NVIDIA, a leader in graphics processing technology, continues to redefine the gaming experience. Recently, they introduced their flagship GeForce RTX 4000 series GPUs, which are more than just incremental upgrades. The advancement lies in their AI-powered features and revolutionary technologies, setting a new benchmark for the future of gaming. One of the standout innovations is the inclusion of real-time ray tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) 3.0. These technologies bring life-like lighting, reflections, and shadows to the virtual realm, creating an unparalleled level of realism. Gamers now experience worlds that look almost indistinguishable from reality. The deeper immersion drastically enhances gameplay, making every shadow, ray of light, and reflective surface contribute to an authentic experience. Furthermore, NVIDIA’s new architecture focuses on energy efficiency while delivering unprecedented power. This initiative addresses gamers’ increasing concerns about high power consumption and heating, making high-end gaming rigs more sustainable and eco-friendly. Additionally, the introduction of the NVIDIA Studio platform marks a significant shift in how content creators approach game design. Offering real-time collaboration tools powered by cloud technology, developers can streamline processes, enabling quicker turnaround and more polished gaming experiences. In the near future, NVIDIA plans to further integrate machine learning into their hardware, promising even smarter in-game AI and NPC interactions. As a result, gamers can look forward to more dynamic, responsive worlds that change based on their actions. NVIDIA’s continuous innovation ensures that the gaming industry remains on the cutting edge of technology, promising a future where games become ever more immersive and intelligent. NVIDIA’s Next-Gen GeForce RTX 4000 Series: Revolutionizing Gaming with AI and Sustainability NVIDIA continues to make waves in the gaming industry with its cutting-edge GeForce RTX 4000 series GPUs, offering groundbreaking features that extend beyond simple hardware upgrades. These advancements underscore NVIDIA’s commitment to pioneering technologies, reshaping the future of gaming. Features and Innovations The flagship GeForce RTX 4000 series introduces remarkable advancements in graphical realism through AI-powered real-time ray tracing . This feature enhances lifelike visuals by refining lighting, shadows, and reflections, offering gamers an immersive experience that borders on reality. An upgraded iteration of DLSS, the DLSS 3.0 , further amplifies this effect by utilizing deep learning to enhance frame rates without compromising image quality. Energy Efficiency: NVIDIA’s innovative architecture emphasizes energy efficiency while maintaining state-of-the-art performance. This balance addresses gamers’ concerns over power consumption and overheating, adding an eco-friendly dimension to high-end gaming systems. Use Cases and Applications The series’ enhanced capabilities are not restricted to gaming. It is instrumental for content creators using the NVIDIA Studio platform . Enabling real-time cloud-powered collaboration, it facilitates content creation and design, allowing developers to deliver more polished and timely gaming experiences. Machine Learning Integration: Anticipating future enhancements, NVIDIA aims to integrate machine learning into hardware at a deeper level. This foreseen technological leap will empower smarter AI, creating dynamic and responsive non-playable characters (NPCs) that adapt to players’ actions, thus enhancing game narratives and interactivity. Trends and Market Analysis With the growing demand for high-quality visuals and sustainable technology, NVIDIA’s enhancements in ray tracing and energy efficiency provide a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving GPU market. The emphasis on AI-driven technology aligns with industry trends leaning towards interactive and intelligent gaming ecosystems. Pricing and Compatibility While exact pricing details of the RTX 4000 series will vary based on configuration and retailer, these GPUs are positioned as premium products, reflecting their advanced specs and capabilities. They remain compatible with current gaming setups while offering future-proofing through cutting-edge tech, ensuring seamless integration with existing and forthcoming gaming components. Predictions and Future Directions NVIDIA’s trajectory suggests a continual push towards AI-driven gaming experiences, boasting more intelligent and interactive environments. As the gaming industry gravitates towards more realistic and responsive gameplay, NVIDIA’s contributions are poised to set benchmarks. Security Aspects Given the sophistication of the RTX 4000 series, security remains a pivotal concern. NVIDIA’s architecture includes robust security features to safeguard user data and maintain game integrity, ensuring a secure gaming environment against emerging threats. For more information on NVIDIA’s groundbreaking technologies, visit the NVIDIA website .
