02 November 2017

The 20 Best Free Roku Channels You Shouldn’t Miss


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There has never been a better time to buy a Roku. Thanks to the new hardware released in October 2017, Roku devices are the fastest, most powerful, and most versatile they have ever been. Once you set up your Roku device, it’s time to start installing some channels, which are essentially the Roku equivalent of apps. The channels on Roku are divided into two categories: Public and Private. If you want to install a private channel, you’ll need to enter the unique code on Roku’s online portal. The public channels are available in the Channel Store on your device. We...

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Signal Desktop Brings Secure Messaging to Your PC


Signal, the messaging app which values privacy above all else, now has a standalone desktop app. Signal Desktop, which is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, replaces the Signal Chrome app. The app itself isn’t very different, but having a dedicated desktop offering is always welcome. While most of the big messaging apps are starting to take your privacy seriously, Signal has made this its number one priority. This has made it popular with people for whom privacy is of the utmost importance, such as politicians and journalists. All of whom can now use Signal Desktop. Begone Clunky Signal Chrome...

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Pandora made $80M in U.S. app store revenue in Q3, booting Netflix from the top grossing spot


 In the face of fierce competition from Spotify and Apple Music, Pandora has been growing its in-app subscription revenues, according to new data from Sensor Tower. The streaming music service earned the number one spot on the chart of top grossing apps in Q3 2017, excluding games. It’s the first time Pandora has held that position since the third quarter of 2015. Fueling the music… Read More

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The Best (Free) Speech-to-Text Software for Windows


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Looking for the best free Windows speech to text software? The most-repeated paid recommendation is Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS). But some might scoff at paying money for software. Fortunately, there are several great free programs out there like Google Docs Voice Typing (GDVT) and Windows Speech Recognition (WSR). Dragon NaturallySpeaking Basics 13.0 | PC Disc Dragon NaturallySpeaking Basics 13.0 | PC Disc Delivers up to 99% speech recognition accuracy right out of the box Buy Now At Amazon $24.99 You might wonder how these two products compare against DNS — and whether or not DNS meets your needs. For this...

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Latest Innovations in TensorFlow Serving




Since initially open-sourcing TensorFlow Serving in February 2016, we’ve made some major enhancements. Let’s take a look back at where we started, review our progress, and share where we are headed next.

Before TensorFlow Serving, users of TensorFlow inside Google had to create their own serving system from scratch. Although serving might appear easy at first, one-off serving solutions quickly grow in complexity. Machine Learning (ML) serving systems need to support model versioning (for model updates with a rollback option) and multiple models (for experimentation via A/B testing), while ensuring that concurrent models achieve high throughput on hardware accelerators (GPUs and TPUs) with low latency. So we set out to create a single, general TensorFlow Serving software stack.

We decided to make it open-sourceable from the get-go, and development started in September 2015. Within a few months, we created the initial end-to-end working system and our open-source release in February 2016.

Over the past year and half, with the help of our users and partners inside and outside our company, TensorFlow Serving has advanced performance, best practices, and standards:
  • Out-of-the-box optimized serving and customizability: We now offer a pre-built canonical serving binary, optimized for modern CPUs with AVX, so developers don't need to assemble their own binary from our libraries unless they have exotic needs. At the same time, we added a registry-based framework, allowing our libraries to be used for custom (or even non-TensorFlow) serving scenarios.
  • Multi-model serving: Going from one model to multiple concurrently-served models presents several performance obstacles. We serve multiple models smoothly by (1) loading in isolated thread pools to avoid incurring latency spikes on other models taking traffic; (2) accelerating initial loading of all models in parallel upon server start-up; (3) multi-model batch interleaving to multiplex hardware accelerators (GPUs/TPUs).
  • Standardized model format: We added SavedModel to TensorFlow 1.0, giving the community a single standard model format that works across training and serving.
  • Easy-to-use inference APIs: We released easy-to-use APIs for common inference tasks (classification, regression) that we know work for a wide swathe of our applications. To support more advanced use-cases we support a lower-level tensor-based API (predict) and a new multi-inference API that enables multi-task modeling.
All of our work has been informed by close collaborations with: (a) Google’s ML SRE team, which helps ensure we are robust and meet internal SLAs; (b) other Google machine learning infrastructure teams including ads serving and TFX; (c) application teams such as Google Play; (d) our partners at the UC Berkeley RISE Lab, who explore complementary research problems with the Clipper serving system; (e) our open-source user base and contributors.

TensorFlow Serving is currently handling tens of millions of inferences per second for 1100+ of our own projects including Google’s Cloud ML Prediction. Our core serving code is available to all via our open-source releases.

Looking forward, our work is far from done and we are exploring several avenues of innovation. Today we are excited to share early progress in two experimental areas:
  • Granular batching: A key technique we employ to achieve high throughput on specialized hardware (GPUs and TPUs) is "batching": processing multiple examples jointly for efficiency. We are developing technology and best practices to improve batching to: (a) enable batching to target just the GPU/TPU portion of the computation, for maximum efficiency; (b) enable batching within recursive neural networks, used to process sequence data e.g. text and event sequences. We are experimenting with batching arbitrary sub-graphs using the Batch/Unbatch op pair.
  • Distributed model serving: We are looking at model sharding techniques as a means of handling models that are too large to fit on one server node or sharing sub-models in a memory-efficient way. We recently launched a 1TB+ model in production with good results, and hope to open-source this capability soon.
Thanks again to all of our users and partners who have contributed feedback, code and ideas. Join the project at: http://ift.tt/1mFGVlH.

