Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition With Bypass Charging, Dual Rear Cameras Launched: Price, Features
Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition With Bypass Charging, Dual Rear Cameras Launched: Price, Features
Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition was launched in China on Thursday. The smartphone is claimed to offer an enhanced gaming experience, “a better quality-price ratio,” and is targeted at young gamers. The handset has an improved cooling system that is said to reduce lag and offer a more stable frame rate. Instead of three cameras, the Racing Edition drops the telephoto shooter from the vanilla GT 7 Pro and packs a dual rear camera unit. It comes with support for bypass charging as well as satellite connectivity.
Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition Price, Availability
Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition price in China starts at CNY 3,099 (roughly Rs. 36,900) for the 12GB + 256GB option, while the 16GB + 256GB variant is priced at CNY 3,399 (roughly Rs. 40,500). The 12GB + 512GB and 16GB + 512GB configurations are listed at CNY 3,699 (roughly Rs. 44,100) and CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs. 47,600), respectively.
The newly launched version is currently available for purchase in the country via the Realme China e-store and other e-commerce platforms. It is offered in Neptune Exploration and Star Trail Titanium finishes.
Notably, the price of the standard Realme GT 7 Pro began at CNY 3,699 (roughly Rs. 43,800) for the 12GB + 256GB option.
Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition Specifications, Features
The Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition sports a 6.78-inch 8T OLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate, up to 6,000 nits peak brightness, a 2,600Hz instant touch sampling rate, and Dolby Vision support. It is powered by Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC paired with an Adreno 830 GPU, up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and up to 512GB of UFS 4.1 onboard storage. The handset ships with Android 15-based Realme UI 6.
Realme’s Racing Edition version is claimed to offer better gaming performance over the standard Realme GT 7 Pro. It is claimed to support the GT Performance Engine which is said to offer more stable frame rates and reduce lag. It also supports an improved cooling system.
For optics, the Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition carries a 1/1.56-inch 50-megapixel Sony IMX896 primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilisation (OIS) support alongside an 8-megapixel ultra-wide shooter with an f/2.2 aperture. The front camera uses a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies and video calls.
Realme packs a 6,500mAh battery in the GT 7 Pro Racing Edition with support for 120W wired fast charging and bypass charging technology. For security, the handset carries an in-display optical fingerprint sensor. Connectivity options include 5G, dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, GALILEO, Beidou, QZSS, NFC, Satellite Communication System 2.0, and a USB Type-C port. It is equipped with Hi-Res Audio certified “ultra-linear dual speakers.”
The Realme GT 7 Pro Racing Edition is claimed to meet IP68+IP69 rating for dust and water resistance. The handset measures 162.45 x 76.89 x 8.55mm in size and weighs 218g.
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Up Late with Ben Harvey: Is it ever possible to racially vilify a white person?
Up Late with Ben Harvey: Is it ever possible to racially vilify a white person?
WATCH: In Up Late, as Sam Kerr celebrates her legal win Ben Harvey asks whether it’s ever possible to racially vilify a white person.
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#Late #Ben #Harvey #racially #vilify #white #person
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Capcom Fighting Collection producer wants to bring more fighting games to modern systems
Capcom Fighting Collection producer wants to bring more fighting games to modern systems
The producer of the Capcom Fighting Collection series says there are still more classic fighting games he wants to make playable on modern consoles.
Speaking to Japanese publication Inside Games, Capcom producer Shuhei Matsumoto said he wants to provide a way for more of its vintage fighting titles to be available on current generation hardware.
While a third Capcom Fighting Collection has yet to be confirmed, Inside Games asked Matsumoto if he had any interest in working on a theoretical third entry.
Although not specifically saying he wanted to see a Capcom Fighting Collection 3, Matsumoto still expressed his desire to see more out-of-print Capcom fighting games to be made available on modern systems.
“Capcom has a huge number of fighting games, and there are still a number of titles that cannot be played on current consoles,” he explained. “We want to listen to the voices of our fans and provide an environment where as many of these games as possible can be played.”
In recent years Capcom has been releasing numerous compilations of fighting games and beat ’em ups from its back catalogue.
In 2022 it released Capcom Fighting Collection, which featured the arcade versions of ten Capcom fighting games, including all five Darkstalkers games.
This was followed by Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection, which offered a further seven games including numerous Marvel and Capcom crossover titles.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is due for release on May 16, and will include the two Capcom vs SNK games, neither of which have been re-released since their debuts in 2000 and 2001 respectively. It also includes numerous 3D fighting games (including both Power Stone titles) and Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper.
Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection was originally not planned to release on Xbox, but following outcry from fans the compilation finally came to Xbox One last week. The upcoming Capcom Fighting Collection 2, which was also originally going to skip Microsoft‘s console, will be coming to Xbox following “technical discussions” between Xbox and Capcom.
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Apple’s best M4 Macs are deeply discounted – here’s why now is the best time to buy
Apple’s best M4 Macs are deeply discounted – here’s why now is the best time to buy
A few years ago, I bought a refurbished MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip from Apple. This, it turned out, was one of the best decisions I could have made. The MacBook Pro was in like-new condition, yet I got it with a deep discount. It’s a device that is still going strong today.
Now, Apple is at it again, and this time you’re able to score money off on two of the best Macs available right now. What’s more, these are just any old discounts – they’re serious cuts of around 15%, which is a significant saving when you’re talking about a device that costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Apple has started selling refurbished versions of its Mac mini and MacBook Pro with M4-series chips on its official store. These devices are a great opportunity to get some of that sweet Apple hardware goodness without paying quite so much for the privilege.
And it comes at the perfect time, as I’ve been thinking about replacing my Windows PC with an M4 Mac mini. This ***** might provide the perfect opportunity to do so. After all, in our review, we called the M4 Mac mini “a fantastic little computer” that’s “unlike anything else you can find at that price.”
Chris Hagan / Digital Trends
It’s not just the Mac mini that’s worth checking out. When we reviewed the M4 MacBook Pro, our verdict was that it “isn’t just the best MacBook you can buy, it’s also one of the very best laptops that money can buy.”
Apple’s official refurbished store is selling both of these models with deep discounts across the line. For instance, the entry-level M4 Mac mini — already an absolute steal at $599 when bought new — is going for $509, with $90 off. The maxed-out M4 Pro Mac mini with a 20-core GPU, 64GB of memory, an 8TB SSD and 10Gb Ethernet is $3,989 — a whopping $710 off the regular $4,699 price.
As for the MacBook Pro, the entry-level M4 MacBook Pro is $1,359, down $240 from $1,599. And there are plenty of other savings across the board when it comes to these two Macs.
Why does this matter?
Apple
OK, it’s a welcome sight to see discounts like this, especially from a company like Apple that is famously averse to money-off events. Why should you care when you can just get refurbished Macs from other outlets?
Well, Apple refurbished is not like buying second hand or even like getting a refurbished Mac from a third-party retailer. Buy refurbished from Apple and you’re basically getting a guarantee of a much higher-quality device.
Each refurbished Mac undergoes rigorous testing and a full clean, ensuring it comes to you looking almost spotless (when I bought my M1 Pro MacBook Pro, in fact, it was spotless and totally indistinguishable from a newly purchased MacBook Pro).
Romancev768
As well as that, if any replacement parts are needed, they’re guaranteed to be genuine Apple components. You don’t have to worry about your Mac being fitted with cheap knock-off parts that could fail at any moment. No, you get the real deal here.
Plus, every refurbished Mac comes with all of its expected accessories repackaged into a fresh box, with everything being wrapped up in a one-year warranty. Get that delivered and it feels like you’ve just bought one right off the shelf.
Sure, you can sometimes find better deals on used (and, rarely, new) Macs at places like Amazon, but if you want the Apple touch, the company’s refurbished store is the way to go.
