ACEMAGIC AD08 "Core i9 11900H" Mini PC Review

ACEMAGIC AD08 "Core i9 11900H" Mini PC Review

The ACEMAGIC AD08 is a unique Mini PC, but it shows its age against newer models on the market. Join us as we check it out and see what it can do.

Save big on the GEEKOM A7 Mini PC with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7000 series processor!

Kosta Andreadis | Deals | Apr 24, 2024 2:16 AM CDT

GEEKOM has another incredible deal for TweakTown readers, this time for its GEEKOM A7 Mini PC Ryzen 7000. Powered by the AMD Ryzen R9-7940HS processor, it features RDNA 3 AMD Radeon 780M Graphics to deliver blistering fast 120+ FPS frame rates for games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and DOTA 2.

Save big on the GEEKOM A7 Mini PC with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7000 series processor!

It also has 32GB of dual-channel DDR5 5600 MHz memory, 2TB of PCIe Gen4 SSD storage, Bluetooth 5.2, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless technologies. All this is in a slim, compact form factor measuring 112.4 x 112.4 x 37 mm, or 0.47L, to deliver exceptional speed and performance - small enough to carry around in your pocket!

The GEEKOM A7 Mini PC Ryzen 7000 normally retails for $849, but right now, it's just $649! Enter the coupon code tweaktownA7off (also available for UK customers) at checkout to save a massive $200 on this exceptional Mini PC.

Continue reading: Save big on the GEEKOM A7 Mini PC with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7000 series processor! (full post)

BioMatrix introduces PoY, the world's first UBI token with 60 years Issuance Commitment

Sponsored Content | Cryptocurrency & Mining | Apr 23, 2024 1:55 PM CDT

Entering the digital future, I have had the chance to explore BioMatrix's cutting-edge blockchain platform. As a technology enthusiast, the idea of the Proof of You (PoY) token caught my attention at first, especially with its pledge to "distribute wealth in a fair and equitable manner."

BioMatrix introduces PoY, the world's first UBI token with 60 years Issuance Commitment

The selling point of the PoY token is that it is not just a digital asset, but it is an integral part of the company's Universal Basic Income (UBI) distribution strategy, which is designed to connect the user's biological identity to blockchain technology - an important development that could help bridge financial divides around the world.

At its recent launch in Dubai, the BioMatrix platform showcased its potential to redefine the UBI landscape. Like many other secure platforms, BioMatrix is built with user empowerment in mind, and leverages advanced AI and blockchain technology to facilitate its ecosystem growth and expansion. However, the key difference that sets BioMatrix apart from other UBI platforms is using newer cryptography solutions like Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) to protect user privacy and security.

Continue reading: BioMatrix introduces PoY, the world's first UBI token with 60 years Issuance Commitment (full post)

Forget the PS5 Pro, Sony's neck-based air conditioner is the invention turning heads right now

Darren Allan | Science, Space, Health & Robotics | Apr 24, 2024 11:44 AM CDT

Sony has released a new air conditioner that sits on the back of your neck and either cools or warms you, depending on the environmental conditions.

Forget the PS5 Pro, Sony's neck-based air conditioner is the invention turning heads right now

The Reon Pocket 5 is the first such model to be made available outside of Asia, but while it's only on sale in the UK as well as certain Asian territories, the fact that it has made the leap to Europe indicates the invention could well come to the US.

Given the name, you might think the Reon Pocket sits in your, erm, pocket, but as mentioned, it fits neatly around your neck (the Reon Neck-brace 5 probably didn't sound like such a great name).

Continue reading: Forget the PS5 Pro, Sony's neck-based air conditioner is the invention turning heads right now (full post)

Windows 11 Settings gets another Control Panel feature as painfully slow migration continues

Darren Allan | Software & Apps | Apr 24, 2024 10:30 AM CDT

Microsoft has removed another piece of functionality from the Control Panel in Windows 11, redirecting folks heading to the Fonts section to its equivalent in the Settings app.

Windows 11 Settings gets another Control Panel feature as painfully slow migration continues

The old-style Control Panel still lurks in the background of Windows 11, making for an untidy contrast to the new Settings app - the problem being that there are so many settings in Windows that a bunch of legacy stuff is still yet to be migrated to the latter.

