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NASA, in partnership with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), revealed the first look at an X-ray cosmos.

The two space agencies partnered to create the XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) observatory, which is designed to measure the hottest parts of the cosmos. Scientific operations for the mission began last year, and now the results have been published on NASA's website, revealing one of the targets for the mission was a star, or more accurately, a supernova remnant called N132D.

This astronomical object is located 160,000 light years away from Earth within the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy of our own Milky Way. Using XRISM instruments, researchers studied N132D and found that the once-star exhausted all its fuel around 3,000 years ago, which resulted in a supernova explosion that can still be seen today (above image).

TeamGroup is bringing its latest SSD to CES 2024, the T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD, which uses InnoGrit's new 12nm, multi-core, IG5666 controller, delivering high-performance and improved efficiency. The 2,400 MT/s NAND flash with DRAM and SLC caching can hit read speeds up to 14,000 MB/s.

Yeah, that's impressive stuff, and per our earlier report on the new Rocket 5 Gen 5 SSD developed in collaboration with Phison, CES 2024 is shaping up to be a show where we'll see several companies push client SSD speeds to new heights.

With the energy-efficient InnoGrit IG5666 controller being something we haven't seen before, some details will be confirmed in the coming days at CES 2024. The T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD looks to be sporting a graphene heat spreader in the imagery provided, though this isn't mentioned in the press release.

CES 2024 has seemingly already started, with many companies announcing what they will be officially showcasing at the highly anticipated tech event.

ASRock has joined the likes of Samsung, LG, and many other companies in teasing what they will be unveiling at the show, with the Taiwanese manufacturer announcing today it will be showcasing new gaming monitors that can reach up to 520Hz. The two new gaming monitors are ultra-fast LCD displays, with one reaching a refresh rate of 520Hz and the other hitting 400Hz. Notably, the 400Hz variant supports a 1440p resolution, while the 520Hz variant is 1080p.

Both monitors are being released under ASRock's Phantom Gaming brand, and both are 27-inches. Officially called the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG27QFW2A (1440p @ 400Hz IPS) and the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG27FFX2A (1080p @ 520Hz). Unfortunately, ASRock didn't reveal any further details on each of the monitors and has since removed its press release, according to VideoCardz.

Retro cool, the AYANEO FLIP KB and FLIP DS are powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U APU (up to 28W) and a 'brand-new flagship processor' that we assume will be announced at CES 2024. AYANEO's latest high-end Windows gaming handheld might be its most stylish, with one version with a full keyboard and one with a second display - like the iconic Nintendo DS.

Although the keyboard is small on the AYANEO FLIP KB, the key spacing is nice, and there's even a fingertip mouse. Throw in RGB backlighting, and it's a portable PC with game controller buttons, hall sensing sticks, triggers, and a d-pad.

The main display for the AYANEO FLIP KB and FLIP DS sounds impressive: 7-inch Full HD with a 120 Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB coverage, and a 400-nit overall peak brightness. It's AYANEO's first gaming handheld to feature a 120 Hz IPS display. The AYANEO FLIP DS includes an additional 3.5-inch touch display - detected by Windows as a second display.

3M has announced it will be unveiling the world's first self-charging communications headset at CES 2024, ushering in new technology that eliminates the need for single-use batteries.

The company has issued a press release that reveals what 3M claims as the "world's first self-charging protective communications headset," which uses solar cell technology to convert indoor and outdoor light into a continuous charge. This patented solar cell technology is called Powerfoyle and was birthed out of 3M's partnership with Exeger, a Swedish company specializing in solar cell technology.

The upcoming communications headset is the 3M PELTOR WS ALERT XPV and will be officially showcased at CES 2024. Along with its light-harvesting capabilities, the new communications headset comes with Bluetooth, a noise-canceling microphone, a push-to-listen feature, the 3M Connected Equipment app for monitoring solar cell energy levels and settings adjustments, and Over-the-Air (OTA) firmware updates.

