-Sn!PeR-

Sabrent has unveiled its new Rocket Nano 2242 Gen 4 NVMe, which, as the name suggests, is an M.2 2242 form factor SSD designed for devices like the Lenovo Legion Go as well as NUCs. It offers speeds of up to 5 GB/s and uses the new Phison E27T controller that powers some of the best SSDs. You can buy the Rocket Nano 2242 Gen 4 for $99.99. The M.2 2242 form factory isn't as common as some other sizes, now that the Steam Deck has po[CENSORED]rized M.2 2230 SSDs. It's the next step up in size, and most importantly it has enough real estate to support two NAND packages — double what you can get on 2230 drives. It's also growing in po[CENSORED]rity, thanks to handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go that opted for a slightly larger SSD form factor. The 40% larger form factor should allow for 2TB and even 4TB single-sided drives, though the Nano 2242 Gen 4 currently only comes in a 1TB capacity. We suspect that Sabrent will eventually offer at least a 2TB model, and hopefully even 4TB at some point — game install sizes aren't getting any smaller! Sabrent didn't share much in the way of details, but we know the Nano 2242 Gen 4 uses the Phison E27T controller, presumably with Kioxia's BiCS6 162-layer TLC NAND. That's the same configuration that we've seen in other E27T SSDs so far, including the Corsair MP600 Elite, Sabrent Rocket 4, and Inland TN470 — just in a smaller form factor. The E27T features improved performance compared to the older E21T from Phison, and it's a DRAM-less design that still delivers good overall performance. Based on the 5GB/s rating, the new Rocket Nano 2242 should come within striking distance of the WD Black SN770M (2230), currently our reigning performance champion when it comes to small form factor M.2 SSDs. We hope to get some 2242 drives in for testing in the coming days, including the Nano, to get a better view of how the various models stack up. There aren't very many such drives right now, but that number may increase in the coming months — and a lot of the existing models are now going out of stock. The main selling point of the new Rocket Nano is its PCIe 4.0 compatibility, a first for Sabrent as far as 2242 drives go. As such, it should be much quicker than the outgoing 2.5GB/s Rocket Nano 2242 NVMe, particularly in applications that can take advantage of the additional bandwidth. It will likely also offer improvements in power efficiency, temperatures, and capacity — much of the NAND used in older 2242 (and other) SSDs is no longer being manufactured. We expect the Nano 2242 Gen 4 to deliver good overall performance, based on what we've seen from the Phison E27T elsewhere. There's no DRAM, but modern controllers and NAND have improved to the point where that's no longer as much of a problem as in the past. Maxio MAP1602 drives also perform quite well and don't have DRAM. We certainly look forward to higher capacity variants of the drive. The main advantage the 2242 form factor holds over 2230 drives is that it can fit two NAND packages on the PCB, along with the controller. Given we've already seen single-sided 2TB TLC 2230 drives, it should be trivial to make a 2TB 2242 drive, and 4TB would also be possible. Whether there's sufficient demand for such designs remains to be seen, but we'd love to see 4TB TLC rather than 4TB QLC (hint to the manufacturers out there). We're working to get the Rocket Nano 2242 Gen 4 into our labs for testing. We also want to check out other 2242 drives, both existing and new models, so if you're an SSD manufacturer with such a drive, drop us a line. https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ssds/sabrent-debuts-5gbs-rocket-nano-2242-gen-4-ssd-a-good-fit-for-lenovo-legion-go-laptops-and-nucs

Name of the game: Cat Quest II Price: $3.89 - FREE Link Store: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/cat-quest-ii-9dbefc Offer ends up after X hours: Sale ends 5/9/2024 at 4:00 PM Requirements:

Hello there, You started your activity on Friday, today is Wednesday so about six days. I do not think you deserve to be moderator for now. Yet, i am not goig to downvote your request, i think your request should be put in pending for a few days. Good luck!

