Pelican Press

Helldivers 2 Hired Devs That Constantly Look At Discord and Reddit to Make the Game Better Helldivers 2 Hired Devs That Constantly Look At Discord and Reddit to Make the Game Better Helldivers 2 has become one of the standout multiplayer titles of the decade. Why do you think that is? We can give credit to the game’s addictive gameplay loop, the satirical goofiness of the Helldivers lore, and the Galactic War. But the biggest credit has to go to Arrowhead Game Studios and the willingness of the devs to listen to the community. Behind the curtain, Arrowhead has taken a very practical approach to community engagement. The devs are constantly looking at player discussions on Reddit and Discord, and it’s one of their biggest strengths. Their attentiveness and method of direct player interaction have become an example for other studios to follow. Helldivers 2 is the best example of a developer that communicates After launching in early 2024, Helldivers 2 quickly became one of the most successful games of the year. It sold over 12 million copies in just 12 weeks, becoming the fastest-selling game for PlayStation. We don’t know if Arrowhead Game Studios expected the game to blow up the way it did, but the devs are now managing not just the game, but its huge community too. The best part is that the studio has fully leaned into this aspect with its approach to community interaction. Production director Alex Bolle recently spoke to IGN after the game won two BAFTA Game Awards. In the interview, Bolle was asked why the game did as well as it did, and his answer was the community. I don’t think we figured it out. One thing we keep at heart is just the interaction with the community. All the players, taking the time to really talk to them, understand what they want. We have so many devs that are continuously looking at Discord, at Reddit. We have a lot of things that come from there, and we want to keep that interaction level. And we know he wasn’t lying. Arrowhead has easily been one of the most communicative studios we’ve seen in recent years. And over the last year, we’ve seen so many of its developers and officials on Reddit, Discord, and X (formerly Twitter). Even executives like Johan Pilestedt and Shams Jorjani have been some of the most active people in terms of community interaction. This strategy has paid off for the studio, too, because the game has withstood so many different storms. Whether it was the backlash to the PSN account linking requirement on Steam or balance changes like the infamous Railgun nerf, Arrowhead, we’re all still here. And it’s all because of how willing the devs were to communicate. It should get even better going forward Kudos to the devs for being this dedicated. | Image Credit: Arrowhead Game Studios As Bolle put it, the constant communication and interaction with players helps Arrowhead prepare future updates around what “the player wants” rather than what developers assume they need. From weapon balancing to faction design, we could be influencing a lot of little things that we might never realize. The future of Helldivers 2 looks just as bright. Arrowhead has promised that the war for Super Earth is only just beginning, with plans to keep the game alive for years. “If we can keep it going for 10 years, we will,” said CEO Shams Jorjani. We can hope to see new Warbonds, potential new factions, and even more collaborations! We live in an era of gaming where even the biggest and most popular studios and developers have disappointed fans. And in that sense, it’s great to see a studio like Arrowhead get the community interaction aspect right. The devs may not always make the best decisions, but they’re always ready to listen when it matters. Source link #Helldivers #Hired #Devs #Constantly #Discord #Reddit #Game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Germany’s AfD listed as ‘right-wing extremist’ party by intel agency – National Germany’s AfD listed as ‘right-wing extremist’ party by intel agency – National The ******* domestic intelligence service said Friday it has classified the Alternative for Germany party, which placed second in national elections in February, as a “right-wing extremist effort” — making it subject to greater and broader surveillance of its activities. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution cited the “extremist character” of the party, known as AfD, and said it “disregards human dignity” — in particular by taking aim at those who moved to Germany from mostly ******* countries. The party criticized the move, with deputy chairman Stephan Brandner saying that it “is complete nonsense, has absolutely nothing to do with law and order, and is purely political in the fight of the cartel parties against the AfD.” The AfD has already been under enhanced surveillance by authorities in some regions, but the announcement by the domestic spy agency means the agency’s officials can use informants and other tools such as audio and video recordings to monitor the party’s activities nationwide. Story continues below advertisement The office, which has warned of growing extremism in Germany, cited court decisions in two ******* regions in recent years that detailed party efforts to undermine a free and democratic order. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. The party “aims to exclude certain population groups from equal participation in society, to subject them to unconstitutional unequal treatment and thus to assign them a legally devalued status,” the agency, known as BfV, said. 2:10 Germany election: Conservatives face tough coalition talks as AfD sees record gains The party had already come under scrutiny from the BfV for its links to extremists and its ties to Russia. Of the 38,800 far-right extremists counted by the agency last year, more than 10,000 are members of the party. Trending Now NHL player testifies about group chat screenshot at world junior sex assault trial Radio station faces backlash after listeners duped by AI host for 6 months “The ethnic and descent-based understanding of the people prevailing within the party is incompatible with the free democratic basic order,” the intelligence service said, adding that the party’s political positions have underpinned “continuous agitation” against minorities and stirred fear and hostility toward them. Story continues below advertisement “This is evident in the numerous xenophobic, anti-*********, anti-Islamic, and anti-******* statements continually made by leading party officials,” it said. Nancy Faeser, the interior minister, said in a statement that the classification was “clear and unambiguous” and had resulted from a 1,100-page “comprehensive and neutral audit” that had no political influence. Under the move, any surveillance of AfD activities must abide by a “principle of proportionality” under ******* law. The measure does not amount to a ban of the party, which can only take place through a request by either of parliament’s two chambers or the federal government through the Federal Constitutional Court. Asked whether the party would appeal the decision, Brandner said the executive board is holding a scheduled meeting next Monday and is expected to discuss it then. More on Politics More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Germanys #AfD #listed #rightwing #extremist #party #intel #agency #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Princess Charlotte: The Royal Family’s ‘secret weapon’ looks ready for action in her birthday portrait Princess Charlotte: The Royal Family’s ‘secret weapon’ looks ready for action in her birthday portrait Prince William and Princess Kate have wished their daughter Charlotte a happy tenth birthday, posting a picture of the young princess looking ready for adventure. Princess Charlotte looked rosy-cheeked and ready to face the outdoors in a camouflaged jacked wearing a hiking backpack with her hair tied up in a ponytail. “Happy 10th Birthday Princess Charlotte!” the photo was captioned and the photo credit was given to the Princess of Wales. Camera IconThe 10-year-old has earned a reputation as being the boss of the family. Credit: Jordan *****/Getty Images The comments on the picture were flooded by social media users, many referenced how mature and happy she looked. “Princess Charlotte looking happy, healthy, and free spirited!” one person commented. “Aw she looks so grown up! A beautiful photo taken by Catherine. Happy Birthday Princess Charlotte!” another wrote. Others pointed out the uncanny resemblance the young princess has to her father, Prince William, at a similar age. “WILLIAM???” one person remarked. “She has same smile of her father at 10 years