Angel of Death

Tensions between the U.S. and China have proved lucrative for some Japanese companies. Nikkei Asia today reported that prices for used chip-making equipment, which aren’t subject to U.S. restrictions imposed in 2020, have risen 20% on average as a result of increased demand from Chinese semiconductor manufacturers.The U.S. imposed new sanctions on SMIC, the largest semiconductor manufacturer in China, in September 2020 to prevent it from purchasing new chip-making equipment. It also added the company to the Entity List in December 2020 to make it even harder for other businesses to supply it with American-developed technology.Used chip-making equipment sellers in Japan aren’t subject to those same restrictions. Nikkei Asia said those sellers have struggled to keep their products in stock, which has led to significant price increases over the last year. The value of critical equipment such as lithography systems reportedly tripled in that timeframe.Nikkei Asia said that “nearly 90% of used machines appear to be headed to China,” per a source at Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance, and that another anonymous source at an unidentified used equipment dealer claimed, “machines that were basically worthless several years ago are now selling for 100 million yen [$940,000].”That isn’t just true of Japanese companies. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that “Chinese businesses bought almost $32 billion of equipment used to produce computer chips from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and elsewhere” in 2020. That was “a 20% jump from 2019,” according to the report, and that growth could continue.The end goal for China is self-sufficiency. Companies in the country have made progress on their own chip-making equipment so they won’t have to rely on American technologies, for example, and SMIC has sought other ways to reduce the U.S. blacklisting’s effect on its ability to advance the Chinese semiconductor industry.China’s also worked to develop its own CPUs, GPUs, memory, and other components so it won’t have to rely on Western products. But until it can replace American chip-making equipment entirely, assuming the U.S. won’t budge on its restrictions, the country’s going to have to continue to stockpile these once-outdated machines.

As multiple recent elections on both sides of the Atlantic have proven, the pollsters can quite easily be wrong.To find out more about the crisis of confidence in polling, we caught up with Don Vaughn, Ph.D., Head of Product at data analytics firm Invisibly, which claims to have predicted the outcome of the US presidential election to the greatest degree of accuracy.According to Vaughn, a fundamental overhaul to traditional polling methods is needed, with an emphasis on real-time research.Check out our list of the best customer feedback tools right nowWe've built a list of the best survey tools for customer researchHere's our list of the best WordPress survey plugins out thereWhat is the difference between a poll and a survey?Polls traditionally focus on the measurement of one thing, for example an election race. Surveys typically involve a broader series of questions on a topic and attempt to collect more data.To be clear, it isn’t that traditional polling is obsolete in the sense that it isn't practiced anymore - it is obsolete in that it is outdated.The problem is that these outdated data collection practices in polling are still the most po[CENSORED]r and get the most attention. Many polls are done person-to-person via telephone which in itself cause biases in the data collected. We need to move to more anonymous polling that is suitable for the digital age which fits within our day to day life and is not disruptive. Invisibly Realtime Research solves this issue.Google already does have a survey tool, but it’s built in a way that is meant to make money or drive views to content, not to collect completely unbiased data. Invisibly is different in that its goal is to protect user data and privacy, while also getting the most accurate results possible by not having a paywall, or content blocking function.How far are we from a 100% AI polling solution?I would imagine we aren’t that far off. There has definitely been innovation in this space. It’s one thing to ask someone who they are voting for, but there are examples of AI making election predictions based on sentiment on social media and not asking voters directly. AI is not perfect, but eventually inferences might be able to be made accurately without directly interacting with voters.What is the holy grail for survey professionals?The holy grail is being able to survey a large random sample of people and have them answer multiple questions. In addition, one needs to be able to reach specific groups of people (e.g. Nike might only want to survey people who have purchased Nike products in the past).Invisibly’s Realtime Research product leads the polling and market research space in finding the largest random sampling of respondents, and we are building towards being able to facilitate communication between brands and individuals that fall into a desired cohort (e.g. people who have a verified purchase of a Nike product).What trends have you identified in the market research business in 2021?There are trends that don’t just apply to market research but research in general. There has been a decrease of in-person surveys due to pandemic. This means an increase in other types of surveys such as telephone surveying. However, we recently saw the benefits of Invisibly’s online style surveys proven over telephone surveys due to the chaos that occurred with the 2020 Presidential Election, for which many of the major polls still were done by telephone and ended up being very far off the actual election results. Some major research institutions such as Pew Research shut down in-person surveys due to the pandemic and were exploring telephone surveys. The question is whether or not virtual research trends will remain after the pandemic.Here's our list of the best content marketing tools around

If you like Warhammer 40,000, have I got the mod for you: Unification Mod for Dawn of War: Soulstorm is a sprawling remaster, bugfix, faction-adder, and game mode adder that works for both the Steam and (to my delight) Actual Physical DVD versions of Dawn of War: Soulstorm. The unification mod adds new art and units for the nine base game factions, as well as 17 new factions.The big selling point of Unification is the new factions, but realistically you'll get a lot of mileage out of improved AI, as well as big updates in the campaign and new win conditions usable in its missions. There are also new Survival, Last Stand, and Kill-Team mission types. Survival and Last Stand are particularly appealing to those who prefer their RTS to be PvE and cooperative.You might think, what the hell, 17 factions is... too many? To which I will say: There are more flavors of Space Marine than there are flavors of ice cream. Here are the new factions: Dark Angels, Witch Hunters, Adeptus Mechanics Explorators, Emperor's Children, Inquisition Daemonhunters, Imperial Fists, Salamanders, Steel Legion, Harlequins, Thousand Sons, Legion of the Damned, Thirteenth Company, Blood Angels, Chaos Daemons, World Eaters, Black Templars, and Tyranids. Of course, there are mods you can use to add even more factions, if you like.Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.

