Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-23-2018, 05:47 AM - Forum: Windows
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How Microsoft got into edge computing and real-time video analytics
I vividly remember October 29, 2008. I had invited colleagues from academia and industry to Building 99, home of Microsoft Research, for a daylong meeting to discuss the future of mobile and cloud computing. My friends flew to Redmond, Washington, from different parts of the world, and together in one of the conference rooms, we brainstormed ideas, using the whiteboard to design new cloud architectures, write down problems, and explore challenges. Eventually, we came up with a new computing paradigm that is now popularly known as edge computing. We called our edge nodes cloudlets.
Fast-forward 10 years, and we find ourselves in a world where edge computing is a major technology trend that is being embraced by cloud providers and most major telecommunications companies. Looking back, I am proud that we got many things right. For example, we were spot-on with the fundamentals. We devised an architecture that reduces latency to a compute infrastructure, decreases the need for large amounts of expensive network bandwidth to the cloud, and enables mission-critical operations to continue even when the network to the cloud is down. All this was right on the mark.
Joining me at that meeting were Ramón Cáceres (AT&T Labs), Nigel Davies (Lancaster University, U.K.), Mahadev Satyanarayanan (Carnegie Mellon University), and Roy Want (Intel Research). The five of us had been working in mobile computing, so naturally, we focused on devices such as smartphones, augmented reality/virtual reality headsets, and wearable computers. We did not discuss sensor networking or cyber-physical systems, which have recently emerged as the Internet of Things (IoT).
The case for edge computing
I had the opportunity to make the case for edge computing to the senior leadership team of Microsoft — including our CEO at the time, Steve Ballmer — twice. The first time was in December 2010. At the end of the presentation, Steve asked me which current application I would move to edge computing.
I had been thinking about future applications such as AR/VR and hadn’t deeply thought about existing applications, so I awkwardly answered, “Speaker and command recognition.” An executive vice president whose team was working on this challenge was in attendance, and he disagreed. Although I had built and demonstrated a small prototype of such a system (think Skype Translator) at the 2009 Microsoft Research Faculty Summit, I hadn’t thought about how we would instantiate such an application at scale. Needless to say, my answer could have been better.
My research team and I continued working on edge computing, and in January 2014, I presented to the senior leadership team again. This time, I told them about micro datacenters, a small set of servers placed on premises to do what the cloud did; essentially, today’s equivalent of Microsoft Azure Stack. I demonstrated several scenarios in which the virtues of micro datacenters were irrefutable: real-time vision analytics with associated action, energy saving in mobile devices, and single-shooter interactive cloud gaming. This time, it worked. In a booming voice, Steve — who was still our CEO — said, “Let’s do this.”
The green light was followed by a series of meetings with Microsoft distinguished engineers and technical fellows to discuss the rollout of edge computing, and through these meetings, it became increasingly clear that one question remained unanswered: What compelling real-world applications could not thrive without edge computing? Remember, Microsoft was rapidly building mega-datacenters around the world, on a path to 30-millisecond latency for most people on the planet with wired networking, and IoT had not yet emerged as a top-level scenario. So, which high-demand applications could edge computing take to the next level that cloud computing couldn’t?
The need for a killer app
We had to come up with a killer app. Around the same time as these meetings, I took a sabbatical, with stops in London and Paris. While there, I noticed the proliferation of cameras on city streets. Instinctively, I knew that people were not looking at every livestream from these cameras; there were simply too many. According to some reports, there were tens of millions of cameras in major cities. So how were they being used? I imagined every time there was an incident, authorities would have to go to the stored video stream to find the recording that had captured the event and then analyze it. Instead, why not have computers analyze these streams in real-time and generate a workflow whenever an anomaly was detected? Computers are good at such things.
For this to work, we would need cloud-like compute resources, and they would have to be close to the cameras because the system would have to analyze large quantities of data quickly. Furthermore, the cost of streaming every video stream to the cloud could be prohibitive, plus add to it the expense of renting GPUs in the cloud to process each of these streams. This was the perfect scenario — the killer app for edge computing — and it would solve a compelling real-world, large-scale problem.
In the years that followed, we worked diligently on edge-based real-time video analytics, publishing several papers in top conferences. We even deployed a system in Bellevue, Washington, for traffic analysis, accident prevention, and congestion control as part of the city’s Vision Zero program. This brings me to our paper being presented at the third Association for Computing Machinery/IEEE Symposium on Edge Computing (SEC) October 25–27 in Bellevue. The work represents another step in our journey to nail the live video analytics challenge using edge computing.
Best tradeoff between multiple resources and accuracy
In our paper “VideoEdge: Processing Camera Streams using Hierarchical Clusters,” we describe how a query made to our system is automatically partitioned so some portions of it run on edge computing clusters (think micro datacenter) and some in the cloud. In deciding what to execute where, we recognize and plan for multiple different queries that may be issued to our system concurrently. As they execute on the same infrastructure, we try not to repeat any processing. The objective is to run the maximum number of queries on the available compute resources while guaranteeing expected accuracy. This is a challenging task because we have to consider both the network and compute demands, the constraints in the hierarchical cluster, and the various tunable parameters. This creates an exponentially large search space for plans, placements, and merging.
