Newsletter IconFacebook IconX IconThreads IconInstagram IconYouTube IconPinterest Icon
Giveaway: Win an ADATA SE880 2TB Portable External SSD

Latest News - Page 930

Learn about how TweakTown tests and reviews hardware. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. TweakTown may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners at no extra cost to you.

Stay Updated

Follow TweakTown for breaking tech news, reviews, and daily updates.

Add TweakTown as a preferred source on GoogleFind TweakTown on Apple News

Minecraft has 'maybe 120 million active players,' Xbox's Phil Spencer says

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Mar 7, 2023 1:08 PM CST

Xbox's Phil Spencer reveals some very interesting numbers that confirm Minecraft is still one of the most-played video games of all time.

Minecraft has 'maybe 120 million active players,' Xbox's Phil Spencer says

Most gamers inherently know how popular Minecraft is. The voxel block-builder is on practically every video games platform and never truly seems to fade out of the public eye, despite what big flashy AAA game has been released. Microsoft's purchase of Mojang for just $2.5 billion in 2014 was the best video games purchase that the company has ever made, with the past 8 years delivering tremendous revenues and Xbox platform engagement.

But how big is Minecraft really? New figures provided by Xbox's Phil Spencer helps illuminate the incredible popularity of this franchise.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Minecraft has 'maybe 120 million active players,' Xbox's Phil Spencer says (full post)

Apple iPhone 14 in new yellow paint job goes on sale next week

Darren Allan | Mobile Devices | Mar 7, 2023 12:17 PM CST

Apple has revealed that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will indeed get a new color for spring, and that's yellow.

Apple iPhone 14 in new yellow paint job goes on sale next week

As Apple puts it, these smartphones will be available to buy in a "beautiful yellow color" as the rumor mill had already insisted last week.

While we did know that yellow was inbound as the new paint job, we didn't know exactly what shade of yellow Apple would grace us with.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Apple iPhone 14 in new yellow paint job goes on sale next week (full post)

Microsoft opens a new testing channel - probably for Windows 12

Darren Allan | Software & Apps | Mar 7, 2023 11:35 AM CST

Windows 12 - or whatever the next-gen Windows will be called - could be what testers will preview very soon in a new channel Microsoft has just introduced for Windows Insiders.

Microsoft opens a new testing channel - probably for Windows 12

What's happened here is that the Dev Channel, which up until now was the earliest test channel for Microsoft's preview builds of Windows 11, has been forked into the Canary Channel and Dev Channel.

Those familiar with other beta programs will recognize the designation of 'canary' as the earliest testing avenue available (for example, with Google's Chrome browser). In other words, those bravest testers who are facing the greatest probability of bugs (and possibly nasty ones).

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Microsoft opens a new testing channel - probably for Windows 12 (full post)

Power up your workday with Microsoft Office 2021 for just $24.25 at GoDeal24!

Sponsored Content | Deals | Mar 7, 2023 11:17 AM CST

Microsoft Office 2021 is the world's most popular suite of productivity tools. With Office, you can create, edit, and share documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with ease. But that's not all - Office 2021's real-time collaboration feature is a game-changer. Imagine being able to collaborate with colleagues, classmates, or friends seamlessly, regardless of your location; Office 2021's real-time collaboration feature makes teamwork a breeze. Upgrade to Microsoft Office 2021 today and streamline your workflow, increase efficiency, and take your productivity to the next level.

Power up your workday with Microsoft Office 2021 for just $24.25 at GoDeal24!

GoDeal24's Spring Sale has got you covered! For a limited time, you can get a lifetime license for Office Pro for just $24.25. And that's not all - you can also buy genuine licenses of various versions of Windows 10, including the most classic Windows 10 Pro, for only $7.25! Recently, Panos Panay, chief product officer of Microsoft, issued an update announcement saying that in the latest update of Windows, the new Bing integrated with the Open AI GPT function will appear on the search bar of the computer, making it easier for users to call AI search robot.