Ott Tanak’s Hyundai career may not have always yielded the results he was hoping for when he joined as reigning champion last year, but the Arctic Rally Finland – which joined the championship at short notice after Sweden was pulled due to Covid restrictions – was as close to perfect as it got.“Finland is the home territory of Toyota, so to win here, on a brand new rally, feels very special,” he said, after claiming his second win in the i20 WRC. “We just went as fast as was safely possible.”The Estonian led from start to finish, claiming five of the 10 stages to avenge his retirement on the season-opener in Monte-Carlo and get back into the championship fight.Sebastien Ogier, who led the standings after the Monte, had a rally to forget in Finland, suffering from being first on the road on the opening day and acting as a snowplough for his rivals. He headed into Saturday, constituting the bulk of the action, on the back foot. Just as he was starting to climb back up the leaderboard, Ogier made an uncharacteristic mistake and got stuck in a snowbank on Saturday’s final stage: gallingly just a few hundred metres from the finish.“The rally was done for us anyway, so I’m not too bothered,” he said, ending up 20th at the finish, with just one Power Stage point as consolation. “When you’re first on the road it’s always like this, so it’s only what we were expecting.”The pre-event favourite was Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera, and there was a bit of pressure, because had he succeeded, the Finn could have become the youngest-ever winner of a World Championship rally.In the end, Rovanpera missed out by just 17.5 seconds, but he won the Power Stage (to score five extra points) and moved into the drivers’ championship lead, with Toyota still heading the manufacturer standings.Second overall was also the 20-year-old’s best-ever result, ahead of Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who had closed to within two seconds of him on Saturday night. Their battle was the highlight of Sunday, with Neuville’s third place sealing second in the championship.Rovanpera wasn’t the only young sensation at the Arctic Rally, as it also marked the debut World Rally Car outing for 19-year-old Oliver Solberg. Throwing a spanner into the works was a positive Covid test for his regular co-driver Aaron Johnston, which meant a last-minute switch to the experienced Seb Marshall.Nonetheless it was a brilliant first time, with Solberg bringing his Hyundai home in seventh, having lost a place to Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta on the final stage. Ahead of the Japanese driver was his team mate Elfyn Evans in fifth and Craig Breen in fourth: making his first appearance for Hyundai this year and delivering everything that was asked of him. Another returning driver was Esapekka Lappi, who won WRC2 in a dominant performance with a Volkswagen Polo.By contrast, spare a thought for his Finnish compatriot Janne Tuohino. On the fringes of the top 10, the privateer Ford Fiesta WRC driver was hoping to make Sunday count. Only to fall over in the sauna on Saturday night and dislocate his shoulder…

It was negative 13 degrees Celsius (8.6 degrees Fahrenheit) when Lorelou Desjardins took a break from her workday to take a walk on the frozen lake near her home in Oslo, Norway. She was accompanied by her husband, who had recently been on four months of paternity leave, and their infant son.Not only was she encouraged by her employer to take this walk — she is paid one hour per week to exercise or spend time outdoors. It's one of the several times she goes outdoors during the workday.Other times are to put her 1-year-old out for a nap, wrapped up in blankets outdoors, like they do with him and the other babies in day care, or by taking a walk in the forest whenever she has a meeting over the phone with a colleague, which her workplace encourages her to do.That's thanks to friluftsliv (pronounced FREE'-loofts-liv), a Norwegian custom that means living "life in fresh air," or more simply, spending time outdoors and being active."It's life in fresh air, which in English, you could say is an outdoorsy life," she said. "But it's actually more than that. It's not just about being outdoorsy, it's about taking advantage of every moment you have in nature."Homing in on life balance and prioritiesFriluftsliv is not a concept the French-born Desjardins has spent her life living. She moved from France to Norway in 2010. However, she said she's much less stressed ever since making the move. She even did a TED Talk on the topic just over three years ago."When I moved to Norway, I was kind of a workaholic. And so, coming here and having my boss tap my shoulder at 5 or 6 p.m. and tell me, 'What are you still doing at work? Go outside, it is nice weather," she said. "It's kind of this spirit of 'OK, work is great, but we have a life out there, that life involves being outside.'Contrary to American "hustle culture," Desjardins said overworking and sacrificing your personal life isn't considered a good thing in Norway. It's considered an inability to prioritize in one's work to Norwegians.While Americans may not be able to ask their employer for a paid walk in the forest, Desjardins said there is much to be gained from adopting these practices — and people can do it in any natural area near where they live and work.People in Norway don't have some magical ability not to become cold, she said, noting that they feel the cold just like anyone else. But the chance to spend time outdoors and face a challenge isn't something that holds them back. In Norway, she said, there is a saying: "There's no bad weather, only bad clothing."Appreciating winter monthsWith the pandemic still in full swing in the United States and the coldest months upon us, Dr. Paul Desan, director of the Winter Depression Research Clinic at the Yale School of Medicine, said many may be facing a "very tough, dark winter." And it's possible adopting some form of friluftsliv could help.Today's 'Blue Monday' depression peak isn't real, but seasonal blues are. Here's what to do about themToday's 'Blue Monday' depression peak isn't real, but seasonal blues are. Here's what to do about themFor some, this tough winter can be attributed to seasonal affective disorder, a variant of clinical depression that is characterized by depressive symptoms in the fall and winter."We used to think human beings were not seasonal animals," Desan said.Sheep, which are seasonal animals, he said, behave differently in different parts of the year, and their reproductive cycle and how their fur grows both depend on the light and dark cycle."But it turns out human beings really are seasonal — and we (also) respond to the light-dark cycle," he said.Many people feel worse in winter in at least one way, whether it be sleep quality, appetite, energy or a desire to be social, according to Desan."But the important public health observation here is that you have a relatively common condition that affects a lot of people ... (and) we actually have a very powerful, cheap, effective therapy," he said. "And that's bright light." Desan said that bright light can come from an electric light treatment device or simply natural illumination from the sun."For some of those people, it's enough to just get them to go out and work in the garden when the sun comes up, and to use all of the natural light that's out there," he said.Nordic nations consistently top the annual UN World Happiness Reports, despite their cold, harsh winters, although these happiness rankings are based on six factors — income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity — spending time outdoors is not on the list.Both in Norway and other countries, the friluftsliv lifestyle can be a potential way to combat wintertime sadness, Desan said."When those Norwegians are telling you that you should be outside as much as you can, part of what they're saying is you should be exposed to bright light, (which) probably is good for your mood or energy any time of the day," Desan said.Because about a third of the country in Norway is north of the Arctic Circle, there are vast extremes in the amount of light in their days, making the winters very dark and cold."Because there's so little daylight here, every ray of sunshine needs to be taken advantage of," Desjardins said. "I (like to) just stand still and look at the sun — just to pump in vitamin D."Desjardins explained this act of standing still and facing toward the sun is so common in Norway it even has a name: solveggen, which equates to "wall of sun" in English.

