Monthly Archives: November 2021

The Metaverse, Crypto and EVs Are Among 2021's Big Tech Winners

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When Americans gather around the Thanksgiving table this week, the blistering rally in technology, electric vehicles and crypto-related stocks is likely to be a part of their conversations. From a report: There’s a reason it will dominate the small talk: The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 is now worth almost half as much as the benchmark S&P 500 — the highest ever — and the megacap tech stocks alone represent a third of the S&P 500. Nvidia and Roblox’s sprint stood out in a year when the rest of the big tech names jogged to new highs, defying several calls to sell the sector around last year’s thanksgiving due to soaring valuations.

Chipmaker Nvidia has soared 148% as booming chip demand and a foray into the metaverse made it the best performer on the Nasdaq 100. Applied Materials and Advanced Micro Devices were other winners, each rising about 80% and outperforming many of the megacap tech stocks. Tesla soared to a $1 trillion market value as the electric-carmaker’s shares doubled in value, driven by a sustained pickup in sales, even as part shortages were crippling the broader auto industry. EV fever was even more evident with Rivian Automotive, which doubled in value in less than two weeks after going public. Lucid Group was the sector’s other hot name. Roblox’s tripling of value from its March listing to Facebook’s name change to Meta Platforms showed the metaverse was the next big thing in tech. The rush to the space was evident with the Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF, an exchange traded fund focused on the theme, surpassing $500 million in assets under management on Nov. 17, having doubled in just two weeks. From the digital world to digital money: Bitcoin briefly reclaiming $60,000 and a rally in smaller cryptocurrencies boosted a host of related stocks such as Marathon Digital Holdings, Riot Blockchain and MicroStrategy. Marathon Digital was among the top winners, with its stock jumping ten-fold.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.



Source: Slashdot – The Metaverse, Crypto and EVs Are Among 2021’s Big Tech Winners

Report Shows How Pathetically Weak Your Passwords Still Are

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Report Shows How Pathetically Weak Your Passwords Still Are
This should go without saying, but “password” is a terrible password. The same goes for “12345” and “123456,” among others. And no, adding more numbers in sequential order won’t make your account more secure because as it turns out, “123456789” is the second most commonly used bad password, according to a new report.

Researchers at NordVPN

Source: Hot Hardware – Report Shows How Pathetically Weak Your Passwords Still Are

Analogue Pocket Pre-Orders Will Start Shipping on December 13

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After the disappointing news that both the Valve Steam Deck and the Panic Playdate handheld consoles were facing issues pushing their availability into 2022, today Analogue revealed its highly anticipated Pocket will actually start shipping on December 13 for the first wave of pre-orders.

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Source: Gizmodo – Analogue Pocket Pre-Orders Will Start Shipping on December 13

A Tiny Town Was the Soviet Union’s Uranium Hub. Now, It’s Racing to Avoid Disaster

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Anna Travkina remembers the day the water turned black. She was six years old in 1958, when heavy rainfall and seismic activity pushed up to 14 million cubic feet of radioactive uranium waste into the river that flowed past her home in southern Kyrgyzstan. Travkina had been playing with her friends along the…

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Source: Gizmodo – A Tiny Town Was the Soviet Union’s Uranium Hub. Now, It’s Racing to Avoid Disaster

The Evercade VS Recaptures That Cartridge Game Magic

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Last year UK company Blaze Entertainment released the Evercade, a lovely handheld gaming system that uses cartridges to play retro game compilations. Now the company is doubling down with the Evercade VS, a TV console with two cartridge slots and support for four-player local multiplayer. Slapping carts into this deck…

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Source: Kotaku – The Evercade VS Recaptures That Cartridge Game Magic

Why You Shouldn't Bake Your Pies in an Air Fryer

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Oven resource management is one of the hardest parts of cooking a Thanksgiving meal. If you’re fresh out of oven space and still have one pie left to bake, it’s only natural to start making eyes at your trusty countertop convection oven. “After all, why not?” you may ask yourself. “Why shouldn’t I bake a pie in my air…

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Source: LifeHacker – Why You Shouldn’t Bake Your Pies in an Air Fryer

ASRock Rack's ROME2D16-2T Makes For A Great EPYC Server Board

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For those looking to assemble your own AMD EPYC 7002/7003 series 2P server or workstation, the ASRock Rack ROME2D16-2T we have been testing out for the past quarter and it’s been holding up well across our daily benchmarking and other Linux and BSD tasks. The board has been working out very well and is currently available from retailers like NewEgg.

