Revo

The strategic partnership between Samsung and AMD raised eyebrows when it was officially confirmed back in June 2019. So far, the fruits of the partnership have been somewhat underwhelming. However, the pair must see a better future together, as Samsung has decided to extend its AMD Radeon licensing deal with a new multi-year agreement(opens in new tab). After a long wait, we started to see Samsung Exynos processors with AMD Radeon graphics featuring in devices. Specifically, Samsung leveraged RDNA 2 architecture cores, the same as featured in the Radeon 6000 series of graphics chips for PCs, and both the Microsoft Xbox Series and Sony PlayStation 5 consoles. Despite its PC and console pedigree, the RDNA 2 architecture didn’t scale to lower power scenarios well enough, it seems. Thus, Samsung’s Exynos 2200 SoC with AMD RDNA2-based Xclipse graphics processor was >40% slower in 3DMark gaming benchmark tests (Wild Life) compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Sister publication Tom’s Guide looked at how these two processors compared in more detail via a Galaxy S22 Plus smartphone battle. The Adreno easily outclassed the Radeon at the very low power levels sipped by a mobile SoC. Later in 2022, we saw Samsung reconfirm its commitment to the RDNA 2 architecture, but unlike today, no timescales were set out. Circling back to today’s statement, coming directly from Samsung, and the agreement with AMD is specifically “a multi-year agreement extension.” It is hoped over the years / generations, that Samsung will “bring console-level graphics quality and optimized power consumption to more mobile devices, offering an incredibly immersive and long-lasting gaming experience.” What more should we expect in future generation Xclipse mobile GPUs? In addition to the general boasts about performance, it is hinted that the team that “brought ray tracing capability to mobile processors for the first time” will drive further innovation in the mobile graphics space. We think that probably means shuffling over some of the advancements made on PCs to smart devices, but remember that ray tracing and VSR are already supported by Xclipse. Often new mobile SoCs boast of AI acceleration, so sophisticated FSR-style upscaling in the mobile space seems like a promising proposition, among several others. There already seems to have been some work done on FSR for mobiles, and it helps that the technology is open source.

An amplifier is the beating heart of your hi-fi system, the interface between signal sources and loudspeakers – whatever is lost at this point is lost forever. Conversely, whatever is introduced is amplified. And if you choose a set of the best stereo speakers, it'll be played and enjoyed by you, at its best. There is a distinctive mood of most Copland amplifiers – high-end but not about to show it off; almost brutalist. But with the new flagship CTA407 tube amplifier, I can see that the Danish audio specialist has augmented what it calls its traditional "luxurious puritanism" just a little, introducing a suite of electronics to support the audio stages of the amplifier. There are 40 LED diodes on the front panel (10 for each tube) for a start – a key visual feature of the CTA407 tube bias and diagnostic system. And yes, the LEDs can be turned off if you don’t want to read the status of your power tubes on the fly, or you're worried about noise interference (you dedicated audiophile, you). The CTA407 is a valve-based design supplied with two matched pairs of 6550 output valves. The amp is rated at 50W per channel in high-biased Class A/AB mode, delivering most of its power in Class A state. All of which is a roundabout way of saying it has the power to drive a wide range of speakers with ease. The amp is also compatible with KT88, KT90, KT100, KT120 and KT150 valves, with automatic adjustment between valve types. The CTA407 employs five line-level inputs, including a tape monitor loop (notice one of those in the recent John Wick: Chapter 4 movie?) and a built-in RIAA phono circuit accommodating moving magnet and moving coil cartridges – so connectivity to the best turntables is onboard. Analysis: it's a crowded market, but Copland's new flagship integrated amplifier looks impressive on paper Copland CTA407 amplifier inside cross-section on white background The Copland CTA407 is a direct development of the CTA405 amplifier, an object of desire for audiophiles worldwide since its launch more than a decade ago, so it's from strong stock… and I would absolutely love to hear what it can do. Add to this the fact that the CTA407 uses a motor-driven volume control and can be fully operated by the Copland RC102A remote control and it's a tempting proposition indeed. It promises an "extraordinarily accurate reproduction of music without tending towards listening fatigue, featuring strong dynamics and wide flexibility in the choice of speakers" and really here, it's speaking to the converted – although I haven't officially reviewed it, I have heard the Copland CSA70 and enjoyed its clarity and precision for its size. Not since the outrageous audio products I saw at High-End Munich has a new flagship amplifier intrigued me quite so much on paper, anyway. I'm waiting on US and Australian pricing, but I do know that where I live (apologies for being selfish) it'll set me back a cool £6,500… one to put on the wish-list then.

