Latest News - Page 778

The Switch just entered its 7th year on the market, but Nintendo says it will continue making and releasing new games for the Switch until March 2025.

With over 1 billion games sold, 129.53 million units shipped worldwide, and $71 billion in sales, Nintendo's Switch handheld-console hybrid has gone down in Nintendo's record books. These kinds of numbers are typically unprecedented, so It's no wonder why Nintendo would want to stretch the Switch's lifecycle and maximize earnings for as long as possible.

Eventually, though, Nintendo has to move to new hardware, and we've been talking about Nintendo's next console for many years. It's believed to be a Switch successor that pushes graphical capabilities and performance to a level far beyond the current-gen Tegra X1-powered Switch family, complete with upscaled 4K resolution gaming thanks to built-in DLSS support. But the age old question remains: When will we get the rumored Switch 2? Or, more precisely, when will the Switch's lifecycle end?

AMD has unleashed its beyond ridiculous Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX series CPUs; they've been benched in Cinebench and absolutely demolished every previous score and world record for Cinebench R23.

The new AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7995WX processor features 96 cores and 192 threads of Zen 4-based processing power, boosting up to 5.1GHz on a 350W TDP. The new Dell Precision 7875 workstation features the new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7995WX processor and was benchmarked against various competing Intel Xeon CPUs.

But, at a live demonstration at AMD headquarters over the last week, an overclocking session was had using the new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7995WX processor... and boy, they've got some awesome results to share. Photos were taken by QuasarZone, but VideoCardz isn't under any NDA or embargo, so we've got some delicious scores to check out.

AMD launched its new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX series CPUs alongside their new HEDT-focused Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series CPUs yesterday, with the new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX series CPUs topping out at 96 cores and 192 threads of insane levels of PC processing power.

The new AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX series CPUs comes in 6 different SKUs available, starting out at with the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX processor with 12 cores and 24 threads at up to 5.3GHz, right up to the flagship Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7995WX processor with 96 cores and 192 threads at up to 5.1GHz.

AMD is using its newer Zen 4 architecture on both its new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX series CPUs and HEDT-focused Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series CPUs, baked on the 5nm process node at TSMC.

It looks like the new Crysis is right around the corner, with Remedy Entertainment releasing the PC system requirements for Alan Wake 2, now that it's right around the corner.

Alan Wake 2 looks to be one of -- if not the -- most demanding game on the PC this year, requiring a high-end GeForce RTX 4080 16GB graphics card for the ray tracing on high + path tracing enabled preset for Alan Wake 2 to hit 4K at 60FPS. At a bare minimum, Remedy is asking PC gamers to have 16GB of RAM and 90GB of SSD... but another minimum will not make people happy.

Remedy posted the PC system requirements to their official Twitter/X account, with every single preset -- minimum, recommended, ultra, and the low + medium + high ray tracing presets -- having some form of AI upscaling technology required to hit those performance metrics. Yeah... even the minimum setting to get 1080p 30FPS with a GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 6600 graphics card requires DLSS or FSR to be enabled.

Xbox's first-party revenues will jump quite a bit with the inclusion of Activision Blizzard King revenues, and games expert Joost van Dreunen gives an estimate on what these post-merger earnings could look like.

Xbox currently makes most of its money from third-party game sales and monetization across PC and consoles. But that percentage is expected to skew much more heavily towards first-party now that Microsoft has acquired Activision Blizzard King, and the publisher's 8x separate billion-dollar IPs, in the largest video games acquisition of all time.

This leads us to a compelling question: How much revenue will Xbox make now that it owns Activision Blizzard King and recognizes the publisher's $7-8 billion yearly revenues as its own? We've outlined some predictions based on past numbers and you can find that data here. This particular estimate is based on the entire Xbox ecosystem, though, and doesn't narrow things down to Xbox first-party revenues.

Reports indicate that Nintendo could be preparing two versions of its next-gen Switch system: One model would support GameCards, and the other would be a digital-only system. But the dual-SKU approach doesn't align with Nintendo's historical financials.

There's been lots of new Switch 2 rumors floating around, including discussions of potential DLSS-enabled performance capabilities of the next-gen Switch that enables 4K visuals to plans for a simultaneous launch of two model variants. Reports indicate that Nintendo could be readying a digital-only Switch 2 model that does not feature a cartridge slot for existing Switch GameCards, not unlike Sony's PlayStation 5 Digital Edition or Microsoft's Xbox Series S. There's just one issue with this report: Nintendo's own financials don't entirely support the hypothesis.

While PlayStation and Xbox make most of their software revenues from digital sources (the bulk of digital revenues for PlayStation and Xbox are typically from free-to-play microtransaction-driven games), Nintendo is different. While Nintendo has a commanding presence in the Big 3, with the Switch selling more units than its competitors, it doesn't exactly play by the same rules.

Elon Musk has told us that X - or the social media site formerly known as Twitter, as we prefer to call it (well, it's snappier) - will be getting two new tiers of premium subscriptions.

As per Musk's tweet, one subscription tier will be pricier, but won't have any adverts, and the other will be cheaper (than the existing $8 plan) and will sport all features, but with no reduction in ads compared to the current level. (The $8 tier will halve ad numbers).

