Alienware M16R2 Gaming Laptop Review

Alienware M16R2 Gaming Laptop Review

The Alienware M16R2 is a solid dual-purpose gaming laptop with an impressive list of features, but Intel's Meteor Lake H does it no favors.

TT Show Episode 34 - The Helldivers 2 PC Controversy and Apple's New OLED iPad Pro

Kosta Andreadis | TweakTown | May 10, 2024 9:02 AM CDT

This week, on a more focused episode of The TT Show, Jak and Kosta break down and go through the crazy Helldivers 2 controversy on PC. If you were offline for a few days (and this all played out throughout a single weekend), the decision to force the Helddivers 2's PC players to link their Steam Account to a PlayStation Network (PSN) account caused a veritable backlash storm.

TT Show Episode 34 - The Helldivers 2 PC Controversy and Apple's New OLED iPad Pro

From the review bombing to developers being grilled to Sony and developer Arrowhead's damage control to the surprisingly swift happy ending, Jak and Kosta discuss the implications and consider what might happen in the aftermath.

This week's other big story comes from the world of Apple, with the company lifting the lid on its new iPad Pro lineup powered by the new AI-powered 3 nanometer M4 chip. The big thing here is that it represents Apple's first dip into the world of OLED displays, with a groundbreaking 1000-nit SDR and HDR screen that has two OLED panels in one!

Continue reading: TT Show Episode 34 - The Helldivers 2 PC Controversy and Apple's New OLED iPad Pro (full post)

Apple's App Store stopped more than $7 billion in fraudulent transactions in just four years

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 14, 2024 12:30 PM CDT

When the European Union forced Apple to allow third-party app stores on the iPhone, Apple suggested that its own App Store was key to ensuring that the company could keep its users safe. It's the same argument that it's used whenever the topic of the App Store and its payment processing systems has come under fire by lawmakers, and now the company has shared details that it believes help back up that stance. According to Apple, the App Store prevented $7 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions across a four-year time span.

Apple's App Store stopped more than $7 billion in fraudulent transactions in just four years

The time span in question ran from 202 to 2023, Apple's press release says, with the transactions including more than $1.8 billion worth in 2023 alone. In the same period, Apple says, the company blocked more than 14 million stolen credit cards and more than 3.3 million accounts from transacting again.

The press release goes on, saying that in 2023 it rejected more than 1.7 million app submissions that failed to stick to the App Store's standards for privacy, security, and content. Apple also terminated almost 374 million developer and customer accounts and removed close to 152 million ratings and reviews over concerns that they could potentially be fraudulent.

Continue reading: Apple's App Store stopped more than $7 billion in fraudulent transactions in just four years (full post)

Apple's iOS 17.5 iPhone update includes 15 new security fixes, update now

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 14, 2024 12:15 PM CDT

After weeks of beta testing, Apple released the iOS 17.5 software update to the world yesterday, bringing with it a couple of new features related to the Apple News app and support for early warnings related to potential item tracker stalking. But while the update might have been lacking in terms of the sheer number of new features, it certainly made up for that in terms of the number of security fixes it implemented.

Apple's iOS 17.5 iPhone update includes 15 new security fixes, update now

Apple has now published a new support document that details the new fixes that have been applied as a result of iOS 17.5 and there's quite a lot of them. In fact, there are no fewer than 15 new security fixes that will be applied when people install iOS 17.5 on their iPhones at home.

We tend to suggest that people regularly update their iPhones and other devices to ensure that they are running the latest software for a variety of reasons. One of those is compatibility, ensuring that you and your apps can make use of the latest APIs and whatnot. Another is to make sure you're using the latest and greatest versions of the apps that Apple ships by default, including Safari, Mail, and others.

Continue reading: Apple's iOS 17.5 iPhone update includes 15 new security fixes, update now (full post)

New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air tablets have exclusive battery health options

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 14, 2024 12:00 PM CDT

When Apple announced its new M4 iPad Pro and the revamped M2 iPad Air last week it detailed plenty of new features that buyers will be able to take advantage of, but it turns out that there was one change that the company didn't mention. According to a new report, Apple's new iPads will sport an exclusive battery health menu including a new option.

