Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More
Google Cloud’s newest feature, Gemini Code Assist Enterprise aims to compete with GitHub’s enterprise-focused coding platform to explain local codebases and get more security.
Gemini Code Assist Enterprise, formerly Duet AI, lets developers code faster because it understands their organization’s codebase, has a large context window, and allows for customization. Developers can access the assistant for $45 per month per user or $19 monthly with a yearly subscription.
“Developers can stay in flow state longer, bringing more insights directly to their IDEs, while also completing complex tasks like upgrading a Java version in an entire repo,” said Ryan J. Salva, senior director, Developer Tools and Operations, Google Cloud in a blog post. “This means developers get to focus on creative problem-solving, leading to greater job satisfaction while you get a faster time-to-market, gaining a competitive edge.”
Advertisement
The platform offers code suggestions based on local codebases. Google said the large context window helps developers “generate or transform code that’s more relevant to your application.”
The coding assistant can connect directly to other Google Cloud services like Firebase, Databases, BigQuery, Colab Enterprise, Apigee and Application Integration. Salva said this is to meet developers where they are since “the more services it touches, the faster your builders can create and deliver applications.”
The code customization is based on internal libraries so Code Assist can help make custom code suggestions. It will index GitHub and GitLab libraries and support self-hosted libraries early next year.
“A code assistant dramatically reduces the time to ramp on new technologies and incorporates the nuances of an organization’s coding standards into the suggestions it provides,” Salva wrote.
Advertisement
But Google’s biggest selling point for the coding assistant is its enterprise-grade security. It extends Google’s promise that it won’t use customer data to train its Gemini models. It also promises that users have complete control over which repositories the code assistant will index, and they can purge data anytime. Google will also offer indemnification — legal cover for any potential lawsuit — for any code generated by Gemini Code Assist Enterprise.
Enterprise-focused coding assistants
Coding assistance, of course, is nothing new for generative AI. But as more enterprises hope to integrate coding assistants into their technology stack, providers hope to tailor their offerings to them.
Google’s entering the fray underscores the increasing competition in coding assistants and the need to make enterprise-specific solutions even for a task most chatbots can readily do. Moving coding assistants from separate chatbots and integrating these into developer environments or in Google’s case,e other channels gives flexibility to companies looking to improve productivity. The more developers can quickly test code and maybe fix bugs on local codebases, the faster companies can move and deploy applications.
Advertisement
VB Daily
Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily
Threads is working on a new community feature that will seemingly allow users to group together around particular topics and interests, TechCrunch reports. Developer Chris Messina spotted references to “Loops” in the code for Threads’ latest app update, which vaguely describes something similar to the “Communities” feature on X or even subreddits.
The code mentions things like the ability to join and leave a Loop community, and giving it a name and bio. The discovery builds upon sleuthing done earlier by developer and established leaker Alessandro Paluzzi, who found examples showing what the Loops feature might look like inside the Threads app, including “a shortcut to the composer and the home header.” One screenshot shows a speech bubble icon — identified by Paluzzi as the Loops button — next to the notifications bell at the top right of the app.
Details about Loops are thin, and Meta’s lips are sealed — in a statement to TechCrunch, an unidentified Instagram spokesperson said the feature was “in early development” and is not being tested internally or externally “at this time.”
It isn’t clear how Loops will work as Threads doesn’t use traditional hashtags, instead allowing users to tag their posts with a single topic or phrase, such as “Tech Threads” or “Sports Threads.” These can be pretty generalized though, so Loops might make it easier to follow and interact with more specific topics when (or if) it does roll out.
Features
• CONVENIENT & SECURE ACCESS: Wall mount network cabinet w/
180° hinged design provides easy lockable access to rear of mounted
devices. Flexible enclosure also features removable doors & side
panels.
