News: Technology News

X is about to start hiding all likes

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 21:27:58 +0000

The rollout of the long-anticipated change will show up on timelines as soon as today.

X is rolling out private likes as soon as today, according to a source at the company. That means what users like on the platform will be hidden by default, which is already an option for X’s Premium subscribers. Following the publication of this story, X owner Elon Musk reshared a screenshot of it, saying it’s “important to allow people to like posts without getting attacked for doing so!”

A few weeks ago, X’s director of engineering, Haofei Wang, said the upcoming change is meant to protect users’ public image — because “many people feel discouraged” to like “edgy” content. The Likes tab on user profiles will be gone. Users will still be able to see who liked their posts and the like count for all posts, but they will not see the people who liked someone else’s post, according to X senior software engineer Enrique Barragan. (He also hinted at the launch today in a post.)

“Soon you’ll be able to like without worrying who might see it,” Wang said last month.

Late last year, Musk told the platform’s engineers that he wanted to get rid of the tweet action buttons altogether and instead place a stronger emphasis on post views (also called “impressions”). Musk’s goal was to remove the section that contained the like and repost buttons entirely because Musk believed likes weren’t important, a source told me at the time.

“Social media in general is shifting away from like counts, so this makes sense,” the source said. “Part of me thinks [Musk] just wants to disassociate from Twitter more and more.”

Update, June 11th: Added Elon Musk’s confirmation of The Verge’s reporting.

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Adobe to update vague AI terms after users threaten to cancel subscriptions

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 21:26:12 +0000

Adobe scrambles to earn back user trust by updating terms next week.

Adobe has promised to update its terms of service to make it "abundantly clear" that the company will "never" train generative AI on creators' content after days of customer backlash, with some saying they would cancel Adobe subscriptions over its vague terms.

Users got upset last week when an Adobe pop-up informed them of updates to terms of use that seemed to give Adobe broad permissions to access user content, take ownership of that content, or train AI on that content. The pop-up forced users to agree to these terms to access Adobe apps, disrupting access to creatives' projects unless they immediately accepted them.

For any users unwilling to accept, canceling annual plans could trigger fees amounting to 50 percent of their remaining subscription cost. Adobe justifies collecting these fees because a "yearly subscription comes with a significant discount."

On X (formerly Twitter), YouTuber Sasha Yanshin wrote that he canceled his Adobe license "after many years as a customer," arguing that "no creator in their right mind can accept" Adobe's terms that seemed to seize a "worldwide royalty-free license to reproduce, display, distribute" or "do whatever they want with any content" produced using their software.

"This is beyond insane," Yanshin wrote on X. "You pay a huge monthly subscription, and they want to own your content and your entire business as well. Going to have to learn some new tools."

Adobe's design leader Scott Belsky replied, telling Yanshin that Adobe had clarified the update in a blog post and noting that Adobe's terms for licensing content are typical for every cloud content company. But he acknowledged that those terms were written about 11 years ago and that the language could be plainer, writing that "modern terms of service in the current climate of customer concerns should evolve to address modern day concerns directly."

Yanshin has so far not been encouraged by any of Adobe's attempts to clarify its terms, writing that he gives "precisely zero f*cks about Adobe’s clarifications or blog posts."

"You forced people to sign new Terms," Yanshin told Belsky on X. "Legally, they are the only thing that matters."

Another user in the thread using an anonymous X account also pushed back, writing, "Point to where it says in the terms that you won’t use our content for LLM or AI training? And state unequivocally that you do not have the right to use our work beyond storing it. That would go a long way."

"Stay tuned," Belsky wrote on X. "Unfortunately, it takes a process to update a TOS," but "we are working on incorporating these clarifications."

Belsky co-authored the blog this week announcing that Adobe's terms would be updated by June 18 after a week of fielding feedback from users.

"We’ve never trained generative AI on customer content, taken ownership of a customer’s work, or allowed access to customer content beyond legal requirements," Adobe's blog said. "Nor were we considering any of those practices as part of the recent Terms of Use update. That said, we agree that evolving our Terms of Use to reflect our commitments to our community is the right thing to do."

Adobe to put terms in plain language, emphasize opt-outs

Adobe's blog breaks down what changes are already planned for the next update to its terms.

Perhaps most critically in today's world of rapid AI developments, Adobe will add a statement "to reassure people" that, as a legal obligation, "we don’t train generative AI on customer content."

Adobe said updates would also "make it clear in the license grant section that any license granted to Adobe to operate its services will not supersede your ownership rights."

Additionally, the terms will clarify that users can always opt out of participating in Adobe's "product improvement program" that leverages "machine learning (NOT generative AI)" to process "usage data and content characteristics to improve your product experience and develop features like masking and background removal."

This opt-out option will be "emphasized," Adobe's blog said, and "licenses required to operate our products on your behalf" will be "narrowly tailored" and "now include plain English examples of what they mean and why they are required."

However, some creative professionals were just as concerned with terms allowing Adobe to scan cloud-hosted content. The update to Adobe's terms prompting backlash was intended to "ensure we are not hosting any child sexual abuse material (CSAM)," Adobe's blog said. However, the terms could also seemingly allow Adobe to access content that some users were legally not allowed to share with anyone due to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with clients. For designers working on games or movies for studios paranoid about leaks, this provision would seemingly be non-negotiable and force them to use other tools to finish projects.

The planned "area of clarification" in Adobe's terms regarding this concern is perhaps the least reassuring to some users since Adobe's blog does not acknowledge the conflict with NDAs.

Instead, Adobe's blog only said that terms would be clarified to say that Adobe's automated content scans will not trigger human reviews unless "our automated system flags an issue" that requires an investigation. The blog reiterated that artists can avoid automated content scans by storing content locally.

According to a February analysis by Statista, Adobe leads the graphics software market, with Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator together commanding about an 80 percent global market share. The Verge noted that for designers who feel locked into using Adobe's popular tools—and, as Vice reported in 2019, increasingly frustrated with subscription-based pricing models—tension has risen as Adobe has started experimenting with AI through its Firefly AI model.

The Firefly AI model was trained on Adobe Stock images in an effort to avoid ethical concerns by creating an image generator referencing only licensed and public domain content. But some artists have flagged images referencing their works on Adobe Stock's platform, The Verge reported, sparking clashes between Adobe and artists. Most recently, the photographer Ansel Adams' estate scolded Adobe for selling imitations of his iconic photos, The Verge reported.

Adobe's blog said that the company recognizes that "trust must be earned," while promising to "continue innovating ways to protect artists" from AI training on their works and generating outputs replicating their unique styles. Adobe's efforts so far include creating Content Credentials that properly attribute works to creators and "enable the addition of 'do not train' tags for images shared online." New terms coming soon will align with this ethos, Adobe said.

"In a world where customers are anxious about how their data is used and how generative AI models are trained, it is the responsibility of companies that host customer data and content to declare their policies not just publicly but in their legally binding Terms of Use," Adobe's blog post said.

It's clear that Adobe understands how important it is to have legal terms preventing AI training because the company has additional generative AI terms that specifically prohibit users from training on Adobe's generative AI features.

"No AI/ML Training," Adobe's additional terms say. "You must not, and must not allow third parties to, use any content, data, output or other information received or derived from any generative AI features, including any Outputs, to directly or indirectly create, train, test, or otherwise improve any machine learning algorithms or artificial intelligence systems, including any architectures, models, or weights."

Perhaps observing the clear language used in these additional terms will help Adobe's legal team draft equally clear terms protecting users from the same harms.

Yanshin declined to comment on Adobe's planned changes until he has reviewed what the next iteration of terms say. For artists who dropped Adobe over the confusion, reviving subscriptions will likely require terms that explicitly grant protections that so far Adobe has only promised in blogs.

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Apple unveils “Apple Intelligence” AI features for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 03:45:48 +0000

Apple debuts new catchall AI branding, generative features during WWDC 2024 keynote.

On Monday, Apple debuted "Apple Intelligence," a new suite of free AI-powered features for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia that includes creating email summaries, generating images and emoji, and allowing Siri to take actions on your behalf. These features are achieved through a combination of on-device and cloud processing, with a strong emphasis on privacy. Apple says that Apple Intelligence features will be widely available later this year and will be available as a beta test for developers this summer.

The announcements came during a livestream WWDC keynote and a simultaneous event attended by the press on Apple's campus in Cupertino, California. In an introduction, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company has been using machine learning for years, but the introduction of large language models (LLMs) presents new opportunities to elevate the capabilities of Apple products. He emphasized the need for both personalization and privacy in Apple's approach.

At last year's WWDC, Apple avoided using the term "AI" completely, instead preferring terms like "machine learning" as Apple's way of avoiding buzzy hype while integrating applications of AI into apps in useful ways. This year, Apple figured out a new way to largely avoid the abbreviation "AI" by coining "Apple Intelligence," a catchall branding term that refers to a broad group of machine learning, LLM, and image generation technologies. By our count, the term "AI" was used sparingly in the keynote—most notably near the end of the presentation when Apple executive Craig Federighi said, "It's AI for the rest of us."

The Apple Intelligence umbrella includes a range of features that require an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad with M1 or later, or Mac with M1 or later. Devices also must have Siri enabled and set to US English. The features include notification prioritization to minimize distractions, writing tools that can summarize text, change tone, or suggest edits, and the ability to generate personalized images for contacts. The system, through Siri, can also carry out tasks on the user's behalf, such as retrieving files shared by a specific person or playing a podcast sent by a family member.

Siri’s new brain

In iOS 18, Siri will have a new look and new intelligence features.

Apple

Apple says that privacy is a key priority in the implementation of Apple Intelligence. For some AI features, on-device processing means that personal data is not transmitted or processed in data centers. For complex requests that can't run locally on a pocket-sized LLM, Apple has developed "Private Cloud Compute," which sends only relevant data to servers without retaining it. Apple claims this process is transparent and that experts can verify the server code to ensure privacy.

Under Apple Intelligence, Siri gets a big boost with a new logo and on-screen design, a new ability to understand more nuanced requests, and the ability to answer questions about the system state or take actions on the user's behalf.

Users can communicate with Siri using either voice or text input, and Siri can maintain context between requests.

The redesigned Siri also reportedly demonstrates onscreen awareness, allowing it to perform actions related to information displayed on the screen, such as adding an address from a Messages conversation to a contact card. Apple says the new Siri can execute hundreds of new actions across both Apple and third-party apps, such as finding book recommendations sent by a friend in Messages or Mail, or sending specific photos to a contact mentioned in a request.

