Something to look forward to: As exciting as the world of large language models may be, it's clear that the tech industry is moving fast and beyond the capabilities current GenAI tools to enter a new phase focused on AI-powered agents. At the developer-focused Microsoft Build event, the company made this next stage in AI evolution evident through a wide range of announcements that point to how software agents can extend LLM capabilities into more sophisticated and far-reaching applications. The buzzword Microsoft used at Build was the "agentic web." However, the agent-based opportunities the company described aren't limited to the web or cloud-based applications – they also extend to Windows and other client-based environments. In building out its vision for agents, Microsoft introduced a variety of developer tools to easily create agents and unveiled several new prebuilt ones. The company also discussed capabilities for organizing and orchestrating the actions of multiple agents. Most notably, Microsoft introduced mechanisms for treating agents as "digital employees" – complete with identities and access rights managed through the company's Entra digital identity and authentication framework. On the development front, Microsoft debuted the GitHub Copilot coding agent, designed to streamline the creation of AI applications and agents. Described as "an agentic partner," the Copilot coding agent was likened to a coworker who can assist with parts of a development project, such as refactoring old code or fixing bugs. For non-programmers, Microsoft also showcased a set of low-code/no-code tools for agent creation, including Copilot Studio. Additionally, the company introduced the concept of Computer Use Agents, which can perform actions across a computer screen as a human would. CUAs are capable of interacting with websites and applications in ways not possible through traditional APIs alone. With the launch of Copilot Tuning, Microsoft is making it easier for users to fine-tune existing LLMs using their own content, enabling the creation of personalized agents tailored to specific tasks. For example, an agent could learn to write in an individual's style or incorporate an organization's specialized knowledge into content generation. This capability opens up new possibilities for a broader range of users. Conceptually, this is similar to the idea of a personal RAGtool, a concept that garnered attention over the past year but never quite went mainstream. Microsoft's agent-based approach through Copilot Tuning simplifies the process by allowing users to select documents to augment the model's training set – potentially making a bigger impact. One of the key themes Microsoft emphasized at Build was how coordinating multiple agents can unlock even more powerful capabilities. The company showcased orchestration mechanisms for linking and synchronizing different agents' actions. In Copilot Studio, for instance, developers can connect several agents to handle more complex tasks collaboratively. // Related Stories Perhaps the most striking announcement was the ability to register agents within Entra. This seemingly minor detail carries significant implications – it effectively elevates autonomous software into the role of a digital employee. While the real-world deployment and limitations of these "digital employees" remain to be seen, the fact that this concept is under serious consideration underscores just how groundbreaking – and potentially disruptive – agent-based AI could become. Notably, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also spoke about digital agents as employees in his keynote at Computex, highlighting the broader industry momentum behind the idea. Microsoft also made several announcements around developing standards. The company strongly endorsed both the Model Context Protocoland Agent-to-Agentstandards. MCP provides a unified method for interacting with LLMs across different models and environments, while A2A defines a common protocol for agent communication and collaboration. In keeping with this open approach, Microsoft announced broader model support across most of its development tools. While the company hasn't formally released its own LLMs yet – aside from the Phi family of Small Language Models– the inclusion of hundreds of models in Azure AI Foundry suggests Microsoft is moving away from its initial reliance on OpenAI and embracing greater model diversity. It wouldn't be surprising if Microsoft introduces its own family of LLMs in the near future. For Windows developers, Microsoft introduced several new features to simplify building and running AI agents and applications on PCs. These tools are designed to leverage the diverse silicon now available in Copilot+ PCs. Windows Foundry – the successor to Windows ML Runtime – addresses a key challenge: supporting the varied NPU and GPU architectures from Qualcomm, Intel, AMD, and Nvidia. By providing a translation layer that optimizes app code for the available