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok's Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday. But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill. Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform. The legislation is drawing unusual support in Congress In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled. The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment. TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment. The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses. The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities. TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled. Influencers descend on Washington But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal. A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews. Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique. Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence. JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children. Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity. Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok. “I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said. But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials. ____ AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report. ___ This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille. Haleluya Hadero, The Associated Press
UPI – Google Doodle included a four-minute video revealing some of the website’s most searched-for topics of 2024. Subjects included the rise of country music, Canadian singer-songwriter Celine Dion’s triumphant return after a health scare, the 2024 summer Olympics, the accomplishments of basketball greats Caitlin Clark and Steph Curry, gymnast Simone Biles, K-pop band Stray Kids, pop star Sabrina Carpenter, Thailand’s adorable baby hippo Moo Deng, Inside Out 2, the solar eclipse and Northern lights and the re-election of Donald Trump, artificial intelligence and Hurricane Helene. “This animated Doodle celebrates some of 2024’s Breakout Searches – the moments that truly defined the year and had the whole world searching for more,” Google said. “From major breakthroughs in science and technology to unforgettable performances that captivated the world, these Breakouts reveal what captured our collective imagination. “They tell stories of triumph, surprise, and innovation, like the awe-inspiring Northern Lights displays, the rare cicada emergence, and the breathtaking eclipse that united skywatchers everywhere.”Brit, 25, found dead in water at Greek port after ‘losing consciousness while diving’ as instructor & assistant arrested
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The broadcaster’s former technology correspondent, 66, was formally made an OBE by the Princess Royal for his services to journalism on Wednesday. Cellan-Jones announced in 2019 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and he has since contributed to a podcast, Movers And Shakers, discussing life with the disease. Discussing the success of the podcast, which also features Jeremy Paxman, Cellan-Jones told the PA news agency: “It’s been an absolute scream. “We’ve had the most extraordinary reaction from the Parkinson’s community. “There is a community which felt absolutely left out in the cold and this award was for services to journalism, but I can’t help but think that maybe that played some part too.” Cellan-Jones said he talked to Anne about fundraising for Parkinson’s and how technology could possibly be used to monitor the disease. The journalist added: “She showed real interest in it. “Mike Tindall, whose father’s got it, is very active in fundraising – so we talked about that.” Cellan-Jones said the OBE was “very unexpected when it came”, adding that he felt “very privileged”. He said his rescue dog from Romania, named Sophie, was “making slow progress” after becoming a social media sensation with thousands of people following her recovery online. Speaking at Buckingham Palace, Cellan-Jones said several courtiers had asked after Sophie, adding: “She’s still incredibly nervous. She’s waiting at home, she wouldn’t have liked it here – a bit too busy. “She’s making slow progress, but she’s wonderful, and she’s been very important to us.” Earlier on Wednesday, broadcaster Alan Yentob, 77, was formally made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the King for services to the arts and media. The retired television executive, who was born in Stepney, London, joined the BBC as a trainee in 1968. He devised the flagship arts programme Imagine..., which he presented on, and was creative director of the broadcaster from 2004 until 2015. Yentob stepped down from the role in the wake of the collapse of the charity Kids Company, where he was chairman. The broadcaster said Charles had been “incredibly supportive” of him. Discussing Charles, Yentob told the PA news agency: “He’s been incredibly supportive, as I said to him, on many fronts, including the fact that I was the chairman of Kids Company, and he was incredibly supportive of that in the most difficult times. “And I think the way he’s come out about his illness, and the way the Princess of Wales has too, has been admirable.” Yentob said it would be “reckless” to not support the BBC, adding “it’s a place which embraces everyone”. The broadcaster added: “If you look at the figures, it’s still doing well, even though a very substantial part of its income has been removed.” Roxy Music lead guitarist Phil Manzanera, 73, was formally made an OBE by the Princess Royal for his services to music. His most well-known band, featuring singer Bryan Ferry, is famed for hits such as Love Is The Drug and More Than This – topping the singles charts once with a cover of John Lennon’s Jealous Guy. Discussing the honour, Manzanera told the PA news agency: “It’s very moving and humbling to be amongst all these people who do absolutely incredible things. “But, obviously, I am very happy to get it for services to music and music production, because I think music helps us all in our lives in terms of improving the fabric of our lives, and it’s a great support for so many people.” The musician said he discussed his upbringing in South America and central America with Anne, having grown up in Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba. Manzanera said Anne told him that her father, Prince Philip, “once flew a Viscount plane to Caracas airport”. He said his upbringing was central to his musicianship, adding: “It’s in my DNA, the rhythms of South America. “And the musicians that we’ve all come to know through the Buena Vista Social Club were the kind of music that I started playing guitar with. “It wasn’t Bert Weedon’s Play in a Day for me, it was the music of Cuba.” Actress Shobna Gulati, 58, was formally made an MBE for services to the cultural industries, Scottish professional golfer Stephen Gallacher, 50, was made an MBE and former Arup deputy chairwoman Dervilla Mitchell, 66, received a damehood for services to engineering.Caprock Group LLC Purchases New Holdings in National Grid plc (NYSE:NGG)Miss America Madison Marsh’s journey from pageant to pilotCenter for Employment Opportunities Denver Named a Top 100 Nonprofit in North America, Awarded PepsiCo Foundation Community Impact Award