In short, denizens of X will have three choices of how they wish to pay - if they wish to pay a subscription at all.

A new Raspberry Pi project used the compact computer board to turn a regular (dumb) washing machine into a smart model of sorts.

This was carried out by Ben (of Ben's Electrical Escapades) as detailed on YouTube (check out the video above).

With the Raspberry Pi powering the smart features, the old washer is now able to notify Ben if anyone has opened the machine after the wash has finished (to take out the load and dry it).

Diablo 4 is part of Microsoft's latest 'Free Play Days' scheme which offers Xbox gamers the chance to enjoy a small selection of games over the weekend.

You don't need a Game Pass subscription, and this offer is free to any Xbox owner, with Microsoft making Diablo 4 free from now through until October 22 (across this weekend, basically, today included).

There is a limit on how much of the action RPG you can forge through, mind, so don't go thinking you'll run a marathon session and complete it over the course of the next two days.

The TT Show is back for another big week of news and happenings in the tech, gaming, and science space with Jak and Kosta. This week on TweakTown's official podcast, the duo talks about the Activision Blizzard acquisition by Xbox finally being over. No more legal talk (for now), just fun game speculation.

From there, the discussion leads to an interesting new patent and physical design for what could be the Nintendo Switch 2. However, they're not convinced. This week, we also saw AMD's low-latency tech Anti-Lag+ go from cool new tech to a complete disaster, Netflix expanding its gaming reach, and new 14th-gen CPUs from Intel with the Intel Core i9-14900K leading the pack.

Plus, scientists discover a 'missing law of nature' that blew Jak's mind, and we finally find out what was in those asteroid samples collected by NASA. Life will always find a way - so be sure to tune in!

Apple and Amazon are working together to bring Apple Podcasts to many more countries around the world via Amazon's devices that support its virtual assistant.

The partnership between Apple and Amazon regarding Apple Podcasts being on Amazon Echo devices began in 2019, and since then, both companies have slowly been adding more and more countries to the list of countries with support for Apple's podcasting services. This integration was only made available in select countries at first, but now Apple has made Apple Podcasts available to more than 40 different regions through Echo devices.

MacRumors reported that Apple updated its support page on its website, stating that Apple Podcasts on Alexa is now available in many more countries. Notably, this integration works on Amazon Echo speakers or an Amazon Fire TV, which has Alex built-in. Users will need to request Alexa play a podcast specifically from Apple Podcasts for it to work.

OpenAI has announced it will be integrating its image-generation AI tool DALL-E 3 directly into ChatGPT, giving millions of users the ability to create any image with just a simple request.

The company announced the new integration via a press release that explains only a select group of ChatGPT users will be able to use this new feature, specifically those that have signed up for ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Enterprise, two paying subscription models. Additionally, the company explains that DALL-E 3 is powered by the company's own internal image model and that it is very responsive to complex prompts that can produce visually striking and high-detail images.

This isn't the first time a company has implemented an AI image-generator into a chatbot, as it was only a few weeks ago that Microsoft rolled out Bing Image Creator, which also happens to be powered by DALL-E 3. Both of the images you can see above and below were generated using OpenAI's DALL-E 3 tool. If you are interested in reading more about DALL-E 3 in ChatGPT, check out this link here.

A group of researchers have discovered a rare isotope that suggests that Earth's inner core may be leaking lava onto the surface.

The claims come from a newly published study in the scientific journal Nature, which details the discovery of helium-3, helium-4, and a third isotope from ancient lava flows in Baffin Island, the largest island in Canada and fifth largest in the world. The team suggests Earth's inner core is leaking after they discovered the element helium-3, an extremely rare element that is typically traced back to the beginning of the universe or the Big Bang.

Researchers believe some helium-3 is trapped within Earth's inner core during the planet's early stages of formation. It should be noted that researchers have known for quite some time that samples from Baffin Island contained helium-3, but more recent research corrected the estimation on just how much, while also further suggesting that lava flows containing this element are coming all the way from the planet's inner core.

Rumors are circulating that Apple is scheduling the release of its generative AI tools with the launch of iOS 18, slated for late 2024.

This isn't the first time we have heard news of unannounced AI framework quietly being developed over at Apple, as Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman wrote back in July that he had heard Apple is developing a custom Large Language Model (LLM) called Ajax. For those that don't know, a LLM is the underlying technology that powers AI tools such as ChatGPT. Apple's new LLM is reportedly going to be designed as a ChatGPT-rival, but built in to every iPhone.

Notably, the rumored roadmap isn't very clear for how Apple plans on rolling out AI features to users, but at the very least we can expect drastic improvements to Siri. Now, MacRumors is reporting on information from analyst Jeff Pu, who says iOS 18 could come with generative AI features, and that Apple is going to be building several hundred AI servers throughout 2023, with more expected to be constructed in 2024. Apple's new AI-powered chatbot is rumored to be called Ajax GPT.

Elon Musk has warned that the launch of the highly anticipated Cybertruck is going to put Tesla in a tight spot, but it must be done.