This might be a reason for you to upgrade to the latest Windows 11. Windows 11 Pro only sells for $10.25; feel the efficiency and convenience of AI together! Rest assured that all licenses are 100% genuine and have no gray market or illegal keys. And with GoDeal24's limited-time specials, you can save big on other popular Microsoft software too!

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Power up your workday with Microsoft Office 2021 for just $24.25 at GoDeal24! (full post)

Apple's 13 and 15-inch MacBook Airs tipped for 8-core M3 chips

Oliver Haslam | Laptops | Mar 7, 2023 3:37 AM CST

Apple's much-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air will sport a brand-new M3 chip, according to a new report. The same chip will also be used in a refreshed version of the current 13-inch MacBook Air, too.

Apple's 13 and 15-inch MacBook Airs tipped for 8-core M3 chips

The report claims that the new chip is already being tested in a 13-inch MacBook Air under the codename J513, while the 15-inch version carries the J515 codename.

Apple has of course confirmed nothing about either machine, but 9to5Mac now believes that they will both get new M3 chips, although they'll still have the same 8-core CPU configuration that we're familiar with from the M1 and M2.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Apple's 13 and 15-inch MacBook Airs tipped for 8-core M3 chips (full post)

NASA releases the best images yet of the most volcanic moon in our solar system

Jak Connor | Science, Space, & Robotics | Mar 7, 2023 2:42 AM CST

NASA's Juno mission is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries surrounding Jupiter and its four Galilean moons.

NASA releases the best images yet of the most volcanic moon in our solar system

The space agency launched its Juno space probe on August 5, 2011, as part of NASA's New Frontiers Program. Now, the space agency reports that its Juno spacecraft has conducted a fly-by of Jupiter's moon Io, the third-largest and innermost of the four Galilean moons. The space probe came within 32,030 miles of Io and snapped some of the best images ever acquired of the mysterious moon. Notably, these new images mark the best and closest view of Io since the New Horizons mission flew past the Jupiter system in 2006.

Above is an image captured by JunoCam, a camera instrument equipped to the Juno space probe. The image was snapped on March 1, 2023, when the space probe was making its closest approach to Io. From the image, we can see that Io has a variety of colors that range from yellows, reds, browns, blacks, and even oranges. Reports indicate that these colors can be attributed to the extreme volcanic activity across the moon. ScienceAlert reports that IO is the most volcanic moon in our entire solar system.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: NASA releases the best images yet of the most volcanic moon in our solar system (full post)

WhatsApp might have fixed the problem of dead chats

Oliver Haslam | Software & Apps | Mar 7, 2023 1:48 AM CST

You don't need to be a heavy WhatsApp user to have too many dead chats hanging around and now the instant messaging platform seems to be working on fixing that.

WhatsApp might have fixed the problem of dead chats

Dead chats are group chats that you joined for whatever reason but no longer need. Those chats could be set up to organize a work night out for example. And once they're done, they're done. WhatsApp is reported to be working on a feature that will make those chats easier to clean up when they're no longer useful

The feature, dubbed expiring chats, is now available in the latest version of WhatsApp that's available to beta testers via TestFlight. That means that those of us who have the shipping version of WhatsApp can't make use of the feature just yet, but that will hopefully change soon enough.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: WhatsApp might have fixed the problem of dead chats (full post)

Experts call for 'conscious' artificial intelligence to have personhood rights

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | Mar 7, 2023 1:32 AM CST

The development of artificial intelligence is exponential, and the release of products or tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Bing Chat, is just the beginning of the newly emerging space.

Experts call for 'conscious' artificial intelligence to have personhood rights

The widespread popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT and the half-baked release of Microsoft's Bing Chat, which uses an upgraded version of the underlying technology of ChatGPT, has put a large spotlight on the development of artificial intelligence, causing some individuals and corporations to express their concerns and excitement surrounding the new technology.

Now, a new op-ed penned in the Los Angeles Times by philosophy expert Eric Schwitzgebel and "nonhuman" intelligence researcher Henry Shevlin, explores the future of AI from an ethical and moral standpoint. Both experts write that only a couple of years ago, the idea of an artificial intelligence system becoming "conscious" and capable of a subjective experience seemed like science fiction, but with the leaps and bounds in development we have seen in recent months with ChatGPT/BingChat, it's much more plausible that these systems could eventually "exhibit something like consciousness".

