Abstract: A network-based services provider may reserve and provision primary resource instance capacity for a given service (e.g., enough compute instances, storage instances, or other virtual resource instances to implement the service) in one or more availability zones, and may designate contingency resource instance capacity for the service in another availability zone (without provisioning or reserving the contingency instances for the exclusive use of the service). For example, the service provider may provision resource instance(s) for a database engine head node in one availability zone and designate resource instance capacity for another database engine head node in another availability zone without instantiating the other database engine head node. While the service operates as expected using the primary resource instance capacity, the contingency resource capacity may be leased to other entities on a spot market. Leases for contingency instance capacity may be revoked when needed for the given service (e.g.

Abstract: A text-to-speech (TTS) system that is capable of considering characteristics of various portions of text data in order to create continuity between segments of synthesized speech. The system can analyze text portions of a work and create feature vectors including data corresponding to characteristics of the individual portions and/or the overall work. A TTS processing component can then consider feature vector(s) from other portions when performing TTS processing on text of a first portion, thus giving the TTS component some intelligence regarding other portions of the work, which can then result in more continuity between synthesized speech segments.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for synchronizing application state information across devices. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure are related to resolving conflicts between application state information. A synchronization rule, an event name and/or event value are embedded within application state information obtained from devices associated with a user, from which conflicts can be resolved by an application synchronization service.

Abstract: Features related to systems and methods expediting generation of a machine learning model, such as an image recognition model, are described. Existing machine learning models are analyzed to identify a starting point for creating the new machine learning model. An existing machine learning model can suggest learning parameters (e.g., training parameters or structural features of the model) that can be used to expedite the generating and training process along with training data that can augment the training of the new machine learning model.

Abstract: An LL server (LLS) may process metadata requests for a file system in LL mode in a distributed file storage services (DFSS). For requests that require allocating blocks to file system objects in the backing store, instead of relying on distributed transactions used for file systems in high throughput (HT) mode, a pool of blocks may be pre-allocated for the LL file system in the backing store, and a free block list may be maintained in local memory of the LLS. When a metadata operation requires blocks to be allocated, the blocks are assigned to the respective object from the blocks in the pool. A background process may allocate new blocks in the pool upon the number of blocks dropping below a threshold, or upon block allocation rate for the file system increasing.

Abstract: A method of moving a virtual machine instance (VMI) from a first to a second host server computer in a multi-tenant network environment may include determining resources of the first host server computer running the VMI, acquiring state information for at least one of the resources used by the VMI while running on the first server computer, generating a plurality of migration profiles at different time points for the VMI using the determined resources and the acquired state information, receiving a selection of one of the plurality of migration profiles, terminating running of the VMI on the first host server computer, and launching the VMI on the second host server computer using the state information within the selected one of the plurality of migration profiles so as to move the VMI from the first to the second host server computer.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed, in part, to providing payment device security by storing security information in a payment device that, when received by a point-of-sale (POS) device, initiates a security request by the POS device that is used to protect the payment device against fraudulent use or misuse by unauthorized people. The payment device may store a code that, when received by the POS device, may allow the POS device to determine a security request associated with the code. The POS device may determine the security request by converting the code locally or the POS device may transit the code to a security provider that returns the security request. The POS device may then implement and/or enforce the security request. In some embodiments, the authorized user of the payment device may specify at least part of the security request, thereby enabling customization the security request.

Abstract: In a battery-powered audio/video recording and communication device having a camera, the length of a preset interval (the interval between instances of the device sending a request to a network to check whether any user requests to access the camera have been received) may be adjusted upward or downward in order to balance the competing interests of reducing latency (e.g. reducing the delay that the user may experience when trying to access the camera) and conserving battery life. The present embodiments advantageously balance these competing interests by initially setting the length of the preset interval to be relatively short to reduce latency, but automatically increasing the length of the preset interval as the battery charge is depleted, thereby extending battery life. The present embodiments also advantageously enable the length of the preset interval to be increased after the battery is recharged, thereby reducing latency.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for secure data modification using segmented hashing are disclosed. An intermediate device on a data path between a storage service and a client receives a modification request for a data segment of a data chunk of a storage object. The device generates a new chunk hash value for the chunk based on an original chunk hash value of the chunk, an original segment hash value of the segment to be modified, and a new segment hash value computed based on the modification. The device generates a modified version of the chunk based on the modification request, and uploads the modified version and the new chunk hash value to the storage service.

