Editor's take: Intel is navigating a pivotal moment in its decades-long history. The company that invented the CPU is currently without a CEO, laying off thousands of workers, and losing ground to AMD in both sales and technological performance. At the very least, Chipzilla appears willing to reverse some controversial decisions made in recent years, such as its unilateral attempt to simplify the x86 processor with the new x86S standard. A year after unveiling its initiative to introduce a fundamental technology shift to the x86 ecosystem, Intel has confirmed that the x86S ISA is officially being discontinued. While the company is now focusing on other priorities, it remains "deeply" committed to the x86 architecture, as demonstrated by its willingness to collaborate with historical competitors like AMD.Intel announced the change in a statement shared with Tom's Hardware. By pivoting away from the x86S initiative, the company ensures that future PC CPUs will maintain full (theoretical) compatibility with 16-bit and 32-bit applications from the DOS and Windows 9x eras. Additionally, Intel plans to work with partners in the newly established x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group to solidify x86 technology as a universal CPU architecture.Initially introduced in 2023, x86S ISA was proposed as an exclusively 64-bit architecture. The initiative aimed to eliminate native support for 16-bit and 32-bit x86 code and operating systems, while still allowing 32-bit (Win32) applications to run on modern 64-bit operating systems. The x86S ISA also sought to remove legacy features like 16-bit real mode, VT-x unrestricted mode, segmentation gates, and other outdated components.Intel released the latest x86S specifications (version 1.2) in September, followed by the formation of the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group in October. While the 64-bit-only x86S ISA was an Intel-driven initiative, AMD and other industry partners in the advisory group likely had strong opinions about the proposal for a "simplified" CISC instruction set architecture based on the de facto standard for PC computing since the 1970s.At 46 years old, x86 technology remains a cornerstone of the computing world, but it faces mounting competition from newer architectures. Arm-based processors like Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite are pushing boundaries in the traditional PC market, presenting a real challenge to the dominance of x86. // Related StoriesBy collaborating with AMD, Microsoft, Google, HPE, and other key players in the x86 ecosystem, Intel is positioning itself to avoid repeating past missteps such as the infamously criticized Itanium architecture.

In brief: For weeks, residents in New Jersey and New York have called on authorities to investigate an increasing number of mysterious sightings near critical US infrastructure. While government officials currently believe there is no immediate threat to public safety, the FAA has imposed several months-long restrictions on drone flights. The Federal Aviation Administration has implemented a temporary ban on drone flights over portions of New Jersey, warning that the US government reserves the right to use deadly force against "airborne aircraft" if deemed necessary for security purposes.The restrictions cover 22 infrastructure sites across New Jersey and will remain in effect until January 17, 2025. Under these temporary flight restrictions, individuals flying drones in restricted areas without proper authorization risk detention by law enforcement. Exemptions are granted only for activities related to firefighting, national defense, or approved commercial operations with a "valid statement of work."Similarly, the FAA has imposed 29 TFRs in New York State, which will last until January 18, 2025. New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the move as "purely precautionary," emphasizing that authorities currently have no evidence suggesting the drones pose a significant threat to national security. However, she advocated for legislative measures to help law enforcement better address this "evolving technology."Bans have a radius of one nautical mile and cover flight from the surface up to and including 400 feet above ground level.For weeks, Americans have been reporting sightings of unidentified flying objects resembling car-sized drones near coastlines, military bases, power plants, and other critical US infrastructure. In New Jersey, concerned residents have voiced their fears to local authorities, sparking widespread media coverage and thousands of additional reports of drone sightings. // Related StoriesThe FBI has received over 5,000 such reports, which have generated approximately 100 leads. However, officials maintain there is little cause for alarm, as most reviewed sightings have been identified as commercial drones operated by hobbyists or law enforcement, as well as fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters mistakenly perceived as drones.Authorities are reminding the public that shooting down drones is illegal and could result in severe civil penalties or even criminal charges. Similarly, pointing lasers at aircraft mistaken for drones is both dangerous and unlawful, posing risks to passengers and carrying fines of up to $11,000 per violation.