hardware, Windows Foundry should encourage more development of AI-accelerated Windows apps. Microsoft also introduced Local Foundry, which expands the range of models developers can use and supports integration with external platforms such as Nvidia NIMs. Thanks to Nvidia's newly announced TensorRT for RTX PCs, developers can now run CUDA applications on PCs with Nvidia RTX GPUs, opening up yet another mechanism for bringing AI-accelerated applications to PCs. Finally, with MCP support in Windows 11, AI agents can now serve as intermediaries across different applications registered as MCP servers. This opens the door to automating complex, multi-step workflows across multiple applications. While this will likely start on a single PC, MCP also enables distributing tasks across various environments – paving the way for advanced, hybrid AI applications. As with most Microsoft Build events, the sheer volume of announcements can be overwhelming. What's becoming increasingly clear is that agents – and the tools and protocols enabling them – are ushering in a new era of AI development. These next-gen agents move beyond chatbots and toward more powerful, structured AI applications. They're even laying the groundwork for digital "coworkers" who could dramatically reshape how organizations operate and how work gets done. Bob O'Donnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a technology consulting firm that provides strategic consulting and market research services to the technology industry and professional financial community. You can follow him on X @bobodtech Should there be less focus on programming skills because of generative AI? #microsoft #build #chatbots #digital #coworkers

Hideo Kojima's next espionage game Physint won't be out for a few years yet Could it be on PlayStation 6? Image credit: Kojima Productions News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on May 19, 2025 Hideo Kojima's forthcoming espionage game Physint won't be released for quite a few years yet. Kojima's next game, Death Stranding 2, is on the cusp of release, but Physint is already in development alongside Xbox horror game OD. He even wants to create a film as well, but these game projects are a priority first. "Besides Death Stranding 2, there's Physint in development," Kojima told French magazine Le Film Français. "It'll take me another five or six years. But maybe after that, I could finally decide to tackle a film." 8 Things You Need To Know About Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - Hands On Preview, New Gameplay. Watch on YouTube He continued: "I grew up with cinema. Directing it would be a kind of homage to it. Besides, I'm getting older, and I'd prefer to do it while I'm still young." Kojima is now 61 years of age, meaning Physint won't be released until he's into his late 60s and, at this rate, a film won't be likely until he's in his 70s. And with a few years to go until Physint, does that mean it could release on Sony's next console? Back in 2022, a confidential document suggested the company wouldn't expect a PlayStation 6 until at least 2027. Of course, that may have changed to even later now. Kojima first announced Physint in 2024, describing it as "the third, new original IP since the establishment of Kojima Productions" and a "completely new 'Action Espionage' for the next-generation". Many fans are expecting it to rival Metal Gear, the series Kojima is most known for. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Death Stranding 2 certainly has more than a shade of Metal Gear to it, both in its expanded combat options and its story themes. At a recent preview for Death Stranding 2, Kojima mentioned the desire from fans for a new Metal Gear game inspired Physint. "Of course, I have lots of new ideas that I want to create," he said. "But when I became sick during the pandemic, I realised that a lot of people wanted me to make something like Metal Gear. That's when I had the idea for a new espionage game. I reflected, and thought the idea was good. I took it to Sony and they were incredibly supportive. We explored many options, and we agreed on doing Physint." Still, he told Edge Magazine he's not "interested in appealing to the mass market", after test reviews for Death Stranding 2 came out positively. "Sony is pleased, of course, but I do wish it was a bit more controversial," said Kojima. "Blockbuster films need an 80 percent approval rating - I don't want to make games like that. I'm not interested in appealing to the mass market, or selling millions of copies. That's not what I'm aiming for." #hideo #kojima039s #next #espionage #game

