Artificial intelligence (AI) can now detect whether your cat is in pain by looking at its face, using an app built by vets and developers in Japan.

The AI app was trained using 6,000 pictures of cats, and developers say it is more than 95% accurate.

The head of the Animal Medical Centre at Nihon University worked on the app. He said vets like him can tell to a certain degree whether an animal is in pain or not, but it’s harder for owners.

“More than 70% of elderly cats have arthritis or pain, but only 2% of them actually go to a hospital,” said Professor Edamura.

“So rather than a final diagnosis, we use [the app] as a tool to make owners aware of whether the situation is normal or not.”

More than 230,000 people have used the app since it launched in Japan last year.

Mayumi Kitakata lives in Tokyo with her 14-year-old cat Chi. She uses the app to read his face each day.

“He is at an age where more and more diseases are going to appear,” said Ms Kitakata.

Image:
The head of Nihon University Animal Medical Center, Professor Kazuya Edamura, gives a lecture to students on the diagnosis of pain in cats. Pic: Reuters

“So being able to consult the vet but still reduce the number of visits to the hospital is very important for him and for me.”

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Pets are very popular in the country, with the Japan Pet Food Association estimating there were almost 16 million pet cats and dogs in the country last year, more than the number of children under 15.

The app, called CatsMe!, was developed by Careology and researchers at Nihon University.

In the pixelated world of Stardew Valley, where crops reign supreme and farmers strive for prosperity, one particular fruit holds a special place of honor: the Ancient Fruit. This crop, being very rare and precious, is much wanted by players. This is because of its high-earning prospects and special features.

This article will focus on everything you should know about the Ancient Fruit in Stardew Valley, from getting the seeds to getting the most out of them.

Introduction to Ancient Fruit

The Ancient Fruit is a rarity; it is the only blue fruit that requires as long as an entire season to fully ripen. While it takes comparatively long to develop, it is worth much more than simple crops. This is why it is so valuable. Many players desire it.

With proper knowledge and strategy, farmers can draw the strength of Ancient Fruit. This will help them increase their income and make their farming business level up.

Acquiring Ancient Fruit Seeds

The road to Ancient Fruit starts by getting Ancient Seeds that give this fruit life. There are several methods to obtain Ancient Seeds in Stardew Valley:

The Traveling Merchant: As you will be moving along the north end of the Cindersap Forest, remember to look for The Traveling Merchant who comes around every Friday and Sunday. Ranging from 100g to 1000g, the merchant might add a pack of Ancient Seeds as part of their inventory.
Donating the Ancient Seed Artifact: Pursue the giant terrain of Stardew Valley to get the Ancient Seed artifact. Should you find one, donate it to the Museum and you will receive a package of Ancient Seeds and the recipe for cultivating more.
Seed Maker: The Seed Maker can be used for all of the processing of crops and with a chance to collect Ancient Fruit Seeds. Even though most crops usually produce seeds similar to the input, there is a small chance of receiving Ancient Fruit Seeds. This makes the process fruit some.

Cultivating Ancient Fruit

After owning the Ancient Fruit Seed, it is time to start the journey to cultivation. Don’t put the seeds of the crop in the ground during the wintertime, because Ancient Fruit needs a good climate. You can do this during any other season.

Please be patient, because it will require nearly 28 days for the seeds to reach full maturity and develop into plants. Nevertheless, it would be worthwhile since it is one of the most profitable crops. As soon as the Ancient Fruit plant matures it will continue to bear fruit every week. An experienced farmer could make a steady living out of it.

For those who want to continue cultivation throughout year-round, use the greenhouse. Here the climate remains ideal, no matter the season. Using the seeds of ancient fruits for the greenhouse gives farmers a continuous harvest. In the long run, it also encourages them to boost their crop output for better economic gain.

