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Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake review: an authentic return Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake review: an authentic return Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake MSRP $59.99 “Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake gives an NES classic the royal treatment it deserves.” ***** Original RPG is still great Fantastic HD-2D visuals Welcome quality of life features Superb performance ***** Rough difficulty spikes Long load times Early on in the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, I encountered a boss battle so frustratingly difficult that I just wanted to throw my Nintendo Switch at the wall. I was fighting against a group of hoodlums and its head honcho, and had to sit back as they devastated my party with hard-hitting attacks. I eventually won that battle by pure endurance and using up all of my healing items. I left feeling accomplished as a reward for my perseverance, like a true hero. I’m glad that Square Enix preserved the intense difficulty that defined the original NES RPG, whose eccentricities have been faithfully preserved in its new upgrade. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D’s turn-based gameplay may be simple, but its new graphical style complements its retro feel. Those old-school considerations pair perfectly with new modern quality of life improvements that make sure this remake never feels stuck in the past. Off on a quest Dragon Quest 3 follows a silent protagonist simply known as the “hero” who has to save the world from an evil monster named Baramos. They bring along three other companions with virtually no personalities to ****** alongside them. Given that the original game was released in 1988, I wasn’t really expecting an emotionally moving story or a charming cast of characters like later series entries such as the most recent Dragon Quest 11. RPGs during this era didn’t have hugely elaborate plots, so the HD-2D remake lets me focus on Dragon Quest 3’s strong points: its exploration and battle system. There’s just enough here to make it feel new without losing its retro charm. Dragon Quest 3 feels streamlined at first. I’m collecting items such as a wrecking ball and a few keys. Once the party manages to get a ship a bit later in the story, the game opens up much more, letting the party visit new towns to unlock optional side quests to earn items and equipment for the hard journey ahead. The remake includes some great quality-of-life features like an objective marker that lets you know how to progress the story. This alleviates the frustration of wandering aimlessly that many retro games have. You’re also welcome to turn the feature off — and that’s key to the remake’s success. It’s a great way to cater to both veteran players who want to replicate the original experience as well as newcomers who want the convenience of modern games. Additionally, the remake does away with arbitrarily low bag limits on individual items so I don’t have to unnecessarily discard anything to make room for new items that I find. It’s a welcome change that modern RPGs like Dragon Age: The Veilguard have embraced and it makes exploration smoother as I don’t have to go back to put items into storage before heading out. Square Enix I do wish that these quality of life features extended a bit further. Random encounters can’t be turned off and their rate is annoyingly high. You can also only save your progress in a town’s *******, which can be frustrating if you want to do so before stepping into a room with a boss ******. There is a separate autosave that updates after every battle, but that’s only a half-step toward modern convenience, leaving the system in between worlds. As a gamer that appreciates quality of life considerations, these delicate changes felt like they were made to try to keep the original’s difficulty intact, while not alienating modern audiences. Even with some missteps, it succeeds at this balancing act; there’s just enough here to make it feel new without losing its retro charm. Modern facelift Exploration is enhanced by the HD-2D graphical style used here. A sprite-based game like Dragon Quest 3 really benefited from this approach as it really adds to the retro charm. One of the major missteps Square Enix’s other recent remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, made was that the move to full 3D took a lot of personality out of the original. That’s not the case here. The environments are lush with detail; trees, oceans, and buildings all look stunning. Despite being 2D sprites, enemies have as much depth as a 3D model. That has some performance benefits too. The HD-2D remake runs great on Nintendo Switch, with virtually no frame hiccups, although sometimes load times can be a bit longer than I’d like. Waiting to save my progress reminded me of how long older Pokémon games took to do the same. Square Enix All the little upgrades add up without totally paving over the original. For its music, the remake now uses a high-quality orchestral score instead of the older digital instruments. That grand upgrade brings the original soundtrack to life in a much grander fashion, providing musical subtleties that the old NES blips didn’t quite reach. There are a bunch of small touches in battle presentation that give the blank slate party some extra personality, too. The game’s voice acting consists of grunts and effort noises when ******* off attacks. When selecting your party’s moves in battle, the camera pans out into a third-person view to show the entire party, whereas the original only showed a first-person perspective. These additions surprisingly add up quite a bit to make this remake much more expressive without throwing away the original’s minimalistic charm. Old-school battling While the remake gives the original an aesthetic overhaul, battles keep it refreshingly retro. There aren’t any special gimmicks like Persona 3 Reload’s One More or modern Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Terastallizing mechanics in its classic turn-based battles. I simply just take turns with the ****** to dish out attacks. While the battles are very straightforward, there’s depth to how I can build out my party members. I can select their class (choosing from ones like a Mage, Warrior, or Thief) and then reassign them when they reach level 20 while carrying over their skills, reverting them to level 1. This process cuts their stats in half, but makes them stronger in the long run. It’s a foundational version of a class system that would evolve into today’s RPGs — see Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Archetypes — but this simple approach works perfectly for a throwback game like Dragon Quest 3. Square Enix Its age can also be felt in its high difficulty, especially before it gives players strong weapons or resources. There are constant difficulty spikes. Random encounters can be ******* than some bosses. Keeping the party’s equipment up to date sometimes feels prohibitively expensive, as weapons and armor cost a lot of gold. That difficulty did taper off a bit later in the game for me once I got the ship and was able to explore side dungeons to find new items to help out. Even on the easiest difficulty, bosses still hit quite hard. Luckily, the easiest difficulty also prevents the party from ever dying, leaving them with 1 HP. It completely trivializes the game’s brutal difficulty, but I’m not ashamed to say that I set my game to it a few times while going through a rough patch. I just wish there were a better solution for players who want to experience the original adventure and still get a challenge. It’s a real Goldilocks situation. In a time filled with remakes and reboots, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remake is one of the more successful ones I’ve played. It doesn’t have to deal with the debate between fixed and free-form camera angles or whether a 3D graphical overhaul lacked the charm of the original’s presentation. In fact, this is probably the most authentic remake I’ve seen in recent years. It kept close to the original vision that’ll keep veterans happy while adding in just enough sensibilities for modern audiences. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake was tested on Nintendo Switch with a code provided by the publisher. Source link #Dragon #Quest #HD2D #Remake #review #authentic #return Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AMD is purportedly preparing Ryzen 200 “Hawk Point Refresh” APUs — Ryzen 7 255/260 set to replace the Ryzen 7 8745H/8845H series AMD is purportedly preparing Ryzen 200 “Hawk Point Refresh” APUs — Ryzen 7 255/260 set to replace the Ryzen 7 8745H/8845H series AMD is allegedly planning to refresh its Ryzen 8040 or Hawk Point lineup of APUs using the new Ryzen 200 branding—possibly by CES 2025—per the Golden Pig Upgrade Pack. This is to better align AMD’s upcoming offerings—including refreshes—with its existing Ryzen AI 300 series, and future products should be named based on the same nomenclature: Ryzen AI 400, Ryzen AI 500—you get the idea. AMD took the market by storm with its Phoenix APUs (Ryzen 7040) back in 2023 – based on the Zen 4 and RDNA 3 architecture. Last December, AMD revealed the Ryzen 8040 series, “Hawk Point,” which was essentially rebadged Phoenix silicon packaged with a better NPU – still based on XDNA 1. Strix Point, which should’ve been the Ryzen 8050/9050 series, introduced Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5 to the masses using a new Ryzen AI 300 moniker. The ***** suggests AMD is again refreshing Hawk Point (or re-refreshing Phoenix) under the Ryzen 200 series. It is also said that these APUs will lack an NPU, which could be a drawback for some customers as the NPU will likely be fused off – making them inferior to Hawk Point in silicon binning. From the Ryzen 200 lineup, we have the Ryzen 7 255 (rebadged Ryzen 7 8745H) and the Ryzen 7 260 (rebadged Ryzen 7 8845H) to counter Intel’s upcoming Arrow Lake-H mobile family. (Image credit: Weibo) As for the specifications, the same leaker shared AMD’s entire mobile portfolio for the upcoming two years, per which the Ryzen 200 APUs will seemingly pack up to eight Zen 4 cores alongside a 12 CU RDNA 3 iGPU (Radeon 780M). The memory support ******** unchanged at DDR5-5600/LPDDR5X-7500. Customers should exercise great caution when purchasing a laptop this time around. Intel is refreshing Alder Lake with the Core 200H/U lineup of CPUs. Likewise, AMD abandoned its traditional naming convention and hopped on the AI bandwagon, the Ryzen AI 300 series. In tandem with the unintuitive and always-changing naming schemes – the sheer number of refreshes is bound to confuse many people who aren’t as tech-savvy as us. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #AMD #purportedly #preparing #Ryzen #Hawk #Point #Refresh #APUs #Ryzen #set #replace #Ryzen #8745H8845H #series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bitcoin’s Bull Run: On-Chain Data Signals New Demand, $100k in Sight? Bitcoin’s Bull Run: On-Chain Data Signals New Demand, $100k in Sight? prices have continued their impressive run today breaching the 90000 mark for the first time. The world’s largest cryptocurrency is now up around 30% since election day and a 121% YTD as the new generations ‘digital gold’ continues its ascent. The greed around crypto markets is evident at present, can you blame the hodlers? There does seem to be somewhat of a generational shift when it comes to investment flows and this has been reflected in recent data. BlackRocks Bitcoin ETF has now surpassed the holdings of its Gold ETF (NYSE:) and this switch could in part explain the struggles of the precious metal as the new digital Gold grows in popularity. It would be unwise to dismiss this as we have seen in 2024 that the world’s largest cryptocurrency appears to be less volatile than in the past. The reason for this has been touted as institutional adoption which could be part of it. Source: FinancialJuice (click to enlarge) ETF Flows Soar Bitcoin ETFs have seen remarkable inflows over the past week. The last two days however saw close to $2 billion dollars of inflows, led largely by the IBIT ETF. The continuation of ETF flows will be a comfort for fund managers and institutions in particular with market participants expecting less volatile swings as mainstream adoption continues to increase. Can the inflows continue? Source: CoinMarketCap (click to enlarge) On-Chain Data Analysis – New Demand Wave Incoming? Looking at on-chain data analysis from Glassnode, In March, there was a big surge in profit-taking, reaching over $3.1 billion. Over the past seven months, as the market settled, both profits and losses balanced out. This indicates that supply and demand have reset. Now, we’re noticing an increase in profit-taking again, hinting that new demand is coming into the market. We can see changes in the market by looking at the difference between profits and losses. Right now, the market is mostly about profits, with profits being about 47 times ******* than losses. This shows that there are very few people holding Bitcoin at a loss as the market climbs to a new all-time high. Could we see a surge in profit taking that could scupper the rally? Source: Glassnode (click to enlarge) President Trump Plans The US President Elect Donald Trump is already making moves ahead of assuming office on the 20 January 2025. Markets have been buoyed by Trump’s victory with Crypto in particular benefiting. Markets are eyeing ******* regulations under Trump, while Elon Musk has suggested the US Government use Bitcoin to help tackle outrageously high US debt levels. In the coming weeks any further developments and comments by incoming members of Trump’s team may have a knock on effect for crypto. Interesting times ahead indeed. Technical Analysis