Apple Intelligence widely integrated

Apple Intelligence features have also been integrated into various places, including the Mail app, enabling one-tap summaries of long emails and prioritizing emails based on importance. In the Notes and Phone apps, users can record and transcribe audio, then get an AI-generated summary of the text. And there's a new Focus mode called "Reduce Interruptions" that only shows prioritized notifications that might need immediate attention. Untangling all the ways Apple has baked these features into their OSes, how they work, and if they have any privacy implications will take some time.

An example of Apple's new AI-generated "Genmoji" in action.

Apple

On a more entertaining front, Apple also debuted a new feature called Genmoji, which allows users to create personalized emoji by typing a description. The system generates a custom Genmoji based on the user's input, along with additional options. Alternatively, users can create Genmoji representations of friends and family members using their photos. Apple says that generated Genmoji are seamlessly integrated into messages and can be shared as stickers or used as reactions in Tapbacks, similar to traditional emoji.

It also debuted Image Playground—an AI image synthesis app powered by an as-yet-unknown AI model—for generating images based on written prompts. The feature allows image creation using three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground is integrated into apps like Messages and is also available as a standalone app. Users can select from various concepts across different categories, input descriptions to define images, include individuals from their personal photo library, and choose their desired style. When used within Messages, Image Playground suggests concepts related to the current conversation, aiming to make image creation more relevant.

Apple's Image Playground app allows creating AI-generated images.

Apple

Near the end of the WWDC keynote, Apple proved that the longstanding rumors of a deal between OpenAI and Apple were true by announcing a new form of ChatGPT integration into iOS, which we have covered in a separate piece. It functions similarly to a Siri search but gives users the option of whether the query is sent to OpenAI or not.

The integrated ChatGPT response looks a lot like a search engine.

Apple

It's worth noting that Apple says that they will add "support for other AI models in the future" to this kind of chatbot integration. Since we know of talks between Google and Apple as well, integrated Gemini AI support may be incoming. It's also worth mentioning that Apple's new AI features have only just been announced and are not yet available for us or the public to evaluate, so they may change over time as Apple gets closer to release.

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AMD Ryzen 9000X3D to come in September, starting 9950X3D, 9900X3D

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 03:38:57 +0000

The AMD Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs could start releasing as soon as this September. X3D processors will release starting with 9950X3D & 9900X3D. No mention of 9800X3D.

Two years ago in 2022, AMD released the very first range of CPUs in the AMD Ryzen 7000 series. AMD followed it up by releasing the Ryzen 7000X3D series about 6 months later in early 2023. These X3D processors come with an additional 64MB X3D cache on top of existing L3 cache, which massively boost the performance in games.

Unlike the AMD Ryzen 5000 series which, when originally launched, had just one newly introduced X3D CPU, namely the Ryzen 5800X3D, AMD went with three X3D processors in the Ryzen 7000 series. The Ryzen 7950X3D, Ryzen 7900X3D and Ryzen 7800X3D.

It seems that not only AMD wants to repeat a similar processor lineup for the Ryzen 9000X3D series, but it seems they are going to release sooner than expected.

Ryzen 9000X3D Coming This September

Our friends at Club386 have revealed the possible release dates for the AMD Ryzen 9000X3D series. The report reveals that they spoke to their sources in the recently concluded Computex 2024 event. This is the same event where AMD announced the Ryzen 9000 non-X3D CPUs.

The sources told them that AMD is going to launch Ryzen 90003XD CPUs in September this year itself. Starting with the AMD Ryzen 9950X3D and possibly even AMD Ryzen 9900X3D.

What’s important to see here is that the report uses the word launch, not announce. If AMD indeed releases the Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs in September itself, then it would be way earlier than expected.

For example, Ryzen 5800X3D came about 18 months after original Ryzen 5000. Whereas, Ryzen 7950X3D and Ryzen 7900X3D came about 6 months after the Ryzen 7000 series launch. So if Ryzen 9000X3D comes this September itself, this would be just 3 months after the Ryzen 9000 series CPU, which are coming this July.

This could mean that AMD is either not too confident in the Ryzen 9000 non-X3D series, or maybe it has managed to do something so great with X3D that it wants to release it early. Maybe it’s concerned about Intel Arrow Lake, which is expected to release in Q4 this year itself.

Interestingly, there’s no mention of the Ryzen 9800X3D CPUs in the report. It could release later, though. But it must be mentioned that while the Ryzen 7800X3D was announced together with other X3D CPUs, it launched about more than a month later than the other X3D CPUs like Ryzen 7950X3D and Ryzen 7900X3D.

Conclusion

In an interview to the PC Gamer, AMD revealed that are improving the X3D CPUs further. What and how much of improvements, it’s going to be known only later when they officially announce them.

When AMD actually releases or announces Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs, let’s wait for the official confirmation. But meanwhile expect some either announcement or launch in September though.

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Apple WWDC 2024: the 13 biggest announcements

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 03:36:20 +0000

Apple’s WWDC keynote had a lot to do with AI.

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote has come to a close — and the company had a whole lot to share. We got our first look at the AI features coming to Apple’s devices and some major updates across the company’s operating systems.

If you missed out on watching the keynote live, we’ve gathered all the biggest announcements that you can check out below.

Apple’s first AI system is coming to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac

With almost all of big tech getting in on the AI boom, it’s no surprise that Apple is launching an AI system of its own. Apple Intelligence is the company’s new personal intelligence system “that puts powerful generative models right at the core of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.” That enables a ton of new capabilities across Apple’s native apps, such as the ability to generate images or summarize text.

Apple Intelligence comes with a big emphasis on security, as the system will automatically decide whether it needs to use on-device processing or contact Apple’s private cloud computing server to fulfill your request. The system will be available for free and on the iPhone 15 Pro as well as on iPads and Macs with an M1 chip and later.

Siri gets a big AI boost

Screenshot: Apple

Apple’s big push into AI also includes Siri. The upgraded voice assistant will now be integrated more deeply into the iPhone, appearing as a pulsating light on the edge of your device. It will give you more control over your apps, allowing you to ask the voice assistant to find information inside a particular email or even surface a photo of one of your friends. Apple is relying on LLMs to help Siri better understand what you say and keep track of follow-up requests and questions.

Apple is building ChatGPT into Siri

Image: Allison Johnson / The Verge

Siri’s big AI upgrade also includes an integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot. With the new integration, Siri will automatically determine whether a query would be better suited for ChatGPT. It will then ask for your permission before sending its request to ChatGPT. You’ll be able to use ChatGPT through Siri for free and without an account.

New AI features in Mail, Messages, Photos, and more

Screenshot: Apple

Apple is rolling out a bunch of new AI features across its apps in iOS 18, including a way to summarize emails and generate responses. The company showed off its new Genmoji feature, letting you create custom emoji based on a text prompt, along with a new AI image generator called Image Playground.

Apple is bringing AI to the Photos app, too, giving you the ability to search for photos using natural language. You can also clean up objects in the background of your pictures, similar to Google’s Magic Eraser. Additionally, Apple is adding AI-powered transcriptions and summaries to Notes and the Phone apps.

The iPhone gets more customizable in iOS 18

Screenshot: Apple

Aside from all the AI, Apple is introducing a new and more customizable Control Center in iOS 18. It’s also launching a way to freely place app icons on your homescreen. The company will also let you lock certain apps with the coming update, preventing other people from using them when you hand them your phone.

Other major changes include a Photos app redesign and a new Game Mode for iPhone that minimizes background activity to optimize gameplay.

The iPhone is finally getting RCS support

Image: Apple

After announcing support for RCS last year, Apple confirmed that it’s arriving with iOS 18. It didn’t expand on any other details beyond that, though.

iMessage is getting some other upgrades, too, including the ability to schedule texts and support for SMS messaging via satellite. Apple is also rolling out colorful Tapback options and will let you bold, underline, and italicize text.

Apple TV Plus adds “inSights” to tell you which actor is onscreen

Screenshot: Apple

Apple TV Plus is getting a new feature that will let you swipe down on your remote to show the actors and their characters in the movie or TV show that you’re watching. You can also find out the current song that’s playing and add it to your Apple Music playlist. Apple TV Plus will automatically show subtitles when you mute a show and will support 21:9 projectors.

A Passwords app to keep track of your logins

Screenshot: Apple

As rumored last week, Apple has revealed a new Passwords app that will let you keep track of your login details across different devices. The app will let you generate and store passwords similar to other password managers like LastPass and 1Password. Passwords will be available on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, and even Windows.

iPadOS 18 adds a Calculator app with Apple Pencil support

The iPad is finally getting a Calculator app more than a decade after its release. It comes with a new feature called Math Notes, which lets you use the Apple Pencil to write equations on your iPad and have the app solve it for you.

Apple is launching a Smart Script feature as well, which uses machine learning to improve the appearance of your handwriting and spell-check your notes.

macOS 15 will let you mirror your iPhone

Screenshot: Apple

Apple’s next macOS update will let you mirror your iPhone on your Mac. You’ll be able to interact with your iPhone directly from your Mac, letting you view notifications and hear the audio playing from your mobile device.

There’s also a new Highlights feature coming to Safari, which uses machine learning to pick out interesting parts of a page.

Apple will automatically surface widgets in watchOS 11

Image: Allison Johnson / The Verge

There are a ton of new features coming to watchOS 11, too, including a new capability that automatically adds widgets based on when you need them. Apple is launching a new Vitals app that will let you “explore your most important health metrics with just a glance” as well as new cycle tracking features, Live Activities, and support for Check In, allowing your loved ones to track you during your workout.

visionOS 2 adds spatial photos and an ultrawide Mac display

Screenshot: Apple

Apple has announced visionOS 2, its first major update for the operating system. One of the new features coming to the Vision Pro uses machine learning to bring depth to an existing photo. The update will also introduce support for an ultrawide virtual Mac display, more intuitive gestures, and support for travel mode on trains.

Apple is also planning to bring the Vision Pro to more countries, including China, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, and the UK.

The next AirPods Pro update will let you quietly respond to Siri

Apple is launching Siri Interactions in its next AirPods Pro software update, letting you shake your head yes or no to respond to Siri’s announcements. The AirPods Pro are also getting Voice Isolation to enhance voice quality and reduce background noise.

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New Destiny 2 video offers teases of upcoming content, including Codename Frontiers in 2025

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:12:46 +0000

Last week, Bungie released The Final Shape, the latest paid expansion pack for its sci-fi shooter Destiny 2. While the expansion did experience some launch issues, those have been fixed. Long-time players of the Destiny game franchise got to experience a number of storylines that have been going on for 10 years reach their conclusions with The Final Shape.

