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Showing posts from August, 2022

JBL's new wireless earbuds come with a touchscreen-equipped charging case

The buds feature 10mm dynamic drivers and connect wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.3. They further boast adaptive noise canceling, six microphones for voice calls and come with multiple ear tip sizes to optimize fit. https://www.techspot.com/news/95827-jbl-new-wireless-earbuds-come-touchscreen-equipped-charging.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED first reviews are in: a functional concept that needs more power

The Zenbook 17 OLED is Asus' first attempt to make an all-screen foldable PC. It features a 17.3", 2.5K touchscreen that folds down to create two 12.5" screens, but its high price and disappointing performance make it hard to recommend. https://www.techspot.com/products/laptops/asus-zenbook-17-fold-oled.259569/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Royal Caribbean is bringing Starlink satellite Internet to all of its cruise liners

Most cruise ships already offer some form of satellite Internet service to guests, but connections are often unreliable, slow and expensive. With any luck, Starlink will remedy at least two of these three pain points. https://www.techspot.com/news/95821-royal-caribbean-bringing-starlink-satellite-internet-all-cruise.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Over a decade after their demise, Japan's government declares "war" on floppy disks

Japan's digital minister tweeted that floppies, CDs, and even mini-disks are still required for around 1,900 government procedures in which business communities submit applications and other forms. The country's digital agency is going to bring these procedures into the modern era (or the 21st century) by allowing them to be... https://www.techspot.com/news/95820-over-decade-after-their-demise-japan-government-declares.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Nvidia hit hardest as graphics card shipments reach two-year low

Jon Peddie Research's (JPR) latest report on the GPU industry is painful reading for all involved, especially Nvidia. The market has been experiencing falling demand this year following a surge in sales during the lockdowns, and the turbulent economy combined with rising inflation is making things worse. https://www.techspot.com/news/95817-nvidia-takes-biggest-hit-graphics-card-shipments-reach.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Logitech G streaming handheld is actually an Android handheld

This week, prolific leaker Evan Blass revealed more details about an upcoming portable game system from Logitech and Tencent. It contained images and information about the device's look and software functionality. Logitech responded by slapping Blass with a DMCA takedown notice, seemingly confirming its veracity. https://www.techspot.com/news/95813-logitech-g-streaming-handheld-actually-android-handheld.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Logitech's new G502 X gaming mice come with optical-mechanical switches, refined designs

Logitech just announced the G502 X series, an overhaul of one of its most popular lines of gaming mice. The new mice retain a similar shape to their predecessor but add new features while shedding some weight. The lineup consists of the wired G502 X, the wireless G502 X Lightspeed,... https://www.techspot.com/news/95808-logitech-new-g502-x-gaming-mice-come-optical.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Streaming media player power consumption compared

How-To Geek recently used a smart plug to measure the wattage used by five popular streaming devices including a Roku Ultra, Chromecast Ultra and Chromecast with Google TV. For the Fire TV 4K and Apple TV 4K, they used sources from the Internet. https://www.techspot.com/news/95809-streaming-media-player-power-consumption-compared.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

AMD boss Lisa Su says Ryzen 7000 launch won't experience availability issues

As reported by PC Gamer, Su was responding to a question from the audience at the Zen 4 announcement event about supply chain disruption and whether it would result in a limited number of Ryzen 7000 CPUs being available at launch next month. https://www.techspot.com/news/95806-amd-boss-lisa-su-ryzen-7000-launch-wont.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

AMD Ryzen 7000 launch: First impressions and performance claims

The new Ryzen lineup initially consists of four processors set to launch on September 27. Starting at the high-end, we have the Ryzen 9 7950X selling for $700, offering AMD's now standard 16-core / 32-thread configuration at a new 170W TDP. It's clocked up to a whopping 5.7 GHz with... https://www.techspot.com/news/95803-amd-ryzen-7000-launch-first-impressions-performance-claims.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Twitter whistleblower subpoenaed by Musk legal team in acquisition dispute

