-Apex

Accepted

AI software enables real-time 3-D printing quality assessment Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have developed artificial intelligence software for powder bed 3-D printers that assesses the quality of parts in real time, without the need for expensive characterization equipment. The software, named Peregrine, supports the advanced manufacturing "digital thread" being developed at ORNL that collects and analyzes data through every step of the manufacturing process, from design to feedstock selection to the print build to material testing. "Capturing that information creates a digital 'clone' for each part, providing a trove of data from the raw material to the operational component," said Vincent Paquit, who leads advanced manufacturing data analytics research as part of ORNL's Imaging, Signals and Machine Learning group. "We then use that data to qualify the part and to inform future builds across multiple part geometries and with multiple materials, achieving new levels of automation and manufacturing quality assurance." The digital thread supports the factory of the future in which custom parts are conceived using computer-aided design, or CAD, and then produced by self-correcting 3-D printers via an advanced communications network, with less cost, time, energy and materials compared with conventional production. The concept requires a process control method to ensure that every part rolling off printers is ready to install in essential applications like cars, airplanes, and energy facilities. To devise a control method for surface-visible defects that would work on multiple printer models, ORNL researchers created a novel convolutional neural network—a computer vision technique that mimics the human brain in quickly analyzing images captured from cameras installed on the printers. The Peregrine software uses a custom algorithm that processes pixel values of images, taking into account the composition of edges, lines, corners and textures. If Peregrine detects an anomaly that may affect the quality of the part, it automatically alerts operators so adjustments can be made. The software is well suited to powder bed printers. These printers distribute a fine layer of powder over a build plate, with the material then melted and fused using a laser or electron beam. Binder jetting systems rely on a liquid binding agent rather than heat to fuse powdered materials. The systems print layer by layer, guided by the CAD blueprint, and are po[CENSORED]r for the production of metal parts.However, during the printing process, problems such as uneven distribution of the powder or binding agent, spatters, insufficient heat, and some porosities can result in defects at the surface of each layer. Some of those issues may happen in such a very short timeframe that they may go undetected by conventional techniques. "One of the fundamental challenges for additive manufacturing is that you're caring about things that occur on length-scales of tens of microns and happening in microseconds, and caring about that for days or even weeks of build time," said ORNL's Luke Scime, principal investigator for Peregrine. "Because a flaw can form at any one of those points at any one of those times, it becomes a challenge to understand the process and to qualify a part." Peregrine is being tested on multiple printers at ORNL, including as part of the Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) Demonstration Program that is pursuing the world's first additively manufactured nuclear reactor. TCR is leveraging ORNL's rich history in nuclear science and engineering, materials science and advanced manufacturing to develop a microreactor with newer materials in less time at a lower cost, ensuring the future of this important carbon-free energy source. "For TCR in particular, you could have a scenario in which the regulator will want detailed data on how a part was manufactured, and we can provide specs with the database built using Peregrine," Scime said. "Establishing correlations between these signatures collected during manufacturing and performance during operation will be the most data-rich and informed process for qualifying critical nuclear reactor components," said Kurt Terrani, TCR program director. "The fact that it may be accomplished during manufacturing to eliminate the long and costly conventional qualification process is the other obvious benefit." ORNL researchers stress that by making the Peregrine software machine-agnostic—able to be installed on any powder bed system—printer manufacturers can save development time while offering an improved product to industry. Peregrine produces a common image database that can be transferred to each new machine to train new neural networks quickly, and it runs on a single high-powered laptop or desktop. Standard cameras were used in the research, ranging in most cases from 4 to 20 megapixels and installed so they produce images of the print bed at each layer. The software has been tested successfully on seven powder bed printers at ORNL so far, including electron beam melting, laser powder bed, and binder jetting, as detailed in the journal Additive Manufacturing. "Anything we can do to help operators and designers know what works and what doesn't helps with the confidence that the part will be okay for use," Scime said. "When you have a 3-D map of every pixel where the network thinks there is an anomaly and what it thinks the problem is, it opens up a whole world of understanding of the build process." As the monitoring system has evolved, Scime said researchers are able to combine the image data with data from other sources such as the printer's log files, the laser systems and operator notes, allowing parts to be uniquely identified and statistics from all parts tracked and evaluated. The AI software was developed at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL, a U.S. Department of Energy user facility that works closely with industry to develop, test and refine nearly every type of modern advanced manufacturing technology. "There's no place else like the MDF where this machine-agnostic algorithm could have been developed, simply because we have so many machines and so many builds going on all the time in the course of our research," Scime said. "Access to data is key. Here, we have the ability to place sensors easily and the technicians to make sure everything works and that we're getting our data. With the variety of scientific expertise available here, it's been easy to find experts to help with all the challenges involved." In other process control work, MDF researchers are developing methods to monitor for defects on the subsurface of builds and to detect porosity that may form in deeper layers, including the use of photodiodes and high-speed cameras. "We've been doing welding for hundreds of years, but additive has only been around for a couple of decades and we don't know what the problems look like in some cases," Scime said. "Machine learning techniques allow us to collect and analyze a lot of data quickly. We can then identify those problems and gain the knowledge we need to better understand and prevent anomalies."

