Apple Mac mini M4 gets thumbs-up from iFixit for repairability – but not without downsides around SSD upgrades
Apple Mac mini M4 gets thumbs-up from iFixit for repairability – but not without downsides around SSD upgrades
Mac mini M4 has been rated for repairability by iFixit
The compact computer scored a 7/10 with a laudable modular design
There are sticking points with the proprietary SSD, though
Apple’s Mac mini M4 has been given the teardown treatment by iFixit, and there are generally positive findings here, albeit with some catches.
The website is famous for taking apart hardware and rating it in terms of design and repairability considerations, and iFixit begins its video teardown by underlining just how much smaller the new Mac mini is compared to the computer in the past.
Apple achieved this by cramming a lot of components into a small space in an impressive manner, and something to note is that the power supply has been changed from a single module to a board that runs across the top of the chassis.
There’s also a large fan inside the Mac mini M4 and an innovative cooling design which is doing a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of keeping the power used in check given the limited space in the more compact chassis.
Another interesting move on the cooling front is that the Mac mini with vanilla M4 has an aluminum heatsink, whereas the model with the M4 Pro SoC has a larger copper heatsink to better cool the more powerful processor, which makes sense of course.
There’s good news on the storage front: the SSD is removable, as we’ve already heard about, so upgrading to a ******* drive is possible. We say that, but there are caveats here, which we’ll come back to in a moment.
The plus point of removable and replaceable ports is also noted, at least on the front of the Mac mini – sadly the rear ports are soldered (as is the system RAM, alongside the M4 chip itself at the heart of the machine).
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
The controversial position of the power button on the underside of the Mac mini also gets a mention, inevitably, along with an observation that perhaps Apple is overly concerned about aesthetics here.
Overall, iFixit praises the thinking about the modular design, with the likes of those ports (on the front), and the storage, pinning a 7/10 (provisional) score for repairability on the Mac mini M4.
M4 Mac mini Teardown – UPGRADABLE SSD, Powerful, and TINY – YouTube
Watch On
Analysis: Storage and Apple’s proprietary choice
Coming back to the issue of storage, while the SSD can be upgraded, there are catches as mentioned (which we already touched on in a previous report). The drives are physically different between the Mac mini with M4 and the computer with the M4 Pro, so you can’t swap SSDs between those models. However, iFixit did successfully upgrade a base Mac mini M4 with a 512GB SSD from another model replacing a 256GB drive.
The other fly in the ointment here is that the SSD is a proprietary Apple drive, so you can’t just go and buy any old solid-state drive and plug it into your Mac mini. You’ll need an SSD from another Mac mini, or one sold by Apple – if the company starts offering these (which isn’t the case yet). So, that rather limits the storage upgrade options as you can imagine.
There is the possibility that third parties will produce compatible SSDs for Mac mini upgrades, and indeed there have already been announcements to that effect. The downside of such a ‘fudged’ (well, unofficial) drive installation could be that Apple closes off this avenue via firmware updates that render the third-party SSD inoperable, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves here.
Let’s just hope Apple sells SSDs for Mac mini storage upgrades itself, but skeptics are already doubtful this might happen – and the point of the replaceable drive here is more about facilitating repairs, than upgrades.
You might also like
Source link
#Apple #Mac #mini #thumbsup #iFixit #repairability #downsides #SSD #upgrades
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Senate Republicans to elect new leader as Trump looms over contest
Senate Republicans to elect new leader as Trump looms over contest
Washington — Senate Republicans are meeting Wednesday to elect a new leader to represent the conference after ********* Leader Mitch McConnell — the longest serving leader in the Senate history — opted to step down from the post.
Meeting behind closed doors on Wednesday morning, the *********** senators are casting secret ballots to elect their new leadership, as three candidates vie for Senate *********** leader, with President-elect Donald Trump’s shadow looming over the race.
Whip John Thune of South Dakota, former Whip John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida are gunning for the top role, having worked behind the scenes for months to win support from their colleagues. But the leadership race took on new meaning following the 2024 elections, which saw Republicans take control of the Senate for the 119th Congress. With Trump’s return to the White House next year, and the possibility that Republicans retain control of the House, the GOP may have a unified government in Washington, teeing up a long list of legislative priorities for the new Senate leader to work on with Trump.
Though Trump hasn’t made an endorsement in the leadership race, he looms large over the contest, weighing in with demands for the new leader to speed the confirmation of his nominees.
Even without a Trump endorsement, his MAGA base of supporters have made clear who they favor in the race, launching a vocal social media campaign for Scott as leader in recent days and warning that Cornyn and Thune would threaten Trump’s agenda.
Scott has been considered the underdog in the race, facing Thune and Cornyn, who both have years of experience in leadership — but who have also been less reliable supporters of Trump. The Florida *********** challenged McConnell for the role in 2022, when he earned just 10 votes. Whether Scott’s coalition grows in the wake of Trump’s victory ******** to be seen.
Vice President-elect and Ohio Sen. JD Vance is also eligible to vote because he will be a member of the 119th Congress, albeit briefly, before Inauguration Day.
A candidate needs a majority of the conference, or 27 votes, to become leader. If no candidate secures a majority on the first ballot, the lowest vote-getter will be dropped from the list in the next round.
Outside of the top post, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the GOP conference chair who was also initially on the shortlist for leader, announced he would instead seek the whip position. And Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is seeking to chair the GOP campaign arm, the National *********** Senatorial Committee.
Kaia Hubbard
Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
Source link
#Senate #Republicans #elect #leader #Trump #looms #contest
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
New Wood County Sheriff’s Office and Jail near completion 2 years after breaking ground
New Wood County Sheriff’s Office and Jail near completion 2 years after breaking ground
WISCONSIN RAPIDS − Just over two years after crews broke ground on the new Wood County Sheriff’s Office and Jail, the locks are on the cell doors, elevators are operational, furniture is being placed and computer wires are being connected as the end of construction nears.
The transition team has begun to train in the new building, Wood County Jail Administrator Lt. Ted Ashbeck said.
Ashbeck and Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker anticipate starting the move into the new building sometime in February, after the staff is fully trained on the procedures in the new facility.
Once the Wood County Sheriff’s Office and Jail are completely moved out of the old building, work on razing the old jail can begin sometime in 2025. Becker said he didn’t know exactly when that would happen.
People who would like to get a look inside the new facility firsthand are invited to attend an open house on Dec. 17 immediately following the Wood County Board meeting, which begins at 9:30 a.m., Becker said.
Jail construction is under budget and ahead of schedule
Laura Valenstein, chairwoman of the Wood County Jail Construction Adhoc Committee, said construction has gone extremely well. The construction is under budget and ahead of schedule, she said. Samuels Group of Wausau, the construction company building the jail, has been easy to work with, Valenstein said.
“They’ve done a great job,” she said. “They’ve been extremely receptive to feedback and a few things we wanted to change along the way.”
Becker, Ashbeck, Facilities Manager Reuben Van Tassel and sheriff’s office staff have done a good job staying on top of things with the jail project, Valenstein said. It was Valenstein’s first time being the chairwoman of such a large project and they made it easy, she said.
“I get to watch from the outside while the team deals with the nitty gritty,” Valenstein said.
Becker said he’s enjoyed working with Valenstein and Van Tassel during the project, which broke ground in October 2022. The Samuels Group has been good about making needed changes as they’ve been brought to their attention and keeping the project within its $98 million budget.
Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker leads a tour through the new Wood County Jail on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, as it nears completion in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
New facility increases safety and opportunities
The new jail will have many new features that improve safety for both inmates and staff as well as increased opportunities for training and inmate programming.
The new jail has video conference rooms placed throughout the facility. Currently, corrections officers bring inmates to the one conference room in the jail. The inmates wait outside the room for their turns to make court appearances. It’s a system that doesn’t work well, Becker said. The multiple video conference rooms will limit how far inmates have to be moved for their court appearances. There also is one conference room that will allow a defendant’s attorney to be in the jail with the inmate, instead of in the courtroom.
Some of the changes in the new jail Becker likes best are those that will allow for increased programming to help inmates. The current jail’s one small conference room also serves as the library. Having multiple conference rooms in the new jail will also allow for more meetings and training, Becker said.