In VideoEdge, we identify the best tradeoff between multiple resources and accuracy, thus narrowing the search space by identifying a small band of promising configurations. We also balance the resource benefits and accuracy penalty of merging queries. The results are good. We are able to improve accuracy by as much as 25 times compared to state-of-the-art techniques such as fair allocation. VideoEdge builds on a substantial body of research results we have generated since early 2014 on real-time video analytics.
IoT embraces edge computing
A few years after we began researching video analytics, IoT emerged, as thought leaders in different industries such as manufacturing, health care, automobile, and retail started focusing on using information technology to increase efficiencies in their systems. They understood automation combined with artificial intelligence, made possible with IoT, could lower operating costs and increase productivity. The key ingredient was sensing, processing, and actuation in real time.
For this to work, the time between sensing and processing and between processing and actuation had to be negligible. While processing could be done in the cloud, the latency to it was relatively high, the network to it was expensive, and IoT systems had to survive disconnections from it. Enter edge computing — it was the perfect solution for such scenarios. Recognizing this, Microsoft has committed more resources to the combined technology, announcing in April a sizable investment in IoT and edge computing.
While we began 10 years ago, I believe the most interesting portion of our journey is just starting. Simply search for the term “edge computing,” and you will see how much has been written about this topic both in industry and academia. And SEC 2018, for which I have the honor of serving as program co-chair, is further proof of the excitement surrounding this emerging computing paradigm. The papers feature many different topics, ranging from data security and integrity to machine learning at the edge, specialized hardware for edge computing, 5G edge, programming models, and deployment on drones, automobiles, the retail space, and factory floors. As we continue to build new products and learn, we uncover new challenges that engineers and researchers love to solve, and as our platform matures, we will see the creation of a new generation of applications.
In my experience, I have found it takes on average seven years for a new technology to go from research lab to real world. In 2013, I made a prediction that edge computing will be everywhere by 2020. I continue to believe this is going to happen. My colleagues and I believe that together we are entering the best part of this journey.
In a keynote address at the 2013 IEEE International Conference on Cloud Networking (IEEE CloudNet), Victor Bahl presented the above slide and predicted edge computing will be everywhere by 2020, a statement he stands by today.
It took Apple four days to sell initial iPhone XR supply
By Mikey Campbell Monday, October 22, 2018, 11:09 pm PT (02:09 am ET)
Apple late Monday sold out of launch day iPhone XR supply in the U.S. and beyond, with orders placed through the company’s online storefront now showing estimated delivery dates pushed out to November.
The online Apple store is showing stockouts of all colors and capacities in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, the UK, the U.S. and many other countries where the device was made available for preorder last Friday.
Currently, Apple’s storefront displays an estimated delivery date of Nov. 1 or “1 to 2 weeks,” depending on the region. Initial shipments are scheduled to arrive at customer doorsteps and in Apple retail stores on Oct. 26.
The stockout arrives a few hours shy of four full days of iPhone XR preorder availability. Supply of the handset remained steady through the weekend — yellow 128GB units on T-Mobile in the U.S. sold out in less than an hour — but certain models began to pop up as unavailable as stock dwindled on Monday.
As usual, the number of units Apple managed to manufacture in the buildup to launch is unknown, though some analysts put the figure at around 12 million.
Though the XR launched to seemingly softer demand than its XS series stablemates, some analysts believe the colorful, less-expensive smartphone will ultimately prove vital to Apple’s bottom line. Gene Munster of Loup Ventures, for example, expects iPhone XR to be the bestselling iPhone of 2018 with a 38 percent share of shipments. Others, like noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, predict better replacement demand than last year’s iPhone 8 and better long-term momentum than iPhone XS.
While Apple sold through its iPhone XR stock, customers in the U.S. can still grab a launch day unit through partner carriers including AT&T and Verizon, both of which are still showing availability as of this writing.
One of 2018's biggest games, Fallout 76, won't be available on the world's largest PC platform, Steam. Instead, Bethesda is releasing the game on PC exclusively through its own Bethesda.net launcher. The move makes business sense, as Bethesda won't have to pay Steam operator Valve its cut of sales, but the announcement shocked some fans as previous Fallout games like Fallout 4 and Fallout 3 launched on Steam.
So why won't Fallout 76 be available on Steam? Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines told GameSpot that the company wants to have a "direct relationship" with Fallout 76 players due to the game's always-online, multiplayer focus.