Musk is looking for evidence that refutes Twitter's claim that spam and false accounts comprised less than five percent of monetizable daily active users (mDAUs) during the fourth quarter of 2021. The subpoena requests any documents Zatko might have pertaining to the metric Twitter uses for counting mDAUs and anything... https://www.techspot.com/news/95799-twitter-whistleblower-subpoenaed-musk-legal-team-acquisition-dispute.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Rugged Apple Watch Series 8 Pro may require new bands

For comparison, the Apple Watch Series 7 is offered with your choice of 41mm or 45mm case size. The more affordable Apple Watch SE is sold with 40mm or 44mm cases while the lingering Apple Watch Series 3 - the cheapest of the bunch starting at $199 - is available... https://www.techspot.com/news/95797-rugged-apple-watch-series-8-pro-may-require.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Reality One: Trademark filings hint at potential Apple mixed reality headset names

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple shell companies recently filled out trademark applications in the US, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Uruguay for names including Reality Processor, Reality One and Reality Pro. https://www.techspot.com/news/95793-trademark-filings-hint-potential-apple-mixed-reality-headset.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Nvidia and AMD graphics card prices could be about to fall again

The report from MyDrivers states that efforts to shift excess Nvidia and AMD graphics card stock by reducing their prices aren't going as well as hoped. Citing the Taiwan Economic Daily and sources from the country, the publication claims a new round of price cuts will be implemented in September,... https://www.techspot.com/news/95791-nvidia-amd-graphics-card-prices-could-about-fall.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Watch AMD unveil its Zen 4-powered Ryzen 7000 CPUs right here at 7pm ET / 4pm PT

AMD's livestream will be presented by CEO Dr. Lisa Su, CTO Mark Papermaster, and other company executives. There will be plenty of details about the Zen 4 architecture, including the Ryzen 7000 desktop CPU specs, launch dates, and prices. https://www.techspot.com/news/95789-watch-amd-unveil-zen-4-powered-ryzen-7000.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

10 out of 15 major wireless carriers disclosed their practices for collecting and storing user geolocation data

The press release dated August 25 provides readers with links to each carrier's response to the FCC's list of questions. The same questions were provided to all 15 wireless carriers about their geolocation data retention and data sharing practices. The questions focused on specific areas including collection policies, retention, storage... https://www.techspot.com/news/95786-10-out-15-major-wireless-carriers-disclosed-their.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

T-Mobile will use Starlink satellites to blanket the US with text coverage

T-Mobile said more than half a million miles in the US are uncovered by cell signals from any provider. These mobile dead zones exist mostly because of land-use restrictions (national parks, for example) as well as terrain limitations (mountains and deserts) and the sheer vastness of the US. https://www.techspot.com/news/95778-t-mobile-use-starlink-satellites-blanket-us-text.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

CEO Jensen Huang talks of raises instead of layoffs after Nvidia issues revenue warning

In its preliminary financial results, Nvidia revealed that the quarter ending July 31 missed expectations by a wide margin. Previous guidance put Q2 FY23 revenue at $8.10 billion, but this has been revised down 21% to $6.70 billion, marking a 19% quarter-over-quarter fall. Gaming revenue was hit particularly hard, dropping... https://www.techspot.com/news/95564-ceo-jensen-huang-talks-raises-instead-layoffs-after.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

YouTube is testing a pinch-to-zoom feature until September 1

From now until September 1, YouTube Premium subscribers can zoom in while watching videos. Some YouTube content shot for PC monitors or TVs might contain text or small elements that could be hard to discern on a smartphone screen. So it may help users see finer details. https://www.techspot.com/news/95561-youtube-testing-pinch-zoom-feature-until-september-1.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Qualcomm extends GlobalFoundries semiconductor partnership through 2028