Bitcoin is trading around 5% higher on the day having breached the $90k barrier. Its is becoming extremely difficult to do any technicals as there is a lack of historical price action. On the upside i will pay attention to the round numbers like $95k before the 100k becomes a real possibility. The downside at least leave something to look at. BTC/USD is trading in overbought territory with the RSI currently in the mid 80’s. Now of course we know that just because the RSI is in overbought territory it does not mean that a sell is imminent but worth paying attention to. Support on the downside may be found at 90000 before 88884 and 86334 come into focus. Lower down we have the 85000 handle and and the 81500 handle to focus on. Bitcoin (BTC/USD) Daily Chart, November 13, 2024 Source: TradingView.com (click to enlarge) Support Resistance Original Post Source link #Bitcoins #Bull #Run #OnChain #Data #Signals #Demand #100k #Sight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Investors pump money into the Trump trade. Here’s how it did last time Investors pump money into the Trump trade. Here’s how it did last time Wall Street has been pumping money into the Trump trade, but investors should be wary before committing capital based on campaign promises, if history is any indication. Investors have been pouring money into stocks tied to Donald Trump’s policies in the weeks before the presidential election and the days since, hoping the President-elect’s return to the White House will favor some companies over others. Bank stocks have surged, with the SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) up about 13% this month. Small-caps surged, with the Russell 2000 gaining about 9%. Bitcoin topped $93,000 for the first time . But that doesn’t mean those bets will pay off, according to the Wells Fargo Investment Institute. In fact, traders raising their exposure to asset classes according to what they assume will win under a Trump (or Biden) administration have been disappointed with past results. “For those investors hoping campaign promises translate into policy-targeted asset outperformance, we would urge caution,” Wells Fargo’s Austin Pickle, investment strategy analyst, wrote on Monday. “There are several instructive examples where investors put too much emphasis on perceived benefits of potential policy changes, only to see policy fail to materialize or policy benefits fail to translate into anticipated returns.” Small-caps, real estate and traditional energy companies — all considered beneficiaries of Trump’s policies — initially rallied following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, only to underperform over the president-elect’s first term, Wells Fargo Investment Institute found. To be sure, a candidate’s policies can be consequential, but should be weighed against broader growth in the economy, whether earnings are expanding and the course of interest rates — all of which more directly influence the equity market, read the Wells Fargo note. On Wednesday, the major averages were little changed in late afternoon trading, losing some steam after their surge to new all-time highs over the past week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 44,000 for the first time, and the S & P 500 soared past 6,000. Here’s a breakdown of different asset classes and how they performed in the past, and more recently. Smallcaps Smallcap stocks, as represented by the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM), are expected to benefit under Trump because of his pro-business policies. From Election Day 2016 through year-end, the asset class outperformed the S & P 500 by 8% on a relative basis. One year after Election Day, however, small-caps gained only a bit more than 2% relative to the broader index. In fact, from Election Day 2016 through Election Day 2020, smallcaps tumbled more than 22%. This month, the IWM has surged 9%. IWM 1M mountain IWM Real estate Then there’s the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) , which could get a boost from Trump’s promises to cut back on regulations and loosen permitting requirements tied to the housing market. In 2016, however, the XLRE fell more than 4% relative to the S & P 500, immediately after Election Day through the end of that calendar year. Expand the timeline to one year out from Election Day, and the ETF underperformed the broader index by 11%. Over the entirety of Trump’s term, the sector tumbled more than 40%. In November, the XLRE is slightly down on the month. Energy Energy stocks are expected to get a huge boost from Trump, who made energy a focus of his presidential campaign , and promised to “drill, baby, drill.” However, the sector, as represented by the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) , was a sore spot for the duration of Trump’s presidency. On Election Day 2016 through to the remainder of that year, the XLE gained 4% relative to the S & P 500. But then, one year from that’s year’s Election Day, it tumbled 11%. Across Trump’s entire four-year term, energy stocks plunged. This month, the XLE gained 7%. XLE 1M mountain XLE — CNBC’s Fred Imbert contributed to this report. Source link #Investors #pump #money #Trump #trade #Heres #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best ergonomic keyboards for 2024 The best ergonomic keyboards for 2024 1 / 5 Ergonomic keyboard hand positions A standard keyboard keeps your arms tight to your body and makes you splay your hands outward at the wrists. Staggered vs columnar This decision seems to be one of the more hotly-contested among ergo enthusiasts. A conventional keyboard has staggered keys, with each row slightly offset to the rows above and below it — so the A key is about halfway between the Q and W above it. This is a holdover from vintage mechanical typewriters, in which each press activated a hammer that smashed ink onto paper in the shape of a letter. To fit the hammers as close together as possible, while still allowing for finger pads, the keys were staggered. Columnar or ortholinear keyboards stack the keys in orderly columns, often with rows that are not linear. Proponents claim this makes the keys easier to reach. Whether that’s true will be up to your fingers to decide, but I can say for certain that if you learned to type on a staggered keyboard, switching to a columnar layout is tough. It will take days, possibly weeks before you instinctively hit the C key. The N, M and B keys don’t fare much better. Programmable keys With a few exceptions, most ergonomic keyboards will work with PCs or Macs as a standard typing input, but the use of function and hot keys may require some remapping. It can be as easy as an onboard switch to toggle between Mac and PC layouts, or as involved as downloading software to change up the keys. Some boards even include (or let you buy) extra keycaps to change, say, the Mac’s Command and Option keys to PC’s Start and Alt buttons. For some boards, remapping or programming keys is a crucial feature. Gaming peripherals have extra keys that you can set to ******** a series of keystrokes with the push of a single button. Keyboards that work with layers, in which a single button can perform several functions, typically allow you to change what those are. Some ergo keyboards have non-standard layouts, like thumb clusters with multiple keys near the space bar that you operate with your thumb. You’ll also be able to program those. Other considerations Ergonomic keyboards come in mechanical, membrane, and scissor switch versions. Which works best for you is, again, up to your preference. I won’t get too deep into the particulars here, as we have an entire guide devoted to mechanical boards, but the short of it is that membrane and scissor switches are less customizable than mechanical and typically cheaper. Typing on them tends to be quieter and softer. Mechanical switches are more customizable, offer a more responsive typing experience and are usually pricier. You’ll also have the option of wired or wireless ergonomic boards. All other things being equal, wired models are less expensive. Competitive gamers who rely on split-second responses may prefer the zero-lag of wired keyboards. Wired models also never run out of battery life and have fewer connectivity issues. But wireless keyboards keep your desk less cluttered. Some ergonomic keyboards come with permanent or removable wrist or palm rests, which can be cushioned or hard. This is another area where opinions diverge: proponents claim they help you maintain a neutral hand position, while detractors say they put pressure on the tendons in your wrist and can exacerbate conditions like carpal tunnel. Ideally, your palms should be resting, not your wrists, and you might find you like having that support or you may find the pressure uncomfortable. Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget How we tested ergonomic keyboards All our guides begin with extensive research to figure out what’s out there and what’s worth testing. We consider brands with good reputations that we’ve heard good things about from colleagues and look at keyboard reviews in forums and other trusted publications. For this guide, I looked for keyboards with ergonomic features like tenting, split keys, palm support and so on. I also zeroed in on boards that didn’t require a deep amount of familiarity with the vast and exhaustive world of custom keyboards. Once I settled on ten boards, I acquired them and used each one for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. I tried out the remapping and macros software and considered the comfort, design, price and durability of each model before arriving at picks I think will work best for the most people out there. Best ergonomic keyboards for 2024 Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget Ergonomic features: Alice split, center tenting, optional negative tilt, wrist rest | Host connection: Bluetooth or USB receiver | Switch type: Scissor | Hotkey compatibility: Mac and Windows | Ten key: Yes | RGB lighting: No | Programing interface: Logi Options+ (app) | Language/Layout: QWERTY The Ergo K860 from Logitech closely resembles a standard, full-size keyboard, so there’s not much of a learning curve. But subtle changes like the Alice layout, tented middle and optional negative tilt make typing noticeably more ergonomic. Logitech makes some of our favorite PC accessories, and the reasons why are all evident with this keyboard: it connects quickly and reliably via Bluetooth, the build is solid and feels high-quality and it’s reasonably priced at $130 (and is often on ***** for around $100). It’s compatible with more recent iterations of Windows, MacOS, iPadOS, ChromeOS and Linux, though you’ll need software to support non-basic key functions for the latter two operating systems. There are three switching buttons that swap between previously connected devices, and the board speedily swapped between a MacBook and a PC laptop in my tests. Built-in function keys like volume and brightness worked well and the Option/Start and Command/Alt combo keys worked correctly depending on which computer was connected to. The rotated Alice-split design and raised center made a difference in the way I held my arms as I typed, allowing me to keep my elbows comfortably away from my ribs and my palms rotated inward instead of forcing them flat. The palm rest is springy but firm (albeit not removable) and the arrow keys and a numeric keypad on the right side put all possible keys within reach. Unfortunately, that adds length to that side of the board, which forces your mouse farther out. The scissor switch keys can feel mushy if you’re coming from a mechanical board, but they’re responsive enough. Logitech offers software for programming the keys, but this model will likely appeal most to those looking for a plug and play option. For a mechanical Alice keyboard with both wireless and wired capabilities, I recommend the Periboard 835. The Mac and Windows-compatible board has a solid build, low profile switches, RGB lighting, comfortable tenting and a few extra programmable keys. ***** Rotated keys and palm wrest make typing comfortable Wirelessly connects quickly to three devides Hotkeys work with MacOS and Windows ***** Takes up a large footprint Wrist wrest is not removable $110 at B&H Photo Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget Ergonomic features: Fully split | Host connection: USB-C port | Switch type: Mechanical (tactile or linear) | Hotkey compatibility: Mac and Windows | Ten key: No | RGB lighting: Yes | Programing interface: QMK/VIA (browser) | Language/Layout: QWERTY If you (expertly) sawed a mechanical keyboard in two, it would look like the Keychron Q11. You can even push the two halves back together to make it look like a standard, 75 percent mechanical board (though once you discover the expediency of a snack bowl between the halves, I don’t know why you’d do that). Keychron is widely respected in the mechanical keyboard world because they make keyboards with an impressive build quality that aren’t astronomically expensive. Like all Keychron devices, you can buy this one assembled or barebones, to which you can add your own keycaps and switches. I tested a fully assembled model with Gateron G Pro Red linear mechanical switches, which provide smoother action and a quieter clack than tactile or clicky switches. The keycaps are made from PBT, a higher-quality polymer than the ABS plastic keys found in less expensive keyboards. The machined aluminum body feels substantial and there’s no wobble. All of that combined creates a luxe and durable feel and a satisfying, buttery clack as you type. The assembled version comes with keycaps (and a keycap puller) to set up the board for either Mac or Windows. A switch at the top of the board toggles between the two operating systems, ensuring the function keys act appropriately. Extra keys include the two