A Green Party councillor has apologised after he was criticised for calling his local election victory a "win for the people of Gaza". Mothin Ali, 42, made the comments after being elected on Friday for the Gipton and Harehills ward, in Leeds. His remarks prompted calls from the Jewish community in the city for him to be suspended. He said he was "sorry for any upset" while the Green Party said it was investigating his comments. Mr Ali issued the apology after a video was shared on his TikTok channel showing him delivering a speech while standing in front of a Palestinian flag. In it he said: "We will not be silenced. We will raise the voice of Gaza. We will raise the voice of Palestine." He then went on to shout "Allahu Akbar", meaning "God is the greatest" in Arabic. Responding to the video Simon Myerson KC, the chair of the Leeds Jewish Representative Council, wrote to Green Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay calling for Mr Ali to be suspended. He said: "It is 48 hours since he was elected, and your silence has now gone past the time during which - I accept - you must have been considering how exactly you cope with the disastrous effect of the video of his behaviour at his count." He went on to say he believed it was "wholly wrong" the party "should seek to benefit from his views and his behaviour". He wrote: "It is antithetical to the ethics of which you boast. It is nothing more than hypocrisy." In a statement released on Monday, Mr Ali, said: "I am sorry for any upset my comments caused about the Gaza conflict. "That was not my intention. Like many across the world I have been deeply impacted by the dreadful conflict currently underway in Gaza. "I do not support violence on either side: violence leads to more violence and this is what I have tried to convey." He said hoped to work with "both the Jewish and Muslim Greens soon to discuss sensible ways for us to work on communicating our shared passion of bringing the conflict to an end". He added that it was "not unusual" for Muslims to use the expression 'Allahu Akbar' as an "expression of gratitude and celebration", adding that any misrepresentation of his comments "suggests Islamophobia to me". Mr Ali won Gipton and Harehills with 3,070 votes - 747 more than his Labour rival. The Green Party said it was fully investigating all of the context around this matter and had nothing further to add at this moment. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-68970097

Louis Rees-Zammit has praised the advice of quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he continues his transition from rugby union to American football with the Kansas City Chiefs. Wales rugby international Rees-Zammit was signed by the Super Bowl champions in March after going through the international player pathway (IPP). The 23-year-old has been learning the role of running back at the Chiefs' rookie minicamp in the last week, having previously attended a camp with Mahomes in Texas. "It was amazing, all the quarterbacks and receivers were there, we were running routes, we were working in the gym," said Rees-Zammit. "It was definitely a great two weeks, I definitely learned a lot with Pat and the other boys.” Rees-Zammit likened three-time Super Bowl champion Mahomes to an extra coach, adding: “100%. I’m new to the game so I’m trying to pick everyone’s brains and try and pick up the sport as quick as possible because I want to be out there playing. "The way I can do that is picking the brains of everyone that’s currently here and trying to learn the game as quickly as possible.” Rees-Zammit said the latest three-day camp with the full Chiefs roster had meant a chance to "dive deep into the playbook". "It’s been a good week overall and definitely helped doing rookie minicamp, getting reps, because the way I learn is actually doing the reps,” he said. The Chiefs have listed Rees-Zammit as a running back, but the four-cap British and Irish Lions wing still believes he could feature as a receiver in the future. “I’ve been put in the running back group to start with," he explained. "I think there’s going to be a versatile role for me, I’m hoping. The coaches are very creative here, so see what they can do. But it’s all about me learning the playbook and learning the game because without that I can’t do anything else. "I am fully focused on the now. You know, I’ve got to make the team. How am I going to do that? I’ve got to perform on the field, I’ve got to learn the playbook and then we’ll go from there.” The ex-Gloucester wing, who scored 14 tries in 32 Tests for Wales, feels his current role will help ease his transition from rugby union. “Being in the running back position it’s easier because I can get the ball earlier as opposed to being out playing wide receiver," he added. "It’s obviously different and catching - you catch laterally in rugby, you don’t catch forwards. That’s been a bit different. "I’m just loving being able to work and work on all these crafts because the more I can do, the more I can try and help the team.” Rees-Zammit - who has a three-year contract with the Chiefs - is competing to earn a place on the final 53-man active roster for the 2024 season, which begins in September. For Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, the rookie minicamp was his first opportunity to do some hands-on training with the Welshman - and he was pleased with both Rees-Zammit's skills and appetite to learn. “This was good for him, this camp, for that reason that he got a lot of reps," said Reid. "When the guys are here, he’s rotating with those guys. He didn’t get a tonne of reps there, but this gave him an opportunity to really jump in and learn. “He’s so diligent with everything and wants to be so good at everything and I’ve appreciated that and you could see the progress he’s made.” https://www.bbc.com/sport/american-football/articles/cle0pq6q9dyo

