Samsung has just initiated a pretty aggressive Android 14 update schedule for not only its latest flagships, but also to some surprising models in its lineup. Read on to find out if the well-received Android 14 will be coming to your device.
The stable version of Samsung’s One Ui 6.0 (based on Android 14) is coming sooner than you think
Source: Hot Hardware – Samsung Reveals When These 35 Galaxy Devices Will Update To Android 14
iRobot’s Roomba Combo j5+ robot vacuum is $300 off in an early Black Friday deal via Wellbots. This is a record-low for the appliance, dropping the price to $500 instead of the MSRP of $800. In the past, discounts for the j5+ stalled at around $200 off. As typical with Wellbots deals, there’s a promo code. Just enter “ENGBF300” at checkout and you’ll be good to go.
The Roomba Combo j5+, as the name suggests, is a combination unit that includes both a vacuum and a mopping feature. It can pinpoint no-mop zones, so you don’t have to worry about the robot spraying fluid all over your brand-new carpet. The j5+ can also avoid more than 80 common floor obstacles. As a matter of fact, iRobot will replace the unit for free if it doesn’t avoid pet waste, as part of the company’s “P.O.O.P.” pledge. No, we didn’t make that up. It stands for “Pet Owner Official Promise.”
This is a well-regarded robovac with one obvious downside when compared to pricier models like the Roomba j7+ and the flagship j9+. Despite the combo functionality, you have to manually swap out the bins when switching between vacuuming and mopping. The more expensive robots do this automatically. Still, the j9+ costs $900 and the j5+ is currently on sale for $400. You’ll have to decide if that automation feature is worth the price difference.
Wellbots is also selling the junior-grade Roomba 694 vacuum for $115 off. Just enter “ENGBF115” and grab it for $159. This is your basic workhorse robovac with no mopping functionality. It does one job and it does it well, which is why it ended up on our lists of the best robot vacuums for 2023 and the best budget robot vacuums.
Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/irobots-roomba-combo-j5-is-300-off-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-150047886.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – iRobot’s Roomba Combo j5+ is 0 off in an early Black Friday deal
The Steam Deck OLED offers more than just a bigger, better display when compared to the Steam Deck LCD.The Steam Deck OLED offers more than just a bigger, better display when compared to the Steam Deck LCD.
Source: LifeHacker – The Biggest Differences Between the Steam Deck OLED and Steam Deck LCD
Finally, a robot to tell you which jacket you should wear to the function. Google DeepMind, the search giant’s AI-centric brain trust, just announced a new weather forecasting model that beats traditional systems more than 90% of the time. Named GraphCast, the machine learning model promises 10-day predictions that…
Source: Gizmodo – Google’s New AI Weatherman Will Leave Forecasters in the Dust
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)
What do Boeing, an Australian shipping company, the world’s largest bank, and one of the world’s biggest law firms have in common? All four have suffered cybersecurity breaches, most likely at the hands of teenage hackers, after failing to patch a critical vulnerability that security experts have warned of for more than a month, according to a post published Monday.
Besides the US jetliner manufacturer, the victims include DP World, the Australian branch of the Dubai-based logistics company DP World; Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; and Allen & Overy, a multinational law firm, according to Keven Beaumont, an independent security researcher with one of the most comprehensive views of the cybersecurity landscape. All four companies have confirmed succumbing to security incidents in recent days, and China’s ICBC has reportedly paid an undisclosed ransom in exchange for encryption keys to data that has been unavailable ever since.
Citing data allowing the tracking of ransomware operators and people familiar with the breaches, Beaumont said the four companies are among 10 victims he’s aware of currently being extorted by LockBit, among the world’s most prolific and damaging ransomware crime syndicates. All four of the companies, Beaumont said, were users of a networking product known as Citrix Netscaler and hadn’t patched against a critical vulnerability, despite a patch being available since October 10.