The experience with COVID-19 had the jail’s designers and staff thinking about what elements the new jail needed to protect inmates’ health. There are cells designated for inmates who are *****. The area includes an exam room for nurses to see inmates with medical problems. The staff will be able to segregate ***** inmates from the general jail population, Becker said.
The jail also has a padded cell for inmates who are experiencing mental health issues, Becker said. The cell is designed to keep an inmate who is violent from hurting themselves.
Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker leads a tour through the new Wood County Jail on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, as it nears completion in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
The new jail kitchen also is designed to allow inmates to train on working in professional kitchens, Becker said. He hopes to work with Mid-State Technical College to create a program interested inmates can go through to become trained for restaurant work.
“Mid-State has been a very good partner for a lot of our jail programs,” Becker said.
The new facilities also give Wood County Sheriff’s Office staff more evidence room, better work spaces to write reports and meet, more locker room space and a new workout room.
Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or *****@*****.tld. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: New Wood County Jail will be finished soon
Source link
#Wood #County #Sheriffs #Office #Jail #completion #years #breaking #ground
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Berserk Boy studio signs up with Among Us publisher Outersloth for its next game, Berserk B.I.T.S
Berserk Boy studio signs up with Among Us publisher Outersloth for its next game, Berserk B.I.T.S
The studio behind action platformer Berserk Boy has signed up to Outersloth for its next game Berserk B.I.T.S.
Outersloth, the indie publishing fund set up by Among Us developer Innersloth, will fund the remining development of the game, which is now set for a 2025 release.
BerserkBoy Games now says the game is being supported “as a split between Outersloth, Casey Yano from Mega Crit (Slay the Spire) and a mystery friend”.
Released earlier this year, Berserk Boy is a 2D action platformer inspired by the Mega Man games. The game was critically well-received, with a Metacritic score of 83.
VGC’s Berserk Boy review called it “a great modern take on Mega Man style gameplay and one of the better recent attempts to bring the 16-bit era into the 2020s”.
For Berserk B.I.T.S, however, the studio is going in a completely different direction and offering a “bit-collection, virus-busting idle game”.
The game will run on the player’s desktop alongside other applications, and can work in the background as it auto-battles and collects chips. These chips can then be used for various powers, upgrades, weapons, summons and abilities.
BerserkBoy Games lead Zu Ehtisham says the addition of new funding from Outersloth will help to expand the game’s scope, and add new features, including an extended campaign, deeper customisation, more helper resources and a wider range of battle chips.
“Partnering with Outersloth is a very exciting opportunity,” he said in a statement. “With this added support, we’re amped up at the thought of expanding Berserk B.I.T.S in ways that give players even more collecting and battling. The added time and resources will let us develop even more features and some secrets too.”
Source link
#Berserk #Boy #studio #signs #Among #publisher #Outersloth #game #Berserk #B.I.T.S
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Billie Jean King Cup 2024: Spain against Poland postponed after severe weather alert in Malaga
Billie Jean King Cup 2024: Spain against Poland postponed after severe weather alert in Malaga
A severe weather alert in southern Spain has led to the opening tie of the Billie Jean King Cup between Spain and Poland being postponed.
The two nations were set to play in Malaga on Wednesday.
Two weeks after flash floods caused devastation in eastern Spain, several areas of the nation are on alert again.
A new weather front brought heavy rain in Malaga on Wednesday.
“This decision has been made based on guidance from the relevant authorities to ensure the health and safety of all participants and attendees,” said the International Tennis Federation, which organises the event.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation.”
Source link
#Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Spain #Poland #postponed #severe #weather #alert #Malaga
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
New Star Citizen Event Asks Players to Save Stanton From Pirates
New Star Citizen Event Asks Players to Save Stanton From Pirates
Today Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games released a new dynamic event on the growing game’s online persistent universe.
Source link
#Star #Citizen #Event #Asks #Players #Save #Stanton #Pirates
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Server manufacturers ramp-up edge AI efforts
Server manufacturers ramp-up edge AI efforts
Server manufacturers have long recognised the niche in public cloud computing that physical servers neatly fill. This has evolved over time to IT leaders and the industry recognising that some workloads will always be run on-premise; some may run both on the public cloud and on-premise, and some may be wholly cloud-based.
Artificial intelligence (AI) inference is the workload that’s now gaining traction among the server providers, as they look to address concerns over data loss, data sovereignty and potential latency issues, when crunching AI data from edge devices and the internet of things (IoT).
Dell Technologies has now extended its Dell NativeEdge edge operations software platform to simplify how organisations deploy, scale and use AI at the edge.
The Dell platform offers what the company describes as “device onboarding at scale”, remote management and multi-cloud application orchestration. According to Dell, NativeEdge offers high-availability capabilities to maintain critical business processes and edge AI workloads, which are able to continue to run irrespective of network disruptions or device failures. The platform also offers virtual machine (VM) migration and automatic application, compute and storage failover, which, said Dell, provides organisations increased reliability and continuous operations.
One of its customers, Nature Fresh Farms, is using the platform to manage over 1,000 IoT-enabled facilities. “Dell NativeEdge helps us monitor real-time infrastructure elements, ensuring optimal conditions for our produce, and receive comprehensive insights into our produce packaging operations,” said Keith Bradley, Nature Fresh Farms’ vice-president of information technology.
Coinciding with the KubeCon North America 2024 conference, Nutanix announced its support for hybrid and multi-cloud AI based on the new Nutanix Enterprise AI (NAI) platform. This can be deployed on any Kubernetes platform, at the edge, in core datacentres and on public cloud services.
Nutanix said NAI delivers a consistent hybrid multi-cloud operating model for accelerated AI workloads, helping organisations securely deploy, run and scale inference endpoints for large language models (LLMs) to support the deployment of generative AI (GenAI) applications in minutes, not days or weeks.
It’s a similar story at HPE. During the company’s AI day in October, HPE CEO Antony Neri discussed how some of its enterprise customers need to deploy small language AI models.
“They typically pick a large language model off the shelf that fits the needs and fine tune these AI models using their unique, very specific data,” he said. “We see most of these were loads on premise and co-locations where customers control their data, given their concerns about data sovereignty and regulation, data leakage and the security of AI public cloud APIs.”
In September, HPE unveiled a collaboration with Nvidia resulting in what Neri describes as a “full turnkey private cloud stack that makes it easy for enterprises of all sizes to develop and deploy generative AI applications”.
He said that with just three clicks and less than 30 seconds to deploy, a customer can deploy an HPE private cloud AI, which integrates Nvidia accelerated computing network and AI software with HPE’s AI server, storage and cloud services.
During its Tech World event in October, Lenovo unveiled Hybrid AI Advantage with Nvidia, which it said combines full-stack AI capabilities optimised for industrialisation and reliability.
The AI part of the package includes what Lenovo calls “a library of ready-to-customise AI use-case solutions that help customers break through the barriers to ROI [return on investment] from AI”.
The two companies have partnered closely to integrate Nvidia accelerated computing, networking, software and AI models into the modular Lenovo Hybrid AI Advantage.
Edge AI with the hyperscalers
The public cloud platforms all offer feature-rich environments for GenAI, machine learning and running inference workloads. They also have product offerings to cater for AI inference on IoT and edge computing devices.
Amazon Web Services offers SageMaker Edge Agent; Azure IoT hub is part of the mix Microsoft offers; and Google has Google Distributed Cloud. Such offerings generally focus on doing the heavy lifting, namely machine learning, using the resources available in their respective public clouds to build data models. These are then deployed to power inference workloads at the edge.
What appears to be happening with the traditional server companies is that in response to the cloud AI threat, they see a number of opportunities. IT departments will continue to buy and deploy on-premise workloads, and AI at the edge is one such area of interest. The second factor likely to influence IT buyers is the availability of blueprints and templates to help them achieve their enterprise AI goals.
According to analyst Gartner, while the public cloud providers have been very good at showing the art of the possible with AI and GenAI, they have not been particularly good at helping organisations achieve their AI objectives.
