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Source: Gizmodo – California Could Solve Its Water Woes by Flooding Its Best Farmland
Monthly Archives: December 2023
AMD Talks Socket AM5 Plans, Memory Scaling And More In Revealing Interview
When it comes to PC hardware, it is common knowledge that as technology advances, products quickly become obsolete. While enthusiasts always enjoy taking part in new advances, there is also a strong element of appreciation for longevity. If this longevity also continues to provide value and stellar performance over time, it hits the magic
Source: Hot Hardware – AMD Talks Socket AM5 Plans, Memory Scaling And More In Revealing Interview
Update Chrome ASAP (Even If You Don’t Use It)
It is once again time to update Chrome—even if you don’t use Chrome, it still might be time to update your browser. Depending on how you surf the web, you might be at risk from a new zero-day vulnerability.
What’s going on with the latest Google Chrome update?
The latest update for Google Chrome—version 120.0.6099.129 for Mac and Linux, and versions 120.0.6099.129/130 for Windows—patches just one security flaw, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2023-7024, is a heap buffer overflow in WebRTC, a platform that adds communication features like video and audio without the need for plugins. When this type of flaw occurs, bad actors can exploit it to gain arbitrary code execution: In other words, they can take over the system. Bad news.
When a flaw like this is discovered, it’s always important for developers to patch it as soon as possible. However, CVE-2023-7024 is essential to patch immediately, as it is a zero-day vulnerability. That means bad actors know about the flaw and have exploited it already. Google confirmed as much in its blog post, saying they are aware an exploit for this flaw exists in the wild.
Zero-day flaws like CVE-2023-7024 mean that anyone running the version of software before the patch are vulnerable to the exploit. It’s not clear how many times this flaw has been exploited, or how wide-spread the situation is, but it is imperative to update your browser as soon as possible.
As this flaw affects Chrome, it affects Chromium, the platform Chrome is built on. That means any browser that uses Chromium, including Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera, all too must update as soon as possible to protect against this zero-day.
How to update Google Chrome to patch this zero-day flaw
To update Chrome yourself, click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of your window, then choose Help > About Google Chrome. Allow Chrome to look for a new update. When it does, follow the on-screen instructions to install the update and relaunch the browser.
Source: LifeHacker – Update Chrome ASAP (Even If You Don’t Use It)
What You Should Keep in Your Glove Compartment, According to a Mechanic
What would eventually come to be known as a glove box started out as a tool storage compartment built into the wood-paneled dash of the 1900 Packard Model B. In addition to the car’s crank, it also turned out to be a handy place to stash gloves, which were an essential accessory for driving an early 20th century vehicle lacking heat, a hard top, and power steering on the country’s mostly unpaved roads.
While cranks are no longer a necessity, it is helpful to keep a few other key items in your glove compartment. I asked a professional mechanic what you should be storing in yours.
What you should keep in your glove compartment
According to Todd Bialaszewski, a mechanic and founder of Junk Car Medics, “a well-prepared glove box is a mechanic’s best friend.” But you don’t need to be a professional to benefit from what you can fit in the storage compartment. Here are his suggestions:
Flashlight
“Whether inspecting under the hood at night, or peering into a dark car interior, a strong beam helps illuminate problems,” Bialaszewski tells me.
Your vehicle manual
Need to change a tire or your oil but not sure how to do it? Check your manual. “It’s essentially a guidebook for your vehicle,” says Lim.
Proof of insurance and registration
You’ll need these documents in the event of an accident.
Tire pressure gauge
“This small tool allows you to check your tire pressure anytime, anywhere,” says Lim. “Maintaining the correct tire pressure can improve your vehicle’s handling, fuel efficiency, and the lifespan of your tires.”
Mini first aid kit
It’s always a good idea to keep a basic first aid kit with bandages, antiseptic wipes, and gauze in your glove compartment. “This can be crucial if you or a passenger suffers a minor injury while on the road,” says Lim.
Pen and paper
Sure, you’ll probably have your phone on you, but it never hurts to have a pen and paper on hand. “They can be used to exchange information after an accident, write down directions, or leave a note if you’ve had to park someone in,” Lim explains.
A Multi-tool
Instead of a Swiss Army knife, Lim recommends a compact multi-tool that includes pliers, a screwdriver, and a small knife. “This can be useful for minor repairs or adjustments,” he says.
Spare fuses
“If a fuse blows while you’re on the road, having a spare can be the difference between getting where you’re going and getting stuck,” says Lim. Check your vehicle’s manual if you’re unsure how to replace them.
Source: LifeHacker – What You Should Keep in Your Glove Compartment, According to a Mechanic
Galaxy-scale winds spotted in the distant Universe
Enlarge / X-ray emissions (purple) superimposed on a visible light image of a galaxy shows the galaxy winds being launched.
