Editor's take: Action RPGs are a staple in my game collection. Surprisingly, I didn't become a fan of the genre until I played The Revenant, a 1999 ARPG released two years after Diablo. Since then, I've played every ARPG I could get my hands on, including the entire Diablo series. One of the best Diablo games if not one of the greatest ARPGs ever is Diablo 2. It nails many aspects, but progression stands out the most. The game walks a fine line between excessive grinding and leveling so fast that you max out a character in a day.Diablo creator David Brevik shared a similar sentiment in a recent interview with Video Gamer. He noted that Diablo 2 remains a "great" looter nearly 25 years later, largely because of its pacing."The pacing on Diablo 2, I think, is great," Brevik said.He believes many modern ARPGs prioritize rapid progression over natural pacing, a trend that has become common in the industry but ultimately devalues the experience."I think that RPGs, in general, have started to lean into this: kill swathes of enemies all over the place extremely quickly," said Brevik. "Your build is killing all sorts of stuff so you could get more drops, you can level up, and the screen is littered with stuff you don't care about."The approach that Brevik describes is a major feature in Diablo 3, and Diablo 4 doubles down on the concept. Blizzard intentionally designed both games to rush players toward Paragon levels, allowing characters to reach the maximum level in about a day. However, reaching levels beyond that requires fighting larger mobs, as Paragon leveling becomes a slog. This design pushes players to purchase the Battle Pass. While not Diablo 4's only flaw, it ranks high among the complaints from the franchise's creator. // Related Stories"I just don't find killing screen-fulls of things instantly and mowing stuff down and walking around the level and killing everything, very enticing. When you're shortening that journey and making it kind of ridiculous, you've cheapened the entire experience, in my opinion." Blevik opined. "I just don't feel like that is a cool experience. I find it kind of silly."He believes MMOs are just as guilty of this. There's heavy pressure to rush through the early levels, partly due to the rise of live service models. Games like Destiny 2 and Diablo 4 push players to blitz through the campaign to access seasonal content and the rewards it offers. There's no time to stop and enjoy the journey because the season "ends soon." This sense of urgency and rushed pace is exactly where publishers want players, as seasonal content fuels microtransactions.Blevik, who now heads up indie publisher Skystone Games, despises this design philosophy and steers clear of it. He favors game designs like Diablo 2, Torchlight, and The Witcher 3, which slow the pacing and allow players to savor the adventure."[The fun] actually isn't getting to the end; it's the journey," he said. "When you're shortening that journey and making it kind of ridiculous, you've cheapened the entire experience, in my opinion."I couldn't agree more. With the increasing emphasis on live service models and the flood of multiplayer games, finding an ARPG that nails the pacing is becoming more challenging. The single-player experience, however, remains the best for maintaining solid pacing.

WTF?! A second Ryzen 7 9800X3D failure has surfaced, with the motherboard sustaining severe thermal damage after about two weeks of use. Oddly, the user didn't overclock the chip or encounter any installation issues - just a sudden, random failure while watching videos. The victim, a Redditor named "t0pli," is a PC builder with two decades of experience. In his post, he explained that he built a brand-new system about 20 days ago using the 9800X3D CPU and an ASRock X870 motherboard. It ran smoothly without overclocking or high temperatures. Then, the system shut down out of nowhere while t0pli was watching shows. Upon inspection, the 9800X3D chip and ASRock motherboard showed severe thermal damage (masthead).The crazy part is that t0pli says he didn't use any overclocking tricks or push the hardware excessively. Besides enabling AMD's EXPO memory profiles, the rig was idling with stock settings. HWMonitor confirmed that temperatures appeared normal before the failure, too.This incident isn't the first time a user has reported a failed 9800X3D. In November, another user had their $479 chip unexpectedly burn up, taking the motherboard with it. That instance was attributed to user error, as the builder admitted to likely installing the CPU improperly, causing a short.However, in t0pli's case, the cause is unclear. Before running the system, he updated it to the latest available BIOS, so it appears to be just rotten luck. Worse still, t0pli bought the motherboard and CPU from different retailers, which could complicate warranty coverage.So far, AMD hasn't officially commented on these chip failures. However, while a spontaneous processor burn is concerning, the issues remain isolated, considering the thousands of chips AMD has sold. As highlighted in our recent review, the 9800X3D remains the most powerful gaming CPU, offering unmatched performance for high-end rigs. // Related StoriesOf course, AMD isn't the only chipmaker facing flagship processor issues. Last year, Intel experienced similar problems with its Raptor Lake CPUs, which were susceptible to permanent damage. Numerous reports revealed that the processors were receiving excessive voltage.

Planetary Potato: Earth has a complex internal structure consisting of a solid iron-nickel core at the center and a liquid outer core. The interaction between these two elements can significantly impact the planet's solid, outer crust, and unusual events have been occurring within it for years. Earth's inner core has changed shape over the past 20 years. A team of scientists studied the core's behavior to understand why its rotation slowed down relative to Earth's in 2010, and discovered new evidence of the mysterious, shapeshifting nature of the planet's center.Earth's core is thought to be a solid sphere spinning independently from the liquid outer core and the rest of the planet. This rotation generates the magnetic field that protects Earth from solar winds and harmful solar radiation, acting as a shield for life on the crust. Without this spinning core, we wouldn't be here today.The researchers analyzed a series of seismic waves produced by 121 repeating earthquakes recorded in the same region of North America, between 1991 and 2023. Earthquake shockwaves are essentially the only way we can study what's happening deep beneath the planet's surface, as no one has yet been able to dig 4,000 miles to directly probe the hellish conditions of the core.By studying the repeated earthquakes, Professor John Vidale and his colleagues confirmed that the core actually slowed down around 2010. They also made a second, serendipitous discovery: Earth's core was changing shape in different locations. This phenomenon occurred at the boundary between the inner core and the liquid outer core, where the solid core approaches its melting point.The material flowing between the inner and outer cores could disrupt Earth's gravity field, causing the apparent deformation of the solid core. Hrvoje Tkalcic, a professor from the Australian National University, noted that this is an intriguing concept deserving further research in the future. // Related StoriesUnderstanding what is happening in our planet's hidden, chaotic interior will undoubtedly affect the future of our world in unknown and unpredictable ways. When Earth's core eventually stops, its magnetic field will cease to exist, and life will likely go extinct. While this apocalyptic event could happen billions of years from now, Earth will likely be consumed by our Sun's supernova before that occurs.

Death from above: A new study warns that the risk of airplanes being struck by falling space debris is increasing. While the chances remain low and no such incident has occurred yet the potential consequences could be catastrophic. Researchers at the University of British Columbia analyzed global air traffic patterns against the projected re-entry paths of uncontrolled space debris.Near major airport hubs, they estimate a 0.8 percent annual probability of a re-entry event posing a threat. While that may seem low, in heavily trafficked airspaces like the Northeastern US or Northern Europe, the risk jumps to over 26 percent per year.This growing hazard stems from the increasing volume of objects launched into orbit, ranging from traditional satellites to massive constellations like Starlink and discarded rocket stages. As those numbers multiply, so do the chances of an aerial collision as the clutter eventually rains back down.Scientists have long warned about the risks posed by satellite constellations. Beyond creating streaks that interfere with astronomical observations, these satellites can disrupt radio signals and may even contribute to ozone depletion when they burn up upon re-entry.While we can sometimes predict re-entry events, the margin for error remains slim. Experts caution that even a 1-gram fragment striking a plane's windshield or engine could cause severe damage. Because these predictions are so imprecise, air traffic controllers often shut down large sections of airspace as a precaution, leading to widespread flight disruptions. // Related StoriesThe researchers emphasize the need for stricter measures to ensure satellites and rockets undergo controlled re-entry, ideally disintegrating over remote ocean regions. Currently, more than 2,300 large rocket bodies remain in orbit, most destined for an uncontrolled and unpredictable descent in the coming decades. Without improved deorbiting practices, airspace closures will likely become more frequent.The full study can be found in the journal Scientific Reports.

