#Hassan.

Three new Magecart attacks are taking advantage of potential vulnerabilities in the WooCommerce ecommerce platform, experts have warned. Discovered by RiskIQ, the vulnerabilities target retailers using third-party themes and tools to integrate into WooCommerce pages that are particularly prone to Magecart risk. As a result, many consumers are potentially vulnerable to having credit card details stolen ahead of the holiday shopping season. Magecart threat Further research by Barn2, a software company that specializes in WooCommerce products and WordPress, found that WooCommerce represents 29% of the top one million websites using ecommerce technologies. This exceeds five million active installs of the free plugin as of early 2021. WooCommerce is notably po[CENSORED]r because it is a free to use and easily customisable WordPress plugin. “WooCommerce users are often small and medium-sized businesses, sometimes considered the most vulnerable, as they lack resources for complex and highly-vetted third-party tools. As we've seen over the years, both small and large retailers can be the targets of Magecart skimming,” RiskIQ wrote in its blog post. In a typical Magecart attack, threat actors use a vulnerability and weaknesses in an ecommerce platform to inject a malicious code that skims online payment forms to intercept the payment information of unsuspecting customers. As these third-party tools integrate with thousands of websites, when one supplier is compromised, Magecart has effectively breached thousands of sites at once. RiskIQ's detection of skimmers and other malware shows the innumerable ways threat actors gain access, deploy, and hide their tools on victim websites and advice site operations to regularly inspect their crontab commands for strange contents, ensure that access permissions are correct, and audit file access to it. link : https://www.techradar.com/news/retailers-using-woocommerce-are-the-next-target-for-magecart-card-skimmer-attacks

6GB and even 8GB cards can struggle Halo Infinite puts yet another major launch into the Xbox Series X/S library, and because it’s a first party title, Microsoft has also launched the game on PC. Naturally, we want to see how well Halo Infinite runs on the best graphics cards. We got a game code via AMD for testing purposes, as this is an AMD-promoted game. Sadly, that code was for the Microsoft Store — still the most user unfriendly experience of all the major distribution platforms. That does enable Play Anywhere support for Xbox and PC, but personally I'd rather have the game on Steam. However, that's all beside the point. We wrote recently about what makes for a good game benchmark, and why built-in benchmarks are so helpful for those who want to check performance. Halo Infinite sadly doesn't include a benchmark mode, which means manual testing while capturing frametimes using OCAT. Our test sequence uses one of the first outdoor areas of the game, cleared of enemies so that we can simply run the same route each time without the threat of dying. Note that performance can be quite a bit higher in other areas of the game, but it can also be lower in multiplayer mode, especially in the midst of a large firefight. One thing that quickly became clear during our testing is that Halo Infinite using the ultra graphics preset can eat a lot of video memory. While you might be able to get by with 6GB at 1080p ultra, you'll get a better experience by dropping a few settings down a notch — to the point where the game indicates it's not using substantially more than 6GB. We'll run through the best settings to tweak further down the page, but let's start with the head-to-head AMD and Nvidia GPU benchmarks. Halo Infinite Test Hardware This might just be the last game where we use our three-year-old GPU testbed — we're looking at upgrading to a Core i9-12900K in the near future, along with Windows 11. The Core i9-9900K may be a bit of a bottleneck at lower resolutions, but as we've seen repeatedly, 1440p and 4K testing usually pushes the bottleneck back to the graphics card. As noted above, Halo Infinite is an AMD-promoted game, which means the devs may have received some help from AMD in tuning and optimizing the engine. That's probably also why it uses a lot of VRAM, since AMD's latest RDNA 2 GPUs typically have more memory than their Nvidia counterparts — except at the RTX 3060 and RX 6600 XT level. It's also a DirectX 12 exclusive, which often means AMD's GPU architectures run a bit better than Nvidia's, unless the developers put in a lot of extra effort tuning for the various GPUs. We're using AMD's 21.12.1 drivers, which came out just a few days ago and specifically mention Halo Infinite optimizations. For Nvidia, we're using the latest 497.09 drivers that are also Game Ready for Halo Infinite. We've tested with the public release of the game, with any patches applied, so right now this is what others should experience. Of course, the test sequence and other hardware can and will impact performance, but there's not much to be done about that. Halo Infinite PC Performance at 1080p We'll start with the easiest of our test settings, 1080p at ultra quality. Except, we're using a PC with a 4K monitor, and at least the Microsoft Store version of the game doesn't include resolution options. You can run in borderless window (desktop resolution) or windowed mode. Technically we could change the desktop resolution before launching the game, but that makes everything take longer so we just used the built-in resolution scaling slider and set it to 50% — we'll look at "native" 1080p performance when we get to the settings analysis below. At 1080p (4K with 50% scaling), Halo Infinite indicates it uses 7.11GB of video memory. Obviously, that could present a bit of a problem for some of the GPUs, and under lengthier play sessions, or when Alt+tabbing out of the game and back, or even when tweaking settings, we encountered some anomalies. Restarting the game usually fixed the problem, but even the 8GB RX 6600 XT was prone to slowdowns over time when using the ultra preset — though Nvidia's RTX 2060 didn't seem to have any such difficulties. It could be that AMD just needs to tweak some things in its drivers to improve memory utilization. Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/features/halo-infinite-benchmarked-master-chief-eats-tons-of-vram

Want some free games? We can help. fro GOG sale giveaways, and more. But staying on top of them all can be a real chore, and you might be missing out on some good stuff. So we here at PC Gamer have decided to help, with this running list of every free game that crosses our screens. The goal is to help you find and claim games that usually cost money, so free-to-keep and temporary promotions will be included and noted as such, but free-to-play games and others that are normally free won't be—for that, be sure to take a look at our categorized breakdown of the best free PC games. So, here's what we've got: Time-limited: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger - Western FPS with an unreliable narrator, part of Techland's 30th anniversary sale. (Steam, ends Dec 14) Prison Architect - Full of amusing and emergent gameplay, whether you're tarring the roof of the license plate factory you just built, or dealing with prisoners hiding escape tunnels behind posters. (Epic, ends Dec 16) Godfall Challenger Edition - Not the full game, this is a version of the looter-slasher minus the campaign that skips you right to the endgame and max level. You're not missing much. (Epic, ends Dec 16) Free to keep: Cave Story's Secret Santa - A Christmas-themed Cave Story spin-off "created in cooperation with Studio Pixel" according to Nicalis. (Steam, GOG) Prime Gaming: The games on Prime Gaming aren't technically free, since you need to be a subscriber in order to take advantage. But there's a lot on offer if you are, including in-game loot and starter packs for free-to-play games, so it's worth keeping tabs on. Prime Gaming is included with Amazon Prime at $13 per month, or $120 per year; links to all included freebies are available at Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered (Origin, ends Jan 1) Football Manager 2021 (ends Jan 1) Frostpunk (GOG, ends Jan 4) Journey to the Savage Planet (ends Jan 4) Morkredd (ends Jan 4) Spellcaster University (ends Jan 4) Youtubers Life (ends Jan 4) Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse (ends Jan 4) Tales of Monkey Island (ends Jan 4) We'll keep this list as comprehensive as we can, but if you spot something we haven't, let us know in the comments. amazon.com. link : https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/here-are-all-the-free-games-you-can-grab-right-now/