The refreshed Volvo C40 Recharge Twin is claimed to have a WLTP range of 342 miles, following official tests by the Swedish firm. It will arrive later this year, along with its refreshed Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin sibling, which is claimed to have 334 miles of range. The 64-mile improvements are thanks to a larger 82kWh battery and improved cooling efficiency. The Twin models also get more poke, up 8bhp to 408bhp, thanks to a 147bhp motor at the front and a 254bhp motor at the rear. They previously had a 200bhp electric motor on both axles. The single-motor variants get a range boost too, with the standard C40 Recharge now achieving 297 miles ( and the standard XC40 Recharge 290 miles (up 26 miles). Switching from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive has boosted efficiency, with the pair now capable of achieving 3.7mpkWh, up from 3.3mpkWh. The standard models get a 234bhp powertrain using the first electric motor to be developed by Volvo in-house. This replaces the 228bhp motor introduced in 2019. The update also includes a faster charging rate for the XC40 Recharge Twin, reducing the 10-80% time by nine minutes to 28 minutes when using a 200kW DC rapid-charger. This matches the charging time of the smaller-battery standard models, which keep the same 150kW maximum charging speed. All of the new EVs are now available to order. The Twin models will enter production next month, before the single-motor variants arrive in the autumn. Volvo will soon introduce EX90 and EX30 electric SUVs, with the EX30 designed to attract younger buyers to the brand as it continues to reinvent itself for the electric age. The EX90 will arrive in 2024 as a flagship rival to the BMW iX, with a 360-mile range and a £96,255 starting price. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/volvo-c40-refresh-bring-boosted-342-miles-range

Rabat - Morocco’s King Mohammed VI attended the opening of a new psychosocial care center at the Ibn Rochd University Hospital in Casablanca. The new wing focused on mental health care was funded by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity at a cost of around MAD 10.5 million ($1 million) . The center aims to provide care for patients suffering from mental disabilities caused by serious and chronic mental illnesses, with a focus on reducing the negative impact of their disability and promoting their social and professional reintegration. The 2,100 square meter center, part pf the Ibn Rochd University Psychiatric Center, includes a therapeutic unit with psychology, psychiatry, occupational therapy, and functional evaluation rooms, as well as a socio-educational unit with multipurpose rooms and workshops for cooking-therapy, plastic arts, pottery, hairdressing-aesthetics, and computers. Through thematic workshops patients are encouraged to become aware of their emotions, improve their concentration, stimulate their imagination and creativity, regain self-confidence, participate in their social and professional integration, identify possible blocks, and provide them with a group experience that promotes communication. The center includes administrative facilities, training rooms, physical and artistic expression rooms, sports facilities, a library, a cafeteria, a laundry room, and reception and relaxation areas. With the capacity to treat 1,300 patients annually, the center aims to break down common isolation caused by mental illness, and help patients develop their relational abilities, acquire certain professional skills, and improve their sense of well-being. To accomplish its mission, the center has five medical specialists, three psychiatrists and two neuro-psychologists, seven mental health nurses, and a support staff composed of seven trainers providing courses in hairdressing, computer science, cooking, sports, theater, pottery, and art therapy. This project is part of the Foundation's action plan aimed at supporting the national healthcare sector by expanding the medical services on offer, improving access to care for the most deprived po[CENSORED]tions, and integrating a complementary social approach in the care provided to patients and beneficiaries. The Foundation has undertaken several other medical and social initiatives aimed at reinforcing healthcare services in the region, including the creation of local medical centers in the Sidi Moumen district and Errahma, as well as specific local medical centers in the Sidi Othmane and Moulay Rachid districts. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/04/354855/king-mohammed-vi-opens-psychosocial-care-center-in-casablanca

Music Title: Baby Gang - Mentalité RMX Feat. Ashe 22 [Official Lyric Video] Signer: Baby Gang & Ashe 22 Release Date: 30/03/2023 Official Youtube Link:

Name of the game: Way of the Hunter Price: $26.79 Link Store: Here Offer ends up after X hours:Offer ends 10 April Requirements: MINIMALE : Système d'exploitation et processeur 64 bits nécessaires Système d'exploitation : 64bit OS - Windows 10 Processeur : AMD Ryzen 3 3100 / Intel Core i3-8100 Mémoire vive : 8 GB de mémoire Graphiques : GeForce GTX 960 / Radeon R9 380 DirectX : Version 11 Espace disque : 19 GB d'espace disque disponible RECOMMANDÉE : Système d'exploitation et processeur 64 bits nécessaires Système d'exploitation : 64bit OS - Windows 10 Processeur : Intel i7 quad-core Mémoire vive : 16 GB de mémoire Graphiques : NVidia GTX 2070 Super 8GB VRAM DirectX : Version 11 Espace disque : 19 GB d'espace disque disponible