customizable knobs at the top corners and five macro keys to the left of the board. Those and the rest of the board can be programmed with open source keyboard firmware QMK and VIA, which most Keychron boards are compatible with out of the box. I have very basic keyboard needs so I used VIA to give the right knob zoom capabilities, make the M1 key open a clipboard manager and have the M2 key ******** a screenshot. Programming with VIA requires the use of keycodes and you’ll need to define macros within the app to get the knob to do more advanced things beyond the pre-selected options, but the implementation of your new instructions is instantaneous (and quite satisfying). The only drawbacks are the lack of tenting and the rather short USB-C bridge cable connecting the two sides. I found I wanted a little more separation than nine inches, so I swapped it for a longer cord. But there’s no easy fix for the lack of center lift. ***** High quality build Smooth and buttery mechanical keys Fully split keys keep your hands at a comfortable distance apart Easily toggle between Mac and Windows systems ***** No center tenting Short bridge cable included $220 at Amazon Kensington Ergonomic features: Alice split, center tenting, optional negative tilt, wrist rest | Host connection: Bluetooth or USB receiver | Switch type: Membrane | Hotkey compatibility: Windows | Ten key: No | RGB lighting: No | Programing interface: Kensington Konnect | Language/layout: QWERTY The compact Kensington Pro Fit Ergo sells for $70 at full price, but is often on ***** for around $55. That makes it a good budget board, but it feels much more premium than the price tag suggests. The membrane keys are surprisingly springy and the low profile keycaps make typing easy. The wrist rest, especially when combined with the negative tilt, hits my palms at just the right spot, not putting pressure on my tendons while keeping the backs of my wrists straight. Of course, different hand sizes will have different experiences, but my men’s medium/women’s large mitts were comfortable. It connected easily via Bluetooth or radio dongle to both the Mac and PC I tried, staying reliably connected and woke quickly from sleep. And the LED indicator for the rechargeable battery stayed green (full) over the month or so of testing in which I used it and stored it intermittently. Recharging is simple via the USB port. While it’s simple to switch to a Mac or Windows layout, the keyboard works better as a PC peripheral. Kensington’s software allows you to reprogram the function keys and a few specialty keys with shortcuts or macros but I couldn’t get the software to work with my Mac. It performed fine with my PC laptop, but this probably isn’t the keyboard to get if you want minute, customized key remapping anyway. If you just want a relatively inexpensive keyboard that’s far more comfortable to type on than most, this is a good one to grab. $55 at Amazon Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget Ergonomic features: Fully split, center tenting, thumb cluster | Host connection: USB-C port | Switch type: Mechanical (tactile, clicky, linear) | Hotkey compatibility: Mac and Windows | Ten key: No | RGB lighting: Yes | Programing interface: Oryx (browser) | Language/Layout: QWERTY (programmable) A rep I spoke with at ZSA warned me about the Voyager, saying the board has an effect “like a brain injury: A moment ago you knew how to type, and now you don’t.” That’s exactly how I felt after plugging in the impossibly compact accessory. For one, the columnar layout puts keys (particularly those on the bottom row) in spots you don’t intuitively reach for. Then there’s a thumb cluster where you’ll find not just the space bar, but other important keys like return. Finally, the board uses layers, giving each key up to three functions. I actually had to interrupt testing at one point and plug in another keyboard because I just felt too slow and disconnected like I was typing with oven mitts on. However, now that I have the hang of how the Voyager works, it feels magical. Rarely do my hands need to leave the home position, yet every key I need on a regular basis is easily accessible. Since you don’t need to reorient your fingers when you use arrow keys, hit the mute button or type with the number pad, you’re always in the same position, which can save you some serious accumulated time. Your thumbs, which are fairly dexterous, are capable of doing more than just mashing the spacebar; here, they operate the return key, tab button and can even initialize layers. The fully split and extra compact design let you position the two boards anywhere they feel comfortable and the optional magnetic legs give it a subtle but effective center tenting. Where some keyboards offer remapping capabilities as a nice-to-have feature, the majority of people will likely want to use either the browser-based Oryx configurator or Zsa’s Keymapp app to switch up what these keys do. It took me multiple tries to get them set in a way that worked for me, so I got pretty familiar with Oryx. It doesn’t require you to lookup keycodes, instead giving you a vast library of searchable commands. But changes aren’t implemented automatically — you have to flash the keyboard’s firmware by pushing a button at the top edge of the device to make the changes. Certain system-specific functions, like the Mission Control key on a Mac, need to be programmed using key sequences (in this case, control + down arrow). And occasionally the board will mistake a single tap for a tap and hold (which often enables a second function). I also flashed the board once and lost all use of the right side, but reflashing fixed it. The Voyager is not for someone looking for a quick adjustment to improve their ergonomics. It’ll take weeks of practice and reprogramming (both the board and your brain) before typing feels fluid again. I recommend keeping a screenshot of your latest Oryx-configured layout on your desktop for reference until you remember which keys do what. That said, once things start clicking, the Voyager really does maximize your output while minimizing your movements. If you want something fully split with thumb clusters and a columnar layout but that’s a little less minimal — and wireless to boot — the Advantage 360 from Kinesis, makers of the popular Advantage 2 is a good one to check out. It looks like it comes from an ‘80s-era IBM office but is somehow also from the future. The tenting goes from low to intense and the keys curve concavely to meet your fingers where they naturally land. The 360 is per-key programmable, works with layers and has four macros keys. ***** Fully split board Center tenting for a natural hand position Thumb cluster lets your thumb do more work Compact size and clever key mapping keep your hands in the home position ***** Difficult to relearn ortholinear layout Takes time to program and learn the right key functions $365 at ZSA Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget Ergonomic features: Fully split, columnar keys, thumb cluster, wrist rest, optional tenting and negative tilt (additional cost) | Host connection: Wired or Bluetooth and USB receiver (wireless costs extra) | Switch type: Mechanical (tactile, linear or clicky) | Hotkey compatibility: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS & Android | Ten key: Programmable | RGB lighting: Yes | Programing interface: Bazecor | Language/layout: QWERTY (but programmable to any layout) Like the Zsa Voyager, The Dygma Defy is another fully split, columnar board with thumb clusters and keys and layers that are per-key programmable. It has a little more going on than the Voyager, with full sized keycaps, built-in wrist rests and twenty more keys, including eight keys in each thumb cluster. The programming software, Bazecor, is super simple to figure out, making it easy to program shortcuts, macros and layers (again, sticking a screenshot of your keys layout on your desktop will help as you learn what you’ve programmed each key to do). The keys are a delight to type on with springy and responsive mechanical switches. As a whole, the Defy feels well designed and the (detachable) wrist rests have a just-right consistency. Optionally, you can add an LED underglow, tenting mechanisms and wireless capabilities (Bluetooth and RF) but each add-on increases the price by $70, $80 and $90, respectively. That brought the fully kitted-out version I tested to $609. Without those, it’ll run you $369. That’s very close in price to the Voyager, which doesn’t have an underglow or wireless capabilities. The Voyager does include tenting knobs, but the lift is minimal at about a half an inch. At its maximum setting, the Defy’s tenting brings the halves nearly vertical. The Defy is a well-made, deluxe board, especially with the add-ons. It’s probably best for those who prefer a maximalist working setup and need lots of extra options for programmable keys. I found myself at a loss for what to do with all the keys and had a tough time keeping them all straight. Plus my cluttered desk felt like it was sacrificing a bit too much room to accommodate the two sizable halves. For me, the Voyager strikes a better balance between offering extra keys and taking up minimal desk real estate. ***** Premium build 16 thumb cluster keys Programming software is easy to use ***** Expensive, especially with optional features High learning curve $369 at Dygma Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget Ergonomic features: Fully split, center tenting, removable wrist rest | Host connection: USB-A cable | Switch type: Mechanical (tactile, clicky, linear) | Hotkey compatibility: Mac and Windows | Ten key: No | RGB lighting: Yes | Programing interface: SmartSet (app) | Language/Layout: QWERTY As I said in our guide to ergonomic mice, my sporadic, console-only gaming does not make me a gamer. But I have a decent understanding of what gamers might like. PC gamers who rely on the WASD keys may appreciate not having to contend with the right side of a keyboard at all, and instead use that space for their mouse. The Freestyle Edge from Kinesis is a gaming variation on the brand’s original Freestyle 2 is a fully split model with Cherry MX mechanical switches. The tactile Brown ones in my tester unit had a satisfying click and a not overly loud clacky noise. The wrist rests are removable and clever folding legs give you three height options for tenting and can also be removed completely. It is backlit, with per-key RGB lights and nine macros buttons that can be programmed with the configuration app or without it using keyboard commands. All of this may appeal if you’re looking for a programmable gaming keyboard with a few ergonomic tricks. Just keep in mind that all of those features add up to a somewhat bulky peripheral. ***** Fully split means you can just use the left half High degree of optional tenting Additional programmable shortcut keys ***** Somewhat bulky Built-in cables are not customizable $199 at Amazon Other ergonomic keyboards we tested Goldtouch Elite Adjustable I remember wondering if something like the Goldtouch Elite Adjustable existed when I first started testing ergonomic keyboards. It didn’t at the time, as far as I could tell, but now a connected yet adjustable split board is indeed a product you can buy. It’s a solidly-built board and the ball ****** connecting the two halves feels like it will put up with a lot of use. A squeeze of the lever at the top of the keys lets you set the board just how you like, adjusting both the vertical tenting and the angle between the two halves. There’s no programming to speak of, just the ability to swap a few function keys like print screen and home. Unfortunately, the tenting doesn’t work for me. Because of the extra keys at the outer edges, raising the middle edges upwards lifts the center keys considerably, which brings my wrists and forearms off the desk instead of letting them rest. Holding them like that created extra neck and shoulder strain on my part, which is sort of the opposite of the goal. But if you’re not into tenting anyway and want a flat, Alice-split board with an adjustable splay, this works quite well. Kinesis Form Split Touchpad Keyboard The idea behind the Kinesis Form Split Touchpad Keyboard is pretty ergonomic: put the trackpad between the two halves and minimize travel for your mouse hand. The distance between the two puts your elbows at a comfortable distance and keeps your wrist nearly in-line with your forearms. The build is excellent, with low profile mechanical switches that feel smooth and just the right amount of clacky. The trackpad is responsive, but gestures only work with Windows computers. Even dragging and dropping doesn’t work on a Mac here, so I don’t see Apple users getting much use out of the board. I also found myself wishing for the slightest rotation of the keys — though they’re a good distance apart, a slight angle would keep my wrists fully unbent. There’s no tenting or negative tilt either, both of which could help a bit more, ergonomically speaking. Logitech Wavekeys While it’s a perfectly fine and affordable Bluetooth keyboard, the Logitech Wavekeys has minimal ergonomics. The keys rise up slightly in the middle and there’s a comfortable wrist rest attached, but the layout is the same as any other keyboard, with no splitting of the keys to open up your arms or keep your wrists straight. Source link #ergonomic #keyboards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

