Everything posted by YaKoMoS
-
Seagate is going to be the first maker of hard drives to start using heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology later this year, but initially leading-edge HDDs will be available inside Seagate's Lyve storage systems as well as to select customers. But over time the technology will be used considerably wider and could even be used to reduce costs of mid-range HDDs. The main purpose of HAMR is to increase areal density of hard drive platters and eventually enable HDD makers to design storage devices capable featuring capacities of 50 TB by 2026. But before such drives hit the market, Seagate will need to perfect the technology and the best way to do that is to ramp up production of HAMR HDDs. The upcoming 20TB HDDs will belong to the ultra-premium segment and therefore Seagate is not going to sell a boatload of such drives at least initially. But since HAMR allows you to increase areal density of HDD platters rather tangibly, Seagate could use such platters not only for top-of-the-range drives, but also for lower-capacity offerings (e.g., 12TB, 14TB, 16TB) and reduce the number of disks as well as heads used inside them, thus lowering production costs of such devices. Adding a laser to the head does not substantially increase its cost and glass platters (required for HAMR HDDs) are not dramatically more expensive than aluminum media. Meanwhile, cutting down the number of platters as well as heads may have a meaningful impact on costs and prices, according to Seagate. "[HAMR] is not only about the highest capacity point," said David Mosley, CEO of Seagate, at Bernstein 2020 Operational Decisions Conference, reports SeekingAlpha. "If we can save a disk and two heads in a 16 TB drive, we will look at doing that as well. So, it's really across the whole portfolio, which is why we think that this platform play is so important. We can introduce HAMR into the same platform. The cost increases are really nominal." Reducing costs of midrange nearline, enterprise, NAS, and surveillance HDDs is important as Seagate sells quite a lot of them. The company does not talk about bringing HAMR to consumer HDDs (which top at 14TB) just yet, but this might be an option for the future. Another interesting thing that HAMR enables Seagate to do is to leapfrog its competitors with microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) and similar technologies that cannot match HAMR in terms of areal density. When asked about bringing 24TB HDDs to the market rather sooner than later (i.e., at the same time with 22TB drives), Mr. Mosley answered that the company already has components that allow it to build a 24TB hard drive. "I am not going to announce the 24TB product just yet, but that's definitely the goal of HAMR, is to be able to go well beyond that," said the head of Seagate. "That's what we can do with components that are in our labs right now. We just have to build the right solutions for the customers. And these are tough applications, so we have to make sure that we get it right." Launching a product that is ahead of the industry has its benefits as its producer can charge more for it and earn more selling it. But if the price difference between an 'exclusive' product and a 'standard' product is not justified for datacenter operators, that product will not become po[CENSORED]r enough to be a success for its manufacturer. To that end, it is important for companies like Seagate to offer the right balance between costs, features, and performance.
-
- 1
-
-
4A Games is looking into multiplayer options for the next Metro game. The studio published a blog on its website explaining that its partnership with Saber has given it expertise it didn’t have before to bring concepts to life. The developer also assured potentially sceptical fans that it would handle the possible addition in a way that would fit in with the game’s universe. “As a small studio we have never been able to do justice to these ambitions, and our ideas have never made it beyond the prototype phase,” the studio says. “But with Saber’s experience in online gaming, we are now actively exploring multiplayer concepts that will offer a new way to experience the world of Metro. “We know some of our fans have concerns whenever they hear multiplayer mentioned, so we wanted to tackle this topic head-on and talk about some of the goals and principles behind this early exploration. Let’s start by saying, we hear your concerns. We’re not looking at multiplayer as a box-ticking exercise, or to jump on some trend or bandwagon. As creators, we want to explore a multiplayer experience that makes complete sense in the Metro universe.” 4A Games also promises that multiplayer won’t come at the expense of a single-player, story-driven experience. As such, the team will lean into its partnership with Saber to ensure that multiplayer will have a dedicated team. The studio also spoke a wee bit about the single-player portion of the game but didn’t say much past what you would expect. It’ll be story-driven, of course, and the entire game will benefit from an overhauled game engine so the studio can maximise the potential of next-gen hardware. That’s your lot for now, as the studio isn’t ready to reveal more details just yet. If you want some upcoming PC games to keep you busy in the meantime, though.
-
- 1
-
-
It can be hard to think about eating a Magnum bar or popsicle when a winter coat, hat, and gloves are necessary to go outside, but British upfitter Whitby Morrison is already preparing for next summer by ordering 55 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans to convert into ice cream trucks. The company continues to have a high demand for the overhauled vans. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, setting up an ice cream truck at festivals or fairs is no longer possible. Instead, the vans' operators are increasingly becoming more mobile and taking their frozen treats to residential areas. Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Ice Cream Truck : Most customers order their Whitby Morrison ice cream truck using the 3.5-tonne variant of the Sprinter. Although, the company can even build them on the 5.0-tonne chassis. The business exports the vans to clients in over 60 countries around the world. The color vehicles are sure to grab the attention of kids and adults who are in search of a cool snack. "Our vehicles are synonymous with the highest quality and meet all of the individual requirements that our customers have," Operations Director Ed Whitby said. Mercedes debuted a major refresh for the Sprinter in early 2018 that slightly tweaked the exterior design to change the grille and headlights. There was also a new front-wheel-drive powertrain option. Inside, the company installed the MBUX infotainment systems with special settings for fleet managers to monitor the vehicle. There were also added camera systems and an improved air conditioning system. In 2019, Mercedes introduced an electric version of the Sprinter to the lineup. It had 55 kilowatt hour or 41 kWH batteries. With the higher capacity, the van offered 104.4 miles (168 kilometers) of range and a payload capacity of 1,964 pounds (891 kilograms). The cargo capacity was the same as combustion-powered versions of the van.
-
- 1
-
-
Microsoft has suggested there will be no more Windows 10 software updates for the rest of this year as the company apparently looks to wind down for the holidays. In a support note Microsoft has told Windows 10 users not to expect any Windows 10 preview updates in December, with full service set to resume in January 2021 - however its usual monthly security updates will continue as usual. The company says that the pause will also helps users and IT admins to have a much-needed break over the holiday season after what has been a manic year for IT teams tasked with conquering the need for remote working during the pandemic. Happy holidays : "Because of minimal operations during the holidays and the upcoming Western new year, there won’t be any preview releases for the month of December 2020. Monthly servicing will resume with the January 2021 security releases," the note said. This appears to include the usual monthly Patch Tuesday batch of security updates, suggesting that Microsoft doesn't expect any issues to surface over the next few weeks. November's Patch Tuesday release raised eyebrows earlier this month for its particularly large list of updates, which now seems to have been explained by this latest news. Microsoft did issue a similar pause back in March, as IT teams and admins across the world began to grasp the size of the challenge around keeping employees online as the pandemic took hold. The pause may help give Microsoft more time to fix some of the issues that users have encountered with the company's most recent major upgrade - Windows 10 20H2. Recent reports have highlighted that Windows 10’s freshly released cumulative update for November is being problematic in terms of failing to install for some users, and there are a couple of other bugs besides.
-
- 1
-
-
ZLUDA, described as "a drop-in replacement for CUDA on Intel GPU," is threatening Nvidia's propiertary CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) ecosystem. The independent project (via Twitter user Longhorn) has already provided a proof of concept to run unaltered CUDA applications on non-Nvidia graphics cards. The foundation of ZLUDA is none other than Intel's oneAPI Level Zero specifications. It's a private project and in no way connected to Intel or Nvidia. Confessedly, ZLUDA is still in its early days and lacks full CUDA support. Therefore, many CUDA applications will not work with ZLUDA. As a matter of fact, the author has only been able to get Geekbench 5 to run with ZLUDA, which brings us to the next topic: Performance. The creator of ZLUDA claims that it provides "near-native" performance, insinuating that there is almost no performance loss. He provided GeekBench 5.2.3 results for an Intel Core i7-8700K, which wields Intel's UHD Graphics 630 iGPU, with an OpenCL and ZLUDA run. For the latter, the author tricked GeekBench into thinking that the Intel iGPU was a slow Nvidia GPU. Nevertheless, the results are from the same iGPU. The result showed that ZLUDA's performance was up to 10% faster in comparison to OpenCL performance. Overall, we're looking at around a 4% uplift from the set of benchmarks. The author made it clear that ZLUDA is completely dissimilar to AMD HIP or Intel DPC++ in the sense that the latter two are tools for programmers to port applications to the the specific API of choice. ZLUDA, on the other hand, doesn't require any extra effort since CUDA applications simply work on an Intel GPU — as long as the CUDA subset is supported, of course. In its current state, ZLUDA is only compatible with Intel Gen9 iGPUs (Skylake through Comet Lake), but there is planned support for the chipmaker's upcoming Xe GPUs as well. ZLUDA doesn't support AMD GPUs, however, the author delved into the idea that it should be technically possible to do so. Nvidia might not be too happy with the idea, but others surely will be.
-
- 1
-
-
It’s been quiet recently in the wild west, but Red Dead Online is set to get livelier next week. Rockstar revealed in its weekly update for Red Dead Redemption 2 that the Bounty Hunters are getting an expansion to their roles next week. Rockstar says there will be an influx of new fugitives to deal with and plenty of rewards for doing so. There are top-tier equipment and skills to unlock across ten more Bounty Hunter ranks. Oh, and there will be new legendary bounties and a 100 Rank Outlaw Pass to boot. If you haven’t done so yet, you can head to Rhodes to nab a Bounty Hunter license and get started. All bounty hunter missions are double XP for the next week, too, so you should get it done in no time. The studio also revealed that Red Dead Online would be available for standalone purchase from December 1 onwards. You’ll be able to do everything you can now, from taking on various specialisations to going for a wander and tackling free roam events. You can pick it up for $4.99 if you buy it before February 15, 2021, too. Rockstar teases that those are only the first details of what to come, but we may hear more later this week. Or, more likely, it’ll be a surprise for launch day. Red Dead Online’s weekly update usually rolls around on a Tuesday, so it could be then.
-
- 1
-
-
Earlier this month, Toyota teased the GR Supra Sport Top Edition concept, a coupe with a removable roof. An open-air Supra isn’t impossible as the BMW Z4 is a convertible. However, it has never materialized. Instead, the concept opts for a removable roof instead of a retractable one. We’ve yet to see the car, though new renderings from JONSIBAL on Facebook provide a complete car to gander at and enjoy. The real car will require a complete rework of the vehicle to compensate for the loss of rigidity the roof provides. A series of renderings are much easier to produce, and the ones in the gallery below appear to closely match the real concept. The renderings show a Supra with widen front fenders, just like the concept and a black ground effects kit that includes the slide sills, front spoiler, and rear diffuser, Missing from the renderings is the arching spoiler. Instead, it looks like a lip spoiler has been added. Gallery: Toyota GR Supra Sport Top Edition Renderings: One difference between the renderings and the teased concept is the rear quarter panel, roof, and rear glass. The concept shows the side glass even with the rest of the rear roof, while the renderings show something that appears much more functional and production-ready. However, the concept could be tweaking a lot more of the car, too. The top, a two-piece part designed for easy removal and storage, could be unlatched through a keyfob button. The team also plans to add additional reinforcements underneath the car to help maintain rigidity. Rumors of a removable-roof Supra date back to before the car went on sale, with speculation swirling about the possibility before the car went on sale. However, such a Supra has never materialized. Toyota has made some changes to the car from 2020 to 2021, and we doubt the automaker is done just yet. Maybe this concept is a preview for something more.
-
- 1
-
-
A year after the introduction of Spaces, Dropbox has revamped its team collaboration workspace with a stronger project management focus and the creation of a separate, dedicated area for colleagues to work together on shared projects. The launch of “Spaces 2.0” follows the initial rollout of the “smart workspace” interface last year, which itself came after an overhaul of Dropbox’s file-sharing app in June 2019. The company's aim has been to build on Dropbox's original shared file and folder concept, adding workspaces that contain all relevant documents pertaining to a particular team project — even those hosted in G Suite or Office 365 — and the ability to @mention co-workers. As a response to increased demand from remote teams in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dropbox developers worked to create a new interface that adds in-depth planning and project tracking capabilities to the virtual workspace. The resulting standalone feature within the main browser-based app is now available in a beta trial. “Customers found the collaborative capabilities of [the first iteration of] Spaces to be useful, but wanted something more powerful, while other Dropbox customers preferred something focused on existing use cases,” said a Dropbox spokesperson. “By creating a separate Spaces product, we’re able to tailor the experience for each customer group —those looking to Spaces for a virtual workspace and those looking for file sync and share.” The feature allows users to access the various “spaces” they’re part of, view a rundown of recent actions by co-workers, update their personal to-do list, and see agendas for upcoming video meetings, thanks to integration with Google and Microsoft calendars. Each “space” provides more detail of work under way in a particular project. A key element is tighter integration with Paper, Dropbox’s flexible productivity tool, which is used to provide an overview page for each shared workspace. This can include project descriptions, related content such as shared documents, project timelines and tasks assigned to each team member. There are also more detailed views of team tasks, and the ability to share updates with colleagues and add new members to a “space.” “Dropbox has evolved from personal and team folders to Team Spaces where workers are connected to the people, assets, and integrations they need to get work done,” said Wayne Kurtzman, a research director at IDC. “The blank-slate approach, albeit with guides as needed, provides a flexible collaboration platform without complicating the platform.”
-
- 1
-
-
Khronos has unveiled its finalized version of its Vulkan RT extensions today for developers, meaning the ray tracing implementation for the Vulkan API is finally out of beta. Plus, hot on the heels of the release, AMD has released a new beta driver prepped with the new Vulkan RT extensions and support for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands 20.11.2. The latest set of Vulkan RT extensions from Khronos include the following: VK_KHR_acceleration_structure - for acceleration structure building and management VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline - for ray tracing shader stages and pipelines VK_KHR_ray_query - providing ray query intrinsics for all shader stages SPV_KHR_ray_tracing SPV_KHR_ray_query GLSL_EXT_ray_tracing GLSL_EXT_ray_query GLSL_EXT_ray_flags_primitive_culling All these extensions are responsible for generating the rays and executing them properly, along with optimizations for efficiently processing them. Regarding AMD's Vulkan RT driver support, they've added the following extensions: VK_KHR_fragment_shading_rate This extension provides the ability to change the shading rate per fragment. This extension allows for multiple pixels to be shaded via a single fragment shader invocation as opposed to the normal rate of one invocation per pixel. VK_KHR_acceleration_structure This extension provides acceleration structures for representing geometry that is spatially sorted. Acceleration structures are the most common way for quickly identifying potential ray intersections by ray tracing techniques. VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline This extension introduces ray tracing pipelines along with new shader domains and an indirection table to link shader groups with acceleration structures. VK_KHR_ray_query This extension introduces ray queries, which can be used by any shader type outside of the optional dedicated ray tracing pipeline to return traversal results to the calling shader. VK_KHR_deferred_host_operations This extension defines the infrastructure and usage patterns for deferrable commands, which allows dependent extensions to defer their own operations. The VK_KHR_deferred_host_operations extension itself does not specify any commands as deferrable. VK_KHR_pipeline_library This extension introduces pipeline libraries. A pipeline library is a new special pipeline type that defines a set of pipeline states. It cannot be bound, rather it can be linked into other pipelines. VK_KHR_shader_terminate_invocation This extension indicates support for the SPV_KHR_terminate_invocation SPIR-V extension. The SPIR-V extension introduces a new instruction OpTerminateInvocation that allows a shader invocation to immediately terminate, which provides the behavior required by the GLSL discard statement. Since the new extensions just dropped, you'll have to wait a little bit before seeing these finalized extensions implemented into your favorite Vulkan RT titles. Khronos encourages all developers to transition to the new ray-tracing extensions, so hopefully, it shouldn't take too long. For now, AMD is the only GPU vendor with a Vulkan RT-ready driver with these finalized extensions. Intel will support them by 2021 on its Xe-HPG GPUs, and Nvidia's driver is probably coming soon, but that company hasn't announced a specific date. However, Nvidia has already updated its developer tools like Nsight to support Vulkan RT. So for you developers out there, you can start working with the new Vulkan RT extensions immediately.
-
- 1
-
-
We’re excited about Hitman 3, because the Hitman games are Very Good. That means we’re also excited to find out more about the upcoming stealth game’s locations – and we’ll be learning the setting for the next one tomorrow. Developer IO Interactive is set to hold a livestream November 24 that will reveal the next location in Hitman 3 and discuss the studio’s Glacier Engine. So far, we’ve seen Dubai and Dartmoor featured in Hitman 3’s promotional materials. The first gameplay trailer featured a dizzying climb to the top of one of Dubai’s glittering skyscrapers, while the next revealed ‘The Thornbridge Mystery,’ an Agatha Christie-inspired encounter that takes place in a classic English manor house out on the foggy moors. The thumbnail image for IO Interactive’s YouTube livestream shows Agent 47 in a leather trench coat, walking amongst neon signs bearing Chinese lettering. There aren’t many other clues we can identify in the scene, but we’re keen to find out more about it during the stream. It’s set to kick off at 60 PDT / 90 EDT / 140 GMT November 24. You can tune in right here, or use the ‘Set Reminder’ button to have YouTube send you a nice little ping when things get underway. Like Hitman 2, Hitman 3 will include all the levels from the previous entries in the new trilogy – so you’ll have access to all of the locations in Hitman and Hitman 2, as well as everything you’ve unlocked in those games, when the Hitman 3 release date arrives in January.
-
- 1
-
-
Performance parts are nothing new in the automotive industry. We’ve seen manufacturers far and wide who offer up some spicy items to eliminate the vanilla factor. However, most recently the Lexus LS received an ensemble of upgrades from Modellista to take its aesthetics to the next level. Established in 1997, the designers have taken their hand to give Japanese vehicles a complete makeover ever since. Among others, their key design ethos boils down to three key elements of emotion, creativity, and pleasure. The company sets a high bar for excellence, touting each piece they develop as a work of art. As such, the parts list includes a new front splitter, side skirts, rear skirt, and two designs of 21 inch forged aluminum wheels. Keeping with their ethos, they say that the redesigned LS front fascia produces an overwhelming presence and premium feel. Like previous projects, it appears that Modellista has designed a variation on the existing Lexus theme. We’ll let you decide on the new fit and finish, but these are clearly derivative modifications rather than a grassroots rethink. Prospective customers will be able to view a 3d model of what the parts will look like on their pride and joy; the paint color selections are limited to just three options, but it’s sufficient to get a rough idea of what everything will look like. Along with the different shades of paint, it also gives you an idea of how the components appear in different lighting conditions – very important as the majority of these pieces add a considerable amount of chrome. While these look very striking on a stark white vehicle, the step from standard to Modellista is much less pronounced on the other paint options. At first glance, it appears that these parts won’t be available in the U.S., but we wouldn’t rule them out for the future.
-
- 2
-
-
It's almost time for Black Friday but you can already find discounts and sales on some of our favorite name-brand hardware. We know it's not always easy to determine the best deals, so we're working hard to gather the best deals on tech we find. We even have pages dedicated to specific hardware like the best black friday monitor deals. Today we're sharing a discount found on the Lenovo Q21i-10 IPS monitor through Best Buy. We first announced the release of this monitor back in September of 2019. If you're looking for something more high-end and for gaming, check out our list of best gaming monitors . This monitor has an FHD resolution which measures in at 1920 x 1080. According to the specs, it has a refresh rate of 75Hz and uses an IPS panel. It's LED-backlit and supports AMD FreeSync to reduce screen tearing. There are multiple input options including both HDMI and VGA. You can also use the built-in 3-Watt speakers to save desk space and avoid extra peripherals. Check out the Lenovo Q24i-10 at Best Buy for more details and checkout options. VIEW DEAL
-
- 2
-
-
Your iPhone is about to get an update, but it's a very minor one that will fix a variety of bugs that those with iOS 14.2 software may have suffered from since the start of November. iOS 14.2.1 is rolling out to iPhones now - you may even already have it downloaded - and it focuses its attention on bug fixes rather than bringing new features to your handset. What does the new update fix? The biggest tweak is fixing an issue on the iPhone 12 mini that could sometimes see the lock screen become unresponsive. This isn't an issue TechRadar came across with that specific phone, but it seems to be common enough that Apple has issued a fix. Other tweaks fix an issue that meant MMS messages weren't being received on certain devices, although it's unclear how you'd know whether you were affected by this issue. It also fixes some sound quality issues that some found when using connected hearing devices. This isn't the most exciting update, and it doesn't bring any groundbreaking new features to your iPhone, but you should download and install it to ensure your iPhone is up to date with the latest secure software. If you've got iOS 14 software, you'll be able to download iOS 14.2.1 to your iPhone, and it's available on any device from the company since the iPhone 6S. iOS 14.3 is likely to be coming later this year or early in 2021, and it's probably set to bring the ProRAW mode to the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max if the latest developer beta is to be believed.
-
- 2
-
-
Minecraft developer Mojang has enhanced the tools moderators have for keeping servers, and in-game communication, safe. Mods can now permanently someone breaking the community guidelines in the building game. In a news post on Mojang’s site, the studio ran through the basics of the update. “Minecraft moderators can now ban players who do not follow our community guidelines when sending online messages using our services (Realms) or Featured Servers, and communicating online through signposts and books,” the post reads, adding: “Currently, moderators can hand out permanent bans that extend to all versions of Minecraft (except Minecraft Dungeons) in order to target severe offenses, meant to cause harm to others.” Right now, all bans are permanent, but a system of lesser bans for smaller infractions is being worked on. Anyone banned will get a message explaining what’s happened and why, and how to cancel their Realms subscription. Mojang this is to help the developer maintain a “positive and enjoyable environment” within its games, making sure the community guidelines are consistently followed and enforced. The open world game just had some special Star Wars content added, bringing in Baby Yoda, because of course. The next big update, Caves and Cliffs, was detailed at this year’s MineCon. We have lists of the best Minecraft seeds and best Minecraft mods, and did you know you can visit the title-screen now? And the old png image that used to appear in the server select screen? If you’re on brand new hardware, here’s how to get it working in Windows 10, so you can adventure unencumbered.
-
- 2
-
-
Keen readers may know Dallara as one of the great powerhouses of the racing world, but you’d be surprised to know that Giampaolo Dallara has done equally impressive work on road cars. As such, their most recent creation, the Stradale, has received a very special livery from Garage Italia honoring the fighter jets used by the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team. To the uninitiated, Giampaolo has built himself an engineering empire most recognizable for its success on the race track but was also paramount in developing road cars like the Lamborghini Miura. The company is responsible for building racing cars and chassis’ for Indycar, Indylights, Formula 3, GP2, GP3, Formula E, and WEC. You get the idea. While the Tricolori squadron began flying the North-American F-86 “Sabre”, transferring to the G.91 until 1982, both wore the same deep blue color. Honoring the 60th anniversary of the world’s largest aerobatic team, the special Stradale bears a matte-finish wrap featuring the same blue of the jets that tore through the skies of yesteryear. Each side of the car is also adorned with Tricolore stripes being emitted from what appears to be fighter jets. While certainly impressive, Giampaolo’s company isn’t just a king on the track. Like many manufacturers who have road and track programs, the knowledge from the race track transfers very well to a performance road car. As such, the Stradale is very much a race car for the road. With many options on offer – including the windscreen – the ethos of the vehicle is keeping the weight low and downforce high. Unlike the extremely aerodynamically sensitive McLaren Senna, the Italian offering brings a much more reserved aesthetic to the table – As Giampaolo Dallara always looked up to Lotus design genius Colin Chapman, the Stradale is a distant cousin of his 3-Eleven. We’ll let you decide on the aesthetics, but if ever there was a car that could wear a fighter-jet inspired livery, you’d be hardpressed to bet against this one.
-
- 2
-
-
Video calling giant Zoom has announced it will temporarily lift its 40-minute call limit in a bid to support users unable to be with their families this Thanksgiving. While paying users of the video conferencing service are not subject to any call duration restrictions, users of the free Zoom service are usually restricted to 40-minute sessions, which could make for stilted Thanksgiving celebrations. As announced via Twitter, however, Zoom will remove this time limit for all users from 00:01am ET on Thanksgiving Day (November 26) until 06:00am the following day. Zoom video conferencing time-limit While no one’s idea of a perfect Thanksgiving involves dialling into a family video conference, with travel and close contact inadvisable (and in some places outlawed) due to the coronavirus pandemic, the gesture could help make the day feel at least a little more normal. As the pandemic has progressed, Zoom - and video conferencing in general - has grown from a predominantly business-centric tool to become a service millions rely upon to maintain personal relationships too. Since March, quick check-ins, family reunions, birthday parties and more have all been held over video conference. Zoom quizzes became the chosen medium (albeit fleetingly) for socializing with friends - and there were even a few Zoom weddings. Identifying this growing trend, Zoom even launched its own AirBnB-style virtual events marketplace - called OnZoom. The service gives Zoom customers a centralized platform on which to market, monetize and host any kind of online event, from fitness classes to piano tutorials and comedy shows. Delimiting conference calls might appear an insignificant gesture on the part of Zoom, but in the world in which we’re currently living, the ability to interact freely with others using the technology at our disposal is vital. With recent spikes in infection casting a shadow over Christmas celebrations too, it remains to be seen whether Zoom will extend the same kindness come December.
-
- 2
-
-
It's almost time for Black Friday and you can already find plenty of deals on some of our favorite hardware. We're helping our readers navigate the shopping season by highlighting notable deals on tech we know they can use every day. Check back often, we're rounding up the best deals on tech we can find. Today we've found an awesome discount on this Raspberry Pi Genesis brick case through Amazon. It's usually priced around $15 but you can pick it up today for just $6! This case is made from 336 bricks that come disassembled. You must construct the Raspberry Pi case brick-by-brick to complete the setup. The final case can support a Raspberry Pi 2B, 3B, 3B+ or 4B module. This case provides access to a few ports, including HDMI, power, USB and the Ethernet port. If you're intro RetroPie retro gaming rigs, you may want to check it out. It also has a removable cartridge that fits into the top of the case for a somewhat nostalgic experience. Check out the Genesis Retro Brick Raspberry Pi Case from Retro Power on Amazon for more details and checkout options. You can also explore our list of Best Raspberry Pi Projects to brainstorm some project ideas while you wait for it to arrive! VIEW DEAL
-
- 1
-
-
Dead Cells escaped from Early Access back in 2018, but that hasn’t been the end for the Metroidvania roguelike. Plenty of additional free updates and a bit of paid DLC have come after launch, and even now, two years later, it seems developer Motion Twin isn’t done. Another major update is on the way, and it’s due out in December. “With just over a month to go until Christmas, we’re nearly done preparing a new update full of little stocking fillers to keep you entertained for a bit longer”, the devs say in the announcement. The update will feature a new weapon, new mob, a lore room, new skins, and a new option, as well as “a few other changes” that are still currently in testing. That update will launch in “mid-December”. The developers are also teasing some “bigger news” to be revealed in the “next couple of months”. Dead Cells 2? A big DLC expansion? A whole new project? A Dead Cells animated series on Netflix? I could keep typing wild guesses, but it’ll probably be best to just wait and see. But come on, an animated series would be great! The game’s trailers have already produced plenty of incredible animation.
-
- 1
-
-
While Mitsubishi no longer competes in the mid-sized pickup market in the United States, the company still sells trucks like the L200 elsewhere. To show off what's possible with the available accessories, the brand has a pair of highly modified examples that take the vehicle in very different directions. First, there's an L200 that's ready to feed you on a camping trip. A pull-out kitchen occupies the cargo bed that includes a gas cooker, folding washbasin, 3.17-gallon (12-liter) water supply, 12-volt electrical connection, and a cutlery tray. This equipment retails for €3,600.46 (4,269.99 at current exchange rates) in Germany. Gallery: Mitsubishi L200 Mobile Kitchen: The truck that Mitsubishi is showing also has a roof rack with space for a tent and an extending awning. Other equipment available includes a lockable roll cover with extended storage for €1,949.58 ($2,311.75) and a roll bar for €953.10 ($1,130.17). Mitsubishi's other modded L200 puts an emphasis on giving campers lots of room to spread out. The GT Pick Up inflatable roof tent retails for €3,410.79 ($4,044.75). It folds up into a fairly tiny area when not in use but extends to offer a 55.12-inch by 86.61-inch (140-centimeter by 220-centimeter) sleeping area on the truck's roof and a small, separate living space in the cargo bed. Mitsubishi is also introducing fender flares that extend the body by 1.81 (30 millimeters) on each side and sells for €965.04 ($1,144.24). The company also offers 20-inch alloy wheels for €2,725.52 ($3,231.62). Mitsubishi even offers the option for the company to convert the L200 into an expedition vehicle with features like a roof-top tent, water supply, outdoor shower, 230-volt cool box, and solar panels. The work even includes updating the chassis to be more rugged. The brand's announcement doesn't outline the price for this work.
-
- 2
-