I can speak from experience when I say that it’s like getting a brand-new Mac at a deeply discounted price. Given how impressive the M4 chip is — and how much of a bargain the M4 Mac mini already is — some of these offers are real no-brainers.
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Fatal parking lot ****** involving modified truck leads to RCMP warning
Fatal parking lot ****** involving modified truck leads to RCMP warning
RCMP are warning drivers with modified vehicles to check they’re within legal limits, after a dangerous driving charge was laid against a Nanaimo, B.C. woman following a fatal parking lot ******.
On Tuesday, Nanaimo RCMP said they had charged a 24-year-old woman with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, after an 85-year-old woman was killed following a ****** on March 21, 2024.
Police say the ******, in the Woodgrove Centre parking lot, came about after the senior parked her vehicle next to the woman’s pickup truck and began walking toward the mall.
The suspect in the case then exited her parking spot and turned left with her pickup truck, and the senior was knocked to the ground and subsequently died.
Police say the modifications made to the truck, including a raised suspension, oversized tires and tinted windows contributed to the fatal ******.
They say the modifications made driving in the crowded parking lot unsafe, and weren’t part of the original truck design.
“The charge of Dangerous Operation Causing Death is a serious one,” Nanaimo RCMP wrote in a statement.
“It signifies that the person operating a vehicle, considering all the circumstances, poses a significant danger to the public.”
Frank Jang with the Integrated ********* Investigation Team (IHIT) is pictured near a ********* in Burnaby, British Columbia on Feb. 12, 2021.
RCMP say that if drivers’ vehicle modifications aren’t within legal limits, they could be ticketed or have their vehicles towed. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Const. Sherri Wade with Nanaimo RCMP said the pickup truck was taken for inspection after the ******, and police determined the modifications weren’t within legal limits.
“You can certainly make modifications, the Motor Vehicle Regulations make it so that you are allowed to have modifications,” she told Jason D’Souza, host of CBC’s All Points West. “They just give you pretty specific instructions.”
LISTEN | Vehicle modifications were considered to be a factor in the fatal ******
Wade says that a vehicle’s suspension height cannot be altered by more than 10 centimetres, and any tint on the windshield cannot be lower than 75 millimetres below the top.
The officer says that if police find that vehicle modifications aren’t within legal limits, drivers could be ticketed or their vehicles towed, and the owner must then pay the towing fees and modify it as per regulations.
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Google Maps blocks Gulf of America reviews after rename criticism
Google Maps blocks Gulf of America reviews after rename criticism
Google Maps has blocked reviews for the Gulf of Mexico, after criticism of its decision to label it “Gulf of America” for users in the US.
The tech giant updated the name of the location on Wednesday after President Donald Trump ordered it to be changed in official government documents.
Clicking on the label for the Gulf in Google Maps now brings up a note saying “posting is currently turned off”.
Google also appears to have deleted some negative reviews left in the wake of its name change.
The BBC has asked the company for comment.
“Some types of places are more likely to receive posts, like reviews, that violate Google’s policies,” the label added to the Gulf result states.
“To prevent this, Google has turned off posting.”
The most recent review left for the location result on Google Maps now appears to be from a month ago.
Some users are claiming on social media that negative reviews they posted to object to the change have been removed, and have accused Google of “censorship.”
So-called “review-bombing” has become a popular form of online protest against companies or businesses that appear in Google Search or Maps results.
The tactic has also been deployed to manipulate an app’s ratings on mobile marketplaces.
In 2020, people used it to criticise President Trump’s then-proposal to ban TikTok – reportedly leaving hundreds of critical reviews on his re-election campaign app on Apple’s App Store.
It was also used by GameStop traders to hit back at stock-trading apps such as Robinhood that introduced trading restrictions amid the 2021 market upset.
Google says it takes action to prevent abuse of its review mechanisms by using automated methods to detect “unusual patterns” of activity – such as a location or business having a sudden spike in one star reviews.
It adds action may include temporarily disabling contributions to listings or removing “policy-violating content” to prevent abuse of its tools or fake reviews.
Forbes reported on Thursday that the company had “tacitly admitted” to removing reviews criticising the Gulf location’s renaming on Maps.
The BBC has asked Google to confirm whether it has deleted them.
It comes after Google said in a blog post on Monday that US users would see “Gulf of America” replace Gulf of Mexico on Maps.
It said this followed a “longstanding policy” of reflecting name changes updated in official US government sources.
The name would remain unchanged in Mexico and the rest of the world would see “Gulf of America” added next to its current name in brackets, Google added.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote a letter to the company asking them not to rename the Gulf in a letter in late January.
Meanwhile, Apple has also changed the name for US users of its own Maps app.
The White House highlighted it in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday – with an image of Apple Maps displaying “Gulf of America” instead of Gulf of Mexico.
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How to upgrade towns to cities in Civilization 7
How to upgrade towns to cities in Civilization 7
One of the four Xs in 4X games like Civilization 7 is expand. You will never grow fast enough to compete with the other Leaders if you stick to just your starting capital city. An obvious but essential tip for Civilization 7 is to quickly expand out and found new towns to get more resources. As useful as towns are, you will eventually want to convert some of them into full cities for even greater benefits. The tutorials will tell you this is possible, but leaves out the important detail of exactly how. It won’t take long, but will cost you plenty of gold.
2K Games
How to upgrade towns to cities
Once you have sent a settler out and established a town, it will begin funneling some resources back to your capital. Until you upgrade them to towns, the only way to expand them is to purchase new infrastructure with gold. Towns don’t require much attention, but you get more benefits such as creating military units and being able to accept more resource bonuses if you’re willing to manage multiple cities. The only requirement you need when ready to upgrade towns to cities is decent chunk of gold.
Step 1: Create a settler and have them establish a town on an eligible tile on the map.
Step 2: Once the town is established and you want to convert it into a full city, click on the main town tile where you can pull up the list of purchase options.
2K Games
Step 3: Tucked away at the very bottom border of the menu is the option to upgrade the town and how much gold it will cost.
Be aware that the price to convert a town into a city will go up with each additional city you have.
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HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review: a high-performing Chromebook for productivity and entertainment
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review: a high-performing Chromebook for productivity and entertainment
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch: Two-minute review
The HP Chromebook Plus has a high-spec for this class of device, hoping to offer seamless performance whether you’re working, browsing, streaming, or gaming. Its two-tone dark grey and ****** color scheme does little to elevate its appearance, but it’s inoffensive enough to suit any situation. Its overall form is sleek, though, and the relative lightness and thinness are bonuses too.
What’s more, the build quality is high, thanks to its solid construction and premium feel to every surface, including the keys and trackpad. I also appreciated the thin side bezels around the display, letting it make full use of the space. It’s a small shame, though, that the lid doesn’t open particularly wide.
The port selection is not bad for a Chromebook, if a little sparse. However, it has most of the important interfaces that most users would need, including two USB-C ports either side that can both be used for charging, which is very convenient. However, it’s a little strange that they aren’t at the very rear of each side (the audio jack precedes the one on the left, while the USB-A port precedes the one on the right), but I’m nitpicking here. There’s also a microSD slot to round-out the line-up.
In use, the HP Chromebook Plus acquits itself very well. Navigating ChromeOS and using its various interface features, such as window switching, is a largely seamless experience. Productivity apps are handled with ease, although the cramped layout of the keyboard – caused by the inclusion of a number pad – did make typing trickier than with some of the best Chromebook devices, but I adapted somewhat after a while.
Streaming 4K video is within its grasp too, as is light multitasking. I was particularly surprised with its gaming performance, though, as it managed to run Asphalt Legends Unite with high graphics settings pretty much perfectly, which is impressive.
The display of the HP Chromebook Plus is another highlight. Although it might not offer the highest levels of brightness, it’s still perfectly clear, rendering color accurately and vibrantly no matter the viewing angle or lighting conditions.
