Corsair MP700 Pro SE 4TB SSD Review - As Fast as They Come

Corsair MP700 Pro SE 4TB SSD Review - As Fast as They Come

With its 14,000+ MB/s capable MP700 Pro SE, Corsair's E26-powered PCIe Gen5 SSD lineup has reached its final form, ready to turbocharge your digital life.

Is this the next Apple CEO when Tim Cook finally steps aside?

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 9, 2024 12:15 PM CDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook has been Apple CEO since 2011 when then-CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs stood aside as a result of the ill health that would ultimately kill him. Since then Apple has seen unprecedented success including huge iPhone sales, the entry into new markets like the Apple Watch and now Apple Vision Pro, and more. But it's a fact that Tim Cook won't be able to stick around forever and Apple is likely already starting to look at who could be a likely replacement. According to one report, there's one man in particular that seems most likely to take over.

Is this the next Apple CEO when Tim Cook finally steps aside?

Writing for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman suggests that while any imminent change could see the arrival of Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams in the top job, Apple is making plans beyond then - and it doesn't expect that Cook is going away any time soon.

Gurman says that Apple does have Jeff Williams in line should Cook step aside sooner rather than later, citing people familiar with Apple's inner workings. However, Williams is 61 this year which means that he isn't all that much younger than Cook who turns 64 later in 2024. That means that Williams is unlikely to be a long-term replacement for Cook, which means that Apple will have plans for a more permanent solution.

Continue reading: Is this the next Apple CEO when Tim Cook finally steps aside? (full post)

Peter Jackson returns to middle-earth in new Lord of the Rings movie 'The Hunt for Gollum'

Jak Connor | TV, Movies & Home Theatre | May 9, 2024 10:12 AM CDT

Warner Bros. has announced when it will be releasing the first of the "multiple Lord of the Rings movies" called Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Peter Jackson returns to middle-earth in new Lord of the Rings movie 'The Hunt for Gollum'

It was last year when Warner Bros. Discovery announced it was making "multiple Lord of the Rings movies" and since then it has been radio silence - until now. During Warner Bros. latest earnings call it was details were revealed about the first of the multiple movies, such as it will be made with New Line Cinema, the production company behind Peter Jackson's original Lord of the Trilogy, and when it will be hitting theaters.

According to Variety, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be released sometime in 2026 and will be directed by Andy Serkis, who will also reprise his role as the character Gollum, the tragic Hobbit-like creature whose fate gets tied to the One Ring in J.R.R. Tolkien's novels and Peter Jackson's movies. Additionally, Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the movie and are going to be "involved every step of the way," said Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

Continue reading: Peter Jackson returns to middle-earth in new Lord of the Rings movie 'The Hunt for Gollum' (full post)

How to Stay Safe from Cybercrime While Traveling Abroad

Kosta Andreadis | Hacking, Security & Privacy | May 9, 2024 6:27 AM CDT

Traveling to a new country for work, leisure, or vacation can be as exciting as it can be daunting. You want to make the most of your time abroad, so everything from flights to accommodation to sites to see and food and beverages to consume happens online. However, at any point, do you stop and take a moment to consider cyberattacks and cybersecurity when traveling or planning a trip?

How to Stay Safe from Cybercrime While Traveling Abroad

The answer should be yes because cybercrime is as much of a threat as physical crime, especially when going on holiday or traveling to a new country.

According to ExpressVPN, a recent survey showed that 7% of travelers experienced some form of hacking or fell victim to a digital scam while traveling. This figure wasn't far off the 10% that experienced physical crime in the form of hotel room theft or pickpocketing.

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Microsoft highlights importance of games like Hi-Fi Rush a day after firing its developers

Jak Connor | Gaming | May 9, 2024 6:02 AM CDT

The head of Xbox Game Studios has shared internal remarks that highlight Microsoft's goal to obtain more smaller games that give Xbox "prestige and awards".

Microsoft highlights importance of games like Hi-Fi Rush a day after firing its developers

It was only a few days ago that Xbox Game Studios announced it was letting go four development studios under its Bethesda brand. The move to close the development studio was done under Xbox's goal of "reprioritization of titles and resources," according to an internal email sent to studios by Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios. Now, The Verge has reported Booty told listeners in a call, "We need smaller games that give us prestige and awards".

The publication writes that some listeners in the call were surprised by the remarks as one of the developer studios closed by Microsoft was Tango Gameworks, the creators of the critically acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush. The title by Tango is a rhythm action game that features music by The Black Keys and Nine Inch Nails, while having an art style that was reminiscent of old PS2 games.

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Nintendo Switch 2 specifications may have leaked revealing 3x upgrade

Jak Connor | Gaming | May 9, 2024 4:03 AM CDT

Only days after Nintendo officially announced when it was going to unveil the successor to the Nintendo Switch, we may have another leak about what the next-generation console has under the hood.

Nintendo Switch 2 specifications may have leaked revealing 3x upgrade

According to recently leaked shipments and customs data between NVIDIA and Nintendo, the successor to the Nintendo Switch, presumably called the Nintendo Switch 2, will feature 12GB of RAM, which is three times more than the 4GB of RAM in the standard Switch. WCCF reports, Famiboards tracked a website that publicly logged shipment data that they linked to NVIDIA and the Nintendo Switch 2.