Source: Phoronix – ASRock Rack’s ROME2D16-2T Makes For A Great EPYC Server Board

The best deals on AirPods you can get for Black Friday

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Apple’s AirPods are some of the most popular earbuds (and headphones) available right now, so don’t be shocked if they top some of your loved ones’ wish lists. Black Friday typically brings decent sales on these devices, and we’re already starting to see good discounts across the web. There are a few different models at this point: the latest 3rd-generation AirPods were updated just last month with a new design, improved audio quality and longer battery life, while the AirPods Pro remain the best sounding Apple earbuds and now they come with a MagSafe charging case. You can still grab the 2nd-generation AirPods as well, and the AirPods Max are best for those that prefer over-ear headphones. Here are the best deals on Apple’s AirPods that we found for Black Friday.

AirPods Pro

Apple AirPods Pro
Billy Steele / Engadget

The updated AirPods Pro with the MagSafe case are on sale for $170 at Amazon right now. Walmart will have them for $159 starting at 3pm ET today for Walmart+ members, while everyone else can get that discount starting at 7pm ET. If you’re a Sam’s Club member, you can grab the Pros for $150 right now with $70 of Scan & Go Savings. These offer the best sound quality and fit of any of Apple’s earbuds, and now they have a magnetic wireless charging case that’s compatible with MagSafe accessories.

Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon – $170Buy AirPods Pro at Walmart – $159

AirPods (3rd gen)

Apple totally overhauled AirPods for the third-generation version with the biggest changes coming in the design and audio quality.
Billy Steele/Engadget

Apple’s latest AirPods are down to $155 for Black Friday at Amazon thanks to a sale price and an additional $15 coupon that will be applied at checkout. We gave them a score of 88 for their more comfortable design, much improved audio quality and longer battery life.

Buy AirPods (3rd gen) at Amazon – $155

AirPods (2nd gen)

Apple AirPods.
Engadget

The previous-generation AirPods are on sale for $115 right now, or roughly $44 off its normal price. While not the latest models, these are still decent earbuds that we liked for their improved wireless performance and good battery life.

Buy AirPods (2nd gen) at Amazon – $115

AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max
Engadget

Apple’s AirPods Max in a few colors are down to $440 right now, or only $10 more than their record-low price. These headphones earned a score of 84 from us for their excellent, balanced sound, solid ANC and good battery life.

Buy AirPods Max at Amazon – $440

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.



Source: Engadget – The best deals on AirPods you can get for Black Friday

Which Animal Species Get Along the Best?

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We have all come across or actively sought out videos of unlikely animals putting aside their differences to nuzzle one another or engage in similar cute behavior, like when a larger animal gives a smaller animal a piggyback ride. There is of course an entire television show devoted to this phenomenon, plus thousands…

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Source: Gizmodo – Which Animal Species Get Along the Best?

Five Lessons from ‘All Things Open’ on Hosting In-Person Events During COVID

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Editor’s note: In October, the Raleigh-based All Things Open became one of the first tech conferences in North America to stage an in-person event since…

The post Five Lessons from ‘All Things Open’ on Hosting In-Person Events During COVID appeared first on FOSS Force.



Source: FOSS Force – Five Lessons from ‘All Things Open’ on Hosting In-Person Events During COVID

How to Create and Scan QR Codes on Any Device

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The QR code is having an extended moment, given that we’re all still wary of dealing with physical documents, touching surfaces, and generally interacting with the world at large. The switch to digital for everything from tickets to menus has been accelerated, and QR codes are a simple and convenient option for…

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Source: Gizmodo – How to Create and Scan QR Codes on Any Device

FAA Memo Reveals More New Boeing 787 Manufacturing Defects

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The Seattle Times reports:

The litany of manufacturing defects on the 787 Dreamliner is expanding as Boeing engineers take apart planes and discover new or more widespread issues, a Federal Aviation Administration internal memo indicates. The FAA memo, which was circulated internally Monday and reviewed by The Seattle Times, points to new concerns about a previously unreported defect caused by contamination of the carbon fiber composite material during fabrication of the large structures that make up the 787’s wing, fuselage and tail. The memo also adds detail about the small out-of-tolerance gaps that have been discovered throughout the airplane structure: at the joins of the large fuselage sections, at a forward pressure bulkhead and in the structure surrounding the passenger and cargo doors. The FAA memo, which lists safety conditions affecting airplanes currently in service worldwide, states that these tiny gap defects are thought to be present in more than 1,000 Dreamliners.