However, Bungie is already teasing players with more content that will be coming to Destiny 2 over the course of the next year. In a YouTube video, the developer revealed that these updates will be released in three "episodes".

The first episode is called Echoes and follows up on the end of The Final Shape, where artifacts called "Echoes" were sent out into space due to an explosion of darkness and light. Players will find that the first episode centers on one of these echoes reaching the planet of Nessus, Not only are the planet's aliens, known as the Vex, acting oddly as a result of this echo, but players will also encounter an all-new enemy.

The second episode in this trilogy will be called Revenant, and it will basically be players becoming vampire hunters called Slayer-Barons, along with a new Potion Crafting feature.

Finally, the third episode is called Heresy. Fans of the first Destiny expansion pack The Taken King will be happy to know that Heresy will return them to the massive Hive ship the Dreadnought.

The video concludes with a mention of Codename Frontiers, which is looking like it will be a major new expansion for Destiny 2. No other information on this new content was revealed, other than it will launch sometime in 2025. Fans who thought Bungie might launch Destiny 3 next year might be a tad disappointed, but we will have to see what the developer has in mind for Codename Frontiers first.

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Ubisoft Forward 2024: Here's when and how to watch it and what will and could be revealed

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:10:53 +0000

The "non-E3" week of game streaming events like Summer Games Fest, Xbox Games Showcase, and the PC Gaming Show, among many others, comes to an end later today. That's when major AAA game publisher Ubisoft shows us what's next for the company with Ubisoft Forward 2024.

So, when does the event happen, how can you watch it live, and what do we expect to see shown at Ubisoft Forward? Here's the info you need now.

When is Ubisoft Forward 2024?

The event kicks off with a pre-show starting at 2:30 pm Eastern time (11:30 am Pacific time), today (Monday, June 10) where Ubisoft will reveal some new updates for its current live games. The main show kicks off at 3 pm Eastern time (Noon Pacific).

How can I watch the event?

Ubisoft Forward 2024 will be available to stream on the company's YouTube and Twitch channels. The YouTube channel will also feature audio description and American Sign Language options. If you watch on Twitch, you can get special drops of in-game content for many of Ubisoft's games, depending on how long you watch, and if your Twitch and Ubisoft Connect accounts are linked.

What can we expect to see revealed at Ubisoft Foward 2024?

You can definitely expect to get new gameplay and info for both Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed Shadows during the event. Ubisoft has also confirmed plans to reveal new info on its recently launched free-to-play shooter XDefiant.

Beyond that, we think the pre-show will offer up some new info for future updates to current live service games like Rainbow Six: Siege, Skull and Bones, The Crew: Motorfest, and the recently launched BattleCore Arena.

What about future games? We are hoping against hope Ubisoft Forward will include some kind of update on Beyond Good and Evil 2, along with the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake and the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell remake.

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Google Takes Down Influence Campaigns Tied to China, Indonesia, and Russia

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:50:01 +0000

Google has revealed that it took down 1,320 YouTube channels and 1,177 Blogger blogs as part of a coordinated influence operation connected to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

"The coordinated inauthentic network uploaded content in Chinese and English about China and U.S. foreign affairs," Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG) researcher Billy Leonard said in the company's quarterly bulletin released last week.

The tech giant said it also terminated Ads, AdSense, and Blogger accounts linked to two coordinated influence operations with ties to Indonesia that shared content supportive of the ruling party in the country.

Another big cluster dismantled by Google involved a network of 378 YouTube channels that it said originated from a Russian consulting firm and disseminated content that projected Russia in a favorable light and denigrated Ukraine and the West.

The company further terminated one AdSense account and blocked 10 domains from showing up in Google News and its Discover feed for mobile devices that spawned content in English and Norwegian about food, sports, and lifestyle topics.

The coordinated operation, linked to individuals from the Philippines and India, was financially motivated, according to Google.

Some of the other prominent violators taken down are listed below -

A network of 59 YouTube channels linked to Pakistan that shared Urdu language Shorts critical of Pakistani political figures
A network of 11 YouTube channels linked to France that shared French language content critical of French political figures
A network of 11 YouTube channels linked to individuals in Russia that shared content supportive of Russia and critical of Ukraine
Two YouTube channels linked to Myanmar that shared English/Burmese language content supportive of the Burmese military government and critical of pro-independence groups

The development comes as OpenAI and Meta revealed that they disrupted an influence operation orchestrated by a Tel Aviv-based political marketing firm called Stoic to propagate pro-Israel messaging in the U.S. and Canada amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The campaign began in October post the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.

"This network commented on Facebook Pages of international and local media organizations, and political and public figures, including U.S. lawmakers," Meta noted late last month. "Their comments included links to the operation's websites and were often met with critical responses from authentic users calling them propaganda."

"They posted primarily in English about the Israel-Hamas war, including calls for the release of hostages; praise for Israel's military actions; criticism of campus antisemitism, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and Muslims claiming that 'radical Islam' poses a threat to liberal values in Canada."

Meta told CyberScoop that it linked the activity to STOIC based on a "combination of technical and behavioral indicators," without sharing additional specifics.

According to a report published by The New York Times last week, the covert influence-for-hire campaign was commissioned by Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, citing four Israeli officials, who said the government body earmarked around $2 million to the operation.

This is not the first time shadowy Israeli companies have been caught engaging in disinformation campaigns. In early 2023, the Forbidden Stories consortium uncovered an "ultra-secret" entity named Team Jorge that offers for sale "influence and manipulation services to the highest bidder."

The disclosures also follow an advisory from Microsoft delving into Russia's escalating malign disinformation campaigns against France and the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, some of which have used artificial intelligence (AI)-generated audio clips to advance pro-Kremlin narratives.

It's worth noting that the International Olympic Committee (IOC), while allowing qualifying athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in the multi-sport event as "Individual Neutral Athletes," has barred them from participating in the opening ceremony in light of the war in Ukraine.

Last October, the IOC's executive board suspended the Russian Olympic Committee "with immediate effect until further notice" after its decision to include as members regional sports organizations from four Ukrainian territories illegally annexed by Russia since the onset of the war in February 2022. In February, Russia lost its appeal against the ban.

"If they cannot participate in or win the Games, then they seek to undercut, defame, and degrade the international competition in the minds of participants, spectators, and global audiences," Redmond said.

Google-owned Mandiant and Recorded Future, in two separate analyses, characterized the sporting event as a "target-rich environment" that faces a broad range of cyber threats ranging from ransomware and hacktivist attacks to nation-state actors conducting espionage and influence operations.

"The Paris Olympics faces an elevated risk of cyber threat activity, including cyber espionage, disruptive and destructive operations, financially-motivated activity, hacktivism, and information operations," Mandiant researchers Michelle Cantos and Jamie Collier pointed out.

The actor behind the defamation campaign against the IOC is being tracked by Microsoft under the moniker Storm-1679, whose goals, the company added, also seek to instigate public fear to deter spectators from attending the event altogether through fabricated videos alleging possible terrorism threats.

The second Russia-linked threat actor to ramp up its anti-Olympics messaging in the past two months is Doppelganger (aka Storm-1099) which has been found using a cluster of 15 French language news sites to spread claims of rampant IOC corruption and potential violence at the Games.

"The Kremlin's propaganda and disinformation machine is unlikely to hold back in leveraging its network of actors to undermine the Games as the Olympics draw near," the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) said.

"Actors are likely to use a mix of propaganda facilitated by generative AI across social media platforms to continue their campaigns against France, the IOC, and the Olympic Games."

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AI Tools Are Secretly Training on Real Images of Children

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:25:01 +0000

A popular AI training dataset is “stealing and weaponizing” the faces of Brazilian children without their knowledge or consent, human rights activists claim.

Over 170 images and personal details of children from Brazil have been scraped by an open-source dataset without their knowledge or consent, and used to train AI, claims a new report from Human Rights Watch released Monday.

The images have been scraped from content posted as recently as 2023 and as far back as the mid-1990s, according to the report, long before any internet user might anticipate that their content might be used to train AI. Human Rights Watch claims that personal details of these children, alongside URL links to their photographs, were included in LAION-5B, a dataset that has been a popular source of training data for AI startups.

“Their privacy is violated in the first instance when their photo is scraped and swept into these datasets. And then these AI tools are trained on this data and therefore can create realistic imagery of children,” says Hye Jung Han, children’s rights and technology researcher at Human Rights Watch and the researcher who found these images. “The technology is developed in such a way that any child who has any photo or video of themselves online is now at risk because any malicious actor could take that photo, and then use these tools to manipulate them however they want.”

LAION-5B is based on Common Crawl—a repository of data that was created by scraping the web and made available to researchers—and has been used to train several AI models, including Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion image generation tool. Created by the German nonprofit organization LAION, the dataset is openly accessible and now includes more than 5.85 billion pairs of images and captions, according to its website.

The images of children that researchers found came from mommy blogs and other personal, maternity, or parenting blogs, as well as stills from YouTube videos with small view counts, seemingly uploaded to be shared with family and friends.

“Just looking at the context of where they were posted, they enjoyed an expectation and a measure of privacy,” Hye says. “Most of these images were not possible to find online through a reverse image search.”

LAION spokesperson Nate Tyler says the organization has already taken action. “LAION-5B were taken down in response to a Stanford report that found links in the dataset pointing to illegal content on the public web,” he says, adding that the organization is currently working with “Internet Watch Foundation, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, Stanford, and Human Rights Watch to remove all known references to illegal content.”

YouTube’s terms of service do not allow scraping except under certain circumstances; these instances seem to run afoul of those policies. “We've been clear that the unauthorized scraping of YouTube content is a violation of our Terms of Service,” says YouTube spokesperson Jack Maon, “and we continue to take action against this type of abuse.”

In December, researchers at Stanford University found that AI training data collected by LAION-5B contained child sexual abuse material. The problem of explicit deepfakes is on the rise even among students in US schools, where they are being used to bully classmates, especially girls. Hye worries that, beyond using children’s photos to generate CSAM, that the database could reveal potentially sensitive information, such as locations or medical data. In 2022, a US-based artist found her own image in the LAION dataset, and realized it was from her private medical records.

“Children should not have to live in fear that their photos might be stolen and weaponized against them,” says Hye. She worries that what she was able to find is just the beginning. It was a “tiny slice” of the data that her team was looking at, she says—less than .0001 percent of all the data in LAION-5B. She suspects it is likely that similar images may have found their way into the dataset from all over the world.