Arsenal continues its climb towards the top half of the English Premier League standings on Sunday when it travels to the King Power Stadium for a matchup with Leicester City. The Gunners, who lost to the Foxes 1-0 back in October, currently sit in 11th place with 34 points, two points back of London rival Tottenham in ninth place. Leicester, which will be without midfielder James Maddison, remains in third place, and is level on points with second place Manchester United with 49. The Foxes will depend on the services of Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes, while Arsenal hope Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka can continue to deliver offensively.Sunday’s match will air on NBC Sports Network on your local TV provider. You can watch the game for free online if you sign up for a free trial with Sling, fuboTV or Peacock Premium.Leicester City vs. Arsenal (English Premier League 2021)Start time: 7:00 a.m. ESTTV channel: NBCSN (Channel finder: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity,Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling.)Live stream: NBC Sports Live | fuboTV | Sling | Peacock Premium. - You can watch NBC Sports Live if you have a cable subscription. If you don’t, you can get NBCSN via a la carte packages from fuboTV, Sling and Peacock Premium. (with free trials).More soccer coverage via the Associated Press:BERLIN (AP) — Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored late to steer Arsenal into the last 16 of the Europa League with a 3-2 win over Benfica on Thursday, while Napoli and both German teams were knocked out.Arsenal had to come from behind to advance 4-3 on aggregate, while Napoli is out despite beating Granada 2-1 in the second leg. The modest Spanish club surprisingly advanced 3-2 on aggregate.“The dream continues!” Granada midfielder Luis Milla said on Twitter.Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim went out with 2-0 losses at home to Swiss side Young Boys and Norwegian minnow Molde, respectively.“A huge disappointment,” Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz said after losing 6-3 on aggregate.Manchester United drew 0-0 with Real Sociedad for a 4-0 aggregate win, and Milan progressed on away goals, 3-3 on aggregate, after drawing 1-1 at home with Red Star Belgrade.Goals from Lukas Provod and Abdallah Sima in the second half gave Slavia Prague a 2-0 win at Leicester to progress after their goalless first leg.Roma had little difficulty getting past Sporting Braga with a 3-1 win at home for 5-1 over two legs.AUBAMEYANG’S LATE DECIDERAubameyang scored twice for Arsenal, including the decisive 87th-minute winner just as the Gunners were poised to go out on the away goals rule despite playing both games abroad due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.The teams played the second leg in Athens while the first leg ended 1-1 in Rome after Benfica’s home game was relocated from Portugal.Aubameyang opened the scoring in the 21st, finishing clinically after Bukayo Saka played him through.Diogo Gonçalves equalized with a perfectly placed free kick inside the top left corner in the 43rd.A mistake from Dani Ceballos gifted Benfica its second goal after an Arsenal corner in the 61st. Benfica goalkeeper Helton Leite produced a long kick out that Ceballos tried heading back to his own goalkeeper, but only inadvertently laid it off for Rafa Silva, who rounded Bernd Leno before finishing into the empty net.It was just the Portuguese team’s second effort on target on the night.But left back Kieran Tierney replied with a strike inside the far post in the 67th after showing good composure to elude a Benfica defender, and Aubameyang completed the turnaround with a close-range header to the 19-year-old Saka’s cross.“We never seem to do it the easy way,” Tierney said.UNITED YOUNGSTER MAKES BOWShola Shoretire came on as a substitute to become Manchester United’s youngest player in European competition. Aged 17 years, 23 days, Shoretire replaced previous record holder Norman Whiteside.Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal missed a good chance to start an unlikely comeback when he sent a penalty high and wide in the 13th minute, and United did enough thereafter to keep the visitors from getting into the game.United defender Axel Tuanzebe thought he scored his first senior goal midway through the second half, but it was disallowed as teammate Victor Lindelöf had crashed with his knee into Jon Bautista’s head while jumping for the ball. The Swedish defender was booked after a VAR review.TRIBUTE FOR TA BIMilan forward Franck Kessié paid tribute to Atalanta youth player Willy Ta Bi after scoring his penalty early against Red Star Belgrade. The 21-year-old Ta Bi died of cancer on Tuesday. Kessié held up a shirt with the text “To God, champion.”Mirko Ivanic played a brilliant pass for forward Ben to equalize in the 24th, two minutes after he hit the crossbar with a free kick.Belgrade defender Marko Gobeljic, who had conceded the penalty early on, was sent off with his second yellow card in the 70th as his team was chasing the goal it needed to get through.EINDHOVEN OUT, AJAX THROUGHEgyptian forward Kouka scored late for Olympiakos to knock PSV Eindhoven out despite a 2-1 defeat. The Greek team won 5-4 on aggregate.Ajax progressed with a 2-1 win over Lille (4-2 on aggregate), Rangers cruised through with a 5-2 win over Belgian team Antwerp (9-5), Shakhtar Donetsk beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 (3-0), Villarreal defeated Salzburg 2-1 (4-1), Dinamo Zagreb beat Krasnodar 1-0 (4-2), and Dynamo Kyiv won 1-0 at Club Brugge to progress 2-1 on aggregate.

Lenovo (via HXL) has teased the Radeon RX 6900 XT and Radeon RX 6800 XT Legion Edition graphics cards on the company's Weibo account. The graphics cards are likely an exclusive for Lenovo's Savior Blade 7000P 2021 gaming PCs, though.It's unknown if Lenovo manufactures the Legion graphics cards itself or the company relies on a third-party OEM. Aesthetically, the Radeon RX 6800 XT Legion Edition looks awfully familiar, like a dolled-up Radeon VII. The rectangular shroud makes a comeback with the characteristic "R" logo with red illumination in the corner. To give the design a new twist, Lenovo opted for a black exterior and some RGB lighting.The Radeon RX 6800 XT Legion Edition looks a tad bigger than AMD's reference edition, however, so it should still take up three PCI slots inside your case. The triple-fan cooling setup remains untouched, but the backplate has been customized to Lenovo's Legion branding.The Radeon RX 6800 XT Legion Edition draws power from two standard 8-pin PCIe power connectors. Other than that, we don't know the graphics card's other specifications.Lenovo has given its Savior Blade 7000P gaming systems a much-needed upgrade to AMD's latest Ryzen 5000 (codename Vermeer) processors. Therefore, the Radeon RX 6800 XT Legion Edition will be able to leverage the Smart Access Memory (SAM) feature, which essentially allows the processor and graphics card to tap into each other's memory. This results in a nice boost in gaming performance.The graphics card shortage is affecting both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards, and it doesn't look like the situation will improve anytime soon. Lenovo's Savior Blade 7000P 2021 could provide consumers an option to gain access to a high-end graphics card, even if it's just in China.