Battery life is good, with the HP Chromebook Plus lasting close to 11 hours in our test. There are other Chromebooks that last longer, such as the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook, but considering its size and spec, it’s a valiant effort. It also charges relatively quickly.
The original list price of the HP Chromebook Plus is quite steep, but fortunately, we’ve seen it on offer for significantly less, which means it competes with some of the best Chromebooks on the market, like the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 and Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook. It might lack the portability and tablet functionality of these two, but it makes up for this omission with a large screen and great performance, which makes it worthy of your consideration.
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
$549.99 / £449.99 / AU$749
Available now
Can be found for much less
The HP Chromebook Plus costs $549.99 / £449.99 / AU$749 and comes in one colorway. The unit I had was equipped with an Intel Core i3 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, but it can also be configured with an Intel Celeron N4500 Processor and 4GB of RAM.
Despite its nominal price, we’ve seen it for considerably less when we’ve shopped around, sometimes by as much as half price, which brings it in-line with the more budget-friendly competition. This includes the Acer Chromebook Spin 314, which is the best Chromebook overall in our view, thanks to its great display and typing amenability.
There’s also the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook, which is our pick as the best Chromebook for those on a budget. Like the Spin 314, this Chromebook is also convertible, letting you fold it in half to use it like a tablet. However, neither can match the performance of the HP Chromebook Plus, nor are their screens as big, although some may prefer having a smaller device for greater portability.
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review: Specs
My review unit of the HP Chromebook Plus was configured with 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core i3-N305 (8 threads, 3.80GHz)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 – Cell 0
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch
Price:
$549.99 / £449.99 / AU$749
CPU:
Intel Core i3-N305 (8 threads, 3.80GHz)
Graphics:
Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics
RAM:
8GB LPDDR5
Screen:
15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 16:9 aspect ratio, non-touch screen
Storage:
128GB UFS
Ports:
1x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm audio
Wireless:
MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 (2×2), Bluetooth® 5.3
Camera:
1080p FHD camera with privacy shutter
Weight:
3.81lbs (1.73kg)
Dimensions:
14.28 x 9.5 x 0.78 inches (36.26 x 24.15 x 1.98cm)
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Well built
Light and thin for its size
Slightly odd placement of USB-C ports
The HP Chromebook Plus adopts a fairly typical design, with a grey and ****** color scheme that looks more formal than some other Chromebooks. While it’s not the most exciting Chromebook to gawp at, it’s nice to know it’s made from sustainable materials, including recycled aluminum and plastic that otherwise might’ve ended up in the ocean.
What’s more, the high build quality reveals itself on close inspection. The whole body feels solid, yet it’s also quite light and thin for a device this size. It’s not as thin as some other Chromebooks or laptops, but given its 15.6-inch size, it’s relatively easy to carry around and travel with.
Every panel is excellently fitted too. It even comes close to rivalling some of the best MacBook Pro devices in terms of its finely machined construction. The keys follow the same trend, feeling premium to the touch, and tightly slotted with minimal play. The trackpad is smooth and covers a large surface area, which enhances its usability.
The hinge for the lid is easy to operate yet secures the screen in place once open with hardly any wobble. However, it doesn’t open as wide as I would’ve liked, which inhibits its versatility somewhat. But the bezel for the screen is pleasingly thin, especially around the sides, which means the display can make the most of its allotted real estate.
Port selection on the HP Chromebook Plus is good, if a little limited for a device this size. It has two USB-C ports either side, both of which can be used for charging. There’s also a USB-A on the right side, and a microSD slot and 3.5mm audio output jack on the left.
The order of these ports is a little odd, though, since neither USB-C port is at the rear of their respective sides: the audio jack on the left and USB-A port on the right sit behind them. This can cause cables to get crossed when charging, given that many will be positioned with outlets in front of them. However, this is a small grievance in the grand scheme of things.
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Handles most tasks well
Surprisingly good for gaming
Cramped typing layout
Benchmarks
These are the results of our benchmarking tests for the HP Chromebook Plus:
TechRadar Battery Life Test: 10 hours and 41 minutes Jetstream2 Benchmark: 205.246 Kraken Benchmark: 720.3ms Speedometer 3.0: 10.5 (±0.37)
The HP Chromebook Plus performs very well on most counts. ChromeOS is very responsive for the most part, with window switching and other system actions working without much hesitation, making it easy to live with.
It also handles the kinds of tasks Chromebook users typically demand from their devices very well. Light to medium productivity is competently dispatched with, and the 8GB of RAM in my unit meant it barely faltered when multitasking across various apps.
The HP Chromebook Plus is equally capable of entertaining you as well. Watching HD and 4K content is entirely possible, streaming such content without a hitch during my time with it, keeping buffering times to a minimum.
Gaming was also a pleasant surprise. I managed to play Asphalt Legends Unite on high graphics settings at 60fps with hardly a hiccup, which is impressive. It’s certainly not going to trouble the best cheap gaming laptops, but considering the HP Chromebook Plus has integrated graphics rather than a dedicated GPU, it puts in an admirable effort.
I should note that I did try to play Call of Duty: Mobile, but this repeatedly failed to run, crashing almost immediately upon opening. Whether this is a fault of the HP Chromebook Plus or of the game itself – or of the Games app launcher – is hard to determine.
Under heavy and sustained workloads, it can get quite warm towards the rear, but the area is small and it’s not a concern. Thankfully, though, it stays relatively silent.
(Image credit: Future)
For typing, the HP Chromebook Plus is somewhat mixed. The keys feel great, offering plenty of feedback while being easy to actuate. However, since it features a number pad, the layout of the character keys is somewhat squeezed, so it took me a while to get used to the smaller spacing between them, although I was never entirely comfortable with using them.
The trackpad, on the other hand, performs without issue; it’s very responsive and super smooth to swipe with. Despite its large size, I only rarely experienced the occasional mis-click or mis-scroll when resting my palm on it while typing (a position inevitably forced upon me, due to the aforementioned key layout).
One of the main highlights of the HP Chromebook Plus is the display. The 1080p resolution is appropriate for the 15.6-inch size, with only a minimal amount of fuzz on the ChromeOS GUI. It’s also quite vibrant, displaying colors with great accuracy and avoiding the washed-out look that some Chromebooks suffer from.
Most impressively, the display remains clearly visible across a wide range of view angles and lighting conditions – again, not something that can be said about every Chromebook. I even tried using it next to a window with bright sunlight streaking unfavorably across the screen, and it did remarkably well to retain visibility. My one minor gripe, though, is that the maximum brightness isn’t as high as some other laptops and Chromebooks, but for the most part I had no problem with its levels.
The speakers on the HP Chromebook Plus provide clear sound that’s balanced across the frequency range. They generate minimal distortion, and largely eschew the tinny quality that other Chromebook and laptop speakers can suffer from. However, since they’re located underneath, audio can be somewhat muffled, but the effect isn’t so egregious as to ruin the experience.
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review: Battery life
(Image credit: Future)
The HP Chromebook Plus has a good battery life. During our battery test, where I ran a 1080p video on a continuous loop, it managed to last just shy of 11 hours (10 hours and 41 minutes), which falls short of HP’s claim of 13 hours, but is nevertheless an admirable performance.
This places it near the top of the rankings for Chromebooks we’ve tested. It beat what we think is the best Chromebook overall, the Acer Chromebook Spin 314, which only managed a little over 10 hours. However, it couldn’t beat the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook, which achieved over 16 hours.
Charging the HP Chromebook Plus from 30% to full took about 90 minutes, which again is an impressive performance.
Should I buy the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Price
Despite that original price tag, the HP Chromebook Plus can often be found for a lot less, making it great value considering the quality on offer.
