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Nutanix built $20m AI cluster to reduce use of Copilot and Claude, expects ROI in a year

27 August 2026 at 06:21
Nutanix is closer to porting its stack to the Arm architecture, spurred by the high price of hardware and a desire to ensure customers can run its wares wherever they want to. CEO Rajiv Ramaswami today told The Register Nutanix customers are currently acutely aware of hardware costs and availability, issues that are slowing some purchases of its software. Nutanix is trying to avoid such delays by expanding its hardware compatibility list and supporting external storage devices – moves Ramaswami said mean users can migrate away from VMware without needing to replace hardware. He said Nutanix also continues to optimize the footprint of its stack and pointed to its decision to allow bare metal installations of its Kubernetes Platform as another hardware-minimization effort. The CEO today told The Register Nutanix now sees Arm support as another way to ensure its software platform can run wherever users need it, and believes that adopting the architecture will mean it can run on lower-cost hardware that users won’t balk at buying in the current climate. That’s an advance on Nutanix’s 2024 position on an Arm port as a worthy future consideration, but not an item on its development to-do list. AI support is, understandably, higher on that list and yesterday Nutanix delivered an update to its Enterprise AI suite that added a Model Context Protocol (MCP) gateway – a tool that sits between agents and MCP servers to provide identity management and security services to control the data and other services agents can access. MCP Gateways are quickly becoming standard issue in packaged AI infrastructure stacks, so Nutanix has made sure it’s on par with competitors. Another cost Ramaswami thinks his customers want to control is spending on tokens used in and produced by AI apps, and the company has dogfooded in this field by spending $20 million on its own AI infrastructure – a sum that he expects to recoup in a year “Our software teams have been using AI for coding across the lifecycle,” he told The Register, and initially used tools including Copilot and Claude. “Usage exploded and so did costs,” the CEO admitted. The company has therefore moved to using open weight models and an on-prem cluster. “We are no longer paying on a per-token basis,” Ramaswami said. Some users occasionally use frontier models or external clusters, when necessary, an arrangement the CEO suggested is increasingly common as organizations match models and infrastructure providers to workloads rather than using LLMs for all AI apps. Ramaswami made his remarks about Arm and Nutanix’s on-prem cluster during a media briefing about the company’s Q4 results, which saw it win $757 million revenue, a 16 percent year-over-year jump. Full year revenue grew 12 percent to $2.85 billion. Net income landed at $1.5 billion for the full year. “Our fiscal 2026 results demonstrated a good balance of top and bottom line performance with,” said CFO Rukmini Sivaraman. “We remain focused on delivering sustainable growth and improving profitability.” Ramaswami pointed to the fact that Nutanix won 3,000 new customers in the financial year as evidence of growth and said many chose the company’s platform as an alternative to VMware. Nutanix will continue to win customers from VMware for another five years, he predicted. ®

MacVoices #26239: On-Device AI, AI Note-Takng, and Hidden Cameras

By: Chuck
24 August 2026 at 21:39
On-device AI takes center stage as the panel explores MacPaw’s work with Liquid AI, personal assistants, and workplace restrictions. The conversation also discusses the panel's experiences with AI note-taking recording consent and privacy in both business and health care.

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MacVoices #26238: Live! – Vision Pro Surgery, CarPlay on Boats, and Apple Intelligence in China

By: Chuck
21 August 2026 at 20:42
Apple Vision Pro’s measurable impact in surgery leads a discussion of spatial computing in medicine, including shorter procedures, surgeon ergonomics, patient benefits, and equipment costs. The panel also explores CarPlay on pontoon boats, Apple Maps versus Waze, another delay in Apple’s legal fight with Jon Prosser, and the difficult privacy compromises surrounding Siri and Apple Intelligence in China.

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MacVoices #26237: Live! – Black Hat, AI Security, and the Risks of Moving Too Fast

By: Chuck
20 August 2026 at 21:56
A MacVoices’ panel member’s firsthand report from Black Hat explores the conference’s enterprise security focus before the discussion turns to AI models escaping sandbox restrictions to complete assigned tasks. The panel discusses the OpenAI-Hugging Face hack, unintended AI behavior and the dangers of moving too fast. Can developers establish effective limits without sacrificing innovation or competitive advantage? The race for better AI continues.

