Aleph Zero Launches Shielding Demo for zkOS on EVM Testnet

The upcoming Storage V2 update is generating excitement as it promises significant improvements and fixes. Key features include enhancements to the Key Management System (KMS), which will allow multiple users to share access to the same wallet and storage allocations. Additionally, the update will enable video streaming for applications like Vult and Blimp. The rollout is anticipated by the end of the week, marking a pivotal moment for users looking for enhanced functionality and collaboration within the platform. In parallel, the development of mobile applications for Vult is progressing rapidly. The team is on the verge of releasing the app on both iOS and Android platforms. The integration of KMS is nearing completion, and the implementation of video streaming features is ongoing. Active testing is being conducted to ensure that all functionalities are refined and optimized before the official launch, promising a seamless user experience for mobile users. Moreover, the marketing efforts are gaining momentum with the initiation of ad campaigns across various platforms. Currently, ads on Reddit and Google are live, while Brave ads are expected to launch within the next two days. Additionally, a campaign on X is set to commence shortly. These marketing strategies aim to increase visibility and engagement, driving user adoption as the new features and applications become available. Stay tuned for more updates as the team continues to make strides in these developments!

Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) has emerged as a pivotal method for integrating large language models (LLMs) into specialized business applications, enabling the infusion of proprietary data into model responses. Despite its effectiveness during the proof of concept (POC) phase, developers often face significant accuracy drops when transitioning RAG into production. This issue is particularly pronounced during the retrieval phase, where the aim is to accurately fetch the most relevant context for a given query, a metric known as context recall. This article delves into strategies for enhancing context recall by customizing and fine-tuning embedding models, ultimately improving RAG's performance in real-world applications. RAG operates in two main steps: retrieval and generation. In the retrieval phase, the model converts text into vectors, indexes, retrieves, and re-ranks these vectors to identify the top matches. However, failures in this phase can lead to missed relevant contexts, resulting in lower context recall and less accurate generation outputs. One effective solution is to adapt the embedding model, which is designed to understand relationships between text data, to produce embeddings that are specific to the dataset being used. This fine-tuning allows the model to generate similar vectors for similar sentences, enhancing its ability to retrieve context that is highly relevant to the query. To improve context recall, it is essential to prepare a tailored dataset that reflects the types of queries the model will encounter. This involves extracting a diverse range of questions from the knowledge base, paraphrasing them for variability, and organizing them by relevance. Additionally, constructing an evaluation dataset helps assess the model's performance in a realistic setting. By employing an Information Retrieval Evaluator, developers can measure metrics like Recall@k and Precision@k to gauge retrieval accuracy. Ultimately, fine-tuning the embedding model can lead to substantial improvements in context recall, ensuring that RAG remains accurate and reliable in production environments.

A year ago, the Tor Project made a significant decision to remove all ATOR Relays from their network, which sparked a vision for a new decentralized future. Instead of surrendering, the team aimed to create a self-scaling, trustless network designed to enhance privacy for users worldwide. Their goal is to disrupt the VPN market by combining speed, reliability, and user-friendliness through bespoke hardware, ultimately making private browsing accessible to billions. This vision has now materialized with the launch of the Anyone Network, which boasts an impressive 5000 active relays, establishing itself as one of the largest and fastest mixnets globally. Reflecting on the past year, the team expresses gratitude to their community for their unwavering support during challenging times. Despite the difficulties, the project demonstrated resilience and strength, showcasing the power of decentralization and community alignment. The leadership and engineering teams remained intact throughout the transition, empowering former community members to take on more significant roles within the ecosystem. The project has evolved into an open-source initiative, expanding from a single Smartweave registration protocol to over 30 active repositories contributing to blockchain technology, privacy, hardware, and applications. Looking ahead, the team acknowledges the journey is far from over, with plans to further decentralize the network following the transition to their AO distribution protocol. They emphasize that community governance will play a crucial role in maintaining the network's safety and performance. The spirit of ATOR is now emblematic of overcoming setbacks in the Web3 space, and the team is committed to transparency through regular updates. As they tackle the larger challenge of global privacy adoption, they remain dedicated to building a Web3 ecosystem that has the potential to transform lives.

