Latest News - Page 979

NASA's Artemis 1 rocket has launched the Orion capsule on its nearly a month-long mission around the Moon and back to Earth.

The Space Launch System's rocket lifted off from the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on November 16, carrying the Orion capsule up in Earth's atmosphere and eventually splitting off, so the spacecraft was able to put itself in place for its long journey around the Moon. Shortly after the rocket launch, Orion performed several maneuvers to put it on track to orbit the Moon, and some of those maneuvers were raising its orbit as well as orientating itself correctly.

Orion is now on a 25-day journey around the Moon, where it will travel more than 250,000 miles to reach Earth's closest neighbor, slingshot itself around the rock, and return back to Earth at extremely high speeds. Within 10 hours after launch, the Orion spacecraft had already covered 57,000 miles as its, traveling at about 5,460 miles per hour. When it was approximately 58,000 miles away from Earth, the small spacecraft used its cameras located on its solar panels and inside the cabin to snap some photographs.

On November 16, Elon Musk sent out a company-wide email that outlined what he called "Twitter 2.0" and the new requirements staff would need to agree to for their position to remain at the company.

Musk titled the email "A Fork in the Road" and stated that for Twitter to breakthrough into "Twitter 2.0" and succeed against its competitors as well as in the wider world, all staff would need to work long hours at "high-intensity". Adding that the company would only be accepting "exceptional performance" as a passing grade.

Furthermore, Musk's email stated that Twitter would be shifting to a more engineer-focused mindset and that engineers who are able to write "great code" will comprise the majority of the team while also having the biggest sway when it comes to decisions. Musk's new list didn't stop there, as the Twitter owner stated at the bottom of the email that all staff who don't agree to these new standards by clicking the link provided in the email will receive their three-month severance.

Tesla CEO and Twitter owner Elon Musk has taken to his Twitter account to announce that the social media platform has reached a new milestone.

It was only on November 10 that Musk took to his Twitter account to announce that Twitter usage had reached an all-time high, while writing that he hoped the servers didn't melt. Musk didn't provide any specific metric he was going by, and the Tweet on November 18 where he announced that Twitter had broken that record and "hit another all-time high in Twitter usage lol".

Musk followed up that Tweet with a call back to his joke of bringing an actual sink into Twitter HQ while also writing on his Twitter, "let that sink in!", after he closed to deal for the company. Shortly after the announcement of Twitter's usage hitting a new all-time high, the SpaceX CEO wrote once again, "let that sink in..."

The rollercoaster continues with SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk at the helm of Twitter, as the billionaire has recently given an ultimatum to all employees.

Musk has sent out a company-wide email to all employees of the social media platform that gave employees a choice between accepting that they will be working long hours at high intensity with only "exceptional performance" constituting a "passing grade". The email also outlined what Musk deems as building "Twitter 2.0," and that engineers will have more of a say at the company over Design and Product positions as Musk believes that at its hear, Twitter is a "software and servers company".

The email was sent out on November 15 and states that anyone who doesn't accept these new working conditions by clicking the link provided in the email by 5 pm on November 17 will receive three months of severance. Musk titled the email "A Fork in the Road" and recently announced that Twitter will be relaunching the divisive Twitter Blue subscription service that caused the platform to be littered with accounts appearing official through the new paid-for verification badge, essentially impersonating public figures, celebrities, companies and more.

Intel has been ordered by a federal jury in Texas to pay VLSI Technology LLC a rather large sum for patent infringement, costing Intel $948.8 million.

If you didn't know who VLSI is, they're a patent-holding company that's associated with SoftBank Group Corp-owned private equity firm Fortress Investment Group, who argued during the six-day trial that Intel's previous-gen Cascade Lake and Skylake processors violated their patents covering improvements to data processing.

An Intel spokesperson said that the company "strongly disagrees" with the verdict (of course) and that the company has plans to appeal, with the Intel spokesperson adding that the case is "one example of many that shows the U.S. patent system is in urgent need of reform". VSI's own law firm declined for comment.