Kailh Silent Box Red Mechanical Keyboard Switches Review: Smooth and Light Kailh Silent Box Reds are quiet linear switches that actuate easily. Whether you’re a speedy gamer, lightweight typist or heavy-handed with a habit of bottoming out, there’s a mechanical keyboard switch these days for everyone. Selecting or making the best gaming keyboard or your next productivity workhorse is like picking the right dance partner. The keys have to be able to keep with your fingers, without overpowering or boring them. The newest switches from Kailh are for those who don’t want the clicky showmanship of something like a Cherry MX Blue or even the tactility of Cherry MX Browns. Instead, Kailh Silent Box Red mechanical switches will win over those who like their keys to stay mum. And with only 35 grams of force to actuate and 3.6mm of total travel, these are some of the lightest actualting mechanical switches you can get. Let’s talk about the pink elephant in the room. These switches’ stems aren’t red, as the name implies. More honestly, they’re a bright pink the shade of a cartoon pig. Like many mechanical keyboard switches, they feature a plus-shaped crosstem, allowing them to fit standard keycaps that would fit on traditional Cherry MX ones. I used the Kailh Silent Box Reds with ABS double-shot injection keycaps from Glorious’ Modular keyboard for most of my testing, for example, and I also fit Razer PBT keycaps and HyperX Pudding PBT double-shot keycaps on them. Note that Kailh’s Box switches don’t get their name from their stem shape. Instead, the ‘box’ moniker refers to the shape of the housing’s structure, which is box-like for fighting off dust and moisture. Interestingly, retailer Kono believes Kailh’s box design in general makes them more durable than Cherry MX’s bare crosstem design. The retailer claims they last “25% longer than regular MX variants during stress testing” and also are less wobbly. If you’ve ever noticed wobbly keys with any of Cherry’s Red switches, Silent Box Reds are worth considering. In my roughly two months using a Glorious Modular keyboard with Kailh Silent Box Reds on and off, I spotted a shameful amount of dust and hair around the keycaps. Upon removing the keycaps, I saw that problem carried over to the spaces between the switches too. However, I couldn’t spot any dust in the switches or in the circle stems. And, of course, the keyboard has been functioning properly. Kailh’s Silent Box Reds are IP52-certified. That promises that dust won’t enter in notable enough amounts to interfere with the product working. According to the DSMT, which makes the certification, this rating also assures you that “vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position.” That’s quite specific but at least tells you that these are at least somewhat waterproof. That’s more than Cherry MX Silent Reds offer. The switches’ IP40 certification only promises that objects over 1mm won’t interfere, and doesn’t cover liquids at all. The Silent Box Reds fight off dirt with their slider design and sealed composite gold alloy contacts. Keep in mind that Kailh says this certification applies best when “applied to products that meet the corresponding protection level.” Kailh designed the switches to be both easy to press and quiet. According to the vendor, the switches require 35g of force to actuate, and noise is kept to under 30dB. Noise reduction purportedly occurs in each switch’s glass fiber-reinforced base. In terms of materials, the switches are also working with copper alloy static and movable plates, a POM slide and a POM/TPE stem, a PA66 base and cover, a stainless steel spring and a buffering rubber mat. With a transparent casing, the switch is also RGB-ready. Kailh recommends pairing the switches with a keyboard using SMD LEDs directly mounted onto the circuit board. They certainly had no problem illuminating my Glorious Modular keyboard. As far as I could see, the RGB was just as bright compared to the keys using Gateron Brown switches.

I like DH2 more than DH1 in lyrics & sound quality and rhythm, So my vote goes to DH2

In my opinion i think that DH2 is better than DH1, it's kinda deep and make you think. So my vote goes to DH2

Alibaba, Xiaomi to join Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index China's largest financial hubs are revamping key indexes to give more weight to internet companies, which are increasingly important to its economy HONG KONG: E-commerce conglomerate Alibaba <9988.HK> , handset maker Xiaomi <1810.HK> and WuXi Biologics <2269.HK> will enter the Hang Seng <.HSI> next month, broadening Hong Kong's traditionally financial services-dominated index. The change announced by the Hang Seng Indexes Company on Friday was made possible after the 50-year-old benchmark's publisher changed the rules on shareholder structure and secondary listings in May. China's largest financial hubs are revamping key indexes to give more weight to internet companies, which are increasingly important to its economy. Alibaba and Xiaomi, along with delivery platform Meituan Dianping <3690.HK>, will also join the 'H-share' Hang Seng China Enterprises Index <.HSCE>, which represents Chinese companies listed in the city. Changes to both indexes are effective September 7. About $19.7 billion of assets under management in exchange-traded products were linked to the Hang Seng Index with another $5.4 billion tied to the H-share index as of July, the index provider said. The Hang Seng Index will drop Sino Land <0083.HK>, Want Want China <0151.HK> and China Shenhua Energy <1088.HK>, while Sinopharm <1099.HK>, BYD <1211.HK> and Citic Securities <6030.HK> will leave the H-share index.

Call Of Duty Mobile Season 9 Starts This Saturday Season 9: Conquest also features a brand-new game mode and marquee event on Android and iOS. Publisher Activision has announced that Call of Duty Mobile's Season 9 starts on Saturday, August 15. Titled Conquest, the new season introduces a fresh battle pass, an added game mode, and more. The headlining feature of Season 9: Conquest is the extra Battle Royale areas. The in-game Battle Royale map has been updated to include four new locations for players to loot weapons and battle enemies in. This includes Campground, Dormitory, Outpost, and Radar Base, all of which house the new Armor Plate item that repairs damaged armor so that you can stay in the fight a little bit longer. In addition to the updated Battle Royale map, Multiplayer has been refreshed with the brand-new close-quarters map Shipment 1944. Activision shared a roadmap of Season 9's content, which outlines what's now live and what's to come. Elsewhere in Season 9, players can further customize weapons with the addition of Gunsmith, a feature seen in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Just as expected, Gunsmith lets players personalize their favorites guns with over 50 new attachments, 20 new reticles, and 60 weapon levels. Battle Royale also supports Gunsmith. And of course, Season 9 comes with a new battle pass with free and premium tiers that features new characters, weapon skins, weapon charms, a new scorestreak, a new weapon, and more. Victor Reznov from the Black Ops series and World at War can be unlocked via the premium tier while the new Kilo Bolt-Action Rifle can be obtained by reaching tier 21 on the free battle pass. Coming later this month is a new game mode and marquee event. The 10v10 Featured Playlist increases the player count and includes Domination and Team Deathmatch on Crossfire, Meltdown, Shipment, and Takeoff. Meanwhile, the Finest Hour marquee event lets players assemble an army to conquer cities on a virtual map. Those who succeed in their takeovers will earn characters and weapons for each city seized. Season 9: Conquest also packages various user interface updates, weapon balances, and gameplay optimizations. Activision has yet to outline these changes. In other Call of Duty news, recent teasers for this year's entry seemingly confirm the Cold War setting. While an official announcement has yet to be unveiled, Call of Duty 2020 details continue to trickle out.

Stabilizing monolayer nitrides with silicon In a new report published in Science, Yi-Lun Hong and a group of research scientists in materials science, engineering, and advanced technology in China and the U.K. investigated two-dimensional (2-D) materials to discover new phenomena and unusual properties. The team introduced elemental silicon during chemical vapor deposition-based growth of molybdenum nitride to passivate its surface and develop centimeter-scale, monolayer nitride films with silicon such as MoSi2N4. They built the monolayer film with seven atomic layers in the order of nitrogen-silicon-nitrogen-molybdenum-nitrogen-silicon-nitrogen (N-Si-N-Mo-N-Si-N), and the resulting material showed semiconducting behavior and excellent stability under ambient conditions. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the scientists predicted a large family of such monolayer structured 2-D materials to exist with useful applications as semiconductors, metals and magnetic half-metals. Two-dimensional materials Two-dimensional materials have attractive properties that are suited for a variety of technical applications. Of these, transition metal carbides and nitrides (TMCs and TMNs) can form a large family of non-layered materials to combine properties of ceramics and metals. The MAX phase, where M stands for an early transition metal, A is an A-group element such as aluminum or silicon and X is carbon, nitrogen or both, forms the basis for monolayer MXenes. Such monolayer films can be selectively synthesized by etching the A-element layer. These materials have a hydrophilic (water-loving) surface and high electrical conductivity with promising applications including energy storage, sensors and catalysis. Scientists have recently developed a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method to grow high-quality, nonlayered 2-D TMC and TMN crystals with diverse structures. But the surface energy constraints caused the nonlayered materials to grow as islands instead of layers. In this work, Hong et al. therefore grew 2-D molybdenum nitride and the MoSi2N4 compound using chemical vapor deposition.