The report also states that Famiboards has been tracking the data for weeks and was able to identify 12GB of RAM within the Nintendo Switch 2, which will arrive in two 6GB of 7500 MT/s LPDDR5 modules. Additionally, the next-generation console purportedly will have 256GB of Universal Flash Storage (UFS 3.1). It should be noted that none of the above information is verified and that all Nintendo has officially said about a next-generation console is that it will be unveiled in fiscal year 2024.

Continue reading: Nintendo Switch 2 specifications may have leaked revealing 3x upgrade (full post)

Microsoft gifts first-of-its-kind AI model to US intelligence agencies

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | May 9, 2024 3:32 AM CDT

A new report from Bloomberg reveals Microsoft has created a new generative AI model that is designed specifically for US intelligence agencies.

Microsoft gifts first-of-its-kind AI model to US intelligence agencies

The report states the main difference between this new AI model and others that power popular AI tools, such as ChatGPT, is that it's completely divorced from the internet, making it the first of its kind. Known AI models such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Microsoft's Copilot rely on cloud services to process prompts, train data, and reach conclusions. However, the AI model now handed over to US intelligence agencies doesn't require any cloud services, meaning it is completely devoid of any internet access and, therefore, secure.

Why do US intelligence agencies want an advanced AI model? According to the report, due to the security of the AI model, top-secret information can now be inputted and analyzed, which will help intelligence agencies understand and filter through large swaths of classified information.

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Microsoft set to build $3.3 billion cloud campus to fuel AI growth

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | May 9, 2024 3:01 AM CDT

Microsoft has snapped up the same location Foxconn acquired to build an LCD panel manufacturing plant, but instead of panels, Microsoft will be constructing a data center.

Microsoft set to build $3.3 billion cloud campus to fuel AI growth

After years of delays Foxconn failed to materialize the LCD manufacturing project at Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, and over the years Microsoft has snapped up more and more of the land that was originally set aside for Foxconn's project, eventually resulting in the Taiwanese company pulling out and Microsoft scooping up the rest of the site.

Microsoft's proposal for a data center features infrastructure and community improvements to the local area, with promises that it will up-skill 100,000 residents across the state to be component at generative AI technologies such as Microsoft Copilot, train and certify 3,000 local AI software developers, and 1,000 cloud datacenter technicians. Moreover, Microsoft President Brad Smith, backed the push for AI as it has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing plants, assist workers and create more jobs.

Continue reading: Microsoft set to build $3.3 billion cloud campus to fuel AI growth (full post)

Helldivers 2 asks community to vote on new DLC release post-PSN crisis

Jak Connor | Gaming | May 9, 2024 2:31 AM CDT

The Helldivers 2 fiasco has simmered down since Sony Interactive Entertainment announced it wasn't going to go ahead with the PSN account linking with Steam.

Helldivers 2 asks community to vote on new DLC release post-PSN crisis

For those that don't know, Helldivers 2 had a turbulent weekend after Sony Interactive Entertainment announced it was going to force new and current PC players to link their Steam account to a PSN account.

At first it was simply an annoying thing PC gamers complained about, but it quickly turned into hundreds of thousands of players review bombing the game when they realized some regions where Helldivers 2 was being sold didn't have access to the PSN network, meaning players in those areas would lose access to the game they paid for after the change went through.

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Minisforum S100 is a compact Mini PC powered by USB or Ethernet cable

Kosta Andreadis | Computer Systems | May 9, 2024 1:56 AM CDT

The new Minisforum S100 is a pocket-sized mini PC (that looks like a portable tape recorder from the 1990s) powered by Intel's N100 Alder Lake-N processor. This 6W quad-core chip lacks capabilities like HyperThreading.

Minisforum S100 is a compact Mini PC powered by USB or Ethernet cable

However, 6W for a CPU is not a lot of power at all, and with a boost clock speed of 3.4 GHz, 8GB of LPDDR5-4800 memory, and 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage (with read and write speeds of up to 850 MB/s and 260 MB/s, respectively), it's low enough that the Minisforum S100 doesn't need to be connected to a wall socket to fire up.

How does the Minisforum S100 draw power? You have two options: use the USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port (an adapter is included) or the 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port that supports powered Ethernet. The latter solution means the Minisforum S100 can get power and data from a single cable. In addition, the Minisforum S100 comes equipped with Windows 11 and can output up to 4K.

Continue reading: Minisforum S100 is a compact Mini PC powered by USB or Ethernet cable (full post)

Nintendo is officially cutting ties with Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter

Jak Connor | Gaming | May 9, 2024 1:31 AM CDT

Nintendo has taken to its website to announce its cutting ties with X, the social media platform formerly named Twitter.

Nintendo is officially cutting ties with Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter

Nintendo's announcement found on its website states as of June 10, players will no longer be able to post screens or videos directly from their Nintendo Switch's Album to X. Additionally, they send friend requests to social media users via the Friend Suggestions feature will be removed. Nintendo notes that posting screenshots and videos to Facebook "will continue to be available," but it will remain a service that "may also be discontinued at a later date."

Nintendo goes on to target three games specifically; Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 3, and Splatoon 2. The company explains the ability to post Smash Ultimate screenshots from the Album in the Nintendo Switch Home Menu to Smash World, within the Nintendo Switch Online smart device app, will also become unavailable. As for Splatoon 3, posting to X via mailboxes in Splatsville, Inkopolis Plaza, or Inkolpolis Square will be removed, along with posting to Facebook. The same change applies to Splatoon 2's mailboxes.

Continue reading: Nintendo is officially cutting ties with Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter (full post)