You may not have noticed, but entire classes of car have completely vanished from our roads - and several will soon join them. We take a look at the most notable Those odd questions will keep you awake a night, especially if you have even the mildest of anorak tendencies. Manufacturers seem to invent model niches just for the hell of it, body styles regularly come and go whilst industry marketing wonks go on about alphabetic segments. However, before everything on wheels becomes a Sports Utility Vehicle, let’s stop and take stock of where we are. Which models are dead, dying, on life support, or have simply been renamed as something else? Let’s take a look first at the totally dead ones. link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/cars-disappearing-our-roads-0

This Christmas, make sure you try some of these! Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated across the globe. And it is one which is centered around important food traditions that have lived through generations on family dinner tables. But to equate this global holiday with just eggnoggs and roast turkeys would be overlooking the many exciting traditions that people around the world practise. From fried chicken in Japan, ham in Sweden, lamb in Iceland to the Stollen in Germany and the tamales of Costa Rica, here’s a round up of how the dinner tables look across the world on this Yuletide feast. Fried chicken in Japan Christmas wasn’t traditionally celebrated in Japan, so when KFC opened in the country in the ’70s, and they offered a Christmas “party barrel” inspired by America’s classic turkey dinner, it soon became Japan’s Christmas tradition. After it blew up, Christmas orders at KFC had to be booked two months in advance. Feast of the Seven Fishes and Panettone in Italy When it comes to Italy, its many regions practise different culinary traditions when it comes to the Christmas dinner. It can be said the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which comprises seven different fishes cooked in seven different ways, is one of the grandest. While the fish can differ, calamari and salted cod are a must. To sweeten the palette, there’s the inimitable panettone which is a sweet bread packed with sultanas, raisins and candied peels that the whole family shares during the Christmas feast. Christmas goose and Stollen in Germany. link : https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/christmas-goose-germany-tamales-costa-rica-christmas-7668779/

A desperate search for survivors is under way in parts of six US states devastated by powerful tornadoes that have left at least 94 people dead. Dozens more people are missing and entire towns were destroyed by about 30 tornadoes on Friday. President Biden has declared a disaster in Kentucky, the worst-affected state. At least 80 people have died in the state, including dozens in a candle factory, and the death toll is expected to rise above 100. Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman told the BBC the death toll was continuing to rise "with every hour". "All of these numbers continue to unfold...," she said. "Our emergency response teams are still surveying the damage and knocking on doors and reaching out to folks trying to make contact to see who's alive." Local congressman James Comer, working with rescuers in the ruined town of Mayfield, said the tornado there was the widest ever seen. "It's the most devastating storm damage I've seen in my entire life. We've had tornadoes that have been the same length as this tornado but we've never had one with the width of this tornado," he said. Forty people have been rescued from the collapsed candle factory in Mayfield but 60 more remain missing and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who has visited the scene, said it was unlikely there were more survivors. He said no-one had been found alive since Saturday. "There's at least 15ft of metal with cars on top of it, barrels of corrosive chemicals that are there. It'll be a miracle if anybody else is found alive in it," he said. One candle factory employee made a desperate plea for help on Facebook from under the wreckage as co-workers could be heard moaning in the background. "We are trapped, please, y'all, get us some help," said Kyanna Parsons-Perez - who was later rescued - in the broadcast played on CNN. Mayfield resident Tony Meeker described the moment the tornado hit. "Out of nowhere the sirens went off and then not long after that our ears popped. I mean it was like the pressure dropped. And then it felt like our house was about to just be gone, get carried off," he said. "It looks like a bomb went off. I don't know how anybody could've lived. I feel bad for anybody that didn't make it or people who got stuck. I'm sure it was terrifying." Mr Beshear said the tornado had wrecked places all along its 227-mile (365km) path, including the town of Dawson Springs. "One block from my grandparents' house, there's no house standing and we don't know where all those people are," he said. Tornadoes also collapsed an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, killing six people. Police said it was still unknown how many workers were missing. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he was "heartbroken" and pledged support to the community. Watch US President Joe Biden pledge his support for tornado victims Mr Biden has signed a Federal Emergency Disaster Declaration, releasing funds for Kentucky. He said the loss of life caused by the tornadoes was a "tragedy". Tens of thousands of people in the state remain without power and water. Destruction everywhere By Nomia Iqbal, BBC News, Bowling Green, Kentucky The destruction is extraordinary to see. The strong line of storms tore through a neighbourhood in Bowling Green in southern Kentucky. Dozens of homes are severely damaged or completely destroyed. Power lines hang loosely on the roads and whole trees have been uprooted. Toys, books, clothing are scattered across peoples' lawns. In one home, half of the roof collapsed into the garage, burying the owner's car. A man approaches the battered front door with his children and peers inside. His 97-year-old aunt lives inside, he says, and he cannot get hold of her. "We're worried. She doesn't have a cell phone or anything," he says. "God, I'm hoping she got out safe". A few minutes later after speaking to a relative on the phone, relief spreads across his face. "She was in the bath tub but got out safely. She's fine. She's fine." link : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59623970