We must use genetic technologies now to avert the coming food crisis We must use genetic technologies now to avert the coming food crisis There are two monumental problems with the world’s food system. Firstly, hundreds of millions of people can’t afford to buy enough nutritious food to stay healthy. Secondly, it is incredibly destructive. We are still razing rainforests to make way for ranches, and both conventional and organic farms produce all kinds of pollutants, with food systems generating more than a third of greenhouse gases. As the world soars past a 1.5°C rise in temperature (see “2024 is set to be the first year that breaches the 1.5°C warming limit”), things could get much worse. But there is plenty we can do, from eating less meat to reducing food waste (see “Is the climate change food crisis even worse than we imagined?”). With the amazing advances in genetic technologies in recent years, there is also huge scope to improve the plants and animals that provide our food. We can make them more nutritious, healthier, better able to cope with changing conditions and less susceptible to ********* that are thriving as the world warms. We should also be able to create plants that need less fertiliser and capture more of the sun’s energy. It is astounding that most countries aren’t investing heavily in improving crops The benefits from all this would be enormous: more food from less land, lower prices, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and less chance of viruses such as H5N1 bird flu causing another pandemic. So it is astounding that most countries aren’t investing heavily in improving crops. There is some private investment, but those companies are unlikely to make their technologies freely available, slowing their adoption. We are also restricted by the notion that more “natural” means of farming are better, with opposition to genetically modified (GM) crops making it difficult and expensive to get them approved. This is starting to change, with many countries making it easier for gene-edited crops and animals to get to market, but we need more action – and fast. The idea that organic food is better for the planet and GM foods are worse for it is a false narrative that hides a much more unpalatable reality: that continuing as we are will lead to even more destruction and increased hunger. Topics: Source link #genetic #technologies #avert #coming #food #crisis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The brand-new and improved Apple MacBook is already $200 off for ****** Friday The brand-new and improved Apple MacBook is already $200 off for ****** Friday Apple launched the 16GB version of the latest MacBook Air just two weeks ago and announced it was discontinuing the 8GB version. So, it comes as a bit of a surprise to see that this newer 16GB RAM model has already been significantly discounted ahead of ****** Friday. You can now get the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) at Amazon for $899.99 (was $1,099.99). That’s a great price for TechRadar’s pick for the best MacBook you can buy right now as it excels as a school or work laptop. The $200 discount on the model with 16GB of memory actually makes it cheaper than models with more storage, which is a fair trade in our eyes for the overall boost in performance. If you do want to double the storage, you can upgrade to the 512GB version for an extra $200. Today’s best Apple Macbook deal In our Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review, we awarded it a full five stars for its performance, fan-less design, battery life, and relatively modest price given the power on offer. Its crown jewel is the M3 chip with its 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, powerful enough to support Apple Intelligence. Our reviewer reported over 14 hours of battery life compared to the 18 hours Apple advertised, but even that’s impressive enough to leave the charger at home. Its lightweight, portable build makes it ideal for travelling or commuting, too. One of our only gripes was its weak specs, which is a lot better now that Apple has doubled the RAM in the base model. It’s also a much more respectable price at its current rate. If you’ve been meaning to upgrade to a more competent Apple laptop, now’s your chance to get one of the best for under $900. If you’re torn between different models, you can compare them in our MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro guide to see what’s best for you. If you’re more of a Windows person, I’d recommend checking out our best Windows 11 laptops instead. More of today’s best ****** Friday deals Source link #brandnew #improved #Apple #MacBook #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Investors pump money into the Trump trade. Here’s how it did last time Investors pump money into the Trump trade. Here’s how it did last time Wall Street has been pumping money into the Trump trade, but investors should be wary before committing capital based on campaign promises, if history is any indication. Investors have been pouring money into stocks tied to Donald Trump’s policies in the weeks before the presidential election and the days since, hoping the President-elect’s return to the White House will favor some companies over others. Bank stocks have surged, with the SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) up about 13% this month. Small-caps surged, with the Russell 2000 gaining about 9%. Bitcoin topped $93,000 for the first time . But that doesn’t mean those bets will pay off, according to the Wells Fargo Investment Institute. In fact, traders raising their exposure to asset classes according to what they assume will win under a Trump (or Biden) administration have been disappointed with past results. “For those investors hoping campaign promises translate into policy-targeted asset outperformance, we would urge caution,” Wells Fargo’s Austin Pickle, investment strategy analyst, wrote on Monday. “There are several instructive examples where investors put too much emphasis on perceived benefits of potential policy changes, only to see policy fail to materialize or policy benefits fail to translate into anticipated returns.” Small-caps, real estate and traditional energy companies — all considered beneficiaries of Trump’s policies — initially rallied following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, only to underperform over the president-elect’s first term, Wells Fargo Investment Institute found. To be sure, a candidate’s policies can be consequential, but should be weighed against broader growth in the economy, whether earnings are expanding and the course of interest rates — all of which more directly influence the equity market, read the Wells Fargo note. On Wednesday, the major averages were little changed in late afternoon trading, losing some steam after their surge to new all-time highs over the past week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 44,000 for the first time, and the S & P 500 soared past 6,000. Here’s a breakdown of different asset classes and how they performed in the past, and more recently. Smallcaps Smallcap stocks, as represented by the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM), are expected to benefit under Trump because of his pro-business policies. From Election Day 2016 through year-end, the asset class outperformed the S & P 500 by 8% on a relative basis. One year after Election Day, however, small-caps gained only a bit more than 2% relative to the broader index. In fact, from Election Day 2016 through Election Day 2020, smallcaps tumbled more than 22%. This month, the IWM has surged 9%. IWM 1M mountain IWM Real estate Then there’s the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) , which could get a boost from Trump’s promises to cut back on regulations and loosen permitting requirements tied to the housing market. In 2016, however, the XLRE fell more than 4% relative to the S & P 500, immediately after Election Day through the end of that calendar year. Expand the timeline to one year out from Election Day, and the ETF underperformed the broader index by 11%. Over the entirety of Trump’s term, the sector tumbled more than 40%. In November, the XLRE is slightly down on the month. Energy Energy stocks are expected to get a huge boost from Trump, who made energy a focus of his presidential campaign , and promised to “drill, baby, drill.” However, the sector, as represented by the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) , was a sore spot for the duration of Trump’s presidency. On Election Day 2016 through to the remainder of that year, the XLE gained 4% relative to the S & P 500. But then, one year from that’s year’s Election Day, it tumbled 11%. Across Trump’s entire four-year term, energy stocks plunged. This month, the XLE gained 7%. XLE 1M mountain XLE — CNBC’s Fred Imbert contributed to this report. Source link #Investors #pump #money #Trump #trade #Heres #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Biden meeting with families of hostages held by ****** as White House says it’ll work with Trump team on their return Biden meeting with families of hostages held by ****** as White House says it’ll work with Trump team on their return Hagerty on what Trump’s victory means for foreign policy “Environment is shifting right now” on ******** ******** deal, Sen. Bill Hagerty says 08:48 President Biden is meeting Wednesday with the families of ********* hostages still held by ****** in Gaza, and the Biden administration stands ready to work with the incoming Trump administration toward the common goal of securing their release, the White House said Wednesday. The topic of the ********* hostages held in Gaza came up during Mr. Biden’s nearly two-hour meeting with President-elect Donald Trump, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. Sullivan met with the families of the hostages on Tuesday. Sullivan told reporters that he told the families the Biden administration is ready and willing to work with Trump’s team to secure the return of the hostages. “Yes, of course we’re prepared to work with the incoming team in common cause, on a bipartisan basis, to do everything in our collective ********* power to secure the release of the hostages, both living and deceased,” Sullivan said during Wednesday’s White House briefing. “We are open to have that engagement, have that collaboration, and we will continue to work in every remaining day that President Biden has in office, that we have in these jobs, to try to bring those hostages home to their loved ones.” The families of the hostages have continued to lobby the Biden administration for the release of their loved ones, more than a year after ****** first attacked and took hostages last October. Four Americans are among the hostages still believed to be alive. At least three ********* hostages have ***** in Gaza since the Oct. 7 *******. Kathryn Watson Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Source link #Biden #meeting #families #hostages #held #****** #White #House #itll #work #Trump #team #return Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CIA official charged over intelligence ***** CIA official charged over intelligence ***** A US government official has been charged for allegedly leaking classified documents appearing to show ******** plans for a retaliatory ******* on Iran. ******* carried out air strikes on Iran in October, targeting military sites in several regions, in response to the barrage of missiles launched by Tehran weeks earlier. Leaked classified documents are said to have contained the US’s assessment of the plans ahead of the *******, as well as the movements of ******** military assets in preparation. The official, Asif Rahman, was arrested in Cambodia on Tuesday and brought to federal court in Guam to face charges, according to the indictment, seen by US media. Mr Rahman worked for the CIA abroad and held a top secret security clearance, the New York Times reported. He was due to appear in court on Thursday, charged with two counts of wilfully transmitting classified information. The documents that Mr Rahman allegedly leaked were not stated in the court documents, but a source confirmed to the BBC’s US partner, CBS News, that they related to the ******** ******* plans. In October, two documents appearing to be attributed to the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, a Department of Defense agency, were published on an Iranian-aligned Telegram account. The documents, marked top secret, were shareable between the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, made up of the US, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The documents appeared to be based on satellite information obtained from 15-16 October. The first was titled: “*******: Air Force Continues Preparations for Strike on Iran and Conducts a Second Large-Force Employment Exercise.” It described ballistic and air-to-surface missile handling. The second was titled: “*******: Defense Forces Continue Key Munitions Preparations and Covert UAV Activity Almost Certainly for a Strike on Iran.” It discussed ******** drone movements. ******* carried out its retaliatory strike on Iran on 26 October, having spent weeks deciding how to respond to the missiles fired by Tehran on 1 October. The ******* Defense Forces (IDF) said it targeted military sites in several regions, with subsequent reports suggesting an Iranian missile production site had been hit. One civilian and four soldiers were ******* in the attacks, Iranian authorities said. Iran initially launched around 180 ballistic missiles at ******* in response to the killings of ****** and Hezbollah leaders. The US Department of Justice has been contacted for comment. Source link #CIA #official #charged #intelligence #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Hobbit Trilogy Steelbook Collection Is Up For Grabs For $150 At Amazon The Hobbit Trilogy Steelbook Collection Is Up For Grabs For $150 At Amazon After dominating the charts with The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson turned his gaze to the book that started it all–The Hobbit. The adaptation of The Hobbit isn’t nearly as well-regarded as Jackson’s LOTR Trilogy; it takes more time to watch the film trilogy than it does to read the book. The Hobbit probably should have been