"Well because of the kind of game it is," Hines said when asked by Fallout 76 is bypassing Steam. "Because it's an online, always-on game-as-a-service. Based on our experience based on other things that we've done, we felt like having a direct relationship with our customers was super important to us. And so doing it through Bethesda.net, exclusively, allows us to have that one-to-one relationship with customers, that quite honestly you don't always have when you go through another third-party where they might own the relationship with the customer in terms of being able to email them or to reach out directly and contact them."
Hines added that making Fallout 76 available exclusively on Bethesda.net also "simplifies things" as it relates to a number of things.
"We believe it's going to help us deal with some issues and challenges that we've seen in the past," he said. "And again, its a new experience, like the game itself is and we're going to see how it goes and how it works and what benefits it allows us to have in making sure that our customers have the best experience possible."
Bethesda's Fallout Shelter launched as a Bethesda.net exclusive before eventually launching on Steam at a later date, so it seems at least theoretically possible that Fallout 76 could come to Steam in the future.
It's not an unprecedented move for a big game to bypass Steam. Activision's Destiny 2 is only available on PC through Battle.net, while Blizzard's games like World of Warcraft and Diablo III can only be purchased digitally on PC through Battle.net as well.
Fallout 76 is also coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and the console version will be released in the traditional sense on those platforms with Sony and Microsoft getting their cuts. Microsoft has a special co-marketing deal in place with Bethesda as well for Fallout 76.
The pre-order exclusive Fallout 76 beta starts on October 23 for Xbox One before coming to PS4 and PC on October 30. The beta represents the full game, and your progress will carry forward to launch on November 14.
For more on Fallout 76, you can check out GameSpot's roundup of everything you need know, including our thoughts on what we've played so far and more. You can also check a lot of gameplay footage in the video embed above.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-22-2018, 07:32 PM - Forum: Windows
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Microsoft Showcase Schools for 2019 announced
At Microsoft, we believe in the potential of every student. We believe educators deserve more time to teach. And we believe with the right tools, everything is possible.
The schools nominated for our Showcase School program exemplify these beliefs by implementing innovative practices throughout their leadership, teaching, and learning. These beliefs also extend into the development of their environments and technology choices. It is with both awe and inspiration that we welcome 290 Showcase Schools to the 2018 Showcase School program. We also pause to recognize some of the world’s most innovative School Leaders, from 61 countries this year, and their groundwork on increased student outcomes and educator/leader development in this diverse set of schools.
Each one of these schools demonstrated increased student outcomes. Their diverse practices saw educators offering free professional development – even to peers outside their own schools – and classrooms using Minecraft to empower students to solve real-world problems. They led by example and we are proud that their leaders select Microsoft solutions to enable increased student outcomes and greater educational transformation success, school-wide.
Students from Madoulides Schools, Showcase School located in Greece.
Showcase Schools are characterized by thoughtful leaders who empower educators and students to re-imagine and re-design leading, teaching and learning in their schools and regions. These leaders also come together as a group to tackle challenges, celebrate successes and share their learnings in a vibrant online community, available exclusively to Showcase School Leaders in Microsoft Teams. They are committed to developing their own strengths as leader-learners and work together to learn about global trends in education and test new solutions locally, adjusting to meet the specific needs of their own communities.
Each year, Microsoft Showcase School Leaders and the Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts in their schools share best practices online, through the Microsoft Educator Community and Skype in the Classroom, as well as in-person at local events, hosted by each Showcase School and global events such as BETT, UK.
While reaching out to their local communities, or reaching within to empower educator and student outcomes in their own schools, Showcase Schools also:
Provide Microsoft engineers with valuable insights and ideas, in an effort to evolve technology and improve teaching and learning practices based on classroom experience;
Gain access to professional and career development opportunities and certifications;
Host regional events showcasing their use of Microsoft solutions
The impact of Showcase School excellence is felt globally, as these schools support their local communities by providing the opportunity to experience tomorrow’s transformation, today.
Thank you, Showcase School Leaders, for all the work your educator teams and you do to transform education, one school at a time.
Welcome to the Microsoft Showcase School community.
Take a video tour of MRSM Tun Mohammad Fuad Stephens Sandakan School, featured below.
As technology infrastructure shifts ever more in the direction of open source, there is rapidly growing need for open source skills. Use of open source software leads to better and faster development, and wider collaboration, and open source skills are a very valuable form of currency in the job market. That’s why it’s worth checking out the Introduction to Open Source Software Development, Git and Linux, an online training course from The Linux Foundation.
The course presents a comprehensive learning path focused on development, Linux systems and Git, the revision control system. It is self-paced and comes with extensive and easily referenced learning materials. Can this course arm you with Linux, development and Git skills that translate directly into value in the workplace and the job market? It absolutely can.
Laying the groundwork
This article is the second in a four-part article series that highlights the major aspects of the training course. The initial article covered the course’s general introduction to working with open source software, with a focus on such essentials as project collaboration, licensing, legal issues and getting help. With that groundwork laid, the course next delves into working with Bash, the standard shell for most Linux distributions.