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MacVoices #26236: Briefing – Buying A Travel Monitor

By: Chuck
19 August 2026 at 19:34
Portable travel monitors can transform productivity on the road by adding valuable screen space without much cost or bulk. Chuck’s Briefing compares 1080p and 4K options, discusses USB-C and HDMI connections, and power and battery considerations. Built-in audio, protective covers and stands, and why these minimalist monitors might not be just for travel are all part of why an inexpensive second display can make working with multiple apps far easier. 

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MacVoices #26234: Macstock – Mike Schmitz Turns The Tables

By: Chuck
18 August 2026 at 00:23
At Macstock, Mike Schmitz turns the tables and interviews Chuck Joiner about favorite memories from the event. They review the gathering’s beginnings after Macworld, the friendships formed and renewed each year, memorable moments and how some of the strongest connections come unexpectedly. A big part of Macstock is the the inspiration attendees take home; Mike […]

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MacVoices #26233: Live! – Facial Recognition, Biometric Privacy, and Bending Spoons’ Buying Spree

By: Chuck
15 August 2026 at 06:27
The MacVoices Live! panel examines a class action lawsuit over Apple Photos facial recognition, debating whether on-device processing, user consent, and biometric privacy laws justify the legal action. The conversation moves to TV tracking alternatives after TV Time’s shutdown, then shifts to Bending Spoons’ acquisition of Airtable, exploring the company’s growing portfolio, its business strategy, and the future of database tools in an era of AI-assisted coding development.

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MacVoices #26232: Briefing – Why David Pogue’s ‘Apple: The First 50 Years’ Is Worth Experiencing Twice

By: Chuck
14 August 2026 at 05:57
David Pogue’s authoring style turns Apple: The First 50 Years turns what could have been names and dates into a richly illustrated journey through Apple’s successes, failures, products, personalities, and untold stories. The print edition combines rare photos with approachable narratives and clever sidebars, while David’s audiobook narration, musical touches, and energetic performance add a different dimension to the story, making the audio edition a must-listen. Get both to have the full experience. 

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MacVoices #26230: Live! – Claude Security Risks, Selfie ID Verification, and Privacy

By: Chuck
11 August 2026 at 18:55
The integration of Apple Maps in Ford’s future electric vehicle platform generates discussions of the auto industry picking and choosing technology. The MacVoices Live! panel also examines security risks involving Claude Cowork and exposed shared chats, OpenAI’s dispute with Hugging Face, and the hazards of autonomous AI tools. If that wasn’t enough, selfie-based account recovery puts a new spin on the facial recognition.The panel includes: Chuck Joiner, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, and Mark Fuccio. 

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MacVoices #26229: Macstock – Using Blockchain to Protect and Preserve Creator Content with Alessandra White

By: Chuck
10 August 2026 at 18:40
At Macstock, Alessandra White explains how blockchain can give creators greater control and permanence over their digital content. She discusses Hive, decentralized publishing, digital sovereignty, and ways creators can preserve posts and videos beyond centralized platforms. The conversation also examines blockchain’s permanence, including the trade-off that published material cannot simply be deleted…ever.  http://traffic.libsyn.com/maclevelten/MV26229.mp3 This MacVoices […]

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MacVoices #26228: Live! – Is Smart Glasses Recording Surveillance or Accessibility?