old his mini me forever” another said. Camera IconMany pointed out the uncanny resemblance the young Princess has to her father, Prince William, at a similar age. Credit: X/Getty Images The 10-year-old has earned a reputation as being the boss of the family with royal historian Marlene Koenig telling US Weekly, Princess Kate herself said Princess Charlotte is “independent and the one in charge.” During last year’s Trooping the Colour, the princess was seen correcting her younger brother. According to reports from professional lip readers, when Prince Louis began dancing to the bagpipes, Charlotte leaned over and said, “You have to stop doing that. Watch the parade.” Source link #Princess #Charlotte #Royal #Familys #secret #weapon #ready #action #birthday #portrait Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gemini App to Get Improved Personalisation Features; Gemini Ultra Plan Said to Be in the Works Gemini App to Get Improved Personalisation Features; Gemini Ultra Plan Said to Be in the Works Google’s Gemini app will get new personalisation features to make users’ experience more immersive. A company executive revealed that the company is working to upgrade the chatbot app with enhanced memory and the ability to draw upon information from users’ Google accounts. The AI app might also get new agentic capabilities similar to the Deep Research tool. These features will be unveiled at Google I/O 2025, the executive added. The tech giant is also reportedly planning to introduce a new subscription tier for the chatbot dubbed Gemini Ultra. Gemini Could Get a Personalised Context Upgrade Google I/O 2025 In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Josh Woodward, VP of Google Labs and Gemini, detailed several new features for the Gemini app that will be unveiled at the upcoming Google I/O. Woodward added that the new features are part of Google’s “personal, proactive, and powerful” strategy. To make Gemini more personalised to users, it will soon be able to remember past conversations. That means users will not have to start each new session from scratch and repeat the prompts or information. OpenAI recently released a similar feature for ChatGPT. However, the tech giant plans to extend this personalisation further. Woodward said that soon, Gemini will also be able to draw upon users’ activity in other Google apps such as Gmail, Photos, Calendar, Search, YouTube, and more. All of this information will be consolidated via the user’s Google account, but only when the user provides permission. The company is internally calling the feature “pcontext” or personalised context. Based on this context, Gemini will also be able to suggest insights and actions, without the user having to ask about it. Woodward said this will make the AI chatbot more proactive for users. Finally, the executive also hinted that the AI app might also come fitted with more agentic capabilities that can “turn ideas into action.” Meanwhile, a TestingCatalog report claimed that the Mountain View-based tech giant might also introduce a new subscription tier for the chatbot, dubbed Gemini Ultra. The publication discovered evidence of this new plan in the strings of code of the web version of Gemini. Gemini Ultra will reportedly be a higher consumption tier, offering increased rate limits on specific capabilities such as code and image generation. The tier is also speculated to include agentic features of Gemini. If true, Google could introduce this plan at its event as well. Source link #Gemini #App #Improved #Personalisation #Features #Gemini #Ultra #Plan #Works Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scottish government drops plans for new misogyny law Scottish government drops plans for new misogyny law Getty Images Protestors at a *** Women’s March in Edinburgh in January, highlighting a rise in misogyny The Scottish government has confirmed it will not bring forward planned legislation to criminalise misogyny before next year’s Holyrood election. A bill has long been promised to improve protections for women and girls, but ministers now say there is not enough time to draw up a law which reflects the recent Supreme Court judgement on the definition of a woman. They are instead going to amend existing hate crime legislation to provide protections on the basis of sex. The government has also confirmed it will not be bringing forward legislation to end conversion therapy this term, and is hoping for a ***-wide solution. A new misogyny law was promised after an expert group in 2022 backed separate legislation rather than incorporating abuse and violence against women into Scotland’s hate crime law. The group, led by Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, said this was a better option because women are not a *********, and a “more fundamental set of responses” were required to address the problem. The Scottish government proposed creating five new offences in its Misogyny Act including stirring up hatred against women and misogynistic harassment. Misogyny would also be treated as an aggravating factor in crimes, which could lead to tougher sentencing. The Scottish government said it remained committed to ensuring people are protected from misogynistic abuse but it was a “complex area of policy and law” which required more time to work out where it would apply. This would include assessing the implications of the recent Supreme Court judgement that a woman is defined by biological sex for the purposes of equality legislation. It said there was insufficient time to proceed with the misogyny bill in this parliamentary session, but in September it would add the protected characteristic of sex to Scotland’s hate crime act. The government said it was also dropping plans for a new law banning conversion therapy for ******* orientation or gender identity. Ministers previously said Scotland wanted to lead the way in outlawing such practices – but it has now urged the Labour government at Westminster to legislate on the issue. Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said if an approach covering Scotland, England and Wales could not be agreed, the Scottish government would introduce its own law after next year’s Holyrood election. Source link #Scottish #government #drops #plans #misogyny #law Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kobe St John Ruse: Former prisoner accused of blinding Hakea cellmate in brutal attack found not guilty Kobe St John Ruse: Former prisoner accused of blinding Hakea cellmate in brutal attack found not guilty A former Hakea Prison detainee has been acquitted of grievous bodily harm after going on trial, accused of blinding his cellmate in one eye in a vicious, unwitnessed attack. Source link #Kobe #John #Ruse #prisoner #accused #blinding #Hakea #cellmate #brutal #attack #guilty Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The body of a truck driver whose vehicle fell into a sinkhole in Japan is recovered after 3 months The body of a truck driver whose vehicle fell into a sinkhole in Japan is recovered after 3 months TOKYO (AP) — The body of a truck driver was recovered Friday three months after his vehicle fell into a sinkhole that suddenly appeared while he was driving on a road near Tokyo. The 3-ton truck fell into the hole in Yashio City, just northeast of the Japanese capital, in January. During an earlier search and rescue operation, workers tried to lift the truck but only its flat-bed came out. The 74-year-old driver, trapped in the cabin of the truck, was believed to have been swept to a location about 30 meters (yards) downstream. On Friday, after three months of preparation to build a safe underground pathway for workers to reach the targeted area, rescuers wearing helmets and hazmat suits went inside of it and recovered the body, officials said. Experts say the Yashio sinkhole was caused by corrosion in sewer pipes. The unsteady ground and a hollow space below it had hampered the rescue, while residents were asked to cut back on water use to minimize sewage water going through the area. The case was a wakeup call about the aging infrastructure in Japan, where most of its main public infrastructure was built during the rapid economic growth of the 1960s and 1970s. According to the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry, more than 10,500 sinkholes were found across Japan, many of them related to sewage facilities in urban areas. Yashio Mayor Shinobu Oyama, in a statement, offered his prayer for the driver and condolences to his family. He pledged to do his utmost for the speedy reconstruction of the damaged road. Source link #body #truck #driver #vehicle #fell #sinkhole #Japan #recovered #months Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