In addition to comprehensive coverage of how to write effective Bash scripts, the course covers configuring bash, setting aliases, Bash tips and tricks and much more. There is also discussion of shell initialization and customizing the command prompt.
With these topics mastered, students will be able to not only perform basic tasks, but also perform basic customizations. One recommendation: the online course includes many summary slides, useful bullet lists that can be referenced later, graphics and more. It’s definitely worth setting up a desktop folder and regularly saving screenshots of especially useful topics to the folder, with simple names for the screenshots such as “CommandLine.jpg.”
Hands-on learning
The “Labs” modules prompt students to perform specific actions. For example, a Labs module might ask you to set the prompt to a current directory and encourage you follow up by changing the prompt to any other desired configuration. In addition to being self-paced, the course is very focused on getting students to perform meaningful tasks rather than simply reading or watching.
In the course’s discussion of aliases, students learn that they permit custom definitions, and they learn that they can type alias with no arguments to view predefined aliases. Working with redirection and pipes are also covered thoroughly, as is working with special characters and using them to perform specific actions (such as redirecting an input descriptor).
Before proceeding to more advanced topics, the course lays more basic groundwork, much of it focused on Linux. It comprehensively covers filesystem layout, partitions, paths and links, as well as the basics of working with text editors. The layout of the Linux filesystem is covered clearly, showing the main directories and their purposes.
Working with commands and command-line tools are, of course, essential Linux skills, and the course proceeds by delving into task-based instruction on these topics. We will cover these important lessons in the next installment in this series.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-22-2018, 09:29 AM - Forum: Lounge
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We’re talking to Sunless Skies writer James Chew at 3PM EDT
Sunless Skies is continuing its frightful journey through Early Access, and a couple weeks ago the developers at Failbetter Games released a new update on the way to the game’s launch in January.
We’ve talked to the Failbetter devs a few times about how Early Access is going, but since Halloween is a spectacularly good time to play spooky-themed games, we figured we’d swing by and ask how development’s been going. With that in mind, we’re pleased to welcome Failbetter Games writer James Chew to the Gamasutra Twitch channel today at 3PM EDT as we stream Sunless Skies!
Be sure to join us in Twitch chat and ask your questions for our friends at Failbetter. And while you’re at it, you can follow the Gamasutra Twitch channel for more developer interviews.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-22-2018, 09:29 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Devs air grievances with Steam reviews, regional pricing, and dev support
“The whole way Steam handles reviews is so brutal and backbreaking to developers.”
– One developer shares their concerns over how Steam reviews can go awry
Polygon has put together a detailed story on the current state of Steam, combining the opinions and experiences of 20 game developers to assess how the massive digital games platform is doing for developers in its current state.
The full story runs through issues with Steam’s review system, regional pricing, and overall developer support, making it an insightful read for game developers looking to compare and contrast their own experiences with the platform.
Some developers talk about how difficult it can be to get Steam to remove frivolous or downright malicious reviews, despite how crucial that coveted ‘Mostly Postive’ review rating can be for games on the platform.
“I’ve flagged negative reviews where someone was saying they wouldn’t recommend the game because our online service had its own EULA,” one anonymous developer told Polygon. “I flag them. The ticket gets rejected. Then I mail my Steam rep with a list. The rep says ‘it’s your responsibility to maintain open communication and properly set expectations, and you won’t have a problem with negative reviews.’”
Others point to issues with Steam’s regional pricing system that automatically sets a price for a game in multiple regions at once, with many of those developers saying that Valve’s policy of recommending pricing strategies based on our experience” ends up putting games at deep discounts without their knowledge.
Most of the developers Polygon spoke to were unaware that the system even existed. Opinions vary between those that did: one developer recalled losing out on a publishing deal after discovering their game was selling at a discount in one region, while another notes that Valve’s style of regional pricing helped boost their worldwide sales.
The full story on Polygon contains developer opinions on more of Steam’s offerings as well, including varying thoughts on if the 30 percent cut Steam takes out of every purchase is justified by the services the platform currently offers.
It’s finally here! Ever since Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was announced earlier this year, we’ve been counting down the months, weeks, hours, minutes, and yes… even the seconds until this moment. But that wait is over, and players around the world are immersing themselves into the game-changing world of Black Ops 4.
This game is the latest installment in the Black Ops series, which is the best-selling in Call of Duty history. It also represents a landmark for the series, delivering the most tactical multiplayer modes in a Black Ops game, an unprecedented three Zombies adventures at launch, and the all-new battle royale mode Blackout. This new experience brings together iconic locations, characters, and weapons from the Black Ops universe and puts them into play across the biggest map in franchise history.
Today is just the beginning, as Treyarch plans to support Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 with new and free content along with the most active calendar of events in studio history. This free content will be available across multiplayer, Zombies, and Blackout, and will include things like:
Nuketown: It’s not a Black Ops game without Nuketown — this free map will drop for all players in November
Specialists: A new Specialist will join the fray in December, with more to come
Blackout: Be on the lookout for map updates, expansions, and new modes
There is so much action packed into every edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, that the hardest decision you’ll have to make will be where to start.