Speaking at the recent Gartner Symposium, Daryl Plummer, chief research analyst at Gartner, warned that tech providers are too focused on looking at the advancement of AI from their perspective, without taking customers on the journey to achieve the objectives of these advanced AI systems. “Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, Meta and OpenAI have made one major mistake – they’re showing us what we can do, [but] they’re not showing us what we should do,” he said.
The missing pieces concern domain expertise and IT products and services that can be tailored to a customer’s unique requirements. This certainly looks like the area of focus the likes of Dell, HPE and Lenovo will look to grow in partnership with IT consulting firms.
Source link
#Server #manufacturers #rampup #edge #efforts
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
BTIG upgrades this running shoe manufacturer, sees more than 20% upside
BTIG upgrades this running shoe manufacturer, sees more than 20% upside
On Holding’s momentum shows no signs of slowing, according to investment firm BTIG. Analyst Janine Stichter upgraded the running shoe maker to buy from neutral and set her price target at $64, which implies 21.6% upside from Tuesday’s close. While shares were marginally lower in the premarket Wednesday following the call, the stock has seen huge gains this year, surging more than 95%. ONON YTD mountain ONON, year-to-date On Tuesday, the Swiss athleisure company posted mixed third-quarter results, beating Wall Street’s revenue expectations while missing earnings estimates. Revenue guidance for the full year also came in above expectations. Citing this accelerating momentum into the end of the year, Stichter thinks more gains are still in store for the company in 2025 and beyond, with increasing traction in running specifically. “Q3 results suggest growth becoming increasingly balanced among running, lifestyle, training, and other sports, with many styles now reaching a critical mass and contributing meaningfully,” she wrote. “Wholesale sell-through ******** strong, and our checks at run specialty suggest continued share gains, which we see ultimately flowing back to [direct-to-consumer].” “While the company is moving methodically, plenty of door count expansion also still ********,” the analyst added. Stichter’s call joins 18 other strong buy or buy ratings among analysts on the Street covering the name, while the remaining four have taken a neutral stance, per LSEG. Its average target of $52.93 also reflects marginal upside ahead.
Source link
#BTIG #upgrades #running #shoe #manufacturer #sees #upside
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
BMG set to drill Abercromby near Wiluna
BMG set to drill Abercromby near Wiluna
BMG Resources is preparing to probe high-grade gold zones at its Abercromby gold project in a new round of extensional drilling designed to expand the company’s current maiden 518,000 ounce gold resource at Wiluna in WA.
The program was flagged two weeks ago following the company’s successful $1.5 million capital raise sources from sophisticated and institutional investors. It is now fully-funded to complete expansion drilling at Abercromby and to progress development studies.
Abercromby hosts a maiden mineral resource estimate of 11.12 million tonnes at a grade of 1.45g/t gold for 518,000 ounces of gold, which includes 354,000 inferred and indicated ounces of gold at a grade of 1.17g/t gold extending from the surface.
The underground component of the resource currently includes a separate 164,000 ounces of inferred and indicated gold grading 3.09g/t gold between 200m and 500m below surface.
With its eye firmly set on a path to the earliest possible production, BMG plans to mine a proportion of the near-surface resource by a small open-pit which would be designed to enable access to the high-grade underground gold resource from a portal in the open-pit floor.
The proposed drill program is looking to convert resources from the inferred category to indicated – or potentially better – through comprehensive infill drilling, while extensional drilling will look at expanding high-grade gold zones outside the existing shell of the resource model.
The company already has a Program of Work in place and has selected contractors DDH1 Drilling to sink the holes as it looks to crank up the rig with further drilling planned later this month.
BMG has already demonstrated it can efficiently plan and ******** a successful and productive drilling program, with only three previous campaigns being required to produce its maiden resource.
Following the support shown by investors in the recent capital raising, the team at BMG have moved quickly to finalise arrangements to resume drilling at the Abercromby Gold Project. The drill programme will focus on expanding high-grade gold zones beyond the existing resource shell, as well as increasing resource confidence by upgrading inferred resources to indicated status. The results of the drilling have potential to contribute significantly to resource growth at Abercromby, and to materially boost the potential project economics.
That resource is centred on the Capital ******** at the north-east end of the northernmost of BMG’s two mining leases at the project. It forms part of a ******* global resource estimate which contains about 670,000 ounces of gold.
Importantly, the Capital ******** ******** open at depth and along strike in both directions, which the imminent diamond drilling will set out to test further.
Additionally, more drilling is planned early next year to evaluate regional targets south of the Capital ********, following-up on previous reconnaissance air-core drilling at Capital South, Archer and Barrack Prospects.
Those prospects are all spread along a 1km strike of prospective stratigraphy extending south-east along strike from the Capital ********. The scout work previously conducted confirmed the existence of a big high-grade gold system and supports the possibility of repeat mineralisation similar to the Capital ********.
The company is confident in its past record and the prospectivity at Abercromby, both of which would seem to promise significant upside with a good chance BMG can materially upgrade and expand its current resource.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: *****@*****.tld
Source link
#BMG #set #drill #Abercromby #Wiluna
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Destiny 2: Revenant Act II Content Showcased in Developer Livestream
Destiny 2: Revenant Act II Content Showcased in Developer Livestream
Revenant Act II launches on Tuesday, November 19 for Destiny 2, and brings a new mode, weapons, and more!
Source link
#Destiny #Revenant #Act #Content #Showcased #Developer #Livestream
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Bitcoin: $90K Double-Top Signals Potential Pullback Before Rally to $100K Resumes
Bitcoin: $90K Double-Top Signals Potential Pullback Before Rally to $100K Resumes
Bitcoin’s meteoric rise is fueled by market optimism, pushing it closer to $100k.
Analysts are predicting Bitcoin could hit $200k by 2025.
Technical signals suggest Bitcoin could face a pullback before testing the $100k barrier.
Get ready for massive savings on InvestingPro this ****** Friday! Access premium market data and supercharge your research at a discount. Don’t miss out – click here to save 55%!
is surging to new heights, driven by a perfect storm of market optimism following Donald Trump’s presidential election victory and the possibility of a *********** sweep in Congress.
The result? A meteoric rise in Bitcoin’s price pushed it above historic highs and into uncharted territory.
Investors are pinning their hopes on the new administration’s potential to support the cryptocurrency industry, with some even predicting that Bitcoin could become part of the U.S. strategic foreign exchange reserves.
With demand now pushing the crypto toward the $90,000 mark, the question arises: are we nearing a local correction, or is the next target $100k?
Rising Optimism Fuels Bitcoin’s Surge: $100k in Sight
As the dust settles from the U.S. election, analysts are becoming increasingly bullish on Bitcoin’s future. Predictions are now pouring in, with some suggesting a target price of $200,000 by the end of 2025.
This optimism is underpinned by solid data: post-election, Bitcoin ETFs saw a record one-day inflow of $1.38 billion, with total inflows now approaching $1.8 billion.
With Bitcoin’s market capitalization surpassing $1.7 trillion and daily trading volumes nearly doubling to over $90 billion, the appetite for the cryptocurrency is clearly growing.
Yet, while the long-term outlook ******** bullish, some experts are cautioning about a potential short-term correction.
CryptoQuant’s CEO, Ki Yoon Joo, highlights that the current market is the most heavily leveraged in history, with $53 billion in leveraged positions.
If investors start taking profits, we could see a deeper pullback—but this wouldn’t alter Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory.
Technical Indicators: Is a Correction Looming?
Bitcoin’s price action has hit a key juncture. The $90,000 region is showing signs of a double-top formation, suggesting that a short-term correction could be in the cards.
If Bitcoin drops below $85,000, this could confirm the beginning of a pullback, with significant support levels around $77,000 and $73,000 offering potential entry points for traders looking to buy the dip.
However, if Bitcoin climbs past the $90,000 mark, the rally is likely to continue, setting the stage for a test of the psychological $100,000 level. The bullish momentum is still strong, and these short-term corrections could simply offer opportunities for fresh entries.
Ethereum Follows Suit: Record Inflows and Strong Support
It’s not just Bitcoin that’s catching investors’ attention. is also seeing a surge, with record inflows of $295.48 million on November 11.