These are not considered an immediate safety concern but could cause premature aging of the airframe.

Bloomberg reports these delays may hamper Boeing’s efforts to pay down its $62 billion debt:

Boeing is working to find and repair tiny structural imperfections about the width of a piece of paper in the carbon-fiber aircraft while addressing quality lapses among suppliers and their subcontractors. Both issues came to light as the Chicago-based planemaker did a deep dive in its factories and production system in the wake of two fatal crashes of its 737 Max… A Boeing spokesman wouldn’t confirm a Wall Street Journal report Friday that deliveries aren’t likely to restart until February or March… For each manufacturing glitch that strays from its design specifications, Boeing has to file a so-called notice of escapement with the FAA that evaluates the problem, recommends a fix and provides an engineering analysis to back up its finding. The company is still working through those notices, along with a broader inspection regimen for the 787, according to people familiar with the situation.

There are about 20 locations on Dreamliners where potential quality breaches have been identified, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a confidential matter. At a Boeing fabrication plant in South Carolina, for example, mechanics are inspecting the area surrounding doors at the rear of the aircraft for tiny gaps, one of the people said. Dreamliners continue to roll off the line in North Charleston at a slow rate of two planes a month, the person said. Conducting the inspections can be time consuming and costly since, in some areas of the plane, workers have to tear out passenger cabins to gain access…

The planemaker had initially requested permission to inspect a handful of planes and, if they passed, use its regimen for the rest of the undelivered aircraft, the people said. The FAA rejected that plan, and company and the regulator haven’t yet agreed on an appropriate level of inspections, said one of the people.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.



Source: Slashdot – FAA Memo Reveals More New Boeing 787 Manufacturing Defects

Canon's best budget mirrorless camera is $100 off at Amazon

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Canon’s EOS M200 is still one of the best budget mirrorless cameras thanks to features like the Dual Pixel autofocus system and 4K video. Now, you can pick one up with an EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 at Amazon for just $450 or $100 (18 percent) off the regular price. 

Buy Canon EOS M200 at Amazon – $450

The EOS M200 is a top pick as a budget camera because it’s so compact and versatile. It takes great photos thanks to the 24.1-megapixel APS-C sensor, which delivers sharp images with natural colors and skin tones. It also comes with Canon’s Dual Pixel eye-detect autofocus tech, so most of them will be in focus, too. And for social or tourist shooting, it comes with a pop-up flash.

At the same time, it can handle 4K video at 24 fps, albeit with a 1.6 times crop. That, along with the flip-up display, makes it very useful as a vlogging camera — and it’s even good for social media because it can also shoot vertical video. The 15-45mm lens, meanwhile, offers a decent zoom range for most types of shooting.

The downsides are the lack of a viewfinder, though that helps keep the size very small. It also offers a limited lens selection and relatively slow burst shooting speeds. However, it’s a real bargain at $450, which is a cheaper price than most cameras without any lens at all. 

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.



Source: Engadget – Canon’s best budget mirrorless camera is 0 off at Amazon

Was 1980 the worst automotive year ever?

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Mmm, the 1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 liftback.

Mmm, the 1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 liftback. (credit: By G.Goodwin Jr. and Snark at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Quick, what’s the worst year in American automotive history?

Recent bias might lead you to select 2008, when an unprecedented modern financial crisis slammed the overall economy and led to a government bailout of GM and Chrysler (those carmakers received $80 billion after taking a 40 percent nosedive in sales and having some 3 million jobs at risk). But the near-death experience yielded vehicles and automakers more closely aligned to consumers’ needs and desires.

Arguments could be made that 1929 proved far worse, as the stock market crash and the Great Depression that followed drove many automakers out of business. But that period also yielded some of the finest cars ever produced, ones with names like Marmon, Duesenberg, Pierce-Arrow, Stutz, and many others. Or perhaps it was 1957, when the last of the independent automakers, Nash and Hudson, disappeared from the market, and Packard was gasping its final breath as a poorly disguised Studebaker, a company that would disappear a decade later.

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Source: Ars Technica – Was 1980 the worst automotive year ever?

