Two leading semiconductor companies square off in courtTirias Research generated using Stable DiffusionWith the end of testimony on Day 3 of the trial, the only items remaining were the closing arguments, instructions for the jury, and jury deliberations. A verdict was not reached after several hours, so jury deliberations will continue today. In addition, testimony for the countersuit about Arms use of Nuvia design suggestions was not completed and will continue after the holiday break, which would be on or after court resumes on January 3, 2025. If the jury does not reach a verdict today, while not confirmed, it is assumed that deliberations will continue on January 3rd. So, I am taking this opportunity to cover the Day 4 proceedings, as well as to reflect on some of the insights that have arisen through the trial.Disclosure: My company, Tirias Research, has consulted for Arm, Qualcomm and other companies mentioned in this article.The Jury Is OutProcedurally, Arm, the plaintiff, made its closing arguments, followed by Qualcomm, the defendant. An Arm rebuttal followed the closing arguments, and Qualcomm was allowed to provide a brief rebuttal because the third question being decided by the jury is related to Qualcomms counterclaim. The three statements the jury was instructed to rule on were (note that these are summarized):Did Arm prove that Nuvia breached Section 15.1(a) of the Nuvia architecture license agreement (ALA)? Section 15.1a is the termination clause of the agreement that requires the use of any Arm technology to stop and all related materials and designs to be destroyed.Did Arm prove that Qualcomm breached the Nuvia ALA?Did Qualcomm prove that Qualcomm CPUs are covered under the Qualcomm ALA? Qualcomms counterclaimArms closing argument focused on the Nuvia ALA agreement. Arm went line by line through several sections of the Nuvia ALA agreement and matched it with expert testimony, primarily from Qualcomm and Nuvia staff. Arm also made arguments against Qualcomm's claims made throughout the trial.Qualcomms closing argument was a more impassioned argument about what Arm is requesting, the destruction of intellectual property (IP) that took considerable engineering effort to develop, and a timeline of events relative to the legal actions and the Nuvia and Qualcomm CPU designs. Qualcomm argued that the designs and information transferred to Qualcomm at the time of the transaction were Nuvia IP that only included only 1% of Arm IP, which were the opcodes that link the hardware microarchitecture to the Arm software instruction set architecture (ISA). Qualcomm also argued that these opcodes are regenerated regularly, and the original code was not included in the design at the time the termination notice was received or future Qualcomm CPU designs that began after the acquisition. Qualcomm also argued that the Qualcomm CPU designs are covered by the Qualcomm ALA, which is the basis of the counterclaim. Qualcomm also used testimony, primarily from Arm, to support its argument.MORE FOR YOUBoth sides also used very select testimony to try to undermine the credibility of some of the expert witnesses and demonstrate the opposing party's intent in their closing arguments.Immediately after closing arguments, the judge read the jury instructions, and the jury was sequestered under guard. As there is little to do while waiting for a verdict, this is a good time to highlight some of the insights that have arisen from the trial.Insights From The TrialThe most interesting thing about a civil trial between two companies is the confidential information that is made public, and this case is no different. Some of the information brought into public view included details of Arm contracts, Qualcomm roadmaps and design information, and behind-the-scenes communication of the parties through letters, emails, internal presentations, and chats.The following are some of the insights gleaned from the testimony and documents:Arm has, or at least had, an official program called Picasso to try to raise royalty rates. The rate increases to Qualcomm, Arms largest licensee, were in the 300% to 400% range. As a result, it would be assumed that Arm is trying to get similar increases from other licensees.Qualcomm started four CPU design efforts after the Nuvia acquisition: Hamoa for computing (primarily laptop PCs), Pakala for mobile (primarily smartphones), Nordschleife for automotive, and Pegasus for future computing and mobile applications. The Hamoa and Pakala-based SoCs are shipping now.There was disagreement within Arm about how to react to the acquisition of Nuvia. Some of the old guard, including then CEO Simon Segars and Chief Architect Richard Grisenthwaite, took