9th Dawn Remake is now available on mobile 9th Dawn Remake is now available on mobile 9th Dawn Remake is out now on iOS and Android Jump into classic RPG action, now revamped and refreshed Take on new minigames and explore with first-person mode 9th Dawn and all its various sequels are what you get when you grind an action RPG down to its basest elements. You hack ‘n slash your way through dungeons, upgrade your skills and sell off your loot, no fuss. And in 9th Dawn Remake, you can experience it all over again, with a fresh coat of paint. 9th Dawn has been minimalist from the get-go, lacking even animations for individual characters. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that makes it slow, as 9th Dawn Remake revamps the combat of the original and streamlines quests for a smoother, faster experience. Graphics-wise, while 9th Dawn has had a bit of a visual overhaul with some Octopath Traveller-esque 2D-HD effects, it remains starkly retro in appearance. But for the first time ever, you can get a closer look at those visuals by jumping into first-person mode! Fish fear me 9th Dawn Remake isn’t just a visual overhaul either, as you’ll also get to jump into some new minigames. Fishing Survivors sees you taking on a bullet heaven-style challenge of blasting fish and trying to survive as long as possible. Meanwhile, Deck Rock adds a bona fide, full-fledged deck-building card battler to the proceedings. Aside from that, however, you can expect many of the same features that defined the original 9th Dawn, including plenty of side-quests to complete, a vast open world to explore and, of course, absolutely bucketloads of loot to carry back to your local trader. But if 9th Dawn isn’t enough to scratch that RPG itch, then don’t fret, because mobile is a hotbed of top roleplaying experiences. And if you’re at a loss for where to start, you can work your way through our list of the top 25 best role-playing games on iOS and Android! Source link #9th #Dawn #Remake #mobile Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tether eyes U.S. expansion with new stablecoin as CEO courts Washington Tether eyes U.S. expansion with new stablecoin as CEO courts Washington DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, is preparing to launch a U.S.-based stablecoin as soon as this year, as its CEO ramps up his presence in Washington to shape crypto regulation. In an interview with CNBC this week, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino revealed that the company is working on plans to issue a new dollar-pegged stablecoin in the U.S. as soon as this year. The move comes as Tether, once accused of being a criminal’s ‘go-to cryptocurrency’ – rebrands itself as a partner to American lawmakers and law enforcement. “A domestic stablecoin would be different from the international stable coin,” Ardoino told CNBC’s Dan Murphy at the Token2049 conference in Dubai on Wednesday. “It depends on the timeline of the final legislation… but we are looking at that by the end of the year, or early next year at the fastest,” he said. But the timing and tactics of that next step are raising eyebrows on Capitol Hill. Ardoino’s recent charm offensive in Washington, which included private meetings with lawmakers, a Capitol Hill lunch with Senator Bill Hagerty and parties with crypto insiders, according to a New York Times report, has put a spotlight on Tether amid the pro-crypto shift under President Trump. That influence may now be helping shape key legislation, including the GOP-backed GENIUS Act, which critics say includes loopholes that benefit Tether and other foreign issuers – such as provisions allowing operations in the U.S. if they agree to work with law enforcement. The logos of the cryptocurrencies Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), the stablecoin Tether (USDT) and Binance Coin (BNB) can be seen on the trading platform CoinMarketCap. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Tether, headquartered in El Salvador, has made legal cooperation key to its lobbying narrative despite a history of regulatory penalties. “There is no company… even in the traditional financial system, that has such a breadth of collaboration with law enforcement,” Ardoino said. “We are always trying to do better and more to block criminal activity…. we have much better tools than the traditional financial system and we’re proving that everyday.” Ardoino also addressed concerns about the firm’s ability to back its digital assets. In 2021, Tether settled with the New York attorney general for $18.5 million over allegations it lied about its reserves. It now publishes attestation reports and holds billions in U.S. Treasuries – managed by Wall Street heavyweight Cantor Fitzgerald – and Ardoino insists the business is well capitalised in the event of a market shock. “We are very close to having $120 billion in U.S. Treasuries in our reserves,” he said. “We have $7 billion in excess equity within the company capital. That is really unprecedented and I wish financial institutions in the traditional financial system would at least try to copy us to provide better products for their consumers.” Tether’s latest attestation report confirmed the firm holds about $120 billion in U.S. Treasuries. Its first quarter independent auditors’ report confirmed assets and reserves exceed liabilities by almost $5.6 billion, a decrease from more than $7 billion in its December audit. Tether’s partnership with Cantor, now run by the sons of U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, has also raised questions. Ardoino told CNBC he doesn’t speak with Secretary Lutnick “because there are proper walls given the potential conflict of interest,” but added “we have great relationships with many people in the U.S. and also now in Washington.” Eric Trump and his older brother Donald Trump Jr. recently announced plans to launch a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin through World Liberty Financial, the finance venture backed by President Donald Trump. Source link #Tether #eyes #U.S #expansion #stablecoin #CEO #courts #Washington Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What Australia’s Vote Means for Climate in a Major Coal Economy What Australia’s Vote Means for Climate in a Major Coal Economy Few voters have as much power over climate change as an *********** citizen. Among democracies, only the United States and Canada come close to Australia in terms of per capita greenhouse gas emissions. The country is also one of the world’s biggest exporters of planet-warming fossil fuels, selling coal, the most polluting fossil fuel, as well as natural gas, in vast quantities to Asian countries. When the country holds national elections on Saturday, polls indicate that climate change won’t be top of mind for many. But the leading candidates, from the Labor Party and the Liberal-National Coalition, have starkly different climate and energy policies. Front and center is the country’s reliance on an aging fleet of coal plants to generate its electricity. “Even if it weren’t for climate change, that fleet needs to be retired,” said Andrew Macintosh, a professor of environmental law and policy at the *********** National University. “On one side you have Labor, which is proposing to keep ramping up renewables, and on the other you have a conservative coalition pushing nuclear.” Both approaches would result in emissions reductions, Mr. Macintosh said, but the nuclear plan has left many scratching their heads. Nuclear power plants can take more than a decade to build, while renewables can be rolled out in months. “You’d have to keep the coal running for many additional years,” he said, “which would be both expensive and polluting.” In some ways, analysts said, Australia’s climate politics mirror the polarized debate in the United States, where President Donald J. Trump speaks disbelievingly about climate science and has cast the transition to cleaner energy as a scam. “Here, too, there’s a prominent narrative that seeks to pit jobs and development versus climate,” said Matt McDonald, a political scientist focused on climate issues at the University of Queensland. But rather than making Australians more concerned about climate change, Mr. Trump’s antipathy toward the issue has “taken the heat off both sides because it doesn’t look like there’s much international momentum anyway in addressing this,” Dr. McDonald said. If Australians feel pressure, it is from rising energy costs for households. Average nationwide prices per energy unit increased about 60 percent over the past half decade, according to the *********** Energy Regulator. The incumbent prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who leads the Labor Party, has set relatively ambitious targets for renewable power generation, aiming for more than 80 percent by 2030. With vast stretches of desert, Australia is well suited for solar energy production in particular. “But,” Dr. McDonald said, “we also have a lot of coal.” Prime Minister Albanese’s main opponent, Peter Dutton, who leads the Liberal-National coalition, wants more of Australia’s gas production to go into its domestic electricity production. Gas, while a fossil fuel, is significantly less polluting than coal. Mr. Dutton has proposed forcing gas producers to sell a portion of their output to the *********** grid, while also halving the timeline for getting new drilling projects approved. Both parties generally support gas development. Australia is the world’s second-biggest gas exporter, after the United States. With polls indicating a tight race, there is a chance that the country’s Green Party, as well as the so-called Teal Independents, both of whom are ardent supporters of strong climate policies, may be kingmakers in Parliament. “If they hold on to the seats they already have, they’re going to be in a position to push hard on climate — stuff like reducing coal exports,” Dr. McDonald said. A final wrinkle that could be felt around the world is whether Australia hosts next year’s annual United Nations sponsored global climate talks, a high-profile event known by the acronym COP. Australia is currently competing against Turkey to host the event, a position which comes with geopolitical prestige and the economic benefits of hosting tens of thousands of delegates. Host countries typically set the tone for the ambition of the talks, and Prime Minister Albanese’s government has spent more than a year lobbying other countries to support Australia’s bid. “That definitely won’t happen under the coalition if they were elected,” Dr. McDonald said. Source link #Australias #Vote #Means #Climate #Major #Coal #Economy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google reveals powerful NotebookLM app for Android and iOS with release date – here’s what it looks like Google reveals powerful NotebookLM app for Android and iOS with release date – here’s what it looks like The NotebookLM mobile app listings are now live The research app is coming very soon to Android and iOS Expect to hear more news at Google I/O 2025 on May 20 Having hinted at the imminent arrival of a NotebookLM app last month, Google has now put the AI research app live on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store for mobile devices. You can’t download it yet, but you can pre-order it – and it gives us a good early glimpse of what the promising app looks like. ‘Pre-ordering’ the app means it will automatically download to your phone when it’s launched in full, which according to the Apple App Store listing (via 9to5Google) is May 20 – the same day as Google I/O 2025 starts, where we’ll no doubt hear more about this app. (Image credit: Google) If you’ve never come across NotebookLM before, it’s an AI-powered resource tool that can collate information across documents, webpages, and more – you can get smart summaries, ask questions about the data, and even produce fake podcasts (which you can interrupt, if you want to). You may like It looks as though the app is going to include the podcast (or “audio overview”) creator, based on the screenshots in these listings. We can also see screens for adding sources, and for the conversation panel where you can chat about the sources with the AI. An alternative to Gemini NotebookLM can produce audio podcasts for you (Image credit: Google/Apple) Google will no doubt give us the full story about this app in a few weeks, but almost all of the web app features seem to have been carried over – including the ability to add notebooks and browse through the notebooks you’ve created on the web. NotebookLM is a helpful alternative to Google Gemini for those times when you need AI’s help with a specific set of material you’ve collected – perhaps a science research project or reports on a current industry trend. Based on my experience with the tool, it’s usually more straight-faced and serious than Gemini, and includes citations with all its responses – so you can check if it’s made any mistakes. You get higher usage limits and more customization options in NotebookLM if you’re subscribed to a Google One AI Premium plan. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. It looks as though there’s going to be a wealth of AI news coming out of Google I/O 2025 from May 20 – including, perhaps, an update on the AI Mode for search – and we will of course bring you all the announcements as they’re made. You might also like Source link #Google #reveals #powerful #NotebookLM #app #Android #iOS #release #date #heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Chromecast is back, but not as we know it – The Verge The Chromecast is back, but not as we know it – The Verge The Chromecast is back, but not as we know it The VergeThis new Google TV streaming dongle looks just like a Chromecast [Gallery] 9to5GoogleChromecast with Google TV – but not from Google heise onlineThis new dongle is basically a clone of the discontinued Chromecast with Google TV YahooIs Google’s Chromecast back? New Fire TV Stick rival is launching soon Daily Express Source link #Chromecast #Verge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Anger as Uganda’s Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba says he’s holding Bobi Wine’s bodyguard Anger as Uganda’s Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba says he’s holding Bobi Wine’s bodyguard General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Uganda’s president, has confirmed the detention of an opposition leader’s bodyguard, who has been missing for five days. Edward Sebuufu, alias Eddie Mutwe, was reportedly picked up on Sunday by unidentified individuals in both civilian clothes and military fatigues in the central town of Kiwango, sparking public outrage. In a series of posts on X, Gen Kainerugabai, who is also Uganda’s military chief, said Mr Sebuufu was “in my basement”, attaching the bodyguard’s photo with a clean-shaven head. Gen Kainerugabai’s remarks have sparked public anger with Ugandans using the hashtag #FreeEddieMutwe to demand Mr Sebuufu’s release and condemn his detention. Gen Kainerugaba frequently makes political comments, which his critics say contravenes the military’s code of discipline. The 51-year-old army general is seen as a possible successor to his long-serving father, Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, who has denied that he is grooming his son for the presidency. Gen Kainerugaba has made many controversial statements on social media, touching on subjects considered taboo for a serving soldier. In 2022, he made headlines for discussing an invasion of neighbouring Kenya, a comment that forced his father to step in and apologise. He recently sparked anger with a tweet in which he threatened to behead opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. Late on Thursday, he sparked another social media storm after he published a photo of Mr Sebuufu, Bobi Wine’s bodyguard, appearing half-naked and clean shaved. Bobi Wine said Mr Sebuufu was on Sunday “violently abducted” from Kiwango by armed men travelling in a police van, popularly known as “drone”, before he was whisked to an unknown place. In a series of posts, Gen Kainerugaba said his soldiers had captured Mr Sebuufu “liked a grasshopper” and he was learning Runyankore, a language spoken in western Uganda, while in custody. He said Mr Sebuufu was “looking very smart these days” after his beard was shaved by “my boy”, referring to his junior soldiers. The general said he would only release the bodyguard if ordered to do so by his father, President Museveni. Gen Kainerugaba did not explicitly state where Mr Sebuufu was being held, or on what legal charges. Security forces are yet to comment on the matter but police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke on Monday told local media that he was not aware of Mr Sebuufu being held in any police station. Opposition officials and social media users in Uganda have demanded the bodyguard be produced in court if he is in lawful custody. Bobi Wine has called for a “solidarity” rally on Friday in the capital Kampala, accusing Gen Kainerugaba for “illegally holding, torturing, and dehumanizing” his bodyguard. “This is a non-partisan opportunity to unite. Friends of Eddie and other Ugandans of good conscience, let us come together