Minisforum AI X1 redefines compact power as a mini PC with the AMD Ryzen 7 260 APU, capable of driving four 8K displays.

The financial services industry is facing an era of unparalleled fragmentation. Consumers are no longer limited to a single bank or financial provider in an increasingly nomadic digital environment. Instead, consumers can move seamlessly between services and products across multiple platforms. This creates a highly competitive marketplace while still maintaining some degree of segmentation. As fintech disruptors and traditional financial institutions compete for consumers, creating brand differentiation and customer loyalty has become one of the hardest and most critical aspects of growing a business.Adding to this challenge, banks and financial service providers face an environment of unprecedented consumer choice. In the 2024 banking outlook, Deloitte cautions the industry that retail customers are spoiled for choice, and it has become easier for them to switch accounts and diversify deposits across multiple platforms.However, solutions are emerging that can break down the barriers between financial institutions and allow consumers to access a bundle of value-added features and capabilities alongside traditional financial productsall in one place.Lessons from travel and e-commerce industriesThe financial system is undergoing a seismic shift akin to the transformation that occurred over the past several decades in the travel industry, where consumers now prefer one-stop marketplaces like Kayak or Expedia for their travel needs. Closed loop ecosystems (e.g. I get my banking, personal loan, insurance, mortgage and brokerage all from one bank) are now being challenged by a la carte open systems where products are becoming provider agnostic and more goals oriented. Consumers are often asking, what is the optimal basket of financial products for me today?E-commerce giants like Amazon continue to illustrate changing consumer behavior by providing a range of add-on services, from groceries to online medical consultations. Like the travel sites, customers can do all this on Amazon itself, not separately going to the individual companies and services. Because of todays e-commerce and travel platform experiences, customers are accustomed to one-stop shoppingits become an expectation, not just a want. However, shopping for financial services has always lagged behind the other vertical industries.This has produced a drive to create financial ecosystems with a seamless, holistic shopping and checkout experience. A broad spectrum of companies can come together to offer financial services and products personalized for each consumer, offered in one centralized marketplace. For consumers, this means greater convenience and tailored products and financial solutions without needing to navigate multiple platforms. For financial institutions and service providers, this offers a chance to showcase their products and services to a wider audience, creating loyalty and trust while reducing the cost of customer acquisition.Data and AI can further fuel personalizationData analytics can be a powerful tool in revealing consumer behaviors and demands. Right now, consumers are demanding executable and tailored options, but in a simplified way (as in, a ready to checkout way). The emergence of low-latency deployable AI models in digital interfaces now allows the industry to customize offer deliveries right from the source of truth (e.g. a bank or financial institutions offer catalog) quickly and seamlessly.Again, insights and observed consumer behaviors from the travel industry are instructive in setting the next stage of financial services. An Expedia survey found that 50% of respondents were interested in using generative AI to plan their next trip in 2024. In addition, nearly 40% of travelers said they would use AI to find the perfect stay.Consumers are beginning to trust AI to make informed decisions at a time when the traditional, fragmented financial system is losing trust and loyalty.By using AI tools to provide additional financial options faster and more seamlessly, the industry can rebuild trust and loyalty with customers. Consumers tend to trust when they are given options, rather than being told what to do, and offered little choice. That consumer demand is as equally true when shopping for a hotel as it is when shopping for a savings account. They want to see the full picture rather than one product or service.To achieve this, a more unified ecosystem of financial service providers is needed, built with the help of AI tools, so consumers do not have to dig to find the right options in a fragmented landscape.A critical junctureThe financial services industry faces a critical juncture where customer loyalty is being heavily tested by competitive offers and a fragmented digital environment. However, by leveraging AI and data, this challenge will be turned into an opportunity. Just as the travel industry has evolved to meet consumer demands through comprehensive platforms, the financial sector must embrace technology innovation and collaboration to offer one holistic, user-friendly experience.The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more.