New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air tablets have exclusive battery health options

The report, coming from iCulture, says that an additional Battery Health Menu can be found under Settings, Battery on the new iPad Pro and iPad Air. The menu shows the current battery health, maximum battery capacity, cycle count, and the option to choose the 80% battery optimization option that prevents the iPad from being charged beyond the 80% mark.

These options are not available as part of the iPadOS 17.5 update on other iPads despite having been found in code in recent beta updates before iPadOS 17.5 was released to the public. At the time it was suggested that the new features may be exclusive to the new iPads, and that now appears to have been proven correct.

Continue reading: New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air tablets have exclusive battery health options (full post)

Apple's fancy new OLED iPad Pro display has a problem with HDR content, it seems

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 14, 2024 11:45 AM CDT

The brand-new M4 iPad Pro is quite the beast of a machine as early reviews have already attested to. But while the new OLED display is said to be as impressive as Apple claimed during its announcement event, that doesn't mean that it isn't without its issues. One issue in particular relates to the way it displays HDR content, and Apple is reportedly already aware of the issue.

Apple's fancy new OLED iPad Pro display has a problem with HDR content, it seems

The issue was first reported by iMore and it's difficult to explain. The way we understand it is that some HDR highlights are blown out when certain shades of blue are shown on-screen. Instead of being blue as you might expect, they appear almost white which creates a strange-looking effect and one that definitely isn't the iPad working as intended.

The report says that the same issue isn't available on an iPhone 15 Pro, a Samsung TV, or the M2 11-inch iPad Pro, suggesting that the problem is indeed specific to the hot new OLED display found in the M4 iPad Pro. If you have a new iPad Pro you can test the issue for yourself using the Dolby Vision stream of Strange Things Series 3 on Netflix. The example given is the 25-minute mark of the fifth episode in which you see characters making their way down a long corridor. Around the edge of a blue shirt is a clear white hue, something that definitely shouldn't be there.

Continue reading: Apple's fancy new OLED iPad Pro display has a problem with HDR content, it seems (full post)

The M2 iPad Air isn't even out yet but a new rumor is already predicting a new M3 version

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 14, 2024 11:30 AM CDT

If you're waiting for the Apple Store to open on May 15 so you can rush in and buy one of Apple's shiny new M2 iPad Airs, you probably aren't alone. But as excited as you might be and as impressive as the M2 chip is, there is always going to be something better - and according to a new leak, the M3 iPad Air is already something that we should all be considering.

The M2 iPad Air isn't even out yet but a new rumor is already predicting a new M3 version

That leak comes via a private X account that has a proven track record of sharing information about future Apple products and has been picked up by MacRumors. According to that report, the next iPad Air to come out of Apple Park will ditch the current M2 chip in favor of the M3, the same chip that powers the latest and best Macs right now.

That of course isn't all that surprising when you look at Apple's history of updating iPads and iterating the chip, but it does mean that the iPad Air won't skip the M3 and go straight to the M4. That's exactly what the new iPad Pro did of course, but it seems that the M3 iPad Air will be a thing - although we don't yet know when that will happen.

Continue reading: The M2 iPad Air isn't even out yet but a new rumor is already predicting a new M3 version (full post)

New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air owners will have a day-one update to install

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 14, 2024 11:15 AM CDT

We're now just hours away from Apple's M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air officially going on sale after being made available for preorder last week. May 15 is the big day, and that's when people will be able to walk into an Apple Store and then walk out with a new tablet. It's also when those who got their preorders in quickly should see their iPad Pro or iPad Air land on their doorstep, too. No matter where the new iPad came from, the unboxing experience will include a new software update after the release of iPadOS 17.5.

New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air owners will have a day-one update to install

That new update is already available and ready for download by people who have other compatible iPads. And while those with the new hotness can expect the same new features, there is actually one that's exclusive to the new tablets as well. For that reason alone, we would suggest that every new iPad buyer download and install iPadOS 17.5 as soon as they can.

The iPadOS 17.5 update brings with it a number of improvements and there's a special build number 21F84 that will be offered to the new iPads alone. In fact, they will ship with a version of iPadOS 17.4 that was never made available to the older models, too.