MaxSun has just announced its very first GeForce RTX 40 series "Ada Lovelace" GPU in the form of the new GeForce RTX 4080 iCraft OC "Aijia Edition" graphics card.

The company hasn't shifted far away from its previous-gen GeForce RTX 30 series "Ampere" GPU family of cards, with the new MaxSun GeForce RTX 4080 iCraft OC "Aijia Edition" graphics card called the "Enchantment Heart Princess Edition" overseas.

MaxSun continues on with its white design and triple-fan thermal solution on its new GeForce RTX 4080 iCraft OC "Aijia Edition" graphics card, while there's also not much RGB lighting if that's your thing. As a big fan of backplates, MaxSun has splashed the back with a full-on anime-themed backplate, and it looks cool (even better if you're into anime).

NVIDIA has been embroiled in controversy with its flagship GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card and new 16-pin "12VHPWR" power connector, and now GamersNexus have done the world a favor... pushed it to its limits... melting the cable at over 250C.

The team at GamersNexus used an X-ray imaging and scanning electron microscope inspection for the card in a great amount of detail, done by a third-party failure-analysis lab on the 12VHPWR power connector. GamersNexus added that his personal sources at AIB partners say that the risk of issues on their GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards was somewhere between "0.05% and 0.1% which is virtually nothing... but it's still a major problem at the end of the day.

Anyone can have their 12VHPWR power connector on the flagship GeForce RTX 4090, especially if you don't plug it in correctly, or get foreign objects (how?!) or bits of plastic and metal that are induced in the process of seating the game, or at the end of the day, a manufacturing issue. The main issue seems to stem from people not seating the game properly, or pulling at it, or the cable out of the card at an angle. Boom, failure.

I've you've been enjoying Overwatch 2 but missing Mei, it's time... Blizzard has announced a new Overwatch 2 update that includes a bunch of changes, including the re-introduction of Mei.

The team has tweaked other heroes in the new Overwatch 2 update -- nerfing Genji and Zarya -- with Blizzard also announcing changes to Overwatch 2's battle pass, amongst other things. Starting with Zarya, her barriers protect herself from harm -- and allies -- while taking in all the damage that amplifies her beam weapon. Blizzard has tweaked the duration of Zarya's abilities, decreasing them from 2.5 seconds to 2 seconds, so you'll have to be careful moving in as hard as you would as Zarya.

Genji has been nerfed, with Blizzard reducing the number of shurikens you have, as well as making them less powerful. Not many changes there, but Genji fans might not (or might) be happy with that. In a new developer blog, the new Executive Producer for Overwatch 2, Jared Neuss, explains that they've changed the rewards up for Season 2 so that each skin you can earn by playing, in addition to the other cosmetic rewards you'd normally get in Overwatch 2.

NVIDIA has teased its upcoming CES 2023 "Special Address" where the company is teasing it will be kicking off the year with its latest innovations, and that we should tune into the official NVIDIA website on January 3, 2023.

We did hear that NVIDIA will be unveiling its new GeForce RTX 4070 Ti "Ada Lovelace" graphics card on January 3, releasing it to the public on January 5. We should expect much more than that, with NVIDIA unleashing its new GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs for gaming laptops.

Intel should also debut its new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake-HX" series laptop CPUs, while AMD should be showing off its new Ryzen 7000 series "Dragon Range" mobile CPUs. We should expect next-gen gaming laptop designs with options between those two processors, and NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 40 series mobile GPUs.

MAINGEAR has announced a totally new direction for the company, announcing its new customizable MG-1 desktop gaming PC, 3D System Configuration Experience... and oh, game streamer Michael "shroud" Grzesiek is now a co-owner and working with the team on refreshing its new MG-1 and especially, the new MG-1 shroud Edition gaming desktop PCs.

At the same time, MAINGEAR has ushered in a major brand refresh across its entire website and product, and a new era for the company can begin, with shroud at the center of it.