U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said on Monday he had asked the government efficiency team led by Elon Musk for assistance with a number of issues, including a review of the agencys retail center lease renewals and combating counterfeit postage.In a letter to the U.S. Congress, DeJoy said the U.S. Postal Service needs help with the renewal of leases on its 31,000 retail centers and faces a counterfeit postage that he called a $1 billion problem in need of additional innovative solutions.DeJoy also reiterated in a letter to Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team that the Postal Service is an independent establishment of the executive branch.When the DOGE team recently reached out to me to pitch in, I decided to constructively direct their attention to the areas I know we can use any and all help, DeJoy said. The fact is that DOGE is the only other game in town that seems oriented toward helping us to achieve our efficiency and cost goals.DeJoy noted that price hikes in retail center renewals were a key issue, with landlords well aware of the political difficulties we face when moving or consolidating a retail location, even though half of retail post offices fail to cover the costs of their local operations.Last week, DeJoy signed an agreement with DOGE to provide assistance to the agency as it works to address big problems.USPS, an agency with 635,000 employees that lost $9.5 billion last year, has been exempt from DOGE-directed federal employee reductions.DeJoy said last week that USPS plans to reduce its workforce by 10,000 workers in the next month through a voluntary early retirement program first announced in January. The agency has cut 30,000 jobs since 2021.He cited a number of issues including other government agencies management of USPS retirement assets and its workers compensation program, unfunded mandates, burdensome regulatory requirements and the governments calculation of USPS retirement liabilities. DeJoy has not sought DOGEs help in shrinking the size of the USPS workforce.DeJoy has led a dramatic effort to restructure USPS over the last five years, including cutting forecasted cumulative losses over a decade to $80 billion from $160 billion. The outgoing postal chief has used tactics similar to the DOGE team, including shrinking the workforce and canceling or renegotiating contracts.Two media outlets reported last month that President Donald Trump was preparing to issue an executive order to fire the USPS board of governors. The White House denied the plan, but Trump said he was considering merging USPS with the Commerce Department, a move Democrats said would violate federal law. Musk said this month he thought USPS should be privatized.By David Shepardson, Reuters

Starting from iOS 18.1, you can set ChatGPT as the default search engine in Safari. Here's how to use the LLM service for your browser queries.Now you can set ChatGPT as the default search engine in Safari.With Apple Intelligence in iOS 18, Apple provides OpenAI's ChatGPT integration into several features of iOS. OpenAI also has a ChatGPT app (Free) which you can download from the App Store.Once you have ChatGPT installed in iOS, you can use it as your default search engine within Safari. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

SNK offered a taste of upcoming fighterFatal Fury: City of the Wolveswith an open beta test last month. With its full release just slightly over a month away now, the company has now announced a second beta test.The second open beta forFatal Fury: City of the Wolveswill go live for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PC players on March 26, at 10 PM PDT. It will remain available until the end of the month, March 31, 1 AM PDT.The beta will feature four stages with Training, Bar Street Stars, Universal Arena, and Training Ground, and nine playable fighters with Terry Bogard, Rock Howard, Mai Shirunai, Hotaru Futaba, Preecha, Kain R. Heinlein, Tizoc, B. Jenet, and Vox Reaper.Players can also expect three offline training, classic versus, and training modes as well as online ranked matches, casual matches, room matches, leaderboards, and player profiles. Meanwhile, as youd expect, SNK also confirms save data wont carry over from the beta into the full game.Fatal Fury: City of the Wolveslaunches in full on April 24 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PC.

A good survival horror game is always hard to turn down, and for a while now,Post Traumahas been looking like a particularly promising offering for genre fans. Now, with its release around the corner, developer Red Soul Games and publisher Raw Fury have released a launch trailer. Check it out below.Post Traumawill see players stepping into the boots of Roman, a tortured train conductor with a traumatic past, who finds himself caught in a twisted reality thats crawling with nightmares and horrors. Inspired by the classics i.e. the old-school Resident Evil and Silent Hill fames Post Traumawill emphasize exploration, puzzle solving, inventory management, resource conservation, and of course, plenty of horrifying encounters with monstrous creatures. All of this and more can also be glimpsed in the launch trailer.Post Traumais due out on March 31 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with a demo currently available on Steam. Stay tuned for more updates in the lead-up to its release.