Multiplayer – Choose a Specialist and Get Tactical
Multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 features gritty, grounded combat in the most tactical, team-based experience in the series. The iconic Pick 10 system is back, allowing players to customize loadouts that can perfectly fit their style of play, along with innovations in weapons, combat flow, player movement, and a new health regeneration system. The game also features new and returning Specialists, each with their own unique weaponry and equipment. New to Black Ops 4, be sure to visit the Specialist HQ where you will find tutorials for each Specialist, and how you can best utilize their skills across different game modes.
At launch, players will be able to pick a Specialist, put together a loadout, and then jump into one of the following game modes:
Control: Teams alternate in attacking and defending multiple capture zones. All zones must be captured to end the round
Team Deathmatch: Straight up Team Deathmatch on all maps. Use teamwork to eliminate the enemy players and reach the score limit
Domination: Three areas in the level must be captured. Your team gets points for having control of an area. The more areas your team holds, the more points you gain
Kill Confirmed: Collect enemy Dog Tags to score for your team
Free-For-All: Every man and woman for his or herself
Hardpoint: Capture and hold the Hardpoint to earn points
Search & Destroy: Defend and destroy the objective. No respawning
Heist: Grab the cash and get it to the extraction site. The first team to extract the cash or eliminate all enemies will win the round. Earn cash throughout the match to purchase Weapons, Perks, and more at the start of each round
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launches with 14 multiplayer maps and will add the fan-favorite Nuketown when it becomes available to all players for free in November. Here’s a quick look at the maps you can play at launch.
Arsenal: Hostile covert ops on a manufacturing facility of a powerful North American military defense contractor means someone may have stolen the keys to the castle
Contraband: Surveillance of an international arms smuggling operation has uncovered this shipping hub on a remote, uncharted island off the coast of Colombia
Firing Range: Black Ops Flashback: U.S. forces gear up for red team/blue team combat exercises in this Guantanamo Bay military base
Frequency: A covert listening station deep in the mountainous region of Hunan Province is being used to track strategic targets across the globe
Gridlock: A Japanese metropolis whose city center has been jammed up by a bank heist gone wrong
Hacienda: A lavish vineyard estate situated on a quiet lake in the Spanish countryside, home to a high-ranking crime syndicate boss
Icebreaker: A long-lost U.S. nuclear submarine in the Arctic houses a uranium supply which a Russian unit has come to salvage
Jungle: Black Ops Flashback: The heat is on as Cold War forces collide in the sweltering depths of the Vietnam jungle
Militia: Anti-government extremists backed covertly by a Russian cell is stockpiling weaponry in a remote region of Alaskan wilderness near the Bering Strait
Morocco: Rebels in a small Moroccan village are using government military supply planes as target practice as they fly over the surrounding Sahara Desert
Payload: A defensive ICBM launch facility deep in an Icelandic mountain range has been infiltrated by hostile forces attempting to steal a nuclear warhead
Seaside: An anti-government protest in this quaint coastal Spanish town grew out of control and forced a military shutdown
Slums: Black Ops Flashback: Street battles rage in head-to-head heat through the center of a run-down Panama neighborhood
Summit: Black Ops Flashback: Cold War surveillance is at its peak above the clouds in this mountaintop listening post in the Ural Mountains
Zombies – Three Unique Adventures, Each with Their Own Stories and Secrets to Unlock
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 features the largest day one offering of Zombies content in Call of Duty history. At launch, players will have access to three complete Zombies adventures, each with their own epic storylines, special weapons, and hidden secrets.
IX and Voyage of Despair follow the all-new Chaos crew through their time-spanning travels: tech-minded Scarlett, melee powerhouse Bruno, the debonair Diego, and master chemist Stanton. Blood of the Dead brings back the classic Primis crew, Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen, as they try and escape an undead-infested Alcatraz.
IX The quest to find Scarlett’s father takes the crew back in time, where they’ll shoot and slash their way through a cavernous coliseum crawling with hordes of the undead.
Voyage of Despair Was it an iceberg or the zombies? It’s 1912 on the infamous maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, and our heroes have arrived to capture an artifact that may shed light on the mystery at the center of their adventure.
Blood of the Dead The return of a fan-favorite! In their mission to ‘secure a better tomorrow’, Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai journey to a secret laboratory beneath the iconic Alcatraz Penitentiary.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies also features new innovations for the series, like adjustable difficulty settings, the ability to add bots to your squad, brand-new modes and ways to play, along with an in-game tutorial to help onboard players new to the Zombies experience.
Blackout – Drop, Loot, Survive
For the first time ever in a Call of Duty game, players will be able to compete in a brand-new, battle royale mode – Blackout. This exciting new way to play brings together characters, locations, weapons, equipment and gear from across the Black Ops universe, pitting player against player in all-out survival combat until the last soldier, or squad, standing wins it all.
