The tech giants sales of apps and services helped profit grow 7 percent from a year ago, even as the company contended with slumping sales in China.

The Deepseek-R1 model has managed to attract a lot of attention in a short time, especially because it can be used commercially without restrictions.Now, developers at Hugging Face are trying to reconstruct the generative AI (genAI) model from scratch and develop an alternative to Deepseek-R1 called Open-R1 based on open source code. Although Deepseek is often referred to as an open model, parts of it are not completely open.Ensuring that the entire architecture behind R1 is open source is not just about transparency, but about unlocking its full potential, developer Elie Bakouch, of Hugging Face, told Techcrunch.In the long run, Open-R1 could make it easier to create genAI models without sharing data with other actors.

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2025 first quarter ended December 28, 2024.

Apple has reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2025, with the holiday sales boosting revenue to a record $124.3 billion in the first results call with new CFO Kevan Parekh.Apple CEO Tim Cook [left], CFO Kevan Parekh [right]The first quarter of Apple's fiscal year is typically the biggest across all periods, following the usually intensive holiday shopping period and iPhone launches. The Q1 2025 results follow exactly the same pattern.In the first quarter, Apple's revenue hit $124.3 billion, up from $119.58 billion reported one year ago in Q1 2024. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A quick blurb in a larger story about increased advertising spend from Amazon suggests Apple may have considered resuming ads on X, but recent controversial acts by Elon Musk may affect its decision.The X logo that replaced the Twitter blue birdIt seems in the run-up to inauguration day, Apple may have at least considered or had discussions about returning advertising to X in some respect. As of this publication, it still hasn't returned and there is no information about how recent events have affected this decision.The one-liner can be found in a Wall Street Journal report about Amazon increasing ad spend on X. Apple and other big tech companies paused ad spend in November 2023 after CEO Elon Musk promoted a post directed at the US Jewish community. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A new project from UNStudio in Chongqing, China, that has gained attention as the first WELL Platinum-certified residential project in the countrys Southwest region is being shared by the firm along with photos detailing its ability to deliver a high quality of living for inhabitants of the citys dense urban environment.Photo: Kris Provoost/UNStudioThe 18T Mansion is so-named for a historic 18-step well located on its site footing the Yuzhong peninsula. The project, aimed at promoting an active lifestyle and residents' well-being, includes some 10 clubhouse spaces, sports and fitness centers, heated swimming pools, childrens rooms, and a medical infirmary scattered across a layered building footprint that includes five towers.Photo: Kris Provoost/UNStudioPhoto: Kris Provoost/UNStudioOpen floor plans in the towers maximize user comfort, access to daylight, and privacy. Units feature ceiling heights of up to 11 feet, ranging in size from approximately 900 to 13,000 square f...

In a recent earnings update, Microsoft has revealed that its gaming revenue from the Xbox division declined by 7 percent in its latest fiscal quarter that ended on December 31, 2024. Out of this, around 29 percent of the drop in revenue has been attributed to Xbox hardware sales.In terms of pure numbers, the Xbox divisions overall revenue was $6.6 billion, which is a dip of $530 million compared to the previous year. Interestingly, the company did report a 2 percent rise in revenue from Xbox content and services, which likely includes video game sales and Game Pass subscriptions.The majority of the reported revenue from this quarter came about from Microsofts cloud-related services, server products, advertising and search, with each accounting for 21 percent of the revenue. Azure and related cloud services were the standout in revenue, accounting for 31 percent.The company noted in its report that, when looking forward, there are risks related to impairment of goodwill that could potentially have an adverse affect on future revenue. The same was also noted for other potential issues, including supply or quality problems, and issues surrounding the use of AI in Microsofts products.This loss of revenue from Xboxs hardware side falls in line with a report from earlier this month which indicated that console hardware sales in general were lower than before. In the report, Circana analyst Mat Piscatella compared December 2024 consoles sales tot hat from December 2023, noting a 38 percent decline for Xbox. In comparison, PS5 sales only fell by 18 percent.Piscatella attributed this to all of the current-generation consoles being well past their sales heydays, which usually tends to happen earlier in a console generation. He also noted that, while being lower than the year before, hardware sales revenue in December 2024 was still higher than what it was in December 2019.He also noted that, unlike PlayStation, Xbox Series X/S console sales lagged behind the rate of sales for the original Xbox One by around 13 percent.

