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EU

EU Sets Out Patent Rules for Smart Technology To Limit Lawsuits (reuters.com) 8

Posted by msmash from the how-about-that dept.
The European Commission proposed rules on Thursday to govern patents increasingly in demand for technologies used in smart devices such as drones, connected cars and mobile phones, to try to reduce litigation. From a report: The Commission said the system for what are known as standard-essential patents (SEPs), was fragmented, lacked transparency, led to lengthy disputes and that self-regulation had not worked. SEPs protect technology such as for 5G, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth that is needed by equipment producers to comply with international standards.
Businesses

Dropbox Lays Off 500 Employees, CEO Says Due To Slowing Growth and 'the Era of AI' (techcrunch.com) 69

Posted by msmash from the tough-luck dept.
Cloud storage giant Dropbox today joined the fray of tech companies announcing layoffs. From a report: The company today announced that it would be laying off 16% of its staff, equivalent to about 500 employees, due to slowing growth, and -- in the words of CEO Drew Houston -- because "the AI era of computing has finally arrived." These appear to be the first layoffs the company has made since January 2021, when it laid off 315 employees in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Submission + - NASA Power Tweak Extends Voyager 2 Mission

Submitted by canux
canux writes: In an effort to continue to power Voyager 2's five on-board scientific instruments, NASA engineers have devised a software update that disables the probe's electrical supply safety system.

"'Although the spacecraft’s voltage will not be tightly regulated as a result, even after more than 45 years in flight, the electrical systems on both probes remain relatively stable, minimizing the need for a safety net,' according to NASA JPL. 'The engineering team is also able to monitor the voltage and respond if it fluctuates too much. If the new approach works well for Voyager 2, the team may implement it on Voyager 1 as well.'”

The Voyager probes each contain a Multihundred-Watt Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator for their power which use Plutonium-238 to generate heat to produce electricity with a thermocouple. Plutonium-238 has a half-life of a little over 87 years which means that Voyager 2 has seen a greater than 25% reduction in its power output since it was launched.
AI

Generative AI Systems Boost Productivity and Retention, Says Study (techtarget.com) 43

Posted by BeauHD from the would-you-look-at-that dept.
dcblogs shares a report from TechTarget: A National Bureau of Economic Research study found that generative AI boosts productivity by 14%, reduces stress, and increases employee retention in customer support roles. The workers who gained the most from this automation were newer and less experienced. Customer support is a stressful job. "A key part of agents' jobs is to absorb customer frustrations while restraining one's own emotional reaction," the paper noted. But generative AI can act as an aide, using the customer's chats as input and providing suggestions for empathetic responses and problem-solving in real-time.

The study found that generative AI reduced the likelihood of customers wanting to escalate issues to a supervisor. But it's just one study, caution analyst. David Creelman, CEO of Creelman Research in Toronto, cautioned against putting too much weight on one study. "It's too soon to start making conclusions about where this will have an impact and how big that impact will be," he said.

Submission + - SPAM: New Senate Bill Could Force Ticket Sellers to Disclose Their Fees Upfront 1

Submitted by schwit1
schwit1 writes: It was a busy day for the live music industry in Washington today as senators introduced multiple pieces of legislation aimed at improving transparency and competition in ticketing.

One of the most common complaints among music fans in a long list of gripes about the modern ticketing industry is the hidden fees that get tacked on at the very end of a purchase, adding a deceptive extra costs customers won't even see until they've already selected their seats based on a different price. The Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing, or TICKET Act, could end that annoyance. Introduced on Tuesday by U.S. Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash) and committee ranking member Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the bill, if passed, would require ticket sellers for concerts and sporting events to disclose the total price of a ticket including fees right away. Fees themselves can be a significant addition for concert tickets, usually adding a 20 to 30-percent extra charge on tickets but sometimes well exceeding that. Joe Biden pushed for a reform on "junk fees" earlier this year.

While passing the new legislation wouldn't stop the actual fees themselves, it would certainly be a step forward in making the business more transparent for consumers. While the bill would pass all-in prices on a federal level, some states like New York already enacted the policy.

“Right now, one company is leveraging its power to lock venues into exclusive contracts that last up to ten years, ensuring there is no room for potential competitors to get their foot in the door,” Klobuchar said, seemingly referencing Ticketmaster but not mentioning it by name. “Without competition to incentivize better services and fair prices, we all suffer the consequences. The Unlock Ticketing Markets Act would help consumers, artists, and independent venue operators alike by making sure primary ticketing companies face pressure to innovate and improve.”
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Comment Re:The system is the problem (Score 1) 235

According to your own figures, you were making about $1 per beer poured, including (mostly) tips. For your example of a $4 beer, that implies an approximate tip of $1 per beer. So, what difference does it make to me if the beer is $4 + a $1 tip, or $5 with no tip? If $1/beer is an excessive marginal cost to me, I should probably just be buying my beer at the grocer's for approx. $2 each and not visiting bars at all.

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