Europe wants to be a top contender in the race to become a world leader in artificial intelligence, but investors are concerned that it has too much red tape and that its taxes are too high.

IT purchasers might be interested to learn that Apple is preparing to introduce a new entry-level and more affordablenext edition iPhone SE. What sets this iteration apart is that it should be powerful enough to runApple Intelligence.That means you can expect a good quantity of storage, as Apple Intelligence presently requires around 7GB of space. You also get a much faster and more powerful processor and a good chunk of memory, which together mean all the apps you already in use on your existing device should work much better.This will make the device suitable for deployment in a wider range of scenarios than in the past. It should also help the company stimulate interest among price-conscious consumers who, while they might aspire to purchase Apples best iPhones, remain price-sensitive.What we know about the upcoming iPhone SEMuch of the speculation pertaining to this device has been reported on before. Additional information is coming fromBloombergandseemingly leakedby case manufacturer Spigen.Based on what we think we know currently, it will have:An A18 (possibly an A17) chip. The current iPhone 16 range also runs on an A18 processor.An Apple-designed 5G modem the first deployment of this important component.A notch, which suggests support for Face ID. The current SE uses Touch ID. Dynamic Island may not be a feature in this device.A single-lens 48MP camera with flash and auto-focus.Possibly a 2x optical zoom.An Action button on the left-hand side.A 6.1-in. OLED display, up from the 4.7-in. on the current model.A USB-C port.Pricing under $500, though likely more expensive than the current $429 for the outgoing model.Summing up these improvements, there is no doubt that this is a significant improvement compared to the last generation SE. If you are upgrading from a previous SE, you can bank on much longer battery life and a device that is far better at handling intensive tasks.This will also be the first significant mass test of Apples first 5G modem. Apple has spent years of research and billions of dollars developing this part, which will eventually replaceQualcomms 5G chips across all Apples products.Apples intelligence on Apple IntelligenceApples decision to introduce another iPhone also means it will have all the excuse it needs to aggressively re-promote Apple Intelligence, which is now available in most major English-speaking nations and should be available inChinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese and other languages this year.While we dont yet know who Apple will partner with for Apple Intelligence in China, the inclusion of localized English support in India could be a big boost. IDC recently told us that Apple hasseen 35% growth in India, which has become its fourth-largest market for sales. Expanding Apple Intelligence availability with a lower-cost device in that market could stimulate additional growth and its also likely that a large number of these devices will actually beMade In India (though designed in Cupertino).Protecting Apples storyElsewhere, with consumers in other nations feeling the pinch, the new model is likely to put a little wind in Apples sails as it navigates what is traditionally one of its slower quarters. Apple management surely feels the company needs to boost momentum somehow, given the battering its stock has suffered because of regulatory problems in some markets.There also continue to be pervasive reports claiming Apple plans a new and thinner device, a so-callediPhone 17 Air, this year.You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

Nascar fans can now track live race updates right from their iPhones Apple's Sports app has just added full support for the series, starting with the highly anticipated Daytona 500.Daytona 500. Image credit: NascarApple has rolled out version 2.5 of its Sports app, adding Nascar support just days before the Daytona 500 on February 16. This means users can follow live race coverage, real-time leaderboard updates, and key stats for one of the biggest motorsports events of the year.Launched in February 2024, Apple Sports has become a go-to hub for real-time sports updates, offering fans a free and streamlined experience on iPhones. The update on Monday expands the app's lineup, which already covers major leagues like the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and the Premier League. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Some Apple Watch users are wearing it on their ankle instead of their wrist to get better workout data, but we've done some testing, and it's not a great place to wear the device.Apple Watch Series 10 on a wristThe Apple Watch is extremely helpful as a fitness wearable, due to it collecting many different data points about your activity in one go. However, there is a trend where some users place the Apple Watch in a fairly unusual location.Profiling the trend, the New York Times reports about people working out with the Apple Watch and other wearable devices attached to their ankle. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The Yale University School of Architecture has shared its Spring 2025 lecture speaker information to go with our Get Lectured roundup of various events taking place on campus this semester.After recent appearances from Sven Blume and Benedetta Tagliabue, the semester will continue on February 21 with a panel discussion hosted by SoA dean Deborah Berke and featuring Maurice McInnis, Alan Organschi, and Julie Zimmerman. Lectures from Tim Ainsworth Anstey (March 27); Yasmeen Lari (April 3); Charmaine Chua (April 7); Liu Thai Ker (April 10); Billie Faircloth (April 11); Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi (April 17) will then follow to close the semester.Lecture poster by Pentagram, courtesy of Yale School of ArchitectureA special two-day symposium on supply chain ethics and the problem of slavery in the use of architecture and construction will be taking place on April 11 and 12, and be sure not to miss the SoA's exhibition look at the history of Paul Rudolph's Tuskegee Chapel as it re...