Maximizing the Value of The Ancient Fruit

Ancient Fruit holds a significant value. Both as a raw item as well as when processed into various products. Here are some ways to maximize the value of Ancient Fruit:

Selling Raw Fruit: Antique Fruit proves to be a sizable profit, the price depending on the quality. Whether it be for normal, silver, gold, or iridium quality, Ancient Fruit farmers can expect significant profits.
Processing into Wine or Jam: However, the Value of Ancient Fruit can also be improved by processing into the Wine or Jam. The processed Ancient Fruit products are brought higher prices and can also be further aged in the casks to increase their quality
Completing Bundles: donate the Ancient Fruit to fulfill specific Community Center bundles. In return, you will get access to the Movie Theatre or new locations.
Crafting Genie Pants: Get creative by combining Ancient Fruit with cloth at a sewing machine to form dyeable Genie Pants. This adds some flair to the whole ensemble of your character’s clothes. It can also be used as a blue dye in tailoring.

Q&A:

1. What is Ancient Fruit in Stardew Valley?

Ans: Ancient fruit is one of the most valuable produce in Stardew Valley, as it pays the highest and has a relatively long harvest start. It is a particular kind of seed that as long as they are nurtured, they grow into plants that produce Ancient Fruit which can be sold for profit.

2. How do I get Ancient Fruit seeds?

Ans: Stardew Valley provides the players with multiple ways to get the ancestors’ seeds. One of the easiest ways to earn them is to get them as a reward for completing specific tasks or quests. Be on the lookout for a chance to obtain Ancient Fruit seeds as a reward for getting a job well done on the farm.

3. Can I grow the Ancient Fruit on the Nintendo Switch version?

Ans: Yes, these Fruits can be cultivated and grown on every platform publishing Stardew Valley, including the Nintendo Switch. Regardless of whether you play on a PC, console, or mobile, you can have fun growing the Ancient Fruit tree on your farm.

4. Is there any special event or location related to the Ancient Fuirt?

Ans: Yes, during the Winter season, adventurers can check out the Night Market to meet with sellers who probably have Ancient Fruit seeds or other Ancient Fruit items for them. Don’t miss this occasion to add Ancient Fruit seeds and other worthwhile items to your farm.

5. Does the Artisan profession have any advantages in the Ancient Fruit farming?

Ans: The Artisan occupation gives more value to the artisan goods, like the wine made from the Ancient Fruits. Thus, the farmers can earn an even higher fortune by harvesting their crops.

Bare metal gives you total control over the hypervisor for maximum flexibility and resource optimization. Dedicated hosts keep things simple with the cloud provider managing the VMs for you.

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Let’s imagine you’re the owner of a fastest-growing e-commerce business. Your online store is getting more and more traffic every day, and you need to scale up your server infrastructure to handle the increased load. You’ve decided to move your operations to the cloud, but you’re unsure whether to go with bare metal servers or dedicated hosts. How does it impact your growth of business?

What are Bare Metal Servers & Dedicated Hosts, and what is the main difference?Bare Metal vs. Dedicated Host

Both bare metal servers and dedicated hosts are physical machines located in a cloud provider’s data center. The main difference lies in who manages the hypervisor layer – the software that allows you to run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical server.

What is a Hypervisor and What Does It Do?

A hypervisor is a software layer that creates and runs virtual machines (VMs) on a physical host machine. It allows multiple operating systems to share the same hardware resources, such as CPU, memory, and storage. Each VM runs its own operating system and applications, isolated from the others, providing a secure and efficient way to run multiple workloads on a single physical server.

Types of Hypervisors Used in Cloud Data CentersType 1 (Bare-Metal) Type 2 (Hosted)Type 1 Hypervisor vs Type 2 Hypervisor

Type 1 (Bare-Metal) Hypervisors run directly on the host’s hardware, providing better performance and efficiency. Examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix Hypervisor.

Type 2 (Hosted) Hypervisors run on top of a host operating system, like Windows or Linux. Examples include VMware Workstation, Oracle VirtualBox, and Parallels Desktop.

Cloud providers often prefer Type 1 hypervisors for their data centers due to their superior performance and security.

Bare Metal vs Virtual Machines vs Containers: The Differences

When deploying a modern application stack, how do we decide which one to use? Bare Metal, VMs or Containers?

With a bare metal server, you’re essentially renting the entire physical machine from the cloud provider. However, you’re also responsible for installing and managing the hypervisor software yourself. This gives you a lot of control and flexibility. You can tweak the hypervisor settings to optimize performance, overcommit resources (like CPU and RAM) to squeeze more virtual machines onto the physical server, and have direct access to the hypervisor for monitoring, logging, and backing up your VMs.