The deal means Qualcomm will stick around as a GlobalFoundries customer through at least 2028, and secures wafer supply and commitments through capacity expansion at GlobalFoundries' most advanced fab in Malta, New York. https://www.techspot.com/news/95557-qualcomm-extends-globalfoundries-semiconductor-partnership-through-2028.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Netflix's video game push hampered by low user engagement

Netflix is planning to double the size of its gaming library by the end of the year but thus far, few have engaged with the streaming giant's offerings. https://www.techspot.com/news/95555-netflix-video-game-push-hampered-low-user-engagement.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Cloud Storage Basics: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and More Compared

Thanks to a wide array of cloud storage solutions, you no longer have to travel around with a handful of USB sticks or a clunky external drive. Most big services feature free tiers, too. https://www.techspot.com/article/2480-cloud-storage-basics/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Malware-packed Chinese apps found on Mac App Store

Researcher Privacy 1st (Alex Kleber) analyzed seven different Apple developer accounts, all managed by the same Chinese dev. They note that the apps abuse the Mac App Store in several ways, the most common being that they contain hidden malware able to receive commands from a server (command-and-control). This allows... https://www.techspot.com/news/95550-malware-packed-chinese-apps-found-mac-app-store.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

AMD upgrades the Ryzen Embedded series with Zen 3 and a 10-core model

Two years ago, AMD updated the Ryzen Embedded lineup with the V2000-series based on the Zen 2 architecture and the then-concurrent Ryzen 3000-series. This third generation has shifted to a nomenclature based on the mainstream processors branded the Ryzen 5000E-series. https://www.techspot.com/news/95548-amd-upgrades-ryzen-embedded-series-zen-3-10.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Hackers target unsecured Amex and SnapChat sites to steal user data

Maryland-based security firm INKY Security tracked attack activity related to the vulnerability from mid-May through mid-July. The phishing attack relies on a known open redirect vulnerability (CWE-601) and popular brand recognition to deceive and harvest credentials from unsuspecting Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 users. https://www.techspot.com/news/95546-hackers-target-unsecured-amex-snapchat-sites-steal-user.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Minecraft 1.19.2 fixes two critical issues

Minecraft 1.19.2 is a minor update that fixes a critical issue with players getting disconnected with secure chat or crashing in the social interactions screen. This release is compatible with 1.19.1 servers. https://www.techspot.com/downloads/5235-minecraft.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Britain's AA president takes extra measures to prevent keyless car theft

Since the rise of fobs that automatically unlock and start cars, car thieves have developed ways to circumvent their digital locks, and security measures have evolved in response. The situation resembles the cat-and-mouse game between hackers and security throughout the IT world. https://www.techspot.com/news/95542-britain-aa-president-takes-extra-measures-prevent-keyless.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Steam beta adds support for Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons

This week's Steam client beta adds support for Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers. The launcher can now recognize the dual gamepads as separate mini-controllers or paired as a single controller. The update gives users more control options, making it valuable when playing local co-op games on PC. https://www.techspot.com/news/95541-steam-beta-adds-support-nintendo-switch-joy-cons.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Far Cry 6 is free to play this weekend, and you can buy it for 60% off

Far Cry 6 arrived on October 7, 2021, following multiple delays related to the pandemic. Players battle enemy soldiers and wildlife in their attempt to topple dictator "El Presidente" Antón Castillo, who is portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad fame. The game received mixed reviews from critics, earning a... https://www.techspot.com/news/95537-far-cry-6-free-play-weekend-you-can.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Amazon is buying Roomba maker iRobot for $1.7 billion in cash

The deal gives Amazon a stronger foothold in the field of robots. Last year, the e-commerce giant launched a consumer home robot named Astro designed to serve as a mobile security camera, an entertainment hub and a communications tool. https://www.techspot.com/news/95536-amazon-buying-roomba-maker-irobot-17-billion-cash.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Twitter and Elon Musk throw more insults and allegations at each other