Der8auer Ryzen OC Bracket: Safely Optimizing AMD Ryzen 3000 Thermals Remember the whole heatpipe discussion with Ryzen 3000? Well, it didn’t end there. It turns out, liquid coolers are also sub-optimally placed in their stock configuration when used with AMD’s chiplet-based Ryzen 3000 CPUs. The simplest solution? Install this Der8auer-branded Ryzen OC Bracket, which will move your cooling plate to an ideal position for your specific CPU model. This bracket comes in two flavors: an AIO variant and one designed for custom open loops. Today we’re testing the AIO variant of this bracket. It simply replaces the stock AMD CPU cooler mounting bracket, enabling you to adjust the liquid cooler’s position on the chip. Why Would You Want to Shift the Cooler Off-Center? The reason why you would want to do this is simple: AMD’s Ryzen 3000 chips don’t use one large die anymore, but a series of chiplets (head here for an inside look). In the consumer-geared products, there is one central IO die, next to which are either one or two so-called CCDs, which contain up to eight cores each. The result of this split is that AMD is able to create CPUs with more cores, but it also splits the single hotspot up into multiple sections. AIO liquid coolers are designed only to cool in the middle of their cold plate and thus don’t optimally cover the Ryzen 3000 chips’ CPU cores. Of course, AMD’s Ryzen 3000 chips are built on the 7nm process from TSMC, which means they aren’t very hot-running chips to begin with. In practically all cases, a 240 mm all-in-one cooler is the most they could ever need, and especially at stock settings they don’t produce a lot of heat. For most of us, this really isn’t a necessary gadget to put in our PCs. But there is always a group of enthusiasts who like to push their chips to the limit and finetune their system’s operation. That’s who the Ryzen OC Bracket is for. There is no point in delidding Ryzen 3000 chips, as the socket’s mechanism will get in the way when trying to seat the cooler onto the chiplets, so why not instead adjust the cold plate’s placement on the heatspreader to compensate for the chip’s unusual internal topography? How to install the OC Bracket Installing the Ryzen OC bracket is dead simple. Der8auer’s instructions want you to install the brackets first and then configure them for your CPU, but we found that it’s easier to configure them outside the system without all your other components getting in the way and then install them. For the Ryzen 3600 up to the Ryzen 3800X (and presumably the XT variant too) you’ll want to nudge the sliders over to the 3.25 mm mark and secure them. If you’re installing the bracket on a 3900X or 3950X, then you’ll want to leave it in the middle, as these chips use two CCD’s. Then, make sure you have both of the pins pointing downwards, and configure their lengths according to Der8auer’s specifications.

DH2 is better than DH1 in everything, So i'm voting for DH2.

For me, DH2 is better than DH1 in rhythm and sound quality, so my vote goes to DH2

Nickname : Apex Tag your opponent : @.Straju ♔♔♔ Music genre : Hiphop rap Number of votes : 6 Tag one leader to post your songs LIST : @Hossam Taibi