• ACCESORIES INCLUDED: IT Data Rack includes complete set of
accessories: a shelf (CABSHELFV1U), roll of hook-and-loop fastener,
50 cage nuts and screws, & 2 pairs of keys for the front and side
panels
• STURDY CONSTRUCTION: 15U 19″ EIA/ECA-310-E enclosed design,
200lb weight capacity, 21″ deep with a max. 16″ mounting depth,
removable sides, locking reversible door, dual top cable hole,
optional fans
• PRE-ASSEMBLED: This IT cabinet comes fully assembled out of the
box and the included hardware allows for quick installation of server
room rackmount or computer equipment without additional
purchases
• DESIGNED FOR COOLING: The switch depth vented rack has mesh
front doors and side panels to provide fresh airflow and supports
active cooling with up to four optional 120mm fans (ACFANKIT12)
Just months after cyber security giant Kaspersky closed up shop in the US, the company has announced its UK office will also be closing, laying off dozens of workers.
In a statement, Kaspersky confirmed it will be ‘reorienting’ its business towards its partner channel in the UK. It added it has ‘(fewer) than 50 employees’ in its London office, and that it will begin a ‘wind down’ of its operations.
In June 2024, the firm was banned from selling its products in the US after being accused of having ties to the Russian Government – something it has always denied – insisting it maintains independent from any outside influence.
Staying efficient
Kaspersky’s statement confirmed the business will continue in the UK through use of partner channels, but the Kaspersky office itself will close.
“This step will enable our company to harness available business opportunities in the U.K. market in a more efficient manner, strengthening overall business prosperity,” spokesperson Francesco Tius said.
Advertisement
“Our customers and partners in the U.K. will maintain full access to the company’s European team and its strong and well-established partner network, through which we will continue distributing Kaspersky´s industry-leading cybersecurity products and services,”
After the firm was forced to close in the US, some Kaspersky customers were alarmed to find their antivirus forcibly uninstalled and replaced with new software UltraAV. The update was pushed without giving customers any option to accept or decline, which garnered some criticism for the security company.
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
However, Kaspersky insists email notifications in the weeks leading up to the update gave customers sufficient notice, and that the transition allows users to maintain access to their VPNs, identity theft protection, and password managers.
Update 10/9/24: Prime Big Deal Days Alienware deals are happening, not just on Amazon but also from the owner of the gaming-focused brand itself – Dell. It’s starting to become difficult to keep track of all of the amazing bargains, but we’re doing our best to make sure that this page has all of the best offers for Alienware devices.
With Prime Day Big Deals now in full swing and running until midnight tonight, it’s the perfect time to pick up some great Prime Day deals on Alienware gear. If you’re not that familiar with the brand, it makes some of the best gaming laptops and desktops on the market, as well as some really excellent accessories as well. Unfortunately, Alienware is a premium brand, so most of the stuff it sells tends to be quite expensive, which is why it’s a good idea to take advantage of Alienware deals whenever possible.
To that end, we’ve gone out and collected some of our favorite Prime Day Alienware deals for you below. That said, if you didn’t quite find what you’re looking for below, then be sure to check out these Prime Day gaming laptop deals and Prime Day gaming PC deals for some alternatives.
If you’re looking for a cheap yet good headset from Alienware, this Alienware AW520H headset is the perfect option, especially since it’s going for just $78 instead of $90. It has great audio and a retractable microphone, so you can use it like normal headphones if you want.
This Alienware AW2724DM is the one of the best monitors for a 2K gaming experience, as it has a 165Hz refresh rate, both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-SYNC, and even VESA Display HDR 600. You might need something like an RTX 4070 or RTX 4080 to get the most out of it, but it’s well worth it for the experience.
It’s not every day you see an ergonomic chair from Alienware, but with some great lumbar support and a flexible back, this is great for gaming and for your health. While the $50 off isn’t a lot, the discount $380 price tag isn’t too bad, especially for a higher-end gaming chair.
High refresh rates are great if you’re a competitive player, and this 27-inch monitor from Alienware can hit a truly impressive 360Hz. Not only that, but it comes with a gorgeous QD-OLED panel, so it’s great for general gaming too, and with the $150 discount, it’s worth grabbing if you want to take your monitor to the next level.