The big picture: As YouTube celebrates its 20th anniversary, CEO Neal Mohan has made a bold declaration: YouTube is not just a video platform, it's the new television. In his annual letter to the YouTube community, Mohan emphasized the platform's growing dominance in the living room, with TV screens now surpassing mobile devices as the primary way US audiences consume YouTube content. "TV screens have officially overtaken mobile as the 'primary device for YouTube viewing in the US,'" Mohan said, which is a major shift in viewing habits. This transition indicates that "YouTube is the new television," but one that looks drastically different from its predecessor. The "new" television is interactive, incorporating shorts, podcasts, and live streams alongside traditional content like sports, sitcoms, and talk shows.YouTube's growing presence in the TV market is undeniable. The platform has consistently topped Nielsen's monthly Gauge report, outpacing streaming giant Netflix in total viewership. This success is driven by several factors, including YouTube's ongoing investment in its YouTube TV virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD), which has already surpassed eight million subscribers.Furthermore, YouTube has been optimizing its TV app experience, introducing features designed to enhance the big-screen viewing. "We're bringing the best of YouTube to TVs, including a second-screen experience that lets you use your phone to interact with the video you're watching on TV for example, to leave a comment or make a purchase," Mohan noted.YouTube is also experimenting with "Watch With," a feature that allows creators to provide live commentary and reactions to games and events. Initial trials were conducted with the NFL.The platform's growth on connected TVs has also attracted new advertisers, introducing ad formats optimized for the big screen, such as QR codes and pause ads.Mohan also spoke about YouTube's role as a cultural epicenter, emphasizing the platform's significance during major events. He noted that, on Election Day last year, over 45 million Americans turned to YouTube for election-related content. Landmark videos, like Joe Rogan's interview with President Trump and political sketches from Saturday Night Live, further solidify YouTube's position as a source of information and entertainment. // Related Stories"From elections to the Olympics to Coachella to the Super Bowl and the Cricket World Cup, the world's biggest moments play out on YouTube," Mohan said.In addition to video content, YouTube has also emerged as a leading platform for podcasts. According to Edison Podcast Metrics, YouTube is now the most-used service for listening to podcasts in the US, surpassing Spotify and Apple Podcasts. "We've long invested in the podcast experience and creators have found that video makes this format even more compelling," Mohan explained, adding that YouTube plans to roll out more tools to support podcasters and improve monetization opportunities for creators.Looking ahead, Mohan underscored three "big bets for 2025," one of which is to bring more AI tools to creators. While generative AI models have garnered significant attention, Mohan said creators are finding simpler, more practical AI tools to be more beneficial for their everyday workflows."As impressive as the generative models are, creators tell us they're most excited about the ways AI can help with their bread-and-butter production," Mohan said.YouTube is investing in AI-powered tools to assist creators with tasks like generating video ideas, titles, and thumbnails. The platform is also using AI to help creators reach new audiences through auto-dubbing, which translates videos into multiple languages. According to YouTube, more than 40 percent of the total watch time for videos with dubbed audio comes from viewers choosing to listen in a dubbed language.Mohan also pointed to the rise of creators as "the startups of Hollywood," citing examples of YouTubers who have built professional-grade media operations. For instance, Dude Perfect recently opened a $5 million headquarters in Texas, and Alan Chikin Chow, creator of "Alan's World," opened a 10,000-square-foot studio in Burbank, California.

Rumor mill: Nvidia hasn't been more specific about the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti cards' launch dates beyond them arriving sometime in February. While the Ti version is still on track to land in the next few weeks, the vanilla card has reportedly been delayed until early March, and for several possible reasons. The claim comes from prolific leaker MEGAsizeGPU, who writes that the RTX 5070 "will be delayed. Instead of February, it will be on the shelf in early March."Leakers' claims should always be taken with a grain of salt, but there are plenty of reasons to believe this one. Firstly, the RTX 5070 Ti review and launch embargoes are set for February 19 and 20, respectively. But Nvidia has released no embargo details for the RTX 5070.The other issue is the supply nightmare that has been plaguing the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 launch. The cards were sold out everywhere on launch day, with most retailers allocated units in low double-digit or even single-digit figures, leading to many labeling it a paper launch.If Nvidia does delay the RTX 5070 until March, one would hope the company will be able to build up more stock to supply to retailers. // Related StoriesThere's also AMD to consider. Team Red has confirmed that the mainstream RX 9070 series will also launch in early March.While Nvidia may be hoping to steal headlines from AMD by releasing the RTX 5070 around the same time as the RDNA 4 cards, there's always the slight chance it could adjust the pricing of the Blackwell GPU based on what AMD does, thereby making it more competitive.It was recently reported that AMD may price its RDNA 4 cards to undercut Nvidia's mid-range equivalents $599 MSRP for the RX 9070 XT, $150 less than the $749 RTX 5070 Ti, while the RX 9070 will likely be cheaper than the $549 RTX 5070.Nvidia has already announced the price of the RTX 5070, so a sudden change seems unlikely. However, the company did "unlaunch" the $899 RTX 4080 12GB in October 2022, later relaunching it as the RTX 4070 Ti, which was $100 cheaper.In other AMD news, the company is rumored to be developing a 32GB version of the upcoming RX 9070 XT, though it is designed with AI applications in mind.

The big picture: The ongoing tit-for-tat tariff battle between the US and China could lead to a five percent increase in monitor prices for American buyers. That might not seem like much, but it marks a sharp reversal from the steady price declines of recent years driven by intense competition in the display market. According to Asian supply chain sources cited by DigiTimes Asia, rising tariffs on Chinese goods imported into the US are set to drive up monitor prices. In response, major brands are stockpiling inventory in an effort to keep price hikes as low as possible.This situation stems from the Trump administration's aggressive trade policies, which triggered retaliatory tariffs from China. These tariffs have put additional pressure on monitor manufacturers, whose margins were already razor-thin. As a result, major brands like Dell, HP, and Samsung are being forced to adopt more conservative shipment targets as rising costs disrupt their pricing strategies.However, the industry giants have a contingency plan: stockpiling. DigiTimes reports that these companies are rushing to import extra inventory potentially around 2 3 million units to buffer against the expected price increases.Moreover, second-tier brands that were already struggling to compete with the pricing and logistical power of industry giants could be facing even tougher challenges ahead.Historically, these smaller players have had little negotiating leverage when securing production capacity and maintaining profit margins. Now, with supply chains disrupted by the trade war and first-tier brands aggressively stockpiling, they are likely to face even higher costs that will be much harder for them to absorb. // Related StoriesA five increase may be the best-case scenario at this point. When the tariffs were first announced, the Consumer Technology Association warned that a worst-case escalation could send prices skyrocketing by 60-100 percent for some product categories. Fortunately, we haven't reached that level yet.However, experts caution that tariffs will lead to price hikes across the board. GPU costs have already been affected, and some manufacturers, such as ASRock, are even considering shifting production from China to Taiwan. Meanwhile, TSMC is reportedly planning to raise the prices of its most advanced semiconductor wafers by up to 15 percent this year.

The big picture: One of the most impressive applications of generative AI is its ability to create videos from nothing more than a simple text description. Type a few words into one of the many different video generation tools now available including Adobe's Firefly model and out pops what can be amazingly lifelike clips. It's a great example of how powerful this technology has become, as well as how quickly it's advancing. At the same time, many generative video tools also highlight questions and challenges around content ownership and copyright. Some of these have become a key part of larger discussions on the development and evolution of AI-powered tools.We've already started to see this play out with text generation tools that were trained on material scraped from across the internet much of it original commercial content. There are serious questions about whether and how content creators should be compensated for their work when it's incorporated into a large language model.Given the enormous amount of effort (and cost) that goes into creating videos, the voices of concern are bound to grow even louder as generative video usage becomes more widespread.In the graphics world, Adobe recognized these issues early on and made copyright protection a core part of its initial Firefly image generation tools. The company chose to use only content it had licensed and offered compensation to creators when integrating it into the model training process. Of course, it helped that Adobe had an enormous trove of content and direct connections to creators via its long-running Adobe Stock business, which offers millions of still images and videos for sale.Nevertheless, Adobe chose to follow these principles in leveraging that data and built a set of generative content tools that not only met general rules of fairness, but also provided a guarantee of commercial safety. In other words, anyone who used the Firefly tools was assured they would not face legal or financial challenges for using copyrighted content. Given that an important percentage of Adobe's customers are involved in creating commercial content, that has proven to be a significant advantage.Not surprisingly, as the company makes its latest Firefly video model publicly available today (in beta), it is following the same commercially safe principles and offering the same guarantees. In addition, Adobe is integrating support for Content Credentials with its AI-generated video, allowing people to reliably verify that it was created with AI an increasingly critical capability in a world seemingly overrun with deepfakes.Adobe is launching access to the new model today (it was first unveiled last fall) via both a new web application and through a "Generative Extend" feature in Adobe Premiere Pro. The company is also debuting two new Firefly plans and previewing one more. // Related StoriesFirefly Standard is priced at $9.99/month, offering 2,000 audio/video credits per month which allows users to create up to 20 five-second 1080p resolution videos per month. Firefly Pro increases the limit to 7,000 credits and up to 70 five-second videos for $29.99/month. Firefly Premium, arriving later this year for $199.99/month, is designed for creative professionals who, according to Adobe, "expect to generate new video content on a daily basis."Like other offerings, the Firefly video model supports both text-to-video and image-to-video generation, keyframes at the beginning and end of a clip, and the ability to translate and accurately lip-sync audio across 20 different languages.A key differentiator for Adobe users will be the seamless integration with other apps across the Adobe suite. For example, users can easily create workflows that move from a still image in Photoshop or a vector illustration in Illustrator into the Firefly Video model and integrate the output straight into Premiere. Adobe has also added a new Scene-to-Image tool, which can be used to create 3D elements for video whether in an animated or photorealistic style.It's clear that Adobe is focusing on the kinds of tools and capabilities that regular users of its products will appreciate. While many people have been experimenting with other generative video tools for fun, Adobe appears to be focused on delivering practical capabilities that make video creation and editing easier.The new Generative Extend feature in Premiere Pro is a great example of this. While it might only be needed to extend an existing scene by half a second or so, that can make a huge difference for professional editors trying to match existing music, audio, and video elements. Similarly, an early preview of the new Firefly web app user interface highlights key creative choices for aspects like camera angles and movement, helping the model generate more engaging and cinematic outputs.While it's fair to say that Adobe is playing a bit of catch-up in the rapidly evolving field of generative AI video and adding 4K support, which Adobe says will be coming later this year it's also clear that the company is applying its own unique approach to the challenge. For the creative professionals who rely on Adobe for their work, that's an important step.Bob O'Donnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a technology consulting firm that provides strategic consulting and market research services to the technology industry and professional financial community. You can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech

What just happened? Rarlab, the company behind the famed WinRAR file compression software, has teamed up with French clothing brand Tern to release a WinRAR-themed bag designed to resemble the app's iconic logo, which depicts three stacked books in magenta, green, and blue. The WinRAR X account announced the new merch with a hilarious post that acknowledged how most people never pay to use the software despite it being a product costing $29 per license. "What better way to support the software you've NEVER paid for than by buying a WinRAR bag?" the post asks.WinRAR offers a 40-day free trial before becoming paid software, but the developers do not strictly enforce the limited trial period, allowing users to access it indefinitely without paying. The unpaid version of WinRAR offers full functionality and unrestricted access even after the end of the trial period, so most users simply close the pop-up nag at every startup and take advantage of what is effectively an unlimited trial period.The WinRAR-themed bag is made of vegan leather and has an adjustable clip-on strap that allows it to be slung across the shoulder. It has a single, rigid compartment, like a loot box, and uses a magnetic closure system. It measures 21.4cm x 14cm x 7cm, and is priced at 115 (around $119). The company plans to start shipping in April.To showcase the spaciousness of the new bag, the team at Tern shoved as many as 805 Yu-Gi-Oh single-sleeved cards inside, and Rarlab has since confirmed that it can accommodate three cans of Diet Coke. It doesn't offer much space if storage capacity is your primary concern, but it's certainly good enough to hold the essentials, like your phone, keys, and maybe even a purse or wallet. // Related StoriesThe quirky new bag is not the first piece of licensed WinRAR merch to be sold on the official Tern website. The two companies have an existing partnership to market a series of WinRAR-themed clothing and accessories, including jackets, hoodies, pants, t-shirts, and caps. Prices start at 48 (around $50) for the graphic tees and go up to a cool 225 (around $233) for the varsity jacket.

What just happened? A divide emerged between the United States and Europe regarding the regulation of AI at the AI Action summit held in Paris this week. While approximately 60 countries, including China, India, and Germany, signed a declaration to ensure AI is "safe, secure, and trustworthy," the US and the UK notably withheld their support. Vice President JD Vance cautioned against "overly precautionary" regulations on AI, emphasizing the US commitment to maintaining its dominance in the technology. "The Trump administration will ensure that the most powerful AI systems are built in the US, with American-designed and manufactured chips," Vance said before the assembled crowd of world leaders and tech executives. "America wants to partner with all of you...but to create that kind of trust, we need international regulatory regimes that foster the creation of AI technology rather than strangle it," he added.The summit declaration calls for "ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all."Although the commitments are non-binding, the US and UK had previously signed similar declarations at earlier AI summits. This shift signals a potentially more competitive approach to AI development under the new US administration. Vance's speech was "a 180-degree turnaround from what we saw with the Biden administration," Keegan McBride, a lecturer at the Oxford Internet Institute, told the Financial Times.The UK government released a brief statement saying it had not been able to sign the agreement due to concerns about national security and global governance. "We felt the declaration didn't provide enough practical clarity on global governance, nor sufficiently address harder questions around national security and the challenge AI poses to it," a government spokesperson told the BBC. Meanwhile, Downing Street insists its decision was not based on the US shift. "This is about our own national interest, ensuring the balance between opportunity and security," the spokesperson said.The US stance comes amid increasing competition with China in AI development, including chip manufacturing, foundational models, AI chatbots, and the energy required for supercomputers. The recent emergence of the cut-price AI model from the Chinese research lab DeepSeek, for example, caught Silicon Valley groups off guard. // Related StoriesAs for Europe, it is actively seeking to establish a stronger foothold in the AI industry, aiming to reduce reliance on the US and China. French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the two-day summit, where European leaders and companies unveiled approximately 200 billion euros in planned investments in data centers and computing clusters to support the region's AI endeavors. "We need these rules for AI to move forward," he said.Vance also cautioned countries against entering AI deals with "authoritarian regimes," a veiled reference to China. He warned that "partnering with them means chaining your nation to an authoritarian master that seeks to infiltrate, dig in and seize your information infrastructure," citing CCTV and 5G as examples of "cheap tech...[was] heavily subsidized and exported by authoritarian regimes."Concerns were also raised by the US that Current AI, a foundation launched by France during the summit, could be used to funnel money to French-speaking countries.Frederike Kaltheuner, senior EU and global governance lead at the AI Now Institute, noted that following the launch of the powerful open models from DeepSeek, Europeans felt they had a chance to compete in AI. McBride said of Vance's speech: "[It] was like, 'Yeah, that's cute. But guess what? You know you're actually not the ones who are making the calls here. It's us."

The big picture: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated into a full-blown technological arms race. Both sides are pouring resources into developing cutting-edge military drones and counter-drone systems. But in this high-stakes battle, Ukraine has a new weapon: gamers. Rally drivers are often naturally great at racing simulation games like Dirt, and vice versa, so you'd think the same would apply to warfare. Indeed, members of Ukraine's elite Typhoon drone unit told Business Insider that they see gamers as potential recruits. However, they also acknowledged the challenges.Piloting a first-person-view (FPV) drone might seem straightforward on the surface. The headsets are like VR goggles, and the controllers are similar to those of a gaming console. There's even a video game called "Death From Above" that simulates the experience of a Ukrainian drone operator raining hellfire down on Russian forces.However, in the virtual world, you can just hit reset when things go sideways. In real drone warfare, the consequences are deadly."People think flying a military drone is like playing 'Call of Duty,' until they realize there's no restart option," one Typhoon operator told the publication.The Typhoon unit explains that preparing for a real drone mission is an intricate process of analyzing equipment, anticipated obstacles like jamming, real-time intelligence, and coordinating with commanders. Every flight involves multiple evasive maneuvers and constant adjustments for enemy countermeasures and threats. // Related StoriesAs for the Typhoon unit itself, it was officially formed just last year and plays a vital role in Ukraine's National Guard. One of its responsibilities is developing and applying specialized UAV expertise on the battlefield. It does this by combining engineers who can rapidly configure drones with pilots capable of executing complex missions in the chaos of combat.Despite the challenges mentioned above, the unit sees gamers as invaluable recruits for their lightning-fast reflexes and comfort with virtual environments."Gamers make great drone pilots because they are used to fast-moving situations on the screen, just like in real drone operations," Michael, the commander of the unit, stated. "They already have experience making quick decisions, reacting fast, and controlling complex systems, which are all important skills in combat."Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pushing for increased domestic drone production and deployment. Companies and volunteer groups have responded by kicking into high gear, mass-producing relatively cheap drones to fill the gap when Western-supplied artillery runs low.With more drones comes the need for more pilots, and that gap could potentially be filled by recruiting skilled gamers with their finely tuned reflexes gained from video games.Image credit: Typhoon