All of this takes places on the largest map in Call of Duty history, a map so large that players who drop in will have access to land, sea and air vehicles to help you traverse the environment. You’ll also be able to scale new heights in Blackout, like the top level of the Construction Site, and then use your wingsuit to quickly drop back down.
Blackout also offers a variety of new and classic playable characters, such as Richtofen and Takeo; and Specialists like Crash, Battery and Seraph. Additionally, players will be able to spot locations inspired by fan-favorite Black Ops maps like Nuketown, Firing Range, Raid, Cargo, and more as the explore the map while constantly on the lookout for weapons and equipment.
Squad up in groups of four, two, or even play solo in this new mode that will challenge veteran players and provide new ways to play. We can’t wait to hear all of the epic stories that people will create when they team up and take it to the limit. Blackout truly needs to be experienced to be believed, and we can’t wait to drop in with you and make history.
Mixer: Welcome to the HypeZone Black Ops 4
Mixer is proud to introduce the latest addition to the HypeZone lineup – Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
We’ve heard your feedback loud and clear – HypeZone Black Ops 4 has been one of the top requested channels since Blackout was announced back in May. You can safely expect nothing less than hype as you drop-in, gear up, and survive the largest map in Call of Duty history.
HypeZone Black Ops 4 is a can’t miss, action-packed destination filled with clutch victories and brutal defeats of all persuasions. We hope to see you streaming Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and cheering on your fellow Mixer broadcasters in their quest to earn ultimate glory!
Remember, if you make it into the HypeZone, Mixer automatically records your HypeZone experience and saves the clip on your channel for future playback. Post your HypeZone Black Ops 4 victory clips on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram tagging @WatchMixer and #BlackOps4, and we’ll select the best moments to be featured on Mixer!!
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available in the following editions on Xbox One.
Calling Card, Emblem, Sticker and Tag inspired by the iconic Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Digital Deluxe Bonus Items
“Patriot” Signature Primary Weapon
Dia De Los Muertos Specialist Outfit Token
Black Ops Pass, includes:
“Classified,” a bonus Zombies experience, available at launch
Four additional all-new Zombies experiences
12 Multiplayer maps
Four exclusive Blackout characters
All versions of the game include the following at launch: Multiplayer with 14 maps, three new Zombies adventures, and the battle royale mode Blackout. However you choose to enter the world of Black Ops 4, we can’t wait to squad up. Good luck and have fun!
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-22-2018, 06:24 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Review: Halloween (2018) -- Welcome Home Michael
2018's new Halloween is now in theaters. The movie screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and the reviews are in; find out what we thought in our review below. Beyond that, we've got a look at the series' most brutal kills, and we've ranked every Halloween film. But does the new Halloween hold a candle to the original? Read on.
Remember when fans were worried that Danny McBride and David Gordon Green--the guys behind HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down--would ruin the Halloween franchise by trying to make it funny? Well, the newest chapter in the Michael Myers saga--which is technically only the second, since it ignores all other sequels--is definitely the funniest film in the franchise. But surprisingly, it's also the perfect continuation to the story begun in the original Halloween 40 years ago.
Yes, it’s been 40 years since Michael Myers put on a mask and terrorized the town of Haddonfield, Illinois as "The Shape," and he hasn’t done much since then. Played by the original actor Nick Castle, as well as newcomer James Jude Courtney, Myers hasn’t spoken a word in the 40 years he's apparently been incarcerated at the movie's start. Not even when two podcasters--or “investigative journalists,” as they refer to themselves--present him with the iconic mask in an attempt to get a reaction does Michael stir. This is a return to form (or shape) for Michael. No longer the brother of Laurie Strode, as was established in sequels to the original, he is back to being a force of pure evil who commits random acts of violence with no cause or reason. Green, who directs with co-writer McBride, treats the character with utmost respect, like a larger-than-life force that deserves your complete attention and fear.
Castle and Courtney, who seamlessly share the role of The Shape, don’t miss a beat with their performances, as this is the most terrifying Michael has been since 1978. It helps that Green and McBride have made this one mean and nasty Halloween movie. It surpasses the body count of John Carpenter’s original even before Michael gets to Haddonfield, and we see kills involving knives going through throats, lethal headbutts, and more.
Meanwhile, the core of the story focuses on Laurie Strode. Jamie Lee Curtis gives what is perhaps the best performance of her career in the role that first gave her the spotlight. She effortlessly steps back into Laurie’s shoes, evolving the trauma and psychological damage Myers inflicted on her all those years ago. Yes, she is a complete and absolute badass in this film, as she is now the hunter and no longer the hunted. However, she is no Sarah Connor. She is a broken woman who hasn’t been able to let go of that fateful Halloween night.