Many months ago, gamers began experiencing strange crashes with their 13th and 14th Gen Intel Core i9 CPUs but that was just the tip of the iceberg.Intel has now extended its warranty by two full years on 24 different 13th Gen and 14th Gen desktop chips, including Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 models, after discovering that many CPUs based on its Raptor Lake architecture are susceptible to permanent damage. They were being fed too much voltage, and some have irreversibly degraded. Intel has not yet said if laptop chips are failing the same way.As of August 2024, there is currently no fix for an Intel CPU thats crashing like this you need to exchange it, and thats what the extended two-year warranty is for. But you can apply motherboard BIOS updates that may prevent damage to begin with, and Intel is explicitly addressing the excessive voltage issue in August updates for its partners motherboards.There are many open questions, like how many customers are affected, why Intel isnt recalling these chips, why it didnt claw back existing inventory ahead of its August patch, how it will proactively warn customers, how lenient it might be when dealing with customers who want an exchange, and which other issues might be contributing to these chips instability. (Intel has suggested the voltage is a primary cause, but not the only one.)The Verge is keeping track of the answers, and other news, in updates to the StoryStream youll find below. Were also keeping track of which PC makers will honor Intels extended warranty in this story.HighlightsOct 4, 2024Sean HollisterIntel says its Raptor Lake crashing chip nightmare is overPhoto by Tom Warren / The VergeIntel may have one less worry on its very full plate: it believes it has now fully addressed its desktop CPU instability woes with 13th and 14th Gen Raptor Lake chips.While the company says theres still no fix for processors that are already damaged, it confirms to me that the Vmin Shift Instability is theRead Article >Sep 25, 2024Sean HollisterIntel is releasing another microcode update to protect crashing Raptor Lake CPUsPhoto by Tom Warren / The VergeGet ready for another wave of urgent motherboard updates for your desktop PC. Intel has just announced a new microcode update for its 13th and 14th Gen Raptor Lake processors the ones that could possibly get permanently damaged and begin to crash your PC.While theres still no fix for chips that are already crashing, the company is now releasing microcode update 0x12B to motherboard manufacturers to help prevent one of the root causes of damage. In this case, it prevents the Intel CPU from asking for too much power when its just sitting idle or performing light tasks. (Too much voltage can prematurely age a chip.)Read Article >Aug 30, 2024Sean HollisterIntel definitively claims its laptop chips arent crashing because of that voltage thingImage: IntelIts been a burning question for months are Intels laptop chips susceptible to the same permanent damage that can potentially lay 24 different flagship desktop chips low?Today, Intel has finally confirmed: its 13th and 14th Gen laptop chips do not seem to have an instability issue. And the company claims they are definitely not affected by the too-high voltage issue, which its now calling Vmin Shift Instability.Read Article >Aug 15, 2024Sean HollisterAcer will honor Intels warranty extension on crashing chips meaning everyones finally on the same page.Acer to The Verge, today:We are offering a two-year extended warranty for affected 13th and 14th Gen Intel Core desktop processors causing instability issues. While we are working closely with Intel to address the situation through microcode updates, customers experiencing such issues should contact their nearest Acer service center.I think thats just about everyone. Now we see if everyone makes exchanges difficult... or easy.Will PC makers replace your crashing Intel chip? We asked 15 of themSean HollisterAug 7Aug 14, 2024Sean HollisterLenovo will now honor Intels two-year extension on crashing desktop CPUs.Lenovo previously had an unsatisfactory answer, but its come around:For affected processors, we will honor Intels 2-year processor warranty extension and recommend customers impacted by any CPU instability issues to contact Lenovo service for support.Fuller statement in our big story:Will PC makers replace