Eventually at some point in your gardening journey, you’re going to run into a predictable problem—where to store all your damn seeds. At first, a box or stack will do, but eventually, you’ll realize you need some sort of library-esque organization system. Storage is important, because it also affects the viability of…
Source: LifeHacker – The Best Ways to Keep Seeds Organized and Stored All Year
Horror fans will get to see if Alan Wake II lives up to the hype when the game releases later this week. In the meantime, gamers who own an Intel Arc graphics card can download the latest Arc driver, version 31.0.101.4900, for a purportedly substantial performance gain at both 1080p and 1440p resolutions, according to the driver’s release
Source: Hot Hardware – Intel Arc GPU Driver Readies A Big FPS Boost For Alan Wake 2 Ahead Of Launch
After shoving a Threads carousel into Facebook and Instagram, Meta gets that users might not like it. Meta posted Monday on its platform’s official account that it was collecting feedback on the new feature, but it almost certainly won’t do anything to make it any better.
Source: Gizmodo – Meta Gets That You Hate Seeing Threads on Facebook, Instagram. End of Communication
Earth isn’t in her best state in Starfield. Without an atmosphere, our home has been reduced to an endless desert. It’s shocking to behold. Only a few signs of humanity’s illustrious past remain, broken ruins poking out of the endless sands. And for some reason, at each of these somber sites sits a single…
Source: Kotaku – Let’s Collect All 18 Snow Globes In Starfield
As we approach the end of 2023, sadly, the real-time kernel “PREEMPT_RT” support still hasn’t been mainlined… The main blocker pending is still the ongoing work around non-blocking consoles / threaded console handling to then allow the few dozen remaining out-of-tree RT kernel patches to be merged. The good news is that when the PREEMPT_RT support is ready for mainline, it looks like the RISC-V architecture support will also be real-time friendly too…
Source: Phoronix – Linux RISC-V Preparing For Real-Time Kernel Support (PREEMPT_RT)
Dive into our beginner’s guide on securing SSH with Fail2Ban to safeguard your server from unauthorized access and brute-force attacks.
The post How to Protect SSH With Fail2Ban: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – How to Protect SSH With Fail2Ban: A Beginner’s Guide
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CoinDesk: Chinese oil and gas company PetroChina (0857) has completed the first international crude oil trade using the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), the e-CNY, China Daily reported on Saturday. PetroChina bought 1 million barrels of crude oil settled in e-CNY, or digital yuan, at the Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange (SHPGX) on Oct. 18, according to the report by the Chinese Communist Party-owned newspaper. The SHPGX did not disclose the exact value of the deal nor the seller’s identity.
China’s government may wish to use the e-CNY as a tool for expanding the international use of its currency, also known as the renminbi, so using it to settle purchases of major global commodities like crude oil would be one way to underpin this expansion. While almost all the world’s major economies are at least looking at developing a CBDC, China’s is comfortably among the most advanced. Transactions using the currency hit 1.8 trillion yuan ($250 billion) as of the end of June, with e-CNY accounting for 0.16% of the cash in circulation.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – PetroChina Completes First International Crude Oil Trade In Digital Yuan
Max has a handful of original series worth streaming in November, starting with season two of the Issa Rae comedy Rap Sh!t, which stars KaMillion and Aida Osman as estranged friends turned rap partners (November 9) followed by season two of Julia, the comedy-drama based on the life of Julia Child (November 16). At the…
Source: LifeHacker – What’s New on Max in November 2023
AMD’s RadeonSI Gallium3D driver has been around for a decade since the Radeon HD 7000 “Southern Islands” graphics card days while finally the OpenGL renderer string is being changed to reflect “RadeonSI” as the name of the driver in use…
Source: Phoronix – AMD Making It More Clear When Their RadeonSI OpenGL Driver Is Being Used
Cowabunga! Skullcandy is bringing some commemorative audio gear celebrating the upcoming 40th anniversary of everybody’s favorite sewer reptiles. One is a limited-edition version of the Push TWS (true wireless stereo) earbuds, while the other is the PLYR wireless gaming headset. Both are very green and ready for those long gaming sessions.
With
Source: Hot Hardware – Skullcandy Celebrates TMNT’s 40th Anniversary With A Pair Earbuds and Headphones
Given recent talk of upstream Linux Long-Term Support (LTS) kernels likely being reduced from six to two year support windows moving forward, Canonical today decided to re-affirm their support for ten years of support with Ubuntu Long Term Support versions…
Source: Phoronix – Canonical To Stick With 10 Year Support Cycle For Ubuntu LTS Releases
I’m no good at carving pumpkins, but I’m quite skilled at making delicious things out of them, like mini crustless pumpkin pie and beer-brined pumpkin seeds. Still, I usually end up at least one Jack-o’-lantern, because that’s what people do this time of year (and because I need those tangy, salty pumpkin seeds). I…
Source: LifeHacker – Turn Pumpkin Guts Into a Comforting, Flavorful Broth
Google has disabled live traffic updates for Israel and Gaza in Maps and Waze, a spokesperson has confirmed to Bloomberg. “As we have done previously in conflict situations and in response to the evolving situation in the region, we have temporarily disabled the ability to see live traffic conditions and busyness information out of consideration for the safety of local communities,” the spokesperson said. Israeli blog GeekTime reports that Apple has switched off the same feature in its Maps app, as well.
