TGIF. Let’s get stuck into the tech news.
1. Motorola wins NSW contract
As reported by The Australian, Motorola has won a $10.5 million contract to upgrade emergency services communications across NSW. The funding forms part of the state government’s flood response program, and the company also received a contract to expand broadband push-to-talk technologies.
2. Western Sydney University building a supercomputer
As reported by iTNews, Western Sydney University is building a supercomputer called Deep South. The supercomputer is set to assist with neurological research, with the supposed ability to simulate networks at the scale of a human brain, mimicking biological processes in hardware. The supercomputer is expected to be operational by April 2024. “This platform will progress our understanding of the brain and develop brain-scale computing applications in diverse fields including sensing, biomedical, robotics, space, and large-scale AI applications.” International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems director Professor André van Schaik said.
3. Intel’s new Core Ultra processor
Speaking of computing, Intel’s latest chips boast big performance gains, but never mind any of that. What would be a normal annual chip refresh announcement from one of the world’s biggest silicon developers has put the biggest emphasis yet on onboard PC AI. The new chips are more powerful and more efficient, and the company said these new chips are optimised to power AI models. Part of that is the Intel AI Boost, which is the integrated neural processor engine for Intel chips. The other is the NPU, which is meant to sustain AI workloads so the processing doesn’t eat into the battery life.
4. Twitch loosens its policies
As reported by The Verge, Streaming website Twitch has loosened its policies on sexual content, and is now allowing ‘artistic nudity’ on the platform, after a wave of controversy recently around a ‘topless streaming meta’. The platform will now allow content with “deliberately highlighted breasts, buttocks or pelvic region”, provided that streams with such content have a content classification label. Pornography is still banned on the platform, although streams involving actions like pole dancing and twerking will no longer require a classification label, but ‘erotic dances’ will require a label. Twitch claims these new rules allow artists to safely draw nude characters, and mature streams involving content like what was mentioned earlier won’t appear on the home page. Twitch’s chief customer trust officer said that the former sexually suggestive content policy “was out of line with industry standards and resulted in female-presenting streamers being disproportionately penalised.”
5. Threads finally launches in the EU
After skipping the European market earlier this year when it launched in Australia and much of the rest of the world, Meta’s Instagram Threads Twitter competitor has finally launched in the EU. As reported by The Guardian, Threads originally skipped Europe because “The complexities with complying with some of the laws coming into effect next year are significant,” according to Instagram executive Adam Mosseri. It’s another blow to Twitter-now-X.
BONUS ITEM: He means well.
Just learned that the people of Tasmania are being harassed by a 600kg elephant seal named Neal. He likes to nap under cars and on the road. pic.twitter.com/7AlLcedcqf
— ashley fairbanks (@ziibiing) December 13, 2023
Have a lovely weekend.
Image: iStock