MSI's new gaming handheld is called the Claw, and it will be powered by Intel's beefy Meteor Lake processors.

The PC gaming handheld market will continue to grow in 2024 with leading hardware-maker MSI throwing their hat into the ring. MSI's particular PC-handheld hybrid delivers both a primal name and savage specs.

New leaks show that the MSI Claw handheld will feature a 16-core, 22-thread Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU at 3.8GHz outfitted with an Intel Arc GPU with 8 Xe cores at 2.25GHz, complete with a whopping 32GB of RAM memory. It's likely that this is the highest-end configuration of the Claw, and that MSI could offer multiple SKUs with different price points for the device.

ASUS has officially teased its first gaming NUC, with a brief teaser posted on X, and will join existing pre-built gaming designs like the ROG C22H. Check out the ASUS ROG NUC:

The teaser video that ASUS posted makes it look like the upcoming ROG NUC machine will feature a style that looks similar to Intel's older NUC 12 Enthusiast design, which was codenamed Serpent Canyon. Intel's NUC 12 Enthusiast featured an Intel 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" mobile processor and Intel Arc A770M graphics; we should expect much more power inside of the gaming-focused ASUS ROG NUC, though.

In the tweet, ASUS teased: "gamers, get ready for a gaming revolution at #CES2024ROG! We are about to unveil the world's first ROG NUC! Embrace the ultimate freedom to conquer in style and revolutionize the way you game. Mark your calendar & join us for the event on Jan 8th!"

Sabrent has just unleashed its next-gen Rocket 5 Gen 5 SSD, which pushes up and above the 14,000MB/sec (14GB/sec) barrier for next-gen storage leadership. Check it out:

The storage company worked closely with Phison on its new Rocket 5 Gen 5 SSD, which is capable of sequential read speeds of over 14,000MB/sec and sequential write speeds of over 12,000MB/sec. This means it's the highest-performing PCIe 5.0 SSD on the market and should be the top candidate to take a Gen 5 M.2 slot inside of your PC.

Sabrent explains its new Rocket 5 Gen 5 SSD was developed in collaboration with Phison and has "exceeded" their expectations and performance limits to deliver the fastest Gen 5 SSD to the market. Sabrent shared with us a screenshot of its new Rocket 5 Gen 5 SSD running CrystalDiskMark, where you can see it boosting up to 14169MB/sec in reads, and an incredible 12756MB/sec in writes.

If you're an iPhone owner who has iOS 17.2.1 installed, you're going to have to live with it until Apple releases iOS 17.3 to the public. That's likely to happen later this month, but if you're suffering from any iOS 17.2.1-specific bugs you're just going to have to wait.

That's the news after it was confirmed that Apple is no longer signing the iOS 17.2 software which means that it is no longer possible to install it on any iPhone.

Apple released iOS 17.2.1 in December, just before Christmas, and it was a release that brought with it bug fixes rather than new software features. For that reason, it's perhaps no surprise that Apple would rather that people didn't install the older software.

Japan is the latest company to consider forcing Apple to open its iPhone to sideloading and third-party payment systems, according to a new report. Installing an app on the iPhone currently requires for it to be available via the App Store, while all payments for digital goods made via those apps must be processed via the App Store also, allowing Apple to take a 30% cut.

That could all change if Japan decides to regulate Apple in a way that the European Union has been working to, allowing people to install apps outside of the App Store for the first time. The move would also allow apps to offer payment options when selling digital goods, something that could open the door to cheaper prices depending on how the system is implemented.

Nikkei Asia reports that Japan is preparing regulations that are designed to prevent Apple from abusing its dominant position in the Japanese market. Google is also in the firing line, although it already allows apps to be downloaded outside of its Google Play Store and always has done.

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max might have only been on sale for the last few months, but the rumors are already very much flying as to what the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have to offer. We've been hearing tidbits for weeks now, and a new report adds a series of new renders to the mix as well.

