Members of the media recently received invites for an Amazon devices event in New York City on Feb. 26, which means one thing: Dont buy any Amazon devices until after the event.While Amazon hasnt explicitly said what will be shown on the big day, its always good practice to wait until after these sort of announcements to buyassuming the products are not too far away. Even if you dont see anything that interests you in the reveals, older, now outdated products are likely to get a discount in the weeks following news of their successors. You'll either get something brand new, or save on something you would have paid full price for. As for what we can expect Amazon to trot out, despite the company keeping mum, there are still a few clues to follow.Alexa goes AI This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Alexa is likely to be the star of the new event, with Amazon hiding an Alexa-centric easter egg in its invites. It turns out that different attendees got different versions of the invite, and if you put all of them together, they spell out alexa.Alexa is probably going to be the next virtual assistant to jump on the AI trend, with Amazon finally releasing the AI-powered version of the bot it teased in 2023. Since then, the companys been fairly quiet on AI Alexa, although Reuters reports that its now ready for launch, so the timing would line up.In its initial tease, Amazon said AI Alexa would be able to handle conversational prompts, read body language, and give more personalized responses to questions, although Reuters sources seem to indicate that while conversational prompts are here, other features may take some more time.The team behind Alexa has previously had difficulty getting the AI version of the chatbot to do simple tasks like set timers or shut blinds, according to reporting from Bloomberg, so there are some concerns. Hopefully, it doesnt lose any capabilities in the transition. If it does face post-launch problems, though, that might be another reason to hold off on an Amazon device for a bit.New Alexa-enabled devicesAfter leaving Microsoft in 2023, Amazon hardware chief Panos Panay is also set to be at the event, alongside his devices and services team, which seems to confirm that this wont just be a software overhaul, but that well see new hardware as well.Specifically, I would place a bet on new Echo smart speakers designed to take advantage of an AI-powered Alexa. Perhaps these would include a dedicated neural chip, or new cameras for use with the LLMs supposed ability to read body language. Its difficult to tell, but given that Amazons most recent Echo releases were more focused on the premium Echo Show, its more affordable cousins are probably due for a refresh.Similarly, Amazons Fire TVs or other smart displays could get their own upgrades that allow for better compatibility with Alexa.Dont expect new KindlesPersonally, I dont tend to use Amazon devices in my home, mostly because I dont have a smart home. The biggest exception to this is probably the Kindle, but anyone expecting a new series of Kindles can probably slow down.Thats because Amazon released a new line of Kindles just a few months ago, including its first ever color Kindle in the Kindle Colorsoft. It was a pretty robust lineup, with four options strewn across multiple price categories. With user issues multiple complaints about faulty hardware at launch, as well as what seemed to be a brief pause in shipping, Amazon is unlikely to want to take the wind out of its sails any further.