Last year, a German ad campaign used an AI-generated deepfake to caution parents against posting photos of children online, warning that their children’s images could be used to bully them or create CSAM. But this does not address the issue of images that are already published, or are decades old but still in existence online.

“Removing links from a LAION dataset does not remove this content from the web,” says Tyler. These images can still be found and used, even if it’s not through LAION. “This is a larger and very concerning issue, and as a nonprofit, volunteer organization, we will do our part to help.”

Hye says that the responsibility to protect children and their parents from this type of abuse falls on governments and regulators. The Brazilian legislature is currently considering laws to regulate deepfake creation, and in the US, representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has proposed the DEFIANCE Act, which would allow people to sue if they can prove a deepfake in their likeness had been made nonconsensually.

“I think that children and their parents shouldn't be made to shoulder responsibility for protecting kids against a technology that's fundamentally impossible to protect against,” Hye says. “It's not their fault.”

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PC Gaming Show 2024 roundup: Stormgate launches August 13, Killing Floor 3 trailer, and more

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:57:44 +0000

The 2024 PC Gaming Show might have been one of the best shows in the streaming event's 10-year history. It was packed with tons of game reveals, trailers, release date info, and more for more than 70 games.

You can check out a wrap-up of the event on the PC Gamer site, but we wanted to showcase some of our favorite games that were shown during the event.

Stormgate - Early Access launch August 13

The long-awaited RTS game from Frost Giant Studios, formed by many of the people who made Starcraft 2 at Blizzard, will launch as a free-to-play game on Steam on August 13. The new trailer showed off the third and final playable faction for the game, the Celestials.

Killing Floor 3 gameplay trailer - launching in early 2025

Tripwire Interactive showed off the first gameplay trailer for the third game in its zombie shooter series. It will be released in early 2025.

Battle Aces trailer

The recently revealed sci-fi RTS game from developer Upcapped Games showed off more gameplay and also revealed more info on the title that should launch a closed beta later in June.

Still Wakes The Deep Launch trailer - Releases on June 18

We have been waiting for this game from developer The Chinese Room for a while. The first-person horror game, set on an oil rig, is coming on June 18.

New Escape From Tarkov trailer

The popular first-person tactical shooter game from developer Battlestate Games revealed some new features that will be added soon, along with its spin-off Escape From Tarkov Arena as it gets closer to its full 1.0 launch.

Phantom Line officially revealed

This horror FPS co-op game comes from a new developer, Antistatic Studios, made up of creators who worked on titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Bioshock, and Conan Exiles. There's no word yet on a release date.

Level Zero: Extraction - Check out the beta now

This extraction shooter game from developer Doghowl Games has three teams of humans that try to find loot while two other player teams control monsters trying to kill those humans. Sound cool? If so, you can check out the beta now on Steam until June 16.

83 trailer

This tactical military shooter from developer Blue Dot Games takes place in an alternate 1983 when the US and Soviet Union were in a true 'hot war.' The game will support up to 100 players at one time. It does not have a release date.

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Starfield now has official mod support as Creation Kit tools launch on Steam

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:54:48 +0000

Earlier today during the Xbox Games Showcase, Bethesda gave a first look at the first expansion hitting Starfield, Shattered Space. It also teased that the June update is coming later in the day with goodies, and that has already landed, bringing official mod support, new type of missions, ammunition crafting, and bug fixes.

The highly-anticipated modding tools, dubbed the Creation Kit by Bethesda for its games, is now available for download via Steam. Much like the Skyrim and Fallout 4 versions of the toolset, PC players can use it to do everything from making small tweaks to the game to creating total conversion mods.

"The Creation Kit is a free downloadable editor that allows you to make Creations for Starfield and then share them with other players across Bethesda.net," explains the company on the tools' Steam page. "It's the same tool that we use to create the game and we're putting the power to create new content in your hands - new quests, environments, characters, dialogue, weapons, and more."

Like in its other recent RPGs, Bethesda is offering modders a chance to to be partners with it to offer mods via its Creations platform, for free or for a price. Sign ups can be found here.

At the same time, Bethesda is introducing a new type of missions that involve the Trackers Alliance, where players will be hired as bounty hunters. The first mission is available to everyone right now, but anything after that will require a purchase from the in-game Creations shop using premium currency much like a paid mod.

Moreover, players can now research and craft ammo for the first time straight from workbenches, while melee weapons can now be improved at crafting benches.

Here are all the bug fixes included in the June update:

GENERAL

General performance and stability improvements.

GAMEPLAY

Gameplay Options: Addressed a sustenance issue that caused sneak attack damage to be too high.

Ship Decoration: Nova Galactic All-in-One 2x1 Habs will now declutter properly.

Ship Decoration: Items can no longer be placed on ladders.

Addressed an issue that could cause Guards to give up their chase too easily.

Fixed an issue that caused visited space locations to appear undiscovered.

Addressed an issue that could occur when modifying the player’s ship at The Key.

Addressed a rare issue that could cause some objects to behave as if they were in zero-g.

Fixed a crowd character issue that could appear when loading a save.

Removed the "Fast Travel to Ship" button from screens where it could not be utilized.

Fixed an issue that could occur when opening photo mode at the start of a conversation.

Fixed an issue that could occur when trying to exit the pilot seat while landing.

Addressed an issue with incrementing the "Ships Modified" stat when entering ship builder.

Quest Trackers should highlight the correct NAT station when traveling to the Lodge in New Atlantis.

Cora Coe should now accept books even if the Main Quest is skipped after entering the Unity.

GRAPHICS

Fixed an issue which could cause a bright light when loading a save into New Atlantis.

Fixed an issue that could cause some objects to become hidden when they should be visible.

OUTPOSTS

Resolved an issue where the Power Management Robot could unintentionally reduce power.

QUESTS

Background Checks: Fixed an issue where the player could receive an unintentional trespassing message.

The complete patch notes for Starfield update 1.12.30 can be found here. It is now available to download on Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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Ubisoft shows off Assassin's Creed Shadows' shinobi and samurai gameplay

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:51:24 +0000

Among all the first-party games, the Xbox Games Showcase of Microsoft had a surprise look at a Ubisoft title. Assassin's Creed Shadows showed up on stream to reveal its gameplay for the first time, giving fans a look at how the two playstyles of the two protagonists will work; catch it above.

For fans of stealth, parkour, and the nimble gameplay of classic Assassin's Creed games, Naoe delivers that experience. The assassin can utilize the hidden blade, use her dodge-based combat abilities and gadgets, and blend in with peasants to accomplish objectives and complete missions. Meanwhile, Yasuke is essentially a tank. Going into fights head-on as a major damage dealer, he is capable of taking down groups of enemies easily and shrugging off hits without much effort.

Being a single-player title, Assassin's Creed Shadows will offer players the ability to switch between the two protagonists depending on how they want to tackle each mission.

"The game world is dynamic and highly detailed, built with the goal of letting players get lost within it – and as both Naoe and Yasuke, players will have new, unique ways to connect with the beauty that surrounds them," said Ubisoft about this upcoming entry.

Ubisoft is also bringing in new features to the franchise, like changing seasons as time passes in-game and the use of shadows for stealth elements instead of just line of sight and height.

Assassin's Creed Shadows has a November 15 release date, and it is coming out on PC (Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Apple silicon Macs, and Amazon Luna platforms. It's also a part of the Ubisoft Plus Premium subscription service.

Ubisoft has its own streaming event for announcements coming tomorrow, June 10, so expect to see much more of Assassin's Creed Shadows there. See here for when to catch Ubisoft Forward when it kicks off.

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Microsoft announces three new Xbox including disc-less Xbox Series X, coming in late 2024

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:49:37 +0000

Before today's Xbox Games Showcase, there were rumors that Microsoft might hint at an upcoming Xbox handheld console. That didn't happen, but the company did reveal three new models of its current Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles that will all be released sometime in the holiday period of 2024.

The biggest announcement from the Xbox Wire site is that there will be a 2TB edition of the Xbox Series X console. This is being labeled as a "Special Edtion" as there will apparently be limited quantities of this console released.

In addition to the bigger SSD storage, this console will have a unique color. Microsoft says:

Drawing inspiration from constellations and the spirit of exploration and adventure that outer space evokes, the special edition console in Galaxy Black features a silver, grey, and green celestial effect representing thousands of games and millions of gamers playing on Xbox.

This version of the console will also come with a special Xbox controller with a " Galaxy Black D-pad and Velocity Green back case." It will be priced at $599.99 for the US and €649.99 for most of Europe.

Microsoft will also release a version of the Xbox Series X without a disk drive and in a white color for the first time. It will have the standard 1TB SSD and will be priced at $449.99 for the US and €499.99 for parts of Europe.

Finally, the 1TB Xbox Series S console that was released in 2023 is coming back in a white color version for the holiday season. It will be priced at $349.99 for the US and €349.99 for most of Europe.

Microsoft will still sell the black 1TB Xbox Series X with its disk drive. However, it says the black 1TB Xbox Series S will be available to purchase "while supplies last," so if you want one, it sounds like you should hurry up and get one as soon as possible.

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Microsoft Weekly: Windows 10 is back in the Insider Program and Microsoft improves Recall

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, Windows 10 is back with a new Insider Channel for users to try some unannounced features, Windows is getting an AI-powered profile image editor, Recall is getting privacy improvements to address the backlash, and more Copilot+ PCs are coming soon to satisfy the needs of enterprise customers while offering the benefits of modern ARM-powered computers.

Table of contents:

Windows 10 and 11 news
Windows Insider Program
Updates are available
Gaming news
Reviews
A blast from Microsoft's past

Windows 11 and 10

Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.

Windows 11's market share among gamers continues to grow. According to the latest Valve report, Windows 11 now has a 46.08% market share, which puts the OS just a bit over 4 points from Windows 10. The latter has roughly 50.35%.

The declining market share of Windows 10 and its upcoming end of support seemingly do not bother Microsoft. Moreover, the company even decided to revive the Beta Channel for the OS and start bringing new features. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that all Windows 10 users can sign up for the Beta Channel, and a new build with unknown features will land soon. If your system supports Windows 11, you will be offered an optional free update to Windows 11 (feel free to dismiss it if you want).

Moving to Windows 11, some big Recall-related things happened this week. Microsoft finally broke its radio silence and published a blog post detailing new security measures for the controversial feature. The updated Recall is now an opt-in feature with a clear explanation and buttons during the initial setup experience. Also, it is now protected with Windows Hello and just-in-time encryption.