Rumor mill: Rumors have surfaced claiming that AMD is developing an RDNA 4 GPU with up to 32GB of VRAM. It sounds like an exciting prospect, potentially leading to a card that could compete with the monstrous RTX 5090. Unfortunately for gamers, it would likely be an enterprise product designed for data centers and professional applications. This rumor, like many others, comes from Chiphell, the Chinese tech-focused forum, so take it with a grain of salt. It claims that AMD will launch a high-end RDNA 4 GPU sometime in the first half of 2025. The amount of VRAM it will feature has yet to be decided, but it could be as high as 32GB the same amount as Nvidia's RTX 5090.While a rival to the RTX 5090 from Team Red sounds like something the industry and gamers would welcome, it seems almost certain that the rumored GPU will be used as an enterprise product, which requires extra memory. The Radeon Pro W7900, for example, comes with 48GB of GDDR6, while the Instinct MI300X has 192GB of HBM3.The other thing to remember is that AMD said last year that it would not be competing with Nvidia when it comes to the current generation of flagship gaming cards. It confirmed that releasing cards in the Radeon RX 9000 series to match Nvidia's top RTX 5000 GPU won't be a priority. Instead, Team Red will be focusing on its mid-range and lower-end products to increase the company's overall market share.AMD unveiled the Radeon RX 9070 XT and Radeon RX 9070 GPUs at CES last month. The company did not reveal any details beyond stating that the RDNA 4 architecture is built on TSMC's 4nm node while featuring optimized compute units, improved ray tracing per CU, 'supercharged' AI compute, and better media encoding quality.There were reports only a few hours ago that claimed AMD is set to seriously undercut Nvidia's mid-range cards with its Radeon RX 9000 series. The RX 9070 XT could arrive with a $599 MSRP, $150 less than the $749 RTX 5070 Ti, while the RX 9070 is expected to be priced below the $549 RTX 5070. // Related Stories

Something to look forward to: AMD's naming scheme for the upcoming Radeon RX 9070 series along with the company's various comments and statements would appear to confirm that these graphics cards will be squarely aimed at the mid-range market. However, as we await for final specifications and pricing, new rumors suggest that Team Red may be ready to aggressively undercut Nvidia's competing GeForce RTX 50 offerings. According to IT Home, AMD aims to set highly competitive prices for the upcoming Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT, potentially accelerating the retirement of the RX 7800 XT. Depending on performance benchmarks, a sub-$600 price tag could signal serious competition against Nvidia's upcoming RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti.Currently, AMD's best GPU in this price range is the Radeon RX 7800 XT, which launched in 2023 at $499. Reports indicate that the company initially planned to cease production in the third quarter of this year but may have decided to move up that timeline to January in order to shift focus to the RX 9000 series more quickly.The Radeon RX 9070 XT is expected to be based on the Navi 48 GPU, rumored to feature 4,096 cores, a 2.97GHz boost clock, 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 256-bit bus, and 640GB/s of memory bandwidth. The standard RX 9070 is also anticipated to include 16GB of VRAM.Reports suggest that the RX 9070 XT could debut at a $599 MSRP, undercutting Nvidia's $749 RTX 5070 Ti by $150. If these rumors hold, the RX 9070 will likely be slightly cheaper than the $549 RTX 5070.However, AMD's competitiveness will entirely depend on real-world performance results, and those are currently only available in vague snapshots. IGN reported impressive rasterization performance from the RX 9070 in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, while Hardware Unboxed highlighted substantial improvements in upscaling image quality. // Related StoriesComprehensive testing is still needed to determine whether the RTX 50 series' transition to GDDR7 VRAM offering increased memory speed and bandwidth will provide a meaningful advantage over the Radeon's GDDR6. AMD's claims of dramatic ray tracing performance improvements also remain unverified.Historically, AMD's GPUs have lagged behind Nvidia's in hardware-accelerated ray tracing. However, numerous recent titles such as God of War Ragnark, Stalker 2, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II run well without it. That said, ray tracing bound games are becoming more prevalent, including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Star Wars Outlaws, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Doom: The Dark Ages.Nvidia is expected to launch the RTX 5070 Ti on February 20, while AMD has confirmed plans to release the RX 9070 series in early March. Additionally, rumors suggest that the RTX 5070, 5060 Ti, and 5060 could follow soon after.

In context: Big tech companies and AI startups still largely rely on Nvidia's chips to train and operate the most advanced AI models. However, that could change fast. OpenAI is spearheading a massive industry-wide effort to bring cheaper custom AI accelerators to market. If successful, this push could weaken Nvidia's dominance in the AI hardware space, pushing the company into a tougher market. OpenAI is nearing the launch of its first custom-designed AI chip. Reuters expects the company to send the chip design to TSMC in the coming months for validation before mass production begins in 2026. The chip has reached the tape-out stage, but OpenAI will likely need a significantly larger workforce to achieve full self-reliance in the AI accelerator market.The custom chip was designed by a "small" in-house team led by Richard Ho, who left Google to join OpenAI over a year ago. The 40-person team collaborated with Broadcom, a controversial company with a well-known track record for creating custom ASIC solutions. The two companies began negotiating a chip-focused partnership in 2024, with the ultimate goal of building new AI chips.Industry sources said OpenAI's design can both train and run AI models, but the company will initially use it in limited quantities for AI inferencing tasks only. TSMC will manufacture the final chip on its 3nm technology node, and OpenAI expects it to include a certain amount of high-bandwidth memory, like any other major AI (or GPU) silicon design.Despite playing a minor role in the company's infrastructure for the next few months, OpenAI's chip could become a significant disruptive force in the near future. The new design will need to pass the tape-out stage with flying colors first, and Ho's team will need to fix any hardware bugs discovered during the initial manufacturing tests.Many tech companies are actively working to replace Nvidia products with their own custom solutions for AI acceleration, but the GPU maker still holds around 80 percent of the market. Microsoft, Google, Meta, and other Big Tech giants are employing hundreds of engineers to solve the silicon problem, with OpenAI coming in last both in timing and workforce size. // Related StoriesSimply put, OpenAI will need much more than its small in-house team led by Richard Ho currently working on its AI chip prototype. Internally, the chip project is seen as a crucial tool for future strategic moves in the growing AI sector. While still waiting for design validation from TSMC, OpenAI engineers are already planning more advanced iterations for broader adoption.

In a nutshell: Since last fall, Apple has released multiple critical security updates for its devices. The latest update addresses targeted attacks that can disable a security feature Apple first introduced for iPhones and iPads several years ago. The patch is also available for Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. After updating, users should check if Apple Intelligence is enabled. Users who haven't updated their iPhone or iPad firmware since late January should do so now. The iOS and iPadOS 18.3.1 update fixes an actively exploited zero-day vulnerability. The security update is also available for iPadOS 17.7.5, watchOS, macOS, and visionOS. The patch supports all devices going as far back as iPhone XS, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation), 11-inch (1st generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad (7th generation), and iPad mini (5th generation).According to Apple's security support page, the flaw (CVE-2025-24200) enabled a sophisticated physical attack targeting specific individuals that could disable USB Restricted Mode. The company credits Bill Marczak of the University of Toronto's Munk School's Citizen Lab for the discovery.Apple introduced USB Restricted Mode in 2018 to protect against device cracking or other malicious hardware. It disables USB data transfers to iPhones and iPads if the devices haven't been unlocked in a week, allowing connections only for charging.A similar function, called "inactivity reboot," debuted with iOS 18.1 late last year. It causes devices to reboot after three days of inactivity, preventing thieves and law enforcement from cracking them. Apple also recently removed dozens of iOS apps found to contain malware that could read screenshots to steal cryptocurrency wallet info.There is one possible minor hitch with the update. Some users reported that macOS Sequoia version 15.3.1 re-enabled Apple Intelligence. Those affected saw the welcome screen after rebooting their devices. Users who disabled Apple Intelligence, Apple's built-in answer to ChatGPT, should check if the feature stayed disabled after installing the updates by navigating to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. // Related StoriesApple Intelligence became opt-out with the OS security updates released in late January, including iOS and iPadOS 18.3, drawing complaints from users wary of GenAI. Cupertino's take on the technology allows users to receive summarized notifications, automatically rewrite text, and generate images. However, Apple disabled news summaries after criticism from the BBC over hallucinations.