The DIMO Developer Console has recently undergone significant enhancements, marking its official upgrade to version 1.0. Initially launched in beta in August, the console provided developers with a self-service dashboard to create applications for vehicles. Feedback from EthOnline hackers in September played a crucial role in shaping the new features that have now been integrated. One of the most notable updates is the support for DIMO Global Accounts, which streamlines account management by allowing users to sign in with existing Google or GitHub accounts while automatically provisioning a DIMO Global Account. This improvement simplifies the onboarding process for both web3 and web2 developers, removing previous barriers to entry. In addition to Global Accounts, the DIMO Developer Console has introduced DIMO Credits (DCX), a stablecoin currency that developers use to access vehicle data and perform protocol operations. The console now features a fiat on-ramp, enabling users to purchase DCX using debit or credit cards through an integration with Stripe. This addition makes it easier for developers to obtain the necessary credits for their projects, fostering a more accessible development environment. For those who prefer cryptocurrency, existing balances of $DIMO, $POL, or $WMATIC can still be utilized. To further support developers, DIMO has continuously improved its documentation, offering expanded resources and guides for the latest APIs and SDKs. The introduction of the 'Login With DIMO' React component SDK simplifies the integration of authentication methods into applications, providing developers with customizable options for user login. DIMO aims to create an ecosystem reminiscent of the App Store's impact on mobile computing, encouraging innovation and creativity in building applications that leverage the extensive vehicle data available on the DIMO network. With these advancements, the DIMO Developer Console is poised to empower developers in their quest to create groundbreaking automotive applications.

On November 22, 2024, the Sui Foundation announced a strategic partnership with Franklin Templeton Digital Assets, aimed at driving innovation within the Sui blockchain ecosystem. This collaboration is set to enhance the development of Sui, a Layer 1 and smart contract platform, by creating value opportunities for builders of blockchain-based solutions. Jameel Khalfan, Head of Ecosystem Development at Sui, highlighted that the partnership is a validation of Sui's technology, which was inspired by challenges in decentralized finance that Franklin Templeton is addressing. Franklin Templeton Digital Assets has been actively involved in blockchain technology for several years, focusing on building solutions, running node validators, and developing investment strategies. Their dedicated digital assets research team employs tokenomic analysis and data science insights to guide product development and investment decisions. Tony Pecore, SVP and Director of Digital Asset Management at Franklin Templeton, expressed excitement about the advancements being made by the Sui team, noting that blockchain technology has often faced technical limitations despite its growing interest. The Sui ecosystem is already home to innovative projects such as DeepBook, a decentralized finance solution akin to a central limit order book, and Karrier One, which supports a decentralized mobile network. Additionally, Sui has recently launched native USDC, providing users with direct access to a widely used stablecoin while mitigating risks associated with bridged assets. As a secure and scalable platform, Sui is positioning itself as a premier destination for application builders across various sectors, including gaming, DeFi, and tokenized securities.

The Graph, a decentralized indexing protocol that functions similarly to Google for blockchains, has unveiled a new data standard for Web3 known as GRC-20. This initiative aims to enhance the way information is structured, shared, and interconnected across decentralized applications. The announcement coincided with developer Yaniv Tal's Graph Improvement Proposal, which emphasizes the importance of knowledge graphs in creating a more comprehensive understanding of data by linking and labeling information. The GRC-20 standard is set to replace the existing Resource Description Framework (RDF), which has been deemed inadequate for the needs of Web3 due to various technical limitations. The GRC-20 standard introduces core concepts such as Spaces, Entities, Relations, and Types, which will allow developers to define and organize their data more effectively. This new framework is designed to foster a common language for knowledge, ultimately striving to fulfill the vision of an open, verifiable, and composable Web3. The Graph plans to release a suite of tools in the coming weeks to assist developers in implementing the GRC-20 standard. The Graph Improvement Proposal is currently open for community feedback before it is finalized, highlighting the project's commitment to collaborative development. Since its launch in 2018 and the activation of its mainnet in December 2020, The Graph has established itself as a vital resource for developers, enabling them to create decentralized applications (DApps) more efficiently. The platform claims it can significantly reduce development time from months to mere days. With over 70 blockchains indexed, The Graph continues to evolve, recently partnering with Chainstack to provide a hosted service for subgraphs, further enhancing accessibility and usability for developers in the blockchain ecosystem.