Think of it like renting a house. You’re in charge of everything – from painting the walls to mowing the lawn. It’s a lot of work, but you get to customize the house to your exact preferences.

Feature
Bare Metal Server
Dedicated Host

Hardware
Physical server rented from cloud provider
Physical server rented from cloud provider

Hypervisor Management
Customer installs and manages the hypervisor software
Cloud provider installs and manages the hypervisor software

Hypervisor Control
Full control over hypervisor configuration settings
Limited or no control over hypervisor settings

Resource Allocation
Can overcommit CPU, RAM across VMs for efficiency
Limited ability to overcommit resources across VMs

Monitoring
Direct access to hypervisor for monitoring and logging
Rely on cloud provider’s monitoring tools

Backup/Recovery
Can backup VMs directly through hypervisor
Must use cloud provider’s backup/recovery services

Scalability
Scale VMs up/down based on available server resources
Request cloud provider to scale VMs up/down

Security
Responsible for securing the hypervisor layer
Cloud provider secures the hypervisor layer

Management Complexity
High, requires hypervisor expertise
Low, cloud provider handles hypervisor management

Pricing Model
Pay for entire physical server capacity
Pay for VM instances based on usage

Use Cases
High performance, legacy apps, regulatory compliance
General-purpose applications, simplified operations

Examples
IBM Cloud Bare Metal, AWS EC2 Bare Metal
IBM Cloud Dedicated Hosts, AWS Dedicated Hosts

Dedicated Hosts: Simplicity but Less Control

On the other hand, a dedicated host is like renting an apartment in a managed building. The cloud provider takes care of the hypervisor layer for you. All you have to do is tell them how many virtual machines you want, and they’ll set them up on the dedicated host for you. You don’t have to worry about managing the hypervisor or any of the underlying infrastructure.

The trade-off, of course, is that you have less control over the specifics. You can’t overcommit resources or tinker with the hypervisor settings. But for many businesses, the simplicity and convenience of a dedicated host are worth it.

How Companies Are Saving Millions by Migrating Away from AWS to Bare Metal Servers?

Many startups initially launch on AWS or other public clouds because it allows rapid scaling without upfront investments. But as these companies grow, the operating costs steadily rise.

Open-Source Hypervisor Alternatives

While cloud providers typically use proprietary hypervisors like VMware ESXi or Hyper-V, there are also free and open-source alternatives available, such as:

Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE): A complete open-source server virtualization management solution that includes a KVM hypervisor and a web-based management interface.Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM): A type 1 hypervisor that’s part of the Linux kernel, providing virtualization capabilities without requiring proprietary software.Xen Project Hypervisor: An open-source type 1 hypervisor that supports a wide range of guest operating systems and virtualization use cases.Which Option is Right for Your E-commerce Business?

If you have a team of skilled system administrators who love getting their hands dirty with server configurations, and you need the flexibility to fine-tune your infrastructure for optimal performance, a bare metal server might be the way to go.

However, if you’d rather focus on your core business and leave the nitty-gritty server management to the experts, a dedicated host could be a better fit. It’s a more hands-off approach, allowing you to concentrate on building and scaling your e-commerce platform without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

Should You Use Open Source Large Language Models?

The benefits, risks, and considerations associated with using open-source LLMs, as well as the comparison with proprietary models.

DevOps vs SRE vs Platform Engineering – Explained

At small companies, engineers often wear multiple hats, juggling a mix of responsibilities. Large companies have specialized teams with clearly defined roles in DevOps, SRE, and Platform Engineering.

AppHub is the exact platform that helps distribute, manage, and handle software applications or apps. Developers have these applications on their devices, where they can be developed and deployed by having a centralized location. Some Samsung users are informed with notification signals by CarrierHub and AppHub which seems to be an annoying element to most users.

This application tremendously simplifies the task of mobile companies to make software updates to their devices at their will and also has the power to track them if necessary. It does the same job as a file manager, but is the only official installer for the App Store and can organize files and categorize them.