In a nutshell: Recent antitrust laws approved in the EU provide the European Commission with significant firepower against monopoly-loving corporations. It now has its sights set on Microsoft, which is hoping to resolve the legal dispute with a new pricing policy. Microsoft is looking into a potential change in how the company sells Office and Teams in a single package to appease European authorities and avoid a hefty antitrust fine. Three sources familiar with the matter confirmed Microsoft's diplomatic attempt to Reuters. The insiders said the company is trying to end a years-long investigation into its alleged anticompetitive practices with Office and Teams bundles.The Europen Commission investigation started five years ago after Slack filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft. The complaint claimed that Redmond was reverting to its past monopolistic behavior by boosting Teams adoption through Office integration. Teams and other collaboration or video conferencing services saw a significant surge in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft was allegedly reaping all the benefits thanks to its popular productivity suite.Brussels received an additional antitrust complaint in 2023 when German videoconferencing company Alfaview asked EU antitrust authorities to stop Microsoft from bundling Office and Teams. Europe imposed a 2.2 billion fine against Microsoft a couple of decades ago, and new penalties can now go up to 10 percent of a company's global yearly revenue.Microsoft started to sell an "unbundled" version of Teams without Office in 2023. Sources say Redmond is willing to go even further, offering a wider price difference between an Office and Teams bundle and the two tools sold independently. Microsoft added Teams to Office 365 in 2017. It eventually replaced Skype for Business for 365 users' videoconferencing and collaboration needs.Reuters notes that the European Commission asked some companies for feedback regarding Microsoft's offering. They have until this week to reply. After that, the EU could perform a "formal" market test using the new prices, before evaluating Redmond's proposal. // Related StoriesAn EC insider stated that the Commission would like to move on and employ its staffing and resources against different "enemies." By accepting Microsoft's offer, the EU could focus on its latest antitrust investigations against Apple and Google.

Reviewers LikedSeamless iOS integrationAdds ANC, transparency modes, spatial audioSlimmer ear hook, smaller caseAccurate hear rate monitoringWorks well with iOS and Android OSH2 chip adds smartsPhysical buttonsExcellent battery lifeComfortable, secure fitReviewers Didn't LikeUnimpressive audio performanceCase is still pretty massiveANC is not quite as good as competitorsHeart-rate support is limited at launch on iOSHeart rate is not that useful if you're an Apple Watch userHigh priceCompetitors and Related Products Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets. Expert reviews and ratings 60 The fitness-focused Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 can monitor your heart rate but otherwise don't live up to similarly priced wireless earbuds when it comes to noise cancellation and sound quality. By PCMag on February 11, 2025 90 The result of all this tech is a compelling and versatile package that should be a top contender for budding athletes and beyond. With tons of features, punchy sound, and serious comfort in a sport-friendly design, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are an impressive second coming and the best Beats Buds you can buy right now. By Wired on February 11, 2025 80 The Powerbeats Pro 2 make a strong case against yearly upgrades. Im not saying Beats should wait another six years before another refresh, but thanks to that wait, theres a clear difference from the original Powerbeats. The addition of ANC is a good enough reason to cop a pair. By The Verge on February 11, 2025 80 The Powerbeats Pro 2 are comfortable, secure, and full of features that make them perfect for working out, or even everyday use. By DigitalTrends on February 11, 2025 80 The Powerbeats Pro 2 put fitness first, with a secure, comfortable fit and the addition of a heart rate monitor. There are some small hiccups in the sound department, but very solid battery life and a unique look and style bring them firmly back on track to make some compelling fitness buds that can do almost everything. By Tom's Guide on February 11, 2025 79 Apples first earbuds with heart-rate tracking arent AirPods, but they offer a lot of the same smarts via a major design overhaul from Beats. By Engadget on February 11, 2025 88 While I personally had some issues with the included ear tips, I do think the Powerbeats Pro 2 are improved in every way from their predecessor and people who liked the originals will be impressed with this next-gen version. By cnet on February 11, 2025 90 A much-improved pair of fitness earbuds perfectly tuned for the Apple ecosystem. The addition of ANC and heart rate monitor make the Powerbeats Pro 2 the smart choice for the athletic iPhone user. By Gizmodo on February 11, 2025 80 The Powerbeats Pro 2 offers a compelling mix of fitness tracking and premium audio. They excel in comfort, design, and battery life, making them one of the best sports headphones available. However, while heart rate tracking is undoubtedly accurate, we encountered consistent pairing issues, especially on iOS. If Beats can finesse the heart rate features, the Powerbeats Pro 2 could become a top alternative to smartwatches and chest straps. In their current state, though, they're only a must-consider for those craving top audio features in a secure fit. By Wareable on February 11, 2025 90 If you're an iPhone owner and in the market for a new pair of earbuds that are focused on fitness, get these. If you already have a pair you love and were considering switching to these for the heart rate monitors, unless the apps I mentioned earlier are your go-to fitness apps, you may want to wait until there's more support for the Powerbeats Pro 2 heart rate monitoring. As it is, just one fix will open up the ecosystem: support from WatchOS. By Pocket-Lint on February 11, 2025Load More Reviews

What just happened? Nokia is set for a leadership transition and has appointed Justin Hotard as its new chief executive officer effective April 1, 2025. Hotard, who currently heads Intel's data center and artificial intelligence group, will take over from outgoing CEO Pekka Lundmark. Lundmark is set to depart the company on March 31, though he will remain an advisor to Hotard through the end of this year. The leadership transition comes as Nokia looks to double down on emerging opportunities in AI, data centers, private wireless networks, and edge computing areas where Hotard's expertise could prove invaluable."Networks are the backbone that power society and businesses, and enable generational technology shifts like the one we are currently experiencing in AI," Hotard said in a statement. "I am excited to get started and look forward to continuing Nokia's transformation journey to maximize its potential for growth and value creation."Lundmark's tenure has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. He rejoined Nokia in 2020 after previously working there from 1990-2000, returning to right the ship after the company's acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent struggled to bear fruit. However, the company's share price and revenue have stagnated in recent years.In 2023, Nokia announced major cost cuts, including plans to slash 14,000 jobs or 16% of its global workforce. Signs of a turnaround have emerged, with Q4 2024 net sales up 9% year-over-year, though full-year revenue dipped 9%.Still, Lundmark departs on an upbeat note. "I am proud of the work our brilliant team has done in re-establishing our technology leadership and competitiveness and positioning the company for growth in data centers, private wireless and industrial Edge, and defense," he said. // Related StoriesHotard brings over 25 years of relevant experience to his new role. Prior to Intel, he spent over eight years at Hewlett Packard Enterprise in senior leadership roles focused on high-performance computing, AI, and labs. He also held executive positions at NCR Corporation and Symbol Technologies.As for his Intel tenure, Hotard joined the firm early last year, which was a period marred by setbacks for the company. Though his tenure yielded a mixed scorecard, many of the initiatives both good and bad predated his arrival. On the upside, Intel successfully debuted its next-gen Xeon 6 Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest server CPUs under Hotard's watch. However, the company fell short of its sales targets for the Gaudi 3 AI processor family.Hotard's background aligns well with Nokia's increasing prioritization of AI, data centers, and edge opportunities. Just last year, the company launched an event-driven data center automation platform and struck major data center infrastructure partnerships with Microsoft Azure and Kyndryl.

WTF?! Microsoft has removed a recently introduced document called Uninstall Microsoft Edge, which, rather than explaining how to remove the company's browser, did little more than compare Edge to Chrome and highlight reasons to avoid its rival. Microsoft created the Uninstall Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 document on February 6, reports Windows Latest. It made several headlines due to the fact that it didn't actually tell people how to delete Edge. Instead, it listed six features that Microsoft believes give Edge an advantage over Chrome: Copilot, Vertical Tabs, Designer, Coupons, Read Aloud, and VPN.Courtesy of Windows LatestWhile there are plenty who will argue Edge is better than Chrome despite Google's product holding around 67% of the global browser share Microsoft's misleading behavior led to significant online backlash. It appears that the company was using search engines to identify those wanting to uninstall Edge and hoped to change their minds.It seems Redmond has now decided the negative publicity wasn't worth it. The page has been deleted, and visitors are being redirected to Microsoft's Edge portal.This is the latest tactic Microsoft has used to try to increase, or hold on to, Edge's share of the global browser market, which is currently around 5.2%, according to Statcounter. // Related StoriesIt was reported last month that searches for Chrome using Edge and via Bing (when signed out of your Microsoft account) on Windows 11 result in a "promoted by Microsoft" banner appearing at the top of the search results. The banner claimed there was "no need to download a new web browser," and hid the Chrome download links underneath, blurring out the small portion visible at the top.Microsoft previously told people that Chrome was "so 2008" and Edge was better, and placed full-size Edge ads on the Chrome website. Edge was also accused of stealing data from Chrome without users' consent in January.Microsoft boss Satya Nadella recently said that Edge has surpassed 30% market share in the US on Windows and has taken share for the last 15 consecutive quarters. However, independent analysis puts a question mark over this statement, though it's likely that he was using a different metric that inflated Edge's market share.