4 / 5
Design
It might look fairly nondescript, but the HP Chromebook Plus is built very well, in addition to being surprisingly portable for its size. The keyboard layout is a little cramped, though, and the lid doesn’t open all that wide.
4 / 5
Performance
The HP Chromebook Plus can handle most everyday tasks with ease, and gaming is impressive too. The display is also great, but typing might take some getting used to on that small layout.
4 / 5
Battery life
Considering its size, the HP Chromebook Plus lasts a relatively long time, among the best we’ve tested. It charges quickly as well.
4 / 5
Total Score
The HP Chromebook Plus is a very competent performer all-round, and the display is great to view as well. Typing might be a bit cumbersome owing to the cramped layout, but overall, this Chromebook doesn’t do a lot wrong, and it can be found for a lot less than its list price suggests.
4 / 5
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch: Also consider
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0
HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch
Acer Chromebook Spin 314
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook
Price
$549.99 / £449.99 / AU$749
$380 / £329 (around AU$661)
$349 / £399 / AU$549
CPU
Intel Core i3-N305 (8 threads, 3.80GHz)
Intel Pentium N6000 Processor
1.1GHz Intel Celeron N4020 (dual-core, 4MB cache, up to 2.8GHz Burst)
Graphics
Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics
Intel shared graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 600
RAM
8GB LPDDR5
4GB DDR4
4GB DDR4
Screen
15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 16:9 aspect ratio, non-touch screen
14-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p
11-inch IPS touchscreen, 1,366 x 768 pixels
Storage
128GB UFS
128GB eMMC
64GB eMMC
Ports
1x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm audio
USB Type-C x 2, USB 3.1 x 1 , HDMI x 1
2x USB-C with charging, 2x USB-A 3.1 Gen1, microSD
Wireless
MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 (2×2), Bluetooth® 5.3
Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
802.11AC (2 x 2) WiFi, Bluetooth® 4.2
Camera
1080p FHD camera with privacy shutter
720p webcam
720p webcam
Weight
3.81lbs (1.73kg)
3.42lbs (1.55kg)
2.64lbs ( 1.2kg)
Dimensions
14.28 x 9.5 x 0.78 inches (36.26 x 24.15 x 1.98cm)
26.5 x 326 x 227mm
0.7 x 11.41 x 8.18 inches (17.8 x 290 x 207.8mm)
Here are other Chromebooks to consider besides the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch:
How I tested the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch
Tested for several days
Used for working, browsing, gaming, and streaming
Plentiful laptop experience
I tested the HP Chromebook Plus for several days, during which I used it for working and entertainment.
I typed with it a lot, and made sure to use various productivity apps, such as Google Docs and Google Sheets. I also played games, such as Asphalt Legends Unite, which I tried at various graphics settings. I also streamed video content at various resolutions, including HD and 4K. And I connected headphones and a gamepad via Bluetooth.
I have plentiful experience with all kinds of laptops and Chromebooks, including those designed for productivity and those for gaming. I have experience reviewing laptops and Chromebooks too.
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#Chromebook #15.6inch #review #highperforming #Chromebook #productivity #entertainment
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Rochdale brothers deny assaulting police at Manchester Airport car park
Rochdale brothers deny assaulting police at Manchester Airport car park
Two brothers have denied assaulting police officers in a disturbance at Manchester Airport.
Footage of a fracas at the airport’s Terminal 2 building on 23 July last year was widely shared online.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 25, from Rochdale, pleaded not guilty when they appeared at Liverpool Crown Court earlier.
A trial, expected to last three weeks, has been scheduled at the same court on 30 June.
The court heard Mr Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted PC Zachary Marsden and PC Lydia Ward at the terminal’s car park paystation, causing them actual bodily harm.
He is also accused of the assault of PC Ellie Cook in the same incident and assaulting a member of the public earlier at a nearby Starbucks cafe.
Mr Amaad is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden, causing actual bodily harm.
Both men, of Tarnside Close, had their unconditional bail extended after they entered not guilty pleas.
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#Rochdale #brothers #deny #assaulting #police #Manchester #Airport #car #park
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Bank moratorium ‘too late’ for rural towns left behind
Bank moratorium ‘too late’ for rural towns left behind
The Federal Government has imposed a moratorium on regional bank closures until July 2027 after a wave of shutdowns which left Tom Price residents without a local branch.
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#Bank #moratorium #late #rural #towns #left
Pelican News
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Scientists sound alarm after making disturbing discovery about Earth’s rainfall: ‘Urgent need’
Scientists sound alarm after making disturbing discovery about Earth’s rainfall: ‘Urgent need’
A new study reveals the different mechanisms that are driving “wet-get-wetter, dry-get-drier” extreme weather patterns in southeast Asia.
What’s happening?
The impacts of land use changes and an overheating planet on extreme precipitation events on the Maritime Continent, the region of Southeast Asia, including the islands of Indonesia, the Philippines, and parts of Papua New Guinea, haven’t received much attention. Now, new research has revealed the different mechanisms that are driving extremes of wet and dry weather.
A group of scientists from National Taiwan University found that deforestation due to land use intensifies surface warming. This heightens atmospheric instability and promotes local convection, ultimately resulting in more frequent heavy rainfall events. The scientists also concluded that our warming world expands the atmosphere’s moisture capacity, leading to more intense and extreme precipitation events.
Researchers say their findings have revealed a “wet-get-wetter, dry-get-drier” pattern driven by different mechanisms. Dynamic processes largely control wet extremes under land use changes, while changes in evapotranspiration control dry extremes. However, in a warming world, dynamic processes amplify wet extremes, while a reduction in moisture and weakened atmospheric circulation influence dry extremes.
“By identifying the distinct mechanisms driving these changes, we contribute to a deeper understanding of the region’s hydro-climate dynamics,” according to the study. “The results highlight the urgent need for targeted land management and climate mitigation strategies to address the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in this vulnerable region.”
Why is the report on extreme precipitation patterns important?
The authors of the study say their results will help us better understand the Maritime Continent’s hydro-climate dynamics. They believe their research highlights “the urgent need for targeted land management and climate mitigation strategies to address the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in this vulnerable region.”
Watch now: What’s the true environmental impact of renewable energy?
The region studied has seen several extreme weather events over the past few years alone.
Last November, tropical storm Trami caused devastating flooding and landslides in the Philippines that killed 126 people and forced the evacuation of over 160,000 people.
Research conducted by World Weather Attribution indicates that climate change played a key role in creating the conditions that led to six consecutive typhoons striking the Philippines between late October and mid-November.
What’s being done about mitigating extreme hydro-climate events?
The authors of the study say their research “underscores the need for more detailed analysis to explore these mechanisms further, ensuring a deeper understanding of how they influence future extreme weather events.”
The part that our warming world plays in influencing these events can be diminished by reducing heat-trapping pollution. Donating money to climate causes and supporting eco-friendly initiatives being implemented by mainstream brands can help.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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#Scientists #sound #alarm #making #disturbing #discovery #Earths #rainfall #Urgent
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Baltic skills programme to help reduce European skills gap via Africa
Baltic skills programme to help reduce European skills gap via Africa
IT professionals in Africa are being connected to tech businesses in the Baltic region as part of a European Commission-funded project.
Through a focus on people with skills, the Digital Explorers programme aims to address skills shortages in the Baltic tech sector and increase more business and government engagement between the Baltic nations and African countries.
At the Turing College data science school in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius, the programme has already remotely trained 90 junior to mid-level data analysts from Africa. These trainees will then travel to and work within the Baltic region, particularly within its rich tech startup sector. It is hoped the project will create a model for the wider EU region to follow.
Žilvinas Švedkauskas, managing director at Lithuanian think tank OSMOS, which is behind the project, said it creates “unexpected country partnerships” such as between Lithuania and Nigeria – countries that are “very different”.