Virtually, everyone thinks that MCM is required to monitor your data, however it is not involved in doing so. It does not get linked to your phone; instead, it uses your Android phone to supply regular updates so that your device is protected. It is okay for you to forget to turn off the notification because it does not harm the device, however, to some people, this could be disturbing.

If you are one of those who are having these kinds of problems, here are some fixes that will help you troubleshoot the Apphub processing requests error.

Be Patient for a While

The app runs in the background, not visible on your phone, and the message is sent silently without popping onto the screen. The alert may stay for a while, and it may go away after the course of the learning program is over. If your plan is not successful, attempt to do the next step.

Go to the System Control Panel and Check Whether or Not You Are Connected to the Internet

If your device has an unstable or slow internet connection, this issue will be encountered by you. In this regard, check whether you are having an uninterrupted wi-fi or data connection flow or not. Of course, make sure you monitor the usage of WiFi or cellular data to make sure that you are not running low on it.

Restart Your Computer

Turning off and turning on the device will sometimes fix the cases wherein the request pops up! It may seem easy, but it’s quite an effective method for fixing problems that can cause the request notification to appear.

Wherever it goes, it’s always better to give your device a fresh start so that you can clean up the temporary files, reset system processes, and refresh your memory simultaneously. So switch off your device in device settings or restart it and see if the issue persists.

Clear Caches and Data Storage

Sometimes the issue is caused by storage settings corrupted or app cache data buildup on the apps. So, solving the problem requires deleting the cache and data. The issue, according to the given statement, is associated with corrupted or wrong data. You can follow these steps to clear your cache and storage.

Choose Settings from the icon on your Android device.
Then choose Apps out of the menu.
From the list of the installed applications you should choose the “Carrier Hub.”
Click “Clear Cache”.
Go for the “Clear Storage” or “Clear Data” option.
To go back to your previous Settings menu, just press the Main Settings button.

The alternative is to locate the “Carrier Hub-apps-manager” icon and stop the app’s work by tapping the “Force Stop” button.

Upgrade the App

Observe the error and if the app is misbehaving make sure you keep all apps up to date to provide for optimum performance of the app and error-fixing. Besides, we would like you to be certain that Carrier Hub does not have an outdated version which is perhaps the ground for the problem of copying the “Apphub requests are being processed” notification. It could be checking for updates on the carrier hub app or Google Play Store app might resolve the difficulty.

Disable Notification on Carrier Hub

In case Carrier Hub on your device keeps giving you problems, the simplest solution may be to turn off constant notifications so the alerts won’t be displayed on your device. To accomplish this and turn off the pop-ups, follow the steps given below.

On your device, open Settings, tap on Notifications, and then turn off Notifications of Carrier Hub or you can choose the option to mute notifications. The processing requests will be shown no more and you will mostly be sorted by now on Samsung phones or other mobiles or your PC.

Factory Reset Your Device

After all you have done if it still does not function properly, the factory reset might be a last resort that might help. This can also be achieved on your system if you open the ‘PowerShell’ window, or go to adb devices, and provide it with the necessary adb commands to uninstall the app altogether. But beware, doing the reset will remove all your data from the machine, so ensure that you have a safe place before you proceed with the reset.

These are the troubleshooting steps that will help you easily get rid of the carrier hub’s processing requests notification and mcm client requests popping up in the top-right corner or any blank area. There are other minor elements that you might want to check if the issue persists, like USB cable connection, sprint network, or T-mobile SIM issues.

Suppose, as a small business owner, you’ve worked hard to build an e-commerce website that showcases your unique products. Your website is gaining traction, and you’re starting to see a steady increase in customer traffic. However, with this growth comes a new challenge – scalability.

Credit: Melody Onyeocha on Dribble

Whenever a customer clicks your site’s “Buy Now” button, your web application needs to process the order instantly, update the inventory, and send a confirmation email. But what happens when hundreds of customers start placing orders simultaneously? Your current server-based architecture simply can’t keep up, leading to slow response times, frustrated customers, and lost sales.

So you need a more scalable solution for your web application. This is where serverless computing comes in, allowing you to focus on code rather than infrastructure.

What is FaaS (Functions as a Service)?