That process is happening, very slowly, but surely, and as Windows Latest spotted, the latest move is that when going to the Fonts page in the Control Panel, you'll be redirected to the revamped version of Fonts in the Settings app (which is already in place). Windows Search will also push you to Settings instead (whereas it currently highlights the old Control Panel when you search for Fonts).

Continue reading: Windows 11 Settings gets another Control Panel feature as painfully slow migration continues (full post)

Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro is expected to fix critical issues in select games

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 24, 2024 10:03 AM CDT

Digital Foundry has done another discussion on what to expect from Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro, which recently had its specifications leak online, revealing what is under the hood of the coming console.

Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro is expected to fix critical issues in select games

According to the leaks Sony's PS5 Pro will come with a range of performance improvements, with one being a 45% increase in GPU performance compared to the standard PS5. Digital Foundry explains the PS5 Pro will come with PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), Sony's new upscaling technology, and Ultra Boost mode, which is designed to help games using Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) achieve a higher framerate.

The YouTube channel says that games using AMD FSR 2 will likely benefit quite a lot from the PS5 Pro hardware, which would be titles such as Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Avatar Frontiers of Pandora, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Final Fantasy XVI. Digital Foundry says all of the aforementioned titles, and any other title that specifically uses a VRR mode will benefit greatly with the PS5 Pro, likely clearing up issues of dynamic resolution scaling being overused resulting in image quality degrading at random times throughout the game.

Continue reading: Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro is expected to fix critical issues in select games (full post)

Microsoft continues with plan to roll out controversial Windows 11 update

Jak Connor | Software & Apps | Apr 24, 2024 9:29 AM CDT

Microsoft is charging full steam ahead with a Windows 11 update that will put advertisements for apps within the Start menu's "Recommended" section.

Microsoft continues with plan to roll out controversial Windows 11 update

Microsoft began testing this new feature within its Insider program early this month, and now it appears as the latest optional update for Windows 11 version 22H2 and version 23H2. For those that don't know, Microsoft's latest move will introduce new applications to Windows 11 users within the "Recommended" section of the Start menu. According to Microsoft these apps will come from a "small set of curated developers" that will meet Microsoft's quality standards.

Many users aren't complaining about the Recommended apps themselves, but for the decision by Microsoft to put any advertisement within the Start menu at all. Luckily, previous reports that cite Insiders testing Windows 11 preview builds, users will be able to turn off advertisements within the Start menu by following these steps: Settings > Personalization > Start. Then switching "off" for "Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more."

Continue reading: Microsoft continues with plan to roll out controversial Windows 11 update (full post)

Scientists close in on new technology that uses lasers to propel submarines

Jak Connor | Science, Space, Health & Robotics | Apr 24, 2024 9:02 AM CDT

Engineers from a university are reportedly closing in on a technology breakthrough that would enable submarines to travel as quick as a jet.

Scientists close in on new technology that uses lasers to propel submarines

A new report from the South China Morning Post reveals engineers from Harbin Engineering University in Heilongjiang province are nearing the final designs of a new system that uses lasers to propel submarines to extreme speeds.

So, how does it work? Lasers generate plasma underwater that results in a "detonation wave" being produced. This wave has the potential to propel an object underwater, but for the 20 years it has been researched, engineers have struggled to come up with a design that can direct the generated force in a specific direction.

Continue reading: Scientists close in on new technology that uses lasers to propel submarines (full post)

Apple's new 11-inch OLED iPad Pro might be hard to come by, and it's the display's fault

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | Apr 24, 2024 8:45 AM CDT

Apple recently announced that it will be holding an online, streamed event on May 7 and it's roundly thought that it will see the company announce new iPads including a pair of iPad Pros. Now, a new report suggests that while that remains true, actually getting your hands on one of the tablets in particular could be more difficult than buyers might like,

Apple's new 11-inch OLED iPad Pro might be hard to come by, and it's the display's fault

The tablet is the 11-inch OLED iPad Pro, the smaller of the two tablets and often the most popular for those who want to be able to get the most powerful tablet with the added portability of a relatively small display. However, display analyst Ross Young believes that stocks of the 11-inch model might be harder to find than those of the larger 12.9-inch version. And it's the display that buyers can blame.