After years of waiting, the Apple TV app is finally available natively on Android devices. This version was built from the ground up to take advantage of the Android operating system and is currently ready for download from the Google Play Store. It was designed for smartphones, tablets and foldables.This is a full version of the app, with all of the stuff Apple users have come to expect. Theres a feature for picking up a show where you left off and a tool for downloading content to watch offline. It works via Wi-Fi or cellular.The app allows access to Apple TV+ content, so you can finally watch the absolute boatload of original shows the platform pumps out. Its a veritable cornucopia of sci-fi goodness, with hit shows like Severance, Silo and For All Mankind. The platform also airs non-genre fare like Ted Lasso, Shrinking and Slow Horses. New users get a free seven-day trial to the platform. Otherwise, pricing is the same as always and folks can sign up for subscriptions via Google Play.The app even grants access to MLS Season Pass content, just in time for Major League Soccers 2025 season. Sports fans can also check out a weekly MLB double-header each Friday with no local restrictions.There have been workarounds to get Apple TV content on Android devices. In the past, users were forced to enter credentials via the web app or use a Prime Video bundle. Android TVs have long had a dedicated Apple TV app, but there was no way to subscribe on the television itself. That also changed today, as Google Play now offers the ability to subscribe on Android TVs.Theres no casting support on this first version of the app, but we hope itll come soon via a future update. The Apple TV app only works on devices running Android 10 or later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/an-apple-tv-app-is-finally-available-for-android-devices-200044050.html?src=rss

The iPad mini 7 is once again on sale for $100 off via Amazon. This applies to every design variation, so the 128GB standard model is now $400 and the 512GB Wi-Fi/cellular version is $850. However, not all of the colors have been blessed by the discount fairy. Most colorways get a discount of some kind, but it may not apply to all of the hardware variations. Apples latest and greatest diminutive tablet easily found a place on our list of the best iPads. Its a solid refresh without any real tradeoffs when compared to the full-sized tablet. It supports the Apple Pencil Pro, the A17 Pro chip is plenty powerful and the overall design is comfortable to hold. Its an iPad mini. We called it a solid and necessary update to the best small tablet on the market in our official review. We came away impressed by the stereo speakers, which sound much better than one would expect. The display is nice, despite maxing out at a 60Hz refresh rate, and the camera array takes surprisingly decent shots, even in low light. Its great for everyday computing tasks and, of course, for playing mobile games like Balatro. This model doesnt include an M-series chip, though the A17 Pro is plenty powerful. Also, the battery life isnt going to be winning any awards. We struggled to squeeze ten hours of it. This model also lacks Face ID, which could be an issue for some users. Beyond these minor nitpicks, however, this is a near-perfect teensy tablet. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ipad-mini-7-is-back-on-sale-for-100-off-162536671.html?src=rss

Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.

Scientists have found a way to double the efficiency of etching in 3D NAND, speeding up its creation.

Chilis is celebrating National Margarita Day this month with a new romcom Lifetime holiday movie.The casual-dining restaurant chain and cable network will debut a 15-minute TV short film, called Ill Be Home For National Margarita Day, first airing on Lifetime on February 19 and available on Lifetime.com, YouTube, and social platforms.Starring actors Maria Menounos and Taye Diggs, the new flick hits on all the classic Lifetime tropes, including a big-city-dwelling woman returning to her hometown to reconnect with an old flame, who happens to be a bartender at Chilis. The reunited lovers must work together to save a small towns National Margarita Day celebration from the villainous big-city developer. Hes like a bad guy right out of a Lifetime movie, says Diggs during one of the films self-referential moments.I think there are parallels between why people look to Lifetime and the great content they create, as well as why people look for a night out at a place like Chilis, says Chilis chief marketing officer George Felix in an interview with Fast Company. Its a reliable source of comfort.The project also presents an appetizing marketing opportunity for Chilis, which sold 25 million margaritas last year, more than any other restaurant chain in the U.S. Chilis worked with creative agency Mischief on the film, which is a core pillar of the restaurant chains largest-ever marketing campaign for National Margarita Day, a holiday that is celebrated on February 22.We need excuses to laughChilis is also offering several margarita promos, including a one-day $5 margarita special called the Tequila Trifecta, which combines el Jimador Silver, 1800 Reposado, and Jose Cuervo Gold. When people are thinking about margaritas and a place to go out, Chilis is really the first choice, says Felix.Menounos, who plays Liz, is already well known to the Lifetime audience having previously appeared in the networks films including Christmas at Plumhill Manor and The Holiday Dating Guide. The actress says she is so charmed by the genre that she cofounded a holiday movie production company in 2024 with her husband, writer and film producer Keven Undergaro, called We Heart Holidays.Life has gotten so hard and so challenging, we need excuses to laugh, and smile, and have fun, and have margaritas, says Menounos.