your crashing Intel chip? We asked 15 of themSean HollisterAug 7Aug 9, 2024Sean HollisterDell and Alienware are honoring Intels extended warranty now too. Five year warranty on unstable Raptor Lake CPUs.Intel recently informed us that the impacted 13th and 14th generation processors facing instability issues will have an extended warranty. Dell will support Intels extended warranty terms for a total of five-years on these processors.Pretty much every brand is on board now, save Lenovo and Acer:Will PC makers replace your crashing Intel chip? We asked 15 of themSean HollisterAug 7Aug 9, 2024Sean HollisterMSI has now agreed to extend its Intel desktop warranty by two years.The companys answer was brief:MSI will cover 2 year extended warranty on all MSI Desktop. We asked all its competitors the same question about Intels crashing chips. Here are the answers:Will PC makers replace your crashing Intel chip? We asked 15 of themSean HollisterAug 7Aug 9, 2024Sean HollisterRead Intels biggest statement yet on how its addressing Raptor Lake CPU woesPhoto by Tom Warren / The VergeIntel has a big update on its crashing 13th and 14th Gen desktop CPUs including a hint that maybe, just maybe, it might be able to do something about chips that are already failing instead of requiring you to return them.You can read its statement below in full, but here are the parts I find interesting:Read Article >Aug 8, 2024Sean HollisterLenovo wins worst answer award re: replacing your Intel CPU.The number-one PC maker has answered our question whether itll honor Intels two-year extended warranty on damaged chips but the answer doesnt even include the word warranty.Lenovo has been made aware of the instability issue affecting Intels 13th and 14th Generation Processors and is working with Intel to understand the potential impact on our products and how to best resolve them. We will work toward integrating into our future product BIOS any fixes provided by Intel once available. We recommend customers impacted by any CPU instability issues to contact Lenovo service for support.Intel is footing the bill for replacements; this shouldnt be a hard decision for Lenovo.Will PC makers replace your crashing Intel chip? We asked 15 of themSean HollisterAug 7Aug 8, 2024Sean HollisterCyberPowerPC has decided to hop onto the Intel-warranty-respecting bandwagon.It now offers a five-year warranty on Intels problematic 13th and 14th Gen CPUs, just like its closest competitors.We also got a vague new statement from Dell/Alienware that suggests it might extend its own parts warranty, but doesnt promise to do so.Will PC makers replace your crashing Intel chip? We asked 15 of themSean HollisterAug 7Aug 8, 2024Sean HollisterShould we do a big screaming headline about Intel BIOS updates?Falcon Northwest CEO Kelt Reeves tells The Verge:Please help us get the word out to all Raptor Lake desktop users, especially i9 users, in big screaming headlines that they need to update their PC to the latest BIOS now to stop/prevent the CPU wear and hopefully avoid the need for an RMA. Dont wait for the August microcode thats the last 5% (we hope) of the solution, but 95% of the fix is available now. Think of the new BIOS as the vaccine against this issue, but it will do no good unless people get shots in arms.Intel spox Thomas Hannaford wouldnt go as far as 95% of the fix, but he says Kelts PSA is a good one. Besides, the August microcode is rolling out now:Aug 8, 2024Tom WarrenIntels BIOS updates for crashing CPUs are now rolling outPhoto by Tom Warren / The VergeAsus and MSI have both released beta BIOS updates today to address Intels crashing 13th and 14th Gen Raptor Lake desktop processors. While the BIOS updates wont fix CPUs that are already damaged, they include Intels new microcode update that should help further address the instability issues.If it works well, this could be a very big deal for Intel, which lost some of its reputation after its flagship chips were found to crash earlier this year and, after a long investigation, discovered there would be no true fix, requiring customers to replace any damaged chips. Intel also isnt having a great year, period, recently announcing layoffs of at least 15,000 workers and stopping non-essential work.Read Article >Aug 8, 2024Tom WarrenAsus releases BIOS updates to address Intel CPU stability issues.Asus is the first OEM