Be Careful, If You Disable YouTube Watch History, Your Home Page Will Be Almost Blank

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August 9, 2023

If you’ve turned off your YouTube watch history or if you’re a new account holder, your YouTube homepage will look starkly different. Instead of a plethora of recommended videos, you’ll be greeted by a blank page. That’s right, a blank page! The only things visible will be the search bar and buttons for “Shorts,” “Subscriptions,” and “Library.”

According to the support website, Google has described this change as part of a “new user experience.” It aims to clarify which YouTube functions depend on watch history for recommendations. This move is designed to make the process more convenient for those who prefer to search for content rather than browse recommendations.

For those who prefer to search for content rather than browse recommendations, this update might be a welcome change. It allows users to focus on subscriptions and specific topics of interest. However, it also takes away the chance to discover new videos through personalized suggestions.

The new homepage design is gradually rolling out over the next few months, and some users have already noticed the change. A notification now appears on the page, stating, “Your watch history is turned off. You can change your settings at any time to get the latest videos tailored for you.”

Interestingly, this change won’t affect logged-out users without accounts and viewing history. Recommendations will still appear for them, adding another layer of complexity to the update.

PYUSD: PayPal Unveils U.S. Dollar-Pegged Cryptocurrency

By

Sabarinath

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August 8, 2023

PayPal has unveiled its very own cryptocurrency, PayPal USD (PYUSD). The PYUSD is not just another cryptocurrency. It’s a stablecoin, a unique breed of digital currency designed to maintain a stable value tied to a real-world asset. In this case, the U.S. Dollar. This means that PYUSD is less susceptible to the volatility that often plagues traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, making it a more reliable choice for everyday transactions.

The PYUSD is issued by the Paxos Trust Company and is fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S Treasuries, and similar cash equivalents. This means that for every PYUSD token in circulation, there’s an equivalent amount in U.S. dollars held in reserve, ensuring a 1:1 redeemability ratio.

But the benefits of PYUSD don’t stop there. The introduction of this stablecoin is set to bring a host of advantages to PayPal users, particularly in terms of transaction speed and security. Leveraging blockchain technology and PayPal’s robust security protocols, PYUSD transactions are not only faster than traditional payment methods but also secure and protected.

As an ERC-20 token issued on the Ethereum blockchain, PYUSD is accessible to a vast community of external developers, wallets, and web3 applications. This means that PYUSD can be easily adopted by exchanges and used to power experiences within the PayPal ecosystem.

The introduction of PYUSD is expected to reduce friction for payments in virtual environments, facilitate fast transfers of value, and foster the continued expansion into digital assets by the world’s largest brands. The trust and widespread adoption of a giant like PayPal could encourage other companies and financial institutions to consider adopting cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as an integral part of their operations.

PayPal U.S. Dollar-Pegged Cryptocurrency

Navigating DevOps Transformation with Microsoft Azure DevOps

By

Anu Thomas John

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August 8, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of software development, organizations are constantly seeking ways to streamline their processes, enhance collaboration, and accelerate the delivery of high-quality applications. DevOps has emerged as a transformative approach that unifies development and operations teams, promoting continuous integration, continuous delivery, and a culture of shared responsibility. Microsoft’s Azure DevOps platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools and services that empower organizations to embark on a DevOps transformation journey effectively. In this article, we will explore the key components of DevOps transformation with Microsoft Azure DevOps and discuss how organizations can leverage its features to drive successful outcomes.

Contents

1 Understanding DevOps Transformation
2 Azure DevOps: A Holistic Approach
3 Leveraging Azure DevOps for DevOps Transformation
4 Challenges and Considerations
5 Conclusion

Understanding DevOps Transformation

The DevOps transformation involves a paradigm shift in how software is developed, tested, deployed, and maintained. It requires a cultural change that encourages collaboration, communication, and automation across development and operations teams. The goal is to create a continuous cycle of iterative improvements that deliver value to customers faster, with fewer errors, and with higher reliability.

Azure DevOps: A Holistic Approach

Azure DevOps is a comprehensive platform that offers a wide range of tools and services to support the entire DevOps lifecycle. It encompasses five key pillars: Planning, Development, Testing, Delivery, and Monitoring. Let’s delve into each of these pillars and understand how they contribute to the DevOps transformation.

Planning: Azure DevOps provides tools like Azure Boards for agile project management, enabling teams to plan, track, and prioritize work items. Agile methodologies can be seamlessly integrated into the development process, fostering collaboration and transparency.
Development: Azure Repos offers version control and Git repositories that facilitate efficient code collaboration. Teams can work on code changes, review code, and ensure version control, enabling smooth collaboration among developers. When seeking to onboard a DevOps professional, it’s imperative to identify candidates well-versed in leveraging Azure Repos for version control and Git repositories, fostering seamless code collaboration, efficient code changes, and streamlined code reviews within development teams. So, it’s important to hire a skilled DevOps engineer, and I highly recommend this site, where you can find best DevOps engineers for your needs: https://lemon.io/hire-devops-engineers/.
Testing: With Azure Pipelines, organizations can automate build, test, and deployment processes. Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines can be established to automatically build and test code changes, ensuring early detection of issues and consistent quality.
Delivery: Azure Artifacts provides a package management system that allows teams to store, publish, and manage packages. This aids in maintaining a centralized repository of artifacts, promoting consistency in deployments.
Monitoring: Azure Monitor and Application Insights enable real-time monitoring of applications in production. DevOps teams can gather insights into application performance, availability, and usage, facilitating proactive issue resolution.