[Photo: Chilis]Menounos has also been a devoted fan of Chilis for well over two decades and even hired a former Chilis waiter to work at her company. Menounos says she tends to prefer appetizers including the chips and salsa, nachos, and the fried mozzarella.Beyond her love of holiday flicks, Menounos says she was lured to the project to work with a friend, Diggs, who plays Sam in the film and also previously starred in Lifetimes Terry McMillian Presents: Forever. Diggs says hes a more recent convert to the Chilis cuisine.We all knew these characters, but at the same time, its a little bit tongue in cheek, because were talking about Chilis and mozzarella sticks and margaritas, says Diggs.A bar and grill on a rollThe chain has become a star performer for restaurant operator Brinker, which also owns the Italian-themed Maggianos. Comparable restaurant sales, which tracks the performance at locations that have been open for more than 18 months, have increased steadily over the past several quarters. For the most recent fiscal second quarter, comparable restaurant sales jumped 31% at Chilis, growth that astonished Wall Street analysts, who have praised the chains comeback as one of the strongest ever in the restaurant industry.Felix says the chain has benefited from reinvesting in national TV advertising after a long pause during the pandemic, as well as a streamlined menu with 25% fewer items than two years ago. The core focus is now on five categories: burgers, chicken crispers, fajitas, margaritas, and the triple dipper.[Photo: Lifetime]The triple dipper, which allows diners to select from a range of three different appetizers, has been a particular popular dish. Last spring, Chilis began to notice some social media chatter, especially on TikTok, that frequently featured the combination of sliders, honey chipotle chicken crispers, and fried mozzarella. TikTok users were particularly drawn to performing whats known as the cheese pull as they bite into the fried mozzarella.This item really lends itself to the way that the TikTok food world works, says Felix. Chilis cultivated interest in the dish by partnering with social media influencers. The triple dipper has amassed over 200 million views on TikTok in just the past six months.The Lifetime film presents yet another opportunity for Chilis to lean into pop culture. While the networks audience tends to skew more female, Chilis says the brands overall strategy is fairly gender balanced. Recent partnerships include launching the espresso martini with the female cast members of Bravos TV show Vanderpump Rules, but other recent activations with NASCAR and the comedy group Dude Perfect lean more male.The fact that Chilis is a brand that really appeals to a wide demographic gives us, as marketers, a wide range of partners that we can play with, says Felix. Lifetime hits one of our big audiences in a big way.

If your social media suitor seems too good to be true, it might be a scam.Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms is urging users to stay vigilant about romance scams ahead of Valentines Day, warning of unsolicited messages through its apps and other social media platforms, as well as general text messages.Scammers tend to pose as attractive, single and successful individuals, Meta says. They often claim to have military, medical or business backgrounds, with photos either stolen from real peoples accounts or generated through artificial intelligence. Initially, messages are sent to a large pool of people in the hopes of getting a response. A scammer than builds trust over a period of time before they ask their target for money either by claiming hardship or offering investment opportunities, usually in cryptocurrency.Meta said it recently worked with research firm Graphika to take down romance scams in three common categories: those impersonating military officers, celebrity mimics and scammers posing as fake match-making agencies that target people in Africa claiming to offer opportunities to meet rich men from Western countries or build relationships with African women.'In addition to taking down scam networks, Meta says it is testing other tools to combat bad actors, including facial recognition technology that compares suspicious users profile photos against a public figures image. But, for now, that only works for celebrity impersonations.To stay vigilant, Meta recommends people be suspicious of messages from strangers. If you do engage, try to verify the persons identity by looking them up on the platform check when their accounts were created or use a reverse image search on their photos. Requests for money, whether in the form of gift cards or payment apps, should also be treated with skepticism.