NBA 2K21 Big Gameplay Changes Announced, Demo Coming Soon 2K Sports announces a series of significant changes to how NBA 2K21 will play compared to previous games. 2K Sports has announced more details on NBA 2K21, including news about a demo and how the gameplay is changing on current-generation platforms. Big changes are coming, including the pro stick getting a major overhaul and the addition of a new shot meter and shot types. Alongside signature moves, it'll be an adjustment for veterans. We break down all the major changes below. Players can test out some of these new features through a free demo will be available for NBA 2K21 on August 24 for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The demo won't be available on PC and Stadia, it seems. In previous years, 2K released a demo of sorts called The Prologue, but it's not clear if this is that or something else. Basketball For Everyone Regarding the current-generation gameplay updates for NBA 2K21, the developer said this year in particular it is trying to make the game appeal to a "wide range of fans." Players who want a hardcore simulation experience will have it, while the game is also aiming to appeal to newcomers. "One way we set out to accomplish this was through building out a robust set of sliders and carefully mapping the appropriate settings to all the various modes in our game," gameplay director Mike Wang said in a statement. "I'm pretty confident that longtime fans of 2K basketball will notice the improvements and appreciate what the team was able to accomplish," he added. The "pro stick" has been updated to give players more control on offense. "In past games, you could hold the pro stick in any direction to take a jump shot. That was limiting us from utilizing the right stick as a fully featured dribble stick. So this year, we're making a pretty significant change to how the Pro Stick works," Wang said. Here is the new setup: Hold RS down = jump shot Hold RS left or right = escape dribble moves Hold RS up = signature size-ups Tap the RS = quick 1-to-1 dribble moves Tap the RS with Sprint held = quick momentum dribble moves Wang said it will take only a few games for the new control setup to feel "second nature." With the new pro stick controls, players should have more freedom to play with style and flair. "Along with the remap, the moves themselves have been overhauled to be much more responsive and chain-able," Wang said. "Street moves have been moved to a tap of the left trigger as well, so you won't be firing them off by accident when you're breaking down defenders in the Park." New animations have been added to NBA 2K21 as well, including James Harden's "around the leg dribble" and Kevin Durant's "hesi cross" move. Former player Nate Robinson is also in the game, and he performed new motion capture to bring some "unique moves" to NBA 2K21. New Shooting Mechanics The pro stick changes also impact how shooting and finishing baskets works in NBA 2K21. "We really wanted to make scoring the basketball a skill both from the perimeter and at the rim, so we brainstormed and prototyped a number of various shooting mechanics for this year's game," Wang said. NBA 2K21's shooting mechanics are going back to an idea originally tested in NBA 2K17. In NBA 2K21, the shot meter has changed from timing to targeting. This can be disabled, and you can revert to the shooting controls from NBA 2K20, if you want. "So instead of trying to stop the shot meter when you reach the perfect release window, you adjust the pro stick in real time to hit the ideal center aim point," Wang said. "The target window resizes dynamically based on player ability, shooting range, and how well the shot is contested and can also shift to the left or right based on the shot’s degree of difficulty. If you miss the target too far to the left or right, your shot will miss in that direction." NBA 2K21's new difficulty sliders will also apply to these new shooting mechanics, so players can fine-tune the experience to be as easy or challenging as they want. "You also won't be penalized for using the entire shooting motion to find the sweet spot. In other words, you don't have to time your release when you’re shooting with the pro stick," Wang said. "But if you want to take it to the next level and know your release, you can lock in your timing and aim by either centering the pro stick or by tapping one of the triggers when you reach the apex of the shot. The lock in will be indicated by a brief flash on the shot meter. If you can time AND aim well, you will give yourself the best chances at making the shot." Wang also confirmed that the new aiming system also applies to layups, so players will need to have a "good touch" near the rim, the developer said. "As you're driving you can still hold the pro stick in any direction to start a layup, but this year, you'll want to quickly swing the stick to move the aiming tick to the center of the target," Wang said. "Aiming layups well can help overcome shot contests and help you finish through contact." "If you can master shooting with the pro stick, you'll have a higher ceiling for getting greens and making tough shots, so I'm pretty sure it's going to be the shot method of choice for many competitive 2K players," Wang added. "But since I know some will ask… yes, there is an option to disable shot aiming if you really want to go back to last year’s controls." Additionally, there will be more shot types for NBA 2K21, including James Harden's fadeaway. On defense, players can expect improvements in the form of block targeting that should make it easier to knock away shots. There will also be more options in the paint to stop offensive players for scoring easily. Bigger Point Guards For NBA 2K21's MyCareer mode, the developers have increased the height limit for point guards to 6'8". The change came directly from a request by NBA 2K21's current-gen cover star, Damian Lillard, according to 2K. More Updates NBA 2K21 also introduces improvements to the signature dribble styles that were added for offensive moves in NBA 2K20. For this year's game, signature moves for defense have been added, including those based on Russell Westbrook, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Pat Beverley, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green. Wang also confirmed that the Badge system from NBA 2K20 is coming back for this year's game. "I think you’ll find that more badges will have merit and fight for a spot in your badge loadout, giving you more effective tools to take over games in a more varied fashion," Wang said. "And here's some good news that I know the community will appreciate. We removed Quick Draw and put release speed back into the Jump Shot Creator. So that's one thing you won’t have to waste your precious badge points on." Next-Gen Details Later Wang said players who pick up NBA 2K20 on current-gen platforms will find a "great step forward," but the game is also coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X where it's going to cost $70 USD. Wang said players can look forward to gameplay details for "all the goodies" on PS5 and Xbox Series X in the coming months. What we do already know about the next-gen versions of NBA 2K21 is that they will offer drastically improved loading times and better graphics overall, but the full featureset for the new editions has not been confirmed as of yet. NBA 2K21 has very large shoes to fill, as last year's game sold an astonishing 14 million copies to become the highest-selling entry in the franchise of all time.

Mercedes-AMG G63 Tuned To 940 Horsepower Is Supercar Quick For many years, the Mercedes G-Class was all about off-road prowess, but then AMG and aftermarket specialists got their hands on the reputable SUV to extract more on-road performance. We’ve seen our fair share of impressively quick G-Wagens, but this one takes the proverbial cake. How does AMG GT R acceleration sound in a vehicle that weighs more than 2.5 tons? That’s right – Posaidon’s G63 does 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in merely 3.6 seconds. With its twin-turbo V8, the standard G63 certainly isn’t lacking in the power department as it packs a healthy 585 hp and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) straight from the factory. Posaidon fiddled with the 4.0-liter engine and managed to take output to a staggering 940 hp and a mountain-moving 1,278 Newton-meters (943 pound-feet) of torque. Squeezing out so much power over the standard V8 wasn’t easy, but the tuner swapped out the original turbochargers for a custom pair and also installed a new exhaust system. Posaidon spent some time tweaking the cylinder heads, intake, and cooling, but the ace up the G63’s sleeve is in the cargo area. That’s where the additional tank was installed to feed the water/methanol injection system for extra boost pressure to reach those spectacular horsepower and torque figures. It goes without saying the tuner also had to fiddle with the ECU by optimizing the software in order to get along with the immense output increase. Speaking of software, the top speed is electronically governed to 174 mph (280 km/h), which is mighty impressive for a vehicle with the drag coefficient of a brick.

Three Premiership clubs to take a knee this weekend as part of new ‘Rugby Against Racism’ campaign All 12 clubs will show their support for the campaign with each club allowed to choose how it will demonstrate their anti-racism message Harlequins, Leicester Tigers and Wasps will take a knee this weekend as Premiership rugby resumes, with the sport launching the ‘Rugby Against Racism’ campaign as it returns to action following a five-month hiatus. All 12 Premiership clubs have committed to showing their opposition towards racism, though each side has been allowed to discuss and choose how they want to convey that message, while a working group has been set-up comprising a number of black players from the Premiership, as well as ex-Harlequins and England player Ugo Monye and former England Women’s Sevens coach James Bailey. "Together, we the players stand united in the fight against racism, and we are proud to support the positive message that Black Lives Matter,” the working group said in a statement endorsed by Premiership Rugby. “We are not endorsing a political ideology. We are uniting as players to combat racial discrimination, in our sport and in society #BlackLivesMatter.” However, only three clubs have committed to taking a knee before kick-off this weekend, with the players of Quins, Leicester and Wasps deciding that it is the best way of showing their support for the anti-racism movement. The nine other clubs have announced varying ways to form their anti-racism gesture, ranging from standing in a heart, huddle or V formation to wearing anti-racism shirts before the game begins. Football’s Premier League saw every player take a knee before kick-off of all 92 games that were played following the sport’s resumption, with both the England and West Indies cricket players doing the same before all three Tests of their recent series. However, the gesture has been divisive in Formula One, with 14 of the 20 drivers taking a knee before the first Grand Prix of the season last month, with that number since reducing to 13 following the two recent races at Silverstone. Here’s how each club intends to honour the ‘Rugby Against Racism’ campaign this weekend: Bath Rugby: Will show their commitment to Racial Equality at the weekend, forming a huddle in unity shortly before kick-off. Premiership Rugby has also vowed to work towards five key points that will help to increase diversity across the sport, with the magnifying glass put on the pathways that lead to coaching, officiating and executive roles. It will aim to increase the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic (Bame) players on the RFU Level three coach education and referee course, with directors of rugby and match officials set to assist in a mentoring role, while staff and Bame players will be sponsored as candidates for the Sporting Equals LeaderBoard programme. They will also carry out a review of current recruitment practices to ensure that any future progress can be tracked, and will engage with current Bame players to build protocols that ensure all players from any background feel safe and protected within the sport. The successful Project Rugby campaign will also continue to offer the provision of rugby to young children from Bame backgrounds, having already introduced 13,500 to the sport in the last four years. "Improving inclusion is vital for the progress and po-pu-la-rity of our sport and there is an urgent need for change,” said Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs. “I wholeheartedly support the measures set out in our Rugby Against Racism programme, and will be making sure these measures underpin Premiership Rugby’s strategy to make a tangible positive difference in our sport and society."