Strode now lives in a fortified house in the middle of the woods and spends every day shooting at target dummies, preparing for the day when her paranoia finally bears fruit. Of course, it doesn’t take long before Myers escapes and finds his way to Haddonfield, where he obsesses over finishing the job he started 40 years earlier.
Despite the gravity of Halloween's themes, and the gory and violent fun audiences expect from a slasher, McBride and Green infuse the script with their signature sense of humor, and surprisingly, it actually works. Every side character gets a moment to shine, and the jokes never feel out of place, especially when coming from soon-to-be breakout star Jibrail Nantambu. Nantambu plays the only character who has any idea what’s going on in the film--he never makes a stupid choice (it's a slasher, so naturally, characters make a lot of stupid choices) and provides insightful meta commentary about the horror tropes on display.
Speaking of meta, Halloween pokes fun at every single film in the franchise, all while paying homage to its predecessors. There are references to Silver Shamrock, tributes to Halloween 2, and a fun cameo or two. The film also comments on this being a pseudo remake of the original, but in modern times. For example, when discussing the original babysitter killings from the first film, a character remarks that five dead people isn’t too much "by today’s standards." Green has fun with the idea of Laurie being prepared for Michael by playing with role reversal throughout the film. One instance in particular got the audience at the world premiere cheering so hard, the next three lines of dialogue were inaudible.
If there’s one problem with Halloween, it's that it never uses Laurie's granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and Allyson's mom Karen (Judy Greer) to their full potential. Thankfully, it isn’t a big issue, as Laurie’s story is compelling enough on its own. And those missing the magic Carpenter touch will be delighted to know that the film is keen on using silence to increase the tension, and there is a 5-minute-long single-shot sequence that is a marvel to watch, even if it’s quite brutal. Green may not have a ton of experience filming horror, but he sure knows how to create nail-biting tension at the right moments.
John Carpenter returns to score the film with the help of his son, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies. Yes, you do hear the classic Halloween theme, and Carpenter even uses a slower version of the theme at several key moments. Carpenter also uses a whole new style of synth rock that pulsates and beats like a heart and will have everyone in the audience on the edge of their seat while also making them pre-order the soundtrack as soon as they leave the theater.
Halloween doesn’t reinvent the wheel or create a new subgenre of horror. What it does is take the best parts of all the films in the franchise, and deliver the ultimate companion piece to Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece. It's a film that not only has something to say about trauma and PTSD, but also delivers a bloody, fun time at the theater. Will Michael Myers return again? Who knows, but we sure as hell welcome him home.
The Good
The Bad
Laurie Strode is a more complex character, yet a total badass
Side characters are slightly underused
Michael Myers is scarier than ever
The fantastic score that will get your heart beating
A much-welcomed sense of humor and meta commentary
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-22-2018, 06:24 AM - Forum: Windows
- No Replies
Putting data and AI at the center of financial services transformation
The financial services industry is at an inflection point. Fintechs and challengers are entering rapidly as regulatory requirements are increasing. Consumers are expecting highly personalized experiences while security threats are evolving. The challenges for banks, insurers, payments tech providers and others are mounting high.
Transforming these challenges into business opportunities is an imperative for financial services firms and central to success. Many ambitious digital leaders are already discussing their transformation journey, or are well on the way. As a result, our teams are having new conversations, from ‘how can new cloud-enabled business models keep me competitive?’ to ‘help me optimize my data estate’ to ‘prove to me you’re a trusted partner who won’t undercut my business’.
At Microsoft, we’re at the intersection of these conversations in the financial services industry. We are laser-focused on building the best cloud for business, helping financial firms big and small enable intelligent industry transformation with data and artificial intelligence (AI). We’re doing so knowing that security, resiliency and regulatory compliance are vital, and we’re constantly thinking about how we can help institutions make the transition to modern innovations while still taking advantage of legacy investments.
With this in mind, I’d like to share Microsoft technology, partner solutions and industry contributions designed to help financial services businesses compete, innovate and succeed in the future. Here at Sibos 2018 in Sydney, Australia, and at the upcoming Money2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, we will be on the ground showcasing this work and discussing how putting data and AI at the center of transformation is a formula for success.
New partnerships with the industry’s digital leaders
Building the leading cloud for financial services does not happen in a vacuum. We are proud to work side-by-side with transformational industry leaders who tell us the Microsoft business model aligns to their future. We are in the business of partnership and empowerment, not in the business of disintermediating financial services firms from their customers. This type of partnership is cleanly aligned to our company mission and something we stand by firmly.
Microsoft has announced a collaboration with SWIFT, the leader in secure financial messaging services. Together, we’re proving out a Microsoft Azure cloud-based solution for payments transfers conducted on the SWIFT network. Our intent is to enable the deployment of familiar SWIFT messaging solutions in the cloud, enabling faster, more cost effective, efficient and secure operations for banks, corporates and ecosystem technology providers.