Toronto police have said a security guard was shot overnight outside the home of Canadian rapper Drake. It comes amid his escalating war of words with US rap rival Kendrick Lamar. Police said suspects in a vehicle shot the guard at the corner of the Park Lane Circle mansion around 02:00 EDT (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday before fleeing the scene. It remains unclear if Drake was at home when the incident occurred or whether he was a target of the shooting. "We are in contact with his team and they are cooperating," Inspector Paul Krawczyk of the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force told reporters on Tuesday morning. It is too early in the investigation to speak about a motive, he added. He said police are currently assessing video that captures the shooting but is not releasing information about it due to video quality issues. The victim is in hospital and is in serious condition, police said. Witnesses told Canadian media he had sustained several gunshot wounds, including one to the chest. The lyrical beef between Drake and Lamar has grown bitterly personal, with a flurry of "diss tracks" exchanged between two of hip-hop's biggest stars over the weekend. The Canadian's house, in the ritzy Bridle Path neighbourhood of Toronto, is the subject of cover art for Lamar's song Not Like Us. Pictures online show the property has been cordoned off with caution tape as police investigate the shooting. The BBC has reached out to representatives of both artists for comment. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68972253

Hit medieval town builder Manor Lords is frequently said to have been created by a single developer, Greg Styczeń, and its marketing has leaned into that notion: The official website says it was "hand crafted by a solo developer." Crate Entertainment CEO Arthur Bruno, whose town builder Farthest Frontier is also in early access, takes issue with that characterization. On a call with PC Gamer this week, Bruno expressed annoyance over receiving feedback that assumes Farthest Frontier is being made by a huge development team—it's actually a team of seven—especially when it's compared to the "solo" Manor Lords developer. "Like, people somehow think we have 60 people, or the entire [Crate Entertainment] team's working on Farthest Frontier, and that we're so slow, but 'one guy is developing Manor Lords,' and it drives me nuts," said Bruno. "And then you look at the credits for [Manor Lords], and the team size on it is maybe even larger than ours." Styczeń has "obviously done a tremendous amount of the work and what he's done is impressive," said Bruno, but he added that it's "not possible for one person in this day and age to both fully program and do the art and the animations and everything that goes into a game" like Manor Lords. The Manor Lords credits include two "extra programming" acknowledgements and a number of 3D artists, animators, illustrators, concept artists, history consultants, writers, and other contributors. In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Tim Bender, CEO of Manor Lords publisher Hooded Horse, described its development setup as "solo developer plus contractors," where Styczeń is the main creative force but has brought on outside talent to help. Styczeń clearly did have a good amount of help, but it also feels fair to say that he has been the primary creator of Manor Lords. He began working on it over six years ago as a part-time hobby, according to a recent interview, and it was only after he launched a Patreon in 2020 and received an Epic MegaGrant in 2021 that he began outsourcing some work to contractors. But Bruno asks us to consider whether a "solo developer" who hires a bunch of contractors is really all that different from the seven-person team making Farthest Frontier. "I'm going to start telling people I'm a solo dev that's just being helped out by a number of employees," he joked. After this article was published, Styczeń said on X that Bruno made a "fair criticism," but argued that the difference is that the future of Manor Lords entirely depends on him, whereas Crate Entertainment could go on making games under new leadership if Bruno quit. Before I accidentally start some fake game developer beef here: Bruno doesn't have a problem with Styczeń or Manor Lords. We got onto the topic because I mentioned that Manor Lords had already received an unreasonable "is this game abandoned" comment, and Bruno could sympathize. "We get that all the time," said Bruno. "Recently, we got a negative review where people were asking if we had abandoned the game, and we had literally released a major update like two weeks before that." But it's feedback like that which has caused the Manor Lords "solo developer" distinction to become a sore spot for Bruno: It's another piece of ammunition used in complaints that Crate Entertainment isn't moving fast enough. We've been comfortable saying that Manor Lords was made by a solo developer on PC Gamer, but I have been somewhat swayed by Bruno's perspective. Maybe it's too literal to restrict the designation to developers who literally did it all, but surely there is a fairly small maximum number of collaborators you can work with before you lose your claim to solo dev valor. The bigger picture, I think, is that as much as they may try to grin and bear it, the pressure to rapidly deliver updates and respond to constant feedback clearly weighs on today's indie game developers. It reminds me of streamers who say they can't take a single day's break without losing followers. As we put it in 2019, "The pressure to constantly update games is pushing the industry to a breaking point." Neither Manor Lords nor Farthest Frontier are "abandoned," for the record. Styczeń is working on the first Manor Lords patch now, and in the leadup to Farthest Frontier's 1.0 release, Bruno says its team at Crate Entertainment is working on adding a tech tree, improving optimization, and "prototyping some new aspects to the military component of the game." https://www.pcgamer.com/games/city-builder/manor-lords-solo-developer-perception/