to release BIOS updates for its range of Z790 motherboards. The latest beta BIOS includes Intels new microcode fix to address stability and crashing issues with its 13th and 14th Gen processors. This wont fix chips that are already damaged, though. Youll need to swap your CPU, with Intel or a PC maker, if it has degraded.Asus beta BIOS updates for Z970 motherboards[rog-forum.asus.com]Aug 7, 2024Sean HollisterWill PC makers replace your crashing Intel chip? We asked 15 of themAn Intel Core i9-13900K CPU, one of the first types identified to sometimes crash this way. Photo by Tom Warren / The VergeThere is no fix for Intels crashing 13th and 14th Gen Raptor Lake desktop processors. If your chip isnt yet damaged, please apply motherboard BIOS updates early and often to prevent issues. If its already damaged, your only option is to exchange it.But what if you didnt buy a chip but, rather, an entire PC? Will PC makers have your back? Will they pass along the extra two years of warranty that Intel just theoretically granted them, or will they perhaps try to save money at your expense?Read Article >Aug 6, 2024Tom WarrenIntels crashing CPU warranty extends to OEM models.Intel added two years of additional warranty coverage for its 13th and 14th Gen Core processors last week, and now its clarifying this will also apply to processors sold without a box to OEMs or system integrators. If youre having crashing issues you can contact Intel if you purchased a boxed CPU, or your OEM or system builder otherwise. Intel has also supplied a list of processors that will get the warranty extension, found below.The processors that get a two-year warranty extension. Image: IntelAug 1, 2024Jay PetersIntels crashing 13th and 14th Gen CPUs get two additional years of warranty coverageIllustration by Alex Castro / The VergeAlthough theres no fix for Intels crashing 13th and 14th Gen Intel Core processors, the company is trying to make things somewhat better for customers who are stuck with potentially damaged chips by extending their warranty for two additional years.Intel is committed to making sure all customers who have or are currently experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and / or 14th Gen desktop processors are supported in the exchange process, reads a statement from Intels Thomas Hannaford to The Verge. We stand behind our products, and in the coming days we will be sharing more details on two-year extended warranty support for our boxed Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors.Read Article >Jul 26, 2024Sean HollisterThere is no fix for Intels crashing 13th and 14th Gen CPUs any damage is permanentAn Intel Core i9-13900K CPU, one of the first types that was identified to sometimes crash games this way. Photo by Tom Warren / The VergeOn Monday, it initially seemed like the beginning of the end for Intels desktop CPU instability woes the company confirmed a patch is coming in mid-August that should address the root cause of exposure to elevated voltage. But if your 13th or 14th Gen Intel Core processor is already crashing, that patch apparently wont fix it.Citing unnamed sources, Toms Hardware reports that any degradation of the processor is irreversible, and an Intel spokesperson did not deny that when we asked. Intel is confident the patch will keep it from happening in the first place. (As another preventative measure, you should update your motherboard BIOS ASAP.) But if your defective CPU has been damaged, your best option is to replace it instead of tweaking BIOS settings to try and alleviate the problems.Read Article >Jul 22, 2024Emma RothIntel says it has found the issue causing 13th and 14th Gen CPUs to crashIllustration by Alex Castro / The VergeIntel says it has found the source of the widespread instability issues affecting its Core 13th and 14th Gen processors. In an update on Monday, Intel confirmed that CPUs are experiencing elevated operating voltage and that a patch is on the way.We have determined that elevated operating voltage is causing instability issues in some 13th/14th Gen desktop processors, Intel employee Thomas Hannaford writes on the companys forum. Our analysis of returned processors confirms that the elevated operating voltage is stemming from a microcode algorithm resulting in incorrect voltage requests to the processor.Read Article >Jul 14, 2024Wes DavisComplaints