Musk had cited the number of fake accounts on Twitter as major point of contention. The world's richest man previously claimed Twitter's alleged refusal to reveal bot numbers constituted a material breach of the deal and allowed him to avoid the $1 billion breakup fee. https://www.techspot.com/news/95533-twitter-musk-throw-more-insults-allegations-each-other.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Microsoft is testing a Game Pass sharing tier, announces Windows 11 widget

Microsoft writes that it is now testing a preview of the Game Pass sharing tier in Columbia and Ireland, one that is only available to Xbox Insiders. A spokesperson said each added member on the plan would "have their own unique access to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate games, content, and... https://www.techspot.com/news/95532-microsoft-sharing-tier-windows-11-widget-coming-game.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Intel expects to have Wi-Fi 7 PCs in 2024 with connection speeds possibly over 5.8Gbps

This week, Intel revealed that it should have Wi-Fi 7-capable desktops and laptops ready by 2024 or 2025. The newest wireless connectivity standard (802.11be) could offer connections twice as fast as Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) expects to finalize Wi-Fi 7's specifications in... https://www.techspot.com/news/95530-intel-expects-have-wi-fi-7-pcs-2024.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

AMD's Threadripper Pro 5995WX CPU gets overclocked and sets a new Cinebench world record

For the record-setting run, Taiwanese overclocker TSAIK paired the processor with an MSI WS WRX80 motherboard and 128GB of Corsair DDR4 memory. A low-end Nvidia GeForce GT 640 graphics card was chosen for the run because a powerful GPU isn't necessary for this type of test. https://www.techspot.com/news/95527-amd-threadripper-pro-5995wx-cpu-gets-overclocked-sets.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Are Intel Arc graphics cards dead on arrival?

Igor Wallossek of Igor's Lab writes that he has spoken to some dealers, potential distributors, and manufacturers in the European area about Intel's Arc cards, and there was little interest to be found. It's claimed that, unlike Nvidia and AMD, Intel either could not or would not give any price... https://www.techspot.com/news/95525-intel-arc-graphics-cards-dead-arrival.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Space debris found in Australia confirmed to be from SpaceX craft

Last Thursday, Mick Miners and Jock Wallace, two sheep farmers in the town of Dalgety, reported finding the object. They spoke to Brad Tucker, an astrophysicist at the Australian National University, who noted that their description matched a SpaceX craft that re-entered the earth's atmosphere on July 9, twenty months... https://www.techspot.com/news/95523-space-debris-found-australia-confirmed-spacex-craft.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

The "impossible" $20,000 Halo 2 challenge has been beaten

Streamer Charlie 'Cr1tikal' White set a challenge earlier this year for someone to complete a deathless 'Legendary All Skulls On' (LASO) Halo 2 Anniversary run. Casual players will know that finishing the game on Legendary difficulty is an arduous feat in itself, but turning on all but one of the... https://www.techspot.com/news/95522-impossible-20000-halo-2-challenge-has-beaten.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Intel Arc AV1 encoder beats AMD and Nvidia's H.264 encoders in early tests

The AV1 hardware encoder in Intel's new Arc A380 destroyed Nvidia and AMD's H.264 encoders in initial real-world tests this week. The results are sorely needed good news for Intel's entry into the GPU space and bode well for AV1's future in content creation. https://www.techspot.com/news/95518-intel-arc-av1-encoder-beats-amd-nvidia-h264.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Diablo Immortal player spent $100K to build a character too powerful to match up against others

In a video published on July 31, JT from the YouTube channel jtisallbusiness said he spent a ton of money in Diablo Immortal – around $100,000 – to create a very powerful character. The whale easily ran through the competition and amassed a record that is so good, the matchmaking... https://www.techspot.com/news/95517-diablo-immortal-player-spent-100k-build-character-power.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Equifax sent out incorrect credit scores, blames it on "coding issue"