a more supportive stance, and others took a combative approach.Arm appeared to act aggressively in its dealings with Qualcomm following the acquisition of Nuvia. This included pushing for the assumption of the Nuvia ALA, renegotiation of the Qualcomm ALA, and a campaign to 37 current and potential Qualcomm customers with inaccurate statements and information. This pressure on Qualcomm was promoted even by the Chairman of the Board, Masayoshi Son.Qualcomm appeared to operate in good faith through and after the Nuvia acquisition, including paying royalties in the Hamoa and Pakala-based chipsets. Arm, however, has returned the funds. There was no evidence presented that Qualcomm tried to deceive Arm. Qualcomm appeared not have direct access to the Nuvia ALA prior to closing the acquisition and had no reason to believe that it was significantly different from the Qualcomm ALA, which provides broad coverage of any custom IP developed by or for Qualcomm and no requirements tied to acquisitions of Qualcomm.Qualcomms ALA license extends through 2028, and the company has the option to extend it another 5 years for an additional fee of $1M/year.Arm has been considering building complete processors for some time and has discussed building a processor for Samsung. This is presumably to compete against internal development projects from its ALA licensees. It is presumed that Arm would not sell chips in the open market because they would compete directly with Arms TLA customers, the most profitable portion of Arms business.Arm did not indicate any harm to its business until just before the trial, and at that point, the judge would not allow it to be included in the trial. According to Arm, there was no harm until units began shipping, which refers to the Hanoa-based Snapdragon SoCs for PCs and Pakala-based Snapdragon mobile SoCs for next-generation Android smartphones.The Nuvia ALA appears to have conflicting clauses and atypical requirements that ultimately engendered the trial with Qualcomm. Had the Nuvia ALA been clearer with common terms and conditions, the potential for many of the disputed points would have been greatly reduced.With the relationship between the two companies deteriorating, Qualcomm may have to consider using another architecture before its ALA expires in 2033. Even if Arm offers a new license, the terms are likely to be less favorable given the recent history between the two companies and the goals of Arms management. Note that Qualcomm does have a license to use the latest Armv9 architecture.Analyst InsightsThus far, I have sought to keep my own analyses and opinions out of my reports on the trial, but there are a few points worth making.I am not an attorney, but I am a bit surprised that the validity of the right to approve an acquisition clause was not questioned or deemed unenforceable. That clause could impact the valuation and operation of the business, especially a startup, with no value to the company itself. According to the testimony, certain provisions, which I am assuming this was one of them, were granted to Arm for a reduced license fee. However, according to the testimony, Nuvia paid what it thought was the full price for a license fee.Another point that was missing in the testimony, or I missed it, was that a microarchitecture is not hard-coded to an ISA and vice-versa. While it may require some optimizations to the microarchitecture (the silicon design), you can switch from supporting one ISA to another and there several industry examples that could have been sighted.Final ThoughtsAs a technologist, I can appreciate the challenge of this case. It is more than just about the terms of the contract, it is fundamentally tied to the related technology and chip designs. In this case, attorneys are presenting a case using technical experts and attempting to communicate their technical knowledge to a group of people that probably have little to no technical knowledge. As a result, both parties relied on analogies, Arm leveraged a piano analogy, and Qualcomm leveraged a building analogy. Neither was completely accurate or effective, but any analogy is subject to interpretation.As I have maintained, the outcome of this case will depend upon how the jury interprets the contract and the information presented, and it is impossible to predict it. However, regardless of how the scales of justice tip in this case, it is likely to impact technology license agreements going forward and cause concern throughout the broader Arm ecosystem about potential competition with Arm, especially for ALA licensees. It could also accelerate development of alternative ISA ecosystems such as RISC-V which are already starting to gain momentum.