There is no need to wait for Recall, though. There is already an open-source app called OpenRecall that promises to do the same stuff but with better transparency and much wider compatibility. It works on existing hardware, so there is no need to buy a fancy new Copilot+ PC with a Qualcomm processor inside. Just make sure you trust the developer before letting the app snapshot everything you do on your computer.

The recently announced Snapdragon X processors may soon end up in more device form factors. During its Computex 2024 session, Qualcomm said that the initial wave of Copilot+ PCs is just the beginning. Soon, you may find Qualcomm's latest chips in all-in-ones, mini-PCs, and more. A newly emerged report says that the second wave of Copilot+ PCs is coming in August. This time, with a focus on business customers and enterprises.

Microsoft released several new support documents to give Windows 11 users more information about specific features. For example, the company explained what to do if your computer shows the "USB4 device functionality might be limited" error, detailed system requirements for the new AutoSR feature (check out this article to learn how it works and how it can improve your gaming experience), AI-generated workspaces in Edge, and published official guides on how to use passkeys in Windows 11, Enhanced Sign-in Security, and how to switch from a local account to an MSA.

Speaking of documentation, Microsoft has updated release notes for the latest non-security updates to warn users that KB5037853 is not having a good time on ARM-powered Macs. Installing it on a Windows 11 virtual machine running in Parallels Desktop or similar software will result in an 0x800f0845 error. Microsoft is working on resolving the bug in a future update.

Microsoft also released a big update for the Windows Photos app on Windows 11. It is now powered by Windows App SDK, and moving from the Universal Windows Platform made it possible to implement several optimizations, new features, better components, and a lot more. If you want to dive deeper into the process of migrating the Photos app from UWP to WinAppSDK, check out this post.

The list of stripped-off Windows 11 versions has received a new entry. Similar to the famous Tiny11, Nano11 promises to take half the storage of the vanilla Windows 11 while also ditching Windows Defender, Microsoft Edge, and more. Just make sure you trust the maker of this project before putting anything sensitive into a Nano11 installation.

Windows Insider Program

Here is what Microsoft Released this week for testing in the Windows Insider Program:

	Windows 11	Windows 10
Canary Channel	26231 with Narrator improvements and a hidden profile picture editor with some neat AI effects.	Not Applicable
Dev Channel	26120.770 (KB5039314) with a few small changes	Not Applicable
Beta Channel	22635.3720 (KB5039312) with File Explorer fixes and more.	Nothing in the Beta Channel for Windows 10 users this week, but a new build is coming soon.
Release Preview Channel	Nothing in the Release Preview Channel.	Nothing in the Release Preview Channel.

If your computer with Windows 11 version 24H2 from the Release Preview is giving you the "Missing entry: PcaWallpaperAppDetect" error, check out this article. Microsoft confirmed the bug and offered a temporary workaround. You can expect a fix in the near future. However, be aware that Microsoft paused the rollout of Windows 11 24H2 in the Release Preview Channel due to unknown reasons. The company plans to resume it in a few weeks.

The Snipping Tool app received a new update this week. Windows Insiders can check out version 11.2405.24.0 with a new feature that auto-saves all your screen recordings.

Finally, here is a comprehensive list of every feature Microsoft deprecated and removed, including NTLM, in the upcoming Windows Server 2025, which is currently available in the Windows Insider program. Speaking of Windows Server, Microsoft is working on a new feature that will let several virtual machines access one GPU.

Updates are available

This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.

Although Apple's Vision Pro VR helmet is not a smash hit as Apple expected, developers still continue to release new apps for this unconventional piece of tech. This week, Microsoft made its OneDrive for iOS app available on the Apple Vision Pro. If you have one, you can now access your cloud files using a native application, albeit it does not look as sexy as other native visionOS apps.

Microsoft also published an interesting blog post about how Surface firmware evolved over 10+ years. What started as a relatively simple task of maintaining custom firmware for just two devices turned into a tedious task of supporting dozens of devices with their unique quirks and features. Check out this article to learn more about that.

Speaking of Surface firmware, the Surface Pro 7+ got some fixes this week, namely for camera performance issues when running out of storage.

Microsoft Edge received seven security patches. Version 125.0.2535.85 was released to close seven high-severity Chromium vulnerabilities and make your browsing experience safer. Besides security fixes, Microsoft Edge is also getting a much-improved screenshot tool that will soon let you capture anything on your screen, annotate it, add shapes, pixelate sensitive parts of screenshots, and more.

While there were no big new features announced this week for Chrome, Google published a post with details on how it managed to make the most popular browser in the world even faster. If you are curious to see how things work under the browser's hood, check out this article.

Visual Studio, Microsoft's flagship IDE, is getting better integration with Windows. Microsoft is running an experiment that allows developers to receive Visual Studio security updates via Windows Update. If you are interested in participating, check out this article with all the details on how to turn it on. Microsoft plans to make that feature generally available somewhere in August.

Other notable updates include the following:

And here are the newest drivers released this week:

Nvidia 475.06 non-WHQL with security fixes for systems with Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.
Nvidia 555.99 WHQL with Pax Dei and Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree support.

It is worth noting that AMD's upcoming Strix Point processors will not have chipset drivers for Windows 10. Therefore, those CPUs will be Windows 11-only.

On the gaming side

Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.

Kena: Bridget of Spirits is coming to Xbox One and Series X|S consoles on August 15, 2024. It will feature platform-exclusive cosmetic content and all the previous updates the game received on PlayStation and PC.

Some will most likely consider it sacrilege, but it seems that a new Halo remaster is in the works with a PlayStation 5 release in the pipeline. A new report emerged about Microsoft making a new Halo: Combat Evolved remaster, which could be the first Halo game to be released on a rival console.

Xbox Insiders in all available channels received an important system update. It now allows you to manage your gaming subscriptions directly in the console without opening a browser. Just go to Settings > Account > Subscriptions and make the necessary changes.

Nvidia delivered a fresh batch of games for Geforce NOW subscribers. This streaming service now lets you play Street Fighter 6, Autopsy Simulator, Chornobyl Liquidators, Sneak Out, XDefiant, and other games.

New titles are also available for Xbox and PC Game Pass users. They include Octopath Traveler I, The Callisto Protocol, Still Wakes the Deep, and more.

Finally, check out our recap of the Summer Games Fest 2024 with its host of trailers for some upcoming games.

Other gaming stories from this week include the following:

Deals and Freebies

Now to discounts and freebies, everyone's favorite part. This week's Weekend PC Game Deals issue covers a lot of showcase specials, green bundles, and hero freebies. Speaking of freebies, the Epic Game Store is giving away Marvel's Midnight Suns. Get it while it's free until next Thursday.

Reviews

Here are the software or hardware we reviewed this week.

Robbie Khan published a review of some rather unconventional tech. He got his hands on the Dockcase Studio, an 8-in-1 USB Type-C hub with a touchscreen display. This novel device is not cheap, but it offers some interesting quirks, good performance, and quality craftsmanship.

A blast from Microsoft's past

John Callaham's weekly "Look back" series provides throwbacks into the past, detailing the company's products, partnerships, mishaps, and successes from years ago.

Microsoft launched Bing, its ill-fated search engine, on June 3, 2009. his week, the service turned 15, and Microsoft's CVP for search and AI posted a column on LinkedIn to celebrate the occasion.

Microsoft Weekly image background by NiklasErnst on PIxabay.

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Starfield: Shattered Space trailer drops; new Starfield content is coming tonight

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:09:50 +0000

As expected, the Xbox Games Showcase officially revealed the first information and a trailer for Starfield: Shattered Space. The expansion pack for the space-based RPG from Bethesda Game Studios

Bethesda stated:

A mysterious power stirs in the city of Dazra on House Va’Ruun’s hidden homeworld. Investigate a frightening cosmic threat, explore a new planet, and find unique weapons, spacesuits, and gear in this all-new adventure.

The expansion pack does not yet have a specific release date other than it will be out before the end of 2024 for the PC and Xbox platforms. Bethesda plans to release a new Starfield Premium Digital Edition that will include the base game and the Shattered Space expansion, along with extras like a digital soundtrack, a digital artbook, 1,000 Creation credits, and a Constellation skin pack, You can go ahead and purchase this new Premium Digital Edition on Steam.

However, fans of Starfield will not have to wait to get some new content. Later tonight, Bethesda will release a new update that will include new locations and gear for players to check out, along with new bounties to take on. It will also feature a number of mods that were created by both Bethesda team members and a number of community mod creators.

It will be interesting to see what the reaction to Shattered Space will be like for not just current players of the game but also anyone hesitant to get the original Starfield. While the game had a solid start in terms of sales when it launched in September 2023, the title did get some mixed and even some negative reviews from major game media sites.

Hopefully, the release of Shattered Space will deal with some of the criticisms of the original game while at the same time offering a true expansion of the game's features and settings.

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Here’s What the ‘Matter’ Smart Home Standard Is All About

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:08:13 +0000

This open source protocol ensures your devices play nicely. Matter 1.3 adds more device support and energy management.

The ideal smart home seamlessly anticipates your needs and instantly responds to commands. You shouldn’t have to open a specific app for each appliance or remember the precise voice command and voice assistant combination that starts the latest episode of your favorite podcast on the nearest speaker. Competing smart home standards make operating your devices needlessly complicated. It’s just not very … well, smart.

Tech giants try to straddle standards by offering their voice assistants as a controlling layer on top, but Alexa can’t talk to Google Assistant or Siri or control Google or Apple devices, and vice versa. (And so far, no single ecosystem has created all the best devices.) But these interoperability woes may soon be remedied. Formerly called Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), the open source interoperability standard known as Matter arrived in 2022. With some of the biggest tech names, like Amazon, Apple, and Google, on board, seamless integration may finally be within reach.

Updated May 2024: Added news of the Matter 1.3 specification release, progress with the major players, a section on what you can do with Matter, and more details on potential functions.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

What Is Matter?
What Makes Matter Different?
When Did Matter Arrive?
What About Other Smart Home Standards?
What Devices Does Matter Work With?
What Can You Do With Matter?
Will Manufacturers and Platforms Limit Functionality?
How Do Smart Home Hubs Fit In?
What Do I Need to Use Matter?
What About Security and Privacy?
Will Matter Succeed?

What Is Matter?

Matter enables different devices and ecosystems to play nicely. Device manufacturers must comply with the Matter standard to ensure their devices are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, and others. For folks building a smart home, Matter theoretically lets you buy any device and use the voice assistant or platform you prefer to control it. (Yes, you can use different voice assistants to talk to the same product.)