53 Fun Things You Can Do This Weekend Get Moving 1. Go For a Walk: A brisk walk is healthy and can be a fascinating pursuit. 2. Go For a Run: It’s free and great exercise. 3. Learn to Juggle: This fun and healthy pastime is a great way to impress your friends, and Lifehack’s guide can teach you the basics. 4. Go Swimming: Find your nearest leisure center and go for a swim. 5. Drum: You don’t need a drum kit – get some percussive objects and work out a groove. Just don’t blow anything up, like Keith Moon used to. 6. Dance: Turn on the radio, or stick on your iPod, and dance away to your favorite songs. 7. Community Sports: There are many community football, cricket, baseball or basketball teams you can join. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet new people whilst working out. Check Out Your Local Community 8. Watch Wildlife: Heading out to a local park, or into the countryside, is a free way to see nature in action. 9. Head to the Playground: Most communities provide a free park replete with a playground. Those swings and seesaws are fun no matter how old you are. 10. Do Some Gardening: Head into your garden! If you live in a flat in the city you can check supermarkets for indoor potato or tomato growing bags and herb gardens. 11. Car Boot Sales: Go to, or throw, a Car Boot Sale to interact with your community. 12. Check your Community Calendar: Visit your council’s website for details on upcoming events. 13. Join a Film or Book Club: Most film or literature fans will be able to find a weekly club. Here you’ll be able to meet like-minded people and discuss your hobby. 14. Visit Friends: Organize to meet with friends and spend the day talking and having fun. 15. Volunteer Work: Consider doing some volunteer work for a charity. As experience it can go on your CV, can introduce you to new people, and provide a welcome feel-good factor. 16. Visit Free Museums: Check your council’s official website for information about the free museums in your area. 17. Visit a Zoo or Wildlife Reserve: Visiting a local zoo or wildlife center is a terrific way to spend an afternoon – use a search engine to fine your nearest center. 18. Become a Dog Walker: Check locally to see if any busy neighbors need any of their pets walking, or put up an ad to be a dog walker. 19. Volunteer at a Race Track: Motor sport tracks always need marshals for their events. Volunteer to keep track safety at a premium. Stay Indoors 20. Make Some Bread: A simple, cheap, and educational practice, here’s how to bake a loaf. 21. Pop Some Corn: A very easy, fun, and delicious cooking experiment. This is how to make Popcorn. 22. Organize a Budget Food Contest: Have friends round with the rules of cooking something for under $10. Mark the results and reward the winner. 23. Netflix: Netflix.com is a very cheap online streaming video service. Sign up to watch amazing shows such as Breaking Bad and Arrested Development. 24. Free Films on YouTube: Typing “Full Movie” into a YouTube search brings up dozens of free films to watch. Check Rotten Tomatoes to gauge if they’re any good. 25. Go On a YouTube Marathon: It’s an amazing resource for fun and creative videos; go on a wild search for the funniest videos you can find. 26. BBC iPlayer (Europe Only): Europeans can enjoy the BBC’s programmes thanks to the iPlayer Global app. David Attenborough, Top Gear, Horizon, and QI (amongst others) await you. 27. Play Free Online Games: There are hundreds of free online games you can play. Check Lifehack’s Relaxing Games guide for a start. 28. Search Wikipedia: Knowledge seekers can take advantage of this incredible free encyclopedia. Pick a random topic and you can spend hours finding out fascinating facts. 29. Craigslist/Freecycle: Search your local Craigslist or Freecycle for information on free events. Search for your localized version online. 30. Blog: If you want to write digitally you can start a blog (free on sites like WordPress) and connect with the world. 31. Have a Board Game Day: Want a break from the internet? Try these classics: Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Chess, Risk, Cluedo, Checkers, Battleship, or Snakes and Ladders. 32. Make a Homemade Pizza: Follow Lifehack’s guide to perfect this treat. Get Creative 33. Make a Paper Fortune Teller: Great fun for all ages, this simple activity creates you an amusing fortune teller. Follow this free guide and experiment away. 34. Play Pen and Pencil Games: Noughts and Crosses (tic-tac-toe), Hang Man, Battle Ships, and other classics can be easily played with a pencil and some paper. 35. Play the Sentence Game: Take it in turns to write a sentence on a piece of paper. Fold the paper over after you’ve finished, and then supply one word on the next line for the following person. You can make some hilarious stories this way. 36. Make a Kite: Build a homemade kite to fly somewhere! 37. Have a Go at Origami: This traditional Japanese art form involves paper and skill – learn how to master it with websites such as Origami Instructions. 38. Draw: All you need is a pencil or crayons and some paper, then let your imagination run wild. 39. Write a Letter: Letter writing is a forgotten art. It’s more personal to write a letter to a friend or relative, and it’s always nice to receive one back. 40. Raid Pinterest for DIY Ideas: Pinterest offers a myriad of ideas for design work. Have a look and see what you can make out of trash or cheap supplies. 41. Volunteer at Your Local Theater: You can see if they take volunteers, such as ushers, for some additional experience. 42. Audition for a Play: Take things a step further and audition for a local play. 43. Creative Writing: A computer, or pen and paper, is all you need to be a writer. You don’t need to be Hemingway, just write whatever enters your head. Have fun with kids 44. Play Hide and Seek: This is a terrific way to entertain your children, but it’s also fun if you’re adults with a gleefully immature streak! 45. Hopscotch: Teach your kids how to play this classic game, or relive your youth by having a go again. Here’s a basic guide. 46. Build a Fort: The chances are you have a duvet or sofa. Cardboard boxes are also useful. Construct a mini-fort for yourself and your family and enjoy being childish for a day. 47. Have a Kip: A 20 minute sleep can do wonders for your day, restoring energy and waking you up. 48. DIY or Cleaning: Fix a wonky shelf, clean the flat, or wash your bedding. It burns calories and provides a feel good factor. 49. Make Bubbles: You can go about this in different ways (such as buying a solution from a store), although you can make bubbles with household products. Learn Something New 50. Listen to the Radio or Podcasts: Purchase a cheap radio, if you don’t already have one, and enjoy some free entertainment. It’s an often forgotten, but very enjoyable, service. 51. Read: Reading is a great accompaniment to your life. Head to your local library for classics, and here’s a list of 20 books for inspiration. 52. Learn a Foreign Language: Nothing is stopping you from taking up French, Japanese, Italian etc. Try Babbel or Verbalplanet for a wide range of language courses. 53. Take an Online Course: You can learn anything you like at Coursera and Teachable. Just explore all the skills or interesting things you’d like to learn more about and take one of those courses.