Functions as a Service (FaaS) is a cloud computing service that allows you to run your code in response to specific events or requests, without the need to manage the underlying infrastructure. With FaaS, you simply write the individual functions (or “microservices”) that make up your application, and the cloud provider takes care of provisioning servers, scaling resources, and managing the runtime environment.

The benefits of FaaS:Pay-per-use: You only pay for the compute time when your functions are executed, rather than paying for always-on server capacity. Automatic scaling: The cloud provider automatically scales your functions up or down based on incoming traffic, ensuring your application can handle sudden spikes in demand. Focus on code: With the infrastructure management handled by the cloud provider, you can focus solely on writing the business logic for your application.

FaaS is specifically focused on building and running applications as a set of independent functions or microservices. Major cloud providers like AWS (Lambda), Microsoft Azure (Functions), and Google Cloud (Cloud Functions) offer FaaS platforms that allow developers to write and deploy individual functions without managing the underlying infrastructure.

What is Serverless?

Serverless is a broader cloud computing model that involves FaaS but also includes other fully managed services like databases (e.g., AWS DynamoDB, Azure Cosmos DB, Google Cloud Datastore), message queues (e.g., AWS SQS, Azure Service Bus, Google Cloud Pub/Sub), and storage (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage).

In a serverless architecture, the cloud provider is responsible for provisioning, scaling, and managing the entire backend infrastructure required to run your application.

The benefits of Serverless Computing:Reduced operational overhead: With no servers to manage, you can focus entirely on building your application without worrying about infrastructure. Event-driven architecture: Serverless applications are designed around event triggers, allowing you to react to user actions, data changes, or scheduled events in real time. Seamless scalability: Serverless platforms automatically scale your application’s resources up and down based on demand, with no additional configuration required on your part.

Feature
FaaS
Serverless

Infrastructure Management
Handles provisioning and scaling of servers/containers for your functions
Handles provisioning and scaling of the entire backend infrastructure, including servers, databases, message queues, etc.

Pricing Model
Pay-per-execution (cost per function invocation)
Pay-per-use (cost per resource consumption, e.g., CPU, memory, data transfer)

Scalability
Automatically scales functions up and down based on demand
Automatically scales the entire application infrastructure up and down based on demand

Stateful vs. Stateless
Functions are typically stateless
Supports both stateful and stateless services

Event-Driven Architecture
Supports event-driven execution of functions
Natively supports event-driven architecture with managed event services

Third-Party Service Integration
Integrates with other cloud services through API calls
Seamless integration with a rich ecosystem of managed cloud services

Development Focus
Concentrate on writing the application logic in the form of functions
Concentrate on building the overall application structure and leveraging managed services

Vendor Lock-in
Some vendor lock-in, as functions are typically tied to a specific FaaS platform
Potential for vendor lock-in, as Serverless often relies on a broader set of managed services

Examples
AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, Google Cloud Functions, IBM Cloud Functions
AWS (Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB), Azure (Functions, Cosmos DB, Event Grid), Google Cloud (Functions, Datastore, Pub/Sub), IBM Cloud (Functions, Object Storage, Databases)

Infrastructure Management
Handles provisioning and scaling of servers/containers for your functions
Handles provisioning and scaling of the entire backend infrastructure, including servers, databases, message queues, etc.

1. Scope

FaaS is a specific type of serverless architecture that is focused on building and running applications as a set of independent functions. Serverless computing, on the other hand, is a broader term that encompasses a range of cloud computing models, including FaaS, BaaS, and others.

2. Granularity

FaaS is a more fine-grained approach to building and running applications, as it allows developers to break down applications into smaller, independent functions. Serverless computing, on the other hand, can be used to build and run entire applications, not just individual functions.

3. Pricing

FaaS providers typically charge based on the number of function executions and the duration of those executions. Serverless computing providers, on the other hand, may charge based on a variety of factors, such as the number of API requests, the amount of data stored, and the number of users.