Google told The Hill that people can still use Maps and Waze to get route and ETA information that “take current traffic conditions into account.” They just won’t be able to see real-time traffic data in the apps like they could in the past. It’s unclear if Apple is also retaining some of its Maps’ navigation capabilities.
This move, made by both companies, comes just ahead of the Israeli military’s anticipated ground invasion into Gaza, wherein it reportedly plans to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers to capture the city. One of Bloomberg’s sources said Google disabled live traffic to comply with a request made by the Israel Defense Forces, likely because the feature could reveal its troops’ movements and tip off Hamas, which the US and the EU recognize as a terrorist organization. The Hill says Apple also removed live traffic in the region to comply with the IDF’s request.
Prior to this development, one of the most recent examples of Google disabling the ability to see live traffic conditions “in conflict situations” happened in 2022. The company deactivated Maps’ live traffic data in Ukraine back then, following Russia’s invasion of the country. It explained at the time that it implemented the change to protect the safety of locals, and that it came to the decision to do so after consulting with Ukranian authorities.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-and-google-disable-live-traffic-maps-in-israel-and-gaza-121502911.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Apple and Google disable live traffic maps in Israel and Gaza
While Apple, Meta and others continue to work with full-on headsets for augmented reality (AR), Nreal has been selling much smaller AR glasses since 2021. Now the company, which has rebranded to Xreal, just released a new version called the Xreal Air 2 in Europe and the US, after launching it in China last month. It offers improved displays and more comfort, and the company also unveiled the Xreal Air 2 Pro with electrochromic dimming, letting you select the level of immersion from zero to 100 percent.
Xreal (the X stands for extra, the company said) promises that the Air 2 glasses “turn whatever the wearer is viewing into a big screen experience, up to 330 inches.” To that end, it uses Sony’s latest 0.55-inch Micro-OLED display, up from the 0.68-inch Micro-OLED used before (Apple also uses Micro-OLED tech in its Vision Pro mixed reality headset). As before, it can display full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 per eye, with a refresh rate up to 120Hz. Along with the higher resolution, it features 500 nits of brightness, compared to 400 nits on the original Nreal Air.
The Air 2 is also 10 percent thinner and 10 percent lighter (from 79 grams to 72 grams, which is actually 8.9 percent by my calculation), according to Xreal. It also comes with improved elastic temples, new “AirFit” nose pads and softer materials. All of that is designed to improve comfort and allowing for longer use when watching movies and other content, according to the company. As before, it connects to devices via USB-C with video (DisplayPort) output with no wireless option, so you’re effectively tethered to a device.
Xreal also improved the audio speaker system by incorporating “spatial wrap-around auto delivery” via an open ear design targeted at the wearer. “This brings enhanced privacy and minimizes disruption to others when in public spaces,” the company said. It also improves voice and video calls, since the Xreal Air 2 can let you take audio from a smartphone or tablet.
The more desirable model is the Xreal Air 2 Pro. It introduces electrochromic dimming that lets you select three modes, including a transparent mode that blocks no light, letting you use the glasses while still seeing the outside world. “Productivity mode” blocks 35 percent of outside light, so you can focus better without shutting out your surroundings entirely, while immersive mode blocks all light for gaming, entertainment, etc.
Much like the original Nreal Air, the Xreal Air 2 seems mainly aimed at viewers for YouTube videos, light gaming, movies, etc. There are no cameras or motion sensors included, so it effectively acts as a personal projector, with the screen moving as you move your head (hello, nausea). However, you can buy an accessory called Xreal Beam ($119) which adds gyroscopic tracking and keeps the screen fixed in place when you move, while also allowing for additional wired connectivity options that apparently reduce latency. According to reviews on the device, it works in much the same way as the original Air, but is lighter and more comfortable.
Considering what it can’t do, the Xreal Air 2 is pretty expensive at $399 (in black or red), while the Air 2 Pro is $449. For full functionality, you need the Xreal Beam, which brings the price up to $518 and $568 respectively — more than the Meta Quest 3. Shipping is expected to start in the US and UK in November 2023, and elsewhere in Europe in December.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xreals-399-air-2-augmented-reality-glasses-are-now-available-to-pre-order-120057648.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Xreal’s 9 Air 2 augmented reality glasses are now available to pre-order
Enlarge / The Moon rises over Tindari, Sicily. (credit: Dario Giannobile)
Welcome to the Daily Telescope. There is a little too much darkness in this world and not enough light; a little too much pseudoscience and not enough science. We’ll let other publications offer you a daily horoscope. At Ars Technica, we’re going to take a different route, finding inspiration from very real images of a universe that is filled with stars and wonder.