The new MAINGEAR MG-1 has been crafted from the ground up for the best performance, unlimited customization, and understated simplicity. Shroud steps in as a co-owner of MAINGEAR, using his experience in the gaming industry and streaming to ensure that the company fine-tuned its MG-1 desktop gaming PC for the world's best games. Frames win, baby!

The 2024 Subaru Impreza compact car was unveiled at the 2022 LA Auto Show. The 5-door hatchback now completely replaces the Impreza sedan - and interested buyers will be able to get their hands-on one starting in spring 2023. Subaru is trimming back its effort with more strategy for the new Impreza - the 2023 model had two body styles with seven different trim options.

The Impreza Base and Sport trims feature a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder direct-injection Subaru Boxer engine that powers a 152hp engine with 145 lb.-ft. of torque. The Impreza RS has a 2.5-liter Boxer engine that cranks out 182hp with 178 lb.-ft. of torque. Both the Sport and RS trims include an 8-speed manual mode activated with steering wheel paddle shifters. That's right, the Subaru Impreza has said goodbye to manual transmissions with the 2024 model.

The 6th generation Impreza includes an 11.6-inch Subaru Starlink infotainment display that supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Amazon has fired multiple engineers and software developers that are responsible for its Luna game streaming platform.

Amazon Luna may be the next game streaming service on the chopping block. The billion-dollar shipping titan is currently paring back and trimming unsucessful portions of its business in an attempt to maximize profitability, leading to mass layoffs. Reports indicate that Amazon will fire 10,000 people across a number of divisions, including its devices department, which has reportedly lost over $5 billion in a single year. Amazon is following Meta's lead in forcibly shrinking employee headcounts, as well as Twitter, who recently let go of more than half of its staff following Elon Musk taking control of the platform.

Luna, the video game streaming service that Amazon launched in 2020, has also been affected by layoffs. According to the #amazonlayoffs hashtag on LinkedIn, Amazon has let go of multiple software developers and engineers that were part of the Luna service team. In fact, it appears most of the Luna team itself has been fired:

Much like its competition, US automaker Ford has fought through supply chain issues and semiconductor shortages while producing electric vehicles.

Ford currently purchases its motors and EV batteries but wants to transition those procedures in-house. The company started construction on a battery facility in Kentucky, with the automaker putting together pieces of the puzzle. If done well, this should help reduce costs and streamline manufacturing at its facilities.

During a 2022 Q3 earnings call, Ford CEO Jim Farley had this to say:

Sony has just published a very interesting patent that would use blockchain ledgers to keep track of in-game items such as cosmetics and user-generated content, which includes screenshots, video, and even user-created items. This system could theoretically be tied to a token economy where users buy and sell digital content.

Note: This existence of this patent does not mean the features described herein will be available in any finalized product or service.

Sony's latest patent, US20220358450 - TRACKING UNIQUE IN-GAME DIGITAL ASSETS USING TOKENS ON A DISTRIBUTED LEDGER, has some far-reaching implications for the future of the PlayStation brand. The core idea is pretty simple: Sony is patenting a way to use blockchain ledgers to keep track of digital content to authenticate and appraise value so that the digital assets can be sold in a marketplace. Assets include cosmetics, in-game items, customized weapons and armor, game save files and loadouts, and even social content created by PlayStation users like screenshots and video. We have to stress that a lot of this is theoretical and there's a good chance that most of the features described in the patent will not be used.

Saints Row developer Volition has been transferred from Deep Silver (aka Plaion) and is now part of Gearbox Entertainment.

Today the Embracer Group made history. For the first time, the decentralized gaming giant moved a studio from one operating group to another. For over a decade Volition has been part of the Deep Silver label. following multiple disappointments, including the ill-fated Agents of Mayhem and the more successful Saints Row reboot, Volition has now been transferred to Gearbox Entertainment.