During Tesla's Q3 earnings call, company CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla "dug our own grave" with the release of the Cybertruck, and that it will be many months before production can be ramped up enough that Tesla is turning a profit. Musk estimated that the process of ramping up production of the electric truck, which was originally announced in 2019, will take approximately 18 months before Tesla makes a profit. Initial internal estimates by Tesla project at least 250,000 Cybertrucks manufactured by 2025.

Musk explained that these production problems can be attributed to the uniqueness of the vehicle, explaining that the Cybertruck is a special product that "comes along only once in a long while. And special products that come along once in a long while are just incredibly difficult to bring to market to reach volume, to be prosperous." Additionally, Musk said that these challenges of reaching an appropriate level of production for the Cybertruck so that it's cashflow positive "is simply normal".

The annular solar eclipse happened on October 14, and observers around the world looked up in wonder at the astronomical phenomenon.

The "ring of fire" solar eclipse was seen by millions around the world, with many other people only being able to see a partial solar eclipse due to their location on the planet. However, from Oregon and down through Central and South America, millions were able to capture the event in all its glory. Despite the location of 250 miles above the surface of Earth, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) were in the partial solar eclipse group.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Mogbeli snapped a photograph of the event, which was then posted on X by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center the following day. For those who don't know, a solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun with perfect alignment. The moon blots out the majority of the light produced by the sun, and depending on where you are located on Earth, the only part of the sun still visible is an outer glowing ring - the ring of fire.

NASA has taken to its website and social channels to highlight a new discovery by the world's most powerful space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The space agency explains in its blog post that Webb's infrared instruments, specifically the observatory's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) has captured the biggest planet in the solar system, Jupiter, in spectacular detail. The image has revealed a new feature of Jupiter as NASA explains there is the detection of a 3,000-mile-wide high-speed jet stream that stretches around the equator of the planet. This discovery will enable researchers to learn more about Jupiter's chaotic and turbulent atmosphere.

Webb made these observations of Jupiter back in July 2022, and since then, the team has been analyzing the acquired data. Webb's instruments being in infrared light enables the observatory to pierce through thick clouds of gas and dust, which is why Webb is able to see all the way back to nearly 400 million years after the Big Bang. Since Jupiter is a gas giant, Webb is able to see much further into the atmosphere, capturing valuable information on the jet stream around the equator, such as the wind speed of the planet, clouds, and much more.

A class action lawsuit against Google has alleged the company violated millions of its users' privacy rights by using their data to train AI models.

The lawsuit alleges that Google was only able to build its now variety of AI models by secretly stealing user data from hundreds of millions of Americans using the company's services. More specifically, the lawsuit outlines the need for large swaths of data to train AI models, and how much Google has acquired from internet users without their consent. Google has responded to the class-action lawsuit, dismissing the claims and arguing that it hasn't done anything to violate user privacy, data ownership, and intellectual property rights.

Furthermore, Google has suggested that these accusations harm the entire generative AI industry and that if the prosecutors win, it would be the equivalent of taking "a sledgehammer not just to Google's services, but to the very idea of generative AI." The debate between Google and the prosecutors highlights very divisive aspects of AI development - who owns the data on the internet? Is it companies such as Google? Do users own their own data? And can any company simply acquire user data without user consent to train complex AI models that can be turned into something extremely lucrative for the company?

AMD has just announced its new Ryzen Threadripper 7000 and Ryzen Threadripper 7000 PRO series CPUs, with the "PRO" series pushing the core and thread count up to 96 cores and 192 threads.

What's new for high-end desktop (HEDT) users is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X, offering 64 cores and 128 threads of CPU power, based on the newer Zen 4 architecture and the new TRX50 platform on the sTR5 socket. AMD's new Ryzen Threadripper 7980X processor rockets at up to 5.1GHz max boost, with 320MB of cache in total and a 350W TDP. This is the most insane high-end desktop CPU that has ever been announced, dominating the HEDT market the day it arrives on November 21, 2023.

AMD has three new Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series HEDT processors launching November 21, 2023: the flagship Ryzen Threadripper 7980X with 64 cores and 128 threads, the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X with 32 cores and 64 threads, and the Ryzen Threadripper 7960X with 24 cores and 48 threads.

AMD has finally made its new Radeon RX 7900M 16GB laptop GPU official, and you can read all about it here. Dell is the first, and possibly the only one, with the new Radeon RX 7900M 16GB laptop GPU inside of its new Alienware m18 R1 gaming laptop.

The newly-refreshed Alienware m18 R1 gaming laptop features some of the highest-end CPU and GPU technology available for laptops, with an 18-inch display that can be configured with a 1440p @ 165Hz refresh or 1080p @ 480Hz refresh. Disappointing not to see 4K 120Hz as an option on the fasted Radeon RX series laptop GPU ever made.

Alienware lets you configure the m18 "AMD Advantage" laptop with up to 64GB of DDR5-4800 memory, up to 8.5TB of NVMe M.2 SSDs are available with 3 x NVMe M.2 SSD slots, and a huge 330W GaN power supply that keeps the power-hungry laptop running smoothly with its 97 Whr 6-cell battery.