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Source: Ars Technica – Teens with “digital bazookas” are winning the ransomware war, researcher laments
A NASA toolbag worth an estimated $100,000 is floating in space after being lost during a recent spacewalk from the International Space Station (ISS), and it can be seen from Earth with the aid of a pair of binoculars. Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara were conducting maintenance on the space station when the toolbag escaped the
Source: Hot Hardware – NASA’s 0K Toolbag Lost In Space Can Be Seen With A Pair Of Binoculars
YouTube released new policy updates on Tuesday to combat AI-generated content that resembles the voice and style of music artists. Earlier this year, “Heart on My Sleeve,” a song that sounds like a track made by Drake and The Weeknd, created with generative AI, garnered over 600,000 plays and was even considered for a …
Source: Gizmodo – YouTube Cracks Down on Future ‘AI Drakes’ With Updated Policies
A reputable leaker who has been reliable in the past suggests that AMD is about to expand its lineup of desktop processors equipped with stacked 3D V-Cache, though they won’t be part of the Zen 4 family. Instead, upcoming additions will bolster AMD’s previous generation Ryzen 5000 series based on Zen 3. They’re also both mid-range SKUs, which
Source: Hot Hardware – AMD Seems To Be Readying More Desktop CPUs With 3D V-Cache
A person linked to a scam that tricked an elderly victim into transferring more than $100,000 formally requested the FBI give back his seized cryptocurrency, claiming in a petition to the agency that he is a part-time crypto investor and not doing anything illegal, according to a recently filed court record. From a report: 404 Media also reached the person by email and they largely repeated the same story. The request is an unusual sight, and, to be frank, probably not going to work. In the court record, authorities allege that the frozen funds are linked to a scam of a victim in the U.S. The document says authorities seized just under 18,500 Tether, valued at around $18,500, in July with a federal search warrant.
“Hello Sir/Ma’am, My name is Vishal Gautam,” the request starts. “The funds which you have on hold that is a very big amount of money for me and my family, I request you to please release it from your custody. Thank You & Regards.” The message says that Gautam lives in India and as well as investing in cryptocurrency, he is a “full-time Health Insurance” worker. “In the month of July 2023 suddenly my crypto from Binance got disappeared, I don’t know how it happened but then I got to know that the FBI has put hold on my assets,” the message continues. “I am not into something illegal and never will be, I will not do any such thing that can harm your country or your people in any manner.” U.S. authorities, meanwhile, allege that the seized cash is connected to a fraud scheme that targeted a senior citizen in Knoxville, Iowa. In February, this victim opened an email on her iPad that claimed it had been compromised, and that she needed to contact the sender for assistance, according to the court record.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Person Linked To Scam Asks FBI for His Seized Cryptocurrency Back
There are way too many people making way too much money by preying on older people.There are way too many people making way too much money by preying on older people.
Source: LifeHacker – How to Protect Your Parents From Elder Fraud and Scams
Google’s Pixel Buds Pro earbuds are on sale for $117 via Wellbots. This matches a record-low for the well-regarded device and represents a savings of $83. Just pop the earbuds in your cart and put in the code “ENGPIXBF” at checkout. These earbuds drop to $117 every once in a while, but they don’t ever go lower than that.
We called these earbuds Google’s best effort to date in our official review, praising the useful touch controls and wireless charging options. We also liked the deep and punchy bass offered by the buds and the fact that they ship with active noise cancellation technology, a first for this line. There’s a reason, after all, why the Pixel Buds Pro made our list of the best wireless earbuds for 2023.
The battery gets 11 hours per charge from the earbuds, but up to 31 hours with the included charging case. They are also IPX4 water-resistant and offer multipoint connection options. These are earbuds designed by Google, however, so Android users get some bonuses, like the company’s Translate Conversation Mode. If you’re tied into the Apple ecosystem, these may not be the best fit.
This isn’t the only Google product on sale via Wellbots. You can also snag a Nest Hub Max smart display for $124 with the promo code “ENGMAXBF.” This represents a savings of over $100 for the 10-inch touchscreen-enabled device.
Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-buds-pro-fall-to-record-low-price-of-117-in-early-black-friday-deal-140030014.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Google’s Pixel Buds Pro fall to record low price of 7 in an early Black Friday deal
More than four months after Blender 3.6 LTS, the Blender Foundation released today Blender 4.0 as a major update to this powerful, free, open-source, and cross-platform 3D graphics computer software for GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows systems.
The post Blender 4.0 Released With Support for AMD RDNA2 and RDNA3 APUs, Node Tools appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – Blender 4.0 Released With Support for AMD RDNA2 and RDNA3 APUs, Node Tools
Starting today, Venmo is rolling out what it says is one of its most-requested features: the ability to manage and settle up shared expenses in groups. The aptly-named Groups feature seeks to make it easy for users to figure out how much money each person owes to someone else in the group, and then take care of the payments all in one app.