Nvidia just published some new performance numbers for its H100 compute GPU in MLPerf 3.0, the latest version of a prominent benchmark for deep learning workloads. The Hopper H100 processor not only surpasses its predecessor A100 in time-to-train measurements, but it's gaining performance thanks to software optimizations. In addition, Nvidia also revealed early performance comparisons of its compact L4 compact compute GPU to its predecessor, the T4 GPU. Nvidia first published H100 test results obtained in the MLPerf 2.1 benchmark back in September 2022, revealing that its flagship compute GPU can beat its predecessor A100 by up to 4.3–4.4 times in various inference workloads. The newly released performance numbers obtained in MLPerf 3.0 not only confirm that Nvidia's H100 is faster than its A100 (no surprise), but reaffirms that it is also tangibly faster than Intel's recently released Xeon Platinum 8480+ (Sapphire Rapids) processor as well as NeuChips's ReccAccel N3000 and Qualcomm's Cloud AI 100 solutions in a host of workloads These workloads include image classification (ResNet 50 v1.5), natural language processing (BERT Large), speech recognition (RNN-T), medical imaging (3D U-Net), object detection (RetinaNet), and recommendation (DLRM). Nvidia makes the point that not only are its GPUs faster, but they have better support across the ML industry — some of the workloads failed on competing solutions. There is a catch with the numbers published by Nvidia though. Vendors have the option to submit their MLPerf results in two categories: closed and open. In the closed category, all vendors must run mathematically equivalent neural networks, whereas in the open category they can modify the networks to optimize their performance for their hardware. Nvidia's numbers only reflect the closed category, so optimizations Intel or other vendors can introduce to optimize performance of their hardware are not reflected in these group results. Software optimizations can bring huge benefits to modern AI hardware, as Nvidia's own example shows. The company's H100 gained anywhere from 7% in recommendation workloads to 54% in object detection workloads with in MLPerf 3.0 vs MLPerf 2.1, which is a sizeable performance uplift. Referencing the explosion of ChatGPT and similar services, Dave Salvator, Director of AI, Benchmarking and Cloud, at Nvidia, writes in a blog post: "At this iPhone moment of AI, performance on inference is vital... Deep learning is now being deployed nearly everywhere, driving an insatiable need for inference performance from factory floors to online recommendation systems." In addition to reaffirming that its H100 is inference performance king in MLPerf 3.0, the company also gave a sneak peek on performance of its recently released AD104-based L4 compute GPU(opens in new tab). This Ada Lovelace-powered compute GPU card comes in a single-slot low-profile form-factor to fit into any server, yet it delivers quite formidable performance: up to 30.3 FP32 TFLOPS for general compute and up to 485 FP8 TFLOPS (with sparsity). Nvidia only compared its L4 to one of its other compact datacenter GPUs, the T4. The latter is based on the TU104 GPU featuring the Turing architecture from 2018, so it's hardly surprising that the new GPU is 2.2–3.1 times faster than the predecessor in MLPerf 3.0, depending on the workload. "In addition to stellar AI performance, L4 GPUs deliver up to 10x faster image decode, up to 3.2x faster video processing, and over 4x faster graphics and real-time rendering performance," Salvator wrote. Without doubt, the benchmark results of Nvidia's H100 and L4 compute GPUs — which are already offered by major systems makers and cloud service providers — look impressive. Still, keep in mind that we are dealing with benchmark numbers published by Nvidia itself rather than independent tests.

Sony's latest patent might just be the strangest yet: a DualSense heat dispenser that changes temperature based on in-game environments. It sounds like something straight out of a poorly researched sci-fi flick, but the PS5 manufacturer's done the legwork and registered a patent(opens in new tab) for its latest idea. That being to add a "temperature control apparatus" to the DualSense controller. Or at least, a new controller like it. Sony would achieve this by replacing the DualSense's plastic shell with a special gel-like substance, which would better translate hot and cold temperatures to the controller's haptics (thanks, Push Square(opens in new tab)). Some example applications would be the controller heating up in warmer biomes like deserts or around volcanoes. Conversely, exploring arctic climates or opening a fridge could cool the controller down for added immersion. If it sounds like an impossible idea, that's because it is. Well, sort of. The tech involved would require the development of an entirely new controller; it's certainly not something Sony could implement with a simple firmware update. Developers would also need to be on board with taking time to implement the tech into their games, which would no doubt require a whole lot of effort. Lastly, a controller fitted with a smart heat dispenser would most likely be incredibly expensive. If you thought the DualSense Edge or PSVR 2 were pricey, such an advanced controller could have them beat in that regard. You're hot and you're cold I'll admit that the fantasy of the idea is pretty enticing. Feeling the chill of God of War Ragnarok's snow-capped setting could add a much-needed layer of immersion to Kratos's latest adventure. On the other hand, the controller heating up during an intense firefight might help feed into the urgency of the moment. In reality, I think it's a horrible idea. The cost of the pad, and the device's drain on battery life, would far outweigh the novelty of actually using it. And when heating up, at best it'll give you unpleasantly clammy hands. And at worse, might even be a fire hazard. It's one idea I'm happy for Sony to keep on the shelf. The DualSense is already a brilliant controller, thanks in no small part to its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers bringing the best PS5 games to life. The last thing I'd want is to take frequent breaks because the controller has become uncomfortably warm or cold.