Grand Theft Auto 6 might not run at 60 FPS when it comes out on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. A former animator for Rockstar Games has spoken about the title, and has said that it is more likely that the game will only be able to manage 30 FPS on current-gen consoles.Speaking on a now-private interview with Kiwi Talkz (courtesy of GamesRadar), former animator Mike York mentions that Rockstar Games might be able to pull off being able to run the game at 60 FPS right now. Rather, York believes that we are more likely to see the title run at a steady 30 FPS without dipping any lower.I dont know if theyll be able to pull off 60 fps, said York in the interview. I dont think so. I think theyre gonna be shooting for 30 fps and a locked 30 fps, meaning it never dips below that. Theyre gonna try to optimize as much as they can to where it never goes below 30. But it can be bumped up to 40, 41, 52, whatever, and I bet you, like, later, once its on PC, itll probably get super optimized and changed and new graphics cards that come out and youll be able to run it at 60 fps probably at that time.York went on to talk about how, if Rockstar did want to target 60 FPS for GTA 6, the studio would likely need to use some sort of frame generation technology along with an AI upscaler like FSR.I dont think [the] initial release itll come out at 60 fps unless its getting those 60 fps by [using] an AI upscaler thing like the PlayStation is doing, unless something is coming in and helping it get those 60 fps, he continued. I dont think itll get the 60 fps raw out the gate on a base console. PS5, for instance. Maybe PS5 Pro, or whatever, but I still dont think so.He does go on to say, however, that he doesnt know what the studio is doing since he doesnt work there anymore. York last worked at Rockstar on titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, before leaving the studio in 2017.I dont know what theyre doing over there, York said. I dont know how massive this is going to be. But from my experience, theyre going to squeeze every little freaking thing they can out of it and then optimize later for 60 frames because its not as important as just making the game amazing at 30 frames.It is worth noting that GTA 5s original release on the PS3 and Xbox 360 also didnt run at 60 FPS. In fact the title could barely manage 30 FPS on the old consoles before eventually getting better frame rates once it came to PS4, Xbox One and PC.Rockstar Games is currently hard at work on GTA 6 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Publisher Take-Two has referred to the title as being one worth waiting for. There is no current release date for the title.

Big Ears by artist Joe Halko City of BendLate last month, the city of Bend, Oregon, went viral after someone begansticking googly eyes onto public sculptures around town. Many residents saw the googly eyes as a funny diversion, but city officials were less amused. Writing on social media, they reminded residents that removing the googly eyes costs money and that the adhesives could damage the citys public art.Differing opinions aside, the identity of the so-called googly eye bandit was always a mysteryuntil now.A man named Jeff Keith has come forward to take responsibility for some of the unofficial adornments. Keith is the founder of a nonprofit that fights against human trafficking, and the googly-eye gag provided some much-needed levity amid all the heavy stuff he sees at work, as he tells theAssociated Press Claire Rush. Jeff Keith, a nonprofit founder, says he's behind some of the googly-eye pranks in Bend. Guardian GroupKeith launched the Bend-based organization, called Guardian Group, in 2010 and currently serves as its CEO. The 53-year-old has lived in Bend, a city with around 100,000 residents, for nearly 20 years.Keith says he used duct tape to affix googly eyes to two art installations in Bend in early December: one depicting a family of deer called Big Ears by Joe Halko, and a sculpture of a man sitting on a bench calledThe Traveler by Richard Beyer.Hes not taking credit for all of the googly eyesjust some of themand says that he doesnt know who else was inspired by his initial prank. After he learned that the googly eyes had potentially caused damage, he went to the citys offices to come clean.He says he offered to cover the costs of removing the googly eyes, but he tells theNew York Times Simon J. Levien he never heard back.Meanwhile, city officials sent a statement to theOregonians Carlos Fuentes. Keith says he affixed googly eyes to two sculptures in Bend, includingThe Traveler by Richard Beyer. Guardian GroupThe city staff is focused on city operations, wildfire preparedness, council goals and budget development, wrote Jacob Larsen, a spokesperson for the city. Our understanding is that a community member may be interested in recognizing the impact of the googly eyes, but we are not pursuing anything at this time nor are city staff in direct conversations with him.This isnt Keiths first attention-grabbing prank. Every three or four months, when hes finished with his work for the day, he dons an old-man mask and heads out on the town, reports theWashington Posts Jonathan Edwards. While moonlighting as the Banksy of Bend, he tries to do things he thinks will make people smile.In the past, hes also attached leis and hula skirts to some of the citys public sculptures. He also dressed up some figures in wigs and bell bottoms, then added a disco ballfashioned out of a Mylar balloonto the scene, per the Washington Post.Keith also hung up a fake sign announcing that the fast food restaurant In-N-Out Burger was coming to Bend. That 2019 prankalso made headlines, with the company denouncing the sign as a hoax.He pulled a similar fake sign prank announcing the opening of a Voodoo Doughnut, a popular Portland-based donut chain, according to the Oregonian. He says he also attached a cardboard cutout of the late actor Chris Farley to a pole in a roundabout.I spend 50 bucks a month on my pranks, Keith tells the Times. Its about 10 cents a smile because I know how many people hit our roundabout. Its worth it.In December, the googly eyes appeared on eight sculptures in Bends Roundabout Art Route, a path linking 27 art installations in the middle of traffic circles. At the time, city authorities told theTimes Emmett Lindner that theyd spent $1,500 removing the googly eyes. However, they said they were not conducting an investigation or looking for the people responsible.Meanwhile... Oregon's Controversial Googly Eyes | Drain Pipe Cat | Krispy Kreme HackedWatch on While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art, city officials wrote in anInstagram post.The googly eyes even got a mention on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.Authorities are upset after someone put googly eyes on various sculptures in the city, Colbert said. Oh, come on, youre gonna get mad about that? Its fun.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Art, Art Crimes, Arts, Cities, Government, Sculpture, Statues