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach director Hideo Kojima has compared the upcoming sequel to its predecessor by bringing up the differences between classic sci-fi horror movie Alien, and its more action-packed sequel Aliens. In an interview with Edge magazine, Kojima brought up how Ridley Scott’s Alien was more frightening and mysterious. “The first Ridley Scott film was so frightening,” said Kojima. “There were facehuggers and monsters bursting from people’s chests, and at first nobody knew what it was all about.” In comparison, Cameron had to work on a movie where the audience was already quite familiar with some of the scarier aspects of the original Alien. According to Kojima, Cameron was able to bring in a new layer of mystery and unfamiliarity by making the sequel an action movie. “When James Cameron came to make the sequel, Aliens, he made a very smart decision to make the film not about horror, but about action,” he explained. “It gave the story a new dimension, which was unfamiliar.” Kojima explained that this is the approach he wanted to take with the sequel to Death Stranding. Whereas the original had quite a bit of mystique to it, especially considering how strange and alien some of aspects of the game’s world feel, like DOOMs and BTs, since players will be more familiar with these things in the sequel, the game can feature more action. “That is what I wanted to do with this sequel,” he said. “Everyone understands Death Stranding’s world, so now we’ve introduced battles to give it this new dimension.” Previously, Kojima has also compared Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, saying in an interview that “I felt that myself when I played the game.” He has also revealed that internal audience reception to Death Stranding 2 has been quite positive. In an interview, he revealed that audience test reviews for the upcoming sequel have been even more positive than they were for the original Death Stranding. Kojima also spoke about how he takes different types of feedback into account. While gameplay elements might see some changes depending on feedback, he will never make changes to the game’s themes and stories. “I do listen to criticism, if the controls need tweaking or if a camera pan is too slow or too fast. But I don’t alter themes or story based on feedback,” Kojima said. “Of course, I want people to play my game, so I must listen to them to a certain extent. But also, I’m not interested in making something that appeals to everyone.” When it comes to making games with mass appeal, Kojima just doesn’t seem to be a fan of the idea. Rather, he said that he was more interested in making a game where 4 out of 10 players liked it, while the others hated it. “In fact, I did a lot of monitoring tests for the original Death Stranding. I’d find that four out of ten people would love the game, but six would say it was a terrible game. For me, I think that’s a good balance. But with the playtests for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, everyone seems to be positive.” Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming to PS5 on June 26. #death #stranding #beach #director #says

Posted on : May 19, 2025 By Tech World Times General  Rate this post In the world of YouTube family channels, few names were as recognizable as Ruby Franke. As the face of the now-controversial “8 Passengers” channel, Ruby built an online empire around her family’s daily life. With millions of views and hundreds of thousands of subscribers, the Franks were seen as a model of wholesome family living. But the release of the Ruby Franke Documentary has flipped that image on its head, exposing deeper issues about the ethics and consequences of family vlogging. The Rise of “8 Passengers” Before the controversy, Ruby Franke was a successful family vlogger, creating content centered on parenting, home-schooling, and family routines. The “8 Passengers” channel showcased Ruby, her husband Kevin, and their six children. At its peak, the channel attracted over 2.5 million subscribers and millions of views per video. The formula was simple: share intimate family moments, from morning routines to discipline methods. Ruby was praised by some viewers for her strict parenting style and transparency. However, as the channel gained popularity, so did criticism—particularly over what many perceived as invasive and harsh treatment of the children. The Breaking Point: Public Scrutiny and Legal Fallout As the channel grew, so did the backlash. Numerous clips began to circulate on social media showing moments of Ruby disciplining her children in ways that many viewers considered inappropriate. Examples included food deprivation, emotional punishment, and on-camera humiliation. Critics argued that these instances crossed a line, raising questions about children’s rights, consent, and psychological harm. The Ruby Franke Documentary delves deep into these moments, featuring interviews with child psychologists, social media analysts, and even former fans. The documentary chronicles how online criticism grew into widespread concern and ultimately led to intervention by child welfare authorities. In 2023, Ruby was arrested on charges related to child abuse, and her case drew international attention. The documentary not only unpacks the events leading to her legal troubles but also examines how platforms like YouTube can