PROS: Slim, sleek, and stylish design that can squeeze under low spaces StarSight system enables fast and accurate navigation Effective anti-tangling features Doesn't require as much manual maintenance Auto-detach mopping pads for vacuum-only or carpet cleaningCONS: A bit pricey No white colorway availableRATINGS:AESTHETICSERGONOMICSPERFORMANCESUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITYVALUE FOR MONEYEDITOR'S QUOTE:The Roborock Saros 10R represents the pinnacle of what robot vacuum cleaners are currently capable of, delivering quality-of-life features in a design that won't look out of place in a luxurious interior.Robot vacuum cleaners have definitely come a long way. From the very first flat can that bravely ventured into the treacherous terrain of your living room floor, to the sophisticated and posh self-maintaining flat cans that we have today, robot cleaners are leaving humans with fewer excuses not to keep their floors spotless. At the same time, however, were seeing a kind of uniformity in how these designs look, practically thick discs with a smaller disc on top.At CES 2025 last month, Roborock boldly shattered preconceived notions of what these machines are capable of, particularly with the Saros Z70 and its robotic arm. Now its also challenging presumptions on what robot vacuum cleaners can look like, with what could probably be one of the thinnest designs on the market. But is the Roborock Saros 10R just a pretty face or is there true power hiding behind its slim figure? We give the robot a few spins (or rather make it take a few spins) to find out.Designer: RoborockClick Here to Buy Now: $1399.99 $1599.99 ($200 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!AestheticsRobot vacuum designs are one of the biggest areas of improvement in this product category over the past few years. Gone are the bland and boring circles and boxes, replaced with forms that finally aim to blend better with our interior decor. You still have the typical utilitarian designs, of course, but the Saros 10R is fortunately not one of those.The low 10-in-1 Multifunctional Dock 4.0 is so compact and space-efficient that you might be initially dubious of its capabilities and capacity. Make no mistake, it definitely deserves that 10-in-1 title, but its a testament to Roborocks designers that it was able to cram that much in such a slim form. Even better, the box looks quite luxurious with its reflective front panels and handsome black color scheme. Unfortunately, thats also the only color option available for this model. Those who want a white robot cleaner might be interested in its twin, the Roborock Saros 10, which launched on the same day and enjoys the same discounts.The design upgrade doesnt stop at the dock either. The Roborock Saros 10R immediately sets itself apart visually with the lack of a disc protruding from its top. This is thanks to the companys fancy new StarSight Autonomous System 2.0 tech that well get to later, but its enough to give the vac a height advantage over the competition. Standing at only 3.14 inches (7.98 cm), it can easily go under furniture with a low vertical clearance, allowing it to reach more places and improve its cleaning efficiency.The dual-tone scheme of the dock continues to the vacuum itself, with the top sporting a glossy surface near the front and the rest getting a matte material. This section is actually a removable cover that gives you access to the dust bin inside. All in all, the Saros 10R definitely exudes a kind of luxury and elegance thats hopefully becoming the trend in this market segment.ErgonomicsEven the most beautiful and most powerful product would be a failure if it were difficult to use and handle. Ergonomics plays an essential part in any product design, though it ironically works in the opposite sense when it comes to robot vacuums and mops. Considering the health risks involved, the less you have to actually handle and touch the machine, the better it is, which is exactly what the Roborock Saros 10R delivers. When you do need to manually get involved, however, its mostly effortless.Self-emptying dust bin functionality should be a standard in robot vacuums in this day and age, removing the need to get your hands dirty and expose yourself to harmful chemicals. Self-washing mops are still a premium feature, though, and the Saros 10R thankfully does have it, saving you from having to wash mops by hand or wastefully replace them regularly. Roborock takes this convenience one step further with an automatic detaching feature for the mopping pads, meaning they wont have to drag the mop around if youre just vacuuming anyway.You will still have to take out the dirty water and refill the clean water tank yourself unless you opt for an additional accessory that also automates that, but the large bins