ToplineA bipartisan pair of senators urged President Joe Biden to delay the federal ban on TikTok from taking effect, as the popular app could leave U.S. app stores in a month if the Supreme Court upholds the law banning itbut its unclear if Biden actually has the authority to delay the ban under the law, and the move could be challenged in court if he tries.Participants hold signs in support of TikTok outside the U.S. Capitol Building on March 13 in ... [+] Washington, DC.Getty ImagesKey FactsSen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., sent a letter to Biden Thursday arguing he should impose a 90-day extension delaying when the federal law takes effect, which is now scheduled for January 19.The law requires TikTok to divest itself from Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance or else be banned from U.S. app stores, but the senators argue the company cannot divest itself in that limited time before the ban takes effect.The bans status is now in limbo, as the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in TikToks lawsuit challenging it on January 10 and decide the laws legality, after a panel of lower court judges upheld it.Even if the Supreme Court rules on the TikTok ban before its scheduled to take effect, the senators argued that still wouldnt give TikTok enough time to separate from ByteDance, meaning, Absent a judicial injunction, decision overturning the law, or action by [Biden], TikTok will soon be banned in the United States, causing its creators and users serious hardship.While the law does give the president power to extend the deadline for outlawing TikTok by 90 days, University of Minnesota law professor Alan Rozenshtein noted on X that provision likely wouldnt apply here, as the president can only extend the deadline if theres a clear path toward divestiture or significant evidence that the company is in the process of divesting itself from ByteDancewhich so far isnt the case.If Bidenor President-elect Donald Trump, when he takes officewere to delay the deadline without TikTok actually taking any steps toward divesting, the move could be subject to litigation, Rozenshtein noted in a piece for Lawfare, as one of TikToks rivals could challenge the extension in court as unlawful, or one of the companies that has to comply with the ban, like Apple or Google, could ask for a court ruling declaring whether or not they legally have to take TikTok off their platform.Will The Tiktok Ban Take Effect On January 19?The White House has not yet responded to a request for comment on Markey and Pauls letter, and its unclear if Biden would actually be willing to impose the 90-day delay, given that he signed the ban into law and his Justice Department defended it in court. As it stands now, the law is scheduled to take effect January 19 unless the Supreme Court rules before then to strike it down, or puts the law on pause while it deliberates. If the ban goes forward on January 19, Trump could step in and impose a 90-day delay once he takes office on January 20. He has not yet announced any plans to do so, however, and that would still face the same legal issues as Biden delaying it if TikTok still isnt in the process of divesting itself from ByteDance.Will Bytedance Sell Tiktok?TikTok has so far refused any possibility of divesting itself from ByteDance, saying in a court filing the move is not possible technologically, commercially, or legally. It remains to be seen if the company will stick with that position if the Supreme Court upholds the law, or if it will decide to find a new U.S. owner in the face of the ban actually taking effect. While ByteDance has also so far been resistant to selling TikTok, James Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told NPR China may be more willing to negotiate with Trump and approve a sale of TikTok in exchange for Trump backing off his threat of high tariffs on Chinese imports.Why Are Markey And Paul Opposing The Ban?Markey and Paul are in the minority in Congress when it comes to their opposition to the TikTok ban, as the ban overwhelmingly passed the House in a 352-65 vote and numerous senators spoke out in favor of it. (The bill passed the Senate as part of a broader spending bill, so while it passed in a 79-18 vote, senators were not only voting on the TikTok provisions.) Markey has long opposed the TikTok ban, speaking on the Senate floor against the legislation before it passed and saying that while it could mitigate national security issues, it could, and likely will, result in widespread censorship. The lawmaker said he was speaking not in defense of TikTok, but in defense of TikToks users, warning lawmakers to be clear-eyed about the bans stakes and arguing, Instead of protecting people online, were censoring their speech. Paul has similarly been outspoken against banning TikTok, warning in 2023 that banning the app could alienate young voters and claiming in March the ban makes no sense whatsoever. TikTok is banned in China, Paul said in an interview with NewsNation. People who want to ban it are thinkingWow, were going to really defeat the Chinese communists, by becoming Chinese