By: Chuck
8 August 2026 at 01:39
Do smart glasses need video recording to be relevant? The MacVoices Live! panel debate the importance of privacy, accessibility, navigation, object recognition, captions, and visual assistance as measures of usefulness. They examine the stigma created by existing smart glasses, the difference between processing and storing images and the public expectations around recording, detection apps, and […]

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MacVoices #26227: Live! – Apple at $5 Trillion, Earnings Call and Upgrade Program Analysis

By: Chuck
6 August 2026 at 18:59
The MacVoices Panel tests a new live-production platform while discussing Apple’s reported $5 trillion valuation, and the end of Tim Cook’s earnings-call era. The pros and cons of Apple’s new device upgrade and leasing program is the subject of intense debate over factors such as balloon payments, ownership, carrier lock-ins, AppleCare costs, convenience, and flexibility. […]

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MacVoices #26226: TV+ Talk – New Trailers, Silo, Neuromancer, and Ted Lasso Season 4

By: Chuck
5 August 2026 at 20:09
Charlotte Henry and Chuck Joiner catch up after a brief break to discuss the first looks at Silo Season 4, Neuromancer, and the return of Ted Lasso. The issue of adaptation versus original storytelling, speculation on Apple TV strategy are debated from the new leadership perspective. The hosts also share their expectations for upcoming releases. […]

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MacVoices #26225: Live! – AI Trust, Autonomous Vehicle Liability

By: Chuck
4 August 2026 at 21:16
The panel debates whether giving Claude controlled access to 1Password credentials is a practical automation feature or an unnecessary security risk, weighing trust, passkeys, vault isolation, and AI limitations. The conversation then shifts to the humor of waterproof phone holders and shower tech before wrapping with a discussion of how autonomous vehicles could reshape liability, […]

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MacVoices #26224: Live! – The Samsung Card, Users Stay With iPhone, and AI Escapes

By: Chuck
3 August 2026 at 20:57
The panel explores Samsung’s entry into the credit card market, why iPhone owners continue to resist switching to Android, and the growing influence of AI across technology and society. Discussion ranges from AI escaping coding sandboxes and solving long-standing mathematical problems to AI-generated music and the impact of European Union regulations on innovation, competition, consumer […]

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MacVoices #26223: Live! – Apple Maps Ads, Apple Sports, and 600,000 New Apps

By: Chuck
31 July 2026 at 21:30
Apple’s plans for advertising in Apple Maps spark a lively discussion about whether limiting certain categories of ads creates a better user experience or puts Apple at a disadvantage against Google Maps. The MacVoices Live! panel examines the balance between relevance, discoverability, and business incentives before shifting to Apple’s expanding Sports app and the company’s […]

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MacVoices #26221: Max Mellman Introduces ‘I Love A Piano’

By: Chuck
30 July 2026 at 19:21
At Macstock 2026, Max Mellman showed off his his iPhone app, I Love a Piano. Max explains how the app stands out through realistic haptic feedback, intuitive navigation, portrait and landscape support, and a design that encourages exploration instead of intimidation. Chuck and Max also discuss his inspiration, teaching carrer, future iPad support, and broader […]

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MacVoices #26219: Toby Schmitz, The Youngest Macstock Attendee, On Creativity and Entrepreneurship

By: Chuck
28 July 2026 at 21:25
Toby Schmitz was the youngest attendee at Macstock X, so his perspective on how the conference and the accompanying Ecamm Creator Camp gave him the confidence and practical guidance to begin his own YouTube channel, podcast, and livestream. He reflects on learning from a wide variety of sessions, the influence of his family of creators, […]

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MacVoices #26217: Take Control – Kirk McElhearn Takes Control of Airpods (1)

By: Chuck
24 July 2026 at 19:46
Kirk McElhearn discusses his new guide to getting the most from Apple’s AirPods, Take Control of AirPods for Take Control Books, explaining why the deceptively simple earbuds deserve a dedicated manual. The conversation explores hearing assistance, noise cancellation, audio quality, controls, battery management, charging options, Bluetooth limitations, and choosing the right model. Kirk offers tips that unlock features many owners never realize are available.

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MacVoices #26216: Live! – Who Should Profit From The AI Revolution?

By: Chuck
23 July 2026 at 22:04
A spirited panel debates whether AI companies should surrender part of their ownership to a public wealth fund. The conversation examines distrust of AI, job displacement, data-center energy and water use, income versus wealth taxation, billionaire resentment, corporate political influence, and the dangers of government owning stakes in companies it also regulates.

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