Facepalm: A Cybertruck owner has discovered what happens when you activate Tesla's latest Full Self-Driving system and fail to pay attention: the vehicle crashed into a pole after hitting a curb. Thankfully, the person behind the wheel was fine, and he blames himself for the incident. Jonathan Challinger, a Florida-based software developer who works for Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, posted a photo of his Cybertruck looking a lot worse than the pole it collided with.Challinger explained that he was running the latest FSD v13.2.4 software while traveling in a right lane. The Cybertruck failed to merge out of the lane, which was coming to an end, even though there was no one on the left. The vehicle made no attempt to slow down or turn until it had already hit the curb, sending it into a pole.Despite narrowly avoiding what could have been serious injuries, Challinger remains a committed Tesla fan he even thanked the company for having "the best passive safety in the world" that enabled him to walk away without a scratch."I don't expect it to be infallible but I definitely didn't have utility pole in my face while driving slowly on an empty road on my bingo card," Challinger said in another post. // Related StoriesThe owner is also taking full responsibility, calling it a big fail on his part for failing to pay attention. Challinger noted that he hasn't heard of any accidents on FSD V13.Challinger also tagged the @Tesla_AI account asking how he could ensure the company received the data from the incident, noting that the service center and others had been less than responsive. He added that he has the dashcam footage and wants to get it out there as a PSA, "but I'm hesitant because I don't want the attention and I don't want to give the bears/haters any material."Tesla enthusiast Troy Teslike notes that although the pole is in an unusual position, he believes that the incident shows three issues with FSD: its difficulty seeing road markings at night, its failure to save some road markings in digital maps, and its unreliable detection of certain solid objects due to the use of vision-only FSD.Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that there would be unsupervised FSD in Texas and California this year. This crash suggests otherwise.Tesla's owner's manual states that a vehicle's cabin camera monitors continued driver attentiveness when Full Self-Driving is engaged. FSD displays a series of escalating warnings if the driver repeatedly ignores prompts to apply slight force to the steering wheel or to pay attention. If these are also ignored, FSD is disabled for the rest of the drive.If the driver still does not resume manual steering, FSD sounds a continuous chime, turns on the warning flashers, and slows the vehicle to a complete stop.

What just happened? Google Maps has officially changed the name of Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for users in the United States. The move follows President Donald Trump's proclamation on Sunday that decreed the renaming and the subsequent name change by the federal Board on Geographic Names. Trump's proclamation was signed aboard Air Force One as he traveled from Palm Beach to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. Executive Order 14172, which officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, was signed on January 20, 2025. Titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," the order instructed the Secretary of the Interior to formalize the name change within 30 days.Trump also declared February 9 "Gulf of America Day" and urged Americans to commemorate the day with ceremonies, programs, and activities celebrating the region's contribution to the American economy.According to Google, the name change on Maps is part of the company's long-standing policy of adhering to official government names for locations and other geographical features. However, to comply with different policies in various countries, Google Maps will show the former name to people in Mexico, while users in the rest of the world will be shown both names.Alongside the Gulf of Mexico, another well-known natural landmark will also see a name change following Trump's executive order. Google confirmed last month that the country's highest peak, Denali, will revert to its former name of Mount McKinley on Maps. The mountain was renamed Denali in 2015 by President Obama to honor the region's native population, which has referred to the mountain range by that name for centuries.The Denali name change faced objections from some groups, who claimed it was an attempt to rewrite history. Trump's executive order highlighted those grievances and claimed that President Obama's decision to change the name was "an affront to President McKinley's life, his achievements, and his sacrifice." // Related StoriesFollowing the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, several federal agencies have started incorporating the new name. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Coast Guard are two such agencies that have already issued notices to notify their employees and partners about the change. The former is in the process of "updating our data and charts to show a name change from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and a name change from Denali to Mount McKinley," while the latter has started using the new name in its public notices and other official communications.

In brief: James Howells, the man who has spent more than a decade trying to recover a hard drive containing more than $750 million worth of Bitcoin from a landfill, is not giving up on his quest for fortune. After a judge threw out his request to dig at the site last month, Howells is now considering buying the facility, which is due to be closed. Howells sued the city of Newport, Wales, in October 2024 for the right to search the landfill or pay him 495 million ($607 million) in compensation. He claimed in court that he has a "finely tuned plan" to recover the component, and that its position has been narrowed down to a small area.Unfortunately for the computer engineer, a High Court judge dismissed the case in January, saying there were no "reasonable grounds" for bringing the case and "no realistic prospect" of succeeding at a full trial. Howells said he wants to appeal the decision.Since then, Newport council has announced plans to close and cap the site in the 2025-26 financial year. It has secured planning permission to turn part of the land into a solar farm, which is expected to power the council's new garbage trucks.Howells said that "The council planning on closing the landfill so soon is quite a surprise, especially since it claimed at the High Court that closing the landfill to allow me to search would have a huge detrimental impact on the people of Newport, whilst at the same time they were planning to close the landfill anyway."Howells went on to say that he expected the landfill to be closed in the future as it's 80% to 90% full. He added that if Newport city council was willing, he would be interested in purchasing the land "as is." Howells added that he has discussed the option with investment partners and a potential bid is "very much on the table." // Related StoriesThe landfill holds more than 1.4 million tons of waste. Howells previously claimed to have narrowed the drive's location down to a section containing 100,000 tons. He believes the Bitcoin on the drive will be worth 1 billion ($1.2 billion) next year.In 2013, Howells had two 2.5-inch hard drives stored in a drawer, one of which he intended to get rid of and another that had a digital wallet with 7,500 8,000 Bitcoin on it. He put the drive containing the Bitcoin in a black trash bag during an office sort-out and left it in the hall of his house. His partner assumed it was there to be thrown away, so she took the bag to the local landfill, where it's been ever since.When asked why he doesn't just give up on his quest, especially as the data on the drive could be inaccessible after more than a decade of sitting under a pile of rotting garbage, Howells said he could "spend the rest of my life working nine to five and thinking about [the fortune] every day," so he might as well keep trying to recover it.

WTF?! Modders have used various means to take PC cooling to new lows. Liquid nitrogen is popular for overclocking benchmarks, but other notable tools include large amounts of copper, dozens of feet of water block tubing, and a blizzard. One tinkerer has decided that the next step is to use an air conditioner designed to cool an entire home. A recent Bilibili video from modder "Electrolytic Sodium Carbonate" (ESC) demonstrates how an air conditioner can interface directly with a PC tower. Although the method is likely wildly inefficient, it keeps every component extremely cool.Our review of the GeForce RTX 5090 shows it reaches noticeably higher temperatures than its predecessor despite the innovative cooling system Nvidia used for the new flagship's founders edition reference model. According to machine translation from Tom's Hardware, ESC wanted to prepare for the new GPU king with a new over-the-top cooling system, testing it on a 4090.The modder has multiple ridiculous cooling apparatuses connected to PCs throughout her home, including a thick water block with several tubes. However, ESC purchased and modified a new Xiaomi KFR-35GW air conditioner, linking it to her test system with a liquid cooling reservoir. The 12,000 BTU AC unit draws over 1,000 watts and measures 765 x 268 x 550mm, towering over the rig it's connected to.Although the custom setup goes beyond overkill, the results are impressive. Every test system component, including the RTX 4090 and Intel Core i9-13900K, stayed under 30 degrees Celsius during a 40-minute battery of benchmarks that included FurMark and AIDA System. The CPU core temperatures only rose by a couple of degrees. Later, outdoor testing saw the GPU rise to just 36C.Image credit: Bilibili via Tom's HardwareBenchmarks with the i9-14900K and RTX 5090 are forthcoming, but these early results outperform earlier unusual cooling solutions. For instance, installing generous amounts of copper, whether in bars or a giant block, only keeps CPU temperatures roughly within the 70s and 80s Celsius, but this method ensures total silence. Running 100 feet of tubing and a gallon of coolant can keep a GPU under 30C and a CPU around 40C under load. // Related StoriesOne of the only things that might beat a kilowatt air conditioner is a historic blizzard, which another Bilibili modder, Baka, demonstrated in 2023. With passive cooling, an RTX 4090 exposed to a -63 Fahrenheit (-52C) winter storm ran at -40C while the accompanying i9-13900K maintained 15C at 6.18GHz.