Well-wishers help Madras Crocodile Bank avoid a financial crisis during pandemic Two days after media reports talked of a financial crisis looming at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpatology, its director Allwin Jesudasan told Mint that the sanctuary was “coping amazingly well" after well-wishers and wildlife conservationists stepped in with aid over the past few months. The Madras Crocodile Bank was set up in 1976 by Romulus Whittaker, a US-born herpetologist. Set in an 8-acre campus on the outskirts of Chennai, it is home to over 2,000 reptiles, including includes snakes, lizards, turtles and 17 species of crocodiles. Every year it attracts nearly 4.5 lakh visitors from across India and beyond. Since mid-March, the government of India banned visitors to zoos and wildlife sanctuaries to prevent the spread of covid-19. The sudden dip in footfall, said a report by Reuters on 10 August, meant the crocodile park missed out on nearly Rs1.4 crore in ticket sales. Reuters had also quoted Jesudasan saying that their funding status allowed them to stay functional only for “another three or four months." In an email interview with Mint on 12 August, Jesudasan said he was “terribly misquoted". He did not elaborate on what the error was. But in the month of May, he said, the Bank had launched a fundraiser for the upkeep and functioning of the sanctuary and received a “spectacular" response. The website of the Bank does acknowledge a funding crunch, however. “Our senior staff has taken a voluntary 10-50% pay cut on their salaries and we have cut down our activities to just the critical ones, all to cut costs while simultaneously ensuring that our animals remain well cared for," it says. But, overall, said Jesudasan, "we are coping amazingly well with the covid-19 situation," he said. “In this regard, I have to emphasize that you should not carry any negative title just to ‘hook’ the audience." What are the challenges you have faced in managing the Bank post lockdown? Luckily for us, all our local staff are from the opposite village and so there was no issue of local travel. In the beginning, there was a lack of clarity on whether zoos were allowed to operate under lockdown. Fortunately, the Central Zoo Authority acted swiftly to have the Ministry of Home Affairs issue a clarification that Zoo Operations would be added to the list of essential services. Once this was issued, there were absolutely no issues with things such as food transport. What are the kinds of expenses incurred in managing the crocodile sanctuary? The big expenses for us are food for animals and staff salaries. Pre-lockdown, about 50% of all our expenses were met through ticket income. The remaining used to come from other sources such as donations, CSR grants, and so on. How did the funds-crunch impact your operations? The fund crunch did not greatly impact the operations. We quickly ran a fundraising campaign and several donors came forward to help us. Even now several donors have pledged their support and so we are confident of seeing this through. Fortunately, the Croc Bank has a huge pool of well-wishers, because of our contributions to conservation. Did it impact the reptile residents' care and upkeep? Absolutely not! Reptile care and husbandry is our top priority and we continue to give top-quality care. How about the research and other activities you ran at the bank? We have temporarily suspended our volunteer activities. Most of the volunteers were involved in various research projects. Other than the volunteering activity, all other activities continue to function. What are the options you've explored to regenerate revenue? As mentioned before, we ran a fundraising campaign and we had a good response. Government departments are very supportive and if there is ever a crisis, we are confident that they will help us out. How has the response been to your appeal for donations? We ran a big campaign in mid-May. The response was spectacular. Even though the objective was to raise funds for meeting operational expenses for three months, the interest that it generated meant that we got enough to cover us operational expenses for several months. Apart from this, several donors have pledged their support to us and so we are confident of coming out of this crisis a lot stronger. Are you in favour of easing the movement restrictions and allowing visitors inside the crocodile bank? Even if the government allows zoos to open, we will open the park to the public only when we are absolutely sure that our staff are not at undue risk. When the park opens, we will follow whatever protocol the government sets, such as checking temperature, providing hand sanitizers. Educational boards will be installed to reiterate the importance of maintaining social distance, wearing masks, and so on. Apart from this we will only allow a certain number of people in the park at an instant so that we can enforce social distancing norms.

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Google improves document, food scanning on app for visually impaired Google announced a boost to its Lookout app that will further assist visually impaired or blind users. Lookout allows users to point their camera at objects and then tell them what it sees. And it lets users scan text and have it read back to them. The two new features are Scan Document and Food Labels. Food Label allows users to quickly identify products on store shelves by reading text, identifying images and scanning barcodes. This means visually impaired shoppers can not only find what they are looking for more easily, but can obtain important details concerning nutritional contents, expiration dates, and other relevant notifications marked on product labels. The app will guide users to focus on the most relevant sections of the product, nudging them to change the camera angle if they zero in on the wrong spot. Scan Document will make it easier to navigate documents such as letters and instructions. Paired with Talkback, Android's screen reader that provides spoken feedback as well as audible and vibration cues, users can now more easily scan long documents. Google provided more screen real estate for the camera view, thus allowing users to capture a greater document area with more ease. Other changes include improvement to the app's layout. Navigation is now easier and quicker as users can scroll between modes at the bottom of the screen. Other features make Lookout a must-have app for users with impaired vision. Quick Read will read back short snippets of text on signs or posters. The update makes Quick Read even quicker. The Currency option will detect the denomination of cash, even if the bill is folded. Currently, only American bills are recognized. And Explore will identify objects in a room as the user points the camera at them. The update to Lookout, an app introduced last year on all Pixel phones, broadens the range of phones that can utilize Lookout. All Android devices with at least 2 GB running Android 6.0 or higher can run the app. The app also expanded the number of languages that can be used: In addition to English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian are now supported. "Expanding this app to more people and devices is part of our commitment to make the world's information universally accessible and to build helpful products with and for people with disabilities," said Scott Adams, product manager for Google's Accessibility Engineering. There are numerous other apps available for people requiring visual assistance. LookTel Money Reader identifies currency and speaks the denomination. It supports 21 currencies, requires no internet connection and is available on iOS devices. Ariadne GPS works with Google maps to provide talking maps that not only provide direction, but alert users to traffic signals and to approaching stops on trains and buses. Dolphin Easy Reader for Android devices lets users browse and download from a massive collection of talking book and newspaper libraries. It will also read email and documents on the phone. For help with identifying colors, Color ID for iOS will say the names of colors the camera is pointing at, even specific shades and hues.