Justin Trudeau explains why Canada really ‘gets’ AI and smart cities


 At Google’s Go North event today in Toronto, which features a slate of speakers focused primarily on artificial intelligence, Alphabet chairman Eric Schmidt spoke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (and actually asked him some tough questions on NAFTA negotiations and his feelings about Trump, surprisingly). Trudeau talked a lot about the Canadian perspective on innovation, and about… Read More
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How to Use the New Lightroom CC: The Basics You Need to Know


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Having established itself as the best photo editing software, Lightroom has now been split in two. Lightroom Classic is the new name for the old app that we know and love, while Lightroom CC is an all-new cloud-based program that offers seamless connection with your desktop computer and other devices. Both are part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud photography plan. Download the new Lightroom CC here (or start a free trial) The initial release of Lightroom CC has some limitations. There are some very basic features (like printing) and popular editing tools (including the tone curve and split toning) missing. Adobe...

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Snap joins the great burger debate with launch of dancing burger AR lens


 Just when you thought great burger debate had abated, Snapchat has arrived to pour more lighter fluid on the grill. This week, Snap unveiled a cheeseburger AR filter, and it has the same devil-may-care attitude as its famous sibling, the dancing hotdog. Lettuce catch you up on the drama. On Saturday, author Thomas Baekdal had emoji lovers everywhere scratching their heads when he noticed… Read More
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OpenAI Director Shivon Zilis explains why AI requires oversight now


 At Google’s second annual Go North conference, much of the focus is on artificial intelligence and its impact on our world. The conference kicked off with a discussion between OpenAI Director Shivon Zilis and AI Fund Director of Ethics and Governance Tim Hwang, and both shared perspective on AI’s progress, its public perception, and how we can help ensure its responsible… Read More
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5 Best Universal Remote Controls for Everyone’s Needs


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We hoard an ever-growing number of smart devices and entertainment gadgets in our homes. They come in all shapes and sizes, and you can find everything from streaming boxes to smart lights. As the number of devices grows, so too does the number of apps and remote controls we need to manage and use them all. The proliferation of management apps and remote controls creates issues. Theoretically, these devices make our lives easier and more streamlined, but jumping around between endless software and hardware is annoying and time-consuming. It’s not conducive to an enjoyable experience. Some companies are offering solutions...

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The Loog Pro allows children to shred their faces off and/or shout the devil


 Children who are about to rock, we salute you. The Loog Pro is a guitar made just for kids and features three strings that can be tuned in various open tunings for easy playing. The original Loog guitar was an acoustic marvel, small enough for a toddler but enough versatile for older players. This new Pro model, which costs $199 online, basically cleans up the concept and offers a very… Read More

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How to Add and Remove Words From Your Mac’s Built-In Dictionary


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Your Mac includes a built-in Dictionary app (in the Applications folder) that allows you to search through detailed entries for thousands of words and phrases. You can search in the app itself or use Spotlight. You can even browse Wikipedia entries right from within the Dictionary app. When you're trying to open Terminal from macOS Spotlight, but Spotlight only gives you the Dictionary definition for Terminal. Sweet thanks. — Scott Arnold (@link470) October 6, 2017 The dictionary is embedded in the Mac system, so it automatically checks your spelling in many Apple apps, like the built-in dictionary does in Microsoft...

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G-Ro rolls out four new smart bags


 I doubt there has been a time that I’ve scrolled through Facebook and not seen the G-Ro. While this could be part of the magic of retargeting but it could also be fate because the G-Ro has been one of the biggest and most exciting changes in carry-on luggage since the rucksack. The original G-Ro’s claim to fame were its massive wheels designed to lift over curbs and offer a… Read More

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8 Ways to Discover Popular Music Around the World


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Keeping up with music that tops the charts in your own country is simple. Usually, you can just turn on the radio and hear pop songs being played on repeat ad infinitum. But what if you want to discover what’s popular in other countries around the world? We’re here to help you achieve this, with a collection of apps and websites that will help diversify your listening habits. 1. Spotify There are numerous ways to find international hits on Spotify. First, go to Browse, then Charts, and you’ll see options to check out the Top 50 by Country as well...

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Google Pixel 2 Review: Is This The Best Smartphone Ever?


Our verdict of the Google Pixel 2:Buy the Pixel 2 if you want the industry's longest warranty and software support cycle combined with a great camera and the best personal assistant on the market.910 We're giving away a Google Pixel 2. Keep reading to find out how to win!How can Google justify $650 for a smartphone, when the OnePlus 5 sells for $480, or the Motorola G5+ $230. What separates the Google Pixel 2 from its competitors? Most smartphone consumers want to know three things about the Pixel 2: how does it compare to its competition? Is it better than the...