are thankfully easy to lift out of the dock. Unfortunately, the removable dust bag is a slightly different story, because, unlike most designs, this one is installed sideways to conserve vertical space. This means theres a potential to spill some of the contents when youre taking it out if youre not careful, defeating the purpose of a sanitized system.PerformanceThe Roborock Saros 10R is filled to the brim with features that we dont know where to even begin. Fortunately, the majority of these features are either configured just once and you forget about it, or you dont even have to think about them in the first place. Even with all its power, the Saros 10R makes the process so simple that you rarely have to worry aside from the initial learning curve and a few mishaps here and there.Right at the top of the list of highlight features is the one that makes it possible for the robot to not have a top. The StarSight Autonomous System 2.0 replaces the typical laser-based LDS navigation system most robot vacuum cleaners use, and it puts all the sensors in front (and some at the back), removing the need to have a hump on top. Without going into the technical details, it uses the same technologies that Apples highly accurate Face ID uses to map out your face, though the Saros 10R uses that technology to map out the world in front of it instead.The result is an accurate and responsive robot that can navigate through most obstacles and accidents that are waiting to happen. Its not foolproof, especially with extra small objects or very thin cables, but it can safely navigate around toys, chair legs, and other things most of the time. And because it has made the design even thinner, StarSight practically allows the Saros 10R to reach under furniture better, allowing it to clean spaces that were previously out of reach.Another killer feature is its anti-tangling features, a true hero for households with people with long hair as well as furry family members. The innovative DuoDivide main brush uses a conical shape rather than a cylindrical brush to guide gathered hair and fur toward a specific direction, in this case, the gap between the two brushes. Because the brushes are also spinning at slightly different speeds, hairs more easily detach from the brushes and get sucked up by the vacuum. Hair today, gone later!The side brush has also been redesigned to avoid tangles and be more efficient, even though it now only has two arms. Its specially designed to reach further and push dust and hair toward the main brush without getting tangled up in them. Thanks to the FlexiArm Raiser feature, the side brush can automatically retract to avoid furniture collision and extend when it needs to reach out. In fact, one of the mopping pads also has this feature, ensuring that corners and edges are wiped just as well.One of the biggest concerns about dual-duty robot cleaners like this is when wet mopping pads touch carpets, so the Saros 10R has two solutions for these. One is to leave the mops behind as mentioned earlier, but another is the new AdaptiLift feature that can raise the chassis itself by up to 10mm and the mops for a total of 22mm, avoiding even thicker carpets and rugs. Its 4x Liftable Design also makes short work of thresholds, though the robot might struggle a bit in the first runs.Its quite impressive how fast and well the Roborock Saros 10R learns, even going as far as automatically marking some places as no-go zones after repeated failures with obstacles. In fact, most of its operations are completely automated, including cleaning itself after washing the mop to wash away any gunk that fell off from the pads. You still have complete control, of course, thanks to an easy-to-use mobile app. Given how many features are available, you might want to give the app a good look to make sure you have all the settings properly configured.SustainabilityWe havent come to a point where household appliances like these will be made using sustainable materials, but there are other wins in this regard. In particular, operating more efficiently and using fewer resources can help push its carbon footprint down. For example, the Saros 10Rs SmartPlan AI can automatically determine how much water to inject into the mopping pads so that it doesnt need to waste water. The dust bags and mops are all reusable so you dont have to throw them away unless really necessary.Maintaining and repairing the Saros 10R is also easy given its modular design. Theres a bottom cover on the dock, for example, that can be removed using a standard screwdriver in case there are clogs in the self-emptying line. The mop washer is also removable so you can clean it more easily without having to disassemble the whole dock. The Roborock Saros 10R doesnt just give peace of mind when cleaning the house but also when keeping