For example, you can buy a Matter-supported smart bulb and set it up with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa—without having to worry about compatibility. Right now, some devices already support multiple platforms (like Alexa or Google Assistant), but Matter will expand that platform support and make setting up your new devices faster and easier.

The first protocol runs on Wi-Fi and Thread network layers and uses Bluetooth Low Energy for device setup. While it supports various platforms, you must choose the voice assistants and apps you want to use—there is no central Matter app or assistant. Because Matter works on your local network, you can expect your smart home devices to be more responsive to you, and they should continue to work even when your internet goes down.

What Makes Matter Different?

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (or CSA, formerly the Zigbee Alliance) maintains the Matter standard. What sets it apart is the breadth of its membership (more than 550 tech companies), the willingness to adopt and merge disparate technologies, and the fact that it is an open source project. Interested companies can use the software development kit (SDK) royalty-free to incorporate their devices into the Matter ecosystem. This is much simpler than certifying devices individually with each smart home platform.

Growing out of the Zigbee Alliance gives Matter a firm foundation. Bringing the main smart home platforms (Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings) to the same table is an achievement. It is optimistic to imagine a seamless adoption of Matter across the board, but it has enjoyed a rush of enthusiasm with many smart home brands jumping aboard, including August, Schlage, and Yale in smart locks; Belkin, Cync, GE Lighting, Sengled, Signify (Philips Hue), and Nanoleaf in smart lighting; and others like Arlo, Comcast, Eve, TP-Link, and LG.

When Did Matter Arrive?

Matter has been in the works for years. The first release of Project CHIP was due in late 2020, but it was delayed to the following year, rebranded as Matter, and then touted for a summer release. After another delay, the Matter 1.0 specification and certification program opened in 2022. The SDK, tools, and test cases were made available, and eight authorized test labs opened for product certification.

The first wave of Matter-supported smart home gadgets went on sale in the fall of 2022, and we have seen a steady trickle since then. The first update to the specification, Matter 1.1, arrived in May 2023 and consisted largely of bug fixes. Announced in October 2023, Matter 1.2 added support for nine new device types, including refrigerators, robot vacuums, and air purifiers, alongside improvements to existing categories.

The Matter 1.3 specification was published in May 2024, adding energy management, EV charging, and water management alongside support for new devices, including ovens, cooktops, and laundry dryers. It also brought improvements to Matter Casting, so on top of being able to cast from your phone to your TV, other smart devices—like your robot vacuum—can send messages to your TV to warn you if they're stuck, for example.

It's important to note that the release of each new specification simply means that the SDK (software development kit) and test procedure are available for developers and manufacturers to integrate with their devices. Unfortunately, the actual integration from big players like Google, Apple, Amazon, and Samsung has been slow. Only Apple's iOS fully supports Matter 1.2 so far. Google Home currently supports a subset of Matter devices up to Matter 1.2.

We asked the other two about a timeline for Matter 1.2 and beyond, but only Amazon has responded so far saying, “We’re working to roll out Alexa support for more device types and features included in the latest version of the Matter spec. In fact, right now, we’re rolling out support for humidity sensors, ambient light sensors, and fans, as well as Matter Casting to compatible Fire TV devices.”

What About Other Smart Home Standards?

The road to smart home nirvana is paved with different standards, like Zigbee, Z-Wave, Samsung SmartThings, Wi-Fi HaLow, and Insteon, to name a few. These protocols and others will continue to exist and operate. Google has merged its Thread and Weave technologies into Matter. The standard also employs Wi-Fi and Ethernet standards and uses Bluetooth LE for device setup.

Matter is not a single technology and should evolve and improve over time. It won’t cover every possible use case for every device and scenario, so other standards will continue to develop. The more platforms and standards merge with Matter, the greater its potential to succeed, but the challenge of making it all work seamlessly also grows.

What Devices Does Matter Work With?

Some devices will work with Matter after a firmware update. Others won’t ever be compatible. There’s no simple answer here. Many devices that currently work with Thread, Z-Wave, or Zigbee should be able to work with Matter, but it’s not a given that they will get upgrades. It is best to check with manufacturers about specific devices and future support. According to the Alliance, 1,135 unique products, apps, and platforms have passed certification, though not all are available to buy yet. Look for the Matter logo to find compatible devices.

The first specification, or Matter 1.0, only covered certain categories of devices, including:

Light bulbs and switches
Smart plugs
Smart locks
Safety and security sensors
Media devices including TVs
Smart blinds and shades
Garage door controllers
Thermostats
HVAC controllers

With Matter 1.2, nine new categories were added to the list:

Refrigerators
Room air conditioners
Dishwashers
Laundry washers
Robotic vacuums
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Air quality sensors
Air purifiers
Fans

Matter 1.3 added eight new categories to the list:

Energy management (devices can report usage or generation)
Electric vehicle chargers
Water management (leak and freeze detectors, rain sensors, controllable water valves)
Microwave ovens
Ovens
Cooktops
Extractor hoods
Laundry dryers

Sadly, there is still no support for home security cameras and video doorbells.

What Can You Do With Matter?

The functionality supported by Matter is mostly pretty basic for now, limited to on/off, start/stop, and notifications from devices like sensors and smoke alarms. For example, you can turn smart lights on or off and change the brightness and color, turn smart plugs on or off, lock and unlock smart locks, and open and close smart shades.

Matter casting enables you to cast content from supported smartphone apps to TVs or smart displays, though Amazon seems to be the only company using it so far (Prime Video). Matter 1.3 allows multiple clients to connect to a screen, so could be used for multiplayer gaming. It also enables devices like robot vacuums, smart locks, or dishwashers to send notifications, so you might get a pop-up on the TV when the dishes are done. But none of this is available in a device you can buy yet. We hope to see more functionality rolling out soon, but it is up to the platform providers and device manufacturers (see next section).

While the new functions in Matter 1.3 are just potential for now, some are very exciting. Energy management enables devices to report on their energy usage or generation in real time and to track it over time. That could give you much deeper insight into your power usage. Additions like EV charging might allow you to ask Google to charge your car for a set time next morning or to automate charging based on other conditions (solar panels, battery levels, current usage in the household, or even electricity prices). Current systems that allow this are proprietary and often require expensive installations.

Will Manufacturers and Platforms Limit Functionality?

While the big platform providers can see the benefit in a common standard, they are not going to open up full control of their devices to their competitors. There is a gap between the walled garden ecosystem experience and Matter functionality. So far, Matter functionality is limited, and manufacturers are keeping certain features proprietary.

For example, you may be able to turn an Apple device on or off with a Google Assistant voice command, but you will have to use Siri or an Apple app to tweak some settings or access advanced features. Manufacturers signing up to Matter are under no obligation to implement the entire specification, so the extent of support is likely to be mixed.

How Do Smart Home Hubs Fit In?

To achieve compatibility with Matter, some brands, like Philips Hue, Aqara, and SwitchBot, have updated their hubs or bridges. This is one way to sidestep the problem of incompatible older hardware. Updating hubs to work with the new Matter standard enables you to connect older systems, which will demonstrate that standards can coexist. But getting the full potential benefit of Matter will often require new hardware.

The underlying Thread technology in Matter allows devices, like smart speakers or lights, to act as Thread routers and create a mesh network that can pass data, increasing range and reliability. Unlike traditional smart home hubs, these Thread routers can’t see inside the packets of data they exchange. Data can be sent securely end-to-end by a network of devices from different manufacturers.

What Do I Need to Use Matter?

You need a Matter controller and a smart home platform app to use Matter. Any Matter controller can control any Matter device, and you can pick the smart home platform app that suits you best. You likely already have a Matter controller, since most of the smart speakers, displays, and hubs from major players like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung are also Matter controllers. The Matter standard is also built into Android and iOS, so you can use smartphones and tablets to control your Matter devices.

For the best experience with Matter, you need a Thread border router. Some devices are both Matter controllers and Thread border routers, including:

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Amazon Eero 6, 6 Plus, Pro 6, Pro 6E, Max 7, PoE 6, and PoE Gateway
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) and Echo Hub
Apple HomePod (2nd Gen)
Apple HomePod Mini
Apple TV 4K (2nd Gen and 3rd Gen with Wi-Fi + Ethernet)
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
Google Nest Hub Max
Google Nest Wifi and Nest Wifi Pro
Samsung SmartThings Station, Hub v3, and Hub Dongle
Samsung Smart TVs (CU8000, CU7000, MNA89MS1BA, NEO QLED 8K and 4K)
Aqara Smart Hub M3

What About Security and Privacy?

Fears about security and privacy have cropped up frequently on the smart home scene. Matter is designed to be secure. The CSA has published a set of security and privacy principles and plans to use distributed ledger technology and public key infrastructure to validate devices. This should ensure folks are connecting authentic, certified, and up-to-date devices to their homes and networks. Data collection and sharing will still be between you and the device manufacturer or platform provider.

Where before you had a single hub to secure, Matter devices will mostly connect directly to the internet. That makes them potentially more susceptible to hackers and malware. But Matter also provides for local control, so the command from your phone or smart display doesn’t have to go through a cloud server. It can pass directly to the device on your home network.

Will Matter Succeed?

Matter is presented as a smart home panacea, but only time will tell. Few, if any, innovations get everything right out of the gate. But there is potential value in seeing a Matter logo on a device and knowing it will work with your existing smart home setup, particularly in households with iPhones, Android phones, and Alexa devices. The freedom to be able to mix and match your devices and voice assistants is enticing.

The reality is sadly falling somewhat short of the promise so far. Setup of Matter devices is easy, but there are issues with multiple Thread networks, and we have experienced glitches when trying to use more than one platform simultaneously to control devices. No one wants to have to select devices based on compatibility. We want to choose devices with the best feature set, the highest quality, and the most desirable designs. Matter is slowly making that easier, but it still has a way to go.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is coming to Xbox and PC on November 19

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:04:01 +0000

Microsoft finally has some good news for flight sim fans. The upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 from Asobo Studios finally has a release date, so get your checklists and pilot licenses ready, as the company's next-gen airplane simulator is taking off on Xbox and PC on November 19, 2024.

Unlike the original Microsoft Flight Simulator from 2020, the 2024 version goes beyond just simple piloting an aircraft. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will let you pursue the career of a pilot in multiple settings, such as a commercial airline pilot, VIP transport, search and rescue missions, air ambulance, agricultural aviation, aerial advertising, helicopter cargo transport, and even aerial firefighting.

The game also emphasizes world exploration with a dedicated photo mode to capture the ever-evolving and improving in-game world. Also, for the first time, players will be able to pilot air balloons and blimps.