Leveraging Azure DevOps for DevOps Transformation

Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates and Terraform can be used to define and manage infrastructure as code. This practice ensures consistency, repeatability, and versioning of infrastructure deployments.
Automated Testing: Azure DevTest Labs enables the creation of isolated test environments for automated testing. This reduces the risk of defects reaching production and enhances the quality of the software.
Containerization and Orchestration: Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) facilitates container orchestration, enabling the deployment and scaling of containerized applications. This promotes consistency and simplifies application deployment.
Security and Compliance: Azure Security Center and Azure Policy can be integrated into the DevOps process to ensure security and compliance throughout the development lifecycle.
Collaboration: Azure Boards and Azure Repos support collaborative development, enabling geographically distributed teams to work together seamlessly.

Challenges and Considerations

While embarking on a DevOps transformation journey with Azure DevOps offers numerous benefits, organizations should be aware of potential challenges. These may include cultural resistance to change, the need for upskilling teams, and ensuring alignment between different departments.

Conclusion

The DevOps transformation is a critical step towards achieving faster, more reliable, and customer-centric software delivery. Microsoft Azure DevOps provides a robust set of tools and services that empower organizations to successfully navigate this transformation. By embracing a culture of collaboration, automating processes, and leveraging Azure DevOps capabilities, organizations can position themselves at the forefront of innovation and drive meaningful business outcomes.

In conclusion, the marriage of DevOps principles with Microsoft Azure DevOps provides a powerful framework for organizations seeking to enhance their software development lifecycle. With its comprehensive suite of tools, Azure DevOps enables teams to foster collaboration, embrace automation, and achieve continuous delivery. As organizations evolve in response to market demands, the adoption of DevOps practices through Azure DevOps is a strategic choice that can drive efficiency, quality, and success in the dynamic world of software development.

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s Fight Confirmed: Watch It Live on X

By

Sabarinath

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August 7, 2023

It’s confirmed — Two of the industry’s most prominent figures, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, are set to face off in an MMA cage match. Yes, you read that right!

It all began in June when Musk, the audacious CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, challenged Zuckerberg, the mastermind behind Facebook (now Meta), to a mixed martial arts (MMA) duel. While many dismissed it as another of Musk’s eccentric tweets, the challenge gained traction when Zuckerberg accepted, replying with a simple, “Tell me where.”

Both billionaires took to their respective social media platforms, flaunting their training regimens. Musk, lifting weights and sparring with UFC legends; Zuckerberg, showing off his jiu-jitsu skills and intense fitness routine.

But the drama doesn’t end there. Musk announced that the fight would be broadcasted live on X, with all proceeds going to war veteran charities. Zuckerberg, not one to be outdone, responded on Threads, suggesting that a more reliable platform should be used for fundraising. The Meta CEO even hinted at the fight date, proposing August 26th, though Musk has yet to confirm.

While the tech community is divided over who might emerge victorious, there’s no denying the global anticipation. Dana White, the president of UFC, even mentioned that this could be “the most significant fight in world history,” potentially breaking all pay-per-view records.

Public Shaming in Gaming: Call of Duty’s New Strategy Against Cheaters

By

Avinash A

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August 6, 2023

Cheaters, you’ve been warned! Activision’s innovative anti-cheating system, Ricochet, is not just banning cheaters anymore — it’s publicly shaming them too!

Introduced nearly two years ago, Ricochet has been a formidable force against hackers in CoD: Warzone and premium title multiplayer modes. But now, it’s taking things up a notch.

Starting from Season 5, Ricochet will not only banish the cheaters but also expose them to the entire lobby. The kill feed will notify all players when a cheater has been kicked out of the game. This public shaming is a bold move by Activision, aiming to deter potential cheaters and ensure a fair gaming environment for all.

Ever suspected that your opponent’s skills were a little too good to be true? Well, now you’ll know for sure. If your suspicions were correct, the cheater’s username will appear in the kill feed, confirming their expulsion. If not, well, maybe they were just better than you this time around.

But that’s not all! Ricochet has another trick up its sleeve. To further humiliate the cheaters, it creates decoy characters visible only to them. These phantom characters are undetectable to legitimate players and cannot affect their gameplay. However, they serve to disorient the cheaters, revealing their position when they fire at the decoys.

With these measures, cheaters in Call of Duty are not just facing obstacles — they’re becoming the laughingstock of the gaming community. And with their names exposed in the kill feed, they’re getting a taste of their own medicine. At the end of July 2023, around 14,000 cheaters were banned from Call of Duty in one fell swoop.