With the introduction of the new OG mode, Fortnite has brought back the traditional Battle Royale gameplay. This mode returns players to the island they were on during the first season of Chapter 1. Not only has the island been brought back but the original art style, loot pool, weapon sounds, and even some of the original techniques that players use to win the coveted Victory Royale battle also returned.One of the most well-known broken tricks that gave rise to a powerful meta in the early days of Fortnite was the Double Pump. Despite the fact that the game still allows you to Rocket Ride your buddies toward an adversary and perform one-shot sniper kills, the most popular option remains the OG Double Pump.Recommended VideosOn the other hand, if you are new to Fortnite and are not aware of how to make use of the Double Pump meta, we have you covered right here with a detailed explanation of how to utilize it in the OG game mode.RelatedEpic GamesTo kick things off, if you want to master the Double Pump technique, your first step is to track down two Pump Shotguns in Fortnite OG mode. Finding them isnt too challenging, as you can easily snag a common-rarity shotgun from a loot chest or floor loot on the Chapter 1, Season 1 island to execute the current meta.Now that youve secured two Pump Shotguns in your inventory, its time to strategically place them side by side in your slots. After stacking them up, take a shot with the first shotgun, then quickly switch to the next slot for the second shotgun and fire away. Next, return to the previous slot where the first shotgun is placed and take a shot using that. Keep running this loop until you achieve a rapid-fire sequence of two shotguns blasting away in perfect harmony.For PC players, utilizing the scroll wheel on your mouse is a smart move to swiftly toggle between the two shotguns positioned side by side. Console gamers can take advantage of the L1-R1 or LB-RB button combos for seamless transitions.While it may take a few attempts to master, we recommend honing your skills in a Creative map or a public non-ranked Fortnite OG lobby. Once youve got the hang of it, youll be effortlessly dishing out 200 damage with a Double Pump, taking down foes in the blink of an eye.You can also check out our weapons tier list, which has the best recommended loadout you need to dominate lobbies in Fortnite OG Chapter 1, Season 1 game mode.Editors Recommendations

Happy holidays! Sling TV got you a present, and its a $6-per-month price increase. As we reported last month, today marks the beginning of the new pricing for all of Slings packages Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and the combo Sling Orange and Blue package. Costs per month for the three packages are now $46, $51, and $66, respectively, with half off your first month.Sling attributes the increase to rising costs of programming well above the price of inflation. It also points out these increases are industry wide and Sling continues to be the most affordable option with offerings more than $20 less per month versus other providers. Its worth noting that Sling has been adding features throughout 2024, including 4K streaming of major sporting events such as the MLB All-Star Game, postseason, and World Series, the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and the U.S. Open in select major markets.Recommended VideosStill, a price increase is sometimes more than we want to deal with, especially during the holiday season. There are other options for streaming live TV, and if you do want to make the switch, we can show you how to cancel your Sling TV subscription.Please enable Javascript to view this contentIt also might be worth re-evaluating if the Sling TV package youre currently subscribed to is the best Sling TV package for you. The Orange and Blue packages offer a different selection of channels, with Sling Orange including ESPN, ESPN, and ESPN 3 making it a better fit for sports fans, while Sling Blue will deliver your news fix from MSNBC, HLN, and Fox News.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHe has a powerful weaponPair of acesAnother poor victimMore so than any other entertainment franchise, the James Bond movie series is the most uneven, bouncing from remarkable highs to absurdly embarrassing lows. For every On Her Majestys Secret Service, theres aMoonraker, and for everyCasino Royale, theres aQuantum of Solace. I wouldnt go as far as to call the 007 series the most inconsistent franchise out there, but its undeniable that its not exactly trustworthy. Whereas other franchises let you know what you can expect from them every Transformers is awful, every Mission: Impossible is spectacular, the MCU is, well, the MCU 007 keeps you on your toes, unsure if youll get a banger or a turd.The Man with the Golden Gun | 1974 | Theatrical TrailerGenerally, we know what those turds are. Bond has produced 25 movies, and about five or six are simply terrible. However, one in particular stands out as the epitome of the elusive so-bad-its-good-genre:The Man with the Golden Gun. Released on December 20, 1974, the film is perhaps the single-most bizarre Bond