Mortgage lending in February fell to its lowest level since 2016, excluding the pandemic, the Bank of England has said. But the number of mortgages approved by lenders rose slightly, suggesting the slowdown may be stabilising. It comes as higher borrowing costs make buying property less affordable. Homeowners borrowed £700m in February, down from £2bn in January, the Bank said. That is the lowest level since April 2016 apart from the Covid crisis. However, mortgage approvals rose to their highest level for three months, climbing to 43,500 in February from 39,600 in January. Karen Noye, a mortgage expert at Quilter, suggested people were still in "wait-and-see" mode as borrowing costs remained high. But she said the rebound in approvals meant "green shoots might be appearing" in the housing market. "It's clear that home-buyers are cautiously returning back to the market in early 2023 after the huge shocks at the back end of last year made many put their house hunts on ice. How this all feeds through to house prices is yet to be seen." Mortgage rates began to rise last year as interest rates climbed, but they spiked in September after Liz Truss's mini-budget caused panic on financial markets. What happens if I can't afford to pay my mortgage? Rates have stabilised but remain much higher than they were a few years ago, squeezing people's purchasing power. It has fed through to house prices, which in the year to February saw their biggest annual fall in more than ten years, according to Nationwide. Nevertheless, the Bank of England forecast that fewer households were likely to struggle to afford mortgage payments this year than previously forecast due to falling energy prices. In December it warned 670,000 households could face difficulties. Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at Bestinvest, said buyers were going for smaller homes to reflect their budgets as the "cost-of-living crunch is still very real". "The cost pressures mean buyers simply cannot afford the same properties they could a year ago and must consider smaller or cheaper homes if they want to push ahead with a purchase at this time," she said. Advice to pension funds The mini-budget last autumn sparked market turmoil, with the Bank of England having to step in to stabilise pension funds. It bought up government debt to stop a fire-sale by some pension funds of assets which could have led to their collapse. On Wednesday, the Bank laid out a range of ways pension funds could protect themselves in future, to avoid another crisis. It urged the funds at the heart of last year's crisis - known as Liability Driven Investment funds - to have enough money to withstand a surge in government bond yields, as well as other measures. It came as the Bank of England's committee watching for financial risks said the UK economy had remained resilient, and banking system robust, despite global stresses. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65112278

The third project from Gordon Murray Automotive could continue to draw its power from a naturally aspirated V12 engine, pushing back the young firm’s first hybrid unit until Project Four. Speaking to Autocar, founder Gordon Murray said recent European exemptions to the 2035 new combustion cars ban – which allow car makers producing fewer than 1000 cars per year to continue sales (GMA plans to make around 100 cars) – opens the door to “squeezing out” another V12 model. “When we launched T33 [the Spider, pictured below], we said that was absolutely and categorically going to be the last non-hybrid car that we would make,” said Murray. “But of course, with these rule changes, we might even squeeze out another with Project Three.” The third project from Gordon Murray Automotive could continue to draw its power from a naturally aspirated V12 engine, pushing back the young firm’s first hybrid unit until Project Four. Speaking to Autocar, founder Gordon Murray said recent European exemptions to the 2035 new combustion cars ban – which allow car makers producing fewer than 1000 cars per year to continue sales (GMA plans to make around 100 cars) – opens the door to “squeezing out” another V12 model. “When we launched T33 [the Spider, pictured below], we said that was absolutely and categorically going to be the last non-hybrid car that we would make,” said Murray. “But of course, with these rule changes, we might even squeeze out another with Project Three.” https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/gordon-murray-plots-third-and-final-pure-v12-supercar

