Security vulnerability: Intel “yes”, AMD “no”
Looks like a pretty nasty vulnerability is affecting Intel processors, but not AMD. From Intel – First identified by Intel’s internal researchers and partners, and independently reported to Intel by external researchers, MDS is a sub-class of previously disclosed speculative execution side channel vulnerabilities and is comprised of four related techniques. Under certain conditions, MDS…
Free TV with Pluto TV
If you don’t mind throwback sitcoms, vintage movies, reality shows and nature specials, Pluto TV is an option. Pluto TV, one of a group of free, advertising-supported platforms with a sprawling library of reruns and old movies — and a clear-cut sales pitch. For more, check out this NBC News story.
Tech Giants Are Desperate to Provide Your Voice Assistant
Top tech companies in the world are spending billions of dollars investing in voice assistants and smart speakers. Why? Voice assistants represent the third key UI and technology platform shift of the past three decades, following the web in the 1990’s and smartphones about 10 years ago. Each successive UI shift changed the way humans…
Microsoft’s Chromium-powered Edge browser roadmap
Neowin has posted an article discussing what’s in and out for Microsoft’s upcoming Chromium-powered Edge browser. The new privacy controls include three settings: unrestricted, balanced, and strict. It’s all about deciding how you can be tracked by the web, and balanced is the default. Microsoft seems to be committed to user privacy, noting that while…
Researchers Finally Make Magic Fat Pill
Uh, don’t know about this! The prototype capsule inflates in your stomach to make you feel full. They call it the “EndoPil,” and it contains a balloon that self-inflates after it’s activated by a handheld magnet. The handheld magnet triggers a reaction between acid and salt, which fills the balloon with carbon dioxide. For more,…
God of Chaos Asteroid Heading Here
An asteroid is setting its sights on Earth…within 19,000 miles. On April 13, 2029, a 1,110-foot-wide asteroid known as 99942 Apophis will speed past our planet at an estimated distance of around 19,000 miles, potentially coming closer to the surface than some orbiting spacecraft. For more, check out this Newsweek story.
TSMC Scales Down Silicon
TSMC added an N5P process and more details on advanced packages to its roadmap for squeezing advances from silicon at a smaller and smaller scale. At the bleeding edge, picking a path forward among expanding 7, 7+, 6, 5, and 5+ options is increasingly complex. “The good news is we continue to see scaling for…
What USB 3.2, Wi-Fi 6 mean for your next PC
PC World takes a look at what USB 3.2 and Wi-Fi 6 will mean for your next PC. Wi-Fi 6: This is the newest standard and has the shiny good stuff, like up to 3.5Gbps of speed, plus power savings and less network congestion (read our sibling site Macworld’s primer for more details). We’ll point out…
Moog Introduces Matriarch Semi-analog Synth
Moog has introduced the Matriarch synth based on the vintage circuitry of classic Moog synthesizer modules. Moog Matriarch is a patchable 4-note paraphonic analog synthesizer with a built-in Sequencer, Arpeggiator, stereo Ladder Filters, and stereo Analog Delay. Capable of creating rich evolving chord patterns immediately with “no patching required”, Matriarch invites access to an abundance…
Weird blobs deep inside the Earth
Scientists have found weird blobs and mountains taller than Mount Everest. The mantle appears to be layered like an onion, with major transitions 250 miles and 410 miles down. At the 410-mile level, researchers recently identified a tremendous interior mountain range, with peaks perhaps even taller than Mount Everest. “Recently, we’ve discovered another change at about…