about crashing 13th, 14th Gen Intel CPUs now have data to back them upPhoto by Tom Warren / The VergeAlderon Games, the maker of dinosaur MMO Path of Titans, says its swapping out its Intel 13th and 14th Gen-based servers for AMD and urges others hosting the games servers to do the same. The developer has had significant instability issues that none of the fixes so far have reversed, wrote Alderon founder Matthew Cassells in a blog post last week.Cassells wrote that Alderon has recorded thousands of crashes on gamers CPUs using its crash reporting tools and says the processors can also corrupt SSDs and memory. He added that in his teams experience, 100 percent of the affected CPUs deteriorate over time, eventually failing. On the contrary, Unreal Engine decompression tool maker RAD Game Tools, which Cassells cites in the blog, says that only a small fraction of the processors are affected.Read Article >Jun 14, 2024Sean HollisterIntel says it still doesnt have the true fix for its crashing i9 desktop chipsOne of the affected Intel processors. Photo by Tom Warren / The VergeFor months, Intels highest-end desktop gaming processors have had a strange tendency to occasionally make games crash and despite what you might have seen earlier today, Intel says it doesnt have a final fix for its 13th and 14th Gen Intel Core i9 Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake S chips just yet.Contrary to recent media reports, Intel has not confirmed root cause and is continuing, with its partners, to investigate user reports regarding instability issues on unlocked Intel Core 13th and 14th generation (K/KF/KS) desktop processors, reads a statement via Intel spokesperson Thomas Hannaford.Read Article >May 8, 2024Wes DavisIntel and motherboard makers disagree on how to stabilize your crashing i9 CPUPhoto by Tom Warren / The VergeRecently, motherboard makers have issued BIOS updates to improve the stability of Intel 13th and 14th Gen i9 chips in crashing games. But Intel, which announced last month that it was investigating these issues, is now asking gamers not to implement those settings.The companies now seem to be at odds on how to adjust your CPU. Motherboard makers like Asus are recommending an Intel Baseline Profile with basic functionality and lower power limits, while Intel says you should go with a higher power profile depending on your motherboard and chip.Read Article >Apr 9, 2024Tom WarrenIntel investigating games crashing on 13th and 14th Gen Core i9 processorsPhoto by Tom Warren / The VergeOwners of Intels latest 13th and 14th Gen Core i9 desktop processors have been noticing an increase in game crashes in recent months. Its happening in games like The Finals, Fortnite, and Tekken 8, and has even led Epic Games to issue a support notice to encourage Intel Core i9 13900K and 14900K owners to adjust BIOS settings.Now, Intel says its investigating the reports. Intel is aware of problems that occur when executing certain tasks on 13th and 14th generation core processors for desktop PCs, and is analyzing them with major affiliates, says an Intel spokesperson in a statement to ZDNet Korea.Read Article >

Great gaming bargain seasons don't come around very often, so nows the perfect time to stock up on some absolute gems. Ive been deals trawling like a fiend and todays list nets in the very best catches from both Amazons Big Smile Sale and the ongoing Steam Spring Sale promotions. Physical or digitalIve got the cheapest must-buys from both!This Day in Gaming In retro news, I'm celebrating the 15th birthday of God of War III, a mind-blowing sequel that's still remembered as a high watermark for colossal sized bosses. Case in point: the titanic battle against a 1,600 ft tall Cronos that pushed the PS3 to its limits and still lives rent free in my head. Epic stuff.How Cronos got down in the Remastered version. Extra impressive.Aussie bdays for notable games- ActRaiser (SNES) 1993. Redux- Resident Evil 4 (GC) 2005. Redux- Silent Hunter III (PC) 2005. Get- Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (XB) 2005. Get- God of War III (PS3) 2010. Redux- Top Spin 4 (PS3,Wii,X360) 2011. eBay- Tekken 7 (ARC) 2015. GetContentsNice Savings for Nintendo SwitchKicking off with the Nintendo Switch, Super Mario RPG (-32%) lets you relive the cult classic remake of Squares 1996 hit. Alternatively, Dead Cells (-50%) blends rogue-like and Metroidvania elements with a little nod to Castlevania. So much so that it got its own crossover DLC!Super Mario RPG Super Mario RPG already held up pretty well if you didnt mind a bit of dust on its different systems, but now theres no excuse not to see why Marios most unexpected adventure is still so beloved. 