authoritarians and banning it in our country?ContraWhile Markey and Paul are trying to keep the TikTok ban from taking effect, other lawmakers are doubling down on the policy and reminding companies they have to follow it. House China Select Committee chair John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., sent letters to the CEOs of Apple, Google and TikTok last week noting the law is scheduled to take effect on January 19 and reminding them they must take the necessary steps to ensure [their companies] can fully comply with the ban. Congress has acted decisively to defend the national security of the United States and protect TikToks American users from the Chinese Communist Party, Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi wrote in their letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. We urge TikTok to immediately execute a qualified divestiture.Key BackgroundBiden signed the TikTok ban into law in April, with the law reflecting longstanding concerns by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about national security issues involving the app and ByteDances ties to China. TikTok has long denied any wrongdoing or links to the Chinese government, but Forbes has reported on a number of concerns involving the company, including TikTok spying on journalists, promoting Chinese propaganda criticizing U.S. politicians, mishandling user data and tracking sensitive words. The law orders companies to remove TikTok from U.S. app stores or else face financial penalties, and says internet service providers cannot enable its distribution either, which TikTok has argued will cut off the services that enable the TikTok platform to function, effectively shutting down TikTok in the United States. TikTok and creators on the app challenged the law in court days after it was enacted, arguing it violated their First Amendment rights. The federal government maintained the move was necessary for national security, and a panel of federal appeals court judges agreed. The court upheld the law, ruling it does not violate TikToks First Amendment rights since all the content on the platform can stay up if the company just separates itself from ByteDance. TikTok appealed the case to the Supreme Court on Monday, after the appeals court said they wouldnt pause the law while TikTok pursued an appeal, and the justices quickly ruled to take up the case and hear it on January 10.Further Reading

Here's to new ideas: Moon Beast Productions is an independent studio founded by industry veterans Phil Shenk, Peter Hu, and Erich Schaefer to make a new action RPG. Having secured funding, the company now plans to explore a novel approach to the hack-n-slash genre. Moon Beast Productions recently secured $4.5 million in seed money from several partners in the gaming industry. The company hopes to use the funding to design and develop a groundbreaking ARPG that goes beyond the genre's traditional design templates. $4.5 million is a fairly tight budget, but Moon Beast President Peter Hu notes that the team plans to work "smarter" and not just harder to achieve its goals.Moon Beast CEO Phil Shenk highlighted how the company's founders helped invent the classic ARPG paradigm with Diablo and Diablo II. They also worked on subsequent projects such as Hellgate: London, the excellent Torchlight series, and Marvel Heroes Online, each aiming to expand the genre's reach."For the past 20 years, we've dreamed of ARPG gameplay in more open, dynamic worlds," said Moon Beast's chief creative director, Erich Schaefer.Schaefer was one of the original crew members for Diablo II, arguably the best ARPG ever. He noted that Moon Beast is now ready to start its next project. He didn't divulge too much but said they are returning to what made early Diablo games so unique and addicting, adding that the studio is taking those ideas in new, "fresh" directions.Team members and their previous projects. Click to enlarge.Moon Beast's team has the technology skills and decades of design experience to elevate their game above those of bigger developers. The team's vision lacks a lot of meat, so there are very few details about this new, mysterious ARPG. He said that a "key innovation" the studio wants to invest in is user-generated content (UGC), with dedicated tools that make adding custom content to the game's world virtually effortless."We're building in-game tools that allow players to not just mod but potentially create entirely new game modes using our robust, client-server ARPG systems," Hu said. // Related StoriesAccording to Overwolf, one of Moon Beast's angel investors, the company's approach to UGC could incite entirely new gameplay experiences than the base game.Shenk stated that Moon Beast's UGC tools could unlock new genres built on the traditional ARPG formula, similar to how the MOBA genre emerged from Warcraft III mods. So far, the company has been busy building its core technology platform and experimenting with ARPG-related design ideas. The team isn't interested in making a Diablo clone. We can't wait to see what the original Diablo designers come up with outside Activision Blizzard's reach.