While it has yet to be confirmed, it is likely that Volition will remain its own core studio and could be the sixth operating unit under the Gearbox Entertainment banner, which includes Gearbox Software (games), Gearbox Publishing (indie games), Gearbox Studios (transmedia) and Gearbox Properties (strategies).

It's been a long, long wait for Dead Island 2...but we'll have to wait a little longer.

Dead Island 2 has received its (hopefully) final delay. The absurd grindhouse bloodfest will not release in February 2023, and will instead launch on April 28, 2023 on last-gen and current-gen consoles and PC. The developers say that this 12-week delay will give them critical extra time to finalize the game into something they can be proud of.

"The release date has been moved for the long-awaited action and horror game, Dead Island 2, developed by internal studio Deep Silver Dambuster (PLAION). The release originally planned for February has been moved to April 28 by internal publisher Deep Silver (PLAION)," Embracer wrote in its recent report.

German automaker Mercedes-Benz wants drivers to improve their driving ability on snow and ice and can teach you during AMG Winter Experience. Participants can either hit a frozen lake in Sweden or hit the mountains in Austria as part of the program.

The AMG Experience will occur from January to March 2023, allowing drivers to practice driving on snow and ice in a monitored environment. In Sweden, Mercedes creates challenging tracks on the ice - which is at least 35 inches thick - so drivers have the chance to experience driving on icy surfaces. The Driving Technique Experience Centre of the Austrian Automobile Club OAMTC near the Salzburg foothills of the Alps will play host for drivers in Austria. The program is designed for less experienced drivers to learn and improve.

The AMG Winter Experience was designed to offer driving courses for beginners up to "experienced experts." The "Discover" package is a course for beginners, teaching students how to drive safely and understand their Mercedes-AMG car or SUV. The "Performance" class is advanced training that includes practical exercises to develop already learned practices.

Ford has a new off-road package for 2023 Bronco Sport customers, the Bronco Sport Black Diamond Off-Road Package.

The Black Diamond Off-Road Package is available for the Outer Banks and Big Bend series, with the protection of 4x4 powertrain areas also included. The front metal skid plate, canister shield, and fuel tank protection are protected by multiple steel bash plates as part of the package. Seventeen-inch carbonized gray low-gloss alumni wheels and 225/65R17 all-terrain tires are designed to help with grip and traction.

In addition to the physical changes, Ford includes a matte black hood graphic of the Bronco horse logo, along with Bronco lettering on the driver's door and front passenger door.

The 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar is going to be a limited-edition vehicle ready for trips across loose road surfaces straight out of the factory. The car can handle both off-road driving and normal road driving behavior, with Porsche reportedly surprised it rides so smoothly when on the pavement.

Powering the 911 is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six engine capable of generating 473 horsepower with 420 lb.-ft of torque. The 911 Dakar accelerates 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds but has a top track speed of 150 mph because of the tire's higher cross-section design. The car's rear-axle steering, engine mounts, and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) - designed to reduce body roll - all are standard options.

The car is almost two inches taller than a Porsche 911 Carrera, with stretched springs, suspension links, and dampers provided - and the standard lift system can increase the front and rear lift by an additional inch. It will ship with Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires with an off-road specific tread pattern, reinforced sidewalls, and added tread to keep up with the demands of different terrain.

The Toyota bZ Compact SUV Concept has been unveiled in the United States, with a design aimed at full battery-electric driving performance. The bZ brand umbrella stands for "Beyond Zero," and is planned to help the company reach its carbon-neutral status by 2050.

Here is what David Christ, group VP and GM at Toyota, said in a statement: "We've only just begun to scratch the surface of the Beyond Zero moniker. With an aerodynamic design coupled with intuitive tech features never before seen in a Toyota model, the bZ Concept showcases another possible vision of the very near future with our battery electric vehicles."

Toyota previously announced the bZ4X EV crossover, marking the first vehicle in a bZ-branded series of EVs. Since Toyota and Subaru collaborated, guess it shouldn't be a surprise that the bZ4X looks a lot like the Subaru Solterra.