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7 Free Fan-Made Super Mario Games You Can Play Now


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It’s amazing how far fans will go to show their love of a particular game. The web is full of fans who stay on top of gaming news, who create tons of YouTube gaming content, and more recently, fans who host entertaining gaming podcasts. One step up from all of that? Fan games. We’ve already covered some of the coolest fan-made Pokémon games, but did you know that Mario fans are just as creative with code? Here are some of the best fan games featuring your favorite plumber and his gang of friends. 1. Super Mario Bros. X Super Mario Bros....

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Free Games for PS Plus & Xbox Live in November 2017


It’s time for another round of free games for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Just one more month after this, and we’ll be in 2018 already! Xbox Live First up for Xbox One owners is Trackmania Turbo, an arcade racing game with both online and offline multiplayer. The other free Xbox One Game is Tales from the Borderlands Complete Season (Episodes 1-5). Like other games from Telltale, this is a interactive graphic adventure where your decisions affect the story. Even if you’re not a fan of Borderlands, this game offers easy Achievements. On Xbox 360, you can grab...

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SlideToShutdown: The Best Hidden Feature of Windows 10?


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Windows 10 is full of hidden tricks, and some of them are really cool — so cool, in fact, that it makes you wonder why Microsoft chooses to keep them hidden away in the shadows of the operating system. Why aren’t they placed front and center where everyone can marvel?! One such hidden trick is the little-known SlideToShutDown command. But what is it? How do you find it? And how do you use it? Keep reading to find out more. What Is SlideToShutDown? SlideToShutDown is an alternative way to shut down your Windows 10 device. People with touch-screen computers and...

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9 Nifty Snipping Tool Shortcuts for Screenshots in Windows


The Snipping Tool is an often overlooked but really helpful app that comes pre-loaded on Windows systems. While it doesn’t have too many bells and whistles, it’s a convenient and quick way to grab a screenshot on your computer. Using the Snipping Tool’s keyboard shortcuts can make that process even quicker. Open up the Snipping Tool without a keyboard shortcut, either by searching for it in the Start Menu or creating a keyboard shortcut for it. Once you have the Snipping Tool open you can use the following keyboard shortcuts to make quick work of your screenshots: Choose a snipping mode: Alt + M (Use the...

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HTC intros a $349 version of the U11


 I honestly thought HTC had sent the wrong phone in the mail when the U11 Life arrived. The new phone looks almost identical to its namesake at first glance — and that’s by design. Of course, on closer inspection, the differences are pretty clear, particularly when you’ve got the standard U11 on-hand. The Life is essentially the budget version of HTC’s latest flagship… Read More

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8 Best Websites For Quality HTML Coding Examples


Ever since I first started learning about HTML back in the 90’s, I’ve always found it nearly impossible to find good, solid HTML examples on the internet. It would have been nice to have a few websites that offer the latest, coolest dynamic website coding examples. Well, a lot has changed since the 90’s, and the advent of dynamic web coding languages like PHP and CSS really make HTML old-school. Then again, you have to understand old-school HTML before you can understand the languages that dynamically create the HTML that browsers display. Thankfully, there are now some awesome websites that...

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Here’s how Russia targeted its fake Facebook ads and how those ads performed


 It’s impossible to know just how much stuff being circulated on social networks is Russian state content in sheep’s clothing, although tech companies are scrambling to figure that out. Now, thanks to Congress, we just got a rare peek behind the curtain of how Facebook’s ad operations were manipulated by a foreign power to foment outrage and division in American society. Today… Read More
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GoPro stock dives 11% after-hours on poor guidance for holiday season


 While many were hoping that GoPro’s efforts to turn the company around would continue with its Q3 earnings release today, Wall Street did not like what they saw, sending GoPro’s stock diving 11 percent after-hours. GoPro beat expectations handily on both revenue and earnings per share, but it was the company’s poor forward-looking guidance that led investors to dump the stock… Read More

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Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status hit 300M users, nearly 2X Snapchat


 Instagram and WhatsApp’s Snapchat clones aren’t slowing down. Today Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status both now have 300 million daily active users. That’s up from 250 million for Instagram in June, and WhatsApp in July. That makes the copies almost twice the size of the original, as Snapchat’s entire app only has 173 million… Read More
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Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status hit 300M users, nearly 2X Snapchat


 Instagram and WhatsApp’s Snapchat clones aren’t slowing down. Today Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status both now have 300 million daily active users. That’s up from 250 million for Instagram in June, and WhatsApp in July. That makes the copies almost twice the size of the original, as Snapchat’s entire app only has 173 million… Read More

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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Comes to Xbox One


Xbox One owners will soon be able to test their survival skills in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. The online shooter has, until now, been exclusive to PC, but it’s now confirmed to be coming to the Xbox One in December. Unfortunately for Sony fans, a PS4 version hasn’t yet been announced. PUBG Slays the Competition We wouldn’t normally report on the non-story that a PC game is coming to Xbox One. However, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is clearly an exception to the rule. Mainly by virtue of its incredible rise to the top of the online gaming league table over the last eight months...

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