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iPad Air (2024) was launched by Apple in India and global markets on Tuesday at its 'Let Loose' event. The sixth generation iPad Air model will be available in 10.9-inch and 13-inch display variants — a first for the iPad Air lineup. While previous reports suggested that the larger iPad Air would sport a Mini-LED screen, both variants unveiled by Apple are equipped with a Liquid Retina (LCD) screen. The iPad Air (2024) is powered by Apple's octa-core M2 chip. iPad Air (2024) price in India, availability iPad Air (2024) price in India begins at Rs. 59,900 for the 11-inch model with Wi-Fi connectivity and 128GB of storage. You can also purchase it in Wi-Fi + Cellular variant that is priced at Rs. 79,990. Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular variants of the 13.9-inch iPad Air model are priced at Rs. 74,900 and Rs. 94,900, respectively. A 256GB storage option will also be available for both variants, according to Apple. The newly announced iPad Air (2024) is available in Blue, Purple, Space Grey, and Starlight colour options and will be available for sale in global markets — including India — starting on May 15. It has a starting price of $599 and $799 for standard and larger display sizes, respectively, in the US. For comparison, the iPad Air (5th generation) was launched in India in 2022 at a starting price of Rs. 54,900 for the base model with 64GB of storage and Wi-Fi connectivity. iPad Air (2024) specifications Apple has equipped the iPad Air (2024) with its M2 chip, an octa-core processor that also features Apple's Neural Engine for on-device AI tasks. The company claims that the new iPad Air offers up to 15 percent improved CPU performance and 25 percent GPU performance than its predecessor — Apple says it is 50 percent faster than the M1 chip on the previous model. The device runs on iPadOS 17 out-of-the-box. The new iPad Air sports a 11-inch Liquid Retina (LCD) screen with the same 2,360x1,640 pixels resolution that arrived on Apple's 5th generation iPad Air model. This year, the iPad Air will also be available in a 13-inch display option with a 2,732x2,048 pixels resolution. The displays have a 264ppi pixel density, offer True Tone support and P3 colour gamut coverage, and have a peak brightness of 500 nits. You get a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle forward-facing camera on the iPad Air (2024) for selfies and video calls — it's now landscape oriented for landscape video calls. For supported apps such as FaceTime, the device also supports Apple's Center Stage technology that automatically adjusts the camera angle as you move. On the back, it has a 12-megapixel wide angle camera with auto image stabilisation and Smart HDR 4 support. It supports recording videos at up to 4K resolution and up to 60fps, or slow-motion videos at up to 1080p at up to 240fps. https://www.gadgets360.com/tablets/news/ipad-air-2024-6th-generation-price-launch-sale-date-specifications-features-apple-5610256#pfrom=topstory

If you’re a Windows 10 user, you may have been prompted to download Windows 11 22H2 to upgrade to Windows 11. You would then need to fully reboot your system to download the newer Windows 11 23H2. Thankfully, it seems like Microsoft has cut down this tedious process and will now let you upgrade straight to Windows 11 23H2 from Windows 10. As spotted by Mayank Parmar of Windows Latest, a new server-side change allows people to more easily upgrade their operating system, and noted that over the past few weeks, some PCs have started offering ‘Windows 11 23H2’ rather than the older 22H2 update. The old system of updating didn’t really make a lot of sense - why would you download an update just to reboot and download yet another one to get to Windows 11? I’m glad that the process has become a bit more streamlined, and it seems like the option will be offered to more and more people in the coming weeks. If you are yet to update to Windows 10, I’d recommend holding off until you’re prompted to jump straight to Windows 11 23H2 - if only to save yourself the headache of a lengthy double-update. Make it worth it, Microsoft If you’re planning to hold onto Windows 10 as long as possible, you’ve got about two years of Windows 10 support before Microsoft will start really pushing for you to upgrade (though the in-OS nagging has already begun). Windows 10 losing support won’t mean the end of the operating system entirely - you’ll still be able to use it as you normally would once the deadline for support has passed. However, you’ll no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, or any new features for Windows 10. That leaves you vulnerable to cyber-attacks and annoying system glitches, so you’ll have to weigh up whether staying with Windows 10 is worth it. Microsoft has made it quite clear in recent months: get on board with Windows 11 or get left behind. Windows 11 is not without its flaws; the most recent update to the system has been riddled with bugs for a while, with a fix only recently being dropped for struggling users. In my view, if Microsoft is so keen to get users to upgrade, it ought to be 100% certain the alternative it’s offering is worth the changeover - and many users clearly don’t think that’s the case. It may be that the only real solution may be to just put everything into Windows 12 and make an operating system that everyone can finally get behind. https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-might-be-spooked-by-windows-10-user-numbers-but-will-make-upgrading-to-windows-11-easier-be-the-answer

AMD apparently plans to change its CPU naming scheme with "Ryzen AI" branding with its next generation 'Strix Point' processors. This information comes via an accidental Asus leak, as noticed by @harukaze5719. AMD's upcoming high-performance Ryzen processors will not belong to the Ryzen 8050 family, but will instead carry Ryzen AI branding to capitalize on the artificial intelligence frenzy. This echoes Intel's move to alter it's CPU branding with Core Ultra, except replace "Ultra" with "AI." AMD's top Zen 5-based processor will be called the Ryzen AI 9 HX 170, according to the leak. The APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) will pack 12 CPU cores and 24 threads, along with an XDNA 2-based Ryzen AI engine with up to 77 TOPS performance, and an enhanced RDNA 3-based Radeon GPU. Since the listing comes from Asus, we can be almost sure that AMD is indeed going to use the Ryzen AI branding for at least some of its next generation processors in the coming months. Alternatively, it's possible AMD is still testing waters, but that seems unlikely given the level of information Asus accidentally revealed. But there have been prior 'leaks' indicating AMD will have Ryzen 8050-series branding based on the Zen 5 microarchitecture. For instance, Lenovo is prepping ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 with AMD's Ryzen Pro 8040 and Ryzen Pro 8050-series CPUs (according to a flyer leaked by TechnicallyLogic). So perhaps at least some of Zen 5-based processors could continue to use the familiar branding scheme. Changing branding entirely might be the better move. Using the Ryzen AI 9 HX 170 model number instead of the Ryzen 9 8940HX (or something similar) could be a bit more intuitive. Over time, it would become easier for AMD to distinguish between future Zen 5-based processors and Zen 6-based processors by simply changing the first digit in the model number. But if AMD mixes and matches names based on some obscure product matrix, it could be equally easy for users to get confused — i.e. if AMD also offers Ryzen 8050-series processors that are functionally identical to Ryzen AI processors. Given the ongoing hype around AI, including Intel and Microsoft's "AI PC" definition and branding, it wouldn't be surprising to see AMD follow suit. Or we could get Ryzen AI badges for AMD's premium Strix Point Halo processors with up to 12 cores, while regular Strix Point processors might be sold under the Ryzen 8050-series name. That could also provide a way to clearly position the more expensive processors as offerings for those who want the latest and greatest hardware as well as on-device AI acceleration. It won't be the first time AMD has used a combination of letters and numbers in its CPU branding. Back in the day, the company released its Athlon XP series of processors, which coincided with the release of Microsoft's Windows XP, a major overhaul of the operating system. Artificial intelligence could change the way people work with their devices, and AI acceleration is an important feature. Adding some form of obvious AI branding could make a lot of sense in the long term. https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/amds-new-ryzen-ai-re-branding-for-zen-5-comes-to-light-asus-leaks-strix-point-processor-names

Hello Othman, I honestly don't see a reason why would I give you my upvote, except that you are experienced in our community. However, your activity is pretty bad to request for journalist right now. Not just you did not mention your last topics, you don't even have 5, which as you see it is one of the rules to request journalist. Nevertheless, I know you are a good active member, and we need such members like yourself. So I'll suggest to keep you in pending. Good luck though!

Adding @Osiris to the team. Welcome! Adding @Scarlet Goulding to the team. Welcome!

Amazing activity. Request accepted, welcome to the team!

Hello Scarlet, You have only posted 4 topics recently, which is pretty in-active to be honest, but as the boys said we are looking for staff currently. Please keep in mind that you might get a remove ditectly if you do not increase your activity. Also, your topics doesn't contain a 'source', plesse make sure to add a source link in each topic you post. Request Accepted. Welcome to the team!

Good activity, you've been with us for a month, you waited the whole period of a month to request which i really like and proves that you are patient. You really deserve to be in our staff. Pro!

You've been Moderator before, you know how things go around here, you are already active in more than two projects even though you hold the rank for two only. Pro. Good luck!

Happy birthday brother, wishing you a wonderful year filled with success and joy ❤️