in solidarity not just with Eddie but all political prisoners!,” Bobi Wine posted on X. In a statement, the Uganda Law Society has called for the immediate release of the bodyguard, saying his ordeal was not an isolated case but “part of a systematic campaign to silence dissent and crush the aspirations of people yearning for freedom”. The society feared that the reported involvement of the army in the matter “underscores a dangerous nexus of military power and political oppression”. Mr Sebuufu, who is in charge of Bobi Wine’s personal security detail, has been arrested several times and charged with various offences, including treason and ******** possession of ammunition. The opposition says his arrests and charges are politically motivated. He has been a key target in several security crackdowns on opposition activities, especially during elections and mobilisation campaigns, local media reported. Bobi Wine, a popular singer who has declared his intention to challenge President Museveni for the second time in the 2026 elections, has often been prevented from holding political rallies. There are growing concerns about the targeting of opposition figures and supporters by security agencies as political mobilisation intensifies ahead of the elections. Source link #Anger #Ugandas #Gen #Muhoozi #Kainerugaba #hes #holding #Bobi #Wines #bodyguard Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Game’ Finally Marks Its End After Steam, PlayStation, and Epic Games Removed It The Game’ Finally Marks Its End After Steam, PlayStation, and Epic Games Removed It With the flood of new releases each year, it’s easy to overlook just how many games quietly fade away. Behind every flashy trailer is the risk that a title might not land with players, no matter the franchise. Even games backed by major publishers can stumble; when they do, the fall is often silent, slow, and painful. Evil Dead: The Game is the latest casualty in a brutally competitive industry. Once launched with hope in 2022 by Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games, it now finds itself being removed from major storefronts, an unceremonious end for a game that carried the weight of a legendary horror legacy. Evil Dead: The Game faces a harsh reality in a crowded gaming landscape Inspired by Sam Raimi’s cult-classic Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead: The Game promised a bloody, co-op survival horror experience, complete with iconic characters like Ash Williams and grotesque Southern Gothic settings. It offered co-op and PvP gameplay, aiming to please both fans of the franchise and multiplayer horror enthusiasts. Unfortunately, despite the rich source material and genre popularity, the game struggled to make a lasting impression. Now, Saber Interactive has confirmed its removal from digital storefronts including Steam, Epic Games, and PlayStation. The only consolation coming out of this tragic news is that the servers will remain online, meaning those who already own the game can continue to play. It’s a clear-cut sign that the developer is stepping away from supporting the title long-term. It’s a bittersweet consolation for dedicated fans who still play it and find it a better attempt at asymmetric horror in recent years. When time moves fast, games get left behind Not every title gets a second chance. | Image Credit: Saber Interactive The gaming industry moves at an unforgiving pace. Even a slight misstep, an underwhelming launch, lukewarm reviews, or dwindling player counts can doom a title to obscurity. In the case of Evil Dead: The Game, early criticisms and limited content updates meant it struggled to maintain momentum in a saturated market. While success stories like No Man’s Sky show that comebacks are possible (even for a smaller team), they’re the exception, not the rule. However, we have to realize that for every redemption arc, there are dozens of games that simply vanish without leaving a trace. It’s a tough reminder that even with a beloved IP and talented developers, not every game can survive the industry’s breakneck speed. In the end, despite the game closing its door to new players, one thing remains certain: it will live on in private matches and nostalgic conversations, but its delisting marks the end of its chapter in the ever-evolving world of gaming. Source link #Game #Finally #Marks #Steam #PlayStation #Epic #GamesRemovedIt Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alexa+ rollout hits major milestone, but Amazon warns the technology is currently still ‘primitive’ Alexa+ rollout hits major milestone, but Amazon warns the technology is currently still ‘primitive’ Amazon’s Alexa+ AI has just hit 100,000 users in the US Yet the firm’s CEO has warned agentic technology is still “primitive” Alexa+ is rolling out in waves, but is still missing some key features Like many other Big Tech firms, Amazon jumped on the artificial intelligence (AI) bandwagon by launching its own AI assistant named Alexa+ in February. Now, the company has announced that the tool has been rolled out to 100,000 users. Right now, Alexa+ focuses on providing a conversational experience with an AI chatbot, although Amazon aims to imbue it with “agentic” abilities in the future. That would enable it to work as an agent on your behalf, interacting with third-party apps in order to carry out the tasks you ask of it. That little tidbit came from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy during the company’s recent earnings call. There, Jassy explained that “Our intention is for agents to perform wide-ranging complex, multi-step tasks,” and that “there haven’t been action-oriented agents like this until Alexa+.” You may like Yet the most recent update to Alexa+ is missing some of the key features that Amazon demonstrated in February, as pointed out by The Washington Post. It wouldn’t be the first AI to arrive without promised abilities – Apple’s AI-powered Siri has faced numerous delays and disruptions – and it shows how difficult it can be to pull ahead in the ongoing AI arms race. Even Jassy admitted that Alexa+ was facing challenges. In general, agentic AI tools are still “primitive,” the Amazon CEO noted, with Amazon’s own Nova Act AI model aiming to improve their accuracy from a mere 30% to 60%. Eventually, the goal is to achieve over 90% accuracy, but clearly Alexa+ isn’t there yet. Limited availability (Image credit: Amazon) Amazon has previously stated that it aims to launch Alexa+ in waves, so we should expect to see availability increase in the US over the coming months. There’s no news about an international rollout yet. Of those users who have tried it out so far, few have shared their thoughts or given insights into how well it works. That changed recently, though, when user Pretty2be took to Reddit to answer questions on the AI chatbot. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. During the session, Pretty2be stated that Alexa+ is good at interpreting natural speech and is able to avoid interrupting you. Other positive feedback included its speech synthesis capabilities, although the user criticized its tendency to push you towards Amazon Music, even when you try to use Spotify. We don’t know when Alexa+ will roll out to more users, but it’s clear that there’s still work to be done, judging by both Pretty2be’s feedback and Amazon CEO Jassy’s comments. Hopefully the missing features will arrive before the next 100,000 users sign up. You might also like Source link #Alexa #rollout #hits #major #milestone #Amazon #warns #technology #primitive Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Bitcoin Eyes $100,000 as Institutional and Spot Demand Bring Bulls Back in Action Bitcoin Eyes $100,000 as Institutional and Spot Demand Bring Bulls Back in Action Increased spot demand and ETF inflows are driving Bitcoin’s upward momentum and liquidity surge. Reduced supply on exchanges is pushing prices higher, signaling growing institutional interest. Bitcoin’s technical breakout suggests strong bullish momentum, with $100,000 as a key resistance level. Looking for actionable trade ideas to navigate the current market volatility? Subscribe here to unlock access to InvestingPro’s AI-selected stock winners. is testing the $97,000 level after a strong rebound from early April declines. Some indicators suggest that this move is more than just a technical bounce; it could signal the beginning of a solid uptrend. Spot Demand, ETF Inflows Push BTC Price Higher As we move into the second quarter of 2025, Bitcoin’s spot demand is clearly increasing. Fund inflows into major ETFs like the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:) are a key factor. Last