Stories with Tag HP

• HP Acquires Humane's AI Software

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  Posted: 2025-02-18 22:15:05

  Verbose tl;dr

  HP has acquired the AI-powered software assets of Humane, a company known for developing AI-centric wearable devices. This acquisition focuses specifically on Humane's software, and its team of AI experts will join HP to bolster their personalized computing experiences. The move aims to enhance HP's capabilities in AI and create more intuitive and human-centered interactions with technology, aligning with HP's broader vision of hybrid work and ambient computing. While Humane’s hardware efforts are not explicitly mentioned as part of the acquisition, HP highlights the value of the software in its potential to reshape how people interact with PCs and other devices.

  In a significant development within the technological landscape, Humane, an artificial intelligence startup renowned for its innovative approach to AI-driven wearable computing, has officially announced its acquisition by Hewlett-Packard (HP Inc.). This strategic move solidifies HP's commitment to expanding its presence within the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence and wearable technology, bolstering its existing portfolio with Humane's cutting-edge software assets. Humane, having garnered considerable attention for its forward-thinking vision of AI integration into everyday life, brings to HP a unique suite of software solutions designed to seamlessly meld artificial intelligence capabilities with wearable devices, potentially revolutionizing user interaction with technology.

  The acquisition encompasses Humane's proprietary AI models, platform, and tooling, effectively integrating the startup's core technological advancements into HP's ecosystem. While the financial specifics of the transaction remain undisclosed, the implications for both companies are profound. For HP, the acquisition represents a strategic investment in the future of computing, allowing the company to leverage Humane's expertise to develop novel AI-powered experiences for its customers. This acquisition could potentially lead to the development of entirely new categories of wearable devices and computing platforms, further blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds. The acquisition allows HP to tap into a talent pool of engineers and researchers specialized in artificial intelligence and its application within the context of wearable technology, significantly enhancing HP's internal capabilities in these crucial areas.

  For Humane, the acquisition provides access to HP's vast resources, global reach, and established manufacturing capabilities. This newfound support will undoubtedly accelerate the development and deployment of Humane's groundbreaking AI technology, potentially bringing its innovative concepts to a much wider audience. By joining forces with a technological giant like HP, Humane gains access to robust infrastructure, supply chain networks, and marketing expertise, all crucial for scaling its operations and realizing its ambitious vision for the future of AI-powered personal computing. While Humane's future hardware plans remain to be seen under the HP umbrella, the acquisition solidifies the viability of their software platform and ensures its continued development and integration into future HP products and services. This integration has the potential to reshape the landscape of personal computing by introducing a new paradigm of user interaction through AI-driven wearables.

  • HP
  • Humane
  • AI
  • artificial intelligence
  • Software Acquisition
  • acquisition
  • Technology
  • Computing
  • Wearable Computing
  • AI Software
  • Software

  Summary of Comments ( 205 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43095811

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hacker News users react to HP's acquisition of Humane's AI software with cautious optimism. Some express interest in the potential of the technology, particularly its integration with HP's hardware ecosystem. Others are more skeptical, questioning Humane's demonstrated value and suggesting the acquisition might be more about talent acquisition than the technology itself. Several commenters raise concerns about privacy given the always-on, camera-based nature of Humane's device, while others highlight the challenges of convincing consumers to adopt such a new form factor. A common sentiment is curiosity about how HP will integrate the software and whether they can overcome the hurdles Humane faced as an independent company. Overall, the discussion revolves around the uncertainties of the acquisition and the viability of Humane's technology in the broader market.

  The Hacker News post titled "HP Acquires Humane's AI Software" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43095811) has generated a moderate amount of discussion, with a focus on the potential implications of the acquisition and skepticism about Humane's technology.

  Several commenters express uncertainty about the value proposition of Humane's AI Pin, questioning its practicality and usefulness compared to existing smartphone technology. One commenter highlights the seemingly limited functionality demonstrated in available videos, suggesting the device might be more of a fashion accessory than a genuinely useful tool. This sentiment is echoed by others who doubt the device addresses a real need or offers significant advantages over current smartphone-based solutions.

  A few commenters speculate about the reasons behind HP's acquisition, suggesting it might be a defensive move to avoid being left behind in the evolving AI landscape. Others propose that HP may be interested in specific software components or talent within Humane, rather than the AI Pin itself. The acquisition is seen as potentially beneficial for HP's long-term strategy, even if the AI Pin fails to gain traction in the market.

  Some discussion revolves around the privacy implications of always-on devices like the AI Pin, with commenters expressing concerns about data collection and potential misuse. The reliance on cloud processing for functionality also raises questions about latency and dependence on a constant internet connection.

  There is a general sense of skepticism about Humane's ability to deliver on its promises, with several commenters pointing to the lack of concrete information about the AI Pin's capabilities and the prolonged development timeline. The device's high price point is also mentioned as a potential barrier to adoption.