Our guide to the best business cloud storage services gives a detailed breakdown of all the best platforms out there, but before you dive in it’s worth exploring the benefits of cloud storage for business. Doing so will allow you to manage expectations for how it can help improve your business—before you speak to a developer or approach a provider.Similarly, having an understanding of how the transition to the cloud works is valuable so there aren’t any surprises down the line. Put simply, though, there are many advantages to being cloud-native and the move-over is not something to be concerned about.There are many reasons to move your firm over to the cloud and utilize business cloud storage. However, we’ll only focus on the most significant to give you a taste for the key benefits.Firstly, moving to the cloud can help greatly reduce costs. For example, by outsourcing your data storage, your energy bills may be reduced, as well as the amount you spend on in-house IT staff. Similarly, most business cloud arrangements are made on a rolling contractual basis, meaning software (and perhaps even hardware) upgrades may be included in your monthly fee.It can also make scaling your operation far easier. For the sake of argument, say you decide you need to rapidly expand your team by 50%. Rather than having to install a huge amount of new hardware to accommodate this expansion, you can simply contact your cloud provider and ask them to extend your storage, number of users, and—if applicable—bandwidth.Having a business on the cloud will also help foster collaboration in your teams. By having all their files and documents in one space, that is accessible anywhere in the world, teams can more easily reach the information they need. Collaboration features to look out for include real-time editing, integration with third-party platforms, instantaneous file-syncing, and custom link generation.The cloud can also be better for the environment. Outsourcing your data storage facility to an efficient, specialized provider, means less energy may be spent on storing your data, helping those firms with a CSR or ESG-focus reduce their carbon footprint.Depending on your provider, the cloud can also offer cast-iron security against malicious parties. With 256-bit encryption and SSL/TLS transfer tunnels now industry-standard, there’s very little risk of a leak. Many cloud platforms even offer a “no knowledge” approach to data management, meaning even they have no way to access your information.Perhaps the most overriding point to remember, though, is that cloud computing has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years. Transitioning to it has never been more straightforward, not least because the market leaders now offer a mature product that is incredibly well designed. Your firm will not be an early adopter of the technology, and with the initial problems now fully ironed out, that’s a good thing.How to move to the cloudMost platforms make the transition to the cloud straightforward—indeed, it’s within their best interest to do so. However, there are some things that you should be aware of before diving in.Firstly, the best option for you is probably the best option for your competitor or another similar business. If possible, reach out to those in your network at other organizations and query what cloud platform they use and whether they’d recommend it. This can be especially important if you are in a sector that is particularly suited to one provider, for example.Next, it’s time to figure out which aspects of your operation need to be on the cloud. Some parts, such as payroll and collaborative documents, are a no-brainer, but that might not be the case across the board. Legacy applications, for example, might not be compatible with some cloud platforms and might be easier to leave in your local network.For larger businesses, it might also be necessary to ensure you have the right developer know-how to hand. If you choose a reputable platform, the risks when you’ve moved should be minimal, but a developer will help through the more treacherous part—transitioning.Finally, it’s also worthwhile preparing for life when your migration is complete, so consider what can be done to get the most out of your new cloud subscription prior to moving over. There are lots of routes to consider aside from the obvious data back-ups. You could, for example, begin writing a wiki to be stored on the cloud that includes information for employees, such as best practices, white papers, and the like.The best options on the market right nowOur guide to the best cloud storage services provides an in-depth view of what the market has to offer at the moment. But as a quick primer, here are three excellent options worth considering.Dropbox was early out of the blocks and so has had longer than most to add to its list of features and improve its user interface. As such, its current product is brilliantly sleek and easy-to-use, making it a crowd pleaser for everyday users. However, it also has a raft of business functionalities. Dropbox Transfer allows you to send files of 100GB over the cloud, whilst Dropbox Spaces, for example, are machine learning-driven group folders that make collaborative working incredibly user-friendly.SpiderOak is one of the providers to offer the aforementioned “no knowledge” system, meaning it can’t access anything on its own servers. Whilst this adds peace of mind to those who want their information sealed tight, it means if you lose the master password, all your information is lost too. SpiderOak’s impressive focus on security means it isn’t packed with features, but it’s still intuitively and attractively designed.For teams who already work in Microsoft, OneDrive for Business is a fantastic option. Jam-packed with features and with a clear focus on collaboration, the platform leaves very little to be desired. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, Exchange, and Office 365, whilst an AI-managed folders system will immediately streamline your workflow. There are some areas that could be improved, such as its macOS app, but really OneDrive is head and shoulders above most of the competition.ConclusionDropbox, SpiderOak, and Microsoft OneDrive are all fantastic options, but it’s important to research as many providers as possible before committing. After all, every business has different requirements—you may, for example, benefit from spending more on storage than on third-party app integration.After you have determined your requirements, moving to the cloud has never been easier. Many providers will help guide you through the process and have expert customer service to answer even the most technical of questions. And if you do make the move, there are huge benefits to on offer—including improvements to your firm’s bottom line and environmental impact.

You'll never be left without a firearm in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey, a heavily armed Frontier Q&A explained this week.Odyssey's big sell is that, on top of getting out of your ship to stretch your legs, you'll be able to shoot up all sorts of bandits and lawmen across thousands of dusty extra-terrestrial towns. To that end, you'll never be left unarmed."Just as you will always have a Sidewinder available as a ship, all players will have a side arm to help them in combat," Frontier explained.The Q&A generally covers the essentials for understanding Odyssey's first-person blasting. There'll be a wide range of weapons to acquire and modify, from "pistols, rifles and SMGs, to shotguns and rocket launchers". You can leave ammo and items for other players, and while there'll be no dedicated melee weapons, you'll be able to thwack people with the butt of your rifle.Frontier has already described how they want a "sphere of combat" including on-foot, SRV and starship combat. This week's Q&A goes a little further, making it sound like you'll be able to do significant damage to unshielded ships with rockets and grenades.Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is coming later this Spring, following a closed alpha earlier in the season. While this isn't the first time Elite has made planetfall, the developer recently went into great depth on how it's rebuilding billions of traversable planets for Odyssey.

Liaisons, some dangerous, some inspired and many unexpected, have long created drama in the automotive industry.Half a century ago, no pundit could have imagined modest, middle-class Peugeot being a lead player in an industrial combine including the mighty (it was then) Fiat, America’s third-biggest car maker (it was then) Chrysler and Opel and Vauxhall, twinned then cast off by General Motors. Almost as wild would have been the idea of Fiat swallowing Chrysler, Jeep and a pick-up brand called Ram.Yet that’s exactly how things turned out, with Stellantis formed from the merger of the PSA Group (which grew out of Peugeot) and FCA (Fiat and Chrysler merged).So how did its various brands get here, and what are some of their most memorable creations? Fiat invented the supermini with the 127 in 1971, and its Punto descendant was often the best seller in Europe. It’s amazing that the firm abandoned such success, despite tight margins.Tipo: A fine example of Fiat’s bipolarity: the charming 500 on one side, the dull and underdone Tipo on the other. A fine piece of retro engineering that has succeeded beyond Fiat’s wildest dreams, doubtless saving the brand.124 Spider: FCA’s on-off commitment to models caused this pleasingly effective Fiat-and-Mazda mongrel’s early death.Alfa Romeo8C Competizione: Beautiful proof Alfa can easily sell a car for over £100k, but proof ignored.