movie ever, a confused mess of ideas, tones, and performances that cant quite commit to the campy fun of other entries, yet cant be taken seriously either. The Man with the Golden Gun is a particular kind of bad its truly terrible, but weirdly enjoyable. On its 50th anniversary, its a great time to look back on this gem of bad taste and wonder if it really is as middling as we remember (spoiler: yes, it is).Recommended VideosUnited ArtistsThe Man with the Golden Gun was Roger Moores second movie as James Bond, following the equally puzzling, but far more consistent Live and Let Die. The film abandons the more grounded approach of its predecessor an outright Blaxploitation tale that remains the biggest outlier in the sagas 25 movies in favor of a classic spy story that sees Bond back in familiar territory. The plot follows Bond as he aims to retrieve the Solex Agitator, a new technology meant to fix the worlds energy shortages. However, his task is complicated when the infamous and deadly assassin Francisco Scaramanga (Sir Christopher Lee) becomes involved, starting a game of cat and mouse between the rivals.RelatedAt first glance,The Man with the Golden Gun offers the standard Bond schtick. Theres a valuable item to recover, a deadly villain in pursuit, and a few beautiful women who cross paths with Bond. However, all these elements are even lazier here the Solex Agitator hardly works as a MacGuffin; its more an idea than an actual item, and Bond is barely interested in it. The Man with the Golden Gun also has the misfortune of having one of the worst Bond Girls ever, Britt Eklands Mary Goodnight. Now, the Bond Girl is not exactly a model for three-dimensional depictions, particularly during the early decades of the Bond saga, but Goodnight is a particularly ineffective and embarrassing example. For lack of a better word, Goodnight is quite stupid, a stereotypical dumb blonde whose incompetence increases from scene to scene.United ArtistsLike most other Bond movies of this time, The Man with the Golden Gun is full of unfunny and sometimes offensive double-entendres one of the Asian women is called Chew Mee, get it? All these details amount to a truly ugly movie that is never as funny or as thrilling as it wants to be. In fact, The Man with the Golden Gun is quite boring at several points, especially whenever Bond is on-screen.No disrespect to Sir Roger Moore, but it really must be said: hes among the weakest aspects of this movie, and his bizarre blend of transatlantic accent and Kentucky drawl can get a little grating at times. All this considered, one would think this is the worst Bond movie ever, and it comes close, too! However, it has one saving grace that not only rescues it from mediocrity, but actually elevates it to turn it into something enjoyable against all odds well, two saving graces, actually.MGMAs its often mentioned, the real star ofThe Man with the Golden Gun is the titular character. Played to perfection by Sir Christopher Lee, Francisco Scaramanga is in close contention with No, Blofeld, Silva, and Le Chiffre as one of the best villains in the 007 saga. World-renowned for his imposing presence and deep, booming voice, Lee effortlessly dominates every scene hes in, bringing charm and flair to a film that often goes for both, only to fall flat in its face. The Hammer Horror icon embodies all the debonair sophistication one would expect from Bond, further making poor Moore feel like an outlier in his own movie. Its hard to stand next to Lee and try to out-suave him; he was one of those men who made all others seem, if not lesser, then certainly more plain.Joining Lee is Herv Villechaize as Scaramangas henchman, Nick Nack. In the grand tradition of other Bond henchmen, Nick Nack is as scene-stealing as Scaramanga himself, and Villechaize makes the best of every scene. The duo perfectly balances each other; whereas Lee opts for chilling and devastatingly charming restraint, Villechaize is openly chewing scenery left and right. The two inject this lifeless movie with a jolt of electricity that not only revitalizes it, but actually sends it into overdrive, making up for how dull everyone else is.United ArtistsContemporary and modern critics often agree that Lee outright stole the film from Moore, and its hard to disagree. Whenever they share the screen, Lee is such an overwhelming magnet that its nearly impossible for anyone else to compete. Villains outshining the heroes is not uncommon, and the Bond franchise is familiar with the trope Javier Bardem pretty much chews and spits Craig in Skyfall, for example. ButThe Man with the Golden Gun is unique in that the plot is just as much about Scaramanga as it is about Bond, to the point where Bond often seems like the antagonist in Scaramangas story rather than the other way around. For that novel approach alone, The Man with the Golden Gun deserves some respect.MGMFifty years later, its clear that The Man with the Golden Gun suffered from the same growing pains as Live and Let Die. The 007 franchise was going through a crisis of identity, trying to keep up with the new trends of the 70s while attempting to escape from