“We built the project around people, digital explorers and their digital journeys. We create connections that set the path for more business to business and government to government type of engagement between countries,” Švedkauskas told Computer Weekly.
Digital Explorers began in Lithuania and has since been expanded into all three Baltic countries to also include Estonia and Latvia. In Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are part of the project, which also includes Armenia.
“We are piloting first and foremost, seeing how these sort of arrangements could work on a global scale,” said Švedkauskas.
He added that the training, which is initially remote, exposes the talent in Africa to the practices and modern interaction in the Baltics: “All the mentors are industry professionals, the learning environment very much resembles the way teamwork is organised in tech companies here. We connect talent with the businesses that are looking to find new employees and explore new markets as well as diversify their teams.”
For the junior to mid-level data analysts, the programme is offering internships with participants relocated to the Baltic countries for six months. Digital Explorers subsidises the scholarships and pays the travel costs. “Then it’s up to the company to mentor the intern to provide the working environment,” said Švedkauskas.
After the six-month internship, trainees either return home and get support from Digital Explorers to help them reintegrate or they may remain in the Baltics and get support integrating for the long term. Since 2019, 53 trainees have relocated to the Baltics.
Švedkauskas said the project faces challenges, which need to be overcome through “advocacy and informed persuasion”, adding: “The picture is not all rosy. Immigration regulations are becoming increasingly strict, making relocations and people-to-people exchange challenging, to say the least.”
Mercy Kimalat, CEO of the association of startup and SME enablers of Kenya (ASSEK), a visiting ambassador in the Digital Explorers programme, said: “The startup ecosystem in the Baltics is impressively mature and stable, but it still needs to continue to grow and innovate. This is where global partnerships and fresh talent and ideas could really benefit us all, offering a chance to have honest discussions about resiliency.”
Kimalat said that accomplishing the initiative’s goals is not without its difficulties: “The entrepreneurial environments in both Kenya and the Baltics have faced many challenges over the past couple of years, from rising inflation to regional political perturbations, so it is inspiring to learn how different startup ecosystems continue to thrive and encourage growth.”
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#Baltic #skills #programme #reduce #European #skills #gap #Africa
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Suspected attack injures at least 28 after car rams into Munich crowd
Suspected attack injures at least 28 after car rams into Munich crowd
Members of the emergency services work at the scene where a car drove into a crowd in the southern ******* city of Munich on February 13, 2025 leaving several people injured, police said.
Michaela Stache | Afp | Getty Images
MUNICH, Germany— ******* police said Thursday that at least 28 people were injured when a car plowed into a crowd in the city of Munich in what officials called a “suspected attack.”
The incident came the day before a major security conference attended by world leaders was set to begin.
The car driven by a 24-year-old Afghan struck pedestrians around 10:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. ET) in the city center, and prompted a “major” operation, police said. The driver of the car had been “secured” and poses no further threat, police said.
Press photos from the scene show the car involved was a white Mini, with personal belongings including shoes, a pair of glasses and a stroller strewn across the road.
In a news conference, Markus Söder, governor of the state of Bavaria, provided details on the incident and confirmed it is being treated as a possible attack. Earlier, Munich police said at least two of those hurt were seriously injured.
A large presence of police and firefighters was at the scene and police have warned the public to avoid the area.
Police spokesman Thomas Schelshorn told NBC News at the scene that the possible motive remains unclear, but confirmed that a trade union demonstration had been taking place nearby.
The Munich Security Conference, which is an annual meeting of politicians and defense officials from across the world, is set to get underway on Friday amid a large police presence and tight security protocol.
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to attend, and are slated to meet with U.S. partners in order to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine while at the summit.
The suspected attack comes 10 days before Germany’s federal elections.
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#Suspected #attack #injures #car #rams #Munich #crowd
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Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections – Review – Lords of Gaming
Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections – Review – Lords of Gaming
There are many great fighting game series for people to enjoy. So, here is my review for Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections.
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#Naruto #Boruto #Ultimate #Ninja #Storm #Connections #Review #Lords #Gaming
Pelican News
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China biopharma deals rise with Summit, Merck
China biopharma deals rise with Summit, Merck
A worker is working on a drug production line at the production workshop of a pharmaceutical company in Meishan, China, on January 30, 2024. \
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
A little-known biotech company stunned the biopharmaceutical industry last spring when it declared an “unprecedented” achievement: its experimental ******* drug looked more effective than Merck’s Keytruda in a clinical trial. The company, Summit Therapeutics, licensed the drug from ******** company Akeso Inc.
In October, a group of life science investors announced they were putting $400 million into creating a company called Kailera Therapeutics that would develop experimental obesity drugs it bought from ******** company Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals.
Then in a matter of days in December, Merck disclosed it would license a potential competitor to Summit’s drug and a separate experimental obesity pill – both from ******** companies.
Suddenly, U.S. companies are racing to find medicines in China. Almost 30% of Big Pharma deals with at least $50 million upfront involved ******** companies last year, up from 20% the year before and none only five years before, according to data from DealForma.
“That’s stunning to me,” said Chen Yu, founder and managing partner at crossover fund TCGX. “That’s stunning.”
Yu said 20 years ago, few biopharma companies were interested in China because they considered it a small market. His former firm Vivo Capital pioneered the concept of bringing U.S. medicines to the ******** market.
Today, the movement is going in the opposite direction. He never imagined the proliferation that’s taking place now.
Investors and industry insiders offer a few reasons for the trend: ******** companies are creating better molecules than ever before – and more of them. They can start testing those compounds in humans sooner and at a lower price than in the U.S. Buyers have figured out a business model to essentially import the drugs through licensing deals. Venture funding in China has also dried up, forcing biotech companies to do deals.
One thing all of those people in the industry agree on? This trend isn’t going away.
What’s less clear is what the development means for the U.S. biotech sector.
Some people contend it’s terrible for American startups if large pharmaceutical companies can find a promising drug in China for a fraction of the price. Others argue competition makes everyone better, and American companies will ultimately reap the rewards of bringing medicines to the market. Either way, the influx could reshape the landscape of the U.S. biopharma industry.
“It’s kind of a watershed moment where the pharma industry is like, ‘We don’t really need to buy U.S. biotechs necessarily,'” said Tim Opler, a managing director in Stifel’s Global Healthcare Group. “We will if it makes sense, but we can buy perfectly good biotech assets through licensing deals with ******** companies.”
Bain Capital Life Sciences started making China a priority around 2018, said Adam Koppel, a partner at the fund. The private equity firm saw the ******** government and the life sciences industry making a deliberate effort to evolve from its historical focus on copycat and fast-follower drugs that mimicked leading drugs to creating new chemical matter that China could export to the rest of the world.
Since then, Bain has struck six biopharma deals in China. It bought an experimental asthma drug from Hengrui in 2023 and co-launched a company called Aiolos with a $245 million Series A funding round. GSK acquired the company three months later for up to $1.4 billion.
Koppel sees more large pharmaceutical companies growing comfortable with drugs coming out of China as they work with more of them and see their outcomes, he said. Buyers had held back in part because they worried data from China wasn’t representative of a global population and U.S. regulators wouldn’t accept it.
“As they’re seeing assets then come out, they’re seeing things that are having success, and eventually, as things get approved and used on the market, I think that that concern will become lessened,” he said.
Piotr Swat | Lightrocket | Getty Images
That narrative was on display when Summit Therapeutics last year said its experimental ******* drug beat Merck’s mega-blockbuster Keytruda in a head-to-head study, a feat no other drug has accomplished. Summit’s trial was conducted exclusively in China, making people question if the results would hold up elsewhere.
When Summit’s leaders were shopping for a drug they could develop, they made it a point to look in China because co-CEO Bob Duggan had read more new medicines were coming from the country. But it was late 2022, and the FDA had just rejected a few applications for drugs that were studied only in China, including one from Eli Lilly.