8/10.God Eater 3 (-37%) - A$53.64Sonic Frontiers (-32%) - A$67.27Maneater (-43%) - A$34.37Caf Enchant (-38%) - A$46.54Dead Cells (-50%) - A$18.75Expiring Recent DealsCrash Team Racing Nitro (-49%) - A$36Epic Mickey: Rebrushed (-41%) - A$60Mortal Kombat 1 (-45%) - A$34Overcooked! 2 (-75%) - A$10Ace Attorney Trilogy (-67%) - A$14Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.Switch Console PricesHow much to Switch it up?Switch OLED + Mario Wonder: $539 $499 | Switch Original: $499 $448 | Switch OLED Black: $539 $448 | Switch OLED White: $539 $448 | Switch Lite: $329 $294 | Switch Lite Hyrule: $339 $335See itBack to topPurchase Cheap for PCPC players cant miss Hollow Knight (-50%), an Aussie-made masterpiece from Team Cherry that almost featured a playable hornet character. Then theres Disco Elysium - The Final Cut (-75%), a game so intricate that it boasts over a million words of dialogue, rivaling some epic novels.Hollow KnightHollow Knights rich world and incredible depth of content will make you want to explore its caves for dozens of hours. 9.4/10, amazing.Triangle Strategy (-60%) - A$31.98Ori and the Blind Forest (-80%) - A$5.99Cyberpunk 2077 (-60%) - A$35.98Disco Elysium - The Final Cut (-75%) - A$14.23Into the Breach (-60%) - A$8.60Like a Dragon: Ishin! (-75%) - A$24.98Persona 5 Royal (-60%) - A$37.98Expiring Recent DealsSpiritfarer (-90%) - A$5Enter the Gungeon (-90%) - A$3Witcher 3: Complete Ed. (-80%) - A$16Ni No Kuni: WotWW (-85%) - A$12Hades (-60%) - A$15Half-Life: Alyx (-70%) - A$27Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (-75%) - A$25Hogwarts Legacy (-73%) - A$25Or just get a Steam Wallet CardPC Hardware PricesSlay your pile of shame.Official launch in NovSteam Deck 256GB LCD: $649 | Steam Deck 512GB OLED: $899 | Steam Deck 1TB OLED: $1,049See it at SteamBack to topExciting Bargains for XboxOver on Xbox Series X, Tekken 8 (-61%) continues the Mishima familys soap-opera-level drama. Meanwhile, Grand Theft Auto V (-59%) remains a record-breaking behemoth in terms of sales and online player numbers.Star Wars OutlawsStar Wars Outlaws essentially delivers a Han Solo-like experience in both good and bad ways; it has some handsome looks and a strong sense of adventure.Dragon Age: The Veilguard (-60%) - A$44.00Tekken 8 (-61%) - A$47.00Persona 3 Reload (-44%) - A$60.30Grand Theft Auto V (-59%) - A$24.65Xbox OneEpic Mickey: Rebrushed (-50%) - A$50.15CoD: Black Ops 6 (-46%) - A$59.00FC 25 (-37%) - A$69.00Ace Combat 7 (-65%) - A$34.52Expiring Recent DealsAvatar: FoP Gold Ed. (-63%) - A$59Gotham Knights (-85%) - A$17Star Wars Outlaws (-54%) - A$51Lego Harry Potter Col. (-52%) - A$29TopSpin 2K25 (-83%) - A$21$50 Xbox Gift Card (-15%) - A$43Red Dead Redemption 2 (-77%) - A$21The Crew Motorfest (-33%) - A$67Or just invest in an Xbox Card.Xbox Console PricesHow many bucks for a 'Box? Series X: $799 $749 | Series S Black: $549 $545 | Series S White:$499 $498 | Series S Starter: N/ASee itBack to topPure Scores for PlayStationPS5 gamers should snag Octopath Traveler II (-33%), where each characters story unfolds like a playable Shakespearean drama. Lastly, Space Marine 2 (-45%) lets you stomp through the Warhammer 40K universe with (free trivia) the voice of Clive from Final Fantasy XVI,Jump on these deals before they vanish like a speedrun record!Assassins Creed ShadowsIn Assassin's Creed Shadows, choose between a Shinobi or Samurai and explore the open world of Feudal Japan. Also, take a stab at improving the place too. Literally.Octopath Traveler II (-33%) - A$56.71Space Marine 2 (-45%) - A$59.00Granblue Fantasy: Relink (-40%) - A$50.95NBA 2K25 (-72%) - A$33.15PS4It Takes Two (-50%) - A$29.95Sakura Wars (-75%) - A$25.40God of War Ragnark (-21%) - A$86.93Dead Island 2 (-39%) - A$42.46Expiring Recent DealsLego Harry Potter Col. 