itself clean as well.ValueTheres no going around the fact that the Roborock Saros 10R is an expensive product given its full $1,600 price tag. But to make your hearts flutter this week, Roborock is offering a $200 discount from Feb. 10 to Feb. 16. The question is whether that price tag is actually well-deserved, and the answer is a resounding yes. You are, after all, getting a ton of features to keep your house clean without much effort, and some of those features arent even found in competing products.The thin body alone, thanks to StarSight technology, has a huge impact on how much more it can reach, especially under furniture. Not worrying about tangles and getting your hands dirty from untangling brushes also takes away one more reason to even touch the machine. Quickly charging in 2.5 hours, having a real-time video feed of what it sees, and a voice-controlled AI assistant that works even without an Internet connection all add up to a product designed for comfortable living.VerdictIts hard to pick out a fatal flaw in the Saros 10R. Sure, its navigation isnt perfect, but its definitely not worse than the most capable models in the market. The fact that it can still pull that off without a bump on its head is an even bigger testament to the nascent technology. When the only deal-breakers you can think of are the price tag and the black-only color option, then you probably get the picture of what this robot cleaner really is.You can practically leave it unattended and expect to see a clean floor every time. Unless it snags on something, the only time it will even call your attention is when you need to clean out the water tanks and the dust bag, which shouldnt happen too often anyway. Its clean and elegant design also makes it quite a sight, to the point that you might even want to put it on display rather than tuck it away in a corner. The Roborock Saros 10R definitely pulls out all the stops to let you stop worrying about dirt and spills and instead channel your time and energy on things that matter more.Click Here to Buy Now: $1399.99 $1599.99 ($200 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!The post Roborock Saros 10R Robot Vacuum Review: Advanced Cleaning Features Never Looked so Beautiful first appeared on Yanko Design.

When the EU on Tuesday said it was not, at this time, moving ahead with critical legislation involving privacy and genAI liability issues, it honestly reported that members couldnt agree. But the reasons why they couldnt agree get much more complicated.The EU decisions involved two seemingly unrelated pieces of legislation: One dealing with privacy efforts, often called the cookie law, and the other dealing with AI liability.The EU decisions are in the annexes to the Commissions work programme for 2025, in Annex IV, items 29 and 32. For the AI liability section (on adapting non-contractual civil liability rules to artificial intelligence), the EU found no foreseeable agreement. The Commission will assess whether another proposal should be tabled or another type of approach should be chosen.For the privacy/cookie item (concerning the respect for private life and the protection of personal data in electronic communications), the EU said, No foreseeable agreement no agreement is expected from the colegislators. Furthermore, the proposal is outdated in view of some recent legislation in both the technological and the legislative landscape.Various EU specialists said those explanations were correct, but the reasons behind the decisions from those member countries were more complex.Andrew Gamino-Cheong, CTO at AI company Trustible, said different countries had different, and incompatible, positions.The EU member states have started to split on their own attitudes related to AI. On one extreme is France, which is trying to be pro-innovation and [French President Emmanuel] Macron used the [AI summit] this past week to emphasize that, Gamino-Cheong said. Others, including Germany, are very skeptical of AI still and were pushing for these regulations. If France and Germany are at odds, as the economic heavyweights in the EU, nothing will get done.But Gamino-Cheong, along with many others, said there is a fear that the global AI arms race may hurt countries that impose too many compliance requirements.The EU is seen as being too aggressive, overregulating and the EU takes a 2-sentence description and writes 14.5 pages about it and then contradicts itself in multiple areas, Gamino-Cheong said.Ian Tyler-Clarke, an executive counselor at the Info-Tech Research Group, said he was not happy that the two proposed bills did not go forward because he fears how those moves will influence other countries.Beyond the EU, this decision could have broader geopolitical consequences. The EU has long been a global leader in setting regulatory