incentivize extreme behavior when attention equals income. The Ethics of Family Vlogging One of the central themes of the Ruby Franke Documentary is the ethical dilemma posed by family vlogging. While countless parents vlog their family lives with good intentions, the genre often blurs the line between entertainment and exploitation. Children, lacking the ability to consent meaningfully, become content—every tantrum, every mistake, and every punishment is broadcast for views. Ruby Franke’s case is not the first to spark these concerns, but it is perhaps the most high-profile example of how far things can go. The documentary raises critical questions: Should children be allowed to be featured prominently in monetized online content? Where should society draw the line between parenting and performance? What responsibility do platforms have in moderating family content? Public Reaction and Fallout Public opinion on Ruby Franke shifted drastically following the release of the documentary and the revelations about her parenting methods. Once a beloved momfluencer, Ruby became a symbol of the darker underbelly of online fame. Her arrest, and the subsequent legal proceedings, were widely covered by both mainstream media and social platforms. Many former fans expressed betrayal and guilt for having supported the channel for years. Others noted that the warning signs had been present for some time but were ignored due to Ruby’s persuasive, polished presentation. The Ruby Franke Documentary includes interviews with viewers, mental health experts, and advocacy groups who now call for stricter regulations on child content online. The Aftermath and Industry Impact The fallout from the Ruby Franke scandal has had ripple effects across the family vlogging industry. Some family influencers have chosen to scale back their content, blur their children’s faces, or even step away from YouTube entirely. Discussions around child labor laws in the digital space have also intensified. Several states in the U.S., inspired in part by cases like Franke’s, are considering legislation that would protect minors featured in monetized online content—potentially requiring permits, earnings disclosures, and limits on what content can be shared. As the Ruby Franke Documentary continues to gain attention, it has sparked a broader movement for ethical family vlogging. It challenges both creators and viewers to consider the consequences of consuming and monetizing a child’s private life. FAQs: Q1: What is the Ruby Franke Documentary about? The documentary explores Ruby Franke’s rise and fall as a popular family vlogger, focusing on ethical concerns, public backlash, and her eventual legal troubles.Q2: Why did Ruby Franke face legal issues? Ruby Franke was arrested in 2023 on charges related to alleged child abuse, which came after years of public scrutiny over her parenting practices shown on YouTube.Q3: What are the main takeaways from the Ruby Franke Documentary? The documentary highlights the ethical issues of family vlogging, including children’s rights, online exploitation, and the influence of monetized digital content on parenting behavior.Q4: How has the family vlogging community reacted? Many vloggers have become more cautious, with some quitting altogether. There is growing support for legal protections for children featured in monetized content.Q5: Can I still watch the 8 Passengers YouTube channel? As of now, the channel’s content has been largely removed or made private, and the family is no longer actively vlogging.Tech World TimesTech World Times, a global collective focusing on the latest tech news and trends in blockchain, Fintech, Development & Testing, AI and Startups. If you are looking for the guest post then contact at techworldtimes@gmail.com #exploring #dark #side #family #vlogging

Table of ContentsDetailing the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 for DesktopsNvidia's First Performance Claims Show Great Promise for Mainstream PC GamersSome Brief Details on the RTX 5060 Laptop GPUNvidia RTX Remix Returns to Make Portal RTX Even BetterThe Takeaway: A Hot GPU Release Without Tested Reviews Creates a Catch-22 for Buyers Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card and mobile GPU have landed online and on store shelves, promising budget-bound buyers frame rates in the 100s in the 100-plus games that support its DLSS 4 optimization techniques.However, we haven’t had the chance to test an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 in either form factor due to a day-one performance driver update release.With desktop RTX 5060 GPUs going forand gaming laptop models starting at the new RTX 5060 is the most affordable way to test out Nvidia’s latest graphics technology. While I recommend you wait for our reviews of RTX 5060 products before buying one, if things go the same as other RTX 50-series releases this year, RTX 5060 desktop GPUs could easily run out of stock moments after launch, forcing you to either buy now or