Happy Birthday 🥳

Acer Aspire Vero has been launched in India, featuring a 30 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic chassis to cut carbon emissions, which is also used on the screen's bezel and the keyboard. The laptop runs on an 11th-Gen Intel Core processor under the hood. The laptop is equipped with 8GB of RAM and offers 512GB of SSD storage. It sports a 15.6-inch IPS LCD display and comes with a backlit keyboard and fingerprint sensor. According to the company, Acer Aspire Vero can offer up to 10 hours of battery life, weighs 1.8kg, and runs on Windows 11 Home edition. Acer Aspire Vero price in India, availability The new Acer Aspire Vero price in India starts at Rs. 79,999 for the single Intel Core i5 model that comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The laptop also comes with Microsoft Office 2021, according to the company's website. Acer is also offering one year's worth of accidental damage protection and a two-year extended warranty at Rs. 899. According to the company, Acer Aspire Vero is available for purchase in a single Volcano Gray colour option from the Acer online Store, Acer Exclusive stores, and other authorised retail stores. Customers can also pick up the laptop from Vijay Sales outlets, according to Acer. Acer Predator Helios 500 Gaming Laptop With 4K Mini LED Display Launched Acer Aspire Vero specifications Acer Aspire Vero sports a 15.6-inch full-HD (1,920x1,080 pixels) IPS LED-backlit TFT LCD display. The laptop runs on a 4.50GHz quad-core Intel Core i5-1155G7 processor, paired with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD. According to Acer, the laptop supports up to 12GB of RAM. Acer Aspire Vero also features Intel Iris Xe graphics support. According to the company, Acer Aspire Vero comes with a PCR plastic chassis which the company claims cuts carbon emissions by 21 percent. The PCR plastic is also used on the sceen bezel and on 50 percent of the keycaps, according to the company. The laptop features an HD (720p) webcam which works with a hardware-based privacy switch. Acer Aspire Vero also comes with a Windows Hello compatible fingerprint scanner and a backlit keyboard. Acer Swift X (SFX14-41G) Review: A Rare Beast Acer Aspire Vero packs a 3-cell 48Whr battery and the company claims the laptop offers 10 hours of battery life. The laptop supports 65W charging via the AC adapter. Acer Aspire Vero measures 179x363x238mm and weighs 1.8kg. On the connectivity front, Acer Aspire Vero supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.1 connectivity, along with Gigabit Ethernet support. The laptop comes with an HDMI port, one USB 3.1 port, one USB 3.2 port, one USB Type-C port, and one USB 2.0 port. link : https://gadgets.ndtv.com/laptops/news/acer-aspire-vero-price-in-india-rs-79999-launch-sale-date-specifications-features-2644348

Share your 2021 highlights while you can As we approach a new year, it is only natural that we start to think back to what the previous one has been like. If you're the sort of person who likes to feel the wave of nostalgia that Facebook's Memories feature can bring each day, you're going to love the new feature that Instagram is introducing. Building on the idea of the Stories archive that was introduced a few years back, Instagram is adding a new, time-limited way to share your 2021 highlights with your friends. The new feature is called Playback, which gives you a way to create a customized journey through your year by selecting your favorite moments from your Stories archive. It is a more personal option than many of the "look back over the previous" year features that the likes of Facebook create as you are placed in control of what is included. While there is a lot to be said for automated "year in review" posts, what is algorithmically selected for inclusion may not match what you would have chosen yourself. And this is why Instagram's approach is so great. Get reflective on Instagram The new feature lets you select up to ten Stories from your archive, and if you would like to post an upbeat Playback, you can select all of the positive Stories you have posted across the year. Equally, you might be feeling more melancholy, in which case you can opt for the slightly sadder posts. Or, of course, you can mix it up to give a fair representation of the ups and downs that 2021 has probably involved for you. The Playback feature launches today and will be available for "A few weeks". You will see a message pop up within the app inviting you to create your Playback. You can then nostalgically sift through your Stories and select the ones that you think best sum up the year. Instagram also says that if you see a 2021 Story posted by somebody else, you just need to click on the 2021 sticker contained within that Story in order to create your own Playback. So take a browse through your Stories archive and share your 2021 highlights with your friends and family. link : https://www.techradar.com/news/instagram-is-introducing-an-incredible-new-way-to-get-nostalgic

Bitcoin network's total hash rate hits 175.588 million TH/s. The Bitcoin network has almost restored its compute performance — the estimated number of total terahashes per second — following the ban of cryptocurrency mining in China in early July, reports Bloomberg. To a large degree, the recovery was caused by relocation of Chinese mining farms to other countries and deployments of new farms in countries like the U.S. The cumulative number of terahashes per second (TH/s) peaked at around 180.666 million TH/s on May 14, but dropped to 86 million TH/s by July 4 after Chinese authorities banned cryptocurrency mining in the country, according to data from Blockchain.com. But this week the global Bitcoin hash rate was back to 175.588 million TH/s, which means that the network almost restored its mining capability. China accounted for around 44% of the global Bitcoin hash rate as of May 2021, based on figures published by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, so once it was out of the game, the compute power of the Bitcoin network dropped harshly. But cryptocurrency farms started to quickly move their equipment from China to nearby countries, namely Kazakhstan and Russia, or even overseas, to the U.S. As a result, the U.S. became the world's leading Bitcoin mining country as of August, followed by Kazakhstan and Russia. (Image credit: Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance) Bitcoin mining farms are relatively easy to deploy since all their operators care about are things like ample of space, internet connection, and stable supply of power (preferably cheap power generated by coil-fueled power plants). Therefore, it is not surprising that the Bitcoin network has managed to restore its compute performance in less than six months. "Unlike traditional data centers that require multiple redundancies to avoid going offline, one of the biggest advantages of a Bitcoin mining data center is its flexibility and the ease in which it can unplug and plug back into the grid, which makes crypto mining a power load balancer for nuclear and renewables facilities that want to avoid shutting down during periods of weak demand," a report by BTIG LLC reads, according to Bloomberg. link : https://www.tomshardware.com/news/bitcoin-network-restores-pre-china-crackdown-hashrate

New £12.5m site brings emissions and electric-range testing in-house as brand readies for electrification https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/gallery_slide/public/images/car-reviews/first-drives/legacy/bentley-engineering-test-centre-781.jpg?itok=btbZ-gi5 Bentley has taken a significant step in its plans to electrify all of its models from 2024, having officially opened its new engineering test centre at its headquarters in Crewe. The £12.5 million site, which is a two-storey, 4600-square-metre facility, will begin testing immediately after receiving official approval from the UK's Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). It means Bentley can now carry out in-house emissions, fuel economy and electric range testing, including the latest WLTP fuel consumption and efficiency test procedures, and ensures testing can be undertaken more swiftly than using a third-party site. The Volkswagen Group-owned brand currently has two plug-in hybrids on sale, variants of the Bentayga and Flying Spur, and will launch its first EV in 2025 before becoming an electric-only brand from 2030. Bentley engineering board member Matthias Rabe said: “Today’s announcement is another key landmark in Bentley’s ongoing modernisation programme. It will give us the independence to test our own engines and further enhance our industry-leading manufacturing plant in Crewe as we move towards offering electric or hybrid versions of all our models by 2024. “The centre will also allow Bentley to meet increased demand from customers for our luxury, hand-built vehicles, including the Flying Spur, the Continental GT and the new Bentayga.” While it will begin testing immediately, the site will build up operations to meet all global emission standards by the middle of 2022. The structure includes 773 square metres of office space, as well as 1550 square metres for the installation of a climate-controlled chassis dynamometer. This highly advanced rolling road allows engineers to simulate different gradients of hill, measuring exhaust emissions from combustion-engined cars or electrical energy consumption from hybrid and future electric models. The ‘real-world’ simulations can also be completed across temperatures from -20deg C to 50deg C. Bentley’s Technical Conformity department, which oversees compliance of all Bentley products, will be based at the site. There will also be a dedicated laboratory to run Real Driving Emissions (RDE) tests using the latest, portable emissions measurement systems. In total, the facility will host 100 staff. link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/business-tech%2C-development-and-manufacturing/bentley-opens-state-art-test-facility-crewe