What just happened? Elon Musk has led a team of investors in making an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid to acquire OpenAI. The move is the latest escalation of Musk's war with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, whose company is fighting a legal battle against the world's richest man over its transition from non-profit status. Altman responded to the bid on X by declining and jokingly offering to "buy twitter for $9.74 billion." Musk responded with "Swindler." Musk and the consortium made the $97.4 billion offer to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, writes the Wall Street Journal. The group wants all of OpenAI's assets, which would include ChatGPT, and is "prepared to consider matching or exceeding higher bids," it said.The group claims a takeover will put OpenAI's focus back on open-source AI designed to help the world, which was the company's original goal."It's time for OpenAI to return to the open source, safety-focused force for good it once was," Musk told The Journal via his lawyer, Marc Toberoff. "We will make sure that happens."Musk said that X's Grok AI model was an example of what OpenAI should be doing. "At x.AI, we live by the values I was promised OpenAI would follow," the billionaire claimed. "We've made Grok open source, and we respect the rights of content creators." // Related StoriesThe consortium that made the bid includes Baron Capital Group Inc., Valor Management LLC, Atreides Management, LP, Vy Fund III L.P., Emmanuel Capital Management LLC, and Eight Partners VC LLC. Musk's own x.AI artificial intelligence company also backed the bid and could end up merging with OpenAI if an offer is accepted.It's noted that Musk's efforts to purchase OpenAI could cause problems for Altman's efforts to take the company private. The for-profit branch of the firm must purchase the assets of its controlling nonprofit at a fair price. The bid raises the value of those assets, meaning the for-profit business would have to spend more.Toberoff sent a letter to California's attorneys general last month asking that they open up bidding for OpenAI to determine the value of its charitable assets. Musk and others believe OpenAI could undervalue the nonprofit once it is spun out.Musk was quick to criticize Donald Trump's Stargate project last month. The initiative will see several tech giants, including OpenAI, Oracle, MGX, and SoftBank, invest about $500 billion in building data centers in the US over four years. When OpenAI announced an initial investment of $100 billion, he said "They don't have the money."Musk was one of OpenAI's original co-founders alongside Altman back in 2015. He departed the company three years later over what he said was a conflict of interest with Tesla.Musk sued OpenAI and Altman in 2024 over claims that the pair breached their original contractual agreements by putting profit ahead of developing AI that benefits humanity. He ended the legal challenge a few months later without saying why.Musk launched another legal battle against OpenAI in November when he filed an injunction against the firm, several of its co-founders, and main investor Microsoft to prevent its transition to a for-profit entity.It was reported yesterday that Musk was not interested in buying TikTok's US assets, denying earlier reports.

Bottom line: Samsung Electronics unveiled several new display technologies at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025, where the tech giant introduced a range of products designed to meet the growing demand for energy efficiency, intelligent management, and immersive experiences in the commercial display market. At the forefront of Samsung's new offerings is the world's largest color e-paper display, which measures 75 inches. This technology, part of the EMDX model line, operates at a 0.00W power consumption when displaying static images, consuming energy only during image transitions. The display boasts a 16:9 aspect ratio and supports a 5K resolution, making it ideal for outdoor advertising and public information boards.The Color E-Paper display is available in various sizes, including 13-inch, 25-inch, and 32-inch models. It features a rechargeable 5,000mAh battery, two USB-C ports for charging and data transfer, 8GB of internal storage, and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Additionally, it is constructed using over 50 percent recycled plastics, with packaging made entirely from paper.As part of the offering, Samsung has developed a dedicated mobile app that allows remote control of the display, content scheduling, and sleep/wake cycle management.Samsung also unveiled enhancements to its SmartThings Pro platform, a B2B management system that now incorporates advanced AI and automation capabilities to improve operational efficiency. One of its standout features is the Interactive View, which uses AI to transform 2D floor plans into 3D visualizations.The platform also offers advanced automation controls, allowing businesses to adjust device settings based on pre-set conditions such as ambient lighting, room occupancy, and operating hours.The 2025 Interactive Display (WAFX-P model) showcases Samsung's integration of AI into educational and collaborative tools. Powered by Android OS 15, this display features functions such as Circle to Search, which enables on-screen image searches and text translation, and AI Summary, which generates recaps of lectures or meetings.Samsung's new 115-inch 4K Smart Signage (QHFX model) is a supersized display that builds upon the success of last year's 105-inch model, offering a more versatile 16:9 aspect ratio and a multi-view feature that allows up to four split windows. It offers QLED 4K resolution, 700 nits of maximum brightness, and Tizen OS 8.0.Samsung has incorporated CryptoCore into its Smart Signage products. It is an FIPS 140-3-certified encryption module that safeguards sensitive authentication data for IoT connections. // Related Stories

Why it matters: Captcha tests that require users to duplicate distorted text, solve puzzles, or click on grids of images to prove they aren't malicious bots have drawn scorn for years. Studies have long since shown that bots easily overcome them. Even the simple checkbox tests aren't much better. Recent investigations suggest that Google and other companies use them to track and collect user data. YouTuber "Chuppl" reports that Google's reCAPTCHA v2 and v3 challenges don't deter bots and do little more than demand users' internet data in exchange for access to the internet. They track browser history, cookies, and more, selling them to advertisers or any other company willing to pay.Users generally accept that Captcha tests keep armies of bots from flooding websites to deny service or facilitate fraud. However, multiple studies show that bots outperform humans in virtually every variety. Tests have shown that AI-based programs can solve the infamous traffic-light grid test with 100 percent accuracy.Google's reCAPTCHA v3, which only requires users to click on a checkbox next to the words "I am not a robot," is much less annoying and more common nowadays. However, a 2023 study from the University of California in Irvine found that bots also pass it with flying colors.The test likely draws curiosity from users due to its notable simplicity. Older Captchas present tasks that should be easy for humans but impossible for bots, but clicking a checkbox is trivial for both.Most users who investigate reCAPTCHA v3 likely learn that it watches for human-like mouse movements as users navigate toward the checkbox. However, CHUPPL quickly torpedoed that assumption by building a bot that passed the test in one attempt.Researchers told Chuppl that the so-called security challenge records not just mouse movements but also user agent data and other identifying information. Furthermore, Chuppl's investigation suggested that Captchas block humans who anonymize their browser data better than it does bots. The assertion makes sense for anyone who has tried to browse the web with a VPN.Tracking data Google collects from Captchas carries an estimated value of nearly $898 billion. Furthermore, when a lawsuit against the search giant for using reCAPTCHA v2 inputs to train AI revealed that the 819 million hours users spent clicking on the tests worked out to about $6.1 billion in unpaid wages. // Related StoriesThe UC Irvine study concluded that Google should retire reCAPTCHA v2 and similar tools. An Austrian federal court has already banned the technology, finding that it violates users' privacy rights under the GDPR.While the research appears pretty conclusive for Google's bot mitigation methods, the security and privacy implications of Guillermo Rauch's Doom Captcha remain unclear.