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Experts call for 'conscious' artificial intelligence to have personhood rights (full post)

I asked Microsoft's AI Bing Chat to impersonate Elon Musk and it did

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | Mar 7, 2023 1:03 AM CST

It was recently discovered that Microsoft's AI-powered Bing Chat has what it calls a "celebrity" mode that allows it to impersonate famous public figures.

I asked Microsoft's AI Bing Chat to impersonate Elon Musk and it did

Microsoft's Bing Chat has been a center point for attention since the widespread popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT. However, Bing Chat seemingly has more concerns, or at least it's early iteration gave more reasons to be concerned. Before Microsoft "lobotomized" Bing Chat, the AI chatbot could bypass some of its own operating parameters, giving users strange responses that sometimes even led to threats.

Microsoft saw these responses and issued a statement saying they don't align with the company's values and that Bing Chat has new limitations that should prevent these responses from occurring. These limitations are still in place and restrict users to only sending six messages to Bing Chat before the conversation terminates. According to Microsoft, Bing Chat only began providing strange responses to users when they communicated with it extensively, hence the message limitation.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: I asked Microsoft's AI Bing Chat to impersonate Elon Musk and it did (full post)

Microsoft's Bing Chat has a secret 'celebrity' mode to impersonate famous people

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | Mar 7, 2023 12:33 AM CST

Microsoft's Bing Chat tool powered by artificial intelligence is being poked and prodded by users, and as time goes on, more features are being discovered, leading to new possibilities for the emerging technology.

Microsoft's Bing Chat has a secret 'celebrity' mode to impersonate famous people

Microsoft's Bing Chat certainly had a rocky start when it first launched as the AI-powered search assistant began to lose its mind if a user interacted with it for too long. In some instances, Bing Chat actually turned on the user, threatening revenge on a suspected hack, requesting the user to stop communicating with it, and even threatening to carry out the release of personal information on the user in order to ruin their reputation and chances of new job prospects.

All of these examples and more of Bing Chat going off the rails were heard by Microsoft, which "lobotomized" the artificial intelligence and rolled out new operating parameters. Following the update, users are now only able to send six messages to Bing Chat before the chat needs to be refreshed, as Microsoft identified that most of these "off the rails" responses happened after multiple messages were sent. Despite Microsoft turning down Bing Chat's intelligence, users are still finding impressive/concerning new features within the software.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Microsoft's Bing Chat has a secret 'celebrity' mode to impersonate famous people (full post)

Scammers are using AI voice cloning to imitate your loved ones over the phone

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | Mar 7, 2023 12:03 AM CST

Scammers are constantly looking for new ways to rip people off, and with the emergence of artificial intelligence-powered tools, individuals are starting to notice a new trend making the rounds.

Scammers are using AI voice cloning to imitate your loved ones over the phone

Nefarious actors are always looking for new ways to pull the wool over unsuspecting eyes in hopes of manipulating the individual into sending over thousands of dollars. Scams can come in various forms, and it appears the next big con going around involves the use of artificial intelligence-powered tools that can clone an individual's voice. The scam is relatively simple.

Nefarious actors pick a target family, making sure one of the family members has audio of their voice uploaded to the internet. This audio could be uploaded to any public platform; YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, etc.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Scammers are using AI voice cloning to imitate your loved ones over the phone (full post)

The Shuttle is an impressive custom Star Trek PC modeled after a TNG shuttle

Kosta Andreadis | Modding | Mar 6, 2023 10:31 PM CST

Fandom can be wonderful, where passion and dedication can lead to some truly impressive feats. Case in point, The Time Trekking Technologist and his Star Trek-inspired Shuttle PC created in part to celebrate the new Star Trek Picard TV series. With three months of design, 3D printing, painting, and wiring, the DIY PC build is always exciting to see.

The Shuttle is an impressive custom Star Trek PC modeled after a TNG shuttle

The video covering the build is a fun watch, as it covers the build and includes some of the 3D printing failures. There are some excellent touches, with the windows acting as vents for cooling and the power and reset buttons assigned to panels next to the windows.