The Morning After: Adele has the power to remove the shuffle button

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Spotify has removed the shuffle button from all album pages after Adele pressed the company for the change in time for the launch of her album 30. According to her own tweet, albums should be listened to “as [artists] intended” as they tell “a story.” If you were ever in doubt of the influence of major music artists like Adele or Taylor Swift, here’s your answer.

Adele’s debut single from 30, “Easy On Me,” broke a single-day Spotify streaming record previously held by K-pop megagroup BTS. That probably helped.

— Mat Smith

‘Halo Infinite’ is best when it stops being ‘Halo’

Choices.

The Morning After
Microsoft

Halo Infinite‘s opening had Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar worried, especially after its year-long delay. Sure, it was nice to be back in Master Chief’s shoes, but he feared a retread of familiar Halo gameplay, even with the addition of a new grappling hook. Same environments, same cannon fodder.

But a few hours in, once Devindra acquired a Cortana-like AI called The Weapon, Halo Infinite finally opened up. After clearing out an early area, he was presented with something rarely seen in Halo: choice. Read on for his full preview of arguably Xbox’s most highly anticipated game. 

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Disneyland gets the ‘Hey, Disney’ voice assistant in 2022

You’ll also get smarter MagicBands in the bargain.

Disney has revealed that “Hey, Disney” is coming to Disneyland hotel rooms sometime in 2022. As in Walt Disney World, it’ll be available alongside Alexa in your room’s Echo speaker and handle requests ranging from amenities through to stories and jokes.

There’s more technology in the park, too, as MagicBand+ wearables will also reach Disneyland in 2022. You can use the wristband to enter the park, make purchases and go touch-free, and they’ll use a mix of lights, haptic feedback and gesture controls throughout the theme park.

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Early Pixel 6a leak suggests Google might finally ditch the headphone jack

One of the last hold-outs.

The Morning After
OnLeaks/91Mobiles

Google’s Pixel 6 is barely on store shelves, but don’t let that stop rumors about its budget A-Series getting another device. Well-known tipster OnLeaks and 91Mobiles have posted what they say are Pixel 6a design renders, and they might prove polarizing. The future midrange phone would follow the redesigned Pixel 6, meaning, yes, that ‘cyclops’ camera bar. However, the headphone jack from the Pixel 5a and other “a” models appears to have vanished.

Continue reading.

El Salvador plans to create an entire city based on Bitcoin

There would even be a power plant to help with bitcoin mining.

President Nayib Bukele has unveiled plans to build a Bitcoin City near a volcano along the Gulf of Fonseca, between La Unión and Conchagua. Yes, it sounds like a video-game locale in Cyberpunk, but sadly it’s more about business. Even if it’s near a volcano.

The metropolis will have its own geothermal power plant to support crypto mining, and there will be no capital gains, income, payroll or property taxes, just value added tax.

Continue reading.

Creepy soft synth has a visualizer that stares back

Synth#boi is an art project you can play — and buy.

TMA
Synthboy

The more you play on the Synth#boi, the more the ‘person’ in the visualizer lights up — it’s as if the device is staring back at you and judging your performance. Which isn’t sinister at all. 

Continue reading.

 

 

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Source: Engadget – The Morning After: Adele has the power to remove the shuffle button

UK will require new homes to have EV chargers starting in 2022

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Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations will be required for all new homes and businesses in the UK starting in 2022, the government announced today. The new measure aims to boost EV adoption in the nation by adding up to 145,000 extra charging points each year. 

 “This will mean people can buy new properties already ready for an electric vehicle future, while ensuring charge points are readily available at new shops and workplaces across the UK — making it as easy as refueling a petrol or diesel car today,” the press release states.

The UK government has already backed the installation of over 250,000 charging points, so the new rules would increase that by over 50 percent in the first year alone. Buildings like supermarkets and workplaces are included in the law, along with large scale renovations that will have over 10 parking spaces. However, details of the rules, like specifications and power outputs of the installations, have yet to be released. 

Britain’s opposition Labour party noted that London and the southeast part of the country have more charging points “than the rest of England and Wales combined,” and the new law doesn’t help in that regard. It also said that it doesn’t include any provisions that would make EVs more affordable for lower- and middle-income families, the BBC reported.

The UK government aims to completely ban the sale of fossil fuel cars by 2030 — 10 years earlier than planned. The government previously said that it’s prepared to spend £500 million (about $660 million) on building EV charging infrastructure in the country.



Source: Engadget – UK will require new homes to have EV chargers starting in 2022