One of the first-ever images of the Mount Lyell shrew in California Vishal Subramanyan California Academy of SciencesHigh up in the Sierra Nevada, the tiny Mount Lyell shrew has been shying away from cameras since it was first identified almost 100 years ago. Despite being a documented species, it was the only known mammal in California that had never been photographed.That is, until three young researchers ventured into the mountains with a plan.To catch the shifty shrew on film for the first time, Vishal Subramanyan, Prakrit Jain and Harper Forbes planned a three-day expedition. Subramanyan, who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, last year, is a wildlife photographer. Jain and Forbes, undergraduate students at UC Berkeley and the University of Arizona, respectively, made headlines in 2022 for discovering two new scorpion species. After receiving permits from Californias Department of Fish and Wildlife, the trio headed to the Eastern Sierra. They set up 150 pitfall traps near stream and wetland habitats and checked in on them every two hours. The Mount Lyell shrew Vishal Subramanyan California Academy of SciencesThe team planned to stake out to catch the rodents, never sleeping for too long, because the animals have such fast metabolisms that they die quickly without foodand the students didnt want to leave the shrews stranded in the traps. They got set up, then they waited.I would love to say we spent three days waiting, and the shrew finally appeared at the last second, says Subramanyan to Astrid Kane at the San Francisco Standard. But we got the Mount Lyell within the first two hours.It just shows that its generally an underappreciated species in an underappreciated ecosystem, that people havent spent the time and been able to actually bring dedicated focus to the shrews, he adds to Issy Ronald at CNN.To photograph the shrews, the team had to work quickly. They continued to trap more of the rodents, following their planned sleep schedule during the nights, when temperatures dropped to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. The researchers set up a white background and a terrarium for the imaging. You trap some shrews, you photograph them, you release them, and by that time there are more shrews. So it was pretty nonstop, Subramanyan says to SFGATEs Timothy Karoff.The animals run around a lotand bitemaking it especially hard to get good photos of them. For every photo that we got in focus, we must have 10 or 20 photos where the shrew is running out of the frame, says Jain to Sabrina Imbler at Defector.They took tissue samples from the animals for genetic testing at the California Academy of Sciences to confirm theyd caught the right shrew. The team also trapped three other species of shrew: the vagrant shrew, montane shrew and Merriams shrew. The Mount Lyell shrew Vishal Subramanyan California Academy of SciencesThe students hope their work will increase public recognition for shrews and other less charismatic animals. Many, many species of shrew are known from only a single specimen, or only known from a single locality, or have not been seen in decades, says Jain to Katharine Gammon at the Guardian. So if we struggle to find a shrew in a place like Californiaone of the best studied places in the worldyou can only imagine how the shrew diversity of places like southeast Asia and central Africa, for instance, can just be so under-appreciated.Mount Lyell shrews are also extremely threatened by climate change89 percent of the rodents habitat is projected to be lost by the 2080s, according to a statement from the University of California, Berkeley.While the state does not consider the shrew to be endangered, its listed as a mammal species of special concern. Observing and documenting the animals alive for the first time will help scientists better understand them.If we look at the extinction crisis and the types of animals its impacting, a lot of animals are disappearing without any documentation, Subramanyan says to the Guardian. An animal like the Mount Lyell shrew, if it was not photographed or researched, could have just quietly disappeared due to climate change, and wed have no idea about it at all.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Animals, California, Climate Change, Conservation, Cool Finds, Discoveries, Mammals, Mountains, Nature Photography, Rodents and Shrews, World Records