Rabat - With controversy surrounding the benching of Yassine Bounou in recent matches by Sevilla FC’s new head coach, reports have emerged that the Moroccan goalkeeper rejected several offers from big clubs following the 2022 Qatar World Cup, pledging his loyalty to his Spanish club instead. Germany’s Bayern Munich was among the clubs that had Bounou on their radar, but the Moroccan footballer was keen on staying with the Spanish club, sports outlet Relevo reported on Monday. The Spanish outlet said that Bayern Munich contacted Bounou to acquire his services and “cover the loss” of their starting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who sustained a leg injury while away on a skiing holiday in January. “The end of the year could have gone better... While trying to clear my head while ski touring I broke my lower leg,” said Neuer on social media, reassuring his fans that his operation “went very well.” However, he regretted not being able to play for the remainder of the season. “It hurts me to know that the current season is over for me,” the goalkeeper said. Faced with the urgent need to find a replacement for their main goalkeeper, the German club was keen on signing Bounou, who has been solid in Sevilla’s net over the past several seasons and produced spectacular saves with the Moroccan national team at the 2022 World Cup Qatar. With his stellar performances in Qatar, the Moroccan goalkeeper greatly contributed to the Atlas Lions’ World Cup success, helping Morocco become the first African and Arab country to reach the global tournament’s semi-finals. In response to Bayern Munich’s offer, Bounou reiterated his loyalty to Sevilla, especially since the club has been facing a tough campaign in La Liga, Spain’s top-tier football league. “The response was not as expected in Germany and was even surprising for all the parties involved in the operation, except for Bono himself,” Relevo said. Shortly after Bono rejected their offer, Bayern Munich announced the signing of Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Months later, Bounou lost his starting position in Sevilla to Serbian goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic, raising concerns among the Moroccan goalkeeper’s fans who questioned the Sevilla head coach’s decision. In response, Jose Luis Mendilibar, Sevilla’s newly-appointed manager, has suggested that his plans include playing both goalkeepers. “Dmitrovic is not my goalkeeper, they are both very good and Dmitrovic and Bono are going to play. Perhaps we have the best pair of goalkeepers in the League,” said Mendilibar. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/04/354834/yassine-bounou-said-no-to-bayern-munich-pledged-loyalty-to-sevilla

Music Title:JISOO - ‘꽃(FLOWER)’ M/V MAKING FILM Signer: JISOO Release Date: 04/04/2023 Official Youtube Link:

Name of the game: Mortal Shell Price: $7.49 Link Store: Here Offer ends up after X hours:Offer ends 10 April Requirements: MINIMALE : Système d'exploitation et processeur 64 bits nécessaires Système d'exploitation : Windows 7 SP1 or newer Processeur : Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 Mémoire vive : 8 GB de mémoire Graphiques : NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 Espace disque : 12 GB d'espace disque disponible RECOMMANDÉE : Système d'exploitation et processeur 64 bits nécessaires Système d'exploitation : Windows 10 Processeur : Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 Mémoire vive : 16 GB de mémoire Graphiques : NVIDIA GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 Espace disque : 12 GB d'espace disque disponibleystème d'exploitation et processeur 64 bits nécessaires Système d'exploitation : Windows 10 - 64 bit Processeur : Intel i7 or AMD equivalent (AMD FX 9500+ Series) Mémoire vive : 16 GB de mémoire Graphiques : NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater DirectX : Version 11 Réseau : connexion internet haut débit Espace disque : 10 GB d'espace disque disponible

After last week's World Backup Day, the deals on storage drives continue. We saw some impressive discounts on SSDs and external HDD drives primarily from Western Digital and today we have some fantastic discounts on Gen 4 SSDs from Samsung. Not to be outdone, Samsung has lowered the price of the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB to $179(opens in new tab). This a superb deal for the most recent of Samsungs Gen 4 M.2 SSDs as this drive pushes the boundaries of Gen 4's bandwidth speed with sequential read/write speeds of 7,450 and 6,900 MBps respectively. Newer Gen 5 SSDs are slowly trickling onto the playing field with even faster speeds, but unless you want to upgrade your PC to accommodate them, this is the next best thing - and far cheaper. Another 2TB SSD from Samsung, but this time the 980 Pro is down to just $142(opens in new tab). It's a little bit cheaper than the 990 Pro and with the same capacity, but just a little slower. The 980 Pro is also Gen 4.0, but with read/write speeds of 7,000 and 5,100 MBps. This drive has been on our list of Best SSDs(opens in new tab) for a long time thanks to its performance and sustained write speeds. If you've been looking for a resin 3D printer to get creative or expand your existing creative repertoire you're in luck as we've spotted this amazing deal on the Anycubic Photon Ultra Resin 3D Printer for $279(opens in new tab). Thanks to a rather generous $120 coupon, the price of this printer has fallen from $399 to a much more attractive $279. Faster and quieter than the previous Anycubic Photon model, the Ultra will turn your ideas and designs into reality. Keep scrolling for more SSD deals below. TL;DR — Today’s Best Deals Samsung 990 Pro 2TB SSD: now $179 at Amazon(opens in new tab) (was $289) Samsung 980 Pro 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD: now $142 at Newegg(opens in new tab) (was $249) AnyCubic Photon Ultra Resin 3D Printer: now $279 at Amazon(opens in new tab) (was $499) Samsung 990 Pro 1TB SSD: now $99 at Newegg (opens in new tab) (was $169) Samsung 980 Pro 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD: now $79 at Amazon(opens in new tab) (was $129)