week, IBIT saw $1.5 billion in new funds. This growing institutional interest is boosting liquidity while pulling supply out of the market, which could pressure prices downward. Unlike the rallies of 2021 and 2023, this surge in spot demand is supported by a more stable, less leveraged market. The focus is now more on direct buying than on derivatives. At the same time, the amount of Bitcoin on exchanges has fallen to a five-year low. By the end of April, large investors had accumulated over $4 billion worth of BTC, while long-term investors added 150,000 BTC to their holdings. This reduction in supply is driving prices higher. On the Bitcoin mining front, an important indicator has caught attention. According to Blockware, the average production costs for miners are now close to the current BTC price. Historical data suggests that when this happens, it often signals the start of a bull rally following market bottoms. Macroeconomics, Global Liquidity Conditions May Also Support Bitcoin Bitcoin’s long-term price outlook closely follows global liquidity cycles. As 2025 begins, declining risk appetite due to Trump’s trade policies led to selling pressure in the first quarter. However, the tendency of the US and other major central banks to return to loose monetary policies is helping direct capital into alternative investments, such as crypto assets. Meanwhile, the presence of ETFs is allowing this new capital to impact the BTC price much more quickly than before. In the derivatives markets, there is also significant interest in $100,000 call options. According to data from Coinglass and Deribit, the highest open interest is at this level, indicating that $100,000 is both a strong psychological resistance and a price point investors expect to surpass. Bitcoin Technical Outlook These positive developments for Bitcoin also align with the technical outlook. Last week, the cryptocurrency saw a critical breakout, moving away from support levels with strong momentum. This week, Bitcoin broke an important resistance level in the $93,000–95,000 range. The next resistance point is around $99,500 (Fib 0.786), just below the $100,000 mark. Breaking the resistance at Fib 0.618, where Bitcoin has been flat since April 23, signals strong positive momentum. A similar pattern occurred in mid-April when the cryptocurrency broke resistance in the $83,000–85,000 range. If the momentum continues, it could enter the $100,000 range and push towards $106,000. This move could trigger the search for new highs. Additionally, the upward shift in short-term moving averages since mid-April is a bullish signal in this scenario. While technical and fundamental indicators are currently positive for Bitcoin, support levels will be crucial if the market experiences a profit-taking pullback. On the daily chart, the $94,200–94,500 zone is likely to act as the first support in a potential backtest. If this support level is breached, the price may fall further to the $90,500–91,000 area. Looking at the broader picture, Bitcoin ended its downtrend by breaking through $83,000. Then, with a move to $87,000, it signaled the end of the short-term consolidation phase. These two moves strongly indicated a trend reversal. While the current uptrend remains intact, it is likely to maintain its upward momentum as long as it stays above $95,000 and is supported by positive developments. In the near future, $100,000 is expected to act as a key psychological resistance level. **** Be sure to check out InvestingPro to stay in sync with the market trend and what it means for your trading. Whether you’re a novice investor or a seasoned trader, leveraging InvestingPro can unlock a world of investment opportunities while minimizing risks amid the challenging market backdrop. Subscribe now and instantly unlock access to several market-beating features, including: ProPicks AI: AI-selected stock winners with a proven track record. InvestingPro Fair Value: Instantly find out if a stock is underpriced or overvalued. Advanced Stock Screener: Search for the best stocks based on hundreds of selected filters and criteria. Top Ideas: See what stocks billionaire investors such as Warren Buffett, Michael Burry, and George Soros are buying. Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only. It is not intended to encourage the purchase of assets in any way, nor does it constitute a solicitation, offer, recommendation or suggestion to invest. I would like to remind you that all assets are evaluated from multiple perspectives and are highly risky, so any investment decision and the associated risk belongs to the investor. We also do not provide any investment advisory services. Source link #Bitcoin #Eyes #Institutional #Spot #Demand #Bring #Bulls #Action Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Rise as Investors Await Jobs Report — Live Updates – WSJ Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Rise as Investors Await Jobs Report — Live Updates – WSJ Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Rise as Investors Await Jobs Report — Live Updates WSJStock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures rise as hopes for US-China trade talks banish Big Tech gloom Yahoo FinanceUS stock futures rise after China said it’s considering tariff talks with US USA TodayStocks gain on signs that Sino-US trade tensions may be easing ReutersStock Rally Gains Momentum Ahead of US Payrolls: Markets Wrap Bloomberg.com Source link #Stock #Market #Today #Dow #Futures #Rise #Investors #Await #Jobs #Report #Live #Updates #WSJ Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

India’s Hexaware targets public sector business as it expands *** operation India’s Hexaware targets public sector business as it expands *** operation India’s Hexaware has expanded its *** presence through a new office in London’s Canary Wharf, as part of an expansion plan that will see it bid for *** public sector business. The IT services firm said IT suppliers that currently dominate the public sector are in its sights as *** government departments and public sector bodies have a changing appetite for tech. This, combined with struggles faced by traditional public sector IT suppliers like Fujitsu, creates an opportunity for suppliers outside the traditional cohort. Indian heritage suppliers such as Hexaware have to date struggled to win significant public sector business in the ***. Since Indian IT service providers started winning significant business at the turn of the century, there have been fears over outsourcing public sector work to IT suppliers based in India. The perception was that confidential data would not be safe, and there were also concerns that jobs in the *** would be moved to India. But like its giant Indian counterpart, ***** Consultancy Services (TCS), Hexaware now sees the *** public sector as an opportunity to grow. TCS, India’s biggest IT service provider, confirmed this last year. Speaking to Computer Weekly then about TCS’s *** public sector plans, Amit Kapur, its *** country head, said there was “potential, paucity and action” with “good engagement”. Range of clients TCS already provides services to the Department of Work and Pensions, public sector organisation pension provider Nest, the Department for Education, the BBC and Cardiff City Council in local government. Infosys and Wipro are other examples of Indian heritage suppliers seeking public sector opportunities in the ***. Hexaware’s *** customers today include Yorkshire Water, insurance company Liverpool Victoria and Lloyds Banking Group, but only about 5% of its overall *** business is with public sector organisations. Speaking to Computer Weekly on the announcement of a new office in Canary Wharf, Amrinder Singh, head of EMEA and APAC operations at Hexaware, said the company is still in the “discovery phase” in relation to *** public sector work. But when asked whether the *** public sector is more open to Indian suppliers, he said: “This is a trend we are seeing in the market, absolutely, that they are, and for a variety of reasons. “We feel that the need for efficiency through technology in public sector is actually quite acute,” added Singh. “Also, in the past, the public sector has been overtly reliant on some large players. How large you are and how long you have worked in the public sector counts a lot.” Fujitsu, one of the *** government’s biggest IT supplies, is currently facing huge challenges retaining business due to its much-publicised role in the Post Office scandal. Singh sees this and the struggles of other suppliers as an opportunity. Like with TCS, the addition of public sector work will mean Hexaware’s *** workforce will increase. Out