It’s been too long since we’ve been to the movie theater, so join us as we refresh your memories of the experience. Specifically, let’s talk about the great science fiction and fantasy novels that have wowed us on the big screen.Everyone has their classics. Lavie loves Paul Verhoeven’s “Starship Troopers,” the controversial 1997 film that parodied Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 novel (and is slated for a reboot.) Silvia is a fan of Roger Corman’s Poe cycle and the stories that inspired it. There are so many science fiction and fantasy books-to-films, so we decided to focus on favorites that perhaps haven’t gotten as much attention as they should.Silvia: I don’t often follow the old adage: Read the book before you watch the movie — but I should have for “Under the Skin” by Michel Faber. I saw the film when it came out in 2013, and I’m afraid that when I read the novel afterward, I could not shake the impression of Scarlett Johansson as the alien who picks up men and takes them to what is essentially a meat processing facility. In the novel, her character has a more bizarre appearance and the book has a dreamy, haunted quality, along with moments of shocking cruelty. Slow, but delicious and disturbing.I discovered “The Repossession Mambo” by Eric Garcia after I chanced upon the film “Repo Men” (2010) with Jude Law in the lead role. Both share a great concept: In the near future, you can buy spare organs with ease, but you better make your payments. Enter our cynical protagonist who used to repossess organs and is now being hunted for his heart. The result is a noir that also has a bitter sense of humor. It reminded me a bit of Philip K. Dick and some of his harried characters.My third choice is “The Company of Wolves” (1984), an adaptation of Angela Carter’s short story of the same name (from the collection “The Bloody Chamber”) and the radio play version that can be found in “The Curious Room: Collected Dramatic Works by Angela Carter.” It’s amazing how such a short story could give way to a whole movie, and yet if you’ve ever read Carter’s work it makes perfect sense. Director Neil Jordan distills all the Freudian, fairy tale imagery and horror contained in Carter’s work into one surreal version of Little Red Riding Hood with werewolves. Many authors have reworked fairy tales, but Carter was one of the first to attempt such bold takes, and remains one of the best.Lavie: The Japanese film “Battle Royale” (2000) is based on a novel by Koushun Takami that’s available in the United States thanks to the efforts of the Haikasoru imprint. I never tire of recommending Haikasoru’s books, and “Battle Royale: Remastered” (translated by Nathan Collins) — a pulpy tale of school kids pitted against each other on an island — is no exception. Another great from Asia is the lavish 2019 Chinese science-fiction film “The Wandering Earth,” which is based on Liu Cixin’s novella. You can find it in his English-language short story collection of the same name. Moving on to France, “Planet of the Apes” is improbably based on Pierre Boulle’s “La planète des singes” (originally translated as “Monkey Planet” in the UK). And yes, Boulle also wrote the novel “The Bridge Over the River Kwai.”You’d need to be intrepid to have watched the 1990s Israeli-made, English-speaking film “The Road to Ein Harod,” a very odd dystopia starring, I kid you not, Gregory Peck’s son and Benito Mussolini’s granddaughter. It was a critically and commercially panned venture. But it is based on author Amos Kenan’s miniature masterpiece of the same name, a surrealist, nightmarish odyssey set in a near-future Israel that ends with a grand science fictional twist. Translated from Hebrew in 2001 by D. Hecht, the book is only available secondhand — one for you obscurists out there.Another difficult find that’s worth it: The 2004 Thai film “The Siam Renaissance” is the tale of a Thai archivist in France who time-slips to the royal court of Siam in the 19th century, and it is fantastic, but the novel it is based on, “Thawiphop” (Two Worlds) by Thommayanti has never been translated. It was huge in Thailand, though, having been adapted multiple times since publication. Could an enterprising publisher please pick up this historical fantasy romance for the English-language reader?Finally, let’s not forget a couple of classic science fiction short stories that got turned into movies. Robert Sheckley’s “The Seventh Victim,” about a deadly game of hunting humans, improbably became a film (“The Tenth Victim”) starring Marcello Mastroianni. And “Mimsy Were The Borogroves” by C.L. Moore and Henry Kuttner became, 64 years later, the movie “The Last Mimzy.” The films may not have fared as well, but the stories are at the very heart of science fiction’s history, and I wish more people read them.Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of “Mexican Gothic,” Gods of Jade and Shadow” and “Signal to Noise.” Lavie Tidhar is the author of several novels, including “The Violent Century,” “A Man Lies Dreaming,” “Central Station” and, most recently, “By Force Alone.”

Luther Burbank High School senior Emili Carrillo is finding ways to learn English — but lately, school isn’t making that easy.The 17-year-old moved from Mexico nearly four years ago with her dad, and works part-time as a cashier at a grocery store.“Working has helped me a lot, because I have to practice my English,” Carillo said about chatting with customers on the job.But learning English at her South Sacramento school — an entirely computer-based activity since last March — is another matter.“It’s been hard for me,” she said about attending classes online, which eliminates opportunities to practice English with peers. “When we were at school … we kind of communicated more with our classmates. And this year, during the pandemic, we don’t even talk sometimes.”As the momentum builds to reopen schools in California, early evidence suggests that English-learning students have fallen behind more than their peers.Education experts say school leaders should act now to reverse a widening achievement gap between students with financial resources and kids with less support at home.“Now is the time where we have to acknowledge that these gaps have widened during the pandemic and really be intentional about providing extra supports,” said Heather Hough, executive director of Policy Analysis for California Education at Stanford University.Hough says that, with the right resources and support, educators can fast-track learning. “And this doesn't have to have a long term catastrophic event on their lives,” Hough said of the pandemic.Hough’s research released in January showed that California students in 18 school districts grew less in mathematics and English language arts than they would have over a typical year. The evidence was most pronounced in the younger grade levels.But the most concerning impacts, according to Hough, were that kids in socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, which in the study included low-income students and English language-learning kids, were further behind than their peers.“In the fifth grade, our research shows that students learning English are about 30 percent behind where they would be in a normal year in English language arts, compared to 10 percent for students that are not learning English,” Hough said.And this is a significant group: English-learning students make up almost a fifth of California’s public school po[CENSORED]tion, according to California Department of Education estimates from 2019.Although some may already be fluent in English, more than 40% of the students enrolled in California public schools overall — some 2.5 million kids — speak a language other than English at home. More than 81% of English-learning students in California schools speak Spanish, according to the state statistics.Larry Ferlazzo teaches history and English to non-native-speaking students of all levels at Luther Burbank. He tries to make the best of “Zoom school” by teaching with humor and interactive online quizzes. But the quality is not the same as learning face-to-face, he said, where gestures and informal interaction can help student comprehension.“There’s no question that grades are suffering, not just for [English-learners], but for all students,” Ferlazzo said about how students are doing nationwide. He writes extensively about education trends and improving school instruction for national outlets such as EdWeek.During a couple of his online classes one recent Wednesday morning, almost all students had their cameras off, with just cartoon characters or animal photos to represent their space on the screen. Students responded to Ferlazzo or teacher aide questions by writing in the chat, instead of verbalizing their answer.But the technical glitches and physical distance are not the only thing preventing non-native English speakers from learning more. Ferlazzo says many of his students are children of immigrants from all over the world — Afghanistan, Central America, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands — and family responsibilities sometimes keep them from attending class.“Many of our students are having to take care and assist younger siblings,” he said. “A fair number of our students are also having to work nearly full time to help their families during the recession.”And Ferlazzo says he hears of a case of COVID among one of his students, or their family members, at least once a week.“When you’re sick, when you’re worried, you just can’t concentrate,” he said.Hough says the learning gap between disadvantaged groups and other students during the pandemic is directly tied to the different supports kids have at home.“In some families, students have full time tutors, or even a credentialed teacher, who's at home supporting their learning. Or a parent who doesn't work, who's supporting their learning full time,” she said. “On the other end of the continuum, we have families where perhaps there isn't an adult at home during the day at all because all adults in the family are out working multiple jobs.”The California Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom are still deadlocked about how to reopen schools, and what resources will be available when they do.Samantha Tran of Children Now says policymakers should focus resources on the most disadvantaged kids, such as English language learners, and that should include summer school and partnerships with community-based organizations.“How do we address some of this learning loss in a way that engages kids, that gets them excited about learning, and dare I say … be fun?” Tran asked.Emili Carrillo has juggled many things during the pandemic, including being a peer tutor for Ferlazzo’s class. She says she knows teachers are trying their best to connect with students during the pandemic, but she still sometimes has trouble communicating.Carrillo will likely be able to feel more connected to her peers and teachers in a couple of months. The Sacramento City Unified School District plans to restart in-person instruction for the youngest grade levels in early April. High schoolers would see each other again in May, but only if the COVID threat level goes down in the county.