Now we’re cooking with gas. Call of Duty: Warzone’s new map may be situated on the opposite side of the world to Verdansk, but it won’t turn your assumptions upside down. The Pacific island of Caldera is broken up into a familiar mix of subtly merged arenas: countryside sprawl where squads leapfrog from house to house; a dense urban centre that lends itself to close-quarters stealth; an airfield where engagement distances unfold like a flick knife. Nothing about its geography fundamentally alters the rhythm or tempo of teamfights, or forces you to reconsider tactics honed deep in last year’s lockdowns. Perhaps that’s for the best: since Verdansk isn’t available, players will expect Verdansk-like thrills from its palm-tree-pockmarked replacement. Just occasionally, though, during my morning of exploratory matches, some spectacular novelty would throw me out of old patterns and wake me up, if just for a second. These are those moments, recorded so that you can enjoy them too. Mucking about with gasoline Po[CENSORED]ting the petrol stations and mining cabins of Caldera are stacks and stacks of circular gasoline cans—new additions with the map. These dented steel canisters can be picked up and carried around without any cost to your movement speed, though you can’t fire a weapon while you’re lugging one about. You can, however, hurl and then shoot the thing—or set it aflame with a lighter, creating an enormous grenade on a short fuse. While outnumbered in a shack on the island’s outskirts, I had some success using a can as a very noisy distraction, giving myself time to steal a truck and make my escape. But the most shocking discovery came when I attempted to use an ‘ascender’, to use COD’s terminology for vertical ziplines, while packing gas. Instead of climbing aboard, my avatar lit the can and attached /it/ to the line instead, sending the bomb straight upwards to explode at the top. Good luck getting any kills that way—but it’s a pleasant surprise to see developer Raven account for creative improvisations in a fashion I’d usually only expect from immersive sims. Landing on the very tippy top of a volcano Geographers know a caldera as the cauldron-shaped hollow that forms in a volcano after an eruption. Caldera the map is built around just that: a central mountain with a massive chunk missing out the top. The island’s titular volcano doesn’t appear to be active (though you just know it’s going to be in a later update, transforming part of the map with magma). Yet it’s still a striking place to drop into, boasting extraordinary views in every direction, which you can enjoy for approximately four to five seconds before getting drawn into a desperate pistol fight. That’s one Warzone lesson that remains true: distinctive landmarks draw players in droves. Becoming lunchbreak entertainment for miners Phosphate Mining Corp doesn’t seem like a company that’s big on employee benefits, but it does offer something more notable than a pool table and a vending machine: its very own 1v1 murderpit. After your first death in a match, in lieu of a gulag, you’re dragged into the mines, hurled down a shaft, and left to fight til death betwixt the cart tracks in a cobbled-together hut. It’s a welcome thematic variation, and between you and me, I reckon I’m getting marginally more kills by hopping in and out of the windows. The whole arena is basically one room with lanes around it. Unlike in the original prison map and the bloated Nuketown remake, there’s no way to hide or delay the gunfight for more than a few seconds. And once you're free, you actually get to keep the gun you won with. It’s a nice gesture that saves you the trouble of scrounging for something automatic as you land. Killing a man with the nose of a plane Verdansk’s runway was a frighteningly exposed concrete carpet lining the doorway to hell. Caldera’s equivalent isn’t quite so bad: if you can make it to a fighter plane, you’ll soon be up in the air, protected by sheer distance from your rivals on the ground. Their actual utility is questionable in a squad game—you’re pinging from one part of the map to another at such speed that it’s more or less impossible to assist your teammates down below. That said, one stunt did bag me a couple of kills and a cornucopia of equipment. Realising I wouldn’t be able to pull out of a nosedive quickly enough, I aimed the jet at my unfortunate target, waited until I could see the whites of their widening eyes, and at the very last second, hopped out of the cockpit. It’s the cleanest kill I’ve ever managed in Warzone. link : https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/crash-planes-fight-with-gasoline-and-other-fun-stuff-to-do-on-holiday-in-warzones-caldera-map/

