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9 May 2024

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Can we really 'reset the internet' to make it safer for children?
Ofcom has taken a major step in setting out plans to protect children online, but hurdles remain.

Your coffee wants you to buy this smart mug, now 24% off
Common problem. We’ve all been there. You’re working from home (again), you make a big pot of coffee, you pour a cup, and 90 minutes later you’re still stuck in that Zoom meeting—and your coffee is cold. You, friend, might need a temperature-controlled smart mug. The 10-ounce Smart Mug 2 from Ember is now selling on Amazon for only $99, a 24 percent discount. We haven’t seen a cheaper price on Amazon since December 2023, when it was $85. Me, personally, I have a bit of history with so-called “smart mugs.” In 2014, I mercilessly mocked a smart mug prototype from Vessyl because it promised to do too much, like magically counting the calories of whatever it contained. But these Ember mugs have the right idea. They have just one job: to keep your beverage warm. Your coffee and tea will thank you for respecting their intended temperatures. Ember says the Mug 2 will keep your drink hot for up to 90 minutes on a full charge, or you can leave it on its coaster for full-day performance. You use an app (of course) to choose your preferred temperature between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Or you can eschew the app for 135 degrees out the box. More than 17,000 Amazon users give the Ember mug a 4.4 rating, with one even promising, “Welcome to the next level of life.” OK… sure? Hey, man, I just want warm coffee. And this looks like the answer. get the smart mug 2 for just $99 Smart Appliances

Bronze Age gold stolen during museum break-in
A torc, valued at Ł220,000 when it was bought, is one of two items dating from 3,000 years ago.

Claroty reveals flaw in traditional cyber-physical systems defence
Cyber security firm Claroty exposes a critical flaw in current vulnerability management strategies, revealing a colossal 38% of the riskiest cyber-physical system (CPS) assets go undetected by conventional methods.

More workers are using AI, but they’re ashamed to admit it
Microsoft’s latest trends index shows, unsurprisingly, that workers are capitalizing on the AI craze. But Microsoft’s report also says that they’re doing so reluctantly, and not saving an enormous amount of time in the process. Microsoft released its 2024 Work Trends Index on Tuesday, reporting what workers outside the company are telling them about how they work. Obviously, the key topic was AI, the foundation of Microsoft Copilot and Copilot-powered applications like Microsoft 365. Microsoft said that its data was acquired by surveys with 31,000 people across 31 countries, alongside “labor and hiring trends” from LinkedIn and “Microsoft 365 productivity signals.” But the data wasn’t all positive. While employers are seeking employees with AI skills, those workers aren’t being offered training to use them. Instead, they’re learning those skills on their own. Here are the most (un)surprising bits of data from Microsoft’s 2024 Work Index. Workers aren’t dumb… AI, obviously, is hot. Sixty-six percent of leaders say that they won’t hire someone without AI skills, Microsoft found. So Microsoft said that it also found that the number of workers who added AI skills like ChatGPT and Copilot to their list of LinkedIn skills increased at a whopping 142 times compared to the previous survey, with “content writers” (gulp), designers, and marketers using AI the most. Looks like AI-generated content will continue to be on the rise. Looks like AI-generated content will continue to be on the rise.Microsoft Looks like AI-generated content will continue to be on the rise.Microsoft Microsoft …but they are nervous Abot half (52 percent) of those who use AI are reluctant to admit that they’ve used it for important tasks. And slightly more (53 percent) say that if they do use it on work tasks it makes them look replaceable. Only (?) 45 percent of workers say that they’re worried that AI is going to take their jobs, however. …And overworked About 78 percent of users are bringing their own AI tools to work, a trend Microsoft calls BYOAI. But less than half of those employers are providing AI tools for their employees, and just 39 percent of those surveyed say that they’ve received training for those tools, too. About 46 percent of those surveyed said that they felt “burnt out” by work, with 68 percent saying that they “struggle” with the pace and volume of work. The vast majority (85 percent) of email is read in less than 15 seconds, and users read four emails for every one that they send. So is AI the answer? Sort of About 75 percent of “knowledge workers” use AI at work, Microsoft says. AI can be used for all sorts of things: to supply ideas, write emails, help with coding, and more. More and more, AI developers are pitching it as a way to avoid the drudgery of work. But are people actually using AI, and for what? It sounds like the answer to that is a resounding “maybe.” Power users apparently like AI, but is the time savings paying off? Power users apparently like AI, but is the time savings paying off?Microsoft Power users apparently like AI, but is the time savings paying off?Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft broke out its survey responses into groups ranging from AI “skeptics” to “power users.” Skeptics barely touch AI, and it saves them just a few minutes per day. But power users say that it saves them about 30 minutes per day, specifically to catch up on missed meetings (56 percent), to design visual content (49 percent), to interact with customers (49 percent), and to brainstorm or problem-solve (37 percent). But 46 percent of those who had used AI at work had done so for less than six months. Microsoft even commissioned a study looking at how 3,000 people used Copilot at work, and whether it made a difference. The results were somewhat inconclusive: Employees read 11 percent fewer emails, but spent the same time (or even more) in meetings. Copilot users even spent 10 percent more time editing documents in Microsoft Office, which Microsoft took as an indication that people were spending more minutes in analysis and content creation. So is AI making a difference? It’s not clear. “As AI becomes ubiquitous in the workplace, employees and businesses alike are under extreme pressure,” said Jared Spataro, the former Microsoft Office chief who is now corporate vice president of AI at Work. “The pace and intensity of work, which accelerated during the pandemic, has not eased, so employees are bringing their own AI to work.” That sounds like employees are seeking any lifeline to ease their burden, and AI just happens to be the most convenient. Professional Software, Windows