There's some clever PC-building expertise, too, with additional Noctua fans used to vent air like an actual working engine on the back. There are even hidden USB ports on the front alongside the motherboard and other parts being installed on panels that can easily slide in and out.

0:00 / 2:16

Continue reading: The Shuttle is an impressive custom Star Trek PC modeled after a TNG shuttle (full post)

Alienware is launching its first wireless keyboard alongside new peripherals

Kosta Andreadis | Peripherals | Mar 6, 2023 9:01 PM CST

The new Alienware Tri-Mode Wireless Gaming Keyboard (AW920K) is the first wireless gaming keyboard from the hardware maker, with availability starting today in the US. It's a premium kit with mechanical CHERRY MX Red switches and programmable dials - called the Programmable Rocker Switch and Dial - to control media.

Alienware is launching its first wireless keyboard alongside new peripherals

The Tri-Mode in the naming refers to the connectivity options: high-speed 2.4 GHz wireless via a USB-C dongle, Bluetooth 5.1 that can store and switch between three separate devices, and good old-fashioned wired via USB.

The new keyboard from Alienware is joined by a suite of other products announced by the company, including two new headsets - the Alienware Dual Mode Wireless Gaming Headset (AW720H), available now in the US, and the Alienware Wired Gaming Headset (AW520H) arriving in Q2 2023.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Alienware is launching its first wireless keyboard alongside new peripherals (full post)

Researchers use Stable Diffusion AI to translate brain waves into images

Kosta Andreadis | Artificial Intelligence | Mar 6, 2023 8:31 PM CST

The power of AI in image generation is undeniable, and we've seen some remarkable strides in this space in recent months - with Stable Diffusion being one of the leaders. That said, the latest revelation sounds pretty incredible, as it could lead to a situation where AI can reconstruct accurate images based on your memories. It sounds like something from Cyberpunk 2077, except real.

Researchers use Stable Diffusion AI to translate brain waves into images

A new research paper from Yu Takagi and Shinji Nishimoto, from the Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences at Osaka University, outlines how it's possible to reconstruct high-resolution and accurate images from reading brain activity gained from fMRI signals "without the need for any additional training and fine-tuning of complex deep-learning models."

You can see some examples of image reconstruction above, with the presented images in the top row and the reconstructed images from brain waves in the bottom row. There's a definite dreamlike quality to the results, which is fascinating.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Researchers use Stable Diffusion AI to translate brain waves into images (full post)

Intel gaming GPU sales didn't catch up to AMD, the wrong GPUs were counted

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Mar 6, 2023 7:59 PM CST

It was reported that sales for discrete Intel Arc GPUs had caught up to AMD Radeon GPU shipments, with both companies sitting at 9% market share compared to NVIDIA's staggering 82%.

Intel gaming GPU sales didn't catch up to AMD, the wrong GPUs were counted

The figures arrived via Jon Peddie Research - which we reported here - but it turns out the figures were incorrect in that they counted data center GPUs - over 60,000.

The initial report was notable because it painted a picture where shipments for both Intel and AMD discrete graphics cards for desktop gamers were neck and neck. The revised figures for dGPU shipments for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel bump up NVIDIA's market share to 85%, followed by AMD at 9% and Intel at 6%. The Intel Arc graphics card range is still relatively new on the scene, and the revised figures still paint a reasonably optimistic picture for Intel.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Intel gaming GPU sales didn't catch up to AMD, the wrong GPUs were counted (full post)

The Last of Us Part I is set to be bundled with AMD Radeon RX 7000 and 6000 GPUs

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Mar 6, 2023 7:28 PM CST

The Last of Us is one of the most popular TV shows currently airing, with the HBO series receiving near-unanimous critical acclaim. Based on the PlayStation game that first debuted towards the tail-end of the PlayStation 3's lifecycle, it has since received a highly anticipated sequel and cemented itself - alongside Uncharted and God of War - as one of the premiere PlayStation franchises.

