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C++ Seeding Surprises (2015)

Properly seeding random number generators doesn't always get the attention it deserves. Quite often, people do a terrible job, supplying low-quality seed data (such as the system time or process id) or combining multiple poor sources in a half-baked way. C++11 provides std::seed_seq as a way to encourage the use of better seeds, but if you haven't thought about what's really going on when you use it, you may be in for a few surprises. In contrast to C++11, some languages, such as popular script

Topics: 32 bit seed seed_seq std

This Prehistoric Trick Shows How Ice Age People Harvested Teeth for Jewelry

When piecing together the cultural practices of ancient humans, traditional archaeologists rely on clues from artifacts such as tools, bones, and pottery. Experimental archaeologists, however, go a step further—recreating past behaviors to experience how people once lived. That’s precisely what a team of researchers recently did to investigate how Stone Age communities in northeastern Europe extracted animal teeth to produce accessories. Led by Aija Macāne, a visiting scholar in the Department

Meta’s Xbox-Branded Quest 3S Just Sold Out for All the Wrong Reasons

Everyone loves limited-edition stuff. There’s Sony’s 30th anniversary PS5, or Analogue’s many limited edition Pocket handhelds, or— I don’t know—the Shamrock f***ing Shake. But there’s one type of person who loves limited-edition stuff more than your average consumer, and it’s a scalper. For proof of that, see Meta’s recently released Xbox-branded Quest 3S. See Meta Quest Xbox Edition at Best Buy In case you missed it, Meta’s new limited-edition Quest 3S bundle just recently sold out, which on

Topics: edition just meta xbox xr

Your BNPL Plans Could Soon Impact Your Credit Score. Here's When

CNET/Getty Images Have you ever opted for Buy Now, Pay Later at the checkout? You'd hardly be the only one. About 86.5 million people used BNPL in 2024, according to Capital One's research. Starting later this year, your BNPL plans could start appearing on your credit report. You can use BNPL for just about everything now, from Costco purchases to DoorDash (although that doesn't mean you should). But the one thing BNPL couldn't do was improve your credit. Although some of Affirm's plans do rep

Mattress Buying: In-Store or Online?

For stains, cracking, sagging, dents, or anything of that nature that happen over time, you’re probably out of luck, as this is very much in the early-on sort of scenario. Similarly, let’s say that the stitching of the cover comes undone or it’s clear that the bed wasn’t put together the way it should’ve been, as it’s falling apart. This would be considered a “manufacturing defect” and also should be covered. Here’s one very important piece of information to keep in mind if you find yourself de

Reddit turns 20, and it’s going big on AI

is a news editor covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme. Reddit has become known as the place to go for unfiltered answers from real, human users. But as the site celebrates its 20th anniversary this week, the company is increasingly thinking about how it can augment that human work with AI. The initial rollout of AI tools, like Reddit Answers, is “going really well,” CTO Chris Slowe tells The Verge. At a time when Google and its A

FBI, cybersecurity firms say a prolific hacking crew is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector

The FBI and cybersecurity firms are warning that the prolific hacking group known as Scattered Spider is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector. In a brief statement on Friday shared with TechCrunch, the FBI said it had “recently observed” cyberattacks resembling Scattered Spider to include the airline sector. Executives from Google’s cybersecurity unit Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks’ security research division Unit 42 also said they have witnessed Scattered Spider cyberattacks

The top 6 TVs our readers bought this year so far (including a surprise budget pick)

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

The best Kindles you can buy in 2025

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

The best rugged phones in 2025 (including Samsung and Oukitel)

The best mainstream smartphones like the Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones offer sharp displays, powerful performance, and versatile cameras. They are IP-rated for dust and water resistance, but most of them won't be enough if you're an adventurer. If you like hiking or camping, you should consider buying one of the top rugged phones. They are meant to withstand rough elements. The top contenders on this list are tested for military-standard durability, so you don't have to w

Best blood pressure watches: I tested the top models that actually work

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

The best HDMI cables of 2025

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

Korean students seek 'digital undertakers' amid US visa social media screening

The US Embassy in Seoul resumed accepting applications for student and exchange visas but requested that applicants make any private social media accounts public, prompting some South Korean students pursuing studies in the US to seek the help of "digital undertakers." On June 20, the US Embassy in Seoul announced that it will resume taking in applications for its F, M and J nonimmigrant visas, saying it will conduct “thorough vetting” of applicants’ presence on social media. In a notice poste

Anker issues new global recall for five power bank models over fire hazard

Just days after issuing a voluntary recall for the Anker PowerCore 10000, the company has now issued a second, broader recall, this time with global reach and five additional power bank models affected. Anker says the move is a proactive step following recent improvements to its internal quality assurance systems. While the company claims the risk of malfunction is low, it’s recalling the affected models “out of an abundance of caution.” All five power banks flagged in the recall use lithium-io

Retail Resurrection: David’s Bridal bets its future on AI after double bankruptcy

Join the event trusted by enterprise leaders for nearly two decades. VB Transform brings together the people building real enterprise AI strategy. Learn more Inside a new David’s Bridal store in Delray Beach, Florida, a bride-to-be carefully taps images on a 65-inch touchscreen, curating a vision board for her wedding. Behind the scenes, an AI system automatically analyzes her selections, building a knowledge graph that will match her with vendors, recommend products and generate a personalized

Universal Asked That Scenes Be Added Back Into ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’

There’s a reason why the biggest, most famous filmmakers in the world all want “final cut” of their movies. It’s because they don’t want anyone, least of all a studio executive, to have an impact on their vision. More often than not, when studios meddle in editing, it’s to make films shorter. However, the exact opposite happened on the new Jurassic film, Jurassic World Rebirth. Rebirth started shooting in June 2024, finished in October 2024 and, right after Christmas, director Gareth Edwards wa