Major cloud providers that offer FaaS and serverless computing services:AWS Lambda – AWS Lambda is a FaaS platform that allows developers to run code without provisioning or managing servers. Lambda supports a variety of programming languages, including Python, Node.js, Java, and C#.Azure Functions – Azure Functions is a serverless computing service that allows developers to build event-driven applications using a variety of programming languages, including C#, Java, JavaScript, and Python.Google Cloud Functions – Google Cloud Functions is a FaaS platform that allows developers to run code in response to specific events, such as changes to a Cloud Storage bucket or the creation of a Pub/Sub message.IBM Cloud Functions – IBM Cloud Functions is a serverless computing platform that allows developers to build and run event-driven applications using a variety of programming languages, including Node.js, Swift, and Java.Oracle Cloud Functions – Oracle Cloud Functions is a FaaS platform that allows developers to build and run serverless applications using a variety of programming languages, including Python, Node.js, and Java.Choosing Between FaaS and ServerlessUse FaaS for:Opt for serverless computing when:You’re deploying complex applications that require a unified environment for all components.You want to reduce the operational overhead of managing servers while maintaining control over application configurations.

Understand with an Example

Suppose you want to build a simple web application that allows users to upload images and apply filters to them. With a traditional server-based architecture, you would need to provision and manage servers, install and configure software, and handle scaling and availability. This can be time-consuming and expensive, especially if you’re just starting out.

With a serverless architecture, on the other hand, you can focus on writing the code for the application logic, and let the cloud provider handle the rest.

For instance, you could use AWS Lambda (FaaS) to run the code that processes the uploaded images, AWS S3 for storage, and other AWS services like API Gateway and DynamoDB as part of the overall serverless architecture. The cloud provider would automatically scale the resources up or down based on demand, and you would only pay for the resources you actually use.

All FaaS is serverless, but not all serverless is FaaS.

FaaS is a type of serverless architecture, but the two terms are not the same. FaaS is all about creating and running applications as separate functions, while serverless computing is a wider term that covers different cloud computing models. In other words, FaaS is a specific way of doing serverless computing that involves breaking down an application into small, independent functions that can be run separately. Serverless computing, on the other hand, is a more general approach that can involve using different cloud services to build and run an application without having to manage servers.

The major cloud providers offer varying levels of tooling and community support for their FaaS and serverless offerings. AWS has the largest community and a mature set of tools like AWS SAM for local development and testing of serverless applications.

Microsoft Azure has good tooling integration with Visual Studio Code, while Google Cloud’s tooling is still catching up. A strong developer ecosystem and community support can be crucial when building and maintaining serverless applications.

FaaS Platform

Feature
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Arm64 architecture

Compiled binary deployment

Wildcard SSL certificate free

Serverless KV store
DynamoDB
CosmosDB
Datastore

Serverless SQL
Aurora Serverless
Azure SQL
BigQuery

IaC deployment templates
SAM, CloudFormation
ARM, Bicep
GDM

IaC drift detection

Single shot stack deployment

Developement

Feature
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Virtualized local execution

FaaS dev tools native for arm64

Go SDK support

PHP SDK support

VSCode tooling

Dev tools native for Apple Silicon

Feature
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Reddit community members
278,455
141,924
46,415

Stack Overflow members
256,700
216,100
54,300

Videos on YouTube channel
16,308
1,475
4,750

Twitter/X followers
2.2 M
1 M
533 K

GitHub stars for JS SDK
7.5 K
1.9 K
2.8 K

GitHub stars for .NET SDK
2 K
5 K
908

GitHub stars for Python SDK
8.7 K
2.7 K
4.6 K

GitHub stars for Go SDK
8.5 K
1.5 K
3.6 K

Runtimes

Runtime
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Custom (Linux)

Custom (Windows)

Python

Node.js

PHP

Ruby

Java

.NET

Go

Rust

C/C++

Serverless AI

Provider
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Open AI

Gemini

Anthropic

Meta Llama2

Cohere

AI21

Amazon Titan

Mistral

Stability (SDXL)

Computer Vision

We have only a few months until September which has been officially booked by Apple to launch its iconic products, led by the iPhone lineup. I think if you are even a little bit interested in technology, you must already notice the buzz all over the internet and social media, filled with people’s predictions, guesses, early “confirmations” about Apple plans and leaks, a lot of leaks, from software updates to hardware wireframes. Yes, we love Apple but does it really love us back with such determination?