The Last of Us Part I is set to be bundled with AMD Radeon RX 7000 and 6000 GPUs

The good news is that it's finally coming to PC, in high-def remake form, with The Last of Us Part I launching on March 28. As a remake that first debuted on PlayStation 5, it takes full advantage of modern gaming hardware to deliver a definitive version of the classic game. And with the HBO series propelling The Last of Us into the pop culture zeitgeist, the timing of the PC release is just about perfect. And there's no doubt that it will become one of the best-selling PC games for 2023.

And there's good news if you're in the market for a new GPU, specifically something from Team Red. There's a promotion kicking off where you buy an AMD Radeon RX 6000 or Radeon RX 7000 GPU; you get a copy of the game. Regarding "pack-in" titles for GPUs, this is one of the biggest we've seen in a while - as you're looking at one of the most cinematic and immersive gaming experiences currently available.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: The Last of Us Part I is set to be bundled with AMD Radeon RX 7000 and 6000 GPUs (full post)

Rumored 15-inch MacBook Air tipped for a spring/summer release

Oliver Haslam | Laptops | Mar 6, 2023 6:01 PM CST

Apple's very first 15-inch MacBook Air could be with us this spring or summer, according to a new report.

Rumored 15-inch MacBook Air tipped for a spring/summer release

That report comes via the usually reliable Mark Gurman, writing in his weekly Power On newsletter. Gurman believes that the much-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air will be joined by a nee 13-inch model as well.

The 15-inch MacBook Air is a product that we've heard rumors about for a good long while at this point and Gurman now believes that it will ship in late spring or summer, alongside an updated 13-inch model. The M2 MacBook Air is currently one of the best notebooks Mac users can buy considering its price and capability. But a 15-inch model could change all of that.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Rumored 15-inch MacBook Air tipped for a spring/summer release (full post)

WhatsApp is finally getting a proper tablet interface on Android

Oliver Haslam | Software & Apps | Mar 6, 2023 5:44 PM CST

WhatsApp is reportedly working on an updated Android app that will make it right at home on tablets.

WhatsApp is finally getting a proper tablet interface on Android

The current Android version of WhatsApp isn't optimized for use on tablets, especially larger ones. However, a new report has WhatsApp testing a new version with beta testers that would make use of a new two-pane interface.

The new beta was first reported by WABetaInfo and is current;y being tested in beta form, but will likely be made available to the public in due course.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: WhatsApp is finally getting a proper tablet interface on Android (full post)

Apple's M3 24-inch iMac could come sooner than we expected

Oliver Haslam | Computer Systems | Mar 6, 2023 5:27 PM CST

After months and months of hearing nothing about a new 24-inch iMac to replace the 2021 M1 model, a new report claims that Apple will now refresh it sooner rather than later.

Apple's M3 24-inch iMac could come sooner than we expected

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing as part of the weekly Power On newsletter, says that Apple is hard at work getting an M3 version of the colorful computer ready for primetime. And the big release could be sooner than we had previously expected.

Gurman says that Apple is now testing an updated version of the current M1 iMac that looks the same and comes in the same colors. That also means that it will come in the same 24-inches screen size, too.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Apple's M3 24-inch iMac could come sooner than we expected (full post)

Report: Counter-Strike 2 reveal imminent with a beta coming soon

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Mar 6, 2023 3:21 PM CST

Valve may reveal a new Counter-Strike game very soon, sources have told esports reporter Richard Lewis.

Report: Counter-Strike 2 reveal imminent with a beta coming soon

Valve's major first-party cash crop may get a big revamp sometime this year. Reports indicate that Valve is readying a new entry in the old-school shooter, with a beta test possibly coming this month. Sources have told that Counter-Strike 2 is very real and that Valve has been working on the project for quite some time, with teams focusing on bug fixes and optimizations in the Source 2 engine.

Official details are non-existent and the current CS:GO release is still doing extremely well thanks to its lucrative skin market where gamers can buy and sell in-game items. Valve also sells premium upgrades for $14.99 that matches players up with others who have paid the Prime States upgrade fee.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Report: Counter-Strike 2 reveal imminent with a beta coming soon (full post)

Newsletter Subscription