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Apple this year introduced C1, its first in-house 5G modem, with the iPhone 16e. However, the company isnt expected to bring its own modem to more expensive iPhones until at least next year. Analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities has now corroborated this rumor by saying that Apple is working on a new version of its modem for the iPhone 18 Pro models.Apples plans for its 5G modem in the iPhone 18 ProIn a note to investors seen by 9to5Mac, the analyst says he expects Apple to put the C2 chip in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in 2026. This aligns with a recent Bloomberg report about C2 coming next year to higher-end iPhones.Apples C1 chip combines 4 nanometer baseband technology with 7 nanometer transceiver technology. Aspreviously revealed by a lab test, the new 5G modem is much more efficient and uses less power than the Qualcomm modems in other iPhones. Pu says that Apple wants to put the C1 chip in the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, but the company may end up backtracking.Given all these reports, its unclear whether the base iPhone 18 model will also get the C1 chip while C2 will be exclusive to the Pro models, or whether the less expensive model will still feature a Qualcomm 5G modem for another year.Of course, since the modem is one of the most crucial components of a phone, Apple probably wants to make sure that its modem is good enough to replace Qualcomms modems. Although tests show that Apples C1 modem in the iPhone 16e reaches similar speeds to Qualcomms modems in most scenarios, it still lacks support for the higher 5G mmWave speeds.Personally, I wont be surprised if Apple puts the C1 chip in other products such as cellular versions of the iPad and Apple Watch before bringing them to more iPhone models.Gadgets I recommend:Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Following a report on Apples upcoming foldable devices, analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities has now shared another note with investors. This time, Pu doubled down on rumors about the iPhone 17, which is expected to feature a 24-megapixel front camera on all four new models.Latest rumors on iPhone 17 lineupIn the note seen by 9to5Mac, the analyst lists the potential hardware specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to have four different models. According to Pu, all of them will feature a 24-megapixel front camera, a big jump from the current 12 megapixels. The front camera remains pretty much the same since the iPhone 11 in 2019.On the iPhone 17 Pro models, users will get a new 48-megapixel telephoto sensor, compared to the current 12-megapixel zoom camera. 9to5Mac reported last year that Apple had been experimenting with 8K video on the iPhone 16 Pro, but ended up delaying the feature as the 12MP telephoto lens is limited to 4K resolution.The Pro models will also be powered by the A19 Pro chip with 12GB of RAM, presumably to support extra Apple Intelligence features. All the new models will have Wi-Fi 7, currently exclusive to the 16 Pro models, but only the iPhone 17 Air will use Apples C1 modem although Pu suggests that Apple may backtrack on this. Wi-Fi 7 will be powered by a new Apple-designed chip.iPhone 17 Air and foldablesSpeaking about the iPhone 17 Air, the rumored new ultra-thin iPhone, the analyst believes that even this model wont be appealing enough to boost iPhone sales due to low-spec, since it wont have the same hardware as the Pro models.The device will have a 6.6-inch display and a thickness of 5.5 millimeters, making it the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever built. However, as a tradeoff, it will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera just like the iPhone 16e and will be powered by the base A19 chip rather than the Pro variant with extra GPU cores and 12GB of RAM.The analyst believes that the iPhone 17 Air will be made of titanium, while the others including the Pro models will be built with aluminum.iPhone 17 Air concept by FPTAs for foldable devices, Pu made it clearer that Apple will first introduce the foldable iPhone in late 2026, with the foldable iPad/Mac coming in 2027. The new foldable devices are expected to considerably increase Apples average selling price (ASP).Earlier today, the analyst said that the delay in the launch of new Apple Intelligence features might discourage users from upgrading their iPhones in 2025. Apple is expected to announce iPhone 17 in September.Gadgets I recommend:Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel