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Haunting Hooks: Dictionary.com Announces Winners of Annual Scary Writing Contest

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This year’s horror writing competition, judged by the hosts of the Scared To Death podcast, proved it only takes a few words to cast a real fright

SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for Halloween, Dictionary.com, the world’s leading digital dictionary, is excited to announce the winners of its fourth annual Haunting Hooks writing contest: Hannah Martin (Winner) and Greg Hauk (Fans’ Choice). The competition dares wordsmiths to write a story introduction, using 50 words or less, full of vivid descriptions and eerie atmospheres that give readers the heebie-jeebies, while leaving them craving more.

The theme for 2024? Scary Monsters. From humorous to suspenseful and outright horrifying, participants conjured up terrifyingly creative story hooks filled with monsters, madness and mayhem.

Making this year even more thrilling, Haunting Hooks welcomed two special guest judges and authorities on all things frightening: Dan (acclaimed standup comedian) and Lynze (film and television costume and wardrobe stylist) Cummins from the Scared To Death podcast. Known for delivering hair-raising tales to their devoted listeners, the husband-wife duo brought their expertise to select this year’s most chilling entries, adding an extra dose of terror to the contest.

And the winner is…
This year’s competition featured nearly 900 submissions, but two scary stories stood out from the rest.

Winner—Hannah Martin hooked readers with a spine-tingling introduction to a mysterious wooded path leading to an unseen beast: “She walked down the familiar path into the woods. The cooing owls were her only friends tonight, but the beast would scare them away soon. The path in front of her had been paved by the girls who came before. She was not the first and wouldn’t be the last.”

“As the hosts of a podcast centered around scary stories, it was such a blast for us to judge this year’s Haunting Hooks contest,” said Dan and Lynze Cummins. “We were blown away with the creativity and uniqueness of this year’s submissions and can’t wait to read Hannah’s story on an upcoming episode of Scared To Death!”

Fans’ Choice—Greg Hauk captivated readers with a chilling passage about a character waking up after a long night, only to find mysterious figures in their bedroom: “I woke up drunk. Again. Nothing new. Facing a world-class hangover. Nothing new. The unmoving female form beside me was new. The wet coppery smell of fresh blood. That was new. Then there was the hooded figure looming in the corner. That was definitely new.”

Discover more incredible hooks that earned honorable mentions in this year’s competition here.

In addition to having her story read on a future Scared To Death podcast, Hannah will receive a $100 Amazon gift card, Scared To Death swag and Dictionary.com swag.

Greg, who won the Fans’ Choice award by receiving the most votes on Instagram, will receive a $50 Amazon gift card, as well as fun merch from Scared To Death and Dictionary.com.

“The Haunting Hooks contest is a fun way for us to engage with writing enthusiasts and celebrate creativity, storytelling and the limitless world of words around Halloween,” said Steve Johnson, Curriculum Design Manager of the Dictionary Media Group at IXL Learning. “We couldn’t think of a better set of guest judges than Dan and Lynze Cummins, and having their involvement added an extra layer of excitement to this year’s competition.”

Head to Dictionary.com to learn more about the meaning behind Halloween and get inspired to write your own chilling tales!

About Dictionary.com
Words define every aspect of our lives, from our ideas to our identities. Dictionary.com aspires to empower people to express themselves, make connections, and find opportunities through the power and joy of language. With 96 million visitors each month, Dictionary.com is the premier destination to learn, discover, and have fun with the limitless world of words and meanings. We help you make sense of the ever-evolving English language so you can put your ideas into words—and your words into action.

Press Contact
IXL Learning
press@ixl.com

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SOURCE IXL Learning

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Aetina Showcases Full-Stack Edge AI Innovations at COMPUTEX 2025, Driving Generative AI and Intelligent Applications at the Edge

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TAIPEI, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Aetina, a leading provider of edge AI solutions, is set to showcase its comprehensive edge AI computing portfolio at COMPUTEX 2025 (May 20th –23rd, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1, Booth J0118). The exhibit will feature scalable solutions across enterprise, edge and embedded deployments —including the SuperEdge short-depth AI server series, the versatile MegaEdge AI inference/training platforms with advanced GPU expandability, and the compact yet powerful DeviceEdge edge AI computers powered by the NVIDIA Jetson Orin modules.

Aetina will also spotlight application-driven deployments developed in close collaboration with ecosystem partners, targeting critical use cases across digital transformation, in-vehicle application, and smart manufacturing. The exhibit aims to accelerate real-world adoption of generative AI, and AI agent technologies at the edge.

Empowering Industry Transformation with AI Agents and RAG Technology

As industries redefine their businesses with AI to foster digital transformation, the need for on-premise AI computing is more critical than ever. Aetina introduces the SuperEdge AEX-2UA1, a short-depth GPU server built on NVIDIA MGX modular architecture. The system supports two dual-slot GPUs, including the latest NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPU, offering exceptional memory capacity and compute power ideal for deploying LLMs and VLMs.

