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'A disk in a planet-scale computer': Meta has so many expensive GPUs that it's buying SSDs to kill idle time

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Meta rebuilt storage systems after slow data repeatedly stalled expensive AI GPUs SSD caching dramatically reduced AI dataset loading times from hours to minutes Meta replaced complex metadata lookups with a faster unified storage architecture Meta says storage systems have failed to keep pace with AI computing power, creating delays that leave costly GPUs waiting instead of processing workloads efficiently. According to the company's engineers, storage bottlenecks remain a major cause of GPU stalls, increasing operating costs while slowing research progress and extending development timelines. To address those delays, Meta redesigned its storage architecture, arguing that faster movement of data can unlock greater value from expensive AI hardware investments. Meta rebuilds storage architecture to keep GPUs working Meta's engineers explained that the company operates hundreds of exabyte-...

'We've set this company up in preparation for this moment' — as PlayStation scraps discs, these companies are ready to keep physical games alive

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When Sony announced that it would no longer be producing physical PlayStation discs from 2028, the response was not positive, to put it lightly. Yes, PC gaming may now be almost entirely digital, and things have certainly been moving in a similar direction with consoles over the last few years, but ceasing production of physical games entirely? It’s a significant step many didn’t want to happen so soon. PlayStation fans have been vocal in calling out the negatives of Sony’s decision, specifically what this means for game ownership, preservation, and collectors who enjoy buying physical. The company has been reticent to address the backlash, but the comments section of every blog entry, social media post, or trailer release since the announcement is full of anger, pleas to reverse the decision, and glib remarks at Sony’s expense. For anyone, like myself, who has enjoyed building a collection of ph...

Miss your CD collection? This wall-mounted display for Spotify and Apple Music promises to bring back its ‘feeling of connection’ — but its maker insists he doesn’t want to kill off physical media

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Growing up music-obsessed, my household CD collection was substantial. Along with my own music, it was largely made up of albums my parents had accumulated separately. Like a library filled with books, it unlocked an educational portal on all things music and ignited my respect for the album. And yes, I use the best music streaming services to satisfy my daily music needs, but I’m still an album-listener, and I haven’t left physical music out of my consumption habits. That said, I’ve always imagined what it would be like to bring the nostalgia of CD-browsing into the digital era. Thankfully, Ricardo Amorim is doing just that with his start-up company Spine Music . Launching on Kickstarter this fall, Amorim’s inaugural product is the Spine display, a digital music display you can connect to your Spotify , Apple Music , and Tidal account. But what’s impressive about Spine is that it displays all o...

'It’s not red, it’s magenta': How ThinkPad designers gaslit IBM to save the iconic TrackPoint

“It’s not red,” IBM’s design center manager patiently explained. “It’s magenta.” The safety function officer wasn’t buying it. Between his fingers, he held up a small, rubbery disc that looked like a pencil eraser. “You know it’s red and I know it’s red,” he said. The design manager didn’t back down. He insisted that what the man held was indeed magenta. The safety officer called his boss. The boss called Tom Hardy, Design Program Director at IBM. Hardy didn't flinch. “It’s not red. It’s magenta.” It was one of the boldest lies ever told in tech. And it made the ThinkPad iconic. Years later, Hardy relayed the incident in an interview with Laptop Retrospective, detailing the design origins of the TrackPoint, the input stick resting in a central position of the ThinkPad keyboard since 1992. Instantly recogni...

'Underdog' — this is why struggling browser Firefox and Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham football club are now joined at the kit

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It starts on the 4 Train, that straight-run subway line from Grand Central to Yankee Stadium, where I start to notice the red shirts. By the time I reach the massive gray stadium, people are circling the Bronx Bomber’s edifice like thousands of red ants, all queuing up for a rare baseball season sight: football (soccer) in Yankee Stadium. Most of the shirts are for Premier League side Liverpool FC, but there's a smattering of Wrexham kits. Some of them look threadbare, and none feature the club’s newest sponsor: Firefox. The travel and away kits were unveiled just days before — too soon for die-hard fans to show their support for the team and its well-known but, by some measures, marginal web browser. Walking through Babe Ruth Plaza, I follow behind the red shirts until I’m lined up behind fans who have come from as far as Arkansas and California to witness the pre-season match. None are mus...

Amazon wants to launch over 5,000 satellites to build new mobile networks

Amazon plans to launch 5,105 satellites to support new mobile networks The filing with the FCC highlights voice, data, emergency services, and Internet of Things support Amazon Leo already has over 390 satellites in orbit, enough to launch the plans ahead of the full deployment Amazon has confirmed its “low Earth orbit” (LEO) satellite network has submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy a constellation of 5,105 satellites which will provide voice, data, messaging, emergency services access, and Internet of Things support for under the Amazon Leo Direct-to-Device (D2D) project. The application follows Amazon’s merger with Globalstar, acquiring the US satellite telecommunications company’s operations, infrastructure, and global licenses and authorizations. This step into orbit will see Amazon Leo’s existing satellites work alongside the Globalstar HIBLEO an...

I watched the viral The Odyssey 4DX screening, and think it's better than the IMAX 70mm format — the 5 most brutal scenes are worth the extortionate ticket price alone

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Some mild spoilers for The Odyssey ahead. Normally, when my TikTok FYP causes me to experience an extreme case of FOMO, I do something I regret. That's ranged from buying something cheap and tacky on TikTok Shop to queueing for hours to get sub-par food at a restaurant that influencers say is my area's "best-kept secret". But that losing streak has ended with The Odyssey in 4DX. If you've been active on social media in the last two weeks, you might have come across the many viral videos of cinema-goers having popcorn knocked out of their hands while their chair moves at a million miles a minute in Troy, and being sprayed in the face during one of the many seen featuring Odysseus (Matt Damon) at sea. At first, I thought these clips were performative. I hate the idea that filming in theaters has become as commonplace as it has (which is why I won't be sharing any of those...