precedents, particularly with GDPR, which influenced privacy laws worldwide. Without new AI liability rules, other regions may hesitate to introduce their own regulations, leading to a fragmented global approach, Tyler-Clarke said. Conversely, this could trigger a regulatory race to the bottom, where jurisdictions with the least restrictions attract AI development at the cost of oversight and accountability.A very different perspective comes from Enza Iannopollo, a Forrester principal analyst based in London.Asked about the failure to move forward on the privacy bill,Iannopollo said, Thank God that they have withdrawn that one. There are more pressing priorities to address.She said the privacy effort suffered from the rapid advances in web controls, including some changes made by Google. Regulators were not convinced that they would improve things, Iannopollo said.Regarding the AI liability rules, Iannopollo said that she expects to see those come back in a revised form. I dont think this is a final call. They are just buying time.The critical factor is that another, much larger piece of legislation, called simply the EU AI Act, is just about to kick in, and regulators wanted to see how that enforcement went before expanding it. They want to see how these other pieces of the framework are going to work. There are a lot of moving parts so (delaying) is wise.Another analyst, Anshel Sag, VP and principal analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy, said that EU members are very concerned with how they are perceived globally.The real challenge is that applying regulations too early, without the industry being mature enough, risks hurting European companies and European competitiveness, which I believe is a major factor in why these regulations have been paused for now, Sag said. Especially when you consider the current rate of change within AI, theres just a chance that they could spend a long time on this regulation and by the time its out, its already well out of date. They will have to act fast, though, when the time is right.Added Vincent Schmalbach, an independent AI engineer in Munich, The most interesting part is how this represents a major shift in EU thinking. It went from being the worlds strictest tech regulator to acknowledging they need to focus on not falling further behind in the AI race.Michael Isbitski, principal application security architect for genAI at ADT, the $19 billion HR and payroll enterprise, and also a former Gartner analyst, sees the two proposed EU legislative efforts as potentially having had a massive impact on data strategies.The proposed AI rule, he said, involved the retention of AI-generated data logs. Everywhere there is some kind of AI transaction, you need to retain those logs, for every query, anywhere, Isbitski said. Think about what needs to be done to secure your requirements and controls systems, along with your cloud security. Logging seems simple, but if you look at a complete AI interaction, there are an awful lot of interconnects.However, Flavio Villanustre, global chief information security officer of LexisNexis Risk Solutions, said the pausing of these two EU potential rules will likely have no significant impact on enterprises.This means you can continue to do everything you were doing before. There will be no new constraints on top of anything you were doing, Villanustre said.But the broader issue of genAI liability absolutely needs to be addressed because the current mechanisms are woefully inadequate, he said.That is because the very nature of genAI, especially in its stochastic and probabilistic attributes, makes liability attribution virtually impossible.Lets say something bad happens, for example, with an LLM deployment where a company loses billions of dollars or there is a loss of life.There are typically going to be three possible groups to blame: the model-maker, which creates the algorithm and trains the model; the enterprise, which finetunes the models and adapts it to that enterprises needs; and the user base, which would be either employees, partners, or customers who pose the queries to the model.Overwhelmingly, when a problem happens, it will be because of the interactions of efforts by two or three of those groups. Without the new legislation being proposed by the EU, the only means of determining liability will be via legal contracts.But genAI is a different kind of system. It can be asked the identical question five times and offer five different answers. That being the case, if its developers cannot accurately predict what it will do in different situations, Villanustre wondered what chance attorneys have at anticipating all problems.That is a challenge: determining who has the responsibility, Villanustre said. This legislation was meant to define the liability outside of contracts.