Good morning. It is October 24, and today’s image features an amazing shot of the Moon over a sanctuary in Sicily. It was captured by Dario Giannobile, a talented Italian astrophotographer.
This is a brilliant shot of the Moon, with the light from Earth shining on about 75 percent of the lunar surface and the remainder brightly lit by the Sun. The Moon is seen above the Santuario della Madonna Nera (Sanctuary of the Black Madonna) in Tindari, a small town on the northern coast of Sicily.
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Source: Ars Technica – The Daily Telescope: A quarter Moon over Sicily reflects light from Earth
My introduction to crossword puzzles was through cheating. My grandfather would sit in his recliner with a pen and a folded-up newspaper, and from time to time, he’d throw out a question to another person in the room—including, when I was old enough, occasionally me. Soon I was sitting on the arm of the chair, helping…
Source: LifeHacker – Yes, It’s OK to Cheat at One-Player Games
Tinder’s new feature is a new nightmare to me. Tinder Matchmaker allows users’ family and friends to recommend potential matches. Wannabe matchmakers do not need a Tinder profile to view or suggest possible pairings, so anyone you know could help you find the one. Or at least… another one.
The Tinder user will need to launch a “Tinder Matchmaker session” either from a profile card or within the app’s settings. You can share a unique link with up to 15 individuals in a 24-hour period. Once a matchmaker gets a link, they can log into Tinder or continue as a guest to swipe away. Don’t worry: They can’t send messages or actually swipe right on the profiles.
Both Hinge and Bumble have already tried matchmaking, although the former’s attempts didn’t last – the dedicated Hinge matchmaking app is no longer available.
– Mat Smith
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Netflix has dropped a trailer for the upcoming reality series Squid Game: The Challenge. It all kicks off with 456 contestants competing for the $4.56 million prize in events and games repackaged (minus the blood-spraying violence) from the hit scripted series. A fictional critique of modern capitalism’s exploitation of the financially desperate made into a reality TV spectacle that exploits the financially desperate? Yes. But watch the trailer.
Amazon announced Monday that its Fallout TV series will premiere on April 12, 2024 on Prime Video. The short teaser video was even styled like a Pip-Boy interface from the storied game franchise. The live-action series, from Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, will have an original (canonical) story set in the Fallout gaming universe. It will take place in 2077, beginning in Vault 33 in Los Angeles. As fans of the game know, it’s set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland following the events of “The Great War” on October 23, 2077, making yesterday the perfect day to announce the show.
The Department of Justice has expanded its investigation into Tesla. In an SEC filing, the company said the agency issued subpoenas for information related to “personal benefits, related parties, vehicle range and personnel decisions.” According to Reuters and Consumer Reports, Tesla vehicles didn’t hit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) range estimates in road tests. Its vehicles have already been penalized in other countries for failing to disclose that its EVs have shorter ranges in low temperatures, and the company reportedly formed a special team that sought to quash complaints about the distance its cars can travel on a single charge.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-tinders-latest-update-lets-your-family-play-virtual-matchmaker-115041564.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – The Morning After: Tinder’s latest update lets your family play virtual matchmaker
Samuel Pitoiset of Valve’s open-source Linux graphics driver team has landed initial support for GFX11.5 “RDNA3 refresh” graphics within the RADV Vulkan driver for the upcoming Mesa 23.3…
Source: Phoronix – RADV Vulkan Driver Lands Initial Support For GFX11.5 “RDNA3 Refresh”
While Meteor Lake isn’t shipping until December, Intel’s open-source Linux engineers for months have already been working on 15th Gen Arrow Lake (as well as Lunar Lake, among their other processor lines) for getting the driver support in order. The latest early hardware enablement to talk about is the initial Arrow Lake S support coming to their video acceleration drivers…
Source: Phoronix – Intel Video Acceleration Drivers Begin Preparing For Arrow Lake S
Amazon has revealed that Fallout — a live-action adaptation of Bethesda’s popular RPG video game franchise — will premiere on April 12th, 2024, exclusively via Prime Video. The Verge reports: The announcement was made on October 23rd, otherwise known to Fallout fans as “Fallout Day” — the in-game date that marks the beginning of the Great War that turns the world into an irradiated nuclear wasteland. Bethesda’s executive producer and game director Todd Howard is an executive producer on the series, which stars Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight), Aaron Moten (Emancipation), Moises Arias (The King of Staten Island), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), and Sarita Choudhury (Homeland).
Alongside the premiere announcement itself (which was amusingly presented as an interactive Pip-Boy interface graphic), Amazon said in a press release that the show will be an original story set in a future, post-apocalyptic version of Los Angeles and will be considered a canonical addition to the existing game franchise. We do not currently know how many episodes will be in the series or what the release schedule will look like following the premiere.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Amazon’s Live-Action Fallout Series Will Start Streaming In 2024
