WordsWhat are today's Connections: Sports Edition answers? The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Jan. 24, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNETThe yellow words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is concession stand snacks. The four answers are Cracker Jack, peanuts, popcorn and pretzel.The green words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is show off. The four answers are flaunt, grandstand, hotdog and showboat.The blue words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is Hall of Fame pass rushers. The four answers are Peppers, Strahan, Ware and White.The purple words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is soccer skill moves. The four answers are nutmeg, Olimpico, rabona and stepover.

Our Experts Written by Mercey Livingston Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNETs expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.Table of Contents Our Picks Best kettlebell overall Ziva Premium Virgin Rubber Solid Cast Steel Kettlebell View details $32 at Amazon View details Best kettlebells for beginners Best Choice Products Three-Piece Kettlebell Weight Set View details $45 at Amazon View details Best kettlebells for experienced lifters Apex Adjustable Heavy-Duty Kettlebell View details $52.5 at Amazon View details Best vinyl coated kettlebell Powert Vinyl-Coated Cast-Iron Kettlebell Weight View details $13 at Amazon View details Best high-end kettlebell JaxJox KettlebellConnect Adjustable Smart Kettlebell (Update: Out of stock) View details See at Best Buy View details Table of Contents The standard dumbbell is an important part of any home gym setup, but an often overlooked option is the kettlebell. Like dumbbells, these come in varying weights, but thanks to the handle design, they open a whole new range of motion, kettlebell exercises, as we call them.Just one traditional kettlebell can be a versatile workout tool for the home gym and is often used in fitness and conditioning programs like CrossFit. The fancier adjustable kettlebells are useful as space savers and, in some ways, time.But kettlebells can add variety and challenge to your workout routine, whether you're looking to build strength in your core muscles and glutes, get in some form of cardio or a combination of both cardio workouts and strength training."The kettlebell is probably the most underrated piece of equipment in the gym," Lauren Kanski, a certified personal trainer and founding coach at the fitness app Ladder,previously told CNET. "The way the bell is shaped allows you to train power, endurance and strength all in one little piece of iron."Kettlebells are not the same as your average set of dumbbells, so before you buy one, consider what weight you need for your kettlebell exercise and check out the list below for our picks on the best kettlebell options for 2025.What is the best kettlebell overall?The best kettlebell is the Ziva Premium Virgin Rubber Solid Cast Steel Kettlebell. Its weight ranges and style make it versatile for the advanced and for beginners.Best kettlebells of 2025 $32 at Amazon The Ziva premium kettlebell comes in a wide variety of weight increments (from 5 to 50 pounds) making it a great quality kettlebell for beginners or more advanced exercisers. Working out at home and worried about damaging your floors? This kettlebell has a rubber coating so you don't have to worry about slamming it down too hard between sets during your kettlebell workout. $45 at Amazon $45 at Walmart This kettlebell set is great for beginners since it comes with three lighter kettlebell choices (weighing 5, 10 and 15 pounds). If you're new to working out, you probably aren't sure exactly how much weight you can handle yet, so you need size options. With this kettlebell set, you'll have multiple weights to experiment with when you exercise. Plus you get a weight rack to store them on. $52.5 at Amazon $52.5 at Walmart This adjustable cast iron kettlebell is a great pick for advanced exercisers or those who already lift weights and want to be able to progress with their kettlebell weight quickly. The kettlebell handle on its own is 15 pounds and it comes with different weight options that let you adjust it up to 50 pounds. It doesn't look like your classic, round kettlebell and this cast-iron kettlebell is not coated in vinyl or rubber, but it will satisfy the needs of someone looking for an advanced kettlebell with no frills when doing a kettlebell squat, kettlebell lifting, kettlebell deadlift or other kettlebell training moves. $13 at Amazon Most standard kettlebell styles are cast iron kettlebell models, so if you don't love the idea of iron kettlebells or that metal feel on your hands and want more grip, try a coated kettlebell for your kettlebell workout. This kettlebell from Powert has a coated handle and the base is covered in vinyl, making it less susceptible to rust or corrosion in addition to a different grip feel.

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Tata Electronics has acquired a 60% controlling stake in the Indian arm of Apple assembly partner, Pegatron, as the conglomerate expands its iPhone manufacturing capacity in the country.Taiwan-based Pegatron operates an iPhone production plant near Chennai in Indias sourthern state of Tamil Nadu. The deal comes less than a year after Tata Electronics acquired smartphone assembly company Wistrons Indian business. Pegatron and Tata did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, but Tata said the acquisition fits into its strategy of growing its manufacturing footprint in the country.We look forward to a new era of AI, digital and technology-led manufacturing as we bring up these new facilities and expand our operations in India, Randhir Thakur, CEO & MD of Tata Electronics, said in a statement.Tata, which began assembling iPhones in India just last year, is quickly emerging as one of Apples most important partners in Asia as the tech giant works to expand its manufacturing base outside of China.More to follow.