adapted into a single movie instead of three. But hey, at least that means this cool box set has three steelbook cases. The Hobbit Limited Edition Steelbook Collection has been out of print for a while, but right now you can grab it for $150, the best price we’ve seen this year. This box set normally sells for around $200, so we wouldn’t expect this offer to stick around for long. $150 (was $200) This premium collection gets you steelbooks for all three films in The Hobbit Trilogy. Better yet, it includes both the theatrical and extended formats in 4K, making this the ideal way to experience Bilbo’s adventure. Along with the three steelbooks for your six, region-free Blu-rays, the collection includes a stylish box to hold all its contents — giving you a cool way to display it in your home theater. If you don’t need all these extras, you can pick up The Hobbit Trilogy (4K Blu-ray) for $46 (was $90). This gets you the entire trilogy in 4K (including both the theatrical and extended versions) across six discs. It’s essentially the same as the above collection, ****** the steelbooks and collector box. The Hobbit Trilogy Steelbook Collection Looking to add more Middle-earth content to your Blu-ray library? Then take a look at the upcoming The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: One Ring Gift Box. Preorders are open ahead of its December 20 release, and inside you’ll find theatrical and extended versions of all three films in 4K, a limited-edition book with sleek faux-gold accents, and a replica of the One Ring. It’s a bit pricey at $157, but you’re getting tons of cool collectibles for your investment. And since The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Steelbook Collection has already sold out after being reprinted in August, this upcoming collection is currently the best option. It is worth noting that Walmart is taking preorders on the Limited Edition Steelbook version of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Set to release on January 7 and available to preorder for $35 exclusively at Walmart, this is the same 4K steelbook edition from the aforementioned, sold-out collection. Once you’re done checking out all these Blu-ray deals, take a look at Amazon’s B2G1 Free Book *****, which includes a bunch of notable Tolkien books, including The Hobbit’s Illustrated Edition featuring sketches by the author and the recently released Collector’s Edition hardcover. Target is also hosting a B2G1 Free Book ***** ahead of ****** Friday 2024. B2G1 Free Books – The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit Books Tolkien Illustrated Editions New Collector’s Editions Source link #Hobbit #Trilogy #Steelbook #Collection #Grabs #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

12,000-year-old stones may be oldest example of wheel-like tools 12,000-year-old stones may be oldest example of wheel-like tools A perforated pebble from the Nahal Ein Gev II archaeological site, which may be an ancient spindle whorl Laurent Davin A set of 12,000-year-old pierced pebbles excavated in northern ******* may be the oldest known hand-spinning whorls – a textile technology that may have ultimately helped inspire the invention of the wheel. Serving as a flywheel at the bottom of a spindle, whorls allowed people to efficiently spin natural fibres into yarns and thread to create clothing and other textiles. The newly discovered stone tools represent early axle-based rotation technology thousands of years before the first carts, says Talia Yashuv at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “When you look back to find the first vehicle wheels 6000 years ago, it’s not like it just came out of nowhere,” she says. “It’s important to look at the functional evolution of how transportation and the wheel evolved.” Yashuv and her colleague Leore Grosman, also at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, studied 113 partially or fully perforated stones at the Nahal Ein Gev II site, an ancient village just east of the Sea of Galilee. Archaeologists have been uncovering these chalky, predominantly limestone artefacts – probably made from raw pebbles along the nearby seashore – since 1972. 3D scanning revealed that the holes had been drilled halfway through from each side using a flint hand drill, which – unlike modern drills – leaves a narrow and twisting cone-like shape, says Yashuv. Measuring 3 to 4 centimetres in diameter, the holes generally ran through the pebble’s centre of gravity. Drilling from both sides would have helped balance the stone for more stable spinning, says Yashuv. Several of the partially perforated stones had holes that were off-centre, suggesting they might have been errors and thrown out. The team suspected that the stones, weighing 9 grams on average, were too heavy and “ugly” to have been beads and too light and fragile to be used as fishing weights, says Yashuv. Their size, shape and balance around the holes convinced the researchers that the artefacts were spindle whorls. To test their hypothesis, the researchers created replicat whorls using nearby pebbles and a flint drill. Then they asked Yonit Kristal, a traditional craftsperson, to try spinning flax with them. “She was really surprised that they worked, because they weren’t perfectly round,” says Yashuv. “But really you just need the perforation to be located at the centre of mass, and then it’s balanced and it works.” If the stones are indeed whorls, that could make them the oldest known spinning whorls, she says. A 1991 study on bone and antler artefacts uncovered what may be 20,000-year-old whorls, she adds, but the researchers who examined them suggested the pieces were probably decorative clothing accents. Even so, it is possible that people were using whorls even earlier, using wood or other biological materials that would have since deteriorated. The finding suggests that people were experimenting with rotation technology thousands of years before inventing the pottery wheel and the cart wheel about 5500 years ago – and that the whorls probably helped lead to those inventions, says Yashuv. Carole Cheval at Côte d’Azur University in Nice, France, is less convinced, however. Whorls work more like a top than a wheel, she explains. And while the artefacts might very well be whorls, the study lacks microscopic data that would reveal traces of use – as yarns would have marked the stones over time, Cheval says. Trace analysis was “beyond the scope” of the current study, says Yashuv. Ideally, researchers studying ancient whorls would be skilled in spinning themselves – which the study authors were not, says Cheval. “It really changes the way you think about your archaeological finds,” she says. Topics: Source link #12000yearold #stones #oldest #wheellike #tools Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Perplexity to introduce sneaky ads alongside its AI answers Perplexity to introduce sneaky ads alongside its AI answers It was only a matter of time. “Answer engine” startup Perplexity AI announced on Wednesday that it will begin experimenting with inserting advertisements into its chatbot responses starting next week. Rather than a standard ad you might be familiar with, however, the platform will instead start showing ads to users in the U.S. in the form of “sponsored follow-up questions and paid media positioned to the side of an answer,” from the company’s advertising partners. Those include Indeed, Whole Foods, Universal McCann, and PMG. Perplexity AI “Ad programs like this help us generate revenue to share with our publisher partners,” the company wrote in a Wednesday blog post. “Experience has taught us that subscriptions alone do not generate enough revenue to create a sustainable revenue-sharing program … advertising is the best way to ensure a steady and scalable revenue stream.” The startup is quick to point out that all sponsored answers will be clearly labeled as such and that the answers themselves will still be generated by its model, not written or edited by the partner companies themselves. “We intentionally chose these formats because it integrates advertising in a way that still protects the utility, accuracy and objectivity of answers,” the company wrote. “These ads will not change our commitment to maintaining a trusted service that provides you with direct, unbiased answers to your questions.” Perplexity’s experimentation comes as the company faces increased competition from OpenAI, which recently released its similar SearchGPT feature, as well as multiple lawsuits over allegations that the company’s data scraping practices amount to copyright infringement on a “massive scale.” Perplexity has also been served cease-and-desist letters from both The New York Times and Conde Nast over its behavior. Whether advertisers will be willing to overlook those glaring issues ******** to be seen. If not, then Perplexity may be limited to its sole existing income source: its $20/month Perplexity Pro subscription. Source link #Perplexity #introduce #sneaky #ads #answers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

S&P 500: Is 6060 the Next Upside Target? S&P 500: Is 6060 the Next Upside Target? In our previous from late October, we found for the (SPX) using the Elliott Wave Principle (EWP) that: “if the index holds above the early October low [of SPX5674], our red warning level for the Bulls, we can allow it to follow a more direct path to almost SPX6500. However, a break below last week’s low [of SPX5762] can trigger the alternative option, which has the index revisit SP5600+/-50 first before rallying again.” The index broke below the SPX5762 low three days after writing but held above the early October low as it bottomed out on November 4 at SPX5696. From there, it staged a strong rally, primarily after the US Presidential Election outcome. However, due to the drop into early November, the subdividing impulse we shared with you, i.e., “a more direct path to almost SPX6500,” has morphed (back) into the Ending Diagonal structure we have been prior. See figure 1 below. Ending Diagonals (EDs) are tricky because all their waves (i-ii-iii-iv-v) comprise three waves: 3-3-3-3-3 = abc-abc-abc-abc-abc. Besides, W-iii typically targets the 123.60% extension of W-i, measured from W-ii. The W-iv then tends to correct back to the 61.80% extension, after which the last W-v targets the 161.80% extension. In this case, we are looking at W-iii to reach at least SPX6060, W-iv should bottom around SPX5725, and W-v can reach at least SPX6260. Thus, the red W-iii is still underway and subdividing into the green Waves a, b, and c, with the W-c now underway. This can reach the typical c=a extension at SPX6175ish. Thus, based on the standard EDs road map, which the market can deviate from, we expect the red W-iii to reach SPX6060-6175, where the red W-iv can materialize. Our alternative EWP count is shown in Figure 2 below. It postulates that the October 31 low was already the red W-iv, but it would make for an unorthodox short W-iii. Namely, W-iii would be shorter than W-i, which is allowed only if W-v will be shorter than W-iii. Thus, it would be very uncommon. Besides, the red W-iv low did not overlap with the red W-i high; see the ****** horizontal line. Also, this is not necessarily disallowed as a 4th wave does not have to overlap with a 1st wave in an ED, but it would also be very uncommon. Hence, why this is our low-odds alternative Thus, for now, if the index can stay at least above SPX5880, and especially last week’s low at SPX5696, we must allow it to ideally target SPX6060, possibly as high as SPX6175 before the next correction of around 5-7% can start. Source link #Upside #Target Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump to nominate Matt Gaetz for attorney general Trump to nominate Matt Gaetz for attorney general President-Elect Donald Trump will nominate GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general, according to a social media post on his Truth Social account. “Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice,” Mr. Trump wrote Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a *********** from Florida, is seen outside the U.S. Capitol after the last votes before the August recess on July 25, 2024. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Gaetz currently represents Florida’s 1st District in the House of Representatives, an office he’s held since 2017. “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle ********* Organizations and restore Americans’ badly shattered ****** and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Mr. Trump said. Responding to Trump’s announcement, Gaetz said, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!” If confirmed, Gaetz would lead the Justice Department — a federal agency of more than 100,000 employees — and oversee its numerous investigative components, including the FBI. Gaetz’s ascent to the Justice Department’s top job will come at a unique time, after Mr. Trump spent all of his 2024 presidential campaign under federal investigation or prosecution. In a confirmation process, Gaetz would likely face questions about an ongoing review by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, which said in a statement earlier this year it was looking into allegations that Gaetz may have “engaged in ******* misconduct and illicit ***** use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.” Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing and maintained his innocence throughout a Justice Department probe — closed last year — into allegations that he violated **** trafficking laws and obstructed justice. Federal prosecutors in Florida did not file any charges in the case and informed the congressman that the case was closed. Gaetz, who has served on the House Judiciary Committee and has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration, would take over the post as the first confirmed attorney general under a Trump presidency since Bill Barr. Barr resigned in 2020 when then-President Trump sought to remain in power after he lost the election. Barr left office at the end of that year and was replaced by an acting attorney general, Jeff Rosen. Rosen and a number of his subordinates later testified against Trump during a hearing of the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, ******** on the Capitol. The former officials alleged that Trump had sought to pressure the Justice Department to investigate his claims of election ******. During the Biden administration, Attorney General Merrick Garland has sought to distance himself and the department from the White House after Trump’s first term. Justice Department norms and regulations have been consistent themes of Garland’s public comments throughout the nearly four years he has served under President Biden. Garland, a former federal judge, appointed numerous special counsels to conduct investigations into high-profile figures, including Mr. Biden, his son Hunter and Mr. Trump. Gaetz’s expected nomination comes as some of the president-elect’s supporters have called for change inside the Justice Department. Attorney Mark Paoletta, who was thought to be in the running to serve as Mr. Trump’s attorney general, said, “Career DOJ lawyers must be fully committed to implementing President Trump’s policies or they should leave or be fired.” “If the president wants to deport ******** aliens, secure the border, ban race-based ‘affirmative action’ and DEI, investigate antisemitism, halt Big Tech censorship, grant pardons and commutations to Jan 6th defendants, he has every right to expect that these perfectly lawful policies are implemented,” Paoletta wrote. “It is absolutely unacceptable for career employees to seek to thwart this policy agenda.” Michael Kaplan and Andres Triay contributed to this report. More from CBS News Robert Legare Robert Legare is a CBS News multiplatform reporter and producer covering the Justice Department, federal courts and investigations. He was previously an associate producer for the “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell.” Source link #Trump #nominate #Matt #Gaetz #attorney #general Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What Trump could do on day one in the White House What Trump could do on day one in the White House Bloomberg via Getty Images Donald Trump at his first inauguration in 2017 Donald Trump and his *********** Party have an ambitious agenda and control of US Congress. Trump has said he will “make heads spin” as he moves full-speed ahead after his inauguration on 20 January. His team has said to expect a flurry of executive orders – directives from the US president – out of the Oval Office in the first week. Policy experts and lawyers are already drafting those orders as part of the administration’s transition. Still, advocacy groups and Democratic state governors have vowed to challenge at least some of those plans. Here is what the president-elect has said about his second-term priorities. Immigration and the border Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Sunday “we know he promised to sign an executive order to secure the southern border”. “We know that on day one he is going to launch the largest mass deportation of ******** immigrants in ********* history,” she said. In the week since his re-election, Trump has prioritised filling leadership positions that would oversee immigration, suggesting he is preparing to tackle his plans for border policy early. He tapped veteran immigration official Tom Homan as his “border tsar”; selected South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to oversee homeland security; and appointed Steven Miller as White House deputy chief of staff for policy. Mr Miller is best known for shaping some of Trump’s most restrictive policies on ******** immigration during his first term. Any mass deportation programme could face logistical difficulties as well as a flurry of legal challenges from immigration and human rights activists. Trump could also re-implement his “Remain in Mexico” policy that required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while claims are processed. President Joe Biden had called the programme “inhumane” and tried to end it on his first day in office, but faced legal challenges. In 2022, the Supreme Court allowed him to move ahead. During the Trump administration, about 70,000 asylum seekers were returned to Mexico to wait for their hearings. Another day one promise was to end birthright citizenship – the 150-year-old principle that says anyone born on US soil is an ********* citizen. It’s not clear how Trump plans to achieve this policy. He has pledged an executive order but birthright citizenship is explicitly guaranteed by the US Constitution, meaning it can only be altered under specific circumstances. He would need states to agree to a national convention or a two-thirds vote in favour in the narrowly split Congress to propose a change, then subsequent approval by three-fourths of state legislatures – of which Republicans control just over half. 6 January Trump did not mention pardons in his victory speech, but he has long suggested that pardoning those convicted of storming the Capitol in 2021 would be a priority. “Oh, absolutely, I would. If they’re innocent, I would pardon them,” Trump said during a panel at the National Association of ****** Journalists. US presidents have wide authority to forgive people convicted of federal ******* or end their prison sentences. Prosecutors may also decide to drop pending cases depending on who Trump might choose to pardon. What’s less clear is who might get a pardon. At one point, Trump told CNN: “I am inclined to pardon many of them. I can’t say for every single one, because a couple of them, probably they got out of control.” Ms Leavitt told the Washington Post that he will decide “on a case-by-case basis when he is back in the White House”. More than 1,500 people were arrested in connection with the Capitol riot. According to federal numbers, more than 750 of them were sentenced for ******* ranging from trespassing to assaulting police officers and seditious ***********. Jack Smith Trump has also faced his own legal challenges over his actions following the 2020 election and a separate classified documents case. Special Counsel Jack Smith, a veteran prosecutor appointed to oversee the US Department of Justice’s investigations into Trump, filed charges, to which the president-elect has pleaded not guilty. This week, sources told CBS News that Mr Smith plans to resign before Trump takes office and avoid Trump’s promises to ***** him. The BBC’s US media partner also reported that his office would wind down the two cases it was pursuing against Trump. It ******** unclear whether Trump and his supporters will still try to punish Mr Smith. Congressional Republicans have reportedly implied they intend to investigate his work. “Jack Smith’s ****** of the justice system cannot go unpunished”, billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk posted on social media. Trump had said ******* Jack Smith is one of his top priorities. “I would ***** him within two seconds. He’ll be one of the first things addressed,” he said in an interview in October. Trump regularly railed against the special counsel in interviews and online, calling him a “crooked person”, a “scoundrel” and other insults. Smith’s cases were already facing an uncertain future. The Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents have partial immunity from ********* prosecution for their conduct in office, undermining Mr Smith’s work. Trump’s electoral win also gives him the power to pardon himself of any federal *******, though no president has done so before. Paris climate agreement In his 2016 campaign, Trump made withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement a priority. Within six months of taking office, the ******* States moved to exit the landmark deal. President Joe Biden made rejoining the agreement one of his top priorities when he ran against Trump in 2020. Biden signed a letter requesting the US be readmitted on his first day in office. How will Trump respond in his second term? Media reports suggest that his team is preparing orders to withdraw once again when he takes office in January. Leaving the agreement would mean the US is no longer beholden to meeting set carbon emissions reductions. Among other priorities at odds with the Paris standards, Trump has said he wants to prioritise US production of oil and gas. He promised to quickly expedite permitting and fracking – “We’re drilling, drilling, drilling,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity last year. Trump has also criticised the Biden administration’s plans to expand wind energy and increase electric car production, which could be early targets in his new administration. Russia and Ukraine On the campaign trail, Trump said he could end the war in Ukraine “in a day”. He has also repeatedly criticised the US government’s continued support of Ukraine, casting the war as a drain on resources. He has not yet given specifics on how he would negotiate the war’s end beyond saying he would help the two countries strike a deal. Since his re-election, Trump has spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a call that lasted “about half an hour”, with billionaire Elon Musk also taking part. A source told the BBC that “it was not really a conversation to talk about very substantial things”. The Kremlin denied that Trump held a call with Vladimir ******, though media reports said Trump warned the Russian president against escalating the war in Ukraine. Trade and economy The economy is an issue that Trump heavily campaigned on, vowing to end inflation as soon as he takes office. “We will target everything from car affordability to housing affordability to insurance costs to supply chain issues,” Trump has said. “I will instruct my cabinet that I expect results within the first 100 days, or much sooner than that.” He said he would sign an executive order that directs every cabinet secretary and agency head to “use every tool and authority at their disposal” to defeat inflation and to bring consumer prices down. Trump’s plan includes imposing tariffs on imported goods, especially those coming in from China, arguing that these taxes would keep manufacturing jobs in the US. It’s still unclear how widespread these tariffs will be, but Trump has raised the prospect of at least a 10% across-the-board tariff on imported goods, as well as a 60% import tax on goods from China. He also vowed to target Mexico with his tariffs. “I’m going to inform (the ******** president) on Day 1 or sooner that if they don’t stop this onslaught of ********** and drugs coming into our country, I’m going to immediately impose a 25% tariff on everything they send into the US,” he has said. These tariffs would probably not need congressional approval. Trump already introduced tariffs in his first term, citing Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which empowers a president to impose duties on goods that could affect US national security. Another promise is to “end the Biden-Harris war on ********* energy”, Trump has said, vowing to ramp up oil drilling and fracking as a way to lower the cost of energy bills for consumers. Trump can do this with an executive order that rolls back environmental protections, which would allow him to halt clean energy projects and scrap climate targets set by the Biden administration. The president-elect has also vowed to ***** Gary Gensler, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, on day one. Gensler, who was appointed by Biden, pushed for climate disclosure rules and strong enforcement of the cryptocurrency market. Trump has championed cryptocurrency, and his election saw the value of Bitcoin go up by 30% in the past week due to an expectation that his administration will be more crypto-friendly. Title X Donald Trump has vowed to undo the changes made by President Biden to Title X, the country’s only national, federally-funded family planning programme. In 2019, during his first term, Trump’s administration implemented a new rule that prohibited any health provider in the Title X network from mentioning ********* to patients, even if a patient raised questions about it themselves. The change effectively stripped tens of millions of dollars from organisations such as Planned Parenthood that offer or refer patients for abortions. But just months later, when Biden took office, he had that policy reversed. Now, it’s expected that Trump will change the rules again. Source link #Trump #day #White #House Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Researchers Recreate Face of 5,000-Year-Old Man from Hongshan Culture Researchers Recreate Face of 5,000-Year-Old Man from Hongshan Culture ******** researchers have digitally recreated the facial contours and features of a man from the Hongshan culture, during the Neolithic *******, roughly 5,000-years-old. Using advanced 3D technology, the 25–30-year-old was recreated from a relatively well-preserved skull excavated from a Hongshan culture tomb in Chaoyang, Liaoning. Researchers from the Liaoning provincial institute of cultural relics and archaeology and the School of Archaeology at Jilin University used their powers and brought in various disciplines – anthropology, anatomy, computer science, and art. They determined the individual’s gender, age, and recreated facial features down to the T (literally) – eye, skin, and hair ****** included! The anthropologists helped with contextual knowledge about cultural markers and lifestyle, while the anatomists helped with the skull structure and other facial details. Extracting and studying ancient DNA was tough, and so was corroboration, given the absence of details and written record. Over 4 