Persistent fatigue may be the main complaint of sleep-deprived people. But beneath the surface, growing evidence indicates that disrupted or insufficient sleep can have widespread damaging effects on their physical and mental health. Remote work gave many people more hours in the day for personal use, but at the same time turned the workday into a 24/7 endeavor, with emails, texts and Zoom calls occurring at odd and often unpredictable times. Working parents who lacked child care options or had to help young children with online schoolwork during the day may have resorted to late night or early morning hours to get their own work done with minimal interruptions. They essentially became shift workers with erratic sleep schedules. Others lost sleep pondering whether their jobs were worth the stress and how they might reshape their working lives. And for countless thousands, the death of a loved one from Covid-19 has resulted in long-lasting difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep long enough to feel rested. A study from 2019 by researchers at Northwestern Medicine and Rice University found that grieving spouses who reported sleeping poorly had high levels of chronic, body-wide inflammation, which can increase their susceptibility to heart disease and cancer. Poor sleep takes a toll on mind and body Persistent fatigue may be the main complaint of sleep-deprived people. But beneath the surface, growing evidence indicates that disrupted or insufficient sleep can have widespread damaging effects on their physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. It muddies clear thinking, depletes energy, increases irritability and dampens one’s sex drive. Even those who sleep soundly but for fewer than the commonly recommended seven or eight hours a night, may not be as medically well off with short sleep cycles as they think. For example, a major study suggests that middle-aged people who are chronically short on shut-eye face an increased risk of developing dementia in their later years. The study, published last spring in the journal Nature Communications, followed nearly 8,000 50-year-olds in Britain for about 25 years. Compared with those who averaged seven hours of sleep a night, the study participants who slept six hours or less on weeknights were 30 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia nearly three decades later. There is a sweet sleep spot Those who sleep significantly more than seven hours a night, however, are not necessarily spared sleep-related health risks. For optimal health, there seems to be a sweet spot of six to eight hours of nightly sleep. A six-year study of more than a million adults ages 30 to 102 by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, and the American Cancer Society revealed a U-shaped curve, with the highest mortality rates among those who slept more than eight hours or less than four hours a night. In the Nurses’ Health Study that followed 71,617 women for a decade, those who slept eight hours a night had the lowest risk of developing heart disease. But in another study that followed 84,794 nurses for up to 24 years, those who slept nine or more hours a night were twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease as those who averaged six hours or less. Still, many more people, both lay and professional, worry more about too little sleep than an excess of shut-eye, and with good reason. Sleep-deprived people have more accidents and are more likely to fall asleep at inappropriate times, like at a play or concert or, most seriously, while driving. Drowsy driving slows reaction time as much as drunken driving does. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatigue results in 100,000 auto crashes and 1,550 automotive deaths a year in the United States. Several automakers, including Subaru, Audi, Mercedes and Volvo, now offer drowsiness detection systems that monitor a car’s movements, such as lane deviations, and alert sleepy drivers to take a break. Sleep deprivation was a factor in some of the biggest environmental disasters in recent decades, including the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl and the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. How we sleep may affect how we eat Although you might expect the opposite, several studies have shown that short sleepers tend to weigh more than those who sleep for longer periods, even though people expend more calories while awake than asleep. A study of 990 working adults in rural Iowa found that the less sleep they got on weeknights, the higher their body mass index tended to be. A Canadian study of 240 children who ranged in age from 8 to 17 showed it was not helpful to try to make up for short weeknights by sleeping longer on the weekend. Fluctuating hours of sleep can affect appetite-regulating hormones in ways that prompt people to eat when they’re not hungry and eat past the point of satiation. The Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study found that short sleepers had low levels of the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin, and higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, which signals people to eat more. Furthermore, an attempt to make up for lost sleep on the weekend has been associated with eating in the absence of hunger or in response to fatigue, as well as being unduly tempted by the sight or smell of food. I can attest to a common tendency to eat more — especially snacks of questionable nutritional value — when staying up past what should have been a reasonable bedtime. Fostering a good night’s sleep Experts offer a variety of tips for getting a better night’s sleep. Among them: Avoid all sources of caffeine in the late afternoon and evening, as well as a big heavy meal close to bedtime. Practice good sleep hygiene. Go to bed and get up at about the same time each day. Do not use alcohol to help you unwind. Try a warm bath or meditation. Reading before bed is great, as long as it’s not on a computer or tablet that emits sleep-inhibiting light. If outside light impedes sleep, install light-blocking shades or curtains or use a sleep mask. If noise is a problem, use earplugs or a white-noise machine. Consider cognitive behavioral therapy, which challenges underlying thoughts or behaviors that may be keeping you up at night. 📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates! 📣 The above article is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional for any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. link : https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/the-health-toll-of-poor-sleep-7663653/

Downing Street's press chief addressed No 10 staff at a party in December last year that is now under investigation, it is understood. Jack Doyle, then deputy director of communications, gave a speech to 20-30 people at the gathering on 18 December. A source previously told the BBC there were food, drinks and games at the event. Three staff get-togethers in government buildings are being investigated by the UK's top civil servant, Simon Case. The BBC has been told Mr Doyle was also attending Covid meetings in No 10 that night, which went on until late in the evening. Three government staff parties to be investigated What were the rules on Christmas parties? Education department chief admits December party It is understood that every week he gave out light-hearted awards to members of the team, to thank them for their work in the previous week. ITV News, who first reported Mr Doyle was present at the party, said he also handed out certificates to staff at the event. No 10 has refused to explain how the gathering complied with Covid regulations in force at the time, despite a week of scrutiny and questioning by reporters. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, who is carrying out the investigation, is also looking into a No 10 staff event on 27 November last year, and a gathering at the education department on 10 December. link : https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-59601447

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC found to offer a better GPU performance than Apple A15 Bionic. Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 benchmark results are out and the SoC performs better than its predecessor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, as per a report. Additionally, the benchmarking results show that it has beaten Samsung Exynos 2100 but is still behind Apple's A15 Bionic silicon on CPU performance. The benchmarks were conducted on Geekbench 5, PCMark Work 3.0, GFXBench 5, and Basemark Web. The report says that the chipset is expected to perform better when it launches on Samsung Galaxy S22 and OnePlus 10 smartphones. As per a report by PCMag, the benchmarks were run on a Qualcomm reference device at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit. There is an incremental upgrade in power as compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, the report says. Qualcomm claimed 20 percent faster CPU performance and 30 percent power efficiency over Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 counterpart available on the Snapdragon 888. On the Geekbench multi-core tests, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 sees a 15 percent bump (3,837 points) over the Galaxy S21 Ultra's Exynos 2100 (3,359 points), and an overall score competitive with the iPhone 12's A14 Bionic (4,647 points), the report said. Basemark Web numbers also show better results than previous Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 but they lag behind the numbers posted by Apple iPhone 13. However, GFXBench (a GPU benchmark) showed that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has better performance than all its competitors. Snapdragon 2022 Chips Coming for Chromebooks, Nintendo Switch, Android Flagships There is no information on Google Tensor SoC's performance as compared to Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. However, in a comparison with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, Google's chipset had an upper hand in terms of graphics performance. link : https://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/qualcomm-snapdragon-8-gen-1-apple-a15-bionic-exynos-2100-cpu-benchmark-report-2642749

Start a call via Google Chat with just a click Avoiding video conferencing meetings could soon be trickier than ever now that Google has made it much simpler to join a video or audio call via Gmail. The company has announced that users can now start or join meetings and audio calls from 1:1 chats in Google Chat in Gmail on Android and iOS. "As some teams begin to return to office, while others remain distributed, we hope this makes it easier to connect with your colleagues in the hybrid work world," Google wrote in a blog post announcing the new addition. "This feature will allow you to seamlessly switch between chat to a video or audio call when needed, helping you collaborate and move your work forward." Google Chat calls Going forward, Gmail users will now see a phone and video icon in the top right corner of a 1:1 Google chat window that, when clicked, will start a direct call with the contact. In order to join a call, you just need to select the phone or video chip within the 1:1 chat window, and while on a call, you’ll see a banner of the person you’re on a call with, the call duration and a Meet icon in the chat roster. Missed calls will be indicated with a red phone or video icon within the conversation and the chat roster. The feature is hosted as part of Gmail, so if you select to join a call from the Google chat app, you'll be redirected to the Gmail app. If you don't have the Gmail app installed on your device, you’ll be prompted to download it via Google Play store or the App Store The feature, which will be rolled out to all Google Workspace customers, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers by default, is currently only available for 1:1 meetings so far. This means there's no group calls for the moment, but given the ongoing po[CENSORED]rity of video calls, this can't be too far away. link : https://www.techradar.com/news/this-gmail-update-just-made-it-harder-than-ever-to-avoid-video-calls