Coming November 19, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is the next installment in the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise. It is the most ambitious consumer flight simulator ever undertaken, designed to take advantage of the latest technologies in simulation, cloud, machine learning, graphics and gaming. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 goes beyond merely operating the aircraft; it will allow simmers to pursue their dream of an aviation career.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will be available on PC, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S on November 19. If you do not have the necessary hardware (Microsoft Flight Simulator is a hell of a demanding title), Microsoft will let you play the new installment in the cloud using Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Like all the other games Microsoft announced during today's Xbox Showcase event, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will be a day-one title for Xbox and PC Game Pass subscribers. You can find more info and some screenshots of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on its official page.

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Microsoft reveals the first info about State of Decay 3, along with a new trailer

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:02:52 +0000

State of Decay 3 was first announced four years ago during the 2020 Xbox Games Showcase. There's been little to no info on the next game in the zombie-themed survival game series from developer Undead Labs since then. Today, during the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase, we got a new trailer with a mix of in-game and cinematic footage, along with some concrete info on the title.

The Xbox Wire site is the source of the info on the game. State of Decay 3 will take place in a much larger open world compared to the first two games in the series. In fact, Undead Labs has collaborated with another Microsoft-owned developer, Obsidian Entertainment, on the new shared world features.

The team has also received some assistance from The Coalition, the Gears of War developer, on how to use Unreal Engine 5, which will be used in State of Decay 3. Two other development teams, Blind Squirrel Entertainment and Wushu Studios, are also working on the game.

The article also reveals info about the game's combat systems from Undead Labs' Creative Director Kevin Patzelt. He states:

“We’re heavily emphasizing engaging co-op combat, taking a close look at our level design and approach to how we’re building the world to ensure that players can have a blast smashing and shooting zombies together out in the open world,” details Patzelt. “To support that effort, combat needs to be downright fun. We’re looking at deepening our combat systems, our designs for enemy behaviors, and our animation fidelity to level up the moment-to-moment experience across the board.”

State of Decay 3 will also take place a number of years after the first two games, so its zombies will appear to be more decayed than in the earlier titles. Players will also have more customization and crafting features for their weapons, clothes, and more.

Unfortunately, there's no launch date yet for State of Decay 3, so it looks like we will still have a while before it is released.

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Apple WWDC 2024 keynote: Here's how and when to watch and what might be revealed

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:01:40 +0000

We have been through Google I/O and Microsoft Build for 2024, and now, as usual, the third and final of the big tech developers conference is close at hand. We are just a few hours from when Apple will begin its 2024 edition of its Worldwide Developer's Conference, better known as WWDC.

The conference will begin with a keynote address that anyone can watch, and that's when Apple will make its big announcements for WWDC. This year may be a bit more interesting on the announcements front compared to previous years.

Here's when and how to watch the Apple WWDC 2024 keynote and what we expect might be revealed (and what we don't think will be shown).

When is the Apple WWDC 2024 keynote?

The keynote will begin at 1 pm Eastern time (10 am Pacific).

How can I watch the event?

Apple will stream the live event on its YouTube channel and its Apple TV app.

What is expected to be revealed during the event?

Apple always officially announced the latest versions of its iOS mobile operating system during WWDC, and this year will almost certainly be no exception with the introduction of iOS 18. We will likely also get info on the next version of its watchOS for the Apple Watch, and we could get info on the next macOS and tvOS releases as well.

However, the folks in Cupertino may have more to talk about than just new feature bullet points. It is almost certain that Apple will make its first big AI announcements during the WWDC keynote address. Apple has been seen by many as lagging behind the current AI tech trend that's been led by Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, and others, and many people believe the company will plant its own flag down on the AI front.

There are unconfirmed rumors that Apple will announce a partnership with OpenAI at WWDC so it can provide its GPT generative AI modes for not just iPhones and iPads but for Macs as well. More recent rumors from Bloomberg claim the company will label its AI features under the "‘Apple Intelligence" branding. The features it will add will include things like summarizing articles and generating replies to emails as well. It adds that Apple will make these new AI features opt-in instead of enabling them by default.

Other unconfirmed reports claim Apple will reveal that iOS 18 will support custom-made AI-based emojis, along with a revamp of its Control Center, a dedicated password manager, and the addition of Dark Mode for Home Screen apps.

Will there be any hardware reveals at WWDC 2024?

Last year, Apple announced the Vision Pro mixed reality headset at WWDC. For this year's event, we do not expect Apple to make any hardware product unveiling. There were some unconfirmed rumors that a new Apple TV set-top box refresh might be launched at WWDC 2024, but the latest reports strongly suggest that will not happen.

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Civilization VII confirmed for 2025 on PC and consoles; full gameplay reveal in August

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 08:02:22 +0000

The surprise was muted by a leak earlier today, but during the Summer Games Fest 2024 show, 2K Games confirmed that it will release Sid Meier's Civilization VII from developer Firaxis Games. This will be the latest game in the turn-based historical grand strategy game series.

The announcement was accompanied by a teaser trailer that didn't show any actual gameplay. However, it did reveal that it is due in 2025 for the PC, via Steam, along with the PS4 and PS5 consoles from Sony, the Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X consoles from Microsoft, and the Nintendo Switch console. This will be the first time a Civ game will be released on the first day for both PC and consoles. In past Civ games, the PC version is released first with consoles coming later.

The announcement during Summer Games Fest was followed by a clip from Sid Meier himself, who stated that the full game reveal would be made sometime in August.

The game's Steam page is also live, with a brief description of the title:

The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier's Civilization VII empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known! Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history. Establish your civilization, construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations in pursuit of prosperity, and explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Will you build an empire that stands the test of time?

As we mentioned earlier today, Civilization V and VI are both currently on the top 100 most-played games on Steam at the moment. We suspect that the announcement of Civ 7 could help boost the player count of those older games for a little while.

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YouTube Premium subscribers gets a chance to test the new desktop redesign

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 08:00:15 +0000

YouTube was recently spotted testing a new AI generative feature called "Dream Screen," which helps create custom images and videos for green screen backgrounds. The video streaming platform is also testing a feature called "Dream Track" to let creators generate 30-second soundtracks for YouTube Shorts.

YouTube was also testing a new desktop redesign, which first appeared in April. However, it instantly started receiving negative feedback from people who unexpectedly started using it. The redesign was called off within a couple of weeks of its rollout. It later started rolling out in May and has continued to appear for more users.

Now, YouTube is offering its Premium subscribers the option to opt into the redesign. According to 9To5Google, YouTube Premium subscribers are seeing a prompt on the homepage of the platform with a message asking users to "Share Feedback" on the redesign.

In the description of the redesign, YouTube says that the redesign brings an improved viewing experience and also makes it easier to find related content. Comment access has also been improved. Here's what YouTube says:

Discover an improved viewing experience on YouTube with our redesigned desktop watch page.

How to use: Open YouTube in your web browser. You’ll discover a new way to watch videos that not only makes it easier to find related content but also enhances your ability to engage with comments.

If you are a YouTube Premium subscriber, you will see the prompt to enable the new redesign, and once enabled, the new layout will be immediately applied to your web experience. You will also see a "Feedback" button with a nine-question feedback form.

According to the report, the test will run through July 1, and it replaces "Jump Ahead," which was under testing until June 1 in available experiments. You can also opt into the AI-generated "Ask questions" experimental feature by heading over to the YouTube experimental features page.

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How PC memory is all set to change with new CAMM2 RAM sticks

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 21:19:48 +0000

CAMM2 is a new form factor which is all set to replace DIMM RAM. Originally intended for notebooks, it’s coming to desktops too. Could become a standard with DDR6.

In 1983, James E. Clayton invented SIMM (Single In-line Memory Module) standard for memory to be used in various tech products. This was an upgrade over SIPP (single in-line pin package) which had its own issues.

SIMM was probably the earliest memory standard that was adapted by masses, where the RAM was inserted into a RAM slot vertically. Earlier inventions were soldered onto the board.

In the 1990s, the limitations of SIMM became an issue. That’s because the newly introduced CPUs back then came with a 64-bit memory bus. This 64-bit bus memory required two 32-bit RAM modules to be paired together to make use of the 64-bit memory bus properly.

The DIMM RAM Modules That Are Currently Used In Desktops. Credit: Crucial.

That’s when DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) RAM was introduced. It utilized the 64-bit CPU memory bus completely without requiring the multiple RAM modules to be used in pairs.

This DIMM RAM, along with notebook specific SO-DIMM, is the standard which continues to be used in DDR RAM modules even now.

But that’s all set to change.

CAMM RAM Gets Invented

How Dell Originally Designed CAMM. Credit: Dell / PC World.

Two years ago, Dell released an entirely new DDR RAM module standard, which it called CAMM (Compression Attached Memory Module). CAMM was designed by Tom Schnell, a senior distinguished engineer at Dell.

While originally designed for notebooks, the idea behind CAMM was that it used less space and had a lot of benefits over the traditional SO-DIMM RAM sticks.

As soon as the info about this new RAM standard got leaked, it was shared by Tom’s Hardware. Many thought that it was another locked proprietary standard whose intention is to only make these new modules exclusive to Dell notebooks, forcing the users to buy Dell’s proprietary DAM sticks at a premium cost. Turns out, that assessment was incorrect.

In an interview to PC World, Dell had soon clarified that the new memory module design isn’t necessarily proprietary and it’s open to share the design with other RAM makers. With patents and royalty issues being something that can be looked into later. Due to this, all RAM makers decided to join hands to develop the CAMM RAM standard.

Then in December 2023, JEDEC, the tech standards authority, officially released the CAMM standard and named it CAMM2. It was recently revealed that not just notebooks, even desktops will get this new memory type.

CAMM2 Explained

Crucial LPDDR5X CAMM2. These Particular Type Of RAM Will Be Used In Notebooks, Not Desktop. Credit: Crucial.

CAMM2 modules are completely different from the currently used DIMM RAMs. While both use the same RAM chips inside them, they work differently.

First all of, while the currently used DIMM RAM sticks are inserted into the RAM slots vertically on desktops, CAMM2 RAM stick is placed and installed on the RAM slot horizontally with screws.

Currently, motherboards come with multiple edge connector vertically mounting RAM slots, while CAMM2 is connected to the motherboard with an LGA connector horizontally, similar to how CPUs are installed. As it covers a lot of horizontal space on the motherboard, for now it allows installation of just one RAM module of various large capacities (32GB, 64GB and others).