Ethereum is rebounding after defending the $3,400 support level, and the next key support zone for Ethereum ***** around $2,800. For traders looking to go long, this could be an ideal entry point as Ethereum looks set to continue its upward trajectory alongside Bitcoin.
***
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a solicitation, offer, advice, or recommendation to purchase any asset. All investments should be evaluated from multiple perspectives, and it is important to remember that any investment decision and the associated risks are the sole responsibility of the investor. Additionally, no investment advisory services are provided.
Source link
#Bitcoin #90K #DoubleTop #Signals #Potential #Pullback #Rally #100K #Resumes
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Second Trump administration has ‘wholly different feel’
Second Trump administration has ‘wholly different feel’
Democratic strategist David Axelrod argued President-elect Trump’s second administration has a “wholly different feel” from his first team.
“Say what you will about the direction he wants to take the country but this is a wholly different feel from 2016. Trump is stocking his admin with seasoned loyalists who will not guide, but rather BE guided, by HIM,” Axelrod posted to the social platform X.
“People wanted to shake up Washington. For better or worse, they’re [going] to get what they asked for,” he said.
Trump’s former White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, also noted Trump’s transition back to the Oval Office will not look “anything like it did in 2017.”
The president-elect has quickly begun to fill out his Cabinet and appoint top advisers for his second term in the days after the election.
He must nominate leaders for 15 different government agencies and other top administration jobs that require Senate confirmation, and he must appoint his senior staff.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), seen as a foreign policy hawk, has been chosen as secretary of State. Former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), an outspoken defender of Trump during his first impeachment trial, has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
House GOP conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a staunch ally of *******, is Trump’s pick for ******* Nations ambassador. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), another loyal Trump ally, was chosen as Homeland Security secretary.
For his White House team, Trump chose Susie Wiles to be his chief of staff after she spent two years running his campaign. Stephen Miller, who served as a top adviser during Trump’s first term, will return to serve as deputy chief of staff for policy. Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan has been chosen to serve as “border czar” and push Trump’s immigration agenda.
The Hill has reached out to a Trump spokesperson for comment.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Source link
#Trump #administration #wholly #feel
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Can we all stop pretending to be impressed that the iPhone can run AAA games?
Can we all stop pretending to be impressed that the iPhone can run AAA games?
Playing ****** Stranding on a 6.9-inch screen might be funny but it isnt the future.
Source link
#stop #pretending #impressed #iPhone #run #AAA #games
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Press briefing on this week’s plenary session | News
Press briefing on this week’s plenary session | News
When: Wednesday 13 November at 14.30
Where: Anna Politkovskaya press room in Brussels and via Interactio
Key topics in this plenary include:
Debate with Council and Commission on EU-US relations after the election of Donald Trump as President
Flood tragedy in Valencia: MEPs discuss prevention and EU aid
Address by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö on his report “Strengthening Europe’s civil and military preparedness and readiness”, followed by a debate among MEPs
Vote on postponing the application of the deforestation regulation
Debate and vote on Parliament’s demands for the COP29 in Baku
Debate on the deplorable escalation of ********* around a football match in the Netherlands and the unacceptable attacks against ******** football fans
Debate on the outcome of Georgia’s disputed parliamentary elections, including alleged Russian interference
Interpretation of the press briefing will be available in English and French.
Journalists wishing to actively participate and ask questions, please connect via Interactio by using this:
You can follow it live from 14.30 on Wednesday in Parliament’s Anna Politkovskaya press room room or via Parliament’s webstreaming and EbS+.
Information for the media – Use Interactio to ask questions
Interactio is only supported on iPad (with the Safari browser) and Mac/Windows (with the Google Chrome browser).
When connecting, enter your name and the media you are representing in the first name / last name fields.
For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for interventions with video.
Journalists who have never used Interactio before are asked to connect 30 minutes before the start of the press conference to perform a connection test. IT assistance can be provided if necessary.
When connected, open the chat window (upper right corner) to be able to see the service messages.
For more details, check the connection guidelines and recommendations for remote speakers.
Source link
#Press #briefing #weeks #plenary #session #News
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Leaders weigh U.S.’ role in climate policy after Trump win
Leaders weigh U.S.’ role in climate policy after Trump win
Participants walk by the entrance of the U.N. COP29 climate conference at the Baku Olympic Stadium.
Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images
BAKU, Azerbaijan — Dubbed the “climate financing COP,” the 29th iteration of the U.N.’s annual climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, has hosted talks focused on unlocking crucial funds to combat environmental change — and on the impact of President-elect Donald Trump’s sweeping win last week in the U.S. elections.
“I think it’s going to be challenging. The U.S. plays a really critical role as an engine for the global economy, a driver of new technology, a source of finance,” Rich Lesser, global chair of the Boston Consulting Group, told CNBC’s Dan Murphy in Baku.
“President Trump has been very clear he doesn’t believe in climate change. I think he’s used the word that it’s a hoax and that he would take a much more aggressive stand to building out fossil fuel infrastructure in the U.S., and a much more restrictive view of how to deploy investment into decarbonization,” Lesser added.
The new balance of power in Washington could lead to a rollback of many climate-linked reforms passed by the administration of incumbent Joe Biden. While campaigning, Trump targeted the Inflation Reduction Act — which he calls the “green new scam” — and pledged to rescind any “unspent” funds.
U.S. climate envoy John Podesta, who leads America’s delegation at COP29, held firm on Washington’s continued leadership on climate policy, saying during the opening of the annual conference that “efforts to prevent climate change remain a commitment in the U.S. and will confidently continue.”
World Bank President Ajay Banga was also upbeat over the incoming administration, telling CNBC that “my experience with President Donald Trump in his first term was that he listens to practical reason, no spin. Give him the facts and let him take his own judgment.”
He added, “What I’m going to tell him is what I’m trying to do, which I think transcends any administration — which is, make the place work better, make it work faster, make it more efficient, make it work as a better partner with the other national development banks. Get the private sector in and drive that and make sure you drive jobs.”
Trump has also vowed to once more withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, a 2015 pact in which nearly 200 governments made non-binding pledges to reduce emissions. Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods warned against the exit, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
“I would encourage them to stay in the Paris Agreement,” Woods told CNBC, adding that Trump can instead bring a “common sense approach,” to reducing emissions — a task the Exxon Mobil head said needs a global framework.
‘Drill, baby, drill’
Trump has made hydrocarbons a key point of his campaigning agenda, previously vowing to “unleash ********* Energy” and promising to end Biden’s “delays in federal drilling permits and leases that are needed to unleash ********* oil and natural gas production.”
In his speech at the *********** National Convention in July, Trump claimed that increasing domestic oil and gas production would drive down prices for consumers at the pump. Under the Biden government, U.S. crude production averaged 12.9 million barrels per day in 2023, breaking the previous national and global record of 12.3 million b/d, set in 2019 during Trump’s first presidential term, according to the EIA.
“I think the opportunity for the Trump administration is looking a little further into the future,” Exxon Mobil’s Woods told CNBC.
“Additional access to acreage is going to be really critical within the U.S. to make sure that as we head down the depletion curve in the unconventional business, that the industry has access to additional resources to develop to offset that depletion that naturally occurs when producing oil.”
Source link
#Leaders #weigh #U.S #role #climate #policy #Trump #win
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Indian CubeSat to Travel to the Moon Soon on ********* Lander
Indian CubeSat to Travel to the Moon Soon on ********* Lander
In a new partnership between India and Japan, an Indian CubeSat is set to accompany a ********* lunar lander to orbit the Moon. HEX20Labs India Private Limited has announced a collaborative mission with the ********* firm ispace, intending to launch a CubeSat aboard one of ispace’s lunar landers in an upcoming mission. The agreement, signed by HEX20Labs’ Co-Founder and CEO Lloyd Jacob Lopez and ispace’s Founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada in Milan, marks a significant step in extending Indian satellite operations beyond Earth’s orbit.
As per official report by ispace, the CubeSat will be built by HEX20Labs, aiming to conduct scientific research and technological trials in cislunar space, further integrating India’s technological contributions into international lunar missions. ispace has multiple lunar landing ventures planned, but details on which mission will include HEX20Labs’ CubeSat remain undisclosed.