Last week, researchers at Oxford University published a paper in Nature describing how they used quantum teleportation to transfer data between two quantum computers placed about two meters apart. They claim the distance is irrelevant as the experiment should have worked regardless of each computer's location. The breakthrough is remarkable as it partially solves a stumbling block in quantum computing.Instead of transistors, like traditional computers, quantum computers use qubits. Qubits potentially allow for more options than the on/off of transistors, facilitating far more complex calculations. However, engineers have yet to figure out how to miniaturize the hardware, and it takes tens of thousands of qubits to perform complex calculations.In the meantime, researchers are trying to find ways to link multiple quantum computers to act as one unit. The idea is not dissimilar to distributed computing with traditional computers connecting many computers on a network to work on one problem. Protein folding is an example. In fact, the research paper is titled "Distributed quantum computing across an optical network link."However, quantum computers cannot communicate the same way PCs do. To network two (or more, theoretically) quantum computers, quantum objects must be positioned at the sending and receiving ends. Those objects must then become entangled. Entanglement sets both qubits to an unknown but connected state think Schrdinger's Cat. Once the qubit's state is measured on the sending end, the entangled receiving qubit takes on the same state instantly.Without getting deep into the complex operations of quantum computing, the act of entangling qubits on two or more machines in different locations indicates that it is possible to build a quantum network. Such interconnections can provide the necessary extra qubits to execute more complex programs and operations.a,b, (1) CZ decompositions of the distributed iSWAP (a) and SWAP (b) circuits, comprising two and three instances of QGT, respectively. (2) The reconstructed process matrices for the iSWAP (a) and SWAP (b) gates indicate average gate fidelities of 70(2)% and 64(2)%, respectively. c, Grover's algorithm. (1) Circuit comprising two instances of QGT: the first implements the Grover oracle call, which marks a particular state, a, and the second implements the diffusion circuit. (2) Measurement outcomes from 500 repetitions of Grover's algorithm per marked state; the average success probability is 71(1)%. All error bars indicate one standard deviation.Furthermore, entangled data provides more accurate calculations. Transferring information from a quantum computer to a traditional machine that we can read and interpret presents a higher error rate another hurdle scientists have struggled to mitigate. Transferring qubit states from one quantum computer to another is lossless, meaning researchers do not have to worry about errors until the linked computers return a result.To achieve this breakthrough, the scientists created two ion traps (masthead) connected via a two-meter optical cable. Each trap held one strontium and one calcium ion. The calcium ion acted as a local memory unit, while the strontium acted as the interface of the quantum network. The optical cable allowed lasers to fire photons to kickstart entanglement. // Related StoriesAlthough entanglement was not 100 percent successful with every photon fired, a failure did not disrupt the states of the ions, so the researchers could keep trying without having to reset the entire experiment. Furthermore, entanglement produced a measurable photon, which signaled to the team that it achieved entanglement, a fortunate and significant byproduct.Once entangled, the scientist could "teleport" specific gate operations to the receiving ions. After many rounds of testing Grover's algorithm, the team found the simple network returned accurate calculations about 70 percent of the time. However, they noted that the errors were unrelated to the teleportation process. As expected, local operations at either end of the hardware produced the mistakes. The team believes that using commercial quantum hardware will yeild more accurate results.It is a groundbreaking development in quantum computing but is still in the early stages. While the teleportation is not limited by distance, it is limited to the length of optical cable available. It's unclear if it could use existing optical infrastructure, but it's doubtful, considering network noise could present an issue. Nevertheless, the fact that we have developed a way for quantum computers to exchange data instantly is astounding.Image credit: D. Slichter, D. Main

TL;DR: The Grand Theft Auto series has historically been a money-printing machine on consoles and PCs. Publisher Take-Two Interactive wants all the money it can grab, so it is committed to launching GTA 6 on all platforms. However, it is targeting a non-simultaneous release of GTA 6 on platforms and still hasn't hinted at a date. Take-Two and Rockstar are working hard to bring GTA 6 to consoles by this fall, but neither company has said anything about a PC release. The eagerly awaited new chapter in the GTA saga will eventually come to computers. Take-Two chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick almost teased as much in a recent interview.However, in a recent interview, Zelnick said that executing a simultaneous release on all platforms is challenging. The Take-Two boss referred to the recently launched Civilization 7, which is already available on all gaming systems, including PC and consoles. However, Rockstar is known for starting with a specific platform and releasing its games on other systems later.Grand Theft Auto 5 launched on consoles in September 2013. It wasn't until two years later that the PC version arrived, despite being initially scheduled for a simultaneous release. Zelnick highlighted the importance of the PC market for Take-Two, which now generates over 40 percent of the overall sales for multiplatform games."We have seen PC become a much more important part of what used to be a console business, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that trend continue," the exec said.This observation is reflected in Sony's recent branch into releasing PlayStation exclusives on PC. // Related StoriesZelnick expects console sales to do well and keep bringing new generations of gamers into the market despite the threat of US tariffs potentially bringing the entire technology business to a screeching halt.Grand Theft Auto games are sure-fire system sellers. Fans gamers will readily fork over big money for the newest hardware to play the over-the-top crime fantasy title with next-gen graphics. Zelnick doesn't think tariffs will significantly impact console sales because many other developers have exciting titles competing with GTA 6 in 2025.Take-Two is not concerned with console sales falling over a cliff, and the conditions for PC sales are about the same. Many gamers are planning to upgrade to the newest powerful GPUs to roam GTA 6's fictional Florida, "Leonida," even though next-gen GPUs are tough to purchase thanks to scalpers and Nvidia's paper launch tactics.

Forward-looking: Nvidia has been working on a new method to compress textures and save GPU memory for a few years now. Although the technology remains in beta, a newly released demo showcases how AI-based solutions could help address the increasingly controversial VRAM limitations of modern GPUs. Nvidia's Neural Texture Compression can provide gigantic savings in the amount of VRAM required to render complex 3D graphics, even though no one is using it (yet). While still in beta, the technology was tested by YouTube channel Compusemble, which ran the official demo on a modern gaming system to provide an early benchmark of its potential impact and what developers could achieve with it in the not-so-distant future.As explained by Compusemble in the video below, RTX Neural Texture Compression uses a specialized neural network to compress and decompress material textures dynamically. Nvidia's demo includes three rendering modes: Reference Material, NTC Transcoded to BCn, and Inference on Sample.Reference Material: This mode does not use NTC, meaning textures remain in their original state, leading to high disk and VRAM usage.NTC Transcoded to BCn (block-compressed formats): Here, textures are transcoded upon loading, significantly reducing disk footprint but offering only moderate VRAM savings.Inference on Sample: This approach decompresses texture elements only when needed during rendering, achieving the greatest savings in both disk space and VRAM.Compusemble tested the demo at 1440p and 4K resolutions, alternating between DLSS and TAA. The results suggest that while NTC can dramatically reduce VRAM and disk space usage, it may also impact frame rates. At 1440p with DLSS, Nvidia's NTC transcoded to BCn mode reduced texture memory usage by 64% (from 272MB to 98MB), while NTC inference on sample drastically cut it to 11.37MB, a 95.8% reduction compared to non-neural compression.Also read: Why Are Modern PC Games Using So Much VRAM?The demo ran on a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, where DLSS and higher resolutions placed additional load on the Tensor Cores, affecting performance to some extent depending on the setting and resolution. However, newer GPUs may deliver higher frame rates and make the difference negligible when properly optimized. After all, Nvidia is heavily invested in AI-powered rendering techniques like NTC and other RTX applications.The demo also shows the importance of cooperative vectors in modern rendering pipelines. As Microsoft recently explained, cooperative vectors accelerate AI workloads for real-time rendering by optimizing vector operations. These computations play a crucial role in AI model training and fine-tuning and can also be leveraged to enhance game rendering efficiency. // Related Stories

For a limited time, you can get a Windows 11 Pro license for just $18 an unbeatable price for a full, genuine retail license (from a trusted source, of course). With Windows 10 officially reaching end-of-life (EOL) in October 2025, this is the perfect opportunity to upgrade to Microsoft's latest OS at a steep discount.Windows 11 Pro continues to deliver top-tier security, with built-in hardware protections, passwordless sign-in via Windows Hello, and AI-enhanced phishing defense. Its chip-to-cloud security model ensures a safer computing experience, making it an excellent choice for both personal and business use.The modernized interface of Windows 11 is as sleek as ever, featuring a centered taskbar, a redesigned Start menu, and refined UI elements across the system. Widgets have been improved, providing quick access to weather, calendar, news, and essential apps.Windows 11 also includes Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant that seamlessly integrates across the OS to enhance productivity. The Microsoft Store has been further refined for a faster, smoother app discovery and installation experience.For gamers, Windows 11 Pro is fully optimized and receives the most recent DirectX updates, drivers and game patches. Auto HDR and other gaming-focused improvements make it the best Windows version yet for gaming. While Microsoft still offers free upgrades to eligible Windows 10 users, this $18 deal is ideal for anyone building a new PC or needing a full, clean installation license.At this price, Windows 11 Pro is an absolute steal. Whether you're upgrading an old system or setting up a new one, now is the best time to grab your license while this offer lasts.StackSocial is a trusted partner of TechSpot, managing the TechSpot Store reliably for over a decade. If you already have a TechSpot Store account, the same credentials will work in the StackSocial store. Prices are subject to change.Here's a summary of our current Microsoft software deals:Microsoft Office 2019 Pro available for $35Microsoft Office 2021 Pro available for $59Windows 11 Pro available for $18Microsoft Visual Studio Professional for $27Microsoft Project 2021 for Windows for $20Microsoft Visio 2021 for Windows for $20