Author: Awais

[Submitted on 16 Oct 2025 (v1), last revised 19 Dec 2025 (this version, v2)] View a PDF of the paper titled Helmsman: Autonomous Synthesis of Federated Learning Systems via Collaborative LLM Agents, by Haoyuan Li and 2 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Federated Learning (FL) offers a powerful paradigm for training models on decentralized data, but its promise is often undermined by the immense complexity of designing and deploying robust systems. The need to select, combine, and tune strategies for multifaceted challenges like data heterogeneity and system constraints has become a critical bottleneck, resulting in brittle, bespoke solutions. To…

PayPal’s Honey browser extension has been lauded for years as an easy way to find coupons online. But some are calling it a “scam” after a deep dive from YouTuber MegaLag, who accused Honey of “stealing money from influencers,” and returned one year later with a second video that says Honey targeted minors, collected data on people who never signed up for its service, and exploited small businesses.The first video shines a light mostly on Honey’s use of last-click attribution, swapping its tracking cookie in for others’ when you interact with it. The second video tracks a series of emails…

With Christmas lights glowing and celebrations filling your calendar, there’s no better excuse to slow down and make room for the new TV shows premiering on Netflix, Apple TV and other streaming services.This week’s offerings may be lean, but they’re anything but small, led by the high-stakes premiere of “Stranger Things” season 5, volume 2, and the tense, thought-provoking finale of “Pluribus,” which promises big answers and even bigger consequences.Here’s our guide on the top new TV shows to check out this week.‘Taylor Swift: The End of an Era’ finale (Disney+) (Image credit: Getty Images, Gareth Cattermole/TAS24)Christmas comes a little…

Why It Works The acidity of the spicy pickled cabbage, along with the molasses and sugar, produces a sweet, tangy jam.Cooking down the kimchi concentrates the ferment’s flavors. I wish I could say that this kimchi jam was a happy accident, but it was totally intentional. I wanted to make a sweet-and-savory spread that would complement a great snack, sandwich, or even my weeknight dinners of grilled chicken or pork chops. I was inspired by the many different flavors of jams and jellies I’d noticed at grocery stores and farmers markets, such as strawberry and jalapeño, chile, and huckleberry and…

Frequently Asked QuestionsAre Large Heaters More Powerful Than Small Ones?AccordionItemContainerButtonNope! It may seem counterintuitive, but large heaters don’t necessarily heat any better than small ones.Whatever their physical size, most space heaters in the US and Canada deliver about the same amount of heat. Space heaters top out at 1,500 watts, which is the highest safe operating load for a 15-amp household circuit. And aside from some low-power personal heaters here and there, most space heaters you’ll find on the market are 1,500-watt heaters.What’s more, electric space heaters are all pretty much 100 percent efficient in converting that electricity to heat.…

Winter storms aren’t always kind to home security devices like cameras, especially with high winds and temperatures that drop well below freezing. How do you know if your security cam or video doorbell will survive? The good news is that app-connected devices like these often have warnings if temperatures get too low and start affecting performance, so you won’t be caught entirely off guard. However, in my years of testing security tech, I’ve learned a few tricks to make sure that my cameras stay working during freezing, snowy winters. Here’s what you need to do. Check the weather resistance rating on your…

Matthew McConaughey has consistently stirred the pot with a few unexpected culinary hot takes that some fans think are far from “alright, alright, alright.” (Sorry!) Take his signature tuna salad, which calls for surprising mix-ins like wasabi paste, chopped apples, frozen peas and corn, and Italian dressing. Or consider his strong affinity for ketchup—and the fact that he used to routinely eat heads of lettuce with ketchup for dinner. But the vast majority of his recipes and cooking tips are as crowd-pleasing as his rom-coms. We swear by his trick to make juicy, flavorful burgers (add a packet of onion…

Waymo suspended its robotaxi service in San Francisco on Saturday evening after a massive blackout appeared to leave many of its vehicles stalled on city streets. Numerous photos and videos posted to social media captured Waymo robotaxis stalled at roads and intersections as human drivers were either stuck behind them or weaved around them. Waymo said on Saturday that it had temporarily suspended service in the city due to the blackout. It wasn’t until late Sunday afternoon that Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch in a statement that the company was resuming service. “Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused…

For most people, the story of graphics cards starts with Nvidia and AMD. The reality is quite different. Long before either of those two companies started to dominate the market, and long before GPUs powered modern games, we were witnesses to the early days of computer graphics. To help understand how we ended up with modern GPUs, we’ll have to go back to a time before the term “graphics card” even existed. HTG Wrapped 2025: 24 days of tech 24 days of our favorite hardware, gadgets, and tech What came before graphics cards existed? For most people, computer graphics weren’t…

Have yourself a merry little dinner!