When Summit announced it was licensing the ******* drug ivonescimab from Akeso, people questioned how Summit could do the deal knowing that the FDA would never accept it, said Summit’s co-CEO and President Maky Zanganeh.
“And suddenly after us, a lot of people opened their eyes,” she said.
Ivonescimab had already undergone early studies and was in late-stage trials in China when Summit struck the licensing deal. Summit is now running three global Phase 3 trials to satisfy the FDA’s desire for drugs to be studied in diverse groups of people.
Summit’s strategy could become more common. Investors and other industry insiders said one of the draws about doing deals with ******** biotech companies is they can find molecules that have already undergone early studies at a lower price than in the U.S. So the U.S. businesses know what they’re getting, and they can probably get it for less.
Gilead spends a lot of time in China looking for assets like it does in the U.S. and Europe, the company’s Chief Financial Officer Andrew Dickinson told CNBC. Gilead has seen a “substantial shift” in the quality and quantity of assets being developed in China and being offered to U.S. biopharma companies.
“The transformation over the last five years is real and impressive,” Dickinson said.
It helps that more ******** companies need to do deals now. The amount of venture funds raised by the ******** biotech industry cratered to just $1 billion last year from a peak of $6.3 billion in 2021, according to data provided by TCGX’s Yu.
“Why would we do any early-stage development in the U.S. anymore?” Yu said. “Why wouldn’t we just get clinical proof of concept in China and then bring it over to the U.S. for the expensive clinical development when we actually know the drug works? And I think that could be a very revolutionary new way for our industry to become more efficient.”
That’s an opportunity – or risk – for the U.S. biopharma industry, depending on who you ask. Some, like Yu, see it as a way to bring down the price of prescription drugs. Others worry it could hobble U.S. companies if Merck and other large pharmaceutical companies pass on acquiring American startups in favor of licensing assets from China.
A worker is working on a drug production line at the production workshop of a pharmaceutical company in Meishan, China, on January 30, 2024.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
The day in December that Merck announced it was licensing an experimental obesity pill from China’s Hansoh for up to $2 billion, shares of U.S. company Viking Therapeutics plunged 18%. Viking is seen as an acquisition target since it’s developing drugs in the red-hot obesity space, and suddenly it looked like one possible suitor had chosen to spend its money elsewhere.
People see parallels to what happened in the artificial intelligence space when China’s DeepSeek declared it had created a model that was just as good as U.S. models for much less than American companies are spending.
President Donald Trump or U.S. policymakers could see the similar trend in biotech as a threat and intervene to stop these deals, what Yu calls the “stroke of a pen” risk. Lawmakers last year floated the Biosecure Act that would have restricted U.S. companies from working with ******** contract manufacturers.
Washington has already embraced protectionist policies in other competitive areas like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. It’s possible that could extend to life sciences.
“The deeper message from DeepSeek is that we have competition in the high sciences in general, and moreover that China is making major investments to develop scientific assets,” said Stifel’s Opler.
Put another way: the race in biopharma is on.
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#China #biopharma #deals #rise #Summit #Merck
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London Marathon 2025: Eilish McColgan on Paula Radcliffe record
London Marathon 2025: Eilish McColgan on Paula Radcliffe record
Eilish McColgan expects to break Paula Radcliffe’s 22-year-old British record in the London Marathon – but not on her debut.
The reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion will run her maiden 26.2-mile race in April, two years after she expected to compete in the iconic event on the streets of London.
Injury put paid to her 2023 plan and the Scot feels “rushing” her marathon training contributed to the injuries that meant she was unable to run for nearly six months.
The four-time Olympian says she needs to settle in to this “different chapter” of her career before she will be able to attack Radcliffe’s mark of two hours 15 minutes 25 seconds.
“It’s so unrealistic to think I’m going to go in and break Paula Radcliffe’s record on my first attempt,” said the 34-year-old.
“That’s nonsense. It just isn’t going to happen. But do I think I’m capable of getting down to those times in the future? Absolutely. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I was.
“But I’m playing more of a long game, and just taking things month by month and year by year rather than trying to rush things.”
McColgan believes she was in “the best shape of her life” before she was sidelined, having just broken Radcliffe’s 21-year-old British 10,000m record and improving her own British half-marathon mark in Berlin.
She eventually had knee surgery and while her focus is now on road racing, the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow – where there will be no road events – remains in the back of her mind.
“I learned a lot from 2023. Now I just want to make sure that I build things up gradually, do things properly, and I just want longevity in my career,” she said.
“I still believe that this next Olympic cycle I can be at my best. I still think I can get faster over 5k and 10k.
“But really the marathon is a long-term project. I am going to just try to learn as much as I can from this process, and then try to implement that over the next few years to see how I bridge the gap towards a 2:09 or whatever crazy time they’ve run by then.”
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China biopharma deals rise with Summit, Merck
China biopharma deals rise with Summit, Merck
A worker is working on a drug production line at the production workshop of a pharmaceutical company in Meishan, China, on January 30, 2024. \
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
A little-known biotech company stunned the biopharmaceutical industry last spring when it declared an “unprecedented” achievement: its experimental ******* drug looked more effective than Merck‘s Keytruda in a clinical trial. The company, Summit Therapeutics, licensed the drug from ******** company Akeso Inc.
In October, a group of life science investors announced they were putting $400 million into creating a company called Kailera Therapeutics that would develop experimental obesity drugs it bought from ******** company Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals.
Then in a matter of days in December, Merck disclosed it would license a potential competitor to Summit’s drug and a separate experimental obesity pill – both from ******** companies.
Suddenly, U.S. companies are racing to find medicines in China. Almost 30% of Big Pharma deals with at least $50 million upfront involved ******** companies last year, up from 20% the year before and none only five years before, according to data from DealForma.
“That’s stunning to me,” said Chen Yu, founder and managing partner at crossover fund TCGX. “That’s stunning.”
Yu said 20 years ago, few biopharma companies were interested in China because they considered it a small market. His former firm Vivo Capital pioneered the concept of bringing U.S. medicines to the ******** market.
Today, the movement is going in the opposite direction. He never imagined the proliferation that’s taking place now.
Investors and industry insiders offer a few reasons for the trend: ******** companies are creating better molecules than ever before – and more of them. They can start testing those compounds in humans sooner and at a lower price than in the U.S. Buyers have figured out a business model to essentially import the drugs through licensing deals. Venture funding in China has also dried up, forcing biotech companies to do deals.
One thing all of those people in the industry agree on? This trend isn’t going away.
What’s less clear is what the development means for the U.S. biotech sector.
Some people contend it’s terrible for American startups if large pharmaceutical companies can find a promising drug in China for a fraction of the price. Others argue competition makes everyone better, and American companies will ultimately reap the rewards of bringing medicines to the market. Either way, the influx could reshape the landscape of the U.S. biopharma industry.
“It’s kind of a watershed moment where the pharma industry is like, ‘We don’t really need to buy U.S. biotechs necessarily,'” said Tim Opler, a managing director in Stifel’s Global Healthcare Group. “We will if it makes sense, but we can buy perfectly good biotech assets through licensing deals with ******** companies.”
Bain Capital Life Sciences started making China a priority around 2018, said Adam Koppel, a partner at the fund. The private equity firm saw the ******** government and the life sciences industry making a deliberate effort to evolve from its historical focus on copycat and fast-follower drugs that mimicked leading drugs to creating new chemical matter that China could export to the rest of the world.
Since then, Bain has struck six biopharma deals in China. It bought an experimental asthma drug from Hengrui in 2023 and co-launched a company called Aiolos with a $245 million Series A funding round. GSK acquired the company three months later for up to $1.4 billion.