of its global staff count of about 30,000, only 650 are currently in the ***. But the supplier’s workforce will look far different by 2030 if its self-imposed target to have half of all work delivered by artificial intelligence (AI) workers is reached. “One of the vision statements that we have is that by 2030 we want nearly 50% of our work to be delivered and revenue to be generated through digital labour, not just human labour,” Singh told Computer Weekly. This does not mean the human workforce will be smaller, with the growth of the company meaning more will be needed, but he admitted the growth of the human workforce may slow down Humans will also be trained to ensure they can get the best out of AI, with almost the entire human workforce to be trained and certified in the technology. “We said that there is no future for single-skilled people,” he said. “Unless you are multi-skilled with domain understanding, as well as understanding how to use AI and technology, you will not survive.” Hexaware has provided what Singh described as a “playground” for staff to experiment with AI. Known as bottom-up disruption, the initiative will tap staff domain experience and give them freedom to “identify areas in which they would like bring automation and AI to our customers”. “Every employee is given a mandate to identify certain areas in which they would like to work on commissions if they have great ideas,” said Singh. “There are some hackathons and staff get a fast-track career path where they can also be part of our innovation team, not just delivery team.” Source link #Indias #Hexaware #targets #public #sector #business #expands #operation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Influencer Abbie Chatfield says young Aussies should feel ‘proud’ of their vote Influencer Abbie Chatfield says young Aussies should feel ‘proud’ of their vote Influencer and Greens supporter Abbie Chatfield has called on young Aussie voters to better understand their own political views so they can feel “proud” of their vote. In a TikTok video released just two days before Saturday’s election, Ms Chatfield implied she had met young voters who were “ashamed” of who they were voting for. “If you’re ashamed to say who you are voting for, then maybe you shouldn’t be voting for that party. Just a little FYI,” she said. “Maybe you should rethink, if it really aligns with who you are. “If you get scared, and go ‘oh I don’t want to talk about politics’ when you are asked about how you are voting, maybe rethink the way you are voting.” Camera IconInfluencer and Greens supporter Abbie Chatfield released a TikTok on Thursday urging voters to check the ABC’s Vote Compass to better understand their political views. Supplied Credit: News Corp AustraliaFeel like giving the politicians a rating this Federal election? Our Pollie Rater lets you do just that. Rate the politicians The reality TV star turned podcaster has backed the Greens in the election, fronting a national Greens ad to “keep Dutton out”. Ms Chatfield, a vocal critic of the Liberal Party, has also DJed alongside Greens leader Adam Bandt at a campaign fundraiser. She previously hosted both Anthony Albanese and Mr Bandt on her podcast It’s A Lot, leading to an *********** Electoral Commission review earlier this year. Camera IconGreens Leader Adam Bandt with influencer Abbie Chatfield at The Brightside in Fortitude Valley. NewsWire/ Glen Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia The AEC found Ms Chatfield did not breach any electoral laws with her political posts, concluding the interviews were voluntary, audience-driven, and did not require formal authorisation under electoral legislation. In the TikTok, Ms Chatfield urged voters to check the ABC’s Vote Compass to better understand where they fit in the political spectrum. “Do a vote compass, figure out if it actually aligns with you,” she said. “You should be proud about who you are voting for. A lot of you aren’t.” Source link #Influencer #Abbie #Chatfield #young #Aussies #feel #proud #vote Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ireland fines TikTok €530 million for sending EU user data to China Ireland fines TikTok €530 million for sending EU user data to China The TikTok logo is seen outside the ******** video app company’s Los Angeles offices on April 4, 2025 in Culver City, California. Robyn Beck | AFP via Getty Images TikTok has been fined 530 million euros ($601.3 million) by Ireland’s privacy regulator for sending user data to China. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) — which leads on privacy oversight for TikTok in the EU — said Friday that TikTok infringed the bloc’s GDPR data protection law over transfers of European user data to China. The regulator ordered TikTok to bring its data processing into compliance within six months and said it would suspend TikTok’s transfers to China if processing is not brought into compliance within that timeframe. “TikTok’s personal data transfers to China infringed the GDPR because TikTok failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that the personal data of EEA users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU,” Graham Doyle, deputy commissioner at the DPC, said in a statement Friday. “As a result of TikTok’s failure to undertake the necessary assessments, TikTok did not address potential access by ******** authorities to EEA personal data under ******** anti-terrorism, counter-espionage and other laws identified by TikTok as materially diverging from EU standards,” he added. TikTok was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Source link #Ireland #fines #TikTok #million #sending #user #data #China Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jeffrey Goldberg Reveals How Trump Weirded Him Out During Interview: ‘Truly Odd’ Jeffrey Goldberg Reveals How Trump Weirded Him Out During Interview: ‘Truly Odd’ Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic whose Signal war group chat scoop ultimately led to Michael Waltz’s ousting as national security adviser this week, has named a particular habit of President Donald Trump that he found “truly odd” during their recent interview. Goldberg recalled Trump “repeatedly” referring derogatorily to his successor and predecessor, former President Joe Biden. “The first thing he [Trump] said was, ‘I bet Joe Biden would never do this,’” Goldberg told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show. “And then about six or eight times during the interview, he refers to Joe Biden,” Goldberg remembered. “Joe Biden doesn’t do this. Joe Biden is dumb. Joe Biden is sleepy.” “Whatever, it’s like, it’s truly odd,” said Goldberg. “Like, he’s [Biden] gone. It’s like, ‘You’re the president.’ It’s just this crutch and you see it in all his speeches. But that was noticeable.” Host Joe Scarborough pointed out, though, how Trump, despite his yearslong antagonizing of the press, has granted much more access to the media than Biden. Goldberg agreed, saying it was an “important point” and that Biden “didn’t see us in that context and that’s too bad.” Watch here: Related… Source link #Jeffrey #Goldberg #Reveals #Trump #Weirded #Interview #Odd Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

First ATS GPU With RDNA4 – Price, Specs, and Availability Explained First ATS GPU With RDNA4 – Price, Specs, and Availability Explained AMD’s RDNA 4 lineup seems to be growing with each successive day, with the RX 9060 XT being the most recent entry in the series. The RX 9000 series has grown to become quite popular, and with good reason – its performance per dollar is simply unmatched. Interestingly enough, there were rumors of a ‘GRE’ edition of the RX 9070 prepared for launch overseas, and a new post from ASUS seems to have confirmed the same, with the arrival of the ‘Megalodon’ version of the GPU. What is the ASUS RX 9070 GRE Megalodon, and what does ATS mean? In a nutshell, the ASUS ATS RX 9070 GRE is a new class of RDNA 4 GPU, and was also simply known as the RX 9070 GRE prior to its official reveal. The ASUS-specific version is also known as the Megalodon edition and is the first RDNA 4 ATS card. The ASUS RX 9070 GRE in full view | Image Credits: AMD For the uninitiated, Megalodon refers to an ancient (now extinct) species of giant shark that was known to be quite fearsome. Perhaps ASUS aims to show off the cool factor of the GPU here with the rather intriguing naming scheme. This particular RDNA 4 GPU aims to be a stopgap between the RX 9060 XT and RX 9070, offering a suitable compromise between performance and price in its 3-fan form factor. Visually, the card looks just about like any other GPU out there – in all ******, powered