Latest News - Page 809

Another month rolls by, and we've got another month of juicy Steam Hardware and Software survey data to go through - this time for August 2023. On the graphics card front, NVIDIA still dominates with 74.93% market share, followed by AMD with 15.94%, with the big story being that both the GeForce RTX 4060 and GeForce RTX 4060 Ti desktop graphics cards have now made the list.

No doubt the market share for these GPUs will increase over the coming months as the 60-class mainstream GPUs from NVIDIA are all over the Top 10, which includes the GeForce RTX 3060, RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 2060, GTX 1650, and even the GTX 1060 - which is still going strong at number three. As of August 2023, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has a 0.37% market share, with the GeForce RTX 4060 sitting at 0.22%.

This means that there are now as many GeForce RTX 4060 GPUs (not including the RTX 4060 Ti) in PCs as there are AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPUs - which is the most popular RDNA 3 card, according to the latest data from Steam.

Built on the next iteration of the Creation Engine (the same tech that powered Skyrim and Fallout 4), Starfield is set to become one of the most modded games in PC history, with Bethesda Game Studios noting that once it releases full mod tools and mod support for the game on PC players and modders will be able to generate entire planets to create brand-new games effectively.

Bethesda Game Studios has called the engine powering Starfield 'Creation Engine 2,' a more powerful, versatile, and technically advanced version of the tech it has been working with for decades - with several improvements made to the rendering and visual side. As seen when firing up the game, some of the planets and details in Starfield are truly impressive.

In a new interview with Japanese publication Famitsu (translated), Starfield director and Bethesda Game Studios chief Todd Howard states that official mod tools and support for the game are on track for 2024.

There's been a lot of discussion around the PC version of Starfield since the game officially launched last week, and a lot of it has centered on whether or not optimization looks to have been primarily focused on AMD GPUs compared to those from NVIDIA and Intel. And with that, the latter looks to be suffering the most, but Intel is hard at work releasing multiple driver updates for Starfiled on PC for its Intel Arc line of desktop GPUs.

The latest driver update from Intel fixes a few more Starfield issues, from improving performance and stability to fixing some visual bugs and glitches like missing character eyebrows. Per the release notes for the new Intel Arc 31.0.101.4676 Non-WHQL driver release, several outstanding issues remain to iron out.

Some are related to performance, while others are still associated with glitches like low-res textures loading instead of high-quality assets and flickering objects with certain light sources. So Starfield on Arc isn't a great experience (yet), and kudos to the Arc driver team for working hard to improve things. However, Bethesda's comments on Arc graphics are a little surprising.

Starfield, like all Bethesda games, will punish you for carrying too much stuff. Here's a good way to get around this limitation.

Starfield is all about surpassing limitations and breaking barriers. Most of the early game is inhibited by a fair amount of restriction and players are pushed towards finding solutions in the form of gear and skill upgrades. Here's a quick way to use gear to turn around the pesky issue of being overburdened.

Now to get something out of the way first: Starfield's weight management system is actually pretty great...provided you know how to manipulate it. Unlike other games, Starfield doesn't make you move immensely slowly (or stop you outright) if you're carrying too much weight. Instead, the game will just drain your 02 really fast every time you move. Run out of 02 and incur too much C02 and you die.

Runescape developer Jagex could be sold to the highest bidder--which gaming firm will buy the popular MMORPG?

Reports indicate that Jagex could be up for sale for the sixth time. Sources have told Reuters that Jagex parent company Carlyle could be eyeing a sale of the Runescape developer throughout 2023. The developer is expected to have a current valuation of $1.25 billion, which is more than double than what Carlyle paid for Jagex in 2021 (the investment group is believed to have purchased the game dev for $530 million).

Nothing is certain about the potential sale, and Carlyle may hold an auction-style bidding war for Jagex throughout the end of 2023. Runescape remains one of the most popular video games on the market for browsers and PC, and will soon be released on consoles as a separate game. Having released in 2007, old-school Runescape is one of the longest-running MMORPGs available and is still quite popular among fans.