The traditional 2D format of CD sets will likely remain the industry standard for the foreseeable future. Why? After all, contractors and sometimes clients want and need 3D models of buildings that can directly inform how buildings should be constructed. But providing them carries a high level of risk for architects, and as a result their attorneys and professional liability insurers often caution against it, despite the potential overall benefits for the project and all parties involved.In a recent discussion published in HarvardDesign Magazine, Studio Gang's Gregg Garmisa was joined by Yale's Phil Bernstein, SHoP's John Cerone, and Suffolk Construction's Alexis McGuffin to discuss the continued prevalence of two-dimensional construction documents in the industry despite the advent of 3D BIM models. In the conversation, McGuffin notes that many contractors in-fact discard architects digital models, opting to rebuild them from 2D drawings to minimize risk.Bernstein and Cerone meanwhile discuss potential solutions, including integrated project delivery and dual-model workflows that separate design and construction responsibilities. However, as the discussion notes, overcoming the industrys deep-seated resistance to change remains a formidable challenge."The pessimistic view is that contractorsfailing to get what they needed from architectsjust started building the capabilities themselves," said Bernstein, who previously contributed a thought piece to our Archi...

The recent PlayStation Network outage caused widespread frustration, especially for those on PS5 seeking to experience the second open beta for Monster Hunter Wilds. Though the first weekend is over, Capcom has confirmed that the second will be extended by 24 hours, starting on February 13th, 7 PM PT and ending on February 17th, 6:59 PM PT.The second open beta features much of the same content as the first. Players can engage in a main story quest, hunt a Doshaguma in the wild or challenge Rey Dau. Some additions include battling Arkveld, a challenging endeavor, or taking on Gypceros in a new hunt. You can also venture to the Training Area to practice the various weapons.Though it doesnt include many improvements to performance and weapons, theyll be ready when Monster Hunter Wilds launches on February 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the dedicated benchmark tool here to see how your PC hardware matches up.Hunters, were pleased to confirm that due to the PlayStation Network outage that occurred during the first week of OBT2, were extending the second week of OBT2 by +24 hours on all platforms!New period:Feb. 13, 7pm PT / Feb. 14, 3am GMT Feb. 17, 6:59 pm PT / Feb. 18, 2:59 pic.twitter.com/i0jTHjYHyx Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) February 10, 2025

In a recent interview with MinnMax, Avowed game director Carrie Patel has revealed that enemies in the upcoming action RPG will not scale with the players levels. What this means for players is that, despite how weak or strong your character is, the enemies will remain at a static power level. While this might lead to some enemies being too powerful to kill early on, players will eventually be able to get stronger by levelling up and acquiring better gear to take down those same enemies.Among the questions asked by MinnMaxs Ben Hanson in a rapid-fire interview session was whether enemies will scale with the players level. Enemies do not scale with your level, responded Patel before moving on to other subjects including the key art for Avowed and misconceptions about the title.This is an interesting change from the trends seen in other major RPG releases, where the power of enemies is often scaled to the players own power level in an effort to avoid having players be frustrated at the difficulty of early enemies or boredom from steamrolling through them with a late-game character. Titles like Diablo 4 and Bethesdas RPGs tend to heavily rely on level scaling, for instance.In the same interview, Patel also revealed that around a third of the team that worked on the Pillars of Eternity RPGs have worked on Avowed in some way. She also mentioned that the story in Avowed will have a point of no return at some point, beyond which players will not be able to partake in more side content. Players looking forward to exploring more of the games world will also have to start a new playthrough after the credits roll, rather than being left to explore.Patel has also revealed that Avowed will run at up to 60 FPS on the Xbox Series X. Details on its performance on the Xbox Series S, however, have not yet been revealed.PC players looking forward to Avowed can check out the required specs that Obsidian had revealed back in November. Among the minimum required hardware include mid-range CPUs from around four generations ago from Intel and AMD, and at minimum an AMD Radeon RX 5700 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, along with 16 GB of RAM.Environment region designer Berto Ritger has also revealed back in December that players will get to make fun choices in how they tackle quests. This can include completing quest objectives out of order, and even completing dungeons before you even get the quest for it to begin with. Players will also get to figure out the choices and secrets to unlock its multiple endings, of which at least ten have been confirmed.Avowed is slated for release on PC and Xbox Series X/S on February 18. It will also be coming to Game Pass on day one. More details on the title will be available once the reviews are out on February 13. In the meantime, here are our thoughts on why players that like games with choices and consequences should keep an eye on Avowed.

A team of industry veterans behindMinecraft,ValheimandDeep Rock Galactichave launched the indie publisherThreeFriends.Read More

Critics of OpenAI would say it's more empty hype designed to continue placating OpenAI's big-pocketed investors.Read More