Okay, the figurative speech aside, there is a big group of people who don’t feel satisfied with what Apple does. Don’t get this wrong, they are still ready to pay more than a thousand dollars for a new iPhone, but the innovation they expect is coming very slowly, at least compared to Samsung, Apple’s biggest rival, which has already introduced its AI capabilities.

It’s important to consider the truth that Apple is not trying to impress with innovations but with safe and intuitive products, which require time to implement and then only pass to the customer. Meanwhile, someone is sitting in front of their Macbook and trying to play the latest game but gets more and more convinced that other PCs may perform way too well, for instance. So, let’s start with this part.

Let’s be real – Apple products excel in many areas, but hardcore gaming performance just isn’t one of their strong suits. I’m an Apple super-fan who loves their signature premium design and intuitive user experiences. But when it comes to running demanding game titles, even Apple’s top-tier hardware gets outpaced by custom gaming PCs.

If you wonder about the difference between Mac Vs. Windows gaming experiences, just look at the experience of playing a graphically intense open-world game like Cyberpunk 2077 on a maxed-out M1 Max MacBook Pro versus a high-end gaming device. While the $3,499 MacBook can handle the game at lower settings around 30 fps, a similarly priced $3,000 PC with an RTX 4090 GPU pumps out over 100 fps at ultra settings with raytracing enabled. You’re talking about the difference between choppy, compromised visuals and a completely immersive experience.

The reason is simple – gaming PCs are purpose-built systems optimized for these 3D workloads. They pack powerful discrete GPUs like Nvidia’s latest 40-series cards with up to 24GB of video memory, liquid cooling setups to sustain peak performance, and ultra-fast M.2 NVMe SSD storage to minimize load times. Apple’s all-in-one designs with integrated graphics simply can’t match that level of raw power.

I’m utterly obsessed with the Apple ecosystem, but there’s no denying Spotify’s streaming service seems to consistently out-innovate the music discovery experience versus Apple Music. While Apple has drastically improved their offering, Spotify’s cutting-edge data science and recommendation engines give them a decided advantage.

Take Spotify’s advanced ‘Audio AI’ features like their AI DJ or the all-new ‘AI Utterance’ voice models. These use machine learning to analyze your listening patterns, demographics, and taste profiles to craft incredibly personalized DJ commentary and seamless playlist transitions tailored just for you. It’s like having a knowledgeable music expert as your private curator.

By comparison, Apple Music’s recommendations still feel more rudimentary and standardized. Their approaches like grouping playlists by moods or genres just doesn’t achieve that hyper-personalized user experience Spotify nails so well.

The user numbers underline Spotify’s dominance too. As of Q3 2023, Spotify boasts over 236 million paying subscribers globally versus Apple Music’s estimated 93 million (as of 2024). That incredible scale means Spotify can ingest vastly more listening data to train their AI models. Industry data indicates Spotify tracks over 79 billion monthly plays across its platform versus Apple’s 35 billion.

So while both are excellent services, for music superfans craving that next-gen AI-curated experience, Spotify’s aggressive emphasis on personalization AI gives them the decided edge – at least for now.

We all saw that splashy Meta keynote video where Mark Zuckerberg threw unmistakable shade at Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset. Calling the $3,499 device “expensive” while claiming Meta’s $1,499 Quest Pro offers a superior extended reality (XR) experience, Zuck was clearly attempting to get out in front of Apple’s invasion into his virtual territory.

In reality, both the Vision Pro and Quest Pro represent enormously expensive bets on an as-yet-unproven consumer XR market. While Meta enjoys a significant cost advantage thanks to their content-neutral, open ecosystem approach, Apple’s track record for premium industrial design and obsessive hardware optimization could give Vision Pro’s experience a serious edge.

Take the Vision Pro’s novel aluminum and curved glass design, for example. With an internal fan, vents, and over a dozen cameras and sensors, it represents a technical marvel of miniaturization and ergonomics – hallmarks of Apple’s renowned hardware chops. The Pro’s ultra high-res displays also output at a silky 120Hz refresh rate for life-like visual fidelity.

By contrast, Meta’s plastic Quest Pro headset looks comparatively toy-ish and low-rent, with LCD panels that max out at 90Hz and less than half the number of cameras. But as always with Apple products, that seamless user experience comes at a premium cost.