After nearly three years of market availability, the Xbox Series X is receiving cheaper storage, however, the suggested pricing leaves a lot to be desired. That's because the upcoming WD Black C50 1TB appears to be briefly leaked by US retailer Best Buy, and looks to be a direct rival to the Seagate Xbox Storage Expansion Card. Until now, it has been the only proprietary SSD to date for the Xbox Series X, which carries quite a hefty price tag for what you're getting in comparison to what's available on other consoles, such as with the best SSDs for PS5. The original listing has since been removed by the big box retailer with only social media platforms showcasing the price tag of the upcoming Xbox Series X storage expansion. The WD Black C50 1TB appears to retail for $179.99 (approximately £143 / AU$266) which is a full $40 (roughly £32 / AU$60) cheaper than Seagate's original offering. It's a step in the right direction, sure, but ultimately that's still far too much in my opinion for what you're actually getting here. There's no getting over the fact that it's a sure fire way to make room for some of the best Xbox Series X games available on Xbox Game Pass. However, at a price this steep midway through the console's lifespan, I'm left wondering which problem this new expansion card for the Xbox Series X really solves, because a $40 (roughly £32 / AU$60) saving isn't much to get excited about. It stings particularly because the prices of Gen 4.0 NVMe SSDs, which these expansion cards are based upon, have been dropping dramatically since their adoption in 2020. If we look at how things are on PS5, which features a dedicated M.2 NVMe 1.4 port for SSDs, then the pricing is far more favorable thanks to ditching the proprietary hardware in favor of something more pro-consumer. The saving offered by the WD Black C50 1TB is better than nothing, but things could have been much more respectable Looking at the current rates for some of the PS5's top-performing SSDs leaves a considerable gap on the Xbox front. You only need to look at the prices of similarly performing 1TB models, such as the Kingston Fury Renegade and Seagate FireCuda 530, that come in much cheaper at $117.99 / £152.40 / AU$197.21 and $129 / £103.99 / AU$217 which undercut both Seagate and Western Digital's offerings significantly. It's a shame that in 2023, those playing on Xbox Series X still have such few options for expanding beyond the Xbox Series X's usable 802GB storage once the OS is taken into account. Things are even direr with the Xbox Series S, as the quoted 512GB on the box is really 364GB when the system files are considered. The saving offered by the WD Black C50 1TB is better than nothing, but things could have been much more respectable.

Pending ! until i see your activity

The president of the World Bank has told the BBC that he is concerned about some of the loans China has been making to developing economies in Africa. David Malpass says the terms and conditions need to be "more transparent". It comes amid worries that countries including Ghana and Zambia are struggling to repay their debts to Beijing. China says that any such lending is done within international rules. Developing countries often borrow money from other nations or multilateral bodies to finance sectors that will grow their economies such as infrastructure, education and agriculture. However steep increases in interest rates in the US and other major economies over the last year are making loan repayments more expensive because lots of that borrowing is done in foreign currencies such as US dollars or euros. It is a particularly acute problem for developing economies who can struggle to find the extra money that is required as the relative value of their own currency falls. It is a "double whammy and it means that [economic] growth is going to be slower", says Mr Malpass. Can US charm offensive woo Africa away from China? G7 details $600bn plan to rival China's Belt and Road Is China luring poorer countries into debt? US-China rivalry Tackling that challenge and its consequences was one of the main reasons for this week's visit by US Vice-President Kamala Harris to three African countries. It is a visit that comes with big commitments of financial support to Tanzania and Ghana. There is a growing rivalry with China for influence in the continent, whose abundance of natural resources include the metals, such as nickel, crucial for the batteries needed for technology such as electric cars. Speaking in Ghana's capital, Accra, she said "America will be guided not by what we can do for our African partners, but what we can do with our African partners". While highlighting a new nickel processing facility in Tanzania Ms Harris said the project would be supplying the US and other markets by 2026 and that it would "help address the climate crisis, build resilient global supply chains, and create new industries and jobs".That collaborative approach was praised by Mr Malpass who said the competition between the world's two biggest economies was "maybe healthy for developing countries" as it provided different options. "What I encourage strongly is that they be transparent in their contracts. That's been one of the problems; if you write a contract and say 'but don't show it to anybody else', that's a minus. So get away from that." There was also a warning that "for governments in Africa, they shouldn't be offering collateral as an inducement to make a loan, because it locks it up for generations. That's been happening with China." Beijing has become one of the biggest sources for loans to developing economies in recent years. A new study led by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy shows that globally China lent $185bn (£150bn) in bailouts to 22 countries between 2016 and 2021. China writes off 23 debts owed by 17 African countries IMF reaches $3bn bailout agreement with Ghana Profile: IMF and World Bank China refutes suggestions that it is exploiting other countries with its financial support. At a press conference this week Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said China "respects the will of relevant countries, has never forced any party to borrow money, has never forced any country to pay, will not attach any political conditions to loan agreements, and does not seek any political self-interest". Mr Malpass said the problems were not unique to Chinese financing but things were improving. "If you think of the history of Western lending, sometimes it's not for the full benefit of the people in the countries [being lent to]. Even World Bank loans haven't always been for the best that could have been done in a country." "So what we're trying to do, and I think everyone should be trying to do, is improve the quality of the lending. "One of the techniques is to unbundle the loan, meaning if there's an investment project, let's say you're building a train, describe the project and what the cost will be. And then separately, arrange the financing. "If you bundle them together, it makes it very hard to know, am I getting a good deal on the train or on the financing." Food and energy concerns The outgoing World Bank president is also concerned that higher food, fertiliser and energy prices, as a result of the war in Ukraine, are sapping government budgets in poorer countries. While that could deepen the economic challenges they face there is relief that price rises are now starting to ease. "The immediate crisis is over but one thing that's been left is that countries didn't use enough fertiliser, so their soil is depleted. So the yields are expected to be lower next year than normal." "So a farmer that was just making ends meet, she didn't get fertiliser, and now her land is not as productive. And so where's the food going to come from for the family and for the community? That's the big immediate problem. What we're trying to do is help countries directly with fertiliser [and] with food." The World Bank is concerned that these challenges will worsen a first-ever increase in the global extreme poverty rate - people getting by on less than $1.90 per day. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic it rose from 8.4% to 9.3%. The planet's leading development body hopes that its upcoming showpiece joint Spring Meetings with the IMF in Washington will help it raise more money to tackle its key mission. "The ambition is there," says Mr Malpass, "but the needs are much bigger than the amount of flows" of money coming in. You can watch David Malpass' interview in full on Talking Business with Aaron Heslehurst on the BBC News Channel at 15:30 on Saturday, BBC iPlayer and on BBC World News on Saturday at 10:30 and 23:30 GMT and Sunday at 05:30 and 16:30 GMT. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65140363.amp