Sean Connerys looming shadow. Overall, Moores tenure as the spy with a license to kill is quite inconsistent, but his first two efforts are perhaps the most puzzling.And yet, its hard to faultThe Man with the Golden Gun, largely because of how great Lee is as the titular character. This film lives and dies with Lees now-iconic performance, and whenever hes on-screen, it roars with style and appeal; even the jokes land! Sure, its not great that James Bond is the least interesting aspect of a James Bond movie, but what are you going to do? The Man with the Golden Gun is not a good movie: the plot is weak and repetitive, the heroes are frustrating, and even the song is notoriously terrible and borderline silly. But leave it to Christopher Lee, the real-life James Bond, to save this film and make it sing and, occasionally, soar. What a gift he was to cinema, and what a joy it is to watch him in The Man with the Golden Gun, perhaps the only Bond movie where youre actively rooting for the villain to win.The Man with the Golden Gun is available to stream on PlutoTV.Editors Recommendations

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Kickoff The next two FIFA Womens World Cups will only air on Netflix Let's hope Netflix fixes its live buffering problems beforehand. Scharon Harding Dec 20, 2024 12:50 pm | 2 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - 2023/08/20: Salma Paralluelo of Spain (R) and Keira Walsh of England (L) seen in action during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Australia Stadium, Sydney. Credit: Getty SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - 2023/08/20: Salma Paralluelo of Spain (R) and Keira Walsh of England (L) seen in action during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Australia Stadium, Sydney. Credit: Getty Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreIf you want to watch the next two FIFA Womens World Cups in the US, youll need a Netflix subscription.FIFA confirmed the news today, marking an unexpected change for the sports event, which has historically played on free-to-air broadcast channels. The shift to a streaming platform inevitably makes it more costly and hurts viewer accessibility, while likely injecting FIFA with a lot of cash.Netflix and FIFA havent said how much Netflix is paying for exclusive airing rights. But Netflix and other streaming services have been paying out hefty, sometimes record-setting sums to air live sporting events as the company seeks to earn more revenue from commercials and draw more viewers. Netflix, for example, paid $5 billion to swipe the World Wrestling Entertainments weekly RAW program from the USA cable network for 10 years, starting next month.While FIFA runs the risk of isolating some fans, it seems that its made a favorable deal with Netflix after complaining in 2022 about low bids for the 2023 Womens World Cup and resistance from broadcasters to pay what the women's game deserves, as chief business officer Romy Gai told Bloomberg in October 2022.This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Womens World Cup and the global womens game," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement today.FIFAs announcement suggested that it expects to reach a larger audience and increase US engagement by airing on Netflix. FIFA said that 1.2 billion people watched the 2019 Women's World Cup, ESPN noted. Netflix has already demonstrated the ability to lure a massive amount of viewers to exclusive sports matches. In November, Netflix claimed the most-streamed sporting event ever when it streamed a boxing event centered on a Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight and reportedly garnered 65 million live concurrent streams.Per FIFAs announcement, Netflix will stream the tournaments in English and Spanish via a dual telecast. Under the deal, Netflix will also release a documentary series about the biggest players ahead of both tournaments. Brazil will host the 2027 event, while the host country for the 2031 Women's World Cup has yet to be announced.The news comes as streaming platforms continue battling over sports. Currently, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox are in a legal battle over plans to launch a joint sports streaming app, Venu, which is being challenged by sports streamer Fubo over antitrust allegations. The case is set to go to trial in October.Meanwhile, fans are adjusting to changes in how sports events are aired, learning to bounce between channels and streaming services to find their events and dealing with buffering and other technical problems. At times, some of the biggest fans, like NFL player Tariq Woolen, have resorted to illegal pirating to avoid complications and fees, underscoring pressure for streaming services to perfect and simplify the streaming of the live events that they're eagerly snatching up.Scharon HardingSenior Product ReviewerScharon HardingSenior Product Reviewer Scharon is Ars Technicas Senior Product Reviewer writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer technology, including laptops, mechanical keyboards, and monitors. Shes based in Brooklyn. 2 Comments