Koppel sees more large pharmaceutical companies growing comfortable with drugs coming out of China as they work with more of them and see their outcomes, he said. Buyers had held back in part because they worried data from China wasn’t representative of a global population and U.S. regulators wouldn’t accept it.
“As they’re seeing assets then come out, they’re seeing things that are having success, and eventually, as things get approved and used on the market, I think that that concern will become lessened,” he said.
Piotr Swat | Lightrocket | Getty Images
That narrative was on display when Summit Therapeutics last year said its experimental ******* drug beat Merck’s mega-blockbuster Keytruda in a head-to-head study, a feat no other drug has accomplished. Summit’s trial was conducted exclusively in China, making people question if the results would hold up elsewhere.
When Summit’s leaders were shopping for a drug they could develop, they made it a point to look in China because co-CEO Bob Duggan had read more new medicines were coming from the country. But it was late 2022, and the FDA had just rejected a few applications for drugs that were studied only in China, including one from Eli Lilly.
When Summit announced it was licensing the ******* drug ivonescimab from Akeso, people questioned how Summit could do the deal knowing that the FDA would never accept it, said Summit’s co-CEO and President Maky Zanganeh.
“And suddenly after us, a lot of people opened their eyes,” she said.
Ivonescimab had already undergone early studies and was in late-stage trials in China when Summit struck the licensing deal. Summit is now running three global Phase 3 trials to satisfy the FDA’s desire for drugs to be studied in diverse groups of people.
Summit’s strategy could become more common. Investors and other industry insiders said one of the draws about doing deals with ******** biotech companies is they can find molecules that have already undergone early studies at a lower price than in the U.S. So the U.S. businesses know what they’re getting, and they can probably get it for less.
Gilead spends a lot of time in China looking for assets like it does in the U.S. and Europe, the company’s Chief Financial Officer Andrew Dickinson told CNBC. Gilead has seen a “substantial shift” in the quality and quantity of assets being developed in China and being offered to U.S. biopharma companies.
“The transformation over the last five years is real and impressive,” Dickinson said.
It helps that more ******** companies need to do deals now. The amount of venture funds raised by the ******** biotech industry cratered to just $1 billion last year from a peak of $6.3 billion in 2021, according to data provided by TCGX’s Yu.
“Why would we do any early-stage development in the U.S. anymore?” Yu said. “Why wouldn’t we just get clinical proof of concept in China and then bring it over to the U.S. for the expensive clinical development when we actually know the drug works? And I think that could be a very revolutionary new way for our industry to become more efficient.”
That’s an opportunity – or risk – for the U.S. biopharma industry, depending on who you ask. Some, like Yu, see it as a way to bring down the price of prescription drugs. Others worry it could hobble U.S. companies if Merck and other large pharmaceutical companies pass on acquiring American startups in favor of licensing assets from China.
A worker is working on a drug production line at the production workshop of a pharmaceutical company in Meishan, China, on January 30, 2024.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
The day in December that Merck announced it was licensing an experimental obesity pill from China’s Hansoh for up to $2 billion, shares of U.S. company Viking Therapeutics plunged 18%. Viking is seen as an acquisition target since it’s developing drugs in the red-hot obesity space, and suddenly it looked like one possible suitor had chosen to spend its money elsewhere.
People see parallels to what happened in the artificial intelligence space when China’s DeepSeek declared it had created a model that was just as good as U.S. models for much less than American companies are spending.
President Donald Trump or U.S. policymakers could see the similar trend in biotech as a threat and intervene to stop these deals, what Yu calls the “stroke of a pen” risk. Lawmakers last year floated the Biosecure Act that would have restricted U.S. companies from working with ******** contract manufacturers.
Washington has already embraced protectionist policies in other competitive areas like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. It’s possible that could extend to life sciences.
“The deeper message from DeepSeek is that we have competition in the high sciences in general, and moreover that China is making major investments to develop scientific assets,” said Stifel’s Opler.
Put another way: the race in biopharma is on.
Source link
#China #biopharma #deals #rise #Summit #Merck
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Dunk City Dynasty, the street basketball sim, is out now in soft launch for select regions
Dunk City Dynasty, the street basketball sim, is out now in soft launch for select regions
Dunk City Dynasty hits soft launch in Australia and New Zealand
It sees you taking on street-style eleven-point basketball
Your favourite players ditch the jerseys for street clothes in stylish, fast-paced matchups
Those readers of a certain age (not judging) will fondly remember the days of so-called street-style sports sims. With vastly different rules and styles to those emulating the top-flight sports organisations these releases were popular for a reason. And now Dunk City Dynasty, NetEase’s own take on the genre, is set to hit soft launch in Australia and New Zealand
Dunk City Dynasty sees top stars like Kevin Durant and Stephan Curry ditch their jerseys in favour of street clothes as they take to the court for more casual matchups. Alongside today’s news, for example, NetEase unveiled a new 5v5 Full Court Run mode for players to duke it out in style with their own customisable players that can also dress up in the colours of top teams like the Golden States Warriors and Houston Rockets.
And now if you’re playing on iOS and Android in the aforementioned territories you too can enjoy fast-paced 11-point matchups on mobile, as if you were really there on the court! Best of all, rewards like free Star Players, cosmetics and more are available as daily log-in rewards for the soft launch.
Nothin’ but net
Given the rather stiff and rules-heavy nature of official pro tournaments, it’s no surprise that the street style of gameplay has always been popular. It offers more laid-back rules and variety that might otherwise offend the purists amongst fans and allows you to play in whatever whacky way you may desire.
Hopefully, worldwide players won’t need to wait long either as Dunk City Dynasty is slated for a global release later this year. But if you’re looking for a more rules-heavy, even wackier or just plain bizarre take on sports then you don’t need to look far. Just take a gander at our lists of the top 25 best sports games for iOS!
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#Dunk #City #Dynasty #street #basketball #sim #soft #launch #select #regions
Pelican News
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The Fast and the Casual: Is Taco Bell Catching Up to Chipotle?
The Fast and the Casual: Is Taco Bell Catching Up to Chipotle?
There is a clear distinction among consumers between fast food and fast casual food. The latter is more expensive and arguably more nutritious and delicious. In 2024, fast-casual restaurants like Chipotle ******** Grill (NYSE:) and CAVA Group (NYSE:) in the retail/wholesale sector were posting comparable (comp) store sales year-over-year (YoY) growth in the 11.4% to 14.2% range, while fast food restaurants like Yum! Brands (NYSE:) owned Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut struggled with negative to 4% YoY comps sales growth. The tide may be turning for fast food as Taco Bell comps rose to 5% and Chipotle comps fell to 5.4% at the end of 2024.
Yum! Brands: Taco Bell Is Making a Run Past the Border
Yum! Brands operates Taco Bell, KFC, Habit Burger, and Pizza Hut brands. Pizza Hut has been the weaker of the two when it comes to growth.
Taco Bell started 2024 with 4% YoY comp sales, which gradually improved to 5% by Q4.
In worldwide system sales, KFC grew 6%, Pizza Hurt grew 3%, and Taco Bell grew 14% YoY, excluding foreign currency translation.
Comp sales represent sales from stores opened at least a year, whereas worldwide system sales include all stores under a brand, including newly opened stores.
Solid Improvement Towards Year-End
Yum! reported Q4 2024 EPS of $1.61, beating consensus estimates by a penny. Revenues rose 16% YoY to $2.36 billion, meeting consensus estimates. Yum! opened 1,804 gross units, leading to a 5% YoY unit growth. Digital system sales grew 15% and exceeded $9 billion, with a digital mix surpassing 50%.
Taco Bell Exceeds Milestones in 2024
Taco Bell stores grew to 8,757 in 2024, up from 8,564 in 2023. Company-owned Taco Bell restaurant’s margins were 24.4%, up 240 bps YoY. Taco Bell surpassed $1 billion in core operating profit and generated over 50% of system sales through digital channels.