WTF?! Despite a star-studded roster, the New York Jets has seen its season unraveling amid reports of widespread disenchantment among players and coaching staff alike. A new report adds more fuel to the fire, claiming that owner Woody Johnson nixed an off-season trade for star Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy simply because his Madden rating wasn't high enough. Denver eventually traded Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns, who locked him in with a 3-year, $58 million extension. Jeudy went on to become a 1,000-yard receiver as a Brown, while the Jets are having a disastrous season, slumping to 4-10 after 14 weeks. Johnson blamed Head Coach Robert Saleh and General Manager Joe Douglas for the poor showing and have since been fired.Anonymous sources told The Athletic that the Jeudy fiasco wasn't even the first time that Johnson cited Madden ratings to evaluate players. He had previously argued against signing guard John Simpson due to his low "Awareness" rating in Madden. However, the coaching staff had the last laugh that time around. The team signed the free agent in the off-season, and he has performed well for the Jets this year.Some insiders believe that Johnson's teenage sons Brick and Jack are the reason why he puts so much weight on video game ratings. According to one unidentified Jets executive, Johnson has even admitted in team meetings that he bases some of his ideas on what his sons read online. Needless to say, experienced professionals in the team are frustrated that the teens' ill-informed opinions hold as much weight within the organization as their expert judgment.Johnson's ineptitude was also on full display in September when he suggested benching future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to get the season back on track. Thankfully, the coaching staff and team officials convinced him otherwise. However, A Jets spokesperson claimed Johnson's suggestion was "in jest" to test everyone's reaction.Another Jets spokesperson pushed back against the notion that Johnson was using Madden ratings to evaluate players. The video game ratings are "a reference point" and "not determinative" in player acquisitions. Any suggestion that Johnson used Madden ratings to override the opinion of experienced executives is "ridiculous," the spokesperson said, adding that Johnson's teen children have "no roles in the organization." // Related Stories

What's new? Google is rolling out an AI-powered system for its browser designed to sniff out scams and shady operations. The feature, dubbed Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection, debuted in the latest Canary builds of Chrome. Chrome's new scam detection employs an on-device language model to scrutinize web pages on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The localized approach is essential because it helps Google avoid the potential privacy pitfalls of uploading your browsing data to the cloud. Your credentials and online activities should remain safely on your device instead of getting beamed up to Google's servers for processing.Bolstering web security has always been challenging, but it's grown even more critical due to an explosion in cyber incidents. Microsoft's recent Digital Defense Report stated that over 600 million cybercriminal and nation-state attacks occur daily, targeting individuals, businesses, and governments alike.Chrome's new feature bears some similarity to a "scareware blocker" Microsoft recently introduced for its Edge browser. Edge's tool utilizes AI to identify cyber scams and other malicious sites, just like Chrome's. However, Microsoft's version is opt-in, requiring users to enable it in their settings manually.Microsoft is reeling with cybersecurity debacles. The Russian Nobelium hacking group managed to gain access to the company's corporate account for a month and exfiltrated executive email accounts. In light of the incident, CEO Satya Nadella underscored security as the company's "number one priority" last quarter. // Related StoriesChrome's version will be on by default when it rolls out. However, you'll need to download the latest Canary release and toggle the "Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection" flag. Just navigate to chrome://flags, find that option, and enable it.Earlier this year, Chrome gained a similar security-bolstering feature that threw a full-page "download warning" for risky downloads. It offers multiple options to bypass the warning, with one asking the user why they wish to do so.Meanwhile, this new AI scam-busting upgrade follows another AI-driven Chrome feature Google rolled out last month called "Store reviews." It aggregates and summarizes independent retailer ratings from sites like Trustpilot to give users the full scoop before they purchase something.