If any car symbolises how far Hyundai has come in the last few years, it’s the Kona. Not only does it sell well for them (the aim is for 17,000 in the UK this year, which would make it the firm’s second best-selling car), but it’s also got nearly the full gamut of powerplant offerings to cover any customer’s needs. Petrol mild-hybrid, hybrid and electric - there’s even a hot ‘N’ version coming. Europeans also get diesel versions, but Hyundai sold so few here it doesn’t bother anymore.The car has recently been facelifted and this time we’re trying out the hybrid version of that surgery. It’s not the most radical design overhaul but if you enjoy playing ‘spot-the-facelift’, you should know that the narrow DRLs are even narrower (if that was possible), while there’s more plastic cladding around the nose and the front fog lights are more rounded and less blocky. The rear also features a smidge more plastic cladding and similarly tweaked lower lights. In addition, new paint colours are available (complete with predictably jazzy names like Surfy Blue) and new wheel designs. The 18-inch alloys on our test car look particularly good.Overall, it’s not what I’d call a beautiful car, but it is at least distinctive - something that’s needed when the compact crossover class is so crowded with rivals like the Renault Captur, Toyota C-HR and Nissan Juke.Inside, the overhaul continues with a fresh new infotainment system - 10.25-inch touchscreen but mercifully with plenty of physical buttons directly beneath it - so it looks less like a Fisher Price system these days. There’s a new digital dash as well. There’s an electric handbrake now and the odd touch of chrome - nothing major but it certainly helps to make it look more up-to-date.There’s plenty of technology on offer: wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connection is standard across every trim, and all bar the base Kona come with nav and BlueLink Connected Car Services, the latter of which covers things like Last Mile Navigation (which will transfer the last bit of nav instruction to your phone, if the end bit of your journey has to be on foot), Connected Routing (smart navigation, so it’ll update according to traffic) and Live Parking information (does what it says on the tin). It’s a subscription service but you get five years for free.Leather is standard in this Ultimate trim level and features both heated and ventilated front seats - the rears are also heated as standard. Impressive stuff, from a car that costs under £30,000.Those rear seats are a bit flat, but you perch quite high in the back so there’s good visibility over the driver’s shoulder. Anyone over six foot should be wary though - because of the high seating position, headroom is a bit limited in the rear.We’re testing the hybrid version here, but a 1.0-litre mild hybrid is also available on the Kona for the first time. Our 1.6-litre petrol hybrid is good for 141bhp and 108 lb ft, all helpfully assisted by the 1.56kWh battery and 32kW electric motor. It’s a self-charging hybrid - no plug-in here, unlike rivals like the Captur. Hyundai reasons that if you want more of an electric experience, you can opt for the full EV Kona. The headline sprint takes 11.3 seconds and fuel economy is 55.4mpg and 115g/km, the latter of which are within the margin of error when compared to rivals like the Toyota C-HR

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is regarded as one of the most influential political leaders across the globe, is celebrating his 70th birthday on Thursday (September 17, 2020). For 70-year-old PM, age is just a number for him since he has been a fitness freak and an ardent believer in the Yogic way of living since his childhood days.The charismatic leader, who is known for his excellent oratory skills, vision and innovative ideas, has been working assiduously towards empowering the poor and marginalised. India has tremendously benefited from his astute leadership, firm conviction and decisive action.From fasting, regular morning walks to doing yoga, here are a few things that help him maintain a healthy lifestyle and make him one of the fittest leaders across the world

hether you’re a professional wordsmith or are simply hoping to make your daily correspondence a bit more polished, these simple tips should help. Also, if you’re the former, I’d love to grab a coffee and pick your brain about career stuff.Every Day vs. EverydayEvery day means “each day”; everyday is an adjective meaning commonplace or ordinary. Let’s look at some examples:Every day, you wake up.You wake up consumed by the never-ending to-do list of everyday tasks that get in the way of you finishing your poetry chapbook.Their vs. They’re vs. ThereThough homonyms, each of these words has its own definition. Let’s take a look at how to use them properly:All parents want their children to be successful.But they’re unable to see that, for my generation, getting a college degree isn’t a guarantee of long-term success.There is no way I can just “go to medical school” at this point—I’m already knee-deep in debt and I know nothing about biology. It’s too late to start over.The Serial CommaAlso known as the Oxford comma, this hotly debated punctuation mark can be used to clarify the logic of sentences that include a list of three or more things. Let’s take a look at an example:My career as a freelance editor is being threatened by A.I.-powered browser plug-ins, a growing cultural preference for visual media over the written word and my diminishing sense of get-up-and-go.Without the clarifying use of a serial comma, this sentence could be read to connote that the second and third items in the list are examples of the first, when, really, they are separate, powerful forces, each of which threatens my livelihood.Em Dash vs. En DashThe em dash is a versatile punctuation mark, often used in place of a colon or comma. The en dash is most commonly used to indicate a range of time or numbers. Let’s look at some examples:Here I am—dangerously close to forty—staring down the barrel of a grand return to retail sales.My initial stint in retail (2005–2014) was intentionally undertaken to give me a stress-free means of income while I focussed on my first novel, a manuscript that more than a dozen publishers would call “exhausting” and “Jonathan Safran Foer-esque, in the worst possible way.”Nauseous vs. NauseatedDespite often being used interchangeably, nauseous means causing nausea, wheras nauseated means to feel sick. Let’s look at some examples:According to friends, my “whole vibe”—the complaining, the middle-distance stares, the “sad-sack routine”—has become nauseous.I, too, am nauseated by my general outlook on life, often wishing I could go through a metamorphosis and become more like my personal-trainer buddy Graham (he’s just so happy, all the time).Farther vs. FurtherFarther describes literal distance; further describes abstract distance. Let’s look at some examples:I’ve tried the whole “new city” thing, each time moving farther away from my home town, but I can’t move away from . . . myself (if that makes sense?).How is it possible that I’m further from accomplishing my goals now than I was five years ago? Maybe it’s time to change goals?Insure vs. EnsureInsure means to cover something with an insurance policy; ensure means to guarantee. Let’s look at some examples:Without an employer health plan, I won’t be insured.Not having health insurance ensures that I’m one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. Maybe I should go into advertising. I don’t know. I’d love to learn more about employment opportunities at your company. Please pass my résumé on to anyone you know in a hiring position.