SpaceX has taken to its update to issue an update on the developments of Starship, the world's largest and most powerful rocket to ever take flight.

Elon Musk's rocket company has posted an update on its website outlining everything they learned from Starship's first orbital launch attempt that occurred on April 20, 2023. If you don't remember, the historic launch ended in a ball of fire, but not without a lot being learned. A launch vehicle of Starship's size and caliber had never been flown before, and SpaceX, along with company CEO Elon Musk, didn't even believe it was going to get off the launch pad.

Alas, it did take flight, reaching an altitude of 24 miles before leaking propellant resulted in fires that severed communications, and ultimately resulted in complete loss of control and an eventual detonation. While the rocket was detonated mid-air, SpaceX learned a lot from the flight and, according to the update, the necessary changes to prevent these problems from happening, or at least they hope so, during the second orbital flight test.

Since the emergence of ChatGPT, many students have taken advantage of the new software to turn in papers and reports.

Educators quickly caught wind of the new internet phenomena and adopted many tools that all fell under the umbrella of "AI writing detectors". Some educators copied and pasted work back into ChatGPT and asked the AI if an AI generated the work. Answers varied, with ChatGPT sometimes would reply with certainty and other times it would give an approximation. However, both answers were wrong, as the underpinning language model wasn't designed to detect AI-created content.

Educators turned to other services that were offering AI detection tools, which resulted in some students even being "caught" turning in AI-generated content. While there are certainly some students taking advantage of the new technology to make writing easier, none of these AI detection tools or services are legitimate, at least according to OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. In a recently updated FAQ found on the company's website, OpenAI answers the question "Do AI detectors work?", with "In short, no."

Developers behind the highly popular title Roblox have hosted a developer's conference where they announced that the title is making its way over to Sony consoles.

Yes, that's right, Roblox is finally coming over to PlayStation. According to a new blog post on the Roblox website, Roblox will be heading over to both the PS4 and PS5, enabling free access to the game for millions of users. According to the developers, PlayStation gamers will have full access to all of Roblox's experiences, which suggests that users will be able to sign in on their Roblox account and immediately jump into all of their favorite in-game experiences.

The launch of Roblox on PlayStation will add the title to its already long list of supported platforms: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Meta Quest (late September 2023), and Xbox. But what about the Nintendo Switch? The Verge asked Roblox developers about a Switch version of the title, and the response was, "We want Roblox to be on all devices, anywhere around the world. At this time, we currently have no imminent plans to have Roblox available on the Nintendo Switch."

Elon Musk has been caught up in an online situation that originally claimed he denied Ukraine access to Starlink for an offensive attack against Russia.

As soon as these claims began circulating online, Musk was quick to squash the rumors, which suggested that Musk personally denied Ukraine access to Starlink for an offensive attack against Russia's navy fleet. The concerns that Musk prevented the attack originated from Walter Isaacson's new biography titled "Elon Musk", and now the author has stepped in to further clarify the situation.

Taking to X, Isaacson wrote that Ukraine "thought" Starlink coverage spanned all the way to Crimea, the target location of the Ukrainian offensive, and when the country realized, they asked Musk to enable it for the nation's drone attack on the Russian fleet. Musk promptly denied the request, which the SpaceX CEO further explained in a new X post that neither he nor SpaceX promised any coverage over Crimea, along with the explanation that SpaceX's terms of service states that Starlink is prohibited from being used for "offensive military action, as we are a civilian system."

Microsoft legal counsel clarifies why the company ran simulations to see what would happen if Call of Duty and Activision games were not made available on PlayStation.

The FTC v Microsoft federal case revealed lots of interesting information about Xbox and the games industry as a whole. The testimony delivered in the five-day evidentiary hearing offered a rare look at the internal machinations of Microsoft's billion-dollar video games business and how the company's board of directors work with executive management to create and evaluate acquisition deals. Gamers and investors learned about Project Neutrino, Project Denali, and Xbox's missteps with cloud gaming, but this particular case was laser-focused on one possibility: Would Microsoft withhold Call of Duty from PlayStation?