How A Single CAMM2 RAM Module Is Able To Run In Dual-Channel Mode. Credit: JEDEC / EETimes.

The benefits of CAMM2 RAM over DIMM are many. Among the biggest of them being built-in support of dual-channel memory inside a single RAM module. Means, no need to buy and insert two RAM sticks of the same type for faster RAM speed. The single CAMM2 RAM does it for you by default. Allowing usage of the full 128-bit bus connecting to the CPU. That’s because it’s specially designed to use multiple RAM chips in a dual-channel mode. Allowing complete utilization of the CPU memory bus.

Smaller & Faster

Micron Showcasing LPCAMM2 Benefits In Computex 2024. Credit: @IanCutress.

The other benefits include smaller space requirements, which is very useful for notebooks. Due to its design, CAMM2 uses lesser space. Allowing better thermals.

Another benefit is that while desktop and notebook RAM modules will be differently sized and even look different, they can put interchangeable chips on them.

But that’s not alone. These CAMM2 RAM sticks are thin, allow faster RAM speeds (up to 9600MT/s with LPDDR5X) and consume less power among many other things.

So much so that JEDEC has announced that in the future, DDR6 RAM sticks on desktops are all set to come with this new CAMM2 standard. Though it’s to be seen if DIMM would be still available.

Availability & Pricing

Kingston Showcasing It’s CAMM2 RAM Module At Computex 2024. Credit: @Club386. Click for full image.

A couple of days ago, Tom’s Hardware reported that Kingston showcased its CAMM2 RAM modules for desktop in Computex. Kingston in fact has a page set up showcasing the CAMM2 RAM. They showcased this new CAMM2 RAM standard along with MSI, which has designed a motherboard required for it.

VideoCardz reports that another RAM maker, GEIL showcased their CAMM2 RAM for both desktops and notebooks at Computex 2024.

But that’s not alone, other RAM makers like Micron, SK Hynix, Samsung are onto LPCAMM2 (notebook versions) from some time now. Expect them to release the new CAMM2 for desktops soon.

The question remains about the pricing, though. Dell is selling these CAMM RAM modules at five times, that’s right, five times the current prices of DDR5 RAM. But that’s expected to get cheaper significantly as it becomes a standard. In fact, Crucial has started selling the LPDDR5X-7500 version at a far cheaper rate. Costing about $175 for 32GB.

Now when it becomes a standard is a question. Some context is required, though. AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU series and newly introduced AMD Ryzen 9000 CPU series exclusively support only DDR5. Intel Arrow Lake 200 Core Ultra series is rumored to support DDR5 exclusively too. We doubt any CPU level changes are required here.

So will it start becoming a standard with DDR5 RAM itself or will we need to wait till DDR6 for it getting mass adaptation, it’s going to be seen.

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I think Snapdragon X Elite gaming performance is going to blow your mind, but there is still one big issue to overcome

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 20:22:02 +0000

A database of game performance on the newest Windows on ARM laptops is encouraging, but our old foe anti-cheat is here to rain on the parade.

Ever since the Microsoft Build session that proudly showed off a Snapdragon X Elite laptop playing Borderlands 3 at an impressive level, I've been eagerly anticipating more. While not a new game, Borderlands 3 is, in my own experience, still a tough cookie at times on PC, so it felt like a fitting example of how good the new chips can be.

Thanks to a website that isn't produced, but is endorsed by Qualcomm as being legitimate, we already have a wealth of data about gaming performance on new Snapdragon X Elite laptops.

The site, worksonwoa.com, currently has over 1,300 entries with reports on performance, and what laptop spec they were running on. It's also open for contribution from the community through GitHub, so as actual consumers get their hands on these things, the database will surely continue to grow.

I've been sifting through the pages and to say I'm impressed would be an understatement. Remember, these are not traditional x86 CPUs, and in most cases these games likely haven't been compiled natively for ARM. Nevertheless, there's some really exciting stuff in here. But also an old foe that looks like being an issue in some cases: Anti-cheat.

Some demanding games with impressive performance figures

Cyberpunk 2077 on a Snapdragon X Elite laptop is very much a reality it seems.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

As a long term Linux and Steam Deck gamer, I'm well-used to encountering issues with running PC games on anything that isn't a regular Windows PC. The website being used here is reminiscent of ProtonDB, an essential for all those who dabble with Linux and Steam Deck. When in doubt, the community helps out.

The difference here of course is that it's Windows, the OS that all of these games were designed to run on. But it's not quite that simple, since there are fundamental differences between Windows on ARM and Windows that runs on Intel/AMD. There are options, such as natively compiling your game for ARM64, create a 'hybrid' with ARM64EC or just don't bother and let emulation do the work.

So what sort of games are we talking about? I've embedded a gallery below showing the results from worksonwoa.com of some of the most interesting ones I've found so far.

(Image credit: worksonwoa.com / Windows Central)

This is just a selection of 10 from my own library, the easiest place to start looking. But I'm blown away by some of these figures. Some of these titles can be pretty demanding, and being able to hit just over 30 FPS on Spider-Man Remastered is no joke. I played the game originally at 30 FPS on the PS4 back in the day, and now you'll be able to play a better looking version on a Dell XPS 13.

There are some smash hits here as well. Reported frame rates in excess of 60 FPS in Control Ultimate Edition and Sea of Thieves, The Witcher 3 at 45 FPS, even Cyberpunk 2077 looks playable.

Gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally have shown us what's possible without the need for an ultra-powerful gaming laptop, but this is as impressive in a different way. None of the laptops announced so far are at all gaming-focused, and yet, it looks like they're going to be able to do it anyway. And with an ARM chip inside, no less.

This is only the first generation, too, let's not forget. Lots to get excited over, but unfortunately, there's still one giant fly in the ointment.

Just like on Steam Deck, anti-cheat ruins the party

You won't be playing Valorant on a Snapdragon X Elite laptop as things currently stand.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Anti-cheat. That thing that doesn't seem to stop people cheating and can certainly be a nuisance, too. Linux/Steam Deck gamers have long suffered at the hands of the various software solutions out there targeting filthy cheaters, but it looks like it also extends to Windows on ARM.

Checking out reports for popular titles like Valorant, League of Legends, PUBG, and Fortnite, all are labelled as unplayable. And that'll be down to the anti-cheat. Some competitive games, like Valve's Dota 2 and Counter Strike 2 seem to work fine, so it isn't universal, but it's clearly going to be a widespread issue. So you can expect it to apply to titles like Destiny 2 and Rainbow Six Siege, as well.

I'm not smart enough to know what kind of work is involved in fixing this, but even if the software is updated, there's then the matter of developers actually using it. Many of the anti-cheat tools support Linux, for example, but unless the developers opt into it, then Steam Deck owners are out of luck. Since Windows on ARM is just Windows, hopefully it wouldn't be like this, but you never know.

It's still an exciting time for Windows laptops, though, and June 18 can't come around soon enough so we can see what real people are doing with them.

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Report: New “Apple Intelligence” AI features will be opt-in by default

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 20:15:11 +0000

Apple reportedly plans to announce its first big wave of AI features at WWDC.

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off on Monday, and per usual, the company is expected to detail most of the big new features in this year's updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and all of Apple's other operating systems.

The general consensus is that Apple plans to use this year's updates to integrate generative AI into its products for the first time. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has a few implementation details that show how Apple's approach will differ somewhat from Microsoft's or Google's.

Gurman says that the "Apple Intelligence" features will include an OpenAI-powered chatbot, but it will otherwise focus on "features with broad appeal" rather than "whiz-bang technology like image and video generation." These include summaries for webpages, meetings, and missed notifications; a revamped version of Siri that can control apps in a more granular way; Voice Memos transcription; image enhancement features in the Photos app; suggested replies to text messages; automated sorting of emails; and the ability to "create custom emoji characters on the fly that represent phrases or words as they're being typed."

Apple also reportedly hopes to differentiate its AI push by implementing it in a more careful, privacy-focused way. The new features will use the Neural Engine available in newer devices for on-device processing where possible (Gurman says that only Apple's A17 Pro and the M-series chips will be capable of supporting all the local processing features, though all of Apple's recent chips feature some flavor of Neural Engine). And where Apple does use the cloud for AI processing, the company will apparently promise that user information isn't being "sold or read" and is not being used to "build user profiles."

Apple's new AI features will also be opt-in by default, where Microsoft and Google have generally enabled features like the Copilot chatbot or AI Overviews by default whether users asked for them or not.

Looking beyond AI, we can also expect the typical grab bag of small- to medium-sized features in all of Apple's software updates. These reportedly include reworked Control Center and Settings apps, emoji responses and RCS messaging support in the Messages app, a standalone password manager app, Calculator for the iPad, and a handful of other things. Gurman doesn't expect Apple to announce any hardware at the event, though a number of Macs are past due for a M3- or M4-powered refresh.

Apple's WWDC keynote happens on June 10 at 1 pm Eastern and can be streamed from Apple's developer website.

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Microsoft is preparing a second wave of Copilot+ PCs in August

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 20:13:44 +0000

The new Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, and other devices with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X processors are about to hit store shelves later this month. The initial number of devices is a bit limited, but do not fret—more ARM-powered Windows PCs are coming later this Summer.

WinFuture reports that Microsoft, Qualcomm, and PC manufacturers are already preparing to launch a second wave of Copilot+ PCs somewhere in August or early September of the current year.

The main focus of the next wave of Copilot+ PCs will be the business segment. For now, all Snapdragon X-powered computers cater to “regular customers,” with Microsoft offering business editions of its Surface devices with “traditional” Intel chips. Later this Summer, we should see the first Copilot+ PCs for commercial customers.

Some of those business-oriented PCs could arrive in new device form factors. At Computex 2024, Qualcomm showed a teaser of what is to come, which included not just tablets and laptops but also mini-PCs and all-in-ones.

While the appeal of Copilot+ PC is clear to your average Joe, Microsoft will have to try harder to convince businesses that Windows on ARM is now a real thing that is worth investing in. These computers promise fantastic battery life, advanced AI features (some are a bit controversial), and solid performance. However, app compatibility is still a big question even despite Microsoft’s big promises in its reworked app emulation.

Still, popular developers are joining or have already joined the initiative with their ARM-optimized applications, so the app gap is slowly disappearing. It will be interesting to see the first Copilot+ PCs for business customers and how Microsoft will promote them against “traditional” x86 devices.

Of course, Intel and AMD are not going to sit and watch Qualcomm steal their market; they are preparing their chips with NPUs and features that should rival the best of what Qualcomm currently offers.

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