With the best free DVD ripper, you can back up your movie collection and save it digitally for easy and convenient streaming around your home.The best free DVD ripper is Handbrake – an open source tool that can save movies in virtually any format, with no limits on the number of files you can back up, or the length of the videos. However, it can't handle discs protected by DRM, so we've also gathered together a collection of other free DVD rippers with different feature sets, so you can choose the best one for you.Some DVD rippers are better suited to ripping movies, keeping subtltles, menus and other details intact, while others work best for ripping other data.Just remember to make sure to check intellectual property law in your country first before you rip those DVDs. Much like CDs, there are no international copyright laws that cover free DVD rippers, so make sure it's legal where you live.The best DVD ripper overall is WinX DVD Ripper PlatinumIf you're interested in backing up your DVD collection and don't want to be held back by time restrictions or slow processing, WinX DVD Ripper Platinum is the best tool we've tried. It isn't free like the tools below, but you get a lot for your money, and it can even handle discs that are encrypted, region-locked or unplayable. It can create videos files for playback on virtually any device too, with preset profiles so you can watch your movies on a phone or tablet. HandBrake is not only a free DVD ripper (or video transcoder, as it prefers to be known) but also open source, so it's totally free in every sense of the word.More than a decade in the making, the software finally reached version 1.0.0, It is – or at least looks – a little more complicated that some of the others we're looking at here, but don’t let that put you off. By default there's no support for bypassing copy-protection, but this is something you can get around with a little research (bearing in mind IP laws in your country).As with other programs, there are a number of presets ready for you to choose from, but you can also manually tailor each ripping session if you prefer. If you're working with ISO images or disc folders, it's possible to queue up multiple encoding jobs to run consecutively to save having to be around when each finishes. The sheer level of control makes HandBrake well worth a try.

The Gigabyte camp has added a new rendition of the GeForce RTX 3060 to its arsenal. Barring any subsequent models, the Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite 12G (GV-N3060AORUS E-12GD) appears to carry the flagship tag of Gigabyte's custom GeForce RTX 3060 models, and is also looking to be the fastest GeForce RTX 3060...for now.The Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite 12G features a 1,867 MHz boost clock, 5.1% higher than Nvidia's reference specification. It comes with two vBIOS profiles: one for silent and another for performance. Previous to the Elite model, the GeForce RTX 3060 Gaming OC 12G and GeForce RTX 3060 Vision OC 12G were the fastest SKUs in Gigabyte's lineup with a 1,837 MHz boost clock. Although the Elite version only has a 30 MHz higher boost clock, the graphics card comes with a steeper power requirement, apparently.As opposed to Gigabyte's other GeForce RTX 3060 offerings that leverage a single 8-pin PCIe power connector, the Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite 12G needs the same 8-pin plus an additional 6-pin PCIe power connector. This obviously bumps the recommended minimum power supply capacity from the previous 550W up to 650W. The Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite 12G is also armed with a triple-fan cooling system and has dimensions of 296 x 117 x 56mm. The cooler seems to be overkill for a GeForce RTX 3060 as the renders show that it extends far beyond the graphics card's short PCB. On the aesthetics side, Gigabyte kept the design relatively low-key with a simple, black shroud with a tiny Aorus RGB-illuminated logo and cooling fans with ARGB rings.The cooling system adheres to Gigabyte's WindForce 3X design with five composite heat pipes transferring the heat away from the GA106 die and memory chips towards the bulky heatsink. Subsequently, a trio of 80mm semi-passive cooling fans dissipate the heat. The Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite 12G comes equipped with a black, metal back plate that helps with cooling and improves the graphics card's rigidity. According to Gigabyte, the extended heatsink allows hot air to exit through the large cut-out.In terms of display outputs, the graphics card provides two HDMI 2.1 ports and two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The configuration is sufficient to support up to four monitors simultaneously.Gigabyte hasn't revealed the pricing for the Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite 12G as the GeForce RTX 3060 isn't officially available until tomorrow. Since it'll likely be one of the best GPUS among custom GeForce RTX 3060 models, we don't think it will be easy on the pockets.

Earlier this month, a Bloomberg report said that Electronic Arts executives were preparing to examine the current state of Anthem's reboot and decide whether to continue with the process or pull the plug. Today the results of that examination were announced, and BioWare has confirmed that work on Anthem Next has been halted."2020 was a year unlike any other however and while we continue to make progress against all our game projects at BioWare, working from home during the pandemic has had an impact on our productivity and not everything we had planned as a studio before COVID-19 can be accomplished without putting undue stress on our teams," BioWare Austin studio director Christian Dailey wrote."I know this will be disappointing to the community of Anthem players who have been excited to see the improvements we’ve been working on. It’s also disappointing for the team who were doing brilliant work. And for me personally, Anthem is what brought me to BioWare, and the last two years have been some of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my career."The end of Anthem's development does not mean the end of the game, however: Dailey said BioWare will continue to keep Anthem running "as it exists today."Despite some pre-release issues, Anthem came out strongly and was the best-selling game of February 2019. But it flagged quickly, and was clearly in trouble just a few months after release, not just due to bugs but because it was "woefully boring and sparse"—the sort of problem that can't be fixed with simple patches. It finished the year as the 15th-best-selling game overall, according to NPD numbers (via VentureBeat)—far from the triumph we expected in pre-release days.As disappointing as it might be for some die-hard fans, the end of Anthem's development really comes as no surprise. Dailey took charge of Dragon Age 4 late last year following the surprise departure of Mark Darrah, and that's obviously a far greater priority for BioWare than a far-from-guaranteed Anthem resurrection. The studio is also well into a highly-anticipated new Mass Effect game, an equally major undertaking.Dailey confirmed that BioWare is prioritizing those two games, saying that "we need to laser focus our efforts as a studio and strengthen the next Dragon Age, and Mass Effect titles while continuing to provide quality updates to Star Wars: The Old Republic.""To the Anthem community, thank you for your passion and creativity," he wrote. "Your feedback and suggestions most certainly help shape the team’s direction, and on a personal note, your kindness and encouragement were much needed last year."Our own Anthem review in 2019 concluded, "There are so many loose threads that I'm constantly asking myself 'why?' ... As a live service game, it's reasonable to expect that Anthem will change a great deal the same way that Destiny 2, The Division, and Warframe have. BioWare certainly seems keen on responding quickly to feedback, which is promising. But I'm not going to hold my breath."