Mission Details
The mission, according to ispace, will help accelerate lunar exploration by standardising satellite platforms and interfaces necessary for effective operations in cislunar space. “Standardisation of satellite and its interfaces are essential to accelerate cislunar space activities,” said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace. This collaboration with HEX20Labs, he added, aligns with these goals.
In addition to HEX20Labs, the partnership also includes Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian aerospace company noted for launching India’s first private rocket in 2022, adding another key player to this international mission.
Japan’s Lunar Endeavours and Future Prospects
Japan’s recent lunar success, including the precise landing by its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) in January 2024, demonstrates significant advancements in lunar exploration, which are anticipated to benefit the current project. ispace’s upcoming Mission 2, expected to launch in December 2024, involves a 1000 kg lander named Resilience, along with a small rover, Tenacious, aimed at exploring the Mare Frigoris region.
Source link
#Indian #CubeSat #Travel #Moon #********* #Lander
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
England vs South *******: Behind the Springboks’ scrum
England vs South *******: Behind the Springboks’ scrum
Crouch, bind, set.
No nation personifies that process more than the world champions.
Over the past five years, the golden generation of South ******* forwards have developed arguably the most formidable and feared scrum in rugby.
The development of the now famous ‘***** Squad’ before the 2019 World Cup played a huge role, but their scrum runs deeper and has been part of their culture for decades.
“What South ******* do and we have always believed is that the scrum is an area where you can enforce yourself,” 2007 World Cup winner BJ Botha told BBC Sport.
“That is where we are legally allowed to be physical and manhandle players, which will hopefully overflow into other moments on the field. When we scrum, we scrum to dominate.”
Paarl Boys’ High School are one the powerhouses of schoolboy rugby in South *******, drawing in a crowd of 25,000 last year for a match against rivals Paarl Gimnasium, and helped develop current Springboks props Thomas du Toit and Frans Malherbe.
Gurthro Steenkamp, another member of South *******’s 2007 World Cup-winning squad, also played his schoolboy rugby there and has seen a shift towards the set-piece at an early age.
“South ******* are putting a massive emphasis on the development of props and especially the scrum,” La Rochelle scrum coach Steenkamp added.
“At my former school they start to give attention at the age of 14 and 15 to the finer techniques, so they are prepared for the ages of 15 and 16 when they have a proper contest in the scrum.”
Scrumming is one of few things that is restricted until ****** rugby, with teams only allowed to push a maximum of 1.5 metres in school.
Botha worked as a forwards coach at Paarl Boys’ High School from 2021-2023 and now works with schools and teams on a consultancy basis to supply specialist coaching and analysis.
Rather than wait until they are old enough to go full bore at scrum time, props in the schoolboy system are trained beyond their years.
“It is a very fine balance that is regulated by the unions and referees who are doing it in a controlled manner, so we have these specialist positions coming through the system,” Botha added.
“South ******* are just doing that better as they want specialists coming through.”
The edge is not just at schoolboy level but also now the highest level.
Source link
#England #South #******* #Springboks #scrum
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Coles is latest major corporate to pull back on working from home
Coles is latest major corporate to pull back on working from home
Another major *********** corporation is ordering staff back into the office, in another sign the pandemic-era work from home norm is changing.
Source link
#Coles #latest #major #corporate #pull #working #home
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Iran executes in public a serial ******* convicted in dozens of cases
Iran executes in public a serial ******* convicted in dozens of cases
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian man convicted of ******* dozens of women over the past two decades has been ********* in public, the country’s state media reported on Wednesday.
The state-owned IRAN newspaper said Mohammad Ali Salamat was hanged after Iran’s Supreme Court confirmed his ****** sentence earlier in October. He was put to ****** at dawn Tuesday in a ********* in the western city of Hamedan.
Some 200 women had accused Salamat, a 43-year old who ran a pharmacy and a gym in the city, of *****. He is said to have committed the ******* over the past 20 years.
Reports by Iranian media said that in many of the cases, Salamat ****** his victims after proposing marriage or dating them. He allegedly provided some with ********* pills, which are ******** in Iran.
He was arrested in January in what was the biggest number of ***** case ever attributed to a single offender in Iran. Following his arrest, hundreds of people gathered at the city’s justice department, demanding capital punishment for Salamat.
U.N. experts said in September that Iran is among the world’s top countries that carry out executions. Increasing number of executions in Iran has prompted an outcry by human rights groups.
***** and adultery are among offences in Iran punishable by ******. In 2005, Iran publicly hanged a 24-year-old man who ****** and ******* 20 children. In 1997, authorities hanged a 28-year-old man for kidnapping, ******* and ******** nine ****** and women in Tehran.
Source link
#Iran #executes #public #serial #******* #convicted #dozens #cases
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
4 Reasons Why Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40k Army Will Get You in Deep Trouble
4 Reasons Why Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40k Army Will Get You in Deep Trouble
Henry Cavill is a big fan of the universe of Warhammer 40K. He loves to engross himself in the game’s universe. His army from the universe of the games are honorable warriors.
Henry Cavill talks highly of Custodes from Warhammer 40K. Image Credit: Geeked via Still Watching Netflix YT
However, being an honorable warrior in the Warhammer 40K universe is just not enough due to the wide array of creatures and other clans that persist there, and if you place your bets on Cavill’s custodes, you are in for deep trouble. Here are 4 reasons why Cavil’s army lacks tenacity.
4. Custodes Have Limited Combat Ability
Custodes ******* to adapt to new combat techniques. Image Credit: bachzim
Custodes have become a relic of the past; their combat ability has rusted with time as they ******* to evolve, becoming obsolete. They were considered one of the most ferocious armies before, but their rigidity in adapting to the changing times did not do them well.
Centuries of isolation have dulled their spark and reduced their combat abilities, which makes them a bad choice to place your bets on in war. They are not as skilled as they used to be, and it has been years since they last took over the general command.
3. They Have Limited Combined Warfare Ability
They fail to combine artillery and use it to their advantage. Image Credit: bachzim
Custodes were considered lone wolves in the past, but the recent lore sheds revealed that they did ****** in groups, coordinating with one another and safeguarding each other’s ****** spots.
However, despite having multiple weapons, aircraft, and other artillery, they ******* to put these to good use. They are often seen fighting together in a group of 5-20 without using the support of other weapons that they have, which makes them less likely to win a ******.
2. Their Introspection Is Their Biggest ******
Warhammer 40k’s recent lore sheds more light on Custodes’ dying relevance. mage Credit: Games Workshop
An excerpt from Vaults of Terra: Warhammer 40,000 Book 3 sheds light on why Custodes’ introspective nature seems to be doing them more harm than good.
It reads, ‘So cautious. Still observing, still calculating. Was this their weakness? Spinoza wondered. Was this why they had hidden away for so long, sheltering in obscurity? That they had lost their decisiveness over the wearing course of millennia?’ Wraight, Chris. The Dark City (Vaults of Terra: Warhammer 40,000 Book 3) (p. 287)
1. They Are New to Void Warfare
Void travel is something Custodes lack in. Image Credit: Warhammer 40K wiki fandom
Custodes do not fare well with interstellar travel and void warfare, and it is largely due to their inability to adapt to the changing times. They have always had a human general command their fleet, and they are useless when left on their own accord.
This by large makes them quite weaker than some of the other warrior clans in the game who have managed to evolve with changing times and have only risen in power. Even the tactical and strategic outlook toward war has changed a lot over the millennia.
Custodes were in fact ferocious and honorable warriors once, but that time is so long lost that their greatness often only exists in the history books now. What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments below.
Source link
#Reasons #Henry #Cavills #Warhammer #40k #Army #Deep #Trouble
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Postelection euphoria takes a breather
Postelection euphoria takes a breather
Employees work at the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.
What you need to know today
U.S. and Asia markets slipU.S. markets retreated on Wednesday after a week of postelection enthusiasm. The S&P 500 dropped 0.29% and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.09%, snapping a five-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average pulled back 0.86%. ****** markets also tracked the losses on Wall Street, with South Korea’s Kospi leading losses and falling over 2%.
