SciPy 1.0 release, Android 8.1 Developer Preview, SUSE’s Linux for SAP on IBM Cloud, and more in today’s data science news.
SciPy in News
SciPy 1.0 released
Open source Python library SciPy has announced the release of its version 1.0, 16 years after its first version 0.1 was released in 2001. SciPy 1.0 has some major build improvements where . Windows wheels are available on PyPI for the first time, and continuous integration has been set up on Windows and OS X in addition to Linux. The new release, which has a number of deprecations and API changes, requires Python 2.7 or >=3.4 and NumPy 1.8.2 or greater. SciPy now also has a formal governance structure. It consists of a BDFL (Benevolent Dictator For Life) and a Steering Committee. Pauli Virtanen is currently the BDFL.
Google Android 8.1 in News
Android 8.1 Developer Preview: NNAPI to do “hardware acceleration” of machine learning, Google says
Google has launched the developer preview of Android 8.1, where it has introduced a new ‘Neural Networks API’ (NNAPI) that can provide apps with “hardware acceleration” for on-device machine learning operations. Other than the NNAPI, there are few other updates and bug fixes for things like autofill and notifications. Android 8.1 will have two preview releases. While first release will be a “beta” with “final APIs,” the second preview will provide “near-final system images for final testing” in November. The final release will then arrive sometime in December.
Cloud Storage in News
SUSE delivers Linux OS for SAP on IBM Cloud
Starting fourth quarter of 2017, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications will be available as an operating system for SAP solutions on the IBM Cloud. In addition, IBM Cloud is now a SUSE Cloud Service Provider, giving customers an open source platform using pay as you go model. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications on the IBM Cloud will enable customers to quickly build, deliver and deploy business-critical workloads in SAP NetWeaver and SAP HANA in the cloud. Also, customers can integrate their SAP applications running on SUSE Linux Enterprise across different hardware platforms, including IBM Power, into a hybrid or private cloud deployment. Customers will benefit from IBM’s global network of nearly 60 cloud data centers across six continents as well as access to the rich IBM Cloud catalog of services including AI, data and analytics, IoT, serverless and more.
SAP updates Vora to further simplify cloud and hybrid data storage
SAP has announced new improvements on its Vora solution, further simplifying its deployment on public cloud and making the migrations more flexible. The live customer cloud service on SAP Data Network can now use the distributed computing capabilities of SAP Vora. The updated version also supports Azure Data Lake (Azure is Microsoft’s public cloud). SAP Vora can now also load and distribute data files stored in Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service). Apart from these, the latest release comes with an improved monitoring framework, support for Apache Spark2.x and optimizations for connectivity with the SAP HANA platform.
SAP releases Data Hub
SAP Data Hub is a solution that will help businesses tackle the complexity of their data systems and make use of the vast data gatherer from various sources. SAP Data Hub creates value across the diverse data landscape through data integration, data orchestration and data governance, as well as by creating powerful data pipelines that can accelerate positive business results. “The data hub is really a pipeline or data landscape management solution. It’s for customers who want to connect multiple data sources,” Director of Product Marketing at SAP Karen Sun said.
Deep Learning AI Services in News
HPE announces new deep-learning based AI platforms and services
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has unveiled new platforms and services tailored to facilitate the adoption of Artificial Intelligence. Within AI, the company will initially focus on deep learning. The new services include HPE Rapid Software Installation for AI, HPE Deep Learning Cookbook, HPE AI Innovation Center, and Enhanced HPE Centers of Excellence (CoE).
BrainChip to demonstrate AI-powered video analytics technology at Milipol 2017
BrainChip Holdings announced that it will be exhibiting at Milipol 2017 in Paris Nov. 21-24. Organised by the French Ministry of Interior in partnership with other governmental bodies, Milipol Paris is one of the largest homeland security conferences, attracting over 24 thousand visitors from 143 countries. Inspector Jean-Francois Lespes, Chief of the Indictable Offense Department at the Toulouse National Police, will be sharing use cases of BrainChip technology and show how it helps in the investigation of major crimes. Inspector Lespes’ organization recently completed a successful trial of BrainChip Studio.
Bitcoin miner Bitmain announces new Deep Learning AI products
Bitmain has launched deep-learning based artificial intelligence products, called BM1680 and SC1. The new applications are a customized tensor computing ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that can be applied in a variety of use cases such as image and speech recognition, robotics, autonomous vehicle technology, security surveillance, IoT, and more. “Deep learning is very intensive computationally and our experience in creating high-performing hardware for Bitcoin has absolutely prepared us for this exciting area of computing,” said Bitmain CEO Micree Zhan. “AI hardware is an area that Bitmain is proactively developing to power the next generation of AI applications.” The hardware is fully compatible with popular AI platforms including mainstream Caffe, Darknet, Googlenet, VGG, Resnet, Yolo, Yoto2 and other models.
Big Data As a Service in News
BlueData and Networld enter partnership to deliver big-data-as-a-service in Japan
BlueData and Networld Corporation have announced a distribution agreement under which Networld will promote, market, sell, deploy, and support BlueData EPIC software in Japan. “When VMware emerged as the leader in server virtualization, we worked with them to bring their technology to Japan. Now we’re in the era of Big Data analytics, data science, and deep learning. The clear leader in bringing virtualization and containerization to the Big Data ecosystem is BlueData, and we are proud to partner with them in Japan,” President and CEO of Networld Shoichi Morita said.