The RTX 2060 12GB launched yesterday, but might not really be here until late December and into 2022. The Nvidia RTX 2060 12GB is quite the enigma. It's not quite the graphics card you expect it to be in terms of specifications, memory bandwidth, or capacity, and while it was officially launched yesterday with decent enough fanfare from board partners, we're yet to see one legitimately on sale. I've searched the web for genuine retailers with available RTX 2060 12GB stock—Newegg, Best Buy, Micro Center, B&H, Scan, Overclockers, Box, Ebuyer… most major retailers in the US and UK—and not found a single listing. That's despite most major graphics card manufacturers, including Asus, Zotac, Palit, Gigabyte, and more, all announcing new (if limited) RTX 2060 12GB cards. It wouldn't be the first time a PC component has been launched without availability, but we'd usually see a few pre-orders fulfilled on launch day at the very least. That's not the case today, so I was beginning to wonder if the actual on-sale date differed from the announcement date. Nvidia tells me that's not the case. The on-shelf date for the RTX 2060 12GB began December 7, 2021, meaning partners were free to distribute their cards from that time. It will be down to partners as there's no RTX 2060 12GB Founders Edition, after all. Though I'm also told Nvidia expects "partner card availability to ramp starting the end of December through January." So if you're keen to get your hands on this card, you may have to wait a little longer for things to really get moving. Though until we see genuine availability, we won't have any idea on its price. Without that, we're at a loss as to whether it's worth your money over newer cards such as the GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD's Radeon RX 6600. The release of the RTX 2060 12GB has certainly been a strange one. Though I suppose as a rerelease of an RTX 20-series card, this was to be expected. If one thing is clear, however, it's that it'll be a little while longer if the RTX 2060 12GB is to help any gamers out of a graphical pinch. And that's if cryptocurrency miners don't fancy it all for themselves. link : https://www.pcgamer.com/nvidia-rtx-2060-12gb-stock-availability/

Ready up for Vanguard's first season. Looking for details around Warzone Pacific Season 1? The Last Hours of Verdansk event has come and gone and it's almost time to head to the sandy shores and blue waters of the Pacific. There'll be new locations, weapons, and playlists to take part in as Vanguard finally gets its integration with the battle royale. The new Warzone map, Caldera, will provide plenty of opportunities to explore, with over 200 points of interest, and landmark-based regions spread across the whole island. It'll also be fun to find out if there are any bunker-like challenges to tackle. So, if you're ready to dive into the details, here's what we know about Vanguard and Warzone Pacific Season 1, including release date, map, as well as weapons, vehicles, and planned playlists. When is the Warzone Pacific Season 1 release date? The Warzone Pacific Season 1 release date is December 9, though if you own Vanguard, you get '24-hour exclusive access' to the new map, starting the day before on December 8. Here are the Caldera unlock times in your region. The name is also officially changing on that date to 'Warzone Pacific' instead of just plain old Warzone—perhaps to make things a little less confusing. Update: Season 1 of #Vanguard and Warzone Pacific will now release Dec. 8. Vanguard owners will have 24-hour exclusive first play access to the Caldera map. Open access begins on Dec. 9. pic.twitter.com/GnnYCp6g75November 19, 2021 If you haven't seen the new Caldera map that's arriving in Warzone, the trailer above gives you a good idea what to expect. Many of the new locations—listed in full below—are included, and you get a glimpse at the airborne Dogfighting combat towards the end. Warzone Pacific Season 1 map changes The new season ushers in the new Caldera map, which will replace the long-running Verdansk. Caldera promises to be roughly the same size as the map it's replacing and will contain 15 distinct areas to explore. We've had a few glimpses of the new map over the last few months, but we've since had a closer look at some of those Caldera locations. link: https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/cod-vanguard-warzone-pacific-season-1-update/

Our newly arrived plug-in hybrid SUV is big, but is it also clever? Let’s find out I’ve resisted the urge to ‘tip’ for over four months, but a recent clearout meant I could resist no longer. And it revealed a fault with the seats that had previously gone unnoticed: the offside middle won’t go flat, so it was even more of a feat of origami to fold all the rubbish into the remaining space. It’s booked into the dealer shortly, so a fix beckons. I’m not one to brag, but will you just look at that figure! The hypermiling tips that Mission Motorsport gave me (8 September) have massively paid off, as the Sorento managed 40 miles from a single charge. That’s a full five miles farther than officially claimed. Most impressively, it was on a mixed route of villages and flowing B-roads, not just a 15mph crawl. Mileage: 3765 Did our PHEV make it out of this unfamiliar setting in one piece? - 20 October 2021 As anyone with a vague memory of being five will know, curious minds are rewarded when buttons are pressed. And so it is that we find ourselves perched on top of what feels more like a cliff than a steep off-road slope, Kia Sorento primed to descend, with buttons being prodded and Terrain mode knobs being twirled. We’ve reached here entirely silently, creeping through a lower section of the quarry on electricity, with the only sound the crunch of rock under tyre and the occasional ‘bong’ from the car. The Sorento does like to announce itself with plenty of synthesised warning noises. Creep up the slope, watching where the nose and tyres head, as there are plenty of sharp boulders around and we’re most definitely not running on tough-sidewalled off-road tyres. Get to the top of the scree, with a great view out over the quarry and elements of the downhill section in front, the detail hidden underneath the Sorento’s bonnet. Hold it on the brake, wait for the guide to say I’m good to go... But let’s just pause a moment, as it’s worth an explanation as to why on earth a family-friendly plug-in hybrid Sorento is being subjected to far more than the school run. Truth be told, we mainly went to the quarry to recce the place for the road test team, to see if it might be suitable for the next hardcore off-road test. But it also seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up on testing all the systems the Kia has to offer, which is more than you would think. Although it’s on a monocoque chassis (like the Mk2 and Mk3 versions but unlike the first-gen model, which ran a more traditional off-road ladder- frame set-up), the PHEV comes as standard with Terrain mode and hill descent control, the former giving three options covering mud, snow and sand. It’s four-wheel drive as standard, albeit with the sort of set-up that means it runs in front- wheel drive most of the time. It’s only when the car detects slip that it switches drive to all four corners. Terrain mode works by adjusting engine torque and distribution, as well as the stability control parameters and the shift points of the six-speed automatic gearbox. Basically, they’re all tweaked as to the conditions, so ‘snow’ limits torque to try to rein in wheel spin, for instance. It’s not as comprehensive as Land Rover’s but, still, it’s far more than you would expect in a world of fake tailpipes and soft-roaders. Fair play to Kia for actually fitting the hardware to match the looks. Back to the action, then. Hill descent control engaged, terrain knob twizzled to mud mode, ease off the brakes. It wasn’t the most controlled of descents, as I did have to intervene and get on the brake rather than relying entirely on the hill descent, but it made it down. link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/kia/sorento/long-term-reviews/kia-sorento-plug-hybrid-2021-long-term-review