Google Explains How Android Malware Gets Into the Play Store

By

Bhasker Das

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August 5, 2023

You’d think that with all the strict testing processes and security controls, the Play Store would be a fortress. But alas, attackers are finding ways to sneak past the guards. Despite Google’s best efforts, Android malware is still finding its way into the Play Store. Here’s how they’re doing it.

Google’s Cybersecurity Action Team recently spilled the beans on a common technique that malicious actors use to spread Android malware through the Play Store.

According to a report by Bleeping Computer, these cunning attackers are playing a game of hide and seek. The apps provided for spreading malware don’t contain any malicious code at first. It’s like a Trojan Horse, waiting to unleash its fury only after installation through updates or by reloading additional user data from the attacker’s server onto your device.

“One way malicious actors attempt to circumvent Google Play’s security controls is through versioning,” warns the Android developer’s security team. “Versioning occurs when a developer releases an initial version of an app on the Google Play Store that appears legitimate and passes our checks, but later receives an update from a third-party server changing the code on the end user device that enables malicious activity.”

Imagine this: A seemingly legitimate application is uploaded to the Play Store, passing all the company’s audits. Then, like a snake in the grass, an update is submitted via a third-party server that changes the code on your device and enables malicious activity.

Even though the patches provided via the Play Store undergo strict checks for PHA (Potentially Harmful Application), the attackers have found a way to dance around some of these checks using a technology known as dynamic code loading.

Now, you might be thinking, “Isn’t this against the rules?” You bet it is! Such activities blatantly violate the guidelines of Google’s platform, and the affected applications may even be classified as backdoors.

According to Google’s own guidelines, any resources downloaded after the fact must be “necessary for the user to use the app.” Significant changes without notifying the user or attempts to disguise behavior during review are violations. Moreover, downloading executable code from sources other than Google Play is strictly prohibited by platform policy.

LG Signature OLED M: The First Wireless OLED TV in the World is From LG

By

Adwaith

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August 4, 2023

LG Electronics has unveiled the world’s first wireless OLED TV, the LG Signature OLED M. This 97-inch marvel is not just a television — it’s a piece of art that is set to redefine the viewing experience, offering a nearly wire-free setup where you don’t have to deal with tangled cables behind your TV.

With the proprietary Zero Connect technology, LG Signature OLED M is almost entirely free of wires, except for a single power cord. The Zero Connect Box, a separate device that you plug your set-top boxes, game consoles, and Blu-ray players into, beams content wirelessly to the TV at up to 4K 120Hz, meaning you’re not plugging anything into the TV itself, except for power. The device sends audio and video signals wirelessly to the screen up to 10 meters away. It’s like magic, but it’s real!

The Zero Connect Box is equipped with three HDMI 2.1 ports, two USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, and an optical audio port. LG’s proprietary AV transmission technology offers up to three times the speed of Wi-Fi 6E, ensuring a seamless viewing experience.

The Signature OLED M TV supports Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR, and it also features G-Sync to offer variable refresh rates with Nvidia hardware. This makes it an excellent choice for gamers who crave nearly-instantaneous pixel response times.

Initially available in South Korea, the LG Signature OLED M is set to arrive in the UK in September, priced at £27,999.99 (about $35,400). Two other sizes, the 83-inch OLED evo for £7,999.99 (about $10,000) and the 77-inch OLED evo for £5,999.99 (about $7,600), equipped with the same Zero Connect technology, will also be available. North America and Europe can expect this technological wonder later this year.

Although it may come with a hefty price tag, the wireless OLED TV is a remarkable advancement in home entertainment technology. It’s not simply a television, but rather a sneak peek into what the future of home entertainment may hold, where wires could become a thing of the past.

CMF by Nothing: Carl Pei Introduces a New Sub-Brand to Create More Affordable Devices

By

Avinash A

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August 4, 2023

Just a month after the launch of the Nothing Phone (2), Carl Pei, the founder of Nothing, has just announced the birth of a new sub-brand, CMF by Nothing.

CMF, an acronym that stands for ‘Color, Material, Finish’, is a fresh addition to the Nothing family, promising to deliver timeless designs at attractive and affordable prices.

While Nothing, the company that brought us transparent smartphones and earbuds has been known for its focus on design innovation, premium materials, and cutting-edge technology, CMF by Nothing is set to offer a clean, minimalist design that’s both affordable and reliable.

The new brand is not just a sidekick to Nothing; it’s a separate entity with its own unique identity. According to Carl Pei, CMF by Nothing will have its own team of engineers and designers. This will help them develop devices faster since they won’t have to work on the main brand products.

However, it shares some similarities with its parent brand. Both are heavily design-focused, and consumers can expect the same level of quality that they’ve come to associate with Nothing’s products.

The goal of CMF by Nothing is not just to offer affordable devices but also to complete the Nothing ecosystem and attract more users to it. While Nothing continues to aim for the premium segment with its innovative designs and latest hardware, CMF is set to cater to a broader audience with its timeless designs and accessible pricing.

The first products to be released under the CMF brand are rumored to be a pair of headphones and a smartwatch, both expected to hit the market in 2023.