If youre struggling to come up with last-minute gift ideas, an Amazon Fire TV Stick makes for a great stocking stuffer, and it wont break the bank. And while these streaming devices are pretty cheap, to begin with, the following offer makes buying one all the more appealing:For a limited time, when you purchase the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K through Amazon or Best Buy, youll only pay $28. At full price, this model sells for $50. We tested this tried and true streamer all the way back in 2020, and reviewer Ryan Waniata said, Amazons Fire TV Stick 4K offers killer features at a great price.With its simple plug-and-play connectivity, intuitive controls, and fast performance, the Fire TV Stick 4K gives you access to a massive library of streaming apps, including popular platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support also means your favorite movies and shows get a significant boost in brightness and colors when streamed through your Fire TV Stick 4K (must be paired with an HDR-compatible TV).RelatedWhen it comes to voice activation, the included Alexa Voice Remote lets you summon the Amazon companion just by pressing the mic button. Youll be able to use Alexa to search for content to watch, check up on Amazon orders, control smart home devices, and more. Other noteworthy features include Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Atmos support. Wed love to say this sale is going to last until the new year, but that may not be the case.Thats why you should consider buying today if this sounds like a good deal to you. Take $22 off the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K when you order through Amazon or Best Buy. You may also want to check out our lists of the best TV deals, best Amazon deals, and our roundup of top Best Buy deals.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTesting the testIn the labApple made waves when it announced that its AirPods Pro 2, when combined with iOS 18.1, could fulfill the role of OTC hearing aids. Given that OTC hearing aids can often run as much as $1,500, it seemed too good to be true that the same hearing benefits could be had for just $249 or less. Better yet, given the popularity of Apples wireless earbuds, theres an excellent chance that those who could benefit already own them (if you live in a country where Apples hearing aid feature has been approved).So how good are the AirPods Pro 2 as OTC hearing aids?Recommended VideosTo find out, I looked at two key performance criteria: the accuracy of Apples software-driven hearing test, and their ability to provide speech enhancement.RelatedTypically, prescription hearing aids are provided by a licensed audiologist. Before you get them, the audiologist will test your hearing using professionally calibrated instruments in a sound-proof booth. The results, known as an audiogram, are used to customize the hearing aids for you. At-home OTC hearing aids perform a similar test via software, and rely on the user to find a suitably quiet location.Related:How to take the AirPods Pro 2 hearing testMy maternal grandfather struggled with hearing after he turned 60, and my father has moderate hearing loss in one ear. With that kind of family history, I get my hearing professionally checked annually to monitor my own health.Heres how Apples audiogram of my hearing (December 2024) compares to my most recent audiologist exam (October 2024).While the Apple audiogram slightly overestimated my high-frequency loss (possibly because my test environment wasnt quiet enough), it accurately measured my sensitivity across other frequencies, including the slight differences between my left and right ears.I shared the Apple result with my audiologist, and she agreed that it looked fairly accurate, exceeding her expectations for an at-home test.HearAdvisorIn an ideal world, wed evaluate the AirPods Pro 2s speech enhancement using both qualitative results (gathered from peoples real-world assessments) and quantitative results (lab-based testing).Unfortunately, I wasnt able to gather qualitative data, but I did get in touch with HearAdvisor, an independent hearing aid testing company. HearAdvisor has lab-tested a variety of OTC and prescription hearing aid models, including the AirPods Pro 2, and maintains a published list of the best products.For OTC products, the testing methodology evaluates devices based on five major criteria using the initial settings created by the software-based hearing test. When possible, those settings are professionally tuned and the tests are repeated to see if theres a difference in the results.The AirPods Pro 2 received a B grade, placing them in the second tier of HearAdvisors rankings. While that doesnt seem especially noteworthy, the tests revealed a substantial difference between the initial and tuned results. Speech in quiet and speech in noise arguably the most important criteria for any hearing aids both increased by more than double (111% and 225%, respectively) after being tuned.This suggests that while Apples audiogram generation may be accurate, the companys tuning undercuts the potential of the AirPods Pro 2 to deliver the best hearing enhancement.Why would Apple do this, when presumably it has access to the same (or better) assessment technology as HearAdvisor? They may do this because new hearing aid users often prefer less-than-prescribed gain (probably to preserve naturalness, at the cost of intelligibility), HearAdvisor scientific adviser Andrew Sabin told me.Curiously, the current king of the OTC hearing aid hill according to HearAdvisors tests is Sonys CRE-E10, with an A grade, and a perfect 5/5 overall score for both their initial and tuned results. Still, the CRE-E10 sell for between $898 and $1,199 (260%-480% more than the AirPods Pro 2) and yet they dont deliver similarly large increases in performance.The CRE-E10 proved 18.4% better than the AirPods Pro 2 in speech in quiet, and 73% better in speech in noise. Arguably, this makes the AirPods Pro 2 an excellent value, and a great way to experiment with hearing enhancement if youre on the fence. Even if you end up turning the feature off, youre still getting a very good set of wireless noise-canceling earbuds for music and phone calls.Editors Recommendations

Handels triumph, monumental buildings that never were, a Christmas truce and more.

Edna Ferbers novel of a Texas oilmans life became the final outing for a film star trying to push past the rebel persona of his early performances.

The close of 1914 brought a momentary pause in the grinding combat at a World War I battlefield. Carols were sung and games briefly replaced gunfire.