by dual 8-pin connectors, along with a maximum TDP of 220 Watts. As such, ASUS has recommended that buyers use a 650 W power supply (at minimum) to power the GPU within their systems. As far as the ATS naming scheme goes, there isn’t much to uncover here. GPU names can be obnoxiously random at times, and the ATS suffix is also likely to be the same – it holds barely any meaning, or it could be a reference to its China-only exclusivity, just like the ATS RX 7650 GRE based on the last-gen RDNA 3 architecture. The card does come slightly overclocked out of the box, though, and it is possible that the ATS naming scheme refers to this very aspect as well, who knows. RX 9070 GRE Megalodon specs, RDNA 4 features, and performance expectations The RX 9070 GRE Megalodon sits between the RX 9060 XT and RX 9070, and has the following specifications, as per ASUS: Boost Clock: 2860 MHz (overclocked out of the box) VRAM: 10/12 GB GDDR6 Core Count: 3072 Stream Processors and 48 compute units Bus Width: 192-bit TDP: 220 W The GPU follows a dual-slot design and comes equipped with 3 fans to cool it down. As this is an RDNA 4 GPU, expect the usual features. These include superior performance (when compared to RDNA 3 GPUs), much faster ray tracing performance, and finally, hardware-level support for FSR 4, which looks to be quite a game changer. The card should overclock nicely too, and erode into the RX 9070’s territory by a fair margin. This should make it a very viable 1080p and 1440p card, aimed for High settings at 60 FPS. Naturally, performance will depend from game to game. Price and availability of the ASUS ATS RX 9070 GRE Megalodon in 2025 As per ASUS, the RX 9070 GRE Megalodon is expected to retail for 4199 RMB, or around 580 USD. The card is expected to be made available on retail shelves starting May 8, 2025 – but only for China. Indeed, it has been confirmed that the RX 9070 GRE will remain region locked to China, which is quite disappointing news for many. However, there’s always a chance that AMD will make it global in the upcoming days, just like it did with the 7900 GRE previously. So far, this is the only variant of the RX 9070 GRE available, but it remains unclear if other retailers may join in later. As far as its value proposition goes, the card is quite a puzzling entry. After all, it makes little sense for anyone to get this over an RX 9070. If the price is acceptable, though, it could be a very viable alternative. Reports suggest that its MSRP could be anywhere around the $450 mark. That said, do you personally think it’s worth getting over the better models? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Source link #ATS #GPU #RDNA4 #Price #Specs #Availability #Explained Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ireland fines TikTok €530 million for sending EU user data to China Ireland fines TikTok €530 million for sending EU user data to China The TikTok logo is seen outside the ******** video app company’s Los Angeles offices on April 4, 2025 in Culver City, California. Robyn Beck | AFP via Getty Images TikTok has been fined 530 million euros ($601.3 million) by Ireland’s privacy regulator for sending user data to China. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) — which leads on privacy oversight for TikTok in the EU — said Friday that TikTok infringed the bloc’s GDPR data protection law over transfers of European user data to China. The regulator ordered TikTok to bring its data processing into compliance within six months and said it would suspend TikTok’s transfers to China if processing is not brought into compliance within that timeframe. “TikTok’s personal data transfers to China infringed the GDPR because TikTok failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that the personal data of EEA users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU,” Graham Doyle, deputy commissioner at the DPC, said in a statement Friday. “As a result of TikTok’s failure to undertake the necessary assessments, TikTok did not address potential access by ******** authorities to EEA personal data under ******** anti-terrorism, counter-espionage and other laws identified by TikTok as materially diverging from EU standards,” he added. TikTok was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Source link #Ireland #fines #TikTok #million #sending #user #data #China Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump’s tariffs have shaken Wall Street. Now they’re hitting packages. – Politico Trump’s tariffs have shaken Wall Street. Now they’re hitting packages. – Politico Trump’s tariffs have shaken Wall Street. Now they’re hitting packages. PoliticoA massive tariff on millions of Americans’ purchases just went into effect — cue the chaos CNNTrump Ends ******** Tariff Loophole, Raising the Cost of Online Goods The New York TimesE-Commerce Sellers Brace for End of De Minimis WSJAs Trump moves to tax small parcels, some retailers give up on US Reuters Source link #Trumps #tariffs #shaken #Wall #Street #theyre #hitting #packages #Politico Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scientists Say They May Have Spotted a Huge Hidden Planet Deep in Our Solar System Scientists Say They May Have Spotted a Huge Hidden Planet Deep in Our Solar System For over a century, astronomers have wondered if there’s an extra planet in our Solar System that we haven’t been able to detect yet. It seems like we get another “Planet Nine” candidate — formerly known as Planet X, before Pluto was demoted — every few years, and none have been confirmed. But the possibility has never quite been put to bed, either. Now, an international team of researchers have made a new detection that they say could be a sign of a hidden world — by, poetically, unearthing what went overlooked in very old data. Their findings, reported in a study accepted for publication in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, suggest that the elusive planet could be up to five to ten times the mass of Earth, and is so far out in the Solar System that it takes 10,000 years to orbit the Sun. “It is pretty amazing to think that something as big as Neptune could be sitting out there and no one would have ever noticed it,” Gary Bernstein, an astronomer at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the study, told Science. “But if you put it far enough away, it gets fainter and fainter very fast.” One of the strongest hints of an undiscovered planet lies in the Kuiper Belt, a disc of icy objects beyond the orbit of Neptune that’s home to comets and dwarf planets like Pluto. According to Planet Nine truthers, the unusually clustered orbits of some of the objects there, including the dwarf planet Sedna, can be conveniently explained by the existence of a stealthy world pulling their gravitational strings. If there is a planet lurking out there, it should reflect some sunlight that we could detect. For their study, the researchers focused on invisible light, using two infrared surveys of the night sky that were conducted 23 years apart. That extreme time gap, Science notes, would allow them to see a distant, slow-moving object like what Planet Nine is thought to be, represented as a pair of dots — one of its position before, one after. From there, the team identified thirteen candidate dot pairs which showed positioning consistent with a moving planet. One of the pairs had the same color and brightness, suggesting that both of the dots were from the same object. This, the researchers argue, could be our mysterious undiscovered world. “I felt very excited,” lead author Terry Long Phan, an astronomer at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, told Science. “It’s motivated us a lot.” But others in the field are skeptical. The detected signals are extremely faint and could be random noise or another object. And we could be jumping the gun on those suspicious Kuiper Belt orbits, because we have limited observations of the objects that reside there. “It would be really cool if there was some kind of pattern there,” Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of *******, told Science. “But I am not convinced, with current data, that you can’t just go with the simplest explanation.” Planet Nine or no Planet Nine, we’ll soon have a chance to get a closer look than ever with the launch of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile this year, which astronomers anticipate will reveal tens of thousands of objects in the Kuiper Belt. More on space: Scientists Intrigued by Glowing Cloud Near Our Solar System Source link #Scientists #Spotted #Huge #Hidden #Planet #Deep #Solar #System Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]