wait.Detailing the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 for DesktopsI've noticed a few common themes with Nvidia’s RTX 50-series graphics cards, which I see again with the RTX 5060. In addition to running a new graphics architecture, RTX 50-series graphics cards ship with higher core counts than their predecessors in the RTX 40-series. This trend is also true for the RTX 5060, which contains 3,840 CUDA cores to the RTX 4060’s 3,072. This upgrade alone should help to give the RTX 5060 a leg up over the RTX 4060 in terms of performance.Nvidia also opted to equip the RTX 5060 with GDDR7 memory, which will also help boost performance in several areas. The RTX 5060 has a 128-bit memory interface, just like the older RTX 4060, and this has been shown to limit performance, particularly at beyond-HD resolutions. GDDR7 VRAM doesn’t fully resolve this issue. However, GDDR7 memory is faster and provides more bandwidth than GDDR6 memory, so it helps reduce the impact of the narrow 128-bit interface on gaming performance.Nvidia's First Performance Claims Show Great Promise for Mainstream PC GamersAs a member of the RTX 50 series, the RTX 5060 supports Nvidia’s newest gaming features, including DLSS 4, which uses multi-frame generation technology. This tool uses the GPU's Tensor co-processor cores to analyze frames rendered originally by the GPU's CUDA and shader cores and generate up to three new frames for each one, increasing frame rates. Nvidia shared some performance numbers for several games to show how the RTX 5060 will perform. However, all of these test results were using DLSS 4.With DLSS 4, the RTX 5060 can run all of the games Nvidia listed at more than 100 frames per second, but using DLSS 4 introduces image quality issues and increased latency. You can use DLSS to get higher frame rates if you can’t otherwise play the game, but in general, so long as you are getting a reasonable frame rate without it, you would be better to leave it turned off. Of course, being a lower-midrange GPU, DLSS will surely help budget-bound gamers keep up with the latest games.Recommended by Our EditorsNvidia used a similar testing methodology earlier when it announced the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 would be able to perform on a similar level to an RTX 4090. While that was buzzy, it also stretched the truth more than a bit as the RTX 4090 is far faster than the RTX 5070. You should interpret these test scores for the RTX 5060 with similar skepticism until we can test an RTX 5060 in PC Labs.Some Brief Details on the RTX 5060 Laptop GPUAt launch, Nvidia said that every capable PC manufacturer will sell RTX 5060-equipped laptops. While we don’t have the full details of these systems yet, the RTX 5060 will appear in gaming laptops as thin as 14.9mm. The starting price of these gaming laptops is suggested to be at leastThe mobile version of the RTX 5060 runs with a target graphics powerof between 45 wattsand 100W. The 45W models will likely also be labelled Max-Q or Blackwell Max-Q, as Nvidia has used Max-Q to signify GPUs running in a lower power mode for some time now.Nvidia RTX Remix Returns to Make Portal RTX Even BetterThough not directly related to the RTX 5060, Nvidia also took advantage of its press preview to discuss its latest software achievements. In addition to more games supporting DLSS 4, Nvidia also discussed updates to its RTX Remix technology, which helps to improve the image quality of legacy PC games using advanced techniques.To demonstrate this, Nvidia has an update to the Portal RTX mod it released two years ago to improve the graphics of the original Portal game using its advanced image optimization techniques like DLSS and ray tracing. This latest Portal RTX update will now use DLSS 4 and Nvidia’s RTX Neural Radiance Cache technology to demonstrate what this technology can do for an older game.The Takeaway: A Hot GPU Release Without Tested Reviews Creates a Catch-22 for BuyersIf you’re interested in buying an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card for your desktop PC or looking for a laptop equipped with this new GPU, you should start looking now. These products are available now, but they may be in short supply. Every desktop graphics card released this year has run out of stock for at least a brief period within moments of launch, and nothing suggests otherwise for the RTX 5060.Though I would recommend waiting to check reviews first so you know better what you are buying, that may not be an option if you want an RTX 5060 sooner rather than later. Nvidia says that part of the delay in sampling the RTX 5060 is due to last-minute driver optimizations to ensure the RTX 5060 performs well on launch day. Drivers for the RTX 5060 should roll out on May 19, the graphics cards' release day, leaving no time for tested reviews before initial stock more than likely runs out. Sadly, if you don't want to wait for the next wave of stock in this economically unstable environment, you'll be buying blind. #nvidia039s #rtx #laptops #desktops #promises