CREDIT: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Ohio StateH-alpha and Optical: NSF/NOIRLab/AURA/KPNO/CTIO; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Spitzer/ Optical: ESO/La Silla Observatory.
One of the ways massive stars, those at least 10-times bigger than the Sun, reach their end is in a supernova—an enormous explosion caused by the star’s core running out of fuel.
One consequence of a supernova is the production of galactic winds, which play a key role in regulating star formation. Although galactic winds have already been observed in several nearby galaxies, a team of scientists has now made the first direct observations of this phenomenon in a large population of galaxies in the distant Universe, at a time when galaxies are in their early stages of formation.
Feedback
According to the study’s lead author, Yucheng Guo, of the Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon, galactic winds are an important part of the galaxy evolution models.
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Source: Ars Technica – Galaxy-scale winds spotted in the distant Universe
Gizmodo’s Top Five Gadgets of 2023
US commits to landing an international astronaut on the Moon
Enlarge / Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a National Space Council meeting Wednesday in Washington. (credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)
One of the core tenets of NASA’s Artemis program to return astronauts to the Moon is its inclusion of international partners. This intertwines the program, like the International Space Station, with considerations of geopolitics and international relations, alongside key themes like US national prestige, exploration, and scientific discovery.
Earlier this year, NASA named a Canadian astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, to the Artemis II crew training to fly around the far side of the Moon, a mission that will likely launch sometime in 2025. This flight won’t land on the Moon, but NASA plans a series of lunar landing missions beginning with Artemis III later this decade.
On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced an international astronaut will land on the Moon during one of NASA’s Artemis missions.
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Source: Ars Technica – US commits to landing an international astronaut on the Moon
[$] Data-type profiling for perf
Tooling for profiling the effects of memory usage and layout has always
lagged behind that for profiling processor activity, so Namhyung Kim’s patch set for data-type profiling
in perf is a welcome addition. It provides aggregated breakdowns of
memory accesses by data type that can inform structure layout and access
pattern changes. Existing tools have either, like heaptrack, focused on
profiling allocations, or, like perf mem, on accounting memory
accesses only at the address level. This new work builds on the latter,
using DWARF debugging information to correlate memory operations with their
source-level types.
Source: LWN.net – [$] Data-type profiling for perf
Jupiter 3 Satellite Pushes SpaceX Rival Closer to Starlink Internet Speeds
Following the launch of its next-generation satellite, Hughes Network Systems is now starting to offer faster internet speeds to compete with its main industry rival SpaceX.
Source: Gizmodo – Jupiter 3 Satellite Pushes SpaceX Rival Closer to Starlink Internet Speeds
FTC suggests new rules to shift parents’ burden of protecting kids to websites
Enlarge (credit: JGI/Jamie Grill | Tetra images)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is currently seeking comments on new rules that would further restrict platforms’ efforts to monetize children’s data.
Through the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the FTC initially sought to give parents more control over what kinds of information that various websites and apps can collect from their kids. Now, the FTC wants to update COPPA and “shift the burden from parents to providers to ensure that digital services are safe and secure for children,” the FTC’s press release said.
“By requiring firms to better safeguard kids’ data, our proposal places affirmative obligations on service providers and prohibits them from outsourcing their responsibilities to parents,” FTC chair Lina Khan said.
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Source: Ars Technica – FTC suggests new rules to shift parents’ burden of protecting kids to websites
Steam Privacy Update Lets You Hide Games On Your Naughty List, How It Works
So, you play HuniePop or another NSFW game on Steam but also still want your friends to see your games library to know what to get you for Christmas? Thankfully, Valve has your back with an update to Steam that allows you to mark individual games private rather than an entire library, as well as some handy features that enable efficient shopping
Source: Hot Hardware – Steam Privacy Update Lets You Hide Games On Your Naughty List, How It Works
You Can Get the Apple Watch Series 9 for the Lowest Price Yet (and in Time for Christmas)
Best Buy Drops is Best Buy’s in-app feature that gets you access to some of the most popular products for record low prices, but for a limited time or until supply runs out (most don’t last past 5 p.m.). Today, Best Buy Drop has the Apple Watch Series 9 available for $329 (originally $429), which is the cheapest it’s been over the last four months, according to Honey’s price history. For reference, the smartwatch has been at its previous lowest price of $359 sporadically since Nov. 25. (Note: You’ll need the app to see the correct price; otherwise, the above Best Buy link will redirect you to the website, where the price is still $359.)
You need the app to get this deal
Credit: Product images courtesy of Best Buy app.