  While there's some excitement about the potential of wearable AI, the overall tone of the comments is cautiously pessimistic, with many users questioning the viability of Humane's product and the rationale behind HP's acquisition. No one explicitly defends or champions the AI Pin, and the conversation largely revolves around speculation and doubt.

• Show HN: Terraform Provider for Inexpensive Switches

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  Posted: 2025-01-18 13:14:15

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  A new Terraform provider allows for infrastructure-as-code management of Hrui (formerly TP-Link Omada) SDN-capable network switches, offering a cost-effective alternative to enterprise-grade solutions. This provider enables users to define and automate the configuration of Hrui-based networks, including VLANs, port settings, and other network features, directly within their Terraform deployments. This simplifies network management and improves consistency, particularly for those working with budget-conscious networking setups using these affordable switches.

  The Hacker News post titled "Show HN: Terraform Provider for Inexpensive Switches" introduces a newly developed Terraform provider specifically designed to manage and configure low-cost, typically unmanaged, network switches. The provider, named terraform-provider-hrui, targets the HRUI (HengRui) family of Ethernet switches, which are known for their affordability. This allows for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) management of these devices, a capability not typically available for switches in this price range. The post highlights the ability to now automate the configuration of these switches using Terraform, bringing the benefits of declarative configuration, version control, and reproducibility to network administration, even with budget-friendly hardware. By using the hrui provider within Terraform configurations, users can define and manage aspects of the switch, potentially including VLAN configuration, port settings, and other network-related parameters, directly alongside other infrastructure components within their Terraform deployments. This simplifies network management and enables a more unified and automated approach to infrastructure provisioning and maintenance, even on a tighter budget. The post implicitly suggests a potential expansion of IaC practices to environments previously limited by the management capabilities of affordable networking equipment.

  • Terraform
  • Terraform Provider
  • networking
  • Switches
  • Network Automation
  • Infrastructure as Code
  • IaC
  • HRUI
  • H3C
  • HP
  • cli
  • Command Line Interface

  Summary of Comments ( 4 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42748095

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN users generally expressed interest in the terraform-provider-hrui, praising its potential for managing inexpensive hardware. Several commenters discussed the trade-offs of using cheaper, less feature-rich switches compared to enterprise-grade options, acknowledging the validity of both approaches depending on the use case. Some users questioned the long-term viability and support of the targeted hardware, while others shared their positive experiences with similar budget-friendly networking equipment. The project's open-source nature and potential for community contributions were also highlighted as positive aspects. A few commenters offered specific suggestions for improvement, such as expanding device compatibility and adding support for VLANs.

  The Hacker News post "Show HN: Terraform Provider for Inexpensive Switches" sparked a discussion with several insightful comments focusing on the practicality and limitations of using inexpensive, unmanaged switches in infrastructure setups.

  One commenter questioned the overall benefit, highlighting the potential drawbacks of using unmanaged switches in a professional context. They argued that the cost savings might be negligible when considering the added complexity of managing them indirectly via Terraform and the potential for increased troubleshooting time compared to managed switches. They also mentioned that managed switches often include features like VLANs and PoE, which would be absent in this setup.

  Another commenter expanded on this by emphasizing the operational challenges. They described scenarios where physical access to the switches would be necessary for troubleshooting, negating some of the advantages of infrastructure-as-code. This commenter also underscored the importance of managed switches for security and stability in production environments.

  One user shared a positive experience with using a similar setup with TP-Link Easy Smart switches, noting that the web interface allowed for static MAC assignment and port descriptions, bridging some of the functionality gap between unmanaged and fully managed switches. They also acknowledged the limitations, especially the lack of loop detection, and recommended this approach only for simple home networks.

  A different commenter pointed out the niche use case for this Terraform provider, suggesting it could be valuable for labs, testing environments, or temporary setups. They acknowledged the limitations for production environments but saw the potential for automating the configuration of basic network topologies in non-critical scenarios.

  Another comment chain discussed the challenges of power management in such setups, with users sharing their experiences and suggesting solutions for remotely rebooting switches, including smart plugs and other out-of-band management tools. This highlights a practical consideration for those looking to implement a similar solution.

  Finally, one comment focused on the choice of Lua for the provider's implementation, expressing surprise and wondering about the reasoning behind it. This comment, while not directly related to the use case of inexpensive switches, touches upon the technical aspects of the provider itself.

  In summary, the comments on the Hacker News post present a balanced perspective, acknowledging the potential use cases of the Terraform provider for inexpensive switches while also highlighting the limitations and operational challenges, particularly in professional or production environments. The discussion revolves around the trade-offs between cost savings and manageability, with commenters sharing their practical experiences and suggesting workarounds for some of the limitations.