Abstract: Techniques for configurable compute instance resets are described. A user can issue a request to securely reset one or more compute instances implemented within a service provider system. Each compute instance is reset to a previous point in time, such that any activity of the compute instance or effects thereof occurring since that point in time are completely eliminated. Each compute instance reset can include removing an existing volume of the compute instance, obtaining a volume, attaching the obtained volume to the compute instance, and rebooting the compute instance. Configuration data of the compute instance, such as an instance identifier or network addresses, can be maintained after the reset.

Abstract: Techniques for parsing and execution of data including multiple information classes are described herein. In some examples, a collection of data may include multiple information classes through which the data may be parsed and analyzed. In some examples, the multiple information classes may include a textual character information class, a visual style information class, and an inferred information class, such as may include data identifiable based on information external to the data collection. A plurality of tokens associated with the data collection may be generated. One or more of the plurality of tokens may be organized into a set of instructions. The set of instructions may be provided to a computer program for execution.

Abstract: Approaches presented herein enable credentials to be revoked or otherwise modified while limiting the impact of inadvertent or unintended changes in access. In some embodiments, the revocation of a credential can occur over a period of time with the level of access being diminished over that period, in order to prevent an inadvertent denial of access while indicating to the requestor that there is an issue with the credential. When a new policy is created for a new credential, a prior policy can be retained for at least a period of time such that users with inadvertently revoked access can obtain a level of access per the previous policy. Various embodiments trace the calls for a credential throughout the system in order to determine which services, processes, or components might be affected by the revocation, such that an appropriate remedial action can be taken.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies for intelligent antenna selection for optimal performance in an electronic device. One electronic device includes a first radio, coupled to a first antenna and a second antenna, and a processing device coupled to the first radio. During a first period, the first radio transmits a sequence of data packets using the first antenna and the processing device receives a first metric value indicative of a first amount of power received on a third antenna of the second electronic device. During a second period, the first radio transmits the sequence using the second antenna and the processing device receives a second metric value indicative of a second mount of power received on the third antenna. The processing device selects one of the first antenna and the second antenna as a selected antenna based on which one of the first metric value and the second metric value is lower.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for reducing the number of write operations performed to a storage-class memory in a virtualized environment. In one embodiment, when a memory page is de-allocated from a virtual machine, the memory page and/or the subpages of the memory page are marked as “trimmed” in a control table such that any read to the memory page or subpages is denied, and no physical memory initialization is performed to the memory page or subpages. A de-allocated memory page or subpage is only initialized when it is reallocated and is to be written to by the virtual machine to which the memory page is reallocated.

Abstract: Techniques for distributed determination of scene information are described herein. Scene information may include, for example, information associated with geometries, lighting, colors, texture, shading, shadows, audio, camera attributes, and other information associated with a scene. A first portion of scene information may, for example, be determined by one or more first components, while a second portion of scene information may, for example, be determined by one or more second components. In some cases, at least part of the first portion of scene information may be provided from the one or more first components to the one or more second components. The one or more second components may use the at least part of the first portion of scene information in combination with at least part of the second portion of scene information to generate at least part of a resulting image and/or resulting audio associated with the scene.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, devices, and techniques for causing an accessory device to present predefined lighting sequences. In some instances, the accessory device is a battery-powered device that includes a wireless radio, an actuatable button, and one or more lighting elements. The accessory device may receive a lighting-sequence schema specifying how to illuminate the lighting elements as well as trigger event upon which to present the lighting sequence. The accessory device may store the received schema and, upon identifying the specified trigger event, may present the corresponding lighting sequence on the lighting elements.

Abstract: Techniques for facilitating collaborative consumption of content items, such as electronic books, movies, videos, songs, and the like. Multiple users may consume a content item over a substantially common period of time, such as over a day, week, month, etc. Each user may utilize one or more electronic devices (e.g., electronic book reader devices, tablet devices, laptop computers, etc.) to consume the item, and each user may share his or her thoughts and may otherwise provide progress updates to the other users over the period of time.

Abstract: A technology is described for classifying an auto scaling event. An example method may include capturing information related to a configuration event having an impact on a computing service resource group hosted in a service provider environment. Detecting an auto scaling event associated with the computing service resource group may result in programmatically instantiating or stopping a computing service resource, whereupon the information related to the configuration event may be retrieved and the information related to the configuration event may be input to a machine learning model configured to classify the auto scaling event as a valid auto scaling event or an invalid auto scaling event using the information related to the event.