Bearish outlook for oilOil prices could hit as low as $30 to $40 a barrel in the event that oil alliance OPEC+ unwinds its existing output cuts, said market watchers who are predicting a bearish year ahead for crude. At $40, the price would represent a drop of around 40% compared to current prices. Brent is currently trading at $72 a barrel, while U.S. WTI futures are around $68 per barrel.
Softbank-backed Swiggy makes stellar India debutShares of Indian food delivery giant Swiggy soared as much as 15% on their trading debut Wednesday after completing the country’s second-largest IPO this year. Swiggy, which is backed by SoftBank, raised 113.27 billion Indian rupees ($1.34 billion) in its IPO that closed Monday. The IPO was reportedly oversubscribed more than three times.
Bitcoin briefly touches $90,000Bitcoin touched the $90,000 mark on Tuesday, just two days after breaching the $80,000 mark. The cryptocurrency, however, later retreated from that high, last trading at $86,895.50 on Wednesday morning, according to Coin Metrics. Its price is expected by many investors to continue making fresh records on its way to $100,000 later this year.
3 stocks to buy following Trump winMorgan Stanley’s Aaron Dunn, portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley’s U.S. Value Fund, identified three stocks he is ******** on following U.S. president elect’s Donald Trump’s election win, adding that markets now are seeing a “great deal of volatility” following the election result, and are repricing “what had been a 50/50 election.”
The bottom line
After Trump won the election, the S&P and Nasdaq recorded winning sessions for five consecutive days. That streak ended on Wednesday.
While it’s ********** to say that the postelection rally has come to an end, it certainly has taken a pause.
According to Siebert chief investment officer Mark Malek, this could be because stocks may have already gotten ahead of themselves even before Trump won a second term last week.
Now that the market has removed the overhang of the election, some of the core economic headwinds that have lingered are coming back to the forefront, he added. “What’s driving today’s trade is maybe a little bit of exhaustion,” Malek told CNBC.
Postelection euphoria may soon give way to cold, hard, economic data. Investors are eagerly anticipating October inflation readings, out Wednesday. According to a Reuters poll of economists, the consumer price index is expected to climb to 2.6%, its first rise in six months. However, core inflation is still expected to hold steady at 3.3%.
— CNBC’s Brian Evans and Alex Harring contributed to this report.
Source link
#Postelection #euphoria #takes #breather
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
The best webcams for 2024
The best webcams for 2024
If you’re a remote worker, or even work remotely part-time, you can step up your video conference game by investing in a good webcam. Built-in cameras on laptops and desktops have improved in recent years, but you typically still get higher quality and more personalized controls with an external webcam. And if you plan on video chatting with friends across the country or game-streaming regularly, you’ll want the best webcam experience possible. But there’s a lot of junk out there, as is typical in an overcrowded space. In this buying guide, we’ll ***** into the best webcams that will help you look sharp, no matter where you’re dialing in from.
Factors to consider before buying a webcam
Resolution and field of view
While some newer computers have 1080p webcams, most built-in cameras have a resolution of 720p, so you’ll want to look for an external webcam that has a higher resolution. FHD webcams will give you better video quality; ideally, you’re looking for something that can handle 1080p at 60fps or 30fps. If you’re considering a cheap 720p webcam, make sure to get one that supports at least 30fps (most will) or, even better, 60fps. However, if your primary concern is better picture quality during video calls, 1080p is the way to go.
Some webcams can ****** in 4K, but that’s overkill for most people. Not to mention most video conferencing services like Zoom, Google Meet and Skype don’t even support 4K video. When it comes to streaming, Twitch maxes out at 1080p video, but YouTube added 4K live streaming back in 2016. Ultimately, with 4K webcam shots having such limited use, most people can get by with a solid 1080p camera.
Field of view (FOV) controls how much can fit in the frame when you’re recording. Most webcams I tested had a default field of view of around 78 degrees, which captured me and enough of my background to prove that I really need to organize my home office. On cheaper webcams you’ll usually see narrower fields of view (around 60 degrees), and those aren’t necessarily bad. They won’t show as much of your background, but that also means you won’t be able to squeeze as many friends or family members into frame when you’re having Zoom birthday parties. On the flip side, more expensive webcams may let you adjust the field of view to be even wider than average, and some even offer features like digital zoom.
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Autofocus and other “auto” features
Webcams with autofocus will keep the image quality sharp without much work on your part. You should be able to move around, step back and forth, and remain in focus the whole time. Some standalone webcam models let you manually adjust focus, too, if you have specific needs. Devices with fixed focus are less convenient, but they tend to be more affordable.
In the same vein is auto framing, a feature that some high-end webcams now offer. Similarly to Apple’s Center Stage feature, the camera automatically adjusts to keep you in the center of the frame even as you move around. This used to be a feature only available on the most premium webcams, but now you can find it on sub-$200 devices.
You’ll also see other “auto” features listed in webcam specs, most notably auto light correction. This will adjust the camera’s settings to make up for a dimly lit room. If you don’t have bright lights, or often take calls in places where you can’t control the lighting, this feature will be valuable. Alternatively, you might consider using your mirrorless camera as a high-quality webcam solution, taking all of the benefits and features with you (albeit in a cumbersome package).
Microphones
Most webcams have built-in microphones that, depending on your setup, might end up being closer to you than your computer’s own mics. Check to see if the model you’re considering has mono or stereo mics, as the latter is better. Some even use noise-reduction technology to keep your voice loud and clear. While audiophiles and streamers will want to invest in a standalone microphone, most others can get by using a webcam’s built-in mic.
Design
There aren’t a ton of fascinating breakthroughs when it comes to external webcam design. Most are round or rectangular devices that clip onto a monitor or your laptop screen. Some have the ability to swivel or ****** onto a tripod stand and others can simply sit on your desk beside your computer. But unless you really like having people stare up your nose, the latter isn’t ideal. We recommend clipping your webcam to your monitor and ensuring that it’s at or slightly above eye level.
A few webcams go above and beyond by adding hardware extras like built-in lights and lens covers, too. The former can help you stand out in a dark room, while the latter makes it so hackers can’t view you through your webcam without your knowledge.
Price
Most external webcams that are just good enough to be a step up from your computer’s built-in camera cost between $60 and $150. If the webcam has the same resolution as the internal one on your laptop, you should look out for other specs like auto light correction, a wider field of view or an extra-long connecting cable that can provide a step-up in quality or ease of use.
Spending $150 or more means you might get advanced features that tend to be present in a pro webcam like 4K resolution, vertical and horizontal recording options, stereo mics, customizable video settings and more. But unless you’re spending hours on video calls each day or streaming multiple times each week, you can settle on a budget webcam and safely skip most of those high-end options.
How we test webcams
We primarily test webcams by putting them through as much real-world use as possible. We examine their design, how flexible they are and how easy they are to reposition, and make note of how heavy they are and if that affects their ability to stay put while sitting on top of a screen. We use each webcam for at least a week straight as our primary camera for all video chats, and we make sure to use the device in different lighting environments to test low-light performance. We also use any built-in microphones as our primary audio inputs on video calls as well. Finally, although most of these webcams are plug-and-play, we test out any proprietary software that’s intended to work with each webcam, tweaking things like field of view, video resolution and effects, and using any special features like Show Mode on Logitech webcams.
Best webcams for 2024
Logitech
Resolution: up to 1080p | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: auto-light correction, Show Mode, RightSight, built-in lens cover
The Logitech Brio 500 is essentially an upgraded version of the beloved C920s HD Pro. It shoots the same quality of video — up to 1080p 30fps — but it has a wider field of view, an upgraded zoom, improved auto-light correction, a better mic array and a USB-C connecting cable that offers overall better performance. The biggest difference I noticed in testing the Brio 500 was the improved light correction. My home office can feel very *****-like when the blinds are shut or when it’s raining, but you wouldn’t know it when on a video call with me. Logitech’s RightLight 4 technology does a great job of brightening the whole shot when you’re in a dim or dark environment.