The Wall Street Journal writes that from the middle of March through early April, Equifax sent out inaccurate scores on consumers applying for auto loans, mortgages, and credit cards with banks and other lenders of varying sizes. https://www.techspot.com/news/95512-equifax-spent-three-months-providing-incorrect-credit-scores.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Robinhood is nearly $300 million down, lays off a quarter of its staff, and gets hit with $30 million fine

Starting with the staff-cut news, company CEO and co-founder Vlad Tenev announced that Robinhood would reduce its headcount by approximately 23% as part of a broader company reorganization into a General Manager structure. https://www.techspot.com/news/95509-robinhood-lost-nearly-300-million-q2-lays-off.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

AMD confirms Zen 4-powered Ryzen 7000 desktop CPUs arriving before end of September

During AMD's second-quarter earnings call, CEO Su confirmed that the highly anticipated Zen 4 CPUs and the AM5 motherboards are set to launch in the current quarter, ending on September 30. https://www.techspot.com/news/95508-amd-confirms-zen-4-powered-ryzen-7000-desktop.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Dell is testing reverse wireless charging on laptops, patent shows

Patently Apple has uncovered a Dell patent for using laptop surfaces to charge portable devices. The system involves laying the devices on top of an accessory attached to the laptop supplying inductive power. https://www.techspot.com/news/95507-dell-testing-reverse-wireless-charging-laptops-patent-shows.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

The Insta360 Link is an AI-powered 4K webcam for content creators and professionals alike

With an AI-powered 3-axis gimbal, incredible subject tracking, gesture control and "Desktop" or "Whiteboard" modes, the Insta360 Link can easily justify its high price. https://www.techspot.com/products/cameras/insta360-link.258450/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

US consumers spent almost $2 billion less on video games last quarter compared to 2021

Market research firm NPD writes that US spending on video gaming, which covers content, hardware, and accessories, reached $12.35 billion in the most recent quarter. That's still a lot of money, but it's down $1.78 billion, or 13 percent, compared to the same period last year. https://www.techspot.com/news/95500-us-consumers-spent-almost-2-billion-less-video.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Upcoming Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti could "easily" match the RTX 3090 Ti

The latest Ada Lovelace leak comes from a familiar source: prolific Twitter leaker Kopite7kimi. They claim the RTX 4070 Ti will pack a full-fat AD104 GPU and be so powerful that it can trade blows with the current Ampere flagship, the RTX 3090 Ti. https://www.techspot.com/news/95496-upcoming-nvidia-rtx-4070-ti-could-easily-match.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

US introduces new restrictions for exports of chipmaking tools to China

Most analysts expect China's leading tech companies will soon post their worst-ever quarterly results after being hammered by regulatory crackdowns and lockdown-related factory output issues. While this will make it harder for the country to weather the economic storm, the Chinese government's plan for technological self-sufficiency has a more pressing... https://www.techspot.com/news/95486-us-introduces-new-restrictions-exports-chipmaking-tools-china.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Sega says Genesis Mini 2 will have "one-tenth" the supply of the original

In a statement to Ars Technica, a Sega of Japan rep told the publication that the new miniaturized console was really a "Japan-only project." Sega eventually decided to do a Genesis Mini 2 for Western audiences but said the system could only be produced in small numbers due to the... https://www.techspot.com/news/95489-sega-genesis-mini-2-have-one-tenth-supply.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

This interactive map highlights the most famous people from your hometown

Topi Tjukanov's project utilizes a cross-verified database of notable people to showcase the birthplaces of public figures. The developer modified the data to only show one person from each unique geographic location with the highest notability rank, meaning if there is more than one famous person from a particular town,... https://www.techspot.com/news/95487-interactive-map-highlights-most-famous-people-hometown.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Opinion: Will someone else buy Arm?

In theory, this would address everyone's concerns. Softbank could get an exit from its investment, something that it has repeatedly signaled it is eager to obtain. Arm's executives could remain free from the scrutiny of public markets, and theoretically secure funding for its strategic plans, whatever those may be. And... https://www.techspot.com/news/95480-opinion-someone-else-buy-arm.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger