-Lexman™

Intel will be launching its 13th Gen Mobile CPUs this quarter and CPU-Z 2.03.1 is ready with support for the entire lineup. Intel 13th Gen Mobile CPU Lineup Now Supported Within The CPU-Z 2.03.1 Update The new update will cover the three 13th Gen mobile CPU variants, H, HK, and HX. Following is the full changelog for the new version of CPU-z: CPU-Z is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system: Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels. Mainboard and chipset. Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD). Real time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency. CPU-Z is often downloaded to find out which processor is installed in a computer, and to measure the CPU's operating frequency. — CPU-Z official website The list of included Intel 13th Gen Mobile CPUs for the CPU-Z 2.03.1 update is listed below. Core i9-13900HK Core i7 13700H/HX Core i5-13650HX Core i5-13620H Core i5-13500H/HX i5-13450HX Intel Core i5-13420H Celeron 7305 A few notable mentions about the above list are that the HX variants shown above could reveal that Intel is planning to upgrade the desktop HX (BGA) mobile series much sooner, and both i7-13700H and i5-13500H are now appearing in the SKU lists where they were once absent and not mentioned. Intel consumers can distinguish which processor they want to purchase with the company's new nomenclature. Gamers will want to look at the powerful HX-series processors or may consider the HK-series for the added unlocked boosting capabilities. Users who want a standard processor that will be lower in cost but offer plenty of everyday processing tasks, so the H-series will suit their needs. Users ready to update to the newest CPU-Z 2.03.1 can head over to TechPowerUP's CPU-Z download page to download the executable file and see a version history of updates over the last three months (versions 2.02, 2.03, and the newest version). https://wccftech.com/cpu-z-brings-support-for-intels-13th-gen-mobile-cpus-to-the-table/

With all the issues surrounding NVIDIA's 16-Pin 12VHPWR cable, we decided we can also try and help people out with a little guide that may help avoid any trouble using a GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card. Here's A Small Guide To Help You Make Sure Your NVIDIA 16-Pin 12VHPWR Cable For GeForce RTX 4090 or RTX 4080 Doesn't Melt While we don't know the exact nature of the issue yet, we do know that at least three sources have pointed out that poor contact force is the most plausible reason behind the melting of the 16-pin 12VHPWR cable. We have worked with some manufacturers to assemble a small guide that will let you know the proper way of installing the cable to the graphics card. RELATED STORY Hassan Mujtaba NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU Appears In Intel Core i7-13700H CPU Powered Samsung Galaxy Book Pro Laptop There are two ways you can plug the cable in. You can do it either with the graphics card on your desk or you can do it with the graphics card plugged into the PC. If you are going the first route, take the 16-pin 12VHPWR cable and plug it in fully. The cable will make a slight *click* sound once you have pressed it in all the way. Make sure there are no gaps between the 16-pin connectors on the adapter and the cable. Slightly wiggle or pull the cable out to make sure, if there are gaps, you have to press it back in with more force (check this a few times before and after installing the card on your PC). Now install the graphics card inside the PCIe slot on your PC. Once installed, bend the cable to your liking but make sure it is beyond the 35mm clearance headroom. (bending below the 35mm clearance can lead to higher resistance build & can pull the cable out of the socket). After making sure that your cable is properly inserted, plug the four or three 8-pin power plugs into the adapter. Now close the side panel of your PC and make sure that it doesn't clash with the 16-pin 12VHPWR cable. (In the case it does, check the connection of the cable again to see if there are any visible gaps). Realign the cables and once you are sure everything looks right, boot up your PC. We have also seen issues with people installing the same cable on an ATX 3.0 PSU and we have to point out that the same problem can occur on the PSU side as the GPU side. A loose connection can appear at both ends and in the case you are running a native ATX 3.0 PSU with a Gen 5 cable, you should follow the same steps as we mentioned for the GPUs above. The reason why checking the connection on both ends is very important compared to an 8-pin connector is because the new 16-pin 12VHPWR cables come with a buckle-less design which is resistant to high-pulling force and bending. Plus, it latches to the anchor firmly & won't come out. The 16-pin cable has a small latch mechanism underneath the anchor which doesn't seem to do the job well. It is easy to come out and even when fully plugged in, the connection can come out loose in certain cases. This shows that despite your best efforts, there's still a chance that an improper connection will occur sometime and in that case, it is just better to check your connector periodically. It also shows that the design of the cable in general isn't as user-friendly as the existing 8-pin plugs & a redesign or a revision is the best option that we can hope for. We want to tell our readers and anyone reading this post that this guide is to help you out and mitigate the issue. We aren't saying that this will fully solve the problem as NVIDIA still has not confirmed what's the root cause but since most tech outlets have pointed this out, we can only provide the resolution we see fit for now. https://wccftech.com/nvidia-16-pin-12vhpwr-cable-connection-guide-for-geforce-rtx-4090-rtx-4080-owners/

Rabat - A Chinese tire company Qingdao Sentury has announced its plans to invest $297 in the building of a car tire factory located in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier. The company chose Morocco as Qingdao Sentury believes the North African country offers a stable economy and political environment. In addition, the company recognized Morocco’s prime geographic location for distribution to Europe in particular. In explaining its reasons for selecting Morocco, the Asian company noted that the country has favorable investment conditions, good trading policies, as well as strong and easy access to European and American markets. The factory is projected to begin operations by the end of 2024, as the construction is only expected to take approximately 18 months. There are high hopes for the new tire production line as the factory directors hope to create 3.6 million tires in the first year of business. After the first year, they hope the initial figure increases to 6 million tires by the end of the second year. The company is relying on self-raised funds to progress with the project until completion, the operating costs of the factory are estimated at $210 million, with hopes of a $51.88 million profit. The Morocco build comes under a larger project that plans to have multiple factories across the world within the next 10 years. The Chinese company has already made international investments as it opened the first of its international factories in Thailand in 2015. However, the growing demand for products made the company expand its business beyond its current locations in China, Rayong, and Thailand. Read Also: China Resumes International Travel Despite Global Restrictions on its Travelers © Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353392/chinese-tire-company-to-invest-nearly-300-million-in-moroccan-factory

The auction house Christie's has called off the upcoming auction of a T. rex skeleton, known as Shen, after experts noticed it looked suspiciously similar to another famous T. rex specimen, Stan. The sale of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, which was expected to fetch up to $25 million, has been controversially called off shortly before the behemoth's bones were due to hit the auction block. The cancellation comes after experts raised concerns that a significant proportion of the bones are actually replicas from another famous T. rex skeleton, which was not disclosed by the auction house. The T. rex skeleton, known as Shen, was uncovered at the Hell Creek Formation in Montana and dates back to between 66 million and 68 million years ago during the Cretacous period (145 million to 66 million years ago). Shen is around 40 feet (12.2 meters) long, 15 feet (4.6 m) tall and 7 feet (2.1 m) wide, and it weighs in at around 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg). The dinosaur king was due to be auctioned off in Hong Kong on Nov. 30 by the U.K.-based auction house Christie's, and would have been the first T. rex to be sold in Asia. However, paleontologists noticed that a number of Shen's bones were remarkably similar to another famous T. rex skeleton, known as Stan, The New York Times(opens in new tab) reported. In 2020, Stan was auctioned by Christie's in New York for a whopping $32 million, making it the most expensive T. rex skeleton of all time. After mounting criticism, Christie's announced on Nov. 20 that it was pulling Shen from the upcoming auction just 10 days before it was due to go under the hammer, saying that the specimen would "benefit from further study," The New York Times reported. The similarities between Shen and Stan were first spotted by paleontologists from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research (BHIGR) — the South Dakota-based fossil company that excavated Stan in 1992 and later reassembled its skeleton. The most noticeable similarity between the two skeletons is a large hole in the lower left jaws, which was unique to Stan, BHIGR(opens in new tab) president Peter Larson told the New York times. Despite selling Stan in 2020, BHIGR retained the intellectual property of the famous skeleton and has been using the copyright to create and sell painted polyurethane casts of the skeleton, which are currently priced at up to $120,000 each. (One of these casts was sold to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, which sparked speculation that the movie megastar was the mysterious buyer of Stan back in 2020.) After realizing that the company's copyright was possibly being infringed, BHIGR's lawyers contacted Christie's to see what was going on. "They're using Stan to sell a dinosaur that's not Stan," Larson told the New York Times before the auction was called off. "It's very misleading." The legal inquiry also raised another important question about the Shen skeleton — how many of the bones are actually original? Related: T. rex could have been 70% bigger than fossils suggest, new study shows Almost all dinosaur skeletons that come up for auction or are displayed in museums include at least some replica bones to complete the set. For example, the Stan skeleton contains 190 original bones — half the 380 bones that scientists believe make up a T. rex skeleton. Christie's claimed that the Shen skeleton had a "bone density" of 54%, but this did little to quell scrutiny surrounding the bones because bone density is not a scientific term, according to The New York Times. Eventually, Christie's changed the listing of Shen to reveal that only 79 of the bones were originals, and noted that a large number of replica bones had been based on Stan. But after continued pressure, the auction house has now called off the sale entirely. "Christie’s did the right thing" in the end, Larson said. Shen has now been loaned to an unnamed museum for public display until the issue is resolved, according to The New York Times. LINK: https://www.livescience.com/shen-t-rex-auction-called-off

Have you developed a small habit that has improved your life? We would like to hear about a tiny tweak that that has made a positive difference to the way you live – whether that’s drinking a pint of warm water first thing to hiding your phone in a cupboard in the evening or even the way you fold your jumpers. What is the little change you made that benefitted you, society or the environment? Share your experiences We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature. We will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For more information please see our terms of service and privacy policy. If you are 18 years or over, you can get in touch by filling in the form below. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. One of our journalists will be in contact before we publish, so please do leave contact details… we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially. We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action. In these perilous times, a truth-seeking global news organisation like the Guardian is essential. We have no shareholders or billionaire owner, meaning our journalism is free from commercial and political influence – this makes us different. When it’s never been more important, our independence allows us to fearlessly investigate, challenge and expose those in power. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you.

Russia has strongly criticised the visit to Washington by Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing the US of fighting an indirect war against it. President Joe Biden has pledged $1.85bn (£1.45bn) of military aid for Ukraine - including an advanced missile system to help guard against Russian attacks. In a defiant address to US lawmakers, Mr Zelensky welcomed the assistance. But Russia's US ambassador said these "provocative actions" would lead to an escalation with severe consequences. Anatoly Antonov told Russian state media that Moscow was "trying to appeal to common sense at all levels", but talk of delivering the Patriot missile system to Kyiv was "deeply disturbing". Zelensky's secret journey from Ukraine to the US Patriot missiles are capable, effective and expensive. The White House says they will help defend Ukrainians against "Russia's barbaric attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure". Moscow has complained that no calls for peace were heard during President Zelensky's trip to Washington - with spokesman Dmitry Peskov describing this as proof that the US was fighting a proxy war with Russia. Mr Peskov added that delivering Patriot missiles would not prevent Russia from "achieving its goals during the special military operation". "The talks in Washington have shown that neither Ukraine nor the United States is seeking peace. They are simply intent on continuing the fighting," said Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. Russian commentators have echoed this - repeatedly accusing the US of "pumping Ukraine full of weapons". Some media reports from Moscow ridiculed the Ukrainian leader - with state TV's Channel One comparing him to a stripper begging for money. On Wednesday, he was likened to a toilet brush. Marking his first foreign trip since the start of the invasion, Mr Zelensky told Congress his country was "alive and kicking" and would never surrender to Moscow. As well as the $1.85bn package that has already been announced, another $45bn of US emergency assistance is currently before the Senate. Mr Zelensky expressed hope this extra funding would be approved, to "help us to defend our values and independence". But there are signs that US support is likely to face greater political scrutiny. Republican support for continued assistance has been eroding. In a survey conducted in November, just over half of Republican voters supported aid to Ukraine - down from 80% in March. The party, which will take control of the House of Representatives in January, has warned it will not write a "blank cheque" for Ukraine. But President Biden has vowed to stick by Ukraine "for as long as it takes". Zelensky makes his pitch - will US sceptics buy it? Mr Zelensky, who travelled on a US Air Force jet from the Polish city of Rzeszow, said that "regardless of changes in the Congress", he believed there would be bipartisan support for his country. He made his plea in emotive terms before a joint session of Congress - a speech that was interrupted 18 times with standing ovations by nearly all members of Congress, with the exception of some Republican lawmakers who did not clap. Speaking in English, he told them his country was still standing "against all odds" and predicted "a turning point" in the conflict next year. To illustrate the brutality of the war, Mr Zelensky evoked US troops fighting the Nazis during World War Two. "The Russians' tactic is primitive. They burn down and destroy everything they see. They sent convicts to the front lines, to the war. They threw everything against us, similar to the other tyranny, which in the Battle of the Bulge threw everything it had against the free world. "Just like the brave American soldiers who held their lines and fought back Hitler's forces during the Christmas of 1944, brave Ukrainian soldiers are doing the same to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's forces this Christmas," he said. "Ukraine holds its lines and will never surrender." Concluding his speech, Mr Zelensky presented Congress with a battle flag signed by the defenders of Bakhmut, a frontline city in the east of Ukraine that he visited on the eve of his Washington trip. At a joint news conference, Mr Biden told reporters he was "not at all worried" about holding the international coalition together. Despite concerns some allies may be feeling the strain of the conflict's cost and disruption to global food and energy supplies, the US president said he felt "very good" about the solidarity of support for Ukraine. As Ukraine's most important ally, the US has already committed $50bn (£41bn) of humanitarian, financial and security assistance - far more than any other country. On his way home from Washington, Volodymyr Zelensky stopped in Poland where he met Polish President Andrzej Duda, one of his strongest allies. The two discussed the US visit as well as their "strategic plans for the future", Mr Zelensky said. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the US military estimates that at least 100,000 Russian and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured, along with some 40,000 civilian deaths. The UN has recorded 7.8 million people as refugees from Ukraine across Europe, including Russia. However, the figure does not include those who have been forced to flee their homes but remain in Ukraine. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64066584

Indulge your Supernatural fantasies with this big Chevy hardtop, done up as a clone of the hero car from the TV series, which is now up for auction on the Bring a Trailer website. With bench seating, a two-speed Powerglide transmission, and a burbling 283-cubic-inch engine, this is an ideal weekend cruiser that makes all the right sounds. Repainted black and fitted with chrome 15-inch five-spoke wheels, this Impala will be instantly familiar to a demographic far younger than your usual muscle-car enthusiast. Running over 15 seasons since it debuted in 2005, Supernatural was one of the longest-running, most successful fantasy TV series ever. Focusing on fictional twin brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they roved around the country fighting demons and ghosts, it was sort of a cross between a traditional Western and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And in a Western, you need a faithful horse. Dean Winchester had Baby, his beloved Impala. Originally, the show was supposed to feature the more obvious choice of a mid-1960s Ford Mustang, but the decision was made to go for something a little rougher around the edges. A black pillarless-hardtop Impala offered the necessary air of menace: low and rumbling and with the implication that there was plenty of space in the trunk for a body or two. Up for auction on the website Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a clone with all the charm of the Supernatural hero car. With the auction set to end on Tuesday, December 6, bidding sits at just $5200. The cultural impact of this show was probably a bit bewildering for dads of a certain age, asking their teenage daughters what kind of car they might like and receiving the prompt answer, “A black 1967 Chevy Impala four-door hardtop.” For a generation, Baby was more famous than the Dukes of Hazzard's General Lee. Which is as it should be, since the former was inspired by the latter. Perhaps though, the Supernatural Impala is a bit more like the Back to the Future DeLorean, in that the show has ended up inadvertently saving a bunch of old four-door Impalas. Without its celebrity status, a classic Chevy sedan wouldn't be as po[CENSORED]r as a coupe. Happily, this car, which started out white, with some previous body damage noted, has been brought back to life with a refurbished interior and 15-inch wheels with fresh BFGoodrich Radial T/A rubber. Mechanically, this Impala is nothing special, with a 283-cubic-inch V-8 and a two-speed Powerglide slushbox. It's fine if you just want to cruise around all summer, but the oil pan gasket needs resealing next oil change. Having had a chance to get up close with the actual Impala used as the hero car in Supernatural, anyone interested in this car might want to start putting together a shopping list. In person, Baby is no princess. She's a demon-shredding rottweiler. Under the hood of the real Supernatural Impala is a built-up 500-cubic-inch big block Chevy V-8, which lopes at idle like a bowling ball in an industrial dryer. The suspension is comprehensively upgraded with components from Hotchkiss, and the brakes are upgraded as well. Now in the possession of actor Jensen Ackles, who played Dean Winchester, the hero Impala is kept at his home in Texas. He put air conditioning in it but kept all the onscreen patina the same. So, two options here. One, an easy-riding weekend cruiser that looks like the one on your favorite show. Two, haul it into the garage and build out a truly badass sedan, worthy of any Winchester. Just don't turn your back and walk away. Sam and Dean would never. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42110590/1967-chevrolet-impala-sport-sedan-bring-a-trailer-auction/

With each new release from Dynasty Warriors developer Omega Force, the word "Warriors" gets further away from the word "Dynasty". The Musou action genre it created, where you play as an ultra powerful soldier against an army of hundreds, is borrowing more and more from the franchises it licenses story and characters from. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity looked and even sometimes felt like Breath of the Wild. Persona 5 Strikers (which lacks "Warriors" in the title, but is a Musou game) played like an extension of Persona 5, but with a different combat style. This trend among Omega Force’s games is a positive one, as you can only press the Y button so many times before you want to do something different. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes offers perhaps the most opportunity to entertain yourself outside of comboing through thousands of enemies that the studio has released yet thanks to its Fire Emblem: Three Houses-inspired content between missions. The result is a better-paced, more interesting experience than previous Omega Force games, but one that is still very much a Musou game. Where the original Fire Emblem Warriors presented an ultimately unfulfilled opportunity to meet and play with the larger history of Fire Emblem characters, Three Hopes reigns in the focus and is essentially a pseudo-sequel/alternate telling of Three Houses that is an action game instead of a tactics RPG. You won’t run into characters like Roy or Marth, but you do have the choice to join Edelgard’s Black Eagles, Prince Dimitri’s Blue Lions, or--the correct choice--Claude’s Golden Deers. If you’ve played Three Houses, seeing these characters and agonizing over the choice again is nice, but this time you’re playing as a new character named Shez, whose appearance throws the timeline out of sync and forces former Three Houses protagonist Byleth into the antagonist role. The departure gives an illuminating new look at that story, allowing you to interact with familiar characters under new circumstances. This change also made me admire Byleth in a new way, as she destroyed me the first time I met her, and proved to be a worthy challenge on nearly every subsequent rematch. Before and after combat encounters is where Three Hopes is the closest to Three Houses and doesn’t feel like a typical Musou game. Between pressing Y arguably too much, you visit base camp, where you can upgrade facilities, train, speak with your soldiers, make a meal, or even take care of horses. I enjoyed the reprieve from the repetitive combat and though I didn’t want to hear from every character between battles (and often elected not to), the opportunity to get to know the cast of characters, improve all the interpersonal relationships, and make them stronger during combat, made me eager to return to base camp. I even enjoyed the strangeness of going on the occasional date between slaughtering opposing troops. Base camp doesn’t change visually as a result of upgrades, which is disappointing, but leveling up and improving the facilities is rewarding for the bonuses they provide, like faster training or stores being able to carry more supplies. Combat is disappointingly familiar to past Musou games where you fight literally hundreds of the same enemies over and over with repeated combos. The Musou combat formula is one that is always impressive in the early hours, but wears out its welcome as every fight starts to feel the same. The numerous tutorials that still pop up regularly even five hours into the game don’t help matters, but little spikes of fun do appear when you pull off an especially destructive special attack against a huge number of enemies. Where Age of Calamity and Strikers played with the core mechanics by adding a Breath of the Wild’s flurry attacks and runes and Persona 5’s stealth to mix up the repetitive action respectively, Three Hopes is a small shuffle backwards. You press the Y button repeatedly to build up combos and unleash ultimate attacks on the soldier who happens to be pulsating green on the overview map. Combos and limited-use special abilities mix up the fighting and new in-battle fast-travel options help speed up the overall pace of the action, but it all amounts to ignoring most of the enemies to focus on a few generals and ping-ponging between them. Your choice of class dictates who you are strong against, and I changed Shez’s often, as you are encouraged to level them up individually. Classes like Cavalier and Pegasus Knight put you on horseback, while Swordmaster makes you run faster. Every class for every characters changes how they look, which is great, but it doesn’t change how they play in a meaningful way, which is disappointing. The Fire Emblem-inspired strategy layer has been greatly improved since the first Fire Emblem Warriors game, and engaging with it is a lot more fulfilling. You can get as granular as you want, commanding your individual soldiers to attack and defend specific zones and enemies, but I found great joy in sending my whole army on singular missions to take out the bases I was ignoring, or telling them to all follow me as I sprinted toward particularly powerful foes. The team is truly helpful, and your relationship with all of them grows alongside their power levels as you interact with them between missions. Chatting everyone up and learning about them makes it exciting to see them succeed on the battlefield. I did run into a handful of occasions where suddenly the battle was lost and I wasn’t sure what happened. An enemy general was suddenly in an area they weren’t supposed to be, or one of my bases fell when I didn’t even know they were in trouble. Your attention is sometimes too divided and the single objective description on the side of the screen just isn’t enough to keep you in the loop. The worst case and most frustrating scenario, which thankfully only happened a few times, is when I lost a battle and the checkpoint dropped me into an impossible scenario where there were only a few moments before losing. These instances force a mission restart entirely, which I always hated doing. Missions are selected by looking at a region on a map and making your way from base camp to a final destination territory by territory. You can elect to take over every section of the region, or you can beeline to your final goal to speed things up. There is something joyful about slowly overtaking the map with each battle and watching your color overtake the world. But when I don’t care to participate in every battle, I appreciate that I can be a completionist and gain a few extra levels and materials, or only participate in the battles you need to. I also liked the bonuses that appear after taking over a small section. Once a section is complete, you earn little stories that accompany collecting resources from won locations. Getting to know your co-workers is a highlight, but the larger narrative falls flat and the decisions you make to direct the story don’t make a radical impact. The production values are impressive with fully voiced and well-animated cutscenes showing leaders making difficult decisions about where and how to direct troops, but I struggled to get invested and was often confused with the political machinations of all the various interests. The competing goals of your opponents are never made clear and the elaborate plans being constructed always amount to attacking hundreds of enemies to take out various forgettable generals. Going on a date with Claude and talking about how much we like feasts is way more interesting than watching him hold his hand to his chin and commiserate about why the oppressive church is bad and we should probably fight them. The Musou games have been on an upward trajectory ever since Omega Force stepped outside of its Dynasty comfort zone. This, along with the recent releases, has shown a stronger willingness to embrace the unique mechanics of the franchises it is borrowing from and Three Hopes is one of the strongest examples yet. The repetitive and sometimes frustrating combat, however, is what makes up the majority of the experience. Even with improvements, the base idea behind the combat still loses its luster quickly. If you squint, though, you arrive at something closer to a Fire Emblem: Three Houses extension as opposed to a licensed spin-off hoping to cash in on recognizable characters and locations, which is a good place to be. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fire-emblem-warriors-three-hopes-review-wars-with-friends/1900-6417899/

Last weekend, Tennocon brought new trailers and teasers for all things Warframe. More details about the new expansion, The Durivi Paradox, and the reveal of a brand new update, Veilbreaker, fleshed out the near future of the po[CENSORED]r free-to-play game. The Durivi Paradox did not receive an exact release date, but will come out this winter. The expansion will offer new cinematic story content, new upgrade systems, and challenge players to wrist control of the titular Durivi, a color-shifting open world, from its ruler Dominus Thrax. In the DLC you will play as the Drifter, who is stuck, both in a time loop and within Durivi. With the help of Tenshin, a Dax warrior, and the Drifter’s science fiction horse (a creature known as a Kaithe) he has to discover the secrets of this world and break free from its prison. More news about the expansion will be shown in future devstreams, including how player’s existing arsenals will fit into the open world. Digital Extremes also showed off another DLC for Warframe, entitled Veilbreaker. In this update, players will play as Kahl-175, a Grineer who was also playable in the DLC The New War. Players will control Kahl-175 as he attempts to rescue his Grineer brethren from the Narmer. He will fight with other Tenno against Archon bosses and complete a variety of rescue missions. In other Tennocon news, the game’s 50th Warframe, Styaram was revealed. More details and a anime short concerning the new frame will be revealed in an upcoming Devstream. Digital Extremes also announced a brand new title, Soulframe, a fantasy take on Warframe’s free-to-play MMO formula. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/warframe-expansion-the-duviri-paradox-reveals-open-world-veilbreaker-dlc-announced/1100-6505558/

No Man’s Sky 4.0 launches later this week, and while the update won’t be as big as the 2.0 “Next” and 3.0 “Beyond” updates, it will still represent a fairly major shakeup for the procedurally-generated space exploration game. This time around, the focus will be more on streamlining the player experience and providing more options for different types of players. As such, in a new Eurogamer interview with Hello Games boss Sean Murray, he promises ver. 4.0 will bring refinement to the game’s tutorial. A new “Relaxed Mode” is also being added, for players who just want to see the game’s content without a lot of grinding. "When we [originally] launched we made the game a little bit more difficult and more grindy, perhaps, because we didn't have the breadth of content [we do now]. But now people come in and they want to see a mech, they want to see the story, they want to go to the Nexus and things like that, and so we wanted to find that right balance for new players. [...] [Relaxed Mode is a] very fun version of No Man's Sky where the focus is on exploration, less on just surviving and grinding, [where it's easier] to see the six years of content that's there.” Ah, but it isn’t just beginners who are being catered to. Murray also promises Survival Mode is getting even more daunting and an expansion for players' inventories is coming. Meanwhile, custom games, that will allow you to adjust everything from controls, to difficulty, to the way the universe works are also being added. One other thing coming is a Nintendo Switch version of the game, which is something a lot of folks doubted could be done right. Per Murray, the Switch version is largely on par with other versions of the game, with a couple exceptions – there will be no settlements and no multiplayer. Murray explained why he thought it was okay to launch No Man’s Sky on Switch without multiplayer… “Multiplayer in No Man's Sky is important, I love it as a feature, it's great… [but] it's not our most important feature compared to other games that have multiplayer. A lot of people play No Man's Sky effectively alone, single-player, and [Switch] is less focused on multiplayer as well, because of the nature that you're playing it on a train, you're playing on the toilet, out and about or in bed at night or whatever. Loads of people play multiplayer games on Switch… but it's a smaller percentage, and so our attitude is release, and see how people interact with it, and see what's important to them and react to that.” No Man’s Sky can be played now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5. Version 4.0 and the Switch port of the game both launch on October 7 https://wccftech.com/no-mans-sky-4-0-relaxed-mode-survival-mode-custom-games/.

Realme is set to unveil a range of 5G-led AIoT products by the end of this month. The digital launch event named Hey Creatives will take place on July 26 at 12:30pm IST. A teaser by the Chinese company has also indicated that the Realme Pad X and Realme Watch 3 will be a part of the launch. A PC monitor and two earphones are also expected to be included in the launch, although not many details are available now. The Realme Pad X with an 11-inch display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC was launched in China this May. Realme will be unveiling a slew of 5G-led AIoT products on July 26 at 12:30pm IST via a digital launch event named Hey Creatives. Although the tech company has not officially announced that the Realme Pad X and Watch 3 will be a part of this launch, the Twitter post by Realme and the promo page set-up by e-commerce site Flipkart indicate that both the gadgets will a part of the July 26 launch. Realme officially teased the launch of the Realme Pad X in India earlier this week. The company did not reveal the launch date, pricing information, and other details regarding the upcoming tablet. Realme Watch 3 was also teased recently by the company ahead of the launch of the smartwatch in India. The Watch 3 is confirmed to feature a bigger screen that the Realme Watch 2 and will come with Bluetooth calling function. The Hey Creatives poster also hints at the launch of two earphones and a PC monitor by Realme. One of the audio products appears to be the Realme Buds Air 3 Neo. According to the Flipkart promo page, the product will be officially revealed on July 18. Flipkart has teased the next set of earphones with phrases like ‘adaptive clarity' and ‘stable sound'. Further details regarding the PC monitor will also be revealed by Realme on July 18. To recall, the Realme Pad X with an 11-inch display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC was launched in China this May. The Realme Pad X sports an 11-inch display with a 2K resolution. The tablet packs a Snapdragon 695 SoC and features a 13-megapixel primary camera on the back as well as an unspecified front-facing sensor with a 105-degree field of view. The Pad X is equipped with an 8,340mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. The Realme Pad X also features quad speakers enhanced by Dolby Atmos technology. This tablet can be paired with a keyboard and Realme Magnetic Stylus.

The open-source Linux 6.1 graphics drivers have added lots of improvements for AMD's RDNA 3, RDNA 2 & Intel's Alchemist DG2 & Meteor Lake GPUs. Intel & AMD see further enablement of upcoming GPU hardware in the newest pull request for Linux 6.1 Graphics driver The DRM, Direct Rendering Manager, KMS, or Kernel Mode-Setting driver updates have recently been submitted for the upcoming Linux 6.1 merge window. Intel is seeing more enablement work for Meteor Lake and the Intel i915 driver. Meteor Lake is the next in line after the upcoming Raptor Lake series processors. The 14th Gen Core processors will showcase integrated graphics that have a basis from the company's DG2 and Alchemist microarchitecture. While there has been plenty of continued enablement for Meteor Lake, it will slow down as we come closer to the series' release in the second half of next year. Additionally, the current pull request offers enhanced GPU firmware handling for the company to assist with its existing graphics architecture. Further work for Intel also includes: Updated DMC firmware focusing on DG2 architecture Preemptive alterations Enhanced HDMI pixel clock handling DC5 enablement Numerous updates to the Intel Arc Graphics dGPUs In recent tests by Michael Larabel of the website Phoronix, the DRM-Next tree was found to have negligible performance differences compared to the current Linux 6.0 state with Intel's Arc A770 and A750 graphics cards. AMD included gang submit support for improving the AMD RADV Vulkan mesh shader support and different GPU IP blocks for the company's soon-to-be-released graphics cards and APUs. Also, new "mode2" reset support was added to the RDNA 2 architecture and other minor enhancements. RDNA 3 is still being worked on, but the focus is on RDNA 2 support. The following month will reveal if the next-gen AMD Radeon graphics cards can function on the newest upstream open-source driver. NVIDIA's Nouveau driver has not seen any modifications in the recent pull. The company did release a few updates to the panel driver, numerous MSM DRM driver updates that focus on the Qualcomm Adreno 600 series GPU recovery, improved resolution handling for the ASpeed AST DRM driver, MT8195 DP support located in the driver for Mediatek, RK3568 support found in the Rockchip DRM driver and additional improvements to smaller display and graphics drivers. Users interested in the newest updates can read the current changes on the pull request showcasing the latest DRM feature changes with Linux 6.1. https://wccftech.com/amd-rdna-3-rdna-2-intel-arc-alchemist-dg2-meteor-lake-gpus-get-several-graphics-driver-improvement-in-linux-6-1/

BLUETTI, a leading company of clean energy storage systems, has recently launched a for its newest flagship product AC500. At the time of writing, BLUETTI has raised $5 million in two weeks under the aegis of 1,300+ backers. The crowdfunding is expected to hit a record high by the end of October 15, 2022. Stretch Goals & Gifts has received tremendous support as it pulls in $2 million in the first seven hours. In response to the passion, BLUETTI has set its stretch goals shortly. When the funding reaches the following values, backers will get some gifts for free. $6 million: Travel coffee mug $8 million: BLUETTI T-shirt $10 million: 1-year extended warranty (4-year in total) $12 million: 2-year extended warranty (5-year in total) As it hits $4 million now, a 100W USB-C Charging Cable is available for every backer. Limited Chance The price of BLUETTI AC500 on Indiegogo is tiered and adjusted over time. Due to the limited sales quota, the earlier orders are placed, the better the prices can be. There are discounts on Indiegogo ranging from 40% to 13% off. Moreover, freight cost and consumption tax are exempted for backers from the US and Japan. People who spot and seize the opportunity will benefit from the early bird prices. With modular design, this 5,000W solar generator allows users to expand its capacity to a staggering 18,432Wh (connected with 6*B300S batteries) to satisfy different needs. Featured with the split phase bonding function, two AC500 units can be combined to generate a massive 10KW output power when integrated into the home grid (Home Integration Kit is also added into this sale), making it a reliable home backup for unexpected blackouts, such as the recent power outage in Bullhead City, which left nearly 40,000 residents in the dark. Foldable Solar Panel PV400 This 420W solar catcher is BLUETTI’s recent masterwork in solar power system. Made of monocrystalline silicon and coated with ETFE, it can achieve a high cell efficiency of up to 23.4% and 95% light transmittance. With a fold-and-go style, it can be easily transported from place to place, converting sunlight wherever and generating power whenever needed. About BLUETTI From the very beginning, BLUETTI has tried to stay true to a sustainable future through green energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use while delivering an exceptional eco-friendly experience for everyone and the world. BLUETTI is making its presence in 70+ countries and is trusted by millions of customers across the globe. For more information, please visit BLUETTI online at https://www.bluettipower.com/ https://wccftech.com/bluetti-ac500-has-crowdfunded-5-million-on-indiegogo-within-two-week/

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Rabat - Marrakech hosted on Saturday a fashion show debuting the iconic Moroccan caftan inspired by Morocco-Jewish cultural heritage. The show highlighted the artwork of Moroccan designers Fatima Al-Zahra Al-Idrisi Al-Filali. The event was co-organized by Morocco’s NGO, Escoffier Pupils Association, and the Oriental Fashion Shows Foundation, an international fashion show dedicated to highlighting Eastern culture. Commenting on the event, organizers said in a statement that the “most important features of these performances are their exclusive celebration, for the first time, of one of the basic features that make up the Moroccan-Jewish cultural.” The designer expressed her delight to display her art at the event celebrating the Morocco-Jewish heritage. The fashion show is part of the activities of the “Escovie Disciples - Morocco” forum that began on December 1 in Marrakech. A number of high-profile figures attended the event including chef Guillaume Gomez and former Ambassador of France to Morocco Philippe Faure. Other prominent figures at the event included international chefs, pastry makers, and other actors from the tourism sector. Founded in 1954 in Ville Neuve-Loube, the International Association of Escoffier Students, the association is a non-profit organization focused on promoting culinary art in honor of the late French chef Augustine Escoffier. Morocco joined the association in 2020. The association now has more than 40,000 students in more than 38 countries and is the largest gastronomy association in the world.

Under This PC you can see some folders such as Desktop, Download, Documents and so on. These are default folders created by Windows. You can remap the location of these folders to take advantage of multiple drives on your device and create space on the drive where the OS is installed. 1) In the right pane of File Explorer, click This PC. 2) Right-click on the folder you would like to remap. 3) In the context menu, click Properties. 4) In the Properties dialogue box, go to Location tab. 5) Click Move to select the folder where you would like to save the files in the future. 6) In the Select a Destination dialogue box select a folder. 7) Click Select Folder. Click Apply to finalize the change. 9) In the Move Folder window click Yes to move files to the current folder. 10) Click OK to close the window.

Samsung introduced its Buy Now, Pay Later option for the first time for its flagship and foldable smartphones in India on Wednesday. ICICI Bank credit card holders with a minimum credit limit of Rs. 1,50,000 will be able to benefit from this offer at retail outlets across India. This scheme also gives the option of zero down payment and a processing fee of 1 percent. The company has confirmed that this offer is available on Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and Galaxy S22 series smartphones. The new Buy Now, Pay Later option enables Samsung customers to pay 60 percent of the total amount in 18 no-cost EMI monthly instalments. The remaining 40 percent can be repaid in a lump sum with the 19th instalment. As previously mentioned, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphones are eligible for this offer. The Galaxy S22 series — the vanilla Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra — also now come with the Buy Now, Pay Later option. In addition to the Buy Now, Pay Later offer, customers who go for either the regular Galaxy S22 or the Galaxy S22+ can also buy the Galaxy Buds 2 for Rs. 2,999. Both of these smartphones are powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and run on Android 12-based One UI 4.1. Customers who purchase the Galaxy S22 Ultra can get the Galaxy Watch 4 for an additional Rs. 2,999. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a flagship Samsung smartphone that runs on Android 12 with a One UI 4.1 skin on top. It sports a 6.8-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz. The handset is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC paired with up to 12GB of RAM. It features a quad rear camera setup headlined by a 108-megapixel primary sensor. There is also a 40-megapixel selfie shooter on the front. https://gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/samsung-s22-z-fold-flip-3-buy-now-pay-later-icici-bank-galaxy-india-3199128#pfrom=topstory

Apple has released iOS 16.1.1 and iPadOS 16.1.1 for iPhone and iPad. Download now with bug fixes and enhancements. You Can Now Download iOS 16.1.1 and iPadOS 16.1.1 With Wi-Fi and Advertiser Related Fixes As promised, Apple has just released iOS 16.1.1 and iPadOS 16.1.1 with important fixes for iPhone and iPad users worldwide. This update seems to fix the Wi-Fi related issues which iPhone and iPad users were facing. If you're all up for Wi-Fi that works all the time on your phone or tablet, then this update is a must-have for you. In order to download the update right away, launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Once done, scroll down a little and then tap on General. Now tap on Software Update and wait for the update to show up. Once iOS 16.1.1 or iPadOS 16.1.1 becomes available, tap on Download and Install at the bottom. If you want to download the iOS 16.1.1 and iPadOS 16.1.1 IPSW files for clean installation using Finder or iTunes, you have that option as well. But quite frankly, you can skip the IPSWs completely and simply download the latest update straight from Apple's servers by clicking on the Restore iPhone or Restore iPad button in Finder and iTunes. The rest is up to you.It is extremely important that you go ahead and download the update right away. It is under 500 megabytes in size and will take no more than 15 minutes to install. It's absolutely worth it if you want your iPhone and iPad to function at their best all the time., https://wccftech.com/download-ios-16-1-1-ipados-with-bug-fixes-for-iphone-and-ipad/

Despite ‘unlaunching’ the GeForce RTX 4080 12GB a little under a month ago, it appears that Nvidia may be drawing up plans to bring the GPU back to market under a different name. A rebranding isn’t entirely surprising, but it remains to be seen whether team green will stick by the previously announced price point for this graphics card. Nvidia said the reason behind its decision to effectively cancel the GeForce RTX 4080 12GB was because “having two GPUs with the 4080 designation is confusing,” which while true to a degree didn’t speak to the performance differences between the two models. Now, according to kopite7kimi, the pixel pusher will be rebranded as the RTX 4070 Ti. Considering that GeForce RTX 4080 12GB GPU performance previously fell behind the 16GB model, an RTX 4070 Ti moniker is certainly more befitting of the pixel pusher’s power. We’ll need to wait and see until we get our hands on one, but it could be the best graphics card on the market for under $1,000 USD. It’s unclear when Nvidia plans to launch the RTX 4070 Ti, but the RTX 4080 12GB was originally scheduled to release shortly after the RTX 4080 16GB, so it could be very soon. We also don’t know whether it’ll still cost $899 USD, especially following the news that the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT will cost the same amount. https://www.pcgamesn.com/nvidia/rtx-4070-ti-rumour

In addition, 51% agree that the basic text proposal be drafted by an elected body and experts. For its part, disapproval of President Boric dropped slightly this week, standing at 64%. In a week marked by the constitutional agreement between the parties with parliamentary representation for a new Constitution, the most recent Cadem survey, published this Sunday, highlights that 55% consider that this new process will be better than the one carried out by the Convention. Along these lines, 21% estimate that it will be the same as before and 22% estimate that it will be worse. Likewise, 51% agree that the Magna Carta proposal be drafted by 50 elected councilors and 24 experts. Otherwise, 46% reject the new body. According to Cadem, the people who agree with the body identify with "the right (64%) and the center (65%), the middle class (60%), over 55 years of age (55%) and they voted rejection in the plebiscite (59%). Meanwhile, those who oppose the agreement identify themselves mostly with the left (57%), they voted to approve in the plebiscite (53%) and the youth (51%)". Regarding preferences to integrate the Committee of Experts, 88% expect them to be academics, 83% to be constitutional lawyers without political militancy and 79% economists. For their part, 57% reject the idea that former presidents are part of the body of experts. 68% to be made up of former ministers and 76% former parliamentarians. Evaluation of President Boric and his cabinet This week's Cadem showed that approval of President Gabriel Boric fell to 30% (-1), while disapproval stood at 64%, one point less than the previous study. Meanwhile, his administration to his cabinet continues to be led, positively, by the Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve, who received 63% approval this week. He is followed by the Ministers of Health and Segpres, Ximena Aguilera (60%) and Ana Lya Uriarte (59%), respectively. Otherwise, among the worst evaluated secretaries are the head of Social Development, Giorgio Jackson (62%); that of Economy, Nicolás Grau (54%) and the spokeswoman Camila Vallejo (51%).

As one of the largest scorpions in existence, the hairy desert scorpion is one of the deadliest predators in the southern United States. The hairy desert scorpion is among the largest arachnids in Arizona. Up to 11 centimeters long, its yellow shell makes it stand out among the stones and sand. For this reason, it is also known as the yellow scorpion, documents the Naturalista database. Here we tell you everything we know about these nocturnal predators of the arid plains of North America. We suggest: Why you should not kill the spiders you find at home Where does the desert scorpion live? The species was originally described in 1928, by the American geophysicist Maurice Ewing. The specialist was struck by the hard coating that protects the internal organs of the desert scorpion, which is why the scientific name appeals to this characteristic. Hadrurus arizonensis comes from the word hadr, which in Greek means hard. In addition to this natural shell, these arachnids have a series of hairs on their claws, tail, and back. Since they are not characterized by having very good eyesight, they help them detect the movement of larger predators, as well as their possible prey. What's more, the hairy desert scorpion is among the largest in the United States, according to Utah's Hogle Zoo. These scorpions are characterized by being nocturnal and solitary predators. In the deserts of Arizona, they only seek companionship when they reach reproductive age. Generally, females can gestate for 6 to 12 months. In total, they can have up to 35 young, which they carry around until they learn to hunt on their own. Also read: They discover a neon gecko that glows in the dark What do these hairy arachnids eat? The desert scorpion is sexually dimorphic. That is, the females are much larger than the males. Although they are actually olive green skinned, in the sun they look almost yellow. At night, however, they take on a blue color, typical of fluorescent animals. ALTHOUGH IT IS A SPECIES THAT HAS BEEN MUCH STUDYED—TO KNOW HOW TO TREAT ITS POISON—NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHY THEY GLOW IN THE DARK. Since it inhabits arid and semi-arid regions, it generally feeds on smaller insects. Among them, moths, beetles and even other scorpions. Their poisonous sting allows them to hunt rodents and lizards. In captivity, documents the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), they live up to 20 years. However, in their natural environment, the average lifespan is much shorter, because they are susceptible to their predators.

Donkervoort will end the D8 GTO era with the new F22, claimed to be the lightest two-seat supercar in the world. Weighing in at just 750kg, the F22 is the the most powerful car yet produced by Donkervoort. It has a power-to-weight ratio of 657bhp per tonne, thanks to a 493bhp turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine linked to a rev-matching five-speed gearbox. Top speed, which hasn't been electronnically limited, is expected to exceed 180mph. Much of this lightness comes from a completely reworked chassis made from a mix of tubular steel and in-house-built, Formula 1-grade Ex-Core carbonfibre – which is stronger, lighter and can be made into more complex shapes than standard material. This allows for a 100% boost in torsional and bending rigidity over the outgoing D8 GTO Individual Series, which in turns brings better grip: it can handle a maximum lateral acceleration of 2.15g while cornering. The first car to come under the guidance of new boss Denis Donkervoort (who has replaced his father, founder Joop Donkervoort) is also the Dutch firm’s largest – at only 5cm slimmer and 50cm shorter than the Lamborghini Huracán – and most civilised. This is down to a more spacious cabin and, for the first time, a twin-plate targa-style carbonfibre roof that, the firm says, brings better everyday usability. A completely redesigned interior is the key to this, which boasts an extra 80mm of shoulder width and 100mm of cabin length over the car it replaces. It comes complete with custom-designed, lightweight Recaro seats, into which occupants are strapped by what's claimed to be the first six-point harness approved both for racing and road use. “The F22 is the pinnacle of what we know with lightweight engineering, strength, combustion engines and pure speed,” said Denis Donkervoort. “The F22 gives Donkervoort drivers new levels of speed, handling, driving purity, design and practicality and shows the world where Donkervoort is going in the future.” It will look to rival other premium lightweights, such as the new KTM X-Bow GT-XR (which also now comes with a roof), Dallara Stradale and Radical Rapture when it arrives next month, priced from €245,000 (£211,560). Just 75 examples will be made, up from an original 50 – all of which sold out after initial sketches were released.

Whether it’s by email, face-to-face or via a technology platform such as Slack or Zoom, good communication skills eliminate silos, win deals, and help build trust and loyalty with employees, clients and customers. But with the shift to hybrid working post-pandemic, many organisations are having to rethink how they’ve always done things. We ask three experts where leaders should start when it comes to optimising business communication. Remember your audience is busy The average professional spends a significant part of their working day reading and answering emails. And, according to Kim Arnold, business communication expert and founder of the email-writing training course Email Engagement, there are some pointers that everyone should know when it comes to writing emails. “Whether it’s internal or external emails, it’s that battle for attention now that is the biggest problem,” she says. “I hear from sales teams that say they’re now having to do everything on email and are sending more cold emails than ever before.” The first step? Keep it short. “Assume that your audience is as busy and frazzled as you are. Most business emails should be 80 words or fewer, with 16 words or less in a sentence. And make sure you include a call to action – be very clear about what you want to happen next.” Don’t invest in too many platforms One of the biggest challenges with effective business communication is the multitude of platforms on offer. Jess Baker, a business psychologist with 20 years’ experience and the co-author of The Super-Helper Syndrome: A Survival Guide for Compassionate People, says some organisations are simply using too many. “They might have Zoom, Teams, Slack channels, email … and they think this helps them manage internal comms. The reality is that people can get lost in all of these different threads of communication.” Be very clear with your teams about which platforms should be used for which, she adds, and remember the basics: “What do I want to say? Who needs to hear it? When do I need to say it? And how frequently do I need to say it?” Give customers choice When it comes to good customer service, having different methods of contacting the team is key. One US survey found that 40% of consumers say multiple options for communicating is an important feature of a brand’s customer service offering, with talking over the phone to a live agent, email, and online chat the most po[CENSORED]r options. “Make it easy for customers to contact the organisation in a way of their choosing,” Jo Causon, chief executive of the Institute of Customer Service, says. “Be honest about when someone is talking to technology versus a human being, and make sure you have consistency across channels.” It’s also important to be proactive: “If you’ve got a problem with your website, for example, tell customers you’re working on fixing the problem.” Be authentic Any customer service interaction should be transparent, authentic and honest, Causon says. A poll (pdf) by the Institute of Customer Service found that up to 85% of customers lose trust when an organisation is not being transparent about products and services, and a third say an important factor in trust is when brands use clear, straightforward language. Being authentic means staying true to your business’s core beliefs and values, and aligning all communication with that mission. Organisations that talk to their customers authentically are likely to build more trust and brand loyalty, possibly increasing engagement even when external factors such as the rising cost of living starts to bite. Encourage two-way communication Authenticity is important in internal communication too. Baker says: “Managers must communicate as authentically as they can to encourage their direct reports or colleagues to trust them. Not having trust can ultimately lead to more problems, which can cost more money to resolve further down the line.” Advertisement Almost all employers who responded to a 2022 survey acknowledge they have a responsibility for the health and wellbeing of employees, but most have no formal strategy. Effective two-way communication isn’t just about running an annual employee survey, Baker says. “Mental wellness needs to be taken seriously. People ought to feel comfortable enough to ask how the organisation can support them better.” Balance value with selling Email newsletters can be tricky to get right, but they are an incredible marketing tool when used properly, Arnold says. “Even if you’re sending out thousands of emails, it needs to feel like an intimate conversation. No one wants to feel like they’ve been slapped around the face with a sales brochure. You need to balance value and selling – give your readers things to think about, that might make them smile, or just genuinely brighten their day. When you’ve got enough of those brownie points, then you can sell.” Be friendly As well as authenticity, friendliness is another attribute that should be incorporated into email in particular. “We have a tendency to become very formal in our written communication,” Arnold says. “But email is just a conversation with a pause. It’s about building relationships with people, not just shooting out information. Plus, writing in a more conversational style shows people that this is a conversation, and you expect a response.” Adapt your message We all have different styles of communication, so it’s a good idea to check if your message has been heard in the way you intended. “Don’t be afraid to talk it through,” Baker says. “Knowing how to adapt your message appropriately is the sign of social intelligence.” When it comes to giving and receiving feedback, make sure you focus on the project or situation rather than getting too personal. “Be task and solution focused,” she adds. “Instead of saying: ‘You didn’t give me that information,’ you could say: ‘I needed more information to do my role on this project.’” LEAD - Curiosity Box 4946-0120 (1) Building your brand: how to create effective newsletters Paid for by Mailchimp Read more Feed insights back through the organisation Customer service departments can be a great wealth of knowledge, but all too often those insights stay trapped within one small team. “Businesses that are the most connected to what’s really going on in the external world and what that means for their employees and customers are the most likely to remain relevant,” Causon says. “For me, a really good communication strategy is joined up across the whole of the organisation. It needs to be up, down and across.” Be proactive about good communication Successful communication begins with self-awareness, Baker says. “Observe your own style, your words, and how your message is received and interpreted by others. Consider the timing and medium for maximum impact, whether that’s checking in with your team or reporting to the board.” For Arnold, businesses that are struggling with this need to tackle training first and spend time getting this right. “It might help to create playbooks for how your team communicates – what are the expectations? What tone of voice will you use? How do you use certain platforms? Organisations are going to find this becomes a real competitive differentiator – those that can persuade and influence remotely and those that can’t.” Mailchimp is the number one email marketing and automations brand*. With plans suitable for every size of business and database, marketers are able to send the right message at the right time to convert more customers, get AI-assisted suggestions to make content more engaging, and set up automated workflows to cross-sell products, recover abandoned carts and to help drive more loyalty and sales.

Amazon Great Freedom Festival 2022 sale will kick off at midnight tonight (August 5) for Amazon Prime members. The five-day sale will bring discounts on various products across different categories and will see new product launches. The Amazon Great Freedom Festival sale will open for everyone from August 6 and will continue until August 10. The e-commerce website has also partnered with the State Bank of India (SBI) to offer an instant discount of up to 10 percent on purchases made using SBI credit cards. Further, interested buyers can avail of Amazon Pay-based offers. When is the Amazon Great Freedom Festival 2022 sale? The Amazon Great Freedom Festival 2022 sale will kick off on August 5 for Amazon Prime members and interested users can purchase a subscription starting at Rs. 179 per month to enjoy early deals. The sale will be live from August 6 for everyone else and will be open until August 10. Kickstarter Early Deals, which are a part of the sale are currently live on the e-commerce platform. Pre-book at Rs. 1 As part of the sale, Amazon is allowing buyers to pre-book their favourite products ahead of the sale by paying just Rs. 1. This pre-booking step will ensure the availability of the product at a discounted price during the sale. As mentioned, SBI cardholders will be able to avail a 10 percent instant discount during the sale. What to expect from the Amazon Great Freedom Festival 2022 sale? Amazon is already teasing some of the major deals and offers that will be available on mobile phones, laptops, TVs, wearables, audio, and other electronics during the Amazon Great Freedom Festival 2022. The sale will bring discounts on smartphones from Xiaomi, Poco, Samsung, Realme, Motorola, Google, Oppo, and Apple. It brings up to 40 percent off on mobiles and accessories. The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G priced at Rs. 28,999 will get cashback and offers during the sale. The Redmi K50i 5G will be available for Rs. 25,999. The Samsung Galaxy M53 5G can be grabbed by paying Rs. 24,999, down from the launch price of Rs. Rs. 26,499. Mobile accessories will be available for purchase with a starting price of Rs. 49. AmazFit GTS 2 Mini can be purchased for Rs. 4,999, instead of the original price of Rs. 6,999. Boat AirDopes 181 wireless earbuds will be up for grabs at Rs. 1,299. The OnePlus 50-inch 4K Android TV can be purchased by paying 38,999. The price of Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 will starts at Rs. 32,990 during the Amazon sale. In addition, there is up to 75 percent off on laptops, wearables, headphones and more and up to 60 percent off on home and kitchen products. The Amazon Great Freedom Festival 2022 sale will see up to 50 percent discount on Smart TVs and appliances. Further, there will be exchange, cashback, and no-cost EMI payment options. Other leading online marketplaces are also likely to offer deals on different products. Customers can compare prices on different platforms before making a purchase to get the best deal.

With hybrid working on the rise and data mismanagement continuing to make headlines, you’d be forgiven for thinking that even the most unsuspecting users would be interested in securing their online privacy. However, new data provided to TechRadar Pro by digital intelligence platform SimilarWeb indicates that the growth of veteran privacy-focused browsers Mozilla Firefox and Opera is stalling. A rough estimate of Opera’s user acquisition rate (based on traffic to the browser installation page) suggests June was an especially low point, marking a 23.1% decrease in pace of growth since the start of the year. There have been minor gains since then, but Opera appears to be becoming less and less attractive to new users. Meanwhile, Firefox has fared even worse, perhaps as a consequence of the decision to focus on Mozilla VPN and other privacy products. In August, visits to the browser’s install page were down 7% on January, and its market share(opens in new tab) (which once sat at 30%) has fallen to just 3.35%. The raw data shows that Firefox currently attracts only a few hundred thousand new users each month, while Opera is drawing in circa two million. Market leader Google Chrome, however, is thought to be used by more than 3.1 billion(opens in new tab) people. The rise of the “big default browser” The release of the figures by SimilarWeb coincided with a report(opens in new tab) published by Mozilla in late September 2022 that accused Google, Microsoft and Apple of “abusing their privileged position” to make it “difficult or impossible” for users to change the browsers set as default by the operating system. Battle lines have already been drawn this year with the European Union’s antitrust legislation targeting Google, Apple and Meta’s stranglehold in browsers, search engines and other markets. Google also recently failed to overturn a €4.34 billion antitrust fine relating to restrictions on manufacturers of Android devices designed to “consolidate the dominant position of its search engine”, according to a spokesperson for the EU’s General Court. Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are both overwhelmingly po[CENSORED]r defaults that trade almost entirely on brand recognition and their status as default options across multiple operating systems (Chrome on Chrome OS and Android, and Edge on Windows 11). Other “big defaults” include the macOS and iOS versions of Safari. “Default settings can create burdens for consumers who prefer to use a browser other than the default, but who are unable to or unaware how to change their default. We know from our research that some consumers adopt unnecessarily cumbersome workarounds to stick with their preference,” the Mozilla report claims. Mozilla’s report offers some explanation as to why operating system providers pursue these kinds of strategies, stating that the developers of “big default” browsers stand to profit from user data. “Although consumers don’t pay to use browsers, their browsing history is valuable data for platforms with advertising businesses like Meta, Amazon, Google and Microsoft. It is not coincidental that many of these companies have yet to implement robust anti-tracking technologies in their browsers or deprecate third-party cookies,” said Mozilla. However, the firm also acknowledged that Big Tech’s motives extend beyond data collection: the operators of the “big default” browsers make significant sums through advertisements served to users locked into their proprietary search engines. “Google Chrome is captive to Google Search (powered by Google advertising) and Microsoft Edge is captive to Bing search (powered by Microsoft advertising). Independent browsers are the only companies able to freely consider search defaults on behalf of their consumers. They are also among the few companies to encourage discovery, evaluation, adoption and innovation of alternative search and advertising experiences.” Browser choice Although the likes of Mozilla and Opera have struggled of late, an enduring demand for “alternative” web browsers is supported by separate data from SimilarWeb. From January through August, privacy-focused Brave Browser saw its estimated monthly downloads surge 272%. Admittedly, Brave saw just 17,827 and 66,340 hits to its installation page during these months, respectively, but that’s a significant rate of growth nonetheless. These numbers suggest the continued success of “big default” browsers likely isn’t just the result of the suppression of alternatives, but also a function of user apathy and brand recognition. While Big Tech seeks pure profit, privacy-focused browsers may simply be fighting amongst themselves. The growth in installs Brave has seen this year suggests Mozilla Firefox and Opera are losing market share to newer options, such as Brave and DuckDuckGo’s new Privacy Browser (for which we don’t currently have any data). Crucially, the statistics also suggest that the push for web browser privacy may be a small movement, but one that’s still capable of gaining traction. Apple’s decision to let users change their default browser in iOS 14 is a welcome one in the fight to get consumers to care about their online privacy, but the first step towards total browser independence is to abolish the idea of defaults completely - something that may never happen with Apple maintaining its own “big default” on the most po[CENSORED]r mobile operating system in the US. As things stand, Mozilla may have made the mistake of assuming that every ”big default” browser user is a potential convert. User apathy will always play into the hands of large and powerful companies; even minus suppression tactics, “big default” browsers would still trounce independent alternatives in monthly growth. With a solution like inviting users to choose their own default browser from a list of privacy-focused alternatives, alongside simple, reasoned arguments for doing so, that apathy could wane. It’s just that legislating for something like this seems unthinkable to most lawmakers outside the European Union. Mozilla, DuckDuckGo, and eleven other companies did recently lobby the US Congress to table a data privacy bill that would address Big Tech monopolies, default browsers, and unfettered data collection, but the chances of the move leading anywhere are slim, thanks to Big Tech’s lobbying resources. In addition, the lack of regulations surrounding “revolving doors” (whereby politicians leave office, often for corporate positions, and use their connections to curry favor with lawmakers) in territories such as the UK and Australia mean that legislating for web privacy and freedom of choice for anonymous browsers there may turn out to be an extremely slow process, if not a completely insurmountable problem. Would privacy-focused browsers see more even growth if users were given the option to make an informed choice between them? The problem, right now, is that we might never get to find out.