While Microsoft has repeatedly asserted that it has no intent to withhold Call of Duty from PlayStation (doing so would, among other things, be ruinous for short- to medium-term revenues and incur significant reputational damage), the Federal Trade Commission had uncovered what looked to be a compelling argument against Microsoft's assertions.

If you pick up a new iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max later this month you're likely to notice that it feels a bit less bulky, especially if you're coming from an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

That's because this year's best iPhones are going to ditch the stainless steel of yesteryear and start using titanium instead. That's the metal band that you hold around the outside of the phone and it's also what gives the device its rigidity. But the use of stainless steel made older iPhones heavy. Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that the switch to titanium could be worth a full 10% weight savings for those picking up Apple's new models.

Writing in a larger piece discussing the upcoming September 12 iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 event, Gurman said that the switch to titanium will not only make the new iPhones more durable but it will also allow them to be around 10% lighter than the models that came before them.

While all of the attention right now is on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series' of devices, there have been plenty of rumors that claimed there would be something else on the horizon after the September 12 event. Those rumors claimed that there would be a Mac event in or around October, likely to launch new M3-series chips. But now, a new report claims that might not be the case after all.

That's after a tweet by the supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that it appears Apple will now no longer launch any M3 MacBooks before the end of 2023. That means that the rumored refresh of the 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro might not happen after all. Or at least, not this side of 2024.

That would be an interesting change of plan because so many precious reports have pointed to October as being the month that Apple's first M3 chips launch. That being said, Kuo does say that new MacBook models won't arrive - is it possible that we will still see new iMac and perhaps Mac mini hardware?

Apple is ready to hold a special event on September 12 that will see the unveiling of a raft of new products, not least the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. But while the new iPhones will surely get the lion's share of the attention, there are two wearables on the way as well. And now we might know more about what they will have to offer.

Writing as part of a wider piece discussing the September 12 event, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has laid out his expectations for the new Apple Watches. While there are some aspects that won't be changing, there are some that will - and those changes could make a big difference to the way the Apple Watch is used.

Gurman says that while the new Apple Watches won't get a new look, they could get new colors and finishes. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is already rumored to have a new black color, for example. But Gurman does also say that things will change on the inside.

Apple is getting ready to hold a special event on September 12 with the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all expected to be announced officially. The new iPhones will make the move away from Lightning to USB-C of course, but they won't be alone. Apple's accessories will need to follow suit and a new report claims to know which will be the first.

Apple's earbuds and headphones will of course also need to use USB-C sooner rather than later and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that it'll be the AirPods Pro that make the jump first.

Writing as part of a larger look at the September 12 event and what will be announced, Gurman says that the AirPods Pro will get a new USB-C version next week although the rest of the lineup will have to wait. That means that the entry-level AirPods earbuds and the high-end over-ear headphones AirPods Max will not get a new USB-C refresh until 2024.

First-party Xbox games have engaged half a billion players, Bloomberg Technology reports.

Microsoft might be third place in the Big 3 but it's games are still quite popular. In fact, key Xbox games have captured over 16% of the total 3.09 billion gamers worldwide.

That's according to a recent Bloomberg Technology interview with Todd Howard and Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer that discusses the recent Starfield launch. During the interview, a slide popped up that revealed an interesting metric that I don't remember seeing anywhere else: half a billion people have played Xbox games.

A glimpse of the future of display technology has just emerged on the online Chinese retailer Taobao. Introducing, the ViewSonic VG3281-8K monitor.

The VG3281-8K features a 31.5-inch IPS display with an 8K resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels. While its 60Hz refresh rate may not cater to avid gamers, it promises exceptional image clarity for various applications, in particular in creative pursuits.