The new renders, shown by MacRumors and based on a look at prototype versions of the iPhone 16 Pro, give us a new look at what the updated versions of Apple's best iPhones will look like. The renders show the two iPhones in a Natural Titanium colorway, the go-to for iPhone buyers since September, although it's possible that it will see a change in hue by the time Apple officially announces these new models.

According to previous rumors the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have slightly larger displays of 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively. Those figures are bumps over the 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches of the Pro iPhones that you can buy from any Apple Store today. It's been suggested that the size increase is to allow Apple to squeeze the 5x tetraprism lens into the iPhone 16 Pro having been unable to fit it into the iPhone 15 Pro, but time will tell on that one.

When Steve Jobs announced the iPhone 14 years ago one of the biggest things that he made a point of reminding people of was the fact that the switch to an on-screen keyboard was a game-changer. Previously, phones like the BlackBerry models offered physical QWERTY keyboards and that was seen as a real selling point over the dumb phones of the time. Apple said that software keyboards allowed more flexibility, letting the on-screen keyboard change and adapt to whatever was needed at the time. That was all very true, but there's still something about clicking away on a physical keyboard that has its merits. And now you can do that on your iPhone, too.

That's thanks to Clicks, a new typing accessory that adds a physical QWERTY keyboard to the bottom of your iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Pro Max and includes additional features Those features include keyboard shortcuts for quickly returning to the Home screen, opening Spotlight, and more. Apps that support physical keyboards will also have their own shortcuts as well, especially if they have an iPad counterpart. On top of that, the Clicks accessory is also backlit so that you will be able to easily see your keys as you type in the dark, too.

Buying a new Clicks accessory will start from $139, and the iPhone 14 Pro model is already available for February 1 delivery. Those with an iPhone 15 Pro will see their new keyboard in mid-March. while iPhone 15 Pro Max owners will have to wait until early spring, unfortunately. Two colors are offered; BumbleBee (yellow) and London Sky (gray) although we're told that more colors could well be on the way depending on feedback.

NASA is celebrating its Mars rover named Perseverance, hitting 1,000 Martian days on the Red Planet with a 360-degree look at the Jezero Crater, the location the rover has been exploring since it touched down there in 2021.

The space agency has released a 360-degree mosaic piece of the location where Perseverance is currently stationed, and the image is composed of 993 individual pictures that were all snapped with the rover's Mastcam-Z instrument. The images were captured across a span of days, beginning on November 3 and ending on November 6. For those wondering about pixels, NASA writes the image is an insane 2.38 billion pixels.

The images and video linked here were captured by Perseverance while it was parked atop "Airey Hill." The images were captured during the solar conjunction, which is a period of temporarily severed communications with NASA due to Mars moving directly behind the Sun, obscuring any instructions sent from Earth. Notably, the Jezero Crater was once home to liquid water as Perseverance has captured signs of ancient river beds that once would have slow-flowing water that carved its way through the many rocks the rover is surrounded by.

NVIDIA's RTX 5000 graphics cards are on schedule to be launched at the end of this year, according to the latest from the rumor mill.

YouTube leaker Moore's Law is Dead discussed NVIDIA's next-gen GPUs in a recent video (see above), also touching on the topic of the performance levels of these incoming boards - with a major caveat.

Regarding the release date, Moore's Law is Dead believes (add an appropriate amount of salt to all this, naturally) that Team Green is on track to have RTX 5000 GPUs out by Q4 2024 (and he seems pretty certain on that, having floated this timeframe before, too).

Microsoft just released a new preview of Windows 11 for the earliest testing channel, and acknowledged that gaming bugs affecting preview builds have recently got worse.

The bad news comes with the release of preview build 26020 for the Canary channel, with Microsoft admitting that existing issues with bugs hitting PC games have got worse.

Microsoft told us:

Sir Patrick Stewart has recently spoken out about his experience while filming his Cameo as his long-played character Professor Charles Xavier for the MCU's Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness back in 2020; he says the process was "frustrating and disappointing."