Thermaltake Tt Esports Nemesis Switch MMO Mouse It wouldn’t be surprising to come across the Thermaltake TT Esports Nemesis Switch in your search for the best gaming mouse for tackling MOBA / MMO titles. After all, it sports a quality build and a decent price of $50 as of writing. While Thermaltake’s TT Esports brand succeeded in making a mouse that feels great, the Nemesis Switch’s unique design, which allows you to physically rearrange its 12-button macro bank to make your preferred 8 buttons usable, seems to be a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. The Nemesis Switch has the fundamentals down, but its key feature makes it stand out from the pack in ways that aren’t all positive. Design and Comfort The Nemesis Switch is an interesting take on the by-now familiar MMO/MOBA mouse design, featuring an array of programmable buttons mounted to the left side of its body. But the Nemesis Switch sets itself apart from similar mice, like the Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite and Logitech G600, by giving users the ability to switch out the button layout on the side panel. To do so, you pull out a release mounted on the bottom of the mouse that allows rotation of the buttons in a manner similar to a combination lock. Once the desired layout is dialed in, the pull-out tab on the bottom of the mouse can be snapped back in to lock the buttons in place. There are 12 programmable buttons in the macro bank, but only 8 max are viewable at a time. Mouse functions are stored after you set the keybinding. This is nice because if you rotate a key out of use, the mouse will still remember the functions when you rotate it back into use later because you’re never really detaching any buttons. At 4.37 x 3.48 x 1.53 inches and 3.95 ounces, the Nemesis Switch is a large, heavy mouse, but on par with other MMO / MOBA pointers. For comparison, the Razer Naga Trinity is 4.69 x 2.91 x 1.69 inches and 4.23 ounces, and Corsair’s Scimitar is 4.70 x 3.03 x 1.67 inches and 4.30 ounces. The Nemesis Switch has a shape that will be familiar to users of Razer’s Deathadder line, but with the addition of a wide, flat thumb rest on the left side. The thumb rest makes reaching for the side buttons comfortable and easy while also enabling a sure grip. A profile switching button sits directly under the scroll wheel. That positioning makes it easy to change profiles accidentally, particularly if you’re used to a dedicated CPI selection button being in the same spot. The primary mouse buttons are mechanical Omron switches that have a satisfyingly tactile feel. The same cannot be said of the side buttons which, while responsive, are not mechanical and feel spongy. Not only do the side buttons lack the snappiness of the primary buttons, they also require significantly more force to actuate. While this did prevent accidental clicks during use, it made actually pressing them on purpose distinctly unsatisfying. While TT Esports states that the Nemesis Switch is ideal for all grip types, we feel that the mouse has a bit too much height and all around girthiness to comfortably facilitate a claw style grip. If you get a Nemesis Switch, you’ll be better off employing a palm grip for maximum comfort. Gaming Performance The Nemesis Switch is designed for MMO/MOBA games, so I spent a lot of time with DOTA 2 while this mouse was in my possession. Assigning abilities and items to the side buttons made for noticeably more efficient play, and the weighty feel was just right. For those accustomed to heavier mice, the Nemesis Switch will feel great. But if your preference lies with lightweight pointers, long sessions with this mouse could cause fatigue. While the ‘on-the-fly’ button layout switching capability of the Nemesis Switch is certainly novel, it didn’t really come into the picture during gameplay, as there’s not enough time to make such changes mid-game. Instead, this feature is more useful if you want to set up different layouts for different games. Ultimately, I’d rather have all 12 buttons of the macro bank accessible at all times instead of the ability to adjust it to position 8 to my liking. Sometimes, more is more. Corsair’s Scimitar, Logitech’s G600 and Razer’s Naga Trinity all have banks with 12 buttons that are always usable. Tt Esports could have also provided a 12-button bank and offered more functionality, even if it wasn’t adjustable. But that’s not even my major issue with the Nemesis Switch. No, that honor goes to the lack of a CPI button. You could set a different CPI to each profile and then toggle profiles via the button south of the scroll wheel. However, that’s cumbersome to set up, as you have to manually assign every keybinding for each profile. You could speed up the process of making these adjustments by exporting your first profile and then importing it into the other profile slots, making only CPI changes needed. But that’s still a complicated workaround. Another option is to enable CPI adjustments on the fly is to sacrifice one of the side buttons. But in games like Dota 2 that rely on an eight button layout, this is a significant problem. The mouse’s left, right and scroll wheel buttons are also programmable. The lack of a dedicated CPI button also makes the Nemesis Switch less versatile. First-person shooter (FPS) titles load players up with varying weapons options where use of a dedicated sensitivity adjustment button is much more important than it is in MOBAs or MMOs. When I brought the Nemesis Switch over to an FPS battlefield, I liked programming every weapon to a key in the macro bank. But without a dedicated CPI button on the mouse for twitching, I had to move away from my gaming keyboard’s WASD keys or use the scroll wheel for weapon hunting, which I find inefficient. Again, this could’ve been addressed with different CPI settings per profile and using the profile switch button, but that’s complicated, as mentioned. Notably, the profile switching button, located directly under the scroll wheel, can be very easy to mis-click. Users have the option to bump the Nemesis Switch’s Polling rate up to 2,000 Hz from the standard 1000hz, but doing so didn’t noticeably improve how the mouse performed during my testing. The Nemesis Switch’s Pixart PMW3360 sensor is very accurate and tracked well, even during lift off. Whether playing DOTA 2, Doom Eternal or CS:GO, the optical sensor proved reliable, although the mouse’s design certainly favors MOBAs and MMOs over FPS titles.

What's the Difference Between a Fruit and a Vegetable? Dead center of the overlapping region sits the tomato. So, why is it a fruit, and why is it a vegetable? Botanically speaking, a fruit is a seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant, whereas vegetables are all other plant parts, such as roots, leaves and stems. By those standards, seedy outgrowths such as apples, squash and, yes, tomatoes are all fruits, while roots such as beets, potatoes and turnips, leaves such as spinach, kale and lettuce, and stems such as celery and broccoli are all vegetables. [Why Are Bananas Berries, But Strawberries Aren't?] The outlook is quite different in culinary terms, however. A lot of foods that are (botanically speaking) fruits, but which are savory rather than sweet, are typically considered vegetables by chefs. This includes such botanical fruits as eggplants, bell peppers and tomatoes. The fruit vs. vegetable debate can sometimes reach such a fever pitch that the law must step in. In the 1893 United States Supreme Court case Nix. v. Hedden, the court rule unanimously that an imported tomato should be taxed as a vegetable, rather than as a (less taxed) fruit. The court acknowledged that a tomato is a botanical fruit, but went with what they called the "ordinary" definitions of fruit and vegetable — the ones used in the kitchen.

