(PR) Crytek Announces Staff Layoffs, Crysis 4 Development Was Put on Hold in 2024 - Related to go, data, vlc:, little-known, (pr)
Do more with VLC: 9 little-known features that go beyond playing videos

VLC isn’t just one of the most capable video player apps out there, but one of the most popular PC apps of all time. It’s entirely free, it’s open-source, and it’s so widely loved by nearly everyone. No surprise that it’s one of our top picks for best free PC software.
The thing is, most people just use it to play video files. It handles most video formats and codecs right out of the box, so it’s reliable and effective. But it can do so much more than that.
VLC has so many interesting aspects, like the upcoming ability to generate subtitles on the fly using AI. Sadly, a lot of these aspects have flown under the radar and people don’t know about them. Here are some of the coolest ones you might find pretty darn useful.
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When you solve captchas, your data could be collected and sold

You know about captcha tests, right? The anti-bot checks that can be found all over the internet, usually when you log into accounts or post comments? The picture puzzles and mysterious symbol sequences that are supposed to weed out the bots from humans?
Turns out, those captcha tests have been pretty useful for a while now. Modern bots have long been able to outsmart many captcha tests, and it’s getting worse thanks to the proliferation of AI.
So, why are there still so many captchas on the web? Apparently, they serve a different purpose now. Instead of identifying and blocking bots, they’re being used to collect user data, (spotted by Techspot).
, newer captchas collect a lot of data about the individuals who solve them. In addition to your browser, captchas also know your IP address and even the VPN service you’re using. Anyone surfing with a VPN runs the risk of being blocked sooner than even some bots.
This is a problem because you probably didn’t even know that interacting with a captcha transmits data. You’re simply led to believe that you’re just being tested to prove you aren’t a bot. How deceptive.
, Google’s reCAPTCHA is especially problematic. Allegedly, reCAPTCHA v2 and v3 aren’t designed to fend off bots at all — instead, their main objective is to collect data from anyone who tries to solve them.
By checking off an innocuous captcha box, you’re passing on sensitive data without the ability to reject its collection. Experts estimate the value of the data collected in this way at around $898 billion, which points to just how lucrative the captcha data business can be.
Data protectionists are calling for captchas to be abolished. Not only do they no longer fulfill their stated purpose, they also harm the user experience on websites and provide a gateway for hackers.
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(PR) Crytek Announces Staff Layoffs, Crysis 4 Development Was Put on Hold in 2024

Like so many of our peers, we aren't immune to the complex, unfavorable market dynamics that have hit our industry these past several years. It pains us greatly to share today that we must lay off an estimated 15% of our around 400 employees. The layoffs affect development teams and shared services. This has not been an easy decision to make, as we deeply appreciate the hard work of our talented teams. After putting the development of the next Crysis game on hold in Q3 2024, we have been trying to shift developers over to Hunt: Showdown [website] Hunt: Showdown 1896 is still growing, Crytek cannot continue as before and remain financially sustainable. Even after ongoing efforts to reduce costs and cut operating expenses, we have determined that layoffs are inevitable to move forward. Crytek will offer affected employees severance packages and career assistance services. We firmly believe in the future of Crytek. With Hunt: Showdown 1896, we have a very strong gaming service and remain fully committed to its operation. We will continue to expand and evolve Hunt: Showdown 1896 with great content and drive our strategy for our engine CRYENGINE.
At a glance Expert's Rating Pros File backup and sync, disk imaging, disaster recovery.
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Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.9% | 5.9% | 6.2% | 6.9% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 7.6% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
---|---|---|---|
6.9% | 7.2% | 7.4% | 7.6% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
---|---|---|
Semiconductors | 35% | 9.3% |
Consumer Electronics | 29% | 6.2% |
Enterprise Hardware | 22% | 5.8% |
Networking Equipment | 9% | 7.9% |
Other Hardware | 5% | 5.3% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
Company | Market Share |
---|---|
Apple | 18.7% |
Samsung | 16.4% |
Intel | 12.9% |
NVIDIA | 9.8% |
AMD | 7.3% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The More Little Known landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the hardware tech sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing hardware tech challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of hardware tech evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
---|---|---|---|
Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the security threats and defensive measures discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.