For creatives, color accuracy is crucial, and this monitor claims to cover 99% of Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, delivering precise, vibrant visuals, which are all qualities perfect for creatives. Additional specifications include a 300-nit typical brightness, support for HDR10, and a static contrast ratio of 1000:1.

In a move that's set to thrill gamers and enthusiasts alike, Lenovo has introduced two new gaming monitors to its Legion lineup: the Lenovo Legion R27q-30 and the Lenovo Legion R27i-30. These monitors are 27-inch IPS displays and are poised to deliver an immersive gaming experience.

One of the standout features of these monitors is their impressive native refresh rate of 165Hz, which can be overclocked to a slick 180Hz. The Legion R27q-30 boasts a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution, while its counterpart, the Legion R27i-30, offers an FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution. Both monitors share similar specifications, including a 350 nits typical brightness, 400 nits of peak brightness, VESA support, DisplayHDR 400 certification, 99% sRGB color space coverage, and a 1 ms minimal GTG response time.

Each model features a fully adjustable stand, offering up to 135 mm of height adjustment, bi-directional pivot, +/-30 degrees of swivel, and -5 to 22 degrees of tilt, ensuring gamers can find their ideal viewing angle with ease, which pairs perfectly with the IPS panel technology. Connectivity options are robust, with two HDMI 2.1 inputs, a DisplayPort 1.4 input, and a headphone jack. Additionally, both monitors are equipped with a pair of 3W speakers.

eBay is attempting to integrate artificial intelligence into its platform, and the company is concentrating on marketplace sellers as its test subjects.

The iconic platform has announced that the new AI-powered tool will first be rolled out to iOS users and will become available to Android users within the coming weeks. So, what does it do? According to reports from Tech Crunch, the new AI tool gives marketplace sellers the ability to snap a single photo of the product and automatically generate a title and description based on that photo. Additionally, it will generate information such as a product release date, suggested category to place that product in, price, and shipping cost.

An eBay spokesperson told TechCrunch that the tool is called "photo-to-listing," and the underpinning AI model that's powering the tool is trained on past product data, which the spokesperson said eBay has a right to use since the platform's terms and conditions state it has a license to use listing data. The idea behind the new tool is to remove what eBay calls the "cold start" issue for first-time sellers, which is the overwhelming feeling generated by how much information needs to be inputted into a listing.

Astronomers discovered an asteroid on Thursday, named it C9FMVU2, and then noticed its trajectory was to approach Earth in just a matter of hours.

Luckily, the asteroid safely zoomed past Earth at a distance of 2,500 miles, which is 100 times closer to the planet than the moon and five times closer than orbiting GPS satellites. Notably, the United States has navigational and positioning constellation GPS satellites at an altitude of 12,550 miles. So, why didn't astronomers or asteroid-detecting technology spot this asteroid days before it approached Earth?

Well, it was tiny, at approximately 6.5 feet wide, making it far too small for it to be detected at a distance, and simultaneously meaning it posed no threat to Earth at all. NASA has cataloged 30,000 near-Earth asteroids, and only 2,300 are considered "potentially hazardous". For an asteroid to be considered potentially hazardous, it needs to be greater than 460 feet wide and has an orbit that's within 20 lunar distances of Earth - one lunar distance is 238,854 miles.

Japan has launched a historic mission to the moon that, if successful, will be the world's first in terms of the technology used to land on the lunar surface.

Japan launched a H2-A rocket from its Tanegashima Space Center located in southwestern Japan at 8:42 a.m. local time. Then rocket carried not one but two payloads. The first is a new X-ray telescope designed to assist scientists in uncovering the mysteries of the universe, and the second is a high-precision moon lander that will, if successful, become the new foundation of lunar exploration for the nation. So, what is so special about Japan's new lander?

Emphasis is precision. The lander is more precisely named the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM for short. The precision of this lander is like none other as it has been given the name "moon sniper" due to its ability to land within just 328 feet of its target location. By comparison, other landers designed by competing nations require a radius of a few miles, which essentially means that NASA has an approximate landing zone rather than a precise one.