Splinter Cell's Sam Fisher Is Rainbow Six Siege's Next Operator The star of the Splinter Cell series, which has been quiet for years, will be a playable character in another Tom Clancy series. Sam Fisher is coming to Rainbow Six Siege. The star of the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series will join as a playable operator in a fellow Tom Clancy series as part of its forthcoming Operation Shadow Legacy update. Details on how he'll function in Siege--each operator has their own distinct gadgets that make them unique--have yet to be revealed. The teaser trailer below may feature some hints as to what to expect; we see night vision kick in at one point, although Fisher himself is not wearing his signature goggles. However, an accompanying piece of key art does show those trademark green dots on his forehead, with light pouring in through three holes in the floor. That's likely to tie in to whatever he brings to the table in the game. Toward the end of the teaser trailer, we see that his operator name may be "Zero" in Siege. A full reveal for Shadow Legacy is planned for this Sunday, August 16, during Siege's North American Mini Major Finals. Those will be streamed on the Rainbow Six Twitch account. If Ubisoft sticks with its usual rollout, Fisher will be one of two new operators introduced in this update. While certainly exciting, the addition of Fisher may come as somewhat bittersweet for Splinter Cell fans. The series has been dormant for years now, with the last core game being 2013's Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Fisher has popped up since then, most notably in mobile game Tom Clancy's Elite Squad and as part of an update in yet another Tom Clancy game, Ghost Recon Breakpoint (following his appearance in Ghost Recon Wildlands). Ubisoft has suggested that the Splinter Cell series is not dead, but it has not announced any firm plans for a new entry.

Microsoft debuts Open Service Mesh Microsoft will turn over control of its new service mesh to a group specializing in cloud native open source software support. The new service is called Open Service Mesh (OSM) and it is designed to assist companies with coordination of microservices. Such services are rapidly becoming po[CENSORED]r in business circles, allowing developers to create smaller, simpler task-specific apps as part of larger operations. The individual apps can be modified and updated more quickly than if their services were part of a single huge operational program. As Red Hat defined service mesh: "Like the open source project Istio, [a service mesh operation] is a way to control how different parts of an application share data with one another. Unlike other systems for managing this communication, a service mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer built right into an app." Microsoft said OSM will be open source and management of its operations will soon be transferred to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). The CNCF, according to its mission statement, "builds sustainable ecosystems and fosters communities to support the growth and health of cloud native open source software." The move comes in the midst of controversy over mesh operations. Google's recent decision to hand over the trademark of its open source Istio mesh project to an organization created by Google rather than to an already established open source groups angered some in the open source community. They are concerned about future restrictions on their right to use the Istio name on projects that may stem from the mesh service. Google had earlier promised to move control of Istio to CNCF, but earlier this month instead transferred the trademark to Open Usage Commons, a group created by Google the same week. Microsoft's latest move is seen as a means of earning good will from alienated Istio users. Google's Istio is the most well-known mesh service, but other players such as Kong Inc.'s Kuma and Bouyant Inc.'s Linkerd and Citrix Service Mesh are vying for a piece of the lucrative mesh pie. Gabe Monroy, a director of product management at Microsoft Azure, called Microsoft's new Open Service Mesh a lighter-weight, easier-to-learn version of Istio. The Google mesh system is considered quite complex and more difficult to master. "What our customers have been telling us is that solutions that are out there today, Istio being a good example, are extremely complex," Monroy said. In its announcement last week, Microsoft said in a blog post, "OSM enables users to uniformly manage, secure and observe service-to-service communication in highly dynamic microservice environments. We hope for OSM to be a community-led project that it will spur collaboration on new and existing APIs for SMI [a standard interface for mesh services]."

Intel Promo Drops 9th Gen Coffee Lake CPU Pricing Up To 25 Percent Finding an Intel processor with a decent discount is certainly not something you see every day, so it's a bit surprising to see that prices on 9th-Gen processors have recently plummeted at several retailers. We followed up with Intel to see if this was the result of an official price cut, or if retailers were just independently discounting the chips to clear their stock of the previous-gen chips. Intel responded to Tom's Hardware with this statement: “Promotional price drops are one of the ways we work with our partners to continue supporting the strong market demand for high performance processors in the DIY segment.” That means this is an official promotion from Intel, which is rare – typically its previous-gen chips hold their value well in the retail market. Intel didn't give us any more details on the promotion, such as how long it would last or how many retailers are involved, and the company certainly isn't advertising that it has reduced pricing on its chips. The price cuts aren't listed on the company's official price list, either. However, that doesn't mean that enthusiasts on a budget can't find some decently-priced chips if they're looking for a last-gen Intel processor. Of course, you should also be sure to check the recent chip rankings and our guide to the Best CPUs to see if there are better alternatives available – particularly from AMD. The price cuts make sense for a few reasons – It's logical to assume they help address competitive pressure from AMD's Ryzen lineup that often offers the lowest per-core pricing available, and Intel also launched its 10th Generation Comet Lake-S offerings back in April. Despite the recent launch, word around town is that the 11th Generation Rocket Lake lineup is due for Q4 2020 or Q1 2021. So, it's easy to see why retailers would want to get rid of leftover Coffee Lake inventory, especially since the processors live on the previous LGA1151 platform that will likely go out of circulation very soon. So far, the price drops seem to be the most pronounced for the Coffee Lake K-series chips, consisting of the Core i9-9900K, Core i7-9700K, and Core i5-9600K. The Core i9-9900K was last generation's flagship model. The eight-core, 16-thread processor debuted with a MSRP between $488 and $499. The processor now sells for as low $434.99 at various retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Newegg. Next up in line we have the Core i7-9700K that also flaunts eight cores, but lacks Hyper-Threading. The octa-core part has a MSRP that ranges from $374 to $385. The processor can be yours today for just $339 at Amazon. The mid-range Core i5-9600K is part of the Coffee Lake bargains as well. The recommended pricing for the hexa-core chip is within the $262.00 and $263.00 range. Nonetheless, the Core i5-9600K will only set you back $194.99 at Amazon or Best Buy.