Rob Biederman will help founders rethink how to scale at TechCrunch All Stage 2025

If you’re a founder looking to grow your startup, chances are you’re wrestling with more than just product or capital. Talent, scale, and smart execution are the real battlegrounds. That’s exactly what TechCrunch All Stage 2025 is built to address on July 15 at Boston’s SoWa Power Station. Rob Biederman, managing partner at Asymmetric Capital Partners and one of the sharpest minds in talent, tech, and scaling strategy, will share his insights in a roundtable session. This is THE place where you

Bigger bitcoin HODL: Time for 10% to 40% of portfolio in crypto, says financial advisor Ric Edelman

Four years ago, financial advisor Ric Edelman went out on a limb in saying everyone should hold cryptocurrencies. But how much? Low single digits was his recommendation. In his "The Truth about Crypto" book in 2021, Edelman said as low as a 1% allocation was reasonable. A lot has changed. This week, Edelman said financial advisors should be recommending anywhere from 10% to 40% allocations to cryptocurrencies, and he is aware it's quite a shift in his own thinking. "Today I am saying 40%, th

I tested the best video editing laptops in 2025: Here's what I recommend for your next project

Summer is a great time to invest in projects, creative gigs, and content creation -- and having the right laptop for video editing is a key piece of the puzzle. You need a machine that can handle everything you throw at it, from full-length film to clips for social media. We tested a wide range of laptops for video editing and found that while some budget laptops can manage basic editing, investing in a purpose-built laptop makes a huge difference. Powerful machines like the Apple M4 MacBook Pro

Spark AI (YC W24) is hiring a full-stack engineer in SF (founding team)

About Us ⚡️ Join us to accelerate the energy transition with technology. At Spark, we’re building the AI engine behind the next generation of renewable energy infrastructure. Our mission is simple yet ambitious: To help renewable energy developers build solar farms, battery storage plants, and related projects more efficiently. If you’re excited to see your products directly accelerate the energy transition, read on. We’re already powering decision-making for industry leaders like Colliers En

Bigger bitcoin HODL: Time for 10% to 40% of portfolio in crypto, say financial advisor Ric Edelman

Four years ago, financial advisor Ric Edelman went out on a limb in saying everyone should hold cryptocurrencies. But how much? Low single digits was his recommendation. In his "The Truth about Crypto" book in 2021, Edelman said as low as a 1% allocation was reasonable. A lot has changed. This week, Edelman said financial advisors should be recommending anywhere from 10% to 40% allocations to cryptocurrencies, and he is aware it's quite a shift in his own thinking. "Today I am saying 40%, th

Why your enterprise AI strategy needs both open and closed models: The TCO reality check

This article is part of VentureBeat’s special issue, “The Real Cost of AI: Performance, Efficiency and ROI at Scale.” Read more from this special issue. For the last two decades, enterprises have had a choice between open-source and closed proprietary technologies. The original choice for enterprises was primarily centered on operating systems, with Linux offering an open-source alternative to Microsoft Windows. In the developer realm, open-source languages like Python and JavaScript dominate,

The best 15-inch laptops of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

New Process Uses Microbes to Create Valuable Materials from Urine

Researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), UC Irvine, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), have used biology to convert human urine into a valuable product. The team genetically modified yeast to take the elements present in urine and create hydroxyapatite – a calcium and phosphorus-based mineral naturally produced by humans and other animals to build bones and teeth. Commercially manufactured hydroxyapatite is used in surgery and dentistry to

Gareth Edwards Is Glad You Liked ‘Rogue One,’ Just Don’t Ask Him to Make Another ‘Star Wars’

Gareth Edwards, who directed Godzilla (2014), The Creator, and the brand-new Jurassic World Rebirth, is always going to be asked about his time in the galaxy far, far away. That’s just the nature of Star Wars and, more specifically, Star Wars fans, most of whom look very fondly upon 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story—especially in the wake of Andor‘s two-season run on Disney+. Edwards is thrilled for all the goodwill, but that doesn’t mean he’s hoping for a return to that world. “I’m very happ

Kumo’s ‘relational foundation model’ predicts the future your LLM can’t see

Join the event trusted by enterprise leaders for nearly two decades. VB Transform brings together the people building real enterprise AI strategy. Learn more The generative AI boom has given us powerful language models that can write, summarize and reason over vast amounts of text and other types of data. But when it comes to high-value predictive tasks like predicting customer churn or detecting fraud from structured, relational data, enterprises remain stuck in the world of traditional machin

Best July 4th TV deals 2025: My favorite early sales save you up to $2,800

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

The best iPhone 15 screen protectors of 2025: Expert tested

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

Slightly better named character reference tokenization than Chrome, Safari, FF

Slightly better named character reference tokenization than Chrome, Safari, and Firefox 2025-06-26 Note: I am not a 'browser engine' person, nor a 'data structures' person. I'm certain that an even better implementation than what I came up with is very possible. A while back, for no real reason, I tried writing an implementation of a data structure tailored to the specific use case of the Named character reference state of HTML tokenization (here's the link to that experiment). Recently, I to

Prolific cybercrime gang now targeting airlines and the transportation sector

Cybersecurity firms are warning that the prolific hacking group known as Scattered Spider is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector. Executives from Google’s cybersecurity unit Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks’ security research division Unit 42 say they have observed cyberattacks targeting the aviation industry resembling Scattered Spider. Scattered Spider is a collective of mostly English-speaking hackers, typically teenagers and young adults, who are financially motivated to st