On Monday, scientists reported that blood pressure measurements of nearly a half-million adults showed a significant rise last year, compared with the previous year. Last year was a tough one. Americans grappled with a global pandemic, the loss of loved ones, lockdowns that splintered social networks, stress, unemployment and depression. It is probably no surprise that the nation’s blood pressure shot up. ALSO READ |Count on these 5 simple tips to control high blood pressure On Monday, scientists reported that blood pressure measurements of nearly a half-million adults showed a significant rise last year, compared with the previous year. These measurements describe the pressure of blood against the walls of the arteries. Over time, increased pressure can damage the heart, the brain, blood vessels, kidneys and eyes. Sexual function can also be affected. “These are very important data that are not surprising, but are shocking,” said Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, president of the American Heart Association, who was not involved in the study. “Even small changes in average blood pressure in the po[CENSORED]tion,” he added, “can have a huge impact on the number of strokes, heart failure events and heart attacks that we’re likely to be seeing in the coming months.” The study, published as a research letter in the journal Circulation, is a stark reminder that even in the midst of a pandemic that has claimed more than 785,000 American lives and disrupted access to health care, chronic health conditions must still be managed. Almost half of all American adults have hypertension, or high blood pressure, a chronic condition referred to as a “silent killer” because it can have life-threatening consequences, though it produces few symptoms. Hypertension may also put people at greater risk for severe disease if they are infected with the coronavirus. (The evidence for that link is mixed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) The new study, by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic and Quest Diagnostics, examined data from hundreds of thousands of employees and family members in wellness programs that tracked blood pressure and other health indicators, like weight. The participants, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, included people who had elevated blood pressure and normal blood pressure at the start of the study. “We observed that people weren’t exercising as much during the pandemic, weren’t getting regular care, were drinking more and sleeping less,” said Dr. Luke Laffin, the lead author, a preventive cardiologist who is co-director of the Center for Blood Pressure Disorders at the Cleveland Clinic. “We wanted to know, was their blood pressure changing during the pandemic?” The researchers found that blood pressure readings changed little from 2019 to the first three months of 2020, but increased significantly from April 2020 through December 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Blood pressure is measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and consists of two numbers. The first number refers to systolic pressure as the heart contracts, and the second number refers to diastolic pressure as the heart rests between beats. Normal blood pressure is said to be 120/80 mm Hg or less, although there is decadeslong dispute about the optimal levels. The new study found that the average monthly change from April 2020 to December 2020, compared with the previous year, was 1.10 mm Hg to 2.50 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure, and 0.14 to 0.53 for diastolic blood pressure. The increases held true for both men and women, and in all age groups. Larger increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were seen in women. The average age of the study participants was just over 45, and slightly more than half were women. But critics said the failure to include information on the race and the ethnicity of participants was a significant weakness in the study, as hypertension is much more prevalent among Black Americans than among white or Hispanic Americans. Black people have also been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Laffin said information on race and ethnicity was available only for 6% of the study participants, so an analysis would not be meaningful. But there is a big difference between Black Americans and white and Hispanic Americans when it comes to hypertension, said Dr. Kim Williams, a cardiologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and an author of the national blood pressure guidelines that were issued in 2017. “The hypertensive state has been epidemic in the African American po[CENSORED]tion for decades,” he said. “Our therapies have improved and our attempt at calling it out have improved, yet the gap is widening. And we know the pandemic has hit different cultures and different aspects of society in different ways.” The causes of an overall increase in blood pressure are not clear, Laffin and his colleagues said. The reasons may include an increase in alcohol consumption, a decline in exercise, rising stress, a drop in doctors’ visits and less adherence to a medication regimen. The researchers dismissed a possible effect of weight gain, known to raise blood pressure, saying that the men in the study had lost weight and that the women had not gained more weight than usual. But other experts pointed out that average figures for weight gain might mask gains in segments of the po[CENSORED]tion. “It is probably multifactorial,” said Lloyd-Jones, referring to the overall rise in blood pressure. “But I think a critical piece is that we know so many people lost contact with the health care system, and lost control of blood pressure and diabetes.” ALSO READ |World Hypertension Day: Know about its symptoms, warning signs and treatment Americans must pay greater attention to overall health and the management of underlying medical conditions despite the pandemic, Laffin said, adding that the penalty for not doing so might outlast the coronavirus itself. “There are also public health consequences from not seeing your doctor regularly, making poor dietary choices and not exercising,” he said. “If we think about the long-term implications, that’s potentially more profound.” This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 📣 The above article is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional for any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. link : https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/pandemic-covid-19-blood-pressure-rising-7660971/

US President Joe Biden has held rare talks by video link with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, amid tensions on Ukraine's eastern frontier. Few expected a breakthrough, but Moscow said talks were needed as tensions in Europe are "off the scale". Russia has moved thousands of troops to the border, but insists it has no intention of attacking Ukraine. It wants guarantees Ukraine will not join Nato, but Western powers say Kyiv's sovereignty should be respected. The talks began at 10:07 US Eastern time (15:07 GMT; 18:07 Moscow time), the White House said. They were held on a secure video link set up under previous administrations but never used before, Russian news agency Tass said. Video footage of the opening moments showed friendly greetings between the US and Russian leaders. The talks then continued behind closed doors, lasting about two hours. Mr Putin held the talks from his residence in the southern resort of Sochi, according to Tass. Mr Biden and Mr Putin last met in person in Switzerland in June, but made little progress other than to agree to send their ambassadors back and begin a dialogue on nuclear arms control. In a conference call on Monday night, the White House said the leaders of the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy had formed a joint strategy "to impose significant and severe harm on the Russian economy" should Russia launch an invasion. Mr Biden is expected to speak to the four European leaders again after his talks with Mr Putin. ANALYSIS: Is Russia preparing to invade Ukraine? Possible measures include restrictions on Russia's banks converting roubles into foreign currencies, or even disconnecting Russia from the Swift global financial payment system, reports say. Bloomberg News reported that the US would seek to halt Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany. Russia wants guarantees that Ukraine will not try to seize areas captured by Russian-backed separatists in 2014 and has warned the West not to cross "red lines" by adding Ukraine to Nato's military alliance. More than 90,000 Russian troops are believed to be massed near Ukraine's borders. A large part of the recent Russian military build-up is in Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine and then annexed in 2014. Troops are also gathering near Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, the name for parts of Luhansk and Donetsk regions which are under the control of Russian-backed separatists. Ukrainian officials have said Moscow could be planning a military offensive at the end of January. More than 14,000 people have lost their lives in seven years of conflict since Russian-backed forces seized large areas of Ukraine's east. link : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59567377