Curved monitors can add a lot of immersion, and this 34-inch wide-screen that runs at 2K resolutions is a perfect example. It has a QD-OLED panel for better picture fidelity, and it can even hit 175Hz refresh rate, all for $800 rather than the usual $1,100.
If you like the idea of a high-refresh-rate screen with an OLED panel but want something a bit bigger, this 32-inch 4K screen is the way to go. It can hit an excellent 240Hz refresh rate, and comes with both NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD Free-Sync, as well as a nice $200 discount that knocks it down to $1,000.
When we got our hands on the Alienware x14 R2, we felt that “The Alienware x14 R2 achieves the impossible. It’s a remarkably thin laptop that never feels like it sacrifices build quality or power in the process.” This configuration comes with an RTX 4050, 512GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM, all with a whopping $500 discount.
The recent upgrade to the newer Aurora R16 made our PC hardware reporter, Jacob Roach, say that “there’s no denying the Aurora R16 is a massive leap forward for Alienware.” This configuration comes with an entry-level RTX 4060, and impressive 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, as well as a solid $300 discount.
If you’d like something a bit more powerful that can handle 2K gaming, then this configuration comes with an RTX 4070 Ti Super, which is much better suited for that and higher refresh rates. You’ll also be happy with the Intel Core i7 14700F, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, at least to start out with, mostly because you’re getting all that for just $1,500 instead of the usual $2,100.
The Alienware m16 R2 has a pretty large screen if you prefer playing on something bigger, and it’s done a lot as our senior computer editor, Luke Larson can attest to: “It does what it sets out to do, and fixes many of the issues with the original model.” This model comes with a powerful RTX 4070, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage with a solid 15% discount.
The Alienware x16 R2 features a premium design that adds style to a powerful gaming laptop that’s equipped with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card. Combined with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, this is a dependable machine for gamers. It also helps that it’s on sale at 15% off, so you’ll be pocketing savings of $400.
For a massive screen on a gaming laptop, go for the Alienware m18 R2 and its 18-inch screen with QHD+ resolution. It’s also pretty powerful with the 14th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. This 1TB model is available at 18% off, for a total discount of $500.
With an impressive $700 discount, this Aurora 16 configuration comes with an RTX 4080 SUPER and is great for 4K gaming, even with a couple of graphical comprimises. Besides that the 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage are excellent, and the Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU is one of the best on the market.
Of course, if you want the biggest laptop screen you can get, this massive 18-inch one on the Alienware M18 R2 is the way to go. While it only has a 9% discount, the specs are great, with an RTX 4070, a whopping 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, as well as the very high-end Intel Core i9 14900HX CPU.
When it comes down to it, Alienware is targeted towards gaming, so if you’re picking up a gaming laptop or desktop, one of the most important things to consider is the GPU. For 2K gaming, the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 are relatively good cards, although having the RTX 4080 will let you push really high refresh rates with 2K. One thing to bear in mind, though, is that mobile GPUs are one step down from the desktop versions, even if they have the same name. So, an RTX 4070m on laptops is more similar in performance to a desktop RTX 4060.
Besides that, you really want to be looking for things like a minimum of 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage since most game devs make games based on those specs, at least if you’re aiming for AA and AAA gaming. Another thing to note is that Intel has had some problems with its latest 13th and 14th gen CPUs. That said, Intel has started releasing microcode patches to fix the problem, so hopefully that shouldn’t impact your decision too much, but it’s definitely something worth being aware of. Sadly, there aren’t many, if any, AMD configurations of Alienware gear.
Alienware has several configurations for each of it’s gaming laptops and desktops, so when it comes down to it, what we have to do is look through each configuration on sale and see if it’s a good asking price. Along with that, we look at things like historical pricing and contextual prices of other items in the same category. Unfortunately, Alienware is a premium brand, which means that even with a discount, you are sometimes overpaying.
Even so, if you are specifically looking for Alienware gear, then we’ve done our best to find you the best deal and configurations so you can get the best bang for your buck.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login