No, Intel isn’t recommending baseline power profiles to fix crashing CPUs
Intel has denied a report saying that it’s asking its motherboard partners to implement lower, “baseline” power profiles to solve instability issues and potentially Nerf performance in its 13th- and 14th-gen Core processors.. Instead, it’s the opposite: “Intel is not recommending motherboard manufacturers to use ‘baseline’ power delivery settings on boards capable of higher values,” an Intel spokesman said in an email. Many reports have bubbled up that Intel’s 13th- and 14th-generation Core chips have suffered from instability, with users experiencing crashes and Blue Screens of Death (BSODs) when playing games. Intel hasn’t said how many processors have been affected or under what conditions the instability may occur, although a leaked memo appears to blame motherboard manufacturers and their choice of turning off of safety features. That same memo indicates Intel plans a more consumer-focused statement in May. PCWorld asked for an explanation of what was going on in response to reports that Intel was supposedly going to enforce more stringent restrictions on turbo (PL2) clock speeds, which would effectively rob them of performance. Motherboard makers were reportedly being told that Intel would enforce “baseline” settings. As PC Gamer noted, Asus was one of the motherboard manufacturers to release an updated BIOS with an “Intel Baseline Profile” — but discovered that the power limits that Asus was enforcing went way over those stock or “baseline” speeds. Adding to the confusion and hand-wringing was Gigabyte’s implementation of a baseline profile that differed from others that drastically lowered the performance of the CPUs by as much as 30 percent and also appeared to use excessive voltage as well. Gigabyte had touted the new Intel baseline profile in a press release–but has appeared to have pulled it now. Intel is refusing to set “baseline” profiles It’s unclear whether Intel’s statement is designed to indirectly address how Asus implemented the “baseline” profile, or if they simply don’t apply to Intel’s Core i9-13900K/KF and Core i9-14900K/KF processors instead. But Intel said a “baseline” profile doesn’t apply to its fastest chips. “Several motherboard manufacturers have released BIOS profiles labeled ‘Intel Baseline Profile’,” Intel said in a statement. “However, these BIOS profiles are not the same as the ‘Intel Default Settings’ recommendations that Intel has recently shared with its partners regarding the instability issues reported on 13th and 14th gen K SKU processors. “These ‘Intel Baseline Profile’ BIOS settings appear to be based on power delivery guidance previously provided by Intel to manufacturers describing the various power delivery options for 13th and 14th Generation K SKU processors based on motherboard capabilities,” Intel added. “Intel is not recommending motherboard manufacturers to use ‘baseline’ power delivery settings on boards capable of higher values.” Put another way, Intel said that “baseline” power delivery profiles aren’t recommended for its 13th- and 14th-gen K-series processors. Intel is restricting PL2 values on the Core i9-13900K/KF and the Core i9-14900K/KF to 253W on both the “Performance” and “Extreme” profiles, Intel said. On the Core i9-13900KS and Core i9-14900KS, PL2 levels are set at 253W for the “Performance” and 320W for the “Extreme” Profile. Intel is also placing limits on ICCMAX power, “never” exceeding 400A at most. “Intel’s recommended ‘Intel Default Settings’ are a combination of thermal and power delivery features along with a selection of possible power delivery profiles based on motherboard capabilities,” Intel goes on. “Intel recommends customers to implement the highest power delivery profile compatible with each individual motherboard design as noted in the table below.” IDG via Intel IDG via Intel IDG via Intel Intel doesn’t seem to be specifying which implementations must use the Performance profile, and which use the Extreme profile. But it at least is an indication that Intel is working toward a solution. Falcon Northwest has also published a workaround, which it characterized as a “work in progress.” We’ve asked Intel if they understand the scope of the problem, and how (or if) RMA or warranty returns will be affected, and whether the company has seen instability on the Performance and Extreme settings. We’ll update this story if and when we learn more. CPUs and Processors