million points on the skulls had to be recorded for data-processing before any conclusions could be drawn. “It is the first reconstruction based on an actual Hongshan ancestor’s skull. The reconstructed face can be considered the closest to reality achieved to date,” deputy director Li Hiabo told Xinhua. China’s 3D Revolution: A Wonder of Modernity Currently, China’s 3D revolution to reconstruct archaeological sites and shape a key role in its historical reconstruction is well underway, to significant progress. Earlier this year, in May, the Hunan Museum in Changsha had a few archaeologists reveal a digital 3D-image of Xin Zhui, an immaculately preserved mummy from 2,200 years ago. In September, archaeologists from Henan Province provided a facial reconstruction of two Neolithic men from near the Yellow River – the first man was alive around 5,600 years ago, and the latter, 4,000 years ago, reports The Greek Reporter. As ancient China is being unmapped for the world, archaeologists are slowly learning certain irrefutable truths. Firstly, the physical characteristics of most prehistoric populations are largely consistent with modern populations; second, modern technology is paving the way for understanding our ancestors unlike ever before, which makes this space evermore exciting and thriving. The C-shaped ***** dragon of Hongshan Culture. (Prof. Gary Lee Todd/CC BY-SA 4.0) Honghsan Culture: A Brief in Time Originating in northeast China, the Hongshan culture is renowned for being the pivotal historical transformation in the development of early ******** society, with an important shift towards state formation in ancient China. In 2023, meticulous excavations revealed a large settlement, hundreds of smaller sites, with the numbers at over 500 in Liaoning Province alone, reports Global Times. A late Neolithic ******* culture, from somewhere between 6,500-5,000 years ago, Hongshan extended throughout a 200,000 square kilometer (77.22 sq mi) area of the West ­Liaohe River Basin. Renowned for its carved *****, particularly pig dragons and embryo dragons, Hongshan burial artifacts are some of the earliest examples of ***** working. Incidentally, some of the earliest examples of feng shui have also been found from the site! “The Hongshan Culture has always been known for its highly developed ***** and pottery handicraft and mature sacrificial system, all of which required the support of a stable and prosperous society,” Zhang Huizhi, a Beijing-based archaeological research fellow, told the Global Times in the same report. With 80% of the diet dependent on millet cultivation, some of the earliest examples of sophisticated tool making in Asia emerge from this region, particularly stone axes. With stone axes decreasing in proportion to adzes, it was likely that by the late Neolithic, the Hongshan people were shifting towards permanent agriculture, corroborated by contemporaneous evidence. Top image: This image, provided by China’s Liaoning Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, illustrates the steps in reconstructing the face of a Neolithic man from the Hongshan culture. Source: Xinhua By Sahir Pandey Source link #Researchers #Recreate #Face #5000YearOld #Man #Hongshan #Culture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Zombie Survival Game is on ***** Through the End of November This Zombie Survival Game is on ***** Through the End of November Depending on how long you’ve had an account on Steam, you probably have hundreds of titles waiting in your backlog. You scored them cheap, right? I couldn’t help myself, either. I have so many games in my library, many of which I’ve never played, but whenever a new zombie survival game is on *****, I can’t help myself. I grab it. And now, you can score Dread Dawn, by developer Kioop, on ***** until November 26! Dread Dawn is On ***** Through November 26 Dread Dawn is available for 20% off for this extended *****, bringing the total price down from $19.99 to $15.99. While $20 for an open-ended zombie survival game is already an excellent deal, the reduced price through the end of November should help anyone on the fence. On launch, Dread Dawn received a mixed reception from fans. The studio launched the game as a full release, but it was evident that it required more time to cook. An Early Access launch may have mitigated many negative reviews, but it’s still an exciting zombie survival sandbox! Related: Dying Light: The ****** Passes 1 Million Wishlists in 10 Weeks What is Dread Dawn? Dread Dawn is a top-down, open-world zombie survival game with sandbox and RPG elements. You play a student trapped on the campus alongside your classmates and other survivors as the evacuation goes wrong and you’re left behind. With zombies approaching on all sides, you must find ways to survive, growing food, wielding firearms and melee weapons, and constructing barricades and turrets to help you defend against the encroaching hordes. It’s part tower defense and part Project Zomboid, but with a little more jank and no controller support currently. Other Zombie Survival Games Worth Your Time Of course, the zombie survival genre is positively massive, thanks to years of content flowing through the game development pipeline. If Dread Dawn doesn’t catch your fancy, then check out: Project Zomboid Dying Light 2 7 Days to **** Left 4 ***** 2 Zompiercer No More Room in ***** 2 What’s your favorite zombie survival game of all time? Let us know in the community forums, and maybe you’ll find a few like-minded players to join your next survival run! It’s been a huge year for zombie games, and we have a list of the ten best zombie games to play in 2024 that I don’t think you should skip! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Zombie #Survival #Game #***** #November Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mounting evidence points to air pollution as a cause of eczema Mounting evidence points to air pollution as a cause of eczema Air pollution is hard to avoid, particularly for city dwellers Ron Adar/Alamy Air pollution is increasingly being linked to a raised risk of eczema, with the latest study showing a clear relationship between the exposure and the skin condition. Vehicles and power plants release pollutant particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, called PM2.5. These have previously been linked to a higher risk of eczema, which is thought to be the result of an over-active immune system causing inflammation that makes skin dry and itchy. To gather more evidence, Jeffrey Cohen at the Yale School of Medicine and his colleagues analysed the medical records of more than 280,000 people, who were mostly in their 50s and took part in the All of Us Research Program. This collects health data from a diverse group of people in the US, with an emphasis on those who are usually underrepresented in research, such as ******* minorities. The researchers also looked at average PM2.5 levels where these people lived, using data collected in 2015 by the Centre for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions in Virginia. They then compared PM2.5 levels in 788 locations across the US against eczema cases, which were diagnosed up until mid-2022. They found that for every 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in PM2.5, eczema rates more than doubled. “In more polluted areas of the country, there was more eczema,” says Cohen. The team accounted for factors that could affect the results, such as ethnicity and whether people smoked or had food allergies. “The study brings forward the science by nicely showing a clear correlation in a large population,” says Giuseppe Valacchi at North Carolina State University. PM2.5 may trigger the immune system to cause inflammation when it comes into contact with skin, like pollen or dust mites can, says Valacchi. Inhaling it may also play a role, as this can ramp up inflammation around the body, he says. This research should give governments another reason to enforce policies that reduce air pollution, says Cohen. Meanwhile, people living in polluted areas can reduce their risk by wearing long sleeves or staying indoors when pollution levels are particularly high, says Valacchi. Topics: Source link #Mounting #evidence #points #air #pollution #eczema Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xbox gaming handheld is years away, Microsoft exec says Xbox gaming handheld is years away, Microsoft exec says Microsoft gaming head Phil Spencer has made no secret of his interest in an Xbox handheld to compete with the best handheld gaming PCs, such as the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally X. But in an interview with Bloomberg, Spencer made it clear that the device isn’t coming anytime soon. In the interview, Spencer told the publication that the “expectation is that we would do something” but that the public shouldn’t expect to see it for a few years. “Longer term, I love us building devices,” Spencer told Bloomberg. “And I think our team could do some real innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what’s happening now.” But for now, it seems that the focus is on improving the experience of Microsoft’s Xbox app on the current slate of PC gaming handhelds and how Xbox features and games work on those devices. Recently, Microsoft announced a UI update to the Xbox app for Windows, called “compact mode” for mobile devices. Windows 11 has been widely cited by reviewers (myself included) as a weak point on handhelds like the ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. The interview also revealed that Microsoft is still interested in making further acquisitions following its $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard in 2023. Microsoft is also working on mobile games stores, which have been delayed. The Steam Deck, launched in early 2022, popularized the modern PC gaming handheld. While that saw an OLED update, it hasn’t seen a new chip with stronger gaming capabilities, and Valve has suggested it isn’t immediately releasing an update. Most popular Windows options use AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme, so the PC gaming handheld scene is still widely considered to be in its first generation. In the meantime, Spencer told Bloomberg that the Xbox business is doing well despite its third-place status behind the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5: “The business is performing right now, and I think that means a more healthy future for hardware and the games we build.” That’s thanks to increased PC and cloud gaming on top of the existing console business. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. If an Xbox handheld is to make a splash, it will have to differentiate itself greatly from the Steam Deck and Windows machines from Lenovo, MSI, and Asus. Those few years may be very exciting, so a late entry will have to do something truly exciting. Source link #Xbox #gaming #handheld #years #Microsoft #exec Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

California *********** Ken Calvert holds off Dem challenge in Palm Springs area California *********** Ken Calvert holds off Dem challenge in Palm Springs area *********** Rep. Ken Calvert has withstood the toughest reelection ****** of his 32-year career on Capitol Hill, eking out a victory in his Southern California House district despite being massively outspent by Democrats. Calvert defeated Democrat Will Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, according to a projection by The Associated Press. The contest was a rematch after Calvert narrowly defeated Rollins in 2022 in one of the most closely-watched swing contests this cycle. Former President Donald Trump even traveled to the region to hold a rally with Calvert in the final weeks of the race. Republicans have a slight registration advantage in the district, which spans a large area east of Los Angeles, from suburban Riverside County to deep-blue Palm Springs. Democrats had hoped to flip the seat by casting Calvert as a career politician who has used his office to enrich himself and an opponent of LGBTQ+ rights, a liability with voters in his district’s gay retirement mecca. But Calvert pushed back on Democrats’ onslaught of negative ads by emphasizing how he’s used his position on the House Appropriations Committee to secure earmarks for road and water projects in the district. He also criticized Democrats for California’s high gas prices and concerns about public safety, portraying Rollins as a soft-on-****** ********. Source link #California #*********** #Ken #Calvert #holds #Dem #challenge #Palm #Springs #area Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What a *********** trifecta means for Trump’s second term What a *********** trifecta means for Trump’s second term Republicans have won control of the US House of Representatives less than a week after Donald Trump became the president-elect and the party also won the majority of seats in the Senate. BBC News Anchor Sumi Somaskanda explains what the party trifecta means for Trump’s second term in office. Source link #*********** #trifecta #means #Trumps #term Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xbox boss Phil Spencer expresses his dislike of ‘manipulative’ expansions Xbox boss Phil Spencer expresses his dislike of ‘manipulative’ expansions The head of Microsoft’s gaming business has expressed his dislike of “manipulative” expansions. Phil Spencer discussed Xbox’s approach to releasing expansions for first-party titles in a new interview with Game File. During the conversation, the interviewer raised the possibility of Microsoft capitalising on large player bases provided by Game Pass by leaning more heavily into paid expansions. Spencer said there’s no “top down mandate” on expansions and “not every game will do expansions”. “It’s really left to the creators [regarding] what plan they have for their stories. I think it’s a great way