Earlier this year, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led government faced a crisis in Jharkhand as its leader, Hemant Soren, stepped down from the chief minister’s post and was jailed on corruption charges. But by Saturday evening, as counting for the state assembly election headed to a close, the JMM seemed to have bounced back. The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance government that the JMM leads in Jharkhand looked set to return for a second term in power, with an even larger mandate. As of 7 pm, the JMM had won 29 of the total 81 seats in the assembly and was leading in five seats. Of its INDIA alliance parthers, the Indian National Congress had won 15 seats and was leading in one. The Rashtriya Janata Dal had won four seats, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) had won two seats. It looked set to win at least 56 seats, up from 47 in the 2019 election. Meanwhile, of the National Democratic Alliance partners, the Bharatiya Janata Party had won 19 seats and was leading in two seats. The All Jharkhand Students Union Party had won one seat as had the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). Jairam Mahato, a candidate who had emerged as a crowd favourite, was victorious in the Dumri constituency. He was the sole winner from the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha. Political observers predicted that the election would be closely fought. However, the JMM-led coalition government seems to have strategically navigated its crises and pushed a number of welfare schemes to win over voters and secure a comfortable majority. Here are eight factors that stood out on the ground. 1. Soren’s imprisonment was an affront to Adivasi pride Chief Minister Hemant Soren was imprisoned in January on charges that he had fraudulently acquired land and got bail only five months later. The party soon made the matter a poll issue . It presented the Adivasi chief minister’s imprisonment as an affront to the pride of the Adivasis, who form 26.21% of the state’s population and are a significant vote bank for the JMM. Political analysts believe this is also what led the BJP to lose all five seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. (The state has a total of 14 Lok Sabha seats.) 2. Direct Benefit Transfer scheme for women The JMM-led government focused heavily on a number of welfare schemes. Its flagship scheme was the Maiya Samman Yojana, launched in August. It gives Rs 1,000 per month to women between the ages of 21 and 50. In October, to counter this scheme, the BJP had announced that it would launch the Gogo Didi scheme if it came to power, and promised Rs 2,100 to all women in the state. The JMM was quick to counter this move and pledged to raise the amount to Rs 2,500 from December if it returned to power. 3. Improvement of pension scheme In 2019, the JMM-led government introduced reforms to the Central government’s pension scheme, the National Social Assistance Programme, which had been underfunded for years. The Centre’s pension amounts ranged between Rs 200 and Rs 500 for three categories – old age pension, widow pension and disability pension. The Jharkhand government increased this amount to a uniform Rs 1,000, and created five categories of pension schemes – old age pension, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group pension, destitute women pension, HIV-AIDS patient pension and disability pension. It also expanded the scheme’s reach from 6 lakh people in 2019 to 40 lakh people by 2024. 4. Electricity bills waiver Another welfare policy that won the approval of voters, especially the rural poor, was the state government’s decision to waive electricity bills for low-income consumers who do not pay income tax. In August, the state government decided to waive bills amounting to Rs 3,584 crore for around 39.44 lakh consumers who are enrolled in its 200-unit free electricity scheme . 5. State housing scheme Despite the existence of the Central government’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to provide subsidised housing for low-income citizens, around 8 lakh eligible beneficiaries in the state did not avail of the scheme . In October 2023, the JMM-led government launched the Abua Awas Yojna to reach these residents. While the Central government scheme pays up to Rs 1.5 lakh for the construction of a two-room house with a kitchen, the Jharkhand government’s scheme provides Rs 2 lakh for a three-room house with a kitchen. 6. No clear BJP CM face Political analysts note that while senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, campaigned for the party in the state, there was a lack of clarity about who would occupy the chief minister’s post if the party won. One contender was former chief minister Babulal Marandi, the BJP’s state president. Another was former chief minister Champai Soren, who defected from the JMM earlier this year. Both these leaders are Adivasi, and thus declaring either as the chief ministerial candidate would have been in line with the state’s broad history – six of its seven chief ministers have been Adivasi. However, in 2014, the BJP had appointed Raghubar Das, a non-Adivasi, as the state’s chief minister, a move that political observers believe played a role in their loss in the 2019 election. The absence of a chief ministerial candidate allowed speculation to grow about whom the party might appoint if it won. By contrast, for the JMM-led alliance, the incumbent chief minister Hemant Soren was the unambiguous choice to continue in the job. 7. Over-reliance on non-Jharkhandi leaders The BJP’s election campaign was dominated by national-level leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Shah and union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and JP Nadda. Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was also a prominent face at rallies. This meant that Jharkhandi leaders such as Babulal Marandi, Champai Soren and Sita Soren remained in the background. This strategy is believed to have alienated Jharkhandi voters who, in assembly elections, are primarily concerned with state leaders. 8. BJP’s infiltrator narrative failed The BJP’s key focus this election was on the infiltrator narrative – party leaders alleged that Bangladeshi Muslims had infiltrated Jharkhand’s Santal Pargana division, married Adivasi women, grabbed land and altered the region’s demography and cultural identity. However, this narrative did not seem to gain much traction. Earlier this year, Scroll travelled to Santal Pargana and found that in at least 10 instances, the BJP’s claims of Muslims marrying Advasi women to claim land did not stand scrutiny. Later, in our election coverage, we found that Adivasi voters were more concerned with civic issues than the threat of infiltrators. The JMM was quick to respond to the allegations by noting that Jharkhand did not share borders with Bangladesh and that the Central home ministry headed by Amit Shah was responsible for preventing illegal migration into the country.