The latest round of model-year updates for the F-Type will be the last as Jaguar gears up for an all-electric future. Production is expected to cease in early 2024, and that will mark the end not only of the F-Type but three-quarters of a century of the British brand building petrol-engined sports cars – a history that stretches all the way back to the XK120 of 1948. It’s a legacy of which Jaguar is rightly very proud. It's also a milestone that was too good to miss for Jag’s marketing department, and that largely explains the existence of the new F-Type 75. There has been little in the way of re-engineering here; this is effectively the same facelifted car that went on sale in 2020, save for a few software tweaks to meet the latest round of emissions standards. Instead, the F-Type 75 has what Jaguar describes as a ‘carefully curated’ specification. Gloss black 20in alloy wheels (five-spoke on this P450 and 10–spoke on the more powerful P575 R) fill the arches, while the badge on the grille has also been painted black (it was previously red). There’s more: Giola Green metallic paint (pictured) joins the colour palette, 12-way adjustable Windsor leather seats (heated and cooled) now come as standard and there’s a handful of F-Type silhouettes on the front wings, sill plates and dashboard. Nothing that’s going to elevate the F-Type above newer, more capable offerings, then, but this is a timely opportunity to reconsider if a generously equipped V8 F-Type is still a good buy (if you want a V8, it will be a 75 edition, although the 2.0-litre P300 remains on sale in lower-spec R-Dynamic form). The supercharged 5.0-litre engine is as strong as ever. We drove the 444bhp F-Type P450 Convertible in rear-wheel-drive form, understudy to the indecently rapid 567bhp P575 R. The lesser motor needs plenty of revs before really coming alive, but that just means you can leave your foot in for longer and enjoy the noise it makes. Since the introduction of a petrol particulate filter a few years back, driving an F-Type hard is no longer quite the eardrum-maiming experience it once was. These things are relative, though: this is still a hilariously loud car, especially with the sports exhaust turned up to full volume and particularly when there’s no roof getting in the way. It’s as quick as you would really want it to be, too, because the F-Type isn’t really the lightweight, nimble-footed type of sports car. With fluids and a driver, the Convertible P450 is knocking on the door of 1800kg (for context, the Porsche 718 Boxster GTS weighs 1480kg and the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet 1650kg), and that conspires with other factors to prevent the Jag from conjuring the last word on outright agility and poise. Dial in Dynamic mode and you feel the suspension stiffen and the steering weight up, but there’s still a hint of softness about the handling responses that you wouldn’t experience in, say, the 911 Cabriolet. Crucially, though, while this does slow you down a bit along acutely meandering roads, it doesn’t detract from what’s fundamentally a playful and engaging experience. Despite those 20in rims, the F-Type 75 rides fairly quietly and, when the dampers are set to Normal mode, with a good degree of suppleness. Long distances are dispatched agreeably, where the softer side of the car’s chassis tune comes into its own. The tiny wind deflector between the roll hoops does an admirable job of keeping out bluster, too. If you’re tempted by the F-Type’s old-school charms, I reckon a hard or soft-top P450 in rear-drive form is the way to go. The range-topping R (especially the Coupé) is a more serious machine but also has a much more serious price tag of north of £100,000. That sort of money that would get you a lot of 911. Not that the P450 is exactly a bargain: it’s still priced well above the Boxster GTS. Discounts will narrow that gap significantly, though, and the F-Type’s more relaxed, easygoing nature, noisier (if not necessarily stronger) performance and enduring elegance gives it almost as much appeal today as a decade ago. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/jaguar/f-type/first-drives/jaguar-f-type-convertible-75-p450-rwd