Starting Thursday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. ET, the Apple Watch Series 9 is available to all shoppers who have the Best Buy app. As I explained in the Best Buy Drops post, you will need to make an account and navigate to the “Drops” tab to see the Series 9. Once you see it, click the “add to cart” button, which puts you in the queue to give you the chance to buy the Series 9. Depending on how popular the product is, waiting in line can take minutes to hours. The Series 9 is a popular item, so the wait could be long. These Drop deals are exclusive to those with the app, so don’t expect it to show up on the website or in stores.
This is your last chance to get the Apple Watch Series 9
Apple is pulling the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Ultra 2 off their websites starting Dec. 21 and out of retail stores after Dec. 24. This could be the last chance to get a Series 9 for such a good price (at least for an undisclosed amount of time). You can see the differences between the Series 9 and the Ultra 2 to see if this is the right one for you. Both, however, have the much anticipated “double-tap” feature that lets you control key functions like taking calls or controlling your music.
Source: LifeHacker – You Can Get the Apple Watch Series 9 for the Lowest Price Yet (and in Time for Christmas)
Finally, a Telescope Named 'Einstein' Is Heading to Space
The Einstein Probe, an X-ray telescope managed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, will be ready to launch next month. The probe will look for transient events in X-ray light and try to answer some fundamental questions about black holes and gravitational waves.
Source: Gizmodo – Finally, a Telescope Named ‘Einstein’ Is Heading to Space
Microsoft is nixing its Windows mixed reality platform
Windows Mixed Reality is heading to a farm upstate. Microsoft is shutting down the platform, according to an official list of deprecated Windows features. This includes the garden variety Windows Mixed Reality software, along with the Mixed Reality Portal app and the affiliated Steam VR app. The platform isn’t gone yet, but Microsoft says it’ll be “removed in a future release of Windows.”
Microsoft first unveiled Windows Mixed Reality back in 2017 as its attempt to compete with rivals in the VR space, like HTC and Oculus (which is now owned by Meta.) We were fascinated by the tech when it first launched, as it offered the ability for in-person shared mixed reality. The pricey Apple Vision Pro could offer a similar experience when it presumably launches in February.
Microsoft’s platform was ultimately adopted by several VR headsets, like the HP Reverb G2 and others manufactured by companies like Acer, Asus and Samsung. The Windows Mixed Reality Portal app allowed access to games, experiences and plenty of work-related productivity apps. However, it looks like the adoption rate wasn’t up to snuff, as indicated by today’s news.
Despite the imminent end to the platform, it doesn’t look to be impacting Microsoft’s other mixed-reality ecosystem, the HoloLens 2. Microsoft added a Windows 11 upgrade and other improvements for the business-focused headset earlier this year, according to The Verge. It also started shipping them out to the Army for combat tests. Yes. You read that last part right.
However, not everything’s rosy in HoloLens land. Reports indicate that Microsoft has stopped development on the HoloLens 3. A report in 2022 said that the company teamed up with Samsung to make an unannounced mixed-reality device, but Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw said that Microsoft remains “committed to HoloLens and future HoloLens development.”
Additionally, Microsoft has made sweeping cuts throughout its VR division, leading to layoffs and the discontinuation of the AltspaceVR app. The company is, however, still developing its proprietary Mesh app that lets co-workers meet in a virtual space without a headset.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-nixing-its-windows-mixed-reality-platform-161607566.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Microsoft is nixing its Windows mixed reality platform
Here’s How You Can Beta Test New Starfield Updates
Starfield launched in September of 2023. But as creative director Todd Howard has stressed in previous interviews, the game was made to be played for a long time. That means updates and changes to the game are likely expand the experience the days and years to come. The most recent update from Bethesda indicates that…
Source: Kotaku – Here’s How You Can Beta Test New Starfield Updates
Announcing `async fn` and return-position `impl Trait` in traits (Rust Blog)
The Rust Blog announces
the stabilization of a couple of trait features aimed at improving support
for async code:
Ever since the stabilization of RFC #1522 in Rust 1.26, Rust has
allowed users to write impl Trait as the return type of
functions (often called “RPIT”). This means that the function
returns “some type that implements Trait“. This is
commonly used to return closures, iterators, and other types that
are complex or impossible to write explicitly. […]Starting in Rust 1.75, you can use return-position impl
Trait in trait (RPITIT) definitions and in trait impls. For
example, you could use this to write a trait method that returns an
iterator: […]So what does all of this have to do with async functions? Well,
async functions are “just sugar” for functions that return
-> impl Future. Since these are now permitted in
traits, we also permit you to write traits that use async fn.
Source: LWN.net – Announcing `async fn` and return-position `impl Trait` in traits (Rust Blog)
Arturia just released a free unison-based multi-fx plugin
Arturia just dropped a new multi-fx plugin called Refract and, even better, it’s free until January 4. Refract is a unison-based effect that stacks voices to create unique soundscapes, which could be a boon for sound designers or just anyone looking to add a bit of textural pizazz to their tracks.