This Logitech webcam works with the LogiTune software, which lets you customize camera settings like field of view, autofocus, contrast, brightness and more, plus lets you enable Show Mode and RightSight features. The former lets you present things on your desk just by tilting the camera down while the latter will automatically keep you in frame during calls even if you move around. RightSight works much like Apple’s Center Stage feature does on iOS devices, and most people will likely get more use out of this feature than Show Mode. If you prefer to keep things more consistent (or control how much of your background is visible), you can choose from 90-, 78- or 65-degree field of views instead of enabling RightSight.
Logitech also updated the design of the Brio 500. It’s made of recycled plastic and it comes in three different colors that you can match to other Logitech peripherals. The camera attaches magnetically to its base and it easily swivels from side to side when you need to adjust its position, plus it has a built-in lens cover for extra privacy when you’re not using it. Overall, it has the best mix of essential features and handy extras of any webcam we tested.
But $130 might be a lot for some people to spend on a webcam. We think it’s worth it if you’re primarily a hybrid or remote worker, but there is a cheaper option for those with tight budgets. The Logitech Brio 300 has many of the same core features as the Brio 500: 1080p resolution, auto light correction, a built-in privacy shutter and USB-C connectivity. However, you won’t get HDR support, an adjustable field of view, Show Mode or omnidirectional mics (although it does have a noise-reducing microphone of its own). It’s a pared-down version of the Brio 500 and it’ll only cost you $70.
*****
1080p/30fps video recording
Wider field of view
Improved auto-light correction
Works with LogiTune software for customizations
*****
A tad on the expensive side
$100 at Amazon
Photo by Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Resolution: up to 2K | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: autofocus, built-in lens cover, dual stereo mics, omnidirectional vocal pickup
Anker’s cube-like PowerConf C200 webcam has has a lot of the same perks as our top pick, and it’s one of the best budget webcams out there thanks to its $60 price tag. Setup is equally as easy as it was for out top pick – just plug it into your computer or docking station and start using it. You can download the AnkerWork software to edit things like brightness, sharpness and contrast ratio, but I just kept all the defaults.
You’re also able to control the camera’s resolution and field of view with this software, too. The C200 webcam defaults to a 2K resolution, but you can bring it down to 1080p, 720p or even 360p if you wish. Same goes for field of view: The default is 95 degrees, but I bumped mine down to 78 degrees to spare my colleagues a wider view of my messy home office.
I was immediately impressed with the C200’s video quality: 2K is likely more than most people need (1080p should do just fine), but the extra sharpness and clarity is a nice touch. The webcam’s autofocus is quite fast, and its larger f/2.0 aperture captures more light so you stay illuminated even in darker settings.
In addition to a built-in lens cover that you can slide closed for privacy, the C200 has dual stereo mics that actually do a good job of capturing your voice loud and clear. You can also choose directional or omnidirectional vocal pickup in the AnkerWork settings, with the latter being better if you have multiple people speaking on your end.
My biggest complaints about the C200 webcam are that it’s a bit cumbersome to adjust its angle when it’s perched on your screen. Unlike most webcams, Anker’s doesn’t have a short neck of sorts that connects the camera to its adjustable base – it’s just one, chunky piece of plastic that I had to use both hands to adjust. Also, the C200 comes with a USB cable that’s much shorter than others. This won’t be a problem if you’re connecting the webcam directly to your laptop, but it’s not as flexible if you have a standing desk converter or a more complicated setup that requires long cables.
*****
Up to 2K video recording
Dual stereo mics
Works with AnkerWork software for customizations
Fairly affordable
*****
Short connecting cable
Can be finicky to reposition on top of your screen
$60 at Amazon
Razer
Resolution: up to 4K | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: background blurring, face-tracking autofocus, physical shutter
Razer built the Kiyo Pro Ultra as the ultimate video streaming webcam and that’s immediately apparent as soon as you take the webcam out of the box. It’s huge. Its circular frame measures three inches in diameter and about two inches thick. It follows the design language of other Kiyo webcams, but it’s definitely the biggest of the bunch and that’s probably because Razer stuffed a lot into this peripheral. It has the biggest sensor of any Kiyo webcam (1/1.2 inches to be exact), and the company claims it’s the largest in any webcam, *******. The Pro Ultra has a F/1.7 aperture lens as well, which lets in a ton of light and results in a super crisp image. It certainly delivered the best quality image of all the webcams I tested, which isn’t a surprise since it can capture raw 4k/30fps (or 1080p/60fps) footage.
Streamers will not only appreciate the high quality image coming from this high-resolution cam, but also its HDR support, tasteful background blurring and face-tracking autofocus that swiftly transitions from zeroing-in on their face to whatever object they may be showing off to their viewers. It works with Razer’s Synapse software, too, so you can customize your image to your liking, tweaking things like zoom, pan, tilt, ISO and shutter speed. Just know that Synapse only works on Windows devices, so you’ll be stuck with default settings if you’re on macOS or Linux.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra is compatible with Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) and XSplit, so most streamers will be able to unbox it and get right to producing content. We also appreciate that you can twist the camera’s frame to physically shutter the lens, giving you more privacy when you need it. Undoubtedly, the Kiyo Pro Ultra is one of the most powerful webcams we tried out and it may even be overkill for streamers just starting out (our final pick might be better for those folks), but serious and professional content creators will love the quality video and customization options they get. If you want a similar level of quality and the ability to tweak settings on a Mac, Elgato’s Facecam Pro is a good alternative webcam. It costs the same as the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, can record video at 4K/60fps and its Camera Hub software works on macOS and Windows.
*****
Superior image quality (up to 4K/30fps)
Face-tracking autofocus
Works with OBS and XSplit out of the box
$300 at Razer
Photo by Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Resolution: 1080p | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: Auto exposure, noise reduction
Of all the webcams I tested, I had the most fun using Logitech’s Streamcam. While it’s a bit weird to say I “had fun” with such an innocuous piece of tech, I found the Streamcam to be remarkable in many ways. First and foremost, the video quality is excellent, coming in at a sharp 1080p/60fps. Details in my clothing came through much better and, whether I liked it or not, so did some of the texture on my skin. The Streamcam was also one of the best video streaming webcams I tested when it came to ****** reproduction.
All of those perks remain the same even when you’re ********* in low-light conditions. The Streamcam’s auto-exposure feature made up for the darkness in my office on gloomy days with excellent low-light performance. And it has the best kind of autofocus — the kind that you never notice in action.
The dual omnidirectional mics inside the Logitech Streamcam delivered my voice loud and clear during video calls. If you stream often and find yourself without an external mic, it’s nice to know that you could get by with the Streamcam’s built-in ones in a pinch. The microphones also have noise reduction to keep your voice font and center.
As far as design goes, the Streamcam is a bit larger than your standard cam. It’s a chunky almost-square that can easily be positioned on a monitor or mounted on a tripod, and a unique feature of its design is its ability to ****** either vertically or horizontally. I kept mine in the standard 16:9 format, but some content creators and streamers who post to social media often will like the 9:16 format that’s best for Instagram and TikTok. Logitech also made sure the Streamcam was optimized for OBS, XSplit and Streamlabs, so you can use it directly out of the box for your next live session.
*****
Up to 1080p/60fps video recording
Good low-light performance
Can ****** vertical and horizontal video
Works with OBS, XSplit and Streamlabs out of the box
*****
Non-removable connecting cable
$150 at Amazon
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Resolution: 4K | Mic: Yes | Software support: Yes | Features: Auto-exposure, auto white balance, noise reduction, and autofocus
Everything about the MX Brio Ultra feels premium, from its sleek aluminum housing to its magnetic mounting clop to the twisting lens cover that gives you more privacy when you need it. This webcam uses a Sony Starvis sensor to record video at up to 4k/30fps, which is more than most people will need but provides a noticeable boost in video quality. The MX Brio also has better dynamic range and low-light sensitivity, making it a great option for someone like me, whose home office can get pretty *****-like on a rainy day.