Venmo says it’s easy for anyone in the group to add expenses and it will automatically figure out the amounts due. The feature is designed to be ongoing, so if you often go to dinner with the same bunch of friends or travel with your family every year, you’ll be able to manage expenses within the same group for the long haul.
To create a group, go to the Me page, then the Groups tab. The feature will be enabled for some users in the latest version of the Venmo iOS and Android app. It will be available more broadly in the coming weeks.
Managing and settling up shared expenses in a single app could spell trouble for other services that only support the former. Casual users of apps like Splitwise (which has more in-depth features like receipt scanning for paid members) and even Facebook Messenger’s bill-splitting tool may prefer to handle everything in Venmo instead.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/venmos-groups-feature-could-spell-trouble-for-bill-splitting-apps-140045240.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Venmo’s Groups feature could spell trouble for bill-splitting apps
It’s the year 2023 and going to the office for work is no longer the norm for a lot of people. You probably know at least one person in your life who’s remote either part-time or full-time. Working from home has its perks – not having a commute being chief among them – but it’s not without challenges. Household disturbances are big ones, as well as poor lighting or simply the lack of professional-level equipment that they might have access to only in-office. That’s why we recommend giving them a gift or two that will help with those shortcomings. From noise-canceling headphones to an ergonomic footrest, here’s a list of things that’s sure to make their WFH life a lot easier.
As computer accessories go, the humble webcam doesn’t get a ton of attention. Two or three brands tend to dominate the market and almost everything looks, well, webcamy? Opal entered the scene in 2021 with its C1 model. The idea was simple, to sexy-up the humble old webcam with a high quality sensor, a slick design and (for mac users at least) companion software that didn’t feel like a grind to use. Today, the company unveils its second camera, the Tadpole, and it’s something quite different.
Just one glance at the Tadpole and obviously it’s a big change from the C1 or really almost any other webcam out there. For starters it’s designed for laptops, which is evidenced in the tiny form-factor. This idea, the company claims, was inspired by the discovery that over 40 percent of people buying the C1, were using it with a laptop. Macbooks and most PC laptops come with a webcam built-in, but as the pandemic forced many more people to work from home, the shortcomings of those soon became very apparent.
In terms of design, the Tadpole is reminiscent of the last generation iPod Shuffle, clip included. The functional design extends to the built-in cable which hides a capacitive mute button in the USB-C connector — so you won’t have to hunt for the one on screen in Zoom. The Tadpole’s focus on portability extends to it having its own hard carry case — though that’s an additional purchase.
As for the actual camera, it’s using a 48-megapixel Sony IMX582 Exmor RS sensor set to deliver 1080p video with an f/1.8 aperture. Despite the smaller form-factor, this puts the Tadpole above its bigger, older (and more expensive) sibling in terms of optics. Opal told Engadget that the camera actually shoots in 4K but scales down to 1080p for compatibility with most video calling software. There are some controls in the companion software for adjusting the image settings and other preferences but currently that’s Mac-only. Company representatives also told Engadget that they wanted this camera to be as friction-free as possible with minimal need to dive into settings anyway.
Sure enough, the image that the Tadpole outputs is visibly clearer and more detailed than whatever you’re going to have in your laptop. Side-by-side with the 4K Logitech Brio, the Tadpole looked a little darker and in my initial tests, background details seems a little softer, through apps like Zoom and Google Meet at least. Viewing the image through Opal’s own software and things look sharper again.
It’s on the audio side where things get a little more interesting. Opal claims the Tadpole is the first webcam with a directional microphone. What’s for sure is that the Tadpole certainly picks up less ambient noise than a Macbook’s internal mic or the one on the Logitech Brio. I happened to test the Brio and the Tadpole side by side with a noisy washing machine running in the background and you can hear it on the Brio but not on the Tadpole. What’s more, the omni-directional microphone on most webcams tends to sound very “roomy.” Whereas voices on the Tadpole feel much more centered and with less environmental reverb.