Young was writing via a post on the X social network that now appears to have been removed, but not before it was picked up by various outlets including 9to5Mac.

Continue reading: Apple's new 11-inch OLED iPad Pro might be hard to come by, and it's the display's fault (full post)

Want to use Gemini AI on an older Android phone? It now works on OS versions before Android 12

Darren Allan | Artificial Intelligence | Apr 24, 2024 8:30 AM CDT

Here's some good news for those of you with an older Android smartphone wanting to use Google's Gemini assistant, as the AI is now available for earlier versions of the mobile platform - plus a new 'conversation mode' is inbound for the app.

Want to use Gemini AI on an older Android phone? It now works on OS versions before Android 12

Previously, you needed a handset running Android 12 or better to use the Gemini app, but now, that has been pushed back to include phones with Android 10 or 11 installed on them.

Leaker @AssembleDebug on X (formerly Twitter) made this clear, as reported by Android Authority (via TechRadar).

Continue reading: Want to use Gemini AI on an older Android phone? It now works on OS versions before Android 12 (full post)

NASA warns of secret military presence in space disguised as civilian programs

Jak Connor | Science, Space, Health & Robotics | Apr 24, 2024 7:59 AM CDT

The head of NASA appeared before the House committee to warn of a secret growing military presence in space and how the US is "in a space race" with China for the goal of arriving on the Moon first.

NASA warns of secret military presence in space disguised as civilian programs

NASA administrator Bill Nelson testified before the House appropriations committee on NASA's 2025 budget, and said the space agency has reason to believe China is increasing its presence in space, especially within the last 10 years. However, China's space presence remains "very, very, secretive", and that a lot of the nation's civilian space program is actually China's military space program in disguise.

Nelson said he hopes Beijing will "come to its senses and understand that civilian space is for peaceful uses", but added: "We have not seen that demonstrated by China." Furthermore, Nelson said that the US is expecting to land on the Moon again before China, and the US is in a space race against China for landing on the Moon again as there is concern that Beijing could land before the US and say, "OK, this is our territory, you stay out,'" said Nelson.

Continue reading: NASA warns of secret military presence in space disguised as civilian programs (full post)

Microsoft makes ground in its war to stop Windows 11 running on old PCs

Jak Connor | Software & Apps | Apr 24, 2024 7:37 AM CDT

The latest build of Windows 11 has reduced the total number of CPUs that Microsoft's latest operating system can run.

Microsoft makes ground in its war to stop Windows 11 running on old PCs

According to reports, the latest version of Windows 11 will not boot on PCs that have a CPU that doesn't support the SSE4.2 instruction set, which is a way for Microsoft to reduce the number of ancient PCs using old hardware from running the latest Windows operating system. Notably, the SSE4.2 instruction set arrived in the first generation of Core i5 and i7 processors, which was more than 15 years ago.

Microsoft's Windows 11 hardware requirements list does reveal a long list of supported CPUs, but this move has made that list smaller. Why does Microsoft do this? There are several reasons, some hardware may have limited security capabilities that don't meet Microsoft's current security standards for its latest operating system, while another reason could be an architectural limitation of the microchip itself, as Windows 11 may require a more advanced architecture to precisely draw resources from.

Continue reading: Microsoft makes ground in its war to stop Windows 11 running on old PCs (full post)

Clues hint at what AI Explorer could do in Windows 11, but they might worry privacy activists

Darren Allan | Software & Apps | Apr 24, 2024 6:58 AM CDT

Windows 11 is getting a new feature called AI Explorer - or at least, AI PCs running the OS will be - and some fresh clues have been spotted that give us a hint of what it might do.

Clues hint at what AI Explorer could do in Windows 11, but they might worry privacy activists

As you can see in the above and below tweets, a couple of regular leakers on X (formerly Twitter) have pointed out a few strings and hidden bits of code pertaining to AI Explorer that they've dug up in recent Windows 11 preview builds.

PhantomofEarth highlights some strings relating to 'screen understanding' being either on or off, and the following dialog: "Screen understanding is paused. Models are not available and need to be downloaded."

Continue reading: Clues hint at what AI Explorer could do in Windows 11, but they might worry privacy activists (full post)