Enterprises still hosting on-premises Exchange mail, its time to face reality: Microsoft will soon no longer support your infrastructure.Earlier this week, the tech giant released its final roll-up patch for Exchange Server 2019 (Cumulative Update 15). On October 14, Microsoft will officially stop supporting both Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019 meaning no more updates, technical help, bug fixes, or security patches.With end of life (EOL) pending, Microsoft customers must now either move to the fully-hosted Exchange Online or Microsoft 365, or pay for on premises Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) licenses to receive continued support and updates.Every software company out there Microsoft, Oracle are all trying to nudge gently, and sometimes not so gently, their customer base to the cloud, said Matt Kimball, a principal data center analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy. Theyre doing everything but forcing companies to move to cloud-based or SaaS-based models.Upgrade to Exchange Server SE, or stay out of date at your own riskMicrosoft will roll out Exchange Server SE early in the second half of 2025, and release the first CU for the platform later in the year. Once that happens, all other versions of Exchange Server will be out of support.Its not unexpected. Adam Preset, VP analyst at Gartner, pointed out that there have been 10 versions of Exchange Server since 1996. This is just what happens, he said.The final cumulative update for Exchange 2019 integrates all prior security patches and introduces server-side components for Feature Flighting, an optional cloud-based service that allows for immediate updating once new features are available, he said. This will help ensure stability and security up to the EOL date.Post-EOL, organizations can operate existing installations at their own risk, he said. Email is an essential and business critical workload, though, so staying on Exchange Server 2019 is unwise.To install Exchange Server SE CU1 (or later), organizations will have to first decommission and remove all older versions of Exchange, according to Microsoft. Organizations have two options when moving to the new subscription model: A legacy upgrade (introducing new servers and uninstalling old servers); or (only for 2019) an in-place upgrade (downloading and installing the latest upgrade package).In addition to purchasing required licenses, customers must also maintain an active Microsoft subscription, which means purchasing either cloud subscription licenses for all users and devices, or buying Exchange Server SE licenses with software assurance (SA).Preset pointed out that theres no substitute for checking on licensing agreements and consulting with Microsoft if an organization needs to transition to Exchange Server SE. Also, the new model will accept Exchange 2019 product keys to help simplify the upgrade process.Its time for enterprises to embrace the futureTo some, on-prem email hosting in 2025 seems like a quaint notion.Who the heck is still running Exchange on premises?, Kimball asked. I say that jokingly but I kind of mean it too.Cloud computing has grown massively over the last 15 years, and email has been typically one of the first candidates to be moved up into the cloud, he noted.Outside of super-high privacy reasons, I cant see the efficiency of running on-premises, said Kimball. However, he noted, theres always going to be a laggard customer base that is slow to adopt not even new technology, but current technology.These corner cases typically have unique privacy or regulatory requirements or it might simply come down to company culture. That points to something bigger: Youre hosting your own email and managing it a certain way because youve always done it that way, said Kimball.But thats typically not best for a business users and partners, not to mention its IT staff, who want to be doing more exciting and challenging kinds of work. Enterprises should be focused on staying current, quickly gaining access to the latest capabilities (in Microsofts case, think access to Copilot) and the absolute resiliency of the cloud, said Kimball.However, he did question Microsofts rather abrupt end-of-service for Exchange Server 2019. In other cases, even after EOL, Microsoft has been known to continue to support legacy infrastructures. Five years is not a long time to have a product in the market, said Kimball. End of support is a big thing.Important migration strategiesAnalysts emphasize that organizations on Exchange 2019 must build a strategy for migration, performing extensive planning and assessing infrastructure for a seamless transition.The first thing to do, Kimball said: Perform a cost-benefit analysis or ROI study that takes into account all direct and indirect costs, infrastructure, software, people costs, financial impact of downtime and what valuable IT staff have to do to maintain legacy environments day after day after day, the care and feeding. Then compare that to moving to hosted Exchange.Unless theres a real hard and fast regulatory requirement, I would be willing to wager that the cost benefit analysis is going to lead to a migration to the cloud, Kimball noted.Overall, enterprises, whether Microsoft customers or not, should consider migrating to the cloud when on-premises maintenance costs rise, advanced security features are required, or they want more (and better) cloud integration, said Preset.Meticulous planning is essential to ensure a smooth transition, he said.To reduce the risks of disruption when migrating, Preset suggested having IT personnel skilled in Exchange and cloud technologies, project managers, and support from vendors with migration experience. Enterprises also need to allocate budget for new licenses, potential third-party migration tools, training expenses for IT staff, and new systems.However, Preset emphasized, if you know you need to transition to cloud anyway, Microsoft is not the only game in town. If youre ready for a bigger change, it might be time to look at alternatives such as Google Workspace or other vendors with email services.