Microsoft is also working with Interswitch, an impressive startup in West Africa. Interswitch is working with banks like GT and Zenith to bridge the supply chain financing gap between an existing corporate-focused infrastructure and a small entrepreneurial economy emerging in the region. Partnering with large banks and corporates in Nigeria, Interswitch has built a bank guarantee service on Azure that extends the reach of the banking system to non-traditional players, empowering bank lenders, corporate suppliers, and borrowers of all sizes to manage their supply-chain financing under objective terms and complete transparency.
New innovations for a data- and AI-powered future
The Microsoft Cloud – including Dynamics 365, Azure and Microsoft 365 – is already home to modern technology that industry-leading firms use to power their business today, including real-time payments infrastructure, seamless customer experience apps, risk management grids and fraud prevention tech. With more than $1 billion invested per year in security, a growing industry-leading data center footprint and an unmatched cloud regulatory compliance portfolio, we are fully vested in the financial services industry’s future.
Underscored by these investments, recent innovation across the Microsoft Cloud portfolio aims to make our platforms even more secure, efficient and intelligent, so together we unlock the power of data and AI for success.
Customer Lockbox for Microsoft Azure: Customer Lockbox for Microsoft Azure helps customers control and audit a Microsoft support engineer’s access to compute workloads on Azure that may contain customer data while resolving a support issue. Microsoft support does not have standing access to service operations. In some rare scenarios, to resolve a support issue, just-in-time access with limited and time bound authorization can be provided to Microsoft support engineers. Customer Lockbox helps ensure that Microsoft support engineers do not access customers’ content in the Azure portal without the customer’s explicit approval. It also helps improve the existing support ticket workflow by expediting the customer’s approval process. This capability enables customers to have more granular control, better visibility and enhanced audit over Microsoft’s support process.
Azure Confidential Computing: Azure Confidential Computing offers the possibility to keep data safe by isolating it while it is processed – a common method of data theft. Azure is the first cloud service to provide a secure platform for protecting the confidentiality and integrity of data in use using trusted execution environments (TEEs), and we’re rolling out a new family of virtual machines to ensure confidential computing is available to all Azure customers.
Microsoft Compliance Manager: Compliance Manager is a workflow-based risk assessment tool designed to help manage regulatory compliance within the shared responsibility model of the cloud. Compliance Manager provides a dashboard view of standards and regulations and assessments that enables organizations to track, assign and verify regulatory compliance activities related to Microsoft Professional Services and Microsoft cloud services, such as Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Azure.
Microsoft Proposal Manager: Proposal Manager is a solution built on top of the Microsoft 365 platform that takes advantage of its advanced features and functions, together with custom apps, to deliver a streamlined corporate lending loan origination process. With Proposal Manager, corporate banks can easily streamline and automate the corporate lending process, create more effective proposals, and collaborate across the enterprise confidentially – all while taking advantage of the familiar, connected, accessible and intelligent experience in Microsoft 365.
AI in Excel: Excel is a powerful tool used by business leaders today. New AI-powered improvements in data handling and performance are making Excel even more valuable. New capabilities like Ideas, new data types, Insert Data from Picture and dynamics arrays are examples of how Microsoft is bringing AI into the tools business leaders use every day.
Bringing the leading ecosystem solutions to Microsoft platforms
The financial services technology landscape is an ecosystem of innovative players. Solution providers that are core to many financial institutions today are also enabling intelligent industry transformation with data and AI, and they’re choosing Microsoft platforms to power their technologies. These solutions are helping firms do things like grow retail banking business with next-best-action software, spot and fight financial crime with regtech, and improve customer relationships with multichannel customer experience solutions.
Today, our breadth of intelligent partner solutions is growing with new real-time payments infrastructure and blockchain-based trade finance tools, among existing tools for security, productivity and process optimization.
Volante: Volante’s well established VolPay Suite of payments processing products, today launched VolPay-as-a-Service on Azure with its first customer bank. The service provides banks with a managed service for end-to-end processing payments in the cloud, from capture through clearing. FIMBank Malta will be the first bank worldwide to deploy Volante’s Volpay-as-a-Service, an important step forward for cloud-based payments infrastructure.
TradeIX: TradeIXand R3 are working with 11 global banks to automate trade finance products under the Marco Polo initiative, which focuses on receivables discounting and payment commitments supported by blockchain-based software, Corda. For corporates looking to collateralize receivables, the process of submitting and financing invoices requires tremendous manual effort and reconciliation across counterparties. With Marco Polo and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, corporates can automate and attest receivables in real time and banks can apply their rules and eligibility logic, providing all parties with an accurate view of present and future cash flow.
Meet us at Sibos and Money2020
It’s an exciting time to sit at the intersection of technology and financial services, and to think about what’s possible in the future. It’s humbling to be on this transformational journey with so many ambitious digital leaders. We welcome you to visit us at booth No. A30 if you’re in Sydney, or at our sessions at Money2020 in Las Vegas to meet our team.