If the word Kaleidoscope means anything to you, you’re in for a treat. As spotted by Rob Beschizza, Mac Themes Garden features a collection of nearly 4,000 Classic Mac OS GUI customizations. The site is a collection of pixelated bliss, and whether you’re already feeling fuzzy inside or have no idea what I’m talking about, you won’t want to miss out on this. All your favorite classic Mac OS themes, and then some Many years before Apple launched Appearance Manager, which let users natively customize the GUI on Mac OS 8, there was Kaleidoscope: “the ultimate in user interface customization, letting you completely overhaul your Mac’s user interface using plug-in Color Scheme files,” as the project’s description used to state. Kaleidoscope offered an easy way to apply themes to the entire system, and even after Apple released Appearance Manager, it remained the tool of choice to most Mac customization enthusiasts. So much so that Apple announced a tool that would easily import Kaleidoscope themes into Appearance Manager schemes. The tool was never released. After the launch of Mac OS X, Kaleidoscope stopped working. Like Winamp skins and Geocities webpages, these themes were lost in time—until now. Building on the work of the defunct Twitter account @kaleidoscopemac and the Kaleidoscope Scheme Archive on The Wayback Machine, French software engineer Damien Erambert launched Mac Themes Garden. It is a comprehensive index of Kaleidoscope themes, searchable by scheme and authors. From the classic BeOS theme to an adaptation of Apple’s failed Copland OS project, you can check out screen grabs and even download the actual themes, when available. Are you among the distinguished 9to5Mac readers who happened to catch the Kaleidoscope era? Did you have a favorite scheme? Let us know in the comments! Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel #feeling #nostalgic #mac #themes #garden

We really did get Windows on the Game Boy before we got GTA VI! Ever stare at a Game Boy Color and think, “This thing needs Windows”? No? Well, now you will. GBS Windows by Ruben Retro is a ridiculous, beautiful, perfectly unnecessary but deeply satisfying piece of nerd culture. It’s a full-blown tribute to Windows 3.1 packed into a 512KB Game Boy cartridge. It boots, it beeps, it has a fake startup sequence, a bootable file directory, and yes, you need to type ‘cd windows’ followed by ‘win’ to get going – except you don’t really type. You just mash buttons and bask in the illusion. The Game Boy Color itself was never meant for this. Released in 1998, it ran a custom Sharp LR35902 processor at 8 MHz, had a 160×144 pixel screen, supported 32,768 colors, and took two AA batteries. It was built for basic 8-bit gaming, but this cartridge turns it into a gorgeously retro Windows machine, complete with a GUI, windows that maximize and minimize, and yes – it even comes withMS Paint! Designer: Ruben Retro GBS Windows comes loaded with a faux-multitasking interface that lets you navigate between a media player, Minesweeper, a piano keyboard, an arcade-style cannon defense game, and a literal paint app! Every interaction is deliberately clunky in the most loving way. You have to double-click icons to launch, and launching apps has noticeable load times that feel like you’re back on a 486 with 4MB RAM. Heck, booting the system also displays a parody of the famous American Megatrends page before loading command prompt. ‘Type’ the command and it magically loads the Windows GUI, with all the apps. The whole thing runs on a flash ROM, not a mask ROM, so the data is rewritable. There’s even a CR2032 battery inside, although – plot twist – nothing in the cartridge actually uses it. There’s no save functionality. You can’t store high scores, paint drawings, or piano loops. That battery is just there, waiting. It’s the Schrödinger’s save feature of the Game Boy world. My earliest memories of a Windows PC were playing Solitaire and Minesweeper on a crusty old computer. Given that this probably isn’t powerful enoughto run Solitaire, the GBS Windows does, however, come with a fully operational version of Minesweeper, complete with the Windows theme and graphics. You move a cursor around and play the game, and the best part is that even though GBS Windows is only compatible with Game Boy Colors, the cartridge actually works with Game Boy Classic consoles too, loading just a b/w version of Minesweeper that you can play. The media player is a surprise hit. Featuring chiptune renditions of themes inspired by Dr. Mario, Mega Man, and a few original compositions like “Free City” and “Seaside”, it’s all courtesy of the prolific Beatscribe. The music can even keep playing while you tinker around in other apps, a multitasking miracle on hardware with the power of a digital calculator. Now the paint app. Grayscale only, of course, because we’re not monsters trying to make this thing too modern. What sets it apart is support for the Game Boy Printer, which