Continue reading: New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air owners will have a day-one update to install (full post)

ZeniMax and Xbox have trademarked IDKFA, the iconic cheat code from the original Doom

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | May 14, 2024 1:26 AM CDT

id Software's Doom (1994) and Doom II (1994) helped establish and define the first-person shooter genre as two of the most iconic PC games of all time. Those who grew up playing the original Doom might recall its cheat codes. IDKFA gave you all weapons, ammo, and keys while IDDQD unlocked 'God Mode.'

ZeniMax and Xbox have trademarked IDKFA, the iconic cheat code from the original Doom

As spotted by Clawsomegamer, ZeniMax Media has trademarked IDKFA for 'computer game software' and 'downloadable computer game software.' It's an obscure reference for a company to trademark, but it could point to IDKFA being the title for some sort of DLC or add-on for an upcoming Doom game from id Software, Bethesda, and Xbox.

With the success of the recent DOOM and DOOM Eternal reboots, there are several rumors (and leaks) suggesting that id Software not only has another Doom game in the works, but we could be getting our first look at it during next month's Xbox Games Showcase event.

Continue reading: ZeniMax and Xbox have trademarked IDKFA, the iconic cheat code from the original Doom (full post)

Bethesda's Fallout 4 Next Gen Update 2 released, aims to fix issues with Next Gen Update 1

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | May 14, 2024 12:32 AM CDT

Bethesda's long-awaited 'next-gen' update for Fallout 4 arrived just in time to ride the wave of the smash hit Amazon Prime series, which saw the 2015 game once again become one of the most played titles on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Bethesda's Fallout 4 Next Gen Update 2 released, aims to fix issues with Next Gen Update 1

The update improved performance and visual fidelity for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S while adding ultrawide support for the PC version, several bug fixes, and some free add-on content that included new weapons, armor, and even quests.

However, the reception was not one of universal acclaim, as the 'next-gen' update for Fallout 4 broke many PC mods and added new glitches and crashes for gamers. Many players also reported problems with 4K or Quality Mode on Xbox Series X.

Continue reading: Bethesda's Fallout 4 Next Gen Update 2 released, aims to fix issues with Next Gen Update 1 (full post)

ASUS ROG Ally X's bigger battery, more memory, and same Ryzen Z1 Extreme will cost $100 more

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | May 13, 2024 10:34 PM CDT

ASUS has teased its ROG Ally X handheld refresh, which will get a big reveal and debut at Computex 2024. The official reveal has confirmed that the ROG Ally X will arrive sporting a new black finish, an improved battery that will have 'way more' than 40% more capacity, and a new motherboard layout to support more memory storage (greater than 16GB) and storage, while improving and fixing the SD card reader.

ASUS ROG Ally X's bigger battery, more memory, and same Ryzen Z1 Extreme will cost $100 more

Surprisingly, ASUS is even adding an M.2 2280 SSD slot. Yeah, the ROG Ally X is adding support for standard full-sized SSDs you'd find in a PC, laptop, or PlayStation 5. The handheld will also change the D-Pad, joysticks, and triggers and be slightly heavier.

But what about the processor, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme (a customized Ryzen 7 7840U), and the display? Well, according to a new leak, don't expect all that much on that front.

Continue reading: ASUS ROG Ally X's bigger battery, more memory, and same Ryzen Z1 Extreme will cost $100 more (full post)

AMD updates Linux driver support for upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs with 24,000 lines of code

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | May 13, 2024 9:57 PM CDT

It sounds like AMD's next-gen Radeon graphics cards powered by the new RDNA 4 architecture are right around the corner. Although rumors and months of speculation have pointed to AMD skipping high-end GPUs that will compete with the GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 (or the current RTX 4090, for that matter), RDNA 4 could still present an exciting option for the mid-range market.

AMD updates Linux driver support for upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs with 24,000 lines of code

With a massive improvement in ray-tracing coming and a more efficient GPU, a potential Radeon RX 8800 XT with the right price could be a real competitor to the popular GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER. With AMD's Linux developers adding nearly 20,000 lines of code for 'AMD GFX12 Mesa support' for its drivers, an RDNA 4 reveal and release could be right around the corner.

Linux kernel driver support for RDNA 4 (or GFX12) is a definite sign that things are progressing well for a next-gen Radeon release this year. Depending on the timeline, we could be getting a big reveal at Computex 2024 in the coming weeks.

Continue reading: AMD updates Linux driver support for upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs with 24,000 lines of code (full post)