2022's Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, in hindsight, might have been a turning point for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the film did great numbers at the box office, especially when compared to more recent entries, and had plenty going for it with big-name director Sam Raimi, being the follow-up to the wildly popular Marvel series Wandavision.

Furthermore, the film was packed to the brim with big, flashy cameo appearances, yet somehow, the film still produced an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. This feeling occurred no more so than in the film's second act, where these cameos took place. Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange comes face to face with several alt-universe characters, including Stewart's Professor X, who rolls in and abruptly dies a few minutes later.

A town in New Jersey was thrown into disarray when an article began to circle about a murder on Christmas Day.

The article began to make the rounds locally through the news aggregation website NewsBreak and claimed that a murder had occurred in the Southern New Jersey town of Bridgeton on Christmas Day. Local authorities have since come out to announce the article was "entirely false" and was generated by an AI-powered tool. Bridgeton Police Department wrote in a Facebook post that nothing even similar to what the story claimed occurred on or around Christmas, even going as far to say "even in recent memory for the area".

The article has since been removed from NewsBreak, while its existence, along with its short-lived impact, has raised some questions about AI-generated content, such as outlets failing to inform viewers that the story they are reading is generated by an AI-powered tool. These outlets are simply confusing the masses within an industry that is already infamously mistrusted, per Futurism.

Gene therapy is something most people would have heard of before, but what does it actually entail? Simply put, gene therapy is an innovative approach to medicine that uses genetic material to cure diseases.

This genetic material is administered to the patient via the individual cells and, depending on the gene therapy, elicits the production of specific proteins. Diseases and medical afflictions can be cured, but the patient must stay within the therapeutic window. There are still some problems that need to be ironed out with gene therapy, such as being able to reliably stay within the therapeutic window. Too much of the protein may be toxic to the patient, and too little results in no therapeutic relief.

However, researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine penned a new study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, which claims they have been able to regulate protein production, metaphorically similar to the dimming of a light switch in a bedroom. The team modified RNA molecules that are meant to produce the therapeutic protein and inserted a "stop sign" at the beginning of the gene's life. Additionally, the researchers bound a portion of the RNA with the FDA-approved antibiotic drug tetracycline.

The recent earthquake that struck just off the coast of Japan has brought back many memories of the nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima plant following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake in 2011.

Japan's most recent earthquake occurred on New Year's Day with the 7.6 magnitude quake striking 6.2 miles on the west coast of Japan's main island, around 186 miles from Tokyo. The earthquake caused widespread damage, so far it has killed more than 80 people, and has left thousands without power. Notably, 30% of Japan's energy supply is from nuclear power, and the world's largest is the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, owned by Tokyo Electric (Tepco).

Just days after the earthquake, regulators lifted a ban on the operation of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, which is located only 74 miles from the epicenter. Additionally, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant has been offline since 2012 for safety violations. Furthermore, Tepco wants to get the plant up and running by the end of 2024, but residents and activists are strongly against the idea as they want to avoid another Fukushima event. These fears have only been exacerbated by the recent earthquake.

NASA has taken to its social channels and its mission flight log to announce that Ingenuity, which touched down with the Mars rover Perseverance in 2021, has achieved its 70th flight on the surface of the Red Planet.

Ingenuity was originally sent to Mars with Perseverance as an experiment to see if flight was possible on another planet. Ingenuity proved that it certainly was, and while it was initially designed for just five flights, the small helicopter has surpassed all expectations by NASA engineers, achieving an astonishing 70 flights and counting.

After completing its primary mission, NASA switched Ingenuity over to being a forward scout for Perseverance, which essentially entails flying Ingenuity ahead of Perseverance and capturing as much data about the terrain and upcoming environment as possible. With that data, NASA maps the safest routes for Perseverance while also identifying any upcoming locations for scientific prospects. On Flight 69, Ingenuity broke its record for most distance in a single flight, covering 2,315 feet over 135.4 seconds at a speed of 22.4 mph.