Recent #Microsoft news in the semiconductor industry

5 months ago

➀ Data centres, driven by AI and cloud computing, are energy-intensive and face an environmental challenge due to their high power consumption.

➁ Current solutions like renewable energy and advanced cooling systems are insufficient to meet the growing demand for data processing and storage.

➂ Nuclear power is proposed as a potential solution for powering data centres, offering sustainable energy with benefits such as high energy density and low emissions, though challenges like safety concerns and high costs remain.

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5 months ago

➀ In Q1'25, global venture funding reached $121 billion, driven by OpenAI's $40 billion raise, valuing the company at $300 billion;

➁ Despite a decline in deal count, AI startups remained the primary beneficiaries of this capital concentration, capturing more than half of the quarter's funding;

➂ The AI dealmaking landscape is evolving, with a shift from infrastructure investments to vertical solutions and application-layer platforms.

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5 months ago

➀ The dilemma facing Big Tech is the cost of building AI, with estimates ranging from tens of millions to tens of billions;

➁ Some investments in cheap, effective Chinese products have raised concerns about the wisdom of some investments;

➂ Microsoft is withdrawing from data center projects in various countries, and expectations for GenAI are declining due to high failure rates and dissatisfaction with current results;

➃ OpenAI is not yet profitable and expects positive cash flow only in 2029, despite spending $644 billion on AI programs and data centers.

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5 months ago

➀ Microsoft has announced that several Windows 11 Copilot+ AI features are graduating from Snapdragon X exclusivity to AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Core Ultra 200V PCs.

➁ Features such as Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator are now available on modern AMD and Intel systems, as well as PCs with Qualcomm Snapdragon X (SDX) series processors.

➂ The Live Captions feature can translate from 27 languages into Simplified Chinese and is expected to be available for Ryzen AI 300 and Ultra 200V PC users soon.

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6 months ago

➀ It's no secret that Xbox is expanding its reach beyond just hardware, with a move to platforms such as Sony's PlayStation console paying off. The latest title to make the move is Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, a well-reviewed game that first made a splash on the Xbox.

➁ With multiple Microsoft titles shooting to the top of the PlayStation Store's preorder page, it's a clear sign that Microsoft's cross-platform efforts are paying off.

➂ Microsoft is keenly aware of the PlayStation 5's strong sales and is making its games available on other platforms to capitalize on this.

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6 months ago

➀ Wiz, a cybersecurity provider for cloud-based businesses, has been acquired by Google for $32 billion after rejecting a $23 billion offer last July.

➁ Wiz offers cloud-agnostic security solutions by supporting multiple cloud providers including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud.

➂ Wiz was founded by a team that previously sold a company, Adallom, to Microsoft for $320 million.

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6 months ago

➀ Microsoft's Xbox is reportedly advancing towards a new gaming path, as indicated by an image from a recent blog post that revealed an early look at an updated Xbox app UI.

➁ The UI includes a 'Steam' tab within the game library, suggesting the potential for launching Steam games directly from the Xbox app without switching platforms.

➂ However, the feasibility of playing Steam games on Xbox is questionable due to platform-specific game purchases. The more likely explanation is that Microsoft is preparing for a partnership with ASUS for an Xbox-branded handheld, aiming to improve the software experience for this collaboration.

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6 months ago

➀ Microsoft has sent out emails to remind Windows 10 users that support for the OS will end on October 14, 2025.

➁ After the end date, Windows 10 will no longer receive critical updates, making it more vulnerable to security threats.

➂ Users can pay $30 for an additional year of updates, but Windows 11 requires hardware upgrades for many systems.

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6 months ago

➀ Cloud games run entirely on remote servers managed by big tech companies like Nvidia, Sony, Amazon, Microsoft, and Jio. Users don't need to download or install anything locally; they can simply log in and play.

➁ The advantages of cloud games include not needing expensive hardware, platform independence, frequent feature updates, and no piracy concerns. However, they require a stable and fast internet connection and may consume a lot of data.

➂ Major players in cloud gaming include Microsoft Xbox Gaming Pass Ultimate, Nvidia GeForce Now, PlayStation Plus, Amazon Luna, and Boosteroid. Cloud gaming is expanding globally, with opportunities for data centers, ISPs, and device manufacturers.

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6 months ago

➀ Microsoft has announced the shutdown of Skype, with users having until May 5, 2025, to transfer their chats and contacts to Microsoft Teams.

➁ Skype, launched in August 2003, has been a key player in online messaging, especially during the recent pandemic.

➂ Despite its decline, Skype's legacy continues through Microsoft Teams, reflecting the evolution of communication technology.

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7 months ago

Microsoft has shared an update on its Majorana 1 quantum computer, which uses a topological qubit for speed, compactness, reliability, and controllability. The company aims to scale this technology for large qubit quantities, potentially ushering in an age of quantum computing.

Majorana 1 is named after Ettore Majorana, who theorized particles that are their own antiparticles. Microsoft's qubit focuses on harnessing this property. While not yet at a million qubit supercomputer, Majorana 1 is a significant step towards that goal.

The challenge now is the speed of scaling. If Microsoft can scale to one million qubits quickly, it could lead to practical quantum computing. Otherwise, it may be another decade before we see the promise of quantum computing realized.

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