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Samsung Galaxy A73 is said to be priced in India at Rs. 32,999. Samsung Galaxy A73, an upcoming smartphone from the company, has leaked in renders. The design of the smartphone from all angles has been leaked, and its key specifications have also been tipped. The Samsung Galaxy A73 is expected to be the successor of the Samsung Galaxy A72 and the leaked renders suggest that there may not be much change in design. The Samsung Galaxy A73 is reported to launch in the Indian market sometime this month. Its pricing information has also surfaced online. Zoutons in partnership with Steve Hemmerstoffer (@OnLeaks) suggests that the Samsung Galaxy A73 may launch in India this month and is speculated to be priced at Rs. 32,999. The renders leaked by the tipster suggest the phone may feature a hole-punch display with the cutout placed in the top centre and have a slight chin at the bottom. At the back, the phone appears to have a quad camera setup that is said to include a 108-megapixel main sensor. The phone is seen to have rounded edges, no 3.5mm audio jack, and a speaker grille as well as a USB Type-C port at the bottom. The Samsung Galaxy A73 is expected to have an under-screen fingerprint sensor. The phone may come in Black and Gold colour options. Samsung Galaxy A73 specifications (leaked) As for specifications, the Samsung Galaxy A73 is tipped to feature a 6.7-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It is said to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G octa-core SoC paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage options. There is said to be a 108-megapixel main camera at the back and the phone will reportedly measure 163.8x76x7.6mm (9.3mm with the bump). Coming to the battery, the Samsung Galaxy A73 is tipped to pack a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. It is reported to run on Android 12 software and support 5G connectivity. link : https://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/samsung-galaxy-a73-price-in-india-rs-32999-specifications-renders-leak-2634384

A funny thing happened on the way to the stock market’s retreat. Stay-at-home stocks that benefitted most from Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdowns, like Etsy, DoorDash, Zoom and DocuSign, were the worst performers this week. It’s the opposite reaction that one might expect as the new Covid omicron variant, which the World Health Organization said poses a “very high” global risk, makes its way around the world. The sharp selloff suggests investors are betting that, no matter what happens with omicron, the U.S. is done with the shutdowns that boosted food delivery and streaming TV services while forcing people to collaborate remotely for work and chat endlessly by video with friends and family members. Shares of pandemic darling Zoom slumped 16.5% for the week, hitting a new 52-week low on Dec. 3 of $177.12 a share, a 69% drop from its record high in October 2020. Shares of online marketplace Etsy, which became a haven for mask buyers early in the pandemic, fell 20.6% for the week, while food delivery service DoorDash slumped 16%, Roku dropped 13%, Shopify slid 10.5% and Netflix fell 9.5%. Meanwhile, e-signature software maker DocuSign, which tripled in value last year, tanked 42% on Friday after the company’s weak fourth-quarter guidance indicated “the pandemic tailwinds came to a much faster than expected halt,” JPMorgan analyst Sterling Auty wrote in a note to clients. There was plenty of pain to go around across the tech sector. The Nasdaq Composite plummeted more than 1.9% on Friday, leaving it down 2.6% for the week for its fifth-worst week of the year. A disappointing jobs report to end the week coupled with omicron concerns led to the Friday downturn. But some of tech’s blue-chip names withstood the pressure. Apple, HP and Cisco all turned in gains for the week, as investors seeking cover from the market’s volatility rotated out of riskier, high-multiple stocks and into cash-generating companies that pay dividends. Earlier in the week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that the central bank is so concerned about escalating inflation pressures that it could begin tapering its bond buying designed to boost the economy. Following Powell’s remarks on Tuesday, Apple was the only tech stock that was up. “There’s a flight to quality with companies that you know will weather the storm, not go bankrupt, not have financial distress,” Needham analyst Laura Martin told CNBC. Apple slipped on Friday but is still up more than 3% for the week. Shares of HP popped about 8% this week and hit an all-time high on Friday. HP CEO Enrique Lores said last week that the company expects to see robust demand for its personal computers for the “foreseeable future” across its segments. Cisco and Broadcom rose more than 2% this week, and Intel and Qualcomm were up less than 1%. But for large swaths of tech, the market was a sea of red. Facebook, AMD, Adobe and Tesla all fell by more than 6% for the week, while cloud software vendor Asana, which had been the best-performing tech stock of the year, plunged 36.8%, and Bill.com, another recent outperformer, slid 21%. Salesforce did its part to contribute to the cloud concerns on Tuesday, when the company issued a weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter forecast. The stock is down 9% this week. “It’s been a wild one,” said Byron Deeter, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners who invests in cloud software, in an interview with CNBC’s “TechCheck” on Friday. “You can look at four causes. You can look at omicron. You can look at inflation. You can look at interest rates. And you can look at profit-taking.” However, Deeter is quick to point out to skeptics what happened last year. “As a reminder, working from home is actually very good for cloud stocks,” Deeter said. Inflation could be a cause for concern, he said, because “the linkage downstream to inflation certainly could cause a rotation to value stocks and cash-generative stocks over time.” link : https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/03/worst-performing-tech-stocks-this-week-suggest-us-over-lockdowns.html

Who needs Alexa when you can have GLaDOS from Portal? If there’s one thing that the Raspberry Pi is known for, it's the versatility it provides in home automation projects. Today we’re sharing an incredible creation by a developer known as Henri Rantanen from Nerdaxic at YouTube. He’s managed to bring GLaDOS, everyone's favorite antagonist from Valve’s Portal, to life using a Raspberry Pi. Rantanen explains his desire was to turn “the most evil thing in the universe into a light switch.” With a little bit of work and a 3D printer, Rantanen has managed to create a life-like GLaDOS head with a Raspberry Pi inside that operates as a voice assistant. In addition to looking and sounding like GLaDOS, it also features a variety of servos to animate the eye on the front. It can protrude forward, pull back and blink. The hardware runs primarily off an 8GB Raspberry Pi 4 module. It’s backed up with a ReSpeaker Mic Array V2.0 board, a Teensy 4, and a Pololu Micro Maestro servo controller. A round GC9A01 LCD screen commonly found in smartwatches is used for the eye. The most exciting aspect of the project is the GLaDOS voice feature. Rantanen created a custom Python-based voice assistant to recreate the sound of her voice. You can get a closer look at how it works by checking out the source code at GitHub. Check out the demo video shared to YouTube for an in-depth look at how it works and be sure to follow Nerdaxic for more cool projects. link : https://www.tomshardware.com/news/raspberry-pi-glados-voice-assistant-head