means you can actually print your pixel scribbles onto tiny thermal stickers. Assuming your ancient paper hasn’t turned to dust, it works. You get low-res joy printed in faded thermal gray. Sadly, you can’t save any of your creations, which I really do wish were a feature! GBS Windows even has a piano app modeled after the childhood Casio PT-10. It doesn’t save your compositions, and no, the tempo doesn’t go as fast as your hyperactive eight-year-old self might want, but it plays tones, loops tracks, and does it all in glorious 8-bit charm. Combine that with Cannon Defense, which uses a virtual mouse cursor to shoot enemies in real time, and you’ve got more interaction in this cartridge than most mobile apps pretending to be “retro” ever bother to deliver. And then, out of nowhere, you get a Blue Screen of Death. A proper blue screen, mid-session, that lets you return to Windows. That’s sacrilegious in a way that makes you laugh out loud. Windows never let you come back. Windows was the friend who crashed your party and then set your house on fire. GBS Windows is the friend who imitates that friend and then hands you a soda. The entire project is engineered to delight anyone who remembers when computing was tactile and weird and ran on 1.44MB of possibility. Before Teams crushed spontaneity. Before Copilot started writing emails you didn’t want to send. Before Excel became the only app your boss respected. GBS Windows is a microdosed hit of digital nostalgia. It’s gloriously inefficient. It’s pixelated comfort food. It’s a Windows tribute, playable on a Game Boy, and it reminds you why tech was once magical and not just managerial.The post This Game Boy Runs Windows 3.1, Plays Music, Minesweeper, and Even Has a Blue Screen of Death first appeared on Yanko Design. #this #game #boy #runs #windows

Author: Sophia Banton Originally published on Towards AI. Steve Jobs once said, “Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.” These were the tools that were given to me so that I could fly, by the giants on whose shoulders I stand. PyMOL: Seeing Beauty in Science I remember it like it was yesterday. I was working on an assignment in class. Following the steps carefully, I watched as it happened: proteins appeared as beautiful ribbons on the screen, their intricate structures swirling in vibrant colors. In that moment, I was captivated by PyMOL, a computer program for viewing biological molecules in 3D. Warren Delano’s PyMOL wasn’t just a visualization tool — it was a window into the elegance of science. PyMOL taught me that data is more than information — it’s art, and that technology and science are deeply intertwined. It was also my first interaction with open-source software — free tools that bring opportunities to anyone, anywhere. This insight, the power of accessible technology, has endured among my fundamental beliefs. With PyMOL, I found the gateway to the next chapter of my journey. An image I created with PyMOL was central to my first scientific publication. That image remains on the opening page of my portfolio today, a testament to the power of visualization. That publication led to my first professional role in science, where I discovered the tool that would open the door to endless possibilities. R: Freedom to Create with Code In that role I discovered R, a programming language for graphics and statistics — it was love at first byte. Unlike PyMOL, R was my first self-taught adventure, mastered at home with just an Amazon-bought book and determination. While other programming languages felt like strict rule books, R was an artist’s palette. Its quirky symbols and flexible approach felt like an invitation to be creative with code. R became my key to exploring data, ultimately unlocking the most impactful opportunity on my path. The data manipulation skills I developed in R led me to the frontiers of innovation — a new role in biomedical research. R wasn’t just a tool; it became a trusted companion for weaving together complex data — from genomics to clinical information. With R, data analysis was just the beginning. The next tool allowed me to mesmerize audiences with the beauty of data. ggplot2: Turning Data into Colorful Stories Like my discovery of PyMOL, my first encounter with Hadley Wickham’s ggplot2 resonated deeply. This visualization toolkit for R, built on the principles of the grammar of graphics, transcended data into stories told through colors, patterns, and shapes. I wasn’t just analyzing data anymore; I was uncovering hidden stories. These plots had elements of style that would impress Van Gogh — themes, borders, and vibrant palettes. The result? Multiple scientific publications and a new identity: “the woman who makes pretty plots”. But like PyMOL and R, ggplot2 taught me that success isn’t just about achievements — it’s about empowering others. Inspired by the open-source community, I created an online ggplot2 course. The most rewarding moment? When a colleague from another continent recognized me from my