This is a multi-fx plugin, so the unison effect can be leveraged to create a number of different Mode FX algorithms. It can duplicate a signal up to eight times, each getting its own stereo voice. This allows for movement between “unfiltered stems to a wide and powerful sound.” Arturia says each of the integrated effects can be combined to create “a dispersion pathway that fits your wildest imaginations.” We’ll see about that.
The user interface looks colorful and fun, which is usually the case with Arturia plugs, and you can easily adjust the voices, filters, LFO and other metrics. There’s also a boatload of presets that illustrate the plugin’s “multi-effect capabilities.” Some of these presets offer a delay effect, while others go with distortion or a unison-based chorus.
Free plugins are something of a tradition during the holiday season, and it’s always nice to see another one drop. However, don’t sleep on this download. It’s only free until January 4, at which point the price increases to $100.
This has already been a fairly substantial holiday for Arturia, as last week saw the launch of its long-awaited V Collection X synth pack. The MiniFreak hardware synthesizer also got a robust system update earlier in the month.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arturia-just-released-a-free-unison-based-multi-fx-plugin-160035373.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Arturia just released a free unison-based multi-fx plugin
You Can Now Hide Your ChatGPT Chats (Without Deleting Them)
If you use it often, your ChatGPT sidebar is probably filled with old and unnecessary conversations you barely use. There might even be some sensitive conversations you don’t want anyone to see. (What’s happens on ChatGPT stays on ChatGPT.) Until now, the only way to get rid of a conversation from the sidebar was to delete it, which meant you’d need to export the chat itself to another place if you had any interest in preservation. But now, ChatGPT has added an option to archive chats without actually deleting them. It’s currently available in the iPhone app, and on the web, while the Android update will roll out soon.
How to archive ChatGPT chats on iPhone
First, update your ChatGPT iPhone app to the latest version, then go to the sidebar. Here, tap and hold a chat, choose the new Archive button from the context menu, and tap the Archive button from the popup to confirm. This will instantly remove the chat from the list.
You can find all your archived chats from Settings. Open the sidebar using the Menu button in the top-left corner, and tap the three-dotted Menu button next to your name. This will open the Settings screen. From here, choose Archived Chats, and voila! All your hidden chats are here. Tap on a chat to either view, unarchive, or delete it.
How to archive ChatGPT chats on the web
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
Archiving chats works slightly differently on the web: Open the ChatGPT website, and click the chat you want to archive. When you do this, you’ll see a three-dotted Menu appear next to the chat name. Click on it and press the Archive Chat button to archive the current chat.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
To find your archived chats, click on your name from the bottom of the sidebar and choose Settings. Here, click Manage next to Archived Chats to see a list of all archived chats. You can click on a chat to open it, with options to unarchive or delete the chat as well.
Deleting chats and disabling chat history
If you want to keep things truly hidden in ChatGPT, you can remove the chat altogether. To delete a chat, use the three-dotted Menu button next to a chat, and then tap Delete.
OpenAI also has an option to disable chat history and training data. This needs to be enabled on a per-device basis, so you’ll need to do this separately for your iPhone and the web. On iPhone, go to Settings > Chat History and disable the Chat History & Training option. On the web, go to Settings > Data Control to disable the Chat History & Training option.
Once that’s done, new conversations won’t be used to train the ChatGPT model, and conversations won’t appear in the sidebar—OpenAI will still keep a copy of all data for 30 days, though, to monitor for abuse. After that, the data will be automatically and permanently deleted.
Source: LifeHacker – You Can Now Hide Your ChatGPT Chats (Without Deleting Them)
Godzilla Minus One's Director Is Open to a Sequel
Doctor Who’s Millie Gibson introduces her new companion, Ruby Sunday. Snowpiercer’s unaired final season will appear… somewhere. Time is up for Shining Vale. Plus, Frank Darabont could direct some of Stranger Things’ final season, and a new look at What If? season two. Spoilers, away!
Source: Gizmodo – Godzilla Minus One’s Director Is Open to a Sequel
LG's Latest OLED Can Go From a Mere 240Hz to a Blistering 480Hz With Just a Click
Just when we thought gaming monitors were already going a little too hard on high refresh rates, LG shared Thursday details on a few of next year’s pro gamer monitors that put too much stress on the “pro.” The company’s upcoming display is yet another 4K OLED that can hit 4K resolution at 240 Hz. Sounds solid; I guess…
Source: Gizmodo – LG’s Latest OLED Can Go From a Mere 240Hz to a Blistering 480Hz With Just a Click