Opal even goes as far to claim that the microphone is directional enough that if it’s not in shot, you won’t hear it. While it’s true that the mic is a lot more focused on what’s in front of it, it’s still possible for sounds out of shot to be present, albeit far less so than in rival products. In the test recordings embedded in this story you can hear something like birds outside clearly on the Brio’s audio. They’re still present on the Tadpole audio, but significantly less so. Either way, this more focused audio is likely going to be very much appreciated by your colleagues if you’re taking video meetings in an office environment.
One thing’s for sure, the webcam market has remained fairly stuffy and without much originality for too long. We’re not expecting boutique devices in the same vein as mechanical keyboards, but there’s clearly a space for more products with interesting, practical designs, even with a focus on specific use cases, like the Tadpole.
Opal’s biggest feat might well be proving that webcams don’t have to be large or dull, black blobs on top of our screens. The choice of either white or black here with the braided cable and the smart capacitive button on the USB connection show that it’s possible to make a better webcam without inflating the price. The C1 was $300 at launch ($250 now), and the Tadpole launches today, with a better sensor, improved autofocus and that directional microphone for $175, a little over half the price.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/opal-tadpole-webcam-140025595.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Opal’s Tadpole proves webcams don’t need to be big or boring
If you’re ready to make the switch from gas to electric, here are some of the best lawn tools to check out.If you’re ready to make the switch from gas to electric, here are some of the best lawn tools to check out.
Source: LifeHacker – The Best Alternatives to a Gas-Powered Leaf Blower
The market for portable SSDs (PSSDs) has seen rapid growth over the past decade. Samsung is one of the active tier-one flash vendors in the space, with their popular T-series PSSDs servicing a range of target markets in terms of performance and price. Today, the company is introducing a new category in PSSDs – high-capacity flash storage limited to entry-level speeds. The company is using QLC flash for this purpose. While this is not the first PSSD in the market to use QLC flash (and it will definitely not be the last), the company is not repeating the mistakes of its predecessors by promising the moon. Instead, the company’s first product in this category – the T5 EVO Portable SSD – is limited to USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) speeds. Making up for this entry-level speed specification, Samsung is launching three different capacity points for the T5 EVO PSSD – 2 TB, 4 TB, and 8 TB. Can limiting QLC PSSDs to 5 Gbps deliver a better user experience? Read on for an analysis of the performance and value proposition of the 8 TB variant of the T5 EVO PSSD for direct-attached storage workloads.
Source: AnandTech – Samsung T5 EVO Portable SSD Review: QLC Sets Sane Expectations, Insane Pricing
If you can get your hands on a telescope, there are few sights more spectacular than the magnificent ringed planet – Saturn.
Source: Gizmodo – Will Saturn’s Rings Really ‘Disappear’ by 2025?
US inflation fell to 3.2 per cent in October, lower than economists had expected and the first decline for four months. From a report: Consumer prices rose 3.2 per cent year on year in October, down from an annual rate of 3.7 per cent in September. The annual rise was slightly less than economists had forecast, and prices were flat month on month. The central bank held its benchmark interest rate steady at a 22-year high earlier this month, and investors have become increasingly confident that rates have peaked. Futures markets on Monday afternoon were pricing in a 13 per cent chance of a further rate rise at the Fed’s next rate-setting meeting in mid-December.
Core inflation — which strips out volatile food and energy prices — was also slightly weaker than economists had predicted, dipping from 4.1 per cent to 4.0 per cent on a year on year basis. Core inflation rose by 0.2 per cent month on month. Fed chair Jay Powell stressed last week that policymakers would not be “misled by a few good months of data,” and that the central bank could tighten monetary policy further if necessary, although officials have shown little intention of immediately raising rates beyond the current range of 5.25-5.5 per cent. Stronger-than-expected gross domestic product growth has fanned fears that the slowdown in inflation could stall, but Powell said last week that he and his colleagues expected the pace of economic expansion to slow. Instead of another rate rise, the Fed is increasingly expected to push back the timing of rate cuts deeper into 2024 if consumer prices remain stubbornly high.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – US Inflation Falls To 3.2% in October
It was just last week that Microsoft got OpenGL 4.3 implemented over Direct3D 12 for use in cases where Windows lacks a native OpenGL driver or for use under Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSLg). After implementing a few more GL extensions atop D3D12, Microsoft has now got OpenGL 4.4 in Mesa running on Direct3D…
Source: Phoronix – Microsoft Gets OpenGL 4.4 Running Atop Direct3D 12 Using Mesa, OpenGL 4.5 Inbound