course and warmly shook my hand. Yet ggplot2 wasn’t the final chapter — it was another stepping-stone on my road of discovery. Plotly: Making Data Come Alive ggplot2 revealed the beauty of data, but Plotly in R taught me how to make visualizations interactive with clickable charts and dynamic features. Visualizations were no longer just static images on screens — they could come alive. Plotly also allowed me to fine-tune my skills in another programming language called Python. Plotly in Python opened doors to freelance opportunities in data visualization. These projects boosted both my skills and confidence. These experiences prepared me for my leap into industry, where I would turn tools into solutions. But before that transition, there was one more tool in R to master — it would become my most trusted companion. R Shiny: The Catalyst for Transformation R had become the backbone of my career when I stumbled upon something unexpected — R Shiny, a tool for creating web apps in R. I stared at the screen in awe, remembering the first time I saw protein ribbons in PyMOL. I used online resources to teach myself R Shiny. R Shiny brought everything together: R’s analytics, ggplot2’s beauty, and Plotly’s interactivity. Now I could share data through intuitive web apps, no more creating endless PowerPoint presentations. Shiny became my treasured companion and the cornerstone of my budding career. R Shiny wasn’t just a tool — it was a career catalyst. Making apps wasn’t part of my original plan — honestly, there was no plan. But learning R Shiny gave me the confidence to tackle new challenges beyond the academic environment I called home. Shiny in Action: Empowering Users and Solving Problems I joined a startup where I used Shiny to detect fraud — my first venture beyond academia into the world of technology professionals. Then came an opportunity that would tie all my tools together. Still new to industry, I was unfamiliar with recruiters, hiring practices and corporate culture. But I did what I had always done, I used my best tools. The hiring process required a hands-on use case, so I built a Shiny app in two intense days. That app got me the job. Within this new role, R Shiny gave me my first industry publication and first published app. Like PyMOL opened the door to science, R Shiny introduced me to the complexities of working in industry. Each new app connected me with different business functions — from Marketing to Medical Affairs — teaching me about collaboration, resilience, and servant leadership. These experiences prepared me for an unexpected shift — the rise of AI that transformed how we interact with technology. Generative AI: Redefining Interaction The release of ChatGPT marked a turning point in how people interacted with technology. I turned to my trusted friend — R Shiny — to quickly build examples of what this new technology could do. Within two months of the release of ChatGPT, we had our first generative AI application running. Once again, R Shiny proved to be an invaluable tool for embracing the future. By the next year, generative AI had infiltrated industries, creating new opportunities for innovation. At work, I had the chance to contribute to an exciting generative AI project. The increasing demands for flexibility led me to transition to Shiny for Python, combining Shiny’s elegance with Python’s vast AI resources. The application proved successful enough to move from a prototype to an operational solution within the company. Shiny had evolved, and so had I. No longer just “the woman who makes pretty plots and apps”, I stepped into the future of AI with my trusted companion at my side. Because regardless of the engines that power AI, the need to make data accessible and interactive will always remain. My Tools, My Teammates Looking back, these weren’t just tools — they were teammates. PyMOL revealed the beauty of science. R offered boundless creativity. ggplot2 and Plotly turned data into stories. Shiny transformed me from a scientist to an innovator, ready for the AI revolution. Each tool shaped who I am, and together they taught me the most important lesson: technology’s true power lies not in the code, but in how it empowers people to do wonderful things. About the Author Sophia Banton is an Associate Director and AI Solution Lead in biopharma, specializing in Responsible AI governance, workplace AI adoption, and building and scaling AI solutions across IT and business functions. With a background in bioinformatics, public health, and data science, she brings an interdisciplinary lens to AI implementation — balancing technical execution, ethical design, and business alignment in highly regulated environments. Her writing explores the real-world impact of AI beyond theory, helping organizations adopt AI responsibly and sustainably. Connect with her on LinkedIn or explore more AI insights on Medium. Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming a sponsor. Published via Towards AI #journey #tools #that #opened #each