for us to reengage players who may be lapsed.” “I don’t like expansions that are manipulative,” Spencer added. “I want it to have a unique point of view. I don’t want it to be, like, the third level that you cut before you launched.” In a separate Bloomberg interview published today, Spencer said Xbox is still open to more acquisitions following last year’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard. He also said Xbox wouldn’t rule out any first-party game coming to PS5 or Switch, and that Xbox is working on handheld prototypes. Source link #Xbox #boss #Phil #Spencer #expresses #dislike #manipulative #expansions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump victory may provide TikTok a lifeline to remain in the U.S. Trump victory may provide TikTok a lifeline to remain in the U.S. *********** presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, (C) greets attendees during a campaign stop to address Pennsylvanians who are concerned about the threat of ********** China to U.S. agriculture at the Smith Family Farm September 23, 2024 in Smithton, Pennsylvania. Win Mcnamee | Getty Images After Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency last week, tech CEOs including Apple‘s Tim Cook, Meta‘s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon‘s Jeff Bezos publicly praised the president-elect. One name was conspicuously missing: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. His absence was notable considering that of all the top tech companies, TikTok faces the most immediate and existential threat from the U.S. government. In April, President Joe Biden signed a law that requires China’s ByteDance to sell TikTok by Jan. 19. If ByteDance fails to comply, internet hosting companies and app store owners such as Apple and Google will be prohibited from supporting TikTok, effectively banning it in the U.S. Trump’s return to the White House, though, may provide a lifeline for Chew and TikTok. Although both Republicans and Democrats supported the Biden TikTok ban in April, Trump voiced opposition to the ban during his candidacy. Trump acknowledged the national security and data privacy concerns with TikTok in a March interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” but he also said “there’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad” with the app. Trump also leveraged TikTok’s shaky future in the U.S. as a reason for people to vote against Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris. “We’re not doing anything with TikTok, but the other side is going to close it up, so if you like TikTok, go out and vote for Trump,” the president-elect said in a September post on his Truth Social service. Since his election, Trump hasn’t publicly discussed his plans for TikTok, but Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told CNBC that the president-elect “will deliver.” “The ********* people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail,” Leavitt said in a statement. Trump’s rhetoric on TikTok began to turn after the president-elect met in February with billionaire Jeff Yass, a *********** megadonor and a major investor in the ********-owned social media app. Yass’s trading firm Susquehanna International Group owns a 15% stake in ByteDance while Yass maintains a 7% stake in the company, equating to about $21 billion, NBC and CNBC reported in March. That month it was also reported that Yass was a part owner of the business that merged with the parent company of Trump’s Truth Social. TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child ******* exploitation, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2024. Nathan Howard | Reuters If ByteDance doesn’t sell TikTok by the January deadline, Trump could potentially call on Congress to repeal the law or he can introduce a more “selective enforcement” of the law that would essentially allow TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. without facing penalties, said Sarah Kreps, a Cornell University professor of government. “Selective enforcement” would be akin to police officers not always enforcing every single instance of jaywalking, she said. At TikTok, meanwhile, Chew has remained quiet since Trump’s victory, just as he had been in the lead-up to Election Day. The ********-owned company may be taking a neutral approach and a wait-and-see strategy for now, said Long Le, a China business expert and Santa Clara University associate teaching professor. Le said it’s hard to foresee what Trump will do. “He’s also a contrarian; that’s what makes him unpredictable,” Le said. “He can say one thing, and the next year he’ll change his mind.” TikTok didn’t respond to requests for comment. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 31, 2024 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong | Getty Images ‘Facebook has been very bad for our country’ When it comes to social media apps, Trump’s campaign comments suggest he’s more concerned with TikTok rival Meta. In his March interview with “Squawk Box,” Trump said Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, posed a much ******* problem than TikTok. He also said a TikTok ban would only benefit Meta, which he labeled “an ****** of the people.” “Facebook has been very bad for our country, especially when it comes to elections,” Trump said. But Trump’s negative views on Meta may have changed after comments by CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the past few months, Cornell’s Kreps said. Zuckerberg described the photo of Trump raising his fist following a ******* ************** attempt in July as “one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life.” And after Trump’s win, Zuckerberg congratulated him, saying he was looking forward to working with the president-elect and his administration. “My sense as an armchair psychologist of Trump is that he really likes people who sing his praises, and so his view on Zuckerberg and Meta, I would imagine, has changed,” Kreps said. “He might then just revert to his ********* economic nationalism here and say, ‘Let’s protect ********* industry and continue with the ******** ban.'” Meta didn’t respond to a request for comment. Maintaining support of the TikTok ban could also win Trump political favor with lawmakers concerned about China’s global political and business influence, said Milton Mueller, a professor at Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy. “I don’t see him scoring big points politically by standing up for TikTok,” Mueller said, noting that few lawmakers, like Sen. Rand Paul, R-***., have opposed the ban. Even if Trump does provide a lifeline for TikTok, it’s unclear how much damage that would do to his administration since many politicians are reluctant to publicly criticize him, Le said. “They’re not going to challenge him because he just got so much power,” Le said. Since launching his TikTok account in June, Trump has amassed over 14 million followers. Given his social media savvy, Trump may not want to make a decision that results in him losing the public attention and influence he’s gained on TikTok, Le said. WATCH: TikTok is ‘digital nicotine’ for young people, says D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb Source link #Trump #victory #provide #TikTok #lifeline #remain #U.S Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Canada needs ‘more enforcement’ for people staying illegally: minister Canada needs ‘more enforcement’ for people staying illegally: minister Immigration Minister Marc Miller on Wednesday suggested the federal government may be looking at boosting enforcement resources to ****** down on irregular migrants who don’t leave Canada after their temporary visas expire. Speaking to reporters after addressing the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Miller also addressed the need for mutual enforcement of the Safe Third Country Agreement as well as why “the age of unlimited supply of cheap foreign labour is over.” He said Ottawa is always looking at “what measures that Canada needs to take to ramp up enforcement” and pointed to what he said were record levels of removals of those who chose to stay illegally. Asked if that means more resources, including additional Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers, Miller said, “that’s how it works.” “In the context of enforcement, generally, broadly speaking, we absolutely need to look at the enforcement mechanisms that we employ to make sure people that don’t want to leave after due process actually do leave,” he said. Story continues below advertisement “I’m not going to share publicly the plans that we have on enforcement, but more enforcement means more resources.” The government has been pressed by opposition parties and provinces on its plan to add additional resources at the U.S.-Canada border in anticipation of a potential increase in people seeking to enter Canada from the U.S., where president-elect Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations. 2:21 Canada bracing for surge of asylum seekers after Trump’s win The government says the CBSA carried out 11,444 removals from 2019 to 2020, which was the highest number in the previous five years. Global News has asked the agency for its current removal numbers. However, CBSA figures tabled in Parliament early this year suggest most people who received deportation letters in the last eight years remain in Canada, which the ************* Party says suggests a lack of enforcement. Story continues below advertisement Last month, when Miller and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced they were slashing the number of new permanent residents to the country by 21 per cent by next year, they also ***** out plans they say would effectively pause population growth for two years by reducing reduce temporary residents to less than five per cent of the general population. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Miller said at the time that the focus of the permanent resident program will be on “those who are already here,” and on Wednesday said that means drawing from the foreign worker pool — meaning many with temporary permits can later claim permanent residency. 3:18 Why is Canada reducing its immigration targets? Miller said Wednesday that while most temporary visa holders leave after their visas expire, those who stay are breaking the law, and the government needs to make that “quite clear.” “When you have a temporary program, it has to mean something,” he said. “It means that people eventually may have to leave or are expected to leave.” Story continues below advertisement A Global News investigation in 2018 found the government had become increasingly ineffective at carrying out deportations for public safety and security reasons. As a result, the number of foreign citizens remaining in Canada despite having been ordered out grew from just 291 in 2012 to almost 1,200 in early 2018. While most focus on U.S. immigration is on the southern border with Mexico, Canada’s border has also earned attention from Republicans, including Trump’s recent appointments to his incoming administration. In an interview Monday with his local TV news station 7News in Watertown, N.Y. — a community close to the Ontario border — newly named U.S. “border czar” Tom Homan said there’s an “extreme national security vulnerability” along the Canada-U.S. border that will also need to be addressed. 1:52 Trump taps Tom Homan as border czar, Elise Stefanik as UN ambassador Trending Now T&T stores ‘outperform’ rest of Loblaw network amid growing population Former B.C. premier John Horgan ***** following battle with ******* Miller said Wednesday he looked forward to speaking with Homan directly. Story continues below advertisement “I expect there to be some tough conversations,” he said, particularly when it comes to managing asylum claims and stemming the flow of new arrivals crossing into the U.S. Miller added he also expects the U.S. to continue to abide by the Safe Third Country Agreement even if the Trump administration clamps down aggressively on both asylum claims and irregular migrants. That includes enforcement of asylum seekers whose claims are denied, Miller said. Era of ‘cheap’ foreign labour is over: Miller Miller said employers need to be part of the solution in reducing the number of temporary foreign work permits in Canada by offering higher wages to their employees, which he said will attract more ********* workers. Recently, a job listing at a Toronto-area Burger King prompted observers and experts to wonder whether the temporary foreign workers program is being used to avoid paying higher salaries to Canadians. Story continues below advertisement Canada this year limited the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in most sectors and boosted their minimum wage in an effort to end employers’ reliance on cheap foreign labour. 1:58 Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Miller said it’s important to address what is sometimes a “very disproportionate relationship between employers and employees.” “There are exploitative relationships that exist, and we need to ****** down on them. That includes a proper wage,” Miller said, pointing to some low-wage sectors like agriculture and food processing. “It’s clear that the age of unlimited supply of cheap foreign labour is over, and I think that is a good thing,” he said. However, he acknowledged crackdowns mean “this year and the next year will be one of turbulence” as those changes take effect, “but bringing the numbers down, I think, is very important to making sure that we aren’t simply chasing short-term gain for a lot of long-term pain.” Story continues below advertisement — with files from Global’s Uday Rana More on Canada More videos &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Canada #enforcement #people #staying #illegally #minister Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]