CEO David Gibbs commented, “generating more than $1 billion in core operating profit from the Taco Bell Division for the first time. Taco Bell US delivered an incredibly strong year and one that significantly outperformed the industry, showing clearly that Taco Bell is a category of one brand.”
Yum! provided its long-term financial target metrics it can achieve over an extended *******. The company targets 5% unit growth, 7% system sales growth and at least 8% core operating profit growth, excluding FX and 53rd week.
Chipotle: A Short-Term Dip in the Long-Term Picture
Chipotle posted comps of 11.4% YoY in its Q2 2024, riding high before its CEO Brian Niccol was poached by Starbucks (NASDAQ:).
Then, comps experienced a downturn in the following quarters, hitting 5.4% in Q4 2024.
While Taco Bell improved, Chipotle degraded.
However, this could be a temporary blip in the big picture.
Chipotle Still Posted Double-Digit Growth
For Q4 2024, Chipotle posted EPS of 25 cents, beating consensus estimates by a penny. Revenues grew 13.1% YoY to $2.85 billion, matching consensus estimates. Comp sales grew 5.4% YoY despite expecting comps at 6%. Comps were driven by 4% growth higher transactions and a 1.4% YoY increase in average check. Digital sales represented 34.4% of total food and beverage sales.
Chipotle Targets More Chipotle Lanes
One of the key advantages of Taco Bell is the speed and convenience of picking up orders through the drive-through. Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright confirmed that the company is targeting 315 to 345 new openings in 2025 with a focus on 80% of them having drive-through Chipotle Lanes, “I’m excited to share that we recently surpassed our 1,000th Chipotle lane, and now this drive-through format makes up over 25% of our restaurants.”
Boatwright added, “On average, the Chipotle lane takes less than 30 seconds to complete the order pickup process. The added convenience has been incremental, as Chipotle lanes continue to generate better revenues, margins, and returns than non-Chipotle lanes opened at the same time. It can also be seen in the mix of business as Chipotle lanes have a larger pickup mix, mostly offset by a lower delivery mix.” The company guided comp growth to be in the low to mid-single digits in 2025, which didn’t go over well with the stock as shares rug pulled in the post-market as low as $52.20 briefly before bouncing back up to $57s the following day.
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Twenty injured after car drives into a crowd in Munich
Twenty injured after car drives into a crowd in Munich
Authorities say a driver drove a vehicle into a group of people in Munich, injuring several people.
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The Next Buffett-Backed Stock to Skyrocket? Clues Drop Friday
The Next Buffett-Backed Stock to Skyrocket? Clues Drop Friday
Warren Buffett, widely acknowledged as the world’s most renowned investor, is known for his unique approach and long track record of outperforming the market. Regarded as a premier value investor, Buffett has a keen eye for spotting undervalued opportunities.
As a result, millions of investors globally keep a close watch on the investments made by his company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:), either drawing inspiration from or closely mimicking his strategies.
The 13Fs are Due Tomorrow: What are Warren Buffett’s Latest Portfolio Moves?
Investors looking to stay updated on Warren Buffett’s holdings can refer to SEC filings, as U.S. regulations require large investors to regularly disclose their positions.
The most significant of these filings are the quarterly “13Fs,” which reveal all portfolio changes for the previous quarter. The 13Fs for the fourth quarter of 2024 are scheduled for release this Friday, February 14, after U.S. stock markets close.
Recently, it was reported that Buffett increased his stakes in Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:) and (NASDAQ:) over the past few months.
At that point, investors will be able to see which stocks Buffett has adjusted his positions in and, importantly, which new stocks, if any, have been added to or removed from his portfolio.
Typically, new additions to Buffett’s portfolio experience a notable increase in value once disclosed, while stocks that are sold off tend to see declines.
Staying Informed About Buffett’s Positions
Rather than going through the voluminous 13Fs on the SEC’s user-unfriendly website, many investors rely on tools designed to cut to the chase. One such tool platform InvestingPro’s Ideas section.
Source: InvestingPro
This is a database of billionaire and hedge fund positions, based on 13F filings, which obviously covers Buffett’s investment choices.
Regarding Warren Buffett’s portfolio, we learn that the largest position is Apple (NASDAQ:), which represents 26.2% of the portfolio, followed by American Express (NYSE:) at 15.4% and Bank of America (NYSE:) at 11.9%.
Additionally, it shows that Buffett is currently invested in 26 different stocks, providing a wealth of data on the historical evolution of positions. This allows for a thorough analysis of the Oracle (NYSE:) of Omaha’s portfolio.
AI-managed Strategy To Select Crème De La Crème of Buffett’s Portfolio
The release of the 13F filings will coincide with the quarterly update of the ProPicks AI ‘Best of Buffett’ strategy, which uses specialized AI analysis to select the top stocks from the investor’s portfolio.
This strategy has consistently shown its capability to outperform the markets over the long term while maintaining limited risk exposure.
Source: InvestingPro
The Best of Buffett strategy is available to InvestingPro members along with over 30 other thematic and regional strategies.
As of next month, InvestingPro members will receive a straightforward list of stocks to buy and avoid from Buffett’s portfolio. Subscribe here for less than $9 a month and get the list as soon as it’s out.
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At least 20 injured after driver hits a group of people in Munich
At least 20 injured after driver hits a group of people in Munich
At least 20 injured after driver hits a group of people in Munich
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RTX 5080 power cable allegedly melts at PSU — Redditor reports another 50-series failure
RTX 5080 power cable allegedly melts at PSU — Redditor reports another 50-series failure
We’ve seen several reports of RTX 5090 FE GPUs melting their power cables even though Nvidia has previously said that it was confident that the issue that plagued RTX 4090 GPUs was unlikely to happen again. But as we’re grappling with these melted connectors with the RTX 5090s and their 575-watt TDP, X (formerly Twitter) user HXL spotted a Redditor posting images of their Asus RTX 5080 GPU which had suffered from a melted connector during normal use.
According to u/Ambitious_Ladder1320, their RTX 5080 GPU flashed a red light while they were using their PC, which meant that a pin wasn’t seated properly. The user claimed that both GPU and CPU cables were connected properly, but to troubleshoot the issue, they switched off their computer and reconnected the GPU cable.
Does Rog Lokis molted rtx 5000 gpu 12vhpwr cable from r/ASUS
This seemingly solved the problem, as the warning light disappeared. However, the display resolution and refresh rate dropped and the graphics card switched to PCIe x3 mode. So, they decided to shut down the PC again and reconnect all cables — this was when they discovered that the GPU’s power connector had melted on the PSU side, with the GPU side remaining unaffected.
One thing the user noticed was that they were using an Asus ROG Loki PSU — the same power supply reportedly being used by some other users who were affected by melting cables with their RTX 5090s.
Although what we see could be an issue with the PSU, the melting cable problem isn’t exclusive to the ROG Loki. Some users say that the 12VHPWR and subsequent 12V-2×6 were to blame for the overheating problem. If this is true and the issue lies within the cable design, it needs to be redesigned completely, as the RTX 5080 has a much lower TDP versus the RTX 5090 and even the RTX 4090, and it’s also starting to see melted connectors.
At the moment, we don’t have any confirmation yet whether this was a user error or if there’s something inherently wrong with the cable design. But it seems that Gamers Nexus’ EIC Stephen Burke has taken an interest in the Redditor’s problem and has offered to buy the GPU, PSU, and cable for “testing and for RMA support probing”, even offering to “pay full retail”.
If this was indeed a design problem that’s starting to affect GPUs as they get more power-hungry, then it shows that the hardware parties involved need to upgrade the cable/connector design to avoid issues like these, especially as consumer graphics cards become more powerful. Maybe a solution like Asus’ proprietary slot that does away with the external connector would be a good alternative — but support for such a drastic change wouldn’t come quickly.
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