Washington DC - Since normalizing their bilateral relations a little over a year ago, it seems like Madrid and Rabat are experiencing one of their best phases since Morocco's independence in 1956. One of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of Moroccan-Spanish relations was lifted last year with Spain's historic decision to recognize the Moroccan autonomy plan as the best route to a lasting settlement of the Sahara dispute. While it is true that the issue of Ceuta and Melilla remains unresolved, the governments of both countries seem to have acquired enough resilience and political maturity to keep it under control. Since the Barajas meeting between King Hassan II and General Franco in July 1963, Morocco and Spain appear to have managed to settle on a modus operandi that has allowed them to reduce the impact of this dispute on their overall bilateral relations. Typically, Morocco has only raised the issue when faced with Spain’s reluctance to support the Moroccan stance on the Sahara dispute. And whenever Spain showed signs of support for the Moroccan position, Rabat would almost instantly put its territorial claims on Ceuta and Melilla on the back burner. The cordiality that characterized the high-level Morocco-Spain meeting held in Rabat last February and the large delegation that accompanied Pedro Sanchez, head of the Spanish government, highlighted both countries’ readiness to give a new impetus to their diplomatic relations. In this sense, Morocco's bid to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal was the icing on the cake of a newfound friendship, demonstrating the level of trust that now reigns in the relations between Rabat and Madrid. Even more striking is the fact that the announcement of Morocco joining the bid with Spain and Portugal did not come from the Spanish government, the major sponsor of this bid, but from Morocco. This clearly proves that Spain no longer treats Morocco as a minor partner, but as a major ally whose friendship is invaluable for Madrid’s foreign policy and its strategic interests, both economically and security-related. Moreover, the fact that the announcement of the joint bid came from Morocco also means that the country will not be assigned a secondary role in the eventual co-organization of the World Cup. Who would have dared to think four or five years ago, let alone when Morocco and Spain endured their biggest diplomatic crisis, that the two countries would end up bidding jointly to host the World Cup with Portugal? So this fact alone reveals the level of mutual trust that now exists between the two capitals. Organizing the World Cup requires long and arduous efforts, from convincing the national federations to vote for the best bid to building or renovating infrastructure, as well as setting up the security arrangements to host the event itself. Beyond the mutual trust needed to co-host such a prestigious event, the decision to co-organize suggests that each side is determined to spare no effort to immunize their relations against any friction that may occasionally arise in the course of their partnership to successfully host the world’s leading footballing event. In particular, Morocco would not have joined the Spanish-Portugal bid if the upper echelons of Moroccan power were not certain that the cyclical political changes that occur every four years in the Spanish political landscape will not affect Madrid’s position on the Sahara. On the other hand, Spain would not have been enthusiastic about presenting its bid with Morocco if it did not trust Rabat’s sincere desire to open a new chapter in bilateral relations, to give new impetus to the cooperation and coordination between the two countries to address the common challenges and threats they face, as well as to make the most of the synergy of their economies with a view to creating a common space of prosperity and stability in the Mediterranean. It could therefore be argued that we are witnessing the birth of a real strategic Rabat-Madrid axis, whose greatest collateral victim is France. In other words, Morocco's decision to present its bid for the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal was yet another subtle message to France. This implicit message from Rabat to Paris is that the time for favors is over and that Rabat has chosen its position in its Mediterranean neighborhood. As such, there is no doubt, should the joint Morocco-Portugal-Spain bid win the rights to host the 2030 World Cup, that Morocco will favor Spanish companies in the large infrastructure projects that it will launch in preparation for co-hosting the global tournament. To state the blindingly obvious, France's image and credibility as Morocco's leading partner has spectacularly weakened over the past two to three years. France's refusal to join Spain and the US in expressing unequivocal support for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara will undoubtedly have disastrous repercussions for French interests in the kingdom. Anti-French sentiment has been spreading throughout the country, and more voices are heard every day calling on the Moroccan government to replace French with English in Moroccan schools. The Western Sahara issue “is the prism through which Morocco views its international environment,” King Mohammed VI memorably said in a speech on August 20 of last year. The King’s central point was that unequivocal support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces is the ultimate “measure for the sincerity of friendships” between Morocco and its partners. Spain has heeded the message and taken a decisive step to consolidate its position as Morocco’s first economic partner, but France remains trapped in a very outdated assessment of its relations with Morocco. While this strategic blunder has already cost Paris dearly in terms of its economic and strategic interests, it could cost the European country even more in the mid and long terms. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/04/354819/france-big-loser-of-the-moroccan-spanish-portuguese-joint-bid