By integrating Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology, the AEX-2UA1 enables precise, domain-specific knowledge generation, significantly improving decision-making across sectors like finance, healthcare, law, and enterprise governance. Aetina also showcases how the AEX-2UA1, paired with NVIDIA L40S GPUs and NVIDIA ACE , enables responsive digital avatars for automated workflows, 24/7 customer service, and remote operations—enhancing both and operational agility.

Enterprise-ready Scalable, Power-Efficient On-Prem AI in Collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. 

With AI adoption becoming a top priority for business leaders, they seek solutions offering enterprise-grade performance and scale without draining budgets or compromising data. Aetina’s flagship product, MegaEdge AIP-FR68, combined with the Qualcomm® Cloud AI 100 Ultra accelerator cards and the Qualcomm® AI Inference Suite, provide a turnkey solution for generative AI workloads in air-gapped environments that meet these critical needs. This supports applications like voice agents, image generation, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and code generation.

Also on display is the next-generation MegaEdge AIP-FR68S, featuring a built-in 1600W power supply unit for reduced setup complexity, improved system stability, and simplified deployment even in space-constrained areas. It includes a Gen5 PCIe switch, enabling models twice as large (up to 200 billion parameters) or twice the performance, enhancing accuracy in natural language processing, image recognition, and predictive analytics applications that require context-rich and complex AI models. The MegaEdge AIP-FR68S supports scalability for up to three Qualcomm Cloud AI 100 Ultra cards, empowering enterprises to further expand AI inference performance for evolving needs.

Unlocking New Potential for Autonomous and In-Vehicle AI

As an NVIDIA Elite Partner, Aetina will showcase its high-performance robotics platform featuring the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Thor. Offering up to 2 PetaFLOPS AI Compute, this platform is built to run advanced generative AI models – like the GR00T foundation model- with ultra low latency, all within an efficient 130W power envelope. This unlocks new possibilities for humanoid and generative physical AI applications across robotics, smart space, industrial, medical, telecommunication, and more.

Additionally, Aetina introduces the rugged AIE-VX28 fanless in-vehicle AI system, powered by NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin. Supporting 8x GMSL2 automotive cameras and 10G Ethernet, it is IP66-rated and E-Mark certified, making it ideal for deployment in logistics fleets, and intelligent transportation systems.

In addition, Aetina will present its intelligent driving solution integrating NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX with the Digital Media Professionals Inc. (DMP) AI suite for advanced Driver Monitoring System (DMS) and ADAS functions. It enables real-time detection of driver fatigue, distraction, and gaze deviation, while also identifying external driving hazards, enabling dual-layer AI perception for enhanced road safety and intelligent transportation operations.

Accelerating Smart Manufacturing with Advanced AI Vision

Aetina is driving the growth of edge AI capabilities across industries through partnerships with leaders in inference acceleration.

Together with EdgeCortix, Aetina showcases an edge-deployed visual language model (VLM). Powered by the EdgeCortix SAKURA-II, traditional visual detection systems are transformed into interactive decision-making tools. This generative AI technology enhances video search, scene comprehension, and asset tracking while enabling real-time queries that deliver deeper insights, expedite decisions, and improve safety across security, retail, industrial, and healthcare applications.

To further address real-time quality inspection and labor shortages, Aetina partners with Axelera AI and Accordance Systems to deliver a semiconductor inspection and classification solution. The system combines Aetina’s Rockchip-based  AIE-KR1B-B1-AXE edge AI system with Axelera AI M.2 inference card and Accordance AiPILOT vision inspection technology, delivering high-speed, multi-task visual defect detection with exceptional accuracy.

In another co-developed solution with Macnica and PrefactorTech, Aetina presents an advanced AI defect inspection solution integrating Epson robotic arms, NVIDIA Jetson Orin-powered computing platform, and Innodisk industrial cameras. This system delivers high-precision image recognition and real-time processing for PCB inspection, part defect detection, and product positioning with automated handling. The solution enhances production efficiency and quality control while optimizing deployment costs and flexibility for smart manufacturing implementation. A voice-interactive robotic arm demonstration also highlights how conversational AI capability can bring voice-enabled automation to life in smart factory environments.

Committed to a “scenario-driven, problem-solving” approach, Aetina continues to empower customers with a robust Edge AI portfolio and industry-proven expertise, enabling smarter operations, lower costs, and faster AI deployment.

Welcome visiting Aetina at COMPUTEX Booth #J0118 and join us in shaping an intelligent future powered by Edge AI.

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SOURCE Aetina Corporation

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“Own the Moment”: Hisense debuts new campaign celebrating its sponsorship of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™

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QINGDAO, China, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, has launched a new campaign, themed “Own the Moment” that illustrates how shared experiences like the highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ are opportunities that can bring us together and amplify the joy in our lives. Hisense is an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ and “Own the Moment” aligns with Hisense’s commitment to innovation and technology, and pursuit of the champion spirit as it builds a world-class enterprise.