With more employees working from home than ever before, the internet continues to play a much larger role in our daily lives which is why Mozilla is bringing new multi-tasking and privacy protection features to Firefox.To help prevent users from being tracked on the web, the company has announced Total Cookie Protection for Firefox. This feature stops cookies from tracking users across the web by creating a separate cookie jar for each website.Total Cookie Protection is the latest tool in Mozilla's suite of privacy protections called Enhanced Tracking Protection. By combining this new feature with Firefox's recently announced supercookie protections, the browser now offers comprehensive protection against cookie tracking on desktop and on mobile for smartphones running Android.We've built a list of the best browsers for mobile and desktopThese are the best proxy service providers on the marketAlso check out our roundup of the best endpoint protectionSVP of Firefox, Selena Deckelmann provided further insight on how Mozilla has been working to prevent cookies from tracking its users in a blog post, saying:Firefox's recently announced supercookie protections, the browser now offers comprehensive protection against cookie tracking on desktop and on mobile for smartphones running Android.We've built a list of the best browsers for mobile and desktopThese are the best proxy service providers on the marketAlso check out our roundup of the best endpoint protectionSVP of Firefox, Selena Deckelmann provided further insight on how Mozilla has been working to prevent cookies from tracking its users in a blog post, saying:RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU...Xiaomi Mi 11 | Everything you need to know23/02/21Xiaomi Mi 11 | Everything you need to knowGalaxy S21 | Everything you need to knowvideo playingGalaxy S21 Ultra | Everything you need to...26/01/21Galaxy S21 Ultra | Everything you need to knowIPhone 12 Pro | Everything you need to...24/12/20IPhone 12 Pro | Everything you need to know in 1 minuteAirPods Max | Everything you need to know in 1...24/12/20AirPods Max | Everything you need to know in 1 minutePS5 | Everything you need to know in 1...14/12/20PS5 | Everything you need to know in 1 minute"In our ongoing commitment to bring the best innovations in privacy, we are working tirelessly to improve how Firefox protects our users from tracking. In 2019, Firefox introduced Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) which blocks cookies from known, identified trackers, based on the Disconnect list. To bring even more comprehensive protection, Total Cookie Protection confines all cookies from each website in a separate cookie jar so that cookies can no longer be used to track you across the web as you browse from site to site."Multiple Picture-in-PictureLast year Mozilla released a Picture-in-Picture feature for its browser which received high praise from Firefox users and even managed to top the company's Best of Firefox 2020 features list. However, some users wanted more than just one picture-in-picture view.For this reason, Mozilla has added multiple picture-in-picture views to its desktop browsers for Mac, Linux and Windows with keyboard controls for fast forward and rewind.This new feature could certainly help those who work with a lot of videos multi-task but it's also launching ahead of one of the biggest sporting events of the year, March Madness.

With Bitcoins trading at almost $50,000 per bitcoin, perhaps it is finally time for me to get into the cryptocurrency game? Instead of buying bitcoins, could I use my Raspberry Pi to mine for bitcoins instead?What is Cryptocurrency mining?Crypto mining is the digital version of mining for gold, combining performing complicated calculations and pure luck (being the first to complete the calculation) with your computer. Mining is essential to cryptocurrencies in order to maintain their distributed ledger, aka Blockchain.While Bitcoin is the most well-known form of cryptocurrency, it’s hardly the only game in town. All forms of cryptocurrency use blockchains to maintain the validity of each transaction and prevent someone from fraudulently spending their coins more than once.Is Raspberry Pi Bitcoin mining profitable in 2020?My initial research showed that mining for bitcoins with any consumer grade computer is not profitable when factoring in the cost of electricity and hardware. Most bitcoin mining is now done on ASIC Bitcoin Miners; hobbyists and individuals can find limited success by joining a mining pool, harnessing the power of a group of distributed computers. What if we joined a mining pool, used solar panels to power our Pi, and ‘wrote-off’ the cost of our hardware? Bitcoin mining is an extremely competitive venture with too many other miners, increasing difficulty levels, and lower rewards for miners.

EA has patented a technology that could allow people to stream games while they download in the background.The patent was approved on February 16 and can be found over on the US Patent and Trademarks Office website along with a funky diagram explaining how it works (thanks, GameRant).Described as a "dynamic video game client," the technology seeks to check if a game being launched has been downloaded on the user's PC. If not, the game will instead be streamed upon request, while it downloads in the background. Once the game's downloaded, the client will seamlessly shift from the streamed version to the locally downloaded one.It's a pretty nifty bit of technology if EA goes anywhere with it—it says it seeks to bridge the "time consuming" installation process, which with the size of some games these days (looking at you, Warzone) can take hours. Bit annoying if you're looking to jump into a game with your mates, but don't have it installed.That's not to say it'll be perfect, though. Streaming games is still relatively uncommon, requiring a ton of resources on both ends. A lot of internet connections still aren't up to scratch for streaming games at a consistently good quality—throw a 100GB+ download in the background and if your internet is anything like mine, it'll buckle within seconds.There's already a bunch of similar technologies knocking about: World of Warcraft's launcher has different stages of critical download data which allows you to play the game before it's already installed, albeit at a lower stability. A bunch of other games will usually let you play the first mission or a small segment before the rest downloads, too.These usually involve a small initial download though, and EA's patent looks to eliminate that entirely. It all sounds very convinient and means next time you get the impulse to return to a game you've long uninstalled, you won't have to wait hours to play it.

Nobody dreams of owning a Dacia. Even the marque’s marketing people know that.Their research tells them most buyers with £12,000 to £15,000 to blow on a simple, reliable and robust car currently have a second-hand Volkswagen Golf in their mind’s eye, not a showroom-fresh Dacia.But they also believe that their new Sandero and Sandero Stepway models – which have just migrated to the lighter, extremely versatile CMF-B platform introduced by the latest Renault Clio – can change the minds of value-focused buyers.They have good evidence: the just-launched Mk3 Sanderos are far more capable than their predecessors; beat pricier and bigger-name superminis for kit and even refinement; are nowadays built to the same standard as Renault-badged cars; and carry a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.The standard Sandero hatchback has already given a good account of itself here (and collected the coveted What Car? Car of the Year Award on the way). The Sandero Stepway, a crossover take on the same car, has an elevated ride height, body cladding to make it look more ‘outdoorsy’ and a set of extremely clever roof bars that reconfigure in seconds into the handiest of racks. As our mid-spec Comfort test car shows, the equipment is amazingly generous, given the barely credible £12,995 list price, since it includes air-con, LED headlights, an 8.0in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, keyless entry and even heated front seats.On bald equipment-for-the-money grounds, no rival makes sense. The happy story continues on the road. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is quiet, smooth and friskier than its official 11.9sec 0-62mph time promises (although the bi-fuel option seems rather beside the point, given that LPG is hard to source in the UK).The steering and chassis hit an excellent standard. The great-looking seats are really comfortable. The rear leg room beats all comers. The ride is taut and controlled. And only when you’re cruising really fast do wind and road noise begin to intrude.