The mounting clip sturdily attaches to a laptop screen or monitor, but it can be removed as well if you prefer a tripod mount. But the clip is also flexible enough for you to vertically angle the camera downward to activate Logitech’s Show Mode, which lets you more easily show off what’s on your desk while on a video call. That, plus the built-in lens cover, are two stand-out features on the MX Brio Ultra (aside from the stellar image quality), and Logitech even gives you the option to customize your video using companion software that has brightness, contrast, field of view and other adjusters. Admittedly, a lot of these perks are nice-to-haves rather than necessities; we’d recommend the MX Brio Ultra only to those who spend more time on video calls than not, or anyone who has a deep love for the MX lineup of productivity accessories.
*****
Shoots 40k/30fps video
Sturdy yet flexible mount clip
Attractive and premium design
Built-in twisting lens cover
Works with Logitech Show Mode
$200 at Amazon
Elgato
Resolution: 1080p | Mic: No | Software support: Yes | Features: HDR, built-in lens cover, pan-tilt-zoom
Elgato made a few important upgrades in the new Facecam MK.2: it now supports HDR, a slightly wider field of view and a new pan-tilt-zoom feature that can either keep you in the center of the frame at all times or move the camera to follow you as you point to a whiteboard beside you. The latest model supports 1080p/60fps video recording and it has a built-in lens cover that you can slide out from the side when you’re not using the peripheral. Video quality is pretty good, with natural colors, good detail and decent lighting regardless of the available illumination in your space. In addition to its solid overall quality, streamers will appreciate the level of control Elgato’s Camera Hub software provides over things like white balance, exposure, contrast and more, and the fact that the Facecam MK.2 integrates seamlessly with the Steam Deck.
*****
Records 1080p/30fps video
Pan-tilt-zoom feature
Camera Hub software gives you a lot of control
Integrates with Steam Deck
$150 at Amazon
Others webcams we tested
Logitech C920s Pro HD
Our previous top pick, the Logitech C920s Pro HD webcam ******** a solid option for those with less than $100 to spend and really only need a basic 1080p camera to upgrade their setup, or something affordable to make them look better on those inevitable Zoom calls. It has a 78-degree field of view, decent microphones and handy privacy shutter built in. The Brio 500 took the top spot away from this model thanks to its advanced light correction, auto-framing and Show Mode.
Source link
#webcams
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
With Trump’s win, student debt relief is in question. Here’s what to know.
With Trump’s win, student debt relief is in question. Here’s what to know.
President Joe Biden made student loan forgiveness a central issue to his administration, rolling out efforts to forgive debt as well as to lower repayments for millions of borrowers. But with President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House in January, the future of those efforts is now in question.
During the presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump described Mr. Biden’s efforts to forgive student borrowers as “a total catastrophe.” While he hasn’t explicitly addressed his plans for student loans, he’s called for eliminating the Department of Education, which manages the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio.
It’s unclear which agency or group would manage those loans if the Education Department were to be eliminated, a step that would require approval from Congress. The Trump campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about Trump’s plans for student debt relief.
What is a college grad’s life without debt?
07:31
There’s a lot on the line for the 46 million Americans who hold $1.7 trillion in student loans, a financial burden that about half of borrowers say has impacted their life choices, delaying home purchases or starting their families, according to a 2021 Morning Consult study. Mr. Biden’s term is drawing to an end with two of his key relief efforts tied up in the courts, adding to the uncertainty about what Trump’s second presidency will mean for those plans.
“We know what is in Project 2025, and we know what we saw in the first Trump administration,” Persis Yu, managing counsel for the Student Borrower Protection Center, an advocacy group for people with student loans. “We just should be very concerned about what the next administration will mean for borrowers.”
The next Trump administration may be unlikely to continue the Biden administration’s effort to ****** against ongoing lawsuits targeting current student debt relief efforts, according to NerdWallet lending expert Kate Wood in an email. That could mean an end to those programs, experts say.
“Programs that the Biden administration created or expanded access to via regulatory changes could be easily rolled back,” she added.
What has Trump said about student loan relief?
During his September debate with Vice President Kamala Harris,Trump bashed the Biden administration’s efforts.
“When they said they’re going to get student loans terminated and it ended up being a total catastrophe. He went out, got rejected again by the Supreme Court,” Trump said, referring to the high court’s 2023 decision that blocked Mr. Biden’s initial student loan forgiveness program, which would have provided up to $20,000 in relief per borrower.
Who will qualify for debt forgiveness under Biden’s new student loan forgiveness plan?
00:45
“So all these students got taunted with this whole thing about — this whole idea. And how unfair that would have been. Part of the reason they lost,” he added.
What does Project 2025 say about student loans?
Project 2025 — an initiative overseen by the ************* Heritage Foundation to guide the next *********** president in an overhaul of the executive branch — calls for the abolishment of the Department of Education, and says student loans should be handled by the private sector. It also advocates for scuttling student loan relief.
“The new administration must end the practice of acting like the federal student loan portfolio is a campaign fund to curry political support and votes,” Project 2025 says. “The new administration must end abuses in the loan forgiveness programs. Borrowers should be expected to repay their loans.”
It’s unclear whether Trump agrees with those views, although he has called for an end to the Education Department. While on the campaign trail, Trump distanced himself from Project 2025, calling some of the proposals “abysmal.”
What is the status of Biden’s student loan relief plans?
Currently, there are two student loan relief plans that are tied up in court, both of which are being challenged by ***********-led states.
The Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, is an income-driven repayment program, which pegs a borrower’s monthly payment to their income, lowering their financial costs. Some lower-income borrowers in SAVE have monthly payments of $0.
Expert on best approach for student loan payments
03:11
The plan’s 8 million enrollees are now in limbo, however, after court rulings blocked the Biden administration from implementing the plan. Currently, those borrowers are in forbearance through April, meaning that their loans are essentially paused while the Biden administration defends the plan in court.
Separately, another Biden administration plan to use the Higher Education Act to erase all or some of the student debt held by 30 million borrowers has also hit a legal roadblock, with a court putting that plan on hold in October.
In the latter case, the *********** states argued that Mr. Biden’s plan sought to “unlawfully mass cancel up to hundreds of billions of dollars in student loans.” The Education Department vowed to defend both plans.
What could happen to these programs under Trump?
Bob Eitel, who served during the first Trump administration as a senior counselor to the education secretary, said he expects the president-elect will move to rescind the proposed loan cancellation regulations.
“The Trump administration may pursue different avenues of loan relief, but it will not be the mass, blanket types of forgiveness that the current administration has pursued,” said Eitel, president and co-founder of the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies.
Some other student loan relief programs may remain, such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which would be tougher to eliminate but could become less accessible, said NerdWallet’s Wood.
That program, which was signed into law by former President George W. Bush in 2007, forgives student debt for public workers like teachers and police officers after 10 years in repayment. The Biden administration reworked the PSLF to make it easier for people to qualify for forgiveness, after the vast majority of people who applied were told they were ineligible.
During Trump’s first term, the Education Department was overseen by Betsy DeVos, who promoted school choice in K-12 and also called for deep spending cuts. She also proposed ending the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, although she was unsuccessful.
Do Americans support student loan relief?
It’s a divisive issue among voters, with people’s views ******** by their political leanings and whether they themselves have student debt, according to an AP-Norc poll published in June.
Only 15% of Republicans believe student loan forgiveness is important, versus 58% of Democrats. More than half of people currently paying student loans say it’s an important issue, versus one-third of those with no experience with student debt, the poll found.
Republicans have objected to Mr. Biden’s efforts because they could deprive some lenders of revenue, while some object to forgiving loans for people who enrolled in college, given that a ********* of Americans have college degrees.
The Biden administration is “saddling working Americans with Ivy League debt,” said Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in a September statement.
The Associated Press
contributed to this report.
More
Aimee Picchi
Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.
Source link
#Trumps #win #student #debt #relief #question #Heres
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Prominent WA company director Rob Cole steps back to deal with health issue
Prominent WA company director Rob Cole steps back to deal with health issue
The prominent WA director’s companies have told their shareholders that he has gone on leave on health grounds.
Source link
#Prominent #company #director #Rob #Cole #steps #deal #health #issue
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Privacy Notice: We utilize cookies to optimize your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. By consenting, you acknowledge and agree to our Cookie Policy, ensuring your privacy preferences are respected.