Hisense has long celebrated the “beautiful game”. Besides being an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, it has been a global sponsor for two FIFA World Cups™ and a partner for three UEFA European Championships. The collaboration with FIFA underscores Hisense’s commitment to delivering pioneering home appliances and technologies that can improve everyday life.

The “Own the Moment” campaign highlights how Hisense’s state-of-the-art, innovative products and technologies are enhancing special moments for fans worldwide.

Fans can experience all excitement on the pitch and the energy of the stadium from the comfort of their living rooms with the Hisense 100″ U7 TV and the Hisense C2 Ultra Projector. The ultrasmooth, rich colors and deeply immersive audio-visual performance of the Hisense 100″ U7 TV and the vivid colors and razor-sharp details of the C2 Ultra Projector bring the tournament action to life. It’s as though you’re watching from the best seat in the stadium.

Thirsty sports fans will love the PureFlat Smart Series Refrigerator, which includes a convenient ice and water dispenser. And it can hold plenty of snacks to feed friends and family who gather to watch their favorite teams play. The Hisense Uni Series Air Conditioner lets users stay cool and stay focused on the game, as its Smart Eye and TMS control systems automatically adjust temperature, humidity, airflow speed and direction based on occupant movement.

Hisense aims to help fans “Own the Moment” and enjoy the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, as it grows its brand among fans of the world’s most popular sport.

Click here to “Own the Moment” together: https://youtu.be/xkFiT7zB6ow?si=Eu_cw6f4aNxXCalM

About Hisense

Hisense, founded in 1969, is a globally recognized leader in home appliances and consumer electronics with operations in over 160 countries, specializing in delivering high-quality multimedia products, home appliances, and intelligent IT solutions. According to Omdia, Hisense ranks No. 2 worldwide in total TV shipments (2022-2024) and No. 1 globally in the 100-inch and over TV segment (2023-2024). As the first official partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, Hisense is committed to global sports partnerships as a way to connect with audiences worldwide.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2684302/Hisense__Own_Moment__Campaign.jpg

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkFiT7zB6ow

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/own-the-moment-hisense-debuts-new-campaign-celebrating-its-sponsorship-of-the-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-302451665.html

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Storage Beyond Limit: Hoymiles Drives the Future of Energy Storage at Intersolar Europe 2025

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MUNICH, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hoymiles, a global provider of smart solar and storage solutions, made a striking appearance at Intersolar Europe 2025 with its comprehensive energy storage portfolio, covering DIY micro storage, residential, commercial & industrial (C&I), and utility-scale applications. Under the theme “Storage Beyond Limit. Micro to Mega, All In Smart”, Hoymiles highlights its latest C&I storage innovations including Power Conversion Systems and Containerized Battery Energy Storage Systems, marking a major milestone in its strategic transformation towards energy storage.

Storage Beyond Limit: Hoymiles Drives the Future of Energy Storage at Intersolar Europe 2025

At the heart of Hoymiles’ exhibition was its next-generation commercial and industrial storage lineup, led by the new HoyUltra2 series (HESS-261-2h). Engineered for maximum performance and reliability, HoyUltra2 features a fully liquid cooling system for both battery and PCS, enabling full-capacity operation without derating even at 50°C ambient temperature and 3,000m altitude.

With a maximum round-trip efficiency of 90.3% and a three-level, six-type safety protection mechanism, it ensures 24/7 secure and intelligent operations. The Edge EMS enables local optimization, the cloud-based analytics provide deep system insights, and a user-friendly local app simplifies O&M tasks. With quiet 60dB operation and IP55-rated protection, HoyUltra2 is ideal for supermarkets, hotels, residential communities, and other sensitive environments.

High-efficiency and safe large-scale storage: HoyPrime series

Hoymiles introduced its HoyPrime containerized storage solutions, with 1 MW/2 MWh options for large C&I projects and 3.44 MWh for utility-scale applications. Designed for high energy density, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, HoyPrime features intelligent liquid cooling to minimize auxiliary power use and extend lifespan. Its compact, non-walk-in design reduces footprint while maximizing capacity. Standardized interfaces and automated maintenance simplify deployment and O&M. Certified to IEC and UL standards, HoyPrime is already powering projects worldwide, reinforcing Hoymiles’ global energy storage leadership.

Powering the sustainable future with full-spectrum energy innovations

Alongside its latest C&I storage innovations, Hoymiles also showcased a full microinverter lineup—including the MS-A2 Micro Storage, 5,000 W 8-in-1 MiT series, HMS series, and three-phase HMT series. From residential to utility-scale solutions, Hoymiles delivers smart, scalable technologies for all scenarios.

Looking ahead, Hoymiles will continue advancing full-spectrum energy solutions and, together with its partners, drive a cleaner, smarter energy future. By strengthening Europe’s energy security, enhancing grid resilience, and promoting global sustainability, Hoymiles is playing a key role in shaping a more resilient and sustainable world.

Learn more at https://www.hoymiles.com/

SOURCE Hoymiles Power Electronic Inc

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